How the Shaykh explained the hidden meaning of the tree to the seeker who was in the bondage of formalism.
شاعر: رومی
وزن: فاعلاتن فاعلاتن فاعلن (رمل مسدس محذوف یا وزن مثنوی)
صنف: مثنوی
There was a wise Shaykh, a noble Qutb, at the halting-place where the king's intimate fell into despair.
He (the envoy) said, “Being without hope, I will go to him, and set out on the road (again) from his threshold,
In order that his prayer (blessing) may accompany me, since I have no hope of (winning) my heart's desire.”
With tearful eyes he went to the Shaykh: he was raining tears, like a cloud.
“O Shaykh,” he cried, “it is the time for mercy and pity; I am in despair: now is the time for kindness.”
He (the Shaykh) said, “Say plainly what is the cause of thy despair: what is thy object? what hast thou in view*?”
He answered, “The Emperor chose me out to seek a certain branching tree,
For there is a tree, unique in (all) the quarters (of the world): its fruit is (of) the substance of the Water of Life.
I have sought (it) for years and seen no sign (of it) except the gibes and ridicule of these merry men.”
The Shaykh laughed and said to him, “O simpleton, this is the tree of knowledge in the sage—
Very high and very grand and very far-spreading: (it is) a Water of Life from the all-encompassing Sea (of God).
Thou hast gone after the form, thou hast gone astray: thou canst not find (it) because thou hast abandoned the reality.
Sometimes it is named ‘tree,’ sometimes ‘sun’; sometimes it is named ‘sea,’ sometimes ‘cloud.’
(It is) that one (thing) from which a hundred thousand effects arise: its least effects are everlasting life.
Although (in essence) it is single, it hath a thousand effects: innumerable names befit (may be properly applied to) that one (thing).
One person may be father in relation to thee; in regard to another individual he may be son.
In regard to another he may be wrath and a foe; in regard to another he may be graciousness and a friend.
(He hath) hundreds of thousands of names, (but) he is one man: the owner of every quality belonging to him is blind to (incapable of) giving any (true) description (of him).
Whoever seeks the (mere) name, if he is entrusted (with a confidential mission) he is hopeless and in distraction, even as thou art.
Why dost thou stick to the name ‘tree,’ so that thou art left bitterly disappointed and ill-fortuned?
Pass on from the name and look at the attributes, in order that the attributes may show thee the way to the essence.”
The disagreement of mankind is caused by names: peace ensues when they advance to the reality (denoted by the name).
