An Ancient Hindu Ceremony and Hindu Art Located in North America (The Hindu Seven Step Wedding Ceremony Is Part of Native American Tradition)
Posted on Sunday, July 24th, 2011
Is it possible that within the group of the four other monks accompanying Hwui Shan to Fu Sang (North America) in 458 AD that one or more of them were Hindu or were Buddhists with a dual Hindu belief system? At the Ellora Caves in India during the 5th Century AD it was clearly illustrated that Buddhists, Hindus and Jains not only lived in close proximity to each other but also worked and possibly traveled together. Hindu art and at least one major Hindu ceremony have been found in ancient North America. Not far away is another possible Buddhist/Hindu mountain/stone carving.
For millennia the Hindus have celebrated their “samskara” ceremony. This is the wedding ceremony celebrated around the sacred fire. The highlight is “Saptapadi” also called the “Seven Steps”. Toward the end of the wedding ceremony the bride and groom circle the sacred flame clockwise in seven steps at each step making a wedding vow to each other. Several Native American tribes celebrate this identical ceremony as a part of their own rich heritage. How is this relatively complex cultural connection celebrated clockwise around the sacred fire possible between two separate people living so far apart from each other?
In addition to this cultural connection two geoglyphs with an apparent Hindu background near Edgar Colorado raise further questions about how they appear in North America. One of the geoglyphs appears to be the Hindu sacred flame and the other appears to be an image of Nataraja (Shiva-Lord of the Dance) surrounded by a circle of flames.
Approximately twenty-five miles away in Utah is Church Rock. Previously I have written that I thought Church Rock looked like three Hindu Shiva Lingam stacked on top of one another. Recently I have also located what I believe is a Shiva Lingam on the grounds of the Meteora Monasteries in Greece. (Google: “Yann Arthus Bertrand Meteora Monasteries”. It’s the large rock formation just to the right and below the monastery in the picture). It’s acknowledged that Buddhists were in ancient Greece BC. However, no one has claimed to my knowledge that Buddhists may have predated Christians in the Meteora Mountains and possibly in Spain at the Montserrat Mountains/monastery. I believe that deteriorated rock-carving there is evidence to support the theory. Buddhists have had a preference for hilltop temples and monasteries from the beginning of their religion. Evidence of this is all over Asia and places where Buddhists have been or are to this day.
Recently however I came across an image that has caused me to reevaluate my position on Church Rock. (Dhamek Stupa in India). The Dhamek Stupa location is where Buddha reportedly gave his first teaching after his enlightment. I am impressed at the physical similarities between the Dhamek Stupa and Church Rock, Utah. Although Church Rock is much larger they both have a similar design. Since the Dhamek Stupa has such an important place in Buddhist tradition it stands to reason that a replica of it might be something that ancient Buddhists would build in a mission location to commemorate the original location of Buddha’s first teaching. Is Church Rock a replica of the Dhamek Stupa?
One isolated custom or artifact might be able to be explained away but how does anyone explain away all this:
- Numerous Geoglyphs
- Huge Ancient Grids seen from above
- Ancient Weiqei/Go Board near Burnstick Lake, Alberta
- Numerous Black Water Lakes
- Altered Black Water Lakes
- The Asian Saddle, the Asian Lady Eye, the Asian Style Groomed Horse’s Tail and the Asian Crupper Belt on the Harris Horse in Wyoming.
- The Seven Step Hindu Wedding Ceremony Practiced by Native American Tribes.
- The Buddhist/Hindu Manji (Swastika) used by several Native American Tribes.
- The Sacred Flame and Nataraja Geoglyphs located near Edgar Colorado.
As Aldous Huxley wisely said: “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored”
Previous Related Postings on this website
- Hwui Shan—Lying Buddhist Priest? / February 23, 2011
- Church Rock Utah and other nearby sites ,/March 20, 2011
Related Internet Sites
- Trans-Cultural Diffusion
- History of Buddhism
- Buddhas of Bamiyan (Giant Stone Buddhas of Afghanistan)
- Coolest Monasteries Around the World
Interesting Pictures of Meteora, Greece and Canyon de Chelly, USA
- Meteora Monasteries, Greece
- Meteora Monasteries, Greece
- Meteora Monasteries, Greece
- Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, USA
The Beak of the 10th Sun/Raven — STILL GLOWS!
