DynamicEquilibrium

Below, a revised translation of a brief discussion on the Way of the Elixir or Alchemical Way authored few days ago by a Taoist master under his pen name Jiliao Shanfu. "What qualifies as an "alchemical classic" (丹经) contains at least 85% coded language. Words are merely a vehicle, not the true meaning, the true meaning lies entirely beyond the words. The Wuliu Xianzong (五柳仙宗), which appeared later, is the most "accessible" alchemical classic, yet the author explicitly forbids his successors from making its commentary, saying that whoever comments and annotates is wrong. At the same time, for certain explanations in the book that are relatively detailed, specific, and seemingly very important, the author often negates them with phrases like "the term is right but the method is not," "the term is right but the secret formula is not," "the term is right but the thing is not," "the term is right but the fire is not," and also says: "How can secret formulas be clarified on paper?" A few days ago, I saw again some people giving lectures about alchemical classics without real practice, and I spontaneously wrote several small poems and one short text, as follows. Brief Discussion on the Alchemical Way (by Jiliao Shanfu) Some people may have read a few alchemical classics and already think themselves experts in the Alchemical Way and its cultivation, so they go everywhere giving lectures on alchemical classics. Decades ago, I heard from my senior brother, my master, my master-uncle, and my grand-master that such people are called "alchemical classic baskets" (丹经篓子). A leaky basket cannot hold water, if you force water into it, it will necessarily spill everywhere, leak everywhere, drip everywhere, turning the ground into a real quagmire. "Alchemical classic baskets" have not necessarily taken the time to cultivate themselves step by step with a calm heart, yet they preach alchemical classics everywhere, peddle the notion of the Mysterious Pass (玄关) in all places, speak illusorily of "the single opening of the Mysterious Pass," which has caused "cultivation" to spread like a flood among humans, seriously deviating from the spirit of the Alchemical Way. All who truly cultivate never make a display of their cultivation. All who have entered even slightly into the gate of the Alchemical Way never speak of the Alchemical Way. Everything that deserves to be called an alchemical classic necessarily contains coded language, and the true meaning does not reside in the words themselves. Thus, if one has not obtained the true methods and secret formulas, even if you read the alchemical classics until they're completely worn out, recite them backwards by heart, or carefully analyze every word and study them diligently, you will inevitably take the wrong path. Regarding the characteristic of coded language in alchemical classics, the sages of the past already left teachings: "The last sentence cannot be spoken," "After obtaining the secret formula, one returns to read books with benefit," etc. Once the secret formula is obtained, one suddenly realizes: the words of alchemical classics are just an "empty bowl," they serve to "contain rice," they are absolutely not the "rice" itself, so they absolutely cannot fill the "belly." One also understands: the Mysterious Pass is neither inside the body nor outside the body, it does not leave the inside of the body, nor does it leave the outside of the body. Thus, those who preach alchemical classics and those who respectfully listen to these preachings are all in the situation of "talking about food all day long without ever feeling repleted," and even more "their two feet truly cannot leave the ground, yet they speak in vain of riding mists and mounting clouds." Among the masters of all eras and the true immortals who attained the Way, who accomplished themselves by relying on alchemical classics? It's like with craftsmen: even a simple carpenter who doesn't know a single character can clearly explain carpentry work, whereas those "theoretical baskets" who know many characters, have read many books, but have never touched adze, chisel, axe, or saw—their words truly don't deserve to be remembered. Since ancient times, people of great aspiration who truly cultivate and truly realize, before obtaining the secret formula, rely on alchemical classics, after obtaining the secret formula, they completely abandon alchemical classics. Hence the saying: Before having obtained the true secret formula, words are all a support, after having obtained the true secret formula, words are all a burden. Since ancient times, all who have succeeded in cultivating the Way have necessarily gone through a process of ten years, twenty years, or even a lifetime visiting enlightened masters to seek methods and secret formulas, but ultimately, those who obtain the secret formulas remain extremely rare. Master Sanfeng (Zhang Sanfeng) only met the True Man Fire Dragon (Huolong Zhenren) at the age of 73 to receive the transmission of secret formulas, and afterwards he attained the Way and returned to Authenticity. The great aspiration of people today has shifted elsewhere. The atmosphere of visiting enlightened masters and seeking secret formulas, still common thirty years ago, is becoming ancient history, becoming the "hearsay" of outsiders who will study insiders in the future. Moved by this atmosphere of "refusing to practice, only loving to preach," "luring sacred roots into ordinary soil," between sadness and sighs, I composed the following small poems. The Mysterious Opening (two poems) First: The mysterious opening connects Heaven and Earth, Its crossroads joins the root of Creation. The lineage of immortals values return to simplicity, To enter sainthood, one depends on this gate. Second: The mysterious opening connects Heaven and Earth, Deep within it hides the light of sun and moon. Concentrating the spirit to contemplate that celestial palace, The empty chamber reflects true constancy. Appearances of "Cultivation" (five poems) First: Great men discuss methods and formulas, Discoursing on paper about longevity. Yet both their feet struggle to leave the ground, While they speak only of affairs above the clouds. Second: Those who cultivate the Way are as numerous as grains of river sand, Their passionate fervor shakes the heavens. Though they harbor ambitions as vast as mountains and seas, They refuse to abandon their worldly attachments. Third: Having pierced through tens of thousands of alchemical classics, Marvelous theories overflow in rivers and lakes. Learning fills a thousand carts to the brim, Yet not a single one truly comprehends the Way's path. Fourth: Marvelous theories scrutinizing Heaven, discoursing on cultivation, One sees only luxury and splendor, never real merit. Talking about food all day long yet never satisfied, Boasting of dreams within dreams, all becomes empty in the end. Fifth: Ten thousand alchemical classics discussed on paper, Cloud poetry and paintings—a sky at the bottom of a well. A thousand scenes become a thousand obstacles, The Way in the void is naturally itself."

Another possible issue is that chinese cararcters have both visual and sound meanings which do not necesseraly match each others and on top of that, Mandarin may not be the original dialect in which these caracters were pronounced. An interesting topic related to these issues is 'sound symbolism' which has an fundamental role in 祝由 Zhu you/Zuk jau. By definition, without lineage, there's no traditional transmission, the concept of lineage is inherent to traditions otherwise they can't be defined as an unbroken transmission through generations and Taoism without traditional lineage is nothing more but a modern 'new age' degeneration, sorry indeed🙇🏻

Indeed!

Your words are like clean and pure water 🌳

Yes, let it flow with the flow

Agree, if you get lost alone in Amazonia jungle you better have the knowlege and skills to survive in such environnement with very dangerous animals, insects bacterias and viruses trying to kill you, even if you are vegan. 山術 "Mountain knowlege and skills".

無為 Wu wei the action of Wu instead of non-doing can be a good translation in your opinion ?

I though it was about animals eating each others, i'm disapointed 😁

別陰陽雙修我!! 🤣😂🤣 Improving my chinese with you every day teacher 正氣龍

The concept of "ghost in the machine" is a critic of body/mind dualism a la Descartes, but really, without body/integration or psychosomatic integration, we will never understand the meaning of Wuwei. Why ? Because it would always remain a concept separated from the body. To solve this issue we have 性命雙修 so we can transform concepts into real actions in the very real ordinary daily Life.

Through which device comes understanding of the concept ? Body 身 or mind 心 ?

It doesn't matter actually, because the very very real meanings of these caracters cannot be extracted, understood and expressed by 識神 Shi shen since it is not the correct device to do the decoding/encoding.

Do you learn from a member of the Tao Bums who got banned ? Then please teach him if you really understand what you write on this forum and that always transform into nothing but a period mark. Can you get the point?

The correct translation is 🐉🥷🏻🤣

術無道即空術 Technic without without tao is an empty technic, how to make a difference ?

And better to use clean water to wash something 🤣

Hello! Sorry i'm too busy to check, are you a Zen practitioner ?

🥰

Well, do you remember how we met ?

Yes, so we must make everything clearer, more simple and more reasonable

You are absolutely correct, we hide our weak bodies in the shadow, but we shouldn't fear the light either my dearest 氣龍.

Before going into spirituality which i love, i need to practice some more of our Taoist medecine joint cultivation of Xing and Ming 道醫性命雙修 to heal and maintain a healthy ordinary life. Can't say i do Neidan at the moment because it won't be true. You got me loud and clear in the poor joke message, but i feel responsability to make my position clearer and clearer little by little anyways.

Of course, that's why it didn't work 🤐

Thanks, 氣龍 my friend 🙇🏻

Yes, i've practiced quite a lot, too much even, i've tried Taoist meditation, Qigong, psychological counselling...Neidan too even, and some others therapies, but still i was always doing something that ruined a lot of things in my life, so i felt terrible, with a lot of bitterness and regrets in my heart. Fortunately ten years ago i've found something that slowly begun to effect from the core and it is still a real struggle to strenghten it. So far i can say that i have a much better sustainable development in my life with a lot of meaningful things coming back in the whole picture. Before i was really toooo serious, always calculating and if i didn't smile i looked like a silent killer. But fortunately i've found my Master on my internal internet amazon and he gave me a medecine to release the pressure and heal my psychic digestive system. Let me introduce him in this discussion : Sorry couldn't resist, very poor self-control abilities at this stage 😁