Wisdom of Sufi

Appearance

One day a Sufi went to a banquet. As he was dressed rather shabbily, no one let him in.

So he ran home, put on his best robe and fur coat and returned. Immediately, the host came over, greeted him and ushered him to the head of an elaborate banquet table.

When the food was served, the Sufi took some soup with spoon and pushed it to the his fur coat and said, Eat my fur coat, eat! It's obvious that you're the real guest of honor today, not me!

Pleasure

"O People! Shouted Nasrudin, running through the streets of his village, "Know that I have lost my donkey. Anyone who brings it back will be given the donkey as a reward!"
"You must be mad," said some spectators to this strange event.
"Not at all, said Nasrudin; do you not know that the pleasure which you get when you find something lost is greater than the joy of possessing it?"

Superiority

Mulla Nasrudin used to stand in the street on market-days, to be pointed out as an idiot. No matter how often people offered him a large and a small coin, he always chose the smaller piece.

One day a kindly man said to him: Nasrudin, you should take the bigger coin. Then you will have more money and people will no longer be able to make a laughing stock of you.
That may be true, said Nasrudin, but if I always take the larger, people will stop offering me money to prove that I am more idiotic than they are. Then I would have no money at all.

Wealth

One evening before bed, Nasruddin prayed for a financial deliverance. "I must have ten gold pieces to pay off all my debts," he whispered in his prayers. "Nine will not do. Eleven, more than I need. Ten, God willing, would be perfect."

Nasruddin fell into the most wonderful dream: he found himself kneeling and holding out his hands before a fabulous angel, who was smiling beatifically. The angel was holding a large pot full of gold, from which she took out one gold coin after another, counting each piece as she placed it in Nasruddin’s outstretched fingers, "One … two … three …"

The gold pot was so large and full, and the angel so generous! With each coin that fell into Nasruddin’s cupped hands, he felt a thrilling rush of grace course through his body.

"Four … five … six …," continued the honey-voiced divinity as the gold coins landed happily in Nasruddin’s palms. With each clink of the metal coins, he experienced a surge of ecstatic energy. It was almost too much! Could he withstand yet even more blessings?

"Seven … eight … nine …" Nasruddin counted with the angel. "Ten! I got all ten! They are mine!" he shouted jubilantly, finding himself wide awake with his arms outstretched, his hands clutched heavenward, but his palms bare.

Finding his fortune vanished, Nasruddin immediately lay down under the covers and pretended to sleep again. He shut his eyes tight and held up his hands, saying, "Okay, divine angel — I’ll settle for nine!"

People

Nasruddin and his son, Ahmet, were taking a trip with Karakacan, their faithful little grey donkey, the son riding while the Mullah walked alongside. As some strangers encountered them on the road, one man admonished Nasruddin’s son, "Look at you, a healthy young man, letting your aging father walk. Why, the old man looks like he’s about to have heatstroke. That’s today’s youth for you — indolent and disrespectful."

After they passed out of sight and earshot of the men, the boy felt very ashamed and got off the donkey. He insisted that his father ride while he walked, and so they went and everything was fine for a while.

Farther along they met a group of women sitting by the road. They clucked their tongues and complained loudly, "Look at that — the lazy father rides the donkey and makes the little boy walk, on a hot day like this. How cruel and unfair is that?"

Embarrassed by the women’s comments, Nasruddin pulled his boy up to ride on the donkey with him, and they traveled like that for a while in silent dread of the next encounter.

Before long they approached some villagers, and one piped up, "What a shame! I feel sorry for that abused little donkey — carrying both of those grown men in this blazing heat. They are surely going to break its back. The poor beast looks almost ready to collapse."

After this group passed, Nasruddin stopped the donkey, dismounted, and helped Ahmet get off. He grasped both his son’s hand and the donkey’s rein and declared, exasperated, "Now nobody can complain," and they resumed their journey.

At the next village, they walked by a shop where several men were standing. When the men saw the trio trudging along on eight legs, they laughed and pointed, taunting them, "Look at those stupid fools — walking in this heat with a perfectly good donkey they could ride! Don’t they have any brains at all?"

Nasruddin turned to Ahmet and said, "This just goes to show you, my boy, about the wicked criticism of people whom you don’t know. Everyone has an opinion and is quick to share it with you — but there is no pleasing anyone in this world. Therefore, you may as well just do as you wish."

Why Me ?

Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. (July 10, 1943 – February 6, 1993) was a World No. 1 professional tennis player. He won three Grand Slam titles -US Open (1968), Australia Open (1970), and Wimbledon (1975)-, ranking him among the best tennis players from the United States.

Ashe, an African American, was the first black player ever selected to the United States Davis Cup team and the only black man ever to win the singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open.

In the late 1980s, Ashe contracted HIV from a blood transfusion he received during heart bypass surgery.

One of his fan wrote to him, "Why did God choose you to have it (HIV)?"

Ashe answered, "In this world there are :
50 millions kids want to play tennis,
5 millions of them get to learn to play tennis,
500 thousands of them get to learn to play tennis professionally,
50 thousands of them get enter the field to play,
5000 make it to Grandslams,
50 make it to Wimbledon,
4 play at the semifinal,
2 play at the final,
and when I held the Wimbledon trophy, I did not ask God, 'Why me?'
So, even in my condition right now, I shouldn't ask Him, 'Why me?'

Ashe founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health to to educate others about HIV and AIDS before his death.

On June 20, 1993, Ashe was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton.

Source: Wikipedia

What we have become ?

A young rich looking executive man went inside a coffee shop. With all tables taken, he went to a table occupied by a luscious young woman.

"Do you mind ?"
"None at all" the hot tie replied.

Not long after, the man tried to open a conversation, "Say, will you sleep with me for USD 50,000 ?"
"Yes, I will for USD 50,000," the woman replied.
After a pause, "What about for USD 100?" the man asked.
The woman replied with a raised voice "What do you think of me, a slut ?"
... "Well, I think we have already defined what you are, I am just trying to bargain."





.....

Donkey

One day a donkey fell down into a large well. The owner, a farmer, heard the donkey's cry and found out the problem he had. The farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was too old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

The farmer invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to dump dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly.

After some time, while the others kept dumping dirt into the well, the farmer looked down the well. He was astonished at what he observed. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey would shake it off and take a step up after some part of his legs burried.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

To My Parents

Father

When I was small, you took me by the hand.
Father you should know I finally understand.

You taught me wrong from right, and how to live.
You gave the greatest gift that one could give.

You never let me down, you made me strong.
When I made mistakes, when I was wrong.

Some days we'd laugh, and some days we'd fight.
Somehow you knew one day, I'd say you were right.

You're with me in every word I say, in every hour of every single day.
In all I do, I'm just a part of you.

You lived your life for us, that was your plan.
Those hands that never take, they worked the land.
Hands that never take, can only give.
And because of you, I know how to live.

You're with me in every word I say, in every hour of every single day.
In all I do, I'm just a part of you.

Father just one thing.
You always knew.
Every word you said to me was true.

Manowar

Kasih Ibu

Kasih ibu,
Kepada beta,
Tak terhingga sepanjang masa.

Hanya memberi,
Tak harap kembali,
Bagai sang surya, menyinari dunia.

I would like to dedicate these beautiful song lyrics to my parents. If we believe in reincarnation then I am sure I have done a lot of good things in my previous lives.

Who Are You ?

A young man went to a hermit, requesting to be his disciple.

The hermit asked, “Who are you?”
The young man replied, “I am vinaya. I am 37 years old. I come from a far place. I search for enlightenment. I have been traveling looking for an enlightened spiritual teacher.”
The hermit said, “You have told me your name, your age, your birth place, what you do, and your purpose ..., ““Who are you?”

The young man went back home.

The Fire Sage

A long time ago a sage visited a village. There the sage wisely asked several villagers to come with him. When they were already quite far from the village, he asked each follower to find rod-shaped pieces of wood. When all of them had each brought what was asked, he retrieved and placed the woods on the ground. Then, he started chanting some prayers.

Not long after he finished praying, the tip of all the rod-shaped pieces of wood were miraculously covered by fire. The sage enlightened them with the power of fire, handed each of the amazed followers the burning torches and left.

The followers went back to the village with torches in their hands. There they shared the power of fire to the still mesmerized villagers. Some time after, as they were no longer afraid of the dark, the followers went on separate ways to other villages to further share the power of fire.

As the days passed, the villagers discovered more of the power of fire that they built shrines for them.

The shrines are still around, but rarely do they remember the sage who created it.

Do you think so ?

Once, there was a old wise Chinese man who had one of the most valueable stallion known in the near and far area.

One day.his prized stallion escaped and ran away. Many neighbors came, after hearing the news.  “What a misfortune, what a great loss,” the neighbors said. “Do you think so ?” the wise man replied.

After several days, the stallion returned, accompanied by several wild horses. As horse was highly valued back then, the neighbors said, “What a luck, ...what a blessing,”. “Do you think so ?” replied the wise man.

The next morning, the wise man's only son tried to tame the wild horses. He was skillful but unfortunatelly he got thrown off when he tried to tame the last wild horse..He broke his legs and would not be able to use it for quite some time. The neighbors came to express their sympathy to which the wise man said “Do you think so ?”

Few days after, a huge rebelious group started riots in several areas. A strict law was passed nation wide, requiring young men to serve the army. Not long after, officials arrived at that village to bring the young men from that village away. The officials neglected the wise man's only son as they saw that he was crippled.

The neighbors stated how well things had turned out for the wise man .The wise man said “Do you think so ?”

Let Go !

Buddha was meditating on a big rock beside a lake when a disciple arrived and kneeled in front of him. On his right hand was a beautiful lotus and on his left hand he held an even more beautiful lotus as a mean of offering.

And Buddha said, “Let go!”, that made the puzzled disciple threw the lotus on his right hand back to the lake.

And Buddha, said, again, “Let go!”, that made the puzzled disciple threw the lotus on his left hand back to the lake.

And Buddha, said, “Let go of yourself !”

Oneself

During the Great War between the Kurus' (sons of Dhrtarastra) side against the Pandava's (or Pandawa, sons of Pandhu, brother of Dhrtarastra) side, as was told in the epic Mahabharata Story, Arjuna (the third oldest of the Pandava), who saw all his friends and relatives standing with or against him (for it was a "civil" war) on the battlefield, told Krishna (or Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead) he no longer wished to fight in the battle for his compassion.

Arjuna reasoned out that he did not desire victory nor royal happiness, he would rather live as a beggar than as a royal if being a royal meant having to slay his kinsmen. He added that they who had spiritual understanding would not kill.

Krishna explained Arjuna that those who are wise would not grieve. For each one is body and soul. While the body is an object of time, the soul is not. The soul (Jiva) is eternal. The ignorant grieve because they do not even know about the existence of the soul. They consider the bodies to be their mother, father, brother, or relative. And when the soul leaves the body, they consider their mother, father, brother or relative to be dead. One that had been enlightened understands that none would be killed and none would kill, since the soul is immortal.

Further Krishna explained that senses were related to the bodily perceptions that causes misery. When one had learned to tolerate he would be closer to attain Enlightenment. And as Aruba had been conscious of the Truth, he should embrace the nature of the self.

Your duty as a ksatriya (or satria) and there would be no better thing than accomplishing your responsibilities.

Adaptation from "Bhagavad Gita"








"What's so civil about war anyway?" - Guns 'N Roses.

The Man And The Snake

In the middle of a winter, a man found a snake laying stiff and frozen by the cold breeze on a trail when he was walking back to his hut.

Compassion entered the man’s heart, he took the poor snake, placing it in his bosom, and he went back to where he was heading.

The warmth from the man’s body slowly revived the snake. Having regained its natural instinct the snake bit its benefactor, inflicting on him a mortal would.



Re-told from Aesop’s

... and most of the times, the greatest kindness will not bind the ungrateful.

The Story Of The Clay Pot With A Crack

An elderly Chinese woman has two large clay pots. These clay pots are Every and Day.

Every morning she would make Every and Day cling to each end of a bamboo stick. Then she would carry the bamboo stick, along with Every and Day, across her shoulders, and walks to a spring about an hour away to fetch some water.

Day, one of the pots, has a crack that at the end of each journey only half of the water it holds initially is left. This makes Every proud for its ability to constantly deliver much more than Day. While Day goes shy and more shy as time passes.

After some time, Day asks the old woman to retire it basing on its performance. Upon hearing the request, the old woman smiled and says, “Do you notice the flowers on our trail?”
“When I realized about you, I planted flower seeds along our trail, and every time while we are going back home from the spring, you water them.”

Puppies For Sale

A boy stood beside a big box labelled with "Puppies for SALE" at a street corner. He was trying to sell 5 little puppies. Once in a while he announced "puppies ...," "cute puppies make great pets... ," and once in a while he was busy tending passersby interested in the puppies.

"Why are you selling the puppies ?" some asked, which he replied "I was not allowed to keep any of them."
"How much for that puppy ?," "How much for the slightly bigger puppy ?," "How much for the one playing with the black ball ?," some asked, which he replied "10 each."
"What is wrong with that one ?," "Why is that puppy keep one of his feet up ?," "Why does it walk funny ?," some asked, which he replied "He is crippled from birth."

It was not long until the puppies are all sold except the cripple one.

The boy then drew an "X" on the label over the word "SALE" and started to write "ADOPT."
Once in a while he announced "puppy ...," "cute puppy make great pets... ," and once in a while he was busy tending passersby. But, despite his effort, none seemed to be interested in the cripple puppy.

Joyfully, the boy packed up his belongings. Put on a leash on the cripple puppy. Then they both walked home in a funny way.

The Doomsday Prophecy

A long time ago, a baby girl was born. Nothing was special except that she was given a definite time span to enjoy the world. A rare disease had chosen her to be the special host.
. .. ... .... ..... ......

Then there was a prophecy about a time. A time when seas run dry, a time when forests turn to desert, a time when mankind would cease to exist. The so called "Doomsday Prophecy."

The Great Prophet was not known. History didn't have any records of him. It was told that he was a decent man, a man of principles, a man of visions, a man that had foreseen things, a wise man. "The Doomsday Prophecy" was not the only one the prophet had predicted. Many had come to realities.

Researches by the experts showed some lights, "The Doomsday Prophecy" was special, it was the only prophecy that was written with theories. The theories shared the why, when, what, how, and where about the doomsday. The theories were meditated, translated, and tested by scholars. Signs were seriously considered and calculated. Climates had been changing, in some area of the world the winter prolonged but other area experienced longest dry season. Sea levels had been shifting, causing floods in some part of the world, and drought in others. The process of studying the prophecy was well documented. The facts was leaked and the news spread all over the world. The official documentary films were released and concluded that the doomsday prophecy was regretfully believable.

The clock was ticking, ironically, ever since the prophecy was written. News about the doomsday spread like a plague. Doomsday related movies filled up the Television channels. People showed horrified faces. Many cried their disbelief that everything would surely vanished.
. .. ... .... ..... ......

Somewhere, a little girl who lately became joyful told her mother, "Now, mother, it seems that I wouldn't have to wait long to meet you and the others anyway."

The Journey

Half the world is sleeping,
half the world's awake.
half can hear their hearts beat,
half just hear them break.

I am but a traveler, in most every way
Ask me what you want to know.

What a journey it has been and the end is not in sight.
But the stars are out tonight, and they're bound to guide my way.

When they're shining on my life, I can see a better day.
I won't let the darkness in.
What a journey it has been …

I have been to sorrow,
I have been to bliss.
Where I'll be tomorrow, I can only guess.

Through the darkest desert
Through the deepest snow,
Forward always forward, I go..

What a journey it has been and the end is not in sight.
But the stars are out tonight, and they're bound to guide my way.

When they're shining on my life, I can see a better day.
I won't let the darkness in.
What a journey it has been …

Forward, always forward...
Onward, always up...
Catching every drop of hope in my empty cup.

What a journey it has been and the end is not in sight.
But the stars are out tonight, and they're bound to guide my way.

When they're shining on my life, I can see a better day.
I won't let the darkness in.
What a journey it has been …

What a journey it has been ....

Lea Salonga

Relationships - Still Ordering

A shop owner accidentally over-heard one of the shop assistants telling a customer, "No Ma'am, It has been weeks and it seems that we will have to wait longer until it comes."
Upset of what he heard, he chased the customer who was walking out of the store and told her, "It is quite untrue Ma'am, of course we are going to get it real soon. We ordered for it few weeks ago."

He went back to the shop assistant angrily and said, "Never, and I mean never, tell a customer that we do not have thing or things they are looking for. If we do not have it, say that we have ordered for it and the package is on the way."
Assured that he was understood, he asked, "What did she asked for?"

The shop assistant replied, "Rain."


Communication is essential to any relationships and it involves more listening and understanding than talking.

Conversation With The Death

He was not born in a wealthy family.
He was not raised on milk and cheese.
His parents could not afford to buy him things he wanted to have.

He learnt about no pain, no gain.
He learnt that success is a bowl of sweat and a drop of luck.
He worked hard, and he worked smart.
He traded his time for means to gain.
He saved his wealth, little by little.

He is wealthy.
He learnt that money can buy almost everything.
He knew that better things would come around.
He learnt life could still be far better.
He worked hard. and he worked smarter.
He saved his wealth, He saved again.


Man will never know when his life ends...


Death came knocking at his door.
Death said that it was his time.

He told Death that He might be mistaken.
He told Death that he was still at his Thirties.
He told Death that he was still healthy.

Death said his apology.
Death knew he was not ready.
Death said that they were to go immediately.

He asked Dealth for more time.
He offered Death half his wealth.
He told Dealth he had so much to trade.

Death told him his wealth means nothing.
Death said his apology.
Death told him they still have a long journey.

He pleaded for more time.
He offered Death all his worth.
He told Dealth that wants more time.


Death granted him time just a little time.


He used his time to write a note,
" Whoever get the chance to read this,
Live life to the fullest,
My billions could not buy me more time."

Religions - Tao

" A foreigner asked a local waiter in a restaurant about the meaning of Tao.

The waiter politely ask the foreigner to follow him to the veranda.
The waiter then ask "what do you see ?"

"Houses, people doing their things, street, trees, birds, sky," replied the foreigner.

The waiter said, "That is Tao."

Arthritis

A drunk was going home when met a priest that early morning. He asked the priest, "Father, what is the cause of arthritis ?"

The priest looking at the drunk answered, "Well, staying late at night causes arthritis, drinking alcoholic beverages causes arthritis, doing drugs causes arthritis, and free-sex practices causes arthritis."

Noticed that the drunk was quite in a shock, the priest asked happily but calmly, "Why did you ask?"

The drunk, still mesmerized, said, "I just read in the newspaper that the Pope has an arthritis."

Education - A Boy and A Butterfly

Once a little boy saw a multi-colored caterpillar in the garden. He picked it up and took it inside the house. The little boy got a jar from his mother and put his new pet inside.  He placed a twig and pour some green leaves inside the jar. He put the jar near the window where the sun ray find its way through the glass.

He was very enchanted by his new pet. He named it "Wormy" and found time to watch Wormy and dilligently poured green leaves for it every now and then.

One day the Wormy started acting strangely. The boy ran for his mother. She told him that the caterpillar was creating a cocoon (chrysalis) and how it would grow to be a butterfly. The little boy was relieved and also happy to understand that. He changed Wormy's name to Bullyfly.

After some time the cocoon was full. It was golden and shinny, and was hanging on the twig vertically.

The awed little boy checked for the next change eagerly and learned that something inside the metallic gold cocoon moved sometimes.

One day it happened a small opening appeared in the cocoon, and Bullyfly, now a butterfly, looked unhappy being trapped inside the cocoon. The butterfly struggled to get out of the cocoon by beating its wings against the cocoon. Once a while it stopped and then continued with the beating. The little boy was quite sure that Bullyfly didn't look as if it made a good progress and decided to help. He took the twig out of the jar, pried the cocoon open. The butterfly on his palm was wet, the body was swollen with small, shriveled wings. Satisfied, the little boy then gently replaced the butterfly into the jar.

The little boy continued to watch. And while his imagination of Bullyfly spreading his wings, changing to a beautiful color, and finally taking its flight played in his mind, Bullyfly, inside the jar, tried to crawl but the weight of his body and the under-developed wings gave it resistance beyond its strength.

Not surprisingly the little boy was horrified to see how a while later the butterfly stopped moving and died.

...

Later did the little boy learned that a butterfly need to struggle with its cocoon. The struggle strengthen its muscles and would enable it to push the fluid out of its body and into its wings.