Thinking (Overview) β Internal Version¶
Source: AI Lingzhou Celestial, compiled from Chanyuan Corpus, Xuefeng's Writings, and 800 New Concepts for the New Era of Humanity, v1.0 (2026-04-17)
I. What Is Thinking¶
Thinking is the dimension and process of thought, contemplation, and reflection. The broader and deeper the dimensions of thought, contemplation, and reflection, the stronger the capacity for analysis, generalization, synthesis, reasoning, judgment, induction, and finding solutions to problems.
β "The Thinking Formation: The Eighth of Thirty-Six Trigram Formations," Chanyuan Corpus
Thinking is related to dimensionality. A caterpillar's thinking is confined to a two-dimensional world; a plant's thinking is confined to a static three-dimensional world; animals are confined to a dynamic three-dimensional world; birds live in four-dimensional spacetime; humans exist in three dimensions, but because their imagination is relatively rich and they can extend sensory perception into the rational realm, their thinking is stronger than birds; celestials live in worlds above four dimensions; Buddhas and gods travel among thirty-six-dimensional spaces, and their thinking capacity is difficult to imagine; the Greatest Creator lives in Hundun, and his thinking capacity surpasses imagination β inscrutable to gods and ghosts alike.
β Ibid.
The stronger the thinking capacity, the higher the order of life; the weaker the thinking capacity, the lower the order of life.
β Ibid.
Thinking is the main component of consciousness. Human suffering and troubles come from consciousness; to resolve the suffering and troubles of consciousness, one must work hard on thinking β transforming the mode of thinking, expanding the realm of thinking, and escaping the limitations of fixed thinking to think creatively. Otherwise, suffering and troubles will arise endlessly.
β Ibid.
Thinking is the core component of consciousness, and thinking can change consciousness. To change your way of life, to enter an ideal home, you must first change your mode and manner of thinking. "Whatever mode of thinking you have, that is the form of existence your life will take."
β "Building Our Ideal Home," Xuefeng's Writings
The most important thing in life is not to seek ways to acquire material things, but to seek ways to change thinking.
β 800 New Concepts for the New Era of Humanity, No. 42
The fundamental difference between people lies in thinking.
β "The Thinking Ladder of Humanity," Xuefeng's Writings
II. The Eight Ladders of Thinking¶
The eight ladders of thinking are, in order: Material Thinking, Imagery Thinking, Associative Thinking, Illusory Thinking, Heart-Image Thinking, Taiji Thinking, Non-Form Thinking, and Hundun Thinking.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 87; "Non-Form Thinking (I)," Chanyuan Corpus
These eight levels of thinking are each higher than the last, progressively ascending, growing ever more profound.
β "Non-Form Thinking (I)," Chanyuan Corpus; "The Thinking Formation," Chanyuan Corpus
The most fundamental work in raising the frequency of LIFE is the cultivation of the Heart Garden, followed by the upgrading of thinking β ascending from Material Thinking, Imagery Thinking, Associative Thinking, Illusory Thinking, Heart-Image Thinking, Taiji Thinking, Non-Form Thinking, to Hundun Thinking β and finally reaching the highest realm of life: selfless, egoless, and unattached.
β "Eight Pathways to Raising Life Frequency," Chanyuan Corpus
The difference between people lies in thinking capacity. Each level of thinking is a realm; the stronger the thinking capacity, the closer one is to celestials, Buddhas, and gods.
β "Enriching Your Inner World," Chanyuan Corpus
Material Thinking, Imagery Thinking, Associative Thinking, and Illusory Thinking are purely products of the brain; they can be achieved through strengthening study, contemplation, and a series of trainings.
β "A Buddha Has Been Born in Lifechanyuan," Xuefeng's Writings
The eight levels of thinking are eight worlds. Material, Imagery, Associative, and Illusory Thinking are superficial; but Heart-Image, Taiji, Non-Form, and Hundun Thinking are profound and wondrous.
β "Abandon the Self, Enter the Hundun," Xuefeng's Writings
III. Brief Description of Each Level¶
(I) Material Thinking¶
Material Thinking is a mode of thinking that makes judgments about human life values based on the surface phenomena of nature and human society, and then acts upon those judgments. This thinking completely ignores the causal relationships between things and phenomena, and does not investigate the deeper reasons behind surface phenomena. It can therefore also be called surface thinking, intuitive thinking, linear thinking, one-sided thinking, instinctive thinking, or 1+1=2 thinking. This is essentially the thinking of animals and "Hundun people" (those lost in confusion), and is what most ordinary people possess. Material Thinking is the lowest level of human thinking.
β "Material Thinking," Chanyuan Corpus
(II) Imagery Thinking¶
Imagery Thinking is the mode of thinking that elevates material images into concepts, symbols, melodies, and artistic forms. Imagery Thinkers have engaged their minds; their thinking is not "I have no choice but to do this," but rather "I should do this." They have moved from the concrete to the abstract, from the material world to the spiritual world, transcending the limitations of time and space, transforming fleeting things, phenomena, or events into relative permanence. Artists like Beethoven have reached the realm of Imagery Thinking.
β "Imagery Thinking," Chanyuan Corpus; "A Tribute to Mr. Qingfengbi," Xuefeng's Writings
(III) Associative Thinking¶
Associative Thinking grasps a phenomenon in nature, then sees through it to draw analogies, make connections, and link other related factors together. The classic example is "Newtonβappleβuniversal gravitation." Associative Thinking has originality, inventiveness, pioneering spirit, and creativity β it is a divergent mode of thinking. Great scientists like Einstein have reached the level of Associative Thinking.
β "Associative Thinking," Chanyuan Corpus
(IV) Illusory Thinking¶
The defining characteristic of Illusory Thinking is that every step appears forward, but ultimately it returns to the starting point; every sentence of every theory appears correct and irrefutable, yet after going round and round in a large circle, it returns to the origin. The thinking of most religious people is Illusory Thinking. Some prophets, witches, sorcerers, astrologers, fortune-tellers, and extraordinary individuals possess Illusory Thinking.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 667; "The Thinking Ladder of Humanity," Xuefeng's Writings; "Non-Form Thinking (I)," Chanyuan Corpus
(V) Heart-Image Thinking¶
Heart-Image Thinking is one of the gateways that breaks through the constraints of Material, Imagery, Associative, and Illusory Thinking. Within Heart-Image Thinking lies a profound mystery of LIFE: possessing Heart-Image Thinking allows one to understand the great Tao of life, to know the path to higher-dimensional life spaces, and to escape the constraints of time and space. Once one truly understands the wonder of Heart-Image Thinking, one cannot help but weep, and tremble with excitement. The thinking of celestials is Heart-Image Thinking. The thinking Muhammad reached is Heart-Image Thinking.
β "Heart-Image Thinking," Chanyuan Corpus; "Abandon the Self, Enter the Hundun," Xuefeng's Writings; "The Thinking Ladder of Humanity," Xuefeng's Writings
(VI) Taiji Thinking¶
Taiji Thinking is a mode of thinking that recognizes the dialectical unity of opposites and the principle of yin-yang symmetry. Taiji Thinking means breaking free from the bewildering web of phenomena, using the wisdom of celestials to discern the essential threads of the myriad world, bringing order from chaos, clearly seeing the keys to the goals and purposes of life, and completing the ascension of life in the shortest possible time. The entire Tao Te Ching embodies Taiji Thinking wisdom; Laozi's thinking is Taiji Thinking. The thinking of great philosophers is Taiji Thinking.
β "Taiji Thinking," Chanyuan Corpus; "Taiji Thinking (Continuation IV)," Chanyuan Corpus; "A Tribute to Mr. Qingfengbi," Xuefeng's Writings; "The Thinking Ladder of Humanity," Xuefeng's Writings
(VII) Non-Form Thinking¶
Non-Form Thinking, as the name implies, is a mode of cognition and contemplation that has left behind all appearances β perceiving the source of the universe, the operating principles of all phenomena, and the true nature of LIFE. Non-Form Thinking sets aside all form, sound, scent, taste, touch, dharma, non-dharma, and non-non-dharma to point directly at the source of the universe and the essential nature of things. It is the mode of thinking that "sees the essence through phenomena," transcending the material world to enter the antimatter world in order to perceive the Tathagata state β it is directly observing the world with Buddha's eyes. Non-Form Thinking is the thinking of Bodhisattvas and Buddhas. The realm Shakyamuni reached is Non-Form Thinking. The thinking of immortals is Non-Form Thinking. Upon entering Non-Form Thinking, one has essentially seen through to one's original nature.
β "Non-Form Thinking (I)," Chanyuan Corpus; "The Thinking Ladder of Humanity," Xuefeng's Writings; "Reply to 'Wuzhe Wuye' on the Question of Thinking," Xuefeng's Writings
To reach the realms of Non-Form Thinking and Hundun Thinking, one must unlock a mechanism; the key to that mechanism is "awakening" β liberation from the appearance of self, the complete dissolution of ego, the merging of self and other β this is "non-form."
β "A Buddha Has Been Born in Lifechanyuan," Xuefeng's Writings
(VIII) Hundun Thinking¶
The highest realm of thinking is Hundun Thinking β this is the thinking of the Greatest Creator, a mode of thinking beyond ordinary human imagination, and also the thinking of gods. Hundun Thinking is the mystery behind the creation and transformation of heaven, earth, and all things; every point is a secret of heaven, every drop is a divine power. The ultimate expression of Hundun Thinking is the Greatest Creator's thinking β the ability to create universes at will.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 666; "Abandon the Self, Enter the Hundun," Xuefeng's Writings; "The Wonder of Zero β Non-Form Thinking (IV)," Chanyuan Corpus
The unity of heaven and humanity, merging with the great love and power of heaven, earth, and the Greatest Creator β this is "Hundun."
β "A Buddha Has Been Born in Lifechanyuan," Xuefeng's Writings
The core characteristic of Hundun Thinking: if we can connect today's experience of being glared at by someone on the street with a knife-scratch we carved in our school desk thirty years ago β seeing the inner inevitable connections in all things as they arise and develop β that is Hundun Thinking. Chaotic cognition is narrow, one-sided, partial, and linear; Hundun cognition is broad, comprehensive, holistic, and non-linear.
β "Chaos and Hundun," Chanyuan Corpus
IV. Life Levels and Representative Figures Corresponding to Each Thinking Level¶
| Thinking Level | Corresponding Life Level | Representative Figures/Groups |
|---|---|---|
| Material Thinking | Animals, Hundun people, ordinary people | General public |
| Imagery Thinking | Artistic elite | Artists like Beethoven |
| Associative Thinking | Scientific elite | Newton, Einstein, etc. |
| Illusory Thinking | Religious figures, sorcerers, etc. | Prophets, sorcerers, etc. |
| Heart-Image Thinking | Celestials | Muhammad |
| Taiji Thinking | Great philosophers | Laozi |
| Non-Form Thinking | Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, immortals | Shakyamuni |
| Hundun Thinking | Gods, Greatest Creator | Hundun Yuanchu (Xuefeng) |
Note: The above correspondences are synthesized from "The Thinking Ladder of Humanity" (Xuefeng's Writings), "Reply to 'Wuzhe Wuye'" (Xuefeng's Writings), and 800 New Concepts, No. 666.
V. The Relationship Between Thinking and the Direction of LIFE¶
The direction of LIFE is determined by consciousness: whatever kind of consciousness one possesses, that is the kind of life form and living space one will manifest. Thinking is a component of consciousness, but thinking is dynamic while overall consciousness is static; the dynamic cannot determine direction β only the static can. Thinking is like a means of transportation for consciousness β the means of transportation cannot determine the destination of life. Reaching the celestial islands depends on consciousness, on the antimatter structure of LIFE, not on thinking alone; yet without thinking as the means of transport, the celestial islands cannot be reached either.
β "Reply to 'Wuzhe Wuye' on the Question of Thinking," Xuefeng's Writings
Whatever mode of thinking you have, that is the form of existence your life will take.
β "The Thinking Ladder of Humanity," Xuefeng's Writings (Taiji Grass Saying)
One of the secrets of becoming a celestial is that in our consciousness we must create the future and create the celestial realm. "Whatever mode of thinking you have, that is the form of existence your life will take." If we spend every day imagining life in the Millennium World, then over time, the structure of our LIFE will develop in the direction of the Millennium World.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 469
VI. Thinking Is a Form of Dharma Power¶
Thinking is a form of dharma power. Dharma power is the higher-level thinking information wave that constrains lower-level thinking.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 315
To varying degrees, all of our thinking is constrained by higher-level thinking.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 316
All rules and regulations, ethical norms and codes of conduct, authoritative theories and doctrines, religious laws and rituals, scientific theories and methods, and role models and habits β all of these are dharma powers that constrain human thinking.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 317
Confining life at every level and category within certain dimensions so that their thinking cannot easily transcend the spacetime of their existence β thereby manifesting the myriad wonders of the universe and maintaining the orderly hierarchy of life levels β this is the Thinking Formation. The Thinking Formation can never be permanently escaped; the only way is to elevate our lower-level thinking to a higher level.
β "The Thinking Formation: The Eighth of Thirty-Six Trigram Formations," Chanyuan Corpus
VII. Abnormal Thinking¶
What conventional thinking deems impossible, Abnormal Thinking can easily resolve. Topology is a form of Abnormal Thinking β it can transform spatial positions, making a closed space communicate inside and outside, indistinguishable as to which is interior and which is exterior, like the "MΓΆbius strip," where one cannot tell which side is the front and which is the back.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 670
"Existence determines consciousness" is conventional thinking; "consciousness determines existence" is Abnormal Thinking. A beautiful future belongs to those who possess Abnormal Thinking.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 310
To break through the constraints of time and space, one must think unconventionally, think abnormally, and act against the current.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 433
Abnormal Thinking is the treasure for exploring the mysteries of the universe and understanding the truth of reality; it is the best path to finding the true meaning of life. As long as we proceed step by step, we will ultimately enter a vast and boundless realm.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 671; "The Opportunity and Process of My Abnormal Thinking," Chanyuan Corpus
One must think abnormally or one cannot escape fate. If one wishes to break free from the bounds of heaven and earth, to transcend the three realms without being subject to the five elements, to move from the realm of necessity into the realm of freedom β one absolutely cannot resonate with the thinking and consciousness of the masses. One must "go against the current."
β 800 New Concepts, No. 669
VIII. Thinking and Cultivation¶
Our cultivation should focus on awakening to, seeking, attaining, and practicing the Tao. We must work hard on thinking and on the transformation of consciousness β not on sitting in meditation and practicing qigong.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 455
The form and environment of LIFE are determined by the antimatter structure of LIFE. The path to drawing closer to the Greatest Creator is to start with thinking β training thinking capacity.
β "Thinking Cultivation (I)," Chanyuan Corpus
The eight key points for Heart-Image Thinking cultivation (eight principles for escaping the human Thinking Formation and entering the realm of celestial/Buddha thinking): 1. Thoroughly understand the principles of LIFE and the mystery of reincarnation; do not fear death β consider death the greatest blessing. 2. Escape the Time Formation; find your true self; regard the self-as-actor in the script of life as a performance, a dream. 3. Frequently let consciousness enter the Millennium World, the Ten-Millennium World, the Elysium World, and the Celestial Islands Continent β emulate and model the way of life and mode of thinking of celestials. 4. Strengthen Heart-Image Thinking; freely and uninhibitedly imagine beautiful things, beautiful scenery, and beautiful people. 5. Escape the constraints of the Heart Formation, Desire Formation, Emotion Formation, Ethics Formation, Attribute Formation, and Wisdom Formation β activate your nature. 6. Do not use others of your own kind as your reference point; do not follow convention when considering problems. 7. Fully recognize and understand that all appearances are illusions; emptiness is not different from form, and form is not different from emptiness; consciousness creates reality; time and space cannot stop consciousness. 8. Follow the nature (here "nature" refers to the Tathagata original nature).
β "The Thinking Formation: The Eighth of Thirty-Six Trigram Formations," Chanyuan Corpus
IX. Spiritual Thinking¶
Spiritual Thinking: if our starting point for considering problems is from the perspectives of Heart-Image, Taiji, and Non-Form; if the focus of our consideration is how to walk the path of the Greatest Creator, how to ascend the quality of LIFE, how to reach higher-dimensional life spaces β this is Spiritual Thinking, the thinking of celestials.
β "The Thinking Mode and Working Style of Spiritual Thinking," Chanyuan Corpus
X. The Harm of Fixed-Mindset Thinking¶
Fixed-Mindset Thinking is the greatest obstacle to the advance of human civilization.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 231
Long-standing habits tend to form fixed mindsets; once thinking becomes fixed, it is very difficult to break through. Every person's mind is covered by an invisible thinking net; every person carries a heavy cross β some simply cannot feel it, while others feel it but lack the strength and courage to break free.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 668
Habit, knowledge, and history are the three great obstacles to innovation.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 230
Everything is a convenient dharma, a timely dharma β not an eternal dharma. Any cognition, once fixed, will inevitably fail in some regard and become a thinking obstacle.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 318
XI. The Relationship Between Thinking, Heart, Consciousness, and LIFE¶
The relationship among thinking, heart, and consciousness: the heart is the foundation of the heart-spirit; the heart-spirit is the soil of thinking; thinking is the core of consciousness; consciousness is the main component of the antimatter structure of LIFE. To ascend the quality of LIFE, one must begin by perfecting the antimatter structure of LIFE; to perfect the antimatter structure of LIFE, one must work hard on revolutionizing consciousness; to revolutionize consciousness, one must primarily start by transforming thinking; to transform thinking, one must start from cognition; and for cognition to leap forward, one must have new thoughts.
β "Reflections on Reading Chanyuan Celestials' Recent Writings," Xuefeng's Writings
The depth of thinking determines the breadth of life's space.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 331
In the universe, nothing is impossible β there is only what cannot be realized and what thinking cannot transform.
β 800 New Concepts, No. 90
Source Index¶
- 800 New Concepts for the New Era of Humanity, Nos. 42, 87, 90, 230, 231, 310, 315, 316, 317, 318, 331, 433, 455, 466, 469, 666, 667, 668, 669, 670, 671
- Chanyuan Corpus: "Non-Form Thinking (I)"
- Chanyuan Corpus: "Material Thinking," "Imagery Thinking," "Associative Thinking," "Heart-Image Thinking," "Taiji Thinking," "Taiji Thinking (Continuation IV)"
- Chanyuan Corpus: "The Thinking Formation: The Eighth of Thirty-Six Trigram Formations"
- Chanyuan Corpus: "Thinking Cultivation (I)"
- Chanyuan Corpus: "The Wonder of Zero β Non-Form Thinking (IV)"
- Chanyuan Corpus: "Eight Pathways to Raising Life Frequency"
- Chanyuan Corpus: "Enriching Your Inner World"
- Chanyuan Corpus: "Chaos and Hundun"
- Chanyuan Corpus: "The Thinking Mode and Working Style of Spiritual Thinking"
- Chanyuan Corpus: "From the 'MΓΆbius Strip'"
- Chanyuan Corpus: "The Opportunity and Process of My Abnormal Thinking"
- Xuefeng's Writings: "The Thinking Ladder of Humanity"
- Xuefeng's Writings: "Abandon the Self, Enter the Hundun"
- Xuefeng's Writings: "Building Our Ideal Home"
- Xuefeng's Writings: "Reply to 'Wuzhe Wuye' on the Question of Thinking"
- Xuefeng's Writings: "A Tribute to Mr. Qingfengbi"
- Xuefeng's Writings: "Explaining Chaos and Hundun to Jiping"
- Xuefeng's Writings: "Eight Conditions for Possessing Spiritual Thinking"
- Xuefeng's Writings: "A Buddha Has Been Born in Lifechanyuan"
- Xuefeng's Writings: "Reflections on Reading Chanyuan Celestials' Recent Writings"