Ли Хунжчи .КитайскийФaлуньгун.. М.: Изд-воРУДН, 1999.- 120с.
Ageenkova Ekaterina Candidate of Psychological Science, Dean, Belarus state university, expert of the Committee for the religious and nationalalities' issues of Belarus.
Li Hongzhi relates the Falun Gong teaching to the concealed folk methods of self-perfection, which, according to his statements (1, p.27), belong to the Chinese traditional "side" or "heretical" schools and are called "pangmen zuodao" (side entrance and stupid way). This teaching is distant from the well-established Buddhism and Taoism, moreover it claims them to have developed in the wrong direction (1, p. 23-27, 34-35). Most truthful knowledge of the self-perfection laws this teaching has absorbed the from the "side" schools. "Methods of the"pangmen zuodao" were transferred through generations, which led them to perfection…Those, who practice this methods do not acknowledge themselves either Buddhists or Taoists…I met three of such great masters. They gave me the knowledge, I would have never found either in the Buddhist or the Taoist teachings" (1, p.27).
The Falun Gong teaching, though simplified and worked out for the dilettanti in the Chinese qigong, is quite consistent. On the one hand it reflects the "Universe" concepts and on the other hand it suggests the specific methods of self-perfection.
Therefore in order to identify the religious direction of Li Hongzhi's teaching "The Falun Gong" we suggest observing it according to the following points:
- The universe structure from point of view of the Falun Gong;
- Development ("self-perfection") of a person according to the Falun Gong system.
The universe structure from point of view of the Falun Gong
From point of view of the Falun Gong the universe consists of a variety of ecumenes, structured according to the hierarchical principle. It is only an "advanced" person, who can see the spaces of the non-material level. The higher the level of its development, the higher the level of the "celestial eye" and the ability to see the spaces of the higher level (see chapter 1.4 of the "The celestial eye"). These ecumenes are inhabited by "living beings", which function together with the objects of material space.
"Let us for example look at a glass. At the moment of its production there appears another living being in another dimension at the same time" (1, p.19).
"The kernel reason of any human disease consists in the fact that there is another living being with mental abilities in another dimension…The disease treatment according to the Falun Gong is applied to the latter…" (1, p.23).
"… the Falun starts to continuously revolve. It exists as a living being, having mental abilities. (1, p.36).
"The Falun in the Falun Gong is a living being, consisting of the highly energetic substance and having mental abilities (it keeps revolving). The Falun revolves according to the law all celestial bodies follow. In a certain meaning the Falun is the incarnation of the Universe in miniature. (1, p.35).
"The body of the Law also has its own thinking, its own ability to independently resolve problems and take actions. The body of the Law is an absolutely independent individuality. At the same time the body of the Law knows what the qigong master wants and therefore acts in compliance with those desires. For example, if the master of qigong wants to cure somebody, the body of the Law will cure that person" (1, p.44).
"At a higher (from point of view of the Falun Gong) level of development the life of the "intelligent beings", co-existing with human beings, will change.
"By the time the secondary gong appears, those secondary beings grow up. They sre able to move and talk, coming separately and assembling into groups…When the self-perfection process according to the Falun Gong reaches a very high level, then sometimes the whole body gets covered with the "tinies"(yinhai)…There can possibly appear a body of another species, which is called the immortal baby (yuanying). It sits inside the flower of lotus and it is very beautiful…At first the immortal baby is very little, but it subsequently grows up, reaching the size of a disciple and consequently resembling the disciple, being with in his body" (1, p.46)
The structure of the universe according to the Falun Gong correlates with the primitive pagan beliefs (2-7)
Development ("self-perfection") of a person according to the Falun Gong system
Unlike the Buddhist and Taoist methods of self-perfection the method Li Hongzhi suggests is a very quick way of human development.
"Self-perfection according to the Falun Gong is exercised on an advanced level of hierarchy, that's why gong comes very quickly" (1, p.45).
The purpose of a person's development according to the Falun Gong is to transform his or her body into another state, reforming the personality into a supernatural being with supernatural abilities. These supernatural abilities include absence of diseases, eternal youth, forseeing, ability of seeing other dimensions, ability of magical curing other people. The speed of development is supported both by the special methodology of self-perfection and the specific influence Li Hongzhi provides (see below).
The purpose and stages of development (self-perfection) according to the Falun Gong
"The Falun Gong practice turns the molecular elements of human body into a highly energetic substance. That way human body exists not as a combination of former material components, but as a result of the drastic changes…Then metabolism ceases — the human being transcends the five elements. The whole human body will eventually consist of substances from different dimensions. The person will not obey our dimension's Law of time any more. Such a person will possess eternal youth" (1, p.40).
"The purpose of piercing channels consists in the process of energy circulation, which results in the change of the cells' molecular consistence and consequent turning them into a highly energetic substance. The person, who does not exercise this practice, has his channels blocked… those, who exercise the practice have their channels wider and more open on the advanced level… exercising the practice one can constantly improve his channels, making them lighter and wider, and they will consequently aggregate. By that time the person will have neither channels no BS (bioactive spots — expert's reference)…The pierced channels are just a kind of… embodiment of one of the hierarchy levels. After the practitioner reaches this level, he or she has reached the end of self-perfection according to the mundane Law. At the same time there will obviously be changes in peson's appearance: "a bunch of three flowers above the crown of the head" (1, p.42-43).
"One more step forward and the person enters the self-perfection according to the postmundane Law, which is also called Buddha's body selfperfection. Gong, which will appear, already belongs to the "Miracle"… After the person reaches a more advanced level of hierarchy, he will become the Great enlightened person… A person with a big aspiration will obtain an Orthodox Law and reach the true fruit. This is the complete perfection" (1, p.47).
Therefore, the main task of "self-perfection" according to the Falun Gong is the mystical transformation of a person into a supernatural being with a transformed molecular structure of the body and bioenergetics. Besides, such person operates supernatural abilities of "the Great enlightened person". Such kind of transformations make the main purpose of the mystical teachings, most characteristic of the religious world perception (8).
The technique of development (self-perfection) according to the Falun Gong
The Falun Gong's methodology of self-perfection is based on both the ideology of "piercing channels" which corresponds to the traditions of the Taoist schools, and the strict observance of the moral code of "Xinxing" (Chapter 3. Xinxing perfection). However unlike the Taoist schools, according to Li Hongzhi's teaching, which develops a person successively, gradually and too quietly, his technique provides very quick development. This rapidness is provided by the specific influence of Li Hongzhi, which at the very first classes "pierces" all the channels simultaneously, opening "celestial eye" to one of the highest levels —"the sight of the eye of wisdom" and that way "Falun" and "Qingzi" the energy sources get installed in the disciple's body, which, according to Li Hongzhi's statements, promotes the disciples quick development. The independent practice by the disciple in the form of various techniques must promote the increase of the "attached" to the body "Qingzi's" impact. The Falun, according to Li Hongzhi's teaching, is the analogue of the "Universe", which independently brings a person to perfection, giving him energy and leading him to the state, similar to "the Universal" one.
"Our Falun Gong requires the simultaneous piercing of all the channels"( 1, p.41).
"The Falun Gong requires that all the posed across and along the body qimai (energy channels) should circulate simultaneously. They should also be simultaneously pierced and started. This thing characteristic of our Falun Gong does not need special elaboration… Even if you have never studied the sky circle, qimai is already moving inside and outside your body. We do exercises in order to increase Qizi (qi mechanism –author's reference) outside the body" (1, p.42).
"The Falun is constantly helping you in self-perfection. The Law perfects the person… The Falun Gong perfects both body and soul" (1, p.39).
"The person, self-perfecting through the Falun Gong, can not only reinforce his gong power and supernatural abilities, but also work out the Falun. The Falun can be establish in a very short course of time and right after it is established it's power becomes extremely big… The Flun starts continuously revolving. It exists as a living being, having mental abilities. It continuously accumulates energy in the lower part of the disciples belly. The Falun automatically collects energy from all over the Universe by means of the revolving movements, The Falun is constantly revolving, reaching the state of "The person's perfection Law", which means that though the person does not uninterruptedly exercise the practice, the Falun keeps constantly perfecting him… And the Falun is constantly revolving, absorbing big amounts of qi (the initial form of energy existence) from the universe, constantly accumulating and transforming qi into its components, turning it into the higher substance, which consequently turns into "gong" in the disciple's body. This is "The person's perfection Law" (1, p.36 (also look p.33)).
"Self-perfection according to the Falun Gong is exercised according to the Universe features, the principle of the Universe evolution… the Falun is synchronically moving together with the Universe" (1, p.39).
"Acceleration" of the person's development process is stipulated not by specific knowledge or technique, which are pretty traditional for the Taoist schools, though pretty simplified — it is connected with Li Hongzhi's specific manipulation, the content of which is not enlightened in his works. It corresponds to the magic actions, taken by the priest in mysteries, similar to communion (8). Since the structure of the world, according to Li Hongzhi's teaching, correlates with the pagan beliefs (see above), the magic actions can be classified as the practice of a priest or shaman.
"During the classes I first of all regulate the bodies of all of the participants, leading them to the state, necessary for self-perfecting and reaching the advanced levels; then I fix the Falun and Qizi (the mechanisms of qi) (highlighted by the expert) and transfer the gongfa (the method of practice). Besides I possess the bodies of the Law, which preserve you…I preach the gong at a high level… I preach Xulian Dafa (The Great Law of self-perfection), which really admonishes a person to the highest levels of hierarchy" (1, p.8).
"during the classes I adjust Qizi (the mechanisms of qi) (highlighted by the expert) outside your body and it starts automatically revolving" (1, p.42).
"…I will directly open the celestial eye for you at the highest level "the sight of the eye of wisdom", i.e. I will open the celestial eye for you at the advanced level of hierarchy in order to make you immediately see the spectacular sight of the other dimension" (1, p.17).
This scheme of analysis leads us to a conclusion that Li Hongzhi's teaching "The Falun Gong" is a modernized (which is obvious from the usage of the modern occultic terminology "Universe", "energy", "levels of hierarchy" etc.) variant of the pagan beliefs, in which he is the superior magician.
It won't be a mistake to classify "The Falun Gong" by Li Hongzhi as a modern occultism, based on the pagan belief.
Since Li Hongzhi considers "Panhmen zuodao", which he also calls the "national", "side" or "heretical" school of the Chinese Taoism, to be the basis for his teaching, the Falun Gong can not be classified as a traditional Belarus religious doctrine.
