AruNandi's Deconstruction of Lokayata.
Translation with commentary by Dr K.Loganathan 2004
Saiva Deconstruction of Lokayata
Seeing is Different from Sensing
One of the sources of conflict between the Saivites and the Lokayatas appears to be the methodology pertaining to philosophy itself. In this verse AruNandi brings out the Hermeneutic approach the Saivites favor in contrast to the materialistic positivistic approach of the Lokayatas and hence a conflict of a fundamental sort.
This difference emerges in the Lokayatas saying that the anma is NOT verifiable by any perceptual and hence measurable means - karaNaGkaLukku uyir kaNdidaamaiyin uyir inRu and hence irreal. To acknowledge that there is anma, the soul, it must be something reachable through the senses and we can add here, or their extensions like x-ray photography and so forth. For the anmas to be acceptable as real, they must at least leave behind traces in a sensible media that cannot be attributed to any other agency except the anmas.
Here AruNandi brings out a fundamental difference between SEEING and SENSING and the hermeneutic approach to understand things that comes with taking SEEING as the central act that furnishes consciousness of objects. Perceiving is INTERPRETIVE for different people understand the same object differently and all holding the possibility of being equally true. What impinge the senses are selected and made sense - a picture of it is made out of it and it is this picture that is SEEN and later named as such and such. The activity of making sense of an object and hence deriving a MEANING from what is sensed is NOT just an activity of the senses but essentially that of the psychic entity that sees through the senses as its tools.
Now once we accept that the primary act that breeds consciousness of an object is seeing, then it follows that there is what is seen as well as the one who sees viz. the anma, the soul. There cannot be seeing without the seer! Tirumular observed this connection in terms njaanam (consciousness), neeyam (the object of consciousness) and njaturu (the one who sees)
More below
51.
காணொணா கரணங்களுக்கு உயிர் கண்டிடாமையின் இன்றெனின்
காணுமோ கடங்கண்ட கண்ணினைக் கண்டு நிற்பதும் கண்ணதே
காணொணாது உயிர் தானும் இப்படி கண்டிடுங் கரணங்களுக்கு உயிர்
உண்மை யாவதுங் கண்டிடே
உரை:
உலகாயதா! பொறிலியப் பார்வையின் அறிகரணங்களுக்கு உயிர் காணவாராது நிற்கின்றது, யாது இவ்வாறு கானவாராதோ அது இல்பொருள் என்பதின் ஆன்மா எனும் ஓர் தனிப்பொருள் உடலில் இல்லை என்கின்றாய். ஆயினும் கேட்க: நீ ஓர் கடத்தைக் காண்கின்றாய், இப்படி காண்பதாகவும் உணர்கின்றாய். நீ காண்கின்ற கடம் உன் கண்களைக் காணாது. இவ்வாறு ஓர் கடத்தைக் காணும்போது, நீ இவ்வாறு கண்டு நிற்பதை உனக்குக் காட்டுவதும் அந்த கண்ணே யாகும். ஆக ஆன்மா என்பது இப்படி கடங்களைப் பார்க்கின்ற பொறியாதிகளால் காணப்படாதவொன்று எனினும், அதே கரணங்கள் தாம் காண்பானை உண்மையெனக் காட்டி நிற்கின்றன என்பதை அறிக. இவ்வாறு அறிகரணங்களின் இருவகை தொழிலையும் கண்டு உயிர் உண்மையை கண்டிடுக.
51.
kaaNoNaa karaNangkaLukku uyir kaNdidaamaiyin inRenin
kaanumoo kadangkaNda kaNNinaik kaNdu nirpatung kaNNatee
kaaNonaatu uyir taanum ippadi kaNdidung karanangkaLukku uyir
uNmai yaavatung kaNdidee
Meaning:
Lokayata! You say that the anma does not exist or irreal because it is NOT available for any of the senses for perception , on the assumption that whatever is beyond the reaches of the senses is nonexistent. Well then tell me how in perceiving a pot, while the pot does not perceive the seeing eyes and hence the person, nevertheless the person knows that he is seeing the pot. It must be that the eyes in seeing the pot also informs the person that he is seeing the pot with the eyes. Know that the anma is NOT like the pots and pans, i.e. a direct object of sensory perception but nevertheless, it is senses that inform the presence of the seer in every act of seeing. The reality and truth of the anmas is to be seen in this way- by noting the double function of the senses.
Comments:
Here begins the Hermeneutic Theory of Perception that constitutes a central theme in Saiva Siddhanta and made full use of in establishing the metaphysics as belonging to the field of Hermeneutic Science, a science where seeing and seeing more and more becomes the primary concern.
The act of seeing is rather different from that of just sensing, being a vehicle for registering an enormous range of stimuli coming from the environment both internal and external. After or even during these processes of sensing, there is a selectional mechanism at work and only as a result of such selections and processing the information further that the the-tic consciousness ( cudduNarvu) such as "that is a pot" and so forth arises. Of course the anma is NOT an object of such perceptual consciousness -- we cannot encounter it as an object of the the-tic consciousness such as the above. This much is granted and agreed upon. But AruNandi goes on to say that this just shows not that the anma is irreal or nonexistent but only that it is categorically DIFFERENT from the pots and pans and such other physical objects that can be sensed through their senses or their instrumental extensions and be made an object of the-tic consciousness.
He points out that in seeing a pot, even though the pot seen does NOT inform the person that he seeing it, but nevertheless he sees that he is seeing the pot while seeing it. The act of seeing through a sense also provides consciousness that in that act of seeing, one is seeing with a certain sense. Thus the eye that sees the pot also informs the seer that he is seeing with the eyes during those moments he is seeing something. This seer who sees that he is seeing with the eyes is the anma or the soul. So it follows that it is through the senses that we also see the truth of anma though not as that which is seen but as that which sees.
Thus the senses have a double function: that of disclosing the presence of a physical objects and along with it, informing the anma that it is seeing with the eyes nose ears and so forth. Where we see perception not simply as sensing but rather that of SEEING, then it follows that that anma is also real, as real as the physical objects but only that it remains the seer rather than seen.
In our analytical understanding, we should, taking the seen as a TEXT , move through acts of interpretations into the deep structure and which will be seen as the anma, the soul. The senses are only tools in the service of the anma for it to see the objects. Thus the very acts of seeing that disclose the presence of objects in the world also disclose the presence of psychic entities as those which does the seeing and with the structure of its own.
The Truth of Individual Self and it being Anati
One of the notions that is distinctive of Saiva Siddhanta is that the anma is taken not only distinct from BEING ( God) but also just as anati as BEING, a notion that has been current in Saiva thinking at least from the days of Tirumular(c. 7th cent). Lokayatas (just as the Buddhists and Advaities) do not subscribe to this at all and AruNandi is concerned with these issues here.
First he points out that the essence of self is like that of Fire which shows its presence only through burning something or other. It cannot show its presence in modes other than this. In the same way the anma - it shows itself only though a bodily embodiment but for which reason it cannot identified with the body itself or the various cognitive and other inner processes. The anma exists as an indestructible entity, suffers existential repetition with the bodily embodiment for each incarnation depending upon the karmic traces it has acquired in the previous birth.
And here emerges another critique of the Lokayatas.
An anma, anati as such, cannot be metaphysically ignorant while we see in the world all creatures are ignorant. Hence it follows that anmas as anati is impossible and hence it is wrong to assume the reality of such anmas and they getting resurrected repeatedly and in accordance with the karmic syllables and so forth.
Here AruNandi brings in the states of dream consciousness (coppanam) and wakeful consciousness (caakkiram) to de-construct the Lokayatas. While in dream state, the anma remains forgetful of the state of wakeful consciousness and vice versa. There is deprivation of memory of another state while being in one. The same applies to bodiless way of being and embodied way of being. While embodied we are IGNORANT of bodiless state and vice versa. And therefore it follows there is IGNORANCE while bodiless or incarnated.
More below
52.
அங்கியானது தானும் ஒன்றை அணைந்து நின்று நிகழ்ந்திடும்
பங்கியாது உயிர் தானும் இப்படி பற்றியல்லது நின்றிடா
தெங்குமார் தயிலத்தை உண்டெழு தீபமானது எரிந்திடும்
அங்கதாம் உடல் நின்று கன்மம் அருந்தி ஆருயிர் ஆவதே
உரை.
நெருப்பு எனும் பொருள் உண்டெனினும் அது தனித்து தானே ஓர் கருப்பொருளாய் திரண்டு நிற்காது , விறகு போன்ற யாதோவொன்றை அணைந்தே தனைக் காட்டி நிற்கும். எவ்வித குறையுமின்றி இந்த ஒப்புமை உயிருக்கும் பொருந்தும்: உயிரும் தனித்தவொரு பொருளாய் திரண்டு நிற்காது யாதவதொன்றை அணைந்தே தனைக் காட்டும். தேங்காயில் இஇருக்கும் எண்ணையை ஓர் திரி வழியே உண்டுதான் நெருப்பு தீப வடிவில் எரிகின்றது. அதுபோன்று இஇந்த உயிரானது உடல் என்ற ஒன்றில் நின்றவாறு , தனக்கு அமையும் செயல் திறத்திற்கும் சூழலிற்கும் ஏற்ப பற்பல வினைகள் செய்து அவற்றால் எழும் பலன்களை அனுபவித்து மகிழும்.
52.
angkiyaanatu taanum onRai aNaintu ninRu nikazntidum
pamgkiyaatu uyir taanum ippadi paRRiyallatu ninRidaa
tengkumaar tayilattai uNdezu tiibamaanatu erintidum
angkataam udal ninRu kanam arunti aaruyir aavatee.
Meaning:
Even though there is such a thing as FIRE, but we do not see it separately as an individual object, it always shows itself through some physical objects like wood and so forth. The soul is also such an entity and this analogy applies to it without any defects. The fire burns as a flame by consuming the oil inherent in the flesh of the coconut, getting it thorugh a wick in a lamp. In the same way the soul "burns" through a physical body, doing and enjoying whatever praximatic potential it has in terms of its karma.
53.
அறிவுதான் உடலத்தின் வேறதுவாய் இறந்து பிறந்திடின்
அறிவு முன்பு உளது இங்கு வந்தும் அறிந்திடாமையது இன்றெனின்
அறிவையோ கனவத்து நீ நனவத்தை அன்று தரத்து இஇருந்து
அறியும் அவ்வறிவோ மயக்கறிவாதலால் அறியாது காண்.
உரை:
ஆன்மா அநாதியே இருக்கும் ஒன்று ஆகவே உடலத்தின் வேறதுவாய் அமைகின்ற கன்மத்திற்கு ஏற்ப பூதவுடல் எடுத்து பிறந்து வாழ்ந்து இறந்து பின் மீண்டும் ஓர் பிறப்பெடுத்து இவ்வாறு உழன்று செல்லும் எனின், இப்படிப்பட்ட ஆன்மாவிற்கு அறியாமை என்றவொன்று அதன் இயல்பாய் அமையாது, ஆயினும் உலகத்து வாழ் உயிர்களுக்கு அறியாமை உண்டு என்பதின் இப்படிப்பட்ட அநாதி ஆன்மாக்கள் இல்லை எனும் உலகாயதா, கேட்க! ஓர் கனவு காணும்போது நீ நனவாகிய சாக்கிர அவத்தையில் இல்லை; இவ்வாறு சாக்கிர அவத்தையில் கிடக்கும் போது கனாவவத்தை இல்லை. இப்படி சாக்கிரமும் சொப்பனமுமாக நின்று அறிகின்ற தன்மைபோல , ஆன்மாவிற்கு அறியாமை உண்டாம். உடலில்லாது கிடப்பது கனவாவத்தை போல, உடலோடு நிற்பது நனவாவத்தை போல என்றறிக. இரண்டு நிலையிலும் ஆன்மாவிற்கு அறியாமை உண்டு.
53.
aRivutaan udalattin veeratuvaay iRantu pirantidin
aRivu munbu uLatu ingku vantum arintaamaiyatu inRenin
aRivaiyoo kanavattu nii nanavattu anRu tarattu iruntu
aRiyum avvaRivoo mayakkaRivaatalaal aRiyaatu kaaN.
Meaning
Lokayata , you say: there cannot be souls that are unoriginated ( anaati) and hence eternal and that comes to existence with a body, die and then reborn and so forth because such a soul cannot at all be ignorant as it is detached from the body and hence nonexistent because all living creatures are ignorant in some ways. Now you listen: when you dream , while being in that state you are ignorant of the forms of awareness of the state of full vigilance. Similarly when you are fully aware , vigilant and conscious, you are NOT aware of the contents of the dream states . While being in one state, you are ignorant of the other. But nevertheless in both states in being conscious of some you are also ignorant of the the other. In the same manner, the bodiless soul as well as the embodied soul while being aware of some is ignorant of others and hence what is intrinsic to it is IGNORANCE
COMMENTS :
The debate is now becoming more interesting as the questions now touch upon fundamental issues : on the nature and reality of the souls or anma. The verse 52 , just adds additional explanation on what can be called Categorical Confusion ; the anma being taken just like another of the so many physical stuffs that appear in some visible forms. The soul belongs to a category of objects that is distinct from the physical, it shows itself always not separately on its own but THROUGH a physical media and in that it like fire that discloses itself only through burning something. In other words the soul is a GHOST-LIKE entity, invisible but nevertheless real as that which agitates a physical body as its animating principle. While one may NOT see it with the senses and instruments that are extensions of these, nevertheless once we become HERMENEUTIC we can SEE it as the Deep Structure of a living body , that which underlies the praximatic disposition, i.e. the competence to ACT as such.
The soul is NOT invisible to the hermeneutic eye though perhaps so to the sensorial.
Now granted this, another objection is raised by the Lokayata: such a soul CANNOT be IGNORANT at all and hence nonexistent or vacuous as all the living creatures are ignorant in some ways.
Of course Lokayatas are recalling such ancient notions of the Vedantic schools as : the atman is Brahman, it cannot be killed as it does not come to birth, remains forever unblemished supremely conscious etc.
In Saiva Siddhanta such a Brahman is NOT the soul but rather forms of presentation of BEING or Siva. The soul is IGNORANT right from the beginning because already initially enveloped by Malam, that which breeds DARKNESS in understanding. The soul remains ignorant throughout its long evolutionary history, the very purpose or reason for the phenomenal circulation being the destruction of precisely this ignorance, the anjnjaanam. Thus if IGNORANCE is intrinsic to the soul, then the objection raised by the Lokayata against the presence of souls and they assuming bodies and through that suffer phenomenal circulation also becomes ineffective, meaningless
An analogy is given to drive in the point. While caught in dreams states one is Unconscious of the wakeful -- it is just concealed from the dreamer for otherwise the dream experience cannot be continued. Similarly while awake the dream states are concealed , not allowed to pervade the wakeful for otherwise the wakeful cannot not be sustained. Thus during both states of Being in the world, there is CONCEALMENT and hence IGNORANCE or anj-njaanam as such. The same even for embodied and disembodied psychic entities, the souls. While being bodiless the bodily states of Being are concealed, while being embodied the bodiless states of Being are concealed. However in both states of Being of the anma, while something remains disclosed others remains concealed. Thus there is IGNORANCE as such intrinsic to anma as part of itslef in both staes of Being in the world.
Reincarnation and Existential Repetition
Saiva Siddhanta as distinct from Advaita Vedanta and other schools of Indian Philosophy subscribes to individuality of anma and it being a substance on its own right suffering/enjoying continuous reincarnations or existential repetitions in which it also EVOLVES and in the direction of Moksa. It is the attainment of Moksa that remains That-For-Which existence is and the meaning of evolutionary dynamics built into it. This involves the notion of Personal Identity, the anma being the same in the cycle of births deaths, that despite existential embodiment and its deprivation at the point of death and reincarnation with a new body, we can talk of the SAME anma and as distinct from BEING that remains always ABOVE and the Ground of all these.
The Lokayatas now raise objections to this personal identity where they believe this is just impossible. AruNandi brings in some analogies to make such a notion intelligible in general. The absence of environmental consciousness during deep sleep and its presence during normal wakeful state and the discarding the physical body and the assumption of a mantra-body during dream states are brought in to explain that despite the absence continuity of consciousness, personal identity nevertheless follows. The dreaming self is the same as that which was just wakeful, in caakkiram.
It is also explained that DEATH is something like fainting out or entering a state of coma and rebirth is like recovering from it. During these states the anma is disengaged from most of the cognition producing utensils and in death it is just more drastic, there is total disengagement from all the cognitive utensils and hence the body. This does not mean that the anma simply evaporates but rather assumes another body - the mantra-body with which it floats the Mantra-Space till the time is opportune for it to attain another physical body and with that another lease of embodied existence.
More below.
54.
இறந்திடும் அறிவே பிறந்திடும் என்பது இங்கு இசையாதெனின்
உறங்கிடும் பொழுதின்றி நின்று உணர்விங்கு உதித்திடுமாறது ஓர்;
பிறந்த இவ்வுடல் போக வேறு உடல் பின்பு வந்தமை பேசிடின்
மறந்திடும் கனவத்தின் வேறுடல் வந்தவாறு மதித்திடே
ஓர்: சிந்திக்க! எனும் வியங்கோள்; இசைதல்: உடன்பட வருதல்
உரை:
உலகாயதா! உடலெடுத்து பிறந்து வாழ்ந்து பிறகு உடலை இஇழந்து மரித்திடும் ஓர் ஆன்மாவே மீண்டும் ஓர் புத்துடலோடு பிறப்பெடுக்கும் என்பது ஒப்புக்கொள்ளக் கூடியது அல்ல என்கின்றாய். ஆனால் கேட்பாயாக: உறங்கும் போது சுற்றுச் சூழலில் நடப்பனவற்றை உணராதிருக்கின்றாய். ஆயினும் விழித்திருக்கும்போது அனைத்தையும் உணர்கின்றாய். அதுபோலத்தான் மரித்து இருக்கும்போது அறியாமலும் உடலெடுத்திருக்கும்போது அறிந்தவாறும் ஆன்மா இருக்கின்றது என்பதை அறிவாயாக. மேலும் இன்னொரு உடல் வந்தமைவதை எப்படி புரிந்துகொள்ளலாமெனில், நனவு உணர்வினை கனவத்தின் போது மறந்திடச் செய்யும் கனவு அவத்தையின் போது அமைகின்ற சூக்கும தேகம் போல என்று சிந்தித்துத் தெளிக.
54.
iRantidum aRivee piRantidum enpatu ingku icaiyaatenin
uRangkidum pozutinRi ninRu uNarvingku utittidumaaRathu oor;
piRanta ivvudal pooka veeRu udal pinbu vantamai peecidin
maRantidum kanavattin veeRudal vantavaaRee matittidee
Meaning:
Lokayata! you say that it is difficult to agree to the thesis that it is same anma that dies at this birth that retains its identity somehow and gets to reborn with a new body. Well you reflect on the following to appreciate this possibility. While awake a person remains conscious of what happens around while in deep sleep he is NOT so at all. In this manner we can see that the anma comes to know things while embodied but not so while disembodied. Similarly during dream state the anma forgets completely what happened in real life because it seems to experience another world with another body altogether.
55.
கரணம் வாயுவிடத்து அடங்க அடங்கி வந்தெழு காரியம்
மரணமான விடத்து மற்றிவை மாய்ந்து பின்பு வரும் செயல்
கிரணமார் கலை கெட்டு உதிப்ப இறப்பினோடு பிறப்பையும்
தரணியோர்கள் மதிக்கு உரைப்பர்; உயிர்க்கும் இப்படி சாற்றிடே
உரை:
உலகாயதா! மரணமடைந்து உடலை விட்டு நீங்கி பிறகு இன்னொரு பிறப்பு எடுக்கும்போது எப்படி இன்னொரு உடல் வந்துறுகின்றது என்பதை கீழ்வருமாறும் புரிந்துகொள்ளலாம். அந்தகரணங்கள் புறக்கரணங்கள் ஆகியவை அவற்றை இயக்கும் வாயுசக்தியில் அடங்கி செயலிழந்த நிலை மூர்ச்சையாகும். மூர்ச்சை தெளியும் போது அடங்கிய கரணங்கள் மீண்டு எழுந்து செயல்படத் தொடங்குகின்றன. மூர்ச்சைப்பட்டு கிடப்பது போல மரணம்; அந்த மூர்ச்சையிலிருந்து தெளிவது போல மீண்டும் பிறப்பது எனக் கண்டு கொள்க. மேலும் சந்திரனின் கிரணங்கள் பதினாறு கலைகளாக தேய்ந்து பிறகு முற்றிலும் இஇல்லாது மறைந்து பிறகு மீண்டும் உளதாதல் போல என்றும் கொள்க.
கலை: சந்திரனின் கிரணத் திறனை அளக்கும் ஓர் அளவை, a division
55.
karaNam vaayuvidattu adangka adangki vantezu kaariyam
maraNamaana vidattu maRRivai maayntu pinbu varum ceyal
kiraNamaar kalai keddu utippa iRappinoodu piRappaiyum
tarNiyoorkaL matikku uraippar; uyirkkum ippadi caaRRidee
Meaning:
Lokayata! You can make sense of the fact that an anma loses its present body and comes with another at the point rebirth along the following lines too. When a person faints or gets into a coma, the cognitive utensils withdraw into the Vaayu, the animating force and when the person recovers from that state , then they begin to function having emerged from that vaayu. In this way perhaps the cognitive utensils are lost at the point of death and but later recovered during rebirth. Another analogy is that of the moon, how it loses the light in stages and then recovers also in stages
.
Comments:
That anma is categorically distinct from the physical body and it is anati, unoriginated, appears to be beyond question now. The physicalistic position that the anma is just a product of consciousness-producing physical stuff does not hold anymore. However there are problems and difficulties in understanding the whole mechanism of death and rebirth and retention of personal identify in all these.
AruNandi is at pains to bring a number analogies that are well known to all to diffuse the incomprehensibility. First of all there is the difference between being fully awake and enjoying deep sleep. While there is no cognition of anything during deep sleep but there is while awake, we still think in terms of the SAME person, and recognize that the personal identity is retained despite these fluctuations in the cognitive states. Being dead is like being asleep in this manner and hence a state of Being where there is NO PROCESSING anything at all. Rebirth is like becoming awake and hence processing again. The point is we can talk of the SAME PERSON in an analogous manner during both states -- being dead and being alive.
The body assumed at a new birth is DIFFERENT from the earlier as obviously the initial body has turned into dust or ash. How can we understand the assumption of new body against this fact of the matter? Here the anma acquiring a new body during Dream Experiences is brought in to explain ir. The conscious experience while being engaged with the physical body will not make possible the dream experiences which have their own logic and essence. For example in dreams a person can fly, walk through fire and so forth that are impossible with the physical body. Thus the anma functions with a different body altogether, a mantra-body perhaps, during dreaming states. But nevertheless the anma remains the same -- the dreaming anma is NOT different from the alert anma though while dreaming the contents of wakeful life are not remembered. In a similar manner, the anma acquiring a new body is like the mantra-body during dream states -- it functions having lost all memories of earlier life.
Another problem is with respect to understanding the emergence of similar kind of body during rebirth. For this a person fainting or going into coma is brought in. When this happens the anma is there but ALMOST DEAD as it is severed from being in active commerce with bodily organs both internal external. The anma may be "out of the body" but during the process of recovery , slowly the whole body comes under its control again so that it can function like before. Thus death is like loosing control of the body organs while being reborn again is like coming into control again of such organs.
Love is the Most Effective Sadhana
There is a fundamental difference between Advaita Vedanta and Saiva Siddhanta which must not be overlooked. For the Vedanti while BEING is just simply Brahman, a Radiant Principle that actually the self is but not realized because of an incomprehensible Maya Sakti, for the Saivites BEING is LOVE and this Brahman is also one of His presentations, an Icon. With this comes along also the Fundamental Ontology (anaatip poruLiyal) of Triadism, that Pati (BEING) and Pacu (the anmas) and Paacam (finitizing fetters) are anati, unconfigured elements but which into the configuration of all.
Lokayatas consider that the Fundamental Ontology consists only of the Basic physical elements of Earth Fire Water and Wind. It is pointed out, in these verses that even these are evolutes of Tuumaayai, the Root- Material-Substance from which emerge both the physical and mental but insentient things. The productive processes here are similar to that of the potter on the formless clay - large number of shaped and structured things are generated from the shapeless structure-less clay by the Intentional Praxis of the Potter; the shapeless clay does not assume the form of pots and so forth on its own.
There is universal INTENTIONALITY present as the basis of all the processes in the cosmos as well in the very presence and its possible absence of the whole of the cosmos itself! And this INTENTIONALITY is that of BEING, the CaGkaara kaaraNan.
AruNandi also points out that presence of BEING need not be just a matter of philosophical debates, heated arguments and so forth. The presence of BEING is directly witnessable as it has been by the Nayanmars like Sundarar and so forth. The most effective Sadhana for this is LOVE and not just metaphysical excursions and thinking. Where along with these, a person develops spiritually by universalizing LOVE so that gradually there comes to be less and less of alienation from others, BEING will disclose Himself and even assist to solve the problems of life as it happened in the life of Sundarar!
There is NO PLACE for selfless LOVE either among the hedonistic Lokayatas or the maayavada Advaities.
56
பூதமானவை காரியங்கள் பொலிந்து மன்னி அழிந்திடும்
ஆதலால் ஒரு நாதன் இஇங்குளன் என்று அறிந்துகொள் ஐயனே
பேதமான கடாதி மண்ணினில் வந்தவாறு பிடித்திடில்
கோதிலாத குலாலனால் வரு செய்கை என்று குறிப்பரே
உரை:
உலகாயதா! நீ நித்தியப் பொருட்கள் என்று கொண்டிருக்கின்ற பூதங்களானவை உண்மையில் மூலமாகிய தூமாயையிலிருந்து வெளிப்பட்டு நிற்கும் காரியங்களேயாகும். அவை என்றும் ஒரேபடித்தாய் இராது, பல வடிவங்களை எடுத்து பொருட்களாய் நின்று பொலிந்து பிறகு காலம்வர அழிந்துபோய்விடும் தன்மையைக் காண, அவற்றை இவ்வாறெல்லாம் ஆட்டும் ஓருவன் இப்பொருட்களின் மூலப்புதையுருவாய் உளன் என்று அறிந்து கொள்க. இது எப்படிப்பட்ட ஒன்று எனில், எவ்வித உருவமும் இல்லாத களிமண்னிலிருந்து சட்டி பானை வட்டி தட்டு என்பனபோன்ற பொருட்கள் வெளிப்படுவது ஓர் குயவனின் செய்கையால் தான் என்பது போன்று அறிந்துகொள்க.
56.
puutamaanavai kaariyangkaL polintu manni azintidum
aatalaal oru naatan ingkuLan enRu aRintukoL aiyanee
peetamaana kadaati maNNInil vantavaaRu pidittidil
kootilaata kulaalanaal varu ceykai enru kuRiiparee
Meaning:
Lokayata! What you take as permanent substances by the use of which all are generated are in fact not so , they are in fact evolved forms from something even more primordial, the Tuumaayai. And as these things of the world are in fact the products of DEEP ACTIONS, the Universal Praxis as they come into being with some form, subsist and then dissolve only to reappear in modified forms. Hence there is BEING as the Agent or source of these productive processes or praxis. We can make sense of it by noting that it is through the efforts of a skillful potter that pots of various shapes emerge form the formless clay.
57.
வேதன் நாரணன் ஆரணம் அறியா இம்முப்பொருள் பேதைபால்
தூதனாய் இருகால் நடந்திடு தோழன் வன்மைசெய் தொண்டனுக்கு
காதலால் அடியார்களுக்கு எளியான் அடிக் கமலங்கள் நீ
காதலால் அணை ஈண்டன் வேண்டின இம்மையே தருங் கண்டிடே
உரை:
படைப்புத் தொழிலின் பிரம்மாவும் காப்புத் தொழிலின் நாரணனனும் மற்றும் உலகத்து மறைநூற்களாலும் அறிதற்கு அரிதாகிய இம் முப்பொருள் உண்மை உண்மையான பக்திமான்களுக்கு தானே வெளிப்படும் உண்மையாகும். நாயன்மார்களில் சுந்தரமூர்த்தியாருக்கு அவர் செய்த உண்மையான தொண்டினை அறிந்து தூரந்தூரமாக இருத்தியும் தன்னை மறைப்பித்தும் காட்டாது நின்ற இறைவன் வெளிப்பட்டு காட்டினதோடன்றி, அவனுக்கு நலம் செய்ய இருதடவை தூதும் சென்றான். இது எது காட்டுகின்றதோவெனில், அறிவு கொண்டு ஆய்வது போக்கி அன்பு கொண்டு அந்நியம் பாராட்டா அடியாராக விளங்கினால் , அவன் எளிதில் வெளிப்பட்டு தான் இருப்பதைக் காட்டி அருளுவான். அதனால் அவனைக் கண்டு கடைதேற அவன் திருப்பாதங்களை தற்போதச் செருக்கொழித்து உண்மையான அன்பின் அணைக. அதுபொழுதே இம்மையே வேண்டுகின்ற தெளிவனைத்தையும் தந்தருளுவன் ஆம்.
57
.
veetan naaranan aaranam ariyaa immupporuL peetaipaal
tuutanaay irukaal nadantitdum toozan vanmai cey toNdanukku
kaatalaal adiyaarukku eLiyaan adik kamalangkaL nii
kaatalaal aNai iiNdan veeNdina immaiyee tarung kandidee
Meaning:
The Truth of Fundamental Ontology is beyond the functions of the archetype of creative process Brahma, and that of the conserving processes of Vishnu as well as beyond all the wordy scriptures. However it becomes easy to understand for those who are genuine devotees. We can see this in the case of Sundarar: because of his genuine LOVE he enjoyed having BEING Himself coming down as his ambassador not once but twice to reconcile him with his two wives. . The fact is BEING discloses himself very readily for those who are full of LOVE and stay one with people without any feeling of alienness. Thus Lokayata! You must discard your arrogant ways of arid intellectual analysis and approach the Lotus feet of BEING with genuine LOVE in your heart. Then you find that in this life itself you will receive whatever you desire!
Commentary:
It is now AruNandi's turn to advise the Lokayata having shown that his physicalism is ill founded and cannot be sustained at all. The Lokayata's philosophy is simply a way of RATIONALIZING the already preconceived physicalism, an ideology that allows a hedonistic kind of life where one can enjoy without worrying the ethical values and moral worth of actions. Once it is felt that there is Karma that inscribes the moral consequences of the actions effected then of course there will be a CONTROL and hence a restriction in the anarchical freedom that the Lokayatas would want to enjoy. Such an ideological stance is untenable and AruNandi has succeeded in de-constructing all counter arguments, very subtle it must be admitted, that were put forward to sustain their physicalism. The TRUTH is simply different.
Here also emerges the PRAXIMATISM of Saiva Siddhanta that distinguishes this school of Indian Philosophy from the rest. The analysis begins with the fact of Human Praxis, that human beings ( also all living things) ACT and it is because these actions are intentional or otherwise that they FALL or DEVELOP and that the evolutionary history of creatures is basically an outcome of such actions, the PRAXIS. Further inquiries into its Depths , without entertaining any kind REDUCTIONISM on the way, shows that the Human Praxis itself is an appropriation as- for- self-itself the UNIVERSAL PRAXIS already there and which are noted as the Panjca Kiruttiyam -- the five fold General Praxis. Since ACTIONS as such are impossible without an agent , it follows that underlying the Universal Praxis, there is BEING brought out here by the analogy of the potter.
This way of understanding BEING also clarifies Fundamental Ontology , that there are an uncountable number of anmas and the various kinds of Finitizing agents especially the aaNvam just as anati or unoriginated as BEING. For if BEING acts it must be for something and here obviously to redeem the anmas. But why they have to be redeemed? Because they are already INFECTED by these Malam and because of which they SUFFER. Thus BEING enacts the World Drama though his Five Fold Praxis to free the anmas from these monstrous forces and enable them to enjoy Mukti, the final redemption, a kind of Purity and Freedom.
And because BEING is spiritual HE can be approached only through LOVE. Hence HE becomes easier to behold and understand once we cultivate LOVE and show love unto all. Intellectual efforts ideological constructions and shrewd thinking to justify them and so forth, being loveless only make BEING more distant. BEING conceals Himself from such people and because of which they CANNOT see the Spirit but only the flesh. They remain BLIND to the presence of BEING and because of that SUFFER with doubts and uncertainties of a deep sort assailing them continuously.
In other words though these materialists and physicalists can argue brilliantly to DEFEND their ideological views, they are fooling themselves. There will come a time in their life when the whole life will be meaningless empty and without a purpose. They may even contemplate suicide at such moments overcome with disenchantment -- virakti-- and in fact they may end up just like that unless BEING interferes and rescues them.
Hedonism is Untenable
The following two verses though overtly may appear to denigrate women by painting an ugly picture of them as a bundle of dirt but actually the implications are different. Saivism does not preach the hatred of women but rather the togetherness both a man and woman and the need to transcend carnal sexuality into spiritual sexuality, from physical love to spiritual love. This is the whole significance of the Icon of Ardhanari, the half man and half woman Androgynous shape of BEING as also a divine presentation of BEING.
But such a conception of the relationship between man and woman is IMPOSSIBLE for the Lokayatas even to conceive let alone live by it. Locked up within their materialistic ideologies, they see sexual love as the only possible deep relationship between man and woman and the sexual bliss as the only kind Supreme Bliss there in the world for people to enjoy. Within this physical vision a woman's body can appear simply a cauldron of filth, of bones sinews nerves flesh and so forth. While sexual desires can block such a negative vision of women, AruNandi points out this possibility just to show that the ideology of the Lokayatas does not allow for the vision of women as spiritual beings with beautifies of their own that transcend the physical body.
More below
58
பொன் குலாவு மணிக் கலன்கள் மலம் புகில் கை பொருந்திடா
மின்குலாம் இடையார்கள் தாம் உலகத்தின் வேட்கைவிடும் பொருள்
புன் புலால் மலம் மூத்திராதி பொசிந்து நாறு புலைக்கலம்
என்கொலாம் இவர் மேல் விழுந்தது என் பெற எண்ணியே
உரை:
உயர்ந்த மணிகள் அழுந்திய பொன் ஆபரணங்கள் வெறுக்கத்தக்க மலத்தில் விழுந்துவிட்டால், அதனை கையில் எடுக்க நல்லோர் விரும்பார். அதுபோல மின்னை ஒத்து காமவேட்கையை அதிகரிக்கும் இடையுடை அற்ப மாதர்கள் தெய்வீகமான சுத்த வாழ்க்கை வாழ்தற்கு உகந்தவர்கள் அல்ல மாறாக அசுத்தமென்று விட்டு நீங்குதற்கு உரிய பொருளாம். காமவேட்கையின் கவர்ச்சி அழகினை மாத்திரம் காண்பதொழித்து, அந்த பெண் உடல் கீழான புலால் மலம் மூத்திரம் போன்ற கழிவுப் பொருட்களும் பொசிந்து நாறும் மாமிசப் பிண்டமும் ஆகும் என்பதையும் காண்வேண்டும். கண்களை மறைக்கின்ற காமவேட்கையில் பட்டான் ஒருவனுக்கு அன்றி நல்லோர் இப்படிப்பட்ட கழிகாம வெறியில் இத்தகு பெண்கள் மேல் விழுந்து மயங்குதல் எதற்கென சிந்தித்தல் வேண்டும்.
58.
ponkulaavu maNik kalangkaL malam pukil kai poruntidaa
minkulaam idaiyaarkaL taam ulakattin veedkai vidum poruL
pun pulaal malam muuttiraati pocintu naaRu pulaikkalam
enkolaam ivarmeel vizuntatu en peRa eNNiyee
Meaning:
Even golden ornaments with precious stones stuck well throughout if fallen into the dirt, will not be touched by the good people. This goes even for women. Those whose bodies are voluptuous and capable of arousing intense sexual desires, in view of the base kind of sexual life they provoke, are actually objects that should not desired at all. While on the one hand the women who are voluptuous have enticing physical attributes, on the other hand their body is simply an amalgam of flesh faeces urine and such other unsavory elements. Except for those who are blinded by sexual cravings, there is no reason why a good person should fall on them ( and seek conjugal union)
59
தோல் இரத்தம் இறைச்சி மேதை எலும்பு மச்சை சுவேத நீரால்
எடுத்த முடைக் குரம்பை அழுக்கினோடு புழுக்குழாம்
நூல் ஒழுக்கிடு கோழை ஈரல் நுரைக்கு மூத்திர பாத்திரம்
சேல் அடர்த்த கண்ணார்கள் என்பது தேர் மலத் திரள் திண்ணமே.
குரம்பை : உடம்பு; முடை: துர்நாற்றம்; புழு: நோய்க் கிருமிகள்;
நூல்: நூலைபோன்று ஒழுகுதல்; சுவேத நீர்: கருப்பையிலிருந்து வரும் இரத்தக் கசிவு, மாத விடாய்
உரை:
கவர்ச்சிமிக்க ஒன்றாக தென்படும் ஓர் இளம்பெண்ணது உடல் இன்னொரு வகையில், தோல் இரத்தம் இறைச்சி மேதை எலும்பு மச்சை சுவேத நீர் போன்ற இவற்றால் எழுப்பப்பட்ட நாற்றம் மிகுந்த குரம்பை யாகும். அத்தோடு கிருமிகள் திகழ்கின்ற அழுக்கினோடு புழுக்கள் எங்கும் செறிந்திருக்கும் ஒன்றாம். இதனால் நோய்வாய்ப் பட்டு சளி ஒழுகும் கோழை மூக்கொடு, இருமுதல் கொண்ட நுரை ஈரல் உடைய மூத்திர பாத்திரம். காமம் கண்களை மறைக்க இவற்றையெல்லாம் காணாது வேல் ஒத்த கண்ணினார்கள் என்றெல்லாம் கூறி மயங்குவதை விட்டொழித்தால் , இந்த மாதர்கள்தம் உடம்பு உண்மையாக ஒர் மலத்திரள் என்றே காண வரும் என்பது உறுதி.
59.
tool irattam iRaicci meetai elumbu maccai cuveeta niiraal
edutta mudaik kuramabai zukkinoodu puzukkuzaam
nuul ozukkidu koozai iiral nuraikku muuttira paattiram
ceel adartta kaNNaarkaL enpatu teer malat tiraL tiNNamee.
Meaning:
The young woman's body that appears so tantalizingly beautiful , when looked objectively is in fact an amalgam of olfactorilly offensive elements such as the skin flesh blood bones marrow fat menstrual fluid and so forth. It is also a body full of dirt that carries worm-like germs. When affected by diseases then the nose discharges thread like fluids, there is coughing because of diseased lungs and the body becomes just simply a pot of urine. It is the blindness induced by carnal desires that makes one think that a young woman of such a filthy body is actually a beauty with spear-like eyes.
Comments:
AruNandi describes here the antidote for the carnality of Lokayatas who , because of their materialism, cannot think of happiness except in terms of sexual happiness. This is a blindness where sexuality itself is degraded into mere carnality where a women is seen merely a sexual object and that too out of an intoxication.
There is a fundamental difference between carnality and love based sexuality and Saivism stands for the latter. The Lokayatas who do not acknowledge either the soul as a distinct object and which assumes a birth as a male or female or BEING who is LOVE itself cannot think of a women except as an object of sexual desires and the MEANING of life itself as for that kind of indulgence. This means it escapes them that there can be LOVE between a man and woman of an enduring kind of spiritual union where the sexual may not be that important. LOVE between a man and woman, though still between a male and female but TRANSCENDS the body and exists as a SPIRITUAL UNION, an exemplification of Siva-Sakti, the Ammaiyappar, BEING as the Androgynous reality. The lasting union between a man and a woman is NOT sexual but rather spiritual though still between a male and female.
The woman if looked at merely as a physical body, an outlet for the discharge of sexual desires, there is NOTHING appealing there. And when the appeal is purely carnal, it ceases to last long and this is what AruNandi is trying to point out to the Lokayatas. There is the other side to the female ( and male ) body - it's biological composition as it would appear to a physician. It is being pointed out that this aspect of the physical frame is being neglected systematically by the Lokayatas and hence they suffer from a certain blindness.
Siva-Sakti Becomes Flesh
Saivism as do VaishNavism Saktaism and so forth center on Icon Worship, Icon Thinking and so forth and for which reason temples are built and deities are installed. As the person subscribes himself such a way life, unknown to himself perhaps, the ICON become the flesh, takes over his person like magical entities and transmute the personality as if by alchemical means. Different people may enjoy this transmutation to different degrees.
The ideological stand of the Lokayatas, the dialectical materialists of a kind where their vision does not go beyond the physical stands an obstacle to such a way of life and which emerges very clearly in their concept of happiness especially the sexual. Saivism subscribes to and promotes the transmutation of even the sexual libido that sees only physical discharges and the only possibility into spiritual where only Pure Love prevails as that between Siva and Sakti. When through intense worship the Siva-Sakti complex becomes the flesh of the individual, the sexual libido also gets transmuted into spiritual libido where Pure Love along with CARE comes to prevail. Even when there is no overt worship of Siva-Sakti we can see this among couples who may be past the youth but deeply in love with the emotionally most satisfying CARE for each other.
Saivism, as enshrined in the Icon of Ardhanari, the Androgynous form of BEING, installs CARE as the most important category in understanding the relationship between a man and woman. This is beyond the resources of the Lokayatas with their physicalism.
The existential possibility of a man and woman living in Pure Love with care and concern for each other is something a reality that cannot be explained by the restrictive ideology of the Lokayatas for whom the relationship between a man and woman cannot be anything more that the ordinary sexual.
AruNandi de-constructs Lokayatas here by pointing out this failure of their philosophy to accommodate this truth of existence
60
ஆசையுற்று உழல் சூகரங்கள் அசுத்தம் மேவி அளைந்துதின்றே
சுகித்தன வாயிடும் சுகம் ஏழையொடு உறும் இன்பம் நீ
மாசது அற்று ஒளிர் நித்த சுத்த வளந் தருஞ் சுகவாரிகாண்
ஈசனுக்கு அடிமைத் திறத்தின் இசைந்து நாம் பெறும் இன்பமே
உரை:
கடும்பசியின் தாக்கத்தால் ஆசையுற்று கூரான கொம்பர்களாகிய பன்றிகள் மலங்களாகிய அசுத்தம் மேவி அளைந்து தின்றே அதுவே சுகம் என்று இறுமாப்பு எய்திடும். அதுபோலத்தான் உலகாயதா! காமப்பெண்டிர்களை புணர்ந்து நீ மகிழும் இஇன்பம். நாங்கள் மகிழும் இன்பம் இதுவன்று காண். அகத்தே மலங்களைப் போக்கி சுத்தமாகி சிவஞானம் அகத்தேச் சுடர அதனின் நித்தியமான மிகவும் தூய்தான சுகவாரிதியே நாங்கள் மகிழும் இன்பம். இஃது தற்போதமெல்லாம் விட்டு ஈசனது அருளைத் தவிர்த்து ஒன்றுமில்லை என்று உணர்ந்து அன்பின் மகளிரோடு மெய்பத்தியின் இஇசைந்து வாழ்கின்றபோது அமைகின்ற இன்பமே இது காண்.
சூகரம்: சூர்-கரம்: இங்கு கூர்மையான தந்தம் போன்ற பற்கள்; அவற்றையுடைய பன்றி; ஏழை: இங்கு அழுக்கு உள்ளத்துக் காமப்பெண்டிர்
60.
aasaiyuRRu uzal cuukarngkaL acuttam meevi aLaintutinRee
cukittana vaayidum cukam eezaiyodu uRum inbam nii
maacatu aRRu oLir nitta cutta vaLan tarum cukavaarikaaN
iicanukku adimait tiRattin icaintu naam peRum inbam
Meaning:
Enjoying the lust based carnal sexuality with a woman who is not at all pure in spirit is something like the pigs wallowing in dirt and thinking that it is supreme happiness. Lokayata! This is NOT the kind of happiness we enjoy. We enjoy the bliss that accrues to one who becomes PURE in HEART by destroying all the dirt within and enjoying this bliss is like immersing ourselves in the ocean of Pure Water that gives happiness permanent and undiminishing. Having realized that there is NOTHING beyond the Grace of BEING, leading a life with an agreeable woman of spiritual purity and in service to BEING, this bliss will become available to all.
61.
குரோதமே குணமாய் இருந்து அவர் சாந்தி நன்மை குறிகொளார்
அராகமே அணைவார்கள் ஆசை அறுத்த இன்பம் அறிந்திடார்
பராவு தேவர் பராவு தூய பராபரன் அடிபற்றி நீ
விராவு மெய்யில் விடாத விளைந்திடும் இது மெய்யே
உரை:
இப்படிப்பட்ட அசுத்த உள்ளத்துக் காமப் பெண்டிர், கழிகாமவெறியினைத் தரும் அராகம் மேவி அதனால் உடலின்பம் தரும் கையொடு கடுஞ் சினத்தின் குரோதமே குணமாய் இருந்து அமைதியைத் தரவல்ல சாந்தத்தின் பொறையின் நன்மையை சிறிதளவேனுங் கருதார். எல்லா ஆசைகளை பற்றுக்களையும் துறந்து அதனால் வருகின்ற மேலான இன்பங்களை அறியாது தனக்கே எல்லாம் என்று தனக்கென அனைத்தையும், தன்னைத் தழுவும் ஆடவன் உட்பட , வரிந்து வரைந்து நிற்பர். சாந்தமும் அமைதியும் திகழும் மெய்யான இன்பம் நீ அனுபவிக்க கருதின், தெய்வங்களைப் போற்றி அவர்கள் தம் அருளைப் பேணுக. சுத்தத்தின் சுத்தமாகத் திகழும் தூய பராபரன் அடி விடாது பற்றி போற்றி வேண்டப்படுவதெல்லாம் மெய்ஞானமே என்றிருந்தால் , இப்படிப்பட்ட இன்பம் உனக்கும் விளைந்திடும் கண்டாய்!
61.
kurootamee kuNmaay iruntu avar caanti nanmai koLaar
araakamee aNaivaarkaL aacai aRutta inbam aRintidaar
paraavu teevar paraavu tuuya paraaparan adipaRi nii
viraavu meyyil vidaata vilaintidum itu meyyee!
Meaning:
Women given over to carnal pleasures , will be persons always full of excessive desires and along with giving bodily pleasures will also be immensely possessive and because of that prone to intense hatred and wrath that can destroy peace of mind. Such women do not know the bliss of being without any desires at all but only in love where there are no desires to possess as one's own , including the man she embraces . . There can mental distress of a severe kind with such women becuase they will be immensely jealous. If you desire a peaceful and stress free life, then you should pray unto the archetypal beings . You must seek out to become PURE by destroying all the dirt within and worshipping the Transcendent of BEING of immense Purity, seek out true wisdom . Such a stress free happiness will also become yours.
Comments:
In these verses AruNandi outlines a philosophy of family life that is vastly different from that of the lLokayatas and one of the reasons for seeking out the metaphysical kind of life. Saivism that understands BEING as MAN-WOMAN together does not subscribe to False Asceticism where there is mutual hatred between man and woman. Such an attitude is still sexual only that ir is camouflaged as spiritual. BEING free of sexuality should invite not this kind of avoidance and hatred but rather other kinds of relationships where sexual thoughts do not arise. A man and woman can be together even as husband as wife without thinking that the only way they can relate to each other even the sexual way is through fornication. A spiritual life opens up other possibilities for a man and a woman to be together even in love but without sexual thoughts emerging.
The Lokayatas being open only to the physical , suffer from systematic BLINDNESS unto other possibilities of man woman relationships. Like Siva and Parvati in LOVE and in eternal embrace, a man and woman can be together in deep spiritual love where there is NO possessiveness but only being together in a companionship that is possible when they organize their life as for BEING, as for being in service to BEING, the Absolutely Transcendent and PURE.
The materialistic person, open only to the physical possibilities , can see a woman only as a body that allows for the discharge of his sexual desires. A woman who appreciates and responds to such advances will equally be blind to the spiritual possibilities, the metaphysical vistas where new meanings for love can be forged. Being limited in her understanding and full of the Malas, the metaphysical entities that bind the understanding and atomizes it , will make her extremely possessive and full of jealousy. She can see the man who enjoys her only as her possession, someone who cannot leave her and pay attention to the other women and other matters. She would demand, as a reward for her sexual pleasures she gives , the total surrender of the man to her will. This will create , most certainly , a life of distress and psychological stress . A man who embraces such a woman, will soon feel trapped cornered and imprisoned.
In contrast to this is life with a woman who knows , as AruNandi puts it, aasai aRutta inbam, happiness that is to be enjoyed by being free of possessiveness but full of LOVE that nurtures , a love that is essentially motherly or even fatherly. We may begin life mainly as materialistic and sexual in the physical sense, but as we become attuned to the metaphysical reaches through a religious kind of life, we also LEARN to be FREE of worldly desires and hence enjoy a BLISS of Being free of possessiveness.
There can be LOVE between a man and woman and perhaps only between a man and woman of the most intimate and meaningful kind when a man and woman become a minuscule of Siva and Sakti; a living Siva-Sakti in flesh and anyone who attains kind of union is bound to experience the ocean of Bliss out of immense Purity of the soul. AruNandi recommends the Saivite kind of metaphysical life for enjoying this kind of happiness and which remains the possibility of all.
Seeking Moksa is the Authentic Life
The notion of Moksa has no place in the dialectical materialism even of the kind of the Lokayatas. For the impose by an ideological stance a screen over their eyes and because of which remain BLIND to so many other truths in the world, as objectively there. When the seeing itself effuses to go beyond the physical and sensory, the TRUTHS that are not available within such a vision escapes the Lokayatas and because of which hey can conceive of the authentic life as only a life of material enjoyments, economic well being and the best of which is sexual enjoyment. They tend to see life as a whole as if sexual gratification and even here considering that simply as physical.
When the visions break through this curtain and the anmas begins to enjoy hermeneutic transductive perceptions and such other higher visions, the notion of Moksa as the real meaning of life burst upon oneself making one re-orientate life itself as for Moksa. With this the authentic life and within which the happiness gets also transmuted. Whatever that draws one closer to Moksa becomes a matter to rejoice at and exult. The material wealth and economic well being do not seem to anymore important in comparison with metaphysical illuminations.
The meaning of sexual happiness also changes. The feelings of LOVE between a man and woman and the happiness in such a kind of spiritual union come to be more important than even conjugal pleasures.
More below.
62.
காமம் ஆதி குணங்களைச் சுகமென்று கொண்டனை காதலால்
தூமம் ஆர் அழல் அங்கி சீதம் அவிந்தபோது சுகந்தரும்
நாமம் ஆர்தரு சீதம் வெம்மை நலிந்த போது தருஞ் சுகம்
சேமம் ஆகிய இன்பமாம் மிகு தெய்வ நன்னெறி சேரவே
உரை:
உலகாயதா! பொறிலியப் பார்வையைத் தவிர்த்து மேற்கொண்டு பார்க்க முடியாததின் காரணமாகவே காமம் குரோதம் உலோபம் மோகம் மதம் மாற்சரியம் இடும்பை அகங்காரம் என்ற இவ்விழிகுணங்களோடு வரும் அற்ப காமப் பெண்டிரைத் தழுவி மகிழ்தலே இன்பம் என்று கொண்டாய். ஆயினும் உண்மையில் இது எப்படிப்பட்ட இன்பம் என்னில், குளர்மிக்க காலத்தில் புகையோடு நிறைந்து வரும் அழலுடை நெருப்பு தரும் சுகத்தைப் போலவும், வெப்பம் மிகுந்து நிற்கின்ற போது குளிர்மையின் நீர் தரும் சுகத்தைப் போலவும், உள்ளத்தைத் தொடாது உடலிற்கே வரும் சுகங்களாகும். அன்பு மேவி நிற்கின்ற தெய்வீக குணத்தின் நன்மகளிரோடு கூடிய யாம் கூறும் வாழ்க்கை சேமமாகிய மிகு இன்பத்து வாழ்க்கை, தெய்வ நன்னெறி சேர, அதனின் இறையருளால் மெய்யாகுவதாகும்.
62.
kaamam aati kuNangkalaic cukamenRu koNdalanai kaatalaal
tuumam aar azal angki ciitam avintapootu cukantarum
naamam aartaru ciitam vemmai nalintapootu tarunj cukam
ceemaam aakiya inbamaam miku teyva nanneRi ceeravee
Meaning:
Lokayata! Because you cannot see beyond the physical ( and have visions of the metaphysical) you consider the embrace of women full of lust and all other attend qualities such as intense anger jealousy greed egotism superstitious believes and so forth is all the happiness there is in the world. But this kind of happiness , like that provided by heat when cold, by the cooling waters when very hot and dry , touches only the body and not at al the soul. The kind of immense happiness I talk about, is the psychically healthy and love based and which becomes available only in the life divine and as the blessings of the gods.
63.
படிக்கு நூல்கள் சிவாகமம் பசு பாசமோடு பதித்திறம்
எடுத்தியம்புவது ஈசன் வார்கழல் ஏத்திடுந் தொழில் என்றுமே
விடுத்திடும் பொருள் காமம் ஆதிகள் வேண்டிடும் பொருள் ஈண்டு அருள்
முடித்து மும்மலம் விட்டு நின்மலனோடு நின்றிடல் முத்தியே
உரை:
இனி இந்த தெய்வ நன்னெறி சேருதற்கு என்ன உபாயம் எனில் கூறுவேன் கேள்: படித்து மகிழ்கின்ற நூல் சிவாகமம் போன்ற ஞானநூற்களாக இருக்கவேண்டும். புரிந்துகொண்டு பிறருக்கு எடுத்துரைக்கும் உண்மைகளாக அநாதிப் பொருட்களாகிய பதி பசு பாசம் போன்றவற்றின் இயல்புகளாக பண்புகளாக இருக்கவேண்டும். தற்செருக்கும் அகம்பாவமும் சிறிதளவேனும் தோன்றாதிருக்க இறைவனது திருப்பாதங்களை போற்றி மகிழ்ந்துகொண்டே அதுவே தொழிலாக இருக்கவேண்டும். வேண்டத்தக்கன அல்லவென்று விடுத்திடும் பொருட்களாக காமம் போன்றவை இருக்க , அவை தம்முயற்சியின் ஆகாது இறையருளாலேயே கூடிவரும் ஒன்று என்பதின், வேண்டப்படும் பொருள் இறையருளாகவே இருக்க வேண்டும். அதுபொழுது வாழ்க்கையின் நோக்கமெல்லாம் இறையருளின் ஆணவம் கன்மம் மாயை என்ற முமுமலங்களின் பந்தங்கள் நீங்கப்பெற்று மிக சுத்தமாகி நின்மலனாகிய இறைவனோடு இசைந்து நிற்பதே முத்தி என்ற தெளிவோடு ஓர் முமுட்சுவாக வாழவேண்டும்
63.
padikku nuulkaL civaakamam pacu paacamodu patittiRam
eduttiyambuvatu iican vaarkazal eettidun tozil enRumee
viduttidum poruL kaamam aatikaL veendidum poruL iiNda aruL
mudittu mumalam viddu ninmalanoodu ninRidal muttiyee!
Meaning:
Lokayata! If you want to know the way to be well within the divine life , listen then. The kinds of books you study must be the metaphysical such as the Saivagamas that enunciate the Fundamental Ontology. Having understood them you must continue to expound about the essences about BEING, the anmas and the Binders and thus make people understand the fabrication of human existence. Then having realized that without the Grace of BEING nothing can be accomplished you must assume as your vocation the Praise of the Divine Feet of BEING ( that moves the world tirelessly) . Earning the Grace of BEING as that which you seek out, you must try to free yourself from sexual and such other desires. Having LEARNT and illuminated yourself and thereby freed yourself from the Mummalam, the aaNavam Kanmam and Maayai, live in bakti seeking to be only with BEING , the Absolutely Pure, considering that this is final redemption.
Comments:
AruNandi does not advocate just a religious kind of life in a general sort of way but rather a way of life quite specific in its recommendations and which constitutes the Saiva way of Life. First of all it is life where the inherent BLINDNESS of the materialists , who are open only to physical , is a state of Being that needs to be destroyed in order to gain visions into the metaphysical world where other possibilities including for sexual happiness become possible. The Physicalists can see the woman only as a bundle of flesh and not a spiritual entity who can relate with oneself not just in terms of physical but also in terms of LOVE CARE and CONCERN and hence in terms of spiritual companionship. The happiness that becomes available through this kind LOVE is said to ceemam, something psychically healthy for the companionship provides an inner security of untold strength. The lust based sexual happiness is purely physical like the happiness of heat when extremely cold, the cooling of waters when extremely hot and so forth. Thus the materialists condemn themselves to a shallow kind of man-woman relationship and all because they are simply BLIND to other possibilities.
It is here that AruNandi locates the relevance of RELIGIOUS life which is simultaneously a life of excursions into the metaphysical realms. There must be interest in Fundamental Ontology, the central concern of metaphysics and a study of books relevant to that. AruNandi , though mentions only Sivagamas, but himself was one of the greatest scholars in India and for which reason he was known as "Sagalaama Panditar " a scholar who mastered all the Agamas or metaphysical tracts. The metaphysical life is a life of inquiry and should be concerned with Fundamental Ontology, what are there really that fabricates the world as such and along with that human existence also as such in the world.
This must be also accompanied with a life of EXPOUNDING such matters to others by way of illuminating others as well as oneself. This means a life of DIALOGUES discussion arguments debates and so forth where the participants LEARN and become illuminated. Such scholarly engagements are CENTRAL in SAIVA Way of Life for they are the means for gaining the illuminating aruL without which one cannot enjoy the CLARITY that would breed apodictic certainty, the reason for philosophical debates and exchanges. In such exchanges there must due REVERENCE for BEING for without the GRACE of BEING no illumination is possible.
This kind of life is NOT a life where one seeks to CONVERT others into one's religion by way indoctrination propaganda and so forth. Thus the Saiva Way of Life is NOT religious in this perhaps Western or Semitic sense.
It is for the purpose of gaining this aruL that one should abstain from lustful engagements through the practice of penance fasting and so forth. It is here that the ASCETIC practices have a place in life as such for only by acts of denial of demands of the body -- sexual indulgence, food , body comfort etc.-- for these are the means for releasing the soul from the hold of the body, from the hold of the physical. But this should NOT be something permanent for LOVE between a man and woman is the kind of relationship that rejuvenates and refreshes the souls by making possible the flow of kuNdalini not just through purely physical sexual embrace but in a embrace where souls meet and unite and which may not translate always into physical acts of conjugation . There may be physical distance but intimate spiritual union of immense bliss.
It is in the course of such a life that the Icca Sakti , the libidinal Energia that flows into the person becomes transmuted into the illumination providing Cognisia ( the Njaana Sakti) as well as the Praxia ( the Kriya Sakti). This kind of life where the libidinal is gained and transmuted into Cognisia and Praxia should continue till the point of Mukti, the final liberation which is NOT possible without the necessary metaphysical illuminations that PURIFIES the soul.
The Deconstruction of the Lokayata Concluded
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