THE DOCTRINE OF THE ELIXIR

by R. B. Jefferson
The Doctrine of the Gold Elixir is a very clear account of the Taoist theory of
human transformation, or inner alchemy. The author has carefully brought out
of the currently available literature essential ideas and images and laid them out
so that they can be seen without complications. These ideas are embodied in a remarkable
diagram - from the onastery of the !hite "louds - which shows in vivid concrete terms
the Taoist vision of man and his possibilities. This diagram has been completely redrawn by
the author so that the reader can see for himself what is being talked about. #n the usual
reproductions, the detail is badly ob scured and the combination of clear exposition with
clear illustration is $uite uni$ue.
These notes were first published under the auspices of the #nstitute for the "omparative %tudy of
&istory, 'hilosophy and the %ciences, (td. in )*+). ,eprinted in )*+- by "oombe %prings 'ress.
,eissued by Du.ersity 'ublications -//0. ,. 1. 2efferson )*+-
The Doctrine of the Golden erc!ric "!l#h!r
$Cinn%b%r&
The Fire of the 'niti(e )%th
3ccording to #rwin ,ouselle, the Doctrine of the Gold Elixir is the most significant tradition of living
Taoism. #t derives chiefly from the 'atriarch (u Tung-pin 4b. 5*+6. #n it, a number of individual
teachings and traditions have been fused into a single system for the transformation of man that
embraces the $uintessence of the en tire Taoist tradition.
Taoist alchemy is an ancient science which teaches the stopping of the flow of the generative force
inherent in every man, so that instead of being discharged to procreate offspring or to waste away, it is
retained in the body for purification and transmutation into positive vitality. This restores the original
spirit which existed before the world came into being, so that it can return to its 'rimal #mmortal state.
The diagram representing the doctrine is taken from two sources7 one a rubbing from a stone tablet
found in the onastery of the !hite "louds near 'eking, and the other a coloured scroll pain ting on
which the tablet was based. The tablet is dated )++0.
#t is a symbolical representation of a lengthwise section of the 4male6 human head and torso, together
with the spinal column. 8owhere is there any realistic anatomical portrayal, but various allegories are
alluded to through symbols and human figures. The body section is surrounded by an almond-shaped
aureole, whilst the head is circled by a halo and within this halo is a small circle.
The whole painting depicts a strange poetic landscape embracing &eaven and Earth and the murky
waters of &ades - a landscape representing man in many aspects including the spiritual, psychic and
animal. 3ll representations of human beings in the picture - with the exception of (aot9se - are shown
as children or young people to indicate that they express Eternal :outh. (aot9se as an old man refers to
the Treasure of ancient Eternal Truth which was disclosed to him, the 'erfect an.
The picture is also a map by which the aspirant may see in pictorial form the cardinal points of the
teaching which he may encounter in the very precise exercises he must practice, in a definite order,
through a series of specific stages.
1efore studying the picture in detail some introduction is necessary. There are five main concepts of
"hinese medicine related to aspects of the chemistry or alchemy of (ife and %pirit in their relation to
Taoist symbolism and techni$ues of meditation.
). The Three ,ivers
-. The ain 'ulses
;. %ublimation
<. The 3rchaic 3natomy of #ndividual =rgans
>. The "osmic 3nalogy
*. The Three Ri(ers
The three rivers or 9humours9 which flow through the body are the %pirit, the 1reath and the %eed - or,
loosely, the %piritual force, the .ital force and the Generative force or force of #mmortality. These are
regulated, guided and united through meditative practices. ?rom their union arises the #mmortal an -
the Diamond 1ody.
+. The %in )!lses
!ithin the body is a network of pulses or channels of breath belonging to the circulatory system - the
9#nner !arp9. Thus, in the painting, the heart and the lungs are depicted as one. #n contemporary
practice these breath pulses are not conceived as being physically visible. They are understood to lie
partly outside the body in open space, and a differentiation is made between inner and outer air, i.e.
between the 'ulses and the 3rterial system. 3lso, ancient "hinese physiolo gists observed that in
slaughtered animals the veins were seen to be full of blood, whilst the arteries were found bloodless but
full of air.
&owever, certain vital points are locali@ed with anatomical precision and acupuncture is based on
these. The points are known as 9cavities9 or 9hollow passages9 4hsueh tao6. The cavities are places where
energies either accumulate or disperse and from them arise the two main 'ulses of breath - :in and
:ang - situated on either side of the body and connected to twelve minor pulses.
The main pulse of :ang 4positive, active6 -the Guide "hannel or "hannel of "ontrol - arises from the
area of the Aunction of the bones of the pelvis between the legs at the front of the body, and ascends by
way of the spinal cord - the 9ilky !ay - to the brain, passing through the forehead to the bridge of
the nose.
The main pulse of :in 4negative, passive6 - the "hannel of ?unction - arises in the genital @one and
rises upwards through the vicinity of the navel and continues on through the neck to the lips.
Through the meditative union of the two chan nels within a closed circuit, the powers of %pirit, (ife
and #mmortality contribute 4as in the conception of the corporeal child6 to the birth of the Eternal child,
and the #mmortal an is reali@ed.
,. "!bli-%tion
#n science, sublimation is the conversion of a substance directly to vapour by means of heat and then
allowing it to cool and solidify. #n psychology, it is the transmutation of a primitive energy into a higher
form.
3ll the main traditions - ?ar Eastern, #ndian and 8ear Eastern - affirm a connection between the central
nervous system and the generative force or sex energy. The 9brain fluid flows downwards through the
spinal chord to fulfil the generative function, but in the process its potential as a self-transformative
substance is lost or dissi pated. &ence, in the Taoist view, there is reason to oppose the downward
flow by special regulated breathing and meditative practices to induce the 9,iver of &eaven9 to flow
upwards through the 9ilky !ay . 3s soon as the generative force moves to find its usual outlet, it is
turned back and then, driven by the inner fire that is kindled by regulated breathing, passes into the
icrocosmic =rbit for sublimation.
The microcosmic orbit begins at the base of the spine - called the ?irst Gate 4wei lu6 - rises in the spinal
column to the %econd Gate between the kidneys 4chai chi6 and goes to the back of the head - called the
Third Gate 4yu ch9en6 - before reaching the ?ourth Gate in the brain 4ni wan6. #t then descends down the
face, chest and abdomen to return to where it arose, and so completes a full circuit.
.. The /rch%ic /n%to-y of Indi(id!%l Or0%ns
#n "hinese meditation techni$ues, the physio logical representations of internal organs correspond
only partly to their actual form. #n part, they also reflect another condition related to forms that have
long since disappeared in human physiology on this planet 4"arl 2ung has referred to there remaining in
the human mind mental coun terparts of extinct internal organs6. The following are some examples7
The Third Eye which, as in the case of deep-sea fish, both sees and illumines obAects.
The unbroken connection between the kidneys and the testicles - in "hinese, there is only
one word for both organs.
The situation of the .ital "entre or 9field of "innabar9 4sulphide of mercury6 in the solar-
plexus.
The 9Three 1urners9 or water-secreters which fill the lower body at the level of the stomach,
navel and bladder - the 9%ea of 1reath9.
#n connection with the Three 1urners, Taoism delineates Three 'sychic "entres which are called Tan
t9ien, translated as the 9field of the drug9, where the 9drug9 or alchemical agent is produced 4tan is
cinnabar, or sulphide of mercury6.
4)6 The (ower Tan t9ien, ).; inches below the navel, where the Generative force is retained
4so that it does not slip down and drain away6 in order to purify it.
4-6 The iddle Tan t9ien is in the heart where the Generative force is transmuted into
.itality. 4(u Buan :u - "harles (uk - in Taoist :oga describes it as being in the solar
plexus6.
4;6 The Cpper Tan t9ien, the 9=riginal "avity of the %pirit9, is between and behind the eyes,
where .itality is transmuted into %pirit.
3lthough there is no literal correspondence between the Three 1urners and the Three 'sychic "entres,
it can be noted that in the terminology used in Taoism a cauldron refers to a cavity in which the process
of alchemy transmutes the Gene rative force into .itality and .itality into %pirit through each of the
Tan t9ienD whereas a stove refers to a cavity where the inner fire is kindled by regulated breathing to put
the Genera tive force into the microcosmic orbit and transmute it into .itality. The stove remains in
the lower Tan t9ien throughout the process of alchemical change. 4These notes may be helpful when
looking at the Tripod of the Elixir in the painting.6
The breath, of which there are ?ive .ital 1reaths, is related to the ?ive Elements. Together with their
displacements, they are7
The arrangement of the Elements related to Tan t9ien are7
1. The Cos-ic /n%lo0y
!ithin the structure of Taoist symbolical representation is inextricably mingled the magi-animistic
system which dominated ancient "hinese cosmology and the peculiar 4to the !estern scien tific
view6 structure of traditional "hinese medicine and physiology. "osmology and physiology are woven
together in analogies, symbolic images, beliefs and terminology - all representing an and "osmos,
"osmos and an.
&ere his %pirit is the &eavenly 2ade "ity where (ao9tse has his throne. &is spinal substance is the
ilky !ay or the 9,iver of &eaven9. The two constellations of the "owherd and the !eaving aiden
are at work in the heart and kidneys. The abdomen is the 'loughed ?ield of Earth or the 9%upreme
Cltimate9D it is here that there is the :in :ang gate of the underworld and the region of the groundwater.
#n addition to these analogies of the icro cosm and the acrocosm, the :in :ang system embraces
the ?ive Elements and there is a complete system of number symbolism to be understood as a Aoint
expression of the "osmic =rder and an.
There are three alchemical agents7
). The icrocosmic =uter 3gent is produced by fresh air breathed in and out in order to purify it,
restoring the Generative force which has been drained away or wasted and transmuting it into
.itality.
-. The icrocosmic #nner 3gent is produced by the .ital #nner 1reath in the body which trans
mutes .itality into %pirit.
;. The acrocosmic 3gent is gathered from .itality to break through to the =riginal "avity of
%pirit in the brain, in order that the mortal man may become immortal - i.e. for the integration of
icrocosm into acrocosm.
The )ict!re
#n the picture there can be seen7
). 3llegories referring to transmutation - i.e. the death of the ordinary man as well as the reversal
of the flow of Generative energy from the base of the spine to the head.
-. The "irculation of the (ight which extends from the head to the middle of the body and back up
again - i.e. orientation and awake ning. .arious exercises and meditation methods which are
preserved in the Taoist tradition can be traced with the aid of the painting.
;. The Growth of the 8ew #mmortal an.
). !ood (iver and Gall
-. ?ire &eart and %mall #ntestine
;. Earth %pleen and %tomach
<. etal (ungs and (arge #ntestine
>. !ater Bidneys and 1ladder
Earth in the centre of the body 4in #ndian :oga, Earth is placed bottommost6
?ire Aust below the centre and further back
!ater at the very bottom aside from the spine
<. #mages which suggest or reflect the 'erfect %tate.
(etters in the figure refer to the text. 'arts of the figure are coloured as follows
Red
the two emanations at %
the outer and inner circles in the heart, the outer circle branching into two lines which Aoin the
base of 2
the red line continues up the pagoda to the top, showing at the door of each storey
the flames at D
the red pearl at T
the red sun at '
Gold
the curving line Aoining and B
the coins which form the northern bushel at #
the coin at the centre of the heart at # the coins in the field at ?
1eginning at the bottom of the picture and working upwards, the individual parts which com pose it,
together with their description and interpretation, are as follows.
/. R!-# 2ill%0e
The ?irst Gate, The Gate of #mmortality - wei-lu.
B9an, the &ouse of !ater, is in the lower abdomen. .itality in k9an is Eternal (ife. 3t this gate, the
"hannel of ?unction begins.
B. The Ri(er of He%(en
The ilky !ay, the %upreme .alley - the spinal substance.
This is the "hannel of "ontrol. The natural flow of energies carried by the spinal substance is
downward from the brain. The reversal of the flow of the ,iver of &eaven through the "hannel of
"ontrol is the means by which the Generative force is sublimated.
C. The 3%ter 3heel Tre%ders
This is where the reversal of the Generative force begins and its sublimation is represented by the two
children, a boy and a girl. The seminal glands, like the kidneys, are conceived of as male on one side
and female on the other, embodying :in and :ang, the negative and positive principles. The children
stand on the mystery of :in and :ang, the treadmill.
#n the stone rubbing, the text given here for the sublimation is, E,epeating and continuing, circulating
step by step, as the wheel turns, the water flows eastward. Even in the spring that is ten thousand
fathoms deep, the bottom must become visible. This sweet stream flows upwards to the summit of the
%outhern ountains Fthe top of the skull6.
D. The Tri#od of the Eli4ir
The pond where fire and water cross and turn to vapour - shui huo chi chi - water and fire in
e$uilibrium.
!hen fire is immersed in water, it stops soaring up, thereby causing the heart to be empty 4of passion6D
and when the water is scorched by fire, it becomes steam and stops flowing down. This water and fire
in e$uilibrium will produce true .itality. #mmersion of fire in water is des cribed as 9concentration on
the (ower Tan t9ien9. #n Taoist :oga, eighteen different kinds of fire are differentiated7
< kinds of fire which are kindled by breath ing to transform the generative fluid into Generative force,
5 kinds of fire which are derived from %pirit to transform the Generative force into .itality,
5 kinds of fire which are derived from prenatal vitality, to purify the breathing and contribute to the
manifestation of the =riginal %pirit.
The Tripod symboli@es concentration on the (ower Tan t9ien to direct the element of fire in the heart to
scorch the element of water in the lower abdomen, thus emptying the heart of passion and stopping
water flowing downwards in order to achieve a stable e$uilibrium.
E. The "!#re-e 'lti-%te
The ysterious Gate, The ysterious "avity7 it is a gate when it appears in front of the practiser and a
cavity when it lies hidden in the body.
#n front of the "avity of %pirit 4between and behind the eyes6, true .itality looks like a radiant circle
which is called 9The %upreme
Cltimate 4t9ai clii6, EThe Golden Elixir of #mmor tality) 4chin tan6 and EThe =riginal 3wareness9
4yuan chueh6. &ence, the prenatal &eaven and Earth and the (ower ?ield of the Elixir 4under the navel6
are called 9the four :in :ang9 4s@u ko yin yang6.
Taoist scriptures say, EThis cavity lies in the centre between heaven 4the head6 and earth 4lower
abdomen6 in the human body.E
E#t is wrong to seek it in the body and e$ually wrong to seek it outside. ?or when it manifests it
becomes a cavity and when it does not it is undiscoverable.E
EThe ysterious "avity is boundlessD the awareness of it, free from all clinging, is real achievement.
The ysterious Gate manifests in the condition of utter stillness but, if a thought arises, it immediately
slips into the postnatal realm and vanishes without trace. #f it is further sought, it cannot be found
because of clinging to form.E
The %upreme Cltimate is also described as the circle of T9ai chi wherein the real positive .itality and
Essential 8ature unite to emit the light of .itality, which is the light of True 8ature in the precious
cauldron of the brain, and that of True (ife in the lower abdomen. #t stands above the Tripod of the
Elixir where fire and water cross and turn to steam. #n the painting, the steam is represented as finer
energies radia ting from the centre of the %upreme Cltimate in which is embodied the ?our :in :ang
- the prenatal &eaven and Earth and the postnatal &eart and 3bdomen, i.e. the four positive and
negative principles.
F. The Co5herd
The #ron "ow and the 'loughed Earth.
The cowherd is the representation of the metaphysical Divine %oul, the psychic conscious ness, or the
Diamond 1ody. #n the picture, we find him diligently at work preparing the field - i.e. stimulating the
.ital "entre and its energy. The cow is the animal correspondence to 9Earth9. EThe #ron "ow ploughs
the earth in order to grow gold coin.E
'ersistent work on this vital region is symboli@ed by the ploughing iron cow. The earth is prepared to
receive the seed of higher life and yield the true blessing. #mmersion of the thoughts and ga@e in the
.ital "entre is known as 9ploughing9.
E#n my house # plow only my own field,
#n it are spiritual shoots that can live ten thousand years,
The blossom is like yellow gold, and the colour changes,
The seed is like grains of Aade and the fruit is all around.
The planting here is based solely on the earth of the middle castle,
3nd the watering depends solely on the source of the %upreme .alley.E
The whole region from the navel down through the abdomen to the kidneys is known as the 9Elixir
?ield . This is the .ital "entre, the field of "innabar, the "entre of (ife where the source of the
Aunction of the Three ain 'ulses and twelve subsidary pulses are to be found 4the ancient unbroken
connection between the kidneys and the testiclesG6.
G. The C%(e of the ystery of the 6idneys
The %econd Gate - chai chi.
3fter the Elixir field has been powerfully plowed, its energy is conveyed to this region of the kidneys -
also called 9the axle of the river . ?rom here, the :ang control pulse is directed up the ,iver of
&eaven through the Third and ?ourth Gates.
EThe godhead of the kidneys is mysterious and impenetrableD it can itself engender children.E The
inscription pertaining to this gate reads, E#n this pan, mountain and water boil.E
H. The 3e%(in0 %iden
The aiden is a representative of the meta physical animal soul and she is pictured set close to the
kidney region. %he is also representative of the negative force :in, as is also the thread that she spins.
3n allegorical story tells how the &eavenly 1oy 4the 1oy %tone "utter6 in his "owherd aspect, once
upon a time stole her clothes as she was bathing. 1ut, as the %upreme (ord has willed it, he may unite
with her only once a year on the 5th day of the 5th month. =n that day, she goes to him, crossing the
,iver of &eaven by a bridge formed by magpies.
#n the painting, the connection can be seen between the pulses from the heart, which pass up the
Twelve-%toreyed 'agoda to the &eavenly 'ool, and the thread of the aiden, ending in the "eles tial
2ade "ity. "onnecting these two pulses is the channel from the occiput 4the oon6 through which the
Golden nectar flows.
The animal soul controls the seed and the breath and strives to draw the conscious soul into its orbit as
the :in and the :angD or, as in the star-myth, the !eaving aiden draws the "owherd. 1ut, the two are
one, though separated by the ,iver of &eavenD so man should not be over-powered by the 9weaving
maiden9, the force of :in, but use it as a means to rise to his higher soul. #f the higher soul keeps itself
free from :in, it rises, in %pirit, to the &eavenly regions.
I. The Di(ine Boy "tone C!tter
3lso, the 8orthern 1ushel - the Great 1ear, the 1ig Dipper, or the 'lough.
The Godhead of the &eart is the Divine 1oy %tone "utter, the true 3lchemist, and it is he who
preserves the true %pirit. #n his divine play, he plucks gold pieces from the centre of the heart 4which, in
his "owherd aspect he has grown in the Elixir field6 and tosses them into the firmament. &e arranges
them on threads to form the 8orthern 1ushel from whence the %upreme "osmic %ource emanates. The
seven gold pieces are also a reference to the seven openings of the heart 4reference should also be made
to the seven kinds of fire derived from %pirit, as described in "harles (uk9s Taoist :oga6.
The Godhead of the &eart is the seat of the conscious soul and the alleged producer of the red blood
cinnabar. 8ear to the heart in the original painting is written, EEarth of #mmobilityE - which
corresponds to 9ountain Beeping %till in the 1ook of "hanges - and, beside it, EThe Godhead of the
&eart is the %ource of "innabar and itself preserves the %piritE. #t is also the seat of ?ire 4passion6 while
the lower abdomen is the seat of !ater 4sexual pleasure6. The ?ire should be driven down into the
water below, which will be scorched to become vapour, and then lifted to wipe out passion in order to
achieve e$uilibrium and harmony.
E?ire kindled by breathing transforms the generative fluid derived from the digestion of food into
Generative force. ?ire derived from %pirit transforms the Generative force into .ita lity. ?ire derived
from FprenatalH .itality purifies the breathing and contributes to the manifestation of %pirit. %piritual
?ire sublimates %pirit which will return to the state of 8othing ness. Thus, from start to finish, the
successful practice of #mmortality is by means of ?ire.E 4?eng &uo "hing6
1efore the umbilical cord is cut, the baby9s essential nature 4chen hsing6 and eternal life are
inseparable. This state is called prenatal. 3t birth, his body becomes mortal because the postnatal
conditions of 8ature and (ife are no longer united but divided in two.
The heart and the lungs appear to be drawn as one organ, since blood is the carrier of air.
J. The T5el(e "toreyed )%0od% of the Thro%t
The throat here is symboli@ed as a channel, both for energised air from the heart 4and lungs6, and for
the transfer of the ambrosian li$uid 4Golden 8ectar6 into the "hannel of ?unction. 3t its base it is
connected with the heart and lungs and at its apex with the mouth and tongue.
6. The Brid0e o(er the He%(enly )ool
#n the painting, a spring which arises in the occiput 4optical centre6 pours into the E'ond where the ,ed
Dragon wallowsE - i.e. into the breath conceived of as condensed into spittle -and the pond is crossed
by a drawbridge or 9agpie 1ridge . There is a cavity in the palate through which vitality flows down
to drain away, hence the tongue as a bridge is lifted to plug it. This makes a bridge for the .itality, in
the form of Golden 8ectar, to flow from the cavity 4hsuan ying - the mysterious 1ridle6 into the
"hannel of ?unction down to the (ower Tan t9ien centre.
Golden nectar is a li$uid produced by the macrocosmic alchemical agent that has been succe ssfully
gathered by the practiser. !hen the mouth is full of this nectar, it is swallowed with a gulp to drive it
into the "hannel of ?unction to the lower Tan t9ien to seal .itality there. The sublimation of the
Generative force, .itality and %pirit in the brain produces the ambrosia which, flowing into the mouth,
becomes a li$uid which, when swallowed, makes sounds in the lower abdomen. This ambrosia
produces and nurtures the #mmortal %eed in the .ital centre, whence it radiates, lighting up the heart to
reveal the formation of the #mmortal %ea.
#t is useful to note that there are three different bridges97
The Cpper agpie 1ridge - the nasal duct
The iddle agpie 1ridge - the tongue
The (ower agpie 1ridge - the anus
L. The Celesti%l J%de City
The Third Gate - yu ch9en - or the "ave of the %pirit ?ield.
This is the gate where the thread of the !eaving aiden ends. #t is situated behind the occiput 4optic
centre6 where the spine enters the skull. (eading from here is another negative :in connection with the
oon, and yet another with the &eavenly 'ool 4also a negative :in symbol6. #t is here, in the 2ade "ity,
during the 9"irculation of the (ight9, that the novitiate collects the cur rents ready for the next part of
the process 4see B. The 1ridge over the &eavenly 'ool6.
. The oon
The occiput or the optical centre.
This is the producer of the Golden 8ectar. 8ear the Third Gate, there is a spring of ascen ding truth
4dharma6, or purity, which takes its ambrosian li$uid from the oon, which in its turn has drawn
moisture from the depths.
N. The Bl!e Eyed B%rb%ri%n on7
1esides the onk in the original painting a text reads, EThe 1lue Eyed Fproperly, 9Aade eyed H
1arbarian onk holds the heavens in his hands.E &e is depicted standing looking upwards, with both
hands raised in an attitude of supplication, sup porting everything that is above him. The shape
formed by his arms is an allusion to the two @ygomatic arches 4cheek bones6 which support the eyes.
The 1lue Eyed 1arbarian onk is an old desig nation for the 1uddhist patriarch 1odhidharma,
founder of the meditation order which emigrated from #ndia to "hina in >-/. &e had vainly stared at a
rock wall for nine years before the 9&eavenly Eye opened within him, his persistence bringing
success. The onk 4the ?riend of Tao6 is admonished to show similar endurance and direct his vision
downwards to the centre of life and warmth 4approximately at the height of the solar plexus and navel6
where the source of the three main pulses and the twelve subsidiary pulses is to be found. This
immersion of the ga@e and thoughts in the .ital centre is known as ploughing. &ence, he takes on
another aspect in the painting lower down, in the form of the "owherd.
O. The Red "!n
The Third Eye.
#n the original painting, both the ,ed %un and the oon are represented as concealed organsD whereas
certain eye exercises prescribed for the control of energies refer to the two eyes of ordinary sight as the
%un 4left eye - positive :ang6 and the oon 4right eye - negative :in6.
=nce the vital force in the lower body 4the =cean of 1reath6 has been stimulated, it is rein forced by
the Third, "elestial Eye - the radiance of our innate nature. The Eye must be aroused to produce the
desired resultD reinforced with the vital energy it begins to glow in meditation, growing slowly and
sending forth its rays further and further. !e see what we irradiate 4we recog nise only what is
illumined by the light of consciousness6.
E1etween the eyes it darts forth and illu mines the ten thousand worlds.E
This is the 9&all of #llumination in which the emperors of old net for illuminating discourse with
great men.
The "irculation of the (ight is the founda tion for three higher stages of instruction. #n the original
painting, placed close by are the words, E&ere is the origin of the best path to a good lifeE. 3lso, part of
another inscription reads, E1etween the eyebrows gleams the radiant white fu@@ - in all creatures it can
destroy the misery of rebirth.E Taoist teachings distinguish five kinds of eye 7
). The &eavenly Eye which sees all things in the ;; &eavens.
-. The Earthly Eye which sees the )+ &ells.
;. The Eye of .itality which sees past and future events in the !orld.
<. The &uman Eye which sees happenings before birth and after death.
>. The Ghostly Eye which sees through mountains, earth and metals.
). L%ot8se
=ne of the Three 'ure =nes in the 1eyond.
1orn in 0/< 1" and named (i Erh or (i 'o :ang, he was a native of a district in "h9u state 4now &upeh
province6. ?or a long time, he was a censor under the "hou Dynasty but, seeing it begi nning to
decline, he left the country for an unknown destination. 3t the re$uest of the official defending the pass
at the frontier, he wrote the Tao Teh "hing.
3ccording to the legend then current, he was already old at birth. &ence he was called (ao Tsu or 9=ld
%on . (ao Tsu was determined to revive the ancient tradition which was prevalent at the time of the
Emperor &uang Ti 4-0*+ - ->*5 1"6. %ince &uang Ti was the founder of the Taoism which (ao Tsu
later revived, it is sometimes called 9the doctrine of &uang-(ao9.
#n the picture, (aot9se symboli@es the Taoist path of %alvation. &is figure lives in the soul of the Taoist
as summation, archetype and prototype7 the Taoist becomes (aot9se. This is not only the man who lived
on earth, but also one of the fi gures in the Taoist Trinity of the 9Three 'ure =nes .
9. The )%l%ce of the !d B%ll
8i wan - The ?ourth Gate.
This ironic title refers to the centre of the brain, fre$uently referred to as 9The =riginal "avity of the
%pirit9.
R. The Nine )e%7s
The Eternal %outhern ountains of B9un lun.
These are a symbol of Eternity rising immacu lately into the light.
". Belo5 the )e%7s
1elow, at the base of the peaks, an emanation represented by two red lines sweeps forward over the
front of the face. This is the completion of the path of the "irculation of the (ight. There is a break
midway and the two red lines sweep down into the mouth and over the 1ridge crossing the &eavenly
'ond. This represents the beginning of the path of circulation.
T. The Red )e%rl
,esplendent, the 'earl rises, the 9desirable treasure - the sign of the #mmortal over the head, which
has become 9 the &ouse of the ,ising %un .
The acrocosm has opened. 3fter uniting in himself all depths and polarities, man has become the
universe7 Ethe whole world is contained in one grainE 4literally, a grain of millet seed, here referred to
as 9the 'earl 6. 3ccording to the Taoist view, this stage can be reali@ed only by a man of sixty.
#n the middle of the .ital centre, the germ of the new immortal man gradually condenses until it is
born, appearing over the crown of the head like the image of 1uddha on the lotus blossom -the
immortal genius hovering over its human counterpart. "rystalli@ation has occurred in the Third EyeD in
the midst of its light a new point of light has appeared and, suddenly, the seed pearl is present. The True
Divine 'rimal an 4&umanus - the vehicle of divine essential nature6 and 8atural an 4&omo6 have
united their seed and all polarities have found their synthesis. The 8ew #mmortal an has been
conceived in the .ital centre.
There then follo5 t5o -ore st%0es:
). The birth of the 8ew an. ?or ten lunar months the golden embryo is nurtured until the
immortal essence rises up, bursts through the skull in the region of the third eye and, with a
shout that is echoed by the heavens, is born. Cp until now, he has still been living in his
pheno menal or 9transformation body9. &ere on Earth he still has his task to perform, which is
to fulfill his phenomenality with profounder meaning. 3ccording to #ndian tradition,
phenomenality has five components7 the body 4rupa6D feelings or sense perceptions 4vedana6D
perception 4samAna6D potentialities 4samskara6 and consciousness 4viAniana6.
Cntil this moment, the new man - the 9diamond body has dwelt separated and above his
whole being. &e has been the %on of 1uddha. 8ow each conception takes form according to the
five compo nents of beingD but the diamond body possesses sacred emptiness and becomes
increasingly empty.
-. (astly, on the highest plane possible, the activity of the 1lue Eyed 1arbarian onk resumes
once more. #n recogni@ing empty form he 9stares at the wall like 1odhidharma and he
be comes the Cnified #llumined an, the one without the two. &e preserves the 3xis of the
!orld and works here and now at the spot in the cosmos which has been assigned to him. &e
exerts influence without willed intent.
Biblio0r%#hy
Extensive $uotations have been made from the following two sources7
). %piritual Disciplines, 'apers from the Eranos :earbooks the 'aper entitled %piritual Guidance in
"ontemporary Taoism by #rwin ,ouselle, published by 'rinceton Cniversity 'ress, )*0/. This has
reproductions of the original pain ting and stone tablet rubbing.
-. Taoist :oga, by (u B9uan :u, published by ,ider I "o., )*5/.
?or the original teaching of (u Tung-pin, the reader should refer to 'ax !en '9ien, or the &undred
Juestions 4a dialogue between two Taoists on the macrocosmic and microcosmic system of
correspondences6, translated by ,olf &omann, pub lished by E-2.1rill - (eiden, )*50.
(u Tung-pin and his teacher, "hung-li "h9uan, were two of the EEight #mmortals , pa-hsien. !hile a
fugitive after an abortive "hinese military expedition against Tibet, "hung-li "h9uan encountered
aster Tung-hua. &e Eearnestly begged for the secrets of immortality. aster Tung-hua thereupon
imparted to him not only an infallible magic process for attaining longevity, but also the method to
produce the 'hilosopher9s %tone.E 4?rom The Eight #mmortals, by T.".(ai, &ong Bong, )*5-6.