Divine incantations scripture
Encyclopedia
The Taishang dongyuan shenzhou jing , or The Divine Incantations Scripture, is the oldest known Chinese classic text that details an apocalypse
. The earliest portions of the book have been traced back to the beginning of the fifth century CE.
They offered a new route to transcendence
that was different from the Heavenly masters movement from which it branched. The Divine Incantations Scripture sought to clarify the gods are, "in a word, merely the officials of the celestial bureaucracy
." The text was unique for the time in that it promised the aid of celestial "ghost troops" to those who upheld its teachings and acknowledged the dynamic obedience and simultaneous danger of various "daemon kings" that also existed in a fantastical version of the metaphysical world
. These characteristics draw interesting parallels with the cosmic and celestial warfare depicted in the Book of Revelation
from the Christian New Testament
canon. The book also urges Daoists to "assiduously convert the unenlightened," and demands scriptural exclusivity when receiving the Divine Incantations Scripture.
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
. The earliest portions of the book have been traced back to the beginning of the fifth century CE.
They offered a new route to transcendence
Transcendence (religion)
In religion transcendence refers to the aspect of God's nature which is wholly independent of the physical universe. This is contrasted with immanence where God is fully present in the physical world and thus accessible to creatures in various ways...
that was different from the Heavenly masters movement from which it branched. The Divine Incantations Scripture sought to clarify the gods are, "in a word, merely the officials of the celestial bureaucracy
Celestial bureaucracy
The Celestial bureaucracy is the pantheon of Chinese mythology. As the name suggests, it is organised similarly to a government administration , with the Jade Emperor as the senior official to whom the other deities must report...
." The text was unique for the time in that it promised the aid of celestial "ghost troops" to those who upheld its teachings and acknowledged the dynamic obedience and simultaneous danger of various "daemon kings" that also existed in a fantastical version of the metaphysical world
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
. These characteristics draw interesting parallels with the cosmic and celestial warfare depicted in the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
from the Christian New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
canon. The book also urges Daoists to "assiduously convert the unenlightened," and demands scriptural exclusivity when receiving the Divine Incantations Scripture.