上于清冷之台,中阶而顾,匍匐而前,则惑,独瞑独视,安心定气,久而不解,独博独眩,被发长跪,俯
而视之,后久之不已,卒然自上,何也?(台之高者其气寒,故曰“清冷之台”。凡人登高博望,目见非常
之处,无不神魂惊荡,而心生眩惑。)以五脏六腑之精气皆上注于目而为之精,(为之精,为精明之用
也。)精之窠为眼,(窠者,窝穴之谓。眼者,目之总称,五脏六腑之精气皆上注于目,故眼为精之窠而五色
具焉。)骨之精为瞳子,(瞳子,眸子也。骨之精主于肾,肾属水,其色玄,故瞳子内明而色正黑。)筋之精
为黑眼,(黑眼,黑珠也。筋之精主于肝,肝色青,故其色浅于瞳子。)血之精为络,(络,脉络也。血脉之
精王于心,心色赤,故 络之色皆赤。)其窠气之精为白眼,窠气者,言目窠之气也。(气之精主于肺,肺
属金,故为白眼。)肌肉之精为约束,裹撷筋骨血气之精而与脉并为系,上属于脑,后出于项中。(约束,眼
胞也;能开能阖,为肌肉之精,主于脾也。脾属土,所以藏物,故裹撷筋骨血气四脏之精而并为目系,以上
出于脑项之间。)故有邪中于项,因逢其身之虚,其入深,则随眼系以入于脑。入于脑则脑转,脑转则引目系
急,目系急则目眩以转矣。邪其精,其精所中,不相比也,则精散,精散则视歧,视歧见两物。(前“邪”字,
邪气也;后“邪”字,与“斜”同。邪气中于风府、天柱之间,乘其虚则入脑连目,目系急则
目眩精斜,故左右之脉互有缓急。视歧失正,则两睛之所中于物者不相比类而各异其见,是以视一为两也。
此发邪气之中人者如此,以明下文之目见非常者,亦犹外邪之属耳。)目者,五脏六腑之精也,营卫魂魄
之所常营,神气之所生也。(脏腑营卫魂魄所至者皆神气也,故目为
神气之所生。)故神劳则魂魄散,志意乱,是故瞳子黑眼法于阴,白眼赤脉法于阳也;故阴阳合传而精明也。
(阴阳即精神之本,故阴阳合传而成精明之用。)目者心使也,心者神之舍也,故神精乱而不转,卒然
见非常处,精神魂魄散不相得,故曰惑也。(精神虽统于心,而外用则在目,故目为心之使,心为神之舍;所
以目见非常于外,则神魂眩惑于心也。)心有所喜,神有所恶,卒然相感,则精气亦乱,视误故惑,神移乃
复。(心所喜也,忽逢奇异,神则恶之。夫神有所恶,则志有不随,喜恶相感于卒然,故精气为乱;去之则神
移,神移则复矣。)是故间者为迷,甚者为惑。(间者,言其未甚也,亦足相迷,况其甚者,能无惑乎?)
Ascending the high platform of "Qingleng" (Clear and Cold), looking back while halfway up the stairs, crawling forward on hands and knees, one will experience dizziness and confusion. If one closes or opens eyes alone, calms the mind and regulates the qi, yet the sensation persists for a long time; or if one gazes into the distance alone causing vertigo, sits kneeling with disheveled hair for a long time, and looks down at the ground without relief even after a long period, why does this sudden vertigo arise from the height? (The air at the top of the high platform is cold, hence it is called the "Platform of Clear and Cold." When ordinary people climb high to gaze afar, seeing extraordinary sights, their soul and spirit are invariably startled and agitated, leading to mental dizziness and confusion.)
The essence of the Five Zang and Six Fu organs all ascends to the eyes to form the brilliance of vision. (To form the brilliance refers to the function of acute visual perception.) The cavity of the eye is called the "Ke" (nest/cavity). (The "Ke" refers to the hollow. The eye is the general term for the organ of sight; since the essence of the Five Zang and Six Fu organs all ascends to the eyes, the eye serves as the nest of essence, manifesting the five colors.) The essence of bone manifests in the pupil. (The pupil is the black part of the eye. The essence of bone is governed by the Kidney; the Kidney belongs to Water, its color is black, thus the pupil is bright inside and correctly black.) The essence of sinew manifests in the dark part of the eye (iris). (The dark part refers to the area surrounding the pupil. The essence of sinew is governed by the Liver; the Liver's color is green, thus its color is lighter than that of the pupil.) The essence of blood manifests in the collateral vessels. (Collaterals refer to the blood vessel network. The essence of blood is governed by the Heart; the Heart's color is red, thus the color of the collaterals is red.) The essence of Qi within the orbital cavity manifests in the white part of the eye (sclera). ("Qi of the Ke" refers to the Qi of the muscles around the eye socket. The essence of Qi is governed by the Lung; the Lung belongs to Metal, thus it manifests as the white part of the eye.) The essence of muscle manifests in the eyelids (Yueshu/Constraints). (Yueshu refers to the eyelids, which can open and close, formed by the essence of muscle and governed by the Spleen. The Spleen belongs to Earth, responsible for storing and containing; thus it gathers the essence of bone, sinew, blood, and Qi from the four other organs, combining them into the Optic Nerve System (Muxi), ascending to connect with the brain and emerging between the neck and head.)
Therefore, if pathogenic factors invade the neck, coinciding with a deficiency in the body's righteous Qi, and the invasion is deep, they will follow the optic nerve system into the brain. Once entering the brain, it causes the brain to rotate; brain rotation pulls the optic nerve system tight; tension in the optic nerve system leads to visual vertigo and spinning. Pathogenic factors disrupt the essence; when the essence is invaded by pathogens and fails to coordinate, the essence scatters. Scattered essence results in diplopia (seeing double images). (The first "Xie" [pathogen] refers to pathogenic factors; the second "Xie" is synonymous with "Xie" [oblique/slanted]. Pathogenic factors strike between Fengfu (GV16) and Tianzhu (BL10); taking advantage of deficiency, they enter the brain and connect to the eyes. Tension in the optic nerve system causes vertigo and slanting of essence, resulting in alternating slackness and tension in the left and right meridians. Diplopia deviates from normalcy, meaning the objects seen by both eyes do not correspond similarly but appear different, hence one object is seen as two. This illustrates how pathogenic factors harm humans, clarifying that the "seeing extraordinary sights" mentioned below also belongs to the category of external pathogenic factors.)
The eyes are the gathering place of the essence of the Five Zang and Six Fu organs, the place where Ying-Wei (Defensive and Nutritive) Qi, Hun, and Po are constantly nourished, and the source of Shen-Qi (Spiritual Qi). (Wherever Zang-Fu, Ying-Wei, Hun, and Po reach, there is Shen-Qi; thus, the eyes are the source of Shen-Qi.) Therefore, excessive labor of the spirit causes Hun and Po to scatter and will/intent to become chaotic. Thus, the pupils and dark parts of the eyes conform to Yin, while the whites and red vessels conform to Yang; the transmission and combination of Yin and Yang maintain clarity and brightness. (Yin and Yang are the root of spirit; thus, their combination forms the function of clear vision.) The eyes are the envoys of the Heart, and the Heart is the residence of the Spirit. Therefore, if spiritual essence becomes chaotic and does not return, and one suddenly sees extraordinary sights, the spirit, essence, Hun, and Po scatter and fail to harmonize; this is called "Huo" (Confusion/Dizziness). (Although spirit is unified by the Heart, its external manifestation lies in the eyes; thus, the eyes are the envoys of the Heart, and the Heart is the residence of the Spirit; therefore, seeing abnormalities externally causes the soul and spirit to become dizzy and confused internally.) If the Heart has preferences and the Spirit has aversions, and these suddenly interact, the essence and Qi will also become chaotic. Due to erroneous vision, one feels confused; once the spirit shifts away, recovery occurs. (What the Heart likes, if suddenly met with strange phenomena, the Spirit may dislike. Since the Spirit dislikes, the will cannot follow; the interaction of like and dislike in an instant causes essence and Qi to become chaotic; leaving the situation allows the spirit to shift, and upon shifting, recovery ensues.) Therefore, mild cases are called "Mi" (Lost/Confused), and severe cases are called "Huo" (Dizzy/Perplexed). ("Jian zhe" refers to mild conditions; even mild cases cause confusion, let alone severe ones, which inevitably lead to perplexity.)