 |
| (Credit : Henry Westheim) |
The Prophet said,
"There are some who see Me by the same Light in which I am seeing them.
Our natures are ONE.
Without reference to any strands of lineage,
Our natures are ONE.
Without reference to any strands of lineage,
without reference to texts or traditions,
we drink the Life-Water together."
we drink the Life-Water together."
Here's a story about that hidden mystery:
The Chinese and the Greeks were arguing as to who were the better artists.
The King said,
"We'll settle this matter with a debate."
"We'll settle this matter with a debate."
The Chinese began talking, but the Greeks wouldn't say anything.
They left.
They left.
The Chinese suggested then that they each be given a room to work on
with their artistry, two rooms facing each other and divided by a curtain.
The Chinese asked the King for a hundred colors, all the variations,
and each morning they came to where the dyes were kept and took them all.
and each morning they came to where the dyes were kept and took them all.
The Greeks took no colors.
"They're not part of our work,"
"They're not part of our work,"
They went to their room and began cleaning and polishing the walls.
All day every day they made those walls as pure and clear as an open sky.
There is a way that leads from all-colors to colorlessness.
Know that the magnificent variety of the clouds and the weather comes from
the total simplicity of the sun and the moon.
The Chinese finished, and they were so happy.
They beat the drums in the joy of completion.
The King entered their room,
astonished by the gorgeous color and detail.
The Greeks then pulled the curtain dividing the rooms.
The Chinese figures and images shimmeringly reflected on the clear Greek walls.
the total simplicity of the sun and the moon.
The Chinese finished, and they were so happy.
They beat the drums in the joy of completion.
The King entered their room,
astonished by the gorgeous color and detail.
The Greeks then pulled the curtain dividing the rooms.
The Chinese figures and images shimmeringly reflected on the clear Greek walls.
They lived there, even more beautifully, and always changing in the light.
The Greek art is the Sufi way.
They don't study books of philosophical thought.
They make their loving clearer and clearer.
No wantings, no anger.
The Greek art is the Sufi way.
They don't study books of philosophical thought.
They make their loving clearer and clearer.
No wantings, no anger.
In that purity they receive and reflect the images of every moment,
from here, from the stars, from the void.
They take them in as though they were seeing with the Lighted Clarity
that sees them.
Mathnawi, I, 3462-3485, 3499
version by Coleman Barks
Delicious Laughter
Maypop, 1990
from here, from the stars, from the void.
They take them in as though they were seeing with the Lighted Clarity
that sees them.
Mathnawi, I, 3462-3485, 3499
version by Coleman Barks
Delicious Laughter
Maypop, 1990
