Chapter 7: The Method of Practicing Chinese Original Quiet Sitting

¹ There are fundamental distinctions between quiet sitting taught at the Lord of Universe Church and the traditional Daoist cultivation techniques.

¹ 天帝教的正宗靜坐與道家傳統的修煉方法，自有其基本上的差異。

² We practice Chinese Original Quiet Sitting, which is the Supreme Truth- Blossom Vehicle Method for reaching the highest heaven. It is a natural, unforced and non-purposive mindfulness for cultivating the great empty Dao, without applying even the slightest deliberate force or intention.

² 我們修的是法華上乘正宗靜坐，是直修昊天虛無大道，自然無為心法，即不加絲毫一點人為的力量與意念。

³ Therefore, it bypasses the two Daoist stages of refining jing into qi and qi into shen. Instead, it is a direct practice of refining shen back to emptiness.

³ 因此超越了道家的煉精化氣、煉氣化神兩個階段。而直修煉神還虛的工夫。

⁴ Here is how we go about it: (1) Do not focus on any of the energy opening points. Beginning students usually focus on energy opening points to banish random thoughts and concentrate their mental activity on one point. The purpose is to stop delusive thoughts.

⁴ 其下手方法：一、不守竅：初學者多藉守竅以袪除雜念，使精神思想集中於某一點，以止妄念。

⁵ Energy opening points are the acupressure points along the body’s meridians. Some branches of Daoism focus on the “three fields,” ^[31] the “mountain root” ^[32] and the “ocean floor.”^[33]

⁵ 竅者－人身上的穴道。道家教派有守「三田」、「山根」或「海底」者。

⁶ However, unless a person has specific innate reasons, or practices correctly, such focusing over a long period could cause problems. Instead of focusing on the energy opening points, we keep away from potential problems by directly cultivating the great empty Dao of the highest heaven.

⁶ 然如守久，即易生毛病，除非他有先天特殊的原因，或是功夫用得很正確。只有我們不守竅直修虛無大道不會出毛病。

⁷ In our first few Quiet Sitting Classes we advised students focusing on energy opening points to cut down delusive thinking, but only initially, for a short period of time. From the Ninth Chinese Original Quiet Sitting Class onward, we have stopped focusing on energy opening points.

⁷ 前幾期靜坐班，最初亦曾囑守竅一段時間，以去妄想雜念，為時甚短。直至第九期靜坐班起則一開始即不守竅。

⁸ From a method of purposive method, we changed it to be a non-purposive method. This natural, non-purposive method is called a “Sudden-Path Method,” because it allows us to open up abruptly and see a clearer picture of everything.

⁸ 這就是從有為法轉入無為法。是自然無為法的一種「頓法」。頓法就是讓其豁然貫通。

⁹ (2) Do not control your breath or induce qi. Many people suppose that uncontrolled breathing means the absence of breath. This is a mistaken notion.

⁹ 二、不調息運氣：很多人以為不調息就是不呼吸，這是錯誤的觀念。

¹⁰ Uncontrolled breathing means breathing naturally, and not contrived or aided by external forces. The breathing is poised between ceasing and continuing, between inhaling and exhaling.

¹⁰ 所謂不調息就是任其自然呼吸，不做作，不假外力。若亡若存，似呼似吸。

¹¹ In the early stage of quiet sitting, the breathing is shallow and rapid. Over six to twelve months, it will change naturally and become a trickle of air.

¹¹ 初坐氣息急粗，約半年或一年後，自然就會逐漸細長，漸漸均勻。

¹² To a point, external breathing stops and only internal breathing remains and the innate true breath reveals itself. This is the fetal breath that takes us back to our origins.

¹² 而至外呼吸停止，只有內呼吸，先天之真息自見。成為胎息，返本還原。

¹³ What is normally referred to as controlled breathing is the induction of qi through breath control. It is the assimilation of sublimated qi from the sun, the moon and the stars.

¹³ 而一般所謂的調息，則係吐納運氣。吸收太陽、月亮、星星的精氣。

¹⁴ All of this is purposive method, which is why I say, our path of quiet sitting follows God’s natural, non- purposive method.

¹⁴ 這些都是有為法。所以我們正宗靜坐則是按照　上帝的自然無為法。

¹⁵ This is because we know that planets move by the power of nature, which is moving within them.

¹⁵ 因為我們知道星球的運轉，是自然的力量在運轉。

¹⁶ Daoists have a saying: “Heaven is a great universe; a human being is a small universe.”

¹⁶ 道家所謂「天為一大天」、「人為一小天」。

¹⁷ Many people, who do quiet sitting now, use the purposive method. This is human effort at work.

¹⁷ 現在許多人靜坐都在用有為法。這是人力的作用。

¹⁸ Human powers are vying with heaven. They are being pitted against nature. How can this work? Surely it would lead to problems.

¹⁸ 人的力量要來同天爭，與自然對抗，行嗎？一定會出毛病。

¹⁹ Because this is not our approach in Chinese Quiet Sitting Classes no strivers, from the first Class until now, have developed problems due to quiet sitting.

¹⁹ 因此正宗靜坐從第一期到現在還沒有聽到有同奮因靜坐而出毛病的。

²⁰ If you are blessed with the willingness to practice by the natural, unforced and non-purposive method, then the process of refining jing into qi and qi into shen will take place naturally.

²⁰ 如果你們有造化肯按自然無為法用功，那麼煉精化氣、煉氣化神的過程自然而然就會過去。

²¹ Do not give it any thought. In ways you are unaware of, your jing is being tempered naturally into qi. You are moving through each stage naturally.

²¹ 你不要去想它。無形中自然在煉精化氣，無形中自然一關一關地過去。

²² (3) Let the tip of your tongue rest lightly on the roof of your mouth. Let moist secretions come and go as they will.

²² 三、舌尖輕輕舔上顎，聽任津液自生自來。

²³ When you get to a settled and quiet stage, sweet saliva will fill your mouth; moisture will rise up as from a spring. Swallowing it slowly can help digestion and add to longevity.

²³ 一到定靜境界，滿口甘露，津液如泉湧。慢慢吞下，可助消化，且有延生功效。

²⁴ (4) Do not fixate on any single spot. Dwell on nothing, put all thoughts down. Let everything go.

²⁴ 四、不執著於某一處，心無所住，一切不想，一切放下。

²⁵ (No heaven, no earth. No others, no self. No phenomena, no form. No right or wrong. No thoughts of past or future.)

²⁵ (無天無地、無人無我、無色無相、無是無非、不思過去、不想未來。)

²⁶ This is how you reach the realm of emptiness [where you are] immersed in chaos, in a trance-like state, far away, hard to be pinned down, but not plunged into stark nothingness.

²⁶ 以達虛無境界，混混沌沌、渾渾噩噩、杳杳冥冥、恍恍惚惚，使之不落頑空。

²⁷ How are you to get there? While practicing quiet sitting, keep your mind at the edge of sleep, yet not asleep, at the edge of being awake, yet not being awake. This is the supreme mindfulness of the Lord’s highest heaven.

²⁷ 這要如何做法？就是在靜坐時，經常保持將睡未睡，似覺不覺的心理狀態。這是最高的上帝昊天心法。

²⁸ It builds on the bedrock of chaos. It lays a foundation amid stormy waves, amid oceanic horizons, amid boundlessness.

²⁸ 從渾沌的狀態中立根基；從狂風大浪中、海闊天空中、無邊無際中紮基礎。

²⁹ This is the matchless, prime elixir- method for cultivating the Dao, which had not been found on this Earth among elixir-methods cultivated by Daoists for thousands of years.

²⁹ 這是無上上品的修道丹法，也是本地球幾千年來道家修煉丹法中所沒有的。

³⁰ As a fruit of cultivating the great empty Dao of the highest heaven, someday you will open up to a wide sphere; you will return directly to the void, ascending to heaven in a single step.

³⁰ 昊天大法的修煉結果，一旦豁然貫通，直接還虛，一步登天。

³¹ What is the great empty Dao of the highest heaven? Because humans came from the void they will return to the void, where the one spirit constantly shines and the myriad thoughts are void. This “spirit” is the realm of shen refined back to emptiness.

³¹ 什麼是昊天虛無大道呢？因為人從虛無中來，仍回虛無中去。一靈常照、萬念皆空。這「靈」就是煉神還虛的境界。

³² “The one spirit constantly shines” is a mental state being at the edge of sleep yet not sleeping. When you do not think of anything, we can say “the myriad thoughts are void.”

³² 「一靈常照」就是似睡未睡的心理狀態。你心理一切都不想即是「萬念皆空」。

³³ Our term, the “Supreme Truth- Blossom Vehicle Method for reaching the highest heaven” is abbreviated for direct cultivation of the great empty Dao of the highest heaven.

³³ 所謂「法華上乘」即是直修昊天大道。

³⁴ This goes beyond the two Daoist steps of refining jing into qi and qi into shen; it directly cultivates the third level of “refining shen back to emptiness.”

³⁴ 就是超越了道家之「煉精化氣」、「煉氣化神」的二個步驟，直接修煉「煉神還虛」之第三步工夫。

³⁵ Using the concept of “refining” lands us in “acquired existence,” which goes against nature. But our “refining” back to emptiness still adheres to the “natural, unforced, and non-purposive mindfulness,” which is the most mysterious self-cultivation principle in the universe.

³⁵ 雖然一提「煉」字就落入「後天」，而違反自然。但我們煉神還虛之「煉」，仍秉持「自然無為」之宇宙最奧妙之修持法則。

³⁶ This “natural, unforced, and non- purposive mindfulness” method means not resorting to the slightest artificial force or conceptualization. It is entirely the cultivation of one’s own perfect yang qi, to receive nature’s Qi of perfect yang.

³⁶ 所謂「自然無為心法」即是修持時不假絲毫人為的力量與意念。全在修一己真陽之氣，以接天地真陽之炁。

³⁷ This is to coordinate with “drawing the primordial Qi through silent chanting,” which is unique of the Lord of Universe Church.

³⁷ 就是配合天帝教特有的「默運祖炁」。

³⁸ What we call the “primordial Qi” is the perfect spirit-yang Qi of the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, who is the progenitor of our lineage and the Supreme Lord of the Mystic Skies.

³⁸ 所謂「祖炁」－即　道統始祖宇宙主宰　玄穹高上帝之靈陽真炁。

³⁹ Through blending, this Qi is able to proceed with its natural operations. All the acupressure points become open and stay connected. This is truly the universe’s matchless, prime elixir- method for cultivating the Dao.

³⁹ 一經調和，聽其自然運化。關開竅通。實為宇宙間無上上品修道丹法。

⁴⁰ It appears to be hard to get a grip on, and it is limitless, with no apparent foothold. Actually, if you keep practicing it, you can surely feel that there is substance in the void, and truth in non-being.

⁴⁰ 看來下手很難，似無邊際，又沒落腳點。實則只要把工夫做將去，自能體會到虛中有實，無中有真。

⁴¹ Chinese Original Quiet Sitting is, in fact, simple and easy to practice. If you keep sitting as instructed, without worrying about anything, you will eventually come to understand completely how it works.

⁴¹ 正宗靜坐功夫很容易，簡而易行。祇要照上述方法坐下去，什麼都不用管，最後一定會豁然貫通。

⁴² While all of you are sitting, do not worry about which meridians or channels you are opening up. That would be attaching to forms. As soon as you think about something, you are attaching it to a form.

⁴² 各位靜坐現在不必管它通了什麼脈、什麼經。這都是著相。心裡一想就著相。

⁴³ This is why you should let all your thoughts go, and your passages will naturally open. Even if they do not open, you will not run into problems.

⁴³ 所以什麼都不要想，自然就會貫通。就是不通也不會發生什麼毛病。

⁴⁴ This [Chinese Original Quiet Sitting] is the Lord of Universe Church’s “Sudden-Path Method” of cultivation for holocaust-rescuing.

⁴⁴ 這就是天帝教救劫的「急頓」修煉法門。