男女老少。皆可修行。精详妙理。一见自明。
东亭曰。男女修真。俱在己身用事。无非初下功夫。间有异焉。男子炼气。在坎宫下手
。坎
宫。即脐下丹田。医书谓之内肾是也。女子炼形从离位兴功。离位。即两乳中间。古人谓之
乳房是也。刘悟元云。太阳炼气男子理。太阴炼形女蹄筌。须知炼气是炼铅。炼形是炼汞。
男
子不知真汞。是有阳无阴。女子不知真铅。是有阴无阳。所以男子修真降白虎。女子修真斩
赤龙。末后功夫。男女皆同也。男子知真汞。则知末后炼形一着。女子知真铅。则知末后还
丹一
着。紫阳所谓后行长也。于人年老精神衰败。又无阳生。意欲修道。多有畏其不能也。三丰
祖云。人老原来有药医访明师。问方儿。岂虚语哉。今不待访问。遂以此方儿告之。必先择
一静室。邀三两知己同伴。行住坐卧。俱随己意。毫不勉强。照此进功。积神生气。积气生
精。积之日久。饮食渐加。四体轻快。丹田温暖。外阳勃兴。从此一静。则生机发动不期然
而然。此欲非术。理固如是。似水贮久生虫其义同也。以上尽言男女老人修行之诀。以下言
汞生
之旨。灵源大道歌云。休论涕 。精津气血液。达本穷源总一般此物何曾有定位随时变化。
因
心意。在体感热。即为汗。在眼感悲。即为泪。在肾感念。即为精。在鼻感风。即为涕。纵
横流转运一身。到头不出于神水。神水难言识者稀。资生一节由真气。一切常人。每到夜间
睡熟。亦有阳生。不知采取。可惜当面错过矣。圭旨云。阳精日日发生世人不知翕聚。散在
周身。变为后天之汞也。可见终日。所作所为。无不是汞用事。一到夜间。汞少必昏沉睡去
矣。
及至年老。海水枯渴。而无潮信。此是汞不流润。精水绝矣。精路闭矣。眼精昏矣。耳朵聋
矣。故曰。百姓日用而不知。是不知汞用尽也。欲要朱汞常存。须得水铅以制之。悟真篇云
须
要制伏觅金公。参同契云。太阳流珠。常欲去人。卒得金华。转而相因。又云。河上 女。
灵
而最神。将欲制之。黄芽为根。曰流珠。曰 女。皆指真汞而言。曰金华。曰黄芽。皆指真
铅
而言。丹经云。命无性不立。性无命不存者此也。故曰。炼精化气。炼气化神。神即汞。而
气
即铅。岂不是铅能生汞也。圭旨云。人见金之产于月。而不知月之光。本出于日。岂不是汞亦
能
生铅也。铅汞相生。风火交炼。及炼至铅尽汞干。斯为金丹。而且龟得夜明珠。而能脱壳。
龙得辟火珠而能飞腾蛇得定风珠。而能永寿。狐得月华。而能变人。异类尚能如是。岂独人
不
能得丹。其理明矣。盖天地为一太极。各物具一太极。今例以人身太极之理言之。人即一太
极也。铅汞即太极之阴阳也。玄关即太极中之无极也。若夫伏羲河图。先天对待。上德可以
学
之。上德者乃童真之体也。大禹洛书。后天流行。下德可以学之下德者。乃已破之体也。上
德下德。炼法虽殊。及其成功一也。但真铅水中金。一与四孙悟空也。真汞火中木。二与三
猪悟能也。玄关真土居中。生数五沙悟净也。岂不是三五合成一个唐三藏也。白马者。正位
居体。美在其中。而畅于四肢。世之读四游者。能知三藏二字。则金丹之道。无不成矣。参
同契云。三五与一天地至精。可以口诀。难以书传。譬如渡江以船。获鱼以网。无船江怎渡
。无网鱼怎获。无法道怎修。饶君智过颜闵。实难强猜。余今直言愿同志者。一目了然。
男女老少，都可以修行。精微深奥的道理，一旦接触自然明白。
汪东亭说：男女修真，都是在自己身上用功。无非是初下功夫时，间或有不同之处。男子炼气，在坎宫下手。坎宫，就是脐下丹田，医书称之为内肾。女子炼形，从离位开始用功。离位，就是两乳中间，古人称之为乳房。刘悟元说：“太阳炼气是男子的理法，太阴炼形是女子的蹄筌（指入门途径）。”必须知道，炼气就是炼铅，炼形就是炼汞。男子如果不知道真汞，就是只有阳没有阴；女子如果不知道真铅，就是只有阴没有阳。所以男子修真要降伏白虎，女子修真要斩断赤龙。最后的功夫，男女都是一样的。男子如果知道了真汞，就知道最后炼形的这一着；女子如果知道了真铅，就知道最后还丹的这一着。这就是紫阳真人所说的“后行长也”。人到了年老精神衰败，又没有阳气生发，想要修道，大多害怕自己不能成功。三丰祖师说：“人老原来有药医，访明师，问方儿”，这难道是空话吗？现在不需要去访问，就把这个方儿告诉你们。必须先选择一间静室，邀请两三个知己同伴，行住坐卧，都随自己的心意，毫不勉强。按照这样进功，积神生气，积气生精。积累日子久了，饮食逐渐增加，四肢轻快，丹田温暖，外阳勃兴。从此只要心静，生机就会发动，不期然而然。这种欲望不是靠法术，道理本来就是这样，就像水储存久了会生虫，意义相同。以上完全讲述了男女老人修行的秘诀。以下讲述汞产生的宗旨。《灵源大道歌》说：“休论涕、唾、精、津、气、血、液，达本穷源总一般。此物何曾有定位，随时变化因心意。”在身体感觉热，就成为汗；在眼睛感觉悲伤，就成为泪；在肾脏感觉念头，就成为精；在鼻子感觉风，就成为涕。纵横流转运行一身，到头来不出于神水。神水难以言说，识得的人很少。资生的一节由真气决定。一切常人，每到夜间睡熟时，也有阳气生发，但不知道采取，可惜当面错过了。《圭旨》说：“阳精日日发生，世人不知翕聚，散在周身，变为后天之汞。”可见终日所作所为，无不是汞在起作用。一到夜间，汞少了必然昏沉睡去。等到年老，海水枯竭，没有潮信，这是汞不流动滋润，精水断绝了。精路闭塞了，眼睛昏花，耳朵聋了。所以说：“百姓日用而不知”，是不知汞的作用耗尽了。想要朱汞常存，必须用水铅来制约它。《悟真篇》说：“须要制伏觅金公。”《参同契》说：“太阳流珠，常欲去人。卒得金华，转而相因。”又说：“河上姹女，灵而最神。将欲制之，黄芽为根。”说流珠、说姹女，都是指真汞而言；说金华、说黄芽，都是指真铅而言。丹经说：“命无性不立，性无命不存”就是这个道理。所以说：炼精化气，炼气化神。神就是汞，气就是铅，岂不是铅能生汞吗？《圭旨》说：“人见金之产于月，而不知月之光，本出于日。”岂不是汞也能生铅吗？铅汞相生，风火交炼，等到炼至铅尽汞干，这就成为金丹。而且龟得到夜明珠就能脱壳，龙得到辟火珠就能飞腾，蛇得到定风珠就能永寿，狐狸得到月华就能变为人。异类尚且能如此，难道唯独人不能得丹吗？这个道理很明白了。大概天地是一个太极，各物具备一个太极。现在举例以人身太极的道理来说。人就是一个太极。铅汞就是太极的阴阳。玄关就是太极中的无极。至于伏羲河图，先天对待，上德可以学习它。上德者，是童真之体。大禹洛书，后天流行，下德可以学习它。下德者，是已破之体。上德和下德，炼法虽然不同，等到成功是一样的。只是真铅水中的金，一与四孙悟空也；真汞火中的木，二与三猪悟能也；玄关真土居中，生数五沙悟净也。岂不是三五合成一个唐三藏吗？白马者，正位居体，美在其中，而畅于四肢。世上读《西游记》的人，如果能知道“三藏”二字，那么金丹之道，就没有不成功的。《参同契》说：“三五与一，天地至精。可以口诀，难以书传。”譬如渡江用船，捕鱼用网，没有船江怎么渡？没有网鱼怎么获？无法道怎么修？即使你的智慧超过颜回和闵子骞，也难以强行猜测。我今天直言，希望志同道合的人一目了然。
Men, women, the old and the young can all practice. The subtle and profound principles become clear upon first encounter.
Wang Dongting said: Both men and women cultivate within their own bodies. It is merely that in the initial stages of effort, there are occasional differences. Men cultivate Qi (vital energy), starting at the Kan Palace (Kan Palace). The Kan Palace is the Dantian below the navel, which medical texts refer to as the "inner kidney" (internal reproductive essence organ). Women cultivate Form (physical structure/essence), beginning at the Li Position (Li Position). The Li Position is the center between the two breasts, which the ancients called the breast area. Liu Wuyuan stated: "The Sun cultivates Qi for men; the Yin cultivates Form for women." One must know that cultivating Qi is refining Lead (Zhenqian, True Lead), and cultivating Form is refining Mercury (Zhenzhu, True Mercury). If a man does not know True Mercury, he has only Yang without Yin; if a woman does not know True Lead, she has only Yin without Yang. Therefore, when men cultivate, they subdue the White Tiger (metaphor for seminal emission/libido); when women cultivate, they sever the Red Dragon (metaphor for menstruation). In the final stages of cultivation, men and women are the same. If a man knows True Mercury, he understands the final step of cultivating Form; if a woman knows True Lead, she understands the final step of returning the Elixir (Huandan). This is what Ziyang referred to as "the latter path is long." When people grow old, their spirit and energy decline, and there is no generation of Yang. Those who wish to cultivate often fear they cannot succeed. Patriarch Sanfeng said: "Old age originally has medicine to cure it; seek a wise master, ask for the prescription." Is this empty talk? Now, there is no need to seek out others; I hereby give you this prescription. First, select a quiet room, invite two or three close friends as companions. Walking, standing, sitting, and lying down should follow your own will, with no coercion. Proceed with effort according to this method. Accumulate Shen (Spirit) to generate Qi; accumulate Qi to generate Jing (Essence). After accumulating for a long time, diet gradually increases, limbs feel light and brisk, the Dantian feels warm, and external Yang rises vigorously. From then on, once calm, the vital energy will spontaneously arise. This desire is not achieved through magic; the principle is naturally so, similar to how water stored for too long breeds worms. The above fully explains the secrets of cultivation for elderly men and women. The following discusses the principle of generating Mercury. *Lingyuan Dadaoge* says: "Do not discuss tears, saliva, essence, fluids, Qi, blood, and liquids; reaching the root and exhausting the source, they are all the same. Where has this thing ever had a fixed location? It changes at any time according to the mind/intent." When felt in the body as heat, it becomes sweat; when felt in the eyes as sorrow, it becomes tears; when felt in the Kidneys as thought, it becomes essence; when felt in the nose as wind, it becomes nasal mucus. Flowing freely throughout the body, it ultimately does not exceed Divine Water (Shenshui). Divine Water is hard to describe, and few understand it. The section of nourishing life depends on True Qi. All ordinary people, when falling into deep sleep at night, also experience the generation of Yang, but do not know how to capture it, sadly missing the opportunity right before them. *Guizhi* states: "Yang Essence generates daily, but people do not know to gather it inwardly; it scatters throughout the body, becoming Posterior Mercury." Thus, everything done and said during the day is governed by Mercury. Once night comes, when Mercury is scarce, one inevitably falls into a deep sleep. When old age arrives, the sea water dries up, and there are no tides. This is because Mercury does not flow and moisten, Jing Water is exhausted, the Jing pathways are closed, the eyes become dim, and the ears become deaf. Hence it is said: "The common people use it daily but do not know it," meaning they do not know that the function of Mercury is exhausted. To keep Zhu Mercury (Cinnabar/True Mercury) constantly present, one must use Water Lead to restrain it. *Wuzhen Pian* says: "One must subdue and seek the Metal Elder (Jin Gong)." *Cantong Qi* says: "The Sun's flowing pearl always desires to leave people. Only after obtaining Golden Flower does it turn and interact." It also says: "The Maiden of the River Bank is spiritual and most divine. To restrain her, Yellow Sprout is the root." Speaking of 'Flowing Pearl' and 'Maiden' refers to True Mercury; speaking of 'Golden Flower' and 'Yellow Sprout' refers to True Lead. Elixir classics say: "Life cannot stand without Nature; Nature cannot exist without Life." This is the reason. Thus it is said: Refine Jing to transform into Qi, refine Qi to transform into Shen. Shen is Mercury, and Qi is Lead. Does this not mean Lead generates Mercury? *Guizhi* says: "People see gold produced from the moon, but do not know that the moon's light originates from the sun." Does this not mean Mercury can also generate Lead? Lead and Mercury generate each other; Wind and Fire refine together. Until Lead is exhausted and Mercury is dried up, this becomes the Golden Elixir. Just as the turtle obtains the Night Pearl and sheds its shell, the dragon obtains the Fire-Repelling Pearl and flies, the snake obtains the Wind-Calming Pearl and lives forever, and the fox obtains Moonlight and transforms into a human. Even different species can achieve this, how much more so humans failing to obtain the Elixir? The principle is clear. Heaven and Earth constitute one Taiji; all things possess one Taiji. Taking the principle of the Human Taiji as an example: Humans are one Taiji. Lead and Mercury are the Yin and Yang of Taiji. Xuan Guan (Mysterious Pass) is the Wuji within Taiji. Regarding Fuxi's Hetu (River Map), representing Prior Heaven opposition, those of Superior Virtue (Shangde) can learn it. Superior Virtue refers to the intact virgin body. Yu the Great's Luoshu (Lo Writing), representing Posterior Heaven circulation, those of Inferior Virtue (Xiade) can learn it. Inferior Virtue refers to the broken/dissipated body. Although the refinement methods for Superior and Inferior Virtue differ, their success is the same. True Lead contains Gold in Water; One and Four are Sun Wukong. True Mercury contains Wood in Fire; Two and Three are Zhu Wuneng. True Earth of Xuan Guan resides in the center; Generating Number Five is Sha Wujing. Do these not combine Three, Five, and One into Tang Sanzang? The White Horse represents the correct position within the body, beauty within, and畅通ness in the four limbs. Those in the world who read *Journey to the West* and understand the term "Sanzang" (Three Treasures), will find that the Way of the Golden Elixir will surely be successful. *Cantong Qi* says: "Three, Five, and One are the utmost essence of Heaven and Earth. They can be passed by oral instruction, but are difficult to transmit in writing." It is like crossing a river by boat or catching fish with a net. Without a boat, how to cross the river? Without a net, how to catch fish? Without the method, how to cultivate? Even if your wisdom exceeds Yan Hui and Min Ziqian, it is still difficult to guess forcibly. I now speak plainly, hoping that those of like mind will see it clearly at a glance.