A synopsis of an article I just wrote in Chinese

[sillybearhappyhoneyeater]

I just finished writing a short article in Chinese (on my phone, but I'll try to send the original text over a bit later on) on the topic of the San Qing Xian and the human body.

Here is a general synopsis of the article:

 

 

Heaven earth and man:

San Cai is a term used to describe the three most important aspects of creation, heaven, earth, and man.   Heaven and earth are the original yin and yang of creation and humanity is at their centre, being composed of half heaven and half earth.   These three also refer to the yuan jing, yuan shen, and yuan qi of the world and people.  The san cai exist in both the cosmic sense and also the physical sense in humanity, so yuan jing, yuan shen, and yuan qi are both cosmic and rational terms.

 

San Qing:

The San Qing are the three most important gods in Daoism, they are:

Yuanshi Tianzun,

Lingbao tianzun,

Daode Laojun,

 

and they also represent yuan jing (yuanshi tianzun), yuan shen (lingbao tianzun), and yuan qi (dao de lao jun) on a cosmic and physical level.

 

Yuanshi tianzun is the real seed from which all things are born.   He is the pre birth original essence from which the heavens, earth, and all beings come.

Lingbao Tianzun is the original spirit, or yuan shen of the cosmos and people.

Dao De Lao Jun is the yuan qi, or the primary/original Qi of the universe and all living things.

 

These three gods represent phenomenon in the universe but also in people.  They are the same meaning as "dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things," from the Dao De Jing.

 

When we invoke these gods, we needn't look outside ourselves, because they already exist in our bodies.

At the time we were conceived, we were a combination of the jing of our fathers and the ova of our mothers, these went on to form one being, which at the first trimester of pregnancy is considered to be yuan jing.  During the second trimester, the foetus gains its yuan qi, and before it is born, it gains yuan shen.   These three spirits are with us from before our birth, so they are a small reflection of the great cosmic event that the san qing gods represent.

 

Because these three gods exist in the pre heaven state, we can't ask for them in the post heaven state.  Asking for them in the post heaven state is silly and superstitious.  The highest method to meet with immortals is to quiet the mind, focus on non action, action without action, and non being.  Gradually you will enter the pre heaven environment and realize that immortality is not gained by praying to live forever and not die, but by recognizing the essential, forever lasting, nature of nature.    This is the best path to meet with immortality and is a great mercy!

 

 

 

 

I hope this has made sense, I'll work on getting the original up a little later 

[Marblehead]

Although I'm not a Religious Daoist, it is still a nice article.

[thelerner]

Nice article.  Lotta food for thought in the last paragraph

'Because these three gods exist in the pre heaven state, we can't ask for them in the post heaven state.  Asking for them in the post heaven state is silly and superstitious.  The highest method to meet with immortals is to quiet the mind, focus on non action, action without action, and non being.  Gradually you will enter the pre heaven environment and realize that immortality is not gained by praying to live forever and not die, but by recognizing the essential, forever lasting, nature of nature.    This is the best path to meet with immortality and is a great mercy!'

 

I just wish there was a better word then god for the phenomena you are talking about, because it's such a loaded word in English and the West.  In essence your dealing with terms that each have pages of definition and nuances.  No easy task. 

Edited June 3, 2016 by thelerner

[sillybearhappyhoneyeater]

Thelerner:

yeah, I agree, actually we could use the term "immortal," but again, we would have to differentiate that these are not humans that have become immortal, but rather ongoing and permanent metaphysical aspects of the universe.

In the Chinese version I used the term "Xian."

 

This article was actually written for a few Taiwanese friends who are interested in contacting a more practical Daoism than is commonly taught there.   Just thought I'd make a synopsis and share it here too, since it might be useful for some 

[Daeluin]

I like referring to the bagua as elemental forces, as in basic, primary powers. These 3 are even more basic, more primal. As ever, 'tis difficult to speak of such preeminent manifestations with any true clarity.