There is no greater scripture than nature, for nature is life itself.
Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Related Material by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Compiled by Wahiduddin Richard Shelquist – wahiduddin.net
When we think of the various ways in which wisdom has been given out in legend, in poetry, in symbolism, we find that in every stage of evolution the same story or legend, or poem or symbology holds a different meaning. By this, I do not mean to say that as people look they understand things differently at each stage of evolution, but I mean the sense of comprehension is developed and things seem clearer at every stage, the meaning has not changed, but they acquire a keener insight. Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that there is no greater Scripture than nature, for nature is life itself. It is an ever living Scripture by which all Masters and Teachers have been inspired, and all so called scriptures are interpretations of this scripture.
There is so much to observe, so much to assimilate, and so much to give if one can only understand the language of nature. There is a verse by the great Seer of Persia [ Sa’adi in The Gulistan (Rose Garden) written in 1258 CE — Muiz ], who says, ‘Every leaf of a tree becomes a page of the Holy Book before the soul that can read.’ In the path of wisdom it is a constant reading, a constant learning, and every experience whether happy or unhappy, and in every impression, whether it brings comfort or discomfort, if we will only observe what each one teaches, then the whole of life becomes a vision that is our constant guide.
( from Unpublished Papers from the Nekbakht Foundation Archives: Cupid and Psyche, May 5th 1921 )
Most people consider as sacred scriptures only certain books or scrolls written by the hand of humans, and carefully preserved as holy, to be handed down to posterity as divine revelation. People have fought and disputed over the authenticity of these books, have refused to accept any other book of similar character, and, clinging thus to the book and losing the sense of it, have formed diverse sects. The Sufis have in all ages respected all such books, and have traced in the Vedanta, Zend-Avesta, Kabbala, Bible, Quran, and all other sacred scriptures, the same truth which they read in the incorruptible manuscript of nature, the only Holy Book, the perfect and living model that teaches the inner law of life: all scriptures before nature’s manuscript are as little pools of water before the ocean.
To the eye of the seers every leaf of the tree is a page of the holy book that contains divine revelation, and they are inspired every moment of their life by constantly reading and understanding the holy script of nature.
Commentary by Murshid S.A.M. (Sufi Ahmed Murad)
Samuel L. Lewis
Nature is both the forms we see and the essence permeating those forms. Without that life the forms would express neither beauty nor inspiration, for illumination of mind depends upon the kindling of both its thoughts and essence. Nature is more than the forms and yet dependent on forms. God created the world as a mirror to God’s Self, and the beauty of that mirror of Nature is the beauty of God. In that mirror of Nature, in other words of life, we can study the reflection of God.