The Temple Priest Who Collected Karma

Come to the Secret Garden (Sufi Tales of Wisdom), page 117-120

By M.R.Bawa Muhaiyaddeen(K.S)

My love you, my grandchildren, my brothers and sisters, my sons and daughters. There once was a priest whom the whole world praised. They called him a sincere devotee of God because he had performed his rituals and pujas [*] in the temple for nearly eighty years.

[*] Puja (T) : Ritual devotion; offering flowers, fruits, milk and honey, and various things to the idols of chosen deities.

One day the priest had a pain in his leg, and he cried, “O God, Kadavul [*], Allah, my Lord! I have dedicated eighty years of my life to You. I have given all my possessions , my body, and my soul to You. Why should I suffer from this pain? Why should I be tormented this way ?” He cried and cried in his pain, all the while complaining to God under his breath.

[*] Kadavul (T):  A quality of God in Tamil. The Supreme-power so to say OMNIPOTENT, surpassing everything, but hidden(Al-Batin)

At long last God answered him, “O man, O devotee, you have never seen Me and you cannot see Me now. How can anyone serve Me If he cannot see Me? For the past eighty years you have seen only yourself. Just being in this temple does not mean that you have seen Me. Who did all this duty you speak of?  It was I who worked for you for eighty years. You never did anything for Me.

“You did your own duty, not Mine. If you had done My duty for even one second, you would have seen Me in that second. All your effort was for your own sake, taking care of your own pujas and worship. And now you are blaming Me for this little illness.

“Have you really looked at your self?  Was all that duty for Me or was it for you? Look at all the karma [*] this person brought and that person brought; look at the evils and demons people brought. Because you took the responsibility for all of them upon yourself, you experienced them personally. If you had seen Me just once, you would not have taken even an atom of their karma in to yourself. You would have been searching for Me and My qualities.

[*] Karma (T):  Inherited qualities formed at the time of conception, qualities of the essences of the five elements; qualities of the mind and desire.

“Instead you searched for and took what other people were trying to give away. You took all of these karmic illnesses, thinking that you had the power to destroy them. But I forgave you because you were so full of ignorance. The little illness you are now experiencing in your leg is only a small portion that went beyond My forgiveness. It is only a small pain, and yet you are finding fault with Me, wondering why I am doing this to you. But I am wondering what you would do if you had to experience the full pain of all the karma you have taken on over the years.

“O priest , it was your ignorance that complained to Me. You have not understood your own faults and so you find fault with Me, crying ,’ O God , I have done so much for You. I have dedicated my body , my soul, and my possessions to You, and look what I get in return!’

“O man, take a good look at yourself,” God advised him. And when the priest looked, he saw his whole body, his skin, and his blood filled with all the illness, poisons, snakes, and scorpions which had come from all the karma that people had brought to him over the years. He had taken all their sins upon himself, but he had also taken fruits and flowers that the people had placed in the temple to help alone for their sins. There was no contribution or offering that he had not tasted and taken for himself- the mangoes, the coconuts, everything. He always took three shares, two for himself and one for the others who worked in the temple.

“O priest, you took for yourself the food offerings that were brought to Me. And in your ignorance you turned Me into a temple filled with statues. It was not Me you were worshipping, it was the hunger of your stomach. O devotee, do you understand your devotion better now? If even an atom ‘s worth of the work you did had been My work, you would not have kept all the things that people brought.

“O devotee, understand this and act accordingly. If you perform My work for even a second, you will see Me. And once you see Me, your connection to that karma will leave you. But some time must still pass before you can reach that state. When that time comes, it will only take you a second to understand. Meanwhile you must do your duty correctly.” This is what God told the temple priest.

Then the priest became a true devotee. He looked deeply into his own state and his own body begged, “O Father, my God, forgive me for what I have done! Forgive me. Save me , my Father, my God, my Allah!”

Children, we too must constantly think of what kind of duty we are doing in the world and of how we should show our devotion to God. If we go to the temples and places of worship and pray with selfish thoughts in our minds, we will only gather sins. As long as we dwell upon our karma, we will have illness and disease.

We must give the responsibility for our hearts, our souls, and our love to God. Then we will see Him and our karma will end. Then our sins, our anger, our poverty, and our illnesses will not touch us. We will attain freedom for our souls, and we will know peace, serenity, and justice in ourselves and in others. We will know the love which is compassion. We will be filled with the wealth of God and the wealth of grace and wisdom, both in this world and in the next. When we receive those treasures , we will attain triumph and victory in our lives.

Very precious children, jewelled lights of my eyes and my soul, we must think about this and realize ourselves. The mirror of wisdom, perfection, and purity is within our innermost heart, our qalb. Within that mirror we will see and understand all the thoughts we have while performing our duty. We will see our lives, ourselves, our beauty, and our forms. The ability to see all that is within us.

My love you, my grandchildren. If we search for wisdom and God’s qualities , we will know ourselves [*] . This is what the prophets have told us. It is the word of God. Therefore, let us think about this and perform the duty that we have to do in our lives: our duty to God, to the people, to the world , to the soul, and to the sheikh. We have to know what these duties really are and how to do them correctly.

[*] This comes from a qudsi hadith saying “man `arafa nafsahu fa qad `arafa rabbahu”, The one who knows his nafs, knows his Rabb. The Qualities of God mentioned in here are called Asma –ul Husna (Beautiful Names of ALLAH). When beatiful names of ALLAH manifests(tajalli) within a person, that person is coloured by Ahlaqullah(Qualities of ALLAH). The seeds of these names are within each human being in a potential form. When a person follows the ibadats and religious duties defined by ALLAH and His Rasul in Islam with sincerity(samimiyat), devotedly(sadaqat) and patiently(sabr), those seeds will turn in to beautiful flowers giving various fragrances as beautiful qualities, manners and actions within that person. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (Rh.a) describes this in many different ways in his books and speeches.

O God, do not allow the sins that we ourselves gather and the sins that come from others to collect in us. Save us from our karma and from all the evils that surround us. Do not let them touch us. Cut them away and help us to put them aside. Amin. Please give us wisdom, good qualities, and tranquillity. Amin.

NOTE: Dear brothers and sisters. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen(Rh.a) may use various terms in his books and speeches coming from Hindu, Christian, Islamic etc. literature. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (K.S) is a blessed muslim saint and taught in Islamic Frame by being loyal to ALLAH and HIS RASUL(SAW). However, he was trying to explain Haqiqat(The Truth) in the USA to the people from various cultures and religions. That is why he used the phrases relevant to them in their religions, while giving speeches in a multi religious environment.

For instance, he used the term “My Father“ in this story. This should not be perceived as a biological father son relationship that we have with our fathers. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen stated in one of his speeches that “God has no form. He has no shadow. There is nothing in comparison to Him. He has neither wife nor child.” So one should not misinterpret his sayings. It is a treasure that his methods of teaching can bring the religions e.g Christianity and Judaism under the umbrella of Islam.

Barbaros Sert

www.muhammedinur.com/En

RELATED REFERENCES FROM QUR’AN:

Ash-Shuraa  [42/48]:

فَإِنْ أَعْرَضُوا فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا إِنْ عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ وَإِنَّا إِذَا أَذَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً فَرِحَ بِهَا وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ فَإِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ كَفُورٌ

Fa’in ‘A`rađū Famā ‘Arsalnāka `Alayhim Ĥafīžāan ‘In `Alayka ‘Illā Al-Balāghu Wa ‘Innā ‘Idhā ‘Adhaqnā Al-’Insāna Minnā Raĥmatan Fariĥa Bihā Wa ‘In Tuşibhum Sayyi’atun Bimā Qaddamat ‘Aydīhim Fa’inna Al-’Insāna Kafūru

If then they turn away, We have not sent thee as a guard over them. Thy duty is but to convey (the Message). And truly, when We give man a taste of a Mercy from ourselves, he doth exult thereat, but when some ill happens to him, on account of the deeds which his hands have sent forth, truly then is man ungrateful!

Al-Fajr [89/16]:

وَأَمَّا إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ

Wa ‘Ammā ‘Idhā Mā Abtalāhu Faqadara `Alayhi Rizqahu Fayaqūlu Rabbī ‘Ahānani

But whenever He trieth him by straitening his means of life, he saith: My Lord despiseth me.

Hud [11/9]:

وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَا الإِنْسَانَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً ثُمَّ نَزَعْنَاهَا مِنْهُ إِنَّهُ لَيَئُوسٌ كَفُورٌ

Wa La’in ‘Adhaqnā Al-’Insāna Minnā Raĥmatan Thumma Naza`nāhā Minhu ‘Innahu Laya’ūsun Kafūrun

And if We cause man to taste some mercy from Us and afterward withdraw it from him, lo! he is despairing, thankless.

An-Nisa [4/40]:

إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ وَإِن تَكُ حَسَنَةً يُضَاعِفْهَا وَيُؤْتِ مِن لَّدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

‘Inna Allāha Lā Yažlimu Mithqāla Dharratin Wa ‘In Taku Ĥasanatan Yuđā`ifhā Wa Yu’uti Min Ladunhu ‘Ajrāan `Ažīmāan

Lo! Allah wrongeth not even of the weight of an ant; and if there is a good deed, He will double it and will give (the doer) from His presence an immense reward.

Yunus [10/44]:

إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَظْلِمُ النَّاسَ شَيْئًا وَلَـكِنَّ النَّاسَ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

‘Inna Allāha Lā Yažlimu An-Nāsa Shay’āan Wa Lakinna An-Nāsa ‘Anfusahum Yažlimūna

İnnellahe la yazlimün nase şey’ev ve lakinnen nase enfüsehüm yazlimun:

Verily Allah will not deal unjustly with man in aught: it is man that wrongs his own soul.

Yunis [10/106]:

وَلاَ تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مَا لاَ يَنفَعُكَ وَلاَ يَضُرُّكَ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِّنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Wa Lā Tad`u Min Dūni Allāhi Mā Lā Yanfa`uka Wa Lā Yađurruka Fa’in Fa`alta Fa’innaka ‘Idhāan Mina Až-Žālimīna:

And cry not, beside Allah, unto that which cannot profit thee nor hurt thee, for if thou didst so then wert thou of the wrong-doers.

At-Tawbah [9/34]:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ كَثِيراً مِّنَ الأَحْبَارِ وَالرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

Yā ‘Ayyuhā Al-Ladhīna ‘Āmanū ‘Inna Kathīrāan Mina Al-’Aĥbāri Wa Ar-Ruhbāni Laya’kulūna ‘Amwāla An-Nāsi Bil-Bāţili Wa Yaşuddūna `An Sabīli Allāhi Wa Al-Ladhīna Yaknizūna Adh-Dhahaba Wa Al-Fiđđata Wa Lā Yunfiqūnahā Fī Sabīli Allāhi Fabashshirhum Bi`adhābin ‘Alīmin :

O ye who believe there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites, who in falsehood devour the substance of men and hinder (them) from the way of Allah. And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah: announce unto them a most grievous penalty

Tevbe [9/35]:

يَوْمَ يُحْمَى عَلَيْهَا فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَى بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ هَـذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ

Yawma Yuĥmá `Alayhā Fī Nāri Jahannama Fatukwá Bihā Jibāhuhum Wa Junūbuhum Wa Žuhūruhum Hādhā Mā Kanaztum Li’nfusikum Fadhūqū Mā Kuntum Taknizūna :

On the day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs. This is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourself: taste ye then, the (treasures) ye buried.

Bakara [2/174]:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَشْتَرُونَ بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً أُولَـئِكَ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ إِلاَّ النَّارَ وَلاَ يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلاَ يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

‘Inna Al-Ladhīna Yaktumūna Mā ‘Anzala Allāhu Mina Al-Kitābi Wa Yashtarūna Bihi Thamanāan Qalīlāan ‘Ūlā‘ika Mā Ya’kulūna Fī Buţūnihim ‘Illā An-Nāra Wa Lā Yukallimuhumu Allāhu Yawma Al-Qiyāmati Wa Lā Yuzakkīhim Wa Lahum `Adhābun ‘Alīmun :

Those who conceal Allah’s revelations in the Book, and purchase for them a miserable profit - they swallow into themselves naught but Fire; Allah will not address them on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them: grievous will be their Penalty.

Al-Ali Imran [3/187]:

وَلاَ يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لِّأَنفُسِهِمْ إِنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِثْمًا وَلَهْمُ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ

Wa ‘Idh ‘Akhadha Allāhu Mīthāqa Al-Ladhīna ‘Ūtū Al-Kitāba Latubayyinunnahu Lilnnāsi Wa Lā Taktumūnahu Fanabadhūhu Warā‘a Žuhūrihim Wa Ashtaraw Bihi Thamanāan Qalīlāan Fabi’sa Mā Yashtarūna: And remember Allah took a Covenant from the People of the Book, to make it known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it; but they threw it away behind their backs, and purchased with it some miserable gain and vile was the bargain they made.

Bakara [2/272]:

لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَـكِنَّ اللّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاء وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلأنفُسِكُمْ وَمَا تُنفِقُونَ إِلاَّ ابْتِغَاء وَجْهِ اللّهِ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تُظْلَمُونَ

Laysa `Alayka Hudāhum Wa Lakinna Allāha Yahdī Man Yashā‘u Wa Mā Tunfiqū Min Khayrin Fali’anfusikum Wa Mā Tunfiqūna ‘Illā Abtighā‘a Wajhi Allāhi Wa Mā Tunfiqū Min Khayrin Yuwaffa ‘Ilaykum Wa ‘Antum Lā Tužlamūna:

It is not required of thee (O Messenger), to set them on the right path, but Allah sets on the right path whom He pleaseth. Whatever of good ye give benefits your own souls, and ye shall only do so seeking the “Face” of Allah. Whatever good ye give, shall be rendered back to you, and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly.

An-Nahl [16/115]:

إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةَ وَالْدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ الْخَنزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللّهِ بِهِ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلاَ عَادٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

‘Innamā Ĥarrama `Alaykumu Al-Maytata Wa Ad-Dama Wa Laĥma Al-Khinzīri Wa Mā ‘Uhilla Lighayri Allāhi Bihi Famani Ađţurra Ghayra Bāghin Wa Lā `Ādin Fa’inna Allāha Ghafūrun Raĥīmu:

He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Bakara [2/177]:

لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَـكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَالْمَلآئِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاء والضَّرَّاء وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ

Laysa Al-Birra ‘An Tuwallū Wujūhakum Qibala Al-Mashriqi Wa Al-Maghribi Wa Lakinna Al-Birra Man ‘Āmana Billāhi Wa Al-Yawmi Al-’Ākhiri Wa Al-Malā‘ikati Wa Al-Kitābi Wa An-Nabīyīna Wa ‘Ātá Al-Māla `Alá Ĥubbihi Dhawī Al-Qurbá Wa Al-Yatāmá Wa Al-Masākīna Wa Abna As-Sabīli Wa As-Sā‘ilīna Wa Fī Ar-Riqābi Wa ‘Aqāma Aş-Şalāata Wa ‘Ātá Az-Zakāata Wa Al-Mūfūna Bi`ahdihim ‘Idhā `Āhadū Wa Aş-Şābirīna Fī Al-Ba’sā‘i Wa Ađ-Đarrā‘i Wa Ĥīna Al-Ba’si ‘Ūlā‘ika Al-Ladhīna Şadaqū Wa ‘Ūlā‘ika Humu Al-Muttaqūna:

It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the Prophets; and giveth his wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor-due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the God-fearing.