Commenting in the post titled, Wisdom of Buddha, Mark mentioned a beautiful story about a chinese master. Its about how spiritual realization can not be obtained from books. It reminded me a similar story from Rumi, the famous Persian Mystic and Poet.
Once while Jalalludin Rumi was teaching his pupils in the open courtyard, next to a fountain, a shabbily externally dressed but perfectly internally adorned Sufi, Shams Tabrez came to their assembly and watched them. He saw Rumi referring to numerous handwritten books in the course of his teaching. Shams asked Jalalludin Rumi as to what was in the books.
Jalalludin Rumi replied, "O! Sufi. This contains knowledge that is beyond your understanding so you continue to read your rosary." Unnoticed by Rumi, Shams Tabrez threw all the books into the pond of water. When Rumi’s students saw what occurred they began beating Shams Tabrez. This and the screams of Shams Tabrez alerted Rumi as to what occurred. He complained that all his valuable knowledge had been destroyed. Shams Tabrez said; "Tell your pupils to leave me alone and I will give back your books."
A visibly dejected Rumi conceded to the request thinking that this was impossible. He was surprised to see Shams Tabrez, recite bismillah (in the name of God), lift the drenched books from the pond, blew dust of them and returned them to him intact.
He asked Shams Tabrez as to how he did this. Shams Tabrez replied, "This knowledge is beyond your understanding so you continue to teach your pupils." Jalalludin Rumi fell at his feet and was swept into the currents of love. The presence of this ragged Sufi, Shams Tabrez, changed Jallaluddin Rumi from a respected professor of theology into a lover of God, one who summed up his whole life with the phrase, "I burnt, and I burnt, and I burnt." Shams Tabrez, targeted Rumi since he knew that Rumi was ready for receiving Spiritual Training but the veil of conceit, regarding his knowledge, had to be lifted.
"Thus, spiritual enlightenment can only come as a gift from God. No book can teach us this. Sometime God present this gift directly into the heart of the devotee as inspirations or sometime via a spiritual master or guide."
ReplyDeleteWe are taught here in the west that.... "when we are ready, the teacher will appear". Little do we stop and consider the direct infusion from God of his presence and being into our lives.
Indead, this is my story- although I meet great masters everywhere, and intereact with my master teachers with every conversation and with everyone I meet.
I am blessed to know that within and without, all that is.. is holy and sacred...nothing is not part of Spirit.
One of my favorite quotes is from Hafiz... " Just sit there right now. Don't do a thing. Just rest. For your separation from God is the hardest work in the world."
Namaste Sadiq, your words are a breath of fresh air and I thank God for our meeting.
Beloved Isaiah,
ReplyDeleteI thank God, who is worthy of all praise..for our meeting.
It is very wonderful experience for me to share with like mind ppl like u. Yes, u r absolutely true. Everything is part of the Spirit. He encompasses everything and nothing encompasses Him _ Quran.
I loved the quote from Hafiz.
Thanks again.
God Bless.
This one is wonderful. It echoes the experiences of mystics the world over and of Saint Jnaneswara, who lived near my place-Pune, India- seven centuries ago. Yes, the quote of Hafiz is piercing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this story of my beloved Rumi. I felt a little "ouch" at the feel of Rumi's ego - just as Shams feels it, too!
ReplyDeleteThe meeting of these two remarkable men was a gift to each of them, and to all of us who are inspired by their love affair with the holy.
...swept in the currents of love, bismillah!
"It is Just a Game of Love"
ReplyDeleteWhy was Joseph (Yousuf) peace and blessings be upon him being thrown by his ten brothers into well?
Love what Jacob (Yacob) peace be upon him had with Joseph (Yousuf).
What about the part of Joseph in it? And what about the part of Allaah in it? For Allaah is not just the Creator of creatures and things but the Creator of all the Situations. In which every one is put to test so that one may execute his will either to prove his/her union with Allaah or with someone other than Allaah ( we all know his name,not worthy to be named).
Jospesh was put to test by His Lord and a beautiful example was being Given by Allaah to His entire creation . The Reason Why Allaah prefered man over Angels and rest of his Creatures.
Sabr (Patience) Willingness and Submission to the states Allaah puts his servants. And either a man is submissive or a man is rebellion.
All of us are in the same well in which Joseph was thrown by his brothers for no sin. But the hope and Trust and Love what Joseph had in his Clean Heart in Love with His Lord Allaah made a wayout for him.
And a caravan felt thirsty and put the bucked for water and that rope became the means of salavation for Him from the trial in which he was put by his Lord.
So O Ye believers of Most Merciful and Most Commpassionate, Call upon ur Lord from the depths of ur conscience and strive hard and seek for means to come out of it through Prayers, and through acts of purification.
Infact Allaah sees our Inward. When we are really in a State of contineous Struggle between fear and Hope in the State of Prostration for the Instructions and Advices which our Lord speaks in his Divine Book of Wisdom Holy Quran, there is surely no separation neither in this world nor in Hereafter.
Peace
Blessings
Mercy of the Most Beloved Lord be upon those who are the Seekers of Truth. Amen
Muneer
Is this the Shams Tabrez , whose tomb in Multan,Pakistan. ?
ReplyDelete