[INDOLOGY] Ears of the Buddha

Wed Jan 5 06:20:41 UTC 2022

There is a dissertation available at Shodhganga, http://14.139.116.20:8080/jspui/handle/10603/87676. In chapter 2, on pp. 62-63, the custom of growing long ear lobes by Piramalai Kallar women from the Madurai area and men is discussed. (See http://14.139.116.20:8080/jspui/bitstream/10603/87676/9/09-chapter%202.pdf.) But, the author makes a strange logical leap and says, “There is every reason to suggest that the Kaḷḷaṉs were some 1800 years ago followers of Jainism and that they borrowed the practice of ear-lobbing from the Jains55.” She footnotes my IJJS paper as support for her statement! My paper makes no such claim!

Women from other parts of Tamil Nadu wear such ear ornaments without any connection to Jainism.

Regards,

Palaniappan

From: INDOLOGY <indology-bounces at list.indology.info> on behalf of Indology List <indology at list.indology.info>
Reply-To: rajam <rajam at earthlink.net>
Date: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 at 11:05 PM
To: "Tieken, H.J.H. (Herman)" <H.J.H.Tieken at hum.leidenuniv.nl>
Cc: Indology List <indology at list.indology.info>
Subject: Re: [INDOLOGY] Ears of the Buddha

Dear Professor Tieken,

The reference to the elongated ear-lobes of a singer (pāṭiṉi பாடினி) is found in lines 29-30 of the porunarāṟṟuppaṭai (பொருநராற்றுப்படை):

மயிர் குறை கருவி மாண்-கடை-அன்ன (mayir kuṟai karuvi māṇ-kaṭai-aṉṉa)

பூங்குழை-ஊசல் பொறை-சால் காதின் (pūṅkuḻai-ūcal poṟai-cāl kātiṉ)

As you can see … 

Scissors is referred to as மயிர் குறை கருவி ‘tool/instrument that trims the hair.'

The handle of the scissors is  மாண்-கடை ‘large/big base.’ 

[my apologies … I’m too close to Tamil that I haven’t developed the skills for translation!] 

++++++++++ 

The next reference is to kaṇṇaki (கண்ணகி) in the சிலப்பதிகாரம் (4:51)

When her husband கோவலன் (kōvalaṉ) left her for mātavi (மாதவி),  kaṇṇaki (கண்ணகி) was deeply depressed and didn't adorn herself with her usual ornaments.

At that time she is described as 

கொடுங்குழை துறந்து வடிந்து  வீழ் காதினள் 

++++++++++

Later literary / social references are available. Unfortunately, my computer isn’t cooperating for scanning and imaging the modern references. 

Just in case if you are interested, please view this YouTube piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPIOGTb_SxI 

++++++++++ 

Regards,

rajam 

On Jan 4, 02, t 12:34 AM, Tieken, H.J.H. (Herman) <H.J.H.Tieken at hum.leidenuniv.nl> wrote:

Dear Rajam,

do you happen to have a more detailed reference to the Porunarāṟṟuppaṭai passage?

Herman

Herman Tieken

Stationsweg 58

2515 BP Den Haag

The Netherlands

00 31 (0)70 2208127

website: hermantieken.com

Van: Tieken, H.J.H. (Herman) <H.J.H.Tieken at hum.leidenuniv.nl>
Verzonden: dinsdag 4 januari 2022 09:33
Aan: rajam <rajam at earthlink.net>
Onderwerp: Re: [INDOLOGY] Ears of the Buddha

Dear Rajam, do you happen to have a more detailed reference to the Porunarāṟṟuppaṭai passage?

Herman

Herman Tieken

Stationsweg 58

2515 BP Den Haag

The Netherlands

00 31 (0)70 2208127

website: hermantieken.com

Van: INDOLOGY <indology-bounces at list.indology.info> namens rajam via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info>
Verzonden: dinsdag 4 januari 2022 06:02
Aan: Asko Parpola <aparpola at gmail.com>
CC: Indology List <indology at list.indology.info>
Onderwerp: Re: [INDOLOGY] Ears of the Buddha

Ear-piercing is an age-old tradition in South India and Sri Lanka, which is practiced even now. 

Elongating ear lobes IS also a practice in some ethnic groups in South India. It is NOT for renunciation. 

The earliest literary attestation we have is from porunarāRRuppadai (பொருநராற்றுப்படை) where a dancing woman (in a group of wandering bards) is described as having elongated ear lobes; her ears are compared to the handle of a scissors. I may not be using the right term, sorry. 

So … I think it must have been a pan-indic practice to grow long ear lobes.

Regards,

rajam 

On Dec 30, 2021, at 11:41 PM, Asko Parpola via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

A very rich collection of references to the ear is:

Bollée, Willem B., 2010. Remarks on the cultural history of the ear in India. Pp. 141-167 in: Balbir, Nalini (ed.) 2010. Svasti: Essays in honour of Professor Hampa Nagarajaiah for his 75th birthday. Bangalore: K. S. Muddappa Smaraka Trust. 

On p. 145 Bollée discusses the form of the ear, starting with “Karṇa ‘Longear’ (?)” and “Vikarṇa ‘With widely extended ears’” … “Long ears are a positive mark of Mahāvīra (…); such people, however, are to be excluded from the sacrifice to the dead.” …

Best wishes for a Happy New Year 2022,

Asko Parpola

On 31. Dec 2021, at 8.32, Allen Thrasher via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

If the particular work of art shows a large piercing or rather a hole in the ear, it must intend to communicate that he used to have large and heavy earrings, which he renounced.  This does not necessarily mean that his ears were not also naturally pinayata.

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