《太清元道真经》

Preface to the Taiqing Yuandao Zhenjing

“Yuandao” refers to the great Dao (the Way) that lies above the mysterious origin, and it is also the secret mind-method privately transmitted by the Yellow Emperor and Laozi. During the Yuanhe period Meng Zhexian was born into the human world. His parents were sincere and honest, and Meng Zhexian himself was kind, generous, and filial toward his parents, thereby moving Lord Tao Datong of Dongshan. Lord Tao Datong first revealed to him the transformations of life and death and enabled him to grasp the root; this root is precisely Yuandao. Later Meng Zhexian further received a spiritual response from Lord Fan Da of Nantong, who descended in the Wuxu year and personally transmitted this scripture by word of mouth.

Therefore everything recorded in this Jing (scripture) consists of important outlines and essential secrets that directly indicate the Dao of long life and enduring vision (the cultivation path of prolonged existence and extending one’s years). As the Huangting Jing states, the supreme Dao is not complicated.

The “Yuandao” is the fundamental Dao (the Way) transmitted by Taishang Laojun. Laojun’s Dao is divided into upper, middle, and lower grades; the Huangting Dao is likewise divided into upper, middle, and lower grades; and other methods of the Dao each have their own levels. Laojun’s middle Dao corresponds to the upper Dao of Huangting, with the remaining methods ranked in descending order. Yuandao itself also comprises three grades, and this Jing (scripture) expounds the highest of them, which is therefore called the “Yuanshang Yuandao.”

This Dao is supreme and unsurpassed, empty, still, and mysteriously subtle, unadorned and given to Wuwei (non-action), its actions in accord with nature; hence it is difficult for cultivators to approach. Unless one is a person of the highest capacity, whose insight is so keen that one can swiftly comprehend its mysterious principles, one cannot cultivate it; only those who are cautious and in awe of death, who concentrate wholly on the Dao of life, are suited to its practice. Cultivators of the middle and lower methods of the Dao often admire this superior path, yet it is hard to attune oneself to it, and so it does not manifest easily. If an upper-level adept of exceptional insight cultivates it with particular dedication, one can attain a boundless realm—that is, a realm of emptiness, stillness, and serene simplicity, of unobstructed ease and untrammeled self-accordance without limit.

Other methods of the Dao possess lineages of transmission and rules of instruction, and they also specify the punishments for violating those rules; this Dao has no fixed rules of master-to-disciple transmission, nor any penalties. Other methods of the Dao ordinarily require one to select a quiet place in the mountains or to erect a thatched hut for cultivation, otherwise harm may ensue; only this Dao can be brought to completion in the midst of the mundane world.

The Jing states that inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth can expel floating cold and vacuous heat, yet cannot discharge accumulated primordial Qi (vital energy). Methods of regulating the breath can open all the joints of the body and regulate many illnesses, but one cannot therefore claim to be nourishing Qi and returning to the origin. Swallowing Qi can relieve hunger and weakness, yet cannot enable one to store up abundance naturally. Circulating Qi can moisten the meridians and make the skin comfortable, but this is still not the constant Dao. This Dao speaks of returning to the root and restoring life (gui gen fu ming: returning to the root of life and recovering original authenticity).

As for making the sinews and bones strong, replenishing the marrow, protecting and nourishing the five viscera, clarifying the Niwan (the upper Dantian, or energy center, in the head as spoken of in Daoism), stabilizing the Danling (the elixir-spirit within the body), not allowing the six external evils to enter recklessly, not permitting the three kinds of Jing (essence) Qi to issue forth recklessly, exhausting the subtle turbid Qi, allowing the true Qi to circulate freely of itself, ascending into the Great Void and entering Yuqing (Jade Clarity, the Daoist designation for a pure and empty heavenly realm), and ultimately becoming a Zhenjun (True Lord, a perfected deity who has attained the Dao)—all of these belong to this Dao.

Human beings are the most spiritually endowed among the myriad things. At the beginning of the Primordial Void (the original state before the cosmos had formed and before the myriad things had differentiated), humans were born together with Heaven and Earth. As the primordial Qi (vital energy) of Heaven and Earth coalesced, the human bodily form was thereby constituted. After the bodily form was established, the spirits of the Ten Heavens (the deities spoken of in the scripture) descended into the human body and became the person’s Shen (spirit), and thus the person became fully human. Since humans and Heaven and Earth were born together at the beginning of the Primordial Void, they ought likewise to share the same longevity as Heaven and Earth.

Heaven and Earth are able to endure for long because they are quiet and yielding, they do not depart from their original nature, they constantly maintain the state of the Primordial Void, remaining clear, still, and free from disturbance by toil, following the natural Dao (the Way), and thus their primordial Qi does not dissipate. Humans cannot live long because delusive thoughts cause them to stray from their original nature; they neither abide by what is natural nor hold fast to the root. Humans also continually labor and pursue gain for themselves, so their primordial Qi gradually dissipates and cannot endure.

If the six senses and the thoughts of the mind move arbitrarily in delusion, this too prevents a person from returning to the root: the eyes greedily look, the ears greedily listen, the nose pursues fragrance and stench, the mouth and tongue greedily seek speech and flavors, the body is busy with labor, and the mind continually thinks and worries. Therefore only by returning to the root can a person endure long. The so-called Dao of the True One (the path of cultivation that returns to original authenticity and holds to the root) is precisely the restoration of the source of primordial Qi. There is no other secret to restoring primordial Qi; the key lies in clarity and stillness. If a person constantly keeps the mind settled and quiet, primordial Qi will naturally be restored.

The method of restoring primordial Qi is to take the gradual slowing of the breath as the observable sign: the clearer and stiller the mind becomes, the weaker the breath gradually grows. The scripture says that when breathing is reduced by half, lifespan increases by half; if one continues to diminish the breath until reaching yuanxi (primordial breath), this counts as restoring the origin and returning to the root, and one may dwell long in the world. Ordinary people regard having breath as the normal state; the sage regards yuanxi as the normal state: when active there is breathing, when settled in stillness there is no perceptible breath. Therefore whether there is ordinary breath or yuanxi depends on a person’s condition. Those who cultivate the Primordial Dao should take yuanxi as the constant and having breath as the delusive. They should clarify and still body and mind and nourish primordial Qi, so that the Three Numina (the spiritually endowed deities within the body) and the Three Hun (the souls of the human body as spoken of in Daoism) are all at peace and at ease. When Shen and hun are unobstructed and flowing, primordial Qi will naturally be restored.

The Huangting Dao speaks of thirty-six kinds of “shenying” (items of cautious observance and correspondence in cultivation); completing one counts as reaching one thirty-sixth of the progress. Other methods of the Dao also require many such items, whereas the unsurpassed Dao spoken of here is summarized as one caution and three correspondences; accomplishing these brings success. “One caution” means being cautious about whether or not one pauses; if one does not pause, one can attain the Primordial Dao. “Three correspondences” refers to three transformations of the mind’s intent, each transformation taking one hundred days.

The first transformation of intent lasts one hundred days. Whether occupied with affairs or unoccupied, one can gradually diminish the breath; this is the first-stage transformation of the mind’s intent. At the outset one should feel ashamed of stopping the breath only when occupied with affairs, and come to be able to stop the breath even when unoccupied. Practicing in this way, worldly thoughts and worries will subside, and the mind will grow daily more empty, still, and peaceful—this is the first-stage correspondence, and the lesser accomplishment is complete.

The second transformation of intent lasts two hundred days; breathing will unconsciously cease of its own accord—this is the second-stage transformation of the mind’s intent. Upon reaching this step, one no longer craves the flavors of grain, nor feels intense hunger or thirst—this is the second-stage correspondence, and the middle accomplishment is complete.

The third transformation of intent lasts three hundred days; body and mind are able to settle peacefully of themselves—this is the third-stage transformation of the mind’s intent. Upon reaching this step, hunger and thirst no longer arise, cold and heat cannot encroach, the Register of Death (the roster in Daoism that symbolizes the end of lifespan) is forever removed, and lifespan equals that of Heaven and Earth—this is the third-stage correspondence. The three stages together amount to thirty weeks, which is called the great accomplishment being complete.

The Great Lord said: In cultivation, whether one acts or remains without action, as long as one can settle into stillness, this shows that the practice has begun to sprout. Whether one acts or remains without action, being able to settle also indicates that the original Qi (the primordial vital energy within the human body) is gradually being restored. When distracting thoughts suddenly cease of their own accord, this means the original Qi is about to stabilize; when body and mind naturally become steady, this means the original Qi has returned to its root and settled.

The Great Lord said: From settling the breath and stopping distracting thoughts one reaches the state of no-breath; from no-breath one then enters the state of ding. The “ding” spoken of here is not a matter of deliberately grasping anything or deliberately abandoning anything, but of allowing the original Qi to settle of its own nature; it is not clinging to “entering ding” itself. Once this state of ding is attained, Yin-Yang naturally harmonize, the influences of the four seasons naturally dissipate, the original Qi naturally becomes abundant, the various spirits (the deities within the body as described in Daoism) naturally each take their proper places, and one is able to penetrate the profound and mysterious principles. Therefore, when Yin-Yang are in harmony the hundred illnesses do not arise; when one is unaffected by the four seasons one does not feel the changes of warmth or cold; when original Qi is abundant there is neither hunger nor thirst; when the various spirits dwell in peace one is unharmed by weapons or fierce tigers; when wisdom penetrates the mysterious, all things no longer disturb the mind and spirit.

The Great Lord said: When yang Qi is in harmony the hundred illnesses do not arise; when one is unaffected by the four seasons one does not feel the changes of warmth or cold; when original Qi is abundant there is neither hunger nor thirst; when the various spirits dwell in peace one is unharmed by weapons or fierce tigers; when wisdom penetrates the mysterious, all things no longer disturb the mind and spirit.

The Great Lord said: When a person’s thinking is not concentrated, this is a sign that the original Qi is scattered. After some accomplishment in cultivating the Dao, wandering thoughts may still arise; yet the thoughts that arise contain nothing unwholesome, and the actions taken contain nothing inappropriate. Therefore thoughts that do not accord with the Middle Way are not adopted, and thoughts that ought not to be acted upon do not arise. The wholesome thoughts, wisdom, and insight that result all follow their natural course. That is to say, joy and anger, desires, competitiveness, as well as fear that arises at dawn, love and hate, and similar emotions, will no longer arise at random.

The Great Lord said: There is no other secret to longevity besides having the Shen (spirit) fully sufficient, the Qi (vital energy) abundant (the original text writes “black,” which may be a corruption of the character for “Qi”), and the physical form sound. Those whose Shen is fully sufficient love emptiness, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action), delight in purity and tranquility, with the inner heart lucid and peaceful, so that the Shen is naturally preserved. As Yuanqi (the fundamental Qi of the human body) continually accumulates, the physical form and Shen can endure for a long time. When both Shen and Yuanqi are sufficient, one can therefore take the entire physical form and become an immortal.

The Zhuqi Jianxing Gong Jing (a scripture discussing breath regulation and breath-retention cultivation) says: “Regulating the Qi and holding the breath, cultivating according to this method already yields results; combining it with the practice of breath-retention techniques, the effects can still be doubled.” What is called retaining the Qi means that after the Shen and the breath have become settled and harmonious, one temporarily stops breathing. Reaching the limit counts as one cycle. Before each bird’s cry one can practice five or six cycles, then gradually increase to ten cycles. Practicing the method of holding the breath in this way, the effects will be doubled and come more quickly. When holding the breath one must be cautious, avoiding forcibly drawing in Qi, which would cause the breath to rush and become agitated; it is difficult for beginners to avoid this completely, so one should carefully control the respiration and finally make the breathing become slight.

The Great Lord said: Retaining the Qi can make the hundred meridians of the whole body unobstructed, disperse stubborn blockages, regulate various illnesses, and guide the circulation of Yuanqi. When the hundred meridians are unobstructed, illnesses diminish; wherever the Yuanqi flows, the body fluids circulate along with it. Wherever the Yuanqi and body fluids reach, that place will not decay or be damaged. This is called “golden marrow and jade bones” (using gold and jade as a metaphor for indestructible marrow and bones), thereby achieving longevity and becoming an immortal.

The Great Lord said: Both holding the breath and retaining the Qi take the settling of Yuanqi and the breath as the key to successful cultivation. If one only practices slowing the breath, the effects come more slowly; if one only practices retaining the Qi, it is difficult to reach the realm of sufficient Yuanqi. If one unblocks the hundred meridians while regulating the breath, the Yuanqi easily becomes abundant, and the effects are also doubled.

This concludes the middle volume of the Taiqing Yuandao Zhenjing.

Note: The “original omission” mentioned in the first annotation means that originally there were missing characters; they have been supplemented according to the Hemingliao annotated edition.

Only the title of the first chapter is listed, without displaying the text within it; the main body can be seen only when one has succeeded in cultivating the Dao and is about to ascend. What is spoken of here is the merit obtained through practice and the corresponding recompense: merit of one yields recompense of ten thousand, roughly like Mao Jun receiving the Nine Bestowals (the nine kinds of gifts that ancient emperors conferred upon meritorious ministers); and for the superior methods of the Dao spoken of here, the recompense is a hundred times higher still. Those who cultivate the Primordial Dao (Yuandao) must be diligent and unremitting.

At the beginning of the latter volume, some several dozen chapter titles are listed, yet later sages recorded only five of them. Merit corresponds to the first kind of recompense, establishing resolve corresponds to the second, persistence without retreat corresponds to the third, not acting recklessly corresponds to the fourth, and not needing to abandon corresponds to the fifth.

Supplementary Records of the Primordial Dao

The Primordial Dao has its rules. Practitioners should treat the matter of pausing cultivation with caution; if one cannot cultivate continuously, many things will not be something the Primordial Dao can arrange. Cultivators in the mundane world sometimes find it difficult to persist throughout, and temporary pauses are inevitable; even during a period of paused cultivation, one must not fail to be cautious. The matters that require caution and restraint are now listed below; they are addressed to those who have temporarily paused their practice.

Matters for Caution and Corresponding Diminishment

In the following entries, “zang” appears to refer to diminishment of efficacy or of what has been gained through cultivation; the original text contains repetitions and suspected errors, so the precise wording is not easy to determine. One instance of great rest is recorded as two. Fifteen instances of great rest count as one small deficiency; one small deficiency diminishes thirty days. Thirty instances of great rest count as one great deficiency; one great deficiency diminishes sixty days. One instance of fury diminishes ten days. One instance of slight drunkenness (the original writes “shout,” which is suspected to be an error) diminishes fifty days. One instance of heavy drunkenness (the original writes “shout,” which is suspected to be an error) diminishes one hundred days. “Yi yi ji” (the original text is thus, meaning unclear) diminishes ten days. One instance of “caution” (the original text is thus, referent unclear) diminishes twenty days. One instance of fear diminishes seven days. One instance of anger diminishes thirty days. One instance of hunger diminishes three days. One instance of eating to excess diminishes five days. One instance of giving way to desire diminishes fifty days. One instance of being startled diminishes ten days. One instance of overexertion or of fatigue each diminishes five days.

Furthermore, violating dietary taboos, imbalances of cold and heat, exposure to wind-dampness, irregular daily routines, chaotic speech, and restless agitated thinking will all damage the Yuan Qi (the original vital energy of life). The severity of such damage depends on the degree of the transgression. What the scripture terms “fan zang” refers to an actual diminution in the efficacy of one’s cultivation. Those who practice the Primordial Dao should therefore be especially cautious in these regards.

Yuan Qi is difficult to accumulate yet easily dissipated; the joints readily become obstructed but are hard to open and keep freely flowing. The Yuan Qi that remains must not be allowed to cease, and the efficacy one has already attained should be cherished all the more.

According to the scripture, this text has been transmitted orally since remote antiquity by Taishang Laojun (the Supreme Lord Lao, a principal Daoist deity), passed down through successive generations to a total of nineteen recipients, after which it was no longer transmitted. All of these recipients had already ascended to immortal ranks and occupied positions of the highest honor, which is why the scripture never circulated in the world. In the Wuxu year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang dynasty, Nantong Fan Dajun orally instructed Meng Zhexian, who in turn transmitted it orally to Wang Xuyuan. Wang Xuyuan then compiled the material into three chapters that set forth the essential principles of cultivating the Primordial Dao.

Taiqing Yuandao Zhenjing (The True Scripture of the Primordial Dao of Great Clarity), Lower Volume.