Annotations on the 24 Poems of Jin Dan ②

Author: Kong de Si Tu 籥 boasting about the xun wind. Bring in the fire of Kun from the primordial chaos. Slowly fanning oneself up to the summit of Kunlun, one gradually devouring the Palace of Tufu. When lead and mercury are combined, they form the most precious treasures; when spirits unite, they transform into infants and children. In the future, one will transcend the universe and not be part of the Xuanji creation. 【 Annotation 】 "tuo 籥 boasts of bringing in the fire of kun from the primordial heaven with the help of the xun wind." These two sentences describe the transition and coordination between the breaths of the preceding and following heaven during the initial practice of alchemy, as well as the harmonization and participation of the mind spirit within it. This method is called "concentrating and regulating the breath". The cultivation of internal medicine is something that occurs after the insight into the entrance hall. And the insight into the entrance hall is marked by the appearance of the true breath. True breath, also known as fetal breath, is like a baby in the mother's womb. It has no self-breathing through the mouth and nose and relies on the mother's breathing for respiration. This is natural breathing, innate breathing, for infants. However, this innate breathing is divided into two layers, that is, there are two layers of fetal breathing. The first layer, although the breathing through the mouth and nose is interrupted, the dividend still has an internal pulsating and transforming frequency. The second layer, without the frequency of stirring and transformation, is in the state of emptiness, clarity, and perfect communication, at the stillness of no breath. These two layers, the former is the gradual growth of the fetus. Due to the obstruction of the mother's body, the true breath of the fetus cannot be maintained, so it must rely on the mother's regular breathing to replenish nutrients and transform. The latter is the time when the fetus is born, nourished entirely by the true breath of the void, and thus it is the breath without breath. However, no matter how you put it, once a person leaves the mother's body and enters the postnatal stage, the innate fetal breath has come to an end. To obtain the fetal breath again, one must create conditions by oneself. This is the return to the innate stage in the postnatal stage. The postnatal breathing channels of a person are the mouth and nose. Therefore, when returning to the initial natural breathing, one can only start with breathing through the mouth and nose, and then make adjustments to complete the transition. In ancient times, the blower used in the furnace for smelting metals (including outer elixirs) was sewn from leather and was called a 籥. The inner elixir cultivator uses "tuo 籥" as a metaphor for the breath of breathing. Therefore, "ligul籥" can be divided into successive days. This sentence discusses "liguo 籥" and "xun wind" separately, indicating the coordination and transitional function of the breathing of the preceding and following days. This "ligul籥" means that it first breathes naturally, but it needs to breathe through the mouth and nose later in life to gradually show its appearance. This transitional method involves adjusting the body and mind, following the natural course of breathing through the mouth and nose, allowing it to progress from thick to thin, from strong to weak, from short to long, and from visible to hidden. When the meridians throughout the body are unobstructed, the breath through the mouth and nose returns to the root and eventually stops externally, the true ligularia 籥 is officially manifested. This is the first effect of "ligul籥 boasting about borrowing the xun wind". During the circulation of the celestial body, to ensure the ascending and descending movement of the primordial energy, it is indispensable and very important to give full play to the coordinating role of the postnatal breathing in the early stage of transportation, which is not yet mature. If in a state of chaos, the primordial Yang occurs, in order to extract and refine it in time and prevent it from getting lost, it is necessary to use the postnatal breathing to "fan the wind and add fire", which is called using fierce fire. When ascending the Du meridian in the reverse direction, do not allow the vital energy to descend or leak out from the Huiyin point. Instead, use the suction force from the postnatal breathing to urge it to ascend in the reverse direction. Of course, these methods, although applied later in life, must be in harmony with the innate. Though man-made, it should be in harmony with nature. Otherwise, deviations will occur. The above are the methods of regulating breath. But pranayama and concentration are combined but not separated. It can even be said that regulating the breath is for concentrating the mind. Regulating the breath is a means, while concentrating the mind is the goal. Because in the cultivation of inner elixirs, the role of the deity is of primary importance. God is the fire that refines refined water. In this sense, God is also called the true seed of alchemy cultivation. The ancients revealed that: "If there are no true seeds in a cauldron, it is like boiling water and fire in an empty pot." Concentrate your mind, and what is concentrated is the clear mind. In internal medicine, Mingshen mainly focuses on clarity and tranquility, and is concentrated in the lower abdomen, the dantian, thus it is called "Kun". When the dantian is in a state of mental tranquility, true Yang emerges, thus it is called "Kun Fire". Because it is presented in a state of non-action, it is called "borrowed from the Primordial Chaos". The method of concentrating the mind is to focus the spirit on the breath. Start with breathing through the mouth and nose. When breathing through the mouth and nose naturally, let each breath return to the root, which is the dantian. Thus, concentrate the spirit on the dantian. The divine fire, when combined with the natural true breath through the wind of breathing, is called divine fire. When cooked and refined, the essence will surely transform into qi. This is the way to achieve the wonderful effect of concentrating the mind and regulating the breath. "Slowly fan up to the summit of Kunlun, gradually swallow back to the Palace of Tufu." These two lines, the first one is a clay pill that rises from the perineum along the Governor vessel to the brain. As the brain is located at the top, it is used as a metaphor for Kunlun Mountain. The following sentence is about descending from the Ren meridian to the middle dantian for refinement and nourishment. Since the middle dantian is where the vital energy converges, Yin and Yang are in harmony, neither above nor below, neither leaning nor deviating, it is in the middle position. Therefore, "middle" refers to the place where the element "earth" of the Five Elements resides. The refinement and nourishment take place here, thus it is called a cauldron. When combined, it is called the earth cauldron, also known as the Yellow Court. The "Complete Map of Cultivation and Self-Cultivation on Wudang Mountain" points out the location of this opening: "There is a cave called Rijiang Palace under the heart, which is the place where dragons and tigers meet." Three cun and six fen directly below is the Sun Earth Pot, the Yellow Court Palace, which is the Middle Dantian. On the left is the Mingtang Hall, and on the right is the Dongfang. Wu Ying lives in the left liver, and Bai Yuan lives in the right lung. It is also empty by one inch and two fen, which is the place to store qi and the tripod for refining qi. However, both ascending and descending must be coordinated with the breathing process. Ascending should be accompanied by inhalation, and descending by exhalation. "Slowly" and "gradually" both indicate going with the flow. "When lead and mercury are combined, they form the most precious treasure; when spirits are united, they become the heaviest." These two sentences indicate that the core of the inner elixir is the integration of the spirit, and there is no other special mystery. Spirit can be divided into acquired and innate. The spirit used in elixir formation is innate, that is, the primordial essence and primordial spirit. In terms of the drugs refined from external elixirs, the primordial essence is lead and the primordial spirit is mercury. In internal refinement, lead is always mixed with mercury to transform essence and unite the spirit. Mercury is then used to apply lead, and the spirit is further refined into essence. In this way, through repeated exchanges, all the Yin is transformed, leaving only pure Yang. The essence transforms into the spirit, with only the spirit visible and no essence. The two are united without distinction, and only then can it be called a true elixir. The sacred womb is formed with elixirs, and the infant is nurtured from the womb. Therefore, the medicine for health preservation and longevity is called "the most precious treasure". In the future, when supernatural powers change and life is reborn, it is called a "baby". However, both the primordial essence and the primordial spirit have no form of substance and are one kind of qi. "Shen" refers to the spirit and qi, and "jing" refers to the essence and qi. Therefore, "jing" is used to distinguish it from "shen", and it is often also called "qi", with lead being qi and mercury being "shen". "In the future, I will leap beyond the universe and be in a different Xuanji creation." These two sentences state that the cultivation of the elixir path is to transform the limited life of the existing natural creation into an eternal life that is not subject to natural creation and is equivalent to it. "Qian Kun" refers to heaven and earth. It is the innate environment that creates human life, and human life is simultaneously restricted by it. "Xuanji" is the Big Dipper. Humans use it as a standard to understand the positions of the Earth and celestial bodies, and also believe that the changes of the Earth's seasons are related to the direction of the dipper. Here, the term "Xuanji" is used to generally refer to the specific natural spatiotemporal environment in which human beings are constrained. In the Wuan furnace, a cauldron is set up to refine the golden elixir. Water fears dryness and fire fears coldness. When not yet trained, one should always be vigilant and keep a close eye on the place where one goes. Lead extraction and mercury addition must be expedited, and vigilance against risks and dangers must not be relaxed. A slight mistake leads to great success; giving up halfway makes it hard to resume. 【 Note 】 This poem mainly emphasizes the subtlety of the heat control. "Set up the furnace and the cauldron to refine the golden elixir. Water fears dryness and fire fears coldness." " These two sentences set out the conditions that should be met before commencing work. "Setting up the furnace and establishing the tripod" is the prerequisite. What is the "furnace cauldron" for internal alchemy cultivation? It has many meanings here. If we talk about the body and mind, the physical body is the furnace and the mind is the tripod. If physical illness has not been cured and the mind is unstable, the stove cannot be set up and the tripod cannot be erected. If the spirit is classified by acupoints and orifices, the lower dantian is the stove and the upper dantian is the tripod. If we talk about internal medicine and external medicine, the body and mind are the internal medicine as the tripod, and heaven and earth are the external medicine as the protector. If one does not understand the acupoints and the usage methods, the stove cannot be set up and the tripod cannot be erected. This is the significance of "safeguarding and establishing the tripod". Essence represents water and spirit represents fire. These two are the main ingredients for giving elixirs. "Water fears dryness", "dry" means to dry up (" dry "is the traditional Chinese character for" dry "). This character was originally a single character with multiple pronunciations and meanings. When a person lacks essence or has insufficient essence, it makes it impossible to start refining elixirs. This is like making rice; there is a pot and a stove, firewood and rice, but without water, it is impossible to make rice. "Fire fears cold." Without firewood, the fire is cold; with little firewood, the fire is also cold. This firewood and this fire are the spirit and intention. If a person has abundant essence and energy, it is like adding enough water to a pot. However, if a person cannot focus their mind on the dantian, their thoughts are all drawn away by external things. This is like having no fire in a stove, or the fire is very weak, or the fire is intermittent, and it is simply impossible to heat the water in the pot. If the divine fire is insufficient, it cannot refine the refined water to form the true Yang energy. "Keep a close watch when you haven't exercised, and be diligent in observing wherever you go." " These two sentences describe the period of quiet recuperation before starting to extract and refine. "At the time before smelting" refers to the initial stage of concentration when the fire is still insufficient, the air flow is uneven, and the ore in the furnace has not yet been smelted. Insufficient fire means the spirit is not concentrated; uneven wind means the breath is not smooth. "Constant protection" means concentrating the mind and regulating the breath in the dantian. There are two methods of protection: martial fire and gentle fire. When the mind is not concentrated, martial fire is used, emphasizing the use of breathing to strengthen the mind and perform the desired actions. After doing a good job of concentrating the mind and regulating the breath, then use a gentle flame. Do not forget or assist, neither too high nor too low, and practice non-action. When everything goes smoothly, one can then carry out the method of "gathering wisdom". "Tun" and "Meng" are the second and fourth hexagrams of the sixty-four hexagrams in the I Ching. The first two hexagrams are Qian and Kun. The Inner alchemists use the sixty-four hexagrams as a metaphor for the entire process of spiritual cultivation. It is a metaphor for the application of the celestial system. The Qian and Kun hexagrams represent the intersection of Yin and Yang, symbolizing the act of entering the qi with the spirit at the moment of action. When the spirit and qi unite and enter the chaotic realm, the innate Yang qi will sprout from this realm first. The hexagram "Tun" is represented by "Zhen" at the bottom and "Kan" at the top. In terms of its symbolic meaning, it symbolizes that new things have just occurred and there are still many difficulties and twists and turns ahead. On the 卦辞 day: "The yuan dynasty is prosperous and zhen. Do not use it. You will go there and benefit marquis Jian." The hexagram "Tun" can represent the state where the true Yang energy has just returned, just like a plant seed that has just begun to sprout, not even the bud has yet to emerge. However, despite this, it has already shown a momentum of new life emerging and bound to develop, so it is an auspicious sign: "Yuan Li Heng Zhen". It has a promising future, that is, "a promising direction". To achieve something is to "benefit the construction and wait". However, the attitude towards this auspicious hexagram is "Do not use it". Why? Although it is an auspicious sign, it is still in its weakest stage and has no ability to cope with the difficulties, twists and turns and depression it faces. The only way is to protect it well and prevent it from suffering any damage or destruction. In the state of energy, that is, when the true Yang is just beginning to sprout, the mind should be even more calm and the breathing more smooth. It particularly emphasizes neither forgetting nor helping, neither too close nor too far. This is a further form of protection. The hexagram "Meng" follows "Tun" immediately. Kan is at the bottom and Gen is at the top. Kan represents water and Gen represents mountain. Water wants to flow but is blocked by mountains, so it cannot move smoothly. It is a metaphor for an uncertain future and the need for education. Youdaoplaceholder0 mu: "meng, heng. I begged Tong Meng, and Tong Meng begged me. At first, 筮 inform, read again and again; if it is blasphemy, do not inform. "Li Zhen." The power state of this hexagram comparison is that it follows the stillness and movement of the true Yang time, becoming both clear and bright. What moves is true Yang, and what is bright is true intention. And this true meaning is the true spiritual enlightenment sensed through the primordial spirit when the original true meaning is in a state of chaos. Because the true Yang energy has just begun to sprout, it is like an ignorant child, just like a child in ignorance. Childhood is innocent and pure, and thus follows the innocence of nature, which is why it is called "Heng". But children are ignorant and lack knowledge. They must be educated and guided in order to embark on the right path. Therefore, the newly sprouted true Yang energy must be governed and guided by the true intention. The true meaning is "I". The line "Fei I asked Tong Meng, and Tong Meng asked me" precisely indicates this primary and secondary relationship. "At first, 筮 report; if repeated, do not report; if repeated, do not report." This connection with the upper level has a deeper meaning, that is, the relationship between true meaning (understanding the spirit) and recognizing the spirit. When stillness reaches its peak and movement resumes, the true intention emerges, and the consciousness spirit also awakens simultaneously. At this point, he must submit to the true intention and cannot, due to his lack of understanding of the new phenomenon, keep trying to figure out why. With such a heart, because of "repeatedly reading" into the true meaning, the true meaning will be receded without being told. The phrase "Li Zhen" indicates that the true Yang has already emerged, and following its development, the true intention will take the lead. This is what is meant by "zhen". When it comes to understanding the divine, never cause trouble. Once you do, it won't be beneficial to your true nature. Therefore, those who are "ignorant" just need to follow the guidance of the enlightened. The phrase "One should be diligent in observing the place where one is stationed" is synonymous with "constant protection", both meaning that the consciousness spirit must not be involved and the development trend of the primordial spirit, the non-breath, and the primordial energy must not be disrupted. "Aluminum extraction and mercury addition must be stepped up, and risks and safety precautions must not be relaxed." " These two sentences describe the weather conditions of the Zhou Tian's fortune. When the true Yang in the dantian becomes vigorous and strong, it is necessary to undergo "lead extraction and mercury supplementation". Lead is the true Yang energy in essence. Refining essence to transform it into energy and obtaining energy from essence is called lead extraction. When real lead is drawn and sent into the Du Meridian, it ascends and reaches Kunlun, then enters the Mud Nine, and interacts with the Wushen. This is the addition of mercury. This process is also known as removing the Kan, filling the Li, restoring essence and nourishing the brain. In the practice of alchemy, every second counts. Little by little, great achievements can be made. Only by achieving success one day and one hour earlier can one be sure of victory. If one does not practice diligently and makes mistakes halfway through, all previous efforts will be wasted. Therefore, in the "Song of the Rootless Tree", the Patriarch Sanfeng once reminded those who were learning the Tao, "Don't wait for the wind and rain to damage the boat." This statement shares the same intention as "We must hurry up". In internal cultivation, whether using gentle or vigorous fire, one must always have a single-minded focus. If random thoughts arise and the mind wanders, not only will the spirit be scattered as a result, but there is also a risk of the vital energy being lost. This phenomenon is called a sign of danger. In addition, magical scenes are also likely to occur at the realm of cultivation, which is also a major enemy of internal refinement and a dangerous omen of destroying the furnace and the elixir. These magical creatures were listed as the Ten Demons by the ancients, and their explanations vary. In the "Collected Teachings of Zhong and Lu: On Demonic Calamities", it is stated: "Among the ten demonic beings, there are three categories: one day, they are seen externally; two days, they dream; three days, they observe internally." Specifically, they are the Six Bandits Demon, the Rich Demon, the Noble Demon, the Six Emotions Demon, the Love Demon, the Adversity Demon, the Sage Demon, the Sword Demon, the Female Music Demon, and the Female Beauty Demon. In Volume four and five of the "Lingbao Wujin Ren Shangjing Dfa", it is classified as: "On the first day, there are celestial demons; on the second day, there are earthly demons; on the third day, there are human demons; on the fourth day, there are ghost demons; on the fifth day, there are divine demons; on the sixth day, there are Yang demons; on the seventh day, there are Yin demons; on the eighth day, there are illness demons; on the ninth day, there are demon demons; and on the tenth day, there are realm demons." In conclusion. These demonic appearances are partly due to impure self-cultivation and are composed of various complex desires lurking in one's mind. The first is composed of the direct translation or mistranslation of images, as well as the chaotic reprocessing of images produced by the physical body and senses in response to the color light, sound, temperature, matter, smell and certain information sensing stimuli given by the external environment in the functional state. One is that various latent diseases of the body and mind are formed through the transformation of psychological feelings. One is that when the primordial energy is in circulation, due to the blocked meridians and unopened orifices, the primordial energy touches the meridians and orifices. After being fed back to the brain by the nervous system, the brain makes a non-rational misinterpretation. And all of this, if it occurs in the state of power, should be set aside in silence, without being alarmed or afraid, without being greedy or attached. Just hold high the wisdom sword of true meaning and righteousness, remain calm and composed, and the magic will disappear on its own. This is what is meant by "When the tiger is in danger, do not relax your guard against danger." Otherwise, one may mistake the illusory for the real, either dissipating the spirit due to fear or falling into the demonic realm due to greed. Not to mention that the elixir cannot be cultivated, one will also become mentally unstable from then on, either going crazy or insane. Such people are nine times out of ten incurable and will cause lifelong misfortunes. "Even the slightest mistake leads to great success; giving up halfway makes it hard to resume." " These two sentences, the first one describes the ingenious use of the "knife and GUI", and the second one expresses the unwavering will to practice martial arts. The so-called "dao GUI" can be named for its real form. It is a smallest unit of container for measuring medicine made by ancient medical practitioners based on the principles of alchemy. Its shape resembles the sharp edges on the back of a blade. It is often used to weigh precious drugs, with precise measurement that can be accurate to the slightest deviation. Therefore, the elixir prepared has a miraculous effect. Dao GUI originated from alchemists, first from external alchemy techniques, and later was borrowed by internal alchemists. The "knife" represents determination. "GUI" means standard. The reason why "GUI" represents a standard lies in the fact that it is composed of "earth" (Wu) and "earth" (Ji). Among the Five Elements, earth represents the image of harmony and has the function of regulating the four elements of metal, wood, water and fire. In the art of internal alchemy, "Ji Tu" represents the inner bright spirit of the body, and "Wu Tu" represents the outer void primordial spirit of the body. With these two elements, one can balance the Yin and Yang inside and outside the body, preventing any extreme deviation between them. Eventually, they will merge into one, and the Great way can be achieved. The saying "A slight difference in the slightest effort leads to remarkable results" means that the use of the knife and the GUI refers to the meticulous and subtle adjustment of Yin and Yang. At every level, every step, and every minute detail of the practice, such balanced adjustment is indispensable and cannot be ignored. There is the harmony of Yin and Yang within stillness, and there is the harmony of Yin and Yang within movement. Conversely, as long as Yin and Yang cannot be harmonized, it will affect the effective completion of drug production and elixir formation. The success of inner core cultivation is achieved in one go from scratch. It's not like doing any other thing. You can do it when you have time and put it aside when you don't. The ancients often gave three examples of this: First, when cooking, water and fire must not be cut off in the middle. Second, in the smelting of steel, if the furnace is not raised, a ceasefire can be achieved. Thirdly, when it comes to fighting, if you are going to fight, you should defeat the enemy in one go instead of retreating after a few rounds and repeatedly engaging in war with them. The same is true of the Inner Alchemy technique. If it stops or is interrupted in the middle, the skill will be reduced to zero. The most crucial factor among them is belief. The decadence of belief will inevitably lead to the resurgence of selfish desires and distractions. This will not only make it extremely difficult and almost impossible to regain confidence in the future, but also cause some of the benefits of life credit already gained to be wasted once again. This is the meaning of the saying "It's hard to resume once you give up halfway." The author, Mr. Kong De, authorizes this website for exclusive publication and recording. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use for other purposes is prohibited.