1. DEFINITIONS
1.1. TAMIL
The word ‘Tamil’ has 3 meanings: Culture, Language, and Spirituality
a) ‘Tamil’ means ‘Culture’.
The word ‘Tamil’ refers to culture.
Tamil culture is the Tamil identity.
‘Tamil’ has the following meanings: ‘Sweetness, nectar, lifestyle, virtues and ethics.’
‘Tamil’ is an Ethical Ethos based on the dominant ethics of the inherent dignity of a human being. That ‘secular ethics’ which sustains human dignity is ‘Sweetness’. It is about Self-Respect.
Therefore, Tamil Humanism may also be referred to as ‘Ethical Humanism’.
Tamil Culture is universal to all human beings irrespective of language, gender or race because it is a practice of ethics and values.
Any person who is ‘Sweet’ by nature and strives to live their lives according to ethical principles, values and morality may claim the Tamil identity as their own, irrespective of their race, religion or language spoken.
c) ‘Tamil’ means ‘Language’.
Tamil is recognized as a language.
Tamil is a ‘Sweet language’. The language evolved over centuries with script changes. Spoken Tamil is different from Written Tamil. The people of different towns speak Tamil differently. In the diaspora Tamil people speak English and may understand only a few Tamil words.
The people who speak the Tamil language have diverse religious beliefs and they use the Tamil language to convey their religious teachings. Therefore, there are Tamil Christians, Tamil Muslims, Tamil Hindus, Tamil Buddhists and Tamil Jains etc.
Tamil language for many is also the Tamil identity.
b) ‘Tamil’ means ‘Spirituality’.
‘Tamil’ is defined as meaning ‘Spirituality’.
Tamils discuss spirituality outside of religion. They describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. They typically believe that many different “spiritual paths” exist and stress the importance of discovering a personal path to spirituality. This is the essence of Tamil Spirituality. This belief comes from Chapter One of the Thirukkural which defines Tamil Spirituality. Tamil Spirituality is the Tamil identity.
1.2. HUMANISM
The Amsterdam Declaration 2002 of the Humanists International defines the elements of Humanism as follows:
1. Humanism is ethical.
2. Humanism is rational.
3. Humanism supports democracy and human rights.
4. Humanism insists that personal liberty must be combined with social responsibility.
5. Humanism is a response to the widespread demand for an alternative to dogmatic religion.
6. Humanism values artistic creativity and imagination
7. Humanism is a lifestance aiming at the maximum possible fulfilment
1.3. SAMANAM
‘Sam’ means equality, equilibrium, equal, balance. ‘Manam’ means mind. In the Tamil language Samanam means ‘Balanced Mind’.
Samanam is translated into English as ‘Tamil Humanism’, ‘Ethical Humanism’, ‘Rationalism’, Equal Mind, ‘Ethical Mind’, ‘Path of Virtue’ or the ‘Path’. Secular ethics was also called Samanam.
Samanam since ancient times was regarded as ‘Tamil Humanism’ because ethics and human values result in a balanced mind.
Sami is a person with a highly evolved consciousness. Samanar is a follower of Samanam philosophy.
1.4. TAMIL HUMANISM
Tamil Humanism is a presentation of moral, values and ethics. It is a Value System.
Tamil Humanism teaches the practice of ethics and values. It promotes an ethical humanist lifestyle. It asks the individual to pursue a Value System.
Tamil Humanism’s main purpose is to build ethical behaviour. The individual uses their conscious intention to build their ethical behaviour until it becomes a habit. Every person is personally responsible for building their ethical behaviour which will assist them to be productive in society.
Tamil Humanism is founded on Eight Core Values.
The Eight Core Values are the culture of:
• Love
• Peace
• Truth
• Right conduct
• Non-violence
• Human values
• Human rights
• Nature rights
2. UNIQUENESS OF TAMIL HUMANISM
Tamil Humanism is unique from other forms of humanism, in that its humanist principles are recorded in the Tamil language in a book called ‘Thirukkural’.
The Thirukkural promotes Tamil Humanism and its author, Thiruvalluvar is a Humanist.
The Thirukkural is a book of guidance for humanity. The Thirukkural affirms humanist principles which are the core of the individual, family, community, society and the state.
Tamil Humanism is the culture of the Eight Divine Virtues of the Thirukkural. The Eight Divine Virtues is the culture of love, peace, truth, right conduct, non-violence, human values, human rights and nature rights. Tamil Humanism is the Tamil Culture.
The Principles of the Thirukkural guides the individual, it guides the community and it guides the nation.
If the individual fails to follow the Value System, they will be dysfunctional. If the community fails to follow the Value System, it also becomes dysfunctional. Dysfunctional communities will produce more dysfunctional individuals
3. UNIVERSALITY OF TAMIL HUMANISM
Tamil Humanism promotes the highest level of human identity and belongingness.
Tamil Humanists say: ‘We are human, we practice the human culture, we aspire for virtue and human values, and we strive for a society that embodies human rights and nature rights. Our race is Human; our belief is Humanism.’
This form of internationalism is the philosophy of Tamil Humanism. The human culture based on humanist values and human rights give us our human identity and our sense of belongingness to the human family.
Every human being irrespective of race, colour, gender or nationality is welcome to accept Tamil Humanism as their path. Therefore, Tamil Humanism is a universal philosophy and culture. It takes the best of all that humanity has to offer.
Each individual in each generation will have to claim these virtues in their lives by their own effort. By practicing the Tamil humanist culture, it becomes a living culture. By teaching it to the next generation it stays a living culture. Each generation need to read, understand and learn this philosophy to have a meaningful and happy life.