A Study Of The Philosophic Theory On The Celestial Sect

For the long time, Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism play an important role in the development of Chinese culture, in the life style of the race personality of Chinese, and in the formation and developments of cultural mindset. Today, we research tile traditional culture, pay attention to Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism samely. With the society progresses, the influence of religion will be declined. But as long as modern science can't conquer the disease, death, natural disaster etc completely, praying for God, fast and offerings, dispeling the disease and disaster, keeping longevity etc of Religious Da&ism would have the attraction to a part of persons. For this reason, it is very important to research and discover the positive culture of the Celestial Sect scientifically.Each of the mature religions has the idea {thinking), the affection and experience (feeling), the behavior (act), the organization and system of the religion (body), and thinking and feeling are the premise and foundation of act and body. For this reason, we must commence from the philosophic theory of the Celestial Sect, to understand it integrality. Hence we can grasp its abundant content. After introduceing the reasons of selecting the topic in the preface, and defining the Celestial Sect that was inquiried into, the author points out the disadvantages of the research on the Celestial Sect today, and the creativeness of this thesis.To any religion, it is impossible for its philosophic theory to accomplish in one time, it must inherit the past thoughts and absorb the present ones, therefore inchapter 1, the author analyses the origins of the Celestial Sect, points out the main sources: the original thought is Philosophical Daoist thought and Yin Yang Theory; the original belief is the faith of immortality; the original magic is the adoration for nature and ghost, and the original witchcrafts; the original format is the format of Mo Jia in Pre-Qin and Buddhist one. then, the author verifies the Celestial Sect that came down more than 800 years from after Zhang Lu to Song Dynasty at length, points out the spread of the Celestial Sect in Long Hu Mountain, and analyses the foundation, oblivion, recovery, development, prosperity, decline of the Celestial Sect, clarifies the same relation of the Orthodox Oneness School, the Wu Dou Mi Dao and the Celestial Sect.In chapter 2, the author analyses firstly the spread of "Taiping Jing\ and points out that "Taiping Dongji Jing" which was spreaded by the eralier Celestial Sect is "Taiping Jing\ Gradually, the authour analyses its philosophic theory contains: everythings on earth that were produced from Qi by deities instead of naturally; giving the theology refering to God and the inherited merits; elaborating its ghostly view with;#te apotheosis of Dao and dialecticses; establishing the fairy system and put forward the theories and the method of longevity; giving the theory of mind and nature thafcenlighten Religious Daoism of following to inquiry into the inner ego.In chapter 3, the author analyses that "Laozi Xiang'er. Zhu" disappeared after "the Books in Daoist Cannon in Yuan Dynasty", and it was initiated by Zhang Ling, composed by Zhang Lu. Gradually, the authour analyses itstreligious theory contains: the way of apotheosis Dao is a tallest absolute deity of Philosophical Daoism; giving the way to be immortal or not which refering to be good or evil for the earlier Celestial Sect; and classifying the theory and method of longevity with misinterpreting and distorting the original meaning of" Lao Tze". At last, the author analyses the common thoughts of "Laozi Xiang 'er Zhu" and "Taiping Jing". They all think that Dao is the origin of the creation consistently, classify the relation of Dao and Qi in the angle of evolvation of the metagalaxy, think that Dao is Qi, hence Qi is the origin; advocate that the maining of Jing, Qi and Spirit is the important method to immortality. The former's advantages of the aspect of the latter are: (1) Analysingand verifying the nature of Dao personified and theologized to the establishment service of the theological theory; (2) Perfecting the verification of Dao and the one, according to personifying the one characteristic, make the same to Dao; (3) Developing the keep one of nourishment of life and spirit, considering that keep one is complying with Religious Daoism Laws.In chapter 4, the author analyses the philosophic theory of the 30th Tian-Shi Zhang Jixian, points out his philosophic theory contains: (1) all come from mind; (2) Dao is not far, it is inner, thinking that Dao is the same as mind; (3) advocating the cultivation in the theory about mind and nature, with No-Desire; (4) giving mind of cultivation in the theory about the Inner Alchemy in nature way. From these ,we can know that the eralier Celestial Sect came to seek the tranquility of the mind, pursue the longivity of the apirit, instead of body's.In chapter 5, the author analyses the philosophic theory of the 39th Tian-Shi Zhang Sicheng, points out his philosophic theory contains: (1) harmonizing the theory about Li and Qi of'Songmifig Lixue, when expatiating Dao; (2) harmonizing Buddhist theory when expoundhig imHd and Xu Wu; (3) Blending the theory of nourishment dflife with Confucian ethics and the teeping tranquihty and eliminating desires thought of Religious Daoism; (4) giving the theory about the dual cultivation ofmind andnature. Zhang Sicheng's philosophic theory affected the folio wings very well.In chapter 6, the author analyses the philosophic theory of the 43th Tian-Shi Zhang Yuchu, points out his philosophic theory contains: (1) all come from TaiXu; (2) Dao is void; (3)vodi can procreate Qi; (4) mind is Tai Ji; (5) thinking that visualizing mind will conduce to master Dao; (6) the human nature is all kind; (7) harmonizing and cultivating mind will help to complete nature, then they will redound to life: (8) Tian was consistent with the human beings; (9) giving the theory about the dual cultivation of spirit and Qi. (10) syncretizing Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism. He inherited the theory of Lao Tze ,Zhuang Tze and Daoism, and assimilated the Confucianism, especialy the theory that the human nature is all kind of Meng Tze. In a word, he is a congrate of the theory of the Celestial Sect.In chapter 7, the author analyses the philosophic theory of Lou Jinyuan, who was a Daoist of the Celestial Sect, when Emperor Yong Zheng reigned, points out his philosophic theory contains: (1) mind and. Dao is an unreal; (2) paying no attention to the world; (3) giving the theory of refining and cultivationg the inner world, which combines Buddhist mind and nature with Philosophical Daoist Xin Zhai and Zuo Wang. His theory contains Chan.In chapter 8, the author analyses the characteristics of the Celestial Sect after the Sone Dynasty, points out that it melted Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism better than before. The characteristics of the Celestial Sect in this time were: Buddhism, Songming Lixue and the Complete Perfection Tradition are all outstanding in the philosophic theory of the Celestial Sect. The philosophic theories of the Celestial Sect absorbing Buddhism are: using the concept of Buddhism to elaborate the thought of religious Daoism; absorbing the theories of Buddhism to build up the theories of religious Daoism; especially absorbing the theories about mind and nature of Buddhism since South and North Dynasty. The philosophic theories of the Celestial Sect absorbing Confucianism are: Absorbing Confucian moral accomplishment theory, and taking mind as the essence to theory of Songming Lixue. using the concept of Songming Lixue to elaborate the thought of religious Daoism. The philosophic theory of the Celestial Sect melting the Complete Perfection Tradition are: inheriting the dual cultivation of mind and nature of the Complete Perfection Tradition; absorbing, the morals accomplishment jnethod of Confucianism inside and Daoism outside; absorbing the practice moral and cultivating in the world. In fact, when showing the process of the theory of the Celestial Sect, it has displayed the charcters of absorbing Chan philosophy, melting good and evil retribution's theory and the circle from borning to death of Buddism in some places.At last, the author summarizes the main meaning at the end of the thesis in brief, points out that the earlier periods of the Celestial Sect, especially the theologizing "Lao Tze", melting good and evil retribution's theory of Confucianism, combining mind of Chan with Dao after Sui and Tang Dynasties, assimilating the theory of Songming Lixue after Ming Dynasty, and learning the cultivation of the CompletePerfection Tradition all enrich and develop the religious theories of Religious Daoism, more for the preparation of the Celestial Sect can adjust the current of time. These express the importance of the Celestial Sect in Chinese history, both of philosophic and Daoist theorical history.In brief, the development process of the Celestial Sect is a progress in view of the history of thought. In the end, the philosophical thought which was concerned with the nature in Pre-Qin established by Lao Tze and Zhuang Tze was lead to the one concerned with the divine origin consciously, after all, it was gradually turned into being the philosophic thought of biological phenomenon and its essence value, after Sui and Tand Dynasties, with the endeavor of the leaders and other Daoists of the Celestial Sect which were imbibing Confucian regression of mind, Buddhist enlightening mind and Chan's Non-mind.