Daoism Series 28:
识神
The Spirit of Recognition
The spirit of recognition or the spirit of knowledge [shi shen识神] is also known by the name of the thought-spirit [si lü shen思虑神]. It has been explained in previous classes by Li Shi Fu as a concept of internal alchemy and internal Daoist practices that aim to reach the highest goal of immortality. It is in fact further divided into the original or pre-heaven spirit of recognition [yuan shi shen元识神] and the post-heaven spirit of recognition [hou tian shi shen后天识神]. In Liu Yi Ming’s [刘一明] commentary on the Daoist Scripture of the Hidden Talisman [yin fu jing 阴符经] further elaborates the concept of the spirit of recognition:
古今学人，皆认昭昭灵灵之识神，以为本来之元神，故着空执相，千奇百怪，到老无成，有死而已，殊不知此神为后天之神，而非先天之神，乃神而实不神者。先天之神，非色非空，至无而含至有，至虚而含至实，乃不神之神，而实至神者。奈何世人只知后天之神而神，甘入於轮回，不知先天不神之神，能保乎性命，无怪乎万物盗我之气而罔觉也。
Ancient and modern students [of the Dao], they all recognize the bright and divine spirit of recognition, and consider it to be the original spirit from the source. That is the reason why they attach to emptiness and cling to images, [in the form of] ten thousand [types of] strangeness and one hundred [kinds of] oddities. Reaching old age, they are without success in the end, there is only death.
Particularly, people are not aware that this spirit [of recognition] is a post-heaven spirit and not a pre-heaven spirit, therefore, although it is called a spirit, it is in reality not a spirit.
The pre-heaven spirits are without shape and non-empty. They are of utmost nothingness, yet contain utmost existence. They are of utmost emptiness, yet contain utmost substantiality; therefore, although these spirits are called non-spirits, they are in reality spirits to the utmost.
What is there to be done for worldly people who only know the post-heaven spirits as spirits? Of their own accord, they enter the wheel of return [to life and death], and do not know that the non-spirits of pre-heaven spirits are able to protect one’s inner nature and life-destiny. It is no surprise, then, that the ten thousand things steal one’s Qi imperceptibly.
Post-Scriptum: This article will be published 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 early 2021, and a first draft has been already finalized.
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