The Solar Tradition
The sun worshippers of ancient India also developed a scientific analysis of the solar system. The Suryasiddhanta is an ancient text on astronomy, dealing with the measurement of time, planetary motions, eclipses and equinoxes.

Ancient history in other traditions is full of numerous references to sun worship. The pyramids, sculptures and inscriptions, which still remain today, indicate that these ancient cultures had a very precise knowledge of the movements of the sun, moon and planets which formed a vital part of both social and religious affairs. Many of these structures are believed to have been temples, observatories, or both, as no differentiation was made in ancient times between religion and science as it is today. Therefore, we can understand how scientific observations of the sun could also be a part of ritual worship and ceremony.

The Egyptians who followed a complicated form of sun worship, used their knowledge to construct pyramids for interring and preserving of the bodies of the pharaohs, so that these sacred heads of state would be able to share the sun's eternal life. The pyramids themselves were symbols of the sun, and were aligned to receive maximum solar radiation.

The Aztec, Inca and Mayan civilizations all had elaborate temples dedicated to the solar gods. The Mayan calendar is said to be one of the most accurate ever produced, revealing detailed knowledge of the sun thousands of years ago.

Legends of Atlantis, which predate history, indicate that sun worship was practised in those times and that these people condensed solar energy by the use of huge crystals to power cities and transportation systems.

Stonehenge, in Britain, is believed to have been used as a solar observatory to predict the coming of the seasons solstices and equinoxes, and is also thought to have been a temple of some kind. It is sophisticated far beyond that expected of the primitive tribes previously associated with those times.

The North American Indians lived life by the rhythmic cycle of the sun and seasons. They worshipped the sun, and the basis of many of their beliefs, rituals, construction methods, and so on was a circle or mandala, which symbolized the sun's passage across the sky.

Yang and yin of ancient Chinese philosophy represent the dual relationship existent in nature, symbolized by the sun and moon, or pingala and ida of yogic philosophy.