For people who know Tamil, here’s a 2-minute glimpse into my recent appearance in Singapore for the 2023 Tamil Language Festival.
Click on the image below or visit: https://seithi.mediacorp.sg/singapore/japanese-american-speaks-tamil-660941

author, poet, teacher, and performer
For people who know Tamil, here’s a 2-minute glimpse into my recent appearance in Singapore for the 2023 Tamil Language Festival.
Click on the image below or visit: https://seithi.mediacorp.sg/singapore/japanese-american-speaks-tamil-660941
I’m very excited to announce my upcoming online course on the Kural, Taller Than A Mountain.
It starts May 18, with a bonus class on May 4 for people who register early.
Among my guest teachers I’m honored to include Andrew Harvey, Bob Thurman, and Perumal Murugan.
The course is being offered at a price that you set yourself as a way to practice one of the Kural’s key teachings: honoring what fits each person, place, and situation.
Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll answer this question from a few different angles.
One of the groups it’s most definitely for are people who want to enjoy and learn from the poetry of a great teacher such as Tiruvalluvar but who sometimes find poetry intimidating, complicated, or just plain confusing.
For instance, I was having coffee the other day with a friend, and he said to me:
“I’ve been reading the Kural, and enjoying it, too. But while there are some verses that make so much sense to me immediately, there are others that I’m not sure what to make of. I never felt comfortable with poetry in school, but I know it’s something that people sometimes find deeply meaningful. I’d love to be able to see that for myself.”
As I said to my friend, not only is the course for people who are uncertain about poetry, I myself was like that for a very long time.
That’s why I’m all the more excited to share some of things that have helped me personally to experience poetry with greater ease, understanding, and delight.
If this sounds at all intriguing, please do take a peek!
The last kural of the Tirukkural, on turning back to love.
1330
Sulking in love is joy—and joining
Again—joy of joys
ஊடுதல் காமத்திற் கின்பம் அதற்கின்பம்
கூடி முயங்கப் பெறின்
From chapter 133, “Sulking and Bliss.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
A verse on enemies, kindness, and friends.
874
Those whose kindness turns enmity to friendship—the world
Lives by their light
பகைநட்பாக் கொண்டொழுகும் பண்புடை யாளன்
தகைமைக்கண் தங்கிற் றுலகு
From chapter 88, “Knowing an Enemy.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
A verse on the sea of love and the agony of separation.
1164
Right here the sea of love and no vessel
To cross it safely
காமக் கடல்மன்னும் உண்டே அதுநீந்தும்
ஏமப் புணைமன்னும் இல்
From chapter 117, “Pining Away.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
A verse on having love and what love befriends.
76
It serves only virtue say those who don’t know—but love
Is friend to wrong too
அறத்திற்கே அன்புசார் பென்ப அறியார்
மறத்திற்கும் அஃதே துணை
From chapter 8, “Having Love.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
A verse on the interconnections between nature, company, and knowledge.
452
The nature of earth alters water—the nature
Of company alters what we know
நிலத்தியல்பால் நீர்திரிந் தற்றாகும் மாந்தர்க்
கினத்தியல்ப தாகும் அறிவு
From chapter 46, “Freedom from Smallness.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston
A verse on the anguish of separation.
1157
Do these bangles that slip from my wrists not say
This captain is sailing
துறைவன் துறந்தமை தூற்றாகொல் முன்கை
இறைஇறவா நின்ற வளை
From chapter 116, “Unbearable Absence.”
Translated from the Tamil by Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma
THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural
Beacon Press, Boston