When they capture the hawk in the wilds, they secure it neck and feet; they quickly cover up both its eyes and proceed to teach it to hunt. The hawk becomes accustomed and habituated to the strangers, and shuts its eyes upon its old associates; it is content with little food and thinks no more of what it used to eat. The falconer then becomes its attendant, and allows it to look out of one corner of an eye, so that it may only see himself, and come to prefer him before all others. From him it takes all its food and drink, and sleeps not for a moment apart from him. Then he opens one of its eyes completely, and it looks contentedly, not angrily, upon him; it abandons its former habits and disposition, and cares not to associate with any other. And now it is fit for the assembly and the hand of kings, and with it they grace the chase. Had it not suffered hardship it would still have been intractable, and would have flown out at everyone it saw.
Others are heedless,—do thou be wise, and on this path keep thy tongue silent. The condition laid on such an one is that he should receive all food and drink from the Causer, not from the causes. Go, suffer hardship, if thou wouldst be cherished; and if not, be content with the road to Hell. None ever attained his object without enduring hardship; till thou burn them, what difference canst thou see between the willow and aloes wood?
Notes
From: Enclosed Garden Of Truth
Edited and translated by J. Stephenson in 1910
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Comments
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Philosophical piece, it stretches the mind to one instance to the next, it speaks of cause and effect and the attributes that contend with such things.
I disagree with Lilkitty10, I do not see it as a 'religious' piece at all. Hell is mentioned but Hell doesn't signify 'religion'. So, on that basis, I feel lilkitty10 didn't really read the piece as a whole just saw what they wanted to see.
I wonder who Joseph is talking to since it is evident this author is dead?
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We do not train each other like animals; we cannot learn to love each other by killing our spirit. The falcon obeys because he becomes afraid; he becomes dependant. It is our job to set such caged birds free.
Sincerely,
Joseph
Poetry Green Book Cafe -
well... i felt it started off really good, but then that second paragraph was like... whatever. i feel like it was a stretch to make it a religious piece. I felt the first part was more about how a person will turn their backs on others when they feel like they only need one person. maybe i was just allowing current events to sway my interpretation...
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