From Here and There

A translation of Hittaan Huttaan

By Abdul Haleem Brohi

“One, who does not have strength has ample ideas, and the one who has strength, has very few questions.” These are the words of Japanese wisdom.

“I am not young enough to know everything.” Are the words of, J. M. Berry.

The king said, “I will ask you a question, you answer.”

Vizier said, “Ask the question.”

The king said, “I asked the question”

Vizier said, “I answered.”

The king said, “I did not ask anything.”

Vizier said, “I did not give an answer.”

 (Note: Don’t let this small thing go amiss, there is wisdom in it, understanding in it and thought in it, for those who have intellect and for those who can read and write beyond Sindhi. I have translated this tale from a small booklet.)

“If you have to ask what Jazz is, you will never know.” (Louis Armstrong)

A child being a child, said in front of the court, “Oh, the king is not wearing any clothes!” (We read this story when young. But we have still not comprehended that the rulers of this world have shamelessly shed their clothes and are walking around without any! Or maybe we are not as courageous as that child. With verbosity we tell big lies, carry out chicanery, , make false promises, and it is the same as being naked itself, or isn’t it?)

There is this small book called ‘Zen’. This whole text is attached to this book.

For tens of centuries we kept seeking in the deep forests and today we sit next to this pond and laugh our hearts out!

This beautiful butterfly rests peacefully on a small mound of earth, whereas man is unable to sit still on the mess he creates.

“I’m astounded by people who want to ‘know’ the universe when it’s hard enough to find your way around Chinatown.” (Woody Allen)

“If you are free of yourself then what else do you need?” (Einstein)

“Shut your mouth and speak out a word!”

“No one has a mouth big enough to say everything.”

“Can you swim in water? If not than straw is better than you. Can you fly in the air? If not than birds are better than you.”

“Computers are useless. They can only give answers.” Pablo Picasso

“When a common man gets information, he becomes intelligent. When an intelligent man gets information, he becomes a common person.” (Note: in this translation, I have made a great mess, sorry)

“People discuss, nature works.”

“She is liked, because she is likable.” (?)

“If you reduce plenty and make it one, then what would you do of reducing one?” (?)

“We wonder about the interpretations of dreams but we don’t wonder about what we dream while awake.”

“I have nothing to say and I am saying it and it is poetry.” (John Cage)

“Teacher shall open the door but you shall enter yourself.” (?)

“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.” (Basho)

“In case a poor man comes to your door, what would you give him?” “Nothing. They don’t need anything from one another.” (Zen Mondo)

“To talk and to be silent – both are injustice to one another.” (?)

What is the color of the air?” (?)

“Hand is more important than an eye.” (?)

Comparing what you like with what you don’t like, this is a mental illness. (?)

Hindustan was named Hindustan when Alexander came. What was the name of Hindustan before that? And, in Hindustan, the first to come were the Hindu or the Muslims? Who made Muslims out of Hindus? Or was it so that Hindus were Muslims before the Muslims came? Was there Mahabharata? If Afghanistan was not a part of Mahabharata, what was its name before Afghanistan? Those who became Muslims just yesterday are now making people laugh at themselves.

PS 1: I have taken this article from 'Haleem Likhio', published, courtesy of Noor Junejo. In the translation, I tried to stay as to the text in the book.

I believe that this is his collection of personal and famous bits of philosophical musings that he enjoyed. 

PS 2: The brackets and question marks are all part of his article.