Post No. 13,728
Date uploaded in London – 30 September 2024
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
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tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
xxxx
Great Men Think alike even in Proverbs It is very interesting to see that proverbs in Mahabharata and Panchatantra are found in different parts of the world; Tamil proverbs are also echoed in South East Asia, Japan and China. Like we have many stories behind proverbs Chinese and Japanese have stories. Chinese is older than to Tamil but younger than Sanskrit. Confucious and Lao Tse have contributed to Chinese culture.
A book titled European, Far Eastern and some Asian proverbs compared about 200 proverbs. Though the author compared only ten Sanskrit, Tamil Proverbs I see more similarities. The reason is they did not look at Hindu proverbs in India. Their purpose was to compare South East Asian countries’ proverbs with Far Eastern countries proverbs.
Chinese philosopher Confucius (Kong Zi or Koshi or Kong Ja belongs to Sixth Century BCE, contemporary of Buddha and Mahavira.
Chinese philosopher Lao Tse (Lao Zi or Roshi or Noja ) also belongs to Sixth Century BCE, contemporary of Buddha and Mahavira.
Here are some interesting things I found in the book.
1.Constantdropping wears the stone
It is found in Far East and South East Asia.
Story
Zhang Guaia, the Magistrate of Chongyang , making a round of inspection saw a junior keeper leaving the coffers building in a hurry with a copper coin hidden under his turban. Taken to the court room, the keeper cried out:
What does a copper coin amount to?
Zhang Guaia picked up a red ink writing brush and wrote:
A copper a day makes a thousand coppers in a thousand days.
A hemp rope can saw up wood and drips of water can penetrate a rock.
Then he killed the keeper.
This is in Tamil proverb book as
1678. எறும்பு ஊரக் கல் தேயும்.
By the continual creeping of ants a stone will wear away.
There is another saying
ஆனை கட்டின தறியும் தேய்ந்து போகும்
Even the pole where the elephant is tied with strong or rope makes it’s mark.
****
Strike the iron while it is hot
It is similar to Make hay while the sun shines.
Even Adi Shankara used this in his Viveka Chudamani .
In Tamil காற்றுள்ளபோதே தூற்றிக்கொள்.
उपाधिसंबन्धवशात्परात्मा
ह्युपाधिधर्माननुभाति तद्गुणः ।
अयोविकारानविकारिवन्हिवत्
सदैकरूपोऽपि परः स्वभावात् ॥ १९१ ॥
upādhisaṃbandhavaśātparātmā
hyupādhidharmānanubhāti tadguṇaḥ |
ayovikārānavikārivanhivat
sadaikarūpo’pi paraḥ svabhāvāt || 191 ||
191. Owing to Its connection with the super-impositions, the Supreme Self, even thou naturally perfect (transcending Nature) and eternally unchanging, assumes the qualities of the superimpositions and appears to act just as they do – like the changeless fire assuming the modifications of the iron which it turns red-hot. –Verse 191 in Viveka Chudamani.
****
Easier said than done
Tiru Valluvar said it in Tamil Veda Tirukkuraal.
சொல்லுதல் யார்க்கும் எளிய அரியவாம்
சொல்லிய வண்ணம் செயல்.(குறள் 664)
Easy to every man the speech that shows the way;
Hard thing to shape one’s life by words they say!.
Or
To give advice is easy for all; but to act according to one’s advice is indeed difficult.
Or
Easy to make a plan and speak about it, but a rare achievement is
To accomplish the plan as stated and then speak
Or
To break into noble maxims and sage counsels is easy; to act up to them is difficult.
****
Do not do to others what you do not want to be done to you – Vidura Niti in Mahabharata and Confucius in Chinese
Thiruvalluvar, the great Tamil saint in his Thirukkural says:
When a man has experienced pain caused by harm done to him, how can he cause pain to others? (Couplet 318)
‘The best way to punish those who harm you is to make them feel ashamed by doing them well and thinking no more of it’ (couplet 314).
Na tath parasya sandhadyath pratikuulam yadatmana: 7-17
“Do not do unto others as you wish others not to do unto you – Vidura Niti
Mahabharata Santiparva 167-9 also repeats the same message in a positive way:
Tasmaad dharma praaadheenena bhavitavyam yataatmanaa
Tathaa cha sarvabhuutesu vartitavyam yathaatmani
Hence, by self control and by making right conduct (dharma) your main focus, treat others as you treat yourself- Mahabharata
Jesus Christ also said the same in the Bible,
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them (Matt.7,12)
–subham—
Tags– Sanskrit, Tamil Proverbs around the World!-1, Great Men Think alike even in Proverbs , Vidura Niti, Mahabharata, Tamil Veda, Tiru Valluvar, Confucius , Viveka Chudamani
Tamil and Vedas 