12

PREPARING THE ELIXIR OF IMMORTALITY

THE DEFICIENCY OF the immortal seed can be remedied by the use of slow and quick fires (from regulating the breathing) so that the genital organ will draw in, the inner light will manifest before the eyes, the dragon’s hum and tiger’s roar will be heard in the ears, and the heart (the house of nature) will be luminous. When the practiser is aware of the maturity of the immortal seed, he should stop the fire (by no longer regulating the breathing) to gather the macrocosmic alchemical agent for the final breakthrough (i.e. forcing open the original cavity of spirit between and behind the eyes, which will emit the precious light).

After the practiser has experienced all the six states mentioned in the last chapter as well as flashes of light and the retraction of his genital organ, he may not be able to gather anything when his penis suddenly stands as usual at the living hour of tsu (11 p.m.–1 a.m.) because the generative force and vitality are uniting to produce the immortal seed. In this case he should use the method of nurturing and developing the immortal seed, which consists of ‘uniting’ (squinting) and directing his two eyes to look into the lower tan t’ien centre (under the navel) to transmute his (essential) nature in its (rudimentary) state of (vital) breath into an entitative state; henceforth there will be only one harmonious vitality which will unite all imperfect breath and vitality in the body into one uniform whole which will manifest from the chest as uniform white moonlight within and without the practiser.

In this state of genial springtime real breath seems to exist and prenatal spirit becomes perceptible while vitality develops unceasingly. The practiser now should guard against the arousal of intellect which will prevent vitality from developing and spirit from continuing; he should never break the prohibition against both (utter) neglect and (undue) attention. If stirring thoughts cause the spiritual body to vanish, this is due to neglect; and if the heart does not wander outside and never strays from the spiritual body, this is due to absence of neglect. If he is unduly specific and obstinate thereby hindering the process of alchemy this is because of excessive attention; but if he refrains from interfering with what is happening quietly, this is freedom from undue attention. Neglect leads to dullness and confusion and excessive attention to the dissipation (of spirit and vitality); these are grave mistakes which all practisers should avoid.

The (vital) breath that disperses in all parts in the body is the dying breath; if it is held fast there is life but if it disperses life comes to an end; hence either mortality or immortality in the twinkling of an eye.

At this stage, when the foundation has been laid with all centres (and channels) cleared and no obstructions remaining, if the practiser is not strongly supported by a dogged determination, gives rise to passion when seeing beautiful forms, and lets spirit chase after sense data, once he slips, all previous progress will be fruitless. It is like upsetting the contents of a basket by turning it upside down.

The generative force is neither matter nor form; when it remains in the body, it is vitality and when it is discharged, it is the generative fluid. It is impaired within by the seven passions (i.e. joy, anger, grief, fear, love, hate and desire) that affect the heart and without by the ten harmful excesses and nine unsettled breaths. It spreads in all nerves, blood vessels and psychic channels in the body. If it is turned back from its earthly course, it can be gathered and returned to its original cavity (below the navel), and immortality can be attained.

The seven passions that damage vitality are: intense delight that harms the heart; intense anger the liver; grief the lungs; fear the gall bladder; love spirit; hate the disposition; and intense desire the stomach.

The ten excesses that injure vitality are: excessive walking that harms the nerves; standing the bones; sitting the blood; sleep the pulses; joy the generative force; looking (at things) the spirit; speaking the breath; thinking the stomach; eating the heart; and too much sex the life.

The nine unsettled breaths are caused by: anger which lifts and fear which lowers the breath; joy which slows it down; grief which disperses it; terror which throws it out of gear; thinking which ties it up; toil which wastes it; cold which collects and heat which scatters it.

If the practiser wishes to gather the macrocosmic alchemical agent for the final breakthrough he should guard against these seven passions, ten excesses and nine disorderly breaths. If he does not gather that agent for the final breakthrough but merely practises the other methods that follow the twelve steps already taught, he can prolong and enjoy his life.

Those who can gather the microcosmic alchemical agent but do not know how to practise or to sublimate it by fire by stages, waste their efforts because of the seven passions and sexual attractions arising from colour, form, carriage, speech (voice), softness (smoothness) and features; how then can they realise immortality?

Some study the stages of purification by fire and expect to achieve immortality, but they do not realise that this use of fire is like growing flowers in the winter; too much heat will shrivel and destroy the plants, while if it is weak they will not flower and bear fruit. The fire must not be too strong or too weak but just right. It is the same when you practise the sublimation by fire by stages, for if you do so correctly you are certain to produce the immortal seed.

Question What is the immortal seed, how does one produce it and know whether or not it is mature?

Answer When the generative force rises to unite with (essential) nature, the (white) light of vitality manifests; it is like moonlight and its fullness is equivalent to one half of a whole. When vitality descends to unite with (eternal) life, the golden light will manifest; it is a reddish yellow and its fullness is equivalent to the other half. The union of these two lights will produce that whole which is the immortal seed.

After the ‘spiritual gem’ has returned to its source (in the lower abdomen) a pointed concentration on it will, in time, cause a golden light to appear in the white light between the eyebrows. This is the embryo of the immortal seed produced by the union of the generative force, vitality and spirit into one whole. When the body is full of it within, light will manifest without. These white and golden lights are like the positive and negative ends of an electric wire; and the union of generative force, vitality and spirit is like the current without which there is no light. In the same way if the two lights have not mingled within there will be no illumination without. Their union is caused by having mingled the five (vital) breaths (see below) into one vitality to nurture the immortal seed in the lower abdomen. Without the intermingling of these five breaths the golden light will not manifest.

These breaths come from the vitality in the lower tan t’ien cavity (beneath the navel) from which they spread to the five viscera: to the lungs as the vital breath of the element of metal; to the heart as the vital breath of the element of fire; to the liver as the vital breath of the element of wood; to the stomach as the vital breath of the element of earth; and to the lower abdomen as the vital breath of the element of water. These five breaths may be either strong or weak but if they are too strong or too weak they cause illnesses and if they clog the respective viscera they cause paralysis and beriberi.

When the training causes all five vital breaths to return to the source (under the navel), vitality becomes active there and circulates (in the body) rising from the base of the backbone to the top of the head and reflecting the silvery light of the (spinal) marrow; it then drops to the throat and the viscera increasing its brightness like a full moon shining in the heart. If the element of fire is strong in the heart it will scorch the blood; so the practiser should avoid excessive talking and thinking to rest his heart. This restfulness will invigorate spirit and body, for spirit withers in disturbance and thrives in stillness; it develops in (unlimited) voidness and weakens in (obstructive) form.

Question What are the six states which show that the immortal seed is complete?

Answer When a golden light appears in the eyes, the back of the head vibrates audibly, the dragon’s hum is heard in the right and the tiger’s roar in the left ear, fire blazes in the lower tan t’ien centre (under the navel), bubbles rise in the body, spasms shake the nose, and the genital organ draws in. These are signs that the immortal seed is complete.

1 The golden light in the eyes reveals the light of (essential) nature which illumines the lower tan t’ien (under the navel), and will in time become golden to show the fullness of the luminous generative force, vitality and spirit.

2 The dragon’s hum shows the fullness of vitality in the generative force. When vitality fills the tiny channels of the nervous (and psychic) systems, it produces indistinct sounds.

3 The tiger’s roar is the sound of fully developed vitality which is active.

4 The audible vibration at the back of the head reveals the strength of fire in the generative force, vitality and spirit: it differs from the wrong type of fire which causes buzzing in the ears.

5 The blazing fire in the lower tan t’ien cavity (under the navel) which scorches the kidneys, comes from the fullness of the generative force and vitality from which it arises; carelessness on the part of the practiser may cause nocturnal emission of the ‘precious thing’ for there is danger when fuel is so close to a fire.

6 As to the retractile genital organ, it shrinks back like that of a baby in the mother’s womb, which comes out when he cries at birth. Before it retracts, that is when the training is not yet completely successful, fire should not be stopped.

Thus the six signs reveal the appropriate moment to stop fire (by no longer regulating the breathing), which is the first thing to do at this stage.

Question After practising the twelve steps taught by you, when the golden light appears, what should we do next?

Answer Pass all your time concentrating your eyes on the lower tan t’ien centre (under the navel) until the cavity of (essential) nature (in the heart) emits sparks of fire in the eyes. Watch (all this) quietly until in this long state of stillness these sparks produce a golden glow which is the first manifestation of positive light.

At this stage you should be provided with the four necessities of alchemy: utensils, money, companions and a suitable place (in which to meditate).

The utensils are: a round wooden object like a bun, covered with cotton, to sit on to block the anus; and a clothes-peg to close the nostrils.

Money is to buy food for the practiser and his companions.

Companions are friends also practising alchemy.

The place is a quiet hut or temple which is not too far from towns and cities.

Only after acquiring these four necessities can one leave for the mountain to practise the last steps. If one of them is lacking he should not practise the method of stopping fire; he can, however, gather the (microcosmic) alchemical agent to prolong his life while waiting for an opportunity to continue his training.

Question Will you please teach me the method of stopping fire so that when I have been provided with the four necessities, I can go to the mountain to continue the training?

Answer After the first manifestation of positive fire as explained above, the practiser should obtain the four necessities and go to a quiet place where he should continue to maintain the union of the lights of (essential) nature and (eternal) life. As time passes the golden light will suddenly reappear much brighter; this is the second manifestation of positive light. He should now practise (the method of) stopping fire to gather the macrocosmic alchemical agent. The third manifestation of positive fire will be quite different from the first two.

To stop fire means to stop (regulating the) breathing and circulating (vital) air which should now be replaced by the heart, spirit and thought which combine to go up by the channel of control (tu mo in the spine) and down by the channel of function (jen mo). He should not, however, neglect the inner heat for a moment, since to do so cools the vitality which should be constantly concentrated upon to keep it warm.

The practiser’s companions should serve him with food and drink so that he can continue his training (without unnecessary worries).

As time passes demonic states will occur to the practiser in the form of visions of paradise in all its majesty with beautiful gardens and pools, or of hells with frightful demons with strange and awesome heads and faces constantly changing their hideous forms. If he is unable to banish these apparitions caused by the five aggregates as well as the visions of women and girls which disturb him, he must compose his heart (mind) which should be clear within and without. The correct method is not to see all that is visible nor hear all that is audible, but to concentrate intently on the inmost, to fix on the spot between them (the eyes) and to practise the seventh step (Chapter 7) to drive vitality through the four cardinal points A, D, G, and J (see here). This will remove all demonic hindrances instantly.

You should know that these hindrances are caused by negative (vital) breaths remaining in the viscera. Since the practiser now feels that negative breaths are strong whereas positive ones are still weak, he should now roll his eyes to let in the latter while driving away the former in order to remove all obstructions which will then vanish. Such obstructions are caused by perverse thoughts rising in the heart (mind) which change positive into negative (vital) breaths and prevent the three positive lights from manifesting and the macrocosmic alchemical agent from developing. This immature agent cannot produce a wholly positive body to achieve the final breakthrough.

My master Liao K’ung said: ‘At the first manifestation of positive light, you should immediately provide yourself with the four necessities (for advanced training). When it manifests for the second time, you should at once stop the fire to produce the macrocosmic alchemical agent. When it manifests for the third time, you should immediately gather the macrocosmic agent to achieve the breakthrough in order to transmute vitality into spirit thereby leaping over the worldly to the saintly state, and so leaving the state of serenity to appear in countless transformation bodies.’ The final achievement is made possible by the breakthrough as the main step.

Question Will you please explain in detail these three manifestations of positive fire?

Answer If after stopping the fire, the practiser does not know the above method of gathering the macrocosmic alchemical agent, the positive fire will not manifest for the third time. If he has received authentic instruction from a competent master and knows how to gather the agent immediately after stopping the fire, positive vitality in the lower tan t’ien centre (under the navel) will cause the immortal seed to radiate.

Since the light of (essential) nature in the original cavity of spirit (tsu ch’iao, between and behind the eyes) is now concentrated below the navel, the positive light of vitality in the latter centre will soar up to manifest before the eyes, thereby causing both lights to unite and remain constant, while the space between the eyes and the navel will emit sparks of red golden light. These two lights are like the male and female organs of a flower, the union of which will bear fruit. The following diagram shows the field of concentration for gathering the macrocosmic alchemical agent with the manifestation of positive light.

The method consists of constantly nurturing and preserving the two lights of nature and life by keeping them warm in the body. When they are fully developed, they will unite automatically and will never scatter to form shapeless external light. At this stage the practiser feels as if his nasal breathing has ceased and his pulses have stopped beating, which reveals the fullness of (eternal) life after all twigs have returned to the root.

Figure 9 The field of concentration for gathering the macrocosmic alchemical agent.

The reason for concentrating in the head the vital breaths (in the heart, stomach, liver, lungs and lower abdomen) is to gather the macrocosmic alchemical agent for the final breakthrough.

The Hui Ming Ching Chi Shuo says: ‘When the light, whether white or golden, manifests to reveal (essential) nature, the practiser should call on a competent master and seek his instruction on gathering it. If it is not concentrated it will scatter, and he will miss a rare chance for the light will not reappear.

The method of gathering this light consists of rolling the eyes from A to D, G and J (see here). After it has been collected, the practiser should gather the macrocosmic alchemical agent after the six organs have shaken. If he does not the immortal seed cannot rise to the head and the final breakthrough cannot be achieved.

The practiser is now nearer his goal and should take the last step.