Tkl 1 3 12

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 11 Oct 2011 10:34 and updated at 11 Oct 2011 10:34

TIRUKKURAL of Tiruvalluvar, the Tamil poet

BOOK 1

VIRTUE

DIVISION 3

1.3 Ascetic Virtue

ADHIKARAM 12

1.3.12 Knowledge of the True

351
Of things devoid of truth as real things men deem;
Cause of degraded birth the fond delusive dream!
Inglorious births are produced by the confusion (of mind) which considers those things to be real which are not real.

352
Darkness departs, and rapture springs to men who see,
The mystic vision pure, from all delusion free.
A clear, undimmed vision of things will deliver its possessors from the Darkness of Future births, and confer the felicity (of Heaven).

353
When doubts disperse, and mists of error roll
Away, nearer is heav n than Earth to Sage s soul.
Heaven is nearer than Earth to those men of purified minds who are freed from from doubt.

354
Five fold perception gained, what benefits accrue
To them whose spirits lack perception of the true?
Even those who have all the Knowledge which can be attained by the Five senses, will derive no benefit from it, if they are without a Knowledge of the true nature of things.

355
Whatever thing, of whatsoever kind it be,
Tis Wisdom s part in each the very thing to see.
(True) Knowledge is the perception concerning every thing of whatever kind, that that thing is the true thing.

356
Who learn, and here the Knowledge of the true obtain,
Shall find the path that hither cometh not again.
They, who in this birth have learned to know the True Being, enter the road which returns not into this world.

357
The mind that knows with certitude what is, and ponders well,
Its thoughts on birth again to other life need not to dwell.
Let it not be thought that there is another birth for him whose mind having thoroughly considered (all it has been taught) has known the True Being.

358
When folly, cause of births, departs; and Soul can view
The truth of things, man s dignity tis Wisdom true.
True Knowledge consists in the removal of ignorance; which is (the cause of) births, and the perception of the True Being who is (the bestower of) Heaven.

359
The true support who knows rejects supports he sought before
Sorrow that clings all destroys, shall cling to him no more.
He who so lives as to know Him who is the support of all things and abandon all Desire, will be freed from the Evils which would otherwise cleave to him and destroy (his efforts after absorption).

360
When Lust and wrath and error s triple tyranny is o er,
Their very names for aye extinct, then pain shall be no more.
If the very names of these Three things, Desire, Anger, and confusion of Mind, be destroyed, then will also perish Evils (which flow from them).

1.3.8 The Extirpation of Desire

361
The wise declare, through all the days, to every living thing.
That ceaseless round of birth from seed of strong Desire doth spring.
(The wise) say that the seed, which produces unceasing births, at all times, to all creatures, is Desire.

362
If Desire you feel, Freedom from changing birth require!
I will come, if you Desire to scape, set free from all Desire.
If anything be Desired, Freedom from births should be Desired; that Freedom( from births) will be attained by desiring to be without Desire.

363
No glorious Wealth is here like Freedom from Desire;
To bliss like this not even there can Soul aspire.
There is in this World no excellence equal to Freedom from Desire; and even in that world, there is nothing like it.

364
Desire s decease as purity men know;
That, too, from yearning search for truth will grow.
Purity (of mind) consists in Freedom from Desire; and that Freedom( from Desire) is the Fruit of the Love of truth.

365
Men freed from bonds of strong Desire are free;
None other share such perfect liberty.
They are said to be free (from Future birth) who are freed from Desire; all others (who, whatever else they may be free from, are not freed from Desire) are not thus free.

366
Desire each Soul beguiles;
True Virtue dreads its wiles.
It is the chief duty of (an Ascetic) to watch against Desire with (jealous) fear; for it has power to deceive (and destroy) him.

367
Who thoroughly rids his life of passion prompted deed,
Deeds of unfailing worth shall do, which, as he plans, succeed.
If a man thoroughly cut off all Desire, the deeds, which confer immortality, will come to him, in the path in which he seeks them.

368
Affliction is not known where no Desires abide;
Where these are, endless rises Sorrow s tide.
There is no Sorrow to those who are without Desire; but where that is, Sorrow() will incessantly come, more and more.

369
When dies away Desire, that woe of woes
Ev n here the Soul unceasing rapture knows.
Even while in this body, joy will never depart (from the mind, in which) Desire, that Sorrow of Sorrows, has been destroyed.

370
Drive from thy Soul Desire insatiate;
Straight way is gained the moveless blissful state.
The removal of Desire, whose nature it is never to be satisfied, will immediately confer a nature that can never be changed.

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