A Sufi story
Shibli, a prominent figure in Sufi tradition, is known for his eccentric personality, profound spiritual insights, and unconventional methods of guiding others. He left no writings, but his legacy was passed down orally. He was an ascetic who embraced altered states of consciousness. He was also a great lover of poetry and wit.
One of the stories associated with Shibli goes like this…
Once somebody asked Shibli:
“Who guided you on the Path?”
He said:
“A dog. One day I saw the dog, almost dead with thirst, standing by the water’s edge. Every time he looked at his reflection in the water he was frightened, and withdrew, because he thought it was another dog. Finally, such was his necessity, he cast away fear and leapt into the water; at which the “other dog” vanished.”
Shibli continued saying:
“The dog found that the obstacle, which was his own self, the barrier between him and what he sought, melted away. In this same way, my own obstacle vanished, when I knew that it was what I took to be my own self. And my Path was first shown to me by the behaviour of a dog.”