Multiple religions and faiths in world history all offer some form of a creation myth. These myths serve to explain the beginnings of the world, as well as man’s beginnings. Many of these creation myths have multiple points in common with each other. However, it is important to also recognize that these myths often have notable differences. Two of these myths are the Buddhist theory of creation and the Zulu theory of creation. Zulu refers to a large ethnic tribe found in the area of South Africa.
In the Zulu myth, a man grows from a seed in the earth. This is the source for all creation. From this source, all things develop. These include man, animals, rain and water, fire and the celestial bodies. It is also important to recognize that death is explained in this myth. Death arrived at a village first, and has stayed with man ever since. As with all myths, there is a specific order to the Zulu myth. In the myth, grass grows first. A man begins to grow as a part of the grass. However, as he grows, he becomes too heavy for the grass to support his weight anymore. He falls out of the grass when it collapses. He becomes a true man and as such, leads the creation of other parts of the universe. Buddhism, however, is a different belief system entirely. i As a result, Buddhism does not focus on creation as much as other cultures. This reflects the Buddhist philosophy of living in the present. However, Buddhism also refers to destruction. Just as death is a form of destruction, Buddhism recognizes that all things are born, destroyed and reborn. The Buddhist myth does offer some explanation for how things are accomplished in the creation process. At the beginning of the process, the oceans, skies, stars and lands are also created (Big Myth, n.d.).
However, the Buddhist focus in more metaphysical in nature. It describes exactly how humans became a part of samsara, or the greater wheel of life. This wheel explains the cycle of life and death, creation and destruction. The Buddhist myth does discuss celestial bodies and the beginning of the world. In this period, called Vassetha, the world has begun to contract. In this period, the world consists of only a large body of water. Darkness emerges. It is a brilliant darkness. “Neither moon nor sun appeared, no constellations or stars appeared, night and day were not distinguished, nor months and fortnights, no years or seasons, and no male and female, beings being reckoned just as beings” (Columbia University, n.d., p. 3). It is important to note that this myth consists of neither female nor male at the beginning. Rather, it is gender-free. However, the Zulu myth begins with a man. The man creates everything.
The Buddhist myth also recognizes that there are differences in the creatures. Originally, the beings fed on “creepers” which made their bodies coarse. However, it is important to recognize that the Buddhism myth was used to discuss the political realities of the caste system. The caste system did not value all individuals as having equal importance in the world; in fact, many individuals were considered “untouchable” in this system. This classification represented how low they had reached. The Buddhist myth focused on rectifying this. In addition, the Buddhist creation myth is not central in the identity of the faith. While the Zulu faith uses the creation myth as a way to understand death, Buddhists prefer to focus on the moment. This includes not focusing on the cause of suffering in the human species and the world.
- Big Myth. (n.d.). Zulu myth. Retrieved February 17, 2014, from: http://www.bigmyth.com/2_eng_myths.htm
- Columbia University. (n.d.). Buddhist creation myth. Retrieved February 17, 2014, from: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/religion/f2001/edit/docs/aggannasutta.pdf
