Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies Vol. 55, No. 3, March 2007 (103)
Lokayata in Tamil
MIYAMOTO JO
Abbriviation: Loka=Lokayata, Mani=Manimekalai 1. Introduction
In India the existence of Loka that holds to Materialism is well-known from the ancient times. Their doctrine is always attacked by the orthodox Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Although the name of Loka's book is known to us, it was lost and its en-tire doctrine was not handed down. Other sects apart from Loka, however, cited some parts of its doctrine in their books in order to refute it. Through such citations by other sects, we can depict the outline of Loka's doctrine again. Various studies on Loka have been done so far in order to reconstruct its entire doctrine.
The doctrine of Loka was also cited in some books written in Tamil by other sects. Based on the point that these citations are written by other sects from Loka, we can not exclude the possibility that they may contain the exaggeration and the misunderstanding to a certain extent. The citations in Tamil, however, have not been given serious attention on research about Loka. This article, therefore, will survey on the citations about Loka in Tamil according to chronogical order and consider how the situation of Loka was in Tamil area.
2. Manimekalai
Mani is a Buddhist epic by Cattanar in the sixth-eighth century. In the 27th chap-ter of Mani, the heroine goes around many sects and listens to their doctrines. On that occasion, she goes to Loka and listens to its doctrine'). In this chapter, the name of Loka is called Putavati. This word2) means 'speaker about elements', namely ma-terialist. When this Putavati told the doctrine of his own sect to the heroine, he re-ferred the name of his sect as Lokayatan. In this mention, we can understand that Putavati means Loka.
therefore, Loka must have been the only sect that holds to materialism. The main points of the doctrine of Loka in Mani are as follows;
・The name of the founder is Piru .karpati3).
・The number of the elements is not clearly shown but two types of element are
mentioned4).
・Means of knowledge is perception5) .
In some books, it is stated that Loka holds to hedonism. But in Mani, there is no mention about hedonism of Loka.
In many places of Mani, the doctrines of Buddhism are instructed. And further more, in the 29th chapter the logic related to Nyayaprevesa is taught. Hence there is no doubt that the author of Mani had a detailed knowledge of Pali works and Indian philosophy. In Samannaphala-sutta of Pali, the doctrines of some materialists are explained. Many researches point out so far that materialists in Samannaphala-sutta has no direct relation with Loka. It is also informative that the author of Manimakalai, who must have known Pali works, did not give any name of material-ists in Samannaphala-sutta.
3. Tiruvacakam
Tiruvacakam is a work of Bhakti literature in the 9th century by Manikkavacakar, Saiva saint. In this work, the name of Loka was quoted very briefly without any de-tailed explanation6). Based on this brief description, we can say that the audience of Tiruvacakam already knew about the existence of Loka very well. It is generally said that Bhakti literature in Tamil is written in simple style for the common peo-ple's understanding. Loka was, therefore, famous among the multitude when Tiruvdcakam was composed.
4. Nilakeci
Nilakeci is an anonymous Jain epic in the 10th (?) century. This work is for the debate. The heroine debates with other sects including Buddhist, Samkhya, Ajivika and so on and defeats them. On that occasion, she also debates with Putavati. The name of the sect is referred only as Putavati. Althogh the name 'Lokayata' is not mentioned, through the doctrine told by Putavati, we can say that Putavati in this work is Loka.
Lokayata in Tamil (J. MIYAMOTO) (105)
There is no mention about the founder and the book of Putavati either. And the her-oine claims that there is no founder or book for the Putavati sect. The main points of the doctrine which is told by Picacikan are as follows;
・Rebirth
, Karma and God are denied.
・The number of the elements is generally fbur in L6ka's doctrine . In Nilakeci, however, Putavati says that the five elements include earth, water, fire, wind and space7). It is to be noted that this accords with the commentary on sad darsana samuccaya of Gunaratna.
・There is no mention about the hedonism .
It is important that the character named Picacikan appears in Nilakeci. But the character for Loka is indispensable to this work, in which the characters are
debat-ing. Thus it is doubtful whether he really existed. Picacikan means 'a man like de-mon' and Putam means 'a demon and an element'. It is inferred that Picacikan was named after part of Putam's meaning.
Camayativakaravamana Munivar, the commentator of Nilakeci in the 16th century does not mention about the actual state of Loka. He may have not seen Loka been pracitced.
The work of Nilakeci was written for the purpose of debate and demostrates that the author must have had profound knowledge of the doctrines of other sects. Hence the statement is worth believing. For example, in the debate with Ajivika,
Onpatuvamkatir is mentioned as the name of the book of Ajivika that is lost now. 5. Civananacittiyar Parapakkam
Civananacittiyar is a basic philosophical work of Saiva Siddhanta by Arunanti in the 13th century. This work contains two parts parapakkam and cupakkam. In parapakkam, the doctrines of other sects including Loka are discussed and refuted.
In Parapakkam, there is no mention about the founder of Loka. The book of Loka is referred as the book which Indra's priest speaks of Thus it is inferred that only the existence of book of Loka is known but the content of it is not.
・Means of knowledge is perception . Although there are six kinds of perception,
it is not mentioned what six kinds they are. ・Inference is denied .
・The fbur elements include earth
, water, fire and wind.
・Karma and God are denied .
In the books mentioned previously, there is no mention about the hedonismical aspect of Loka. In parapakkam, however, it is strongly emphasized that Loka ex-tremely holds to hedonism. The verses (14-20) are spared for the descript of the he-donism. Its description seems to be too exaggerated.
The relation between Parapakkam and Sarva darrana sangraha by Madhava is pointed out by some researches. As for the doctrine of Loka, however, there is no similarity between them.
6. Vaishnava philosophical works
Paramatapahkam is a philosophical work written by Vedanta Tecikar in the 14th century. In this work, the doctrines of other sects are refuted. In the sixth chapter, the doctrine of Loka is examined in detail and refuted. The first verse of Lokayata sutram written in Sanskrit, which was lost now, is cited in this chapter9). It is men-tioned that there is Bhasyam to this Lokayata siitram. The main points of Loka in this work are as follows;
・The elements include earth
, water, fire and wind. It is said that space is also considered as an element.
・Means of knowledge is perception . ・The fbunder is Brhaspati .
The 52nd verse of Iramanucanurrantati said that Iramanucan refuted six sects. In the commentary of this work, Pillailokacarya Jiyar in the 13-14th century showed the names of these six sects that do not recognize the authority of Veda. The name of Loka is mentioned as Carvaka in his commentary.
Such citations by Vaishnava authors clearly show that they had the information about Loka.
7. Parimelalakar's commentary on Tirukkural 294
Tirukkural is the most famous Tamil didactic work in the fifth-sixth century. Parimelalakar10) quoted the doctrine of Loka in his commentary on Tirukkural 294. The main points of the doctrine of Loka quoted by him are as follows;
・The fbur elements include earth
, water, fire and wind. ・Means of knowledge is perception .
Lokayata in Tamil (J. MIYAMOTO) (107) This statement is like the summary of the doctrine of Loka that is generally known.
8. Conclusion
As stated above, Loka was described by Buddhists, Jains, Saiva and Vaishnava in Tamil. In Tamil area, therefore, the Loka and the name 'Putavati' must have been widely known. The descriptions about Loka written in Tamil, however, are so dif-ferent among each other. It suggests that there was no written book of Loka in Tamil. And in the books mentioned previously, there is no information about the vivid and actual state of Loka, so one can safely state that nobody has actually seen Loka being practiced in Tamil area. Although Mani and Nilakeci belong to litera-ture in the most general definition, its authors, as stated already, must have so pro-found knowledge on philosophy. Thus we can trust its description and when re-search on Loka is conducted from hence, Loka in Tamil must also be fully considered.
1) Mani 27:263-287.
2) It derives from Sanskrit 'Bhuta-vadin'.
3) Mani 27:81. This name is not mentioned by Putavati.
4) In Mani 27:269-270, the element with life which has knowledge and the element with-out life which has not knowledge are referred.
5) Mani 27:274.
6) Porrittiruvakaval 56-57. 7) Nilakeci 856-857. 8) Nilakeci 671.
9) atha lokayatam prthivyapastejo vayuriti tattvani tebhyascaitenyam kinvadibhyo ma-dasaktivat.
10) Vaishnava commentator in the 14th century.
〈 Key Words〉 Tamil, Lokayata
(Graduate Student, Tokyo University)
