《無上赤文洞古真經註》

"Commentary on the Supreme Vermilion Script Ancient Truth Scripture" - A Contemporary Interpretation:

The core teaching of this scripture lies in the two characters "Wu Shang" (Supreme). The first chapter discusses "non-movement and Wuwei (non-action)," the second speaks of "closing the eyes and forgetting the ears," while later chapters mention "formless and substanceless" - all elaborating this central theme. However, one must take special care not to simplistically understand this as mere "existence" or "non-existence," nor become attached to the concept of "emptiness." The true "Wu" (non-being) transcends the duality of being and non-being. Practitioners should realize: physical form is illusory, sensory desires are obscurations. Only by letting go of both external (sights and sounds) and internal (physical form) attachments can one maintain the authentic state of "Zhen Yi" (True Unity).

The Supreme Lord Laozi said: "Even the concept of 'emptiness' must be relinquished to attain the state of serene stillness." The Book of Changes states: "The Dao of Change is without thought, naturally Wuwei, motionless yet responsive to all things." Buddhist masters also teach that attachment to form is delusion. Thus we see how sages of Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism all use "Zhen Wu" (True Non-being) to enlighten later generations, guiding practitioners to perceive true movement within apparent stillness, and to accomplish action through Wuwei.

In "Chi Wen" (Vermilion Script), "Chi" (vermilion) represents the formless primordial Qi, while "Wen" (script) signifies all-pervading radiance. Buddhism uses "bare existence" to symbolize emptiness, while the Daoist Scripture of Salvation's "five scripts illuminating the cosmos" similarly refers to this light. Practitioners who return to the source can experience this luminous primordial Qi that fills heaven and earth.

"Dong Gu" (Penetrating Antiquity) means perceiving the primordial origin. Laozi teaches "grasp the ancient Dao to manage present affairs"; the Yin Fu Jing says "observe the Dao of heaven and accord with celestial movement" - both point to tracing existence to its source. Understanding this principle allows comprehension of past and future - this is the true meaning of "penetrating antiquity."

(Note: The text retains specialized terms like "Tai Shang" [Supreme Lord] and "Yin Fu Jing" [Scripture of the Hidden Talisman]. "Zhen Yi" refers to Daoism's fundamental truth, "Wu Wen" symbolizes the Qi of Five Phases, and "Wu Jian" indicates the seamless state of perfection.)

When practitioners of cultivation can forget what their eyes see and ears hear, withdrawing their scattered attention outward and turning inward to awareness, they naturally allow the light of wisdom to fill the infinite. At this point, the mind becomes like an abyss—profound and unfathomable. The observation that reaches this state is called "illuminating clarity" (zhaoliao, luminous contemplation), marking the beginning of entry into the mysterious realm. It penetrates past and present without obstruction, hence it is termed "penetrating antiquity" (donggu).

This true scripture (zhenjing) is like a broad and open path—the supreme method shared by all cultivators. It reveals the mystery of the Void and primordial Qi (Xiantian energy), transmitting the practice of unobstructed insight. It is both the secret of tracing life to its origin and the shortcut beyond the cycles of birth and death, as well as the key to transcending the mundane world. When reading this scripture, one must not cling to the literal meaning of the words but grasp the true intent beyond the text. If one silently comprehends its profundities, they may directly reach the true realm of emptiness, roaming the Xiantian (primordial) realm with the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the highest deity in Daoism). This is why it is called the "True Scripture."

What appears as movement in motion actually arises from stillness; what seems like action in doing is fundamentally rooted in non-action (wuwei). Zhang Zai (Hengqu) said: In ordinary things, movement does not contain stillness, nor does stillness contain movement. But the primordial spirit (yuanshen, original consciousness) moves within stillness and is still within movement. Laozi said, "Non-action, yet nothing is left undone." I say: Movement born from stillness is true movement; action achieved through non-action is true action. When the primordial spirit returns to its place, all things appear flourishing yet utterly tranquil; when breath dissolves, all things seem to exist yet remain unborn. Laozi said, "All things flourish, each returning to its root." Buddhism teaches, "When thoughts are extinguished, all phenomena cease." I say: When the primordial spirit is concealed in the absolute realm, all things manifest without disturbance; when breath settles in emptiness, all things exist without arising. Spirit resonates with spirit; all things nourish one another. The Yijing (Book of Changes) states, "Continuous generation is the Dao." I say: Spirit responding to spirit, matter resonating with matter—both are endless. Returning to the root, silently comprehending, the Yijing says, "Silently accomplishing, speaking not, yet trusted." I call the True One (zhenyi, fundamental truth) residing at the root of a tree its "origin," and at its tip, its "end." Those who can perceive with spiritual insight will thoroughly grasp the root. Cultivating one’s true nature merges one with the realm of the seamless. The Yijing states, "The sage washes the heart, withdrawing to store in secrecy." I say "to store" (zhi) means to bury—settling body and mind in the absolute, one enters the seamless realm, attaining the state of neither death nor birth, united with heaven and earth. The Yijing says, "Investigating origins and returning to the end, thus understanding life and death." The Heart Sutra states, "No birth, no cessation." I say life and death are as natural as the alternation of day and night—each follows its own principle.

(Note: The original text contains many specialized terms from Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) practice. The translation preserves the original intent while retaining terms like "primordial spirit" (yuanshen), "True One" (zhenyi), and "Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning" (Yuanshi Tianzun), with brief clarifications in parentheses. Quotations from Zhang Zai, Laozi, and the Yijing are woven into modern phrasing while maintaining conceptual continuity. Descriptions of meditative states use poetic imagery to avoid excessive abstraction.)

This scripture elucidates the essential methods for attaining the state of "Grasping the True" (caozhen), with its core philosophy centered on transcending sensory limitations and returning to one's primordial authenticity:

On the state of "Grasping the True":

At its fundamental level, transcending concepts of life and death allows complete integration with heaven and earth. The genuine state of "Grasping the True" appears motionless yet embodies profound movement, seems like wuwei (non-action) yet accomplishes supreme action.

Regarding cultivation methods: One must return the shen (spirit) to the original Qi (primordial energy), enabling form and spirit to mutually nourish each other. Like plants taking root in the earth, this naturally facilitates union with the cosmic forces.

Essential keys to sagehood:

1. Sensory cultivation: By forgetting what the eyes perceive, inner illumination expands boundlessly; by closing the ear consciousness, the mind maintains profound depth. As Laozi said, "Understanding the Dao comes not from looking out windows."

2. State description: When both sight and hearing are forgotten, one attains a state of pure perfection, merging with the undifferentiated cosmic origin (referred to as the "Great Primordial Chaos" in Daoism). This echoes the Book of Songs' description: "Following the Dao without conscious effort."

3. Ultimate realization: Complete transcendence of sensory constraints enables mastery over all creation. The Yijing's injunction to "emulate heaven and earth" and Mencius' statement that "all things are complete within me" both point to this state of cosmic unity.

Verification of practice:

Genuine Dao attainment manifests as complete penetration of the Three Powers (heaven, earth, and humanity) without obstruction by phenomenal appearances. Conversely, those still trapped by sensory phenomena have not yet awakened.

Essential cultivation formula:

"Nourish the formless" (cultivating the imageless source) leads to eternal existence;

"Guard the bodiless" (preserving the formless Dao-body) maintains true nature.

As Laozi taught: "The Great Dao has no fixed form," and "forgetting the physical body leads to enduring life."

(Note: "Qi" here refers to primordial energy; "Great Primordial Chaos" is the Daoist term for cosmic origin; "Three Powers" denotes heaven, earth and humanity as fundamental cosmic elements.)

This scripture passage explains how practitioners of the Dao can attain longevity and enduring vision by comprehending the concepts of "formlessness" (wuxiang) and "bodilessness" (wuti). The core teaching states:

True existence (shixiang) has no fixed form yet remains indestructible through kalpas (cosmic cycles), while the genuine essence (zhenti) is without shape or appearance yet preserves fundamental authenticity. Only by uniting wholeness (quan) with truth (zhen) can one achieve lasting endurance. Just as heaven and earth endure precisely because they don't deliberately pursue self-growth (bu zi sheng), forgetting their forms to preserve original truth.

Ordinary people fail to attain longevity because they cling to material forms (losing formlessness) and scatter their formless essence (dispersing bodilessness). The Diamond Sutra states all man-made things are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, or shadows—though temporarily formed, they ultimately dissipate. Attachment to physical appearances is delusional and leads to decay, preventing the hundred bodily parts from coexisting with true essence, hence resulting in death.

Master Kai taught that once caught in discriminating between "being" (you) and "non-being" (wu), one loses both innate nature (xing) and life (ming). The fundamental reason people cannot endure lies in their craving attachments—being controlled by material desires and changing along with external things, unable to make the physical body coexist with true essence.

The essential method of cultivation is: Nourish formless innate nature (yang qi wuxiang), preserve the shapeless true essence (shou qi wuti), thus achieving endurance. Those attached to forms lose authenticity and perish early. Because: The formed must decay, only the formless endures.

When all things return to "One" (wan you gui yi), original truth is preserved; when "One" disperses into myriad things, truth is lost. Those who understand abandoning appearances to grasp essence are called "perfected persons" (zhiren), capable of retaining physical form while dwelling in the world, achieving enduring vision and longevity.

However, the text ultimately points to a higher "Way of Unbornness" (chushi wusheng dao)—seeing through illusory forms that must decay, realizing the Dharma-body (a Buddhist term for Buddha's true nature) is originally formless and eternally abiding. Only by completely emptying even the concepts of "formed" and "formless" can one reach the supreme state of unmoving suchness (Buddhist term for perfect stillness of ultimate reality).

Note: "Formlessness" and "bodilessness" are key Daoist concepts describing Dao's transcendence beyond form and physicality; "Dharma-body" and "unmoving suchness" borrow Buddhist terminology to illustrate higher realization states.