Samsin Sangjenim, the Source of Dao

[仙人 有爲子가 傳한 天地 大道의 道言]

道의 根源은 三神上帝님
時에 有爲子가 隱於妙香山하니 
其學이 出於紫府先生也라
過見熊氏君한대 君이 請爲我陳道乎아
對曰 道之大原이 出乎三神也로이다. 
道旣無對無稱하니 有對非道오 
有稱亦非道也로이다. 
道無常道나 而隨時가 
乃道之所貴也오 
稱無常稱이나 而安民이 
乃稱之所實也로이다. 
其無外之大와 無內之小에 
道乃無所不含也로이다.
天之有機는 見於吾心之機하고 
地之有象은 見於吾身之象하고
物之有宰는 見於吾氣之宰也니 
乃執一而含三하고 
會三而歸一也니이다.
一神所降者는 是物理也니 
乃天一生水之道也오
性通光明者는 是生理也니 
乃地二生火之道也오
在世理化者는 是心理也니 
乃人三生木之道也니이다. 
盖大始에 三神이 造三界하실새 
水以象天하시고 火以象地하시고 
木以象人하시니 夫木者는 
柢地而出乎天하야 亦如人이 
立地而出하야 能代天也로이다 하야늘 
君曰 善哉라 言乎여.

[The Words Imparted by Immortalist Yuwija on the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth]

Samsin Sangjenim, the Source of Dao
Yuwija was living in seclusion on Mt. Myohyangsan at that time. His research was derived from the teachings of Master Jabu. He had an audience with the Bear Clan King on one of his journeys. During this meeting, the king asked him, “Would you explain dao for me?”

"The ultimate source of dao is Samsin." Dao has no counterpart, nor a name. If there is a counterpart, it is not the dao of which we speak. If it is named, it cannot be dao. Dao is neither fixed nor immutable, yet it assiduously adheres to the time of heaven and earth. Though dao does not have a set name, maintaining peace for the people is essential to its name. So large that it has no exterior and so small that it has no interior, there is nothing that is not encompassed by dao.

The basis of heaven is revealed through the basis of the human mind, the image of earth is reflected in the image of the human body, and the master of all things in creation is manifested through the master of the human body’s qi. This is the principle of one containing three (Samsin)[執一含三], and of three, in gathering, returning to its original state of one[會三歸一].

What the ‘One Spirit’ bequeathed to us was the principle of all things, therefore cheon-il (“heaven-one”; i.e., heaven as one) is the very dao that generates the element water (水). That our original nature is directly connected to the great radiance of Samsin is the principle of life; therefore, ji-i (“earth-two”; i.e., earth as two) is the very dao that generates the element fire (火). To enlighten the people by governing in accordance with the teachings of Spirit Teaching is the principle of the mind. Therefore in-sam (“human-three”; i.e., humans as three) is the very dao that generates the element wood (木).

In a great time of origin, when Samsin created the three realms of heaven, earth, and humanity, water (水) was the symbol for heaven (天), fire (火) was the symbol for earth (地), and wood (木) was the symbol for humanity (人). Trees are rooted to the ground and rise to heaven. In the same way, humans—standing on earth—serve as representatives of heaven.