Cheonbugyeong_The Scripture of Heavenly Code

[天符經]
[천부경, Cheonbugyeong]
(The Scripture of Heavenly Code)

Cheonbugyeong is the oldest, shortest, most simple, and yet most profound Scripture in the world.

Cheonbugyeong, known as the Scripture of Heavenly Code, is the oldest, shortest, simplest, yet most profoundly enlightening scripture. It has been conveyed through the lineage of ancient Korean emperors. The Scripture is composed of 81 characters which consist of 31 numbers and 50 letters. It elegantly unveils the Ultimate Source and the principles of creation and transformation using the simple framework of numbers 1 to 10.

This scripture forms the bedrock of Eastern Cosmology, Spirituality, and Meditation, representing the very core of Korean civilization. To comprehend the spirit, ideology, philosophy, and history of Korea, as well as to trace the roots of Eastern philosophy, medicine, Dao, and Immortalism, delving into the Cheonbugyeong becomes crucial. 

Let's embark on this journey of exploration, unraveling the profound teachings within each line through a series of guided questions.

[一始無始一]
[일시무시일, il si mu si il]
One is the beginning; from Nothingness begins One.
1) What is the One that creates and transforms all?

[析三極無盡本]
[석삼극무진본, seok sam geuk mu jin bon]
One divides into the Three Ultimates, yet the source is infinite.
2) How does the One create and transform all?

[天一一 地一二 人一三]
[천일일 지일이 인일삼, cheon il il ji il yi in il sam]
Arising from One, Heaven is One.
Arising from One, Earth is Two.
Arising from One, Humanity is Three.
3) What is the ultimate goal of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity? 

[一積十鉅 無匱化三]
[일적십거무궤화삼, il jeok sip geo mu gwe hwa sam]
One accumulates and opens as Ten without deficiency due to Three's creative change.
4) How is the ultimate goal of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity to be achieved?

[天二三 地二三 人二三]
[천이삼 지이삼 인이삼, cheon yi sam ji yi sam in yi sam]
Based on Two, Heaven circulates under Three. 
Based on Two, Earth changes under Three.
Based on Two, Humanity lives under Three.
5) What is the principle that applies to all creation and transformation in Heaven, Earth, and Humanity?

[大三合六 生七八九]
[대삼합육생칠팔구, dae sam hap yok saeng chil pal gu]
The Great Three unite into Six, which then gives rise to Seven, Eight, and Nine.
6) How is the world of number 10, the ideal world to be opened?

[運三四成環五七]
[운삼사성환오칠, un sam sa seong hwan o chil]
The movement of a cycle begins with Three and Four;
the circulation completes under Five and Seven.
7) What are the roles of three and four, and five and seven in the process of creation and transformation? 

[一玅衍萬往萬來 用變不動本]
[일묘연만왕만래 용변부동본, il myo yeon man wang man rae yong byeon bu dong bon]
One expands in mysterious ways while coming and going endlessly,
a great change to the Function brings forth the immutable Basis.
8) Why does the One abide by the eternal process of creation and transformation? 

[本心本太陽昻明]
[본심본태양앙명, bon sim bon tae yang ang myeong]
The Basis is the mind, which shines radiantly like pure yang.
9) What is the pure basis of all creation and transformation?

[人中天地一]
[인중천지일, in jung cheon ji il]
Humanity, united with Heaven and Earth, is the Ultimate One. 
10) What is the genuine value and mission of humanity?

[一終無終一]
[일종무종일, il jong mu jong il]
One is the end; in Nothingness ends One.
11) What is the meaning of end and beginning in the perpetual circulation of the One?

The center of heaven and earth is the mind. Therefore, heaven and earth’s east, west, south, and north, and the human body all depend upon the mind. ,,, Heaven and earth and humanity are of the same mind; people must embrace this mind of heaven and earth and make it their own. (JSD Dojeon 2:105, 2: 72)

The divine perception of human nature (性) is rooted in that of the God in Heaven.
The state of maintaining a fixed, unchanging mind is called ‘the true self,’ and the one who establishes all forms of changes through divinity is called the ‘One Spirit’ (God). The true self is the palace where God resides. (from Preface to Dangun Segi)

The functions of 'Three in One' and 'Three in Two' are most mysterious.

1) What is the ultimate source of all creation?

Creation means "the act of making or producing something that did not exist before" according to the Britannica. Understanding the ultimate source of all creation varies depending on each religion and culture. Christianity considers the source of all creation as God, Buddhism considers it Mind, Daoism considers it Dao, and Confucianism or I Ching considers it as Heaven or Taegeuk. However, the Scripture of Heavenly Code considers it as One (1) which coexists with Nothingness (0) and the Scripture tells us that the One (1) must divide into the Three Ultimates (3) for its manifestation. 

2) Is there any difference in quality between the principle of mind in God and that in Humans?

The Scripture of Heavenly Code implies that the Great One is Mind, which shines radiantly like pure yang. The Scripture is composed of 81 characters which consist of 31 numbers and 50 letters. Among them, number 1 appears 11 times, number 3 appears 8 times, and Heaven, Earth, and Humanity appear 3 times each. Therefore, it could be assumed that the Scripture explains the mind of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity with the numbers, especially using numbers 1 and 3. The Scripture reveals that the principle of all creation by God and Humans is the same.

Hado is an essential diagram that explains the principle of yin and yang, and the five phases

3) What is the core principle of mind that applies to all creation and transformation?

Mind is generally considered as the complex of mental faculties involved in perceiving, remembering, considering, evaluating, and deciding. However, Max Planck who devoted his whole life to science once mentioned "All matter originates and exists only by a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. … We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter."All matter has two aspects such as wave and particle, intangible and tangible, and mental and material. According to Eastern cosmology, the interaction of these two aspects, jung (精, essence) and shin(神, spirit) causes consciousness, creates new ideas, and finally actualizes the ideas in reality. So, the mind always functions through the interaction of two aspects; the mental aspect (spirit) and the physical aspect (body). 

4) What is the purpose of all creation and transformation in human history?

The Scripture of Heavenly Code and Hado diagram reveal the principle of mind, the principle of all creation and transformation in Heaven, Earth, and Humanity with numbers of 1 to 10. They reveal the core wisdom of Eastern Cosmology, Spirituality, Meditation, and Human History. The goal of all creation and transformation in a cycle is maturity, the maturity of the mind of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. By attaining One Mind with Heaven and Earth, humanity can actualize the spirit of Hongik Ingan, which means fostering wide-reaching benefits for humanity and establishing an Ideal World where all humanity lives harmoniously with each other and even with nature. 

*English Translation of Cheonbugyeong from Jeung San Do Sangsaeng Research Institute's version