The Ant who saw a writing Pen: Story from Masnavi

The Ant who saw a writing Pen: Sufi Story from Masnavi by Maulana Rumi

A little ant saw a pen writing on a paper, and told this mystery to another ant, Saying, “That pen made wonderful pictures like sweet basil and beds of lilies and roses.”

The other ant said, “That artist is actually the Finger, and this pen is actually no more than the instrument and the sign.”

A third ant said, “It is the work of the Arm, by whose strength the slender finger drew it.”

In this way, the argument was carried upward until it reached Chief of the ants, who was endowed with a little insight and wisdom

He said, “Do not consider such writing a result of material form, something which becomes unconscious in sleep and death.

Form is like a garment or a staff: bodily figures do not move except by means of intellect and spirit.”

The wise ant was unaware that without the controlling influence of God the intellect and heart (mind) would be inert.

If He withdraw His favour from it for a single moment, the astute intellect will commit many follies.

Is it not true that my heart (spirit) and body are under His control, so that at one moment He makes me a kernel, at another moment a rind?

When He commands me to be a cornfield, I become green; when He commands me to be ugly, I become yellow.

Before the blows of the bat of His decree; “Be, and it is”, we are running like balls in Space and beyond

 

Download  The Heart of Hearts of Rumi’s Masnavi [or Lubb-e Lubab-e Mathnawi-ye Ma‘nawi