The Scripture of the Founding Master > Chapter Four: The Way of Humanity

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The Scripture of the Founding Master

Chapter Four: The Way of Humanity

The Founding Master continued, “‘virtue [of the Way]’ (tŏk) is, to put it simply, just a name for the manifestation of grace in any place or matter. When heaven follows the Way, heaven’s grace will be made manifest; when the earth follows the Way, the earth’s grace will be made manifest; and when human beings follow the Way, the grace of human beings will be made manifest. According to the thousands of Ways, thousands of virtues will materialize. Therefore, among these various types of virtues, if we initially explain only hu-manity’s virtue, its aspects also will be infinite. If one follows the Way between parents and children, the pow-er of the Way between parents and children is made manifest; if one follows the Way between superior and sub-ordinate, the power of the Way between superior and subordinate is made manifest; if one follows the Way between husband and wife, the power of the Way between husband and wife is made manifest; if one follows the Way between friends, the power of the Way between friends is made manifest; and if one follows the Way between fellow countrymen, the power of the Way between fellow countrymen is made manifest. Thus, when the power of the Way is encountered in an individual, a true individual materializes; when encountered in a family, a true family materializes; when encountered in a society, a society will be in harmony; when encountered in a nation, a nation will be in harmony; when encountered in the world, the world will be in harmony. If we were to speak of the greatest virtue of them all, it is to be a person who, having awakened to the great Way, readily transcends being and nonbeing, liberates oneself from birth and death, masters cause and effect, and guides all sentient beings who are wandering lost inside the ‘burning house of the triple world’ to abide together in the paradise of Ultimate Bliss. Such a person can be said to have achieved the great pow-er of the Way.”

The Scripture of the Founding Master

Chapter Four: The Way of Humanity

The Founding Master continued, “‘virtue [of the Way]’ (ita_ttŏkitb_t) is, to put it simply, just a name for the manifestation of grace in any place or matter. When heaven follows the Way, heaven’s grace will be made manifest; when the earth follows the Way, the earth’s grace will be made manifest; and when human beings follow the Way, the grace of human beings will be made manifest. According to the thousands of Ways, thousands of virtues will materialize. Therefore, among these various types of virtues, if we initially explain only hu-manity’s virtue, its aspects also will be infinite. If one follows the Way between parents and children, the pow-er of the Way between parents and children is made manifest; if one follows the Way between superior and sub-ordinate, the power of the Way between superior and subordinate is made manifest; if one follows the Way between husband and wife, the power of the Way between husband and wife is made manifest; if one follows the Way between friends, the power of the Way between friends is made manifest; and if one follows the Way between fellow countrymen, the power of the Way between fellow countrymen is made manifest. Thus, when the power of the Way is encountered in an individual, a true individual materializes; when encountered in a family, a true family materializes; when encountered in a society, a society will be in harmony; when encountered in a nation, a nation will be in harmony; when encountered in the world, the world will be in harmony. If we were to speak of the greatest virtue of them all, it is to be a person who, having awakened to the great Way, readily transcends being and nonbeing, liberates oneself from birth and death, masters cause and effect, and guides all sentient beings who are wandering lost inside the ‘burning house of the triple world’ to abide together in the paradise of Ultimate Bliss. Such a person can be said to have achieved the great pow-er of the Way.”