清靜
清靜經 the Qīngjìng Jīng, lit. 'Classic of Clarity/Purity and Stillness/Tranquility' is an anonymous 唐代道教 Tang Dynasty Daoist classic that combines philosophical themes from 《道德經》the Dao De Jīng with the logical presentation of Buddhist texts and a literary form reminiscent of प्रज्ञापारमिताहृदय Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya or 心經 Xīnjīng, the Heart Sūtra. It instructs students of 道 the Dao to practice the elimination of desire in order to cultivate spiritual purity and stillness.
The Qingjing jing title combines qing 清 "pure; clean; clear; fresh; cool; distinct; clarified; quiet; peaceful", jing 靜 "still; motionless; static; silent; quiet; peaceful; calm; tranquil", and jing 經 "(fabric) warp; scripture; canon; classic".
The first Chinese character qing 淸 has the "water" radical 氵 and a qing 青 "green" phonetic element. The second character jing 靜 has the "green" radical 青 and a zheng 爭 "struggle" phonetic and was anciently a variant Chinese character for jing 淨 "clean; pure; complete; only", which has the "water" radical and this zheng phonetic. Qingjing could interchangeably be written 清靜 or 清淨, for instance, the Daoist concept 清靜無為 qīngjìng wúwéi or 清凈無為 "quiet and non-action; discard all desires and worries from one's mind". Chinese Buddhism used 清淨 qīngjìng to translate Sanskrit परिशुद्धि: Parishuddhi or Pali विशुद्धि: Vishuddhi "complete purification; free from defilement" (cf. विशुद्ध, Viśuddha, "especially pure").
三浦國男, Kunio Miura, explains,
- "Whereas Chinese Buddhism always used the compound 清淨 (qīngjìng, clarity and purity) rather than 清靜 (qīngjìng, clarity and quiescence), Taoism uses both interchangeably. When 清淨 (qīngjìng, clarity and purity) is used, however, there is ample room for considering a Buddhist influence." (2007:800)
"Classic of Purity" (Legge, 1891)"Scripture of Purity and Tranquility" (Kohn 1993)"Scripture on Clarity and Tranquility" (Despeux and Kohn 2003)"Scripture on Clarity and Stillness" (Komjathy 2004)"Scripture of Purity and Stillness" (Miller 2006)"Scripture of Clarity and Quiescence" (Kohn 2007)
全真道
Quán zhēn dào
長春寺師徒
孫不二
清静 the Qing Jing lineage was founded by master 孫不二 Sun Bu Er and it was primarily a tradition for female practitioners of the Dao. 孫不二 was taken as one of the seven key disciples of 王重陽 Wáng Chóngyáng during 金朝 Jīn cháo (Jurchen: Anchun Gurun) officially known as the Great Jin (1115-1234) dynasty. She was originally married to 馬鈺， Mǎ yù， Yuxian lineage (Meeting the Immortals, 遇仙派) who was also one of the seven key disciples of 王重陽 Wáng Chóngyáng but she was told to divorce from him once she attained expertise in the arts so that she and her husband could travel separately and help spread the teachings of the 全眞 Quán zhēn line of Daoism to different regions of China.
孫不二 was one of the most accomplished masters of Daoist alchemical practice as well as Daoist medicine and, as such, is often a source of inspiration for women entering into Daoist practise even to this day. She is said to have been an incredibly beautiful lady who was born into great wealth. She gave up her rich household life at the age of 51 when she met 王重陽 Wáng Chóngyáng and he inducted her as a spiritual practitioner and then teacher within his school. She studied in person with her master for 12 years in the ‘cave’ tradition, meaning that her practice was based largely on inner vision and exploration, until she attained immortality. At this stage of her spiritual journey, she saw fit to found her own tradition which specialised in the teaching of female aspirants although she also took male disciples as well. The name of her tradition became 清静 the Qing Jing or ‘Pure and Tranquil’ lineage.
It was originally Sun’s husband 馬鈺， Mǎ yù (馬 原名從義，字宜甫，後改名鈺，字玄寶，號丹陽子) who started to follow the teachings of Wang Chong Yang and the Quan Zhen Sect. He joined the tradition for a three-month-long retreat and came back a transformed man due to his new teacher’s transmissions. 孫不二 was not pleased with the transformation that her husband had gone through; though she initially argued with 王重陽 Wáng Chóngyáng and wished ill of him, she came to understand his spiritual level after he performed several outlandish feats to prove himself to her. Recognising the importance of the teachings 王重陽 was able to impart, she gave her blessing to 馬鈺 and also joined the tradition herself.
In an uncharacteristic move for the time, 孫不二 left her role as a homemaker and mother to her three children; she left with the other disciples of 王重陽 and chose the path of Daoism as her route through life.
孫不二 is famous for her inner alchemy but she is also known to have been highly capable in various forms of esoteric medicine as well as in exorcisms and the performance of superhuman feats of survival and power. She was a master of the elements of fire and lightning as well as an expert in telepathic and psychic feats. Whilst none of these were the aim of her study, they are signs of her inner development that arose from her alchemical training under Wang Chong Yang.
After attaining mastery and establishing her own lineage of practice, 孫不二 headed West where she took her own students and lived out her life teaching and helping the needy with her healing abilities. It is said that in order to avoid the unwanted attention of males on her journey to the West of China, she scarred her face badly with hot oil. With such extreme scars on her face, her beauty was destroyed and she was under less risk of being raped or assaulted on her journey. This is, most likely, metaphorical though as is the case with many stories of the Chinese masters. 孫不二 travelled ‘West’ which is often used as a metaphor for the attainment of spiritual awakening. India sits to the West of China and at this time India was heralded as a place of great spirituality to the Chinese people. To go ‘West’ meant that a person was walking the spiritual path and thus many teachers are said to have ‘gone West’ within their stories. 孫不二 beauty is used as a metaphor for attachment to the acquired mind and the egoistic side of existence. By destroying her beauty, 孫不二 shed the shackles of the acquired mind so that she could attain her spiritual awakening. This is particularly fitting as 孫不二 methods are very much based on the cultivation of 氣 Qi along with dropping the attachments of the acquired mind; teachings in line with 全眞 Quán zhēn line within which she studied so hard.
孫不二 died in her seventies (though there is some discrepancy around this age) where she entered into a meditative state in front of her key disciples and allowed her spirit to enter into the Heavenly realm; a sign of her mastery of all stages of Daoist practice. She left behind a whole series of alchemical instructions in the form of numerous short poems and two alchemical texts entitled:
- 孫不二元君傳述丹道秘書, the Sun Bu Er Yuan Jin Chuan Shu Dan Dao Mi Shu ‘The Secret Book on the Alchemical Elixir Transmitted by Sun Bu Er’
- 孫不二元君法語 Sun Bu Er Yuan Jun Fa Yu ‘The Key Teachings of the Original Master, Sun Bu Er’
The teachings of 孫不二 concerning alchemy were based on the idea that male and female practitioners had a similar but slightly different journey through the arts. She divided alchemical training for women into 14 key stages which are as follows:
- Governing the Mind
- Nourishing the Qi
- Development of Alchemical Skill
- Killing the Demon Dragons
- Nourishing the Internal Elixir
- Development of Embryonic Breathing
- Mastering the Inner Fires
- Development of the Physical Elixirs
- Refinement of the Shen
- Mastery of the Body’s Higher Nutrient Functions
- Fasting from the Grains
- Facing the Wall to Attain Mastery
- Entering the Void
- Ascending to the Heavenly Realm on Purple Clouds
Though many of these stages actually correspond to the same process practised by males, there are some key differences at the intermediate and advanced stages of practice. 孫不二 clearly had, by understanding what each of these stages involves, a clear mastery of the energetic functions of the physical body and valued the vehicle of the body with regards to its importance in spiritual work. She was also heavily influenced by the Buddhist aspect of the Quan Zhen teachings which are prominent within her tradition’s alchemical methods.
Below are some examples of the alchemical poetry left behind by 孫不二 to help guide her students and followers of her tradition:
“Free yourself from loss and anxieties.
There is a solitary cloud with a wild crane that is without constraint.
Sit within the thatched building and read through the spiritual texts.
Outside of the window, there are forests and streams
At the foot of the hills are bodies of water and bamboo plants.
Let the shining moon and calm breeze be your highest friends.”
“The original 氣 was there long before our body.
It is as Jade that shines when we refine it.
It is shining like gold when we develop it.
End the ocean of rebirth and stand instead at the doorway of the masters.
Remain as a point of pure consciousness whilst the fire gently warms you.”
“Survive and nourish yourself on the natural 氣.
This way the Lungs will be clear.
Forget the Shen and its appearances, they are but empty at their root and distractions from the true way.
At breakfast eat wild roots and at night feed on mushrooms.
If you understand the merging of the fire with its own smoke then you will not walk on the magical pond any longer.”
“The spiritual furnace produces both mountains and lakes,
This is the basis of creation.
When you awake, greet the sun.
When you are readying for sleep, draw in the energy of the moon.
Over time, develop the elixir and allow it to purify the body.
When the Yuan Shen moves through the orifices, the apertures will shine forth with mystical light.”
“The body that exists beyond the body is not developed by arcane magical arts.
Making this body all-encompassing, we should make active the Yuan Shen.
The golden liquid will condense into the shining moon.
When the Jing of the Sun and Moon have been refined and cooked then the pearl will shine so bright that all other concerns will fade from your mind.”
(From a mix of recorded history & lectures/notes from a teacher)
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