We know only one God, and that is ego

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Sufi Story:
In the city of Bastan where Bayazid made his home, there lived a very respected and venerable ascetic. He enjoyed Bayazid’s circle, though he never became one of his disciples. One day he said to Bayazid, “O Master! For the last thirty years, I have been fasting from the world and keeping vigils at night, but I have to be honest with you: I do not find in myself that knowledge you have been talking about, though I acknowledge your wisdom and I would like to understand it.”

Bayazid replied, “O Sheikh, even if you continue your ritual prayer and fasting for the next three hundred years, you would still not be able to understand the smallest portion of this wisdom.” “Why?” asked the ascetic. “Because you are a prisoner of your own ego”, responded Bayazid.