PART 1 We keep identifying ourselves with our immediate reality. And that reduces us to becoming just role players. We become householder, writer, consumer, social media user. We can even add some adjectives to these roles to define them better like a responsible householder, a prolific writer, a smart consumer, a selective social-media user. Our… Continue reading Symbols Eternal
Tag: spirituality
The Horseman
A Sufi story There was a man who was asleep and he happened to swallow a venomous creature, a snake. It got stuck in his throat. He got up in a sort of delirium and started to cough and shake himself. He tried to get rid of the affliction, which he did not fully understand.… Continue reading The Horseman
The Flying Monks
A Folklore from Arunachal Pradesh Urgelling Monastery with its beautiful setting in the higher reaches of Arunachal Pradesh, was considered the perfect place for young monks to build their patience. The snow-capped Himalayas surrounding the monastery not only provided the best view but also served as a reminder of man’s insignificance and microscopic size on… Continue reading The Flying Monks
The Angel and the Charitable Man
A Sufi Folktale One day an Angel visited a hermit who had spent many years in spiritual practice. The hermit thought that at last he was about to receive the result of all his sacrifices and years of strict self-control. The Angel said, “You have been chosen as a messenger for delivering one particular information… Continue reading The Angel and the Charitable Man
The Four Men and the Interpreter
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
Non-violence
An Indian Folktale Guru Ananda, like most of the gurus, had disciples among the householders, along with the students who lived with him. Once in a while the guru camped in such villages where a large number of his householder disciples lived. One such village was Mahigram. He was camping there with a dozen or… Continue reading Non-violence
The Shrine
A Sufi story Mulla Naseeruddin’s father was a highly respected man. A Keeper of a Shrine. Shrines are burial places of great teachers which then turn into pilgrimage for seekers and followers. In the usual course of events, Naseeruddin could be expected to inherit this position. But soon after their fifteenth year, when he was… Continue reading The Shrine
Heaven and Hell
An Indian Folklore There was a man. He died. He went to God of Death, who asked, “Do you want to experience heaven or hell first?” He began to think [muttering], “Should I say heaven?” He thought and he thought about it. Then he said [loudly], “I want to experience heaven first.” He went to… Continue reading Heaven and Hell
Whom to call for help?
An Indian Folklore Once a man called Bhola lived in a village which was in a rocky, arid area. The village had been facing severe water scarcity for many many decades. Bhola had been trying to find a solution to this problem for quite some time. One day a travelling party was crossing the village… Continue reading Whom to call for help?
Does spirituality mean foolishness?
If God is Everywhere (Adapted from the Gospel of Ramakrishna) A sage had a number of disciples. He taught them his deepest belief that God is everywhere and dwells in everything. So the disciple should treat all things as God and show devotion towards everything. One when a disciple was walking on a road, he… Continue reading Does spirituality mean foolishness?
What is a spiritual world-view?
An Indian Folklore A traveller saw a man sitting beside a lake with his fishing rod dipped in the water. The traveller went near him and asked, “Gentleman, will you kindly tell me which is the way to the village called Bhimpur?” The fishing man, far from replying, did not even look at the traveller.… Continue reading What is a spiritual world-view?
Who is our true self?
A Tiger That Didn’t Know Who He Was (Adapted from the Gospel of Ramakrishna) A pregnant tigress once jumped into the midst of a flock of sheep. As she did so, she went into labour, gave birth to a tiger cub, and died on the spot. A kind-hearted sheep nursed the cub, gave it her… Continue reading Who is our true self?
What is true transformation?
An Indian Folklore The little mouse was almost dead when the sage’s wife rescued it from their cat. “O poor creature!” muttered the lady while trying to revive it. “I saved you today but who will save you tomorrow? I wish I had the power to change you into a human being!” The sage who… Continue reading What is true transformation?
Why one needs to be cautious of religious doctrines?
An Indian Folktale The good old zamindar had a guru. Once every year the guru would honour the zamindar by camping in his house for a few days. Then the good old zamindar passed away. His son, Kishore, was not known to have much interest in matters spiritual. Nevertheless, he put up a show of… Continue reading Why one needs to be cautious of religious doctrines?
The Ants and the Pen
A Sufi Story Once an ant strayed across a piece of paper and saw a pen writing in fine, black strokes. “How wonderful this is!” thought the ant. “This remarkable thing, with a life of its own, makes designs on this beautiful surface, to such an extent and with such energy that it is equal… Continue reading The Ants and the Pen
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?
What is Real Fortune?
A Sufi story Once a Sufi Master told his audience that even if help is provided to man, something in him could make the help totally useless. When some people objected to this theory, the Sufi Master smiled and said, “Okay we will see.” When everyone had forgotten the incident, the Sufi Master ordered one… Continue reading What is Real Fortune?
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