I am reading The Arabian Nights as translated by Malcolm Lyons. It is a 3 volume set. Link to browse the first volume is below:
I saw some parallels between my life and the stories in the book. I think that you will find that the same lessons apply to your life as well. Below are the points which struck me as I was reading the book:
The first point is that no one is spared suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Many, in fact most, stories in the book relate how perfectly ordinary people, who had done nothing to deserve their misfortunes, had to suffer the hard blows of fate. One incident, when they were young and foolish, was enough to change the direction of their whole lives – mostly for the worse. I think a lot of people reading this may be able to say that something similar has happened to them. I know it has for me.
The stories are however told in a very detached manner and completely without any sentimentality. If you read and reread the book you should be able to imbibe a similar attitude and this should help you accept your trials and hardships well.
Just to know that whatever hardships you are facing are the will of God (the book makes it plain that all power is in the hands of the Almighty) and also that other people have faced whatever you are suffering – and then some – since mythological times gives a lot of consolation.
A second point is that the book tells stories that make it plain that most people – even those in high positions – are hasty, foolish, unjust and are malicious as well. The politics and scheming that goes on in any person’s life, whether rich or poor, is depicted tellingly. So, if you are young and still wet behind the ears reading The Arabian Nights will help you understand human nature and you will be able to let go your belief of trusting in the milk of human kindness. This should help you immensely in safeguarding and protecting yourself.
In this connection I am reminded of a passage from the French philosopher Voltaire’s classic book Candide. The passage goes as under:
“Do you believe,” said Candide, “that men have always massacred one another as they do today, that they have always been liars, cheats, traitors, ingrates, brigands, idiots, thieves, scoundrels, gluttons, drunkards, misers, envious, ambitious, bloody-minded, calumniators, debauchees, fanatics, hypocrites and fools?”
“Do you believe,” said Martin, “that hawks have always eaten pigeons when they have found them?”
“Without doubt,” said Candide.
“Well, then,” said Martin, “if hawks have always had the same character, why should you imagine that men have changed theirs?”
This is Kalyug – the age of Kali. The sooner we accept this fact and understand what human nature really is it will help us to better safeguard our interests and also those close to us.
However for those of you who want to take an interest in spirituality there is one other distinction to be made. And that is between a person’s behaviour and his being. As far as the behaviour of a person is concerned he may be a miscreant. But he carries within himself the Divine spark or essence which is his being and he shares this same Divine essence with you.
And according to Islamic teachings a conscious distinction between behaviour and being has the power to shift Heaven and Earth
And as I said earlier, we also need to accept that no one is exempt from the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Once we accept and experience this fact, we have a chance of transcending it and taking steps towards the Divine.
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