Cadi Ayyad University

Polydisciplinary Faculty of Safi

Department of English Studies
Academic Year 2024/2025
Semester 3
Module: Readings in Global Cultures
Pr. Mohammed Saissi

Section V
Creation in Asian Religions: The Buddhist Tradition
(Buddhism), Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism)

I. The Buddhist Tradition. (Buddhism).

1.1.Definition.

The Buddhist Tradition is a religion and philosophy that originated in India around the 5th
century BCE. It is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as the
the Enlightened Teacher (the "Enlightened One").

1.2.Beliefs and Practices.

 The Four Noble Truths: These are the core teachings of The Buddhist Tradition:
 Dukkha: Suffering is inherent in life.
 Samudaya: Suffering arises from craving and attachment.
 Nirodha: Suffering can be ceased.
 Magga: The Noble Eightfold Path leads to the cessation of suffering.

 The Noble Eightfold Path: This is a practical guide for living a moral and ethical life, leading to
enlightenment. It consists of eight practices:

Right View

Right Intention

Right Speech
 Right Action

Right Livelihood

Right Effort

Right Mindfulness

Right Concentration

 Karma and Rebirth: Buddhists believe in the law of karma, which states that actions have
consequences. Good actions lead to positive outcomes, while bad actions lead to negative ones.
Rebirth is the cycle of death and rebirth, influenced by karma.
 Nirvana: Nirvana is the ultimate goal of The Buddhist Tradition, a state of perfect peace and
enlightenment, free from suffering and rebirth.

1.3.The world's origin in The Buddhist Tradition.

In The Buddhist Tradition, the origin of the world and the nature of existence are understood
differently than in many Western religious traditions. Rather than focusing on a single moment of
creation or a creator deity, The Buddhist Tradition teaches that the universe is part of a
continuous, cyclical process of arising and passing away.

1.4. key concepts of the origin and nature of the world in Buddhist cosmology.

 Samsara (Cycle of Birth and Rebirth).

 According to Buddhist belief, the world and all beings are caught in samsara, the cycle of birth,
death, and rebirth. This cycle is ongoing, with no permanent beginning or end. Each individual
life is part of this cycle, influenced by karma (actions and their consequences).
 Samsara is characterized by dukkha (suffering or unsatisfactoriness), anicca (impermanence), and
anatta (non-self), which are the three marks of existence. These principles suggest that everything
is in a constant state of flux and there is no permanent, unchanging self or entity.

 Causality and Dependent Origination (Pratītyasamutpāda).

 The Buddhist concept of the world’s origin is rooted in the principle of dependent origination
(pratītyasamutpāda), which teaches that all phenomena arise in dependence on causes and
conditions. Nothing exists independently or inherently.
 The classic formula for dependent origination describes how suffering arises through a chain of
causes: ignorance leads to mental formations, which lead to consciousness, and so on, continuing
 through birth, aging, and death. This cycle repeats itself unless one breaks the chain through
wisdom and ethical conduct, leading to liberation (nirvana).

 No Creator God.

 Unlike many religious traditions, The Buddhist Tradition does not posit a single creator god who
makes the world. Instead, the world is seen as arising naturally due to the interplay of causes and
conditions. There are gods (devas) in Buddhist cosmology, but they are also subject to samsara
and not eternal or omnipotent beings. They are not seen as creators of the world, but rather as
beings who live in higher realms of existence.

 Cosmology and Multiple Realms.

 Buddhist cosmology includes a vast, intricate system of realms or worlds that exist within
samsara. These realms are often grouped into three broad categories: the desire realm (which
includes human, animal, and heavenly realms), the form realm (associated with more refined
spiritual beings), and the formless realm (where beings have no physical bodies).
 The world is also seen as being in a constant state of flux, going through phases of existence and
destruction in what is known as the kalachakra or "wheel of time." These periods are cyclic, with
the world being created, destroyed, and re-created in an ongoing process.

 The "Beginningless" Nature of Existence.

 In many Buddhist teachings, the universe is regarded as beginningless (anadi). There is no

ultimate "starting point" for the world; instead, it is seen as a continuous, interdependent process.
The notion of a "beginning" or "end" is considered a conventional, temporary perception. This
reflects the deeper Buddhist insight that time and existence are not linear or absolute.

 The Role of the Enlightened Teacher ( Buddha).

 While The Buddhist Tradition does not explain the creation of the world in terms of a creator
deity, the the Enlightened Teacher is seen as an enlightened being who, through wisdom and
compassion, helps beings understand the true nature of reality and the path to liberation. The the
Enlightened Teacher’s teachings guide individuals out of suffering and towards enlightenment
(nirvana), beyond the cycle of samsara.
 II. Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism).

2.1.Definition.

Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism) is an ancient religious tradition that forms the foundation for
what later became Hinduism. It is centered on the worship of Brahman, the supreme, unchanging
reality, and is associated with the Vedic texts, which are the oldest scriptures of India. Early
Vedic Religion (Brahmanism) was practiced by the people who followed the teachings of the
Vedas and the rituals performed by the Brahmins, the priestly class.

2.2. Beliefs and practices.

 Brahman as the Supreme Reality.

 In Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism), Brahman refers to the ultimate, formless, and
transcendent reality that pervades and sustains the universe. Brahman is considered eternal,
infinite, and beyond all human comprehension, and is the source of all creation. Unlike personal
gods, Brahman is impersonal and abstract, representing the essence of everything in the cosmos.
 The teachings about Brahman are most prominently expressed in the Upanishads (the concluding
portions of the Vedas), which discuss the nature of Brahman and the relationship between
Brahman and the atman (individual soul).

 Vedic Rituals and Sacrifices.

 Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism) is closely tied to the Vedic rituals, which were primarily
conducted by the Brahmins, the priestly caste in ancient Indian society. These rituals were
elaborate sacrifices (known as yajnas) aimed at maintaining cosmic order (or rita) and pleasing
the gods.
 The Vedic texts emphasize hymns (suktas), invocations, and prayers directed at a variety of
deities such as Indra (god of thunder), Agni (fire god), Varuna (god of cosmic order), and others,
though Brahman itself is not typically depicted as a personal god.

 The Role of the Brahmins.

 The Brahmins were the religious scholars and priests responsible for conducting the rituals and
preserving the sacred knowledge contained in the Vedas. In Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism),
the Brahmins played a central role in mediating between the divine and the human world.
 The religious life of the people in Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism) revolved around these
rituals, which were believed to ensure the well-being of individuals, society, and the cosmos as a
whole.
 Doctrine of Reincarnation and Karma.
 While Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism) predates the more fully developed concept of samsara
(the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth) found in later Hinduism, early Vedic thought already
suggested the possibility of an ongoing cycle of life and rebirth.
 The ideas of karma (the law of cause and effect) and the transmigration of souls can also be
traced back to the Vedic period, though they were developed more fully in later Hindu
philosophies.

 Vedic Texts.
 The core scriptures of Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism) are the Vedas. These include four
main collections: the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, and the Atharvaveda. The Vedas
contain hymns, mantras, and instructions for rituals, as well as philosophical discussions.
 Later philosophical works, such as the Upanishads, developed and refined the theological and
metaphysical ideas of Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism), exploring the relationship between
the individual soul (atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman).

 Transition to Hinduism.
 Over time, as religious and philosophical ideas evolved, Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism)
began to incorporate new concepts, such as personal gods (e.g., Vishnu, Shiva) and devotional
practices (bhakti). This transformation laid the groundwork for what we recognize today as
Hinduism, although Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism)'s influence is still deeply embedded in
Hindu thought and practice.
 The shift from Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism) to Hinduism also involved the gradual
development of ideas like the dharma (moral order), the bhakti movement (devotion to personal
deities), and the diversification of philosophical schools within Hinduism.

2.3.The world’s origin in Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism).

In Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism), which forms the foundation for much of what became
later Hinduism, the origin of the world is explained through various cosmological concepts, but at
the heart of this worldview is the belief in Brahman, the ultimate reality or supreme cosmic
principle. The creation of the universe is seen as a manifestation of Brahman and is described in
different ways across the ancient texts, particularly the Vedic scriptures and later Upanishads.

2.4. Concepts in the Origin of the World in Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism).

 Brahman as the Source of Creation.

 Brahman is regarded as the ultimate reality—transcendent, formless, and eternal. According to

Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism), the entire universe arises from Brahman, and everything is
 seen as a manifestation of this unchanging reality. The origin of the world is not the creation of a
personal god, but the unfolding or emanation of Brahman into the world of forms.
 The Upanishads, which form the philosophical core of later Hinduism and Early Vedic Religion
(Brahmanism), elaborate on the idea that Brahman is both immanent (present in everything) and
transcendent (beyond human perception). The universe and all beings are thus expressions of
Brahman.

 Cosmic Creation in the Rigveda.

 The Rigveda, one of the oldest texts of the Vedic tradition, offers different hymns and prayers
that hint at the mystery of creation. One of the most famous hymns is the Nasadiya Sukta
(Rigveda 10.129), which contemplates the creation of the universe in a manner that leaves the
origin somewhat mysterious:

"Then even nothingness was not, nor existence,

There was no air then, nor the sky beyond it.
What covered it, and where? And what gave shelter?
Was water there, unfathomable and deep?"

The hymn reflects the mystery and uncertainty of the origins of the cosmos. It speaks of a state
where there was neither existence nor non-existence, suggesting that the universe arose from a
state of undifferentiated being, beyond human comprehension.

 The Purusha Sukta (Rigveda 10.90) describes another creation myth, where the world is created
from the cosmic being, Purusha, whose sacrifice by the gods leads to the creation of the universe:

"When the gods performed the sacrifice with Purusha as the offering,
The mighty Purusha was born, the primal being who is both male and female.
The creation of the world came from his body: the moon from his mind,
the sun from his eyes, the sky from his head, and the earth from his feet."

This myth suggests that the universe, including the elements, the gods, and the social order, were
all created from the cosmic being's body, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all things in the
universe and the divinity inherent in creation.

 The Concept of Brahman as Both Creator and Destruction.

 In Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism), creation is not seen as a one-time event but as a cyclical
process, as part of a cosmic rhythm. The universe is created, sustained, and destroyed in a never-
ending cycle, which is also reflective of the Vedic concept of time.
 The cycle of creation and dissolution is often associated with the Trimurti (the three principal
gods in later Hinduism—Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer),
though in early Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism), these deities may not have had their later,
 more specific roles. Instead, Brahman itself is seen as the ultimate cause of both creation and
destruction.

 The Role of Rita and Cosmic Order.

 In the Vedic view of creation, the cosmos is governed by the concept of rita, the cosmic order or
truth, which upholds the natural and moral law of the universe. The creation of the world is seen
as an expression of this eternal order. Everything in the universe, from the cycles of the seasons
to the cycles of birth and death, operates according to this cosmic law.
 The role of the Vedic deities is to uphold rita, ensuring the ongoing order of the cosmos. Their
actions in the creation myth are often focused on maintaining this balance.

 Creation in the Upanishads: The Unmanifested Becoming the Manifest.

 In the Upanishads, creation is often described in terms of the unmanifest (the formless,
undifferentiated state) becoming the manifest (the world of forms). This idea of creation as an
unfolding process reflects the deep philosophical ideas of Early Vedic Religion (Brahmanism),
where the universe is a reflection or manifestation of Brahman’s divine essence.
 One of the central themes of the Upanishads is the idea that the world arises from Brahman, but
there is no permanent distinction between Brahman and the world. Everything that exists is, at its
core, Brahman in a state of manifestation.
 The Chandogya Upanishad expresses this with the famous mantra:

"Tat tvam asi" ("That Thou Art"), indicating that the individual soul (Atman) and Brahman are
ultimately one. The world and its origin, then, are not separate from Brahman, but are rather
expressions of the same underlying reality.