Ancient Wisdom

  According to 'Abu-Talib Makki' , Moses related tales of how he learnt to widen his understanding from narrow assumptions to correct perspective. Moses was ill, and he was offered various remedies to treat the sickness. But he refused, saying that God would help him instead. But God, it is related, commanded Moses to use medicines, saying: 'By refusing to accept the mission of the medicine, you have called into question the wisdom of him who endowed the remedies with their virtue!’ It is for this reason that there is a saying, 'Trust in God and tie your camel.’ If you were expected to do nothing, why is there such a thing as a camel-hobble? 'Hadrat Bahaudin Naqshband' of Bokhara has said, in this connection: 'If a withering leaf says by its appearance that it needs water and because you have the power to provide it you also have the duty to do so, these "words” of the leaf are the manifestation of the command of the creator of the leaf, and are addre

'Nasrudin' was out walking when a bee stung him on the nose. The wound began to swell alarmingly and he hurried off to see the doctor. As he crossed the bazaar, a wag pointed and laughed: "Where did you get that nose-from a donkey?" 'Yes' replied the ' Mulla' . 'When God divided the ass, he gave you the brain and me the nose."   [Source: The World Of Nasrudin by Idrees Shah]

If you over esteem great men, people become powerless. If you over value possessions, people begin to steal. The Master leads by emptying people's minds and filling their cores, by weakening their ambition and toughening their resolve. He helps people lose everything they know, everything they desire, and creates confusion in those who think that they know. Practice not-doing and everything will fall into place.

  'Yen Yuan' inquired as to the meaning of true goodness. The Master said: " The subdued of self, and reversion to the natural laws governing conduct-this is true goodness. If a man can for the space of one day subdue his selfishness and revert to natural laws, the whole world will call him good. True goodness springs from a man's own heart. How can it depend on other men?" 'Yen Yuan ' said: "Kindly tell me the practical rule to be deduced from this." -The Master replied: "Do not use your eyes, your ears, your power of speech on your faculty of movement without obeying the inner law of self control."-' Yen Yuan ' said: "Though I am not quick in thought or act , I will make it my business to carry out this precept." [Source: The Wisdom Of the Chinese, Brian Brown, New York, Brentano's Publishers.]