111 Walking along a road with Ho-yun, Sahng-jeh-nim asked, “Should I walk in the center of the road or along the side? Should I take a small path?”She asked, “What are you talking about?” Sahng-jeh-nim replied, “Those who have transgressed find it difficult to walk down a road in the open. They walk along the side of the road without pride, shifting their eyes left and right. If you look into a person’s eyes, you can tell whether or not that person has a just mind.”
112 德懋耳鳴 過懲鼻息
Your virtuous deeds should be like a ringing in your ears. Correcting your wrongdoings should be like breathing. Sahng-jeh-nim
113 There is no one among humankind who has not erred. A grave transgression is not forgiven by heaven and earth, and before long, the person is punished. Small and trivial transgressions are carried down to later generations and affect the descendants. Tae-mo-nim
114 A person who makes a grave transgression is punished by heaven. one who makes a lesser transgression is punished by spirits or humans. Sahng-jeh-nim
115 There is no greater transgression than cutting off a heavenly relationship. Having an affair with a married person is like destroy-ing the origin of heaven and earth. It is such a grievous wrong I do not interfere.
Sahng-jeh-nim
116 Sahng-jeh-nim was staying in Copper Valley64 when one day the disciples reported to him, “There is a gigantic serpent in the front yard. We do not know where it came from. This serpent, extraordinary in width and length, appears to be begging for something.” Sahng-jeh-nim went out, looked at the serpent for a while, and said, “How quickly you have been reincarnated.” The disciples pleaded, “We do not know what wrongs the serpent has done, but since it is begging so sincerely, please relieve it of its past sins and save it.” Sahng-jeh-nim listened and said, “Your request has touched me. What a distressful affair this is. The serpent itself has erred, yet it is I who must save it. To damage a heavenly relationship is the gravest crime of all.” As soon as Sahng-jeh-nim said this, the giant serpent went away appearing energized and joyful. A disciple asked, “If people commit grave misdeeds, do they die and become serpents?” Sahng-jeh-nim answered, “There is a punishment like this in heaven.”
117 Do not envy others’ wealth, and never intend to harm anyone.
Misdeeds committed knowingly are all the more grievous. Do not be arrogant because you follow some faith or other. It is important to keep your mind clear, never letting arrogance cloud it. Sahng-jeh-nim
WORDS OF GUIDANCE
118 Sahng-jeh-nim said to Hyung-yul, “Remember this well,” and recited the following old poem:處世柔爲貴 剛强是禍基 發言常欲訥 臨事當如癡Regard what is soft as precious. What is strong and rigid is the source of trouble. Always speak clearly and slowly. In all matters, play the fool. 急地常思緩 安時不忘危 一生從此計 眞個好男兒Do not lose your imposure in times of crisis. Think calmly. During times of ease do not forget the perils of the past. If you live by this, you may truly be called a great one.65
119 Sahng-jeh-nim composed the following verses on an eight-panel folding screen and gave it to one of his relatives.66 戒爾學立身 莫若先孝悌
怡怡奉親長 不敢生驕 I warn you against studying to rise in the world for it falls far behind being close to your parents and your siblings. If you wait upon your parents and elders with willingness and a joyful heart, an arrogant mind will not arise.
戒爾學干祿 莫若勤道藝 嘗聞諸格言 學而優則後 I warn you against studying to be a government official for it falls far behind cultivating yourself with tao. According to the sages, sufficient learning must come before doing. 戒爾遠恥辱 恭則近乎禮 自卑而尊人 先彼而後I warn you against distancing yourself from perceived disgrace and becoming arrogant. Act decently and you will be close to propriety. Be humble and respect others, putting them before yourself. 擧世好承奉 昻昻增意氣 不知承奉者 以爾爲玩戱 Enjoy honoring others while strengthening your own will and determination. Beware. There are those not truly knowing my tao who will try to use you to deceive people.
120 動於禮者 靜於禮 曰道理 靜於無禮 則曰無道理
One who acts according to propriety knows when to stop according to propriety. This is called tao’s principle. Seeing rude conduct and not acting is without tao’s principle. Sahng-jeh-nim
BEING JUST
121 There is nothing heaven cannot do, but heaven does nothing to the just. If a person speaks and behaves justly, even heaven and earth are moved. There is no treasure in heaven and earth I do not possess, but I prize justice above all else. I love steadfastness that is unyielding like autumn frost and fidelity that is as strong as the sun is hot. Sahng-jeh-nim
122 大仁大義無病 With great humaneness and great justice there is no illness. Sahng-jeh-nim
LIVING AMONG OTHERS
123 You need to live among others to grow in wisdom. People are not the same. There are a thousand, ten thousand, even ninety thousand layers of mind. Each person is different. You must have wisdom and be quick in perception. In your dealings with others, you must be able to understand their deepest thoughts. Sahng-jeh-nim
WHEN FACED WITH ADVERSITY
124 Sahng-jeh-nim said, “When a person with whom you are in a dispute is correct and you are wrong, the trouble will disappear if you acknowledge your mistake. People who do not know me vilify me. If I were to vilify them in return, I would be the bigger fool.”
Upon hearing one person slander another, Sahng-jeh-nim said, “People have different roles. Why speak of whether a person is right or wrong? When others nitpick and are contentious, those who calm themselves are on a higher plane and will be blessed. Those who cannot help giving in to their anger and join in the fight are the inferior ones. As the spirits will not help them, how can they expect to succeed?”
125 Raging winds die away. Bear hostility well. Movement and stillness have their proper time. Hostility eventually disappears, leaving no trace behind. Sahng-jeh-nim
126 If Tae-mo-nim’s followers complained of having been wronged or humiliated, she would caution them, “Reflect on your own shortcomings first, and do not harbor feelings of enmity. Leave the rest to the spirits.”
127 Do not harbor resentment even if you are struck during a dispute. Instead, gently stroke the hand of the assailant and console that person. Work hard at forgiving others. It carries unlimited virtue. Forgive your enemies and love them as if they were your benefactors. This will be your virtue, and you will receive great blessings. Paying back evil with evil is like washing off blood with blood.
Sahng-jeh-nim
128 Sahng-jeh-nim would teach his disciples to be tolerant, saying, “If others provoke your indignation, do not antagonize them. Instead, reflect upon your own faults and resolve the problem.” one day, while Sahng-jeh-nim was staying with Cha Gyung-suk, Gyung-suk’s older cousin stumbled in drunk and cursed at Gyung-suk endlessly.
Trying to practice Sahng-jeh-nim’s teaching, he remained silent instead of berating his cousin. All the more encouraged, his cousin continued to curse him for a long time. Finally, the drunkard got tired and went home. Sahng-jeh-nim said, “Too much of your energy has been drained. It is hard to deal with things through virtue alone. The qualities of a sage and a hero should be combined.”
129 One day Shin Gyung-su67 came and reported that someone had stolen the pig he had been raising. Sahng-jeh-nim said, “Do not look for the missing pig. In your previous life you inflicted loss on the man who stole it. Since you have now been repaid for your deed, do not feel too sorry or resentful about your loss.”
130 Always insist on peace. If there is fighting among yourselves, discord will erupt in the world. Grains of sand cannot be joined together without mud. Mind what you say. If three of you come to-gether and mark someone as dead, the person really will die. Many people have searched extensively for the auspicious place, but it is not far away. The star of good fortune shines on those who cultivate themselves and treat others well. This is the way to avoid calamity. Sahng-jeh-nim
TAO OF THE EAST, TAO OF THE WEST
131 毁東道者 無東去之路 毁潟者 無西去之路
Those who slander the tao of the East Will find their paths blocked to the East.Those who slander the tao of the West Will find their paths blocked to the West. Sahng-jeh-nim
CHILDREN
132 The rascals who relieve themselves in one side of the room and eat their meals in the other will have their day and live well. It is not right to look down on children. You should not maltreat someone just because you are wealthy and they own nothing. Not knowing what they will become in the future, how can you speak harshly to babies? Sahng-jeh-nim
133 Rather than striving to leave land and possessions to your children, try to open their eyes to the ways of the world. one must be bright in hearing and acute in seeing. Sahng-jeh-nim
SPEAK WELL OF OTHERS
134 Kao-tsu (Gao Zu)68 of the Han dynasty gained the world through the virtue of Hsiao Ho (Xiao He).69 Even if you have nothing else to offer, have the virtue of speaking well of others. If you speak well of others, it becomes their virtue and allows them to prosper. The extra virtue spills over and becomes a greater blessing that comes back to you. If you speak badly of others, it can injure them and bring them to ruin. The overflowing harm becomes a greater misfortune that comes back to you. only when a snake is recognized as a dragon, does it become a dragon. Speak well of others; it becomes your virtue.
Sahng-jeh-nim
MUTUAL LIFE-GIVING (相生, sahng-saeng), WORKING
FOR EACH OTHER’S BETTERMENT AND WELL-BEING
135 Our work is the practice of helping others do well. After others prosper, we need only to take what remains and our work will be accomplished. Sahng-jeh-nim
136 My tao is the great tao of mutual life-giving. In the Early Heaven, people have lived in the environment of mutual conflict. They have sought wealth and fame in the contest of authority and force. This is the legacy of mutual conflict. I will open the Later Heaven with the fortune of mutual life-giving and build a world where goodness is the way of life. All nations will practice mutual life-giving with each other. Superiors and subordinates will be in harmony. Everyone will find satisfaction in what life provides them and will be faithful to their duties. All virtue will return to its origin. It will truly be a world of great humaneness and great justice.
Sahng-jeh-nim
137 Now that the whole world is being united into one home, all people become one family in which virtue abounds. I regard saving life as the most precious virtue. Sahng-jeh-nim
138 Gyung-suk was on his way to Jun-ju with legal documents to file a suit against a revenue official. Finding Sahng-jeh-nim extraordinary in so many respects, Gyung-suk showed him the documents to test him, saying, “They say a gathering of three people can solve any problem in the town. Can you determine how this legal action will turn out?”
Sahng-jeh-nim read the documents aloud and said, “This suit will go in your favor. Owing to this suit, however, the eleven-member family of the accused will lose their livelihood. This is something one of greatness would not have the heart to bring about. one should be full of the ch’i of saving life rather than the ch’i of destroying life.”
SPEAK THE TRUTH
139 If you base a story upon a lie, there will be no escape when you are found out. When a matchbox is empty, though it is only a matchbox, it should be broken and thrown away.
Sahng-jeh-nim
MAKING AN OATH
140 誓者 元天地之約 有其誓 背天地之約 則雖元物 其物難成
To swear an oath is to make a promise to boundless and eternal heaven and earth. If you break such a promise, you will have difficulty in accomplishing anything, no matter how great and virtuous your work is.
Those who are counted among the faithful, but are later counted out for acts of betrayal cannot survive. Just as a ghost perishes if its essence gate (精門) is blocked, a human ceases to be a human if a promise is broken. There is a saying, “Three buckets of beads will not become a treasure unless they are strung together.” Sahng-jeh-nim
HEAVEN
141 One day Hyung-yul asked Sahng-jeh-nim, “A cloudy day turns beautiful and bright when the sky clears and the sun shines again. Why is it that people in darkness remain in darkness?”
He replied, “Look at heaven and earth. Though heaven seems to be as one, it consists of thousands of masses. Still heaven is all the heavens, and it has no end.”
142 One day Gim Sohng-hwahn asked, “Is there another heaven above heaven?” Sahng-jeh-nim replied, “There is.” Sohng-hwahn then asked, “Is there another heaven above that heaven?” He again answered, “Yes, there is.” Sahng-jeh-nim gave the same answer nine times and then said, “Do not try to know any more.”
143 Sahng-jeh-nim said, “Death is not far away, just outside the door lies the hereafter.” on another occasion he said, “Life comes from death, death comes from life.”
144 After making an offering one day, Sahng-jeh-nim drew a dragon, a horse, and other things and burned them while praying for the blessing of heaven and earth. Watching this, Ho-yun said, “Wow, if you do that, heaven will say it is hot.”He replied, “Heaven is as wide as thousands and thousands of li and has many nations. Life there is just like life on earth.”
145 Looking at the sky, Sahng-jeh-nim said, “People think the sky they see is all there is. But that is only the middle heaven. I am the true heaven.” He continued, “There are people (神明)70 living inside the earth.”
MYUNG-BU (冥府)
146 “You should know of myung-bu.71 Women say a person’s life or death depends upon the shrine of ten kings.72 Respect myung-bu. Its court gives the order to take someone away, but its messengers have some authority in making the final decision. They sometimes return without taking the person if respect for myung-bu has been shown and they feel compassion upon hearing of the dying person’s circumstances. When the messengers return and report what they have decided, the court does not change it. Sahng-jeh-nim
147 Death has its time. Following my orders, myung-bu sends messengers to bring someone before its court. According to their past deeds, some people are dragged in and struck on the neck with a club while others are escorted in on sedan chairs. Sahng-jeh-nim
THE MIND
148 天地之中央 心也
故 東西南北 身 依於心
The center of heaven and earth is the mind. The north, south, east, and west of the universe, and the human body, depend upon the mind. Sahng-jeh-nim
149 If heaven does not provide enough rain and dew, grievances inevitably rise in all directions. In growing everything, if earth does not employ water and soil plentifully, all things inevitably express grievances. If humans conduct their affairs in a less than virtuous manner, grievances inevitably arise from their affairs. The provision of rain and dew by heaven, the employment of water and soil by earth, and the use of virtue by humans all come from the mind.
The mind is the hinge, the gate, and the pathway of the spirits. The mind is the hinge that opens and closes the gate of the spiritual world, the gate through which spirits enter and leave, and the pathway on which spirits come and go. Sometimes it is good and sometimes it is wicked. If you learn from goodness and correct your wrongs; the hinge, the gate, and the pathway of the mind are greater than heaven and earth. Sahng-jeh-nim
150 In all matters, only when you set your mind right and act accordingly can you accomplish great things. If you possess a crooked mind, a wicked spirit will spoil the work. If you approach your work without faith, a jesting spirit will turn it into a joke. If you have a covetous mind, a thieving spirit will corrupt the work. Sahng-jeh-nim
151 The mind is the pathway of the spirits. If you think sage,73 the spirit of a sage will respond. If you think hero, the spirit of a hero will respond. If you think stalwart, a spirit with great strength will respond. If you think thief, the spirit of a thief will respond. Success, failure, good fortune, and misfortune are all decided according to your sincerity and will. Sahng-jeh-nim
SPIRITS
152 Whether they are great or small, if all things are governed through the way of spirits, miraculous accomplishments beyond comprehension will be achieved. This is the way of change through non-action. I bring harmony within the way of spirits so that all affairs are carried out according to the justice of tao. In this way, the boundless destiny is established, and when the proper time comes, a new framework will be founded.
Previously, because the scale of world affairs was small and simple, even if only one method was used, any crisis could easily be resolved. Because the scale of world affairs is now large and complex, unless all methods are used together, the trouble of our times will not be easily rectified. Sahng-jeh-nim
153 Opening the new heaven and new earth cannot be done without the spirits. The participation of spirits is essential in all affairs. Sahng-jeh-nim
154 Heaven and earth are filled with spirits. A leaf dries or an earthen wall collapses when a spirit leaves. A thorn goes under a fingernail when a spirit enters. Sahng-jeh-nim
155 A spirit exists in everyone. You have one and so do others. If you did not, you would be dead. Sahng-jeh-nim
156 Everyone has a heavenly soul (魂, hohn) and an earthly soul (魄, nuk). After death, the heavenly soul goes up to heaven and becomes a spiritual being (神, shin). After receiving ancestral memorial rites from four generations of descendants, it becomes either a brilliant being (靈, yung) or an immortal being (仙, sun). The earthly soul returns to the earth, and four generations later it becomes a ghostlike being (鬼, gwee).
Sahng-jeh-nim
157 One day Ho-yun asked Sahng-jeh-nim, “Do spirits really exist?”
Sahng-jeh-nim replied, “Of course. A human’s birth and death result from the actions of spirits.”
158 One day Sahng-jeh-nim said to his disciples, “Since you wish to see spirits, tomorrow I will summon many spirits and let you see them.” The disciples were ecstatic. The next day he led them up a hill in Wun-pyung County that overlooked a field. Gathered below, there was a large group of miners they had never seen before. Sahng-jeh-nim pointed to them and said, “They are spirits. When you call for spirits, people come.”
159 When humans eat, spirits also eat.
Sahng-jeh-nim
160 One day, when someone spoke disrespectfully of the way of spirits, Sahng-jeh-nim shouted, “Decapitate and disembowel this rascal. Rip out his tongue and gouge out his eyes.” Sahng-jeh-nim’s voice was not like his usual voice. It sounded like thunder. The one who had spoken disrespectfully was terrified. He bowed to the ground and asked for forgiveness. Sahng-jeh-nim gently warned him, “Because the spirits have heard my words of punishment, they will forgive you. Never do this again.” Sahng-jeh-nim’s gentle voice of caution was as peaceful as a spring breeze. All those who listened to him were renewed in their perception of all things. one of the disciples asked, “Why did you scold him so harshly?”Sahng-jeh-nim replied, “In this age of spirits, he would have been destined to die because he had angered all spirits. I saved his life by assuaging their anger. Facing the destiny of gae-byuk, in which the way of spirits blossoms, how can you expect to live when you insult them?”
161 Tae-mo-nim said to the disciples, “When writing, your father74 called on a spirit of composition, and when needing something courageous done, he called on the spirit of a hero. If you are earnest in your practice, the appropriate spirits will respond to you.”
GUARDIAN SPIRITS
162 For every person, depending on the extent of attainment and capacity, there are guardian spirits who guide that person’s work. If you are envious of the talents and accomplishments of another and become lazy about your own task, your guardian spirits will transfer to the person you envy. If you think you are not equal to your task and give up, your guardian spirits will desert you. Sahng-jeh-nim
163 No matter where I go, there are always commander spirits accompanying me. If there were not spirits on your shoulders, you would not have the energy to speak. Just as eyes cannot see without pupils, you cannot move without spirits. If the spirits do not teach you, words cannot be spoken. Everything you do depends upon the spirits’ guidance. Sahng-jeh-nim
ANCESTRAL SPIRITS
164 All the generations of your ancestors exist in heaven. After death a person continues to study as a spirit. Sahng-jeh-nim
165 For heaven to beget a human being, it takes infinite dedication.
Ancestral spirits devote more than sixty years to begetting a single worthy descendant, and there are many spirits who are unable to produce any. Being the result of such an arduous process, how can you spend your life, which is like a fleeting dream, in vain? Value highly the unseen devotion of your ancestors’ spirits. Sahng-jeh-nim
166 When people fight among themselves, they provoke strife among ancestral spirits in heaven. only when fighting in heaven has come to an end, will strife among humanity be resolved. Sahng-jeh-nim
167 One day, while in Copper Valley, Sahng-jeh-nim said to Nae-sung, “Do you long to see your deceased father?”He replied, “It has been my lifelong wish.”Sahng-jeh-nim said, “Then open the door and look. Do not touch or talk. Just look.” Overjoyed, Nae-sung opened the door and saw his father standing outside. Without speaking, the father and son stood looking at each other through the doorway for a long time. Sahng-jeh-nim said, “Are you satisfied?” and had him close the door. A while later, Nae-sung opened the door again and looked outside, but his father was nowhere in sight. Sahng-jeh-nim had fulfilled Nae-sung’s lifelong wish by summoning the spirit of his father. This happened on March 10. Sahng-jeh-nim designated that date to be the memorial day for Nae-sung’s father.
OFFERING GRATITUDE AND REPAYING
(報恩, bo-eun)
168 In our practice, one cannot borrow another’s efforts without reason, even if it is only for a glass of water. Even between father and son, or between brothers, do not ask for favors without good reason.
No matter whom you meet, welcome them sincerely and treat them well. Though they may not appreciate your hospitality, the spirits know of it, and wherever you go, you will be treated well. If you are given a meal, do not forget it. If you eat only half a meal, do not forget it. There is a saying, “Pay back the debt of a single meal.” But I say pay back the debt of half a meal. Sahng-jeh-nim
169 In the Early Heaven, being dependent on others has led people to ruin. You should not even lean on the walls of your own room.
Do not wish for the benevolence of others. If you receive many superfluous favors, you will be indebted and kept from acting freely.
The beast called failure is one-legged. Two of them must lean on each other to walk. When you depend on someone, you are bound for failure.
Sahng-jeh-nim
170 It is difficult to serve heaven and earth if you do not respect your parents. Heaven and earth are the parents of humanity, and parents are the heaven and earth of children. If descendants treat their ancestors badly, ancestors will treat the descendants in the same way. We are now approaching the fortune of autumn in which the seeds of humanity are selected. For those who mistreat their ancestors’ spirits, it will be difficult to survive. Sahng-jeh-nim
171 Since people receive their bodies from their ancestors and are therefore indebted to them, offering ancestral memorial rites is in accord with the virtue of heaven and earth. The current method has been formed incorrectly by the old heaven. The right way will emerge. Sahng-jeh-nim
172 Now is the age of returning to the origin, the time when lineage is clarified. Those who betray their parents and ancestors or deny their roots will die.Sahng-jeh-nim
173 In the world of the Early Heaven, because the doh-su75 was wrong, there were students who harmed their teachers. From now on, anyone who commits such an act of injustice will be punished for their betrayal.
Sahng-jeh-nim
174 Enlightenment is the ultimate way of repaying heaven and earth.
Sahng-jeh-nim
ONE MIND (一心, il-shim)
175 People do not succeed in their work because they do not have one mind. With one mind, there is nothing that cannot be accom-plished. Lament your own lack of one mind in every matter. Never think that you will not succeed. Even if only one of you has one mind, my work will be accomplished. The key to conquering lurking demons lies nowhere except in having one mind. If you have one mind, they will be defeated naturally. Sahng-jeh-nim
176 Sahng-jeh-nim said, “All things in heaven and earth start from one mind and finish with one mind. Without one mind, there is no universe. Conduct all matters with one mind. When you have one mind, nothing is impossible. only those with one mind will gain new life. Those with one mind will be found whether they are under water or in the middle of fire. Even if I am in the most distant land, I will find everyone who maintains one mind.” Whenever a disciple complained of not having the capacity to carry out a particular order, Sahng-jeh-nim would immediately scold him saying, “No matter what the task is, anything can be done if you resolve to do it. If you say out of fear that you cannot do it, the ch’i of failure will take over.”
Whenever someone said, “It is impossible,” while Sahng-jeh-nim was performing a task, Sahng-jeh-nim would scold that person for speaking rashly.
177 One night in Head Ancestor Valley,76 Tae-mo-nim and five or six followers sat facing southeast. From that direction, a great star as bright as the moon appeared. Tae-mo-nim, who was smoking her pipe, blew smoke toward it. As she did this, dark clouds covered the star. When she blew again, the clouds withdrew unveiling the star. She repeated this process three times and then said, “When the time comes, you will be able to control the wind, clouds, rain, morning mist, frost, and snow in any way you wish. Practice with deter-mination and one mind. Anyone can do it.”
THE PILLAR OF TAO MIND
178 One day Sahng-jeh-nim gathered several disciples in a circle and asked, “What kind of pillar would be most solid?”The disciples answered in succession, “One made of pine,” “One made of oak,” “One made of jujube,” “One made of stone,” and “One made of iron.” Sahng-jeh-nim responded, “That’s a good material,” “Oak should be very sturdy,” and “That’s a good idea.”
Suddenly, one disciple asked, “How about a pillar of tao mind (道心柱)?”
“How did you come to think of the pillar of tao mind?” Sahng-jeh-nim asked. “That’s it. That’s it. That is it indeed. once the pillar of tao mind is in place, it can be chipped by neither a scraper nor an ax. It cannot be burned, nor struck by lightning. Please hold the pillar of tao mind firmly within you. In building the great house of heaven and earth, you stand pillars straight and true. Thus the potential of the renewal of heaven and earth is limitless.”
179 Maintaining a steadfast heart is more difficult than dying. Your heart is apt to change in twelve different directions. Have one mind like evergreen pines and erect bamboo.口重崑崙山 心深黃河水.Keep your lips as heavy as the K’un-lun Mountains. Keep your mind as deep as the Yellow River.77 Sahng-jeh-nim
FAITH
180 春無仁 秋無義78
If there are no seeds sown in the spring, There will be no harvest in the autumn. Having faith in the earth, the farmer sorts out seeds. This is the way of faith. Sahng-jeh-nim
181 Develop faith as you would draw a bow. If a bow is pulled too fast, it will break in half. It must be done in a steady manner. Sahng-jeh-nim
182 In building a new world, I do not use the ways of old religions and past sages. Abandon decrepit ways, and establish a new life. If even a single old habit remains, you will be ruined. Sahng-jeh-nim
183 You come to have faith in me as a result of the hidden virtue of your ancestors. If those whose ancestors have such virtue go astray from my shadow, their ancestors’ spirits will slap their backs and say, “You will die if you step outside of here.” For those whose ancestors are without such virtue, even if they walked into my shadow by chance, spirits would push them out by their brows and say, “This is no place for you.”
Sahng-jeh-nim
184 Long ago, a man who wanted to learn how to attain immortality wandered around in search of a teacher. When finally he found one, the teacher said, “Prove your devotion for ten years.” So the man lived as a farmhand and devoted himself to working the teacher’s land. When the ten years had passed, the teacher praised his sincerity and said, “I will now show you how to attain immortality.”
The teacher took him to a pond nearby and told him, “Climb up that willow tree and onto the branch extending over the water. When you jump into the water, you will attain immortality.” With firm belief in the teacher, he climbed up the tree and jumped off the branch. Just as he was about to hit the water, colorful clouds gathered accompanied by celestial music. A brilliant chariot appeared and took him up to heaven. Was this owing to the special power of the teacher? Or was it due to the sincerity and devotion of the student? Contemplate this story well.
Sahng-jeh-nim
185 When you are sick, your pulse is checked before anything else. If the pulse stops, you die. Your mother brought you into this world, but you live only when there is one to convey the pulse of truth.
Sahng-jeh-nim
186 Sahng-jeh-nim had several disciples kneel in a line and said, “I have decided upon a destiny for each of you. Receive it and live it well. If there are those who cannot receive their destinies, it is because they do not have sincere minds.” He asked, “Do you believe in me?”
All replied loudly, “Yes, we do.”
Sahng-jeh-nim then asked, “Would you believe even if faced with death?”
All swore in reply, “Yes, we would believe even if faced with death.”
Sahng-jeh-nim said, “Even if there is only one person, my work will be accomplished.”
187 One day Sahng-jeh-nim asked Tae-mo-nim, “Are you certain your mind won’t change, even if I die?”
Tae-mo-nim replied, “How could it change?”
Sahng-jeh-nim then recited a verse:
無語別時情若月 有期來處信通潮
Love at the time of a wordless farewell
Is piteous like misty moonlight.
The heart which believes in the promise of return
Is loyal as the tides.
188 Go Chahn-hohng said farewell to Tae-mo-nim before setting out to visit his home. Just as he was about to step out into the yard, Tae-mo-nim asked, “Who do you believe in?”
“I believe in myself,” he replied.
“Is that true?”
“Yes, it’s true.”
“Is that true?” she repeated.
Again he answered, “It is true.”
Tae-mo-nim then asked, “And after yourself?”
He replied, “Next, I believe in Jeung-sahn Sahng-jeh-nim.”
“Make sure that is so,” Tae-mo-nim said, “If you don’t believe in yourself, you cannot believe in Sahng-jeh-nim.”
HUMAN NOBILITY
189 The nobility of the human is greater than that of heaven and earth. Now is the time of human nobility.79
Sahng-jeh-nim
190 形於天地 生人
萬物之中 唯人 最貴也
Humans are formed in the shape of heaven and earth.
Therefore, the human being is noblest of all beings.
Sahng-jeh-nim
191 For humans heaven and earth opened.
For humans sun and moon rotate and give light.
For humans yin and yang rise and fall.
For humans the four seasons adapt.
For humans all living things come forth.
Sages are born to guide and teach people.
Without humans there can be no fruition
in heaven and earth.
That is why heaven and earth yield humans
and all things in balance.
Tae-mo-nim
192 天地無日月空殼 日月無知人虛影
Heaven and earth would constitute an empty shell
If there were no sun and moon.
Sun and moon would cast empty shadows
If there were no people.80
Sahng-jeh-nim
THE INTENTIONS OF HEAVEN
ARE CARRIED OUT BY HUMANS
193 There is a heavenly mandate for each thing and each affair. on the basis of the mandate, spirits design them. They finally become reality through humans who are inspired by spirits.
Sahng-jeh-nim
194 In the time of the Early Heaven, it has been said, “Man proposes, God disposes.” From now on, God proposes and humanity disposes.
Sahng-jeh-nim
195 Even within a family, each has one’s own destiny. If you fail to receive the destiny intended for you, it will return to where it came from or be taken over by someone else.
Sahng-jeh-nim
IL-GGOON
196 事之當旺 在於天地 必不在於人
然 無人 無天地故 天地生人 用人
以人生 不參於天地用人之時 何可曰人生乎
The success of a work has its origin in heaven and earth and is not solely dependent on humans. But in the absence of humans, heaven and earth would not exist. Heaven and earth give birth to humans and make use of them. You have come to the world as a human being. At this time when heaven and earth work through human beings, how can you expect to be called a human if you do not participate in the work?
Sahng-jeh-nim
197 My work is like that of a wandering vagabond who lived long ago without purpose or care for anything. one day he thought to himself, “I have not accomplished anything in my life. Now I am old. How could I not lament? I will reform myself and seek an immortal who will teach me the ways of immortality.”
As he sat quietly in thought, his body and soul ascended to heaven, where he met an immortal being. The immortal said, “I commend you. You have expressed regret for your unruly life and wish to learn the ways of immortality. I will be your teacher. Gather many friends, build a doh-jahng,81 and wait for me there.” After giving thanks, the man awoke from his trance feeling renewed.
He acquired a small piece of land and from that day on began looking for fellow seekers. Many were suspicious of his past lifestyle, and very few listened at all. In spite of this, a small group who had been close to him gathered and opened a doh-jahng. Suddenly, brilliantly colored clouds appeared, and celestial music was heard. The immortal being descended and taught them the ways of immortality.
Sahng-jeh-nim
198 Sahng-jeh-nim recited a passage from the book Shu-chuan (Shu Zhuan, 書傳)82 to Hyung-yul and said, “Remember it well.” The passage went as follows:
如有一介臣 斷斷d 無他技
其心 休休焉 其如有容
Those who have no particular talent, but are unfailing in devotion and are loyal and generous can be competent ministers if their minds are good and beautiful.
人之有技 若己有之
人之彦聖 其心好之 不c如自其口出 是能容之
以保我子孫黎民 亦職有利哉
Those who regard others’ talents as their own and genuinely admire and treasure others’ merits also have potential. They will preserve their descendants and the people, and will be great assets.
人之有技 冒疾而惡之
人之彦聖 而違之 L不達 是不能容
以不能保我子孫黎民 亦曰殆哉
Those who are jealous of others’ talents and suppress others’ merits cannot be of use. They will not be able to preserve their descendants and the people, and will pose a threat.
Sahng-jeh-nim said, “A nation rises or falls depending on these two different minds. These two minds determine whether a minister remains loyal or commits treason. These two minds determine whether the work of saving the world succeeds or fails.”
199 Sahng-jeh-nim said to Hyung-yul, “This verse will be an impor-tant guide in becoming a leader. Study it well,” and he recited the fol-lowing old passage:
夫用兵之要 在崇禮而重祿
禮崇則義士至 祿重則志士輕死
The way to lead soldiers is to treat them with respect and pay them well. If you treat your soldiers properly, virtuous people will join you. Provided with sufficient wealth, those who are strong-willed will think lightly of death.
故 祿賢 不愛財 賞功 不逾時
則士卒竝 敵國削
If they are rewarded amply and promptly for their accom-plishments, soldiers of every rank will fight off the enemy together.83
200 If upon seeing a talented person of fine presence you lose confidence and think, “A person like that will be successful. How can a mediocrity like me handle a great task?”, you will ruin your work.
If you think like this, you will not accomplish anything. You will not succeed regardless of how hard you try. Your guardian spirits will come to have doubts and say, “By supporting this weakling, our own work will be ruined,” and they will leave.
Sahng-jeh-nim
201 The il-ggoon84 can make what is impossible possible and keep what would be from coming into being. You will not be able to do this work if you get categorized. My work cannot be judged by the standards of this world.
Sahng-jeh-nim
202 Cultivate your mind as a sage, and carry out your work as a hero. Because gae-byuk is to reform and rebuild on a grand scale, you should be both a sage and a hero.
Sahng-jeh-nim
203 Devote yourself to the teachings with one mind, and your life will not go to waste. The combination of Sahng-jeh-nim’s virtue and mine is being used in this work. For you, it is like swimming with your arms touching the bottom.
Tae-mo-nim
204 With a growing shortage of food, Hyung-yul dreaded receiving visitors. Sahng-jeh-nim said to him, “It is said, ‘When you open your gates to receive visitors, a certain number will come.’ People should come.”
One day Sahng-jeh-nim consoled Hyung-yul in his struggle to manage his burdensome household and read him the following verse:
弊衣多垢勝金甲 頹屋無垣似鐵城
Tattered and dirty clothes
Are better than armor.
A dilapidated house without a fence
Is like an iron fortress.85
205 The lives and deaths of all people lie in your hands. In the future, heaven and earth will destroy life. You might see one person in ten li. Don’t you think some seeds should be kept?
Sahng-jeh-nim
206 You hold in your hands the word saeng (生), which means ‘to save life’. Is this not the great work of autumn through which you gain the true meaning of life? After three stages of change, the work will be accomplished. The task of saving the whole world rests at the fork in the road between life and death. Our ceaseless effort is the work of earning three meals a day. Our work is to live when others die and to live with prosperity and blessings when others live.
Sahng-jeh-nim
207 On January 3, 1930, following a chee-sung in which offerings were made to heaven and earth, Tae-mo-nim said to a group of about ten people,86 “Where can we find genuine people? You must meet such people. Cultivate yourselves at all times with sincerity, attentiveness, and faithfulness, and pray in earnest. Then you will meet them.”
208 When people come in the future and ask, tell them exactly what you have seen and heard. Whether they do as they are told is up to them.
Sahng-jeh-nim
209 Offer them the teachings at least three times. There is no greater virtue than spreading my words.
Sahng-jeh-nim
210 My work is like that of L Tung-pin (Lu Dong Bin).87 He wished to select a suitable person to whom he could grant the power of longevity. Pretending to be a peddler selling combs, he went out into the streets shouting, “If you use this comb, your gray hair will turn dark, your hunched back will straighten, your frail health will be restored, and your face will regain its youth. You will have a long life without aging. The price is a thousand nyahng.” He called out like this for a long time. People refused to believe him and said he was crazy. Eventually an old woman among the passing crowd bought the comb and tried it. Indeed, her hair turned dark, and the teeth she had long done without grew back out of her gums. only then did people rush to buy the combs, but at that moment Tung-pin ascended to heaven.
Sahng-jeh-nim
211 When you prepare to carry out a work, you must have an open and just mind and say, “I will do it even at the risk of my life.” You must not be concerned about your own life. If tied to small and trivial matters, you will not succeed in a great work. If out of fear you hesitate to carry out a task, it is due to a lack of justness.
Sahng-jeh-nim
212 When your legs hurt, it is better to continue walking, rather than remaining crouched. Like this, you should persevere in your work. Being daunted by a task is just a matter of a lack of guts. If you want to accomplish something great, you should not be concerned with saving your own neck. If you get caught up in trivial matters, you cannot achieve your goal.
Sahng-jeh-nim
213 As il-ggoon you should maintain both strength and gentleness. Never lose the balance. The great virtue of heaven and earth is manifested through the benevolence of giving birth in the spring and the power of bringing death in the autumn. A pool of water becomes a river that sustains the people of the world.
Sahng-jeh-nim
214 This is the study of saving yourself and others. Pray for the well-being of humanity. You have to find your own mind and do your own work.
Tae-mo-nim
215 A disciple asked, “Sakyamuni Buddha is said to have taught his disciples, ‘Perform many good deeds and you will live in the paradise of Dragon Flower.’ Can the people of that time be involved in the coming world?”
Sahng-jeh-nim replied, “Only through the bond of three lives88 is one able to follow me.”
OBSTACLES THE IL-GGOON MUST OVERCOME
216 I have set all the demons89 loose so that they can be resolved. They have gone into motion for those who are to follow me. only by overcoming these demons, will you receive blessings. We customarily say the word hwa (禍, ‘misfortune’) before the word bohk (福, ‘good fortune’). This is to say that misfortune precedes happiness and good fortune. only when you endure misfortune well, will you receive blessings. If a great blessing is intended for a person, but that person does not overcome the obstacles that come before it, the blessing will go somewhere else.
Sahng-jeh-nim
217 According to heaven and earth’s principle that there must be disorder before things can be set right, I release the demons. For anyone who follows me, at first all kinds of demons will be roused. Blessings come only after many ordeals.
Sahng-jeh-nim
218 Sahng-jeh-nim recited verses from the Discourses of Mencius and said, “If you study these verses well, you will not have to study anything more from this book.” The verses went as follows:
天將降大任於斯人也
必先勞其心志 苦其筋骨 餓其體膚
窮乏其身行 拂亂其所爲
是故 動心忍性 增益其所不能
When heaven intends to assign you a great task, it first breeds distress in your mind and tests your willingness. It makes your sinews and bones experience toil and your body suffer hunger. It inflicts you with poverty and knocks down everything you try to build. This is so that you will develop strength of mind, learn patience, and grow to do what you could not previously do.
DAE-DU-MOHK
219 The il-ggoon are those pioneering the work of Jeung-sahn Sahng-jeh-nim who opens the new heaven and earth. They are building the coming world of the Later Heaven. The dae-du-mohk90 acts on behalf of Sahng-jeh-nim and will be the harvester of humanity at the time of gae-byuk. He carries on the lineage of the tao established by Tae-mo-nim, the successor of Sahng-jeh-nim. He is the great father and teacher who brings to fruition the Early Heaven’s civilization and opens the Later Heaven’s civilization.
220 One day at the medicine room in Copper Valley, Sahng-jeh-nim said, “Right now, there is no one to work with me. The one who will accomplish my work will come later. When the time comes, a bud will sprout from a decayed old tree.”
221 When the time comes, I will first grant enlightenment to the dae-du-mohk. Leading the enlightened spirits, he will enlighten each of you according to your accomplishments. Among people there is a person, among ways there is a way, among places there is a place.
Sahng-jeh-nim
222 When the time comes, one person will receive enlightenment before all others. This is due to the heavenly mandate that all ways return to one way. The dae-du-mohk will be given the authority to grant enlightenment. He only needs to be shown the proper method. Why should I do the work alone? When enlightenment is to be granted, all the enlightened spirits in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism will gather, and each person will be enlightened according to the level of cultivation.
Sahng-jeh-nim
223 Because of the lack of enlightenment in the past, seekers were abused. Later, when the enlightened one emerges, those who try to cause harm will only hurt themselves. Be extremely careful when the enlightened one comes forth in the future.
Sahng-jeh-nim
224 宮商角徵羽 聖人乃作
先天下之職 先天下之業
職者醫也 業者統也
聖之職 聖之業
A sage first establishes all duties and occupations in the world. It is his duty to save heaven, earth, and humanity, which are dying of an illness. It is his job to unite all civilizations of the three realms. The role of the sage is to unite the world through healing. Sahng-jeh-nim
THOSE WHO MISLEAD AND THOSE WHO LEAD
WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE
225 As my tao is opening to the world, there will be those who distort it. As a result, many people will die. How can those who distort my teachings and create confusing dharma face me? Their deceit will even bring ruin to their descendants. Sahng-jeh-nim
226 Sahng-jeh-nim said to his disciples, “At first my work will unfold in disarray like the uprising generals of the Ch’u state.91 It will be a shop for miscellaneous goods. But, afterward true dharma will emerge.”
227 Those acting merely in self-interest who distort my teaching with confusing dharma will not be able to face me in the coming days.
Those who pretend to know will die. Even what you do know, pretend not to know. Behave as if you are ignorant. Regardless of what others may think, only things of substance matter. If you were to plant a beautiful flower by the roadside, any passer-by, young or old, could pick it. Sahng-jeh-nim
228 If Hsiang Y (Xiang Yu)92 had waited until he was twenty-five before setting out to conquer the world, he would have succeeded. Because he started at twenty-four, he failed. In trying to gain the world, it is better to yield until you are aware of the flow of things. If, being unaware, you were to come forward to claim the world, you would be as preposterous as a monster in daylight. If one who knows nothing deceives others and gathers people together, that person will perish first. The most dreadful crime in this world is to gather people and take on followers without knowing anything. The heads of religions deceive people by saying, “You will live long and prosper,” even though they do not know how to save their own families. How can they expect to succeed? Confucius taught from knowledge of truth, yet there were people who harbored bitterness. Buddha taught from knowledge of truth, yet he could not untie the knots of bitterness. Those who have no knowledge, but gather people are surely digging their own graves. Sahng-jeh-nim
MONEY
229 Money ought to be used actively. Having used money in this way, new income will fill your pockets. The short-sighted will calculate too much and miss the right chance to use it. For them, money does not circulate. Sahng-jeh-nim
230 One who neither studies nor labors has stepped out of society and is of no use. No one can speak of wages without having worked, nor can anyone receive two days’ earnings for one day’s labor. It is said, “The one who can keep account of all financial dealings is a great person.” It is said well. Sahng-jeh-nim
231 Money comes around because it goes around. It is not something worth seeking for its own sake. Wealth that has accumulated for a hundred years can disappear overnight. Sahng-jeh-nim
THE DEDICATION OF MATERIAL WEALTH
232 I accept only offerings made from the heart, and I do not ask for them. Sahng-jeh-nim
233 When you show your devotion to me, I will repay you ten thousandfold. Should those who follow me profess their devotion, test their sincerity by way of material commitment. The dedication of material wealth is a measure of devotion.
Sahng-jeh-nim
234 Anyone can speak with sincerity, but without material commit-ment nothing can be accomplished. If you want to know someone’s true mind, ask for money.
Sahng-jeh-nim
FOOD AND EATING
235 A disciple asked Sahng-jeh-nim, “In this world is there a medicine of immortality or a plant one can eat to gain eternal youth?”
“Yes, there is,” Sahng-jeh-nim replied. “The medicine of immor-tality is rice, and the plants of eternal youth are vegetables.”
236 Someone spoke of the convenience of living on a diet of uncooked and non-grain food. Out of concern Sahng-jeh-nim said, “Our work lies at the fork in the road between life and death. To earn three good meals a day and live well, we are busy without a moment’s rest. What can be managed by one who desires not to eat?”
237 A pitchfork has three prongs, but you have one mouth. Food should be served equally. When serving a meal, do not treat those who are senior better than their juniors. There is nothing more detestable than discrimination in giving food.
Sahng-jeh-nim
238 Do not eat in haste. There are many kinds of holes in this world, but the mouth is the biggest of them all.
Sahng-jeh-nim
BLESSINGS, WEALTH (福祿, bohng-nohk),
AND LONGEVITY (壽命, su-myung)
239 In this world, longevity is considered more important than blessings and wealth. There is no greater curse, however, than a long life that lacks blessings and wealth. I consider blessings and wealth greater in importance than longevity. If wealth runs out, you die. I have taken on overseeing people’s blessings and wealth. Few people receive them because few have one mind. This is regretable. When you achieve the state of one mind, you will surely be blessed.
Sahng-jeh-nim
240 Sahng-jeh-nim drew a bird called Ho-hahn (呼寒)93 and pasted it on a pillar in the medicine room. He said, “Having no feathers, this bird lives naked. Believing in heaven, it survives on what is blown into its mouth by the wind.” He also said, “There are infinite blessings in heaven and earth. Rather than envying the small blessings of others, endeavor to receive blessings from heaven.”
241 Each occupation is neither noble nor base. As the thread of wealth is found in your occupation, it is right to devote yourself to it. If you say in despair, “When will I be done with this job?” because you lack patience and endurance, you will cut off your own thread of wealth. If you think like that, you will not reach the success you wish for.
Sahng-jeh-nim
WORDS AND ACTIONS
242 A thought emerges from a thought. When you study something, study it to completion. When people hear but do not act, it is as though you have watered a rock. Knowing something, yet not acting on it is worse than being unaware. When making a plan, do not precede it with words. If you want to see something to its completion, work things out to the end before saying anything.
Sahng-jeh-nim
243 Avoid habitual speech. You eat your fill of nutritious food, and after the meal you blurt out, “My stomach is so full it’s killing me.”
After working hard so you can live well, you say, “I am dead tired.”
We live in a time when things happen according to what is said. How can you avoid death when disease becomes rampant? Do not say things such as “My stomach is killing me,” or “I am dying of joy.”
Sahng-jeh-nim
244 Sahng-jeh-nim recited a poem:
惡將除去無非草 好取看來總是花
If you cut them off in hatred,
All are weeds.
If you regard them with affection,
All are flowers.
Then he said, “Words are the voice of the mind and behavior is the imprint of the mind. Good words become a blessing that grows bigger until it comes back to you. Ill-spoken words become misfortune that also grows bigger until it comes back to you.”
SAHNG-JEH-NIM’S WORDS ARE MEDICINE
245 With words I comfort people’s minds, with words I raise the sick from their beds, with words I redeem those who have wronged. My words are medicine. There is a saying:
毒藥 苦口 利於病
忠言 逆耳 利於行
Strong medicine is bitter to the taste,
But good for fighting disease.
Good advice is hard on the ears,
But good for improving one’s ways.
Have faith in my words. My words permeate the nine heavens. They do not fall on the ground for even a moment. They fit together like the two parts of a king’s seal.
Sahng-jeh-nim
THE ESSENCE OF THE GREAT TEACHINGS
246 Sahng-jeh-nim wrote the following:
佛之形體 仙之造化 儒之凡節
Buddhism teaches the dharma of the mind.
Taoism teaches the creative process.
Confucianism teaches decorum.
受天地之虛無 仙之胞胎
受天地之寂滅 佛之養生
受天地之以詔 儒之浴帶
冠旺
兜率 虛無寂滅以詔
The emptiness and nothingness of heaven and earth
conceived Taoism.
The stillness and ultimate silence of heaven and earth
gave birth to and reared Buddhism.
Heaven and earth edified Confucianism
so that it could bathe and dress.
Now is the time that leads to the maturation of humanity.
The Lord of Tushita Heaven unifies and governs Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.
KNOWING SAHNG-JEH-NIM
247 Just by knowing who I am, you are half enlightened.
Sahng-jeh-nim
1. change (易). The two main works of the philosophy of change (易哲學) are I Ching and Jung-yuk (正易, Right Change). Jung-yuk was written by the Korean philosopher Gim Il-bu in the late nineteenth century, and the I Ching is attributed to Fu Hsi, King Wen, the Duke of Chou, and Confucius. The development of this philosophy has a history of 5,600 years. Sahng-jeh-nim emphasized its importance in understanding the principles of the universe.
2. gae-byuk. In general, gae-byuk means opening a new order. Traditionally the word gae-byuk refers to a change in nature (the physical world, the cosmos, etc.). Sahng-jeh-nim, however, is referring to opening a new order in both nature and civil-ization.
3. the directions. As in the four directions: east, west, north, and south.
4. Early Heaven. Sun-chun in Korean. The first half of the cosmic cycle. It is the spring and summer of the universe.
5. Later Heaven. Hu-chun in Korean. The second half of the cosmic cycle.
6. ten directions. East, west, south, north, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest, up, and down.
7. heaven, earth, misfortune (? 否). one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. It is a symbol of disharmony between yin and yang. Because light ascending yang ( ? is above heavy descending yin ( ?, the two do not meet, and there is no exchange of energy. It represents mutual conflict in the present world.
8. earth, heaven, peace (? 泰). The hexagram of the I Ching depicting descending yin ( ? above and ascending yang ( ? below. The resulting exchange of energy makes it possible for them to be in harmony. It represents harmony and stability in the coming world. In his translation of the I Ching, German scholar Richard Wilhelm calls this hexagram “Peace.”
9. returning to the origin. Wun-shee-bahn-bohn (原始返本). one of the main tenets of Jeung-sahn-doh and a universal principle of the cosmic autumn. At the gae-byuk of the Later Heaven, because heaven, earth, and humanity begin to return to the origin, all changes lead to unity. For people to change with the universe, they should open themselves to the origin of life. Returning to the origin can also mean awareness and acknowledgement of ancestral origins, solving a problem at its root, discovering the original purpose of one’s life, or discovering one’s true self.
10. a center with 360,000 rooms decorated with jewels and precious metals. This can be interpreted as both the residences of the il-ggoon (see section 201) and a governing center.
11. heavenly relationship. The Korean word chul-ryoon (天倫), literally ‘heaven-rela-tionship’, can be interpreted as ‘family relationship’ or ‘blood relationship’.
12. Chicken Dragon Mountain. Gyeh-ryohng Mountain (鷄龍山).
13. When the water ch’i in heaven and earth starts to circulate. The water ch’i is associated with the direction north and the numbers 1 and 6. It is the dominant energy in winter. During the spring and summer, it yields to the fire ch’i, which is associated with the direction south and the numbers 2 and 7. At the starting point of autumn, the water energy starts to circulate again and begins to gain in force. This is one aspect of the principle of returning to the origin.
14. Confucius. 551?-479 B.C. China’s most famous teacher, philosopher, and political theorist, whose ideas influenced the culture of all East Asia.
15. Sakyamuni Buddha. The founder of Buddhism. He is commonly called “The Buddha.”
16. the power of my spirit. Gahng (降).
17. one mind (一心, il-shim). one mind can be understood in several ways in terms of meditation and daily life. It connotes concentration and requires sincerity, attentiveness, and faithfulness. It also means to become one with all things. on the universal level, it is the never-changing mind of heaven and earth that gives birth to and raises all life through the ceaseless creative process of birth, growth, harvest, and rest.
18. mutual conflict (相克, sahng-geuk). Literally, sahng means ‘mutual’ and geuk means ‘to subdue’, ‘to overcome’, or ‘to restrain’. The term mutual conflict expresses the contentious environment in which all things exist in the Early Heaven. Mutual conflict is also the process of overcoming through which humanity grows and matures. Sahng-geuk can be translated as ‘mutual restraint’ when referring to a relationship in which opposing forces such as yin and yang or the five ch’i (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) keep one another in balance.
19. bitterness and grief. The Korean words are wun (寃) and hahn (恨). Wun is a feeling of bitterness or a grudge toward the person or thing that causes one to suffer. Hahn is pent-up grief that comes from suffering over a period of time.
20. mutual life-giving (相生, sahng-saeng). Literally, sahng means ‘mutual’ and saeng means ‘life’ or ‘to give birth to life’. It means bettering one another’s lives as well as saving life. According to Sahng-jeh-nim’s teachings, mutual life-giving will be the basis of the harmony throughout heaven, earth, and humanity in the Later Heaven.
21. the Creative Government. 造化政府. Sahng-jeh-nim brought together a body of spirits called the Creative Government to participate in planning the Later Heaven’s civilization. In doing this, he united ancestral spirits, regional spirits, spirits of civilization, enlightened spirits, spirits of failed revolutionaries, and spirits with unresolved bitterness and grief. In the Later Heaven, the Creative Government will consist of both spirits and humans.
22. D.G. Doh-ghee, meaning ‘year of tao’. D.G. 1 is the year of Jeung-sahn Sahng-jeh-nim’s birth.
23. Dragon Flower (龍華). A tree whose branches look like dragon heads. In the Maitreya Sutra, it is the tree under which Maitreya Buddha, who is to save the world through three stages of his teaching, attains enlightenment.
24. Ho-yun. Gim Ho-yun (1897-1992) was a little girl who traveled with Sahng-jeh-nim and witnessed his teaching and work from the time she was five until she was thirteen. Her testimony was one of the major sources for the Jeung-sahn-doh Doh-jun.
25. Those whose five organs are not balanced. This is a Korean idiom meaning ‘those who have wicked minds’.
26. the West Spirit. Suh-shin (西神) in Korean. Literally, suh means ‘west’ and shin means ‘god’ or ‘spirit’. Each season is associated with a different direction and governed by a different spirit. The one in charge of autumn is called the West Spirit. In this cosmic year, Sahng-jeh-nim has personally taken on the role of the West Spirit. The mission of the West Spirit is to harvest.
27. mysterious disease. Byung-gup (病劫) in Korean. Byung means ‘disease’. Gup refers to the cycle of time (i.e. the cosmic year). Byung-gup implies the disease which happens once in the cycle.
28. li. A measure of distance. one li equals 0.4 km or 0.25 miles.
29. the unifying healing (醫統, ui-tohng). According to Jeung-sahn-doh belief, human existence will be threatened by a global epidemic disease at the time of gae-byuk. At that time, the practitioners of Jeung-sahn-doh will be bestowed with a special healing power. Through the process of combatting this disease the world will be united.
30. Jo-sun (Choson). The name of Korea from 1392 to 1910.
31. Ahn Nae-sung. 1867-1949. one of Sahng-jeh-nim’s Holy Disciples.
32. nyahng. A unit of money.
33. nip. one nyahng equals one hundred nip.
34. a bowl of rice and seasoned vegetables. A common Korean dish called bee-bim-bahp.
35. wealth (祿, nohk). The Korean word nohk can simply mean ‘money’ or ‘salary’. It can also mean the potential to attain the things necessary to support a good standard of living. on a global level, it is the earth’s potential to provide for humanity in terms of natural resources and environment.
36. The Shee-chun-ju Mantra (侍天主呪). It is contained in Jeung-sahn-doh’s Oh Mantra.
37. Chey Su-oon. The founder of Dohng-hahk. See 249n.
|
|
