M6:1191 — چون بود آن چون که از چونی رهید / در حیاتستان بی‌چونی رسید

Translation: How was that 'how-ness' (chūn) that escaped from 'how-ness' (chūnī)? It arrived in the life-garden of 'how-lessness' (bīchūnī). Meaning: This verse queries the existential state of a being that has shed all constraints of form, quality, and condition, arriving at an boundless and absolute realm of eternal, infinite life.

This verse is an extraordinary peak of mystic expression, placed by Rumi in the mouth of Hilaal. Following the vivid descriptions of Hilaal's transformation from dog-like vileness to lion-like purity, from blindness to vision, this climactic mystical utterance emerges. Rumi, in these lines, asks what the state is of that 'how-ness' (chūn)—meaning that limited form or quality—which has escaped the confines of 'how-ness' (chūnī), that is, all finite forms and conditions.

This liberation signifies a passage from the realm of 'form' (ṣūrat) to the realm of 'formlessness' (bī-ṣūratī). 'Chūn' here symbolizes form and quality; thus, the verse queries the state of a form that has been delivered from its very condition of being a form, arriving at a region of existence that no form can contain, no vessel can limit. 'I was a limited form and a finite vessel, and now I have become infinite.' This 'how-lessness' is none other than the boundless 'life-garden' (hayātistān), a realm wholly of life, eternity, and infinitude, where there is no death and no end.

The wonder of it is that upon reaching this station of 'how-lessness,' the mystic himself becomes a 'form-giver' (chūnī-bakhsh); from that infinite realm, he bestows form and quality upon others. 'Around his house, all 'how-nesses' are like dogs / He gives them bones from 'how-lessness'.' From that infinity, he grants being to limited creatures. This expression portrays the ultimate existential transformation and the annihilation in the Divine.

Yet, precisely at this point, Rumi abruptly applies the brakes, so to speak, halting the discourse. With the expression, 'Do not plunge into impurity, do not recite this sura / Until you have fully performed the ablution from 'how-ness' / Do not lay your hand on this scripture, O servant,' he cautions himself or his audience. This reveals Rumi's sensitivity towards articulating such profound truths. He implies that uttering these pure, luminous words from an impure mouth is improper; that is, one must attain complete purity and liberation from 'how-ness' to gain the qualification to speak of 'how-lessness.' This self-censorship demonstrates Rumi's reverence for the grandeur of this spiritual station, and simultaneously, the difficulty and peril of speaking of it; as if one stands at the precipice, and a single step further could lead to a fall.

Key takeaways

• This verse represents Rumi's peak mystical expression on the transformation from limitation to infinity.
• 'How-ness' (chūnī) symbolizes finite forms and qualities, while 'how-lessness' (bīchūnī) signifies the infinite realm of absolute life.
• The mystic, by shedding the fetters of form, attains the station of formlessness and eternity.
• After reaching 'how-lessness,' the mystic himself becomes a 'form-giver' (chūnī-bakhsh) to others.
• Rumi's self-censorship immediately following this verse highlights the perils and the necessity of purity for articulating such profound truths.