Once upon a time in a land far away, a woman named Neru set off on a journey to a village many miles from her home. She left in search of a particular dervish renowned for his wisdom.Upon reaching the village, Neru was told that the dervish lived on a nearby mountainside. Although darkness was falling, she set off up the mountain towards a bright light, certain that it was there she would find the dervish.
When she reached the source of the light she was surprised to find nothing but an oil-lamp with moths fluttering around it. As her eyes grew accustomed to the dark, Neru noticed a dim glow a short way off. Walking over to it, she discovered the dervish reading by the light of a candle.
Neru greeted him and then asked, "Why are sitting here in the near-darkness when there is a much brighter light over there?"
"As you can see, the bright light is for the moths, leaving me here in peace to study by the light of my candle," replied the dervish.
3 comments:
excellent analogy of the allure of practices that seem to lead one to God, but only destroy in the end.
and how it is by seeing beyond the "glare" of the sun, that you can see the sun itself.
shaykh, am feeling a bit emo now... but will say it anyways... will miss you loads.
it is a profound story of various lessons, one of which is that the bright oil-lamp is for the common masses. the real light is hidden beyond - which only the eyes of the heart can see and therefore find.
"The real light is hidden beyond - which only the eyes of the heart can see and therefore find."
Interesting that before Neru finds the dervish, her eyes have to first get accustomed to the darkness.
How many of us would allow ourselves that time or even the courage to be in the darkness?
Why brave the darkness when the bright light abounds?
Yet, yes, true light is where only the eyes of the heart can see and thus find. :)
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