Humanism and Thiruvalluvar
Humanism and Thiruvalluvar
Dr.
R. Prabhakaran
Abstract:
Humanism is a system of thought attaching prime importance to
humans rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress human
beings' potential value and goodness, emphasize common human needs, and seek
solely rational ways of solving human problems. The Buddha was perhaps the
first humanist in the world. After the Buddha, Thiruvalluvar was the most
outstanding humanist in the Indian philosophical scene. Thiruvalluvar
categorically declares that all human beings are equal by birth. He believes in
rational inquiry and condemns all superstitious beliefs. He asserts that all
problems encountered by individuals and a society can only be solved by human
beings and not by divine interventions. He mentions that everyone should
realize that others are also like them, show love and compassion toward them,
and help them in every way possible. Thiruvalluvar strongly believes that moral
codes vary with respect to place and time, and the wise people in a society
determine them at a particular period. His philosophy is totally secular. Thiruvalluvar's
views on human equality, rationalism, human effort, love and compassion, and
secularism are completely compatible with those of modern humanists.
Keywords:
Humanism, equality, rationalism, superstitious beliefs, love,
compassion, secularism.
According to the
Humanist Manifesto III, adopted in 2003, "Humanism is a progressive
philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and
responsibility to lead ethical lives of fulfillment that aspire to the greater
good of humanity." Prof. Stephen Law, a British philosopher and senior lecturer at the University
of London, summarizes the basic beliefs of humanism as follows:
·
Humanists
believe that science and reason should apply to all areas of life. No beliefs
should be considered off-limits and be protected from rational scrutiny.
·
Humanists
are either atheists[1] or at least agnostics[2].
They are also skeptical about the existence of angels, demons, and other such
supernatural beings.
·
Humanists
do not believe in reincarnation. They also reject the existence of a soul.
·
Humanists
strongly believe in the importance of moral values. They believe that moral and
ethical values are derived from human need and interest as tested by experience
and they should not be based on religious values.
·
Life's fulfillment emerges from
individual participation in the service of humane ideals.
·
Humanists believe that working to
benefit society maximizes individual happiness.
According
to a Humanist Magazine[3],
"Humanism is a rational philosophy informed by science, inspired by art,
and motivated by compassion. It derives its goals of life from human needs and interest
rather than from theological or ideological abstractions and asserts that
humanity must take responsibility for its destiny." Many prominent
scientists, Nobel laureates, doctors, philosophers, authors, and scholars have
been and are humanists. Most of them subscribe to rationalism, atheism, or
agnosticism ideologies. They have a sincere concern for human welfare and
believe in the human ability to solve human problems without any help from
supernatural powers. Humanists' main focus is on plans such as the prevention
of wars, the formation of a world government, the promotion of rationalism, the
establishment of social justice, the protection of the environment, and the
elimination of economic inequality. In addition to these ambitious and lofty
goals, humanists are compassionate people. They are also concerned with the
people's suffering from oppression, discrimination, poverty, hunger, and
diseases and strive to mitigate such suffering.
The concept of humanism is not of recent origin. As early
as the sixth century B.C., the Buddha (563 BC – 483 BC)
preached love and compassion. The Buddha did
not believe in God. He ignored the questions regarding souls as irrelevant. Buddhism
is more than a religion. It is a tradition that focuses on personal spiritual
development. It is a philosophy and a humanistic way of life aimed at striving
to lead a moral life, being aware of one's thoughts and actions, and developing
wisdom, compassion, and understanding. Buddhism and humanism have a lot in
common.
Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) was a contemporary of the
Buddha. He is the father of Confucianism, a system of thought that influenced
China and other parts of Asia for several centuries. Although Confucius took the
existence of gods and heaven for granted, his ethical and political philosophy
was independent of such beliefs. Confucius is credited with the Golden Rule, which
states, "Do not do unto others what you do not want them to do unto you. This
is the only law that is needed. It is the foundation of all the rest." This
Golden Rule is adopted in some form or the other by almost all religions and by
many humanists.
According to Stephen Law, "Another significant
philosopher from a humanist perspective is Protagoras (490 BC – 420 BC), the
Greek philosopher. Protagoras' reasoning about morality and virtue was pursued
without any reliance on theistic or religious doctrine or belief." In
fact, Protagoras was a self-declared agnostic. He said:
Concerning the gods, I have no means of knowing whether
they exist or not or of what sort they may be, because of the obscurity of the
subject, and the brevity of human life.
Although there was a significant
development in philosophical thought during the sixth and fifth centuries BC,
that period did not have a monopoly in that field. There have been many
outstanding philosophers in many parts of the world after the fifth century BC.
About two thousand years ago, in the state of Tamil Nadu (the land of Tamil-speaking
people), India, there was an extraordinary man who was an outstanding
philosopher who analyzed almost all aspects of human life and offered practical
guidelines for a purposeful life on earth. His ideas are considered by scholars
to be eternally valid and universally acceptable. His name is Thiruvalluvar[4]. His
legacy is his magnum opus called Thirukkural[5], and
it is regarded as a veritable guide for the "Art of Living." He is
very well known in the state of Tamil Nadu where people of all ages study his
book. Professor Moriz Winternitz
(1863-1937), an eminent Austrian orientalist, says, "Valluvar’s Kural is
one of the gems of the world literature. He (Valluvar) stands above all races, castes,
and sects, and what he teaches is a general human morality and wisdom. No wonder, that the Kural has been read,
studied and highly praised in the land of its origin for centuries, but also
found many admirers in the west, ever since it has become known.” Dr. Albert Schweitzer (1875 – 1965) the German Philosopher,
physician and Nobel laureate admired Valluvar’s positive view of the world and
life as opposed to the “world and life negation” preached by the religions of
India. Leo Tolstoy (1828 – 1910), the famous Russian novelist, was very
impressed with Valluvar’s ideas about non-violence. Also, Mahatma Gandhi (1869
– 1948) was so fascinated by the Kural that he wanted to learn Tamil so that he
could study the original version of the Kural. The Russians are said to have
preserved important books of lasting value in the Kremlin in an indestructible
Tungsten chamber so that they may outlast even a nuclear attack and be useful
to posterity. The Kural is one of the books preserved in that chamber. Many
other scholars and philosophers from various parts of the world have recognized
and admired Valluvar’s profound yet pragmatic view of human life and the
practical guidelines he has offered for a righteous life with love and compassion.
The Kural has been translated into more than forty languages of the world.
There are more than fifty translations of the Kural in the English language
alone.
Valluvar
on Human Equality
Humanists are firmly committed to the protection and
promotion of human rights included in documents such as the United Nations
Organization’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These rights represent
shared values rooted in our common humanity and shared human needs,
transcending particular cultural and religious traditions. This regard for
human rights, equal dignity, and equality of all human beings is one of the
basic principles of humanism.
Like the humanists, Valluvar believes
in the equality of all human beings. During his time, the Vedic idea that
people in the world belong to four distinct classes - the priestly class, the
warrior class, the business class, and the class of laborers - has already
begun to have its roots in Indian society. There were others who were
considered social outcasts and they did not belong to any of the four classes. The
class of an individual is determined by the family in which he is born and
there was no provision for migration from one class to another. In such a
class-oriented society, it was indeed revolutionary on the part of Valluvar to
proclaim that “All are equal by birth.”
All human beings are equal by birth,
but distinctions arise only because of the different qualities of their
actions. (kural
– 972)
The elitist document, “The Declaration of Independence,”
which was adopted by the Continental Congress of the USA in 1776, declares that
“All men are created equal.” It is obvious that women were not considered equal
to men, and people of color were not considered equal to white men. Women and
people of color had to fight for their equality, and they obtained equal rights
only in the 20th century. Even in the 21st century, we
find that in many countries, women do not enjoy equality with men. Therefore,
Valluvar’s declaration regarding equality by birth is undoubtedly revolutionary
and is consistent with the principles of humanism.
Valluvar on Rationalism
Merriam-Webster’s
dictionary defines rationalism as a theory that reason is in itself a source of knowledge
superior to and independent of sense perceptions. Rationalism is the
basic principle of humanism. Humanism’s refusal to accept religious beliefs,
supernatural phenomena, the existence of a soul, reincarnation, the immortality
of the soul, etc., are all based on the fact that they cannot be verified by
scientific methodologies. To a humanist, anything that cannot withstand the
test of reason should be ignored as superstition. From the humanist point of
view, many of the religious tenets do not stand the test of reason. Also, a humanist
finds that there are many inherent contradictions among the various religious
beliefs. Therefore, it is not surprising that a humanist would remain skeptical
of religions.
With
respect to rationalism, Valluvar’s ideas are in agreement with those of
humanists. Valluvar says that one should verify the true nature of things and
should not be misguided by their appearances.
Whatever be the apparent nature of things, it
is wise to investigate their true nature. (kural
– 355)
It is this type
of free inquiry that forms the foundation of science. If Isaac Newton had
ignored to investigate why an apple fell down to the ground instead of going up
in the air, we would not have the laws of Newton. If Thomas Alva Edison did not
pursue his investigations relentlessly,
he would not have invented the incandescent electric bulb and would not
have developed many devices in
fields such as mass communication, sound recording, motion pictures, etc. Valluvar’s suggestion that one should investigate the true
nature of things is quite compatible with rational thinking and scientific
methodologies.
Also,
according to Valluvar, one should not accept others’ statements as true without
questioning them. He says that it is the mark of true wisdom to rationally
analyze everything instead of taking them for granted.
True wisdom is to discern the truth in whatever
is said by whomsoever. (kural – 423)
Questioning and verifying the statements made by others is a
mark of critical thinking and critical thinking leads to increased knowledge. For
example, if Charles Darwin had not thought critically and simply accepted
religious teachings on creationism, he would not have come up with his theory
on evolution. If Nicholas Copernicus had not doubted Ptolemy’s theory of
geocentricity, he would not have come up with his theory of heliocentricity,
which is regarded as the launching point of modern astronomy and the scientific revolution.
A typical religious person would not be open to
questioning his own religious dogmas. The Buddha, the original humanist, is
supposed to have said, “Believe nothing, no matter where you
read it, or who said it, no matter even if I have said it, unless it agrees
with your own reason and your own common sense.” Valluvar
does not endorse any religion as the ultimate truth. He is open to the inquiry
of all statements made by anyone. He echoes the Buddha when he says that individuals
should investigate and believe whatever they feel comfortable with and should
not blindly follow any faith. The kurals mentioned above (kurals 355 and 423) are
consistent with the humanists’ philosophy that “No beliefs should be considered
off-limits, and all beliefs should be subjected to rational scrutiny.”
Valluvar on Human
Effort
Throughout
human history, man has invented remarkable devices to improve his quality of
life. Researchers have been successful in developing medicines for many
diseases to save human life. Thanks to the Wright brothers, we are now able to
fly. Scientists and engineers have successfully sent human beings to the moon
and brought them back. The invention of computers has revolutionized the world.
There has been no evidence that these and other similar accomplishments
materialized through the miracles of gods or their agents. These
accomplishments have been made possible purely by human efforts. Lofty ideals,
proper goals and objectives, careful and detailed planning, unfailing
determination, and persistent hard work in executing the plans in spite of
unexpected setbacks have been responsible for these and other phenomenal
achievements of individuals and organizations. Valluvar is a strong proponent
of human effort rather than prayer. He suggests high ambition, appropriate
goals and objectives, and unceasing hard work will lead to success in human
endeavors. The following kurals illustrate Valluvar’s emphasis on human efforts
to succeed in life.
Importance of lofty ideals
The stalk of water-lily grows as the water level rises; so also,
the greatness achieved by a man is determined by his lofty ideals. (kural
– 595)
Importance of having clear goals
Those
who fear disgrace will not venture anything without having a clear goal in
mind.
(Kural
- 464)
Importance of Planning
Consider
the pros and cons and the net gain before venturing into any action.
(kural
- 461)
Nothing
is difficult to attain for those who consult with knowledgeable people before
venturing into action. (kural
– 462)
Actions should follow analytic decisions resulting from
deep deliberations; it is a disgrace to commence actions before such
deliberations. (Kural
– 467)
One
will be ruined if one does what should not be done; one will be ruined if one
fails to do what should be done. (kural
– 466)
Consider
thoroughly the resources, means, tasks, timing, and place of action before embarking on action. (kural
– 675)
Importance of Persistent Hard Work
If those who have planned an undertaking possess
persistence, they will achieve what they desired as they desired. (kural – 666)
It is easy to achieve your goal, provided you keep it in
mind persistently. (kural – 540)
One should not give up by saying, “It is impossible.” Persistent efforts will lead to success. (kural – 611)
Even if
God cannot help you to attain your goal, you will be rewarded in proportion to
your efforts and hard work. (Kural- 619)
Those
who work with ceaseless industry will overcome unplanned adverse events.
(kural
– 620)
In
the process of working towards a goal, there could be unexpected delays,
disappointments, and other random interruptions to progress. Valluvar does not
advise his readers to resort to prayer to overcome these difficulties. First,
he suggests that one should be prepared to meet adversities in the course of a
project and should not be under the false assumption that everything will go
according to plan. In other words, one should expect all kinds of adversities
and develop contingency plans to mitigate the risks that might arise from them.
Also, according to Valluvar, the best way to overcome adversities is to laugh
at them. Again, prayer has no place in Valluvar’s scheme for achieving success.
He who does not crave for pleasure and realizes that
adversity in life is natural is not affected by adversity. (kural
– 628)
Laugh at adversity; there is nothing better than laughter
to overcome adversity.
(kural
– 621)
As it can be seen from the above-mentioned kurals,
Valluvar places importance on goals, plans, and hard work rather than prayer. For
achieving success, Valluvar’s thinking is completely consistent with that of
the humanists.
Valluvar on Love
and Compassion
Humanism
is a philosophy of life that cares for the welfare of all human beings. According
to humanists, there is no supernatural being that helps to relieve the
sufferings of human beings. They believe that human problems must be addressed
and solved by human beings. Empathy and compassion are essential to solve
people’s sufferings. Empathy is the attempt of one who is
self-aware to understand and even experience another person's situation
and emotional state as their own. Compassion is taking a step further, where a
person feels empathy and then tries to take actions to alleviate the suffering
of the other person. In the case of compassion, the emphasis is on action. So, humanists’ concern for others’
sufferings is based on their empathy and compassion for others. Not only do
humanists emphasize compassion, but they also believe that working to benefit society
maximizes individual happiness.
Just like the humanists, Valluvar does
not expect that God will solve the problems such as poverty, hunger, and other
miseries that besiege human beings. He emphasizes the need for love, empathy,
and compassion to solve human problems. For example, he questions the value of
a person’s intelligence, if he does not feel others’ suffering as his own. Also,
he is of the opinion that the world functions only because there are people
with compassion. Furthermore, he criticizes a person without compassion as a
burden to the earth.
If one cannot treat others’ sufferings as his
own, what benefit has one gained from his intelligence? (kural – 315)
Sharing
your food and other resources to protect all lives is the best of all
precepts
in the books of the world. (kural
– 322)
Gracious Compassion is a uniquely
great quality because of which the world functions.
(kural
– 571)
The world exists and functions because
there are people with compassion. If compassion is absent in a person, he
becomes a burden to the earth. (kural
– 572)
As mentioned earlier, Valluvar
strongly believes in the equality of all human beings. According to him, only
those who realize that all are equal are really alive. Those who fail to
realize the equality of all people are not really alive. Since all are supposed
to be equal, people should have empathy and compassion for fellow human beings.
Valluvar is of the opinion that a compassionate person should realize that the
purpose of gathering wealth is to share it with the deserving people who are in
need. Sharing of wealth could be either in the form of charity or philanthropy.
Valluvar distinguishes between charity and philanthropy. According to Valluvar,
charity tends to be a short-term, emotional,
immediate response, focused primarily on rescue and relief, whereas
philanthropy is much more long-term, more strategic, and focused on rebuilding.
He
who realizes that he is just like all other human beings is the one who is really
alive; all others are deemed dead. (kural
-214)
All
the wealth gained through hard work is for doing service to deserving people.
(kural
- 212)
Valluvar and Secularism
Secularism, as defined in the Merriam-Webster
dictionary, is the "indifference to, or rejection or exclusion of,
religion and religious considerations."
As a philosophy, secularism seeks to interpret life on principles taken
solely from the material world without recourse to religion. In accordance with
its negation of religion, secularism as a philosophy requires that governments
should remain neutral on the matter of religion and should neither enforce nor
prohibit the free exercise of religion, leaving the religious choice to the
liberty of the people. In other words, a secular state does not align itself
with any particular religious or anti-religious point of view. So, in a secular
society, religious people can feel just as much at home as a humanist can. In
view of this, secularism and humanism can co-exist. As Dr. Steven Pinker points
out, “Though humanism does not invoke gods, spirits, or souls to ground meaning
and morality, it is by no means incompatible with religious institutions.” The world is not full of humanists. There are
people with varying religious beliefs. So, from a practical point of view,
humanists prefer to adopt secularism as the philosophy when it comes to public
policies and the administration of a state.
A careful study of the Kural leaves room for
the interpretation that Valluvar believed in a creator and that he also
believed in the existence of a soul and its permanence. These were his personal
beliefs. As discussed earlier, he leaves it to the individuals to rationally
analyze and come to their own conclusions and not accept any statement made by
anyone. When it comes to matters like morality and the administration of a
country, he is a secularist.
Valluvar is convinced that feeding the hungry
and helping the poor are human solutions to address the poverty of fellow human
beings. One cannot be more emphatic than Valluvar in promoting charity and
philanthropy as a means to help poor people. Valluvar advocates charity and
philanthropy towards poor people out of genuine love and compassion for them
and not by expecting any rewards in this life or in a future life.
If benevolence would result in one’s ruin, then
it is worth securing that ruin by selling
oneself, if necessary. (kural – 220)
There is nothing better than
philanthropy either in this world or in heaven (kural – 213)
According to Valluvar morality should be based
on society and not be mandated by any particular religion. Observance of good
conduct is an end itself and not a means to attain any reward either in this
world or the next. He values morality more than life itself.
Since right conduct leads to eminence, it
should be preserved more carefully than life itself. (kural – 131)
Right conduct should be carefully preserved and
guarded. Though one knows and excels in many virtues, right conduct alone will
come to one’s aid. (kural – 132)
Valluvar’s ideas regarding the administration
of a country are strictly based on secular principles. There are two hundred
and fifty kurals in his book about the governance of a country by a king and
one hundred kurals about how a minister should carry out his duties. Nowhere in
these kurals, we find any mention of religious preferences or bias of the king
or the minister in discharging their duties. So, Valluvar and the humanists
share the same points of view with regards to secularism.
Valluvar on Morality
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines morality
as the set of principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or
good and bad behavior. Religions claim that principles that constitute morality
come from God. According to religions, it is God who determines what is right
and wrong and what is good and bad. The moral codes as determined by God are
communicated to the people through the agents of God. The Ten Commandments, as
revealed to Moses, and the Sermon on the Mount, as delivered by Jesus Christ,
are examples of religious moral codes. Almost all religions promulgate their
own moral codes as revealed by their gods or their god’s agents.
There are inherent contradictions among the
religious moral mandates. What one religion approves as moral behavior is
condemned by another religion as unacceptable behavior. For example, one
religion prohibits the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Whereas, another
religion considers that as an acceptable behavior and even incorporates it in
some of the religious ceremonies. One religion prohibits the killing of animals
whereas another religion considers that animals can be killed and eaten by
human beings. One religion permits a man to marry up to four women, whereas
other religions do not accept that as a morally acceptable behavior. There are
other examples of contradictions among religious beliefs in the case of moral
codes. So, morality based on religions is relative and the guidelines are not
absolute. If an individual does not like the moral codes of his religion, he
can convert to another religion and continue his immoral behavior.
In addition to the contradictions and
inconsistencies in the moral codes as decreed by the religions, there is also
another problem. They are aimed at regulating human behavior by the promise of
rewards and punishments. Those who violate the moral codes are told that they will
be punished, and those who follow the codes of behavior are promised a good
life on earth and in heaven after their death.
It should be noted that there are
about a billion people who do not belong to any organized religion or do not
believe in any religion or supernatural beings. What about the moral codes of
behavior for them? In view of the fact that religious moral codes are relative
and do not apply to all of humanity, they are not the ideal or the right set of
codes that all people can follow. Perhaps that is why the renowned scientist
Albert Einstein said, “There is nothing divine about morality; it is
a purely human affair.” In agreement with Albert Einstein, humanists are of the
opinion that moral codes are not to be based on religions, but instead, they
should be based on the scientific method, compassion, and egalitarianism that
guides our sense of fairness. As philosopher Paul Kurtz said, “The goal of
humanistic morality is the enhancement of the good life, happiness, and
well-being for the widest number of individuals.”
Valluvar’s
stance on morality is very similar to that of the humanists. Valluvar’s
morality is based on equality, non-violence, and compassion. As mentioned
earlier, he believes in a classless society where all are equal by birth. There
is no room for discrimination of any kind in Valluvar’s philosophy. According
to him, since all are equal, everyone should help the poor without expecting
anything in return. He believes that the purpose of gathering wealth is to help
the deserving others. His advocacy for charity and philanthropy is based on
love and compassion towards fellow human beings and not based on any
anticipated benefit either in this birth or in the future. In fact, he says,
even if one does not get to go to heaven, it is better to be practice charity.
To
give to the needy alone is charity. All the rest is an investment in
anticipation
of a return. (Kural
– 221)
Even
if it is good (for the ascetic) to receive charity from others for livelihood,
it is still bad. Even if heaven is denied to the giver, giving (charity) is
still good. (kural – 222)
Since
words and actions that hurt others originate in the mind, Valluvar insists on
cultivating a mind without any blemishes. He says that one should never even
think of an evil thought at any time towards anyone. Also, in accordance with
the “Golden Rule” of Confucius, he says that one should avoid doing things to
others that one finds harmful to oneself. In fact, he goes one step further and
states that we should do good deeds to those who do evil to us so that they
will be vexed. Valluvar’s stance on non-violence can be seen in the following
kurals:
The
best punishment for those who do evil to you is to shame them by
returning good for evil and after doing good
in return, just forget the
evil
that was done to you as well as the good deed you did. (kural – 314)
What
benefit does someone derive from his intelligence (knowledge, wisdom),
if he does not treat others’ suffering as his
own? (kural – 315)
What one has
realized as causing pain to oneself, one should not
inflict on
others.
(kural – 316)
It
is the supreme virtue not to have a harmful thought about anybody
in
any degree at any moment. (kural
– 317)
Why
does a man inflict upon other living beings those things he found
harmful
to himself? (kural
– 318)
Good
conduct varies with respect to the location and the time period in which one
lives. What is considered good conduct in Western countries may not be
considered good in Eastern countries, and vice versa. Also, societies change
over a period of time. For example, in the past, same-sex marriage and divorce
were not considered acceptable, but nowadays, they are considered acceptable
behavior in many countries. Since what is good conduct varies with respect to time
and location, Valluvar says good conduct is the one that is determined by the
wise people of the society where one lives and not by the religion to which one
belongs. Therefore, as Greg M. Epstein concludes in his book, “Good Without
God: What Billion non-religious people do believe”, there can be good
without God, and Valluvar is in agreement with that.
Those who fail to
conduct themselves in harmony with the world are
ignorant
despite their vast learning. (kural
– 140)
Conclusion
Valluvar recognizes
human equality. He emphasizes rationalism as the approach to understanding the
true nature of things and the truth in all statements made by anyone. He is
emphatic about human efforts rather than prayer for success in life. He
stresses love and compassion towards one and all and helping others without
expecting anything in return. He is secular in his approach to the governance
of a country. For him, morality should be independent of religion, and it
should be determined by wise people. Based on these facts, it is evident that Valluvar
was a humanist, and his book is indeed a manual on humanism.
Bibliography
Aiyar, V.V. S. Thirukkural. Sri Ramakrishna
Thapovanam, Tiruparaithurai, Tiruchirapalli District,
India, 2001.
Diaz, S.M. Thirukkural. Volumes 1 &2.
Ramanandha Adigalar Foundation, Chennai, 2000.
Drew, W.H., Lazarus, John, Rev. Thirukkural –
English Translation. Asian Educational services,
Madras
(Chennai): 1996.
Einstein, Albert. Essays in Humanism.
Philosophical Library, New York, 2011
Epstein, Greg M. Good without God: what
billion non-religious people do believe. William
Morrow, An
imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, 2009
Law, Stephen. Humanism – A very Short
Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2011
Meenakshisundaran, T. P. Philosophy of
Thiruvalluvar. Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai,
1999.
Nambi, Agamudai, K.C. Thirukkural (With
English verses). K.C. Agamudai Nambi, Madurai, 2004.
Prabhakaran, Dr. R. The Ageless Wisdom (As
embodied in Thirukkural), Emerald Publishers,
Chennai, 2019
Pinker, Steven. Enlightenment Now: The Case
for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress.
Viking, An
imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, New York, NY, 2018
Speckhardt, Roy. Toward a humanist Morality. Retrieved
from
http://kidswithoutgod.com/teens/learn/humanist-morality
[1] One who denies the
existence of God.
[2] One who is not committed
to believing in God’s existence or nonexistence.
[3] http://americanhumanist.org/Humanism/Definitions_of_Humanism
[4] There is no clear evidence to indicate that
Thiruvalluvar was his real name. The term Valluvan refers to one whose job it
was to announce the royal proclamations to the public by beating a drum. It
might also mean one who served as a minister to a king. Valluvar is the
respectful version of the word Valluvan. The term “Thiru” is an honorific
prefix to anything that is considered sacred or divine. So, it is quite
possible that Thiruvalluvar might not have been his real name, but that is how
he has been referred to by others. In this essay, for the sake of brevity, we
will refer to Thiruvalluvar as Valluvar.
[5] In Tamil, the word “kural” means a two-line verse
(couplet). Valluvar’s book consists of 1330 kurals. As in the case of his name,
the term “Thiru” is an honorific prefix to the book of kurals and hence his
book is called Thirukkural. For short, his book is often referred to as “the
Kural” (with an uppercase K) and the word “kural” (with a lowercase k) is used to
refer to the individual couplet.
Comments
Post a Comment