Numbers and letters are the eyes of learning. For those who pursue knowledge, numbers and letters are essential.
Number எண் means the "thought", Letter எழுத்து means "arising" that which awaken the life force!
In the sayings of the Siddhas there is a hidden indication:
“Eight and two — do you know what that means?"
It could mean 8 + 2 = 10, or else 8 × 2 = 16.
Thus, when we take the number eight and the number two, they each correspond to a following letter in tamil:
Eight → the letter ‘A’ (அ)
Two → the letter ‘U’ (உ)
In this way, number and letter together become the eyes of knowledge. Now, when we ask who are the truly learned:
It is said, “Those who have the inner eye of wisdom — they alone are learned.”
That is why Tiruvalluvar also remarked that the seer with the eye of wisdom is the true knower. So here, in education, people commonly say one must at least know the basic four letters.
But in this deeper sense:
Number = eight and two
Letter = the vowels A (அ) and U (உ)
These two are uyir ezhuthu in Tamil.
The letter A (அ) is the primordial.
The sound U (உ) pervades and expands as the totality.
The place from which both arise — that place is called the “eye.”
The two outer eyes are called the fleshly eyes (puṇṇuṇḍai kaṇ), because they are bound to the body. But we also have another eye — the eye of wisdom (ஞானக்கண்).
Beyond those two bodily eyes, there is a higher eye — the third eye.
And thus it is said:
“Those who possess that eye of wisdom — they alone are the learned. All others cannot be called truly learned.”
Some reference songs mentioned in the sathsang:
"கண்ணுடையார் என்பவர் கற்றோர்,
கற்றோரார் கண்ணுடையார் அல்லர்;
கண்ணுடையார் கண்ணால் காண்பர்,
கண்ணில்லாதார் கற்கிலர் என்பார்."
— திருமந்திரம் (பாடல் 2700)
எட்டும் இரண்டும் அறியாத என்னை
எட்டும் இரண்டும் அறிவித்தான் என் நந்தி
எட்டும் இரண்டும் அறிவால் அறிந்தபின்
எட்டும் இரண்டும் இலிங்கம்தாகும்.”
— திருமந்திரம் (பாடல் 986)
Let Wisdom Flourish!
Let Peace Prevail!
Let us protect Mother earth!
Let us protect the Universe!
Santhosam
https://universalpeacefoundation.org