The Dermis Probe Quotes

“Do not tell your secrets to everyone in this headquarters, Earth. We have surveyed it well. There was nobody to whom to entrust secrets.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“A loan is the scissors of friendship.
A man's own tongue may cut his throat.
The cage has no value without the bird.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Patience is a garment which has never worn out.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Death
If he is a good man, death will be a release;
If he is a bad one, it will release others from him.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“One lie will keep out forty truths.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“If you are penniless you will have a thousand dreams. Get even a single piece of money, however, and you will have only twenty options.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Even if false gold makes a man happy:
At the mint it will be identified.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Learning without action is like wax without honey.
(Anwar-i-Suhaili)”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Opportunity's precious, and time is a sword.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Show a man too many camels' bones,or show them to him too often,and he will not be able to recognize a camel when he comes across a live one.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Sandals. The Sufi teacher Ghulam-Shah was asked what pattern he used in formulating his courses for disciples. He said: 'Barefoot until you can get sandals, sandals until you can manage boots.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“There is one kind of man worse than a boastful man: a complaining one.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“If it is dark enough, one candle is plenty.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“A man's capacity is the same as his breadth of vision.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Patience is bitter, but bears a sweet fruit.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“THE HEAVENS
To the mallet of the Highest Mind
The heavens are the smallest possible ball.
(Akhlaq-i-Mohsini)”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Salute to the Thief. Junaid of Baghdad was passing the scene of a public hanging, where a thief was on the scaffold. Junaid bowed towards the criminal. Someone asked him: 'What did you do that?' Junaid said: 'I was bowing before his single-mindedness. For his aim, that man has given his life.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“A solved problem is as useful to a man's mind as a broken sword on a battlefield.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“The best player of a game is the watcher — ask him.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“There is no purpose in hammering cold iron.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Satisfaction is a treasure which does not decay.
Proverb”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“To bind one free man with love is better than to release a thousand slaves.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Learn about hornets from those who have been stung by them.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“FIVE KINDS OF FOLLY The Sages have said that five things are signs of foolishness: First, seeking one’s own good while harming others; Second, looking for the yield of the last days without discipline and service; Third, loving women harshly and brashly; Fourth, seeking to learn the refinements of science in comfort and ease; Fifth, expecting friendship without oneself being reliable and trustworthy. (Anwar-i-Suhaili)”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Show a man too many camels' bones, or show them to him too often, and he will not be able to recognize a camel when he comes across a live one.

(Mirza Ahsan of Tabriz)”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Learn how much knowledge is needed before we can see how ignorant we are.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“Be a tiger — if you are ready for a tiger's problems.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“The thief who has not been caught is a king.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“As swords were designed to kill
They did well to make them tongue-shaped.

(Anwar-i-Suhaili)”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe

“The fruit of timidity is neither gain nor loss.”
― Idries Shah, The Dermis Probe