One, One, One

The lamps are different,

But the Light is the same.

So many garish lamps in the dying brain's lamp-shop,

Forget about them.

Concentrate on essence, concentrate on Light.

In lucid bliss, calmly smoking off its own holy fire,

The Light streams towards you from all things,

All people, all possible permutation of good,evil,

     thought, passion.

The lamps are different,

But the Light is the same.

One matter, one energy, one Light, one Light-mind,

Endlessly emanating all things.

One turning and burning diamond,

One, one, one.

Ground yourself, strip yourself down,

To blind loving silence.

Stay there, until you see

You are gazing at the Light

With its own ageless eyes.

-Jalal-ud-Din Rumi

Translated by Andrew Harvey in "Light Upon Light: Inspirations From Rumi,"

North Atlantic Books, 1996.