Commentary on the Taiji Elixir Classic: "Direct Explanation of the Mysteries" Return Verification Explanation ①

Kong De's note: There are some obvious omissions in the sentences of this article, which are roughly due to the earliest copying errors. Although this does not affect the explanation of the content, it is clearly not in line with the style of Mr. Sanfeng. Therefore, parentheses should be added to correct any missing parts to distinguish them. The method of "Seven Returns and Nine Returns" is used to start the practice. First, the true Yin in the upper orifice Yang is placed in the inner golden tripod Qi sea, and then combined with the true Yang in the lower orifice (Yin). The true Yin within the Yang in the upper orifice is one's own primordial spirit, belonging to the three souls. The true Yang in the lower orifices (Yin) is the primordial energy within the body, belonging to the seven spirits. When the two energies converge one after another, they will naturally connect with each other, the soul and spirit will blend, the spirit will condense, the fetus will breathe naturally, and every day will be as beautiful and happy as the relationship between a couple. By no means should you look at it. When water and fire are naturally in harmony, they should be distributed to the limbs, just like the external fire rising, each flame is similar. As long as the water and fire are in balance, this is the heat condition of the minor cycle. When waiting for the breath and returning to the Yuanhai, the external Yang naturally enters the interior, the true fire naturally surges upward, the whole body feels soft and supple, and the beauty and joy are endless. Inside the abdomen, as if a living dragon were spinning, ascending and descending, there were dozens of changes in a day. The baby and the girl naturally come together. This is the section of nourishing Yang by gathering Yin, cultivating the essence of jade and restoring the elixir, that is, laying a solid foundation and refining oneself, and accumulating internal Dharma wealth. To be carefree all day long and always bright day and night is the initial stage of immortality and long-term vision. The so-called "seven returns and Nine retreats" method in the alchemy way is not particularly mysterious. According to the procedure, to start doing the work, one must first lower the true Yin within the Yang, which is at the upper level, into the qi sea of the dantian to cooperate with the true Yang within the Yin, which is at the lower level. The phrase "true Yin within Yang" is used as a metaphor for the hexagram Li. The form of the Hexagram Li represents a person's acquired consciousness spirit, which is Yang on the outside and Yin on the inside. The external Yang is like fire, like the burning of consciousness. The inner Yin is like the energy source for burning fire and is the fundamental basis for the function of consciousness and spirit, that is, the master of life - the primordial spirit. The primordial spirit is the master of life bestowed upon an individual by nature. In the definition of the concept of "soul and spirit", it is called the "Three Souls". Because it is the master of life, located in the heart and brain, it holds the position of the supreme one. The phrase "True Yang within Yin" is used as a metaphor for the Kan hexagram. The form of the Kan hexagram represents the acquired turbid essence of a person, which is Yin on the outside and Yang on the inside. The vulva is like water, just like the flow of turbid essence. Internal Yang is like the source of water, the fundamental for the existence of turbid essence, that is, the material basis of life - primordial qi. The primordial energy is the one who endows an individual with life from birth. In the definition of the concept of "soul and spirit", it is called "seven Spirits". Because it nurtures life and belongs to the essence of the kidney, it is in a humble position. When the spirit remains still, the vital energy remains; when the essence remains still, the vital energy remains. The so-called first coordination of the true Yin within the upper orifice Yang and the true Yang within the lower orifice Yin is to connect the spirit and qi with the essence and qi. In this way, when the two energies converge, the Li hexagram, which symbolizes the spirit of the later life, and the Kan hexagram, which symbolizes the essence of the later life, will naturally copulate. This kind of copulation achieves a state where the soul and spirit blend together, the spirit condenses, and the breathing through the mouth and nose transitions to a natural and innate fetal breath. When reaching this state, in the specialized practice of martial arts, one will feel every day as if they were a truly loving couple, embracing each other without distinction, that kind of beauty, joy and comfort. This state cannot be interfered with in any way; one can only remain in a state of chaos. The water and fire within oneself naturally complement and transform each other, forming a harmonious energy that spreads throughout the body, limbs, and bones, just like a true flame in the outside world, with a considerable amount of heat.." (Press. By this point in practice, one can often sit still in cold weather, feeling warm all over, even in a single garment or naked, without the slightest chill. At this stage, the only thing to grasp is the proper degree of the integration of spirit and qi. Neither should either side be overdone nor underdone. This is the balance of water and fire. This is the heat of the minor week. The minor weekly fire control is to refine the essence water with the fire of the spirit, transform it into qi, and steam the limbs and bones. However, this kind of qi arises within oneself and is a manifestation of the acquired spirit, so it can still be attributed to the acquired. Only by continuing to harmonize it, when the breath flows back from the mouth and nose to the dantian, presenting as dividends and fully returning to the stage of fetal breathing operation, will the true Yang energy of the universe and nature be suddenly absorbed into the body. This true Yang energy is then called the primordial true fire. When true fire comes, it will naturally stir up and down within the body. The feeling it gives is that one is drenched in a mixture of numbness and intoxication, as if being refreshed from the inside out. The delightful and delightful experience is indescribable. Inside the abdomen, it was as if a living dragon was moving, ascending and descending. (Note: Who in the world has ever seen what a dragon looks like? This is just an understanding.) It is said that the qi within the abdomen is surging and flowing, like the surging waves, the swirling mist and the flying clouds, with a grand and smooth momentum, and there is a divine object accompanying it. There are dozens of changes within a single day. (Note: It's not an exaggeration to say there are a thousand changes.)" If we refer to the interaction of the innate spirit and energy in the previous stage as the interaction of Kan and Li, the purpose lies in returning to the innate state from the later heaven. The verification criterion is the transition from oral and nasal breathing to fetal breathing. In the state of fetal breathing, it is the intersection of the innate primordial spirit and the innate vital energy. In alchemy, this is called the intersection of "infant" and "girl". If the intersection of Kan and Li still has subjective and artificial elements, then the intersection of "infant" and "girl" is completely attributed to innate nature. This "Seven Returns and Nine Returns" method involves first collecting the true Yin of one's own spirit to replenish the true Yang of one's own qi. In alchemy, it is called cultivating the Jade Liquid and returning the Elixir, which is also known as laying a foundation and refining oneself, accumulating internal Dharma wealth. The success of returning the elixir to jade liquid brings about a harmonious flow of spirit and energy, with all meridians circulating smoothly. In this constant state of practice, one can be said to be carefree all day long and bright day and night. In conclusion, the standard for completing or reaching this step is to have embarked on the initial stage of immortality and long-term vision in the realm of immortality. Note: There is a saying of "seven returns and nine returns", where "return" means returning the original, and "return" means returning the non-existent. The numbers "seven" and "nine" had two metaphorical meanings in ancient times. In Xue Daoguang's commentary on the "Wuzhen Chapter: Xijiangyue Ci", it is believed that: "Nine returns and seven returns do not deviate from the numbers generated by the five elements of heaven and earth." …… The sky gives birth to water, and the earth forms water with six numbers. Located in the north, it accumulates the Yin energy of the Kan river to form true water. Therefore, it is called the "Six Residences". When the Earth is two, fire is generated; when the sky is seven, fire is formed. It returns to the south, and when pregnancy and separation occur, sand is produced. Therefore, it is said that when seven returns, cinnabar returns to its origin. The sky gives birth to wood, and the earth forms wood with the number eight and is located in the east. When it tremors, it turns into mercury, thus it is called "Eight Returning". When the earth is four, it generates gold; when the sky is nine, it forms gold. When it returns to the west, it turns into gold. Therefore, it is said that when gold is returned, the liquid turns into gold. The five elements of heaven give birth to earth, and the earth is composed of ten or so elements of earth. When it is placed in the middle, it transforms into Dan. Therefore, it is said that golden elixir is not formed from metal, wood, water, fire or earth. Therefore, it is said, "Just look at the five elements to be accurate." Here, "Seven Returns" emphasizes God's first return. God belongs to fire and is both the energy of life and the message of life. With it, not only can the nutritional essence in the existing life be more perfectly combined and distributed, but also external natural homogeneous energy and information can be attracted to enter my body, making the renewal of life possible. In the "Nine Transformations of Golden Elixirs" chapter of the "Dao Shu", it is stated: "Within the Nine Tripods, there is thus the way of seven returns, eight transformations, and nine returns." "Return" means to cover and merge, and to collect the qi and blood of the seven exterior and eight interior meridians. Once the pulse returned, it stopped flowing. The second return of qi, the qi gathers and condenses. The blood returns three times, and the blood turns white. When the essence is refined four times, it condenses into a solid mass. The bones are as red as jade. The marrow returns six times, and the marrow turns into the dark frost. The seven forms are clear and the body is wonderful. The eighth return to the divine is beyond redemption. To return is to return to one's source. It is to take the energy of the five elements, activate the essence of the three essentials, and stabilize the origin of one thing. First, it returns to the kidneys; second, it returns to the heart; third, it returns to the liver; fourth, it returns to the lungs; fifth, it returns to the spleen; sixth, it returns to the Dan room; seventh, it returns to the qi room; eighth, it returns to the essence room; ninth, it returns to the spirit room. When the nine transformations are carried out, the form can be retained. This specifically indicates the verifiable basis from the perspective of restoring the original cost. In the fifth and sixth volumes of "Yunji Qiqian", under the section "Yuanqi Lun", it is stated: "Those who follow this path are said to constantly think about the spiritual treasures." The spirit is divine, and the treasure is exquisite. But always cherish qi and essence, hold firmly and close your mouth, swallow qi and liquid. Liquefy turns into essence, essence transforms into qi, and gasification turns into spirit. God turns back into liquid, liquid turns back into essence, essence turns back into qi, and qi turns back into god, and so on, seven times back and seven times back. This refers to the repeated transformation and refinement process of spirit and matter during the practice of martial arts, that is, the process of return. The foundation of refinement has been established; it is already one's own spirit and mind. Since one's own spirit fell into the postnatal state, due to being lured by external things, it gradually gets injured, consumed, depleted, obscured and defiled, losing its innate original appearance, just like scrap iron and coarse ore. To regain one's true self, one must practice. The practitioner is to eliminate selfish thoughts and distractions. Because it is extremely difficult to eliminate, one must make up one's mind, show no mercy, and persist persistently, just like steelmaking in a furnace, never giving up until it reaches purity. That is why it is called "refining". The foundation builder is the one who builds the foundation of the immortal path. It does not refer to the foundation of life in the general sense. In terms of the concept of longevity for ordinary people, the completion of the foundation Establishment practice can ensure that one's lifespan far exceeds that of any long-lived person who does not practice the practice. If judged by the term "immortal", once the foundation establishment is accomplished, one becomes an immortal among humans. However, the achievements of human immortals, compared to those of celestial immortals who ascend during the day, are only a step higher than the thousand-story high platform. Therefore, they are called the initial stage of immortality and long-term vision. The so-called accumulation of internal Dharma wealth refers to "internal", which means one's own body and mind. "Fa" means method. Accumulating merit and virtue, being indifferent to fame and fortune, and remaining calm and composed are all methods. Wealth, that is, the wealth of life, involves storing essence, preserving energy and nourishing the spirit. These three aspects are known as internal wealth. People often rely on grains to sustain their lives. If they do not eat for several days, they will die of hunger. If a person is old, the lower yuan is weak and the bone marrow is empty, unable to overcome the energy of the five grains. It is the five grains that can both nourish and kill people. If the internal and external aspects are well connected, water and fire are balanced, qi and blood flow backward, the qi of the five internal organs are in harmony, the spleen and stomach are unobstructed, and when consumed, it can also transform qi, generate essence and nourish the spirit. If a person can grasp the divine secrets, they will wait until their bone marrow is full and their abdomen and navel are like those of a pregnant woman. But it does not have the form of a fetus; it is merely full of qi, abundant essence and complete spirit. If the three aspects are all in place, then the true fire is exercised, the spirit is regulated and the deficiency is nourished. It is the time when a true man achieves success and fame. People in this world often have to rely on grains to sustain their lives. If they do not eat for a few days, their breathing energy will be weakened and cut off due to the lack of nutritional and dynamic support, and they will die. If a person reaches old age, the essence of the lower kidney has already been depleted. When the bone marrow dries up, metabolic functions such as digestion, excretion and circulation are greatly weakened due to the aging of organs and meridians. Even the nutrients from grains cannot be absorbed. If you eat too much or the food is too solid, you will get sick. In this situation, it can be seen that grains were originally supposed to nourish people, but in turn, they can harm people. In fact, this is not that the five grains have become harmful again, but that people have harmed their own bodies first and thus cannot accept the nourishment of the five grains. If a person knows how to connect the qi within his body with the qi of heaven and earth, the spirit within his body with the spirit of heaven and earth, and the essence within his body with the essence of heaven and earth, not only will the Yin, Yang, water and fire within his body be in harmony, but also he will be in harmony with the Yin, Yang, water and fire of heaven and earth. Not allowing qi and blood to flow smoothly but to be used in the opposite direction and return. The functions of the five internal organs that have been damaged will resume harmonious and orderly operation, and their digestive, excretory and circulatory systems will all return to their best functional state. When eating food again, once it enters the stomach, it will be naturally digested and can transform into qi, generate essence and nourish the spirit. If a person indeed acquires the above-mentioned technique of the connection between the inside and the outside, and then starts to practice it, until the bone marrow is full and there is a fetal heartbeat in the umbilicus, just like a pregnant woman, then there will be a great achievement. It is said to be like a pregnant woman, but it does not mean that there is a real fetus in the womb. It is merely that the qi is full, the essence is abundant, and the spirit is complete, with the true essence qi flowing and circulating within the abdomen. If one has all three aspects of essence, energy and spirit, then one can enter the stage of true fire training, which is the advanced stage of regulating the spirit and nourishing deficiency. For a monk, the time when he achieves his highest accomplishment is not far away. Note: This section also involves a situation, that is, during the foundation-building stage, one should not blindly practice fasting. On the contrary, when the body has adjusted to a better condition, it is also necessary to have a reasonable diet for tonification to transform qi, generate essence and nourish the spirit. Only when the essence, energy and spirit are complete and vigorous can it lead to natural fasting. Otherwise, it will be of no benefit but harmful. I would advise scholars to visit wise teachers. If one seeks a master to unravel the inner and outer secrets of one's body and understand them, then act quickly to cultivate oneself and wait for the right time. When the first Yang arrives, choose a place and enter a room to refine this Dragon and Tiger Great Pill. It is necessary to be in a secluded place where no chickens or dogs can hear. Outside, we need kindred spirits and fellow practitioners. Don't let any random people come, for fear of disturbing and scattering the primordial spirit. First, we talked about being in harmony with the light, but now we talk about a secluded place. Why is that? Refine oneself in the mundane world and cultivate one's energy in the mountains and forests. It's the time to break into the house and make a move. To transcend the mundane and reach the state of sainthood is no small feat! One must be spotless, forget all worries, have no attachments at all, cut off all ties, remain a stranger in a foreign land forever, and never have any regrets. By practicing emptiness to refine the spirit and maintaining emptiness to temper the nature, all the five internal organs, tendons, bones, qi and blood in the body transform into green qi. Concentrate wholeheartedly, refine the spirit to perfection, take shape and be commanded, the stars return and the stars rotate, change as one pleases. It has been kept straight until there are no wrinkles all over its body, resembling a spider. When the seven orifices of the upper body are illuminated day and night, and the body is as vast as the void, it is the right time to achieve immortality. Only when one's qi is full and the spirit is complete, and the Dharma and wealth are vast, can one refine the great Elixir and be called a true elixir enthusiast. It is strongly advised that those who study Taoism must seek out the descendants of the renowned masters of the orthodox sects for guidance. Because their theoretical methods are true and accurate, scientific and reasonable. If one can find such a true master who can reveal both the internal and external secrets of the universe, understand how to start cultivating, and be able to practice quickly with a sense of urgency, gain the nourishment of the spirit through self-cultivation, and thereby promote the transformation of the spirit into essence and the essence into qi, when the primordial Yang qi is generated, one should choose a special place and residence to start cultivating the Dragon and Tiger Great Pill. The general requirement for the location selection is to be secluded, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, with no noise or disturbance at all. In such a special residence, there must be kindred friends outside to protect it, and no outsiders are allowed to come here. All these conditions and requirements are aimed at preventing the primordial spirit in the chaotic state from being disturbed and scattered. In the initial stage of cultivation, we emphasize that one must not leave the hustle and bustle of the world. The ancients called this "blending with the light and dust". However, in the later stage of cultivation, which is what we are talking about now, we need to emphasize being in a particularly secluded state. Why is that? The reason lies in the fact that in the initial stage of self-cultivation, the aim is to restore the purity of one's nature. To achieve the purity of one's nature, it is necessary to integrate with real social life rather than be detached from it. If one is divorced from the real life of society, the foundation of the purity of one's nature will not be solid. In the end, even if there are achievements, there is still the danger of all previous efforts being wasted. In the later stage of cultivation, the focus should be on nurturing qi, which must be maintained directly without interruption. Therefore, it must be completed in a secluded residence at a specific time. Generally speaking, only remote and deep mountain and old forest areas are relatively ideal. This all lies in the formal cultivation stage of entering the room and taking action. It aims to transform an ordinary life into a high-level one. Can this be regarded as a trivial matter? This is absolutely not allowed. One must keep one's body and mind spotless, forget all worries, have no attachment to the affairs of the world at all, cut off all ties, consider oneself forever disconnected from society, and never have any regrets from then on. With these conditions guaranteed, one can enter the state of constant emptiness, refine the spirit and nature, blend the spirit and qi, and continuously refine until all the five internal organs, tendons, bones, qi and blood in the body turn into a mass of green energy. This kind of concentrated cultivation, when the spirit is perfected, that is, when all the primordial energy is transformed into primordial spirit, pure Yang without Yin, complete and perfect, and has the independence of life relative to the physical body, after further training and adjustment, a person's life will undergo a complete reversal, becoming a body in line with the Dao, and can change as one pleases. When united, they take shape; when dispersed, they transform into energy. They can move freely and unobstructed. But this requires a constant process of cultivation. During this process, keep raising it until there are no wrinkles all over its body, just like a spider with a smooth and lustrous appearance. In the state of energy, the seven orifices of the head light up and remain bright day and night. The body cannot sense its existence, as if it were in the same energy as the Void. This is the legitimate effect of a solid foundation, and only then can one seek the power of the immortal path. In conclusion, only when the basic skills mentioned above are fulfilled, the energy is full and the spirit is complete, and the "Dharma wealth" is vast, can one cultivate the Dragon and Tiger Great Pill and be truly regarded as a pill lover. Note: When reading this paragraph, there are several issues that should be clarified. First, cultivate oneself and lay a solid foundation. This is the general term for the initial skills. "Lian Yi" refers to the initial skills, and "Zhu Ji" is its ultimate goal and benefit. However, the cultivation of "self" should be divided into two levels of effort: internal and external. The external cultivation of oneself refers to the refinement of one's character and nature. On the one hand, it is achieved through the study, research and analysis of theories; on the other hand, it is realized by observing, researching, analyzing and comprehending all phenomena in nature, society and life, and grasping their essence. On the one hand, it is also necessary to achieve this through one's own physical and mental behaviors to conform to the external circumstances. The benefit of external cultivation is to enable the mind to exist and be maintained smoothly. The internal cultivation of oneself is to use the convergence of consciousness and spirit to refine essence and transform it into qi, thereby nourishing the brain and spirit in reverse. One's external cultivation focuses on the cultivation of one's nature, while one's internal cultivation emphasizes the cultivation of one's destiny. Combine external cultivation with internal cultivation to achieve the dual cultivation of life and nature. In terms of time, external training is loose and random, while internal training is fixed and specialized. If we compare the maintenance of the external and internal circuits to that of a battery, the external circuit means never using electricity when it should not be used for lighting, and when it should be used for lighting, it should be done in a very reasonable and scientific way. Internal refining is to prevent the material body of the battery from getting damp or damaged, and to maintain a continuous supply of electrical energy. From this, it can be seen that external and internal training should be closely integrated, complementing each other and neither can be lacking. However, in terms of time, it can allow external and internal cultivation to be carried out in two steps. That is, to cultivate externally first, and then to cultivate internally. Most ancient cultivators followed a two-step approach. Therefore, they referred to their specialized internal cultivation as the "Hundred-day Foundation Establishment", while their previous external cultivation was called "harmony with the light and dust". In ancient times, there were also those who cultivated their inner selves while being in harmony with the world. This is quite similar to many of our current practitioners who use their spare time to specifically engage in spiritual practice, such as persisting for a certain period of time every day. But this foundation-building effect comes rather slowly. Second, nourish the qi and enter the mountains and forests. Here, the external cultivation of oneself is discussed separately. It is a continuous and seamless practice that starts from a hundred days of foundation building, ten months of pregnancy, and three years of breastfeeding. "Practicing emptiness to refine the spirit, guarding emptiness to temper the nature, all the five internal organs, tendons, bones, qi and blood of the body will transform into green qi." This is the effort of ten months of pregnancy after a hundred days of foundation building, and also the effort of facing the wall in the following years. "Concentrate wholeheartedly, refine the spirit to perfection, shape and be commanded, the stars return and the stars rotate, change according to one's heart" is the effort of three years of nurturing and regulating the Yang spirit to emerge from the body. "Cultivated to be wrinkle-free all over, like a spider," this is the effect obtained from a hundred days of foundation building. "When the upper seven orifices light up, remain bright day and night, and the body is as void as the universe, it is the right time to seek the path of immortality." This is the dynamic realm and verification achieved after completing the Foundation Establishment Practice. With this verification, it indicates that "the qi is full, the spirit is complete, and the Dharma and wealth are vast", and one can enter the stage of ten months of pregnancy. Iii. The Dragon and Tiger Great Pill. The dragon and the tiger are nothing but gods and essences. There are many different names in the art of internal alchemy. As Li Daochun's "Zhonghe Ji" states: "Dragon and tiger are different names of Yin and Yang." The image of a dragon and a tiger is ever-changing and mysterious, hard to fathom. Therefore, it is compared to the "parallel objects", established as the "tripod protection", operated as the "fire control", compared to the "joy and parting", artificial as the "metal and wood", the characters for "men and women", and matched as "husband and wife". All the above-mentioned synonyms are the ingenious uses of the dragon and the tiger. The Dragon and Tiger Pill uses its size to symbolize the innate and the acquired. The postnatal dragon and tiger represent the spirit of consciousness and the essence of the kidney. When the spirit of consciousness connects with the essence of the kidney, the innate qi is produced. This is the small boat. The primordial dragon and tiger are the primordial spirit and essence. When the primordial spirit and essence are mixed together, they transform into the spirit of the spirit and the spirit of the spirit. This is called the Great Pill. The author, Mr. Kong De, authorizes this website for exclusive publication and recording. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use for other purposes is prohibited.