One Sufi was asked to tell a tale about the work of a teacher and the nature of a student, and he told this:
In ancient times, there lived a man who possessed a treasure and wanted to protect it from a robber in order to share it with worthy people. The robber was strong, cunning and cruel, but the generous man had nothing but a magical talking little hump.
And so, when the robber opened the door and entered the house, he saw a crust of bread on a small table.
- Worthy friend! - the little hunchback spoke, - tell me, what is your calling, what is your intention and what is your goal?
The robber, despite the fact that he was greedy and uncouth, was also very curious (like most of us), and he was quite surprised by the sight of the talking bread.
- How did you learn to speak, and what can you tell me? he asked.
“I can speak because I am in this house, a magical house, and if you enter it, you will also gain magical abilities.”
“That’s exactly what I came here for!” - the robber rejoiced.
“But before you go in, oh good friend, know that you will have to go through what I went through, and it’s not easy.”
“What have you been through, poor little hunchback, that I, an experienced robber, cannot overcome?”
“I'm not saying you can't, but let me tell you so you can choose.” In the beginning I was a grain and grew up in a field. Then part of me withered, as if died and fell away. She fell into the cold ground, where she lay for many months until she hatched. Then they poured water on it until it grew, and then I felt that I was being cut off and beaten until the inside was separated from the outside. It was dried and ground into powder, mixed with the rest of the ingredients, then dissolved in water, and put into the oven. And it was me, the talking little hunchback!
When the little pink girl finished speaking, the robber was no longer there, he ran away.
In conclusion the Sufi said:
- The greed of the robber is the desire of the student before he understands that this treasure is not to steal, but to serve him. Baking bread is a learning process. But most students are not real Seekers, since they run from the Truth, imagining that it is not in the teaching.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru