Buddha's views on the origin of the universe
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In Buddha's teaching, "universe" (aka All) refers to the universe we perceive, the universe as it takes shape along with the sentient beings perceiving it, the totality of subjective experience. Universe is all we see, hear, and know to exist. In modern philosophy this is known as Umwelt, the living being's world.
Buddha describes the process by which our Universe arises in a sequence of steps called The Twelve Nidanas of Dependent Origination. This teaching is not sufficiently elaborated upon in the Pali Canon, but in Mahayana it has a living interpretative tradition passed along from teacher to next generation of students, which basically explains it as a gradual development of tendency for purposefull action along with the discriminating faculty of mind and capacity for deliniation of entities.
A modern near-equivalent of this perspective (minus the Buddhist ethics&soteriology) can be found in the works of American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce. It describes cosmological development of "tendencies" and "signs", starting from complete nondifferentiation and culminating in what we know as the universe.
So if you want to understand (Mahayana) Buddhist view on the Evolution of Universe, I suggest you to study Depenent Origination as described in Salistamba Sutra, together with Peirce's biosemiotic cosmology. It's not an easy topic but it's worth it.
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The Buddha said sentient life is composed of six elements of earth, wind, fire, water, space & consciousness (but does not comment how these six elements were created).
In dependence on the six elements the appearance of an embryo occurs.
AN 3.61
The Buddha said talk about the creation of the world is "animal talk" (tiracchΔnakathaαΉ):
If, while he is dwelling by means of this dwelling, his mind inclines to speaking, he resolves that 'I will not engage in talk that is base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unbeneficial, that does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calm, direct knowledge, self-awakening, or Unbinding β i.e., talk about kings, robbers, & ministers of state; armies, alarms, & battles; food & drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, & scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women & heroes; the gossip of the street & the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity, the creation of the world & of the sea; talk of whether things exist or not.' In this way he is alert there.
MN 122
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time a large number of monks, after the meal, on returning from their alms round, had gathered at the meeting hall and were engaged in many kinds of bestial (animal) topics of conversation: conversation about kings, robbers, & ministers of state; armies, alarms, & battles; food & drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, & scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women & heroes; the gossip of the street & the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity, the creation of the world & of the sea; talk of whether things exist or not.
AN 10.70
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And if no WHY??
The Buddha's explanation using that famous forest leaves simile from SN 56.31:
Once the Blessed One was staying at Kosambi in the simsapa1 forest. Then, picking up a few simsapa leaves with his hand, he asked the monks, "What do you think, monks: Which are more numerous, the few simsapa leaves in my hand or those overhead in the simsapa forest?"
"The leaves in the hand of the Blessed One are few in number, lord. Those overhead in the simsapa forest are more numerous."
"In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct knowledge but have not taught are far more numerous [than what I have taught]. And why haven't I taught them? Because they are not connected with the goal, do not relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and do not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That is why I have not taught them.
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