Ancient Wisdom

  Once upon a time, in a land where kings ruled and stables held magnificent steeds, there lived a poor donkey. This humble creature toiled alongside its master, carrying burdens and enduring hunger. Despite its meager existence, the ass remained resilient, grateful for each day of life. One fateful day, the chief of the King’s stables noticed the weary donkey. His heart softened, and he decided to intervene. The poor ass was brought into the royal care, where it would receive nourishment and companionship alongside the majestic Arab horses. As the days passed, the donkey couldn’t help but compare its own plight to that of the noble steeds. The Arab horses, with their sleek coats and graceful movements, seemed like creatures from another world. They were pampered, well-fed, and adorned with the finest trappings. In moments of quiet reflection, the donkey raised its voice to the heavens. “Why, oh God,” it implored, “do these horses enjoy such abundance while I suffer in hunger and h...

When human beings were having their characteristics given out to them, one of the angels came to a man who was to be a dervish and asked, “What do you want?” The dervish-to-be answered, “Nothing,” and continued to sit in contemplation of Truth. The angel went from one to another of the humans-to-be and asked their wishes. The king-to-be said, “Pomp and importance.” The peasant-to-be said, “Work to do.” The warrior-to-be said, “Glory.” And so it went on. Then a voice said to the dervish-to-be, “You have asked nothing for yourself, and it is not too late to choose. Because of your desire for Truth, however, you shall have a glimpse of how humanity will use the attributes…” As the dervish-to-be looked into a mirror that was held before him, he saw kings in their pomp and ceremony, peasants working endlessly, soldiers continually fighting. Then the dervish-to-be gasped, “But what will be the future of the People of Learning?” The picture in the mirror shifted, and he saw priests, scholars,...

The ' Caliph Haroun' ,in all his magnificence, was in need of a lesson in the relative nature of power and possession. He asked to the Sage, "Ask a favour of me." 'Shaqiq' asked him whether he would give on-half of his realm to someone who would give him a drink of water, if he were dying of thirst in a desert. And, continued the Sufi, would he give the other half to someone who enabled him to pass that water, if he had become unable to do so? 'Haroun' said that he would. Now ' Shaqiq' asked the Caliph to reflect why he valued his kingdom so highly, when it was something which could be given away in return for a drink of water, which itself does not stay with one. 

  At one point in his life, the entire of population of his village had had enough of the pleasantries and confusion of ' Mulla Nasrudin.' They all went to the magistrate, and he gave a ruling: ' Nasrudin , by the will of the people I have to declare that you must leave the village.' 'Are they unanimous?" asked the Mulla. 'Yes, I am afraid to.' 'Then I refuse to go. There are plenty of them-and only one of me. If they don't like the village as it is, they can leave and build another one. But I, a single individual, how can I even start to build one small house for myself elsewhere?'

  A royal hawk alighted for a time on the wall of a ruin inhabited by owls. The owls feared him. He said, "This may seem a prosperous place to you, but my place is upon the wrist of a king.' Some of the owls shouted to others, "Do not believe him." He is using guile to steal our home."

 In the eyes of the wise, the seeker of combat with an elephant is not really a brave. Brave is he who says nothing unbecoming in wrath. One man abused other who patiently said: 'O you of bright prospects I am worse even than you say I know all my faults, while you do not know them.' Therefore you are worst than me.

A king who was also an astrologer read in his stars that on a certain day and at a particular hour a calamity would overtake him. He therefore built a house of solid rock and posted numerous guardians outside. One day, when he was within, he realised that he could still see day light. He found an opening which he filled up, to prevent misfortune entering. In blocking this door he made himself a prisoner with his own hand. And because of this the king died.