典藏书目

The Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth: Qian (Heaven) is firm, Kun (Earth) is yielding. Yin cannot grow without Yang, and Yang cannot generate without Yin. When firmness and softness achieve harmony, Water and Fire can interact perfectly (Ji Ji). Yin and Yang must have counterparts; thus, all beings are conceived and born. Therefore, both Qian and Kun possess the True Primordial Qi, and men and women each possess a body capable of immortality. The Way of Qian is called "Great Generation," through which one can attain Right Enlightenment. The Way of Kun is called "Broad Generation," through which one can also achieve the status of Yuan Jun (a title for high-ranking female immortals). If it were said that women find it difficult to enter the Dao of Immortality, why does Queen Mother of the West dwell long in Kunlun? Chang'e stole the elixir from Liangjian and forever became the Empress of the Moon. Xiaoyao read the lacquer books (esoteric Daoist texts) and styled himself as an exiled immortal of Yaochi. The Goddess of Luo River and the Goddess of Mount Wu have been illustrious since ancient times; Zigu and Xiang Fei remain prominent today. Their traces are recorded in historical chapters and can indeed be verified. Since the body embodies the Virtue of Kun, how could it not be possible [to become an immortal]!

However, because they sink into the sea of desires and do not generate the heart-mind to enter the Dao, how can they jump out of the ford of delusion to become female immortals ascending the clouds? Their nature is originally Yin and soft; their views are often biased and narrow. They do not know the Four Virtues (virtue, speech, demeanor, and work), nor do they understand the Three Obediences (obey father before marriage, husband after marriage, and son after husband's death). Knowing faults that should be corrected but failing to correct them, knowing fields of merit that should be cultivated but failing to cultivate them. Indulging in ruthless desires, losing the truth of original nature, despising oneself and giving up, sinking further and lower. Do they not know that human affairs are like floating clouds, and the dusty world is originally a net of karmic retribution? Rather than casting oneself into Samsara, why not turn back and ascend to the other shore? Penglai surely has a path, right before one's eyes; Yujing surely has a ladder, but it requires mental realization. Buddha is the Mind; the Mind is Buddha. An immortal can disdain me, and I too can become an immortal. Jade Mercury and Golden Lead (terms in internal alchemy referring to the transformation of essence, energy, and spirit) are truly the treasure rafts for saving life; Elixir scriptures and Buddhist sutras are indeed the heavenly ladders for entering the Dao. However, because the heavenly ladder is not lightly revealed, words often hide the tail and show the head (are obscure). Even if one has finished chanting the Langhuan manuscripts, one must still seek teachers and visit friends. Hearing one secret formula allows one to know one secret formula; advancing one level reveals another journey. If one can shake off worldly ties, bow to a enlightened master to seek the mind-dharma, how difficult would it be to step into the Jade Palace, pay respects to the Golden Mother, and join the ranks of immortals? One must establish resolve and encourage oneself.

1. Guard against arising delusional thoughts repeatedly.
2. Guard against indulging in lust and lewdness.
3. Guard against being violent, cruel, and harsh.
4. Guard against affliction, worry, anger, and rage.
5. Guard against sorrow, thought, fear, and panic.
6. Guard against excessive improper viewing with the eyes.
7. Guard against excessive improper listening with the ears.
8. Guard against speaking much arrogantly and wildly.
9. Guard against stinginess and hoarding wealth.
10. Guard against killing living beings and harming life.
11. Guard against not moderating the consumption of meat and fish.
12. Guard against disrespecting the Dao and slighting the teacher.
Although there are more than twelve things women should guard against, if one guards against these twelve items, one will not be far from immortality.

1. Guard against arising delusional thoughts repeatedly.
What emanates from the heart-mind is called "thought" (Nian). If the thought is upright, then all actions are upright; if the thought is deviant, then all conduct is deviant. The Heart-Mind is the Heavenly Monarch (the ruler), and Thought is the servant. If the Heavenly Monarch is tranquil, the hundred limbs follow orders.
Delusional thoughts are all kinds of arrogant and improper thoughts. What the ancients called "thought without thought" is the upright thought, which is also the True Intention (Zhen Yi). This True Intention is indispensable. With this True Intention, one can refine Lead to seek Mercury (internal alchemy processes), concentrate the Spirit, and nourish the Fetus. The Elixir Scriptures say, "Walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, never depart from this 'this'." This "this" refers to the True Intention. How different are these improper delusional thoughts, with thousands of threads and forms, indescribable. Initially, they come out of nowhere; subsequently, the realm of struggle becomes an illusion. Before one thought ends, another continues; from this to that, touching the environment generates the heart-mind. When thinking of happy times, one cannot help but congratulate and satisfy oneself; when thinking of unhappy times, one cannot bear to resent and grieve oneself. Throughout the day, there is no peace or rest; even in sleep, the Spirit is absent.
Since the thoughts emitted are delusional, then what appears in action is all delusional. How can such a deluded person speak of the Dao of Immortality? Even if not manifested in actions, groundless delusions are watched by the Divine Eye like lightning, how strict is its gaze! Moreover, human birth, death, and Samsara are all created by a single thought. The area of deep affection is the place of receiving birth. Alas! A single thought creates Samsara, planting boundless life and death. Can people not be cautious about their emitted thoughts?
As for the Perfect Person, knowing that these rootless and baseless delusional thoughts imprison and destroy one's nature, leading towards the Six Realms, carefully experiences and recognizes them, diligently adding awareness: Where does this thought arise? Where does it cease? How was it before arising? How is it after arising? Knowing that once this thought arises, one raises the Sword of Wisdom to cut it, striving to pull out its root. Not allowing it to secretly grow in hidden subtleties, striving to make this nature empty, quiet, and silent, with ten thousand thoughts extinguished and only one Spirit remaining. Free and unfettered, lively and vibrant. Thus, selfish desires are completely pure, Heavenly Principle flows naturally, and the Dao of Immortality is not far. Therefore, those entering the gate must first guard this juncture carefully and not neglect it; only then are they resolute virtuous women, vessels of the Dao.

2. Guard against indulging in lust and lewdness.
The hardest barrier for humans to break is the barrier of sexual desire. Why do humans have life? Because this root of lust has not been uprooted. Seeing lewd acts, the nature enters the roots of male and female bodies, thereby taking rebirth. Why do humans have bodies? Because parents engaged in intercourse, this body was formed. Humans come from lewd acts, so their habits and stains are deepest, and the rootstock is not easily uprooted. Furthermore, what humans rely on for life is entirely based on this Essence and Qi. Greedy for lust damages Essence; damaged Essence makes the Yang Gate (referring to the essence gate) insecure, causing hundreds of diseases to arise simultaneously. The ancients said, "A hundred pills of medicine are not equal to one night of solitary sleeping." This is cherishing Essence and Qi. Cherishing a little Essence and Qi adds several years to one's lifespan. Once the foundation is built without leakage, and the Yang Gate is closed, one achieves longevity. Moreover, women's natures are easily agitated; once greedy for lewd acts, fire of desire burns the body, emotions are hard to control. Without a husband to fulfill desires, there must be acts of lost decency. Even if one does not lose chastity, once the lustful heart moves, fire forces the whole body, and Essence and Qi are no longer preserved within.
In the past, Wei Shiyiniang learned the Dao. Her master transformed into a majestic man, teasing her in hundreds of ways, even forcing and defiling her, but her heart did not waver, so he transmitted the Immortal Art. Therefore, those whose root of lust is not uprooted mostly lose the affinity for immortality. Even if by chance they hear the Dharma, this Dao involves forms and appearances, so it cannot be practiced. Even if practiced, the fetus formed is merely a lustful fetus. Once the Spirit exits, it will surely see lustful scenes and take rebirth, rendering previous efforts useless.
Many celestial maidens in the Heavenly Palace were banished to the Red Dust (mortal world), none other than because their emotional ties were not severed. Can one not guard against this? The method of guarding lies in not thinking and not seeing. Not thinking allows one to prohibit emotion before it arises; not seeing allows one to sever thoughts in the present situation. The Wenchang Dijun (Emperor Wen Chang) said, "When not seen, do not think; when seen, do not be confused; when seen, do not recall." This is indeed a good maxim for guarding against lust. However, is it enough to just not think, not be confused, and not recall? One must thoroughly uproot the root of lust, seeing form as emptiness, emptiness as form, forgetting emotion when facing phenomena, having desire without desiring. Only then can one speak of the Dao of Immortality. If holding a lustful heart, hoping to attain the Way of the Highest Truth, and yet succeeding, I have never heard of such a case.