Creation Myths Research Paper

Creation myths are in every religion which is the story how the first people came to inhabit the world, there are many similarities and differences in the navajo, buddhist, and hindu creation myths.Religion shapes a person, family, or even a community; it makes each culture different from the rest. Creation myths were not written at the same time or place and that is what makes the similarities more interesting. These stories were told a long time again and are still believed to this day.

Navajo creation story has four worlds, the first world was a dark place where the spirit of life, the female lived on a black cloud and male lived on a white cloud. “The Great Coyote was formed in water and came to the First Man and First woman, telling them he was hatched from an egg and knew all the secrets of the water and the skies, second one named First Angry, who brought witchcraft into the world (Navajo)." The male and female climbed to the second world which had other living beings. The third world also know as the Yellow World, the holy people lived. In

this world First Woman gave birth to a set of twins, who were neither male nor female. Four days later, a second set of twins were born, a male and female and after 20 days, five pairs of twins had been born.The Fourth World First Man and First Woman built the first hogan to live in. Like the Buddhist creation myth and the hindu creation myth they believe that this earth started off without humans and with other things.

A Buddhist creation myth began when the Earth and stars spontaneously formed on its own.

Water and air then collected and became seas on the Earth, life did not yet exist. Phrom unfathomable ‘beings’ came next in what best can be described as another ‘dimension’ beyond and above heaven called Phrom Lok. Humans came from both the creatures of Hell supposedly Prohm which have eaten the dirt of the Earth.“In Buddhism it is said that existence relies on emptiness, which means that all phenomena have no ‘independent’ nature. Since all things are interconnected, not one of them can be said to have a permanent, substantial existence(Buddism).” Something that separates the buddhist creation myth from the Navajo creation myth is that the Buddhist believed that Phrom ate the earth's dirt where as the Navajo believe that there were four worlds and the first male and female traveled between the worlds before they built their

home.

“The Hindu creation myth believes that there was nothing no earth, heaven, or people. A vast dark ocean washed upon the from the depths a humming sound, it grew and spread, and throbbed with energy. "The night had ended, Vishnu awoke and awaited the Lord's command. Brahma remained in the lotus flower, floating and tossing on the sea(Hindu)". He lifted up his arms and calmed the wind and the ocean. Brahma split the lotus flower into three. He made one part into the heavens, one part into the earth, the third part he created the skies. Something that separates the Hindu creation myth from the Buddhist is that the HIndu believe that the there was no heaven, no earth until the vast ocean washed upon, whereas the Buddhist believe that the Earth and stars spontaneously formed on its own. The Hindu believes Brahma split the lotus flower where the Navajo believe the different worlds held different things. Something the Hindu and Buddhist believe that are different from the Navajo is that they believe something created the earth, but the Navajos believe there were four worlds.
Although there are so many creation myths throughout cultures there is not a right or wrong one. Creation myths were written at all different times and places which makes it so interesting that there are similarities between the stories. These stories teach us that everyone has different beliefs that they passed down over time. They create religions from this story which people praise and build a part of their lives from this. We should all read different creations myths and broaden our understanding of different religions.