“Long, long ago there lived a man devoted to learning. He had dedicated his entire life to the pursuit of knowledge, and a large part of it was mystical knowledge. One day, this learned man was walking along the bank of a river. Suddenly he heard a loud voice that interrupted his reflections. He listened and heard someone calling out:
‘A ya ha! A ya ha! A ya ha!’
‘Oh, this is the sacred formula for walking on water,’ the learned man said to himself. ‘I remember reading it in an ancient and very secret book. But this man is pronouncing the formula incorrectly, and he is doing it in vain. Instead of saying “A ya ha,” he should say only “Ya ha.”’
After thinking for a moment, the learned man decided that he was wiser, more conscious, and more diligent, and that it was his duty to teach this unfortunate fellow, who, although he did not know the correct formula, was clearly making every effort.
So the learned man hired a boat and set off toward the island from which the sounds were coming. On the island he saw a Sufi mystic who from time to time was still loudly and incorrectly repeating the formula.
‘My friend,’ said the learned man, ‘you are pronouncing the formula incorrectly, and it is my duty to tell you its true sound, because not only the one who receives benefits, but also the one who gives.’
And he gave him the correct pronunciation of the formula.
‘Thank you, my friend,’ replied the Sufi. ‘Thank you for crossing the river especially for me and for giving me this priceless gift. Thank you.’
Satisfied, the learned man sat back in the boat and headed for the opposite shore with a sense of duty fulfilled. For some time, not a sound was heard from the hut, but the learned man was confident that his efforts had not been in vain.
And suddenly from the hut came the hesitant ‘A ya ha,’ ‘A ya ha.’ The learned man began to reflect on how stubborn people are and how stuck they are in their delusions.
Suddenly he heard a strange splash. The learned man turned and froze in astonishment. Coming straight toward him over the water, as if over land, was the Sufi. The Sufi came up to the boat and asked:
‘Good man, forgive me for troubling you, but could you tell me once again how to pronounce the formula for walking on water, because I did not remember anything…’”
Source: An ancient parable of wisdom
