《洞玄金玉集》Vol. 3

Planting seeds of goodness awakens the mind, and once the mind is awakened, the right encounters are sure to follow.

True cultivation still depends on the transmission and guidance of a master. If one answers the call to immortality with merit and practice fully accomplished, one may ride the clouds and ascend, returning to the Purple Palace (Zifu), the celestial mansion where the immortals dwell.

Encounter

Meet a Wind Immortal (Fengxian), one who has cultivated the Dao and attained immortality, and listen to his discourse on the essentials of practice. One must abandon wife and children and never look back.

Step beyond the mundane world, at ease and unbound, and free yourself from the views and entanglements of the masses. A great man must set his aspiration with courage and resolve.

If one still indulges in wine and sensual pleasure, one's vital energy and wealth will gradually be depleted. Use the blade of wisdom to sever attachment to external things, and cultivate the fetal immortal (taixian), the immortal body formed through Neidan (internal alchemy), until it manifests.

Abandoning Home

Untie the reins of fame and shatter the chains of profit. Abandon wife and children and never look back.

Step beyond the mundane world, at ease and unbound, and free yourself from the views and entanglements of the masses. A great man must set his aspiration with courage and resolve.

If one still indulges in wine and sensual pleasure, one's vital energy and wealth will gradually be depleted. Use the blade of wisdom to sever attachment to external things, and cultivate the fetal immortal until it manifests.

Abandoning Home

Untie the reins of fame and shatter the chains of profit. Regarding the love and obligation as deep as the sea, and the family ties and kindness as high as mountains, see through them all.

Leave behind the bonds of home, and set out on a long road, alone like a solitary cloud or a wild crane. One should hold an aspiration that transcends the mundane world, and be exceptionally steadfast.

Today, before everyone, let your words be clear: be willing to endure loneliness, humiliation, and poverty, and from now on do not allow yourself any backsliding.

Lezhen Feng (Wind of Joyful Truth)

Horse-wind, wind, how fine the wind is. Free yourself from the worries of family, and from now on be rid of vexation and distress.

From this day forward, do not indulge in reckless conduct; devote yourself single-mindedly to the Dao. Purify the spirit furnace and cleanse the elixir stove, where the spirit furnace and elixir stove symbolize the refining and nourishing of jing, qi, and shen in Neidan practice.

Refine mercury and cook lead, expelling the dark forms of depletion. When the Yang qi of the One stirs and the great medicine (dayao), the essence produced through Neidan practice, becomes efficacious and abundant, one may hope to dwell on Penglai Isle, the legendary mountain of the immortals.

Lamenting Past Errors

When I first left home, I visited fellow practitioners everywhere, rushing about like a tiger descending from the mountain.

Having not yet been tempered enough to tame a stubborn nature, I would roar at the slightest offense. I showed off my skills and boasted of my abilities, copied out all kinds of famous prescriptions, and busied myself with curing others. Though I never used the Pingwei San (a formula for regulating the stomach), I had many prescriptions for treating the qi of poverty.

Rejoicing That Things Are Now Right

Let the Dharma candle (a metaphor for upholding the correct teaching) burn on. When one is free of self in the heart and does not cling to others, the smoke clears and the fire dies, and deluded thoughts are stilled along with it.

Devote yourself to perfecting the immortal of patient endurance, and be able to no longer distinguish right from wrong. Without anger, without joy, the mind stays calm and full, as clear as ice and snow. In this way, one naturally attains a pure and tranquil heart.

Cultivating the Way of patient endurance lets one become an immortal: one no longer dwells on right and wrong, gives rise to no anger, and does not cling to joy.

Within the chest, all is full and settled, as if the heart were filled with cool ice and snow. The mind naturally becomes clear and refreshing; how could heat and agitation remain?

Examining One's Own Faults

Examine one's faults, examine one's faults. Since entering the Dao, I have committed no other grave errors.

Only that I have revealed the profound mysteries (the deep secrets of cultivating the Dao), which is truly a great transgression. I know my fault, I know my fault.

To remove former offenses, one must make amends through merit. In non-action (Wuwei) and stillness, true compassion arises in the heart, and I hope the sages will pardon my faults.

Chanting on the Walls of the Zu'an Hermitage

A lotus pond, two rosy-cloud companions (fellow Daoist cultivators); three pines, four cypresses, and five weeping willows.

A low wall encloses the Yuanyun Hermitage, shutting out the bustle of the mundane world, and I quietly keep watch within. The Azure Dragon soars, the White Tiger roars (both symbols of internal alchemy cultivation).

The Jade Maiden and Golden Infant (Yu Cha Jin Ying, inner alchemy terms referring to the refined yin and yang vital essences formed through cultivating body and mind) grow naturally pure and clear. Transcending the ordinary workings of creation, they coalesce into a spirit pearl, awaiting the sages who will come to transform and perfect them.

Chanting on Chang'an

Speaking of Chang'an, there are many beautiful sights. Indeed, every day three immortals come to the market.

Across the city, half of the people trade in commerce and half cultivate true qi. Those who live long are many.

From this I understand the principle of transgression and fortune, and so I early keep my mind pure and still. Widely cultivating good affinities, how should the annual routine observances be arranged? Now the Thousand Dao Assembly (a great gathering of many Daoist priests) rises up.

Sending Deerskin Robes to Masters Tan, Liu, and Qiu

Senior Brother Changzhen, Junior Brothers Liu and Qiu. Changsheng and Changchun are all fellow disciples under the same teacher, companions of the same generation on the Way.

Senior Brother wears a simple deerskin robe, as our teacher instructed you to do. Junior Brother wraps his head in a cloud-patterned cloth (a Daoist headscarf), and Senior Brother wears his hair in two topknots (a hairstyle with the hair divided into two strands).

You have already grasped the Three Awakenings (levels of enlightenment in Daoist cultivation) and penetrated their clear principles. I wish to teach the deluded people everywhere and save all from the mundane world.

Presented to Mr. Tie Li, the Ironsmith

Lord of Longxi, parting from you is truly painful. In the sixth month, you stand before the furnace forging iron, swinging the hammer.

So that the whole family may live in leisure and ease, you alone bear the scorching of the fire. Sores burn upon your body, and sweat and blood drip down together.

Ma Feng urges people to turn back and enter the gate of the Dao, where body and mind can find rest. After enduring countless hardships, when will one finally be liberated?

Once one realizes that kin and enemies alike can become entanglements, one must resolutely part from them. The resolve of a Daoist practitioner should be as firm as severing iron nails.

Wander like the water and clouds, vow never to look back, and swiftly leave the realm of desire-fire that presses upon body and mind. Only then can one find coolness and no longer sweat and bleed from afflictions.

The heart is like a pure jade vessel, naturally clear and bright. Once one perceives that single numinous point of the primordial and cuts off worldly ties, the heart comes to rest. Resolutely part from them. The resolve of a Daoist practitioner should be as firm as severing iron nails.

Wander like the water and clouds, vow never to look back, and swiftly leave the realm of desire-fire that presses upon body and mind. Only then can one find coolness and no longer suffer.

The heart is like a pure jade vessel, naturally clear and bright. Once one perceives that single numinous point of the primordial and cuts off worldly ties, the heart comes to rest.

Presented to Old Mr. Cheng

Old Master Cheng suddenly awakened. He had six sons, which the lyric likens to the "Six Thieves" (in Buddhist and Daoist cultivation language, external objects or desires that disturb the mind and spirit).

On reflection, these attachments always entangle like enemies, so one should not keep them gathered together. He therefore cast off worldly dress and put on the Daoist cap.

He gathers the "monkey mind and horse thoughts" (a metaphor for restless, hard-to-tame thoughts) and harmonizes the Dragon and Tiger (an internal alchemy term referring to the yin and yang qi within the body). When one day the elixir is completed and the numinous spirit appears, he will ride the auspicious phoenix and depart.

Presented to Zhou Qiguan of Jingzhao

Mr. Zhou's family was prosperous, and by examination in Chang'an it ranked among the wealthiest households.

Yet over ten years, no one can say what rise and decline will bring; in the end, one may not even have a spot of ground to stand on. Fame and profit are not reliable, which is a cause for sighing.

These experiences have left me disheartened and have turned me toward awakening. From then on I devote myself wholeheartedly to the great Dao, my resolve unwavering, and my cultivation does not cling to coming or going.

Sent to Senior Brother Qiu of Changchun

You love the mountains, and I love the waters. Yet on reflection, what is the benefit of loving mountains or loving waters?

Nothing compares with a pure mind and a clear body, refining and nourishing the harmonious qi (the balanced, well-regulated primordial qi). Bring Kan and Li together (internal alchemy terms symbolizing the harmony of yin and yang), and join Wood and Metal (an internal alchemy term symbolizing the coordination of the Five Phases qi).

From this is born the formless infant of jing (an internal alchemy term for the inner spirituality formed through cultivation), dwelling in the Palace of Five Brightnesses (a pure realm in Daoist inner-cultivation language). Then, suddenly, one perceives that the elixir has congealed and the numinous spirit has appeared, and one attains an incomparably real joy.

Earlier, I realized through playing with water that there was something improper in it, so I wrote this lyric to show the members of the hall, fearing that someone might become attached to it.

Presented to Little Immortal Li

Li should become a monk, and a monk should also study the Dao. The essentials of the Dao are profound and numinously bright, enabling one to attain a real and incomparable joy.

Earlier, I realized through playing with water that there was something improper in it, so I wrote this lyric to show the members of the hall, fearing that someone might become attached to it.

Presented to Little Immortal Li

To Li Yiseng

Li Yiseng left home to become a Buddhist monk and also studied Daoist methods (fadao). He probed the mysteries (xuanji) within these methods, seeking out teachers and studying them every day.

He often discussed what he had learned, and he worked to keep his mind still and pure (qingjing). Clarity of intention matters most. One must be skilled at subduing the heart and sweeping away its dust. When the dust is cleared, the mind naturally becomes bright, and one can then penetrate deep and subtle principles. The profound secret of the Dao (Dao) lies in "walking on jade and flying gold," which means refining Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) until they condense into a precious achievement, the Golden Elixir (jindan).

To the Little Immortal Yang of Hu County

Those who cultivate the Way must first restrain their eyes. When they see women, they should not gaze at them carelessly.

One must firmly control the "mind-horse" (yima) and the "mind-monkey" (xinyuan), the restless thoughts and wandering spirit, and never let them slacken. Remove the private self, and affairs become simple. Keep to simplicity and gentleness, living at ease and unconstrained, and carefully observe the laws of the state and the celestial precepts so that you never transgress them.

To Dharma Master Li at the Western Hermitage

Dharma Master Li, please heed my advice: do not dwell only on grieving for others. First aid and cultivate yourself.

Trim the lamp in your heart so that it burns straight and bright, illuminating the inner "Central Palace" (the center within body and mind). When the Great Elixir is complete, your cultivation is also complete, and the Spirit Child (lingtong), a spiritual image described in cultivation practice, will naturally appear. Then, await the commands transmitted in the Purple Scripture and the Jade Summons, and only afterward seek out the immortal realms of Yaotai and Langyuan.

To Mr. Yan

A true man, a real hero, should be resolute and single-minded. Once you vow in cultivation not to return to your homeland, keep your aspiration firm even in the face of danger.

Within stillness, reach the profound state, so that the light of sun and moon blends and the energies of dragon and tiger unite. Take the "knife-tip" dose (daogui), a small measure of medicine or elixir in Daoist refinement, nourish the divine elixir, and follow the profound teachings of Patriarch Chongyang (Wang Chongyang, founder of Quanzhen).

To Hou Mingyi

Madam Hou, you have already attained awakening, yet you only began to cultivate and nourish yourself at the age of sixty-nine.

Others said you had started too late, but Ma Feng (Ma Danyang, founding patriarch of Quanzhen) replied, "It is never too late to cultivate the Dao." So long as the breath does not cease, the spirit can be preserved. First apply effort to subduing the mind-monkey and mind-horse, and the dual cultivation of nature (xing) and life (ming) will naturally settle and be completed, leading at last to immortality and return.

Quanzhen Hermitage of Jingzhao (the Capital Region)

Pi Zhang Immortal oversaw the construction work. He held two posts at once and also took on the task of soliciting donations and raising funds.

Building a hermitage, I have set aside a single cell for myself, and I must still seek alms from the patrons of Chang'an. In discussing cultivation, one must distinguish guest from host: comprehend and grasp qi (Qi) and shen (Shen), so that they become the masters of body and mind. This concerns the cultivation of xing and ming, nature and life, so one should swiftly awaken to the root and become the lord of the Penglai grotto-heaven.

Presented to Mr. Li of Chang'an

Mr. Li is far too obstinate by temperament. Within the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) hall, he is the hardest of all to instruct.

He studies cultivation, yet does not value tilling the field behind the plough. Instead, he claims a preference for another practice. I urge him again and again, and admonish him repeatedly: recognize the immortal's appearance signified by the five-colored auspicious clouds, and he will naturally set out on the path of the Dao. Plant the purple fungus, and its numinous radiance will shine forth brilliantly, until at last he may return to the Penglai isle of the immortals.

Presented to Xue Daoqing

In cultivation, one must carefully cleanse body and mind. A family tradition of purity free from defilement is itself the wondrous Dharma of the Mahayana. Practising the true work of wuwei (non-action) and non-doing, one wipes the dust from the mirror of the heart. The heart then naturally grows clear and bright, and one's realm naturally opens. In this way, one may deliver the nine profound ancestors and seven generations of forebears (ancestors and clan elders), proceed to the immortal realms of Penglai and Yingzhou, and walk at ease in serene freedom, robed in the crown and garments, like a bodhisattva.

Presented to Mr. Liu

The dark ox leads the white calf, following back and forth in the depths of Caoxi (here a figure for a serene place of cultivation). At all times one sleeps reclining beneath the moon and dwells in company with the clouds, far from the mundane affairs of grasses and trees in the mortal world. One gathers the "Three Yang" and returns to the "Nine Domestic Animals" (both are terms of inner alchemy, referring to the inner qi and its transformations within practice). When the qi of mother and child is kept gentle and harmonious, one need not toil at herding. When one day one may proceed to the immortal realms of Penglai and Yingzhou, one's original face will then appear.

Presented to Wei Haifeng

Aunt Feng bears profound and secret essentials in her breast. Her intentions are pure and her heart luminous, and whatever her eyes behold and whatever she does accords with the Dao (Dao). Naturally she attains true joy and delight, without a trace of vexation. She neither flatters nor deceives, nor is she arrogant or proud.

Cultivating amid the jade blossoms, one forms the golden treasure (jin bao), and then awaits the summons of the purple edict (the decree of the heavenly realm), which bestows the immortal title Tongming (Penetrating Brilliance).

Presented to Sun Kedao

Master Sun is able to let go, serene and at ease, and has penetrated the True Dao while abandoning all illusion. In dealing with others and affairs, they hold no selfish aims toward any being and harbor not a trace of flattery or deceit. They take pleasure in poverty and have a refined, pure character. In guiding the youthful disciples (the lads who train in the Way), they keep their spirit clear and their bearing unfettered. Now they widely cultivate good affinities, wander among the regions, and teach the world wherever they go.

Hearing of the Passing of Wu Jieyuan and His Brother

Sighing at the brevity of human life, a deep sorrow arises in the heart. The brothers Wu Jieyuan, young and handsome, could never have foreseen that within the span of a fortnight they would both pass away together.

Hearing of the Passing of Wu Jieyuan and His Brother

Sighing at the brevity of human life, a deep sorrow arises in the heart. The brothers Wu Jieyuan, young and handsome, died together within the span of half a month. Such a loss should awaken people to self-examination: one should set down household affairs and worldly ties in order to preserve body and nature (xing) and life (ming). Only through true purity of cultivation can one hope to escape the cycle of rebirth and attain longevity.

Guo Gu of Xingping Comes to Take Up Cultivation Under the Quanzhen Hall

Guo Gu has established a resolve as firm as any man's, severing worldly attachments and holding the matters of life and death in reverence. They have departed from their former husband and undertaken cultivation within the Quanzhen Hall. From antiquity to the present, such resolve has been rare. Cultivation must always be undertaken with caution, keeping the original intention as unchanged as it was at the moment of first aspiration.

The sages and worthies will surely guide you in secret. Dwell in non-action (wuwei), remain pure and still to the end, and you will be able to cultivate the Way with the tranquil ease of Magu.

Master Lu of Pucheng

Sighing that this person has already grown old yet remains absorbed in the affairs of the Daoist community, I wonder: if they still refuse to awaken and do not reflect upon past faults, how could they escape great calamity? Heed my counsel and no longer be bound by the dust of the mundane world.

Affection, worldly attachment, and desire should be cut cleanly in two. Only by dissolving old karma and restarting one's practice can one receive the protection of Ma Feng (the Quanzhen Daoist Ma Yu).

Again

Hair disheveled and face smeared with grime, one has forgotten all things, and the heart is untainted by dust. Allowing oneself to be lax and indulgent, clinging to comfort, one reaches out to beg for what remains. Though one clearly knows there is nothing to be had, one still insists on grasping at things with form.

Only by achieving non-attachment, letting even the thought of "non-being" (wu) go, can one refine the flawless divine elixir. Seeking out Penglai and completing three thousand merits, one may then ascend on the clouds, sleeves fluttering lightly.

Bo Daishao Asks a Question

Attendant Bo was skilled at modeling clay figures, yet he did not think to boast of his clever hands and marvelous craft. He preferred to rest in simplicity and did not cling to visible skill.

Being has arisen from non-being, and in non-being there is also nothing. The divine elixir (shendan), formed through inner cultivation (neixiu), lacks not a trace. Seek out Penglai, the mythical isle of the immortals, and when merit and practice reach completion over three thousand, one may receive the robes of an immortal, with sleeves hanging low like clouds.

Questioning Attendant Bo

Attendant Bo, you are very skilled at sculpture, and your craft is refined, yet you never stop working. You expend your spirit, busy as though straining water or hauling mud, all to feed your household. You should look back upon yourself and realize your original nature.

Live at ease, nourish body and mind, and hold fast to your true root. When the mind is clear and pure, the divine elixir forms, and you may mount the blue phoenix (qingluan), a mythical bird, and depart.

Questioning Yang Attendant

Attendant Yang, you model figures very well, and all day you play with clay and water. But have you ever truly nourished the vast, flowing qi (haoran zhi qi)?

Stop deceiving one another, and do not hurry to seek poems and verses. Set your mind on cultivating the Dao. Study carefully and probe deeply.

Dwelling in stillness and purity, you will naturally come to understand the profound principles. When qi, shen, and jing (essence) are refined and form an elixir without leakage, you may ride the clouds and journey to the isle of Penglai.

To Elder Bo of Shaohua

Elder Bo, Elder Bo, you are already eighty-four years old. Why only now do you resolve to cultivate yourself?

Read the collected writings of Wang Chongyang (Chongyang) and the Way of Complete Perfection (Quanzhen), and you will grasp their meaning. Do not say that you are old, and do not chase merely the outward signs of longevity.

Though your appearance is aged, your heart may remain bold and unrestrained. As long as breath remains, you may still cultivate. Above all, the essential thing is to clarify your thoughts as quickly as possible.

Presented to Ma, Attendant Ma

Aunt Ma, you are about to return. In daily life, follow what is natural and seek nothing, and quietly nourish your original nature in tranquility and ease.

Do not speak again of the "maiden of the mercury" and the "infant of the lead," or of the union of dragon and tiger (terms from neidan, or internal alchemy). Rid yourself of the entanglements of the mundane world, and realize the true delight of the Dao.

When the fire in your heart is extinguished and its smoke dispersed, qi and shen will become firm. As shen moves through the inner realm, and the three fields (the upper, middle, and lower dantian) reach completion of their work, you will be able to ascend the immortal road leading to Penglai.

Presented to Mr. Xu, on Cultivating the Inner Garden

To cultivate steadily and alone is like tending one's own garden. Walking back and forth along the field paths is not walking in the ordinary sense.

Turn the numinous qi within the jade furnace (a symbol of inner alchemy) in reverse circulation. Why would it ever require you to act with your own hands? Water it diligently, and the tender sprouts will begin to emerge.

The fragrance spreads gradually, and a scene of abundant flourishing fills the whole garden. The Ruizhu Palace (ruizhu gong, a fabled immortal palace) bursts forth with rosy light, as if imitating the departure of the immortal Weng.

Inner Gathering of Medicinals, Presented to Mr. Tian of Longzhou

Cultivating the Dao is like gathering medicinal herbs. One carries a pure basket with no defilement or attachment in the heart. Wandering into the depths of the white clouds, why would one need a hoe? Calling the azure phoenix (qingluan, a legendary immortal bird) and drawing in white cranes, one treads upon a precious land like an immortal realm, and its radiance naturally shines forth. When the elixir of the Nine Cycles (jiuzhuan, an alchemical term for repeated refinement) is complete, one gathers the pills and returns them to the Azure Void (bi luo, the blue heavens and the realm of the immortals).

Inner Cultivation of the Fields, Presented to Mr. Mu Zhang

Dwelling alone in a quiet place, one cultivates the inner work of tilling the soil. The mind is at ease, unmoved and free of rash action. In the deep and silent stillness, one sees a golden ox arrive at the fields by the stream, and purple fungus (zizhi, a legendary herb of immortality) rises high. The vermilion phoenix and the tortoise come to make offerings. Hemp and wheat bear fruit, and spirit pearls as small as millet rise into the blue sky, presented as tribute.

Presented to Abbot Wang

When one must support a household, how many worries fill the heart! Pressed by wife and children, one feels as though afflicted by a sickness of the mind. Striving after fame and profit, rushing back and forth in toil, is truly exhausting. Since taking up the study of the Dao, the heart has often been calm and settled. Apart from the matter of nature and life (xingming, the cultivation of the root of life and its vital functions), no other delusive thought remains. One obtains leisure and freedom, and wanders at ease in joy.

Admonition to the Daoist Companions During Illness

I have lived in Zhongnan Mountain, in a simple hut, going barefoot without lamplight, for nearly six years.

Suddenly a thought stirred, and I set out roaming at will. Traveling west, I reached Huating and lodged at Shenyin. By chance I was struck by the earth-and-fire poison (tujin huodu), and began to vomit blood and cough, the illness coming on very quickly. My Daoist companions sent medicines, and I received them with thanks, but did not dare to take them.

They then said to me, "You should eat raw scallions and strong vinegar, which can dispel this poison."

I have considered this carefully: when Daoist practitioners fall ill, others often cannot cure them, and they must rely on their own self-care. When one cultivates the most precious thing within the body, illness will naturally be healed.

Therefore I have composed a short lyric, "The Clear-Mind Mirror" (Qingxin Jing), and offer it respectfully to my fellow Daoist adepts for their appreciation.

Ma Feng is now fifty-six years old. He drifts about like floating clouds and flowing water, living freely and serenely.

Circulating the Qi (vital energy) of Heaven and Earth and stirring the numinous light within the body can make the light of one's original nature shine ever brighter. Arriving at Tingchuan, he once lodged in a cave dwelling.

Unexpectedly, he contracted an illness there, as though earth-qi had stagnated and fire-qi had turned toxic. To dispel the imbalance of the Four Great Elements and the discomfort of the body, one must cultivate the "golden jade" within the body, that is, the inner Jing (essence) and Shen (spirit).

Treating Illness

When Qi and blood circulate poorly and the feet and knees are afflicted, mica paste may be applied as a poultice, and it should always be kept on hand.

If one suffers from tetanus, what should be done? Finely sprinkle powder of huarui stone. For heart ailments, use the Clear Spirit Powder.

For a disposition that is perverse and contrary, one may treat it with aconite (fuzi). Regulate the body with Lizhong Pills, and then cultivate the "golden jade" within the body.

Treating Illness

When Qi and blood circulate poorly and the feet and knees are afflicted, mica paste may be applied as a poultice, and it should always be kept on hand.

If one suffers from tetanus, what should be done? Finely sprinkle powder of huarui stone. For heart ailments, use the Clear Spirit Powder.

For a disposition that is perverse and contrary, one may treat it with aconite (fuzi). Use Lizhong Pills to cultivate the "golden jade" within the body. If the Numinous Treasure Elixir (Lingbao Dan) is taken in excess, it will cause the bones to be replaced, as though they were dice.

Presented to Ju Deyi

Ju Deyi of Hezhou, listen to what I say: all arts and techniques may be set aside for now.

Speaking of the natural Dao (the Way) and the non-action (Wuwei) of the Great Dao, the key does not lie in elaborate carving. Keep the "Clear-Mind Mirror" constantly polished and bright, so that it illuminates all ten thousand entanglements and makes clear that all things have fundamentally neither birth nor death. Humans inherently possess a measure of primordial, luminous true nature, as clear as the autumn moon.

Presented to Mr. Ma

How refreshing and comfortable life is! Whether sitting, reclining, pausing, or walking, one roams freely and at ease.

Think it over: how could those who chase fame and profit understand this flavor? One should seek the cultivation of the Dao in leisure, refining a bright spirit-pearl, that is, a clear and lucid mind-spirit.

Even after experiencing three great transformations in which the sea becomes mulberry fields, for the immortals it is but a moment.

Presented to the Ten Palace Examinees of Huating

Yin Yuqing, Fan Zuxun, Mingzhong, and Jimeng: you should comprehend this state. Seek the cultivation of the Dao in leisure, and refine a bright spirit-pearl, that is, a clear and lucid mind-spirit.

Even after experiencing three great transformations in which the sea becomes mulberry fields, for the immortals it is but a moment.

Yin Yuqing, Fan Zuxun, Mingzhong, Jimeng, Zixun, Zirun, Hanqing, Gong, Xinzhong, and other gentlemen, all belong to one clan of the same surname from Qinghe. There are also Cheng Derong and Li Hanchen. We ten men are all outstanding in learning and talent. I urge you all to set aside fame and profit early, to cultivate yourselves while you can, and to complete the Dao of nature and life (xìngmìng shuāngxiū).

Presented to Lingyangzi Li Dacheng

Lingyangzi has come to take his leave, and I see you off on your journey, though not as I greeted you at the start. Listen to my counsel. When you travel, choose a suitable destination, and do not forget to care closely for your widowed mother. After I leave this world and the smoke of the household fire is extinguished, do not forget your original aspiration, and resolve more firmly still. In cultivating the Great Dao, clarify the fundamental principles that have existed since heaven and earth were first opened, and let the clear wind and bright moon keep you company.

Presented to Liu the Young Official

A green ox with two tails and three eyes looks up at the sky and down at the earth. Its four hooves are white as silver, and it roams freely among the five directions of heaven and earth. In cultivation, one must let go of the six desires and the seven emotions entirely. Drink the eight-flavored jade nectar, and your whole body will shine with light. Refine the divine elixir in the nine cauldrons, and your merit in practice will be complete.

Presented to Jiranzi

In cultivation, one must let go of the six desires and the seven emotions entirely. Drink the eight-flavored jade nectar, and your whole body will shine with light. Refine the divine elixir in the nine cauldrons, and your merit in practice will be complete.

Presented to Jiranzi

Cultivator, listen carefully: your vegetarian meals need not be excessively fine. Why prepare a variety of rare delicacies? A single plain dish is enough. Eat calmly and simply, and contentment will naturally arise in your heart. In this way the spirits will be harmonized and made at ease, and your chàyīng (a yin-natured true qi within internal alchemy, or its symbol) will rejoice. Follow what is natural, form the Golden Elixir (jīndān), and you may take a place among the immortals of Penglai and Yingzhou.

A Companion on the Dao Asks About Cultivation

Yunpeng asks, and Xiayou answers. The cultivation of nature and life is a great matter, and one must personally exert oneself to save oneself. Whether one can escape the cycle of rebirth depends on this very life. One should carefully search out and sweep away one's own delusions and distracting thoughts. The blue lotus opens, and the white lotus blooms. Within the lotus canopy, the chàyīng gazes upward and looks downward. Advance steadily along the road toward Penglai, and dance the "Liuyao Shiba" (the name of a dance or musical performance).

Abbot Yan Yinyuan of Huating

Liu Ziwen is open-minded and sincere. Father and his two sons have all shaved their heads and left the household life, no longer clinging to outward forms of ritual practice, but embodying the wondrous method of wuwei (non-action). When the heart is pure and clear, it becomes as pure and dignified as a precious pagoda.

The Jade Elephant and the Golden Lion circled around him, walking seven rounds. Suddenly the abbot, Liu Ziwen, let out a clear, ringing sound. Liu Ziwen was naturally open and unobstructed, and he and his two sons all shaved their heads and left home to become monastics. They no longer clung to cultivation methods that had visible forms and appearances, but grasped the wondrous method of wuwei (non-action). Their minds were pure and still, like a spirit-treasure pagoda.

The Jade Elephant and the Golden Lion circled around him again, walking seven rounds. Suddenly the bells rang out crisp and clear, and the Wonder-Sound Bodhisattva (Miaoyin Pusa) appeared.

A fellow Daoist asked me, "To which school do you belong?"

When my fellow Daoist asked which school I belonged to, I answered, "A school of purity. Beyond this, I have no deliberately contrived practice." Everyone laughed and said, "This is mere empty void. What exactly are you clinging to?" So I said, "If you want to hold on to the essentials of cultivation, I will tell you: constantly gather in and settle the yi ma xin yuan (the 'horse of the mind and the ape of the heart,' a metaphor for restless, scattered thoughts). When the effort naturally matures, sweet spring waters (liquan) will well up from the earth, and sweet dew will descend from heaven."

As the spring waters welled up and the sweet dew descended, rising and falling above and below without ever ceasing, cultivation bore fruit. The waters nourished the three fields (santian, the upper, middle, and lower Dantian, the centers where jing, qi, and shen gather in the body according to Neidan practice), and the numinous vitality, like purple lingzhi fungus, began to spread outward. The roots of goodness took hold, and the shoots of wisdom emerged. Radiant light shone out, illuminating the path to the realm of the immortals, and then condensed into a single pearl of spirit that guided people toward Penglai and Yingzhou, the mythical islands of the immortals at sea.

I urged my disciples: do not exaggerate, do not exaggerate. Do not rely on external things, and do not cling to not relying on them. Seek understanding within the Dao. The cultivation that preserves life and nature is extraordinary, and the effort must be upright and solid. Those who leave home to pursue the Dao must bring out true skill. Whatever you have long been attached to, abandon it completely and at once, and focus your will single-mindedly.

I urged my disciples: do not exaggerate, do not exaggerate. Do not rely on external things, and do not cling to not relying on them. Seek understanding within the Dao. The cultivation that preserves life and nature is extraordinary, and the effort must be upright and solid. Those who leave home to pursue the Dao must bring out true skill. Whatever you have long been attached to, abandon it completely and at once. Be steadfast and single-minded, strive diligently in practice, and keep company with the immortals.

To Pei Daqi: a person who cultivates the Dao must have a good heart. Yet karmic obstacles and demonic hindrances come to disturb it, making transformation difficult. Throughout the twelve hours of the day, the mind races like a restive horse and a restless ape, and evil thoughts rise and fall without escape. Establish a firm resolve, temper yourself constantly, and root out evil thoughts completely, so that they leave no trace and no longer clash again and again. When the breath and the spirit are harmonized, and body and mind are pure, the inner elixir (neidan) is completed, and the embryonic immortal (taixian, the immortal form that appears once cultivation is accomplished) will emerge.

The Admonition of the Melon and the Plum

Practitioners, do not take the wrong path. Consider carefully: outward joy is not as good as joy within the heart.

When the heart is always clear and pure, a refined delight arises naturally, and the original nature is already full of vitality. Without sorrow, and untouched by external things, one is free and at ease. Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) shine brightly and radiate outward. Once the cultivation work is accomplished, the embryonic immortal (the immortal body formed through cultivation) appears, and one can then soar gracefully back to the azure heavens (the realm of the immortals).

The Melon and Plum Admonition

The floating wild rice is loved, while the sinking plum is feared. When the principle of the floating wild rice and the sinking plum is made clear, people will naturally grasp its meaning.

From now on, do not show off your writing, nor concern yourself with worldly ceremonies. Wander freely like water and clouds, and leave your homeland far behind.

Do not merely adorn the outer form; devote yourself to cultivating the inner self. Regulate the breath so that body and mind remain long in peace, and drink the immortal sweet wine (the fine wine drunk by immortals) that grants long life.

From now on, do not show off your writing, nor concern yourself with worldly ceremonies. Wander freely like water and clouds, and leave your homeland far behind.

Do not merely adorn the outer form; devote yourself to cultivating the inner self. Regulate the breath so that body and mind remain long in peace, and drink the immortal sweet wine that grants long life.

Again

Bitter melon, fragrant plum. Abandon the bitter and choose the sweet, and the supreme principle will naturally be understood.

Dispel ignorance (the folly that clouds the nature of the mind). Mingle with the mundane world without losing your authentic nature, and for the time being also observe worldly rites. Seek out Chang'an, passing through Huaili.

Let the heart return to a realm beyond the dust of the world, gather the breath, and nourish the inner self. In emptiness, cultivate the infant (the symbol of renewal in Daoist practice, the Yuanshen or primordial spirit), and drink the natural mysterious sweet wine (a symbolic celestial dew of the immortals).

Again

This Confucian scholar, whose family name is Li, has grasped the natural mysterious principle of non-action (Wuwei) and purity.

Summoned by the Jade Emperor (a supreme deity of Daoism), he surpasses all in the selection of the immortal realm, outdoing even Kong Li (the son of Confucius, who once asked his father about ritual) in the tale of seeking instruction on ritual. Heed my words and return to your hometown.

Dwell once more within the encircling walls and diligently cultivate the inner self. When the jasper peach ripens, the jade nectar will naturally appear, and you may drink it with pride, like Shensheng drinking the sweet wine in the old tale.

Again

Among vegetables, the mustard green is prized; among fruits, the plum is treasured. Once one comprehends the suffering of birth and death, one loses interest in exhausting the meanings of written words.

Keep a light diet, stay far from the temptations of form and sound, and grow weary of studying the Rites of Zhou (Zhou Li). Gather the Three Lights (usually the essences of the sun, moon, and stars) and let go of the Three Li (a symbolic measure of distance).

Comprehend the principles discussed by the Three Topknots (a Daoist hairstyle and its associated symbolism), and keep both inner and outer realms pure. Condense Qi and Shen, refine the Three Treasures Elixir (the internal elixir that takes Jing, Qi, and Shen as its foundation), and you will naturally receive the sweet wine bestowed by the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the supreme deities of Daoism).

Manifesting Resolve

Those who leave home to cultivate the Dao must be resolute and steadfast, and observe the rites of Zhou. Gather the Three Lights and let go of the Three Li.

Comprehend the principles discussed by the Three Topknots, and keep both inner and outer realms pure. Condense Qi and Shen, refine the Three Treasures Elixir, and you will naturally receive the immortal sweet wine bestowed by the Three Pure Ones.

Manifesting Resolve

Those who leave home to cultivate the Dao must resolve firmly, like biting down on a fire that consumes wuming (ignorance, the afflictions that obscure one's original nature and bewilder the mind), and cut through delusion. Faced with all things, they must not be led about by a stubborn will or an obstinate heart. Only then may one be called a true man of iron. Their aspiration must remain unshaken, and their spirit must not scatter.

One should recognize the examples of ancient and modern cultivators who attained the Dao and became immortal. Accumulating merit, not fearing hardship, and waiting for the right moment, they cross directly beyond the sea of birth and death and reach the other shore.

These words exhort fellow practitioners to cultivate in this way, so that they may realize the fruit of immortality.

Those who leave home to cultivate the Dao must resolve firmly to sever all worldly attachments at once.

Forget cunning calculation and cut off distracting thoughts. Devote yourself single-mindedly to the path of immortality and awaken to the Way of xingming (nature and life). Outwardly you may appear dull, but inwardly your light shines brilliantly.

Your speech, voice, smile, and bearing should be like those of a simple, honest person. Delight in poverty, and even if you sing and dance in the street, or spread a mat and hold out a bowl, you will remain at ease and content.

Practitioners must not take the wrong road. Consider carefully: outward pleasures are inferior to the joy within.

Only in stillness (qingjing) is there true joy and delight, and the smile blooms like a flower. Free from sorrow, one is not stained by external things.

Your shenqi (spirit and breath) remains calm, and your heart harbors no resentment or malice. From this arises great goodness, and you delight in saving others.

Only in stillness is there true joy and delight, and the smile blooms like a flower. Free from sorrow, one is not stained by external things.

Your shenqi remains calm, and your heart harbors no resentment or malice. From this arises great goodness: you deliver the ignorant and deluded, so that all may ascend together to Biluo, the heavenly realm.

When you encounter enmity, seek reconciliation. Wine, lust, qi (anger and the contentious desire to prevail), and wealth must all be thoroughly removed and renounced.

In cultivating the great Dao, cut away all attachments, and the heart will be free of obstruction. Do not deceive your own conscience, and do not perform spirit-tricks or feign strangeness.

When you recognize the constant and true Dao, you can roam freely and at ease. Dwelling in the state of Wuwei (non-action, accord with nature and do not presume to act), you must still cultivate compassion in your heart. Such practice and merit are unequaled.

Get along harmoniously with others and do not quarrel. Above all, do not muddle yourself with gambling, chess, and drinking.

Wind-evil illnesses growing unseen will frighten those around you, so once they are discovered, they should be treated at once. To eliminate the illness, one must brush off worldly affairs, hold fast to cultivation apart from the world, and return to the original state of purity. There is also a truly lasting peace, and when the time is ripe, it will be attained naturally.

Renouncing the Pretense of Spirit-Tricks

Feigning wildness and unrestraint is a way to free oneself from the burdens of family. Once family ties are set aside, the mind must be kept pure.

Do not perform spirit-tricks, pretend to be a good person, deceive the gods, or spread tales of ghosts and spirits. When the seasons turn, withdraw from worldly turmoil and keep to stillness. When the time is ripe, achievement will come of itself.

Renounce the pretense of spirit-tricks.

Avoiding Ostentation

Be like someone who appears a little mad, and set aside the entanglements of family. Only when you let go of family ties can your heart become pure and still.

Do not deliberately put on a show of spirits and marvels, do not pretend to be a good person, and above all do not deceive the gods or speak idly of ghosts and demons. When the weather is cold or hot, take care to avoid its harm. Once you have resolved to cultivate the Dao (the Way), there is no shame in wearing worn clothes or eating coarse, plain food. To obey the laws of the state and not violate the heavenly statutes is the proper conduct for cultivating the immortal path.

Giving Up Adornment of Appearance

Those who have left home to cultivate the Dao should not crave fine foods, nor waste resources, nor powder their faces and groom their appearance.

To eat vegetarian dishes and make steamed buns, even to shape them to imitate the soft-shelled turtle, what Daoist grace is there in that? Indulging the pleasures of the palate is not a lasting course. Plain tea and simple rice are enough to fill the belly. To be content with poverty, to live quietly, detached and at ease, has its own kind of wisdom.

An Admonition to the Daoist Who Makes the Noodles

You who make the noodles, listen to my instructions: knead the dough thoroughly, roll it thin, and then cut it into fine strands.

When you fire the stove to cook, do not delay; add fuel and fire in good time. When the noodles are cooked and their fragrance rises, wait a little longer, and they are done.

Season with moderation, keep your heart humble, and let your body be nourished. After the vegetarian meal is finished, do not let your thoughts wander, but allow your originally pure nature to manifest.

Admonishing the Drunkard

Do not indulge in drinking, do not indulge in drinking. Think of the worthy ones: how could they behave so disgracefully before officials? …I truly have no wish to blame you. Do not be willful, stop being willful.

Consider this: do not covet the cup, and do good deeds early and abundantly. Hold fast to your life, begin to preserve your body and mind, and this is the proper practice for becoming an immortal.

Verses for the Adherents of the Three Teachings

The number of the "Nine Yang" (jiuyang, a yang number concept in traditions such as Daoist Neidan, or internal alchemy) has already reached complete fulfillment. Practitioners of the three teachings, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, have just left their former dwellings.

It is the depth of spring, and fortunately we have met one another, and our hearts are especially joyful. There is no need to speak, no need for many words; we simply join hands and laugh, on and on without end. I feel that my body and mind are as free as Hanshan (Cold Mountain) and Shide (Picked-Up), the renowned Tang-dynasty monks, and that my life seems to have been recovered anew.

Words of Truth

Do not long for fame, and do not discuss profit. Toward wine, sex, qi (vital energy), and wealth, hold no attachment.

Admonishing Monks and Daoists to Harmony

Set aside all the affairs of the human world. Do not worry over them, and do not cling to worldly tasks. If you wish to attain the Way of Quanzhen (Complete Perfection, the practice in which body and mind accord with the True Dao), you must nurture your primordial qi (yuánqì).

In stillness and clarity, let the "Tiger" and the "Dragon" within the body (symbols in Daoist internal alchemy, neidan, for the elements of Yin-Yang, jing, and qi) transform and circulate with one another. Follow what is natural, and harmonize their movement within body and mind. Then the embryonic immortal (shèngtāi, the sacred embryo that internal alchemy describes) will form and emerge from its shell.

Admonishing Monks and Daoists to Harmony

Daoists slander the Buddhist monks, and the monks slander the Daoists. I urge both monks and Daoists to stop this perverse contention.

What should those who have left home for cultivation do in the first place? They should awaken early to the Way of nature and life (xìngmìng zhī dào, the cultivation of one's inner nature and vital life). They should carefully investigate the principles that the two traditions share and seek out their profound mysteries.

Cultivate jing (essence), qi (vital energy), and shen (spirit), and condense them into the Three Treasures (sānbǎo). When your true nature unites with the Dao, you will ascend to the Tushita Heaven (a heavenly realm borrowed from Buddhist cosmology), and your numinous spirit will hasten to the isle of Penglai.

Admonishing Monks and Daoists to Harmony

Daoists slander the Buddhist monks, and the monks slander the Daoists. I urge both monks and Daoists to stop this perverse contention.

What should those who have left home for cultivation do in the first place? They should awaken early to the Way of nature and life. They should carefully investigate the principles that the two traditions share and seek out their profound mysteries.

Cultivate jing, qi, and shen, and condense them into the Three Treasures. When your true nature unites with the Dao, you will ascend to the Tushita Heaven, and your numinous spirit will hasten to the isle of Penglai.

On Restraining Ostentation

Those who have left home to cultivate the Dao, listen carefully: do not build your dwelling to be lavish or splendid.

If you build gardens and pavilions to delight the eye, how are you different from ordinary people? If someone asks you, "What does the Daoist way of practice look like?" the answer should be: bamboo fences and thatched huts, with brushwood gates worn and old, and clothing of paper-padded jackets and hempen robes. This is the Daoist way of life.

To Master Zhao

Those who have left home to cultivate the Dao should restrain and refine themselves. Everyone wants to subdue others and to compete for dominance.

Yet the karmic offenses accumulated in the past are heavy, and they cannot be wholly erased all at once. I hope you will open the knot in your heart and recognize this early.

In the end, all things are empty. Why contend? Refining away attachment to the self is the true work of cultivation. If you persist in this, you will at last attain the right fruit (zhèngguǒ).

Exhorting Disciples to Seek the Way

Those who cultivate the Dao must remove deluded thoughts. Reflect carefully, and the good conditions of cultivation will gradually appear.

Leave me early, and go seek the Dao and study Chan. I am not worth relying on. In the city of Chang'an there is a worthy master,

Mr. Guyue, known to people as the "Sheepskin Master." You should serve him with reverence and learn from him methods for nourishing body and mind. The good conditions of cultivation will gradually appear.

Leave me early, and go seek the Dao and study Chan. I am not worth relying on. In the city of Chang'an there is a worthy master,

Mr. Guyue, known to people as the "Sheepskin Master." You should serve him with reverence and learn from him methods for nourishing body and mind.

To Dharma Master Guo

Lamenting the World

Ma Feng (as he calls himself) was wandering about when he passed through Jingyuan Town. There, local bowmen fabricated charges against him and harassed him without cause. They seized him, held him as a suspect, and did not even allow him a chance to defend himself. He was angered, yet had no means to respond.

Later the case was heard at Guoluo (a place name), where he suffered detention and restraint. Had no guarantor (a person who vouches for the detained) stepped forward, and had the official Lord Guo not shown him favor, there is no telling when he would have been released.

Lamenting the World

Alas, people's understanding is shallow. They only know how to accumulate wealth in the tens of thousands, believing that the more riches they have the better, and never consider that when the great limit arrives, their fortunes will collapse like a mountain toppling or an egg shattering, turning to nothing in an instant. If one can awaken, one should set down the burdens of household property, stop reckoning over external things again and again, and turn instead toward cultivation beyond the mundane world. Refining jing (essence), qi (vital energy), and shen (spirit), the vital elements that Daoist inner cultivation prizes, keeps the mind clear, and one may become a companion in the immortal realm of Penglai.

Again

To one who has penetrated the truth, the beauty of Xi Shi and the handsomeness of Pan An are no more than a laughable empty appearance. The human body is merely the temporary aggregation of elements such as wind, water, and earth, and in the end it cannot escape the grave. May people awaken early and understand that a neat and respectable outward appearance is of no real benefit. Only through inner cultivation and deep practice can one bring the Way of xingming shuangxiu (dual cultivation of nature and life) to complete clarity and fullness.

Presented to Mr. Zhang

Mr. Zhang's personal name was Wuyu, and his style name (courtesy name, taken upon reaching adulthood) was Wuzheng. He was naturally unlike worldly people. His Daoist title was Wuchen ("Without Dust"). He delighted in poverty and dwelt alone in peace. "Gold within jade, jade within gold" symbolizes the harmonious fusion of jade-like jing and gold-like qi, which gives off a clear and gentle breath. Once the Great Elixir (dadan), the realm attained through Neidan (internal alchemy), is complete, he can calmly ride his cloud chariot and enjoy the blessings of the immortal isles of Penglai and Yingzhou.

Lamenting the World

Alas, people are too eager to show off and compete. When you hold power, do not mock those who have lost theirs, for who knows whether the person who is now defeated was once as proud as you are? Fleeting fame and fleeting profit are like drifting clouds, and neither is a lasting plan. One should instead reflect on the great matter of life and death, seek the Great Way, study Chan (Zen) teachings, and cultivate changsheng jiushi (long life and enduring vision), that is, lasting existence and a clear view of worldly affairs.

Presented to Daoist Master Song of Wendeng

Master Song upholds the fulu (talismans and registers) and the Daoist ordination of the Fa-registers, and he relieves illness and suffering. This shows that his family learning is deep and his practice has produced notable results. He should devote himself all the more to cultivating the real, and recognize the root of qi and shen. Refine mercury and lead (symbolic terms in alchemy), and harmonize the Dragon and the Tiger (symbols of the interaction of yin and yang and of vital energies in internal cultivation).

Wood and metal interlock and separate, and water flows through zi and wu (the north-south axis, the rising and falling of yin and yang in Neidan (internal alchemy)). Follow what is natural, and it condenses into a spirit pearl, which can point toward the immortal realm of Penglai and return there.

Presented to Li Jin of Yidu Prefecture

The Duke of Longxi, named Qubing, with courtesy name Quhua, harmonizes the Dragon and the Tiger (Neidan terms for harmonizing yin and yang, and water and fire).

Wood and metal interlock and separate, and water flows through zi and wu. Follow what is natural, and it condenses into a spirit pearl, which can point toward the immortal realm of Penglai and return there.

Presented to Li Jin of Yidu Prefecture

The Duke of Longxi, named Qubing, with courtesy name Quhua and Daoist name Quchen, is the most essential. Once you awaken and let go of all attachments, you should cultivate nature and life (the mind-nature and the life-force in Daoist thought). Keep the mind always clear and bright, and the intention always pure.

Your Dharma name should also be revised to unite with the Valley Spirit (Gushen, the primordial spirit in Daoist thought that is empty, still, and inexhaustible). The name "Tongyi" (Pervading the One) suits you well, and the courtesy name "Xianqing" (Immortal Minister) is also fitting.

Lamenting the World

How pitiful the people of the world are, calculating so clumsily. They vie for the empty fame of a snail's horn and chase the tiny profits of a fly's head.

Once they win a little advantage, they soon mock others as inferior to themselves. They argue over right and wrong and idly generate resentment.

How could they understand that cultivation can transcend the mundane and leave the dust of the world behind? To complete nature and life, one needs only a little genuine effort, and one can secure a rank among the immortals of Penglai.

Again

Few who support their households ever awaken. Everyone thinks themselves clever, yet they are stingy, greedy, and narrow-minded.

Even a great family fortune causes fear when it must be abandoned, yet people do not hesitate to risk their lives to compete for it. Life is what matters most to oneself.

When the breath stops, the body turns to dust and earth. I hope people awaken early and cultivate diligently, guarding breath and spirit, so that they may hope to reach the state of immortality.

Presented to Ma Yandu

Two in-laws, both of you should awaken. Regard what you once treasured as fearsome as a fierce tiger.

Recognize the pure household custom of Wuwei (non-forcing, non-contrivance), in which there is not a trace of artifice. Do not be greedy or stingy, and do not let joy and anger sway you.

Regulate your breathing, and continually nourish body and mind through inner cultivation without interruption. When your practice is complete and your merit is achieved, you will together ride the clouds and depart.

Presented to Master Lingyi

Mr. He, listen carefully. You have not yet reached the stage of letting your hair fall loose, so for now wear it in a topknot.

Nor is it yet time to beg for leftover scraps. After you awaken, I will permit you to do so. Cultivate firmness of mind and wisdom, and enter the first stage (the initial level of the cultivation ladder).

Master Yinhe Wrote This Lyric to Send to His Fellow Villagers When He Went to Ninghai

Relying on an inner mind that is untainted and unentangled by external things, one takes non-action (Wuwei) as the root of life. When the mind is clear and still, one can penetrate the mysterious principle and ultimately accord with the Way of becoming an immortal.

Urge your fellow villagers to awaken in time: the floating profits and fame of the world are unstable and cannot last.

Wife and children are like walking dry bones, and the self will also decay in the end. One should turn back early and take up the true path of cultivation.

Those who study cultivation should awaken: the floating profits and fame of the world are unstable and cannot last.

Wife and children are like walking dry bones, and the self will also decay in the end. One should turn back early and take up the true path of cultivation.

Learn from Ma Feng (Ma Yu, a figure of the Quanzhen school) and return serenely to the Dao. Leave the dust of the world behind, cultivate the field of the heart, and become a companion of the immortals.

For Master Wei

□ Gongqing, □ huo xi. □ void and still, the tiger follows the dragon to rest.

□ lotus blossoms, surpassing all other flowers; □ acting in accord with conditions, aiding the multitudes. Awaken and turn back, and joy will arise from the heart.

□ formula emphasizes non-action and purity, and naturally penetrates the mysterious. □ one has what one attains, and need not seek anything else; □ person need not avoid anything.

Beginning by splitting the character "wei."

"White Guanyin" was originally named Bai Hezi (White Crane Master).

For Wu Zhigang

He jokingly calls himself "Not Diligent" and his name is "One Who Nourishes Clumsiness." He is too lazy to raise his arms when dressing and too lazy to open his mouth when eating.

He only seeks water to wash when his face is dirty, and his hair is tangled, yet he cannot be bothered to wrap it in a headscarf. He no longer dreams of the toil of the mortal world, having already thoroughly awakened to its truth.

Another Poem

The method for long nourishment and attaining longevity is to forget all the affairs of the world. Hold fast to the thoughts so that the mind-monkey is easily calmed; prevent the thoughts from racing so that the intention-horse does not run wild.

Lead the tiger into the dragon's cave, and bring the dragon to dwell in the tiger's chamber. When the two forces unite as one, one may ride a crane to the immortal isle of Penglai.

Miraculous Formula of the Wild Goose Spirit, Originally Named Shuangyan'er

Respectfully Composed to the Rhyme of My Master Chongyang

Fortunate to have met Fengxian (a Daoist title for immortals), I left the Dongzhou region. With no worries in my heart, I wander freely, sing without restraint, and enjoy the true joy of cultivating the Dao.

The causes and conditions of the mortal world are now concluded. Imitating Tian Dan, who used fire-oxen to defeat the enemy, I drive the qi of metal and wood and reverse their circulation.

The great elixir (the elixir produced by internal alchemy, Neidan) shines forth clearly, and one need not force the cultivation. Amid the delusive ford, it is like a ferry boat.

End of Volume Eight of the Dongxuan Jinyu Ji (Collection of Gold and Jade of the Cavern Mystery)

Volume Nine

"Wuling Miaoxian" (Wondrous Immortals of the Five Spirits), Borrowing the Rhyme of Liu's Lyrics

When Ma Feng met Chongyang Zhenren (Perfected Chongyang, Wang Zhe) at Ninghai, it was the eighteenth day. Outwardly he appeared simple and honest, but inwardly he was quick-witted and nimble, able to cut off the Six Dusts (liuchen), the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental objects that draw people into worldly attachment.

From then on he was carefree and at ease, his heart open and joyful. He wandered among mountains and rivers, walking the jade-bright immortal road, smooth and clear as ice, and in doing so repaired the incompleteness of Heaven and Earth.

He cultivated his practice, gathering the Five-Colored Qi and tending the snow of the True Yang (zhenyang) within his body. He harmonized the Dragon and Tiger (longhu), a common image for the Yin and Yang breaths in the body, opened the passes and cleared the joints and channels, and so attained true joy.

Look: the clear sky is pure and bright, round and upright, shining with light. That moon of the Yuanshen (yuanshen, the primordial spirit) is none other than one's own mind.

Presented to the Peng-Ying Sanren (Scattered Immortal of Penglai and Yingzhou)

May the worthy one add years to his life, his household be abundant, and he be able to give widely of his wealth. May his children and grandchildren be filialous and each be clever and quick, and in the end all transcend the mortal world.

Following the example of Pang Gong and the whole Xu family, who awakened together, may your household ascend to the far shore together, the road of long life level and clear. Coming and going in play, heavenly flowers fall before you like auspicious snow; the golden stalk stands tall and beautiful, unbranched and unbroken. From this, may you come to know the joy within it.

This is the pure realm proper to a spirit child. True joy is boundless, free of sorrow and worry, and you need only chant of the clear wind and bright moon in the crimson heavens (jiangxiao).

Presented to Mr. Zhao the Eighth

Ma Feng composed these lyrics and respectfully presented them to Mr. Zhao the Eighth of Zhenning. You constantly guard stillness, and your heart is spiritually clear and quick. Joy naturally dwells within it.

This is the pure realm proper to a spirit child. True joy is boundless, free of sorrow and worry, and you need only chant of the clear wind and bright moon in the crimson heavens.

Presented to Mr. Zhao the Eighth

Ma Feng composed these lyrics and respectfully presented them to Mr. Zhao the Eighth of Zhenning. You constantly guard stillness, and your spirit is clear and quick, having cut off the "monkey mind and horse thoughts" (xin yuan yi ma, an image for a scattered mind that is hard to restrain).

Dwelling in the realm of non-action and non-doing (wuwei wuzuo), you penetrate the profound principle and drink the sweet dew of the jade elixir. Its flavor is fragrant and sweet, full and complete, without waxing or waning.

Spirit and qi (shen qi) naturally become full and abundant. Even sleeping on ice or lying in snow, one feels no intrusion from cold or heat and is not bound by the changing seasons. This state is joyful.

One understands it personally, within one's own heart, and its principle is difficult to explain in words. Body and mind are carefree and open, and the inner mind is clear and luminous, like a true moon shining in a grotto-heaven (dongtian).

Presented to Gentleman Dan of Fufeng County

After awakening to the Dao, one subdues attachment to the self, walks into the street to beg for food, and moves lightly and gracefully, seeming foolish. All worries in the heart are cut off.

Within the pure realm, one enjoys freely, as if sipping a small dose of medicine, what Daoist alchemy calls daogui (a small measure, referring to a little elixir). The lingtai (the seat of the mind-spirit) is bright and clear, showing a naturally pure and unblemished state that has never been diminished.

Within the jade furnace and golden cauldron, huangya baixue (yellow sprouts and white snow, a metaphor in inner alchemy for the transformation of essence and qi) is forming. The zhen longhu (true dragon and tiger, symbols of yin and yang qi in inner alchemy) coil and intertwine, and the chanü (the young woman) and the yinger (the infant), metaphors for yin and yang essence, respond to each other with joy.

With Mount Kunlun carried on the head, one breaks through the clouds and mist. Between heaven and earth there seems to be no distinction of day and night, and only one bright moon shines constantly.

Presented to Fellow Daoists

Ma Feng earnestly admonishes his fellow Daoists not to be infatuated with false external things, but to hold fast to the true practice within, so that it may endure.

The true work of cultivation lies entirely in a pure and quiet intention. One must subdue the xin yuan (the mind-monkey) and bind the yi ma (the mind-horse), metaphors for gathering scattered mental activity, and not let them wander even for a moment, so as to reach a state without leakage or dissipation.

When qi and spirit join, cinnabar forms. Signs appear within the formless and reveal themselves naturally. These principles of existence and non-existence can all be discussed.

This profound and mysterious principle, subtle and hard to express, lets one comprehend it in peace. It was in fact all transmitted secretly by a true master.

"Playing with Cinnabar," originally titled "Huanxisha" (Silk-Washing Stream)

In Praise of Uncle Yuchan Puming Chengji, on the Passing of Perfected He Gong

Dwelling in simple emptiness and gathering the void, where would there still be any distinction of north, south, east, or west? The subtle principle of dansha (cinnabar) lies within a laughing conversation.

Nature and life are not governed by heaven and earth. With a single word of farewell, he bids farewell to Shantong (Ma Yu's self-designation), mounts the yulun (a winged chariot used by immortals), and speeds away toward Penggong (the immortal palace).

Arousing Compassion

Ma Yu often encouraged himself with the deeds of the Buddhist tradition. Compassion arose within his heart of wuwei (non-action), and whenever he heard of suffering, he went to help, taking this as his practice.

He regarded all men and women as he would his own parents. Seeing them caught in mortal peril, he sought all the more to save them, building a ladder to heaven for them. Then he mounted the yulun and sped away toward Penggong.

Establishing the Ladder of Law

Ma Yu often took the Buddha's teaching of salvation as the standard for his conduct. Within a heart of non-action (wuwei), compassion arose, and when he heard the cries of living beings for help, he took the relief of suffering and the rescue of those in distress as his cultivation.

Men and women of the world should all be regarded as parents. When one sees them caught in peril and the danger of life and death, one should build for them a stairway leading to the heavens.

Establishing the Ladder of Law

Build the true Ladder of Law that leads to the heavens. It has no form or shadow and no foundation, yet it is a shortcut leading straight into the realm of non-action.

To be at ease and free is what true living means. By constantly preserving stillness and tranquility and dwelling in xiyi (the subtle, silent realm that cannot be perceived), one attains joy. In this way one accords naturally with Heaven and Earth, and all things return to unity.

Presented to Master Yu

The bright lamp of one's nature shines with radiance, like a jade vessel full of light. The fragrance in the heart is rich and abundant, like incense smoke curling from a golden censer. When one drinks a daoquan (an ancient alchemical term for a small measure of elixir or medicinal liquid), one becomes intoxicated with zhenru (True Suchness, the real and unfailing original nature).

Galloping a horse in front of the Huajiao Tower, riding a donkey backward through the county of Huayin, the five-spirit youths hold the divine pearl in their hands.

Presented to Master Hao

Thoroughly awakened, one sees life as a floating cloud and no longer clings to home and family. Cultivating the Mahayana Way, one keeps a calm bearing and does not indulge in extravagance. Having penetrated the profound and mysterious, one does not boast of it.

With deep virtue one builds the work of true cultivation, and takes the refining and nourishing of the Great Elixir as a noble way of life. When the work is complete, one steps into the realm of clouds and mists of the immortals.

Presented to a Daoist Below the Hall

Do not listen to idle talk about right and wrong, and do not constantly debate it yourself. Such words and deeds secretly harm the merit of one's cultivation and one's vital energy.

The tongue is the root of calamity and must be held firmly in check. If one seldom opens the gate that invites trouble, this naturally helps one's nature and life endure.

Self-Chanting

I, this mountain-dweller (Ma Yu's self-designation), have broken my precepts and still speak these words. My eating and drinking lack propriety, and I feel no shame. Lately I especially enjoy drinking the qiongjiang (the sweet elixir-liquid spoken of by immortals).

Mysterious jade and mysterious gold fill the precious cauldron, and the zhennan and zhennü (true male and true female, symbols of yin and yang in internal alchemy) fill the alchemical chamber. Still I greedily hope to dwell in the immortal isle of Penglai.

Self-Chanting

I, this mountain-dweller, have broken my precepts and still speak these words. My eating and drinking lack propriety, and I feel no shame. Lately I especially enjoy drinking the qiongjiang.

Mysterious jade and mysterious gold fill the precious cauldron, and the true male and true female fill the alchemical chamber. Still I greedily hope to dwell in the immortal isle of Penglai.

Expressing My Feelings

Has the joy of the outside world ever shaken my inner heart? The state within cannot be expressed in words and can only be understood in silence. Its sounds are clear and refined, as if they had entered the jade forest of the immortals.

One who truly knows how to listen must hear the sound that cannot be heard. Like the deaf and the blind, unmoved by sound and color, one is able to find it. Only then will the immortals and Buddhas become one's true companions.

Presented to Masters Gan and Zhang

By keeping to pure non-action and stillness, one guards the hidden mystery. Golden waves of light and jade-colored radiance condense into the daoquan. The principle is wondrous and profound, subtle and difficult to fathom.

Seizing the profound, dim, and ineffable state, one can draw from it, benefit from it, and use it freely, cultivating in the void the infant of transformation (a symbol of the inner elixir achieved through cultivation).

To Master Zhu

After a full meal of fragrant wild-herb broth, beside the stream and facing the bamboo grove, one chants and responds in verse at ease. One may also circulate the Jia and Geng (Heavenly Stems, here referring to the circulation of yin-yang and qi in cultivation).

What is the true daily practice of a Daoist? At midday, one is as unceasing as the watchman's drum, day and night. The tilling reaches to the edge of the clouds, and the moon is cultivated along with it.

To Yuwa of Ninghai

The Water Dog (an image in Daoist inner alchemy) exhales smoke that veils the jade pavilion. The Fire Ox (an image in inner alchemy) enters the sea and sows seed in the field of immortal fungus. Among the petals of the white lotus, the blue lotus appears again.

The blue-eyed Hu monk (a figure with distinctive features) has eyebrows that hang down to the ground, while the horn of the white hare thrusts straight up into the sky. The perfect form of the Tathagata is already complete in itself.

To the Daoist Below the Hall

Abandon the burdens of household property, and even more, abandon attachment to the self. This does not mean sacrificing the body as one would feed a tiger or rescue a starving hawk. Rather, one sees through this illusory body and so forgets the bondage of form.

Disregard the worldly judgment of shame. Remain untainted and unentangled, carefree and open, with qi and spirit clear and bright. Then the true Buddha within the heart will reveal its light.

To Li Jichuan of Huating

Of the eleven of us, one has already come. The other ten are still held back by their karmic bonds, yet they have not lost heart. Do not stumble and fall back into the cycle of rebirth.

Enter the Mysterious Gate early and leave the sea of suffering. Refine qi calmly and nurture the spirit embryo (the term in inner alchemy for the essence that is cultivated). When the practice is complete, we shall travel together to Penglai (a legendary immortal mountain).

To Immortal Zhang

Cultivation must be resolute and decisive before one deserves the name of a great person. Only with single-minded devotion can one avoid falling into the Three Evil Paths (the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals of Buddhist teaching), remaining pure as ice and jade, undefiled by dust.

Within the pot-heaven (a symbolic realm of inner alchemy), the head seems to hang in empty space, and one laughs with joy. The handle of the Dipper turns and unfolds within the pot. When the Nine-Turn Elixir is complete, one rides the cloud-chariot upward.

To Masters Wang and Liu

Do not treat cultivation as a trivial matter. When the body is at leisure, it is better that the mind truly settle. In circulating the sun and moon (a metaphor in inner alchemy for the movement of yin and yang qi), do not let the practice pause.

Nurture the Lower Elixir (the inner elixir within the Lower Dantian) and do not let it leak away. Then transfer it to the Crimson Gate (a bodily location or palace image in Daoist inner alchemy) and refine the Middle Elixir. Finally, fill the Upper Numinous Palace so that all Three Elixirs (lower, middle, and upper) are complete.

Again Using the Earlier Rhymes

Even after the Three Elixirs are formed, one must not grow slack. Only when the mortal body is transformed and one enters the realm of the Dao does one truly understand stillness and purity. True joy and happiness lie within this real stillness.

The upper, middle, and lower Dantian (Dantian) are linked and cultivated together. When the work is complete, the divine elixir appears, and the embryonic immortal (the immortal child formed through cultivation) presents the Purple Golden Elixir.

Presented to a Daoist Below the Hall

A mind that harbors evil intent and stubbornly clings to its ways will breed all kinds of turmoil. Speaking with an open mouth and wagging the tongue in debate easily invites quarrels and disputes. Harming others also harms oneself, and faults arise from this quietly.

Those skilled in argument often fail to act well, while the good-hearted do not contend with others, and goodwill thereby grows. The superior person who reaches the realm of non-striving can attain long life.

Presented to Mr. Yan

Abandon glory and wealth, dwell beyond the worldly realm, and labor at the most subtle points. Within the Kan-Li Palace (a Daoist internal alchemy term referring to the place in the body where Yin and Yang meet), circulate the clear and empty Qi (qi).

Strike the jade teeth in the mouth of a fierce tiger, and seize the divine pearl beneath the chin of a black dragon. Only one who possesses such skill in cultivation may truly be called my disciple.

Equality Gathering, originally named Gathering of Longing

Following the Ancient Rhyme

I sing as the words come, not necessarily matching the melody, and not troubling over whether the tones are exact. I simply give free rein to my feelings and let others laugh at me as they will.

The aspiration of cultivation is to return to youth and be free of worry and vexation. Labor toward the mysterious, searching, examining closely, and verifying.

Drink freely of the jade nectar (the sweet spiritual fluid spoken of by the immortal traditions) until the Yuan Qi (yuanqi) is full and abundant. Refine the divine elixir, regardless of its size.

Once the embryonic immortal has been nourished, it can present the lingzhi herb. At that point, one may naturally make oneself known: when this work is accomplished, one has attained the Dao (Dao).

Heaven Within the Cavern, originally titled "Partridge Sky"

Sent to Ma Yunfu

Abstain from gambling and from wine, and do not stand surety for others. Reduce the desires of the heart and the greed of the mundane world. To search out one's own faults is the way to lasting benefit; to refrain from picking at the faults of others brings good fortune.

Do not be stirred by favor or disgrace, and find joy in poverty. Cultivate the nature and cherish the spirit. If you practice steadily in this way, your work will succeed, and the bright moon and the clear breeze will become true friends.

Presented to Mr. Yuan

When one suddenly thinks of fleeting glory and favor, the heart is pained; a moment of prominence may in the end give way to decline and sinking. How can this compare with the Daoist practitioner who transcends the mundane world and roams at ease? And how can it be likened to those in the world who seem free yet are bound?

Put aside worldly distractions and be content with stillness and simple poverty. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, be at ease and self-satisfied. Refine the elixir of long life within the Jade Cauldron (yuding), and guard the undying true primal energy within the Golden Furnace.

To Zhaoranzi

I urge you not to linger any longer at the lost ferry crossing. Put on the Huayang headcloth (a headscarf worn by Daoist priests) and shed the dust-laden garments of the secular world. Do not be a passing guest sinking into the mundane world. Be a cultivator who roams freely beyond it.

Cultivate your De (Virtue) and steady your Shen (Spirit), so that the Dragon and Tiger (symbols of the Yin-Yang forces and the Jing and Qi of internal alchemy, or Neidan) coil and blend, and your breath circulates without pause. Mercury and lead (alchemical terms often used as metaphors for the Yin-Yang essences within the body) will naturally be refined into the elixir. After that, you may ride a crane up through the clouds and pay homage to the Utmost Authentic (the supreme true Dao).

Elixir Well of the Quanzhen Hermitage

The well should be dug to a depth of eighteen zhang (a traditional unit of length), until sweet, clear spring water wells up naturally, pure and pleasing. It is also hoped that this well can be used to heal illness and become an Elixir Well, in keeping with the aspiration of Shantong to bring universal salvation to all beings.

When people heed this counsel, they become kindred spirits and together pursue the profound purport of Chongyang (Wang Chongyang). Breaths like the purple fungus (a symbol of auspicious omens) give rise to many forms, and the blue-eyed True Suchness (a state of pure and genuine realization) rises high above the precious peak.

To the Tune "Yu Lou Chun," Using the Rhymes of a Willow Poem

To Yunzhongzi

Within the cavern-heaven there is no night and no day, and often red light and purple mist rise. Spirit waves enfold the Golden Turtle (a mythical tortoise), and from its back hang countless silver threads.

Two streams of spirit energy ride the wind with strength, and Li and Kan (the trigrams for fire and water, also standing for Yin and Yang) join and convey secret messages. Probe deeply into the most subtle workings of creation, and one who truly grasps the method will understand how to employ the numbers of Qi through inverted means.

To Changchunzi

Why pursue wealth and rank, or try to win fame through writing as Bai Juyi did? Studying the Way of Xingming (nature and life) is the finest path in life, and guarding the root of life is the true vocation.

To keep essential secrets hidden deeply is the supreme method of the mysterious Dao. How could one boast of them before others? Drink a thousand cups of the elixir of jade liquid, and share them with immortal companions who keep company with the clouds and mists, drinking until one is delighted and intoxicated.

To Changanzi

Within the cavern-heaven, sun and moon move on without distinction of morning or evening, and bright cloud-paths lead straight to the precious Way. Above, a purple brain-marrow receives the Three Pure Ones (the three supreme deities revered in Daoism), and below, it shines onto the Yellow River, whose waters often take on five colors.

Clouds and mist naturally gathered into exquisite, delicate dwellings, and within them dwelt immortal guests from the Three Isles of Eternal Life. He had not yet shown any trace of having left beyond the clouds, yet he had already arrived before my eyes, displaying wondrous omens.

To Changzhenzi

When one comprehends thoroughly within stillness and purity, auspicious signs will come, enough to make one a true descendant of the Wind Immortals. Extensively gather and refine the "White Snow" (baixue) and the "Yellow Sprout" (huangya), terms from internal alchemy (Neidan) for the refined essences used in the alchemical work. Then cook the divine elixir with the proper firing times, until the cauldron seethes.

Nourish it with the Spirit Child (lingtong), the internal alchemical term for the vital essence or primal spirit within the body, moistening it as with jade liquor. Your grasp of the mysterious principles is true and exact. You know well that in heaven only two or three years have passed, while on earth ten thousand years have quietly slipped away.

Presented to Mr. Zhang of Panxi

Refine the Primal Yang (yuanyang), the yang energy innate in the human body, so that golden light appears in the celestial gate, and do not let the dark demons come to steal it. Keep constantly to purity and stillness, and results will follow of themselves. Once the divine elixir is formed, it becomes lasting and firm and does not leak away.

A heart at leisure and at rest, clear as ice and snow, will of itself attain longevity and remain unworn by the passing years. Because Li and Kan (the Fire and Water trigrams of the Bagua) have been harmonized, and the Tiger and Dragon (the corresponding yin and yang energies in internal alchemy) have been joined, self-attachment is dissolved and the restless mind is subdued.

Penglai Pavilion, originally titled "Moon over the Qin Tower"

Presented to Huajiao Bai T Erweng 5

Mr. Tan, you should quickly welcome the carefree traveler from beyond the mundane world. The carefree traveler has come specifically to instruct and enlighten, and fortunately nothing has obstructed the way.

Burn the boats and nets. This matter should not be conjectured at random.

Penglai Pavilion, originally titled "Moon over the Qin Tower"

Presented to Huajiao Bai T Erweng 5

Mr. Tan, you should quickly welcome the carefree traveler from beyond the mundane world. The carefree traveler has come specifically to instruct and enlighten, and fortunately nothing has obstructed the way.

Burn the boats and nets. This matter should not be conjectured at random. Its praises, proclaimed in every direction, are also beyond the power of words to describe. Where words fail, one should hold fast to the former practice and continue to deepen one's work.

Again

Quickly enter the Mysterious Gate and become a wise, clear-minded person. The wise, clear-minded person has a serene and lucid mind, like bright moonlight, unshadowed by clouds and mist.

The mystery of birth and death cannot be measured by anyone. If you follow what I say and cultivate the Way, you can transcend and escape being drowned in the world. Having transcended it, let the Tiger and Dragon each keep its place, let the nature settle, and let the vital breath come to rest.

Presented to Mr. Tan

Master Yu, you should quickly set your mind on the life of the boat. The people on the boats make their living by killing fish and shrimp, and the roots of their karmic transgressions are not absent.

Do not idly speculate on my words. Quickly burn the boats and nets, lest the wronged spirits continue to drown. To save all these sentient creatures, one must cause the breath to pass through to the heels.

The torment of body and mind is urgent, and it presses hard on those who are caught in hardship. Those in such hardship are bound by family cares, such as wife and children, and by all manner of demonic obstacles (mozhang, the impediments on the path of cultivation), as though separated by a lofty, mysterious wall that is hard to cross.

To meet me is to bring the method of coolness, so that this dividing wall no longer obstructs. Do not speculate wildly about my words. Quickly burn the boat and the net, lest the restless spirits drown. To say that spirits drown means that one must preserve the spiritual essence (lingxing zhi wu) so that the breath at the heel is made to flow through.

Again:

The torment of body and mind is urgent, and it presses hard on those who are caught in hardship. Those in such hardship are bound by family cares, such as wife and children, and by demonic obstacles, as though separated by a lofty, mysterious wall that is hard to cross.

To meet me is to comprehend the Way of coolness. On the path of coolness, there is always the danger of drowning. To be spared from drowning, one must make the breath flow smoothly and calmly, so that the respiration is balanced and continuous.

Presented to Gentleman Tan:

Everyone is anxious, and everyone is like a traveler on the sea. The traveler on the boat is entangled by karmic conditions (yeyuan, the ties formed by past actions), and is long governed by them. The fortunate connections are thereby blocked.

To meet me, I will urge you to examine deeply the principle within this. Only by burning the boat and the net can one escape the predicament. Otherwise one will drown and be unable to accomplish anything. To be spared from this drowning, one must accumulate blessings and do good, so that fortunate connections grow and karmic conditions cease.

Again:

□ monkey restlessly stirs; when the □ monkey is still, one is truly a practitioner. The true practitioner receives the wondrous methods by oral transmission, yet between □ and gold there remains a barrier.

The true practice of cultivation cannot be fathomed by ordinary people. □ pearl is bright and clean, undefiled by dust. To be spared from drowning in dust, one must □ kindle the spirit flame so that □ dissipates and comes to rest. The above text arises from dismantling the character for "heart" (xin).

In Praise of Chongyang Zhenren (Perfected Chongyang):

Having left the western deserts, Chongyang Zhenren arrived at Penglai Pavilion. Auspicious light floated above Penglai Pavilion, and it indeed shone all around.

He expounded the scriptures and classics, surpassing the healing of medicine. The Dao-honored is by nature a stern teacher, and his instruction does not indulge. The stern teacher is so because he returns those who are deviant and wayward to the orthodox path, enabling them to ascend to the azure heavens (biluo, referring to the realms of the immortals).

Expressing My Feelings:

Having left the desert, I suddenly forgot my quarters in the NingHai garrison. After leaving the quarters of the army, I no longer look back on the past, and my mind is clear and open, like facing a bright sky.

By gathering and condensing in emptiness, one can refine the pill (a metaphor for inner alchemy, neidan). Even when the tiger and dragon (in inner alchemy, commonly used to denote the yin and yang breaths) surge fiercely, I let them be so. The Dao-honored is by nature a stern teacher, and his instruction does not indulge. The stern teacher is so because he returns those who are deviant and wayward to the orthodox path, enabling them to ascend to the azure heavens.

Expressing My Feelings:

Having left the desert, I suddenly forgot my quarters in the NingHai garrison. After leaving the quarters of the army, I no longer look back on the past, and my mind is clear and open, like facing a bright sky.

By gathering and condensing in emptiness, one can refine the pill. Even when the tiger and dragon roar and surge, I let them be so. To let them surge is to urge people toward the Dao and to rescue them from peril.

In Praise of Yin Zhenren:

Where Yin Zhenren dwells, there is no misty haze of smoke and dust. In the Flying Immortal Pavilion of the Jixian Monastery, the pavilion rises high. The Flying Immortal Pavilion is majestic and lofty, towering into the clouds, as though half of it has already reached into the sky.

Yin Zhen's dharma body (fati) is round and square like a spirit elixir. When people hold reverence in their hearts, they can dispel all evils. Once evils are dispelled, the numinous nature that was originally whole is preserved and kept from drifting away.

Yin Zhen (a personal name) refers to a dharma body (fati), the state of body and mind attained through cultivation, which is complete and harmonious, like a spirit medicine. If people hold reverence in their hearts, they can eliminate all kinds of evil thoughts and faults. Only by eliminating all evils can one preserve the numinous nature (lingwu) that was originally present and keep it from being scattered.

Chanting on the Sea Mirage

Clouds and mist hang thick, and pavilions appear within red light and purple haze. Above the pavilions, luan birds soar and phoenixes dance, and immortals come and go in a jade-like paradise.

The immortals' procession welcomes the elixir (dan). Amid the shifting of emptiness, the dragon shows a sign of peril. When the dragon shows its perilous sign, the Three Isles of Penglai (legendary mountains in the sea) stretch out beneath the blue sky.

Written in Response to Zhang Xiuzu's Palace Examination Rhymes

Eager to return home, a dispatch sent from Guanxi reaches the guest from Shandong. The Shandong guest is more than three thousand li away, with layers of mountain passes in between.

Back then, people vainly regarded matters as perilous. The dragon showed its perilous sign, and the Three Isles of Penglai stretched out beneath the blue sky.

Written in Response to Zhang Xiuzu's Palace Examination Rhymes

Eager to return home, a dispatch sent from Guanxi reaches the guest from Shandong. The Shandong guest is more than three thousand li away, with layers of mountain passes in between.

Back then I vainly fretted and speculated; now it is as though I have sunk in water and cannot free myself. Like one sunk in water, I will speak later of the true essence of immortal cultivation and of the true breath (zhenxi) that cultivation describes.

To Ma Yangao

Everyone is anxious. Busy with affairs yet without a fundamental support, they have become guests of sorrow. Having become guests of sorrow, they beseech their superiors for help, lest their affairs be obstructed and suffer losses.

Once you meet me, reciting incantations (zhou) and drinking wine will let you forget your worries. This method can cure a hundred ailments, like pulling a drowning man from the water. Just as one rescues a drowning person, one should also plan and arrange things with care, and gains will naturally increase.

To Master Wu of the Hermitage

Master Wu is very eager. The hermitage master, like a monk, welcomes the immortal guest. As he welcomes the immortal guest, incense smoke curls up and blocks my view.

Onlookers are as numerous as hemp and impossible to count. Everyone together forms good karmic ties, and merit will not be wasted. Since merit is not wasted, one can await the Three Assemblies of Longhua (the three great assemblies at which Maitreya Buddha preaches, in Buddhist legend) and share in news of peace and harmony.

To a Disciple

In the pursuit of immortality, urgency is prized. Those whose aspirations transcend the ordinary and who devote themselves wholeheartedly are extraordinary practitioners. Such people, when they meet demonic obstacles (mozhang) or suffer calamities, must also break through the impediments.

The subtle and profound points must be grasped with the heart. In this way one gradually awakens and no longer loses oneself in immersion. Once one no longer loses oneself, one should, like a quail settled in its nest or fledglings pecking at food, follow what is natural, forget distracting thoughts and desires, and let the mind-spirit (shen) become settled.

To Mr. Zhao

Aiding others in need is always urgent for him. I have long regarded him as a fellow traveler on the Way, and I cherish this guest all the more.

The subtle and profound points must be grasped with the heart. In this way one gradually awakens and no longer loses oneself in immersion. Once one no longer loses oneself, one should, like a quail settled in its nest or fledglings pecking at food, follow what is natural, forget distracting thoughts and desires, and let the mind-spirit become settled.

Meeting Urgent Need (the text may refer to a man surnamed Zhou, or to a matter made urgent by Zhou; the specific reference is unclear). He often travelled in company with others, and for this reason he took particular care of his guests. To take care of guests is to help others accomplish good works, and so one naturally encounters no obstruction.

When I met you, you delighted in investigating subtle principles, and you were willing to rescue those in peril, relieve those in distress, and sustain those who are sinking. To sustain those who are sinking is to naturally reach the Dao (the Way), so that qi (vital energy) and shen (spirit) are harmonized and at peace.

Admonishing Song Gongfu

Confucians (members of the Ru school) were in a pressing situation, yet they did not realize that they were like travelers who are walking corpses. To be a traveler who is a walking corpse means that one should investigate and seek the path to vitality, so that nothing will obscure or block one.

You set people adrift across the seas and boast that you can probe dangers. How did you not consider that the winds and waves would sink your small boat? If the small boat sinks, how can such danger be endured? I urge you to stop and not take further risks.

Persuading Them to Return

Do not be so hasty. The Confucians were originally guests of Penglai and Yingzhou, the mountain isles of the immortals in legend. Only because they were banished to the dusty world have they been temporarily cut off from the realm of the immortals.

Trace back to that first sincere mind, inquire into it carefully, and rectify yourself, and you will be difficult to burn or drown. To be difficult to burn or drown means to turn the light back upon oneself (gathering the spirit and reflecting inward on the self), to cultivate the true Dao, and to regulate the breath.

Presented to Song Liulang

O you who are busy and restless, your hearts are full of kindness and desire, as though blocked by mountains of grace and seas of love.

When you encounter my guidance toward the way out, you should carefully inquire and rectify yourself, and then you will be difficult to burn or drown. You must turn the light back upon yourself, cultivate the true Dao, and regulate the breath.

Presented to Song Liulang

O you who are busy and restless, your hearts are full of kindness and desire, as though blocked on every side.

When you encounter my guidance toward the way out, you should inquire earnestly. Do not sink into the arena of fame and wealth. If you do not sink into it, then cultivate the way of the immortals, so that the emotions of the mortal world are calmed.

Again

Song Liulang was anxious to make a living, like a passenger hurrying about on a boat. A traveler of this kind, facing the vast billowing waves, has nothing around him to shelter him.

When the winds and waves are fierce, how can one foresee them? One should find a way to burn the boat's nets and build dikes to guard against sinking. To guard against sinking, it is better to sit quietly and slowly regulate the breath. "Tortoise breathing" (guixi) is a Daoist expression describing breath that is deep, slow, still, and long-lasting.

Presented to the Two Elders of Gushui

Elder Chi was eager to enlighten others, and he was willing to serve as a companion of true understanding for me. As one who understood, he urged people to turn toward the good Dao, and he did not shrink from the labor of traversing mountain paths.

When people burn their boat nets, how easily can such a situation be seen through? Merit and practice of this kind are truly difficult to sink. When merit and practice are difficult to sink, one's reputation will spread through the world and naturally endure without end.

Again

The practice of cultivation should be undertaken with an earnest and urgent mind. Those who truly cultivate the true Dao within themselves are the genuine guests. A genuine guest keeps a mind as clear as a mirror, and is only temporarily confined to the dust of the world by the body.

Pearls Strung Together, Presented to Old Master Bing Three

Bing San, hurry and follow those who have transcended the mundane world and cultivate the true Dao (Dao, the Way). Practitioners of the Dao must understand that separation from the outer physical form is only temporary.

To attain the subtle and wondrous, and to reveal one's original nature, one must examine and personally realize it. Only by thoroughly awakening at the root can one free oneself from attachment. Once freed from attachment, the mind and nature naturally grow bright, and all entanglements come to rest.

Bing San, hurry and follow those who have transcended the mundane world and cultivate the true Dao. Heed my counsel: the entanglements of the dusty world will obstruct you.

Once one distances oneself from the entanglements of the mundane world, one can truly perceive the Dao. Perceiving the Dao and cultivating the true Way make it difficult to fall back into obsession and clinging. When the heart no longer sinks into attachment, it can rest in peace and freedom from worry, forget the chaos of deluded thoughts, and keep the spirit calm.

Another

Deluded travelers, wake up quickly! Those who are absorbed in qi (vital energy), wealth, wine, sensual desire, and foolishness are all deluded wanderers held captive by their desires. If the deluded can heed this counsel and turn their hearts around, they can together clear away the obstacles.

Probe deeply into the mysterious principles and observe them carefully. Once you grasp their profound essence, you need not fear falling into confusion again. When the heart is no longer mired in attachment, regulate your breath so that the true qi circulates steadily within the body.

Presented to One Who Witnesses the Burning of Nets and Boats

Teaching and guiding the people of the world is truly lamentable, for so many have turned away from the right Way and remain foolish and bewildered. They are trapped in the strife of right and wrong, and blocked by fame and profit.

When you encounter this teaching, quickly contemplate the mysterious principles. Keep the heart clear and cut off stray thoughts, and you will not easily be ensnared by passion. When passion no longer disturbs the heart, Jing (essence) and Shen (spirit) can be preserved and nourished for a lifetime.

Another

When someone comes to seek instruction, follow me in transforming the people of the world. It is truly lamentable that so many have turned away from the right Way and remain foolish and bewildered. They are trapped in the strife of right and wrong, and blocked by fame and profit.

When you encounter this teaching, quickly contemplate the mysterious principles. Keep the heart clear and cut off stray thoughts, and you will not easily be ensnared by passion. When passion no longer disturbs the heart, Jing (essence) and Shen (spirit) can be preserved and nourished for a lifetime.

Another

When someone comes to seek instruction, follow this recluse who dwells in the mountains and cultivates the perfected nature. The Daoist urges people toward goodness, but worldly karmic ties and entanglements often become obstacles.

When you see someone burning a fishing boat or net, you should understand its intention: compassionate goodness allows people to be freed from clinging. Watching the multitude receive blessings because of this, the thought of taking life will also be stilled.

For a Disciple

O intimate disciple, hurry and take action. Wear the leather sash and become one who transcends the ordinary world. Even while dwelling amid all manner of attachments, remain detached and do not be bound by them.

Wandering freely beyond the dusty world, one can then fathom the profound principles of the Dao (the Way). Once the elixir treasure is refined, one no longer frets over sinking into delusion. The mind-monkey and thought-horse (xin yuan yi ma, a metaphor for scattered, unsettled thoughts) naturally come to rest.

Admonition at the Chi'an Bridge on Burning the Boat Nets

The karmic connection to cultivation arrives urgently. One greets immortal guests ahead and sends them off behind. The immortal guests' procession is solemn, with ritual banners (chuangfan, banners used in ceremony) and jeweled canopies following, set apart from incense and flowers.

The fishing nets on several boats were burned, and the circumstances are hard to guess. Having crossed the immortal bridge, one is not easily submerged. One is not submerged because this path can save the multitude and let those who come and go find peace and rest.

Presented to Dharma Master Yang of Tuanhua

Matters of performing the Dharma are urgent, so one should attend to those who hasten about performing rites. Those who hasten about performing rites are outwardly busy with healing and rescue, yet inwardly they forget all separation.

Among Wood and Metal (two of the Five Phases) there are three places that should be carefully examined. Dwelling outside the mundane world, one can avoid submersion. Having avoided submersion, one's qi (vital energy) and shen (spirit) become harmonious and free-flowing, and there is zi an mu xi, a common cultivation phrase meaning that the "child" settles and the "mother" breath comes to rest, so that body and mind are stable and the breath is in balance.

Again

Matters of performing the Dharma are urgent, so one should attend to those who subdue demons and exorcise evil, and who write fulu (talismans and registers). A talisman writer who shouts with fierce authority may injure the harmonious qi and create separation.

Meeting me, it is best to earnestly observe the Way of cultivation. To cultivate immortality is by nature not to be submerged in the immortal path. This is because one concentrates on practice, forgets distracting thoughts, and the shen becomes calm.

Exhortation on the Dao

□ demon matters are urgent. How can □ demons disturb those who cultivate immortality? Those who cultivate immortality □ speak of the profound and □ men at a distance.

Those who seek the inch of stipend should not speculate. □ village has no leaks, and so it is difficult to drift and sink in water. One does not sink because the □ ritual movements turn and □ true breath is practiced.

Opening by splitting the character xin ("heart") to begin the line. The missing characters in the following text are marked with □.

End of Volume Nine of the Dongxuan Jinyu Ji

Collection of the Golden and Jade Verses of the Dongxuan (Cavern of Mystery) Canon, Scroll Ten.

"Golden Lotus Emerges from Jade Blossom" was originally titled "Jianzi Mulan Hua" (a ci tune pattern).

To Master Da Bi

Master Bi holds his aspiration firm. Official career obstacles and inner demons cannot shake his heart. He cultivates with resolve and diligence, and even if mountains were moved, his aspiration would not change.

He severs his entanglements with the mundane world and does not stain himself with worldly glory. He may be called a true cultivator of immortality, and there is hope that he will refine the complete "great medicine" (the attainment pursued in Neidan, or internal alchemy).

Advising Liu, the Judicial Officer, to Release His Parrot

The parrot's feathers are green and its beak is red. Because it can speak, its very talent has become its burden. I advise you not to keep provoking it to talk. The clearer its speech, the more it invites calamity.

It would be better to let it awaken, close its beak, and conceal its gifts, preserving its outstanding inner nature. People will always find it wanting. Once it leaves the cage of the ordinary world, it will be free to fly.

Sent to Zhang the Abbot Overseer

Master Zhang often examines and investigates the principles of nature and life (the Daoist inquiry into the origin and endowment of life). He has also seen through the clamor of the world, extinguished his mundane mind, and stepped out of worldly life.

He cultivates his inner nature and refines body and mind, often practicing "true mercury" and "true lead" (zhenhong and zhenqian, the yin-yang essences of internal alchemy). To see the "golden lotus" (the symbol of accomplished cultivation), one must first plant the "jade lotus" (the foundation of cultivation) deeply.

Sent to Ren, the Section Chief

Master Ren is willing to aid those in peril and often gives relief to those in urgent need. On this journey to Chunyu, may you devotedly offer your alms bowl (a vessel used by monastics or Daoists in alms-gathering or ritual practice) and receive a fitting return.

Ma Yu of Shandong writes these lines to send to a worthy friend, hoping you will cherish this "jade." From the jade, gold will be born. Though it has no mouth, it can speak of past and present.

Presented to Mr. Liu, Who Gave Me Shoes, in Response with a Ci Poem

You have given me shoes, so I return to you the profound principles of the Way. Do not harbor further doubts. Sever your worldly attachments early, and set out on the path that suits you.

Discussing the fundamental nature of the human mind: one must purify body and mind, guard the pure and luminous original nature, and make it firm and un scattered. Only when the disposition does not sink and drift along with external things can one inherit the Daoist teachings of Patriarch Liu Haichan of the sea toad.

Lord Jiang Gives Me a Rush Fan

A fan woven from rushes, shoes stitched firmly with silk thread; I explain the profound and mysterious principle to worthy gentlemen. Do not doubt any longer—leave the entanglements of the dusty world early and walk the path suited to yourself.

Discussing the fundamental nature of the human mind: one must purify body and mind, guard the pure and luminous original nature, and make it firm and un scattered. Only when the disposition does not sink and drift along with external things can one inherit the Daoist teachings of Patriarch Liu Haichan of the sea toad.

Lord Jiang Gives Me a Rush Fan

A fan woven from rushes, to relieve suffering and aid people; once completed, it reveals wondrous signs. With no vexing heat or worry in the heart, it draws in the clear wind, as if turning summer into autumn.

Do not say it is merely something woven of grass; though the object is light, the giver’s feeling is deep. I thank Lord Jiang for giving me the rush fan, sparing me the heat and making it unnecessary to go upstairs to seek coolness.

Another

□ Gold and mercury are blended and stabilized; □ wealth, honor, and glory are not the scenes I seek. □ Why should you worry, my son? □ Sigh that human life is brief, and the hair at the temples is already dyed with autumn frost.

□ The grass of wisdom grows; □ it is truly fitting to cultivate the mind early. □ The Dao surpasses lords and marquises; □ carrying clouds in my sleeve, I go to the jade tower.

(There are missing characters in the original text here. The note “start by splitting the character mu” suggests that the missing characters may be inferred by analyzing the character “mu.”)

Given to Lu Wuyi, Granary Commissioner of Laizhou

Lord Lu serves as granary commissioner, yet his mind is set on taming the “wind horse” within. You still do not understand the cultivation of Neidan (internal alchemy), yet you have laboriously sent me to the military officer.

Hurry and return. If you wish to cultivate the way of Quanzhen (Complete Perfection), first abandon the false. The merits of cultivation must be brought to completion; in days to come you will surely be able to go to the ten continents (legendary dwelling places of immortals).

Another

Even if you are called a “commissioner,” how can that compare with cultivating the Dao in purity and single-minded concentration? Understanding the refining and nurturing of the three elixirs (a Daoist term for inner essences such as Jing, Qi, and Shen) is far better than obtaining glory through official service.

Firmly restrain the “mind horse” (a metaphor for scattered and unsettled thoughts) and tightly lock up the “heart monkey” (a metaphor for restless and unstable spirit); do not cling to false external things. When the inner spiritual nature is complete, you will see the boundless immortal realm within the gourd.

Given to Lord Liu, Master of the Qingjing Hermitage

The hermitage master of Pengcheng delights in giving; he donated his garden to build a hermitage. Understanding the refining and nurturing of the three elixirs is far better than obtaining a good post through official service.

Firmly restrain the mind horse and tightly lock up the heart monkey; do not cling to false external things. When the inner spiritual nature is complete, you will see the boundless immortal realm within the gourd.

Given to Lord Liu, Master of the Qingjing Hermitage

The hermitage master of Pengcheng delights in goodness and giving; he donated his garden and hermitage to create good bonds for people and to plant the foundation of future blessings and rank.

When the whole family does good together, this is precisely the most practical place for cultivation. If one can further purify body and mind and bring Shen and Qi into harmony, one can ascend to the precious peak (immortal mountain).

Given to Liu Tongjian

Continuing Zhang Xiuzu's "Palace Examination Rhyme" (Diànshì Yùn)

The opening lines are damaged, so their meaning can only be pieced together from the surviving text. One should drink the "dāoguī" (a term in alchemical practice for a small measure of elixir or subtle essence) and then examine the mysterious principles again. Once cultivation of the Upper Dantian (the important site in Daoist neidan practice where one visualizes the spirit and refines qi) is complete, true skill will arise on its own.

When the lotus blossoms in the heart, one will not lose the way or fall while cultivating immortality. By setting aside distracting thoughts and settling the mind in practice, one can carry on the Dharma lineage of Patriarch Haichan, Liu Haichan.

Continuing Zhang Xiuzu's "Palace Examination Rhyme"

The Dao spreads to the edge of the heavens, and the small golden infant (jīn yīng, a symbol of the completed elixir in neidan practice) can make up for what has been depleted. The white silk thread is pure and gentle, and as all things are drawn along by the needle, it seems the heart itself is embroidered into one piece.

The numinous and subtle has no form or shadow. Who can drink the "Eight Dāoguī"? Old Zhang's friends invite guests to admire the realm of Liu. The source note reads "chāi dāo zì qǐ," meaning that this passage is divided or rhymed beginning from the character dāo. A few damaged characters cannot be determined with certainty.

Continuing Zhang Xiuzu's "Palace Examination Rhyme"

The Dao spreads to the edge of the heavens, and the small golden infant can make up for what has been depleted. The white silk thread is pure and gentle, and as all things are drawn along by the needle, it seems the heart itself is embroidered into one piece.

The numinous and subtle has no form or shadow. Who can drink the "Eight Dāoguī"? Old Zhang's friends invite guests to admire the Palace of the Seven Treasures (qī bǎo gōng), a Daoist name for an immortal realm. The source note reads "chāi [illegible] zì qǐ," but the character it was based on is missing.

Continuing the Rhymed Pairs Written with Jiu Tongjian

To dwell in this mind for many years and cultivate the heart over time is how one reaches a refined state. Most essential is polishing the mind. Once the thought awakens, it moves as swiftly as a shuttle in a loom.

The jade-like nature stirs and appears, its inborn quality is flawless, and it is naturally pure. What is there left to worry about? Worry and vexation are what keep this heart from peace.

Requested by Master Qingzhenzi Yao (Qīngzhēn Zǐ Yáo Gōng)

To nourish one's nature within one's destiny, the water that gives birth to metal is the true root. The tiger coils, the dragon crouches, the jade qi circulates, the metal qi soars, and they gather into a single mass.

Drink the "dāoguī" freely, and you will nurture a well-formed sacred embryo (shèng tāi, the immortal embryo in cultivation). This is a way of life unlike the mundane world: rising into the air and walking among the green clouds.

On Presenting a Fan of [Illegible] Silk to Fan Mingshu

A fan made of [illegible] silk is suited to being held in the hand and gathered up often, and it is presented to a man at leisure.

Drink the "dāoguī" freely, and you will nurture a well-formed sacred embryo. This is a way of life unlike the mundane world: rising into the air and walking among the green clouds.

On Presenting a Fan of [Illegible] Silk to Fan Mingshu

A fan of [illegible] silk, presented to a man at leisure. It is said that the fan can be waved gently to drive away mosquitoes and flies without harming any life.

It adds refined elegance and helps one roam freely, untouched by worldly dust. Brush away every clinging attachment, and the mind will become clear and the nature luminous, full as the round moon.

Requested by Yu Jixian (Yú Jíxiān)

Mr. Yu, please heed this advice: worldly affairs have no end and cannot all be experienced completely. One should recognize the profound principle, gradually come to understand "emptiness" (kōng), and thereby penetrate its subtle essentials.

The following is a translation of the Chinese text, with the section headings kept.

Setting aside the burdens of household and worldly attachments, one wanders like drifting clouds and flowing water, cultivating the Dao (the Way). Once merit and achievement are accomplished, one will ride a crane and mount the clouds to journey to the Jade Capital (Yujing), the immortal realm said in Daoist legend to be the dwelling of the Celestial Emperor.

On Persuading Liu Wen

Liu Wen of Muping County wished to immolate himself, so the author wrote this lyric and earnestly urged him to preserve his life.

Gong Liu heeded the advice and came to understand that studying Buddhism or cultivating immortality depends on one's own understanding and insight. He should cut away the dust of worldly thought from his heart rather than burn his body. In time, when his merit and practice are complete, he may ride a crane and mount the clouds to journey to the Jade Capital.

Cultivation requires effort applied bit by bit, and refining a divine elixir requires passing through the nine cycles (jiuzhuan), the repeated refining process of the elixir method. Once merit and practice are complete, one can continue the immortal way of the Patriarch Liu Haichan.

Gift of Old Paper from Jiang Gong

Gong Jiang sent old paper.

Having received your instructions, I have written this elegant poem to express my thanks. Although the paper and silk you sent have been delayed for some days, I have still taken up my brush to write this letter and present these words.

My household is humble, yet you generously gave me paper, and this kindness deserves thanks. I have written many poems to repay your affection.

To the Tune "Remembering an Old Friend": Master Chongyang Leads Me Up Penglai Pavilion

Feng Xian and I held a feast together at Penglai, enjoying the serene and refined scenery of that place. The mirage-like immortal realm of Penglai appeared, and tigers roared in the gardens.

Dragon chants encircled the Penglai Hall, and cranes flew in harness with a phoenix-drawn carriage. Nine-cycle elixirs appeared, enough to qualify one for selection as an immortal.

Again

Mount Kunjian lies close to the walls of Penglai, its slopes joining the clouds at the foot of Penglai. The wondrous sights of Penglai shine brightly, and the shifting rosy light reflects over the immortal garden.

Dragon chants encircled the Penglai Hall, and cranes flew in harness with a phoenix-drawn carriage. Nine-cycle elixirs appeared, enough to qualify one for selection as an immortal.

Again

Mount Kunjian lies close to the walls of Penglai, its slopes joining the clouds at the foot of Penglai. The wondrous sights of Penglai shine brightly, and the shifting rosy light reflects upon the cranes.

Autumn wind blows over Penglai Pavilion, and the elixir of Penglai is naturally present. The immortal maidens find true delight in Penglai and have not broken their vow with it.

Again

Ma Feng was fortunate to encounter the opportunity to cultivate immortality and envies no human wealth or rank. He built a wall around himself and settled there, sheltering for now from frost, wind, rain, and snow.

Your spirit-light (the inner, luminous numinous nature) must be cultivated and nourished day and night. When merit and virtue are complete in the future, you may then return and dwell in the Penglai immortal palace, attending upon your master.

Sent to Friends Tan, Liu, and Hao

Friends Tan, Liu, and Hao, transcendent as clouds and mist, stroll about in free and easy ease. When the enjoyment of the journey is spent, you may all return together to Shaanxi (the region of Shaanyou), and discuss together the principle of "being within non-being."

If one can remain constantly clear and still, constantly pure and unadulterated, so that thoughts no longer leak away and scatter, one will feel the Yin and Yang within the body come into harmony, like the mating of tiger and dragon. Inwardly, it appears to be non-action (Wuwei), yet a subtle and luminous spirituality manifests; thereby one may drink the wine of long life, a sign of attaining the Dao of longevity.

Encountering the Way

Ma Feng was once a child of a wealthy family. Why, then, did he abandon his wife and dismiss his children? He willingly became a wanderer in poverty because he encountered Chongyang Zi (Wang Chongyang, the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen school).

From that time on, his Daoist name became Danyang Zi (the Daoist name of Ma Yu), and worldly affairs no longer held a place in his heart. He came to understand that a man who cultivates the Dao can also "give birth to a child" (using the metaphor of cultivation's accomplishment for the gestation of alchemical results), and he resolved to become an immortal.

Self-Awakening

His father and elder brother both died before reaching old age. From now on there is no need to divine; one knows that the turn of one's own death is only a matter of time. Who can escape it?

Once awakened, one should resolutely undertake cultivation, unconcerned with what others guess or conjecture. So long as one holds firmly to the principle within, there is hope of riding the clouds and ascending to immortality.

Thinking of Gao Jucai of Liaoyang

Like the one who returns home described in the lyric "Memories of the Peach Blossom Spring," since our parting I have often been melancholy and without direction. I do not know where you now hold office, and it seems you have forgotten the bond of our first meeting.

I now cultivate outside the mundane world, and I hope only that you too will awaken. I hope you will resolutely cast off glory and wealth and join me as a companion in the Dao, as light as clouds and mist.

Presented to Brother Kong, the Hermit-Abbot

Mr. Kong has four full brothers, two of whom, the younger ones, have already passed away. From now on there is no need to divine; merely thinking of this brings tears unbidden.

How can one escape the cycle of birth and death? One should, as soon as possible, resolutely abandon family property, go beyond the mundane world to accumulate merit and virtue, and in the end attain the rank of immortal.

Admonition to Master Li of the Three Altars in Chang'an

Master Li, heed my counsel: if you cultivate only in this manner, it is not yet a lasting plan. To comprehend the state of stillness and clarity, like water and clouds, the profound principle will become manifest within your heart.

The one who refines inner alchemy (neidan) wields a skill that is no ordinary one, like a hand holding a sharp arrow. So he uses the sancheng (the Three Vehicles, the Buddhist paths of the shravaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva, here used figuratively for graded methods of salvation) to rescue living beings. When the arrow pierces the palace of the heart, one sees the face of Rulai (the Tathagata).

Taoyuan Dunke Asks About the Dao

Taoyuan Dunke (a recluse who cultivates the Dao) came especially to consult me on some profound principles. I explained the method of kan and li (kan belongs to water and li to fire, often used in neidan to mean water and fire) overturned and joined together, letting water and fire be refined together in one furnace.

The longhu (dragon and tiger, a neidan term often meaning the two forces of yin and yang) coil around and interlock, and forge the precious elixir. Five-colored auspicious clouds appear and point the practitioner's way. From this arises the taixian (the immortal embryo that neidan practice says forms within the body), which keeps one from aging and allows one to dwell at ease on the island of Penglai.

Abbot Yue of Wutai Comes to Serve Tea

Elder Yue of Wutai (zhanglao, an honorific for an elderly monk) understands the sanyao (three essential points of practice), and so he removes the sanpeng (the three corpse spirits, which Daoists believe harm body and mind and obstruct cultivation). He turns the sanche (three carriages, a neidan term for the method of circulating essential qi) with great clarity, and by this he carries the wondrous teaching of the Three Vehicles.

He grasps what the Longhua Sanhui (the Dragon Flower Assembly, the legendary gathering at which Maitreya preached three times beneath the dragon-flower tree to save beings) reveals, and at once feels that the sun, moon, and stars shine together as one. He sets up three sanjiao (Daoist ritual altars for offering prayers) within his heart, and his own self becomes still and pure and joins with the Sanqing (the Three Pure Ones, the supreme deities of Daoism).

Three-Character Verses Presented to Mr. Cai and His Elders

□□ husband and wife obey the judgment, □□ gladly abandon the things that are collapsing and decaying! [illegible] suddenly cut off.

□□ are no longer bound by affection and attachment, □□ gradually accept the refinement of the furnace. □□ shine brightly, □□ Shantong (the author's self-designation) calls out the Dao.

Again

A couple as devoted as mandarin ducks have not yet grown old, yet their hair has already turned white, and the reason is truly hard to guess. Explain the principle thoroughly and it will naturally become clear: they are lost in attachment to sound and color.

If a person can awaken, he will suddenly turn toward the valleys and mountains, and in a place beyond the dust of the world devote himself to cultivating the De (Virtue). Following the pure rules of the immortal practice, one can dwell in the immortal home of Penglai.

Presented to Elder Yao

To cultivate the Dao, one must first give up family ties, and not chatter along with worldly custom. Act with caution, do not rise and fall erratically or lose your proper measure in advancing and withdrawing, and do not mix in a trace of falsehood.

Do not indulge the xin yuan yi ma (the mind as a restless monkey and galloping horse, a metaphor for scattered, hard-to-control thoughts). Keep true purity and tranquility. Let the shen and qi harmonize and the spirit remain clear; when the gong and xing (merit and conduct) are complete, the dan zhai (the elixir chamber within the body, a neidan term) can be accomplished.

Presented to Elder Yao

To cultivate the Dao, one must first give up family ties, and not chatter along with worldly custom. Act with caution, do not rise and fall erratically or lose your proper measure in advancing and withdrawing, and do not mix in a trace of falsehood.

Do not indulge the xin yuan yi ma, and keep true purity and tranquility. Let the shen and qi harmonize and the spirit remain clear; when the gong and xing are complete, the achievement of the Dao becomes exceedingly precious.

Mr. He Wishing to Sail to the Islands, Presented with a Bamboo Staff

The Daoist plays his melody, opening a realm of profound wonder: the sound of the qin seems to rise naturally from his lap and soar straight to the highest heavens. At its most exquisite, it draws a blue luan—a legendary immortal bird—to dance.

Fill a cup with Flowing Rosy Clouds wine, the fabled wine of the immortals; there is no need to refuse. Take along a numinous nine-jointed staff, and let us support one another as we set out on the first step since time immemorial, ascending straight to the immortal road to Penglai.

Sent to Zhao Gongchuo on the Palace Examination

Some methods of cultivation are taught nowadays: first, train outwardly and set aside every worldly concern. After refining, one must continue to cultivate; but once one has truly seen through things, why cling to “refining”?

As soon as there is a moment of leisure, continue the inner work of refinement. Refine again and again the Six Thieves—the six sensory desires that disturb the mind—and the Three Corpses, spirits said in Daoism to dwell in the body and hinder cultivation. Only when the mind is clear as a mirror and delusive thoughts have vanished is the Neidan (internal alchemy) complete. Persist in this work, and in time you will become a perfected being.

Another Hymn

People are bound by all manner of concerns. See through them, then go further and truly recognize them for what they are, and cultivation can be brought to completion.

A Linked Verse Sent to Zhang, the Daoist Master

At the Cinnabar Rosy Clouds Abbey in Qiyang, Master Zhang is highly accomplished in cultivation. He keeps watch over his Dantian (energy center), so that the light within his heart is always present.

The inner landscape is bright and clear, truly worthy of contemplation. See through your nature, and confusion will no longer disturb you. May Master Zhang of Cinnabar Rosy Clouds Abbey advance in his cultivation, keeping watch over his Dantian so that the light within remains ever-present. May his inner landscape be clear and open to contemplation, his nature thoroughly understood, and his mind free from disturbance. May his blessings and years be long, and may he soon join the company of the immortals.

Presented to the Two Gentlemen, Gu and Liu

The road ahead seems to hold the promise of becoming an immortal, yet you still spend your days pursuing fame and profit. Frustrated affections and unfulfilled wishes fill you with sorrow—and so hasten your return to the path.

What is the point of longing for worldly splendor? Better to preserve life and nature, and commit to the path of Wuwei (non-action) and purity. Then becoming an immortal will be within reach.

Sent to Wang Yanwen, Registrar

The road ahead seems to offer an opportunity to become an immortal, but fame and profit cannot be gained by seeking them as something extra. When things repeatedly fail to go as hoped, that can instead awaken the aspiration to cultivate.

No one else can bear the burden of your birth and death. Why entangle your whole being in household affairs? If you wish to attain the state of the immortals of the Ten Isles, those legendary abodes of immortals across the sea, you must persist in cultivating purity.

Presented to Li, the Fourth Official

In a quiet moment, looking back through past and present, one sees that disputes, fame, and achievement are not worth clinging to, and that things often do not go as one wishes. When this suddenly becomes clear, turn back at once and remember that no one else can bear the burden of your birth and death. Why entangle yourself in household affairs? If you wish to attain the state of the immortals of the Ten Isles, you must persist in cultivating purity.

Presented to Li, the Fourth Official

After growing quiet and reflecting on events through the ages, one sees that worldly rights and wrongs, fame, and achievement often fail to turn out as people wish. Suddenly awakened to this, one hastens to seek a way to return to the Great Dao.

Transcend the dust of the world and brush away the mind and spirit’s attachments; no longer be burdened by family affairs. Cultivate beyond worldly life and accumulate merit, and you will win the joy of the sages and worthies, eventually finding a place to dwell on the immortal isle of Penglai, a legendary paradise.

Presented to Master Zheng

If you aspire to cultivate the Dao, you should turn back in time—especially now that you have reached the age of six times nine, a sign of advanced years. You should safeguard your nature and life while there is still time; do not wait until your body has withered and declined to regret it.

Hold fast to the practice of Wuwei (non-action) and purity. In this way, you will naturally refine a divine elixir that suffers no loss and cannot dissipate—a symbolic expression for Daoist internal alchemy. You may then endure as long as Heaven and Earth, forever an immortal companion among the clouds and rosy mists.

Presented to the Daoist Friends of Tingchuan

In the dusty world, everyone covets fame and profit, hoping to rival Shi Chong, an ancient figure famed for his wealth, and compete for glory and riches. Yet the road ahead is ultimately hard to foresee, and no one can easily escape life’s end.

Once awakened, one affects the air of a carefree recluse and treats departure from worldly life as a wondrous path. Refine Qi (vital energy) and nourish Shen (spirit); when cultivation is complete, you can journey to Penglai and Yingzhou, legendary islands in the sea, and claim a place among the immortals.

Presented to Master Dong: An Acrostic Linked-Verse

Recognize the Dao entrusted by Heaven and discern the purity of its source. Purify the mind and sweep away disturbances from the outer world; when these vanish, all delusive thoughts can be forgotten.

Uphold and observe the Eight Precepts for cultivating the body. Bring the lucid spirit-mind into accord with the mind-seal. When the mind-seal shines with radiance, enter meditation—a state of gathered awareness and quiet concentration. This is proof of becoming an immortal.

Presented to Master Dong

Master Dong, a cloud companion from west of the spring, □ visits the Jade Cavern of Fufeng. □ discusses true lead and true mercury, metaphors in internal alchemy for Yin-Yang essence and energy, and □ how to apply the timing of the firing process.

□ Distinguish the essentials of the pure and quiet method; □ like an ant passing through the nine apertures. □ At noon, invert and turn it into a flood; □ the true nature is worthy of cherishing.

Three-Character Acrostic Presented to the Immortal Master Hua

□□ The old immortal is also a true Chan master; □□ he sweeps away every kind of attachment. □□ An open and humble heart is the subtlest thing; □□ in an instant, one may awaken.

□□ Shen (spirit), Qi (vital energy), and Jing (essence) are the Three Treasures; □□ at ease, one tends the furnace and stove, a metaphor for internal alchemy. □□ The completed elixir inspires wonder; □□ the realm of suchness is most beautiful.

Presented to the Daoist Assembly on Departing for the Yellow Register Retreat

Wondrous—□□ in an instant, one may awaken.

Essence, Qi, and spirit are the three foundations of cultivation. In leisure, cultivate and nourish them in the furnace; only when the elixir is complete do you realize how swiftly good fortune arrives. The wondrous realm is indeed beautiful.

Presented to the Daoist assembly upon departing for the Yellow Register retreat

Responding to the cries of the suffering repays the vows of one’s own heart. Though the world stretches from one end of the earth to the other, one’s heart embraces all living beings. In secret, guide people away from the world’s burning house and toward cultivation and refinement beyond the world.

The thought of hell makes one shudder. So recite scriptures and chant incantations to rescue the dead. Their bonds are naturally released, and in the end they can all attend the banquet in the immortal realm of Penglai.

In response in verse to my fellow Daoist Yunfu, who wrote about arrangements for a burial

While alive, one has already erred in this matter; the body after death is ugly and forlorn. It should be kept from the light of the sun, moon, and stars. Once buried, it should not be dug up again to be put in order.

The descendants arrange the funeral as a matchmaker brings a couple together. The proposed reburial seems plainly almost like a game. Joining the remains and placing them in the same coffin only reveals a wish to cling to the pleasures of reunion.

Another

Once awakened, one immediately sees how mistaken one was before. How could one dare entertain evil thoughts again? In the silver palaces of the immortal realm of Penglai, cultivation proceeds as if everything there could be arranged at will.

In the unseen realm, the Infant and the Maiden (symbols in Neidan cultivation for Yin-Yang essence and Qi) must be brought together by a matchmaker; the Yellow Matron (a symbol for harmonizing Yin-Yang essence and Qi) must also mediate between them. When Yin and Yang unite, one can leave behind the worldly body, like a palace of jade, and enjoy lasting bliss in heaven.

“Heaven’s Way Is Impartial,” originally titled “Licorice”

Urge people to correct their past mistakes. How could one dare entertain evil thoughts again? In the silver palaces of the immortal realm of Penglai, cultivation proceeds as if everything there could be arranged at will.

In the unseen realm, the Infant and the Maiden (symbols in Neidan cultivation for Yin-Yang essence and Qi) must be brought together by a matchmaker; the Yellow Matron (a symbol for harmonizing Yin-Yang essence and Qi) must also mediate between them. When Yin and Yang unite, one can leave behind the worldly body, like a palace of jade, and enjoy lasting bliss in heaven.

Urging all fellow Daoists

We see only Zhuang Zhou (Zhuangzi) dreaming he was a butterfly, the butterfly fluttering lightly through the air. Once he fully understood, he saw that among the myriad things there was no inherent distinction between intimacy and estrangement. This principle of Heaven’s Way is truly worthy of trust.

To cultivate with single-minded clarity and stillness, one must remain steadfast. Do not cherish this illusory, delicate body. Resolve to leave family ties behind, and let go of the attachments between husbands and wives.

Urging my fellow Daoist Dong

I urge you: though cultivation is not easy, cool sweet dew will eventually descend. The dew turns into drifting snowflakes, allowing one to behold the pond of blue lotuses (a symbol of a pure realm).

Keep company with cloud-clad immortal companions who have left the world behind, and do not give rise to clinging or attachment. Do not covet life as a parrot in a golden cage. Heed the true words spoken by Ma Feng (a Daoist name).

“Transmitting the Wondrous Dao,” originally titled “Transmitting the Northern Branch”

Borrowing Liu to match the rhyme

Shan Tong (a Daoist name) is playing the strings of his heart, performing a melody of the immortals. Suddenly he thinks of the affinity between the Dao and Chouxiang (whose surname is Zhao).

I hope my superior will soon awaken, but he always turns things upside down. He conceals his intelligence, pretends to be foolish, and drives away the crafty and deceitful.

So I followed the example of Xu Shi and Pang Gong, worthy men who withdrew from the world to cultivate the Dao, and kept my whole family free from worldly entanglements. Everyone in the family came to understand things clearly.

It also says:

Purify the heart and set your thoughts straight; penetrate the principles of Chan and understand the Great Dao. Be free and at ease, forever without worry or distress.

Sing aloud with abandon, and let worldly people laugh when they hear you. Let them laugh if they will. How could they know that my inner state is truly good?

When cultivation is complete and the work accomplished in the future, a Purple Document will naturally descend—a document by which Daoism confers immortal status or a high-ranking religious office.

Full Courtyard Fragrance

The Song of the Bewildered Go Player

With my words I deceived others; while playing Go, I gave reckless directions, though in my heart I harbored deceit. I cared only to claim every advantage for myself, no matter how much others lost.

I took pleasure in winning without a word and mocked others when misfortune befell them. I had no compassion and harbored thoughts of killing. At the Go board, I won by “ko fights”—repeated contests over capturing stones—and relied entirely on cunning.

One day, my teacher happened to awaken me. I turned back toward goodness and began to devote myself wholeheartedly to cultivating the Dao. Gradually, I came to understand its profound mysteries and grasped “knowing the white, yet keeping to the black”: understanding what is bright while remaining with what is hidden. I left the strife of the world behind.

I cleared away distracting thoughts, forgot clever contrivances, nurtured the Vast, Upright Qi, and cultivated the Neidan of internal practice, refining Jing, Qi, and Shen. These teachings came from Chongyang, the founder of the Quanzhen school. I spread the teachings widely, explained subtle and profound principles, and composed poems, lyrics, and songs under the title Full Courtyard Fragrance.

Lamenting Fame and Profit

Fame and profit stir the mind and spirit, making people restless as apes and driven as horses, rushing about day and night without pause. They toil and struggle through many calamities, coming and going with no end.

The more they crave, the deeper they sink. Their minds and spirits are enslaved, their bodies worn out, their spirits exhausted. Stop being obsessed: how many spoons can one person fit in their mouth, after all? Even if you amass more than you need, there is only so much you can enjoy.

It is lamentable that fame and profit are empty illusions. A wife and children are only attachments outside oneself, and one’s own body will in time decay and die like a walking corpse. Why, then, cling to one another in desire, loving and following each other?

Better to find a way out of the cycle of rebirth, and early on to study Chan, seek the Dao, find a teacher, and practice. The Way of longevity is profound, yet it has subtle entry points. It is truly a ladder leading to the heavenly realms.

Leaving the Cage, Presented to Liu, Judicial Commissioner of Jingzhao

I sever the bonds of fame and rank, unlock the shackles of profit, and gladly leap free of the world’s cage. From now on, unrestrained, I stride forth, coming and going as I please in every direction.

I live freely and at ease, following the family tradition of Wuwei (non-action) and purity. My heart holds no worries or preferences; wherever I go, I can live in harmony with others.

My body is open and unburdened, and my heart is spacious and at ease; my nature and mind are clear and nimble. I do not deliberately seek the “Infant and Maiden” (a Neidan term for Yin-Yang essence and Qi cultivated in practice), nor cling to the “Kan Tiger and Li Dragon” (Neidan symbols of the harmonizing of water and fire, Yin and Yang).

When the mind is clear and still, things can follow their natural course, and Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) can be brought into harmony. Why worry that the work of becoming an immortal cannot be accomplished? In time, I will make my way to the immortal palace of Penglai.

A Song on Meeting Again

Meeting the Transcendent Feng once more (a title for a Daoist practitioner) has deepened my understanding. So I devote myself to seeming foolish and dull. Stroking my beard, I have already taken on this guise; for now, I will simply remain quiet and say little.

I no longer hold forth, and I keep my distance from brush and inkstone; I no longer expound the scriptures. From now on, I will be as free as a lone cloud or wild crane, eating plain fare and wearing simple clothes.

When the weather turns cold, I look for scraps of paper and cloth to keep warm. When I am happy, I sing and dance; when I am hungry, I find leftovers to eat. Like a lone boat untied from its moorings, why ask where I am headed?

Free and at ease, open and unimpeded, I cling to nothing, am stained by nothing, and am bound by nothing. If someone comes to ask, let them look at how I live. Why press me with more questions?

Presented to Mr. Zhao’s Mother, the Transcendent of Pengying

On Zhangtai Street in the city of Jingzhao lived a wealthy woman, Yang Gu. She founded a Daoist convent so that her son could leave the world behind and live there in practice.

She settled there, free and happy, wearing a cloud-wrapped headscarf (a head covering worn by Daoist priests) and delighting in a quiet, empty life. She accumulated hidden virtue, took pity on the poor and cared for the elderly, and also established rites to honor the lonely spirits who had no one to care for them.

She built a surrounding wall and ten rooms; she provided clothing as needed and made sure all three locations had kitchens. Her longevity came from the protection and support of the Dao.

In the latter part of the twelfth lunar month, two days coincide with the birthday of the Perfected One. By steadily accumulating merit and cultivating the Way, you will surely be able to ride a crane to the Immortal Capital in the future.

Awaken, awaken, awaken again.

The higher the realm of Daoist practice, the wider the religious tradition’s reach, extending east, west, north, and south without boundary. It opens a deep and wondrous path of cultivation and points out the upright road, free of deviation.

Cultivators walk with calm assurance, open and at ease, letting no worldly attachments trouble their minds. They understand the principle of the “Three Awakenings”; Jing (essence), Shen (spirit), and Qi (vital energy) surge in abundance, and pure methods of cultivation pass from generation to generation.

By following nature, one can bring transformation to completion. Wood and Metal mingle; Water and Fire flow slowly in their courses. The Tiger and Dragon unite, while the Infant and the Maiden remain steadfastly joined. “The union of Tiger and Dragon” and “Infant and Maiden” are terms in Neidan (internal alchemy), referring to the harmonization of Yin-Yang energies within the body.

Concentrate the pure Golden Elixir, the great medicine, until the Dantian (energy center) shines in complete splendor, like silver clouds. Once cultivation is complete, one gains the power to soar and travel freely, as if able to summon the Great Luo Immortals to a meeting.

Presented to Zhang Erguan: Leaving the Sea of Suffering

People delight in having children, yet do not realize that children consume their spirit. You bind all your thoughts to them, fearing only that they will not grow to adulthood.

Once they are grown, where will you place your heart? You cherish your wife and children, yet forget the kindness they have shown you. Do not be melancholy. I hear that you are in good health, so seek another fine path of cultivation.

Leave the sea of suffering with a peaceful heart. Sever the bonds of affection, cast off worry, and forget the world. Seek out companions in the clouds and friends among the rosy mists; take the bright moon as your companion and the clear wind as your neighbor.

Discuss the Way of long life and enduring vision, and understand its wondrous principles, so that the foundations of your cultivation grow deep and firm. When the Golden Elixir is formed and your merit is complete, ride a crane to pay homage to the True Immortals.

On Gold and Jade

The Jade Cavern is deep and wondrous; the Golden Furnace shines brilliantly, and the gold and jade within are rare and precious. The Golden Dragon and Jade Tiger meet; jade Qi courses through, and golden Qi soars.

Break through the Golden Gate and Jade Door, and behold the Golden Lotus and Jade Pistil radiating their light. The beauty of gold and jade is like the sway of the heavenly wind, as jade leaves and golden branches unfurl in the breeze.

Gold and jade, gold and jade! The Golden Infant and Jade Maiden unite; the jade steps and golden strides display the rare splendor of gold and jade. The Golden Dragon and Jade Tiger meet; jade Qi courses through, and golden Qi soars.

Break through the Golden Gate and Jade Door, and behold the Golden Lotus and Jade Pistil radiating their light. The beauty of gold and jade is like the sway of the heavenly wind, as jade leaves and golden branches unfurl in the breeze.

Gold and jade shine in mutual splendor, symbolizing the Golden Infant (a yang spirit formed through Neidan cultivation) and the Jade Maiden (its corresponding yin spirit). The jade enters the golden gate, revealing golden light and jade-like hues: a jade-bright face in golden robes.

This numinous gold and jade are the foundation for forming the Golden Elixir, preserving the jade-like nature from harm. True gold and jade are transformed into wondrous treasures through the guidance of the original teacher.

Dwelling in the Natural

Stillness and purity are true cultivation; Wuwei (non-action) is the Great Dao. In the natural state, both substance and function are clear and keen. The innate numinous thing has always been within my breast.

When north and south, east and west converge, the wisdom eye opens and all obscurity falls away. Within the pot, a scene unfolds of its own accord: a jade tiger emerges from water, and a golden dragon grows within fire. In Neidan, images such as dragons and tigers, water and fire, describe the union and cultivation of Yin-Yang.

Auspicious radiance fills heaven and earth. The elixir Qi flourishes in the Three Fields (the upper, middle, and lower Dantian), and the Eight Vessels flow freely. For a time, I wear a straw rain cape and bamboo hat, like a fisherman.

I explain this mysterious principle and urge everyone to regulate the breath, bringing body and mind into calm balance. We cultivate together, and when our merit and virtue are complete, we will go together to the immortal palace.

Inscribed at the Pavilion of Ice and Snow for Yan Zili

Auspicious clouds drift gently, and felicitous Qi rises slowly. The curtain is drawn back: the night is bright white, its secluded glow cool and clear. The scene is strange and pure, as though thick frost had spread across it.

It is just like the inner landscape of Shandong—the practitioner’s body and mind—where jade flowers bloom and jade buds release their fragrance. Precious essence like fine jade congeals; its splendor is that of a priceless treasure, its radiance shining across jade vessels.

What need is there for aloeswood or musk? The fragrance is naturally rich and extraordinary. One sees only the Silver Toad, the legendary moon toad, pouring forth its light as it moves through heaven and earth’s circle and square.

The Perfected One of Mount Gushe, a legendary immortal, wanders at ease, riding the wind as jade pendants ring. The Fetal Immortal appears deep within the white clouds, freely drinking the nectar of jade.

Composed on Proceeding to the Great Yellow Register Offering at Laizhou

Teacher and disciple pass the teachings from mouth to ear, supporting one another through the true Dao. Once understood, their minds are joined. The mysterious contains its own subtle delight, like the bright moon reflected in a clear breeze.

The patriarch Zhongli transmitted the Dao to Lord Lü. After receiving it, Lord Lü passed it on to Lord Wang. Once Lord Wang understood, he secretly transmitted it to Ma Yu, who through genuine cultivation helped bring true mastery to completion.

A Daoist friend from Pengcheng invited me to accompany him to perform rites for the spirits of the departed, inviting me several times along the way. The Commissioner of Military Affairs and his deputy also received and hosted me.

Kneeling, one receives the decree of the exalted official and the blessing of the Purple Pole Palace, a noble palace in the heavens. May the departed spirit be blessed, ascend to the heavenly realm, and understand the profound and lofty principles of the Great Dao.

The Method of the Knife-Point Measure

The sun and moon unite, and the Dragon and Tiger come together. Yin and Yang Qi no longer belong to north, south, east, or west. The refined Qi of the Five Directions—east, south, west, north, and center—gathers and condenses to form the “knife-point measure,” a term in alchemy for the elixir or subtle substance obtained through cultivation.

Refine it continuously through all twelve double-hours, until the edge of the knife-point measure reaches the Purple Pole Palace. May the departed spirit be blessed, ascend to the heavenly realm, and understand the profound and lofty principles of the Great Dao.

The Method of the Knife-Point Measure

The sun and moon unite, and the Dragon and Tiger come together. Yin and Yang Qi no longer belong to north, south, east, or west. The refined Qi of the Five Directions gathers and condenses to form the knife-point measure.

Refine it continually through all twelve double-hours, until the edge of the knife-point measure rises straight to the Purple Pole Palace, then emerges and shines with radiance. It can be held steadily and used at will—through walking, standing, sitting, or lying down—and turned and transformed as one chooses.

Add steel to make the blade sharper. Cut down the Six Thieves, the six sensory desires that disturb the mind, and destroy the Three Corpses, spirits believed in Daoism to dwell in the body and hinder cultivation. Then one can wield the knife-point measure freely, cleaving through darkness and delusion.

Who could believe that such wondrous power could appear from “nothing” and transform into a lucid, innocent infant? The principles of cultivating the True Dao are passed down by the master, then shared with friends who are fortunate enough to encounter them.

Matching Zhang Feiqing’s Rhyme at the Palace Examination

Seven times I went to the capital and three times sat for the palace examination. Who could have imagined that I would still continue without cease to refine Qi through cultivation? The Heart-Monkey, the restless thoughts of the mind, has quieted; the Intention-Horse, the thoughts that gallop unchecked, no longer rushes forward by force.

Settled in tranquility, I am at ease, preserving the source of my spiritual nature through stillness. In the deep and mysterious reaches, the sun, moon, and stars shine together, illuminating the inner Grotto-Heaven.

I urge you to awaken. Do not seek only talent and fame. Listen to me: there is a wondrous Way of freedom, but it cannot be explained in words or directly imparted. Cut decisively through the thoughts that bind and entangle the mind, and the mysterious Way will open of itself. Once the true work is complete, you can follow in the line of the Marquis of Liu—Zhang Liang, said to have attained the Way—and continue the footsteps of those who came before, becoming an immortal.

In Praise of the Extraordinary Manifestations of Perfected Chongyang

The Perfected One who transforms beings with compassion urges talented and worthy people to heed his teaching: there is a wondrous Way of freedom, but it cannot be explained in words or directly imparted. Cut decisively through the thoughts that bind and entangle the mind, and the mysterious Way will open of itself. Once the true work is complete, you can be like a descendant of the Marquis of Liu, continuing the footsteps of those who came before and becoming an immortal.

In Praise of the Extraordinary Manifestations of Perfected Chongyang

The Perfected One who transforms beings with compassion—Master Chongyang—understands all things. He foretold the date of his departure, though his words sounded as if his mind and spirit were wandering.

Indeed, after he rose to the clouds above Nanjing—an expression for a realized person whose remains ascend or who departs as an immortal—he went on to admonish Lord Zang. My master, the Perfected Chongyang, rose to the clouds that very day. Toward evening, Lord Zang encountered him in Nanjing, still unaware that he had already ascended and believing him to be alive. Only later did he learn the truth. He came and went with such speed. Above Qiyang Town, he appeared in the lower world wearing a crown and taught me the methods once more.

He appeared west of Huating City and saved me from the distress of illness, spreading his breath over me. Above Wendeng, he appeared with a kindly face.

The county magistrate Ni Lihu saw him; a moment later, he had returned to the celestial palace. This truly happened. Few such events have occurred in all history, and it is worthy of reverence.

Returning the Padded Robe Given by Elder Jiang Si

For twelve years I lived within walls, and for several years I went barefoot, enduring the cold like a prisoner. My resolve was detached and single-minded: I was determined to bring my cultivation and practice to completion.

In response, an immortal descended to the world and spread Qi over me. Its flow was like water, without obstruction. The Qi and spirit harmonized, flowing freely from top to bottom. This was a fine occasion for mutual resonance.

An official document from the west of the pass had sent me here. I had traveled far to the east, originally to indulge my desires and seek pleasure. To act that way now would truly be a grave mistake. How could I dare accept a padded robe?

Wrapping the body up like a storage sack invites punishment, and makes illness hard to cure. I return the padded robe and remain free and unrestrained. Even in ragged clothes, I show the true integrity of a Dao cultivator.

Lament for the Compassionate Han

The face in the mirror is already old. While combing my hair, I see that it has turned white, yet I still stubbornly compete and strive for more, endlessly greedy. I make no plans for myself, but worry constantly about my descendants.

Day after day I contend for fame and profit; at every moment I scheme and calculate. It is truly laughable: such foolish people will not stop until the moment they die.

Everyone, heed my advice: impermanence—the possibility of death at any moment—is drawing near, and life is what we should cherish most. May you all awaken and turn decisively and generously back toward the Dao.

Do not say that the road to the immortal realm of Penglai is far away. Once the mind awakens, Yingzhou, the fabled island of immortals in the sea, is close at hand. If you truly attain purity and Wuwei (non-action), and bring your cultivation and practice to completion, you can enter the ranks of the immortals.

The Mind Laughs at Itself

To study the Dao and cultivate toward immortality, one must continually accumulate merit and good deeds, always concerned that one’s good deeds are too few and one’s merit incomplete. Encouraging people to do good is most in keeping with the principles of cultivation.

Gradually follow the righteous path in practice and set your conduct straight. Before long, you will be able to leave worldly concerns behind and no longer give rise to suspicion. When you have truly attained purity and Wuwei (non-action), and your merit is complete, you will take your place among the immortals.

Amused in My Heart

Those who study the Dao and seek to become immortals must continually accumulate merit and cultivate their De (Virtue/Power). They are always concerned that their good deeds may not be enough and their merit may be lacking. Urging people to do good is the act most in keeping with the principles of cultivation.

Gradually follow the righteous path in practice and set your conduct straight; before long, you will be able to leave worldly concerns behind and no longer give rise to suspicion. When I think of those who focus only on seeking merit through good deeds, yet cannot escape disputes and troubles, I smile to myself.

The reclusive cultivator Chen of Mount Hua did not interfere with others’ farming or weaving, and few people from below the mountain came and went in his daily life. Even so, some people still slandered him. With a sigh, he wrote this poem.

Be upright and fair, harbor no selfish intent, and do not take crooked paths. Whatever the future may bring, accept favor and disgrace, calamity and danger with equanimity. Be at ease wherever you find yourself, calm and untroubled; take pleasure in the plain and simple, and experience Xiyi—the Daoist realm beyond sight, sound, and touch.

Jinyu Hermitage in Huang County

The temple to the east, the walled city to the west, the mountains to the south, and the sea to the north have all become places where the heart has formed wholesome ties. This hermitage is called Jinyu Hermitage, and its main hall is named “Complete Perfection.”

In the corridors and rooms, clear breezes and bright moonlight keep company. There are no worries entangling the garden, nor any danger of sinking into worldly troubles. The gates and courtyard are quiet; fellow cultivators gather like clouds and rosy mists, living together in ease and each finding their own joy.

The hermitage follows the Dao of Wuwei. Within its walls, small pines and bamboo have only just been planted, fresh and charming to behold. The wondrous scene unfolding on the Terrace of Precious Flowers fills one with amazement.

Gazing into the distance at the immortal islands of Penglai, why seek another land of long life? This one scene at Zhichuan is already as beautiful as a painting; Ma Yu offers only a brief sketch.

Realizing the Immortal Fruit

Small pines and bamboo have only just been planted, fresh and charming to behold. The wondrous scene unfolding on the Terrace of Precious Flowers fills one with amazement.

Gazing into the distance at the immortal islands of Penglai, why seek another land of long life? This one scene at Zhichuan is already as beautiful as a painting; Ma Yu offers only a brief sketch.

Realizing the Immortal Fruit

The “female lock” opens to the mystery; the dragon races and the tiger runs—images in Neidan (internal alchemy) for the movement of Yin-Yang Qi within the body. Then regulate the breath with care, making it long, gentle, and even. A clear breeze enters through the gates, keeping the mind’s monkey and horse—scattered, unruly thoughts—from stirring.

The Maiden and the Infant, metaphors in Neidan for Yin-Yang Qi or elements of cultivation, meet and speak of the Dao of stillness and its most subtle source. Make no deliberate effort; follow what is natural, and you can cultivate the Great Dao, rising at last to the Great Luo Heaven, the highest heavenly realm in Daoism.

In my foolishness, I earnestly address the parents of the ten directions—a respectful term for people everywhere—and ask you to listen. May these words pass from teahouses to wine shops and spread far and wide.

Do not dismiss them as the absurd talk of foxes and badgers; they are truly a secret of deep mystery. Follow this method in practice, and everyone has a chance: each and all can become immortals.

Presented to the son of the Tangkuo family who left home to become a monk, in a lyric poem

Facing wind and snow as I traveled by carriage, braving the cold to seek the Dao far and wide, I have come especially to discuss the practice of the Way with you. Please tell me the methods for cultivating body and mind; there is no need to speak of the union of Dragon and Tiger or the like.

There is also no need to speak of the Infant and the Maiden—metaphors in Neidan—or of the Tortoise and Snake, or the Sun and Moon entering each other’s palaces, terms that symbolize the union of Yin and Yang. Do not speak of Water and Fire harmonizing, the method of rinsing and swallowing, or practicing according to set times.

Here lies the truly subtle way to practice: take Wuwei (non-action) as the method and purity and stillness as the tradition. Rein in the “mind monkey and willful horse”—a metaphor for scattered, restless thoughts—and do not let the mind and spirit run wild.

Let the breath flow in and out continuously and gently, and the child and mother will naturally come into harmony—a Neidan term for the union of Yin-Yang or Jing and Qi in cultivation. Preserve your nature and life, and you will receive a summons from the Purple Book, the celestial decree, and go straight to the Palace of Great Luo, a Daoist realm of the immortals.

Do not court nobles and officials, but do not shun the poor and lowly. Do not pursue wealth and splendor. Do not be fussy about fine food, and do not disdain coarse clothing.

Do not grow angry through ignorance and delusion; do not cling to external circumstances or worry over family affairs. Follow your master’s teachings in all things and keep the master’s instructions in mind, refining and nourishing the white cinnabar in the furnace—a symbolic expression for Neidan cultivation.

Live freely and at ease, spending your days in quiet leisure, wandering without restraint like clouds and flowing water. Keep company with the fresh breeze and bright moon, and drink to your heart’s content.

Now that you have fully awakened to the Dao of long life and enduring vision, why run about boasting of it? When you travel to and from the celestial realms in the future, auspicious clouds and radiant vapors will accompany you, and lotuses will bloom beneath each step.

The Yaksha Woman—here, a woman who seems kind but is evil within—powders her face, paints her cheeks, shapes her brows and grooms her hair. Her words are clever and her expression gentle, yet in secret she harbors deceit and cunning; hence she is called the “Yaksha Woman.”

She appears kind but is perverse within, with a vicious nature. Her delicate fingers are as fierce as an eagle’s claws. She flaunts her beauty to ensnare people and take their lives, using deceitful tricks under cover of night.

Only after meeting a master did I awaken to my past mistakes. To escape karmic burdens, one must avoid the demons of past grievances. Even when wandering far and wide, one must stay away from the old lair.

Hurry to preserve your Shen and Qi and accumulate merit and practice—how could you dare delay? To fulfill this heartfelt aim, I urge people to cultivate. When merit and practice are complete, one can enter the Dao of the immortals.

We should ask ourselves before anyone else does: How can wealth be sought through scheming? Wealth does not appear from nowhere unless it is gained through deceit and cunning.

When stinginess, greed, and jealousy arise in the heart, they set the mind spinning in vain thoughts and invite unexpected misfortune. How could one deceive Heaven and Earth and harbor a vicious heart without falling into the abyss?

In the underworld, the mirror of karma hangs on the wall, revealing the good and evil deeds of a person’s entire life. Deceiving, mocking, evading, and shifting blame will not work. Better to hear the Way early, come to one’s senses, and let the heart of greed grow cool.

Leave behind the turmoil of worldly life and keep company with friends who cultivate the Way. Speak of longevity and free yourself from the cycle of life and death. Accumulate merit, follow the good path, and do not forget your original resolve: then you will surely reach Penglai, the fabled realm of the immortals.

Cherishing Cultivation

Set aside your attachments to all things and settle your worldly affairs. Yield to others more and contend for yourself less; act in accordance with the long view. The highest adept, free of contention, uses softness to overcome strength.

Pass your days at ease, keep still and clear, and cultivate the Way to completion. Cherish cultivation in your heart. The numinous being within you, present from the beginning and referring to your innate spiritual nature, must be kept within the Cinnabar Cauldron, a metaphor in Neidan practice for the body or the place of cultivation.

The Dao is the one thing the heart cannot forget. Long for it as the hungry long for food and the thirsty for water; devote yourself to it as an infant seeks its mother, without wavering.

Hurry to preserve your life and tend your true breath, the inner breath and Qi, without becoming impatient. Let the breath flow in and out gently, closely, and continuously. When your practice matures, you will be able to journey to the immortal realm of Penglai.

Understanding Life and Death

Seventy years pass in the blink of an eye. Looking back on the past, one cannot help but pause and sigh; bitterness rises in the heart, and all manner of pain gathers within.

Human life comes down to two words: “birth” and “death.” Once born, death will inevitably follow. Cultivate your primordial Qi. To transcend life and death, seek the Dao beyond the world of ordinary life.

With an open and clear mind, one can understand the workings of the mysterious: nurturing wood in fire and producing metal in water, gathering Heaven and Earth’s essence into the Vermilion Grove, a symbol in Neidan practice for the Dantian or place of cultivation.

The Dragon and Tiger are refined and transformed into the Infant and the Maiden, terms in Neidan practice that symbolize Yin and Yang Qi. When the numinous, luminous nature appears, one is no longer constrained by the distinction between Yin and Yang. Attain the clear state beyond birth and death, and you can ride a crane to the immortal realm of Jade Mountain.

On Puppets

To feed a family and make a living, people live like puppets before their eyes, tugged and manipulated by fame and profit. The many temptations, like tricks in a show, deplete a person’s Jing, Qi, and Shen, gathering them into the Vermilion Grove.

The Dragon and Tiger, the two forces of Yin and Yang within the body, transform into the Infant and the Maiden, alchemical terms symbolizing the refined energies of Yin and Yang. When the numinous nature reveals itself, what need is there to distinguish Yang from Yin? Transcending birth and death, one’s true nature becomes clear and lucid, and one can ride a crane to the Jade Mountain.

On Puppets

To support a family and make a living, people rush about, their bodies like puppets on a stage, pulled along by fame and profit, lured by tricks and never at ease.

Entanglements arrive one after another, keeping people busy responding to them; even their gestures become restless. They flaunt their bearing, toss their heads, and strike poses, hurrying about just to look radiant.

Only when a master points this out directly do they realize they are like walking corpses, mere heaps of bones, hurrying along without control over themselves. A person’s breath seems to hang by a single thread and could end at any moment. How can one fail to recognize impermanence?

One should quickly recognize the cloud and water within the vessel, a metaphor for Neidan cultivation, and open the Mysterious Pass, a crucial bodily and mental juncture in cultivation, so that the practice flourishes with the fragrance of hemp and grain. When Dragon and Tiger coil together and Mercury and Lead, alchemical symbols of Yin and Yang’s refined energies, are refined, the elixir forms, and one may become an immortal of Penglai.

Self-Critique of Sitting

I follow the rules and sit in meditation at the appointed times, yet I cannot seem to wake up and rouse myself. The demon of sleep attacks again and again; my head nods until it nearly rests on my chest.

My breathing roars like thunder. I have barely been startled awake before my eyes grow heavy again. I admonish myself: How can I refine the Dragon and Tiger this way?

If you doubt this, look at the fellow practitioners around you; you will understand. Seeing myself wobble even as I sit, I am ashamed to be like a boatman who can only row and cannot steer.

One should recognize the Great Dao of Wuwei, quiet the heart, and let Shen and Qi grow calm and flow in harmony. Numinous light gathers; the three elixir fields within the upper, middle, and lower Dantian become active; and the Palace of Five Luminaries, a state in Daoist inner cultivation symbolizing the radiance of body and mind, shines bright.

Subduing the Demons of the Heart

Familiar circumstances keep entangling us, and the demons of the heart return to disturb us. The key to cultivation lies in subduing this heart. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one must keep watch over one’s thoughts, day and night.

Though thoughts arise within the small space of the heart, they can give rise to worldly desires and draw countless attachments. See this clearly: all likes and dislikes, from the heights of heaven to the depths of the earth, arise from thought.

From now on, awaken and keep the unruly mind-horse firmly in check; tightly restrain the restless heart-ape. Only by letting go of the worldly heart can one see the true heart.

Clear the heart and dispel desires each day, and continually examine your words, actions, and thoughts. Only when you are free of selfish motives and distortions, and can acknowledge that your thoughts are upright, are you in harmony with Heaven’s heart.

A Skull’s Appearance

Even a skull-like body stays busy selling bones; the ties of karma, formed through past actions, draw people back and forth. People think themselves clever and quick-witted, rushing about everywhere, yet they refuse to let the mind grow quiet, even for a moment.

The body keeps changing, turning over from age to age, from ancient times to the present. Even if one craves long life and survives countless calamities, in the end one still cannot escape the cycle of rebirth.

Only after meeting a master and receiving personal instruction does one begin to cultivate the small spark of true nature within the heart, avoiding a fall onto the wrong path. One must cast off the seven emotions and six desires, and protect the Three Platforms—the three star deities in Daoist belief, also used to refer to important spirits within the body.

The Jade Tiger and Golden Dragon, symbols of Yin and Yang in Neidan cultivation, gather and unite. Within the green lotus, they present an infant, symbolizing the Golden Elixir or true nature brought forth through cultivation. In this way, one can transcend birth and death and attain immortal rank in the Great Luo Heaven, the highest celestial realm inhabited by Daoist immortals.

Endure, and endure again, and again.

As though lifting the heart on a blade’s edge, then driving the blade into the heart: recognize this, and you will form a good karmic bond that protects the Three Platforms.

The Jade Tiger and Golden Dragon gather and unite, presenting an infant within the green lotus. Thus one transcends birth and death and attains immortal rank in the Great Luo Heaven.

Endure, and endure again, and again.

As with a blade lifting and piercing the heart, recognize the value of endurance, and you will bring good causes to fruition. Subdue ignorance, the affliction of delusion; even when insulted, do not become angry.

Remembering Qinghe Gong Yì of old, who wept over this very matter and wrote it down to urge people toward harmony and kindness. Be someone who does not contend with others, practice great goodness at all times, and never dare to do anything that might wound the spirit or cause harm.

People suspect that I am like a clay figurine. When faced with a blade, I remain calm and open-hearted; when given medicine, I stay composed. I argue neither over right and wrong nor concern myself with strength and weakness.

My master Chongyang taught me to dispel the worldly fires of desire in my heart, see through what is illusory, and cultivate my true nature. I must endure constantly and never contend when things arise. Only then can I truly become an immortal.

True Joy

I am a down-and-out wanderer, carefree and indolent, with no love of glory or wealth. I fear being entangled in worldly affairs and know nothing of managing a household.

I sweep away all the cares of the dusty world and, with a tranquil heart, cultivate cinnabar in the furnace—a symbol of Neidan practice. Beneath pine woods and mountain peaks, beside water and rocks, I drink the rosy dew, the fabled wine of immortals, as the mood takes me.

The numinous spirit, the clear and luminous true nature in a person, remains bright and pure, serene and at ease, with joy without end. If compared to the bright moon, the moon is still sometimes hidden by clouds.

If compared to a solitary cloud, free and unbound, the cloud too is carried along by the wind, making its solitude a cause for pity. I personally encountered an enlightened master and was able to leave the sea of suffering behind. There can be no greater joy than this.

Verses in the Rhyme of Wei Xindao, the Ziyang Lingyuan Master

I live a carefree life, taking pleasure in quiet ease, with thoughts of compassion arising in my heart at every moment. Now I no longer cling to plucking one leaf only to go looking for another branch.

Set aside distinctions and attachments to words such as “zhi,” “hu,” “zhe,” and “ye,” and only then can you truly understand the principle—just as the lotus rises from the mud. Settle body and mind in quiet ease, and often bring forth thoughts of compassion. Yet today people refuse to be content: they abandon what is near and seek what is far, plucking one leaf and then searching for another branch.

Set aside “zhi,” “hu,” “zhe,” and “ye,” and you can truly understand the principle, as the lotus emerges from the mud. In quietude, examine your own heart, as though you had met a skilled healer and found a way to cure what ails you within.

Unrestrained freedom is true joy. To attain the blessings of becoming an immortal, you must take your own heart as your teacher. Let your resolve stand firm as a mountain, never wavering lightly.

Maintain Wuwei (non-action) and stillness in daily life, and you will naturally grasp the root of things. Once you understand the subtle principles, they become clear and accessible; even in old age, it is not too late.

Using the rhyme from the preceding verses again

When you see those mourning the dead and those accompanying a funeral procession, think of the rabbit’s death bringing grief to the fox: another’s death reminds us that we, too, will one day die. Youth gradually slips away. Do not remain enamored of worldly pleasures, like blossoms on a branch.

Gather your spirit and rise beyond worldly suffering, reaching the other shore. Like a lotus emerging from the water and leaving the mud behind, free yourself from delusion. Turn toward right awakening, awakening along the true path. If your own heart is ill, seek a cure beyond the secular world.

The skilled healer is not a doctor who gives people medicines. He is a luminous teacher who cleaves through darkness and dispels the barriers of delusion—a guide for those who cultivate the Way. Keep the heart free from contamination and attachment, and let familiar habits gradually change.

With mind and spirit clear and still, the Dragon and Tiger unite—a Neidan term for the harmonizing and intermingling of Yin and Yang within the body. Let the red sun rise in the east and set in the west; you can remain at ease. Free of worry and distress, cultivate the Way on the road to Chang’an, without hesitation.

Parting from the community and instructing the disciples

Everyone says the smoke has cleared and the fire has gone out, yet whenever something happens, ignorance—delusion and distress—still arises in the heart. If you yourself remain unaware, how can you escape the delusion of the community?

The Dao is easy to practice and easy to understand. But the human heart turns away from it, making what is easy to understand hard to grasp and what is easy to follow hard to walk. Demonic obstacles in the heart impede cultivation. Until great goodness is attained, the heart cannot become clear and perceptive.

Fellow cultivators, heed my words: do not argue over right and wrong, and do not quarrel over self and other. How pitiful that a person like a walking corpse and skeleton should still speak of honor and disgrace!

Quickly safeguard your life and harmonize Qi and Shen, so that they become still and congealed, forming the true form spoken of in cultivation. Once mind and spirit are luminous and clear, the Jade Terrace, Langyuan—the realms of the immortals in Daoist legend—and Penglai Island, the immortal isle in the sea, lie ahead.

A song in praise of Master Liu of Hunyuan as he ascends in transformation

Master Liu began cultivating with the community when he was young. As he grew older, he distinguished himself from others, devoting himself to cultivation in accordance with Daoist registers and talismans—the credentials and cultivation warrants conferred in Daoist initiation. He wrote Fulu (talismans and registers), recited incantations, and sprinkled blessed water to heal illness and relieve suffering.

Superior De (Virtue/Power)—deep and natural virtue—seems to practice goodness quietly, without deliberately displaying it. It does not covet ornate adornments, nor does it demand lavish food.