Perfection Is A Chimera
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
16 June
2023
A Zen
master was making a painting while his chief disciple sat by his side to tell
him when the painting was perfect. The disciple was worried and the master was
also worried, because the disciple had never seen the master do anything that
was imperfect. But that day, things started going wrong. The master tried, and
the more he tried, the more it was a mess. In Japan or in China, the whole art
of calligraphy is done on rice-paper, on a certain very sensitive fragile
paper.
For
centuries it can be known where the calligrapher hesitated because more ink
spreads into the rice-paper and makes it a mess. It's very difficult to deceive
on rice-paper. You've to keep on flowing, you're not to hesitate. Even for a
single moment, if you hesitate-what to do?-missed, already missed. and one who
has a keen eye will immediately say," It's not a Zen painting at
all," because a Zen painting has to be a spontaneous painting, flowing.
The master
tried and tried and the more he tried- he started perspiring. And the disciple
was sitting there and shaking his head again and again negatively: " No,
this is not perfect." And more and more mistakes were being made by the
master. Then the ink was running out so the master said, " You go and
prepare more ink." While the disciple was outside preparing the ink, the
master did his masterpiece. When he came in, he said, " Master, this is
perfect! What happened?"
The master
laughed; he said, " I became aware of one thing: your presence. The very
idea that somebody is there to appreciate or to condemn, to say yes or no,
disturbed my inner tranquility. Now I'll never be disturbed. I've come to
realize that I was trying to make it perfect and that was the only reason for its
not being perfect."
Excerpted
from A Sudden Clash of Thunder
Utter
let-go opens the door to perfection. Then your inner peace cannot be disturbed
from the outside. Remember, perfection is a chimera. It's a Holy Grail. The
more we pursue perfection, the more it eludes. It doesn't depend upon people's
acceptance or rejection. Urdu poet 'Nashtar' Nishapuri puts it cogently, "Mohtaaj
Nahin Main Kisi Ki Taareef-O-Tanqeed Ka / Naqqaad Hoon Main Apne Fun Ka Sab Se
Bada" (I'm not dependent on appreciation and criticism of others/ I'm
my own biggest critic). So long as we're dependent upon people's opinions, we
can't find our own moorings.
People make
us conscious of our qualities, attributes and flaws and we lose our
individuality. The moment we rise above the petty desire for praise and a
lurking fear of failure and criticism, we're in our elements. Having been
dejected by the constant criticism of his detractors that his poetry was
unintelligible, a 30-yr-old Asadullah Khan 'Ghalib' wrote in a state of utter frustration,
"Na Sataish Ki Tamanna, Na Sile Ki Parvaah / Na Sahi Mere Asha'ar Mein
Ma'ani Na Sahi" (I'm neither desirous of praise, nor do I care for
your response/ Let my couplets be destitute of meanings and coherence). It's
said that after this, what he produced became immortal because he stopped
caring for anyone's response; whether good or bad. He realized the futility of
admiration and criticism; both being two sides to the same coin. Once that
stage and state come and the clouds of self-doubts dispel, the blazing sun of
individuality shines through. We're all too much bothered about the world and
people: "Jab Chal Pade Safar Ko Toh Kya Mud Ke Dekhna / Duniya Ka Kya
Hai Us Ne Sada Baar-Baar Dee " (Once you embark upon a journey, no
need to look back / Let the world beckon you back, you march ahead).
----
A
regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative
religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the
world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.
URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/perfection-chimera/d/130004
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