Repeating the name of the Beloved by Bulleh Shah English version by J. R. Puri and T. R.

Shangari Repeating the name of the Beloved I have become the Beloved myself. Whom shall I call the Beloved now? from Bulleh Shah: The Love-Intoxicated Iconoclast (Mystics of the East series), by J. R. Puri / Tilaka Raja Puri

Repeating the name of the Beloved I have become the Beloved myself. Youll find variations of this notion in sacred poetry and mystic writings through out the world. What does it mean? How does repeating the name of the Beloved mak e you become the Beloved? Many Sufi traditions practice zikr, he remembrance of the name of God, often thr ough all-night prayer circles that involve devoutly repeating the names and attr ibutes of God. Youll find similar practices in Hinduism and Buddhism with the rec itations of divine names and word formulations through mantra and japa. In Catho licism, there is the repetition of the rosary. In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, there is the Jesus Prayer The purpose behind all of these practices is a gentle but persistent assault on the mind. By taking the name or words that most remind you of the Divine, and re peating it over and over again, with attention and devotion, a cleansing process starts to occur in the awareness. The mind, at first, likes the sense that it i s doing something good, focusing on sacred things; but it soon becomes impatient, wanting to return to its old fixations, its comfortable patterns and habitual wa ys of viewing the world. Continuing the practice of sacred repetition allows the mind no quarter, bringing it back again and again to focus on the Divine. Do th is long enough, and the mind starts to see empty spaces in itself a terrifying e xperience for the mind, since it normally expends great energy to hide its essen tially empty nature behind constant activity and attachment. But continue the pr actice further still, deeply, and an amazing thing happens: The mind not only se es its emptiness, it sees THROUGH its emptiness to the radiance within. It recog nizes that that shining presence was what was being named all along. And, since the mind has finally admitted that it has no solidity or boundary, that it has n o essential reality in itself, it recognizes that there is no separation from th at living radiance. The identity is finally understood to have always resided Th ere, within the Beloved all along you have become the Beloved yourself! But, for the devotee, this leaves a dilemma of language: Recognizing the Beloved as ones true self, the Self of all selves, who then shall you call the Beloved? This is a verse worth repeating. Bulleh Shah Pakistan (1680 1758) Timeline Muslim / Sufi

Mir Bulleh Shah Qadiri Shatari, often referred to simply as Bulleh Shah (a short ened form of Abdullah Shah) lived in what is today Pakistan. His family was very religious and had a long tradition of association with Sufis. Bulleh Shahs fathe r was especially known for his learning and devotion to God, raising both Bulleh Shah and his sister in a life of prayer and meditation. Bulleh Shah himself became a respected scholar, but he longed for true inner rea lization. Against the objections of his peers, he became a disciple of Inayat Sh ah, a famous master of the Qadiri Sufi lineage, who ultimately guided his studen t to deep mystical awakening. The nature of Bulleh Shahs realization led to such a profound egolessness and non -concern for social convention that it has been the source of many popular comic al stories calling to mind stories of St. Francis or Ramakrishna. For example, o ne day Bulleh Shah saw a young woman eagerly waiting for her husband to return h ome. Seeing how, in her anticipation, she braided her hair, Bulleh Shah deeply i dentified with the devoted way she prepared herself for her beloved. So Bulleh S hah dressed himself as a woman and braided his own hair, before rushing to see h is teacher, Inayat Shah. Bulleh Shah is considered to be one of the greatest mystic poets of the Punjab r egion. His tomb in the Qasur region of Pakistan is greatly revered today.