Utu Niyāma – The Law of Physical Nature – Higher Mind Art

The Buddha declared, that an absolute beginning of things can not be found. Yet in regard to the phenomenal world, whether on a grand scale or in the very tiny things, all things are understood to possess these two sides of a spectrum, one being the beginning and the other being the end. Between these two points (or poles) there will be a space, large or small, and whatever thing (or phenomena) it is, whose beginning is considered, it will undergo change until it reaches its end(ing).

The immaterial, dynamic aspect that causes change to occur in regard to a universe and in regard to the coarsest inanimate forms of matter, in Buddhism is called Utu Niyāma, the law of generation or the law of physical nature. It is the law, that governs the arising, evolution and dissolution of the physical universe.

Energy, mass, movement and cohesion,…these are the first primary qualities of matter.

As these primary qualities become balanced and begin to work in the direction of synthesis (sampayutta) rather than being repelled by each other (vippayutta), they allow for the crystallisation of concrete matter. Thus tiny particles of matter evolve. These, occasionally gather together. At first, more or less only accidentally, once in a while and only for a short time, whereafter they disperse again, often to recombine again with other particles of matter. Thus nebulas, that is, clouds of material particles begin to appear.

But slowly, as this process of combining, dispersing and recombining of particles happens more often, more numerous, and faster; particles remain more frequently in particle-compounds (Anantara – Condition of Combination), which consequently also become more and more dense. These more dense particle-compounds then slowly will form a more liquid kind of matter, wherein the process of dispersion of these particles happens at a much slower rate, while dispersing particles will quickly find sympathetic particles to recombine with. And this process continues until denser and denser forms of matter are achieved.

Gradually, there evolves a central focus of conglomerated matter. And thus a sun gets born. This, apart from steadily growing in mass, also grows more and more in attractive force; and whatever is gained in mass through that conglomeration, is also gained in matters of force of attraction.

This central sun then delimits by virtue of its own force, a sphere of influence apart from the vast infinity of space. And, as out of the nebulous background matter, still other mass centres develop, some of these also begin to gather around the body of that central sun.

Benefitting from existing in that sphere of influence, they begin to orbit, at an orderly distance, around this focal point of their new habitat.

Living in the secure space of the sun’s sphere of influence; being radiated at the beneficent energy-giving rays of that central orb of light, these smaller planetary bodies begin to undergo their own processes of transformation. Thus they gradually develop into conditions of increasing inner refinement. And accordingly, these planets then begin to develop their own sphere of influence, while slowly surrounding themselves with the shield of an atmosphere.

Gradually, the myriad varieties of matter that will form the surface and structure of the planets, establish themselves.

Gems and crystals, mountains and valleys, surrounded by oceans and filled with rivers, are blown at by winds, weak or strong, and on occasions get disrupted by ﬁres from below.

Slowly matter becomes more and more reﬁned. And more specialised forms of matter begin to evolve.

And when under the rule of this Law of Utu material evolves, that is more light, malleable and better structured, then it starts giving way to the next Law which is higher in order.