Library

Medicine and fire timing. Small and large microcosmic orbits. According to the method, refine. Nine transformations lead to immortality. Wang Dongting said: When refining reaches the point where the mysterious aperture is full, medicine will naturally generate within the furnace. This is called the True One Qi (Zhenyi Zhiqi), also known as the Innate True Lead (Xiantian Zhenqian). Zhang Sanfeng said: Take it only from home; why labor to seek outside? The *Wuzhen Pian* (Awakening to Reality) says: This supreme treasure exists in every household, yet fools fail to recognize it fully. Lu Ziye said: Every household has it, but how few know it, how few return to it? Bai Yuchan said: Originally, true gold resides within the home. The *Xiushen Shi* (Poems on Cultivating Nature) says: Take medicinal materials from home as needed. It also says: Recognize the true seed of your homeland, and carefully harvest the white lotus at the bottom of the sea. The "home," "within the home," and "homeland" mentioned above all refer to oneself. Do not listen to the erroneous interpretations of false masters.

When the medicine is about to arise, after a moment, itching arises in the hair pores, the limbs become soft like cotton, and the mind feels trance-like. The qi of the medicine in the pot rushes outward, and the yang organ becomes erect. The alchemical classics call this the time of the Rat (Zi hour) when the medicine is produced. Huayang Ancestor said: This is the manifestation of the medicine's production; do not be startled or strange. If one raises thoughts of surprise or doubt, the spirit will scatter and the qi will dissipate. One must instantly cease thinking and wait with emptiness. Do not recklessly apply the vigorous fire of the clepsydra (water clock), nor lose track of the true timing. Quietly listen to the movement and flourishing of the qi. Chongxu Zi said: "Feeling yet not feeling" indicates that yang qi is not yet vigorous, and one should not urgently advance the vigorous fire. "Regaining awareness of the true yuan" indicates that yang qi is already vigorous; at this speed, one must immediately begin to collect and adopt the medicine. How does one know if the medicine is neither too old nor too tender? As Zhang Sanfeng said: The fullness of the moon lies in the oral transmission; the subtlety of the Rat hour is passed down through the heart. Bai Yuchan said: The clear words of the full moon oral transmission; the heart-to-heart transmission of the Rat hour is indeed not false. This is correct.

Once the medicine is collected into the furnace, there is one phase of vigorous fire to seal and solidify, followed by one phase of gentle fire. Bodhidharma said: To await the collection of the Mani pearl is precisely this. Zhang Sanfeng said: Only in two phases is the golden elixir achieved, which is also this. He also said: The remaining four phases possess divine power, constituting the small microcosmic orbit, the four phases of ascending, descending, and bathing. Jiwu Chanist stated that collection ascends via the Du vessel to the Niwan palace, and cooking/refining descends via the Ren vessel to the Dantian, forming one orbit. Xu Jingyang stated that using nine (Yang) accumulates 216 Yang lines, representing the degree of extracting lead; using six (Yin) accumulates 144 Yin lines, representing the limit of adding mercury, forming one orbit. Liu Hanyang stated that twelve regulations constitute one orbit. Wu Chongxu stated that advancing yang fire for thirty-six units at Zi, resting fire at Mao is called bathing; retreating yin tally for twenty-four units at Wu, stopping tally at You is called bathing, forming one orbit. Chen Niwan stated that in the twelve earthly branches of heaven, reaching Mao brings punishment and killing, while reaching You brings virtue and life, forming one orbit. The *Cantong Qi* states that in twelve months, when spring equinox arrives, elm leaves fall; when autumn equinox arrives, malt sprouts, forming one orbit. There are many methods for the small microcosmic orbit, which I will not discuss in detail here. Some complete the process after dozens of orbits, some after over a hundred, and even some after hundreds of orbits. In short, every movement is a refinement, refining again and again, orbit after orbit. It is also said: Accumulating for no more than one hundred days, essence will not leak and qi will return. Zhang Sanfeng said: Proceeding with effort in this manner, the foundation can be completed swiftly, without needing a hundred days. Liu Hanyang said: One hundred days is the name for refining essence. For those who are young and diligent, obtaining the elixir quickly makes one hundred days achievable. For middle-aged or elderly people, a fixed period cannot be set, as there may be cases where external yang does not arise. One must refine until external yang arises; once external yang arises, one must refine until external yang does not arise. Why? Because when the lead qi flies away completely, it refines into a piece of dry quicksilver, resulting in retraction and non-erection. The Buddhist sutras say: Achieving the Tathagata's horse-hidden characteristic. The *Huangting Jing* (Yellow Court Classic) says: Closing the path of semen allows for long life. Li Xuan'an said: Once the Yang Pass is closed, everyone attains longevity. The *Guizhi* says: Daily practicing such coupling and addition/subtraction, mercury gradually increases, lead gradually decreases; over time, lead will be exhausted, mercury will also dry up, forming a single Mani pearl, which is the Golden Liquid Great Return Elixir. The *Wuzhen Pian* says: Use lead, but do not use ordinary lead; having used true lead, discard it. This is the true secret of using lead; "using lead without using [it]" is an honest statement. Chaoyuanzi said: When mercury dries, lead discards itself. Zixian Zhenren said: A student asking the Way to this point knows that the teacher's grace is hard to repay; one should swear under the sun and sky to achieve the Dao to repay the teacher's grace. Betraying the teacher's grace is like betraying the sun and sky. Ziye Zhenren said: The method of using lead is like the fish trap and rabbit snare. Fish and rabbits rely on traps and snares to be caught; once caught, the traps and snares are useless. Zhang Ziyang said: Beginning with action, few see it; when reaching non-action, the masses finally understand. But believing non-action is the mystery, how can one know that action is the foundation?

Action refers to coupling, building the foundation, destiny work, destiny itself, adjusting medicine, collecting medicine, and refining medicine to supplement deficiencies, thereby solidifying the root of destiny. Non-action refers to refining the self, nature work, and nature itself: eliminating the three minds, extinguishing the four appearances, cutting off the six desires, severing the seven emotions, forgetting all worldly concerns, thereby nourishing the root of nature. Bai Yuchan said: The root of nature and the tip of destiny originate from the same source but have different names; combining them in one place forms the elixir, returning to the primordial qi of Yuanshi. Truly spoken.

When refining the elixir reaches the point of pure yang and complete yin, sunlight naturally appears at the eyebrows. Upon the third appearance of sunlight, one must quickly stop the fire. If one does not know when to stop and be content, danger will surely ensue. Ziyang Zhenren said: If one holds onto fullness without end, one inevitably suffers disaster one day. Stopping fire means stopping the post-heaven vigorous fire, thus using natural gentle fire. The *Wuzhen Pian* says: There is a natural true fire timing; no need for firewood, charcoal, or blowing. Thus, true qi condenses completely in the cauldron and remains hidden, not emerging. Previously, it was said that small medicine arises first and is then collected; here, it is said that large medicine is collected first and then arises. One must use seven days of collection work. The method involves using the light of both eyes to look back into the cauldron, the hearing of both ears to listen back into the cauldron, and the spirituality of the mind to focus firmly in the cauldron. Two or three times, or four or five times a day, and during the rest of the time, remain chaotic and undifferentiated. Practicing in this way, after seven days, when the suspended fetus is in the cauldron, the large medicine begins to sprout. The *Huangting Jing* says: Thinking without sleep for seven days day and night. The *I Ching* says: Seven days to return. It also says: Returning to see the heart of heaven and earth. Alchemical classics say: Heavenly maiden offering flowers, dragon girl offering pearls, is precisely this.

The previous small microcosmic orbit involved boiling the two kidneys with yuan, eyes emitting golden light, ears hearing wind sounds, owls crying behind the head, body surging, and nose twitching. After experiencing these effects, one should collect the large medicine and exit the furnace, performing the great microcosmic orbit. Use stillness to illuminate, gentleness to apply, wait for movement to guide, and protect while proceeding. Carefully prevent dangers on the path, and the method of passing the passes will be obtained. Wu Chongxu said: Five dragons carrying the sage. Alchemical classics say: Transforming spirit entering meditation, is this. At this moment, the medicine naturally flows and is lively, rushing upward to the heart. The heart palace cannot penetrate it, so it turns downward to the lower field, forward to the Yang Pass. Since the Yang Pass is closed, it turns backward and rushes to the Weilu (tailbone). If Weilu is blocked, it runs from Weilu to the Gudao (anus). If Gudao opens without prevention, the large medicine leaks, and previous efforts are wasted. This is called the danger of the Lower Magpie Bridge. One must pass it with true intention to avoid disaster. If the large medicine rushes against Weilu and cannot penetrate, it rises upward to Jiaji, pierces through Yuzhen, and goes straight through the top of the head. The Buddha said: Shooting an arrow through nine layers of iron drums, is the meaning of this. Then it moves forward and down to Yintang. If Yintang marrow blocks and does not flow, fear it will randomly rush out through the empty apertures below the nose and leak; leaking wastes previous efforts. This is called the danger of the Upper Magpie Bridge. Students must prevent this. One must guide it past Yintang with true intention and descend it down the Twelve-story Tower (throat). The ancients called this taking food. It is also said: Swallowing one grain of golden elixir into the abdomen, one then knows my fate is not determined by heaven.

When the elixir reaches the Spirit Chamber, it transforms the yin spirit, called filling Kan to restore Li, re-establishing the positions of Qian and Kun. This is the method of the great microcosmic orbit. Once the large medicine returns to the central palace, one must use the method of embracing the origin and guarding the one. This method is like a dragon nurturing a pearl, or a hen brooding eggs. The ancients called this nurturing the Dao Fetus. The *Zhongyong* (Doctrine of the Mean) says: The Dao cannot be separated from for a moment. The *Book of Documents* says: Sincerely hold the center. Yuan Shen (primordial spirit) quietly illuminates the middle and lower fields, blending together to form a void realm. Let Yuan Shen quietly nurture the Dao Fetus. Guarding for two or three months, the motive force of yuan qi becomes very subtle, consciousness gradually wears away, and true nature gradually becomes spiritual and aware. Guarding for four or five months, due to Yuan Shen's quiet illumination, yuan qi cuts off food and drink, becoming a fetal immortal. Further guarding for six or seven months, drowsiness disappears completely, head and eyes feel refreshed. Guarding for eight or nine months, all pulses stop, and mouth and nose have absolutely no breathing. Further guarding until the tenth month, Yuan Shen enters great stillness, becoming sufficient pure yang. Huayang said: Ten months of Dao Fetus fire, one year of bathing work, precisely refers to this.

Thus, when practice reaches this stage, intelligence and wisdom arise, and the signs of the Six Powers naturally appear. The Six Powers are: Power of Exhaustion (Loujin Tong), Heavenly Eye Power (Tianyan Tong), Heavenly Ear Power (Tian'er Tong), Past Life Power (Suming Tong), Mind-Reading Power (Taxin Tong), and Divine Realm Power (Shijing Tong). During the previous refining of essence, since essence did not leak, the Power of Exhaustion was achieved. Only then can the other five powers be obtained. Heavenly Eye Power can observe events in heaven; Heavenly Ear Power can hear words in heaven; Past Life Power can understand causes of past lives; Mind-Reading Power can know past and future events. Only the Divine Realm Power, if used by conscious spirit (Shi Shen) to speak of human fortune and misfortune, failing to protect the Heart Monarch, leads to the demonic path. Is this not lamentable? One must possess wisdom but not use it, transforming consciousness into wisdom, thereby stabilizing nature and perfecting the fetus.

Once the fetus is full and spirit is complete, at this time one only knows spirit and does not know qi; consciousness dies and true nature becomes spiritual. The fetus cannot remain long, fearing stagnation. Use the migration method to move from the middle and lower fields to the upper field. Yin Zhenren said: Five qi gather at the Upper Origin, three flowers converge at the Dry Top. Quietly nurture for one hundred days until practice is pure; lowering eyelids occasionally seeing snowflakes falling, filling the six directions, the scene of spirit exiting arrives. Suddenly, with a clap of thunder, Yuan Shen exits through the Heavenly Gate. Do not be frightened; fright scatters the golden light. If strange objects appear, do not fixate on them. Wait until the golden light resembles a chariot wheel, then collect it back into the upper field. Nurture for seven days, exit again, and collect immediately. Exiting and entering, moving from near to far, do not skip steps. The infant is young and fears getting lost and forgetting the way. Or heavenly demons may come to test, disturbing the Heart Monarch. Exiting and entering must be cautious to form the Tai Xu body. The ancients said: The Dao rises one foot, the demon rises one zhang. Scholars whose self-refinement is not pure often fail in this state. If nurturing for three years until the Yang Spirit matures, one can naturally reach the earth and connect to heaven, enter water without drowning, enter fire without burning, enter metal and stone without obstruction. Having experienced all these tests, one proceeds to the step of refining spirit returning to emptiness, nine years of facing the wall, achieving the wonder of form and spirit together, waiting for the edict of the elixir book, finally proving the fruit of Heavenly Immortal, enjoying boundless blessings forever. The ancients said: Heaven and earth have their destruction, but the Immortal Elder's寿命 is infinite. Ke Huaijing said: All things return to the origin in only one circle, is this. Although the words are humble, the method is transmitted from immortals. Later students who secretly read this book and practice diligently will certainly see results. If one can leave dust and escape vulgarity, completing the nine transformations of the elixir, soon one can drive alongside Zhong and Lü.