A study of the ancient Way (Tao)

Tao is a very profound subject to know and few down the ages have shown the wherewithal to write a complete study of the Way. For without a deep working knowledge of the Book of Changes, and of the Tao Te Ching, a study of the Way would just contain a lot of bias and misinformation leading to unnecessary hindrances to its cultivation.

This intended comprehensive study of the ancient Way (Tao) will comprise of a series of articles that could show up the bias of past eminent Chinese scholars and the accompanying misinformation which probably had hindered many down the ages from the cultivation of Tao.

Since the Tang Dynasty, eminent Chinese scholars have had made studies of the Way (Tao). The most prominent of these scholars was probably top Tang poet Han Yu better known by his honorary name Han Wen Gong (Duke Wen of Han). It is to be noted that Han Yu had taught Confucian studies to his young nephew, Han Xiangzi – who later became one of the famous Eight Immortals (Ba Xian). However, Han Yu in turn rejected his nephew’s proffered teaching of Tao. His study of the Way while influential to Neo Confucians including Zhu Xi of Song restricts readers’ knowledge to the confines of benevolence (Ren) and righteousness (Yi). To remain truthful, he called it the study of the Confucian Way.

Yet true scholars of Tao, similar to Laozi and Confucius before them, know for a fact that the Way is universal. Why then is the Way universal?

The holy sages who discovered Tao during their lifetimes embedded this extraordinary natural phenomenon in the Book of Changes for posterity. In the Judgment of Hexagram 24 Fu / Return (extract), it is said:

“Friends come without blame. To and fro goes the Way (Tao). On the seventh day comes return.”

This is the course of heaven. [Commentary on this part of the Judgment by Confucius – W/B]

“Return is the movement of Tao.” Laozi, Tao Te Ching Chapter 40.

Since Tao cannot be perceived with any of the senses and can seemingly appear or disappear anytime for years, it can be called an extraordinary natural phenomenon.

While Tao cannot be directly perceived, the holy sages, the two great ancient sages – Laozi and Confucius –, and Mencius had had taught how to determine its presence or its absence all under Heaven. And according to these sages, when Tao is all under heaven, myriad things flourish. When Tao withdraws from all under heaven, myriad things recede.

When Tao can so affect the myriad things and mankind with its appearance or its disappearance, is it not therefore universal? (Refer to the Book of Changes, Tao Te Ching, Analects of Confucius, and the Book of Mencius.)

And the Book of Changes could also forewarn the utmost sincere who can foreknow and is like a spirit of the impending disappearance of Tao from all under heaven. (My previous articles on the phenomena and on the particular omen of the then impending closure of Heaven and Earth on September 15, 2008, as it unfolded provide easy reference for eminent Yijing and/or Daoist scholars if they want to do further research.)

“In the Discussion on the Trigrams (Shou Gua) (Eight Wing), ancients of great antiquity had indicated that the holy sages put themselves in accord with Tao and Te (natural law and moral law), and in conformity with this laid down the order of what is right. By thinking through the order of the outer world to the end, and by exploring the law of their nature to the deepest core, they arrived at an understanding of fate.

Their purpose was to follow the order of their nature (Xing) and of their fate (Ming). Therefore they determine the tao of heaven and called it the dark and the light. They determined the tao of earth and called it the yielding and the firm. They determined the tao of man and called it benevolence (Ren) and righteousness (Yi). They combined these three fundamental powers and doubled them; therefore in the Book of Changes a sign is always formed by six lines.” [Book II pages 263 and 264 W/B]

In the Commentary on the Words of the Text (Wen Yen) (Seventh Wing), it is indicated that “Because the holy man is clear as to the end and the beginning, as to the way in which each of the six stages completes itself in its own time, he mounts on them toward heaven as though on six dragons.” [Qian / The Creative Book III page 371 W/B]

The holy man, clear to the end and beginning, is therefore able to mount on the six lines of Qian toward heaven as though on six dragons.

Therein lays the ancient secret to the dual cultivation of human nature (Ren Xing) and fate (Ming).

In so doing, humans would cultivate the tao of heaven, the tao of earth and the tao of man; eventually putting themselves - like the holy sages - in accord with Tao and Te. And attain immortality.

Celestial immortality is reached where “Tao last forever, without body, (there is) no death” – Laozi, Tao Te Ching Chapter 16.

The cultivation of Tao (Siu Tao) is the common term used by both Daoists and Buddhists in the Far East for this dual cultivation of human nature and fate; while Western translators have had in the main translated the term to: “the cultivation of essence (Xing) and bodily life (Ming)”.

Top scholars of Tao would eventually come to know that the technical term “human nature and fate” rather than “essence and bodily life” is more appropriate to their study and cultivation of the Way.

In the meantime, go and find a real teacher. The Quanzhen celestial immortals are the real teachers of the Way (Tao). Their knowledge of human nature (Ren Xing) and fate (Ming) is infinite.

Eternal signposts of Tao

The opening two verses of the ancient Daoist classic Tao Te Ching have baffled many of its readers down the millennia and continue to do so till today. Perhaps what is said in passing or obiter dicta, so to speak, in this discussion on a profound topic can provide a simple answer to the perennial and enigmatical questions as to why Laozi, the great sage, who wrote this ancient classic more than 2,500 years ago, can tell the Tao that is eternal in eighty one chapters and yet the named name would not be eternal. For your easy reference I append below my simple translation of the chapter related to the discussion:

Tao Te Ching chapter one:

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao,

The name that can be named is not the eternal name.

Nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth;

Named is the mother of myriad things.

Without desire observe the mysterious,

With desire contemplate the manifestations.

These two things are similar,

Only differing names for the profound.

Obscure and profound; (there will be) numerous mysterious gates.
[Translated by Allan Lian]

The popularity in learning Tao in the West has grown by leaps and bounds since the Tao Te Ching was first translated into English and/or other European languages by Christian missionaries stationed in China. Probably a converse of cause and effect, in all fairness, since these missionaries have had successfully converted some Chinese in China to Christianity.

The Secret of the Golden Flower, a couple of centuries old Daoist text on neidan (inner alchemy) ascribed to Daoist celestial immortal Lu Dongbin, and first translated by Richard Wilhelm – a German Christian missionary sent to China - and introduced to the West has also gained popularity since students whether young, middle age, or old would very much like to experience the magical far journey to Tao as indicated therein.

Amidst this growing popularity, the unscrupulous, the indolent, and the ignorant falsely claim the mastery of Tao in order to entice and cheat eager students who want to learn more about the Way and/or how to attain immortality. These particular miscreants are also claiming that they have mastered the Secret of the Golden Flower and/or the way to immortality by using various alchemical formulas passed down by dubious lineages in China. However on closer scrutiny, these claimants only spout recycled information obtainable from the Web and their secret formulas to immortality, if any, tend to be upside down.

Furthermore, scholars of ancient Chinese philosophy down the ages, including whiz kid Wang Bi, would have their work cut out to comprehend the profound Tao Te Ching, if they had not actually practised the ancient method of the Holy Sages - as indicated in the Book of Changes - more popularly known in the West as neidan or inner alchemy. And what these pedant scholars have said about Tao is quite often found to be wanting.

Since those who practise this ancient method to cultivate their human nature (Xing) and fate (Ming) and by correctly practising the backward flow meditation - the Circulation of the Light – as described in the Secret of the Golden Flower would be able to witness the eternal signposts of the Way first embedded in the Book of Changes, and very much later in the Tao Te Ching, and in various Daoist texts of neidan adepts who went on to become Daoist celestial immortals. A few of these eternal signposts have also been embedded and/or inferred to by the Buddha in the Shurangama Sutra (Lengyan Ching).

All these eternal signposts have been written in metaphors using names relevant to the times in accord with established order and meant only for the right persons to progressively guide them along the Path. And the ancients had shown their wisdom by depicting the various signposts of the Way in metaphors since no one else except the right persons for Tao would understand and progressively witness these signposts.

Therefore the scholars and/or translators of ancient Chinese philosophy who often speak of Tao may not quite know what they are on about, since these vital eternal signposts are both encoded and obscure. This would also avoid plagiarism and false claims of which there are many, down the ages up till today – even Daoist immortal Zhang Sanfeng had cause to explicitly warn about its prevalence in his commentary to the Hundred Character Stele of Lu Dongbin.

If those who fancy themselves neidan adepts having already attained great achievements in Tao or have mastered the Secret of the Golden Flower and yet are unable to witness the initial eternal signpost of the Way embedded by Laozi in Chapter One of his Tao Te Ching, beware of further illusions and delusions of grandeur.

While those who perchance witnessed this particular magical signpost would have to take heed of the Buddha’s various warnings in the Shurangama Sutra on premature claims of sage-hood to avoid illusions and delusions, how much more precautions should those who have no such ability take? If there is no Circulation of the Light, many can sit until they are Yuan (round or gone) like the ignorant down the ages and still would not be able to witness this preliminary signpost, let alone all those beyond. After all, the right persons, upon witnessing it, have only taken a baby step along the far journey to Tao since there are much more eternal signposts to be progressively witnessed; therefore what great achievements have they attained?

Some of the advanced signposts remain so well hidden that even those who have attained good aptitude in neidan - as indicated in the Secret of the Golden Flower by Lu Dongbin - may not quite know what these signs are all about, nor know their exact locations along the Path.

For example, a particularly vital signpost that has been already embedded in the Book of Changes and later in the Tao Te Ching, and for which at least three Zhen Ren (realized persons) from different eras had cause to elaborate on it (using different names) in their respective texts because of its importance for those with good aptitude to progress further. The two from Quanzhen have had indicated its exact location in the South West of Kun, while the other described some of its characteristics and named several different names for it down the ages. Try figuring that out!

What has already been discussed would probably contribute towards explaining why the ever prescient Laozi in his opening two verses in the Tao Te Ching said: “The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao” and “The name that can be named is not the eternal name”. The two verses can probably serve to forewarn students of the invariable occurrences of false claims (talks) and of name changes respectively, before the great ancient sage proceeded to teach the Way in this very first chapter and in the remaining eighty chapters. Furthermore, Lu Dongbin has had mentioned that “Tao has neither name nor shape.” Therefore who can say for sure if Tao, the Way, or the Path is the eternal name?

For someone who knows a touch of Heaven, Tao and the Book of Changes, it is simple and easy to discern between those who know these profound subjects well and those who don’t. Therefore those who know seldom talk, in case secrets of Heaven and the Way inadvertently leak. This means no tells!

And when they do discuss or write something on Heaven and Tao, readers may fail to comprehend what has been said since it could be just as subtle, obscure, and profound in line with the established order set by the ancients. This also mean no tells, but at least various hints have been given!

But how would I know?

Cheerio!

‘Hill pours water’ revisited

Two years ago, when the Book of Changes told this student with the fourth line of Hexagram 27 Yi / Providing nourishment to spy with the eyes of a tiger to spot helpers and to turn to the sage for nourishment; I had thought the ancient classic was joking, since there were no Shi (ancient priest / neidan master) and Wu (magician / ancient Yijing master), let alone sages in the Daoist and Yijing forums.

Knowing that the Book of Changes rarely jokes, I did keep my eyes open. Only a few days ago did I realize that I have found the sage I was looking for, all this time. This sage happens to be a Shi and surprisingly, a Wu as well. After twenty long years of searching, I have found the final missing piece to fit the jigsaw puzzle - the sixth cryptic message - given by a Quanzhen celestial immortal back in 1993. Eureka!

In his sixth and last cryptic message, the divinity had said: “When you can do ‘Hill pours water’ (Shan Dou Shui), then you have reached my four immortals’ door front.” ‘Hill pours water’ infer to Hexagram 39 Jian / Obstruction. (For those interested, refer to my post on September 27, 2005 titled ‘Short cryptic messages’ and the subsequent post on October 6, 2005 titled ‘Hills pour water’. Click on 2005 archives and scroll down to read.)

Without revealing too much, the missing piece relates to a fourth Daoist celestial immortal. Now that I found him, it all upholds the happy omen given by the Quanzhen divinity.

For the sage and/or immortal is none other than the renowned Zhuge Liang. His immortal status is substantiated by the several temples dedicated to him in China.

It so happened that Zhuge Liang’s first prophecy in the Ma Qian Ke comes from the accompanying Hexagram 27 Yi / Providing nourishment, and his tenth prophecy happens to be ‘Hill pour water’, that is Hexagram 39 Jian / Obstruction.

Anyone familiar with his various exploits depicted in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms would agree that he is a Shi (ancient priest) and though he has had special skills to read the stars and the weather, nowhere is it written that he is a Wu (magician or ancient Yijing master) as well. Therefore it was surprising to learn that he had left behind fourteen prophecies each with accompanying Yijing hexagrams. If I have not recently read the entire Ma Qian Ke, and had not interpreted the first prophecy for my full commentary, I would not have realized that Zhuge Liang was the sage I was looking for. (The Ma Qian Ke – PDF preliminary translated by Steve Moore is linked under the Resources / Link and just one click away for your reading pleasure.)

Rereading my two years’ old post on Hexagram 27 given by the Yijing and by rechecking the fourteen hexagrams in the Ma Qian Ke of which Hexagram 39 accompanied the tenth prophecy made me realized there were too many coincidences or synchronicity, not to ponder deeper.

Can I see what Zhuge Liang have had seen from the accompanying hexagrams to his prophecies? Yes. Since also by coincidence, my self-taught method of interpreting omens and heaven’s secrets (Tian Ke) happens to be similar to that of this sage. Anyone down the ages who also happened to possess Zhuge Liang’s supernatural skills to divine like a spirit (Shen), as indicated by the Doctrine of the Mean (Zhong Yung), will be able to interpret these hexagrams which uphold his prophecies.

Can I interpret all his cryptic messages and the accompanying hexagrams contained in the fourteen prophecies in the Ma Qian Ke? Over the past several days, I have already deciphered the first (and have published my full commentary on it), the tenth, and the eleventh prophecies. Currently working on the twelfth, which could be more interesting – China would probably need advice or salvation from a sage from what I have seen and have interpreted so far. I would have to spend more time pondering the portended calamities depicted therein before arriving at a conclusion.

And also in case, the sage turns out to be someone I know! - (Just pulling your legs)

From Hexagram 39 Jian / Obstruction accompanying the tenth prophecy in the Ma Qian Ke, there are obvious reasons for ‘the pig and the bull to appear behind and in front respectively’. ‘Thousand men one voice’ and ‘five two reversed’ are also not difficult to decipher and confirm. So is the remaining verse, ‘Friends come without blame’. But how would I know? New readers may have cause to think that I was only able to interpret the first prophecy by fluke, since I also happened to know some history of the Three Kingdoms. Perhaps, my talk on omens and prophecies from the Book of Changes as a preamble to the full commentary on the first prophecy of the Ma Qian Ke has settled some doubts.

In line with the topic at hand, and for clarity, I will interpret the happy omen given to me by the Quanzhen divinity:

“When you can do ‘Hill pours water’ (Shan Dou Shui), then you have reached my four immortals’ door front.”

Having raised my skills’ level to obtain a clearer view of received omens over the past several years, I have done ‘Hill pours water’. With this ability, I can in turn interpret the prophecies of the renowned Zhuge Liang, and am still learning from this sage, how cryptic messages from Daoist celestial immortals are formed and presented. Therefore regular readers should learn together with me, otherwise they may get stumped by my likewise presentation of forthcoming omens in the blog.

Since the divinity’s omens sometimes take twenty years to unfold and the jigsaw puzzle fits perfectly together, and with the proven ability to write cryptic messages for previously obtained omens, it would not be wrong to claim that ‘I have reached his four immortals’ front door’.

Ah, the lengthy and lofty processes that Yi aficionados need to go through to gain the ability to divine like a spirit (Shen) and only then be able to assist the gods (Shen)!

By leaving behind the Ma Qian Ke for posterity and by allowing those who possess the ability to provide nourishment to the multitude down the ages, the sage Zhuge Liang have had assisted the gods with his prophecies on China.

And as the saying goes, “Seeing is believing.”

An accurate omen from a Quanzhen Celestial Immortal

Twenty years ago, in my presence, my learned Daoist friend presented a cryptic message to a mutual friend (B). He said that the message was given by his ancestor master, a Quanzhen Celestial Immortal, to him (B). B proceeded to read the cryptic message on his fortune and exclaimed with prescience:

“If I have that much money to lose, I must be very rich by then.”

Both of them remarked that the Iron Lady mentioned in the message must be very fierce to cause B to lose the huge sum of money. (Names and the actual amounts will remain undisclosed for confidentiality purposes, and to avoid embarrassment, if any. Suffice it to say that the deposit interests on the amount can maintain a wealthy lifestyle for most families.)

According to them, the gist of the omen read as follows:

“When the Iron Lady appears, you will lose X plus millions of ringgit. You will receive good advice from a person with a lot of expertise (Gao Ren) but you would disbelieve him.”

Thinking that the Gao Ren is most likely the Quanzhen Celestial Immortal, B requested the Daoist to seek permission for him to become a disciple of the divinity. Over the spate of a few years, the Daoist tried hard to seek such permission for B but each time the divinity rebuffed the requests with valid reasons. (These reasons will remain secrets between the Daoist and me.)

At the time in question (in1992), Margaret Thatcher was still known as the ‘Iron Lady’ but she was no longer the British Prime Minister; therefore I was also at a loss as to the identity of the Iron Lady.

Over the years there from, I had provided various advices and strategies to B to help him build up his corporate empire. The various projects I happened to agree with or had advised upon made huge profits while those I have had disagreed with, more often than not, lost him tens of millions.

Then one day, B asked for my opinion on one big corporate exercise that would cost him several tens of millions. I had indicated to him that it was too expensive. A few days later, he told me of his decision to proceed with it and requested me to attend the forthcoming numerous meetings and conferences. Half way through the exercise, I dropped out of the scene for personal reasons, since he was already in capable hands with the appointment of various expert advisers.

After the corporate exercise took off, B told me that he had a discussion with a major corporate figure who also told him it was too expensive. The corporate figure mentioned that he would only pay a quarter of what B had to pay for it.

The years passed by and B decided to unwind the entire corporate exercise since it was not as fruitful as he first thought.

When I read the news, I told my learned Daoist friend that true to the Quanzhen Celestial Immortal’s omen, B lost the X plus millions of ringgit just when the Iron Lady appeared. My Daoist friend has long forgotten about the entire episode. (You see what old age does to our memories at times!) But I did not explain to him how the Iron Lady came into the picture.

Neither would I divulge her to readers, lest I get sued for nothing. Scour the newspapers or read the news online and you may get close to her identity.

It was not the film titled The Iron Lady as I first thought. By coincidence, the timing of its release in my country appeared simultaneously with the news on the unwinding exercise. Later I realized from experience that cryptic messages from this particular Celestial Immortal are not that easy and simple to decipher.

Lastly take a guess who that person with a lot of expertise (Gao Ren) is? Probably your guess is as good as mine. It does not really matter if we are both wrong. Fate is difficult to change or to master as the learned and the wise can tell you.

B had shown prescience on his forthcoming vast fortune and by now could handle the huge loss. And the rest is history as the saying goes.

If readers are still unclear as to why the omen is accurate, reread the gist of the message:

“When the Iron Lady appears, you will lose X plus millions of ringgit. You will receive good advice from a person with a lot of expertise (Gao Ren) but you would disbelieve him.”

Probably the accurate omen took twenty years to unfold because in 1992 B was still struggling to find his financial footing and certainly was not that wealthy then to afford that type of loss.

As indicated before, when an omen or oracle is accurate, the correct interpretation of it is of utmost importance.

And I told my learned Daoist friend the other day:

“If you keep forgetting these accurate omens which are good for the name of your ancestor master and the Quanzhen temple, one day you may get a knock on the head from the divinity!”

Cheerio!

A warm welcome

A warm welcome to all readers, new and regulars, my merchant banker friends, and Daoist friend!

The friendly merchant bankers would probably still remember (upon their asking) the accurate predictions on the few hundred points fall in the KLCI – a plunge of more than 50% in a matter of months - and the fall of Maybank shares from RM 7 to RM 2 something, way back in 1998. (The plunge was because of the capital controls and the Yi indicated fall of former deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim.)

That got them real interested in reading the Zhouyi. As recommended, they bought their copies of the I Ching or Book of Changes [W/B] in Hong Kong.

My learned Daoist friend has finally linked up to the net recently. Hooray! It could be good news for those who want to know more about Quanzhen (Complete Reality) but they may have to wait until he gets a bit more net savvy before he directly handles mail, if any. It could also mean that one have to be more circumspect nowadays when writing about Tao and its related studies!

One had earlier wanted to recommend the Chinese translation of the blog by Google (on demand) to readers who are more proficient in Chinese. However upon reading the translated version of my latest entry on the Great Learning (Da Hsiao), I will desist for now because it contains marked mistakes – even the title of the book (the heading for the entry) had been mistranslated. Hopefully, Google will take steps to make the necessary corrections and standardized their translator programs for ancient Chinese books and classics. What with more Chinese versed in Classical Chinese nowadays reading blogs on the Zhouyi, Confucius, Laozi, and other ancients?

Cheerio!