M6:3144 — برد خرگوشیش از ره کای فلان / در تگ چاهست آن شیر ژیان

Translation: The rabbit led him astray, saying: "O so-and-so, that fierce lion is at the bottom of the well." Meaning: This verse is part of the story of the cunning rabbit and the lion, where the rabbit deceitfully tells the lion that a rival is hidden in a well. It sets the stage for a deeper lesson about being deceived by appearances and projecting one's own flaws onto others.

In analyzing this verse, I delve into the famous story of the lion and the rabbit from the Masnavi to extract profound lessons in psychology and epistemology. This verse marks the turning point in the tale, where the cunning rabbit leads the lion to a well, deceiving him into mistaking his own reflection for a rival.

At first glance, this is a simple narrative of trickery, but Mowlana, and I after him, transcend such a superficial reading. The crucial point here is that the lion battles his 'own image' – a shadow cast by his own existence in the water. This is an internal struggle mistakenly projected outwards. The lion believes he confronts an external enemy, when in fact, he grapples with his own self, his own illusions and arrogance. This is where Mowlana moves beyond mere ontology to delve into human psychology.

The first lesson from this story is the concept of 'projection'. We frequently attribute our own flaws, sufferings, and resentments, which are rooted within us, to others. When we perceive envy or a fault in someone else and wish to eradicate its source, we must recognize that this root lies within ourselves, not in them. Many of the 'ugly traits' we find in others are, in reality, a shadow of our own ugliness cast upon the mirror of another's being. This resonates directly with Mowlana's lines: "And that sin in him is of the same kind as your fault / You should wash that habit from your own nature." This means, instead of blaming others, we must turn inward and purify our own character from those shortcomings.

Secondly, there is the perspective on the cosmos. Mowlana, in this narrative, considers the world as God's shadow. The forms and appearances of this world, like reflections in water, lack absolute permanence and reality. Attacking the form or deeming it real is akin to the gullible lion leaping into the well to fight his own image. One must transcend these appearances and grasp the 'origin' (aṣl) and the 'No-direction' (bī-sū) from which these shadows emanate. "How long, after all, can the reflection last in sight? / Make seeing the origin your practice, O crooked-gazer"—this is Mowlana's call to perceive beyond mere appearances.

Others serve as a mirror for us: "for he was the surface of your mirror." In others, we actually see a reflection of ourselves. If your 'ugly traits' manifest in someone, it means that the other has mirrored that ugliness back to you. So, instead of 'striking the mirror' and blaming others, we must correct our 'own ugliness'. This perspective breaks the cycle of external blame and calls humanity to self-knowledge and inner purification.

Mowlana also employs the simile of 'the star in the water': if a star is reflected in water and you deem it inauspicious, and then you throw dirt into the water to remove its ill-luck, the star itself does not disappear; only its reflection is obscured. This illustrates that by eliminating the shadow, the original problem remains unresolved. This 'inauspicious star is in the sky / You must seek the remedy in that direction'—the cure must be sought at the source, not in the derivative.

Ultimately, Mowlana teaches us not to be deceived by appearances, whether in human relationships or in understanding existence, and to think more deeply. The source of many resentments and animosities is the projection of inner faults, and the source of many incomplete understandings of the world is failing to see the origin, clinging instead to the reflection. One must transcend the 'six directions' of the world of forms and bind the heart to the 'No-direction'.

Key takeaways

• Many flaws and grievances we perceive in others are, in truth, projections of our own inner shortcomings.
• Others serve as our mirrors; what we observe in them is a reflection of ourselves, which we should rectify rather than condemn.
• The cosmos and its appearances, like reflections in water, are shadows of a higher origin; one should not be deceived by forms and neglect the source.
• The path to resolving problems, both internal and external, lies not in eliminating shadows but in returning to their origin and essence.
• Mowlana invites humanity to transcend appearances (the 'six directions') and bind the heart to the 'No-direction' (the absolute reality).