The disciple interrupted the Sufi, who was retelling one of the illustrative stories of the Masters of the past, and said:
“This may be contrary to the rules of behavior in the meeting, and even more so, the way you are required to behave when you are being tested by a teacher, but I will interrupt you. I ask you not to deny me my need: I need information.
The Sufi said:
“We are ready to listen to you, although when the question is asked in this form, it most likely will not benefit either you or us.”
The student thanked the Sufi and continued:
- My question is this. We constantly focus on the perfect qualities of the Sufi Masters of the past and on the illustrations of their wisdom and superiority over ordinary people. But we hear nothing about their shortcomings and failures. After all, there were cases when they were unable to achieve what they were striving for. It is necessary that a balance be maintained in this matter.
Sufi said:
- The greengrocer does not store rotten apples - he throws them in the trash. Those who go to a doctor to see his deceased patients should be sent to the mortuary. If you want to inspect the garbage cans of this world, then you need to find a garbage man so that he can show you the place where they are. It is not always possible to learn something about straight lines by looking at broken lines, because the world is full of broken lines. To discover that there is such a thing as a straight line in the world, all the student has to do is try to draw a straight line within himself.
Your question is one of the oldest in the world. It was in response to him that the saying first appeared: “If you want to see a broken line, do not look for a ruler.”
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru