The Origin of the World ==
'There is no reason to suppose that the world had a
beginning at all. The idea that things must have a beginning is
really due to the poverty of our thoughts.'(Bertrand
Russell)
There are three schools of thought regarding the origin of the
world. The first school of thought claims that this world came into
existence by nature and that nature is not an intelligent force.
However, nature works no its own accord and goes on changing.
The second school of thought says that the world was created by
an almighty God who is responsible for everything. The third school
of thought says that the beginning of this world and of life is
inconceivable since they have neither beginning nor end. Buddhism
is in accordance with this third school of thought. Bertrand
Russell supports this school of thought by saying, 'There is no
reason to suppose that the world had a beginning at all. The idea
that things must have a beginning is really due to the poverty of
our thoughts.' Modern science says that some millions of years ago,
the newly cooled earth was lifeless and that life originated in the
ocean. Buddhism never claimed that the world, sun, moon, stars,
wind, water, days and nights were created by a powerful god or by a
Buddha. Buddhists believe that the world was not created once upon
a time, but that the world has been created millions of times every
second and will continue to do so by itself and will break away by
itself. According to Buddhism, world systems always appear and
disappear in the universe. H.G. Wells, in A Short History of
the World, says 'It is universally recognized that the
universe in which we live, has to all appearance, existed for an
enormous period of time and possibly for endless time. But that the
universe in which we live, has existed only for six or seven
thousand years may be regarded as an altogether exploded idea. No
life seems to have happened suddenly upon earth.'
The efforts made by many religions to explain the beginning and
the end of the universe are indeed ill-conceived. The position of
religions which propound the view that the universe was created by
god in an exactly fixed year, has become a difficult one to
maintain in the light of modern and scientific knowledge. Today
scientists, historians, astronomers, biologists, botanists,
anthropologists and great thinkers have all contributed vast new
knowledge about the origin of the world. This latest discovery and
knowledge is not at all contradictory to the Teachings of the
Buddha. Bertrand Russell again says that he respects the Buddha for
not making false statements like others who committed themselves
regarding the origin of the world. The speculative explanations of
the origin of the universe that are presented by various religions
are not acceptable to the modern scientists and intellectuals. Even
the commentaries of the Buddhist Scriptures, written by certain
Buddhist writers, cannot be challenged by scientific thinking in
regard to this question. The Buddha did not waste His time on this
issue. The reason for His silence was that this issue has no
religious value for gaining spiritual wisdom. The explanation of
the origin of the universe is not the concern of religion. Such
theorizing is not necessary for living a righteous way of life and
for shaping our future life. However, if one insists on studying
this subject, then one must investigate the sciences, astronomy,
geology, biology and anthropology. These sciences can offer more
reliable and tested information on this subject than can be
supplied by any religion. The purpose of a religion is to cultivate
the life here in this world and hereafter until liberation is
gained. In the eyes of the Buddha, the world is nothing but Samsara
-- the cycle of repeated births and deaths. To Him, the beginning
of the world and the end of the world is within this Samsara. Since
elements and energies are relative and inter-dependent, it is
meaningless to single out anything as the beginning. Whatever
speculation we make regarding the origin of the world, there is no
absolute truth in our notion.
'Infinite is the sky, infinite is the number of beings, Infinite
are the worlds in the vast universe, Infinite in wisdom the Buddha
teaches these, Infinite are the virtues of Him who teaches these.'
- (Sri Ramachandra)
One day a man called Malunkyaputta approached the Master and
demanded that He explain the origin of the Universe to him. He even
threatened to cease to be His follow if the Buddha's answer was not
satisfactory. The Buddha calmly retorted that it was of no
consequence to Him whether or not Malunkyaputta followed Him,
because the Truth did not need anyone's support. Then the Buddha
said that He would not go into a discussion of the origin of the
Universe. To Him, gaining knowledge about such matters was a waste
of time because a man's task was to liberate himself from the
present, not the past or the future. To illustrate this, the
Enlightened One related the parable of a man who was shot by a
poisoned arrow. This foolish man refused to have the arrow removed
until he found out all about the person who shot the arrow. By the
time his attendants discovered these unnecessary details, the man
was dead. Similarly, our immediate task is to attain Nibbana, not
to worry about our beginnings.
==Other World Systems ==
==
In the light of modern, scientific discoveries, we can
appreciate the limitations of the human world and the hypothesis
that other world systems might exist in other parts of the
universe.
On certain occasions, the Buddha has commented on the nature and
composition of the universe. According to the Buddha, there are
some other forms of life existing in other parts of the universe.
The Buddha has mentioned that there are thirty-one planes of
existence within the universes. They are: <dir> <li>4
States of unhappiness or sub human realms: (life in
hells, animal life, ghost-worlds and demon-worlds)
</dir> The existence of these other-world systems is yet
to be confirmed by modern science. However, modern scientists are
now working with the hypothesis that there is a possibility of
other forms of life existing on other planets. As a result of
today's rapid scientific progress, we may soon find some living
beings on other planets in the remotest parts of the galaxy system.
Perhaps, we will find them subject to the same laws as ourselves.
They might be physically quite different in both appearance,
elements and chemical composition and exist in different
dimensions. They might be far superior to us or they might be far
inferior.
Why should the planet earth be the only planet to contain life
forms? Earth is a tiny speck in a huge universe. Sir James Jeans,
the distinguished astrophysicist, estimates the whole universe to
be about one thousand million times as big as the area of space
that is visible through the telescope. In his book, The
Mysterious Universe, he states that the total number of
universes is probably something like the total number of grains of
sand on all the sea shores of the world. In such a universe, the
planet Earth is only from the sun which takes a seventh of a second
to reach the earth, takes probably something like 100,000 million
years to travel across the universe! Such is the vastness of the
cosmos. When we consider the vastness of the many universes making
up what is popularly known as 'outer space', the hypothesis that
other-world systems might exist is scientifically feasible. In the
light of modern scientific discoveries, we can appreciate the
limitations of the human world. Today, science has demonstrated
that our human world exists within the limitations of the
vibrational frequencies that can be received by our sense organs.
And science has also shown us that there are other vibrational
frequencies which are above or below our range of reception. With
the discovery of radio waves, X-rays, TV waves, and micro waves, we
can appreciate the extremely limited vision that is imposed on us
by our sense organs. We peep out at the universe through the
'crack' allowed by our sense organs, just as a little child peeps
out through the crack in the door. This awareness of our limited
perception demonstrates to us the possibility that other world
systems may exist that are separate from ours or that
interpenetrate with ours. As to the nature of the universe, the
Buddha said that the beginning and ending of the universe is
inconceivable. Buddhists do not believe that the world will
suddenly end in complete and utter destruction. There is no such
thing as complete destruction of the whole universe at once. When a
certain section of the universe disappears, another section
remains. When the other section disappears, another section
reappears or evolves out of the dispersed matters of the previous
universe. This is formed by the accumulation of molecules, basic
elements, gas and numerous energies, a combination supported by
cosmic impulsion and gravity. Then some other new world systems
appear and exist for sometime. This is the nature of the cosmic
energies. This is why the Buddha says that the beginning and the
end of the universe is inconceivable. It was only on certain,
special occasions, that the Buddha commented on the nature and
composition of the universe. When he spoke, He had to address
Himself to the understanding capacity of the inquirer. The Buddha
was not interested in this kind of metaphysical speculation that
did not lead to the higher spiritual development.
Buddhists do not share the view held by some people that the
world will be destroyed by a god, when there are more non-believers
and more corruptions taking place amongst the human beings. With
regard to this belief people can ask, instead of destroying with
his power, why can't this god used the same power to influence
people to become believers and to wipe out al immoral practices
from men's mind? Whether the god destroys or not, it is natural
that one day there will be an end to everything that comes into
existence. However, in the language of the Buddha, the world is
nothing more than the combination, existence, disappearance, and
recombination of mind and matter(nama-rupa). In the final
analysis, the Teaching of the Buddha goes beyond the discoveries of
modern science however startling or impressive they may be. In
science, the knowledge of the universe is to enable man to master
it for his material comfort and personal safety. But the Buddha
teaches that no amount of factual knowledge will ultimately free
man from the pain of existence. He must strive alone and diligently
until he arrives at a true understanding of his own nature and of
the changeable nature of the cosmos. To be truly free a man must
seek to tame his min, to destroy his craving for sensual pleasure.
When a man truly understands that the universe he is trying to
conquer is impermanent, he will see himself as Don Quixote fighting
windmills. With this Right View of himself he will spend his time
and energy conquering his mind and destroying his illusion of self
without wasting his effort on unimportant and unnecessary
issues.