辯偽錄 2.23

2.23

The Refutation states: The Dao values purity and quietude; virtue esteems non-action, maintaining tranquility within and shepherding oneself with humility. Not relying on this Dao, they set up various different assertions, relying solely on circulating pneuma and directing internal effort as cultivation. They lose the purity and essence of the Daodejing and run contrary to the wondrous gate of nature. They falsely establish artful words and arbitrarily force interpretations: preserving the cinnabar field as the utmost Dao, guarding the two kidneys as the doubled mystery, using vulgar, foul, coarse, and superficial things to deceive the village commoners. The likes of Wang Qiao and Xianmen did not favor these formulas; the ranks of Baishi and Chisong did not rely on this path. Elixir scriptures and refinement formulas are not seen to prolong life; ingesting minerals and eating mushrooms have rarely brought longevity. Emperor Wu of Zhou ingested elixirs and became mute; Emperor Wuzong of Tang ingested elixirs and died early. How many worthy and good men have been misled by this, failing to preserve the principle of being content with Heaven! Since the true formulas of the Daodejing reached their ultimate limit here, then the remaining texts of the Daoist Canon are not worthy of value. Today's Daoist priests display even shallower arts: some practice spirit writing and scribble wildly, merely craving nocturnal drinking; some exorcise evils and cut off ghosts, deceiving people under the pretense of expelling misfortunes; some enclose themselves within surrounding walls and guard inwardly, which is called 'galloping while sitting'; some begrudge speech and take no action, which is called 'foolish silence'; some perform the bear stretch and bird twist, intending to stand shoulder to shoulder with Pengzu; some drink pneuma and rest their spirits, imitating turtles and cranes for longevity; some circulate essence upward to the brain, calling it 'drawing the river cart'; some consolidate the cinnabar field and seal it within, calling it 'preservation'; some join pneuma to make the Dao, where fathers and sons gather in pollution; some seize essence and pluck spirits, where men and women are promiscuously mingled. Clicking the teeth is called 'heaven's drum'; swallowing saliva is called 'sweet springs'. They call the male root the 'golden stem', merely aiming for firmness; they call the female orifice the 'jade portal', concealing vulgar terms. They call young girls 'true persons'; they call intercourse 'the dragon and tiger', 'the infant and the lovely maiden', 'lead and mercury', and 'the elixir furnace'. Thus they say: 'Open the gate of life and embrace the true person; / The infant returns, and the dragon and tiger frolic; / Three, five, seven, and nine, the net of heaven and earth.' Therefore, Zhang Daoling's Yellow Book states: 'Men and women have the method of harmonious blending, the way of intercourse through three, five, seven, and nine. The true secret of this Dao lies in the cinnabar field, which is the jade gate. One must strictly observe taboos as urgent, not allowing leakage onto the road. The road is the urinary opening.' Moreover, the Daoist Rules of Internal Court state: 'The ritual rule for men and women on the new and full moon days is to pay court to the master and enter the private chamber, visiting the master to establish merit and virtue. Yin and yang advance together; during the six intervals of day and night they constantly establish merit and virtue. They must not lose the order of inner attendants, must not crave external paths and lose the way of middle regulation, and must not jump ahead or fall behind to lose the sequence of stages; nor may they despise ugliness and love beauty.' It also states: 'At the time of the new and full moon, they attend the master in the private chamber, their affections intimate, with male and female engaging in intercourse. They align the four eyes and two noses above and below, and face the two mouths and two tongues against each other. Once yin and yang join, essence and pneuma thoroughly communicate.' Therefore, Laozi said: 'My master taught me the Golden Elixir Scripture, / Bidding me focus my mind on nourishing the jade stem, / Returning the yin essence through three, five, seven, and nine, / Breathing into the jade pool to enter the dark mystery, / Practicing the path with equanimity to ascend to the Great Purity.' The meaning of such songs and formulas is entirely like this. Taking this promiscuous debauchery to be true cultivation, they do not contemplate the words 'returning to the root and recovering life', but solely practice the vulgar and mean arts of joining pneuma. Seeking the Dao through this leads humanity wrongly astray; seeking transcendence through this will never be attained in a lifetime. Extinguishing sin through this, sin cannot be eradicated; eliminating calamity through this, calamity cannot be repelled; seeking blessings through this, blessings cannot arise; renouncing household life through this, the household cannot be renounced. How does this differ from steaming sand to make rice—vainly undergoing toil and hardship? Seeking reality in a mirror, in the end nothing will be gained. Alas! To discard the dragon pearl and pick up gravel, to tip over the Xia cauldrons and envy broken shards! Deluding oneself and deluding others, dying and sinking into the ocean of suffering. How sorrowful! How lamentable!