Original Heavenly Deity - Genshi Tenson

The supreme god of Taoism. Original Heavenly King is his ancient name. He is the creator who was born from the source of the universe and gave birth to all things in heaven and earth, and is an eternal and immortal being who transcends causality and space-time. He lives in the Xuantu on Mount Yujing in Da Luo Heaven, the highest heaven of the 36 heavens in Taoism, and controls the gods. He is said to have revealed the supreme teaching of Taoism and saved people on earth every time the heavens and earth collapse and regenerate over countless kalpas (this is called Kaigo Dojin). In the 3rd and 4th centuries, the supreme god of Taoism was Taishang Laojun, a deification of Laozi, the founder of Taoism, but in the 4th and 5th centuries, Taishang Daojun, a deification of the "way" that Laozi preached, was added, and in the 6th century, Original Heavenly Son was added. In the early Tang dynasty, the correspondence between the above three gods and important doctrines such as the Three Caves, the Three Pure Realms, and the Three Vehicles was explained, and the Taoist doctrine system centered on the Original Heavenly Deity was completed. In doctrine, the Heavenly Deity was considered formless and imageless, but in reality, Buddha-like statues were made from early on. Also, from the Song dynasty onwards, he came to be called the Jade Emperor, the Jade Emperor, etc.

[Kunio Mugiya]

"The History of Taoism" by Tokutada Kubo (1977, Yamakawa Publishing) " "Taoism: The Quest for Immortality" by Maspero, translated by Yoshio Kawakatsu (Heibonsha, Toyo Bunko)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

道教の最高神。元始天王(げんしてんおう)はその古称。宇宙の原初において根源の一気から化生(かせい)して、天地万物を生み出す造物主であり、超因果・超時空の常住不滅の存在である。道教でいう三十六天の最上天である大羅天(だいらてん)の玉京山上の玄都に住して諸神を統御し、無数劫(ごう)にわたる天地の崩壊と再生のたびに、至上の教えである道教を開示して地上の人間の救済にあたる（これを開劫度人(かいごうどじん)という）とされる。道教の最高神は、3、4世紀には道家の祖とされる老子(ろうし)を神格化した太上老君(たいじょうろうくん)であったが、4、5世紀には老子の説く「道」そのものを神格化した太上道君が加上され、6世紀になってさらに元始天尊が加上された。初唐には上記の三神と三洞(さんどう)、三清境、三乗といった重要教理の対応が説かれ、元始天尊を中心とする道教教理体系がいちおう完成する。天尊は教理上は無形無象とされたが、実際には早くから仏像様の像がつくられた。また宋(そう)以降は、玉皇(ぎょくこう)、玉皇大帝などとよばれるようになった。

［麥谷邦夫］

『窪徳忠著『道教史』（1977・山川出版社）』▽『マスペロ著、川勝義雄訳『道教――不死の探求』（平凡社・東洋文庫）』

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