Once upon a time – and this is a true story – there was a student. He used to go every day to sit at the feet of a Sufi teacher, to take down on paper what the master said.
Because he was so fully occupied with his studies, he was unable to follow any gainful occupation. One evening when he arrived home, his wife placed a bowl before him, covered with a napkin.
He took the cloth and put it around his neck, and then he saw that the dish was full of – pens and paper.
‘Since this is what you do all day,’ she said, ‘just try to eat it.’
The next morning the student went, as usual, to learn from his teacher. Although his wife’s words had distressed him, he continued to follow the accustomed pattern of studies, and did not go out looking for a job.
After a few minutes’ writing, he found that his pen was not working well. ‘Never mind,’ said the master, ‘go into that corner and bring the box you will find there and put it in front of you.’
When he sat down with the box and opened its lid, he found that it was full of – food.

Wisdom of the Idiots
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IT IS REPORTED that a fakir who wanted to learn without effort was after a time turned away from the circle of Sheikh Shah Gwath Shattar. When Shattar was dismissing him, the Fakir said:
‘You have the reputation of being able to teach all wisdom in the twinkling of an eye, yet you expect me to spend much time with you!’

‘You have not yet learned to learn how to learn; but you will find out what I mean,’ said the Sufi.

The Fakir pretended to go away, but he used to steal into the tekkia every night in order to see what the Sheikh did. Not long afterwards he saw Shah Gwath take a jewel out of a certain engraved metal casket. This gem he held over the heads of his disciples, saying: ‘This is the repository of my knowledge, and it is none other than the Talisman of Illumination.’

‘So this is the secret of the Sheikh’s power,’ thought the Fakir.
In the advanced hours of that very night, he entered the meditation-hall again and stole the talisman.

But in his hands the jewel, no matter how he tried, would yield no power and no secrets. He was bitterly disappointed.

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