Marabiyal in English-3

 12

தொல்காப்பியம்- மரபியல் - 3(Final)

English Translation by Dr K.Loganathan. 2002

6. நூல் மரபு The Genealogy of (Scientific) Texts

1590.
மரபுநிலை திரிதல் செய்யுட்கு இல்லை
மரபுவழிப் பட்ட சொல்லினான

marabunilai tirital ceyyudku illai
marabuvazip padda collin aana

For CeyyuL, the metatexts, transgressing what obtains in the world as the genesis of things is not allowed for all the words emerge within this genealogy

Notes:

All linguistic phenomena is divided into Vazakku and CeyyuL. The vazakku is the expressions of Language that obtain in the world as part of the living stream of life, the language in USE in various functions and hence as expressions of Speech Acts or kuuRRu. CeyyuL on the other hand are that which are COMPOSED as a result of REFLECTIVE activities. Here by CeyyuL is meant the scientific treatises composed by reflecting on Vazakku. But however even as such, the CeyyuL CANNOT transgress, in order to be TRUE what obtains in the world, as part of the genesis of things. All reflections must be as what obtains in the world in order to scientific.

1591.

மரபுநிலை திரியின் பிறிது பிறிதாகும்

marabunilai tiriyin piRitu piRitaakum

If the Genealogy as such is transgressed, then everything gets
thoroughly disorganized (with nothing to hold them together)

Notes:

By "Marabunilai " is meant how the things stand in world as to what they are and how they are. The scientific texts are required to understand and articulate only what obtains thus and should NOTarticulate the imagined or fictitious. If the focus on the ways how things are in world is forgotten then the texts become idiosyntratic, just simply what the person wants to and wishes to say and hence simply OPINIONS and NOT truths. Each person can say what he wishes and thus contribute towards meaningless divergencies with nothing to hold them together. The articulations become fissiparious with nothing to disagree or agree with.

1592.

வழக்கு எனப்படுவது உயர்ந்தோர் மேற்றே
நிகழ்ச்சி அவர் கட்டு ஆகலான்

vazakku enappaduvatu uyarntoor meeRRee
nikazcci avar kaddu aakalaan

The Practice (in the area of ceyyul or scientific texts) is available among the most excellent individuals for the(normative) events (in this field) are constituted by them

Notes:

The 'vazakku' here should not be confused with Vazakku as opposed to CeyyuL. The field of scientific investigation is tradition-bound, there is HISTORICITY in the accumulation of scientific understanding and there are PRACTICES that constitute this tradition. In this the Uyarntoor, the most excellent individuals establish the models and norms and it is they who maintain the tradition of scientific study of things. The tradition of science is eminently HUMAN and hence something that continues to be only if there are PRACTICES as such and as modeled by the most excellent in such studies.

1593.

மரபுநிலை திரியா மாட்சிய வாகி
உரைபடு நூல்தாம் இருவகை இயல(var. நிலைய)
முதலும் வழியும் என நுதலிய நெறியின

marabunilai tiriyaa maadsiya vaaki
uraipadu nuultaam iruvakai iyala (var. nilaiya)
mutalum vaziyum ena nutaliya neRiyina

Among the TEXTS that do not deviate from the orientation towards the genesis of things as they obtain in the world,
there are basically TWO types from the point of view of how they inform viz. Mutal, the Primary and Vazi or the drivative.

Notes:

The scientific texts constitute a TRADITION among themselves with one constituting the point of DEPARTURE for another. The Mutal-type is that which serves as the point of departure by its excellence and authoritativeness. The Vazi-type are derivative texts , texts that PRESUPPOSE the TRUTHS as enunciated by the Mutal Nuul. This distinction is evident in the manner in which they INFORM the truths-- nutaliya neRi


1594.

வினையின் நீங்கி விளங்கிய அறிவின்
முனைவன் கண்டது முதனூல் ஆகும்

vinaiyin niingki viLangkiya aRivin
munaivan kaNdatu mutanuul aakum

The Mutal Nuul is that which composed by a person of absolutely CLEAR UNDERSTANDING, an understanding in which all the PREJUDICES are absolved

Notes:

Historically the most important sutra in the long History of Dravidian Philosophy. Vinai here is Vilangku, the CHAINS that RESTRICT the seeing and hence PREJUDICES that stand obstructing the UNDERSATNDING of things as they are in themselves. The Vinai within the person introduce a distortion thereby making it IMPOSSIBLE to SEE things as they are in themselves. However when a person manages to rise above all these vision-obtructing or distorting prejudices, he becomes a MUNAIVAN, a radiant individual, an individual whose understanding shines with CLARITY, a clarity that comes with indubitablity and apodeictic certainty. It is this quality of the text that makes it AUTHORITATIVE and hence something that can be PRESUPPOSED as TRUE and hence in terms of which other investigations by way by pursuing such a study further can be pursued.

1595.

வழியெனப் படுவது அதன் வழித்தாகும்

vaziyenap paduvatu atan vazittaakum

What are called Derivative Texts are those composed by way of
following the (lines of investigations as enunciated by ) Authoritative Texts as above.

1596

வழியின் நெறியே நால்வகைத்து ஆகும்

vaziyin vakaiyee naal vakaittu aakum

Now there are FOUR different ways in which the Derivative Texts ar generated.

1597.
தொகுத்தல் விரித்தல் தொகைவிரி மொழிபெயர்த்து
அதர்பட யாத்தலோடு அனை மரபினவே

tokuttal virittal tokaiviri mozipeyarttu
atarpada yaattaloodu anai marabinavee

They are: summarizing the essentials of the Primary Text , elaborating further some points there, or doing both and finally translating it into other languages and making them available in their traditions.

Notes:

The Authoritative Texts gets adumbarated in FOUR differet ways. The Tokutal is simply assembling together and perhaps in a summary fashion the essential TRUTHS announced in the text. The Virittal is elaborating further and may be with related corrobarative studies, exegetical elucidations and so forth. There may be also texts that combine both. Over and above these productions of new but derivative texts we have also TRANSLATIONS into other languages and the transmission of the TRUTHS of the primary texts into the cultural tradition of another linguistic group.


நூல் இலக்கணம் The Grammar of (Scientific) Texts

1598

ஒத்த சூத்திரம் உரைப்பின் காண்டிகை
மெய்ப்படக் கிளந்த வகையது ஆகி
ஈரைங் குற்றமும் இன்றி நேரிதின்
முப்பத் திருவகை உத்தியொடு புணரின்
நூல் என மொழிப நுணங்குமொழிப் புலவர்.

otta suuttiram uraippin kaaNdikai
meyppada kiLanta vakaiyatu aaki
iiraing kuRRamum inRi neeritin
muppat tirivakai uttiyodu puNarin
nuul ena mozipa nuNangku mozip pulavar

A scientific TEXT has the following structural elements in it: a collection of related sutras, a commentary in the form logical demonstration that serves to establish the truths and as a whole composed with the 32 utties and without the ten types of defects.
Notes: All these structural elements that go to make up a scientific TEXT are enunciated in greater detail in the sutras below one by one.

1599.
உரையெடுத்து அதன்முன் யாப்பினும் சூத்திரம்
புரைதப உடன்படக் காண்டிகை புணர்பினும்
விடுத்தலும் விலக்கலும் எனவிரு வகையொடு
புணர்ந்தவை நாடிப் புணர்க்கவும் படுமே

uraiyeduttu atanmun yaappinum suuttiram
puraitaba udanpadak kaaNdikai puNarppinum
viduttalum vilakalum enaviru vakaiyodu
puNarntavai naadip puNarkkavum padumee

There may be introductory prefaces before the strict logical demonstrations that clarifies the meanings, or remarks here and there mentioning what are left out without elucidations or put aside as not relevant

1600

மேற்கிளந்த யாப்பின் உட்பொருளொடு
சில்வகை எழுத்தின் செய்யுட் டாகி
சொல்லுங் காலை உரை அகத்து அடக்கி
நுண்மையொடு புணர்ந்த ஒண்மைத்து ஆகித்
துளக்கல் ஆகாத் துணைமை எய்தி
அளக்கல் ஆகா அரும்பொருட் டாகிப்
பலவகை யானும் பயன் தெரிபு உடையது
சூத்திரத்து இயல்பென யாத்தனர் புலவர்

meeRkiLanta yaappin udporuLodu
cilvakai ezuttin ceyyut taaki
collung kaalai urai akattu adakki
nuNmaiyodu puNarnta oNmaiththu aakit
thuLakkal aakaat tuNaimai eyti
aLakkal aakaa arupporut taakip
palavakai yaanum payan teribu udaiyatu
suuttirattu iyalbena yaattanar pulavar.

The sutra is a statement that occurs in the above types of scientific texts with the following qualities: It is a composition with the minimal numbers of words; would require a commentary for explicating its meaning; it embodies a deep ILLUMINATION of immense depths; the insight it embodies is so penetrating that it is not that easy to expound it; because of the brilliance of insights it is of immeasurable value. And in addition to these, it also holds within itself many other implications and nuances of immense value

Notes:

The sutra in Hermeneutic Scientific texts that is being explained here holds a position similar to AXIOMS in mathematical treatises, logically the most rigorous. The word is derived from SumeroTamil su/zu meaning an illumination, a light (Ta. cuur, cudar etc) and derivatively a deep understanding. It is only because it embodies an uncommon and deep understanding perhaps attained for the first time that it requires an explication with appropriate reasons and illustrations


1601

பழிப்பில் சூத்திரம் பட்ட பண்பின்
கரப்பின்றி முடிவது காண்டிகை யாகும்

pazippil cuuttiram padda paNbin
karapinRi mudivatu kaaNdikai yaakum

The KaaNdikai type of Logical Demonstration applies to faultless sutras and serves to estabish what is stated beyond doubts and uncertainties.

Notes:

karappu: confusion , doubts, uncertainties all because of concealment of meaning. The KandiKai must elucidate in such a way that there is no more this concealment or hiddeness and hence it serves UNCONCEAL or bring to light the meaning of the sutras.

1602.

விட்டகல் வின்றி விரிவொடு பொருந்திச்
சுட்டிய சூத்திரம் முடித்தற் பொருட்டா
ஏது நடையினும் எடுத்துக்காட்டினும்
மேவாங்கு அமைந்த மெய்நெறித்து அதுவே

viddakal vinRi virivodu poruntic
cuddiya cuuttiram mudittaR poruddaa
eetu nadaiyum eduttuk kaaddinum
meevaangku amainta meyneRittu atuvee

For this purpose the Kandikai type of logical demonstration stays strictly with the intend of the sutra but at the same expounding the TRUTH of the sutra and for which purpose it brings the Etu(Reasons) and Eduttukkaaddu (Arguments)

Notes:

These technical terms in Indian Logic occurs for the first time here in this sutra. The word Etu is used very widely in all Indian treatises on Logic and is possibly derive from Ta. etu: meaning Which? or What? . Since it is the questions of this sort that leads to the seeking of REASONS, probably the Tamil interrogative was modified to describe the reason itself.

The term " mey neRittu" is also very important. It shows that the CONCERN of Sutras and demonstrations is TRUTH and not something else.

1603.

சூத்திரத்து உட்பொருள் அன்றியும் யாப்புற
இன்றி யமையாது இயைபவை எல்லாம்
ஒன்ற உரைப்பது உரை எனப் படுமே

cuuttirattu udporuL anRiyum yaappuRa
inRi yamaiyaathu iyaibavai ellaam
onRa uraippatu urai enap padumee

Now over and above the strictly logical Kandikai, there are commentaries that expound the meaning of the sutras bringing together all the necessary information for this purpose.

1604.

மறுதலைக் கடாஅ மாற்றமும் உடைத்தாய்த்
தன் நூலானும் முடிந்த நூலானும்
ஐயமும் மருட்கையும் செவ்விதின் நீக்கித்
தெற்றென ஒருபொருள் ஒற்றுமைக் கொளீஇத்
துணிவொடு நிற்றல் என்மனார் புலவர்.

maRutalai kadAa maaRamum udaittaayt
than nuulaanum mudinta nuulaanum
aiyamum marutkaiyum cevvitin niikkit
tuNivodu niRRal enmanaar pulavar.

Such commentaries also must NOT be something that can be refuted and must clarify the issues beyond doubts and uncertainties citing one's own texts or others that are well established for this purpose. If there are multiple meanings then it must be disambiguated so that the single and the most definite meaning stands out with the modality of certainty prevailing throughout.

Nores:

maRutalai kadAa: that which does not necessitate contary or opposing views.

1605.

சொல்லப் பட்டன எல்லா மாண்பும்
மறுதலை யாயின் மற்று அது சிதைவே

collap paddanna ellaa maaNbum
maRutalai yaayin maRRu atu citaivee

Now if there is a text without the structural elements above and hence NOT conforming to those characteristics, then that text can be considered DEFECTIVE

1606.

சிதைவில என்ப முதல்வன் கண்ணே

citaivila enpa mutalvan kaNNee

The scholars will say that such defects are NOT present in the authors of authoritative texts (that serve the growth of secondary derivative texts)

1607.

முதல்வழி யாயினும் யாப்பினுட் சிதையும்
வல்லோன் புனையா வாரம் போன்றே

mutalvazi yaayinum yaappinut citaiyum
valloon punaiyaa vaaram poonRatee

But these texts, even derivative, if they are defective in terms of the Language used, then it should be taken as a hymn composed by someone incompetent

1608.

சிதைவு எனப்படுபவை வசையற நாடின்
கூறியது கூறல், மாறுகொளக் கூறல்
குன்றக் கூறல், மிகைப்படக் கூறல்
பொருளில மொழிதல், மயங்கக் கூறல்
கேட்போர்க்கு இன்னா யாப்பிற்று ஆதல்
பழித்த மொழியான் இழுக்கங் கூறல்
தன்னான் ஒருபொருள் கருதிக் கூறல்
என்ன வகையினும் மனக்கோள் இன்மை
அன்ன பிறவும் அவற்று விரியாகும்

citaivu enppadubavai vasaiyaRa naadin
kuuRiyatu kuuRal, maaRukoLak kuuRal
kunRak kuuRal mikappadak kuuRal
poruLila mozital mayangkak kuuRal
keedpoorkku innaa yaappiRRu aatal
pazitta moziyaan izukkang kuuRal
tanaan oruporuL karutik kuuRal
enna vakaiyinum mankkooL inmai
anna piRavum avaRRu viriyaakum

Among the DEFECTS if the Logical Defects are isolated without any complaints i.e as the generally agreed upon they are the following: redundancies, self-contradictions, incomplete articulations, excessive and imprecise statements, saying what are meaningless, stating is such a way that it is immensely confusing; couching in a diction very unpleasant to hear; insulting the opponents with abusive language; twisting the facts to establish one's own prejudiced view; couching in a language with deliberate intend to obfuscate the issue so that no matter how hard one tries there is NO comprehension of what is intended and all such mental strategies and their elaborations.

Notes:

Here we have the listing of Logical Fallacies for the first time in Indian history. The first two are strictly logical, the next four pertain to the Language used and hence semantic. The "inna yaapu" pertains to prosody and hence poetical. The "pazitta mozi" is Ad Hominem type of fallacies. "Tannan oruporuL karuti kuuRal" pertains to prejudice and hence lack of OBJECTIVITY. The "Manang KoL inmai" is the deliberate artefact whereby something definite and clear is made impossible from the study of the statement.


1609

எதிர் மறுத்து உணரின் அத்திறத்தவும் அவையே

etir maRuttu uNarin attiRattavum avaiyee
Even if the structure is such that only by denying the contrary that which is intended is grasped, it will be considered a species of defects.

(to continue)2

1609

ஒத்த காட்சி உத்திவகை விரிப்பின்
நுதலியது அறிதல், அதிகார முறையே,
தொகுத்துக் கூறல், வகுத்துமெந் நிறுத்தல்,
மொழிந்த பொருளோடொன்ற அவ்வயின்
மொழியாத அதனை முட்டின்றி முடித்தல்,
வந்தது கொண்டு வாராதது உணர்த்தல்,
முந்து மொழிந்ததன் தலைதடு மாற்றே,
ஒப்பக்கூறல், ஒருதலை மொழியே,
தன்கோள் கூறல், முறை பிறழாமை,
பிறன் உடம்பட்டது தான் உடன் படுதல்,
இறந்தது காத்தல், எதிரது போற்றல்,
மொழிவாம் என்றல், கூறிற்று என்றல்,
தான் குறி யிடுதல், ஒருதலை யன்மை,
முடிந்தது காட்டல், ஆணை கூறல்,
பல்பொருட்கு ஏற்பின் நல்லது கோடல்,
மறுதலை சிதைத்துத் தன்துணிபு உரைத்தல்,
பிறன்கோட் கூறல், அறியாது உடம்படல்,
சொல்லின் எச்சம் சொல்லியாங்கு உணர்த்தல்,
தந்து புணர்ந்து உரைத்தல், ஞாபகம் கூறல்,
உய்த்துக்கொண்டு உணர்த்தலொடு மெய்ப்பட நாடிச்
சொல்லிய அல்ல பிற அவண் வரினும்
சொல்லிய வகையான் சுருங்க நாடி
மனத்தின் எண்ணி மாசறத் தெரிந்துகொண்டு
இனத்திற் சேர்த்தி உணர்த்தல் வேண்டும்
நுனித்தகு புலவர் கூறியச் நூலே.

otta kaadci uttivakai virippin
nutaliyatu aRital, atikaara muRaiyee,
tokuttuk kuuRal, vakuttu meyn niRuttal,
mozinta poruLoodu onRa avvayin
moziyaatatani muddinRu mudittal,
vaaraa tatanaan vantatu mudittal,
vantatu koNdu vaaratatu uNarttal,
muntu mozintatin talai tadumaaRRee,
oppak kuuRal, orutalai moziyee,
tankooL kuuRal, muRai piRazaamai,
piRan udanpaddatu taan udan padutal,
iRantatu kaattal, etiratu pooRRal,
mozivaam enRal, kuuRiiRu enRal,
taan kuRi idutal, outalai yanmai,
mudintatu kaaddal, aaNai kuuRal,
palporutku eeRpin nallatu koodal,
tokutta moziyaan vakuttanar koodal,
maRutalai sitaittut tantuNibu uraittal,
piRankood kuuRal, aRiyaatu udanpadal,
poruL idai yidutal, etirporuL uNarttal
collin eccam colliyaangku uNarttal,
tantupuNarttu uaraittal, njaapakam kuuRal,
uyttuk koNdu uNarttalodu meyppada naadic
colliya alla piRa avaN varinum
colliya vakaiyaal surungka naadi
manattain eNNi maasaRat terintukoNdu
inattiR ceertti uNarttal veeNdum
nunittaku pulavar kuuRiya nuulee
otta kaadci uttivakai virippin

If the utties that serve to bring about AGREEMENT in understanding between the author and the reader were to be listed they are as follows:

nutaliyatu aRital: understanding what is intended by the author;

atikaara muRaiyee: understanding the progressive organisational structure of the text;

tokuttuk kuuRal: instructing on the overall meaning;

vakuttu meyn niRuttal: analysing and differentiating the different aspects of the said and establishing their truths;

mozinta poruLoodu onRa avvayin

moziyaatatanai muddinRu mudittal: importing that which haven't be said overtly but which are consistent with what has been asserted;

vaaraa tatanaan vantatu mudittal: making a definite conclusion in terms of those that have been said later or that remains unsaid;

vantatu koNdu vaaratatu uNarttal: extending the meaning by drawing out the implications of that which have been said;

muntu mozintatin talai tadumaaRRee: reversing the order of the said in order to grasp collectively the overall meaning;

oppak kuuRal: citing the relevant and similar information;

orutalai moziyee: disambiguating in case of multiple possiblities;

tankooL kuuRal: stating clearly one's own opinion;

muRai piRazaamai:: instructing or learning without distorting the progressive order;

piRan udanpaddatu taan udan padutal: expressing agreement with what other scholars have agreed upon;

iRantatu kaattal: recalling the past matters to maintain them in memory;

etiratu pooRRal: keeping in mind the future possiblities;

mozivaam enRal: in that context asserting now that I will mention it or come to it later;

kuuRiiRu enRal: if already said then telling that one has already mentioned it earlier;

taan kuRi idutal: intoducing one's own signs or symbols or technical terms in case something new is introduced;

outalai yanmai mudintatu kaaddal: drawing the multiple possiblities in meaning where it holds;

aaNai kuuRal: citing the necessary authorities for substantiating a view;

palporutku eeRpin nallatu koodal: in case of multiple possiblities, choosing the best possiblity;

tokutta moziyaan vakuttanar koodal: in case of the collective meaning also drawing out the collective implications;

maRutalai sitaittut tantuNibu uraittal: destroying the opposed views and establishing one's own;

piRankood kuuRal: citing the opinion of the others;

aRiyaatu udanpadal: agreeing in case one doesn't understand;

poruL idai yidutal: providing the relevant meanings in between when necessary;

etirporuL uNarttal: explicating also the opposite meanings;

collin eccam colliyaangku uNarttal: articulating the implicatures just as it prevails in the said ;

tantupuNarttu uaraittal: bring to bear the earlier and later things to the current issue;

njaapakam kuuRal: explicating the different possiblities from memory to elucidate further the hidden meanings

uyttuk koNdu uNarttalodu: going beyond the words and their meanings to the hidden depths;

meyppada naadic
colliya alla piRa avaN varinum
colliya vakaiyaal surungka naadi
manattain eNNi maasaRat terintukoNdu
inattiR ceertti uNarttal veeNdum
nunittaku pulavar kuuRiya nuulee

With these various strategies or interpretive moves and also exercising all other utties that haven't been mentioned here but without going very far from the issue, any text must be understood faultlessly and having brought out the collective meanings and hence classifying it appropriately , one should learn and instruct on the scientific texts authored by insightful scholars.

(concluded)