《太上老君元道真经注解》

The commentary on the Taishang Laojun Yuandao Zhenjing states that “yuan” means root or beginning; “Dao” refers to the true unified Dao of Taishang Laojun; and “jing” means a path. Because this scripture expounds the original and authentic Dao, it is called the Zhenjing (True Scripture).

In the Upper Chapter of Yuandao, the so-called “Yuandao” is Laojun’s highest and most fundamental Dao. “Yuan shang” refers to the fundamental principle that is immeasurably high and occupies the supreme position.

Laojun said: The Dao is divided into upper, middle, and lower grades. Here they correspond to the three Dantians (energy centers) of the human body (the places where Qi [vital energy] gathers within the body in Daoist health and cultivation practices): the upper Dantian is at Niwan, the middle Dantian at Chicheng, and the lower Dantian at Xihai, hence they are called “three.”

The Dao spoken of in the Huangting Jing is likewise divided into upper, middle, and lower grades.

The immortal scriptures say: “When one Yin and one Yang unite, flavors are not tasted repeatedly, and actions are not repeated.” This employs the principle of Yin-Yang union to illustrate that cultivating the Dao follows distinct methods.

The various methods of the Dao each have different gateways and successive stages. Some succeed through refining the elixir, some ride carp to ascend to heaven or mount dragons to fly upward, some perform Zhaijiao (purification rituals) to worship the Yuanshi deity, some seek longevity through cultivation by ingesting Qi, and some reverse the current to extend their lifespan. The immortal scriptures say: “The Dao has ten thousand methods, all of which can lead to longevity; water has a thousand sources, all of which ultimately flow into the Eastern Sea.” This means that although the paths of cultivating the Dao are many, they can all ultimately return to the Dao of longevity.

Compared with the upper Dao of the Huangting Jing, Laojun’s middle Dao and the methods they discuss each have three grades. Among these scriptures, the highest is the Yuandao. The Dao it expounds is extremely lofty and profound, empty and still, mysterious and wondrous, bland and of Wuwei (non-action), with every action in accordance with nature; therefore those who study it find it difficult to glimpse its inner mysteries.

The highest Dao is the foremost of all scriptures, and the mysterious Dao is the root of all methods.

Only those of high capacity and keen insight, who can swiftly comprehend it on their own, are suited to study this scripture.

Therefore, those who truly study the Dao (the Way) must already have formed a karmic affinity with the Dao, their resolve as firm as iron and stone. They must also accumulate the hidden merit of performing good deeds in secret, receiving assistance so that their own immortal Qi (vital energy) unites with the Dao; once the work of the Dao is completed, they can then ascend to heaven.

If a person fears death and is constantly attached to seeking life, he is also not suited to studying the Dao.

One must regard wealth that does not accord with the righteousness of the Dao as an enemy and regard seductive beauty as a foe; only by achieving this is it possible to unite with the Dao.

There are those who, upon hearing of this method of the Dao, feel great admiration in their hearts and even practice accordingly, yet they are still not suited for cultivation. Only by regarding unprincipled wealth as an enemy and staying far from seductive beauty can one unite with the Dao. If one merely feels affection after hearing of it but does not truly put it into practice, it is difficult to unite with this Dao; therefore this method of the Dao has long not been easily transmitted.

If such a person abandons the true and pursues the false, even if he has grasped some principles, it is still difficult to complete the cultivation; this is called not uniting.

If it is a person of high spiritual capacity and outstanding insight, a superior adept, who is able to act specially in accordance with the Dao, he can naturally comprehend boundless principles. The “high-capacity superior adepts” referred to here are those who can transcend the shallow learning of the secular world, who firmly seek the Dao, take joy in the Dao, and do not fear death.

Once the principles have been thoroughly understood, one can then comprehend boundless meanings.

In cultivating other methods of the Dao, one often still encounters many difficulties, because the scope of their cultivation requirements is relatively broad.

Other methods of the Dao all have teacher lineages, and they all speak of various faults and prohibitions in the course of cultivation; only this Dao does not enumerate the various circumstances of violating precepts, and therefore it is unnecessary to rely on a specific teacher lineage. The Neijiao Jing (Inner Teaching Scripture) says: “There is action, yet there is no action; there is thought, yet there is no thought; there is movement, yet there is no movement.” These three statements interweave the true and the false, using the crooked and the straight to mutually illuminate each other, and thus the so-called faults and prohibitions arise.

Other relatively shallow methods of the Dao must select quiet places such as mountain forests in order to be cultivated. Ancient superior adepts could mingle in the dusty world and cultivate the Dao in the secular realm; those of middling capacity must seclude themselves in the mountains and forests to be suited for practice.

Therefore, Wu Dao differs from other methods of the Dao in the affairs of cultivation, and its methods also have simple and direct pathways. In the cultivation of Wu Dao there are no situations of violating prohibitions and instead suffering harm, nor is it necessary to fall ill or stagnate in vain from abstaining from heterodoxies. This is because the principles of Wu Dao accord with “Chongxuan” (double mystery, referring to the profound realm that transcends distinctions such as being and non-being), and therefore there are none of these harms; otherwise there would still be some harm.

The immortal scriptures say: “The Great Dao (the Way) easily confuses people, and ordinary people easily go astray in practice and fall into ruin.” Laozi said: “Do not chase after those things that can arouse desire, and the mind will not be disturbed.”

Only this Dao can enable a person to complete cultivation amid the dust of the world.

The immortal scriptures say: “The superior Dao practices Wuwei (non-action); it diminishes yet does not truly suffer loss. The highest principle accords with nature; it seems to have illness yet is not truly ill.” Laozi said: “Converge your radiance and dwell with the dusty world; be profound and still, yet as if something remains.” This is what is called “without loss.”

Inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth can expel cold and heat Qi (vital energy) from within the body.

Laozi said: “The gate of the mysterious female” (the source that generates all things) is the root of life and death, continuous and unbroken, seeming to exist and not to exist. If one can apply this principle, life can be made lasting and one is not easily harmed by cold and heat. The “he” method of exhalation belongs to the heart; if the heart has no accumulated toxic pathogens, it will naturally not be invaded by cold and heat.

In this way one can also expel stagnant primordial Qi (yuanqi, the innate fundamental vital energy).

What is called “expelling accumulation” means entering the subtle realm from more elementary practice, proceeding step by step from the minute to the manifest, and the Dao will naturally descend. If one is impatient for results and forcibly applies the method, one will instead be harmed by it and achieve nothing in vain; hence it is called “expelling accumulation.” “Primordial Qi” is natural qi that comes from the depths of obscurity and descends from the origin of emptiness. Those who awaken to the Dao understand its function and also understand that it originally has no fixed form or traces, and therefore it is called primordial Qi.

Holding the breath can temporarily relieve hunger and weakness, and can also allow the breath to reach the passes and orifices throughout the body for treating illness; but this is not the same as nourishing Qi and returning to the origin. Swallowing the breath can temporarily relieve weakness, yet cannot replace naturally abundant primordial Qi.

Therefore the superior practitioners of cultivating authenticity can experience the still more subtle within the subtle. In coming and going they follow what is natural and do not act with deliberate intent. They concentrate on guarding a single Dao, comprehend the mysterious within the mysterious, and do not depart from the fundamental methods of the Dao. The immortal scriptures therefore warn: “Puffing out both cheeks and forcibly swallowing qi is a cause that invites death; holding the breath too long until the breath is forced into chaotic rushing is the root of injuring the Shen (spirit).” Those who cultivate the Dao must avoid these practices.

Circulating Qi can moisten the skin, but this does not belong to the constant Dao.

If a person can truly grasp the essentials of cultivating the Dao, it is because primordial Qi is abundant and circulates with subtlety. The scripture later repeats the warning: “Puffing out both cheeks and forcibly swallowing qi is a cause that invites death; holding the breath too long so that the breath rushes in chaos is the root of injuring the spirit.” Those who cultivate the Dao must avoid these practices. Circulating Qi can moisten the skin, but this does not belong to the constant Dao.

When a person cultivates and attains the Yuandao, the primordial Qi (Yuanqi, original vital energy) becomes abundant, and the body displays a subtle yet vigorous vitality: the skin is moist and luminous. Just as clouds move and rain falls to nourish all things, when the primordial Qi fills the entire body, the hundred meridians and the various Shen (spirits) also receive nourishment. The immortal Jing (scripture) says: “There is not a single hair that does not communicate with Qi, and there is not a single joint that does not house Shen.”

The Yuandao causes a person to return to the root and restore the original, uniting with nature, hence it is called “Yuandao.”

Laozi said: “The myriad things flourish, each returning to its root. Returning to the root is called stillness; stillness is called restoring life.” When applying this in the cultivation of the Dao (the Way), one must understand the “Three-One” (Sanyi, an important idea in Daoist cultivation). If one can make oneself full without clinging to purposeful action, one will eventually have realization. If one only acts willfully, one cannot return to simplicity and the root; this is the principle of losing the Yuandao.

A person who has achieved cultivation can make the sinews and meridians robust, the marrow full, protect the five viscera, make the Niwan (upper Dantian [energy center] in the head) clear and unobstructed, and make the Dantai (elixir platform, a cultivation site in the body) stable and peaceful.

If a person thoroughly understands the Great Dao, the sinews and bones will transform, as if recovering youth and returning to childhood. The Zhonghuang Jing says: “The skin is as white as frost, the sinews and bones appear cyan; the name is removed from the underworld registers and entered as an immortal in the heavenly court; sitting one inspects the netherworld and commands ghosts and spirits.” After cultivating the Yuandao, the Shen and Qi are bright and refreshing, one is tranquil and natural, Heaven and Earth offer protection, poisons cannot harm, and various diseases will not arise. The Huangting Jing says: “Sinews and bones cyan and red, the body like frost; the seven orifices eliminate inauspiciousness, forever at peace.”

“Six not entering recklessly, three not exiting recklessly” refers to this very principle.

To cultivate the Great Dao (the Way), one must first abstain from the Six Desires. The Six Desires disturb the inner mind and cloud the heart-spirit; when the heart-spirit becomes turbid, they obstruct the circulation of Qi (vital energy), the primordial life-force of which Daoism speaks. When the Six Desires arise, they give birth to the Six Emotions; when the Six Emotions become active, they in turn taint the Six Roots (the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind). Once the Six Roots grow turbid, the Six Emotions are likewise defiled, and one drifts far from the True Dao.

What is called the “Three Not Going Out” means that the orthodox Qi of the Three Origins within the Three Dantian (energy centers)—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian of the human body—must not be dissipated recklessly. Each of the Three Dantian contains Three Origins; these Three Origins cohere to form the “Three-One.” The Three-One generate the Three Souls, and the Three Souls transform so as to command the myriad spirits. The myriad spirits are the yang Shen (spirit) of the Primordial Dao. The primordial Shen transforms into Qi, Qi condenses into Jing (essence), and Jing in turn transforms into the myriad spirits—hence they are called “Shen.” Shen is Qi; within the formless, Jing is contained; Jing is the Dao, and the Dao is manifested as the ten thousand things. Laozi said, “In the dim and indistinct, there is yet something substantial.” This inner substance must not be taken lightly.

The Immortal Scripture says: “To bestow Qi upon another enables that person to grow; to retain Qi within oneself enables one’s own growth.” Therefore it must not be dissipated recklessly. The Yellow Court Scripture says: “If it is like the hundred rivers of the great sea all pouring out until they run dry, the leaves falling and the trees withering, then the verdant green is lost.” Thus the True Qi must not leak outward. When the filth and turbidity within the body have been fully expelled, the True Qi can circulate unceasingly within, causing the body to soar into the great void and ultimately become a True Person. Since ancient times, those who have attained the Dao and become perfected have all followed this path of cultivation.

What is meant by “the expulsion of filth and turbidity” is that only through prolonged practice can one obtain the Great Dao. The residual impurities left in the body by the five grains will gradually and naturally cease. The Immortal Scripture says: “If you wish to live long without dying, you must expel all the primordial dregs from the abdomen.” This is the meaning of “complete expulsion.”

The Central Chapter of the Primordial Dao

Human beings are the most spiritually endowed among the ten thousand things, and…

Humans are the most spiritually endowed among the myriad things, originating together with Heaven and Earth from the primordial void (the original state before Heaven and Earth divided and the myriad things came into being). When the primordial Qi (Yuanqi, the original vital energy constituting life) coalesces, it forms the human body. As the body is about to take shape, the Ten Heavenly Spirits descend into the human body and transform into the spirits within it.

Laozi said: Jing (essence) and Qi accumulate; the yin and yang of father and mother unite and copulate. After conception, the first month forms the embryo, the second month the placenta, and the third month the fetus, at which point the physical form begins to appear and the Three Hun (the three souls constituting a person’s spiritual life) descend into it. In the fourth month the Four Spirits stand guard; these Four Spirits are the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. In the fifth month the Five Viscera become settled. In the sixth month the Six Pitches correspond with the Six Roots. In the seventh month the Seven Po (the seven souls constituting a person’s physical and mental activities) are generated. In the eighth month the Eight Sceneries appear, together with the Eight Harmonious True Spirits. The Eight Sceneries refer to the Five Viscera and the Three Dantian (the three energy centers in the human body for cultivating Jing, Qi, and Shen). In the ninth month the Nine Palaces become settled and the Nine True Ones are generated. The Nine Palaces are distributed around the Niwan (the internal cultivation site in the head) and above and below it. In the tenth month the body takes form, the Ten Heavenly Spirits take their appointed positions, the Qi of the Primordial Dao is complete, and only then does one obtain life and is born into the world. Therefore humans come into being together with the primordial void and Heaven and Earth. Laozi said: “Heaven and Earth join their Jing and Qi, and humans have already been born.”

In this way a person can become a complete human being; humans take form by means of the Primordial Dao.

Since humans are generated together with Heaven and Earth from the beginning of the primordial void, they ought to be as long-lived as Heaven and Earth. Nowadays Heaven and Earth endure without decline, yet humans cannot last long. Why is this? The answer is: Heaven and Earth can last long because they are mild, quiet, and yielding, they do not alter their nature, they constantly abide in empty stillness (the state of quietude and non-action), they remain tranquil without toil or disturbance, they accord with the natural Dao, so that the primordial true Qi does not scatter, and thus they can endure.

Humans cannot last long because they generate deluded thoughts, alter their nature, fail to follow what is natural, fail to guard the root, and instead seek out toil and disturbance for themselves, constantly pursuing what is advantageous to themselves. [The original text here reads “the primordial true Qi does not scatter, hence they can last long,” which has the same meaning as the preceding passage; according to the context, it should indicate that the primordial true Qi is not guarded and scatters, and thus they cannot last long.]

People cannot live long because deluded thoughts arise in the mind and they stray from their original nature. They neither follow what is natural nor guard the root of life; instead they bring hardship on themselves, always wanting to obtain more, with thoughts that never cease and minds crowded with clever schemes. Original Qi (Yuanqi, the vital energy that is the source of life) therefore dissipates along with desire, and people cannot attain longevity.

People cannot last as long as Heaven and Earth because Heaven follows its natural course while humans always act with intention; Earth follows its natural course while humans always have desires. Heaven remains constantly clear and bright, yet people are often clouded; Earth’s foundation is deep and stable, yet people are restless and unsettled. Heaven’s Qi circulates without pause, yet people become blocked and stagnant; within the Earth there are hidden springs, yet within the human body there is scattered Qi. People run contrary to the patterns of Heaven and Earth, do not abide by the original Dao (Yuandao, the Way of the source), and the body cannot maintain empty stillness or return to the original root; therefore they cannot endure as long as Heaven and Earth. Those who can extend their lifespan to the utmost longevity do so because they allow Xi (here apparently referring to Qi within the body) to remain stored in the body, thereby preserving life.

A person’s six roots (the activities of perception and thought involving the mind, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, tongue, and so on) are originally empty and still, yet because people themselves generate deluded thoughts they are pulled along by the six thieves and ultimately cannot return to the root. Thus the so-called “six thieves” are: the mind moving in delusion, the eyes looking in delusion, the ears listening in delusion, the nose smelling fragrance in delusion, the mouth speaking in delusion, and the tongue tasting flavor in delusion. In this way one never returns to the root and therefore cannot endure for long. Returning to the root means going back to the foundation of original Qi.

Any behavior that disturbs Zhonghe (the balanced, harmonious state) will cause a person to lose their original nature: when deluded thoughts arise in the mind, Shen (spirit) becomes scattered; when the eyes greedily look at something they chase only outward; when the ears greedily listen they hear only the external; when the nose seeks something in delusion one loses the Lingguan (the pass of bodily-mental sensation and inner Qi mechanism); when speech issues forth in delusion one loses genuine practice; when the tongue craves flavor the Jade Fluid (Yuye, the term in Daoist Neidan, or internal alchemy, for saliva in the mouth) cannot congeal. All of this is caused by being led by deluded thoughts, taking a person farther and farther from the Dao (the Way).

The method of restoring original Qi differs from other methods; the key lies solely in gathering in the mind’s thoughts so that the heart is clear, still, and settled. If a person can constantly empty the mind and remain clear, still, and settled, original Qi will naturally be restored. In restoring original Qi one may observe the breath as a sign: when mind and Shen are clear, still, and settled, the breathing naturally becomes subtle, fine, and prolonged. When the breath is lengthened by half, lifespan also increases by half.

The scripture then says that ordinarily a person has fifteen thousand breaths in one day and night. If one can return to the root and settle so that the breath no longer goes in and out (this description points to a state of extreme stillness), then one can extend lifespan by another half beyond the original allotted life.

Phrases in the text such as “hanxi,” “han banxi,” and “zangxi zhi yuanxi” appear to contain textual errors, and their precise meanings are difficult to determine; the above is a cautious reading based on context.

“Half-breath” means that a person has about fifteen thousand breaths in one day and one night. If the Qi (vital energy) can be made to return to the root and settle so that it no longer enters or leaves, then the original span of life may be extended by another half.

Cultivating from “stored breath” to “primordial breath” enables a return to the original source and a going back to the root. One may therefore remain long in the world and pass through endless kalpas without decline or decay.

The method of closing the breath is exceedingly subtle: one lodges the mind and intention, settles the Shen (spirit), and contemplates the great Dao (the Way) in secluded stillness and Wuwei (non-action). The Dao returns once more to the body and the Shen returns once more to the root. The mysterious pass (the key aperture for the movement of the Qi mechanism within the body) appears faintly; with prolonged practice one can become real. A Jing (scripture) says: “Ordinary people take the presence of breath as the normal state, while sages take primordial breath as the normal state.” The Yinfu Jing says: “Death is the root of life,” and this refers to the Dao of primordial breath.

When the body is active there is respiration; when it grows still one enters primordial breath. Primordial breath therefore accords with the natural Dao. Those who cultivate the primordial Dao should constantly regard primordial breath as the correct path and the presence of breath as a deviation; they take primordial breath as the constant and the presence of breath as the false. They first take “calling breath” as the object of practice, which makes entry easier and the results more plentiful; if special attention is not given to it, practice is harder and the results fewer. So long as one quietly nourishes the primordial Qi, the three ling (the related spirit-deities within the body) gladly become peaceful and harmonious, the Shen-hun also feels at ease, and the primordial Qi arrives of itself without any need for deliberate exercise.

Laozi said: “If a person can constantly remain clear and still, the ten thousand spirits will all return.” The Huangting Jing says: “The mind and intention seem joyful and unobstructed.” This is precisely that condition.

The Dao of the Yellow Court has “thirty-six cautions”: each caution accomplished counts as one verification; only when thirty-six have been reached is half the work complete. Cultivation in other Daoist lineages often requires many verifications; the primordial Dao alone needs merely one caution and three responses in total to succeed.

Those who cultivate the Dao must therefore accumulate their practice, refine Jing (essence) into Qi, and bring it to rest.

“One caution” means treating cessation with caution.

In cultivating the Dao one must hold fast inwardly and never slacken; in practicing the primordial Dao, even if one momentarily forgets what one is doing, one must not stop. If practice is halted out of caution, one may lose one chance in ten thousand.

“Three responses” refers to three shifts of the mind and intention, each lasting one hundred days.

Practicing in sequence allows the work to accumulate step by step; the corresponding months and hours have their own arrangements.

The first stage lasts one hundred days. If affairs interrupt the cultivation, one may pause temporarily; when there are no such matters, one gathers in the miscellaneous thoughts of the mind. By this time, worldly worries naturally diminish, and various afflictions can no longer disturb the mind and spirit (Shen).

The state of mind grows more empty, still, and detached day by day. One accumulates the work in due sequence and must also cultivate it gradually according to the appointed days. This is the verification of the first stage; the lesser work has already been completed.

The second stage lasts two hundred days. Thoughts gradually subside; this is the second transformation in cultivation. Upon reaching this stage, one no longer eats the five grains and no longer craves the five flavors; even so, one does not feel intense hunger or thirst. This indicates that the intermediate work has been completed. After two hundred days of practice, the lesser work is accomplished and the intermediate work also reaches fulfillment, so that one can remain long without feeling hunger or thirst.

The third transformation occurs at three hundred days. The original Qi (Yuanqi, the primordial vital energy spoken of in Daoism) naturally settles, and the original Dao (the Way) returns to its root. One no longer feels hunger or thirst and is no longer afflicted by cold or heat. The scripture says that at this point one forever leaves the register of death, shares the longevity of Heaven and Earth, moves unhindered through the world, and attains the completion of the great work.

After attaining the Dao, the underworld cancels one’s name from its registers, while the heavenly realm records it. According to the Daoist belief in stellar officials, the Eastern Dipper records lifespan, the Western Dipper records fortune and emolument, the Northern Dipper governs death, and the Southern Dipper governs life. This person’s name is also entered into the immortal registers, and from then on one becomes a True Person (Zhenren). Therefore the scripture says “the register of death is forever removed.” One’s rank enters the order of the True Immortals; one may come and go in the land of Huaxu (the legendary ideal immortal realm), cast off worldly identity, and thereby ascend to Heaven.

When affairs arise one should bring them to rest, whereupon the original affairs of Wuwei (non-action) will increase; this is the sprouting of cultivation skill. By following this method, whether affairs are present or absent, the original affairs grow and original Qi (yuanqi, the innate primordial vital energy) gradually recovers. When thoughts suddenly cease of themselves, original Qi is about to settle; when body and mind suddenly dwell in peace, original Qi has already settled. What is called “stability” means that all things ultimately decay, while only this settled body and mind remain long unmoving.

The Great Lord said: From stilling miscellaneous thoughts and regulating the breath one proceeds to original breath (the innate respiratory state), and from original breath enters the realm of stability. That realm neither deliberately grasps nor deliberately abandons; it is original Qi naturally attaining settlement, not clinging to the state of “stability.” Upon reaching it, Yin-Yang naturally harmonize, the changes of the four seasons seem to part from oneself, original Qi naturally becomes abundant, the various Shen (spirits) naturally each fulfill their offices, and wisdom penetrates the profound and mysterious principles.

Laozi said: A person’s wisdom thereby naturally awakens, proceeding from the root of Wuwei into formed things.

Therefore, when Yin-Yang are harmonized the hundred illnesses do not arise; when the transformations of the four seasons no longer disturb oneself, cold and heat cannot invade; when original Qi is abundant there is never hunger or thirst; when the various Shen each fulfill their offices, weapons and fierce beasts cannot harm; when wisdom penetrates the mysterious, the myriad affairs no longer disturb mind and Shen. These are the manifestations after the natural Dao (the Way) has been cultivated to completion.

The “hui” spoken of here refers to “knowing all under heaven without going out the door, seeing the heavenly Dao without looking out the window.” The Great Lord said: If a person’s thoughts are chaotic and inconsistent, original Qi dissipates and the yin po (yin soul-force) flourishes. Only by completing this Dao do delusive thoughts naturally vanish.

Those who cultivate the Dao, after three hundred days of practice, may still be invaded by yin demons (yin interferences arising in cultivation) or feel the stirring of corpse-ghosts, with emotions suddenly becoming frantic and desire possibly increasing instead; these phenomena often recede of themselves. It is especially important to guard mind and Shen firmly and not let them run free.

Even if there is stirring it should not arise from what is unwholesome; even if there is functioning it should not deviate from the correct Dao. Whether the arising of good thoughts, of wisdom, or of a penetrating mind, all should occur naturally; emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, fear, surprise and aversion should never arise again.

Those resolved to cultivate the Dao, if they can cause emotions such as joy and anger to cease, then harm will not occur, the meritorious work of practice can continue in succession, and the mysterious realm will be naturally attained.

The Great Lord said: There is no other secret to long life than that Shen, Qi (vital energy) and form are all preserved intact. When Shen is preserved there is empty stillness and Wuwei; when Qi is preserved there is clarity and tranquil silence; when form is preserved there is purity and peace. Original Qi fills and accumulates\ldots (the original text ends unfinished here.)

Once fullness is achieved, joy and anger also subside, disasters and injuries no longer occur, the merits of cultivation can endure for a long time, and the mysterious and wondrous state is attained naturally.

The Great Lord said: The foundation of longevity lies in the completeness of Shen (spirit), Qi (vital energy), and form. When Shen is complete, it is empty, still, and free of impurities; when Qi is complete, it is deep and settled; when the form is complete, it is pure and unperturbed. When the primordial Qi is abundant and accumulates, it can condense and transform, giving rise to spiritual brightness, so that the form may be preserved for a long time. With both Shen and Qi complete, one is therefore able to raise the body and ascend as an immortal.

The Method of Combining Breath Retention and Qi Circulation

The formula states: Harmonizing the breath and reducing respiration produces slower effects; if breath retention is combined with Qi circulation, the efficacy is doubled. Breath retention means waiting until the spirit is settled and body and mind are at peace, then gradually stopping the respiration; when it is held to the extreme, the Qi can circulate unimpeded. Practice is usually done from before cockcrow until the Yin hour (about 3 to 5 a.m.), five to seven times per session, then gradually increased to ten times, or the number may be increased progressively with practice. Once both mind and breath have become settled, remain in that settlement, attaining a state of tranquil serenity. Beginners may inhale through the nose, count the breaths, and then hold them; when the practice reaches an appropriate level, it is said to be beneficial without detriment, and its operation is extremely subtle.

Each time the breath is retained, wait until ordinary panting has just been exhaled, then stop breathing; this is termed “not connecting with external Qi.” One should first choose a quiet room and have a reliable companion concentrate solely on counting the breaths; the practice must be gradual, increasing the number step by step. By cultivating the breath in this manner, the effects appear more quickly.

The Yinfu Jing (Scripture of the Hidden Talisman) states: “Cut off the pull of external gain, concentrate upon a single point, and its application will possess tenfold power.”

Special caution is needed against violent exhalation or inhalation. Beginners still cannot avoid this, and so must be particularly attentive. Without care, internal injury may be caused, damaging the mind-spirit instead. The Xian Jing (Scripture of the Immortals) says: “Exhale lightly, inhale long and continuous; understanding this principle, one naturally attains the mysterious.”

The Great Lord said: Breath retention can open all the gates and orifices of the body, remove blockages, cure various illnesses, and guide the primordial Qi in its circulation.

When practitioners cultivate “Xi,” it is like a gardener watering vegetable beds: once the water has filled them it can circulate, and all things are thereby nourished. If one uses a single Qi (vital energy, here the primordial Qi) to animate and transform the myriad Shen (spirits), causing the three Dantian (energy centers—the upper, middle, and lower) to flourish, the key lies in guiding the primordial Qi.

Once the hundred passes (the apertures of Qi circulation within the body) are unobstructed, breathing gradually weakens, the primordial Qi can then circulate freely and naturally, and the fluids also flow. Wherever the primordial Qi and fluids reach, they first transform into marrow, so that the body remains long undamaged.

The Zhonghuang Jing says: “Warm and nourish the body, allowing the bones to communicate with every aperture; after grasping firmly (clenching the hands and gathering the spirit), the Qi mechanism gradually becomes unobstructed and the hundred orifices open. The hundred orifices are interconnected, each possessing a spirit-intelligence; gather the spirit-Qi from one’s own bodily form and return it to oneself. Being at ease and unobstructed, one can naturally illuminate the true Dao (the Way); the self-illuminated Dao can endure long.” Therefore the body is able to remain undamaged.

At the beginning of cultivation one feels a slight warmth throughout the body; this is the response of primordial Qi filling the four limbs and overflowing to the hundred orifices. At this time one should grasp firmly and circulate the primordial Qi into the three Dantian. Issued from the three Dantian, the primordial Qi then flows throughout the entire body and reaches all the spirit-Qi, causing the hair to stand on end, the countenance to become radiant, and the complexion to resemble that of a young girl. An immortal scripture says: “If the primordial Qi cannot reach a single hair, the primordial Shen cannot dwell in a single joint.” This is the method of refining the bones. Through long accumulation of refinement one can form golden marrow and jade bones and become an immortal of long life.

The Great Lord said: Reduce the breathing and settle the primordial Qi, taking the primordial breath (naturally deep, long, and almost imperceptible respiration) as the constant state and regarding the settling of the breath as the practice. If one still breathes rapidly, the effects will be slow; if one merely forces the holding of the breath, it is also difficult to attain the primordial breath. After the hundred passes are unobstructed, if one simultaneously circulates Qi and regulates the breath, the primordial Qi will naturally become full and the effects will accelerate. When the primordial Qi pervades the entire body, begin by neither lifting nor moving recklessly and end by neither exiting nor entering. One must forget the myriad appearances of the external world, gather in the six emotions (the six kinds of sensory and emotional activity), wash away the agitated mind, and cleanse all sorts of miscellaneous thoughts.

Lower chapter of the Yuandao.

The latter chapter entitled Yuanta Fa treats of the rewards bestowed after the work of cultivating the Dao (the Way) has been brought to completion. The scripture remarks: “None of this material is recorded in the former chapter; it becomes visible only when the cultivation of the Dao has succeeded and the moment of ascent is at hand.”

By “recompense for merit” is meant the reward given for the meritorious labor of practicing the Yuandao. The scripture explains that everything pertaining to this recompense comprises the manifold numinous transformations and wondrous efficacies of the immortal realm: the ornaments of ceremonial retinues, the numinous creatures that serve as mounts, the marvelous palaces and belvederes, the rare foods and drinks, the youthful attendants who follow, and the mysterious music provided for enjoyment. These things are used to recompense the cultivator’s efforts, and the deeds themselves are inscribed for ten thousand generations. The rank of this honor surpasses by a hundredfold the ceremonial distinction of the Nine Bestowments that Maojun received as a practitioner of the superior Dao.

Those who practice the Yuandao undergo toil and suffering that words can scarcely convey. The table of contents of the latter chapter contains some several dozen sections, of which five have actually been written down; they are now recorded here together.

The Zhonghuang Jing states that after one attains the Dao (the Way), the body rises into the distant heights of the sky and sets forth with the ceremonial cortege of the Nine Empyreans. The escort granted by the Celestial Worthy includes colorful maidens of the Ten Directions, each holding a banner; a hundred dragons draw the carriage, attended by jade youths. Dragon-shaped banners lead the way, and tiger-shaped flags follow behind. Feathered robes stream in the wind as the breezes of the eight directions blow as one; eight luan cry out from the rear, blending into song, while nine phoenixes sing in the van, forming a melody. The adept who has attained the Dao wears a splendid crown inlaid with the Seven Luminaries (the sun, moon, and five major planets), shoes patterned with five-colored clouds, a skirt-robe trailing cicada-shaped sashes, and a light, resplendent outer garment, and bears a golden tiger seal, then proceeds to the court of the Immortal Emperor of Taiqing (Supreme Clarity).

The Immortal Emperor of Taiqing spoken of here is the Mysterious Origin Old Lord of the Golden Palace. The meritorious achievements of cultivating the Dao fall into five kinds: the Reward of Merit comes first, the Reward of Aspiration second, the Reward of Non-Retreat third, the Reward of Non-Laxity fourth, and the Reward of Not Needing to Gather fifth. The “Great Lord” named in the Yuandao Baobie Lu is the Great Lord of Longevity of the Southern Dipper (Nandou). If any of these five cultivations is lacking, the merit of the Original Dao and the fruits of practice presided over by the Southern Dipper cannot reach fulfillment.

Cultivation calls for cautious rest. If interruptions can be avoided, the practice will not go wrong; yet certain affairs of worldly life are hard to escape, and cultivation sometimes comes to a halt. Even during a pause one must remain careful, and so the following cautions are set down to warn those who need a temporary rest: should any of the five cultivations be deficient, the merit of the Original Dao and the fruits of practice cannot be complete.

A single loud sigh costs two days of gongfu (cultivation effort); a single bout of slight fatigue costs two days of gongfu; a single bout of severe fatigue costs thirty days of gongfu. Minor drunkenness accompanied by vomiting costs sixty days of gongfu; heavy drunkenness with vomiting costs a full year of gongfu. A single transgression of desire (violating the abstinence required in cultivation) costs thirty days of gongfu; a single outburst of loud clamor costs twenty days of gongfu. One occasion of grief or one occasion of fear each costs seven days of gongfu; one instance of overeating or one instance of hunger each costs five days of gongfu. A single fright costs ten days of gongfu; one spell of toil or of weariness each costs twenty days of gongfu; one spell of vexation or of impatience each costs five days of gongfu; a single fit of anger costs ten days of gongfu.

Whenever diet is improper, cold and heat fall out of balance, wind and dampness invade the body, work and rest lack due measure, and speech becomes chaotic and excessive...

Laozi said, “Speaking too much often leads affairs into difficulty; it is better to hold to the inner equilibrium of harmony.” The Immortal Jing (scripture) says, “Those who speak little accord with the Dao (the Way) and attain the authentic realm.” This too is to prevent the leaking of Heaven’s secrets. The Book of Changes says, “Be cautious in speech, moderate in eating and drinking, and maintain the empty stillness and peace within.” This is done for fear of straying from the proper Way.

The scripture further says that arguing with others over right and wrong depletes yin De (Virtue)—the hidden merit of one’s deeds—and shortens one’s lifespan; tangled and restless thoughts likewise deplete original Qi (vital energy). One should estimate the extent of the depletion according to the gravity of the act and replenish it every day without slackening. The “loss” spoken of here means depletion; however many days are depleted is in fact the corresponding amount of cultivation effort that has been forfeited. Those who practice the Primordial Dao—the path of cultivation whose aim is to nourish and refine original Qi and return to the Great Dao—should be especially cautious in this regard.

Original Qi is hard to accumulate yet easy to disperse; the meridians and the passes and orifices are easily blocked yet difficult to open. While dwelling in ordinary life one must of course not cut off original Qi, yet losses of original Qi in particular must be meticulously guarded against.

In all cultivation, one may rise at the beginning of the fifth watch (the period before dawn), sit in stillness, and comb the hair more than a hundred times so that it is smoothly ordered. Then, with the hair hanging loose, freely practice daoyin (exercises that nourish the breath through coordinated bodily movement), massage and stretch the four limbs, and exhale the turbid Qi from within the body. Both movement and breathing should be gentle. Wait until original Qi is attuned and settled, until thoughts cease and the mind-state becomes still, deep, and subtle. In this way the breath gradually becomes light and slow, and the Qi of respiration naturally diminishes. When the breath is reduced to half of its former measure, lifespan is increased by half; when it is reduced until there is no breathing, the cultivation of the Primordial Dao is complete.

The perfected ones of antiquity cultivated with diligence and did not abandon the work even for a moment, so they could complete it in a single year. If one cultivates for only two double-hours each day (one shichen being roughly equal to two modern hours), five years are needed to finish. Those who accomplish this Dao become the Primordial Supreme Perfected Lord of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate)—the highest immortal perfected ones of which Daoism speaks.

The scripture says that from ancient times to the present this Jing has been transmitted by the Most High to only nineteen persons; all of them attained the Dao, became immortals, and ascended to dwell in Taiji, and therefore the scripture did not remain in the human world. In the wuxu year of the Yuanhe era of the Tang dynasty, the Great Lord of the Southern Lineage transmitted the Jing to Meng the Banished Immortal; Meng in turn transmitted it to the people of the world. This Jing is exceedingly profound and subtle. Once obtained it should be kept secret and not casually transmitted; if it is given to an unsuitable person, calamity will extend far and deep.

There is a Primordial Dao (Yuandao, the original Way), which is the ancestral origin of vacuous primordiality, the root of the profound ford and bridge, and the foremost of all scriptures. It is the gateway of the Three-One (Sanyi, the Daoist principle of the three combining into one). The range of its discourse is vast and expansive, while the meaning it elucidates is as subtle as motes of dust. Remote and unfathomable, it yet allows one to attain faithful awakening; silent and without sound, it yet communicates with the spirits and gods. It generates formed things, resembling the asterisms of the Northern Dipper; as for its obscure and barely perceptible aspect, it is the root that binds physical form with numinous spirit.

Only my Primordial Dao needs no clarification in order to regulate itself; though situated amid turbidity, it never falls into chaos. This is the teaching of the Primordial Origin. When extreme stillness is reached, it returns to the root; when the firm and vigorous Qi (vital energy) of the Primordial Dao is set in motion and circulates, the myriad things flourish and grow in abundance. The myriad things differentiate into thirty-five kinds, each obtaining the One, and thereby endure for long. Only my Primordial Dao occupies the position of unique honor.

It is the root of the Primordial Image and also the soul of Yuanshi Tianzun (the Primordial Heavenly Worthy, a revered Daoist deity). It impels the courses of sun and moon and encompasses heaven and earth. Perfectly fused yet unfolding, sincere and returning to primitive simplicity, its nature is skilled at bestowing benefit on the myriad things and nurturing all living beings and the people. Those who greedily seek in excess it causes to suffer diminution; those who lack it causes to receive replenishment. It accords with nature without deliberate making and originally accords with humanity.

The Annotation to the True Scripture of the Primordial Dao of the Most High Lord Lao ends here.

Collation notes: the two characters jing xian appear to have been reversed. For bai guan tong the original reads bai guan bu tong and has been emended according to the main text of the Yuandao Zhenjing. The character shi (affair) should, according to the main text of the Yuandao Zhenjing, be shi (scholar). The character zang was omitted in the original and has been supplied on the basis of the sense of the passage.