• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.26
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• pp.183-214
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to promote the understanding of the objective of Daesoon Thought through 'examining the Objectives of Daesoonjinrihoe.' The objective of Daesoon thought was set when Kang Jeungsan Sangje descended to human world, upon the plea of divine sages, buddhas, and bodhisattvas, and determined to save the world and relieve people far and wide. For building an Earthly Paradise with Daesoon thought, Sangje carried out the great work of Reordering of the Universe for nine years and passed into heaven. Cho Jeongsan Doju, who received the heavenly religious orthodox through divine revelation from Sangje, served the late will of Sangje and established Main Tenets, Creeds, and objective of Daesoon thought. The objective set by Doju was continued to Park Wudang Dojeon and formed the Objectives of Daesoonjinrihoe. The Objectives of Daesoonjinrihoe consist of three sets of objectives in sequential order, which are related in organic, mutual beneficient, and integrative with one another. The Objectives starts from individual cultivation and expand into worldly reformation: 1)one's Spiritual transformation through Guarding against self-deception 2)Renewal of human beings through Realizing Earthly Immortality 3)Opening of new world through Building of Earthly Paradise. Also, in these Objectives of Daesoonjinrihoe, Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity keep close relations to enter into new world. These Objectives are based on the 'thought of mutual beneficence' and are realized with Daesoon thought, which is the Dao of 'Crowned King' that goes beyond the previous thoughts of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Objectives of Daesoonjinrihoe have following details in each objective as following; (1) 'Guarding against self-deception-Spiritual Transformation' is for human nature. In Daesoon thought, human has the potential to restore conscience, which is true nature, and return to undefiled essence by 'guarding against self-deception'. In other words, it views that one can reach into the stage of spiritual alignment with the Dao once he recovers conscience through cultivation of Daesoonjinrihoe based on the idea of 'Guarding against self-deception'. (2) 'Realizing Earthly Immortality-Renewal of human beings' is for ideal human character. 'Realizing Earthly Immortality' in Daesoon Thought indicates the advent of ideal human beings called 'Dotong gunja'(virtuous beings who are aligned with the Dao). They are leaders who integrate politics and religion in helping people to renew themselves and make the world into Earthly Paradise. (3) 'Building an Earthly Paradise-Opening of new world' is for ideal society. Daesoon thought aims to making a peaceful world by creating an ideal society of heaven on this earth. Park Wudang Dojeon, who led Daesoonjinrihoe, emphasized the importance of Three Basic Activities: Spreading of Sangje's virtue, Edification, and Cultivation: and Three Major Activities: Aid and charity, Social welfare, and Education. Dojeon said "One should make effort to reach the utmost goodness through enlightening their bright virtue and cultivating their talent virtue." In this words, he made clear that the Objectives of Daesoonjinrihoe can be realized when people enlighten their bright virtue and cultivate themselves with their talent virtue. In conclusion, the Objectives of Daesoon thought were clarified of their meanings by Sangje, established into laws by Doju, and actualized by Dojoen in various activities of Daesoonjinrihoe.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.35
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• pp.427-476
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• 2020

Park Wudang formally registered Daesoon Jinrihoe in 1969. While it shares ideas and history with other Jeungsanist groups, this paper argues that its organizational profile is unique. The two major institutional structures, the bonbu (headquarters) and the bangmyeon (branch) have together created space for the rapid development of this Korean new religion. The bonbu is a centralized hierarchy, while the bangmyeon exhibits the strong loyalty and cohesiveness of the clan. Running throughout both structural forms is the lineage concept, which is conceived here as an articulating paradigm able to operate in different organizational forms. This finely-balanced institutional structure makes a major contribution to Daesoon Jinrihoe's ability to fulfill its religious mission. The first side of this balance is the headquarters, which includes the core organization based in Yeoju as well as some outside temples and training centers. All of these were established under the direction of the Lord of Principle, the Dojeon, Park Wudang. Park Wudang also fixed the Dao Constitution, the Doheon, which serves as a blueprint for governance. From the Central Council to the various institutions for propagation, guidance, and auditing, current management practices conform closely to Park Wudang's organization vision. The second aspect of Daesoon Jinrihoe's organization is the branch structure. The larger branches, such as Yeongwol and Geumreung, are complex organizations in their own rights. The paper concludes by characterizing the two major axes of headquarters and branch as organizational types. Using Robert Quinn and Kim Cameron's institutional typology, the paper concludes that the bonbu is a classic centralized hierarchy with its focus on efficiency. The bangmyeon, in contrast, with its high level of group identity and spirit, comes approximates the clan institutional structure.

• Journal of Daesoon Thought and the Religions of East Asia
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.61-87
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• 2022

This article compares the concepts of divine incarnation as expounded in Daesoon Thought and in Christianity and questions the essence of the divinity in both traditions. In Daesoon Thought, The Supreme God, Sangje, saw major disorganization leading to extreme violence and doom and decided to incarnate on earth under the human form of Kang Jeungsan (1871-1909). Then the living God taught the solution to human suffering through the revelations he sent in 1917 to Jo Cheol-Je, or Jo Jeongsan (1895-1958) and the revelations were passed on to Dojeon Park Wudang who in 1969 founded Daesoon Thought. In Christianity, God incarnated in his son, Jesus Christ, who allowed for the radical transformation of the condition of man through his physical sacrifice. Daesoon differs in that Sangje did not offer himself as sacrifice when he came on earth but reorganized the world and taught how to apply benevolence to establish the Earthly Paradise. The affirmation that Daesoon Jinrihoe is both monotheistic and polytheistic is then analyzed. If the concept of monotheism seems to differ vastly between the two traditions, it appears that biblical monotheism is itself relatively young in the history of world religions so that Christianity has ancient roots germane to those of Daesoon Jinrihoe. The article concludes on the originality of this religion: though it is built on Daoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, it has transformed their vision of the deity and of its message in a most convincing manner.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.22
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• pp.471-507
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• 2014

Edification in Daesoonjinrihoe is not only a phenomenon that occurs following the differences of religious experience or spiritual development among the community members, which enables the members to share teaching and learning experiences with one another, but also an issue determined as one of the major activities of the religious order and a plan for achieving the purpose of the religious order-Podeokchenha(Wordly Propagation), Gujechansaeng (Salvation of all mankind) and Jisangcheonguk Geonseol(Building of earthly paradise). The purpose of this article is to clarify its concept and provide an example of edification, through considering the historical model for edification to help the cultivators with their work of edification. The archetype of edification of Daesoonjinrihoe was formed and gradually developed in phases by Sangje, Kang Jeungsan, the Supreme God(姜甑山, 1871-1909), Doju, Jo Jeongsan(趙鼎山, 1895-1958) and Dojeon, Park Wudang(朴牛堂, 1917-1995), by the three of whom the Religious Authority was succeeded. Sangje descended to the human world and preached to people to live by the rule of Haewon Sangsaeng(Resolution of grievances for the mutual beneficences of all life) and set an example of abolishing the old customs, living in mutual beneficences and having respect for human being. Doju, in revering the last will of Sangje, established the religious order by setting its creed, rituals and activities, which formed most contents of the archetype of edification. Dojeon set up a religious faith system by firmly establishing the Religious Authority and performed the True Law in accordance with Sangje's program of heaven to educate the cultivators to achieve the goal of self-cultivation following the last will of Doju. Through this, a perfect method to reach the state of Dotong(The Truly Unified State of Dao) is fulfilled. In this way, the archetype of edification was formed in the process of succession of Religious Authority. In conclusion, edification in Daesoonjinrihoe contributes to a 'systematic conveyance and understanding' through the historical archetype of edification, and it can be described as a concept that becomes a model to put into practice the 'True Law' of teachings given by two Sangjes for Dotong. Therefore, edification of Daesoonjinrihoe is drawing attention of its development as an important activity that realizes the ultimate value of the religious order because it solves the problems of immorality(absence of Dao), disorder and disregard of human value generated from the other side of this material civilization, with the truth of Haewon Sangsaeng, and has a function of rebuilding and leading the individuals and the society to the Truly Unified State of Dao through performing of the True Law.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.37
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• pp.1-52
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• 2021

The Naejeong, the inner court, which is one of the structures found in the temple complexes of Daesoon Jinrihoe. It serves the function of leading and controlling the operation and direction of Korean religions in general. Considering that the dictionary meaning of 'Naejeong' is 'a place to manage the affairs of the state from inside a palace,' the name and function of the structure appear to be in harmony. However, in the Daesoon Jinrihoe context, it is said that the name 'Naejeong (內庭 'Neiting' in Chinese)' is related to a verse from a Daoist scripture. It has not been revealed whether or not the scripture is historical, and what contents or contextual meanings it contains. This study tries to pursue this matter and introduce the original source of the Naejeong in Daesoon Jinrihoe as likely coming from Qianbapinxianjing (前八品仙經, The Former Scripture of the Eight Phases That Reveal the Means to Acquire Immortality). This scripture was compiled in Lüzu-quanshu(呂祖全書, The Entire Collection of Ancestor Lü). This text and its contextual meanings will also be examined. The origin of Qianbapinxianjing dates back to either the late Ming Dynasty or the early Qing. In those days, there existed a group of literati who worshipped Ancestor Lü because he had saved people and taught the art of immortality. The group organized Daoist Spirit-Writing Altars (鸞壇道敎) and invoked the spirit of Ancestor Lü. They were said to have been taught through messages received from spirit-writing sessions (降乩) with Ancestor Lü and several Daoist scriptures were composed by them in this manner. At Immortals-Gathering Pavilion (集仙樓) of Wandian (萬店) in Guangling (廣陵), China, some literati in that group conducted a spirit-writing session with Ancestor Lü between 1589 and 1626, and they produced a scripture which contained the passage, "A crow and a rabbit gather in the middle valley (烏兎結中谷) while a turtle entwined with a snake is in the inner court (龜蛇盤內庭)." They titled the scripture, The Five Movements and Filial Piety (五行端孝). This passage symbolically expresses the accomplishment of immortality in Neidan (internal alchemy) which, within the human body, combines the two energies of yin and yang which are Water and Fire in the Five Movements scheme. This kind of cultivation is said to be achieved only by maintaining the highest possible degree of filial piety. In this context, the Naejeong where a turtle is entwined with a snake (龜蛇合體) was a term that symbolically depicted a place wherein one transforms into an immortal through cultivation. The Five Movements and Filial Piety was included in Qianbapinxianjing after it had been compiled with the other scriptures containing Ancestor Lü's teachings. In 1744, Qianbapinxianjing was included in Lüzu-quanshu, the entire 32-volume collection of Ancestor Lü and printed for the first time. This underlies the belief in Ancestor Lü (呂祖信仰) which embraces the idea of the redemption of people, teaches the arts of immortality, and features Daoist Spirit-Writing Altars, filial piety, the art of Neidan, and the combination of Water and Fire.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.30
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• pp.163-199
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• 2018

Jeon-gyeong was published under the command of Dojeon Park Wudang in 1974. The scripture consists of 7 parts and each part has 17 chapters. The earliest record of Gucheon Sangje (1871~1909) can be found in Jeungsan Cheonsa Gongsagi, which was published by Lee Sangho (1888~1967) in 1926. The book was the first oral literature that he created by collecting information and materials on Jeungsan as he personally met with many direct disciples of Gucheon Sangje. In 1929, after three years, Lee complemented the book with additional materials and published the first edition of Daesoon Jeon-gyeong. It was a form of didactic literature stylistically presented as scripture. Lee continued this long journey of work by revising and publishing 6 editions of Daesoon Jeon-gyeong until he published the last one in 1965. The chapter titled, "Cheonji-gongsa (Reordering Works of the Universe)" from Daesoon Jeon-gyeong as the sixth chapter out of a total of 13 chapters in the first edition, but in the last edition, it appears as chapter 4 out of a total of 9 chapters. Here it is shown that the last edition has been shortened when compared to the first edition. Also the number of verses in the chapter has largely increased by almost twice its original size over the 37 years; as it was 81 in the first edition, 94 in the second, 148 in the third, 151 in the fifth, and 175 in the sixth. In this paper, I studied how the verses of "Gongsa (Reordering Works)" from the Jeon-gyeong, which was first published in 1974, have been revised in comparison to the chapter titled "Cheonji-gongsa" from the Daesoon Jeon-gyeong. As the result of comparing each verse of "Gongsa" from the Jeon-gyeong to those of "Cheonji-gongsa" from all six editions of the Daesoon Jeon-gyeong, I could find the following revisions or changes. First, when "Cheonji-gongsa" from the Daesoon Jeon-gyeong is compared to "Gongsa" from the Jeon-gyeong, it can be seen that the number of verses has been changed and some contents have been deleted or added. Second, the sixth edition of the Daesoon Jeon-gyeong has 69 more verses than the Jeon-gyeong, and most of the additions were made in the chapters titled "Haengrok (analects)," "Gyoun (conveyance of teachings)," and "Yesi (forseeing)". These additions show how the verses regarding religious and predictional teachings developed over the years. Third, the verses from "Gongsa" from the Jeon-gyeong contain many descriptions from chapter 2, "Enlightenment of Dao and Miraculous Deeds of Cheonsa (Heavenly Teacher)," chapter 3, "Followers in the Dao School and Precepts," and chapter 5, "Opening of New World and Paradise," from the 6 th edition of the Daesoon Jeon-gyeong. This indicates that "Cheonji-gongsa (Reordering Works of the Universe)" was related to miraculous acts, enlightenment to Dao, teachings given to the followers, the opening of new world, and the building of a paradise. Fourth, some chapters in the section "Cheonji-gongsa" from Daesoon Jeon-gyeong are omitted in "Gongsa" from Jeon-gyeong, and "Gongsa" has some new contents that were not included in previous texts. This shows that there had been adoptions of different materials in the process of transmission.