TIRUKKURAL, Mysticism, reading, forums, Numerology, Sun Signs, Divination

Posts: 4397 · Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:25 am

1.3.2 The Renunciation of Flesh

251
How can the wont of 'kindly grace' to him be known,
Who other creatures' flesh consumes to feed his own?
How can he be possessed of kindness, who to increase his own flesh, eats the flesh of other creatures.

252
No use of wealth have they who guard not their estate;
No use of grace have they with flesh who hunger sate.
As those possess no property who do not take care of it, so those possess no kindness who feed on flesh.

253
Like heart of them that murderous weapons bear, his mind,
Who eats of savoury meat, no joy in good can find.
Like the (murderous) mind of him who carries a weapon (in his hand), the mind of him who feasts with pleasure on the body of another (creature), has no regard for goodness.

254
'What's grace, or lack of grace'? 'To kill' is this, that 'not to kill';
To eat dead flesh can never worthy end fulfil.
If it be asked what is kindness and what its opposite, the answer would be preservation and destruction of life; and therefore it is not right to feed on the flesh (obtained by taking away life).

255
If flesh you eat not, life's abodes unharmed remain;
Who eats, hell swallows him, and renders not again.
Not to eat flesh contributes to the continuance of life; therefore if a man eat flesh, hell will not open its mouth (to let him escape out, after he has once fallen in).

256
'We eat the slain,' you say, by us no living creatures die;
Who'd kill and sell, I pray, if none came there the flesh to buy?
If the world does not destroy life for the purpose of eating, then no one would sell flesh for the sake of money.

257
With other beings' ulcerous wounds their hunger they appease;
If this they felt, desire to eat must surely cease.
If men should come to know that flesh is nothing but the unclean ulcer of a body, let them abstain from eating it.

258
Whose souls the vision pure and passionless perceive,
Eat not the bodies men of life bereave.
The wise, who have freed themselves from mental delusion, will not eat the flesh which has been severed from an animal.

259
Than thousand rich oblations, with libations rare,
Better the flesh of slaughtered beings not to share.
Not to kill and eat (the flesh of) an animal, is better than the pouring forth of ghee etc., in a thousand sacrifices.

260
Who slays nought,- flesh rejects- his feet before
All living things with clasped hands adore.
All creatures will join their hands together, and worship him who has never taken away life, nor eaten flesh.

1.3.3 Penance

261
To bear due penitential pains, while no offence
He causes others, is the type of 'penitence'.
The nature of religious discipline consists, in the endurance (by the ascetic) of the sufferings which it brings on himself, and in abstaining from giving pain to others.

262
To 'penitents' sincere avails their 'penitence';
Where that is not, 'tis but a vain pretence.
Austerities can only be borne, and their benefits enjoyed, by those who have practised them (in a former birth); it will be useless for those who have not done so, to attempt to practise them (now).

263
Have other men forgotten 'penitence' who strive
To earn for penitents the things by which they live?
It is to provide food etc, for the ascetics who have abandoned (the desire of earthly possessions) that other persons have forgotten (to practise) austerity ?

264
Destruction to his foes, to friends increase of joy.
The 'penitent' can cause, if this his thoughts employ.
If (the ascetic) desire the destruction of his enemies, or the aggrandizement of his friends, it will be effected by (the power of) his austerities.

265
That what they wish may, as they wish, be won,
By men on earth are works of painful 'penance' done.
Religious dislipline is practised in this world, because it secures the attainment of whatever one may wish to enjoy (in the world to come).

266
Who works of 'penance' do, their end attain,
Others in passion's net enshared, toil but in vain.
Those discharge their duty who perform austerities; all others accomplish their own destruction, through the entanglement of the desire (of riches and sensual pleasure).

267
The hotter glows the fining fire, the gold the brighter shines;
The pain of penitence, like fire, the soul of man refines.
Just as gold is purified as heated in the fire, will those shine, who have endured the burning of pain (in frequent austerities).

268
Who gains himself in utter self-control,
Him worships every other living soul.
All other creatures will worship him who has attained the control of his own soul.

269
E'en over death the victory he may gain,
If power by penance won his soul obtain.
Those who have attained the power which religious discipline confers, will be able also to pass the limit of Yama, (the God of death).

270
The many all things lack! The cause is plain,
The 'penitents' are few. The many shun such pain.
Because there are few who practise austerity and many who do not, there are many destitute and few rich in this world.