I have been pondering on the question: Is compassion inborn or can it be acquired through learning and practicing in a lifetime? Though I easily recognize compassion when I see it in another person, it is difficult for me to evaluate how compassionate I am as a person or if the degree of my compassion varies depending on the context. When I observe the people around me, I often notice that the ones who are compassionate tend to be relatively nonjudgmental and altruistic. Usually they are non-selective on whom to act with compassion. For example, a friend of mine …
Year: 2018
A novice had a little store of gold. His sheikh knew this, although he had not been told. There was a journey that they had to make – The two set out, the young man and his sheikh; Then night came to the valley where they walked, And into the path they followed forked, The novice trembled for his hidden gold (Which makes its owners less than bold); “Which way to you advise?” he asked his sheikh. “There are two paths; which is the best to take?” The sheikh said: “Throw out what you cannot hide, Then either way will …
Moths gathered in a fluttering throng one night To learn the truth about the candle’s light, And they decided one of them should go To gather news of the elusive glow. One flew till the distance he discerned A palace window where a candle burned – And went no nearer; back again he flew To tell the others what he thought he knew. The mentor of the moths dismissed his claim, Remarking: “He knows nothing of the flame.” A moth more eager than the one before Set out and passed beyond the palace door. He hovered in the aura …
On the path of Truth, all faiths and religions are one, race and color have no relevance, and there is no difference between men and women.[1] This saying is from Words of Truth, the unique book of wisdom I am going to write about today. Compiled by Dr. Bahram Elahi, Words of Truth is a collection of sayings based on the teachings of his father Ostad Elahi (1895-1974). Having read it a few years ago, I go back to it whenever I am in need of an answer or looking for guidance. It is a handbook of wisdom, and of …
In the Romances of Alexander, Alexander the Great seamlessly seeks the Fountain of Eternal Life in his long and famous quest from Macedonia to India. Once he was travelling in a mysterious Land of Darkness where he was given a special companion called Khezr. The companion was carrying a basket of provisions to sustain the long journey across this unknown dark land. Khezr was walking ahead of Alexander on a rocky terrain when he stumbled upon a rock and spilled the basket. Two dry salted fish which he carried in the basket fell on the ground and instantly a fountain …
Late one moonless night The Sîmorgh first appeared She let a feather float down through the air, And rumours of its fame spread everywhere (i) The Canticle of the Birds written by the mystical poet Attar tells the story of all the birds in the world, who one day gather together to discuss who their Sovereign king is and where he could be found for they all have a yearning to meet the Sovereign Being. Among them, the little bird Hoopoe, chosen and sanctified by King Solomon knows that Sîmorgh is the Sovereign Being’s name and that she lives …
A flower- tinted cheek, the flowery close Of the fair earth, these are enough for me – Enough that in the meadow wanes and grows The shadow of a graceful cypress tree. I am no lover of hypocrisy; Of all the treasures that the earth can boast, A brimming cup of wine I prize the most – This is enough for me! To them that here renowned for virtue live, A heavenly palace is the meet reward; To me, the drunkard and the beggar, give The temple of the grape with red wine stored! Beside a river seat …
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