Classic Taoists texts are notoriously difficult to decipher, even for scholars of classical Chinese. A notable example being most famous Confucius Scholar in Sung Dynasty Zhu Xi (朱熹). It is interesting to note that Zhu officially condemned Taoist meditation (Neidan) but studied it in private and even wrote a commentary on the famous Neidan text Can Tong Qi under a Taoist pen-name (朱熹《周易參同契考異》化名空同道士鄒訢）! Though it turned out that Zhu's commentary is more difficult to decipher than the original Can Tong Qi, it shows the mesmerizing attractiveness of Taoist meditation or Neidan.
The fact that Neidan texts are difficult to understand is due their complex signification systems and concepts. I shall use one example here to explain my contention: the concept of Nature (先天) versus Nurture (后天).
For a modern man, Nature refers to anything coming from genetics and Nurture refers to anything coming from learning. Not so in Neidan texts. There Nurture refers to anything related to our being after conception, and Nature refers to the elements that breeds a sentient being and after his death the elements will go back to their original place.
Under this Taoist Neidan concept, anything that can improve our well-being and longevity belongs to the arena of Nurture (后天). And according to the Taoists, the training of one's Nature (先天) is the most important goal and actually THE goal of the whole Neidan practice. The interesting point is that in the practice of Neidan, a practitioner has to go through perfecting his Nurture elements before he can completely purify or transform his Nature elements. And honestly speaking, most people, now and then, are more interested in perfecting their own Nurture and would prefer leaving Nature to take its own course, including common people who take Taoism as a religion (words as defined in the Taoist way). Understanding this human "weakness", the Taoist masters always intermixed "Nurture" and "Nature" aspects of their practice together, with the good intention of convincing us "shallow mortals" to pay more attention to our "Nature" (or spirituality, as a modern man will like to put it this way; though spirituality is merely a slightly closer rather than an equivalent concept to "Nature"), which is the most important goal to achieve in life.
Good health, both physical and mental, and longevity are things most people would love to have, now and in the past!
And the fact is that people can (and could) see that those who practice Taoist Neidan (and its related practices like chi-kung and Tai-chi) do look healthier and live longer! No wonder famous Confucius scholar Zhu studied Can Tong Qi secretly and tried to decipher its complex signification system!
Who doesn't want to live longer and healthier?
PS: I shall discuss the ambitious Neidan goal of "Transforming Nature" in some future posts.
Showing posts with label Can Tong Qi (參同契) wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Can Tong Qi (參同契) wisdom. Show all posts
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
How to read the Taoist classic Can Tong Qi? (2/2)
This is Master Zhang's verse on Can Tong Qi:
大丹妙用法乾坤，乾坤运兮五行分；五行顺兮常道有生有灭，五行逆兮丹体常灵常存。一自虚无质兆，两仪因一开根，四象不离二体，八卦互为子孙。万象生乎变动，吉凶悔吝兹分。百姓日用不知，圣人能究本源。顾易道妙尽乾坤之理，遂托象于斯文。否泰交，则阴阳或升或降；屯蒙作，则动静在朝在昏。坎离为男女水火，震兑乃龙虎魄魂。守中则黄裳元吉，遇亢则无位无尊。既未慎万物之终始，復姤昭二气之归奔。月亏盈，应精神之衰旺；日出没，合荣卫之寒温。本立言以明象，既得象以忘言。犹设象以指意，悟真意则象捐。达者惟简惟易，迷者愈惑愈繁。故之修真之士，读《参同契》者不在乎泥象执文。
My translation:
The clever usage of Neidan is in-line with the natural order of Qian (乾) and Kun （坤）,
Qian and Kun breeds the Five elements （五行),
The natural development of the Five elements breeds the cycles of Life and Death,
The turning back of this natural course breeds the elixir to Immortality (丹).
One comes from Nothingness,
One then splits into Two of Yin and Yang (两仪),
Two combines to offer Four (四象),
Each of the Eight trigrams can evolve into one another, like grandfather like grandson.
The logic of such change breeds infinite possibility,
Good fortune or bad thus come from such successive changes.
The common people don't know this change happening daily,
Only the sage understands the logic behind.
Therefore I-ching reviews the theory of change of Qian and Kun,
therefore the author (of Can Tong Qi) used it to signify his (Neidan) teaching.
Pi（否） and Tai (泰） are used to signify the rise or fall of Yin and Yang,
Tun (屯） and Meng (蒙) are used to signify changes in the early morning and late evening,
Kan (坎) and Li (离) are used to signify male and female, water and fire.
Zhen (震） and Dui (兑） are used to signify dragon and tiger, Po (魄) and Hun (魂).
Keep to one's centre (收中） is expressed by the good omen of nondistinct-yellow-clothes (黄裳元吉),
When one is being in maximum-Qian (亢), one is advised to stop fire,
Ji (既） and Wei (未) are used to signify the beginning of everything,
Fu (復）and Gou (姤) are used to signify uninterrupted flow (of chi),
The degree of Moon's fullness is used to signify the level of energy,
The rise and fall of the Sun is used to signify the level of Fire.
The Master used I-Ching's signification system to illustrate the inner logic (of Neidan),
Once you have understood the logic you can forget about the signification system.
The logic is used to guide us into the area of subtle feeling and perception,
Once one can feel and perceive, the logic can also be discarded.
Those who are successful find it simple and easy,
Those who are not successful find the path complex and will be entangled inside incomprehensible concepts of the signification system.
My advice to Neidan practitioner:
When you read Can Tong Qi,
Don't (only) labour yourself inside its complex signification system!
Paul's comment: Good advice! Compare: The Diamond Sutra chapter 6: "Monks, you must always remember my Dharma-as-a-raft metaphor: Even my Dharma can be cast away, more so for those unrelated to my Dharma" - 汝等比丘,知我說法,如筏喻者,法尚應捨,何況非法。
大丹妙用法乾坤，乾坤运兮五行分；五行顺兮常道有生有灭，五行逆兮丹体常灵常存。一自虚无质兆，两仪因一开根，四象不离二体，八卦互为子孙。万象生乎变动，吉凶悔吝兹分。百姓日用不知，圣人能究本源。顾易道妙尽乾坤之理，遂托象于斯文。否泰交，则阴阳或升或降；屯蒙作，则动静在朝在昏。坎离为男女水火，震兑乃龙虎魄魂。守中则黄裳元吉，遇亢则无位无尊。既未慎万物之终始，復姤昭二气之归奔。月亏盈，应精神之衰旺；日出没，合荣卫之寒温。本立言以明象，既得象以忘言。犹设象以指意，悟真意则象捐。达者惟简惟易，迷者愈惑愈繁。故之修真之士，读《参同契》者不在乎泥象执文。
My translation:
The clever usage of Neidan is in-line with the natural order of Qian (乾) and Kun （坤）,
Qian and Kun breeds the Five elements （五行),
The natural development of the Five elements breeds the cycles of Life and Death,
The turning back of this natural course breeds the elixir to Immortality (丹).
One comes from Nothingness,
One then splits into Two of Yin and Yang (两仪),
Two combines to offer Four (四象),
Each of the Eight trigrams can evolve into one another, like grandfather like grandson.
The logic of such change breeds infinite possibility,
Good fortune or bad thus come from such successive changes.
The common people don't know this change happening daily,
Only the sage understands the logic behind.
Therefore I-ching reviews the theory of change of Qian and Kun,
therefore the author (of Can Tong Qi) used it to signify his (Neidan) teaching.
Pi（否） and Tai (泰） are used to signify the rise or fall of Yin and Yang,
Tun (屯） and Meng (蒙) are used to signify changes in the early morning and late evening,
Kan (坎) and Li (离) are used to signify male and female, water and fire.
Zhen (震） and Dui (兑） are used to signify dragon and tiger, Po (魄) and Hun (魂).
Keep to one's centre (收中） is expressed by the good omen of nondistinct-yellow-clothes (黄裳元吉),
When one is being in maximum-Qian (亢), one is advised to stop fire,
Ji (既） and Wei (未) are used to signify the beginning of everything,
Fu (復）and Gou (姤) are used to signify uninterrupted flow (of chi),
The degree of Moon's fullness is used to signify the level of energy,
The rise and fall of the Sun is used to signify the level of Fire.
The Master used I-Ching's signification system to illustrate the inner logic (of Neidan),
Once you have understood the logic you can forget about the signification system.
The logic is used to guide us into the area of subtle feeling and perception,
Once one can feel and perceive, the logic can also be discarded.
Those who are successful find it simple and easy,
Those who are not successful find the path complex and will be entangled inside incomprehensible concepts of the signification system.
My advice to Neidan practitioner:
When you read Can Tong Qi,
Don't (only) labour yourself inside its complex signification system!
Paul's comment: Good advice! Compare: The Diamond Sutra chapter 6: "Monks, you must always remember my Dharma-as-a-raft metaphor: Even my Dharma can be cast away, more so for those unrelated to my Dharma" - 汝等比丘,知我說法,如筏喻者,法尚應捨,何況非法。
How to read the Taoist classic Can Tong Qi? (1/2)
Can Tong Qi (参同契) has always been famed as The supreme text of Taoist Neidan (内丹), which for some people means that the deepest secret of the art of Neidan was buried inside the text, only if one can understand the text, one will be able to achieve Immortality! Many famous Taoists had tried to decipher the text; the best so far being Qing Dynasty Taoist Master Zhu YuanYu (朱元育), his "Deciphering Can Tong Qi" 《参同契阐幽》 that I mentioned in a previous post. Famous Contemporary scholar Nan HuaiJin (南怀瑾）even gave lectures on Can Tong Qi based on Zhu's book. Nan's lecture notes were later published as "My lecture on Can Tong Qi" 我说参同契。 Not withstanding the above, most people still failed to grasp the core teaching of this text, due to its complexity.
The most important questions to answer are: What is Can Tong Qi all about? What is the organizing structure of Can Tong Qi? And finally, is it necessary to understand Can Tong Qi for successful Neidan practice?
The text that shed some light towards these questions came from Taoist Master Zhang BoDuan 张伯端 famous for his highly readable Wu ZhenPian (悟真篇). Master Zhang was frustrated as every reader in deciphering Can Tong Qi. He wrote a short verse explaining his view towards this classic. I find his verse very interesting, and I shall discuss in the next post!
The most important questions to answer are: What is Can Tong Qi all about? What is the organizing structure of Can Tong Qi? And finally, is it necessary to understand Can Tong Qi for successful Neidan practice?
The text that shed some light towards these questions came from Taoist Master Zhang BoDuan 张伯端 famous for his highly readable Wu ZhenPian (悟真篇). Master Zhang was frustrated as every reader in deciphering Can Tong Qi. He wrote a short verse explaining his view towards this classic. I find his verse very interesting, and I shall discuss in the next post!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Taoist masters' quest for Enlightenment
In ancient China, many Taoist masters got their enlightenment initiated by Taoist meditation not from their masters, but, as we were told, from a spiritual Immortal during their deep meditation or in their dreams. It seems that "All those who seek will find" not only hold true for Christianity, but has meaning to other spiritual search too! Carl Jung, a spiritual searcher, learned a lot from his dreamed figure Philemon, and Indian spiritualists, according to Jung, had all kinds of dreamed gurus teaching them stuffs.
In Taoist spiritual history, Immortal Liu HuaYang （柳華陽） was said to have his final enlightenment taught by Immortal Wu Chongxu （伍沖虛） who died before Liu was even born. And Taoists now and then found no problem accepting this "spiritual fact", without any negative impact towards their spirituality (ref: hardly any believer questions the "authenticity" of the Holy Gospels in Christianity, nor there need be).
Another notable example concerns a Taoist master in Qing Dynasty, master Zhu YuanYu (朱元育). Master Zhu was famous for his book "Deciphering Can Tong Qi" 《参同契阐幽》 explaining the most complex text CanTongQi. He had the following to say in the preface of his book:
元育髫年慕道，最初拜北宗张碧虚师指示玄关，便于此书得个入门而尚未窥其堂奥。从此足穷五岳，遍参诸方，鲜有豁我积疑者。最后入终南深处，幸遇灵宝老人，点开心易，表里洞然，方知一粟可藏世界，微尘堪转法轮，是真实语.
Essentially Zhu said he first learned from his famous master Zhang and read Can Tong Qi but failed to understand fully the practice and the text. After leaving (graduating from) his master, he continued to travel to different mountains of Taoist retreat and tried to seek clarification to his queries from the sages residing there. Finally, he retreated himself into a mountain, and there, he "fortunately" met with an elder Lingbao, who led him into the destination of final enlightenment. Who is Lingbao? He is one of the top three highest spirits in Taoism!
What kind of conclusions can be drawn? Tentatively, here are mine:
Fortunately for the modern man, we usually don't need to go so far as to seek for a total personality overhaul.
PS: Zhu's text is the best book in explaining or deciphering Can Tong Qi.
In Taoist spiritual history, Immortal Liu HuaYang （柳華陽） was said to have his final enlightenment taught by Immortal Wu Chongxu （伍沖虛） who died before Liu was even born. And Taoists now and then found no problem accepting this "spiritual fact", without any negative impact towards their spirituality (ref: hardly any believer questions the "authenticity" of the Holy Gospels in Christianity, nor there need be).
Another notable example concerns a Taoist master in Qing Dynasty, master Zhu YuanYu (朱元育). Master Zhu was famous for his book "Deciphering Can Tong Qi" 《参同契阐幽》 explaining the most complex text CanTongQi. He had the following to say in the preface of his book:
元育髫年慕道，最初拜北宗张碧虚师指示玄关，便于此书得个入门而尚未窥其堂奥。从此足穷五岳，遍参诸方，鲜有豁我积疑者。最后入终南深处，幸遇灵宝老人，点开心易，表里洞然，方知一粟可藏世界，微尘堪转法轮，是真实语.
Essentially Zhu said he first learned from his famous master Zhang and read Can Tong Qi but failed to understand fully the practice and the text. After leaving (graduating from) his master, he continued to travel to different mountains of Taoist retreat and tried to seek clarification to his queries from the sages residing there. Finally, he retreated himself into a mountain, and there, he "fortunately" met with an elder Lingbao, who led him into the destination of final enlightenment. Who is Lingbao? He is one of the top three highest spirits in Taoism!
What kind of conclusions can be drawn? Tentatively, here are mine:
- A master can only open the door, a student has to do his or her own search into life's mysteries.
- A good and honest student will know exactly when he hasn't got it, and when he got it.
- It takes years to solve life's mysteries the Taoist way
- The solution is a complete mind/body change
- The change is so profound and complete that a believer can only conclude that it has to be from someone with superhuman power.
Fortunately for the modern man, we usually don't need to go so far as to seek for a total personality overhaul.
PS: Zhu's text is the best book in explaining or deciphering Can Tong Qi.
 |
| A Korean translation of Zhu's book on Can Tong Qi |
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Zen & Tao Poetic 3 - Can Tong Qi 30
參同契30章
關關雎鳩，在河之洲，窈窕淑女，君子好逑。雄不獨處，雌不孤居。玄武龜蛇，蟠虯相扶，以明牝牡，意當相須。假使二女共室，顏色甚姝，蘇秦通言，張儀結媒，發辨利舌，奮舒美辭，推心調諧，合為夫妻，弊髮腐齒，終不相知。若藥物非種，名類不同，分劑參差，失其綱紀，雖黃帝臨爐，太乙執火，八公擣煉，淮南調合，立宇崇壇，玉為階陛，麟脯鳳腊，把籍長跪，禱祀神祗，請哀諸鬼，沐浴齋戒，冀有所望，亦猶和膠補釜，以磠塗瘡，去冷加冰，除熱用湯，飛龜舞蛇，愈見乖張。
As I mentioned in some previous posts, Can Tong Qi is a poetic text, it has a lot of references to many classic Chinese texts, imagery, allusion and symbols. In this chapter, the author begins with stanzas taken from a famous romantic love poem borrowed from Classic of Poetry, and it reads as:
"The courting cries of the fishhawks
by the center river greens
Like every fair lady
crying for attention of every eligible male"
And the context continues with the key message:
"Male does not live alone, nor female dwells in solitude"
The author's artistic imagery follows:
"Like the mythical snake-tortoise two as one
Or Dragons intermingle inseparably as one
Both male and female are essential parts
A focused mind is required to make them join"
Our author continued with his debate using aesthetics:
"Assuming two beautiful ladies co-habit in one room
With most persuasive talker to convince
The most successful middleman to tie the string of vow
With convincing sweet talks and heart-to-heart matching
and become a couple
Till the day their hairs fell and their teeth decayed
No outcome can be achieved"
When applied to Neidan practice, our author here gave his advice, so he continued as follows:
"If the ingredients are not of the right type, of the wrong category or in the wrong combination, diverts from the straight rules and discipline, then even if
the Supreme Emperor supervises the alchemical process
Tao itself manages the fire
the eight wise men operate the refining
Famous magician HuaiNan does the mixing
Under a spacious building and a towering alter
Above a jade platform
Offering meats of male unicorn and female phoenix
Lengthy Kneeing and praying upon classic texts
Asking favor from all the gods
Crying help from all evil spirits
Cleanse oneself and do fasting
Wishing to deliver what is being asked for,
It is going to fail like gluing a broken pot
or fail like trying to heal an infection with Salty liquorice
Use ice to warm up
Use hot soup to cool down
As ridiculous as flying tortoise and dancing snake."
My dear readers, this is an example of the poetic of Can TongQi as expressed in its chapter 30.
關關雎鳩，在河之洲，窈窕淑女，君子好逑。雄不獨處，雌不孤居。玄武龜蛇，蟠虯相扶，以明牝牡，意當相須。假使二女共室，顏色甚姝，蘇秦通言，張儀結媒，發辨利舌，奮舒美辭，推心調諧，合為夫妻，弊髮腐齒，終不相知。若藥物非種，名類不同，分劑參差，失其綱紀，雖黃帝臨爐，太乙執火，八公擣煉，淮南調合，立宇崇壇，玉為階陛，麟脯鳳腊，把籍長跪，禱祀神祗，請哀諸鬼，沐浴齋戒，冀有所望，亦猶和膠補釜，以磠塗瘡，去冷加冰，除熱用湯，飛龜舞蛇，愈見乖張。
As I mentioned in some previous posts, Can Tong Qi is a poetic text, it has a lot of references to many classic Chinese texts, imagery, allusion and symbols. In this chapter, the author begins with stanzas taken from a famous romantic love poem borrowed from Classic of Poetry, and it reads as:
"The courting cries of the fishhawks
by the center river greens
Like every fair lady
crying for attention of every eligible male"
And the context continues with the key message:
"Male does not live alone, nor female dwells in solitude"
The author's artistic imagery follows:
"Like the mythical snake-tortoise two as one
Or Dragons intermingle inseparably as one
Both male and female are essential parts
A focused mind is required to make them join"
Our author continued with his debate using aesthetics:
"Assuming two beautiful ladies co-habit in one room
With most persuasive talker to convince
The most successful middleman to tie the string of vow
With convincing sweet talks and heart-to-heart matching
and become a couple
Till the day their hairs fell and their teeth decayed
No outcome can be achieved"
When applied to Neidan practice, our author here gave his advice, so he continued as follows:
"If the ingredients are not of the right type, of the wrong category or in the wrong combination, diverts from the straight rules and discipline, then even if
the Supreme Emperor supervises the alchemical process
Tao itself manages the fire
the eight wise men operate the refining
Famous magician HuaiNan does the mixing
Under a spacious building and a towering alter
Above a jade platform
Offering meats of male unicorn and female phoenix
Lengthy Kneeing and praying upon classic texts
Asking favor from all the gods
Crying help from all evil spirits
Cleanse oneself and do fasting
Wishing to deliver what is being asked for,
It is going to fail like gluing a broken pot
or fail like trying to heal an infection with Salty liquorice
Use ice to warm up
Use hot soup to cool down
As ridiculous as flying tortoise and dancing snake."
My dear readers, this is an example of the poetic of Can TongQi as expressed in its chapter 30.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Ulysses and Can Tong Qi 《參同契》
James Joyce's Elysses is considered by many to be the most important novel in modern literature. Yet, most people haven't finished reading it, and for those who have read the book, few understand many of its allusions, metaphors and references (Joyce once disclosed that he did it intentionally so as to make future scholars labor endlessly on his work). It is the same for Can Tong Qi 《參同契》, considered by many Neidan 内丹 (Taoist yoga) practitioners as a sacred text. The text is rich with metaphors and allusions, dense and complex, even considered by some as "revelations" from higher spirituality. And, many spent endless hours trying to to decipher the texts for their own satisfaction.
James Joyce was both an excellent writer and a good businessman. He was depicted in Tom Stoppard's famous play Travesties as s shrewd businessman who organized drama production, and incidentally had a legal battle with one of his player Henry Carr (with Joyce won the legal battles eventually in real life).
Carl Jung (as well as Lenin and other famous personalities) was also in Switzerland at that time of WWII, and he treated the mental disorder of Joyce's daughter (when Jung failed to cure her to his satisfaction, Joyce was said to put Jung as one of his minor character and made fun of Jung's Anima theory). The relevancy here is that Joyce was familiar with the psychology of the unconscious. And like Jung, he got his fair share of spiritual revelation.
As a more rational person, James Joyce didn't make his Ulysses his book of revelation. He wrote another book for this purpose, and it is called Finnegans Wake (incidentally Jung's book or revelation is his "Seven Sermons to the Dead"). Hence James Joyce's Ulysses continues to be a classic of modern literature instead of a book on spiritual revelation.
Can Tong Qi is on the other hand the definitive book of revelation of Taoist Master Wei BoYang (魏伯陽), now a definitive text on Neidan (Taoist yoga). As a book of revelation (like Joyce's Finnegans Wake or Jung's Seven Sermons to the Dead), it is highly complex with allusions, metaphors and mysterious significations. Depending on one's belief, it can be interpreted as the high (or highest) spirit speaks, or as Carl Jung would suggest, man's collective archetype speaks, and such revelations stand precariously between the sane and the lunatic, the spiritual and the pathological!
Revelation always draws its own disciples (how many and from where differ). It is understandable for Can Tong Qi, but actually FW and Seven Sermons stood the same, and many a fan of Carl Jung considered him a gnostic rather than a scientist after reading (and re-reading and re-reading...) of his Seven Sermons!
So, it is no wonder that there will be some Neidan practitioners who continue to try to find some hidden secret from Can Tong Qi, and no wonder there will be belief that such secret can reveal the final mystery of Tao, longevity, physical immortality and the living/non-living/spiritual world!
On the other hand, from my own reading of many important classic Taoist texts, I noticed that many prominent Taoists in the past understood the nature of revelations, and would try to look at Can Tong Qi from a more rational angle. For example, the famous Taoist Zhang ZiYang (張紫陽) of the Sung Dynasty who wrote the famous classic text "Folios on Awakening to Reality" 悟真篇, wrote the short piece "Reading Can Tong Qi" 读周易参同契.
At the end of his reading, master Zhang wrote:故知修真志士，讀《參同契》不在夫泥象執文。 And Grandmaster of Centering-lineage(中派) Li DaoChun (李道純）of Qing Dynasty further explained as: 修真高士讀《參同契》者，當咀味求玄，必得之也。執文泥象，奚益者哉。 (A student of Taoist (ultimate) reality who reads Can Tong Qi can obtain good advice from slow and careful reading of this mysterious text. However, if he stubbornly tries to dig out clear explanation for every word, saying, metaphor and signification, he will get nothing useful).
All in all, a reading of Ulysses and Can Tong Qi will be beneficial to those who are interested in the respective subject matter, former being modern literature, while later being Neidan (Taoist yoga). But one is advised not to try to dig out every piece of supposedly "hidden secret" inside the texts. And with this I rest my case.
James Joyce was both an excellent writer and a good businessman. He was depicted in Tom Stoppard's famous play Travesties as s shrewd businessman who organized drama production, and incidentally had a legal battle with one of his player Henry Carr (with Joyce won the legal battles eventually in real life).
Carl Jung (as well as Lenin and other famous personalities) was also in Switzerland at that time of WWII, and he treated the mental disorder of Joyce's daughter (when Jung failed to cure her to his satisfaction, Joyce was said to put Jung as one of his minor character and made fun of Jung's Anima theory). The relevancy here is that Joyce was familiar with the psychology of the unconscious. And like Jung, he got his fair share of spiritual revelation.
As a more rational person, James Joyce didn't make his Ulysses his book of revelation. He wrote another book for this purpose, and it is called Finnegans Wake (incidentally Jung's book or revelation is his "Seven Sermons to the Dead"). Hence James Joyce's Ulysses continues to be a classic of modern literature instead of a book on spiritual revelation.
Can Tong Qi is on the other hand the definitive book of revelation of Taoist Master Wei BoYang (魏伯陽), now a definitive text on Neidan (Taoist yoga). As a book of revelation (like Joyce's Finnegans Wake or Jung's Seven Sermons to the Dead), it is highly complex with allusions, metaphors and mysterious significations. Depending on one's belief, it can be interpreted as the high (or highest) spirit speaks, or as Carl Jung would suggest, man's collective archetype speaks, and such revelations stand precariously between the sane and the lunatic, the spiritual and the pathological!
Revelation always draws its own disciples (how many and from where differ). It is understandable for Can Tong Qi, but actually FW and Seven Sermons stood the same, and many a fan of Carl Jung considered him a gnostic rather than a scientist after reading (and re-reading and re-reading...) of his Seven Sermons!
So, it is no wonder that there will be some Neidan practitioners who continue to try to find some hidden secret from Can Tong Qi, and no wonder there will be belief that such secret can reveal the final mystery of Tao, longevity, physical immortality and the living/non-living/spiritual world!
On the other hand, from my own reading of many important classic Taoist texts, I noticed that many prominent Taoists in the past understood the nature of revelations, and would try to look at Can Tong Qi from a more rational angle. For example, the famous Taoist Zhang ZiYang (張紫陽) of the Sung Dynasty who wrote the famous classic text "Folios on Awakening to Reality" 悟真篇, wrote the short piece "Reading Can Tong Qi" 读周易参同契.
At the end of his reading, master Zhang wrote:故知修真志士，讀《參同契》不在夫泥象執文。 And Grandmaster of Centering-lineage(中派) Li DaoChun (李道純）of Qing Dynasty further explained as: 修真高士讀《參同契》者，當咀味求玄，必得之也。執文泥象，奚益者哉。 (A student of Taoist (ultimate) reality who reads Can Tong Qi can obtain good advice from slow and careful reading of this mysterious text. However, if he stubbornly tries to dig out clear explanation for every word, saying, metaphor and signification, he will get nothing useful).
All in all, a reading of Ulysses and Can Tong Qi will be beneficial to those who are interested in the respective subject matter, former being modern literature, while later being Neidan (Taoist yoga). But one is advised not to try to dig out every piece of supposedly "hidden secret" inside the texts. And with this I rest my case.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
The wisdom of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) - Chapter 5
君臣御政章第五
御政之首，鼎新革故。管括微密，開舒布寶。要道魁柄，統化綱紐。爻象內動，吉凶外起，五緯錯順，應時感動。四七乖戾，誃離俯仰。文昌統錄，詰責台輔, 百官有司，各典所部。日合五行精，月受六律紀。五六三十度，度竟復更始。原始要終，存亡之緒，或君驕佚，亢滿違道﹔或臣邪佞，行不順軌。弦望盈縮，乖變凶咎。執法刺譏，詰過貽主。辰極受正，優游任下。明堂布政，國無害道。
My rendition of Chapter five of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契):
To be a good ruler, one must replace old with new thinking. Manage according to broad principals but pay attention to details. Cover all areas with good intentions but without tight control. The main routes must be wide, and with narrow connecting branches to form an intricate web. Any signal of change comes from inside, whereas any source of fortune or misfortune comes from outside. The strings of the five elements shall be activated only upon right moment being felt. When the moment is not right, stay calm. Instructions should be organized from the center, every senior official is to carry out his specific instructions, and every minor official also has his own responsibility to run his own department. Like the Sun follows the essence of the five elements, while the Moon follows the pattern of the six sounds. Five days of six sessions make 30 days, and this cycle repeats itself. Whenever there is a beginning there will be an end. It goes astray when the emperor being too confident and acts against the wisdom of Tao, or when his officials being vicious and do not follow his rightful instructions. Like tightening and loosening a string to maintain the right tension, any tipping to one side must be brought back to harmony, otherwise disaster will come. When the law is being carried out too rigidly, the fault is with the emperor. When the morning ends, noon will come; there is no reason for the emperor not to manage leisurely. With a clear understand of the nature of ruling, the country will not go astray from Tao.
Paul's comment: This chapter explained succinctly the Tao's way of managing a country. This chapter serves the purpose of showing the way of Tao being applicable to sound harmonious running of human society, as well as to sound harmonious cultivation inside a human body. The later being the practice of inner alchemy or Neidan, the main subject of Can Tong Qi.
御政之首，鼎新革故。管括微密，開舒布寶。要道魁柄，統化綱紐。爻象內動，吉凶外起，五緯錯順，應時感動。四七乖戾，誃離俯仰。文昌統錄，詰責台輔, 百官有司，各典所部。日合五行精，月受六律紀。五六三十度，度竟復更始。原始要終，存亡之緒，或君驕佚，亢滿違道﹔或臣邪佞，行不順軌。弦望盈縮，乖變凶咎。執法刺譏，詰過貽主。辰極受正，優游任下。明堂布政，國無害道。
My rendition of Chapter five of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契):
To be a good ruler, one must replace old with new thinking. Manage according to broad principals but pay attention to details. Cover all areas with good intentions but without tight control. The main routes must be wide, and with narrow connecting branches to form an intricate web. Any signal of change comes from inside, whereas any source of fortune or misfortune comes from outside. The strings of the five elements shall be activated only upon right moment being felt. When the moment is not right, stay calm. Instructions should be organized from the center, every senior official is to carry out his specific instructions, and every minor official also has his own responsibility to run his own department. Like the Sun follows the essence of the five elements, while the Moon follows the pattern of the six sounds. Five days of six sessions make 30 days, and this cycle repeats itself. Whenever there is a beginning there will be an end. It goes astray when the emperor being too confident and acts against the wisdom of Tao, or when his officials being vicious and do not follow his rightful instructions. Like tightening and loosening a string to maintain the right tension, any tipping to one side must be brought back to harmony, otherwise disaster will come. When the law is being carried out too rigidly, the fault is with the emperor. When the morning ends, noon will come; there is no reason for the emperor not to manage leisurely. With a clear understand of the nature of ruling, the country will not go astray from Tao.
Paul's comment: This chapter explained succinctly the Tao's way of managing a country. This chapter serves the purpose of showing the way of Tao being applicable to sound harmonious running of human society, as well as to sound harmonious cultivation inside a human body. The later being the practice of inner alchemy or Neidan, the main subject of Can Tong Qi.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The wisdom of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) - Chapter 4c
聖人上觀章第四
七八數十五，九六亦相應，四者合三十，陽炁索滅藏。八卦布列曜，運移不失中，元精眇難睹，推 度效符証。居則觀其象，準擬其形容，立表以為范，占候定吉凶，發號順時令，勿失爻動時。上察河文，下序地形流，中稽于人心，參合考三才。動則循卦節，靜則 因彖辭。乾坤用施行，天下然后治。
My rendition:
Seven and eight make fifteen, and so do nine and six, together thirty being reached, Chi of Yang now being full. The eight Hexagrams plan the positions of the seven planets, all circulating around the center. The original chi now reduced to its minutest size, its position can only be estimated according to the Hexagrams. Quietly watch for any signal of change, establish the cauldron’s form, set up a center pole to balance left and right, wait for the right time to react, move only when it is ready, but not too late as to lose good chance. Watch out for signals from the Sky above, inspect the profile of the Earth, and manage the Mind at the center, for the three elements of Sky, Earth and Man have to be in harmony. Move according to Hexagram symbolism, and remain calm according to the profound texts of I Ching. Act with the harmony of Qian and Kun, and the Cosmo can be managed.
Paul’s comment: Taoist meditative experience par excellence. Generation of chi is to be followed by its dissipation and into calm meditation, to be followed by yet another episode of chi-generation. Always maintaining a central balance (守中: check my page on Breathing). A person's small inner cosmos follows the dynamics of the large outer cosmos, both follow the rules of the I Ching Hexagrams, which are formed by trigrams with Qian and Kun as the primary Yin and Yang trigrams.
七八數十五，九六亦相應，四者合三十，陽炁索滅藏。八卦布列曜，運移不失中，元精眇難睹，推 度效符証。居則觀其象，準擬其形容，立表以為范，占候定吉凶，發號順時令，勿失爻動時。上察河文，下序地形流，中稽于人心，參合考三才。動則循卦節，靜則 因彖辭。乾坤用施行，天下然后治。
My rendition:
Seven and eight make fifteen, and so do nine and six, together thirty being reached, Chi of Yang now being full. The eight Hexagrams plan the positions of the seven planets, all circulating around the center. The original chi now reduced to its minutest size, its position can only be estimated according to the Hexagrams. Quietly watch for any signal of change, establish the cauldron’s form, set up a center pole to balance left and right, wait for the right time to react, move only when it is ready, but not too late as to lose good chance. Watch out for signals from the Sky above, inspect the profile of the Earth, and manage the Mind at the center, for the three elements of Sky, Earth and Man have to be in harmony. Move according to Hexagram symbolism, and remain calm according to the profound texts of I Ching. Act with the harmony of Qian and Kun, and the Cosmo can be managed.
Paul’s comment: Taoist meditative experience par excellence. Generation of chi is to be followed by its dissipation and into calm meditation, to be followed by yet another episode of chi-generation. Always maintaining a central balance (守中: check my page on Breathing). A person's small inner cosmos follows the dynamics of the large outer cosmos, both follow the rules of the I Ching Hexagrams, which are formed by trigrams with Qian and Kun as the primary Yin and Yang trigrams.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The wisdom of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) - Chapter 4b
聖人上觀章第四
三日出為爽，震庚受西方。八日兌受丁，上弦平如繩。十五乾體就， 盛滿甲東方。蟾蜍與兔魄，日月炁雙明，蟾蜍視卦節，兔者吐生光。七八道已訖，屈伸低下降，十六轉受統，巽辛見平明，艮直于丙南，下弦二十三，坤乙三十日，陽路喪其朋。節盡相禪與，繼體復生龍，壬癸配甲乙，乾坤括始終。
My rendition:
Upon the third day one sees brightness, the female Thunder trigram (震) receives Heavenly stem Geng (庚) from the West. Upon the eighth day, the male Swamp (兌) trigram receives Heavenly stem Ding (丁), the upper string set to smooth. Upon the 15th day, the Qian body (乾體) is established, the first Heavenly Stem Jia (甲) is full in the East. The Toad and the soul of the Rabbit represent the brightness of the chi arising from the Sun and the Moon. The Toad inspects the details of the Hexagram whereas the Rabbit spits out light of life. Upon the half way, it turns and descents. Upon the 16th day, it becomes the follower instead of the leader, the female trigram Xun (巽) receives Heavenly stem Xin (辛) and becomes calm and bright, the female trigram Gun (艮) receives Heavenly stem Bing (丙) in the South, the lower string set at 23, and upon the 30th day the Moon Trigram Kun (坤) is merged with Heavenly stem Yi (乙), Yin can no longer be seen. When feminine lines have all been interchanged with masculine lines, the resulting body will be nourished like a flying dragon, the Heavenly Stems coupled among themselves and the Qian (乾) and Kun (坤) embrace the beginning and the end.
Paul's comment: the author's personal inner experience during the inner alchemical process. He used the language of I-Ching and 12 Heavenly Stems freely. One might not be able to get his actual experience (after all, such experience is personal and internal), but fellow practitioners can certainly appreciate what he was talking about. One interesting point to note is that in ancient China, Toad is used as a signification of the Moon (Female symbol), and Rabbit can mean pederast (Male symbol). Another important point to note is that in the first half, it is the trigram changing the heavenly stems whereas in the second half, it is the heavenly stems changing the trigrams. In the end all changed to Yang, or Pure Yang (純陽), the ultimate goal of Taoist inner alchemical process.
三日出為爽，震庚受西方。八日兌受丁，上弦平如繩。十五乾體就， 盛滿甲東方。蟾蜍與兔魄，日月炁雙明，蟾蜍視卦節，兔者吐生光。七八道已訖，屈伸低下降，十六轉受統，巽辛見平明，艮直于丙南，下弦二十三，坤乙三十日，陽路喪其朋。節盡相禪與，繼體復生龍，壬癸配甲乙，乾坤括始終。
My rendition:
Upon the third day one sees brightness, the female Thunder trigram (震) receives Heavenly stem Geng (庚) from the West. Upon the eighth day, the male Swamp (兌) trigram receives Heavenly stem Ding (丁), the upper string set to smooth. Upon the 15th day, the Qian body (乾體) is established, the first Heavenly Stem Jia (甲) is full in the East. The Toad and the soul of the Rabbit represent the brightness of the chi arising from the Sun and the Moon. The Toad inspects the details of the Hexagram whereas the Rabbit spits out light of life. Upon the half way, it turns and descents. Upon the 16th day, it becomes the follower instead of the leader, the female trigram Xun (巽) receives Heavenly stem Xin (辛) and becomes calm and bright, the female trigram Gun (艮) receives Heavenly stem Bing (丙) in the South, the lower string set at 23, and upon the 30th day the Moon Trigram Kun (坤) is merged with Heavenly stem Yi (乙), Yin can no longer be seen. When feminine lines have all been interchanged with masculine lines, the resulting body will be nourished like a flying dragon, the Heavenly Stems coupled among themselves and the Qian (乾) and Kun (坤) embrace the beginning and the end.
Paul's comment: the author's personal inner experience during the inner alchemical process. He used the language of I-Ching and 12 Heavenly Stems freely. One might not be able to get his actual experience (after all, such experience is personal and internal), but fellow practitioners can certainly appreciate what he was talking about. One interesting point to note is that in ancient China, Toad is used as a signification of the Moon (Female symbol), and Rabbit can mean pederast (Male symbol). Another important point to note is that in the first half, it is the trigram changing the heavenly stems whereas in the second half, it is the heavenly stems changing the trigrams. In the end all changed to Yang, or Pure Yang (純陽), the ultimate goal of Taoist inner alchemical process.
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| 10 Heavenly Stems |
The wisdom of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) - Chapter 4a
聖人上觀章第四
於是仲尼贊鴻蒙，乾坤德洞虛，稽古當元皇，關睢建始初，冠婚氣相紐，元年乃芽滋。聖人不虛生，上觀顯天符。天符有進退， 屈伸以應時。故易統天心，復卦建始萌，長子繼父體，因母立兆基。消息應中律，升降據斗樞。
My rendition of the first part of chapter four of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契):
And Confucius wrote to praise the profundity of “I”, the wisdom of Qian and Kun (乾坤) covering all vastness. From the earliest Emperor, and from the time when the poem of romantic love Guan Hui (關睢) was first praised, the mating of Male and Female has meant mixing chi together, and this practice began from the earliest year. The sage recognized this Heavenly signification through watching the Sky. The signifying symbols advance and retreat as well as bend and extend in definite patterns. When the Returning Hexagram (復卦) appears, it is the time for (re)birth, the Son takes the body of the Father, and upon the Mother the new establishment begins. The message begins at the center, and running up and down according the North Star.
Paul's comment: The author was highly knowledgeable about ancient texts and used them freely. The Retuning Hexagram says (based on Wilhelm's translation):The idea of a turning point arises from the fact that after the dark lines have pushed all of the light lines upward and out of the hexagram, another light line enters the hexagram from below. The time of darkness is past. In Taoist meditation, it is the approaching to absolute void that chi arises (in DanTian), signifying from death to rebirth. The phrase in this passage "the Son takes the body of the Father, and upon the Mother the new establishment begins" does sound very familiar to students of the psychology of the Unconscious, in particular of the Jungian type. The Father (Superego) has to "die" to make way for the Son (Ego) to couple with the Mother (Anima: Jungian female archetype of the Unconscious), as the first stage of the individuation process. In Taoist lingo, the beginning step to approach Tao.
於是仲尼贊鴻蒙，乾坤德洞虛，稽古當元皇，關睢建始初，冠婚氣相紐，元年乃芽滋。聖人不虛生，上觀顯天符。天符有進退， 屈伸以應時。故易統天心，復卦建始萌，長子繼父體，因母立兆基。消息應中律，升降據斗樞。
My rendition of the first part of chapter four of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契):
And Confucius wrote to praise the profundity of “I”, the wisdom of Qian and Kun (乾坤) covering all vastness. From the earliest Emperor, and from the time when the poem of romantic love Guan Hui (關睢) was first praised, the mating of Male and Female has meant mixing chi together, and this practice began from the earliest year. The sage recognized this Heavenly signification through watching the Sky. The signifying symbols advance and retreat as well as bend and extend in definite patterns. When the Returning Hexagram (復卦) appears, it is the time for (re)birth, the Son takes the body of the Father, and upon the Mother the new establishment begins. The message begins at the center, and running up and down according the North Star.
Paul's comment: The author was highly knowledgeable about ancient texts and used them freely. The Retuning Hexagram says (based on Wilhelm's translation):The idea of a turning point arises from the fact that after the dark lines have pushed all of the light lines upward and out of the hexagram, another light line enters the hexagram from below. The time of darkness is past. In Taoist meditation, it is the approaching to absolute void that chi arises (in DanTian), signifying from death to rebirth. The phrase in this passage "the Son takes the body of the Father, and upon the Mother the new establishment begins" does sound very familiar to students of the psychology of the Unconscious, in particular of the Jungian type. The Father (Superego) has to "die" to make way for the Son (Ego) to couple with the Mother (Anima: Jungian female archetype of the Unconscious), as the first stage of the individuation process. In Taoist lingo, the beginning step to approach Tao.
The wisdom of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) - Chapter 3
日月含符章第三
易者，象也。懸象著明，莫大忽日月，窮神以知化，陽往則陰來，輻輳而輪轉，出入更卷舒。易有三百八十四爻，據爻摘符，符謂六十四卦。晦至朔旦，震來受符。 當斯之際，天地媾其精，日月相擔持。雄陽播 玄施，雌陰化黃包。 混沌相交接，權輿樹根基。經營養鄞鄂，凝神以成軀。眾夫蹈以出，蠕動莫不由。
My rendition of chapter three of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契)
“I” is a signification system to organize the signified
Sun and Moon being the most important signified
Sun contains the yin essence of the five elements whereas
Moon contains the six yang sounds of the system
Six segments of five days each make 30 days and repeat themselves in cycles
Exhaust the power of the "mind" (神) to effect change
Yin follows Yang, hub and spokes cause wheel to turn, in and out, roll and unroll
“I” consists of 384 yin or yang lines, eight lines makes one symbol resulting in 64 hexagrams
During the time of Sprouting (hexagram), this is the time of the Thunder (trigram) to perform the symbolic act of yin and yang union
During such time, Heaven and Earth mate, Sun and Moon embrace, Male spreads its seed that Female receives into its yellow belly.
Chaos meeting with chaos, a strong foundation will be built up
Nourishment will spread to the farthest edge
Focus your mind to establish the embryo -
Every man has this potential
But the uninitiated don’t know how to materialize it
Paul's comment: I Ching's Sprouting hexagram consists of Kan (water) and Zhen (Thunder). It is used to signify the time when Yin and Yang meet. Time-wise it is signified by Zi hour (子時), the two hours between 23:00 and 01:00. However it is signified, it is the time when chi in the DanTian (丹田) gives the practitioner a strong enough signal to do the microcosmic circulation, with the mind totally involved in the signification system of a union between Yin and Yang. The circulation part is physical, the signification part is spiritual. Both are necessary for true Taoist alchemical practice.
易者，象也。懸象著明，莫大忽日月，窮神以知化，陽往則陰來，輻輳而輪轉，出入更卷舒。易有三百八十四爻，據爻摘符，符謂六十四卦。晦至朔旦，震來受符。 當斯之際，天地媾其精，日月相擔持。雄陽播 玄施，雌陰化黃包。 混沌相交接，權輿樹根基。經營養鄞鄂，凝神以成軀。眾夫蹈以出，蠕動莫不由。
My rendition of chapter three of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契)
“I” is a signification system to organize the signified
Sun and Moon being the most important signified
Sun contains the yin essence of the five elements whereas
Moon contains the six yang sounds of the system
Six segments of five days each make 30 days and repeat themselves in cycles
Exhaust the power of the "mind" (神) to effect change
Yin follows Yang, hub and spokes cause wheel to turn, in and out, roll and unroll
“I” consists of 384 yin or yang lines, eight lines makes one symbol resulting in 64 hexagrams
During the time of Sprouting (hexagram), this is the time of the Thunder (trigram) to perform the symbolic act of yin and yang union
During such time, Heaven and Earth mate, Sun and Moon embrace, Male spreads its seed that Female receives into its yellow belly.
Chaos meeting with chaos, a strong foundation will be built up
Nourishment will spread to the farthest edge
Focus your mind to establish the embryo -
Every man has this potential
But the uninitiated don’t know how to materialize it
Paul's comment: I Ching's Sprouting hexagram consists of Kan (water) and Zhen (Thunder). It is used to signify the time when Yin and Yang meet. Time-wise it is signified by Zi hour (子時), the two hours between 23:00 and 01:00. However it is signified, it is the time when chi in the DanTian (丹田) gives the practitioner a strong enough signal to do the microcosmic circulation, with the mind totally involved in the signification system of a union between Yin and Yang. The circulation part is physical, the signification part is spiritual. Both are necessary for true Taoist alchemical practice.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The wisdom of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) - Chapter 2
乾坤設位章第二
My renditions below each Chinese passage:
天地設位，而易行乎其中矣。天地者，乾坤之象；設位 者，列陰陽配合之位；易謂坎離，坎離者，乾坤二用。
Heaven and Earth establishes the field
and “I” being the principle of all actions within
Heaven and Earth are the expressions of Qian and Qun
Field establishment means everything inside
follows the principle of yin and yang
“I” appears as Kan and Li
Kan and Li is a manifestation of Qian and Qun
二用無爻位，周流行六虛，往來既不定，上下亦無常， 幽潛淪匿，變化于中，包囊萬物，為道紀綱，以無制有，器用者空，故推消息，坎離沒亡。
As manifestation of Qian and Qun
Kan and Li merged, and flow among all Emptiness
Neither come nor go
Neither up nor down
Can’t be found, can’t be seen
Yet being the foundation of all changes
and manifested in all things
as demonstration of Tao
Emptiness gives value to Substance
Like the emptiness of a bowl
defines a bowl itself
Based on the above analysis
Kan and Li are always there
言不苟造，論不虛生，引驗見效，校度神明，推類結 字，原理為徵。
My speech will not be frivolous
and my argument will not be unsubstantiated
My teachings can be substantiated with specific experience
as well as demonstrated benefits
My techniques can be fine-tuned using an enlightened mind
My language is profound and substantiated by theory
坎戊月精，離巳日光，日月為易，剛柔相當，土旺四季，羅絡始終，青赤黑白，各居一方，皆秉中宮，戊巳之功。
Kan, signified by the fifth heavenly stems, seeks for the essence of the Moon
Li, signified by sixth earthly branches, seeks for the light of the Sun
Sun and Moon together forms “I”
Hard and soft equalized, the element Earth nurtures the four seasons in cycles
Four colors of the four elements, each positioned at one corner
With all four managed by the center Earth
All being embraced by the heavenly stems and the earthly branches
Paul’s comment: Element Earth establishes the center of the cauldron, whereas the other four Elements establish the four cardinal points of the cauldron (top, bottom, front and back). This establishment is essential to inner alchemical practice. The 10 heavenly stems (天干) and 12 earthly branches (地支) are included within the theoretical structure of the practice, with the fifth stem 戊 signifies Kan and the sixth branches 巳 signifies Li. The metaphors of a wheel and a bowl are borrowed from Tao Te Ching. I-Ching references are freely used. A well-knitted and elegant theoretical structure is intended to be built up.
My renditions below each Chinese passage:
天地設位，而易行乎其中矣。天地者，乾坤之象；設位 者，列陰陽配合之位；易謂坎離，坎離者，乾坤二用。
Heaven and Earth establishes the field
and “I” being the principle of all actions within
Heaven and Earth are the expressions of Qian and Qun
Field establishment means everything inside
follows the principle of yin and yang
“I” appears as Kan and Li
Kan and Li is a manifestation of Qian and Qun
二用無爻位，周流行六虛，往來既不定，上下亦無常， 幽潛淪匿，變化于中，包囊萬物，為道紀綱，以無制有，器用者空，故推消息，坎離沒亡。
As manifestation of Qian and Qun
Kan and Li merged, and flow among all Emptiness
Neither come nor go
Neither up nor down
Can’t be found, can’t be seen
Yet being the foundation of all changes
and manifested in all things
as demonstration of Tao
Emptiness gives value to Substance
Like the emptiness of a bowl
defines a bowl itself
Based on the above analysis
Kan and Li are always there
言不苟造，論不虛生，引驗見效，校度神明，推類結 字，原理為徵。
My speech will not be frivolous
and my argument will not be unsubstantiated
My teachings can be substantiated with specific experience
as well as demonstrated benefits
My techniques can be fine-tuned using an enlightened mind
My language is profound and substantiated by theory
坎戊月精，離巳日光，日月為易，剛柔相當，土旺四季，羅絡始終，青赤黑白，各居一方，皆秉中宮，戊巳之功。
Kan, signified by the fifth heavenly stems, seeks for the essence of the Moon
Li, signified by sixth earthly branches, seeks for the light of the Sun
Sun and Moon together forms “I”
Hard and soft equalized, the element Earth nurtures the four seasons in cycles
Four colors of the four elements, each positioned at one corner
With all four managed by the center Earth
All being embraced by the heavenly stems and the earthly branches
Paul’s comment: Element Earth establishes the center of the cauldron, whereas the other four Elements establish the four cardinal points of the cauldron (top, bottom, front and back). This establishment is essential to inner alchemical practice. The 10 heavenly stems (天干) and 12 earthly branches (地支) are included within the theoretical structure of the practice, with the fifth stem 戊 signifies Kan and the sixth branches 巳 signifies Li. The metaphors of a wheel and a bowl are borrowed from Tao Te Ching. I-Ching references are freely used. A well-knitted and elegant theoretical structure is intended to be built up.
Friday, March 11, 2011
The wisdom of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) - Chapter 1d
周易參同契:大易总叙章第一
春夏據內體，從子到辰巳，秋冬當外用，自午訖戌亥。賞罰應春秋，昏明順寒暑，爻辭有仁義，隨時發喜怒，如是應四時，五行得其理。
My rendition:
The beginning should start with growth and fire from inside
Like Spring and Summer
The ending should finish with calmness and coolness from outside
Like Autumn and Winter
Spring and Autumn should control the flow
Whereas consciousness should control the warmth or coldness
When the trigrams are not managed well
They will disturb one’s balance
But if one takes care the requirements of each of the four Seasons
The five elements will be organized.
Paul’s comment: Allusions to the alchemical process, but not step-by-step guidelines.
春夏據內體，從子到辰巳，秋冬當外用，自午訖戌亥。賞罰應春秋，昏明順寒暑，爻辭有仁義，隨時發喜怒，如是應四時，五行得其理。
My rendition:
The beginning should start with growth and fire from inside
Like Spring and Summer
The ending should finish with calmness and coolness from outside
Like Autumn and Winter
Spring and Autumn should control the flow
Whereas consciousness should control the warmth or coldness
When the trigrams are not managed well
They will disturb one’s balance
But if one takes care the requirements of each of the four Seasons
The five elements will be organized.
Paul’s comment: Allusions to the alchemical process, but not step-by-step guidelines.
The wisdom of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) - Chapter 1c
周易參同契:大易总叙章第一
月節有五六，經緯奉日使，兼并為六十，剛柔有表里。朔旦屯直事，至暮蒙當受，晝夜各一卦用之依次序。即未至晦爽，終則復更始，日月為期度，動靜有早晚。
My rendition:
A month can be divided into six portions of five days each
Each day can be further divided into longitude and latitude
A total of sixty segments with hardness followed by softness
One yin coupled with one yang
The morning hours see the action of Sprouting (Hexagram - 屯)， at dusk the action passes to Youthful Folly (Hexagram - 蒙)
When one pattern finishes, it is the start of another pattern
The Sun and Moon have fixed cycles
And so are the action and inaction of Day and Night
Paul’s comment: Mathematical precision is the fundamental pattern in nature, and so it is also the same as applied to Taoist yoga (or inner alchemy). As said by the guru.
月節有五六，經緯奉日使，兼并為六十，剛柔有表里。朔旦屯直事，至暮蒙當受，晝夜各一卦用之依次序。即未至晦爽，終則復更始，日月為期度，動靜有早晚。
My rendition:
A month can be divided into six portions of five days each
Each day can be further divided into longitude and latitude
A total of sixty segments with hardness followed by softness
One yin coupled with one yang
The morning hours see the action of Sprouting (Hexagram - 屯)， at dusk the action passes to Youthful Folly (Hexagram - 蒙)
When one pattern finishes, it is the start of another pattern
The Sun and Moon have fixed cycles
And so are the action and inaction of Day and Night
Paul’s comment: Mathematical precision is the fundamental pattern in nature, and so it is also the same as applied to Taoist yoga (or inner alchemy). As said by the guru.
The wisdom of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) - Chapter 1b
周易參同契:大易总叙章第一
覆冒陰陽之道，猶工御者，準繩墨，執衘巒，正規矩， 隨軌轍，處中以制外，數在律歷
My rendition:
The Tao of ying and yang should be like this
Like a seasoned chariot rider
With accurate measurements and calculations
Hold firm the controlling reins
Follow the guiding path of the track
Manage the inside to control the outside
with calculated precision as evidenced
in rules being taught, history remembered and teachings written down.
Paul’s comment: The practice of Taoist yoga (or inner alchemy) should follow the mathematical precision of I-Ching, as it has always been practiced this way. As said by our guru.
覆冒陰陽之道，猶工御者，準繩墨，執衘巒，正規矩， 隨軌轍，處中以制外，數在律歷
My rendition:
The Tao of ying and yang should be like this
Like a seasoned chariot rider
With accurate measurements and calculations
Hold firm the controlling reins
Follow the guiding path of the track
Manage the inside to control the outside
with calculated precision as evidenced
in rules being taught, history remembered and teachings written down.
Paul’s comment: The practice of Taoist yoga (or inner alchemy) should follow the mathematical precision of I-Ching, as it has always been practiced this way. As said by our guru.
The wisdom of Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) - Chapter 1a
周易參同契:大易总叙章第一
乾坤者，易之門戶，眾卦之父母。坎離匡廓，運轂正 軸，牝牡四卦，以為橐籥。
My rendition:
The Sky (Qian) and the Earth (Qun) trigrams signify the opening door of I-Ching
As Father and Mother of all hexagrams
The Water (Kan) and the Fire (Li) trigrams act as a vast empty container
Acting like the hub of a wheel at the hollowed center
Follow the symbolism of these four male and female trigrams
Acting as wind box to power the whole process
Paul's comment: Most Taoist yoga practitioners view Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) as a definitive text of their practice. It often times came across as rather mysterious for readers. Scholars of all ages, and I would include unseasoned practitioners here, failed to understand them. Since the trigrams and hexagrams, with their historical interpretations, never fail to cover aspects of human affairs as self-regulating systems, and Taoist yoga (meditation or neidan) is one advanced practice based on the principles of self-regulating systems, it will be interesting to learn how the esteemed author (Wei BoYang 魏伯陽) interpreted this profound Taoist practice using I-Ching.
Having said that, for those who are not seasoned practitioners and are interested to learn the techniques, I would suggest the texts Hui Ming Jing (慧命經) and Taoist Yoga (性命法訣明指） instead.
乾坤者，易之門戶，眾卦之父母。坎離匡廓，運轂正 軸，牝牡四卦，以為橐籥。
My rendition:
The Sky (Qian) and the Earth (Qun) trigrams signify the opening door of I-Ching
As Father and Mother of all hexagrams
The Water (Kan) and the Fire (Li) trigrams act as a vast empty container
Acting like the hub of a wheel at the hollowed center
Follow the symbolism of these four male and female trigrams
Acting as wind box to power the whole process
Paul's comment: Most Taoist yoga practitioners view Can Tong Qi (周易參同契) as a definitive text of their practice. It often times came across as rather mysterious for readers. Scholars of all ages, and I would include unseasoned practitioners here, failed to understand them. Since the trigrams and hexagrams, with their historical interpretations, never fail to cover aspects of human affairs as self-regulating systems, and Taoist yoga (meditation or neidan) is one advanced practice based on the principles of self-regulating systems, it will be interesting to learn how the esteemed author (Wei BoYang 魏伯陽) interpreted this profound Taoist practice using I-Ching.
Having said that, for those who are not seasoned practitioners and are interested to learn the techniques, I would suggest the texts Hui Ming Jing (慧命經) and Taoist Yoga (性命法訣明指） instead.
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