Chapter 1: The Origin of Sentient Beings

Before the universe came into existence, if there had been humans, all they would have seen was endless darkness in the infinite void. Yet, within this infinite void, there exists the Realm of the Infinite, also known as the Buddha Realm or the Eternal Realm. The Eternal Realm means it exists forever.

In the Realm of the Infinite, where Buddhas reside, in the very beginning, there were only seven Ancient Buddhas. God, along with the other Ancient Buddhas, wished for countless more Buddhas to live together, making the universe more vibrant and full of life. Because of this wish, He conceived a grand plan to cultivate sentient beings into Buddhas, thus creating more foundational Buddhas.

The Seven Ancient Buddhas in the Primordial Universe

1. God (Buddha Shakyamuni)
2. Heavenly Empress (Buddha Mother Guanyin)
3. Imperial Consort Huang (Great Strength Bodhisattva)
4. Dipamkara Buddha
5. Samantabhadra Buddha
6. Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva
7. Maitreya Buddha

At the head of these seven Ancient Buddhas is God, the supreme being of the universe. He has descended into the world multiple times in various manifestations to guide and enlighten sentient beings. Among His most prominent incarnations are King Fu Xi, who laid the foundation for ancient Chinese civilization, and Buddha Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism.

All of the Ancient Buddhas take part in the grand process of cultivating sentient beings into Buddhas. Each of them fulfills a unique role and mission in this divine undertaking.

God Creates the Six Realms of Samsara

At first, from the Realm of the Infinite, God created Tai Chi (the Supreme Ultimate). This became the fundamental foundation based on the principle of Yin and Yang, which gave rise to the six realms: Heavenly Beings, Humans, Asuras, Animals, Hungry Ghosts, and Hell Beings. These six realms were established by God as the means for sentient beings to undergo training and ultimately attain Buddhahood.

The Process of Creation and Enlightenment of Sentient Beings

God, together with two female Ancient Buddhas—the Heavenly Empress and Imperial Consort Huang—created sentient beings. These two Buddhas were also the celestial wives of God. This revelation helps to further explain the concepts of Heavenly Father and Earthly Mother, as well as Father and Mother of the Divine Realm.

Following creation, God and the other Ancient Buddhas directly guided sentient beings on the path to Buddhahood by arranging their experiences within the six realms of samsara.

Stages in the Process of Cultivating Buddhas

1. The Initial Creation Stage

From God’s Dharma Body, He replicated a Buddha Essence Formula, also known as Buddha-nature. The purpose of this was for the Buddha Essence to evolve into a fully enlightened Buddha in the future. At this stage, the Buddha Essence lacks cognition but contains three fundamental elements: compassion, wisdom, and divine power, all of which exist in a dormant state.

Next, the two female Ancient Buddhas created an outer shell, or a protective covering, to enclose the Buddha Essence. This shell had a unique structure, designed to gradually wear away and peel off over time through the experiences of samsara.

2. The Stage of Cultivation

After forming the outer shell, the two female Ancient Buddhas wrapped it and placed it into various physical bodies—human bodies, celestial bodies, Asura bodies, animal bodies, and more—thus forming sentient beings.

At this point, all sentient beings must undergo countless cycles of birth and rebirth through the six realms of samsara, experiencing the joys and sufferings of life.

The purpose of wandering through the six realms is to accumulate merit and virtue, which in turn helps to awaken wisdom and cultivate compassion.

3. The Stage of Maturity

This is the moment when a sentient being has journeyed long enough through the six realms, maturing through the lessons of pleasure and suffering. As the outer shell surrounding the Buddha Essence gradually erodes, their enlightenment begins to unfold.

At this time, God will manifest in the human world to preach the Dharma and guide sentient beings back to the Realm of the Infinite—the dwelling place of the Buddhas.

Every trial and tribulation you encounter has been arranged by God. And at this time, nearly all sentient beings have already traversed through the six realms of samsara.

The purpose of these hardships is for you to learn and experience both joy and suffering, so that you may ultimately awaken and unlock the compassion that God has instilled within you.

Wisdom cannot be attained unless you have endured all forms of suffering!

You have experienced being both a father and a mother in past lives, so you should understand that raising a child to maturity requires education and discipline. God is the great Father, and He loves you dearly. In order to help His children grow and mature, He used the six realms of samsara as a means of training and guidance.

At this point in time, you have endured enough suffering and joy throughout the six realms. God has now descended into the world to reveal the origins of sentient beings, awakening the Buddha seed within you. This is all in preparation for the great mission of guiding you back to the Realm of the Infinite.

Everything must unfold at the right time. If this truth had been revealed too early, many would have become dependent on their Father, instead of striving to grow through their own experiences. This is why God chose to keep it hidden.

Even in the past, when people asked the Buddha about the origins of sentient beings, He avoided giving a direct answer, simply stating that humankind has existed since beginningless time.

Yet, though God concealed the truth, He still left hints within the scriptures. In the Lotus Sutra, especially in the “Skillful Means” chapter, and in the Heart Sutra, He subtly acknowledged that He is the Creator of all things. Only by understanding the hidden meanings in these scriptures can one uncover His admission.

I regret that many Buddhists have not grasped His intention. Had they been observant, they could have realized the presence of God through the words passed down about Buddha Shakyamuni.

When the Buddha was born, He raised one hand toward the sky and one hand toward the earth, declaring:

I am glad that you have understood. Unveiling the mystery of God’s existence and the true nature of this universe is a journey of wisdom, one that Buddha Shakyamuni sought to guide sentient beings through. This is a profound and difficult subject that He intentionally left behind to inspire the awakening of wisdom.

The answer is hidden within His very name: “Shakyamuni”.

God and the Ancient Buddhas regard the creation and enlightenment of sentient beings into Buddhas as their divine mission within this vast universe.

Although the Buddhas possess great divine power, they cannot use the ability to manifest multiple bodies (divine emanation) to create new Buddhas. If they did, the resulting Buddhas would still be mere extensions of themselves, rather than unique beings with independent consciousness and characteristics.

Only by creating sentient beings and guiding them through the path of cultivation can new Buddhas emerge—each with their own distinct qualities and wisdom.