Musings on 'Autonomous Nation'

This is a translation of the Korean expression [ja ju guek]. As far as I know, this expression was coined by Father to refer to that Ideal Nation that Chon Il Guk embodies.

If we break up the elements in the Korean expression:

JA = ‘self’, also ‘auto’ as in:

ja+dong+cha ‘self+moving+cart/chariot’ = automobile

ja+shin ‘self+belief/faith’ = self-confidence/confidence

ja+seup ‘self+learn/study’ = ‘self study’

JU = ‘master’, ‘lord’, also ‘sovereign’, ‘rule-’ as in:

ju+kwan ‘rule+see/survey’ = rule over, also sovereignty

ju+nim ‘lord+nim (honorary/affectionate particle) = ‘the Lord’, master

ju+kwon ‘rule/lord+right’ = right of dominion

GUK (GUEK) = ‘nation’, country as in:

Han+guk ‘Han+nation’ = the nation of the Han people, (South) Korea

guk+ka ‘nation+family’ = nation, a nation state

guk+ki ‘nation+flag’ = national flag

JA+JU+GUK thus is a compound of self + lord/ruler/rule + nation

As far as I can figure it out, it seems to me that this is saying ‘the nation where the self is lord’

In principle of Creation terms, it means the place where the self, reunited with God, becomes the master. Like Buddha professed, to be ‘lord throughout the cosmos’. When humans reunite with God in the capacity as his second selves, his body, each human comes to be owner and ruler of the land. In a mass of self-awareness/cosmic awareness, humanity rules, each guided and propelled by his or her own awareness that he or she is the fulfillment of God’s purpose, and that God has entrusted him or her to be steward, indeed, the lord or lady over the world and the cosmos. Kind of like:

‘Beyond what any other may say or do, I will take responsibility for this cosmos, and live according to that creed, because my Father has entrusted me with it.’

As Father used to say (says?), if everyone left, would you still take up the mission, stand in my place?

This is also what Hyun Jin is getting at when he says to be an ‘owner’.

‘Autonomous nation’ seems to fall pretty much short in terms of translating the original concept (if it anything like what I think it is). And yet, there doesn’t seem to be many other great options for translating, into English, what is already a highly compact albeit esoteric rending in Korean. The compactness of Chinese characters often generates problems for English rendition of meaning, something like trying to squash all the compactness and economy, etc, of that small little Japanese cars in the huge 1970 American things (I think!).

So my take (at this point) on autonomous nation (jajuguk) is: A nation where the rule and effort for good will be autonomous. God will not have to strain so much. Humans will fall into line automatically.

Andy Lausberg

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