Creation
How each tradition describes the origin of the world and humanity.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... And God said, Let there be light.”
“Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one unit of creation, then We parted them?”
“In the beginning there was neither existence nor non-existence... The One alone existed without a second.”
Nasadiya Sukta reflects on cosmic mystery
“The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.”
“The cosmos arises and dissolves through the endless cycles of time and consciousness.”
Cyclical view of cosmic manifestation
“When on high the heaven had not been named, firm ground below had not been called by name... the waters mingled as a single body, and Tiamat gave birth to all creatures.”
Babylonian creation myth involving primordial waters and divine struggle
“Marduk vanquished Tiamat and from her body created the heavens and earth, establishing order from chaos through divine conflict.”
“The ten thousand things are born of being. Being is born of non-being. Reversion is the action of the Tao. Weakness is its use.”
“The Tao gave birth to one. One gave birth to two. Two gave birth to three. Three gave birth to the ten thousand things.”