Research article written by London Swaminathan

 

Date: 23 May 2017

 

Time uploaded in London: 21-19

 

Post No. 3935

 

Pictures are taken from various sources such as Face book, google and newspapers; thanks.

 

contact: swami_48@yahoo.com

 

Thiruvalluvar , the author of the Tamil Veda Tirukkural has confirmed his belief in Karma Theory in hundreds of his couplets. There is one chapter on Fate as well; here are two important couplets from Tirukkural:

Toil not through sacred books to what the fruits of virtue/Dharma are; but pause and look at the palanquin bearer, and him that proudly rides in it Kural 37).

Loss and gain come about because of one’s own previous actions;

But an unswerving rectitude of mind is the ornament of the great (Kural 115)

 

By oneself the evil is done, and it is oneself who suffers; by oneself the evil is not done, and by one’s Self one becomes pure The pure and the impure come from oneself: no man can purify another (Dhammapada 165)

Only a man himself can be master of himself; who else from outside  could be his master. When the Master and the servant are one, then there is true help and self possession (Dhammapada 160)

 

The most famous poem of Sangam Tamil Literature verse 192 of Purananuru explains Karma Theory beautifully well:

“Every town our home town; everyman a kinsman.
Good and evil do not come
From others
Pain and relief of pain
Come of themselves.
Dying is nothing new.
We do not rejoice
That life is sweet
Nor in anger
Call it bitter.
Our lives, however dear,
Follow their own course,
(like) Rafts drifting
In the rapids of a great river
Sounding and dashing over the rocks
After a downpour
From skies slashed by lightning’s
We know this
From the vision
Of men who see
So,
We are not amazed by the great
And we do not scorn the little”
————————-Kaniyan punkundran (Pura Nanuru, verse 192)

 

Another translation of the same poem:

To us all towns are one, all men our kin,
Life’s good comes not from others’ gifts, nor ill,
Man’s pains and pain’s relief are from within,
Death’s no new thing, nor do our bosoms thrill
When joyous life seems like a luscious draught.
When grieved, we patient suffer; for, we deem
This much-praised life of ours a fragile raft
Borne down the waters of some mountain stream
That o’er huge boulders roaring seeks the plain
Tho’ storms with lightning’s flash from darkened skies.
Descend, the raft goes on as fates ordain.
Thus have we seen in visions of the wise !
We marvel not at the greatness of the great;
Still less despise we men of low estate.
Kaniyan Poongundran, Purananuru – 192
(Translated by G.U.Pope, 1906)

xxxxx

Refraining from eating Meat

All living beings will raise their hands in worship to him who has never taken a living being’s life and has abstained from eating meat (Kural 260)

How can a man be compassionate who, for the purpose of increasing his own flesh, etas the flesh of other animals (Kural 251)

All beings tremble before danger, and fear death. When a man considers this, he does not kill or cause to kill (Dhamma 129)

Also see Vegetarianism in earlier post of Buddha and Valluvar thnk alike.

xxx

 

Friendship with Great men

Weigh the worth of the men of ripe wisdom and seek their fellowship (Kural 441)

Cherish with ardour the friendship of those who remedy your present ills and guard you against future ones. (Kural 442)

 

Cling to men of heroic mould and make them your kin; verily there is no greater blessing to you on earth (Kural 443)

Is there any force mightier to the sovereign than the alliance of the men of superior wisdom? (Kural 444)

 

If you find a man who is constant, awake to the inner light, learned, long suffering, endowed with devotion, a noble man – follow this good and great man ever as moon follows the path of the stars  (Dhammapada 208)

 

He who has to walk with fools has a long journey of sorrow, because to be with a fool is  as painful as to be with an enemy; but the joy of being with the wise is like the joy of meeting a beloved kinsman  (Dhammapada 207)

 

Adi Shankara’s Satsangatve nissangatvam…………

Greatest philosopher of India, Adi Shankara, says,
“ Satsangatve nissangatvam
Nissangatve nirmohatvam
Nirmohatve nischalatattvam
Nischalatattve jeevanmuktih” –Bhajagovindam (9)

“Through the company of the good, there arises non-attachment; through non-attachment there arises freedom from delusion; through freedom from delusion there arises steadfastness; through steadfastness, there arises liberation in life”- Bhajagovindam

He who knows not and knows not………………………

An ancient saying from the Middle East says:

He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool. Shun him.
He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is simple. Teach him.
He who knows, and knows not he knows , is asleep. Wake him.
He who knows, and knows that he knows is wise. Follow him.

 

–Subham–