Story of Sultan Bāyazīd Bustāmi[21]
When Bāyazīd was coming from his bath one morning during the Id festival, some one unwittingly emptied a tray of ashes from a window upon his head. With his face and turban all bespattered, he rubbed his hands in gratitude and said: “I am in truth worthy of the fires of hell; why should I be angered by a few ashes?”
The great do not regard themselves; look not for godliness in a self-conceited man. Eminence does not consist in outward show and vaunting words, nor dignity in hauteur and pretension.
On the Day of Judgment thou wilt see in Paradise him who sought truth and rejected vain pretension.
He who is headstrong and obdurate falleth headlong; if thou desire greatness, abandon pride.
Discourse on Conceit
Expect not him who is possessed of worldly vanities to follow the path of religion, nor look for godliness in him who wallows in conceit.
If thou desire dignity, do not, like the mean, regard thy fellows with contemptuous eyes.
Seek no position more honourable than that of being known to the world as a man of laudable character.
Thou deemest him not great who, being of equal rank, is haughty towards thee; when thou makest a similar display before others, dost thou not appear before them as the arrogant appear before thee?