Daoism Series 22: The Dreamworld in Daoism [excerpt] 道教梦境

Daoism Series 22

The Dreamworld in Daoism [excerpt]
道教梦境
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The The following is an excerpt from The Dragon Gate’s Core Methods [龙门心法] by Wang Chang Yue [王常月], who was a very influential Qing Daoist and a pivotal figure in the institutionalization and dissemination of the Complete Realization School of Daoism and the Dragon Gate sect in particular. The excerpt stems from chapter 5 and serves poignantly as an example of the third category of dreams, the revelatory dream, in which the dreamer is able to commune with the higher realms and, thus, receive instructions from a the deities and spirits:

我今有一段犯了戒又守戒的因果，说与大众。近日一戒子，自云受戒后，忽遭魔难，开斋破戒，无所不为。一日夜间，梦到阴司，看审官司。只见阴司中，许多鬼判，都点挂纱灯，安排香案。少刻，只见阎王出大门，威仪如世间天子一般。只听得判官报，天使已到了，快摆香案接诏，就如世间官府接诏一般。

Today, I would like to speak to the assembly about an event about someone violating the precepts, but subsequently ending with re-observing the precepts. Lately, one disciple of precepts told me himself that after he had received the precepts, he was suddenly met with demonic difficulties; thus, he resumed a meat diet and broke the precepts, there was nothing he would not do. One day at the night, he dreamed about the Yin Administration, where cases were investigated and examined.
He saw that within the Yin administration, there were many ghost judges, all lighting hanging veil lanterns and arranging incense burner tables. In an instant, he saw that King Yama exited from the main door, majestic and imposing as if he were the son of the heavens in this world. He heard a [ghost] judge announced that the heavenly messenger had already arrived and [they ought to] quickly arrange the incense burner tables to receive the imperial orders, precisely as if administrative officials in this world were to receive imperial orders.

只见一位仙官，戴金莲冠，身云鹤氅，手捧黄筒，迎进去了。众鬼不得进去，这道人便要进去。鬼卒骂道：“你们是甚么游魂，敢到森罗大殿？”一个鬼卒道：“是个道人的打扮。”那鬼道：“前日诏书吩咐，凡修道持戒之人，命终之日，许具衣冠进去。有光明者，从正门进；光小者，东角门进；无光者，革除戒名，锁械西角门外，按牌赴审。你这道人，又没有光明，一团黑气，与我一般，混充道人，快走快走！”一手执铁棍打来。

He saw one immortal official, wearing a golden lotus crown, an overcoat [embroidered with] clouds and cranes over the body, the hands clasping a yellow bamboo container, he was welcomed to enter. The multitudes of ghosts were not permitted to enter, but this Daoist wanted to enter. The ghost soldiers scolded him by saying: ‘What kind of wandering ethereal soul are you, daring to trespass the Great Hall of Sen Luo!’ One ghost soldier said: ‘This is the attire of a dress up of a Daoist.’ That ghost [soldier] said: “The day before yesterday, an imperial order instructed: For all people who cultivate the Dao and uphold the precepts, on the day their life-destiny comes to an end, they are allowed to enter fully dressed with their clothes and headwear. For those who possess radiance, they will enter from the upright gate; for the ones with minor radiance, they will enter from the Eastern corner gate; for the ones without radiance, their preceptual names will be revoked, and they will be locked in shackles outside the Western corner gate, according to those signboards they will attend trials [in court. You as a Daoist are without any radiance; you are just one sphere of black Qi. You are the same as me. You must be passing yourself off as a Daoist. Get lost! Get lost!’ Grasping an iron staff in one hand, [the ghost] beat down on [the Daoist].

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Post-Scriptum: This article will be published in full as part of a book, entitled ‘Arts of Daoism’ about meditation, stillness cultivation, abstention from grains [bi gu辟谷], sleeping gong [shui gong睡功], dreams, vegetarianism and diet in Daoism, formulae for fasting and meditation incense, including several chapters from the alchemical classic The Essentials of the Shortcut to the Great Achievement [da cheng jie yao 大成捷要]. It will be a mixture of anecdotal and oral transmissions from my teacher Li Shi Fu and translations of a number of chapters from ancient texts. It is set to be released before Christmas 2020, and a first draft is already finalized.