A Sufi master was sitting quietly when a group of men came to punish him for wrongs he was accused of committing. The men rained blows on the Sufi master, hitting him a 1,000 times. Yet the Sufi master remained silent, and no sign of pain appeared on his face. After they had finished beating him, the men took the Sufi master to the court. The judge asked: "How did you suffer no pain when you were beaten?" The Sufi master replied: "When the men were raining blows on me, my beloved wife was looking on. Her love made the pain seem easier. Then I thought that, if the loving gaze of a human being can ease pain, the loving gaze of God can eliminate pain altogether." - Nasir al-din (1201-'74), Persia.