and Adherma, the consciousness of evil are the causes of the transmigration of the soul; the former securing to it happiness and a higher rank in the scale of being, either on earth or in the celestial worlds, and the latter producing the contrary effect. This law of nature is in Tamil called 2, which literally signifies, old, ancient, and பழுவிவold, or former zworks. Appended to the second part of the First Book of this work, is a chapter under the former title, and in the Náladi-nánúru, one under the latter; from which and the commentaries thereon, the following extracts are taken, which will better and more authentically explain this notion than any dissertation which could be written upon it. Admitted to be true, it accounts satisfactorily for the existence of good and evil, as experienced in the world and for the effects by many ascribed to fate or destiny and by some to chance, and which in common language, in default of more adequate expressions, we have agreed to call fortune and luck; but, unless the doctrine of the Jainer be received, which maintains the eternity of the universe as it actually exists, it does not extend far enough, as, though it accounts for it's existence, it affords no explana tion of the origin of evil. The following extracts consist of the postscript of Parimèl-azhager to the Second Part of the First Book of theCural On Religious Virtue, துறவறம், of part of his introduction to the next Chapter On Destiny, &, and of the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 9th & 10th verses of the latter. Although this chapter is arranged as one of those belonging to the D, or First Book, it is not properly included in it, but, as the words of the commentator imply, forms a connecting link between the subjects of this and the following Books. இவ்வாற்றானிமமைமறுமை வீடென்னுமூன்றவனையும் பயத்தற்சிறப புடைத்தாய் வறங்கூறினாரினிப் பொருளு மின்பமுங்கூறுவாரவற்றின் முதற்காரணமாகியவூழின் வகிகூறுகின்றார். உளழ உளழ அஃதாவது - இருவினைப்பயனசெய்வதனைச்சென்றடைதற்கே வாயநியதி பால் - முறை உணமை -உணமை - தெயவம் - நியதி - விதி யென்பன வொருபொருடகிளவி. In this manner the author has spoken of Virtue, as regards the three stales, namely Earth, Heaven, and Elernily ; he will hereafter speak on Wealth, and now proceeds to treat on Pleasure and on the primary cause of these, Destiny. DESTINY. Destiny is in this wise. That which is decreed is the immediate cause of the retribution received by a person as the fruit of the good or evil deeds he hath done, and is called Destiny, Nature (natural disposition), Vicissitude, Certainty (necessity), God, (the act of God), Decree, Fate; whichseveral words denote but one thing. ஆகூழாற்றோன்றுமசைவின்மை கைப்பொருள் போகூழாறறோன்றுமடி.. By the decreed effect of the works of former births, industry is excited and wealth accrues, and by the same, indolence prevails and wealth departs. நுண்ணிய நூல்பல கற்பினுமற்றுந்த Although he have acquired various and profound learning, his natural disposition will overcome his knowledge.. NOTE. Parimèl-azhager's paraphrase of this verse is added, as it assigns more directly than the text a cause for a fact, for which, though undoubted, it would puzzle the philosophers of Europe to account; that is, why great scholars are often great blockheads. பேதைப்படுக்குமூழுடைய நூல்பல்வறறையுங்கற் வனண்ணியபொருள்களையுணரத்து யி னும்வனுக்குப்பின் இந்தன்னூழினாகிய பேதைமையுணரவேமேற்படுமென்றவாறு If one by the effect of his former works is naturally foolish, although he may have attained to the knowledge of the subtilest subjects and have acquired various science, the folly, which is the destined result of his former acts and which alwuys pursues him, will prevail over his knowledge. This is the meaning. பரியினுமாகாவாம் பாலல்லவுயத்துச் That which is not by nature theirs, no labor can obtain, and that which is, though they reject it, will not quit them. Those who have accumulated millions can enjoy nothing but what the apportioner has apportioned to them. NOTE. The word here rendered literally apportioner is paraphrased by Parimèlazhagers God and thus explained in the comment. ஒருயிர செய்தவிணையின்பயன் பிறிதோருயிரின்கட செல்லாமல்வவு யிரககவகுததகின வகுத்தானென்றார He calls him (God) the apportioner from his apportioning the fruit of the deeds which a soul hath done to that very soul and to none other. நன்றாங்கானல்ல்வாக்காண்பவர Why should those who see that good only happens in the destined scason of prosperity be grieved in the season of adversity? உளழிற்பெருவகியாவுள மற்றொன்று What is more powerful than the destined effect of former works? it anticipates even thy thoughts while considering how to avoid it. The following are the introduction by one of the commentators to the 11th Chapter 1st Book of the Náladi-nánúru, entitled and the 1st, 4th, 7th, 8th and 10th verses. பழவினையூழென்பதுமதனை -அஃதாவது முற்பிறப்பிறசெய்தவினை யிப்பிறப்பிலேயனுபவிக்கையுமிபபிறபபிறசெய்தவிவண்மறுபிறப்பி லேய அனுபவிக்கையுமாகியிப்படி மாறி வருகின்றவையறிகையெப்படி யெனனில் - யாதொருபிறப்புக்காணப்பட்ட பிரபபிலேயின்ப துன்பங்க ள யாதொன்றனுபவிக்கிறானிது முற்பிறப்பிற செய்த புண்ணிய பாவங்க ளெனறுமிப்பிறப்பிலே தானொரு தான தருமங்களைச் செய்கிறான செய்த பொழுதேமறுபிறப்புக்கிவைபலிக்குமென்றுநதானதன்மனத்திலேயுண ரு மென்பதாம். Former acts, the title of this Chapter, called, also, That which is ancient (Destiny), are in this wise. The influence of the works of former births on the present life and of the works of the present life on future births, and the knowledge of their effects is thus to be stated. As either good or evil, or in other wordspleasure.or pain, is experienced in every successive birth, he (theauthor) has considered in his own mind that this arises from the good or evil he did in a former birth, and that whatever acts of charity or benevolence he may perform in the présent, will be compensated in a future birth. பல்லாவுளுய்த்துவிடினுங்குழக்கன்று As a young calf when let loose among a number of cows, naturally seeketh out and attacheth itself to it's own mother, in like manner doth the act of a former state of existence seek out and attach itself to him who hath performed it. உற்றபால்நீக்கலுறுவரக்குமாதா To avoid those things which are to happen, or to detain those which are to depart is alike impossible even to Saints; even as there is none who can give rain out of season, or prevent its falling in season. இடும்பைகூரநெஞ்சத்தாரெல்லாருங்காண நெடுங்கடை நின்றுழலவதெல்லா-மடமபமபூ வன்னங்கிழிக்குமவல்கடற்றண்டுசர்ப்ப முன்வனவிவனையாய்விடும் Behold all those whose bosoms are goaded by distress and who wander forlorn through the long streets, and know, O Lord of the cool shore of the billowy ocean, where the playful swans tear in pieces the water-flowers, that this proceeds from the acts of former births. அறியாருமல்லறிவதறிந்தும் பழியோடுபட்டவை செய்தல் - வளியோடி செய்தவிவன்பானவரும் When those, who not only are not ignorant but have learned that which they ought to know, do that which is blumcable; this, O King of the cool shore of the broad ocean, where the water-lilly flings ils odors to the winds, proceeds from the acts they have formerly done. A றுகாபெருகாமுறைபிறழ்ந்துவாரா The effect of the acts of former births doth not fall below, nor exceed its due proportion, nor doth it fail to come in its turn, neither doth it assist out of season, but where it ought to be, there it is; of what utility, therefore, is sorrow when it afflicteth thee? In further explanation of this subject, to which I shall revert in my remarks on the final verse of this Chapter, I insert a note added by the Latin commentator to the Chapter On Destiny, on Le. "Non me latet vocem, cui ego divinorum decretorum significationem tribuo, ab aliis usurpari pro quod significat opera antiquitus facta, neque ignoro eosdem humanarum rerum vices tribuere operibus antiquitus factis, sive bonis, sive malis, pro effectuum diversitate; dicunt enim, virum probum pauperem esse, ob peccata quæ antiquitus patravit, (sive antequam nasceretur in alia generatione, uti Tamulenses stulte putant, sive postquam natus est in adolescentia vel pueritia) quæque adhuc non luit ferendo supplicium iis debitum; virum vero improbum felicem esse, ob virtutes quas antiquitus exercuit, et pro quibus, adhuc præmium iis debitum non retulit; atque, eodem modo, virum industrium ac indefesse laborantem pro divitiis acquirendis nil acquirere in pænam peccatorum veterum; virum vero omnino ineptum atque pigrum sine ullo labore divitem evadere in præmium veterum virtutum; ita ut quidquid vulgus malam fortunam, aut bonam fortunam appellat, id ipsi refundant in opera antiquitus facta. In hoc vero capitulo dictam vocem melius explicari et proprius significare divina decreta, patet, tum ex serie tota sententiarum in hoc capitulo வ contentarum, tum ex illo versu speciatim@y55шry கோடி தொகுத்தார்க்குந்துயத்தலரிது—in quo ne per somnium quiden Auctor meminit operum antiquitus factorum, sed solum divini statuti, quod nemo præterire potest: et quamvis detur quod opera antiquitus facta suum locum habeant in humanarum rerum vicibus, quarum causam ignoramus, cum tamen dicta opera antiquitus facta, sive bona, sive mala, hic et nunc, et non antea neque postea suum sortiricffectum, sive bonum, sive malum, non dependeat, nisi a divina voluntate, quæ statuit tempus in quo alicujus virtus præmiari, peccatum puniri debeat, cumque omnis vis operum antiquitus factorum ad divinorum decretorum virtuti præmium, peccato pænam statuentium irrefregabilitatem reducatur, recte voci o divinorum decretorum significatio tributa est; eo vel magis, quod vox 674 ex sua natura nil significat nisi antiquum quid, quod æque competit operibus antiquitus factis, quorum vim nunc quis experitur, ac divino statuto decernenti, ut dicta opera nunc suam vim exerceant, nam nil est divinis decretis antiquius." This dogma, which may be considered as the governing tenet of Indian morality, necessarily involves the doctrine of the Metempsychosis; it does not indeed preclude the idea that acts of virtue or vice may be rewarded or punished within the life time of the individual performing them, but it more immediately respects the retribution to be received in the present birth for the acts of former births, or to be expected in future births for the acts of the present birth. This retribution, as appears from Parimèl-azhager's list of Synonyms, is the same as Destiny, , and God, ans, both of which may be rendered by the terms employed in the preceding extract "divina decreta," with this reservation, that they always imply a retributive, never an arbitrary act.-To those who remember the scope of the controversy between the Jansenists and the Jesuits, though this, like other phantasies of the same kind, is fast fading from human cognizance, the following quotation will not be unpleasing: it is curious, also, as a specimen of the dexterity with which the author seizes. every handle offered him, if it seem likely to become a useful instrument in the prosecution of his labors, and of the sophistical, but characteristic, ingenuity, with which he endeavours to reconcile doctrines in reality incompatible. The terms as the destiny of the head, and saw the writing of the head, used in this extract belong properly to Mythology, which feigns, that, previously to birth, the destiny of every individual is written by Brahmà in the head of the embryo; this writing, it is supposed, is seen in the indented line which marks the sutures of the skull.-See the 27th Canto ( ) of the Témbàvani: the controversy here detailed between Sivàsiven, who supports the character of a Hindu Guru, and Joseph, commences with the doctrine of the Metempsychosis, from which it naturally deviates to the subject of destiny and the origin of good and evil. |