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புலால் மறுத்தல்: Abstinence from Flesh
About this chapter
புலால் மறுத்தல், abstinence from flesh, argues from compassion that one should not eat meat. It sits in the section on the renunciant's virtues and follows directly from the chapter on kindness.
Kural 251 puts the question that drives the chapter: how can a person who eats other creatures' flesh to increase his own be kind? Kural 252 compares those who eat flesh to people who do not guard their property and so have none, and Kural 253 likens their mind to that of a man carrying a weapon. Kural 254 defines kindness as not killing and its opposite as killing, adding that eating flesh is therefore wrong. Kural 255 says that abstaining preserves life while hell awaits the eater, and Kural 258 says the pure-minded will not eat what has been taken from a living thing. Kural 256 makes an argument about demand, that if nobody ate meat, nobody would sell it for money. Kural 257 appeals to disgust, calling flesh the wound of another body, and Kural 259 says that to abstain is better than a thousand sacrifices with offerings. Kural 260 closes by saying that all living creatures would join hands in worship of the one who neither kills nor eats flesh.
Kural 256 is its most practical argument. Kural 254 gives its basic definition.
For the syllabus, it belongs to the theme of kindness towards all living things, alongside Chapters 25 and 33.
The 10 kurals of புலால் மறுத்தல்
Each kural is shown in Tamil with a transliteration and G. U. Pope's English verse translation. Open a kural for its plain English meaning.
தன்னூன் பெருக்கற்குத் தான்பிறிது ஊனுண்பான்
எங்ஙனம் ஆளும் அருள்?
Thannoon Perukkarkuth Thaanpiridhu Oonunpaan
Engnganam Aalum Arul?
How can the wont of 'kindly grace' to him be known, Who other creatures' flesh consumes to feed his own
பொருளாட்சி போற்றாதார்க்கு இல்லை அருளாட்சி
ஆங்கில்லை ஊன்தின் பவர்க்கு.
Porulaatchi Potraadhaarkku Illai Arulaatchi
Aangillai Oondhin Pavarkku
No use of wealth have they who guard not their estate; No use of grace have they with flesh who hunger sate
படைகொண்டார் நெஞ்சம்போல் நன்னூக்காது ஒன்றன்
உடல்சுவை உண்டார் மனம்.
Pataikontaar Nenjampol Nannookkaadhu Ondran
Utalsuvai Untaar Manam
Like heart of them that murderous weapons bear, his mind, Who eats of savoury meat, no joy in good can find
அருளல்ல தியாதெனிற் கொல்லாமை கோறல்
பொருளல்லது அவ்வூன் தினல்.
Arulalladhu Yaadhenin Kollaamai Koral
Porulalladhu Avvoon Thinal
'What's grace, or lack of grace'? 'To kill' is this, that 'not to kill'; To eat dead flesh can never worthy end fulfil
உண்ணாமை உள்ளது உயிர்நிலை ஊனுண்ண
அண்ணாத்தல் செய்யாது அளறு.
Unnaamai Ulladhu Uyirnilai Oonunna
Annaaththal Seyyaadhu Alaru
If flesh you eat not, life's abodes unharmed remain; Who eats, hell swallows him, and renders not again
தினற்பொருட்டால் கொல்லாது உலகெனின் யாரும்
விலைப்பொருட்டால் ஊன்றருவா ரில்.
Thinarporuttaal Kollaadhu Ulakenin Yaarum
Vilaipporuttaal Oondraruvaa Ril
'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
உண்ணாமை வேண்டும் புலாஅல் பிறிதொன்றன்
புண்ணது உணர்வார்ப் பெறின்.
Unnaamai Ventum Pulaaal Piridhondran
Punnadhu Unarvaarp Perin
With other beings' ulcerous wounds their hunger they appease; If this they felt, desire to eat must surely cease
செயிரின் தலைப்பிரிந்த காட்சியார் உண்ணார்
உயிரின் தலைப்பிரிந்த ஊன்.
Seyirin Thalaippirindha Kaatchiyaar Unnaar
Uyirin Thalaippirindha Oon
Whose souls the vision pure and passionless perceive, Eat not the bodies men of life bereave
அவிசொரிந் தாயிரம் வேட்டலின் ஒன்றன்
உயிர்செகுத் துண்ணாமை நன்று.
Avisorin Thaayiram Vettalin Ondran
Uyirsekuth Thunnaamai Nandru
Than thousand rich oblations, with libations rare, Better the flesh of slaughtered beings not to share
கொல்லான் புலாலை மறுத்தானைக் கைகூப்பி
எல்லா உயிருந் தொழும்.
Kollaan Pulaalai Maruththaanaik Kaikooppi
Ellaa Uyirun Thozhum
Who slays nought,- flesh rejects- his feet beforeAll living things with clasped hands adore
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