Nice Sufi story

05-02-2001, 06:58 AM

>
>>Also if this list just discusses 'Who am I', it just turns into a
>>merry go round of intellectualisng to see who can write the most non
>>dual language and verse. Obviously non of us are realised. ONS Tony
>
> I AM

" A Sufi came to a remote village where he knew no one. After meeting
some people he found that those of this village had an unusual hunger for
spiritual knowledge. They invited him to share his knowledge at a gathering
they would arrange. Although this Sufi was not yet fully confident that he
could transmit spiritual knowledge, he accepted their invitation. Many
people attended that gathering and the Sufi found his audience to be
extremely receptive to what he had to say, and most significantly, he found
that he was able to express the teachings he had received with an eloquence
he had never before experienced. He went to sleep that night feeling very
pleased.

The next day he met one of the elders from the village. They greeted each
other as brothers, and the elder expressed his gratitude for the previous
evening. The Sufi was beginning to feel very special. He even reasoned to
himself that he had been guided to this village to impart wisdom that he had
accumulated through his long years of training and service. Perhaps, if
these people were sincere, he could stay with them for awhile and really
offer them some extended instruction on the Way of Love and Remembrance.
They were certainly a deserving and sincere community. Just then, the elder
invited him to another gathering that evening.

The villagers assembled again that evening, but this time one of them was
chosen at random to address the gathering. He, too, gave a most eloquent
discourse, full of wisdom and love. After the meeting the Sufi again met
with the elder. "As you can see," the elder began, "the Friend speaks to us
in many forms. We are all special here and we are all receptive to the
Truth and so the Truth can easily express Itself. Know that the 'you' who
felt special last night and the 'you' who felt diminshed tonight are neither
real. Prostrate them before the inner Friend if you want to find wisdom and
be free of judging yourself harshly."

05-02-2001, 03:31 PM

Joyce writes:

> Sitting beneath a tree in a park was a poor man quietly murmering, "Oh,
>God, God God..." Many people must have passed without notice or care, until
>someone sarcastically remarked: "I hear you calling God, but I don't hear
>God answering." The poor man was thrown into perplexity. Time passed and
>some tears flowed before a messenger from God appeared and said, "Brother,
>your Lord wants you to know that your calling Him IS His answer to you."

Thanks, Joyce. It brings to mind an offering of Rumi:

---------------------------
One night a man was crying,
ALLAH! ALLAH!
His lips grew sweet with the praising,
until a cynic said,
"So I have heard you
calling out, but have you ever
gotten any response?"

The man had no answer to that.
He quit praying and fell into a confused sleep.

He dreamed he saw Khidr, the guide of souls,
in a thick green foliage.
"Why did you stop praising?"

"Because I've never heard anything back."

"This longing
you express IS the return message."

The grief you cry out from
draws you toward union.

Your pure sadness
that wants help
is the secret cup.

Listen to the moan of a dog for its master.
That whining is the connection.

-Rumi
--------------

The grief you cry out from draws you toward union. :-)
Hits me just where I'm sitting.

Namaste-

Mike

05-02-2001, 05:50 PM

Of course, the entire Universe is beyond a doubt dualist, as it is in
its in nature to be as much.

Teskoboy

----- Original Message -----
From: Joyce Short
To: HarshaSatsangh (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 9:58 AM
Subject: [HarshaSatsangh] Nice Sufi story
> >>Also if this list just discusses 'Who am I', it just turns into
a>>merry go round of intellectualisng to see who can write the most
non>>dual language and verse. Obviously non of us are realised. ONS
Tony>> I AM " A Sufi came to a remote village where he knew no one.
After meetingsome people he found that those of this village had an
unusual hunger forspiritual knowledge. They invited him to share his
knowledge at a gatheringthey would arrange. Although this Sufi was
not yet fully confident that hecould transmit spiritual knowledge, he
accepted their invitation. Manypeople attended that gathering and the
Sufi found his audience to beextremely receptive to what he had to
say, and most significantly, he foundthat he was able to express the
teachings he had received with an eloquencehe had never before
experienced. He went to sleep that night feeling verypleased.The
next day he met one of the elders from the village. They greeted
eachother as brothers, and the elder expressed his gratitude for the
previousevening. The Sufi was beginning to feel very special. He
even reasoned tohimself that he had been guided to this village to
impart wisdom that he hadaccumulated through his long years of
training and service. Perhaps, ifthese people were sincere, he could
stay with them for awhile and reallyoffer them some extended
instruction on the Way of Love and Remembrance.They were certainly a
deserving and sincere community. Just then, the elderinvited him to
another gathering that evening.The villagers assembled again that
evening, but this time one of them waschosen at random to address the
gathering. He, too, gave a most eloquentdiscourse, full of wisdom and
love. After the meeting the Sufi again metwith the elder. "As you
can see," the elder began, "the Friend speaks to usin many forms. We
are all special here and we are all receptive to theTruth and so the
Truth can easily express Itself. Know that the 'you' whofelt special
last night and the 'you' who felt diminshed tonight are neitherreal.
Prostrate them before the inner Friend if you want to find wisdom
andbe free of judging yourself harshly."
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