Expert: Justin Choo - 12/16/2008

Question
Dear Mr. Choo:

Can you explain Buddhism’s concept of human origin?
Creationists teach that humans came from Adam and Eve.
Taoists believe that everything came from the original source, the Wu Chi.
Evolutionists believe that humanity is all related to two humans who lived between two and five thousand years ago. Virtually every religion has its own creation story whereby humans were born from a single source or the joining of two. Does Buddhism’s perpetual cycle fit into one of these models?

Thanks,
Rick

Answer
Hi Richard,

Thank you for asking me.


When we talk about time-scale in the cycle of existence, we need to free our mindset from the conventional measurement of time. If you study the subject of astronomy, then you would realize that the time-scale is unimaginably long, stretching to billions and billions of light years. The life span of our lives is just a very minute fraction of a mere dot in the time-scale. What we seem to be a very long time is actually a minute fraction of a blink of the eye.

Apart from time-span, we also need to consider the countless number of life-forms spreading across the endless universe and also in different dimensions which we could not see and comprehend.

Realizing these universal dichotomy of "endless time" and "countless life forms", how could we discern the mysteries of the beginning and end of time and the beginning and end of life-forms? There cannot be an end nor a beginning. The subject of astronomy is a very fascinating one. If you understand the nature of this vast universe, you will understand the Buddha's teachings. The universe has no end; that's why the most appropriate term used is "space". We try to measure distance and time. In actual fact "distance" and "time" do not exist in the universe. There is just "existence".

This "existence" is cyclical in nature, but stretching to extremely unimaginable time-span. Such is the length of time that the Buddha called it an aeon; incalculable time period. Our present existence is but a cycle of "formation, evolution, dissolution and destruction". In astronomy, scientists could observe this "phenomenon" of formation, evolution, dissolution and destruction of planets and stars. There is no beginning and no end. The beginning is from the end, and the end is going to be the beginning! It is a perpetual cycle. It has been like this in time immemorial and will be likewise forever, ad infinitum.

Within one cycle, there is the "creation" of world systems. Life appears from other planes of existence and evolves. The cycle will again go through the stages of "formation, evolution, dissolution, and destruction".

At this point in time, countless world systems go through the different phases of this cycle of existence. Ask any astro scientist and he will confirm this truth. The Buddha, with his mind power (omniscience) could see through all these phenomena.

There is a discourse where the Buddha explained the "evolution" or the "beginning" of life in this present world cycle.  However this "beginning" was just the beginning of endless cycles of existence stretching for an unimaginable and incalculable long periods of time; for lack of a better word it is called an aeon for one such cycle.

Unless you are familiar with Buddhist teachings, you are not going to believe this.  Be that as it may, the story goes like this:  Long long ago, luminous beings having descended to earth from a higher plane of existence, found that on the surface of the planet was a layer of very aromatic substance.  They decided to taste it and subsequently was addicted to it.  After a long time they lost their luminosity and supernatural powers, and their forms evolved into what we are today.  This was the result of having tasted the "forbidden elixir"....sounds familiar??

Having said that, I just like to remind you that Buddhism is not interested in the "beginning" of life, or what not.  Buddhism is about living a harmless, peaceful and a contented life.

Regards,

Justin Choo.

[I like to invite you to visit my blog:]
http://lifeislikethat999.blogspot.com/

[And these sites by Rev. Dhammika:]
http://sdhammika.blogspot.com/
http://www.buddhismatoz.com/