Regarding indology and intuitive knowledge

[C.R. Selvakumar]

'>'From: C.R. Selvakumar <selvakum at VALLUVAR.UWATERLOO.CA>
'>'To: INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK <INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK>
'>'=2E
'>'>     Would you please tell me your basis for your extraordinary claim?
'>'
'>'My statements were based upon studies of students as well as literature. =
'>'The
'>'modern West is oriented to thinking and the brain, whereas, the East and
'>'older documents write more of feeling (and intuition) centered in the gut=
'>'s.
'>'The modern West considers the brain/heart connection whereas many older a=
'>'nd
'>'Eastern definitions describe the heart as ruling the brain and body and
'>'located within the abdomen. The modern West generally identifies the self
'>'with the brain and its activities, as compared with the identity with
'>'=91feelings=92 with the thinking brain only a remote tool from the self.

    Would you be so kind (or brainy!) to provide some references to
    your study ?

    What does one understabd when s/he says 'it does not make sense'
    'it is nonsense', 'be sensible' ?

    You carefully say '*modern* west indentifies (emphasis is mine)'
    and so maybe, just before modern times, the 'west'
    was not identifying the self with the brain ?

    Tamils (and I would presume other Indians) have always
    considered brain as the centre. The very word 'talai' (head) means
    'where everything meets or joins or points'. Almost all
    spiritual/philosophical systems (in Tamil) are centered on
    'brain'.

    (I would recommend reading tEvaaram and tirumantiram, just
     two of the many works which speak about head/brain as the centre.
     In Mylapore in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, there is
     a temple called Kapaaleeswarar Temple and it may be worthwhile
     asking what is kapaali)


    I'll just quote one or two simple words to disprove your claim.
    (literally hundreds from diverse literature can be
    quoted) to show that 'thinking/brain as the centre'.

    The tirukkuRaL 412: cevikku uNavillaata pOztu ciRitu
                        vayiRRukkum IyappaTum

                    (Only when there is no food for thought, give
                     a little food to stomach)

    The  tirukkuRaL 392: eN enpa Enai ezuttenpa ivviraNTum
                         kaN enpa vAzum uyirkku

                    (To learn numbers (math) and letters (literature)
                     is central to a living being; there is another
                     interpretation of the same:
                     To think and to awake from
                     the slumber of igorance is central to the
                     living being.)

'>'This web site is a good example of the differences.

     First, the sample size is insufficient to make such claims and
     second, I don't see any analysis other than your claim.

     C.R.Selvakumar
'>'
'>'Regards
'>'Bob Peck