Theoretical and epistemological studies on Falun Gong
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[edit] Theoretical background
The content of Li Hongzhi's books include commentaries on questions that have been raised in China's qigong community. Falun Gong originally surfaced in the institutional field of alternative Chinese science, not religion. The debate between what can be called "naturalist" and "supernaturalist" schools of qigong theory has produced a considerable amount of literature. Xu Jian stated in The Journal of Asian Studies 58 (4 November 1999): "Situated both in scientific researches on qigong and in the prevailing nationalistic revival of traditional beliefs and values, this discursive struggle has articulated itself as an intellectual debate and enlisted on both sides a host of well-known writers and scientists — so much so that a veritable corpus of literature on qigong resulted. In it, two conflicting discourses became identifiable. Taking “discourse” in its contemporary sense as referring to forms of representation that generate specific cultural and historical fields of meaning, we can describe one such discourse as rational and scientific and the other as psychosomatic and metaphysical. Each strives to establish its own order of power and knowledge, its own “truth” about the “reality” of qigong, although they differ drastically in their explanation of many of its phenomena. The controversy centers on the question of whether and how qigong can induce “supranormal abilities” (teyi gongneng). The psychosomatic discourse emphasizes the inexplicable power of qigong and relishes its occult workings, whereas the rational discourse strives to demystify many of its phenomena and to situate it strictly in the knowledge of modern science." The Chinese government has generally tried to encourage qigong as a science and discourage religious or supernatural elements. However, the category of science in China tends to include things that are generally not considered scientific in the West, including qigong and traditional Chinese medicine.
David Aikman has written in American Spectator (March 2000): "Pragmatic and good-natured Americans may believe that qigong belongs in a general category of socially neutral, New Age-style concepts that are merely subjective, not necessarily harmful, and incapable of scientific proof. But China's scientific community doesn't share this view. Experiments under controlled conditions established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the late 1970's and early 1980's concluded that qi, when emitted by a qigong expert, actually constitutes measurable infrared electromagnetic waves and causes chemical changes in static water through mental concentration. Qi, according to much of China's scientific establishment, for all intents existed."[1]
Theories about the cultivation of elixir (dan), "placement of the mysterious pass" (xuanguan shewei), among others, are also found in ancient Chinese texts such as The Book of Elixir (Dan Jing), Daoist Canon (Tao Zang) and Guide to Nature and Longevity (Xingming Guizhi). Falun Gong's teachings tap into a wide array of phenomena and cultural heritage that has been debated for ages. It is noteworthy that the definitions of many terms usually differ somewhat from Buddhist and Daoist traditions.
Li Hongzhi States in Falun Buddha Fa Lecture in Europe: "Since the time Dafa was made public, I have unveiled some inexplicable phenomena in qigong as well as things that hadn’t been explained in the qigong community. But this isn’t the reason why so many people are studying Dafa. It’s because our Fa can truly enable people to Consummate, truly save people, and allow you to truly ascend to high levels in the process of cultivation. Whether it’s your realm of mind or the physical quality of your body, the Fa truly enables you to reach the standards of different levels. It absolutely can assume this role."
Noah Porter (2003) quotes Andrew P. Kipnis (2001) and states: "Thus, to the Western layperson, qigong of all sorts may seem to be religious because it deals with spiritual matters. Because Li Hongzhi makes use of many concepts from Buddhism and Taoism in his writings, this may make Falun Gong seem even more like a religion to the outsider; Falun Gong grew initially into a space termed scientific [in China], but was insulated from the spaces formally acknowledged as institutionalized science in Western countries" [2]
[edit] Cultivation of mind and body
Falun Gong has five sets of basic exercises (including meditation, four standing, and one sitting). The exercises are said to strengthen energy mechanisms that continually transform one’s “benti” (a term referring to "one’s physical body and the bodies in other dimensions").
[edit] Qigong and Gong
Li Hongzhi states that the term "qigong" is of recent origin; originally, such disciplines had names like "The Dhyana of Vajra", "Ninefold Immortality Elixir method", "Dafa of Cultivating Dao", "Dafa of Cultivating Buddha", et cetera, and that the lowest level things of some cultivation practices, the things for healing and fitness, were brought out to the general public under the name "qigong" to better suit the modern mindset and the ultra-leftist (Maoist) thinking of this time period. According to the QiJournal, it wasn't until 1953, when Liu Guizheng published a paper entitled "Practice On Qigong Therapy", that the term qigong (ch'i kung) was adopted as the popular name for this type of exercise system. Prior to that date, there were many terms given to such exercise, such as Daoyin, Xingqi, Liandan, Xuangong, Jinggong, Dinggong, Xinggong, Neigong, Xiudao, Zhoshan, Neiyangong, Yangshengong, etc. (needs reference)
Falun Gong practitioners believe that through the gradual improvement of their xinxing they develop 功, gōng, which they use to mean "cultivation energy" (this is an unconventional use of the word, which in Mandarin Chinese means "merit" or "achievement" and by extension is part of compound terms describing a disciplined regimen.
[edit] Theory of disease
The true cause of disease is considered karmic, Li doesn't claim that viruses and bacteria are not behind people's illnesses, but he professes that they are not the root cause. Karma is thought to be of material existence in higher (more microcosmic) dimensions and is said to be intertwined with previous misdeeds as well as bad emotions and attachments like jealousy, greed, anger and hatred - all kinds of things that are not in tune with Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, the so-called "characteristic of the universe." Thus, according to Li, only by letting go of these attachments and bearing hardships can one eliminate karma and have the root of their illnesses removed.
[edit] Theory of healing
Master Li claims to possess the supernatural power to heal illnesses. According to Li, the purpose of cultivation practice is not to heal illness, and people should not hold such attachments if they decide to cultivate Falun Gong. However, Li also states that the illnesses of "true practitioners" are directly cured by him. “Your illnesses will be cured directly by me. Those who practice at exercise sites will have my fashen to cure their illnesses. Those who study Dafa by reading the book on their own will also have my fashen to cure their illnesses.” [2] Explained by Li, these law bodies are born or come into existence when one reaches a very high level in cultivation practice.
Li Hongzhi teaches that though the purpose of cultivation practice is not healing and fitness, an illness free state can manifest even from the beginning stages of cultivation practice of mind and body, and that this has directly to do with him. At the beginning of Zhuan Falun, Li states “We will push you beyond it, making your body reach a state free of any illness.” [3]
Li Hongzhi states that he installs a falun in the elixir field of the lower abdomen (dantian) of practitioners. Falun means "Wheel of Law" in the Chinese language, which appears similar to the Dharma wheel or Chakra. The falun in Falun Gong is depicted as a wheel consisting of five srivatsas and four taijitu, as illustrated on the top right-hand corner of this page. The Falun is said to be a miniature of the universe, and once it is installed into the abdomen, it turns continuously. When the Falun turns clockwise, it absorbs energy from the universe into the body; when it turns counter-clockwise it eliminates waste from the body. Li Hongzhi also points out that the falun in Falun Gong is different from the falun or chakras cultivated in Tantric Tibetan Buddhism.
[edit] Attitude toward mainstream healthcare
In Zhuan Falun, Li states: "Can hospitals heal illnesses? Of course they can. If hospitals could not heal illnesses, why would people believe in them and go there for treatments? Hospitals are still able to heal illnesses, but their means of treatment belong to the level of everyday people while illnesses are supernatural. Some illnesses are quite serious, and so hospitals require early treatment if one has such an illness. If it becomes too serious, hospitals will be helpless, as overdoses of medicine can poison a person. Present medical treatments are at the same level as our science and technology — they are all at the level of everyday people. Thus, they only have such healing efficacy. One issue that should be clarified is that average qigong treatments and hospital treatments only defer to the remaining half of life or later those tribulations that are the fundamental cause of illnesses. The karma is not removed at all." [4]
[edit] Buddha Nature and Demon Nature
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An article Dated August 26, 1996 states"
"In a very high and very microscopic dimension of the universe there exist two different kinds of substances. They are two forms of material existence manifest by the supreme nature of the universe, Zhen-Shan-Ren, at certain dimensional levels in the universe. They pervade certain dimensions from top to bottom, or from the microscopic level to the macroscopic level. With the Fa’s manifestations at different levels, the lower the level, the greater the difference in the manifestations and variations of these two different substances. As a result, it brings forth what the Dao School calls the principles of yin and yang and Taiji. Descending further to lower levels, these two kinds of matter with different properties become increasingly opposed to each other, and this then gives rise to the principle of mutual-generation and mutual-inhibition. Through mutual-generation and mutual-inhibition there appear kindness and wickedness, right and wrong, and good and evil. Then, as to living beings, if there are Buddhas, there are demons; if there are humans, there are ghosts—this is more obvious and complicated in the society of everyday people. Where there are good people, there are bad ones; where there are selfless people, there are selfish ones; where there are open-minded people, there are narrow-minded ones. As to cultivation, where there are people who believe in it, there are people who do not; where there are people who can be enlightened, there are people who cannot; where there are people for it, there are people against it—this is human society. If everyone could practice cultivation, be enlightened to it, and believe in it, human society would turn into a society of gods. Human society is just a society of human beings, and it is not allowed to cease to exist. Human society will continue to exist forever. Therefore, it is normal that there are people who oppose it. It would be abnormal if instead no one objected. Without ghosts, how could humans reincarnate as humans? Without the existence of demons, one would not be able to cultivate Buddhahood. Without bitterness, there could not be sweetness.
When people try to accomplish something, they encounter difficulty precisely because the principle of mutual-generation and mutual-inhibition exists. Only when you accomplish what you want through bitter effort and overcome difficulties will you find it not easily won, cherish what you have achieved, and feel happy. Otherwise, if there were no principle of mutual-generation andmutual-inhibition and you could accomplish anything without effort, you would feel bored with life and lack a sense of happiness and the joy of success.
Any kind of matter or life in the universe is composed of microscopic particles that make up larger particles, and these then form surface matter. Within the scope covered by these two kinds of matter of differing properties, all matter and lives possess dual nature just the same. For instance, iron and steel are hard, but they oxidize and rust when buried in the earth. Pottery and porcelain, on the other hand, do not oxidize when buried in the earth, but are fragile and easily broken. The same applies to human beings, who possess Buddha-nature and demon-nature at the same time. What one does without moral obligations and constraints is of demon-nature. Cultivating Buddhahood is to eliminate your demon-nature and strengthen and increase your Buddha-nature.
One’s Buddha-nature is Shan, and it manifests itself as compassion, thinking of others before acting, and the ability to endure suffering. One’s demon-nature is viciousness, and it manifests as killing, stealing and robbing, selfishness, wicked thoughts, sowing discord, stirring up troubles by spreading rumors, jealousy, wickedness, anger, laziness, incest and so on.
The nature of the universe, Zhen-Shan-Ren, manifests in different ways at different levels. The two different kinds of substances within certain levels of the universe also have different manifesting forms at different levels. The lower the level, the more marked the mutual-opposition, and thus the distinction between good and bad. The virtuous becomes more virtuous, while the evil becomes more evil. The dual nature in the same physical subject also becomes more complicated and changeable. This is exactly what Buddha referred to when he said, “Everything has Buddhanature.” In fact, everything has demon-nature as well. Nevertheless, the universe is characterized by Zhen-Shan-Ren, and so is the society of everyday people. These two kinds of substances that I discussed are nothing but two types of substances that exist from top to bottom, from the microscopic level to the macroscopic level, to human society, and are reflected in living beings and matter and can cause dual nature in them. But lives and matter from the top to the bottom, to human society, are composed of countless varieties of matter from the microscopic level to the macroscopic level."
[edit] Ethics
Falun Gong lays emphasis on its interpretation of good moral nature. Practitioners are required to emphasize virtue (de), be a good person in all environments, and always think of others before doing things.
According to Li Hongzhi, the sole criterion that distinguishes good from bad is the unchanging characteristic of the universe: Zhen-Shan-Ren (Truthfulness, Benevolence and Forbearance). In Zhuan Falun, Li states:
“As a practitioner, one must follow this characteristic of the universe to conduct himself instead of the standard of ordinary people….As a human being, if you can follow this universe’s characteristic of Zhen-Shan-Ren, you are a good person.” [5]
Falun Gong also believes in the act of retribution, and all good and evil deeds will be paid in return in the due time. Because of this, they see the Chinese government crackdown as an act of "evil", and some pro-Falun Gong groups have reported claims of a number of people dying or suffering spontaneously after their alleged involvement in the crackdown of Falun Gong
Li Hongzhi points out that according to Buddhism, this is the “Dharma Ending Period"; that during this period mankind has undergone great moral degradation and that this has to do with vast cosmic changes. The book Zhuan Falun says "Nobody should blame others for it, as everyone has added fuel to the flame.” The taking of any life is said to have negative karmic consequences.
Li Hongzhi’s teachings on the importance of racial purity have provoked considerable controversy. In one of his lectures, Li states that the mixing of races is a chaotic phenomenon that has manifest only in the “Dharma Ending Period” and that different races bear the image of the gods that created them; that each race of people on earth have their own cosmic paradises but people of mixed race lose this connection. In 1996, he said that “Mixed races have lost their roots, as if nobody in the paradise will take care of them. They belong to nowhere, and no places would accept them.” [6] In 1997 Li Hongzhi further explained, "People of the yellow race have people of the yellow race up there, and people of the white race have people of the white race up there. He’s lost this thread.” [7]
Speaking in Sydney in 1996, Li Hongzhi said:
"If you are an interracial child, it is, of course, neither your fault nor your parents' fault. Anyway, it is just such a chaotic situation brought about by mankind, in which such a phenomenon has appeared. The yellow people, the white people, and the black people have the corresponding races in heaven. Then, if one is not from his race or does not belong to his people, he will not take care of him….. All interracial children were born in the Dharma-ending period. People are not to be blamed for it, because everyone is drifting in the tide, and nobody knows the truth. This is the way they have come through. If you want to practice cultivation, I can help. As for which paradise you will go to, we will need to look at your situation. I will assimilate more of whichever portion that is better preserved. Anyway, you should concentrate on your cultivation and should not concern yourself with these things." [8]
In above lecture, Master Li also said: "I have also found no oriental people in Jesus' paradise." while claiming that He, as a more powerful God than Jesus, can save everyone: "I can save people on both sides because the Fa that is taught is already enormous...there has never been a door opened so widely
