J,
You had explained the difference between learning and insight beautifully. The words synonymous with insight themselves are exciting: wisdom, realisation. But synonyms of knowledge are flat: intelligence, brilliance etc. These operate on the logical platform of the mind. Our education too works with this objective. (…)
Ramalingam Natarajan
Dear Ramalingam Natarajan,
I believe ‘education’ in our tradition has always been above mere knowledge.
In Thirukkural, all the lines which talk about education have been used in this subtle sense. Doesn’t Kural declare in the very beginning that education is not just about knowing – but also in attempting to live according to that.
எண் என்ப ஏனை எழுத்தென்ப இவ்விரண்டும்
கண்ணென்ப வாழும் உயிர்க்கு”
Numbers and letters are like two eyes for living beings’ is the direct meaning of this Kural that we can find in almost all commentaries.
The meaning of this Kural is not as simple as saying that education is as important as one’s eyes. Eyes are mere devices. They are the doors to the sixth sense of the mind. What we see through them is important. Education, too, is merely a device.
In this kural, “enn” means thought, i.e., ‘ennam’. The next word, ezhuthu, means “letters.”. That means the entire Logos.
To be precise, these two lines signify the importance of thought and language. The metaphor actually enlarges the meaning. Two eyes see one visual. They can’t differ.
Education is training our thoughts and language. Training our thoughts improves the language, and training the language improves the thought.
Jeyamohan
Translated By Gokul
