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157 Eastern Scripture Spreading Virtue From remote antiquity on, spring and autumn have replaced each other year after year, and the four seasons have come and gone. These have been unchanging phenomena and, indeed, signs of God’s transformations [chohwa] revealing apparently everything under heaven. The unenlightened masses do not recognize the grace of the wind or dew, but instead they believe such things just happen without anything or anyone making them happen.1 From the time of the five emperors,2 sages were born, and they have been recording the movements of the sun, the moon, and the stars, and establishing the numerous measuring systems in the universe. By doing so, they produced volumes of texts to reveal the constancy of the Heavenly Way. For moving and resting, rising and declining, they attributed these all to the decree of heaven.3 Respecting the commands of heaven, the sages acted in accord with heavenly principle. Therefore, people became men of true virtue [kunja], and through learning, they perfected the path of virtue. The Way was then the Heavenly Way, and virtue was then heavenly virtue. By illuminating the Way and cultivating virtue, they became men of true virtue and even arrived at the utmost heights of sagehood. How could we not admire them and sigh in awe? In these recent times, the people of the world each follow their own minds. They disobey the principle of heaven and disregard the commands of heaven. Their minds are in a state of perpetual anxiety, and no one knows what this will lead to. Coming to the cyclical year kyŏngsin [1860], there was a rumor that Westerners believe it is the will of God that they not pursue wealth or glory but instead should seize control of all under heaven in order to build 158 Translations their churches and promote their Way. Therefore, I also had such kind of thoughts. How puzzling I found it all. Suddenly, in the fourth lunar month, my heart quaked with cold and my body trembled, and I was unable to figure out what sort of illness this was. While I was in very difficult circumstances that I could not describe, words from some immortal [sinsŏn] spoke suddenly into my ears. Surprised , I jumped up to figure out what was going on, whereupon a voice said, “Do not be frightened or afraid. The people in the world call me God. Do you not recognize God?” I asked, “Why is it so?” The voice replied, “I have not achieved much, except that I have brought you into this world to teach people the correct practices. Have no doubts. Have no doubts.” I asked, “If so, then do I instruct the people by means of the Western Way?” The voice replied, “No, I have a talisman [yŏngbu], and it is called the elixir of immortality [sŏnyak]. Its shape is that of the grand ultimate [t’aegŭk] and the characters kung kung. Receive from me this talisman and save the people from illness. Receive from me this ritual incantation [chumun] and instruct the people on my behalf. Then you, too, shall have a long life and shall spread virtue under heaven.” I was moved by those words and accepted the talisman [pu]. I wrote it out and swallowed a dose. It refreshed my body and dispelled my illness . Only then did I realize that this medicine confers immortality. As for using it on the diseases of other people, some were cured but others were not. I did not know the reason, but after looking into it, I discovered that for those who respected God sincerely, it worked repeatedly. For those who did not obey morality, it was ineffective. Is it not dependent on the sincerity and respectfulness of the person accepting it? Consequently, our country is filled with evil disease, and the masses are insecure throughout the four seasons. These are also injuries of fate [su]. The West attacks and emerges victorious. It seems as though there is nothing they cannot achieve, so all under heaven is destroyed. For this, I sigh and lament over losing the lips.4 Where can a proper plan come out to protect the country and secure the masses? How pitiable! Now the people of the world do not know the fate of the times. They listen to what I have to say, then they return to their homes and their hearts refuse to accept it. When they again go outside...

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