CHAPTER VIII

THE BEGINNING
The Hymn of Creation from the Rig-Veda
The Beginning according to the Tao Teh King
The Creation according to Genesis
The Creation according to the Essene Genesis
The Creation according to the Gospel of John

ILLUSTRATIONS
The Rock of Genesis
The Creation

RECOMMENDED FIRST MEDITATIONS
"Genesis, an Essene Interpretation"
 

THE HYMN OF CREATION
From the Rig-Veda

Then was not non-existent nor existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it.
What covered in, and where?  And what gave shelter?  Was water there, unfathomed depth of water?
Death was not then nor was there aught inmortal: no sign was there, the days and night divided.
That one thing, breathless, breathed by its own nature: apart from it was nothing whatsoever.
Darkness there was: at first concealed in darkness, this All was indiscriminated chaos.
All that existed then was void and formless: by the great power of warmth was born that unit.
Thereafter rose desire in the beginning, Desire, the primal seed and germ of spirit.
Sages who searched with their hearts' throught discovered the existent's kinship with the non-existent.
Transversely was their severing line extended: what was above it then, and what below it?
There  were begetters, there were mighty forces, free action here and energy up yonder.
Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it ws born and whence comes this creation?
The gods are later than this world's production.  Who knows, then, whence it first came into being?
He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,
Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily know it, or pehaps he knows not.

THE CREATION ACCORDING TO GENESIS

In the beginning God created 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.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

THE CREATION ACCORDING TO THE ESSENE GENESIS

Without the beginning, the Law creates thought and life.
Everything that exists, materially and immaterially, follows the Law, the one Law which  is everywhere ever present, behind all, governing all.
Man punishes himself when he deviates from the Law but through his deviations he acquires experience and knowledge.
When he become conscious of the Law, work with it, understand it, it is a source of energy, knowledge and harmony.  The Law is termed God by some people.
Creation is continuous and eternal, endless in time and space, an ever present universal process, going on everywhere in the infinite universe.
Creation is continually going on in the human consciousness, creating thoughts.
All inorganic matter contains in itself the potentiality of life.  The earth is not the only planet in the universe and the continuous creation of Law goes on througout the cosmic ocean of life.

THE CREATION ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

THE BEGINNING ACCORDING TO THE TAO TEH KING OF LAO-TZU

Existence is beyond the power of words to define;
Terms may be used but none of them absolute.
In the beginning of heaven and earth there were no words;
Words came out of the womb of matter;
And whether a man dispassionately sees to the core of life,
Or passionately sees the surface,
The core and the surface are essentially the same,
Words making them seem different, only to express appearance.
If name be needed, wonder names them both:
From wonder into wonder,existence opens.