One to Many and Many to One

A Convergence of Science and Religious Faiths

By Mohiuddin Ahmed
(Originally published at Existentialperspectives.wordpress.com, 2014)

Contemporary cosmology tells a remarkable story: the vast and diverse Universe we observe today—with its stars, galaxies, living and non-living beings—originated from a single, primordial point: the cosmic singularity. According to the Big Bang theory, this singularity—a point with no spatial dimension but infinite energy density—exploded approximately 13.8 billion years ago, initiating the rapid expansion that continues to shape the Universe (Hawking & Penrose, 1970; NASA, 2022).

Interestingly, what we call the “visible Universe”—comprising all that we can detect with our telescopes and instruments—constitutes only about 4% of the total cosmic content. The rest consists of dark matter (27%) and dark energy (approximately 69%), the latter of which is believed to be responsible for the Universe’s accelerating expansion (Planck Collaboration, 2018). While dark matter provides the gravitational scaffolding that holds galaxies together, dark energy acts as a repulsive force, stretching space itself.

In this view, all things evolved from One Whole—from that singular point—and the process of differentiation from One to Many continues. This is not just a physical or astronomical truth but also a symbolic one. Mathematics, at its core, attempts to capture this cosmic structure: using finite formulas and infinite variables, it reflects a way of dividing and interpreting the Whole into intelligible parts. In this sense, mathematics mirrors the unfolding of complexity from unity.

Moreover, many physicists speculate that this outward expansion of the Universe might one day reverse itself. The concept known as the Big Crunch theorizes that, after a period of maximum expansion, gravity may eventually overcome dark energy, causing all matter and energy to collapse back into a single point—a return to singularity (Steinhardt & Turok, 2002). This suggests a cyclical Universe: One becomes Many, and eventually, Many return to One—a rhythm that could repeat indefinitely.

Religious traditions, though diverse in practice and language, often reflect a parallel metaphysical vision. Across cultures, the notion of a Supreme One—God, Brahman, Allah, the Dao—speaks to the idea of an ultimate Source from which all things originate. In monotheistic faiths, God is the singular Creator from whom the diversity of creation flows. In Eastern traditions, particularly in Hinduism and Buddhism, the cycle of creation, dissolution, and re-creation is embedded in cosmological myths and philosophical doctrines.

Furthermore, human concepts of life after death often reflect a longing to return to that original Oneness—whether through union with God, merging into cosmic consciousness, or attaining nirvana. In Islam, the soul returns to its Creator: “Verily, to God we belong and to Him we shall return.”  In Hinduism, the atman (soul) seeks liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and rebirth, returning to Brahman. Christian eschatology holds the hope of resurrection and eternal life with God. Buddhism teaches that the ego-self dissolves into nirvana, a state beyond suffering and duality.

Despite differences in symbolic expression, the underlying pattern is the same: from One to Many, and from Many to One. There is a universal human yearning to reunite with the source—to find coherence in the face of multiplicity, to recognize a sacred unity behind the ever-changing forms of life.

This article is part of an ongoing series of reflections by Mohiuddin Ahmed, posted under the blog title Existentialperspectives.wordpress.com, established in 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the blog’s author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mohiuddin Ahmed and Existentialperspectives.wordpress.com with appropriate citation and reference to the original content.

References

  • Hawking, S., & Penrose, R. (1970). The Singularities of Gravitational Collapse and Cosmology. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London.

  • NASA. (2022). What is the Big Bang? https://science.nasa.gov/

  • Planck Collaboration. (2018). Planck 2018 results. VI. Cosmological parameters. Astronomy & Astrophysics.

  • Steinhardt, P. J., & Turok, N. (2002). A Cyclic Model of the Universe. Science, 296(5572), 1436–1439.

 

Please  note: 

The original reflections and ideas presented in this post remain my own, developed over years of interdisciplinary exploration in science, philosophy, and faith. Assistance from AI—specifically, ChatGPT by OpenAI—was utilized for background research, clarification of scientific concepts, and editorial refinement to enhance clarity and coherence. All interpretations and philosophical connections expressed here reflect my personal synthesis and worldview.

 

Leave a comment