BUDDHIST COSMOGENY

(Re)Genesis

The Aggañña ¹ Suttaṃ (DN27) has several major points of comparison with the Biblical Genisis. One key difference is that the Buddhist Genesis is an endless cycle of contraction and expansion, that is evolution followed by I shall call a devolution, whereas the Biblical Genesis presents only a second evolution and devolution². Let’s start with the Buddhist version of what the Bible calls genesis.
    The Aggañña starts with the Earth and its world contracting. It does not say why, or how, but at this time, the beings of Earth, upon dying, are mostly reborn in the Ābhassara Brahma heavens. There they (us) stay for a long period. In the Ābhassara heavens beings are ‘mind-made, feeding on delight, self-luminous, moving through the air, glorious (10)’. After a long period of time (many aeons, see below), the Ābhassara heaven themselves start to contract, and beings from there are mostly reborn on Earth. Again, no details behind the contraction are given³. ‘Here [on Earth*] they dwell, mind-made, feeding on delight, self-luminous, moving through the air, glorious826 – and they stay like that for a very long time (10).’ So, we see life on Earth is initially at least the same of life in the Ābhassara Havens.
    Whilst the Aggañña, does not elucidate on the expansion and contraction of the Ābhassara heavens, nor the contraction of the Earth, it does elucidate, at length, on the expansion of the Earth. What follows is my redaction.
     At the beginning of the expansion, the Earth is one expanse of water, in complete darkness, as there was no Sun or Moon (So too the Biblical Genesis). During this period, the Gods from the Ābhassara heavens (that’s us) start to appear on the incipient planet Earth (DN27:7). After a very long period of time, a skin forms on the water, as on hot milk, and the god-beings begin to feed off the solidifying earth. This was called Savoury Earth, and was the colour of ghee or butter, and had the sweetness of honey⁴ (11). But, as the gods fed, greed and craving arose, and the luminescence of the gods began to dull, and this caused the sun and moon to appear, and day and night came to be (12). After a long period of time, the bodies of the gods became denser, and they began to acquire looks, which distinguished them from each other. Discrimination over who was better looking arose, as did arrogance and conceit (13). Over a very long period of time, mushroom-like fungus began to grow, which was also sweet and of the colour of wild honey or ghee. The good-looking beings began to despise the less attractive amongst them (14). Then creepers and then bamboo appeared also tasting sweet like wild honey. Over a very long period of time, the process of densification continued, and the sweetness of life slowly diminished, and their looks became even more differentiated (15). The sweet creepers disappeared and rice appeared in open spaces. Initially, there was no need to farm, as what was cut in the morning had re-grown the same morning. This lasted a very long time, and all the while people continued to become denser. Male and female gender characteristics began to appear. Sexual activity followed, which was initially considered shameful (16). Villages and towns had evolved, but those who indulged in sexual activities were punished by temporary exclusion. This led to the practice of sex in private.
    Rather than gather food, as and when food was needed, people gathered enough for the whole day, or two days. Then rice began to develop a husk, and it didn’t re-grow so quickly, or even re-grow at all (17). So, people began to grow and harvest their own food on their own plots (18), but this led to the theft of food (19). So, they appointed someone to act as judge, to show anger, and to censure, and banish on behalf of the victims. They selected the most handsome for the job and paid him in rice. He was called the People’s Choice (20). This was ‘the first regular title’ (21).
    As selfishness continued to evolve, some decided to renounce the world. They made meditation huts, and sort subsistence by begging. These were given the title of ‘They Meditate’ (22). But, some of them also wrote books. These were given the title of ‘Now These Do Not Meditate’. This gave rise to the Brahmin caste. (23). Then some beings who had paired off, began to specialise in various trades. They became the Vessa caste (24). Hunting also evolved and this group of people and they become known as the hunting caste. This is the origin of the Sudda caste (25). Then some people became dissatisfied with society’s dhamma and made themselves homeless ascetics, and developed their own dhamma. This is the origin of the Khattiya caste, and the origin of the four-caste system (26).
    The Aggañña discourse does not say how the selfishness ends. This is left to the Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda Suttaṃ (DN26) to say. It starts with humans and a society. There is a King Daḷhanemi who lives for hundreds of thousands of years (3) and humans were living for 80 thousand years (14).
    The discourse attributes an 80,000-year life span to the solidly ethical monarchic rule, who implemented a strong social housing policy providing for the needy, which keeps down poverty and theft (4). But things start to go wrong as successive wheel-turning (dhamma-based) monarchs become lax in ruling righteously. Theft, lying and the use of weapons increases in society and correspondingly, longevity and happiness began to wane throughout the land (10-14).
    This discourse may sound like a parable, but part way through the discourse the Buddha announces it is a reality (19). Parable or not, it is saying we end in decadence. Taken literally, unhappiness and lawlessness have yet to reach their maximum and we will know when this happens, as life expectancy will be just 10 years old. Also, the flavours of ghee and honey (amongst other flavours) will have disappeared, as will the word ‘moral’.
    During this brief 10-year life span, humans will mature, marry, and have children⁵ (19). This all-time low is marked by a period of seven days, called the Sword Interval (21). People will regard each other as beasts, and kill each other ruthlessly with swords.
    Gradually people start to return to their senses and pursue a more ethical way of life (there’s no mention of intervention by a wheel-turning monarchy this time). So, we see, ethical practice is what starts the new evolution cycle. Beauty and longevity then begin to increase (21). After a very long period of time, girls become of marriageable age at 500 years and humans will live as long as 80,000 years (22 - 23).
    Although no wheel-turning monarchy is mentioned, it is at this juncture that a Buddha, by the name of Metteyya (Maitreya), appears, and the King of the time, King Sankha, rebuilds the ruined palace of king Mahā-Panāda (25). This has echoes of the rebuilding of the Third Temple at the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, a precursor to the return of Jesus. The discourse does not detail what happens after this. One supposes all is well again for aeons as the Earth cycles around its revolutionary fate. The discourse does not say what happens to the physical density of the Earth or its beings. One assumes the same physical densification and rarefication follow their fate as well⁶.
    I shall refer to one revolution as an Earth cycle.

A Comparison Of Genesis and the Buddhist Agganna and Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda Discourses

Let’s compare what the above has in common with the Biblical Genesis. The sources of Genesis relied on here are cited and can be easily checked on line.
    The Aggañña discourse describes an incipient Earth as only water in darkness. the water-covered Earth developed into terra firma, and beings of light into flesh and blood, and a society we recognise today. This process was driven by human volition.
    The Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda (DN26) gives a little more information than the Aggañña. It tells us about the other half of an Earth cycle and it is brought about by humans redeeming themselves through ethical behaviour, and hence longevity of 80,000 years return. At this juncture, the promissory return of Buddha Metteyya is realised (19-25) and a King’s the ruined palace of king Mahā-Panāda is restored. Compare this with the Biblical accounts. compares with

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1–2 (KJV):

9. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. So yes, according to Genesis, the earth was once entirely water-covered until God formed dry land. Genesis 1:9–10,

This implies that before any land appeared, the earth was formless, empty, dark, and covered with water—"the deep" and "the face of the waters" referring to a watery, chaotic state. God separates the waters and causes dry land to appear. In the Old Testament. Daniel 1 says: Solomon's Temple was the original Temple on the Mount, in Jerusalem, but was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II, circa 587 BC. It is prophesied that this too will one day be rebuilt, according to Ezekiel's vision (Ez 40-43:27)⁷ and the rebuilding of the temple will coincide with the return of Jesus Christ. And similarly, with the promissory return of Jesus, so too will ethical behaviour. In Mathew Jesus talks about the end times.

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—” Matt 24:15

Jesus refers to a future event in the "holy place", which is commonly understood as the temple before His return. This implies there will be a temple in place during the final events. There is more detail; in the Biblical right at the end of the decadent part of the cycle. Paul predicts a “man of lawlessness”, commonly interpreted as the Antichrist, will sit in the temple of God, suggesting a temple must exist before Jesus returns.

“Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed... who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god... so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” (2. 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4)

In Buddhism the Earth cycles around without end. In the Bible only two full Earth cycles are addressed. In Revelation 21:5 God says, "Behold, I make all things new". This verse is part of a larger passage describing the new heaven and new earth.  But then, after God has made the Earth and Heavens and Jerusalem anew, he releases the devil again after 1000 years, "When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison", Rev 20:7).
    Another point of comparison is the shortening of lives, which as the effect of shortening suffering. In the Buddhist Canon a person matures and dies within 10 years, in Matthew 24:22, "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened."

The gods of the Aggañña are comparable with the God(s) of Genesis. The Aggañña says life started with gods appearing (future humans). In the Bible, Genesis 1:26, reads, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…". And Genesis 3:22, reads, ‘Then God said, “Now the man has become like one of us.”’ Why did God address himself as, “we” and “us”? It is not usually taught by the church that the Hebrew word used in Genesis 3:22 for God is Elohim, which is a plural word. The singular for God is Eloah. Hence, Genesis 1:26 and 3:22 should read, ‘Then the gods said …’. So we see the first humans in both the biblical Genesis and the Aggañña were godlike.

In both teachings man devolves from a pristine state to a lower condition due to diminishing ethical behaviour. Both teachings see humanity return to their pristine state in due course but not before a deal of suffering.

Food is also a theme central to both plots. In both teachings, food becomes difficult to acquire as a consequence of falling from grace. In the bible, food was once abundant and easy to access
“And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” Genesis 2:9 (KJV):

And then acquiring food becomes difficult.

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:17-19(NIV)

So food becomes something Adam must obtain through hard labour and suffering. (By the way, note God isn’t blaming Eve, he’s blaming Adam for a lack of personal authority)

In both teachings, humans are embarrassed upon realising they are sexual creatures (DN27:26-27) (Gen 3:7).

In both teachings, language developments are addressed (DN27:21-26 (titles, lying)) (Gen 10:5-20, 11:6 language by clan).

In both teachings, there are descriptions of how society developed. The Aggañña describes how the quadripartite social structure of India came about (DN19-32), and Genesis describes how society developed from Adam and eve, to Cain and Able, Enoch, Irad … Noah (Gen 4-6) to become many nations.

Enumerated below are the points just covered.

1. Earth starts as only water in darkness before land is formed.
2. Beings of the Earth initially have longevity.
3. There’s a fall from grace whence humans become mortal, as we recognise today.
4. Society ends in upheaval.
5. There’s a shortening of lives during time of tribulation which also minimises suffering.
6. Promissory return of a peerless leader.
7. A rebuilding of a revered structure (Palace of king Mahā-Panāda/Solomon’s Temple).
8. Longevity and wellness return.

   
Discussion
The Vedic Canon has a very similar genesis. A very redacted version goes: Pajāpati (also known as Brahman and the Atman) spawned the worlds merely by thinking. The Earth was covered in water. ‘It’ (Pajāpati) then created keepers of the worlds from the water. They were deities, who were male in form, and who then accepted the offer of occupying male human form. These deities fell to the water covered Earth. (Upan.AU1). ‘It’ incubated the waters, which became solid food. ‘It’ created the gods, and the law (Dhamma). The deities then differentiated into the caste system (Upan. BU1.4.11-17).

    Regardless of where priority lies for a watery beginning to the Earth and evolution, it is unlikely the Buddha would teach the Aggañña discourse. The simile of the siṃsapā leaves tells us he taught only that which is necessary for unbinding.
    He wasn’t interested in sectarian concerns about the past, present and future regarding self (MN2:8) and the world. ‘Vacca, the speculative view that the world is eternal, is a thicket of views, a wilderness of views … a fetter of views … beset by suffering, by vexation … and it does not lead to disenchantment … to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna (MN72:14).’
    All renunciants, whose practice is empirical, must ask themselves; of what practical use is a creation teaching? The last thing in the world a Buddhist renunciant needs to know is the origin of the Earth and World.

The Buddhist Aeon

The Pāli Canon tells us there are many aeons in an expansion and contraction (MN77:34) of the universe, and that the universe is ineffably old, and without discoverable beginning (SNII 15:9). The Buddhist aeon is a concept that should be understood. We will see, it’s not a unit of time measured in solar years.
     The Buddha was asked how long an aeon is. He smiled and replied, if a man with a soft kāsian cloth⁸, who at the end of a one-hundred-year period, approached a granite mountain, one yojana cubed (a mountain 6.5 miles cubed)⁹, and he stroked the mountain once with his cloth. The mountain would wear away before the end of the aeon.
    In another simile, describing the duration of an aeon, he asks a group of bhikkhus to suppose a city, enclosed by walls one yojana long, and wide, and high¹⁰, and full of mustard seeds. At the end of a one-hundred-year period, a man comes along and removes one seed. The Buddha says that city would be emptied of seed before the end of the aeon (SN II15:5-6) (see appendices 6 The Mustard Seed Aeon, for a guestimation of its duration).
    There was an occasion when a group of bhikkhus asked the Buddha how many aeons had elapsed. He said it wasn’t possible to say. So they asked for a simile, and he asked them to suppose there were four bhikkhus. Each had a life span of a hundred years, and each recollected one hundred thousand aeons per day. If they did this every day for a hundred years, there would still be aeons left unrecollected (SN II 15:7). This arithmetic works out at 14,600,000,000 (14.6 billion, short scale) aeons. The Big-Bang hypothesis used by some astrophysicists, claims the universe is around 13.75 billion (short scale) years. That’s makes the two curiously consistent.
    On another occasion the Buddha famously said, more aeons have elapsed than there are grains of sand on the Ganges (SN II15:7).

Out of necessity, there is also something I have come to call an Earth cycle, which is a lot longer that an aeon. An Earth cycle is defined by events which is determined by human volition, again not in solar years. Table 23 below is compiled from the Mahāpadāna discourse (DN14) describes one Earth Cycle. It starts with, for example, Buddha Vipassi, who lived 91 aeons ago, and lived 80,000 solar years. Life expectancy falls with subsequent aeons and when we get to this aeon, that of Siddhatta Gotama, we will have a life expectancy of 80.
    The table tells us so far this Earth cycle has lasted 42,869 solar years. The maths tells us one aeon averages out to (42,869/123=) 348.5 solar years long. And half an Earth Cycle is 42,869 solar years¹¹.
    This does not even begin to reflect the aeon described by Siddhatta. The Mahāpadāna discourse does not contribute to the credibility of a Buddhist Earth cycle/Genesis.
    So, we are left with a serious inconsistency in the Pali Canon and one that appears to be mirroring the Bible. This not an isolated example. Let’s explore several more below.

Table 26 Aeons and Life Expectancy in One Earth Cycle