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<title>A PARABLE OF SEA-GULLS</title>

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<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0"><b
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><font size="4">A PARABLE OF SEA-GULLS</font><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div class=Section1>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>ON a sea-coast – a fairly
large tract of land opening out on the vast sea and the infinite sky – among
rocks and cliffs there lived a flock of sea-gulls, rather flocks of sea-gulls, –
for they were almost innumerable, in hundreds and perhaps in thou sands – a
whole colony of them. Have you seen a sea-gull, at least in a picture? This
beautiful bird, spotlessly white end to end, and when in flight with outspread
wings and its delicate supple body so pleasing, so wonderful to look at! Do you
know their routine, their daily preoccupations? Of course, the first thing in
the morning for them to do was to fly out and look for food. Their food is naturally
fishes. So these birds used to fly a certain distance out to sea and from above
look down and spot the swimming fishes below and dart down, catch them and fly
up again; then they came back to their places and shared their catch among
themselves. Naturally there was a good deal of scrambling and fighting but that
was part of the life. And there after, most of the time, they passed in dozing
or sleeping or at times flying out once again to sea for <span class=GramE>a
forage</span>. And of course there was the item of mating and begetting
children. That was their life and they continued it day after day, year after
year. They were, I suppose, quite content with the life they were leading. </p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Now,
it happened that one of these sea-gulls thought otherwise. Yes, a thought
entered into him. Why should not a thought enter into the head of a bird? A new
thought, a faith did enter into the heart of a human child as reported in the
Upanishads, so this bird with his questioning thought found the ordinary
bird-life quite uninteresting. He wondered: why lay so much stress upon food
and sleep and <span lang=EN-GB style='mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>quarelling</span>
and increasing the population? He found flying itself a beautiful</p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;'>Page – 76</span><span
style='color:blue'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span class=GramE>adventure</span>.
Why fly just a few miles, only to come back, flop down and roost? Why not fly
out, out into the vast sea abroad and the limitless sky overhead? Having wings,
he thought they were strong enough to fly him far and high; he would try.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.0pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>So
from that time he separated himself from his tribe and went out on his own for
the joy of long journeys and long flights. It was pure delight for him and he
increased the distance of his flight from day to day, from a hundred to a thousand
miles or more. And he found himself gradually incredibly stronger in body,
unbelievably happy within. Food or sleep or rest did not trouble him any more.
When he was thus practising this new adventure, two or three of his comrades
noticed it and became interested. So these approached him and asked what the
matter was. He explained to them what he was about, he was not happy with the old
common <span class=GramE>life,</span> he wanted a new, broader, more vigorous
life. The newcomers were allured by the project and they wanted to join the new
adventure. They were gladly accepted.</p>

<div style='border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext .75pt;padding:0in 0in 2.0pt 0in'>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:12.0pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none;
border:medium none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext .75pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 2.0pt 0in; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>So these three or four friends joined
together and resolved to start a new life. These new-comers were first taught
the lessons of long flight – perhaps now they could fly some thousands of
miles at a stretch without rest. One day the pioneer bird – let us give him a
name &quot;Shobhanaka&quot;, <span class=SpellE><span style='font-family:"Lucida Console"'>à</span><i>
la manière de Panchatantra </i>e.g. Damanaka, Karataka, Bhasunaka etc. for <span
class=GramE>he</span> was very fine to look at, so Shobhanaka told his
comrades: Long flight is not sufficient, not only horizontal flight but a
vertical flight should be also our asset. So they attempted to fly up and up,
up into the clouds and beyond as far as possible, to the extent that earth's
atmosphere and gravitation would allow. They achieved this feat also and in
doing so they pondered upon another mystery. Shobhanaka said: long-distance
flight whether horizontal or vertical is not sufficient, we must increase our
speed, the speed of flight. And the way to increase the speed is to speed down
from above – dart headlong towards earth. In this way in place of a bare fifty
or sixty miles per hour they calculated they could attain the speed of sound.
To break the sound-barrier is indeed an achievement for bodily speed. Now they
wanted to go farther on. Added to the flight they now learnt all kinds of
acrobatic movements of the body – exactly as expert pilots do with their
aeroplane, that is to say, with</span><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

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mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none;border:medium none;
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<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;'>Page – 77</span><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

</div>

<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span class=GramE>their</span> gathering speed they
went through all movements of vaulting, somersaulting, twirling, twisting and
so on. They made their bodies a wonderful mass of supple energy and even
radiant energy. </p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:13.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'>&nbsp;</span>At this point one day all on a sudden they saw
at a distance a bird of their kind but somewhat different, more beautiful, more
glorious. They approached him, or perhaps he approached them and said, &quot;I
was observing you and I found what you were doing is wonderful. Your
achievement is really marvellous. But there is something more yet to do. I
have come to teach you what you have still to do for your true fulfilment. Till
now you were moving on the same plane, all your progress has been made in one
dimension. I will explain: <span class=GramE>&quot; –</span> You have learnt
'moving' flight. You have to learn now un-moving or still flight. This is a
contradiction in terms? In the new dimension you have to reconcile or unify
the contradictions. Listen <span class=GramE>carefully,</span> I give you the
mystery of still flying. It is getting as I said into another dimension of
space, or another kind of space – it is better I give you a practical
demonstration.&quot; &quot;Come,&quot; he said addressing Shobhanaka,
&quot;Stand here on your legs straight, firm and unmoving – by my side. Normally
when you fly, first you have the will to fly, then that will you put forth into
your body, into your muscles and nerves spreading it out as it were into your
wings, making your wings mobile. Now what you have to do is an opposite
movement. Instead of sending your will and energy outward, as if throwing it
out, you gather the will and energy within yourself, that is, concentrate
within you your will and energy instead of spilling them out. The whole thing
depends upon this concentration, this gathering up your energy and will on one
point within you and then just look, that is to say, with your thought or
consciousness, at the point where you<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>&nbsp;
</span>ant to go. It is like a strung-bow with its arrow pointing at the target.
And then let yourself go as it were. Indeed if your concentration is perfect
you will leap straight into your target without, as it would seem, passing
through the intermediary stages – telescoping, as it were, all the intervening
steps into one single step – a long jump at a lightning speed. Now try to do
what I told you. Feel what I am doing.&quot;</p>

<div style='border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;tab-stops:12.2pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none;
border:medium none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext .75pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Miraculous
it was, Shobhanaka saw the Elder-one who had<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:12.2pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
none;border:medium none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext .75pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;'>Page – 78<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span class=GramE>been</span>
by his side but now, there afar on another cliff. At the next moment the expert
flyer was back at his place as before by the side of his pupil. The pupil
exclaimed in admiration: &quot;It is an impossibility, but since you have done
it I will try to do it.&quot; &quot;Yes&quot;, the Elder-one said, &quot;I too
did not succeed in one day or in one attempt. It takes some time, even a long
time. But persistence, perseverance and faith undiscouraged will bring you the
victory.&quot;</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:12.45pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>&quot;Here
I give you the ultimate, the supreme secret,&quot; the Elder continued,
&quot;the inner core of the teaching. This body, this substance made of solid
matter that seems so rigid, compact, hard, is really not so; you must have realised it by this time. You cannot even say that this body-material is an
encasement for the storage and play of energy which is the true reality
behind: it is not so. The body, the physical structure is only an idea, it is a
perception: you perceive that there is your body, it does not exist outside
your perception, <span class=GramE>your</span> perception is an immaterial
thing. The whole body so neatly outlined, so concretely static is only a
combination of ideas and precepts, a projection of your mind: from tip to tip
your outspread wings consist only of your thoughts as if strung together. If
that is so you can naturally manipulate thought by thought, in other words your
body, that is, what appears as your body is at your mercy, which means, at the
mercy of your thought. You can move the body as you like, for you can move
naturally thought by thought. So what is needed is a withdrawal of the mind
into its thought-stuff and to control it, <span class=GramE>make</span> use of
it from that centre. I have shown you how one can be this inner motive-thought
and not obsessed by its apparent so-called material formulation. It is
difficult to understand but by practice as I have shown you, you will
understand.&quot;</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:10.3pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>A
few days passed, thereupon Shobhanaka was practising the new technique and was
on the way towards success. The Elder-one came another day and said to the
group of the three or four aspirant-birds, &quot;My mission is ended, I have
taught you what was intended to be taught and you are a fair way towards
success: A last word you must remember, your achievements are not for
yourselves alone but you must go back and try to instill these new virtues into
you comrades left behind, they too must share the joy and the glory of this new
life. I<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;'>Page – 79<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:12.0pt;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'>

<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>

</div>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span class=GramE>have</span>
to go; for there are tasks still to be done by me and other and higher
dimensions of real living. But help will always come to you; whether I come or
another one comes, you will always be companioned by happy helpers.&quot; So
saying this Elder-bird flew up and up and gradually turned into a blazing point
and disappeared among the stars.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.75pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Now
these transmuted sea-gulls met and consulted together. They were required to go
back in the midst of their old comrades but how could they? Naturally they
could not go back to the old mode of life. Besides, they would not be accepted
by their old community. They were ostracised and they were now an outcaste
group. If they ventured into the society of their old comrades they would
likely be violently dealt with or perhaps even killed. However, there was no
option left, they were ordained and it was now their duty to go back and try to
get in touch with their old friends and influence them, guide them in the new
mode of life to whatever extent it was possible.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:12.0pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>So
they flew back to their old domain and as soon as they were in sight of their
former friends, all these almost in a body rushed out and raised a hue and cry,
sounded an alarm as it were: &quot;the enemies are come!&quot; But these new
beings, a new type of sea-gulls, were not <span class=GramE>daunted,</span>
they approached bravely and calmly without fear, without any intention of
opposing or giving battle. They passed by over their ancient habitat sailing in
a beautiful formation with their beautiful white, all-white bodies aglow with
a new radiance, pulsating with a new charm. All who rushed out to engage in a
fight and combat, full of anger and fury, halted, stood agape in confusion and
wonder.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Thus,
the battle was won, marvellously, peacefully. The older race, specially the
younger generation, could remark and appreciate the gait and the manner of
flight in these newcomers. They now found out that the old mode of life was
not interesting enough, there was no special joy in flying to procure only
food-stuff, in merely catching fishes and gobbling them up: doing that
eternally, repeating over and over again the same dull routine. Instead, there
was the joy in flying simply (or the sake of flying, in flying far, far into
the distant horizon, far into the infinite spaces overhead into the unfamiliar
and the unknown. Thus slowly the old community began to change<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;'>Page – 80<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:12.0pt;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'>

<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>

</div>

<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span class=GramE>its</span> mode of life adding a
new meaning to their movements – a new limb and direction to their body and
existence.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:12.45pt;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>This healthy influence
became more effective since they witnessed a strange and curious event
happening in their presence.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:12.45pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>A
demonstration was being given by Shobhanaka of the art of flying, of all the
difficult and artistic modes of flying. He was showing the speed with which one
is capable of flying, literally lightning speed. A large crowd of spectators
had gathered around an arena-like opening and was intently observing all the
wonderful and almost impossible acrobatics and calisthenics. They suddenly saw
the bird from one far corner of the sky speeding across to the other end and,
as I said, beating lightning's speed, but suddenly one stray bird happened to
be there up directly in the way of the speeding bird. So in order to avoid
dashing against the intruder, Shobhanaka swerved around but hurled itself straight
upon... Oh! <span class=GramE>what</span> horror! <span class=GramE>a</span>
cry of pity and pain rose up from the crowd – in swerving away from the bird on
his path Shobhanaka in his incredible speed dashed and crashed against a cliff
that was blocking the sides. Everyone thought, that was the end of the poor
flying expert, he must have been reduced to mere pulp now. But no, what a
miracle! Hale and hearty he was there flying up slowly and at ease, then
gracefully descending upon the earth as if nothing had happened. Well, his body
did not seem to be made of flesh and bone but of some ethereal substance, so
supple, so elastic, <span class=GramE>so</span> resilient that nothing offered
any resistance to it. It could pass through like a beam of the invisible light.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.75pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>The
upshot was that the old community gradually changed its habits slowly but
inevitably, they took to adventure and&nbsp; far-flights, over the unknown waves
into the infinite blue. Many became experts and given to this new life they
formed gradually a community by themselves and found for themselves another
habitat nearby. Those old experts, Shobhanaka's group, the masters, were with
them as teachers and guides. And thus new guides and new teachers arose and community
after community leading this new life, a life in which the old and unclean
habits were eliminated and there was a life of exquisite beauty and harmony
among all.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:13.5pt;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
Here ends my story. It is the story, rather a vision and as<span
class=GramE>piration</span> </p>

</div>

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center; line-height:150%;margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;'>Page – 81<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class=Section1>

<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:14.6pt;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'>

<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>

</div>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:11.75pt;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>in a beautiful symbol of a pilot, ¹ a real pilot
who was flying real aeroplanes. When he flew with his hard mechanical rigid
mechanical wings into other regions free from earth's gravitational control, he
imagined or aspired to fly with other wings, golden <span class=GramE>wings</span>,
into other regions, golden regions of another kind of consciousness,
supra-human consciousness.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.5pt;mso-line-height-alt:
11.75pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>The
symbol used here is very appropriate and meaningful. The sea-gull has normally
a very beautiful appearance: Its snow-white body, out-spread wings, all
spotless white and its gracefulness in flight is indeed a delightful spectacle
for the eyes to contemplate. Even so man also, even this earthly creature has
within him a beautiful being snow-white in its purity and exceedingly graceful
in gait and movement; that being has to be brought out and displayed even as
the sea-gull transformed itself – transformed its very nature and substance
into a vibrating mass of light with its diamond sheen, its material body itself
a packet of intense and yet controlled radiating energy.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>¹ A re-creation of the story of <i>Jonathan Livingston Seagull </i>by
Richard Bach, published by Turnstone Press Ltd, London, 1972.<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;'>Page – 82</span></p><hr>

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