I was with my Balinese friends yesterday.
One of them caught a beautiful crane-like bird in the rice field. He brought it back for me to hold.
From one perspective I saw all the nuances of our social interaction. These were not important. They were the social implications of being present in a social situation. We were communicating. I was patting the bird’s head with affection.
And then they said, naughty little bird, not much meat, but good for a soup.
Then we went to the back of the store as one of my best friends here commenced to tie the leg of the bird so it could not escape. Once again I was aware of all the nuances of the social interactions that were in play. They were superfluous; unimportant to the real event taking place; the essence.
Now what to remember here?
I was recapitulating the moment that was escaping me presently.
All the nuances of social interaction did not matter. What matters is the ruthless indifference of the decision of my friends to eat this beautiful bird.
They intended to eat it and did not question whether eating was good or bad. They just knew what they were going to do and the ultimate destination of that bird was governed by that.
The bird knew that it had been captured and would die. Did it see all the social nuances of interaction that were occurring?
No. It only saw and recognized the intent of the eyes of those who had captured it.
That one point of realization that existed in my friends and simultaneously within the bird; it’s ultimate end; it’s death at the hands of another.
It didn’t look offended, nor was it upset. It defiantly bit the hand of my friend, not thinking of the consequences that may occur because of this. It does not think, it just knows and that’s how we should recapitulate.
And the soup was really good!
Nourishment on all levels.