道言浅近说 – 张三丰

Speaking of the Dao in plain words – ZhangSanFeng

translated by LI Siming, 2011

 

7. Great Dao core: master the mind, refine the nature

大道以修心炼性为首，性在心内，心包性外。是性为定理之主人，心为栖性之庐舍。

修心者，存心也；炼性者，养性也。

存心者，坚固城郭，不使房屋倒坍，卽筑基也；

养性者，浇培鄞鄂，务使内药成全，卽炼己也。

心朗朗，性安安，情欲不干，无思无虑，心与性内外坦然，不烦不恼，此修心炼性之效，卽内丹也。

The most important task in pursuing the great Dao is to master the mind and to refine the nature.  The nature is within the mind, the mind embrace the nature from outside.  Therefore nature is the master of the truth, mind is the building that house the nature.

Master the mind means, preserve it; refine the nature means, nurture it.

Preserving the mind means, strengthen the city walls, so houses will not collapse, this is building the foundation;

Nurturing the nature means, water the plants within, so the internal medicine become complete, this is refining the nature.

When the mind become clear, the nature become tranquil, one not disturbed by sentiments and desires, has no thinking and no concerns, mind and nature at ease inside out, no trouble, these are the effect of mastering the mind and refining the nature, this is Internal Alchemy.

 

8. Barrier: Mind in Truth vs. Desire

世有学道数月，而不见其寸进者，为无眞心向道也。

人若有心于道，自然无事于心；人若心重于道，自然心轻于事；人若心浓于道，自然心淡于事。

守其性兮不散乱，存其神兮不昏沉，又安有渴睡杂念之扰哉！咄！理胜欲则存，欲胜理则亡。

People learn the Dao for few months, and do not see any progress, because they were not sincere.

If they focus in Dao, their mind naturally have nothing; if their mind were sincere in Dao, they naturally treat things lightly; if their minds were intense in Dao, they naturally become indifferent to things.

 

9. Relationship between mind, breath, spirit, between internal and external three treasures

潜心于渊，神不外游，心牵于事，火动于中。火动于中，必摇其精。

心静则息自调，静久则心自定。死心以养气，息机以纯心。

精、气、神为内三宝，耳、目、口为外三宝，常使内三宝不逐物而游，外三宝不透中而扰，呼吸绵绵，深入丹田。

使呼吸为夫妇，神气为子母，子母夫妇，聚而不离，

故心不外驰，意不外想，神不外游，精不妄动，常熏蒸于四肢，此金丹大道之正宗也。

Hide the mind in deep, keep the spirit from wandering out, when the mind is attached to things, fire moves within. When fire moves within, essence is shaken.

Mind is quiet and breath is regulated, quiet long and mind become still.  Die the acquired mind to nurture energy, turn off the thinking mind to pure the mind.

Essence, energy, spirit are the internal three treasures, ear, eyes, mouth are the external three treasures, keep the internal three treasures from wandering in chasing things, keep the external three treasures from disturbing the inside, breath continuously and deep into the energy center.

Let breathing become husband and wife, spirit and energy become mother and son, son-mother husband-wife, gather and not apart, therefore mind does not run outside, intent does not think outside, spirit does not travel outside, essence does not move recklessly, and stream the limbs at all times, this is the authentic Golden Elixir and Great Dao.

 

10. Center as the gateway to the Great Dao, physical vs. psychic center

大道从『中』字入门，所谓『中』字者，一在身中，一不在身中。

功夫须两层做：第一寻身中之中，朱子云『守中制外』，夫守中者，须要回光返照，注意规中，于脐下一寸三分处，不卽不离，此寻身中之中也；

第二求不在身中之中，《中庸》云『喜怒哀乐之未发』，此未发时，不闻不见，贼愼幽独，自然性定神清，神清气慧，到此方见本来面目，此求不在身中之中也。

以在身中之中，求不在身中之中，然后人欲易净，天理复明，千古圣贤仙佛，皆以此为第一步功夫。

The Great Dao can be entered via the word “Center”, what is called “Center”, one is of the body, one is not of the body (non-body).

Kungfu should be proceed in two levels: first find the center of the body, Zhuzi said “Abide in the center when handling the external”, to abide in the center, one need to bring back the (spirit) light to inside, pay attention to the center, 1.3 inches below the belly button, keep the attention, this is the finding the center of the body;

Second find the non-body center, Confucius’ <<Doctrine of the Mean>> said: “Center is prior to the uprising of happy, angry, sad, joy”, at this moment, there is no hearing and no seeing, thieves are cautious, hidden and alone, and naturally the nature becomes still and the spirit becomes clear, spirit becomes clear and energy becomes pure, to here one starts to see one’s original face, this seeking is not within the body.

Use the center of the body, to pursue the center not of the body, and desire will become easy to purify, heaven’s nature will return to order, saints immortals and buddhas throughout the history, had used this as the first step practise.

 

打坐之中，最要凝神调息，以暇以整，勿助勿忘，末有不逐日长工夫者。

凝神调息，只要心平气和。心平则神凝，气和则息调。

心平『平』字最妙，心不起波之谓平，心执其中之谓平，平卽在此中也。心在此中，乃不起波。

此中，卽丹经之玄关一窍也。修炼不知玄关，无论其它，只此便如入暗室一般，从何下手？玄关者，气穴也。

气穴者，神入气中，如在深穴之中也。神气相恋，则玄关之体已立。

During meditation, the most important is to condense the spirit and regulate the breath, use calmness to bring back order, refrain from assisting and forgetting, none will not gain kungfu by day.

Condensing the spirit and regulating the breath, only need flat mind and harmonized energy.  When mind is flatten spirit is condensed, when energy is harmonized breath is regulated.

The word “flatten” is wonderful, when no wave arise in the mind it is flatten, mind abide in it is called flat, flat is in the center. When the mind is in it, there is no wave.

 

古仙云：『调息要调眞息息，炼神须炼不神神。』眞息之息，息乎其息者也；不神之神，神乎其神者也。

总要无人心，有道心，将此道心返入虚无，昏昏默默，存于规中，乃能养眞息之息，得不神之神。

Ancient immortal said: “Regulate the real breath, refine the non-spirit spirit” Real breath is the breath when the breath stops; non-spirit spirit is the spirit of the spirit.

To sum up one need to empty the human mind, embrace the Dao mind, return this Dao mind back to emptiness, dark and silence, save in the center, and one can nurture the real breath, obtain the non-spirit spirit.

 

11. Proper breathing, energy reaction, where to abide

初学必从内呼吸下手，此个呼吸，乃是离父母重立胞胎之地。人能从此处立功，便如母呼亦呼、母吸亦吸之时，好象重生之身一般。

大凡打坐，须将神抱住气，意系住息，在丹田中婉转悠扬，聚而不散，则内藏之气与外来之气交结于丹田。

日充月盛，达乎四肢，流乎百脉，撞开夹脊双关，而上游于泥丸，旋复降下绛宫，而下丹田。神气相守，息息相依，河车之路通矣。

功夫到此，筑基之效已得一半了，总是要勤虚炼耳。

Beginners should start from internal breathing, this breathing, is like going back to embryo after departing from father and mother.  When people can practice this (internal breathing), they breath with their mother like they were embryo, just like they are starting a new life.

When meditate, embrace energy with spirit, tie the breath with intent, mild and melodiously accumulate them in the lower energy center without being scattered, so internal energy can mix and fuse with external energy in the lower energy center.

Energy eventually builds up, reaches four limbs, flows in meridians, opens the spinal energy gates, flows into the upper energy center, back down to middle energy center, and down to lower energy center. Spirit abides with energy continuously in each breath, and the energy pathway is opened.

When practice reach this stage, the foundation is half built, remember to practice diligently and emptily.

 

调息须以后天呼吸，寻眞人呼吸之处。古云：『后天呼吸起微风，引起眞人呼吸功。』然调后天呼吸，须任他自调，方能调得起先天呼吸，我惟致虚守静而已。

眞息一动，玄关卽不远矣。照此进功，筑基可翘足而至，不必百日也。

In regulating breath, one use acquired breathing to find place where real breathing takes place. Ancient’s saying: “Acquired breathing brings light wind, which lead to real breathing.”

Regulate the acquired breathing, let it regulate itself, in order to regulate the innate breathing, one only need to reach to emptiness and abide in stillness in the process.

When the real breath moves, the mysterious gate is not far. Based on this method, the foundation could be built quickly, not necessarily require one hundred days.

 

《道德经》『致虚极，守静笃』二句，可浑讲亦可折讲。

浑言之，只是教人以入定之功耳。折言之，则虚是虚无，极是中极，静是安静，笃是专笃。

犹言致吾神于虚无之间，而凖其中极之地，守其神于安静之内，必尽其专笃之功。

<<DaoDeJing>> “Reach the end of emptiness, abide in the end of stillness”, can be explained generally or separately.

Generally speaking, it refers to the method to enter stillness.  Separately speaking, emptiness refers to nothingness, end refers to the ultimate center, stillness refers to quiet peacefulness, end refers to concentration.  It is equivalent to letting one’s spirit abide in emptiness and nothingness, to the ultimate center, abide one’s spirit in quiet peacefulness, with one’s full concentration.

 

12. Real vs. Reckless mind

人心者二，一眞一妄。故觅眞心者，不生妄念，卽是眞心。

眞心之性格最宽大、最光明，眞心之所居最安然、最自在。

以眞心理书，千条一贯；以眞心寻道，万殊一本。

然人要用他应事，就要养得他壮大，就要守得他安闲，然后劳而不劳，静而能应。

丹诀云：心走卽收回，收回又放下，用后复求安，求安卽生悟也。谁云闹中不可取静耶？

People’s mind has two components, one real and one reckless.  Therefore those search for the real mind, does not arise reckless thoughts, this is real mind.

Real mind’s personality is broad and bright, real mind’s place of abode is safe and at ease.

Use the real mind to study the truth, one understand connections of thousand items; use the real mind to seek the Dao, one abide in the origin of ten thousand difference.

Man to use this to interact with the world, have to nurture it and strengthen it, and abide in its peace and at ease, then one work without working, still and can respond (to the world).

Alchemist said: when the mind runs away brings it back, brings it back and then let go, return to at ease after use, seek to be at ease then one realize. Who said one cannot be quiet in the middle of noisiness?