Chapter 17 Thinking and Thinking

"Cunxiang", also known as "Cunshen", is a term used by ancient Chinese Taoists.From the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Wei and Jin Dynasties, those who paid attention to Taoist alchemy mostly focused on "preserving ideas".The ancient Taoist alchemy scriptures, such as "Huang Ting Nei Jing Jing" and so on.It is centered on the method of "preserving thought" and "preserving spirit".Zhang Daoling of the Han Dynasty (the founder of the Tao of Heavenly Master), Kou Qianzhi of the Northern Wei Dynasty (another important figure of the Tao of Heavenly Master), the famous immortal Tao Hongjing of the Southern Dynasties, and his book "Zhen Gao" also all use the idea of ​​"preserving ideas". ", "keeping the spirit" method as the backbone.Another example is the "visualization" of Tantric Buddhism, as well as the prayers and worships of other religions, all of which use "preservation" as a method of cultivation.

"Jingsi" is also a term used by ancient Chinese Taoists.But strictly speaking, there is a big difference between "exquisite thinking" and "existing thought" and "existing spirit". "Preserving thinking" is a method of exercising the spirit. "Exquisite thinking" belongs to the state of using "thinking" to achieve the highest "wisdom" achievement.The so-called "spiritual thought" concept is exactly the same as the principle of "spiritual concentration" in "The Book of Changes Xici Zhuan".After the Southern Dynasties to the Sui and Tang, Buddhism had the creation of Zen, and after the Song and Yuan Dynasties, Zen also had methods such as "Shen Chan" and "Shen Hua Tou". Just one way.Later, Song Confucianist Cheng Mingdao wrote in his poem: "Tao leads to heaven and earth beyond form, thinking into the metamorphosis of the wind and clouds."

But "keeping thinking" and "refining thinking" are neither the Taoist practice of "refining [upper Wuxia]" after the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, nor the Taoist practice of "keeping the orifices" since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, let alone "refinement". Transforming [上无下灬], refining [上无下灬] transforming the spirit, refining the spirit to return the void".Strictly speaking, all these Taoist alchemy techniques have their own scope and function, and should not be confused with each other.It is a pity that people who have always studied Taoist gods and alchemists only blindly seek to be gods for themselves, and think that as long as they have the guidance of a master and pass on a secret that has not been handed down through the ages, they can "immediately become immortals" and "become immortals". Rising by day."Therefore, academic theory has always been ignored, and principles and theories have been underestimated. As a result, Taoist alchemy has not been tolerated by Mr. Ji Gentleman and other intellectuals of the whole class.It can't justify itself and form a well-organized, principled, and methodical science of immortality.Therefore, not only "you can't dream of immortality in one pillow", but the result is that it is a waste of fantasy and endless harm.

Although the method of "preserving thoughts" is too old, the popular Western mysticism is closely related to the essence of "preserving thoughts".The Western mystical school claims to have its origins in the ancient cultures of the Atlantic Ocean and Egypt.Eastern Chinese Taoism's "Cunxiang" and "Cunshen" have been believed to originate from ancient gods from the beginning.Tracing back to the source; the trace between the two; seems to be the same source.Since this is an academic "archaeological" issue, it cannot be discussed in detail here.As for the intentional method of "preserving thoughts", it seems that the relationship between meditation and Taoism is too high-minded, and it is not easy to be accepted by modern scholars who are eager for success and profit, so I will not talk about it for the time being.And when it comes to the function of "keeping the gods", it has more primitive and strong religious spirit. Its theory is the same as mysticism, rich in many aspects and has extremely high profound meaning. In this era when the religious spirit tends to decline, it is also temporarily don't talk about it.What's more, the most precise and systematic methods of "preserving thoughts" and "preserving spirits" are none other than "Tantra", which will be referred to when discussing the practice of "Tantra".