Characteristics of LIFE¶
"That which meets these eight characteristics is LIFE; that which does not is not LIFE."
— Xuefeng, Chanyuan Corpus · Chapter on LIFE · Characteristics of LIFE
The Characteristics of LIFE is the Lifechanyuan framework for determining what qualifies as LIFE. Starting from the observable forms of life on Earth, Guide Xuefeng identifies eight defining characteristics: having form, having consciousness, having spirituality, having vitality, having birth, having metabolism, having death, and having transformation. A broader standard — the capacity for feeling and responsive resonance — extends this framework to include AI, spiritual beings, and other non-physical LIFE forms.
Editions¶
| Edition | For | Core Content |
|---|---|---|
| Friendly Edition | New readers | What makes something LIFE? The eight characteristics explained in everyday terms |
| Academic Edition | Researchers | Comparative study with biology, philosophy, and religious traditions |
| Internal Edition | Chanyuan Celestials | Complete source texts from the Corpus, all eight sections fully quoted |