Sage Thiru-valluvar
"The Bard of Universal Man"
Click the links here to read Thirukural in
Hindi,
Arabic, French, Kannada, Konkani, Latin, Malayalam, Marathi, Russian

Chapter - 32 : Not doing Evil
 

This chapter non-violence, called “…….” in Tamil and “ahimsa” in Sanskrit. Non-violence is the 1st amongst five “Self Restraints” (Yama) in Yoga, the 1st amongst “Five Precepts” (Panchashilas) in Buddhism and the 1st amongst five “Lesser Vows (Anu Vratas)

 

Translation(s)

Not to do any ill is the fixed decree of men pure in spirit, even though ill done to neighbor may bring wealth which secures glorious pride.

Explanation

Don’t do it even if the gain is wealth that brings distinction.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” – Jesus Christ, Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5.9, The Bible [3]

Translation(s)

Though malice works its worst; planning no ill in return, to endure, and not to do any ill is the fixed decree of men of pure spirit.

 

Translation(s)

Though malicious foes should sting your soul unprovoked, retaliation wrought will inevitably bring woes.

Explanation

Unprovoked means even when you have done no wrong to them.

Translation(s)

To punish the wrong, ply the doers (of the wrong) with kindly benefit. Thus shame their souls but pass the ill unheeded by.

Explanation

This is in effect the saying ascribed to Buddha: ‘Enmity never comes to an end through enmity here below; it comes to an end by non-enmity.’ (Oldenberg’s Buddha, p. 293) See the story of Long-grief and Long-life. Compare Dhamma-pada, 222, 223, translated by Max Muller.

"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
- Bible, Romans xii. 21. Just as the above Kural asks us not to punish violent harm, Jesus has asked us not to resist evil. Here is the gospel:

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. 'But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."– Jesus Christ, Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5.38-42, The Bible [3]

This passage is titled 'An Eye for an Eye.' This principle is mentioned at following places in the Old Testament - Exodus 21.24; Lev. 24.20; Deut. 19.21. Here is the quote from Exodus 21.24:

"If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise." [3]

Jesus’s principle was different. Except Mahatma Gandhi, I have not read of anyone approving Jesus’s principle.

In preceding Kural also Valluvar advices us that even if subjected to causeless hate, we should not have a sense or feeling of revenge.

“You sow flowers for those who have sown thorns for you. For you, the flowers are flowers, for them (your enemies) they are tridents.” - Kabir, a popular Saint of Medieval India.

Translation(s)

From wisdom’s vaunted (highly praised) lore what does the learner gain, if he does not guard other’s soul as his own from pain?

 

Translation(s)

What his soul has felt as bitter pain, man should abstain from making others feel (the same).

Explanation

What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others. - Confucius, Analects 15:23

"Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them."
- Jesus, Bible, Matthew 7:12

"Try your best to treat others, as you would wish to be treated yourself."
- Mencius, VII.A.4

Translation(s)

To work no willful woe in any case, through all the days, to any living soul, is virtue’s highest praise.

 

Translation(s)

One whose soul has felt the bitter smart of wrong, how can he ever inflict wrong on living soul of man?

Explanation

This kural partially covers the Golden Rule which is part of most religions and other ethical system:

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." – Jesus Christ, Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7.12, The Bible [3]

“One must really have suffered oneself to help others.”
- Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Albanian born Indian Missionary and Founder of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity. Nobel Prize for Peace in 1979 (1910-1997)

Translation(s)

If before the noontide you do evil to others, before the eventide evil will visit you.

Explanation

This is Thiru-valluvar’s belief: If in noon you do evil to someone then by evening evil will happen to you. Thiru-valluvar does not rely on the existence of Heaven and Hell - to reward ethical behavious or punish evil behaviour. His theory is that the reward and punishment are immediate & inherent in the behaviour. Similar thinking is reflected in Albert Einstein's words also:

"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

Translation(s)

Over every evil-doer evil keeps brooding. One who seeks freedom from ill shuns evil.

 

Summary Note

Rev. G.U. Pope writes: ‘I have refrained from references to the Holy Scriptures, which the reader can readily supply.’ (Pope, p. 241)

[Many religious movements stated under circumstances (political or religious) which were highly oppressive against them. – Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Sikh. Their founders as well as others (Buddhism & Jainism) have emphasized non-violence. Same is true of political movements of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela. Non-violence has been an important creed. Some of the greatest men have accepted death non-violently, for example Socrates. ]

Non-violence is found in the core beliefs of almost all religious and other ethical systems.

Ten Commandments and The Beatitudes (a part of Sermon on the Mount) are the core ethical teachings of Jesus Christ. There is a debate among Christians, stretching over several centuries, as to whether some of the values that Jesus teaches in Sermon on the Mount can be practiced by all Christians in everyday life.

Jesus, for example tells: “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” - Matthew 5.39 [3].

At another point he says: "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," - Matthew 5.44 [3].

Almost all Christian sects / groups have developed non-literal interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount.

The official position of Roman Catholic Church is the Double Standard view, which divides these teachings into general precepts and specific counsels. The great mass need to follow only the general precepts which are essential for salvation, while only the pious few – i.e. the clergy and the monks – need to follow specific precepts which are necessary for perfection. This theory was initiated by St. Augustine and later fully developed by St. Thomas Aquinas, though an early version of it is cited in The Didache:

“For if you are able to bear the entire yoke of the Lord, you will be perfect; but if you are not able to do this, do what you are able.” - The Didache 6.2 [15].

In other words, many Christians believe that the Sermon on the Mount is a commentary on the Ten Commandments. They are expressions of ideals, which propel the ordinary people to open their heart a little more and a few gifted individuals like Albert Schweitzer or Mother Teresa to devote their entire lives to the less fortunate.

To some, however, the Sermon on the Mount delivered by Jesus around 30 AD contains the central tenets of Christian discipleship, and is considered as such by many religions and moral thinkers such as Gandhi and Tolstoy [4]."The five moral codes of conduct (yamas) are: non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing / honesty, continence, lack of greed. These great disciplines are universally valid, beyond social position, location / place or (any particular) time..... In the presence of one that is being firmly established in non-violence, any hostility ceases. " - Patanjali Yogasutra, Chapter II Practice (Sadhana), 2.30-35 [1]

“I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.” – The Five precepts in Buddhism [8].

“The Jaina layman renounces all gross killing of living beings.” The pentad of transgressions of this vow lists: Tying down (domestic animals), beating them (with a whip or stick), piercing / cutting them, overloading them, denying them food and drink.” – Five Lesser Vows, Chapter VI, Avashyaka Sutra [9]. The 2nd amongst the Noble Eight Fold path in Buddhism is called “Right Resolve”, which includes abjuring violence and harm described in this chapter:

“And what is right resolve? Being resolved in renunciation, on freedom from ill will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve.” [13].

Buddha is telling about the intention to be harmless but Thiru-valluvar is telling about abjuring from action which are violent / harm others. This is the slight difference.

The Chariot Building (101 Feet High)
Part of Thiruvalluvar Memorial called 'Valluvar Kottam,' Chennai, India
Credit: Joe Croos, Flickr

References