Tuesday, April 6, 2010

More Than a Grain of Wheat

In your countenance, where is the happiness which is the effect of the wine of true religion? If you have beheld the ocean of Bounty, where is your generous hand?
The one that has beheld the River does not begrudge water to the thirsty, especially one that has beheld that Sea and those Clouds...
The ant trembles for a grain of wheat, because it is blind to the goodly threshing floors.
It drags a grain along greedily and fearfully, for it does not see such a noble stack of wheat as is there.
The Owner of the threshing floor is saying to the ant, "Hey, you who in your blindness deems nothing to be something,
Have you regarded that alone, as belonging to my threshing floor, so that you are devoted, with all your soul, to that single grain?"

Rumi (Vol.6, 804-809)

Commentary: If we are moving along with fear and greed, perhaps we need to improve our vision and our perspective?