Preparatory work

1. A set of secrets---a decisive factor for success in your pursuit of Tao

During my apprenticeship I had been instructed that to obtain a set of correct measures weighs the most
for pursuing Tao, though so numerous books concerning this subject cannot be summed up. ost books
in some way or other have written in ambiguous or parado!ica" words, so to deep"y and precise"y
understand the meanings is more or "ess impossib"e. oreover, so many orifices and acupoints e!ist
with so many different names that even one orifice owns a do#en or more names most"y in metaphor.
$ithout the accurate understanding about the e!act position of an orifice means that you have utter"y
been denied the chance to success, even though you can guess or surmise them. If it is this case,
possib"y the resu"t is that you have been sitting either "ike a withering trunk or dried "eaves, fancying to
grind a brick to be a "ooking-c"ass, and even corporea" men taking possession of more materia"s begin
to ridicu"e your fo""y behavior. The error of regarding a position in your body as somewhere beyond
your e!terior wi"" abso"ute"y resu"t in the retardation of vita-vapor, as "ike to bring fue" to fight against
fire, and some %ueer disorders wi"" appear.
In some books you may gain the impressions that some proceedings, to some e!tent, resemb"e the
process of se!ua" intercourse, which, "ater by degrees, you certain"y wi"" make out, that because you
wi"" sometime unite the pre-heaven "ife force with the pre-heaven nature, during this process their
coup"ing movements, in intensity, are never "ess than actua" performance between a ma"e and a fema"e.
&ome books describe the procedure as "ike that of making go"d out of go"d ore, with additiona"
directions concerning the ora" usage and swa""owing into the be""y and so forth, so some mis"ed
practitioners begin to be"ieve that the constant ore-me"ting can some day bear the fruit of obtaining the
e"i!ir pe""et. &o, many miserab"e ta"es and deaths have taken p"ace.
There is a ta"e in many scriptures te""ing that "ong ago there "ived a man named 'ian in, who is the
most inte""igent and wisest man in the wor"d, yet on account of being in want of the right instructions
he didn(t succeed in his pursuit of Tao.
)nce before my master preached to us, saying, *+A"" men sha"" have teachers, whose duties are to
propagate know"edge, sett"e pu##"ing %uestions and pass on ski""s and e!periences. ,ven a sma""
business "ike vending wi"" have to be in need of some directions for keeping, "et a"one such a
significant matter as to re"ease from the bondage of destiny. &o, without accomp"ished instructors you
are doomed to fai"ure, even though you have read this book or other a thousand times.
-.oney
&omeone may be tittering when I begin to ta"k about the money, because they think I have been
preaching re"igious doctrine. In rea"ity the majority of peop"e have the conventiona" ideas that money
meaning more or "ess vicious. .ere the moneys in %uestion take another meaning---to assist you in
your pursuit of Tao. There are two reasons/ one is that you need some food and c"othes and residence
when you begin your si"ent e!ercise, because in rea"ity your corporea"ity hasn(t been thorough"y purged
of. The other "ies in that without money you can apprentice yourse"f to none. &o a saying is popu"ar
with the practitioners that the e"i!ir pe""et is bought with go"d. $ith more know"edge concerning the
e!periences of 0ai &hi &han and 1hong .uang, you certain"y wi"" perceive more about the meaning of
money. At beginning the two comrades were poor and cou"d not afford the necessities, so they feed
herds of sheep, and many f"ocks of o!en in ten years, during that period they economi#ed and hoarded
up savings2 at "ast they fu"fi""ed their aspirations.
After a certain "ength of time when your go"den e"i!ir pe""et is nursed in your midd"e e"i!ir fie"d,
money wi"" mean nothing to you, because you can remain sti"" and motion"ess in your si"ent sitting for
severa" months without the "east appetite for food. 'es, there are no supernatura" beings who sti"" eat
foot, water, and sti"" s"eep and fa"" i"".
3. 4artners
The process of discip"ining your heart, for the practitioners, is the monotonous practice at beginning,
sti"" more for the common peop"e. 5rom now and then to be encouraged and get more mora"e wi""
conso"idate your reso"ution and strengthen you more confidences. )n other side, during the process
there wi"" be many crises waiting for you to go through, and so the assistance from the comrade is
necessary or even indispensab"e.
6. An Appropriate &ite
The house you reside in shou"d ho"d a"oof from war, fighting or upheava", and shou"d be away from the
intersections. 5or the easy avai"abi"ity of provision being somewhat near the town or city is idea". The
more si"ent and iso"ated the better. A cave carved ha"f way down the c"iff is the best p"ace for some
saints. 'et at first you shou"d not be ob"iged to meet these conditions because to "et your heart remain
free from a"" ramb"ing thoughts and continue to be sti"" is the most important thing. 7enera""y speaking,
the house in the depth of a forest whi"e the necessities are ade%uate and no other matters to harass your
heart is idea".
8.4rohibitions to some sorts of food
y master, when ta"king about the practica" procedure, I remember, emphatica""y drew our attention to
the caution of abstaining from food of fatty, peppery, stinking and scented nature, for the fatty or
stinking f"avor is capab"e of sinking as we"" as messing up the vita-vapor whi"e the peppery or scented
one of "ifting as we"" as dispersing vita-vapor. The efforts-earned vita-vapor, when induced to sink or be
messed up wi"" become headstrong and difficu"t to compress2 when "ifted high up and dispersed wi""
drift away and is hard to gather.
.e reminded us at the same time of that to be on a diet most"y composing of vegetab"e is idea",
meanwhi"e not to be g"utted "est it "ead to the disturbance of mind-wi""2 not gorge when too hungry "est
it shou"d stir the vita-vapor. To eat food a"ways in a moderate way is the best.
9. Accurate positions for some usefu" orifice-points.
In the back of human body, a"ong the spine are three important orifice-points/ coccy! pass, the c"ipping
spine pass and occipita" pass, a"" of three making up the Three 4asses which is the common
termino"ogy in :hinese-yoga and the channe"s and co""atera"s.
The very tip of the spine at the buttock putt is coccy! pass. The spina" marrow is traditiona""y ca""ed
.ung .e or :hao ;i, which is the course the yang vita-vapor take to ascend. 5rom the coccy! pass
upward, to the seventh vertebra, between which and the kidney is the orifice-point ca""ed c"ipping spine
pass. 5urther upward to the occipita" bone at the back of brain is the occipita" pass.
In the front of human body are three important orifice-points too/ upper e"i!ir fie"d, midd"e e"i!ir fie"d
and "ower e"i!ir fie"d. The midd"e spot between two eyes is 'in Tang in which at the very beginning of
discip"ining heart you shou"d sett"e your mind-wi""2 5rom which orifice-point around 3. 3cm further
inward you can "ocate ing Tang, another 3.3cm further is the Dong 5ang, at "ast another 3.3cm further
you can find out the position of upper e"i!ir fie"d, a"so ca""ed <i $ang 7ong. 5rom the 'in Tang
downward to the pa"ate, upon which there e!ist two orifice-points ca""ed =ue =iao.
The respiratory tube, on account of owning twe"ve knobs, is tit"ed :hong >ou. 5rom the point upon the
breast bone, which is between the two breasts, around ?cm further inward is the p"ace the midd"e e"i!ir
fie"d abides in, which in fact is a sphere space with a diameter about 3. @cm, wherein you shou"d hoard
up the vita-vapor in preparation for erecting a ca"dron.
The midd"e p"ace inside the be""y between the nave" and kidney, is ca""ed ;u .ai, from which 3.@cm
downward is the p"ace of "ower e"i!ir fie"d, a"so ca""ed .ua :hi, which in actua"ity dominates a sphere
space with its diameter being 3.@cm. The midd"e p"ace between the midd"e e"i!ir fie"d and the "ower
e"i!ir fie"d .uang Ting, which is a"so a sphere space with its diameter of 3.@ cm.
There are three orifice-points in human body which are a"ways referred to by many books as the
essentia" three---the upper e"i!ir fie"d, the midd"e e"i!ir fie"d and "ower e"i!ir fie"d. The upper orifice
occupies the position of 0rightness .e!agram, with its interior being yin nature and e!terior yang
nature, its core the home of pre-heaven nature. The "ower orifice occupies the position of the 4eri"ous
4it he!agram, its interior being yang and e!terior yin, its core the home of pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid.
0oth orifices have a "ot of different names which here are skipped over without reference to.
To constant"y sett"e mind-wi"" in the "ower e"i!ir fie"d is the most important measure for the novices,
a"so the most usefu" for the common peop"e who for this or that reason on"y aim at promoting their
physica" we""-being, preserving the good stamina and keeping heart peacefu" and broad.
In the process of :hinese-yoga the function of midd"e e"i!ir fie"d is more "ike that of a womb in a
fema"e body, in which the fetus of true se"f takes form. In regard of this you can refer to other chapter
for more information.
Cleanse the Heart of All Desires and Passions
Discip"ining the heart---much akin to preaching devotion and devoutness as do many schoo"s of
re"igions---is the process critica" to the successfu" pursuit of Tao. The heart, we a"" know, is accustomed
to yie"ding to the reck"ess actions of mu"tifarious thoughts. &o to get rid of them shou"d proceed step by
step, and the idea of rooting out a"" stray thoughts in an instant shou"d be dropped.

&eat yourse"f in the gesture "ike many 0uddha statues---the "egs crossed and the fingers of two hands
inter"ocked---compose your heart and purge it of a"" disorder"y thoughts. Then gent"y sett"e your mind-
wi"" in the "ower e"i!ir fie"d. That is to say, persistent"y rest your mind in this vague space, with no time
spent on pondering over other things.
This is a gradua" process. 'ou shou"d be patient with its du""ness at the beginning. )n"y both the
patience and persistency can do. 'et paying much attention upon "ower e"i!ir fie"d is very dangerous,
which you shou"d bear in mind. 5or, not as same as the genera" circumstances in the profane wor"d, the
concentration of attention can resu"t in many uneasy symptoms in various degrees, which is owing to
the fact that, where the mind-wi"" is the =i is, and the norma" circu"ation of =i wi"" be jeopardi#ed on
account of e!cessive accumu"ation of =i in one p"ace. &o the proper way you p"ace your mind-wi"" is
that you seem to pay attention to it, yet in the same time you seem not---a parado!.
After an appropriate "ength of time when your heart has assumed e%uanimity, it is the time for you to
pay attention to inha"ing and e!ha"ing. $hen you draw a breath, you can envisage the inha"ing takes
the course of Du :hanne" ascending the top of the head whi"e the e!ha"ing of Aen :hanne" descending
to the "ower e"i!ir fie"d. )ne revo"ution you count one time in your heart. In this way you count up by
heart the number of the revo"utions you envisaged the breath take and bear in mind the accurate
number. Then the ideas wi"" never obtain the chance of sprouting up to harass the heart.
As a pair of intimate friends, the mind-wi"" and the breathing shou"d run the same revo"ution in your
mind---which in jargon of :hinese-yoga is ca""ed Bchaining the heart monkey and harnessing the mind
horse.B Cnowing where the "ower e"i!ir fie"d is but not paying your attention there merit the great
reward. 'et, sett"ing mind-wi"" e"sewhere is bound to make a mistake. In brief, you shou"d transform
the heart from e!istence to none!istence in your mind, and empty and e!pand the mind rea"m to be
more spacious and %uiescent ti"" a"" seems to have passed away.
To be free from any ideas and thoughts for a "ong time can bring about no dream whatever emerging in
your s"eep, which indicates that the pre-.eaven mind-wi"" is in the process of coming on the scene.
If the heart is not discip"ined enough, the pre-.eaven mind-wi"" wi"" a"ways be unsett"ed and the
psychica" rays f"icker continuous"y. &imi"ar"y, if the stray thoughts have not given up thorough"y, the
passions wi"" a"ways be in the growth and the "ife force wi"" sti"" be subject to a"" temptations. )n"y
with your mind-wi"" sett"ing gent"y in "ower e"i!ir fie"d yet touching nothing at a"", the heart can
become purer and purer.
To c"eanse the heart of its addiction to stray thoughts, there e!ists another measure sitting in
forgetfu"ness, which is advocated by >ao T#i and 1huang T#i.
At beginning, sett"e the mind-wi"" in the "ower e"i!ir fie"d---which was a"ways compared by ancient
men to the process of pouring fire into water, as the heart occupies the position of 0rightness
.e!agram with the nature of the fire e"ement whi"e the kidney the position of the Dangerous 4it
.e!agram with the nature of the water e"ement. 5or a "ong time in this state a whiff of yang =i wi""
appear after BinteractionB between the water and the fire. Assume the 0uddha-sitting posture, with the
cheat s"ight"y drawn in and the back or the spine moderate"y upright, the head e"evated so that the two
eyes can see "eve""y forward, the shou"ders re"a!ed, both eyes s"ight"y c"osed and the tongue tip
"eisure"y raised against the hard pa"ate, you can regu"ate respiration by the way of s"owing the rate of
breathing to such an e!tent that you can fee" nothing at a"".
:ertain"y, this stage can be reached on"y through the "ong-term training. The above-mentioned
preparations, you know, shou"d be carried out moderate"y "est something overdoing shou"d bring about
constraints and uneasiness. The proper attitude shou"d be to dea" with them natura""y and moderate"y,
and there shou"d be no e!ertion in e!cess and no efforts in deficiency.
7enera""y speaking, the heart operates in a constant sty"e of permanent"y diffusing a"" sorts of ideas and
thoughts and intentions--- speeding outward"y, in a word. .owever, in discip"ining heart the operation
fashion is utter"y contrary to that of dai"y thinking, that is to say, reduce itse"f to inward sti""ness and
emptiness.
Aeposing the mind-wi"" gent"y in the region of "ower e"i!ir fie"d and setting your eyes down inward"y
upon the same region. >itt"e by "itt"e s"owing the breathing, you can perceive some minute changes
have taken p"ace in the region of "ower e"i!ir fie"d as the time passes away---initia""y, it is a b"ack and
opa%ue space, afterwards a s"ight "ight begins to f"icker, then the darkness fades away by degrees and
brightness fi""s up the space. After a period you can obtain the fee"ing that there seems a wave of warm
=i is s"ow"y diffusing and then, of its own accord, then it begins to be circ"ing round the "ower e"i!ir
fie"d. This is the time of initia" sprouting of the yang =i, and a"so of the e!istence arising from
none!istence. &o in a persistent way you rest your mind in the "ower e"i!ir fie"d, the breathing begins to
die out---which process very much resemb"es the %uiet state of a tortoise or winter s"eep of a frog. )f
course, the mind-wi"" shou"d perch upon nothing, nor shou"d free them utter"y to their own freedom---
which means that the mind-wi"" seems to e!ist yet meanwhi"e to pass away. &o with the f"ight of time
the mind-wi"" and the breathing wi"" be more fami"iar with each other and "ater afterwards they begin to
attach to each other, and at "ast the ysterious 4ass begins to present itse"f.
Settle Mind-will in Lower Elixir Field
To set the first step of restoring pre-.eaven nature and "ife force you must "earn to know how to
discip"ine the heart. 5irst of a"", get rid of a"" stray thoughts before this si"ent e!ercise, then "oosen the
c"othes to free the f"ow of b"ood and =i. In short, impose no constraints whatever upon the body.
&itting si"ent"y, "egs crossed, fingers inter"ocked with each other, two hands gent"y "aying before the
"ower abdomen with pa"ms facing upwards. In this way you begin the "ong e!pedition of pursuit of Tao.
'our form shou"d be straight "ike a dead trunk and your heart recede into si"ence, ti"" it becomes as
unconscious of a"" things as the dead ashes which have passed through ordea"s of thousands of years.
Turn down your eyesight upon the tip of your nose whi"e moderate"y c"ose your eye"ids to a proper
e!tent/ you shou"d not shut up the eyes thorough"y "est you shou"d be s"eepy and spirits drift away, yet
you shou"d not fu""y open your eye "est the eye "ight shou"d drift away. The most appropriate way to get
this effect is to tender"y "ower your eye"ids and view the tip of your nose and sett"e your mind-wi""
upon a spot in the midd"e between your two eyes. 0y this means you can eradicate the myriad of
thoughts from just the very beginning.
&ome time "ater, when heart has been ca"med down, you shou"d gradua""y c"ose your eyes in order not
to witness scenes, and "et your ears hear the "ower e"i!ir fie"d, make even the breathing in and breathing
out, in order to make it as gent"e and weak as possib"e. )f course, nasa" obstruction and other disorders
concerning the nose shou"d be proper"y dea"t with so as not to effect the breathing to a "arger e!tent.
7et "egs crossed, the right shank "ocated on the "eft Dwhich is to see right shank inside whi"e the "eft
outsideE, p"ace both hands in front of the "ower abdomen, pa"ms upwards, "eft hand be"ow, right above,
the thumb of "eft nest"ing against the forefinger. The right hand, in the same way, natura""y "aying
above the right--which is ca""ed the yang hugging yin, in :hinese-yoga jargon.
)nce in my ear"y days of being a new practitioner, I put a %uestion, saying, BAfter so
"ong time of perusa" of the scriptures and canons about the means to c"eansing heart, I am
becoming much more pu##"ed at the psychica" rays. $hat is it after a""F $hat use
actua""y is itF Apart from that, where does the pre-.eaven nature come fromF In
reverence I am here begging for the truthGB
y master rep"ied, Bpre-.eaven nature, the noumenon of the heart, comes from infinite
emptiness. pre-.eaven "ife force, taking residence in the kidney, arises from infinite
sti""ness. The pre-.eaven mind-wi"" serves as the master of the pre-.eaven nature.
Hiewing the "ower e"i!ir fie"d for a certain "ength of time you wi"" unconscious"y
perceive the psychica" rays emerging "itt"e by "itt"e, then again some time "ater, the pre-
.eaven nature gradua""y b"ending up with the "ife force ti"" the two merge into one.B
BI have the honor to hear your "ecturing to our fe""ow-practitioners in concern of the
si"ent-sitting, you said that before and during si"ent-sitting the practitioners shou"d give up a"" stray
thoughts, and ga#e inward at the emptiness of "ower e"i!ir fie"d, wou"d you e!p"ain more concrete"y,
my masterFB
y master rep"ied, BTo survey the emptiness of "ower e"i!ir fie"d with an inward ga#e whi"e not to be
"ost in it is a correct method2 meanwhi"e, to be "ost in it is a fa"se one. The psychica" rays are screened
and buried in ob"ivion a"ways, for you don(t know how to bring your mind-wi"" to emptiness and "et it
remain sti"" and motion"ess. &i"ent"y seeing the "ower e"i!ir fie"d inward"y for a "ong time, with your
mind-wi"" sett"ing upon the emptiness, gradua""y you wi"" be conscious of the e!istence of pre-.eaven
=i in the region be"ow the heart and above the kidney, in which region, as the chance matures, the
ysterious 4ass wi"" come on the scene. The emptiness without psychica" rays coming from the
ysterious 4ass is ca""ed dead emptiness2 whi"e that with psychic rays "ive"y emptiness, in which we
set about cu"tivating true se"f. B
Open Up Eiht Extra Channels
The practitioners, when sitting in si"ence and continuing this 0uddha-posture for a "ong time, wi"" fee"
the "imbs become numb, the f"ow of b"ood impeded, the musc"es under pressure be painfu" and sore.
The fo""owing be"ow introduces a set of measures to dea" with the case, which you shou"d perform step
by step every day during the initia" e!ercise. 5irst you shou"d s"ight"y draw some breath with your
mind-wi"" by moderate"y shutting up mouth and nose, and sett"e your mind-wi"" in the "ower e"i!ir fie"d
for a certain "ength of time. Then sett"e it upon the perineum.
Then during the first breathing in, the mind envisages a wave of =i ascending the upper e"i!ir fie"d
picking up the course which starts from the perineum and winds up at upper e"i!ir fie"d through Du
:hanne". During the first breathing out, the mind envisages the =i descending from upper e"i!ir fie"d to
the perineum through the course of Aen :hanne". During the second breathing in the mind envisages
that the =i ascending from the perineum to "ower e"i!ir fie"d so as to "ink with the 0e"t :hanne"---
which runs round the waist---and the =i sp"itting in two ha"ves, both going straight from "ower e"i!ir
fie"d to either side of the kidney of the back, then a"ong the back upwards to ascend the two shou"der
b"ades and ha"t the =i there. During the second breathing out the mind shou"d envisage that the two
waves of =i going a"ong the outside of both the arms respective"y through the Three 'ang :hanne"s of
.and to the midd"e fingers, then turn round to the midd"e of inside pa"m.
During the third breathing in envisage that the =i going up through the Three 'in :hanne"s Dwhich run
a"ong inside of the armsE, turning round the two shou"der b"ades to descend to the two nipp"es of the
breasts, then during the third breathing out envisage the =i descending from two nipp"es to converge in
"ower e"i!ir fie"d, then returning to the perineum again. During the fourth breathing in e"evate the =i
upwards to the midd"e e"i!ir fie"d so as to "ink with the :hong :hanne". D:aution/ no to be up beyond
the heartE, and during the fourth breathing out "ower the =i down to the perineum, then sp"it it in two
ha"ves again and run both of them a"ong the outside of two "egs through the Three 'ang :hanne"s of
the >eg, arriving at the toes and turning round to wind up at the 'ong =uan 4oint. Then throughout the
duration of the fifth breathing in imagine that the =i going up starting from 'ong =uan 4oint and
stopping at the "ower e"i!ir fie"d through the Three 'in :hanne"s of >eg Dwhich run a"ong the inside of
"egsE, in the midway the two waves of =i converging at .ui 'in 4oint. 0oth then ascend to "ower e"i!ir
fie"d.
During the fifth breathing out, imagine the =i descend from the "ower e"i!ir fie"d down to the .ui 'in
4oint. The procedure above-mentioned makes up the major part for getting through the ,ight ,!tra
:hanne"s, by which process you can drive out a"" =i of vicious nature from a"" orifices and channe"s
and co""atera"s, for the go"den e"i!ir pe""et cou"dn(t deve"op without e!tinction of yin =i.
Ad!inister fertili"in fl#id $%in&$'&
To discharge the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE in natura" way is the destined proceeding most "ike"y preface the
procedure of constituting a human being, whi"e to accumu"ate and change it into =i in a reverse
direction the process of forming the go"den e"i!ir pe""et. 'ou shou"d know, in the "atter case the thing
we dea" with is by no means the air but the pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE with which we can
eventua""y regain a"" wasted pre-heaven nature and pro"ong our "ifetimes, and re"ease from the
entang"ement by diseases of various sorts. &o the book The <arration by )ne Immorta" te""s the
author(s opinion as such/ BTo "ive necessitates ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE, yet to wear out it means death
sooner or "ater. Iust re"ying upon it we can restore the pre-heaven nature and reunite pre-heaven "ife
force with pre-heaven nature.B
'es, human body much resemb"es a tree that has no roots, and how miserab"y to think of sustaining the
drifting "ife on"y with the breathing and digestion after the body being deprived of the origina" roots---
the true heart and the automatic circu"ation of pre-heaven =i. 'es, no certainty e!ists guaranteeing the
one breath is abso"ute"y succeeded by another, and "iving today guarantee "iving tomorrow. To think
how much the average "ifetime of around thirty thousand days resemb"es a dream we just awaken from,
when we are in retrospection at our sickbed waiting for the arriva" of the death. The gone-by time has
drifted away to you don(t know where, the death ange" is composed"y approaching you with measured
steps, the f"esh and f"ood wi"" have to decay, and corrupt ti"" it thorough"y turns to deserted dust, and so
do the bones. The heart, ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE, =i, the pre-heaven mind-wi"" wi"" be demo"ished and
drift away to 7od knows where. Then who cou"d possess the abi"ity to divine what your ne!t "ifetime
wou"d beF And who cou"d divine when and where the end"ess transmigration cou"d, in vio"ation of
nature(s formidab"e "aw, come to an endF &o here I give counse" to practitioners to make up your mind
and conso"idate your reso"ution, so as not to pass away regretfu""y with nothing in hands at your dying
sickbed.
5rom now on, pay no attention upon anything, the two eyes abstain from ga#ing outward"y, the two
ears from hearing the outside, be on a vegetab"e diet, shorten the time spent on s"eep, refrain from
ta"kativeness and "aughing, give up a"" contemp"ation and desires, court no comfort and ease, have no
interest in differentiating the beautifu" from the ug"y. In this way you c"eanse your heart constant"y, as
"ike a cicada drinking dew. After a "ong time you wi"" fee" refreshed and spirited. >ike a tortoise
remaining motion"ess in its dead-"ike state, you wi"" imperceptib"y pro"ong your "ifetime and re"ease
you from the regu"ar"y unavoidab"e torture by ai"ments.
.owever, the precaution you shou"d take is to discip"ine your heart is to guard against Bfive
swind"ersB---the eyes, ears, the nose, tongue, body---from surging up to wear away the pre-heaven
nature from outside or within. )n"y when there is not any one of the seven kinds of emotions--joy,
anger, me"ancho"y, an!iety, grief, fear, and terror--- arising, the first five yin pre-heaven mind-wi""s
responsib"e for producing the senses of taste, sight, hearing, sme"", touch remain peacefu", two eyes
ga#e inward"y, two ears hear inward"y, the nose sme""s inward"y, the tongue rises gent"y against pa"ate,
the who"e body remains motion"ess in si"ent sitting posture, the mind-wi"" sett"es inward"y in "ower
e"i!ir fie"d, and ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE remains indifferent to any temptation, you are %ua"ified for
further advance in the pursuit of Tao.
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE, as "ike a robber who watched for his chance in a stea"thy way, wi"" become
rest"ess when the man(s eyes happen to catch sight of the beautifu". >ikewise, when the music drifts
into the ears the desires and passions wi"" arise and the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE wi"" ro"" up and down.
,ven a "itt"e whiff of scent and de"icious sme"" wi"" une!ceptiona""y induce the desires to awake and the
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE to wear out. De"icious taste wi"" a"" at once e!cite the addiction and thus the
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE feverish"y search for the indent to "et out. Then fee"ings and sensations arising
from induction or touch wi"" occasion the infatuation to emerge and ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE to consume
itse"f as "ike boi"ing water.
Jnder the constant consumption by the five swind"ers, can you te"" me how much ferti"i#ing f"uid
DIingE has been "eft overF $hen the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE drains out and the pre-heaven mind-wi""
f"oats away to fo""ow the suit, the human body becomes a ruin. &o the practitioner shou"d perform in
the way of regarding the body as a state and ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE the subject peop"e who, when
"eading peacefu" "ives, wi"" stabi"i#e the state.
0efore you set about administering ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE, it is the common circumstance that the pre-
heaven mind-wi"" a"ways chases after the i""usions and phantoms in the outward direction, the pre-
heaven =i disperses and diffuses in a"" directions and pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE decays and
"oses its vigor. &o we must endeavor to refi"" the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE and =i and pre-heaven mind-
wi"", ti"" these three have become sufficient enough and merged into one---which means the process of
"aying foundation has successfu""y come to an end. This foundation is the one upon which to ascend the
fo""owing summits. The man who has transcended the region of e!istence and ascended the phantom
region possesses the foundation. &o does the man whose pre-heaven mind-wi"" remains to be at a
constant standsti"" for ten months, and the man who no "onger is in need of the s"eep, and the man who
abstains from a"" food and drink, and the man who is never affected any change of four seasons.
The saint, who possesses the same body with Tao, wi"" never in the wor"d breathe one more time, whi"e
the common peop"e do a"" the time from birth to death. They wi"" by no means fa"" as"eep or do#e for an
instant, even though the universe has undergone the vicissitudes of hundreds of thousands of years.
$ith the human body, heart and mind-wi"" serving as the administrators, whi"e ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE
and =i and pre-heaven mind-wi"" as the subject peop"e, the means to "et the former three function to
unite the "ater three into one makes up the basic method to produce the go"den e"i!ir. The precondition
for uniting the three into one "ies in that the heart shou"d constant"y remain motion"ess in emptiness and
sti""ness, for on"y the heart being in that state the pre-heaven mind-wi"" can merge with pre-heaven
nature, and ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE and emotions can ca"m down. )n account of the body being free
from any motion the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE can be converted into =i and because of the heart being free
from any ideas or intentions the =i can be converted into pre-heaven mind-wi"", and on account of the
mind-wi"" touching nothing in emptiness and being at a constant standsti"", the pre-heaven mind-wi""
can be changed into the emptiness.
The 7reat Jnification, when engage in a motion, wi"" sp"it into two parts of yin and yang. $hen the
intercourse takes p"ace between the yang and yin, the five e"ements wi"" come into being at "ast Dof
course ha"fway there are other proceedingsE, and, when each takes position and engage in their
particu"ar motion, a"" things emerge. &o, on account of the e!istence of earth e"ement go"d e"ement
comes into being, and with the assistance coming from earth e"ement wood e"ement can f"ourish,. )nce
the water encounters the earth it natura""y ha"ts its movement to a suitab"e e!tent2 in the meantime
under the encasement by earth e"ement, the fire e"ement wi"" have to be distinguished. The above-
mentioned deve"opment course is that the :reation of a"" things takes. 7oing back on the way in
reverse direction, the saints, with their wisdom and uncompromising efforts, reached the origin and
own the body in common with the Tao. According to the "aw the measure is invented to co""ect five
e"ements to be administered to form four e"ements, and by the same measure unite the four to form
three ones, and three to two parts of yin and yang, and then at "ast unite the yin and yang to form the
7reat Jnification. Aetracing the course unswerving"y a"" the way back to infinite emptiness, they can at
"ast reach Tao.
0ecause of the sti""ness of the body the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE wi"" remain motion"ess, and by this
means the water e"ement inevitab"y wi"" be ob"iged to come to the centra" position of earth e"ement and
merge with it. >ikewise, owing to the heart being free from any stray thoughts the =i then comes to be
at a constant stand sti"", thus the fire e"ement wi"" natura""y join the earth e"ement occupying the centra"
position and merge with it. $hen the pre-heaven nature has s"ipped into sti""ness, three yang sou"s wi""
hide themse"ves and wood e"ement joins the earth e"ement and unite with it in the centra" position.
Jnder the simi"ar circumstances when the emotions have been purged of, the seven yin sou"s wi"" be
worn out by degrees and go"d e"ement wi"" join earth e"ement and combine with it. As soon as the
e"ements of water, go"d, fire and wood have converged at the centra" position, the mind-wi"" wi""
eventua""y be brought to a constant standsti"" and the five e"ements wi"" soar high up and converge upon
the upper e"i!ir fie"d.
)nce before I put a %uestion to my master, saying, (I have read some messages in some books such as
:anon on 0oth the pre-heaven <ature and pre-heaven >ife 5orce and :anon on 7o"den ,"i!ir 4e""et
concerning the measures to ho"d back ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE from discharging and to convert it to =i.
A"so, there are many successfu" practitioners in their books having "eft numerous assertions in this
regard. $ou"d you p"ease make c"ear this term my masterF (
y master paused for a whi"e, then observed, B'ou a"" know the words by >ao 1hi that the precious
coming into being on account of the comparison with the cheap and the same reason a"so is app"icab"e
to the high and the "ow. :onventiona" opinions have been so much dominant that a"" men shy away in
ta"king about the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE and se! whi"e advocating to be re"igious and faithfu" and to be
an ascetic. .ere I won(t advocate so-ca""ed re"igion, but te"" the way out from the destiny. The pre-
heaven =i wi"" arise and increase on"y by the way of ho"ding back the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE from
dejection and "ater you can step by step convert the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE to =i, and =i to pre-heaven
mind-wi"" and pre-heaven mind-wi"" to infinite emptiness. As our bodies are short of ferti"i#ing f"uid
DIingE on account of the former ejacu"ations, we must refi"" it at first.B
B5or you do not know how "ong time you have fa""en into the sti""ness, the time wi"" come that the
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE has the tendency to surge and go out and your penis become hard, then you must
put the weight of your body on one side, at the same time gent"y thrust the midd"e finger to pressure
upon the .ui 'in point, constrain the musc"e around to co""ect the yang =i that is emerging. This kind
of yang =i, when goes out through the .ui 'in point in its natura" way, can turn into ferti"i#ing f"uid
DIingE and form the cytu"a with the ovum---this process is ca""ed (sai"ing a"ong the "ife current( in
Taoism termino"ogy. )n the contrary, the yang =i you reap can turn into the pre-heaven vita-vapour
and can revo"ve a"ong Du- and Aen :hanne". 5rom this account you can easi"y conc"ude that the
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE forms the essentia", "ike a fountainhead of a stream, from which and on"y depend
upon which you can "ater cu"tivate the pre-heaven nature and pre-heaven "ife force. Aegarding this
method &aykamuni once commented "ike this, ()"d monks have the secret to revive the tree that has no
roots and "ight the oi" "amb that has no oi" for its fue". B
BAs to the detai"ed measures to reap yang =i I wi"" e!p"ain be"ow carefu""y. $hether the yang =i has
emerged and if the chance matures for harvesting you shou"d know c"ear"y and accurate"y. The yang =i
you are going to harvest is use"ess, if you are mistaken in identifying the moment of time"y harvesting.
If the yang =i you harvest is premature or in overgrowth, a"" your efforts wi"" become fruit"ess. The
concrete measures to dea" with this comp"icated circumstances means crucia", practitioners must be
fami"iar with them in detai", otherwise they(d better stay where you are and do nothing at a"". The time
of sudden inspiration coming from nowhere occurs to your %uiet rea"m of mind, and unconscious"y a
wave of yang vita-vapour comes into being and begin to evo"ve is the moment you shou"d commence
to ascertain whether the imminent harvesting is chanced to be at the rightfu" time and the vita-vapour
has deve"oped fu""y for you to reap. .ow to ascertain the chance and how to be certain of the suitab"e
degree of its continuous growth make up the most hidden secret for most of the books concerning this
subject. If the sudden inspiration "et you become certain of the time being out of p"ace, you shou"d not
in a hurry to reap it. The time in %uestion denotes the moment that the yang vita-vapour has grown fu""y
and a "itt"e time further it wi"" be in overgrowth, and a "itt"e time "ess it wi"" be young and in
deficiency.B
B)rigina""y, the pre-heaven vita-vapour was brimfu" and virgina". Iust because the indu"gences in
passions have "ed to a good dea" ejacu"ation or consumption of sperm, the pre-heaven vita-vapour has
been suffering the deficiency a"" the time. The yang vita-vapour reaped for refi""ing the pre-heaven =i
must be the one that has fu""y grown and is pure, and by no means that one emerging the time when
mind is fu"" of stray thoughts or vo"uptuous ideas springing out end"ess"y---for the yang =i has a"ready
in part turn into ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE and destined to ejacu"ation e!cept by specia" means. 0ecause
different men--even a man in the different stages of his "ifetime---have divergent constitutions, and
different degrees of deficiency in terms of pre-heaven =i, so practitioner must adopt somewhat
different measures for each one.B
BIn genera", when there are se!ua" desires coming forth, the penis wi"" harden and the desire for
indu"gence in sensua" enjoyment wi"" become more and more fervent. At this time some yang =i wi""
turn into ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE . The ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE must be converted to =i, otherwise it wi""
inevitab"y go out at future time. The dejection of ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE, if comes to no end, wi""
undermine a"" the efforts you former"y made, as "ike a foundation a"ways breaking down. &o the
measures of sma"" waterwhee" comes to being, aiming at ceasing the f"owing of ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE
and converting it to =i. $hen the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE accumu"ates to a certain degree yet no
measures put into use to diminish it, it certain"y wi"" find a way out, as "ike the water in a mug
receiving incessant supp"ies of water wi"" diffuse sometime. &o, how to convert it means crucia" for the
success of administering ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE.B
B$hen a whiff of yang =i arises---which resu"ts from the motion out of the infinite sti""ness---and a
destined sudden inspiration occur to your mind, it is the time at which you shou"d prepare to judge the
cu"mination of its growth, to set about its going round the Du- and Aen :hanne". There wi"" come many
fee"ings and minute changes, of which you can by degrees obtain the e!perience for being certain of the
chance and prime time of its deve"opment. .ere I wi"" de"iver a detai"ed description of the scene for
your reference. $hen a whiff of yang vita-vapour comes forth from you know nowhere, sudden
inspiration spontaneous"y occur to your mind rea"m, without any presentiments or signs to preface its
emergence. A"" in a sudden you seem to me"t into nothing and a"" the wor"d seems to be in sun"ight and
cosiness and a"" are comfortab"e2 contentedness and comp"acency seem to e!tend gradua""y to your
wor"d of e!istence and your back have a"ready resumed the upright posture a"" out of your senses and
efforts. The state of your heart, at the same time, "ike a fu"" moon in an autumn night coo""y shedding
its so"itary g"eam upon a c"ear "ake, has a"ready been sti"" and empty for no one knows how "ong time.
0y degrees, in natura" way in the broad e!pense of your heart the mind-wi"" can not catch sight of your
e!istence from outside yet even inside it can not give your any senses of something concrete. A"" is
void and emptiness, a"" the pores e!isting in the changing positions of the space seem to minute"y itch
a"" over, thus the who"e wor"d seems to indu"ge in the e!treme easiness and cosiness, and there is not
one wi""ingness e!isting to take "eave of it.B
B&udden"y your body or the who"e space seems to vibrate "ight"y and afterwards a"" seem to have
changed. pre-heaven mind-wi"" is jubi"ant"y having intercourse with yang =i. pre-heaven mind-wi"" is
a"ways in company with =i and when the mind-wi"" goes the "atter wi"" constant"y be on the trai" of the
former a"" the time to fo""ow it. pre-heaven =i begins to make its own way automatica""y with
continuous surging and swe""ings to open up its destined course of Du- and Aen :hanne". A certain
"ength of time "ater, being brimfu" and sufficient enough it natura""y goes round the course f"uent"y and
without any b"ockade. Then sudden inspiration e!pressive of the simi"ar fee"ings and impressions wi""
fa"" upon your %uiet region of the heart, though you have no intention to gain it. )f course, at this time
you can, without any hesitation, commence the process of "aunching the sma"" waterwhee".B
B'ou are advised to be patient enough at first, waiting for its fu""y growth, which is "ike the moon
reaching its fu"" state of brightness. The time when sudden inspiration occurs to the mind and a wave of
a yang =i is as s"ow"y arising as "ike a seed is budding, you can conc"ude that the suitab"e chance is
coming up. >osing no time at once you are advised to embark on breathing in, and at the same time
conscious"y contract the musc"es around the .ui 'in point, have an idea envisaging that a wave of
vapor is p"oughing into Du :hanne" through .ui 'in point and coccy! pass, and e"evating the imagined
vapor a"" the way upward through Du :hanne" unti" it reaches the upper e"i!ir fie"d. Then breathing out,
and at the same time have a mind-wi"" envisaging to "ow the =i from Aen :hanne" ti"" it goes to the
"ower e"i!ir fie"d. This process is ca""ed sma"" waterwhee".B
BThe practice of sma"" waterwhee", though simp"e and p"ain, actua""y has been designed to cope with
the two hidden operations both from outside and inside. $hen you breathe in the breath wi"" natura""y
be brought in from outside through the mouth or nose down to the respiration tube ti"" to gather in the
"ung, whi"e at the same time the yang =i spontaneous"y ascend from the "ower e"i!ir fie"d to upper
e"i!ir fie"d. This process means that the pre-heaven "ife force is soaring up to reunite with the pre-
heaven mind-wi"". $hen you breathe out the breath wi"" be e!pe""ed out of the "ung, taking the route of
respiration tube upward to go out through the mouth or nose, meanwhi"e the pre-heaven =i wi"" go
from the upper e"i!ir downward to the "ower e"i!ir fie"d through the midd"e e"i!ir fie"d. This process, in
fact, is that of the pre-heaven mind-wi"" descending to reunite with the pre-heaven =i. The aforesaid
c"osing and opening operations of the ac%uired breathing and yang =i are more "ike that of a be""ows.
The operations of ac%uired breathing and that of yang =i, though having the same be""ows of the
human body, differ in both the thing subject to their operations and the circ"ing course.B
BThe reunion of pre-heaven "ife force and pre-heaven mind-wi"" taken p"ace in upper and "ower e"i!ir
fie"d is the process to convert ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE to =i. whi"e the ac%uired breathing with an idea
imagining =i going round the Du- and Aen :hanne" promote the inner operation of pre-heaven =i.
.ere the envisaging means that two c"osed eyes shou"d survey inward"y the Du- and Aen :hanne"
beginning from .ui 'in point, then Du :hanne", then the upper e"i!ir fie"d, then Aen :hanne", then
coccy! pass and ending up in "ower e"i!ir fie"d. The ac%uired breathing is of the positive nature whi"e
the ascend and descend of the yang =i of the passive nature, upon which you shou"d pay no attention
whatever.B
B$hen setting about "aunching the sma"" waterwhee", first you shou"d breathe in through the nose, the
mind-wi"" and inward ga#e of two eyes, at the same time, shou"d make their common way a"ong Du
:hanne" upward from .ui 'in point ti"" they reach the midd"e e"i!ir fie"d, then you shou"d cease the
breathing for a "itt"e whi"e and ha"t the advance of mind-wi"" and the ga#e here. Afterwards, resume the
breathing and recommence the advance ti"" the mind-wi"" and the inner ga#e arrive at the upper e"i!ir
fie"d, and the breathing in comes to end at the same time. Then second you shou"d breathe out, whi"e
the mind-wi"" and the inward ga#e fo""ow the Aen :hanne" downward from the upper e"i!ir fie"d ti"" the
c"ipping spine pass. Then ceasing the breathing out for a "itt"e time and checking the downward
advance of mind-wi"" and inward ga#e awhi"e, you are advised to resume the breathing out and advance
the mind-wi"" and inward ga#e downward back to "ower e"i!ir fie"d again, the breathing out comes to an
end.B
Ad!inister fertili"in fl#id $%in&$(&
Then how many times shou"d you revo"ve the sma"" waterwhee" once the wave of yang =i arisesF 'ou
may ask yourse"f. any peop"e know the thirty-si! times be suitab"e, as asserted in many scriptures and
canons. 'et, this assertion in rea"ity doesn(t mean the number of breathing but the number with which
you can reckon the necessary number of times in consideration of a"" your deficiency of pre-heaven
nature, the constitution, the e!tent of deve"opment of the emerging =i and so forth. It is by no means an
easy thing for a man not e!pert at the 0ook of :hanges, to know the necessary number.
That to keep the mind-wi"" and inward ga#e in motion round the circ"e of Du and Aen :hanne", to
"aunch the breathing---"ike to start the operation of a reciprocating be""ows---to b"ow the ac%uired
breathing to promote the transformation of ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE into =i in the "ower e"i!ir fie"d, and
that when the growth of the pre-heaven =i reaches the height initiate the sma"" waterwhee" to harvest it,
is the detai"ed procedure of ho"ding back the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE from dejection. The fo""owing
procedure is to change the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE to 0uddhist re"ics---the penis wi"" shrink a"" the way
back into your be""y.
In consideration of hea"th condition "eve" and fee"ings in regarding the growth of =i, and reference to
instruction by %igong master, practitioner can be ab"e to ca"cu"ate the number of times they shou"d run
the sma"" water-whee" regarding the varying state for the emergence of the yang =i each time. >ater
you are advised to resume the motion"ess state to recede again into the emptiness and sti""ness of the
heart. 0e patient enough to wait for the motion out of the infinite sti""ness again, and to prepare again
for the subse%uent running of sma"" water-whee".
'et many men have the notion that the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE cou"d be accumu"ated for the use of
constituting the go"den e"i!ir. )f course, this notion is thorough"y contrary to the "aw that when sperm
is brimfu" it is bound to go out sometime. )ne utensi" with certain capacity is supposed to be capab"e of
accommodating the incessant supp"ies of water, how fancifu" and whimsica"G 'et you can take action to
cease the formation of ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE and convert it to =i, how reasonab"e it wi"" becomeG &o, it
is the indispensab"e method you shou"d "earn if you aspire for the success, regard"ess of what re"igion
you have faith in.
4ractitioner shou"d mind that to run the sma"" water-whee" risks danger in different degrees and
different forms, yet the common one is that the =i changes back to ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE and then the
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE f"ows out. The new practitioners, on account of incomp"ete annihi"ation of stray
thoughts and the mind-wi"" not being free from touching things---in a word, "ack necessary profundity
in discip"ining their hearts---is "ike"y to be tied up by the whims and fancies in the day and dream of
something in the night. &o, "ike a mug tumb"ed down and water pouring out, the "ower e"i!ir fie"d wi""
"ose its contents of =i, which first changes to ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE then drains out---a"" efforts
former"y made thus drain away. &o, many regu"ations and restrictions have estab"ished to discip"ine the
0uddhists and Taoists and other, which to a certain e!tent have something to do with this case.
)nce before I asked my master, ($ou"d you p"ease describe the scene that the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE has
comp"ete"y converted to =iF ( y master rep"ied, ($hy dose a whiff of yang =i arise when you heart
remains sti"" and emptyF 0ecause the =i "acks in sufficiency. $hen your heart s"ips into the depth of
the sti""ness and emptiness and remains motion"ess for a "ong time the ysterious 4ass wi"" present its
genuine bare face with the sign that a whiff of yang =i emerges. The stirring of a whiff of yang =i
denotes that it is going to change to tangib"e medicine---the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE. The transformation
from the intangib"e medicine D=iE to tangib"e medicine is represented by the stirring. $ith the operation
of sma"" waterwhee" we can check the transformation process and regain the =i. Then sett"e the =i you
regained in "ower e"i!ir fie"d, to rep"enish it "itt"e by "itt"e. After unremitting efforts of rep"enishing it
one time after another in response of the stirring one after another practitioner can, "itt"e by "itt"e,
rep"enish the =i ti"" the sufficiency of it is eventua""y attained, when there wi"" be no stirring taking
p"ace and no rep"enishment sti"" in need and a"" begins to resume the profoundest sti""ness. At that time
there wi"" be no ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE any "onger and the .ui 'in acupoint wi"" automatica""y c"ose
forever.(
Again I put another %uestion, ($e a"" know the saying that if the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE is sufficient you
desire no se!ua" activities, and =i sufficient you no "onger desire the food, and pre-heaven mind-wi""
sufficient you won(t s"eep any more, wou"d you p"ease te"" us how to make the three sufficient enough
and how to know that the three are sufficientF (
y master observed, (The revo"ution of sma"" waterwhee", "ike the fur"ing and unfur"ing of a be""ows,
p"ays a magnificent part in rep"enishing the =i which, accumu"ating in "ower e"i!ir fie"d, wi"" reach the
height of its growth sooner or "ater. $hen there is no ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE emerging .ui 'in acupoint
wi"" automatica""y c"ose up, and the penis wi"" gradua""y shrink ti"" it has the same si#e as "ike a baby.
7enera""y speaking, a ma"e baby never possesses se!ua" desire, of which everybody knows. This
phenomenon can be used to so"ve the %uestion why a man, who has obtain the sufficient =i and
converted a"" ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE, wi"" never have the se!ua" desire. As a matter of fact, he has
achieved the success of transcending the region of covetousness D a"so ca""ed the region of rea"ity E to
ascend the region of phantom. 4roceeding with the subse%uent procedures, you wi"" gradua""y convert
the =i to pre-heaven mind-wi"", which in rea"ity is the process to rep"enish the pre-heaven mind-wi"".
$hen pre-heaven mind-wi"" is sufficient enough you natura""y desire food no "onger, because you have
a"ready restored to the state of pre-heavenness---which is the transformation process from ac%uired
arrangement of trigrams to the pre-heaven arrangement of trigrams---which means that you have
nothing to do with the region in which the "aw of five e"ements prevai"s. During the period of
conceiving the fetus of the true se"f you begin to need "ess food in the first month and on"y water three
months e!pires and no necessities whatever any "onger at the end of the fourth month. The man, who
has proceeded to reach this phase according to the procedure indicated before, if sti"" in need of them,
regard"ess of how "itt"e amounts, must have not re"eased from the region of rea"ity, and his =i has not
been sufficient enough. The sufficiency of pre-heaven mind-wi"" actua""y signifies that the yang has
dominated over your e!istence and the yin has been thorough"y purged of. )n the contrary, even the
minimum amount of yin being "eft over in the body means that you have to be subject to the "east
degree of invasion by somno"ence, and that the psychica" rays cou"d not be steadi"y radiant during a""
the twenty-four hours of a day. $hen the pre-heaven mind-wi"" is sufficient enough you are sure to be
free from any s"eep, and never there wi"" be ideas or thoughts arising or dying out in heart, and never
there wi"" be one breath coming in or going out through the "ung and respiratory tube, and you have
transcended the region of phantom to ascend the region free from phantom. (
Har)est pre-hea)en *ital Enery
If you mistake the revo"ving of sma"" waterwhee" for the method that can be app"icab"e for the who"e
process of converting the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE to =i, you are immense"y mistaken, because the
invention of it main"y aims at refi""ing ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE and compensating for the previous "oss of
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE by the previous unrestricted indu"gence in the desires and emotions, and partia""y
transforming ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE to =i. &o here we can conc"ude that the sma"" waterwhee" makes up
the initia" means whi"e harvesting =i the subse%uent one which, after the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE has
been restored to sufficiency, wi"" supersede the former and be used for fu""y conversing from ferti"i#ing
f"uid DIingE to =i
This procedure consists of four steps/ first to be ready for stirring of =i, second to revo"ve the
waterwhee", third to transform pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE into pre-heaven =i, the fourth to
preserve =i.
$e shou"d first "ook back upon the preceding procedure of sma"" waterwhee" when beginning with the
description of harvesting =i. After a due period of constant"y breathing in and out with the mind-wi""
and inward ga#e going round Du and Aen :hanne"s, as we"" as corresponding rest in the midd"e e"i!ir
fie"d and the c"ipping spine pass ha"fway during breathing in and breathing out you wi"" sudden"y get
the fee"ing that a"" things seem to have deserted you and you have nothing to do with them any "onger.
The =i is a"ways on the trai" of the mind-wi"". ,very now and then you become aware of comfortab"e
warmth in the "ower e"i!ir fie"d or even the warmth continues a"" day "ong. &ometimes, out of your
e!pectation, you perceive that a whiff of =i is forcing its way against the coccy! pass intending to
ascend Du :hanne".
After a due period, the whiff of =i wi"" get through the coccy! pass and surge up to rush against the
c"ipping spine pass. This ascending =i, however, cou"d not easi"y get through the c"ipping spine pass,
"et a"one the occipita" pass, because the sufficiency of =i cannot a"one make up the decisive force to
open up a"" these three passes. $hyF 0ecause the yang =i is of the sinking nature. 0ut with the
assistance from the due inha"ing the =i can be e!cited.
&omebody may argue that I have said that the mind-wi"" can "ead the =i to anywhere and why mind-
wi"" cou"d not stir up the =i. The reason is that the mind-wi""(s capabi"ity in this regard is transient and
temporary. &o to promote the =i to make way through the three passes a"ong Du :hanne" you must
seek for assistance from the breathing---which "eads to the invention of sma"" water-whee".
To run the sma"" waterwhee" you shou"d at first c"ose your eyes and mouth, raise the tongue against the
pa"ate gent"y, then breathe in to draw breath through the nose, respiratory tube and "ung, drive your
mind-wi"" and inward ga#e upward a"ong the course of Du :hanne" from coccy! pass to upper e"i!ir
fie"d---the starting point being at .ui 'in acupoint---and midway during your breathing in you shou"d
stop at the c"ipping pine pass according to the previous re%uirements2 then e!ha"e to drive out air
through the "ung, respiratory tube and the nose, meanwhi"e sending the mind-wi"" and inward ga#e
down a"ong the course of Aen :hanne" ti"" they come to the "ower e"i!ir fie"d. .a"fway during the
breathing out you shou"d rest the mind-wi"" and inward ga#e in &han 1hong acupoint for a "itt"e whi"e.
Aevo"ving the sma"" water-whee" in this way repeated"y, you wi"" perceive that both "ower- and upper
e"i!ir fie"d begin to throb s"ight"y, which means the pre-heaven =i begins to emerge. &ometimes when
you "eave off the revo"ving of sma"" waterwhee" and again s"ip into sti""ness, you sudden"y become
aware that the =i can even revo"ve, of its own accord, around the Du- and Aen :hanne"s smooth"y
without any encumbrances. &ometimes the revo"ving comes to an end. In this case you shou"d "et a""
take their own courses, and never intervene.
To "et the =i revo"ve or come to end a"" of its own choice and to intervene not the "east for a certain
"ength of time practitioner wi"" sudden"y be conscious of that the penis is becoming hard. 5rom which
time on you shou"d start the process of harvesting the pre-heaven =i. 'et at this time you shou"d be
patient enough to identify its authenticity first by the fo""owing method/
,nvisage a ho""ow f"ute, then envisage that you b"ow air through it in the direction of the penis to see if
it can become soft. If the penis gets soft, it means the pre-heaven =i coming up is fa"se2 if it sti""
remains hard it indicates you shou"d cease the operation of refi""ing the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE and
"aunch the process of harvesting pre-heaven =i, for this time the pre-heaven =i is arising rea""y.
As I mentioned before, there are four steps for harvesting the pre-heaven =i, so we shou"d begin with
the first step of being ready for the stirring of pre-heaven =i.
)nce the yang =i automatica""y engages in the rotation, you shou"d "eave off the operation of sma""
waterwhee". &ett"ing your mind-wi"" in the "ower e"i!ir fie"d, you shou"d gradua""y s"ip again into the
sti""ness and emptiness. Aemaining in which state for some time you wi"" unconscious"y gain the
fee"ing that the =i, of its own accord, is f"uent"y going round the Du- and Aen :hanne". Its automatic
rotation sometimes is sped up, retarded, ended up, a"" out of its own choice2 and the mind-wi"" and =i
are enchanting"y attached to each other. 4aying no attention whatever to the scene you heart shou"d
remain motion"ess in the depth of sti""ness and emptiness ti"" you have thorough"y been ob"ivious of a""
things Dinc"uding your e!istenceE. Ceeping in this state for you don(t know how "ong time you wi""
sudden"y notice that your penis is becoming hard and strong. After app"ying the method above
mentioned to testing the authenticity of pre-heaven =i you can fee" re"ieved to set about harvesting the
pre-heaven =i.
If you want to harvest the pre-heaven =i first you shou"d be fami"iar with the two conceptions /
vigorous fire and moderate fire. 'ou may ask what the fire means. 7enera""y speaking, the fire means
the mind-wi"". That you deepen the ac%uired breathing whi"e concentrate your mind more strong"y
makes up the vigorous fire2 that to s"ow down your ac%uired breathing so as to make it even and s"ight
whi"e the mind-wi"" touches something to the s"ightest e!tent the moderate fire.
In the course of reaping the pre-heaven =i the breathing in shou"d be accompanied with the intensive
mind-wi"" and intense inward ga#e. 0oth shou"d ascend Du :hanne" to the upper e"i!ir fie"d. The
breathing out shou"d be carried out with no mind-wi"" and inward ga#e--- which means you pay no
attention to the breathing out and "et it go its own way. editating upon the process of reaping the pre-
heaven vita- vapor you can easi"y conc"ude that the breathing in p"ays a main part, or in another word,
you emp"oy the method of vigorous fire during the breathing in. Then you may wonder how many
times you shou"d practice the reaping maneuver and when you shou"d end up the operation. The answer
is that the moment when your penis has become soft comp"ete"y and no tendency to harden e!isting is
the time you shou"d assured"y "eave off the process of reaping pre-heaven =i.
Then you may put another %uestion of where the pre-heaven =i has gone. In rea"ity the pre-heaven =i
has been hoarded up in part in the "ower e"i!ir fie"d in the form of pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE.
)n"y passing through the transformation process the pre-heaven =i can u"timate"y sett"e in the "ower
e"i!ir fie"d, in the form of pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE.
As soon as the pre-heaven =i, in the form of pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE, has been hoarded up in
"ower e"i!ir fie"d, practitioner shou"d at once put into practice the method of transforming the pre-
heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE. &ett"e your mind-wi"" in "ower e"i!ir fie"d, attach a good dea" of attention
to breathing in and breathing out---both processes shou"d be carried out smooth"y and e!tensive"y, not
vio"ent"y and hasti"y in the "east. >aunching the breathing in with mind-wi"" ascending the Du :hanne",
and breathing out with your mind-wi"" descending the Aen :hanne". 0reathing in and then breathing
out for about thirty-si! or seventy-two times you wi"" get the fee"ing that the "ower e"i!ir fie"d, of its
own accord, begins to engage in the action of breathing in and breathing out as does the "ung.
4erceiving this practitioner shou"d terminate the ac%uired breathing and again s"ip into profound
sti""ness to put into practice moderate fire.
($ou"d you be good enough to carefu""y give an account of the moderate fire, my masterF ( asked one
my fe""ow-discip"e, one day.
y master narrated as fo""ows/ $hen the "ower e"i!ir fie"d begins to engage in the action, a"" of its own
accord, of drawing in and b"owing out "ike the fur"ing and unfur"ing of a be""ows, you shou"d gent"y
"odge your mind-wi"" in the "ower e"i!ir fie"d and terminate ac%uired breathing. every now and then the
mind-wi"", so"itari"y resting in "ower e"i!ir fie"d yet touching nothing, "ike a man guarding a fire ab"a#e,
unmindfu""y watches over the motion of "ower e"i!ir fie"d of its own breathing in and breathing out ti""
a"" has passed away and you again sink into the infinite sti""ness. .ence the moderate fire refrains from
any notice paid upon the ac%uired breathing and aims at keeping watch over the pre-heaven =i "est it
shou"d change back to ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE. oderate fire shou"d be put into practice after the
vigorous fire.
&inking into the broad tracts of sti""ness for you don(t know how "ong time you wi"" perceive that a
whiff of pre-heaven =i is coming again and your penis again becoming hard, which circumstance
means you shou"d prepare for the operation of revo"ving the sma"" waterwhee" again, to reap pre-
heaven =i and transform pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE into pre-heaven =i. The above-mentioned
processes carried out one after another "asting for you don(t know how many times, the ysterious 4ass
wi"" present itse"f and pre-heaven mind-wi"" wi"" emerge.
As to reaping pre-heaven =i there are some advice and changeab"e methods in response to different
circumstances, which you shou"d be fami"iar with. $hen the pre-heaven =i is coming up and you gain
the c"ear consciousness of its detai"ed motion, it wi"" be very good to reap it the whi"e when your penis
begins to harden, for the reaping is re"ative"y easy and the pre-heaven =i is of good %ua"ity at that time.
'et if you cannot identify the authenticity of pre-heaven =i and "ack re"evant e!periences, you(d better
not app"y this method. In case of pre-heaven =i coming up whi"e you gain a "ate consciousness on
account of the s"eep you shou"d bear in mind that the revo"ving of sma"" waterwhee" cannot be put into
use. Jnder the circumstance the pre-heaven =i is "ike"y to be hurt if you do that way. The best way
choice is to s"ight"y concentrate your mind-wi"" upon the who"e 'in =iao :hanne", and the two eyes
sha"" si"ent"y and so"itari"y ga#e upon that, be ob"ivious of a"" your e!istence and s"ip into profound
sti""ness, so as to "et a"" deve"op in their own ways. $hen the time comes of the penis beginning to
soften, you shou"d instant"y adopt the method of vigorous fire to breathe three or fire times ti"" the pre-
heaven =i has comp"ete"y drawn into the "ower e"i!ir fie"d. Afterwards make an end to the vigorous fire
gradua""y and put into practice the moderate fire "itt"e by "itt"e.
In addition, there are some information concerning reaping pre-heaven =i.and to be re"ated here for
your c"ear understanding.
In regard of the reaping process you shou"d take notice of the fo""owing movements of corresponding
parts of your body and ruminate about them in a move to best understand their gist. The first is to
breathe in through the nose, the second to raise your tongue against the pa"ate, the third to strain
backwards the musc"e around the .ui 'in acupoint to coccy! pass, the fourth to c"ose up your two eyes
and to ga#e inward"y. A"" these movements De!c"uding of the third one Esha"" be carried out
simu"taneous"y whi"e the third sha"" be put into use when the whiff of pre-heaven =i is coming up.
$hen you make use of the vigorous fire uneven"y---which means your breathing and mind-wi"" and
inward ga#e, when engaging in respective motion, don(t remain the same throughout the process on an
appropriate sca"e---there wi"" be some danger destructive for the reaped pre-heaven =i. $hen the
vigorous five is s"ight and weak the breathing wi"" be f"oating and the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE wi"" not be
transformed comp"ete"y, and such ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE wi"" sometime discharge when accumu"ation of
it reaches some e!tent. $hen the vigorous fire is massive and vio"ent the breathing wi"" be hasty and
sti"ted"y, which wi"" cause the air gathers in the be""y in danger to bring about stoo"s being "oose and
be""y being painfu" inward"y.
In practice, the vigorous fire doesn(t entai" your attention being paid upon the mouth and nose, nor your
breathing being hasty and vio"ent. oderate"y intensify your mind-wi"", s"ight"y ga#e upon the "ower
e"i!ir fie"d with two eyes, but have no c"ear consciousness about that wi"" do. 0oth processes of reaping
and transforming pre-heaven =i aim at "aunching the automatic breathing of "ower e"i!ir fie"d with the
assistance from ac%uired breathing. &o, sometimes we compare the "ower e"i!ir fie"d to a be""ows. )n"y
the automatic breathing of "ower e"i!ir fie"d, "ike the fur"ing and unfur"ing of a be""ows, can actua""y
transform the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE into pre-heaven =i, whi"e the ac%uired breathing Dhuman beings do
from time to timeE can never achieve this in a"" possibi"ities. )nce the automatic breathing has been
started, you shou"d a"ways "et the mind-wi"" join the =i and =i meet with mind-wi"" in order that the
three be in enchanting harmony with each other. Then afterwards you seem to fee" the waves of go"d
and si"ver is surging in "ower e"i!ir fie"d---which suggests that a"" ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE has been
converted to pre-heaven =i.
()ne time when I was in a dream, the sperm discharged whi"e my penis has not become hard. $hat is
the reasonF ( was my %uestion, one time before.
y master rep"ied as fo""ows/
During the transforming process probab"y you don(t intensify the ac%uired breathing, mind-wi"" and
inward ga#e to a suitab"e e!tent or though sometimes you do in a perfect way but another time you
perform bad"y. &o, the overa"" breathing cannot be ba"anced a"ways in a proper degree, and the mind-
wi"" not put to use in a suitab"e intensity appropriate"y. .ence the constancy of the three cou"d not be
guaranteed. &ometimes when the mind becomes vague and chaotic and you turn to be drowsy and
desirous of s"eep, it is "ike"y that you cannot carry out the processes of reaping, transforming and
preserving to perfection. &o, the conse%uences wi"" be either the "ower e"i!ir fie"d to be not warm
enough or the automatic breathing of it s"ouching and intermittent"y, and once perturbed by yin =i the
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE is most probab"y to discharge sometime, and the pre-heaven =i under the
circumstance is apt to change to ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE. &ometimes the breathing is vio"ent and hasty, or
the mind-wi"" becomes vague, or some attention is paid upon the mouth or nose, or you draw too much
co"d air, you wi"" incur various symptoms such as diarrhea with "oose stoo"s, distending pain on the top
of your head, abdomina" distention, be""yache and so forth.
+e)ol)e the First ,ater-wheel$'&
The waterwhee" of 6-1K branches is created for the purpose of better hoarding up the pre-heaven =i
transformed through the preceding processes. It is a"so ca""ed the Inward Intercourse whi"e the sma""
waterwhee" Outward Intercourse.
5irst you shou"d sett"e your mind-wi"" in the "ower e"i!ir fie"d. $hen you inha"e, your ga#e by two
eyes tracing its way a"ong an arc at your "eft side shou"d ascend the upper e"i!ir fie"d from the "ower
e"i!ir fie"d. Then you shou"d breathe out, meanwhi"e your ga#e tracing its way a"ong an arc at your
right side shou"d even"y and s"ow"y descend from upper e"i!ir fie"d and go back into the "ower e"i!ir
fie"d. 'ou are persuaded carrying out this operation for thirty-si! times. Afterwards, during your
breathing in, you shou"d guide your mind-wi"" and the inward ga#e ascend the upper e"i!ir fie"d a"ong
an arc at your right side, and descend from the "eft side to go back into "ower e"i!ir fie"d again when
breathing out.
This operation you shou"d carry out twenty-four times. The waterwhee" of 6-1K branches can a"so
promote the surfacing of the ysterious 4ass, as this process can better harmoni#e yin with yang. ost
peop"e on"y know sma"" waterwhee" that can be put into use to reap the yang =i and pre-heaven =i, not
the waterwhee" of 6-1K branches that can be used on the purpose of storing up pre-heaven =i.
The preceding processes aims at recovering the "ost pre-heaven nature which passes away with the
discharging of ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE and refi""ing the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE to sufficiency. If pre-
heaven nature has not been recovered the heart must need further discip"ining, because you wi"" hard"y
have the chance of passing through the ordea"s of various i""usions, "et a"one other formidab"e
difficu"ties. $hen a whiff of yang =i evo"ves to be in the prime of growth, you shou"d set about
running sma"" waterwhee" to administer the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingEDtangib"e medicineE, then when a
whiff of pre-heaven =i surges up and your penis becomes hard enough you shou"d prompt"y inc"ine
your trunk s"ight"y on one side and then pressure your one midd"e fingers upon the .ui 'in acupoint
and start the processes of reaping, transforming and preserving the pre-heaven =iDusing waterwhee" of
6-1K branchesE.
'our two eyes p"ay an important part in your "ong-term pursuit of Tao, which you can know a "ot
through my "ecturing in previous chapters. $hyF 'ou may ask. .ere I give some account in this regard.
The "eft eye represents the wood e"ement with its orientation being east, whi"e the right eye stands for
go"d e"ement with its orientation being west. $ood e"ement in its nature has a tendency to face the west
and care for the go"d e"ement, whi"e go"d e"ement has a tendency to face the east and care for wood
e"ement.
The revo"ution of two eyes is ca""ed harmonious intercourse between go"d and wood e"ement, and in
practice has been contained in some methods such as waterwhee" of 6-1K branches. The harmonious
intercourse between meta" and wood e"ement is capab"e of "eading to the gathering of the de"icate pre-
heaven =i in the upper e"i!ir fie"d that is termed the pre-heaven "ife force returning to reunite with pre-
heaven nature. This makes up the part of cu"tivating "ife force and nature together---the gist of a"" my
previous remarks.
)nce before, one of my fe""ow-discip"es put such a %uestion, for my master to answer, BI a"ways fee"
giddy after inha"ing with mind-wi"" and inward ga#e going upward a"ong Du :hanne" and e!ha"ing
with both of them going down through Aen :hanne". $ou"d you p"ease te"" me what is the reasonF I
fe"t very uncomfortab"e, my masterFB
y master rep"ied, BThis is because yang =i or pre-heaven =i has not grown to be in the prime, and as
a resu"t, the turning of waterwhee" can reap neither of them or though they are reaped they cannot be
used for making up 0uddhist re"ic. $ith no water in a kett"e it wi"" be damaged by fire. &o, you are
going to be giddy after so much use"ess rotation.B
y fe""ow-discip"e ;uan Cang 1i once said, B)nce I joined a congregation c"aiming to owning the
most proper methods to achieve Tao. They gave orders demanding me to chant a "ot of scriptures and
canons, be mercifu" and refrain from any ki""ings and a"" se!ua" activities, in order to pay respect to
some things and writings they c"aimed their great founders "eft with them. They a"so persuaded me to
donate a"" my money to pub"ish book praising good deeds and buy back the anima"s which wou"d be
butchered and "et them re-enjoy their freedom of "ife, and conc"uded the more I do of these things the
more chance wi"" be for my ascending .eaven with the recommendation of their founders a"ready in
.eaven. $ou"d you p"ease te"" me if their methods are the most proper oneFB
y master rep"ied, BThis is by no means the most proper methods, but deeds deserving praise. To fast,
to recite scriptures and canons, to burn incense, to practice meditation, to sit down cross-"egged in
si"ence, to discuss a"" things in smart and inte""igent words, a"" these have nothing to do with cu"tivating
both pre-heaven nature and pre-heaven "ife force.B
B)n"y when a"" your previous "ifetimes and succeeding ones have been donating the money to pub"ish
books and free "ives your present "ifetime can deserve grandeur awards. &upposing a""ocating the huge
number of money you donate to a"" your foregoing and fo""owing "ifetimes, do you fe"" assured"y that
a"" the money wou"d be donated to worthy doingF I am afraid the case wi"" be that on"y L 1KK wou"d be
donated and the remaining L?KK pocketed if the money is L 1,KKK. Their founders, with their pre-
heaven "ife force and pre-heaven nature having not been recovered, actua""y had no sense of what is
shame, and even c"aimed to be in .eaven to cheat the innocent to demo"ish their futureG As to
refraining from a"" se!ua" activities I can p"ain"y conc"ude that wou"d be disastrous and unmercifu"
action. There wou"d be no "iving sou" "eft in this wor"d, how a miserab"e scene it wou"d beG &akyamuni,
the founder of 0uddhism, had offspring, we a"" know. >ikewise, >ao 1i and :onfucius a"so had
descendants. &o, to be in pursuit of Tao has nothing to do with whether or not bear offspring.B
B$ith no methods used to cu"tivate both pre-heaven nature and pre-heaven "ife force, many re"igion
schoo"s advocate the good deeds and behavior so as to purge off vicious thoughts. Thus they cou"d not
give you any hope for re"easing from the end"ess bondage you are destined to be fastened with. There
are many re"igion schoo"s e!isting in this wor"d, a"" c"aiming to "et you take possession of various sorts
of miracu"ous power by using their so-ca""ed c"andestine methods, such as swa""owing up sa"iva,
breathing in with "arge amount of air, practicing profound meditation to envision various scenes,
withstanding the hungry, eating up mi"dewed food, massaging the nave" in a circ"e end"ess"y, gu"ping
down the sperm of his own, aiming at going back to his youth, pinching the coccy! pass in order to
b"ock the dejection of sperm, gathering up menstruation of women to prepare for cu"tivation of an e"i!ir
by various means, and such "ike. I cannot give a fu"" "ist of them. There are a mu"titude of peop"e
engaged in various activities with assorted objectives, of which some aim at cu"tivating pre-heaven "ife
force and pre-heaven nature together but have no proper methods, some can on"y do we"" with the
cu"tivation of pre-heaven "ife force a"ong or pre-heaven nature on"y. &ome fancy ascending .eaven
with constant"y knee"ing down to knock their heads, some "ong for being a somebody in their ne!t
"ifetimes, some hanker after being the most potent in se!ua" intercourse, some chant incantation
c"aiming to be in possession of the capabi"ities to cure a"" diseases, and so forth. ost their intentions,
without %uestion, are good, yet they "ack the proper methods.B
+e)ol)e the First ,ater-wheel$(&
During this specia" period, p"ease do nothing but constant"y sett"e the mind-wi"" inward"y in "ower e"i!ir
fie"d, e!cept when reaping the pre-heaven =i and converting pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE to pre-
heaven =i. 0e ob"ivious of a"" things outside you. )therwise, the mind-wi"" wi"" have no master and
drift away if the heart engages in any form of contemp"ation, or the =i wi"" diffuse and ferti"i#ing f"uid
DIingE be worn out due to physica" "abor. :onse%uent"y, the s"eep cou"d not be sound"y and the si"ent
sitting cou"d not continue steadi"y under the constant disturbances caused by distress and uneasiness.
As a resu"t, the mind-wi"" wi"" a"ienate from the =i, which wi"" occasion the fire of heart to burn
upwards and the water of kidney to f"ow downwards, thus the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE wi"" be ob"iged to
discharge sometime.
Aegarding this, "ong has been the saying from many saints/ to tran%ui"i#e your heart, first you shou"d
reduce your body to re"a!ation and motion"essness, second you shou"d sett"e mind-wi"" in "ower e"i!ir
fie"d and "et it rest upon emptiness and be in contact with nothing. >ater when the time comes, you
shou"d use the vigorous fire to transform the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE. After thirty-si! times of breathing
you can use moderate fire to preserve the pre-heaven =i. In this way, practitioner can comp"ete"y root
out a"" possibi"ities of sperm dejection.
B0ecause sometimes I cannot refrain from stray thoughts, some ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE wi"" natura""y
take shape. &o, wou"d you p"ease te"" us how to dea" with the case in order to reduce its bad effect to the
"east e!tent, my masterFB asked one of my fe""ow-discip"es.
y master rep"ied in an order"y manner, B$hen you fa"" back into profound sti""ness, the heart wi""
gradua""y be purged of a"" desires and emotions, and a"" things in connection with mankind seem to be
cast away into another wor"d, with which you have nothing to do. $hen a whiff of pre-heaven =i be
eventua""y coming up from the profound emptiness---in which a"" are vague and nothing concrete
appears with recogni#ab"e shapes, a"" is void and vanity---in conse%uence of the mind-wi"" D of fire
natureE sett"ing in the kidney D of water natureE---"ower e"i!ir fie"d, to some e!tent, contains the =i of
kidney. The pre-heaven =i thus produced is innocent from any contamination of the wor"d"iness and
can assured"y be used as the form"ess medicine that makes up 0uddhist re"ic.B
B)n the contrary, ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE taking shape due to transported sensua"ity cou"d by no means
be innocent of the contamination from covetousness, thus it cannot be put into use of making up
0uddhist re"ic, e!cept when it undergoes the transforming process with vigorous fire to convert it
comp"ete"y to =i again.B
The concrete measures practitioner shou"d adopt are as fo""owing be"ow/
5irst, start the ac%uired breathing through the nose and "ung, so as to trigger the automatic breathing of
"ower e"i!ir fie"d, then intensify mind-wi"" as we"" as inward ga#e by two eyes which is steadi"y fi!ed
upon the movement of "ower e"i!ir fie"d. This process going on for a certain "ength of time, the
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE is bound to be tota""y transformed into yang =i.
'ou might have a"ready taken notice of the term of Mbasking proceeding N in many books, yet how to
proceed proper"y with it and when to carry out it, most of you are feared uncertain of these %uestion.
&o, here I wi"" give you a detai"ed account.
There are four most important points in human body/ the .ui 'in acupoint at the bottom, the &han
1hong acupoint in the front, the upper e"i!ir fie"d at the top and the c"ipping spine pass in the back.
>inking the four points with "ines you can get a rectang"e, the its centra" point certain"y fa""s upon the
center of the midd"e e"i!ir fie"d.
According to the theory of five e"ements the fo""owing five points, in an emb"ematic sense, stand for
five e"ements respective"y with different attributes, which are showed as fo""ows/
The upper e"i!ir fie"d stands for fire e"ement with orientation of south , earth"y branch of the seventh,
number of two. The c"ipping spine pass stands for wood e"ement with orientation of east, earth"y
branch of the fourth, number of three. .ui 'in acupoint stands for water e"ement with orientation of
north, earth"y branch of the first, number of one. &han 1hong acupoint stands for go"d e"ement with
orientation of west , earth"y branch of the tenth, number of four. idd"e e"i!ir fie"d stands for earth
e"ement with orientation of center, number of five.
The basking proceeding denotes the process in which practitioner shou"d stop the advance of mind-wi""
and inward ga#e for a "itt"e whi"e at the above-mentioned four points---.ui 'in acupoint, &han 1hong
acupoint, the upper e"i!ir fie"d, the c"ipping spine pass---and "et the =i steam them of its own accord
with no interference whatever. ost :hinese ancients used the earth"y branches to show the time of a
day. )ne branch stands for an interva" "asting two hours. &o, the first branch indicates the time between
-3/KK-1/KK, the second between 1/KK-3/KK, the third between 3/KK-8/KK and so on, ti"" the twe"fth
branch denotes -1/ KK- -3/ KK. The time we use nowadays is somewhat different from used by :hinese
ancients. 4"ease refer to some books for more information. 4eop"e may ask why I ta"k about the earth"y
branches. 0ecause in the theory of Acupuncture there e!ists an important conc"usion that the f"u! and
ref"u! of =i continue according to time changing. The =i, "ike the waves of the sea, a"ways f"ows a"ong
the twe"ve channe"s, and at the beginning of a certain two-hour interva" f"ows into one certain channe"
and f"ows out of it at the end of the interva". 5or e!amp"e, during the time of the second branch D-3/KK-
1/KKE the =i f"ows in and out "iver channe"s. As a resu"t, to seek and pierce re"evant acupoints a"ong the
channe" during this time to cure diseases wi"" be the most effective way. >ikewise, to run the =i in the
"ight of the f"owing "aw you wi"" get twofo"d resu"ts with ha"f the efforts. The twe"ve branches can be
put into use to represent the points a"ong the Aen- and Du :hanne", the four points we mentioned
before are part of them.
'ou may ask why I on"y pratt"e about the four, whether there are some particu"arities for them. I can
conform that, because the four points are "odged in the positions that are so vita" that the five e"ements
can be at the mercy of them. 'ou may ask why the positions are vita". The answer is the four positions
the four points take are those >i trigram, 1hen trigram, Can trigram and Dui trigram take in ac%uired
arrangement of eight trigrams. &o, during the course of driving =i you are persuaded to ha"t the
ac%uired breathing for a "itt"e whi"e, to "et the =i to steam them---aiming at better nourishing the
viscera and bowe"s.
As before mentioned, .ui 'in acupoint stands for water e"ement that can give birth to wood e"ement,
yet if it doesn(t undergo the basking proceeding the water e"ement wi"" be dead at the time of second
branchD1/KK-3/KKE. As a resu"t, the =i arising at the time of the tenth branch D1O/ KK- 1?/ KKE wi"" pass
away comp"ete"y at the end of the time of the fourth branch D8/ KK-O/KKE. The c"ipping spine pass stands
for the wood e"ement that can produce fire e"ement. The fire e"ement wi"" be smothered to death by the
earth producing at the time of the fifth branchDO/KK-?/KKE if the c"ipping spine pass doesnNt undergo the
basking proceeding, and as a resu"t, the =i arising at the time of the first branch D-3/KK-1/KKE wi"" be
worn out comp"ete"y at the end of the time of the seventh branch D11/KK-13/KKE. The upper e"i!ir fie"d
represents the fire e"ement. The fire wi"" be smothered to death by the earth producing at the time of the
time of the eighth branchD13/KK-18/KKE, and as a resu"t, the =i arising at the time of the fourth branch
D8/KK-O/KKE wi"" die at the end of the time of the tenth branch D1O/KK-1?/KKE. &han 1hong acupoint
stands for the go"d e"ement that can bring forth the water e"ement. This water wi"" be smothered to
death by the earth producing at the time of the e"eventh branchD1O/KK-1?/KKE, and as a resu"t, the =i
arising at the time of the seventh branch D11/KK-13/KKE wi"" perish at the end of the time of the first
branch D-3/KK-1/KKE.
&o, without the basking proceeding the =i cannot be sustained by consecutive production, and the pre-
heaven "ife force wi"" be hampered in conse%uence. To ha"t the breathing, and cease the advance of the
mind-wi"" and inward ga#e for a moment, forms the main content of basking proceeding. $hen a wave
of =i evo"ves to be in the prime of growth, practitioner shou"d at once "aunch the vigorous five,
otherwise the =i wi"" transform back into ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE again. A"so, practitioner shou"d commit
to memory that to "aunch vigorous fire at any other time is prohibited, because no materia" e!ists to be
transformed, or the materia" is not the one suitab"e for reaping. The wave of =i, after going round the
Du- and Aen :hanne" incurring transformation by the suitab"e fire, wi"" natura""y be changed into pre-
heaven =i, of which the de"icate one f"ights up to gather in upper e"i!ir fie"d whi"e the inde"icate
descends to accumu"ate in "ower e"i!ir fie"d, in the form of pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE which
needs further transformation. Through the process of going round in such a circ"e, ferti"i#ing f"uid
DIingE can be prevented from dejection and pre-heaven =i be restored. .ence I c"aim that I have made
use of the operation "aw of the heaven and the earth, and snatched the essence from the moon and the
sun.
-ather Psy.hi.al +ays
The ysterious 4ass, as before mentioned, wi"" gradua""y send out "ight in the emptiness of the heart as
you run the sma"" waterwhee" and the waterwhee" of 6-1K branches one time after another gathering
more and more pre-heaven =i. 'ou may ask where the ysterious 4ass is. In fact it "ies nowhere. A""
positions in your body wi"" never be fortunate enough to invite it to sojourn in. 0ut it is the p"ace the
7reat Jnification takes residence in, and among a"" acupoints and channe"s and co""atera"s of a human
body the ysterious 4ass is a"ways suspending in the bound"ess tracts of the heart, and perching upon
the very center of the heaven and the earth. &o, to e!p"ore its root and actua" p"ace is as hope"ess as to
draw water with a wi""ow-p"aited basketG 'et if you seek it outside your body, the resu"t wi"" be more
despairing.
Through the sustained efforts you made, the pre-heaven =i you gathered wi"" sometime ascend to unite
with the pre-heaven mind-wi"". ,ventua""y, the =i of great unification that constitutes the ysterious
4ass wi"" come into being. Then, you wi"" beho"d the g"ittering or "ightening every now and then. 0y
this time you can perceive that the ysterious 4ass is near at one time and distant at another time. )n
beho"ding this scene you shou"d "ose no time gathering its rays and drawing it into the "ower e"i!ir
fie"d. Then sudden"y you wi"" taste something the most fragrant and de"icious in your mouth.
)nce I asked my master/ B4revious"y, you said the ysterious 4ass is the converging point. And
Taoism, 0uddhism and :onfucianism, once they have reached it, have come onto a same track and wi""
have no differences afterwards. $ou"d you kind enough to te"" us the reasonFB
y master rep"ied, B In fact, ysterious 4ass is =i of great unification. you can perceive it by its rays.
In genera", you can gain the consciousness that it a"ways hangs before your 'in Tang acupoint. ,ven a
minor error with previous steps wi"" bring about no ysterious 4ass appearing. $e a"" know the fact
that human body contains =i which, in its turn, contains the yin sou"s and yang sou"s and other. so if
the =i drifts away from the human body the man is dead. The emergence of ysterious 4ass represents
a breakthrough having taken p"ace in your "ong course of pursuing Tao. The psychica" rays, pure and
crysta"-"ike, wi"" become more and more bright, and wi"" spread away when it is bright enough and
cou"d not be retrieved. Then the rays wi"" appear again, sti"" pure and "ike a fu"" si"ver moon, f"oating
before your 'in Tang acupoint. At this moment you ought to ga#e upon these psychica" rays with two
eyes. Then in conse%uence, the =i of great unification wi"" gather together. The brighter the psychica"
rays become, the rounder this moon-shaped ysterious 4ass wi"" change to be. At this time you must
a"" at once gather these psychica" rays for your own possession, otherwise it wi"" scatter away and a""
your previous efforts wi"" drain away.B
=i of great unification wi"" introduce its presence with bri""iant psychica" rays when practitioner gained
it after a "ong-term si"ent e!ercise. At beginning, the rays are weak in term of intensity. >ater on they
wi"" become brighter and brighter.
faint, sometimes g"ittering as if in the midd"e e"i!ir fie"d, sometimes twink"ing in the upper e"i!ir fie"d,
or sometimes become intense in brightness, or turn feeb"er and feeb"er ti"" a"" seems to have passed
away.
)ccasiona""y, the psychica" rays change into three stars giving out faint g"eams. ost of the time, they
show its presence with a crescent-"ike shape as "ike a moon. A"" these scenes suggest the =i of great
unification is not sufficient enough, and practitioners are advised to keep ga#ing upon the photosphere
constant"y in si"ence.
&udden"y, practitioner may perceive that the ysterious 4ass has a tendency to soar up or dive down.
At sight of the scene, practitioner shou"d bear in mind that never shou"d the eyes fo""ow it, "est it shou"d
drift away forever. The proper approach practitioner shou"d adopt is as fo""ows/
Draw in the ga#e upon it back to eyes and then revo"ve two eyes counterc"ockwise
from be"ow to the "eft side, then to above, then to the right side ti"" be"ow again. This
done, you wi"" fee" de"icious sa"iva is fu"" in the mouth. Then you shou"d imagine bringing down the =i
of great unification---obtained through the revo"ution of two eyes---to the "ower e"i!ir fie"d a"ong the
Aen :hanne", by mind-wi"" and inward ga#e. 0y this time, if you seem to hear rumb"ing sound coming
from "ower e"i!ir fie"d as soon as you have brought the sa"iva down into it, you ought to ga#e inward"y
upon the "ower e"i!ir fie"d. Then soon enough the g"eams "ost previous"y wi"" come forth again, pure as
before.
)nce my master commented upon ysterious 4ass as fo""ows/
A man has two se"ves, one fa"se se"f, of phantom nature, and in possession of form and image serving
as emb"ems. Another is true se"f, of eternity nature, form"ess and without the image whatever. .umans
physica" body is, in rea"ity, the fa"se se"f whi"e the =i of great unification the true se"f. The form can
"ast "ong if it is a"ways in great harmony with the pre-heaven mind-wi"". pre-heaven mind-wi"" can "ast
"ong if it is a"ways in great harmony with the pre-heaven nature. The ysterious 4ass is the p"ace in
which the 7reat Jnification takes residence, from which the time and the space came forth. $ith this
hard-earned =i of great unification practitioner can cu"tivate the pre-heaven mind-wi"".
$e a"" know, the thing taking shape is bound to decay and perish sometime. 'et, the =i of great
unification was born before the very beginning of the heaven and the earth, and was prior to the
creation of myriads of things.
Initia""y, the ysterious 4ass assumes a crimson hue. Afterwards it turns to be "ike a si"ver moon.
0ecause of its attributes of having neither head nor tai", of be"onging to neither e!istence nor
none!istence, of coming from nowhere and going nowhere, of being without birth and death, of having
neither e!terior nor interior, of being neither s%uare nor round, etc, we thus conc"ude that the
ysterious 4ass took its position so"itari"y and perpetua""y a"" before the very beginning of time, and
serves as the fountainhead of transformations and changes, and the very source of end"ess times of
germination. It is my true se"f e!isting before the sperm and ovum combined to start the process of my
e!istence.
The scene of three faint stars suspended before the eyes practitioner beho"d in the profound sti""ness is
ca""ed three stars hanging above. Jpon that &aykamuni commented, (Though being face to face from
day to day it is very regretfu""y that a"most a"" peop"e are not ac%uainted with itGB :onfucius observed,
BIt is not it keeps away from human beings, but human beings keep away from it a"ways.B
)ne of my fe""ow-discip"es once put a %uestion, B$hen I first set about discip"ining my heart, I seem to
beho"d something g"ittering. Is it the ysterious 4ass my masterFB
y master observed, BThe g"eams you perceived have nothing to do with ysterious 4ass. They are
the g"eams coming from the eighth yin pre-heaven mind-wi"" and you must drop it in time. The eighth
yin pre-heaven mind-wi"" is the source of a"" consciousness, and has the natura" tendency of engaging
in motion constant"y. Thus, peop"e a"ways desire motion and cannot withstand sti""ness. )nce the
eighth yin pre-heaven mind-wi"" engages in motion, they wi"" constant"y get entang"ed with passions
and desires. .aving a "itt"e whi"e to rest, they wi"" invite end"ess thoughts, ideas, intentions to sprout,
one after another, or one dream after another to come on the scene. The =i of great unification a"ways
resigns itse"f to sti""ness and emptiness, in which the heaven and the earth came into being. pre-heaven
=i constant"y nourishes the "ife force of mankind, of which human beings never become aware, "ike
fish unconscious of the water they swim in.B
S/EP 0 L1PSA222
A#to!ati. +e)ol#tion---the Foet#s 3reathin$'&
$hen the =i of great unification has taken residence in the interna" orifice of "ower e"i!ir fie"d, you
shou"d re"apse into si"ence with the mind-wi"" sett"ing in "ower e"i!ir fie"d without any intermission.
The two eyes shou"d ga#e si"ent"y upon it not on any purposes, the two ears "isten to the sounds
remote"y coming from it. 4roceeding in this way you wi"" gradua""y "ose the consciousness of a"" things,
inc"uding your e!istence, and recede into broad tracts of emptiness in which the profoundest sti""ness
pervades a"" through. The mind-wi"", at the same time, shou"d constant"y remain independent so"itari"y.
Then the inha"ing and e!ha"ing wi"" become feeb"er and feeb"er, thinner and thinner ti"" a"" seems to
come to an end and no breath comes in and goes out. This state of a standsti"" continuing on and on,
you wi"" become conscious of automatic breathing starting up, with a movement sphere up not beyond
the midd"e e"i!ir fie"d and down not beyond the "ower e"i!ir fie"d.
This automatic breathing, after a certain "ength of time, wi"" come to an end when the breath inside wi""
never go out and breath outside never come in, which means you have recovered the breathing in your
foetushood and a"" mysteries have come back to their common root. At the time when the breathing of
foetus proceeds to come to its most etherea" phase you wi"" perceive that no things accumu"ate when
something comes in and no things drift away when something goes out. And you, "ike fa""ing into a
trance, drift away and drift away into a region of the most profound sti""ness in which there are no any
e!istence and on"y the mind-wi"" remains independent and constant"y maintains what it is without any
things to disturb it. 'ou begin to fee" the interior and the e!terior have been converging to form a
common body, a"" motion and sti""ness have been coming to an end, the automatic revo"ution a"ong the
Du- and Aen :hanne" has been breaking off, and the sun seems to being merging with the moon.
,!tending to hundreds of thousands of mi"es, the etherea" breath of the spring seems to be
accumu"ating into a mass, and stretching upward to the highest "ayer of the sky the pure air seems to
being changing into one dew drop. $onderfu" is this visionG ,nchanting is this kind of fee"ingG $hyF
0ecause the yin and yang are having the most charming intercourse, and as "ike mo"ten stee" spray
spreading out of a furnace, the precious =i of great unification is coming forth from pre-heaven
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE as does a f"ower burst from a bud. This process is to break through great chaos
and re-enter one ma#a to prepare for creation of the true se"f.
The breathing "ike a foetus is by no means the ac%uired breathing of breath coming in and going out
through the nose Dor mouthE, nor through the respiratory rube and the "ung, nor shutting up breaths in
"ower e"i!ir fie"d. The pre-heaven breathing in with the pre-heaven =i going up from the hee"s of feet
to .ui 'in acupoint ti"" upper e"i!ir fie"d is accompanied by the ac%uired breathing out with ac%uired
=i going down from upper e"i!ir fie"d to the c"ipping spine pass to coccy! pass ti"" .ui 'in acupoint.
&imi"ar"y, the pre-heaven breathing out of pre-heaven =i going down from upper e"i!ir fie"d to &han
1hong acupoint to the nave" ti"" .ui yin acupoint a"ong the Aen :hanne" is carried out simu"taneous"y
with the process of ac%uired breathing in of ac%uired =i going upward from the hee"s of feet to .ui 'in
acupoint to the coccy! pass to upper e"i!ir fie"d a"ong Du :hanne". The four kinds of breathing, of their
own accord, make up the automatic revo"ution, with no mind-wi"" or common"y ac%uired breathing---
through nose and "ung---to interfere.
The automatic revo"ution of pre-heaven- and ac%uired =i a"ong Du- and Aen :hanne"---the breathing
of a foetus---can eventua""y cause 0uddhist re"ics to take shape gradua""y. The ro"e the ac%uired
breathing p"ays is to trigger the pre-heaven =i, "odged in "ower e"i!ir fie"d, into automatic motion a"ong
Du- and Aen :hanne"s and then both engage in harmonic motion, which means the barriers between
the ac%uired trigrams and pre-heaven trigrams have been demo"ished ever since.
S/EP '' L1PSA
4o#rish the 3#ddhist +eli.
To successfu""y possess identica" body with Tao hinges on two essentia"s---the pre-heaven mind-wi""
and pre-heaven =i. The former is the noumenon of pre-heaven nature and takes shape through the
transformation from the "atter, whi"e the "atter the "ife force and arises from ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE. &o,
in the course of nature you shou"d at first rep"enish ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE. $hen it is sufficient enough,
transform it into =i, with which to nourish the =i of great unification aiming at bringing up the
0uddhist re"ic. <ever wi"" you transcend a"" "imitations imposed upon e!istence without the pre-heaven
nature and pre-heaven "ife force.
.aving no know"edge about transforming ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE into =i, transforming =i into pre-
heaven mind-wi"", and at "ast returning the pre-heaven mind-wi"" to infinite emptiness, you(d better
resign yourse"f to your fate and being a common man "eading a se"f-contented "ife.
0y this time you must be on fu"" a"ert to guard the ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE from discharging. 5or this
objective you shou"d abstain from dai"y physica" "abor and at best remain in si"ent-sitting posture
throughout the day and night with a"" your heart devoted to nourishing the 0uddhist re"ic. In the
meantime you ought to give up a"" thoughts and ideas concerning the wor"d"y affairs, and comp"ete"y
purge your heart of any contamination by fee"ings and wishes of a"" sorts. In the state of profound
sti""ness, if sudden"y an idea occurs to your mind you shou"d embark on running the revo"ution of sma""
waterwhee" by the mind-wi"" for one time, then again ga#e inward"y upon the psychica" rays of the
0uddhist re"ic. In this way you wi"" undoubted"y get rid of a"" bad effects rendered by random thoughts.
$ith mind-wi"" Bunmindfu""yB sett"ing in "ower e"i!ir fie"d and two eyes si"ent"y ga#ing inward"y upon
it without the "east physica" or menta" e!ertions, you are sure to gain the consciousness that the "ower
e"i!ir fie"d is proceeding with the automatic breathing, and getting warmer and warm and psychica"
beams are giving out, and the route "inking two eyes and "ower e"i!ir fie"d is spreading out "ight of
cream co"or as "ike a f"uorescent tube.
&udden"y the root of your penis begins to be engaged in a fit of s"ight vibration, upon which you shou"d
reap and transform the pre-heaven =i again to strengthen and nourish the 0uddhist re"ic which is sti""
weak and not ripe. 'ou may ask how to ascertain that the 0uddhist re"ic is ripe enough. .ere I
introduce a method as fo""ows/ >ight a cand"e and p"ace it in front of your two eyes, then ga#e upon the
"ight with two eyes for a "itt"e whi"e, then revo"ve your two eyes c"ockwise from "eft to right nine times,
then c"ose two eyes and ga#e inward"y. If you beho"d a disc sending out beams of a cream hue as "ike a
fu"" moon, the 0uddhist re"ies is matured and fu""y deve"oped2 if you beho"d a b"ack disc giving out
"ight outward"y whi"e it remains b"ack, you can easi"y conc"ude that the 0uddhist re"ic is not ripe, and
you shou"d make more efforts to reap and transform more pre-heaven =i to nourish 0uddhist re"ic. 'ou
are advised not to put into use often this method of testing the maturity of the 0uddhist re"ic, "est you
shou"d get giddy, and ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE, =i and pre-heaven mind-wi"" shou"d be consumed to such
e!tent that it is impossib"e to nourish 0uddhist re"ies any "onger.
$hen the 0uddhist re"ic is mature enough, it wi"" natura""y give out unification rays which gain its
name for the reason that three essentia"s of ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE and =i and pre-heaven mind-wi""
have been in prime of growth and have merged into one. The unification "ight, as a matter of fact, is the
invention of &akyamuni, who a"so gave it a name (a go"den toad(s "ight,( as the go"den toad is a very
rare and precious anima" that has three feet, and the feet in :hinese character has the same
pronunciation with (abundance.(
&o a"ways drifting away into the profound sti""ness you can reap and transform pre-heaven =i as soon
as you gain the consciousness that your root of the penis is vibrating in a fit. During other time you
shou"d sett"e mind-wi"" in "ower e"i!ir fie"d unmindfu""y and ga#e upon it inward"y without any
physica" and menta" e!ertions, ti"" the 0uddhist re"ic has been nourished to fu"" deve"opment which has
such representations as that you hear the whist"ing of wind in your "eft ear and roaring of a fierce
anima" in right one2 you seem to be soaring high above the bound"ess sea of cotton-"ike c"ouds, the
most p"easant bree#e coming up, the body throughout fee"s soft and numb, your joyfu"ness mounts to
an e!treme e!tent2 that a"" your face seems to be covering with a spider web, or seems to be strewn
with a good number of ants creeping a"" over it and thus you seem to scratch a"" where it itches2 that
sa"iva, "ike a fountain, is surging forth to fi"" your mouth and it seems you wi"" never swa""ow up to its
e!haustion2 that the mouth is c"ose as if to be of its own accord, the body is drifting away invo"untari"y
in the infinite depths of great chaos and you are thorough"y ob"ivious of where you are and what is your
e!istence, and a"" your ac%uired breathing and pu"ses and heart beat have come to an end.
-olden Lihtnin Flashes /hree /i!es
It is impossib"e to nourish the 0uddhist re"ic without the mind-wi"" coming to a constant standsti"" in
the depths of the most profound sti""ness, and being independent of a"" disturbance from the myriad of
things. $ithout the 0uddhist re"ic you cou"d not e!pect a go"den e"i!ir pe""et. oreover, if the
breathing, regard"ess of ac%uired one or pre-heaven one, does not become feeb"er and feeb"er in sca"e
and at "ast takes she"ter in "ower e"i!ir fie"d, the "ight of the 0uddhist re"ic wi"" never appear. Therefore,
you shou"d repose your mind-wi"" a"ways in "ower e"i!ir fie"d with no intermission, shrink a"" breathing
ti"" it converge at a point in "ower e"i!ir fie"d, then you shou"d ga#e inward"y at it unmindfu""y. A"" these
pieces of conduct shou"d be put into e!ecution in the course of nature and with no physica" and menta"
e!ertion whatever. In due course the =i of great unification wi"" be offered with the chance to p"ay its
deserving ro"e of nourishing the 0uddhist re"ic, that is to say the =i of great unification is accumu"ating
to form the 0uddhist re"ic which gives out psychica" rays at first and go"den "ight at "ast when it has
been we"" deve"oped.
As a matter of fact, the "ight of the 0uddhist re"ic you catch sight of is pre-
heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE which you get through cu"tivating both pre-
heaven "ife force and pre-heaven nature. &o >ao T#i described the scene as
fo""ows/ B&o vague and e"usive is it, yet in it the image appears. &o e"usive
and vague is it, yet in it the rea" e!ist. &o profound and obscure is it, yet in
it the subt"e pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE was part of it.B
The psychica" "ight, as pure and c"ear as moon"ight, wi"" burst into being
when pre-heaven ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE soars high to join pre-heaven
nature---and eventua""y merge with it. As soon as the pre-heaven =i comes
down to unite with the "ife force, the go"den "ight, partia""y reddish and
partia""y ye""ow, wi"" come on the scene steadi"y. $hen the two kinds of
"ight above described merge into one "ight, that is the "ight of 0uddhist re"ic Da"so ca""ed unified raysE.
'et without the convergence of =i of five e"ements the 0uddhist re"ic wi"" never deve"op into maturity.
The =i of five e"ements here i""ustrated is the =i be"onging to the five interna" organs of the heart, the
"iver, the sp"een, the "ung and the kidney. The =i, though storing up in "ower e"i!ir fie"d, continua""y
goes round through the five interna" organs. &o the =i fi""ing up the "ung becomes =i of go"d e"ement,
the =i f"owing thorough heart the =i of fire e"ement, through sp"een the =i of earth e"ement, through
kidney the =i of water e"ement.
The =i moving through the five interna" organs is subject to the vicissitudes of prosperity and dec"ine,
and both the e!tremes of too much prosperity and too much dec"ine wi"" doubt"ess cause diseases. If the
circu"ation is more or "ess b"ocked up, the diseases of various sorts re"ated to para"ysis wi"" deve"op.
$hen a"" the pre-heaven or ac%uired breathing and mind-wi"" and inward ga#e have come together at
the point from which the "ight of 0uddhist re"ic give out, the =i accumu"ating in "ower e"i!ir fie"d wi""
inevitab"y surge and rush tempestuous"y up to upper e"i!ir fie"d through the coccy! pass, a"ong Du
:hanne", and fa"" down vio"ent"y to come back to "ower e"i!ir fie"d through Aen :hanne", whi"e the
0uddhist re"ic, "ike the snow-white fu"" moon, spreads out "ight throughout the who"e body. 0y this
time you can comp"ete"y know the fo""owing description is true/ In heart the =i fu"fi""ing the duty of
pumping out b"ood is the yin =i surrounded by yang =i. If the fire of heart overgrows, the yin =i wi""
be on the verge of disappearance, and as a resu"t the b"ood wi"" gradua""y come to an end of g"owing.
To prevent this case from taking p"ace or rep"enish the yin =i you(d better think and ta"k "ess and free
your heart from any suspension and depresses, which is advocated by traditiona" :hinese medicine.
The pre-heaven mind-wi"" has a preference for sti""ness and a detestation for motion.
The =i pervading sma"" intestines and coming from food is yang =i that can unite with the =i of heart
to be put into use in convergence of =i of five e"ements. The =i of "ung in charge of breathing is yin =i
that can unite with the yang =i of "arge intestines---a"so coming from food---to form one =i for the use
in convergence of =i of five e"ements.
The yin =i fi""ing up the "iver is apt to gather together and cause depressive syndrome if for a "ong time
a man has been in a me"ancho"y mood or in anger often. &o you often find the case that women cry and
give vent to their fee"ings in impassioned remarks, for in this way the =i accumu"ating in "iver can f"ow
again. This case, of course, is app"icab"e to men. The =i of the ga""b"adder, of yang nature, can merge
into one with the =i of "iver to make up one =i for the convergence of five kinds of =i. The yin =i of
sp"een has a function of contracting and e!panding, and so p"ays an important ro"e in digestion of food.
Cond#.t the 3#ddhist +eli. to Pass /hro#h /hree Passes
The 0uddhist re"ic is made up of =i of great unification. $e shou"d shake it out of the p"ace where it
has gradua""y taken shape when it is fu""y deve"oped. 'ou may ask what the 0uddhist re"ic is. A
substantia" oneF )r form"ess oneF .ere I want to put you a %uestion/ $hat the "ight isF And %uote a
popu"ar ma!im as a piece of advice/ practice is the so"e criterion for testing truth. If you want to know
more, you must put into practiceG )n"y paying "ip service is use"ess.
The 0uddhist re"ic is so"e"y made up of =i of great unification. &o when =i of great unification is in the
prime of growth the 0uddhist re"ic must have fu""y deve"oped. 'et you must understand that 0uddhist
re"ic is not by any means the =i of great unification---the assertion is more or "ess simi"ar to the theory
that one organism is never a ce"" or more, though the "atter so"e"y consists of the former.
$hen go"den "ightning f"ashes for a first time your penis must have not shrunk a"" the way back into
your be""y and =i of great unification must s"ight"y fa"" short of fu"" deve"opment. Therefore, when
something begins to stir from behind the root of the penis, you(d better revo"ve sma"" waterwhee"---
draw backward the musc"e around .ui 'in acupoint, raise your tongue against pa"ate, and breathe in as
the mind-wi"" and inward ga#e go upward a"ong Du :hanne" from the coccy! pass to upper e"i!ir fie"d
and breathe out as the mind-wi"" and inward ga#e come down a"ong Aen :hanne"---to reap the new"y-
born pre-heaven =i so as to rep"enish pre-heaven =i. In short, on the coming up of a fitfu" stirring from
behind the root of the penis you shou"d revo"ve sma"" waterwhee" thirty-si! times or more---the e!act
number depending upon circumstances. Then you shou"d re"apse into the profound sti""ness again with
mind-wi"" independent"y sett"ing in ysterious 4ass and two eyes ga#ing upon the 0uddhist re"ic.
4roceeding in this way you are sure to get sight of the spectac"e of go"den "ightning f"ashing for a
second time, and at same time you wi"", in a"" probabi"ities, perceive that the penis has a"ready shrunk
back into your be""y and cou"d not become hard any more. This is because a"" =i of great unification
has converged upon the 0uddhist re"ic and been under contro" of it. The vision of go"den "ightning
f"ashing for a second time a"so means that a"" =i of great unification has come to be at a constant
standsti"" in and around the 0uddhist re"ic and a"" ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE has thorough"y been
transformed into pre-heaven =i. 0y this time you must put out fire---both mind-wi"" and ac%uired
breathing I mean---because a"" artificia" movement of mind-wi"" and artificia" ac%uired breathing aim at
converting ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE into =i. &o ever since go"den "ightning f"ashes a second time you
shou"d re"apse into the profound sti""ness with on"y one aim of cu"tivating the 0uddhist re"ic, ti"" go"den
"ightning f"ashes a third time.
In addition, after the penis has comp"ete"y drawn back into your be""y---which is after the go"den
"ightning f"ashes a second time---you wi"" sometimes fee" that the go"den "ight of the 0uddhist re"ic is
surging a"" the way up to your eyes so forcefu""y that your eyes are ob"iged to open. Then a fitfu" of
spark"ing ensues immediate"y afterwards2 or sometime something "ike tiny go"d discs, of good
%uantities, spark"ing as brand-new si"ver coin or speeding as sparks, wi"" storm out of go"den "ight and
make for your eyes and at "ast discharges from your eyes, trick"ing down your cheek one drop after
another.
During the time between go"den "ightning f"ashing a second time and a third time you shou"d app"y the
dome-shaped ware Dor mass E to pressuring against your anus and wood pincers to pinching the nose
Dgent"yEor b"ock your nostri"s with two wood sticksDof soft te!tureE. Then you shou"d re"apse into
sti""ness, two eyes ga#ing inattentive"y upon 0uddhist re"ies, mind-wi"" independent"y sett"ing there
steadi"y a"so. At "ast both ac%uired breathing and pre-heaven breathing wi"" comp"ete"y shrink into
"ower e"i!ir fie"d, and a"" things seem to have come to be at a constant standsti""---your heart beat, your
pu"ses have come to an end.
During this period you shou"d never "aunch sma"" waterwhee" even though sometimes something seems
to shake one time or more, deep in your "ower e"i!ir fie"d. $hat you must do is to cu"tivate the
0uddhist re"ic si"ent"y and so"itari"y in the depths of the profound emptiness. This period, from go"den
"ightning f"ashing the second time to the third time, is about seven days, on average.
Then at "ast, the go"den "ightning f"ashes the third time. This means a"" =i of great unification has
congea"ed into constitutiona" part of the 0uddhist re"ic. Then you shou"d stare s"ight"y at ysterious
4ass in which the 0uddhist re"ic has taken shape and p"ace mind-wi"", s"ight"y intensified, upon that
a"so, for about three days. During the period your breathing, either pre-heaven one or ac%uired one, wi""
natura""y engage in automatic motion deep in your "ower e"i!ir fie"d, upon which you shou"d never pay
the "east attention---"et it take its own course.
In this course. the inward ga#e upon ysterious 4ass p"ays the most significant ro"e which most
ancient canons described as the critica" knack. 5or about three days you shou"d ga#e si"ent"y upon
ysterious 4ass with no intermission ti"" 0uddhist re"ic shows a tendency of shaking out of ysterious
4ass, of its own accord, and si! visions present themse"ves one after another.
)n"y when the automatic motion of breathing has come to an end there wi"" be the chance e!isting for
the 0uddhist re"ic to shake out of the ysterious 4ass. )n"y when two eyes a"ways ga#e upon
ysterious 4ass the pre-heaven mind-wi"" can gradua""y come to be at a standsti"" in upper e"i!ir fie"d,
and the =i of great unification, as described before, can have the chance to congea" into constitutiona"
part of the 0uddhist re"ic. If the automatic motion of breathing comes to an end, then a"" wi"" come to a
comp"ete standsti"". This case, if continues for "ong, wi"" eventua""y "ead to motion out of the profound
emptiness with manifo"d manifestations such as go"den sparks spraying out in a"" directions in front of
your eyes, something "ike wind whist"ing near your ears, something "ike a vu"ture crying out from
behind your head, your two kidneys a"ong the spine burning hot, the "ow e"i!ir fie"d becoming more
heated, your who"e frame engaging in automatic motion, your "imbs for a moment being sei#ed by a
fitfu" throbbing, your nose twitching for a whi"e from the base. )f the seven days of this (ordea",( the
ear"y three days you shou"d constant"y remain si"ent in the depths of the profound sti""ness, the two
eyes ga#e gent"y on ysterious 4ass with no intermission. During the third and fourth day, you shou"d
a"ways be as on the "ook out for the 0uddhist re"ic shaking out of ysterious 4ass as a cat watchfu" for
coming upon a mouse. Then the rocking visions of si! bases---the bases of ears, eyes, nose, tongue, the
trunk and mind-wi"" I mean---wi"" come on the scene in succession.
Con.ei)e a Foet#s of the /r#e Self $'&
After a go"den e"i!ir pe""et has taken residence in midd"e e"i!ir fie"d you shou"d "ose no time revo"ving
the sma"" waterwhee" of 6-1Kbranches as described in step si! and then "ike a fog fa""ing into
hibernation you shou"d drift away in the depths of the most profound sti""ness ti"" a"" seems to has come
to be at a constant standsti"". The two eyes ga#e unseeing"y upon midd"e e"i!ir fie"d without any
artificia" e!ertion, the mind-wi"" sec"uded"y remains what it has a"ways been motion"ess"y.
,ven one thought straying into your mind wi"" cause disastrous resu"t, you must bear in mindG 'ou
shou"d stay in this dead state for about seven days. 7enera""y speaking, you wi"" wake when the seven
days e!pires. .owever, you are "ike"y to remain in this dead-"ike state without any signs of waking up
for "onger time than seven days. That wi"" be dangerous. Jnder the circumstance your partner shou"d
gent"y ring a be"" near your ear, then massage or rub the centra" p"ace of your feet with his pa"m and
ca"" you by your name in the meanwhi"e
This method won(t work, you partner shou"d moderate"y pressure against your .ui 'in pass with his
ringer tips many times ti"" you wake. If a"" methods e!hausted and you are sti"" as "ike a dead man you
are sure to have passed away, which by no means means transcending the "imitations of e!istence. This
is common"y known as passing away whi"e sitting cross "egged.
There wi"" be about ten months after the dangerous seven days before you can conceive the foetus of
your true se"f. During this period it is more imperative that you shou"d take a more sec"uded dwe""ing-
p"ace than before or c"ose doors in order to ensure no other man shou"d enter your house une!pected"y,
for being away from dogs, cocks, women and other. In short, do your best to keep away from a""
une!pected sound.
To proper"y conceive a foetus of the true se"f the pre-heaven mind-wi"" ought to function as "ike a sou"
to a man whi"e the go"den e"i!ir pe""et the physica" form, or pre-heaven mind-wi"" shou"d perform the
function as bones do for a man and go"den e"i!ir pe""et as the other does for a man. Therefore the
fo""owing steps you shou"d take are sure"y made aiming at combining pre-heaven mind-wi"" with
go"den e"i!ir pe""et, so as to with the former "odging in the "ater as a sou" the go"den e"i!ir pe""et who"e
deve"op "itt"e by "itt"e to be a foetus of your true se"f which process is ca""ed re-mou"ding true se"f after
retracing the route a"ong which your are born, which, of course, covers that the sperm combines with
ovum to form the cytr"a from which you are deve"oped.
$ithout go"den e"i!ir pe""et the pre-heaven mind-wi"" cou"d never take form though being aeria" and
etherea" and keeping away from the comprehension of mankind. 'ou shou"d know that just depending
upon it humankind can deve"op a"" its facu"ties. :onverse"y, without pre-heaven mind-wi"" the go"den
e"i!ir pe""et is bound to die away as speedi"y as you obtain it despite that it has passed through a""
passes successfu""y. &o once the go"den e"i!ir pe""et has had its home bui"t in midd"e e"i!ir fie"d you
shou"d immediate"y present your mind-wi"" to be a"ways in the company with go"den e"i!ir pe""et
without any intermission.
)n"y when a"ways remain in the state of profound sti""ness the mind-wi"" can turn into pre-heaven
mind-wi"". &o by this time practitioners must re"apse into the most profound sti""ness ti"" a"" has come to
be at a constant standsti"", as "ike a frog having comp"ete"y fa"" into hibernation. 'et the mind-wi""
shou"d a"ways remain what it has a"ways been without any motion or any sacrifice in its ordinary
facu"ties. This state is by no means the s"umber or s"eep or other simi"ar one. 'es, a"" seems to have die
away e!cept the mind-wi"" remaining as unmovab"e and constant as a stone pi""ar so"itari"y and
sense"ess"y standing piercing the unvarying sky for hundreds of thousands of years without any
rottenness and consumption and changes. 0ring a"" but the mind-wi"" into the bound"ess emptiness ti""
you become ob"ivious of a""---inc"uding your e!istence---saving the mind-wi"", seeming to be e!istent
and seeming to be dead, sett"ing motion"ess"y in midd"e e"i!ir fie"d. >et a"" other things take their own
courses---the keened of 1huan T#i(s thinking--- then yang =i wi"" continue arising incessant"y, take
course of its own choice to f"ow, and gradua""y wear out the yin pre-heaven mind-wi"" and the yang
pre-heaven mind-wi"" becoming more prosperous and distinct in conse%uence.
The mind-wi"" residing in midd"e e"i!ir fie"d wi"" occasion your form to be on fire if it intensifies to
some e!tent for some time, or bring upon you disasters when it "oses its proper way for some time.
Therefore you must vigi"ant enough to correct the wrong in time. The best way for this, of course, is to
discip"ine the heart to the e!treme degreeG &o 1hang &han 5eng, the founder of Tai Ii bo!ing and the
most famous supernatura" being, commented upon the process, saying, B$ithout any intermission the
mind-wi"" remains what it has a"ways been, and concentrate upon nothing though I have the know"edge
about it. B
In some books the authors mistaken"y advocated that the go"den e"i!ir pe""et shou"d take residence in
"ower e"i!ir fie"d, rather than midd"e e"i!ir fie"d. Aeaders here shou"d be cautious enough, for midd"e
e"i!ir fie"d, situated in the centra" positron of your trunk and the nearest to sp"een and stomach and
standing for earth e"ement, is the etherea" and heaven"y region. The inevitab"e resu"t of go"den e"i!ir
pe""et shifting residence from "ow e"i!ir fie"d to midd"e one as recommended by some books is that yin
pre-heaven mind-wi""---rather than yang pre-heaven mind-wi""---takes residence in go"den e"i!ir pe""et.
And as a resu"t, you wou"d become a supernatura" ghost possessing a go"den e"i!ir pe""etG
)n"y through the "ong time of hibernation-"ike sti""ness---in which you seem to have died away without
any facu"ties working save that the mind-wi"" remains motion"ess yet is sti"" upon somewhere in midd"e
e"i!ir fie"d ---the foetus of your true se"f is "ike"y to deve"op proper"y. &o "ong time have you been
fa""ing in this dead- "ike state that sometimes you may perceive that a wave of comfortab"y warm vapor
is making for your heart from "ower e"i!ir fie"d. 0eing conscious of the circumstance you(d better
conduct it with the mind-wi"" to take the course of Du channe" from coccy! pass upward to the c"ipping
spine pass to occipita" pass ti"" upper e"i!ir fie"d, then "ike something worming its way in your head and
"ater oo#ing into your mouth from pa"ate, it wi"" turn out to be as speedy in me"ting away as a drop of
honey and so crisp and fragrant and de"icious that nothing wor"d"y cou"d has the "east %ua"ification to
compare with it. .ereupon you shou"d composed"y wrap up it with the mind-wi"" and bring it down to
your throat, then swa""ow it downward and "ead it down to midd"e e"i!ir fie"d. Then the four "imbs and
trunk begin to fee" numb and soft. .ow comfortab"e and p"easant the fee"ing is you may think to
yourse"f.
7enera""y speaking, the wave of warm vapor wi"" arise many times on nine consecutive days, so you
shou"d dea" with it in the same way when it arising every time. In addition, immediate"y after you have
brought it down into midd"e e"i!ir fie"d you must run the sma"" waterwhee" of 6-1K branches one time,
then you must immediate"y re"apse into the profoundest sti""ness ti"" a"" again seems to come to be at a
constant standsti"".
'ou may wonder how to name the drops. *+The go"den "ife dewdrops*P is the universa" name many
saints have given. The who"e proceeding described before is genera""y termed *+go"den "ife dewdrops
going round to combine with go"den e"i!ir pe""et.*P <o doubt the name is "ong and comp"icated. In the
state that a"" has come to be at a constant standsti"" after you have brought down go"den "ife dewdrops
into midd"e e"i!ir fie"d and comp"eted the sma"" waterwhee" of 6- 1K branches, you remain what you are
for 7od knows how "ong time when some rumb"ing sounds as "ike thunder wi"" come forth in "ower
e"i!ir fie"d, and you seem to fee" that something is ripping open the broad e!panse of "ower e"i!ir fie"d
in a"" directions, then a wave of yang =i sudden"y rushes a"" the way up from the "ower e"i!ir fie"d to
your upper e"i!ir fie"d, and rotates or stretches out or shrinks down a"" of its own accord, at "ength takes
residence in upper e"i!ir fie"d.
&hort"y afterwards a wind begins to whir" in upper e"i!ir fie"d and go"den "ightning f"ashes rapid"y and
continua""y in front of your eyes, though they are c"osed up. A"" of the sudden some dew drops trick"e
into your mouth, as fragrant as borneo" and as coo" and refreshing as peppermint. )n perceiving this
you shou"d swa""ow it down when you fee" it oo#es into your mouth, then "ead it down and sett"e it in
midd"e e"i!ir fie"d with your mind-wi"".
7enera""y speaking, for about seven consecutive days the same case wi"" occur repeated"y. ,very time
the case occurs you shou"d dea" with in the same way as before mentioned, then perform a who"e set of
sma"" waterwhee" of 6- 1K branches before you again resume the state of hibernation-"ike sti""ness. This
time the dew-"ike drops you harvest and bring into midd"e e"i!ir fie"d are ca""ed *+si"ver "ife dewdrops.
*P
After go"den- and si"ver "ife dewdrops have been brought down and join the go"den e"i!ir pe""et in
midd"e e"i!ir fie"d you shou"d again drift away into the depths of the profoundest sti""ness ti"" a"" seems
to have come to be at a constant standsti"". <o pu"ses throbbing, the heart beating no more, a"" breathing
"eaving off and b"ood f"owing no "onger. $ithout the "east consciousness of the "apse of time you
remain in this state ti"" you perceive that a whiff of wind seems to be coming from .eaven and
descending and first passing through your upper e"i!ir fie"d and 'in Tang acupoint, then your arms and
trunk, then your "egs. Then a"" joints seem to be ripped wide open and a"" bones are broken into pieces
and your heart as co"d as ice and both "ower- and midd"e e"i!ir fie"d on fire. Take it easy and never pay
any attention to things whatever, just remain what you have beenG This is the moment that the go"d
e"ement is having intercourse with wood e"ement which is sure to produce tempestuous visions and
fee"ings.
5or some time a"" seems to have become to be on fire and vio"ent"y b"a#e up, and sometimes a"" seems
to be f"ooded a"" over, or sometimes innumerab"e thunders ro"" over .eaven and fo""owing "ighting
f"ashes awfu""y. In a time the bound"ess space seems to have been suffused with rosy rays. 'ou shou"d
never pay the "east attention to them, whatever they may be, and remain what you have been without
any change, "ike a stone indifferent to a"" the weather changes. Time ro""ing on and your remaining
dead-"ike the pre-heaven =i wi"" sometime gradua""y turn into a si"ver fu"" moon whi"e pre-heaven
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE a rosy sun.
&udden"y the s"iver fu"" moon imperceptib"y presents itse"f in front of your eyes, swaying and not c"ear
at beginning, steady and pure at "ast. 7ent"y p"ace your mind-wi"" upon it. After a "itt"e whi"e, a rosy
disc of sun coming from you don(t know where a"so indiscernib"y revea"s itse"f with the si"ver fu""
moon. >ate in the course of their combination, two buds, of go"den co"our, wi"" gradua""y take form
from the "ight combined and burst by degrees to present their respective five go"den peta"s, with the
daintiest stigma and stamen sprouting in the midd"e.
This vision is ca""ed *+twin go"den buds b"ossoming.*P At sight of this vision you shou"d immediate"y
put your mind-wi"" gent"y upon that---of course, much as you know where the two f"owers are you
shou"d never focus upon them, which is the proper way by which to sett"e your mind-wi"".
$hen the rosy sun and si"ver fu"" moon converge and at "ength merge into one disc giving out bri""iant
"ight and hanging in front of your 'in Tang acupoint, you shou"d "ose no time in ro""ing your two eyes
to promote the intercourse between go"d e"ement and wood e"ement, then bring down the "ight a"ong
Aen :hanne" by your mind-wi"" to "ower e"i!ir fie"d, whence the "ight wi"" natura""y make way upward
a"ong Du :hanne" then descend the Aen :hanne" and enter midd"e e"i!ir fie"d to merge with go"den
e"i!ir pe""et. This done, you ought to revo"ve the sma"" waterwhee" of 6-1K branches to wrap up this
process, then re"apse into the profound sti""ness ti"" a"" again seems to come to a constant standsti"". )f
course, some changes have taken p"ace you may find out when this time you drift into the hibernation-
"ike state that a bri""iant disc hanging in front of your 'in Tang acupoint is shining steadi"y over the
midd"e- and "ower e"i!ir fie"d.
There must be one formidab"e hardship facing you after the rosy sun and the si"ver fu"" moon have
merged into one bri""iant disc, to which the prominent supernatura" being 1hang &han 5eng particu"ar"y
referred in one of his books. Thus it runs/
As you remain in the state that a"" seems to have come to be at a constant standsti"" you wi"" sudden"y
fee" painfu" in 'ong =uan acupoint---the centra" p"ace of the under surface of a human foot it is "ocated
in---of your right foot as if an ice is piercing it, present"y you perceive the boring pain is shifting its
p"ace from 'ong =uan acupoint to your knee through bones, then advances to coccy! passDa"so through
bonesEthen goes upward ti"" it stops in the midd"e p"ace between right and "eft kidney. This vision is
ca""ed *+reed shoot piercing bones.*P 5or about three consecutive days the pain wi"" "ast.
$hen the boring pain remaining between right and "eft kidney intensifies to the worst e!tent---which
means the pain e!tends upward from kidneys to the c"ipping spine pass to occipita" pass ti"" to upper
e"i!ir fie"d---you shou"d instant"y with your mind-wi"" bring down the bri""iant disc hanging in front of
your 'in Tang acupoint a"ong Aen :hanne" to midd"e e"i!ir fie"d, then to "ower e"i!ir fie"d ti"" to the
p"ace between two kidneys. Then ro"" your eyes s"ight"y to circ"e the painfu" p"ace with your inward
ga#e. Instant"y a burning bead comes vivid"y on the scene, first making for coccy! pass, then going a""
the way up a"ong Du :hanne" with its bri""iant tai" trai"ing after. At sight of this vision you shou"d
somewhat intensify your mind-wi"", then p"ace it in the p"ace nearest to your kidney and imagine you
b"ow a breath into "ower e"i!ir fie"d. &hort"y afterwards you perceive that a"" joints seem to be
e!p"oding vio"ent"y and deafening sound is coming up to your ears incessant"y, a"" you physica" body
seems to be in a burning furnace, so heated a"most beyond your to"erance.
'ou shou"d in the same way intensify your mind-wi"" and sett"e it in p"ace as said before three times
before every =i and pre-heaven mind-wi"" be"onging to each independent organ rushes upward to your
upper e"i!ir fie"d. Immediate"y afterwards there sudden"y comes a terrifying thunder shaking your
who"e body and the upper part upon your sku"" enc"osing your mind domain is tempestuous"y thrown
wide open. The pre-heaven mind-wi"" and pre-heaven =i is having their most vio"ent intercourse and it
seems nothing cou"d separate them. 'our head seems to be as hard as a b"ock of stone, and who"e be""y
as hot and oppressive as a burning furnace. A"" b"ood and =i is vivid"y engaging in impassioned
e"o%uence and a"" is busy with speaking in favour of itse"f, such a pea" and uproar that a"" is nothing but
a chaos it seems. A"" of sudden, some refreshing and coo" dewdrops trick"e into your mouth and oo#e
downward into midd"e e"i!ir fie"d. )n sight of them coming down you shou"d intensify your mind-wi""
sett"ing in midd"e e"i!ir fie"d. This way when the dewdrops enter the midd"e e"i!ir fie"d you seem to see
that some pear"s are ro""ing into that p"ace. &urveying inward"y you wi"" get the sight as described
be"ow/ a"" organs and channe"s and co""atera"s and acupoints, or in a word, a"" parts of you, regard"ess
of their being invisib"e or substantive former"y, distinct"y present themse"ves before your eyes2 a"" is
burning down and a"" space is fu"" of "ight of f"ames2 disgusting dirt is streaming downward from
everywhere and then f"ow continua""y to p"aces you don(t know and disappears a"" over. 4aying not the
"east attention to whatever it may be and "etting a"" take their own courses and remaining what you have
a"ways been made up the most proper means by which you are to dea" with these cha""enges coming in
succession.
&ometime you may sudden"y fee" dreadfu" to an e!treme e!tent, because you seem to perceive that you
are "osing contro" of your se"f and a"" are on the track of disappearing. This fee"ing is, as a matter of
course, the inevitab"e resu"t that yin pre-heaven mind-wi""s, being worn out and "oath to be subdued by
yang pre-heaven mind-wi"", are reacting with various fa"se visions to cause your heart of Tao*Ps nature
to deviate from the proper track. In a moment a swarthy ba"" tumb"es down and rotates and hangs in
front of your eyes and a piercing and raw air fo""ows up and comes up a"" the way through your body.
)nce perceiving this you shou"d gent"y suck in the swarthy ba"" with your mind-wi"" and s"ow"y bring it
down into midd"e e"i!ir fie"d. <o sooner has the ba"" been conducted into midd"e e"i!ir fie"d than you
begin to fee" refreshing and p"easant coo"ness as though pure dewdrops are trick"ing down into your
heart. This particu"ar event you shou"d we"" remember marks that you have set about conceiving a
foetus of your true se"f, and your yang pre-heaven mind-wi"", having con%uered the yin pre-heaven
mind-wi"", has eventua""y taken residence in go"den e"i!ir fie"d. )f course, at this moment you cou"d
not as yet discern the foetus. The who"e vision of a"" seeming to be burnt down in ca""ed Btempering
form with fire.B
Con.ei)e a Foet#s of the /r#e Self $(&
After the rosy sun has merged with the si"ver fu"" moon into a bri""iant disc hanging in front of your
eyes, sometime you may notice three "otus buds bursting out into bri""iant b"ossoms in "ower- and
midd"e- and upper e"i!ir fie"d respective"y, and in the midd"e of each b"ossom is a baby sitting
upright"y. This vision is ca""ed three babies coming on the scene, to which you shou"d adopt the attitude
that it has nothing to do with you and you shou"d a"ways remain motion"ess in the depths of the
sti""ness.
After the rosy sun and si"ver fu"" moon have merged into one bri""iant disc and when you again drift
into the hiberation-"ike state for some time, two things "ike two comets in appearance wi"" sudden"y
pierce your two 'ong =uan acupoints and worm brisk"y their ways a"ong each "egs through bones, and
pass through thighs, then soar vigorous"y into "ower e"i!ir fie"d and join each other there. )n sight of
this vision you shou"d gent"y p"ace your mind-wi"" in "ower e"i!ir fie"d and somewhat intensify it, than
imagine you b"ow an fire into "ower e"i!ir fie"d and ga#e upon the same p"ace.
Jnder the attack from this fire the two vigorous"y-moving things wi"" make for coccy! pass and soar
upward passing the c"ipping spine pass and occipita" pass a"ong Du :hanne" and come into upper e"i!ir
fie"d, then descend the nose and mouth and throat and respiratory tube ti"" go into midd"e e"i!ir fie"d
and merge with go"den e"i!ir pe""et. After this process the pre-heaven vita-vapour of great unification
wi"" natura""y pervade a"" parts of your body and nourish them which, in due course, wi"" great"y
harmomi#e with each other and commune with nature in the end, and as a resu"t, no co"dness or heat or
other weather changs cou"d affect you any "onger. Then you shou"d re"apse into the profoundest
sti""ness and give up a"" mind-wi""s---inward and outward---and "ike a dead man "et a"" take their own
courses. This state continuing you wi"" perceive that "ightning coming from the broad tracts of
emptiness is rushing down and then goes into the ysterious 4ass and soars upward a"ong Du :hanne"
and comes into your upper e"i!ir fie"d, whence it descends the Aen :hanne" and turns into something
"ike dewdrops moistens a"" your organs. In the course of it descending you shou"d breathe in and
breathe out as an ordinary man does and in the meantime imagine the breathing in bring in an air deep
into your be""y, then you perceive that dewdrops are pervade a"" your physica" form and purge away a""
dirt from every part, and thus yang vita-vapour and yang pre-heaven mind-wi"" gain more ground and
yin vita-vapour and yin pre-heaven mind-wi"" "ose more. The "ightning in this process is a wave of yang
vita-vapour brought up by infinite emptiness coming downward to promote the formation of the foetus
of your true se"f.
Again a"" visions pass away and you re"apse into the profoundest sti""ness and after some time a"" seems
to have come to be at a constant standsti"". A"" of the sudden you catch sight of the vision that go"d
beads of immense %uantity are jumping in a"" directions in your upper e"i!ir fie"d and si"ver waves
surging tempetuous"y. )n sight of this vision you shou"d p"ace your mind-wi"" in "ower e"i!ir fie"d and
somewhat intensify it, then "aunch the breathing through "ungs and respirotary tube and the nose and
imagine your breathing in every time bring in an fire deep into "ower e"i!ir fie"d D breathe out
natura""yE, then gent"y ga#e upon the fire ti"" the fire becomes more vigorous and a"" seems to have been
burnt down. Then "ooking up you wi"" find, in your upper e"i!ir fie"d, tiny go"den shoots scattering a""
over the p"ace and among them is a grain of pear", dainty and de"icate. Ae"apsing into the state "ike
frog(s herbiration for some time you wi"" find that the grain of pear" has grown bigger, and is of the
orange co"our. $hen you make certain that the pear" has fu""y deve"oped---you are certain to possess
this abi"ity of judgement in this phase---you shou"d imagine sending out your mind-wi"" and bringing
down the sun into upper e"i!ir fie"d, then breathe in and you shou"d imagine the breathing in bring in a
fire into "ower e"i!ir fie"d , then you shou"d gent"y ga#e inward upon the fire with your two eyes. After
a "itt"e whi"e this pear" begin to me"t and then oo#e downward a"ong Aen :hanne" and drop into midd"e
e"i!ir fie"d. Immediate"y afterwards you shou"d revo"ve the sma"" waterwhee" of 6-1K branches so as to
comp"ete"y co""oct a"" drops.
Then you shou"d re"apse into the profoundest sti""ness with your mind-wi"" dent"y sett"ing in midd"e
e"i!ir fie"d and two eyes ga#ing upon it gent"y---you shou"d do this in the princip"e that though you
know the p"ace you don(t pay the "east attention upon it.
As time passes away the go"den pear" wi"" grow biger and biger and its co"our becomes more distinct
and bri""iant, sometimes it seems to be in the depths of the bound"ess tracts of emptiness and far away
beyond your body and cou"d not be approached by a"" means, yet when you c"ose your eyes it is so
distinct and so near as if in front of your eyes. ,ver afterwards you wi"" possess the know"edge that one
thing can be situatad both inside and outside and both of e!istence and of none!istence, and be so
minute as to nothing cou"d be more minute than it, and be so comprehensive that a"" are destined
captives under the contro" of it. )hG It is the very origon of a"" transformations and changes.
.aving revo"ved the sma"" waterwhee" of 6-1K branches to co""ect the go"den drop which drips into
midd"e e"i!ir fie"d you must re"apse into the most profoundest sti""ness with two eyeys ga#iny inwand"y
upon the pear" without the "east break, and your mind-wi"" sett"ing upon that a"so without any
intermission, yet you never pay the "east attention on it. This way you wi"" drift deeper and deeper into
the sti""ness ti"" a"" seems to have come to be at a constant standsti"" when your heart beating pu"se
throbbing and breathing and f"owing of b"ood---or the process of metabo"ism in a word---gradua""y
come to an end and the thorough cessation can at first "ast for one day, two days, three days, or even ten
months at which you shou"d never marve". In such a period your partner shou"d not mistake this
thorough cessation for your *+passing away whi"e sitting cross "egged*P because a"" yang vita-vapoar
and yang pre-heaven mind-wi"" are returning to their common origion with the deve"opment of the
foetus of your true se"f. 5or your part you shou"d never casua""y rouse from this dead-"ike state on wi"",
and, on the contrary, "et a"" take their own courses and nerver intervene.
The "ong period of remaiming motion"ess at a constant standsti"" doubt"ess endangers your "ife to some
e!tent, so your must carefu" enough and vigi"ent enough to prevent your mind-wi"" sett"ing upon the
pear" from straying for the "east moment, and your inward ga#e upon it from wavering and wandering
away even one second, otherwise you are certian to die away and a"" transcendent aspirations wi""
disappear instant"y "ike a bubb"e bursting. )n"y in this dead-"ike sti""ness and the state of a"" motion in
your body having come to be at a constant standsti"" the foetus, in which your yang pre-heaven mind-
wi"" is residing, wi"" deve"op natura""y with the nourishment of infinite emptiness. Therefore, without
the hibernation-"ike state the foetus cou"d never have the opportunity to deve"op.
&ometime in the state that a"" seems to have come to be at a constant standsti"" to nourish the foetus of
your true se"f, you may witness that a f"ood is surging and wou"d not fade away. This vision doubt"ess
signifies that your mind-wi"" must have strayed away from the pear" for some time, rather than
constant"y sett"es upon it without any motion2 or your inward ga#ing upon it ceasead or wandered away
for some time, rather than upon it without the "east intermission. In consepuence, the midd"e e"i!ir
fie"d, "acking the warming for some time from the fire of the inward ga#e by two eyes, became
*+co"d*P to some e!tent and the "ight of go"den e"i!ir pe""et became obscure. There are some other
visions a"ways in conne!ion with water which you shou"d dea" with by one same way as fo""ows/
&omewhat intensify your mind-wi"" sett"ing in midd"e e"i!ir fie"d as we"" as your inward ga#e, then
breathe in and imagine this breathing in bring a fire into midd"e e"i!ir fie"d. And imagine the fire to
grow more and more vigorous"y and gobb"e up a"" above the midd"e e"i!ir fie"d ti"" a"" vision of water
has passed away and the go"den e"i!ir pe""et has restored its "ight.
&ometime when you ca"tivate the foetus of your true se"f in profoundest sti""ness you may notice that
some fire are f"aming up and you cou"d not e!tinguish them. This is because you have eaten some food
of peppery or of fragrant nature or you might have had a bathing with hot water, and thus the fire of
go"den e"i!ir pe""et was kind"ed and e!tended vigorous"y to other p"aces which, though on"y a vision
you might regard it as, wi"" cause miserab"e resu"t---your physica" form burning down automatica""y if
you don(t take some preventive measures. As a matter of fact, there are many visions in connection with
fire f"aming up that may come on the scene.
To proper"y dea" with these visions you shou"d do as fo""ows/ envision a swarthy ba"" the si#e of your
pa"m, in front of your eyes, then contract the ba"" s"ow"y with your mind-wi"", then imagine the ba"" and
its environment to be co"d and raw for a whi"e, then bring the ba"", which has now be contracted to be
the si#e of a tab"e-tennis ba"", down a"ong Aen :hanne" to midd"e e"i!ir fie"d, then you wi"" find the fire
wi"" diminish in its vigor. Aepeat the envisioning process ti"" a"" fire has been put out, then re"apse into
sti""ness to resume the process of cu"tivating the foetus of your true se"f. A"" visions concerning fire
during this period are ca""ed *+evi" fire f"aming up.*P
&ometime in the course of cu"tivating the foetus you may fee" tried of your body and chest swo""en and
painfu", then after vomitting some b"ack b"ood of "arge %uantity you begin to fee" better and other
symptoms gradua""y fade away. Towards this phenomenon you sha"" be composed and never worried,
for the reason that you former undue physica" and menta" "abour has imperceptib"y brought damage to
the vita-vapour of heart, which is represented by substantive form of b"ack b"ood. 7athering from
thisphenomenon you can easi"y conc"ude that the infinite efforts made to triumph over other physica""y
and menta""y---which is popu"ar in the region of covetousness---are bound to bring incurab"e injuries to
your body, though imperceptib"e they a"ways are.
&ometime you fee" that something is piercing your nave" and you cou"d not withstand it2 sometime
something is piercing your ribs from both sides and you seem to swoon2 sometime a"" content of your
body seems to be torn into pieces and conse%uent"y you even desire for instant death2 sometime a huge
hammer seems to be rumb"ing down and crashing into you head and you are on the point of "osing a""
consciousness2 sometime you seem to be in a trance and fe"" fidgety2 sometime the e!crement you
discharge is with a stink and has b"ood b"ocks and something strange of a variety of co"ors is in it2
sometime from your two eyes, or two ears, or two nostri"s, or mouth, or anus, or urethra" orifice you
may find pus or pus-serum trick"ing out, whick stinks to such an e!tent that you are going to vomit2
sometime a"" day "ong you fee" somno"ent and a"" joints fee" sore2 sometime a"" ske"eton seems to
co""apse and smash into pieces2 sometime perspiration is sudden"y coming out a"" over your body2
sometime you fee" so painfu" as if you are casting off your skin as a snake does2 sometime you fee" so
hot and su"try as if you are thrown into a burning furnace and you seem to be in a coma for about three
or five days. A"" thes phenomena doubt"ess indicate that the foetus is deve"oping proper"y and you are
discharging a"" your grossness and earth"iness which cou"d not co-e!ist with the foetus.
$hen a"" such sufferings have gone as "ike a c"oud in sky fading away you wi"" sudden"y become aware
that you has been in possession of si! kinds of supernatura" power. The first is god(s eyes with which
you can beho"d a"" things in a g"impse, either those on and in the earth or those throughout the universe
or in other region. In view of this you can understand more c"ear"y why peop"e a"ways say *+if you
don(t want peop"e to know what you do, don(t do itG*P The second is god(s ears with which you can hear
a"" sounds coming throughout the universe or other region, inc"uding that human cou"d not hear. The
third is the power of reading mind, which means you can be aware what the other is thinking of and
what motive he has and his intention, his schemes, his aspiration and a"". The fourth is the power of
reading the transmigration of the sou", with this power you can instant"y know whence and why and for
what a man come into a being and whither and why and for what reason the man goes away. The fifth
is the power of reading the future and the past. 'es, sudden"y you begin to know a"" things you want to
know and a"" things you don(t want to know.
The si!th is being free from any ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE, which signifies you have transformed a""
ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE into vita-vapour. In fact, you have a"ready become possessed of the power of
being free from ferti"i#ing f"uid DIingE when your penis has shrunk a"" the way back into your be""y and
a piece of skin has grown to sea" the ho"e. &ome peop"e may debate why this power has the %ua"ifiation
to rank e%ua""y with other powers. This is because, you know, without this power, near"y a"" others are
in vain, which you can understand easi"y. Toward a"" these visions and sufferings and powers you must
adopt a proper attitude/ a"" has not the "east business with me, and "et a"" other take their own courses2
on my part I a"ways remain in the dead-"ike state with mind-wi"" sett"ing upon the foetus without any
intermission and two eyes ga#ing upon it without any break. )f course toward some visions I have
mentioned---such as evi" fire f"aming up and so forth---you must take action as I have described before.
'ou shou"d by no means boast of your powers and fee" superci"ious and powerfu" ever afterwards,
otherwise you are bound to be in menta" disorders and even a begger can "augh at you. 'ou may ask for
the reason. 7enera""y speaking, at beginning. I advocate discip"ining heart because a"" stray thoughts
are the products of yin pre-heaven mind-wi""s which a"ways e!ercises inf"uence out of its destined
nature to engage your consciousness in a motion that inevitab"y deviates you from being in the state of
sti""ness. &o, indu"ging in finding a vent for your e"o%uence to show off your *+great attainment*P your
heart must imperceptib"y be ensnared in by the yin pre-heaven mind-wi""s which, under the
circumstance that you heart has been purged of a"" to be so different from the wor"d"y heart in this
stage, wi"" present much more magica" visions into which you are certain to fa"" deeper and deeper ti""
you thorough"y "ose a"" your wits and encumbrance to human society you wi"" become.
-i)e 3irth to the Fot#s of /r#e Self
$hen catching sight of the vision of end"ess f"akes f"uttering downward, you shou"d bring a"" of them
into midd"e e"i!ir fie"d with a faint idea of nourishing the foetus of the true se"f. Then sett"e the mind-
wi"" into infinite emptiness at once and chant gent"y some words to promote the shifting of the foetus to
upper e"i!ir fie"d.
)f course, these words e!press the meaning that on hearing it the foetus of your true se"f can somewhat
understand it, and the vague consciousness of the foetus stimu"ated by these words can "ead the fotus to
move upward, of its own accord, to upper e"i!ir fie"d. 'ou shou"d be cautious enough that the mind-wi""
cou"d never be used to conduct the fotus to ascend the upper e"i!ir fie"d, for the movement of mind-wi""
is bound to bring fire upon the fotus at this particu"ar period.
:hant, B&oar high up into the infinite emptiness, open the door of a temp"e, combine the disposition
with the pre-heaven nature, and unite the two kinds of "ight.B These words you shou"d chant repeated"y
ti"" the fotus, of its own accord, begin to move upward from midd"e e"i!ir fie"d.
'et you shou"d know that passing through the respiratory tube is not easy for the fotus and it is very
dangerous. &o you must be on fu"" a"ert at this moment. Aemain sti"" in the emptiness and have an idea
that is the faintest and thinnest and is ne!t to nothing. $hen the fotus, of its own accord, is going to
move upward, this idea shou"d rush as rapid"y as "ight a"" the way up from midd"e e"i!ir fie"d to your
upper e"i!ir fie"d. 'ou know that the mind-wi"" shou"d never be used at this period. Therefore, the faster
this idea rushes upward the better, the faintest this idea is the better.
)nce the fotus has entered the upper e"i!ir fie"d, some wonderfu" sights are sure to come on the scene,
such as imposing mirages with me"odious sounds coming up from distance, a number of supernatura"
beings coming up to address to you, and a magnificent comp"e! of go"den pa"aces "ike emperor(s begins
to emerge, to which you sha"" bear in your mind that a"" of them are fa"se and dangerous. 0e
independent of a"" these attractions and remain what you are and have not the "east business with them
a"".
If the fotus pays the "east attention to something in the upper e"i!ir fie"d you wi"" risk fa""ing into
somno"ence, then into a coma, then pass away, which means a"" former efforts have been de"ivered to
the wind, a resu"t that the wor"d"y heart has not been comp"ete"y given up.
At this particu"ar period the mind-wi"" shou"d come to be at a constant standsti"" and remain more
firm"y than the A"ps in the emptiness, and be as dead as the ashes burnt down thousands of years ago.
,ven though enchanting sounds come up you shou"d hear nothing2 though wonderfu" sceneries present
themse"ves before your eyes you remain indifferent to them.
)nce upon a time there was a man ca""ed >eu 1hu, who went into a coma because the fotus of true se"f
cou"d not resist the temptation and began to appreciate the fa"se gracefu" scenarios. .ence there came a
figurative idiom of Bverifying heart in a street fu"" of b"ooming f"owers B which is indicative of this
process.
)nce the fotus of the true se"f has come into the upper e"i!ir fie"d you shou"d sett"e your mind-wi""
upon the fotus as gent"y as possib"e, and "et the foetus ga#e upon the emptiness so"itari"y and si"ent"y.
Then fa"" into the profound sti""ness ti"" at "ast a"" motion taking p"ace in your physica" body come to be
at a constant standsti"". The two eyes shou"d never ga#e downward for the reason that something you
beho"d might frighten the fotus of the true se"f at this period. &ometime you may perceive a fire in
upper e"i!ir fie"d begin to f"ame up, and above your head at the same time is a bri""iant sun catching a
fire. At sight of this vision the mind-wi"" shou"d s"ight"y intensify, and has an intention to narrow the
distance between them so that the fire inside shou"d burn upward against the inside surface of your
upper sku"" and the fire outside burn downward against the e!terna" surface of your upper sku"". This
case continuing for some time you wi"" perceive si"ver waves begin to f"ow ti"" sudden"y a good dea" of
terrib"e thunderbo"t comes up as if near at your upper sku"".
A"" of the sudden rosy rays seem to fi"" up a"" space, bri""iant "ighting reaches out its end"ess c"aws as
rapid"y as possib"e ripping the emptiness. And you begin to know your upper sku"" has a bone"ess
opening as "ike a baby, curving inwards and outwards as you breathe "ike a fotus. And it as thin as a
piece of si"k c"oth. 'ou fee" painfu" as if this part of your sku"" has been broken into pieces, or me"ted
down, or cut open by a sharp a!e. About three days "ater the pain wi"" disappear.
)nce the upper sku"" has been thrown open, you shou"d gent"y sett"e the mind-wi"" in upper e"i!ir fie"d
as before. Then you wi"" fee" the body is f"oating in emptiness, your spirits refreshing and a"" is free
from encumbrances, and "ater a"" parts of your body seem to have disappeared without any traces.
$hen the fotus have shifted into upper e"i!ir fie"d and remaining as dead as a stone for a "ong time
without any other response from itse"f, you shou"d "ose no time in spe""ingQ R Q RQ RQ R Q R with your
mind-wi"" in your chest and be""y as i""ustrated in figure 1. The spe""ing shou"d be carried out by your
mind-wi"" rather than by your throat. Q R can ra""y the yang =i of your heart, Q R the yang =i of sp"een, Q R
the yang =i of the "ung, Q R the yang =i of "iver, Q R the yang =i of kidney. $ith each spe""ing at
particu"ar position and mind-wi"" s"ight"y moving from one p"ace to another as i""ustrated in 5igure -,
the five kinds of yang =i wi"" gradua""y converge upon the coccy! pass. Then the mi!ture of the yang
=i wi"" soar up to upper e"i!ir fie"d, and strike the upper part of your sku"", )n perceiving this you
shou"d spe""Q R---as an o! roars---with your mind-wi"" striking against the upper part of your sku"" from
inside, and open your two eyes with their ga#e rushing out from inside the upper part of your sku"" to
the outsid. Then you shou"d train the foetus of your true se"f to go upward to the upper opening of your
sku"" and come down to where it was in upper e"i!ir fie"d, making ready for its re"ease out of the upper
opening.
+aise the Fot#s of /r#e Self in /hree 5ears6 /i!e $'&
Then the five kinds of =i wi"" change into etherea" and gorgeous c"ouds which come f"oating here and
there and gather around the foetus of your true se"f. Instant"y riding a roaming dragon with its mouth
sending out auspicious g"ow and vigorous fire Mf"aming up from be"ow of its spira"ing trunk or riding a
ferocious tiger, the foetus of your true se"f begins to soar upward, me"odious sounds by various
instruments coming up incessant"y, etherea" ange"s and go"den virgin boys we"coming from either side,
and imposing pa"aces of varied fashions receding backward from both sides. To these scenes and sights
you shou"d remain noncha"ant from beginning to the end and adopt the attitude of "etting a"" take their
own courses and they have nothing to do with you. In this way the foetus can at "ast reach the upper
opening of your sku"", and then it shou"d come down to upper e"i!ir fie"d. )f course when it comes
down ever-shifting scenes and sights wi"" come on the scene incessant"y.
Then the foetus wi"" again ascend the upper opening of your sku"" and subse%uent"y descend to origina"
p"ace. These ascend and descent continue one time after another, sudden"y rosy rays seem again to fi""
up a"" universe and go"den "ightning ho"d out its end"ess c"aws tearing the emptiness as ferocious"y as
cou"d be. Immediate"y afterwards a good dea" of thunderbo"ts again seem to be near your sku"" and in a
moment the upper opening has been thrown wide open the second time. At sight of this you shou"d
shift the foetus c"osest to the upper opening with the faintest idea. )nce the foetus reached the upper
opening you shou"d have an idea for the foetus to "eap out of the upper opening with its own eyes
c"osing. Then the foetus has jumped out of the upper opening in a moment and instant"y you perceive
that apart from your own body there has come a second body of you sitting above you head about one
metre away. At this time your ears, together with ears of the foetus shou"d hear inward"y rather than
outward"y----you and the foetus hear inward"y respectfu""y, I mean---and your eyes and the foetus*P
eyes shou"d never response though miracu"ous sights present themse"ves before you and the foetus. 'ou
and the foetus shou"d remain as dead as two stones, as dead"y as ashes burnt down thousands of years
ago. $hyF 0ecause various fa"se visions are presenting themse"ves in groups, )hG y mother and
father are coming up to my two bodies. )hG y grand parents together with my aunt and my unc"e and
my neighbours are coming up a"so.
$hat(s the matterF )hG The %ueen of the .eaven is paying a visit with a "ot of supernatura" beings in
groups fo""owing her ajesty. $hat me"odious and touching tune by severa" etherea" virgin gir"s of
enchanting figure f"uting and piping. A"" is fa"se you must rememberG 'ou and the foetus shou"d
constant"y remain as dead as possib"e.
A"" of the sudden a streak of go"den "ightning rushes upward from your body and ceases its movement
before your eyes and then turns into a bright photosphere hanging there. At sight of this scene you
shou"d have an idea to shift the foetus rapid"y before the bright photosphere. This done you use your
mind-wi"" to contract the photosphere sma""er and sma""er by degrees ti"" it has the si#e of your thumb(s
nai", then gent"y pu"" the photosphere into the foetus. <o sooner has this been done you wi"" find the
foetus has a"ready entered your sku"", then you shou"d pu"" it into upper e"i!ir fie"d again with a faint
mind-wi"". Immediate"y afterwards the foetus and yourse"f shou"d fa"" into the profoundest sti""ness,
and "ater a"" motion in your body again comes to be at a constant standsti"". 'es, you are a dead man
sti"" a"ive againG The go"den "ightning you have pu""ed into the foetus has a wonderfu" effect of me"ting
down a"" physica" form, so you must avai" yourse"f of the "ightning to serve the foetus of your true se"f,
otherwise the foetus is sure to have the encumbrance of form, however "itt"e it may be.
'ou shou"d we"" know the interva" between the time the foetus first jump out of your upper opening
and the time it reenters your sku"" is very short and you shou"d pu"" it into your upper e"i!ir fie"d as
soon as possib"e, with your faint mind-wi"". It wi"" be disastrous to re"ease the foetus of your true se"f
from your body with such an event taking p"ace/ the foetus, once gone, never comes back, which is
remarkab"y indicative that you have not comp"ete"y given up your wor"d"y heart, that is to say, you
have never discip"ined your heart to be as dead as a stone which constant"y remains independent of a""
e!terna" and interna" inf"uences. 0ecause of this kind of danger, as we"" as other endangering your "ife
as I described before, you must give up a"" intentions, motivations, aspirations and so forth, which is a
must to have things achieved in the region of covetousness. 'ou shou"d purge a"" passions comp"ete"y
of your heart, and never be proud of being in possession of miracu"ous power as I described before, and
you shou"d be as heart"ess as a stone, without any fee"ings. In brief, to prevent the foetus of your true
se"f from being gone forever you must discip"ine your heart to be as noncha"ant as possib"e, to be as
dead as ashes burnt down thousands of years ago.
In fact, the re"easing of the foetus of your true se"f the first time signifies the beginning of nursing the
infant of your true se"f for up to three years. To nurse the infant of your true se"f, >ao 1i once said, is to
cu"tivate and train him, of which the cu"tivating process means the infinite emptiness wi"" nurse the
infant of your true se"f in the favorab"e environment of a"" motion taking p"ace in your physica" form
coming to be at a constant standsti""2 and the training process means you shou"d "et him go out and
return at proper time.
The new"y-born infant is very tender in constitution and his ha"o is re"ative"y feeb"e and pa"e, so you
shou"d often fa"" into profound sti""ness to provide favorab"e environment for the infant to be nourished
by the infinite emptiness. 'ou fa""ing into the profoundest sti""ness ti"" a"" seems to have come to be at a
constant standsti"", the infant, a"so at a constant standsti"", wi"" become more and more composed and
indifferent to inf"uence e!erted by things inside and outside.
)nce the infant went out, your mind-wi"" and his shou"d a"ways sett"e into the ha"o surrounding him
without any intermission---though you know where he is, with go"den rays sending out in a"" directions
as "ike a sun, you shou"d never pay the "east attention upon it---then a"" fa"se visions wi"" gradua""y
disappear, besides, the infant shou"d never turn round his head and see you---his mother in the
viewpoint of the profane wor"d---for he might fee" disgust for your form on account of its being "ike an
e!crement.
3ein in Possession of the Sa!e 3ody ,ith /ao
4"ease don(t regard your physica" form, the mother-body of the infant of the true se"f, as a waste or an
encumbrance after the infant of the true se"f has fu""y deve"oped. In rea"ity, after the process of
tempering form with emptiness you body is no "onger the former wor"d"y one, which can be
corroborated by two true ta"es/
>ie T#i, great thinker in :hinese history, ho"ding out two arms, can drift away on the wind before you
know how it is2 Daro, remarkab"y famous for his sitting cross "egged in a cave facing stone wa"" for
as "ong as nine consecutive years without the "east motion, taking a reed b"ade as a canoe, can sai"
across the 'angt#e Aiver. $hyF 0ecause physica" form has merged with the yang pre-heaven mind-wi""
into one, the former is the "atter and the "atter nothing but the former. Therefore, when the physica"
form thorough"y takes residence in yang pre-heaven mind-wi"" it is invisib"e and we"" beyond the
domain of man(s understanding. $hen the yang pre-heaven mind-wi"" takes residence in =i the
physica" form wi"" present itse"f in no time. 5rom this you can understand why the physica" form at this
time wi"" never incur the "east damages in case it be burnt in a hot burning furnace for tens of thousands
of years, or wi"" never be drowned if it stays for innumerab"e years in the deepest p"ace of the ocean in
the wor"d, and you can a"so understand why the form can wa"k without any sha""ow on the trai" when a
si"ver fu"" moon or a rosy sun we"" hangs in the sky. This can be used to e!p"ain some yoga masters(
supernatura" deeds.
It is something that gives birth to the universe is greater than universe, and it is something that
administrates the emptiness that is more powerfu" than emptiness. $e have no suitab"e name to mark it,
so farfetched"y ca"" it Tao or infinite emptiness. ,mptiness owes its birth to Tao, .eaven and ,arth to
emptiness, the myriad of things to .eaven and ,arth. &o does the humankind to .eaven and ,arth.
0ased on the broad tracts of .eaven and ,arth the myriad of things can be born, and just depending
upon the bound"ess e!panse, the emptiness can give births to .eaven and ,arth. Iust because of
something not empty e!isting in the emptiness the emptiness can give birth to emptiness.
That to bear .eaven and ,arth, as we"" as the myriad of things is sure"y the accomp"ishment achieved
by that not empty in the emptiness which takes residence in the nature of the myriad of things as their
arbiter. &omething not empty in the emptiness that takes residence in the nature of the myriad of things
as arbiter a"so take residence in the nature of .eaven and ,arth as their arbiter, because something no
empty in emptiness can give birth to emptiness. And in the same way in the emptiness something not
empty takes residence as its arbiter.
&o after three years of nursing and training you shou"d keep the infant of the true se"f si"ent constant"y
in your upper e"i!ir fie"d as you again fa"" into the state that a"" motion taking p"ace in man(s physica"
form has come to be at a constant standsti"", and since then you shou"d never "et the infant go out, and
both the infant and you shou"d a"ways remain motion"ess "ike a dead man without any motion, because
your physica" form, with the infant of your true se"f repose in your upper e"i!ir fie"d, shou"d gradua""y
be transformed into something be"onging neither to e!istence nor to none!istence, neither a phantom
nor a piece of emptiness, and having neither e!terior nor interior, neither birth nor death. 'es, taking
one step your form"ess form has reached the sun D"et a"ong the moonE, and though the sun is so hot you
can stay in its center for innumerab"e years because you can "odge your physica" form in the yang pre-
heaven mind-wi""---you come into none!istence. 'ou and the infant of the true se"f shou"d fa"" a"ways
deeper and deeper in the profound sti""ness ti"" a"" things in the wor"d seem to have been dead for
hundreds of thousands of years and the mind-wi"" shou"d a"ways pervade throughout the emptiness.
In this way the infant of the true se"f wi"" become more and more etherea" and a"mighty, and more and
more si"ent. .is go"den rays speeding out in a"" directions from him wi"" become more and more
bri""iant. &o when you contract a"" these rays into a photosphere round the infant the photosphere wi""
be brighter than before2 when you spread them out the rays can trave" far more away than before---of
course in this course you shou"d never attempt to do these things but to be a"ways a dead man sti"" a"ive
without the "east intermission.
5or so "ong time have you and the infant of the true se"f reposing in your upper e"i!ir fie"d, remained
dead"y si"ent in the profound sti""ness without the "east motion whatever as if a"" universe has been in
e!tinction for mi""ions of years, that the go"den "ight from the infant has been becoming more and more
bri""iant and as vigorous and hot as a rosy sun. &ometime, "ike fire f"aming out sudden"y, some c"oud-
"ike rays wi"" rush a"" the way out from inner orifices to outer orifices or vice versa. After you don(t
know how "ong time you wi"" perceive that from the very top to the very bottom end"ess stars are
twink"ing and a"" orifices have become crysta"-c"ear and .eaven and ,arth and the myriad of things
have become distinct with the go"den rays shining over them a"". 0ut that is not at a"" the endG &ti"", you
fa"" deeper and deeper in the dead"y si"ence as if the ashes, burnt down hundreds of thousands of years
ago, have been de"ivered to comp"ete destruction. Then a rosy c"oud, vigorous"y and tempestuous"y
engaged in ro""ing motion with tremendous momentum, wi"" rush out of the ysterious 4ass deep in
the infinite emptiness, and fi"" up a"" orifices with etherea" bri""iance without e!ception, and pass
through .eaven and ,arth and myriad of things---a"" becomes crysta" c"ear, as a resu"t.
As if there are end"ess c"ear mirrors arranged throughout the emptiness, the miracu"ous bri""iance is
ref"ected by them a"" and thus wonderfu" visions and sights beyond human(s wits present themse"ves
and become distinct. 'et this is not the end at a""G
&ti"", bring a"" rays into your upper e"i!ir fie"d and s"ip deeper and deeper in the profound sti""ness.
Then after a "ong time the rays wi"" overf"ow your body. Then the most bri""iant g"ow f"ourishing
vigorous"y around you when you contract it with the faint mind-wi"", wi"" thorough"y enter the interior
of the most minute partic"e e!isting in the infinite emptiness. $hen you send the b"a#e a"" out, it can fi""
up the infinite emptiness and reaches the p"aces far more away beyond the "imits of the infinite
emptiness.
Then you perceive that the miracu"ous b"a#e is turning into a rosy sun, and is rushing out of a certain
orifice, then e!p"oding. And the bri""iance rushes to spread a"" over the infinite emptiness. Then end"ess
bri""iant go"den rays, above rushing through the highest "ayers of .eaven and be"ow shining through
the bottom "ayer of ,arth, si"ent"y i""uminate innumerab"e wor"ds and &akyamuni and a good number of
saints present themse"ves before your eyes. 'et this is not yet the end at a""G
&ti"", you shou"d s"ide deeper and deeper in the profoundest si"ence as one year e"apses, two years
e"apse, three years e"apse, . . . , a hundred years ro"" away, a thousand years pass away, . . . , ti"" your
form changes into go"den "ight and spreads a"" over the infinite emptiness to become possessed of the
same body with Tao. ,ver since then, the bri""iance fi""ing up the infinite emptiness is eterna""y yours
and you are &akyamuni and &akyamuni is you, and .eaven and ,arth and end"ess rivers and a""
mountain ranges and universe and end"ess generations of humankind, "ike "ines in your pa"m, become a
tiny thing in your hand---you have returned to infinite <irvana.
'et you shou"d know it is the most difficu"t thing to pu"veri#e your form to fi"" up the infinite
emptiness. To achieve this, Da o, spent nine consecutive years "ike a dead man---how fortunateG
---sitting cross-"egged in a cave facing stone wa"" without any motion.
The sun is sure to e!haust a"" its energy sometime and come to a comp"ete destruction sometime2 the
broad e!panse of ocean may sometime be drained dry of water and the ground may curve in or curve
out, even the most magnificent mountain ranges may sometime undergo tremendous transformations
and become p"ain. In brief, the universe is destined to pass away sometime because e!istence means
both birth and death. 'et Tao, depending upon nothing for its e!istence, wi"" engage in its own
particu"ar motion incessant"y, thus it is eterna".
S/EP '0 L1PSA222
Heart fasting
Sitting in forgetfulness
Follow the golden mean
Daoyin
Tuna(Breathing technique)
Breath-listening
Heel breathing
Recede into quietude
editation
!ay attention u"on one
Food-fasting
#li$ir-ta%ing
Fang&hong(Se$ual intercourse techniques)
ani"ulate qi
Fetus breathing
'lchemy
(olden #li$ir
Foundation-laying and Heart-disci"lining)
Transform fertili&ing fluid into qi
Transform qi into congenital mind-will(Shen)
(i*ing birth to the fetus of true self
!ossessing same body with Tao
(host celestial being
ortal celestial being
#arth celestial being
Sage immortal
Hea*enly immortal
+ongenital qi
!ure ,ang
,ellowish shoot
!ure-,ang 'rising time
Regional go*ernors
True medicine
Second stirring inter*al
Three cor"se go*ernors
edicine ingredients
Raw medicine
Ri"e medicine
Si$ omens
+ulti*ate life force and congenital nature
together
-ntelligent swords
Daogui
Drin% daogui
Regulate breathing and concentrate mind-will
.ot in thorough forgetfulness and not in
thorough concentration
+auldron and sto*e
/ead and mercury
Rootless tree
Ren channel and Du channel
Three treasure
0ing(fertili&ing fluid)
1i(*ita-*a"or)
Shen(+ongenital mind-will)
+ongenital nature
(old infant and fairy maiden
Three flowers con*erge o*erhead
Three %inds of celestial fire
Three Huns and se*en !os
Harmoni&ed four emblematic symbols
Fi*e %inds of qi con*erging u"on Dantian
Fi*e dragons u"bearing ri"e medicine
ysterious "ass
Bellows
+honglou(wind"i"e)
+ongenital constitution
'cquired constitution
'cquired breathing
+ongenital breathing
Sage2s breathing
ortal breathing
ag"ie bridge
,inqiao(Huiyin acu"oint)
S"inal waterway
Small waterwheel and big waterwheel
Fire
Soft fire
Strong fire
#$tinguish fire
Fi*e shoots
#li$ir
Reco*er lost treasure
Rabbit marrow
(old tortoise and 3ade rabbit
Se*en doors
4-Huan 5-6huan
Dantian(#li$ir field)
/ower Dantian
iddle Dantian
7""er Dantian
Red "alace
Three "asses
0ia3i "ass
,u&hen "ass
'd*ance ,ang fire and withdraw ,in symbols
Sealing-u" nourishment
Tem"er gold from ore
True mind-will leading qi
oistening inter*al
Drin% 0ade liquid to reco*er lost treasure
Drin% (old liquid to reco*er lost treasure
Bring true self into golden light
8ind
oon
Snow
True mind-will
Rush o"en the "ass
9nac%: money: "artner and a""ro"riate site
Tao
De
Tao follows the way of nature
Return to sim"licity and sincerity
Benefit myriad of all things
See% the quiescence of heart and cleanse the
heart of all desires and "assion)
#ternal life