《太上老君清靜心經》

"Explanation of the Supreme Elder Lord's Scripture of Purity and Stillness of Heart":

The Supreme Elder Lord (Taishang Laojun) teaches: The nature of Dao encompasses two aspects - purity and turbidity, stillness and movement. Purity and stillness are the root, while turbidity and movement are the branches. Yang Qi (vital energy), being pure and light, ascends; Yin Qi, being turbid and heavy, descends. The masculine embodies purity and activity, the feminine embodies turbidity and stillness. All things in creation emerge from this fundamental principle - purity is the source of turbidity, stillness is the foundation of movement.

If one can maintain a heart-mind of purity and stillness, one becomes truly noble in this world. The human spirit (Shen) naturally delights in purity, yet is often disturbed by chaotic thoughts; the heart naturally loves tranquility, yet is constantly pulled by desires. If one can relinquish desires, the heart will naturally find peace; if one clarifies distracting thoughts, the spirit will naturally become luminous. In this state, the six desires (of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) cannot arise, and the three poisons (greed, anger, and delusion) will naturally dissolve.

Those who cannot achieve this fail because their hearts remain unclarified and their desires unrelinquished. Those who truly succeed in letting go will discover: looking inward at the heart, they find it fundamentally empty; observing outward forms, they recognize them as illusory; contemplating all phenomena, they perceive their insubstantiality. These three cannot be grasped - only boundless clarity remains. Even the concept of "emptiness" must be released, reaching absolute stillness beyond emptiness and non-emptiness. In this state, desires find no foothold, and spirit-heart naturally becomes pure.

Though we speak of "attaining Dao," in truth nothing is attained. The term is merely a skillful means (upaya) for teaching sentient beings. True attainment is realizing the inherent Dao-nature within one's own heart. Clinging to notions of "having a heart," "having a body," or "having things" generates attachment, affliction, and deluded thoughts, ultimately sinking one into the bitter sea of suffering and separating one from Dao.

The teaching concludes with a gatha (verse): The profound mystery of the Great Dao manifests in everyday life - all movement and stillness are its natural expression. If you quiet the deluded mind and observe, you'll find no boundary between movement and stillness. This boundless realm arises from original nature's luminous emptiness - not the contrived void of forced meditation.

(Note: The "six desires" refer to sensory cravings for form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects; "three poisons" indicate the fundamental afflictions of greed, anger, and ignorance; "turbid sea" symbolizes the suffering of samsara; "expedient means" denotes teaching methods adapted to beings' capacities.)

This passage elucidates the path to liberation through realizing inner purity:

When one comprehends that all phenomena in the world are temporary convergences of causes and conditions without inherent substance, one transcends all bondage and ascends directly to the Purple Tenuity Palace (symbolizing the highest spiritual realm in Daoism). Both internally and externally illuminated, all methods return to the One, and the great Dao manifests perfect equality.

When the mind becomes pure like an unstained mirror, one attains effortless freedom. The true Dao makes no distinctions—heaven and hell are ultimately creations of the human mind. As inner spirit (Shen) returns to stillness, one becomes undisturbed by concepts of good and evil, gain and loss. Ordinary people create suffering in the mundane world precisely because they cling to discriminating thoughts.

Upon careful observation, one discovers these sufferings have no true creator. All phenomena fundamentally lack fixed origins, being merely temporary convergences of conditions. Though conditions temporarily coalesce, their essential nature remains empty and tranquil. By relinquishing attachments and following natural spontaneity (Wuwei), one attains unimpeded understanding.

The Lao Jun (Venerable Lord) admonishes sentient beings: Whoever genuinely understands this scripture's true meaning and reverently recites and practices it during all activities—walking, standing, sitting, or lying down—will eradicate countless karmic obstacles, resolve enmities, avoid negative retributions, and subdue heterodox paths. To transcend suffering, maintain a pure heart and devoutly practice this scripture.