The Upnishads are the songs of the soul, autobiography of the Atman – a phenomenological enquiry into truth and master key to everlasting happiness. They help us to unleash our spiritual splendour and give wings to our enlightenment. No knowledge is complete without self – knowledge. Self knowledge can be acquired through contemplation done by a detached, informed and stable mind.
The Tale of Two Birds is a story from Mundaka Upnishad. The name “Mundaka” means “shaved head” which highlights the purpose of the text—to shave away ignorance and reveal the REAL SELF. It uses the metaphor of two birds on a tree to explain human existence and self- realization.
There is a tree and on this tree there are two birds—the Lower Bird and the Higher Bird. The Lower Bird hops from one branch to another, consumes different fruits. Some fruits are sweet while others are bitter. When it tastes a sweet fruit it is elated with happiness but when it comes across a bitter fruit it is unhappy and disappointed. Then it steps back, looks up at Higher Bird which is sitting calmly on the branch not eating any fruit but simply watching. The Lower Bird is attracted by the Higher Bird and starts moving towards it but on the way finds an exceptionally sweet fruit , gets engrossed in eating it and forgets about the Higher Bird until it gets a terrible shock. Tired of its endless pursuit it looks up again at the Higher Bird. This is the time when the Lower Bird withdraws from its usual activities and comes closer to the Higher Bird. At this juncture a strange thing happens. The Lower Bird begins to get transformed, becomes like the Higher Bird – radiant and peaceful. In the end the Lower Bird sees itself as Higher Bird. There is no Lower Bird at all and in fact there never was. Both birds are the two sides of same existence. The moment the Lower Bird realizes that it is the Higher Bird ( only observer), its suffering ceases and its life is full of perennial joy.
This story resonates with our spiritual life. When we listen to the preaching of the saints we are lured towards sainthood but the bitter truth is that we really don’t want to be a saint. “Everybody wants to enjoy the sin but nobody wants to face its consequences.”
To understand the essence of the story let us explore the whole concept in depth. What does the tree , lower bird and higher bird symbolize? How does it relate to our lives? Tree is compared to human body. Sri Ramkrishna Paramhans used to say, “ As we go deeper into the physical body and look inside we find a subtle body. Physical body is visible to each and everyone. Subtle body is something that we experience(thoughts, emotions, intellect, feelings). Vedanta goes a step further and talks about the casual body which we experience in deep sleep. In the subtle and casual body there is awareness. This awareness is not pure Consciousness but only the reflected Consciousness(Chidabhaas). Lower Bird is the subtle and casual body whereas Higher Bird is Pure Consciousness( the observer and not the doer).
We think that physical body is the reality Body gives rise to desire. From this desire is born action which leads to the result of the action and from the result of the action comes life and death. Once the body dies the Consciousness takes another body for getting the result of the action which we have done in previous bodies. So it is trapped in the cycle of birth and death. We are so much immersed in this body that we leave no stone unturned to make it happy and comfortable. We hold on to our body that’s why every problem of the body becomes our problem. We dedicate our whole life in managing the inevitable destruction of the body. Similarly we cling to our subtle body. The feeling of hurt, humiliation and insult is in our mind and it adversely affects our physical and mental well being. The moment we are in deep sleep and our mind switches off—the hurt, humiliation and insult becomes oblivious. We are attached to all the emotions—negative and positive and feel miserable and happy accordingly. Negative emotions give way to depression, fear, anxiety, regret etc. We feel helpless at times because our desires outstrip our capacity.
Swami Vivekananda said, “ We are all slaves to our emotions. A little problem in the external world throws our minds to the greatest turmoil. Little word of praise and we are floating in the clouds , little word of criticism and we burn up with fury.”
To do something positive and productive we have to channelize our mind in the right direction otherwise it will destroy us.
These two birds –the Lower Bird and the Higher Bird are present in each and every body. One is shadow and the other is light. Our physical body( lower bird ) is running from pillar to post suffering even at the pinnacle of its success because it is highly dissatisfied.
Pure Consciousness(Higher Bird) which is witnessing everything very quietly , not putting in any effort, symbolizes Truth which is our real self—permanent and ever existing.
Pure Consciousness is not subject to death, frustration, disappointment, fury etc. These emotions are momentary which come and go in the mind. The moment we realize ourselves as the unchanging Consciousness we feel eternal bliss even amidst physical suffering. We don’t have to wait to find the Higher Bird . It is right here—present in each one of us always. Once the realization dawns on us we see ourselves as the pure Consciousness detached from the sufferings of the external world. We see only happiness everywhere because we see ourselves everywhere.There is no differentiation between YOU and ME because both are one.
The story of TWO BIRDS gives us a very profound message. The real journey of life is not associated with our body, mind and outer world. They all are subject to degeneration—so the happiness attached to them is illusionary. Why to wait for some immense shock to change our course of life and then turn towards spirituality? Don’t use spirituality as a mode of escapism from worldly suffering. All the material possessions entangle us and hamper our spiritual growth. We have to question ourselves what are we actually looking for because whatever we are seeking for is self existing. If we continue the spiritual practices without getting attached to anything it will lead to calmness and peace within. If we align our body, mind and soul we will be able to access deeper wisdom and live more purposefully. Alignment envelopes us in love, peace and divinity which is the natural state of our Higher Self.
REFERENCES:
Mundaka Upnishad : Chapter 3 : The Two Birds by Swami Sarvapriyananda : (Lecture delivered at Hollywood Temple, 2016)
The Mundaka : Two Birds in the same tree : Swami Bodhananda
Leave a Reply