Commentary on the Taiji Elixir Classic: "A Simple Explanation of Dao Yan" ②

True news: An elbow was found at the entrance hall. All the characters "Xian Tian", "Zhen" and "yuan" in the essence of the elixir are born from the Yin and Yang cauldrons, all produced after the darkness and darkness, just like the true of the sages at the beginning of the chaos. From now on, those who read the Elixir Classic can make an analogy. The true news of the budding elixir will come when the entrance is opened. In the Fan Dan Sutra, there are words like "innate", "true", and "non-existent", which refer to true information. True news all occurs after the combination and reunion of the opposite Yin and Yang of the spirit and qi, and all arise from the state of returning to a state of incense and darkness after concentrating the mind and regulating the breath. This is just like the beginning of the universe's chaos, which gave rise to the earliest human ancestors. In the future, when reading the Elixir classics, one can make analogies based on the literal meaning and the substantive expression. [Explanation] After concentrating the mind and regulating the breath, both the divine and the human become void, and the spirit and the breath are forgotten. This is called the opening of the gateway. When the mind returns to the extreme state of emptiness and stillness, the spirit and qi unite, stillness returns to movement, and Yang emerges from Yin. This is called the phenomenon of the mysterious female, that is, the discovery of true news. From the perspective of the Five Elements in physiology, the divine fire belonging to the heart shines down on the essence water belonging to the kidneys. Cold water, when heated by fire, evaporates and transforms into qi. Therefore, the true message occurs in the lower dantian. In the Eight Trigrams, this true news symbolizes Yang in the Kan. Therefore, the Elixir Classic describes true news as "true news" based on objective physiological functions, "pre-heaven" when it returns to the pre-heaven, "true" when it is free of any subjective factors, "yuan" when it is the foundation of life, "Jinhua", "Moon spirit", and "Jade Rabbit" when it is reflected by the sun and the moon, and "infant" and "original person" when it is the phenomenon of life regeneration. The "true face" is called "true lead" by the elixir outside the furnace, "true Yang" by the distinction of Yin and Yang in the past and present, "original essence" and "primordial qi" by form, and "original spirit" by ingenious use... And so on. As long as we can explore the truth, we can understand the meaning of these parables at a glance. Learning the Tao is very difficult, and spreading it is also not easy. The preacher is very diligent, but can those who study it be lazy? If the preacher is patient, can the learner be impatient? If one does not study thoroughly, practice diligently, have an unclear mind and an impure spirit, and thus enters the path, there is no chance of success. Confucius said, "What is the essence of knowing Ji?" Rather than talking about the thought or the intention, but about the spirit, it can be seen that even the slightest movement is not unknown to the spirit. Today, the division is made as follows: "Slight movement is visible, while large movement is straight." To know how much it is, one may exert one's mind and thoughts, but in the end, one cannot see it. Wow, wow! [Note: In this chapter, "ji" is a metonymy for "ji", and "zhi" means "legitimate", which is extended to mean "original".] Learning the Tao is difficult, and preaching it is no easy task either. If preachers can work tirelessly, do learners have any reason to be lazy? If a preacher can be patient and tireless, how could a learner have any reason to be impatient? If one cannot study deeply, it will inevitably be reflected in a lack of diligence in practice. If one does not study deeply or work diligently, his heart will not be refined to a clear and bright state, and it will be impossible for him to pursue the truest innate primordial spirit. With such a lazy attitude towards learning the Tao, not even one in ten thousand people will succeed. Confucius said, "When one realizes the true essence, one is close to the primordial spirit." Here, what is comprehended is not regarded as thought or intention, but as spirit. It can be seen that the initial slight movement of the true breath, if it were not the primordial spirit, he would not have comprehended it. The phenomenon of Yang generation that occurs after the opening of the entrance hall can now be discussed separately: The initial slight movement can be called the mechanism. "Machine" means the mechanism has been activated. The major movement that follows can be called a straight one. "Straight" means what is originally legitimate and unobstructed. Only the innate true face can be called straight. However, if we want to understand the essence and attain the truth by using our hearts, intentions and thoughts, we will never achieve it. This is truly a miraculous thing! [Explanation] Learning the Tao is difficult. One reason is that it is hard to encounter a wise teacher. It is both difficult to have a wise teacher and to overcome selfish and lazy individuals. In conclusion, the difficulty lies with oneself alone. It is difficult for preachers to do so. One difficulty lies in finding ideal disciples, and the other is in spreading the teachings widely. Ten disciples have ten different styles, and a hundred disciples have a hundred different emotions. It is truly extremely difficult to pass on the unchanging way to the ever-changing people. Therefore, those who study the Tao can find a wise teacher. If one does not diligently pursue the path and work hard with dedication, it is truly a missed opportunity for the path, a regret for all eternity. For those who cultivate the Great way, it is crucial to have a profound understanding of the primordial spirit. None of this is the great way. To obtain the primordial spirit, one must wash the heart spotlessly clean. If there is even the slightest dross, it is impossible to see the primordial spirit. Therefore, those with an unclear mind find it extremely difficult to achieve enlightenment. When the gateway opens, the mysterious female phenomenon begins to show signs of movement. At this point, one must guard and protect it with true intentions, allowing it to be left to its course, guarding and safeguarding it. If the thought of observation and discrimination arises, even the slightest movement will vanish in an instant and cannot be regained. It can truly be said that there is no other but me, no other but me. Only when I am not divine can the true God be seen. The so-called miraculous is actually a god that is not divine at all. This statement has completely revealed the secrets of spiritual cultivation. Only when a god is truly a god can it be considered innate. The true God is him, the true thought is him, the true heart is him, the true intention is him. How to distinguish the truth? This is the saying: "The fire at the entrance rises, the netherworld awakens, and one spirit becomes enlightened alone." The Taoist school holds that when a thought arises from the rules, it is the true deity and the true thought. It is also said that in the faint, the light of the heart discovers that it is the true god, that is, the true heart. It is also said that wisdom arises from concentration; when one's mind is in harmony, it is the true spirit and the true intention. True gods are forged from ungods. Scholars know this. In the practice of Taoism, one must cultivate and refine the spirit of essence, energy and spirit, and what is needed is the true spirit. Only the true gods can be regarded as having innate abilities. The true god is manifested in people's thoughts and emotions as true thoughts, true hearts and true intentions. However, how can one truly distinguish the occurrence of the "straight God"? The Dan Jue tells us, "When the gateway opens, the true fire is activated, and the chaotic and mysterious realm is suddenly awakened, with no thoughts left, only one spirit shining alone." This is the phenomenon of the true god. The practitioners of inner alchemy say that only a chaotic and clear thought spontaneously arises from the perfect realm, and that is the true god, that is the true thought. It is also said that when one is in a state of confusion and tranquility, with a sudden and clear light in the heart, it is the true god and the true heart. It is also said that in the state of stillness and concentration, the great wisdom of perfect understanding emerges. With this wisdom, continuous contemplation is the true god and the true meaning. In conclusion, a true god is cultivated without any magic at all, without even having any thoughts. Scholars must know this truth. [Explanation] The so-called true god refers to the innate primordial spirit and the innate primordial nature. Nature is the body of God, and God is the function of nature. In terms of the universe giving birth to all things, in the state of Infinity, there is chaos and mystery, with no nature or spirit to speak of. When stillness reaches its peak of vitality, Yin gives rise to Yang, and when there is no extreme and Taiji, the true nature emerges and the true spirit is revealed. And when it falls into the later stage, it becomes the ultimate, with the true nature and true spirit hidden within. When a person is free from any false thoughts and acts sincerely, it is the manifestation of the true nature and true spirit. Therefore, in the later stage of life, the true God is called conscience, right mindfulness, and true will. The manifestation of a true god is unadorned and straightforward; if it is not straightforward, it is not a true god. The subconscious that modern people talk about is similar to the true god, but it is not truly the true god. However, the subconscious that modern people refer to also shows elements of the true god, as if the sum of the subconscious and the subconscious is the true god. But this awaits in-depth study. The reason that modern people talk about may seem like the true god at first glance. However, although it is related to the true God, it cannot be regarded as the true god and still falls within the realm of consciousness. This lies in the fact that reason involves a repetitive process of thinking, not direct exposure. In fact, for human beings, the innate primordial spirit and the acquired consciousness spirit, as well as the true meaning that lies in between, known as the innate after the innate and the innate after the acquired, are all closely related. Just like a big tree, the primordial spirit is the root, the true meaning is the trunk, and the consciousness spirit is the branches and leaves. This point of elaboration on "God" will be presented in a monograph by me at an appropriate time. In fact, we human beings and all things are the products of God. However, this god is not the kind of personified god described by religious figures (they may have other meanings in this world), but rather an intangible and indescribable spirit that exists universally in the universe and nature. This is exactly what the ancients said, "Yin and Yang are unpredictable." Since God is the creator of all things and the ruler of all things, the innate gods that come after all things are all derived from the true God. Therefore, all things cannot use their own innate gods to determine the existence of the true God. Only when all things (here referring first to human beings, the most intelligent of all creatures) completely abandon the consciousness of discernment and transform it into the true meaning of stillness, emptiness, emptiness and clarity, will the true spirit be revealed and understood. Therefore, it is said that "True gods are refined from gods." The reason why a true god is a true god is that he is truly supernatural. Let's take a close look at everything in nature, a plant, a leaf, a petal, a feather, an insect... Their structure and color are so delicate, perfect and reasonable. Could it be that all living things with self-awareness can be like this? If one insists on saying so, where does the self-awareness of living beings come from? This is actually all the power of the god of nature. It is the ingenious arrangement of the God of nature. The true God of nature is omnipotent. A monk is one who voluntarily lets go of the subjective and acquired consciousness and spirit, and seeks to return to the true spirit that exists universally in the universe and nature. Eternal life is with God, and water works with the true God. This is the highest enlightenment, the highest wisdom, the greatest boldness, the greatest courage and the greatest undertaking of mankind. Those who study Taoism should break their original conventional norms so as to guide their minds into the principles. When enthusiasm fades, a cold heart follows; when the heart is broken, the heart of the Tao is revealed. This is why I have cast aside fame, fortune and power, and abandoned my children's home. To truly study the Tao, one must regard it as a rare commodity to hold onto, and only then will it be effective. Only by completely breaking the bad physical and mental habits that have been formed later in life can a Taoist scholar bring his heart into the "rational" realm of being impartial and balanced. When the passionate heart fades away, the eternal and unextinguishable natural Dao heart remains. This is precisely why I have abandoned fame, fortune and power, left my children behind and devoted myself wholeheartedly to the path of enlightenment. The most sincere learner of the Tao should preserve it as the most magical and rare treasure within themselves, and only then will it be effective. [Explanation] The phrase "a regular pattern should be broken" refers to all bad physical and mental habits. How can one determine if something is bad? Everything that goes against the harmony of nature and moral conscience is evil. When it comes to morality, there is eternal morality, that is, morality that transcends historical eras, as well as morality formed by historical eras, and morality of different ethnic groups and races. Eternal morality lies within the realm of conscience and is the virtue of the way of heaven. History and the morality of a nation contain both eternal moral elements and the limitations of The Times. Therefore, it belongs to the morality of reason and is the virtue of humanity. Monks should return to eternal morality with the morality of reason and to the virtue of the way of heaven with the virtue of humanity. Of course, this should not be delayed. Delaying is still going against the right path. Li is Taiji, the embrace of Yin and Yang, the body of harmony, which is also known as one. One is a number, and ten thousand numbers consist of one. Nothingness is the essence of extreme stillness and emptiness, that is, zero. Zero is the number that indicates neither life nor death. Since human beings are human and the way of heaven follows them, people should fulfill their lives to repay the virtue of heaven. Therefore, the way of immortality values life and takes the Taiji rather than the Wuji. However, Wuji is the root of Taiji. Therefore, when practicing the Tao, one must first enter the Wuji state to return to the root. Returning to the root is the wonderful function of returning to Taiji. To be more specific, the cultivation of immortality does not only rely on Taiji but also on Youji. The "extreme" refers to the Five Elements and the Eight Trigrams. However, the application of the Five Elements and the Eight Trigrams is an arrangement in accordance with the natural way, not an intentional use. Why do you say so? The immortality of immortals is still done by humans, but they are of a higher quality than the original humans. Since it is not an illusory natural entity, it is of course still an extreme thing. However, this is merely at a higher level of recombination and evolution of the Five Elements and the Eight Trigrams compared to the original person. Just like the difference between soil and gold. So, from the perspective of human beings, the practice of the Taoist cultivators is from having extremes to being negative, and then being negative to the essence of the universe, it is evolved by the Tao into a new form of having extremes. The qualitative change of life is like this, and so is the qualitative change of function. Even today's learners of the Tao must not fail to understand this principle. The Great Way begins with cultivating the mind and refining one's nature. Sex is within the heart, while the pericardium is outside. Nature is the master of the theorem, and the mind is the abode that connects nature. Cultivating the mind means keeping the mind in place. Tempering one's nature means nurturing it. Those who are determined to strengthen their cities and prevent their houses from collapsing are laying the foundation. To cultivate one's nature, one should nourish and nourish the 鄞 jaw, striving to make the internal medicine complete, that is, to refine oneself. When the heart is clear and bright, the nature is peaceful and at ease, desires are not fulfilled, thoughts are free from worries, and the heart and nature are at ease both inside and out, without being disturbed or annoyed, this effect of cultivating the heart and refining the nature is what is called internal alchemy. The practice of the Great Way is based on the cultivation of the mind and the refinement of one's nature. The relationship between the heart and nature is that nature is the essence of the heart, just like the core of the heart. The heart is the manifestation of sex, just like the appearance of sex. Therefore, sex is the master who holds the truth of the great way, and the heart is the abode that receives sex. The so-called cultivation of the mind means to preserve one's original mind. The so-called refinement of one's nature means to preserve and cultivate one's original nature. Since the mind is the abode of nature, keeping the mind is to strengthen the abode of nature, not allowing this abode to collapse but to make it firm and eternal. This is like the structure of a building, and this is called the practice of laying the foundation. Since nature is the root and core of the heart, nurturing one's nature is like watering the seedlings in a medicinal garden. When the roots are well-nourished, the seedlings will grow vigorously. For elixir cultivation, the purpose of doing this is to perfect the internal medicine. In terms of practice, it is called self-cultivation. To lay a solid foundation and refine oneself, one must achieve a clear state of mind, a peaceful and serene nature, where desires no longer interfere. There should be no thoughts or concerns, and the heart and nature should be at ease both internally and externally. From then on, all troubles can be eradicated. This is the effect of cultivating the mind and refining one's nature, that is, the inner elixir obtained. [Explanation] Here, the term "cultivating the mind and refining one's nature" refers to eliminating the acquired mind and nature to return to the innate one. What is sex? When human beings were first created, when their parents mated, Yin and Yang collided, sensing a bit of the natural innate spiritual light and energy of the universe, which combined within. This kind of spiritual light and energy is the innate nature of human beings, the most moderate and harmonious, the most empty and the most spiritual, reasonable and in line with the Dao. Therefore, the ancients said: At the beginning of life, human nature is inherently good. The innate spirituality of inherent goodness is the foundation of human life. Today, people can be called genes, as the basis. This gene was specially designed by nature for human beings (or perhaps by some highly intelligent creature from another planet, but ultimately it originated from nature), so humans have become the most intelligent creatures on Earth. Because "nature" is inherently good, in the "beginning of man" of childhood and the "beginning of man" of human infancy (in today's terms, it can refer to ancient humans), the emotions expressed by human beings are all their nature and true nature, without any pretense. Therefore, the nature of innocence can be called the objective nature of the way of heaven. Sex is manifested as characteristics. Just as the Dao of Heaven makes a man, the Dao of Kun makes a woman; The arrangement structure of the Five Elements varies, and different people develop different constitutions, intelligence levels, preferences and other personality traits in their later life. When the innate nature falls into the postnatal state, it becomes the human mind. Therefore, the construction of the character "xing" refers to it as the thing that "gives birth to the mind". The Way of Heaven bestowed upon man this "generating mind", originally intended for the human body to act in accordance with the Way of Heaven, allowing the most intelligent of all creatures, human beings, to act on behalf of Heaven. However, when people fall into the postnatal stage, they are mostly confined by the individual body defined by their roles and confused by the various external phenomena. They only focus on satisfying the needs of the individual body, or for the specific needs of the individual body, they can also expand the satisfaction of related close bodies outside the individual body, thus forming selfish desires of different levels and scopes. The innate nature of moderation and justice gradually develops into an extreme and selfish acquired mind. The innate combination of internal and external factors becomes the acquired nature of the mind that is torn between the root and the root, separated from each other, and difficult to maintain. If we say that the innate nature is a person's gene, then this gene is the source of life energy, power and information for a person. As long as it exists in the human body, a person's life will never end. However, the selfish heart of human beings acquired later in life is constantly rampingly consuming the innate nature, while at the same time constantly blocking the channels through which the innate nature can continuously draw the true essence of the universe into the human body. As a result, this innate nature, on the one hand, is alone and helpless, and on the other hand, is being consumed in large quantities. When its last bit is also exhausted by the human heart after birth, life comes to an abrupt end. Of course, there are also unexpected deaths of people that are not due to human nature. The relationship between life and the nature of the mind will be reviewed separately at an appropriate time. Cultivating the mind and refining one's nature starts with cultivating the mind. Cultivating the mind means eliminating the distractions of greed and restoring the natural self. That is to say, the heart that has distanced itself from its nature and deviated from it is brought back to its original position, making it a "shelter that connects with nature". When the mind connects with its nature, maintaining the natural state of the mind without movement is called cultivating one's nature. Cultivating the mind and refining one's nature are inseparable as a whole. Cultivating the mind is refining one's nature, and refining one's nature is cultivating the mind. If we break it down, cultivating the mind is done in daily life, while refining one's nature is carried out in specialized skills. The nature of the mind arises from a person and then falls into the human body. Because it is the spiritual light and energy and the foundation for saving life, it is called an inner medicine or an inner elixir. To preserve this nature of the mind from depletion and damage, and then to summon the true essence of the universe and nature, this true essence is called external medicine or external elixir. The great medicine and elixir formed by their combination. The original nature of the mind that falls into the acquired human body is called Ji Earth, and the true essence energy from outside the universe is called Wu Earth. When combined, they form the earth of Wu Ji. With this Wu Ji residing within life, life can endure forever. The "GUI" in the term "life and nature's guiding principle" refers to the use of the nature of one's own earth to summon and control the life of one's own earth. Since the innate nature of the mind is the foundation of human life, if a person rashly influences the acquired nature of the mind, this foundation will gradually be undermined. Therefore, cultivating the mind and refining one's nature is to restore this foundation of life. The acquired nature of the mind is completely eliminated, and everything returns to the innate nature of the mind. The essence, energy and spirit throughout the body are abundant, all chronic diseases are eliminated, the skin is smooth and lustrous, and there is a effect of restoring the body. This is the completion of the foundation building and self-cultivation. Therefore, those who build the foundation not only build the foundation of one's nature but also the foundation of one's destiny. Those who refine themselves not only refine their own nature but also their own destiny. Repairers, improper repair, damage should be repaired. Those who are not pure should be refined, and those who are not firm should be refined. Those who study the Tao for months without making any progress are those who have no true heart for the Tao. If a person has his heart devoted to the Tao, he will naturally have no worries in his heart. If a person's heart values the Dao, naturally his heart will be less concerned with matters. If a person's heart is stronger than the Tao, he will naturally be more indifferent to matters. How could one remain true to one's nature without distraction, and keep one's spirit without drowsiness? How could there be the disturbance of thirst, sleep and distractions? Oh, when reason overcomes desire, it survives; when desire overcomes reason, it perishes. There are some people in the world who study the Tao for several months but see no progress or gain at all. The reason for this is that they are not truly devoted to the Tao. In form, they are practicing Taoism, but their minds are in no way free from the affairs of the mundane world. If a person is devoted to the cultivation of the Tao, the worries about the mundane world will be gone. If a person attaches great importance to the cultivation of the Tao in his heart, he will naturally look down upon the affairs of the mundane world. If a person has a strong interest in practicing Taoism, he will naturally take the affairs of the mundane world lightly. If one can focus one's heart on the Tao, concentrate on the Tao, and concentrate one's heart on the Tao, one can preserve one's innate nature without distraction and maintain one's spirit without drowsiness. How could this lead to drowsiness or distractions? Oh dear, there is a very simple truth that people cannot understand: when the truth of the great way overcomes human desires, life exists. When human selfish desires overcome the truth of the great way, life fades away. [Explanation] To study the Tao, one must truly study the Tao. Those who truly study the Tao must first have a sincere heart, second be able to obtain true secrets, and third put in genuine effort. Only in this way can one reap the rewards and achieve true results. If one neither has a sincere heart, does not grasp the true essence nor puts in genuine effort, there will surely be no effect at all. It is merely deceiving others and oneself. The practice of spiritual cultivation is not just empty talk or written on paper, but is carried out in the body and mind. Every effort put in has its effect; every effort put in has its effect; and no effort put in has no effect. All is real cultivation and verification, leaving no room for the slightest falsehood. The principle is the truth of the great way. To grasp the principle is to grasp the method. The first is the true opportunity of the Dao. Once you grasp it, you will be reborn. The mechanism refers to the opening of the gateway, the phenomenon of Xuanhe, the production of true qi, the movement of true Yang, and the generation of true medicine, all of which are part of the innate constitution. Therefore, if one overcomes the innate principles and has no selfish desires, life can survive. Desire is selfishness, selfishness is greed, greed is loss, and loss is poverty. The poor are deprived of their innate abilities. Therefore, when the selfish desires of heaven outweigh the innate principles, life will perish. If one wishes to ask, "The Great Way governs everything. How can it be overcome?" This is only in terms of going against the public good for personal gain. The Great Way encompasses all things. It looks boundless but reaches the Taiji, and from the Taiji comes the ultimate. After reaching the ultimate, it returns to the boundless. In terms of a single thing, the boundless is the great public, while the extreme is the narrow private. Those who go against the public good for personal gain will surely die. This is also an irresistible principle of the Great Way. The so-called "victory" is not true victory but self-defeat. Therefore, "sheng" is only used as a parallelism in sentence construction and actually has the meaning of "contrary". The author, Mr. Kong De, authorizes this website for exclusive publication and recording. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use for other purposes is prohibited.