FAR EAST AND THE PACIFIC ISLANDS

1. FAR EAST AND THEPACIFIC ISLANDS India, China, Japan, Polynesia Hawaii

2. Myths of India

3. Myths of India • VISHNU-associated with the sun

4. Many images of Vishnu exist

5. Myths of India • Rudra is associated with storms

6. Many images of Rudra also

7. HINDU= REINCARNATION • VISHNU IS IN THREE FORMS: • AS BRAHMA,THE CREATOR OF LIFE ON EARTH • AS VISHNU, THE PRESERVER OF LIFE ON EARTH • AS SHIVA-RUDRA –THE DESTROYER OF LIFE ON EARTH

8. Reincarnation

9. VISHNU • Vishnu often descends to earth and becomes reincarnated as a human hero to protect gods and mortals against the forces of evil beings (demons)

10. Hindu= reincarnation

11. 4 stages of life on earth

12. First stage • Krita Yuga • Age of virtue, moral perfection • Dharma walks steadily on all 4 feet • Everyone is good and lives happy, contented, unselfish, and beautiful life

13. Krita Yuga

14. Second Stage • Moral perfection still exists but walks less steadily • Dharma is only on 3 legs • People are devoted to the pursuit of knowledge

15. Treta Yuga

16. Third stage • DvaparaUga-eternal dharma totters unsteadily on 2 feet • Virtue and moral perfection have declined • People devote themselves to sacrifice-which they consider to be the highest virtue • People have become more passionate and greedy and war is common

17. Dvapara Yuga

18. Fourth Stage • Kali Yuga-people achieve rank in society based on money and property and not on moral virtue • Virtue is measured by material wealth • Sexual passion alone binds husband and wife • People become successful by lies • Their only enjoyment is sex • There is hunger, disease, death

19. Kali Yuga

20. At the end of stage 4 • Vishnu will end all 3 worlds: • heaven, • Earth • Underworld Only the great god Vishnu will remain

21. After Vishnu destroys all • First with fire, then with floods, all is destroyed. • Then a large golden egg will appear • Vishnu will awaken • A large lotus flower comes out of his navel in the form of Brahma-creator of life on earth • He will break open the egg to initiate the rebirth process

22. 3 stages

23. CHINESE MYTHS • NOT AS OLD AS OTHERS BECAUSE THE EMPORER IN 213 BC BURNED ALL BOOKS • FROM ABOUT 200 BC TO 200 AD THE EMPORERS INSTITUTED CONFUCIANISM AS THE STATE RELIGION. • CONFUCIANISM RELIES MORE ON THOUGHT AND PHILOSOPHY

24. Yin Yang symbol • The circle represents Tao - the undifferentiated Unity out of which all of existence arises. The black and white halves within the circle represent Yin-qi and Yang-qi - the primordial feminine and masculine energies whose interplay gives birth to the manifest world: to the Five Elements and Ten-Thousand Things.

25. Yin Yang

26. In Chinese Myth, the universe is two parts only • The creation myth of Pangu shows creation out of chaos • It shows that order is preserved • This order comes from yin/yang (sunlit vs shaded) • Yin/yang also represent heaven and earth

27. Creation of earth • Story of Pangu • Pangu was formed from within the dark mass of an egg • He decided to bring order into the universe • Yang rose and yin sank • Pangu decided he had to hold up the heavens or life would not be able to exist on earth

28. Story of Pangu

29. When Pangu laid down to sleep.. • The earth formed from Pangu • Head and feet-mountains • Hair on his head and eyebrows-planets and stars • Left eye-the sun • Right eye-the moon • Flesh-soil • Blood-oceans and rivers

30. Also… • His teeth and bones-rocks. Minerals,gems • Breath-clouds and wind • Voice-lightning and thunder • Perspiration-rain and dew • Hair on his body-trees, plants and flowers • Parasites on his skin-animals and fish

31. Mother Goddess Nugua • She created the first people • She herself looked human except that she had the tail of a dragon • Note: she made two different kind of people-some more superior than others. (those she made one at a time were richer and more intellectual)

32. Mother Goddess-Nugua

33. Quest for the Sunhero: Bao Chu • Like other heroes, he: • Has unusual birth • His growth is unusual • He has a huge task (to cover the sun) • His task will lead to fertility of the earth • He is willing to sacrifice himself for society

34. Quest for the sun

35. Bao Chu also • Has a number of trials • These trials show his remarkable strength • Also his creative intelligence • He achieves great fame • He is mortal, so he does die;, but not until he saves the world • His mother, HuiNiang is also a heroine

36. JAPANESE MYTH • Similar to the Chinese Yin/Yang, the Japanese myth tells us that, in the beginning, the world was like a shapeless egg. • The lighter part remained above and became heaven • The denser part sank below and became earth • From a floating object came the first god-the two youngest: Iznagi and iznami\

37. Japanese Creation story

38. Izanagi and Izanami • Married each other • Had a horrible child they set loose in a boat • Learned from the gods, Izanami’s proper place • Then they had 8 lovely children that made up the land we know as Japan • They also created the wind, the beautiful mountains, brooks, and streams

39. Izanami and Izanagi

40. Amaterasu • Together they created the goddess of the sun, AmaratsuOmikami • She was so beautiful that she went to heaven • Then they created the god of the moon and he would become Amaterasu’shusband • Unfortunately they created some more children who were not so pleasant and became rulers of the underworld and of fire

41. Amaterasu

42. Myths of Polynesia and Maori • To be continued