Vernacular Explanation of 'The Secret of the Golden Flower' (Part 4): Recognizing the Light of Nature, Union of Kan and Li, Microcosmic Orbit, and Song of Admonition to the World

Chapter 10: Recognizing the Light of Nature Master Lü said: The practice of returning the light can be carried out whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down; it is not restricted by form. However, one must seize the opportunity and find the key. As I mentioned earlier, regarding the phrase "a void room generates whiteness," is that light not white? However, there is a reminder for everyone: when you begin practicing and no light has appeared, suddenly the "void room generates whiteness" occurs; this is the efficacy of the practice. If light appears and your mind follows it, you fall into the realm of consciousness, and that light is no longer the light of your true nature. Therefore, you must absolutely not concern yourself with whether there is light or not; you only need to generate thoughts without attachment. What is "no thought"? It is what Buddhism often calls "thousand practices, thousand places attained." What is "generating thought"? It is what Buddhism often says, "one thought arises, one thought holds." Here, the thought generated is a righteous thought, different from ordinary thoughts. The character "nian" (thought) is composed of "jin" (now) and "xin" (heart/mind). "Jin xin" is "nian"; thought is the present mind. This mind is also the light, used as the medicine for refining the elixir. Ordinary people looking at external objects, casually raising their eyes to look, before they have time to distinguish the characteristics and attributes of the things, this gaze still belongs to the "light of nature." It is like a mirror or still water, reflecting various images, originally without heart or intention. After a while, that gaze becomes the "light of consciousness" because it is already distinguishing the characteristics and attributes of things. When there are images in the mirror, it is no longer a mirror; when there are images in still water, it is no longer still water; when light carries consciousness, what can it still be called light? Everyone, when returning the light, starts with a "light of nature," but after turning the thought, it becomes a "light of consciousness." Because once consciousness arises, the light disappears without a trace, impossible to find. This does not mean the light is gone, but that the light has transformed into consciousness. The Yellow Emperor said: "Sound moves but does not generate sound, but generates echo." This is the meaning. "Lengyan Tuikan Rumeng" says: "Not in dust, not in consciousness, only returning to the root." What does this mean? "Dust" refers to external objects, which Buddhism calls the "instrumental realm," having nothing to do with the self. If the heart chases external objects, it treats external objects as the self. The attributes of external objects must ultimately return to the external objects. For example, ventilation is the attribute of doors and windows, but ventilation must be returned to doors and windows; brightness is the attribute of the sun and moon, but brightness must be returned to the sun and moon. If you insist on treating it as yourself, it will never belong to you. By this logic, until there is an attribute that cannot be returned to the person, what else is that thing but your self? Return brightness to the sun and moon, but the part of the brightness by which the sun and moon were seen by you cannot be returned. When the sky cannot see the sun and moon, people do not have the feeling of not seeing the sun and moon. If so, can the attribute of distinguishing the sun and moon still belong to you? I do not know, according to the attributes of distinguishing based on brightness and darkness, when brightness and darkness are both forgotten, where is the distinction? There is also a return here, which is the so-called "internal dust." Only reaching the stage of "seeing nature" is there no return. However, in the stage of seeing nature, "seeing" is not true seeing, so even "seeing nature" is returned to others. What is returned here is the "seeing nature" that flows with conscious thoughts, which is what Shakyamuni said to his disciple Ananda in the "Lankavatara Sutra": "It is your eyes and mind that cause your流转 (samsara/flow)." When expounding the "eight consciousnesses" (the six consciousnesses of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, plus the transmitting consciousness and the Alaya consciousness) and the "eight returns," the first seven consciousnesses are all argued to have returns, but when it comes to the eighth consciousness, let us leave this "seeing nature" aside for now, using it as a staff for Ananda. If we investigate the matter of seeing nature, since it carries the "eight consciousnesses," it is not truly without return. If even this is broken through, then it is true seeing nature and true non-return. Everyone returning the light is precisely returning to that light of nature that has not returned initially, so not a single thread of conscious thought is needed. What draws your conscious thoughts to flow is the six roots: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; but what enables you to achieve Bodhi (true enlightenment) is also only these six roots; all dust and consciousness are of no use. Here, it is not about utilizing the six roots themselves, but utilizing the attributes within the six roots. Now, if you do not want to fall into the dilemma of consciousness, then when returning the light, you must utilize the original nature within the six roots; if you bring consciousness to return the light, that is utilizing the consciousness nature within the six roots. A difference of a hair's breadth leads to a mistake of a thousand miles, right here. In short, using heart and intention is the light of consciousness; letting go of intention is the light of nature; there is a difference of a hair's breadth to a thousand miles here, which must be carefully distinguished. Know that if consciousness is not cut off, the spirit does not generate; if the heart is not empty, the elixir does not form. A quiet heart becomes the elixir; an empty heart becomes the medicine. Not clinging to any thing is called a quiet heart; not longing for any thing is called an empty heart. If emptiness can be discovered, that emptiness cannot be counted as empty; only until you forget emptiness by being empty, is it considered true emptiness. Chapter 11: Union of Kan and Li Master Lü said: If using hexagrams to explain the principles of practice, then whatever leaks spirit and flows to contact external objects belongs to the Li hexagram; whatever gathers and turns the spirit and consciousness, remaining still and nurturing the center, belongs to the Kan hexagram. What flows out through the seven orifices is Li; what returns inward through the seven orifices is Kan. The single yin line in the middle of the Li hexagram takes pursuing color and sound as its duty; the single yang line in the middle of the Kan hexagram takes recovering hearing and sight as its duty. Broadly speaking, Kan and Li are Yin and Yang; Yin and Yang are life and nature; life and nature are body and mind; body and mind are spirit and qi. Practitioners of the Dao, when initially gathering qi, their spirit no longer flows with changes in the external environment. Broadly speaking, this is already a true union of Kan and Li. How much more so sitting in silence and stillness! Chapter 12: Microcosmic Orbit Master Lü said: The so-called Microcosmic Orbit is not based on qi as the main body, but the wonderful secret is where the heart arrives. If you ask how exactly to practice the Microcosmic Orbit, it is like pulling shoots to help them grow. Guarding without mind, acting without intention, this is the key to the Microcosmic Orbit. Please look up at the sky. The hemisphere of the sky dome is divided by people into 365 degrees. The sun, moon, and stars are constantly changing positions on the celestial sphere, but the North Star, the pivot of the Big Dipper, remains immovable throughout eternity. Our heart is also like this. The heart is like the pivot, and qi is like the stars, revolving around the pivot. The qi in our bodies is originally connected among the four limbs and hundred bones; during practice, do not exert force excessively. Just utilize this flesh and blood body to refine the spirit of consciousness, eliminate false views, and the medicine for refining the elixir will be produced. That medicine is not any tangible object, but the light of nature; that is, the primordial true qi. It must appear only after profound stillness and great tranquility. This medicine has no specific method of gathering; those who talk extravagantly about gathering methods are greatly mistaken! When true qi appears persistently, the mind becomes bright, naturally reaching the state of empty heart and leaking dust, thus being able to be liberated from the sea of dust. If you talk about "Dragon and Tiger" today and "Water and Fire" tomorrow, keeping the principles of practice on your lips without practicing, you will ultimately become delusional. I personally received the secret formula from True Person Huolong (Zheng Siyuan), which says exactly this. I do not know what the current health and elixir books say? There is one Microcosmic Orbit a day, and one Microcosmic Orbit in each moment. The place where Kan and Li intersect is one orbit. The intersection of Kan and Li in my body is also equivalent to the continuous rotation of the sky dome. But where there is intersection, there is also non-intersection. And the rotation of the sky dome has never stopped for a moment. If one can achieve such the union of Yin and Yang, reaching the warmth of the earth; at this time, my central palace occupies the correct position, and all things flourish according to the moment; this is the "Bathing Method" mentioned in health classics. What else is it but the Great Microcosmic Orbit? The火候 (fire timing) here truly has differences of large and small; but strictly speaking, there is no difference between large and small. When your skills become pure and natural, you will not even know what Kan and Li are! What category the heaven and earth belong to! What is intersection? What is one orbit or two orbits? Where would you look for the difference between large and small? In short, the rotation and operation within the body is difficult to reach the level of "true." If not true, although it looks large, it is actually small; if true, one rotation within the body, heaven and earth and all things rotate together; even if operating in a square inch place, of course it is small, but actually it is extremely large. Therefore, the fire timing of the Golden Elixir must entirely follow the two characters "natural." If not natural, heaven and earth are still heaven and earth, all things are still their own all things. If you want to force them to blend together, they will never merge. For example, when the weather is dry, Yin and Yang do not combine, but the operation of Qian and Kun in the sky dome still rotates according to the laws of the Microcosmic Orbit; however, it always feels like there are many unnatural places. If we can turn the Yin and Yang, harmonize nature, clouds fill the sky, sweet rain descends, grass and trees are fully moistened, mountains and rivers also operate smoothly; at this time, even if there are some incorrect places, they seem to disappear quickly like smoke; this is the principle of the Great Microcosmic Orbit. Someone asked: The Living Zi Hour is originally very wonderful. But you say you must first identify the Correct Zi Hour, is this not attaching to form? The reply is: Not attaching to form, if you do not point out the Correct Zi Hour, how can you recognize the Living Zi Hour? Since the Living Zi Hour is recognized, after all, the Correct Zi Hour still exists. Are they one or two? Neither correct nor living, it ultimately requires people to see clearly. If seen truly, there is no incorrect, no unliving. If seen untruly, can you clarify which is living? Which is correct? Mentioning the Living Zi Hour, it can appear at any time, but in the Correct Zi Hour at midnight, human qi and spirit are relatively clear, so the Living Zi Hour appears even more easily. If the Living Zi Hour has not been discovered, temporarily wait and seek it at the Correct time; when the Correct Zi Hour arrives, the Living Zi Hour will inevitably show its divinity. Chapter 13: Song of Admonition to the World Master's "Song of Admonition to the World" (explanation) is: My heart is hot with the desire to save the world, I do not spare my bitter mouth and kind heart in rambling. The Tathagata Buddha also for great causes and conditions, points directly to life and death, truly a pity; Laozi says suffering arises from having a body, transmitting the Valley Spirit but people do not recognize it. I now speak of the path to seek truth, the "I Ching" has a sentence "yellow through and understands reason," "occupying the correct position in the body" is the Mysterious Portal, between Zi and Wu one can settle the breath. Light returns to the ancestral cavity, ten thousand spirits are at peace; medicine is produced in the river plains, one qi emerges; Through the veil of Wei, transforming into golden light, a red sun often shines. The world mistakes it for the essence of Kan and Li, transporting heart and kidney instead creates separation; Better to use the human path to合 (combine with) the heavenly heart, if heaven合 (combines with) the Dao, it naturally合 (combines). Let go of ten thousand conditions, not arising at all, this is the true primordial Wuji; The great void is solemn without signs, at the juncture of life and nature, forgetting consciousness. After consciousness is forgotten, the original truth is seen, clear water pearl appears, profound and unfathomable. Once the beginningless troubles are empty, the Jade Pure Palace descends the Nine Dragon Register. Ascending to the clouds, Han登上 (ascends) the heavenly palace, mastering wind and clouds, driving away thunderbolts. In short, concentrating spirit and settling breath is the starting point, retreating to the secret place to reach constant stillness. I previously led Zhang Zhennu, and wrote two ci poems for her, containing the principles of practice. "The Dao has no skill, giving you a square piece; after Zi and before Wu, settle breath while sitting, double view through the夾脊 (clavicle/spine), crossing Kunlun. At this time gaining strength, pondering me." "Kan, Li, Zhen, Dui divide Zi and Wu, must recognize one's own ancestor. Earth thunder shakes the mountain top rain, washing yellow sprouts out of the soil. Catch the golden essence firmly closed, refine Jia and Geng to generate Dragon and Tiger. Wait for him to ask you who transmits it? Just say the old man's surname is Lü." The "after Zi and before Wu" in the ci does not refer to time, but to Kan and Li. "Settle breath" means every breath returns to the center yellow area. "Sit" refers to the heart not moving. "Clavicle" refers not only to the wheel on the back, but also the great road directly to Yujing. "Double view" is not easy to explain here. When practicing, one must avoid forgetting spirit and guarding, and focus on extreme emptiness and non-guarding. Guarding according to such principles, fluid will transform, blood will be generated, finally returning to the primordial, reaching qi returning to spirit, spirit returning to void, void combining with Dao, Dao completing in will, will filling with wish. The secret formula is truly endless to speak of, this is just an example. As for "earth thunder shakes the mountain top rain," it speaks of true qi generation. "Yellow sprouts out of the soil," speaks of true medicine generation, and their foundation is built on spirit guarding the double view. These two short ci poems have already summarized the great path of cultivation. Understanding it, you will not be confused by others' extravagant theories. Previously, Confucius and Yan Hui climbed to the peak of Mount Tai together, seeing a galloping white horse in the Dongwu region at the foot of the mountain. Yan Hui said: "Seeing the trajectory of that white horse running, it is like a piece of white cloth." Alas! He wasted his eyesight too much! As a result, he lost his divine light, so he died prematurely. Everyone practicing the returning light method, must pay attention! Returning light is entirely about concentrating one's will to practice. Just need to condense and illuminate the true breath in the central palace, after a long time, naturally achieving spiritual connection and transformation. In short, base on quiet heart and settled qi, efficacy on forgetting heart and condensing qi, elixir formed on quiet heart and empty qi, unity of heart and qi for warming and nourishing, bright heart and seeing nature for attaining the Dao. Everyone had best go and practice seriously. Missing the time is too pity. One day without returning light, that day one becomes a ghost; one breath of skill to return light, that breath one becomes an immortal. Awaken to the Dao and participate in Zen, shedding the mortal body and changing the bones, starts from here. Everyone must strive!