金華宗旨 — Attributed to Lü Dongbin (呂洞賓)
The Ancestral Teaching of the Golden Flower of the Great Unity (太乙金華宗旨, Tàiyī Jīnhuá Zōngzhǐ) is a Daoist internal alchemy (neidan) meditation manual attributed to the immortal Lü Dongbin (呂洞賓, also Lü Yan 呂巖), patriarch of the Complete Perfection (Quanzhen 全真) tradition and one of the Eight Immortals. Though attributed to a Tang-dynasty figure, the text likely dates to the late Ming or Qing dynasty. The earliest known edition appears in the Daozang Jiyao (道藏輯要), compiled by Jiang Yuanting (蔣元庭) in the late eighteenth century.
The work's central teaching is the method of "turning the light" (回光, huíguāng) — directing the illumination of consciousness inward to the Heavenly Heart (天心), where the original spirit and the true qi of Prior Heaven can be crystallized into the golden elixir. The text draws freely from Daoist, Buddhist, and Confucian vocabularies, presenting a unified meditation method that Lü Dongbin explicitly frames as penetrating all three teachings.
This is the first English translation produced independently from Classical Chinese for the Good Work Library. It covers the thirteen main chapters of the Ancestral Teaching (宗旨). The companion Questions and Answers (闡幽問答) section, preface materials, and postscripts are not included in this translation. No existing English translations were consulted. The source text is the Daozang Jiyao scholarly edition, accessed via the Kanripo/Mandoku digital corpus (JY161).
Chapter 1. The Heavenly Heart (天心第一)
Patriarch Lü said: What is natural is called the Dao. The Dao has no name and no form — it is simply the one Nature, the one Original Spirit.
Nature and life-destiny cannot be seen; they are lodged in the Heavenly Light. The Heavenly Light cannot be seen; it is lodged in the two eyes.
From ancient times, the immortals and perfected ones have all transmitted this from mouth to mouth — one transmission, one attainment. Since the Supreme One manifested, from Donghua the transmission passed successively to Yan, and on to the Northern and Southern schools. The Complete Perfection school could be called the most flourishing — but what flourished was the multitude of followers, and what declined was the heart-to-heart transmission. To this day, it has grown diluted to the extreme, degraded to the extreme.
When things reach their extreme they return. Therefore in former times there was Patriarch Xu, who bestowed compassion and universal salvation, and specially established the teaching of a separate transmission outside the doctrine. Those who hear it have waited a thousand kalpas for this rare encounter. Those who receive it are gathered in this single dharma assembly. All should reverently embody the heart-mind of Patriarch Xu and first establish firm footing in the midst of human relations and daily life — only then can one cultivate the real and awaken to one's nature.
I have received the imperial decree to serve as a teacher of salvation. Now I shall elucidate the Ancestral Teaching of the Great Unity's Golden Flower, and then explain it in detail.
"Great Unity" means the supreme. Elixir formulas are numerous, but they all employ deliberate action to arrive at non-action — they are not the teaching of a single leap directly in. What I transmit as the ancestral teaching goes directly to the work of nature, without falling into any secondary method. This is why it is marvelous.
The Golden Flower is simply the light. What colour is light? It takes its image from the golden flower, and also conceals the word "light" within it. This is the true qi of the Heavenly Immortals and the Great Unity — what is called "lead from the water region" is nothing other than this.
The work of turning the light uses entirely the method of reversal. Within the square inch is found the splendour of the Jade-Forest Terrace of Mount Yu, the wonder of the Cinnabar Palace of the Jade Capital — the most empty and most numinous of spirits dwells here. The Confucians call it "the empty centre." The Buddhists call it "the numinous terrace." The Daoists call it "the ancestral land," or "the Yellow Court," or "the Mysterious Pass," or "the aperture of Prior Heaven."
The Heavenly Heart is like a dwelling; the light is the master of the house. Therefore, once the light is turned back, the qi of the entire body all rises in audience.
You need only turn the light back — this is the unsurpassed sublime truth.
The light moves easily but is hard to stabilize. When it has been turned back for a long time, this light crystallizes — this is the natural dharma-body, and the spirit is concentrated above the nine heavens. What the Heart Seal Scripture calls "silently rising in audience and ascending in flight" — this is it.
The Golden Flower is the golden elixir. The transformations of spirit and illumination — each takes the heart-mind as its teacher.
Chapter 2. Original Spirit and Conscious Spirit (元神識神第二)
Patriarch Lü said: Heaven and Earth regard humans as mayflies; the Great Dao regards Heaven and Earth as bubbles and shadows. Only the original spirit and true nature transcend the cosmic cycles and rise above them. As for essence and qi, they decay along with Heaven and Earth. Yet the original spirit is present — it is the Limitless itself. The birth of Heaven and Earth both arise from this.
If the student can simply protect the original spirit, then transcendent life stands outside yin and yang, beyond the Three Realms. This is possible only through seeing one's nature — what is called "the original face." The most marvelous thing: when the light has already crystallized into the dharma-body and gradually becomes numinous, wanting to move — this is the secret not transmitted for a thousand ages.
The conscious mind is like a powerful warlord — from afar it seizes control of the reins of order. In time, the great sword is held upside down. Now, if one concentrates and guards the original palace, turning the light back to illuminate inward — it is like a brilliant ruler above with great ministers assisting: once inner governance is put in order, the powerful and violent naturally submit.
The Dao of the elixir takes three things as its supreme secret: essence-water, spirit-fire, and intention-earth. What is essence-water? It is the true unified qi of Prior Heaven. Spirit-fire is the light itself. Intention-earth is the Heavenly Heart of the central palace. Spirit-fire is the function, intention-earth is the substance, essence-water is the foundation.
Ordinary people generate the body through intention — but "body" does not mean only the seven-foot physical form. For within the body there is the po-soul. The po-soul attaches to consciousness and operates through it; consciousness depends on the po-soul and arises from it. The po-soul is yin — it is the substance of consciousness. If consciousness is not severed, then life after life, world after world, the po-soul's changes of form and transformations of substance are endless.
There is also the hun-soul, which is the storehouse of the spirit. By day the hun-soul lodges in the eyes; by night it rests in the liver. Lodging in the eyes, it sees; resting in the liver, it dreams. Dreams are the spirit's wandering. Nine heavens and nine earths — in an instant it traverses them all. But upon waking, all is dim and murky, deep and dark. To be confined to form is to be confined by the po-soul.
Therefore turning the light is the way to refine the hun-soul, which is the way to preserve the spirit, which is the way to control the po-soul, which is the way to sever consciousness. The ancient method for transcending the world was to refine away all the yin dregs and return to pure Qian. This was nothing other than dissolving the po-soul and perfecting the hun-soul.
Turning the light is the formula for dissolving yin and controlling the po-soul. There is no work of "returning to Qian"; there is only the formula of turning the light. The light IS Qian — to turn it back IS to return to it. Simply preserve this method, and naturally essence-water becomes abundant, spirit-fire arises, intention-earth solidifies — and the holy embryo can be formed.
The dung beetle rolls its ball, and within the ball the white form is born — this is the pure work of spirit's concentration. If even a ball of dung can give birth to a living form that sheds its shell, how much more so when we concentrate the spirit in the resting place of our Heavenly Heart — how could a body not be born?
The one numinous true nature, once it descends into the palace of Qian, divides into hun-soul and po-soul. The hun-soul resides in the Heavenly Heart — it is yang, light and clear qi, obtained from the Great Void, sharing the same form as the Primordial Beginning. The po-soul is yin, heavy and turbid qi, attached to the tangible ordinary heart-mind. The hun-soul loves life; the po-soul yearns for death. All desire for beauty and stirrings of emotion are the po-soul's doing — this is consciousness itself. After death the po-soul feeds on blood offerings. In life, it greatly suffers under yin and returns to yin — like attracts like. When the student refines away the yin po-soul completely, this is pure yang.
Chapter 3. Turning the Light and Guarding the Centre (回光守中第三)
Patriarch Lü said: Where did the name "turning the light" originate? It originated with the Perfected One of the Wenshi. When the light is turned back, the qi of yin and yang throughout Heaven and Earth all crystallizes. What is called "concentrated thought" is this; "pure qi" is this; "pure contemplation" is this.
When you first practice this formula, there is being that seems like non-being. After a long time, when the work is complete, there is a body beyond the body — non-being that seems like being. After a hundred days of devoted practice, the light only then becomes real and becomes the spirit-fire. After a hundred days, the light naturally produces a single point of true yang, and suddenly the settling pearl is born. Like a husband and wife joining and conceiving — one should simply wait for it in stillness. The turning of the light is itself the fire-timing.
Within the primal transformations, yang-light serves as the ruler. Among physical forms it is the sun; in humans it is the eyes. The leaking away of spirit and consciousness — nothing exceeds the ease with which it happens through the eyes. Therefore the Dao of the Golden Flower uses entirely the method of reversal.
Turning the light does not merely turn back one body's essence — it directly turns back the true qi of creation. It does not merely stop a moment's delusion — it truly empties the cycle of a thousand kalpas. Therefore one breath equals one year in human time; one breath equals a hundred years in the long night of the nine paths.
From the moment an ordinary person utters their first cry at birth, they follow circumstances and are born along the stream, and until old age have never once looked back. As yang-qi declines and is extinguished, they enter the realm of the Nine Darknesses. Therefore the Shurangama Sutra says: "Pure contemplation leads to ascent; pure emotion leads to descent." Students whose contemplation is little and emotion much sink down to the lower paths. Only through true contemplation and stilling the breath does one achieve right awakening — this is using the method of reversal.
The Yinfu Jing says: "The pivot is in the eyes." The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon says: "The essence of the human body all rises and pours into the empty aperture." Grasp this one point, and longevity is here, and transcendent life is also here. This is the practice that penetrates all three teachings.
The light is not within the body, nor is it outside the body. Mountains, rivers, sun, moon, and the great earth are nothing other than this light — therefore it is not only within the body. Intelligence, wisdom, and all operations of mind are also nothing other than this light — therefore it is also not outside the body. The radiance of Heaven and Earth fills the great chiliocosm. The radiance of one body also covers sky and ground. Therefore when the light is turned once, the great earth, mountains, and rivers — all are turned.
Human essence rises and pours into the eyes — this is the great key of the human body.
Consider this, students: if you do not sit in stillness for a single day, where does this light flow and come to rest? If you can sit in stillness for even a moment, ten thousand kalpas and a thousand lifetimes are thoroughly resolved from this point. All phenomena return to stillness — truly inconceivable. This is the sublime truth.
Yet the practice begins from shallow and enters deep, from coarse and enters subtle. The essential thing is to remain uninterrupted. The practice is the same from beginning to end, but the inner cold and warmth are known only to yourself. You must arrive at the point where sky is vast and earth is wide, and all phenomena are thus — only then have you gained the practice.
What the sages have transmitted to one another never departed from turning the illumination inward. Confucius called it "extending knowledge." The Buddha called it "contemplating the mind." Laozi called it "inner observation." These already encompass the essential teaching. For the remaining details of entering and leaving stillness, one may verify them with the book of Lesser Cessation and Contemplation.
The two words "guarding the centre" are supremely marvelous. The centre is nowhere not present — the entire great chiliocosm is within it. We merely point to the pivot of creation and use this as the entrance. "Guarding" means using this as the starting point — it does not mean a fixed attachment. The meaning of this word is very alive, very marvelous.
The two words "cessation and contemplation" originally cannot be separated — they are samadhi and prajna. From now on, whenever a thought arises, do not simply sit there dully. Investigate: where is this thought? Where did it arise from? Where does it perish? Trace it back and push your investigation to its end — you will find it utterly unobtainable. Even when you see the place where the thought arose, do not try to pursue that place further. Searching for the mind, you find it utterly unobtainable — "I have already put your mind at rest." This is right contemplation. The opposite of this is called wrong contemplation.
When you have found it unobtainable, simply continue the gentle, continuous cessation, and follow it with contemplation. Contemplate, then follow with cessation. This is the twin cultivation of samadhi and prajna — this is turning the light. "Turning" is cessation; "light" is contemplation. Cessation without contemplation is called "having the turning but no light." Contemplation without cessation is called "having the light but no turning." Remember this.
Chapter 4. Turning the Light and Regulating the Breath (回光調息第四)
Patriarch Lü said: The ancestral teaching simply requires you to practice with a pure heart-mind. Do not seek verification, and verification will come of itself. Generally, the two afflictions of the beginner are torpor and distraction — these exhaust the range.
The key to overcoming them lies in nothing more than lodging the heart-mind in the breath. "Breath" is "one's own heart-mind." The heart-mind is the breath. When the heart-mind stirs even slightly, there is already qi. Qi is fundamentally the transformation of heart-mind.
Our thoughts are extremely fast. In a flash, one stray thought arises, and one breath responds to it. Therefore inner breath and outer breath follow each other like a sound and its echo. In a single day there are tens of thousands of breaths, and there are tens of thousands of stray thoughts. Spirit and illumination leak away completely, like withered wood and dead ashes.
Then should one try to have no thoughts? One cannot have no thoughts. Should one try to have no breath? One cannot have no breath. Better to take the very illness as the medicine — this is the mutual dependence of heart-mind and breath.
Therefore turning the light must be combined with regulating the breath. This method uses both ear-light and eye-light. Eye-light is the outer interplay of sun and moon's radiance. Ear-light is the inner interplay of sun and moon's essence. Yet essence is simply the place where light has crystallized — they emerge from the same source but bear different names. Therefore hearing and sight are altogether one numinous light.
When sitting, after lowering the eyelids, establish a guideline and then let go. But if you cannot simply let go completely, then hold the heart-mind in listening to the breath. The going out and coming in of the breath must not be heard with the ears. Listen only for its soundlessness. The moment there is sound, the breath is coarse and floating and has not entered the subtle. Then be patient, lighter and lighter, subtler and subtler — the more you release, the subtler it becomes; the subtler, the stiller. After a long time, suddenly even the subtle is abruptly cut off — then the true breath appears before you, and the substance of the heart-mind can be recognized.
For when the heart-mind is subtle, the breath is subtle; when the heart-mind is unified, it moves the qi. When the breath is subtle, the heart-mind is subtle; when the qi is unified, it moves the heart-mind. The reason one must first nurture the qi in order to stabilize the heart-mind is that the heart-mind has no handle to grasp directly. Therefore one uses the qi as the starting point — this is what is called "the guarding of pure qi."
Students do not understand the word "move." "To move" here means pulling with a thread — it is another name for "to control." If rushing about can make it move, can pure stillness not make it at peace? This is how the great sage observed the interplay of heart-mind and qi, and skillfully established the expedient means, as a gift to later generations.
The alchemical texts say: "The hen can hatch the egg because her heart constantly listens." This is the essential and marvelous formula. The reason the hen can bring the egg to life is through warm qi. But warm qi can only warm the shell — it cannot enter within. It is the heart-mind that draws the qi in. Her listening is single-hearted attention. When the heart-mind enters, the qi enters; receiving warm qi, life is born.
Therefore, although the mother hen sometimes goes outside, she always cocks her head to one side listening. Her spirit's attention has never the slightest gap. Her spirit's attention has never the slightest gap — therefore the warm qi is unbroken day and night, and the spirit becomes alive. The spirit becomes alive because the ordinary heart-mind has first died. When a person can die to the ordinary heart-mind, the original spirit immediately comes alive. "Dying to the heart-mind" does not mean becoming withered and dead — it means becoming single-pointed and undivided.
The Buddha said: "Place the heart-mind in one spot, and nothing cannot be accomplished." When the heart-mind tends to wander, use the qi to purify it. When the qi tends to coarsen, use the heart-mind to make it subtle. If you do this, how can the heart-mind fail to become stable?
Generally, for the two illnesses of torpor and distraction, you need only practice stillness daily without interruption, and you will naturally reach the place of great rest. If you do not sit in stillness, even though distraction is present, you do not know it yourself. The moment you know distraction, that knowledge itself is the pivot for dispelling distraction.
Torpor without knowing it and torpor while knowing it are separated by more than a thousand miles. Torpor without knowing is true torpor. Torpor while knowing is not complete torpor — clarity is present in it.
Distraction means the spirit is racing. Torpor means the spirit is not yet clear. Distraction is easy to cure; torpor is hard to heal. Compare it to illness: pain and itching can be treated with medicine, but torpor is a condition of numbness and insensibility. Scattering can be gathered; disorder can be put in order. But torpor is dull and murky.
Distraction still has a location; torpor is entirely the po-soul at work. In distraction the po-soul is still present; in torpor, pure yin has taken charge.
When drowsiness comes during sitting, that is torpor. The remedy for torpor lies entirely in regulating the breath. This means the breath entering and leaving through mouth and nose. Although this is not the true breath, the true breath's coming and going also lodges within it.
Whenever you sit, you must still the heart-mind and purify the qi. How is the heart-mind stilled? By applying it to the breath. The breath's going out and coming in — only the heart-mind itself knows; you must not let the ears hear it. When it is not heard, it is subtle. Subtle means clear. When it is heard, the qi is coarse. Coarse means turbid. Turbid means torpor and drowsiness — this is natural principle.
Yet even when using the heart-mind on the breath, you must know how to use it skillfully — it is the use of non-use. You need only faintly illuminate and listen, nothing more.
What does "illuminate" mean? It is the eye-light illuminating itself. The eyes only look inward, not outward. Not looking outward while remaining alert — this is inner seeing. There is no actual inner seeing. What does "listen" mean? It is the ear-light listening to itself. The ears only listen inward, not outward. Not listening outward while remaining alert — this is inner listening. There is no actual inner listening.
Listening means listening to what has no sound. Seeing means seeing what has no form. When the eyes do not look outward and the ears do not listen outward, they close up and tend to race inward. Only through inner seeing and inner listening do they neither race inward nor fall into torpor in the centre. This is the interplay of sun and moon's essence and radiance.
When torpor and drowsiness come, get up and take a walk. When the spirit is clear, sit again. In the early morning, if you have leisure, sitting for the duration of one incense stick is best. After noon, human affairs are many distractions, and torpor comes easily — but you need not limit yourself to one incense stick. Simply release all concerns, sit in stillness for a while, and in time you will find the way in and no longer fall into drowsy sleep.
Chapter 5. Errors in Turning the Light (回光差謬第五)
Patriarch Lü said: Your practice, students, is gradually maturing. Yet at the cliff-face before the withered tree, missteps are many — I must explain in detail. The subtleties here can only be known through direct experience. Now I can put them into words. Our school differs from Chan Buddhism: we have step-by-step verification. Let me first speak of the errors, then speak of verification.
When you are about to practice the teaching, prepare the expedient means but do not use too much mental effort. Let everything be lively and free. Allow the qi to be harmonious and the heart-mind to be at ease, and only then enter stillness.
During stillness you must find the pivot and the opening. You must not sit in a shell of vacancy — this is what is called the void of blank emptiness. In the midst of releasing all concerns, alert awareness remains as it is.
You must also not seize upon the experience with excited interest. Whenever one is too earnest, this easily happens. This does not mean one should not be earnest, but the true subtlety lies between seeming to exist and seeming not to exist — it is attained with intention that is not quite intention. In the midst of clear awareness that is not dulled, releasing remains as it is.
You must also not fall into the realm of the skandhas. What is called "the realm of the skandhas" is the five yin-demons at work. If upon entering absorption the mood of withered wood and dead ashes predominates and the mood of spring sunlight over the great earth is scarce — this is falling into the yin realm. The qi is cold, the breath is sunken, and there are many appearances of cold and decay. In time, one falls into the state of wood and stone.
You must also not follow the myriad circumstances. If upon entering stillness, countless thoughts suddenly arrive without cause — you try to repel them but cannot; you follow them and feel at ease — this is called "the master enslaved by the servant." In time, one falls into the realm of desire. Now that you know the wrong paths, you can seek verification.
Chapter 6. Verification of Turning the Light (回光證驗第六)
Patriarch Lü said: The signs of verification are also many. Do not receive them with small roots or a small vessel — you must think to save all sentient beings. Do not receive them with a careless or arrogant heart-mind — you must take these words seriously.
In stillness, continuously without interruption, spirit and feeling become joyful and at ease, as if drunk, as if bathing — this is yang warmth pervading the body, and the Golden Flower first blooming. Then all sounds fall utterly silent, a bright moon hangs in mid-heaven, and you feel the great earth is entirely a realm of radiance — this is the substance of the heart-mind opening into clarity, the Golden Flower in full bloom. Then the entire body feels full and substantial, fearing neither wind nor frost. Things that leave others feeling flat and dull, when I encounter them my spirit is even more vigorous. Gold raises a house; white jade forms the terrace. The decayed things of the world — I breathe upon them with true qi and they immediately come to life. Red blood becomes milk. The seven-foot mass of flesh is nothing but golden treasure — this is the great crystallization of the Golden Flower.
The first stage corresponds to the Contemplation Sutra's images of "the setting sun," "great water," and "rows of trees." "The setting sun" means establishing the foundation from chaos — the Limitless. "The highest good is like water" — clear and flawless — this is the ruler of the Supreme Ultimate, the Sovereign who "comes forth from Zhen." Zhen is wood, so "rows of trees" symbolize it. Seven rows of trees — the radiance of the seven apertures.
The second stage has its foundation here: the great earth becomes ice; the jewelled ground of crystal — the radiance gradually crystallizes. Therefore there is the terrace of Penglai, followed by the Buddha. When the golden nature appears — if not the Buddha, then what? The Buddha is the Great Awakened Golden Immortal. This is the great verification in broad terms.
There are three verifications one can examine at present:
First: while sitting, the spirit enters the valley, and you hear people talking as if from a mile away — every word perfectly clear. All sounds enter like echoes in a valley — they have never not been heard; yet I have never once heard them. This is the spirit in the valley, which you can verify at any time.
Second: in stillness, the eye-light rises in billows, and everything before you is completely white, as if you were in clouds. Opening the eyes to find the body, there is no way to find it. This is "the empty room gives birth to whiteness" — inner and outer are both luminous, and auspicious stillness arrives.
Third: in stillness, the physical body hums with warmth, like cotton, like jade. While sitting you seem unable to stay put, and you float upward. This is the spirit returning to the crown of heaven; in time, the ascent can be sustained.
These three can all be verified in the present. Yet even these cannot be fully described. According to each person's roots and capacity, each manifests differently. As the Zhiguan says: "the signs of wholesome roots arising." This is like a person drinking water — only they know whether it is cold or warm. You must trust your own experience for it to be real.
The one qi of Prior Heaven can be found within these present verifications. If the one qi is obtained, the elixir is immediately formed. This single grain is the true millet. "One grain upon another grain, from the subtle to the manifest." There is the Prior Heaven of each moment — one grain of it. There is the Prior Heaven of the whole — one grain that extends to the immeasurable. Each grain has each grain's power. What is essential is one's own boldness — this is the first principle.
Chapter 7. The Living Method of Turning the Light (囘光活法第七)
Patriarch Lü said: Practice turning the light steadily and progressively. Do not abandon your proper duties. The ancients said: "When affairs come, meet them. When things come, recognize them." If you manage affairs with right mindfulness, the light is not turned by things — it is already turned back. This is the turning of the light at every moment without any form.
If in daily life you can moment by moment turn the illumination back with each affair, without clinging to the slightest trace of self and other — this is turning the light wherever you are. This is the first and most marvelous application.
In the early morning, if you can dismiss all concerns and sit in stillness for one or two hours, this is best. Whenever you deal with affairs and engage with people, simply use the method of turning back to the self, and there will not be a single moment's interruption. Practice in this way for two or three months, and the perfected ones in heaven will surely come to give their confirmation.
Chapter 8. The Secret of Freedom (逍遙訣第八)
Patriarch Lü said:
Jade Purity left behind the Secret of Freedom:
Four words — "concentrate the spirit, enter the qi-cavity."
In the sixth month you suddenly see white snow fly;
At the third watch you see the sun's orb blazing.
Blown up from the water by the Xun wind,
Wandering home through heaven, nourished by Kun's virtue.
There is yet one more phrase, mystery within mystery:
The land of nothing-whatsoever is the true dwelling.
In this one poem, the profound mystery is fully expressed. The essence of the Great Dao is nothing beyond the four words "non-action yet acting." Through non-action alone, one does not get stuck in fixed places and images. Through non-action-yet-acting, one does not fall into inert emptiness and dead void.
The entire function does not go beyond the one word "centre." And the pivot lies entirely in the two eyes. The two eyes are the handle of the Dipper. They rotate creation and turn yin and yang. The great medicine, from beginning to end, is simply "gold within water."
The earlier discussion of turning the light was for guiding beginners: controlling the inner from the outer, using the minister to reach the ruler. This is how those of middle and lower capacity cultivate the lower two passes in order to penetrate the upper one. Now the path ahead gradually becomes clear and the mechanism becomes familiar. Heaven does not hoard the Dao — it directly reveals the supreme ancestral teaching. Keep this secret, students! Keep it secret! Strive, strive!
"Turning the light" is the general name. As the practice advances one level, the radiance increases by one degree, and the method of turning becomes more marvelous by one degree. Before, one controlled the inner from the outer; now one governs the outer from the centre. Before, the minister supported the ruler; now one serves the ruler who proclaims the plan. The entire aspect has been completely reversed.
The method: when you wish to enter stillness, first regulate and arrange body and heart-mind — be at ease and in harmony. Release all concerns, not a single thread clinging. The Heavenly Heart takes its proper seat in the centre. Then lower the eyelids and illuminate inward to the palace of Kan. Wherever the radiance reaches, true yang immediately comes forth to meet it.
Li is outwardly yang but inwardly yin — it is the Qian body from which one yin enters within and takes charge. Following things, the heart-mind is born; following the outward flow, it turns. Now, turning the light to illuminate inward, not following things to give birth to thought, the yin-qi immediately halts. And the radiance pours its illumination — this is pure yang. Like attracts like — therefore the yang of Kan rises upward. It is not actually the yang of Kan — it is still Qian's yang responding to Qian's yang.
Once the two meet, they bind together and do not separate — humming with life, now coming, now going, now rising, now sinking. Within one's own original palace, it is as if the Great Void were boundless. The entire body is light, subtle, and wants to soar — this is what is called "clouds filling a thousand mountains." Then there is no trace of coming and going, no distinction of rising and sinking, the pulse halts and the breath stops — this is the true intercourse. This is what is called "the moon held in ten thousand waters."
Wait in the depth of the dark and dim, and suddenly the Heavenly Heart stirs once — this is one yang returning, the "living midnight." Yet the subtleties here require detailed explanation.
In ordinary people, when they see or hear, their ears and eyes chase things and move. When things depart, so do they. In this kind of movement and stillness, it is entirely the common people ruling, while the Heavenly Lord follows in their service — one is constantly dwelling with ghosts. Now, every movement and every stillness are all dwelling with the True Person. The Heavenly Lord is the True Person.
When it moves, you move together with it — movement is "Heaven's root." When it is still, you are still together with it — stillness is "Moon's cavern." Movement and stillness without origin — you are also without origin in movement and stillness. Rising and resting, above and below — you also rise and rest, above and below. This is what is called "leisurely coming and going between Heaven's root and Moon's cavern."
When the Heavenly Heart is solidly still, if you move before its time, you err on the side of too young. When the Heavenly Heart has already moved and you move only afterward to respond, you err on the side of too old. The moment the Heavenly Heart stirs, immediately use true intention to ascend to the palace of Qian, with the spirit-light gazing at the crown to guide it — this is moving in response to the right moment.
When the Heavenly Heart has ascended to the crown of Qian, it wanders freely and at ease. Suddenly it wishes to be still — quickly use true intention to draw it into the Yellow Court, and let the eye-light gaze at the central yellow spirit-chamber. Then the desire for stillness becomes: not a single thought arises. Looking inward becomes: suddenly forgetting the looking. At that moment body and heart-mind should undergo one great release, ten thousand conditions vanishing without trace. Even one's own spirit-chamber, furnace, and cauldron — you no longer know where they are. Try to find your own body — utterly unobtainable.
This is the moment when heaven enters earth and all marvels return to the root. This, then, is "concentrating the spirit and entering the qi-cavity."
Now, with one turning of the light: at first, what was scattered wants to gather, the six senses cease to function — this is "nourishing the source, adding oil to extend life." Then what was gathered naturally moves at leisure, without the slightest effort — this is "settling the spirit in the ancestral aperture, drawing together the Prior Heaven." Then shadow and echo are both extinguished, silently entering great samadhi — this is "hibernating in the qi-cavity, all marvels returning to the root." Within one section there are three sections; within one section there are moreover nine sections. I shall elaborate on another day.
Now, speaking of the three sections within one: when you are "nourishing" and initially still, "drawing together" is also "nourishing," and "hibernating" is also "nourishing." Later, all "nourishing" becomes "hibernating." The middle layer can be inferred by analogy: the place does not change, yet within it, distinctions arise. This is the formless aperture — a thousand places, ten thousand places, are one place. The time does not change, yet within it, time-distinctions arise. This is the seasonless time — cosmic eons and world-ages are one moment.
Unless the heart-mind reaches the extremity of stillness, it cannot truly move. Movement that merely moves is delusive movement, not the movement of the original substance. Therefore it is said: moved by response to things — this is nature's desire. Moved without response to things — this is heaven's movement. If one does not match "heaven's movement" with the phrase "heaven's nature," one falls into saying "desire." Desire requires an object. This is thought that has left its place — movement that has something moving it.
When not a single thought arises, then right mindfulness is born — this is true intention. In the midst of silent great samadhi, when the heavenly mechanism suddenly stirs — is this not intention-without-intention? Non-action-yet-acting: this is precisely what it means.
The first two lines of the poem encompass the entire function of the Golden Flower. The next two lines express the meaning of sun and moon exchanging bodies. "The sixth month" is Li-fire; "white snow flies" is the true yin within Li about to return to Kun. "The third watch" is Kan-water; "the sun's orb" is the one yang within Kan about to blaze and return to Qian. Extracting Kan to fill Li — this is all within these lines.
The next two lines speak of the Dipper handle's function, the entire mechanism of ascent and descent. "Within the water" — is this not Kan? The eyes are "the Xun wind." The eye-light illuminating into the palace of Kan, summoning the essence of the sun — this is what it means. "In heaven" is the palace of Qian; "wandering home, nourished by Kun's virtue" is the spirit entering the qi, heaven entering earth — this is nurturing the fire.
The last two lines point to the secret within the secret. The secret within the secret, from beginning to end, cannot be separated from what is called "washing the heart-mind and cleansing the thoughts — this is bathing."
The sage's learning begins with "knowing where to stop" and ends with "stopping at the highest good" — it begins in the Limitless and returns to the Limitless. The Buddha takes "giving rise to a mind that dwells nowhere" as the principle of the entire canon. Our Dao uses the two words "attaining emptiness" to complete the full work of nature and life-destiny. In the end, the three teachings amount to just one statement, which is the divine elixir for escaping death and protecting life. What is this divine elixir? It is simply "having no heart-mind in all situations."
The most secret thing in our Dao is bathing. The entire work of this whole text is nothing more than the two words "empty heart-mind" — this is sufficient to resolve everything. Now, one word breaks through it, saving you decades of seeking.
Students, since you do not understand the three sections within one section, I will use the Buddhist three contemplations of emptiness, provisionality, and the middle as an analogy. The three contemplations begin with emptiness — seeing all things as empty. Next is provisionality — although knowing them to be empty, one does not destroy the myriad things, but within emptiness establishes all affairs. Neither destroying the myriad things nor clinging to them — this is the middle contemplation.
When practising the contemplation of emptiness, one also knows the myriad things cannot be destroyed and does not cling to them — this encompasses all three contemplations. Yet ultimately, it is seeing emptiness that gives the power. Therefore, when practising the emptiness contemplation, emptiness is certainly empty, provisionality is also empty, the middle is also empty. When practising the provisionality contemplation, where most of the practical power resides, provisionality is certainly provisional, emptiness is also provisional, the middle is also provisional. In the middle way, one also contemplates emptiness, but it is not called "emptiness" — it is called "the middle." One also contemplates provisionality, but it is not called "provisionality" — it is called "the middle." As for the middle itself, nothing more need be said.
Although I sometimes speak of Li alone and sometimes of Kan as well, I have never shifted a single statement. From the very beginning I said: the pivot lies entirely in the two eyes. What is called "the pivot" is the function. Using this to rotate creation does not mean creation is limited to this. The six senses and seven apertures are all storehouses of radiance. How could one take only the two eyes and ignore everything else?
Using the yang of Kan still employs the light of Li to illuminate and attract — this makes it clear. Sun and moon are originally one thing. The dark place within the sun — this is the true essence of the moon. The moon's cavern is not in the moon but in the sun — this is why it is called "the cavern of the moon." Otherwise, one could simply say "the moon" and that would suffice. The white place within the moon — this is the true light of the sun. The sun's light is reflected within the moon — this is why it is called "the root of heaven." Otherwise, one could simply say "heaven" and that would suffice.
One sun and one moon — separate, they are only half. Together, they form one complete whole. Like a husband and wife — living alone, one does not make a household. With husband and wife together, only then is one family complete. Yet things are hard to use as metaphors for the Dao. Husband and wife, when separated, do not cease to be two people. Sun and moon, when separated, do not constitute a complete whole.
My words reveal only their point of interpenetration — therefore I see no two. Students cling to their point of separation — therefore you keep changing eyes wherever you go.
Chapter 9. Establishing the Foundation in a Hundred Days (百日立基第九)
Patriarch Lü said: The Heart Seal Scripture says: "The returning wind blends together; in a hundred days the work becomes numinous." In short, only after establishing the foundation for a hundred days will there be true light. What you students have now is still eye-light, not spirit-fire, not nature-light, not the torch of wisdom. After turning it for a hundred days, essence and qi will be naturally sufficient and true yang will spontaneously arise. Within the water there is naturally a true fire. If you sustain the practice in this way, the intercourse happens naturally, the embryo forms naturally. I am in the heaven of "not knowing, not perceiving," and yet the infant is already complete. If you even slightly form an intention about it, it becomes a heterodox path.
"Establishing the foundation in a hundred days" does not mean a hundred days. "Establishing the foundation in one day" does not mean one day. "Establishing the foundation in one breath" does not mean breath as inhalation and exhalation. "Breath" is "one's own heart-mind." The heart-mind is the breath. Original spirit, original qi, original essence — their rising and falling, separating and joining, all arise from the heart-mind. Being and non-being, emptiness and fullness — all reside within thought. "Sustained in every breath, through every life" — how can this be limited to a hundred days? Yet a hundred days is also one breath.
The hundred days lies entirely in gaining power. Power gained during the day is used during the night; power gained during the night is used during the day.
"Establishing the foundation in a hundred days" is a Jade Decree from Heaven, nothing more. The words of the Supreme Perfected all correspond to the human body. The words of the true teacher all correspond to the student. This is the mystery within the mystery, which cannot be understood intellectually. Only through seeing one's nature does one know. Therefore the student must seek a true teacher's confirmation. Whatever arises from one's nature — each and every thing is verified.
Chapter 10. Nature-Light and Consciousness-Light (性光識光第十)
Patriarch Lü said: The method of turning the light originally penetrates walking, standing, sitting, and lying down — you need only find the pivot for yourself. I previously taught: "The empty room gives birth to whiteness." Is the light not white? But there is one thing to say: when you have not yet seen light at first, this is the sign of efficacy. But if you see what you take to be light and intentionally cling to it, you fall into consciousness — this is not the nature-light.
Pay no attention to whether there is light or not. Simply let there be no-thought giving birth to thought. What does "no-thought" mean? "A thousand cessations, a thousand places of attainment." What does "giving birth to thought" mean? "One thought, one life." To sustain this thought — this is right mindfulness, different from ordinary thought. The present heart-mind is thought. "Thought" is "the present heart-mind." This heart-mind is the light itself, the medicine itself.
When ordinary people look at things, the moment the eyes cast their illumination, before discrimination can arise — this is nature-light. Like a mirror reflecting without mind. Like water mirroring without mind. An instant later, it becomes consciousness-light — because of discrimination. When the mirror has reflections, it is no longer a mirror. When water has images, it is no longer water. When light has consciousness, how can it still be called light?
Students: at first there is nature-light. When thought turns, it becomes consciousness. Consciousness arises, and the light is nowhere to be found. It is not that there is no light — the light has already become consciousness. The Yellow Emperor said: "When sound moves, what arises is not the sound but the echo." This is precisely the meaning.
The Introduction to the Shurangama Investigation says: "It is not in the dust, not in consciousness — one selects only the root." What does this mean?
"Dust" is the external object-world, what is called "the vessel-world" — it has no connection with us. Chasing it means mistaking things for oneself. Things must be returned: passage returns to doors and windows; brightness returns to sun and moon. Borrowing what is other and making it self — this can never be our own. As for that which cannot be returned to you — if it is not you, then who? Brightness returns to sun and moon, but the seeing of sun and moon's brightness has nothing to return to. There are times when heaven has no sun or moon, but there is no time when a person has no nature that sees sun and moon.
If so, then can the discriminator of sun and moon still be claimed as our own? What we do not realize is that the discriminating that arises from brightness and darkness — when both brightness and darkness are forgotten, where is the discriminating? Therefore it too can be returned. This is internal dust. Only the seeing-nature has nothing to return. Yet "when seeing sees itself, seeing is not seeing" — then even the seeing-nature has been returned. What is returned is the seeing-nature that has been flowing in the stream of consciousness. This is exactly Ananda's error: "What makes you cycle through birth and death — the fault lies with heart-mind and eyes."
At first, the eight "returnings" investigation — the first seven above the seeing — each demonstrates that they have something to return to. Provisionally the seeing-nature is retained, as Ananda's walking staff. But ultimately, the seeing-nature, since it carries the eighth consciousness, is not truly without return. Only when this too is finally broken through does one truly see one's nature, truly reach the unreturnable.
Students, when you turn the light, you are turning precisely that most original unreturnable light. Therefore not a hair's-breadth of discriminating thought is to be used. What causes your cycling through birth and death is only these six sense-roots. What enables you to achieve bodhi is also only these six sense-roots. Dust and consciousness are not used. It is not that you use the roots — you use the nature within the roots.
Now, if you turn the light without falling into consciousness, you use the original nature within the roots. If you fall into consciousness and then turn the light, you use the consciousness-nature within the roots. The distinction of a hair's-breadth lies here.
Using the deliberate heart-mind is consciousness-light. Letting go is nature-light. A hair's-breadth of difference leads to a thousand miles of error — this cannot go undistinguished.
If consciousness is not severed, the spirit is not born. If the heart-mind is not empty, the elixir does not crystallize.
When the heart-mind is pure, that is the elixir. When the heart-mind is empty, that is the medicine. Clinging to not a single thing — this is called heart-mind purity. Retaining not a single thing — this is called heart-mind emptiness. Seeing emptiness as empty — emptiness is still not empty. When emptiness forgets its emptiness — this is called true emptiness.
Chapter 11. The Intercourse of Kan and Li (坎離交媾第十一)
Patriarch Lü said: All leaking and dissipating of essence and spirit — moving outward to engage with things — this is all Li. All gathering and turning of spirit and consciousness — remaining still and containing at the centre — this is all Kan.
What flows outward through the seven apertures is Li. What turns inward through the seven apertures is Kan. The one yin governs chasing sights and following sounds. The one yang governs turning hearing inward and gathering sight.
Kan and Li are yin and yang. Yin and yang are nature and life-destiny. Nature and life-destiny are body and heart-mind. Body and heart-mind are spirit and qi. The moment one gathers and stills the breath, and essence-spirit is not swept along by circumstances — this is the true intercourse. As for the time of sitting silently in meditation — there is nothing more to say.
Chapter 12. The Celestial Cycle (周天第十二)
Patriarch Lü said: The celestial cycle does not take qi as its master — the marvelous secret is the heart-mind's arrival. If you ask "how exactly does one perform the celestial cycle?" — that is already forcing growth. Guard without mind. Practise without intention.
Look up at heaven: three hundred sixty-five degrees, changing moment by moment, yet the Dipper's handle has never moved since antiquity. Our heart-mind is just like this. The heart-mind is the celestial armillary. The qi is the stars.
The qi of our body, the four limbs and hundred bones, is originally interconnected. Do not exert too much effort on this. Temper the conscious spirit, sever delusive views — then the medicine is born.
The medicine is not a physical substance — this is the nature-light, which is the true qi of Prior Heaven. It can only be seen after great samadhi. There is no method of gathering the medicine — those who speak of gathering it are greatly in error. When you see it for a long time, the ground of the heart-mind becomes luminous. Naturally the heart-mind empties, all leakage ceases, and you are liberated from the sea of dust. If today you think "dragon and tiger," tomorrow "water and fire" — this will end in nothing but delusion. I once received the oral transmission of the Perfected One of the Fire Dragon in exactly this way. I do not know what the alchemical texts say — what are they compared to this?
In one day there is one celestial cycle; in one moment there is one celestial cycle. Wherever Kan and Li meet — that is one cycle. My intercourse is heaven's own revolution. But one cannot yet come to rest in it completely. Therefore when there is a time of intercourse, there is also a time of non-intercourse.
Yet heaven's revolution has never rested even slightly. If one can truly achieve the harmonious intercourse of yin and yang, with the great earth in yang warmth, one's central palace properly seated, and all things simultaneously thriving — this is the "bathing method" of the alchemical scriptures. What is this if not the great celestial cycle?
The fire-timing here truly does have large and small differences, yet ultimately no large or small can be distinguished. When the practice reaches naturalness, one no longer knows what Kan and Li are, what Heaven and Earth are. What is the intercourse? What is one cycle or two cycles? Where can you find the distinction of large and small?
In short: when one body revolves, even what seems extremely large is also small. When one revolution occurs and Heaven, Earth, and all things revolve with it — even in the square inch, this is the extremely large.
The fire-timing of the golden elixir must return to naturalness. If it is not natural, Heaven and Earth revert to being mere Heaven and Earth, the myriad things each return to being mere myriad things. Trying to force them to unite, they can never be united. Just as when heaven's weather is in drought, yin and yang are not in harmony — Qian and Kun have never ceased their daily revolution, yet one can still see so much that is not natural.
When I can revolve yin and yang, tuning them to naturalness — then at once clouds steam and rain falls, plants are at ease, mountains and rivers flow freely. Even where there was perversity, it feels suddenly released. This is the great celestial cycle.
Students ask: "The living midnight is supremely marvelous. But must one first fix upon the true midnight? Does that not seem like clinging to form?"
"It is not clinging to form. If one does not point out the true midnight, how can one recognize the living midnight? Once you recognize the living midnight, there is certainly also a true midnight. Are they one or two? Neither true nor living — the essential thing is that one sees clearly. Once truly clear, there is nothing that is not true, nothing that is not living. If one does not see clearly, how can you tell which is living and which is true? The living midnight is something visible at every moment. But when one finally arrives at the true midnight, with will and qi clear and bright, the living midnight is felt even more vividly. Those who have not yet clearly recognized the living aspect should simply verify during the true time. Then the true is present before you, and the living is nothing but marvelous spirit."
Chapter 13. Song of Admonishment to the World (勸世歌第十三)
Patriarch Lü said:
My cinnabar heart burns with the fire of saving the world —
I spare no effort in my motherly nagging.
The World-Honoured One also acted from a great karmic cause,
Pointing straight at birth and death — how truly pitiable!
Lord Lao also warned of "the trouble of having this body,"
And transmitted the teaching of the valley spirit, but no one recognized it.
Now I briefly describe the path to seek the real:
"Yellow centre, pervading principle" — recorded in the Great Change.
"Correct position, dwelling in the body" — this is the Mysterious Pass.
Between zi and wu the breath can be settled.
The light returned to the ancestral aperture, ten thousand spirits are at peace.
The medicine produced at the river's source — one qi comes forth.
Piercing the curtain, transformation reveals a golden light;
A single wheel of red sun blazes forever.
Worldly people wrongly identify the essence of Kan and Li,
Forcibly moving heart and kidneys, creating separation.
How does the human Dao accord with the Heavenly Heart?
When heaven is in accord, the Dao naturally unites.
Release all conditions — not a hair stirs.
This is the true Limitless of Prior Heaven.
In the solemn silence of the Great Void, signs and portents are abandoned.
At the juncture of nature and life-destiny, forget consciousness.
After consciousness is forgotten, the original reality appears.
Water clear, the pearl is visible — the mystery is unfathomable.
Beginningless afflictions and obstructions, in one day, are emptied.
From Jade Capital descends the Nine Dragons Edict.
Walk the Milky Way, ascend Heaven's gate!
Command wind and thunder, drive the lightning!
Concentrating the spirit and settling the breath is the first step.
Withdrawing and storing in the secret ground is the constant stillness.
I once delivered two poems to Zhang Zhennu, and both contained the Great Dao.
"After zi, before wu" does not refer to clock time — it refers to Kan and Li. "Settling the breath" means every breath returns to the root in the central yellow. "Sitting" means the heart-mind does not move. "The spine" does not mean the wheels on the back — it is the great road directly penetrating to Jade Capital. "The double pass" — here there is something difficult to put into words.
"Earth-thunder shaking the mountaintop" — true qi is born. "Yellow sprouts breaking through the earth" — the medicine is born. These two small passages have already exhausted the great path of cultivation. Understanding this, one will not be confused by others' words.
In turning the light, practise with a pure heart-mind. Simply condense and illuminate the true breath at the central palace. In time, one naturally becomes spiritually penetrating and wonderfully responsive.
In sum: the heart-mind still and the qi settled is the foundation. The heart-mind forgotten and the qi crystallized is the efficacy. Qi stilled and heart-mind empty is the completion of the elixir. Heart-mind and qi blended into one is the warm nurturing. Illuminating the heart-mind and seeing one's nature is the fulfilment of the Dao.
Students, each of you should strive to practise. To let the time slip by — how pitiable! One day without practice, and for that day you are a ghost. One breath of this practice, and for that breath you are a true immortal. Strive!
Respectfully note: This scripture is the authentic transmission of the Heavenly Immortals, cultivating both nature and life-destiny together. The true lineage of the Dao's teaching is hereby made clear. With the additional aid of the Questions and Answers section's concrete guidance, this is truly a subtle lamp of awakening for the world. In the great chiliocosm of sand-grain worlds, golden flowers cover the earth. If the Ancestral Teaching can be understood, every person can attain realisation. We are fortunate now that our Sovereign Lord, Teacher of Fuyou, has greatly bestowed compassion and universally dispensed the dharma-power, bringing forth the marvelous Dao of the Heavenly Immortals here. Henceforth the sun shines at mid-heaven, handed down for ten thousand ages. What we hope is that the moon comes over the great earth and is reflected in a thousand pools. — Respectfully recorded by Huijue, disciple of Guanghua.
Colophon
This is the first English translation of the Ancestral Teaching of the Golden Flower of the Great Unity (太乙金華宗旨) to be produced independently from Classical Chinese for the Good Work Library. The translation covers the thirteen main chapters of the Ancestral Teaching. The companion Questions and Answers Illuminating the Hidden (闡幽問答) section, the preface by the Filial and Fraternal King (孝悌王弁言), the author's self-preface (自序), the inscription poem (題詞), and the postscripts (後跋) are not included in this first translation and await a future translator.
The source text is the Daozang Jiyao (道藏輯要) scholarly edition, accessed via the Kanripo/Mandoku digital corpus (JY161, CK-KZ witness). No existing English translations were consulted during this work. Previous English-language renderings — including Richard Wilhelm's 1929 German translation (with commentary by C.G. Jung, English edition 1931) and Thomas Cleary's 1991 translation — were neither read nor referenced. This translation was derived independently from the Classical Chinese source text in accordance with the Blood Rule.
Translated and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: 金華宗旨
Classical Chinese source text from the Daozang Jiyao (道藏輯要) scholarly edition, JY161, accessed via the Kanripo/Mandoku digital corpus. Kanripo/Mandoku markup has been removed. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
天心第一
呂祖曰：自然曰道，道無名相，一性而已，一元神而己。性命不可見，寄之天光，天光不可見，寄之兩目。古來仙眞，皆口口相傳，傳一得一。自太上化現，東華遞傳巖，以及南北兩宗，全眞可爲極盛，盛者盛其徒眾，衰者衰於心傳，以至今日，泛濫極矣，凌替極矣。極則返，故昔日有許祖，垂慈普度，特立教外别傳之旨，聞者千刧難逢，受者一時法會，皆當仰體許祖心，先於人倫日用間，立定腳跟，方可修眞悟性。我奉勅爲度師，今以太乙金華宗旨發明，然後細爲開說。太乙者，無上之謂。丹訣甚多，總假有爲而臻無爲，非一超直入之旨。我傳宗旨，直提性功，不落第二法門，所以爲妙。金華卽光也，光是何色？取象於金華，亦祕一光字在内，是天仙太乙之眞炁，水鄕鉛只一味者此也。回光之功全用逆法，方寸中具有欝羅蕭臺之勝，玉京丹闕之奇，乃至虛至靈之神所注。儒曰虛中，釋曰靈臺，道曰祖土，曰黃庭，曰玄關，曰先天竅。蓋天心猶宅舍一般，光乃主人翁也。故一回光，則周身之氣皆上朝，諸子只去回光，便是無上妙諦。光易動而難定，回之旣久，此光凝結，卽是自然法身，而凝神於九霄之上矣。心印經所謂默朝飛昇者，此也。金華卽金丹，神明變化，各師於心。
元神識神第二
呂帝曰：天地視人如蜉蝣，大道視天地亦泡影。惟元神眞性，則超元會而上之，其精氣則隨天地而敗壞矣。然有元神在，卽無極也，生天生地，皆由此矣。學人但能護元神，則超生在陰陽外，不在三界中。此見性方可，所謂本來面目是也。最妙者，光己凝結爲法身，漸漸靈通欲動矣。此千古不傳之秘也。識心如强藩悍將，遙執紀綱，久之太阿倒置矣。今凝守元宮，回光返照，如英主在上大臣輔弼，内政旣肅，自然强悍慴伏矣。丹道以精水、神火、意土三者，爲無上之訣。精水云何？乃先天眞一之炁，神火卽光也，意土卽中宮天心也。以神火爲用，意土爲體；精水爲基。凡人以意生身，身不止七尺者爲身也。蓋身中有魄焉，魄附識而用，識依魄而生。魄陰也，識之體也。識不斷，則生生世世，魄之變形易質無己也。惟有魂，神之所藏也。魂晝寓于目，夜舍于肝。寓目而視，舍肝而夢。夢者，神遊也。九天九地，刹那厯遍，覺則㝠㝠焉，淵淵焉。拘于形也，卽拘於魄也。故回光所以煉魂，卽所以保神，卽所以制魄，卽所以斷識。古人出世法，煉盡陰滓，以返純乾，不過消魄全魂耳。回光者，消陰制魄之訣也。無返乾之功，止有囘光之訣。光卽乾也，回之卽返之也。只守此法，自然精水充足，神火發生，意土凝定，而聖胎可結矣。𧏙螂轉丸，而丸中生白，神注之純功也。糞丸中尙可生胎離殻，而吾天心休息處，注神於此，安得不生身乎？一靈眞性，旣落乾宮，便分魂魄魂。在天心，陽也，輕淸之氣也，此自太虛得來，與元始同形。魄，陰也，沈濁之炁也，附于有形之凡心。魂好生，魄望死。一切好色動氣，皆魄之所爲，卽識也。死後享血食，活則大苦陰，返陰也，以類聚也。學人煉盡陰魄，卽爲純陽。
回光守中第三
呂帝曰：回光之名何昉乎？昉之自文始眞人也。光回則天地陰陽之氣無不凝，所云精思者此也，純氣者此也，純想者此也。初行此訣，是有中似無，久之功成，身外有身，乃無中似有。百日專功，光纔眞，方爲神火。百日後光自然一點眞陽，忽生沈珠，如夫婦交合有胎，便當靜以待之，光之回，卽火候也。夫元化之中，有陽光爲主宰，有形者爲日，在人爲目，走漏神識，莫此甚順也。故金華之道，全用逆法。回光者，非回一身之精華，直回造化之眞氣，非止一時之妄想，眞空千刧之輪迴。故一息當一年，人間時刻也，一息當百年，九途長夜也。凡人自㘞地一聲之後，逐境順生，至老未嘗逆視，陽氣衰滅，便是九幽之界。故楞嚴經云：純想卽飛，純情卽墮。學人想少情多，沈淪下道。惟諦觀息靜，便成正覺，用逆法也。陰符經云：機在目，黃帝素問云：人身精華，皆上注於空竅，是也。得此一節，長生者在兹，超生者亦在兹矣。此貫徹三教工夫也。光不在身中，亦不在身外。山河日月大地，無非此光，故不獨在身中。聰明智慧，一切運轉，亦無非此光，所以亦不在身外。天地之光華，布滿大千。一身之光華，亦自漫天蓋地。所以一回光，大地山河，一切皆回矣。人之精華，上注於目，此人身之大關鍵也。子輩思之：一日不靜坐，此光流轉，何所底止？若一刻能靜坐，萬刧千生，從此了徹。萬法歸於靜，眞不可思議。此妙諦也。然工夫下手，由淺入深，由粗入細，總以不間斷爲妙。工夫始終則一，但其間冷暖自知。要歸於天空地濶，萬法如如，方爲得手。聖聖相傳，不離反照。孔云致知，釋號觀心，老云內觀，皆己括盡要旨。其餘入靜出靜前後，以小止觀書印證可也。緣中二字妙極。中無不在，遍大千皆在裏許，聊指造化之機，緣此入門耳。緣者緣此爲端倪，非有定著也，此一字之義，活甚，妙甚。止觀二字，原離不得，卽定慧也。以後凡念起時，不要仍舊兀坐，當究此念在何處，從何起，從何滅，反覆推窮，了不可得。卽見此念起處也不要又討過起處，覓心了不可得，吾與汝安心竟，此是正觀，反此者，名爲邪觀。如是不可得己，卽仍舊綿綿去止，而繼之以觀，觀而繼之以止，是定慧雙修，此爲回光。回者，止也，光者，觀也。止而不觀，名爲有回無光，觀而不止，名爲有光無回，誌之。
回光調息第四
呂帝曰：宗旨只要純心行去，不求驗而驗自至。大約初機病痛，昏沈㪚亂，二種盡之。郤此有機竅，無過寄心於息，息者自心也，自心爲息，心一動，而卽有氣，氣本心之化也。吾人念至速，霎頃一妄念，卽一呼吸應之，故内呼吸與外呼吸，如聲響之相隨，一日有幾萬息，卽有幾萬妄念。神明漏盡，如木槁灰死矣。然則欲無念乎？不能無念也，欲無息乎？不能無息也。莫若卽其病而爲藥，則心息相依是己。故回光必兼之調息，此法全用耳光，一是目光，一是耳光。目光者，外日月交光也，耳光者，内日月交精也。然精卽光之凝定處，同出而異名也。故聰明總一靈光而己。坐時用目垂簾後，定箇準則便放下。然竟放，又恐不能，卽存心於聽息。息之出入，不可使耳聞，聽惟聽其無聲。一有聲，卽粗浮而不入細，卽耐心輕輕微微些，愈放愈微，愈微愈靜，久之，忽然微者遽斷，此則眞息現前，而心體可識矣。蓋心細則息細，心一則動氣也。息細則心細，氣一則動心也。定心必先之養氣者，亦以心無處入手，故緣氣爲之端倪，所謂純氣之守也。子輩不明動字，動者，以線索牽動言，卽制字之别名也。旣可以奔趨使之動，獨不可以純靜使之寍乎？此大聖人，視心氣之交，而善立方便，以惠後人也。丹書云：雞能抱卵心常聽，此要妙訣也。蓋雞之所以能生卵者，以暖氣也。暖氣止能温其殻，不能入其中，則以心引氣入。其聽也，一心注焉，心入則氣入，得暖氣而生矣。故母雞雖有時出外，而常作側耳勢，其神之所注，未嘗少間也，神之所注，未嘗少間，卽暖氣亦晝夜無間，而神活矣。神活者，由其心之先死也。人能死心，元神卽活。死心非枯槁之謂，乃專一不分之謂也。佛云：置心一處，無事不辦。心易走，卽以氣純之；氣易粗，卽以心細之。如此而心焉有不定者乎。大約昏沈、散亂二病，只要靜功日日無間，自有大休息處。若不靜坐時，雖有散亂，亦不自知。旣知㪚亂，卽是卻㪚亂之機也。昏沈而不知，與昏沈而知，相去奚啻千里。不知之昏沈，眞昏沈也。知之昏沈，非全昏沈也，淸明在是矣。㪚亂者，神馳也，昏沉者，神未淸也。㪚亂易治，昏沉難醫。譬之病焉，有痛有癢者，藥之可也，昏沉則麻木不仁之症也；㪚者可以收之，亂者可以整之，若昏沉，則蠢蠢焉，㝠㝠焉。㪚亂尙有方所，至昏沉全是魄用事也。㪚亂尙有魄在，至昏沉則純陰爲主矣。靜坐時欲睡去，便是昏沉。卻昏沉只在調息，息卽口鼻出入之息，雖非眞息，而眞息之出入，亦於此寄焉。凡坐須要靜心純氣，心何以靜，用在息上，息之出入，惟心自知，不可使耳聞，不聞則細，細則淸，聞則氣粗，粗則濁，濁則昏沉而欲睡，自然之理也。雖然心用在息上，又要善會用，亦是不用之用，只要微微照聽可耳。何謂照？卽眼光自照。目惟内視而不外視，不外視而惺然者，卽内視也。非實有内視，何謂聽？卽耳光自聽，耳惟内聽而不外聽，不外聽而惺然者，卽内聽也，非實有内聽。聽者聽其無聲，視者視其無形。目不外視，耳不外聽，則閉而欲内馳。惟内視内聽，則又不内馳，而中不昏沉矣，此卽日月交精交光也。昏沉欲睡，卽起㪚步，神淸再坐。淸晨有暇，坐一炷香爲妙。過午人事多擾，易落昏沉，然亦不必限定一炷香。只要諸緣放下，靜坐片時，久久便有入頭，不落昏睡矣。
回光差謬第五
呂帝曰：諸子工夫漸漸純熟。然枯木岩前錯落多，正要細細開示。此中消息，身到方知，吾今則可以言矣。吾宗與禪學不同：有一步一步徵驗。請先言其差别處，然後再言徵驗。宗旨將行之際，預作方便勿多用心，放教活潑潑地；令氣和心適，然後入靜。靜時正要得機得竅，不可坐在無事甲裏。萬緣放下之中，惺惺自若也；又不可意興承當。惺惺不昧之中，放下自若也；又不可墮于藴界。所謂藴界者，乃五陰魔用事。如一般入定，而槁木死灰之意多，大地陽春之意少，此則落陰界。其氣冷，其息沈；且有許多寒衰景象，久之便墮木石。又不可隨于萬緣。如一入靜，而無端眾緒忽至；欲卻之，不能；隨之，反覺順適；此名主爲奴役。久之落于色欲界。差路旣知，然後可求證驗。
回光證驗第六
呂帝曰：證驗亦多：不可以小根、小器承當，必思度盡眾生；不可以輕心、慢心承當，必須請事斯語。靜中綿綿無間，神情悅豫，如醉如浴；此爲遍體陽和，金華乍吐也。旣而，萬籟俱寂，皓月中天，覺大地俱是光明境界；此爲心體開明，金華正放也。旣而，遍體充實，不畏風霜，人當之興味索然者，我遇之精神更旺；黃金起屋，白玉爲臺；世間腐朽之物，我以眞氣呵之立生；紅血爲乳；七尺肉團，無非金寶；此則金華大凝也。第一段，是應觀經：日落、大水、行樹法象。日落者，從混沌立基，無極也。上善若水，淸而無瑕，此卽太極主宰，出震之帝也。震爲木，故以行樹象焉。七重行樹，七竅光明也。第二段，卽肇基于此：大地爲氷；琉璃寶地，光明漸漸凝矣；所以有蓬臺，而繼之佛也。金性旣現，非佛而何？佛者，大覺金仙也。此大段證驗耳。現在可考證驗有三：一則坐去，神入谷中聞人說話，如隔里許，一一明了；而聲入皆如谷中答響，未嘗不聞；我未嘗一聞。此爲神在谷中，隨時可以自驗。一則靜中，目光騰騰，滿前皆白，如在雲中；開眼覓身，無從覓視。此爲虛室生白，内外通明，吉祥止止也。一則靜中，肉身絪緼，如綿如玉；坐中若留不住，而騰騰上浮。此爲神歸頂天；久之，上昇可以久待。此三者，皆現在可驗者也。然亦是說不盡的，隨人根器，各現殊勝。如止觀中所云：善根發相是也。此事如人飲水，冷暖自知；須自已信得過方眞。先天一炁，卽在現前證驗中自討。一炁若得，丹亦立成。此一粒，眞黍也。一粒復一粒，從微而至著。有時時之先天，一粒是也；有統體之先天，一粒乃至無量也。一粒有一粒力量。此要自家膽大，爲第一義。
囘光活法第七
呂帝曰：囘光循循然行去，不要廢棄正業。古人云：事來要應過，物來要識過。子以正念治事，卽光不爲物轉卽囘，此時時無相之囘光也可。日用間能刻刻隨事返照，不著一毫人我相，便是隨地囘光；此第一妙用。淸晨，能遣盡諸緣，靜坐一二時，最妙。凡應事接物，只用返身法，便無一刻間斷。如此行之，三月兩月，天上諸眞，必來印證矣。
逍遙訣第八
呂帝曰：玉淸留下逍遙訣，四字凝神入氣穴。六月俄看白雪飛，三更又見日輪赫。水中吹起藉巽風，天上遊歸食坤德，更有一句玄中玄，無何有鄕是眞宅。律詩一首，玄奧已盡。大道之要，不外無爲而爲四字。惟無爲，故不滯方所、形象；惟無爲而爲，故不墮頑空、死虛。作用不外一中。而樞機全在二目。二目者，斗柄也。斡旋造化，轉運陰陽。其大藥，則始終一水中金而已。前言囘光，乃指點初機：從外以制内，卽輔以得主。此爲中下之士修下二關，以透上一關者也。今頭路漸明，機括漸熟。天不愛道，直泄無上宗旨。諸子祕之祕之，勉之勉之。夫囘光，其總名耳。工夫進一層，則光華盛一番，囘法更妙一番。前者由外制内，今則居中御外；前者卽輔相主，今則奉主宣猷；面目一大顚倒矣。法子：欲入靜，先調攝身心，自在安和，放下萬緣，一絲不掛，天心正位乎中，然後兩目垂簾，内照坎宮。光華所到，眞陽卽出以應之。離，外陽而内陰；乾體也，一陰入内而爲主。隨物生心，順出流轉。今囘光内照，不隨物生，陰氣卽住；而光華注照，則純陽也。同類必親，故坎陽上騰。非坎陽也，仍是乾陽應乾陽耳。二物一遇，便紐結不散，絪緼活動，倏來倏往，倏浮倏沈。自已元宮中，恍如太虛無量，徧身輕妙欲騰；所謂雲滿千山也。次則來往無踪，浮沈無辨，脈住氣停，此則眞交媾矣；所謂月涵萬水也。俟其杳冥中，忽然天心一動；此則一陽來復，活子時也。然而此中消息要細說。凡人一聽，耳目逐物而動，物去則己。此之動靜，全是民庻，而天君反隨之役，是常與鬼居矣。今則一動一靜，皆與人居。天君乃眞人也，彼動，卽與之俱動，動則天根；靜，卽與之俱靜，靜則月窟。動靜無端，亦與之爲動靜無端；休息上下，亦與之爲休息上下；所謂天根月窟閒來往也。天心鎭靜，動違其時，則失之嫩；天心已動，而後動以應之，則失之老。天心一動，卽以眞意上升乾宮，而神光視頂爲導引焉，此動而應時者也。天心旣升乾頂，游揚自得；忽而欲寂，急以眞意引入黃庭，而目光視中黃神室焉。旣而欲寂者，一念不生矣；視内者，忽忘其視矣；爾時身心便當一塲大放，萬緣冺迹；卽我之神室爐鼎，亦不知在何所。欲覓已身，了不可得。此爲天入地中，眾妙歸根之時也。卽此，便是凝神入氣穴。夫一囘光也，始而散者欲歛，六用不行，此爲涵養本源，添油接命也。旣而歛者自然優游，不費纖毫之力，此爲安神祖竅，翕聚先天也。旣而影響俱滅，寂然大定，此爲蟄藏氣穴，眾妙歸根也。一節中具有三節，一節中且有九節，且俟後日發揮。今以一節中具三節言之：當其涵養而初靜也，翕聚亦爲涵養，蟄藏亦爲涵養；至後，而涵養皆蟄藏矣。中一層可類推：不易處而處分焉。此爲無形之竅，千處萬處，一處也。不易時而時分焉，此爲無候之時，元會運世，一刻也。凡心非靜極則不能動，動動妄動，非本體之動也。故曰：感於物而動，性之欲也；若不感於物而動，卽天之動也。不以天之動對天之性句，落下說箇欲字。欲在有物也。此爲出位之思，動而有動矣。一念不起。則正念乃生，此爲眞意。寂然大定中，而天機忽動；非無意之意乎？無爲而爲，卽此意。詩首二句，全括金華作用。次二句，是日月互體意。六月卽離火也，白雪飛卽離中眞陰，將返乎坤也。三更卽坎水也，日輪卽坎中一陽，將赫然而返乎乾也。取坎塡離，卽在此中。次二句，說斗柄作用，升降全機。水中非坎乎？目爲巽風。目光照入坎宮，攝召太陽之精是也。天上卽乾宮，遊歸食坤德，卽神入炁中，天入地中，養火也。末二句是指出訣中之訣。訣中之訣，始終離不得所謂洗心滌慮爲沐浴也。聖學以知止始，以止至善終，始乎無極，歸乎無極。佛以無住而生心爲一大藏教旨，吾道以致虛二字，完性命全功。總之三教不過一句，爲出死護生之神丹。神丹維何？曰一切處無心而已。吾道最祕者，沐浴，如此一部全功，不過心空二字，足以了之。今一言指破，省卻數十年參訪矣。子輩不明一節中具三節，我以佛家空、假、中三觀爲喻。三觀先空，看一切物皆空；次假，雖知其空，然不毁萬物，仍於空中建立一切事；旣不毁萬物，而又不著萬物，此爲中觀。當其修空觀時，亦知萬物不可毁，而又不著，此兼三觀也。然畢竟以看得空爲得力。故修空觀，則空固空，假亦空，中亦空。修假觀，是用上得力居多，則假固假；空亦假，中亦假。中道時亦作空想，然不名爲空，而名爲中矣，亦作假觀，然不名爲假，而名爲中矣。至於中，則不必言矣。吾雖有時單說離，有時兼說坎，究竟不曾移動一句。開口提云：樞機全在二目。所謂樞機者，用也。用此斡旋造化，非言造化止此也。六根七竅，悉是光明藏；豈取二目而他槩不問乎？用坎陽，仍用離光照攝，卽此便明。日月原是一物。其日中之暗處，是眞月之精，月窟不在月而在日，所謂月之窟也。不然，只言月足矣。月中之白處，是眞日之光，日光反在月中，所謂天之根也。不然只言天足矣。一日一月，分開止是半箇，合來方成一箇全體；如一夫一婦，獨居不成家室，有夫有婦，方算得一家完全。然而物難喻道。夫婦分開，不失爲兩人；日月分開，不成全體矣。吾言只透露其相通處，所以不見有兩。子輩專執其隔處，所以隨處換卻眼睛。
百日立基第九
呂帝曰：心印經云：囘風混合，百日功靈。總之立基百日，方有眞光。如子輩尙是目光，非神火也；非性光也；非慧智炬燭也。囘之百日，則精氣自足，眞陽自生。水中自有眞火，以此持行，自然交媾，自然結胎；吾方在不識不知之天，而嬰兒以成矣，若畧作意見便是外道。百日立基，非百日也；一日立基，非一日也；一息立基，非呼吸之謂也。息者，自心也；自心爲息。元神也，元氣也，元精也，升降離合，悉從心起；有無虛實，咸在念中。一息一生持，何止百日？然百日，亦一息也。百日只在得力。晝中得力，夜中受用；夜中得力，晝中受用。百日立基，玉旨耳。上眞言語，無不與人身應；眞師言語，無不與學人應。此是玄中之玄，不可解者也。見性乃知。所以學人必求眞師授記，任性發出，一一皆驗。
性光識光第十
呂帝曰：囘光法，原通行住坐臥，只要自得機竅。吾前開示云：虛室生白。光非白耶？但有一說：初未見光時，此爲效驗。若見爲光，而有意著之，卽落意識，非性光也。子不管他有光無光，只要無念生念。何謂無念？千休千處得。何謂生念？一念一生。持此念乃正念，與平日念不同。今心爲念。念者，現在心也。此心，卽光卽藥。凡人視物，任眼一照去，不及分別；此爲性光。如鏡之無心而照也，如水之無心而鑑也。少頃，卽爲識光；以其分別也。鏡有影，已無鏡矣；水有象，已非水矣；光有識，尙何光哉？子輩初則性光，轉念則識。識起，而光杳不可覓。非無光也。光已爲識矣。黃帝曰：聲動，不生聲而生響。卽此義也。楞嚴推勘入門曰：不在塵，不在識，惟選根。此則何意？塵是外物，所謂器界也，與吾了不相涉。逐之則認物爲已。物必有還：通還戸牖，明還日月。借他爲自，終非吾有。至於不汝還者，非汝而誰？明還日月，見日月之明無還也。天有無日月之時，人無有無見日月之性。若然，則分別日月者，還可與爲吾有耶？不知因明暗而分別者，當明暗兩忘之時，分別何在？故亦有還。此爲内塵也。惟見性無還。見見之時，見非是見；則見性亦還矣。還者，還其識流轉之見性，卽阿難使汝流轉，心目爲咎也。初八還辨，見時上七者，皆明其一一有還。姑留見性，以爲阿難拄杖。究竟見性，旣帶八識，非眞不還也。最後并此一破，則方爲眞見性、眞不還矣。子輩囘光，正囘其最初不還之光；故一毫識念用不著。使汝流轉者，惟此六根；使汝成菩提者，亦惟此六根；而塵與識皆不用。非用根也，用其根中之性耳。今不墮識囘光，則用根中之元性；落識而囘光，則用根中之識性。毫釐之辨，在此也。用心卽爲識光；放下乃爲性光。毫釐千里，不可不辨。識不斷，則神不生；心不空，則丹不結。心淨則丹，心空卽藥。不著一物，是名心淨；不留一物，是名心空。空見爲空，空猶未空；空忘其空，斯名眞空。
坎離交媾第十一
呂帝曰：凡漏泄精神，動而交物者，皆離也。凡收轉神識，靜而中涵者，皆坎也。七竅之外走者爲離；七竅之内返者爲坎。一陰主於逐色隨聲；一陽主於返聞收見。坎離卽陰陽；陰陽卽性命；性命卽身心；身心卽神炁。一自歛息，精神不爲境緣流轉，卽是眞交。而沈默趺坐時，又無論矣。
周天第十二
呂帝曰：周天非以氣作主，以心到爲妙訣。若畢竟如何周天？是助長也。無心而守，無意而行。仰觀乎天，三百六十五度，刻刻變遷，而斗柄終古不動。吾心亦猶是也。心卽璇璣。氣卽羣星。吾身之氣，四肢百骸，原是貫通；不要十分著力於此。鍛鍊識神，斷除妄見，然後藥生。藥非有形之物，此性光也；而卽先天之眞炁。然必於大定後方見，並無採法，言採者大謬矣。見之旣久，心地光明，自然心空漏盡，解脫塵海。若今日龍虎，明日水火，終成妄想去。吾昔受火龍眞人口訣如是；不知丹書所說，更何如也？一日有一周天，一刻有一周天。坎離交處，便是一周。我之交，卽天之迥旋也，未能當下休歇。所以有交之時，卽有不交之時。然天之迥旋，未嘗少息。果能陰陽交泰，大地陽和，我之中宮正位，萬物一時暢遂，卽丹經沐浴法也。非大周天而何？此中火候，實實有大小不同，究竟無大小可別。到得功夫自然，不知坎離爲何物，天地爲何等？孰爲交？孰爲一周兩周？何處覓大小之分別耶。總之，一身旋運，雖見得極大亦小；若一迥旋，天地萬物悉與之迥旋；卽在方寸處，亦爲極大。金丹火候，要歸自然；不自然，天地自還天地，萬物各歸萬物；欲强之使合，終不能合。卽如天時亢旱，陰陽不合，乾坤未嘗一日不周；然終見得有多少不自然處。我能轉運陰陽，調適自然，一時雲蒸雨降，草木酣適，山河流暢；縱有乖戾，亦覺頓釋。此卽大周天也。子等問：活子時甚妙。然必認定正子時，似著相？不著相。不指明正子時，何從而識活子時？旣識得活子時，確然又有正子時。是一是二，非正非活，總要人看得眞。一眞，則無不正，無不活矣。見得不眞，何者爲活，何者爲正耶？卽如活子時，是時時見得的。畢竟到正子時，志氣淸明，活子時愈覺發現，人未識得活的明了，只向正的時候驗取；則正者現前，活者無不神妙矣。
勸世歌第十三
呂帝曰：吾因度世丹衷熱，不惜婆心幷饒舌。世尊亦爲大因緣，直指生死眞可惜；老君也患有吾身，傳示谷神人不識。吾今畧說尋眞路：黃中通理載大易，正位居體是玄關，子午中間堪定息。光囘祖竅萬神安，藥產川源一炁出；透幙變化有金光，一輪紅日常赫赫。世人錯認坎離精，搬運心腎成間隔。如何人道合天心，天若符兮道自合。放下萬緣毫不起，此是先天眞無極；太虛穆穆朕兆捐，性命關頭忘意識。意識忘後見本眞，水淸珠現玄難測，無始煩障一旦空，玉京降下九龍册；步霄漢兮登天關，掌風霆兮驅霹靂。凝神定息是初機，退藏密地爲常寂。吾昔度張珍奴二詞，皆有大道：子後午前非時也，坎離耳。定息者，息息歸根中黃也。坐者，心不動也。夾脊者，非背上輪子，乃直透玉京大路也。雙關者，此處有難言者。地雷震動山頭者，眞氣生也。黃芽出土者，藥生也。小小二段，已盡修行大路。明此可不惑人言。囘光在純心行去，只將眞息凝照于中宫，久之自然通靈達變也。總是心靜氣定爲基，心忘氣凝爲效，氣息心空爲丹成，心氣渾一爲温養，明心見性爲了道。子輩各宜勉力行去。錯過光陰，可惜也。一日不行，一日卽鬼也；一息行此，一息眞仙也。勉之。
謹按：此經乃性命兼修，天仙之的傳也。道旨眞宗，得茲明曉。更藉問答切實指點，誠覺世微妙心燈。夫大千沙界，徧地金華，宗旨能明，盡人得証。今幸我孚佑帝師，大佈慈悲，普施法力，將天仙妙道，於此處拈出。從茲日麗中天，垂之萬古矣。所期月臨大地，印乎千潭耳。宗正本係仍屠子之舊；今就宗正本詳爲釐定，歸入集中，以質後之天仙嗣派者。廣化弟子惠覺謹誌
Source Colophon
The Chinese source text presented above is from the Daozang Jiyao (道藏輯要) scholarly edition of the Jinhua Zongzhi (金華宗旨), accessed via the Kanripo/Mandoku digital corpus (JY161, CK-KZ witness, YP base edition). The Daozang Jiyao was compiled by Jiang Yuanting (蔣元庭) in the late eighteenth century and is the earliest known printed edition of this text. The digital text is freely available through the Kanripo project for scholarly use. Markup artifacts from the Kanripo/Mandoku format (paragraph markers, page breaks, section indicators) have been removed for readability.
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