Sien-Tchan

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Sien-Tchan (also spelled Sien-Tchang, Tsien-Tchan or Sien-chan) is a word found in the Stanzas of Dzyan said to come from the Chinese language. According to H. P. Blavatsky, the term refers to "our universe"[1] and "the universe of form and matter."[2]

It has been difficult to identify any of the spellings with known Chinese words. David Reigle suggests that this term may be related to the Tibetan སེམས་ཅན (sems-can, a sentient being, or animated beings).[3] However, Jon Fergus proposes that sien-tchan refers to the Chinese 天下 (tiānxià), which means "all that is under heaven" and philosophically/metaphysically signifies the manifested universe.[4]

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Notes

  1. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 136.
  2. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Theosophical Glossary (Krotona, CA: Theosophical Publishing House, 1973), 345.
  3. David Reigle, Blavatsky's Secret Books (San Diego, CA: Wizards Bookshelf, 1999), 64
  4. Personal communication on Jan 17, 2020.