《晉真人語錄》

Interpretation of the Sayings of Perfected Jin

Perfected Jin said: Since the dawn of creation, humanity has been drowning in the sea of suffering, with no moment of liberation. Now, however, is the time when immortals descend to the world, and the Great Dao is about to flourish. Though all beings are nurtured by Heaven, the wise and the foolish are fundamentally different—the wise aspire to the Dao, while the foolish turn away from it. Those who follow the Dao attain life; those who reject it are doomed to perish. A pure and tranquil mind is the path to heaven, while a scattered and chaotic mind leads to the gates of hell. I ask you all: Do you wish to ascend to heaven or descend into hell? Though the Dao is exalted and its mysterious Virtue (De) profound, how can such truths be understood by the deluded and ignorant? If not for the flourishing of the Daoist teachings today, how could these heavenly secrets of purity be revealed to the world, awakening those with wisdom and affinity?

Regarding the essentials of cultivation, Perfected Jin emphasized that practitioners must first comprehend the foundation of "nature and life" (spirit and vital energy). True cultivation involves three key principles: embracing the origin, guarding the One, and preserving the Three. "Preserving the Three" refers to nurturing the three treasures—essence (Jing), energy (Qi), and spirit (Shen). "Embracing the origin" means safeguarding the primordial Yang Qi within the Dantian (energy center). "Guarding the One" is the focused concentration on the luminous spirit. Specifically: the spirit resides in the heart, associated with the fire of the south (Bing-Ding), where the Yang spirit is concealed; the kidneys generate primordial Yang Qi, associated with the water of the north (Ren-Gui), where the Yin life force resides. This is the true meaning of "nature and life," yet few throughout history have truly understood it.

The methods of cultivation primarily consist of three stages:

First, one must concentrate on guarding the lower Dantian (the cultivation center three inches below the navel), ensuring the mind does not scatter. Holding fast to the primordial Yang Qi is the root of longevity and the key to transcending life and death—it is like the immortal’s alchemical furnace where Yin and Yang create and transform. By refining the spirit within the Dantian and maintaining a state of continuous subtle awareness for three to five years, the Yin and Yang energies will naturally harmonize in the alchemical cauldron, condensing into a formless spiritual embryo (the nascent stage of the inner elixir, Neidan). At this point, the spirit becomes spontaneously vibrant and joyful, as if dancing and singing of its own accord. This is the wondrous state described in the Yin Fu Jing (Scripture of the Hidden Talisman) where "spirit and Qi rely on one another"—Qi is the mother of spirit, and spirit is the child of Qi. When mother and child remain inseparable over time, the immortal path is naturally achieved.

Once the second stage is reached, one must relinquish attachment to the physical body, calmly nurturing the Dao’s Qi (primordial energy) and maintaining purity and naturalness.

Interpretation of the Recorded Sayings of Perfected Jin:

When dwelling in a state of pure undistracted awareness, one's original spirit (Shen) ascends to the celestial palace (upper Dantian), manifesting permanently before one's vision without regression. When essence (Jing), vital energy (Qi), and spirit (Shen) are harmoniously stabilized, one naturally attains longevity, with a mind expansive and unconstrained, reaching the serene state of carefree non-action (Wuwei). This manifests the achievement of the supreme Dao. By maintaining this purity until one's practice reaches completion, one receives the Jade Emperor's decree to become an unbound immortal of perpetual joy.

Perfected Jin observes: Some practitioners struggle with restless minds precisely because their cultivation hasn't matured. The path requires no fixed timetable—its essence lies in steadfastly maintaining the fundamental mind. As Perfected Lü (Lü Dongbin) taught: "Never complain about the Dao being difficult to attain—the truth is your practice remains insufficient." Without diligent vigilance, one cannot concentrate the spirit; without perseverance, the authentic heart grows lax; without single-minded focus, vital essences scatter and the spirit cannot stabilize.

Today, some seek masters while lacking reverence, always considering themselves superior. They practice without earnest diligence, indulging in empty talk. Witnessing poverty, they show no compassion. Such conduct damages their hidden virtue (De) and violates Daoist principles—how could such people hope to attain immortality?

Regarding the crux of attainment: Heaven only aids those with genuine practice and authentic virtue. As the Daode Jing states: "The Dao shows no partiality, yet constantly supports the virtuous." Authentic practice requires clarifying the spirit, stabilizing intention, maintaining focused awareness, harmonizing movement and stillness, and preserving the primordial energies (original Jing, Qi, and Shen). Authentic virtue manifests through moral cultivation—relieving suffering, aiding those in distress, guiding worthy people to the path, and practicing selflessness toward all beings.

Those cultivating immortality must first accumulate merit—achievement without virtue cannot bear fruit. Only when practice and virtue unite can one be called a Perfected Being. We should instruct disciples thus: thoroughly comprehend the principles of mind-nature, profoundly investigate the mysterious Dao, and resolve to cultivate immortality. As the Xisheng Jing states: "Purge distracting thoughts, silence the wandering mind..." [text breaks off here, continuing with essential instructions for mind cultivation]

The Recorded Sayings of Perfected Man Jin primarily expounds on the behavioral principles and essential teachings for Daoist cultivation:

The key to cultivating the Dao lies in maintaining mental purity and focusing on "guarding the One" (shouyi, referring to concentrated inner cultivation), which eliminates distracting thoughts and afflictions. This represents the most profound principle. When conversing with others, one should constantly safeguard one's inner cultivation, encouraging people to follow the Heavenly Dao and conform to cosmic principles, never defiling heaven and earth. Even when encountering someone like Zhang Yuanzi who speaks recklessly and presumptuously about the divine, we who follow the Dao must learn tolerance.

Practitioners must purify both body and mind: abstaining from killing, alcohol, meat, and breaking precepts through sexual misconduct. They should embrace all things with tolerance, willingly accept disadvantages, eliminate anger and greed, and constantly practice forbearance and frugality. When seeing others in danger, offer rescue; when seeing poverty, provide relief. Always put others before oneself, treat people with humility, and repay grievances with virtue (de). Never nitpick others' faults or engage in gossip, accumulating merit silently without seeking recognition—only heaven need bear witness.

The profound Dao is mysterious and unfathomable—while sages can comprehend and apply it, ordinary people use it daily without awareness. Those who deviate from the Dao are like fish out of water, facing grave peril. The profound truths in scriptures are difficult to grasp, so we now explain them in plain language to dispel confusion. For remaining uncertainties, later generations may seek clarification. Those who truly understand and practice can become lineage disciples, preserving life through cultivation while accumulating merit and aiding the world.

The final section reveals Patriarch Chongyang's secret formula for immortality: The Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) path represents the Dao's pure state of wuwei (non-action) and embodies authentic cultivation traditions. Those seeking immortality and studying the Dao shouldn't idly speculate about Zen or philosophy but must practice with grounded dedication.

The concluding verse summarizes: Cultivating the Dao requires ironclad determination—decisively severing worldly attachments, cutting through ignorance (wuming, Buddhist term denoting delusion), and transcending anxious calculations.

(Note: "Guarding the One" refers to focused inner cultivation; "ignorance" is a Buddhist term; "Quanzhen" denotes the Quanzhen school of Daoism; "Chongyang" refers to Wang Chongyang, founder of Quanzhen tradition.)

Interpretation of the Sayings of the Perfected Jin (Jin Zhenren Yulu) in Modern Chinese

In interactions with others, be cautious in speech and conduct—this is how true cultivation accumulates. In solitude, guard your thoughts diligently, eliminating even the smallest harmful intentions while persistently nurturing every minor act of goodness. Like tethering a restless monkey or reining in a galloping wild horse, discipline your mind.

When the three disturbances (referring to the imbalance of Jing, Qi, and Shen) dissipate, the spirit attains tranquility. When the six thieves (the desires arising from the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) are purged, the will stabilizes. In practice, gradually harmonize the balance of water and fire (Yin-Yang) within the body, subtly regulate the breath, and abide in a state of purity and Wuwei (non-action). Treat others with humility and gentleness, refining your nature through softness, for reverence toward others brings benefit.

Recognize the decaying nature of this transient body and cease exhausting yourself for this walking skeleton. Alas, worldly people take pride in clever speech and view contention as glory. They burn with anger yet consider themselves noble, cling to distinctions between self and others, and stubbornly hold to their opinions. In crowds, they refuse humility; in clamor, they cannot find stillness. When desires arise, their minds grow restless; with reckless actions, their thoughts become chaotic.

Some even make a habit of begging for sustenance while claiming it to be true cultivation—such are the foolish and base who wallow in laziness. Better to swiftly refine your obstinate nature and abandon false practice to illuminate the true mind. Clinging to petty cleverness only leads to greater delusion; excessive mental effort dims the inner light. The miserly cannot attain the great Dao (the Way), and the cruel will never fathom profound truth. Envying the virtuous invites calamity; clinging to life in fear only creates karmic burdens.

Those charlatans who deceive others with talismans (Fulu) and sell dubious techniques, or who exploit healing and pleasure-seeking for profit, are nothing but disgraceful frauds within the Daoist tradition—their clamor harms the multitudes. Without understanding the wondrous methods of cultivation, they wander aimlessly, their minds lost in frenzied pursuits. Even if they receive offerings from devotees across the ten directions, they cannot digest such blessings.

Diligent practice clarifies the mind and reveals true nature, but the slightest negligence may plunge one into hell. Only by encountering a true master can one obtain the subtle teachings—yet these principles are not carelessly disclosed to the foolish, for each must realize them independently.

Genuine cultivation does not require grueling efforts that strain sinews and bones, nor does it involve deceptive techniques of "harvesting and battling" (sexual alchemy). Simply comprehend the realm of Wuwei (non-action), and naturally, the spirit and Qi will merge. The alchemical furnace (Dantian) will mature of itself, the cinnabar (Neidan, internal elixir) will radiate brilliance, and divine light will shine resplendently. Then, you will witness the origin of Dao and De (Virtue/Power) and recognize the root of serene liberation. This is the profound method of dual cultivation of nature and life (Xingming Shuangxiu), the true path to immortality.

If every person awakens to this mystery, they will attain the Dao of enduring life and clear vision. These are not delusive falsehoods or the seductions of heretical arts. Sincerely admonishing all wise practitioners of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition, I also exhort cultivators throughout the world.

"Discourse of Master Jin" Modern Interpretation:

These lost advanced practitioners should each comprehend the teachings of "Harmful Wind" (referring to Patriarch Wang Chongyang) and walk together on the correct path. Now I shall elucidate the true meaning of cultivation to help dispel everyone's doubts. May each person transcend worldly affairs and achieve true immortality; sever mundane attachments and realize the Great Dao. May all beings ascend to the celestial realm.

(Responses to Master Ma's Fourteen Questions)

First Question: What is the state of "where thought and spirit become unfathomable, the dragon and tiger shall surely meet"?

Answer: When one attains complete emptiness and absolute stillness, this is that very state.

Second Question: What is meant by "the gate of the mysterious female is called the root of heaven and earth"?

Answer: The "mysterious" refers to the father's Jing (essence), while the "female" denotes the mother's vital blood. Originally each possesses eight liang (traditional measurement), combining to form one jin. That spark of primordial Yang's true Qi (vital energy) is the fundamental root.

Third Question: What is "returning to destiny and reverting to the root"?

Answer: The key lies in "stillness." Simply prevent the mind from chasing external things or becoming entangled by defilements. Maintain undivided intention and clear Shen (spirit) - this is returning to the root. Without achieving this, one cannot return to the origin.

Fourth Question: How to realize one's true nature?

Answer: Simply attain a state of no-mind and no-thought, undisturbed by external matters. When the inner mind becomes pure and transparent, with neither internal nor external affairs, this is realizing one's nature.

Fifth Question: What is "responding to phenomena without confusion"?

Answer: Though ears may hear, eyes may see, and mouth may speak, the crucial point is the heart remaining unmoved.

Sixth Question: What are the "celestial pivot and earthly axis"? How to maintain their mutual embrace?

Answer: These terms refer to Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy). Simply avoid contamination and entanglement by external matters. When the heart is stable, Qi stabilizes; when the heart moves, Qi scatters. With an unwavering heart, the mutual embrace of spirit and energy can be maintained.

Seventh Question: What is "the three-foot sword that emerges from being and enters non-being, the single golden pill of immortality"?

Answer: "Emerging from being and entering non-being" refers to the movement of true Qi; the three-foot sword symbolizes wisdom; "immortality" indicates the indestructibility of true nature; the golden pill represents life-cultivation practice. Simply maintain purity and no-mind, find a quiet place for seated meditation - there are no other special methods.

Eighth Question: How to regulate breathing?

Answer: It is not achieved through deliberate effort. When the mind is free of affairs, breathing naturally harmonizes. Consciously focusing on breath regulation becomes an attachment. The essence lies in unconscious regulation - don't deliberately observe nasal breathing. Today I tell all fellow practitioners: the key is simply a mind free of distractions, finding a quiet place...

Discourses of Master Jin in Modern Interpretation:

Disciples engaged in seated meditation need only clear their minds of distractions to comprehend the Dao (the Way). Persevere in this practice.

Question 9: What does Bodhidharma's saying "Lift the void and turn back to look" mean?

Answer: The void represents human original nature (One Nature). When you turn back to observe it, this nature remains luminous and undimmed.

Question 10: This disciple took monastic vows late in life and now suffers from bodily weakness. How should I nourish myself, Master?

Answer: You require replenishment. The disciple then asked: How does one replenish? The Master replied: Simply refrain from clinging to matters in your heart, release all entanglements, and prevent the six senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) from grasping outward. Maintain inner purity. Speak little, abstain from fixating on external things, remain alert throughout the day, reduce sleep, and instantly relinquish distracting thoughts—this is the finest nourishment.

Question 11: What are lead and mercury (Neidan terminology)?

Answer: Lead symbolizes paternal essence (original Jing), mercury represents maternal blood (original Qi)—that is, nature and life. The terms "dragon and tiger" (Neidan terminology) convey the same meaning.

Question 12: What should I do when scattered thoughts or drowsiness arise during meditation?

Answer: This occurs solely because attachments remain in the heart. If Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) are harmonized to a subtle state and the mind achieves true emptiness, distracting thoughts and drowsiness will naturally cease.

Question 13: What is the state that heaven and earth cannot fathom, and ghosts and spirits cannot know?

Answer: There is nothing extraordinary about it (implying transcendence of dualistic distinctions).

Question 14: How can one maintain constancy throughout all twelve double-hours of the day?

Answer: Not only should the twelve double-hours be consistent—even across thousands of days, constancy must endure. The slightest deviation constitutes a departure.

From Eighteen Dialogues on Precious Daoist Teachings regarding "Quanzhen" (Complete Perfection):

Quanzhen is the Dao that aligns with the heart of heaven. It requires: Shen (spirit) not scattering, Qi not dissipating, Jing (essence) not leaking—these three perfected; the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) consolidated; the Four Symbols (Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise) harmonized. This is Quanzhen. As the verse states: "Ever upholding the Patriarch’s teachings, daily preserving the Dao-mind, cultivating the true suchness of nature—is this not Quanzhen?"

On "Reverent Salutation and Treasuring":

Transcending form and essence, emptying both inner and outer to commune with the primordial origin—this invites divine protection. This is the ancestral tradition transmitted by the Supreme Venerable Sovereign (Taishang Laojun), conferring immortality. Free from clinging to any thought, one roams the Dharma-realm with transformative freedom, as if within a grove of seven treasures—unshaken by external conditions. Only then is one worthy of the reverent salutation "treasure and honor."

On the "Elder" (perfected being):

Existing before the ten thousand phenomena, luminous yet formless, unchanging from antiquity to the present—this is the true "Elder."

(Note: A "Daoist youth" refers to a practitioner cultivating childlike purity, maintaining an untainted heart in spiritual practice.)

This passage from The Recorded Sayings of Perfected Jin employs a series of objects from a Daoist practitioner's daily life as metaphors to expound the essence of cultivation:

The novice was originally one with the great Dao (the Way), but worldly thoughts caused the fall into mortal dust. Now, with the heart turned beyond the azure heavens, one transcends all dharmas and connects with the Dao.

The unkempt hair symbolizes the primal authenticity of cultivation from the Great Antiquity—penetrating one teaching unlocks all teachings. Letting go of worldly attachments to maintain purity allows the natural essence to merge with celestial law.

The topknot alludes to the teachings transmitted by Zhongli Quan (one of the Eight Immortals), shining like the sun atop Mount Kunlun (the sacred Daoist mountain). No deliberate cleansing is needed, just as herding the white ox embodies effortless wuwei (non-action).

The Daoist crown gleams with stellar radiance front and back, gathering all dharmas into the heart. Inner and outer clarity leaves no trace—only the path of cultivation shines bright and unobstructed.

The robe, since the Great Beginning, has enveloped heaven and earth, shielding against worldly dust untouched by heat or cold.

Seasonal garments metaphorize transcending the four worldly obsessions (wine, lust, wealth, and anger), severing entanglements of right and wrong.

The bamboo hat resembles Kunlun's haloed summit, deflecting wind, rain, and snow like a shelter where no sky leaks through.

The belt must firmly rein in the "monkey-mind and horse-heart" (Daoist metaphor for restless thoughts), relinquishing all fixations to vow escape from the cycle of life and death.

Though just three feet of cloth, the satchel contains the dharma-realm's emptiness, manifesting creation's profound mysteries.

The staff, upright, props up heaven and earth; laid sideways, it carries sun, moon, and rivers; when turned, it rotates the cosmos' myriad phenomena.

The alms bowl holds meals from a thousand homes—solitary wanderings over ten thousand miles, begging sustenance to transcend life and death.

Straw sandals tread mountains and streams with me, henceforth unstained by mud, freely soaring beyond blue skies.

Coming and going both follow the great Dao, maintaining purity untainted.

True monasticism means transcending worldly dust, cultivating through wuwei. If asked the secret of practice, it's as natural as clouds parting to reveal the moon.

Daily practice emphasizes nurturing nature and forgetting passions—even door-to-door alms-seeking is cultivation. Coming and going freely without attachments, one keeps company with clear winds and bright moon.

(Note: "Zhongli" refers to Zhongli Quan of the Eight Immortals; "Kunlun" is the sacred Daoist mountain; "monkey-mind and horse-heart" is a Daoist metaphor for distracting thoughts.)

Plain English Interpretation of The Recorded Sayings of Perfected Jin:

[Hymn to the Immortals]

All men seek immortality, yet who is willing to relinquish their countless attachments? If one can awaken to their true nature (primordial essence), they may roam freely with the clear breeze and bright moon as companions.

[Chant of the Water Dragon]

Having already left household life behind, I crave no worldly riches. Disheveled and unwashed, I sit alone all day, cultivating inner alchemy (Neidan practice) in ancient temples and crumbling kilns. As sun and moon revolve, I perceive the true Dao in emptiness ("recognizing being within non-being" refers to mystical experience in profound stillness), maintaining purity of mind ("knowing the white yet keeping the black" from the Daode Jing). In unbroken breath regulation and quiet cultivation, my heart holds no attachments—only a tattered cloth sack and walking staff accompany me. Straw sandals worn through, coarse robes covering my frame, I beg for alms when hungry and sing Daoist hymns when sated ("lilian luoli" being liturgical refrains). Let others laugh at my madness—who can comprehend this truth?

My resolve in cultivation stands firm as iron, relying wholly on courageous self-discipline. Severing fame's shackles, abandoning love's entanglements, no worldly matter lingers in my heart. Dwelling not in thatched hermitages, I practice instead amidst bustling markets. Contentedly upholding the Dao through my days, I gladly remain a poor cultivator. Coarse tea and plain rice defy heat and cold; unkempt and solitary, I refine myself daily. Fortunate to receive true instructions from an enlightened master, yet the world calls me insane. These profound mysteries—how could seven simple songs exhaust their meaning?

[Ode to the High Mountain]

Alone I climb the peak, surveying all directions—dark clouds disperse, leaving the moon solitary in the sky. Gazing upon the vast sea of humanity, how many truly merit the title of hero?

[Song of Crimson Liberation]

The grotto-heavens (celestial realms) lie not so distant, only men lack awakening. Cultivating inner landscapes (Qi transformations) requires a master's guidance, specifically awaiting dawn's yang energy (Daoists regard midnight as yang's birth), with the wondrous path hidden in the Dantian ("depths of emerald waves" symbolizes the lower elixir field). When inner Qi stirs like subterranean thunder ("earth's thunder resounds" signifies Qi activation), it showers like mountain rain upon newborn yellow sprouts (Neidan term for nascent original essence). Gathering the golden elixir like a newly formed infant, placed within the six-yang cauldron (symbolizing the body) for refinement, circulating through the eight trigrams and nine palaces (meditative coordinates). Know the foundation lies in the ten heavenly stems (practice timings), where left and right clearly reveal dragon and tiger (lead-mercury representing yin-yang). With the Black Tortoise (kidney water) as base and Vermilion Bird (heart fire) as function, auspicious clouds gather as ten thousand spirits pay homage. Riding the crimson dragon (yang energy) with the Gui Mother (true yin) back to the cavern-mansion, inquiring of Ding-gong (true yang) about his abode. Through three thousand cycles of yin-yang communion (cosmic revolutions), one attains the indestructible fruit of Dao—longevity matching heaven, earth, and the seas.

(Note: The final section employs extensive Neidan metaphors, framing cultivation as alchemical processes requiring knowledge of Daoist internal alchemy.)

This excerpt from Recorded Sayings of Perfected Jin poetically conveys the spiritual states and realizations of Daoist practitioners.

The opening lines employ vivid imagery—the Yellow River's waters, white deer, vermilion phoenixes, and the mystical pairing of tortoise and crimson snake—to depict the wondrous transformations of Heaven and Earth. The paradoxical scenes of snowfall in June and winter sprouts hint at the profound understanding of Yin-Yang (阴阳) dynamics attained by adepts. Those who grasp these principles may transcend worldly constraints like immortals roaming the earth.

The passage on the "green-headed duck" illustrates the practitioner's detachment from worldly illusions, recognizing them as fleeting as a Southern Branch dream. One must wield the sword of wisdom to sever emotional attachments and lean on a staff of wild vines to withdraw from mundane affairs. Retreating to Mount Emei, they refine their light in seclusion, dwelling among forest springs. Even if Heaven and Earth crumble, their true nature remains unshaken. With sun and moon tucked in their sleeves and hearts vast as the cosmos, they join the celestial banquet at the Jade Pool, drinking alongside transcendents.

Two concluding hymns further illuminate the Daoist path:

The first compares the mind's clarity to the moon's radiance mirrored in an emerald pond, while "seeing azure skies in a crystal tray" symbolizes the carefree state beyond worldly concerns.

The second allegorizes the waters of Mount Jade Capital (玉京山, Yu-jing Shan), suggesting that with guidance from an enlightened teacher (the boatman), one may cross to celestial palaces—implying true realization requires transmission from an authentic master.

Throughout, the text brims with distinctive Daoist symbolism and cultivation terminology, embodying the adept's pursuit of spiritual liberation and union with the Dao (道).