BUDDHISM: KNOWLEDGE OF ORIGIN; HOW OUR WORLD BEGAN !

'DIGHA NIKAYA', the Long collection" of discourses of the Buddha is said to be the major discourse of Lord Buddha !It belongs to Buddhist canon in the Theravada tradition of Sri Lanka and South-East Asia. (these have been translated from the Pali by Maurice Walshe).

THe Buddha famously discouraged speculation about origins and end times. In this regard, as in others, Buddhism is "the middle way between extremes", demonstrating less interest in genesis and apocalypse than do other world religions. One of the fourteen questions that the Buddha refused to answer was " Is the world eternal? He likened the human condition to that of a man suddenly struck by a poisoned arrow. Would he seek to extract the arrow as soon as possible or would he pause to speculate about the height or the archer and whether the feathers on the arrow's shaft came from a stroke, a hawk, or a peacockj? Henry clarke Warren ( 1854-1899), a great American translator of Pali texts, named these speculations "question which tend not to edification". And so it is said that the cycle of rebirth has no beginning and that it has no end, except for those who put an end to it themselves through the achievement of 'nirvana.'

But this does not meant that Buddhism does not have a cosmology. In the beginning less and endless cycle of birth and death, worlds are created and destroyed. Then a big question arises--how our world came into existence?

Each world passes through four phases; from a state of nothingness, it moves through phases of creation, abiding and destruction before returning again to nothingness. These phases occur over massive units of time, called'kalpas'. The spark of creation is not the will of God but the 'karma' of beings. The past deeds of the future inhabitants of the world are what creates that world. And once the world has been formed, the beings begin to inhabit it. Among the six types of beings---gods, demigods, humans, animals, ghosts and hell beings--- the first to appear are human but they are not ordinary humans. Their bodies are luminous, eliminating any need for sun and moon; they can fly; and thety have no gender. The surface of the earth is covered with a substance like the skin that forms on the surface of hot milk.

CREATION MYTHS:-- In a moment reminiscent of what is in the  West the most famous of creation myths, one of the beings grows curious, dips a finger into the subtance and tastes it. It is sweet. And like that other creation myths, tasting the substance leads to the fall---but in the Buddhist story, the fall is literal. For as the beings eat more and more of the substance----which evolves eventually into rice---their bodies lose their natural luster, they can no longer fly and the sun and the moon appear. The bings develop sex organs. Males and females develop lust for each other and begin to have sexual intercourse, scandalizing those who see them. And so the firsr dwellings are constructed not to provide humans shelter from the elements but to enable them to have sex without being observed by others. they also begin hoarding the naturally growing riuce, being too lazy to reap it in the morning and the evening. Ecventually, the rice has to be cultivated, plots are assigned, private property established. Soon, the theft occurs, requiring that the thief be punished, which in turn requires that a king be appointed to administer justice. And so form a single taste on the tip of a finger came human society.

The context of the Buddha's description of the origin of the world is note worthy; it occurs as part of a polembic against the brahmin priests of Vedic Hinduism, with whom Buddha and his monks competed for alms and patronage. The text begins with two recent converts from brahmin caste approaching the Buddha. Before they can pose the a question, the Buddha asks whether they have been reviled for joining the order of monks. They reply that they have indeed been abused for leaving the high class of brahmin priests to join " the base class of shave ling petty ascetics" the brahmins, following the VEDAS, believed that they had emerged from the mouth of god Brahma, whereas the warriors or kshatriyas (here Khattiya) emerged from his arms, the merchants from his legs, and the servant class from his feet. Part of the Buddha's motivation in describing the origin of the world is to dispute the Hindu creation myths, making clear that all beings are born into the world as a result of their karma and that none is naturally more noble than another. At the end of the text, he explains that the original brahmins were those who left human society behind to meditate in the forest (as Buddhist monks do) but some of these brahmins were incapable of such practice and setteled in villages where they " complied books" it is these lesser brahmins who were the forebears of the brahmin caste. The Buddha concludes be declaring that true ascetics can come from any of the four castes.

NOW THE ORIGINAL INTERPRETATION OF TEXTS FROM PALI TO ENGLISH:--------"Thus have I heard. Once the Lord was staying at Savatthi, at the mansion of Migara's mother in the East Park. And at that time Vasettha and Bharadvaja were living among the monks, hoping to become monks themselves. And in the evening, the Lord rose from his secluded meditation and came out of the mansion and started waliking up and down in its shade------

"Vasettha noticed this and he said to Bharadvaja: Friend Bharadvaja, the Lord has come out and is walking up and down. Let us approach him. We might ber fortunate enough to hear a talk on Dhamma (Pali for dharma) from the Lord himself, ' Yes, indeed' Said Bharadvaja, so they went up the Lord, saluted him and fell into step with him...-----

" Then the Lord said to Vasettha: " Vasettha, you two are Brahmins born and bred and you have goneforth from the household life into homelessness from Brahmin families. Do not the Brahmins revile and abuse you?' 'Indeed, Lord, the Brahmins do revile and abuse us. They do not hold back with their usual flood of reproaches. ' Well, Vesettha, what kind of reproaches do they fling at you?' 'Lord, what the Brahmins say is this: The Brahimn caste is the highest caste, other castes are base ; the Brahmin caste is fair, other castes are dark; Brahminn s are purified, non-Btrahmins are not, the Brahimns are the true children of Brahma, heirs of Brahma. And you, you  have deserted the highest class and gone over to the base class of haveling petty ascetics, servants, dark fellows born of Brahma's foot! It's not right, it is not properr for you to mix with such people!' That is the way the Brahimns abuse us, Lord------

'Then, Vastttha, the Btrahmins have forgotten their ancient tradition when they say that. Because we can see Brahmin women, the wives of Brahimin, who mensturate and become pregnant, have babies and give suck. And yet these womb-born Brahimins talk about being born from Brahma'smouth......These Brahimins misrepresent Brahma, tell lies and earn much demerit.-----

"There are Vasettha, these four castes; likeKhattiyas (KSHATRIYAS), the Brahimins, the merchants and the artisans. And some time a Khattiya takes life, takes what is not given, commit sexual misconductes, tells lies, indulge in slander, harsh speech or idle chatter, is grasping, malicious or of wrong views. Thus such things as are immoral and considered so, blameworthy and considered so, to be avoided and considered so, ways unbefitting an 'Ariyan ( Aryan) and considered so, black with black result and blamed by the wise, are sometimes to be found among the Khattiyas and the same applies to Brahmins, merchants and artisans.-----

"some time, too, a Khattiya refrains from taking life,.......is not gasping, malicious or of wrong views. Thus such things as are moral and considered so blameless and considered so, to be followed and considered so ways befitting an Ariyan and considered so, bright with bright result and praised by the wise, are some times to be found among the Khattiyas and likewise among Brahmins, merchanmts and artisans.------

"Now since both dark and bright qualities, which are blamed and praised by the wise, are scattered indiscriminately among four castes, the wise do not recognise the claim about the Brahmins caste being the highest. Why is that? Because, Vasettha, anyone from the four castes who becomes a monk, an Arhant (one who enters nirvan at death), who has destroyed corruptions, who had lived the life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached the highestGoal. destroyed the fetter of becoming and become emancipated through super-knowledge---he is proclaimed supreme buy virtue of Dhamma and not non-dhamma.-------

DHAMMA'S THE BEST THIS FOER PEOPLE, IN THI LIFE AND THE NEXT AS WELL------

"this illustration will make clear to you how Dhamma is the best in this world and in the next. King Pasendi of Kosala  ( a kingdom in south-central Uttar Pradesh) knows:" The ascetic Gotama has gone fourth from the neighbouring clan of the Sakyans" Now the Sakyans are vassals of the King of Kosaka. They offer him humble service and salute him, rise and do him homage and pay him fitting service. And, just as the Sakyans offer the King humble service......, so likewise does the King offer  humble service to the Tathagata (A little Buddha, known as Siddharth Gautam refer to himself in Pali) thinking: " if the ascetic Gotama is well-born, I am ill-born; if the acetic Gotama is strong, I am weak; of if the ascetic Gotama is pleasant to look at, I am ill-favoured; if the ascetic Gotama is influential, I am a littel influence,: Now it has become honouring the Dhammas, making much of Dhamma, esteeming Dhamma, doing reverent homage to the Dhamma that King Pasenadi does humble service to the Tathagata and says him fitting service;--------

DHAMMA'S THE BST THING FOR PEOPLE, IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT AS WELL

'Vasettha, all of you, though of different birth, name clan and family who have gone forth from the household life into homelessness, if you are asked who are you are should reply: "We are acetics, followers of the Sakyan", .He whose faith in the Tathagata is settled, rooted, established, solid, unshakable by any ascetic or Brahmin, any deva or mara or Brahma or anymore in the world, can truly say; "I am a truer son of Blessed Lord, born of his mouth, born of Dhamma, created by Dhamma, an heir of Dhamma". "why is that? Because Vasettha, this designates the Tathagata:" The Body of Dhamma", that is "The Body of Brahma", or Become Dhamma" that is, "Become Brahma.

'There comes a time, Vasettha, when, sooner or later after a long period, this world contracts. At the time of contraction, beings are mostly born in the Abhassara Brahma (The heavens of radiant kight, one of the heavens in the Buddhist cosmolgy). And there they dwell, mind-made, feeding on delight, self-luminous, moving through the air, glorious---and they stay like that for a very long time. But sooner or later, after a very long period, this world begins to expand again. At a time of expansion, the beings from the Abhassara Brahma world, having passed away from there, are mostly reborn in the world. Here they dwell, mind-made, feeding on delight, self-luminous, moving through the air, glorious---and they stay like that for avery long time.

'At that period, Vasettha, there was just one mass of water, and all was darkness, blonding darkness. Niether moon nor sun appeared, no constellations or stars appeared, night and day were not distinguished, nor months and fortnights, no years or seasons, and no male and female, begins being reckoned just as beings. And sooner or later, after a very long periodof time, savoury earth spread itself over the waters where those beings were.It looked just likethe skin that form itself over hot milk as it cools. It was endowed with colour, smell and taste. It was the colour of fine ghee or butter, and it was very sweet, like pure wild honey.

'Then some being of a greedy nature said, " I say, what can this be?" andtyasted the savoury earth on its finger. In so doing, it became taken with the flavour, and craving arose in it. Then other beings, taking their cue from that one, also tasted the stuff with their fingres. They too were taken withthe flavour, and craving ariose in them. So they set with their hands breaking off pieces of the stuff in order to eat it. And the result of this was that their self-luminence disappeared. And as a result of disapperance of their self-luminance, the moon and the son appeared, night and day were distinguished, months and fortnights appeared and the year and its seasons. To that extent the world re-evolved.

'And those beings continued for a very long time feasting on this savoury earth, feeding on it and being nourished by it. And as they did so, their bodies became coarser, and a difference in looks developed among them. Some beings became good-looking, others ugly. And the loo good-looking ones despised the others, saying:" we are better-looking than they are." And because they became arrogant and conciented about their looks, the savoury earth disappeared. At this they came together and lamented, crying, " oh that flavour! Oh that flavour!" And so nowa days when people say" "oh that flavour"! when they get something nice, they are repeating an ancient saying without realising it.----

DEVELOPMENT OF SEXUAL LIFE:---'And then, when the savioury earth disappeared, a fungus cropped up, in the manner of a mushroom. It was of good colour, smell and taste. And it was the clour of fine ghee or butter and it was very sweet, like pure wild honey. And those beings set to and ate the fungus. And this lasted for a very long long time. And as they continued to feed on the fungus, so their bodies became coarser still and the difference in their looks increased still more. And the look-looking one despised the others.....And because they became arrogant and conceited about their looks, the sweet fungus disappeared. Next, creepers appeared, shooting up like bamboo......, and they too were very sweet, like pure wild honey.

'and those beings set to and fed on these creepers. And as they did so, their bodies became even coarser, and the difference in their looks increased still more..... And They became still more arrogant and so the creepers disappeared too. At this, they came together and lamented crying: Alas, our creepers' gone! What have we lost! And so now today when people, on being asked why they are upset, say" "oh what we have lost! And so now today when people, on being asked why they are upset, say: " oh, what we have lost!' they are repeating an ancient saying without realising it.

And then, after the crepers had disappeared, rice appeared in open spoaces, free from powder and from husks, fragnant and clean-grained. And what they had taken in the evening for supper had grown again and was ripe in the morning and what they had taken in the morning for breakfast was ripe again by evening with no sign of repeaping. And these beings set to and fed on this rice and this lasted for a very long time. And as they did so,their bodies became coarser still and the difference in their looks became even greater. And females developed female sex-organs and the males developed male organs. And the women became excessively preoccupied with men and men with womern. Owing to this excessive preoccupation with each other, passion was aroudsed and their bodies burnt with lust. And later, because of this burning, they indulged in sexual activity. But those who saw them indulging threw dust, ashes or cow-dung at them, crying: "die, you filthy beasts! How can being do such thing together!" Just as today, in some districts, when a daughter-in-law is led out, some people throw dirt at her, some ashes and some cow-dung, without realising that they are repeating an ancient observance. What was considered bad from those days is now considered good form.-------

' And those being who in those dayys indulged in sex were not allowed into a village or town for one or two months. Accordingly those who indulged for an excessively long period in such immoral practices began to gbuild themselves dwellings so as to indulge under cover.---

'Now it occurred to one of these beings who was inclined to laziness: " Well now, why should I be bothered to gather rice in the evening for supper and in the morning for breakfast? Why sholdn't I gather it all at once for both meals? And he did so. Then another one came to him said: " Come on let's go rice gathering." No need , my friend, I have gathered enough for both meals." Then other, following his examples, gathered enough rice for two days at a time, saying:" That should be about enough". Then another being came and said to the second one: "Come on, let go rice gathering". "No need my frinend, I have gathered enough for two days" (The same for four days then 8days). However, when those beings made a store of rice and lived on that,husk-powder and husk began to develop the grain, and where it was reaped it did not grow again, and the cut place showed and the rice grew in separate ckluster.----

'And then those beings came together lamenting: "Wicked ways have become rife among us; at first we were mind-made, feeding on delight....(all events repeated down to the latest development, each fresh change being said to be due to wicked and unwholesome ways).....and the rice grows in separate clusters. So now let us divide up the rice into fields with boundarioes". So they did so.----

'Then, Vasettha, one greedy-natured being, while watching over his own plot, took another plot that was not given to him and enjoyed the fruits of it. So they seized hold of him and said:: "you have done a wicked thing, taking ataking another's plot like that! Do not ever do such a thing again!" ." I won't, he said, but he did the same thing a second time and a third time. Again he was seized and rebuked and some hit him with their fists, some with stones and some with sticks. And in this, Vasettha , taking what was not gven, and censuring and lying and punishment took their origin.----

'Then these beings came together and lamented the arising of these evil things among them; taking what was not gven, censuring, lying and punishments. And they thought:"suppose we were to appoint a c ertain being who would show anger where anger was due, censure those who deserved it and banish those, who deserved banishment! And in return, we would grant him a share of the rice," So they went to the one among them who was the handsomest, the best looking, the most pleasant and capable and asked him to do this for them in return for a share in the rice, and he agreed.

'The people's choice"is the meaning of Maha-Sammat, which is the first regular title to be introduced. "Lord of the Fields" is the meaning of Khattiya, the scond such title. And " he GLADDENS OTHERS WITH DHAMMA is the meaning of  Raja, the third title to be introduced. This, then, Vasettha, is the rogin of the clss of Khattiyas, in accoradance with the ancient titles that were introduced for them. Theyoriginated among these very same beings like ourselves, no different, and in accordance with Dhamma, not otherwise.---

DHAMMA'S The Best THING FOR PEOPLE IN THIS LIFE AND NEXT AS WELL!

"Then same of these beings thought: Evil thingshave appeared among beings, such as taking what is not given, censuring, lying, punishment and banishment. We ought to put aside evil and unwholesome things" And they did so." They put aside Evil and Unwholesome things" is thev meaning of Brahmins, which is the first regular title to be introduced for such people. They made leaf hunts and forest places and mediated in them. With the smoking fire gone out, with pestle cast aside, gathering almms for their evening and morning meals, they went away to a village, town or royalty city to seek their food and then they returned to their leaf huts to meditate. People saw this abnd noted hiow they meditated. "They meditate" is the meaning of Jhayaka, which is the second regular title tio be introduced.----

'However, some of these beings not being able to meditate in leaf huts, setteled ariund towns and villages and compiled books. People saw them doing this and not meditating. " Now These Do Not Meditate" is the meaning of Ajjhayaka, which is the third regular title to be introduced. At that time it was regarded as a low designation, but niow it is the higher. This, then , Vasettha, is the origin of the class of Brahmins in accordance with the ancient titles that were introduced for them. Their origin was from among these same very beings, like themselves, no different and in accordance with Dhamma not otherwise.----

DHAMMA'S THE BEST THING FOR PEOPLE ,IN THIS LIFE AND THENEXT AS WELL !

'And then, Vasettha, some of these beings, having paired off, adopted various trades and this" various" is the meaning of Vessa (In Pali for Shudras) which came to be regular title for such people. This, then, the origin of class of Vessas, in accordance with the ancient titles that were introduced for them. Their origin was from among these same very beings......

'And then, Vasettha, these beings that remained went in for hunting. "They Are Base Who Live By The Chase", and that is the meaning of Sudda (Shudras), which came to be regular title for such people. This, then, is the origin of the class of Suddas in accordance with the ancient titles that were introduced for them. Their origin was from among these very same people.....

'and then Vasettha, those beings that remained went for hunting. " They Are Base Who Live by Chase", and that is the meaning of Sudda, which came to be regular title for such people. This, then, is the origin of the class of Suddas in accordance with the ancient titles that were introduced for them. Their origin was from among these very same beings.....

'And then Vasettha, it came about that some Khattiya, dissatisfied with hisown Dhamma, went forth from household life into homelessness, thinking" I will become an ascetic" And Brahmin did likewise, a Vessa did likewise, and so did a Sudda. And from these four classes the clas of ascetics came into existence. Their origin was from among these very same beings, like themselves, no different, and un accordance with Dhamma, not otherwise.......

DHAMMA'S THE BEST THING FOR PEOPLE, IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT AS WELL.

And, Vasettha, a Khattiya who has led a bad life in body, speech and thought and who has wrong view will, in consequence of such werong views and deeds, at the breaking up of the body after death, be reborn in a state of loss, an ill fate, the downfall, the hell-state. So too will a Brahmin, a Vessa or a Sudda.....

'Like wise, a Khattiya who has led a good life in body, speech and thought, and who has right view will, in consequence of such right view and deeds, at the breaking-up of the body after death, be reborn in a good destiny, in a heaven state. So too will a Brahmin, A vassa and Sudda.----

'And a Khattaiya who has performed deeds of both kinds in body, speech and thought and whose view is mixed well, in consequence of such mixed views and deeds, at the breaking-up of the body after death, experience both pleasure and pain. So too will a Brahmin, a Vessa or a Ssudda.------

'And,a Khattiya who is restrained in body, speech and thought and who has developed the seven requisites of enlightenment, will attain Parinibbana (the passage into nirvana that occurs at the death of a buddha or an arhat) in this very life. So too will a Barhmin, a Vessa or a Sudda.--------

'And, Vesttha, who ever of these four castes, as a monk, becomes an Arahant who had destroyed the corruptions, done what had to be done, laid down the biurden, attained to the highest goal, completely destroyed the fetter of becoming, and become liberated by the highest goal, completely destroyed the fetter of becoming, and became liberated by the highest insight, he is declared to be chief among them in accordance with Dhamma, and not otherwise.---------

DHAMMA'S the BEST THING FOR PEOPLE, IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT AS WELL.

'Vasettha, it was Brahma Sanankumara who spoke this Verse:----

" The Khattiya's best among those who value clan; He with knowledge and conduct is the best of Gods and men."

This verse was rightly sung, not wrongly, rightly spoken, not wrongly, connected with profit, not unconnected. I too say, Vasettha:--

" The Khattiya's best among those who value clan; He with knowledge and conduct is best of gods and men."

THUS THE LORD SPOKE, AND VASETTHA AND BHARADVAJA WERE DELIGHTED AND REJOICED HIS WORDS.

REFERENCES:-THE NORTON ANTHOLOGY OF WORLD RELIGIONS: BUDDHISM, WRITTEN BY DONALD S. LOPEZ, JR