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Summary: religious storytelling and great fools' tales
Review: Idries Shah popularized religious teaching stories of the "righteous fool" variety in his three books of Nasrudin stories. The tales themselves come from Rumi, Attar and a host of other sources - written and oral. While I recommend both Rumi and Attar, the retelling of the stories in a concise and oral telling style is a gift to the reader - one is impacted by the story itself and not distracted by the form of the story (poetry of Rumi) or by the frame story (as in Attar).One should read these stories one at a time and reflect on them as you would a koan, if you wish to treat them as "spiritually beneficial". But they are also enjoyable as a quick read for laughs...................
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Summary: The Incredible, Incomprehensible, Mulla
Review: Known globally as a small sufi saint with great spontenity and humor, Nasrudding is easily one of the wonderful charecters the world literature has ever produced. His tales has pictures of every aspect of life. We tend to feel back when Mulla tells a thief that he himself could not find anything in his house how a thief can find or put his chalma on the head of a fox which try to rob as a biggest punishment giving the reality of his life. He also makes us laugh with his punch lines on the king and rich. Mulla, though a religious man shows more belief on humanity and moral behaviour than on god or religion. Appears like a learned saint in some instances and common man with all worldly concerns at other, Mulla truly is a living figure. His tales with worldly realities and excellant punch lines are truely timeless and boarderless. His charecter, kindness, sarcasm remind us in India of Birbal the great courtier of King Akbar and Tenali Ramakrishna of the court of King Krishnadevaraya of southern part of the country. All those who want to see life in its full ness and enjoy everymoment of it by taking right perspective of events that occur should read these stories.
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Summary: Those Darwin awards stories aren't anything new...
Review: The trend during the last few years towards stories about stupid people brought us such non-classics (but entertaining reads) as "The 776 Stupidest Things Ever Said", "The Darwin Awards", and others. But what few people know is that such stories were circulating 1000 years ago in the Sufi storytelling tradition. These stories are the equivalent of our "Urban Legends". Oddly enough, as I read this, I wish that I could view the world in such simple ways as the Mulla Nasrudin, who is the character in all these stories. His views, often twisted, very often completely at odds with his surroundings, are also very pragmatic, and make perfect sense in his mind. These stories are tremendous fun, and rather thought-provoking.
Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Those Darwin awards stories aren't anything new...
Review: The trend during the last few years towards stories about stupid people brought us such non-classics (but entertaining reads) as "The 776 Stupidest Things Ever Said", "The Darwin Awards", and others. But what few people know is that such stories were circulating 1000 years ago in the Sufi storytelling tradition. These stories are the equivalent of our "Urban Legends". Oddly enough, as I read this, I wish that I could view the world in such simple ways as the Mulla Nasrudin, who is the character in all these stories. His views, often twisted, very often completely at odds with his surroundings, are also very pragmatic, and make perfect sense in his mind. These stories are tremendous fun, and rather thought-provoking.
Enjoy!
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Summary: The Moslem answer to Yogi Berra?
Review: This is a collection of Sufi (Islamic mystics) teaching stories. Shah is famous for his many collections of them. I've read 10 of his books. They are invariably entertaining. The Sufi masters are referred to as idiots--they can appear as such to the uninitiated. Reminds one of some of the Hasidic and Elijah stories, Yogi Berra's quips, Tibetan Buddhists masters of Crazy Wisdom, and the Peter Sellers movie "Being There." It's sometimes hard to tell if the protagonist knows what he's doing or not. Some of the stories are easily understood by the reader; some are more like Zen koans. I found this book among the best of the ones I've read of his. You might also try his "Wisdom of the Idiots" or "The Dermis Probe." The latter is Shah's term for the dilemma of the 3 blind men differing over their descriptions of an elephant.
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Summary: Sufisnm and more
Review: What an incredible book! If you really want to understand what it means to be caught between the esoteric and exoteric traditions, I suggest you read this....
Rating:
Summary: Sufisnm and more
Review: What an incredible book! If you really want to understand what it means to be caught between the esoteric and exoteric traditions, I suggest you read this....
Rating:
Summary: The Incredible, Incomprehensible, Mulla
Review: Why would anyone read these stories about this inconsistent, incomprehensible mulla? This guy who is stupid and vain, insightful and wise, at the same time. Because 'he is us' as we are in our own present and potential states. By persistent study -- without dissection -- it is possible to see the patterns in these stories reflected in our own lives. Shah published these stories from original sources over 30 years ago. With all the 'teaching story' material published since then they stand out as the real stuff for those that want it.
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