《水云集》

Dongmu was the seat of the ancient state of Mouzi and one of the great commanderies of Qi. Its population was large and its people were plain and honest. To the east lay the boundless Cang Sea, its mists, waves, and cloudlike swells stretching without end; to the south stood Kunjianshan, its successive peaks rising into the clouds. The sea and mountains gathered the finest energies of nature, and so the region produced many outstanding figures and celebrated scholars. Realized Ones and Immortals appeared there in succession.

Master Tan Chuduan, whose Daoist name was Changzhenzi, was my fellow townsman and came from a prominent local family. Bright by nature and extraordinary in insight, he excelled at cursive and clerical script. He was upright and principled, and the people of his community both respected and revered him.

In the dinghai year of the Dading era, the Realized One Chongyang Minhua Miaoxing (Wang Chongyang) came east and traveled along the sea. To fulfill an old karmic bond, he sought out former companions. In my home region he met Master Ma of Danyang and Master Tan of Changzhen; at Yishui in Donglai, he met Master Liu of Changsheng; and at Qixia in Dengzhou, he met Master Qiu of Changchun. The four became Daoist companions who had transcended the ordinary world, and were later known as “Tan, Ma, Qiu, and Liu.”

The four traveled with the Realized One westward to Yimen. He imparted oral instructions and entrusted them with his final affairs, then grew weary of the dusty world and ascended to heaven. After completing the rites for his burial, the four led their disciples west to Zhongnan Mountain, where Wang Chongyang had once lived in seclusion. They inherited and transmitted his Daoist teachings. More than ten years later, each set out for a different place.

Master Changzhen traveled around the Luo River region, teaching the Dao, guiding people toward goodness, and drawing crowds of followers wherever he went. He wrote prose and composed poems, putting them down with ease; his poems and writings numbered in the hundreds. He also wrote the Recorded Sayings and the Song of the Fallen, Forsaken Skeleton, to awaken people to the truth. These works contain subtle principles, promote a pure Daoist way, and guide people toward goodness. They greatly benefited society in their time.

Wang Liuhui, abbot of the Quanzhen Abbey in Junzhou, and others once had the Recorded Sayings and the Song of the Fallen, Forsaken Skeleton carved and printed for wide circulation. Later, in the bingwu year, a great flood swept away and destroyed the printing blocks. Master Liu of Changsheng, from Yishui, compassionately sought a way to bring these works back into circulation. He sent his disciples Xu Shoudao, Li Daowei, Yu Wuxian, and others to my home region to ask me to write a preface, in the hope that craftsmen would once again carve the blocks and preserve the books for generations. Such an intention is truly generous.

I have often thought that Master Changzhen and I came from the same place, were close in age, and shared much the same temperament and interests. We played together as children and often kept company as adults. In middle age, the Master met his teacher, studied the Dao, and practiced cultivation; in the end, he left the dusty world and attained the Dao, becoming a Realized One. But I, though now gray-haired, still labor in the pursuit of fame and gain, willingly letting the years wear me down and grow old along with the things of the world. Compared with him, I am truly foolish.

I wish to free myself from entanglements, set aside the old man’s concern for his children, and cast off the fear of loss and attachment to possessions, like that of the greedy rat. I would roam at ease in a realm of freedom and dwell peacefully in a life of true leisure. I wish to learn the Master’s Daoist teachings, read his writings, nourish body and mind, and preserve my inborn nature, so that I may pass the rest of my life in this way. I wonder whether the Master might one day remember his old traveling companion and grant me a flying-cloud pendant—a Daoist immortal’s ornament—so that I may follow him.

Alas, the Master has already transformed and become an Immortal. Those who study in later generations cannot see his bearing with their own eyes or hear his words with their own ears. Yet by reading these writings closely, they can still grasp their profound meaning and learn of the example and influence he left behind.

On the fifteenth day of the first month in the dingwei year of the Dading era, Fan Zede of Dongmu Prefecture, Instructor at the Prefectural School, wrote this preface.

Collected Writings of Shuiyun, Part One, written by Changzhenzi Tan Chuduan of Mount Kunlun.

Seven-Character Regulated Verse

Inscribed at Chaoyuan Palace in Luoyang

The palace gates stand quietly shut, while auspicious clouds still drift around them. Ancient sites and traces of the numinous remain clear to this day. Clouds and mist veil the intertwined branches, as though medicine were being boiled in a cauldron; rosy light shines on the sacred well, whose waters feed the spring used for refining elixirs.

The sun’s essence—the refined Yang energy in Daoist cultivation—has been refined into the realm of Huaxu. The moon’s Po, its Yin essence, has likewise been gathered in, as if one had entered a world where night never falls. Since the immortal decree appointing the realized master has departed, who is left to carry on the Way of the great immortals of the Daluo Heaven?

Visiting Lingshan Temple

At ease, I wander among clouds and waters, making my way to visit the Chan grove; thick bamboo sets off the mountain’s emerald peaks. Jade Pillar Peak rises into the clouds, seemingly untouched by the dust of the world; Lingshan Temple lies hidden in the depths, difficult to find.

White snow blends together, spreading evenly like jade; yellow blossoms are scattered here and there like gold. The ancient pool is clear and bright, the autumn night quiet; the osmanthus blossoms appear alone, reflecting one’s original nature.

Visiting Liu Gong’s Garden

The worthy gentlemen invite me to admire the flowers. After the rain clears, I make my way through the gate alone. Leaning on the railing, I watch the peonies display their brilliance one after another; all around the courtyard, butterflies compete in flight.

The wind stirs the willow buds without favoring one over another; rain washes the flower hearts without distinguishing right from wrong. All things take shape from spring’s vital breath, which spreads impartially everywhere, bringing fragrance from flowers and grasses.

Presented to Elder Guo of Xinzhong

How many people live to see their hair turn white? Birth, aging, illness, and decline run through the whole of life. When one is affected by filthy, rank things, one’s years are diminished; when one is strange, greedy, and given to envy, the mind and spirit grow ever more clouded.

With hatred and attachment in the heart, it is hard to transcend the world of dust. Only without desire, and with one’s emotions unmoved by external things, can one leave the realm of illusion. Fortunately, paths still lead to Heaven and Hell. Whether one becomes a sage or an ordinary person, awakens or loses one’s way, depends on oneself.

Presented to the Immortal Cheng of Yunyang

In cultivation, the greatest danger is to be stubborn like unyielding bronze. If one clings without transforming, cultivation will bear no fruit. When deluded thoughts and worldly defilements arise in the heart, one sinks into the underworld; when the mind stays pure and still, it is as though one were stepping into the heavenly palace.

Be like Yan Hui, content with poverty and devoted to the Way; do not be like Deng Tong, miserly and greedy for wealth. Learn to cultivate the Way from Uncle Ma of Zhongnan Mountain, the Daoist Ma Yu. Even in utter poverty, keep the heart centered and upright.

Presented to the Immortal Zheng

Leave behind worldly life and dwell in a hermitage beyond the dust of the world. Devote yourself to the Way, conceal your whereabouts, and avoid speaking at length with others. Use skillful methods to remove defilement, so that you may walk in purity along the path to the heavenly palace.

Be content with poverty and find joy in a simple life, as Yan Hui did. Do not be miserly and greedy for wealth like Deng Tong. Learn from Uncle Ma of Zhongnan Mountain—that is, Ma Danyang—who willingly lived in extreme poverty and devoted himself entirely to keeping his heart tranquil and pure.

Presented to the Immortal Zheng

Leave worldly life behind and dwell in a hermitage apart from the world. Devote yourself to cultivating the Dao, conceal your traces, and speak little. Clear away the grime in your heart and savor the sweetness of a poor yet contented life. Let a simple, unadorned way of living wash away ignorance—the delusion that clouds the mind.

There is no need to lock the wicker gate; nothing will hinder you. Often, live on no more than a single ladle of water, using it to forget greed. Settle the spirit, sit in silence, and remain at ease and untroubled until you see through the workings of the stars, sun, and moon.

Presented to the Young Lord of the Han Family, Practicing at Home

Honor the true Dao, do good, and accumulate De. Establish at home an incense hall for worshipping the mysterious Dao, and respectfully offer two sticks of incense each morning and evening. Serve your widowed mother at home and fulfill your filial duties. In your dealings with others, uphold the right path, and let your words and actions accord with the patterns of heaven, earth, sun, and moon.

Keep compassion in your heart and help those in poverty; practice kindness often and support those who endure hardship. If, in time, you awaken and gain insight, you too should be able to return to the land of the immortals.

Presented to the Disciples Anranzi and Others

The Madman, as the poet calls himself, offers everyone a brief instruction: do not needlessly squander your Jing, Qi, and Shen in daily life. If you want your inner cultivation to bear abundant fruit, you must work at its roots and cut off even the slightest stray thought.

When the heart pursues sensual desires, Qi is depleted. When the mind becomes absorbed in attachments and love, the spirit is harmed. May you soon see through the world’s glitter, so that you need not undergo another lifetime among humankind.

Presented to Aunt Yang

Aunt Yang is over eighty, yet has devoted herself to cultivating the Dao in the mysterious tradition. Like a jade blossom, she remains fragrant even after autumn. The jade cup should be filled to the brim with water of purity and stillness; in the golden furnace, the fragrant incense of wisdom should be lit.

You have now cultivated blessings for the life to come, and from this day onward need not worry about past misfortunes. If you can abide in a hall of stillness, clarity, spaciousness, and freedom from obstruction, you will naturally see the treasured cauldron—the symbol of Neidan—appear amid rosy clouds.

Inscribed at Mr. Kong’s Hermitage

The quiet retreat, a place for stillness and Daoist cultivation, is silent and secluded, as though it enshrines a numinous spring. Draw near to this spring, and you can grasp mysteries beyond mystery. Leisurely visitors often come to this secluded place; in my hermitage, I also often sleep beside Ma Feng, the sobriquet of Ma Yu.

This cool realm lifts one beyond the paths of the dusty world. Only by coming here in person can you discover that another world exists. If cultivators are willing to seek out this lowly place, they may suddenly awaken and behold the realm of the immortals.

Presented to Commandant Wang the Third of Junzhou

The nobleman of the Wang family has a kind and virtuous heart and loves the mysterious Way of Daoism. He urges me to pour often from the jade cup, which may also suggest a drink used in cultivation. Begin accumulating good deeds in the heart; seek merit and virtue through one’s innate nature.

Benefit others without reckoning your own gains or losses, and you will understand the truth. Endure humiliation with compassion, and you will reach a subtle and wondrous realm. Keep to equality and harmony, and you will walk the Great Dao at all times. Together, three people board the great divine vessel, a symbol of cultivating the Way and attaining deliverance.

The nobleman of the Wang family has a kind and virtuous heart and loves the mysterious Way of Daoism. He urges me to pour often from the jade cup. Begin accumulating good deeds in the heart; seek merit and virtue through one’s innate nature.

Benefit others without reckoning your own gains or losses, and you will understand the truth. Endure humiliation with compassion, and you will reach a hidden and subtle realm. Keep to equality and harmony, and you will walk the Great Dao at all times. Together, three people board the great divine vessel.

Inscribed at Yunxi Hermitage

At Yunxi Hermitage lives a reclusive adept, resting amid mist and rosy clouds, silently absorbing the essences of the sun and moon. As the mist disperses, auspicious herbs grow upon the Cinnabar Terrace, a symbol of Neidan cultivation. As the clouds gather, flowers like fine jade condense within the numinous organs, the body’s sites of cultivation.

The Azure Dragon breathes forth flames to brew golden tea; the White Tiger surges with spring water to irrigate jade shoots. Dragon and tiger unite, undergoing nine revolutions—the repeated refinement of Neidan—and at last a single grain of cinnabar, the elixir produced through refinement, is brought forth.

Thoughts from the Heart

I long for a life of modest means and quiet ease, and seek the mysterious principles of the Dao. Thus I know that I seem already to have entered the white clouds and risen freely through the heavens. I roam beyond the dusty world, free from worldly constraints. My heart is untroubled and open; I cast off vexation and defilement as though removing a garment soiled by dust.

Fearing that I might harm hidden merit, accumulated through unseen good deeds, I examine my own faults. Concerned that I might damage my virtue, I dare not lightly criticize others. When the cinnabar elixir is perfected through nine revolutions, I hope to make an appointment with three immortals and return with them.

Another

Grind away sharpness and restrain force; strive to be a good person. In time, both mind and method are forgotten. A diamond-like flame often rises within the cauldron, while the fragrance of Prajñā, or wisdom, burns without cease in the furnace.

The jade elixir, symbolizing the immortal medicine, begins to release its fragrance; only I have gathered it. The peaches of immortality have just ripened, and I taste them first. Do not imagine the land of Huaxu, the legendary realm of bliss, to be far away in the heavens. Understand the principle of emptiness, and the road there is near.

Both mind and method are forgotten. A diamond-like flame often rises within the cauldron, while the fragrance of Prajñā burns without cease in the furnace.

The jade elixir begins to release its fragrance; only I have gathered it. The peaches of immortality have just ripened, and I taste them first. Do not imagine the land of Huaxu to be far away in the heavens. Understand the principle of emptiness, and the road there is near.

Another

A shortcut leads to the realm of immortals, where numinous clouds over the cave entrance cover the green mountain peak. When winds and waves rise, wield the sword of wisdom. Once the mysterious waves have settled into clarity, gather the golden lotus.

Subdue the flood dragon and make it lie peacefully in the Li Palace, a symbol of the place of heart-fire. Capture the fierce tiger and let it sleep in the Kan Gate, a symbol of the place of kidney-water. Once these two forces have been steadied, worldly entanglements come to an end. When the merit of cultivation is complete, a fetal immortal—the immortal body formed through Neidan cultivation—can be conceived.

Another

Longing for the undying beauty of the immortal realm, I cleanse the heart of its dust and spread there a splendid bloom like fine jade. The red child of the Southern Palace, a symbol of the spirit of the heart, dwells in the Cool Hall; the turtle of the Northern Sea, a symbol of kidney Qi, resides in the Crimson Chamber, the red chamber of Neidan cultivation.

In the stillness of the cave dwelling, subdue the White Tiger; on the mountain of Wuwei, tend the Blue Ram. Since the cloudlike vapors in the alchemical cauldron have settled, one has often drunk the sweet elixir of refinement and become intoxicated with ease and freedom.

Again

The Daoist lives in a quiet, untroubled place, holding to gentleness and weakness and responding to each occasion as it arises, passing the years in this way. To ward off the cold, he wears only coarse cloth; to satisfy hunger, he eats only plain food. In cultivation, he subdues the White Tiger and tends the Blue Ram on the mountain of Wuwei. Since the cloudlike vapors in the alchemical cauldron have settled, he often drinks the sweet elixir and rests in an entrancing realm of stillness.

Again

The Daoist lives in a quiet, untroubled place, holding to gentleness and weakness and responding to each occasion as it arises, passing the years in this way. To ward off the cold, he wears coarse cloth; to satisfy hunger, he eats plain food, sometimes with pickled vegetables and wild rice.

Forget words, remain detached and free of desire, and keep apart from worldly entanglements. Let go of anxious thoughts and savor the pleasures of cultivation in quiet repose. Those who cling to wife and children, fame and profit, may only awaken with a start when death draws near—and often then are filled with regret.

Again

Few know the profound secrets of Heaven. At midday, hold fast to a single measure of the subtle essence obtained through refinement. The mist lifts from the ancient pool, and the autumn night is still; the cloudlike vapors gather among emerald peaks, and the moon shines bright.

Seize the flood dragon and imprison it in the lofty cauldron; capture the fierce tiger and lock it in the Kan pool. Refine the immortal elixir, surpass the transformations of the world, and journey to Penglai Island to pay respects to the true master.

Again

The wind sighs, and pine branches sway. The Daoist roams beyond the world, drawing near to the immortals. His nature and mind are like the bright moon shining in the blue sky; his heart is like an idle cloud, drifting freely through the azure heavens.

Capture the fierce tiger and imprison it at the Kan gate; subdue the flood dragon and lock it in the Li palace. As the circuit of Heaven turns, it repeatedly kindles a diamond-hard flame, forging a vermilion pellet in the furnace.

Again

A point of numinous light illuminates the tower, clear and radiant, transcending birth and death, coming and going. The red flames on the Seven-Treasure Mountain die down, and white lotuses bloom in the wondrous sanctuaries of the Three Palaces—the body’s upper, middle, and lower Dantian.

One is about to reach the Purple Palace, where mist and rosy clouds swirl. Follow the cloud road to Yingzhou; this journey admits no return. Who has the fate to enter the Jade Capital, bright through every night? Four immortals, ever in spring, accompany them.

Again

A three-foot green serpent rests in the sleeve; a single grain of cinnabar is about to congeal. Mist veils the still waters and restrains the horse; smoke veils the emerald mountains and locks up the ape.

After a thousand days of refinement, the dragon plunges into fire; when the nine cycles are complete, the tiger enters the pool. Seize the true transformations hidden within the void—this profound secret of Heaven is known to few.

Desire and emotional attachment often overpower reason, drawing people into a tangle of words. Only by understanding this can one begin to leave behind all kinds of fixed views. To cut off emotional attachments and forget entanglements is to grasp the subtle principles of the Dao; like smoke dispersing and fire going out, one may then realize the deep and distant realm.

If you speak too much and show off your eloquence, cultivation is hard to accomplish. If thoughts surge up and the mind runs outward, how can cultivation ever be brought to completion? Cut off worldly attachments, and the heart will have fewer burdens. After that, live out your remaining years in quietude, simplicity, and peace.

True practice and cultivation require careful, thorough preparation. Only after ten years of diligent effort can you gradually lay a solid foundation. Forget the pull that worldly circumstances exert on the heart and transcend the mundane world. Dispel ordinary human concerns, and you will draw near Penglai, the legendary island of immortals.

A treasured sword buried underground can still send its light straight toward the Dipper constellation; a bright pearl hidden in a clam quietly takes shape within. Cultivation depends on the true workings of transformation. If you wish to explore those workings, refine your thoughts until they are as still as ashes.

Advice to Disciples

Leaving the secular home and entering the Daoist path of cultivation is like stepping from level ground into the clouds. The things of the world entangle body and mind, and time is brief; within the gourd of the immortals—a Daoist symbol for a world apart—the sun and moon seem especially long-lived.

Take a wandering, tranquil life, dwelling among water and clouds, as your true way of life; take emptiness and quietude as your way of abiding. Keep observing your inner self so that desires diminish and you move beyond the disturbances of human relationships. Without your noticing, great elixir sand—the fruits of cultivation—will form in the alchemical furnace.

Another Passage

Guard the One, preserving sincerity and realizing the heart’s quietude. Cultivate diligently so that the mind becomes upright. The path to the Mysterious Origin, the source of the Dao and its subtle way, is not easy; yet if the heart is free of dust, it is not difficult either.

Throughout the twelve double-hours of the day, remain aware of your thoughts. Accumulate three thousand deeds of merit, and never deceive yourself or others. If you seek a way forward, do not cling to coming or going. Observe deeply that there is no person and no self, and let go of attachments that divide self from others.

Another Passage

Restrain your strength and rein in your sharpness; cultivate in this way. Let go of self-attachment, subdue the heart, and sever entanglements with worldly affairs. Refine yourself in silence, ridding yourself of cleverness and contentiousness. Train your nature in stillness and cast off fierceness and violence.

When ignorance arises, the true spirit is obscured. When gentleness and humility appear, the Dao’s insight becomes clear. Each time you contend with ignorance and endure with self-restraint, you have won a victory.

Another Passage

Remove evil thoughts and emotional attachments, and strive to do good. Let go of both fame and profit. From a height like a mountaintop, douse the fire of ignorance; keep the dwelling of the spirit fragrant with the incense of prajna, or wisdom.

Another Passage

Guard the One with sincere constancy and realize the heart’s quietude. Cultivate diligently so that the mind becomes upright. The path to the Mysterious Origin is not easy, but if the heart is free of dust, it is not difficult either. Throughout the twelve double-hours of the day, remain aware of your thoughts. Accumulate three thousand deeds of merit and never deceive yourself. If you seek a way forward, do not cling to coming or going; observe deeply that there is no person and no self.

Restrain your strength and rein in your sharpness. Let go of self-attachment, subdue the heart, and sever worldly entanglements. Refine yourself in silence, ridding yourself of contentiousness and the urge to show off. Train your nature in stillness and cast off fierceness and violence. When ignorance arises, the true spirit is obscured; when gentleness and humility appear, the Dao’s insight becomes clear. Each act of endurance and self-restraint is a victory.

Remove evil thoughts and emotional attachments, strive to do good, and let go of fame and profit. Extinguish the fire of ignorance, and keep the heart fragrant with wisdom.

Clear away the dust and grime in the heart, and its bright nature will appear. As weeds recede from a barren place, the fragrance of the jade lotus is revealed. In cultivation, do not begrudge the long road to “Huaxu,” the dreamlike ideal realm. Once you truly see clearly, the road leading to emptiness is not long.

Cultivation requires recognizing your own spiritual source—the root of life and awareness—and discerning the distinct point within it. By completely severing sensual desire, you can transcend the worldly realm of phenomena; by exhausting delusion and anger, you can leave behind the cycle of rebirth among humans and the heavens. Do not become confused and inverted, coveting all manner of physical things. Nor should you give rise to a worldly mind, letting yourself be entangled by all kinds of conditions. In the empty, still nature there are no attachments or hindrances; naturally, you can nurture the “womb-formed immortal,” a perfected being brought forth through inner cultivation.

In an empty, quiet hall, silently kindle the incense of the heart: this is the true altar of our tradition. Enter emptiness in search of freedom; sweep away afflictions in search of serenity. Arrange the furnace and hearth according to the images of Kan and Li—the Water and Fire trigrams of the Bagua, often used to signify Yin-Yang in inner alchemy—and refine “white and yellow” according to the cyclical trigrams of the celestial circuit. Continue this practice without interruption for a long time. When the work is complete and the process has passed through nine revolutions, “lead frost,” the refined substance of inner alchemy, will condense.

In cultivation, do not seek outward among the various methods. Clinging to methods in pursuit of the Way only keeps you from freedom. Recognize that your own mind is Buddha—why toil by wandering everywhere outside yourself? Do not let worldly dust obscure the wisdom-light of your spiritual source. When responding to all things, do not let your attention settle on or cling to any one thing. Two breezes part the Jade Gate; a silver light rises from the mountaintop.

A verse of self-praise: In cultivation, do not seek outward among the various methods. Clinging to methods in pursuit of the Way only keeps you from freedom. Recognize that your own mind is Buddha—why toil by wandering everywhere outside yourself? Do not let worldly dust obscure the wisdom-light of your spiritual source. When responding to all things, do not let your attention settle on or cling to any one thing. Two breezes part the Jade Gate; a silver light rises from the mountaintop.

From the very beginning, renounce romantic attachment and devote yourself to cultivation. Be content with poverty and hold fast to your resolve. A bamboo hat and sheepskin robe are constant companions, and an old felt bag is always at your side. You have no desire for fattened lamb or fine wine; coarse, plain food and leftovers are enough to stave off hunger. Though you have just obtained a wooden bowl bought with alms, you remain as austere as when you first left home.

Changdao says: Roam freely like clouds and water, becoming an immortal beyond the world’s concerns. A single grain of daogui—a medicinal substance or formula used in inner alchemy—is enough to sever worldly ties. Within True Emptiness, the treasures of the Three Fields—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian—take form; their wondrous efficacy reaches its fullness and transforms into the Five-Petaled Lotus, a symbol of the fruits of cultivation. The fire goes out and the smoke disperses: this is the result of refinement. The heart grows clear and the mind still: this is the mark of devoted practice. Changzhenzi, a self-designation or religious name for a Daoist cultivator, wanders freely, borne for thousands of miles on the Boat of Prajña, the wisdom that ferries one across affliction.

Roam freely like clouds and water, making your home wherever you are, as days and months turn and the years pass. In quiet repose, nourish the Golden Cauldron with waters of wisdom; in stillness, plant jade shoots—the signs of the first emergence of the inner elixir—in the spiritual field, the place of inner cultivation.

At the bottom of the sea, a red peony has grown; on the mountaintop, a white lotus has blossomed. Today I reveal this precious, otherworldly teaching: everyone inherently possesses a pure and unchanging true nature. This is the “Great Elixir.”

Again

Free and at ease like clouds and water, as though one were an immortal beyond the world; unhurried and tranquil—this is the human being’s original state. Gather in your thoughts and dispel attachment to the self, and the golden lock will open; lessen private desires and forget emotional longings, and you can pluck the jade lotus. Today I reveal this precious, otherworldly teaching: everyone inherently possesses a pure and unchanging true nature. This is the “Great Elixir.”

Again

Free and at ease like clouds and water, as though one were an immortal beyond the world; unhurried and tranquil—this is the human being’s original state. Gather in your thoughts and dispel attachment to the self, and the golden lock will open; lessen private desires and forget emotional longings, and you can pluck the jade lotus.

Seek profound and subtle principles beyond the farther shore, and form a blessed bond on Sacred Mount Ling. Once the Neidan has been refined through nine turns, a fresh breeze will carry me on my journey. Loosen the mooring rope and drift freely aboard the Prajna boat, the vessel that symbolizes passage to wisdom and liberation.

A poem in the original rhyme of Master Hu Zijin

Cultivation is neither easy nor difficult. Be less burdened by external things, nurture your true nature, and recognize the quiet within your heart. Leave quickly the dusty world, hot as a pit of fire, and ascend in good time to the cool shore of the Dao. Constantly contemplate the state of having no desires, and you will understand the mysterious Dao; savor the wonders of emptiness, and you will sever craving and attachment. Pure stillness and Wuwei (non-action) depend entirely on firm resolve. Keep to a heart that is both yielding and steadfast, and cultivate yourself in stillness and emptiness.

Sent to Master Yao

Tan is respected by everyone, yet grave offenses can still ensnare him. Reflect on your faults and repent of past transgressions, and your offenses will naturally diminish; know your errors but fail to correct them, and they will only increase.

Greed and cravings arising in the heart bring great calamity; attachment to worldly splendor also piles up offenses. Keep reducing selfish desires, preserve your true nature, and live humbly. Who can know whether the sages and worthies would forgive such a person?

Acrostic character puzzles

First

Clad in plain cloth, investigate the subtle principles; practice using terms such as Jia and Geng, and the Neidan will ascend. When the various breaths converge, you must shed your old shell; when the Neidan’s refinement is complete, you must also change your form. Once the true nature opens, it is seen in all things; grasp the original nature, and you will know that all distinctions are not fundamental. At your nephew’s place is the renowned Master Shuyu. When four lotuses bloom, ascend the clouds and return.

Second

The spirit spring within the chest wells up in abundance, clear and pure, reflecting the heavens. The key to cultivating the Dao is to cast off desires. Forget the external world and release your attachments, and you will accumulate profound merit.

After grasping the essentials of cultivation, do not go looking everywhere for unorthodox arts. Return to the source and follow nature. Through practice, you can bring into being a priceless treasure chamber. In the end, you will meet the perfected immortals and become an immortal who rides the wind.

The Third

At ease and free, letting things follow their course, a white lotus blossoms within the heart. Cultivate without pause, day and night, and bring into being a boundless treasure chamber. Resolve to practice sincerely, and you can unite with Heaven.

Cut off unruly desires, cleaving through the bonds of sin as with a blade. Do not fix your thoughts on the numinous source—the inner origin of one’s nature. Coalescing the spirit embryo, known in cultivation as the inner elixir or sacred embryo, is the foundation of practice.

Seven-character Quatrain

A Visit to Mount Hua

Pass the years on coarse food and in loose robes, resting high among the white clouds, and cut through the bonds of sin. Do not fix your thoughts on the numinous source. Coalescing the spirit embryo is the essential point of cultivation.

Seven-character Quatrain

A Visit to Mount Hua

Pass the years on plain food and in simple, loose clothing, resting high among the white clouds and living in seclusion amid mist and rosy clouds. Offer the heart’s devotion like burning incense, and the numinous source will appear. In quiet contemplation, gaze upon the lotus peaks, as if seeing a radiance ten zhang high.

Written in Qimen Town, Where I Daily Seek Medicine for the People

Those with wisdom and ability can cleverly appear dull. With a mind of Wuwei, hold fast to unity and nurture the numinous pearl within—the essence and spirit within. Suddenly, at ease, one sees that worldly hardship is like a dream, and drinks alone from a jug of deathless wine, the realm that transcends life and death.

On the Solitary Bamboo

A stalk of jade-green bamboo rises from fragrant grasses. Upright and jointed, hollow within, its character is unlike that of others. It withstands wind, snow, frost, and cold, enduring through the years; thus it often brings a cool breeze of its own accord.

On the Moon-Osmanthus

Amid green leaves and supple stems, emerald-red blossoms appear, each full of spirit, swaying in the clear breeze. Like pine and bamboo, it withstands the depths of winter and freely displays the life bestowed by the workings of nature.

On the Crane

The crane stands quietly alone, facing the autumn wind. Its black and white are sharply distinct, displaying the subtle work of nature. Do not marvel that it lives for a thousand years: cinnabar red gathers atop its head—the red of the crane’s crown.

The Three Teachings

The three teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism have been one family since ancient times. Daoism and Chan Buddhism both esteem quietude and purity, with no fundamental difference between them. Confucius practiced with forthrightness and also understood profound principles. All who attain insight can rise away, borne on rosy clouds.

Reflections

Do not seek empty things outside yourself; subdue the dragons and tigers within—the restless desires and emotions. Morning and evening, do not lazily concern yourself only with incense and ritual. Throughout all twelve double-hours, simply honor your own original mind at every moment.

Again:

In a dim, tranquil, deep, and mysterious state, remain pure and still in Wuwei (non-action), following the natural course of things. Once your true nature has settled and become steady, true Qi will nourish it. From this, boundless transformations can arise, as if soaring straight into the clouds.

Again:

My wandering among the clouds and waters was planned long ago. Reflect carefully on these eight lines of verse. If you wish to lengthen your life, devote yourself to preserving the “Golden Essence”—a Neidan term for essence and Qi—and diligently cultivate compassion and benevolence.

Again:

I drink on twenty-nine days of every month; over a hundred years, that makes thirty-six thousand drinking bouts. People in the world know nothing of my affairs. Come, let us return and enter the realm of drunkenness.

Again:

In the past I was unruly and fierce, reckless and rough. Now I sincerely repent, hoping to wipe away my sins. I drink on twenty-nine days of every month; over a hundred years, that makes thirty-six thousand drinking bouts. People in the world know nothing of my affairs. Come, let us return and enter the realm of drunkenness.

Again:

In the past I was unruly and fierce, reckless and rough. Now I sincerely repent, hoping to wipe away my sins. Throughout all twelve hours of the day, I keep myself constantly alert and watch to see whether Heaven and Earth will forgive me.

Again:

Moths are drawn to the lamp, unaware that it is a flame; fish covet fragrant bait just as they do. Moths are scorched, fish are cooked—do you understand the danger? You should go early to Jiyuan, a Buddhist temple garden, and take refuge there to cultivate the Way.

Again:

The four masters Tan, Ma, Qiu, and Liu cultivate the Way in carefree ease. Through ceaseless refinement along the Circuit of Heaven, the route by which Qi circulates in internal alchemy, they amass boundless treasures. How its numinous radiance appears is something each must experience for themselves.

Again:

The ancient Buddha’s sacred crag is my home, a cool and peaceful realm free of sorrow. The daily practice of one who cultivates the Way has no other aim: gather and refine the Three Lights—the essences of the sun, moon, and stars—and bring to completion an immortal realm like blue clouds.

Again:

Now I have seen through the moth’s infatuation with the lamp, and through the fish’s fixation on bait as it frolics in the hidden currents. People of the world are, by nature, a mass of foul matter, artfully adorned and made presentable; in the end, they readily beguile the heart.

“Wandering in Huaichuan”

When the source of the heart, one’s inner nature, is clear and bright, all things can be set aside. Beyond this wondrous realm, what is there to seek? Even with a great belly, one should remain unstained by worldly dust. For now, let us wander freely in Huaichuan.

Again:

Serving as an honest and incorruptible official accords with cultivating the Way. Loyalty, filial devotion, benevolence, and compassion surpass monastic practice. Follow this path of accumulating virtue to its end, and you will ultimately return, entering an immortal realm among the rosy clouds.

Again:

Clouds spread for three thousand miles, as if plowing a field of precious earth; moonlight cuts through dusk, illuminating a hundred thousand homes. In the stillness of night, the jade-green pool lies clear and bright. A clam swallows the silvery moonlight and brings forth embryo-sand, an alchemical term here referring to essence condensed from moonlight.

“Presented to Zhang, the Palace Examination Candidate”

A hundred years of benevolent conduct surpass monastic practice. Follow this path of accumulating virtue to its end, and you will ultimately return, entering an immortal realm among the rosy clouds.

The cloud-plowed treasure land stretches three thousand miles; moonlight pierces the dusk and illuminates a hundred thousand homes. In the cool, clear night, the jade-green pool lies bright and still. A mussel swallows the silver moonlight and gives birth to embryonic cinnabar, a subtle substance spoken of in Daoist cultivation.

Presented to Zhang, the Palace Examination Candidate

A hundred years pass in the blink of an eye. How can an ardent pursuit of fame and rank compare with the promise of cultivating immortality? Even if you pass the examinations at the top of the list and return home in glory, it is like millet cooking in a dream: wealth and honor that vanish in an instant. True awakening is seeing through the emptiness of this pursuit.

Five-Character Regulated Verse

Presented to the Mother of Master Zhao of Chang’an

Teeth and hair grow anew, turning black and young again. There are three reasons for long life: follow a fellow cultivator’s teachings with utmost sincerity, and serve the High Perfected with care and reverence. Quiet the mind and subdue the monkey and horse of the heart; purify the spirit to gather and nourish Qi and Shen. Chuduan respectfully offers his congratulations, bowing low and wishing you a long life.

Urging All to Cultivate

Listen as I explain how to cleanse the heart and spirit; the taste of leisure and ease within it is lasting. In “nonbeing” lies wondrous efficacy; within “being” is hidden radiance. People are swept along by desire and emotion, and once thoughts of passion arise, spirit and original Qi are depleted. If you can put an end to passion and desire, you will draw nearer to the realm of immortals step by step.

Five-Character Quatrains

Urging All to Cultivate

To study the Dao, use cultivation to break through attachment; to cultivate the Real, refine and nourish yourself in stillness and emptiness. Return to the source and gather everything into one place, and you will be clear and free, like the bright moon and a gentle breeze.

Again

Set aside wine, sensuality, anger, and wealth; forget sorrow and worry as well. Cut off dependence on outer things and clinging attachment, and the jade lotus will blossom with fragrance.

Again

The Great Dao is always found in stillness and purity; with a Wuwei heart, abide in what is natural. If your own thoughts refuse to turn back, where can you seek the truth that words might transmit?

Again

Alone in a hermitage shaped like a ring, I find the taste of tranquil solitude sweetest of all. At ease and untroubled, I silently hold to the “three threes,” a particular inner formula or stage in Daoist cultivation.

Again

Gather the petals of the Bilu flower, an image from Daoist cultivation, and make Prajna tea, a tea symbolizing wisdom. Brew it with pure water; after drinking, behold the yellow sprouts, an image in Neidan of nascent true Qi or the Elixir.

Again

Always contemplate how desire brings suffering, and even rubble seems to turn to gold. Regard the body as filth, and the bright moon will shine upon peaks of jade.

Again

Let the heart be less troubled. Whether speaking or silent, Qi and Shen can be brought into harmony. Stillness and purity can dispel every kind of sin; Wuwei can dissolve every kind of demonic obstruction.

Singing of the Dawn Rooster

The rooster’s crow sends the moon down from the city wall and calls the sun to rise in the east. Wonderful—what a virtuous deed, rousing the old man from his dream.

Caution on Writing

Completely let go of worldly attachments and forget words; then the Dao draws near. Open your vision to know the true Dao, and lessen delusive mental activity.

Verses

First

Learning the Dao and cultivating the Real often run counter to worldly habits. One walks alone, drifting freely like rootless tumbleweed carried by the wind. Live according to the conditions that come, and clear away past errors. Regard death as one’s destination, yet do not abandon cultivation.

With hair unkempt and face unwashed, rein in the urge to assert oneself and outdo others. Wear coarse clothes and eat plain food, keeping far from luxury. Remain calm and still at all times, without deliberate striving. Throughout all twelve double-hours of the day—the twelve periods into which the ancients divided a day and night—quietly examine your thoughts.

Second

When others press me for the secret of cultivating the Dao, I can only say a little: the Dao is formless and wordless, and there is nothing that can simply be handed down as a model. Only by cutting off all distinctions between right and wrong can one reach the mysterious. Only by forgetting the opposition between self and others does one begin to grasp its hidden principle.

Let stillness, simplicity, and ease keep you company; regard Qigong, money, wine, and sensual pleasures as enemies. If you wish in this life to enter the path of immortality, do not cling to emptiness and stillness. Without understanding the true principle of emptiness, it is difficult to become an immortal.

Another

A splendid palace rises high against the blue sky, its solemn and compassionate divine images surrounded by auspicious clouds. Accumulate abundant merit and be diligent in burning incense and making obeisance. Throughout all twelve double-hours of the day, pay reverence to the sacred images.

Through cultivation, the dust and grime on the true body are removed. The mists over the sacred mountain disperse, becoming a wondrous, mysterious breeze. In quiet stillness and Wuwei (non-action), the clouds within the Neidan furnace gather and settle, and a single grain of red cinnabar is refined. Here, “cauldron” refers to the body and mind used in Neidan cultivation, while “cinnabar” is a metaphor for the refined internal elixir.

Another

For ten years I often kept silent; only today have I revealed the secrets of cultivation. A red phoenix emerges from water, and a black tortoise is nurtured in fire. These are symbolic terms in Neidan describing the harmonizing of Yin-Yang and water and fire within the body. A fresh breeze crosses the mountaintop, and the bright moon shines over a cold stream. Personally receive the divine sword that subdues demons, and seize the Jiao dragon by its tail without letting go. These are all symbols of mastering the mind and subduing inner turmoil.

Keep the heart cool and the Qi of the kidneys warm; this is the essential point of cultivation. Once you understand this, you know the key to reaching the mysterious. Throughout all twelve double-hours of the day, do not act with deliberate intent. If you let the mind-monkey and horse run wild, you will deplete your spiritual nature and vital essence. “Horse and monkey” is a metaphor for thoughts that are difficult to settle.

Another

How can anyone understand that a strand of hair can swallow the ocean? How many people know that a mustard seed can contain Mount Sumeru? This means that a practitioner can grasp the mystery of the great and the small containing one another. In daily life, learn when to increase and when to diminish. When merit is complete and cultivation fulfilled, you will see Bodhi (awakening).

Another

Keep the heart cool and the Qi of the kidneys warm; this is the essential point of cultivation. Once you understand this, you know the key to reaching the mysterious. Throughout all twelve double-hours of the day, do not act with deliberate intent. If you let the mind-monkey and horse run wild, you will deplete your spiritual nature and vital essence.

Another

How can anyone understand that a strand of hair can swallow the ocean? How many people know that a mustard seed can contain Mount Sumeru? In daily life, learn when to increase and when to diminish. When merit is complete and cultivation fulfilled, you will see Bodhi (awakening).

Wine, sensual pleasures, wealth, and anger are major obstacles in cultivation. Only by completely clearing away every feeling and desire can one transcend the worldly realm. Do not let even the slightest thought cling to the numinous source, the root of one’s nature and life. Once something takes hold, it becomes difficult for the Golden Elixir to form.

Again

After six years of work, the fire of ignorance—the afflictions that cloud one’s nature and disturb the mind—was entirely refined away. Ten years of cultivation brought forth the Elixir of Transformed Bones, an internal elixir symbolizing a complete transformation. The mind became clear and open, like an empty, still hall, with nothing obstructing it. From this, one knew that one had passed beyond the barrier of life and death.

Again

In just ten years, one learned to be foolish and free of intention, at ease and content, letting the body go wherever it would, east or west. If you wish to know how the Mad Daoist cultivates, look at him when his face is dusty, his hair disheveled, and the fire within him has died down.

Again

Like a wild crane or a lone cloud, he has no companion. The profound and mysterious ultimate truth no longer needs to be spoken of. Silently and still, seeming half awake and half asleep, he keeps watch alone. His mind is clear and peaceful, like the autumn moon reflected in a cold pool.

Presented to Xue Bālang

Foolish and free of intention, at ease and content, letting the body go wherever it would, east or west. If you wish to know how the Mad Daoist cultivates, look at him when his face is dusty, his hair disheveled, and the fire within him has died down.

Again

Like a wild crane or a lone cloud, he has no companion. The profound and mysterious ultimate truth no longer needs to be spoken of. Silently and still, seeming half awake and half asleep, he keeps watch alone. His mind is clear and peaceful, like the autumn moon reflected in a cold pool.

Presented to Xue Bālang

The wondrous nature remains at rest, while the borrowed body is free of illness. Keep to purity and spontaneity, and when nature is settled, life too will be secure.

Again

He cultivated for six years in the Snow Mountains and sat in meditation facing a wall for nine. The Dao is not easily cultivated: only through enduring hardship can one become a Buddha or an immortal.

Presented to Master Mu

The old immortal Mu, from the northern side of Mount Taihua, devoted himself to preserving purity and stillness and to seeking the profound and mysterious Dao. He tended the garden of Jetavana, the Buddhist garden dedicated to teaching the Dharma, a place without outflows that symbolizes a pure state of cultivation. He often watered the field of the heart with the water of wisdom.

Atop the emerald peak, he subdues the mind-monkey and tethers the will-horse, gathering in scattered thoughts. He settles the spirit and observes his inner self; there is no need to spend money to buy a mountain retreat. He leaves the worldly behind and enters the mysterious gate, grasping the Dao within. The causes and consequences of good and evil are bound up with the conditions of past lives.

With incense of the heart, an offering of sincere reverence, he burns incense and prays. From the deep recesses of the numinous source, his prayer reaches the celestial realm. The autumn moon reflected in the green pool is perfectly clear; the clamor of wildflowers and singing birds can be left aside.

When the fire in the cauldron goes out, golden petals appear; when there is no flame or smoke on the wood, the jade lotus forms. These alchemical terms describe the harmonizing of Yin and Yang and the coalescence of the internal elixir during cultivation. When merit has been accumulated and cultivation completed through three thousand acts, nature and life are perfected and the Golden Elixir is formed; then one may pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning.

Song

One: Formlessness, having no fixed shape; here, the title or subject of the piece.

One who obtains the Mysterious Pearl, a symbol of innate true nature or the spiritual clarity gained through cultivation, does not regard it as a precious possession. A fragrant incense rises from the numinous mountain, the realm of cultivation and realization, and ascends lightly to the heights. When cultivation reaches a state free from entangling afflictions and beyond life and death, five rays of rosy light gather into a canopy of wisdom. The spiritual nature is luminous and clear, present everywhere; its wondrous workings extend throughout the void, with no distinction between inside and outside. Regard both being and nonbeing as empty, and cling even to “emptiness” no longer. Yet attachment to notions such as the marks of things and cause and effect can still become a form of craving.

When all attachments have been transcended, one awakens to the Three Realms—the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm—just as the Tathagata, an honorific for the Buddha, suddenly understood the truth. Searching through texts and parsing their meanings is merely futile labor; speaking of sages and discussing worthies can also amount to fanciful invention. There is no need to embellish one’s attainments, nor will they be damaged by leaving them alone. When external circumstances have vanished and the mind no longer clings, one can observe freely. Even amid things as countless as the sands of the Ganges, the mind remains clear and bright, untouched by dust. To meet and respond to whatever comes and goes without hesitation or obstruction: this is the most wondrous state.

The lion, a figure for a powerful awakened one, roars in the Jeta Grove, the garden where the Buddha taught. How could a fox dare face it? Before the Hall of Bright Moon, jade petals release their fragrance; the scent swirls and gathers into an assembly of golden lotuses. Put aside the effort to remain deliberately alert and the pursuit of cleverness and ingenuity. These qualities are already complete within you; why seek them outside? A numinous spring pours abundantly from the mountain peak, washing the void clean and leaving no trace of attainment or attachment.

When you meet Chongyang, the Daoist Wang Chongyang, heed his clear instruction. In cultivation, there is neither advance nor retreat. Since entering the mysterious realm and understanding the way of contentment in poverty and stillness, you know that past karmic offenses have been dispelled. Cease disputing and let go of distinctions that depend on intellectual understanding. Draw in and conceal your light, as though sunk in darkness. Let the sun and moon—the Crow and Hare, symbols of the sun and moon—hurry on their courses; simply abide in this fleshly body, following conditions as they arise.

Part Two: The Skeleton

O skeleton, O skeleton, how ugly your face! It is because, in life, you were enamored of wine and flowers. Once you smiled with easy grace and gave yourself over to pleasure; now your flesh and skin have gradually withered and decayed. Though your body has grown decrepit, your craving still knows no end: you covet wealth and desire, your mind in constant turmoil. Still, abide in this fleshly body, following conditions as they arise.

O skull, O skull, how ugly you are, all because in life you cherished fine wine and flowers. Once you laughed and spoke sweetly, pursuing pleasure; now your flesh and skin slowly decay and rot. Your body has withered, yet your heart still covets wealth and desire. Human craving for love and pleasure has no end, but life is finite—and so at last you have become the skull you are today.

O skull, listen to me: this precious human body is hard to come by. Understand that life and nature hang by a slender thread; do not thoughtlessly chase after worldly ties and customs. So I have drawn this likeness for you. See whether it can awaken you today.

Third: Down and Out

I am down and out, down and out, dressed from head to toe in clothes made of paper and cloth. Waving my hand as I walk along, I forget all worldly affairs and rejoice only in being empty within and without. When hungry, I look for food; when tired, I lie down in peace. I have always dwelt in a place of purity and freedom. The Wisdom Sword shines brilliantly, brighter than the sun, driving countless demons far away.

I delight in stillness and truth, and savor their genuine flavor; I do not take the desolate, crooked path. My true spirit gradually grows upright and clear, rising above the world onto the immortal Way amid clouds and rosy mists. Cultivate the true Way, and all becomes perfectly clear; when you truly attain it, there is, in the end, nothing to say. Dwelling in a crystal palace, I rest at ease, seeing through the waxing and waning of spring blossoms and autumn moons.

Another Version

I am down and out, down and out, often dressed in a coarse hemp robe. I roam freely beyond the world, empty wherever I go, with nothing to rely on. Sometimes I stay in the mountains, sometimes within the city walls. I do not draw talismans or make a living selling medicine. When hungry, I beg a coin from one household to another; once I have eaten my fill, I set all things aside. I dwell in ease and stillness, seeking nothing to do; I gradually pare away and let fade my involvement in worldly relations.

Dragons and tigers, infant and maiden—the terms used in Neidan for Yin-Yang vital essences—cannot stir my heart. I simply drink the sweet dew of the finest teaching in silence. I do not deliberately do good, nor cling to doing evil. Sitting, lying down, coming and going, I remain empty and free. With a heart of utter ease and detachment, I let the Four Great Elements—earth, water, fire, and wind that compose the human body—change as conditions dictate. I cut off cunning schemes and calculations, make no conjectures, and do not hope to ride the clouds or mount a crane. At ease and untroubled, I find contentment in poverty and leisure, accepting whatever comes and delighting in my own sufficiency.

Following the Rhyme of Uncle-Master Danyang’s “Song of the Double-Bun Hairstyle”

Zhongli Quan, Lü Dongbin, and Liu Haichan, revered as founding masters in Daoism, are the patriarchs of the cultivation of the Dao. Hang a jade bell and sound the golden drum, letting their ringing stir body and mind until the bright point within becomes thoroughly clear. Then the numinous child—the symbol of inner spiritual awareness—leaps forth and dances in the Western Pure Land.

What I say may seem arrogant, but it is not; my words carry a deeper meaning, while the true principle is free of arrogance. Speak truthfully, without flattery, and clear away worldly thoughts and cunning schemes completely. Take up the man of the Li trigram and the woman of the Kan trigram—terms often used in Neidan to symbolize Yin and Yang—and let the Yellow Matron, who symbolizes the means of harmonizing Yin and Yang, guide them together on a journey through the Pure Land.

Whether staying, walking, sitting upright, or lying down; whether wearing a felt robe or covered with a paper quilt, remain always quiet and clear. One may seem half foolish and half charming, yet between foolishness and charm, one remains lucid and aware. Few know the secret of this cultivation: what it requires is constancy in emptiness, stillness, and detachment.

Joy is anger, and anger is joy; through these reversals and transformations, you and I were one all along. Only after enduring a thousand trials and ten thousand refinements can one see one’s original true nature. Only when the mind is fully understood is cultivation complete.

Recorded Teachings for Disciples: A record of instructions given to disciples.

The cycle of birth and death for ordinary people never ceases; its sole root is the continual arising of thoughts. De Shan Yun says, “When thoughts arise, all phenomena and ideas arise with them. When thoughts cease, all phenomena and ideas cease as well. If you can keep even a single thought from arising, you can escape the cycle of birth and death.”

What is meant by “having a mind”? It means that sentient beings are bound by the Three Poisons of greed, anger, and delusion—craving, rage, and ignorance—and by avidya, the deluded mind that does not understand the truth. The master says, “Leap beyond the Three Mountain Passes”: this means freeing yourself from these bonds.

Awakened people therefore cultivate the Way: they let go of attachments, blunt their forceful edge, and subdue and remove the unwholesome thoughts in the minds of sentient beings. Their aim is to recognize their true nature from before their parents gave birth to them—in other words, their original face.

What is an unwholesome mind? It is a deluded mind that arises when one encounters various circumstances: coveting and envying wealth or beauty, or constantly scheming and calculating, so that thoughts ceaselessly arise and pass away. These karmic obstructions and long-familiar circumstances conceal the source and keep people from liberation. If you can remove them completely, you will see your self-nature.

What does it mean to see your self-nature? It means keeping the mind clear at every moment throughout the day, undeluded by illusory circumstances or old attachments that conceal the source. The heart remains as open as empty space, free and at ease, while the Qi of body and mind naturally blends and harmonizes. If your practice reaches this point, what birth and death is there to fear? What sin is there to dread?

Even the slightest thought, if it makes the mind impure, creates an obstruction. You cannot then be called free, nor can you attain liberation. All of you need only be steadfast and focused, unmoving as a mountain, and press forward bravely. Even when faced with overwhelming demonic obstacles, persist with all your strength for your entire life, never turning back, and the goal of your cultivation will ultimately be attained.

Perfected Jin says, “A clear heart and pure intent are the road to heaven; a scattered spirit and tangled thoughts are the gate to hell.”

Collected Writings of Water and Clouds, Volume One

Collected Writings of Water and Clouds, Volume Two

Written by Tan Chuduan, Master Changzhen of Mount Kunlun

Poems and Writings

Seven “Moon over the River” Poems (Niannujiao)

The three founding masters of our lineage are Zhongli Quan, Lü Dongbin, and Liu Haichan. They transmitted the subtle and wondrous Daoist teachings. Our master, Wang Chongyang, passed their profound principles on to us, guiding us all to rise beyond the dusty world and journey to the Three Islands, the legendary sea mountains where immortals dwell. We seek the true Dao step by step, steadily nurture our spiritual roots—the foundation of cultivation—and gradually bring forth the Yellow Sprout, the vitality and Jing that emerge through internal alchemy. Even in emptiness, something may be attained; the winds of wisdom bring good tidings from time to time.

A single point of numinous light is clear and transparent, without end. It travels through countless worlds—the “sand worlds,” as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges—illuminating all things and revealing their perfect clarity. All phenomena are ultimately empty and return to what was there from the beginning. Everything within and without must also be understood anew by turning to its opposite. This principle is deep, elusive, and ethereal; the practitioner must reach it firsthand. As one cultivates in a state of drowsy stillness, the hidden sages know.

Again

The Dao of nature endows people with the true spirit of their original essence and gathers it within them. A single point of numinous light is unobstructed by inner or outer boundaries, shining clear and bright through the Mysterious Pass, the opening that leads from body and mind into the inner realm of cultivation. Stillness and detachment are best suited to cultivating the Dao; contentment with poverty and quiet seclusion are most precious. Only then can one roam freely beyond the dusty world. Let the clear Original Spirit remain bright and undimmed for a long time, abiding in the Spirit Chamber, the inner place where spirit is preserved and nourished in internal alchemy.

The mysteries of Daoist practice are inexhaustible. One must be resolute and vigorous, recognize and hold fast to Original Yang, the vital energy at life’s source. Diligently seek the heavenly true nature, persist in training and cultivation, and turn inward in reflection at every time and place. A lotus blooming in fire, flames going out atop a mountain—such states can indeed be experienced only when the right conditions come together. The Immortal of the Wind meets us once more, and together we roam the cloud road leading to the Three Islands.

Again

Why has the one true nature, that pure and genuine spirit, drifted into an ordinary body and the dusty world? Little by little, it has been tainted by worldly splendor and attached to love and desire, losing its way again and again until it forgets its original face. Through long ages of calamity and rebirth, it still cannot escape delusion. Now it has strayed once more, and its karmic burdens have piled up layer upon layer. What was its original appearance? How can it be freed and found again?

One must draw in sight and hearing until the senses fall quiet. Set aside thoughts and feelings, and move freely like flowing clouds and water, seeking the mysterious principles beyond the dusty world. In solitude and stillness there is a subtle joy; there is no need to spare the body the trials of hardship. Grasp the inner wind—the movement of Qi within internal alchemy—and let it shine in perfect fullness. In silent, still cultivation, refine and nourish the Golden Liquid, the elixir formed by the condensation of Jing and Qi. When the divine Elixir is complete, life, death, and affliction can come to rest.

Again

The Jade Flower gradually appears; a fresh breeze hastens the Golden Lotus to form, and its radiance gathers. The dimness and delusion accumulated through ages of calamity are illuminated and dispelled, yet the body remains burdened by hardship. Grasp the inner wind and let it shine in perfect fullness; in silence, refine and nourish the Golden Liquid. When the divine Elixir has fully taken shape, life, death, and affliction can come to rest.

Again

The Dao nature gradually reveals itself like jade blossoms. Under the urging of the pure breeze, it gathers and congeals into a golden lotus radiant with light. It breaks through the darkness and delusion that have endured through many kalpas, leading one straight to the gate of Wuwei (non-action). After seven rounds of turning the light inward and threefold emptiness illuminated in awareness, golden flowers appear through cultivation. As long as one diligently tempers and refines oneself, the infant and maiden—an image in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) for Yin and Yang harmonized and cultivated into an inner elixir—can endure.

Within this are profound, wondrous, and true principles: from the moment cultivation begins, one’s foundation grows firm and enduring. The lotus bears blossoms like fine jade, while numinous orchids flourish without cease. I am deeply grateful for the compassionate power that has repeatedly protected me. Clouds disperse from the cauldron, the elixir is refined in the furnace, and after nine cycles, we are finally reunited. Follow the master in cultivation, and you can enter the clouds and wander the immortal paths of Penglai.

Ode to Bamboo

I cherish your graceful, elegant form, and planted clusters of green bamboo with my own hands beside the cloud hermitage. Your joints are lush and glossy; each leaf and every stalk is tender and jade-green. The bamboo gradually multiplies, putting forth descendants; new shoots also spring up beside the roots of the parent stalk, while the winding roots coil like horned dragons. Wind stirs the bamboo grove with a rustle in the night; moonlight filters through the leaves like sifted jade.

Bamboo is the perfect companion for a reclusive scholar at leisure, keeping watch beside the window as a fresh breeze follows close by. It never withers through the year, and its substance is exceptional—how could it be like ordinary flowers and trees? It defies snow and frost, hollow within yet upright, and the subtle principles it embodies never lapse into convention. Its natural elegance and detachment bring one an ever deeper happiness beyond the world.

Viewing the Moon on the Shangyuan Night

On the Shangyuan festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, a full moon moves westward, crossing the River of Heaven. Clear and bright, it hangs high in the sky, alone giving off a cool light that clings to nothing. Its pure radiance shines over heaven and earth, treating all things alike. Across the ages, it has remained without a single flaw, like a luminous treasure mirror suspended in the vast firmament.

In the palace pavilions on Mount Gushe, the immortals gather for a banquet; clouds drift down, and phoenixes and cranes come to rest. Auspicious clouds surround the jeweled halls, where gold and green gleam together with rosy light. After feasting on peaches of immortality, the assembled immortals depart on colored clouds, their sleeves fluttering and lingering fragrance swirling in their wake. Mount Song seems close at hand, while the moon hangs high like a silver plate, as though it had agreed to meet the immortal realm here.

Inscribed on Wine

Du Kang, the legendary inventor of wine, mastered the art of brewing and made clear, rich wine from the essences of the sun, moon, and stars. Inspired by drink, Li Bai would down a dou of wine and compose a hundred fine poems. After getting drunk, the Old Man of the Mountain rode his cart backward, while the children of Xiangyang laughed, sang, and clapped to welcome him. Tao Qian (Tao Yuanming) once drank beside a hedge; he also lay drunk outside his gate and inscribed the name “Five Willows.”

Dongli Sheng took life and death lightly. He once cut off his own hair to entertain guests, and Tao’s mother, too, warmly welcomed worthy friends. Kong Rong, courtesy name Wenju, refused to be weighed down by sorrow: he filled the cups to the brim, repeatedly opened jars of fragrant vinegar, and drank with laughter. Such abundance and joy in the land of drunkenness, under a peaceful and prosperous reign, have been rare since ancient times. May your good fortune be as beautiful as the spring colors in a jade flask; may blessings and prosperity endure, your years increase, and your life be long and healthy.

Radiant Divine Light (Slow, Repeated Notes), Eleven Poems

In the past, Brother Tan was busy providing for his family, and accumulated sins as numerous as hills. Later, he met an immortal master and traveled east with him, reaching the three island regions of the sea. The master urged the stubborn and foolish to turn toward goodness, helping them understand the cycles of rebirth, abandon craving, and change their hearts. From then on, he lived according to circumstance, keeping to a poor, gentle, and humble way of life, and wandering freely like clouds and water.

He passed through the immortal’s estate in Huaizhou, then wandered at ease to Gui County, where it was late autumn. Winter soon followed, bringing bitter cold and no place to shelter from it. He could only give away some paper and cloth, hoping that those who shared his destiny would remember their bond as fellow cultivators, understand the cycles of rebirth, abandon craving, and change their hearts; live according to circumstance, remain poor and yielding, and wander freely like clouds and water. If they could awaken, they would join with kindred practitioners and cultivate together beyond the ways of the secular world.

Another Poem

Chang Zhen bowed respectfully to the people. He said that the most important thing in cultivation is steadfast resolve. Every day, one must be cautious and alert, always concerned that one may have made a mistake. Life should be plain and simple, poor and yielding. If the mind is not yet settled, one should first refrain from writing lyrics and poems. True practice lies in restraining force, diminishing sharpness, becoming still, and forgetting words while keeping silent.

If one lacks the means to live, one should beg from door to door. One should not show off one’s literary refinement before others or put on airs of wild abandon. Draw in one’s sharp edges and quietly refine the Dantian (energy center), a focus of Daoist internal cultivation. Through long practice, the work will be completed, and these essentials will be passed on in silence. When one’s cultivation and merit are complete, one will ride the auspicious clouds back and pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning.

At first, I studied the Dao and entered the Daoist path, living freely beyond the bounds of worldly life. I spent each day practicing in my little hermitage, yet could not help wandering from place to place in search of more. Such coming and going only brought needless worldly troubles. How could I understand true cultivation this way? If I continued like this, when would I complete my practice and merit and set out for Yingzhou, the legendary immortal isle in the sea?

Suddenly, I awakened and looked into that first glimmer of my own nature. What needless sorrow was there left to worry over? I released my worldly attachments and immersed myself in the rivers and clouds, seeking out immortal companions to my heart’s content. I was like a strong hawk freed from its cage, or an ape released from its chains. I left, breaking every tie that bound me. That was that.

Chasing fame and profit, ensnared by love and desire, people drift in a daze through confusion. They do not know that empty splendor does not last, or that their looks and youth are quietly fading away. A hundred years of life flash past like lightning among the clouds. When life is nearly over, how can anyone face that calmly? If people refuse to wake up and only regret it then, they will be no different from anyone else.

We should see the dangers ahead as early as possible, turn back in time, and step by step take the path of immortality. Wear a cloth robe and a blue headscarf, and make friends with immortals and fellow Daoists. Do not search outside yourself for mysterious methods. Recognize the luminous source within; if you cultivate in the right way, you can form the red Golden Elixir. Once on the path of return to the Real, you can enjoy the moon and the breeze in the mountains.

In the vast sea of suffering, people drift with the waves. It is best to see the way clearly and free yourself as soon as possible. In this poem, a loving wife and children are described as the result of grudges carried over from a previous life. If you keep putting things off and lose yourself in worldly splendor, you will go on draining your original Yang vitality—the root of life, in Daoist thought. When your final hour comes, what means will you have to escape the netherworld?

If you do not understand how perilous your situation is, but scheme day and night, thinking only of greed and gain, in an instant you will fall into the cycle of rebirth again, sinking through countless lifetimes. You should decisively abandon worldly entanglements, enter the mysterious gate, and cultivate the wondrous Dao, avoiding the Three Paths of Evil, the Buddhist realms of suffering, and the Six Paths, the six destinations of rebirth. Act early, and join those who have transcended the world as fellow Daoists.

Amid the vast sea of suffering, people drift and sink with the waves of desire, as infatuated as bees greedy for honey or moths drawn to a flame. They cling single-mindedly to the affection they share with wives, concubines, and children. When calamity and death arrive, each must ultimately make the journey alone to the netherworld. If you can awaken to this, you should let go of worldly splendor and attachments, quiet yourself, and practice the Way. Allow your earthly concerns to fade little by little; gradually settle your mind and spirit and nourish your original Qi. Keep your whereabouts hidden and seek no fame. Make plain tea and simple food, and modest clothing your way of life. Quietly guard and cultivate the numinous clarity of your original nature. In time, the perfected person will emerge, and a form like gold and jade will coalesce from nothingness. Once the Great Elixir is complete, this numinous and perfected nature can endure forever.

Presented to Mr. Mu

The key to cultivation lies in guarding the numinous clarity within. In time, the perfected person will emerge, and a form like gold and jade will coalesce from nothingness. Once the Great Elixir is complete, this numinous and perfected nature can endure forever.

The path and stages of cultivation have been made clear: first, cut off worldly entanglements and leave your wife. Firmly abandon earthly desires and accept solitude; only then can you live freely and in accord with the Way. If you own nothing and must even beg in the street, cover yourself with paper or cloth when the weather turns cold. Accept whatever comes, preserve a poor and yielding state of mind, let the heart’s restless fire die down, and lower your Qi. In daily practice, gather in scattered thoughts and rein in the will that rushes after things. Rest in Wuwei (non-action) and stillness, quietly aligning yourself with the teachings of an enlightened master. As external surroundings recede and thoughts fall away, spirit and breath settle and gather, and the inner essence, like a sacred fungus, begins to grow. Through this, the practitioner attains freedom and ease, and may also use poetry to guide those who are lost. When your merit and practice are complete, you can take the sure road to Penglai and Yingzhou, the realms of the immortals, and depart on clouds.

Presented to Mr. Zhao

After entering the Dao, Mr. Zhao resolved firmly to devote himself to the mysterious path, renounced worldly splendor, and awakened at once. He does not retreat in the face of changing circumstances, like a lotus growing amid raging fire. I now offer you this earnest counsel: even when caught in armed conflict, respond with generosity and patiently guide the other person. If illness lays you low, lie quietly in your hermitage as though facing death without wavering; above all, do not return home. If you cultivate with this steadfastness, sages and worthies will naturally perceive it in the unseen realm and see clearly. When the fire within your heart dies down and distracting thoughts disperse, the inner spirit-palace will give rise to yellow sprouts, an image of the emergence of vital essence and Qi in internal alchemy. Be selfless, and your nature and life will grow stable, your mind clear, and an elixir like jade fluid will congeal. When your merit and practice are complete, a celestial crane will lead you, borne on colored staffs and clouds, to Penglai.

Presented to Zhang Jiulang

The difference between heaven and the underworld depends on the good and evil in a person’s heart. Life and death, delusion and awakening, are likewise determined by the movements of the mind. After awakening to the Dao, one should let go of family ties and private concerns, go out into the streets to help people and save the world. Live simply and plainly; even in poverty, remain gentle and humble, wandering wherever the clouds drift and lodging wherever the waters flow. Set a firm intention and uphold it over time, without ever flagging.

When past karmic offenses are nearly exhausted, the profound teachings of the sages will be imparted in secret. With thoughts pure and the heart clear, one can naturally gather the inner Elixir within the Dantian (the place in Daoist inner cultivation where Jing, Qi, and Shen are nurtured). But even the slightest breach of the precepts invites misfortune, and the resulting offenses are beyond words. If one awakens fully, one may journey to the Three Isles of Penglai (the legendary Daoist paradise in the sea) and become an immortal.

To Senior Brother Feng in Chang’an

Urging others to do good while cultivating oneself: both accord with the Dao. One should avoid entanglement in the affairs of one’s worldly community and keep some distance from them for a time. Use wondrous methods to aid those suffering from chronic, intractable illness, without distinction between high and low, rich and poor. Follow the natural order and emulate the precepts and practice of the master from Longxi. Cultivation requires a steadfast and courageous resolve, as stable and unmoving as great rivers and mountains. Once one’s outward conduct is complete, one can attain the realm of Wuwei (non-action). Wander freely among the clouds, with Qi and Shen in harmony, and bring both merit and cultivation to fulfillment. When the inner Elixir is complete, a sure path opens to the immortal realm of Penglai and Yingzhou; one may then return borne upon the clouds.

To Senior Brother Liu Changsheng

Chuduan bows and respectfully addresses the immortal Liu: It has been three years since we parted, though the time has passed in a blink. Whenever I face the wind or gaze at the moon, I think of you with longing and admiration, venerable sage. Your letter arrived unexpectedly, and only then did I learn that you have been well. I am delighted. There is no need to trouble yourself by adding your disciple to the register; it is enough if you keep me in mind from time to time. I am ashamed that my worldly ties have not yet been severed. For now, I am following circumstances in the prefectures of Ci and Luo. I could not come to visit as promised, and hope you will forgive the lapse of this old fool. I should be able to call on you in early spring. I will say no more in this letter about resting and pursuing quiet cultivation in autumn. Chuduan respectfully sends his regards to Senior Brother, and presents this at your desk of profound understanding.

Six Lyrics to “The Fragrant Courtyard”

Deceiving and misleading others to build a household, then hoarding wealth through stinginess and greed—one should reflect even while sitting alone: how many people are being kept alive by this money, and the sins committed to gain it will ultimately have to be borne by oneself. Time presses on as swiftly as an arrow. In the blink of an eye, the black hair at one’s temples turns gray and white. A human life lasts less than a hundred years; who can plan everything with perfect care? All that frantic scheming comes to nothing in the end.

While your body is still strong, awaken early. When you recognize a fault, repent and quickly change your words and actions. In your spare time, practice goodness and accumulate De, increasing your blessings and dispelling calamity. More than this, hold lofty aspirations and break free of worldly constraints, wandering at ease beyond the world. Cultivating the Dao is a worthy undertaking, and one may roam among mountains and waters. In daily life, too, keep reverence for the Dao in your heart, as though burning incense in offering.

The smoke disperses and the clouds draw back. In the stillness of an autumn night, a lone moon hangs high, and a profound, mysterious realm appears on its own. “Xiyi” refers to the realm of the Dao, difficult to hear or see. Keep a broad and peaceful state of mind, and silently take in “daogui”—a tool used to weigh ingredients in Daoist cultivation and alchemy, also a name for the elixir. Auspicious smoke gathers in the precious cauldron; Qi and Shen meet and congeal into an immortal elixir shaped like a lingzhi mushroom. Wander freely, drifting like clouds and flowing water, and seek kindred spirits beyond the world.

Be at ease wherever you find yourself. When your allotted ties have run their course, eat when you are hungry and lodge wherever you happen to be. Let the sun and moon hurry by, time pass, and worldly affairs change. For now, spend your days at leisure in the world. When your merit and practice are complete, other teachers and friends will surely meet you. When it is time to return, with a full moon above your head, go alone to the Jade Pool, the immortal realm where the Queen Mother of the West is said to dwell.

Ah, you foolish ox, unruly and wild in temperament! When hungry, you forage for food wherever you can; wherever you go, you make your home. Let the sun and moon hurry by and worldly affairs change; for now, spend your days at leisure in the world. When your merit and practice are complete, other teachers and friends will surely meet you. When it is time to return, with a full moon above your head, go alone to the Jade Pool.

Ah, you foolish ox, stubborn, restless, and unruly, breaking into the fields to trample the crops. Hold the nose rope firmly and draw the reins tight. Old habits and ignorance—the delusions that obscure the mind’s nature—often run amok. Only by driving yourself on with the whip do you begin to awaken and turn back. When thoughts are forgotten and idle imaginings cease, lie alone on a solitary peak, silently letting go of every care.

Gradually your steps grow steady, and the ox becomes calm and free; the mind no longer clings to anything. Wander at will among cloud-wreathed mountains, enjoy true happiness, and sing aloud. Set your rain cape and bamboo hat aside on an ancient riverbank, then play a short flute as a new melody rings out. After dusk, ox and herder return together, beneath the bright moon of an autumn night. This passage uses ox-herding as a metaphor for cultivating the mind: first restraining its scattered nature, then gradually settling its thoughts, and finally attaining stillness and freedom.

Do not search east or west, nor seek south or north; the mysterious, true Dao is within you. Only by severing every attachment can spirit and breath harmonize and flow freely. Keep your resolve firm and your heart open. Raise the wisdom sword, a ritual implement symbolizing insight and decisiveness, and cleave through delusion: then the autumn moon alone will shine before you.

Do not search east or west, or seek north or south. The wondrous truth is within you. Let go of every concern, and spirit and Qi can flow in harmony. Keep your mind open and clear, raise the sword of wisdom, and cut through confusion and delusion. Do you understand? Only by letting everything go can the cultivation of nature and life reach completion. What is called true emptiness—a state beyond attachment and false distinctions—is to leave behind appearances and cling to nothing external. Be at ease and unhurried, without anxiety or worry. Be content with a plain and simple life, like a traveler wandering among the clouds. When hungry, go from door to door begging for food; once full, keep company with the bright moon and fresh breeze. In your place of freedom and ease, let idle talk swirl around you as you roam carefree from east to west.

Presented to Commandant Wang of Junzhou

Moths are infatuated with lamplight, and bees covet the nectar in flowers. Tell me: where will this lead in the end? If you wish to cultivate the Way, you must leave behind the turmoil of the world. Use the sword of wisdom to sever attachment and grasping; leave your hometown and take your leave of parents and siblings. Become a cultivator who draws near to mist and rosy clouds, traveling steadily through the world and nurturing your nature in accord with what comes naturally. As the years pass, old habits will gradually wear away. Cultivation requires you to cast off past wrongdoing, be content with a plain and simple life, and let time flow by at its own pace. Compose poems and verses, singing out what is in your heart. The wise and clear-sighted of past and present have each found peace in their own way, neither finding too little nor seeking more. As for tales of immortals, there is no need to dwell on the island of Penglai; cultivation is like climbing a stretch of rising ground.

Presented to Zhao, who sat the palace examination, of Fuchang County

Confucian learning is held in high esteem, and literary achievement can bring prominence and honor. Yet on reflection, worldly wealth and splendor are fleeting in the end. People wear themselves out striving for high office and hoping to rise swiftly to success. Even if they pass the civil service examinations and fulfill their ambitions in official life, it is still no more than a dream of millet: when they wake, only an empty sigh remains. When impermanence arrives, what can even a talent like Sima Xiangru or Du Fu do to escape it? See through worldly splendor, free yourself from its entanglements, and live beyond the common world. Roam at ease among clouds and waters, nourishing and cultivating the root of life. With a clear heart and a tranquil mind, the essences of the sun, moon, and stars can condense into cinnabar, a symbol of the gathering of Jing and Qi in Neidan practice. When your cultivation and deeds are complete, you will be elevated by the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) and ascend to the palace of the Great Luo Heaven.

Four Songs to the Tune “Water Dragon Chant”

If you wish to attain supreme Bodhi, the highest awakening, you must begin at the outset. Do not let even the slightest attachment entangle you. The great matter of life and death lies before you; in the end, there is nothing to rely on—only you can decide. Let go of the mortal body…

If you wish to attain the highest state of Bodhi, begin at the essential point and do not dawdle or let worldly concerns bind you. Face life and death with complete understanding, and make your own decision. Gradually cleanse and transform your ordinary, clouded body and mind along the path of cultivation. Step by step, journey toward the cool and carefree farther shore, at ease and without worry, no longer devising clever schemes. Continue until deluded thoughts have faded and the fires of desire have gone out, leaving body and mind pure as ice and jade, and making you a companion of the immortals who live forever. From this, realize true emptiness and mystery, and reach a state beyond distinctions between self and others. When the Neidan has been refined and nurtured through nine cycles, you will meet the Perfected Chongyang and travel together through the immortal halls of Penglai.

The original nature with which a person is first endowed is naturally simple and gentle. But as love and worldly entanglements grow, they cloud the mind, gradually concealing its inexhaustible treasures of truth. People are easily led astray and caught in passion and desire, and so undergo aging and death. If they casually abandon the foundation for becoming immortal, they will drift in the sea of suffering, swept along by its waves and wasting their lives in vain. They should quickly awaken to the suffering of the cycle of rebirth, turn the light inward, and reverse the thoughts clouded by the world. Let deluded thoughts fade and the fires of desire go out; make body and mind pure as ice and jade, and bring forth the immortal herb that symbolizes eternal life. Quietly commit yourself to seeking and upholding the constant Dao, and tend well your “stove”—the foundation of body and mind for Neidan cultivation. Through diligent practice among the three thousand meritorious deeds, you will ultimately achieve success.

People tell of three immortal mountains in the sea, where grows the sacred fungus that can transform a person into an immortal. The First Emperor of Qin believed this tale and sent Xu Fu eastward across the sea with a fleet to Penglai. But the waves were vast and fierce, and the men and women aboard gradually grew old. The immortal mountains lay far away, hazy across boundless mists and waters: visible, yet unreachable, leaving them sorrowful and bereft. How lamentable that people lose their way, laboring in vain in pursuit and bringing themselves needless troubles. They do not know that the true treasure of immortality is already within them, hidden beneath deluded thoughts and the dust of the world. If they can awaken in an instant, settle body and mind, and preserve their purity, they can accomplish the work of Wuwei (non-action). When the heart is clear and the mind quiet, nature and life are complete, and the Neidan has coalesced, they can partake of the immortal fungus that symbolizes eternal life.

Auspicious clouds bear up three mountain peaks: this is an immortal realm where true immortals descend and divine beings roam. Thick clouds of good fortune envelop the place. Preserve purity and Wuwei, steady the spirit and quiet the mind; then nature and life will become complete, the Neidan will coalesce, and you can partake of the immortal fungus that symbolizes eternal life.

Auspicious clouds bear up three mountain peaks, and an Immortal descends from heaven to this place once visited by emperors. Auspicious clouds enfold the land in deep stillness; jade towers, jeweled halls, and immortal palaces lie in quiet seclusion. Mountain mists stretch for ten thousand acres, and jade springs and lotus ponds seem to have descended into the human world. In the distance, atop the Immortal’s Palm, the crescent moon often shines clear and bright, untouched by any veil. Green peaks rise in layer upon layer, while the cries of apes and cranes sound from their summits. I come here, moved by the thought that I am still bound by the world’s entanglements, unable to let go of affection, fame, and gain. The affairs of the world roll on, and people willingly drift with the passing years like flowing water. How many can climb to these heights? Before my eyes, clouds and sky rest in peace, still and unmoving, as though holding within them the essence of Yin-Yang’s generative transformation.

“Twenty-One Lyrics in the Tune ‘Like a Dream’”

Put away the medicine refined for the mirror, and hold fast to simplicity and one’s proper place. Without a kindred spirit, it is hard to explain its meaning. I must polish the ancient mirror myself; wherever I polish, there clarity and radiance appear.

Joy, oh joy! At last, a full moon appears.

Again

A bamboo hat, a bamboo crown, a bamboo bowl: these are my constant companions. Whether sitting, lying down, or walking, the heart can remain empty and clear. This is the cool shore beyond.

Madman, oh madman! Let the sun and moon hurry onward in their cycles; I pay them no mind.

Again

Keep sweeping the numinous terrace, where the heart and spirit reside, and cherish your own inner treasure. Even in blazing fire, a lotus can be refined into being; this is the mystery of cultivation.

Upside down, upside down! When the external world disappears and thoughts are forgotten, all becomes clear and bright.

Again

A field of numinous emptiness…

Keep sweeping the numinous terrace, where the heart and spirit reside, and cherish your own inner treasure. Even in blazing fire, a lotus can be refined into being; this is the mystery of cultivation.

Upside down, upside down! When the external world disappears and thoughts are forgotten, all becomes clear and bright.

Again

Take a field of numinous emptiness as your companion, and so sever desire and passion. When the sun rises, refine and nurture the Qi of emptiness, dwelling always in an ancient temple of the spirit.

Madman, oh madman! Beyond this, there is no other method.

Again

Nurture this body according to circumstance; sitting, lying down, and walking are all free and untroubled. In every situation, remain at ease and content; even the slightest attachment does not obstruct the state beyond birth.

Endure, endure! Only then can you attain carefree freedom.

Again

Roam freely beyond the world, unrestrained and at ease, each step seeming to tread upon cool clouds. In leisure, contemplate the principle of emptiness; another immortal realm of Penglai awaits our meeting.

See it clearly, see it clearly! Carefully let go of the ties of human affection.

Again

The Great Dao has no fixed name and cannot be explained in words; there is no need to conjure distinctions without cause. When the fire in the heart dies down and its smoke disperses, that is the finest moment.

In your work, it is better to be plain and unadorned. Learn to recognize the seasons and scenes as they appear naturally, like spring blossoms and autumn moons.

The foundation of the Great Dao lies in returning to simplicity and completely letting go of worldly feelings and distracting thoughts. When the fire of internal cultivation has gone out and the smoke has dispersed, gather and safeguard the Primordial Yang—the original Yang Qi spoken of in cultivation. When the fire dies down and the smoke clears, the time is right for cultivation.

Cultivate, cultivate: this is the shortcut to long life.

Because I encountered Master Chongyang—the Quanzhen patriarch Wang Chongyang—I was able to enter the Quanzhen tradition. I use the fire of wisdom to refine and nurture the numinous, luminous nature, returning it to emptiness and stillness. I dare not take even half a step in reckless pursuit.

Step by step, drawing nearer with every step, one step following close upon another.

Carry the practice of purity, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action) through to its completion, making no distinctions between high and low, noble and humble. Let go of self-centered thoughts, and a true master will naturally guide and support you.

Guide and support. When the clouds and mist disperse, every household can see the bright moon.

In daily life, wash away the dust and rein in the heart-monkey and mind-horse—the restless, unruly thoughts—so they do not race about. In all you reach out to do, hold fast to the One, the foundation of Daoist cultivation, without giving rise to greed or delusion.

If greed and delusion do not cease, how can you accomplish the work of the Dao?

To remain untouched by worldly desire is not a deliberate pose. Do not look down on the poor or curry favor with the rich. Dare not accept the reverence of others, and you can roam freely and at ease, like clouds and water.

Like clouds and water. If you can hold fast to the One and carry Wuwei through to the end…

Do not be surprised that fellow disciples breathe evenly, as though they scarcely breathe at all. The key is to put worldly social dealings in their place. Dare not accept the reverence of others, and do not crave rich food, fine clothes, or wine and meat.

Stretch out body and mind, stretch them out. … Dare not accept the reverence of others; roam freely and at ease, like clouds and water.

Like clouds and water. If you can hold fast to the One and carry Wuwei through to the end…

Do not be surprised that fellow disciples breathe evenly, as though they scarcely breathe at all. The key is to put worldly social dealings in their place. Dare not accept the reverence of others, and do not crave rich food, fine clothes, or wine and meat.

Stretch out body and mind, stretch them out; refine the cinnabar and pass through the nine turnings, the repeated tempering by which Neidan cultivation gradually matures.

Like a carefree, unrestrained old man of the mountains, wander freely wherever you please. One day, return to the mountains of your homeland and meet again with your companions on the Dao.

Kindred Daoist friends, kindred Daoist friends, together drink the immortal wine of the Peaches of Immortality, a symbol of a banquet among immortals.

In daily life, gather in your inner spiritual clarity and guard your original mind so that it is not harmed. Once Jing and Qi have condensed and become clear, life and death can no longer draw near.

Cultivation and its fruit, cultivation and its fruit. When the work is complete, return, carrying only a wisp of cloud.

Sent to Daoist Friend Wang Silang of Junzhou

Please tell our Daoist friends in Junzhou: do not become absorbed in the sensual pleasures that arise from desire. It is better to follow Tan Feng, a fellow Daoist or cultivator, and protect the body so that it endures without decay.

Enduring without decay, enduring without decay. Together, drink the immortal wine of long life.

Presented to Third Auntie at the Residence of Commandant Wang San

To cultivate amid worldly life, first put aside distinctions and calculations between self and others. Keep to poverty with a gentle, humble attitude, and hold firmly to your original resolve without ever changing.

Sincere and kind, sincere and kind. Diminish yourself to benefit others, and help them through skillful means.

Presented to Jia Xinshi of Xiuwu

The teacher who entered the Dao is surnamed Jia; in daily life, he keeps his mind humble and low. To see one’s original true nature, one must, in quiet leisure, subdue the mind-monkey and rein in the will-horse. “Mind-monkey and will-horse” refers to thoughts that are restless and unsettled.

Subdue them, subdue them. One should emulate Tan Feng and be silent as he is.

Presented to the Two Daoist Friends Zhang and Li

Alas, life is brief, yet people remain absorbed in Qi, wealth, sex, and wine. If they awaken and let go of worldly entanglements, they can befriend cloud companions and rosy-cloud companions—fellow cultivators.

Friends who know the heart, friends who know the heart. Together, protect the body so that it endures without decay.

Presented to a Wine Merchant of Wenxiang County

Lord Jia deeply cherishes auspicious and virtuous deeds. He journeys among waters and clouds, wondrous and at ease. In time, when he reaches the state of Wuwei (non-action), he will bring the tiger and dragon to battle. “The battle of tiger and dragon” is a term in Neidan (internal alchemy), referring to the union of Yin and Yang energies within the body.

Battle, battle. When the alchemical work is complete, one can forever transcend all transformations.

Reflections

A spark of spiritual clarity has never grown dim; coming and going, it meets no obstruction. It appears everywhere in perfect, luminous wholeness, and understands the principles within all things.

Settle the mind and endure, settle the mind and endure. No matter how great the calamity, it cannot harm you.

Eight Songs to the Tune “Moon over the West River”

My mind drives me to toil, all because my thoughts are unsettled. To cleanse the mind and realize Prajñā, the insight that leads to wisdom, there is no need to travel north, south, east, or west; begin with the heart within.

Dust has clouded the bright mirror; only through refinement can it shine again. A ray of light reveals the realm of Wuwei and leads straight into the profound depths of Penglai.

When studying the Dao, do not seek outside yourself. The living sprout of the Dao grows in the field of your own heart. Plow that ground deeply with an “iron ox,” a symbol of steadfast, unceasing practice, and you will see the root. Everything depends on diligent effort.

Recognize your original face—that is, your true nature as it was from the beginning. Set your body and mind in order, and do not let yourself stray into deviant paths. Draw a bow of six jun, so strong it is difficult to pull, until it forms a full arc; let every arrow strike the bull’s-eye. Then your practice will bear evidence.

Awaken suddenly to the principle of samsara and enter the Dao through practice. From then on, persist in your cultivation at every moment, keeping each thought single-minded. Continue to maintain your discipline and diminish extraneous desires, and you can avoid wandering through the cycle of birth and death in the future.

The furnace fire goes out, and the lotus opens five petals. The smoke and dust disperse, and Jing and Qi gather in the three fields—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian (energy centers). To transcend all things and leave behind the states of birth and death in both the human and heavenly realms, understand the source of emptiness and Wuwei (non-action), as though returning to an ancient, still hall.

To enter the way of Quanzhen (Complete Perfection), keep your heart calm and unattached whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. Hold the wish to save others, and beg for alms in the midst of the world. Lay down, one by one, all the concerns of ordinary life.

Do not cling to the yellow sprouts and white snow of alchemical practice, or ceaselessly hunt for Neidan (internal alchemy) metaphors such as the dragon and tiger or the infant. When you stop dwelling on wealth and sensual pleasure, the fire of desire will fade. Then the heart is free, as if dwelling among the three Penglai islands, the Daoist paradise.

Alas, time rushes by. Each day people produce all kinds of worries and thoughts, yet in their ignorance let life flow away like water, infatuated with Qi, wealth, sensual pleasure, and wine.

The sun and moon quietly hasten our decline, while the pursuit of fame and profit brings no peace of mind. Why not let go of attachment and look up at the bright moon above the mountains? Every household can see this moon.

When the weather is cold, add scraps of paper and cloth for warmth; when hungry, hold out your hand and beg along the street. Eat leftover broth and cold rice to fill your belly. Be gentle and humble, content with poverty, and you will stay clear of harm.

Every kind of misfortune arises from thoughts of the heart. When the heart clings to nothing, misfortune and disaster have no way to arise. From then on, settle the spirit and keep hold of your true nature, and you will roam freely like a Daoist practitioner traveling through the world.

When the weather is cold, add scraps of paper and cloth; when hungry, beg for leftover food. Be simple and rustic, without disdain for coarse fare; ask only for clothing to cover the body and food to fill the belly.

I lament how deeply dulled and ignorant I have become. Even if I struggle to restrain myself, it is all in vain. From now on, let go of attachment and be at ease in stillness and emptiness. Be a simple, honest person, content to grow old.

Practicing in company is not free enough; one must also cultivate in a carefree way, rising above worldly concerns. Like a lone cloud or a wild crane, come and go freely in every direction, with not the slightest attachment in the heart.

Ask only for two plain meals each day, and live quietly in Wuwei (non-action). Solitary yet unrestrained, this way of life is best suited to cultivation and has its own distinctive flavor. By Han Mu.

Two lyrics to “Xingxiangzi”

In cultivation, there is no need to strive deliberately for anything, nor to harbor doubts or desires. Let the heart open wide; be at ease and unhurried, neither joyful nor sorrowful.

Live freely and without constraint, wandering here and there like clouds and flowing water. From emptiness and stillness, grasp the mysterious; from the mysterious, grasp the subtle; then, from the subtle, comprehend what lies deep and hidden.

Be content with a rough and unpolished life. Pay no mind to a face covered in dust or disheveled hair. Enjoy life to the full and sing out the happiness truly felt within.

Be at peace wherever you find yourself; having enough to eat is enough. This is true freedom. Reach this state, and you will understand: within nothingness is nothingness, within being is being, and all things have their own origins.

Morning and evening, remain watchful of your own heart. Guard against familiar sights and desires taking the opportunity to disturb your spirit.

Even if you have many skills and excel at painting, calligraphy, chess, and the lute, do not let them give rise to greed. Do not cling to sensual desire; keep stepping toward the lofty realm of the immortals.

Good and evil thoughts both arise from the heart. A good heart brings peace; evil thoughts can lead one into frenzy.

If you let your thoughts drain away in vain, the days and months will pass before you know it. So drift like clouds and flow like water, seeking a kindred spirit.

Three lyrics to “Yunwulian”

Conceal your brilliance, content to be thought foolish and ignorant. Live calmly and freely, strolling at leisure when you have time. Even with a face covered in dust, disheveled hair, and worn-out clothes,

you need not be ashamed to beg for food. That is what it means to be a recluse in the company of mist and rosy clouds. So drift like clouds and flow like water, seeking a kindred spirit.

Conceal your brilliance, content to be thought foolish and ignorant. Live calmly and freely, strolling at leisure when you have time. Even with a face covered in dust, disheveled hair, and worn-out clothes,

you need not be ashamed to beg for food. That is what it means to be a recluse in the company of mist and rosy clouds. Rid yourself of pride and complacency, and pursue simplicity and authenticity. Do not seek others’ respect, and do not be choosy about humble surroundings.

Follow the teachings of Master Zheng Danyang, and remain clear-minded and spiritually alert. When your cultivation and merit are complete, return to the path leading to the immortal realm of Penglai.

Cultivators should not take their practice lightly. They should experience the fine, pure nourishment of rain falling softly through clouds, allowing the clear and tranquil sprout of the spirit to emerge.

If you keep seeking outside the heart, you will only waste your effort. Whether sitting, walking, lying down, or standing still, you can attend inwardly during the quiet moments of daily life and practice with calm ease.

When your practice bears fruit, it is like a golden flower in bloom and a jade gate opening. A ray of light leads straight to the path of Wuwei (non-action), the state of following nature without forcing things.

Again

Cultivators, heed these few words: when you seek reality through things that have form and appearance, you should also turn back and examine yourself. Look closely at your conduct and integrity, and do not cling to old habits.

If you do not accord with the state of emptiness and purity, how can you dwell at peace on Pengying, the fabled mountain of the immortals? Recognize your original true nature and return to purity and clarity. Polish the heart diligently, so that dust and grime do not stain it.

Root out completely the greed, anger, and delusion in your heart. When your practice has matured in secret, a true master will come to guide you.

“Linjiang Immortal” — Three Poems

Fully grasping the wondrous principle of Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) means Wuwei, doing nothing, and needing no deliberate embellishment. Follow nature and cultivate purity, and your practice will come to completion.

Auspicious clouds circle the vermilion palace; auspicious Qi winds around the jade towers. The heart is like a cloud at ease, without obstruction; the body is like a boat moored at an old ferry crossing, still and peaceful.

The realm of true emptiness can be met and joined. A white ox lies in the open field; the bright moon shines over the mountain peak.

Again

The affairs of this world are as insubstantial as floating blossoms; they are not worth clinging to in sorrow. The Southern Dipper and Northern Dipper turn ceaselessly, while human black hair quietly grows white.

A hundred years of life pass like a dream. Since ancient times, few have lived to seventy. I urge everyone to awaken in time: who knows when the appointed hour of rebirth will arrive?

Begin your practice early; do not delay. To be freed from the wrongs and sins committed in the past, you must hasten to cultivate.

Again

I bow in respect to the fellow practitioners of our school: gather in your thoughts and do not seek outside. Time is easily squandered.

What counts as cultivation? If you cannot understand and let go of the mind that divides the self from others, how can it be called cultivation? Extinguish the three evil fires born of ignorance, which obscures your true nature, and do not let external circumstances disturb the heart.

That one point of true nature has never risen and has never sunk. If you attain a state of ease and freedom, you can ascend higher with every step.

Time is easily squandered. What counts as cultivation? If you cannot understand and let go of the mind that divides the self from others, how can it be called cultivation? Extinguish the three evil fires born of ignorance, and do not let external circumstances disturb the heart.

A naturally pure and tranquil point of true nature neither rises nor sinks. True ease and freedom move with unhurried grace, step by step ascending higher.

Entwined Branches

The foolish and deluded people of the world are always single-mindedly coveting fame and profit. They sink into a sea of desire and the ties of affection, losing themselves for a long time in wine, sex, wealth, and anger.

Know that glory and riches vanish in an instant like lightning. You should turn back and repent soon, and hasten to seek the path beyond the world, quietly exploring the mysterious principles of the Dao.

A simple, poor, and leisurely life, lived in accord with circumstance, is the life of a cultivator of the Dao. Uphold Wuwei (non-action) and cultivate purity and stillness; when your practice is complete, you may attend a banquet at the Jade Pool, where the immortals are said to gather.

Presented to the Yuan Scholar An of the Jingzhao Prefecture

Lord Taiyuan, you are ill; heed my earnest advice. The sages will support and guide you, so you should rest well.

Since ancient times, a lifespan of seventy has been considered rare. Now that you have reached this age, you should resolutely let go of your worries.

Sever attachments and entanglements, and turn toward a life of ease and freedom. Return to simplicity, and calmly and peacefully nourish your nature. Recognize the luminous source, refine it through trial, and make it clear and transparent.

The karmic burdens created in the past will gradually be erased as you accumulate three thousand good deeds. Go among green mountains and clear waters, and enjoy the moonlight and scenery with five fellow cultivators.

“Gathering Mulberry Seeds”

Presented to Daoist Wang of Huojia

Tan Feng is especially fond of Father Wang San; you share a good affinity formed in a past life. Do not delay any longer. Recognize the luminous source, refine it through trial, and make it clear and transparent.

The karmic burdens created in the past will gradually be erased as you accumulate three thousand good deeds. Go among green mountains and clear waters, and enjoy the moonlight and scenery with five fellow cultivators.

“Gathering Mulberry Seeds”

Presented to Daoist Wang of Huojia

Tan Feng is especially fond of Father Wang San; you share a good affinity formed in a past life. Do not delay any longer; you should leave worldly life behind. In cultivation, take Wuwei as your outward practice, restraining the wild horse and capturing the monkey—that is, gathering in thoughts that run wild and resist control. Do not return to your former life in the dusty world; in time, you will become an immortal, free beyond the world’s bounds.

Two Poems: “Mountain Brook”

In refining yourself through cultivation, do not seek the “Infant” and the “Maiden,” terms for the Yin-Yang essences cultivated in Neidan (internal alchemy). Recognize the original primordial spirit. Whenever worldly thoughts arise in the heart, sweep them away promptly and do not invite them back.

Keep right mindfulness at all times, and be especially attentive in observing everyday situations. Cut off the burdens of personal attachments, dispel restlessness and noise, and set aside worldly affairs one by one.

Act with openness and integrity throughout, harmonizing body and mind in quiet stillness. Do true cultivation in emptiness and stillness, making the mind clear, calm, and free.

Quiet the mind and diminish distracting thoughts even during the day; this is truly in accord with the Dao of emptiness. Live in peaceful joy and carefree freedom, with an easy and leisurely spirit, step by step approaching the realm of nonbirth.

Another

Amid the ceaseless bustle of the world, the fame and wealth people pursue are all illusions. Do not trouble yourself so bitterly, fretting over trivial matters all day until your spirit and vital energy are depleted.

While you are not yet old, wake up and withdraw in good time. Keep your distance from splendor, cast off your craving for money and sexual pleasure, and take joy in cultivating the Dao, rising above the floating world.

Affection and romantic love are like fish playing in a cauldron: in the end, they cannot last. Do not say you will begin cultivating later. Why keep putting off today’s work until tomorrow?

Those who cultivate the Dao offer quiet counsel, using gentle words to break through delusion and obsession: begin as soon as you can, hurry to cultivate, and make plans for your own future.

“Green Jade Table: Whipping the Horse”

My master led me onto the path of cultivation, and in silence I grasped its meaning. By persevering in practice, I gradually return to simplicity and purity.

Turn your attention inward in all things, and in the end see through illusion. The “horse” within—the unruly thoughts of the mind—awakens as well. Cultivation brings clarity within and without, and worldly troubles fall away.

Let the truly tranquil mind return to its real state, and carefully seek out subtle, profound truths. See through worldly splendor and cultivate a realm of emptiness and clarity.

With a demon-subduing sword, cut off karmic entanglements; the “horse” within is thereby delivered. Step by step, enter the gate of long life.

“Ruan Lang Returns,” Two Poems

Praising Tea

When Yin and Yang first meet, it is as though a spring thunderclap sounds, and tender tea shoots quietly emerge. The tea maker knows the subtle art: as the tea is brewed, its liquor surges like snow.

Tea brightens the eyes and clears the spirit, awakening those sunk in dullness and delusion. Its wonder lies in first tasting bitterness, then sweetness. Do you understand this subtle flavor? Wandering alone among the rosy clouds, I return to a realm of stillness and freedom.

Another

At ease and carefree, I let the clouds and waters carry me east or west. The wondrous, open emptiness is clear and bright; I go wherever circumstances lead. My mind and spirit are calm and hazy, as though drifting to and fro, yet I already know what lies ahead.

The true Great Dao frees people from worldly cunning and entanglements; all manner of attachments must be released. Chongyang—Wang Chongyang, patriarch of the Daoist Quanzhen school—once promised me a white ox. What, then, is it now?

“Song of Divination,” Three Poems

Cultivating the Dao comes about through the Four Great Conditions—the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind that make up body and mind—and by taking a small boat across the sea of suffering. A breeze reaches the shore, and one can board the path that leads beyond birth and death.

People sigh over their poverty, but I remain at ease. I own nothing at all, not even a single coin, yet I am better off than a magnate like Shi Chong.

Again

Since entering the mysterious gate—the path of Daoist cultivation—I have made stillness, simplicity, purity, and emptiness my practice. I quiet my mind and examine this body, formed from the temporary union of the four great elements, and see through the paths of the dusty world.

After awakening to the truth, one must continue to deepen one’s understanding in order to discover the true joy of leisure and freedom. If I guard the priceless true nature within me, why would I chase after worldly attachments?

Again

I am content to be an idle “wind wanderer,” a cultivator who shuns convention and accepts a life of poverty, riding the divine boat that carries one to the other shore. Beneath the clear sky, not a cloud remains; moonlight illuminates the road at Caoxi, a symbol of the path to awakening.

I cast off the resentments and sorrows that bind the heart, and silently contemplate the subtle mystery. Let others laugh at my poverty: within me, in truth, lies an immeasurable wealth.

This concludes the middle volume of Collected Poems of Water and Clouds.

Collected Poems of Water and Clouds, Lower Volume

Composed by Tan Chuduan, Master of Longzhen of Mount Kunlun

Five “Spring in a Pleasure Garden” Lyrics

Desire has no end, while the human body and its lifespan are limited. Do not wear yourself out over this. The bonds between parents and children have their causes in former lives; children and the means to provide for them each have their own arrangement.

You can scheme and calculate to no avail. When your appointed end arrives, who can bear it in your place? You should awaken in time and withdraw from the dusty world. That is the wise course.

If you delay, you will miss the moment. Do not wander everywhere in search of mysterious truths. As soon as a worldly mind arises, you mistake the direction and take it for a demonic obstacle. Your original true nature has always been there, but delusion obscures it; through cultivation, you must clear away the darkness.

Wash the heart with genuine stillness and compassion. Then you can peacefully and freely abide in a state of carefree ease. After years of practice, a spark of numinous light appears in the spirit terrace—the seat of the spirit—and its radiance shines into the realm of Wuwei (non-action).

Again

Life’s vanity and splendor are illusions; a hundred years pass in an instant, leaving one to lament how brief they are. Why hurry about, competing for fame and profit? Even if you gain wealth and honors, what is there to covet?

Mirage palaces, rainbow bridges for

Mirage-like pavilions and rainbow bridges stretching across the blue sky may look beautiful, but how long can they last? It is said that as long as a person is in good health, they should leave the sea of suffering and hasten to climb to higher ground.

Wise people must never waste their time. All the affairs of this world come to nothing in the end, and human life is no different. Recognize the nature you have had from the beginning: it is like an endless treasure, obscured by dust. It must be polished little by little before it can shine forth.

Take good care of your spiritual root, the inner foundation of the Daoist path, and nourish it often, until golden flowers bloom in the water and jade branches grow. Then you can transcend the cycle of birth and death and return to the state that is complete from the beginning, neither increased nor diminished.

Again:

Fame and profit have no real substance; they are only small pursuits. When do they ever come to an end? Consider wealth and splendor, reputation and status, wives and children, and beautiful women: who is willing to leave these behind and devote themselves to cultivation?

The Mysterious Gate of Daoist cultivation is still and empty, and its wondrous Dao is profound. The path of practice is arduous and difficult—who would be willing to stay on it? Yet by taking up the path of cultivation and investigating the cycle of birth and death, one may have the chance to join the ranks of the immortals and perfected beings.

Apart from oneself, most other attachments are merely idle sorrows. Decisively cut through entangling bonds of affection and resentment, and they can be put aside.

The Mysterious Gate is still, and its wondrous Dao is profound. Cultivation is difficult—who would be willing to stay? Take up the path of practice and investigate the cycle of birth and death, and you may have the chance to join the ranks of the immortals and perfected beings.

Apart from oneself, most other attachments are merely idle sorrows. Decisively cut through entangling bonds of affection and resentment, and they can be put aside. Wear a blue headscarf and plain cloth robes; live according to circumstances, at ease among clouds and waters, wandering beyond the world of dust.

Find stillness in repose. Reduce your desires again and again until the fires of craving die out in your heart and deluded thoughts disperse, so that you no longer seek outwardly. Then, when you depart this life, the road to Fengdu, the legendary underworld, will be transformed into a road to Penglai and Yingzhou, the fabled islands of the immortals.

Again:

Since ancient times, whether foolish or wise, people have watched the sun and moon turn without pause and eventually sunk into the Yellow Springs. How lamentable that Zhang Yi and Chen Zhen abandoned righteousness and recklessly contended for fame and profit; and that the Later Lord lived in luxury and extravagance until his house was ruined.

By the riverside where the ancestral temples of Chu once stood, and beside the fields where Han tombs lie, power was spent and all came to nothing. So it has always been. The heroes of every age have left behind only ruined graves, ringed by spreading weeds.

Alas, the past is truly lamentable. People become stained by empty splendor and chase after time as it slips away. Better to awaken early: the toil of the mortal world is like a dream. Let go of worldly pursuits, be content with a simple and quiet life, return to the unadorned, and preserve and cultivate the Dantian, the place where vital energies are refined within.

Transcend the cycle of rebirth, leave the sea of suffering, and rise straight onto the cool Boat of Prajna, the vessel of wisdom that carries beings across the sea of birth and death. When you reach the carefree shore beyond, meet with like-minded friends of the Mysterious Gate and follow the path of jade through the immortal realm to visit Peach Blossom Spring together.

Again:

Time passes in an instant. The human body is only a temporary gathering of the four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—and the disputes of this world cannot remain unchanged forever. In this cycle, who can be sure of lasting safety? From morning until night, the bonds of family and affection hold people fast, making it hard for them to break free.

A single true spirit—the inherent spiritual nature of a person—passes through a thousand lives and ten thousand tribulations. Along the arduous path of cultivation, it still seeks a Peach Blossom Spring–like immortal realm together with fellow practitioners.

Again:

Time passes in an instant. The four constituents of the human body—earth, water, fire, and wind—will eventually disperse, and the rights and wrongs of the world cannot endure. Who can be sure they will not be reborn again? From morning till night, family ties and affection bind people, keeping them from breaking free.

A single true spirit passes through a thousand lives and ten thousand tribulations, bobbing up and down in the sea of suffering and following the currents of karmic ties. One should awaken in time, summon courage in this life, and begin cultivating before life and death overtake one.

Wise people, listen carefully to these subtle truths. Set aside needless worries and seek the mysterious Dao. Be content with a poor, quiet, and unadorned life; do not give rise to evil thoughts. Let the innate spiritual nature with which you were born shine once more.

Be upright and selfless, and often act with fairness toward all. Keep an open heart, live freely and at ease, and follow what comes naturally. True merit and cultivation should be built up gradually in one’s spare moments. Day by day, year by year, they will in time bear fruit.

Two Lyrics to “Watching the Tide”

The great Dao of Quanzhen, the path of cultivation revered by the Quanzhen tradition, takes Wuwei (non-action) and purity as its guiding principle. Yet the path of cultivation is beset by obstacles. I often lament that my affinities are insufficient: I long to wander at ease among clouds and waters, but I am always held back. May people refrain from groundless slander and falling into mistaken views, and awaken soon to life’s brevity and the fleeting nature of worldly splendor. When the Daoist Patriarch Laozi traveled west, even he avoided the perilous reaches of the drifting sands.

Return to Mount Fei, the “Lung of the Earth”—a sacred Daoist mountain, often associated with the Zhongnan range—and you can rejoin the company of immortals. Meet immortal friends among the clouds and Daoist companions amid the rosy clouds, and enjoy boundless delight. Hold a banquet and enjoy music in a tranquil hall; the flat peaches glow, and all drink the immortals’ rosy wine.

Everyone in the hall wears jade blossoms in their hair. They realize the mysterious Dao, which congeals into a grain of cinnabar: the refined essence, Qi, and spirit formed through internal alchemy. When cultivation and merit are complete, they will board an immortal raft among the clouds and cross over to the realm of immortals.

Again:

How pitiful the worldly glitter of the mundane realm! Who can awaken? People are all bewitched by appearances. Their faces grow older by the day; though their bodies weaken, they continue to suffer, still clinging to love and longing for their children.

The sea of desire stretches on without end. The sun and moon press forward without pause, and in the blink of an eye the hair at one’s temples turns white. Impermanence arrives without warning. When death comes, what means are there to escape it?

Better to awaken soon, let go of family attachments, sever ties to the external world, and strengthen the roots of cultivation within. Follow the three thousand secret essentials of cultivation and accumulate eight hundred hidden merits through good deeds done unseen. Cultivate sincerely and make no errors.

Travel among clouds and waters, entering the realm of mist and rosy clouds. Recognize the essence of the sun, moon, and stars, and gather it into cinnabar. When cultivation and merit are complete, board the spirit raft and roam between the Ox and Dipper constellations.

Enjoy complete freedom and ease.

Gladly living a poor and quiet life, too unhurried to compete over the comings and goings of the world, simple and at ease, free from calamity.

Eating leftovers, I live plainly, without the bustle of cooking smoke.

A plate of food is enough if it warms my belly. I pay little heed to other people’s rights and wrongs. The matters before me have lately become clear.

I live leisurely and at ease, accepting whatever comes. Whether dwelling, walking, sitting, or lying down, I give myself fully to freedom.

Two Lyrics to “Nan Kezi”

I often polish the lamp of the mind and diligently sharpen the blade of wisdom. I let go of all tangled concerns at once, leaving not the slightest hindrance in my heart. I refine my original true nature, live according to circumstance, and give myself fully to freedom, whether dwelling, walking, sitting, or lying down.

Two Lyrics to “Nan Kezi”

I often polish the lamp of the mind and diligently sharpen the blade of wisdom. I let go of all tangled concerns at once, leaving not the slightest hindrance in my heart. I refine my original true nature, and from beginning to end I do not fear hardship.

Radiance rises from beneath the water; snowy waves are cast down from the mountain peak. The tiger and dragon—often used as images for Yin-Yang energies within the body—coil around the elixir cauldron, a symbol of refining and nourishing Jing and Qi in internal practice, circulating without cease. Once the immortal elixir is complete, step by step I ascend to the blue heavens.

Another lyric

After the clouds disperse, South Mountain is serene; when the wind blows, the Wei River turns cold. Ripples gather into clustered forms. Beneath ten thousand miles of clear sky, what I see at this moment is especially fresh and bright.

The mighty sword rings as it leaves its sheath; a head falls onto a jade platter. A bright moon rises above the railing. At last the mind grows clear, and the heart begins to settle into ease.

“Yellow Oriole Tune”

A living ghost, a living ghost! Day after day you mingle in the marketplace, chasing fame and profit. Out of attachment to your beautiful wife and children, you have cast aside the foundations of cultivation with ease.

You would not seek a way out of the world’s dust while there was still time. What can you do now that your allotted end has arrived? It seems you have no good fortune to ascend to heaven, but are destined to fall into hell.

“Bodhisattva’s Sash”

The blade of wisdom falls, severing attachment as a head is severed; ten thousand rays of rainbow light surge into the clouds. Once self-clinging has been completely cast away, why seek anything outside?

A white lotus blooms in blazing fire, as patience and the teaching of birthlessness are cultivated. Both forbearance and endurance return to emptiness, like a tortoise’s hair or a rabbit’s horns: they never existed in the first place.

Ten thousand rays of auspicious light surge into the clouds. Once self-clinging has been completely cast away, why seek anything outside?

A white lotus blooms in blazing fire, as patience and the teaching of birthlessness are cultivated. Both forbearance and endurance return to emptiness, like a tortoise’s hair or a rabbit’s horns: they never existed in the first place.

Eleven Lyrics to “Auspicious Partridge”

In cultivation, there is no need to search for the so-called tiger and dragon, symbols of Yin-Yang energies in internal practice. Simply rely on lucid awareness to recognize the original key. When the mind and spirit are clouded, even Amitabha, the Buddhist lord of the Western Pure Land, becomes something outside the mind. Once awakened, affliction itself is Bodhi, awakening.

By regularly examining your own faults, your heart can become clear. If you do nothing but look for what is wrong in others, your nature of mind will instead fall into confusion. Set aside every kind of attachment and come to rest; in a place of quiet emptiness, keep company with Muni, a title for the Buddha.

Do not devote yourself to pursuing so-called arts of the Dragon and Tiger. When the fires of desire within you die out and delusive thoughts disperse, you can leave behind greed for wealth and sensual pleasure. Through the inner refinement of Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit), transforming them layer by layer, you can reach the state called “nine revolutions.” In your outward conduct, cast off selfish desires and cravings, and dispel the Three Corpses—the spirits said in Daoism to dwell within the body, stir up desire, and obstruct cultivation.

In daily life, do not speak of other people’s strengths and faults. In a quiet place, be all the more careful to examine your own failings. Keep your innate nature free from entanglement, and you will naturally be able to realize the Buddha’s bodhi, the state of awakening and attaining the Way.

In cultivation, regularly polish the bright lamp within your nature, so that it may shine through the darkness that has long veiled your heart. Whatever you encounter, do not become tainted by it or cling to it. Let your heart be free of concerns, and you will naturally be able to realize the Buddha’s bodhi.

In cultivation, regularly polish the bright lamp within your nature, so that it may shine through the darkness that has long veiled your heart. Whatever you encounter, do not become tainted by it or cling to it. Keep still and silent, without stirring up contentious discussion.

To rise beyond the ordinary and enter the realm of the sage does not depend on outside forces. Heaven or hell—it is all up to you. There is only one true path: in daily life, guard your mind and spirit, and do not let the gates of the senses and desires stand open at will. The “four city gates” is a cultivation metaphor for the sensory portals of the ears, eyes, mouth, and nose, reminding practitioners to gather in their thoughts.

Everyone studies the Dao, yet people remain attached to meat, indulge in wine, and lose themselves in sensuality, becoming entangled in the consequences of their misdeeds. Craving meat harms living beings; giving rise to thoughts of desire also damages the foundations of cultivation.

Some people speak only of medicines and techniques, boasting that they know how to solve problems, yet they do not believe in the profound mysteries recorded in Daoist scriptures. If you can understand that all things are empty in their nature, you should put an end to attachment, let everything go, and devote yourself to cultivating the Dao and becoming an immortal.

In cultivation, refine the heart until it is like cooled ashes, no longer kindling delusive thoughts. Let go of ignorance, greed, anger, sensual pleasures, and wealth. If you cling to “self” and “others,” how can you attain the fruit of the Dao? If you keep arguing over right and wrong, it will also be difficult to form the True Embryo, a state symbolizing the accomplishment of the Golden Elixir in cultivation.

When ignorance—the delusion that obscures the mind—is dispelled, you can pay homage at the Golden Palace, a name for the palaces of the immortal realm. When all desire is forgotten, you can ascend the jade steps. Cultivation requires you to extinguish the fires of desire completely; where the mind is humble, quiet, and pure, there is Penglai, the fabled mountain of immortals.

In cultivation, refine the heart until it is like cooled ashes, no longer kindling delusive thoughts. Let go of ignorance, greed, anger, sensual pleasures, and wealth. If you cling to “self” and “others,” how can you attain the fruit of the Dao? If you keep arguing over right and wrong, it will also be difficult to form the True Embryo.

When ignorance is dispelled, you can pay homage at the Golden Palace; when all desire is forgotten, you can ascend the jade steps. Cultivation requires you to extinguish the fires of desire, for where the mind is humble, quiet, and pure, there is Penglai.

The true nature we possess from the beginning contains a wondrous principle; the key lies in the moment of clear spiritual awakening. When the fires of desire within you die out and delusive thoughts disperse, you can refine the Great Medicine, a term for attainment in internal alchemy. When the outer world no longer stirs the mind and distracting thoughts within it have ceased, you can see bodhi, awakening.

Quiet emptiness and purity are the true path to becoming an immortal; stillness and Wuwei (non-action) are the steps that lead beyond the world of dust. When no attachment arises in the heart, there is nothing to obstruct you. The essentials of cultivation lie in these principles.

During spiritual practice, chant “Falling Flowers on the Lotus.” Often set aside excessive desires and distracting affairs; remain quiet and composed, and follow the natural course of things. By day, do not criticize other people’s faults. Keep examining the deviations in your own heart.

Do not leave the square inch of the heart to seek elixirs outside yourself, nor run about in search of the mysterious. Simply keep the Numinous Terrace (the mind and spirit) clear and free of distracting thoughts, and you can refine the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir and become a Fetal Immortal (an accomplished immortal adept).

Practice may sound difficult, but it need not be. Meet the things of the world with compassion, and recognize the ease within your own heart. If your heart is clouded by worldly thoughts, even living in the mountains will feel as restless as a crowded city. If your heart is free of concerns, even life in a crowded city will be like dwelling in the mountains.

Tend the pure field of the heart often, and firmly keep to a chamber of Wuwei (non-action)—the quiet, natural heart. With long and single-minded practice, the Purple-Gold Elixir (the fruit of Neidan practice) will form of its own accord.

Do not assume that practice is easy. Reducing distracting thoughts and preserving your true nature can still bring difficulties if handled poorly. Between meals, remain mindful, and do not disturb fellow practitioners through your words or actions. Be careful even over the gain or loss of a single coin, lest you damage Xiyi—the subtle, tranquil realm of the Dao.

Among people, speak with care; do not boast or show off your abilities. When sitting alone in quiet, guard against stray thoughts and rein in the mind as it wanders without direction. Keep up your practice through all twelve double-hours of the day, often turning your gaze inward to examine whether you harbor selfish motives.

Presented to Lord Wang of Cloud Hermitage

Lord Wang dwells in a secluded, quiet place, far from rich food and fine delicacies. He preserves the root of the Dao and keeps the ease within his heart. If desire stirs in the heart, even the crowded city is like a mountain dwelling; if the heart is free of desire, even a crowded city is like living in the forested hills.

To nourish the spirit, keep body and mind gentle and at ease. When Qi cultivation is complete, you will no longer be troubled by heat or cold. Remain single-minded and unwavering from beginning to end, and the precious Langgan (a treasured inner elixir or fruit of practice) will naturally coalesce.

Presented to Lord Guo

Set aside distracting thoughts and reduce worldly affairs to nurture the roots of practice. Remain still, unassuming, and clear, following the natural course of things. Accumulate De and practice benevolence, learning from the example of Confucius and Mencius; live in refined seclusion, taking Yan Hui and Yuan Xian as your models.

Sit in quiet contemplation beneath the bright moon on an autumn night, and savor the mysterious delight of the Dao in high summer. Who could surpass the refined pleasures of poetry, wine, the zither, and books? This mountain recluse is often praised as a “Sleeping Dragon,” a figure of noble and reclusive virtue.

Five Poems Gazing Toward Penglai

The true Great Dao lies in continually reducing distracting thoughts and devoting oneself to practice. Wherever you go, people will respect and support you. If you are always seeking to take advantage, you will only sink deeper into the mire.

Be poor and unpretentious, content with a quiet, plain life, and do not turn away from the Way of purity and stillness. Let your bearing inspire respect, while within you silently cultivate the Lingzhi (an emblem of immortal medicine or the fruits of practice). Before long, you will fulfill your appointment at the master’s gate and continue your pursuit of the Dao.

Take my advice and keep a few things in mind: if you pursue everything with relentless effort, in the end you will harm yourself; what seems like a gain often leads to an even greater loss. Rather than being clever and quick-witted, it is better to remain content with simplicity.

Those who truly cultivate should not confine their efforts to what lies outside the mind. Regard everything before you as real in the present moment, and troubles will naturally cease to follow you. Then, step by step, you can move toward Wuwei (non-action: following nature without forcing things).

To follow the Great Dao, you must understand Kan and Li (terms in Daoist Neidan, often referring to Water and Fire, or Yin-Yang). The key to the changes of Yin-Yang appears when a turning point arrives and things reverse their course. Examine carefully the signs of these two transformations. The mysteries of the Great Dao are not difficult to understand.

Do not seek outside yourself; recognize the Bodhi, the wisdom of awakening, within. Cultivate and practice in the embodied form, and realize Muni—the quiet, pure state of awakening—along the path of Wuwei. Before long, you will be able to ride the clouds and rainbow away.

The wonder of Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) lies in having no self and no other. Make nothing and do nothing recklessly; sever attachment to external things. Treat others with humility and gentleness, without distinction between those near and far. In stillness and solitude, remain content with poverty.

In the deep and mysterious, beautiful affinities will arise of their own accord. A single point of non-arising—the nature beyond birth and death—is true freedom. Clear, calm, and ever still: this is the original true nature. When cultivation is complete, you can join the ranks of the immortals.

Changzhenzi seeks and observes the Dao each day. Following his circumstances and affinities, he dissolves the karmic hindrances of the past. Idle worries and vexation fade away as well, like the bright moon shining over a mountain.

Keep the mind clear and calm. Do not cling to having attained realization, or to having practiced cultivation. At ease and free, unbound by the realms of cause and effect, you wander beyond the current of sinking into rebirth. When your deeds and cultivation are complete, you can reach Yingzhou, the legendary immortal isle in the sea.

Three Poems in the Tune “Man Luhua”

Through my master’s guidance, I was able to transcend the sea of suffering, leave behind worldly life, and seek the profound and mysterious Dao. At once I settled into a state of joy, content with a poor and tranquil life.

I no longer dwell on right and wrong, self and other, or who is dull and who is wise. Step by step, I follow the cool and peaceful path, letting my mind roam freely. Who would have thought I could be so calm and at ease?

I do not deliberately gaze toward the realms of the immortals; I simply live according to my lot and circumstances. The years are peaceful and the grain harvest abundant—thanks be to Heaven.

I make my living from water and clouds, asking only for enough to get by on a single coin. In an idle, plain life there is joy of its own. Content with solitude and Wuwei, I let the years stretch on.

The Double Ninth Festival has arrived. Those who dwell at the ends of the earth entrust their feelings to clouds and waters. A Daoist friend invites me to drink wine and admire the chrysanthemums.

I make a special journey to attend this elegant gathering. Looking south, I see green mountain slopes shrouded in rosy mist. Gazing into the distance, I see fog winding through the mountains; deep among the auspicious clouds, immortal beings seem to dwell.

Let everyone drink their fill, talking and laughing merrily as the wine cups pass from hand to hand and laughter rings out without end.

Again

The Double Ninth Festival has arrived. Those who dwell at the ends of the earth entrust their feelings to clouds and waters. A Daoist friend invites me to drink wine and admire the chrysanthemums.

I make a special journey to attend this elegant gathering. Looking south, I see green mountain slopes shrouded in rosy mist. Gazing into the distance, I see fog winding through the mountains; deep among the auspicious clouds, immortal beings seem to dwell.

Let everyone drink their fill, talking and laughing merrily as the wine cups pass from hand to hand. We raise our cups and praise one another. At the feast, we simply face our cups and drink with abandon; our joy knows no bounds.

The wine glimmers gold, its surface shimmering. In silence, we gather the numinous flowers. When our cups are empty, we urge one another to drink again, and do not leave until we have had our fill. The moon has just risen, shining on the window screen.

Again

Above me, not even three roof tiles to shelter me; below, not a single furrow of land to plow. A life among clouds and waters is my true livelihood; I let everything follow its natural course.

At the street front, I hold out my hand to beg alms from those with whom I have a connection. The author deliberately uses the word “front” to suggest a particular meaning. I walk back to my lodging alone as evening falls. Beneath a clear sky stretching ten thousand miles, I lie listening to the tiger’s roar and the ape’s cry.

At ease and untroubled, true joy has no bounds. The numinous spring wells up like flowing water. The true fire descends into the elixir cauldron, and the leaden elixir congeals over time.

Tiger and dragon coil around and unite; true spiritual refinement gathers within them and forms the source. I sit quietly in Wuwei (non-action), alone atop a solitary peak, watching a full moon illuminate the sky.

Five Lyrics to “Pounding Cloth”

What, after all, is “Pounding Cloth”? The sins accumulated in the past can also quietly dissolve. Lo-ri-so, ri-so-lo.

From the very beginning, you must understand “Poluo”—reaching the other shore, escaping affliction. See through lust and wealth; do not destroy yourself like a moth flying into a flame. Lo-ri-so, ri-so-lo.

Again

Listen as I explain: this Brother Wind is always going on like this—lo-ri-lo. Lo-ri-so, ri-so-lo.

These words are not many; there is no need to say more. Those who understand their meaning will naturally smile with joy. Lo-ri-so, ri-so-lo.

Again

The pure and tranquil path of cultivation can transcend the Saha World, the realm where living beings endure suffering. Ride a steady spirit boat across the dark sea of hardship. Luo li suo, li suo luo.

Begin cultivating early and leave the river of delusion. If you still do not awaken, you will only delay again and again. Luo li suo, li suo luo.

Again

The glittering affairs of the world are like a dream of Nanke: gone in an instant. The years flash by like lightning, and people gradually grow old. Luo li suo, li suo luo.

Leave the realm of delusion early and emerge from the whirlpool. Day and night alternate, and time flies like a shuttle. Luo li suo, li suo luo.

Again

Those who cultivate the Dao sing a song to break through delusion. Turn your heart around and follow me to meet Amitabha Buddha. Luo li suo, li suo luo.

Day and night alternate, and time flies like a shuttle. Luo li suo, li suo luo.

Again

Those who cultivate the Dao sing a song to break through delusion. Turn your heart around and follow me to meet Amitabha Buddha. Luo li suo, li suo luo.

After ten rounds of tempering, body and mind must be brought into harmony. Affection, desire, and attachment are all hostile demons that obstruct cultivation. Luo li suo, li suo luo.

Three Lyrics to “Han Gong Chun”

In the year jiazi, during a bright and sagely age, an immortal descended into the world. The immortal master secretly sent me forth, and so I traveled east through the land of water and clouds.

The mountains were high, the roads long, and crossing the rivers was difficult, yet I did not shrink from the journey. I was constantly mindful that the people had not yet awakened: they still coveted worldly splendor and tied their thoughts to household affairs.

The cycle of rebirth is the greatest suffering. We should understand how the sages of old cultivated and consider how we might escape it. Sever the entanglements of the world and gradually draw near to the mysterious Dao.

When cultivation reaches completion and Qi gathers, before long one can ascend to the ranks of the immortals. On returning, guided by luan birds and cranes, one goes to the immortal realm of Penglai to attend a true gathering of immortals.

Again

To enter Wuwei—the state of following the Dao without contrived action—and enjoy ease and freedom in peace, gradually sever the entanglements of the world, and you will gradually draw near to the mysterious Dao.

When cultivation reaches completion and Qi gathers, before long one can ascend to the ranks of the immortals. On returning, guided by luan birds and cranes, one goes to the immortal realm of Penglai to attend a true gathering of immortals.

Again

To enter Wuwei and enjoy peace amid ease and freedom, one need only do these things: attend to cultivation in the present, without dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.

In daily conduct, be open and upright. Keep your distance from wealth and sexual desire, and do not quibble over right and wrong between people. Lately, your state of mind has been gentle and content; peace arises within, and you are no longer attached in the slightest to things outside.

In deep stillness, you will grasp its subtle wonder and, from emptiness, apprehend the true foundation. With a clear mind, move freely and at ease: do not act with contrivance, and do not cling to anything.

When the heart-mind turns its light inward at every moment, the natural principle will shine forth everywhere. Who can understand this state? Amid the clear breeze and bright moon, only two people know this quiet, lucid truth.

Again

I long for a life of humble ease, so I have worn away my hardness and sharpness, becoming gentle and modest, free of contention with the world. In an instant, I set down the burdens of the mortal world, and the lamp of wisdom burns brightly in the inner chamber of my heart.

Cultivate through “turning the light inward through the seven gates,” a method of observing the seven parts of body and mind, and carefully arrange the “seven treasures.” Tame the monkey mind and galloping thoughts. When cunning schemes arise from misguided thoughts, refine them until the heart’s conduct returns to the right path.

Uphold purity and naturalness, keep to Wuwei (non-action) and the Way of constant goodness, and light a stick of incense within the heart. Live in peace and harmony, feast with ease, and pour the jade nectar into cups of fine wine.

Cloud companions and rosy-cloud friends, fellow cultivators of the Way, gather together, laughing and talking, their jade pendants chiming against their bodies. When everyone has departed, the clouds and mist disperse, and clear moonlight fills the empty hall.

“Nine Songs of Longing for the Immortals” (Chang Sixian, also known as Chang Xiangsi)

I long for the Way of the immortals in the morning, and long for it again at night. I have yearned for a true master for four or five years. I worry only that my work in cultivation is not yet complete.

One’s work must be complete, and one’s De (Virtue/Power) must be complete as well. Only when both are fulfilled can one become a great immortal. Then one may ride the clouds back to the grotto-heaven, the realm where immortals dwell.

Again

When the heart and spirit race outward, rein them in with a sharp whip and bring their habits under control, so they do not lose the Way. Before me, a clear stream murmurs and fragrant grasses grow thick.

The boy returns, and the ox returns with him. The bright moon hangs high, shining over the ancient embankment—until both boy and ox have disappeared.

Again

More gold, more silver; more servants, horses, and fields—one wants them all in ever greater measure. At life’s end, the burdens and offenses only weigh more heavily.

What does poverty matter, and what does wealth matter? I keep nothing in my heart and let things be as they are. In the end, what can any of it do to me?

Again

The heart of a cultivator should rest in no-mind: free and at ease, pure and clear, unhurried like clouds and water.

The heart that chases fame and profit and indulges in desire suffers day and night, growing weary and enslaved. When will such a heart ever find rest?

Again

The heart of cultivation and the heart of compassion should both remain clear, empty, and free of attachment. Live at ease, undisturbed by worldly affairs.

Dispel anger and cast off desire. In stillness and humble poverty, one accords with the sacred Way. Thus the true heart, originally unborn, may appear.

Again

A lovely face glows red as a flower. Do not wait until its fragrance fades in the evening breeze and old age comes upon you to realize that all things return, in the end, to emptiness.

Only by probing the subtle mysteries to their depths can one accord with the heart of the sages. When birth and death have both been transcended, the original true heart comes to light.

Again

Those who cherish their looks may glow red as flowers, but should not wait until their fragrance has vanished on the evening breeze to awaken. When the appointed end draws near, they will finally understand that all things are empty in the end.

Probe the subtle mysteries to their depths and break free from worldly bonds. With resolute and fierce determination, sever mundane thoughts and become a practitioner who has transcended the world. When cultivation is complete, one can ascend to the immortal mountains of the Three Isles.

Again

Meeting an Immortal of the Way and receiving teachings of profound mystery, one roams freely like clouds and water, at ease throughout the day. In this way, the numinous light of one’s original nature comes to shine.

Congeal true lead—the essence and Qi cultivated in internal alchemy—and nourish it with clear springs. Trust that within the vessel, the inner realm of body and mind, lies another world. Then one wanders freely, with a tranquil heart.

Again

Reach the state of returning to emptiness and unite with it. The heart is clear and still, seeming both present and absent. Return to the primordial beginning, where even “nothingness” is no longer something to cling to.

Understand stillness, purity, and empty quiet; realize the realm of emptiness. A single point of numinous source, one’s innate spiritual nature, seems insubstantial yet truly exists. Its light shines throughout the Great Void.

Again

Grasp the mystery within mystery and awaken to “three threes,” the successive depths of Daoist cultivation. The fire dies down and the smoke disperses; no longer is one disturbed by the outside world. The mind and spirit settle into quiet, guarding the Jade Youth, a term for true essence or Yang Qi within the body.

Rest content in ease and simplicity. One’s nature is wholly pure, like the bright moon at the center of the sky. The heart is clear, reflecting like a deep green pool.

Seven Lyrics in the Tune “Remembering the Prince of Wang”

Steady the spirit boat, a metaphor for body and mind brought to completion through cultivation, and sail out of the sea of suffering. The bright moon shines overhead, while the Qi of life circulates abundantly. The two masters, figures for the Yin-Yang forces or the Dragon and Tiger in internal alchemy, nod to one another in secret.

All of this has its cause. After enduring ten thousand kalpas of transmigration, here at last it comes to rest.

Again

Among practitioners, who understands how to subdue the mind? Drive the Red Phoenix, a term for the Qi in the heart, to drink from the Green River. Harmonize and guide the infant and the maiden, symbols for Yin-Yang essence and Qi within the body, until they laugh and dance together.

Light the silver lamp, and all things appear as clearly as objects at the window in the morning.

Again

From the very beginning, one naturally enters a state of freedom. Subdue the tortoise and serpent, symbols for Yin-Yang or the body’s essence and Qi, and bring them to rest. After a thousand days of cultivation, the Elixir is complete and preserved for the long term.

This is a fortunate karmic affinity. From then on, one wanders freely and can let everything go.

Again

With no entanglements in the heart, Qi and spirit are at peace. Before one knows it, the heart grows joyful and the words begin to flow. The sword of cultivation must be repeatedly honed on steel of the Dao.

Brother Feng—perhaps the author’s self-reference or playful name—cuts out his tongue and drives away demonic hindrances. The image points to restraining deluded speech and dispelling thoughts that disrupt cultivation.

Again

Worldly wealth and sensual beauty cling stubbornly to the heart, making people crave splendor and wear out their bodies. One should recognize the single truth within the numinous source.

By severing greed and anger, one can reach the farther shore, like a person free and at ease.

Within nothingness there is being, and within being there is nothingness. Reflect again and again on this principle. Once you awaken to the level of “nothingness,” you will no longer be confused. As the days, months, years, and hours pass, gradually shed the coarse habits of your prime. Behold the primordial source, the origin of all things: ten thousand rays of rosy light gather into a precious pearl.

The vast sea of suffering has no shores; countless lost fish sink into its dark depths. I cast a golden hook to catch those whose affinity draws them near. This affinity leads them aboard the spirit vessel, a symbol of the boat that carries cultivators across to liberation, to gather the jade lotus, a symbol of the pure fruit of the Dao.

Subtraction: Ten thousand rays of rosy light gather into a precious pearl.

The vast sea of suffering has no shores; countless lost fish sink into its dark depths. I cast a golden hook to catch those whose affinity draws them near. This affinity leads them aboard the spirit vessel to gather the jade lotus.

Six poems, “Lesser Magnolia”

The Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition requires the heart to be quiet and pure, without contrivance. Cultivation of the Dao is neither difficult nor easily attained. Only by cutting off attachment to wealth and sensual pleasure can one form the Neidan (internal alchemy), gathering essence, Qi, and spirit through inner cultivation.

The true dragon and true tiger are Yin-Yang symbols in Neidan practice. Only when external phenomena disappear and the heart no longer clings can one know where cultivation leads. Lead and mercury—terms in Neidan that symbolize Yin and Yang essences and energies—pass between one another. When Yin and Yang unite, one must leave behind every attachment and imbalance.

Free and at ease, coming and going as one pleases, without worry or hindrance. The spirit is clear and empty; everywhere is complete and lucid, with nothing beyond its reach.

Inner and outer are undivided, luminous and clear, vast as the worlds of sand, containing the entire Dharma-realm, the total world in which all things exist. Its light shines everywhere without favor, like the full moon suspended high in an autumn night.

When the spirit is turned upside down and thoughts run wild, it becomes difficult to tell what in oneself is real and what is illusory. Letting the mind run unchecked and become confused invites a lifetime of transgressions and calamities.

When the heart is calm and thoughts are stilled, wisdom appears as one remains settled and quiet. When thoughts subside and the heart is at peace, the Dao returns of its own accord, and the spirit naturally becomes clear.

You encounter the true Dao but fail to understand it—what a pity that even the clever are still led away by desire. The moment has already passed; what am I to do now?

If you understand only later, regret may come too late, and only then will you wish to turn toward the mysterious gate and draw near to the wondrous Dao. You should turn back and cultivate the Dao early, so you do not wander through the Three Paths and Six Destinies, the places where beings suffer and transmigrate in Daoist and Buddhist traditions.

The water-and-cloud skin bag—the cultivator’s body and mind, likened to water and clouds, free of obstruction—always remains at ease. Those who are carefree and untroubled seek, in quiet leisure, the nature that transcends the bonds of the mundane world.

Whether walking or standing, one can remain calm and at ease. To seek true emptiness beyond visible forms, one need only experience it in a secluded place on South Mountain.

As soon as worldly distractions arise, they cut off the cloud-and-water path to carefree freedom. When worldly thoughts do not arise, the forms before one return to emptiness, and the restless “monkey and horse” of the mind—the metaphor for unruly, scattered thoughts—can also be brought under control.

Now that you have seen through worldly affairs, hold fast to your innate nature and pass your days in ease. To know what this innate nature is, cultivate yourself until you are as pure and steadfast as white jade and gold.

“Spring in Wuling” · Presented to Li the Daoist: A Poem on Dissecting Characters

I urge you every day, yet you do not understand; instead, you grow ever more greedy and busy. If you do not know how to examine yourself inwardly on a regular basis, your inner life will keep suffering harm. How can you refuse to stop and think about this?

Nurture your inner spiritual root with care, and turn your gaze inward. Settle into stillness and forget all the affairs of the world; then the immortal breath that nourishes body and mind will arise naturally within you.

“Southern Township Song”

Do not chase after the things of the world, and do not worry over being favored or slighted in others’ eyes. Let go of all the schemes and calculations of worldly life. Acting in accordance with ordinary social expectations cannot bring you freedom.

Better to discipline yourself and drift with circumstance, traveling here and there like clouds and water. Even when begging for food, keep in mind the wish to dissolve the burdens of past karma, and practice with diligence. Train as if impermanence might arrive at any moment and your life were nearing its end.

“Joy Forever” · Presented to Commandant Wang San of Junzhou

Roam freely, walking calmly along a steady path. Let yourself drift with clouds and water, unbound. Be content with a poor, wandering life, traveling wherever circumstances take you.

When begging for food, keep in mind the wish to dissolve the burdens of past karma, and practice with diligence. Remember that impermanence may come at any moment, as though your life had reached its end.

Wander freely and walk with calm assurance, letting yourself drift with the clouds and water. Be content with a poor but carefree life, with unkempt hair and a soiled face, at ease each day as though drunk.

Remain calm and free, roaming wherever you please, with no attachments in coming or going. Wherever there are scraps left over, fill your belly; when night falls, find a place to sleep.

People of the world have yet to awaken, and in their practice they are still reluctant to let go of their attachments. Desire has no end, and people suffer in a sea of bitterness. When will the cycle of birth and death finally cease?

Wearing only a single straw rain cape and a bamboo hat, and living in accordance with the circumstances—that is the life of a Daoist (one who cultivates the Way). You are now trapped by deluded passions and still refuse to wake up. In that case, for the time being, just carry on as you are.

Twelve Lyrics on “Treading on Grass”

The idle wanderer among clouds and waters—a cultivator who roams from place to place—is content with a poor and simple life, wandering freely beyond the world of dust among mountains, rivers, mist, and rosy clouds. He thinks of begging for alms from morning till night: going from door to door, answering calls, and bowing in greeting. All these things must be arranged properly.

With a settled heart and an easy life, he does not chase after external things. When worldly thoughts fade and the fire of desire dies down, he can savor the cool ease of freedom. This journey seemed to reach a sacred realm, yet he returned empty-handed. So, holding a bamboo staff, he set out alone on the road to Chang’an.

Again

I have urged those who think themselves clever many times, yet they have never awakened. I usually put my admonitions into verse and give them to them. The verses say nothing more than that one should turn back and cultivate, until worldly thoughts fade and the fire of desire dies down, bringing the coolness of freedom. Yet this journey seemed to reach a sacred realm, and in the end I still returned empty-handed. So, holding a bamboo staff, I set out alone on the road to Chang’an.

Again

I have urged those who think themselves clever many times, yet they have never awakened. I usually put my admonitions into verse and give them to them. The verses merely urge people to turn back and cultivate. But have they ever done what the verses say?

See the cycle of rebirth clearly while there is still time, and quickly seek a way out of it. Day and night alternate, and time keeps pressing people onward. The wealth and honor of this life come from circumstances formed in a former life. Where, then, will the consequences of this life lead us in the next?

Again

Leave the life of the world behind, devote yourself to cultivation, transcend the mundane, and return to simplicity and stillness. Let the mind be peaceful and detached, no longer troubled by scattered thoughts. Picture the restless mind as a monkey and a spirited horse; lock them in an empty room, and let the luminous source—the inner, pure awareness—remain settled.

Do not seek the Golden Elder, nor search for the Dragon and Tiger, symbolic terms in alchemical cultivation. Simply live in quiet ease and carefree freedom. The wind of wisdom scatters the clouds over the mountains; a bright moon illuminates the path of Caoxi, the sacred place of Chan Buddhism, symbolizing the path of cultivation.

Again

Step by step, approach nonbirth—the transcendence of birth and death—and form a bond with the Way of Chan. When the visible and hidden realms become connected and their principle is understood, one can accord with the Way of Zhuangzi and Laozi. The Immortal Feng left ten years later to pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. Duan should soon set out on the cloud road of the immortals as well.

Once you understand your nature, you will find within yourself inexhaustible true treasures. Since the karmic results arising from causes and conditions will ultimately fade away, why create new causes and effects? A life of ease and freedom is the way of my household; carefree openness is the strength of our tradition.

Again

Now that you have embarked on the path of cultivating the Real, you should investigate its mysterious principles and set down every concern in your heart. When my master pointed out the subtle teaching, I understood my original true nature, and a glimmer of light rose over the mountain.

I live a down-and-out, impoverished life, making my living among clouds and waters, roaming freely through the dusty world. You need not be surprised by this wild fellow; this is simply how I usually go about things—li-lo-li.

Again

Simple and straightforward … a glimmer of light rises over the mountain.

The life of hardship and wandering is the life I spend in the company of water and clouds. I roam freely and openly through the human world; there is no need to be surprised by my unrestrained manner. In ordinary times, I simply sing as the spirit moves me.

Another

I am simple-minded and slow, and say little; I do not argue. When I think of all the distinctions I once made in vain, I cannot help feeling ashamed. From now on, I will no longer rush about seeking things outside myself. There is a subtle virtue in cultivation that is perfectly suited to keeping to one’s humble nature and being content with simplicity.

Gather the mind and spirit, conceal your radiance, and leave no trace. When the heart within is empty and clear, every kind of vexation comes to rest. In Jeta Grove, a Buddhist holy site, plant flowers like precious jade; in the end, a fragrant golden lotus will bloom.

Another

I have just seen the flowers of spring, and now I meet the moon on an autumn night. When will such scenes of spring blossoms and autumn moon ever end? I urge you to awaken quickly and not waste your time. Within the pot there is another beautiful season: a state of cultivation that transcends the passage of worldly time.

To sever love and attachment and rise beyond the mundane world, one must advance with courage and vigor. Guard the Original Yang firmly—the foundational Qi of life in Daoist Neidan—and seek the profound methods of cultivation. The spirit pearl, a metaphor for inner spirituality or the fruits of alchemical practice, must be polished again and again; do not let it grow clouded. Attain the state of neither coming nor going, and you can transcend the transformations of life and death.

Another

Make patient endurance a constant practice, and abstain from turbid wine forever. Wash the heart clean, purge distracting thoughts, and forget attachment to the myriad things. Hold fast, yet also lessen; in the end, return to emptiness. Be steady and settled, and no longer rush elsewhere.

Remain quiet and clear for as long as heaven and earth endure. Even amid worldly scenes like spring blossoms and autumn moon, firmly guard the heart within. Advance steadily in cultivation without confusion; silently keep watch, speak little, and speak with care.

Another

A dark pearl, a metaphor for one’s inner nature or the true elixir gained through cultivation, is originally veiled and hard to reveal. Greed, anger, and delusion—the three afflictions—stain the mind and spirit, making clear discernment difficult. You must cultivate at once and wash away these veils, so the mind and spirit do not grow clouded. Then you can face the cycle of life and death with ease and freedom.

Hurry to cultivate; do not shrink back or grow slack. Train yourself without cease, with calmness and patience. Once you understand your original mind, where will your destination lie? Then, of their own accord, iridescent clouds and immortal cranes will guide the way, and you will meet in the immortal realm of Penglai.

Presented to Zhao Liushi of Xingping

A century of glory and prosperity passes in an instant, like stars shifting and their radiance fading. Human life is hard to preserve; calamity may strike at any moment. The kindness of parents and the bonds of love will ultimately vanish, and when life’s appointed end arrives, parting is inevitable.

One should see the cycle of rebirth early. To think of the uncertainty of life and death is to feel fear and sorrow. Let go of love and attachment, and draw near to the wondrous path of cultivation. If Master Zhao advances with courage and vigor and enters the state of quiet purity and emptiness, he may hope to open his heart like an immortal and behold the bright moon of the mind.

When have I ever truly swept the field of spirit within my heart—the heart’s original nature? Dust has gathered for so long that darkness has set in and weeds have grown wild. The spring of mind and spirit runs scattered and turbid, unable to settle into clarity. How, then, can it form the treasure that leads to long life?

I ride the clouds and travel over water, seeking perfected beings and roaming freely in search of the Dao. To leave home is also to leave behind affliction. If you can understand wisely, let go of your attachments, and allow your heart to rest, then you may dwell with me on a solitary peak, share the peaches of immortality, and enjoy a long life among the immortals.

Presented to Commandant Wang San

I pay my respects to Lord Wang; there are subtle matters of principle that are not easy to speak of. Now you have come to me with your temples graying and old age near. When will you stop relying on connections and becoming absorbed in affection? While your body is still strong, it would be better to live quietly and keep your heart free of worldly concerns.

The principles of the Dao are profound and subtle, while worldly feelings and judgments are often upside down. We should seek the mystery in stillness and freedom. Let us travel together like clouds and water, visit Danyang to seek the Dao, and share wine made from peaches of immortality on a solitary peak, enjoying a long life among the immortals.

Presented to Wang Silang of Junzhou

Your worthy elder brother came and spoke of the depth and breadth of your understanding. Hearing him, I could not help feeling admiration. The three brothers were born of the same mother, yet you have turned your backs on the bonds between siblings. How could you bear to let things come to this?

I hope you will regret your past mistakes, mend your ways, choose what is good, and act with propriety. If you can understand and awaken to this, come see me soon. We will gather for a joyful feast, our faces warm with pleasure.

If you stray even slightly from what is right, you will eventually become caught in twists and entanglements. If you depart with the clouds and water, we will never meet again.

Shaoxi River

Farewell to Lord Jia

I drift away like clouds and water, beyond the world of dust, fishing alone from the great boat that carries people across—the Dao that guides them out of the sea of suffering. Even if someone is lost in that sea, I will not force them to take the bait.

When I return to the blue waves and withdraw into seclusion, I will meet my fellow Daoists Ma, Qiu, and Liu again in my native land, and host immortal companions with jade-flask Golden Elixir, the precious alchemical liquid of the immortals.

Sent to Lord Lu

The Master of Long Life composed “A Courtyard Full of Fragrance,” praising Buddhism and Daoism, and sent it to Lord Lu Wude, who had helped make the undertaking possible.

The Chan school of Buddhism, the Daoist Patriarch Laozi, and perfected immortals such as Lü Dongbin, Zhongli Quan, and Liu Haichan all understood the Way of Heaven. Wang Chongyang founded the religious community, and through him a good bond with the Dao was established across the Eastern Sea region.

After he guided Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu, the teachings branched into different lineages. Wang Chuyi and Hao Datong carried them on in turn. In time, everyone will meet again in the immortal realms of the Ten Continents, rejoin their immortal companions amid the rosy clouds, and bring nature and life alike to fulfillment.

Becoming an immortal is said to be difficult, yet not difficult; easy, yet not easy. One must accumulate eight hundred good deeds and complete three thousand merits, then await the Heavenly Book and Purple Edict—the decree bestowed by the celestial realm—so that the cultivation of nature and life may be brought to completion.

One must transcend the form shaped by Yin-Yang, remain pure and clear, untouched by external things and free from fault through involvement with the myriad beings. Upon reaching true illumination, the turtle and snake—spiritual creatures symbolizing Yin-Yang—coil together in union. Yin energy is extinguished, and one returns to the original source.

Becoming an immortal is said to be difficult, yet not difficult; easy, yet not easy. One must accumulate eight hundred good deeds and complete three thousand merits, then await the Heavenly Book and Purple Edict so that the cultivation of nature and life may be brought to completion.

One must transcend the form shaped by Yin-Yang, remain pure and clear, untouched by external things and free from fault through involvement with the myriad beings. Upon reaching true illumination, the turtle and snake coil together in union. Yin energy is extinguished, and one pays homage to the origin of the Primordial Beginning.

End of the second volume of Collected Works of Water and Clouds.

The tune pattern for this lyric should be “Modified Treading on Grass.”

This lyric was written by Liu Chuxuan, not by Master Tan.

Afterword

Living between Heaven and Earth, people have round heads and square feet. They possess awareness and feeling, and are endowed with the essence of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Of all beings, they are the most spiritually endowed. Everyone possesses Buddha-nature and the potential to become an immortal, as well as the furnace needed to refine the elixir. If one can restrain one’s appetites and desires, cast aside worldly splendor, give up grasping, keep distant from fame and profit, and quiet the mind and settle the spirit in stillness and emptiness, one can live long and remain clear-minded.

The immortal Tan Gong Changzhen, through the convergence of past-life ties and favorable circumstances, met Patriarch Chongyang in his prime. He became a disciple alongside Danyang, Changsheng, and Changchun. Later, he followed the Perfected One west to Bianliang, where the Perfected One transmitted the oral formula to him. He then went to Luochuan, where he accumulated merit and practiced good deeds over a long period. First he turned away from the dusty world, and then he attained the Dao and became a Perfected One. The recorded sayings and lyrics he left behind number only a few hundred, yet all conceal profound mysteries…