Huang Ting Waijing Jing – part 1

The Outer Radiance Scripture of the Yellow Court

1^st comm: by Liang Qiuzi in Xiuzhen shishu 58 (DZ 263; 4.869-78)

2^nd comm: by Wuchengzi  (Song dyn), YJQQ 12

Robinet 1993, 55-96

Supplement: Liufu buxie tu, DZ 1402 (34.289-93)

1 Laozi, living in seclusion, composed the seven-word text,

Laozi was born before Heaven and Earth; he has always been there since Heaven and Earth came to be. He has thirty-six titles and seventy-two names. He took refuge in the womb of Mother Li and was born after eighty-one years. He composed the Huangting jing to transmit his teaching to later generations. Appearing in countless revolutions, he completed his task. Always, he naturally found someone who would kneel before him to receive the instructions. If nobody had been found, Laozi would not have spoken even for ten thousand generations.

*

Laozi is the essential soul of Heaven, the lord of nature. He brought forth the divine immortals, who live on and on for ten thousand generations. He composed the seven-word text to transmit his teaching to posterity.

2 To clarify the human body and its relation to the gods.

Laozi rests quietly in so-being, yet at the same time floats about the eight ends of the universe. [Like the Dao], he is vague and obscure, and cannot be fathomed. Continuously changing on and on, he holds the sacred talismans, controls the registers of life and death, and orders about the host of the gods. The Dao does not have two families—to the end it always supports its servants. The Dao does not have two kin groups— invariably it always remains with the good.

*

The lord says that all is originally one continuous process. The whole body, from head to feet, can be brought to life. It is a single network and, as a whole, can be at peace. The Dao is not twofold. Whoever practices it is wise.

3 Above there is the Yellow Court; below, the Primordial Pass.

The Yellow Court is in the head. It encompasses three palaces known as the Hall of Light, the Grotto Chamber, and the Elixir Field. Enter between the eyebrows toward the back of the head. After one inch, there is the Hall of Light; after two inches, there is the Grotto Chamber; after three inches, there is the Elixir Field. These three constitute the Upper Prime.

The Yellow Court is paired with the Grotto Chamber. Together they bring forth an infant god, who is their resident perfected. Always visualize him! Be careful not to lose the image.

The infant turns into a perfected in the Hall of Light. Then he is called Master Elixir. Here, to know the perfected means to concentrate on the Hall of Light as its residence.

Practice breathing and daoyin, close your eyes and turn your vision inward, calm your mind and concentrate your thoughts. Merge with chaos in the limitless! Let essence revert upward and circulate in the Niwan [Elixir Field] . This will bring about the Perfected Master Cinnabar.

In the Hall of Light, the infant and the Master are a like lord and minister. Further behind, in the Grotto Chamber, they are like father and mother. In the Elixir Field, they are like husband and wife.

According to another explanation, the Yellow Court is the spleen. It is located one inch above the Great Storehouse [stomach in the abdomen, about three inches above the navel]. The spleen is the seat of the God of the Center, the Yellow Lord Lao. He rules from here.

The Primordial Pass is three inches below the navel. The Gate of Primordial Yang is suspended before it. When essence here is completely clear, it reflects the entire body. Never slacken in your practice of this Dao.

*

The Yellow Court is the eyes. The father and mother of the Dao both nourish the immortal embryo. On the left, there is the Numinous Yang, also known as Splendor Brightness. On the right, there is Great Yin, also known as Mystery Radiance. All three together build the right virtue, they support each other as they develop.

4 Behind there are the Dark Towers; in front, the Gate of Life.

The Dark Towers are the kidneys. Like overturned cups standing on their rims, they are three inches off the navel, big on top and small below. They contain another universe, with their own sun and moon. The Gate of Life is below the navel.

*

The Dark Towers are the kidneys. They are related to the eyes through the qi circuits. The Gate of Life is the navel. It is about three inches in size. When the sun rises and the moon sets, yin and yang are balanced. Breathe the primordial breath in and out to nourish the numinous root.

5 Breathe in and out and through the stove; qi enters the Elixir Field.

To breathe out means to expel the breath; to breathe in means to draw it in. The stove is the nose.  This is the essential method to expel the old and draw in the new. The vital qi then enters between the eyebrows and after three inches reaches the Elixir Field in the head. Thus one draws in the breath through the nose and enters it into the Elixir Field.

*

Breathing out is expelling; breathing in is drawing in. Through respiration the primordial breath can enter the Elixir Field. The Elixir Field is three inches below the navel, the gate of yin and yang. This is where ordinary people produce offspring. Daoist use it to preserve their lives.

6 The clear fluid in the Jade Pond waters the Numinous Root.

“Clear fluid in the Jade Pond” refers to the mouth where the saliva assembles. The Numinous Root is the tongue. One should always keep the teeth together, rinse with saliva, and accumulate it to water the tongue.

*

The mouth is the Jade Pond, the Palace of Great Harmony. The saliva is the clear fluid, always beautiful and fresh. Saliva collected in the throat makes the sound of thunder and lightning. The tongue is the Numinous Root. Always keep it well watered.

7 All can practice this, all can live long.

Practice this day morning and night without slackening. Then you can attain long life.

*

By practicing this day and night, one will subdue the deadly forces, kill the Tree Corpses and expel all evil demons. Body and flesh will blossom; the true qi will return. When all evils have lost their power, one will live long and radiate a brilliance.

8 The gods of the Yellow Court wear red robes.

Concentrate and visualize mother and child in the spleen. See how they enter the spleen from the stomach, wearing red.

*

The tiny pupils in the eyes are a couple. The right is the king, the left is the queen. Wearing red garments, the proceed to a banquet in the palace at the rear of the Elixir Field. Visualize them morning and night, never relax your effort!

9 The Pass Gate has a strong lock; keep its doors in place.

The gate of the lower Elixir Field has to be locked. Don’t open it wantonly.

*

Close your eyes and look inside. There is nothing that is not seen. Close your mouth and curl your tongue. This is feeding on the mother. Keep the jade flower in the throat. You will never suffer any trouble. All this is due to qi. The teeth are the doors, the tongue is the lock that keeps them in place.

10 The Dark Towers communicate with loftiness and eminence above.

The kidneys are located at the gate of the Dark Towers, i.e., the building of the Earth Administration. They are the storehouse of vital qi. Above they are connected with the ears. The ears are on the sides of the head, they are lofty and eminent.

*

The Dao knows of three primordial points where compassionate intention arises. The lower of these is the steadiness of the mysterious spring in the Dark Towers [testicles] . The middle one is the pair of Dark Towers of the kidneys. The upper one is the pair of Dark Towers of the ears. The latter watch over the Golden Gate and the Jade Entrance. They also communicate with Heaven, in the same way as Lady Jiao plays the zither and the flute, holding and suppressing the notes gong and shang .

11 In the Elixir Field, essence and qi are subtle.

The Elixir Field is located three inches beneath the navel. It is about three square inches in size. Its qi is subtle and wondrous. Visualize it, and it is there; forget about it, and it is gone. It changes and disappears. Thus we say it is subtle.

*

The Elixir Field is the first chamber, opposite the Hall of Light. Its essence and qi are subtle and can hardly be distinguished. Thus we say it is subtle.

12 The Jade Pond with its clear fluid develops opulence.

The Jade Pond is the mouth. The clear fluid is the saliva as it accumulates there. “Develop opulence” means that saliva is collected at the root of the tongue like a pond. Thus it is opulent.

*

In the mouth, there is saliva. It rests and moves. Only when collected on the tongue, in its white kind, is it rich and greasy like fat. Rinse with it and maintain it fresh: This is the way to long life.

13 The Numinous Root is stiff and strong—grow old but never weak.

The Numinous Root is the tongue. Always keep it rolled up and the teeth strongly together. During the practice never let the tongue get tired or dry. Always visualizes its god, and you will live long but never grow weak.

*

The Numinous Root is the tongue. It governs the four directions and harmonizes the five tastes. It expels stench and invites fragrance. Bite the teeth together and preserve your qi, thus you can live by swallowing saliva.

14 In the Middle Pond, a deity resides, clad in red.

Constantly visualize the infant in the heart. He is clad in red garments, finely ornamented, and resides in the middle Elixir Field. All exhaustion and bad fortune, all sloth and agitation, through him are made to go.

*

Ruojing in the throat is the god of the Prime. Beneath middle harmony, the towers show the partition of the way. With his reddish glowing dress, this god becomes a friend.

15 Three inches below the Field is where the gods reside.

This refers to the spleen, situated in the abdomen. Beneath the upper burner is the Numinous Root of the navel. This is where the gods reside.

*

The palace of the Hall of Light is three square inches in size. The gods reside in the very center of the eye. The eyebrows are their flowery canopies; the five colors are their couches.

16 Inside and outside firmly kept apart—lock it twice.

Close in essence and guard it well. Never let it leak out wantonly. To close it in properly use the Golden Tower and the Jade Lock.

*

Qi within should go out; qi without should come in. This process takes place by way of the Three Passes. When both kinds of qi are kept properly separate, the Dao of Heaven is in its natural order.

17 The interior of the spirit stove should be kept in order.

The spirit stove is the nose. There are little hairs inside, which have to be kept in order by removing them periodically. By then breathing carefully through the nose you can expel all evil forces.

*

This teaches to pull out the hairs in the nose. The nose guarantees the free passage of the divine Dao; thus it is a stove or residence. Practice diligently day and night, never relax your efforts!

18 The breath pipe suspended in the chest contains the talisman of essence.

The lower part of the tongue is the talisman of essence. The throat is the breath pipe. Qi and essence travel up and down through it. It is also where the Upper Prime harmonizes qi to be subtle and wondrous. It is the road on which the perfected travel up and down.

*

The center of the throat is the part that rises above the breast. Primordial qi travels up and down through this area. Thus it is called the talisman of essence.

19 Strive to steady your essence to keep naturally whole.

Close in your qi and revert your essence upward to preserve yourself intact. Never let it leak out wantonly. Revert the essence to nourish the brain—this is the Dao of no-death.

*

Keep qi together and never let it go.

20 In the residence is a personage always clad in pink.

Continuously visualize the god in the heart with his pink cinnabar robe. He moves in and out. Doing this, you will be free from disaster and expel all evil.

*

The face is the inch residence, the office of the perfected is in its center. His robes are vermilion or red; he radiates a fiery red brilliance with a pink halo.

21 When you can see him, you will be sick no more.

With all your might, concentrate on the god in the heart and visualize him without interruption. When you can always see the infant within, you will be free from all sickness and disease.

*

This serves to admonish people to realize the profundity of the truth of the Dao. By merit of seeing this god, you will be free from sickness.

22 It lies horizontally with a length of about one inch, bound to its above.

The spleen is lying horizontally with a length of more than one inch. It is a kind of cover above the Great Storehouse.

*

The spleen is about one inch in length and connected to the upper part of the Great Storehouse. Its center is the Hall of Light where Lord Lao passes through and rests during the day.

23 One who manages to preserve that will be free from all indisposition;

One should always preserve and nourish the god of the spleen, visualize him without pause, then one can be free from indisposition and disaster.

*

Preserve the god of the spleen, Lord Lao’s residence, by deeply realizing him. Practicing this truly, one will known no more indisposition.

24 While inhaling and exhaling through the stove will bring about natural fulfillment.

Through the nose inhale the breath and collect it in the mouth. Thereby the primordial qi will be moistened and enriched. Therefore it is the fulfillment of Heavenly virtue.

*

Obstruct the Three Passes, suppress and hold the tight, inhale and exhale primordial breath so that it can all assemble in the head. Then let it descend to the mouth where it is to be kept. Doing this, one will not feel any hunger or thirst, and the Three Worms will leave as will all intention volition.

25 Preserving and keeping it whole and strong will bring the body blessing,

Preserving the essence and nourishing the qi will cause the gods in the body to prosper. Thus it is said: bring blessing.

*

All people have the Dao, but they cannot preserve it intact. Those who keep it, however, will enjoy perfect harmony in their bodies. They will see the Three Luminaries above look like a shining string of pearls, clearly distinguished like individual stones. In the hearts of such people, there will be nothing but joy, thus the text says, bring blessing.

26 But the interior of the square inch has to be carefully shielded and well guarded.

Through concentration one should preserve qi and essence in the interior of the Elixir Field and the heart. Diligently clean it and keep it tidy—this is carefully shielding and guarding it.

*

What is neither square nor round is the eye. Close the door, bar the gate, and guard it carefully inside. Guarding it is already half of realizing the Dao.

27 When the qi and the spirits are made to return, one will be vigorous again in old age.

Making the essence return and purifying the body serves to replenish the qi in the brain. Then the teeth will be strong, the hair black, and the body will not age.

*

Essence and the body gods want to leave, they are like clouds floating off. Therefore, above do not let the qi evaporate, below do not allow your essence to diminish. Keep the souls firmly within and you will feel like a young person.

28 Then the dark towers’ messenger will flow down; let him go with a strongly concentrated mind

This means to lead the red infant in the Hall of Light down to inspect the dark red chamber close to the navel. In addition, visualize how the qi changes and enters the Elixir Field to nourish his body. Then meditate on the qi between the kidneys as it moves from top to bottom. It rises with the inhalation and thus reaches the Yellow Court. Another reading says that the messenger of the dark towers moves between the eyebrows.

*

The ears for the mind, they concentrate: these are the dark towers. The nose senses fragrances and keeps to enhance them. Then it allows them to reach the mind and penetrate the will. This is the meaning of “flowing down.”

29 By nourishing your jade stalk you will be vigorous.

One must always preserve the lower primordial essence and qi in as strong a condition as jade. Close in the qi and preserve the gods. This will make it strong.

*

You yourself are the jade stalk, and you always want it strong and vigorous. The jade stem is yin and bringing the two together brings harmony. Returning the essence to nourish the brain will bring freedom from diseases, eternal happiness, and joy.

30 The perfect Dao is free from worry and does not include multiple ways.

Being free from worry and disorder, with a calm mind and firm intention, one can go straight ahead. The back facing wu , the hip should be turned to maoyou .

*

The great Dao is spontaneous nature; it does not know worry or considerations. Illuminating all, it clarifies the muddled and makes clear what the deepest root of humanity is. The perfect Dao is hard to obtain but once there it is easy to practice.

31 The Numinous Terrace communicates with Heaven and is close to the central field.

The Numinous Terrace is the heart. Above, it sends qi to the entrance of the brain; below, it moves it down to the center of the spleen. This qi circulates throughout.

*

The head is the lofty terrace, the intestines are the vast field. Primordial qi reaches Heaven, then the dark mother comes down and nourishes me.

32 Going down from the square inch to the pass,

The throat is about one inch wide. The perfected in the Hall of Light goes down to harmonize the Elixir Field, then he comes up again to the Hall of Light.

*

In the center of the eyes is a jade-like efflorescence as big as an egg; it is yellow on the surface. It goes down to enter the mouth and thereby produces the five tastes. Guide this morning and night, and you will not fail.

33 He reaches the gate of the gods in the Jade Chamber.

The gate of the gods consists of yin and yang; they preside over the essence in men and women, semen and menses. The Jade Chamber in men is used to keep the semen; in women it stores the menstrual flow. Thus we speak of gate.

*

The Jade Chamber is also called the penetrating chamber, the purple chamber, the deep red palace, or the Hall of Light. It is beneath the jade florescence. A golden receptacle, all the gods know it as the gate and duly come to pass through it.

34 All this I was taught by the prince.

The heart is the great hall, where the prince resides. The left kidney is the Lord Sidu, the right is the Lord Sukong. Both receive essential qi which should never leak out. When you are able to guard the One, you can see this clearly.

*

On the left, there is the divine prince; on the right, the white immortal lady. They raise and nurture me, constantly push me to strive for immortality. Together father and mother thus nurture the cinnabar child, the sun and the moon three inches apart.

35 From the Hall of Light out to the four directions, qi stretches like a vast sea to the horizon.

One inch inside the head between the eyebrows is the Hall of Light. The qi flows from there like the sea from the springs.

*

About three inches wide and three inches deep is the Hall of Light. Make the sun and the moon return to the center, then rise into the four directions flowing like the sea.

36 The perfected, the cinnabar child, should go ahead of me.

The immortal infant is the perfected also known as cinnabar child. He resides in the Hall of Light. One should always visualize him, then one can live long.

*

Image the child to be about one inch in size. As you look in from the end of the eyebrows, you can see his heart. Do not disturb him.

37 The qi and essence are strong within the Three Passes.

There are Three Passes: the Heavenly Pass, the mouth; the Earthly Pass, the feet; and the Human Pass, the hands. Always keep them closed tightly. When all three are blocked, no evil can enter.

*

The mouth is the pass of the heart; the feet are the pass of the Earth; the hands are the pass of humanity. Deep means strong. Numinous and red, they relate to each other. In their connection, they reveal the subtle. It is not clear why the text has “deep” instead of “strong.”

38 If you want to live forever, cultivate Kunlun.

Kunlun is the head. This sentence admonishes people to nourish the Niwan palace in the brain because doing so they will not die.

*

The head is Kunlun. The Dao is regulated there. Ziwu is the whoop and maoyou is the wharf. Sun and moon brightly illuminate the cinnabar. Playfully you can browse around the various offices and guardhouses.

39 The deep red palace consists of a high building of twelve stories.

These are the twelve points in the gullet above the heart.

*

The golden building stands inside the five palaces and is surrounded by twelve cities. Elixir and yellow are its outskirts where five-colored clouds assemble. The deep red palace and the jade hall are the places where the True One goes in and out.

40 In the palaces and chambers, the five energies assemble.

Among the energies of the five organs, the heart is the emperor. He lives at the very center. All the gods come to assemble on the side of the immortal child.

*

The stars Armillary Sphere and Jade Sighting Tube decide fate and life. They reside in the center of the five colors. Langgan draws the utmost yin or yang. In the glittering palace, there is a golden room.

41 The child of the Red City stands in the pool in the center.

The Red City is the heart and the tongue is its child. It is in the mouth, which is the pool.

*

The god of the throat rules the fluid of the pool, receiving it and passing it down to the Great Storehouse.

42 Down below is the Great Wall, next to the town of the Dark Valley.

The Great Wall is the small intestine; one guides the qi through it to enter the womb.

*

The Great Wall is the intestine and also the city, whereas the Dark Valley is formed by the kidneys. They are aligned north to south.

43 To live long one has to keep close watch over the interior of the chamber.

The essential secret of long life lies in closing in and strengthening the essence.

*

The chamber is the Jade Chamber. By watching out and guarding it well, one can regulate the six harmonies. This state of harmony cannot be described. You have to be very careful about it if you want to reach the Dao.

44 Rid yourself completely of all craving and desire, concentrate solely on guarding the essence.

Among all the secrets of long life, guarding essence is foremost.

*

A wise man will nurture his essence, a fool will accumulate riches. Cast off all ties of the common world and return to the One — what else could you possibly seek? Making the semen return to nourish the brain will give you vitality and make your hair grow.

45 In the inch-field and the foot-residence, life is regulated.

The eyes are the inch-fields; the face is the foot- residence. Regulating life is done by concentrating on the one god of the upper body.

*

The inch-field is the cinnabar field; the foot-residence is the face. The network of the Dao can never be abandoned. By diligently and persistently striving for it, one will gain long life.

46 When you hold on to the egg for a long period, your heart will be calm and peaceful.

Always visualize the body and appearance of the red child. When you souls are always present, the myriad gods will not waver and you will be tranquil and free from desires. No fear or agitation will stir in your heart. You will be calm and peaceful.

*

The great Dao is chaos and nature, vast and vague, formed like an egg. With a unified mind always concentrate and guard it, then permanent calm will fill your breast.

47 Concentrate your mind and let the spirit float, rest in the three numinous places.

The upper numinous root is the tongue; the central, the navel; and the lower, the chamber of essence.

*

The great Dao floats freely, playful and carefree. Strongly hold on to your mind and you will see the perfection of the Dao. The three numinous ones will support you, playing the zither and beating the drum.

48 Relax in leisure and do not worry about affairs. Your heart will find great peace.

In tranquility and contemplation, guard the void and be without emotions. Then the body will be calm and stable, and the heart will be full of great peace.

*

Tranquil and without desires, you can enjoy the Dao. Disregard worldly enterprises and only value spiritual aims — this is the path to great peace.

49 By permanently visualizing the Jade Chamber, all gods are made to arrive.

The Jade Chamber is the gate of the gods. If you always visualize the qi and essence as it comes in and as it goes out, the gods will naturally come to stay.

*

The Jade Chamber is the chamber of the One. Leaning toward the western mountains and visible in the eastern mountains, it is situated in the dark and mysterious. Seeing it without fail will bring about harmony within and without. This is why the text says that the gods will arrive.

50 Remain mindful of the Great Storehouse, and hunger and thirst will never arise.

The Great Storehouse is the stomach where the five grains are processed. If you are mindful of it off and on, you will be free from hunger and thirst.

*

With eating and drinking in perfect harmony, the god enters and comes to reside in the Great Storehouse. One of his names is Huangchangzi. Shui says: Huangchangzi. I have the Dao of long life, never eat but nourish on myself. Do not mistake the method but stick to it properly. Then you will be able to live without grains and yet never be hungry.

51 On your command, the six Ding gods will come.

When the emperor thinks of the perfected in the Yellow Court, the six Ding gods and jade maidens come to wait upon him. He can command them.

*

Purify yourself and sit in a lonely spot, at best a place of the six Ding gods. When you then utter the gods’ names, jade maidens will appear.

52 Close the route of your essence and you can life forever.

Cast off evil and close out the vulgar, shut of the vital routes, and you can live forever.

*

Yin and yang interact and communicate. At such a time, the essential gods want to leave the body. This voluptuousness is very dangerous. Once you have let loose the five wild horses of the passions, they are not to be held back. Press the back of the jade stalk hard with your fingers to shut the jade lock and close the golden gate.

53 The place where the gods reside is in the proper palace [before the hall .

The proper palace is found in the Hall of Light and the Grotto Chamber. Always visualize the child growing there into a perfected. It is there only as long as you think of it; once you forget it, it is gone.

*

In the proper palace, the five colors mingle. The celestial armillary and the jade sighting tube are the places of the Dao. It also rests in the Hall of Light and floats to the dark red palace. This changes to become the cinnabar field of the perfected.

54 Wash your body and regulate yourself, never daring to be dirty.

Purify yourself in seclusion in a lonely spot, burning incense and meditating on the true ones. Then the perfected of the dark red palace and the jade maidens will come. You will see them and talk to them as if their were fellow humans.

*

Show reverence and submission to Heaven and Earth, rid yourself of all envy and doubt. Close your eyes for inner vision and observe the coming and going of the gods. Do not mingle with ordinary people and avoid all impurities.

55 Visualize all five organs one by one and observe moderation.

Be always mindful of the five organs so that the god’s won’t leave your body.

*

The five organs and six viscera each have their ruler. Cultivate yourself and purify your body, cut out all grain from your diet and stop drinking wine. Eating and drinking must be in perfect harmony, then you can begin afresh. Never lose moderation.

56 Regulate the six viscera and make them as pure as bleached silk.

The six viscera are the gall, stomach, bladder, large intestine,  small intestine, and the navel. They should be completely clean at all times.

*

No evil thought in the heart, no foul word in the mouth, no bad sight in the eyes, no unmelodious sound in the ear, no immoral grasping with the hands, and no wrong step with the feet—these are the six ways of behavior, governed by the lords of the six viscera. Thus, by acquiring the ability to reduce these, the Dao is realized and virtue is perfected. Clean yourself to a state of pure silk.

57 Emptiness, nonbeing, and spontaneity are the strength of the Dao.

The twelve energies of emptiness and nonbeing formed humanity through spontaneity. The farther one is away from the Dao, the less one can know perfection.

*

Emptiness and nonbeing, in chaos and without differentiation, are the nonbeing of the Dao. The spontaneous cannot be visualized; by looking up and down, one can only see oneself. Always preserve mysterious purity and you will find new youth. Know the male and guard the female, then the souls will not leave the body.

58 When beings are in line with the spontaneous, things will not go wrong.

When one is able to realize the spontaneous and practice the meditation of the perfected, the world with all its complexity will be forgotten. Always in a state of mindfulness—what can go wrong?

*

The spontaneous is the great spirit of Heaven and Earth. It cannot be visualized or thought of. Pure qi, it just comes and goes naturally.

59 Relaxed and restful, practice nonaction and your body will feel calm.

Tranquil without action, clod like and alone—calm your mind and put your thoughts at rest, regulate the breathing and just be. Thus your body will feel calm and peaceful.

*

In outer behavior, guard naturalness; deep inside, hold on to the primordial Dao. Never violate cosmic prohibitions, so that you won’t meet with harm and hurt. Always maintain peace.

60 The meditation place of emptiness and nonbeing should be secluded far within.

In a secluded place hide yourself to practice the Dao in the Grotto Chamber. Always stick to the one place and do not go out to compete with people. Thus the text speaks of resting in a secluded place.

*

It is the nature of emptiness and nonbeing to delight in cleanliness and purity. Therefore one should cultivate harmony in seclusion and converse with the gods. Draw the curtains so as not to hear people chat and concentrate on the mysterious virtue. The five colors will sparkle before you; sun and moon will radiate with brilliance. Thereby you can make east and west, the three and five return, revolve them around your intestines and nurture your vitality.

61 In a state of utmost peace and perfect openness, words fall silent.

Being by oneself in seclusion to concentrate on the Dao and meditate on perfection: keep your eyes closed to avoid distraction and keep your mouth shut to preserve integrity.

*

In seclusion and protected by a canopy, guide your mind to communicate with emptiness. In nirvanic peace and openness, your eyes will behold the pearl of light. In darkness, there will be nothing but breathing to you—and total freedom from greed and craving.

62 Tranquil and free from desires, wander in the gardens of virtue.

No clothing against cold, no sweat in heat—you are tranquil and free from desires, like a clod and all alone. Hidden away in a mountain, you forget about craving riches and honors.

*

On the outside you may look like a madman, but on the inside you harbor jade like purity. Tranquil in the heart and full of joy, there is no craving in the mind.

63 Pure and clear, fragrant and cleansed, jade maidens will appear.

Bathe in the secluded spot described above, then concentrate fully on your heart and be wholly yourself. Perfume the area with fragrant herbs, fast, and the jade maidens will come to wait upon you.

*

Rid yourself of all worldly and ordinary defilements and go off into the wilderness, the deserted lands. Here burn incense, spread fragrances, and sprinkle for the six Ding gods. Jade maidens will arrive to serve you.

64 Cultivating virtue and promoting your insight is the right gateway to the Dao.

This admonishes people to guard the Gate of Life by sitting upright in meditation and avoiding evil sights. Cultivate the Dao to move toward enlightenment, observe things on the outside and inspect things within. The gods naturally will open the gate of perfection.

*

virtue strengthened, the body prospers. In a room with good vibrations, the mind will reach out and the thoughts will come to see the divine light. They can recognize the high villa, the adorned gateway, the golden door, and the jade hall.