On the afternoon of March 22nd 1926, Hazrat Inayat Khan spoke to a gathering of students at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. As the talk is long, and the report also includes a number of very interesting questions and answers at the end, it will be posted here in several instalments.
Friends,
It is my great pleasure to speak before you on some ideas of the Sufis.
The word Sufi comes from sophos or sophia, the Greek word which means wisdom. In the Persian language also it has the same meaning. Therefore Sufis have been known in all ages as deep thinkers, free thinkers, inspired people, as contemplative, meditative souls. Sufis had their schools in Egypt, Arabia, Persia, and India. The different schools had different methods, but all had one and the same thought. In Arabia and Persia where religious law was governing the state, it was always difficult for free-thinkers to express their thought simply. It is therefore that the inspired souls of Persia adopted the same phraseology as Solomon in the Bible*. They used such words in their poetry as “wine”, and “Beloved”, “goblet”, and “spring”. It is therefore that their poetry became popular among the people and it proved inspiring to those who were taking to spiritual thought. Very few can imagine to what extent the poetries of Rumi, Hafiz, Sa’di, Nizami have been the source of inspiration to millions of people. Their works became a foundation for higher culture not only in past ages but even at the present time. And the literature of Rumi and Hafiz has been imitated by writers and poets of the modern time of Persia and India. But at the same time, as in Europe the works of Shakespeare, the music of Wagner, have proved to be unique and unequalled, so their work always proved to be unique and living.
And these living phenomena bring us to the higher wisdom, which is something else than intellect. At the present time we confuse these two words. Very often we use the word wisdom for intellect and intellect for wisdom. We say, “He is ‘an intellectual person’ or ‘a wise person’”, and often we do not discriminate between these two words. But to me intellect is one thing, wisdom is another thing. Intellectual knowledge is that knowledge one has learned by study, one has gained it. Wisdom is the knowledge which springs from within, and is expressed through intellect. And therefore intellect has its place like spectacles have the purpose to help the eyes. But at the same time it is the eyes that see, not the spectacles. Intellect has its place to express the inner knowledge to its fulness. But at the same time it is the inner spring, the inner intelligence, the inner guidance, the inner teaching which is expressed by intellect. It is that fuller expression of inner knowledge which may be called wisdom. ‘Worldly wise’ therefore is not really wise. It is a suggestion of wisdom. When a person has that wisdom to get his own will in the world, that is worldly wisdom. It has nothing to do with inner wisdom, the wisdom which alone can be called as wisdom. The word Sufi, therefore, is used for the inner wisdom. And if the Sufis have ever appeared as creeds, it is because they have had many different schools. Any university may be called as such in this world of differences and distinctions. We cannot free ourselves entirely from distinctions. Dogs and cats do not call themselves by a certain name, but we give them a name for our convenience.
Sufis have proved to be of great help and service in India, a nation which is composed of so many different creeds. There are Jews, Hindus, Moslems, Christians, Zoroastrians; besides that, various different creeds live there, each having their own custom and their own beliefs. Sufis have proved in India to be the centre of unity for the divided sections of humanity in all ages. Emperor Akbar of the Mughal Dynasty had a heart saturated with Sufi wisdom. He introduced such ideals as even today it is difficult for nations to introduce in their countries. Akbar had Christian churches made by the state and maintained by the state, Hindu temples, Jewish synagogues, priests and preachers of all religions maintained by the state. And the emperor went to each of these temples and worshipped there in order to give an example to his people that all religions lead to that one goal, and that it is in respecting the different names and beliefs that we are able to come closer to the wisdom they give us. Behind all different creeds there is one and the same truth. That truth we worship. It does not matter in which church we offer our prayers.
The other day there was a question in New York of making a statue of Buddha. As soon as the question was raised, there came a great deal of opposition. They said, “It must not be made. It was against a certain religion.” Buddha, who lived many thousands of years before! There had never been a question of a mission sent by Buddha to any countries. When there are so many statues in the world of generals, such a placid statue of a man sitting in a peaceful posture inspiring peace, such a statue cannot be tolerated. And these days, when East and West are coming closer together! And their benefit depends solely upon their coming closer together, not in business and industry and politics, but in understanding that wisdom which is the object of every soul, whether in East, South, West or North.
Now coming to the metaphysical side of Sufi philosophy. There are two sides to our life: sensation and exaltation. Action is connected with sensation and repose with exaltation. And both have their place in life. But our everyday pursuit and our interest in life becomes engrossed in what we call sensation. By sensation I mean every experience we make through the senses: looking at beautiful things, hearing music, enjoying colours and lines, smelling perfume, and experiencing life with touch: the softness, hardness, cold and warm objects. Our recreations, amusements, our means of comfort and convenience, our sports and all activities from morning till evening, are made in consideration of sensation. And that one thing is left out, the most important thing, which is exaltation. The only means of exaltation that we know is resting or sleeping. We rest because we cannot do more. If not, many of us would not like to rest if they could help it. The other day I was visiting a very busy friend of mine in New York, and he told me, “Yes, I would like so much if instead of twenty-four hours I had twenty-eight hours in the day because there is so much to do.” And therefore, those who rest, they do not do it for the sake of resting. In the same way, sleep: we do not call sleep, it comes to us when we are helpless before it. At the same time, that one object, the most important object in life, exaltation, we do not think about it. Because sensation is movement, is action. Exaltation is lack of movement, lack of action. Sensation is a rhythm. It is rapidity of rhythm which brings about sensation. And it is exaltation which is ease, comfort, repose, relaxation, which is quite different. One does not take interest in it unless one knows what it brings about. Be not surprised if the prophets and teachers, the masters of all ages have taught in different forms, whether in religions, ceremony, or occult practices, or in a form of prayers or silence, that art of relaxation, that art of repose.
To be continued…
*Referring to ‘The Song of Songs’