1
Here is a humorous anecdote of Zahurmian which (unlike most jokes) stayed
with me for a long time. A familiarity with the politics of the Indian
subcontinent is helpful in appreciating the humour. Zahurmian valued hope
highly and writes about in the lecture, The Inward Peace, on this website.
Here I think he means to point out that as valuable and important as hope is
it should not be devoid of perspective.
There was once a politician who lost an election - the time
came for the newly elected man to take up residence in the
official house. On the arrival at the official residence the new
incumbent found his predecessor still in residence. He asked
him why he had not moved out yet. The answer came readily
- "Ah" he said, "It is true I may have lost the election - but I
have not lost hope!"
2
Here is another story which Zahurmian quoted to me many years ago to put
certain anxieties at rest concerning astrology.
In olden times there was a famous astrologer whose skills
were said to be so great that he could accurately foretell the
exact date that any person who consulted him would die. The
king came to hear of the astrologers great skills and called him
into his presence. He enquired if this story was true and, on
hearing that it was, the King requested the astrologer to
predict the date of the King's own demise. The astrologer duly
consulted his charts and gave the King the exact date.
The King was not comfortable with the reply as it was a little
closer than he liked. He asked again if the astrologer was
indeed infallible in this respect. Receiving confirmation of this
the King said he would prove the astrologer could be wrong.
He asked the astrologer to say what date the astrologer
himself would die. Consulting the charts the astrologer named
a date several years off. The King said, "Now I will prove you
wrong - call in the executioner!"
3
Here is a reply which Zahurmian gave to a question.
Zahurmian was once asked which was most important the meaning or the
sound of words. He replied that the meaning of words was of little or no
importance whatsoever. The sound of words had some significance, but what
really counted was neither of these - it was the implication of words that
counted.
4
There was once a mystic who had great powers of asceticism.
He lived as an ordinary fisherman and everyday he would go
out in his boat and catch many fish. He would distribute his
catch amongst the poor and only save one fish head for
himself. One day he called one of his trusted disciples and
said "It appears that my spiritual development is held up by
something and I have not been able to fathom out what it is. I
want you to go and visit a great Sufi mystic who lives some
way away. I want you to ask him for the solution to my
problem. He is one of those much loved by God."
Accordingly the disciple travelled for many weeks until he
reached the town of the great Sufi. He enquired as to the
direction to his cave but was shown instead the path to a great
mansion, a veritable palace situated on the top of a hill. He
checked again and all agreed that this was where the mystic
lived.
As he walked up the hill his mind was filled with amazement
and doubt - how could a great Sufi live in such luxury?
'Perhaps he lives in a cave nearby', he thought. At the
entrance to the palace he became even more amazed when he
saw the opulence of the building. There were semiprecious
stones set in the outer walls and a huge solid gold door
confronted him. One nervous knock was enough to have them
swung open by handsome and attentive slaves who were clad
in finery the like of which he had not dreamed of. This is
surely the palace of some great worldly king he thought.
Amazement gave way to amazement as he beheld the
magnificent columns covered in diamonds and rubies. The
richest and rarest lapis lazuli covered the walls and examples
of the most precious and rare art works were displayed
everywhere. Cushions of the rarest silks lay scattered around.
Seductively beautiful women passed by and it required all his
training not gaze on their beautiful forms or catch their dark
lustrous eyes which seemed to silently invite any passerby to
leap into them and drown, as into a dark inviting pool.
He was finally shown to the presence of the illustrious saint -
whose magnificent bejewelled robes would have put the sultan
of Turkey and the emperor of India to shame. Dishes of the
rarest delicacy were brought in by beautiful young men and
women and he was served with food whose exquisite taste
passed beyond the disciples imagination.
How many a time has a disciple been saved from himself by
obedience to his spiritual guide? It was this alone that enabled
him to convey respectfully the message of his master to the
eminent Shaikh- rather than run out in disgust, fear and
protest at such shows of pomp and majesty.
He gave reverential salaams and the message that his master
had requested him to deliver. The great Shaikh paused a
moment and said. "Convey likewise my salaams to your
master, and tell him that the answer to his question is - that he
suffers from greed."
The disciple almost reeled at the answer and would have
exploded but for the duty he owed to his master.
During the whole journey back his mind was in a turmoil but
finally he reached the humble cave of his guide. He was
greeted with delight and eagerness. "Come, come," said his
guide, "tell me,what was the message."
The disciple kissed the hand of his guide and paused.
"Come!" said his master, "tell me every word he said, and do
not leave out a syllable."
Thus prompted the disciple said,"He asked me to convey his
salaams, and to tell you that the problem you suffered from
was..... greed!
The masters eyes widened and an expression betokening a
great sense of relief, happiness, and delight passed over his
face.
The disciple could no longer hold in his thoughts and he burst
out - "Oh master! He is such a man who lives in such
opulence and decadence that a worldly king could not aspire
to. He is surrounded by every worldly luxury - how could he
say such a thing to you who practise such asceticism and live
in such poverty!
The guide calmed him with a penetrating look and said. "He is
right. He is right. He lives surrounded by such things for
which he cares not a jot - but I, whenever I eat the head of the
fish I cannot help but wish for another".
5
Here is a story, not attributable to Zahurmian, but one which I
hope he would not disapprove of.
A group of travellers came to a tall mountain at the top of
which they were told was hidden unparallelled riches. Anxious
to reach such riches they sought for a path way by which to
climb the mountain. They soon discover that there were many
pathways. At the foot of each pathway they came across
locals who all confirmed that this particular pathway was the
best, and indeed only, pathway to bring the traveller to the top
of the mountain.
They became a little confused which group of locals was
right? One or two more adventurous and bolder spirits took
the nearest pathway and travelled a little way up. Reaching a
plateau they heard the call of someone at the top of mountain.
The call was a little faint, but could be heard - they hurried
back to the rest of the party to convey the message they had
heard. On reaching their comrades they were pleased to be
able to tell them that it was all right, they need not be
concerned, the message was that 'all the paths lead to the top
of the mountain'.
The party of travellers were overjoyed and, rejoicing, they
went round the mountain telling all the various groups of
locals at the foot of each path that, whilst they were right that
their particular path did lead up the mountain, the same was
true for all the other paths. Of course they got a mixed
reception. Some embraced this and some rejected it. The
group continued to travel round the mountain rejoicing in
their knowledge that all paths lead to the top of the mountain.
Of course, you will have noticed something which escaped
their attention. That, despite this 'knowledge', none of the
party ever actually went all the way up the mountain.
The fact is that those who had returned from their plateau
with the message had not realised that in the difficult
conditions in which they had heard the message a part of it
had not been heard - perhaps it was due to the howling of the
wind, who can tell. What had actually been said by the one
calling from the mountain was -
"ALL THE PATHS LEAD UP THE MOUNTAIN - SO
COME UP BY ONE OF THEM."
6
JMZ