As a sleeping person acts according to the body manifested in his and accepts it to be himself, so one identifies with his present body, which he acquired because of his past religious or irreligious actions, and is unable to know his past or future lives.
Why is that woman blithely dusting the birdcage when it’s the bird itself, obviously sick or hungry, that urgently needs attention? She seems so caught up in polishing her golden cage that she’s forgotten all about the poor creature.