This memory, concerned with the weighing of personal comfort against sacrifice, was recounted by the mureed Kismet Stam, one of Hazrat Inayat Khan’s secretaries.
Murshid one day had to choose between Murshid’s wish [i.e. what would have been his own personal desire] and a superhuman effort. Seeing that Murshid was going to choose the latter, a member of the family who wished with all his heart that Murshid’s way should be smooth and easy, still wanted to make the scale incline to the other side. He said, “Is it not pride?”
Murshid said, “That is all one has.”
This response from Murshid so surprised me, it led me to ponder about how the choices we make come from a place that is deep within. The concept of pride had been tarnished in my understanding and confused with conceit. I now begin to gratefully redeem a warmer sense of pride and adjust myself with a little more self confidence.
Dear Zora, thanks for your comment – it is certainly startling, and makes us re-evaluate ‘pride.’ Closely related is what we find about vanity in Murshid’s teaching – for example this saying from the Gayan : Vanity is the impetus hidden behind every impulse, that brings out both the worst and the best in man.
This probably should be a topic for a post. Perhaps there will be something in a day or two.
With gratitude and loving greetings, Nawab
Thank you Nawab, and yes please to a post on the subject of pride.
I’m aware of the Buddhist teachings on the near and far enemies of the four boundless qualities: compassion/pity/cruelty, equanimity/indifference/hatred, loving kindness/sentimentality/ill will, sympathetic joy/hypocrisy/jealousy.
Maybe pride/vanity/arrogance are similar in pattern.
Much love, z