Cultivating the Energy of Life (eBook)

Chapter1: TheDissipation of Life Energy Thesubtleties of theTaolie in original nature and life, and to cultivate original nature and life isto return to the One. The ancient sages used symbols when they spoke ofreturning original nature and life to the One because they did not want topresent the teachings in a straightforward way. Consequently, nowadays itisdifficult to find someone who truly understands the meaning of cultivating mindand body. Ihave not broken the oath of secrecy by compiling the illustrations andpresenting them in this book. I have only taken the teachings of Hua-yenScripture andthe Taoist classics and described them as pictures. Thekey to cultivating life lies in the One cavity. The illustrations are intendedto help fellow spiritual seekers to understand the meaning of the dualcultivation of mind and body so that they will not stray into erroneous paths.The pictures show how the true seed is conceived within the body, how theenergy of life is lost, how the Child of the Buddha is cultivated, and how theTao is attained. FigureI.Hui-mingching IllustrationI: Picture of Leakage Eachillustration in the Hui-mingching isaccompanied by phrases that are mnemonics of instruction (k'oucheh).The phrases are written in a Chinese literary form in which two phrases form apair. The pairs are arranged side by side. Thus, the upper two phrases form onepair and the lower two phrases form another pair. Since Chinese is read fromright to left, the phrase on the right is always the first half of the pair. Thefour seven-word phrases read: 'If you want to stop the leakage and attainthe indestructible golden body, focus on the radiance and do not leave thehappy grounds. Practice diligently to temper the root of life. Always keep thetrue self hidden in its home.' The circle in the abdominal area of thefigure is the cavity called the Gate of Life (ming-men).The path that leads from the cavity to the outside is called the path of leakage. TheOne cavity is the root of the void. It has neither shape nor form. When theoriginal vapor emerges, the cavity appears, when circulation is at rest, thecavity disappears. The One cavity is the place where the sacred is hidden. Itis the altar of life, and it has many names—,the Palace of the Dragon at theBottom of the Sea, the Land of the Snowy Mountain, the Western Realm, theOriginal Gate, the Land of Great Happiness, and the Home of the Limitless. Ifthe practitioner of the arts of longevity does not understand this cavity, heor she will wander through thousands of lifetimes not knowing where to look. Thiscavity is great and wonderful. It emerged when we were conceived in ourmother's womb. In it, original nature and life are intertwined like flames in afurnace and are united with the Laws of the Celestial Way and the GreatHarmony. Therefore it is said that before birth and creation, inhalation andexhalation are limitless. Beforewe were born, we were a fetus, a round shape inside our mother's womb. When thewomb is filled with the primordial vapor, the shape inside stirs, the shellbreaks, and like a mountain crashing down, the fetus tumbles out. In theinfant's first cry, original nature and life are separated. From then on,original nature does not recognize life and life does not communicate withoriginal nature. Thus we go from infancy to youth and from youth to old age anddeath. TheTathagata Buddha in his compassion has revealed a method that will help peopleto return to the womb. By uniting original nature, life, spirit, and vapor...