Once upon a time there lived a certain ascetic. He had students, followers, and admirers. Nevertheless, he often visited a Sufi teacher and listened to his conversations. One day this ascetic came to a Sufi and said:
- Teacher, I have been constantly fasting for thirty years now. At night I read prayers, so I hardly sleep. Although I did not find a trace of that hidden thing that you teach so beautifully, I still believed in your teaching and loved it.
“Even if you pray and fast for three hundred years, day and night, even then you will not gain a single grain of wisdom, because you are blocking your own path.”
- Is there a way to fix this? Any medicine?
“Yes,” replied the Sufi, “but you will never agree to use it.”
- I will do whatever you say!
- Fine. Then take a bag and fill it with nuts. Take off all your clothes and wrap yourself in sheepskin. In this form, go to the market, call all the children and promise them that you will give a nut to everyone who gives you a kick. Then go around the whole city and do the same. Especially where they know you. This is how you will be healed.
- But this is impossible! I can't do this! Give me some other advice!
“I told you that you would refuse,” the teacher said quietly.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru