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: spirituality
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 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
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?
What is Beauty?
An Indian Folktale There was a woman who worked for the queen. The queen trusted her very much. While sweeping the queen’s room, some-times the woman found pearls or gold beads which could have fallen from the queen’s several neck-laces and other jewellery. She faithfully restored them to the queen. The queen was so pleased… Continue reading What is Beauty?
What is real Wealth and Happiness?
An Indian Folklore Once lived a proud King. The King one day decided to go on a pilgrimage. Late one afternoon he camped in a village close to a forest. He heard that in that forest lived a Sage for whom the local people had great respect. What was intriguing, the Sage was once a… Continue reading What is real Wealth and Happiness?
What is true freedom?
An Odia Folktale Once lived a very poor plumber in a town in India. One day he was assigned to repair the toilet of the queen of that town. While he was finishing up his work and leaving, he somehow saw a glimpse of the queen’s thigh. It was smooth as silk, fair and soft… Continue reading What is true freedom?
What is psychological progress?
An Indian Folklore “How long will it take to reach the other bank?” the solitary passenger asked the lone boatman as they started crossing the river. “It takes around half an hour. It depends on the course of wind and the current. Since there is storm gathering on the horizon, I will row as fast… Continue reading What is psychological progress?