Sunlight: October 2013

Thursday, October 31, 2013

[Sunlight] Don't talk about the journey_--_Ghazal_156

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come come come
my endless desires
come come come

come my beloved
come my sweetheart
come come come

don't talk about the journey
say no more
of the path one must take

you are my path
you are my journey
come come come

you stole from this earth
a bouquet of roses
i am hidden in that bouquet
come come come

as long as i am sober
and keep talking about
good and bad
i'm missing
the most important event
seeing your face
come come come

i must be a moron
missing this life
if i don't cast my mind
in the fire of your love
come come come

-- Ode (Ghazal) 156
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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~

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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

[Sunlight] Sacred paradoxes

~

Sunlight offers Ghazal 1869, from the Diwan-e Shams-e
Tabrizi, in a translation by William Chittick, a version from
Jonathan Star, and a translation by A.J Arberry:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Off with you! Know that the lover's religion is
contrary to other ways, for false dealings from the Friend
are better than sincerity and kindliness.
What is unthinkable for Him is the actual state, His
chastisement the reward, all of His tyranny justice, His
slander equity.
His harshness is soft, His synagogue the Kaaba �
the thorn driven home by the Heart-ravisher is sweeter than
roses and basil.
When He is sour, He is more excellent than a house
of sugar; when He comes to you in annoyance, He is all
affection and kisses.
When He says to you, "By God, I am sick of you!",
that is Khidr's elixir from the Fountain of Life.
When He says "No!" a thousand yea's are hidden
within it; in this religion of the selfless, He becomes family
and self by remaining a stranger.
His unbelief is faith, His stones all coral, His miser-
liness generosity, His offenses all forgiveness.
If you taunt me and say, "Your religion is bent out
of shape!" � well, I have bought the religion of His bent
eyebrow for the price of my spirit.
This bent religion has made me drunk! Enough!
I will shut my lips � you continue, oh illuminated heart, and
recite the rest silently!
Oh Lord! Oh Shams of God Tabrizi! What sugar
you pour down! You voice a hundred arguments and
proofs from my mouth!

-- Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love - The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi"
State University of New York Press, Albany, 1983

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Sacred Blasphemy

Be off and know
That the way of lovers is opposite all other ways.
Lies from the Friend
Are better than truth and kindness from others.

For Him
The impossible is commonplace,
Punishment is reward,
Tyranny is justice,
Slander is the highest praise.

His harshness is soft,
His blasphemy is sacred.
The blood that drips from the Beloved's thorn
is sweeter than roses and basil.

When He's bitter
it's better than a candy-shop.
When He turns his head away
it's all hugs and kisses.
When He says, "By God, I've had enough of you!"
it's like an eternal spring
flowing from the fountain of life.

A "No" from his lips is a thousand times "Yes."
On this selfless path
He acts like a stranger
yet He's your dearest friend.

His infidelity is faith,
His stones are jewels,
His holding back is giving,
His ruthlessness is mercy.

You may laugh at me and say,
"The path you're on is full of curves!"
Yes � for the curve of His eyebrow
I have traded in my soul!

This curvy path has gotten me drunk,
I cannot say another word!
Carry on, my glorious heart,
finish the poem in silence . . .

O Shams, Lord of Tabriz,
What sweetness you pour upon me �
All I need to is open my mouth
and all your songs flow out.

-- Translation by Jonathan Star
"Rumi - In the Arms of the Beloved"
Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, New York 1997

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Go, know that the code of lovers is opposite to all other ways,
for from the Beloved lies are better than truth and beneficence.
His impossibility comes to pass, his insalubriousness is a
bonus, his injustice is all rectitude. Calumny from him is justice.
His hard is soft, his synagogue is the Kaaba, the Beloved's
thorn is better than roses and basil.
The moment when he is bitter is better than a sweetshop, and
the moment when he becomes weary, that is kissing and em-
bracing.
The moment when he says to you, "By Allah, I am indifferent to you" --
that is the water of Khidr from the fountain of life.*
The when he says "No," in his "No" are a thousand "Yeses"; his
strangerhood is kinship according to the code of the unselfed.
His infidelity becomes all faith, his stone all coral, his miser-
liness all benificence, his crime all forgiveness.
If you criticize, you say, "You have a crooked way of going
on"; I have bought the way of his brow and given my life.
I am drunk with this crooked way; I have made enough, and
closed my lips -- rise up, bright heart, and recite the rest of it.
Shams-al-Haqq Tabrizi! Dear Lord, what sugar you sprinkle!
You might say that out of my mouth proceed a hundred proofs
and demonstrations.

-- Translation by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 2"
University of Chicago Press, 1979, 1991

*The Water of Life (Ab-e hayvan, or hayatI) is the Fountain of Life in the
Land of Darkness. Nizami, in his "Sikander-nama" describes how Alexander was
guided by the prophet Khidr to the Fountain but could not reach it.

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~

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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

[Sunlight] Manifesting Prayer

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Abandon the dry prayer of words,

for the tree presupposes the scattering of seeds.

Yet even if you have no seed, due to your prayer,

God will bestow upon you a palm tree

saying, "How well did he labor!"

Like Mary-- she had heartfelt pain, but no seed:

an artful One made that withered palm tree green for her sake.

Because that noble Lady was loyal to God,

God fulfilled a hundred desires without desire on her part.

```````````````````````````````

Pas do`â-ye khoshk hel ay nikbakht
keh fashânad dâneh mi khvâhad derakht
Gar na-dâri dâneh Izad zân do`â
bakhshadet nakhli keh "ni`m mâ sa`â"
Hamcho Maryam dard budesh dâneh ni
sabz kard ân nakhl-râ Sâheb-e fanni
Zânke vâfi bovad ân khâtun-e râdd
bi morâdesh dâd Yazdân sad morâd

-- Mathnawi V: 1188-1191

Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski

"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"

Threshold Books, 1996

Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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[Sunlight] Manifesting Prayer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abandon the dry prayer of words,

for the tree presupposes the scattering of seeds.

Yet even if you have no seed, due to your prayer,

God will bestow upon you a palm tree

saying, "How well did he labor!"

Like Mary -- she had heartfelt pain, but no seed:

an artful One made that withered palm tree green for her sake.

Because that noble Lady was loyal to God,

God fulfilled a hundred desires without desire on her part.

```````````````````````````````

Pas do`�-ye khoshk hel ay nikbakht

keh fash�nad d�neh mi khv�had derakht

Gar na-d�ri d�neh Izad z�n do`�

bakhshadet nakhli keh "ni`m m� sa`�"

Hamcho Maryam dard budesh d�neh ni

sabz kard �n nakhl-r� S�heb-e fanni

Z�nke v�fi bovad �n kh�tun-e r�dd

bi mor�desh d�d Yazd�n sad mor�d

-- Mathnawi V: 1188-1191

Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski

"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"

Threshold Books, 1996

Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahy� Monastra

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Monday, October 28, 2013

[Sunlight] Let this night be like that one -- Ghazal 2544

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've heard that a certain man lost his camel.

He goes everywhere, not finding that camel.

He falls asleep in the desert by the side of the road,

tired and thinking now he's through looking.

Late in the night he wakes up full of that loss.

The moon comes rolling out like a white ball

on the huge, empty polo field of the sky.

By that light he sees his camel standing

in the middle of the road. His tears

come easily like a quick rain.

He turns his face up, wet and shining.

How can I say what you are with your light?

Let this be a night like that one.

Each second the moon tells us, Be more passionate.

We should shine back and tell it the same thing.

It makes us restless. It grieves for us.

Take it inside you, that One whose Presence

is water. We are the stream, searching along.

That One is musk. We are the way musk smells.

Why not spray ourselves?

- - Ghazal (Ode) 2544

Version by Coleman Barks

These Branching Moments

Copper Beech Press, 1988

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Friday, October 25, 2013

[Sunlight] Take simplicity as your companion

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

O, how often have knowledge and wit
become as deadly to the wayfarer as any demon or bandit!
Most of those destined for Paradise are simple-minded,
so that they escape from the mischief of philosophy.
Strip yourself of useless learning and vanity,
so that every moment Divine mercy may descend upon you.
Cleverness is the opposite of humbleness and supplication:
give up cleverness and take simplicity as your companion.
Know that cleverness is a trap for victory and ambition:
why should the pure devotee wish to be clever?
The clever are content with an ingenious device;
the simple have left all artifice
to be at rest with the Artificer,
because at breakfast time a mother will have gathered
the little child's hands and feet in repose upon her breast.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ay basâ `elm o zakâvât o fetan
gashteh rah-raw-râ ghul o râh-zan
Bish-tar as.hâb-e Jannat ablahand
tâ ze sharr-e faylasufi mi rahand
Khvish-râ `oryân kon az fazl o fozul
tâ konad rahmat beh-to har dam nozul
Ziraki zedd-e shekast ast o niyâz
zireki bo-g'zâr o bâ guli be-sâz
Ziraki dân dâm-e bard o tama` o gâz
tâ cheh khvâhad zireki-râ pâk bâz
Zirakân bâ san`ati qâne` shodeh
ablahân az son` dar Sâne` shodeh
Zânkeh tefl-e khord-râ mâdar nahâr
dast o pâ bâshad nehâdeh bar kenâr

-- Mathnawi VI:2369-2375
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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~

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Thursday, October 24, 2013

[Sunlight] The Chador of the Body -- Ghazal 1705

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Become not bored with me, for I am a truly

beautiful witness! Jealousy has hidden me in a chador.

On the day when I throw the chador* of the

body off the spirit, you will see that I am the envy of the

moon and the stars.

Wash your face and purify yourself so that you

may see me! Otherwise stay far away, for I am my own

witness!

I am not that witness who will become an old

crone tomorrow -- I will be young, heart-refreshing, and

beautifully statured until Eternity-without-end.

Even if that chador should wear out, the

witness will not become old; the chador's life will come to an

end, but we are endless life.

When Iblis* saw Adam's chador, he rejected him.

Adam called to him, "You are rejected, not I."

The rest of the angels prostrated themselves and

said, "We have found a witness!

Under the chador is an idol whose attributes

have confounded our intellects, so we have prostrated

ourselves!

If our intellects cannot discern the shapes of

stinking hags from those of witnesses, then we are apostates in

Love.

What place is this for 'Witnesses'? He is God's

lion -- we spoke like children, for we are speaking to children

just learning the alphabet.

Children are decieved by walnuts and raisins --

otherwise, what have we to do with almonds and sesame

seeds?

If an old crone should hide herself in helmet

and armor and say, 'I am Rustam* in God's battlelines,'

Everyone will know from her movements that

she is a woman. How should we make mistakes? We are

bathed in Muhammad's light!"

The Prophet said, "The believer is discerning" --

now be silent! For without speech, I am rightly guided.

Listen to the rest from Shams, the pride of

Tabriz, for we have related but part of the story from that

king.

-- Ghazal 1705, from Rumi's "Diwan-e Shams"

Translation by Professor William C. Chittick

"The Sufi Path of Love"

SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

Sunlight footnotes by Peter Bridge:

*chador -- the Persian variant of the traditional outer garment ("cover")

worn by Islamic women

*Iblis -- Another name for Satan

*Rustam -- Legendary Persian warrior king, whose story is set forth in

Ferdowsi's tenth century epic "Book of Kings" ("Shahnameh")

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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

[Sunlight] Behind the face of anger -- Ghazal 2197

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When you see the face of anger

look behind it

and you will see the face of pride.

Bring anger and pride

under your feet, turn them into a ladder

and climb higher.

There is no peace until you become

their master.

Let go of anger, it may taste sweet

but it kills.

Don't become its victim

you need humility to climb to freedom.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2197

Translated by Azima Melita Kolin

and Maryam Mafi

Rumi: Hidden Music

HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

[Sunlight] To be near God is to escape the prison of existence

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Prophet said, "Don't think of my ascension

as superior to that of Jonah:

mine was up to heaven; his was below into the belly of the fish,

but nearness to God is beyond calculation."

Nearness to God is neither up nor down:

to be near God is to escape the prison of existence.

What room has nonexistence for "up" or "down"?

Nonexistence has no "soon" or "far" or "late."

The laboratory and treasure house of God is in nonexistence.

Since existence deludes you,

how will you know what nonexistence is?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Goft Payghambar keh "Me`râj-e merâ

nist bar me`râj-e Yunos ejtebâ

Ân-e man bar charkh va ân-e u neshib

zânke qorb-e Haqq berunast az hesâb"

Qorb nah bâlâ nah pasti raftanast

qorb-e Haqq az habs-e hasti rastanast

Nist-râ cheh jâ-ye bâlâ ast o zir

nist-râ nah zud o nah durast o dir

Kâr-gâh o ganj-e Haqq dar nistist

gherreh-ye hasti cheh dâni nist chist

-- Mathnawi III: 4512-4516

Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski

"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"

Threshold Books, 1996

Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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Monday, October 21, 2013

[Sunlight] “Let the ill-balanced load drop from me”

~

Today, Sunlight offers two presentations of the verses from the
Mathnawi, Volume VI, lines 216 - 227 -- the first an interpretive
version by Coleman Barks, which Barks developed relying on Professor
Reynold Nicholson's translation; the second, Nicholson's classic,
literal translation:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am part of the load
not rightly balanced.
I drop off in the grass,
like the old Cave-sleepers, to browse
wherever I fall.

For hundreds of thousands of years I have been dust-grains
floating and flying in the will of the air,
often forgetting ever being
in that state, but in sleep
I migrate back. I spring loose
from the four-branched, time-and-space cross,
this waiting room.

I walk into a huge pasture.
I nurse the milk of millennia.

Everyone does this in different ways.
Knowing that conscious decisions
and personal memory
are much too small a place to live,
every human being streams at night
into the loving nowhere, or during the day,
in some absorbing work.

-- Version by Coleman Barks,
"We Are Three"
Maypop, 1987

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let the ill-balanced load drop from me, that I may behold the
meadow of the pious.
(Then), like the Fellows of the Cave, I shall browse on the
orchard of Bounty ˆ not awake, nay, they are asleep.*
I shall recline on the right or on the left, I shall not roll save
involuntarily, like a ball,
Just as Thou, O Lord of the Judgement, turnest me over
either to the right or to the left.
Hundreds of thousands of years I was flying (to and fro)
involuntarily, like the motes in the air.
If I have forgotten that time and state, (yet) the migration in
sleep (to the spiritual world) recalls it to my memory.
(Every night) I escape from this four-branched cross and
spring away from this (confined) halting-place into the (spacious)
pasture of the spirit.
For the nurse, Sleep, I suck the milk of those bygone days
of mine, O Lord.
All the (people in the) world are fleeing from their free-will
and (self-) existence to their drunken (unconscious) side.
In order that for awhile they may be delivered from sobriety
(consciousness), they lay upon themselves the opprobrium of
wine and minstrelsy.
All know that this existence is a snare, that volitional thought
and memory are a hell.
They are fleeing from selfhood into selflessness either by
means of intoxication or by means of (some engrossing) occupa-
tion, O well-conducted man.

-- Translation by Reynold A. Nicholson
"The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi"
Gibb Memorial Trust

* Qua'an, XVIII, 17, slightly altered.

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~

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Friday, October 18, 2013

[Sunlight] Man has tools in proportion to his need

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The mouse-soul is nothing but a nibbler.
To the mouse is given a mind proportionate to its need,
for without need, the Almighty God
doesn't give anything to anyone.
Need, then, is the net for all things that exist:
man has tools in proportion to his need.
So, quickly, increase your need, needy one,
that the sea of abundance may surge up in lovingkindness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nafs-e mushi nist ellâ loqmeh-rand
qadr-e hâjat mush-râ `aqli dehand
Zanke bi hâjat Khodâvand-e `Aziz
mi na-bakhshad hich kas-râ hich chiz
Pas kamand-e hast-hâjat bud
qadr-e hâjat mard-râ âlat bud
Pas biyafzâ hâjat ay mohtâj zud
tâ be-jushad dar karam daryâ-ye jud

-- Mathnawi II: 3273-3274; 3279-3280
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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~

------------------------------------

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Thursday, October 17, 2013

[Sunlight] Do not wander without a guide

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you do not possess the staff of caution and
discrimination, use the eyes of him who sees.
If there is no staff of caution and discrimination,
do not wander on the road without a guide

-- Mathnawi III:277-278
Translated by Muriel Maufroy
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Sanyar Press - London, 1997

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~

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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

[Sunlight] The Arrows of Larger Bows -- Ghazal 165

~

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THE ARROWS OF LARGER BOWS

I am a lover,
and from His love
I did not escape.
I am a warrior,
and from the field of battle
I did not escape.

Like a lion, I attacked lions,
but in the middle, like a fox,
I did not escape.

Though my aim was the cupola of heaven,
from the snares of this world,
I did not escape.

I was the medicine for every illness,
but from the pain of others
I did not escape.

I revered the prophets with all my soul,
but from evil company
I did not escape.

I am alive in this little box called life;
I am alive because my soul
did not escape.

The only reason I get hit
by the arrows of his eyes
is because from the arrows of larger bows
I did not escape.

The wounds of battle have turned to victory
because of the pain
I did not escape.

I am floating in a sea of nectar,
filled with every delight,
because of the hardships
I did not escape.

When my Master showed himself to me
I was stunned, I could not move �
From the onrush of both worlds
I could not escape!

-- Ode 1658
Poetic translation by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi
Bantam Books, 1992

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~

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

[Sunlight] Absorbed in the attributes of God

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The light of the senses and spirit of our ancestors
doesn't perish like the grass,
but, like the stars and moonbeams,
they vanish in the radiance of the Sun.
It's like the naked man who jumped into the water,
so that he might escape from the hornets' stings:
the hornets circled above him, and whenever he put out his head
they would not spare him.
The water is recollection of God,
and the hornet is the thought, during this time,
of such-and-such a woman or man.
Hold your breath in the water of remembrance,
so that you may be freed from old thoughts and temptations.
After that, you will assume the nature of that pure water,
entirely from head to foot.
As the noxious hornet flees from the water,
so it will be afraid of approaching you.
After that be far from the water, if you wish;
for in your inmost soul you are of the same nature as the water.
Those persons then who have passed from the world
are not nonexistent but are absorbed in the attributes of God,
even as the star disappears in the presence of the sun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nur-e hess o jân-e bâbâyân-e mâ
nist kolli fâni va lâ chon giyâ
Lik mânand setâreh o mâhtâb
jomleh mahvand az sho`â`-e âftâb
Ân chonânke `ur andar âb jast
tâ dar âb az zakhm-e zanburân be-rast
Mi konad zanbur bar bâlâ tavâf
chon bar ârad sar na-dârandesh mo`âf
Âb zekr-e Haqq va zanbur in zamân
hast yâd-e ân folâneh o ân folân
Dam be-khvor dar âb-e zekr va sabr kon
tâ rahi az fekr o vasvâs-e kohon
Ba`d az ân to tab`-e ân âb-e safâ
khvod be-giri jomlegi sar tâ beh pâ
Ânchonânke az âb ân zanbur-e sharr
mi gorizad az to ham girad hazar
Ba`d az ân khvâhi to dur az âb bâsh
keh be-serr ham tab`-e âbi khvâjeh tâsh
Pas kasâni kaz jahân be-gozashteh-'and
lâ niand va dar sefât âghashteh-'and
Dar sefât-e Haqq sefât-e jomleh-shân
hamcho akhtar pish-e ân khvor bi neshân

-- Mathnawi IV: 432-433; 435-443
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~

------------------------------------

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Monday, October 14, 2013

[Sunlight] "The Rider and the Man Who Swallowed a Snake"

~

Today, Sunlight offers the Mathnawi story of the man who
swallowed a snake, in a version by Coleman Barks, and in translation
by Dr. Ibrahim Gamard:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jesus on the lean donkey,
this is an emblem of how the rational intellect
should control the animal-soul.
Let your spirit
be strong like Jesus.
If that part becomes weak,
then the worn out donkey grows to a dragon.

Be grateful when what seems unkind
comes from a wise person.
Once, a holy man,
riding his donkey, saw a snake crawling into
a sleeping man's mouth! He hurried, but he couldn't
prevent it. He hit the man several blows with his club.

The man woke terrified, and ran beneath an apple tree
with many rotten apples on the ground.
"Eat!
You miserable wretch! Eat!"
"Why are you doing this to
me?"
"Eat more you fool."
"I've never seen you
before!
Who are you? Do you have some inner quarrel with my soul?"

The wise man kept forcing him to eat, and then he ran him.
For hours he whipped the poor man and made him run.
Finally at nightfall, full of rotten apples,
fatigued, bleeding, he fell
and vomited everything,
The good and the bad, the apples and the snake.
When he saw that ugly snake
come out of himself, he fell on his knees
before his assailant.
"Are you Gabriel? Are you God?
I bless the moment you first noticed me. I was dead
and didn't know it. You gave me new life.
Everything I've said to you was stupid!
I didn't know."
"If I had explained what I was
doing,
you might have panicked and died of fear.
Muhammad said,
'If I described the enemy that
lives
inside men, even the most courageous would be paralysed. No one
would go out, or do any work. No one would pray or fast,
and all power to change would fade
from human beings,'
so I kept quiet
while I was beating you, that like David
I might shape iron, so that, impossibly,
I might put feathers back into a bird's wing.

God's silence is necessary, because of humankind's
faintheartedness. If I had told you about the snake,
you wouldn't have been able to eat, and if
you hadn't eaten, you wouldn't have vomited.

I saw your condition and drove my donkey hard
into the middle of it, saying always, under my breath,
'Lord, make it easy on him' I wasn't permitted
to tell you, and I wasn't permitted to stop
beating you!"
The healed man, still kneeling,
"I have no way to thank you for the quickness
of your wisdom and the strength of your guidance.
God will thank you."

-- Mathnawi II, Verses 1858-1929 (Excerpts)
Version by Coleman Barks, based on the translation
by Nicholson
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Rider and the Man Who Swallowed a Snake

Mathnawi II: 1878-1915, 1923-1926, 1930

A wise man was coming, riding on (his) horse, (while) a snake
was going into the mouth of a sleeping man.*
The rider saw that, and acted quickly so that he might scare away
the snake, (but) he found no opportunity.
Since he had the aid of great intelligence, he hit the sleeper
several times with a strong iron-covered club.
(The man) took the blows of that hard mace, and fled from him
until (he arrived) beneath a tree.
Many rotten apples had fallen (there), and (the rider) commanded:
"Eat these, O you (who) are dangling (helplessly) in pain!"
He gave so many apples for him to eat* that they were falling back
out of his mouth.
He was yelling, "O prince, why have you made (killing) me your
intention, (when) you haven't seen (any) injustice (from me)?*
"If you have an authentic quarrel against my life, (then) strike
(your) sword immediately (and) spill my blood!
"(What) an unlucky hour when I became visible to you! Oh happy
(is) the one who never saw your face!
"Without (any) crime or sin, without (doing) more or less-- (even)
heretics don't consider this (kind of) ill-treatment (to be)
permissible.
"Blood is leaping from my mouth (along) with (my) words. O
God, retaliate against him in the end!"
He was shouting new curses every moment, (while the rider) kept
beating him, (and) saying, "Run into the desert plain!"
Blows of the mace (continued), and a rider (in pursuit) like the
wind! (The man) was running, and again (and again), he fell on (his)
face.
He was full-fed, filled with drowsiness, and weak; his feet and
face were (covered with) a hundred thousand wounds.
(The rider) kept leading and releasing (him) up to night time,
until vomiting overcame him, caused by (excess) bile.
Everything consumed, bad or good, came up from him: the snake,
together with (everything else) that (was) eaten leaped out of him.
When he saw the snake outside of him, he fell on his face before
that benevolent (man).
(And) when he saw the terror of that big black ugly snake, those
sufferings left him.
He said, "You are (the angel) Gabriel, himself, or (else) you are
God, since you are the protecting friend of merciful kindness!
"Oh (what) a blessed hour (it was) when you saw me; I was dead
(and) you gave me a new life.
"You were seeking me like mothers [searching for their children]
(but) I was running away from you like donkeys.
"The donkey flees from (its) master because of (its) donkey-
nature, (while) its owner (follows) in (its) tracks because of
(his) good-nature;
"He seeks it, not because of profit or loss, but so that a wolf or
(other) wild animal may not tear it (to pieces).
"Oh (how) blessed (is) the one who sees your face, or (who)
suddenly comes upon your lane!
"O you, whom the pure spirit* has praised! (How) many babbling
and foolish (things) I said to you!
"O lord and emperor and prince! I didn't speak, (but) my
ignorance said (those words). Don't hold it (against me)!
"If I had known the least bit about this situation, I never would
have been capable of (such) foolish talk.
"I would have said many (things in) praise (of you instead), O you
of excellent qualities, if you had said one hint to me about the
situation.
"But you, acting in silence, were (so) disturbed, (and) were
quietly pounding my head!
"My mind became crazy (and) reason leaped out of my skull,
especially (since) this head has very little brain.
"Pardon (me), O you of fine appearance and manners! What
(ever) I said because of frenzy, let (it) pass!"
(The rider) answered, "If I had said (even) a hint about it, (all
of) your gall* would have turned (into) water that instant.
"If I had told you (about) the snake's qualities, the (resulting)
fear would have lifted the breath of life (right) out of your soul!"
Muhammad said:* "If I speak truly (about) the description of the
enemy which is within your souls,
"Even the gallbladders of brave men would burst; they* would not
travel on the roads, nor would they be concerned about any work.
"Nor would endurance remain in their hearts for supplications (to
God), nor would strength (remain) for fasting and ritual prayer.
"They would become as nothing, like a mouse before a cat, and
(deeply) troubled, like a lamb before a wolf.
"(And) no strategy or movement would remain to them.
Therefore, I am supporting you without speaking."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

(The rider said,) "You would not have had the strength for eating
(the apples), nor (would you have had) a way or care to vomit.
"I kept hearing (your) curses, but I kept 'driving the donkey
(forward).'* (And) I kept reciting in a whisper, 'O Lord, make (it)
easy!'
"I had no permission to speak about the cause (and yet) I had no
ability to talk about leaving you.
I kept reciting, every moment from (my) inward sorrow, '(O
God,) guide my people, for truly they do not know!'"*
. . . . . . . . . . . .

This is the form of the "hostility" of the wise ones; their poison
is a joy for souls!*

-- Translation from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard
(with gratitude to R.A. Nicholson's for his 1926
British translation)
From "The Mathnaw�-y� Ma`naw�" (Rhymed
Couplets of Deep Spiritual Meaning) of
Jalaluddin Rumi.
Footnotes courtesy of Ibrahim Gamard.
(C) Ibrahim Gamard

*sleeping man: "The Am�r [= Prince] in this Story represents a
murshid [= sufi guide], while the man who swallowed the snake is a
sensualist. The nafs [=ego] is frequently symbolised by a snake."
(Nicholson, Commentary)
*to eat: Nicholson later changed this, because of a misprint in his
Persian text, to: "He gave him so many apples to eat" (from: "He
gave the man...").
*you haven't seen (any) injustice (from me): Nicholson later
changed this, based on the earliest manuscript of the Mathnawi to:
"when you have not suffered injury" (from: "What have I done to
you?").
*the pure spirit: "probably refers to the angels, who paid homage to
the Perfect Man (Adam)." (Nicholson, Commentary)
*gall: means courage, based on ancient beliefs that courage was
linked to the "fiery" quality of bile from the gallbladder. This usage
exists in English, in the sense of rude fearlessness: "He had a lot of
gall to do a thing like that."
*Muhammad said: "Cf. the Had�th: a'd� 'aduwika nafsuka 'llat�
bayna janbayka, 'thy worst enemy is thy nafs [= ego] which is
between thy sides.'" (Nicholson, Commentary)
*they: literally, "he" in the following couplets.
*driving the donkey: Nicholson translated this as an idiom: "I heard
(your) abuse and went on with my work"-- "Literally, 'I was driving
my ass along.'" (Nicholson, footnote)
*they do not know: "The story goes that in the battle of Uhud a stone
hurled by one of the Quraysh broke the Prophet's teeth; but instead of
cursing his enemies he cried, 'O God, guide my people, for verily
they know not." (Nicholson, Commentary)
*a joy for souls: "i.e. the remedies they apply are drastic and bitter
as poison, but the result is spiritual happiness." (Nicholson,
Commentary)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

`�qil� bar asp m�-�m-ad sow�r
dar dah�n-� khofta-y� m�-raft m�r

�n sow�r �n-r� be-d�d-o m�-shet�ft
t� ram�n-ad m�r-r�, furSat na-y�ft

ch�n-ke az `aql-ash far�w�n bod madad
chand dab�s� qaw� bar khofta zad

bord �-r� az zakhm-� �n dabb�s-� sakht
z-� gor�z�n t� ba z�r-� yak derakht

s�b-� p�s�da bas� bod r�khta
goft az-�n khwar, ay ba-dard �w�khta

s�b chand�n mar �-r� dar khward d�d
k-az dah�n-ash b�z b�r�n m�-fot�d

gar to-r� z-aSl-ast b� j�n-am set�z
t�gh zan yak-barag� kh�n-am be-r�z

sh�m s�`at ke shod-am bar t� pad�d
ay khonok �n-r� ke r�y-� t� na-d�d

b�-jin�yat, b�-gonah, b�-b�sh-o kam
mulHid-�n j�yiz na-d�r-and �n setam

m�-jah-ad kh�n az dah�n-am b� sokhon
ay khod� �khir muk�f�t-ash t� kon

har zam�n m�-goft � nafr�n-� naw
�-sh m�-zad k-andar-�n SaHr� be-daw

zakhm-� dabb�s-o sow�r-� hamch� b�d
m�-daw�d-o b�z dar r� m�-fot�d

mumtal�-wo khw�b-n�k-o sost bod
p�-wo r�y-ash Sad haz�r-�n zakhm shod

t� shab�n-gah m�-kash�d-o m�-gosh�d
t� ze-Safr� qay shodan bar way fot�d

z-� bar �mad khwarda-h� zesht-o nek�
m�r b� �n khwarda b�r�n jast az-�

ch�n be-d�d az khwad ber�n �n m�r-r�
sajda �ward �n nek�-kard�r-r�

sahm-� �n m�r-� sey�h-� zesht-� zaft
ch�n be-d�d, �n dard-h� az way be-raft

goft khwad t� jibra'�l-� raHmat-�
y� khod�y-� ke waliyy-� ni`mat-�

ay mub�rak s�`at� ke d�d�-am
morda b�d-am, j�n-� naw bakhsh�d�-am

t� ma-r� j�y-�n miS�l-� m�dar-�n
man gor�z�n az t� m�nand-� khar-�n

khar gor�z-ad az khod�wand az khar�
S�Hib-ash dar pay ze-n�k�-gawhar�

na az pay-� s�d-o zey�n m�-j�y-ad-ash
l�k t� gorg-ash na-darr-ad y� dad-ash

ay khonok �n-r� ke b�n-ad r�y-� t�
y� dar oftad n�-gah�n dar k�y-� t�

ay raw�n-� p�k be-set�da to-r�
chand goft-am zh�zh-o b�h�da to-r�

ay khod�wand-o shahensh�h-o am�r
man na-goft-am, jahl-� man goft, �n ma-g�r

shamma'y� z-�n H�l agar d�n-ast-am-y
goftan-� b�h�da kay taw�nast-am-y?

bas San�yat goftam-y ay khwash-khiS�l
gar ma-r� yak ramz m�-goft-� ze-H�l

l�k kh�mosh-karda m�-�sh�ft-�
kh�mush-�na bar sar-am m�-k�ft-�

shod sar-am k�l�wa, `aql az sar be-jast
kh�SSa �n sar-r� ke maghz-ash kam-tar-ast

`afw kon ay kh�b-r�y-� kh�b-k�r
�n-che goft-am az jun�n andar goZ�r

goft agar man goft-am-y ranz� az �n
zahra-y� t� �b gasht-y �n zam�n

gar t�-r� man goft-am-y awS�f-� m�r
tars az j�n-at bar �ward-y dam�r

muSTaf� farm�d agar g�y-am ba-r�st
sharH-� �n doshman ke dar j�n-� shom�-st

zahra-h�y-� por-del-�n ham bar dar-ad
nay raw-ad rah, nay gham-� k�r� khwar-ad

na del-ash-r� t�b m�n-ad dar ney�z
na tan-ash-r� quwwat-� r�za-w' nam�z

hamch� m�sh� p�sh-� gorba l� shaw-ad
hamch� barra p�sh-� gorg az j� raw-ad

andar-� na H�la m�n-ad na rawesh
pas kon-am n�-gofta-t�n man parwaresh

. . . . . . .

mar to-r� na quwwat-� khwardan bod-y
na rah-o parw�y-� qay kardan bod-y

m�-shen�d-am fuHsh-o khar m�-r�nd-am
rabbi yassir z�r-� lab m�-khw�nd-am

az sabab goftan ma-r� dast�r nay
tark-� t� goftan ma-r� maqd�r nay

har zam�n m�-goft-am az dard-� dar�n
ihdi qawm� innahum l� ya`lam�n

. . . . . . .

doshman�y-� `�qil-�n z-�n s�n bow-ad
zahr-� �sh�n ibtah�j-� j�n bow-ad

-- Persian transliteration courtesy of Ibrahim Gamard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~

__._,_.___

__,_._,___

Friday, October 11, 2013

[Sunlight] Let the Way be your seat of honor

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By God, don't linger
in any spiritual benefit you have gained,
but yearn for more, like one suffering from illness
whose thirst for water is never quenched.
This Divine Court is the Plane of the Infinite.
Leave the seat of honor behind;
let the Way be your seat of honor.

        ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hamcho mostasqi kaz âbesh sir nist
bar har ânche yâfti billâh ma-'ist
Bi Nehâyat Hazratast in Bâr-gâh
sadr-râ bo-g'zâr sadretast râh

           -- Mathnawi II: 1960-1961
              Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
              "Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
              Threshold Books, 1996
              (Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~

__._,_.___

__,_._,___

Thursday, October 10, 2013

[Sunlight] Look at the power of the Divine One -- Ghazel 3048

~

      Today, Sunlight offers Rumi's Ghazal (Ode) 3048, in a
translation by Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam Mafi, and
in a version by John Moyne & Coleman Barks:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You are the sky and I am the earth
astonished at what you grow inside my heart.
Dry-lipped and thirsty, only the grace of your rain
can turn the earth into a rose garden.
By you it is pregnant and only you know its burden.
It twists, it turns and sighs until
it gives birth to divine longing.

The Beloved takes care of his lovers
and feeds them generously.
Sometimes he ties them with the cord of reason
and sometimes he sets them free to dance.
Look at the meadow bursting with flowers
unable to contain its joy.
Look at the power of the Divine One
turning senseless dust into a sublime painting!
All we see is a veil of this never setting Sun,
this ancient Sun that will one day silently reveal
everything that has been planted.

       -- Translation by Azima Melita Kolin
          and Maryam Mafi
          Rumi: Hidden Music
          HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I feel like the ground, astonished
at what the atmosphere has brought to it. What I know
is growing inside me. Rain makes
every molecule pregnant with a mystery.
We groan with women in labor.
The ground cries out, I am Truth and Glory Is Here,
breaks open, and a camel is born out of it.
A branch falls from a tree, and there�s a snake.

Muhammed said: A faithful believer is a good camel,
always looking to its Master, who takes perfect care.
He brands the flank.
He sets out hay.
He binds the knees with reasonable rules,
and now he loosens all bindings and lets his camel dance,
tearing the bridle and ripping the blankets.

The field itself sprouts new forms,
while the camel dances over them, imaginary
plants no one has thought of,
but all these new seeds, no matter how they try,
do not reveal the other sun.
They hide it.
Still, the effort is joy,
one by one to keep uncovering
pearls in oyster shells.

         - Version by John Moyne & Coleman Barks
           These Branching Moments
           Copper Beech Press, 1988

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~

__._,_.___

__,_._,___

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

[Sunlight] The two veils between man and God

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Between God and His servant are just two veils;
all other veils become manifest from these two: health and
wealth. He who is healthy says, "Where is God? I don't know
and I don't see." As soon as he begins to suffer, he says, "Oh
God! Oh God!", and he begins sharing his secrets with Him
and talking to Him. So you see that health was his veil, and
God was hidden under his pain. So long as man has riches, he
gathers together all the means of achieving his desires. Night
and day he busies himself with them. But as soon as he loses
his wealth, his ego weakens and he turns round about God.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â -- Discourses of Rumi (Fihi ma fihi) 233/240
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Translation by Prof. William C. Chittick
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "The Sufi Path of Love"
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â State University of New York Press, Albany, 1983

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~

__._,_.___

__,_._,___

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