Whom We Worship
We Worship Gucheon Sangje, the Highest Celestial Deity
and Supreme God of the Ninth Heaven
Who Exercises Absolute Authority over the Universe
The Supreme God’s Descent into the Human World
The object of belief in Daesoon Jinrihoe is the Supreme God of the Ninth Heaven (Gucheon Sangje), who is the highest celestial deity and exercises supreme authority over the universe. He made a ‘Great Itineration’ around the world in response to the petition and request of all divine sages, buddhas and bodhisattvas, who have existed since the dawn of time.
Stopping on this eastern land of Korea, He spiritually resided in the statue of Golden Maitreya Buddha in the Geumsansa Temple at Moak Mountain in North Jeolla Province where He stayed for thirty years.
On September 19, 1871, He was born as a human being to the Kang family in North Jeolla Province. His honorific name was Jeungsan. The Supreme God (Sangje) Kang Jeungsan proclaimed the unprecedented truth to the human world throughout His 40 years of life which He committed to ‘Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth’ and ‘Opening a New World.’ Then He passed into heaven and ascended to the throne of ‘Gucheon Eungwon Noeseong Bohwa Cheonjon Kangseong Sangje,’ as the Supreme God.
Gucheon Eungwon Noeseong Bohwa Cheonjon Kangseong Sangje
(Gucheon Sangje)
Gucheon (九天, Ninth Heaven) is the highest location of all, a post from which Sangje supervises the Three Realms, coordinates Heaven and Earth, and directs the process of their unfolding.
Eungwon (應元, Resonation with the Supreme) indicates that none of the myriad forms dense or close, including heavenly bodies, would be able to come into being without having the sympathetic resonance of a heavenly mandate.
Noeseong (雷聲, ‘Lighting and Thunder’/Thunderbolt) symbolizes the command of Heaven and voice of benevolence. Lightning is created by the two vital forces of yin and yang. Lightning is the essence (che, 體) of thunder, and thunder is the function (yong, 用) of lightning. The thunderbolt divides Heaven from Earth. The thunderbolt causes the energy of Heaven and Earth to ascend and descend through the oscillation between movement and stillness, advance and retreat, enables everything grow, and it controls the becoming and changing of everything in Creation.
Bohwa (普化, Universal Creation) signifies that every being in the universe owes its existence, whether via form or formlessness, to the creative virtue of the Celestial Worthy.
Cheonjon (天尊, Celestial Worthy) indicates that Sangje is the holiest and greatest deity throughout the Three Realms, who universally creates every being through His thunderbolt throughout all directions in space and time.
Kangseong Sangje (姜聖上帝, His Holiness the Supreme God Kang) is the honored name of the omniscient and omnipotent God. He exercises authority over the Three Realms, presides and directs the myriad forms dense and close throughout the universe, and attentively watches over all the Heavens.