3bob Posted October 3, 2013 (edited) (Suggestion: don't get hung up on the pronoun or what might be taken as anthropomorphic) " Although Yu-huang is the High God, there are other abstract deities above him. He rules; they simply exist and instruct. First and foremost is Yuan-shih T'ien-tsun - the First Principal. He has no beginning and no end. He existed "before the void and the silence, before primordial chaos." He is self-existing, changeless, limitless, invisible, contains all virtues, is present in all places and is the source of all truth." My correlation would include 'present in all beings' which goes along with "present in all places"... I'm not sure if such is related to the original intention and translation of the saying but that is the way I take it. Om Edited October 3, 2013 by 3bob 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zhongyongdaoist Posted October 3, 2013 Just a quick note: (Suggestion: don't get hung up on the pronoun or what might be taken as anthropomorphic) "Although Yu-huang is the High God, there are other abstract deities above him. He rules; they simply exist and instruct. First and foremost is Yuan-shih T'ien-tsun - the First Principal.He has no beginning and no end. He existed "before the void and the silence, before primordial chaos." He is self-existing, changeless, limitless, invisible, contains all virtues, is present in all places and is the source of all truth." My correlation would include 'present in all beings' which goes along with "present in all places"... I'm not sure if such is the related to the original intention and translation of the saying but that is the way I take it. there are other abstract deities above him: To describe Yuanshi Tianzun (Chinese: 元始天尊; pinyin: Yuánshǐ Tīanzūn) as 'abstract' is a real mistake. As the absolute 'he' is the most 'concrete' of beings, it is the realm of sense which we foolishly confuse with 'reality' which is so much clouds and mist which swirl around his feet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted October 3, 2013 ...although one could also say that only That can understand That, thus in the context of the mental realm "That" is abstract to same since mental forces can never reach It. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flolfolil Posted October 3, 2013 Although Yu-huang is the High God, there are other abstract deities above him. hmmm, just a thought.... it is entirely possible that there are an infinite number of higher deities, and no absolutely powerful ones this keeps them all humbled Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted October 3, 2013 Imo that is the dualistic viewpoint Flolflil, one can keep splitting hairs into smaller and smaller parts but never get down to the un-splitable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
