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THE SECRET ROSE GARDEN

LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

SAN DIEGO

5X 7 OFfiCMT C

HUGH REES

LT

TKUfsfcom of tbe
EDITED BY
L.

Bast Series

CRANMER-BYNG
KAPADIA

Dr. S. A.

THE SECRET ROSE GARDEN OF SA'D UD DIN MAHMUD

SHABISTARl

WISDOM OF THE EAST

THE SECRET ROSE

GARDEN OF

MAHMUD

UD DIN SHABISTARI
SA'D

RENDERED FROM THE PERSIAN WITH AN INTRODUCTION

BY FLORENCE LEDERER
AUTHOR OF "SEVENTY THOUSAND VBJLS," "THE REST HOUSE"

LONDON

JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET,

1920

W.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
LIFE OF SHABISTARI SUFI POETRY SUF! SYMBOLISM

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

PACT

11

12
13

THE BELOVED FROM THE UNREAL TO THE REAL THE ART OF SHABISTARI THE SECRET ROSE GARDEN THE CENTRAL TREE OF BEAUTY

16

.18
20
21

24

PART I PERFECT FACE OF THE BELOVED THE

THE THE THE THE EYE AND THE LIP MOLE
CURL CHEEK AND THE DOWN

....
...

27 29 30 32

PART

II

BEAUTY
THE MARRIAGE OF THE SOUL THE CHARM OF BEAUTY EARTHLY BEAUTY
6

... ....

34 35 35

CONTENTS

PAGB

or SEA-WATER THE SEA OF BEING . PEARLS OF KNOWLEDGE

A DROP

.
.

36
.

.37
37

PART IV THE JOURNEY

THE FORSAKING THE TRAVELLER
EXHORTATION
39

THE Two STEPS OF THE JOURNEY FEAR

LOGIC THE INFANT AND THE YOUTH

40 42 42
43 43 44 45

.42

...

THE ALMOND TREE

INTERMINGLING

PART V

TIME AND THIS DREAM-WORLD

TIME

THE DREAM OF LIFE THE PHENOMENAL WORLD THE REAL AND THE UNREAL THIS WORLD A MIRAGE

........

.... ...
.

46 46
47 48

49

CONTENTS
PART VI REFLECTIONS
SUN-REFLECTIONS
.

THE MIRROR
EVIL

..... ......
IN THE

PAGH

THE REFLECTION

MIRROR

...
.

50 52 53 53

PART VII DIVINE INEBRIATION

TAVERN-HAUNTERS THE WINE OF RAPTURE WINE, TORCH, AND BEAUTY
INTOXICATION
.

......56
.
,

54

.58

58

PART
REASON

VIII

REASON AND FREE-WILL

KNOWLEDGE THE BLINDNESS OF REASON
FREE-WILL

....

60 60
61

62

PART IX

MAN: HIS CAPABILITIES AND HIS DESTINY

To THE SOFIS " " I AND " You
"
.

64 64
65

REFLECTED FORMS OF HABIT

CONTENTS
FAITHFUL SERVANT

THE LOWEST NECESSARY

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

PAGE

"FAR" AND "NEAR" THE SAGE THE PROPHET AND THE SAINT THE FIRST AND THE LAST ANNIHILATION OF PHENOMENA THE WRITTEN FAITH THE PERFECT MAN
.
.

.....

66 66 67 67 69 69 70

70
71

PART X

THE ONE
THE NAME THE BELOVED GUEST THE SHADOWLESS THE UNKNOWABLE THE BOOK OF GOD THE UNCHANGING LIGHT FUTURE REWARD
.

..... .....
....
....
t

72 72 73 73 73 74 75

PART XI THE SELF

THE GAMBLE OF THE SELF
TRANSCEND SELF.
SELFLESSNESS
.
,

76 76 77

CONTENTS

PART XII IDOLS, GIRDLES, AND CHRISTIANITY PAGE

IDOLS
78

THE GIRDLE
CHRISTIANITY

THE MOSQUE AND THE CLOISTER

...... ...
PART XIII THOUGHTS

80 80
81

CIRCLES

DEATH. THE HEAVENS No COMPLETE HAPPINESS HERE THE ATOMS. THE PRAISE OF THE ATOMS THINKING THOUGHTS ON CREATION

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

...

82 83 83 84 84 85

86 86

PART XIV THE LIGHT MANIFEST

THE LIGHT THE VISIT THE GIFT THE EFFECT OF THE DRAUGHT
EPILOGUE

.88
89 90
.

.91
92

EDITOKIAL NOTE.
THE
object of the Editors of this series
is

a very

They desire above all things that, in their humble way, these books shall be the ambassadors of good-will and understanding between East and West the old world of Thought and the new of- Action. In this endeavour, and in their own sphere, they are but
definite one.

followers of the highest example in the land. They are confident that a deeper knowledge of the great ideals and lofty philosophy of Oriental

thought

may

help to a revival of that true

spirit of Charity which ''neither despises nor fears the nations of another creed and colour.

L.
S.

CRANMER-BYNG.
A.

KAPADIA.

NORTHBROOK SOCIETY, 21 CROMWELL ROAD,

KENSINGTON, S.W.

10

THE

SECRET ROSE GARDEN

The
light of light is

His beauty heart-ravishing,

of unions.

And His bewitching state the union As He goes by, so all souls follow Grasping the hem of His garment.

INTRODUCTION
LIFE OF SHABISTAB!
" It
is

inward glow that makes the

Sufi,

not the religious

habit."

SA'D

UD DIN MAHMUD SHABISTAEI was born

at

Shabistar, near Tabriz, about A.D. 1250. He wrote the Gulshan i Rdz, or Secret Rose

Garden, as a reply to questions put forth by a Sufi doctor of Herat named Dmir Syad Hosaini.

Very
life.

little is

known

of

Mahmud

Shabistarfs

He
i

treatises

i Rdz two on Sufiism called Hakk ul pakin and

wrote beside the Gulshan

Risala

Shadld.
11

12

INTRODUCTION
learn

We

he had' a very favourite disciple

called Shaikh Ibrahim.

The Gulshan i Raz was introduced into Europe by two travellers in 1700. Later, copies of the poem were found in several European libraries.
In 1821 Dr. Tholuck,
tracts,

and

in 1825 a

German

of Berlin, published extranslation of part

of the poem appeared in another of his books. Afterwards a verse translation and the Persian

text was published by in Berlin and Vienna.

Von Hammer

Purgstall

The Gulshan i Edz was translated into English and published, with the Persian text and extracts from Hammer's edition and Lajihi's notes, by Mr.
Whinfield in 1880.

Stf F!

POETRY

Readers of Sufi poetry for the first time are liable to Jbe amazed, perhaps even repelled, by the extravagant language, by the familiarity with the Deity, by the apparent disregard of all human and Divine laws. But on further examination the

wonder

of

the Sufis'

love for their

Beloved shines out with a clear intensity, a beautiful luminous brightness. They are in love with The One, and their love

SUFI POETRY
wonder
,

13

takes the form of exquisite songs of praise and

:

" I heard entranced

; my spirit rushed to meet Love's welcome order, for the voice was sweet."

Vaughan says
"

Oriental mysticism has become famous by its poets, and into poetry it has thrown all its
force
"

and

fire."
.
. .

The

Sufis have one sole and simple task, to Their hearts a stainless mirror for their God."

make

Love is the Sufis' theme, Divine, Eternal Love, and into this sea of Love they cast themselves
headlong.

Rumi
"

sings

Moths, burnt by the torch of the Beloved's face, Are the lovers who linger in the sanctuary."
If

"

we

are called

madmen

or drunkards,

'Tis because of the

Cupbearer and the Cup."

"

Because my mouth has eaten of His sweetmeat B In a clear vision I can see Him face to face."

SUF! SYMBOLISM In reading the enraptured poetry of the Sufis, should be borne in mind that, though the

it

14

INTRODUCTION
yet the real meaning
this
is

symbols of earthly love and beauty are freely

used,

concealed.

No

doubt

was

originally done to keep secret

their mystic love, lest the profane should scoff. But as time went on certain words began to have

a recognized meaning amongst themselves.

instance
:

For

EMBRACES and KISSES

contemplation, Divine favour.

are raptures of love.

SLEEP

is

PERFUME
of the

the wish for

IDOLATERS mean men

infidels.

pure

faith,

not

WINE, which was forbidden by Mahomet to was used as a word-symbol by the Sufis to denote spiritual knowledge, and the WINE-SELLER means the spiritual guide.
his followers,

a place where the wine of Divine love inebriates the pilgrim.

is

TAVERN

INTOXICATION means

religious ecstasy,

MIRTH

the joy in the love of the Deity. BEAUTY means the glory of the Beloved.

CURLS and TRESSES mean

face of Unity from
its lovers.

plurality veiling the

The CHEEK means Divine

qualities.

essence of

names and
is

The

DOWN

is

the world of pure spirits which

nearest to Divinity,

SUFI SYMBOLISM
The MOLE on the cheek is the point
Unity.

15
of indivisible

The TORCH
the Beloved.

is

the light kindled in the heart by

thus see that to the Sufi the love between is a shadowed picture of the love between the soul and God, and just as a lover will dream of his beloved, singing her

We

man and woman

praises,

do

thirsting for a sight of her face, so the Sufis eternally dream of their God, ever

and

contemplating His attributes, and consumed with a burning desire for His presence. The history of mysticism contains many impassioned love songs to the Absolute, but in Sufi poetry there is a peculiar richness, a depth, a colour which fascinates and charms so many of us.

poetry abounds in allegories and love romances, the stories of Layla and Majnum,
Sufi

Yusuf and Zulaika, Salaman and Absal, in which it is easy to read the hidden meaning of passion for the Absolute. Various are the love themes of

we hear songs of the nightingale in love with the rose, the moth fluttering round the light of the candle, the moaning dove who has
the Sufis
;
:

her mate, the snow melting in the desert and mounting as vapour to the sky, of a dark
lost

night in the desert through which a frenzied

16

INTRODUCTION

camel madly plunges, of a reed torn from its bed and made into a flute whose plaintive music fills the eyes with tears.*

THE BELOVED
The
Sufis'

conception of the Beloved

is

essen-

tially personal,

though there is nothing to show that they worshipped Him as a person, or assigned

to

Him

a form.

He was

Being pantheists, they probably believed that the One Light shining in myriad forms through the whole universe, One essence remaining the same.
"

Every moment the robber Beauty rises in a different shape, ravishes the soul and disappears. Every instant the Loved One assumes a new garment, now
of old,

now

of youth.

plunged into the heart of the substance of the the Spirit plunged like a diver. potter's clay Anon He rose from the depths of mud that is moulded and baked, Then he appeared in the world." f

Now He

And Jam!

declares

" In neighbour, friend, companion, Him we see, In beggar's rags or robes of royalty, In Union's cell or in distraction haunts, There's none but He, by God, there's none but He."
*

See R. A. Nicholson's Mystics

of

Islam, p. 117.

| Mystics of Islam, R. A. Nicholson. J Jami's Lawa'ih, translated by E. H. Whinfield.

THE BELOVED
The
Sufis

17

realized

that

it

is

impossible in

spatial terms to describe that which is even beyond pure spirit. Plotinus has told us in a beautiful passage that: " We must not be surprised that that which excites the keenest of longings is without any form, even spiritual form, since the soul itself, when inflamed with love for it, puts off all the form which it had, even that which belongs to the spiritual world." *

The inability to describe to the uninitiated the secret love of the mystic for the Unknowable is

made

the subject

of
:

an exquisite poem by the

Indian poet Tagore

" I boasted

among men

that I had

known

you.

They
I say,

see your picture in all works of mine. They come me who is he ? I know not how to answer them.
'

and ask

Indeed, I cannot

tell.'

They blame me and they go away

in scorn.

And you sit there smiling. I put tales of into lasting songs. The secret gushes out from heart. They come and ask me, Tell me all your meaning.' I know not how to answer them. I say, Ah, who knows

my

you

my

'

'

what they mean.' And you sit there

*

They smile and go away

smiling." f

in utter scorn.

Philosophy of Plotinvs, by Dean Inge, f Gitanfali, by Rabindranath Tagore.

18

INTRODUCTION
FROM THE UNREAL TO THE REAL
The
Sufis believed that the

phenomenal world

is the Unreal, that the reason men are blind to the existence of the Real world, which is the

Spiritual,

is

because there are veils and mists

separating the soul from God. This world appears Real to the

man who cannot

use

his

spiritual

eye and view the Beyond.

of the Unseen, he does not believe in its existence. But whosoever becomes aware of the Divine Light shining in the heart, and who realises the love of God in the soul, is able to pass from the Unreal to the Real he will see
;
:

Having no discernment

"

Gold wherever we go, and pearla Wherever we turn, and silver in the waste."

that

So exquisite is the vision of the All- Beautiful whoever has had this vision instantly becomes enamoured, and leaves the world of shadows and change to contemplate the One.

not rest until he has purified his life, may be a hindrance in his path, and he will spend his whole life in communion with God, at the same time pouring out
will

He

cast aside everything that

FROM THE UNREAL TO THE REAL

in love- songs and praise adoration of his soul.
"
all

19

the worship and

God, gun never rose or set but Thou wert heart's desire and my dream. And I never sat conversing with any people But Thou wert the subject of my conversation In the midst of my comrades. And I never mentioned Thee in joy or sorrow But love for Thee was mingled with my breath. And I never resolved to drink water, when I was athirst, But I saw an image of Thee in the cup. And were I able to come I would have visited Thee,

By

My

Crawling on

my

face or walking

on

my

head."

When
he
is
:

able to see earthly existence in

the Sufi has passed to the Real World its true

light

" 1

am

lost to

myself and unconscious,

lost to all things
:

And my
To-day
I

attributes are annihilated.

am

Naught remains but a forced expression."

Passing through a world of shadows he fixes his eye on Eternity the happenings of the universe appear to him unworthy of exultation,
;

grief, or

sorrow.

Earthly love seems worthless, insipid, and dull, compared to his flaming devotion for the Unchangeable.

20

INTRODUCTION
bliss

He
the

has one desire, one aim, one goal to reach which he has briefly touched in rare

moments of ecstasy and rapture. To find the far-off mystic city which
"

now from mortal eyes, Mystery shrouda Save when upon some lone lost wanderer's sight Its diamond turrets like a day-dream rise."
. .

THE ART OF SHABISTAE!

I have already said that little is known of Shabistarfs life, but of his learning and knowledge of Sufiism there is ample evidence in this

book

and though he does not charm with the

subtle fascination of Hafiz, though he has not the originality of Rumi or in style cannot compare

with the elegance of Jami, yet in plainness and

directness of speech,

and

in earnestness of pur-

He gives pose, he perhaps outweighs them all. us a clear, bright vision in brilliant sunshine of
Virtue and Vice, Reality and Illusion,

Wisdom

and Ignorance. We do not find ourselves in the twilight of a faintly- coloured land where we sometimes wander, drawn hither by the sweet voices of the Sufis, where, midst the delicate perfumes of an
Oriental garden, the lover
is

singing entrancing

THE ART OF SHABISTARI

21

love-songs, whether of earthly passion or of Divine intoxication remains a matter of heated

controversy to this day. Neither are we given such daring advice as

JamI gives when he

"

sings

May

Drink deep of earthly love, that so thy lip learn the wine of holier love to sip."

vision of Reality was direct and not the oblique view which is the vision of some mystics, and from this Reality he is able
distinct,

Mahmud's

to distinguish sharply between the conflicting

forces of

Good and

Evil.

a passionate appeal to humanity to seek for the Truth, to desire the substance and not the mirage, to ignore the allurement and
illusion of earthly love, and instead to centre on the Beloved all the heart's adoration.

He makes

THE SECRET ROSE GARDEN

It
is

nearly seven hundred years since

Mahmud

planted his garden with roses of Love and Adora-

Reason and of spiritual Illumination. many have wandered there, lingering in the secret paths and plucking the scented
tion,

of

Since then

22

INTRODUCTION

and

blossoms to carry back into the world of shadows What is the fadeless colour of unreality.
?

these Roses

What

is

their

lasting

grace of

form, and what perfumed attar from them lingers on through the ages ? The poem opens with the statement of the sole
existence of the

One Real Being, and

of

the
to

illusion 01 this world's mirage.

How

is

man

reach knowledge of
"

God

By

thought, for

Thought

is

passing from the false to the true."

But reason and sense cannot throw

apparent
like a bat

off

the

reality

of

the

phenomenal

world.

Reason looking at the Light of Lights is blinded by the sun. It is then a consciousness

arises in the soul of its

own

nothingness.

At

this point (annihilation of the self) it is possible In for man to discern the light of the Spirit. this world are mirrored the various attributes of

Being, and each atom of Not- Being reflects some one Divine attribute
:

" Each atom hides beneath

its veil

The soul-amazing beauty

of the Beloved's face."

And these atoms

source.

are ever longing to rejoin their

THE SECRET ROSE GARDEN

The journey to the Beloved has only two dying to self and uniting with the Truth.

23
:

stages

When man's lower self is dead, the real self remains and is above the dominion of the law. " " These two stages the journey to God and " " the He down to God are a circuit. journey
who has revolved round
man.
this circuit is a perfect

On

being born into this world

if

man

is

possessed

he gives way to them by evil passions, and his soul is lost. But in each soul there is an
instinct for

God and

a longing for holiness.

If

and develop this a Divine light will shine on him, and he, longing, repenting, turns and journeys towards God; casting away self, he will meet and be united
will

man

foster this instinct

with the Truth in

This
union.
reality,
is

spirit.

the holy state of the saints and prophets. But the man must not rest in this Divine

He must
and
in the

return to this world of un-

downward journey must keep

the ordinary laws and creeds of men.

This phenomenal existence,

illusion

i.e.

Not-being,

is

an

which

is

unreality of echoes

and

typified by considering the reflections and by ponder-

ing on past

and future time, and on passing

24
events, which

INTRODUCTION
seem at the moment
of their exis-

tence to be real, but fading into the past become

vague and shadowy.

The
bodies

dispositions acquired

by man

in this life

will in the
;

next world be manifested in spiritual each form will be appropriate to its

past life. The material idea of Paradise and houris will then be known to be an idle tale. No
will.

quality or distinction will remain for the perfect Then drink of the cup of union with God.

Such is the hope of the Sufis, but in this world the intoxication of the cup of union is followed

by the headache

of separation.

THE CENTRAL TREE OF BEAUTY

garden Mahmud has planted these roses of Reason, Belief, Knowledge, and Faith they are blooming everywhere, beautiful in their vivid colouring of Truth and Purity. But it is in the centre that we find a Rose-tree of glory unequalled, glowing with the blossoms of love's devotion this is the tree which Mahmud planted with all his heart's adoration the
All

round

his

description of the perfect face of the Beloved.

THE CENTRAL TREE OF BEAUTY

It

25

is at this spot we wait entranced, and through the mystic stillness we seem to hear the voice

of

him who, long ago

for love's sake, planted this

:

Rose-tree, echoing his sublime utterance

" See but One, say but One,

know but One."

FLORENCE LEDERER.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I

WISH to acknowledge

my

indebtedness to Pro-

fessor E. H. Whinfield, whose book, the standard translation of the Gulshan i Rdz, has been of the

greatest assistance to me in compiling this little volume. I am grateful to Dr. R. A. Nicholson

for kind permission to quote from his works on Sufiism, and to Captain L. Cranmer-Byng I offer

my
and

best thanks for his kind interest in

for

my

work,

many

helpful hints

and

suggestions.

26

IN THE

NAME OF GOD, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE

MERCIFUL

PAKT

THE PERFECT FACE OF THE BELOVED

THE EYE AND THE LIP
WHAT
is the nature of the eye and the Let us consider.

lip

Coquettish and intoxicating glances shine from

His eye.

from His ruby Hearts burn with desire because of His eye, And are healed again by the smile of His lip.
of existence issues

The essence

lip.

Because of His eye hearts are aching and drunken. His ruby lip gives soul-garments to men. His eye does not perceive this visible world, Yet often His lip quivers with compassion.
27

28

THE FACE OF THE BELOVED

He charms us with a touch of humanity,
and
gives help to the despairing. His smile that gives life to man's water
clay;

Sometimes

And
It
is

His breath that opens heaven's gate for us. A corn-baited snare is each glance of that eye, And a wine-shop lurks in each corner.
It
is

When He

frowns the wide world

is

laid waste,

But is restored every moment by His kiss. Our blood is at fever point because of His eye, Our souls demented because of His lip.

has uplifted our souls by a smile If you ask of Him an embrace, " " His eye will say Yea," His lip Nay." He finished the creation of the world by a frown, Now and then the soul is revived by a kiss.
1

How He How He

has despoiled our hearts by a frown

We

would give up our

frown,
rise

lives

with despair at His

his kiss.

But would

from the dead at

When the world meditates on His eye and

lip,

His

It yields itself to the intoxication of wine.

THE MOLE

29

THE MOLE
THE single point of the mole in Is a centre from which circles
His cheek

circumference.

The two worlds circle round that centre. The heart and soul of Adam evolved from
.
.
.

there.

Hearts bleed because they are a reflection

is

Of the point

And both

of that black mole, are stagnant for there Of the reflection from the reflect.
;

no escape

Unity will not embrace Plurality, For the point of Unity has one root only.

... Or

wonder

if

His mole

is

the reflection of

my

heart,

my

heart the reflection of His mole.

?

Was my heart created from His mole's reflection Or may it be seen shining in His mole
?

wonder if my heart is in His face, Or if His mole abides in my heart. But this is a deep secret hidden, alas
I

from me.

... If

my

heart

is

a reflection,
?

Why

is it

ever so changing

30

THE FACE OF THE BELOVED

Sometimes tired like His brilliant eye, Sometimes waving to and fro as His curl waves, Sometimes a shining moonbeam like His face, Sometimes a dark shadow like His mole, Sometimes it is a mosque, sometimes a synagogue, Sometimes a hell, sometimes a heaven, Sometimes soaring above the seventh heaven, Sometimes buried far below this earth.

After a spell the devotee and ascetic Turns again to wine, lamp, and beauty.
.
. .

THE CURL
IF you ask of me the long story Of the Beloved's curl,
I cannot answer, for it contains a mystery Which only true lovers understand,

And

they, maddened by its beauty, Are held captive as by a golden chain.

But the end

glory,

I spoke too openly of that graceful form, of the curl told me to hide its

So that the path to

it

should be twisted

And

crooked and

difficult.

THE CURL
That
curl enchains lovers' hearts,

31

And

bears their souls to and fro

In the sea of desire. A hundred thousand hearts Are tightly bound, not one escapes, alas
!

single infidel would remain in the world he could see the shaking aside Of those black curls, And on the earth there would not remain a faithful
If

No

soul
If

they were always in their place. No matter, Suppose they were shorn.
. . .

Day would

increase

and the night disappear.

nets to ensnare,

As a spider spreads

its

So does the Beloved in wantonness Shake His locks from off His face.

Behold His hands plundering Reason's caravan

And

with knots binding

it

tight.

Never at rest is that curl, Ever moving to and fro

Making now night, making now morning, Playing with the seasons in wonder.

32

THE FACE OF THE BELOVED

created

when the perfume of that amber-scented curl Was blown by the wind on his clay.

Adam was

And
But

I too possess

an ensample

I cannot wait for a

moment,

To
.
. .

breathlessly start working anew tear my heart out of breast.

my

Sore troubled
veils

Which

my

by that curl longing soul from His

I

am

face.

THE CHEEK AND THE DOWN

THE theatre of Divine beauty is the cheek, And the down is the entrance to His holy presence. Beauty is erased by His cheek, who says,
Without my presence you are non-existent." In the unseen world the down is as green meadows Leading to the mansion of Eternal Life. The blackness of His curl turns day into night, The down of His cheek holds the secret of life. If only you can glimpse His face and its down, You will understand the meaning of plurality
"

and
His curl

unity.
will

teach you the knowledge of this

world,

His down

will reveal

hidden paths.

THE CHEEK AND THE DOWN

Imagine seven verses in which each
Contains oceans of mysteries Such is His cheek.
;

33

letter

And

imagine, hidden beneath each hair of His

of mysteries

cheek,

Thousands of oceans Such is His down.

As the heart
So
is

is

the

down

God's throne in the water, the ornament of the soul.

PAET

II

BEAUT?
THE MARRIAGE OF THE SOUL
DESCENDING
to the earth,
of the

That strange intoxicating beauty

world Lurks in the elements of Nature.

unseen

And

Who

the soul of man, has attained the rightful balance, Becoming aware of this hidden joy,

Straightway

is

enamoured and bewitched.

born

And from

this mystic marriage are

The poets' songs, inner knowledge, The language of the heart, virtuous

living,

And
And

the fair child Beauty.

The hidden glory

the Great Soul gives to man as dowry of the world.

34

EARTHLY BEAUTY
THE CHARM OF BEAUTY
FROM
And
the unseen world descends
its flag in

35

Heavenly beauty,
plants

the city

Of earthly fairness, Throwing the world's array into confusion

Now Now
And

riding the steed of comeliness, flourishing the sword of eloquence,

all alike

bow down,

Saints

and kings, dervishes and prophets, Swayed by the charm of Beauty's fascination.

EARTHLY BEAUTY
WHENCE the charm of a fair face ? Not earthly beauty only Can so allure us with its loveliness.
Perchance we see in
this, as in

a cloudy mirror,

The

far faint reflect of the Perfect Face.

And
For

Can only

these deep feelings of delight and wonder issue from the One True Beauty,
is it

in Divine Perfection there

is

Nor
. .
.

all

desire

and

lust that

no other partner. tempts men's

hearts with longing. Evil appears but as the other side of Truth.

PART

III

THE SEA AND ITS PEARLS

A DROP OF SEA-WATER
BEHOLD how this drop of sea- water Has taken so many forms and names
Then
plant, animal,

It has existed as mist, cloud, rain, dew,

and mud,

and

perfect

man

And yet it was a drop of water From which these things appeared. Even so this universe of reason, soul,
and
bodies,
its

heavens,

Was

but a drop of water in

ending.

beginning and

When And when

.

a wave strikes

it,

the world vanishes

the appointed time comes to heaven

is lost

and

sta,rs,

Their being

in not being.
36

PEARLS OF KNOWLEDGE

37

THE SEA OF BEING

IN Being's
silver sea

Lustrous pearls of knowledge are washed up On the shore of speech,

And

dainty shells bring poems in their curving forms

the beach with beauty.
in

To strew

Each wave that breaks

foaming arcs

Casts up a thousand royal pearls That hold strange murmuring voices,

Gems

of devotion, joy,

and

love.

Yet though a thousand waves At every moment rise and fall, Scattering pearls and shells, Yet are there ever more and more to come, Nor is that sea of Being less by one sheer drop.

PEARLS OF KNOWLEDGE
IN the sea
of

'Uman, the pearl oysters

Rise to the surface from the lowest depths, And wait with opened mouths.

Then

arises

from the sea a mist,

38

THE SEA AND

ITS

PEARLS

Which falls again in raindrops Into the mouths of the shells

(At the

command

of the Truth).

Straightway is each closed as by a hundred bonds, the shells sink back again Into the ocean's depths,

And

Bearing in their hearts the pearl drops Which the divers seek and find.

The The

sea

is

mist, grace,
;

Being, the shore the body and the rain, knowledge of the
;

Name Human Wisdom is the diver Who holds enwrapped in his

garment

hundred pearls

The

soul in a swift lightning's flash Bears to the listening ear voices and messages

From

the shells of knowledge

Then when the husks

are opened,
!

Behold the royal shimmering pearls

PAET IV

THE JOURNEY
THE FORSAKING
SEE, your companions have gone Will you not too make a start ?
If
;

you

desire to take

wing as a

bird,

Then

leave to the vultures this carrion world.

Forsake your relations, For your real Friend must be sought. He who is drowning in the sea of Not-being

Must

What

cast aside all relationships. are father and mother,

Sister and brother ? Your very son may be your enemy, Yet may a stranger be your kinsman Even your fellow-travellers on the mystic path Must be renounced.
;

39

40

THE JOURNEY
fairy dream,

All relations are a bond, a spell,

An

absolute illusion.

Omit not the

duties

Of the law to them, But have regard to yourself.

Abandon gold and women, For they are a source of anxiety.

. . .

THE TRAVELLER
traveller on the path, he who knows from whence he cometh Then doth he journey hastily, Becoming as pure from self as fire from smoke. Unfolded to him are a series of revelations From the beginning. Till he is led away
'Tis
;

THE

From
Till

darkness and

sin.

He now

retraces stage

by stage

his steps

he reaches his goal the Perfect. Thus is the perfect man evolved From the time he first exists

As inorganic matter.

THE TRAVELLER
Next a breath

41

And from God draws

of spirit, and he is living his motive powers.

his will,

Next the Truth makes him lord of As in childhood his discernment

unfolds.

of the world

And now

the world's temptations assail him.

desires of the flesh, then avarice, pride, and gluttony His nature becomes evil, Worse than an animal or demon Now is he at the lowest point of all,
. .
.

Anger appears and

And

The point opposite

to Unity.

Should he remain fettered in this snare,

;

He

goes further astray than the beasts But if there shines a light from the spirit world,

Divinely attractive, Or if he can find a reflection of proof, Then will his heart respond in a feeling of kinship To this Light of the Truth, And he will turn back and retrace his steps

From whence he came. To faith assured he has found

Through certain proof, or the And attraction of the Divine,

his

way

wonder

42
. .
.

THE JOURNEY
He
throws away his selfhood utterly
ascends in the steps of the most Pure.

And

EXHORTATION
THOUGH
the world
is

yours,
?

you remain

dejected,

Who

so pitiable as

you

You, who are a man, arise and pass on, Wait not day or night at the halting-stages, Tarry not behind your fellow-travellers and the
caravans.

THE TWO STEPS OF THE JOURNEY

THE
One
journey of the pilgrims
is

two

steps

and no

more
is

And

the passing out of selfhood, one towards mystical Union with the Friend.

FEAR
As the Arab
racer needs not the whip,
started.

So you will not need to fear When on your journey you have

FEAR
When purified are your soul and body, You will not fear the fires of hell.
Throw pure gold
If it contains

43

into the fire

no

alloy,

what

is

there to burn

LOGIC
IF

God

guides you not into the road,

It will not be disclosed

by

logic.

Logic

is

A road that
Leave
Cast
it

a bondage of forms is long and hard. for a season. Like Moses

;

away that

staff

And

enter for awhile

"

The Valley

of Peace."

THE INFANT AND THE YOUTH

THE young
infant in the cradle

Stays at his mother's side, But when he is grown manly

He

goes forth with his father.

44

THE JOURNEY
So you remain with your mother, The fleshly elements,
Until you join your Father up on high.

THE ALMOND-TREE
As the
If it is

almond is spoilt utterly from its husk while unripe, plucked So error in the path of the pilgrim
kernel of an
Spoils the kernel of his soul.

When
The

divinely illumined, kernel ripens, bursts the husk,

departs, returning no more. retains the husk,

the knower

is

And

But another

Though shining as a bright sun, And makes another circuit. From water and earth springs up into a tree, Whose high branches are lifted up to heaven Then from the seed of this tree

hundredfold are brought forth. Like the growth of a seed into the line of a
tree,

From

When

point comes a line, then a circle the circuit of this circle is complete,
;

Then the

last is joined to

the

first,

INTERMINGLING

45

YOTT are plurality transformed into Unity, And Unity passing into plurality This mystery is understood when man Leaves the part and merges in the Whole.
;

PART V

TIME AND THIS DREAM-WORLD

TIME
THE
past has flown away,
exist
;

The coming month and year do not

Ours only
is

the present's tiny point.

Time is but a fancied dot ever moving on Which you have called a flowing river-stream.
alone in a wide desert, Listening to the echo of strange noises.
I

am

THE DREAM OF LIFE

You
have heard much
of this world,
?

Yet what have you seen of this world What is its form and substance ?
46

THE DREAM OF LIFE

What What What
is
is

47

Simurgh, and what

Hades and what

is

is Mount Kaf ? Heaven and Hell

is

that unseen world

day

of

which equals a year of

this

Come and

hear the meaning.

You
All

are asleep, and your vision is a dream, you are seeing is a mirage. When you wake up on the morn of the last day
;

You will know all this to be Fancy's illusion When you have ceased to see double,

When
If

Earth and Heaven will become transformed the real sun unveils his face to you,

stars, and Venus will disappear a ray shines on the hard rock Like wool of many colours, it drops to pieces.

The moon, the

THE PHENOMENAL WORLD

THE world

diffused

is an imaginary figure, shadow of the Infinite

One breath created the worlds

of

command

And

all living things.

48

TIME AND THIS BREAM-WORLD

As they appear to come forth, so they appear to go. Though there is no real coming and going. For what is going but coming ?
All are one, both the visible

and the

invisible.

high, the Eternal One, Creates and destroys both worlds.

God most

The varied forms you

of

see are but

phantoms

your fancy,

And by

revolving quickly in a circle Appear as one.

THE REAL AND THE UNREAL

THE
imagination produces phenomenal objects
real existence,

Which have no

So this world has no substantial reality, But exists as a shadowy pageant or a play.
All
is

pervaded by Absolute Being

utter perfection.

In

its

There are

many numbers, but only One is counted.

THIS
THIS

WORLD A MIRAGE

49

WORLD A MIRAGE
;

THE house is left empty, save for the Truth, For in a moment the world has passed away
Then you,
rid of self, fly

upwards

And

are united to the Beloved.

Union

is

yours when this dream-world

Fades and dies away.

PAET VI
REFLECTIONS
SUN-REFLECTIONS
SUN-BEFLECTIONS from the unseen world Are all the objects of this mortal sphere, As curl, down, mole, and brow on a fair face. For Beauty absolute reigns over all.
.

the ears first hear these words seem to denote sensual objects. They But as there is no language for the Infinite, How can we express its mysteries In finite words ? Or how can the visions of the ecstatic
.
.

When

described in earthly formula So mystics veil their meanings In these shadows of the unseen,

Be

The

objects of the senses.

... As a nurse to an infant, So is the Infinite to the finite.

60

SUN-REFLECTIONS
. . .

51

Once these words were used

sense,

in their proper

But now

are concealed lest the vulgar should

profane.

Annihilation, intoxication, the fever of love of the mystic, And those who abide in these states

Are the three states

At once comprehend the meanings

Veiled in the words.

But

if

you know them

not,
like

Pretend not you understand

infidel,

an ignorant

For

all

cannot be mystics or grasp the mysteries.

No mere illusions are the mystic's dreams, And a man of truth does not vainly talk.
To comprehend
Briefly

requires revelations or great faith.

have I explained these words and their meanings So that you may apply them in their right intent,

Remembering the attributes of each. Compare them in a right manner, And refrain from the wrong comparisons.

Now
I will

that these rules are understood

show you more

of their application.

52

REFLECTIONS

THE MIRROR
YOUR
eye has not strength enough
light

To gaze at the burning sun, But you can see its brilliant
watching its reflection Mirrored in the water.

By

So the

reflection of Absolute

Being

Can be viewed

in this mirror of Not-Being,

its reflection.

For non-existence, being opposite Reality,

Instantly catches

Know
If

the world from end to end is a mirror In each atom a hundred suns are concealed.

From
If

you pierce the heart of a single drop of water, it will flow a hundred clear oceans
;

you look intently at each speck of In it you will see a thousand beings, A gnat in its limbs is like an elephant

dust,

In name a drop of water resembles the Nile, In the heart of a barley-corn is stored an hundred
harvests,

Within a millet-seed a world exists, In an insect's wing is an ocean of life,

THE MIRROR
A
heaven
is

53

concealed in the pupil of an eye, The core in the centre of the heart is small, Yet the Lord of both worlds will enter there.

EVIL
BLACKEN the back of a And it will reflect your
mirror
face,

So the dust of the earth reflects The rays of the sun in the seventh heaven.

THE REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR

HOLD up a mirror before you And gaze on that other person.
Again look and consider Your proper self is here, not there. What, then, can be this reflection, This shadow of your face ?
. .

In the same way as

nected,

light

and dark are not con-

Being

is

not joined to Not- Being.

PAET

VII

DIVINE INEBRIATION
TAVERN-HAUNTERS
the abode of lovers, The place where the bird of the soul nests, The rest-house that has no existence

THE

tavern

is

In a world that has no form. The tavern- haunter is desolate in a lonely desert, Where he sees the world as a mirage.

The

desert

is

limitless

and

endless,

For no

beginning or ending. Though you feverishly wander for a hundred

its

man

has seen

years

You

will be always alone. For the dwellers there are headless and

footless,

Neither the faithful nor infidels, They have renounced both good and

evil,

And have cast away name and fame, From drinking the cup of selflessness
54

TAVERN-HAUNTERS
Without
lips or

65

mouth,

And

are beyond traditions, visions,

miracles.

and

states,

Beyond dreaming

of secret rooms, of lights

and

They

are lying drunken through the smell of the

wine-dregs,

And have
Dentifrice

given as ransom

Pilgrim's staff

and

cruse,

and

rosary.

Sometimes

rising to the

world of

bliss,

With necks exalted as racers, Or with blackened faces turned

Sometimes with
stake.

reddened

faces

to the wall, tied to

the

dance of joy in the Beloved, head and foot like the revolving heavens. Losing In every strain which they hear from the
in the mystic

Now

minstrel

Comes

to

them rapture from the unseen world.

For within the mere words and sounds Of the mystic song
Lies a precious mystery.

56

DIVINE INEBRIATION
their

From drinking one cup of the pure wine, From sweeping the dust of dung-hills from
souls,

From

grasping the skirts of drunkards,

Sufis.

They have become

THE WINE OF RAPTURE

THE
wine, lit by a ray from his face, Reveals the bubbles of form, Such as the material world and the soul-world, Which appear as veils to the saints.

Universal Reason seeing this is astounded, Universal Soul is reduced to servitude.

Drink wine Drink wine

for the

bowl
cup

is

the face of the Friend.

his eye,

for the

is

drunken and

flown with wine.

Drink wine and be free from heart-coldness, For a drunkard is better than the self-satisfied.
!

The whole world

is

his tavern,

His wine-cup the heart of each atom, Reason is drunken, angels drunken, soul drunken, Air drunken, earth drunken, heaven drunken.

THE WINE OF RAPTURE

Is staggering to

57

from the wine-fumes' aroma, and fro The angels, sipping pure wine from goblets, Pour down the dregs on the world
sky, dizzy
;

The

From

the scent of these dregs man rises to heaven. Inebriated from the draught, the elements
Fall into water

and

fire.

Catching the reflection, the

soul,

frail

body becomes a

And

the frozen soul

by

its

heat

Thaws and becomes living. The creature world remains

giddy,

For ever straying from house and home.

from a bowlful becomes a lover, Another swallows at one draught Goblet, tavern, cup-bearer, and drunkards He swallows all, but still his mouth stays open.
;

One One One One

from the

dregs'

odour becomes a philosopher,

viewing the wine's colour becomes a relater, from half a draught becomes religious,

58

DIVINE INEBRIATION
WINE, TORCH, AND BEAUTY

TRUTH'S manifestations Are wine, torch, and beauty Wine and torch are the light and shining
;

of the

"

knower,"
is

Beauty

concealed from none.

Wine

And

the lamp-shade, torch the lamp

is
;

Beauty

is

the Spirit-light,

So bright, it kindles sparks In the heart.

Wine and
light,

torch are the essence of that blinding

Beauty
Drink

is

the sign of the Divine.

You

wine and, dying to self, be freed from the spell of Then will your being, as a drop,
this
will

self.

Fall into the ocean of the Eternal.

INTOXICATION

WHAT
What

is

pure wine
!

It is self- purification.

sweetness
!

what intoxication

what

bliss-

ful ecstasy

INTOXICATION
Oh happy moment when ourselves we quit, When fallen in the dust, drunken and amazed,
!

59

In utter poverty we shall be rich and free. Of what use then will be paradise and houris ? For no alien can find entrance to that mystic

room.
I I

happen after and imbibed this cup, But after all intoxication comes headache, Anguish drowns my soul remembering this
will

know not what

have seen

this vision

PAKT

VIII

REASON AND FREE-WILL

REASON
LET reason go. For his light Burns reason up from head to
If
foot.

see that Face, another eye. The philosopher Seek With his two eyes sees double, So is unable to see the unity of the Truth.

you wish to

As his light burns up the angels, Even so doth it consume reason. As the light of our eyes to the sun,
So
is

the light of reason to the Light of Lights.

KNOWLEDGE
LEABNING
Of the
is
;

only the outer wrapping

letter

The dry husk that covers the nut, Not the kernel concealed within
;

60

KNOWLEDGE
Yet must the husk
exist

61

To

ripen the kernel.

of

So from learning comes the sweet knowledge

Faith.

Oh soul of my brother, hearken, Strive to gain knowledge of faith, " For the knower " in both worlds
!

Has a high place. Knowledge loves not this world Which is void of Reality.
Begin to till your field For next year's harvest. Knowledge is your heritage, Be adorned with the principle of

of

form

all virtues.

THE BLINDNESS OF REASON

As
the

man

blind from his birth

Believes not nor understands

Your Even

description of colours,

if you show him proofs for a century, So blind reason cannot see the future state.

62

REASON AND FREE-WILL

But beyond reason man has a certain knowledge Which God has placed in his soul and body

Whereby he

perceives hidden mysteries.

And like the fire in flint and steel When these are struck together,
The two worlds
for

him are

lit

up

in a flash.

FREE-WILL
You
For
"
say,
I myself
is

have Free-will,

my

body

the horse and

my

soul the rider,

The

reins of the
soul,

body
is

are in the hands of the

The

entire direction

given to me."

Oh

foolish one, these are falsehoods

and

de-

lusions

That come from an

illusory existence.

As your essence is nothingness, How can you have Free-will ?

Seeing that your being

one with not- being, Whence comes this Free-will of yours ?

is

As

Imagination distributes actions in a play or a farce,

FREE-WILL
For when your actions were planned, Before your existence, You were created for a certain purpose,

63

By
To
.
.

the desire of the Truth.

is man predestined, before his existence, certain appointed work.
.

Therefore

(Oh, wondrous ways of Thine, without or why I)

of

how

The honour

man

consists of slavery,
of Free-will.

In having no share

has nothing, Yet of good and evil God asks him, Man has no choice, he is under control.

Of himself

man

Oh

poor soul, he seems

free,

yet

is

a slave.

Give yourself up to the Truth, For you are helpless in his grasp Freedom from self you will find in the All, Dervish in the Truth you will find And,
;

riches.

PART IX

MAN: HIS CAPABILITIES AND HIS

DESTINY
TO THE SUFIS
You are bound by
To
a chord
the soul of the creatures before you, Therefore they are subject to your dominion, And the soul of each is hidden in you.

In the midst of the world you are the kernel,

.

The centre of the world. The world of reason and mind

. .

is

your

fortune,

Earth and heavens your garments. Your natural powers are ten thousand Transcending limits and reckonings.
. .

"I" AND "YOU"

"
I

"

AND

"

you

"

are but the lattices,

shines.

In the niches of a lamp, Through which the One Light

64

"I" AND "YOU"

and you are the veil Between heaven and earth Lift this veil and you will see No longer the bond of sects and
I
;

65

"

"

"

"

creeds.

When
What What

"
is
is

and " you " do not exist, mosque, what is synagogue ?

"
?

the Temple of Fire

REFLECTED FORMS OF HABIT

REPEAT an
action several times
it
;

And you master

Habit makes dispositions As fruits become ripe by time.

By By

practice

man

learns a trade,

habit he collects his thoughts.

at the last

Remember

All your habits

day and actions

Will be clearly seen, For the garment of the body Will be stripped. And the form

left

Will reflect your vices and virtues, As objects are reflected in pure water.

66

MAN'S CAPABILITIES AND DESTINY

Made
For

Again, your dispositions will be embodied, manifest as lights and fires

;

all

phenomenal limitations

will

be removed.

You who

are pure from earthly form, Illumined by the Truth, Will appear all heart,

From your
Then
will

stainless love.

you be possessed by intoxication, Scattering in confusion the two worlds.

THE LOWEST NECESSARY

IF there were no sweepers in the world

The world would be buried

in dust.

A FAITHFUL SERVANT
To become a
faithful servant, Cultivate faith and sincerity,

Renew your belief every instant While unbelief dwells in your heart.

A FAITHFUL SERVANT
Abandon the wish
Cast
off

67

to be seen of men,

the blue-patched robe Of the dervish

And
Be a

bind on the Magian

believer,

girdle.

be a believer, be a believer

'FAR" AND "NEAR"

He sheds His Light on you, You become near to Him And far from your own existence.
IF

You become
What

For by nearness to Him far from yourself.

profit is there to

you
?

In your non-existent existence

THE SAGE
VIRTUE and equity, Courage and temperance,
Are the four
qualities of the sage.

68

MAN'S CAPABILITIES AND DESTINY

He
is not over-cunning or a fool, His appetites are under control, From cringing and boasting he is free, And from foolhardiness and cowardice.

lie between Excess and defect, A narrow path betwixt Hell's bottomless abyss, Fine and sharp as a sword blade,

All virtues

Which permits no
Or turning round.

lingering

the summit of perfection, Becoming like a simple essence.

Equipoise

is

As the rays of the sun Shine upon the earth,

So the Light from the Spirit World Shines brightly on him

Who

has attained this equilibrium.

THE FIRST AND THE LAST

69

THE PROPHET AND THE SAINT

THE prophet, resplendent in his perfection,
Is as the sun's bright light,

And

Is as the

the saint, concealing his saintship, subdued light of the moon.

By fellowship, the saint Is intimate with the prophet,

And finding entrance to that secret chamber, He loves and is beloved by the Truth.

THE FIRST AND THE LAST

THE two
Which, though
worlds produced the soul of Adam, first in thought, was created last.

In man's self is disclosed the final cause, For there is none beyond him.
first,

hidden,
fest
!

who are also the substance of the last who are also the essence of the mani!

You, who day and

yourself,

night are wondering about

Think of self no more, For the end of such thought

is

confusion.

70

MAN'S CAPABILITIES AND DESTINY

ANNIHILATION OF PHENOMENA
THE heavens and
the stars

At the appointed time will disappear. A wave will strike the earth,

And

lo

it

vanishes.

Only the Truth

will

remain Unchangeable.

And you
With

at that

moment,

Passing from this dream-life,

self discarded, Will be one with the Beloved.
*

Oh

Master, ponder on your coming and your

going,

And

the thousand existences that

lie

before

you

THE WRITTEN FAITH

READ the writing on your heart, And you will understand whatever you
For on the day he kneaded the clay, He wrote on your heart, by grace, the
desire,

faith.

THE PERFECT MAN

71

THE PERFECT MAN

IN spite of his inheritance, The perfect man is a slave And does the work of a slave. The law is his outer garment,

Though his inner is the mystic path. He is famed for knowledge and devotion, But he is far from all these,
For he
. . .

is

absorbed in the contemplation of the

his pilgrimage is over

One.

When

He

receives the

crown

of Khalifate.

PAET X

THE ONE
THE NAME
EACH creature has its being From the One Name, From which it conies forth, And to which it returns,
With
praises unending.

THE BELOVED GUEST

CAST away your existence entirely, For it is nought but weeds and refuse.
Go, clear out your heart's chamber, Arrange it as the abiding-place of the Beloved.

When you go forth, He will come And to you, with self discarded, He will unveil His beauty.
73

in,

THE BOOK OF GOD

73

THE SHADOWLESS
ON the On the
narrow path
Meridian
of Truth,
line,

He

stands upright,

Throwing no shadow before or behind Him, To the right hand or the left.
East and west
is

His Kibla

cast,

Drowned
Hail,

in a blaze of radiant light.

Light of God,

Shadowless Divinity

THE UNKNOWABLE
PONDER on God's
mercies,

But not on His essence. For His works come forth from His Not His essence from His works.
Yet He Himself

essence,

His light shines on the whole universe, is hidden from the universe.

THE BOOK OF GOD

THE universe is God's book, And he to whom the vision of
the Divine

74

THE ONE

Has been vouchsafed

Reads therein and understands. Substance is its consonants and accidents
vowels,
its

And

different creatures are its signs and pauses. The first verse is " Universal Reason," " verse of The second " Universal Soul," the
light," this is as a brightly shining lamp.

And

The third is the " Highest heavens, The fourth " The Throne."

After there are seven transcendent spheres, The " chapter of the seven limbs," And forms of the four elements,

Then Nature's three kingdoms Whose verses none can count.

And last

of all

came down the

soul of

man.

THE UNCHANGING LIGHT

You
And
fancy this world is permanent of itself endures because of its own nature, But really it is a ray of light from the Truth And within it the Truth is concealed.

THE UNCHANGING LIGHT

And this light alters not nor varies And is void of change or degree.
If the

76

sun tarried always in one spot,

ever shone in the same degree, None would know that the light comes from him.

And

FUTURE REWARD
PONDER here and now on His qualities, That you may behold Him Himself to-morrow.

PAET XI

THE SELF
THE GAMBLE OF THE SELF
REAL prayer can
only be yours have staked and gambled yourself
is

When you
away

Then " a joy

And your

essence

pure.

of the eyes

"

are your prayers

And no

separation remains,

For knower and known are one and the same.

TRANSCEND SELF
RISE above time and space, Pass by the world, and be to yourself your own
world.

76

SELFLESSNESS

77

SELFLESSNESS
IN the empty heart, void of self Can be heard the echoing cry,
"
I

am
is

the Truth."

Thus

man

Travelling, travel

one with the Eternal, and traveller have become one.

PAET XII
IDOLS, GIRDLES,

AND

CHRISTI-

ANITY
ARE you
turning to great and small on religion and piety, Pondering Teachership and discipleship ? Which mean hypocrisy and bondage. Then idols and girdles
still
?

And

Christianity are

still

yours.

IDOLS
idol's real being is not vain Because God created it, And all things from Him are good.

THE

Being

is

pure good,
"

if it

contains evil

That comes from other." Truth is idol- worship, If the Mussulman only knew;
78

IDOLS
But he
sees in idols

79

Only the visible creature, Not the Truth hidden in the

is

idol.

unification, Idol-worship Since all things are the symbols of Being.

By counting And reading

beads, repeating prayers, the Koran,

re-

The heathen becomes not a Mussulman. The man to whom true infidelity becomes
vealed

With pretended

faith

becomes disgusted.

Within every body a soul

And

is hidden, true faith conceals infidelity.

Who

adorned the face of the idol

idol- worshipper

With such beauty ? And who becomes an Unless God wills it ?

In

things See but One, say One,

all

know

One.

80 IDOLS,

GIRDLES,

AND CHRISTIANITY

THE GIRDLE
THE mark
of service

Is the knotted girdle.

So gird your

loins, like

a valiant

man

With manliness.
Cast aside vain tales,

And mystic states and Dream not of lights,

visions

Of marvels, of miracles, For your miracles are contained In worshipping the Truth
;

All else

And

pride, conceit, illusion of existence.

is

CHRISTIANITY
SEE the desire of Christianity from self, And liberty from bondage.
I

Is purification

There

is

a sanctuary of the soul,

The The

blessed portal of unity, nest of the Eternal.

God's Spirit (Jesus), Who proceeds from the blessed

Spirit,

Taught

this doctrine.

CHRISTIANITY
In you

Which

placed a soul, a sample of this blessed Spirit. Find release from humanity's carnal desire
is is

And you will enter the Divine Life. And he who is pure as the angels are
Will be carried up to the fourth heaven.

THE MOSQUE AND THE CLOISTER

IP

and " others " are before your Then a mosque is no better
other
"
;

"

eyes,

Than a Christian cloister But when the garment of

you,

"

other

"

is

cast off

by

The

cloister

becomes a mosque.

PAKT

XIII

THOUGHTS
CIRCLES
the world mingled together, with demons, Satan with the archangel. Angels All mingled like seed and fruit, Infidel with faithful, and faithful with infidel. At the point of the present are gathered
All cycles and seasons, day, month, and year. World at beginning is world without end.*

BEHOLD

From every
point as
circle,
it

A thousand forms
Every
Is

point in this circle are drawn

;

revolves in a circle
circling circumference.

now a
*

now a

There

is

no past or present with God, but an eternal

Now.

82

THE HEAVENS

83

DEATH
DEATH
occurs to

man

in three

ways

First he dies every moment by his earthly nature Then, when his will perishes, he dies again ;

And

lastly at the separation of soul

and body.

THE HEAVENS
LET not the prison of nature But come forth and view the
detain you,
art of the Divine, the appearance of the heavens, Contemplate So that praise and wonder for the Truth will

be thine.

The arch
worlds
Is called

of the

high heavens enclosing both

of the Merciful,"

"

The Throne

And

is ever moving, Never resting for a moment. Perchance man's heart is the central point And heaven the circumference.

like the heart of

man

Within a day and a night Heaven outspans your circuits,

dervish

84

THOUGHTS
are circling too,

The other heavenly spheres

Remember they all move in one direction, From east to west like a water wheel,
Rushing on without food or
sleep.

When the astrologer is an unbeliever, He sees not that these circulating lights of heaven
Are dominated and controlled by The Truth.

NO COMPLETE HAPPINESS HERE

WHOM have you seen in the whole world Who ever once acquired pleasure without
Who, in attaining all his desires, Has remained at his height of perfection
?

pain

THE ATOMS
TAKE one atom away from its place And the whole world will fall to pieces
;

The world is whirling dizzily, yet no one part Moves from the limit of its place. Each atom, held in bondage,
Despairs at
its separation from the whole So though imprisoned, yet moves,
;

THE ATOMS
Though unclothed, yet is clothed again, Though at rest, yet is always wandering,
Never beginning and never ending Each possessing self-knowledge, and so Hurrying towards the throne on high.
;

85

Each atom hides beneath its veil The soul-amazing beauty of the Beloved's Face.

THE PRAISE OF THE ATOMS

CONTINUALLY dwelling
in all mystic lore, Continually singing the song of praise The atoms of the world will seem to you

Drunken and heavy with

.

wine.

When you have carded self Like the wool-carder, you will raise a cry. Oh take the cotton of illusion from your ears, And hearken to the call of the One, the Almighty.
.
.

Why tarry

till

the last day

When
The

now, in the valley of peace, " I very bush will say to you,

am

Allah

"
?

86

THOUGHTS
THINKING

THINKING

is

And seeing the Absolute Whole When the idea enters the mind,
It
is

passing from the false to the true in the part.

a reminiscence of a former state,

passes on to interpretation.

And
. . .

He who

sees

by

illumination

God first in everything, But he who sees by logic only, And seeks to prove the necessary,
Discerns
Is bewildered

and sometimes

travels

in a circle, or is imprisoned In a chain of proofs. Fool he seeks the dazzling sun

!

Backward

By

the dim light of a candle in the desert.

THOUGHTS ON CREATION
THE heavens
revolve day and night

Like a potter's wheel, And every moment the Master's wisdom Creates a new vessel. For all that exists Comes from one hand, one workshop.

THOUGHTS ON CREATION
do the stars set ? Going from perfection to defection Why do they change position, Place, circuit, colour, and form ? Or why is heaven fretted by fire

87

Why

Always whirling through

desire

are the planets revolving, Above or beneath the earth ?

Why

The elements which are below the heavens

Serve in their appointed place Ever united together.

From them is born the Kingdom of Nature

;

threefold

Minerals, then plants and animals, Waiting in their places as He wills.

Minerals, low in the dust, plants standing upright,

Animals, by their natural passions,

Preserving, continuing their races
All,

and

species.

Fulfil

bowing to their Master's commands, His will day and night.

THE LIGHT
THE
Light which
all
is

manifest

Leads

Now

hearts captive, as the minstrel, now as the cupbearer.

a singer is He who, by one strain of sweet melody, Burns the harvests of a hundred devotees What a cupbearer is He who, by a single goblet,

What

Inebriates two hundred threescore

and ten

Entering the Mosque at dawn, leaves there no wakeful man Entering the cloister at night, He makes a fable of Sufis' tales Entering the college veiled as a drunkard,

He

The

professor becomes hopelessly drunken.

88

THE LIGHT
Devotees go mad for love of Him And become outcasts from house and home, He makes one faithful, another an infidel,
Disturbing the world. Taverns have been glorified by His
lips,

80

Mosques have become shining by His cheek.

All I desire I have found in

Him,

Gaining deliverance from

self,

My

heart was ignorant of itself, Veiled from Him by a hundred veils

Of vanity, conceit, and

illusion.

THE
ONE day
The
fair idol

VISIT

at the

dawn

entered

my

door

And woke me from my

Of slothful ignorance.

sleep

The

secret

chamber

of

my

soul

Was illumined by His face, And my being was revealed

In its true light. I heaved a sigh of wonder When I saw that fair face.

to

me

He

spoke to me, saying,

90 "

THE LIGHT MANIFEST

All thy
life

thou has sought

;

Name and fame

This self-seeking of thine Is an illusion, keeping thee back from Me.

To
Is

glance at My face for an instant worth a thousand years of devotion."

Was shown

Yes, the face of that world-adorner unveiled before mine eyes

My soul was
My

darkened with shame

lost
life,

To remember my
wasted days.

THE GIFT
THEN
that

moon

face shone like the sun, I had cast hope away, Seeing Filled a goblet of Divine Knowledge

Whose

" With this wine, Saying, Tasteless and odourless,

And, passing to me, bade

me

drink,

Wash away the writing On thy being's tablet."

THE EFFECT OF THE DRAUGHT THE EFFECT OF THE DRAUGHT

Which
INTOXICATED from the pure draught I had drained to the dregs, In the bare dust I fell.
Since then I

91

know not

if

I exist or not,

not sober, neither am I ill or drunken. Sometimes, like His eye, I am full of joy,

But

am

Or, like His curl, I am waving ; Sometimes, alas from habit or nature, I am lying on a dust heap.
!

Sometimes, at a glance from Him, I am back in the Rose Garden.

EPILOGUE
THIS bouquet of scented blossoms I have plucked from that garden, And have called it " The Secret Rose Garden." In it are blooming Roses of the mysteries of the heart Untold before In it the tongues of the lilies are all singing, And the eyes of the narcissus behold all, far and
;

near.

Gaze on each one

Till

of these with your heart's eyes doubts melt away. your

will

You

see

tradition,

earthly

and mystical

truths, All arranged clearly in knowledge of detail. Do not seek with cold eyes to find blemishes,

Or the

roses will turn to thorns as

you

gaze.

Ingratitude is a sign of ignorance, For those who know the truth are thankful. When you remember me, breathe " Mercy be

upon him."
I

am

"

ending with my own name, * Allah, grant me a Lauded end." * I.e. Mahmud.
'
'

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