In the Three Star Immortal Cave, within the pavilion, the Ancestor led Jiang Tong'er to set the table and invited Maitreya Bodhisattva to take a seat, sharing the spiritual fruits of the four seasons from the mountains, enjoying a moment of heavenly joy.
Unbeknownst to them, three or four days passed, and when they finished tasting the fruits, they finally arrived at the Yao Tai gathering.
The Ancestor sat on a meditation cushion and asked, “Maitreya Bodhisattva, you have come to my abode today for what purpose?”
Maitreya Bodhisattva joined his palms in greeting and said, “I have come for cultivation.”
The Ancestor inquired, “What kind of cultivation?”
Maitreya Bodhisattva smiled and replied, “Dao brother, I have observed the profound Prajna throughout the Western Niu Hezhou. The Buddhist teachings from the East, like the practice of ‘Zen’, come with an aura of purple qi that is unstoppable. The Dharma is thus, and I have come to cultivate alongside the Broad Heart True Person.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan was both astonished and puzzled, saying, “Maitreya Bodhisattva, I am merely a cultivation disciple; how can I teach you to cultivate?”
At this moment, he realized that when the Ancestor mentioned ‘someone who cultivates is looking for you to cultivate’, it was indeed Maitreya Bodhisattva seeking him for cultivation.
The Ancestor smiled silently, not speaking further.
Maitreya Bodhisattva joined his palms and smiled, saying, “I have the wisdom eye. The Broad Heart True Person’s alchemy is about to succeed; how can I be called a disciple? The Broad Heart True Person has comprehended the Buddhist teachings from the East, and in this Dao, I too can be a disciple.”
Jiang Yuan said, “How can I dare to call the Bodhisattva a disciple? I hope the Bodhisattva will not say such words. If you wish to learn Zen, I can gift you a Zen text.”
Maitreya Bodhisattva replied, “I do not engage in cause and effect with the True Person; how can I shamelessly accept a text? I hope the True Person will not mind and allow me to cultivate alongside you.”
Jiang Yuan looked towards the Ancestor, who remained silent.
He then contemplated and said, “In that case, Bodhisattva, if I permit you to cultivate together, it shall not be a master-disciple relationship, but rather a matter of reverence for the Dao and the grace of passing on the teachings. Would you agree?”
Upon hearing this, the Ancestor beamed with joy.
Maitreya Bodhisattva joined his palms in a bow and said, “I agree.”
The three of them then spoke little more.
The Ancestor pointed to a quiet room for Maitreya Bodhisattva to rest, while he and the disciple returned to the quiet room behind the platform.
Before long, the Ancestor led the disciple back to the quiet room.
Jiang Tong'er served the Ancestor as he sat on the meditation cushion and asked, “Master, is my action right or wrong?”
The Ancestor replied, “How can there be right or wrong in this? Disciple, do not worry. If there were to be any disaster, how could I have allowed Maitreya Bodhisattva to enter my abode and meet you?”
Jiang Yuan then understood, saying, “I did not expect Maitreya Bodhisattva to seek me for cultivation.”
The Ancestor smiled and said, “Your skills are remarkable; he has come to seek you for cultivation, which is indeed fitting for a disciple.”
Jiang Yuan said, “Master, I have yet to achieve the Golden Elixir; how can I be called ‘remarkable’?”
The Ancestor said, “You are not far from achieving the Golden Elixir; you are now walking the ‘Fire Stage’.”
Jiang Yuan, feeling blessed and enlightened, knelt before the Ancestor and said, “I hope Master will show mercy and teach me the ‘Fire Stage’ so that I may practice the secret three steps of the Dao and achieve the Golden Elixir as soon as possible!”
The Ancestor helped the disciple up and said, “Disciple, if I do not teach you, who else would I teach? Sit quietly and wait for me to teach you about the Fire Stage.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion, attentively listening to the Ancestor’s teachings on the Fire Stage.
The Ancestor waved his sleeve, and a gentle breeze came, tightly closing the door to prevent any secrets from leaking outside.
The Ancestor said, “Disciple, in the past when you burned the Golden Elixir, what method did you use? Explain it clearly.”
Jiang Yuan replied, “Master, in my early years, I received your teachings on the Fire Stage, using the secret method of controlling fire. After the Winter Solstice, I would swallow Yin fire, and after the Summer Solstice, I would swallow Yang fire, performing the fire-burning technique to refine the Golden Elixir.”
The Ancestor asked, “Disciple, do you remember the secret method of the Fire Stage?”
Jiang Yuan nodded and said, “I would never dare to forget.”
The Ancestor smiled and said, “Since you remember the secret method of the Fire Stage, this step will be very easy for you. The Fire Stage for achieving the Golden Elixir is slightly different from that of the Golden Elixir; it requires the use of the Primordial Spirit as fire. The Primordial Spirit serves as the fire, while the five elements are utilized by the Primordial Spirit. Furthermore, during the inhalation and exhalation of true breath, one must control the fire’s intensity. If I teach you to skillfully manipulate the fire, this step will be accomplished.”
Jiang Yuan, upon hearing this, asked, “Master, how do I use the Primordial Spirit as fire?”
He still had three parts that were unclear.
The Ancestor said, “Disciple, come closer and listen; I will teach you the Superior Fire Stage, so you may understand.”
Jiang Yuan then approached the Ancestor and leaned in to listen.
The Ancestor explained the Superior Fire Stage to the disciple.
Jiang Yuan suddenly realized that the method of the Fire Stage he had used when refining the Golden Elixir was still clumsy.
It was only now that the Ancestor had imparted the Superior method to him.
The medicine for achieving the Golden Elixir is not an external medicine; it must be found within the body.
The fire for achieving the Golden Elixir is not external fire; it must be found within the Primordial Spirit.
To practice this method of the Fire Stage, one must invite the Primordial Spirit to assist, introspect the Primordial Spirit, and use the strength of the five elements, aided by the inhalation and exhalation of true breath to control the fire.
The fire is called ‘True Fire’, and it is said, ‘Without True Fire, the Elixir cannot be formed.’
The operation of True Fire is quite intricate.
The Primordial Spirit ignites the fire with the five elements, called ‘Ignition’, while the Primordial Spirit can command the fire to stop, called ‘Extinguishing the Fire’.
There are subtle techniques to be used.
Furthermore, during the inhalation and exhalation of true breath, when inhaling, the fire is fierce, called ‘Martial Fire’, and when exhaling, the fire is gentle, called ‘Literary Fire’.
The changes in fire intensity, the timing of ignition and extinguishing the fire, and the switching between Martial Fire and Literary Fire all have their own teachings, which are considered secrets not to be passed on.
Once he becomes proficient in this method of the Fire Stage, he will be able to accomplish this step.
However, having previously refined the Golden Elixir, he had a foundation, making it easy for him to comprehend the Fire Stage.
Thus, the Ancestor said this step would not be difficult for him.
Jiang Yuan bowed in gratitude, saying, “Thank you, Master, for imparting the secret of the Superior Fire Stage to me!”
The Ancestor helped the disciple up and smiled, saying, “What is this? Once you achieve the Elixir, when one aperture is opened, all apertures will be opened. At that time, all kinds of marvelous methods will be passed on to you. Now go and rest, so you may soon become familiar with the Fire Stage.”
Having said that, the Ancestor waved his hand and closed his eyes.
Jiang Yuan performed another bow and then withdrew, returning to the quiet room to cultivate.
…
Unbeknownst to him, three or four days had passed.
Jiang Yuan was quietly cultivating in the quiet room, waiting for the spiritual foot to arrive, so he could practice the subtleties of the Fire Stage, when he suddenly heard a voice.
“Broad Heart True Person.”
It was Maitreya Bodhisattva.
Jiang Yuan opened the door and stepped out, seeing Maitreya Bodhisattva waiting outside.
He said, “Maitreya Bodhisattva, have you come for Zen practice? There are Zen texts in the library of my abode.”
Maitreya Bodhisattva nodded, joining his palms and said, “Since I am following you now, I shall respect your words. If you do not permit me, how could I dare to enter the library?”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan led Maitreya Bodhisattva to the library.
As they walked along the way, various senior and junior disciples greeted him, but they did not recognize Maitreya Bodhisattva, as he had concealed his Dharma appearance, making it unclear that a Bodhisattva was present.
Jiang Yuan brought Maitreya Bodhisattva into the library and took out the Zen texts to present to him.
Maitreya Bodhisattva received them as if they were treasures, sitting on the ground and flipping through the Zen texts.
Seeing this, Jiang Yuan did not disturb him and tidied up the library.
After a long while, Maitreya Bodhisattva set down the Zen texts and asked, “True Person, is this book your understanding?”
Jiang Yuan nodded, “Maitreya Bodhisattva, this book is indeed my understanding.”
Maitreya Bodhisattva asked, “True Person, do you have any scriptures on Zen that you could lend me to read?”
Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, “There are none.”
Maitreya Bodhisattva, puzzled, said, “Is the Zen practice so chaotic that there is not even a single scripture?”
Jiang Yuan laughed and said, “Zen does not establish written words; it directly points to the original mind, realizing one’s nature to become a Buddha, hence there are no scriptures, referred to as ‘Awakening’.”
Maitreya Bodhisattva was slightly startled in his heart, not expecting that this Buddhist teaching from the East would indeed have no scriptures, not establishing written words, but emphasizing the awakening of the heart.
He thought of the countless scriptures hidden in the Sacred Mountain, realizing that the two methods were indeed different.
If this practice were to be cultivated, it would be quite difficult…
(End of Chapter)