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The Metaphor of the Peacock's Feet and Feathers in Sufi Ethics
دفتر پنجم - بخش ۲۶ - قصهٔ آن حکیم کی دید طاوسی را کی پر زیبای خود را میکند به منقار و میانداخت و تن خود را کل و زشت میکرد از تعجب پرسید کی دریغت نمیآید گفت میآید اما پیش من جان از پر عزیزتر است و این پر عدوی جان منست / Book Five - Section 26 - The Story of the Sage Who Saw a Peacock Plucking Out its Beautiful Feathers with its Beak and Throwing Them Away, Making its Body Bald and Ugly, and out of Wonder Asked, 'Do you not feel regret?' The Peacock replied, 'I do, but to me my soul is dearer
The Allegory of the Peacock's Self-Plucking in Rumi's Masnavi
In Book 5 of the Masnavi, Rumi expands the 'feet and feathers' metaphor through a narrative where a peacock deliberately plucks its magnificent plumage. The bird explains to a sage that while its feathers are beautiful, they are its 'enemy' because they attract both the vanity of the bird and the arrows of hunters. This story illustrates the necessity of renouncing external blessings—such as wealth, beauty, or talent—when they become spiritual liabilities that hinder the preservation of the soul's humility and safety.
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Humanities
Literature
Persian Literature Prerequisite Course