A beggar asked Ibrahim ibn Al Adham for charity and Ibrahim told him: "I'll give you better than that come with me." Ibrahim accompanied the beggar to a merchant, and asked him to find a job for the beggar. As Ibrahim was well trusted, the merchant didn't hesitate to give some merchandises to the beggar and asked him to travel and sell them in another city.
A few days later, Ibrahim found the beggar still in a miserable condition; surprised, he asked him about the matter.
The beggar informed him: "While traveling, I found a blind eagle in the desert, and I was very curious how it got food though it was blind; I observed it for some time, and, to my big surprise, another eagle came with a chunk of meat and fed it. Thus, I said to myself: it's He who took care of that blind eagle in this desert who will also take care of me! I returned to the city and give the merchant back his goods."
Ibrahim, after reflection, asked him: "But tell me, why did you choose to be the blind eagle, not the other one, who could fly, bring food, and take care of others?"
Monday, October 4, 2010
Building Your Home
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house my gift to you".
The carpenter was shocked!
What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house my gift to you".
The carpenter was shocked!
What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
Rule of Lao Tzu
Lao Tzu became very famous, a wise man, and he was without doubt one of the wisest men ever. The emperor of China asked him very humbly to become his chief of the supreme court, because nobody could guide the country's laws better than he could. He tried to persuade the emperor, "I am not the right man," but the emperor was insistent.
Lao Tzu said, "If you don't listen to me... just one day in the court and you will be convinced that I am not the right man, because the system is wrong. Out of humbleness I was not saying the truth to you. Either I can exist or your law and order and your society can exist. So... let us try it."
The first day a thief who had stolen almost half the treasures of the richest man in the capital was brought into the court. Lao Tzu listened to the case and then he said that the thief and the richest man should both go to jail for six months.
The rich man said, "What are you saying? I have been stolen from, I have been robbed�what kind of justice is this, that you are sending me to jail for the same amount of time as the thief?"
Lao Tzu said, "I am certainly being unfair to the thief. Your need to be in jail is greater, because you have collected so much money to yourself, deprived so many people of money... thousands of people are downtrodden and you are collecting and collecting money. For what? Your very greed is creating these thieves. You are responsible.
The first crime is yours."
Lao Tzu said, "If you don't listen to me... just one day in the court and you will be convinced that I am not the right man, because the system is wrong. Out of humbleness I was not saying the truth to you. Either I can exist or your law and order and your society can exist. So... let us try it."
The first day a thief who had stolen almost half the treasures of the richest man in the capital was brought into the court. Lao Tzu listened to the case and then he said that the thief and the richest man should both go to jail for six months.
The rich man said, "What are you saying? I have been stolen from, I have been robbed�what kind of justice is this, that you are sending me to jail for the same amount of time as the thief?"
Lao Tzu said, "I am certainly being unfair to the thief. Your need to be in jail is greater, because you have collected so much money to yourself, deprived so many people of money... thousands of people are downtrodden and you are collecting and collecting money. For what? Your very greed is creating these thieves. You are responsible.
The first crime is yours."
Where Is My Donkey
Everyone in the village got "pilgrimage fever" and everyone got busy packing up some traveling clothes and food for the road. All except for Nasrudin, who watched them laboring away. Soon, all of the village: the men, women, and children, were heading out to Mecca. They were singing songs and shouting with great excitement about how they were off to find God.
They got about one mile away, when Nasrudin suddenly riding up on his donkey, shouting about some terrible emergency. They caught the donkey and made him tell them what the problem was.
"I'm trying to find my donkey! Where is my donkey?"
"Why, Nasrudin, you're sitting on top of your donkey," answered the villagers.
"Oh really. Is that so? And why are you all going on a pilgrimage to find God?"
They got about one mile away, when Nasrudin suddenly riding up on his donkey, shouting about some terrible emergency. They caught the donkey and made him tell them what the problem was.
"I'm trying to find my donkey! Where is my donkey?"
"Why, Nasrudin, you're sitting on top of your donkey," answered the villagers.
"Oh really. Is that so? And why are you all going on a pilgrimage to find God?"
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Frog and the Scorpion
One day, a scorpion stood on the side of a stream and asked a frog to carry it to the other side.
'How do I know you won't sting me?' the frog asked. 'Because if I sting you, I'll drown,' the scorpion said.
The frog thought about it and realized that the scorpion was right. So he put the scorpion on his back and started ferrying him. But midway across the stream, the scorpion plunged its stinger into the frog's back. As they both began to drown, the frog gasped,'Why?'
The scorpion replied, 'Because it is my nature.'
'How do I know you won't sting me?' the frog asked. 'Because if I sting you, I'll drown,' the scorpion said.
The frog thought about it and realized that the scorpion was right. So he put the scorpion on his back and started ferrying him. But midway across the stream, the scorpion plunged its stinger into the frog's back. As they both began to drown, the frog gasped,'Why?'
The scorpion replied, 'Because it is my nature.'
Sultan and the Sheikh
Many years ago the sultan of the Ottoman Empire visited one of the great sheikhs of Istanbul. He was deeply impressed with the wisdom and sincerity of the sheikh and began coming regularly to the sheikh's gatherings.
After some time the sultan said, "I have come to love you and your teachings. If there is ever anything you want or need, please ask me and I will provide it for you if it is in my power." That was, in effect, a blank check from one of the wealthiest and most powerful men on earth.
The sheikh replied, "Yes, there is one thing you can do for me. Please do not come back."
The astonished sultan asked, "Have I done anything to offend you? If so, please accept my apologies."
The sheik replied, "No, the problem is not you; it is my dervishes. Before you began visiting us, they would pray and chant to God, seeking only God's blessings. Now their minds are occupied with thoughts of pleasing you and receiving a reward from you. I have to ask you not to come back because we are not spiritually mature enough to handle your presence here."
After some time the sultan said, "I have come to love you and your teachings. If there is ever anything you want or need, please ask me and I will provide it for you if it is in my power." That was, in effect, a blank check from one of the wealthiest and most powerful men on earth.
The sheikh replied, "Yes, there is one thing you can do for me. Please do not come back."
The astonished sultan asked, "Have I done anything to offend you? If so, please accept my apologies."
The sheik replied, "No, the problem is not you; it is my dervishes. Before you began visiting us, they would pray and chant to God, seeking only God's blessings. Now their minds are occupied with thoughts of pleasing you and receiving a reward from you. I have to ask you not to come back because we are not spiritually mature enough to handle your presence here."
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Moon Cannot Be Stolen
Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing in it to steal.
Ryokan returned and caught him. "You may have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift."
The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away.
Ryokan sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow, " he mused, "I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."
Ryokan returned and caught him. "You may have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift."
The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away.
Ryokan sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow, " he mused, "I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."
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