M1:3761 — آن یکی ماهی همی‌بیند عیان / وان یکی تاریک می‌بیند جهان

Translation: One person sees a moon clearly, / And another sees the world darkly. Meaning: This verse illustrates the profound differences in human perception of reality; some discern its light and truth, while others apprehend only darkness.

This particular verse, M1:3761, stands as one of the most eloquent illustrations in the Masnavi concerning the radical disparity in how human beings perceive reality. Time and again, Mawlana instructs us that the observable world—this very realm of 'forms' (sūrat) apprehended by our outer senses—is but a veil over deeper truths (ḥaqāʾiq) and hidden dimensions (buṭūn). I have often pointed out that Mawlana employs terms such as 'water of water' (āb-e āb), 'light of light' (nūr-e nūr), and 'soul of soul' (jān-e jān) precisely to illuminate this very point. He is not merely using poetic embellishments; these are ontological indicators of the hierarchy of truth. As he states: 'Do you see this water? This is the form of water. Within this water, there is a water that is the true water, that is the 'water of water.''

The same logic applies to light and soul. The apparent light our eyes perceive is merely the foam upon the true light; beyond it lies the real 'light of light.' And 'jānān,' the beloved in common parlance, is fundamentally the 'jān-e jān,' the soul that itself imbues our own soul with life. This verse echoes the same sentiment: 'One person sees a moon clearly,' meaning they clearly perceive the apparent moon, which is a blessing. But another, lacking inner vision, not only fails to see the moon but 'sees the world darkly.' For those whose outer, 'foam-seeing' (kaf-bīn) eye dominates their inner, 'water-of-water-seeing' (āb-e āb-bīn) eye, even the brightest phenomena are perceived in gloom.

I have termed this the distinction between the 'ocean-seeing eye' (chashm-e daryā-bīn) and the 'foam-seeing eye' (chashm-e kaf-bīn). One who sees only the foam of the ocean remains oblivious to its depths, and for them, the entire world appears murky and dark. Mawlana, in this verse, stresses that the problem lies not with the world itself; the world is what it is, and the moon is the moon. The problem resides in the perceiver, in the eye of the beholder. This difference in perception stems from one's inner vision. Has this inner eye been opened for the individual, enabling them to see truths beyond forms, or not?

This understanding of existence—that the world is replete with hidden layers of truth, and for each layer, a corresponding eye is necessary for its apprehension—permeates the entire Masnavi. The path to opening this eye, of course, is through companionship with those who possess such vision and through earnest supplication to God. This is an acquired gnosis, attained through spiritual discipline, attentiveness, and devotion, which transforms the world from darkness into light. This verse is not merely a poetic description, but a precise articulation of the strata of existence and human perception.

Key takeaways

• Human perception of reality is layered; some see light, while others perceive only darkness.
• The world of 'forms' (sūrat) is merely the foam upon deeper truths and hidden dimensions of existence.
• Concepts like 'water of water' and 'light of light' denote ontological strata, not mere literary embellishments.
• The 'ocean-seeing eye' versus the 'foam-seeing eye' determines the extent of one's grasp of reality.
• Failing to perceive light and seeing the world as dark stems from the quality of the beholder's eye, not from any defect in the world itself.
• Opening the inner eye requires companionship with those of insight and earnest supplication to God.