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99 Chapter Three Daily Practice Within the early Quanzhen religious community, there was a strong emphasis on daily practice. For the early adepts, daily practice did not simply mean training each day; it also meant viewing one’s entire life as Daoist cultivation. As Stephen Eskildsen has shown (2004, 26–33), many of the early Quanzhen adherents referred to an all-pervasive existential approach toward self-cultivation and spiritual realization as “daily practice” (lit., “daily application”; riyong), translated by Eskildsen as “daily sustenance.” Throughout the early Quanzhen textual corpus, one finds references to “daily practice,” especially in the writings of Ma Danyang, Qiu Changchun, and Hao Guangning, three of Wang Chongyang’s direct disciples.1 As expressed by Ma Danyang, “Daily practice involves never deceiving or mocking heaven and earth. Always train yourself diligently. Cherish each moment. Do not pass the day in vain. Decrease your sleep, as this is something that [ordinary] people desire. You should rectify your misdeeds, but this is not to be done through seated meditation.2 You should keep your heart-mind stable for a long time. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, follow the Dao. All adepts should quit giving rise to thoughts. Quickly seek out innate nature and life-destiny. If you can just purify the heart-mind and abandon desires, you will become a spirit immortal. Acknowledge nothing else and stop having doubts! These are proper and true words. You only need to be constantly clear and constantly pure.”3 (Danyang zhiyan, DZ 1234, 1a) And in the same public talk, Ma Danyang admonishes, “Each day, you must not forget the matter of daily practice. Daily practice consists of two types: daily external practice (wai riyong) and daily internal practice (nei riyong).4 1. My translations of the relevant passages are indebted to those of Eskildsen. 2. Here Ma Danyang seems to suggest that direct action, rather than mental or energetic outreach, must be taken to rectify one’s previous injurious behavior. Stated simply, one must apologize and make amends directly to the effected being. As is confirmed by his own life and the early Quanzhen training regimen, consistent and prolonged seated meditation, involving both quietistic meditation and internal alchemy, was considered essential. 3. This insight and admonition parallels section 1b–2a of the eighth-century Qingjing jing (DZ 620): “Constantly resonating , constantly still, there is constant clarity, constant stillness. When clarity and stillness are like this, you gradually enter the perfect Dao.” 4. Interestingly, the Ming-dynasty Daoist Canon contains two related, anonymous works that may derive from a later, possibly thirteenth-century, Quanzhen context. These are the Taishang laojun nei riyong miaojing (Wondrous Scripture for Daily Internal Practice of the Great High Lord Lao; DZ 645; also Qunxian yaoyu zuanji, DZ 1257, 1.1ab; abbr. Nei riyong jing) and the Taishang laojun wai riyong miaojing (Wondrous Scripture for Daily External Practice of the Great High Lord Lao; DZ 646; abbr. Wai riyong jing). Both texts have been translated by Livia Kohn (2000a), while a translation of the former appears as Handbook 6 of my Handbooks for Daoist Practice (Komjathy 2008a). The Nei riyong jing emphasizes meditation practice, while the Wai riyong jing emphasizes morality and virtuous deeds. 100 / The Way of Complete Perfection “Considering daily external practice, you are strongly forbidden to see the faults of others, boast about your own virtue, envy the wise and talented, give rise to worldly thoughts that are the fire of ignorance, produce feelings of superiority over the masses, [discriminate] between self and other or right and wrong, or speak of hatred and affection. “Considering daily internal practice, quit giving rise to doubtful thoughts. Never forget the internal. Whether wandering about or standing and sitting, you should clear the heart-mind and discard desires. Have nothing that hangs on or hinders [your progress]. Do not get defiled and do not become attached. In perfect clarity and perfect purity, remain carefree according to your aspirations.5 Consistently throughout the day contemplate the Dao in the same way a hungry person thinks of food or a thirsty person of drink. If you become aware of the slightest imbalance, you must correct it. If you train yourself in this way, you will become a spirit immortal.” (Ibid., 2a–2b) Similarly, Hao Guangning advises the aspiring Quanzhen adept as follows: “Daily practice involves refining qi when residing in quiet places and refining spirit when residing in noisy places. Walking, standing, sitting and lying down are the Dao...

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