WRITTEN by London Swaminathan 

 

Date: 26 JANUARY 2018

 

Time uploaded in London – 16-24

 

Post No. 4665

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TAMIL VALLUVAN AND WORLD PHILOSOPHERS on NUMBER EIGHT! (Post No.4665)

Number Eight stands for Stability

Tiru Valluvar (Valuvan in short) says in his monumental didactic work TIRUKKURAL ,

 

“The head that does not bow before the Lord of Eight Attributes,

In prayer, is like a body with all its senses defunct”

–Kural 9

Lord of Eight Attributes is used both in Saivism and Jainism. Buddhists and followers of Confucius also use it for eight fundamental virtues.

 

In the commentary for this Kural 9 (couplet) Eight Miraculous powers (Ashta Ma Siddhis in Sanskrit) are also attributed to God; normally they are attributed to the devotees of gods who have attained eight miraculous powers.

1.Anima :power of becoming the size of an atom and entering into smaalest life.

2.Mahima : power of becoming mighty and co-extensive with the universe.

3.Laghima : capacity to be light, though big in size

4.Garima : capacity to be heavy though seeming small in size

5.Prapthi : capacity to enter all the worlds from Brahmaloka to Pathalam

6.Prakasyam : power of disembodying and entering into other bodies and going to heaven and enjoying whatever one wants from one place

7.Isithvam :  having the creative power of God and control over the sun, the moon and the elements

8.Vasithvam : power of control over kings and Gods.

 

Chinese Philosopher Confucius

 

According to Saivite philosophy the eight qualities are 1.Self dependence 2.Immaculate body, 3.Natural Understanding, 4.omniscience, 5.nfinite Detachment, 6.Infinite mercy, 7.Omnipotence and 8.Limitless bliss

 

According to the Jains, the eight fold qualities are 1.Infinite knowledge, 2. Infinite vision, 3. Infinite energy, 4. Infinite joy, 5.Indescribability, 6.Beginninglessness, 7.Agelessness and 8.Deathlesness

Picture:Eight qualities in Confucianism

Lord Krishna’s Eight

In the Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna says (7-4)

“Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind and understanding and self sense- this is the eight fold division of my nature”

 

‘There is no end to My Divine Attributes’ (10-40)

 

Dutch philosopher Spinoza described God as ‘consisting of infinite and eternal attributes’.

Spinoza’s metaphysics of God is neatly summed up in a phrase that occurs in the Latin (but not the original Dutch) edition of the Ethics: “God, or Nature”, Deus, sive Natura: “That eternal and infinite being we call God, or Nature, acts from the same necessity from which he exists” (Part IV, Preface)

 

It is interesting to see Number Eight is used in all the oriental religions. Though Buddha did not talk about God, he insisted eight qualities for human beings. They are Right view,  Right resolve,  Right speech, Right conduct, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness, and  Right concentration.

 

The Eight Confucian virtues are 1. Benevolence, 2.Righteousness, 3.Courtesy, 4.Wisdom, 5.Fidelity, 6.Loyalty, 7.Filial Piety and 8.Service to elders.

 

The Samurai warriors of Japan has a Bushido (way of warriors) code with eight virtues:

1.Rectitude or Justice, 2. Courage, 3.Benevolence or Mercy, 4.Politeness, 5.Honesty and sincerity, 6.Honour, 7.Loyalty and 8.Character, Self-Control. These 8 virtues are influenced by Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.

 

xxx Subham xxx