Chapter 6 of Mr. Zong Xuan's Xuan Gang Lun: The Chapter on Transcending Motion and Stillness

Original Text

       The Dao, being the utmost non-being, gives birth to Heaven and Earth. Heaven is in motion, yet the North Star remains unmoved, its vital energy unimpaired. Earth is still, yet the eastern flow never ceases, and the clouds it generates never exhaust. Thus, stillness is the heart of Heaven and Earth, and motion is the vital energy of Heaven and Earth. The heart is still while the vital energy moves; this is why Heaven and Earth cover and support without limit. Therefore, those who understand the Dao, though soaring beyond the universe, have a heart that is always tranquil. Though resting within the smallest space, their vital energy moves naturally. Thus, if the heart is not tranquil, one cannot align with the Dao; if the vital energy does not move, one cannot sustain the form. The preservation of form and alignment with the Dao constitute the virtue of Heaven and Earth. Hence, one who moves without being aware of moving transcends motion. One who is still without being aware of stillness emerges from stillness. Therefore, for one who transcends motion, the Yang cannot be deduced. For one who emerges from stillness, the Yin cannot be shifted. When neither Yin nor Yin can change them, how much less can the myriad things? Thus, one who is not seduced by things is called the utmost stillness. Only in the utmost stillness can one契合 (connect with) the utmost emptiness. When emptiness reaches its extreme, clarity arises; when clarity reaches its extreme, brilliance emerges; when brilliance reaches its extreme, penetration occurs. Penetration means that although the heavens and earth are vast and the myriad things are numerous, they cannot escape the mirror of the square inch (the mind).

Rough Explanation

      The Dao is non-being, thus giving birth to Heaven and Earth. Heaven is in motion, but the North Star remains forever in the sky without changing its position. Earth is still, yet the water flowing from west to east never stops, continuously evaporating to form clouds. Therefore, stillness is the heart of Heaven and Earth, and motion is the vital energy of Heaven and Earth. With a still heart and moving vital energy, one can operate ceaselessly like Heaven and Earth. This is the one who connects with the Dao: although soaring beyond the universe, the heart is tranquil; although resting within a tiny space, the vital energy is in motion. If the heart is not tranquil, one cannot be the same as the Dao; if the vital energy does not move, one cannot sustain the form. When the form is sustained and aligns with the Dao, this is the characteristic of Heaven and Earth. Thus, although moving, one is unaware of moving, thereby transcending motion. Although still, one is unaware of stillness, thereby emerging from stillness. Transcending motion, the Yang cannot be deduced; emerging from stillness, the Yin cannot be shifted. Neither Yin nor Yang can change them, let alone the myriad things. Therefore, not being seduced by material things, not producing a mind of desire for objects, this is stillness. To reach the utmost emptiness, one must契合 (connect with) the utmost emptiness. When emptiness reaches its extreme, clarity arises; after clarity, brilliance emerges; after brilliance, penetration occurs. Upon reaching the state of penetration, although the heavens and earth are vast and the myriad things are numerous, they cannot escape the mirror of the square inch (the mind).

Cultivation Interpretation Direct translation is always rough. Translating both the meaning and the profound intent of Mr. Zong Xuan is basically an impossible task. 　　The Dao gave birth to Heaven and Earth through non-being, which has been discussed in previous chapters. For those who know the phrase "The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, Three gives birth to the myriad things," this Daoist cosmological picture is not difficult to understand. However, in this chapter, Mr. Zong Xuan hints at a deeper realm of Heaven and Earth. Those who have deeply studied divination and numerology know that Yang is motion, Yin is stillness, Heaven belongs to Yang, and Earth belongs to Yin; thus, Heaven moves and Earth is still. But in the Taiji diagram passed down through generations, Yang contains Yin, and Yin contains Yang. How did this expression originate? Mr. Zong Xuan describes a scene that brings sudden enlightenment, clearly stating: "Although Heaven is still, the North Star does not move; although Earth is still, the eastern flow does not cease..." Although Heaven is in motion, there is a part within it that never moves; although Earth is still, there is also a part within it that moves. This forms a perfect expression of the Taiji diagram. The Taiji diagrams of today are mostly passed down from the Song Dynasty, but it is clear that in the Tang Dynasty, Mr. Zong Xuan already clearly expressed the Taiji scene of later generations here. The North Star in the sky remains eternally unmoved. This is actually because the Earth's axis points directly at the North Star, so no matter how it changes, it appears motionless. Therefore, the North Star is the heart of Heaven, and the immobility of the heart of Heaven is the manifestation of the stillness of the heart of Heaven. On Earth, the flow of water is a manifestation of vital energy, so Mr. Zong Xuan explicitly points out here: although the heart is still, the vital energy moves; this is what aligns with the Dao. Why does it align with the Dao? Because it conforms to the original face of nature. Then why must one conform to the original face of Heaven and Earth? Why does cultivation imitate Heaven and Earth? Only the most primordial things, undisturbed by the seven emotions and six desires, can better reflect the pure Dao. This does not mean there is no Dao in emotions and desires, but rather that the seven emotions and six desires make things complex, which is not conducive to observing and comprehending the principles. Therefore, Daoist internal alchemy generally takes Heaven and Earth as teachers. After understanding this Taiji principle, it is easy to deduce that stillness unaware of its stillness is true stillness, and motion unaware of its motion is true motion. As pointed out in relativity, motion and immobility depend on the choice of reference point. Because the Earth's axis and the North Star are on the same line, everyone can see the "North Star does not move," which is choosing the North Star as the reference point. Therefore, since ancient times, Daoists have revered the North, and since North is associated with Water, Daoists also favor Water; this is the same principle. For example, a person standing on Earth: although the Earth is moving, the person is not moving; the person is unaware of the motion, which is true motion. However, the world is mostly in motion, rarely still, which does not conform to the rational Taiji model. The more frequent the motion, the greater the gap with the Taiji model. Therefore, Daoism advocates quieting the mind, requiring "to dispel desires so the heart becomes still, to clarify the heart so the spirit becomes pure." When a person enters a state of stillness, such as in internal alchemy cultivation, light will be generated, known as nature light or wisdom light, which is a natural verification after entering stillness. After the light appears, if one continues to look at it without seeing it and listen to it without hearing it, this light will become brighter until it appears as a white light filling the space between Heaven and Earth. This is a natural feeling occurring in internal alchemy cultivation. But this is not enough; merely having white light filling the space still requires continued cultivation. When the white light becomes crystal clear, this cultivation can be considered to have made progress. After crystal clarity, continued cultivation leads to thorough penetration. If divided into three realms, they can be called: Realm of Light, Realm of Brilliance, and Realm of Penetration. Upon reaching the Realm of Penetration, sudden enlightenment occurs, instantly knowing the past and future, and perceiving all worldly affairs. Therefore, in the Chan (Zen) practice of Han Chinese Buddhism, it is believed that sitting meditation can ultimately lead to complete enlightenment. Although not the ultimate truth, it is also a path of cultivation, following the same principle.