Huang Ting Nei Wai Jing Jing (黃庭內外景經) · Volume 2

脾長一尺掩太倉，中部老君冶明堂，厥字靈元名混康，治人百病消谷糧，

The spleen is one foot long and covers the Great Granary; the Lord of the Central Region governs the Bright Hall; his style name is Ling Yuan and his name is Hun Kang. He cures a person's hundred illnesses and digests grain,

黃衣紫帶龍虎章，長枯益命賴君王，三呼我名神自通，三老同坐各有朋，

in yellow robe and purple sash, with the emblem of dragon and tiger; a life long withered is made to increase, thanks to this sovereign. Call my name three times and the spirits will naturally connect; the Three Elders sit together, each with companions,

或精或胎別執方，桃孩合延生華芒，男女徊尤有桃康，道父道母對相望，

some governing the essence, some governing the embryo, each holding charge of his own method. Tao Hai joins in prolonging life, giving rise to radiant light; men and women wander together, and especially there is Tao Kang; the Father and Mother of the Dao face and gaze at each other,

師父師母丹玄鄉，可用存思登虛空，殊途一會歸要終，閉塞三關握固停，

the Teacher Father and Teacher Mother are in the land of Cinnabar Mystery; by visualization one can ascend to the void; though the paths differ, they meet at one place, returning to the ultimate end; close the three passes, hold the fists firm, and stop,

含漱金醴吞玉英，遂至不飢三蟲亡，心意常和致欣昌，五嶽之雲氣彭亨，

hold in the mouth and rinse with the golden nectar, and swallow the jade blossom; then you will no longer be hungry, the three worms will perish, the mind will be constantly harmonious and flourishing, and the cloud qi of the five peaks will swell and fill,

保灌玉廬以自償，五形完堅無災殃。

nourishing and irrigating the Jade Hut, thereby replenishing oneself; the five forms become complete, firm and solid, with no calamity.

上睹三元如連珠，落落明景照九隅，五靈夜燭煥八區，子存內皇與我遊，

Looking upward you see the Three Primes like strung pearls, the brilliant scenes lighting up the nine corners; the five spirits illuminate the night and radiate over the eight regions; visualize the Inner Sovereign wandering with me,

身披風衣銜虎符，一至不久升虛無，方寸之中念深藏，不方不圓閉牖窗，

clothed in a wind-robe and holding a tiger tally; in no long time you will ascend to the void and nothingness; within the square inch keep the intention deeply hidden, neither square nor round, closing the windows,

三神還精老方壯，魂魄內守不爭競，神生腹中銜寶玉，靈注幽闕那得喪，

the three spirits return to the essence, and an old man is again in the prime of life; the spirit-soul and bodily soul guard within and do not contend; the spirit is born in the belly, holding precious jade in its mouth, and the numinous pours into the dark gate; how could it ever be lost?

琳條萬尋可蔭仗，三魂自寧帝書命。

The jade branches reach ten thousand fathoms and can provide shade and support; the three spirit-souls are naturally at peace, and the Emperor writes down your life and nature.

靈臺鬱藹望黃野，三寸異室有上下，間闕營衛高玄受，洞房紫極靈門戶，

The Spirit Terrace is lush and misty, looking out on the yellow fields; within three inches, the chambers have upper and lower levels, with gates and camps between, received from the High Mystery; the Cave Chamber and Purple Pole are the doors of the numinous,

是昔太上告我者，左神公子發神語，右有白元並立外，明堂金匱玉房間，

this is what the Supreme One once told me; on the left the divine young lord utters spirit words, and on the right the White Prime stands outside; between the Bright Hall, the Golden Casket and the Jade Chamber,

上清其人當吾前，黃裳子丹氣頻煩，借問何在兩眉端，內俠日月列宿陳，

the person of Highest Clarity stands before me, the Yellow-Skirted Cinnabar One, his qi coming and going often; may I ask where he is? At the ends of the two eyebrows, inwardly flanking the sun and moon (the source text has a variant character, which means "flank"), with the constellations laid out in rows,

七曜九元冠生門。

the seven luminaries and the nine primes crown the gate of life.

三關之中精氣深，九微之內幽且陰，口為天關精神機，足為地關生命靡，

Within the Three Passes the essence and qi are deep and still; within the Nine Subtleties it is dark and yin; the mouth is the Heaven Pass, the pivot of spirit; the foot is the Earth Pass, on which life depends,

手為人關把盛衰。

the hand is the Human Pass, which holds the balance of flourishing and decline.

若得三官存玄丹，太一流珠安崑崙，重重樓閣十二環，自高自下皆真人，

If you obtain the Three Offices, preserve and guard the Mysterious Cinnabar; the Great One's flowing pearl is placed on Kunlun, with tower upon tower and twelve rings, and from high to low are all perfected persons,

玉堂繹字盡玄官，璇璣王衡色蘭殲，瞻望童子坐盤恆，問誰家子在我身，

the Jade Hall with its threaded characters is all Mysterious Officials, with the Jade Armillary and Jade Crossbar colored like orchids; gaze upon the children seated and lingering, and ask whose sons they are within my body,

此人可去入泥龍，千千百百自相連，一一十十似重山，雲儀五華俠耳門，

this person can depart and enter the Mud Pellet (the source text has a variant character here, which should read Pellet); thousands and hundreds are naturally linked to one another, ones and tens like piled-up mountains; the five-flowered cloud regalia flank the ear gate,

赤帝黃老與己魂，三真挾胥共房津，五斗煥明是七元，日月飛行六合間，

the Red Emperor, the Yellow Elder and one's own spirit-soul, three perfected ones supporting one another, are together at the ford of the chamber; the Five Dippers shine bright, and these are the Seven Primes; the sun and moon fly through the six directions,

帝鄉天中地戶端，面部魂神綿相存。

the Emperor's home is in the middle of heaven, the earth door is at the tip, and the spirit-soul in the face lingers on in continuous preservation.

呼吸元氣以求仙，仙公公子已可前，朱鳥吐縮白石源，結精育胞化生身，

Breathe in the primal qi to seek immortality, and the Immortal Lord and Young Lord can already come forward; the Vermilion Bird spits and withdraws at the source of the white stones, gathering essence, nurturing the womb, and giving birth to this body,

留胎止精可長生，三氣右徊九道明，正一含華乃充盈，遙望一心如羅星，

keep the embryo and halt the essence, and you can live long; the three qi turn to the right, nine paths of light, and the True One holds its blossom and so becomes full; gazing far at the one heart like stars in a row,

金室之下可不傾，延我白首反孩嬰。

beneath the golden chamber you cannot be overturned; prolong my white head and return it to infancy.

瓊室之中太素集，泥九夫人當中立，長谷玄鄉繞郊邑，六龍散飛難分別，

In the Jade Chamber the Great Plain assembles, and the Lady of the Mud Pellet stands in the center (the source text has a variant character here, which should read Pellet); the Long Valley and Dark Village encircle the outskirts, and the six dragons scatter and fly, hard to tell apart,

長生至慎房中急，何為死作令神泣，忽之禍鄉三靈及，但當吸氣錄子精，

for long life the greatest care is needed against the urgency of the matters of the bedchamber; why court death and make the spirit weep? To neglect this is to enter the land of calamity, and the three spirits will be affected as well; you should only inhale and gather in your essence,

寸田尺宅可治生，若當決海百讀傾，葉去樹枯失青青，氣亡液漏非已形，

the inch-field and foot-dwelling can govern life; if you breach the great sea, all hundred streams pour out (the source text has a variant character for streams); with the leaves gone, the tree withers and loses its green; when qi is lost and fluids leak, the form is no longer your own,

專閉御景乃長寧，保我泥龍三奇靈，恬淡閉視內自明，物物不幹泰而平，

concentrate, close and guard, and steer the scenes, and only then will you be at peace for long, preserving the three marvelous spirits of my Mud Pellet; be calm and plain, close your eyes, and inwardly there is natural light; things do not come to attack, and all is tranquil and level,

愨矣匪事老復丁，思詠玉書太上清。

how sincere, this is not a matter of tasks; the old become robust again; think and chant the Jade Book, Supreme, pure and still.

常念三房相通達，洞得視見無內外，存漱五牙不飢渴，神華執巾六丁謁，

Constantly think of the three chambers connecting with one another; clearly open, they can be seen, with no inside or outside; visualize and rinse with the five sprouts, and you will not hunger or thirst; the spirit of radiance holds a cloth, and the Six Ding come to pay their respects,

急守精室勿妄洩，閉而寶之可長活，起自形中初不闊，三官近在易隱括，

you must quickly guard the chamber of essence and not emit it recklessly; keep it closed and treat it as a treasure, and you can live long; it arises from within the form, and at first it is not far away; the three offices are close by your side and easy to contain,

虛無寂寂空中素，使形如是不當汙，九室正虛神明舍，存思百念視節度，

empty and silent, pure within the void; if you make the body like this, it should not be defiled; the nine chambers are properly empty and are the dwelling of the spirit-light; as you visualize the hundred thoughts, pay attention to measure,

六府修治勿令故，行自翱翔入天路。

keep the six hollow organs cultivated and do not let them grow stale; as you walk you will naturally soar and enter the road of heaven.

治生之道了不煩，但修洞玄與玉篇，兼行形中八景神，二十四真出自然，

The way of governing life is not at all complicated; one need only practice the Cave Mystery and the Jade Chapters, and also practice the eight scene-spirits within the body; the twenty-four perfected ones come forth of themselves (naturally, as they are in themselves; not "nature" in the sense of the natural world),

高拱無為魂魄安，清靜神見與我言，安在紫房幃幔間，立坐室外三五玄，

fold the hands high and practice non-action (wuwei: not acting with deliberate effort, not doing nothing at all), and the spirit-soul and bodily soul are steady; in clarity and stillness the spirit appears and speaks with me, dwelling among the purple chamber's curtains, standing and sitting outside the room, the mystery of three and five,

燒香接手玉華前，共入太室璇璣門，高研恬淡道之園，內神密盼盡睹真，

burn incense and clasp hands before the Jade Radiance, and together enter the gate of the Grand Chamber and the Jade Armillary; lofty study of tranquility is the garden of the Dao; the inner spirits secretly look on, and all behold the true one,

真人在己莫問鄰，何處遠索示因緣。

the true person is within your own body; do not ask the neighbors, and why go far to search for it, only to be shown the cause?

隱影藏形與世殊，含氣養精口如朱，帶執性命守虛無，名大上清死錄除，

Hide the shadow and conceal the form, unlike ordinary people; hold in qi and nourish essence, with the mouth like cinnabar red; hold fast to life and nature, guard the void; your name is listed in Great Highest Clarity and removed from the register of death,

三神之樂由隱居，倏欻遊遨無遺憂，羽服一整八風驅，控駕三素乘晨霞，

the joy of the Three Spirits comes from dwelling in seclusion, roaming swiftly and freely, leaving no lingering sorrow; once you put on the feathered robe, the eight winds drive you, you steer the Three Whites and ride the morning rosy clouds,

金輦正立從玉輿，何不登山誦我書，鬱郁竊竅真人墟，入山何難故躊躇。

the golden carriage stands upright and the jade chariot follows; why not climb the mountain and recite my book? Dense and secret is the hidden aperture, the village of the true ones; what is hard about entering the mountain, and yet you still hesitate.

人間紛紛臭帑如。

The human world is tumultuous, like a foul and stinking bag.

五行相推反歸一，三五合氣九九節，可用隱地回八術，伏牛幽闕羅品列，

The five phases push one another, turning back and returning to one; the three and five join their qi, with nine times nine as the measure; with this one can hide in the earth and turn about the eight arts, subdue the ox in the dark gate and arrange the ranks in order,

三明出華生死際，洞房靈象鬥日月，父曰泥丸母雌一，三光煥照入子室，

the Three Brightnesses put forth radiance, at the boundary of life and death; the numinous images of the Cave Chamber, the Dipper and the sun and moon; the father is called the Mud Pellet, the mother is the Female One; the three lights shine brightly into your room,

能存玄真萬事畢，一身精神不可失。

if you can preserve and guard the Mysterious Perfected, all matters will be finished; the spirit and essence of the whole body must not be lost.

高奔日月吾上道，鬱儀結磷善相保，乃見玉清虛無老，可以回顏填血腦，

Soaring high to the sun and moon is my supreme way; Yu Yi and Jie Lin are good at protecting each other (the source text has a variant character for Lin, which should read Lin); and so you get to see the Old One of Jade Clarity and Void, who can bring back the countenance and fill the blood and brain,

口銜靈芒攜五皇，腰帶虎錄佩金當，駕欻接生宴東蒙。

holding the numinous light in the mouth, leading the Five Sovereigns, with a tiger register at the waist and a golden pendant, driving the sudden wind, to welcome life and feast at Dongmeng.

玄元上一魂魄煉，一之為物巨卒見，須得至真始顧盼，至忌死氣諸穢賤，

The Mysterious Prime Supreme One: the spirit-soul and bodily soul are refined and nourished; the One as a thing is hard to see all at once; only with utmost perfection does it begin to look back at you; it most abhors the air of death and all the foul and base things,

六神合集虛中宴，結珠固精養神根，玉匙金鑰常完堅，閉口屈舌食胎津，

the six spirits assemble and feast within the void; gather pearls and solidify essence, nurture and guard the spirit root; the jade key and golden lock are always whole and firm; close the mouth, curl the tongue, and feed on the womb's fluid,