Volume Three To the vulgar

Some people may say, "There is an old Peng among people, just as there are pines and cypresses among trees. Given this nature, how can it be learned?" Baopuzi said, "If one cultivates nature, nothing works better than human beings." Therefore, those who reach the superficial level can control all things, and those who grasp the profound level can achieve longevity and long-term vision. Knowing that the above-mentioned medicine can prolong life, one takes it in the hope of attaining immortality. Knowing the longevity of turtles and cranes, I follow their teachings to prolong my life. And the branches and leaves of the pine and cypress are different from those of other trees. The appearance of turtles and cranes is quite different from that of other insects. As for Mr. Peng, he is still a human being. He is not an outsider but has lived a long life. This is because he has achieved enlightenment, which is not natural. No tree can imitate the pine or cypress, and no insect can imitate the turtle or crane. That is why it has short and folded ears. If a person is wise and can practice the way of Mr. Peng, he can achieve the same success as him. If it is said that there are no immortals in the world, then the records of the ancient sages, nearly a thousand people, all have surnames and courtesy names, as well as giving as the primary and secondary aspects, are not empty words. If it is said that all of them are endowed with extraordinary qi, but it is passed down that they are all served and consumed by their teachers, it is not something they are born to know. If the Taoist arts cannot be learned, then one can change one's appearance, swallow a knife and spit out fire, sit or stand, die, stir up clouds and mist, summon insects and snakes, gather fish and turtles, turn thirty-six stones into water in an instant, dissolve jade into a platform, break gold into slurry, enter a deep pool without sticking, play with a blade without getting hurt. There are nine hundred such things that can be transformed. If one follows them, all will be effective. Why would one not believe in the immortals and be able to obtain them? The path to immortality is delayed, and there are many taboos. Without extraordinary aspirations or powerful talents, one cannot hold on to it. Some of them may have a kind heart full of doubts, and when the middle Way is abandoned, they claim that the immortal path leads to immortality, but in fact, it cannot be achieved. The Immortal Classic states that by taking the elixir and observing the one, one can be in harmony with the heaven, restore the essence and the breath of the fetus, and prolong life without end. All of these are essential words of the ultimate truth. A gentleman among the common people is one who does not betray his heart within, does not betray his shadow outside, does not deceive heaven above, and does not break his word below. How could it be that the genuine people of ancient times would rather fabricate empty writings and deceive the future with unattainable things? What is there to ask for? If there is no destiny, one will never believe. How can one force them to believe? It is hard to say, "The longevity of turtles and cranes is beyond the reach of empty words in the world. Who can understand this by following the two things from beginning to end?" Baopuzi said, "If one grasps the essence, then beyond the eight poles, it seems as if one is in the palm of one's hand. Even if a hundred generations pass at the same time, there is no need to care about the left and right sides of the courtyard. Wait for what one can see and then understand it." The Jade Strategy records that the thousand-year-old turtle has five colors. The two bones on its forehead rise up like horns, understanding people's words. It floats on the lotus leaves or beneath the yarrow stalks, and sometimes there are white clouds and coiled snakes above it. A crane that is a thousand years old can sing at any time and climb on a tree. Those that have not lived for a thousand years will never gather on a tree. Their color is pure white and their brains have turned completely red. From this perspective, it can be seen. However, the elders of things are often wise, but they all keep their wisdom hidden in deep places, so few people have seen them. According to the "Yuce Ji" and the "Changyu Jing", it is not only the longevity of these two things. The thousand-year-old pine tree, surrounded by trees on all sides, is not long at 杪. When viewed from above, it looks like a canopy. Within it, there are objects that resemble green oxen, green sheep, green dogs, or green people, all living for ten thousand years. It is also said that snakes have an infinite lifespan, 狝 monkeys live to be eight hundred years old and become apes, and apes live to be five hundred years old and become 玃. Youdaoplaceholder0 longevity a thousand years. The toad lives three thousand years, and the qi 驎 lives two thousand years. The horse that soars yellow and the beast that shines with auspicious light both live to be three thousand years old. The bird of a thousand years and the bird of ten thousand years, both have human faces and bird bodies, and longevity is just as their names suggest. Tigers, deer and rabbits all live to be a thousand years old. Those who live to be five hundred years old have white fur. A bear that lives to be five hundred years old can change. Foxes and wolves both live to be eight hundred years old. When one reaches the age of five hundred, they are prone to transforming into a human form. The Rat lives to be three hundred years old. When it reaches the age of one hundred, its complexion becomes pale. It is good at predicting people and is called Zhong. It can know the good or bad fortune of the year and the events of a thousand miles away. Such a proportion cannot be recorded. But those who are erudite can understand the names of things, and those who are well-informed have no confusion about the principles. Why bother constantly dealing with turtles and cranes? Do you know? If one does not recognize things, then the plants in the garden, the birds and beasts in the fields and ponds will still be unknown to many, let alone those that are extremely different. The "Guicai Zhuan" in the "Records of the Grand Historian" states: When a person lived in seclusion in the Jianghuai region in his childhood, he used a turtle as a bed. When he died of old age, his family moved the bed, and the turtle was reborn. This is no less than fifty or sixty years old. Without drinking or eating, if one does not die for such a long time, it is far different from any other thing. How could there be any doubt about a thousand years? Isn't there any such thing as the breath of the tortoise in the immortal scriptures? Therefore, Chen Zhonggong of Yingchuan, the chief of Taiqiu, wrote a strange story. He said that Zhang Guangding, a native of his county, was in a place where he often sought refuge. There was a four-year-old girl who could neither walk on it nor bear the burden. Considering that she would surely starve to death if abandoned, he did not want her bones to be exposed. At the entrance of the village, there was an ancient tomb. On the top of the tomb, there was a hole first. He then lowered the girl down in a container and spent several months feeding and drinking water with her before leaving. After the world was pacified, for three years, Guangding was finally able to return to his hometown, intending to collect the bones of the abandoned woman in the tomb and bury her. Guang Ding looked up and saw the girl sitting in the tomb. When she saw her parents, she still recognized them and was very happy. At first, his parents were afraid of him as a ghost. His father went down to kill him and only then did he know that he would not die. When asked where she got her food, the woman said that when her food was just running out, she was very hungry. She saw something at the corner of the tomb, stretched her neck to swallow her breath, and tried it. She no longer felt hungry. She has been doing this for days and months until now. The clothes and bedding left behind by parents when they passed away are in the tomb and cannot be moved around. The clothes remain unworn and thus do not feel cold. The thing that Guangding Naisuo mentioned was a huge turtle's ear. When a woman went out to eat, she initially experienced pain in her lower abdomen and vomiting. After a long time, she began to practice it. This is sufficient to show that the turtle has a way to avoid death. If one follows the Tao, it can be tested in the same year as the turtle. Neither Shi Qian nor Zhong Gong were lying. There are numerous insects and birds in the world, but the ancients only mentioned these two things, knowing that they are unique and different from others. Just by looking at a corner of them, one can understand. It is hard to say, "Turtles can sting in the earth and cranes can fly in the sky. They can make people sting for a moment and fly for an instant, but still cannot. How can their longevity be learned?" Baopuzi replied, "Among insects, there are many that can hibernate, and among birds, there are many that can fly. But only turtles and cranes have the longevity of immortality. The reason why they do not die is not because they hibernate or fly." Therefore, the true man only teaches the way to prolong life, follows the way of food to cut off grains, and does not learn the way of earth sting or sky flying. Those who have attained the Tao can soar high in the clouds and swim underwater in rivers and seas. Therefore, Xiao Shi accompanied Xiang Feng to soar through the void, and Zither Gao rode Zhu Li in the abyss. This is the experience. Why is it just a fleeting sting that needs to fly in an instant? Dragons, snakes, dragons, dragons and chilis, snips, hedgehogs and tortoises, all can refrain from eating throughout the winter. When they do not eat, they are more fertile than when they eat. There's no way out. Moreover, in terms of consistent goodness, many things surpass people, not just turtles and cranes. Therefore, Taihao learned from spiders to weave webs, Jin Tian used the nine 鳸 to set the time, Di Xuan waited for the phoenix's cry to adjust the rhythm, Tang Yao observed the 蓂 pod to know the moon, GUI Zhong knew where to go, Gan que knew where to come, Yu Bo recognized the water and drought, mayflies knew the place of the Qian spring, white wolves knew the prosperity of the Yin family, 鸑鷟 saw the prosperity of the zhou family, and turtles and cranes were biased in their care and guidance. It is not surprising. Moreover, the path to immortality in the immortal scriptures is numerous and diverse, but there are differences in speed and urgency. It is not necessary to follow all the methods of turtles and cranes. The sage, with his profound and far-reaching thoughts, naturally exudes a profound and unobstructed understanding. It is difficult for him to grasp the immediate feelings of the common people and infer the distant intentions of the immortals. Some say, "We do not know the principle of immortality for modern people. How could the ancients know it alone?" "Such a foolish and obscure discussion is not for the wise." By divining the mysteries of astronomy, observing the contraction and expansion of the seven policies, discussing past transgressions and future advancements, looking up at the auspicious signs of the clouds and objects, looking down at the rest and failure of the hexagrams, moving the three pieces of chess to determine the rise and fall of the army, deducing the nine symbols to understand the division of fortune and misfortune, doing multiplication and division to investigate the conditions of ghosts and gods, and intricating the six emotions to deal with the good and bad without reason. Its root and essence can be verified, and its form and principle can be sought. However, a mediocre person who approaches the object still cannot grasp the profound principles of learning. As for simplicity, they merely think rigorously about the dross and cannot fully explore its subtleties. Just as the rough trick of chiseling a hole in a pair is used, the ingenious technique of the wheel beating is not passed on. The simple art of 蜩, while I have the ingenious ability to enter the mind, I care about the person, because it is the most exquisite. Moreover, in the realm of immortals, the essence is profound; seeking its root and stem is no easy task. Even if Song Qiao's followers achieve the desired effect, they may not understand the reason behind it. How much more so for ordinary people? This matter can be learned, so the ancients recorded it and passed it down to the ears of those who know. If the mind is clear and the meaning is grasped, then it can be trusted and cultivated. The suspicion in the heart is all due to one's own will. There is no need to question why the ancients only knew this while I did not. Now I know that immortals can be obtained, that I can stop eating food, that the flowing pearls can fly, and that the yellow and white can be sought. If I were to be asked to seek their fundamental principles, I would truly not know them. If people consider what they can obtain as existence and what they cannot reach as non-existence, then the affairs of the world would be rare. Therefore, Laozi said that the use of a fox's head to cure a rat's leakage and the use of a woodpecker to protect a decayed tooth can also be similar. Just as crabs can turn into lacquer and hemp can spoil wine, these cannot be attributed. With so many differences, how can one reach the ultimate state of mind? If a person is in critical condition and needs good medicine but refuses to take it immediately, it is necessary to understand the original intention of Shennong Qi Bo in using this herb to treat this disease. This is not to be foolish. Some say: "Life and death are predestined. Shortening one's life and maintaining a stable state of mind cannot be enhanced or improved by any medicine." It means that once cut off and then reconnected, it cannot be continued. If blood is spilled and swallowed, it will do no good. How could it be that submitting to such an alien pine or cypress to prolong one's short life is even more so?" Baopuzi said, "If this theory is held, it must be of the same kind to be beneficial. However, the blood that has been cut off and spilled is originally one and not of different races. Why is it that once cut off, it cannot be continued, and once spilled, it cannot be accepted?" The rest, when seen with a snake holding ointment to a severed finger, or a mulberry bean changing the feet of a chicken or duck, the benefits of foreign things should not be falsely accused. If you say that you do not rely on other things, then it is advisable to pound the flesh and refine the bones as a medicine for treating golden sores, and boil the skin and boil the hair to treat the disease of bald temples, right? The water and soil do not coexist with the flowers, but the flowers look up to them and plant them. The five grains are not the kind of things that give birth to life; they are the ones that give birth to life. Fat is not the source of fire, and water is not the genus of fish. However, when fat is exhausted, fire goes out; when water is exhausted, fish die; when wood is cut down, parasites wither; when grass is cut down, rabbit silk wipes; when river crabs do not return, they 蛣 wither; when mulberry trees are broken, they become worm-eaten 殄; when they touch other species, they grow. This can be understood. If gold and jade are in the nine orifices, the dead will be immortal because of them. When salt adheres to the muscle marrow, the preserved meat does not rot. Moreover, when it comes to things that are beneficial to the body and life, if it is taken into account by oneself, how could it be blamed for causing longevity? It is hard to say, "The divine prescriptions seem to be true but not true. They must have been fabricated by those who are good at it. They may not have come from the hands of Huang Lao or passed through the eyes of Song Qiao." Baopuzi said, "If it were a refined discussion, it would not be necessary to verify it. But now let's test the smaller ones, and they all fail." The rest can be seen as people seeking water in the evening moon, the sun beacon fires in the morning sun, being invisible to become formless, changing appearances to be formed by foreign objects, throwing a scarf to the ground and a rabbit walks away, attaching a needle to a red ribbon and a snake moves, fruits bear fruit in an instant, and dragon fish 瀺灂 on plates and bowls, all as described. According to the History of the Han Dynasty, when Luan Taichu met Emperor Wu and ordered a game of chess, the pieces touched each other. Later, the History of the Han Dynasty also recorded that Wei Shang was able to sit and stand in seclusion, and Zhang Kai was able to stir up clouds and mist. Both were recorded in good historical records and are reliable and well-documented. Such martial arts were all in the realm of immortals, and it can be known that they were not fabricated. If the young have experienced it, how could the path to immortality be different?" Some say: "If the immortals can learn this, they will rise to the heavens and abandon the mundane world. Youdaoplaceholder0 The rites of tasting are not practiced and worshipped. If the ancients knew this, would they not be hungry?" Baopuzi said, "If one hears that the body is not harmed, it is called ultimate filial piety. Moreover, if one attains the path of immortality, enjoys eternal vision, and sees the unity of heaven and earth, it is far from being able to receive everything completely." If one can ascend to the void and enjoy the scenery, cloud 轝 and the veil of the rainbow, feast on the collusion of the morning glow, absorb the essence of the yellow and the dark, drink the nectar of jade and golden, eat the green and fragrant, live in the noble hall and the exquisite room, and walk freely and in the pure and serene state. If the ancient ghosts knew this, they would be honored by me. They might be able to illuminate the five emperors with their wings, or command the hundred spirits. They might be able to obtain a position without seeking it, eat sumptuous food 璚, have the power to control the entire luo Feng, and command Liang Cheng with their might. Just as the way is, without understanding its subtleties, there would be no one to go hungry. The attainment of the Tao is no higher than that of Bo Yang. Bo Yang had a son named Zong, who served in the Wei State as a general and was enfeoffed by Duan Gan for his meritorious service. However, nowadays, all those who study to become immortals must have descendants to carry on the sacrificial rituals. How could the matter of sacrificial rituals come to an end? Some say: "A person who has attained the Tao has mastered the art of breathing and the essentials of food and drink. With their ears covered, they can hear a thousand miles; with their eyes closed, they can see the future. They may entrust a fine horse to ride a dragon, or leave the land of China to live in the sea, or return late to the mundane world, enjoying themselves freely in the human world. It is not convenient for them to disappear to create the mysterious and the void. What they pursue is the same, and what they pass away may be different. Why?" Baopuzi replied, "I have heard that the ancient master said that immortals either ascend to heaven or settle down. They should achieve immortality in both places and stay or leave according to their own preferences." If one wishes to remain in the world after taking the method of restoring the elixir and golden liquid, only half of the dose should be taken and the other half should be recorded. If he later seeks to ascend to heaven, he will submit to it completely. The matter of immortality has been decided, and there is no need to worry about it again. Even if one is still wandering on the earth or entering a famous mountain, what else is there to worry about? Peng Zu said, "There are many high-ranking deities in the heavens. The new immortals are of lower status and serve different people, but they are even more hardworking. Therefore, they are not worthy of the service of ascending to the heavens and remain on earth for more than eight hundred years." It is also said that in ancient times, those who became immortals either developed wings and could transform and fly, losing their human essence and being subject to different forms. Some were like birds and became clams, while others were like pheasants and became mirages, which were not human-like. The human being should enjoy delicious food, take light and warm clothes, balance Yin and Yang, hold official positions, have sharp ears and eyes, strong joints, a bright complexion, remain vigorous in old age, prolong life, have good eyesight, be at will, not be harmed by cold, warm, rheumatism or dampness, not be attacked by ghosts, spirits or other spirits, not be affected by the five weapons or a hundred poisons, and not be burdened by worries, joys, praise or criticism. Only in this way can one have noble ears. If one abandons his wife and is left alone in the mountains and marshes, cutting off human principles and living close to wood and stones, it is not much. Mr. Xi 'an Qi and Longmei Ninggong Xiu Yanggong Yin Changsheng both took half a dose of golden liquid. It will remain in the world for nearly a thousand years and then fade away. To be honest, those who seek immortality are precisely cherishing what they desire today. They are not overly eager to ascend to the void or consider soaring as superior to the earth. If one is fortunate enough to stay at home and not die, why should one seek to ascend to heaven quickly? If one attains immortality, there is no way to return to the truth; it is all the same. Peng Zu's words are just a matter of showing human feelings." Some may ask, "Those who follow the Tao should first establish good deeds and virtues. Do you think so?" Baopuzi replied, "Yes, there is." According to the middle chapter of the Jade Seal Sutra, achieving good deeds is the highest, followed by eliminating faults. Those who follow the Way should save people in danger to prevent disaster, protect people from illness and ensure that they do not die in vain. This is the greatest merit. Those who seek immortality should take loyalty, filial piety, harmony, compliance, benevolence and trustworthiness as their foundation. If one does not cultivate virtue but only focuses on martial arts, one will not achieve immortality. Those who commit serious evil deeds will be punished by the order of justice, while those who commit minor ones will be punished by the calculation. The amount of punishment varies depending on the severity of the offense. The lifespan of an ordinary person is determined by a certain number. If there are many such numbers, the accounts will be difficult to complete and the person will die late. If there are few such numbers and many violations, the accounts will be completed quickly and the person will die early. It is also said that if a person desires to be an immortal, he should cultivate three hundred virtues. If you wish to be a celestial being, do a thousand two hundred good deeds. If one does a thousand one hundred and ninety-nine good deeds and suddenly commits one evil deed again, all the previous good deeds will be lost, and one should do even more good deeds. Therefore, good does not lie in being great, and evil does not lie in being small. Even if one does not do evil deeds, when one speaks of what one has done and asks for the reward of giving, one loses the goodness of this matter again, but one does not fail to hear it. It is also said that if one has not yet accumulated good deeds, even taking elixirs of immortality will be of no benefit. If one does not submit to the elixir of immortality and performs good deeds in parallel, even if one does not attain immortality, one can still avoid the disaster of sudden death. I am even more suspicious of people like Peng Zu. Their good deeds are not sufficient, so they cannot ascend to heaven.