30.3 Benefits of Truthfulness
Question:
What are the Benefits of Truthfulness?
Answer:
External
purity is made possible by using water. Truthfulness
purifies the
mind. (kural - 298)
If one speaks
the truth and nothing but the truth, he need not
seek other
virtues. (kural – 297)
External
lamps do not light the path of the noblemen. Only
truthfulness
illuminates their path. (kural - 299)
பொய்யாமை பொய்யாமை
ஆற்றின் அறம்பிற
செய்யாமை செய்யாமை நன்று. (குறள் – 297)
புறள்தூய்மை நீரான்
அமையும் அகந்தூய்மை
வாய்மையால் காணப் படும். (குறள் – 298)
எல்லா விளக்கும்
விளக்கல்ல சான்றோர்க்குப்
பொய்யா விளக்கே விளக்கு. (குறள் – 299)
Explanation:
Valluvar
makes an interesting observation. He says that water helps to clean our bodies.
In the same manner, truthfulness helps to clean our minds. When someone follows
truthfulness meticulously, then he must be true to himself. That means, if he
were to be confronted for his actions, he must confess what he did and meet the
consequences for his actions. Eventually, truthfulness will deter him from
straying away from the path of virtue. Thus, constant and continuous practice
of truthfulness acts as a detergent for the mind and purifies the mind.
According to Valluvar, "Virtue is nothing but cultivating a mind without
blemishes; everything else is an empty show (Couplet- 34)." If
truthfulness would cleanse the mind of all blemishes, there can be no other
virtue better than that. Therefore, one who practices truthfulness need not
follow other virtues. Over time, truthfulness will automatically lead him to
all other virtues. This is precisely why the noblemen of perfection consider
truthfulness as the only guiding light for them to follow. In fact, Valluvar
says that truthfulness is a prerequisite quality for a nobleman of perfection.
No comments:
Post a Comment