Understanding Reality : A Taoist Alchemical Classic - Terebess

202 Pages·2011·4.37 MB·English

UNDER­
STANDING
REALTIY
A TaoiAsltc hemicCalla ssic
by ChangP o-tuan
Witha ConcisCeo mmentary
by Liu1 -ming
Translaftreodn t1h eC hinese
by ThomasC leary
Universiotfy H awaiiP ress• Honolulu
CONTENTS
Ackndogwlmeesn IXt
Forewxio rd
Itnrodiuocn1t
Yina nyda n3g
Thfiev eel emse 8n t
Essenacneld ei f14
The oufIsC eh isninggs 1 7
Prxais19
Note2s2
UndsetranRdeialn:ig t DAyir ceEtx apnlati23o n
I.S xiteveenr, rs eepsnrteis"neiegg ohuntc "eo sfy iann d
"egihotu n"co efys an,f gromi"nnoge p oun"do fe xliir25
I.I Siyx-otfuvres re,ms odeolnet dhn eu mboefsr i sgi nnth e
IC hin5g7
12- Ont hceurc ibalnfedur nac59e
3-4 Ont hcerc eesmnoto funr ncae6 2
5-8 Ont hteur el eda 63
9 Onu silnega 6d7
10 Onn outs indg 68l ea
11 Onl edaa dnm errcyu6 9
12 Ont hoen een geyor fn otghniens7s0
13 Onw ataenrfid r e7 1
14 Onh eavne-eaarnethdra tha-ret7h2
1-516 Oni vneirgntw ataenrfid r e73
17 Ont hfiev eel enmste 75
18 Ont htweo p ole76s
v
Contesn t
VI
19-2O0n h amrontiizoa7n7
21 Ont ehd argoannt di g7e9r
22-2O4n c utlivgat thsieen l8f0
25 Ont hmeet amla n8 2
26 Ont hbee tauiuglfri l8 3
272-8O n fitihren go cper8s5s
29 Ont hfieir npgor ceosfgs a thetrhmieen dgie c 8i7n
30 Ont hfieir npgor ceosfes x cttraiaonnaddd tiio8n7
31 Ont hfieir npgor ceosfis n ctuiboa8n8
32 Ont hfieir npgor ceosffsro mintgh eem byro8 9
33 Ony iann yda nrtgeu nrintgot hcee nt9e0r
-
34 Onb ahtin9g1
35 Onc ulatcluo ronkgai nmda rtrfiienailn 9g2
36-3O7n tmheea ngsio nfh exasg r9a4m
38 On tbheeg igno nfyi annagnc du lmtiinooafyn i n9 6
-
39-40O nt hmeys etrifomeualse 9 7
41 One sseannscdee n s10e0
42 Ond oin1g01
43 Onf mealaenm da l1e0 2
-
44 Onb eianngnd o n be10i3n g
45-4O6n i gneisotonft heeli ixr1 04
47 Ont heel icyxrsiltria zlfiornmwg i th1i0n6
48 Onm ediccoiimnnefgor mw itho10u7t
49 Ont htew eol isi,xn inraenrod u teJOrB
50 Onp otsiivviet a1l0i9t y
51 Onr teurntiotn hrgeo t o 110
52 On tshweoo rfwd i sdo11m1
53 Onh ramoniocuosbm inaotfis oeensna cnesdn e se1 12
54 Ong raadalun sddu den11 3
55 On tshueepm reesa eo fcy rtslalitzhieenl gi 1x1i4r
56 Ond ififcuyal ntedsa e1 15
57 Ont hmee chiasonmft k aeov1e1r6
58 Ont hrouogihvn etsignao tfpi roiinpcl1e1 7
59 Ons eekati enagec r1h 17
60 Ons topmpaicnhngia ti1o1n8
61 Ons topapsti ufnifgc ie1n1c9y
62-6O3n l fiea nda tdhe1 21
64 Onm ixiwnigt odhri arnys oiceatnyid tn eagtring
ilmliuntaio1n2 2
..
Contents Vll
II.O Invee srerp eersnetitnhGger e aOtn een uglfitnrgeu nege yr1 25
IV.T welvveesr eosnt hmeo oonv erW estRthvi ee ,rr epnrtegis en
thtwee lmvoetn hs1 29
V. Fivveer ,rs eerpsenstegit nhfiev eelm eensmt,e tlwa,o o,wd ater,
fiere,ra th1 51
ThOeu tCeorl lec1t57i on
I.F ourfuo r-vleisrnees1 59
I.I Versoenvs ar oiutsh emes
Ont heess netlig arnodu 162
Onb ihrta ndde at1h62
Thterh ereel amasr oen mlyi nd16 3
Seemiinngid nt hnigs1 64
Equlaiinzbge isn 1g64
Minisdtef i lBsu ddh1a65
Unmindi1n6g6
Ont hHee taS rcnjJtur1e6 8
Nos ionrm eri1t69
Complepteaervis on1 70
Goinagl ownigti ht1 70
Thjewe emlo on1 71
Pickuiptn hgpe er al1 71
Poniitnogu etrr roisn me dtiati1o73 n
Sonognr edaignC h'naM astHesure ho-u'Atsnt oholgyo n
EmineAndte pts1 77
Interporfed ticasintpie,lco iocnn enattorin,a nwdi sdo17m9
Thmeo oonnt hWees Rti rv-ewtelvveer s1e81s
Glossa1ry91
Reaidnsg 203
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thankasrd eu teo an umrb epoefo pfrlot eh eiivnlrau aasbsilset ainnc e
thpiorsej c:tt oW angP o-h,sf uroeu hnprlaaleilnesrdpa oitnii nT aoist
stusdt;ioW eo ngL eoYkeea nd SLhhii-ufi ro,t hehierli pnt hseut dya nd
itneertpartoifTao onit setai cnhognss piiatrn eden r;ga yntdoS h -ahc'aun
Hot-z,tu hmeo srtme arkaboldryi rnypa esroInh vaee vmeer,t f rou nique
demoantsitoorftn hsae ro tfi t negnrgab teiianngd bneoi.nn g
T.C.
FOREWORD
Taois,mi nm anfyro m,sh sal onhgaa dn i mporrtloaeinn tt h e develop­
menotfC hisnece iizvlait,ip oarnctuirlliaynt he fioefnl tadrusas lc i,e nce
mediacr,alt sanpdsc yhooglyA.ne xetmrecloym xpp lheennoom,neT ao­
ishmsa u semda nmye diae xeopssfri oanni dn flcueemdna nryae lmosf
thgohuatn adtc itorhno uhgi tlso nhgi sytA.o mronisgtm odoefs o epj­cr
tiaonnsd p heesor fi nfluemanycb eec onutepdh isloop,ph oytlii,cr lesi­
gi,of nlolkoear nmdy thoglyso,a eta inrd oftrohmoesfhr u mo,rv isauratl
andde s,ip gone,tm ryusaincsd o ,nd garmaa nfidc t,ih orenbaanld psy­
chsoomtaimce dnie,cp ihyslie cdauocna,mt airtiaar,ltm sialyris ttaertg,y
anadl ch,be omtmyhat erainasdlp i iutra.l
Inv ieowft hriesm kaarbloeuf spioroffn ro m,sa nayt tetmoep stt ablish
hsitorliiscnj akoli ninogn oeef tv heferro ymo sf a tcivtihthayvat e b een
labeTlaoeimdse te wtistf rhom idapborlblee .mP seharptsh e smionsgtl e
wideaccleyp tTaoeidts etix stt hfea omuTaso Te Chngi,b ut stihnec e
meanngiosft hoitfse cnyr ptwiocrc ka nnboedt e finietsetlayb blyi shed
odrianrlyei artrmye htod,a snidtn eerptratviaoerynn so rumlsoayt c ertain
poi,nt thnseo toifoaf finl tiiatohnor ugahs sioactwiiottnhh t eec ahison fg
thTaeo Te Chgi niso fd ubiovuausle. M oroev,eT raoilseitrt athusar e
notferodo vetrw to housyaaenrtdsh eex tiesnocfde e geanteiraonnds
aberruantditeohrnre sbu roifct hTeao ;t huasna susmeldi bnektw een
dffieernftro mosfT a oismma y wbeeol nlte h hasati nfca ltpa s,eo dro ne
thwaastf rotmhb ege ingnf ibanrtiecbdayf l asaen aglyo.
Nevretlhee,is ofsn e etw ohe pyroetshiaznie ne nlri anmko nqugi dti­ef
frenetf romso fT aois(mwi htoutp ersuimntgo e ncosmsep vareyitnhg
calTlaoesidct i int hhiys post)iha,ske etyot hreta iolnbeea hitnhdee no r­
mouvsai retoyff a rmerwkotsrh ouwghhi Tcaohi scth itnaegnaspd r taicces
havbee epnr ensetedm ighbtef oundi nt hoep enliinsgno eft hTaeo Te
Chigin tsl:ef "Ap atht hcaatnb ev erlbiaziensdo a tp eramnepnatt; t her­
m inolgoyt hcaatbn ed e signteadi nso atc onasntttre mniogl.yo"T hfiers t
XI
Foreword
xu
pan oft hsoi peinnsgt aetnemtmi hgta lbseor e,a" dAp ahtw hhic cabne
takaesanp atihns o atp eranmetnp ath,"a nud ndertsootdor eefrt ot he
dsitnitcinob teweenm eanasned n .dF rotmih pso ionfvt iw e.i mti gbhet
siadt ahtl iBkuedd his,m paraa lll eaecthingw hicehm pshziaeosng onig
reoframtioofdn oc tnreai npdr atxoim see tc onmtpoeranreye ,dT saoims
hasa ppaereidnm angyui stehsor ughotueht a g,ec sorrepsonditnog
channggic onditiinios tnh sos sto c.i ety
Whilieit sb eynodt hseoc poeft ehp renstseu tdtyo e tnevre ryi tnfoa r
thmea zoefT aoiths istiotir soy fs, o miene trtet sog alncaeta f eowu t­
stdainnmga infsettiaonosfT aoiswmhi lpeus riuntgh tihesm eo fa datpa­
tino tot htei m.eF soerx mapl,eo noef t hoedl estte xotfTs ao is,mp r­e
senitnte ehdf romo fad ivtiinmoaann u,a lwcaso mpoisnaet di mweh en
dviinawtaifsoo nra mlcloynd seiraeb dr anocfgh o vern.Lm aetnietnar n,
erwahe na lsle ritoihuknses rw roitnet hseub jteo cfp olitlai ncsado ical
scnice,ea notchlseasrai pcap reisna f romt hcaatbn er eaadsat reaotni se
poilciaatnlsd o ctihaerlyoD .u riapn regi moadr kebdyt haecc erlaetreids e
ofh egemiosnam ndtyr anny, yeatn ottheeaxrpt ap relsbi etraira,en ven
lbietirnaen ad naric.chU ndseirm ric loantdiio,wn istthhr ei osfme i ilta­
ris,am c lsasmiancu aolfm ialrisytt raatdevagotycae p so loifmc iyn ilm a
epxendeisot flu eirsve,ne r,ga ynmda telrS.ita aiarnefd na tsatpioce try
apepadru irnga t imoefs ocuipahlve aaaln dde coafay no loddr earl ong
witihtw sor lvdi ;eg wrarsosop tosl.li o tringciaatziaeomneg reusn dtehre
samceod niotn.isR eligtieoxcutossmt eot hfero ed uritnhgger owotfh
ChiensBeu ddhitsc hcuhr,ea sncdo lleocfst aiyosino nsfTg aoiasdte pts
parlaeslli midleavre leonptimsnC h'a nB udhdilstitea rtru.eM artlai rtas
arree finienad ne rmaa rkbeytd h oev errotowhfa na lideynsn taasy w ell
asb yr epepaotpeudul parnrig .ssC iolloqlud airmaaan fidc ttiroanin ts­m
tnigT aoiisdtae sa ppedauirrn agt imeg roofwo tfvh e rcnurall aiatteu.rr e
Mostr eecnt,sl eylcariuzeTdao istteiacc hairpneu gbsslh ieadst haepreutic
arattfse arna n t-ireigiluosc momusnrtie lvtuoi.o n
Thiis,so fc orus,ae v ersiymp lstiipci ceto ufTra ois,s momeawtih nt he
spiorfTi aoti ismta geiryst e,ld fesginetdoe voakc ee rtaionfv ipeowi nt
andn otto d efinhesi tiocrfaal.c T theh sitoroirciagloi fTn aosi s,l mike
neaervlreyy itnhegle as boiu,tta reex tmreeloybsc uerv, eiilnael lde gy or
anmdy th;i tm ayb et hamtuc ho ft hmea taerlrle itaintogt hqeu estofi on
oirgicnosin ssotfso, ri ist nrealreddw it,ih initartylo oert, huen dsetnrad­
ing anda ppclaiitno ofw hcihw oludv ayr acrcidontgo c ciurmnsct.ea s
SometiTmaoesim s icsa ltlheHedu a n-gLatoe aicn,hag tfetrw iom portnta
figureheoafthd sete achinga llegteohd av elv ietdh ousoafyn aedrassg ; o
bure vetnhe es peopel arper eseinnt terddaii toasn t rsamntietrrsae trh
Foreword
Xlll
thaonir gaitnso rToaofit sitcec ahgisnC.e rtianc lutaulpro rottpyeostf en
assitoaecwdih tT aoisamrs ea tiodh avgean ietdeh ikrno wdleget rhough
symsatteiocbs ervtiao,cn notmepaltoina.n edpx ernit;mo ehtert aehcnisg
araetr btiutteods priitruveaeltl inaos. TAao iescntcy lpoedsiaayt sha t
"aTois"a mntaetndiga lflro multaioinfssuo ndi na r encdoeir teaolfm
minwdh eet rhceut somadvriyio snoisft houdgonh otet x ti.s
Insh o,ir mtta wye blelt htta hoer isog irdn eritvoianosfT ao simc annot
bep osiivteaclsreyt naeibdy c onnvteniaomlet ohd;st ihssi tuiadstu ieo n
nootn lyt ehvt aoer tiayn ndta rueo ft hdeta ai nTa oislttireiactr u,eb ut
altsotoeh p aiutcoyfa s sotceiddata aw hiwcouhl pdi tneh o rnisgo ifTa o­
istmo s pectiifim,cpe eso,po lrpe lcae.Ws htas eetmosb ea c omomn
thmeei tsh ied tehatTa aoistmr aennsdhcsit so-rvyetrilc,las yot os pke,a
inth see ntsheai ctt l iamcso anctwtih ta ntoehrd iemnsoifoe nx pieernce
benydot htee rrrie,aas lnthdo rointzallyi nt ahti ctl iamtso r eabcahc k
beoferh isytT.oao srittr iatdigoenrn alelays oscaitiestse rayla rutlitoacino n
thtere rtersipallaw ntieh evt ehrbyge innngoisfp ort-ohCisnece iviliza­
ti,ob nuatl scoli amosn gooirnp ge riloldyri ecnaecwnoetda wcihtt a
higshoeur.r cIentto o,ifc s o su,era ta lnle scseatrogy i lvteie rceardeln ec
toa noyft e hf natsattiaclo efTas o ihssitt oiryno rdteoar pp rectihaeatmse
repsreaentotinosft ehc ommon cinoot nhtateethns tturtcueor ft huen ­i
vresaesp ecreivbeytd eh coennvitonaslcoliya lmiinzd,ew dti hiisnt
farmewoorftk i maens dap c,e nioast sb oult,ae ntdh a.tte here xiwsittns h i
humiatntyhp eoe tntfiroea xltd riamseinopnecareltp i.o n
In sean ,s meiitg bhetp osbsltieoi netrptrhepeter senofc ems anoy
marvealnswd o ndsi enTrao sitl oear sa ni ndtiicooafni t nerienhs utm na
possiibtsiil.eh saIo ttf ebne eonb seed,rvm oerorvt,eh matu cthh sea me
dersicptoifeo xrntasdo irrnypa owsea lrlegetdob ea vialatbholrueg ehs­ o
treikcnw oeldgareet o fbuoen adl olvr et hweo lr.d hWta piehsrpa sm oer
signnittfi ahcnsa ucpho sbsitiliiietssh ieerffe cotnt hweo lr.d asnodem
esortitecrd aitisrotentsshs ie s soufte hu es aen fdun cnto ifso upneorrmal
knowleeda gnd pmoowerte hrnat hmee erf caotf t hepiorsb sityilW.ii thin
Tao,it shmqeu teisoonft haetc ulia nvdiidlau nacdo elcletb inevefito r
hardme rifvriotnmhg e exekrncoiwslaeen dpdogo few leersd o mpearc ti­
tiostn oseru bdoirtneea vreyhtinignt hepiartt hot hqeue sftrop eramnent
staiabztoiinlo fc onsceis.os usn
Amontghs eepa rcttiiosnw eerrteehT aoiss tofs ctohhlowesh i ccha me
tob ek nowbnyt hnea moefC opmlteeR eia.tlC yompleRteleayi T taosim,
whiacrho ass aed instctm ioevmnetb etwteheeenlv eenatnhtd ih treenth
cetnrui,we assc onnceewdrti ht hteo taolfei xtpyec reai newdni tfruhht er­
inhgu mna porgreisnst hree maslo fb oht covneinnotaaln dut liamte
Foroerwd
XIV
trtuhT.hi cso nncm earneitsfeidst leafc cdoigrnliynb ohts ocainamdly s it­
caplar citc,ea sst hfelo olwesor fC ompleeR telaisttyr otove eno cmpass
whatth ecoyn seirdetdob et hees nsceoefB udidshamn Cdo nufcisamnas i
welalsT a oism.
Thei mptao cfC ompleRteael iTtaoyi swmas verpyow efurl,a ndi n
somaeer sai ts ueprdseedt haeg eadn df aliinshgco oolfs 'CahBn u d­
dhi,sw mhichha fdo cre niteuesrx eretnerodmo uisn uflnecoen C hisnee
ciivltiiz.oaT nob es urCeo,mp leeR tealTioatiysh ma mdu hci nc momon
witChh 'nB audidsh,mn otaibcnllyu dcionngcr eantmteedid tiaotenx ­er
cisaenstd h per acotfii tncrdeo ucnigf ersvhi eowfts r aidointtaaelc nhgi.s
Amontgh leti erfarormya tuses di nt hpeor jecotfiC oonmp leRteea lity
Taoiswma st hveo bcuarlyaa ndi mageorfya lecmh,yo neo ft hmeo st
anciaenndwt id espreraeda lomfis tn eriensC th i,nn aowa doptebdy
thesnee Twao itsass ana lolrefygro paor ceosfis nn ret rafronmsatainodn
sublmiatiTohnpe.r esteen,xUt tn derasntidgnR ealt,yii osn eo ft hcel as­
siocfts h sipsii truaallec mh,ya nids s tciolnles eridda b asidcoc uemnotf
Taoimsetn tsacelin .c e
UNDERSTANDINGR EALITY