iching, introduction 2
The Tao begot one. One begot two. Two begot three. And three begot the ten thousand things. The ten thousand things carry yin and embrace yang. They achieve harmony by combining these forces. Lao Tzu: Chapter 42 The one is the beginning of being, which has its source in non-being or Tao. The two is, of course, yin and yang. The three is the three treasures: jing, qi, and shen, which can also be thought of as the three levels of existence ; spiritual, physical, and mental; which we contain within ourselves. The ten thousand things are the material manifestations or, simply, the material world. ...