The Knowing
"He who knows and does not know that he knows: he is asleep. Let him become
one, whole. Let him be awakened.
He who has known but does not know: let him see once more the beginning of all.
He who does not wish to know, and yet says that he needs to know: let him be guided to safety and to light.
He who does not know, and knows that he does not know: let him, through this knowledge, know".
Idries Shah: 'Sarmouni Recital'
The Principle
“What if the universe was an afterimage whose only purpose was to serve as a finger pointing to that invisible power which originated it? Would, therefore, our perception of it be like a backward glance in which even our bodies would be those of backward men chasing after endless illusions without ever finding their origin? According to the [Awakened Ones], we are such backward men who desire to look into the obscure past that mankind calls its future!
“Who now is brave enough to look forward, as if to live in such a way as to preexist the universe, thus to never become backwards again?
“What manner of human-being is willing to live above all things that come after his vision? Such men we declare, are called Sages. Truly, such men come before all else, having surpassed the visible tomb called the human body.
“Here then is our declaration: transcend the shadow called mankind and live in anterior bodies of light. If now your lost courage is coming back to you-if now you feel the awakening from a thousands sleeps about to commence, then you must leave your house of flesh and join our cause. For what greater adventure is there for a knight of wisdom than to conquer his own mortality .."
Zenmar, the Dark Zen Mystic
The Victory
When you use the Way to conquer the world,
Your demons will lose their power to harm.
It is not that they lose their power as such,
But that they will not harm others;
Because they will not harm others,
You will not harm others:
When neither you nor your demons can do harm,
You will be at peace with them.
Lao-Tzu: 'Tao Te Ching' (Roy Melvyn)