One day three dervishes came to the great teacher and asked him to help them in their search for truth.
He led them into his garden and, picking up a dry branch, began to knock down the tallest inflorescences in the flowerbeds with it. After this, he said: “Whoever can correctly explain the meaning of my actions will be admitted to teaching by me.”
“You showed us that people who imagine that they know more than others should undergo equalization in teaching,” said the first dervish after thinking.
“You explained that things that are beautiful in appearance can turn out to be insignificant in essence,” answered the second.
“I realized that the deadness of hardened knowledge can cause harm to what is alive,” said the third dervish.
Master said:
- You are all accepted, because the meanings are divided between you. None of you knows everything; what you all have is not complete, but what each of you has said is true.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru