On the Essence of Human Life

(Translated from Chinese)

Modern medical science believes that a human being is the physical body as recognized by anatomy. It believes that human’s thought comes from the brain. For example, German pathologist, Rudolf Virchow (1821-1902), believes “The human body is a union of cells”. That is, cells form tissues, organs, systems, etc., and eventually form human life.

From the viewpoint of Falun Dafa, the structure of human body is far more complex. A person has his physical body as well as the Primordial Spirit. Sometimes we call the anatomically physical body as “human skin”. It is not merely the skin we are familiar with, but also includes brain, internal organs and bones, etc. In addition to the human skin, humans also have “true skin”. After death, the human skin will rot away, but the true skin won’t. Instead, Gods will retrieve the true skin and give it to another person. In addition to the anatomical physical body in this dimension, humans also have bodies in other dimensions, and bodies that exist in various particle layers of molecules, atoms and protons, etc. Humans also have Primordial Spirits that exist in another dimension. Outside the human bodies, there are two material fields, i.e. virtue and karma, which cannot be seen by human eyes. Therefore, when a person dies, the physical body in this dimension (i.e. the so-called “union of cells”) will rot and decompose, but the bodies in other dimensions will not. A person may die, but his Primordial Spirit does not disintegrate. Generally speaking, his Primordial Spirit will enter another run of “samsara” (Samsara refers to the cycle of reincarnation) It is unlike what Fan Zhen (450-510 A.D.) of the Southern Dynasty proposed, “Spirit exists when body retains; spirit disintegrates when body dies” The Primordial Spirit can be divided into Main Spirit and Assistant Spirit. There is only one Main Spirit for a person, but the number of Assistant Spirit can be from 1 to 5. The Main Spirit and the Assistant Spirit may have different sex, age or race (or species) from those of the physical body. A human being’s thought does not come from brain. Instead, it comes from the Primordial Spirit. The brain is just a processing factory— it processes the message of universe transmitted by the Primordial Sprit into language, movement and eye contact for expression.

Master Li talks about the essence of life quite often. Then, what is the essence of life after all?

Some practitioners believe the essence of human life is the Main Spirit. I think the Main Spirit is not the essence of human life. Instead, it is the nature of the Main Spirit that forms the essence of human life. The essence of human life is the factor that forms the nature of the Main Spirit, and is also the unique constituent that forms life. Such a factor is congenital and very microscopic. It is the foundation of life. It determines the nature of a person. It will not change with time, nor will it be changed by human’s acquired notions. This factor determines the temperament, nature and character of a person. Because of these, an independent, integrated person with his own thoughts and personality can be constructed. The Primordial Spirit has the image of that person, and also is light-emitting.

Explaining the Content of Faun Dafa by Master Li:

Question: “Is the Primordial Spirit [made of] high-energy matter?”

Answer: “It can’t be understood like that. Your Primordial Spirit is composed of the most microcosmic, smallest, and most original matter. Your personality and your characteristics have already been predetermined at the origin of matter. That’s why after many years, and after lifetime upon lifetime, they’re still really hard to change. But a person’s original nature is kind.”

If the Primordial Spirit does not exist, the physical body in terms of anatomy is just a piece of meat. A person cannot live without the Primordial Spirit. Some people think they have deciphered “God’s secret code of human life” after mapping the human genome. This cannot be taken seriously. In fact, human being will never know the most fundamental essence that constructs human’s life.

Human’s notions are acquired. Karma is not microcosmic enough to enter or change the essence of human’s life. However, if the karma is sufficiently huge, it will completely seal up the person’s body, leading to a complete isolation of a person’s life essence from the characteristic of the universe, Zhen-Shan-Ren (Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance). Under such circumstances, the essence of life will be covered up, and this person cannot return to the real nature — Buddha-nature. Then, this person cannot be saved. In Buddhism, it is said, “becoming a Buddha when the nature is revealed.” What nature? The answer is the Buddha-nature, i.e. the original, inherent nature, which is revealed during the process of cultivation by continuous elimination of the various acquired notions and attachments. We say very often that the purpose of life is to return to the original, true self. That is, through cultivation, a person tries his best to assimilate to his inborn nature, return to his original true face, and return to the place where he is created (i.e. “returning home”). Once that is accomplished, a person will achieve consummation, and become a Buddha (or a “true person”). Therefore, “returning to the original, true self” has a similar meaning to “becoming a Buddha when the nature is revealed.” The nature of people has different levels. Whichever level your life is created in, your nature will possess the corresponding degree of understanding about Buddha Fa associated with that level.

If a person’s karma is so huge as to seal up his body, the essence of his life is covered up, and there is no remedy for him. Both his body and soul will become extinct. Even his qualification for “Samsara” may also be lowered — it is impossible for him to become a horse or a cow during the course of reincarnation. The extinction of body and soul means that his physical body as well as bodies in other dimensions, his Primordial Spirit and the essence of his life are all eliminated. He will be destroyed all the way to the most primitive, chaotic, microcosmic state.

The above represents what I have learned from the Fa. I wrote down my own comprehension for fellow practitioners’ reference. If there is anything inappropriate, the compassionate comments of fellow practitioners will be highly appreciated.

Translated from Chinese at: http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200308/23709.html