M6:3234 — اندرین جو غنچه دیدی یا شجر / هم‌چو هر جو تو خیالش ظن مبر

Translation: If in this stream you behold a bud or a tree, Do not imagine it a mere reflection, as in any other stream. Meaning: This verse instructs us that the forms appearing in the stream of existence are not mere illusions or reflections; they are the very essence of reality manifesting itself and demand to be perceived as such.

This verse emerges from the parable of the man named 'Omar' in the city of Kashan, serving as a climax to Rumi's teachings on perceiving unity and liberating oneself from 'aḥwalī,' or double-vision. Rumi cautions the listener, 'If in this stream you behold a bud or a tree, do not imagine it a mere reflection, as in any other stream.' This 'stream' (jū) is not an ordinary rivulet, but rather the 'stream of creation' (jūybār-e khilqat), the arena of existence's manifestation. The buds and trees we observe within it are not mere reflections or pure illusions; they are reality itself.

I have previously noted that Rumi states elsewhere: 'Through the very image of these forms, Truth becomes reality and a fruit-seller for you.' What we might perceive as merely an 'image' (ʿaks) or 'form' (naqsh) is, in fact, 'Truth' (ḥaqīqat) itself, yielding fruit and possessing real efficacy, much like a tree that produces apples. This verse reinforces that same idea: even if these manifestations appear illusory and reflective, their essence is real and identical to reality.

In other words, 'When the eye, cleansed by this water, is freed from fear, it sees an image, and the basket fills.' By purifying our perception with the 'water' of gnosis, we are liberated from 'aḥwalī,' or double-vision. What we once deemed an 'image' or illusion then suddenly fills our basket with the fruit of reality. The image transforms into reality, or rather, it was reality from the outset, and we mistakenly perceived it as an illusion. This is the essence of mystical experience: what appears as 'imagination' (khayāl) to others is, for the mystic, 'reality' that has assumed an imaginal form. The truth of existence possesses various ranks and forms, and for its manifestation, it need not always assume a material form.

Finally, Rumi, referencing the Quranic story of the Queen of Sheba and Solomon (the tale of 'a pavement of crystal' [Qur'an 27:44]), states: 'Therefore, by meaning, this is a garden, not water; so do not bare yourself like Bilqīs from a bubble.' Bilqīs mistook the palace floor for water and lifted her skirt to avoid getting wet, but Solomon informed her it was not water but polished glass. Rumi cautions us against falling into such perceptual error, lest we mistakenly conceive what is, in truth, a 'garden' — full of life and reality — as merely 'water' (which only reflects). These parables collectively emphasize that what we observe in this 'stream of creation' is reality itself, not merely a fleeting shadow; we must possess an eye that recognizes 'the King in every guise.'

Key takeaways

• The appearances of existence, though seeming illusory or reflective to a 'double-seeing' eye, are the very essence of reality.
• The 'stream of creation' is an arena of true manifestations, not merely a place for virtual reflections.
• Liberation from 'double-vision' (aḥwalī) and attaining 'unity-vision' is crucial for perceiving the reality hidden behind forms.
• Mystical experiences are imaginal forms of truth and should not be dismissed as mere illusions.
• Perceiving the true nature of things requires a 'truth-recognizing eye' that discerns the King in every guise.
• Errors of perception (like Bilqīs mistaking glass for water) hinder the apprehension of manifestations' true nature.