It is not an accident that Tirumular ( cir 5th CE ) in the course of seeking the roots of meaningful behavior by way understanding behavior in general comes to investigations about TRUTH experiences , how there comes to be experience of truth with apodictic certainly as such.
In the tradition of hermeneutics of Tolkaapiyam, this was first articulated as an understanding freed of prejudices ( vinaiying niingki viLangkiya aRivu).
When we raise questions about how this kind of understanding is possible at all, then we reach a metaphysical ground even deeper and it is at this point that we come to note the presence of aruL as that which confers such truth experiences that come along with the feeling that it is the case beyond any doubt, something that was also discovered by Descartes in the West.
The word aruL is perhaps etymologically related to 'sar, sur" and 'uL' and the compound 'sar-uL" may mean a spontaneous flow ( sar > ar) that lights up or illuminates ( uL> oL: light). Thus there is aruL as a factor of the cognitional processes naturally available in the world which by dispelling doubts, uncertainties, ambiguities and so forth in the mental plane, makes one feel what is experienced is truth and not some kind of falsity. The word for TRUTH in Tamil uNmai is also ultimately derived from 'uL' meaning light, radiance and so forth.
However the most fascinating aspect of Tirumular's view on this that makes it immensely relevant for psychology is that this TRUTH EXPERIENCE is also that which confers both mental and physical well being. This is NOT psychologism as the positivists would say but rather a statement that notes that the experience of falsities, ambiguities, doubts and in the extreme cases illusions, delusions and so forth are unhealthy not only mentally but also physically. When the soul is 'dirty" not only will it be unhappy with a lot of mental tortures but there will also be physical ailments perhaps in the form of psychosomatic diseases.
More in the notes below:
1978 ( Romanised Tamil )
aruL engkumaana aLavai aRiyaar
aruLai nukara amutaanatun teeraar
aruL aingkarumattiRku aticuukkam unnaar
aruL engkung kaNNaanatu aar aRivaar.
Meaning:
The ordinary individuals do not seem to know that it is aruL that becomes the measure of TRUTH in all states of consciousness -- the wakeful , dream states and so forth. They also do not seem to appreciate that it is the experiencing of truths that serve as the ambrosia that would grant both good mental and physical health. And furthermore they do not reflect and understand that ultimately it is aruL that remains the source of the the five fold para-praxis that pervades the whole universe. And furthermore they don't seem to be aware also the fact that it is aruL that serves as the eyes for the all the creatures that would enable them to SEE as such and generate consciousness.
Commentary:
Perhaps this is one most powerful verses in the whole corpus of Tirumantiram and historically also one of most influential and which led to the recovery of Hermeneutic Logic as part of the Saiva Siddhanta metaphysics.
The concern is the experience of TRUTH and this verse provides an interesting analysis of it within the context of analysis of behavior , behavior as praxis, as actions and within that the source of Meaningful Behavior with which this train of thoughts begin. It was noted that it is aruL that provides a sequence of MEANINGS, the ought that forms the That-For-Which existence is.
Now it is being stated that such MEANINGS that ground and stabilize behavior are in fact TRUTH experiences and that such truth experiences pervade the whole gamut of human experience , the conscious as well as unconscious.
Why this important?
This immediately rules out Naiyaayika position that truths are products of certain procedures applied CONSCIOUSLY by the human intellect and hence something that belongs to the intellectual capabilities of man. This notion is implicit in the Naiyayika claim that " pramaa karaNam piramaaNam" : the piramaaNas are those which genrate truths on being applied. It is in this vein that they claim Pratyaksa ( perception) Anumana ( inference) and Agama ( scriptural texts) are PiramaaNa. But here there is obviously confusing the notion of reliability with VALIDITY. All these ways of gaining consciousness may be reliable but not necessarily VALID for in each one of these ways there can be errors and hence falsities too.
We belief that a certain perception or reasoning or metaphysical understanding is VALID on grounds other than the manner in which they are arrived at. Tirumular maintains here it is the FLOW of aruL in whatever modes of experiences that leads us to exclaim that a certain experience currently being experienced is that of TRUTH and NOT falsity.
The criteria for TRUTH is NOT just logical or epistemological but also PSYCHOLOGICAL. The TRUTH experience in being illuminating, in being destructive of the inner darkness and metaphysical blindness is also MEDICINAL -- it brings about both good mental and physical health. As truths after truths are experienced the HEALTH improves and a person also GROWS in his personality and thereby becomes healthier as a person.
The Para-Praxis are the activities of BEING and which are there everywhere and all the time. It is noted that only those who note and acknowledge the presence of Para-Praxis as such can understand that there is this aruL even as the ground of these activities and hence understand BEING Himself as aruLon, the most munificent and benign.
Then another observation comes along with this. When we take for analysis not sensing but the SEEING and access it as the most primordial act that confers consciousness , it turns out to that at the deepest level it is also an expression of aruL. There cannot be SEEING as such in the world if not for the presence of aruL in the world.
.ULLAGANAR
( editing and re-paragraphing by his student )
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