Unit MBI 101/04

       The Birth of Buddhism      Unit MBI 101

                                LESSON  FOUR

The recommended minimum study time for this lesson is 160 minutes with a 5-minute break of quiet introspection after each twenty minutes. Relax and read without ponderous thought but with internal understanding.  The hymns are long, so read them as you would poetry, for enjoyment and understanding. You will not be tested on detailed content, but on ideas. The truth always lies beyond the words used to express that truth. Therefore look to the essence of what is presented in the selected Atharva Veda poems and try to see the trend away from the Natural base where the Vedas started.

If you approach this and other lessons with an academic approach your study time will be much longer and the return less, therefore relax and open yourself to the true learning experience. If you wish to study the lesson more, then do so for fun not for achievement.

LESSON FOUR             THE ATHARVA VEDA

Atharva-Veda, which arose in the same time period as the three principal Vedas, appears to be a stage when the Vedas start to make marked changes towards the Upanishad philosophy.

We mentioned that the original idea, which was externally nature centered, had, by this time, become more egocentric. This was due, in part, because the greed of the priests encouraged this state. We see then that the Bodhisattva-like idea of sacrifice for the benefit of all in the Atharva Veda has changed.

The Vedic polytheistic theme of nature in the Rig Veda, which in the Sama Veda and the Yajur Veda had started a Henotheistic trend, and becomes clearly evident in the development of a hierarchical power structure among the Gods of Nature, now is elaborated further. The personification of the Gods of nature clearly was a catalyst for these events and opened the door to an informal idolatry and to pure invention. A phrase which with all poetic naturalness might refer to the sun as being “Golden Handed”, might be presented literally by the sacred, but non-poetic mind, as occurs later, by the idea that the sun God had lost his hand which was later replaced by one of Gold.

In the Atharva-Veda, Brahman is also characterized as “the highest, best…” by the “gods who know Brahman…” (X, VII, 24). The One Power begins to take precedence even over the gods. The idea of unity, or monism in the universe also seems to be hinted at in the Atharva-Veda.

In the hymn Skambha, it is said:

“What moves, what falls, what stands what breathes,

What does not breathe, what blinks, becomes,

This keeps the world in being, - many are its forms,

 This, growing together, becomes just One”. (X, VIII, 11)

It began by taking a collective view of the Gods as Visve-devas (all Gods) and words like Visva-karman appeared, meaning maker of everything. This originally referred in an abstract way to Indra and the Surya, the sun. The logical abstraction we see then turned into a separate god, The Maker of Everything.  A few gods are exalted to the position of ParameShThin (he that is in the highest), PrajA-pati, DhAtrh (the Establisher), VidhAtrh (the arranger), or Savena (the vivifier).

In one passage, the Supreme in the form of VaruNa is described as the universal, omnipresent witness.

But there was great instability of rank and power and changes take place in the hierarchy. There is one, however, who became perhaps the most important of them all, Praja pati, a name first applied to Savitr of the impelling vivifying force (savena) . You will remember this God appeared in the Rig Veda as the Giver of Vital Breath .

There is a later Brahmana that says, “Thirty-three gods and Praja-pati is the thirty fourth, including them all.” But this Godship, which could have satisfied the Indian mind, did not, so it yields to other principles that we see developing here in this Veda like Time, Breath, and the Active Motivating Life Force, sometimes called Desire (in a non sexual context).

XIX, 53  Prayer to Kâla (time), personified as a primordial power.

1. Time, the steed, runs with seven reins (rays), thousand-eyed, ageless, rich in seed. The seers, thinking holy thoughts, mount him, all the beings (worlds) are his wheels.

2. With seven wheels does this Time ride, seven naves has he, immortality is his axle. He carries hither all these beings (worlds). Time, the first god, now hastens onward.

3. A full jar has been placed upon Time; him, verily, we see existing in many forms. He carries away all these beings (worlds); they call him Time in the highest heaven.

4. He surely did bring hither all the beings (worlds), he surely did encompass all the beings (worlds). Being their father, he became their son; there is, verily, no other force, higher than he.

5. Time begot yonder heaven, Time also (begot) these earths. That which was, and that which shall be, urged forth by Time, spreads out.

6. Time created the earth, in Time the sun burns. In Time are all beings, in Time the eye looks abroad.

7. In Time mind is fixed, in Time breath (is fixed), in Time names (are fixed); when Time has arrived all these creatures rejoice.

8. In Time tapas (creative fervour) is fixed; in Time the highest (being is fixed); in Time brahma (spiritual exaltation) is fixed; Time is the lord of everything, he was the father of Pragâpati.

9. By him this (universe) was urged forth, by him it was begotten, and upon him this (universe) was founded. Time, truly, having become the brahma (spiritual exaltation), supports Parameshthin (the highest lord).

10. Time created the creatures (pragâh), and Time in the beginning (created) the lord of creatures (Prâgapati); the self-existing Kasyapa and the tapas (creative fervour) from Time were born.

XIX, 54. Prayer to Kâla (time), personified as a primordial power.

1.      From Time the waters did arise, from Time the brahma (spiritual exaltation), the tapas (creative fervour), the regions (of space did arise). Through Time the sun rises, in Time he goes down again.

2. Through Time the wind blows, through Time (exists) the great earth; the great sky is fixed in Time. In Time the son (Pragâpati) begot of yore that which was, and that which shall be.

3. From Time the Riks arose, the Yagus was born from Time; Time put forth the sacrifice, the imperishable share of the gods.

4. Upon Time the Gandharvas and Apsarases are founded, upon Time the worlds (are founded), in Time this Angiras and Atharvan rule over the heavens.

5. Having conquered this world and the highest world, and the holy (pure) worlds (and) their holy divisions; having by means of the brahma (spiritual exaltation) conquered all the worlds, Time, the highest God, forsooth, hastens onward.

XI, 4. Prâna, life or breath, personified as the supreme spirit.

1. Reverence to Prâna, to whom all this (universe) is subject, who has become the lord of the all, on whom the all is supported!

2. Reverence, O Prâna, to thy roaring (wind), reverence, O Prâna, to thy thunder, reverence, O Prâna, to thy lightning, reverence, O Prâna, to thy rain!

3. When Prâna calls aloud to the plants with his thunder, they are fecundated, they conceive, and then are produced abundant (plants).

4. When the season has arrived, and Prâna calls aloud to the plants, then everything rejoices, whatsoever is upon the earth.

5. When Prâna has watered the great earth with rain, then the beasts rejoice; (they think): 'strength, forsooth, we shall now obtain.'

6. When they had been watered by Prâna, the plants spake in concert: 'thou hast, forsooth, prolonged our life, thou hast made us all fragrant.'

7. Reverence be, O Prâna, to thee coming, reverence to thee going; 'reverence to thee standing, and reverence, too, to thee sitting!

8. Reverence be to thee, O Prâna, when thou breathest in (primate), reverence when thou breathest out! Reverence be to thee when thou art turned away, reverence to thee when thou art turned hither: to thee, entire, reverence be here!

9. Of thy dear form, O Prâna, of thy very dear form, of the healing power that is thine, give unto us, that we may live!

10. Prâna clothes the creatures, as a father his dear son. Prâna, truly, is the lord of all, of all that breathes, and does not breathe.

11. Prâna is death, Prâna is fever. The gods worship Prana. Prâna shall place the truth-speaker in the highest world

12. Prâna is Virâg (power, lustre), Prâna is Deshtrî (the divinity that guides): all worship Prâna. Prâna verily is sun and moon. They call Prâna Pragâpati.

13. Rice and barley are in-breathing and out-breathing. Prâna is called a steer. In-breathing forsooth, is founded upon barley; rice is called out-breathing.

14. Man breathes out and breathes in when within the womb. When thou, O Prâna, quickenest him, then is he born again.

15. They call Prâna Mâtarisvan (the wind); Prâna, forsooth, is called Vâta (the wind). The past and the future, the all, verily is supported upon Prâna.

16. The holy (âtharvana) plants, the magic (ângirasa) plants, the divine plants, and those produced by men, spring forth, when thou, O Prâna, quickenest them.

17. When Prâna has watered the great earth with rain, then the plants spring forth, and also every sort of herb.

18. Whoever, O Prâna, knows this regarding thee, and (knows) on what thou art supported, to him all shall offer tribute in yonder highest world.

19. As all these creatures, O Prâna, offer thee tribute, so they shall offer tribute (in yonder world) to him who hears thee, O far-famed one!

20. He moves as an embryo within the gods; having arrived, and being in existence, he is born again. Having arisen he enters with his mights the present and the future, as a father (goes to) his son.

21. When as a swan he rises from the water he does not withdraw his one foot. If in truth he were to withdraw it, there would be neither to-day, nor to-morrow, no night and no day, never would the dawn appear.

22. With eight wheels, and one felloe he moves, containing a thousand sounds (elements), upward in the east, downward in the west. With (his) half he produced the whole world: what is the visible sign of his (other) half?

23. He who rules over this (all) derived from every source, and over everything that moves reverence be to thee, O Prâna, that wieldest a swift bow against others (the enemies)!

24. May Prâna, who rules over this (all) derived from every source, and over everything that moves, (may he) unwearied, strong through the brahma, adhere to me!

25. Erect he watches in those that sleep, nor does lie down across. No one has heard of his sleeping in those that sleep.

26. O Prâna, be not turned away from me, thou shalt not be other than myself! As the embryo of the waters (fire), thee, O Prâna, do bind to me, that I may live.

It is interesting to look at this Kama, for it is this modifying force, INTENTION, that we find so important in Buddhism later and see that it is the force that is connected with Karmic Formation.

IX, 2. Prayer to Kâma (Modifying Force)

 personified as a primordial power.

1. To the bull that slays the enemy, to Kâma, do I render tribute with ghee, oblation, and (sacrificial) melted butter. Do thou, since thou hast been extolled, hurl down my enemies by thy great might!

2. The evil dream which is offensive to my mind and eye, which harasses and does not please me, that (dream) do I let loose upon my enemy. Having praised Kâma may I prevail!

3,. Evil dreams, O Kâma, and misfortune, O Kâma, childlessness, ill-health, and trouble, do thou, a strong lord, let loose upon him that designs evil against us!

4. Drive them away, O Kâma, thrust them away, O Kâma; may they that are my enemies fall into trouble! When they have been driven into the nethermost darkness, do thou, O Agni, burn up their d welling- places!

5. That milch-cow, O Kâma, whom the sages call Vâk Virâg (ruling, or resplendent speech), is said to be thy daughter; by her drive away my enemies; breath, cattle, and life shall give them a wide birth!

6. With the strength of Kâma, Indra, king Varuna, and Vishnu, with the impelling force (savena) of Savitar, with the priestly power of Agni, do I drive forth the enemies, as a skilled steersman a boat.

7. My sturdy guardian, strong Kâma, shall procure for me full freedom from enmity! May the gods collectively be my refuge, may all the gods respond to this, my invocation!

8. Taking pleasure in this (sacrificial) melted butter, and ghee do ye, (O gods), of whom Kâma is the highest, be joyful in this place, procuring for me full freedom from enmity!

9. O Indra and Agni, and Kâma, having formed an alliance, do ye hurl down my enemies; when they have fallen into the nethermost darkness, do thou, O Agni, burn up after them their dwelling places!

10. Slay thou, O Kâma, those that are my enemies, hurl them down into blind darkness. Devoid of vigour, without sap let them all be; they shall not live a single day!

11. Kâma has slain those that are my enemies, a broad space has he furnished me to thrive in. May the four directions of space bow down to me, and the six broad (regions) carry ghee to me!

12. They (the enemies) shall float down like a boat cut loose from its moorings! There is no returning again for those who have been struck by our missiles.

13. Agni is a defence, Indra a defence, Soma a defence. May the gods, who by their defence ward off (the enemy), ward him off!

14. With his men reduced, driven out, the hated (enemy) shall go, shunned by his own friends! And down upon the earth do the lightnings alight; may the strong god crush your enemies!

15. This mighty lightning supports both moveable and immoveable things, as well as all thunders. May the rising sun by his resources and his majesty hurl down my enemies, lie the mighty one!

16. With that triple-armoured powerful covering of thine, O Kâma, with the charm that has been made into an Invulnerate armour spread (over thee), with that do thou drive away those who are my enemies; may breath, cattle, and life give them a wide berth!

17. With the weapon with which the god drove forth the Asuras, with which Indra led the Dasyus to the nethermost darkness, with that do thou, O Kâma, drive forth far away from this world those who are my enemies!

18. As the gods drove forth the Asuras, as Indra. forced the demons into the nethermost darkness, thus do thou, O Kâma, drive forth far away from this world those who are my enemies!

19. Kâma was born at first; him neither the gods, nor the Fathers, nor men have equalled. To these art thou superior, and ever great; to thee, O Kâma, do I verily offer reverence.

20. As great as are the heavens and earth in extent, as far as the waters have swept, as far as fire; to these art thou superior, &c.

21. Great as are the directions (of space) and the intermediate direction on either side, great as are the regions and the vistas of the sky; to these art thou superior, &c.

22. As many bees, bats, kurûru-worms, as many vaghas and tree-serpents as there are; to these art thou superior, &c.

23. Superior art thou to all that winks (lives), superior to all that stands still (is not alive), superior to the ocean art thou, O Kâma, Manyu! To these art thou superior, &c.

24. Not, surely, does the wind equal Kâma, not the fire, not the sun, and not the moon. To these art thou superior, &c.

25. With those auspicious and gracious forms of thine, O Kâma, through which what thou wilst becometh real with these do thou enter into us, and elsewhere

Look at that last line and see that this Kama, this motivating force, is within all of us. Now don’t perform mental gymnastics and move on. Try and feel how believing this may affect your whole life and way of being.

 As we see, the Priests needed a super-Kama, which naturally had to be derived from a primeval principle, so they selected the sun. Try to understand how it would be to believe that, as you today believe that death is always present.

 Remember that there was no attempt to deceive through volition. As today, those who are in power see themselves not as privileged, but worthy. The priests thus looked within themselves and found precisely what they were searching for.

It is very strange that the more Egoism develops, the more tendency there is to create a God which becomes further away from nature as a practical force and an intermediary, be it a priest, a seer, a witch, a healer or some other human creature. This, of course, may be due to a psychological separation due to a sense of inferiority before the gods, and since we are actually living within nature, the Gods (or God) are also distanced from nature.

Let all Dharma Masters and Bodhisattva Masters take a lesson from that and see that all divisions and categories are a useful but artificial devices of the mind. Believe those divisions and you are in the hands of Mara, who also clearly and paradoxically does not exist. Look closely and you will see that there is really no paradox.

Although we see in the Atharva-Vedas that “By Brahman was this earth established and that  Brahman, being also Man, acquires this fire …” X ii (25).. there is also a new sense of the human creature as “a being strange possessed of self. X ii (32).

This indicates the inward turning focus of the Upanishads—possession of self is known by those who know Brahman. Elsewhere, this strange being is said to be in “A lotus with nine gates enveloped by three strands …” (X,viii, 43). The imagery refers to the body as it is “enveloped” by the three gunas.

Personally, although there is no substance to the idea, I love that image of the human creature as  “a lotus with nine gates enveloped by three strand,” those three strands being the three Identities of confusion, greed and hostility.

To return to the serious task at hand, we see then a tendency evolves moving towards a Universal Power (Brahman)  and a sense of a self (Atman), which eventually develops into an approximation of a human soul.

It is curious to see that this Atman at this point, however, is much more like our Identities (Id, Ego and Super Ego). It is declared that Atman requires liberation, which, it is said, comes by identifying Atman with Brahma.

Thus it seems in these earlier Indian Vedas, that when Id, Ego and Super Ego (Atman) become Brahma, they virtually dissolve. The liberated egoistic group, described as soul is then described as  'free from desire, wise, immortal, self-born ... not deficient in any respect ... wise, unageing, young.' [ Atharva Veda X. 8. 44. ]

It seems then that there was a basic idea of the perfect human potential (for us the Mahayana idea of a Buddha Nature) in synchrony with the nature of all things which is effectively identical with the Taoist idea of the Mother of all things and the Mahayana Buddhist idea of the Nature of all things.

The tendency then among ordinary people, even today, in the presence of the new unknown is to subconsciously draw upon their imagination and develop figures with a more ghostlike or spirit quality, which certainly at the time of the vedas was not cut short by the priests but rather enhanced.

So, while the gods of the Rig Veda are mostly friendly ones, we find in the Atharva Veda dark and demoniacal powers that bring disease and misfortune to mankind. We have to win them too by flattering petitions, but because they are intangible and not graspable by the mind like natural Gods, then charms, magical rites, spells and incantations are necessary.

So in the Atahavara Veda there are spells for the healing of diseases, bhaiShajyAni, for life and healing AyuShyANi sUktAni. These were the beginnings of the medical science.

To give the flavor of these devices, two are presented from Book III and VI

III, 18. Charm of a woman against a rival or co-wife.

1. I dig up this plant, of herbs the most potent, by whose power rival women are overcome, and husbands are obtained.

2. O thou (plant) with erect leaves, lovely, do thou, urged on by the gods, full of might, drive away my rival, make my husband mine alone!

3. He did not, forsooth, call thy name, and thou shalt not delight in this' husband! To the very farthest distance do we drive our rival.

4. Superior am I, O superior (plant), superior, truly, to superior (women). Now shall my rival be inferior to those that are inferior!

5. I am overpowering, and thou, (O plant), art completely overpowering. Having both grown full of power, let us overpower my rival!

6. About thee (my husband) I have placed the overpowering (plant), upon thee placed the very overpowering one. May thy mind run after me as a calf after the cow, as water along its course!

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VI, 138. Charm for depriving a man of his virility.

1. As the best of the plants thou art reputed, O herb: turn this man for me to-day into a eunuch that wears his hair dressed!

2. Turn him into a eunuch that wears his hair dressed, and into one that wears a hood! Then Indra with a pair of stones shall break his testicles both!

3. O eunuch, into a eunuch thee I have turned; O castrate, into a castrate thee I have turned; O weakling, into a weakling thee I have turned! A hood upon his head, and a hair-net do we place.

4. The two canals, fashioned by the gods, in which man's power rests, in thy testicles . . . . . . . . . . . . I break them with a club.

5. As women break reeds for a mattress with a stone, thus do I break thy member

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Finally, lest we should get the idea too one-sidedly of a degeneration of ideas, we present this Hymn to the Goddess Earth who partners Sky.

XII, 1. Hymn to goddess Earth.

1.      Truth, greatness, universal order (rita), strength, consecration, creative fervor (tapas), spiritual exaltation (brahma), the sacrifice, support the earth. May this earth, the mistress of that which was and shall be, prepare for us a broad domain!

2. The earth that has heights, and slopes, and great plains, that supports the plants of manifold virtue, free from the pressure that comes from the midst of men, she shall spread out for us, and fit herself for us!

3. The earth upon which the sea, and the rivers and the waters, upon which food and the tribes of men have arisen, upon which this breathing, moving life exists, shall afford us precedence in drinking!

4. The earth whose are the four regions of space, upon which food and the tribes of men have arisen, which supports the manifold breathing, moving things, shall afford us cattle and other possessions also!

5. The earth upon which of old the first men unfolded themselves, upon which the gods overcame the Asuras, shall procure for us (all) kinds of cattle, horses, and fowls, good fortune, and glory!

6. The earth that supports all, furnishes wealth, the foundation, the golden-breasted resting-place of all living creatures, she that supports Agni Vaisvânara (the fire), and mates with Indra, the bull, shall furnish us with property!

7. The broad -earth, which the sleepless gods ever attentively guard, shall milk for us precious honey, and, moreover, besprinkle us with glory!

8. That earth which formerly was water upon the ocean (of space), which the wise (seers) found out by their skilful devices; whose heart is in the highest heaven, immortal, surrounded by truth, shall bestow upon us brilliancy and strength, (and place us) in supreme sovereignty!

9. That earth upon which the attendant waters jointly flow by day and night unceasingly, shall pour out milk for us in rich streams, and, moreover, besprinkle us with glory!

10. The earth which the Asvins have measured, upon which Vishnu has stepped out, which Indra, the lord of might, has made friendly to himself; she, the mother, shall pour forth milk for me, the son!

11. Thy snowy mountain heights, and thy forests, O earth, shall be kind to us! The brown, the black, the red, the multi-coloured, the firm earth, that is protected by Indra, I have settled upon, not suppressed, not slain, not wounded.

12. Into thy riddle set us, O earth, and into thy navel, into the nourishing strength that has grown up from thy body; purify thyself for us! The earth is the mother, and I the son of the earth; Paro-anya is the father; he, too, shall save us!

13. The earth upon which they (the priests) enclose the altar (vedi), upon which they, devoted to all (holy) works, unfold the sacrifice, upon which are set up, in front of the sacrifice, the sacrificial posts, erect and brilliant, that earth shall prosper us, herself prospering!

14. Him that hates us, O earth, him that battles against us, him that is hostile towards us with his mind and his weapons, do thou subject to us, anticipating (our wish) by deed!

15. The mortals born of thee live on thee, thou supportest both bipeds and quadrupeds. Thine, O earth, are these five races of men, the mortals, upon whom the rising sun sheds undying light with his rays.

16. These creatures all together shall yield milk for us; do thou, O earth, give us the honey of speech!

17. Upon the firm, broad earth, the all-begetting mother of the plants, that is supported by (divine) law, upon her, propitious and kind, may we ever pass-our lives!

18. A great gathering-place thou, great (earth), hast become; great haste, commotion, and agitation are upon thee. Great Indra protects thee unceasingly. Do thou, O earth, cause us to brighten as if at the sight of gold: not any one shall hate us!

19. Agni (fire) is in the earth, in the plants, the waters hold Agni, Agni is in the stones; Agni is within men, Agnis (fires) are within cattle, within horses.

20. Agni glows from the sky, to Agni, the god, belongs the broad air. The mortals kindle Agni, the bearer of oblations that loveth ghee.

21. The earth, clothed in Agni, with dark knees, shall make me brilliant and alert!

22. Upon the earth men give to the gods the sacrifice, the prepared oblation; upon the earth mortal men live pleasantly by food. May this earth give us breath and life, may she cause me to reach old age!

23. The fragrance, O earth, that has arisen upon thee, which the plants and the waters hold, which the Gandharvas and the Apsaras have partaken of, with that make me fragrant: not any one shall hate us!

24. That fragrance of thine which has entered into the lotus, that fragrance, O earth, which the immortals of yore gathered up at the marriage of Sûryâ, with that make me fragrant: not any one shall hate us!

25. That fragrance of thine which is in men, the loveliness and charm that is in male and female, that which is in steeds and heroes, that which is in the wild animals with trunks (elephants), the lustre that is in the maiden, O earth, with that do thou blend us: not any one shall hate us!

26. Rock, stone, dust is this earth; this earth is supported, held together. To this golden-breasted earth I have rendered obeisance.

27. The earth, upon whom the forest-sprung trees ever stand firm, the all-nourishing, compact earth, do we invoke.

28. Rising or sitting, standing or walking, may we not stumble with our right or left foot upon the earth!

29. To the pure earth I speak, to the ground, the soil that has grown through the brahma (spiritual exaltation). Upon thee, that holdest nourishment, prosperity, food, and ghee, we would settle down, O earth!

30. Purified the waters shall flow for our bodies; what flows off from us that do we deposit upon him we dislike: with a purifier, O earth, do I purify myself!

31. Thy easterly regions, and thy northern, thy southerly (regions), O earth, and thy western, shall be kind to me as I walk (upon thee)! May I that have been placed into the world not fall down!

32. Do not drive us from the west, nor from the east; not from the north, and not from the south! Security be thou for us, O earth: waylayers shall not find us, hold far away (their) murderous weapon!

33. As long as I look out upon thee, O earth, with Sûrya (the sun) as my companion, so long shall my sight not fall, as year followeth upon year!

34. When, as I lie, I turn upon my right or left side, O earth; when stretched out we lie with our ribs upon thee pressing against (us), do not, O earth, that liest close to everything, there injure us!

35. What, O earth, I dig out of thee, quickly shall that grow again: may I not, O pure one, pierce thy vital spot, (and) not thy heart!

36. Thy summer, O earth, thy rainy season, thy autumn, winter, early spring, and spring; thy decreed yearly seasons, thy days and nights shall yield us milk

37. The pure earth that starts in fright away from the serpent, upon whom were the fires that are within the waters, she that delivers (to destruction) the blasphemous Dasyus, she that takes the side of Indra, not of Vritra, (that earth) adheres to Sakra (mighty Indra), the lusty bull.

38. Upon whom rests the sacrificial hut (sadas) and the (two) vehicles that hold the soma (havirdhâne), in whom the sacrificial post is fixed, upon whom the Brâhmanas praise (the gods) with riks and sâmans, knowing (also) the yagur-formulas; upon whom the serving-priests (ritvig) are employed so that Indra shall drink the soma;--

39. Upon whom the seers of yore, that created the beings, brought forth with their songs the cows, they the seven active (priests), by means of the satra-offerings, the sacrifices, and (their) creative fervour (tapas);--

40. May this earth point out to us the wealth that we-crave; may Bhaga (fortune) add his help, may Indra come here as (our) champion!

41. The earth upon whom the noisy mortals sing and dance, upon whom they fight, upon whom resounds the roaring drum, shall drive forth our enemies, shall make us free from rivals!

42. To the earth upon whom are food, and rice and barley, upon whom live these five races of men, to the earth, the wife of Parganya, that is fattened by rain, be reverence!

43. The earth upon whose ground the citadels constructed by the gods unfold themselves, every region of her that is the womb of all, Pragâpati shall make pleasant for us!

44. The earth that holds treasures manifold in secret places, wealth, jewels, and gold shall she give to me; she that bestows wealth liberally, the kindly goddess, wealth shall she bestow upon us!

45. The earth that holds people of manifold varied speech, of different customs, according to their habitations, as a reliable milch-cow that does not kick, shall she milk for me a thousand streams of wealth!

46. The serpent, the scorpion with thirsty fangs, that hibernating torpidly lies upon thee; the worm, and whatever living thing, O earth, moves in the rainy season, shall, when it creeps, not creep upon us: with what is auspicious (on thee) be gracious to us!

47. Thy many paths upon which people go, thy tracks for chariots and wagons to advance, upon which both good and evil men proceed, this road, free from enemies, and free from thieves, may we gain: with what is auspicious (on thee) be gracious to us!

48. The earth holds the fool and holds the wise, endures that good and bad dwell (upon her); she keeps company with the boar, gives herself up to the wild hog.

49. Thy forest animals, the wild animals homed in the woods, the man-eating lions, and tigers that roam; the ula, the wolf, mishap, injury (rikshikâ), and demons (rakshas), O earth, drive away from us!

50. The Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the Arâyas and Kimîdins; the Pisâkas and all demons (rakshas), these, O earth, hold from us!

51. The earth upon whom the biped birds fly together, the flamingos, eagles, birds of prey, and fowls; upon whom Mâtarisvan, the wind, hastens, raising the dust, and tossing the trees-as the wind blows forth and back the flame bursts after;--

52. The earth upon whom day and night jointly, black and bright, have been decreed, the broad earth covered and enveloped with rain, shall kindly place us into every pleasant abode!

53. Heaven, and earth, and air have here given me expanse; Agni, Sûrya, the waters, and all the gods together have given me wisdom.

54. Mighty am I, 'Superior' (uttara) by name, upon the earth, conquering am I, all-conquering, completely conquering every region.

55. At that time, O goddess, when, spreading., (prathamânâ) forth, named (prithivî 'broad') by the gods, thou didst extend to greatness, then prosperity did enter thee, (and) thou didst fashion the four regions.

56. In the villages and in the wilderness, in the assembly-halls that are upon the earth; in the gatherings, and in the meetings, may we hold forth agreeably to thee!

57. As dust a steed did she, as soon as she was born, scatter these people, that dwelt upon the earth, she the lovely one, the leader, the guardian of the world, that holds the trees and plants.

58. The words I speak, honeyed do I speak them: the things I see they furnish me with

59. Gentle, fragrant, kindly, with the sweet drink (kîlâla) in her udder, rich in milk, the broad earth together with (her) milk shall give us courage!

60. She whom Visvakarman (the creator of all) did search out by means of oblations, when she had entered the surging (flood of the) atmosphere, she, the vessel destined to nourish, deposited in a secret place, became visible (to the gods) and the (heavenly) mothers.

61. Thou art the scatterer of men, the broadly expanding Aditi that yields milk according to wish. What is wanting in thee Pranâpati, first-born of the divine order (rita), shall supply for thee

62. Thy laps, O earth, free from ailment! Free from disease, shall be produced for us! May we attentively, through our long lives, be bearers of bali-offerings to thee!

63. O mother earth, kindly set me down upon a well-founded place! With (father) heaven cooperating, O thou wise one, do thou place me into happiness and prosperity!

But we see that there is an awareness in the last lines that the earth and man , son of the earth, are destructible, at least in body.

Note also that Visvakarman  is  the creator of all (60) and Prana-pati first born of the Gods (61). But, the author declares:

“The earth is the mother, and I (man) the son of the earth; Paro-anya is the father; he, too, shall save us! “ (12)”

 “Mighty am I, 'Superior' (uttara) by name, upon the earth, conquering am I, all-conquering, completely conquering every region.” (54)

We see then in this beautiful Hymn to earth, that I really recommend,  converted into  a poem of introspection each day, that there is a creator of all, Visvakarman, Pranapati, firstborn of the Gods, Prthivi, the earth shown as the mother, Paro yana, a God of Atmosphere, shown as the father and man as the son. Thus we get the impression that each individual or priest is free to use these Gods in any way or combination that they choose. It is this freedom of choice which still persists today, which permitted Buddha the freedom to speak up in opposition, along with others, against the prevalent system of his time controlled by the Brahmins, without fear of reprisals.

THE VEDAS

A Commentary

In the Vedas we see many changes taking place in the ideas man had of the gods. This does not mean that the fundamental relation of man to nature had changed. What was constantly in change, however, was the apparent  balance of power of the gods. This change in the balance of power reflected the psychological necessity of the people. What is clear is that it was accepted that the vision of the world as perceived by man was not final.

This is less an intellectual idea than an internal impulse which stemmed from man’s PRIMORDIAL STATE, in which what was seen, heard, tasted, touched, and uttered had no meaning nor substance. A tree, discriminated as something unknown without name, existed, and man, as do all sentient creatures, responded to that discrimination.  However, in the primitive, primordial mind, the tree did not exist separate from anything else. Man himself, for himself, did not exist.

Thus when man invented words and attached them to form, he saw (in error) the division of things, but instinctively remembered that this was not really so. Therefore, like a haunting memory, he knew the falsity of what his senses told him. When he was awed, especially with joy, it was thought that that awe must be the truth that was missing, for it also had the power to change things.

All these ideas were clearly subliminal and not reasoned.  We can say then that man, sensorially and mentally in contact with all things, seeing them as separate, sought to reunite them by understanding them. In other words, standing amidst DUALITY, he sought the NON DUAL, which was expressed as the gods that controlled all. Finally, of course, the subliminal tendency gradually led towards the one God, which then brought him one step closer to the truth of NON DUALITY and to the Unity of all things.

If you want to look at it in another way, you can say that man was in the garden of Eden of non duality and the unity of all things without separation. He ate the fruit of knowledge and his perfect natural discrimination turned into duality. Thus there arose himself and he saw Good and Evil. He then suffered, and his prehistoric voice called him back to reunite with Eden.

Really stop and think about that for a moment.

The second problem that arose was the clear belief that everything that occurred or was perceived had a cause. If man cannot see that there is unification of all things and events, which is reflected in our Buddhist idea of Dependent Origination, then he is stuck looking for a single main dualistic cause to explain a single dualistic event.  That is the human trap today, as it was then.

What is clear is that the Vedic tribes were closer to the source of Non Duality in their association with nature than we are today. We move forward, cutting things up into smaller and smaller forms, giving more names and hoping that eventually we will find the truth. But the truth does not lie in that direction, useful though the new Duality may be in shaping and controlling all things. Similarly, we foolish humans also move in the other direction, calling it the spiritual path, looking for a return to the One creator, which is another error, for when one finds that creator, one finds ABSOLUTE DUALITY: A Creator and ALL OTHER THINGS.

The original Vedic thoughts were closer than that: they quoted a NON DUAL beginning. That becomes important when we see the evolution of the Vedas away from that idea and the gradual regression to that idea by the heretical groups that included Mahavira and Buddha.

Buddha and Mahavira, both genetically connected to these Vedic ancestors and with  full knowledge of the essential Unity, rejected the thoughts of the later Vedic philosophers. They rejected a Creator, but they left open the idea of NON DUALITY.  Buddha particularly declared that when you take out the arrow that is wounding you, that is the time to look into those questions.

This idea is reflected in the sacrifices. They were originally a plea on one hand and a thanksgiving offering on the other. The whole idea of the sun as an eye looking and seeing all signified a subtle understanding that there existed something behind all that was perceived, and that, what’s more, they were somehow related to that unknown.

This original, almost childlike awe and joy was soon transformed into ritual dogma and ceremony. Once more, you can see that the original sensation of belonging was changed into controlling. Duality was striking again. The priests simply took the scientific route: more explanations, more complications, more ritual, more ceremony and more secret privileged information.

“What is One is called by different names”, they said.

So now we see that they had to get to the one, not simply select one of their gods as the supreme. They were paradoxically doing precisely the same as modern science is doing: looking for the One Elementary Particle.

Both they who move inward trying to find the ultimate by mental and physical dissection using a marvelous technology and those who look outwards, ever expanding their vision with man in the center, are doomed to failure. Only when man allows himself to disappear can he discover the unity of all things that is not made up of parts.

If there is a lesson to be derived from the Vedas that is more important than the clear threads which led to Buddha’s liberation, it is that man virtually created himself when he transformed his unity with all things into a personal existence. Thus he created himself as a creature who created all things with his words and with his attachment to form. Then, seeing his own weakness, he created first gods, then a God, and sought unity with that God which he had invented. Buddha and Mahavira and others saw beyond this God as did some of the early Vedic writers. Keep this valuable lesson in mind as we move towards the birth and life of Buddha.

EXERCISE 4

In the fourth exercise for this course 101 I would like you to read the selections and write a “Prayer to Greed, personified as a primordial power.”

Work on it. Take your time, we are not judging the quality of the poetry. In writing this poem we would like you to grasp the essence of the mind of these people. Separate your own mind and evaluations from the process. Get inside the Indians of the time, feel with them, see with them understand them.

There is no correct answer. There are only answers that reflect your personal understanding. Thus your own answer is part of your own learning process.