Religion · Academic Version¶
Abstract¶
In the Lifechanyuan system, "religion" is an ideological framework for exploring the relationship between humanity and nature — a bridge guiding humanity from the material world toward the nonmaterial world — whose original intention is good and whose historical contribution to civilization has been immense. However, existing religions carry eight fundamental shortcomings that have transformed this bridge into a stumbling block for civilizational elevation: ignorance about LIFE, manufacturing psychological terror, sectarian self-supremacy, suppression of human nature, divergence from the Way of the Greatest Creator, suppression of human elites, provoking war, and manufacturing superstition. Religion is also a root cause of human suffering and social instability, and constitutes one of two great mountains blocking the path to Heaven. Lifechanyuan's direction is to transcend religion while honoring its sentiment: the convergence of all teachings, all humanity revering the Greatest Creator and walking the Way, with faith wholly separated from religious organization, and everyone attaining the fullest possible freedom of thought and LIFE.
Source Texts¶
| Code | Source Document | Key Content |
|---|---|---|
| T1 | Xuefeng Corpus · Chanyuan · Religion Will Perish: On the Lifechanyuan Era, Part III | Definition, positive functions, eight shortcomings, convergence of all teachings |
| T2 | Xuefeng Corpus · Chanyuan · Questions and Answers About Lifechanyuan | Lifechanyuan encompasses all religion's spiritual core |
| T3 | Xuefeng Corpus · Chanyuan · Eight Bases on Which the Lifechanyuan Era Will Certainly Come | Religious founders as Lifechanyuan teachers |
| T4 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concepts 666, 667 | Illusory thinking of religious adherents |
| T5 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 317 | Religious laws and rituals as thought-binding powers |
| T6 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 36 | Religion among eighteen causes of human suffering |
| T7 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 702 | Religion as root of world instability and human crisis |
| T8 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 35 | Not living for religion |
| T9 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 489 | Religion as one of two mountains blocking Heaven |
| T10 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 496 | Eliminating religious concepts → Millennium World in next life |
| T11 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concepts 688, 611 | Clinging to ritual = cannot reach Heaven; Huineng on nature-seeing |
| T12 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 539 | The Way of the Greatest Creator: most effortless and direct |
| T13 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 571 | The entire universe is the place of worship |
| T14 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 710 | Faith has nothing to do with religion |
| T15 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 628 | Second Home: away from religion |
| T16 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 648 | Second Home is not a religious organization |
| T17 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concept 138 | Religious sentiment can remain; religious organization must go |
| T18 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th ed., Concepts 701, 706 | Convergence of all teachings as the new era's main theme |
| T19 | Xuefeng Corpus · Warning · The Lifechanyuan Era Needs Only These Eight Types of People | Religion dissolves in the Lifechanyuan era |
| T20 | Xuefeng Corpus · Chanyuan · Religion Will Perish: On the Lifechanyuan Era, Part III | Concrete state of religion in the Lifechanyuan era |
I. Definition and Positive Functions¶
Multi-angle definition (T1):
| Angle | Content |
|---|---|
| Intellectual inquiry | A field of inquiry into humanity-nature relations; also a field of inquiry into LIFE |
| Ideological framework | Helps people establish worldview, life philosophy, LIFE view, and values |
| Bridge theory | Guides humanity from the material world toward the nonmaterial world |
| Inner Spirit development | Unlocks the power of the inner Spirit through the establishment of faith |
Positive assessment (T1): - Religion's essence is for humanity's inner peace and world peace - All religions' original intentions are good - Historically, religion has played an immense role in the transmission of civilization
Lifechanyuan's inclusive stance (T2; T3): - Encompasses the spiritual core of the world's great religions and the wisdom of humanity's great thinkers - Jesus, Shakyamuni, Laozi, Muhammad, and others are regarded as teachers of Lifechanyuan - Compatible with the classics and outstanding wisdom of all religions
II. The Eight Shortcomings of Religion¶
Lifechanyuan offers a systematic critique of existing religion through eight identified shortcomings (T1):
| No. | Shortcoming | Core Problem |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ignorance about LIFE | Unclear about Heaven, LIFE, the path to Heaven |
| 2 | Manufacturing psychological terror | End-times doctrines; restricts free inquiry |
| 3 | Sectarian self-supremacy | Each sect believes it alone is correct; schemes to control humanity |
| 4 | Suppressing human nature | Commandments and doctrines bind inner Spirit freedom |
| 5 | Divergence from the Way | Has not explained the true meaning and value of life |
| 6 | Suppressing human elites | E.g., burning Bruno at the stake |
| 7 | Provoking war | Manufactures conflict to defend its own position |
| 8 | Manufacturing superstition | Idol worship, sacrificial killing, fanatical ceremonies |
Summary judgment (T1):
"Religion's positive contributions are immeasurable, and so are its harms. Religion has become a stumbling block to the elevation of human civilization."
III. Religion and the Shackles of Thought¶
Diagnosis: illusory thinking (T4): Religious adherents' mode of thought is "illusory thinking" — every step appears to move forward, every argument appears correct and irrefutable, yet after going around in a great circle, everything returns to the starting point. Religious theological systems are fundamentally closed self-referential loops.
Institutionalized bondage (T5):
"All regulations and concepts, ethical norms and codes of conduct, authoritative theories and preachings, religious laws and rituals — all are powers that bind human thought."
IV. Religion as a Root Cause of Human Suffering and Social Instability¶
Individual suffering (T6; T8): - Religion is among the eighteen factors causing suffering in human life (Concept 36) - One should live for joy, happiness, freedom, and well-being — not for religion (Concept 35)
Social instability (T7):
"The existence of family, nation, political party, and religion is the root cause of environmental pollution on Earth, extreme global inequality, irrational resource allocation, world instability, and humanity's mounting crises." (Concept 702)
V. Religion as Obstacle on the Path to Heaven¶
The two mountains (T9): The path to Heaven requires crossing two great mountains: 1. The Egypt of the inner Spirit (internal obstacles) 2. Programs created by humanity: family, ethnicity, nation, religion, political party, and existing social order
"Without stepping out of these programs, one cannot arrive at the Kingdom of Heaven."
The reward for transcending religion (T10):
"If you have eliminated from your consciousness the concepts of family, ethnicity, nation, political party, and religion… in the next life you will go to the Millennium World of Heaven."
The consequence of clinging to religious ritual (T11): Clinging to religious rituals and commandments is equivalent to clinging to the traditional family — both are equally disconnected from Heaven. Invoking Huineng's teaching:
"If you have not seen your nature, even if you can recite all twelve sections of scripture and doctrine, it is all the speech of demons. If you have not seen your nature, chanting Buddha's name, reciting sutras, holding mantras, giving alms, keeping precepts, diligent practice, building temples, repairing monasteries, making offerings, releasing animals, kowtowing, burning incense — none of it will make you a Buddha."
The superiority of the Way of the Greatest Creator (T12; T13): - The most effortless, simplest, most direct, most effective — no abstention requirements, no ritual obligations; simply following nature is sufficient - The entire universe, nature, and the human inner Spirit are the place of worship — no religious architecture required
Faith separated from religion (T14):
"The foremost element of universal values is faith in the Greatest Creator — this is the cornerstone of all universal values. Faith has nothing to do with religion." (Concept 710)
VI. The Second Home's Practical Position¶
| Position | Content |
|---|---|
| Defining characteristic | Staying away from politics, staying away from religion (one of eight, T15) |
| Identity statement | Not a religious organization of any kind (T16) |
| Sentiment preserved | Religious sentiment can remain; opposition is to religious organization, superstition, and suppression of human nature (T17) |
VII. The Convergence of All Teachings — Religion's Historical Conclusion¶
Historical necessity (T1):
"Without the dissolution of religion, humanity will have no peace or tranquility. There is only one solution: all methods converge to the source, all teachings converge to one — all walking the Way of the Greatest Creator."
New era main theme (T18):
"All methods converging to the source, all teachings converging to one, all under Heaven as one family, the great harmony of the world — this is the main theme of the new era." (Concepts 701, 706)
The state of religion in the Lifechanyuan era (T20):
| Change | Specific Content |
|---|---|
| Founders' status | Jesus, Shakyamuni, Muhammad, Laozi respected, but no longer sole authorities |
| Sects | No sects in the world |
| Faith practice | All humanity reveres the Greatest Creator, LIFE, and nature; walks the Way |
| Ritual | No idol worship; no incense-burning, kowtowing, prostration |
| Freedom | Everyone enjoys the fullest possible freedom of thought, inner Spirit, and life |
Era hallmark (T19): One of the eight great hallmarks of the Lifechanyuan era: nations disappear, religions disappear, political parties disappear, family life dissolves.
VIII. Comparison with External Frameworks¶
| Dimension | Lifechanyuan View of Religion | Secular Humanism | Religious Pluralism | New Age Movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic stance toward religion | Affirms historical value; critiques existing institutions; points toward dissolution | Rejects religion; advocates reason | Affirms all religions as equally valid | Absorbs elements from all religions |
| Faith destination | The one Greatest Creator (Creator) | No faith, or human-centered | Divine beings of each religion all valid | Pluralistic spiritual beliefs |
| Attitude toward ritual | Wholly unnecessary; inner Spirit connects directly to the Greatest Creator | Viewed as cultural expression | All religions' rituals valid | Absorbs various rituals |
| Ultimate direction | Convergence of all teachings; dissolution of religion | A religion-free society | Religious plural coexistence | Spiritual awakening movement |
IX. Key Quotation Index¶
- "Religion is a bridge guiding humanity from the material world toward the nonmaterial world." (T1)
- "The original intention of all religions is good." (T1)
- "Religion has become a stumbling block to the elevation of human civilization." (T1)
- "Without stepping out of these programs, one cannot arrive at the Kingdom of Heaven." (T9)
- "Faith has nothing to do with religion." (T14 · Concept 710)
- "All methods converging to the source, all teachings converging to one, all under Heaven as one family, the great harmony of the world — this is the main theme of the new era." (T18 · Concept 701)