Volume 20 Dispel confusion

Baopuzi said, "To explore the pearl, one must not go to the deep of Hepu, nor can one catch the night light of the dragon." When picking fine jade, one should not choose the peaks of Jing Mountain or the square discs of Lian City. When I was asked by my master, I failed to find the right person. When I entrusted him, I was eager to gain something for a long time. But when I persisted, I ended up achieving nothing in the end. It was a waste of effort and did not harm my achievements. Even though I regretted it later, it was still not as good as I had hoped. Even the mundane and simple matters of the world cannot be understood through sitting, let alone the affairs of immortals? Even if it is holy and clear, it cannot be understood by itself; it cannot be obtained through experience and reflection, nor can it be sought by touching the common people. One must have a teacher who is both profound and extensive. It is like crossing the vast sea to draw water or building a long forest to cut down trees. If one is solely troubled by the lack of strength, how could one be worried about the scarcity of resources? What remains for tigers and leopards is what foxes and rats contend for. What Tao Zhu has abandoned is what the original appearance lacks. Those who learn from others are not well-informed and have limited knowledge. If they apply it to others, they will be reluctant to give it up and share it with others. As a result, they will be shallow and lack ability. If they are not well-versed in their knowledge, how can they achieve anything if they use their coarse knowledge to teach others? For instance, if one buys grains at the gates of Yi and Qi and reports cold to the families of Qian and Lou, the gains will only be oak, chestnuts and brown, and there will surely be no food in a prison or fine clothes and fur coats. Some people adhere to their duties and neglect their teachers, and eventually fail to awaken. Or those who are fortunate enough to know it cannot diligently seek it. This is a loss that is not noticed and cannot be pursued. It is not easy to truly understand the depth of a person's knowledge. The difficulties faced by the ancients were indeed justified. A white stone seems like jade, and a villain seems like a virtuous person. The more a wise person conceals himself, the more he exists as if he didn't, while the more a villain shows off himself, being illusory and resembling the real. How can those who are not the most enlightened be distinguished? Those who insist on seeking a mediocre teacher and do not leave do not stop because they know their ignorance. It is truly an accident. Those who see a master but cannot offer him respect are not because they know his true nature so deeply that they cannot invite him, but because they truly think there is no difference. Those who can understand the essentials have no desire for material things. If they do not 狥 the reputation of the world, how could they be willing to 摽 themselves in the mundane world? However, the shallow ones often exaggerate and claim themselves, using a stern expression and a soft voice to cover up their falsehood, which is enough to deceive the late learners and make them dare to speak big words. It is said that one has climbed a famous mountain and met a celestial being. Those who hear about it in a rush but cannot clearly examine and verify it seldom perceive its falsehood. In the past, I have seen many scattered Taoist priests who, when they visited the doors of the noble, would only allow their followers to be regarded as empty names, claiming that they were already four or five hundred years old. When asked about his age, he feigned ignorance, smiling and looking up and down, saying he was eighty or ninety. For a moment, I told myself that I had spent fifty years in the valley of Huayin Mountain, then forty years in the small room of Songshan Mountain, then sixty years on Mount Tai, and then fifty years with someone on Jishan Mountain. I have shared all my experiences with others. Indeed, if you want to calculate them all, I am already several hundred years old. So all the good homes will be filled with smoke and mist, gathering at their doors. Some sorcerers may occasionally receive natural influences, encounter ghosts and gods, and are quite capable of internal divination. They can predict people's future and past events, but in fact, they cannot have any gains or losses of fortune or misfortune. For instance, the ears of the yarrow tortoise. When ordinary people see his minor experience, they call him a divine being, claiming that he must know everything. Those who are not good at it may be proficient in the methods of water prohibition and blessing, which are effective in treating evil, but they may not be well-versed in the way of immortality. Or by practicing miscellaneous arts, one can see ghosts and monsters, which is of no benefit to one's life. If you ask them about the way of the Golden elixir, most of them will have no idea. Therefore, upon careful examination, it is found that many people deceive the world to gain wealth and profit, and they do everything. The thieves of these and those of 穿窬, who come from different paths, return to the same destination. It is better to describe it as a sign of action than to rely on empty words. This will be a false thing that can be verified for the sake of later awakening and learning. In ancient times, there were powerful men who wore the formula of grass and trees and practiced the method of integrating the mysterious and the profound. At around eighty years old, they were still intelligent but not very old. People at that time called them immortals or the "thousand-year-old masters". When the governor of Yangzhou heard about it, he tried to welcome him to Yidu. When one arrives, their throat throats and constricts, as if what they know is far away, yet they have not vomited everything out. So those who were fond of it, because they heard the sound and gathered it, saw the shape and attached it, the clouds and mists gathered together, they all praised it and paid money to it, always leaving behind money. Although Luan Li's views are more profound than those of the Han Dynasty, they are not worth adding to. If one often takes asparagus and does not lose it, it can be known that there is no golden elixir or powerful medicine in his body. Qiang once had some knowledge of secretaries and was quite familiar with ancient affairs. Claiming to be four thousand years old, I dare to be a false statement without any guilt. Yun has already seen Yao, Shun, Yu and Tang. What he said was all clear and true. Shi Yunyao's eyebrows were all straight. Otherwise, his two eyebrows were very upright, like an eight-shaped ear. Yao, when he grew up, had a fine beard and a long beard. He drank more than two hu of alcohol a day. The world, due to the fact that he drank for a thousand hours, could not do so. I myself have seen him get very drunk. Although he is a sage, when he is old, he cannot handle affairs as well as when he was young and strong. Upon seeing the four evil spirits, he summoned Yuan Kai and relied on Shun Er. Shun was a solitary child from a small family, yet he had extraordinary talent. He secluded himself in farming in the mountains, fishing in Leize, and pottery by the seaside. At that time, no one was able to appreciate his wonders. When I see someone who influences the people with virtue and whose eyes have double pupils, I know their noble appearance and often encourage and comfort them. Goodness is exalted and respected; there is no need to worry about not being rich and powerful. The fire virtue has ended, and the yellow essence is about to rise. Birth follows the calendar; it is none other than the son! However, his father was extremely stubborn and his younger brother was extremely evil, always committing the crime of killing Shun. I often admonish that this son should establish the noble family and the four seas will receive his bestowal. Not only the noble family, but not the inferior one. Suddenly, I received Zen meditation and recalled that my words were quite effective. It is also said: When Confucius' mother was sixteen or seventeen years old, I believe she should have given birth to a noble son, Zhongni. He was truly an extraordinary person, nine feet and six inches long. His waist was like that of Yao, his neck was like that of Gao Tao, and his shoulders were like those of Zichan. From his waist down, he was three inches shorter than Yu. Although poor and lonely, it is still a good thing for children to do. What I know, I will surely achieve. As he grew up, he made astonishing remarks and was followed by scholars from near and far, leaving records of thousands of people. I enjoy listening to his words and have followed them many times, but I hate that I don't learn and can't keep up with him. I have always been advised to read the Yi Yun, a fine book. I have secretly loved it. Wei compiled it into three masterpieces and Tie Lao folded it three times. Now I have a great enlightenment. In the fourteenth year of Duke Ai of Lu, he hunted westward and caught a unicorn, but the unicorn died. Confucius asked me, and I responded to him, saying that this was not good or auspicious. Confucius then wept in sorrow. After having a nightmare, one desires to see me. It was the middle of the fourth month when the heat was extremely high and it was impossible to go. I sought out the illness for seven days and it disappeared. Even now, I seem to remember its color. It is also said: Emperor Qin Shi Huang took me to Pengcheng and brought out the Zhou Shi Ding. I informed Emperor Qin Shi Huang that this tripod is a divine object. Virtue leads to self-emergence, while the lack of morality results in downfall. If a ruler only cultivates himself, this will surely come naturally; it cannot be achieved by force. At that time, the First Emperor was very resentful of me, and the result of his efforts could not be achieved. Then I thanked you, saying, "Surely, you have the foresight to manage people." It is also said that both Emperor Gaozu of Han and Xiang Yu were clear-cut. Such events cannot be recorded in detail. At that time, people all agreed and took it as a joke. However, when ordinary people heard this, they all believed what he said. Once again, he forcibly turns to old age, forgetting almost everything. Ji Shi Jun once presented a piece of jade 卮 to qiang. Later, he suddenly said to Ji that in the past, Mr. Anqi also passed on this item to him. Qiang Hou fell ill and died in the entire Shouchunhuang family. Dispel all doubts. After about a year, when he tried to dig out his coffin and look at it, his body seemed to be there. All of this is in name only, which makes the world's idle people not believe that there are immortals in the world and all take advantage of this generation to pass off the false as the true. Wu Wen, the governor of Chengdu, said that there was a man named CAI Dan in Wuyuan who was fond of the Tao but failed to find a good teacher or important matters. He abandoned his family business but recited the Huangting, Taqing Zhongjing, and Guantian Jixiang day and night. He never stopped reciting the books that were not urgently needed by various schools, and thus claimed that the Tao had reached its end. However, they do not know what they are applying, merely glorifying their flashy theories and deceiving people. He was taught to read it a thousand times and then understood its meaning. For a long time, his family was in distress and suffering. They had to spend all their food and clothing but could not make any changes. He felt ashamed and angry and could not relieve himself. So he left his home and said that he had achieved the path of immortality. Because he was in the deep mountains of a foreign world and did not know that digging up various plants and herbs could help him fast from food, he only sold firewood to make a living. This went on for three years, with hunger, cold and hardship. People might have recognized him, but they were strangely unaware of it. Unable to bear it for a long time, he returned home. He was thin and bony, not like a human being. His family asked him, "Where did you come from? How could you not be immortal or evil?" Because of the deception of the family, I failed to ascend to heaven but became an immortal on earth. At the beginning of his career, his position was low and he should be given to the immortals who had reached the peak earlier. He should be gradually moved away. The Elder Lord was herding several dragons. One of the dragons with five colors was the best. It was the one Lord often rode on, and I kept a close watch on it. I was not diligent, but I played games with the later immortals. Suddenly, I lost this dragon, and since then, I have no idea where it is. For this crime, I was held accountable. I was sent to the foot of Kunlun Mountain to hoe three or four hectares of grass, all of which were small and barren. The area was mostly overgrown with weeds. The hardship of the treatment was beyond description. It would take ten years to recover. At the time of 偓, all the immortals of quanzi and wang Qiao came to pay their respects. I waited and invited them, and they worked hard for me. I also released them myself. I should have corrected myself and sought to leave. Thus, I died of old age. At the beginning of his life, he still said, "I came from Kunlun." All his relatives and friends asked him, "What does Kunlun look like?" The answer is: The sky does not ask how high it is; if you look up at it, you will reach no more than ten or so zhang. There is a wood stalk up there, four zhang and nine feet tall. Its ears are full like a cart. There are trees of jade, sand, crabapple, jade and green, as well as jade plums, jade melons and jade peaches. In fact, they are like the idle peach and plum trees in the world, but they are bright, clear and firm. They need to be washed with water from a jade well to become soft and edible. Every time the wind blows, the branches, flowers and leaves of the jade-like tree clink against each other, forming their own five sounds, evoking a sense of melancholy and sorrow. When I saw that I was exiled and lost my will, I was filled with sorrow and grief upon hearing this. On the Kunlun Mountain, there were 440 gates on one side, each four li wide. Inside, there were five cities and twelve floors. Below, there were green dragons and white tigers. The 蜲 snake was over a hundred li long, and each of its teeth was like a three-hundred-hu boat. There was a big bee one zhang long, which was a sign of venemous evil. There are also divine beasts, known as the Lion Repelling Evil and the Three Deer Jiao Sheep. They have copper heads, iron foreheads, long teeth and chiseled teeth. There are 36 species. If all the evil spirits and beasts in the world know their names, they will not dare to attack them. Its deities include Wu Tou Tou, Dao Jing Jun, Xi Lu Gong, Zhong Huang Sheng, and Liu Men Fu Da. Zhang Yang, whose courtesy name was Ziyuan, had a jade gate at his residence. Anyone who did not bring the bamboo token of Laojun and the contract on either side was not allowed to enter. All five rivers flow out of the mountain corner, with weak waters meandering around them. Even a feather cannot float, nor can a bird pass through. Only immortals can cross them. The divine birds above them, such as Youchang, Zuiming, Tenghuang and Jiguang, can all speak to humans without dying. They are truly a place where many immortals live. I regret not being able to deal well with them. At that time, upon hearing such words, many people believed them. In Puban, Hedong, there was a man who, along with a son, went into the mountains to study immortality. After ten years, he returned home. His family asked him the reason. It is said that after three years of deep contemplation in the mountains, a celestial being came to welcome me, and we ascended to heaven together on a dragon. After a long while, I lowered my head and looked down at the ground. Youdaoplaceholder0 there was nothing above, and the place I had gone was far away. The dragon moves very fast, with its head held high and its tail lowered. One is terrified on its spine 崄巇. When reaching the sky, I first passed by the Purple Mansion. The golden beds and jade tables swayed and swayed, truly a noble place. The immortal only offered me a cup of Liuxia, and whenever I drank it, I would not feel thirsty or hungry. Suddenly, I missed home and went before the Heavenly Emperor to pay my respects to him. I was rebuked and asked to return. I was ordered to cultivate myself even more so that I could be restored. In the past, Liu An, the king of Huainan, ascended to heaven and met God. He sat on a caulk and spoke loudly, calling himself "I am a man". Then he met 谪守 the heavenly chef for three years. Who am I? The city of Hedong was known as the Censure Immortal. There are many generations of this kind, and the types are not the same. It is impossible to be detailed about them. This is a false statement, yet there are still people who do not perceive its falsehood. Moreover, it is subtle and deceptive, and is often exacerbated by the resemblance of the event. If one is not the most enlightened, how could they possibly distinguish it? There were also those who pretended to be famous Taoists from their previous lives, such as Bai He, who were said to be 8,700 years old. They had been out of the mundane world for a while and suddenly passed away, and no one knew where they were. Among them, there was a Taoist priest who had extensively studied various matters and practiced divination. He sought advice on all kinds of difficult problems, and he would explain them all without any hindrance. Therefore, he was called a far-sighted person. People may not know their age, but it is believed that they can live for nearly a thousand years. Then he vanished suddenly, and no one knew where he was. There was a man in Hebei who called himself Bai He. So people from near and far rushed to serve him, and he was so successful that he was destined to die. When Bai He's sons heard that He had come out again, they were overjoyed and thus went to see him. This was definitely not the case. This person has passed away due to death. The Five Classics and Four Books, along with the old straw dogs and the dross of the past. The so-called "trace" refers to the natural emergence of one's feet rather than the feet themselves. Books are the works of sages rather than sages themselves, while scholars travel thousands of miles to seek their teachers. The path to immortality, which is highly valued by true people, is not something that one should diligently seek and inquire about? However, it is necessary to simplify its authenticity! I am afraid that Gu Qiang, CAI Dan, Xiang Du and Bai Hezhi have never been idle in the world. Those who are fond of this book should save it and do less to criticize their goodness. The Immortal Classic also states: The eyes and pupils of immortals are all square. When I met Bai Zhongli in Luozhong, I said that his pupils were straight and square. If so, he must be an extraordinary person.