Textbook

This is an introduction to our school textbook. It was written and refined over many years by Master Wang Liping and now it will become available in English translation. This is the first book containing material covered until year 2010. A second book with updates is planned to follow up. Below is a teaser/preview of the book with some generic information. The book can be pre-ordered at https://www.gofundme.com/the-blue-book

Now a word of caution: there is no way to be able to successfully practice most of the things explained in the book without proper guidance. While the book reveals a lot to the knowleadgeable practitioner, starting this practice require seminars like we organize because one needs subtle adjustments and supervision along the way.

Língbǎo tōng zhìnéng nèigōng shù

Arts of Internal Mastery, Wisdom, and Potential, Based on Numinous Treasure

By Master Wang Liping
Translated by Mark Bartosh
Edited by Livia Kohn

©Mark Bartosh 2018 (who kindly sent this excerpt to be published on our website)

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations, no part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Table of Contents

Chapter 12	The Dragon Gate Lineage of Immortals	page 2
Chapter 13	The Língbǎo tōng zhìnéng nèigōng shù	page 24
Chapter 14	Natural Ways of Reverting Qi	page 151
Chapter 15	Energy Balancing Practice	page 170
Chapter 16	Pacing the Seven Stars, Pacing the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams and Intention Ball Exercises of the Eight Trigrams	page 193
Chapter 17	Opening the Vessels Externally through the Five Phases	page 208
Chapter 18	Standing Practice	page 216
Chapter 19	Sleep Practice: First Section	page 223
Chapter 20	Capturing Solar Essence and Lunar Florescence and Integrating Them into the Self	page 234
Chapter 21	The First Three Methods of Attaining Wisdom and Potential	page 254
Chapter 22	Attracting Immortality	page 257
Chapter 23	Refining the Internal Lines	page 361
Chapter 24	Cultivation Method of The Secret of the Golden Flower	page 364
Chapter 25	Direction of the Five Phases	page 496
Chapter 26	Increasing Yang Fire and Reducing Yin Tokens	page 573
Chapter 27	Methods of Internal Observation	page 582
Chapter 28	Honoring Masters and Parents	page 595
Chapter 29	Midnight Practice	page 603
Chapter 30	Introducing the Nüdan xinfa (Essential Methods of Women’s Alchemy)	page 611
Chapter 31	The Practice of the Three Immortals: First Three Sections	page 621

Excerpts from the book…….

Chapter 12

Qiu Chuji founded the Dragon Gate lineage during the Jin dynasty (1148-1227). Qiu Chuji, also known as Brother Qiu, was a native of Qixia in Dengzhou (modern Shandong).  A disciple of Wang Chongyang (1113-1170), the founder of the school of Complete Perfection or Reality, he was given Daoist name Changchunzi (Master of Eternal Spring). After Wang’s death, he as well as the other leading disciples, Ma Yu, Tan Chuxuan, and Liu Chuxuan gathered together for his funeral. Following this, Qiu practiced Daoist cultivation in a grave for three years, then moved to a cave in Panxi, where he continued his efforts for six years without sleeping. From here, he moved to the Longmen range (Shaanxi) to engage in ascetic practices.

He attracted many followers through his ascetic lifestyle while also winning the admiration of scholars through his literary work. His long-lasting practice gave him the appearance and perseverance of an immortal. In his later years, Qiu gained the favour of Genghis Khan who conferred a golden tablet and a royal seal upon him, granting tax-exempt status to all Complete Perfection followers and placing Qiu in charge of all religions in China. Thus, the Dragon Gate lineage was founded. Qiu spent almost his entire life promoting this form of Daoism.

The Yuan emperor Kublai Khan bestowed on Qiu the title “Perfected of Eternal Spring, Daoist Preacher and Leader”, Külüg Khan in addition named him “Perfected Lord of Eternal Spring, Master of Complete Virtue, Spirit Transformation, and Illuminated Response”.

The Qianlong Emperor of the Qing dynasty had a quote of his formally inscribed: “To live an eternal life of a myriad years, there is no need to eat the morning clouds or seek out fancy secret formulas. Just stop all killing and you will know how to go beyond the world and attain miraculous achievements.”

During his life, Patriarch Qiu wrote numerous works, including Panxiji (Collected Essays from Pan Stream; DZ 1159), Mingdaoji (Essays on Advocating Dao), and Xiyou ji (Journey to the West; DZ 1149). Master Qiu taught many disciples, sponsored the establishment of numerous Daoist temples, and left behind the Dragon Gate lineage poem, on which all religious names of followers are based. It goes:

Dragon Gate Lineage Poem

Dao and virtue pervade mysterious stillness. True constancy guards supreme clarity.

The one yang comes and returns to the source. The united teaching is forever whole and bright.

Utmost principle is the ancestor of sincere and faith. Venerated and lofty, it transmits the flourishing of the divine law,

The world’s radiance is flourishing and utterly splendid. Inaudible and subtle, it spreads in its naturally peacefulness.

Rest in and cultivate true benevolence and righteousness, then, going beyond all and ascending to the clouds, you can reach the heights.

As you hold the central yellow in great wonder, your sagely body is complete and marvelously efficient.

In emptiness and void Heaven (Qian) and Earth (Kun) flourish; metal and wood engender each other by mutually coming together,

Mountains and seas, dragon and tiger interact; the lotus opens and appears as a new treasure.

When you practice fully, the cinnabar book [of immortality] beckons; when the moon is full, an auspicious light arises,

For a myriad ages, immortals names continue, the Three Worlds all merge and become familiar.

Chapter 13

The Língbǎo tōng zhìnéng nèigōng shù (Arts of Internal Mastery, Wisdom, and Potential, Based on Numinous Treasure; hereafter abbreviated Nèigōng shù) presents a rigorous and complete physical cultivation system to enhance human wisdom and potential. Integrating various techniques undertaken while sitting, lying, standing, and walking, this system is one of many ancient Daoist methods of internal cultivation. Movement and stillness support each other; the dual cultivation of inner nature life join together. The exact methods differ according to time, place, individual needs as well as health status; there are many ways to train efficiently. They should always be flexible, simple, and easy to do. The Nèigōng shù is based on two ancient Daoist texts: the Língbǎo bìfǎ, which goes back to the immortals Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin; and the Tàiyǐ jīnhuá zōngzhǐ, which also derives from Lü. The overarching method is the concoction of a golden elixir through the dual cultivation of inner nature and life. It involves various techniques, which in turn center on key principles, which in their turn again relate to particular methods. These methods are twofold: Internal mastery goes back to the Língbǎo bìfǎ and centers on cultivation of life; the way of wisdom and potential originates from the Tàiyǐ jīnhuá zōngzhǐ and emphasizes the cultivation of inner nature. They are fruitfully combined here.

The Nèigōng shù contains three practices and nine methods.

Three Practices:

• Sitting meditation
• External work
• Sleep practice

More specifically, these divide into nine distinct types of methods:

1. Attracting immortality
2. Three immortals’ practice
3. Internal cultivation as based on Tàiyǐ jīnhuá zōngzhǐ
4. Essential methods of women’s alchemy
5. Pacing the Seven Stars; stepping on the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams; intention ball exercises of the Eight Trigrams; internal and external five-phases practice to open the meridians, vessels, and bone pathways
6. Capturing Solar Essence and Lunar Florescence and Integrating Them into the Self
7. Energy balancing and standing poses
8. Natural ways of reverting qi and sleep practice;
9. Partner cultivation and secret formulas

The nine methods are

1. Attaining wisdom and potential
2. Stopping diseases
3. Healing diseases
4. Circulating numen
5. Stabilizing control over life and death
6. Stabilizing the heart-and-mind
7. Pursuing immortality
8. Stopping the souls
9. Continuing appearances

When I was young I was trained and taught three Daoist hermits: Zhang Hedao, a master of the Non-Ultimate lineage and a highly regarded doctor and Daoist advisor; Wang Jiaoming, also known as Songlingzi , a member of the lineage of Clarity and Stillness; and Jia Jiaoyi, also known as Yanglingzi, who belonged to the Empty Stillness line. From them I received ordination, including my Daoist name was Yongsheng, my practice name Linglingzi, and my alternative title Gudu, which means Lone Daoist. I practiced according to the Nèigōng shù very hard for many years and fully attained their secrete power.

…….

Fundamentally Daoists used the terms and descriptions of external or operative alchemy to explain the workings of internal cultivation. The Daoist canon contains the old symbol丄, which shows the construction of a foundation. In ancient times, internal alchemy imitated external alchemy, while external alchemy shed light on internal alchemy. In other words, adepts used external concoction methods to illustrate the internal process, so people could understand it better. The core concept of internal alchemy is that transformation takes place internally, but the way it is practiced now follows the methods of external elixir concoction. That is to say, adepts apply external methods to the human body, the body becomes a furnace, which contains a cauldron. As we transform internally, this becomes obvious in our appearance, and eventually the entire body becomes an elixir of medicine. The following shows the workings in both modes.

1. Install the Furnace and Set Up the Cauldron

External Alchemy

This is the foundation of external alchemy. First make sure the ground is flat and even, then erect an alchemical furnace with eight holes. Toward its top set up a hook so the cauldron can hang by a rope in its center, making sure it is equidistant to all four sides.

Internal Alchemy

Internally, you take a hundred days to set up the foundation inside the body. First you make sure to sit properly on a secure, flat surface, then you seal the lower three yin orifices. The body should be vertical position as if hanging by a thread, properly aligned with the navel. Breathe in and out through the nose, making sure the breathing is fine, even, and deep.

2. Adjust the water level

External Alchemy

To adjust the water level, align the opening of the furnace, so that it is level and the bottom is flat.

Internal Alchemy

The spine has to be upright and the body’s center straight. The spine being upright means that the three long lines in the body (the Broken, Reflection, and Conception Lines) are aligned. They should all be on the same plane, matching the spine. Breathe in and out through the nose to straighten the spine.

3. Clean the Furnace

External Alchemy

Make sure the furnace is completely clean.

Internal Alchemy

This takes a lot of effort. Once the spine is upright, start to empty your mind. First clean the head, using pore breathing on the head until it is empty. As you do so, to make sure the head is straight, adjust the breathing through both ears. Find a line between the ears and align it with the central line. It is not easy to clean the head, as the pressure here is highest among three sections of the body. If the pressure in the cranial cavity cannot be reduced, send it down to the lower field, then adjust the pressure in the abdomen. You have to find a way to increase abdominal pressure to reduce cranial pressure. This is called adjusting the upper and lower semi-circular moons

Chapter 14

Natural ways of reverting qi are described in a special part of the Língbǎo tōng zhìnéng nèigōng shù. For practitioners, the body posture should be “natural, relaxed, and with the potential to move,” while thinking should be along the lines of “I am the universe, the universe is constantly changing, everything is moving, thus life begins;” and “keep the body moving, focus and release the mind.” Practitioners can expand their body universe—the biological electric field—at any time; they can also use their biological electromagnetic field to diagnose and treat diseases as well as guide the qi.

…..

The First Technique: Section One

Peaceful Stepping for Three Steps

Posture: Practitioners stand still and relaxed, arms hanging down naturally, palms facing the legs, eyes looking straight ahead into the distance toward heaven. Focus the spirit radiance and close your eyes; after a moment, open your eyes, look straight forward or around, and let the hands swing back and forth naturally or, alternatively put them behind your back. Walk naturally.

Method: Breathe in while walking three steps; breathe out while walking three steps.

Practitioners should take in a breath while walking three steps forward, then breathe out while walking another three steps forward. Repeat this process, being relaxed and walking naturally.

Intention: While breathing in, think of the qi coming from all four directions and entering the body through the pores; while breathing out, think of the qi moving out into all four directions, the farther and wider the better.

Note: To cultivate the natural ways of reverting qi, when you practice peaceful stepping for three steps at a time, if you have a liver ailment, gallbladder discomfort, or hepatobiliary disease, start on the right foot; if you have a spleen ailment or stomach discomfort, start on the left foot. If you make the three immortality practices your main focus and use the natural ways of reverting qi as a supplement, treatment of diseases will be even more efficient.

Anyone old or infirm should start by practicing peaceful stepping for three steps at a time.

After you have laid a solid foundation, move on to peaceful stepping for six steps at a time.

Chapter 19

Sleep practices are an important component of cultivation in the Língbǎo tōng zhìnéng nèigōng shù. Practitioners perform it in a reclining position as if they were sleeping, having the same intention and attitude as in moving forms, that is to make the body completely still while the intention is in motion. The combination of motion and stillness combine is a good way to calm the nerves and strengthen the body.

Sleep practice and ordinary sleep are different in essence. They have in common that the body is in the position for sleep, with muscles relaxed and not tired, the brain in stillness and wakefulness. Use the intention to lead and make sure to keep both body and brain still while the organs remain in motion. To achieve a good balance between stillness and movement, steady the breath and nurture the spirit, allowing you to eliminate diseases and preserve your health. Both white- and blue-collar workers who are stressed at work can use this practice to restore their spirit, energy, and strength. Especially the elderly, the infirm, and women, can benefit from practicing for a few minutes or even half an hour. Undertaking sleep practice serves to eliminate disease, calm the spirit, extend life, and increase longevity.

In ancient times, sleep practice was known as sleep immortality practice. It consists of eleven forms, nine of which are presented here:

Chapter 23

The three passes, three fields, six lines, and four surfaces are cultivated in sitting meditation. There is no other way.

Enter the meditation room or quiet chamber and sit down facing the wall, about one arm’s length away from it (use natural, half lotus, or full lotus posture). Seal the three lower yin orifices tightly, place your hands on the knees, and let the eyes gaze straight forward into the distance for a moment. Now, gradually bring the spirit radiance close to the eyes, gently allow your eyes to close, tap and touch the teeth together, and press your tongue against the upper palate. Steady body, breath, and heart-mind, establish deep concentration, sit still, and meditate in silence. When the heart-mind is crystal clear, allow the eyes to look straight ahead, the farther the better. See the far horizon in the distance, imagining it if you cannot see it. Spread your imaginary vision as far as you can, then slowly retrieve the scene you see (or conceive). Pull it in through the orifice of the heavenly eye, then focus it inside, guide it into the eyes, then again move it toward heaven. After a short while, swiftly send the spirit radiance out from the heavenly eye, the farther and faster, the better. Ideally it should be lightning fast. Send it to the far ends of the sky, closely observing any scenery changes in the distance. After a while, retrieve it once more, moving it through the orifice, the eyes, and again to heaven. Repeat the practice twice, making sure you do not pull too much. At the end you focus the light to the point of it becoming a postnatal mirror.

Chapter 26

Increasing yang fire and reducing yin tokens are two refinement methods to be practiced on the same stage, called differently by various ancestral teachers. The Língbǎo bìfǎ and Tàiyǐ jīnhuá zōngzhǐ describe them as “flying gold crystals at the elbow”. This involves several training methods, of which increasing yang fire and reducing yin tokens are the most common. The practice divides into several steps, one is flying gold crystals at the elbow, the other is the reverting essence to supplement the brain. Increasing yang fire and reducing yin tokens represent a process of energy conversion, among others allowing the creation of reverted elixirs based on jade and golden liquid. Its dominant application, the one Patriarch Zhengyang described as the best, works with three vehicles or carts. We may have no cart yet, but we have a road, and before we can follow the road to perfect cultivation, we need to practice increasing yang fire and reducing yin tokens.

Chapter 27

For thousands of years, methods of looking inside and inner observation have been transmitted secretly in Daoism. Even of the last century, there were only a few people in society who could practice them. They go back far in history and have been used since ancient times. Looking inside and inner observation allow you to see the deep structures of the body and discover the scenery within. Pervading your feelings and perception, they let you see the world outside and, in combination with the inner visions of others, create outer reality. Key texts describing methods of inner observation include the Huángtíng nèi/wai jǐngjīng (Yellow Court Scriptures of Internal/External Scenery). They, as well as the Língfēi jīng (Scripture of Flying Numen), transmitted by Wei Huacun, present various techniques available to the public, such as adopting the qi of the east and other directions and entering it into the body. Here we focus on ways of looking deep in ourselves, without the help of anything else.

When looking inside and practicing inner observation, you can hear the beating of the heart and feel movement in your internal space. Our internal space is moving all the time—it is just like a magic lamp. A magic lamp divides into several levels, it is very beautiful inside and also contains something very beautiful. The Chinese call this internal scenery. It is clearly visible in the head and the internal organs, but it is limited to the open spaces; you cannot see inside the bones. The methods are very potent, as is clearly recorded in the Lǚzǔ quánshū (Complete Works of Master Lu).

Chapter 30

The Nüdan xinfa describes Daoist methods of internal cultivation for women as transmitted by the 18^th generation Dragon Gate master Wang Liping. A secret Daoist practice for women, this appears as an important part in the Lingbao tong zhineng neigong shu, representing the middle and upper vehicle of women’s cultivation. The first part of the text, Lingbao tong, is extracted from the Lingbao bifa; the second part, the Zhineng neigong shu, back to the Taiyi jinhua zongzhi. Both combine to form this work. After the publication of the Lingbao bifa, the cultivation of internal alchemy was formally organized into lineages, notably of Daoist monks (qiandao). It has a long history, transmitted to the present day in quite a number of different documents. In addition, there are also books recording the works of Daoist nuns (Kundao), including notably Cao Wenyi’s Língyuán dàdào gē (Song of the Great Dao of the Numinous Source), Sūn Bùèr’s Yuánjūn fǎyǔ (Goddess Lectures), Nǚgōng nèidān cìdì shī (Poems on Women’s Internal Alchemy), and Nǚdān zhēnjué (Secrets of Women’s Alchemy), about ten works in all.

The complete cultivation methods of the Kundao are unique and hard to find. Modern texts like the Xīwángmǔ nǚxiū zhèngtú shízé (Ten Principles on the Right Way of Women’s Cultivation by the Queen Mother of the West) and the Níwán lǐ zǔshī nǚzōng shuāngxiū bǎo fá” (Precious Raft to Repair Woman’s Nature and Life by Master Li Niwan), although based on the Northern school of Daoism and containing a few methods, are incomplete. They do not offer clear explanations and direct guidance of a teacher, so that people do not know where to start or how to practice. Most commonly, in the society today some methods are transmitted that claim to be good for both men and women, without making any distinctions. In fact, they only know men’s practices and have no clue about what women should do. If women practice in this manner over a long period time, they may very well do harm to the body, which has led to issues that have aroused concern among knowledgeable people. The essential methods for women cultivating perfection, although practiced and transmitted for millennia has been lost almost entirely today. Now, however, we can make it public for the whole world to see. This is a great blessing for women’s cultivation, signifying a major event in Daoist culture.