This is an allegory from Rumi’s Mathnawi. It goes like this: Four people were given a piece of money. The first was a Persian. He said: “I will buy with this some Angur.” The second was an Arab. He said: “No, because I want Inab.” The third was a Turk. He said: “I do not… Continue reading The Four Men and the Interpreter
Tag: psychology
THIS TOO WILL PASS
A Sufi Folktale A powerful king, ruler of many domains, was in a position of such magnificence that wise men were his mere employees. And yet one day he felt rather confused and called the wise men to him. He said: “I do not know the cause, but I feel a compelling urge to seek… Continue reading THIS TOO WILL PASS
The Thief
A Sufi story Once lived a man who was an intellectual. One night he started running through the city streets. “Thief, Thief!” he cried. People surrounded him, and when he was a little calmer, asked: “Where is the thief?” “In my house.” The man replied. “Did you see him?” People asked again. “No.” Came the… Continue reading The Thief
The Beard of the Dervish
A Sufi story A certain dervish had a long, well-maintained beard of which he was very proud. He passed a great deal of time in devotional practices but some of his attention was upon the beard which he considered was the mark of his gravity. One day Moses was on his way to God, when… Continue reading The Beard of the Dervish
What is spirituality?
Adapted from the Gospel of Ramakrishna This is a parable told by Sri Ramakrishna, a spiritual teacher, genius and saint. He did not have any formal education yet he was a treasure-house of oral traditions, out of which he created his own. The story goes like this… A holy man was once meditating on the… Continue reading What is spirituality?
Our Biggest Obstacle
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… Continue reading Our Biggest Obstacle
Kaala Paaja – The eternal search for immortality
A Himachali Folktale This is a story of a boy called Kirnu and his Guru called Kapish. They used to live in a small village in Himachal Pradesh. Kirnu was an orphan. When he was ten years old, the villagers had taken him to an ashram in the village. Guru Kapish was the head of… Continue reading Kaala Paaja – The eternal search for immortality
Who is responsible for your suffering?
A Sufi Folktale One night a thief, trying to climb through the window of a house which he intended to rob, fell because the window-frame broke, hit the ground and broke his leg. So the thief went to court to sue the owner of the house. The owner of the house said: “Sue the carpenter… Continue reading Who is responsible for your suffering?
The Crying Cherry Tree
A JAPANESE FOLK-TALE Once upon a time there lived a poor woman in a village. One day as she was praying at the shrine of Lord Buddha a lovely green scarf fluttered down and fell before her. She felt as if she had received Buddha’s blessings. She thanked the Lord and picked up the scarf. … Continue reading The Crying Cherry Tree
Being grounded
An Indian Folktale Once a FARMER and a CLEVER MINDED person got together to do farming jointly. They acquired some farmland. The farmer BARRICADED it with hedging and tilled it and PREPARED for sowing. Then went to the clever one and asked about the details of sharing the harvest. The clever one said, “I shall… Continue reading Being grounded
Melon and Knife
A Kashmiri Folktale There was a King who had a dream one night – a strange dream. He saw that there were three things lying in front of him — a watermelon, a knife and a plate. An invisible hand operated the knife, cutting slices of the melon which fell into the plate one after… Continue reading Melon and Knife
The Three Perspectives
A Sufi Folktale There were once three Sufis, so observant and experienced in life that they were known as The Three Perspectives. One day during their travels they encountered a camel-owner, who said: “Have you seen my camel? I have lost it.” The Three Perspectives in reply started asking questions about the lost camel. They… Continue reading The Three Perspectives
Pathway of the Dead
Nestled within scenic mountains and lush green forests, the state of Mizoram in the North-Eastern region of India, hosts a treasure trove of cultural heritage. Since time immemorial, the people of Mizoram have nurtured customs and habits that represent a distinct world-view. This is a story from that land of Mizoram… A Mizo Folktale Mizo… Continue reading Pathway of the Dead
The One-Straw Millionaire
A Japanese Folktale Chapter 1 Once there was a young man. He was very poor and didn’t seem to have any luck at all. Though he tried his hand at many things and worked hard, he just couldn’t seem to get ahead. Finally he decided to test his luck one last time and went to… Continue reading The One-Straw Millionaire
Logotherapy
“It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured. I realised, somehow, through the screaming of my mind,… Continue reading Logotherapy
Simplicity
“Good morning,” said the little prince. “Good morning,” said the merchant. This was a merchant who sold pills that had been invented to quench thirst. You need only swallow one pill a week, and you would feel no need of anything to drink. Why are you selling those?” asked the little prince. The merchant said:… Continue reading Simplicity
The Invisible Target
A Japanese Folktale Once there lived THREE young SAMURAI. Each had their own specialty, their inherent talent. For one it was the sword, for another the spear, and for the third the bow and arrow. One day they decided to travel together and go from school to school to hone their skills further. As they… Continue reading The Invisible Target
How to know Death?
A Sufi Folktale Once there lived a very wealthy merchant who had a huge fleet of ships. He belonged to a noble family and was one of the most respected men in the city. Due to his expanding fame and riches, he soon became close friends with the king of the city and then ended-up… Continue reading How to know Death?
The silent voice of hands
Human beings have strangely failed to recognize the fact that diversity is the most natural way of life. Not everyone is born in the same way and the same rule will not apply to everyone. But we tend to somehow ignore this easy truth and put our effort into “rectifying” and smoothening out the differences.… Continue reading The silent voice of hands