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April 12, 2008
aristotle's metaphysica
I read the Metaphysica of Aristotle, but did not understand its contents and was baffled by the author's intention; I read it over forty times, until I had the text by heart. Even then I did not understand it or what the author meant, and I despaired within myself, saying, “This is a book which there is no way of understanding.” But one day at noon I chanced to be in the booksellers’ quarter, and a broker was there with a volume in his hand which he was calling for sale. He offered it to me, but I returned it to him impatiently, believing that there was no use in this particular science. However he said to me, “Buy this book from me: it is cheap, and I will sell it to you for four dirhams. The owner is in need of the money.” So I bought it, and found that it was a book by Abu Nasr al-Farabi On the Objects of the Metaphysica. I returned home and hastened to read it; and at once the objects of that book became clear to me, for I had it all by heart. I rejoiced at this, and upon the next day distributed much in alms to the poor in gratitude to Almighty God.
Ibn Sina - Autobiography
Posted by amin at April 12, 2008 11:47 PM