Interesting information about Sai Baba that I was reminded of in my daily Meher Baba newsletter (link).
On June 5th 1927, Baba went with a few of the mandali to Aurangabad, and from there proceeded to the Ellora Caves and the area called Khuldabad. While drinking tea at Khuldabad, Baba disclosed, “The tomb of Sai Baba’s Master Zarzari Bakhsh is in Khuldabad.” When asked how this could be since Zarzari Bakhsh actually lived hundreds of years prior to Sai Baba, Meher Baba answered, “You have no idea of how great is the grace of the Perfect Master. While Zarzari Bakhsh was alive, Sai, in a previous incarnation, was his disciple. The Master’s grace descended upon him at that time; however, it carried over and made him perfect after seven hundred years. Zarzari Bakhsh means Giver of the Wealth of Wealth. This he gave to Sai.” The group returned to Meherabad the same day. Sai Baba of Shirdi had physical contact with other Masters — Gopal Rao and the Swami of Akalkot. However, it was Zarzari Baksh who bestowed Realization upon Sai while he was in a cave at Khuldabad. The Swami of Akalkot brought Sai down and made him a Perfect Master.
Thus the connection between a Perfect Master and his disciple can extend over lifetimes and Realisation can be bestowed in the physical absence of the Master, although I surmise that this is not the norm. I've been to the Ellora Caves and even to the cave at Khuldabad (about four miles away) were Sai Baba received Enlightenment.
Wikipedia (the source of all knowledge) had this to say about Khuldabad:
The name 'Khuldabad' translates to 'Abode of Eternity'. It is derived from the posthumous title of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, 'khuld-makan' (lit. 'Dwelling in Paradise'); the name came into currency following Aurangzeb's interment in the city. Priorly, the city was known as 'Rauza' (lit. 'Garden of Paradise'), a common term used to describe Sufi shrines in South Asia.
This made me realise how little I know about the Mughal Empire and reference to Sufi shrines I found quite intriguing. I downloaded "The Last Mughal" by William Dalrymple from the Internet Archive and transferred it to my Kindle. It looks like an interesting read.
On a hazy November afternoon in Rangoon, 1862, a shrouded corpse was escorted by a small group of British soldiers to an anonymous grave in a prison enclosure. As the British Commissioner in charge insisted, “No vestige will remain to distinguish where the last of the Great Moghuls rests.”
Bahadur Shah Zafar II, the last Mughal Emperor, was a mystic, an accomplished poet and a skilled calligrapher. But while his Mughal ancestors had controlled most of India, the aged Zafar was king in name only. Deprived of real political power by the East India Company, he nevertheless succeeded in creating a court of great brilliance, and presided over one of the great cultural renaissances of Indian history.
Then, in 1857, Zafar gave his blessing to a rebellion among the Company’s own Indian troops, thereby transforming an army mutiny into the largest uprising any empire had to face in the entire course of the nineteenth century. The Siege of Delhi was the Raj’s Stalingrad: one of the most horrific events in the history of Empire, in which thousands on both sides died. And when the British took the city—securing their hold on the subcontinent for the next ninety years—tens of thousands more Indians were executed, including all but two of Zafar’s sixteen sons. By the end of the four-month siege, Delhi was reduced to a battered, empty ruin, and Zafar was sentenced to exile in Burma. There he died, the last Mughal ruler in a line that stretched back to the sixteenth century.
Award-winning historian and travel writer William Dalrymple shapes his powerful retelling of this fateful course of events from groundbreaking material: previously unexamined Urdu and Persian manuscripts that include Indian eyewitness accounts and records of the Delhi courts, police and administration during the siege. The Last Mughal is a revelatory work—the first to present the Indian perspective on the fall of Delhi—and has as its heart both the dazzling capital personified by Zafar and the stories of the individuals tragically caught up in one of the bloodiest upheavals in history.
The following appeared in my inbox today from the Meher Baba Centre in Bombay and quoted from Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 7, pp. 2391 – 2393:
(Feb.1939) On one occasion, referring to the purpose of his visits to different shrines, tombs or dargahs of saints and Perfect Masters, Baba stated:
By my living presence, I clean the tangled atmosphere of the shrines of the dead saints, Sadgurus and Qutubs. This complicated atmosphere is of the thought world. Thought force is really very strong and powerful. Chaitanya did not go to places of pilgrimage for the sake of pilgrimage, but for cleansing their atmosphere which were full of the sanskaras of thoughts of worldly people. Chaitanya was a Hindu Perfect Master, during the time of Shankara. He originated the ecstatic song or evocation, “Hare Krishna, Hare Ram!”
For my work, a pilgrim on the third plane is more helpful than the place of a dead Master of the seventh plane; but a well-known dead saint or Master may have a strong influence due to the multitudes going to his tomb. That is why I thin down the effect of this complicated thought atmosphere by visiting such places.
Meher Baba went to the shrine of Mu’inuddin Chishti several times. Chishti is responsible for more converts to Islam in India that any other man. He converted over two hundred thousand people during his time in India; no one else ever did such, even the Mughal warlords during their invasions. On a later occasion, Meher Baba revealed that the Sufi Master Mu’inuddin Khwaja Saheb Chishti was the Qutub-e-Irshad of his time.
I asked Bard to explain the term Qutub-e-Irshad (link):
The term "Qutub-e-Irshad" is a composite phrase consisting of three words:
Qutub: This word in Arabic can have multiple meanings depending on the context. In Sufi terminology, it often refers to a "pole star" or a spiritual guide who serves as a central figure within a specific lineage or order. It implies the individual holds high spiritual authority and wisdom.
e-: This is a Persian connecting particle, meaning "of" or "belonging to."
Irshad: This word in Arabic signifies "guidance" or "instruction."
Therefore, when combined, "Qutub-e-Irshad" translates roughly to "Pole Star of Guidance" or "Master of Instruction." It refers to a highly respected spiritual leader within a Sufi tradition who offers guidance and instruction on the path of spiritual enlightenment.
Meher Baba explained that at any given time on Earth there are five Qutubs or Perfect Masters overseeing the affairs of the world. One of these five in charge and is referred to as the Qutub-e-Irshad. Of the five Qutubs in Meher Baba's early life, Sai Baba was the Qutub-e-Irshad:
Was this ascetic a Hindu or a Muslim? People of every religion and caste in India would seek him out. This holy man belonged to no caste or religion or "ism." He himself was the true fakir, the Emperor of Emperors. Why would people journey hundreds of miles to see him? Because his eyes shone brilliantly with a magnetism that drew them towards him. The light in his eyes attracted thousands to his feet.
Hidden in this extraordinary fakir was the Qutub-e-Irshad of the age — the head of the spiritual hierarchy and the leading Perfect Master of his time. He who held the key to all worlds and universes in his very hands appeared as a ragged beggar in a nondescript village in India. In his hands the conflicting forces of the world's turmoil and the throes of the universes were kept balanced! It may be difficult for a worldly-minded materialist to believe this, but it is a spiritual fact. Source.
Bard had this to say about Mu’inuddin Chishti (link):
Mu'inuddin Chishti: A Revered Figure in Sufi Islam
Mu'inuddin Chishti, also known as Khwaja Gharib Nawaz ("comforter of the poor"), was a revered Sufi preacher, scholar, and mystic who played a significant role in spreading and shaping the Chishti Order of Sunni Islam in the Indian subcontinent. Here's a summary of his life and contributions:
Life and Lineage:
Born in Sistan, Persia (present-day Iran) in 1141 CE.
Descended from both Prophet Muhammad and Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Received spiritual guidance from renowned Sufi masters in his youth.
Embarked on a pilgrimage to Mecca, spending time in Baghdad and Delhi before settling in Ajmer, India, in 1206 CE.
Contributions:
Established the Chishti Order in India: He is considered the founder of the Chishti Order in the Indian subcontinent, known for its emphasis on love, devotion, and inclusivity.
Promoted interfaith dialogue: He cultivated relationships with people of different faiths, fostering peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding.
Emphasized service to humanity: His teachings stressed compassion, generosity, and service to the poor and marginalized.
Attracted diverse followers: His charismatic personality and message resonated with people from all walks of life, regardless of caste, creed, or social status.
Left a lasting legacy: His tomb in Ajmer became a major pilgrimage site, attracting devotees from all over the world.
Significance:
Mu'inuddin Chishti's contributions are considered pivotal in the spread of Islam in India, particularly Sufism, which offered a more mystical and inward-looking approach to faith.
His teachings and personal example resonated with diverse communities, contributing to social harmony and interfaith dialogue in the region.
He continues to be revered as a spiritual guide and source of inspiration, not just for Muslims but for people of all faiths and backgrounds.
Further Exploration:
If you're interested in learning more about Mu'inuddin Chishti, here are some resources:
I watched an interesting video today about Tunisia's Sufi tradition. I asked ChatGPT for more information.
Can you provide some details of the history of Sufism in Tunisia?
Sufism, which refers to Islamic mysticism, has a long history in Tunisia dating back to the early Islamic period. The first Sufi orders or Tariqas were established in the country in the 12th century, with the arrival of Sufi saints from other parts of the Muslim world.
The two most important Sufi orders in Tunisia are the Qadiriyya and the Shadhiliyya. The Qadiriyya order was introduced to Tunisia in the 16th century and became popular in the 18th century, while the Shadhiliyya order was introduced in the 17th century and became dominant in the 19th century.
Sufism played an important role in the spread of Islam in Tunisia, particularly in rural areas where Sufi leaders or marabouts were often the main religious authorities. The marabouts were also involved in social and political activities, and their influence extended beyond religious matters.
During the colonial period, Sufi orders played an important role in the resistance to French rule, and many Sufi leaders were involved in the struggle for independence. After independence, Sufi orders continued to play a prominent role in Tunisian society, particularly in rural areas.
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in Sufism in Tunisia, with a growing number of young people joining Sufi orders and attending Sufi gatherings. Sufi leaders have also been active in promoting interfaith dialogue and tolerance in the country.
I sought to find out a little more about the origins of Tunisia as a country.
How did Tunisia originate as a country? How it is different from its neighbors like Libya and Algeria?
Tunisia, like many other countries in North Africa, has a complex history of multiple civilizations and empires. The region that is now Tunisia was inhabited by Berber tribes since ancient times, and was subsequently conquered by Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, and Ottoman Turks.
The modern nation-state of Tunisia emerged as a result of the French colonization of the country in the late 19th century. Tunisia became a French protectorate in 1881 and remained so until 1956 when it gained independence.
Compared to its neighbors Libya and Algeria, Tunisia has several unique characteristics. Firstly, Tunisia is the smallest country in North Africa in terms of land area, with a population of around 12 million people. It is also the most densely populated country in North Africa.
Secondly, Tunisia has a long history of political stability, with a relatively smooth transition from authoritarianism to democracy after the Tunisian Revolution in 2011. This is in contrast to the ongoing conflicts and instability in Libya and Algeria.
Thirdly, Tunisia has a more diverse economy compared to Libya and Algeria, with a strong focus on tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing. Tunisia is also known for its highly educated workforce, with a literacy rate of over 80%.
Lastly, Tunisia has a unique culture that has been shaped by its history and geography. Its location at the crossroads of Mediterranean and African cultures has given rise to a rich culinary tradition, as well as a diverse artistic and musical heritage.
Returning to the topic of Sufism, I asked:
Who were some of the best known Sufi saints who are associated with Sufism in Tunisia?
Sufism, or Islamic mysticism, has a rich history in Tunisia, with many prominent Sufi saints having emerged over the centuries. Here are some of the best-known Sufi saints associated with Sufism in Tunisia:
Sidi Ali Azouz: A 16th-century Sufi saint who is considered one of the most important figures in Tunisian Sufism. He is credited with spreading the Qadiriyya Sufi order throughout the country.
Sidi Bou Said: A 13th-century Sufi saint who is widely revered in Tunisia. He founded a Sufi order known as the Nasiriyya, and his tomb in the coastal town of Sidi Bou Said is a popular pilgrimage site.
Sidi Belhassen Chedly: A 19th-century Sufi saint who is known for his emphasis on spirituality and piety. He founded a Sufi order known as the Chedliyya, which is still active today.
Sidi Ali Ben Aoun: A 16th-century Sufi saint who is considered one of the most influential figures in Tunisian Sufism. He founded a Sufi order known as the Aouniyya, which continues to be active in Tunisia and other parts of North Africa.
Sidi Ahmed Tijani: Although he was born in Algeria, Sidi Ahmed Tijani was an influential Sufi saint who spent much of his life in Tunisia. He founded the Tijaniyya Sufi order, which is now one of the largest Sufi orders in the world.
These are just a few examples of the many Sufi saints who have played important roles in the development of Sufism in Tunisia.
I asked about the differences between Sufism and mainstream Islam.
How does Sufism differ from mainstream or more traditional Islam?
Sufism, also known as Islamic mysticism, is a spiritual and mystical dimension of Islam that emphasizes the inward search for God and the purification of the soul. While Sufism is a part of Islam, it differs from mainstream or more traditional Islam in several ways:
Emphasis on spiritual experience: Sufism places a greater emphasis on the individual's personal experience of God than traditional Islam, which focuses more on adherence to ritual practices and adherence to Islamic law.
Importance of spiritual guides: Sufism places great importance on the role of spiritual guides, known as Sufi masters or sheikhs, who help their disciples on their path to spiritual enlightenment. Traditional Islam also acknowledges the importance of religious scholars, but does not place the same emphasis on spiritual guides.
Use of music and dance: Sufism often incorporates music and dance as a means of reaching a state of spiritual ecstasy and connection with God. This is in contrast to traditional Islam, which generally discourages music and dancing.
Tolerance and universalism: Sufism often promotes tolerance, universalism, and a focus on the unity of all religions and people. This can be seen as different from some more traditional interpretations of Islam, which may emphasize the separation of Muslims from non-Muslims and the importance of adhering strictly to Islamic law.
Focus on love and compassion: Sufism often emphasizes the importance of love and compassion in the spiritual journey, and encourages the cultivation of these qualities as a means of purifying the soul. Traditional Islam also places importance on these qualities, but may not place the same emphasis on their role in spiritual development.
It is worth noting that Sufism is a diverse and multifaceted tradition with many different interpretations and practices. As such, not all Sufis may adhere to all of the above characteristics, and there may be some overlap between Sufism and traditional Islam.
I asked about the status of Sufism in Indonesia.
What is the status of Sufism in modern day Indonesia? Is it widely practiced or it is marginalized?
Sufism has a long and deep history in Indonesia and is still widely practiced today. In fact, Indonesia is considered one of the largest centers of Sufism in the world. Sufism has been an integral part of the Islamic tradition in Indonesia since the arrival of Islam in the archipelago in the 13th century.
Today, Sufism is practiced by a significant portion of the Muslim population in Indonesia. Many Muslims in Indonesia are followers of Sufi orders, such as the Naqshbandi, Qadiriyya, and Shattariyah orders. These orders have established networks of mosques, Islamic schools, and charitable organizations throughout the country.
Sufi leaders, known as kyai or ulama, continue to play an important role in Indonesian society, offering spiritual guidance and social services to their followers. In addition to their spiritual and religious roles, Sufi leaders have also been involved in social and political activism, including advocating for democracy, human rights, and environmental protection.
While Sufism has faced some marginalization in Indonesia due to the rise of more conservative and fundamentalist interpretations of Islam, it continues to be a vibrant and influential part of the country's religious landscape. Many Indonesians see Sufism as a way to reconcile Islamic teachings with local traditions and cultures, and as a means of promoting tolerance, pluralism, and social justice.
I asked about important historical figures in the history of Indonesian Sufism.
Who are some of the most important saints in Indonesian Sufism?
Indonesia has a rich tradition of Sufism, and there are many important Sufi saints who are venerated by Indonesian Muslims. Here are a few examples:
Sunan Bonang: A 16th-century Sufi saint who is considered one of the most important figures in Indonesian Sufism. He is associated with the Wali Songo, a group of nine Muslim saints who spread Islam in Java. Sunan Bonang is known for his emphasis on the importance of love, compassion, and harmony in the spiritual path.
Syekh Abdul Qadir Jailani: A 12th-century Sufi saint who is highly revered in Indonesia. He is associated with the Qadiriyya Sufi order, which has a large following in Indonesia. Syekh Abdul Qadir Jailani is known for his emphasis on the importance of repentance and seeking God's forgiveness.
Syekh Siti Jenar: A 15th-century Sufi saint who is associated with the mystical tradition of Java. He is known for his controversial teachings, which challenged traditional Islamic orthodoxy and emphasized the unity of all religions. Despite facing persecution and condemnation from some quarters, Syekh Siti Jenar continues to be venerated by many Indonesians.
Syekh Ahmad Dahlan: A 19th-century Sufi saint who founded the Muhammadiyah movement, one of the largest Islamic organizations in Indonesia. He emphasized the importance of education and social reform in the Islamic community, and sought to promote a more moderate and tolerant interpretation of Islam.
Hamka: A 20th-century Sufi saint who was a prolific writer and Islamic scholar. He played a key role in promoting a more modern and progressive interpretation of Islam in Indonesia, and his writings continue to be widely read and influential today.
These are just a few examples of the many important Sufi saints in Indonesian history. The diversity and richness of Indonesian Sufism is reflected in the many different Sufi orders, traditions, and practices found throughout the country.
I was listening to Van Morrison's "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" where he sings of giving praise to THE ONE.
There's a love that's divine
And it's yours and it's mine
Like the sun
And at the end of the day
We should give thanks and pray
To THE ONE, to THE ONE
I thought I'd check out anagrams of THE ONE and discovered NO THEE which is most apt. THEE is an archaic form of YOU and so what more eloquent equation that this:
THE ONE = NO THEE
From the perspective of THE ONE, there is indeed NO THEE but our perspective that means NO ME. The mention of ME conjures up the word EGO and recently I came across another eloquent equation that involved this word.
For a mathematician, this makes perfect sense. This talk of Mathematics and ME and THEE puts me in mind of Omar Khayyam and his famous Rubaiyat where he says (in Edward Fitzgerald's translation anyway):
There was a Door to which I found no Key:
There was a Veil through which I could not see:
Some little Talk awhile of Me and Thee
There seemed — and then no more of Thee and Me.
I found this blog post from July of 2010 that interprets these words very well I thought:
It’s been too many months since we last had a selection from Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat. First, just take a moment to speak these lines aloud. Really feel its rhythm on your tongue, and let its rhyme dance in your ear. I’m not normally a big fan of strictly rhymed verse, especially in translation, but something about Edward FitzGerald’s translations of Omar Khayyam bring a big smile to my face every time I read them. You can taste the sugar in each line.
There was a Door to which I found no Key:
There was a Veil through which I could not see…
The door that has no key and the veil through which one cannot see is the final barrier that separates us from the Divine Beloved. That barrier is dualism itself.
Some little Talk awhile of Me and Thee
There seemed
At first there is the dualistic perception of “Me and Thee,” of the separate identities of the lover and Beloved. That sense of separation — separation from God, separation from Source, separation from the True Self — is the fundamental pain of the soul.
Caught in the midst of this dynamic, we feel pain, we struggle, we encounter a terrible emptiness we try to hide from through the dramas of life. But looking back from the perspective of deep realisation, it can be seen as a sort of dialog between the soul and the Eternal. The dramas of life… “Some little Talk awhile of Me an Thee…” But there is only a surface appearance here, a seeming — “There seemed”
— and then no more of Thee and Me.
When we look, when we learn to really see, that’s when an amazing thing happens — suddenly that final veil falls away. The barrier is passed, not through some action or “key,” but through the instantaneous recognition that the barrier does not, in truth, exist at all. We are stunned to discover that there is no separation (only the ego’s pretence of a separation). And then — “no more of Thee and Me,” only Divine Presence within, without, everywhere!
Omar Khayyam was best known in his time as a mathematician and astronomer. His theorems are still studied by mathematicians today. His poetry really only became widely read when Edward FitzGerald collected several quatrains (rubaiyat) that were attributed to Khayyam and translated them into English as the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
The common view in the West of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam is that it is a collection of sensual love poems. Although some scholars debate this question, many people assert that Omar Khayyam was a Sufi, as well as a poet and mathematician, and that his Rubaiyat can only be truly understood using the language of mystical metaphor.
Seeing that I discovered Ladinsky's A Year with Hafiz (read my previous post) on November 20th, I'll start with his entry for that day (I've preserved the original spacing):
NOVEMBER 20
ALL THE HEMISPHERES
Leave the familiar for a while. Let your senses and bodies stretch out
like a welcomed season onto meadows and shores and hills.
Open up to the roof. Make a new watermark on your excitement and love.
Like a blooming night flower, bestow your vital fragrance of happiness and giving upon our intimate assembly.
Change rooms in your mind for a day. All the hemispheres in existence lie beside an equator in your soul.
Greet yourself in your thousand other forms as you mount the hidden tide and travel back home.
All the hemispheres in heaven are sitting around a campfire chatting, while
stitching themselves together into the great circle inside of you.
I'm reminded of Walt Whitman's "Song of the Open Road" as I read this. The pivotal phrase for me is "equator in your soul' which is echoed in the last line as "the great circle inside of you", with "great circle" being place in italics for emphasis. A great circle is a circle on the surface of sphere which lies in a plane passing through the sphere's centre. An equator typically refers to a great circle whose plane is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of a spinning sphere. This is illustrated nicely in Figure 1 that shows an equator and meridian as special types of great circles and where the hemispheres that are created are emphasised a well.
Figure 1
For a spinning sphere, it only the two hemispheres created by an equator that have centres of gravity that lie on the rotational axis. If sliced as shown, the two hemispheres created by the equator would continue to spin as before whereas those created by a meridian or any other great circle would fly off on opposite trajectories. The only poise or balance is to found on the equator where the hemispheres still exist but they are perfectly balanced.
It is a great metaphor for a Perfect Master, especially in light of the fact that a Sufi term for such a God-realised being is a Qutub, meaning literally an axis. To quote from Wikipedia:
Qutb, Qutub, Kutb, Kutub or Kotb (Arabic: قطب), means 'axis', 'pivot' or 'pole'. Qutb can refer to celestial movements and used as an astronomical term or a spiritual symbol. In Sufism, a Qutub is the perfect human being, al-Insān al-Kāmil (The Universal Man), who leads the saintly hierarchy. The Qutub is the Sufi spiritual leader that has a divine connection with God and passes knowledge on which makes him central to, or the axis of, Sufism, but he is unknown to the world. There are five Qutubs per era and they are infallible and trusted spiritual leaders. They are only revealed to a select group of mystics because there is a "human need for direct knowledge of God".
On the other hand, the hemispheres created by great circles other than an equator typify our lives before Realisation:
All the hemispheres in existence lie beside an equator in your soul.
In all these lives (the thousand other forms) the opposites are not in balance. It seems to me that Hafiz is exhorting us to step off the current great circle we are on (leave the familiar for a while) and for a while at least be bigger than we imagine ourselves to be:
Let your senses and bodies stretch out like a welcomed season onto meadows and shores and hills. Open up to the roof. Make a new watermark on your excitement and love ... change rooms in your mind for a day
All that has happened, all that is happening and all that will ever happened exist in a configuration beyond time. We move on our great circles and that movement we interpret as time passing. Our attention is constantly shifting from one point on the circle to the next and that shift in attention registers as time passing. All the hemispheres that we have created as we travel along our great circles, life after life, exist simultaneously.
All the hemispheres in heaven are sitting around a campfire chatting, while stitching themselves together into the great circle inside of you.
These are just some of the thoughts that arose from the November 20th entry and it is in no way an exhaustive analysis but it has served its purpose of focusing my attention on spiritual matters. It is spiritual exercise to borrow a phrase used by Saint Ignatius Loyola.
The thought struck me recently that it was time to get serious about spirituality. I realised that I spend most of my time:
working on mathematical or programming problems
reading books or articles on history, geopolitics or about famous people
walking and exercising
eating, sleeping etc.
I asked myself how much time do I spend in "spiritual pursuits", a term that for me means reading material dictated by Meher Baba or about Meher Baba. The answer was simply: not much time at all. On the other hand, I know a Muslim who prays seven times a day, two more than the recommended five, and often for quite lengthy periods of time. This contrasts quite sharply with the meagre time that I allot to my own spiritual pursuits.
By way of addressing this deficiency, I was recently reading additional commentary added by Meher Baba to God Speaks (identified as God Speaks Supplement to Part 2 of God Speaks) where he spends a lot of time discussing Sufi terms and occasionally quoting from Kabir, Rumi and Hafiz. I checked my library and found I had a copy of The Purity of Desire by Daniel Landinsky (with Nancy Owen Barton) which contains a 100 poems of Rumi. A reviewer wrote of this book:
The first full-length volume of Rumi's cherished verse by bestselling poet Daniel Ladinsky. Renowned for his poignant renderings of Hafiz's mystical texts, Daniel Ladinsky captures the beauty, intimacy, and musicality of another of Islam's most beloved poets and spiritual thinkers. In collaboration here with Nancy Owen Barton, and with learned insight and a delicate touch, they explore the nuances of desire—that universal emotion—in verse inspired by Rumi's love and admiration for his companion and spiritual teacher, Shams-e Tabriz. These poems thoughtfully capture the compelling wisdom of one of Islam's most revered artistic and religious voices and one of the most widely read poets in the English language.
This review alerted me to the fact that he had also done some "renderings of Hafiz's mystical texts" and so I managed to get hold of a copy of his book A Year with Hafiz. As I began to read the Acknowledgements, I was in for a surprise. It begins:
I thank my teacher, Eruch Jessawala, with whom I spent a lot of time over a twenty-year period. I think he knew Hafiz intrinsically, more truly and deeply than anyone I have ever met. Not one poem of mine would ever have been published without his extraordinary sanction and a profound, rare insight he revealed to me about my work. And I thank his decades-old little bamboo walking stick—that Zen’s master’s baton—that I journeyed next to for hundreds of miles in India. It lays across my computer as I write. I think my every word leans against it and upon Eruch, in many ways. For he is now the hub of me, and I a spoke he moves.
He concludes his foreward by saying:
What can I say to my dear Master, Meher Baba, for all his help and guidance? Whatever truth, beauty, laughter and charm you may find here, I would say is a gift from him, the Avatar.
So the person that I had more or less randomly chosen to render Hafiz turns out to be a Baba-Lover who was mentored by Eruch. How amazing! This confirmed to me that I was on the right track in my choice of elevating spiritual literature because Hafiz was Baba's favourite poet and who better to render the spirit of Hafiz's writing in English than Landinsky.
I was prompted to find out a little about him and found some biographical details on Wikipedia from which I've extracted the following quote about his early life and background:
Ladinsky was born and brought up in suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, where his father was a wealthy developer. He grew up with two brothers, and had a Jewish upbring as his father was Jewish, though he was also baptized as a Catholic, as his mother was Christian. After studying in small colleges, at age 20, he enrolled at the University of Arizona. During this period he came across the book God Speaks, by Meher Baba, and poetry by Rumi, both of which had a deep impact on him. At the back of the Meher Baba book, he found the address of the five centers dedicated to the spiritual master.
Some time later, as Ladinsky recounted in an interview, intending to drive towards the Andes mountain, he took a detour of a thousand miles, and stopped the Meher Baba Center at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. There, he met the disciple Kitty Davy, then in her seventies, who had spent twenty years in India with Meher Baba. He stayed at the Center for a few months, when Davy advised him to go back to his family, and to find a job that would let him work with his hands. Back home, his father helped him join a carpentry school.
He worked for a few years at a carpentry job, and thereafter joined his father's investment company. Unable to find fulfillment, he visited the Meher Baba Center in South Carolina again. Then, in 1978, Davy advised him to visit the Meher Baba ashram, at Meherabad, near Ahmednagar, India. There he met Meher Baba's sister Mani Irani, and his close disciple, Eruch Jessawala. Though Ladinsky's first visit lasted only two weeks, it started a process which continued with regular visits for the next two decades, and Jessawala became his spiritual teacher. He even lived in a nearby spiritual community at Meherazad for six years, working at the local free clinic and spending time with Jessawala.
His work is not without controversy as the following quote from Wikipedia illustrates:
Scholars and critics point out that Ladinsky's poems are originals, and not translations or interpretations of Hafez. Christopher Shackle describes The Gift as "not so much a paraphrase as a parody of the wondrously wrought style of the greatest master of Persian art-poetry" and Aria Fanil describes his contribution thusly "Ladinsky does not know Persian while his poems bear little or no resemblance to what Hafez has composed". That his poems are neither written nor intended to fall under the purview of literal and/or scholarly translations of Hafiz' work, Ladinsky states in each of his volumes.
He was born in 1948 so he is a year older than me. There is a detailed interview with him to be found on this site. Anyway, I've very little of his poetry and haven't formed any opinion of it whatsoever. I may like it, I may not. Let's see how things unfold.
