After his mother resigned him to God, Abu Yazīd ق left Bistam for thirty years wandered from land to land, disciplining himself with continuous vigil and hunger. He attended one hundred and thirteen spritual preceptors and derived benefit from them all. Amongst them was one called Imām Jāfar as-Sādiq ق. He was sitting at his feet when the master suddenly said, "Abu Yazīd, fetch me the book from the window."
"The window? Which window?" asked Abu Yazīd ق.
"Why," said the master, "you have been coming here all this time, and you have not seen the window?"
"No," replied Abu Yazīd ق. "What have I to do with the window? When I am before you, I close my eyes to everything else. I have not come to stare about."
"Since that is so," said the master, "go back to Bistam. Your work is completed."
Translated from the Persian by A J Arberry