Daoism Series 18: 玄关 The Mysterious Pas

Daoism Series 18

玄关
The Mysterious Pass
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Student: What does the Mysterious Pass in the《Dao De Jing》mean?

Master Li: Profound and mysterious [xuan miao玄妙], it is not even the mysterious pass. Later the cultivators of past generations pointed at the gate and door; it is the place of mysterious wonders. It creates a spirit sense [ling gan 靈感], it is called the ‘Mysterious Pass’. It is a type of divine body [ling ti 靈体]. It is not inside and not outside. The ’Mysterious Pass’ is only an experience:

只可意会不可以言传。
It can only be experienced and not transmitted through language.
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The Mysterious Pass is furthermore described in the Essentials to the Shortcut of the Great Achievement [da cheng jie yao 大成捷要]:

中间名曰 :玄关。乃无中生有之处。炼精炼到精满气足，自然产出真一之气，玄关自开。。。
有守山根为玄关者，是不知玄关为无中生有之妙喻。不炼真阳，必终归空亡。 298

The centre is called ‘The Mysterious Pass’. It is the place where existence comes forth out of nothingness. Refine Essence until it is full and the Qi is ample. Then the Qi of the True Oneness will be naturally generated, and the mysterious gate will open by itself …
Some safeguard the mountain root [i.e. the bridge of the nose] as if it were the Mysterious Pass. They do not know that the Mysterious Pass is the marvellous metaphor for existence coming forth from nothingness. If one does not refine the True Yang, it is inevitable that one will eventually return to an empty death.

Li Shi Fu has further stated that the Mysterious Pass is not the physical form of the third eye, the Tai Yang [太阳] acupuncture point or the pituitary gland, and it is not the formless either. It is held to be inexpressible in language and can only be circumscribed. It is not talked about, because it is the beginning. It means that even if sitting meditation and stillness cultivation is done well, it does not equate with immortality or enlightenment. Tao Shi Fu [陶师傅], the former abbess of Five Immortals Temple, once stated:

玄关一窍窍中有动有静有玄妙。
Within the one orifice of the Mysterious Pass
there is movement and stillness,
And there are profundities and marvels.

As Zhang San Feng [张三丰], the legendary Daoist founder of Tai Ji in the 12th century, is held to have stated in his Song of Sitting Meditation [da zuo ge 打坐歌]:

初打坐，学参禅，这个消息在玄关。秘秘绵绵调呼吸，一阴一阳鼎内煎。
In the initial sitting meditation and study of Chan practice,
this information is [contained] within the Mysterious Pass.
Secretly and continuously regulate the exhalation and inhalation [of breath].
One Yin and one Yang are decocted within the cauldron.

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Post-Scriptum:
This article is an endnote appearing in the Purple Cloud Press’ forthcoming publication of 《The 49 Barriers of Cultivating the Dao》by Xing De/Li Shi Fu, a manual for refining one’s Inner Nature based on Liu Yi Ming’s 50 Barriers. Li Shi Fu is the current residing abbot of Five Immortals Temple (www.fiveimmortals.com).