The Drowned Book : Ecstatic and Earthy Reflections of Bahauddin, the Father of Rumi

Bahauddin, Rumi's father, was not only a major force in the development of Islamic spirituality, but also deeply influential in his son's life. This delightful and provocative collection reveals the depth of thirteenth-century Sufi mystical wisdom and its acute observations into nature, humanity, and the mysteries of life. Full of wit and insight, Bahauddin's notes bring to the reader a deeper understanding of his son Rumi's spiritual and intellectual heritage. After his father's death in 1231, Rumi carried his father's spiritual notebook, known as the Maarif, everywhere. The writer Aflaki tells this story of the meeting of Rumi and Shams: Rumi is sitting by a fountain in Konya talking to his students with the Maarif open on the fountain's ledge. Suddenly, Shams interrupts the conversation and pushes the precious text into the water. ''Who are you and why are you doing this?'' asks Rumi, protesting that this copy of his father's diary is the only one in existence. Shams replies, ''It is time for you to live what you have been reading of and talking about. But if you want, we can retrieve the book. It will be perfectly dry. See?'' And he lifts Bahauddin's notebook out, ''Dry.'' Rumi set aside his father's book and joined Shams; but now, in this first-ever translation of the vital passages of the Maarif, renowned poet Coleman Barks and Persian scholar John Moyne open a window into the world of Rumi, the young man who became one of the world's best-loved poets and great spiritual teachers. Title Page 3 Dedication Page 4 Contents 5 Bahauddin’s Maarif 13 A Note on Translation and Versions of Sama 27 The Manuscripts 37 Book One 41 1:1: Blue Robe 43 1:2-3: One of the Ways God Tastes 43 1:4: This Cup of Seeing, My Wine 44 1:8: Sleep-Tree 44 1:10: Fragrance of an Invisible Flower 45 1:14-15: Morning Salaams 46 1:27-29: Boiling Pot 47 1:29: A Sweetness in Distance 48 1:34-35: Still Growing 49 1:42: Forgiveness and Impulse 49 1:49-50: Loaves at Table 49 1:52-53: The Night Vigil 51 1:62-63: Under the Garden 51 1:64-65: Waiting 52 1:66: Rust 53 1:82-83: Farming Work and Attention to Friendship 54 1:89: Suspended 54 1:92: The Ways of Essence 55 1:103-104: Appetites 55 1:110-111: The Call to Pleasure 56 1:116: Impudent Banter 57 1:128-129: In Each 57 1:129-130: What I Have Just Written 58 1:130: Prison and Presence 58 1:131: Doubting 59 1:137-140: These Attractions 60 1:143: Describing a Taste 61 1:144-145: The Beauty of a Face 61 1:145-146: No Sure Sense 62 1:146-147: Apart from Purposes 62 1:147-148: A King in Half-Sleep 63 1:150: The Quality of What Dies and the Grandeur of the Unmanifest 64 1:151-153: Bread and Praise 64 1:168-169: This Glory of Emptiness 65 1:172-173: One Hour 66 1:174-175: Wondering Argument 66 1:188-189: Several Identical Dreams 67 1:190: High Well-Being 68 1:191-192: Cities and Blessed Dark 69 1:194-195: Blind Trust 69 1:200-201: Mosquitoes 70 1:207-208: Steadiness 70 1:210-211: Massive Root System 71 1:212-213: Every Invigoration 72 1:221-222: Four Birds 73 1:224: The Only Buyer 74 1:228: Dignity and Choice 74 1:232-233: A Wild Madman-Lover 75 1:233-234: Motion and Stillness 75 1:236-237: Oghol the Fool 77 1:237-238: Islam Is for Finding Friends 77 1:245-247: Fall Wherever I Fall 78 1:253-254: The Company of Other Goodnesses 79 1:261-262: Throw It to the Thieves 80 1:263: Here We Sit 81 1:264-265: The Praise-Place 82 1:267: We May Be Lying 83 1:271: Why Don't We Cry 84 1:272: Out Looking for Pleasure 85 1:275-276: Clear for Me the Me 85 1:278-279: Serious Courtship 86 1:293-294: Why Sufis Wear Graveclothes 87 1:295: If There Is No Joseph 87 1:295-296: Jacob 88 1:303-304: Ways of Knowing the Unseen 88 1:304-305: Take No Credit 89 1:310: Friendship Brings Beauty into Your Life 90 1:315-316: White-Bird Sentences 90 1:316-318: The Special Strength of Muhammad's Lineage 92 1:323-324: A Bridge Called Saraat 94 1:324-326: Friday Morning 95 1:327-328: The Daughter of Judge Sharaf and I One Morning 96 1:328-329: Stay Near This Door 96 1:331-332: Why Say Autumn 97 1:337-338: Great Changes in Me I Cannot Describe 98 1:347: The Sun Is a Moth 98 1:352: Spirit-Rationality 99 1:354-355: Being Taken 100 1:359-360: Cut Cords 101 1:361: The Spring of My Soul 102 1:367: Don't Go to Others 103 1:368-369: The Chain of Evidence 104 1:369: Self-Help 106 1:372-373: Individual Bargains 107 1:374: Money-Fragrance 107 1:377-379: Islam and Money 108 1:379-380: The Return Message 109 1:381-382: White-Hot, Red-Orange, Ash 110 1:382-383: Armspread, Wingspan 111 1:383-384: The Young Woman on the Steps 112 1:393-394: No Further Delight 113 1:394-395: Our Animal Energies and Our Beauty 113 1:396-397: The Sophists and Abu Hanifa 114 1:402-403: Eating a Piece of Bread 115 1:404: Profusion 116 1:408: Own Your Faults Openly 117 1:413-414: To Make Abstinence Impossible 118 1:419-420: Lust Alone Does Not Create 118 1:421: Doing Laundry 120 1:424-425: The Six Tiers Above 121 1:426: Doctrinal Arguing 121 1:428-429: How Will He Hear 122 Book Two 123 2:12: Sama 125 2:13-14: The Two Trees 126 2:16-17: The Khotan Ceremony 127 2:18-19: Sleeping in the Mosque 128 2:21-22: Feeling Rained on with Blessings 130 2:22-23: The Beans of Conversation 131 2:23-24: The Pivot 131 2:24: Two Ways of Working 132 2:26-27: Pleasure We Can Never Have Enough Of 132 2:29: A Turning Ball of Silk 133 2:30-31: Inside Your Work 134 2:31-32: Mint 134 2:34: Drops of Muddy Water on My Eyelashes 135 2:35-36: Grace and the Curve of a Hip 136 2:38: Grafting the Red Rose to the White Poplar 136 2:44: A Preliminary Mourner 138 2:52: Honesty 139 2:55-56: Losing Grace 139 2:58: Pairs 140 2:60-61: Fanaticisms 140 2:62: My Mother's Temper 141 2:67: A Beautifully Planted Park 142 2:74-75: Fumes 142 2:78-79: Various Fears 143 2:81: Where's the Rest 143 2:87-88: More Power 144 2:89-90: Free Choice and Fatalism 145 2:92-94: Vital Companions 145 2:95: A Boat Named Quandary 147 2:95b-96 Aliveness 148 2:99-100: Someday 148 2:100-101: A Blur 149 2:107: Be Easier with Your Plans 150 2:109: Tending Children 151 2:111, 113 Decisionmaking Exercises 151 2:114: Some Unfixable Truth 152 2:115-116: Digestion 152 2:117: Lovemaking 154 2:123-124: Seed and Country People 154 2:130: What to Begin Next 155 2:131-133: Troop Movements in Old Battles 156 2:135: The Unique Quality of Your Desire 158 2:138-139: Stuck in a Nowhere Town 159 2:139-140: Nakedness 160 2:141-142: Bukhara for Confections 160 2:143: The Great Crocodile 161 2:143-144: Cure for a Bad Stomachache 162 2:144: My Mother's Sadness 162 2:145a Tufts 162 2:145b A Little Crushed Birdlime 163 2:146: Any More Than a Duck 163 2:154-155: Baghdad and Your Body 164 2:156a Rigid and Ethereal 164 2:156b One Nightwatch 165 2:157: How Alive Do You Want to Be 166 2:159: Miracle Notes 166 2:164: Two Dreams 167 2:164-165: Owning Is Inhuman 168 2:167: Connecting Sentience 169 2:174-175: Orbits of Attention 169 2:176: Changing Schools 170 2:179: Planets and Plants 170 2:181-182: Spring 1210 171 Commentary 173 About the Authors 189 Credits 190 Copyright Notice 191 About the Publisher 192 Title Page......Page 3 Dedication Page......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Bahauddin’s Maarif......Page 13 A Note on Translation and Versions of Sama......Page 27 The Manuscripts......Page 37 Book One......Page 41 1:2-3: One of the Ways God Tastes......Page 43 1:8: Sleep-Tree......Page 44 1:10: Fragrance of an Invisible Flower......Page 45 1:14-15: Morning Salaams......Page 46 1:27-29: Boiling Pot......Page 47 1:29: A Sweetness in Distance......Page 48 1:49-50: Loaves at Table......Page 49 1:62-63: Under the Garden......Page 51 1:64-65: Waiting......Page 52 1:66: Rust......Page 53 1:89: Suspended......Page 54 1:103-104: Appetites......Page 55 1:110-111: The Call to Pleasure......Page 56 1:128-129: In Each......Page 57 1:130: Prison and Presence......Page 58 1:131: Doubting......Page 59 1:137-140: These Attractions......Page 60 1:144-145: The Beauty of a Face......Page 61 1:146-147: Apart from Purposes......Page 62 1:147-148: A King in Half-Sleep......Page 63 1:151-153: Bread and Praise......Page 64 1:168-169: This Glory of Emptiness......Page 65 1:174-175: Wondering Argument......Page 66 1:188-189: Several Identical Dreams......Page 67 1:190: High Well-Being......Page 68 1:194-195: Blind Trust......Page 69 1:207-208: Steadiness......Page 70 1:210-211: Massive Root System......Page 71 1:212-213: Every Invigoration......Page 72 1:221-222: Four Birds......Page 73 1:228: Dignity and Choice......Page 74 1:233-234: Motion and Stillness......Page 75 1:237-238: Islam Is for Finding Friends......Page 77 1:245-247: Fall Wherever I Fall......Page 78 1:253-254: The Company of Other Goodnesses......Page 79 1:261-262: Throw It to the Thieves......Page 80 1:263: Here We Sit......Page 81 1:264-265: The Praise-Place......Page 82 1:267: We May Be Lying......Page 83 1:271: Why Don't We Cry......Page 84 1:275-276: Clear for Me the Me......Page 85 1:278-279: Serious Courtship......Page 86 1:295: If There Is No Joseph......Page 87 1:303-304: Ways of Knowing the Unseen......Page 88 1:304-305: Take No Credit......Page 89 1:315-316: White-Bird Sentences......Page 90 1:316-318: The Special Strength of Muhammad's Lineage......Page 92 1:323-324: A Bridge Called Saraat......Page 94 1:324-326: Friday Morning......Page 95 1:328-329: Stay Near This Door......Page 96 1:331-332: Why Say Autumn......Page 97 1:347: The Sun Is a Moth......Page 98 1:352: Spirit-Rationality......Page 99 1:354-355: Being Taken......Page 100 1:359-360: Cut Cords......Page 101 1:361: The Spring of My Soul......Page 102 1:367: Don't Go to Others......Page 103 1:368-369: The Chain of Evidence......Page 104 1:369: Self-Help......Page 106 1:374: Money-Fragrance......Page 107 1:377-379: Islam and Money......Page 108 1:379-380: The Return Message......Page 109 1:381-382: White-Hot, Red-Orange, Ash......Page 110 1:382-383: Armspread, Wingspan......Page 111 1:383-384: The Young Woman on the Steps......Page 112 1:394-395: Our Animal Energies and Our Beauty......Page 113 1:396-397: The Sophists and Abu Hanifa......Page 114 1:402-403: Eating a Piece of Bread......Page 115 1:404: Profusion......Page 116 1:408: Own Your Faults Openly......Page 117 1:419-420: Lust Alone Does Not Create......Page 118 1:421: Doing Laundry......Page 120 1:426: Doctrinal Arguing......Page 121 1:428-429: How Will He Hear......Page 122 Book Two......Page 123 2:12: Sama......Page 125 2:13-14: The Two Trees......Page 126 2:16-17: The Khotan Ceremony......Page 127 2:18-19: Sleeping in the Mosque......Page 128 2:21-22: Feeling Rained on with Blessings......Page 130 2:23-24: The Pivot......Page 131 2:26-27: Pleasure We Can Never Have Enough Of......Page 132 2:29: A Turning Ball of Silk......Page 133 2:31-32: Mint......Page 134 2:34: Drops of Muddy Water on My Eyelashes......Page 135 2:38: Grafting the Red Rose to the White Poplar......Page 136 2:44: A Preliminary Mourner......Page 138 2:55-56: Losing Grace......Page 139 2:60-61: Fanaticisms......Page 140 2:62: My Mother's Temper......Page 141 2:74-75: Fumes......Page 142 2:81: Where's the Rest......Page 143 2:87-88: More Power......Page 144 2:92-94: Vital Companions......Page 145 2:95: A Boat Named Quandary......Page 147 2:99-100: Someday......Page 148 2:100-101: A Blur......Page 149 2:107: Be Easier with Your Plans......Page 150 2:111, 113 Decisionmaking Exercises......Page 151 2:115-116: Digestion......Page 152 2:123-124: Seed and Country People......Page 154 2:130: What to Begin Next......Page 155 2:131-133: Troop Movements in Old Battles......Page 156 2:135: The Unique Quality of Your Desire......Page 158 2:138-139: Stuck in a Nowhere Town......Page 159 2:141-142: Bukhara for Confections......Page 160 2:143: The Great Crocodile......Page 161 2:145a Tufts......Page 162 2:146: Any More Than a Duck......Page 163 2:156a Rigid and Ethereal......Page 164 2:156b One Nightwatch......Page 165 2:159: Miracle Notes......Page 166 2:164: Two Dreams......Page 167 2:164-165: Owning Is Inhuman......Page 168 2:174-175: Orbits of Attention......Page 169 2:179: Planets and Plants......Page 170 2:181-182: Spring 1210......Page 171 Commentary......Page 173 About the Authors......Page 189 Credits......Page 190 Copyright Notice......Page 191 About the Publisher......Page 192 The Lost Words of the Sufi Master and Father of Rumi Bahauddin, Rumi's father, was not only a major force in the development of Islamic spirituality, but also a deeply influential force in his son's life. In this, the first ever substantial English version of a wonderful but virtually unknown book, Bahauddin proves to be a daring, spiritual genius. His voice comes through the delightful, passionate craft of Coleman Barks, who transforms the Persian translations of John Moyne into fresh spiritual literature. An English-language translation of the writings by the Islamic religious leader and father of Sufi poet Rumi includes a collection of mystical poems and observations on such topics as nature, humanity, and the mysteries of life. Reprint. 10,000 first printing.