Unification Thought

By Dr. Sang Hun Lee

Chapter II - Ontology Based on the Unification Principle (Part 1)

Section A - Basic View

The Principle of Creation of the Unification Principle is philosophical in nature and deals with ontological questions. Ontology based on the Unification Principle is the philosophical explanation of the existence of man. Let me introduce the parts of the Unification Principle that deal with ontology.

(1) Just as the work of an artist is a visible manifestation of its maker's invisible nature, every creation is a "substantial object" of the invisible deity of God, the creator. (Divine Principle, p. 20.)

This part of the Principle, along with several other parts, describes God's creation and makes it clear that the created world is the substantial object of God.

(2) How can we know the characteristics of God, who is an invisible being? We can know them by observing the world of His creation. (Ibid., p. 20)

All things exist through a reciprocal relationship between the dual essentialities of positivity and negativity. We must also know the reciprocal relationship between another pair of dual essentialities, which is even more fundamental than that of positivity and negativity. Anything in existence has both an external form [Hyung Sang] and an internal character [Sung Sang]. 'Me external form [Hyung Sang] is visible and reflects the internal character [Sung Sang] , which is invisible. Though the internal character [Sung Sang] cannot be seen, it assumes a certain form, so that the external form [Hyung Sung] resembles the internal character [Sung Sang] as its visible form. "Internal character" [Sung Sang] and "external form" [Hyung Sang] refer to the two characters which are the two relative aspects of the same existence. In this relationship, the external form [Hyung Sang] may also be called a "second internal character," [Sung Sang] so together we call them "dual characteristics" or "dual essentialities." (Ibid., pp. 21-22)

As Paul indicated, when we examine the factors which all creation have in common, we finally come to understand that God is the First Cause of the world of creation, and He exists as the absolute subject, having characteristics both of essential character [Original Sung Sang] and essential form [Original Hyung Sang]. (Ibid., p. 24)

This part of the Principle clarifies that God is a harmonious being with two polarities (Sung Sang and Hyung Sang, and positivity and negativity). Then what is the relationship between these two attributes? The Principle explains it as follows:

What is the relationship between the dual characteristics of character and form and the dual characteristics of positivity and negativity?

Fundamentally, God's essential character and His essential form assume a reciprocal relationship with His ,.essential positivity" and "essential negativity." Therefore, God's essential positivity and essential negativity are the attributes of His essential character and essential form. (Ibid, p. 24)

In other words, positivity and negativity are the attributes of Sung Sang and Hyung Sang. Accordingly, there are positive aspects to Sung Sang (brightness, gladness, manliness, etc.) and negative aspects to Sung Sang (melancholy, sadness, or womanliness, etc.), and there are both positive forms (convex parts of the body) and negative forms (concave parts of the body) in the Hyung Sang. [Note: Since God is not physical, He does not actually contain masculine and feminine nor convex and concave parts but rather, God is the substance which is the First Cause of positive and negative phenomena, and this constitutes God's positivity and negativity.]

(3) We have learned so far that each and every creation is God's substantial object which is the manifested form of the invisible essentialities of God. Every substantial object is called an "individual truth incarnation." [Individual Truth Body]. Man, being the substantial object of God who was created in His image, is called the "individual truth incarnation in image" [Image Individual Truth Body]. Since all creation, other than man, is the symbolic object of God created in His indirect image, it is called the "symbolic individual truth incarnation" [Symbolic Individual Truth Body]. (Ibid., p. 25)

The substantial subject and object pair then enter into another give and take action by forming a reciprocal relationship, through Universal Prime Energy. By forming one unit they become an object to God. In this manner, God, as the origin, is divided into two separated substances, after which these two again unite to form one body. We call this process "origin-division-union action." (Ibid., p. 31)

This means that the creation exists by give-and-take, and when we consider this in relation to time, the give-and-take action appears as the action of "Origin-Division-Union."

God contains within Himself dual essentialities which exist forever. Through Universal Prime Energy, these two form a mutual or reciprocal relationship which develops into an eternal give and take action. (Ibid., p. 28)

Each and every creation enters into give and take action between the dual essentialities that form an individual self by forming a reciprocal relationship through Universal Prime Energy. Through the force of give and take action, the dual essentialities produce a reciprocal base, which in turn produces a foundation of existence in an individual self; then upon this foundation, the individual self can stand as God's object and receive all the power necessary for its own existence. (Ibid., pp. 28-29)

This indicates the constant action of give-and-take through the stages of Origin-Division-Union (Synthesis) within God and within all creation, which thus resembles God.

Section B - Concepts of Existence

As shown in the previously introduced Unification Principle, even if we include the things made by human beings, there is nothing in the universe which was not created by God. The material for the things man creates and man's creativity itself originate from God. Therefore in a broad sense even manufactured goods can be regarded as part of God's creation.

In the ontology of Unification Thought there are two kinds of beings. One kind of being includes all the.-things which exist in the universe, and the other kind of being is that which allows all things to exist.

The former kind of being is called "existing being" and the latter kind of being is called the "Original Being." In addition to these two, Unification Thought also deals with beings in the narrow sense.

Accordingly, there are the three following kinds of concepts of beings in Unification Thought:

1. Original Being
2. Existing Being

3. being (In the narrow sense, it means a specific realm or character, or the fact to exist e.g. animal being and social being.)

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