"DIVINE FLASHES (Lama'at) - Fakhruddin 'Araqi
The Morning of Manifestation sighed,
the breeze of Grace breathed gently,
ripples stirred
upon the sea of Generosity.
The clouds of Abundance poured down the rain
upon the soil of preparedness;
so much rain that the earth shone with Light.
The lover, then, nourished with the water of life, awoke from the slumber
of non-existence, put on the cloak of being and tied around his brow the
turban of contemplation; he clinched the belt of desire about his waist
and set forth with the foot of sincerity upon the path of the Search.
The lover desires to see the Beloved with Certainty's Eye, and wanders a bewildered lifetime in this aspiration. Then suddenly with his heart's ear he hears a voice;
"The magic spring
that gives eternal Life,
is in your own heart
but you have blocked the flow."
Then the Eye of Certainty opens, and staring inwardly at himself, the lover finds himself lost, vanished. But ... he finds the Beloved; and when he looks still deeper, realises the Beloved is himself. He exclaims,
"Beloved, I sought you
here and there,
asked for news of you
from all I met;
then saw you through myself
and found we were identical.
Now I blush to think I ever
searched for signs of you."
Everyone with eyes sees just such a vision ... but remains ignorant of what he perceives. Every ant which leaves its nest and goes to the desert will see the sun, but not know what it sees. What irony! Everyone perceives Divine Beauty with Certainty's Eye, for in reality nothing exists but Transcendent Unity;
They look, they see, but do not comprehend.
They take no pleasure in the View,
For to enjoy it one must know
through the Truth of Certainty
What he is seeing,
through Whom, and why.
And so, the lover seeks the Vision in order that he might pass away from existence; he knocks on the door of non-existence, for there he was once at peace. There he was both seer and seen, Both viewer and viewed ... Because nothing in himself. When awakening from that peace and coming to be, he became the veil of his own sight and was deprived of Vision.
Know yourself: a cloud
drifting before your sun.
Cut yourself off from your senses
and behold your sun of intimacy.
If this screen ... which is you ... is struck from before your eyes, the Beloved will find the Beloved, and you will be entirely lost. Then you will say:
"By day I praised You
but never knew it;
by night slept with You
without realising;
fancying myself
to be myself;
but no, I was You
and never knew it."
With the Eye of the Heart the lover now sees ---
The Beloved's Loveliness owns
a hundred thousand faces;
gaze upon a different fair one
in every atom;
for She needs must show
to every separate thing
a different aspect
of Her beauty.
Gazing from every angle
on that precious countenance
in Thy face we see our own ---
hence the infinitude of descriptions.
Thus it is that every lover gives a different sign of the Beloved and every Gnostic a different explanation; every realised one seems to point to something different, yet each of them declares,
"Expressions are many
but Thy loveliness is one;
Each of us refers
to that single Beauty."
Source: http://www.buddhanet.net/mag_one.htm
Originally posted by TaomanExcellent ! How close is Sufi thought with what Hindu mystics and saints have said down these thousands of years. It is a great example of a Bhajan or a song sung in devotion. Suphis sing some great Qawallis or songs of devotions in India.Truly,all seekers say the same thing. Religious boundaries and brandings hurt rather help Humanity.
"DIVINE FLASHES (Lama'at) - Fakhruddin 'Araqi
The Morning of Manifestation sighed,
the breeze of Grace breathed gently,
ripples stirred
upon the sea of Generosity.
The clouds of Abundance poured down the rain
upon the soil of preparedness;
so much rain that the earth shone with Light.
The lover, then, nourished with the water of life, awoke from ...[text shortened]... s refers
to that single Beauty."
Source: http://www.buddhanet.net/mag_one.htm
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoYes, I found some of the wordings delightful. Wasn't aware of there being some situated in India, but of course in such a populated land of so much variety, it would be highly likely. My only contact is through the media, but they strike me as a very pleasant and devout people. I know there form of mystic faith is not always accepted by some other Islamic branches.
Excellent ! How close is Sufi thought with what Hindu mystics and saints have said down these thousands of years. It is a great example of a Bhajan or a song sung in devotion. Suphis sing some great Qawallis or songs of devotions in India.Truly,all seekers say the same thing. Religious boundaries and brandings hurt rather help Humanity.
Originally posted by TaomanHindu Spiritualism says that there are 9 types of Bhakti Sadhanas or 9 ways of performing Devotion towards God. i) By Listening to the stories/songs of God called Shravan Bhakti ii) By singing songs/telling stories of God / in praise of God called Kirtan Bhakti iii) Remembering God called Smaran Bhakti iv)By attending to God's feet called Padsevan Bhakti ( obviously not possible for us humans) v)By worshipping God in a ritualistic way called Archan Bhakti vi) By bowing down before God called Vandan Bhakti vii) By being a servant of God called Dasya Bhakti viii) By being a friend of God called Sakhya Bhakti ix) By being a confidante/associate of God called Atmanivedan Bhakti.
Yes, I found some of the wordings delightful. Wasn't aware of there being some situated in India, but of course in such a populated land of so much variety, it would be highly likely. My only contact is through the media, but they strike me as a very pleasant and devout people. I know there form of mystic faith is not always accepted by some other Islamic branches.
Sufis were a sect of Muslims in India who developed a liking for singing songs of God,thus doing Kirtan Bhakti. Since Music is"Haram" or not acceptable in Islam,Sufis were not liked by orthodox Muslims although they attracted a number of Muslim and Hindu followers.
The enlightened Sufis were called Auliyas.One of them was Hazrat Nizamuddin,who lived and died in 15th century near Delhi. It was his tomb that Ms.Hina Rabbani Khar,the new foreign minister of Pakistan went to offer prayers when she was in New Delhi recently.
Incidentally the Qawwali is a song sung by a team of singers singing together with one or two lead singers,-if two they pose questions/challenges to each other etc.- and it has an inimitable style and cadence of its own. The theme is Love of God,although it is also sung for one's human beloved. Some great Qawwalis have been sung in Hindi pictures.It is great Poetry with great Music e.g. one of the Qawwali says My Love is my Desire,My Love is my Standing in my society,My Love is my word of Honour,My Love is my Religion ! How can I give you up,my love,you are the search of my life time ! If you reject me,I will have to search for a doctor who will give me poison in the name of medicine ! and so on. I wish I could transmit the rhythmic clapping and the slowly increasing tempo of the Qawwalis,but alas I cannot.
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoI have not heard of qawwali sung in Cape Town -- I would be thrilled if there were such singers. The Sufi sheiks came from Indonesia - they were political prisoners and rebels in the Cape, controlled at the time by Dutch East India Company. (It is said that the tombs or kramats form a protective ring around the Cape ... ) The most well known qawwali singer 'in the West' is probably Nusrat Ali Fateh Khan, easy to find on the Internet ... There are many more. - I do not think that Sufism comes from India - the tradition I know of stems from the poet Rum, who was Persian. Not that it matters - a friend of God is a friend of God ...
Thanks a lot,will you please see my post above to Taoman ? Again thanks,though I cannot visit South Africa in near future,I intend to visit one of these days.
Originally posted by Bosse de NageNusrat Fateh Ali Khan was,of course, a great Pakistani Qawwal. He composed music for a Hindi movie,during one of his journeys to India.The Qawwalis had their day in Hindi film music or non-filmy devotional music.The new generation in India has developed a liking for western music,although other forms of singing like Ghazals etc. still persist.
I have not heard of qawwali sung in Cape Town -- I would be thrilled if there were such singers. The Sufi sheiks came from Indonesia - they were political prisoners and rebels in the Cape, controlled at the time by Dutch East India Company. (It is said that the tombs or kramats form a protective ring around the Cape ... ) The most well known qawwali si ...[text shortened]... om the poet Rum, who was Persian. Not that it matters - a friend of God is a friend of God ...
Originally posted by TaomanWonderful! I have a translation of the Divine Flashes, and revisit it often. The river of nondualism forges rich streams in nearly all religious expressions.
"DIVINE FLASHES (Lama'at) - Fakhruddin 'Araqi
The Morning of Manifestation sighed,
the breeze of Grace breathed gently,
ripples stirred
upon the sea of Generosity.
The clouds of Abundance poured down the rain
upon the soil of preparedness;
so much rain that the earth shone with Light.
The lover, then, nourished with the water of life, awoke from ...[text shortened]... s refers
to that single Beauty."
Source: http://www.buddhanet.net/mag_one.htm
Clear light
refracted through a prism—
then people fight over
which is the one true color…
Originally posted by Bosse de NageAre you referring to Jalaluddin Rumi ? He was a Sufi Saint of Persian origin from Rum which was,I think,a town in ancient Persia.
I have not heard of qawwali sung in Cape Town -- I would be thrilled if there were such singers. The Sufi sheiks came from Indonesia - they were political prisoners and rebels in the Cape, controlled at the time by Dutch East India Company. (It is said that the tombs or kramats form a protective ring around the Cape ... ) The most well known qawwali si ...[text shortened]... om the poet Rum, who was Persian. Not that it matters - a friend of God is a friend of God ...
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoRum means Rome - it's a name for the Turkey/Greece region, because the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) was based there.
Are you referring to Jalaluddin Rumi ? He was a Sufi Saint of Persian origin from Rum which was,I think,a town in ancient Persia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%BBm
Rumi is a descriptive name meaning "the Roman" since he lived most of his life in an area called Rūm (then under the control of Seljuq dynasty) because it was once ruled by the Eastern Roman Empire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalaluddin_Rumi
Originally posted by AThousandYoungOf course, you are right! In fact,after posting my post,I took a look at Wikipedia and noted the correct info,which you have posted above. Many thanks and regards.
Rum means Rome - it's a name for the Turkey/Greece region, because the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) was based there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%BBm
Rumi is a descriptive name meaning "the Roman" since he lived most of his life in an area called Rūm (then under the control of Seljuq dynasty) because it was once ruled by the Eastern Roman Empire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalaluddin_Rumi
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoVery informative. Thank you rvsakhadeo. It would be delightful to hear the devotional singing in situ. I find Hindu instrumental music very evocative also. Some can quite transport the spirit.
Hindu Spiritualism says that there are 9 types of Bhakti Sadhanas or 9 ways of performing Devotion towards God. i) By Listening to the stories/songs of God called Shravan Bhakti ii) By singing songs/telling stories of God / in praise of God called Kirtan Bhakti iii) Remembering God called Smaran Bhakti iv)By attending to God's feet called Padsevan Bhakti ...[text shortened]... mit the rhythmic clapping and the slowly increasing tempo of the Qawwalis,but alas I cannot.
Originally posted by vistesdThe hard bit is realising that the "fighting over" also is part of the "prism" of life through which the Clear Light shines.
Wonderful! I have a translation of the Divine Flashes, and revisit it often. The river of nondualism forges rich streams in nearly all religious expressions.
Clear light
refracted through a prism—
then people fight over
which is the one true color…
All the colours arise from the white clear light of Awareness.
With Desire and Aversion the wondrous play of Manifestation is differentiated.
Without seeking and rejecting, the Whole Shining appears.