I’ve been thinking, I have all these cool translations of Neidan documents from the classes we’ve been doing since summer 2020, why not share some of them from time to time.
Out of all the Neidan documents, I think all my students and all the members of Penglai Fellowship agree that Xing Ming Gui Zhi is the most complete.
One day after putting together a team and making ironing out the rough parts and potential mistakes in the text I hope to publish the first complete translation of Xing Ming Gui Zhi, but until then the plan is once in a while to go through parts of the text, edit as best as I can and release little bits here and there on substack and perhaps small research documents through Qigong Project.
Today I’m delighted to offer you the Xing Ming Shuo/Discussion of Innate Nature and Innate Life Energy.
This chapter from the first scroll of Xing Ming Gui Zhi is the most comprehensive explanation of the use of Xing and Ming in Neidan and I think it is one of the most useful documents from advanced beginners and intermediate students of Neidan since it clearly explains what you are supposed to be practicing and illustrates exactly why Neidan is not Qigong, Chan or any other style, but instead has its own specific principles and rules.
I’ve spoken enough already, I hope you enjoy my humble translation of the Discussion of Xing and Ming.
The first half is free for public view, if you would like to read the entire thing please consider purchasing a subscription, the cost of subscription is quite low and it will enable you to get access to lot’s of cool translations, annotations and instructional materials about Neidan not available anywhere else.
性命说
Innate Nature and Life Discussion:
夫学之大,莫大于性命。性命之说,不明于世之久矣。
There is no study so great as that of Xing and Ming, but the explanation of Xing and Ming has long been hidden from the world.
何谓之性?元始真如,一灵炯炯是也。
What is Xing? It is the original beginning state of reality, one spiritual luminscence shining.
何谓之命?先天至精,一炁氤氲是也。
What is Ming? The utmost essence of the Pre-Celestial, one Alchemical Qi condensing and evaporating.
然有性,便有命;有命,便有性。性命原不可分。但以其在天,则谓之命;在人,则谓之性。性命实非有两。况性无命不立,命无性不存,而性命之理,又浑然合一者哉。
Because Xing exists, so too must Ming, because Ming exists so too must Xing. Xing and Ming are not separable at their origin. In the Heavens it is destiny, in people it is nature. Nature and Life are not two. Xing without Ming cannot stand, Ming without Xing cannot be contained, the principle of Xing and Ming is mixed in primordial chaos as one.
故易曰:乾道变化,各正性命。中庸曰:天命之谓性 。此之谓也。
乃玄门专以气为命,以修命为宗,以水府求玄立教。故详言命而略言性,是不知性也,究亦不知命。
The Zhou Yi says: The transformation of the Dao of Qian sets up the Xing and Ming of each. The Zhong Yong says: The destiny of the Heavens is innate nature.
This is the key point.
The Mystery Gate School is focused on viewing Qi as Ming, and Ming is taken as the ancestor, it understands the water palace as the way to call forth mystery and establish the teaching. They are good at discussing Ming, but bad at discussing Xing, they do not understand Xing, thus at the end of their studies they do not understand Ming.
禅家专以神为性,以修性为宗,以离宫修定立教。故详言性而略言命,是不知命也,究亦不知性。
Chan focuses on the Spirit as Xing, it refines Xing as the ancestor and uses the Fire Palace to cultivate stability as its teaching. They are good at discussing Xing and do not talk much about Ming, they do not understand Ming, thus they do not achieve understand Xing after much study.
岂知性命本不相离,道释原无二致。神气虽有二用,性命则当双修也哉。
贤人之学,存心以养性,修身以立命。圣人之学,尽性而至命。
谓性者神之始,神本于性,而性则未始神,神所由以灵。命者气之始,气本于命,而命则未始气,气所由以生。
Who knows that Xing and Ming do not separate at their root, the Dao and Buddhism do not arrive at two separate places. Spirit and Qi may have two uses but Xing and Ming must be cultivated together. The experts study how to contain the heart and nurture Xing, cultivate the body and establish Ming. The study of the Sage is to maximize Xing and fulfill Ming to the most complete. Xing is the beginning of the Spirit, the Spirit takes its root as Xing, and Xing comes from the time before the Spirit came about. The Spirit has its light as a result. Ming is the start of Qi, Qi at its root relates to Ming, and Ming comes from before Qi begins, thus it is what births Qi.
身中之精,寂然不动。盖刚健中正,纯粹精者存,乃性之所寄也,为命之根矣。
The body center Essence is still and does not move. It is hard and builds up from the center, when it is complete and the essence is stored, Xing rides on it, this is the stem of Ming.
心中之神,感而遂通。盖喜、怒、哀、惧、爱、恶欲者存,乃命之所寄也,为性之枢矣。
The Spirit in the Heart Center is felt and follows in connection. Affection, anger, sadness, fear, love, revulsion and desire are all contained there, this is what Ming rides on, and is the hinge of Xing.
性而心也,而一神之中炯。命而身也,而一气之周流。故身心,精神之舍也。而精神,性命之根也。
Xing in the heart is one light at the center of the Spirit. Ming in the body is one Qi which flows around its cycle. The Body and Heart contain Essence and Spirit. The Essence and Spirit are the stem of Xing and Ming.
性之造化,系乎心。命之造化,系乎身。见解知识,出于心哉。思虑念想,心役性也。举动应酬,出于身哉。语默视听,身累命也。
Xing's creation attaches to the heart. Ming's creation attaches to the body. When meeting with knowledge and sense, this arises from the heart. Thought and imagination is the heart forcing itself on Xing. Rising, moving, complying, and answering are all features of the body. Speaking, memory, looking and listening is the body tiring Ming.
命有身累,则有生死。性受心役,则有去来。有生死,不能至命也。有去来,不能尽性也。
Ming when tired by the body causes life and death. Xing when bothered by the heart is coming and going. Birth and death cannot arrive at the utmost of Ming. Coming and going cannot arrive at the utmost of Xing.
故盈天地间,皆是生气,参赞两间,化育万物。其命之流行,而不息者乎?盖生之理,具于命也。盈天地间,皆是灵觉,明光上下,照临日月。未始性,而能性我之性者,性之始也。未始命,而能命我之命者,命之始也。
That which fills the space of Heaven and Earth is generated Qi, it fills up the two spaces and transforms and raises the myriad beings. Ming's flow, does it not rest? It is the principle of generation which is entirely operated by Ming. It fills the space of Heaven and Earth and is the realization of the spirit, it is bright and shines on upper and lower, it illuminates the sun and moon. It is the Xing from before the beginning and it is the nature of my nature, it is the beginning of nature. The Ming before the beginning of Ming is the Life origin of my life origin. This is the origin of Life.
天窍圆而藏性,地窍方而藏命。禀虚灵以成性,中天地以立命。性成命立,其中有神。命蒂元气,性根元神。潜神于心,聚气于身。其中有道。
性有气质之性,有天赋之性;命有分定之命,有形气之命。
The Heavenly Orifice is round and contains Xing, the Earthly Orifice is Square and Contains Ming. The endowment of void pneuma forms Xing, the center of Heaven and Earth props up Ming. Xing forms and Ming is propped up, in the center is Spirit. The Ming root is Yuan Qi, the Xing Stem is Yuan Shen. The Spirit is hidden in the Heart, the Qi collects fully in the body. The center has Dao, Xing has a Qi character which is its nature and a Heavenly Endowment which is nature. Ming has the Ming of Predestination, and a Ming associated with the body and Qi.
君子修天赋之性,克气质之性;修形气之命,付分定之命。分言之,则二;合言之,则一。其中有理。
The Gentleman cultivates the Xing of Heavenly Endowment and restrains the Xing which is associated with the characteristic of his Qi. He cultivates the Ming of the body and Qi and puts aside the Ming of Predestination. Separately discussing them they are two, combined they are one, in this center is where the principle resides.
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