《黄帝阴符经注夹颂解注(王道渊)》

The Huangdi Yinfu Jing Jiasong Jiezhu (Commentary and Annotations on the Yellow Emperor's Scripture of the Hidden Talisman, with Interlinear Verses) was written by Wang Jie (courtesy name Daoyuan), a Daoist of the Yuan-Ming transitional period, and consists of three fascicles. The work is included in the Yujue (Jade Instructions) category of the Dongzhen (Cavern of Perfection) section of the Zhengtong Daozang (Daoist Canon of the Zhengtong Era), and was later also collected in the section on the Yellow Emperor's Yinfu Jing (scripture) in the Zhonghua Daozang (Chinese Daoist Canon).

The laws of the Heavenly Dao (Dao, the Way) are embodied in the human person, and human beings in turn follow the Heavenly Dao in how they act. This is precisely why the Yinfu Jing (Jing, scripture; the Scripture of the Hidden Talisman) was written. Tradition holds that the Yellow Emperor, wholly devoted to the Dao, traveled to Mount Kongtong to visit Guangchengzi, asked him about the ultimate Dao, and received the essential teaching on reversion and long life. Later, on Mount Emei, he visited the Perfected Person Huangren and obtained the cultivation texts on the "Five Sprouts" and the "Three Ones." The Yellow Emperor kept these teachings secret, treasured and practiced them, and in the end became a supreme immortal.

The Yellow Emperor feared that later practitioners of the Dao would lose the true meaning of these principles. He therefore composed the Yinfu Jing in three sections, upper, middle, and lower, following the order of the "Three Powers" of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, and set forth the particular mysteries of Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit). Worried that people would not grasp the principle of "reversion," he opened the text with the line: "Observe the Way of Heaven and hold fast to the workings of Heaven, and all is fulfilled." This sentence is the guiding thread of the entire scripture.

To understand the Way of Heaven, one must understand the human way; to understand the human way, one must understand the way of the elixir, that is, Neidan (internal alchemy); and to understand the way of the elixir, one must grasp the key to the transformations of Yin-Yang and the alternation of movement and stillness. Only by grasping this key can one understand the principle of inner and outer reversion. Once this is understood, one will not miss the right moment to gather and refine lead and mercury (symbolic terms in internal alchemy), and will not lose the right moment in applying the talisman fire (a metaphor in practice for the regulation of heat and the progress of the work). The scripture says: "Cut off profit at its single source, and the army's strength is multiplied tenfold; return three times, day and night, and the army's strength is multiplied ten thousandfold." This means that gathering one's scattered thoughts and focusing them on a single point yields ten times the effect, while practicing day and night, returning again and again, yields ten thousand times the effect. It shows that the essentials of cultivating perfection are, first, to gather in body and mind, set one's resolve, and not waver easily; and second, to keep up the practice of "drawing out and adding in" (a method in internal alchemy for regulating Yin-Yang and the heat of the fire) without interruption.

The Way of Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) cultivation has no other secret; the key lies in keeping Jing, Qi, and Shen fully abundant. Withdraw the gaze, and Shen returns to its true state; withdraw the hearing, and Jing returns to its true state; close the mouth and speak little, and Qi returns to its true state. Once one understands these "three completions and three trues," Jing, Qi, and Shen will blend naturally within the body, and when refined with true fire, they form the "Golden Embryo" (a term in internal alchemy for the fruit of the practice). After ten months of cultivation, when Yin Qi is exhausted and Yang Qi is pure and whole, one can then shed the embryo and transform in spirit, changing without limit, transcending life and death, and attaining an indestructible, diamond-like body. This is what is called the "Returned Elixir."

In my view, the text of the Yinfu Jing is concise, yet its meaning is profound. Some who do not grasp its principles seek elsewhere and so stray from the correct path. For this reason, I have not shied from the charge of presumption: following the secret instructions passed down by my late teacher, I have explained the scripture section by section and have also composed verses to sum up, confirm, and reveal its hidden meanings, to be left as a reference for later like-minded readers. I do this not because I presume to have fully expressed its principles, but in the hope of offering some help to beginners.

Preface by Hunranzi Wang Daoyuan.

The Way of Heaven (Tiandao) causes the myriad things to grow, and it also causes them to perish. This is the principle of the Dao (the Way).

From the perspective of change among the myriad things, when Heaven causes things to grow, this belongs to Yang; when Heaven causes things to perish, this belongs to Yin. The alternation of one Yin and one Yang is called the "Dao" (the Way), and the pattern of one birth and one killing is called "principle" (li). In spring, the myriad things sprout and grow within the Yang qi (vital energy); this is Heaven's benevolence. In autumn, the myriad things contract and wither with the Yin qi; this is Heaven's righteousness. The waxing and waning of Yin and Yang is precisely the pattern of the Dao.

Therefore, the sage observes the Way of Heaven, grasps the patterns within it, and instructs the people of the world through Wuwei (non-action); this is the sage's benevolence. The sage also sets the world's laws in order by means of the five punishments (the five kinds of punishment in ancient times); this is the sage's righteousness. Benevolence and righteousness manifest respectively as substance and function, and together they constitute the Dao of the sage.

In terms of the practical application of cultivation, when the practitioner's body reaches the "winter solstice" (in Neidan, or internal alchemy, the moment when Yang qi begins to stir), they should withdraw into seclusion and sit in stillness, settling the heart and Shen (spirit). Using intention as though kindling a fire, they refine Jing (essence) into qi, driving the Yang fire in the Governing Vessel upward from the Taixuan Palace (a palace within the body) to the Southern Palace (a palace within the body). This embodies the pattern by which Heaven causes the myriad things to grow. When Yang reaches its extreme it begins to decline, so beneath the fifth Yang a Yin is born. At this point one should gather in the Yang qi and turn to the Yin talisman phase (the stage of practice in Neidan that corresponds to and contrasts with the Yang fire). From the Jade Mountain and Upper Capital (a palace within the body), descend along the Multiple Towers (referring to the region of the spine), sending the qi down to the Kun position (the place symbolizing Yin) and halting there. Then forge it with the martial fire (a more forceful practice of intention), refining Yin into Yang. This embodies the pattern by which Heaven causes the myriad things to wither and perish.

When the breath circulates through the whole body, continuous and unbroken, seeming both present and absent, is this not precisely the pattern of the Dao? Master Shao (the Song dynasty scholar Shao Yong) said: "When Qian meets Xun, look upon the Moon's Cave; where Earth meets Thunder, tread upon the Heaven's Root. Between Heaven's Root and the Moon's Cave, one comes and goes at leisure; the thirty-six palaces are all spring." This describes precisely such a state.

The verse says: The Yang dragon and the Yin tiger coil about one another; the heavenly mechanism of birth and killing has its own pattern. When the true seed of "One-Nine" (the true Yang qi in Neidan) is refined, spring fills the pot (referring to the human body), and the movement of the Dao continues without end.

Heaven and Earth are the conditions by which the myriad things draw upon one another; the myriad things are what humans draw upon; and humans, too, become what the myriad things draw upon.

Heaven and Earth are the "thieves" of the myriad things. This means that Heaven and Earth give birth to and nourish all things, whose forms and lives take shape through the movement and transformation of Yin-Yang. When a person's mind stirs, Heaven and Earth know it: those who do good receive the protection of ghosts and spirits, while those who do evil are punished by thunder and lightning. This is the principle by which Heaven and Earth transform and generate all things and exert their influence upon them.

The myriad things, in turn, are "thieves" of human beings. This passage says that all things grow and change together with people. The human body harbors many worms, which the ancients said numbered eighty-four thousand; here only a few examples are given: inside the body, pinworms and roundworms trouble a person, and on the surface, fleas and lice bite. Tan Jingsheng's Huashu (Book of Transformations) says that the worms in the belly drain a person's Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy), harm the hun and po souls, and feed on what nourishes the body, and so they are able to survive. This is the aspect of the myriad things "stealing" from humans.

Human beings, too, are "thieves" of the myriad things. Humans are the most spiritually endowed of all beings. Their minds can grasp the principles of all things and learn the laws of change from Heaven and Earth. Observing spiders spinning webs, they learned to make nets; observing bees living in colonies, they established the order of ruler and minister; observing the clasped-paw gestures of mice, they devised ritual etiquette; observing the cry of the phoenix, they created music; observing the columns of ants, they arranged battle formations. The sage can take the principles from the myriad things and apply them to himself or herself, and this is what is meant by humans "stealing" from the myriad things.

In sum, Heaven and Earth, the myriad things, and humans all dwell within the great flow of transformation, depending on one another and both gaining and losing through one another, all as a result of the movement of Qi of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Only the person who has attained the Dao (the Way) understands the principle of these "three thefts" and rises beyond the constraints of Yin-Yang transformation, and so avoids being troubled by the Three Corpses (sanshi, spirits within the body that, in Daoist belief, can harm practitioners). Students of the Dao should reflect on this carefully.

The verse says: Heaven and Earth, humans and the myriad things grow together, and each one's form and bodily openings hold spiritual power. The myriad things take from one another, following the changes of Yin-Yang; one who awakens to the Dao can rise above the ordinary world and enter Taiqing (the Great Purity, in Daoist belief a realm of pure and lofty tranquility).

Understanding the Three Plunders (the reciprocal relationship of taking and using among Heaven, Earth, and Humanity) and allowing each to find its proper place, the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity) will be settled and at peace.

This continues the preceding passage, which explained the meaning of the "Three Plunders." A person who has achieved success in cultivating the Dao (the Way) has a clear and awakened mind and nature, and can penetrate the principles behind all things. Such a person therefore sees that the human body is only a temporary gathering of the qi (vital energy) of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and is not bound by physical form. In secret, this person employs the talisman fire (a practice in Neidan, or internal alchemy, of regulating the breath and circulating qi) to refine and nourish body and spirit, so that shen (spirit) and qi condense into what is called the great medicine of the Golden Elixir. This person can also destroy the Three Corpse worms (in Daoist belief, spirits within the body that obstruct cultivation). Once the workings of the Three Plunders have been calmed, the Three Powers are naturally settled.

Shao Yong said that if one knows that all things are already complete within oneself, why establish Heaven, Earth, and Humanity as separate foundations? Zhang Ziyang said that one should harmonize the two qi of Yin-Yang on the Yellow Path (the course of circulation described in Neidan), and gather the Three Natures in the Original Palace (the place in cultivation where nature, life, and spirit return to their source). When shen is abundant, one does not wish to sleep; when qi is abundant, one does not wish to eat; when jing (essence) and qi are abundant, no desire arises. When one's practice reaches this stage, why worry that the Three Powers will not be settled?

The verse says: The Three Plunders and the Three Powers are all complete within a single body. The Heart-Sovereign (the spirit of the heart) transforms all things and returns each to its proper place. When the order of Heaven and Earth is settled, demons and evil spirits retreat and submit; when the world is clear and at peace, it is all owing to the blessings of the sage.

Therefore it is said: when eating and drinking accord with the proper time, every part of the body is in harmony; when movement grasps the key moment, the transformations of all things can be settled.

This passage continues the idea of the "stability of the Three Powers" from the preceding section. The phrase "eat and drink at the proper times, and the joints of the whole body are harmonized" means that what matters most for a practitioner of the Dao in daily life is harmonizing the five organs, and that meals must not stray from their appropriate hours. When eating and drinking follow the right times, the qi and blood flowing through the three hundred and sixty joints of the body circulate smoothly, and the body is less prone to illness.

Once the body is healthy, one can steady the gallbladder spirit and nourish the primordial qi (Qi), so that the heart-spirit (Shen) constantly abides in the Middle Field (the central Dantian, the energy center in the middle of the body). Then, at the proper times, one takes the Flower Pool's jade fluid (the Neidan, or internal alchemy, term for the saliva in the mouth) and uses it to irrigate and nourish the Spirit Root, so that the seedling of cultivation naturally grows lush and flourishing. The Laozi says: "When the Dao prevails under heaven, war horses are sent back to plow the fields; I alone am different, and I treasure the nourishing of the root of all things." This is precisely what it means.

"When its mechanism is set in motion, the ten thousand transformations settle" means that when the first Yang arises and Yang qi begins to stir, one should seize the moment and turn the handle of the Dipper so that Yang qi returns. With one round of practice, the myriad spirits throughout the body become unobstructed. The Golden Elixir Poem of the Perfected Chunyang writes: Dwelling alone within the great image of Heaven and Earth, one circulates the primordial qi finely from beginning to end; the mind's craft is so nimble that it seems to drive the Northern Dipper in every direction, and the gallbladder's courage so robust that it seems to reverse the Southern Star. In the course of the practice, the golden cauldron cracks and the jade furnace stands empty, ghosts and spirits are startled to tears, and even chickens and dogs seem to shed their forms and transform. How could ordinary people easily find the great Dao? The great Dao is subtle and profound, and cannot be exhausted. The Elixir Classic (Jing) also says: Ponder its wonders closely, and every day urge yourself to drink from the cup of purple mist; if you can seize and subdue the essence of the earthly soul, the heavenly soul will come to wish you long life. This is exactly the principle at stake.

The eulogy says: One who cultivates the Dao should regulate eating and drinking with moderation, so that the one qi is harmonized and the five organs are clear and calm. Nourish the body with the golden liquid and refine it with the spirit fire, and the pores of the whole body will give off radiance.

People recognize the marvel that manifests, yet they do not know that what appears formless and unmanifest is the very source from which that marvel is able to appear.

The character shen (神, Shen, spirit) speaks of numinous subtlety, and it also refers to a person's original nature. The spiritual nature of a person is empty, luminous, and without form. Before one's parents gave birth to one, it had no beginning that could be named; after birth, it has no end that could be named. It is supremely numinous and sacred, profound and subtle. It embraces all forms, governs the spirit of all things, neither arises nor perishes, and has neither round nor square shape.

The Perfected One (zhenren, a Daoist title for one who has realized the Dao) Bai Ziqing said: "The Shen spoken of here is not the spirit at work in thought and deliberation, but the original nature that can stand side by side with the Primordial Beginning (yuanshi, the Daoist term for the origin of all things)."

This section teaches that those who cultivate the Dao (道, the Way) should, in their daily practice, give priority to understanding their original nature. The mind should always be kept clear and still, without the slightest attachment to private desire, and without clinging to outward appearances or deliberately seeking after the mysterious. The moment a single thought arises, the Shen being described is no longer the Shen in its original state.

The scripture (jing, 经) says: "The Shen of a person by nature loves stillness, yet the mind disturbs it." The whole wondrous function of Shen lies in a mind that is empty and bright, holding nothing, quiet and containing the genuine. It is of one body with the Great Void (taixu, the vast and boundless emptiness) and as luminous as the sun and moon. In handling affairs and meeting things, one should respond according to one's nature as the moment calls, dealing with them naturally, so that body and mind move through without obstruction. This is the principle by which, without deliberately seeking Shen, its wonder appears of itself.

The Perfected One Zhang said: "Look at it and you cannot see its form; call to it and it answers." The Diamond Sutra says: "If one seeks me through form, or seeks me through sound, that person walks a mistaken path and cannot see the Tathagata." These words are already quite thorough.

The verse says: "A single point of primordial spirit: call to it, and it answers." It then cites that passage of the Diamond Sutra to show that one cannot seek the Tathagata through outward form and sound.

The verse continues: "This single point of primordial spirit is the supremely numinous Shen. If one takes the knowing or the wonder of Shen as something to be grasped, it is no longer the true Shen. If a person can realize that the very substance of Shen is still, empty, and luminous, then one can dwell clearly within true emptiness, without the slightest obscuration."

The sun and moon each move according to a fixed measure, and each has its own set size and allotment. From this arise the achievements of the sages, and from this too the wondrous function of the spirits becomes manifest.

The preceding text explained how to understand the substance of "nature" (xing). This passage goes on to describe the method for cultivating "life" (ming). Once nature has been cultivated, one must continue to cultivate life; only through the dual cultivation of nature and life (性命双修) can one reach a realm in which both body and spirit are refined and subtle.

The method of cultivating life can begin with observing the Dao of Heaven. The sun and moon move through their courses and produce the winter and summer solstices; when Yin-Yang has waxed and waned by half, the spring and autumn equinoxes arise. Days accumulate into months, and months into years. The movements of the sun and moon therefore follow fixed patterns, and the waxing and waning of the moon proceeds in a settled order.

The sun belongs to Yang and the moon to Yin. The moon has no light of its own but borrows the light of the sun. On the last day and the first day of each month, the moon lies in the same direction as the sun and is dark. After the second and third days, the moon gradually moves away from the sun; struck by sunlight, it begins to show a faint glow, which then grows brighter and brighter. The Yang side of the moon gradually increases while its Yin side gradually recedes. By the night of the eighth day, the moon is half bright and half dark, which is called the "first quarter" (shangxian). From then until the night of the fifteenth, the moon stands opposite the sun and its light is full; at this point the Yang side reaches its peak, and the Yin side begins to grow. After the sixteenth and seventeenth days, the Yin side gradually increases while the Yang side gradually wanes, and the moonlight diminishes as well. By the night of the twenty-third, the moon is again half bright and half dark, which is called the "last quarter" (xiaxian). From then until the thirtieth night, the moonlight is exhausted and the moon returns to darkness. This cycle repeats without end. Such is the natural course of change in the Dao of Heaven.

Practitioners follow this principle by circulating the fire phases of the celestial cycle (zhoutian huohou) within their own bodies (the regulation of the movement of qi and the timing of its advance and retreat in Neidan practice). The "sun and moon" mentioned here also refer to spirit and essence, water and fire, lead and mercury (Neidan terms symbolizing the Yin and Yang essences and qi in cultivation), and nature and emotions.

In refining the elixir, one unites Shen and Qi, stabilizing them within. One then sets the intent of the spirit in motion from the yin direction (the direction and double-hour associated with yin), and applies the fire at the shen hour, like the sun illuminating the moon, so that light gradually arises and strengthens. The essence and qi flow and transform into qi, rising directly into the Niwan (a Neidan term for the head), like the moon standing opposite the sun. After this, Yin qi arises, and one withdraws the fire according to the method described in the Qingnü zhuan (a Neidan term for adjusting the retreat of qi), entering the Palace of Kun (a direction or bodily region symbolizing receptivity and yielding). The qi of sun and moon unite as one and coagulate into the returned elixir (huandan; the elixir spoken of in Neidan cultivation). When the elixir first forms it is small, and as the practice deepens and it is continually nourished, it gradually grows strong. Thus it is said that the movements of the sun and moon follow fixed patterns, and the size of the elixir follows a corresponding order.

By diligently gathering and drawing in, and by refining at the proper times, the true embryo (zhentai; the Neidan name for the elixir embryo) will grow and wisdom will open. Hence it is said: "From this arises sagely accomplishment; from this, spiritual illumination becomes manifest."

The verse says: The sun and moon come and go according to the rules of the celestial cycle; the work of cultivation is carried out upon the Brahma qi (fanqi; a Daoist term for primordial qi), condensing a numinous embryo. From the subtle it gradually becomes manifest, and the spirit transcends the ordinary and enters sagehood; like lotus flowers planted in fire, blossom after blossom opens.

Practitioners who follow what was said earlier and set the Yin-Yang (阴阳) transformations of sun and moon in motion within their own bodies can achieve marvelous effects. The "stealing of the mechanism" (dao ji, 盗机) spoken of here is not worldly theft. It refers to the method of circulating the celestial cycle (zhou tian) and drawing on the talisman fire (fu huo), a term in Neidan (内丹, internal alchemy) for the use of breath and the regulation of heat. The commentator holds that, within the span of a single breath, a practitioner can obtain the transformative power of a whole year of Heaven and Earth, and this is why it is called "stealing the mechanism." An alchemical classic says: "When the Five Phases (五行) run in their forward course, the tiger is born in the water; when the Five Phases are inverted, the dragon emerges from the fire." This means that the Five Phases operating in their ordinary sequence differ from the sequence used when they are reversed in cultivation. One who perfects this Dao (道) is not bound by the seasons of Heaven and Earth, nor limited by the sexagenary count of years, and so the commentator calls a great practitioner "a thief from beyond Heaven and Earth."

This "stealing of the mechanism" is extremely simple, yet it has neither form nor image, so people in the world can neither see it nor know it. Here the text cites Zhang Ziyang: "The work is easy; the medicine is not far." This means that the work of cultivation is not complicated, and the "medicine" being sought is not distant.

When a person of noble character (junzi, 君子) attains this Dao, they become humble and yielding, hidden and unassuming, guarding simplicity and genuineness. They do not display their cleverness or talent, and they take De (德, Virtue) as the foundation of their conduct. They continually reduce their desires and blend in with the common world. When someone comes seeking instruction, they respond according to the matter at hand, without being pleased or angered by it. They never flaunt that they possess the Dao, and so they are able to preserve themselves. Here the text quotes the Laozi: "I have three treasures, which I hold and keep." These three treasures are compassion, frugality, and not daring to put oneself ahead of others. It also quotes: "The highest Virtue does not regard itself as virtuous, and therefore it has Virtue," meaning that those of the highest Virtue do not consider themselves virtuous, and that is precisely why they truly possess it.

If a petty person (xiaoren, 小人) obtains this Dao, they are eager to show it off. Unable to conceal their sharpness or keep to their place, they become self-righteous and arrogant, boast of their achievements and exalt themselves, and deceive others and slight the Dao's laws without restraint. Their Virtue is shallow, and so they earn people's loathing. Such people often fall into calamity and recklessly throw away their lives. The commentator takes Pang Juan as an example and cites the Laozi to explain: those who display themselves do not see clearly; those who justify themselves are not made prominent; those who boast of their merit have no real merit; those who exalt themselves do not endure; and those who are forceful and combative do not meet a good end. Confucius likewise said that the petty person goes against the Doctrine of the Mean because they act without restraint. These words are not empty talk, and those who cultivate the Dao should examine them carefully.

The eulogy says: Using talisman fire to forge and refine the transformative power of mountains and rivers is to steal the Heavenly mechanism. The great Dao is vast and deep, yet subtle and hard to perceive. When the person of noble character obtains it, they withdraw and guard themselves; when the petty person attains the Dao, they act recklessly.

Though the blind cannot see, they can be skilled at listening; though the deaf cannot hear, they can be skilled at seeing. If one cuts off the desire for gain at a single source and returns the mind to unity and stillness, the results of cultivation will be ten times those of ordinary effort; and if one repeats the practice of the "three returns" day and night, the results can reach ten thousand times those of ordinary effort.

"Gu" (瞽) is a term for the blind, and "deaf" means unable to hear. By worldly reasoning, even a person whose eyes have lost their sight may still be good at hearing, and even a person whose ears have lost their hearing may still be good at seeing. The author uses this as a metaphor to warn practitioners: when people's greed knows no end, and the Shen (spirit) chases outward after the senses, they lose their inner cultivation. From the standpoint of cultivating the Dao (the Way), however, the sagely wisdom of a great practitioner is perfectly integrated and unobstructed, and the workings of the Shen move without hindrance, so that the eyes can "hear" and the ears can "see." The marvel of this seeing and hearing lies not in the eyes and ears themselves, but in the luminous clarity of the Shen.

"Cut off gain at a single source, and the effort is ten times greater" means taking sincere and luminous nature as the root, severing desire for gain, and making the mind still and single-pointed, so that one's empty, bright, and numinous nature can manifest. Yet this work of cultivating nature alone ultimately falls short of the work of cultivating the body and life, and so it is said to require ten times the effort of ordinary people. Even if one attains perfect stillness and immobility, one may still be in the realm of the yin spirit. How can this compare with cultivating the Qi (vital energy) of life, returning it three times day and night, and thereby producing the marvelous effect of restoring Yang and transforming the bones?

The "three returns" have two interpretations. The outer three returns refer to the eyes, ears, and mouth; the inner three returns refer to Jing (essence), Qi, and Shen. Throughout the twelve double-hours of the day, outwardly one must withdraw the gaze, settle the hearing, and seal the breath of the mouth, turning awareness inward day and night without a moment's interruption. Inwardly, one must unite the Three Treasures of Jing, Qi, and Shen, and not miss the moment for cultivation. When the time of "lead meeting Gui and generating" arrives, that is, the moment in Neidan (internal alchemy) when Yin and Yang meet and the medicine stirs, one suspends the "millet pearl," the size of a grain of millet, in emptiness, clenches the fists firmly and remains still, and lets the Shen and intention sink into the lower Dantian (energy center), called in the text the "bottom of the sea." There one refines Jing into Qi, and then drives it upward to the Southern Palace (the seat of the heart), repairing Li to restore Qian.

After this, one continues to refine Qi into Shen, sending it straight to the Yellow Court (the region of the middle Dantian within the body). When the Xun Gate (a gateway referred to in the practice) opens, one nourishes it warmly with the great fire for a short while, and may then refine Shen and return to emptiness. At that point the mind is empty and luminous, and it recovers its original nature. This is the way of the dual cultivation of nature and life (性命双修).

The Duren Jing (Scripture of Salvation) says: "Harmonize the five Qi so that the hundred spirits blend together; after ten revolutions, the numinous Qi returns, and all the Qi together ascend to immortality." The alchemical classics say: "One need not deliberately divide each double-hour into Zi and Wu; even in a realm without trigrams or lines, one can fix Qian and Kun." Thus, with each round of practice, the heavens praise from afar, and the myriad sovereigns offer ceremony and reverence. The efficacy of cultivating Neidan is exceedingly vast. Returning three times day and night, is this not ten thousand times the effort of ordinary people?

The verse says: The blind can hear and the deaf can see; the marvel lies in the Shen being open and penetrating. Cut off desire for gain and purify the source, and the results of cultivation surpass ordinary effort tenfold. Day and night refine and nourish the three great medicines; the spiritual transformations are inexhaustible, and the workings of the Dao have no end.

The human mind stirs thoughts because of external things, and it also sinks and is lost because of external things. The key lies in the eyes.

From the worldly perspective, the minds of ordinary people are constantly led about by physical forms and outer circumstances. They are troubled by scattered thoughts all day long and are rarely free of external things for even a moment. When thoughts arise in response to external things, the mind is easily constrained by them and drawn toward ruin. The crucial point is the two eyes. Whenever an external thing appears before us, the eyes always see it first. Once it is seen, if craving arises, the mind is stirred and consciousness follows the outer scene, chasing after it. Over days and months, this plants the root of decline. Most of this comes from the eyes clinging outward and causing the Shen (spirit) to leak away.

The Laozi says: "People live, yet their actions often lead them toward the place of death. The common people take death lightly because they pursue a life of excess." The mind is hard to gather in because the key lies in the eyes.

From the perspective of Daoist cultivation, a great practitioner keeps their thoughts upright, makes the state of mind pure and still, and takes the Dao (the Way) as the foundation. Whenever the mind is pulled by external things, they employ the "Six Spiritual Powers" (the six supernormal abilities spoken of in Daoist cultivation), release a great golden light that illuminates the boundless realm, and revolve the Northern Dipper and the Southern Star to bring the Shen (spirit) back to its source. In this way, external things recede, and one's own Dao flourishes. The crucial point here actually lies in the circulation of intention within the "Heavenly Eye" (the inner eye of contemplative cultivation), and in the secrets of lifting, drawing in, and revolving. These methods must be transmitted orally by a teacher and are not to be disclosed openly.

Master Chuan's commentary on the Diamond Sutra says: "The Vajra treads upon the great earth, and the tip of the banner pole points straight to the heavens. If you wish to know the true wonder, face south and look to the Northern Dipper." The verse says: "The mind arises from external things, and it also sinks because of external things; the key is plainly revealed in the eyes. Revolve it again and again, and the numinous nature returns to the mysterious aperture. When Shen (spirit) is settled and Qi (vital energy) is at rest, the Dao flourishes."

Heaven seems to show no favoritism, yet from this it brings forth vast kindness. The thunder is swift, the fierce wind is violent, and the myriad things all stir in response.

Heaven has no deliberate intention of bestowing favor, yet it produces vast blessings. This means that Heaven takes the nurturing of all things as its fundamental heart. The turning of the four seasons and the transformations of the myriad things all follow natural principle, so how could any of it be an intentional act of kindness?

As the myriad things grow, the upright and the deviant, the good and the evil, emerge together. The deviant and evil in turn harm the upright path, and only then, with no other recourse, does Heaven reveal its great power of grace and authority. It uses thunder to proclaim its commands and raises fierce winds to display its might, so that all things stand in awe, submit, and return to the right path. If some malign creature still refuses to mend its ways, the thunder destroys its body and the fierce wind cuts it down like a blade, removing one source of harm so that all beings may live in peace. Heaven's majesty sees everything clearly, so how could it show partiality? This is the principle by which Heaven, though it has no intention of bestowing favor, thereby produces great favor. When this great favor appears, the swift thunder and fierce wind stir and awaken all things, filling heaven and earth in an instant, and their transformations are beyond measure.

The sage also models governance of the world on the Dao (the Way) of Heaven, bringing peace to the people. When the people are simple and glad to be instructed, there is no need to exercise grace or authority. But if someone defies the right path and harms the people, the sage, with no other recourse, appoints feudal lords, mobilizes armies, and arrays soldiers and armor to punish that person. By removing one tyrant, the sage brings peace to the good people. This too resembles the swift thunder and fierce wind, which overawe the violent with majesty and make them submit to the right path. This is the principle by which the sage, though without intention of bestowing favor, thereby produces great favor.

All of the above explains the matter from the standpoint of worldly governance. From the standpoint of the cultivation of Daoist methods, the practice of Neidan (internal alchemy; the method of refining and condensing essence and qi through body and mind) follows the same principle. When the mind is clear and empty and one's nature is tranquil, one forgets the body and forgets external things, and there is no need to do anything. Yet the Yin-Yang qi continue to circulate, movement and stillness shift without fixed pattern, and signs of separation and union appear. When yin demons (yinmo; in cultivation, malign yin forces regarded as disturbing body and mind) intrude, the practitioner sets themselves upright at the center and uses Shen (spirit) and intention to gather and summon yang qi. With the power of the yang thunder-and-lightning mother, they surge forth swiftly, like a fierce wind sweeping away the malign yin in the mountains. In a moment, the dark qi is transformed and becomes relaxed, as if intoxicated. This is the appearance of great favor, the working of creative transformation, and finally the condensing of the returned elixir (huandan; the inner elixir achieved through cultivation).

The verse says: Heaven originally has no intention of bestowing favor, yet vast blessings are born from this very fact. Within the void, the Yin-Yang qi surge and circulate; thunder rumbles and fierce winds blow, and the myriad things are stirred and rise up. The workings of creation have never depended on human wishes.

Supreme joy, as it appears in one's nature, is spaciousness and ease; supreme stillness, as it appears in one's nature, is purity and freedom from desire. Heaven's nature seems to serve only itself, yet its blessings are bestowed universally on all things. The key to regulating the spirit lies in harmonizing the breath.

What is called "supreme joy" is the fullness of Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy); what is called "supreme stillness" is the fullness of Jing (essence) and Qi. When thunder roars and fierce winds rise, the myriad things still move along with the process of transformation, and not everything follows the wishes of human beings.

Supreme joy makes one's nature spacious; supreme stillness makes one's nature pure. Heaven's nature seems to follow its own Dao (the Way), yet in its application it is utterly impartial. The key to governing the Shen is to harmonize the Qi.

A person whose Shen and Qi are full does not easily give way to anger, and so their nature is joyful and at ease. A person whose Jing and Qi are full does not simply chase after desires, and so their nature is still and upright. This is the meaning of "supreme joy leaves the nature spacious; supreme stillness leaves the nature pure."

The essential teaching of the Taiping Jing (Scripture of Great Peace), which Laojun transmitted to Yu Ji, says: a person's Shen is bestowed by Heaven, their Jing by Earth, and their Qi comes from the harmony of Heaven and Earth. If a person can treasure Jing and Qi, reduce desires, steady the breath, and cherish the Shen, then inwardly they can nourish life and prolong their years, and outwardly they can bring peace to the state. Inner cultivation will inevitably show itself outwardly: when one understands one's nature, the body becomes clear and still; when one cultivates life, the Neidan (internal alchemy) is perfected. When both nature and life are cultivated to completion, which is to say through the dual cultivation of nature and life (xingming shuangxiu), one will naturally be joyful and at ease, still and pure.

"Heaven is utterly private, yet its use is utterly public" means that Heaven seems to follow its own Dao and does not depend on external things to sustain itself, and so it endures. Yet in its movement it transforms the myriad things, and none fails to receive its blessings, so its function is supremely impartial. The sage, following the Dao of Heaven in cultivating the truth, is, relative to ordinary people, also perfecting themselves; but in exercising De (Virtue) and handling affairs, they let everyone benefit, and so they too are supremely impartial.

"The control of the bird lies in the Qi" is a metaphor meant to admonish those who cultivate the Dao. The "bird" refers to the heart, the Shen, and fire, and also symbolizes the Vermilion Bird of the south. The essential point of cultivation is to focus on regulating the breath: take Qi as the medicinal substance and Shen as the fire phase, gather and refine at the proper times, and cook according to the proper method. In this way Yin Qi can be transformed into Yang Qi, and the scattered conscious spirit can be refined into the spirit of the Real Person, until the two are finally fused as one. Commentators use the phrase "bones transformed and body light, like a bird soaring through the great void" to describe the state of successful cultivation, which is also why immortals are called "feathered guests."

Shi Jianwu said: "Qi is the medicine that adds to one's years; the heart is the spirit that commands the breath. One who knows how to let the heart direct the circulation of Qi has grasped the way to become an immortal." This expresses exactly the same principle.

The hymn says: When the breath is steady and the Shen harmonized, joy will naturally be full; with an empty heart and a pure, frugal life, one can nourish the true body. Once the Neidan is completed, one will naturally endure as long as Heaven; the body light as a bird, one ascends into the Great Void.

Life is the root of death, and death is the root of life. To take Qi (vital energy) as the foundation is to be able to become an immortal; this is what the saying means.

The verse says: When the breath is steady and the spirit (Shen) is harmonized, the heart is always at peace. Only by emptying and stilling the mind and reducing desires can the true body be nourished. Once the elixir is complete, one can naturally endure as long as Heaven; the body becomes like a bird in flight, ascending into the Great Void (Taixu, the vast emptiness spoken of in Daoism).

Life is the root of death, and death is the root of life; kindness may arise from harm, and harm may arise from kindness.

Life, death, kindness, and harm illustrate the principle of Yin-Yang (yin-yang) alternating and standing in mutual opposition: where there is life there is death, and where there is death there may also be life; kindness may turn into harm, and harm may turn into kindness. This is the result of the changes of fate and Qi. In the case of ordinary people, excessive attachment to life, with the mind bewildered by external things, instead plants the root of death. If one can let go of attachment, keep to one's proper place, and cut off the desire for gain, one plants the root of life. The ancients said: "Covet what belongs to others, cling to what belongs to others, and in the end you lose what is before you; let go, and you gain a far greater benefit." The sage therefore sees this clearly. Whenever the mind is stirred by external things, it should be brought to rest; when the thoughts are stilled and the desire for gain is cut off, the root of life is planted. When the mind can come to rest, the Dao (the Way) is revealed through it. Zhenren Yin Xi (a Daoist figure traditionally said to have received the Dao from Laozi) therefore said: "Hear the Great Dao in the morning, and by evening the heart can be at rest in death." The Diamond Sutra says that the mind should not cling to form, nor give rise to discrimination by clinging to sound, scent, taste, touch, or ideas; one should cling to nothing at all, and yet give rise to this mind. The Laozi says that thirteen parts go toward life and thirteen parts go toward death. Why is this so? Because when others gain and I lose, I move toward death; when I can gain and others lose, I move toward survival. How could one who cultivates the Dao not be careful?

"Kindness may arise from harm, and harm may arise from kindness" means that harm may be hidden within kindness, and kindness may be contained within harm. This is just as the Daodejing says: "Misfortune! Good fortune lies hidden within it. Good fortune! Misfortune lies crouching within it." The Wenshi Jing (Scripture of Wenshi) also says that, in the principles of the world, a benefactor sometimes becomes an enemy, and an enemy sometimes becomes a benefactor. This is a principle spoken of at the level of worldly affairs.

Tan Jingsheng's Huashu (Book of Transformations) says that feudal lords hold a rank that people esteem, and gold and jade are possessions that people value. If the multitude raises someone up to be a duke or marquis, he will not necessarily be happy because of it; if the multitude gives him jade but he receives gold, he will not necessarily be pleased either. Therefore rewards must not be handed out carelessly and favors must not be bestowed carelessly, for these may become the beginning of strife, or may sow the seeds of the disaster of death.

Speaking from the standpoint of cultivating the Dao, the Dao is revealed through demonic obstacles, and demonic obstacles are transformed through the Dao. When the Xingtian (the clear and luminous realm inherent in one's nature) rises like clouds, I lead the host of the perfected (the many who have attained the Dao), causing them to turn the Dharma wheel and return to revere the Dao. Is this not "kindness arising from harm"? When the sea of suffering surges, I ascend into the realm of mystery, unite with the Dao, and return to the honored seat. Is this not "harm arising from kindness"?

The verse says: When thoughts arise from desire, the root of death is planted; when thoughts cease and return to Wuwei (non-action), the Dao naturally remains. If kindness is bestowed carelessly, it may invite harm; when harm reaches its end, it may in turn bring kindness.

Ordinary people regard the patterns and principles between heaven and earth as the learning of the sages; I, however, gain wisdom from the patterns and principles in the changing of the four seasons and the movement of all things.

The "fool" mentioned here does not mean a dull-witted person. It refers to a certain kind of scholar who is blinded by their own cleverness and bound by the letter and doctrine of texts, and who is unwilling to lower themselves to seek instruction or visit teachers. Those who truly possess the Dao (the Way) probe deeply into the principles that link the self with the creative transformations of heaven and earth. This kind of scholar, by contrast, only searches outside for the words in books, speculates about the laws of heaven and earth, and presents their own conjectures so fluently that they take them for sagehood. In the eyes of those who have the Dao, such people are in fact very foolish.

"I gain wisdom from the patterns and principles in the changing of the four seasons and the movement of all things" means that a person of the Dao can observe heaven and earth with a broad vision, relating the changes of the seasons and the principles of all things back to their own person, until everything is clear and thoroughly understood. This is called "wisdom" (zhe). Fuxi (a legendary sage-king of high antiquity) looked up to observe the images of the heavens and down to examine the earth, and studied the markings of birds and beasts. Drawing images from his own body nearby and from the myriad things afar, he created the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and devised writing and tally contracts. The Yellow Emperor studied widely, and Confucius sought learning from many sources; they too reached sagehood through the full penetration of wisdom.

Some annotated editions end at this point. However, according to Wang Daoyuan's textual research, the edition annotated by the Perfected One of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Elixir, which Chu Suiliang obtained, and the edition annotated by the Elder Zhang Guo both contain twenty-one further sentences, one hundred and sixteen characters in all, after this passage, and their content is subtle and profound. He therefore held that the editions of the Perfected One of the Taiji Elixir and Zhang Guo should be taken as authoritative. In his view, the omission of these words in other versions arose from later copyists and commentators, and the original Jing (scripture) did not end here.

The eulogy says: The fool merely talks of emptiness outside, clinging to doctrine and words, and so their nature and mind cannot reach understanding. How could such a person know the true and wondrous function of which I speak? Every morning, as ever, the sun rises over the mountain ridge.

People hope to become sages through cunning and conjecture, but I hope to become a sage without relying on cunning and conjecture. People hope to become sages through extraordinary and strange feats, but I hope to become a sage without relying on extraordinary and strange feats. Hence it is said that hurling oneself into deep water or leaping into raging fire brings only one's own destruction.

Some people believe that by feigning dullness and clinging to emptiness and stillness, they can become sages. This refers to certain students of Chan and the Dao who, at the outset, never met a true teacher to guide them. In daily life they take a "stubborn emptiness" for their original nature, and instead of studying and investigating the scriptures, they hold on to a single fixed, unmoving mind. Like dead wood, they seize one thought and grip it tightly. They neither crave nor act, and they take this for the realm of the sage. In truth, it is like a cat guarding an empty hole that holds no mouse, or like chiseling ice in search of fire: nothing will ever be obtained.

"I do not take foolishness as the path to sainthood" means that a person of great cultivation must seek out an enlightened teacher, grasp the key points of the practice, study the scriptures widely, and probe their profound principles. What is nature (xing)? What is life (ming)? How is nature cultivated, and how is life refined? One investigates these questions again and again, until one reaches a point beyond which words and thought can ask no further. Only then can one be called not foolish. At this stage, one takes "diminishing" as the essential practice, gradually reducing every attachment until one reaches Wuwei (non-action). Wisdom then appears of itself, and the mind and spirit become open and responsive. This is why it is said that one becomes a sage by not being foolish.

Have you not heard that Shun, though he possessed the virtue of a sage, still loved to ask questions and to weigh the words of those around him? When Yu heard a single beneficial remark, he bowed to the one who spoke it. When Yan Hui received one good saying, he held it firmly in his heart and never let it slip away. All three sages achieved what they did through their love of learning. How, then, can people today, with their own limited gifts, avoid study? The Scripture on the Salvation of Humanity (Duren Jing) says, "One should thoroughly illuminate the ultimate words," which likewise means that one must understand the ultimate principle completely.

Others believe that pursuing the strange can make one a sage. This refers to certain students who do not seek the correct teachings but are keen on minor side-path arts and bizarre techniques, which they use to mislead later generations. For example, some are absorbed in sexual practices of the so-called "Water Elixir method." They treat women as furnaces and cauldrons and practice "harvesting and replenishing" through methods such as the "Three Peaks plunder." They boast that a man can remain unflagging and draw off a woman's essence (Jing) and Qi, and they describe all this as the "fire phasing" of alchemy. Such false arts gravely disrupt the true Way. Others treat the hand as a "male-and-female sword" and use women's menstrual blood as alchemical material. Still others divorce their wives and fast, swallow saliva, circulate Qi and rub the body, claim to draw in the essence of the sun and moon, or burn thatch and play with fire. Practices of this kind are beyond counting, and their followers believe these peculiar methods will make them sages.

The Alchemical Classic (Danjing) says: "The Way has three thousand six hundred gates, and each person holds to one as the root. How could they know that the place of profound subtlety does not lie within the three thousand six hundred gates?" This means that although there are many paths into the Dao, people often cling to one as the foundation, without realizing that the root of the mystery is not found among these many gates. The Diamond Sutra also says: "All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow; like dew, and like lightning. Contemplate them in this way." Methods that have form and involve doing are ultimately illusory and impermanent, and should be viewed as such.

"I aspire to sainthood without resorting to the strange" means that one who has attained the Dao does not seek the sage's realm through unusual means, but meets the world with Wuwei. Inwardly, such a person nourishes the true nature and keeps it simple. Outwardly, the person adapts to circumstances and moves in accord with opportunity. When the world is at peace, the person remains still and does not act. When demons and evils suddenly appear, the person gathers in the emotions and will and holds to a single thought. By following what is natural, one reaches a state that requires no forcing yet accords with the ultimate principle. This is becoming a sage without seeking the strange.

The line "Sinking into water and entering fire, one brings about one's own destruction" has two interpretations. For those who chase strange arts, it means that they lose the right path, forfeit their true nature, and deplete the spiritual root. They are, in effect, walking into water and fire by their own choice, heading toward ruin day after day. For those who possess the Dao, it refers to Neidan (internal alchemy) practice. In refining the elixir, one employs Wu and Ji (terms in internal alchemy that denote the Yin-Yang and earth-Qi imagery of the refining process). Wu-earth is sunk into the water palace, and the Yang within Kan is taken to replenish the Yin within Li. Once the body of Qian is completed, Ji-earth is used to withdraw the fire phasing, returning the "flowing pearl" to the chamber of spirit. Through harmonization like the tempering of fire, all dust and defilement are removed. The practitioner forgets the physical body, merges with the Great Void, and enters a realm vast, profound, and without limit. This too is called "sinking into water and entering fire, bringing about one's own destruction." Perfected Yin's Poem Recounting the Scripture Terrace says, "When the mind is dim to the mysterious words, it sinks into the underworld; when the nature penetrates the subtle words, it joins the heart of Heaven." It conveys the same meaning.

The verse says: Fools again and again take stubborn emptiness for cultivation and mistake technical arts for the strange Way, and so they cloud their own nature. I cultivate by the Way of purity, stillness, and Wuwei, and in the end I will refine something like the Golden Elixir within the furnace.

The Way of nature is originally still and pure, and for this reason Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things are able to come into being. The movement of qi (vital energy) through Heaven and Earth shifts gradually, and so Yin-Yang (阴阳) waxes and wanes. As Yin and Yang drive one another onward, transformation can proceed smoothly.

"The Way of nature is still" means that the Dao (the Way) of Heaven, in its operation and in its distribution of qi through the four seasons, follows its own nature, remaining pure, still, and free of contrivance. Because of this, the myriad things grow. The sage, taking Heaven's Dao as a model for governing the world, likewise accords with nature and practices stillness and wuwei (non-action). By means of non-interference, the sage brings peace to the world, and the people are content with a simple, unadorned life. The Laozi says: "Teaching without words; if I practice non-action, the people transform of themselves; if I love stillness, the people set themselves right."

"As the Way of Heaven and Earth gradually seeps away, Yin and Yang gain the upper hand" means that the qi of Heaven and Earth slowly loses its proper interchange. Heaven's qi does not descend and Earth's qi does not rise; above and below no longer communicate, so that Heaven and Earth seem sealed off, and Yin and Yang fall out of harmony. When the qi of Yin and Yang becomes excessive or deficient, the movements of the stars go awry, the sun and moon fall out of accord, the four seasons lose their order, and cold and heat come out of season. There may even be strange portents such as thunder in winter, snow in summer, drought, and flood, and the myriad things are harmed as a result. Master Peng (Peng Zhenren) says that when Yang qi moves to excess, it disrupts the balance of water and drought, and a severe winter turns scorching hot; when Yin qi moves out of season, cold and warmth are thrown into confusion, and frost appears in midsummer instead.

The scripture also borrows the vocabulary of alchemy to explain this imbalance of Yin and Yang. In the alchemical furnace, if medicines such as metal and mercury fail to form at the proper time, all manner of disorder arises. At its largest, this appears as mountains collapsing and the earth caving in; at its smallest, as violent rain and raging wind. The terms "Golden Tiger," "Wood Dragon," "Kan man," and "Li woman" (金虎, 木龙, 坎男, 离女) used here are all symbolic expressions from alchemy, standing for Yin-Yang, water and fire, and similar factors.

"Yin and Yang drive one another, and transformation proceeds smoothly" means that Yin and Yang follow a pattern of separation and union, and that water and fire have their own methods of mutual harmony and complementarity. In the context of neidan (internal alchemy), the practitioner must gather and refine the medicines according to proper timing and measure, so that Yin and Yang alternate in good order and transformation flows smoothly. Only in this way can body and spirit both reach a state of subtle refinement and unite with the Dao.

The hymn says: When the Way of nature is pure and still, the myriad things are thereby brought to completion; when Yin and Yang fall into disorder, imbalance follows. If one can grasp the principle of how Yin and Yang transform and harmonize, one may return from old age to youth and extend one's years.

Therefore, the sage understands that the Way of nature (Dao) must not be defied, and so follows it in order to regulate and employ it. As for the Dao at its utmost stillness, no calendar or method of timekeeping can match it. From this arise wondrous instruments, and the myriad phenomena are made manifest through them. Within the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and the sexagenary cycle of Jiazi lie subtle, miraculous principles and profound, unfathomable transformations. The methods by which Yin-Yang restrain and transform one another are plainly revealed in the many signs and omens.

"Therefore" is a transitional phrase, used to sum up the central message of the three sections of the Yinfu Jing (Scripture of the Hidden Talisman). "Sage" is an honorific for a person of moral cultivation. "Understands that the Way of nature must not be defied" means that, since one knows the great Dao accords with nature, one should keep to one's own natural Way and not seek it elsewhere. "Following it in order to regulate it" refers to refining one's own Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy). Shen and Qi are as hard to tame as dragon and tiger, so one must seize the right moment to circulate them, guiding them to reverse their course and return to the "earthen cauldron" (the part of the body where Neidan, or internal alchemy, is cultivated), where they are gathered in. When a practitioner grasps this meaning, they can cultivate the "returned elixir" (the process by which Neidan is perfected and returns to the original source).

"As for the Dao at its utmost stillness, no calendar or method of timekeeping can match it" means that once the practice has matured and transformed, the mind naturally becomes empty, luminous and clear, like ten thousand miles of cloudless sky. At that moment, body and external things are forgotten, and the nature of the mind is so quiet that it leaves no trace and resists description in names and forms. How could calendars or methods of timekeeping possibly accord with it?

The "wondrous instrument" refers to the miraculous function that emerges once the Three Treasures (Jing, Qi and Shen; essence, vital energy and spirit) have been blended and the spiritual elixir has been nurtured. It can pierce solid stone and penetrate metal, and it transforms without hindrance. For this reason it is called a nameless and wondrous "instrument." A great practitioner who possesses this function handles the transformations of nature as easily as something held in the palm, and so the myriad phenomena, the Bagua and the changes of the Jiazi cycle are all made manifest through it.

"The spirit's mechanism and the ghosts' concealment, the art of Yin and Yang overcoming one another, are plainly revealed in the many signs" means that when the spirit's mechanism is vigorous, even ghosts and spirits retreat into hiding. When Yin Qi is exhausted and Yang Qi is pure and complete, the practitioner is transformed into a spirit. After this, the Shen must be moved to the "Niwan Palace" (the cultivation site in the head) and nurtured steadily. Even when the heavenly gate opens and the Yang Shen is about to go roaming, one must not act rashly or give it free rein. One should cherish and protect it until it is like a child that has grown strong enough to walk, and only then may the spirit be sent forth.

Thus it is said that Yin-Yang have methods of mutual restraint and transformation. After inner practice is accomplished and outward merit and conduct are fulfilled, a summons from the Sovereign Lord (Dijun) will naturally be sent down. The practitioner then rides a cloud chariot and drives immortal cranes, ascending amid radiant mist and fragrance to the Jade Capital and Golden Gate (the legendary celestial palaces), and enters an immortal palace according to the level of merit attained. This is the clear manifestation of the transformations of cultivation. The commentary gives examples: the Yellow Emperor, who ascended on a dragon at Mount Ba with seventy-two members of his palace and court, and Emperor Shun, who ascended at Cangwu from the house of Yu He, escorted by the Five Elders bearing an imperial decree. It also mentions the Han-dynasty Celestial Master (Tianshi) Zhang Daoling, Xu Jingyang of the Jin dynasty, and the Immortal Ge, saying that they ascended in broad daylight together with their wives and became ministers of the Golden Gate. On this basis the commentator holds that immortal cultivation is truly verifiable, and that those who have attained the Dao, past and present, are beyond counting. Students should not lose heart by regarding talk of immortals as absurd. They should have faith, seek an enlightened teacher who will transmit the instructions orally, and practice diligently with single-minded focus. Then they will be protected and recommended by heavenly immortals, and will finally be enrolled among the ranks of the immortals.

The eulogy says: When the embryonic immortal (the immortal body formed through inner cultivation) has matured, one departs from turbid Yin. One pays homage to the exalted perfected and enters the realm of Jade Void. The transformations of cultivation are clearly revealed, wondrous without end. Like soaring phoenixes, the practitioners ride their cloud chariots up to Heaven.