Taoist Meditation: Methods for Cultivating a Healthy Mind and Body

131 Pages·2000·3.61 MB·English

by  Thomas Cleary

TAOISTM EDITATION
MethofdosrC ultivaat Hienagl thy
Minda ndB ody
Translatecdo mapnidlb eyd
THOMAS CLEARY
*
SHAMBHALA
BostoLno ndon
&
2000
CO N TE N TS
I
TranslIanttorro'dsu ction
Antholoognyt heC ultivaotfiR oena liza7t ion
TreatoinsS ei ttiFnogr gett8i ng
I
SayinogfTs a oiMsats teDra ny ang
Io 6
SecrWerti tingst heoM ne chanisomfNs a turIeI 2
ZhanSga nfenTga'isAj lic hemSye creItI s7
SecrReetc orodfsU nderstantdhieWn agy I 2 3
T R AN SL A TO R' S I NT RO D UC TOIN
Taoismo,n eo ft hem osta ncieonftE astetrarnd itioinss ,
drawiinngc reasaitntg entiinto hne m oderWne stI.n teesrt
inT aoismi sn ol ongceorn finetdo f rineglee menatsss o,m e
woulpdr efebru,th asb ecompea rt ofn orthmeam le ntlaity
ofc onsciionudsi vidaunadcl oss molpiottahni enrkisn m any
areaosfc ontemaproylr ife.
Parotf t hep opulariTtayo isomif n t heW estm ighbte
due tof atchtteh aTtao ismi ss cniteifyiecta lshou manistic
ands piritTuaaoli.s hma sa capacfiotsryu btpleer vasbieo­n
causietc anb eu nedrstoaonddp ractiwcietdh tihnef rame­
workosf o thewro rlrde liiognso,rw ithoaunty r eligious
frameowrka ta lTlh. isse lfleasdsa ptabmialyib tewy h yT ao­
ismh as baebelnte op enerattWee stercnu ltuwrietsh otuhte
limitaotfit ohneso logdioccatlr oirnr ee ligiidoeuns tity.
Someo ft hes pecialairztoesrd i ginaitnTi anogi tsrta dition,
sucah sb are-hmanardt idails ciplaicnuepsu,n cthuerreb,a l
medicianned,t hreapuetimca ssgae,a re becoimncirnaegs -
2 TRA N SL A T OR 'S INT R ODU C TIO N
inglfamyi liiantr h eWe stT.ao issto cipahli losoapnhdsy t ra­
tegitch iinnkgh avea lspor ovetdo b eo fg reaitn teesrtt o
Westepreno plev airni owuasl kosfl ief.T hesea rea mongt eh
dimensioTnaso isomft hahta vea ttracttheead t teonnto if
proefssioninam lasn ya reasp-olitaincdam li litaargyr;ic ul­
turailn,d ustarnidac lo,m merceiadlcu;a tiomnaeld,i caanld,
scientific.
Meditatiisoo nnee lemeonfTt a oistmh aitn teesrtasb road
spectroufpm e oplbee,c autshees tatoefm indi sc entrtaol
thew ell-beainndeg f feinccioyf t hew holeo rganiTsamo.i st
meditatiisfo onre nahncemeonftb otphh ysiacnadlm ental
health,t hestew of acetosf w ell-beairneig n titmeyal re­
as
latteodo nea nothMeord.e rsnc ientuinfdiecr stanodft ihneg
mind-byo cdontinucuomn firtmrsa ditiToanoailsb te elsfi
aboutth ee fefctosfm entsatla toensp hysiccoanld itainodn s
vicvee rsa.
Thivso lumper esean tsse leocnt iomfa treiaolnsT aoist
meditattioounc,h iunpgo n waid e rantgoep iotcfrs a tdiion­
alltya keunp b yT aoisftorst hep urposea llo-fua nrdoh uman
deveplmoentH.a vingb eenw rittiennC hinat,h eya re
couchiendt h ec ustaormyu sgaeso fC hinecsuel tupraer,t icu­
lartlhyeu nitariaonfti hes lma st milleinnwn hiiucmTh,a o­
isCto,n fuciaann,d B uddhitseta chianrgecs o mmonyl used
togtehefro nr ondogmabtailca nicnhe i gheedru cation.
A considearmabolueno tf m aterifarlo mt hist radoint,ii n
botchl assaincdau ln iatriapnh aseissc, u rrenatvlayi laibnl e
Englitsrha nslaTthieroeni .sn ofi xeds ysmt eoft hougohrt
practiincT ea osim,a nd madniyf fermeentth odhsa veb een
articuloavettreh de c enturDiiefsf.e rteenmtp erameanntds
differteinmteh sa ved ifferreenqtu ireenmtsa,c cordrion g
Taoisrte achisnotg h,er epsonsoefst heT aot ot hesev ariyng
conditmiuosnetsh emseldviefsft eobr e e ffectTihivsei .st he
TRA N SL A T O R ' SI NTR ODUCT IO N 3
mainr easfoontr h pe ublicatoifao v na rieotfy maitaelfrsr om
thitsar dititoonr ,e fletcth ee xperieonfcd eifsf erepneto ple
andt hereabcyh iegvreea tebra lanacned a dderssa broader
spectroufmh umant emperamtehnatnd oesse ctarian dog­
matics.
Besidtersu Tea oitseta chiintgi ssa, v erriendt hel itera­
turet,he rea rem anyf alosred eetrioraftoerdmo sf s uppos­
edlTy aoisptr actiWcaer.n ingtso t hiesf fehcatv eb een
circulfaotmrea dn yc enrtiueTsh.i iss a nothreera sont hfeo r
presentaotfai roann goef t raditimoatnearli aslots h,a tth e
publimcay havseo meb asist hfueo nrd erstanadniden vga lu­
atioonfp articpueloaprl ep roarc tipcueprso rtitnogr erpe­
senTta osim.
The firssetle ctpiroens enhteerdie sa w ork caAlnltehdo l­
ogoyn t hCeu tlivaotfRi eoianzl atbiy aonnu nknowanu thor
knowno nyl by tshtey lCeu ltivaotfRo era liozna.Dt iiscov­
ereidn m anusrcipfto rma ndp ublisihne d ita ppears
1739,
tob ea produocftt heM ingd ynasty Citing
(1368-1644).
TaoisCto,n fucian,B uadnhddi stte achitnhgesa ,u thoerm ­
phasizbeasl ancdeedv elmoepnto f tnhaet aulrs,o ciaanl,d
spiriteulaelem ntosf h umanl iftehr ougmhe ditatoinoa n s
wide variteotpyi cosf.
Thes eocnds electiisao v ne rfya moumsa nuaoln m edita­
tioTn,r teiaosnSe i ttFiognregt tbyiS nigm aC hengzhoeftn he
Tangd ynasty Thec osmopolciutlatnu orfte h e
(618-907).
Tangd yansthya so ftebne enc alltehdeg oldeange ofC hi­
nescei vzialitionT.h eg reats chooolfsE asteBrund dihsm
flourisdhueirdn gt he Tadnygns atye,x ertaip nogw erfiunl­
fluencoen t hes ubsequeevnotl utoifoC no nfuciiasnma nd
TaoismT.h iTsr aetiosnSe i ttFionrgg eitst idenaTgrao liys tic,
yeti ti sg enealrlpyh raseidn maa nnearc cpetablteo C onfu-
4 T R A N SL A TO R 'S I NT R ODUC TI O N
cainsa ndB uddihstIsti. so ftne quoteidnl taewro rkosn t he
subjeocfT tao ismte diattion.
Thet hirsde lectcionosnis s otfs ayinogfsM a Danyang,
a famousT aoiswti zarodft he Sodnygn saty
(960-1279).
Danyanwgh,o sTea oisnta mem eanCsi nnabSaurn ligwhats,
oneo ft heg readti sciopfl eWsa nCgh ongyantgh,ef ounder
oft heN ortehrnB rancohfC ompleRteea lyi Ttaoisma,p ow­
erfnuel oT-aoismto vemenrte vivbiontgch o ntemaptlivaen d
sociealle menotfTs a oismT.h e ausstpeirtreu ialiotfty h e
NortrhneB rancohfC omplee Rtealyi Ttaoisimsr emineinstc
ofC ha,no rZ enB,u ddhiswmh,i cmha nyn eoT-aoissttsu d­
iedb,u ti ti sa lsaon organic resppornosbel etamons d the
hardshoifp ssao cieutnyd efror eigonc cupant.i o
Thef ourtshe lectiisto ank efnr oma na ntohlogcya lled
SecWrreiitnt ognst hMeeh caniosfNm astr ueT.hi si s coal clteion
ofe xcerfportms souersco fT aoisttr aditiinocnl,u ding
163
anceintc alssicwsr,i tinogns m edtiatioann ds piurailta l­
chemy,a ndt hea dmonitiaonndis n rsutctioofnt sh eg reat
luminaorfiT eaosi sstp irityu tahlriotutghhea ges.
Thefi ftshe lectiiso dnia s couornst eh em entarle finement
reprnetseebdy t hes cieen cosfp itruiaall chemIyti. s a ttrib­
uted Zthoa ngS anefnga, semimtyhologifciagluo rfet he
Mingd ynasttoyw hom,o rt ow hoses chooal g,r eamtan y
workosf t higse nraer ea ttirbuteZdh.a ngS anfewngas s up­
posetdo h aveb eena greaatl cehmisatn di st raidointlaly
associwaittethdh efo rm ofe xerckinsoew na sT aijuainq,or
Tai CChhiu an.
Preesntehde ries a texetn teidtZl haSnagng' fesn Taiji Al­
cheSmeyc rJu estcas sm .a rtial asrutciahss t sS,h aboolxienr s
andZ end uleerasn da rchecrosm,m onlpyr actimceeddi ca­
toin,t hei netriofornu datioonfT aiC hii sa lstor aidointally
associawtietdih netrnla medtiatiporna ctiTchei.sa lchye m
TRA N SL AT O R' S INTRO D U CTIO N 5
rooi sb aseodn awareonfte shes connecbteitowne emni nd
andb odya,n di tesx ercriasies tehsep hysipcraalc toifcT ea i
Chin owq uitpeo puliantr h eW estt,o a g reatlevereo lf t otal
fulfeilnltm.
The sixtahn dfi nasle leicotni nt hivso luem ist akenf orm
SecRreectoo rfUd nsder stantdhWieayn g,a r araen dr emarkable
manusrcitp collieocnto ft alkbsy an anonyomusT aoist
·
knowno nlbyy a d evotinoanmaelT. h iasp peatrobs e a w ork
oft hel atQei ngd yntays cleafrollylw oingt ra­
(1 644-11 9)1,
ditiolnianley se tw itha candocrh aracteorfim sotdiecr n
tunes.
A NT HO LO G Y O N T HE
C ULTIVA TOIN O F
R E A LZIA TOIN
THE W A Y
Ifp eoplwea ntt od ot hefi nestth inignt hew orlndo,t hing
comparetsol earn.iI nftg hewya ntt ob et heb esotfl earners,
nothicnogm parteosl earnitnhge WaMya.s teZrh us aid,
"Learniisfn ogsr e ekitnhge Wawyh;a its t heu seo fl earning
otherw?i"Es veenp rofesspiroonmaolt iiossn o metheixntgr a­
neouwsh;a tap ityh aisct o rrupstoem da nyp eoplTeh!e
Tao
say"sT,o e stablaines mhp eraonrd supeh ti gohf fi­
TeC hing
cia,lo snem ayh avaeg reajte wealn dd rivaet e amo fh orses,
butt haitsn ot as gaodovda nacsci anlgm olynt his Way."
Taelnti se xploibtyeo dt hearnsd r arerleya chietses n d;
virtiusce u ltivbayto ende sealnfd,i th asa definiTthieo n.
Wayi su ndefinbeud,tw henu seidti si nexhausTthiebrlee­.
forseu perpieoorp loen lsyt udtyh e Way: ltohouekpy o n
meriatn df amew,ea ltahn ds tatauss ,fl oactlionugdl se,tn tgi
8 T H E CU L T IV A T IO N O F R E A L I ZTAI O N
themg oa ndc omew ithobueti nmgo vedb yt hemw hilien
thevierr myi dst.
Ifs uperpieoorp oleny l studtyh eW ay,i si tb ecautshee y
gaisno meb enefYiets?,i ti sW.h ati st habte nefiTth?o se
whos tudtyh eW ay studwyh ati si nt hes elTfh.e mindca n
beb roadeedn,th eb odyc an bbee nefitseidc;k nceasnsb e
cuerd,de atcha n abve odiedN.o benefiatrseg reattehra n
the.s e
Dop eopwlheo s tudtyh eW ay actuaglaliytn h esbee netfis
andp leasuIrfet sh?ed yo ,t hewnh yd op eoploeft hew orld
algle ti rritwahteendt hesye e peoplse tuwdhtyoh eW ay,
considertihnegme cecnrticosr p honieTsh?e Ching
TaoT e
say"sW,h ens uperpieoorp lhee aorf t heW ay,t hetyr vaeilt
diligeWnhtelnym .e doicrpee ophleea orf t hew ay,t hesye em
awar,ey eta rea si fo bliviWohuesn.l esspeero plheea r of the
Way,t helya uhg ati to utl oud.W hatt hedy on'lta ugaht
couldnb'ett h eW ay."
P R I N C I P L E
TheW ay iso nea ndo nloyn eO.n thec elestlievaelil ti s
calldeeds tionny t;h eh umanl eveilti sc alleesds enntai­al
ture.t hOepn h enomelneavl eli sc iatl lperdi nciple.
Thipsr incicpilrec ultahtreosu ghtohuewt o rladp,p earing
ind ailacyt ivitEiveesre.yv ent eavneydr t hinhga sa nautral
princiwphliec,ch a nnobte d ispenwsietdhT .h ust heer isa
princiwphleer etbyh isn garet haeasyr ei;tc annobtea ltered,
onlfyo lleodw.
Superipoero ploeb sertvhei ngst eirnm osf p rinpclie­
righotrw rongg,o odo rb adt,he yd eawli tht hema ccrod­
inglTyh.i si sc allesde lflessnSeeslsfl.e ssnreesssu lttn s
objecriovbijteyc;t irveistuyli tncs l ariCtlya.r irteys ulitn s
TH E CUL TIVAT ION OF REA LIZATIO N 9
dealwiinteghv enatcsc uraantcdeo lmyp rehtehnneda i­ng
tuorfet hings.
�
I uv i�twhg istn hrougehg oty,ho eunr a lnhodav ter ed
'l
ariusnec ontraonlydlo cauab nlnayov toi indd ulfegelinign gs.
Wheyno iuf!_ cJufleeglei ntghsey,no aur bee isnugb jective.
Wheyno aur seu b·eyc�t�ai rvieeg ,11 orWahnetyn.o aur e
ignoraanrtme,i xyueopdu acnoudns feydo;au r oen layw are
ofy our,ns oeotlfp f rinciple.
Whetnh eirpser inctihpeilreseen , e rwghye;en n geyri s
maneitsfp,r incihsii pdldeWe hne.tn h eiresen ertghye,r e is
fromw;h efnro mi sm aneitsfe,n erighsy i ddPerni.n ciisp le
alwabyasl anwcheedr,ee nagesyr i sp artfiroamli ;se ven
morpea rtBiaallai.ngs co eo idna lrle sptehcetirssse;o me­
thitnhgai tsn ogto oidnp artiIafylo iwuta ynt.to c onvert
whaitsn ogto oidnp artitaorl eitttuyort nhg eo odnoefs s
balaynocmueu ,s etx amyionuer csleolsofen tl hybe r ionfk
actiEoxnp.aa nndfd lu fwihlalet m erfgoremst hbea laonfc e
princciuptl eoe;fl fi amniwdnh aacttoe m feorsm t hpea rtial­
itoyff romA.f tael ro ntgi mper,i ncwiipnllalet urrael­ly
maiwnh,i dlees iwrinelasl t urdailsalpyp ear.
Thper incoiftp hlee swm oursblteid n vestyiegttah teeyd ,
cannaolbtlei nvestciogmaptleeTdth eelirsyae .n e ssential
poiwnhti,ic shd itsoc ceornnf uisnoin oeon'w snm inWdi.t h
discercnommeenst clarity; whiuftlhn ecslsa.r ity comes trut
Witthr uthftuhlpenr eisnsc,oi ftp hlweeo sr alrdae p pre­
hendaendcd e ntpeorieisdase t tained.
Tok notwh tahtoe n geo oidbs a laanncydee t tnoro eta ch
balatnock en,o w phaelln omaermneia n adn yde nto tto
undermsitnadn-dt ihcsio usns fiToonk .n ow mtahteto efr
biracnhdd e aitsshe riaonyudes nt o ttor eabliirzceh lessness,
cok noiwm permainssew nicyfeetn t o tto r ealtihzeiers e
fundanmteanlosl pye ed-tchoinsfu siiso n.