On the topic of Siddhis and self aggrandizement

[Guest guest]

Spurred with the desire to gain publicity for himself, one day Hasan,

seeing Rabia in a general congregation of saints, came to her and

said, " Rabia, let us leave this congregation and sitting on the

waters

of the lake, hold our spiritual discussion there. " He said this to

display his miraculous power before others, for he had gained mastery

over water as Christ had walked over water.

Rabia remonstrated, " Hasah, put your vanity aside. If you are so

determined to separate yourself from the general assembly of saints,

why should we not both fly and hold our meeting there in the air? "

Rabia said this as if she had that power. Hasan knew he could not do

this and said as much, shamed by her words.

Rabia said, " Know that what you can do fishes can also do--

easily. What I suggested was no more than what a fly does. Reality

transcends this miracle-mongering. Seek humility. "

 

Fariduddin Attar

[Guest guest]

I love it! Thank you. Love, dhyana

 

Here's another one:

 

Walking on water

 

Three monks decided to practise meditation together. They sat by the

side of a lake and closed their eyes in concentration. Then suddenly,

the first one stood up and said, " I forgot my mat. " He stepped

miraculously onto the water in front of him and walked across the

lake to their hut on the other side.

 

When he returned, the second monk stood up and said, " I forgot to put

my other underwear to dry. " He too walked calmly across the water and

returned the same way.

 

The third monk watched the first two carefully in what he decided

must be the test of his own abilities. " Is your learning so superior

to mine? I too can match any feat you two can perform, " he declared

loudly and rushed to the water's edge to walk across it. He promptly

fell into the deep water.

 

Undeterred, the yogi climbed out of the water and tried again, only

to sink into the water. Yet again he climbed out and yet again he

tried, each time sinking into the water. This went on for some time

as the other two monks watched.

 

After a while, the second monk turned to the first and said, " Do you

think we should tell him where the stones are? "

 

 

 

, " chrism "

<> wrote:

>

> Spurred with the desire to gain publicity for himself, one day

Hasan,

> seeing Rabia in a general congregation of saints, came to her and

> said, " Rabia, let us leave this congregation and sitting on the

> waters

> of the lake, hold our spiritual discussion there. " He said this to

> display his miraculous power before others, for he had gained

mastery

> over water as Christ had walked over water.

> Rabia remonstrated, " Hasah, put your vanity aside. If you are so

> determined to separate yourself from the general assembly of saints,

> why should we not both fly and hold our meeting there in the air? "

> Rabia said this as if she had that power. Hasan knew he could not do

> this and said as much, shamed by her words.

> Rabia said, " Know that what you can do fishes can also do--

> easily. What I suggested was no more than what a fly does. Reality

> transcends this miracle-mongering. Seek humility. "

>

> Fariduddin Attar

>