Reference to gaining entrance to a monastary?

[tlz]

I am not sure if this type of question is okay to ask, or if it belongs in this category. Hopefully I'm not breaking the rules, again ....

I have spent several hours, unsuccessfully, searching for a story, I think from Gurdjieff, about efforts by a seeker to be admitted into a monastery, somewhere in the mountains I believe. As I remember, the seeker knocked on the door, but was refused. Then the seeker returned and improved or built new, a road leading to the temple, whereupon the seeker was then admitted .... or something to that effect.

Does anybody remember that story? Any leads to locate the text of the original would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.

 

[Johnno]

This is about 5 months late and I don't think TLZ is posting much anymore. Anyway, I eventually came across the story which was from Rumi. I thought I had read it in Meetings with Remarkable Men.

It took me awhile to find this original post BTW. :P

A disciple seeking the Sufi path finally feels he has mastered it and arrives to announce this to his master. He knocks on the door and when asked 'Who is there?' answers, 'It is I.' The master says, 'Go away, you have not yet acquired knowledge. ' He leaves to return after he has performed more spiritual exercises, and this time when asked who is knocking says 'It is Thou'. 'Come in,' says the master. 'There is no room for two in this house.'

There's a similar but different Zen Buddhist one.

A Zen student politely knocks on a temple door. The Zen master inside answers, “Enter!”. “May I?” responds the student. “No!” shouts the Zen master.

and I also found one here by Biomast in his wonderful posts on the Hyperboreans, Luwians and Alevis

Eyuboglu mentions an anecdote in which Muhammad wants to see the dervishes who are also beloved servants of God like him. Going to their tekke, he knocks on the door, and when he is asked for his identity , he replies "I am the Prophet". He receives a shocking answer; "Someone as grand as the Prophet would not fit into this door!".

Just when he is about to give up, God suggests that he should try once more; "I am God's ambassador", he says. "No thanks, we have nothing do to with ambassadors." Muhammed is again shocked and angry, but God asks him to try once more. This time he says "I am the servant of the poor" which gains him enterance into the tekke.