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- Lucifer, vol. 2, no. 9, May 1888, pp. 182-184
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Title for references: Pfoundes C. - Bird and Butterfly
Short description:
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Bird and Butterfly
A scrap of Theosophical Folk Lore of the Extreme Orient, rendered from the Sinico-Nihonese vernacular original of Itszusaichosan no Inaka Zoshi no Suzumi Cho no Henkwa, by C. Pfoundes[2] (Omoie Tetzunostzuke).
A bird accosted a butterfly, saying: “Resplendent though your appearance now is, with gorgeous outspread wings, fluttering amongst the bright-hued, perfumed flowers, just consider the fact that, it is not so very many days that have passed away since you were a lowly, creeping thing, aimlessly crawling along, in your tortuous way, amongst the weeds of the field, growing somewhat, but changing a little, powerless to roam afar, as we now do, although in time you were capable of clinging to the stalks of herbs, and then clambering up till you became a chrysalis, and then developed into a beautiful butterfly vain of the brilliant wings that enable you to flit about the blossoms, revelling in their perfumes, enjoying their lovely coloured petals, and regaling yourself on their nectar. Compare the luxuriousness and freedom of your present existence, with the ignoble and miserable past. Meditate well upon this lesson on the vanities and frivolities of this transitory existence.
“As regards myself,” continued the bird, “I am but a tiny bird, ’tis true. I have legs and also wings, and, like you, can roam afar at pleasure, or alight at will and rest.
“Alas! though, has it not been said, from time immemorial, that when the winter season approaches, the waters of the ocean will overwhelm such as I, and be destroyed, as a bird, but reincarnated as a humble cockle, heedless of stormy winds and waves.[3]
“Observe a cockle, it is without eyes or nose, hands or feet; it carries a shell to protect its frail body. True that it possesses a tongue that it may protrude, but it cannot taste food with it. It can only roll about in the waters at their mercy, or burrow in the sands of the sea-shore, upon which it may be tossed by the surf, in the chilly winter.
“Alas! to think of this. Oh! had I never been born otherwise than as a cockle, I should ever feel and think only as such, oblivious of a better state, a happier existence. As a cockle, I would have ever been conscious only of the ebb and flow of tides, over the sands in which I
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grovelled, growing fat or lean, as the season and the tides affected me, the lowly, grosser, simpler needs of a cockle’s life, unconscious of and indifferent to all else. But having been once born a bird, accustomed to soar over hills, and fly amongst the trees of the forest, flit about the trees and gardens, joyous and free, thus condemned to such a future state, what is there for me to do? And why should I be humbled by being transformed into such an abject creature, whilst you, a butterfly, have been exalted from so mean and despicable an origin?
“This contrasted inequality arouses most sad thoughts that move me to weeping beyond all power of restraint.”
The butterfly, which had patiently listened to all the bird had said, then replied:
“There is no cause why you should grieve, nor is there any reason in our repining, or reproaching each other. Have not all things a similar origin? – that you should be assigned such a fate, or I transformed to my present state, is not of our own will. Although from a lowly, crawling thing I have become a butterfly, I have no knowledge of the change, nor do I remember anything of my previous life, no reminiscences of the time when I was but a creeping thing. When, however, I reflect upon what you have said about my prior existence, I cannot but perceive now that then I must have felt, and acted, and thought, only as a caterpillar, and not as I do now, as a butterfly.
“It is related of a venerable sage of olden time, that he dreamed of being a butterfly, fluttering about utterly unconscious of his human existence, but when the dream faded away, he returned to the consciousness of his own existence. Now let me ask, did the ancient sage dream he was a butterfly, or did a butterfly dream it was a human being; which was the dreamer? Such, indeed, was the wise one’s reasoning.
“When you, little bird, become transformed, in the winter season, from a bird to be a cockle, you will be unconscious of the changes of the elements, of the heavens, clouds, winds, and will have no anxieties; you will be beneath the waters. All former existence will be forgotten to you then; you will be as if wrapt in slumber, or as one who is intoxicated. When a cockle, you will think and feel only as a cockle – the feelings of a sparrow will be unknown, susceptible only to the wintry chill amidst the waters. When the body is transformed, the spirit also is re-incarnated, to suit the changed conditions of the new corporeal state. With a sparrow’s form you have a sparrow’s soul, with a cockle, you will have a cockle’s soul.
“In olden time there was an aged person who lay sick unto death; and a priest approached, and commenced reciting the prayers for the dying, but the aged one opened his eyes, looked surprised, and spoke thus to the priest, who was thereby greatly astonished: ‘Myriads of things originated in nothingness, and unto nothingness will all things return. The teachings of an existence prolonged hereafter, were all false doctrine.’ (i.e. Of transmigration, re-incarnation, and transformation.)
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“The priest in reply, said: ‘Ten thousand to one though the chances may be that it is so (i.e. immortality), therefore would it not be best to prepare for any eventualities, and offer up prayers.’
“The aged one expressed dissent, and said: ‘For example, even were I convinced that my spirit would be re-incarnated, yet would I have no anxiety. Can you remember when you yet rested in your mother’s womb, or have you any recollection of your birth? And what were your thoughts and feelings then?’
“Now the priest became exasperated at his own inability to adequately reply to the venerable one’s arguments, but declared, ‘that no one could recall such experiences,’ not even the aged person himself.
“The venerable one then retorted that most assuredly he had no such remembrances, therefore, if we cannot recall such very recent experiences of the present existence, how can it be possible to be conscious of long previous existences? Therefore, we must accept as conclusive the fact that transformations of the body, and transmigrations or re-incarnations of the soul occur, be it insect, animal, or human; according to the corporeal conditions of existence, so will be the spiritual embodiment the previous existence a blank in the memory of the succeeding state, will be but as a dream, the others also but as dreams.
“The unknown future should not be so foolishly permitted to disturb the tranquillity of the soul now, when the duty was alone to think of death, and to expire – thus to attain in its entirety, bliss, absorption into the divine essence; spiritual, Karma, Nirvana.
“The priest, incompetent to continue the argument, now departed, leaving the aged one to die in peace unmolested further.
“Besides,” continued the butterfly, still addressing the little bird, “are there not herbs that are changed into living things, grasses that decay and become fireflies? and consider whether such things have any consciousness of a former existence. What misdeeds have they been guilty of in former existence, to be still condemned to a continuance thereof in some other form, for what can they be held accountable?
“No, it is not so; for the great principles of nature do but combine giving form and life to all things, speech or silence, rest or movement are all thereby equally attainable. Whenever enduring æthereal spirit departs from its corporeal environment, then there is death to the body, whilst the substance retains the spirit there may be joy, or sorrow, love, or hatred, all the good or evil passions and senses; but with death all vanish. There is no reason that aught should remain.
“Fire will burn, if supplied with fuel; but when all the fuel is consumed the fire expires of itself, even the smoke and heat soon cease to exist. The fire is extinguished for lack of fuel; but whence does it go?
“If you take metal and stone, and strike one upon the other, you produce fire, which you may utilise; but is this the self-same fire that has become concealed in the metal and the stone? Meditate deeply upon all this, for no language can elucidate it.”
Hereupon the sparrow, angered at the ability of the butterfly, and unequal to the argument, pounced down upon the butterfly and destroyed it; then a hawk, that had been watching, sailed down on the little bird, killed and devoured it. Where are these now? Of the bird, but a few soiled and torn feathers remain; of the butterfly, mutilated wings, their glorious colours obliterated. And their souls, to where have they betaken themselves? Where, indeed!!
Footnotes
- ↑ Note by Translator. – This story is a characteristic example of a very numerous class of folk tale, in which natural objects, inanimate and animate, have the faculties of reason and speech attributed to them, forming a vehicle for the illustration of the abstruse teachings of ancient wisdom, and modern adaptations thereof, especially as regards psychological subjects. Oriental-Indian Sanskrit and Pali, &c.), passing further eastward and becoming incorporated with the indigenous (Cultus, have been preserved to us, although obliterated in the land of their origin.
- ↑ Member Royal United Service Institution. Corresponding Member, Geographical Society, Tokio (Yedo), Japan.
- ↑ This is in reference to the Legend about the punishment of birds that devour insects, and are condemned to lowlier existences in expiation of the great sin of destroying any living thing, as such might embody the spirit to be again reincarnated, of some former being of higher existence, perhaps human.