Once upon a time, three young people met on the road, heading to the Sufi master Kilidi, because they had heard about his great holiness and miracles. Traveling together, they shared with each other what they knew about the Path and the difficulties on it.
“Sincerity towards the teacher is extremely important,” said the first young man, “and if I am accepted as a student, I will concentrate on getting rid of my petty egoism.”
“Sincerity,” said the second, “of course means complete submission, even when resistance is provoked, and I will definitely adhere to this.” But submission also means giving up hypocrisy—the inner desire to disobey—and includes generosity without pride. This is what I will try to practice.
“Sincerity, the elimination of petty egoism, submission, renunciation of hypocrisy, generosity,” said the third, “of course, are necessary.” But I have heard that if a student tries to impose all this on top of his unaltered self, it becomes mechanical, role-playing, even hiding undesirable traits that are waiting to emerge. A true disciple is certainly one who not only does the opposite of what he feels is bad, but also does not wear the robe of “virtue.” It is said that the seeker of Truth is the master of the choice: to do good or to do what must be done.
Finally they reached the Sufi's house and were allowed to attend some of his lectures and take part in various spiritual strengthening exercises.
One day a Sufi told them:
- Whether we are at home or on the road, we are all always on a journey. But to illustrate this, I will give you the opportunity, in a perceptible form, to take part in such an expedition and observe.
And they set off. After some time, the first disciple said to the Sufi:
— Travel is certainly good, but I am inclined towards service, the Sufi station where one can achieve understanding by working for others and for the Truth.
The Sufi replied:
“In that case, would you like to settle here, at the crossroads, and serve people until I call you to further study?”
The young man was pleased to be able to carry out a task chosen to his liking, and he was left there to serve the needs of passing travelers.
Some time later the second disciple said to the Sufi:
“I long to break free from self-centeredness so that my commander self can become capable of practicing sincerity.” I want to stop in this village and explain the reasons for the respect that I have for you and for the Path, to the local residents, who, obviously, have no idea about this.
“If this is your desire, then I give my consent,” said the Sufi.
Leaving the second student there delighted with this decision, the Sufi and the third student moved on.
After a few days of travel, they met people who could not decide who should cultivate which piece of land. The young man said to the Sufi:
“It’s strange that people don’t see that by working together they could achieve much more.” They would prosper if they pooled their resources and labor.
“Well,” said the Sufi, “now you see that you are the master of choice here.” You see an alternative, but others don't, and you can choose to tell them about it or pass it by.
“I don’t want to tell them anything,” said the young man, “because, most likely, they will not listen to my words and, most likely, will turn against me.” Therefore, nothing will be achieved, and I will only deviate from my goal on the Path.
“Okay,” said the Sufi, “I’ll intervene.”
He went to these people and, in a way known only to him, forced them to give up their land in his favor. He and his student settled there. After several years, when he taught the peasants to work together, the Sufi returned the land and its gifts to them, and he and his student continued the interrupted journey.
They set off on their way back and came to the place where they had left the second student, but he did not recognize them. Over the years of working on the land under the scorching sun, their appearance had changed; they even spoke somewhat differently now, after long communication with the peasants. Therefore, to the second student, they were just two peasants.
The Sufi approached him and asked him to tell him something about the Sufi teacher who left him here several years ago.
“Don’t tell me about him,” said the former student, “he left me here to create his reputation, making it clear that he would return for me and teach further, but so many years have passed, and not a word from him.”
As soon as he said this phrase, for some reason originating in the distant Realms, several villagers approached them and grabbed him. The travelers asked the chief of them what was the matter.
“This man,” he answered, “came here and preached about a certain great spiritual man - his teacher.” We accepted him and he became rich and respected in our village. But five minutes ago we decided that he was a liar and a fraud and should be killed.
And no matter how the travelers tried, they failed to do anything, and the peasants dragged the former student with them.
- Do you see? - said the Sufi. “I tried to protect him, but I’m not the master of choice here.”
They continued their journey until they came to the place where the first student was sitting at the crossroads. He didn't recognize them either. Approaching him, the Sufi asked where he could drink water. The student replied:
“You travelers have completely deprived me of all illusions.” I have been here for several years trying to help people, and as a result I was deceived. People are not worth serving. Even my master, who left me here more than three years ago, is not ready to serve me: he does not return to give me teachings, to which, of course, all people have the right...
Before he could finish this sentence, a group of soldiers appeared and took him away for forced labor.
“We thought that you were just a poor ascetic,” said the captain, “but, stopping to watch you, we noticed from the aggressive atmosphere around you and your rude movements that you were strong enough to work for the benefit of the state.”
Despite the fact that the Sufi and his student tried to dissuade them, they took the first student with them.
“As you can see, I am not the master of choice here,” the Sufi said to the third student.
So Kilidi showed this only disciple who remained with him, who had the patience to understand, that the understanding of events and their actions are interrelated and that a person's progress is determined equally by his own behavior, external and internal, and by the actions of other people. He asked the student:
— If you were asked what you learned, what would you answer?
The young man said:
“People see things in isolation, imagining that if they do what they want to do, they will certainly achieve what they want.” Further, their good deeds bear fruit, and their bad deeds bear fruit, and no one can prevent the coming of this harvest. And I learned that on this path everything is intertwined: people, places, events and actions. Finally, I learned that although evil thoughts and actions can destroy the hope of progress, there is still Divine grace, for was I not myself allowed to continue my studies, despite my refusal to make a choice when I was its master?
At this moment, a loud sound suddenly sounded, and the third disciple realized the truth of Great Understanding; During this event, the Sufi teacher Kilidi disappeared and was never seen again. The student went to the house of his teacher, where a large number of dervishes were waiting for the master. Entering the house, he placed the teacher's prayer rug on his chair. The Dervishes who were watching him enter made a great noise of welcome at this action, and their elder approached the third disciple.
“Master,” he said, “we have been waiting here, bound by a secret oath, for more than three years, since the great Sheikh Kilidi left us, saying that he was returning to Heaven, and his heir would be the one who came with his prayer rug.”
The face of this dervish was hidden by the end of a turban. At that moment, when the dervish, preparing to continue his own path, transferred authority to the third student, now the master, the end of his turban moved to the side for a moment, and the new Sufi teacher saw the smiling face of Kilidi in front of him.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru