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Buddhists/How was earth made

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Expert: - 3/20/2008


Question
In the Buddhist view how was earth and life created?

Answer
Hi Era,
They appeared gradually over countless ages as a result of the combined actions of limitless beings ruled by ignorance. The origins are so far back, they are "lost in the mists of time".
Of course, "created" is not a word that fits very well with Buddhist thinking. It suggests that a creator might have done the creating, then you have to ask how the creator was created... It's a line of thinking that goes nowhere!
Hoping this helps a bit
Alex Wilding

Buddhists

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Alex Wilding

Expertise

I have practiced and studied Tibetan Buddhism in the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions since the early 1970s, and have a good knowledge of theory, history and of the struggles of trying to practice the teachings, including meditation, while leading a normal, modern life. I am also available to provide background information for journalists.

Experience

I have been a practitioner since the early 1970s; have run a small Buddhist centre in the English Midlands and was vice-president of Kagyu Benchen Ling e.V. in Germany, for whom I managed three large Buddhist summer-camps. More importantly, I maintain a habit of personal practice. I am the "owner" of the Kagyu list at Yahoo.

Education/Credentials
My first degree was an M.A. from Oxford. I later obtained a Master of Philosophy degree for a research thesis in "Initiation in Tibetan Buddhism" from Leicester University. I also have engineering and educational qualifications.

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