Sungsang and Hyungsang

1. Sungsang and Hyungsang

God has the dual characteristics of Sungsang and Hyungsang as His attributes. God’s Sungsang and Hyungsang are also called Original Sung-sang and Original Hyungsang in order to differentiate them from the sung-sangs and Hyungsangs of all creation. The relationship between God and all things is that of Creator and created, that is, cause and effect. Therefore, Original Sungsang is the root cause of the intangible, functional aspect of all created beings, and Original Hyungsang is the root cause of the tangible, material aspect of creation. The relationship between God and human beings is that of father and children. We were created in the image of God according to the principle of “creation in likeness,” Original Sungsang corresponding to the minds of human beings, and Hyungsang corresponding to their bodies. Sungsang and Hyungsang are not separate, different attributes, but are harmonized as one in a reciprocal relationship. 1 This is what is meant in the Divine Principle when it states that “God is the Subject in whom the dual characteristics of original internal nature [Original Sungsang ] and original external form [Original Hyungsang ] are in harmony” ( Exposition of the Divine Principle , hereafter cited as DP , 19). 2 Thus, God is a being with the dual characteristics of Original Sungsang and Original Hyung-sang harmoniously united. From an ontological viewpoint, the concept of Divine Image is neither just spiritual nor just material: it can be described as a “Theory of Oneness” or “Unification Theory.” It can be said that spiritualism, in limited perspective, regards only Original Sungsang as the cause of the universe, whereas materialism regards only Original Hyungsang as the cause of the universe. Let us consider the content of Sungsang and Hyungsang , and explain them in more detail.

NEW ESSENTIALS OF UNIFICATION THOUGHT