The keys in ‘akam’ and ‘puRam’;  

The innumerable mysterious treasures in the Nature and Society

‘akam’ (the mind related internal) and ‘puRam’ (the external part), in dynamic interactions, govern the life of the individual till the death, according to the ancient Tamil texts.

The needs and interests of a person in the mind, is related to ‘akam’, and the interests driven activities is related to ‘puRam’.

The resultant of the activities in the ‘puRam’ will lead to the joy and sufferings that are related to the ‘akam’.

Basic human needs will lead to the interests in the mind for earning money.

Anyone infected with social comparison will have socially induced needs to earn more and more money. Also, those infected with comfort life style will focus to move towards the greener pastures.

Nature and society have innumerable mysterious treasures denied to the above fools with compromising weak ethics to avoid the suffering and to achieve their goals, causing unbelievable damages to the Nature and Society. 

The skills to hunt for the above treasures demand continuous nourishing of the ‘akam’ to be in consonance with society and nature. But the above fools insulate themselves, fearing to experience unexpected ‘heat’ from the society and nature. Joy and sufferings are the two sides of the life skills for the success in the above hunting.

Nourishing the ‘akam’ and continuous open minded growing of the strong ethics go together enhancing the above life skills to live as a person free to enjoy the life travel.

“If people are like the waves on the sea, tossed about by contrary winds, then the free person is one who strives not to be affected by being tossed about, who strives to understand his position as a wave on the sea.” 

- Proposition 68 ‘The Ethics’ by Benedict de Spinoza

The above selfish fools always seek fully enclosed float, ensuring a robot-like travel till death.

The keys to live as a ‘free person’ was revealed in the following ancient Tamil text ‘puRanhAnURu’.

யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளிர்

தீதும் நன்றும் பிறர்தர வாரா

நோதலும் தணிதலும் அவற்றோ ரன்ன

சாதலும் புதுவது அன்றே, வாழ்தல்

இனிதென மகிழ்ந்தன்றும் இலமே முனிவின்

இன்னா தென்றலும் இலமே, மின்னொடு

வானம் தண்துளி தலைஇ யானாது

கல் பொருது மிரங்கு மல்லல் பேரியாற்று

நீர்வழிப் படூஉம் புணைபோல் ஆருயிர்

முறை வழிப் படூஉம் என்பது திறவோர்

காட்சியில் தெளிந்தனம் ஆகலின், மாட்சியின்

பெரியோரை வியத்தலும் இலமே,

சிறியோரை இகழ்தல் அதனினும் இலமே. (புறநானூறு: 192)

Meaning:

யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளிர்

yAthum UrE yAvarum kELir

To us all villages and towns are our own, everyone our kin,

தீதும் நன்றும் பிறர்தர வாரா

thEthum nhanRum piRar thara vArA

Neither good nor bad comes from others

நோதலும் தணிதலும் அவற்றோ ரன்ன

nhOthalum thaNithalum avaRRO ranna

Pains and pain's relief are also like that

சாதலும் புதுவது அன்றே, வாழ்தல்

இனிதென மகிழ்ந்தன்றும் இலமே

cAthalum puthuvathu anRE, vAzthal

inithena makiznhthanRum ilamE

Death is no new thing, nor we need to be happy

when life seems to be pleasant

முனிவின்

இன்னா தென்றலும் இலமே

Munivin

innAthenRalum ilamE

nor do we grudge that our life is worse than the austere life of a monk

மின்னொடு

வானம் தண்துளி தலைஇ யானாது

Minnodu

vAnam  thaNthuLi thalaii iyAnAthu

sky with lightening causing the activation of the cooled water droplets for continuous raining

கல் பொருது மிரங்கு மல்லல் பேரியாற்று

நீர்வழிப் படூஉம் புணைபோல்

Kal poruthu mirangku mallal pEriyARRu

nhIrvazip paduUm punnai pOl

torrential rain rolling the stones causing a big turbulent river flow carrying a float 

ஆருயிர்

முறை வழிப் படூஉம் என்பது திறவோர்

காட்சியில் தெளிந்தனம் ஆகலின்,

Aruyir

muRai vazip padUum enpathu thiRavOr

kAtciyil theLinhthanam Akalin

(like the float) rare human life

follows the path of the method of life travel,

will be clear in the vision of the wise,

மாட்சியின்

பெரியோரை வியத்தலும் இலமே,

சிறியோரை இகழ்தல் அதனினும் இலமே. (

mAdciyin

periyOrai viyaththalum ilamE,

ciRiyOrai ikazthal athaninum ilamE

the wise marvel not at the persons in high social status

Still less despise the men in low social status.             

   -puRanhAnURu 192

Due to the constraints in the semantic translation, ‘rare human life follows the path of the method of life travel’ could not reveal the full meaning of the ‘Aruyir muRai vazip padUum’. The following may be helpful to understand it.

The carved relief of judgement by Yama (south gallery, east side, Angkor Wat temple built 1113-52 AD by Suryavarman II, Hindu (Vishnu) Cambodia; http://www.soniahalliday.com/category-view3.php?pri=CM2010-08JT.jpg)  explained the process of judging the good deeds of the person for sending to heaven, and the bad deeds for sending to the hell.

Adams Smith in his book ‘The Theory Of Moral Sentiments’ had explained how we could live both as the first person leading our life, morally guided by the ‘third person’ in us. The ‘third person’ can be considered as the ‘yama’ in the above sculpture, constantly judging our life warning about the immoral openings, as well as encouraging the morally right directions in our life. In other words, the yama, the heaven and hell are all in us, and with the awareness of ‘Aruyir muRai vazip padUum’, we could enjoy our life as a truly free person.

‘akam’, the mind related internal part incorporating the above keys will motivate us to live with our ‘puRam’, the external part. The resultant free person will experience and enjoy both the joy and the suffering in the hunting for the innumerable mysterious treasures in the nature and the society.