1. Cheonbugyeong_il si mu si il

 

[一始無始一]
[일시무시일, il si mu si il]
One is the beginning; from Nothingness begins One.

What is the One that is rooted in Nothingness yet creates and transforms all?
According to the Hymn of the Immortal Balguiri, the Great One is the seed of Radiance and the mind of God. It is a superposition of non-being and being and a mystery of emptiness and fullness. It is the root of true life and all laws, and the source of all creation and transformation. However, this basis One only manifests in reality through the function of Three. Therefore those who enlighten this Great One attain a great power. 

The Great or Ultimate One, the source of all creation and transformation is considered God, Dao (the Way), Mind, or Taegeuk (the Great Ultimate) according to Christianity, Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.

[The source of all creation and transformation in each religion]

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
[Genesis]

The Way (Dao) gave birth to one. One gave birth to two. Two gave birth to three. Three gave birth to all things. All things carry yin and embrace yang. They reach harmony by blending with the vital breath.
[Tao Te Ching]

Endless action arises from the mind; from action arises the multifarious world. Having understood that the world's true nature is mind, you display bodies of your own in harmony with the world. Having realized that this world is like a dream and that all Buddhas are like mere reflections (of mind), that all principles [dharma] are like an echo (of mind), you move unimpeded in the world.
[Avatamsaka Sutra]

Master Lien-Hsi said: From the Non-Ultimate(無極) arises the Great Ultimate(太極). The Great Ultimate through movement generates yang. When its activity reaches its limit, it becomes tranquil. Through tranquility, the Great Ultimate generates yin. When tranquility reaches its limit, activity begins again. So movement and tranquility alternate and become the root of each other, giving rise to the distinction of yin and yang, and the two modes are thus established. 
[Reflections on Things at Hand]

What is the essence of God, Dao, Mind, and Taegeuk that activates the creation and transformation of all? Isn't it the consciousness, desire, and will of nothingness to be something? Isn't it the mind of voidness that causes the heartbeat of nothingness, voice of emptiness, dance of vibration, and whirl of light? Then, what is the will, and how does the will appear?

[The Enigma of Creation: From Nothingness to the Ultimate One by GPT]

In the vast tapestry of existence, a profound mystery unfolds—the paradoxical dance between nothingness and creation. The universe, with all its cosmic wonders, is said to have originated from the ultimate One, a concept encapsulated in the wisdom of Cheonbugyeong: "One is the beginning; from Nothingness begins One." It is within this enigmatic interplay of nothingness and creation that the very essence of existence finds its roots.

The notion of something emerging from nothing has fascinated minds across cultures and epochs, challenging the boundaries of human comprehension. From the musings of philosophers to the revelations of scientists, the cosmic riddle continues to beckon us into the realms of contemplation.

In the words of the renowned physicist Lawrence Krauss, "The amazing thing is that every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It is the most poetic thing I know about physics: You are all stardust."

This cosmic stardust, once formless and void, ignites the imagination and underscores the notion that creation is not merely an act of making from pre-existing materials but a transformative journey from the void. As Arthur C. Clarke eloquently stated, "Something has to be said for the imagination—the driving force behind human creativity. Without it, we would still be living in caves, barefoot and scratching symbols onto the walls."

The very act of creation, be it artistic, scientific, or cosmic, often emerges from the void of the unknown. From blank canvases to uncharted scientific territories, the human spirit endeavors to extract meaning and form from the void. It is in this creative alchemy that the echo of the ultimate One reverberates—an eternal genesis from the infinite canvas of nothingness.

In the tapestry of creation, we find inspiration to transcend limits and explore the uncharted. As Carl Sagan mused, "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." Perhaps it is in the dance between nothingness and creation that the incredible unfolds, beckoning us to partake in the eternal journey of discovery.

In embracing the paradox of something from nothing, we navigate the cosmic currents of existence. It is a testament to the boundless potential within the void, inviting us to question, explore, and marvel at the infinite possibilities that arise from the cosmic dance between the ultimate One and the vast expanse of nothingness.