Master no-mind,
and you live in perfect accord
with all things.
If you live on the breath,
you won’t be tortured by hunger and
thirst, or the longing to touch. The purpose of
being born is fulfilled in the state
between “I am” and
“That”.
What do sad people
have in common? It seems they
have all built a shrine to the past and
often go there and do a strange
wail and worship.
What is the
beginning of happiness?
It is to stop being
so religious
like that.
Soul guides and
prophets have an innate innocence,
but they are subject to the same consequences
as everyone. If a donkey veers off course, he will be hit
with a stick. If you do wrong, you will be punished. Abu Bakr
said that steadiness is the central virtue. From the
mind’s steadiness comes a right action
which in turn balances the
intelligence.
They asked me
why prophets were given hardships.
I said it helps to have clear indications. And I added
silently to myself, Be more humble like someone
held captive. Bow to the one who
can free you.
The Sufi moral is this:
Love another and do not depend
upon his love; and: do good to another
and do not depend upon receiving good
from him; serve another and do not look
for service from him. All you do for another
out of your love and kindness, you should think
that you do, not to that person, but to God. And
if the person returns love for love, goodness
for goodness, service for service, so much
the better. If he does not return it, then
pity him for what he loses; for his
gain is much less than
his loss.
Do not look for thanks
or appreciation for all the good you do to
others, nor use it as a means to stimulate your vanity.
Do all that you consider good for the sake of
goodness, not even for a return
of that from God.