《仙乐集》

Written by Liu Chuxuan, the Longshengzi of Shenshan, who responded to the conditions of the world through Wuwei (non-action).

On the Dao of Heaven, Sin, and Blessing

By not creating sinful karma that brings torment and distress, one can receive the blessings of coolness and peace. By avoiding the sins of greed and lust, one can receive the blessings of security and happiness. By refraining from evil and defiling acts, one can receive the blessings of goodness and purity.

By not becoming attached to hatred or favoritism, one can receive the blessings of quietude and harmony. By not being entangled in distress, one can receive the blessing of contentment. By not clinging to the physical body, one can receive the blessing of cultivating the true Dao (the Way).

By refusing to praise evil, one may receive the blessing of luminous integrity. By refusing to slander others, one may receive the blessing of being praised by others. By refusing to covet the myriad things, one may receive the blessing of purity and fulfillment.

By giving rise to no deluded thoughts, one may receive the blessing of penetrating the Way of the Immortals. By holding no mind of discrimination, one may receive the blessing of understanding how things work. By harboring no envy or suspicion, one may receive the blessing of harmony and accord.

By clinging no longer to the mundane world, one may receive the blessing of dwelling in a heavenly grotto and blessed land. By fearing neither age nor decline, one may receive the blessing of steadfast endurance like pine and bamboo. By acting with neither deceit nor cunning, one may receive the blessing of having all things go as wished.

By looking down on no one, one may receive the blessing of being held in high regard. By treating others without arrogance, one may receive the blessing of Heaven’s protection. By coveting no falsehood, one may receive the blessing of discerning the truth.

By indulging in no worldly vices, one may receive the blessing of cultivating the Dao and practicing goodness. By currying favor with no powerful people, one may receive the blessing of returning one’s De to what is right. By letting one’s thoughts run unchecked, one may receive no blessing; by restraining them, one may receive the blessing of penetrating the Great Dao.

By clinging neither to movement nor stillness, one may receive the blessing of abiding truth. By forsaking no commitment to the Dao, one may receive the blessing of ancestral protection and of penetrating the Great Dao. By committing no sins that lead to the underworld, one may receive the blessing of ascending to Heaven.

By clinging to no deliberate contrivance, one may receive the blessing of following the Dao of Wuwei (non-action). By remaining unbound by birth, death, and change, one may receive the blessing of transcending the world and ascending. By acting with no cruelty toward others, one may receive the blessing of preserving body and mind.

By clinging to no disputes over right and wrong, one may receive the blessing of perfecting one’s virtue. By spreading no words recklessly, one may receive the blessing of great accomplishment. By harming no living being, one may receive the blessing of lengthening one’s years and prolonging life.

By regarding oneself as superior to no one, one may receive the blessing of earning everyone’s respect. By making no selective judgments about what to accept or reject, one may receive the blessing of blessings that endure without end. By coveting nothing impure, one may receive the blessing of purity and sincerity.

By wasting neither Jing (essence) nor Qi (vital energy), one may receive the blessing of nurturing Shen (spirit). By harboring no ill will, one may receive the blessing of inner peace. By holding no selfish or crooked thoughts, one may receive the blessing of impartiality.

By forcing no claim to wealth and rank, one may receive the blessing of heavenly joy, a happiness beyond the mundane. By coveting no material things, one may receive the blessing of transcending life and death. By being neither stubborn nor inflexible, one may receive the blessing of supreme goodness.

By acting in accord with human relationships and proper conduct, one may receive the blessing of aligning with the Heavenly Way, and of being just and upright.

By forcing no claim to wealth and rank, one may receive heavenly joy. By coveting no material things, one may receive the blessing of transcending life and death. By being neither stubborn nor inflexible, one may receive the blessing of supreme goodness.

If you do not use words to slander others, you will receive blessings from the Way of Heaven. If you do not amass excessive wealth, you will receive blessings of radiance and abundance. If you do not harm others, you will receive blessings of long life.

If you do not kill or take life, you will receive blessings that preserve life and nurture body and mind. If you do not envy others, you will receive blessings of peace and kindness. If you do not cling to external things or seek attachments everywhere, you will preserve the integrity of your spirit and vital energy.

If you do not act against what is right and just, you will be blessed with filial children.

If you do not follow the good path, you will invite the suffering of reincarnation. If you do not uphold fairness, you will fall into the suffering of birth, death, and change. If you cannot let go of greed, you will always feel deprived.

If you do not follow ordinary human feelings and sound principles, you will invite the suffering of a shortened life. If you cannot understand change, you will become foolish and dull. If you lack clarity and depth, you will sink into confusion and shallowness.

If you cannot understand the Great Dao, you will lose yourself in worldly life. If you do not know how to be content with favor, you will invite much disgrace. If you refuse to be humble and take a low position, you will fall into danger.

If you have not accumulated blessings through good deeds, you will invite retribution. If you do not fulfill the “Three Filial Duties”—honoring your parents, obeying your elders, and meeting other filial obligations—you will commit the Ten Evils. If you cannot discern the truth of things, you will fall into darkness and obscurity.

If you lack true good fortune, you will bring yourself to ruin. If you do not recognize the constant Dao, you will rise and fall with prosperity and decline. If you cannot turn away from the taint of the mundane world, you will become mired in all kinds of impurity.

If you do not cultivate your body, it will decay. If you cannot understand the true Dao, you will lose yourself in falsehood. If you do not cherish good deeds, you will fall onto an evil path.

If you lack blessings, De, and wisdom, you will head toward ruin. If you cannot attain great awakening, you will be entangled by the karmic fruits of your blessings. If you lack spiritual clarity and wisdom, you will sink into confusion and delusion.

If you do not avoid small dangers in time, you will invite great calamity. If you do not restrain yourself from speaking evil, you will suffer the torment of having your tongue pulled out, a punishment traditionally believed to await those who speak maliciously in the underworld. If you do not follow the Great Dao, you will suffer the torment of the knife mountain.

If you do not harm living beings, you can escape the torment of the boiling cauldron, a punishment said to involve being boiled in the underworld. If you do not cling to sensual desire, you can escape the entanglement of death and suffering. If you do not fixate on the illusory body, you can escape the suffering of the cycle of birth and death.

If you do not chase after worldly pleasures in this life, you can be spared the grief brought by death. If you hold universal reverence in your heart, you can avoid the suffering of injustice. If you commit no new transgressions, you can dispel the karmic hindrances of the past.

By following the laws of the Way of Heaven, you can be freed from past sins. By accumulating good deeds in accordance with the path of Yang harmony, you will not enter a path of darkness. By cultivating the merits of the path of Yang harmony, you can save yourself from a long descent into ruin.

By understanding the Dao of Wuwei (non-action), one commits no sins through attachment to the myriad things. By learning to be content and remain within one’s proper place, like a young bird, one avoids wrongdoing born of competing for gain and calculating loss. By grasping the teachings of the three sages, one avoids wrongdoing born of placing oneself above others and looking down on them.

By transcending the constraints of Heaven and Earth, one avoids wrongdoing caused by the entanglements of the myriad things. By leaving the blessed lands and living in seclusion, one avoids wrongdoing caused by coping with external things and being consumed by worldly affairs. By understanding the principles of brightness, darkness, and humility, one avoids the sin of pride.

By escaping the five paths of rebirth, one is no longer born again into the cycle of reincarnation. By understanding the changes of past and present, one avoids ignorance and stubbornness. By grasping the workings of the Dao of Heaven, one avoids the faults that come from speaking too much.

By seeing that the Great Dao is formless, one avoids attachment to material things. If one delights in bribes contrary to the Dao, one will reap the karmic consequence of having to repay one’s sins. By understanding that the Dao of Heaven is impartial and just, one avoids harshly judging others.

By carefully examining one’s own faults, one avoids deceiving oneself and concealing one’s wrongdoing. By rescuing all living beings, one avoids harming life. The wondrous sound of the “numinous zither” teaches one not to cling to blunt words and disputation.

By seeing that the Great Dao is formless, one avoids attachment to material things. If one delights in bribes contrary to the Dao, one will reap the karmic consequence of having to repay one’s sins. By understanding that the Dao of Heaven is impartial and just, one avoids harshly judging others.

By carefully examining one’s own faults, one avoids deceiving oneself and concealing one’s wrongdoing. By rescuing all living beings, one avoids harming life. The wondrous sound of the “numinous zither” teaches one not to cling to blunt words and disputation.

By clearly distinguishing good from evil, one avoids thoughts of killing. By understanding the origins of the Three Sovereigns’ founding of the world, one avoids playing with words and indulging in empty embellishment. By seeing the Dao’s essence as it runs through past and present, one avoids attachment to outward forms.

The Upper Prime Festival grants blessings, the Middle Prime Festival absolves sins, and the Lower Prime Festival dispels calamities. Together, the Three Prime Festivals—the Upper, Middle, and Lower—bring relief and salvation to the world.

Twenty-Ninth Song of the White Lotus

A human life of a hundred years passes in an instant; one should awaken early. Human life has its allotted span, and day and night hurry by like the ceaseless course of the sun and moon. When one’s allotted years are done, no one can escape the road to death. From ancient times to the present, the Pang family have all passed away; they, too, should be freed from the suffering of rebirth.

Cultivating the Dao has its “Lead Chamber and Mercury Storehouse,” a metaphor in Neidan (internal alchemy) for refining and nurturing Jing, Qi, and Shen. Within them, a single point of numinous awareness governs the practice. The joy of the Dao is free of worldly troubles; in gladness, one sings and dances. From ancient times to the present, the Pang family should all be freed from the suffering of rebirth.

Cultivating the Dao has its “Lead Chamber and Mercury Storehouse,” a metaphor for refining and nurturing Jing, Qi, and Shen. Within them, a single point of numinous awareness governs the practice. The joy of the Dao is free of worldly troubles; in gladness, one sings and dances. From ancient times to the present, the Pang family have all passed away; they, too, should be freed from the suffering of rebirth.

Revering the Great Dao brings the protection of the High Perfected, a Daoist title for perfected beings and revered deities who have attained the Dao. Nurturing life keeps body and mind peaceful and simple. Turbid, evil Qi dissipates, and all manner of unwholesome conduct ceases with it. The sacred Dao is hard to encounter, so one should cherish it. From ancient times to the present, the Pang family should all be freed from the suffering of rebirth.

The Great Dao can save the Nine Profound Generations and Seven Ancestors, a collective term for nine generations of forebears and seven generations of ancestors. The road to Penglai, the fabled realm of immortals, is close at hand. The Three Teachings—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism—each offer a path to transcendence.

The path to immortality is encountered only rarely, even over a thousand years. From ancient times to the present, many prominent families have had members leave home to cultivate the Dao. If they attain the Dao, they can all escape the suffering of reincarnation.

The immortal palaces beyond the world are a precious destination, where perfected spirits who have attained the Dao may dwell for a long time. Those who cultivate the Dao spread kindness far and wide, and their reputations endure through the ages. Yet how many truly understand what it means to save those near death and show compassion to all living beings? From ancient times to the present, many prominent families have had members leave home to cultivate the Dao. If they attain the Dao, they can all escape the suffering of reincarnation.

Performing a great Zhaijiao (purification ritual) to deliver departed souls is a sacred act of spiritual salvation. A welcome rain after a prolonged drought is like the Dharma rain—the nourishment of the Dao’s teachings—that is hard to find when one is in distress. One should purify body and mind, observe a vegetarian discipline, cultivate through practice, and accumulate merit, until at last one realizes the immortal Dao. From ancient times to the present, many prominent families have had members leave home to cultivate the Dao. If they attain the Dao, they can all escape the suffering of reincarnation.

When you awaken to the flame of your nature and the oil of your life—the cultivation of body, mind, nature, and life—you can experience the wondrous joy of true life. Once you have cultivated firm Dao Qi (vital energy), a path opens to the immortal islands of Penglai and the abodes of the immortals. From ancient times to the present, many prominent families have had members leave home to cultivate the Dao. If they attain the Dao, they can all escape the suffering of reincarnation.

The mind is tangled in countless thoughts, yet even amid plentiful food and clothing, people remain unawakened. One day, impermanence—death—will come alone; the hun and po souls will scatter, and the road to the underworld will be impossible to avoid. From ancient times to the present, many prominent families have had members leave home to cultivate the Dao. If they attain the Dao, they can all escape the suffering of reincarnation.

People of De (Virtue/Power) are humble and slow to anger. Do not disdain poverty or favor wealth and status. If you accept what others say in all matters, you can move the sacred ancestors in the highest heavens. From ancient times to the present, many prominent families have had members leave home to cultivate the Dao. If they attain the Dao, they can all escape the suffering of reincarnation.

To be born human and wealthy in this life must be connected to cultivation and awakening in a former life. Still, remain vigilant, lest you fall into the Three Paths—the term in Buddhist and Daoist traditions for wretched destinations after death—and the underworld. If you fail in this life to fulfill the lifespan and opportunities granted to you, you will encounter reincarnation again in the next. From ancient times to the present, many prominent families have had members leave home to cultivate the Dao. If they attain the Dao, they can all escape the suffering of reincarnation.

Even if the Seven Treasures were piled higher than Mount Sumeru, the legendary colossal mountain, they might not bring you to the fruition of the Dao. Realize the wondrous principle of the indestructible as early as you can, and you can cross the river of birth and death and transcend this shore. What is precious is to cultivate the Great Dao and perfect your De; in the end, everyone should journey to the Jade Radiance Assembly, where immortals and perfected beings gather.

Before you understand the principles of Yin-Yang, you can study the Changes to gain insight. Once awakened, you will understand all things between heaven and earth. Turn away from the polluted world of dust, and quietly transcend the secular world.

Since ancient times, how many people have truly upheld the Great Dao? The Great Dao and De (Virtue/Power) together are most precious; in the end, everyone must journey to the Jade Radiance Assembly, where perfected immortals gather.

The Great Dao is mysterious, still, empty, and luminous; it awakens wisdom. When responding to change, thoughts well up like a spring, allowing one to grasp the true meaning within. As long as your mind is not clouded, you can understand subtle principles and penetrate the highest truths contained in the Dao De Jing. The Great Dao and De together are most precious; in the end, everyone must journey to the Jade Radiance Assembly.

Read when you have time, and sleep when you are tired; take your pleasure outside your cave dwelling, before the pines. Preserve life, nourish spirit and Qi (vital energy), and keep your mind focused on the One—embracing the One means concentrating on and upholding the Great Dao—and you will avoid sinking into the realm of ghosts. The Great Dao and De together are most precious; in the end, everyone must journey to the Jade Radiance Assembly.

Read when you have time, and sleep when you are tired; take your pleasure outside your cave dwelling, before the pines. Preserve life, nourish spirit and Qi, and keep your mind focused on the One; then you will avoid sinking into the realm of ghosts. The Great Dao and De together are most precious; in the end, everyone must journey to the Jade Radiance Assembly.

The autumn moon shines over a limpid pool, clear and bright. Its full radiance appears, illuminating body and mind. “Two eights” refers to Yin and Yang each attaining their proper place, complete and without deficiency; this brings joy to the practitioner’s heart. When the time comes, let go of worldly cares and travel freely, and you will be without fault. The Great Dao and De together are most precious; in the end, everyone must journey to the Jade Radiance Assembly.

Those who have lost the right path often slander the Great Dao. They crave beauty and wealth, and compete in anger and pride. They regret it only when impermanence arrives; then they must face the King of Hell’s interrogation. The scripture’s expression “five sevens” refers to the days when sins are examined in the underworld. The Great Dao and De together are most precious; in the end, everyone must journey to the Jade Radiance Assembly.

Before the Mirror of Karma—the underworld’s mirror that reveals the good and evil deeds of the dead—one’s sins are laid bare, and all one can do is furrow one’s brow and weep. Whatever eloquence, intelligence, or skill one had in life will be of no use then; one’s children and grandchildren cannot bear one’s guilt in one’s place. The Great Dao and De together are most precious; in the end, everyone must journey to the Jade Radiance Assembly.

If you awaken suddenly, you can make your home in a blessed land among famous mountains, with clouds and flowing streams for companions and music and books for daily pleasures. When the mind reaches non-arising—the state of no longer clinging to distinctions between arising and passing away—you will not be burdened by karmic debts. Through all the ages, how many have truly understood? The Great Dao and De together are most precious; in the end, everyone must journey to the Jade Radiance Assembly.

The choices between gain and loss can lift a person to the heavens or cast them into hell. A human life lasts only a brief span, and in the blink of an eye it reaches its end. If the hun and po souls disperse, one becomes a ghost; if nature and life are fully cultivated, one may hope to become an immortal. The Great Dao and De together are most precious; in the end, everyone must journey to the Jade Radiance Assembly.

Enjoying a life of peace and freedom is an incomparable joy; amid rocks and pine woods, one roams at ease. Cranes dance and luan birds come to greet you, filling the heart with delight. Once the Elixir has been cultivated and its radiance refined, you can cast off the shell of the mortal body. The Great Dao and De together are most precious; in the end, everyone must journey to the Jade Radiance Assembly.

Since the beginning of Heaven and Earth, all things have continually arisen, passed away, and changed. People die and are born again, in an endless cycle. Only that spark of true spirit does not perish. Human lifespan and fate are governed by the Star Lords of the Southern Pole and the Northern Dipper, Daoist star deities who oversee longevity and destiny.

If descendants share a bond with their ancestors through a Jiao ritual, they may have the chance to meet them again. With reverent faith, they place their hopes entirely in the salvation of the High Perfected, the divine beings revered in Daoism.

Many ancestors have long been trapped in the underworld, sunk into hell and unable to escape. Heaven has the Heavenly Worthies Who Save from Suffering in the Ten Directions, Daoist deities who deliver beings throughout the ten directions, yet the number of those burdened by karmic deeds remains beyond counting. Descendants who share a bond with their ancestors through a Jiao ritual can, through reverent faith, rely on the High Perfected for salvation.

In life, people must endure aging and illness; after death, they may fall into the perilous regions of the underworld. Because they failed to awaken while alive, they are driven up Knife Mountain and Sword Trees, where they suffer punishment. Descendants who share a bond with their ancestors through a Jiao ritual can still rely on reverent faith in the High Perfected for salvation.

The bull-headed wardens of the underworld are furious and cruel. Once there, it is hard even to speak in one’s own defense. The suffering never ceases: the punishment of having one’s tongue pulled out is for slandering elders, deities, and others during life. Descendants who share a bond with their ancestors through a Jiao ritual can still rely on reverent faith in the High Perfected for salvation.

The ancestors sink along the shadowy paths of the underworld, unable to see the light of day in the world of the living. Through ten thousand kalpas and countless lives, they remain in suffering; those who commit the Ten Evils receive their fitting retribution. Descendants who share a bond with their ancestors through a Jiao ritual can still rely on reverent faith in the High Perfected for salvation.

Heaven and the human world each have different paths of return. People cling only to desires such as lust and jealousy. Even if their pleasure reaches its height for a time, they cannot escape illness; in the end, their souls disperse and return to dust. Descendants who share a bond with their ancestors through a Jiao ritual can still rely on reverent faith in the High Perfected for salvation.

I have seen the tombs on Mount Beimang, that famous burial ground of old, and how many wealthy and powerful people have been laid there since ancient times. When the allotted lifespan ends, who can escape? One should awaken at once and turn toward the Dao Ancestor Xuanyuan, a Daoist honorific for the Dao and Laozi. Descendants who share a bond with their ancestors through a Jiao ritual can still rely on reverent faith in the High Perfected for salvation.

Beyond the world, the immortals dwell in a realm of peace and joy, with wonders untouched by the turning of the seasons. Having attained the Dao, one truly transcends the death symbolized by the tombs of Mount Beimang and is no longer constrained by the changes of cold and heat.

True adepts who accumulate De and cultivate the Way can deliver all beings. Their descendants meet again through the bonds formed at a Zhaijiao ritual, devout and reverent; their salvation depends entirely on the exalted perfected ones—the revered Daoist deities—guiding them across.

They come to pay their respects at famous mountains and grotto abodes, wearing bamboo hats and carrying bamboo staffs as they stroll at ease. They discern the Golden Crow and Jade Hare, symbols respectively of the sun and moon and often used to refer to the workings of Yin-Yang.

They firmly bind the deluded monkey within wondrous awareness. Their descendants meet again through the bonds formed at a Zhaijiao ritual, devout and reverent; their salvation depends entirely on the exalted perfected ones guiding them across.

〔In Thanks to Xuntai Anyuan〕

Xuntai Anyuan and the other friends and relatives offered support at Lingxu Abbey. This poem is written in gratitude.

Longevity and deliverance alone do not yet make one virtuous. If one can manifest in the human world, one should be willing to contribute money to help. Once the Yellow Register Zhaijiao, a Daoist ritual for blessings and the salvation of the deceased, is complete, the wish to recommend and deliver the departed can be fulfilled. Only by forming this good bond at Lingxu Abbey does one grasp its meaning.

Through a hundred courts of accumulated cultivation, one’s merit shines forth over three days. After a thousand days of practice, reverent virtue can endure for ten thousand years. Repay the Four Debts of Gratitude and fulfill the Way of virtue; commit no transgressions, preserve life, and avoid falling into the netherworld.

Rhyme-echoing poems

After spring passes year after year, the flowers wither again; amid the ruined scene, plants and trees all fade. The complete Way, wisdom, and numinous power make no distinction between beauty and ugliness; only by realizing the true Way and clearing the mind can one distinguish folly from wisdom.

The worthy wander through cloud-hidden grottoes with a sword on their backs; the learned dwell beside the brocade river with a zither in hand. The river runs near Zhongnan Mountain, where bamboo groves stretch without end. Why not come to this realm beyond the world and discuss together the Way of longevity?

Forty-one poems with hidden heads and broken characters

□ The formula is rare and wondrous, revered above all; □ in the Dantian, the quail chick guards its remaining domain. □ Wherever clouds arrive, one thinks of the Three Filial Pieties; □ as noon approaches, one recalls the Four Debts of Gratitude.

□ Realization: lead rises and shuts the earthly gate; □ illumination: mercury descends and opens Heaven’s gate. □ The myriad teachings divide, yet clarity flows into the sea; □ reflecting, one raises an eyebrow—the Way cannot be spoken.

□ The famed Xu Jia rides the blue ox; □ when the Supreme Ultimate first divided, the nine provinces were already in view. □ The gods of the Beneficial Heaven ascend to the realm without night; □ at dusk, the ghosts below fall into the dark underworld.

□ Bright is the Way of De; Wuwei is best. □ The profound Origin is beyond any price of recompense. □ At the hour of the Rabbit, inversion and reversal bring creation into being; □ how well the pure and filial serve their lord.

□ Speaking of the teachings of the sages, the Way flourishes; □ departing for the court of the Primordial, one travels freely on a crane. □ The offenses of the disciples are dispelled, and the harvest is abundant year after year; □ the blessings of the perfected ones accumulate, bringing lasting prosperity.

□ Fall into the dark underworld.

To understand the Dao and De and follow Wuwei (non-action) is precious; to comprehend the Mystery’s Source, the Dao’s origin, is beyond measure. Reversing the position of Mao to bring forth and transform creation, one serves the ruler with integrity and filial devotion.

When the teachings of the sages are discussed, the Dao’s methods flourish. Leaving the world behind to pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, one can follow the path of ascending on a crane. The errors of one’s descendants are dispelled, and harvests are abundant year after year; sincere blessings accumulate, bringing prosperity with every passing year.

The outer shell splits open, revealing the Yellow Sprout, a sign in internal alchemy of life beginning to emerge. As trees grow, they encounter White Snow, a common image for changes in essence and vital energy during cultivation. The conditions linking Heaven and Earth make the teachings manifest in the world, while a wheel-like figure flies through the blue sky.

Through outer cultivation, one makes one’s Dao nature purely good; inwardly, one has no desire to seek an audience with ministers, nobles, or lords. Understanding the principles of the Book of Changes can free one from the sins of three kinds of delusion; understanding the Great Dao makes it possible to escape the prisonlike distress of the Nine Earths.

Clear instruction given aloud can benefit others; guiding living beings through the heart makes the merit of cultivation endless. It is said that the River-Borne Emperor Wen, linked to legends of the Yellow River, once appeared before a ruler, wearing a crown with twelve hanging strands of beads.

Amid mountain peaks, rosy clouds, and grottoes, one passes through the dimness of dawn and dusk. The bearing of pines and bamboo surpasses that of willows and peach blossoms. After cultivating for a full sexagenary cycle and refining an elixir, extraordinary signs appear: a snake swallows a bi turtle, and fragrant wine is drunk.

The Jade Maiden, the yin essence within the body, pays court to sages in the palace. The Golden Infant, the yang vital energy formed through cultivation, occupies a high place, far from the powerful and influential. One abstains from foods such as the rank-smelling mutton, keeps to purity and stillness, and lives in seclusion among mugwort and other plants.

After traveling through the bustling districts of the capital, one grows weary of worldly toil. Settled in a shrine-like chamber within a cloud grotto, one’s nature becomes clear and at ease. Lead, a symbol of vital energy in internal alchemy, is refined until bright as daylight; Mercury, a symbol of spirit and energy in internal alchemy, is cultivated until the breath is harmonized.

All things possess spiritual potency, revealing the body of the Dao. When no deluded thoughts arise in the heart, the True Spirit can remain hidden. Sitting quietly during the hour of Shen, from three to five in the afternoon, one feels neither sorrow nor joy. Understanding the Great Dao, one can ascend to immortality like Lü Dongbin.

Nurturing a numinous sprout like a mushroom opens the nature of awakening. After years of cultivation, one finally attains true realization and no longer comes and goes in the world. In quiet leisure, one reads a thousand scrolls of poetry and books; in solitude, one pours a cup of wine.

If the work of the Mystery’s Source remains incomplete, sages of the Supreme Dao will urge one onward. Transcending the limits of cold and heat, and of Yin-Yang, one day, at daybreak, thunder will crash through a cloudless sky.

Cloud-waves surge and roll, reaching close to the blue sky. Comprehending the ocean of the teachings brings long life. One’s appearance is more handsome than Pan Yue’s, and one’s golden face surpasses the beauties of the mortal world.

Through nine cycles of “cooking lead” and “refining mercury”—metaphors in Neidan practice for harmonizing and refining Yin and Yang, essence and Qi—the practitioner forms an inner elixir like an infant and condenses it in the three fields: the upper, middle, and lower Dantian. After receiving the secret instructions, he leaves Lotus Peak and travels to Jinchuan to visit the immortals.

He quiets his mind through stillness and purity, until his thoughts are like cold ashes. He subdues the restlessness at the center and turns back from confusion. He seeks the “stone woman” by the clouds and, outside the true grotto, hears the “wooden man” urging him on—symbolic expressions found in cultivation poetry. Before he has grasped the moon in the heavens, he already understands that his nature is clear as a plum blossom against snow. After wandering through the Jade Terrace and Langyuan, he knows that flowers in the realm of immortals bloom in every season.

Within the ox-shaped form, the breath adorns its shape. Following the pattern of farming, he accords with the numbers six and nine and rejoices as Yang Qi begins to rise. The world beyond the clouds stretches vast, while the sun and moon in the “heaven within a pot”—the Daoist realm of immortals—seem to linger. He raises the candle of nature and life, bright as six zhu, an exceedingly light measure of weight, and burns incense to dispel the three karmic deeds of body, speech, and mind. When the subtle workings turn continually amid the indistinct and mysterious, it is as though he were raising a cup in joyful revelry at the Jade Lake.

He nurtures the numinous sprout and subtly sets Yang Qi in motion, dispersing wind and rain as celestial fragrance drifts through the air. Beyond the palace, three flowers bloom; beside the terraces, the seven treasures gleam in splendor. He composes poetry in admiration of Li Bai and cultivates the Dao by refining the Central Yellow, a Neidan term for the central palace or middle Dantian. Immortals gather to discuss the past and present, living in harmony and without contention in the Hall of Many Joys.

He preserves the true and holds to the Dao, his mind quiet as ashes. Yin Qi descends and Yang Qi rises, and an unbalanced state returns to the proper course. He summons the infant and the young maiden—metaphors in Neidan for Yin and Yang, essence and Qi—and subdues the tiger and dragon, which likewise symbolize the Yin and Yang energies within the body. Every kind of falseness recedes, and body and mind settle. He enters the three emptinesses, a cultivation teaching on emptiness found in Buddhist and Daoist thought, and thereby opens the eye of wisdom.

He cultivates himself in a grotto-heaven. It is better to seek the truth through Daoist practice beyond the dusty world; the hours before and after seem to merge into a single moment. He remains joyful as he studies Zhuangzi and Laozi. The hour of Mao has not yet arrived, yet he already senses that the hour of Yin is near. Inside and out are clear, and he can foresee hidden changes. A flying crow over the sea rides the Jade Mercury, while a running hare in the heavens pounds and refines the Golden Essence. Their radiance surpasses even the earthly scenery. The poem finally returns to the garden and the teachings of Zhuangzi and Laozi, ending once more in joyful contemplation of the Dao.

Before the hour of Mao (5–7 a.m.) has arrived, I have already awakened in the hour of Yin (3–5 a.m.). The outward signs are clear, and hidden transformations have shown themselves in advance. A crow—the symbol of the sun—rises from the sea, while a rabbit harnesses jade mercury, a Neidan term often used to signify the moon or Yin essence. The rabbit races across the heavens, pounding and refining the elixir.

Its radiance surpasses earthly sights, and no spring scenery in this world can compare with the immortal’s garden. The moon comes and goes as events of past and present succeed one another. In seeking out the young and the old, one regards life and death alike.

Forget fame and gain; set down the tall pole. Terms such as Metal, Jia, and Geng encompass the changes between heat and cold. Before the Nine Autumns, flowers bloom all along the railing; after the Three Summers, vegetables fill the plates. At dawn I pour out jade liquid, a precious inner-refined essence in the language of cultivation, and deep into the night I still serve fine delicacies. Gazing toward the road beyond the clouds of the blue sky, I ride a phoenix and luan bird, finding an elegant joy of my own.

In the clear sky, even the faintest haze has dispersed. Having passed through several realms, the Dao-heart settles into stillness. I visit scenic places and chant of pine and bamboo; in seclusion in the immortal garden, I sing of willow and plum. When I see late spring, the arising and passing of all things seem like a dream. When the moon wanes, I sense summer departing and winter arriving. If one can recognize the radiant light of wholeness, one can see one’s true nature, clear as a mirror, and understand the moon’s waxing and waning as it comes and goes.

All things reveal their precious radiance anew, as though a mountain had been opened with an axe and a jade maiden finally brought into view. Once again, in the immortal garden, I chant of willow and plum. I watch late spring’s arising and passing as if in a dream, and see the waning moon hasten the turn from heat to cold. If one recognizes the light of the full circle, one can understand both the mirror-bright true nature and the moon’s changing phases.

All things once more reveal their precious radiance, like seeing a jade maiden after opening a mountain. The Three Yangs turn, and yellow stamens blossom; the Four Phases interweave, as if spring had arrived amid falling snow. The moon waxes and wanes, and the days of Dingmao, Wuchen, and other sexagenary designations come around. At the morning court of homage, clothed in robes of cloud, I conceal myself in a green grotto and cultivate a body of the nine heavens.

When numinous fortune arrives, the precious radiance gathers in; when it departs, the light fades, leaving body and mind pure and clear. The favorable workings between Heaven and Earth appear in the alternation of day and night. The heart responds to change, and through this, firmness and yielding find their balance. The golden cheeks turn, and the lotus peak stands firm. The cultivator should know that in the end, the crossing to the other shore will be made. Rising beyond the world, I cultivate nature and life. When distant travels are mentioned, I think of Fan Li sailing in a small boat.

I entertain guests with fine food, and everyone urges them to drink. After leaving the Celestial Kitchen, I return to be remade anew. Seeing the infant, I begin by grasping what is subtle; hearing the name of the Mysterious Maiden, a term in Neidan often used for Yin essence or a medicinal substance, my thoughts turn once more. By transmitting the jade instructions, precious formulas for cultivation, one can surpass samadhi, the meditative state of focusing on a single object. Golden light shines, and the cheeks glow. The Dao’s ease and adversity lie beyond Heaven and Earth; those who cultivate nature and life roam freely. And when distant travels are mentioned, it is still like Fan Li drifting in his boat.

When faced with fine and sumptuous food, still treat others with respect; after leaving the Celestial Kitchen, one begins to act anew. Seeing an infant, first grasp the subtle meaning; hearing of the Maiden (a Neidan term often referring to mercury or Yin energy), turn back and contemplate it anew.

Transmit the Jade Formula, and one can transcend samadhi, the state of focused meditation; golden light shines forth and appears on the cheeks. Once the principle is understood throughout, one can pass beyond Heaven and Earth; above the Yang Tower, raise the jade nectar.

Before people have grasped the right moment, the Cavern Immortal is already wandering amid the spring scenery of the Garden of Langyuan. Moonlight hastens the passing of the worldly scene, while an easy bearing follows the renewing light of the Dao.

A guest in the clouds transmits the Mercury Elixir; a visitor beyond the dust of the world explains the Elixir Scripture. Auspicious treasure light appears once more, and when the infantlike Original Spirit reaches understanding, it can unfold freely.

From the point where one enters the principle, true light flickers into view, as though seeing the sun and moon within a pot endure without end. Clad in cloud robes, pay homage to the Ancestor of the Dao; eat millet and refine the Cinnabar Yang.

After midnight, the candles shine brightly; before the purification fast, burn incense from Sichuan. In the deep and mysterious, understanding can come only through self-examination. Think of emerald bamboo, and you arrive in a cool hall.

When the dragon coils and the tiger advances, one must grasp the right moment; increase or decrease the firing time according to the trigrams, and follow the auspicious hour. Understand the image of cloud waves piling up between sea and sky, and also see snow and frost spread evenly over the land of Sichuan.

A boy leads the way to wander on Penghu, the fabled island of the immortals; the Maiden first goes to Luopu, the fairyland beside the Luo River, to admire the spring scenery. The moon moves and the years fly by; life passes through the changes of birth, aging, and transformation. Splendid adornments embellish the world’s renewed scene.

Visit the cultivators dwelling in seclusion on Mount Qingcheng, and also show compassion to save living beings in the human world. Refine mercury and lead, understanding them to be things formed through a false conjunction; expound the Dao and De, and realize the truth of simplicity and sincerity.

Purify the heart and accumulate De; pity those who are poor and lowly. Cultivate merit and practice goodness; cherish those who possess wealth and honor. In applying this, do not always take the high position, nor must you always go downward. Advance and withdraw, enter and depart, with the measured balance of a scale.

Immortal music accompanies the Dao as one dwells at the edge of the clouds; leisurely recite verses that transcend the dust of the world. Form a radiance that shines down, surpassing the Nine Depths beneath the earth; its brilliance approaches dazzling beauty and reaches the Three Heavens above.

Understand the principles of the Changes, and you will comprehend the Celestial Origin Year, the yearly cycle calculated from the workings of Heaven. Though the formulas are difficult to understand, you can still discern the Jiazi year of the sexagenary cycle. If, through cultivation across three lives, one suddenly awakens, one will know that the state in which all things vanish and distinctions fall away is the attainment of the worthy sage.

With a light and graceful form, arrive at the Cloud Pavilion, an immortal dwelling among the clouds. The immortal steed returns once more—who can understand the conditions that bring this about? See how favor and harm are bound together; when the mind responds, one knows that within harm lies the grace that gives life.

He knew that the Han dynasty would welcome Lü Dongbin, the Patriarch of Pure Yang, and that Lü would meet a man from Taiyuan at Fufeng. Later, Lü withdrew to live in the mountains, keeping his brilliance hidden amid the world of dust. He also expounded the Great Dao through the five thousand words of the Dao De Jing.

The true immortal Lü Dongbin lived in seclusion within a grotto. When he traveled, he left traces of his presence, and he delighted in meeting worthy ministers. He fathomed countless mysteries, taking harmony with Heaven’s will as his fulfillment; he grasped a thousand arcane principles and acted in accordance with nature.

He valued a peaceful and just age, putting virtue into practice. When he heard praise, he cultivated benevolence and righteousness all the more. Through self-cultivation, he gradually recovered his original nature from the beginning; as his practice reached its utmost, blessings grew in turn.

When it came to the splendors of the capital, he concealed his great talents. The seasons changed, and the cold gave way to warmth. He understood the Great Dao, his mind clear as starlight; after awakening to the Dao, his heart seemed richly adorned with fine patterns.

He kept company with pines and bamboo, admiring the scenery through three seasons. He cultivated a nature as lovely as fresh flowers, letting the four seasons take their course. He practiced every kind of good deed, ultimately turning toward the realm of the Primordial Beginning; recalling the sages of old, he marveled at their virtue and subtle wisdom.

He wandered among mountain grottoes, where precious radiance shone down. Transcending the world of dust, he had his own appointed time to return. With a heart both full and still, he was free from illness and pain; with Jing and Qi abundant, he forgot hunger.

Who can see the conditions that join the inner and outer realms? How many can grasp the arcane principles of the middle and the margins? To speak of Heaven and hell and comprehend the supreme, wondrous principle is truly worthy of praise.

When one thinks of an elder who appears only once in a hundred years, one knows that a true practitioner has ascended into the blue firmament. When the state is at ease and secure, the people are prosperous; after upheaval and disorder, they struggle to prosper.

Understand how Heaven and Earth shelter and sustain all things, and know the conduct that is plain and upright. Set the circuits of the heavens in motion, and the work of a sage can be accomplished. Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants all honor the good Dao, while people from beyond the borders too gladly praise the princes.

The mind flows freely, like the waters of the Brocade River. Water and fire mingle, like the mettle of a brave marquis of the Han dynasty. When good deeds multiply within a region, storms and disasters grow fewer; by discerning the Three Realms, one can sense the dense frost and snow between Heaven and Earth.

Do good deeds widely and accumulate three thousand merits. Follow the circuits of the heavens and observe their twelve turns closely. Grasp the keys and pivots of the Dao of nature, and one can remain joyful in the Dao, singing in delight.

Worthy people gather to discuss the past and present; those who are truly understanding naturally meet kindred spirits. The Golden Crow, symbol of the sun, lowers its feet, and the sky shines bright. The light of the Jade Rabbit, symbol of the moon, pounding the elixir, conveys the heart of awakening to the Dao.

The meaning of resolving and harmonizing is vast as Mount Sumeru; a humble and wondrous heart is deep as the great sea. Wherever auspicious clouds drift, there the immortals’ world is serene and beautiful. Plant the “yellow sprout”—the first nascent elixir energy in Neidan cultivation—and it is nourished without end, like a sweet rain.

The path of returning clouds leads toward the bright heavens. The Great Dao is originally empty, yet unfolds of itself. The light of the jade furnace descends, making it easy to awaken to the Dao; open the precious mirror, and what it reveals is difficult to put into words.

Cultivating “mercury medicine,” a Neidan term for a yin or mutable substance, can carry one beyond life and death. Those who understand the elixir texts do not cling to one side alone. The Dao appears in splendor, while the immortal path can truly be walked. An immortal invites me to visit a worthy sage.

I have heard that mirages transform into cities among the clouds. Follow the central path, and the movement of Qi arises from it. When the moon is full, sweet rain nourishes all things. Year after year, the Red Dragon never ceases its plowing, symbolizing the unbroken circulation of Yang energy.

Bring jade mercury into harmony with the Qi of Yin-Yang, and golden lead grows and ripens like hemp and wheat. The urge to compete and contend gives way to virtue and good deeds. This teaching endures through the ages, its pure reputation praised by all.

The utmost auspicious radiance shines across the night sky. The supreme Great Dao lets all things transform naturally. Through countless practices, one transcends past and present; with a thousand kinds of wisdom, one reaches the realm of sages.

Wealth and precious things may change from time to time; the liver, lungs, and kidneys, too, shine round and bright like the sun. If one only seeks more, one will never be satisfied. I flit about like a firefly, as though I could illuminate the whole universe.

When the dust and smoke disperse, the dwelling place of a chaotic world also vanishes. The supreme Great Dao lets all things transform naturally. Through myriad practices, one transcends past and present; through wisdom, one reaches the realm of sages.

Wealth and precious things may change from time to time; the liver, lungs, and kidneys, too, shine round and bright like the sun. If one only seeks more, one will never be satisfied. I flit about like a firefly, as though I could illuminate the whole universe.

When the dust and smoke disperse, the dwelling place of a chaotic world also vanishes. Hold a grand Yellow Register Zhaijiao purification ritual, expound the Daoist teachings, and pray to avert disaster. Wherever the auspicious clouds arrive, people reveal a quail-like nature, content with simplicity. Transcending death, they no longer live in lonely dependence on coarse food.

Understand Fuxi’s three diagrams and grasp the changes in the six lines of the hexagrams in the Book of Changes. Seeing the light, one recognizes the true principle of reversal within it. Having reached the far shore, one understands that within Wuwei there is being, and that even emptiness has wondrous use.

Even in the world of dust, one can dwell in ease and contentment. Refine true lead, and one’s level of practice rises with it. Like Yang Xiong, seek out a hermitage among the clouds and draw near to worthy sages beyond the world.

Above one’s head stands the immortal capital; the spirit wind is cool and clear. Beside the cavern stream, the bright moon is full. To taste the fruit offered by the immortals, one must ultimately rely on three thousand deeds of merit—the Daoist tradition of accumulating virtue and cultivation.

It is said that after attaining the Dao and ascending, one does not return. The immortal lord plants cassia in the moon palace. By the end of spring, the beautiful flowers of every region have withered. Beside the cavern stream, the bright moon is full and the spirit wind is cool and clear. To taste the fruit offered by the immortals, one must ultimately rely on three thousand deeds of merit.

Once immortal beings have ascended in their true bodies to the celestial realm, they do not return. The immortals plant cassia trees in the Moon Palace. Flowers and grasses in the mortal world wither by the end of spring, while flowers in heaven bloom in every season.

The most sublime music seems to coil around a divine dragon, echoing beside the well where elixirs are prepared. Its melodies draw cranes down to the Elixir Platform. Once one has grasped the true Dao, one can pay homage in the heavenly court and ascend. The teachings expounded in the Nanhua Jing (another name for the Zhuangzi) are truly profound.

The sun sinks in the west, and the setting light cannot be recalled. Even after hearing of life’s impermanence, the resolve to seek the Dao does not fade. We see Tao Yuanming come and go, and hear that Ding Lingwei returned to the human world after departing. These tales of immortals moving between worlds call to mind the transformations of life and death, and the return that comes with attaining the Dao.

Before spring, the willow trees take on a golden glow; after the twelfth lunar month, plum blossoms open. When the Fire Prohibition Festival arrives, around the time of the Cold Food Festival, an immortal guest understands the teaching and raises a cup of jade nectar, finding it better than fine wine.

The new year arrives and the chill gradually recedes. Those who discuss the mysterious teachings come and go. Metal Qi and Wood Qi converge as numinous Yang Qi shines down. Water and fire mingle, and Gui Water, the Yin Water of the Five Phases, nourishes the roots and stems of plants.

People are always captivated by the spring sunshine of the third month. Only now do they awaken to the turning of the four seasons and the way time presses on. Immortals enter the ingredients and refine an elixir; when it is complete, a radiant circle appears. Those who penetrate the mysterious, primal Dao understand the teaching embodied by Lao Laizi, the ancient figure famed for his filial devotion.

Flowers and leaves flourish all the way to the seashore. The time to return draws near, as spring approaches the Fire Prohibition Festival. People become attached to illusory appearances such as birth and death, yet few understand what remains true and constant amid the changes of human affairs: the Dao.

The supreme emerald clouds are ever in the company of immortals, and sages from every quarter are their eternal neighbors. From Yang Tower, one gazes toward the road to Chang’an. By holding to the Dao of Xiyi, tranquil, formless, and beyond perception, one remains fresh through the ages.

When faults are dispelled, blessings run deep. Penetrating the Dao of Xiyi allows one to explore the ultimate principle. Refining the elixir within the body is like a golden cauldron shining with white light; circulating the inner alchemical fire is like a jade furnace glowing red.

Having attained the Dao, one can pay homage to the Queen Mother of the West. Having become a perfected immortal, one can visit the Duke of Wood, the Lord of the East. Carrying the clouds, one departs while upholding faith in the Three Pure Ones; riding a crane, one soars straight to the ninth heaven.

Wander through Langyuan, the immortals’ abode, and admire its brocade-like blossoms. Climb the Purple Jade Terrace and meet the wind beneath the moon. Extinguish thoughts of liberation through corpse-divestment and transcend life and death, no longer bound by the turning seasons. By following the constant Dao, one’s breath becomes smooth and the body and mind come into harmony.

End of Volume One of the Collection of Immortal Music

Collection of Immortal Music, Volume Two

Written by Liu Chuxuan, “Long-Life Master Who Responds to Circumstances Through Wuwei,” of the Sacred Mountain

“One Hundred and Sixty-One Verses in Five Auspicious, Muffled Quatrains”

By holding the Dao in mind, one can awaken to the truth and bring body and mind to rest. A life kept pure surpasses seeking elixirs through cultivation. By penetrating the Way of Heaven and fully embodying the highest De, one can pass beyond the threshold of life and death.

Yesterday was as ordinary as ever, yet today there is both sorrow and joy. At Lingxu Retreat, a place for purification and cultivation, people bow in reverence; the temple’s supervising Daoist offers thanks to the honored official.

Do not contend with others, and calamity will be less likely to befall you. Even sages and worthies respect those who cultivate the Dao and De. By continually accumulating good deeds, you can reap their precious rewards in life after life. True blessings must be sought within yourself; there is no need to seek them outside.

When contemplative insight is clear, you can understand Buddhist scriptures; when meditation reaches its depths, you experience the true, formless reality. The wisdom of meditation is profound and difficult to express in words; the meditative heavens are clear and complete, revered even by sages and worthies. By continually accumulating good deeds, you can reap their precious rewards in life after life. True blessings must be sought within yourself; there is no need to seek them outside.

When contemplative insight is clear, you can understand Buddhist scriptures; when meditation reaches its depths, you experience the true, formless reality. The wisdom of meditation is profound and difficult to express in words; the meditative heavens are clear and complete.

Do not provoke trouble or crave what you do not have. If you do not contend with others, there is no need to win arguments with your tongue. Speak little and devote yourself to reciting the Dao; let there be neither joy nor sorrow.

A year has passed since our parting. Leaving the capital, the journey led through Baozhou. The honored official kept the cultivation of the Dao in his heart as he made his way westward.

When the dust and grime are cleared away, the inner treasure light shines forth; the vast blue sky is clear from end to end. With true serenity, cultivate the highest De to perfection. Know how to respond to change, and you will grasp the immortal scriptures.

Serve the state and establish a Daoist hermitage. Donate your wealth to accumulate blessings through the Dao and cut off greed. Let your eloquence be enough to understand all things; once you truly comprehend, let your outward manner appear simple and unpretentious.

Accumulate good deeds, and the wondrous principles will reach Heaven. Keep your heart pure, and countless faults will be dispelled. Those who have truly understood the Dao, from ancient times to the present, abide in the perfect light of the treasure within.

The Great Dao needs no deliberate construction. Follow circumstances and seek nothing outside yourself. Keep steadfast to the end, and after returning, you will take your place among the immortals.

Even when eating meat, do not kill living beings. Govern with the purity and coolness of ice. In moments of leisure, study Zhuangzi and Laozi; understand the Way of Heaven, and you will cultivate the highest De.

Without a stove, you are spared the scorching smoke and fire. What you must escape is the suffering within, like a fiery pit. Keep steadfast to the end, and after returning, you will take your place among the immortals.

Even when eating meat, do not kill living beings. Govern with the purity and coolness of ice. In moments of leisure, study Zhuangzi and Laozi; understand the Way of Heaven, and you will cultivate the highest De.

Without a stove, you are spared the scorching smoke and fire. How many can escape a pit of flames? The cool, blessed land is altogether different; after hunger, you may feast on the peaches of immortality.

The elusive and inaudible is the source of the Dao; the newborn child is the true infant, a metaphor for the cultivator who is pure and guileless. When they meet, they can transcend the transformations of life and death. When the work of cultivating immortality is complete, one may ascend to immortality.

With true serenity and the highest De cultivated to perfection, you can preserve life and extend your years. The Three Teachings—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism—all expound the truth. Even if you have not yet become an immortal, you are already a worthy person.

See a shooting star on the ground, and you will know that even in darkness there are sacred, numinous beings. Build thatched huts on either side, with green pines and cypresses all around.

Once the bridge is built, continue cultivating the Dao; in your free time, study the sacred teachings. When merit and cultivation are both complete, you will fully understand how to transcend death, life, and old age.

Standing by the water, one gazes out and longs for the mountains and forests, transcending the world amid ease and freedom. The quiet elegance here is no less than that of ancient Chang’an.

Through long practice, one gradually forgets distinctions and attachments, then suddenly feels free from impermanence. Having attained the Dao, one can transcend the changes of life and death; there is no need to hurry to Penglai, the legendary immortal island in the sea.

Do not crave, and do not hate. Let the True Constant—the enduring, unchanging Dao—and the spirit and Qi remain clear and bright. Life becomes lucid, radiant like the water of Gui; when one understands the principles of things, one naturally ascends to the ranks of the immortals.

A thatched hut stands near river and mountain. There, one lives quietly, turning away from worldly ways. By day, one reads the Daoist scriptures, such as the Daode Jing, at leisure; deep into the still night, one listens to the sound of flowing water.

The Daoist hermitage lies near Kuaiji, far from the turmoil of the world. Once awakened to the Great Dao, one’s true spirit is limpid and bright, and its pure radiance shines upon all things.

To the southwest lies the region of Yellow and White, where stone grottoes mark the dwelling place of perfected immortals. One lives in seclusion to cultivate the Dao, keeping company with pines and bamboo; in time, one will become an immortal guest on Penglai Island.

The blessed land lies near Sanyang, with a place of Daoist cultivation just beyond the mountain. People will gather for a great assembly at Longhua, where Maitreya preaches the Dharma; on the first and fifteenth days of each month, they burn incense and pay their respects in advance.

The mountain peak rises high, as though reaching the Gate of Heaven. With the pure and tranquil Dao, one repays the Four Kindnesses, commonly understood as the blessings of Heaven and Earth, parents and sovereign, and teachers and elders. Should someone come to ask about the Dao, respond with reverence and show them respect.

Living in seclusion near the northern mountain, one has no desire to linger in the world. Three plots of land sustain the life of cultivation; hemp seeds and wheat nourish the body and support the cultivation of the true.

Climbing the mountain beside the water, one sees only verdant slopes beneath an endless blue sky. Suddenly, one understands the Great Dao in its entirety and turns toward the Great Luo Heaven, the highest celestial realm in Daoism.

Blue mountains stretch before and behind; the Jia and Geng passes stand clear. Within a single truth lies the wondrous principle of reversal and transformation, while white clouds drift freely beyond the clouds.

The highest good is clear as water. Cultivation reaches its fulfillment, like water flowing naturally along its course. The blue sky reflects the myriad forms; the cultivation of nature and life is complete, and radiance appears.

Within the Jia region, the wondrous principle is clear and fully understood. The true nature shines bright, and the Dao’s image is spiritually subtle. At peace, one upholds the highest practice and ultimately returns to the blue heavens.

At each stirring of the mind, restrain yourself from faulting others. Do not display yourself or seek attention; let what you see and know return to the subtle, tranquil emptiness of Xiyi. Respond to every circumstance and discern the myriad forms of wisdom; hold no attachments, yet do not turn away from the things of the world.

One delights in living in a quiet thatched hut, reading at leisure the classics of the three teachings: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. Their wondrous principles come naturally to understanding, and one enjoys the freedom of life beyond the world.

When disorder broke out, one took shelter in Fenyang, hoping people would follow the example of the Horse King, a Daoist deity. Though living amid the world, one’s heart remains beyond it; once the mortal body is cast off, one reaches the realm of immortals.

When praying for rain, the villages hold rituals in turn. All join in good deeds and pray for Heaven’s grace. Do not kill living beings; accumulate blessings through mercy. For offerings, prepare incense, lamps, tea, and fruit.

Suddenly awakening to the indestructible truth, one’s true wisdom can make one forget form, sensation, perception, and volition—the four aspects that make up body and mind. Human nature is formless and without appearance, never subject to aging. Recognizing this, one can transcend impermanent change.

With reverence and faith, discern what true fasting is: a practice that purifies body and mind. When the mind is clear and open, one is no longer bound by the cycles of birth and death. Refrain from killing and do good deeds to accumulate merit and virtue. When making offerings, prepare everything in full: incense, lamps, tea, fruit, and other offerings.

Suddenly awakening to the indestructible truth, one’s true wisdom can make one forget form, sensation, perception, and volition. Human nature is formless and without appearance, never subject to aging. Recognizing this, one can transcend impermanent change.

With reverence and faith, discern what true fasting is. When the mind is clear and open, one is no longer bound by the cycles of birth and death. Keep your original resolve unchanged, and in the end, as if shedding an old shell, arrive at Penglai, the legendary island mountain across the sea.

Keep the gate of expedient means open. Enter and leave with a reverent heart, paying homage to the True Venerables, the honored deities of Daoism. Repay your parents each day for their care, and always remember and repay the four debts of gratitude owed to all beings, the state, one’s teachers, and others.

The front hall and rear hall face one another, allowing you to choose the right coolness or warmth in any season. Uphold purity and good deeds, and respect the three teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism; forget the turmoil of the world, which is like a dream.

Obey your elders and fulfill your filial duties to practice filial piety completely. A quiet mind surpasses sitting in meditation. Forget the four aspects entirely, and you will suddenly understand: in their cultivation, becoming a Buddha and becoming an immortal can follow paths that converge.

In a trance, a pearl-like light arises within the heart. Turn the light inward, and its radiance shines in every direction. A firefly may glow, but its light cannot blaze brilliantly; only when the light of heaven is clear does True Yang—the pure Yang Qi spoken of in inner cultivation—appear.

Forget worldly disputes and set aside the urge to outdo others. Keep the mind at ease and study the Daoist scriptures. Once you fully grasp the truth, you will no longer be ruled by aging and death. When you understand the Way, its principles will naturally become clear.

Grasp the true delight of the Great Way, and the vision of cultivation will open. Remain kind and pure, and you can keep calamity at a distance. Maintain harmony and balance within body and mind, preserve life, and in the end, as if shedding an old shell, arrive at Penglai.

With no evil thoughts, the mind and Qi become tranquil and deep. Let go of emotional attachments, and you can grasp Water and Metal, an image often used in Neidan cultivation for the union of Yin and Yang, lead and mercury. Empty your heart of preconceptions so that body and mind accord with the Great Way; even ghosts and spirits will honor you.

Suddenly understand that the world is illusory, like a dream, and you can cultivate the work of becoming an immortal and dwell in blessed grotto-heavens. Transcend the mundane world and reach the slopes of a numinous peak, where you may leisurely admire ancient books.

Forget worldly concerns and understand the principle of life and death. Through understanding the Great Way, let go of all contention in your heart. Respond to circumstances as they change and discern the truth; in time, your cultivation and merit will be complete.

In daily life, naturally uphold the true Way and nourish the spirit with Qi that is harmonious and balanced. Make nature and life clear, as if congealed in golden light. When your practice is complete, you will return and become an immortal.

Enter and leave the slopes of a numinous peak, leisurely admiring ancient books.

Forget worldly concerns and understand the principle of life and death. Through understanding the Great Way, let go of all contention in your heart. Respond to circumstances as they change and discern the truth; in time, your cultivation and merit will be complete.

In daily life, naturally uphold the true Way and nourish the spirit with Qi that is harmonious and balanced. Make nature and life clear, as if congealed in golden light. When your practice is complete, you will return and become an immortal.

As you come and go, it is like walking around a walled enclosure. Once you truly understand the Great Way, you forget the distinction between movement and stillness. Understand the hexagrams and their lines—the Yin-Yang changes in the configurations of the Book of Changes—and you can perceive their principles whether sitting or lying down. When Yin Qi is exhausted, it transforms into pure Yang.

When deluded thoughts fall away, true nature appears. A subtle insight into the Great Way will brighten the vision of cultivation. Harbor no hatred and maintain complete virtue; then nature and life can be settled, and Qi and spirit filled with numinous vitality.

Let the mind remain as calm as that of the sages, and deluded thoughts and ignorance will naturally fade away. Moths rush toward a lamp and do not awaken to their folly until dawn. When a practitioner truly understands the Way, they can return to the blue vault of heaven.

With no greed in the heart, the mind is as clear as the sky, and all things appear of themselves. When the numinous, luminous nature accords with the Dao, one’s words in response to change can also accord with the meaning of the scriptures.

One who has truly awakened to the Dao is as clear-sighted as a crane among the pines. Those lost in delusion are like moths clinging to a lamp, and will eventually fall into danger. Clarity and turbidity are two different paths. Those who remain deluded will ultimately meet death, as if cast into a cauldron of boiling oil.

See early on that the body will in the end become a skeleton. This can purify life and keep one from falling into the Ninefold Darkness, the underworld. Refine the Golden Infant and Jade Maiden—the Yin-Yang essences of internal alchemy—and bring them into harmony. When the true nature is clear, one can ascend into the clouds.

When the mind and spirit are still and gentle, Jing, Qi, and Shen become luminous. Cherish and bring to fruition the essence of life. Only by understanding the principles of things and the Way of Heaven can one truly ascend to the realm of the immortals.

The Dao is formless and without substance; it cannot be transmitted through words. One who truly understands can congeal mercury and lead, terms in internal alchemy that symbolize Yin-Yang essences. To return to Penglai Island, the legendary abode of immortals, one must accumulate three thousand deeds of merit through long practice and virtuous action.

The mysteries of creation are hidden in the alchemical scriptures. With a mind as clear as the blue sky, the myriad forms appear of themselves. True numinous light cannot be summoned through the imagination; in cultivation, one must also understand how to reverse the principles of Yin-Yang. Only by understanding the principles of things and the Way of Heaven can one truly ascend to the realm of the immortals.

The Dao is formless and without substance; it cannot be transmitted through words. One who truly understands can congeal mercury and lead. To return to Penglai Island, one must accumulate three thousand deeds of merit.

The mysteries of creation are hidden in the alchemical scriptures. With a mind as clear as the blue sky, the myriad forms appear of themselves. True numinous light cannot be summoned through the imagination; cultivation also requires reversing the principles of Yin-Yang so that the Qi of Jia Wood and the Qi of Geng Metal—terms from the Five Phases in internal alchemy—may communicate.

In winter’s bitter cold, gather and refine Yellow Sprout, the first rising Qi of internal alchemy; in summer’s heat, collect White Snow, the cool, condensed Qi. Refine the Golden Infant from the Jade Peak. At this stage, one can transcend the changes of life and death.

Be skilled in quiet cultivation of nature and life. Set aside thoughts, and dispel the burdens of wrongdoing as well as afflictions of body and mind. The power of the Dao and De will naturally become manifest, and in time one will be able to pay homage to the Most Holy.

Keep stillness and clarity in daily life, and cultivate Jing, Qi, and Shen until they come together. Let go of personal attachments so that the essence of life may remain whole and shine forth. In the end, truly leave the dust of the world behind and become one with the immortals.

All things are like reflections in a mirror; numinous light shines through, and the myriad forms are clear. Respond to the world without being caught or hindered by it. Once awakened, one’s cultivation can be brought to completion.

Suddenly understand that life and death are the great matters of human existence, and abide often in a quiet state of mind beyond the world’s dust. Even if the blue sea becomes mulberry fields, the spirit that endures through all ages remains with the Dao.

Keep the Great Dao ever in mind, and the light of life will become whole. Though formless and without appearance, it can bring one’s nature to perfect understanding and harmony. Naturally attain the highest good; cast off the mortal body, and become a true immortal.

Understand the Great Dao, and strife and desire will fall away; then the principles of nature and life will be truly understood. With firm resolve, one can escape the cycle of rebirth. Even if stone should decay, the divine light will endure.

All worldly affairs before our eyes are illusory; only the spirit abides with the Dao.

Keep the Great Dao ever in mind, and the light of life will become whole. Though formless and without appearance, it can bring one’s nature to perfect understanding and harmony. Naturally attain the highest good; cast off the mortal body, and become a true immortal.

Understand the Great Dao, and strife and desire will fall away; then the principles of nature and life will be truly understood. With firm resolve, one can escape the cycle of rebirth. Even if stone should decay, the divine light will endure.

In this world, most things are false. Do not let your mind and desires run wild or drift through life in confusion. Take joy in cultivating the Dao, cherish the quiet surroundings of pine covered peaks, gradually cast off what is false, and attain a genuine, free and unburdened way of being.

Though the body grows old, true nature does not. It is never too late to begin cultivation. If you can cultivate De (Virtue/Power) and preserve life, you may in the end return to the immortal isles of Penglai.

When the heart is free of self interest, Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) become clear and bright. Let go of desire, and the light of Gui water can settle into stillness. Grasp the subtle mystery of Xiyi, the Dao’s hidden, formless realm, and the Great Dao will naturally be fulfilled.

Life is like a dream; in an instant, all is empty. Forget the worldly realm, and you can behold the true appearance that endures unchanged. The scenery of the immortals’ realm differs from that of the human world. To climb the cloud bound path to the immortals, you must rely on the work of cultivation.

People pass through countless lives and deaths in the cycle of rebirth. Understand the principles of the Dao, and you can transcend life and death. Refine true lead and true mercury, the Yin-Yang essences of internal alchemy, until they congeal into an elixir. Then the radiance of the elixir pearl can manifest its wonder, like a giant turtle drawn up from the depths.

Truly understand the Great Dao, and you can dissolve worldly cleverness and immediately see how to escape the perils of life and death. Enjoy the Dao’s delight beneath pine covered peaks, and bring Kan and Li, the waters and fires of internal alchemy, Yin and Yang, into harmony and union.

Transform the turbid and harmful into the clear and good, and you can escape the cycle of birth and death. Preserve life and let the numinous light become whole and undiminished. With true awakening, the blue firmament appears before you.

Reach the farther shore and understand birthlessness; walk freely among the numinous peaks beyond the clouds. Take joy in realizing the true Dao, dwell in a rosy cloud grotto, and follow the landscape as it accords with peaceful nature.

Take the Dao as the good and understand noncontention. Refine and nourish true Qi, bringing the firing process under control so that transformation can arise. When the light of Gui water is abundant and the Dharma body, the body and mind formed through cultivation, is complete, you will naturally cast off the mortal body and ascend.

When you behold beauty, remember that it will one day become a skeleton. If you become infatuated with it, your true nature will sink into the deepest darkness of the underworld. Understand birthlessness, and you can fully experience the mystery of the Great Dao. Let life abide in the Dao, and you may seek out the immortal realm of Yingzhou.

Forget emotions such as joy and anger altogether, and you will truly understand the constant, unchanging nature. When the breath is even, the light of life can grow full. Cast off the mortal body, and you will reach the immortals’ homeland.

In daily life, follow nature and keep to what is genuine; nourish the spirit with even Qi. When the mind is quiet, the light of Gui water becomes abundant. When Yin energy is entirely dispelled, you become an immortal in the blue firmament.

Lessen attachment to purposeful action, and you will realize true nonbeing, like a solitary cloud drifting freely across the blue sky. Coming and going without care or hindrance, you cultivate the Great Dao in its entirety; this is the work of cultivation.

Truly understand the principles and meaning of the Dao, and the dust of the world will be swept away and the mind will awaken. Embrace the Great Dao and be content with quiet simplicity; you will naturally understand the Dao that has endured through the ages.

After countless cycles of life and death, a single moment of realizing birthlessness is enough to leave the cycle behind. Naturally attain myriad forms of wisdom, preserve life, and set the Yang line in motion, the line that symbolizes Yang energy in the Book of Changes.

Those of superior capacity understand the Dao of noncontention. When the breath is even, the Dao eye becomes clear. Truly understand the Great Dao, and you can cultivate myriad accomplishments; with awakening, you will naturally ascend.

Remain serene and still until life’s end; forget emotional desires and preserve your nature and life. In this way, you can ascend beyond and avoid falling into the realm of ghosts. You will rise to the Great Luo Heaven and pay your respects to the worthy sages.

Let your thoughts become clear and penetrating, and understand the principles of the Great Dao. Once you truly comprehend them, you will no longer be troubled by sorrow or joy. Yang Qi descends, and the spirit and Qi become luminous. Atop a solitary peak, awaken to the path that leads to the farther shore.

Restrain the “mind-monkey”—a metaphor for thoughts that are easily scattered and restless—and bring it under control. When the heart within is truly clear, you can face the world without being shaken. Quiet your life and preserve its purity. In this way, you can ascend beyond and avoid falling into the realm of ghosts. You will rise to the Great Luo Heaven and pay your respects to the worthy sages.

Let your thoughts become clear and penetrating, and understand the principles of the Great Dao. Once you truly comprehend them, you will no longer be troubled by sorrow or joy. Yang Qi descends, and the spirit and Qi become luminous. Atop a solitary peak, awaken to the path that leads to the farther shore.

Restrain the mind-monkey and bring it under control. When the heart within is truly clear, you can face the world without being shaken. Quiet yourself and cultivate insight; thus you can preserve De. With body and mind attuned to the subtle, dwell in Huayang Cave, a legendary Daoist retreat where immortals cultivated the Dao.

With a kind heart, you can become attuned to the nature of the Dao. Do not merely hear its teachings while remaining deaf to them. Quell evil thoughts and preserve the highest Dao; understand that all things ultimately return to emptiness and stillness.

Forget greed and desire: what is there left to contend over? Let go of attachment to self, and you will awaken to true clarity. See your original face; when your practice is complete, you will set out on the cloud-swept path of the immortals.

Serene and pure, preserve your nature and life. When emotional attachments and desires cease, the mind-monkey will settle. Free of karmic offenses, you can escape sinking into ruin; rise into the blue firmament and pay your respects to the most holy.

Do good and understand the truth of life and death. Keep your life pure, and let spirit and Qi shine with clarity. Dwell in the rosy-clouded grottoes of Jade Peak, follow the transformations, and attain subtle insight into the scriptures of the Dao.

With a clear, tranquil, and open heart, you can practice the true Dao. Subdue the fire of the heart and transform it into red silver, an alchemical metaphor for inner cultivation. Keep your aspirations pure and follow them through to the end. When your cultivation is complete, you can attain the “body beyond the body,” a Daoist state of body and spirit that transcends the limits of physical form.

Reflect deeply on the great matter of life and death, and you will know that you must reach the farther shore and leave the sea of suffering. Take joy in cultivating the Dao, and you can escape sinking into ruin. Dwell in seclusion, keep to what is true, and roam freely beyond the world of dust.

In daily life, restrain the mind-monkey. When difficulties arise, dispel the darkness and vexation within your heart. Hold fast to the enduring truth, and you will bring forth good fruit. When your work is complete, return; this is called becoming an immortal.

Understand the Dao of guarding the One; this is the true practice. Keep the depths of your heart calm and clear. Accumulate good deeds, cast off hatred and attachment, and return to the Great Dao. In this way, you can escape sinking into ruin, dwell in seclusion while keeping to what is true, and roam freely beyond the world of dust.

In daily life, restrain the mind-monkey. When difficulties arise, dispel the darkness and vexation within your heart. Hold fast to the enduring truth, and you will bring forth good fruit. When your work is complete, return; this is called becoming an immortal.

Understand the Dao of guarding the One; this is the true practice. Keep the depths of your heart calm and clear. Accumulate good deeds, cast off hatred and attachment, and in time you will naturally ascend.

The moon waxes from a crescent to fullness, symbolizing the completion of dual cultivation of nature and life and the realization of immortal attainment. With a pure mind, you can penetrate the mysteries of the Dao. Accumulate merit and practice until you have completed three thousand deeds.

Dwell in a mountain retreat among the green hills, where the cultivator of the true Dao grows weary of worldly turmoil. Cultivating the Dao can free you from the suffering of transmigration. Beneath the pines, roam at ease.

Even unfeeling stone turns to ash. How few understand this subtle principle! True nature cannot be destroyed. Without contriving, one can still respond and act in accord with what is.

The study of the Dao requires steadfast sincerity. When things happen, do not grow angry or troubled. With clarity and serenity, you can attain the highest good. Let go of attachment and desire completely, and the light of nature and life can reach its fullness.

When people lose the Great Dao, they fall among the lesser forms of life, such as animals. Only by realizing the truth can they preserve life and reveal their spiritual nature. Understanding the principles makes it possible to grasp the teachings of the ancients; once they turn away from the world, they go to the grotto-heavens, the paradisal realms where immortals dwell, to cultivate the Dao.

Moths cling greedily to lamplight and lose themselves in the darkness—how can their lives endure? A crane resting among pines inspires awakening. When one’s true nature leaves the world behind, one can reach the land of immortals.

Hold firm to your resolve and realize non-arising, no longer clinging to the cycle of birth and death. What is there for those who cultivate the Dao to contend over? Turn away from the world and dwell in grotto-heavens wreathed in rosy clouds; preserve life and understand the immortal scriptures.

Only by understanding the principles can one truly rise beyond ordinary people. Throughout the ages, how many have awakened? When merit and cultivation are complete, one ascends to the high heavens of the cinnabar clouds.

Understand the Dao of clarity and stillness, and preserve life. Forget clever schemes and calculations; dispel transgressions and vexations. Awakening and wisdom then shine forth naturally, and in every daily activity—walking, standing, sitting, and lying down—one is as careful as if in the presence of a sage.

The human body must eventually die, and the changes of life and death are profound. If one sinks into them, one may wander through countless millennia. Realize the truth and cultivate the Dao of harmonious Yang. Even as seas change and pines wither, the true nature endures.

Wisdom must be clear and the right principles understood before one can attain the Dao and truly rise beyond the mundane. The light of Heaven is clear, its precious radiance complete, as transparent as a cold pool.

In daily life, rid yourself of greed and anger to understand the root of attaining the Dao. Shen and Qi gather through subtle cultivation; apart from this true nature and life, there is nothing worthy of your trust or closeness.

Let go of attachment to self, and you can keep calamity at a distance. Understand that all things are empty in their nature, and you can pass through obstacle after obstacle. Hold firm to your resolve and cultivate the pure Yang Dao; in all things, act in accordance with cause and effect.

With an open heart, keep the right Dao in mind. Once you understand it, you can respond to change and comprehend boundless principles. Realize the highest Dao completely, and complete the work of joining mercury and lead—the Neidan process in which Yin and Yang essences mingle and congeal.

See other people’s faults as though they were your own. Do not assume you are always right or compete to outdo others. Conceal others’ failings and praise their good qualities; when your De is complete, you can attain the fruit of the Dao.

When light descends, awakening brings clear understanding, and life naturally reveals its numinous quality. Remain free from worldly defilement in every place, cultivate the supreme Dao, and complete the work of joining mercury and lead.

See other people’s faults as though they were your own. Do not assume you are always right or compete to outdo others. Conceal others’ failings and praise their good qualities; when your De is complete, you can attain the fruit of the Dao.

When light descends, awakening brings clear understanding, and life naturally reveals its numinous quality. Remain free from worldly defilement in every place, and you can grasp the workings of creation and transformation through Jia and Geng, terms in alchemical practice that here refer to the changing movements of Yin and Yang Qi during cultivation.

The changes of birth and death in the cycle of rebirth are endless. Turn away from the world, and you can roam beyond the heavens. Hold firm to your resolve and rest in clarity and harmony; even as pines wither, your true nature and life can endure.

Understand the truth, and your Qi becomes harmonious and pure. The light of Heaven is clear, and its precious radiance bright. Through subtle awakening, transform body and mind; lead and mercury will naturally mingle and congeal.

All principles ultimately return to stillness and Wuwei (non-action). Devote yourself to cultivating the Dao, and you can transcend life and death. Respond to change in accord with the true scripture, and its profound meaning will naturally become clear.

When a person reaches the utmost goodness, evil thoughts no longer arise. Seeing through the emptiness of worldly affairs, the mind no longer clings. Only with a tranquil heart can one fully uphold De and understand the covenant that leads to Penglai, the legendary immortal isle in the sea.

When delusive thoughts vanish, the light of wisdom appears; when wholesome thoughts are pure, the Dao-nature becomes clear and luminous. Subtle insight into the Great Dao brings life’s radiance to completion. Understanding its principles and putting them into practice are what bring cultivation to fruition.

When the heart no longer clings, it can preserve the Dao’s essence. Preserve the Three Treasures—Jing, Qi, and Shen in Daoist cultivation—to repay the Four Graces, the kindnesses one is bound to repay. When one’s merit and practice are complete, one can pay homage for ages to the Venerable One, the revered sage.

Only by understanding the Great Dao can one recognize the constant, true Dao-nature. Forget greed, anger, and muddled thoughts. When body and mind are clear and open, the Three Treasures can coalesce; cast off the mortal form and reach the realm of immortals.

In cultivating purity and single-mindedness, what matters is sincerity and steadfastness. End all desire and dispel past faults. Cultivate nature and life in the grotto-heavens, the abodes of immortals in Daoist tradition; accumulate merit and good deeds until three thousand acts of merit are complete.

Forget emotional attachment, and life’s radiance will grow clear as well. When body and mind are clear and open, the Three Treasures can coalesce; cast off the mortal form and reach the realm of immortals.

In cultivating purity and single-mindedness, what matters is sincerity and steadfastness. End all desire and dispel past faults. Cultivate nature and life in the grotto-heavens; accumulate merit and good deeds until three thousand acts of merit are complete.

Forget emotional attachment, and life’s radiance will become complete. Keep the mind pure, like a deep blue sky. Truly understand the principles of the Great Dao, and one can return, ascending to the immortal towers among the clouds.

To lose the Great Dao is to draw near to animal existence, the lives of beasts and other nonhuman beings. Only by realizing the truth can one take the immortal path among the clouds. When life is pure, one is freed from the constraints of mortal bones; with a thorough understanding of the Dao, one naturally ascends.

The constant, true Dao-heart should be as pure as it was at birth. See through the world’s falsehoods and know that they are not real. Recognize the Dao’s formless, imageless essence, and Dao-Qi can circulate the Millet Pearl, a symbolic term in internal alchemy for subtle inner vital energy or the Elixir mechanism.

The light of one’s nature is like lamp oil, sustaining the flame of spiritual clarity. Sudden awakening enables one to transcend the changes of life and death and roam beyond the heavens in pure joy.

The bright flame brings realization of the Three Origins, Daoist terms for different levels of primordial Qi in the cosmos or the human body, and the precious mirror becomes whole and flawless. How many people, from ancient times to the present, have truly understood? Once awakened, one can attain the immortal Dao.

After realizing the Dao, one no longer clings to self or others. When the numinous light shines through, one can direct the descent of Fire, an internal alchemy method for lowering and regulating the fire phase. One naturally reaches complete radiance and attains the highest immortal fruit.

Uphold the true Dao, and let the resolve for purity remain steadfast. Unmoved by external things, one can discern one’s innate nature. The light of Mercury is clear, and Lead and Mercury are harmonized and made whole. Even without becoming an immortal, one can be a sage who moves among ordinary people. Lead and Mercury are internal alchemy terms that symbolize the cultivation of body and mind and the transformation of vital energies.

Understand the Great Dao, and one no longer focuses on the faults of others. Without hatred, one can still recognize the worthy and the sages. When virtue is complete, one reaches the Dao of utmost goodness; in the end, one returns to the true and takes the cloud path home.

To put the Great Dao into practice, one must end greed and anger and nurture the spirit with a peaceful Qi. When life is pure, the Three Treasures can coalesce; cast off the mortal form and reveal one’s true self.

Thoroughly understand the true principles, and nothing will obstruct you. Do not cling to distinctions such as inner and outer or the middle, and do not become attached to the work of cultivation. When the light of wisdom is clear, Lead and Mercury coalesce; returning to the true, one becomes like an immortal.

In daily cultivation, gather scattered thoughts as if taming a monkey, and meet the sages with a mind of true suchness. When body and mind are clear and open, Lead and Mercury can coalesce. Accumulate three thousand acts of merit and good deeds, and cultivation is complete.

Keep the Three Treasures in mind until they coalesce; cast off the mortal form and reveal one’s true self.

Thoroughly understand the true principles, and nothing will obstruct you. Do not cling to distinctions such as inner and outer or the middle, and do not become attached to the work of cultivation. When the light of wisdom is clear, Lead and Mercury coalesce; returning to the true, one becomes like an immortal.

In daily cultivation, the key is to subdue the “monkey mind and galloping thoughts”—a metaphor for restless thoughts that are difficult to control—and face the sages with a mind of true suchness. In this way, body and mind become clear and open, lead and mercury—terms in Daoist internal alchemy that often refer to Yin-Yang essence and vital energy within the body—coalesce, and the merits of cultivation reach completion.

Only by keeping the Dao in mind can one understand the purpose of true cultivation. Living in seclusion among pine-covered peaks and green grottoes, one quietly and peacefully accumulates deeds of merit. In the end, one understands one’s original nature and brings lead and mercury to coalesce.

By understanding the true fire—the force of inner transformation in internal alchemy—through gentleness and weakness, and by remaining undimmed by external things, one can reach one’s true self. When the Dao of true cultivation suddenly becomes clear, one should be able to attain the fruit of an immortal sage.

The light of one’s nature is like an oil lamp, while life, too, is gradually used up like its oil. One should therefore awaken early to the fact that life ends in decay, like a skeleton. When desire has been exhausted and the mind is whole and free of lack, one is like the bright autumn moon suspended high in the blue sky.

To love the Great Dao, one must reject greed. Truly understanding the Dao allows one to connect the three places within the body. Maintaining balance and harmony, one unites body and mind with the Dao. Once understanding is clear, one can shed the worldly body and enter a place of cultivation.

In daily practice, circulate the numinous pearl—a term in internal alchemy for the substance formed through the gathering of essence and vital energy—until its precious radiance illuminates the blue sky. When true awakening comes, one is no longer bound by the Three Realms: the realm of desire, the realm of form, and the realm of formlessness, also understood as the world of birth and death.

Upon reaching the state beyond birth, accumulated karmic burdens dissolve. When mind and nature are clear and still, the spirit is free and at ease. Through wondrous application, one comes to understand the truth; when life’s cultivation is complete, one gladly rests in stillness.

Clear and settled, pure and constant; penetrating the hidden depths, one forgets both movement and stillness. When De (Virtue/Power) shines forth, one can respond in accord with all things. The wisdom of the Dao moves like the light of heaven, shining everywhere.

Mind and nature are balanced and gentle, and the nature of the Dao is at peace; nature and life gradually become numinous. Once one understands the principles and forgets contrivance, one can set out on the cloud path to Penglai.

Eliminate evil thoughts and turn toward true goodness. When the wisdom eye opens, one gains insight. Cultivate the Three Treasures—Jing, Qi, and Shen—to set the wisdom of the Dao in motion like the light of heaven.

Mind and nature are balanced and gentle, and the nature of the Dao is at peace; nature and life gradually become numinous. Once one understands the principles and forgets contrivance, one can set out on the cloud path to Penglai.

Eliminate evil thoughts and turn toward true goodness. When the wisdom eye opens, one gains insight. By completing the cultivation of the Three Treasures—Jing, Qi, and Shen—one attains the Dao and escapes the cycle of rebirth.

After great awakening, one neither contends nor clings to emptiness. Forgetting the body, one reveals the enduring true form. Once the principles are understood and cultivation is complete, one can shed the mortal body and dwell in an immortal palace.

Turn away from the world and dwell atop a mountain. Embrace and preserve the Great One (Taiyi), the Daoist name for the primal source, so that Yin and Yang in body and mind communicate with one another. Take joy in cultivating the Dao and contemplate the subtle and imperceptible (xiyi); in the land of immortals, every season holds beautiful scenes.

Embrace the true Dao and understand life and death. The heavens are clear, and all things shine. When the heart is free of attachment, one can move through the world beyond its bounds, at ease like a white cloud.

If one loses one’s resolve, one falls into the animal realm. If one advances in cultivating the true Dao, the Qi of the Dao fills the body. Clear and open, the Gui Water—an internal alchemy term often associated with kidney water and Yin essence—shines in its fullness. By acting with calm and doing good, one brings one’s merits to completion.

After awakening, one can recognize the constant natural order. By penetrating the hidden depths, one learns to nourish Yang with Yang. Emptiness contains all things, and the highest De (Virtue/Power) quietly reveals auspiciousness.

In daily life, understand the principles that lead to the true Dao. Only by cultivating the Great Dao in its entirety can one transcend worldly ties. When one’s deeds of merit are complete in the days to come, one may pay court to the sages and perfected beings, then depart upon the clouds.

If obstructed by ideas of self and others, one will find true cultivation difficult. Resolve grievances and entanglements, and one can roam through blessed lands. With pines and bamboo ever at one’s side, true awakening will make it possible to visit the immortal realm of Yingzhou.

How many people throughout history have truly understood and grasped the orthodox Way? The highest De is subtle, pure, and tranquil; the numinous peaks lie across the far shore of the Dao.

The truly awakened open the eye of cultivation and see the path to the sacred realm. Then they ride the clouds on a pilgrimage.

Drawing too sharp a distinction between oneself and others can obstruct the path of self-cultivation. Only by dissolving resentment can one wander freely through blessed lands. Pines and bamboos are constant companions; having truly awakened to the Dao, one sets out to seek Yingzhou, the legendary immortal isle in the sea.

How many people throughout history have truly understood and grasped the orthodox Way? The highest De is subtle, pure, and tranquil; the numinous peaks lie across the far shore of the Dao.

When the truly awakened open the eye of the Dao, white clouds come and go at will. They dwell in the azure sky, remaining free and at ease, and follow cranes to Penglai, the legendary mountain of the immortals.

The Great Dao has no name. Heaven and Earth return to stillness and clarity. Deep and far-reaching, the Great Dao illuminates the transformations of all things. Understand its principles, and the work of cultivation can be brought to completion.

Qiu, Liu, Tan, and Ma—Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu, all patriarchs of Quanzhen—honored the work of cultivating the Dao and let go of attachment to the physical form, cultivating both nature and life. By keeping their intentions upright and pure, unwavering to the end, they gradually dispelled every kind of fault and affliction.

Qiu, Liu, Tan, and Ma were skilled in cultivation. They knew how to subdue the heart’s fire and understood the methods of practice. They refined “mercury” and “lead”—symbolic terms in Neidan for the Yin and Yang essences used in cultivation—and urged others to practice in accordance with the teachings and scriptures.

Qiu, Liu, Tan, and Ma awakened to the Great Dao, and patriarchs also guided them along the way. They left the cares of the world behind and wandered through the grotto-heavens, the Daoist abodes of immortals, in the company of clouds and rosy mists.

Qiu, Liu, Tan, and Ma awakened to the Great Dao and understood the principles of cultivation. They shed their mortal bodies and ascended into the boundless emptiness of Taiwu.

Qiu, Liu, Tan, and Ma were skilled in cultivation. They knew how to subdue the heart’s fire and understood the methods of practice. They refined “mercury” and “lead,” and urged others to practice in accordance with the teachings and scriptures.

Qiu, Liu, Tan, and Ma awakened to the Great Dao, and patriarchs also guided them along the way. They left the cares of the world behind and wandered through the grotto-heavens in the company of clouds and rosy mists.

Qiu, Liu, Tan, and Ma awakened to the Great Dao and understood the principles of cultivation. They shed their mortal bodies and ascended into the boundless emptiness of Taiwu, dwelling for long ages in a remote and numinous realm.

True awakening to the Dao brings freedom from birth and death. One responds to events by adapting to change, remaining naturally calm and balanced. When one’s principles accord with the heart of Heaven, the clouds return to Shangqing, the Daoist realm of pure emptiness, to pay homage in the serene, lofty land of the immortals.

When a person’s allotted Qi is spent and life draws to a close, they should release emotional attachments and awaken fully to the work of cultivation. With solitary clouds and wild cranes as companions, one who truly awakens to the Dao can reach Yingzhou.

Setting oneself against others obstructs inner peace. Remain pure and tranquil, and accumulate good deeds; merit and virtue will grow. When the cultivation of life is complete and the Dao-body perfected, one can leave the saha world, the Buddhist realm of worldly suffering.

Those ensnared by delusion and dark Qi sink into the realm of ghosts. Only by embracing the Great Dao in cultivation can one truly transcend. In pure and tranquil practice, the Maiden and the Infant—Neidan symbols for the Yin and Yang essences—join in harmony and delight, as one peacefully cultivates oneself.

Awakening to the Great Dao brings transcendence of birth and death and true understanding of its profound teachings. The Dao’s principles are naturally subtle and far-reaching; when cultivation is complete, one can pay homage to Yuanshi, the Daoist deity Yuanshi Tianzun.

In responding to change, grasp the pivot of the Great Dao. Keep the mind empty, still, and balanced, and subtlety will become perceptible. Having truly awakened to the Dao, one is radiant and complete, without flaw or deficiency; countless rays of light shine through the azure sky.

The roots of nature and life lie in “nonbeing.” True emptiness does not mean that nothing exists; it contains the potential to give rise to all things. The Great Dao naturally embraces every transformation. From ancient times to the present, how many have truly understood it?

Understanding the Great Way of the Heavenly Origin lets one recognize auspicious moments. With a clear and steadfast mind, one can transcend attachment to life and death. Understanding how things work keeps love and aversion from swaying the heart; cultivating one’s true nature makes it possible to grasp the profound intent of the Great Way.

With a mind that is clear, subtle, and wise, one can understand the Great Way and see the dangers bound up with life and death. Following the Diamond Verse—a verse associated with the “Diamond”—is like ascending a ladder that leads into the clouds high above.

Through awakening and contemplation, one sees the light of Heaven. When the mind and spirit are clear, one can experience the Great Way’s constancy. From ancient times to the present, how many have truly understood this?

Understanding the Great Way of the Heavenly Origin lets one recognize auspicious moments. With a clear and steadfast mind, one can transcend attachment to life and death. Understanding how things work keeps love and aversion from swaying the heart; cultivating one’s true nature makes it possible to grasp the profound intent of the Great Way.

With a mind that is clear, subtle, and wise, one can understand the Great Way and see the dangers bound up with life and death. Following the Diamond Verse is like ascending a ladder that leads into the clouds high above.

Through awakening and contemplation, one sees the light of Heaven. When the mind and spirit are clear, one can experience the Great Way’s constancy. Amid the things of the world, one manifests vast wisdom; in the end, one returns to the true Dao and pays homage to Danyang, an honorific or a tradition of cultivation in Daoism.

When karmic obstructions have been exhausted, the heart is no longer troubled by turmoil like fireworks. Humble and yielding, one does not contend with others. When Qi and spirit meet, one’s innate spiritual nature becomes manifest; in this way, one realizes the state of Wuwei (non-action).

Understanding the Great Way and grasping the truth, one remains inwardly unmoved even when the body is busy. Let the radiance of the Great Way shine through the vast and hidden realms, condensing into eternal true Yang—the pure Yang Qi, or true nature attained through internal cultivation, in the terminology of Daoist Neidan.

Examine your own faults often; once you understand how things work, you can also forgive the faults of others. Realizing the true meaning of the Dao De Jing means no longer speaking carelessly about right and wrong.

Awakening to one’s nature leaves no room for contention. True nature is pure and calm as water. When one’s De is fully realized and one embodies “supreme goodness”—the highest goodness, like water that benefits all things without contending—one’s cultivation naturally reaches completion.

The hymn says:

Follow the true Dao, and you can live; go against the Great Way, and you will die. Follow the true Dao, and the heart is at peace; go against the Great Way, and the mind becomes clouded.

Follow the true Dao, and your nature is gentle; go against the Great Way, and it becomes rigid. Follow the true Dao, and you gain blessings; go against the Great Way, and you invite misfortune.

Follow the true Dao, and you will be secure; go against the Great Way, and you will fall ill. Follow the true Dao, and you will advance; go against the Great Way, and you will fall.

Follow the true Dao, and you can refine “lead”—the symbolic substance used in Daoist Neidan cultivation; go against the Great Way, and you will lose your life. Follow the true Dao, and your spirit is lucid; go against the Great Way, and the movement of Qi becomes disordered.

When the hun and po souls scatter, one becomes a ghost; when Yin and Yang are harmonized and gathered, one can become an immortal. Stillness of body and mind is the work of cultivation; remaining peaceful as circumstances change is the expression of practice.

With unwavering resolve, one can accomplish something; with clear awakening and a kind heart, one can attain understanding. When living in the mountains, do not cling to quiet and emptiness; when moving among the world’s affairs, do not let agitation arise within.

At times one withdraws to a blessed grotto-heaven; at others one travels through the bustling capital. The nature is free as a solitary cloud, and the body is at ease as a wild crane.

The natural Way followed in cultivation is so subtle it seems to be only a glimmer of light, yet it is able to bring things into effect. Whether walking, dwelling, sitting, or lying down, all things move in accordance with the Dao, without fault.

Cast off the constraints of bodily form, and your true nature can return to its original state, leaving the Three Realms of desire, form, and formlessness. In this way, you can be forever free from the cycle of rebirth, with no further coming or going, arising or passing away.

Three-Character Song

What the “Fenyang Explanation” clarifies is the principle symbolized by the Changes, which reaches beyond the heavens. It helps people understand the meaning of the Five Thousand Words without clinging to outward forms of worship.

The “Fenyang Explanation” clarifies a principle as firm as diamond; even attachment to the true Buddha must be broken. All things will eventually perish, and only the Dao endures.

The “Fenyang Explanation” enables people to see through the turmoil of worldly affairs and be free of all entanglements.

Song

What the “Fenyang Explanation” clarifies is the principle symbolized by the Changes, which reaches beyond the heavens; it helps people understand the meaning of the Five Thousand Words without clinging to outward forms of worship.

It clarifies a principle as firm as diamond and breaks attachment to the true Buddha. All things will eventually perish, and only the Dao endures.

It enables people to see through the turmoil of worldly affairs and be free of all entanglements; it preserves their nature and life, allowing them to transcend the Three Realms.

It enables people to comprehend “the rarefied and the obscure”—the state in which the Dao cannot be seen, heard, or touched—and to understand the principles of birth, death, and dissolution. It helps them grasp the principles of past and present and realize the vast, ocean-like Daoist teachings.

It brings people close to the steadfast, upright character of pines and bamboo and gives them the joy of freedom and ease. The “Fenyang Explanation” is a priceless treasure that money cannot buy.

It inspires people to delight in stillness and emptiness, and to remain peaceful and patient. It clarifies genuine cultivation and gathers into a canopy like an auspicious cloud.

The natural Way is explained this way: ordinary people settle into worldly life, while I take no joy in it.

Twelve Admonitions

Those with faith follow the teachings; those with sincere hearts take refuge and put them into practice. The humble possess De, and those who understand how things work comprehend the principles.

Hold fast to the constant Way, without being shaken by change; keep the mind settled and do not fall into confusion. Discern right from wrong without clinging to disputes; practice good and do no evil.

True love carries no attachment. Let go of desire and there will be no transgression. When the breath is clear and harmonious, one can comprehend subtle principles; in this way, one embodies the Great Dao and reveals a wondrous spirit.

Ten Admonitions

First, do not assume you are always right or refuse to admit your faults. If you are arrogant and willful and do not correct yourself, you will bring errors upon yourself.

Second, do not make a mistake and then resent the person who points it out, and do not keep harboring grudges against others.

Third, do not boast of being right while constantly speaking bluntly to criticize others’ faults.

Fourth, do not boast that you are superior and disparage everyone who cultivates the Dao. If you assume you are right, act arrogantly and willfully, and refuse to correct yourself, you will commit transgressions.

Second, do not make a mistake and then resent the person who points it out, and do not keep harboring grudges against others.

Third, do not boast of being right while constantly speaking bluntly to criticize others’ faults.

The fourth admonition: Do not boast or think yourself superior, lest you discourage all those who have entered the Dao and are cultivating.

The fifth admonition: Do not explain the principles without following the scriptures and teachings.

The sixth admonition: Do not begin with resolve and then fail to persevere. Let your heart remain as sincere as it was when you first met.

The seventh admonition: Do not keep speaking of other people’s faults; speak often of their virtues.

The eighth admonition: Do not act unfairly. Do not draw close to or favor people because they give you money or goods, and do not look down on them because they have nothing to give.

The ninth admonition: Those who cultivate stillness and wisdom should remain quiet during practice. Those who have not yet understood the principles or awakened should also read books.

The tenth admonition: Do not cling to “being” or “nonbeing.” Whether walking, standing, or sitting, you should contemplate and maintain inner stillness.

End of Collection of Immortal Music, Volume Two

Collection of Immortal Music, Volume Three

Written by Liu Chuxuan, the Long-Life Master of Responsive Circumstances and Wuwei, from Divine Mountain

Four-Character Hymns

Reflections

After your work is complete, withdraw and live quietly, nurturing your vast, noble Qi. Settle by streams and mountains, reading Zhuangzi and Laozi at ease. On earth, pines and bamboo stay green through all four seasons, and the scenery is always lovely. The hidden celestial grottoes and blessed lands are within reach whenever you wish to go.

Cultivation of the Real brings spiritual efficacy; the nature and life of practitioners will also show its results. Past karmic burdens gradually fall away, and no new transgressions are made. To truly honor the Great Dao is to go against the inverted customs of the world. Like Tao Yuanming, withdraw from the world, then set out first to visit the immortal isle of Penglai. Escape the cycle of transmigration, and find no troubles in the homeland of the immortals. The wise and accomplished of past and present have all achieved something through understanding the Three Teachings—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism.

Another hymn:

Since the beginningless past, living beings have sunk into death and the cycle of rebirth. When Heaven’s fortune nears its end, the Yellow Register rite will save those who suffer. Among ten million people, only one or two truly resolve to awaken with sincerity. With no hatred or partiality in the heart, one may win the approval of the High Perfected, the perfected beings and immortals who have attained the Dao.

Human life lasts no more than a hundred years; one should seek a path to liberation from birth and death. Karmic burdens piled as high as a mountain make it hard to escape punishment in the underworld. Those who commit the Ten Evils and bear heavy karmic offenses will remain for a long time in places of suffering. One should accumulate Yang merit and Yin deeds—good actions done openly or in secret. But how, in practice, should one do this?

One should give rise everywhere to reverence and faith, without entertaining stray thoughts. Worldly possessions are of little importance; what is truly valuable is these genuine teachings.

To move Heaven and Earth, one must remain tranquil and eat a vegetarian diet. For several days before performing a Jiao rite—a Daoist ritual for praying for blessings and honoring the gods—one must be careful and disciplined in one’s daily conduct.

In the unseen realm, divine officers who inspect human beings’ good and evil deeds watch over you day and night. If they find that you harbor no selfish intent, the Five Masters, revered divinities who transmit the Daoist teachings, will come to guide you toward salvation.

Submit a memorial to the Celestial Emperor, widely proclaiming words of abundant blessings and good fortune.

To move Heaven and Earth, one must remain tranquil and eat a vegetarian diet. For several days before performing a Jiao rite, one must be careful and disciplined in one’s daily conduct.

In the unseen realm, divine officers watch over you day and night. If they find that you harbor no selfish intent, the Five Masters will come to guide you toward salvation.

Submit a memorial to the Celestial Emperor, widely proclaiming abundant blessings. Then behold the sun, moon, and stars—the Three Luminaries. Once you die, such an opportunity will be hard to encounter again.

And again:

With many blessings supporting you, your name will be remembered for ten thousand ages. Your whole family will live together under one roof, united in harmony, as did the virtuous Pang Degong and Xu Jing.

When you have cultivated both Virtue and filial devotion, you can attain dignity and prosperity. Cultivate your body, mind, nature, and life in advance, and you can remain free from illness and suffering for a long time.

Transcend life and death and their transformations, no longer bound by the cycles of coming and going. Enter the celestial realm of Great Luo, the highest heavenly realm in Daoism, and abide there for ages after attaining the Dao.

Heavenly light and rosy clouds transform into a precious abode. Clad in a six-zhu robe, an exceptionally light celestial garment, worship the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning. Each follows a different path.

Langyuan and Pengshan, legendary realms of the immortals, are places where perfected immortals meet. Miss the heavenly season and the opportunity to cultivate, and it will be hard to encounter a connection with the Dao again.

The Three Teachings—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism—need not be divided into separate schools. The Quanzhen tradition of Daoist cultivation embraces all people. Follow the course of things through the Dao of Wuwei (non-action), guiding people to awakening.

Accumulate merit and cultivate the practice in tranquility and harmony. The true Dao is not a matter of deliberately renouncing or pursuing things. It transcends the transformations of Yin-Yang and is the ancestor of the precelestial.

And again:

When waiting for him to arrive, you should join your palms and bow in greeting. Let your dealings with him be plain and untroubled, and do not entertain doubts or strange suspicions.

In the blink of an eye, two years have passed since we parted at the east gate. The mountains and rivers remain as they were, but many people are gone.

Human nature and life are like dewdrops—how could they not vanish? Born in the Central Kingdom, once your allotted years are spent, it will be hard to encounter such an opportunity again.

When waiting for him to arrive, you should join your palms and bow in greeting. Let your dealings with him be plain and untroubled, and do not entertain doubts or strange suspicions.

In the blink of an eye, two years have passed since we parted at the east gate. The mountains and rivers remain as they were, but many people are gone.

Human nature and life are like dewdrops—how could they not vanish? Born in the Central Kingdom, once your allotted years are spent, it will be hard to encounter such an opportunity again.

The spiritual nature and treasures of the Dao within the space of a single thought cannot be bought for ten thousand pieces of gold. The heart’s craving and grasping have yet to cease, all because one is entangled in affection and desire.

Everyone knows how to pursue worldly affairs such as fame and profit. Only by understanding the Dao and Virtue can one truly be well versed in the vast sea of the Dharma, the profound and boundless teachings of Buddhism and Daoism.

Auspicious vapors gather into a canopy of colorful clouds. Wander on through pine groves and mountain peaks, and your spirit will rise beyond the clouds.

See through the world’s falsehoods and understand that all things ultimately return to emptiness. Life and death are the great matters of human existence. Dwell in a celestial grotto, a blessed land where immortals reside, tranquil and at ease, free from constraint.

Move and harmonize the Qi of Yin and Yang, so that the two energies of Heaven and Earth meet in harmony. Realize “Xi Yi”—the Dao’s subtle state, difficult to see, hear, or put into words—and you can truly ascend to the realm of immortals, where Yang and harmony prevail.

Follow the example of figures such as Xu Xun and Pang Degong: seek no worldly favor, and do no harm to others.

Again

Of those who live a hundred years, few since ancient times have reached seventy. See through the world’s falsehoods and understand that all things ultimately return to emptiness. When can life truly be said to have come to an end?

The Great Dao follows its own nature; tranquility and equanimity are its subtle beauty. When all things rest in their proper places and are free of fault, that is better than performing a Jiao ritual, a Daoist rite of purification and prayer for blessings or protection from calamity.

Human life, from ancient times to the present, is like a dream. Only upon suddenly awakening does one truly understand. See through life’s illusions, and in the end there is nothing but a smile.

The way of cultivating nature and life follows its own nature; tranquility and equanimity are its subtle beauty. When all things rest in their proper places and are free of fault, that is better than performing a Jiao ritual.

Human life, from ancient times to the present, is like a dream. Only upon suddenly awakening does one truly understand. See through life’s illusions, and in the end there is nothing but a smile.

Beyond the Way of nature and life, let go of your worldly concerns early, while you are still alive.

Again

If you serve in office with integrity and fairness, you will have no true guilt or calamity. Honor the “Four Gratitudes”—to Heaven and Earth, ruler and parents, teachers, and elders—accumulate good deeds, and respect all people.

Be loyal in your duties, honor your elders, and govern the people; quiet the mind and cultivate your nature. When the mind does not chase after things outside, the spirit naturally settles.

Conceal others’ faults and praise their good qualities; do not readily believe words that depart from the right path. Let go of hatred and favoritism, and treat people with an impartial heart at all times.

Do not covet worldly splendor. Walk at ease along paths through the pines. Green waters and blue mountains are all scenes like the immortal realms of grotto-heavens.

Guard your original nature and temper the heart through cultivation until it is clear as a mirror. Take the past as a guide for the present, uphold the Great Dao, and reflect on yourself at all times.

When your merit and virtue are complete, you may pay audience to the perfected sages of the Great Luo Heaven.

Again

Few since ancient times have lived to the age of seventy. See clearly that life is like a dream, illusory and unreal, and in the end, smile and let it go.

Seek tranquility in a life of ease; forgetting calculated intent is to understand the principle of the Dao. The world’s many splendors are like illusory flowers in the air: in an instant, they vanish into groundless unreality.

Truly honor the Dao and De, and gradually come to understand the subtle mysteries. Dispelling hatred and favoritism is better than performing a grand Jiao ritual.

Cultivating body, mind, nature, and life is no small matter. The phrase “Xieyi jian yin gong nan jiao” is difficult to interpret with certainty. Its general sense seems to be that the Yin official in the underworld is difficult to call upon for help.

Again

Within emptiness, what is real becomes manifest; in a wondrous way, one gains access to the divine incantation, a Daoist spell believed to possess sacred efficacy. Jade liquid and nectar—metaphors in Neidan practice for essence, Qi, and bodily fluids—are above the Chonglou, a Neidan term often referring to the area of the throat.

Remain clear, tranquil, and pure while awake, so that nature and life may endure and blessings and longevity increase. The “Four Diamond Sutra Verses,” a four-line verse from the Diamond Sutra, can express the compassion and protection found in scripture.

The Way of Heaven is difficult to put into words: it is formless and imperishable. Set Yin and Yang in motion through reversal and transformation: it rises at the Mao hour and appears at the You hour.

Xiyi, subtle and spontaneous, contains the numinous vitality of the sun, moon, and stars. The immortal flowers in the Langyuan, the garden where immortals are said to dwell, are lovelier than spring blossoms and willows.

Let the mind and spirit move with the Southern Dipper, and use wisdom to contemplate the Northern Dipper. Those who truly understand the Great Dao follow Wuwei (non-action), without constraint, allowing body and mind to move freely.

Quiet the heart and recite the true scripture; this is better than debating right and wrong. Understand that all things are empty, and you will grasp the principle of nonduality, which does not divide things into opposing pairs.

Revere the true Dao, remain steadfast and undeterred, and awaken to the immortal Dao. Keep company with pines and bamboo, uphold the Great Dao, and maintain a tranquil mind.

If you remain unchanged from beginning to end, Heaven’s hidden workings will bestow their gifts in secret. Grasp the constant, mysterious truth, and you will forget the distinction between movement and stillness.

Return to your original state from the beginning of time, which cannot be depicted through material things. Transcend the transformations of Yin-Yang and leave the cycle of birth and death.

Again:

When the child and mother meet—a metaphor in Neidan (internal alchemy) for the union of Yin-Yang, Jing, and Qi—the Great Dao can be understood naturally.

If you remain unchanged from beginning to end, Heaven’s hidden workings will bestow their gifts in secret. Grasp the constant, mysterious truth, and you will forget the distinction between movement and stillness.

Return to your original state from the beginning of time, which cannot be depicted through material things. Transcend the transformations of Yin-Yang and leave the cycle of birth and death.

Again:

When the child and mother meet, the Great Dao can be understood naturally. With sincere faith and reverence, take refuge in the Three Teachings: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism.

Remove hatred and attachment, and you will respond to circumstances with ease and understanding. Cast off greed and the urge to contend, and there will be neither sin nor distress.

Human life is like a dewdrop; begin your practice early. Recognize the spirit that has endured through all ages, and you will escape decline forever.

Suddenly perceive a glimmer of light, and the immortal path into the clouds will be close at hand. Practice the Dao in peace among pine-covered peaks; live according to your circumstances, content once you have eaten your fill.

Refine lead and mercury, terms in Neidan that symbolize Yin-Yang, Jing, and Qi, and nurture the true form within. When merit and practice are complete, you can truly ascend to Peng Island, the fabled mountain of immortals.

Again:

Spend a hundred strings of cash to buy four trees. Do not pressure others to give; simply treat this undertaking as support for your cultivation.

What one has not yet seen firsthand is often more false than true. If people form a bond of their own accord, their reverence and faith will not be in vain.

Even one in ten thousand may still have merit and good fortune to spare. At the Wugong Immortal Temple, people are urged to inscribe a plaque and proclaim its numinous emptiness.

〔Raising funds for funeral rites for the family of Leng Qiweng〕

After Leng Qiweng, who had left home to cultivate the Dao, attained immortality, his relatives held an elaborate Zhaijiao (purification ritual). The ritual leaders specifically instructed the Daoists not to ask for payment for reciting scriptures.

Recite the scriptures without charge; accept only the vegetarian meal. When Daoist priests take part willingly, the ritual can be conducted properly.

The highest virtue brings great blessings. One should not conceal one’s faults in order to win others’ praise. Until true cultivation is complete, one is bound to encounter many demonic obstacles.

If you understand what you hear around you, you will know it is illusory. Yet as soon as you speak, you ask for payment for reciting scriptures.

Recite the scriptures without charge; accept only the vegetarian meal. When Daoist priests take part willingly, the ritual can be conducted properly.

The highest virtue brings immense blessings, beyond the power of praise to describe. Before true cultivation is complete, one will encounter many demonic obstacles.

All the teachings heard before you should be understood as illusory and impermanent. It is rare in this world for what one thinks in the heart to agree with what one says aloud.

With compassion, save living beings so that together they may cross beyond the sea of suffering and reach the other shore. The nature of awakening is peaceful and untroubled, like wood and metal asking one another questions (here, “wood and metal” are Daoist technical terms whose specific meaning depends on the context of cultivation).

Refine the true body, and you can soar straight into the clouds.

Again:

When our parents brought us into the world, how many of us truly understood the principles of life? People often say that few live to a ripe old age, and even those who reach middle age are not many.

From childhood to old age, at times we awaken and at times we are deluded. Blessings and faults alike follow each person’s nature.

The body wanes and declines like the moon, but the source of life can remain whole and undamaged. Once you understand the Great Dao, delusive thoughts cease. What is there to doubt when you have realized the truth?

When the numinous light shines through, you can see the ladder leading to the heavenly realm. With wisdom, look in all eight directions, let go of attachments, and come and go as you please.

The Way of Heaven is difficult to put into words, truly mysterious and profound. Once you understand the practice of goodness that brings blessings, even the ghost officials will find it hard to capture you.

The grotto-heaven is close at hand. There lie Langyuan, the fabled realm of immortals, and the Jade Pool, a pond of the immortals. A sword born of nature often stands guard over the snake and the tortoise.

Be attached to nothing among the myriad things, and you can transcend the Three Realms (the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm). Cast off the bodily shell and depart for good, coming and going as you please.

The Way of Heaven is difficult to put into words, truly mysterious and profound. Once you understand the practice of goodness that brings blessings, even the ghost officials will find it hard to capture you.

The grotto-heaven is close at hand, with Langyuan and the Jade Pool. A sword born of nature often stands guard over the snake and the tortoise.

Be attached to nothing among the myriad things, and you can transcend the Three Realms. Cast off the bodily shell and depart for good, coming and going as you please, like clouds returning beyond the empty sky.

Again:

Fame and profit are like reins and chains, as if a raging fire were consuming the body. Old grudges and debts, bonds of affection and love—all are karmic ties difficult to escape.

Accumulated misfortune rises like a mountain. How can you attain the fruit of the Dao? You should examine your own cultivation of nature and life at once. Why argue over you and me, self and other?

Living in this world, know that all things are empty; much can be taken lightly. Nearing sixty, having lived through so much, you see through the world’s many entanglements.

No matter how many children and grandchildren you have, they cannot bear any of this for you. When good fortune comes, everyone rushes to claim it; when calamity and illness arrive, you must endure them yourself.

From ancient times to the present, life and death have followed one another. Do you know where you are going? And how could you deceive the sages and worthies who dwell in the void?

If you create no new faults, the officials of the underworld may perhaps forgive and release you. In the fading light after sunset, set your thoughts aside and rest in peace.

With a sincere heart, respectfully believe and honor the Dao—“li suo li luo,” refrain syllables in the singing. A day spent in restless toil and enduring tribulations is not as good as sitting quietly and resting.

Recall your past mistakes, and the remorse weighs you down. You should constantly practice pure and good deeds; this is better than giving away wealth.

Again:

On all four sides stands Qingcheng Mountain, as if…

With a sincere heart, reverently place your faith and chant “Li suo li luo.” Even a life of ceaseless toil and hardship is no better than sitting peacefully at ease.

When you have done wrong, you should regret it, reflect on it, and never repeat it. Regularly doing what is upright and good is better than giving away wealth.

Green Mount Qingcheng rises on every side, as if enclosed by a folding screen. This is a place where Buddhas and immortals dwell in seclusion, with a broad and clear view.

Until you have grasped the Great Dao, you may spend your leisure reading the true scriptures. Wisdom will naturally grow, and in time you will awaken to non-arising, the state that transcends life and death.

Wuwei (non-action) is the highest practice: do not cling to love or aversion. Keep yourself calm and pure, refine and cultivate your breath, and let the spirit become numinous.

The awakened ones of past and present have all followed this Way to transcend and ascend. There is no need to listen to the idle talk and disputes of the world.

Remain reverent and faithful from beginning to end, and blessings and De (Virtue/Power) will grow together. Outwardly you may seem dull, but inwardly remain clear and awake.

In stillness and emptiness, leave the dusty world behind; let your heart turn away from its shallow splendor.

Living beings drift and sink in the sea of suffering for thousands of years. Bones pile up like mountains, and even deep bonds of gratitude may turn into calamity.

People rush about in the world; how many truly awaken? Even if stones decay and pines wither, the spirit endures.

The human body is like foam on water, while unresolved grievances and debts continue to burden us. Suddenly grasp the ineffable Dao—silent, formless, and beyond perception—and you can truly forget desire and attachment.

The light of life becomes complete, and the original spirit ascends beyond the heavens. The Great Dao has no form and has never been destroyed, from antiquity to the present.

Treasures amassed in measures by the bushel cannot buy the wondrous Great Dao. Transcend the bonds of Yin-Yang, and nothing will hold you back.

The two Qi (vital energy) of Yin and Yang blend in harmony, naturally reaching a balanced ease. Cultivate the embryo immortal, a state formed through practice, in perfect purity.

From then on, you are forever free of the cycle of birth and death, roaming at ease in true joy. Dwell in the Water Curtain Cave, where flying springs pour down like a thousand streams.

Take delight in cultivating the Dao among pine-covered peaks; your true body rests in the realm of Yang, the land of immortals. You will no longer suffer birth, aging, and death, nor be subject to gain and loss.

Long ago, he met the two realized ones Wang and Ma and paid his respects to them in China. In later years, when he reaches Peng Island, the legendary isle of immortals, he will meet them again.

The Supreme One’s talismans and registers comprise twenty-four ranks. The subtle and essential methods in the Daoist Canon are often transmitted at the precious altar.

The methods of the Celestial Origin are passed down from generation to generation to awaken those with an affinity for immortality. True practice cultivates nature and life; false practice concerns itself only with preserving the body.

Those who are deluded sink into the six paths, the six destinations of the cycle of birth and death. Once awakened, they can leave the cycle behind and no longer pass through birth and death. The sages and worthies in the void, moved by compassion, save the people of the world.

Purify the soul and protect the inner “Immortal Embryo,” the true nature nurtured through cultivation. When the principles are fully understood, wisdom flows freely. Reaching a state of profound stillness, body and mind become like those cleansed through a purification retreat.

At all times, contemplate subtle principles and regulate the Three Terraces, the star spirits or corresponding divine energies within the body in Daoist teaching. Follow nature without reckless action. Keep the heart calm and kind, and act without deviation.

Uphold the righteous methods of the Heavenly Heart and do not covet what belongs to others. By committing no wrongs, one can lessen the disasters of the past.

Once the teachings are fully understood, the Yin and Yang energies are no longer obscured. Refine the Three Treasures—Jing, Qi, and Shen—and let the Four Positions, the four directions or stages described in cultivation, each find its proper place.

Transcend the constraints of the Five Phases—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—and let joy arise in all six domains. Dispel the shadowed aspects of the seven emotions, and the transformations of Heaven and Earth symbolized by the Eight Trigrams become clear.

Ascend to the Nine Heavens and reach the Penglai Immortal Realm, far away in the Ten Directions.

Again

Live to seventy, and perhaps one may add another cycle of twelve years. How many people, from ancient times to the present, have lived out their full natural span? Let the Four Positions each find their proper place.

Transcend the constraints of the Five Phases—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—and let joy arise in all six domains. Dispel the shadowed aspects of the seven emotions, and the transformations of Heaven and Earth symbolized by the Eight Trigrams become clear.

Ascend to the Nine Heavens and reach the Penglai Immortal Realm, far away in the Ten Directions.

Again

Live to seventy, and perhaps one may add another cycle of twelve years. How many people, from ancient times to the present, have lived out their full natural span?

Suddenly embarking on the cultivation of nature and life—the body, mind, and roots of existence—is a wondrous thing. Cultivate the Dao with diligence and one can become a High Immortal; abandon the righteous path and one will fall among the lesser ghosts.

Those who are truly clear and understanding neither seek praise nor fear condemnation. They are not swayed by gain or loss, and cling neither to sorrow nor to joy.

Take your time in studying the Three Teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. Gradually grasp their highest principles, and you can leave the sea of suffering, traveling in a divine boat to the other shore.

Accumulate De and good deeds, and strive to do better with each passing day.

Again

Looking across the past and present, how many people are willing to awaken in earnest? Set aside the question of renouncing the world to cultivate. Consider Pang and Xu, held up here as examples of Daoist cultivation.

Born in China, one may still rarely encounter the Way of De. Standing before one’s parents, where, truly, is one’s original nature?

If you can realize the Dao that is rarefied and indistinct—beyond sight, hearing, and perception—you can reverse the Crow and Rabbit, symbols of the sun and moon, and turn the course of Yin and Yang. By penetrating the subtle principles of nature, you can ascend to immortality in stillness and harmony.

Where should one settle when cultivating the Great Medicine, the essence formed by refining Jing, Qi, and Shen in Neidan practice? The grotto-heavens, sacred mountains and blessed lands where immortals dwell, are not far away; you can travel there freely amid the clouds.

Eternal spirit does not age, while the illusory body has its allotted years. When the light of life reaches its fullness, there is no more coming or going.

Again

The highest Dao is profound and unfathomable. How many people, from ancient times to the present, have truly understood it? Only by transcending Yin and Yang can one perceive its hidden mysteries.

The Dao is not constrained by the ideas of emptiness and existence. It can act naturally through Wuwei (non-action). To preserve one’s original purity and never change is to climb the ladder to the highest heavens.

Follow the changes of nature and set Kan and Li in motion—terms in Daoist Neidan that represent Water and Fire, Yin and Yang. Forget personal attachments and preserve life, becoming whole and flawless like the bright full moon.

Let the white clouds come and go, east or west as they will. Harmonize the Red Phoenix and truly embrace the Black Tortoise, images in Neidan for Yin and Yang and the regulation of essence and Qi within the body.

See through the world’s many deceptions, yet appear simple and slow-witted. Praise others for their strengths, and often examine your own faults.

Let go of hatred and affection in an instant; let the mind make no distinctions of higher and lower.

Again

The true arts of the immortals lie in harmonizing the Red Phoenix with the numinous Tortoise, grasping Yin and Yang, and wielding subtle power within emptiness.

Amid the many forms of the world, the mind is neither still nor moving. I once lived amid the bustle of the capital, yet moved among people without being troubled by worldly dust, as though I had woken from a forgotten dream.

The De of the Great Dao is deep and unfathomable. From ancient times to the present, who has truly followed it? A numinous pearl is naturally turned and handled.

Before the dujian and tongjian, officials serving in a Daoist temple, I present this humble, unpolished hymn. The Daoist community is serene and harmonious; I only fear my words may dishonor the kindness shown to me.

The holy one of the Great Luo descends, and a strange fragrance drifts on the wind.

Again

Those who have come to attend the Jiao ritual, a Daoist rite for blessings and the averting of calamity, please listen: abstain and avoid meat so that body and mind become pure. Restrain yourself and harbor no selfish thoughts; only then can you accumulate some merit.

If you violate the laws of Heaven, calamities and illnesses may befall you throughout the year. When facing external things, remain undisturbed by worldly thoughts, and the numinous terrace of the heart will be as clear as a mirror.

The gods and divine officials who inspect good and evil are watching unseen.

Again

Those who have come to attend the Jiao ritual, please listen: abstain and avoid meat so that body and mind become pure. Restrain yourself and harbor no selfish thoughts; only then can you accumulate some merit.

If you violate the laws of Heaven, calamities and illnesses may befall you throughout the year. When facing external things, remain undisturbed by worldly thoughts, and the numinous terrace of the heart will be as clear as a mirror.

The gods and divine officials who inspect good and evil are watching unseen; keep every thought upright. Cast off hatred, release partiality, and reach a state of clarity, understanding, and equality without distinction.

If you wish to escape the cycle of rebirth, take refuge in the worthy and the sages.

Again

The great sea humbly rests in the low places, and so many streams flow into it. The highest Dao has no form, yet its subtle essence lies close between the brows.

Wisdom wells up like a spring. Once you grasp the true meaning, you no longer cling to knowledge. Nurture your true nature and preserve life: from ancient times to the present, who has been able to follow this path?

Still, empty, and bright, constant and unchanging: this is the ladder to the highest heavens. Amid the bustle of the capital, I move among people, yet remain alone in the Dao’s deep serenity.

Follow nature and understand its principles, clinging neither to awakening nor to delusion. Once you understand the teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, what is left to doubt?

The lotus root grows in mud, yet the lotus blossoms from the clear blue silt. Follow change without being bound by words; in Wuwei, action arises naturally.

Those who truly attain the highest skill in cultivation appear foolish to others. Bring Qi and Shen together, and congeal the energies of Kan and Li.

No one in the world is willing to awaken, so the cultivator withdraws to live among clear streams. Follow the twelve two-hour periods of the celestial circuit, and leisurely drink a small measure of elixir.

Long ago, I once rode the clouds westward and passed through the western passes. I was still like a child then; in the blink of an eye, white hair has hastened me toward old age.

My quest for immortality is not yet complete, so the messengers of the underworld will find it hard to pursue me. Once the hun and po souls have been refined, the precious mirror within the heart will suffer no loss.

Beyond Yin and Yang, the sun and moon still accompany me without cease. Let the world argue as it will, saying that I am right or wrong.

The immortal realm is not far away, yet few truly reach it. All transgressions are erased, and the suffering of reincarnation is escaped forever.

Again

When you understand that all things are empty at their root, worldly thoughts will fade away. Let the world argue as it will, saying that I am right or wrong.

The immortal realm is not far away, yet few truly reach it. All transgressions are erased, and the suffering of reincarnation is escaped forever.

Again

Understand that all things are empty at their root, and worldly thoughts will fade away; then you can awaken fully, without contention. Keep your thoughts on the Great Dao, and you will become serene and peaceful, sweeping away every worry and concern.

When you are no longer attached to what you love, you will gain the recognition of the High Perfected, those who have attained the Dao. The awakened nature remains ever-bright and unclouded, and the heart is free of joy and anger.

Do not argue over who is right or wrong, and do not idle away your words on past and present. Since you were born in China, you should seek the immortal Dao without delay.

Forget emotional attachments and preserve life; keep the heart and spirit clear and open, and bring spirit and Qi into harmony.

[Presented to the Daoist community]

On the Lower Origin Festival of the xin-you year, the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month, I was in Binzhou to receive the mandate to release and confer the registers. The people chose me to serve as their transmission master, the Daoist responsible for conducting ordination and the conferral of registers. I declined, and instead wrote this poem as a gift.

Uphold the sacred scriptures and Fulu, taking the Highest One as your teacher. The Five Masters help people attain liberation, and show no partiality toward any of the myriad things.

Keep the Three Treasures of Jing, Qi, and Shen deeply concealed, guarding them with constancy from beginning to end. The immortals and sages of past and present all cherish true compassion.

The Great Dao imparts what is subtle and profound, often revealing it in a moment’s glance or the lift of an eyebrow. Sharpen the sword of wisdom, and subdue the sinister forces symbolized by the numinous serpent and spirit turtle.

Let the inner and outer realms flow through one another; understand things clearly and without doubt. Always praise the strengths of others, and examine only your own failings.

Remove self-attachment completely, and let your conduct become humble. Cultivate the Dao through plain and sincere actions, embracing the Great Dao without ever departing from it.

Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, circulate Kan and Li, the Neidan terms for Water and Fire, Yin and Yang. Understand clear Yang and turbid Yin, hold fast to the inner root, and remain unbound by external things.

Myriad forms of wisdom arise naturally, yet few truly understand. A single numinous elixir can heal the burdens of transgression and the ills of body and mind.

Cultivate nature and life to completion, and the underworld’s messengers will find it hard to pursue you. Understand clear Yang and turbid Yin, hold fast to the inner root, and remain unbound by external things.

Myriad forms of wisdom arise naturally, yet few truly understand. A single numinous elixir can heal the burdens of transgression and the ills of body and mind.

Cultivate nature and life to completion, and the underworld’s messengers will find it hard to pursue you. When you are truly free of joy and anger, you can ascend straight to the azure sky.

Recognizing your true nature is worth more than bowing to Muni, Shakyamuni Buddha. Refine the Seven Treasures, and you will no longer waste your life like a walking corpse.

Relieve the living and deliver them from the perils of death, bringing people ease and joy and leading them to the Daoist state called Xiyi—the subtle, formless, and soundless realm. Do not violate the laws of Heaven; observe the laws of the state.

Those who truly understand the Great Dao have faces like the full moon, perfectly rounded and without flaw. They conceal their sharpness and blend into the world; outwardly, they may seem simple and slow-witted.

In grotto-heavens and blessed lands, the realms of immortals in Daoist legend, they compose and recite poems with delight. Before pines and beside mountain rocks, they partake, like immortals, of daogui—medicinal preparations or elixirs taken according to Daoist practice.

Why reject worldly life without having anything true to rely on? Do not obscure your original nature; sages will protect you unseen. Cast off evil deeds and forget greed, and calamity will no longer befall you. Escape the Five Destinies, the five realms of rebirth, and be spared the suffering of taking animal form, covered in fur and hide.

Set out on the path to pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, clad in immortal robes. Even if the seas turn to mulberry fields, your appearance will not fade; beyond the transformations of Yin-Yang, life and death will find it hard to hasten you. In cultivation, accumulate merit, and the blessings you gain will surpass Mount Sumeru.

When transmitting the Dao, be reverent and sincere; do not hesitate when beginning your cultivation. Those who attain stillness and Wuwei (non-action) nonetheless differ in their merits and deeds. Those whose practice is outstanding ascend to Heaven; those whose practice falls short are at least spared judgment by the underworld. Worldly people are lost in love and desire, but when their breath ceases, what will they have to rely on?

Follow the example of Perfected Person Pang and Perfected Person Xu, and you can leave the cycle of rebirth forever and remain pure and still. Those who attain stillness and Wuwei nonetheless differ in their merits and deeds: those whose practice is outstanding ascend to Heaven, while those whose practice falls short are spared judgment by the underworld. Worldly people are lost in love and desire, but when their breath ceases, what will they have to rely on? Follow the example of Perfected Person Pang and Perfected Person Xu, and you can leave the cycle of rebirth forever.

Another passage

Perfected Persons and Great Masters are not made in a day. We have long heard of their profound virtue and fine reputations, unmatched by anyone.

They accumulated blessings and virtue in abundance, though in former times they too mingled with the world. They cultivated in blessed lands and grotto-heavens, and also traveled from place to place like wandering monks and Daoists. Before rocky outcrops and pine trees, they refined lead and mercury and cultivated themselves. Their inner work had long since reached completion. How many such people have there been, from ancient times to the present?

If you can suddenly awaken to the Great Dao and take refuge in the true path, you may meet among the immortals of Penglai.

Another passage

Love and desire in the human world are like fragrant flowers that bloom in their season; the immortals’ beautiful realm remains through every season. The flower of awakening never withers, but grows unseen at the center; heavenly fragrance descends and naturally gives off a wondrous scent.

With wisdom’s eye, one can see its distinct and luminous beauty. Penghu and Langyuan, legendary mountains and realms of immortals, never lose their true radiance. The immortal music in the cloud pavilion is no less splendid than that in a sumptuous hall. Set out riding the wind, and you will reach the land of the immortals.

Everyone should cultivate and complete their own merit and practice. There is no need to rush; cultivate steadily, step by step.

Another passage

When Chuxuan arrives in the prefecture, do not behave in this way. Everyone should recite the Dao; it is best to remain steadfast from beginning to end. At the monthly gathering, do not ask to be excused. If you are summoned three times and still do not come, do not regret it later. If this stirs anger in you, after death you will have to face King Yama.

When Chuxuan comes to the prefecture, do not act in this way. Everyone should recite the Dao and maintain what is good from beginning to end.

At the monthly gathering, do not make requests. If someone has been invited three times and still does not come, do not be upset.

If this gives rise to anger, after death you will have to face King Yama. To be without guilt and at peace is better than coveting things and falling into distress.

The course of Heaven is nearing its end, and the true teaching is hard to encounter. If you are willing to believe what I say, you will truly be able to journey to the immortal islands of Penglai.

Again

In the year of the Wood Dragon, I ascended to the prefectural city, and the Yellow Register Zhaijiao (purification ritual) was revived. Changyang received a spiritual response and saw a bright star in broad daylight.

The Patriarch revealed signs in advance, descending upon Wendeng during the Lower Primordial period. A white tortoise bore up a lotus, and all manner of marvels appeared clearly.

After inscribing words at Zisheng Palace, he ascended and transformed in Nanjing. Four fellow Daoists guarded his tomb; they had once drawn near to Shangqing (the Daoist deities and the celestial realm where they dwell).

They lived together for five years, leisurely roaming the four directions. The course of Heaven was nearing its end, yet they had not found true peace.

After Mercury and Lead had been refined, another true form appeared.

In reverence to the Daoist followers of the Three Teachings, I record what is in my heart

Having read the myriad scriptures, I gained insight and cultivated stillness and purity. To realize the true Dao, one must remain steadfast until death.

The inner spirit is clear and penetrating, while outwardly one seems dull. Cool in summer and warm in winter, in leisure I read the books of the immortals.

Amid pines, bamboo, mountains, and stones, I dwell freely and peacefully. I no longer commit misdeeds of every kind, and I dispel the karmic burdens accumulated in the past.

I refine the Three Treasures of Jing, Qi, and Shen, cast off the mortal body, escape the cycle of rebirth, and ascend into the realm of emptiness.

I pay homage to the holy perfected beings of the Great Luo Heaven and dwell forever in the celestial capital.

Again

I know that I am unequal to the task, yet I give grain for the Dao widely (grain donated to support Daoist practitioners and their cultivation). My own merit is slight, so I urge you to think with the long view.

Lessen your greed and forget your desires; then blessings will grow and you will enjoy good health. Let your fields and silkworms flourish, and understand the authority symbolized by the seal. Be mindful, too, that what reaches its height will decline and in the end pass away.

I know that I am unequal to the task, yet I give grain for the Dao widely. My own merit is slight, so I urge you to think with the long view.

Lessen your greed and forget your desires; then blessings will grow and you will enjoy good health. Let your fields and silkworms flourish, and understand the authority symbolized by the seal. Be mindful, too, that what reaches its height will decline and in the end pass away.

Life is ceaselessly beset by hardship, and each day brings change and uncertainty. If you do not cultivate nature and life, then even if you store away great wealth in gold and silver, your evil karma will ultimately carry it off; your possessions will in the end be left to your descendants.

If you suddenly awaken to your true mind, you should take Danyang (a Daoist figure, often referring to Ma Yu, a patriarch of the Quanzhen tradition) as your model. Aid the living and deliver the dead, extending grace throughout the ten directions. When you tire of worldly life, you can ascend to the land of the immortals.

Again

Even with a crowd of descendants, none can take your place when your appointed end arrives. From ancient times to the present, how many people in this world have truly awakened?

People sink in the sea of suffering, and very few manage to transcend it. Among ten thousand, it is almost impossible to find even one who escapes destruction and attains complete liberation.

Their thoughts turn away from the Dao and De, intent only on competing for fame and gain. If they do not cultivate mind and body and cherish life, how can they avoid falling into the ghost realm?

Cast off greed and anger: this is the work of becoming an immortal. Even when death is close at hand, people still cling to the earthly world.

Again:

In an academy among famous mountains, the qin and sword lie idle to one side. Before ten thousand volumes of the sages’ classics, one often reads when time permits. Yet how can this keep one from falling into the ghost realm?

Cast off greed and anger: this is the work of becoming an immortal. Even when death is close at hand, people still cling to the earthly world.

Again:

In an academy among famous mountains, the qin and sword lie idle to one side. Before ten thousand volumes of the sages’ classics, one often reads when time permits.

When natural understanding opens the way to principle, one can grasp the truth of the true spirit. Pine groves and mountain peaks, cloud veils and grotto dwellings—all are places far removed from worldly deceit.

Dwell at ease upon a rocky crag, living a quiet life and holding fast to this peace for a long time. If the heart still hankers after fame and gain, it will be difficult to climb the steep heights.

Since ancient times, people of aspiration have endured trials until they finally opened up a spark of clarity within the heart. A numinous pearl bursts forth, shining with radiance.

After refinement, the constant and unchanging true form appears. In cultivation of the Dao, there are sudden awakenings and gradual practice. Understand even a little of the principles of the Eight Trigrams (Bagua), and you will not be stained by appearances of form or emptiness.

Praise others’ strengths and conceal their faults. When merit and cultivation are complete, cling to nothing more—not even to thoughts themselves.

Again:

If you still cannot leave the world behind, then for now follow the example of Pang and Xu: lead your whole family in cultivating the Dao, so that the Dao’s name may be passed down through the ages.

Cast out greed and the urge to contend, and understand that the “Crow and Hare” refer to the movements of the sun and moon. Follow the natural course of the Dao, and turn the Yin-Yang movements represented by zi and wu.

Understand principle and the true Dao, and you will recognize the Dao’s root and source. Awaken suddenly to the constant and unchanging Dao, and you will no longer cling to either renouncing or acquiring.

Attain the true joy of purity and peace, and you can ascend to the realm of immortals. Transcend birth, death, and transformation, and dwell in the Great Luo Heaven, the highest heaven in Daoism.

Until your practice and merit are complete, hold firm to your resolve and remain detached and simple. Never abandon your original aspiration, and the sages will come to guide you.

The perfected beings of the Three Teachings—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism—may all serve as teachers.

Again:

I urge everyone everywhere: first, put filial piety into practice. Even if your practice and merit are not yet complete, hold firm to your resolve and remain detached and simple. Never abandon your original aspiration, and the sages will come to guide you.

The perfected beings of the Three Teachings may all serve as teachers.

Again:

I urge everyone everywhere: first, put filial piety into practice. Sit quietly in a bamboo study and read the Zhuangzi and the Laozi.

From ancient times to the present, how many people in the human world have truly understood the profound principles? Awaken to the subtle and obscure—the Dao’s silence, formlessness, and imperceptibility—and you will recognize its constant and unchanging true nature.

Those who cultivate the Dao must travel the cloud road leading to the immortal realm of Penglai. Commit no wrongs, and the heart will be free of even the slightest distress.

By following the will of Heaven, one’s words can expound subtle teachings. If one does not discuss other people’s faults, the perfected immortals of high attainment will approve and commend one.

The affairs of the world are impermanent and hard to predict, so one should begin cultivating the Dao as early as possible. Attaining the Dao and becoming an immortal brings freedom from appearing before Old Yan, the King of the Underworld.

Thirteen years have passed in the blink of an eye since I left Gui County. This illusory physical body has grown old, yet my true nature has not attained the immortal Dao.

Good deeds must accumulate to eight hundred, and merit must reach three thousand. Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism ultimately return to one; there is no need to argue over the relative standing of the Daoist tradition and Chan Buddhism.

By illuminating the mind and seeing one’s nature, one can become a Buddha; by refining mercury and joining lead, one cultivates Jing and Qi and harmonizes body and mind. The Dao of Heaven does not reveal itself through words, while the methods of the sages are passed on in secret.

Those of superior capacity can ascend to Heaven; those of middling or lesser capacity can also prolong their lives and preserve themselves. Though born in the land of China, it is rare to encounter the primordial opportunity for cultivating the Dao.

In former days, during my travels, I once visited Songyang.

Bodhidharma faced a wall for nine years, devoting himself to practice until he reached a state of forgetting the outer world.

The Great Dao encompasses Heaven and Earth, yet in its finest aspect it appears within the tiniest hairs. Beyond the transformations of Yin-Yang, one can escape impermanence.

Pine-covered mountains, sunlit peaks, and cave abodes surpass life in lofty mansions. In the celestial realm within a gourd, the sun and moon run their course, and day and night seem especially long.

Stillness and calm bring boundless subtle workings; when the merit of cultivation is complete, one can advance or withdraw with discernment. Escape the suffering of a pit of fire, and one can experience a different kind of cold and warmth.

In ordinary exchanges and dealings, keep righteousness in mind; both buyer and seller should be fair. Once a transaction is agreed upon, do not quarrel with one another.

In one’s work, be as precise as when using a knife and measuring rule; in accumulating merit, keep careful account, as when weighing by the jin and liang. When good deeds come from a sincere heart, one’s words become beneficial like scripture.

Treating others harmoniously and honoring one’s elders surpasses mere outward courtesy. When you hear someone speak ill of another, know when to stop listening and refuse to believe it.

Honor the highest De within, without chasing outward fame. When reverence and faith arise sincerely, one can preserve life and commune with the spirits.

Hold fast to the Great Dao and the principle of constancy, and you can avoid falling into the dark underworld. When you leave this world one day, you can still roam the Isles of Penglai, the legendary home of immortals.

Pay your respects morning and evening, and burn fragrant incense often. The blessings and merit accumulated through stillness and calm surpass talk of the immortals’ arts.

Give up killing living beings, and the whole family can live in peace. Understand the Great Dao, and the mind becomes carefree; become absorbed in worldly concerns, and the spirit grows restless.

Commit no hidden acts that harm others, and it will be as though you have seen Heaven. Keep company with pines and bamboo through the changing seasons.

The Jade Terrace and Langyuan, legendary realms of the immortals, are places toward which cultivators aspire; do not forget your wish to go there. If you reach a state truly free of attachment, you can arrive in the land of the immortals.

Without talent or virtue, one can hardly bear such generous honors. With pines and bamboo for company, quietly watch the seasons shift between cold and warmth.

If you set out for the Jade Terrace or Lang Garden, the legendary abodes of immortals, do not forget the way back. Only when the heart is truly free of burdens and obstacles can one reach the realm of immortals.

Again

Without talent or virtue, one can hardly bear such generous gifts. They have come from afar to welcome me and offered me jade-like wine and delicacies.

Noble officials and members of both families gather together at the Double Ninth Festival. After achievements are won and fame made manifest, one instead yearns for the realm of immortals.

All the many affairs of the human world suddenly seem forgettable. When one’s Dao-nature is fully realized, one can put the Mercury Storehouse and Lead Chamber to use—the terms of alchemy for the body and mind where Neidan is cultivated.

The cloud road leading to Penglai opens onto another realm, cool and serene.

Again

The Way of Heaven is hard to express. Nature and life find rest, and the light is carried on. Let no desire arise; refine Mercury and Lead, symbolic terms in Neidan cultivation.

Transcend the division between self and things, embrace the Great Dao, and reach the realm of immortals. Complete your cultivation and accumulate eight hundred deeds; bring your merit to fulfillment and accumulate three thousand—figures commonly used in Daoist texts to describe the required measure of cultivation and merit.

Outside the cave at Spirit Peak, rest at ease before the forests, mountains, and springs. Eat plain vegetarian food, and keep your mind far from the smell and taste of meat and fish.

With qin and books for company, lie peacefully among the clouds and mist. In years to come, return and walk alone into the realm of Ascent to the Origin, where one pays homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning or other celestial deities.

Again

For the Bright Truth Zhaijiao, a Daoist purification ritual, make all the necessary preparations with care. For the salvation of departed ancestors, arrange every detail properly.

Do not ask how much it will cost; the people together will cover the expenses. Keep the accounts impartial, and prepare two ledgers.

Those taking part in the ritual should make the renunciation of desire their chief concern. They should also avoid meat and fish, while accepting their lifespan as it comes.

Divine officials watch in secret; the gravity of sins and blessings should not be taken lightly. As the ritual approaches and you pay homage to the perfected deities, do not call out loudly.

The senior Daoist officiant must act in accordance with the Dao, manifesting and promoting the Great Dao. Everyone responsible for their duties should understand the written talisman slips and related documents.

Documents used to commend the departed require separate preparation and must not be handled carelessly. The practices for the hundred-day cultivation period must not be done falsely or perfunctorily.

After the full moon in the final month of winter—that is, after the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month—make your radiance manifest. Do not distinguish between day and night; do your utmost to cast off worldly affairs.

[Farewell to Lady Ma]

Lady Ma came to Donglai Prefecture nearly two years ago. Daoist households throughout the prefecture have all held her in affection and respect. Now she is going to the capital. She says that a few small matters remain unfinished. After the morning of the Mid-Autumn Festival, she took her leave and casually wrote a few lines. Knowing that she had not expressed herself fully, she said:

The Great Dao is inherently Wuwei (non-action), doing nothing contrived, yet it responds truly to circumstances and acts accordingly. Though the Dao has no form, it can manifest in concrete forms; people embody it through good deeds and generosity.

By committing no wrongs, one can suddenly awaken to genuine practice. By clinging to nothing among the myriad things, one can become clear and still, transcending the mundane world. When no harmful thoughts arise, one should transform harm into good; when no hatred is held in the heart, one should transform resentment into De (Virtue/Power).

The many principles of the Great Dao should be put into practice as virtuous conduct. The many truths of faith should be made clear to the world through the scriptures. The four-line verse in the Diamond Sutra should be put into practice as Chan meditation. The Zhouyi, or Book of Changes, explains the transformations of the myriad things and should be put into practice through the hexagrams.

The five thousand words of the Daodejing should be put into practice through cultivation. Throughout the ten directions—the four cardinal directions, the four intermediate directions, above, and below—and the Three Realms of desire, form, and formlessness, the three teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism have all widely spread their ways. The myriad teachings need not be divided into opposing camps; people throughout the world should honor them all. Repaying the four kindnesses—from parents, teachers, rulers, and all living beings—is Wuwei that leaves nothing undone.

Again:

Cultivate without clinging to cultivation; practice Wuwei while responding to circumstances. Do not cling, and do not divide. Neglect neither the Great Dao nor the smallest matters. Hate nothing and desire nothing; do not fixate on right and wrong. Add nothing and subtract nothing; make no distinctions of high and low. Take nothing, claim nothing, and do not sink into dullness and ignorance.

The heart is empty and still, yet able to respond to things in the world. It has no worries and does not move rashly through clever schemes. To outward appearances, things may seem naturally reversed: hearing “east,” one understands “west”; seeing something joyful, one instead perceives anger. If one assumes one has awakened, one may still be deluded.

The Dao has no body and does not depend on thought or knowledge. It is real and constant, never changing, and frees people from wild imaginings and doubt. It comes from nowhere and goes nowhere, yet is a ladder reaching the heights of the heavens. It moves and acts in no way of its own, yet sets Kan and Li—the symbols of Water and Fire, Yin and Yang—in motion. It is not governed by worldly emotions, yet it manifests a constant form; the infant and the maiden, symbols in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) often associated with the union of Yin and Yang, accompany one another. It appears as the image of nothingness, something few people across past and present have understood.

The lotus root grows in water, while the flower blooms from the muddy earth. Once practitioners have passed beyond suffering and reached the farther shore, they should follow Danyang’s teachings.

Again:

The True One dwells in Liaoyang and reverently follows Danyang’s teachings. Keeping no deluded thoughts about the myriad affairs of life, one gradually comes to understand the Dao’s Yang and harmonious nature. Striving to eliminate evil and constantly doing good, one comprehends the principles of the Dao and understands the principle of Yang and harmony. Without the slightest greed or contention, body and mind can be transformed into True Yang.

In the clear blue sky, the sun shines forth. Its precious light is whole and without flaw, as Yin and Yang energies merge and unite.

Nature and life are pure and still, with nothing leaking away or dissipating. Through the proper timing of the fire, refine and nourish the numinous Yang (the Yang aspect of the spiritual energy cultivated in internal alchemy). In cultivation, Yin and Yang naturally reverse, allowing subtle principle to join with Yang energy.

When the work is complete and you return, respectfully pay homage once more to Chongyang (Wang Chongyang, founder of the Quanzhen school).

Again

Carefully uphold the Great Dao, making no mistakes; use the eye of wisdom to contemplate Heaven and Earth. From the formless, wondrous existence emerges; Mercury and Lead unite to form the numinous Elixir. Mercury and Lead are symbolic terms commonly used in internal alchemy for the Yin and Yang essences that work together in cultivation.

When cultivation is complete, accumulate the full eight hundred meritorious deeds; when one’s merit is fulfilled, attain three thousand good acts. Tame the monkey-mind (a metaphor for restless, unruly thoughts), and perfect light will burst forth.

Gather the intent of the Elixir, as small as a millet grain, with an energy of harmony and balance; the meaning of the Dao is deep as an abyss. Understand its principles naturally, as though dwelling beside streams among the clouds and waters.

With zither and books for company, cultivate immortality at ease. In winter, gaze at the heavens. From the formless, wondrous existence emerges; Mercury and Lead unite to form the numinous Elixir.

When cultivation is complete, accumulate the full eight hundred meritorious deeds; when one’s merit is fulfilled, attain three thousand good acts. Tame the monkey-mind, and perfect light will burst forth.

Gather the intent of the Elixir, as small as a millet grain, with an energy of harmony and balance; the meaning of the Dao is deep as an abyss. Understand its principles naturally, as though dwelling beside streams among the clouds and waters.

With zither and books for company, cultivate immortality at ease. In winter, take shelter in a cloud cave; in summer, lie beneath the pines on a veranda.

When the moment is right, sing and dance with delight; in stillness, read poems. Carry a bamboo staff and wear a bamboo hat, steadfastly keeping to your resolve to cultivate the Dao.

From ancient times to the present, those who have understood the Great Dao have been sages who live in quiet seclusion.

Again

On the stone ridge of Changyang stands a pagoda, where people pay homage and cultivate goodness. A thatched hut is an immortal’s dwelling; there one bows in audience with the Great Sage.

Daoists discuss Yin and Yang; Buddhists illuminate the seeing of one’s nature (recognizing one’s own nature and understanding one’s inborn character). Confucians promote the Five Constant Virtues (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness), putting them into practice in all the affairs of daily life.

The myriad paths are equal, without distinction or hierarchy. Completely dispel hatred and desire, and you can truly be free of wrongdoing and affliction.

Do not violate the laws of Heaven; understand the principles of things and return to the right path. Observe the true fast, keeping body and mind pure and still.

Cultivate virtue alone, without competing for fame or profit. Cast off harmful thoughts, remain peaceful, and forget attachments to preserve life.

The light of Heaven is clear and complete, surpassing the state of entering meditation. The Great Dao is subtle, formless, and soundless, beyond the reach of sight and hearing.

From ancient times to the present, how many have suddenly awakened? Sages transcend the realm of emptiness and manifest in the world, following like shadows.

The light of Heaven is clear and complete, surpassing the state of entering meditation. The Great Dao is subtle, formless, and soundless, beyond the reach of sight and hearing.

From ancient times to the present, how many have suddenly awakened? Sages transcend the realm of emptiness and manifest in the world, following like shadows.

Take the four-line verse of the Diamond Sutra as the foundation; skillfully understand it, and respectfully uphold it. Once awakened, go forth to pay homage in the true realm of Shangqing (the pure and subtle immortal realm in Daoism).

Again

The body seems surrounded by walls, with light shining out in every direction. In the formless, true wondrous existence appears; thus one truly realizes Cinnabar Yang (the Yang essence cultivated in internal alchemy).

The subtle principle runs through what is elusive and hard to fathom; it accords with nature and remains constant. As soon as a voice leaves the mouth, a response follows. All the distracting thoughts of the world are forgotten.

With no kindred spirit in the world, one withdraws into quiet seclusion. Cultivating oneself in a simple thatched hut is better than dwelling in a splendid hall.

There is no need to hurry along the cloud road to Penglai, the land of immortals. The wondrous scenery of the pot-heaven, a Daoist paradise, is extraordinary by day and by night.

The flowers in the immortal realm bloom forever and never fade. It is a celestial homeland like the Garden of Langyuan. Even if the seas become dry land and the pines wither, it will never turn into a desolate mound.

Through cultivation, one forms a Dao body, wearing robes like clouds and rosy mists. In the end, one enters the Great Luo Heaven, the highest celestial realm, and pays audience to the Celestial Sovereign.

Again

With no dust or grime in the heart, the inner numinous truth is clear as a mirror. Facing the myriad things, one understands their principles and responds with insight; one keeps one’s nature and preserves one’s life.

Harmonize the Dao Qi within the body, and let the mind be free of guilt and illness. When hardship comes, be the first to bear it; treat all people and things equally.

To cultivate in this way is itself a practice of merit. Restraining the restless mind is better than seeking only to enter meditation, stilling the mind through seated practice.

Be attached neither to being nor nonbeing, and forget both movement and stillness. Let go of hatred, affection, and thoughts of right and wrong; then one’s true nature becomes all the more worthy of contemplation.

Ornate words easily give rise to improper thoughts, while pure and unified original Qi brings forth right thoughts. Hold firm to the resolve to cultivate, and one will understand the true Dao and pay audience to the perfected sages.

Again

Remove harmful thoughts, and goodness will arise; forget sensual desires, and life will be nourished. Reject falsehood, and true nature will emerge; when the mind is at peace, virtue will arise.

When the mind is open and clear, wisdom will arise. Seeing the Great Dao, one knows that all things have no fixed birth or death. When turbid Qi is gone, clear Qi will arise; when Yin Qi is exhausted, Yang Qi will arise.

When one’s nature is settled, light will arise; through reverent cultivation, one can bring about a response. With great compassion, aid all living beings, and the wondrous workings of the Dao will appear in the smallest details.

Again

Since you admire mountains, forests, and springs, cultivate the spiritual field within your heart. Even when the body is weary and the mind exhausted, preserve the true lead, a term in Neidan cultivation for the refined Qi to be cultivated.

By pines and beside rocks, endure the hardships of cultivation. Leave greed and contention behind, and you can reach the Great Dao and cultivate the way of immortality.

Withdraw from the dusty world and rest high in a cloud pavilion. Follow nature and adapt with agility, using wondrous wisdom to observe the Way of Heaven.

Understand the principles of things and study Buddhist texts as well. In your leisure, investigate Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism in depth; once you grasp their meaning, do not cling to words.

Again

The highest practitioners of the Dao do not contend with others. Whatever they encounter, their minds remain at peace. By seeking no wealth beyond themselves, they can accord with the Dao of the true spirit.

Understanding the principles and explaining the classics is no less valuable than investigating them through personal practice. In one’s leisure, one may study Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism deeply; once their essential meaning is understood, one no longer clings to words and written texts.

Those who practice the Dao at the highest level do not contend with others and remain at peace amid all things. They do not covet worldly possessions, and so the path they follow accords with the true spirit.

Understand the Orthodox Way, and approach its teachings with reverence and faith. In dealing with circumstances, adapt flexibly to what arises; help those in danger and have compassion for the suffering of all beings.

Set aside worldly concerns and care nothing for personal glory. Even if Heaven bestowed the “six-zhu” robe—the Daoist garment of celestial lightness and subtlety—you would gladly exchange it for the illusory fleshly body.

Perfecting one’s deeds and practice is better than coveting fame. After realizing the true Dao and returning to it, one can appear before the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) at dawn.

Understand that all things are empty, and at once let go of the distinction between self and others. Do good and accumulate blessings in the world, while bringing your merit to completion with a heart of Wuwei (non-action).

Those who truly understand the principles are gentle and humble. Subtle awakening subdues the fires of the heart. Keep contemplating the radiance of spiritual awareness and guard the “Golden Pass and Jade Lock,” a Daoist metaphor for safeguarding the body’s and mind’s vital openings and essence and Qi.

Practice naturally at all times and in every place. One may cultivate while standing, walking, sitting, or lying down. Open the Dao Eye—the wisdom that sees through the principles—and let the essence and Qi, like a numinous pearl, flow freely through the body.

Though surrounded by clamor, remain unmoved in nature and mind, with a disposition as pure as a lotus. Since ancient times, how many have truly penetrated the Dao’s hidden subtleties? Transform the body into one of pure Yang; cast off the mortal body and no longer fall into the cycle of rebirth.

Though living amid the dusty world, keep true stillness within. Set the Bing Yang in motion—a term in Daoist internal alchemy for the movement of Yang Qi—and body and mind will naturally shine with light. The wisdom of the Dao reaches the laws of Heaven, and a treasure-like spiritual radiance appears.

Though surrounded by clamor, remain unmoved in nature and mind, with a disposition as pure as a lotus. Since ancient times, how many have truly penetrated the Dao’s hidden subtleties? Transform the body into one of pure Yang; cast off the mortal body and no longer fall into the cycle of rebirth.

Though living amid the dusty world, keep true stillness within. Set the Bing Yang in motion, and body and mind will naturally shine with light. The wisdom of the Dao reaches the laws of Heaven, and the inner treasure-light is as clear as a mirror. Meet all things with complete virtue; once you have attained understanding, guilt and distress are gone.

Attain subtle awakening and realize the constant, true Dao. Break through illusion and return to the Orthodox Way. Unite Qi and spirit, settle into life’s root, and stabilize your nature.

Water is clear and gentle by nature, yet it can pass through what is hard. Those who practice the Dao at the highest level do not contend with others. If something does not accord with reason, do not believe it.

Rid yourself completely of hatred and desire, so that inner spiritual awareness becomes impartial and even. Of the thousands upon thousands who study the Dao, only a very few suddenly awaken.

Do not crave fine food; even when begging, be willing to eat leftovers. Preserve your true nature in poverty, and one day you will be able to appear before the sages and perfected beings.

Still and pure cultivation is true practice. In dealing with others, be attentive to the subtlest details. Let the body be like a lotus root and the heart like a lotus palace.

White clouds drift out of mountain hollows and float freely through the sky. Speak little of false words and turbid Qi, as though deaf and unable to hear.

The clearest principle is unlike worldly opinion. Covet neither “being” nor “nonbeing,” and the nature of the Dao will be calm and untroubled.

The mind monkey—the unruly, scattered thoughts—settles down, and the tiger and dragon, metaphors for Yin-Yang and the forces of body and mind in Daoist internal alchemy, are subdued. Naturally, the mind becomes clear, and one can reach the sacred mountain on the other shore.

Cultivate and preserve the Three Treasures—Jing, Qi, and Shen in Daoist practice. Do not mind if you appear poor on the outside. In time, turn away from falsehood and empty splendor, and choose the pines of the mountain forests for your companions.

It is also said:

In every movement, advance, or retreat, reverently uphold the Dao and do not disturb the people. Act according to the gathering’s actual circumstances; when funds are scarce, keep things simple.

Every household has its difficulties, so spend frugally within your means. The beings of Heaven and the spirits watch in secret; be careful not to let your intentions go astray. Turn away from falsehood and keep company with the pines.

It is also said:

In every movement, advance, or retreat, reverently uphold the Dao and do not disturb the people. Act according to the gathering’s actual circumstances; when funds are scarce, keep things simple.

Every household has its difficulties, so spend frugally within your means. The beings of Heaven and the spirits watch in secret; be careful not to let your intentions go astray.

With no selfish intent, blessings abound; when one commits wrongdoing, the burden of guilt grows heavy.

It is also said:

Restrain desire, and illness will lessen; keep a peaceful heart and accumulate good deeds. Focus your thoughts on the Dao, forget worldly distractions, and settle the unruly mind.

Even ten thousand yi of gold cannot buy a life. Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism are all worthy of taking refuge in; the light of wisdom will gradually grow bright.

Follow the example of such cultivators as Xu Xun and Pang Mei, and in the end truly ascend to the realm of the immortals and pay court to the perfected sages.

It is also said:

Contemplate the gathering of immortals and pay reverence to the Nine Heavens, the nine layers of Heaven in Daoist belief. Take your place among the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), and in practice keep clear of attachment to either extreme.

Study widely and spread the Canon, teaching the ignorant and helping them become wise. Follow the natural Dao and refine mercury and cook lead—a Neidan expression for using the body and mind as the crucible in which to cultivate Jing, Qi, and Shen.

Complete eight hundred good deeds in your practice and accumulate three thousand merits.

It is also said:

Keep a generous and compassionate heart. Restrain the worldly cleverness that gives rise to cruelty. When evil karma piles up like a mountain, how could the ruler of the underworld forgive you?

With a vicious illness upon you, the ghostly bailiffs press you urgently; your sins sink into the netherworld, with aggrieved creditors leading the way.

It is also said:

The world’s falsehoods cannot be trusted; do not let your unruly thoughts run free. Cultivate the Real to transcend the tangible world and escape its many torments.

Take joy in cultivating the Dao with calm and purity; with a single thought, you can ascend to Heaven. Continually refine mercury and lead, symbolic terms in Neidan practice, to dispel desire and attachment.

Complete eight hundred good deeds in your practice and accumulate three thousand merits. Cultivators throughout the ages who understand the Dao have followed this path, hoping to ascend to immortality.

It is also said:

Focus your thoughts on the Dao and forget the world. To preserve life, one must be free of greed. Commit no wrongdoing, and pure blessings will naturally follow.

Complete eight hundred good deeds in your practice and accumulate three thousand merits. Cultivators throughout the ages who understand the Dao have followed this path, hoping to ascend to immortality.

It is also said:

Focus your thoughts on the Dao and forget the world. To preserve life, one must be free of greed. Commit no wrongdoing, and pure blessings will naturally follow.

Settle your nature among the mountain peaks and pines, and harmonize gold and jade, symbolic terms in Neidan practice. The precious light within the body becomes whole and flawless; a crow grows three legs, a symbol of transformation and accomplishment in Neidan practice.

Enter the realm of Xiyi, the subtle, still Dao that cannot readily be perceived. Understand its mysteries and journey in the company of the rosy-cloud companions, the perfected immortals who have attained the Dao.

To be reborn among the beasts is to fall into a lower state; only by gaining access to the Way of the Worthy and the Sages can one be liberated. When lost, one sinks into impurity; only through awakening can one preserve one’s pure nature.

The deep blue sky is as clear as water, and the celestial signs shine like a mirror. Even a fortune of a thousand gold pieces cannot cure the illness in the heart.

Take a dose of “daogui” (an ancient term for a small quantity of medicine, here perhaps also referring to an elixir obtained through cultivation), and the Dao will merge with the life of the human being.

Again

Regard all men and women as you would your own parents. When the mind follows the Three Poisons of greed, anger, and delusion, the body must endure all manner of suffering.

Understand that all things are empty, and leave the dusty world behind, taking the clouds and rosy mists as your companions. Transcend the transformations of Yin-Yang, and your nature and life will no longer be subject to cold or heat.

Jing and Qi gather, and the spirit appears; the true nature shines with light and endures through the ages. The joy of cultivating the Dao lies in quietude and peace. Through Wuwei (non-action), one may ascend bodily to become an immortal.

Four-line verse in four-character lines

Govern affairs with clarity and insight; serve in office with loyalty and filial devotion. Restrain desire, and the body will be at peace; in time, you may ascend to the immortal isle of Penglai.

Again

Those bound by affinity will meet again and return to Dongzhou. Outwardly, things accord with cause and effect; inwardly, true cultivation lies concealed.

Again

When visitors arrive, receive them as you would your own kin, and treat them with respect. Keep the Dao in mind and long for the truth; in your leisure, read the scriptures.

Again

May the new autumn of the Jǐwèi year bring you peace; in time, you may ascend to the immortal isle of Penglai.

Again

Those bound by affinity will meet again and return to Dongzhou. Outwardly, things accord with cause and effect; inwardly, true cultivation lies concealed.

Again

When visitors arrive, receive them as you would your own kin, and treat them with respect. Keep the Dao in mind and long for the truth; in your leisure, read the scriptures.

Again

At the start of autumn in the Jǐwèi year, on the morning of the Limit of Heat. In peaceful repose, I shall transform and ascend; my true body will return to the celestial realm among the clouds.

Again

May you enjoy health and happiness; we shall meet again in time. Forget the cares of the dusty world and devote yourself to the Dao, and you will truly grasp the wondrous elixir.

Again

If you lack the skill of inner cultivation, you should accumulate good deeds. A heart attuned to the Dao reaches Heaven; a single-minded and sincere heart can then find peace.

Again

You take charge of adding the firewood, and I will oversee the craftsmen. Once the bricks and tiles have been fired, I will come to visit you.

Again

Once you have understood the Way of becoming an immortal, you will no longer lose your way wherever you go. Only a pure heart can attain the Dao; keep your resolve in cultivation firm to the very end.

Again

To put cultivation into practice in daily life, remove aversion and attachment. Subdue the thoughts within, and you will be able to respond to circumstances and understand their workings.

Again

Conceal your faults and live in harmony with others, bringing clarity and understanding to everyday life. To preserve your natural endowment and life, do not let the “foolish ape”—a metaphor for the restless, unsettled mind—run wild.

Again

Only when the breath is clear and the heart is free of attachment to self can the wondrous True Fire be put to use—a Daoist metaphor for refining Jing, Qi, and Shen in inner cultivation. To put cultivation into practice in daily life, remove aversion and attachment; subdue the thoughts within, and you will be able to respond to circumstances and understand their workings.

Set aside judgment and harmful thoughts, and live harmoniously with others. The Dao-eye in your heart will grow clear, and daily life will flow with ease. To preserve your life, rein in the restless mind and its unruly impulses; do not let it wander heedlessly.

Again

When the breath is calm and pure, and the heart is free of self-interest, one can wield the true fire—the art of refining and nourishing Jing and Qi in internal alchemy. The true fire burns away obscurity, allowing one to behold one’s original nature and ultimately form the Golden Fruit, a symbol of spiritual attainment.

Again

Too many monks can hinder cultivation; too many affairs can drain the spirit. Excessive desire harms life, while deep delusion disturbs one’s true nature.

Again

Fewer affairs bring clarity to the spirit; fewer stray thoughts leave the heart unconfined. The less shallow one is, the less ignorant one becomes; the less turbid and confused one is, the better one can understand the classics.

Again

The subtle Dao is hidden and hard to perceive. Do not cling to it, yet do not abandon it. Follow things as they are, and understanding will come; the worthy and the sages all know this truth.

End of volume three of Collected Songs of the Immortals

Collected Songs of the Immortals, Volume Four

Created by Liu Chuxuan, the Long-Life Master, who Responds to Circumstances through Wuwei at the Sacred Mountain

Lyrics

Shangjie Shi Tongzhi Ji Guanzhong Daoyou Bing Kouhao

Let nothing in the world stir your heart, and the Dao-eye will open. Having cultivated a womb-immortal, an achievement of Daoist internal refinement, you may roam the realms of the immortals and raise a cup in celebration. Suddenly grasp the principle beyond Yin-Yang’s transformations, and you can ride a crane up to the heavens. Such an opportunity is truly rare.

Jiang Shenzi

The Dao-heart differs from the worldly heart. Realize emptiness and stillness, and you will see through the outward forms of the dust and toil of all things. Understand how things work and grasp the true Dao, and you can respond to change with natural ease.

Untouched by attachment or aversion, right or wrong, you may wander through blessed lands in the company of pine-clad peaks. Cultivate a form like that of an immortal crane, fly into the blue sky, and travel freely east or west, visiting the immortal palace of Penglai. Transcend the constraints of Yin-Yang, and your immortal years will be without end.

Even if the seas turn to mulberry fields and the pines wither, your true nature can endure forever. Transcend the Three Realms—the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm—and follow the transformations of nature.

Untouched by attachment or aversion, right or wrong, you may wander through blessed lands in the company of pine-clad peaks. Cultivate a form like that of an immortal crane, fly into the blue sky, and travel freely east or west, visiting the immortal palace of Penglai. Transcend the constraints of Yin-Yang, and your immortal years will be without end.

Even if the seas turn to mulberry fields and the pines wither, your true nature can endure forever. Transcend the Three Realms and become an immortal elder.

Today the flowers in the Jade Grove are in full bloom. Savor true joy and drink three cups. Where will you go after drinking freely and wandering at ease? To Penglai Island and back, coming and going as freely as you please.

Shangpingxi, Four Songs

When I think that a hundred years of life are no more than a dream, how much time can there really be? The subtle, ineffable truth is right before our eyes. If you are willing to believe it, all things in daily life are without selfish intent. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, you can remain in equanimity and meet change with a compassionate heart.

Honor the immortal Dao, understand its principles, and grasp its subtle wonders. Give thanks to the immortal master.

Leisurely gathering lingzhi mushrooms on a numinous peak. The grotto-heaven is quiet and hidden; Qi circulates throughout the body as, in the twelve double-hours of the celestial cycle, Kan Water meets Li Fire—a Neidan term for the harmonizing of Water and Fire.

When cultivation in the upper, middle, and lower Dantian is complete, one goes to pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, shedding this corpse-like fleshly body.

Again:

Arriving at an immortal’s garden, one sees green pines and bamboo and bright red peonies. Understand the principles of the immortal Dao, grasp its mysteries, and be grateful for the teachings of the immortal masters.

Leisurely gathering lingzhi mushrooms on a numinous peak. The grotto-heaven is quiet and hidden; Qi circulates throughout the body as, in the twelve double-hours of the celestial cycle, Kan Water meets Li Fire.

When cultivation in the upper, middle, and lower Dantian is complete, one goes to pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, shedding this corpse-like fleshly body.

Again:

Arriving at an immortal’s garden, one sees green pines and bamboo and bright red peonies. Enjoying quiet and gladness, how many people can share in such pleasure?

For now, forget all the dreamlike things of the world. Looking back, all things amount to emptiness. The waxing and waning of the moon resemble sorrow and joy; once the heart of love and attachment is understood, it no longer holds one in its grip.

True leisure is delightful. One can appreciate its flavor, grasp its mysteries, and awaken to the Dao of leisure. By working out the trigrams and lines of the Changes, one recognizes the source and purpose of the Dao.

Xu Jun, the Pang family, and others have already understood the truth and ascended ahead of us into the blue sky. If you all honor the true Dao in this way, you will meet on the immortal isle of Penglai.

Again:

Attachment to the kindness of one’s parents can itself become a burden, and death is ultimately inescapable. When the breath stops, the body lies in the wilderness. After one’s appearance changes,

one is reborn through the cycle of transmigration, taking on new bodies countless times. The world’s riches and honors are not lasting; they vanish in an instant. The human body is like a prison trapped inside a burning house.

Let the body be as free as clouds and water. Ascend the cloudborne immortal path, roam beyond the clouds, and gaze upon their billowing waves. Abandon splendid silks and fine clothes; delight instead in wearing a hempen Daoist robe.

Uphold a moral way of purity and harmony, cultivate nature and life, and dwell in huts of thatch and reeds. In time, shed the fleshly body, pay homage to the worthy sages, and take one’s place among the celestial officials of the immortal realms.

Again:

Consider human life: young or old, it is like the turning of the seasons. One is barely a child, and in the blink of an eye one’s hair has turned white.

There is no need to pursue illusions and false appearances. When impermanence comes and the breath stops, one lies in a desolate grave. A human life lasts perhaps no more than thirty-six thousand days, yet illness and sorrow are constant companions.

Again:

Consider human life: young or old, it is like the turning of the seasons. One is barely a child, and in the blink of an eye one’s hair has turned white.

There is no need to pursue illusions and false appearances. When impermanence comes and the breath stops, one lies in a desolate grave. A human life lasts perhaps no more than thirty-six thousand days, yet illness and sorrow are constant companions.

Honor the true Dao, revere the true sages, understand the truth, and complete true cultivation. Serve the two divine beings and fulfill the utmost filial duty.

Let the whole family ascend together; when the work is complete, go together to Yingzhou. Escape the cycle of birth and death, with no more coming and going, and roam in quiet ease through Langyuan, the fabled immortal realm.

Over the course of thirty years, I have known favor and disgrace many times. Looking back carefully on the past, I can no longer be bothered to speak of it. Once, I submitted memorials to the throne and was summoned to an imperial audience.

For now, I am staying in a mountain village. One day, when I depart, I will lie at ease among the clouds and mist, living in a celestial grotto—the dwelling place of immortals—and beside pine-covered peaks. Preserving life and cultivating body and mind: this is the foundation of cultivating for immortality.

With no faults in the heart, one preserves one’s innate Virtue and naturally comes to understand the principles of things. One must also refine mercury and cook lead—a Daoist alchemical term for refining and cultivating Jing, Qi, and Shen. Until one’s cultivation and merits are complete, one can spend one’s days at ease among mountains, forests, streams, and springs.

With the qin and books for company, one forgets the world of dust, escapes the torment of worry, and lives freely and at ease. When the body sheds its mortal form, one truly departs and ascends to the Great Luo Heaven, the highest heaven in Daoist belief.

Again

When the Sevenfold Cultivation fast comes around, I abstain from meat on Gengshen days and bow and burn incense morning and evening, as well as on the first and fifteenth days of the month. Keeping the Great Dao constantly in mind, I suddenly forget the dreamlike life of the world.

With the scriptures of the Three Teachings—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism—for company, a quiet and untroubled life is better than grasping after a busy one. The hazy clouds and mist part, revealing a bright, full moon that shines in every direction without being diminished.

Persisting in this way, I come to understand the Great Dao, quietly accumulate good deeds, and at last ascend to the heavens. I follow Xu Xun, Pangmei, and others in returning to the True and departing, leaving a name to endure through the ages.

Before setting out for Penghu and Langyuan, the fabled immortal mountains, I sit in a bamboo pavilion, reciting poetry and talking with a smile, withdrawn deep within myself. When my cultivation and merits are complete, I depart beyond the reach of the underworld’s officials, mounting a crane and flying to the land of the immortals.

I come to understand the Great Dao, quietly accumulate good deeds, and at last ascend to the heavens. I follow Xu Xun, Pangmei, and others in returning to the True and departing, leaving a name to endure through the ages.

Before setting out for Penghu and Langyuan, I sit in a bamboo pavilion, reciting poetry and talking with a smile, withdrawn deep within myself. When my cultivation and merits are complete, I depart beyond the reach of the underworld’s officials, mounting a crane and flying to the land of the immortals.

Again

The honors and splendor I enjoy in this life come from good fortune accumulated in a former life. Having understood this, I should cultivate myself all the more earnestly. Before the pleasures of the outside world have faded, a single stirring of the mind brings worries one after another.

Within plainness and simplicity lies the joy of the Dao. Sitting in a bamboo pavilion, I often seek out its profound principles. Once I truly understand, my mind becomes as clear and pure as the blue sky, and the light of my nature and life is as bright as the sky in early autumn.

Enough, enough. Honor Virtue, govern with integrity, and respond to changing circumstances with care. Once my deeds are accomplished and my name established, I will roam through grottoes veiled in rosy light and places wrapped in clouds and mist.

Accompanied by the zither and sword, cultivate the Dao and transcend the mortal body, truly ascending into the clouds. As with Pang Jushi and Xu Zhenjun, the whole family ascends to Heaven together and dwells forever on Yingzhou, the legendary immortal mountain in the sea.

Xu Zhenjun’s whole family lifted their residence into the sky and ascended. Pang Jushi’s family, by contrast, sat upright as they died, departing this world and attaining liberation at once.

Clouds gather once more, and they rise into the sky. As with Pang Jushi and Xu Zhenjun, the whole family ascends to Heaven together and dwells forever on Yingzhou.

Xu Zhenjun’s whole family lifted their residence into the sky and ascended. Pang Jushi’s family, by contrast, sat upright as they died, departing this world and attaining liberation at once.

There is also a textual form called “assembling three and splitting characters.” Some characters and phrases are missing; the surviving text reads:

□□ Fengtuan, □□ immortals dwell, □□ lead and cinnabar take form. □□ sins are exhausted; spirit and Qi naturally become numinous.

□□ Heaven brightens, and the myriad forms appear; from the depths of the earth surge □□, and □□ springs run level. Quiet and indistinct, □□ are without flaw; □□ life must come to rest.

□□ sincerity is fully realized, □□ hidden among the Penglai immortals, surpassing worldly splendor. □□ if one steps outside, the field of vision opens wide beneath the blue sky.

□□ among the pines and junipers of the forest, deep within the grotto, □□ one reads the scriptures. □□ gaze within; □□ distinguish what is true; with worldly dust severed, travel beneath the azure firmament.

“Lead and cinnabar” is a common term in Neidan practice, referring figuratively to the Yin-Yang essence and Qi involved in cultivation. “Take form” means that cultivation is gradually bearing fruit. Because so many other characters are missing, the remaining lines are difficult to interpret coherently.

There is also a textual form called “concealing the head and splitting characters.” Some characters and phrases are missing; the surviving text reads:

□ an inch of illumination reveals the truth, □ spiritual power and wisdom are unobstructed, □ free of hindrance and cool. □ flowers mingle with the world; people laugh, saying one seems mad as the wind.

□ the patriarchs Qiu, Liu, Tan, and Ma; □ dispel and destroy, forgetting every care. □ the ape stays put, □ understands the Dao and De; how could one willingly display them outwardly?

□ divide. Serenity and stillness are wondrous; □ the infant boy and maiden, do not hurry along the cloud road. □ the creations of emptiness, cinnabar congeals and lead shines.

□ float freely, lofty and unrestrained; sell bones and stumble □, all things impermanent.

□ divide. Serenity and stillness are wondrous; □ the infant boy and maiden, do not hurry along the cloud road. □ the creations of emptiness, cinnabar congeals and lead shines.

□ float freely, lofty and unrestrained; sell bones and stumble □, all things impermanent.

“Qiu, Liu, Tan, and Ma” refers to Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu of the Quanzhen school. “Infant boy and maiden” is a Neidan term referring to the union and transformation of Yin-Yang essence and Qi in cultivation. The poem’s general meaning is that practitioners of the Dao are serene and unimpeded, forget all cares, and refine essence and Qi as they move toward transcendence. Because the text is damaged, some passages cannot be interpreted with certainty.