The Secret of Everlasting Life: The First Translation of the Ancient Chinese Text on Immortality

306 Pages·2012·10.31 MB·English

by  Richard Bertschinger

THE SECRET OF
EVERLASTING
LIFE
The First Translation of
the Ancient Chinese Text
on Immortality
RICHARD BERTSCHINGER
London and Philadelphia
First published in Great Britain in 1994 by
Element Books Ltd
This edition published in 2011
by Singing Dragon
an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers
116 Pentonville Road
London N1 9JB, UK
and
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Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
www.singingdragon.com
Copyright © Richard Bertschinger 1994 and 2011
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Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 84819 048 1
ISBN eBook pdf 978 0 85701 054 4
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
MPG Books Group
To my mother
Thied oefea v erllaishftaenis on tgh tiodn owg i thha nkearfitlneigrf e.
Thter uittshh aactt utahleilrnsyeo d eath.
Howc atnh ebrene od eaBtehc?a aucsteut ahleilrosyen loyns ei ngle
enerognayel, l -encommoptaisvfsaoitrnwicghne igl c ihae tts h reo ooft
oulri faec'tsin voitt yTt,hw eGo r.e Vaoti wdh iicsthh ceo mmon
grouonfad ll li iftseh earler ewaidtlyhi,c f oen tinbueoiubnsoglr yn
withitiS.now hante eids theraen ddfe oart h?l ife
It ibse caouusdree sfiotrrhe i ansgssu umnedsiu mep ortthawanetc e
goa starnabdye gtihnse e paroaflt iiafonendd e aItf whe.v ietwh em
frotmh sipsa ocfqe u iaenttd r anqwueic lalsnie ttehy e hraens e ver
beeannl yi ofrae n dye aEtvhi.d etnhteilrosyen tlyho inse seinnegrlgey
flowainncdgi rcualbaotuitn.g
Frotmh Per eftaoc e
Can Tong Qi Shu/iu, 1564
PREFACE
TO PERENNIAL EDITION
Welcome! The book you hold in your hand is the granddaddy
of all qigong classics. These writings on internal alchemy have
spawned countless commentaries and editions – presented
here, for the first time, in English translation, along with the
voices of its Chinese commentators.
Nourish yourself thus within
tranquil and still in the void,
while at source concealing the brilliance
which illuminates up your whole body.
shut and close up the mouth,
repressing within the spiritual trunk,
the senses all swallowed up
to gently support that pearl so young.
observe it there, the unobvious –
so close by and easy to seek.
Welcome again! to a timely reprinting of this translation, which
first saw the light of day some twenty years ago. Since then it
has appeared in German, Portuguese and Dutch editions – to
spread its elegant calling across the globe, available to us all.
The ear, eye and mouth – these three jewels,
block and stop them up, do not let them gape.
the truth in man lies at the very depths,
he roams wide yet guards a proper compass within.
these three are the crux of the affair –
to be in a relaxed body, resting in an empty room,
abandon the will and go back to the void,
and thus beyond thought find constancy.
Welcome, thrice welcome! to the catalogue of events which
led to Wei Boyang and his followers – including the dog – all
of whom gave their lives that the message in this book might
be complete, and sent on to you. Even the Yellow Emperor
himself is one of our tribe…this from the speech made by the
great sage Guang Cheng, proficient in the art of fostering life:
In essence, it is profound and shrouded in mystery –
dark it is and hushed in quiet –
let your soul be at peace and the body rights itself!
The above few lines, from the legendary instruction of the
Yellow Emperor, come from the Zhuangzi book. There is
another tale in the Zhuangzi about the boy who captures a
pearl from the dragon of the deeps, who nestles a pearl under
his chin…the headman of his village demands the pearl be
destroyed! Who knows what calamities it might bring?
Here, at least, is a single pearl which survived! Give thanks.
Richard Bertschinger
September 2010
CONTENTS
LiosfItl lustrations Vil
Introduction
1
WEIB OYA NG'TSE XT
ThYei ann Yda nIgn,n Veirt alEinteyr gaynd
1. 27
The Person WohfoF uTlrUlunyed eVrisrttauned s
2. 34
SecrHeitdldAyew na y Faonrdg otten
3. 43
ThMea tchoiftn hMgeo on-phases
4. 50
ThFeu ncotfti hoSenh ifLtiinnegs
5. 58
ThReu laenrMd i niisnMt aenra gGionvge rnment
6. 71
FostYeoruiIrnn gb Noartnu arnSede cuYroiunrg
7.
Life
75
Howt hSeo ann Dda ugNheteeEdra cOht her
8. 85
AL ucMkayt fcohr GOouoPrdr ince
9. 90
UnderstTahDneod uibnlge -eCnatvorefa nced
10.
Knowledge
94
DeveltohpSeie Wnligft htioBn u ialF do undation
11. 104
ThWei sSea gSeesc'r et Refinery
12. 109
The Mild-Mmaaindanenentdr h Yeeed ol wlS hoot
13. 117
ThUen stPaebalarnetld h Geo ldFelno wer
14. 123
TheFsoeui rnM akesChhiafots
15. 131
Dawn DaunsPdke ,n aalntPdio ewse rs
16 136
YouB egTihni nokniS nogm eYoonuMe e et
17 142
WeBio yaOnwgn'P so stface
18. 147
XUC ONGSHIT'ESX T
The OOvredrearolGiflrn geC ahta nge
19. 155
HeavenE aarStnehdtt hS et age
20. 166
ThSeu ann Mdo oTnh,o Ssues pended Images
21. 170
ThWei soefO l Odb serTvhSeekd i Aebso ve
22. 176
ThTeh rSeaeg Feosr'mC eorn ceptions
23. 194
ThTew oS eparEanteerLdgo iveisTn rgalnys form
24. 199
VI Contents
ThTeh rJeeew etlhsRe,e aClr ux
25. 202
UndersttahnPede irnvgea rntFdea dlP saet hs
26. 213
Thinogfts h Sea mKei nEds senJtoiianlly
27. 217
TheT woB owosft hDer agaonntd h Tei ger
28. 223
GolRde veBratctsko I tNsa ture
29. 228
Entbryya S iEden traWniclSeleN eo R esult
30. 231
TheG oldEelni oxnia rK nife-Point
31. 234
TheT woS oiClosm pltehtWeeo rk
32. 244
Watearn Fdi rTeh,eI inrn Neart uarneFdse elings
33. 250
ADDENDUM
AM odeolfS ucceAscshfiuelv ement
34. 259
ThMey sterUisooeuf ts hC ea uldVreosns el
35. 260
TerUmsse idnt hBioso k
275
TranslaantHdii osnto oftr hyTe e xt
277
AdditionBailb lSieolgercatp hy
286
Index
288