THE LIGHT OF THE THREE WORLDS

To Be Truly Happy

When Sadi, a great Sufi poet was a young boy of six, his father, a dervish, took him to the mosque where a night long vigil was being observed. As the night grow Sadi found that one after another, the people who had assembled at the mosque began to fall asleep. Even the mullah had nodded off. Only Sadi and his father remained awake.

The little boy whispered into the ears of his father. Father only you and I are keeping the vigil. All the others have fallen asleep. Sadis father admonished him, it is better that you go off to sleep and not observe the vigil than to find fault with others and think ourselves superior.

When I find fault with others, I regard myself as superior-better than the others. This is pride; this is egoism. This must be overcome if we are to be truly happy.