Once upon a time there lived a pious dervish who sincerely believed that his task was to get close to people who do evil and instill in them spiritual thoughts that would help them sooner or later find the right path.
However, what this dervish did not know was that anyone who tells others to do this or that, based on fixed principles, is not a teacher. If the teacher does not know exactly what the inner situation of each student is, then he may experience the opposite of what he desires.
However, this pious man once found a man who was obsessed with gambling and did not know how to get rid of this habit.
The dervish stationed himself outside the man's house, and each time the poor fellow went to indulge his passion in the gambling house, the dervish placed a stone in the gradually growing pile, thus marking each sin that the man had accumulated as a visible reminder of evil.
Every time the unfortunate player left the house, he felt guilty. Every time he walked back, he saw a new stone in the pile of old ones.
Each time he added a new stone to the pile, the godly felt anger directed at the player and personal satisfaction (which he called "divinity") at having registered his sin.
This went on for twenty years. Every time the player saw the pious dervish, he said to himself: “If only I were just a little better and could understand kindness! How this holy man works for my salvation! If only I could improve, let alone become like him, for he will surely take his place among the elect when the day of resurrection comes!”
It so happened that as a result of a natural disaster that struck the city, both of these people died at the same time. An angel flew to take the player's soul and softly said to him:
“You must follow me to heaven.”
- But how can this be? - said the sinner-player - After all, I am a sinner and must go to hell. And you are probably looking for that pious dervish who sat opposite my house and tried every day for two decades to change me.
- Pious dervish? - the angel was surprised. - No, you're wrong. He was dragged to the lower spheres because he must now be roasted on a spit.
- What kind of justice is this? - the player shouted, forgetting about his position. “You, my dear, are nothing but drunk, that’s why you mixed up all the instructions!”
“This is not so,” said the angel, “and I will now explain everything to you.” The situation is as follows. The pious dervish indulged himself for twenty years in a sense of his own superiority and self-worth. Now it’s his turn to restore balance. In reality, he put the stones in that pile for himself, not for you.
- What about my reward? How have I earned the right to go to heaven? — the player asked with disbelief
“You should be rewarded because every time you passed a dervish, you thought first of kindness and then of the dervish.” It is kindness, not a person, that rewards you for your loyalty.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru