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6
3688-3737

  • Many a one has become an emperor by dint of toil, while (many) another has been made destitute by that (same) toil.
  • Many a one has been made (rich as) Qárún by marriage, and many a one has been made bankrupt by marriage.
  • The means, then, is turning about, like the tail of an ass: ’tis better not to rely upon it. 3690
  • And if you take the means, you should not take it boldly, for beneath it there are many hidden banes.
  • This prudence and precaution is the gist of the saving clause, for this (Divine) decree (often) makes the ass appear to be a goat.
  • Although he whose eye it (the Divine decree) has bandaged is clever, (yet) because of his seeing double, in his eyes the ass is a goat.
  • Since God is the Turner of eyes, who (else) should turn the heart and the thoughts?
  • (Hence) you deem a pit to be a pleasant house, you deem a trap to be a dainty bait. 3695
  • This is not sophistry (scepticism), it is God's turning: it shows where the realities are.
  • He who denies the realities is wholly involved in a phantasy.
  • He does not say (to himself), “Thy thinking (that all is) phantasy (illusion) is also a phantasy: rub an eye (and see)!”
  • How the Sultan's sons went to the forbidden fortress, inasmuch as man eagerly covets that which he is refused—“We rendered our service, but thy evil nature could not buy the servant (could not profit by the service that we rendered).” They trod all their father's injunctions and counsels underfoot, so that they fell into the pit of tribulation, and their reproachful souls (consciences) were saying to them, “Did not a warner come to you?” while they, weeping and contrite, replied, “If we had been wont to hearken or understand we should not have been among those who dwell in the flaming Fire.”
  • This discourse hath no end. The party (of travellers) took their way to seek that castle.
  • They approached the tree of the forbidden fruit, they went forth from the file of the sincere. 3700
  • Since they were made more ardent by their father's prohibition and veto, they raised their heads (rebelliously) towards that fortress.
  • In spite of the orders of the elect King (they advanced) to the fortress which is the destroyer of self-restraint and the robber of rationality.
  • Turning their backs on the (bright) day, they came in the dark night in defiance of counsel-bestowing Reason
  • Into the beautiful fortress adorned with pictures, (which had) five gates to the sea and five to the land—
  • Five of those (gates), like the (external) senses, facing towards colour and perfume (the material world); five of them, like the interior senses, seeking the (world of) mystery. 3705
  • By those thousands of pictures and designs and decorations they (the princes) were made mightily restless (so that they wandered) to and fro (in amazement).
  • Do not be intoxicated with these cups, which are (phenomenal) forms, lest thou become a carver of idols and an idolater.
  • Abandon the cups, namely, the (phenomenal) forms: do not tarry! There is wine in the cup, but it is not (derived) from the cup.
  • Open thy mouth wide to the Giver of the wine: when the wine comes, the cup will not be lacking.
  • (God said), “O Adam, seek My heart-enthralling Reality: take leave of the husk and (outward) form of the (forbidden) wheat.” 3710
  • Since sand was turned into flour for the Friend (Abraham), know that the wheat is deposed from its office, O noble one.
  • Form is brought into existence by the Formless, just as smoke is produced by a fire.
  • The least blemish in the qualities of that which is endowed with form becomes annoying when you regard it continually;
  • (But) Formlessness throws you into absolute bewilderment: from non-instrumentality a hundred kinds of instruments are born.
  • Handlessness is weaving (fashioning) hands: the Soul of the soul makes a (fully) formed Man. 3715
  • ’Tis like as (when) from separation and union diverse fancies are woven (conceived) in the heart.
  • Does this cause ever resemble its effect? Does the cry (of pain) and lamentation ever resemble the loss (that caused it)?
  • The lamentation has a form, the loss is formless: they (the losers) gnaw their hands on account of a loss that has no hand.
  • This comparison, O seeker of guidance, does not fit (the case), (but) ’tis the best effort a poor man can make to explain it.
  • The formless working (of God) sows (the seed of) a form (idea), (whence) there grows up a body endowed with senses and a (rational) faculty, 3720
  • So that the form (idea), whatever it be, according to its own nature brings the body into (a state of) good or evil.
  • If it be a form (idea) of beneficence, it (the body) turns to thanksgiving; if it be a form of deferment, it (the body) becomes patient;
  • If it be a form of mercy, it (the body) becomes flourishing; if it be a form of repulse, it (the body) becomes full of moans;
  • If it be the form of a city, it (the body) takes a journey (thither); if it be the form of an arrow, it (the body) takes a shield (in defence);
  • If it be the form of fair ones, it (the body) indulges in enjoyment; if it be a form of the unseen world, it (the body) practises religious seclusion. 3725
  • The form of want leads (the body) to earn (the means of livelihood); the form of strength of arm leads (the body) to seize (the property of others) by force.
  • These (ideas) are boundless and immeasurable (in number): the motive to action (arises) from various sorts of (such) phantasy.
  • All the infinite ways of life and (all) the crafts are the shadow (reflexion) of the form of thoughts.
  • (For example, when) happy folk (are) standing on the edge of a roof, observe the shadow of each one on the ground.
  • The form of thought is on the lofty roof (of the spirit), while the (resultant) action appears, like a shadow, on the pillars (bodily limbs). 3730
  • The action is (manifested) on the pillars, while the thought (that produces it) is concealed; but the two are combined in the correlation of cause and effect.
  • The forms (ideas) that arise at a banquet from the festive cup have as their result unconsciousness and senselessness.
  • The forms (ideas) of man and woman and (amorous) sport and sexual intercourse—hinc nascitur perturbatio animi in coitu. [The forms (ideas) of man and woman and (amorous) sport and sexual intercourse—their result at the time of sexual union (is mental) distraction.]
  • The (material) form of bread and salt, which is a benefit (conferred by God), has as its result (bodily) strength, which is formless.
  • On the battle-field the (material) form of sword and shield has as its result a formless thing, i.e. victory. 3735
  • (Attendance at) college and learning and the (various) forms thereof are (all) done with, as soon as they have reached (their goal, namely) knowledge.
  • Since these forms are the slaves of the Formless, why, then, are they denying their Benefactor?