Ancient Tamils the first to write about a 6th sense?!

Long before modern science explored intuition or interoception, ancient Tamils wrote about a “sixth sense” in their grammar text—the Tholkappiyam.

For anyone looking to learn Tamil, they are met with two paths:

இலக்கணம் (ilakkanam) - Grammar and இலக்கியம் (ilakkiyam) - Literature.  

We often neglect grammar, however, I believe both Literature and Grammar can tell us a lot about what ancient Tamils knew, and how they lived. 

For example, take the Tamil alphabet. Its composition explains existence. (This is one of my earlier videos, so excuse the awkwardness lol)

Or take the grammar concept திணை (thinai) with its two divisions:

உயர்திணை (uyarthinai) and அஃறிணை (agrinai)

This difference between the two groups is translated as things that fall in the உயர்திணை (uyarthinai) category are living things and things that fall in the அஃறிணை (agrinai) category are nonliving things.

But as per the grammar rule, animals fall under அஃறிணை (agrinai). So, this translated definition doesn't make sense.  

I learned that anything with 6 senses or more such as humans or divine beings, falls under உயர்திணை (uyirthinai). And anything with 5 senses or less such as animals or objects fall under அஃறிணை (agrinai). 

Wait, a 6th sense?!

According to the Tholkappiyam, the oldest surviving Tamil text, after touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing, we have the mind.

Our understanding is that this grammar text is speaking to intuition or an extrasensory perception that humans have - note: mind in this context does not just mean the ability to make decisions, and problem-solve, because we know animals can do this too.

So this sixth sense, said to be unique to humans, was first found in the ancient Tamil text over 3000 years ago.

Researchers are only now exploring (and perhaps accepting) this idea of a sixth sense under names like interoception, or proprioception over the past few decades.

It must make you wonder, what other ancient wisdom is hidden within the grammar rules of Tamil?

This was from my opening article from my first ever newsletter.

Join our mailing list to receive our Monthly Newsletter