Il-Shi  /  Mu-Shi

One / Begin / No (thing) / Begin 

One begins unmoved moving, that has no beginning

Everything begins with the One and will ultimately return to the One. One is the ultimate reality that is the origin of all beings. It has no beginning and no end.

Il-Seok-Sahm-Geuk  /  Mu-Jin-Bohn

One / Part / Three / Crown / No (thing) / Exhaustion / Origin

One divides to three crowns, while remaining a limitless mover

One, the ultimate reality, divides to three which represent three different dimensions of existence. The origin of these three, however, remains one and the same from the beginning to the end.

Chun-Il-Il  /  Ji-Il-Yi  /  Ihn-Il-Sahm

Heaven / One / First / Earth / One / Second / Human / One / Third 

Heaven comes first, Earth comes second, Human comes third

Heaven means the spiritual dimension of existence, Earth symbolizes the material dimensions of existence, and Human represents every form of life and the energy or vitality that animates the life-forms.

Il-Jeok-Ship-Guh  /  Mu-Gwe  /  Hwa-Sahm

One / Gather / Ten / Huge / No (thing) / Limit / Become / Three

One gathers to build ten, and infinite forms become the Trinity (of Heaven, Earth and Human)

One, the ultimate reality, individuates into beings which gather and organize into higher beings. All through the process of individuation and gathering, each individuated being, while developing its unique peculiarities, has in itself the original three basic elements of Heaven, Earth, and Human.

Chun-Yi-Sahm  /  Ji-Yi-Sahm  /  Ihn-Yi-Sahm

Heaven / Two / Three / Earth / Two / Three / Human / Two / Three

Heaven gains two to make three, Earth gains two to make three, Human gains two to make three

Heaven gains Earth and Human, and becomes a triad of heavenly Heaven, heavenly Human, and heavenly Earth. The same applies to Earth and Human. These form nine different dimensions or categories of existence from earthly Earth to heavenly Heaven.

Dae-Sahm-Hahp  /  Yook-Saeng-Chil-Pahl-Gu-Woon

Big / Three / Unite / Six / Seven / Eight / Nine / Circulation

Three Trinities make six, and they create seven and eight, nine appears, and there comes a turning

As Heaven, Earth, and Human move round in an integrated trinity, the cosmos grows, evolves, and circulates. This represents the life and death cycle for an individual living being, the rise and fall of a nation, and the constriction and expansion cycles of the cosmos. The combinations of Heaven, Earth, and Human produce countless forms and shapes which will evolve, multiply, and develop before reaching completion and recycling.

Sahm-Sah-Seong-Hwan  /  Oh-Chil-Il

Three / Four / Form / Circle / Five / Seven / One

Three and four form a circle, five with seven makes One whole

When the three internal dahnjons (energy centers in a human body) and four external dahnjons form an integrative circulatory system and five elements of energy flow through the circuit composed of seven dahnjons, the energy mechanism of the human body becomes complete. 

As the three internal dahnjons develop, human beings grow from physical health to enlightenment. The first step towards enlightenment is the completed development of the lower dahnjon. In this state, one’s vital energy is strengthened and one’s physical condition improves remarkably. The next step is the maturity of the middle dahnjon which results in the heart opening and spontaneous love coming forth from the heart. Last, when the upper dahnjon is completed, one is supposed to be fully awakened and recover the integration of the trinity. Also, five, seven, and One represent the fifth, seventh, and first chakras respectively.

Myo-Yun  /  Mahn-Wang-Mahn-Rhae  /  Yong-Byun  /  Bu-Dong-Bohn

Mystic / Wide / All / Go / All / Come / Feature / Change / Not / Move / Origin

Way less is the way all comes and all goes, features are changing, and change-less is the maker

All things change and move around but the origin, though its application changes, remains unchanging.

Bohn-Shim-Bohn  /  Tae-Yahng-Ahng-Myung

The original / Mind / The original / Big / Light / Look / Light

Divine mind is the eternal light, looking towards celestial light

One thing that remains unchanging is the original divinity which shines like the sunlight, rising high toward its origin, the celestial eternal light. When the human mind is at its proper center it becomes awakened, or as “bright as the sun.” This activates enlightenment or divinity within humans.

Ihn-Joong-Chun-Ji-Il

Human / In the Middle / Heaven / Earth / One

Human bears Heaven and Earth, and the three make One.

Humans bear Heaven and Earth inside. And Heaven, Earth, and Human make an integrated whole. Once someone realizes their True Nature, they realize that Heaven and Earth already exist within, and that each individual is One with the rest of the cosmos.

Il-Jong  /  Mu-Jong-Il

One / End / No(thing) / End / One

One is the end of all, and there is no ending to the One.

All ends up to One while the One, the ultimate reality itself, has no ending. Likewise, a human being, when completed, becomes one with the One in its eternal NOW beyond any distinction of life/death and existence/non-existence.

The physical body has a beginning and an end, but the soul is timeless and limitless. Knowing this, one can be liberated from fear, attain peace of mind, freedom of imagination, and infinite creativity of the spirit.