“Two little birds, linked by mutual friendly bonds, reside in the self-same tree; one of them is engrossed in the enjoyment of sweet fruit, while the other merely looks on with perfect serenity.”
“Dwelling within this body are the supreme Self, the individual self, and the potencies of thought, volition and feeling. The individual self, by means of the potencies of thought, volition and feeling, creates and lives in a little world of its own desires and pleasures. But finally the indwelling supreme Self, by its inherent power of illumination, renounces all bondage of limitations and regains freedom.”
“Even so, becoming identified with the body, man has fallen into the delusion of imperfection, self-condemnation and weakness, and in consequence has become engulfed in sorrow. But when, by the power of his subjective meditation and illumination he realizes the glory of his own divine Self, he transcends sorrow and lives by the power of inner contentment.”
—Svetasvatara Upanishad
translated by Swami Premananda in Eight Upanishads
“In the Upanishad it is said in a parable that there are two birds sitting on the same bough, one of which feeds and the other looks on. This is an image of the mutual relationship of the infinite being and the finite self. The delight of the bird which looks on is great, for it is a pure and free delight. There are both of these birds in man himself, the objective one with its business of life, the subjective one with its disinterested joy of vision.”
—Rabindranath Tagore