How the great religions began

"IN THE BEGINNIG As far back in human history as we can go, we find men eager to set the date of the world's creation. The very first account we read in practically every religious literature is a description and an explanation of how the world was created and when man was given dominion over everything on earth. According to some of these ancient writings the world we live in was created exactly 4004 years before the Christian Era, or less than six thousand years ago. Others are not quite so specific, but claim that the world was really created much later than that. Whereas in India there are people who consider that the world is part of a beginningless and endless process, alternating between the two phases of potentiality and expression—just like the seed and the tree. There is no beginning or ending to the seed and the tree. When at the end of a time cycle, or kalpa, the universe is dissolved, it passes into a phase of potentiality, or seed-state, and awaits the next creation. The phase of creation or expression is called "the day of Brahma," and the phase of dissolution or potentiality is called "the night of Brahma." Each day and night of Brahma is a period of exactly 4,320,000,000 human years. The "day of Brahma" we are in at present is called K'ali yuga, or the "iron age," and began, according to the folklore of India, 30,101 years before the Christian Era. Now imagine how old these people think the world is! But long before people attempted to decipher the blurred date of Creation, they were interested in a great many other questions. In fact, it would seem that primitive man was very queer that way. Like the rest of the creatures of the earth he ate and drank and slept. Like all the rest he wished it were hot when it was cold, and wished it were cold when it was hot. He was also very lazy. But unlike any other creature on earth—he asked questions...."