Thirukkural and Buddhism

[Ashok Aklujkar]

>Tiruvalluvar's [verse 3:] ...  "Those who seek refuge in the one who
>walked on lotus-flowers will enjoy happiness in the world free from
>suffering for a long time" ... Even Buddhist schoolboys know the legend of
>the Buddha is depicted as seated on a lotus. So the reference inverse 3
>should be to the Buddha.<

Why is walking taken as meaning sitting/seating?  Is there any account of
the Buddha walking on lotuses? In Jain literature one finds the word
pu.spa-caara.na, which is explained as ' a .rddhi accepted in Jainism; when
a person, typically a saaadhu, has this extraordinary capability, he can
walk over flowers without touching them -- without causing the suffering of
jiivas in them' (Siddhantashastri, Balchandra. 1970æs. Jain Lak‡a†åvali, p.
II.718.)


> in Jainism and Hinduism there is no parallel human personality to whom
>the attributes of Adi-Bhagavat given by Tiruvalluvar in the first ten
>verses are applicable.<

Note the description of Kapila, the source of Saa.mkhya philosophy,
collected on p. 108 of the Saa.mkhya volume (ed. G. J. Larson and R.S.
Bhattacharya) in the Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies series (ed. Karl
H. Potter). Kapila is aadi-vidvaan, bhagavat, and born with dharma,
j;naana, vairaagya and aißvarya. He is spoken of as having compassion
(kaaru.nya) for the world.

>Buddhist poets were foremost in Tamil literature during the hey-day of
>Buddhism.<

 Any names other than the ones mentioned in the posting?

>They [= Mahaayaana Buddhists] have deified him and made him Adi-Buddha or
>Adi-Bhagava an emanating from the primordial source of the universe.<

Is the term Aadi-bhagava attested in Mahaayaana literature?