Bayazid and the Skulls
Bayazid Bastami, the great Sufi mystic, was once passing through a graveyard when he came upon a pile of skulls. Out of curiosity, he picked one up.
He had always assumed that all skulls were more or less the same, but to his surprise, they were not. Some had ears that seemed to be connected to one another, as if there were a passage running between them. Others had ears that were not connected at all, separated by a barrier. And there were still others whose ears appeared to be connected to the heart, but not to each other.
As he examined the skulls, Bayazid was deeply astonished. He prayed and asked God:
“What is this? What are You trying to reveal to me?”
According to the story, he then heard a voice. God answered:
“There are three kinds of people. The first hear through one ear, but nothing reaches anywhere – in truth, they do not hear at all. The sound simply passes through and disappears. The second hear, but only briefly – the sound enters through one ear and exits through the other, returning to the world unchanged. But there are a few who truly hear – the sound reaches their hearts.”
Then God added:
“Bayazid, I brought you this pile of skulls to remind you of something important. When you speak to people, speak only to those who receive your words with their hearts. Otherwise, do not waste your energy and your time. Your life is precious – you have a message that must be delivered.”
The Lesson
Most people hear words, but few truly listen. Wisdom transforms us only when it reaches the heart, not merely the mind. The story reminds us to invest our time and energy in those who are genuinely open to understanding.
The Sun and the Cave
One day, the Sun and a Cave began talking to one another.
The Sun could not understand what was meant by the words “darkness” and “dampness,” while the Cave could not imagine what “light” and “clarity” were.
As their conversation deepened, they decided to exchange places.
The Cave climbed up to where the Sun was and exclaimed:
“Ah, now I understand! This is beyond beautiful. Now come down and see where I have lived.”
The Sun descended into the Cave and said:
“How strange… I do not see any difference.”
The Lesson
Darkness has no existence of its own – it is merely the absence of light. In the same way, ignorance, fear, and confusion dissolve when awareness is present. The story reminds us that some problems cannot be fought directly; they disappear the moment light is brought to them.
Crowd
A young seeker of truth went to visit a great Sufi master. As he entered the master’s room and bowed with deep respect, the master said:
“Wonderful. This is beautiful. What is it that you seek?”
The young man replied:
“I wish to be initiated.”
The master answered:
“I can initiate you, but what shall we do about the crowd that follows you?”
The seeker turned around, but saw no one. He said:
“What crowd? I am alone.”
The master calmly replied:
“No, you are not. Close your eyes, and you will see them.”
The young man closed his eyes and was astonished. Behind him stood an entire crowd: his mother, grieving; his father, begging him not to leave; his wife, covered in tears; his friends, trying to hold him back.
The master said:
“Now open your eyes. Can you still claim that no one is following you?”
The young man replied:
“I am sorry. You are right. This entire crowd that I carry is within me.”
The master concluded:
“Your first task is to free yourself from this crowd. Once you do, everything will become simple. The day you are finished with it, I will initiate you – for I can initiate only you, not the crowd.”
The Lesson
Most of the limitations we face do not come from the outside world but from the voices we carry within us. True freedom begins when we stop living according to the expectations, fears, and judgments of others. Only then can we discover who we really are.
The Unusual Master
A great Sufi master lay on his deathbed.
Everyone who knew him regarded him as an extraordinary human being – full of innocence and joy. He loved to laugh, dance, and sing. He was often criticized by strict religious people who clung to tradition, for his methods were new and unconventional.
As his end drew near, his disciples asked him:
“Master, what should we do with your body? You lived such an unusual life that we do not know whether to bury you or cremate you. What do you advise?”
The dying master opened his eyes, smiled one last time, and said:
“Surprise me!”
Then he closed his eyes… and was gone.
The Lesson
A truly awakened person remains open to mystery until the very end. Life cannot be controlled, planned, or reduced to rigid formulas. The master’s final words remind us to meet existence with wonder, playfulness, and trust.
Reflection
An old Sufi sage sat at the gates of a city when a rider stopped beside him and asked:
“What are the people in this city like?”
The old man replied:
“Why do you ask?”
The rider said:
“The people in the city I came from were rude and dishonest. I was deeply disappointed by them and eventually had to leave. Now I am looking for a new place to live. That is why I ask – what are the people here like?”
The old man answered:
“My friend, you would do better to keep moving. The people in this city are even more cruel and wicked, even more dishonest. You will only bring trouble upon yourself here. Look elsewhere.”
The rider continued on his way.
Some time later, an ox cart stopped at the gate. The man riding in it asked:
“Old man, what are the people in this city like? I am looking for a new place to live.”
Once again, the old man asked:
“And what were the people like in the city you came from?”
The man’s eyes filled with tears.
“I never wanted to leave,” he said. “I was forced to by circumstances. The people there were kind and loving. Wherever I go, the memory of them will stay with me. I left because of poverty, hoping to make my fortune elsewhere. But I hope that one day I can return – to live there and eventually die there. And if I cannot live there again, at least I would like to die there.”
The old man smiled and said:
“You are welcome here. You will find that the people in this city are even more loving than those you left behind.”
Nearby stood a man who had overheard both conversations. Surprised, he approached the sage and said:
“You truly puzzle me. To the first man you said this city was full of wicked people, and to the second you said it was full of kind and loving people.”
The old man calmly replied:
“People are as you are.”
The Lesson
The world often reflects our inner state. What we expect to find in others is frequently what we carry within ourselves. By changing our perspective, we change the world we experience.
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Author: Vasil Stoyanov
