Thursday, June 22, 2023

The mind-blowing origins of Adam and Eve

MythVision Podcast, 6/17/23 (mythvisionclips); Sheldon S., Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

The origin of Adam and Eve is mind blowing!
(MythVision Podcast) The tale of Adam and Eve is a story deeply ingrained in various religious traditions and beliefs.
  • "Eve" was a devi in Buddhism
    [In Buddhism, there is the Agganna Sutra to explain the origins of humanoid life on earth, on this bhumi or level plane, which is a product of devolution not evolution, but evolution comes back in the long course of a repeating/cyclical process. We are descended from devas who alighted on earth and liked the carnal, became attached, and lost their angelic light bodies, as they became coarser and coarser through the ages or over a long period of time. We still have deva potential, so we are much more than mere animals, though animals are certainly living beings worthy of care caught in the same cyclical process.]
The Rebuke of Adam and Eve (Natoire, 1740)
However, beneath the layers of faith and devotion lie an intriguing connection to earlier mythologies of Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), one of the cradles of civilization.

It appears that the Jewish-Christian biblical account of Adam and Eve draws heavily from these ancient tales, suggesting that it is a reimagining rather than a historical reality.

In Mesopotamian mythology, we encounter the Epic of Gilgamesh, a legendary hero whose adventures parallel those of Adam and Eve in surprising ways.

The story of Gilgamesh includes a tale of a sacred plant that grants eternal youth [amrita or amata, ambrosia, an "elixir of life" in the Vedas, likely a concoction for life extension, whereas in Buddhism amata/amrita is nirvana, "the deathless"], guarded by a serpent [naga, earthling-reptilian]. Sound familiar?

It's no coincidence that this motif reappears in the Garden of Eden, where a cunning serpent tempts Eve with the "forbidden fruit" [which is not an apple, but the Apocrypha speculates that it is the grape, as a reference to alcohol, though more likely it would be an entheogenic or magic mushroom, the fruiting body of mycelium] of knowledge.

Furthermore, the Mesopotamian myth of Enki and Ninhursag presents another intriguing parallel. In this tale, Enki, a "god of wisdom," creates a garden and a human-like creature called "Adamu" from the dust of the earth.
  • [Even in the Adam and Eve creation myth we have, the Adam (ha adam = "the man" or humankind in general) was created from adamah or the "earth, ground, dirt"].
The similarities to the biblical story of Adam's creation from the dust [dirt] are striking. It seems that the Hebrew authors borrowed elements from these older narratives to construct their own theological framework.
  • [Judaism, like Christianity, is a hodgepodge of older Middle Eastern and Near Eastern myths, most of them Sumerian.]
Considering these connections, it becomes increasingly apparent that the Adam and Eve story is not a historical account but a symbolic and cultural creation.

It serves as a mythological explanation for the origins of humanity and the presence of sin [literally, "missing the mark"] and suffering [dukkha] in the [human and subhuman] world.

While the historicity of Adam and Eve remains questionable, the story's enduring power lies in its capacity to explore complex philosophical and existential questions in an engaging and relatable manner.

So let us appreciate the Adam and Eve tale for what it is — a brilliant and borrowed fusion of ancient mythologies, conveying profound insights into the human condition [the story we tell ourselves in the West to make sense of the world the best we can].

Whether we take it as literal truth [as we are commanded to in some forms of Protestantism and Catholicism] or poetic metaphor, the story invites us to ponder the timeless themes of temptation, fallibility, and the quest for knowledge.

After all, it is in questioning and seeking understanding that we truly embark on the journey of enlightenment, much like the mythical figures of Adam and Eve themselves.

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