Shinto and Hindu Creation MythsShinto creation accountsHindu accounts of creationHindu Creation storiesPhilosophical viewsCreation Unit ReviewShinto and Hindu Creation Myths Last reading in Unit 1, Creation storiesShinto creation accountsHistorical contextIndigenous to Japan, not written down until 8th c CEShin (divine being), do (way) = “The Way of Divine Beings”Basic narrativesThe Birth of Great KamiThe Creation of JapanHow would our theorists interpret these? Eliade, Ruether, Pagels?Hindu accounts of creationHinduism (s)Oldest (2500 BCE+), ‘Brahmanism’, pantheistic/panentheisticHistorical context of the Vedas (& Upanishads)Emic: existed prior to universe, sacred sounds (ohm), ‘heard’ by rishis (8000 BCE), oral transmission, written down by Vyasa (3000 BCE)Etic: oral tradition as old as 3000 BCE, written between 2000-1200 BCE; Upanishdas (philosophical, sitting beneath a sage) may be as old as 1000 BCEParusha becomes male and femaleHindu Creation stories Rig Veda creation storiesCreation of the universe (RV 10.90)Components of the storyThe Man, sacrifice, animals, grass, peopleChronological order? Out of nothing?Eliade, Ruether, PagelsCastes, dharmaOrigin of the Gods (RV 10.72)Components of the storyAditi (x2), birth, Daksha, sky, sun, 8 sonsEliade, Ruether, PagelsPhilosophical viewsRig Veda 10.129What distinguishes it?Upanishads creation storyComponentsGroup work: components, order, theoristsThe Person, husband/wife, mating, fire, semen, foodEliade, Ruether, PagelsPresentation bracketed?Oral transmission examplehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3eOzPlho5g&feature=relatedMale/femaleCreation Unit ReviewPrimary material: Creation stories: Gikuyu, Native-American collection, Enuma Elish, Hymn to Aton, Genesis 1-3, Creation of Japan, Hindu collectionOrigination story: Christian gospels (canon, and extra)Secondary material: Eliade (hierophany, axis mundi, sacred vs. profane space, orienting effect, religious vs. modern man)Ruether: culture textsPagels: culture, selected texts, rejected textsWhy not just study the content of each