The Eye Of The Bird

Talking of focus, it would really be relatable and relevant to mention about how one has been trying out different methods to stop the mind from wandering. When one strives to focus on self learning, the mind often wanders to learning on what the neighbour is up to, or checking the inbox every nano minute. 

While focusing has always been a constant struggle, most of the childhood exploits would include Arjuna’s stints with the bow and arrow. This was where his teacher Dronacharya asked him as to what he visualised while he looked at his target, which was a bird. Arjuna sternly answered “I see the eye of a bird.” This example always has been cited and would also be to people of varying ages that have been battling to handle focus with shaky hands. 

If this aspect is being analysed properly, we’d note that in a way the tete-a-tete between Arjuna and Dronacharya emphasises on the fact that while one has his mind focused on a particular thing, he must do it diligently, forgetting that a world exists outside of that. Thus, his concentration was being narrowed down to one subject, and that was the eye of the bird. Such was his power of focus and agility, that he was unshaken and undeterred. Thus, he made a fine archer and soon enough Dronacharya’s favourite disciple. 

In one of the talks and writings, Chuang Tzu had once mentioned about happiness, where he mentioned about a mountaineer, that was the first in his tribe to have climbed Everest. On making it to the top, he observed that it was nothing special, and the place was so narrow, that barely a person could stand. Yet, what made him feel happy was the fact that he climbed it on his own, and that no one else before him had actually done so. In other words, rather in the words of Tzu, his happiness has been crystallised. He further went on to say that the mountaineer may have not found anything relevant up there, yet his achievements were enough to provide a nourishment to his ego. 

Speaking on the same lines, he mentions that most religions have been making it difficult. This is possibly because difficulty is more attractive, attractive to the ego. Yet, truth doesn’t reside in the ego. Tzu said that ego is the worst thing that can happen to a person. His teaching even focuses on being easy and leading an easy life. He makes a mention of the fact that there are two sides of the same coin. If one begins to live a right life and finds it difficult, then he must remember that it’s not right. On the contrary, if living a right life gets more and more easy, then one must flow with the steam. 

He sums up saying and asking one and all to be easy and continue remaining so. 

This gets back to Arjuna and his archery lessons, where he sees nothing but the eye of the bird.