• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.37
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• pp.229-262
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• 2021

The debate on the treatment of animals has accelerated as a social issue in the West since the 1970s. In 1975, Peter Singers argued in his book, Animal Liberation, that speciesism should be banned. This led to an explosion in research on animal welfare in the philosophical and social sciences. Following Singer, Tom Regan suggested considering the animal rights as being on the same level as human rights. Their arguments were that animals should be imbued with some intrinsic weight sufficient enough to remind humans of their social responsibility to animals at least to a certain degree. In this regard, social responsibility for animal welfare as well as animal rights has formed an axis that organizes human morality in modern society. Such arguments regarding animal welfare can be perceived as an active and creative effort which accords with the free will of human beings who in Daesoon Thought are understood as facing the era of human nobility. This argumentation also aligns with the doctrine of grievance-resolution for mutual beneficence as a practical creed due to the way in which modern bioethics implies that animal welfare could become a practical communal morality integrated into legal systems prior to adoption as a system of individual morality. From within this context, this study discusses the nature and limits of modern animal welfare and animal rights from the perspective of the grievance-resolution which Kang Jeungsan promised to animals.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.32
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• pp.109-136
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to look at the concept of Gaebyeok as used by Kang Jeungsan (姜甑山) from a civilizational perspective. The combination of East Asian civilization during the period of Korea's port-opening and the subsequent inflow of Western powers with material civilization all at the forefront in the late Joseon Korea, served as the driving force for a new civilizational transition. Unlike the Chuk-sa Party and the Gae-hwa Party, modern Korean religions that emphasized Gaebyeok also responded to Western civilization and suggested a new view of civilization. Kang Jeung-san, resisting discrimination and oppression, presented a civilization built upon mutual beneficence while criticizing Western civilizations which centered on reason. Amid this process of the spread of modern Western civilization, Jeungsan declared the construction of a new civilization to the people who were negatively impacted by various social factions, such as class and gender discrimination, political corruption, exploitation via political corruption, and the inflow of Western powers. Jeungsanist Thought developed criticisms of materialism and human alienation, and this resulted in the claim of Gaebyeok. This was an expression of efforts to build a new civilization that aimed to harmonize, integrate, and thrive. The new civilization envisioned by Jeungsan was that of a society run according to mutual beneficence, and it can be summarized as a 'Civilization of Harmonious Union' that integrates philosophical thought and civilizational models of both East and West. This could also be referred to a 'Civilization of Public-commons and Harmony between Divine Beings and Human Beings (神人公共).' The life of Jeungsan was a life spent in the service of curing the world to save the lives of humanity. Since then, his 'movement of mutual beneficence' as observed in Mugeuk-do and Taegeuk-do were also efforts to build the new civilization envisioned by Jeungsan.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.25_2
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• pp.1-43
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• 2015

Daesoonjinrihoe perceives that human suffering is caused not only by mental factors but also by the cosmic principle of Mutual Overcoming more fundamentally. The relationship influenced among all things in the universe is Mutual Beneficence and Mutual Overcoming. If these relations are properly cooperated in harmony, all things will reveal their energetic existence in a balanced state, however, if one side, particularly, Mutual Overcoming becomes excessive, indeed, it will cause trouble. That is, the sentient beings that are inclined to excessive Mutual Overcoming rather than indispensable Mutual Overcoming make grievances among themselves and cumulate them. In the end, heaven and earth lose its constant Way[常道], leading the sentient beings to all kinds of agonies. However, it may be a problem if every agony is depicted with Mutual Overcoming, that is, one single fixed frame, because Mutual Overcoming has to be interpreted diversely according to the circumstances. Thus, it is not possible to explain precisely about the agony if not understanding its spectrum. This study analyzed the ways how Daesoonjinrihoe explains the aspects of reasons and solutions to a variety of agonies. In the Supreme Scripture of Daesoonjinrihoe, the reasons for agony vary: first, it is caused by Mutual Overcoming of the cosmos itself, which is irrelevant to human beings. Secondly, man can be victimized because of Mutual Overcoming caused by man. Thirdly, there is a case of a victim who is damaged due to Mutual Overcoming caused by the other. Fourthly, man can be victimized because of Mutual Overcoming caused by someone else's unintended deeds. Fifthly, there is a case of man having agony in return when he, as a perpetrator, hurt others or resolve his inappropriate desires. Sixthly, man's deed unintendedly became a sin and have agony in return. Seventhly, man can be a self-perpetrator, conceiving vain desire, obsession and grievance. Eightly, there is a case of man having agony during enforcement of the law or practice of justice. Ninthly, man needs to endure agony during self-cultivation, enacting Reordering of the Universe(天地公事), ritual practice, promotion of fortune, and test. However, it is important to make sure that the reason for agony can interact with not only one but also diverse models in real situation. These nine models are included in the category of Mutual Overcoming; but, these cannot be classified in a single term, Mutual Overcoming because much information will be hidden, only to make it difficult to explain about agony more precisely. There are some characteristic observed in the concept of agony in Daesoonjinrihoe as follows: first, reasons for agony are caused by Mutual Overcoming although Mutual Overcoming can be interpreted differently according to the circumstances. Secondly, Daesoonjinrihoe makes a positive valuation for some agony. Thirdly, the solution to overcome a agony is brought to a conclusion, that is cultivation practice of Daesoonjinrihoe. Fourthly, the experience of agony and solution in Daesoonjinrihoe sometimes lie in the unit of family beyond individual. Fifthly, in the painful situation resulted from vain desire and obsession, Daesoonjinrihoe suggests a solution called Mutual Beneficence. That is, it emphasizes not only self-control but also active practice of considering others.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.47
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• pp.203-239
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• 2023

Jo Jeongsan's religious activity undertaken to benefit society can be organized into two categories. First, attention can be paid to Jo Jeongsan's religious activity of establishing religious order by enshrining Kang Jeungsan as the God of Ninth Heaven and making the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth the basic idea inspiring the social activity of his order. This was completed through the 50 years of propagation work carried out by Jo Joengsan in accordance with Kang Jeungsa's purpose of saving the world and its inhabitants. Second, his practice of social work in the field of people's lives based on the idea of the Dao can also be observed. This religious activity of Jo Jeongsan which began in 1909 was the sacred manifestation of his will to realize Kang Jeungsan's purpose of saving the world and people, and it was also a practice of spreading virtue throughout the world. In addition, Park Wudang carried out Sihak and Sibeop Gongbu (two varieties of holy work) for the cultivation of Dao trainees, and those methods came from the systematic cultivation practice established by Jo Jeongsan. Regarding this, we can refer to Kang Jeungsan's saying, "As the Dao shall dwell in the 12,000 peaks of Geumgang Mountain, the same number of sages who were enlightened to the Dao will be born into the world." The perfected state of human maturity or the emergence of people who are enlightened to the Dao would be the completion of the idea of saving the world and its inhabitants. Therefore, the holy works of Sihak and Sibeop that are now being carried out can be seen as the continuance of the pursuit of saving the world and humankind, as it was continually upheld by Park Wudang's predecessors, Jo Jeongsan and Kang Jeungsan.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.41
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• pp.27-61
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• 2022

Documentation related to Mugeuk-do (Limitless Dao) is rare in comparison to other Korean new religions given that it has been open to the public and translated since the 1970s. Due to its rarity, the documentation has been used uncritically, without there being any comparative study or historical research. It is undeniable that distortions and fallacies are embedded in these documents, and this has resulted in quite a few problems in precisely understanding Mugeuk-do and Daesoon Jinrihoe (The Fellowship of Daesoon Truth), an order that has inherited the legacy of Mugeuk-do. In this regard, this study aims to critically define the characteristics and limitations of the major documents related to Mugeuk-do that were published by the colonial government in the 1920s~1930s and recorded by multiple orders in the 1970s-1980s through comparisons. An attempt to conduct this research allows for the discovery of a solution to the problem of uncritical usage of those materials. The documents produced by the colonial government that can be used as basic texts to study Mugeuk-do are The General Conditions of the Religion Mugeuk-do (無極大道敎槪況) and Unofficial Religions of the Korea (朝鮮の類似宗敎). These can be found through bibliography, comparison, and historical research. Chapters 6, 7, and 8 of The General Conditions of the Religion Mugeuk-do are a possible source on the order that reflects the circumstances of Mugeuk-do until 1925. In the case of Unofficial Religions of the Korea, if the descriptive perspective on unofficial religions is excluded, the articles written about the circumstances post 1925 have credibility. Another document that describes multiple orders and can be used as a basic text is chapter 2 of 'Progress of the Order' in Daesoon Jinrihoe's The Canonical Scripture. This is because its record precisely reflects the conditions of the era, with regard to the fact that it is the freest from distortions caused by changes in the belief system and it is less biased towards certain sects or denominations. Furthermore, the collection period of the articles is the earliest. Accordingly, as basic texts, Chapters 6, 7, and 8 of The General Conditions of the Religion Mugeuk-do and the articles from Unofficial Religions of the Korea after 1925, as well as chapter 2 of 'Progress of the Order' in The Canonical Scripture are appropriate for studying Mugeuk-do. In addition, Overview of Bocheonism, History of Jeungsan-gyo, and The True Scripture of the Great Ultimate can be utilized as references after removing distortions and fallacies through comparative study. Henceforth, relevant documents should be utilized to establish comprehensive data on Mugeuk-do through comparative and historical research.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.27
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• pp.135-169
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• 2016

While examining the religious ideas implied by Jeungsan's Great Works of the Reordering of Universe, we find special ideas which cannot be found in any other religions, and these ideas are presented in diverse ways. Most of all, the representative idea is that of human nobility; a distinctive idea which makes Daesoonjinrihoe different from other religions. Thus, this research focuses on the following questions: when was Human Nobility concretely realized? What kind of organic relationship does human nobility have between the divine world and the world of humanity? In light of the forthcoming Era of Human Nobility, what are some concrete images which can be drawn from the interaction between the realms of heaven and humanity wherein preordinations are plotted in heaven and then carried out by humankind? Prior to formulating my own sense of the subject matter, I consulted 43 previous discussions and dissertations and arranged them chronologically so as to examine their correlation. From these sources and my own insights, I was able to gain a sense of the starting point of the era of human nobility and its tenor. I have found the following problems in previous research on the uniqueness and distinctness of human nobility: ①The conceptual undertones of human nobility have not been adequately gleaned. ②There do not seem to be any dissertations which examine the way in which human nobility is connected with the doctrines of the creative conjunction between yin and yang, the harmonious union of divine beings and human beings, and the resolution of grievances for mutual beneficence. ③In most dissertations, not only is the starting point of the Era of Human Nobility regarded as concurrent with the start of the 50,000 years of earthly paradise in the Later World, but also the point of division between the former world and the later world is widely disputed. ④In-depth and fully realized studies dealing with the subject of human nobility are not easily found. ⑤There is little sense of progression in the research on human nobility because scholars are not sufficiently engage with one another to achieve common consensus. Therefore, in this dissertation, I have provided answers to the problems I discovered in previous research. I have developed my own tenor as follows: ①By giving priority to the Jeongyeong, I have closely investigated the period which divides the Former World and the Later World. Then, I produced a chronological timeline to demonstrate the progression: the Former World → the Era of the Resolution of Grievances → the Later World. This aids in the comprehension of human nobility. ②The Era of Human Nobility was preceeded by the opening of the Era of the Resolution of Grievances of human world which began in 1901. Human nobility is stipulated as a regulatory system for the universe set in motion by the opening the Era of Resolution of Grievances. ③While synthetically examining the aspects of transition which enable the Ear of Human Nobility to be realized, the period to be studied is stipulated as beginning from 1901 and ending at the start of the Later World. The subjects are defined as the flowing from Jeungsan, the first leader of human nobility, to the noble individuals empowered by Dao and the noble populace. In the Era of Human Nobility, studying the transition process by which human nobility is realized requires delving into the resolution of grievances. Although this method is essential to understanding Daesoon ideas, in actuality it does not hinge upon speculative exegetical theorizing but instead it was gained through eisegetical rigor.

• Journal of Daesoon Thought and the Religions of East Asia
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.41-59
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• 2022

Caodaism is a new religion from Vietnam which began in late 1925 and spread rapidly across the French colony of Indochina. With a broad syncretic aim, the new faith sought to revivify Vietnamese religious traditions whilst also incorporating religious, literary, and spiritist influences from France. Like Catholicism, Caodaism kept a strong focus on its monotheistic nature and today Caodaists are eager to label their religion a monotheism. It will be argued here, however, that the syncretic nature of this new faith complicates this claim to a significant degree. To make this argument, we will consider here the nature of God in Caodaism through two central texts from two important stages in the life of the religion. The first is the canonized Compilation of Divine Messages which collects a range of spirit messages from God and some other divine voices. These were received in the early years of the faith. The second is a collection of sermons from 1948/9 that takes Caodaist believers on a tour of heaven, and which is entitled The Divine Path to Eternal Life. It will be shown that in the first text, God speaks in the mode of a fully omnipotent and omniscient supreme being. In the second text, however, we are given a view of paradise that is much more akin to the court of a Jade Emperor within an East Asian milieu. In these realms, the personalities of other beings and redemptive mechanisms claim much of our attention, and seem to be a competing center of power to that of God. Furthermore, God's consort, the Divine Mother, takes on a range of sacred creative prerogatives that do something similar. Additionally, cadres of celestial administrators; buddhas, immortals, and saints help with the operation of a cosmos which spins on with guidance from its own laws. These laws form sacred mechanisms, such as cycles of reincarnation and judgement. These operate not in the purview of God, but as part of the very nature of the cosmos itself. In this context, the dualistic, polytheistic, and even automatic nature of Caodaism's cosmos will be considered in terms of the way in which they complicate this religion's monotheistic claims. To conclude, this article seeks to demonstrate the precise relevance of the term 'monotheism' for this religion.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.32
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• pp.201-236
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• 2019

Heroes are the subjects who discover hope and provide people with courage and wisdom. At the same time, heroes have been known to renovate individuals and even societies on various dimensions throughout history. In recent times, a new academic field called 'heroism science' has emerged, leading to an era which focuses on their positive social functions and roles as reflected by war heroes from ancient times to ordinary civic heroes. However, attention is rarely paid to the ways in which their heroic acts have sometimes resulted in ethical problems such as the exertion of negative influences or the degradation of morality. Specifically speaking, people affected by the acts of heroes include not only beneficiaries but also specific subjects who could be considered victims. In a broad sense, the results caused by heroic acts could have an influence on harmony and unity in societies, the hero's nation, or even the entirety of the universe, and this is often overlooked. Given these realities, this study aims to understand how heroic acts simultaneously imply a positive side wherein cosmic restoration or reform are practiced and a negative side which carries out the destruction of life or the birth new disorders. In other words, the limitations of heroism is also worth consideration. To conduct this study, research on heroes will be comprehensively studied from various academic perspectives through previous documents on this subject. Western concepts that relate to heroes and heroic acts will be also illustrated. Reflections on Jeungsanist Thought, Korean heroes, and the limitation of heroes in the Former World will also be elucidated. Lastly, this study will discuss an authentic heroic figure that can be held up as an exemplary role model.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.25_2
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• pp.71-102
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• 2015

In this paper, this author studied the realization of Daesoonjinri's Haewon Sangsaeng(解冤相生) in this world, for instance discussed the meaning of Daesoonjinri's Haewon Sangsaeng, a world construction with Haewon Sangsaeng, its practical action for the realization of Haewon Sangsaeng, and so forth. A description of the contents is as follows. Daesoonjinri's Haewon Sangsaeng eliminates the resentment of human destiny, and provides the grounds that we peoples can live with, going to help each other. And then the realization of Daesoonjinri's Haewon Sangsaeng in this world will require us to this society. Really Sangje(上帝) wanted to perform it in this world, and has performed it with a reorganizing in the order of heaven and the earth(天地公事). In response to the deeper sublimest will of Sangje, we humans can not help but do as follows: When Sangje has done a reorganizing in the order of heaven and the earth, we humans should participate in it. This is our response to the will of Sangje who wants to build an ideal society in this world. And in oder to participate in a reorganizing in the order of heaven and the earth, we humans should look up Sangje with Sincerity(誠), Reverence(敬), and should practice the words of Sangje with Faith(信). This kind of thing is a route that we should avoid Jeokwon Sanggeuk(積怨相克) and should perform Haewon Sangsaeng. This Haewon Sangsaeng can be achieved with no Chuck(無慼), an altruistic, no greed(無慾), an execution of asceticism(修道), and the practice of Podeok (布德)·Rehabilitation(敎化). No making of a Chuck, doing an altruistic, no greed, an execution of asceticism would not deceive others, would not murder others, would not blame the transgressions of others, would not discriminate, would not harm others. And Podeok·Rehabilitation should be performed well in practice. When performing Podeok and Rehabilitation, we should not nullify them as unjust words or undue actions, and we must be a true. Because we must make the words of Sangje inform a world wide well, and must convince the words of Sangje to peoples so that they can adhere to them with a faith. That's the way that we humans should participate in a reorganizing in the order of heaven and the earth in this current world, and the way that we should contribute to building the ideal society in the world.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.22
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• pp.345-385
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• 2014

The object of this thesis is to consider the meaning of sincerity(誠), reverence(敬) and faith(信) through Cha gyungseok's historical record. Cha gyungseok(車京石, 1880-1936) is a key disciple of Kang Jeungsan Sangjenim(姜甑山, 1871~1909) to whom Cha kyungseok has begun to follow since 1907, completing his wandering around Yeonghak-gye(英學契), Iljin-hoe(一進會) and Cheondo-gyo(天道敎) after the loss of his father[Cha Jikoo(車致九), 1851-1894] in Tonghak peasants revolution. To examine the meaning of sincerity, reverence and faith as cardinal points in Daesoonjinrihoe(大巡眞理會) creed, this research has taken note of Cha kyungseok's sincerity, reverence and faith who is said to be thought of himself as a head of Reconstruction Work for the Tonghak spitit's resolution of grievances, despite the Sangjenim's intention of using him for different usage due to his sincerity, reverence and faith. Especially, emphasis was given to the illumination of Cha gyungseok's change of sincerity, reverence and faith through closely reviewing his life prior to the encounter with Sangjenim, the process of following Sangjenim and his whereabouts after the ascension of Sangjenim. In addition, through Jeonkyeong(典經), this research also examines Cha kyeong seok's sincerity, reverence and faith along with his ambition contained in that sincerity, reverence and faith. Up to his ascension, Sangjenim has never saved his advice on Cha gyungseok's ambition. Leaving Sangjenim's advice behind, Cha gyungseok moves on to become a head of the Reconstruction Work for the Tonghak spitit's resolution of grievances without deserting the dream of being the Son of Heaven. Although, he showed his prowess as a religious sect leader called Bocheon-gyo boasting its 6 million believers and as a provisional emperor of the country named Sikuk, he ends his life as a head for the Resolution of grievances of kings, princes, generals and premiers due to the change of faith on Sangjenim and interruption of Japanese Imperial Government, without accomplishing his dream. The feature of past disciples suggests the direction of cultivation for our cultivators. Through Cha gyungseok's sincerity, reverence and faith, we could look back upon the meaning of sincerity, reverence and faith and conclude that a real sincerity, reverence and faith is the heart-mind trying to participate in Reconstruction Work of Heaven and Earth with a pure mind, contrary to the one coming out of greed.