Month: June 2022

An English translation of 太上老君太素經


The Ultra Plainness is immensely bright and white, with the Way inside. At the time of Ultra Plainness, the Divinity goes there to operate, and the Way is revealed. As creations and formations take place, the Way gives things Order, and the Way completes them. In this way Heaven and Earth are shaped, and the Way and Virtue incarnate into a Scripture. ( The Scripture of Way and Virtue )

The Way of Self Thusness (*) is the greatest Way. The Virtue of Eternal Life is the greatest Gain of Virtue.

(* The Chinese term 自然, which is often translated to ‘nature’, literally means Self Thusness — A ‘being’ that is there by itself, independently and unconditionally. It is not created, and not conditioned by anyone or anything. )

The Way produces One, One produces Two, Two produces Three, and Three produces Heaven and Earth. The Heaven and Earth system then becomes full, and since it becomes full, it starts to decline. At the end of the decline, it returns to its origin.

(* This is like a person’s life. As a person grows up from a child into an adult, his body, including the head, torso, and limbs, gets more and more close to a ‘full’ status. And when the person’s body reaches a peak state, which is close to, but not equal to the theoretical ‘full’ status, his body begins to decline. The person becomes older and weaker as time goes by, and finally dies. )

(* When a Taoist scripture talks about a universe, a world, a heaven-and-earth system, or a nation, it also alludes a human body, because a human body is a small universe, and a heaven-and-earth system is an enlarged human body, they share the same principles. )

(* See also : Microcosm–macrocosm analogy )

Heaven covers everything because of One, Earth bears everything because of One, and the sun and moon illuminate everything because of One. Yet it is known that One is unknown. One is not known as One, and the existence of One is not known either, this is what makes the Way so mysterious. The sages fully understand this, and the Saints practice accordingly. This is a must-know for them.

The Way is immense and formless, also hidden and nameless. Beyond Heaven and Earth, it is profound and unseen. Inside Heaven and Earth, it is ample and vigorous. The Way is everywhere between Heaven and Earth. I am not separated from the Way, because the Way does not allow that, it is not that I am special.

It is said that, life is desirable, and death is fearsome. Grasses and trees rely on their roots to live, when they leave the earth, they will die; fishes and aquatic turtles live in water, when they leave the water, they will also die. A person relies on his body to live, but when his Essential Energy is exhausted, he dies. A saint knows where this Essential Energy is, and regards it as the treasure of his body.

It is also said that, the great Way spreads Its great works throughout the world, and there is a great book that explains the great mechanism of the world, this is what a great person bases himself on. What other people desire, are regarded by me as the causes of suffering. What other people hold tightly, are what I renounce completely. Only a saintly person can understand why.

It is also said that, the great Virtue bears the world’s great badnesses, a great person bears the world’s great insults. He who can bear the world’s great badnesses, can therefore gain the world’s high pay. He who can bear the world’s great insults, can therefore be the world’s most exalted one.

It is also said that, a person’s heart acts like a liquid in a vessel. When the vessel is still, the liquid’s surface is level. When the vessel inclines, the liquid also inclines ( relative to the vessel ). When the vessel shakes, the liquid becomes turbid. And as the shaking stops, the liquid becomes pellucid gradually. Taming your heart is like dealing with the liquid. If you block it from popping up desires, it becomes calm. If you don’t restrain it, it runs wild. If there is a breach in the west, it runs to the west. If there is a breach in the east, it runs to the east. Therefore, a person’s heart has to be restrained, like a flood must be blocked by an embankment.

It is also said that, at the very beginning of the universe, there is Ultra Extreme. Ultra Extreme is also called Ultra Simplicity. Ultra Simplicity is namely the Great Luminous Simplicity, nothing precedes it. It is the immensely bright and white Energy.

After Ultra Simplicity, there is Ultra Primary, which is the beginning of Energy. And then there is Ultra Beginning, which is the beginning of form. And then there is Ultra Plainness, which is the beginning of matter. Therefore it is called Change. Change turns into One, One turns into Three, Three turns into Five, Five turns into Seven, Seven turns into Nine. Nine is the ultimate. When the ultimate is reached, it turns back into One.

One represents Heaven. Light and clear matters ascend and form Heaven. Weighty and turbid matters descend and form Earth. The moderate matters stay in the middle and form the world of Man. Thereafter, Heaven and Earth combine their Essences to construct living beings in the world of Man.


(Translated into English by Silfong Tsun)
(Translation first done in 2008 / 2009, Last revised in May 2022)

(Discussion in ‘Eastern Religions and Philosophies‘ started by alphone, May 28, 2022)

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https://www.interfaith.org/community/threads/20203/

An English translation of 黃帝陰符經

From :
https://universalalphaomega.blogspot.com/2022/05/yellow-emperors-scripture-on-hidden_16.html


The beginning chapter — The Divine Immortal embracing the ONE reveals the Way

Behold Heaven’s Way (Dhoe), and act according to Heaven’s motions, that is all.

In Heaven there are five thieves, those who see them will be thriving. The five thieves dwell in the Heart and carry out their motions in Heaven, thus the universe can be grabbed into your hands, and all creations can happen within your body.

The Heaven’s essence is in every person. Every person’s Heart is a pivot. By establishing Heaven’s Way, every person is shaped.

At the pivotal time that Heaven launches a killing, the stars and constellations move. At the pivotal time that Earth launches a killing, the serpent rises from the land. At the pivotal time that Man launches a killing, the Heaven and Earth are overturned. When Heaven and Man launch together, the base of all transformations is established.

The Heart generates both cleverness and clumsiness, it can be calmed and concealed. The leaking from the nine holes (*) is controlled by the three pivots, it can be intense or mild.

(* The nine holes of the human body : Two eyes, two ear holes, two nostrils, mouth, the outlet of the genital, and anus)

When Fire(*) is produced from Wood, if a disaster comes, it can be defeated. When Evil emerges from within the nation, a wrong action at that time will lead to a dike breaching.

(* The five circulations : Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Soil, also known as the five types of energy, or the five basic elements. )

If one understands these, and forges and refines himself accordingly, he is called a Saint. Heaven gives life, and Heaven takes life, this is the principle of Dhoe.


The middle chapter — Enriching the Nation, Appeasing the People, and Preaching the Law

Heaven and Earth steal from (stealthily deprive) all things. All things steal from Man. Man steals from all things. If these three types of stealing are well settled, the Three Entities (*) can be appeased.

(* The Three Entities : Heaven, Earth and Man.)

Therefore it is said: Ingest at the right time, your body containing hundreds of bones will be recuperated. Act at the pivotal time, all the creations will be well sustained. A person who knows his own holiness becomes holy. His mind being free of unholiness is the reason why he becomes holy.

Days and months go by as the sun and moon move. When a certain number and size are reached, the Holy Work is born and the Luminous Divinity comes out. The stealings that happen at the pivotal times are unseen and unknown to the world. A highly moral person who gets it ( by ‘stealing’ ) can strengthen his body. An amoral person who gets it would slight his own life.


The last chapter — Strengthening the Army, Gaining Victory, and Demonstrating the Technics

Blind people usually have good hearing. Deaf people usually have good vision. Cut off the energy supply to one sensory channel, the Army (of energy) will be ten times stronger. If the Three Outflows are reversed all day and all night, the Army will be ten thousand times stronger. The Heart can be activated by things, and can die because of things. The key is at the Eye.

The Heaven, being merciless, grants great mercy. At this time, the flashing thunder and the fierce gale are both about to unleash their power. The ultimate bliss is achieved by preserving. The ultimate tranquility is achieved by saving up.

The most confidential thing that comes from Heaven, is used universally in all beings. Grab it, and control the prime energy. Birth is the root of death, and death is the root of birth. The benevolence comes with the penalty, and the penalty comes with the benevolence.

A fool may become wise by studying the writings and theories about Heaven and Earth. However, I study the writings and theories to master the timings and substances and therefore become philosophical. While others are foolish because of worrying, I am free of foolishness and therefore become holy. While others wait for sacred dates to do worship, I do not wait for sacred dates but cultivate every day.

Hence, sink Water into Fire, let the annihilation happen by itself. The Way of Self Thusness (*) is tranquil, and from within it the Heaven, Earth and all creations come into being.

(* The Chinese term 自然, which is often translated to ‘nature’, literally means Self Thusness — It is that way by itself, independently and unconditionally. It is not created, and it is not conditioned / restricted by time, environment, or anything. )

The Dhoe of Heaven and Earth is omnipresent and embraces everything, so that both Yaam and Yeong can receive nourishment and grow. Yaam and Yeong push each other to construct everything, in this way all the creations and transformations are well arranged.

A Saint knows that the Way of Self Thusness should not be violated, therefore he does not interfere with the ongoing creations and evolutions, but keeps himself in the ultimate calmness for a period of time that cannot be measured by any calendars.

So here is a Miraculous Vessel, inside which myriads of things manifest. The Eight Trigrams (*) and the Gup-Tzee system (*) contain the mysteries of gods and secrets of ghosts.

(* The Eight Trigrams : An energy model consists of eight fundamental energy forms that construct the whole world. These eight energy forms are depicted as Trigrams and called ‘GWA’s (卦).

A Trigram is formed of three parallel lines, each line is either whole or broken. A whole line represents Yeong, symbolizing the energy of the sun; and a broken line represents Yaam, symbolizing the energy of the moon.)

(* The Gup-Tzee system : A cycling time system in which every 60 years is called a Gup-Tzee (甲子). Each year in a Gup-Tzee is supervised by a deity, so there are totally 60 deities who supervise all the years. )

Once these mechanisms about time and energy are understood, the technics to perform miracles can be mastered, so that the interactions and mutual invigorations between Yaam and Yeong can be clearly manifested in the world.


(End of the Translation)
(Translated into English by Silfong Tsun)
(Translation first done in 2006 / 2007, Last revised in May 2022)

(Discussion in ‘Eastern Religions and Philosophies‘ started by alphone, May 24, 2022)

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https://www.interfaith.org/community/threads/20197/

HOMILY BY ABBOT DAVID CHARLSWORTH OF BUCKFAST ABBEY
from the Mass in thanksgiving for Her Majesty the Queen (Saturday 4th June)

The foundation of the British understanding of monarchy is seriously Christian, the coronation of a British monarch is a religious act in which spiritual power strengthens, encourages and informs the secular power of the state. In our constitutional monarchy the Queen has a responsibility to govern according to the laws and customs of her peoples and for law and justice being upheld with mercy. Spiritual power aims to assist the power to lead, to inspire and to unite, and to shape the monarch’s personal character, personal conviction and personal example.

Following the coronation service the Queen said, “Throughout my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.” Seventy years on, throughout her remarkably long reign, we can see that she has sought to do just that. The Queen has given this nation exceptional service. As we celebrate this platinum jubilee weekend with people all over the country, we give thanks to God for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Seventy years ago, Britain was a very different place to Britain now. Sir Winston Churchill was prime minister again, of a country still dominated by the impact of the second world war. Food rationing would not end for more than another year. The commonwealth was experiencing the strains that would lead many of its countries to independence and to the growth in the British population created by those who came to these shores from the commonwealth. Many of the conflicts and the opportunities of our world have changed.

We now feel the environmental challenge, the international threat of terrorism, the inequality of the widening gap between rich and poor, and the economic and social upheaval we currently face. Throughout her reign Queen has been steadfast, but has also shown a remarkable capacity to change with us.

The monarchy of this country, before the 16th century and after the religious upheaval of that time has had a religious role that is central to it. But a clear and explicit commitment to Christian faith does not mean an anxious or arrogant spirit that seeks to exclude the commitments of others. Instead it is a reason to be generous, to seek to exercise responsibility for the good of an entire national community, made up of very diverse parts. Our Christian faith tells us that no-one flourishes unless all flourish. Strong Christian faith should be a guarantee for the well-being of all.

John of Gaunt’s speech in Shakespeare’s Richard II has helped define our understanding of England: “This royal throne of kings, this scepter’d isle… This precious stone set in a silver sea… This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England”. It was Shakespeare’s Richard II who also articulated the humanity of kings: “I live with bread like you, feel want, taste grief, need friends”. As for any family and any community, the seventy years of our Queen’s reign have not all been gloriously free of personal or family difficulty. Perhaps those occasions have deepened our sympathies and respect and perhaps even our affection for the Queen and our gratitude for her devotion to duty and service.

We are celebrating this Mass of Thanksgiving for her seventy year reign on the eve of the solemnity of Pentecost, the remembrance of the divine gift of the Holy Spirit. This divine gift helps us all to make proper connections, in what we say and what we do. It will give direction to our lives in which the gifts of love and joy, truthfulness and justice are the gifts that make for better communication between people and thus create the possibility of unity among human beings who have a huge capacity to be divided and live in discord and conflict.

Guided, we pray, by the Holy Spirit, the Queen’s personal Christian faith has helped to sustain her to keep faith with the commitment she made at her coronation. Today we give thanks for her steadfast example of duty to this country and its people and with affection and gratitude, we pray and acclaim:

God save the Queen.

(Discussion in ‘Christianity‘ started by RJM, 13/-06/2022)

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I no longer wish to derail the other thread. I figure, if I’m political now, I might as well go all the way and clarify what I see.

In America, we are not really a democracy. We are an oligarchy run by a select few elites. Now, when I say “elite” here I’m referring to Wallstreet tycoons, Silicon Valley billionaires, the Department of Homeland Security, and the CIA, mostly. I’m not using it as a codeword for some sort of New World Order, because, in my opinion, that is absurd.

I’m also not referring to elected officials. As far as I can tell, in America, whoever gets elected does so thanks to being sponsored by megacorporations and private interest groups. They’re all puppets. Most elections go to whoever spent the most money on advertising, and they almost always go to either the Democratic or Republican candidate. Both party systems are actually quite chummy behind closed doors, despite their outward charade of antagonism, and have many of the same investors; they also choose their own candidates.

So Americans don’t have a lot of control over our elected officials and the control we have doesn’t really matter because our day-to-day life is more at the mercy of our employers and local law enforcement (with local law enforcement itself often being sponsored by private interest groups, just like elected officials)

The largest issue facing America today is income inequality, also known as the growing class divide. It’s been doing nothing but getting worse for nearly a century now. Do you want to know what this severe inequality looks like?

Look to Japan’s “black companies” and the “slaves of Dubai.” Even in the US, places like Detroit, Los Angeles, and Chicago have been seen as notorious examples of this divide. It’s not pretty and it’s getting worse. Given that most billionaires came from a family of millionaires, we’re beginning to approach the ancient model where a bloodline aristocracy rules over a population of slaves, which we have seen throughout most of human history. We’re regressing back into the dystopias of the past, this time fed by an even greater gap caused by advanced technologies like unmanned drones and mass surveillance

What are the common proposed solutions to this divide? Policy changes like raising minimum wage and tax reform. Which, by the way, have been proposed for decades now and have had no real progress. Why? Because the policy makers are puppets for megacorporations, so it’s not in their interests to undermine their own power. Trying to enact policy changes to prevent class divide is like asking a serial killer nicely to not murder you. It’s not going to work. They don’t care.

What are the actual, real-world solutions to undercutting the growing power of the elite? Undermining local law enforcement, unionizing, and mutual aid structures. Of course, while we’re feeding the homeless, we might become the homeless, but this is the best route I see right now.

So why is there another recent surge of anti-gun propaganda coming from the corporate-owned media lately? It’s very simple. After the 2020 riots and the Jan 6 failed insurrection, the elites have suddenly realized that the people have more power than they thought. We terrified them. So they want to get rid of our guns. They will probably succeed, too, because the propaganda is only meant to make the general public accept their policy changes when they come, not to influence voters since our votes don’t really matter.

Don’t get me wrong; yes, getting rid of our guns will reduce mass shootings. This is incredibly short-sighted, though. There are bigger problems going on that we need our own weapons for. Once the elites have a monopoly on all of the weaponry, then we’ve already lost. There will be nothing left for us to do to prevent them from consolidating even more power, which they are already dead-set on doing.

And once America becomes a corporatocracy, the rest of Europe will follow close behind because we will take NATO down with us and our presence in other countries will essentially become a form of capitalist colonialism.

(Discussion in ‘Politics and Society‘ started by Ella S., Jun 2, 2022)

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