《长生诠经》

The Qingjing Jing (Scripture of Purity and Tranquility) states that the human Shen (spirit) originally delights in purity and stillness, yet it is disturbed by the thoughts of the mind; the human heart originally delights in peace, yet it is drawn along by desires. If one can constantly let go of desires, the mind naturally grows quiet; if one clarifies the inner heart, the spirit naturally becomes luminous. Observing inward at one’s own mind, one finds there is no fixed, unchanging “mind”; observing outward at one’s own form, one finds there is likewise no fixed, unchanging “form”; gazing farther at the myriad things, one finds they too lack any fixed, unchanging substance. Realizing these three insights, one beholds only emptiness and stillness. Observing this emptiness in turn, one discovers that emptiness itself is empty and there is nothing that can be emptied; since what was to be emptied does not exist, even “non-being” does not exist. Letting go in successive layers this way, one finally returns to luminous clarity and profound stillness.

The Yinfu Jing (Classic of the Hidden Talisman) states that the mind is born from external things and likewise perishes because of external things; the key lies in the thoughts triggered by what the eyes contact. Life is the root of death, and death is also the root of life; grace may arise from calamity, and calamity may arise from grace.

The Donggu Jing states that all movement arises from non-movement, and all activity arises from Wuwei (non-action). Through Wuwei the spirit returns to its root; when the spirit returns to the root, the myriad things grow silently still. Through non-movement the breath ceases and the myriad things no longer arise. Forgetting what the eyes see allows inner radiance to expand without limit; stilling the ears’ chase after sound allows mind-consciousness to abide constantly in deep quiet. When both the visual and auditory activities of the senses are forgotten, one enters the gateway of many mysterious and wondrous realms.

Nurturing the formless and imageless original nature allows form and image to persist constantly; guarding the original substance that holds to nothing allows the authentic essence of life to remain whole. When this authenticity is mutually attuned with body and mind, long life becomes possible. Heaven preserves authenticity and therefore lasts long; Earth preserves authenticity and therefore endures afar; human beings preserve authenticity and therefore attain longevity.

The Datong Jing states that stillness is original nature, in which the mind dwells; movement is the activity of the mind, in which original nature also dwells. When thoughts arise, original nature is veiled; when thoughts cease, original nature appears. When mind and authenticity are mutually attuned, long life becomes possible. Heaven preserves authenticity and therefore lasts long; Earth preserves authenticity and therefore endures afar; human beings preserve authenticity and therefore attain longevity.

When original nature appears it is like empty space, formless yet clear, luminous, and complete. The great Dao (the Way) has no fixed image, so the inner mind does not cling to formed things; true original nature is Wuwei, so the outer world no longer stirs delusive thoughts. Following the naturally-so state, the realm is vast and boundless. Facing things without clinging to them, one is not deluded by the Six Thieves (a term common in Buddhist and Daoist texts for the six senses of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind together with their thoughts); dwelling in the dusty world without being bound by it, one does not become lost amid the myriad changes.

The Scripture of Stabilizing Contemplation (Dingguan Jing)

It is necessary only to eliminate restless and deluded thoughts; do not extinguish the mind of awareness and illumination. Simply allow the mind to become condensed, still, empty, and luminous; do not freeze it into a rigid halt. Whether occupied with affairs or free of them, constantly keep the mind without clinging. Whether dwelling in quietude or amid clamor, the will remains single-pointed and unconfused.

Restrain yourself, yet without attaching to the restraint; relax the thoughts, yet without being stirred by circumstances. To dwell amid noise with no aversion in the heart, and to handle affairs with no vexation in the mind—this is the true concentrated state.

Do not, because you remain unperturbed while acting, deliberately seek more things to do; nor, because you feel no aversion amid clamor, force yourself to draw near to noise. Take being without affairs and Wuwei (non-action) as the root of settling oneself, and regard taking action as an expedient response to the outer world. The mind is like a water-mirror: when things come, it reflects their forms.

The Scripture of Embryonic Breathing (Taixi Jing)

The fetus takes form amid the latent storage of the breath, and the breath begins to circulate after the fetus has formed. When Qi (vital energy) enters the body, a person lives; when Shen (spirit) leaves the physical form, a person dies.

One who understands the relationship of Shen and Qi can cultivate long life; abide firmly in emptiness, non-being, and quietude in order to nourish Shen and Qi. When Shen moves, Qi moves with it; when Shen rests, Qi rests with it. If you desire long life, you must make Shen and Qi mutually dependent and mutually penetrating.

The Inscription on Embryonic Breathing (Taixi Ming)

Swallow the saliva thirty-six times, taking the first swallow as the essential one. Exhalation should be fine and subtle; inhalation should be continuous and prolonged. Practice thus while sitting, and likewise remain naturally steady while walking or standing. Avoid clamor and disorder, and refrain from eating rank or strongly flavored foods.

“Embryonic breathing” is only a borrowed name; in fact it refers to the cultivation of Neidan (internal alchemy). It is not merely for treating illness, but can further settle body and mind and extend longevity. Persist in the practice over a long period, and one may hope to be numbered among the higher immortals.

The “embryonic breathing” spoken of here is a Daoist term of inner cultivation, referring to regulating the breath and nourishing Qi so that respiration becomes fine, slow, and prolonged; “swallowing saliva” is a method of practice in which the saliva in the mouth is slowly swallowed down.

The Scripture of Daily Practice of the Most High (Taishang Riyong Jing)

After ordinary eating and drinking, one should gather in the thoughts, sit upright, allow no notion to arise, and let all deliberations subside. Guard and nourish the original Shen, settle the mind and intent; the eyes do not pursue outer objects, the ears do not pursue sounds. Concentrate on holding within, regulate the breathing so that the Qi remains continuous and unbroken.

Exhale gradually, without letting the breath be interrupted; respiration should seem as if present and as if absent. In this way the heart-fire will naturally descend and the kidney-water will rise, saliva will be generated in the mouth, the numinous true Qi will unite with oneself, and one will ultimately attain long life. Throughout the twelve double-hours of the day one should constantly maintain quietude.

Shen is the child of Qi; Qi is the mother of Shen. Guard them as a parrot broods over its eggs, so that Shen and Qi nourish each other. Can one succeed in never letting them part?

The Heart Seal Scripture (Xinyin Jing)

The Changsheng Quanjing states that the three most important medicines are Shen (spirit), Qi (vital energy), and Jing (essence), commonly known as the Three Treasures in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation. During practice the mind should remain in a trance-like emptiness and luminosity, secluded, still and profound, simultaneously experiencing the void and holding fast to the substantial. Results can begin to appear after only a moment of dedicated work. By regulating the breath and unifying body and mind, efficacy becomes visible after a hundred days of cultivation. Just as a parrot sits upon its eggs to hatch them, one must concentrate the Shen and nourish the Qi, never allowing the mind-spirit to scatter. Can this be done?

The Xinyin Jing states that the three most important medicines are Shen, Qi, and Jing. In cultivation the mental state should be trance-like, empty and bright, quiet and far-reaching, experiencing both emptiness and preserving the real. Practice can take effect in an instant. Harmonizing the breath so that body and mind become one, results appear after a hundred days. Silently paying homage to Shangdi (the Supreme Deity revered in Daoism), after one ji (twelve years) one may ascend in flight.

The Shuihuo Zhenjing states that desire arises from the mind and the breath is likewise settled by the mind. Let mind and breath depend upon each other: when the breath is harmonious the mind grows quiet.

The Wenshi Jing states that if the mind is not stirred by external things, no miscellaneous thoughts arise within it. Once a thought moves, Jing, Qi and the work of practice interact. Even if the mind itself does not generate thoughts, external objects still give rise to cognition; yet if those objects are not yet real, how much less the cognition they produce? And if that cognition is not real, how much less the emotions that further arise from it?

When the eyes constantly fix upon finely wrought objects, vision is all the more impaired; when the ears constantly listen to complex and noisy sounds, hearing is all the more impaired; when the mind constantly ponders mysterious and unfathomable principles, the Shen is all the more impaired.

By using Shen to guard Qi and Qi to nourish the physical form, the body can be made long-lasting. By uniting form with Shen and uniting Qi with Qi, the physical form can be made to vanish.

By taking in the breath to nourish the harmony of body and mind, who can still make you starve? By preserving and cultivating the spirit to nourish the body’s warmth, who can still make you suffer cold?

The Dongling Jing states that by stretching the sinews and bones the physical form is made sound; by cutting away passions and desires the spirit is preserved; by speaking quietly and cautiously one’s blessings are preserved. Maintaining the completeness of these three, one may be called a sage.

The Yushu Jing states that seeking the Dao (the Way) requires entering through sincerity, holding it with stillness, and applying it with gentleness. Practicing the Dao with sincerity appears as if dull-witted; remaining still and speaking little appears as if inarticulate; handling affairs with softness appears as if clumsy.

Those who enter the Dao know when to stop at the right point; those who guard the Dao know caution; those who apply the Dao know the subtle. Knowing the subtle, the light of wisdom appears; knowing caution, sagely illumination is preserved; knowing when to stop, one attains peace and smoothness.

The Chongxu Jing states that to roam and seek with the whole mind directed outward is not as good as concentrating on inward contemplation. Those who seek outwardly always wish to obtain completeness from external things; those who contemplate inwardly obtain fulfillment from themselves.

At the extreme of roaming one does not know where one is going; at the extreme of contemplation one also does not know what one is seeing.

When the Shen (spirit) encounters external things, dreams take shape; when the body comes into contact with external things, actual events are set in motion. Daytime thoughts often turn into dreams at night; all of this results from the interaction of spirit and physical form. Therefore, once the spirit becomes concentrated and settled, thoughts and dreams naturally recede.

The Nanhua Jing says: Trees on the mountain, because they grow useful, instead invite felling; lamp oil, because it can give light, is instead consumed by fire. The cassia tree can be eaten, so it is chopped down; branches can be used to make utensils, so they are cut. Everyone knows the benefit of useful things, yet no one knows that the useless also has the value of being useless.

In harmony with the supreme Dao (the Way), once the spirit becomes concentrated and settled, thoughts and dreams naturally recede.

The Nanhua Jing says: Trees on the mountain, because they grow useful, instead invite felling; lamp oil, because it can give light, is instead consumed by fire. The cassia tree can be eaten, so it is chopped down; branches can be used to make utensils, so they are cut. Everyone knows the benefit of useful things, yet no one knows that the useless also has the value of being useless.

The subtlety of the supreme Dao is profound, obscure, and hard to fathom; the utmost of the supreme Dao is silent, still, and in Wuwei (non-action). Do not weary the body, and do not disturb Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy); only thus can one live long. If the eyes do not cling to what they see, the ears do not cling to what they hear, and the mind is not drawn by stray thoughts, the spirit can guard the physical form, and the form can thus be preserved for a long time.

The Sanmao Zhenjing says: The valley is empty, so it can echo sound; when the mind is empty and still, it can respond to the spirit; when the spirit is empty and still, it can respond to Qi; when Qi is empty and still, it can respond to Jing. When emptiness and stillness reach their extreme, there is luminosity; when luminosity reaches its extreme, there is crystalline transparency that transcends the distinction between spirit and form and is unconstrained by life and death. Jing is preserved through inner guarding, while Qi arises from outer nourishment; gathering Jing by means of Qi can extend years and benefit longevity.

The Weisheng Jing says: Jing, Qi, and Shen are the inner “three treasures” of the human body; the ears, eyes, and mouth are the outer “three treasures.” One should keep the inner Jing, Qi, and Shen from dissipating with external things, and not allow the outer ears, eyes, and mouth to stir desires and disturb the inner mind.

The Dongshen Zhenjing says: Whether receiving favor or encountering humiliation, if the mind-spirit remains unmoved, liver Qi stays at peace; whether in motion or at rest, if one remains respectful and cautious, heart fire stays settled. Eating and drinking in moderation keeps spleen Qi from being depleted; evening the breath and speaking little preserves lung Qi; a tranquil mind free of greed allows kidney Qi to be abundant.

The Yuandao Zhenjing

Plants and trees rely on their roots to grow; once they leave the soil they wither and die. Fish and turtles rely on water to survive; once they leave the water they perish. Humans rely on the physical form to live; once they lose Qi (vital energy) they die. Therefore the sage knows that Qi is that upon which life depends and regards it as the treasure of the body.

Sayings of the Han Celestial Master (Han Tianshi)

The Great Dao of Void and Nothingness (the Dao that transcends form and traces, free of any attachment or bias) is clear, still, and subtle. Remaining unstained by dust is called “Qing” (purity); not moving recklessly is called “Jing” (stillness); not being attached to seeing is called “Xi”; not being attached to hearing is called “Yi.” Diligently cultivating and upholding these four points, one can avoid the cycle of rebirth.

Pure Yang Perfected One (Chunyang Zhenren)

A single day of purity and stillness each day reduces weariness by a portion. When the Six Spirits (the spirits within the human body, each performing its appointed function) are in harmony, body and mind naturally settle. When treasure is already present in the Dantian (energy center, the site within the body for refining Jing and Qi), there is no need to seek the Dao outside; facing circumstances with an unattached mind, there is likewise no need to inquire into Chan principles.

When nourishing Qi, restrain speech and concentrate on holding and guarding; settle the thoughts of the mind and do not act recklessly. Whether in movement or in stillness, one must understand the root of cultivation. Since there is nothing that needs doing, why seek outwardly? Maintain a constant mind while responding to external things; when responding to external things, do not be deluded. Without delusion the mind-nature can abide in peace; when the mind-nature abides in peace, Qi naturally returns. After Qi returns, the Neidan (internal elixir) can congeal. Within the heaven-and-earth like a gourd inside the body, Kan and Li (symbols of water and fire, Yin and Yang) are harmonized. Yin and Yang alternate and transform as if thunder rumbles, and the myriad things are thereby generated. White clouds rise to the crown of the head; sweet dew sprinkles Mount Sumeru (the legendary great mountain). One drinks the wine of longevity oneself; who can know the carefree flavor within? In quiet sitting, hearing the music without strings, one can comprehend the mechanism by which creation operates. These twenty sentences are indeed the ladder that leads to heaven.

Void-Stillness Celestial Master (Xujing Tianshi)

There is no need to fear the arising of thoughts, only to worry that awareness comes too late. The arising of a thought is the ailment; no longer following it is the prescription.

Only with a settled view in the mind can one respond to ceaseless change; the mind’s thoughts should be sunk in stillness, yet the faculties should remain lively.

The Great Dao is not distant; it lies within the person’s body and mind. Although the myriad things are all empty, human original nature is not empty. If original nature is not vacant, harmonious Qi can abide; when Qi returns to the depths of the Dantian, lifespan can be prolonged.

If one wishes the original spirit within the body not to scatter outward, do not allow any stray thoughts to remain on the Lingtai (the place where the mind-spirit resides). If stray thoughts remain in the heart, Shen cannot be clear and bright; Jing and Qi dissipate, and the sinews and bones are damaged.

Once the original spirit dashes outward, immediately gather it back; when Shen returns to the body, Qi naturally turns around. In this way from morning to evening, day after day, it will naturally form an internal elixir as pure and genuine as a newborn infant.

Perfected Li (Li Zhenren)

With each inhalation lift and draw, causing the breath to return one by one to the navel; with each lifting and drawing swallow, causing the Qi of water and fire to meet and intermingle.

Three Mao Perfected Lords (Sanmao Zhenjun)

The Lingtai (abode of the heart-spirit) is clear and luminous, like a pot fashioned of ice, allowing only the Yuanshen (a person’s original true Shen, spirit) to dwell within it. If any attachment still remains in the heart, how could one realize the Dao (the Way) and unite with the realm of clarity and emptiness?

— Sanmao Zhenjun

The Lingtai is clear and bright like an ice pot, allowing only the Yuanshen to dwell within. If any attachment remains in the heart, how could one realize the Dao and unite with the realm of clarity and emptiness?

— Hanshanzi

Do not go hungry on winter mornings, and do not eat too fully on summer nights. Do not rise earlier than the birdsong, and do not rise later than sunrise. When the inner heart is clear, the Zhenren (one accomplished in cultivation) can guard their proper place; when the breath is settled, noxious Qi (vital energy) leaves the body.

— Yuxuzi

All things originally have no fixed, unchanging substance. The mind is neither form nor non-form. Only by observing both of these clearly can one awaken; yet the awakened person does not cling to “who it is that awakens.”

Wondrous being is concealed within emptiness, and true emptiness appears within being. When the mind-state is clear, luminous, and silent, unattached to either, remaining constantly quiet, one’s nature and temperament naturally become complete and harmonious.

— Zhonghuang Zhenren

The Tianmen (the place of breath’s entry and exit at the crown of the head) should remain always open, while the Dihu (the place of breath’s entry and exit in the lower body) should be closed. Breathing should be long, fine, and gentle, never interrupted even for a moment. Direct the inhalation to the root and the exhalation to the extremity. Regard the child (Shen) as Shen and the mother (Qi) as Qi. In cultivation, nourish Shen and Qi continuously, like a hen incubating her eggs or a fish remaining in water. Once the Shengtai (the inner fruit of cultivation) has formed, one naturally sheds the old form like a cicada leaving its shell.

— Ma Danyang

The nature of the Dao originally requires neither cultivation nor realization, yet the worldly mind must be diminished and eliminated day by day. Only when even the distinction between “mind” and “nature” is forgotten does one truly accord with the realm of no-cultivation and no-realization.

Make the refining of Qi a daily practice and the nurturing of the spirit one’s everyday life. Always keep the dragon and tiger (a cultivation metaphor for the blending of Yin-Yang and of Shen with Qi) in harmony, and do not allow the mind-monkey and intention-horse (restless thoughts hard to still) to run wild. When nature and feelings are settled, desires fade; when the body is empty and still, Qi can circulate; when the false mind ceases, spirit-brightness becomes lively; when Yang Qi is abundant, Yin Qi recedes. Cultivate the mind as a guest of longevity, refine the nature as if a living dead person, and release all attachment to worldly life, death, gain, and loss.

— Xuanguan Milun

When the mind is drawn by affairs, inner fire-Qi is set in motion; once this heart-fire stirs, the true Jing (essence) is easily agitated. Therefore still the false mind in order to nourish the breath, and cease all clever restless activity so that thoughts return to deep quiet.

If the mind does not cling to affairs, those affairs will not disturb the inner heart. Thus stillness of mind gives rise to wisdom, while movement of mind gives rise to confusion.

— Hao Taigu

When external circumstances disturb the mind-spirit, and the mind rushes about following them, a person sinks into the ordinary and mundane. If one can use the mind to dissolve the pull of those circumstances, one can then tend toward the immortal Dao (the Way).

In quiet places one refines Qi (vital energy); in noisy places one refines Shen (spirit). Here “refining Qi” means regulating and nourishing the body’s breath, while “refining Shen” means training the mind-spirit, so that cultivation can be maintained in every environment.

The mind changes with external circumstances, and those circumstances often appear different because of one’s thoughts. To settle the mind, one must not greedily love what worldly people love, nor follow what they eagerly pursue. Unmoved by the temptations of the dusty world, the mind naturally becomes clear and quiet, and is no longer constrained by the transformations of Yin-Yang.

Trying to drive out desires and clarify the inner mind is itself still using the thinking mind; the more one deliberately suppresses desires, the deeper they may become. It is better not to give rise to deluded thoughts at all, for only then can that formless, imageless “gold,” tempered through a hundred refinements, become manifest.

The Great Dao takes no-mind as its root, forgetting words as its method of application, softness and weakness as its fundamental principle, and clarity and stillness as its foundation.

Reduce rich flavors in order to nourish the breath, eliminate anger in order to cultivate the nature of the mind, dwell contentedly in a humble position in order to nurture De (Virtue/Power), and hold to clarity and stillness in order to cultivate the Great Dao.

True Fire has no fixed hours, and the Great Medicine need not be measured by quantity. Here “True Fire” and “Great Medicine” are terms of Neidan (internal alchemy): True Fire refers to the mind-spirit, Great Medicine to original Qi. Using fire to refine the medicine and form the elixir means using the mind-spirit to govern original Qi and thereby accomplish the Great Dao. Having the mind-spirit govern original Qi so that original Qi returns to the mind-spirit is, in the end, simply a method of turning the gaze inward for inner illumination and gathering in the thoughts.

The so-called “Golden Elixir” (Jindan, the fruit of Neidan internal alchemy) is formed by gathering and refining the “medicine of two eights of liang,” which after three hundred days of work congeals into an “embryo.” The key to cultivation lies in inner effort of the mind, not in surface practices such as swallowing saliva or regulating the breath; one must accord with the primordial process of creation, causing Qi (vital energy) to gather and Shen (spirit) to settle. The entire process follows the methods of cultivation and relies on oral formulas; the methods appear simple and easy, neither complicated nor difficult.

The practitioner must nurture the “infant” (which in Neidan cultivation symbolizes the pure primordial spirit) within emptiness, and refine yang Qi out of yin. Coded terms such as “Golden Lord,” “Living Tiger,” “Lovely Maiden,” and “Red Dragon” describe the meeting and blending of yin and yang Qi. “Qian Husband” and “Kun Wife” further symbolize the union of Yin-Yang, and with the aid of the “Yellow Dame” (the mediating agent that harmonizes Yin-Yang), the “Li Maiden” and “Kan Youth” are brought to conjoin, forming the “Red Infant”—that is, the true Qi and primordial spirit generated in Neidan cultivation.

The furnace-and-fire work of cultivation transmutes emptiness itself, becoming so subtle that it seems reduced to dust; it is also like a vast ice-jar of ten thousand acres reflecting heaven and earth, the inner radiance immense yet condensed as small as a grain of millet. “Shen returning to the Four Greats” means the spirit returns to the four elements that constitute the bodily form; “turtle and snake conjoining” is a symbol of the union of Yin-Yang. “Qi entering the four limbs” indicates that Qi circulates throughout the body; “crow and rabbit” allude respectively to sun and moon and commonly symbolize yin and yang Qi. From the “jade gourd” flows a liquid like gold, and from the “golden sprout” grows a flower of white jade—these are inner alchemical scenes depicting the attainments of practice. When the wind is clear and the moon bright, who can grasp the flavor of green mountains and azure waters, of natural arising?

It then praises the freedom and delight this state brings: after countless cycles of birth and death, one now undergoes a complete transformation like “great death,” finally shedding old habits and former ways of life; only when all the past has been cleared away does one realize that the true nature at the root has always been thus. The mind-spirit gradually clarifies from a state of confusion, and lately it seems able to distinguish things. Toward the end, expressions such as “seven sevens” and “forty” describe the holding-fast and transformation in cultivation, while images of a dragon nurturing its pearl, a goose incubating an egg, and a winter cicada drawing in breath portray the state of single-minded concentration and inward-drawn breath. The scripture concludes by depicting a leisurely, untrammeled person standing between heaven and earth, bursting into laughter, feeling that heaven and earth themselves have thereby opened wide.

I have a bright pearl whose radiance shines forth, illuminating the trichiliocosm (the vast world of Buddhist cosmology). It is like the mind of Guanyin Bodhisattva in meditation, and also like the perfect enlightenment of Shakyamuni Tathagata. At times it resembles spring scenery beautifying mountains and rivers, at times like autumn light rendering the rocks clear and bright. It is also called the “Nine-Turn Great Return Elixir” (in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation, symbolizing the elixir formed by the condensation and transformation of Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit)), known likewise as the treasure of immortality.

This bright pearl manifests where all things merge into one: pearls mixed with tiles and rubble, water, crows, and forests seeming to dissolve into emptiness. A stone maiden drives an earthen ox, a lame wooden man rides a paper horse; the three karmas (actions of body, speech, and mind) and three poisons (greed, anger, and ignorance) come and go like clouds, while the six roots (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) and six dusts (form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas) also appear therein. The value of this pearl is truly inestimable; one cannot arbitrarily bore into it with a clever awl. To grasp the secret dharani method (the practice that encompasses the essential meaning), one must carefully experience it in stillness and purity. How many practitioners hear the thunder yet still fail to understand its true intent.

This Daoist of mine seeks vaguely outside the bright pearl, yet does not recognize the innate original key that has always been present. Since this is so, why add further annotations? The cuckoo cries with the dawn rain, the crabapple listens at night to the falling east wind.

The crow and rabbit (symbolizing sun and moon) are the Qian-Kun cauldron, the turtle and snake (symbolizing the union of Yin-Yang) are the altar of return from defilement. Idle people who appear to have nothing to do in the world nevertheless hold the Great Return Elixir in their hearts. The white tiger roars in the water, the azure dragon coils in the fire; mercury and lead, mud and stamens each display their radiance, while metal and wood are as cold and clear as snowflakes. Li and Kan (Fire and Water among the Bagua (Eight Trigrams)) are not a distinction between heart and worthy one, nor do east and west reside in the lungs and liver. After three decades, thoroughly investigating the method of seven returns, following nine turns, the elixir is refined from the Niwan (the upper Dantian (energy center) region in the head according to Neidan cultivation).

— Sima Zhenren

To cultivate and attain the true, one must first eliminate evil actions, cut off external miscellaneous affairs, and not allow them to stir the mind’s thoughts. Then turn inward to observe one’s own awareness: as soon as a thought arises, eliminate it immediately; let thoughts arise and vanish in succession so that the mind becomes tranquil. Even if there is no definite greed or attachment, one must also remove the floating and chaotic miscellaneous thoughts. Practice diligently day and night without slackening even for a moment. Eliminate only the deluded moving thoughts of the mind, without eliminating the clear and luminous awareness. When a thought arises, let it arise and vanish accordingly, making the mind quiet. Even without definite greed or attachment, also remove the floating chaotic miscellaneous thoughts. Practice diligently day and night without a moment’s laxity. Eliminate only the deluded moving mind without eliminating the clear and luminous awareness; let the mind return to secluded stillness and emptiness, yet do not enclose the mind in any notion of substantial existence. Do not rely on any particular method, yet the nature of the mind remains constantly stable. This method of cultivation is mysterious and subtle, with benefits that are profound and far-reaching.

Constantly maintaining stillness can prevent the original Qi (the fundamental Jing-Qi of the human body) from being depleted; reducing rumination allows the light of wisdom to illuminate the inner mind; not becoming angry allows the various inner Shen (the internal deities of the human body spoken of in Daoism) to be harmonious and peaceful; not being troubled makes the mental state cool and serene. Not seeking, one will not flatter; not being arrogant, one will not be haughty. Not clinging to things having to be round or square, not craving, this is wealth and honor; not doing compromising deeds, one need not fear the ruler. Cutting off the flavors of the mouth and belly, the lingquan (spiritual spring, referring to the bodily fluids) naturally arises; when the breath is stable, the zhenxi (true breath, the long, deep, and subtle respiration in breath-regulation cultivation) naturally increases. If the form is injured by being stirred by external things, the body will decline and perish and the Shen-consciousness will depart; if one indulges in deluded thoughts, it will be like the spirit leaving in a dream and the corpse lying stiff. When the breath is exhausted, the form returns to the great earth; when thoughts dissipate, the Shen-consciousness tends toward the realm of death. When the mind is stable, the Shen can be active; when the Hun has a place to dwell, the Po can be strong. Circulating and transforming external things, the wondrous principle is inexhaustible; responding by changing with things, yet not departing from the true and constant Dao (the Way). The most subtle realm is hidden in the midst of indistinctness, the grand form is faintly visible in the vast obscurity. Even creation cannot fathom its measure, ghosts and spirits cannot know its movements. Being able not to drink, not to eat, and not to sleep deeply is called the Zuowang (sitting in forgetfulness, the state of forgetting the body and external things in seated cultivation) of the Zhenren (true person).

Sun Zhenren (the honorific title given in Daoism to Sun Simiao) said:

Between heaven and earth, humans are the most honored. The human head symbolizes heaven, the feet symbolize earth. The body left by one’s parents should be cherished and nourished; among the Hongfan Jiuchou (the nine great principles of statecraft spoken of in ancient classics), longevity is the most important. The key to nourishing life lies in knowing the three prohibitions: great anger, great desire, and great drunkenness. If any one of these three appears, one must carefully prevent damage to the original Qi.

Not becoming angry allows the various inner Shen to be harmonious and peaceful; not being troubled makes the mental state cool and serene. Not seeking, one will not flatter; not being arrogant, one will not be haughty. Not clinging to things having to be round or square, not craving, this is wealth and honor; not doing compromising deeds, one need not fear the ruler. Cutting off the flavors of the mouth and belly, the lingquan naturally arises; when the breath is stable, the zhenxi naturally increases. If the form is injured by being stirred by external things, the body will decline and perish and the Shen-consciousness will depart; if one indulges in deluded thoughts, it will be like the spirit leaving in a dream and the corpse lying stiff. When the breath is exhausted, the form returns to the great earth; when thoughts dissipate, the Shen-consciousness tends toward the realm of death. When the mind is stable, the Shen can be active; when the Hun has a place to dwell, the Po can be strong. Circulating and transforming external things, the wondrous principle is inexhaustible; responding by changing with things, yet not departing from the true and constant Dao. The most subtle realm is hidden in the midst of indistinctness, the grand form is faintly visible in the vast obscurity. Even creation cannot fathom its measure, ghosts and spirits cannot know its movements. Being able not to drink, not to eat, and not to sleep deeply is called the Zuowang of the Zhenren.

Between heaven and earth, humans are the most honored. The human head symbolizes heaven, the feet symbolize earth. The body left by one’s parents should be cherished and nourished; among the Hongfan Jiuchou, longevity is the most important. The key to nourishing life lies in knowing the three prohibitions: great anger, great desire, and great drunkenness. If any one of these three appears, one must carefully prevent damage to the original Qi.

To seek longevity, one must first restrain one's temperament. When no delusive fire arises in the heart, contentment comes naturally. Just as wood that meets fire does not turn to ashes, a person who can restrain temperament thereby helps extend lifespan. Endless greed and desire cause one to forget to guard Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy); incessant thinking depletes the original Shen (spirit) (the spiritual origin of a person). Excessive bodily toil also dissipates the Zhonghe Qi (the peaceful and coordinated vital energy of life). On what, then, can one rely to preserve the body?

Excessive anger injures Qi; excessive thinking damages Shen. When the spirit grows weary, the heart is easily driven by external things; when Qi and strength weaken, illness readily takes hold. Do not allow sorrow or joy to reach extremes; drinking and eating must be moderate. Above all, repeatedly remind yourself never to become intoxicated at night—this point requires the greatest caution. Retire at Hai hour (around 9 to 11 p.m.) and rise at Yin hour (around 3 to 5 a.m.) to rinse the mouth and swallow saliva (the Daoist yangsheng practice of stirring the oral cavity with the tongue, secreting saliva, and swallowing it). In this way pathogenic Qi cannot easily invade, and Jing and Qi remain intact. To suffer fewer illnesses, regularly restrain the five pungents (commonly onion, garlic, chives, Chinese onion, asafetida, and similar spicy foods). Settle the heart-Shen so that the mood remains joyful; cherish original Qi and keep it peaceful and pure. Although length of life is bound up with fate, cultivation and regulation still depend on oneself. If these principles are followed, even while dwelling on level ground one may cultivate to the point of audience with true immortals.

Immortal Maiden Yi Cao said:

Shen is a person's heart-spirit and spiritual nature; “Hei” is the root of human life (here “Hei” is suspected to be the original wording and is retained literally). When Shen does not scatter outward, Qi naturally settles. These two originally depend on each other and are mutually intimate; if they are lost, what else can serve as the foundation?

Patriarch Chongyang said:

Set aside cleverness and ingenuity and learn simplicity and non-contention; upon reaching the state of Wuwei (non-action), there is conversely nothing that cannot be accomplished. The affairs of the world before the eyes are merely thus; even thunderous sounds like wind and thunder at the ear leave one undisturbed. The two feet walk freely while inner spiritual brightness always accompanies Qi. At times body and mind seem intoxicated and dazed; one might as well ask the blue sky: who after all is this “I” at this moment?

Regulating the heart-nature is like tuning the strings of a qin: strings drawn too tight will snap, too slack they cannot produce a proper tone; with tightness and slackness in due measure the sound is harmonious. It is likewise like forging a sword: too much steel and it snaps easily, too much tin and it bends and curls; only when steel and tin are properly proportioned can the sword be completed.

The realm of submission to desire, the realm of clinging to form and color, and the realm of stagnation in emptiness are none of them places where one ought to remain. Regulation of the heart-nature must still grasp the appropriate degree: like tuning the qin with tightness and slackness in the middle, harmony is achieved; like forging the sword with proper proportion, it becomes a finished instrument.

The Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm together constitute the Three Realms. When the mind no longer harbors stray thoughts and desires, one transcends the Desire Realm; when one no longer clings to external things, one transcends the Form Realm; when the mind does not attach itself to emptiness and stillness, one transcends the Formless Realm. Leaving these Three Realms, the Shen (spirit) dwells in the realm of immortals and sages, and one’s nature also abides in a state of clear emptiness and peace.

Li Jing’an:

Let the mind return to emptiness and stillness, let the body enter a state of Wuwei (non-action), forget the distinction between movement and stillness, and bring the inner mind into harmony with the outer world. Upon reaching this state, Jing (essence) naturally transforms into Qi (vital energy), Qi naturally transforms into Shen, and Shen naturally returns to emptiness.

Wuxin Zhenren:

The mind-state is clear and still, the temperament even and peaceful; rectify one’s thoughts, settle body and mind, and concentrate on the present moment. Shen and Qi return, the mind-nature is stable, Jing and Qi condense; hun and po souls blend, Yin-Yang intermingle. Treasure is present in the Dantian (energy center, the site in the human body where Jing and Qi are refined and nourished); facing external circumstances, the mind remains unmoved. Primordial Qi returns to the root, and the myriad spirits face toward the origin. Silent and still, one concentrates on holding and maintaining; steady and at ease, the practice continues without end. This is the actual gongfu of cultivation, and also the ancestral style of practice for discerning the Great Dao (the Way).

Shi Yaolin:

All things that are born will eventually die; the Yuanshen (primordial spirit, a person’s fundamental spirit) undergoes a death-like transformation and then arises anew. Let the Shen dwell at ease within the Qi, and the way of Neidan (internal alchemy) is naturally accomplished.

The mind-state is clear and bright, without the slightest covering; the nature-ground is pure, leaving no dust. Practicing in the quiet of late night is precisely the ancestral style of cultivation for discerning the Great Dao.

Shi Yaolin:

All things that are born will eventually die; the Yuanshen undergoes a death-like transformation and then arises anew. Let the Shen dwell at ease within the Qi, and the way of Neidan is naturally accomplished.

The mind-state is clear and bright, without the slightest covering; the nature-ground is pure, leaving no dust. In the quiet night when the moon is bright, suddenly one hears a crow calling in spring.

Shi Jianwu:

Qi is the medicine for extending years and enhancing longevity; the mind is the ruler that guides the circulation of Qi. One who knows how to let the mind preside over the movement of Qi can hope to cultivate into a Zhenren.

Zhang Ziyang:

Retract the gaze, concentrate the hearing, even out the nasal breath, and close the mouth to retain the Qi within—this is called “harmonizing the Four Images” (cultivation that coordinates all aspects of body and mind). The eyes do not look outward, allowing the hun to settle in the liver; the ears do not listen outward, allowing Jing to settle in the kidneys; the tongue does not distinguish flavors, allowing Shen to settle in the heart; the nose does not greedily inhale scents, allowing Qi to settle in the lungs; the four limbs do not move recklessly, allowing intention to settle in the spleen. This is called “the Five Qi paying homage to the origin” (the Qi of the five viscera returning to their source). Jing transforms into Qi, Qi transforms into Shen, and Shen further transforms into emptiness—this is called “the Three Flowers gathering at the crown” (the state in which Jing, Qi, and Shen return to unity).

From emptiness and stillness a snow-white clarity is born; from silence a yellow-bud vitality emerges. In the jade furnace (a metaphor for Neidan cultivation) the fire is gentle, and purple mist rises from the cauldron.

Qi (Jingqi) orients toward the primordial origin. Jing (essence) transforms into Qi (vital energy), Qi further transforms into Shen (spirit), and Shen then transforms into emptiness. This is called “three flowers gathering at the crown” (the inner-alchemical state of Neidan in which Jing, Qi, and Shen condense at the top of the head).

In vacuity and stillness white snow is generated; in silence yellow sprouts emerge. The fire timing in the jade furnace is mild and moist, and purple clouds rise from the cauldron. Splendid lotuses bloom upon the earth, and the spirit-water ripples with golden light. In the depths of night the moonlight is perfectly bright, and heaven and earth seem transformed into a round mirror.

The dragon comes from the Eastern Sea, the tiger rises from the Western Mountain. The two forces meet and contend, finally transforming into the essence of heaven and earth. Here the dragon and tiger analogize the interacting Yin-Yang Qi of inner cultivation.

The Great Dao originally returns to the One. If one can guard this One, Shen (spirit) dwells peacefully within. When the mind is like a deep pool reflecting the moon, free from the slightest entanglement, one can be naturally free and at ease.

Water and fire originally occupy the same place. When observed they seem visible, yet when sought they are formless. One must carefully attune the civil fire and the martial fire (the gentle and intense fire timings of inner alchemy), and in a mere instant the jade cream can be formed (a symbolic term in Neidan for the coagulation of the refined essence).

The heart is the dwelling of Shen (spirit); the eyes are the windows through which Shen gazes outward. Wherever the gaze arrives, the mind-spirit follows. Therefore the method of inner cultivation is to look with the eyes at the nose, then let the nose face the navel, drawing the heart-fire down to the Sea of Qi (the Dantian region below the navel). The work is accomplished in an instant.

Haishang Daoren:

Apply effort only at the arising of a thought, and gather it in at the place of application. Do not let the intersecting dragon-tiger Qi fall into slumber; let the thunder-and-rain transformations cease at the proper time. To comprehend the inexhaustible fire timing, constantly observe the oil that remains unexhausted. After the night deepens and people have dispersed, only a single lamp remains lit.

Zhu Ziyang

When stillness reaches its extreme, exhalation should be like a fish in a spring marsh gently releasing breath. When movement reaches its extreme, inhalation should be like an insect dormant in midwinter, holding its Qi (vital energy) as it sleeps. The spring fish, having obtained Qi, becomes active with movements that are extremely slight; the winter insect holds Qi in hibernation, showing almost no discernible activity. Regulating the breath should likewise be so: prolonged, fine and close, quiet and faint. When exhaling, the Qi of the hundred bones throughout the body and of every orifice follows and is exhaled; when inhaling, the Qi of the hundred bones throughout the body and of every orifice follows and is inhaled. Persist in regulating the breath in this manner, and the true Qi will gradually arise.

The oldness or tenderness, the floating or sinking of the medicine, together with the civil or martial quality and the advancing or retreating of the fire timing, must all be perceived from within the true Qi. The principle, having been stated thus far, is exhausted.

Tan Jingsheng

Grief causes Qi and blood to become obstructed and stagnant; pungent flavors cause one to have a runny nose. Anger causes the Qi to knot and leads to emaciation; even forgiveness can cause the Qi to knot and give rise to abscesses (poisonous sores between the skin or muscles). Whatever is thought of in the mind, Qi gathers at the corresponding place; there is nothing that cannot be influenced as a result. Heterodox thoughts bring about such a condition, and orthodox thoughts will inevitably produce corresponding effects. Therefore those of profound cultivation restrain grief and pungency and sincerely restrain anger. They know the methods of taking in and contracting the breath, and thus are able to guard the root; they also know the place in which the original Shen (the primordial spirit of the person) is stored, and thus can gather in the radiance of the Shen. It is like a pearl hidden in the oyster or fine jade contained in the stone: stored within and not exposed, it can become the dwelling of treasures.

Forget the bodily form in order to nourish Qi, forget Qi in order to nourish Shen, forget Shen in order to nourish emptiness. Achieving this depends solely on the single word “forget”; this is the state of having no things and no attachments.

The Sixth Patriarch said, “Originally there is not a single thing; where could dust alight?” This is surely the meaning intended!

Wei Boyang

The ears are the orifices of Jing (essence), the eyes are the orifices of Shen (spirit), and the mouth is the orifice of Qi (vital energy). When the ears become infatuated with sounds, Jing dissipates along with the sounds and is difficult to hold firm. When the eyes become infatuated with forms and appearances, Shen scatters along with the appearances and is difficult to condense. When too much is spoken from the mouth, Qi dissipates along with speech and is difficult to collect. In this way, how can Jing, Qi, and Shen be united as one and refined into an elixir? If those who cultivate do not begin by collecting and restraining body and mind from these three key orifices, there is simply no way to speak of practice.

Nowadays people's Jing and Qi leak away downward, while Shen and Qi disperse upward; water and fire turn away from each other and cannot congeal. This is all caused by thoughts of the mind. If greedy and affectionate thoughts do not arise in the mind, Jing will not leak downward. If angry and wrathful thoughts do not arise, Shen and Qi will not rise and scatter upward. When miscellaneous thoughts do not arise and the inner mind is clear and bright, water and fire naturally intermingle. Here “the intercourse of water and fire” is an expression from Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy), referring to the mutual harmonization of the Yin-Yang Qi inside the body.

Chen Xubai:

Before chaos had yet been divided, it was originally a perfectly fused, undifferentiated whole; the wonders contained therein cannot be transmitted by words. One must open the orifice within the orifice and break through the realm where there is heaven beyond heaven. Only when the handle of the Northern Dipper turns in reverse do the signs become manifest; only when the light of the spiritual terrace reflects back into the inner mind can the immortal Dao (the Way) be accomplished. One day, having fished up the perfectly integrated bright moon of the heart, one can see through the state attained by the foreign monk facing the wall in meditation.

Shen, Qi, and Jing are the three highest medicines. Refining Jing to transform it into Qi, refining Qi to transform it into Shen, and refining Shen to unite it with the Dao—this is the marvelous elixir of “seven returns and nine restorations.”

Shen (spirit), Qi (vital energy), and Jing (essence) are three superior medicinal ingredients. Refining Jing into Qi, Qi into Shen, and then refining Shen until it unites with the Dao (the Way) produces the marvelous medicine of the “seven returns and nine restorations.” In gathering and refining this medicine, one must attend to where the medicine is produced, when it is collected, how it is prepared, how it is taken, and how to master the fire timing.

A place in the southwest is called “Huangting” (the center of inner cultivation in the human body). In a state of trance and obscurity, something seems to exist there; in the profound stillness, there appears to be Jing-Qi. That is clearly a dose of “gold in water,” which one need only seek carefully in the “Flower Pond” (a symbolic place of fluids in inner alchemy). This speaks of where the medicine is produced.

Lower the eyelids, withdraw the senses, restrain desires, and even out the breathing; forget the body, do not employ cleverness, and gradually draw near to “sitting in forgetfulness” (a state of seated meditation in which distinctions of body and mind are forgotten). I urge you to remain silent and foolish all day long, thereby refining a “wish-fulfilling pearl” (a symbolic treasure obtained through Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation) that can be used at will. This speaks of the timing for gathering the medicine.

Before heaven and earth were formed there existed a rootless numinous herb; by concentrating the mind and refining it, one can produce the supreme treasure. The Great Dao never leaves the square-inch place (referring to the inner heart), and cultivation must be meticulous and persistent. This speaks of the method of preparing the medicine.

Let the mind return to emptiness and stillness, no longer clinging to thoughts; maintain no-thought within thought, and place the attention in the “center of the compass” (a Neidan term referring to the still center where the heart-spirit is concentrated), allowing darkness to return to its source. Let the breath be long and continuous; whether walking or sitting in stillness, one must become ever clearer. This speaks of the inner transformation required when taking the medicine.

The medicinal ingredients must be pure. In cultivation a focused and secret intention takes precedence, and throughout the twelve hours of the day one must secretly nourish, refine, and decoct them. The liquid in the golden tripod must always be kept warm, and the fire in the jade furnace must not be allowed to cool even slightly. This speaks of the fire timing for refining the medicine.

When gathering the medicine, what is gathered is the medicine, which already contains the fire timing; when refining the medicine, what is used is the fire, and within the fire timing the medicinal substance is also contained. If one understands how to gather the medicine and can collect and regulate the fire timing, the elixir can then form naturally within a certain range.

An ancient poem says: “The medicinal substance contains Yin within Yang, and the fire timing contains Yang within Yin. Once the principle of Yin-Yang is understood, one will know how the medicine and the fire combine.” This is exactly what is meant.

In cultivation, use the intent of Shen (spirit) to govern the Qi (vital energy), and use the Qi to regulate the breathing, allowing inhalation and exhalation to follow their natural course. Concentrate the mind and gather the spirit so that the Qi becomes gentle and the inner heart clear, still, and settled. Whether walking, standing, or sitting in stillness, hold it continuously in a fine, unbroken stream, as if it is there and yet not there, like a woman carrying a child or a young dragon nurturing a pearl. Gradually gather the medicine and refine it, allowing the mind-spirit to settle and condense; when the practice matures, they are finally refined into one. Whether in movement or stillness, maintain it densely and continuously, and constantly attend to its regulation.

Thoughts must not arise recklessly, or the fire timing will become too vigorous; the mind-intent must not scatter and become disordered, or the fire timing will weaken. When both applying effort and letting go are precisely right, so that Shen and Qi embrace and unite, this is called the fire seed never ceasing and the elixir cauldron remaining constantly warm. To refine for one moment is one moment’s Zhoutian (celestial circuit, a complete cycle of internal circulation); to refine for one day is one day’s Zhoutian. This practice is not bound by the hours of zi, wu, mao, you and the like, nor does it set time limits according to the first or fifteenth of the lunar month or the waxing and waning of the moon. The sages’ teaching that “the medicine is transmitted but not the fire” is fully explained here.

Do not allow floating clouds to arise and obstruct the blue sky; once floating clouds arise, the blue sky is covered and the myriad things cannot be seen clearly. The myriad things are numerous yet orderly, originally able to subdue various evil qi (vital energy); if brightness cannot appear, demonic forces will flourish.

I initially opened heaven and earth, making them clear and bright, so that thousands of households sang songs of great peace. Sometimes a cloud of qi (referring to stagnation of the inner qi mechanism) arises, and the nine orifices and hundred bones of the body all lose their peace. Therefore one must constantly cause the wind of wisdom (a metaphor for the power of clear wisdom) to blow fiercely, penetrating the three realms and ten directions (generally referring to all space). After the clouds disperse, the original nature of emptiness naturally appears, and the moon of every household also manifests.

Only under the moonlight is it suitable to play the flute. A single note of the flute shakes Hua and Yi (the Central Plains and the four directions). It startles the Jade Youth of the East (an immortal child in Daoist mythology), who rides a white deer backwards, swift as a shooting star, free and unrestrained in every direction. His heart does not cling to glory and splendor, nor is his body subjected to humiliation; leisurely he sings the song of white snow in the gourd, quietly attuning the Yangchun melody of the world beyond.

The tunes of my household all arise from nature: the flute tube has no holes, the qin has no strings. Obtaining this true meaning, one awakens from the floating life as a dream; day and night, clear and lofty immortal sounds fill the grotto-heavens (the cavern palaces where immortals dwell).

When the qi mechanism has no rising and falling fluctuations and breathing is settled, this is called True Lead (a metaphor in Neidan (internal alchemy) for original qi and jing-qi); when thoughts have no arising and ceasing and the shen (spirit) is concentrated and settled, this is called True Mercury (a metaphor in Neidan for spirit-consciousness and the mind-spirit). If breathing has even a trace of unrest, the physical form cannot be mastered by oneself and will ultimately disperse and return to yin; this is not True Lead. If thoughts have even a trace of uncleanness, the spirit is not purely yang and after dispersing falls into the ghost realm (the ghost path in the cycle of rebirth); this is not True Mercury.

Cui Xuan Zhenren

Just using force solely to refine qi is ultimately futile; deliberately preserving the spirit is also wasting effort. How would one know that the marvelous point of the elixir formula (the oral instructions for Neidan cultivation) lies in dwelling all day in the realm of true emptiness.

Jade Liquid (a metaphor for the fluids transformed from jing-qi within the body) nourishes the spirit chamber (the inner place for storing and cultivating the mind-spirit), and the Golden Fetus (a metaphor for the condensation and formation of the inner elixir) forms at the hub of the qi mechanism. One only needs to seek the medicine within oneself, without needing to search through elixir books.

The fire date originally has no pit; how could the crossed pear have any dregs? All day one applies the fire timing (the regulation of breath and effort in Neidan cultivation), using spirit water (a metaphor for the essence produced in inner refinement) to irrigate and nourish the golden flower (a metaphor for the manifested essence of the inner elixir).

When shen and qi return to the fundamental place, and body and mind return to the time of original ming, this is the true aperture (the key pass spoken of in Neidan cultivation); I suppose few people know this.

As soon as the wind blows, the myriad sounds resound together; above the thousand mountains the moonlight is perfectly round. One should quickly exercise the orthodox command, and then one can circulate the Zhou Tian (celestial cycle, making the inner qi mechanism operate according to the Zhou Tian route).

The clouds and mist have scattered, and the crabapple blossoms glow in the moonlight; as the feeling of spring gradually deepens, the willows greet the spring wind. Who can understand the meaning contained in this? One lifts the gaze toward empty space, as if putting a question to Heaven and Earth.

Zixia Shanren

The elixir methods (the techniques of refining and nourishing Neidan, or internal alchemy) are only tools that lead toward the Dao (the Way), like the fish-trap used to catch fish or the snare used to catch rabbits. Only when one knows how to set these tools aside can one realize the Great Dao and enter into empty stillness. Do not cling to holding and embracing “Wuwei as One” (the state of maintaining Wuwei, or non-action, and single-minded concentration); even empty space itself must be broken through, and in the end one must not cling even to the “One.” Within the mysterious “existence,” the numinous light remains constantly bright; when the mind can embrace the entire dharmadhātu (the totality of all phenomena as spoken of in Buddhist and Daoist traditions), one naturally abides in peace as usual. Following causal conditions and responding to resonances, one remains always clear and still; after nine years of cultivation, one can achieve an indestructible vajra body.

Baozi

When the ears do not listen to external things, Kan Water (symbolizing the kidney-water and the inner yin Qi, or vital energy) can become clear and still within the body; when the eyes do not look at external things, Li Fire (symbolizing the heart-fire and the inner yang Qi) can circulate within the body; when the mouth does not speak, Dui Metal (symbolizing the Qi of the lungs) will not sound or stir. After these three places have been gathered in and closed, the realized person (one who has attained the Dao) can wander at ease within them.

Chen Niwan

The cultivation of immortality has three levels, and the refining of the elixir likewise has three kinds of accomplishment. In the superior elixir method, one takes the body as lead and the mind as mercury, the power of concentration as water and wisdom as fire; in a mere instant they can congeal into an embryo. In the middle-grade elixir method, one takes Qi as lead and Shen (spirit) as mercury, the hour of wu as fire and the hour of zi as water; after a hundred days they can be harmonized and condensed into form. In the inferior elixir method, one takes Jing (essence) as lead and blood as mercury, the kidneys as water and the heart as fire; after one year they can fuse and congeal, and the work succeeds.

Li Daochun

When true lead and true mercury (metaphors in the art of Neidan for the Jing and Qi of Yin-Yang) combine, they can congeal and take form. In the inferior elixir method, one takes Jing as lead and blood as mercury, the kidneys as water and the heart as fire; after one year they can fuse and congeal, and the work succeeds.

Li Daochun

True lead and true mercury are the foundation for refining the Great Elixir. In gathering the medicine and refining the elixir, one should seek in the deep and unfathomable. Deliberate action and willful pursuit will in the end bring entanglement; neither seeking nor clinging, one can be without worry. When the mind is constantly clear and still, the numinous and luminous pearl of the heart will appear; forgetting external things and setting aside clever devices, the treasure of life can become full and complete. Whether in movement or in stillness, one can pass through without obstruction; abiding in the ordinary, it is as if one were dwelling on Yingzhou (the legendary immortal isle in the sea).

Li Daochun

The Great Medicines of the Three Origins (the inner-cultivation factors of Jing, Qi, Shen, and the like) have their meaning within mind and body; if one deliberately clings to mind and body, one will instead be tied to the dusty world. In regulating the breath one must regulate it until it becomes truly natural respiration; in refining Shen one must reach the state of not deliberately circulating the spirit. When one thoroughly forgets the distinction between things and self, the Three Flowers (the condensed state of Jing, Qi, and Shen) will gather; when one resolutely abandons clever devices and deluded thoughts, the Five Qi (the Qi of the five viscera) will return and collect. In this way one can reach everywhere without obstruction, and at any time and in any place one can manifest the Dao of Quanzhen (Complete Perfection).

When nature unites with Heaven, awareness grows ever more keen, yet this readily leads to attachment to the dusty phenomena of the outer world. Overemphasis on principles and an excess of thought often increase discrimination and clinging. Intelligence and talent cannot compare with unadorned simplicity and non-contention; eloquent debate is inferior to silence. Setting aside rumination and artifice leaves far less of right and wrong; gathering in one’s radiance and preserving inner cultivation keeps one far from the temptations of sound and form. When the thoughts of the mind flow through unobstructed, mixed deliberations can be clarified; the so-called “three minds” can thereby be thoroughly penetrated, allowing all manner of entanglements to subside.

A careful reading of the writings of the sages of the three teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism reveals that the character “xi” (to rest, cease, or breathe) is the most essential. If one applies effort upon this “xi,” whether becoming a Buddha or an immortal, there is no need to seek forcefully from without. Calming external conditions and turning back to observe one’s own mind is the key to Chan cultivation; calming delusive thoughts and clearly understanding principles is the utmost of Confucian self-cultivation; calming the breath, concentrating the Shen (spirit) and guarding the One, is the wonder of Daoist practice. When these three kinds of “xi” cooperate with one another, there is nothing that cannot be overcome.

Tianlaizi

To scoop the moon from the heart of the waves of the North Sea, one must first bind the clouds upon the ridges of the Southern Mountains. If anyone understands the meaning herein, they can ascend in flight and behold the Primordial Lady (Yuanjun, a venerated Daoist deity).

A half-moon shines upon the Western River, a crow flies toward the North Sea. The moon sets and the crow flies far, never to be found again; it is as if riding an ox backwards within the Guanghan Palace (the legendary palace of the moon).

The Gate of the Mysterious Female (Xuanpin zhi men, symbolizing the fundamental portal of Yin-Yang generation) stands open throughout the day; in its midst is an aperture leading to a blended, numinous, and luminous state of mind. There are no merchants, no door locks, and no one standing guard; the sun and moon still rise in the east and set in the west of their own accord.

In gathering the medicine and refining the elixir, one must understand the principle of the moon in the heavens; in cultivation, one must recognize the “gold within water” (a symbolic term in Neidan, internal alchemy). If the moon lacks geng qi, if gold is parted from water, even should there be true lead (a symbolic medicinal substance in alchemy), it amounts only to wasted effort of the mind.

Wumengzi

The body is like a cart, the mind like the crossbar on the cart (the horizontal wood at the front for holding); once the cart moves, the crossbar follows and cannot stop of its own accord. Why can one not obtain the Crossing Pears and Fire Dates (immortal fruits of Daoist legend)? Only because the thorns have not yet been cleared away.

The body is like a guest, the mind like the host. When the host is at peace and in harmony, the guest can dwell securely; if both host and guest fail to find peace, the Shen (spirit) will in the end depart from the body.

Longmeizi

All the various fluids lose their luster; Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate, the undifferentiated origin of all things) precedes everything.

The body is like a guest, the mind like the host. When the host is at peace and in harmony, the guest can dwell securely; if both host and guest fail to find peace, the Shen (spirit) will in the end depart from the body.

Longmeizi

After the fluids have dried up and their luster has faded, the original Taiji still precedes all things. The wind wheel (symbolizing the power of the circulation of Qi, vital energy) surges and produces true lead. When stillness reaches its extreme, movement arises once more, and thus from the boundless and limitless, formed things are generated.

The One Qi (the primordial vital energy before the myriad things differentiated) originally manifests from emptiness and non-being. The Two Modes (Yin-Yang) must circulate and transform in a state of composure and stability. The myriad things generate and transform without exhaustion, as if a grotto-heaven world were being magically produced within a gourd.

Zixu Liaozhenzi

The pivotal mechanism by which Qian and Kun (Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang) operate follows a definite regularity, and the gathering and refining in the cultivation of Li and Kan (trigrams often referring to heart and kidneys, Fire and Water) likewise has its proper timing. The Lead Dragon rises while the Mercury Tiger descends; Turtle and Snake (commonly symbolizing Water and Fire or Yin and Yang) meet and unite from above and below. The sun in the heavens seems to sink into the earth, and the moon from the sea floor appears to soar into the sky. Heaven, Earth, sun, and moon do not actually move of their own accord; these transformations become visible because the Handle of the Dipper (the handle of the seven stars of the Northern Dipper) turns. If a person’s mind and Shen (spirit) are in harmony with the Dao of Heaven, then in an instant one can attune and transform Yin and Yang.

After the Dragon and Tiger have battled, the Three Fields (upper, middle, and lower Dantian (energy centers), the sites in internal practice for gathering Qi and storing Shen) return to stillness. At this moment one collects the Mysterious Pearl (the term in Neidan (internal alchemy) for the condensed Jing (essence) and Qi) and plants it in the Dantian. The Yellow Dame (symbolizing the mediating force that harmonizes Yin and Yang and links Water and Fire) acts as go-between in the center, while the Infant and the Maiden (in Neidan, symbols of the two polar Jing-Qi of Yin and Yang) pursue and conjoin with one another. Effort must be applied throughout the year and also day after day; every moment of cultivation is marvelously ineffable. The practice secretly accords with the Dipper Lodge and the Ox Lodge (lunar mansion names, also alluding to the timing of Yin-Yang union); the celestial mechanism involved is profound and few indeed know of it.

By holding fast to the original essence and guarding the “One” (a method in Daoist cultivation of concentrating on the original essence so that mind and spirit unify), one can penetrate the mysterious apertures. Only through undivided concentration can one comprehend the teachings of the sages. The Supreme Mystery of the True One (the mysterious and authentic “One”) is the gateway for returning to the original essence of life; therefore the “One” is the true and constant Dao (the Way). Do not suppose that obtaining the “One” means all is accomplished; after obtaining it one must still hold and guard it without losing it. When the “One” permeates all affairs, one can understand heavenly principle; all methods returning to the “One” is nothing extraordinary.

In the beginning all things arise from the “One”; emptiness and the myriad existences depend on each other in order to endure. If one can cause the myriad existences to return to emptiness, then one will understand the principle of two sides opposing and transforming into each other, just as in observing the Northern Dipper (here meaning grasping the changes of Yin-Yang from the whole). Having reached this stage, after obtaining the “One” one must still forget the “One,” so as to emerge and transform together with creation. If one clings to the “One” and cannot forget it, one is as constrained as a foolish cat guarding a cave.

The Three and Five (factors such as Yin-Yang and the Five Phases of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) mix and return to unity, and the “One” then returns to emptiness; after returning to emptiness, even “emptiness” should not be clung to. Reaching the realm of no attachment whatsoever, clear and silent, even the “bearded one from the Western Heaven” (referring to the Buddha, a borrowed designation for foreign religious sages) need not be of concern. Nowadays some take “non-being” to mean a vast blank emptiness, which is stubborn emptiness, entering into deviation; some take the “One” as a real existent thing and cling to it obstinately, which is also futile. If one can grasp the “non-being that is not non-being” (the “non-being” that is not annihilative void), then while guarding the One one understands there is no “One” that can be grasped. Both the words “One” and “non-being” should be put down; not even clinging to “One” and “non-being,” the great affair of cultivating the Dao is completed.

In everyday life mysterious principles are everywhere, only that people of the world have not fully recognized them. One should constantly observe the good thoughts within the heart, not remaining merely at verbal discussion of Chan principles. None of the various methods can be regarded as absolute emptiness; the sayings transmitted from master to disciple through generations may also be merely expedient speech. If blessings have never been cultivated, how would misfortunes come first? Without increase there is no decrease; without change, how can there be transformation and elevation? From the growth of plants and trees one can also observe the principles of caution, harmony, and joy; there is no need to worry about transmission and change. If good causes are not planted, where would evil fruits arise? Break the bonds between self and other, leap out of the circle of right and wrong.

Do not cling to affairs after this present life, and also let go of seeking after what was before birth. Since there are no worldly attachments, why worry about karmic fire burning the body? Neither being nor non-being is clung to, so emptiness and reality are left to connect and transform as they will. Coming and going are all forgotten; what have life and death to do with oneself? When hungry, eat a bowl of rice; when thirsty, drink half a cup of spring water; when the mood arises, enjoy oneself at ease; when tired, sleep peacefully. Those who penetrate this principle need not seek another world beyond heaven. The present before the eyes is clear and bright, and ultimately it is also luminous and pure.

Daoyin method (a method of health-preserving cultivation that guides the circulation of Qi (vital energy) and blood through regulating the body, breath, and so forth).

Close both eyes, gather and concentrate the mind and Shen (spirit), and sit quietly in a settled posture. Form both hands into the “wogu” (grasping firmly), a hand seal commonly used in Daoism, and focus the mind in visualization. Lightly tap the upper and lower teeth thirty-six times. With both hands clasping the back of the head, alternately strike the two sides of the occiput; this is called “ming tiangu” (beating the heavenly drum), tapping the head in order to regulate the breath and still the Shen. Strike twenty-four times on each side. Then gently rock the neck; this is termed “yao tianzhu” (shaking the heavenly pillar). Stir the saliva inside the mouth with the tongue; this is called “chilong jiao shuijin” (the red dragon stirring the water fluids).

Gurgle the saliva thirty-six times so that the fluids in the mouth become abundant, then swallow them divided into three portions. Daoist arts of nourishing life commonly take the tongue as the “red dragon” and saliva as “jinye” (fluids), referring to the swallowing of the fluids as “yanjin.” While swallowing, imagine the fluids circulating along the body. Hold the breath, rub the hands until they are warm, and then use the hands to massage the “jingmen” (gate of Jing (essence), the related region of the waist) on the lower back. When one breath is about to be exhausted, imagine a flame arising around the navel; this location is called the “qilun” (navel wheel).

Then turn the waist and hips left and right and stretch both legs. Cross the hands, raise them upward, then lower the head and bend the body, repeatedly pulling the feet. When the fluids are felt surging upward, gurgle and swallow them again. Perform this for three rounds, swallowing the fluids a total of nine times. Produce a gurgling sound while swallowing, with the aim of harmonizing Qi (vital energy) and blood in every part of the body.

“Heche banyun” (River Cart transportation) is the term in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation for circulating the internal Qi of the body. Once the circulation is completed, visualize the fire Qi spreading throughout the entire body. The Jing (scripture) states that in this way evil spirits will not dare to draw near, the Shen will not become dull during sleep and dreams, cold and heat will not easily invade, and calamities and illness can also be avoided. Practice should take place before the zi hour or the wu hour so that cultivation corresponds with the Yin-Yang transformations of heaven and earth; cycle through the exercises in sequence, taking the transformations of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) as the basis.

Du Daojian

The Great Dao (the Way) is not distant; it is right before our eyes. By grasping the mysteries of the movements of heaven and earth, cultivation can achieve the fetal immortal (the immortal body symbolized as completed in Neidan (internal alchemy)). The most wondrous is to condense one's own original Shen (spirit); quietly wait and guard so that the mind-spirit seems present yet absent, stretching on without break.

The Yellow Emperor sought the mysterious pearl (symbolizing the Great Dao or the true secrets of cultivation), which was finally obtained by Xiangwang (the allegorical figure of no-mind and no-thought); the principle therein is right before our eyes. The most marvelous is to concentrate the Shen and quietly guard it, allowing the mind-spirit to continue unceasingly.

This principle must be realized with the heart and cannot be transmitted by words alone. When stillness reaches its extreme and concentration its profoundest depth, one enters a state of vague and indistinct obscurity; the Qi (vital energy) mechanism then changes, coiling and blending like smoke and clouds. The dragon's chant and the tiger's roar are a metaphor for the stirring momentum of Yin-Yang Qi within the body; the conjoining of lead and mercury refers to the union of Yin-Yang Jing (essence) and Qi in the alchemical process. The cultivator must gather and refine according to the proper timing, regulating the work through the operation of the fire timing.

Suspend the sword in the Southern Palace (a directional or bodily site in Neidan terminology), seal and stabilize the spirit chamber (the inner dwelling for storing and nourishing Shen and Qi), and refine the five-colored stones to mend one's own azure heaven. This borrows the story of Nüwa smelting stones to repair the sky as a metaphor for repairing and perfecting oneself. Forming the fetal elixir of Neidan takes only a moment, yet the fire timing must be continuously circulated and refined for a year; one must guard it patiently like a parrot incubating its eggs, setting aside all cluttered thoughts.

Turn the heavenly root and lunar cavern (symbolizing the locations or apertures of the rising and falling Yin-Yang Qi mechanism), allowing the breath to travel back and forth, up and down; the true Qi moistens and flows, circulating the entire body three times. Cultivation requires diligent perseverance without calculating gain or loss. Just as earth piled layer upon layer builds a high terrace and slender streams gather into rivers, the practice must accumulate day after day and month after month.

The opportunity for cultivation is rare, and time waits for no one; one should begin as early as possible and cultivate with care, not waiting until frost and snow have covered the hair before starting. — Perfected Xu

Without having opened the guanqiao (the checkpoints of Qi (vital energy) circulation in Neidan (internal alchemy) practice), merely sitting empty-handed is of no use, just as one cannot turn a millstone without wheat. This wastes mental effort and delays time, yet one still cannot escape the cycle of birth and death. Only after opening the guanqiao and bursting through the lockages can one operate the sanche (Neidan methods for driving the circulation of Qi), harmonizing the true Qi of water and fire, allowing the Qi to rise from the Yongquan point (acupoint on the soles of the feet) all the way to the Niwan Palace (cultivation site inside the crown of the head), circulating freely under complete self-mastery. Otherwise, one ultimately cannot escape the cycle of birth and death.

If the guanqiao have not been opened and the lockages have not been burst through, do not randomly twist and fiddle about. Unable even to preserve one's own nature and life, one still inquires of others about qianhong (Neidan terms often used as metaphors for the Jing (essence)-Qi and Yin-Yang transformations required in elixir refining). Everyone originally possesses this path of the sanguan (the three checkpoints through which Qi passes in cultivation): Jiaji and Shuangguan, ultimately reaching the dingmen. The correct path of cultivation takes this as its foundation, and one must also frequently swallow the huachi shenshui (Neidan term referring to the saliva in the mouth). The Zifu Yuanjun (a Daoist deity, here referring to the inner Shen (spirit)-Qi) circulates in reverse and upward, causing the Qi mechanism to continuously burst through the joints, so that Jing-Qi naturally becomes abundant and the gushen (the inner empty, still, and spiritually luminous spirit) can remain. As long as the gushen lasts long without decline, even ordinary people in the world can enjoy longevity.

Xue Zhenren said:

The work of cultivation emphasizes reverse circulation. In practice, one must first employ kan and li (Neidan terms symbolizing water and fire, Yin-Yang). The jade fluid in the pool must be frequently swallowed, and the golden Jing behind the elbows must continuously reverse and circulate. Within the mysterious there is yet more mystery; obtaining this divine elixir can increase longevity. Tightly lock the Valley Pass and grasp the true secret within it, and one becomes an immortal who never ages in the human world.

Xiaoyaozi said:

Before a person is born, they were connected to the mother. The fetus in the womb for ten months can move but cannot speak. At that time, day and night it does not rely on breathing; the coming and going of breath communicates with the mysterious Dao (the Way). From insentient things arises sentient life, and the empty and numinous nature permeates heaven and earth. After the umbilical cord is cut, a single point of the root of life settles. Nature and life return to the True Earth (Neidan term referring to the foundation for settling nature and life in cultivation); here one must seek the True Lead (Neidan term referring to the key Jing-Qi in cultivation).

Constantly guard against thoughts like a runaway horse, and at every moment restrain the mind-spirit like locking up a monkey. If one loses the original path, one will experience countless sufferings of cyclic rebirth; if one encounters a clear teacher who points it out and explains the mystery therein, in just twenty xun (about two hundred days), one can indeed ascend to the blue heavens.

When the Dantian (energy center; the site in the lower abdomen spoken of in Neidan [internal alchemy] cultivation) is stable, the breath can return to its root. When Qi (vital energy) gathers and Shen (spirit) concentrates, the realm of the Dao (the Way) manifests. If one wishes to preserve the clarity of Shen and Qi for a long time, one should begin from here and not waste the precious years in vain.

There is another method for nourishing life and resisting decline; there is no need to seek Yin-Yang outside the body. Cautiously guard the Wangguan (a cultivation term from the scripture), always remaining in profound stillness and silence. When the breath is firm and the spirit abundant, the body will naturally enjoy health and longevity.

Essentials of Nourishing Life

The eyes are the windows through which Shen enters and exits, the nose is the portal through which Qi enters and exits, and the Weilu (the end of the spine, a site related to cultivation of the lower origin) is the channel for the circulation of Jing (essence) and Qi. When a person looks too much, Shen is depleted; when breathing is improperly regulated, Qi becomes weak; when desires are excessive, Jing and Qi are exhausted. Therefore one should close the eyes to nourish Shen, even out the breath to nourish Qi, and gather in the lower origin to nourish Jing. When Jing is sufficient, Qi is abundant; when Qi is abundant, Shen is complete. These are what Daoists call the Three Treasures of Jing, Qi, and Shen.

When awake, a person's condition accords with Yang; when asleep, it corresponds to Yin. If one stays awake too long, the hun (ethereal soul) easily becomes excessive; if one sleeps too long, the po (corporeal soul) easily grows strong. The scripture holds that an overly strong hun leans toward the living, while an overly abundant po leans toward the dead. Therefore those skilled in nourishing life should cultivate the original harmonious Qi, reduce rich and strongly flavored foods, keep the spirit clear and the breath unobstructed, remaining lucid both day and night—this is the way of long life.

Abstaining from violent anger can nourish the temperament, reducing rumination can nourish Shen, speaking less can nourish Qi, and cutting off excessive desires can nourish Jing.

Miscellaneous Notes on the Mysterious Pass

Once there was a practitioner of the Dao who, while traveling, encountered three old men, all over a hundred years of age, weeding together in a field. He approached, bowed repeatedly, and asked: “By what means have you attained such longevity?”

The oldest replied: “My wife at home is unattractive.” The second replied: “I eat little in the evening.” The youngest replied: “I do not wear a hat when I go out at night.” The words of the three elders contain much reason; this is the source of their long life.

Speak little, worry little, eat little, and sleep a little less at night. Follow these “Four Lesses” and one can attain the realm of the immortals.

True Interpretation of Inner Nourishment

Laozi said, “It continues unbroken, as if it exists.” To call it “existent” makes it seem always present; to call it “as if” makes it seem not truly real. The essential aim of the Daoists is therefore to take vast, boundless emptiness as the fundamental key to cultivation, to take awareness without clinging or holding as the governing rule, and to take the non-arising of stray thoughts as the initial work of practice. A close reading of the various elixir scriptures shows that, in the end, none of them go beyond this principle.

Qi (vital energy) must be soft and gentle, never hard and forceful; it must flow smoothly, never run contrary or chaotic; it must remain settled, never become disordered; it must gather and condense, never scatter and dissipate. For this reason Daoist cultivation most strictly avoids anger. The moment an angry mind arises, Qi turns from soft to hard, from smooth to contrary, from settled to chaotic, and from gathered to scattered. Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) should be like a warm, gentle breeze or a bright, clear moon, and also like auspicious stars and rosy clouds, carrying not the slightest trace of perverse Qi; only then can they apply themselves to practice.

Secret Records of Cultivating Perfection

If a person’s mind is long given free rein, it races about without cease and forgets to turn back; if it is suddenly pinned down, it leaps away without limit. Giving free rein to the mind’s thoughts lets the original nature be pulled along by them; forcibly suppressing the mind’s thoughts depletes the mind-Shen (spirit). How, then, can the mind-Shen be brought to rest? The mind is originally still; it moves only because it comes into contact with external things. Once habituated to restlessness, the mind wanders in every direction; once habituated to stillness, the mind likewise becomes peaceful and at ease.

Those skilled in stilling the mind use tranquility to check restlessness, uprightness to prevent deviant thoughts, bland simplicity to restrain greedy seeking, and clear brightness to purify what is turbid. They remain easy and unhurried, giving rise to no desires and not busying themselves with pursuits. Whether walking or remaining still, whether hurried or at leisure, they follow this principle. After a long time of this, external things can no longer disturb the mind-Shen, and the inner mind naturally becomes luminous and clear. There is no need to seek stillness deliberately; the mind grows quiet of itself.

Those who cultivate perfection must first subdue their own mind. If the mind’s thoughts cannot be subdued, how can the original nature be seen? If the original nature cannot be clearly perceived, on what basis can the root of life be established? If neither nature nor life has been cultivated to completion, how can one attain the true? Therefore each portion of desire that is subdued preserves a corresponding portion of the Dao-mind.

The heart is the master of the five Yang (a general term for the Yang Qi (vital energy) of the human body), and the kidneys are the master of the five Yin (a general term for the Yin Qi of the human body). The Qi of the five Yin rises and is called Water; the Qi of the five Yang descends and is called Fire. The navel lies at the center of the body and is called the Central Palace; it is also the Mansion of Life (the site that concerns the very root of life). Here Jing (essence) and marrow are stored and nourished, and the meridians of Qi pass through. Those skilled in nourishing life can make the Li Fire in the heart descend and the Kan Water in the kidneys rise, using Water to replenish the Li Fire; they then let the Shen (spirit) of the heart rely upon the breath so that the two Qi of Yin-Yang intermingle and reach the state of Water and Fire Already Assisting (the harmony of Water and Fire). In this way the Qi of the entire body returns to pure Yang and the body becomes light and vigorous.

When an infant is in the mother’s womb, the infant exhales as the mother exhales and inhales as the mother inhales. The infant’s mouth and nose remain closed; communication with the mother’s body occurs only through the navel. After birth, once the umbilical cord is cut, a point of True Original Qi (the fundamental original Qi of life) gathers below the navel. Thus the navel is the root of life and the stem of original Qi.

If a person can render the mind empty and still, concentrate the spirit, withdraw inner awareness, and contemplate the place of the True Person’s breathing (the deep, long, natural breath spoken of in Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation), observing the breath as it moves up and down and holding to it in accordance with its natural course, then the Shen of the heart will rely upon the breath and the spirit will guard original Qi. Thoughts continue without scattering and gradually fuse into one; Shen and Qi then return to the root, and nature and life unite.

People live in Qi just as fish live in water. Water nourishes the fish, yet the fish may not be aware of it; Qi nourishes people, yet people often remain unaware. Nourishing Qi begins with regulating the breath: let the Shen of the heart guard the breathing so that thoughts continue without break and gradually merge into one; Shen and Qi then return to the root and nature and life unite.

When regulating the breath, first sit quietly to settle the Shen of the heart until the mind is as still and clear as in meditative absorption. Gently lower the gaze to the tip of the nose, then shift attention from the nose tip toward the navel; adjust the breathing until it is even, without hurried panting. While inhaling, experience the breath rising from below; while exhaling, experience it descending from above. As the breath comes and goes, be aware of it only faintly, as if it both is and is not; do not let attention break, nor force control, but simply follow the breath in and out, making only slight adjustments for evenness.

A person's original Shen (spirit) constantly resides in the eyes, and the Jing (essence) of the five viscera also gathers there. Therefore the Yinfu Jing says: “The mechanism is in the eyes,” meaning that the pivotal mechanism of bodily and mental activity is connected with the eyes.

The Daode Jing says: “Do not look upon what can be desired, so that the mind remains undisturbed.” This means that by not chasing after things that arouse greed, the mind will not fall into disorder. Therefore the method of inner nourishment is to keep the eyes slightly lowered, as if a curtain were hanging, and to withdraw the gaze so that it turns inward in contemplation; the heart-fire is made to descend to the Dantian (energy center), allowing the Shen to rest hidden in the depths without dispersing outward. In this way Shen and Qi (vital energy) naturally unite, and one may hope for long life.

Winter Solstice Xiaocan Wen (a short text recited or contemplated at the winter solstice)

Within the human body there is a precious treasure hidden in the Dantian. It is as light and soft as dense mist, and also like flying smoke; it can rise to the Niwan (the cultivation site inside the crown of the head) and descend to the Yongquan (the acupuncture point on the sole of the foot). It sometimes gathers and sometimes disperses, its form sometimes square and sometimes round. Shen and Qi naturally unite, and one may hope for long life.

Winter Solstice Xiaocan Wen

Within the body there is a precious thing hidden in the Dantian (energy center; the site of Neidan (internal alchemy) practice in the lower abdomen). It is as light as fine mist, yet like flying smoke; from the Niwan above (the Neidan site at the crown of the head) down to the Yongquan below (the acupoint on the sole of the foot), it gathers and disperses, sometimes square, sometimes round. It is bright, clean, and transparent inside and out, circling left and right through the body. Meeting Yin Qi (vital energy) it sinks into the earth; meeting Yang Qi it rises to the heavens.

The Golden Old Man (symbolizing metal, the Yang side in cultivation) gathers and refines mercury, while the Charming Maiden (symbolizing mercury, the Yin side in cultivation) captures and subdues lead. Employed according to the proper timing, they are cooked and refined within the body. After the winter solstice and before the summer solstice, the liquid in the golden tripod boils and the fire in the jade furnace blazes. The dragon’s chant stirs the eastern mountains; the tiger’s roar resounds through the western hills. The Yellow Dame (symbolizing the medium that harmonizes Yin-Yang) proceeds through Wuwei (non-action), while Master Ding remains silent; the husband and wife within the body, Yin and Yang, unite like clouds and rain blending together.

Heaven-one generates Water; the key lies in the pure source. Li-Ji and Kan-Wu (the Yin-Yang symbols of the Li and Kan trigrams in Neidan) take Earth as foremost. Within Earth there is Fire, whose mystery is grasped by mind and Shen (spirit). One must be like a dragon nurturing a luminous pearl, water ripples reflecting a jade-hued deep pool; or like a parrot brooding on its egg, breath slow and prolonged. A magnet draws iron, naturally connecting; the flower pedicel nurtures the fruit, and within the kernel Qi is abundant.

Without deliberately holding fast, yet always keeping a single thought, as if something were at rest. Cultivation begins at the Kan position and finally reaches the Qian position. Bathing at the Mao and You hours (the stage of regulating breath and nourishing Qi in Neidan), one adjusts advance and retreat, extraction and replenishment; there is both civil fire and martial fire for tempering and forging. Once the Sacred Embryo (the inner fruit condensed in Neidan) is accomplished, an iron pestle pierces the Three Passes (the barriers traversed by the Qi mechanism). Then the River Chariot (the bodily mechanism in Neidan that circulates Jing (essence) and Qi) is driven, transporting water up the mountain.

The One Ruling Corpse and the Six Thieves (Daoist terms for attachments that dominate body and mind and sensory desires that disturb the Shen) fill one with fear. White snow fills the silver bowl, appearing of one uniform color; clear water is stored in the jade vase, and thus the Great Return (the state of elixir completion and return to origin in Neidan) is achieved. A clap of thunder sounds, and one already stands at the crown gate; high above the ten-thousand-li blue sky hangs a disk of toad moonlight.

Winter Solstice Lyric

Watching the handle of the Big Dipper revolve around the heavens, one suddenly grasps the wondrous secret of immortal cultivation: a spark of true Yang arises at the Kan position (Water of the Kan trigram, Yang within Yin), filling the deficiency of the Li palace. Creation operates silently; Fire is born in Water, and the mystery lies at the Xu-Wei acupoint (the cultivation site corresponding to the northern asterisms). This year’s winter solstice, the plum blossoms are still covered in white snow as in years past.

The former sages secluded themselves on this day, having no dealings with the outside world, all for the sake of sentient beings. All things contain the spark of life, just as the Zi hour is about to arrive and the Hai hour is about to end. The deficiency of the Li palace is silently replenished by creation; Fire is born in Water, and the mystery lies at the Xu-Wei acupoint. This year’s winter solstice, the plum blossoms are still covered in white snow as in years past.

The ancient sages secluded themselves on this day, having no contact with the outside world, all for the sake of the multitude of living beings. Each of the myriad things contains within it the generative impulse of life, precisely at the beginning of the zi hour and the end of the hai hour, this interval of Yin-Yang interchange. From ancient times, the transformations of Qian and Kun between heaven and earth, together with the Yin-Yang water and fire represented by Li and Kan, have never paused for even a single day. Now if one can recognize the principle within, one can cause the Golden Crow (the golden crow symbolizing yang Qi, vital energy) to fly into the Toad Pass (the lunar palace symbolizing yin Jing, essence), implying the union of yin and yang.

Song of the Mysterious Female (Xuanpin)

The divine water in the Flowery Pond (Huachi, a cultivation term referring to the place within the body that nourishes Jing and Qi) is the root of the generation and transformation of heaven and earth; refining, nourishing, and ingesting it can confer longevity. From ancient times, although the way of the immortals has had no fixed doctrine, all have entered the gate of the true Dao through the Mysterious Female (Xuanpin, the root of generation according to Daoism and a key aperture in cultivation). What is the Mysterious Female? It is the two kidneys already present before the infant is born. Between the two kidneys there is a point of numinous brightness: following the ordinary human path, one grows into a person; reversing the cultivation, one can form the Neidan (internal alchemy).

When yang Qi first arises, one must begin the work of cultivation, extracting the white from darkness and seeking the substantial from emptiness. In this way, yellow sprouts (Huangya, a symbol of the budding of vital energy in Neidan cultivation) will be produced within the body. If one merely idlely guards for nine years or three years, it may well prove fruitless. If people of the world wish to recognize the true Mysterious Female, it is neither in the heart nor in the kidneys; one must thoroughly trace back to the origin when a person receives life and is endowed with primordial Qi. Do not marvel that the heavenly mechanism is revealed so plainly here.

“Extracting the white from darkness and seeking the substantial from emptiness. In this way, yellow sprouts will be produced within the body. If one merely idlely guards for nine years or three years, it may well prove fruitless. If people of the world wish to recognize the true Mysterious Female, it is neither in the heart nor in the kidneys; one must thoroughly trace back to the origin when a person receives life and is endowed with primordial Qi. Do not marvel that the heavenly mechanism is revealed so plainly here.”

Oral Secrets of Cultivating Truth

The crux of cultivating truth lies solely in the two words “nature” and “life”; departing from the Dao of nature and life is a heterodox path. People of the world do not understand what is meant by nurturing nature; Lü Dongbin illustrated it with refining the mind. They do not understand what is meant by establishing life; Zhang Guo and Xu Xun analogized it with subduing Qi. When the mind is not attached to any thing, that is true suchness, and this is nurturing nature; when Qi enters the body and sinks down to return to the primordial ocean (Yuanhai, the location within the body regarded as the source of primordial Qi), this is establishing life.

Daoism takes Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) as the three treasures, the foundation of elixir refinement. The key to refining Jing lies in the body: if the body does not act recklessly, there are no desires, and Jing is preserved. The key to refining Qi lies in the mind: if the mind does not act recklessly, there are no stray thoughts, and Qi is preserved. The key to refining Shen lies in intention: if intention does not act recklessly, body and mind can unite as one, returning to emptiness and stillness, and Shen is preserved. Therefore Jing, Qi, and Shen are the three fundamental medicines, while body, mind, and intention are the three essential secrets of cultivation.