Introduction on the meaning of San Tan (三壇簡介)

These few years, a lot of folks had come across the term San Tan (三壇) aka Sam Tua in our local Folks Belief, after hearing that, a lot of the folks started to scratch their head and pull their head, trying to figure out what is the meaning of San Tan aka Sam Tua.

 

And after going thru a lot of the newspaper reports and by asking the folks that got involved in some of the events that San Tan aka Sam Tua conducted, there are still a group of LOST folks. Reason, cos the folks that conducted the events for the San Tan aka Sam Tua dont really give a clear and accurate reply to the enquiries, etc.

 

Just now, having a quick lecture with one of Long Shan Men students, suddenly I realized that, actually in our records, there is an article on the introduction on San Tan aka Sam Tua, and so, I think its time to do some quick sharing on it.

 

Here it goes:

 

First, San Tan actually is a term use in Taoism to differentiate the different types of Taoist Groups that conduct the different Rituals/Ceremonies under the permission, agreement or approval of Heaven or so-called the Three Realms.

 

The Earliest San Tan is a combination of the Taoist Groups that come Only under the Main-stream Taoism, which are:

 

Dao Tan (道壇)

Fa Tan (法壇)

Shen Tan (神壇)

 

Dao Tan, a Taoist Group that do preaching on Taoism by using the name of Taoism and the teachings that passed-down by San Qing (三清) aka The Three Pure One.

 

By using the teachings, a Cultivated Taoist will try his/her best to assist the other to choose or walk onto the Right or Upright Path. By given a chance to the person to go under seeking Mastership under the Taoist School, a Dao Tan will be considered as have succeeded in the promoting of the Upright Culture of Taoism.

 

Heres a Chinese Paragraph describing the Dao Tan:

 

道壇

道壇為首。代道傳道。

守正道。授正道。

揚真道。護真道。

以道力化。迷根眾生。

道壇者。以道度世。以壇祝神。

上告穹蒼。中度世夫。下濟幽冥。

 

Quick Translation:

 

Among the Three Groups, Dao Tan is the First out of the Three.

It withholds the Upright Preaching & Culture of Taoism.

By using the Power of Dao, it helps to lead the Lost Beings onto the Right Path.

Dao Tan, a Group that call-upon the Super-Nature-Enhancement from the Three Realms, to assist Beings & Souls to lessen their sufferings.

 

Now, Fa Tan.

Fa Tan, the Taoist Group that Practiced the Spiritual Skills of Taoism.

 

By passing down the Upright & Accurate Spiritual Skills, Fa Tan will be able to lead a suffering Being out of sufferings or lessen their fears. By allowing the others to get involved in learning the Spiritual Skills of Taoism, Fa Tan will have succeeded in bonding the Mortals to Taoism and allowing them to close connection with the Three Realms.

 

Heres a Chinese Paragraph describing the Fa Tan:

 

法壇

法壇為次。以經修法。

修正法。練正法。

傳真法。教真法。

以經力化。迷本眾生。

法壇者。以經救世。以壇顯法。

先禱老君。再望上帝。三敬祖師。

 

Quick Translation:

 

Among the Three Groups, Fa Tan come in as Second.

It imparts the Upright & Accurate Spiritual Skills of Taoism.

By using the Power of Fa, it helps to lead the Suffering Beings onto the Soothing Path.

Fa Tan, a Group that call-upon the Super-Nature-Enhancement from the Various Deities & Ancestors, to assist Beings & Souls to lessen their sufferings.

 

Follow-by, Shen Tan.

Shen Tan, the Taoist Group that uses the Name and Assistance from Deities to assist the Lost Beings.

 

By using the Name & Assistance from the Deities, a Media (known as Medium), will make requests upon a Particular Deity to provide the necessary blessings. Without promoting any other Superstitious and any other Un-realistic Knowledge, by leading the Beings to get Blessing from the Taoist Deities, a Shen Tan will have succeeded in bringing the Beings onto the Right Path.

 

Heres a Chinese Paragraph describing the Shen Tan:

 

神壇

神壇末位。以師為神。

觀正神。念正神。

存真神。請真神。

以師力化。迷性眾生。

神壇者。以師助世。以壇侍神。

前助諸仙。內助壇民。外助遊孤。

 

Quick Translation:

 

Among the Three Groups, Shen Tan is the positioned at the end.

It connects the Beings & the Deities by using a Upright & Correct Media.

By using the Power of Shen, it helps to lead the Suffering Beings onto the Clearing Path.

Shen Tan, a Group that uses the Name & Blessing from the Various Deities & Ancestors, to assist Beings & Souls to clear their doubts.

 

Last, even though San Tan is being separated into Three different groups, but, they still belongs to Only One Root, which is the Big Dao aka Da Dao (大道).

 

Heres a Chinese Paragraph describing the San Tan:

 

道教三壇。壇壇揚道。法門不一。同歸一宗。

歷代不改。逕世不異。皈宗一道。皈命三清。

 

Quick Translation:

 

San Tan of Taoism, each of them are using their own title to promote Dao.

Even though each of them uses Different sets of Theories to do preaching, All Three still come under Dao.

Forever No Change and No Change from the Beginning.

Just One Objective to follow, which is the Teaching of San Qing.

 

Nowadays, in Singapore, the San Tan aka Sam Tua that the folks come across is actually originated from one of the Taoist School, which known as Lv Shan Sect (閭山派) or Fa Zhu Gong Sect (法主公派).

 

Under Lv Shan Sect, there are a few minor Sects, which a few of them do have the practice of inviting the Various Deities from the Various Level to come to give assistances while the Spiritual Masters conducting Rituals/Ceremonies.

 

Here are 2 different Groups of Lv Shan San Tan:

 

First Group:

 

Zuo Tan (Left Sector of the Spiritual Level), which got the enhancement from Long Shu Wang – one of the Founders of Yoga Sect, believed to be an Indian (左壇龍樹王)

 

Zhong Tan (Central Sector of the Spiritual Level), which got the protection from the Spiritual Armies & Generals from the Central Position in the Three Realms – folks mistaken it as Li Na Zha, which is not accurate (中壇中央將)

 

You Tan (Right Sector of the Spiritual Level), which got the blessing from Bei Di Gong which is known as Xuan Tian Shang Di (右壇北帝公)

 

Second Group:

 

Xuan Tan (The Miracle or Magical Sector of the Spiritual Level), which got the enhancement from Zhao Gong Ming – one of the Marshals that ward-off negative entities (玄壇趙元帥)

 

Zhong Tan (Central Sector of the Spiritual Level), which got the protection from the Spiritual Armies & Generals from the Central Position in the Three Realms – leading Marshal got a surname Li and as usual, folks mistaken it as Li Na Zha, which is not accurate (中壇李元帥)

 

Xia Tan (The Rear Sector of the Spiritual Level), which got the guarding from General Black Tiger which is known as Hei Hu Jiang Jun, which is believed to be the assistant of Xuan Tan (下壇黑虎將)

 

Till today, I have yet to see a fully Accurate San Tan aka Sam Tua being combined or worked closely together to promote the Upright Culture of Taoism, by praying hard, hope to see one soon in our Local Taoist Culture.