Daoism, Meditation, and the Wonders of Serenity

Stephen Eskildsen

Description

Stephen Eskildsen offers an overview of Daoist religious texts from the Latter Han (25–220) through Tang (618–907) periods, exploring passive meditation methods and their anticipated effects. These methods entailed observing the processes that unfold spontaneously within mind and body, rather than actively manipulating them by means common in medieval Daoist religion such as visualization, invocations, and the swallowing of breath or saliva. Through the resulting deep serenity, it was claimed, one could attain profound insights, experience visions, feel surges of vital force, overcome thirst and hunger, be cured of ailments, ascend the heavens, and gain eternal life.

While the texts discussed follow the legacy of Warring States period Daoism such as the Laozi to a significant degree, they also draw upon medieval immortality methods and Buddhism. An understanding of the passive meditation literature provides important insights into the subsequent development of Neidan, or Internal Alchemy, meditation that emerged from the Song period onward.
Acknowledgments

1. Introduction
Opening Comments
The Ancient Precedents
Overview

2. The Earliest-Known Daoist Religious Movements
The Taiping Group Texts 太平經(The Great Peace, GP Synopsis, GP Instructions)
The Laozi Xiang’er zhu 老子想爾注(Laozi-Xiang’er)

3. Dramatic Physical and Sensory Effects
Surges of Primal Qi: The Xiandao jing 顯道經(The Manifest Dao)
The Rushi si chizi fa 入室思赤赤子法(Contemplating the Baby)
The Taishang hunyuan zhenlu 太上混元真錄(The True Record)

4. Integrating Buddhism: Earlier Phase
The Xisheng jing 西昇鍽(The Western Ascension)
The Xuwu ziran benqijing 虛無自然本起經(The Original Arising)

5. Integrating Buddhism: Emptiness and the Twofold Mystery
The Benji jing 本際經(The Original Juncture)
The Wuchu jing 五廚經(The Five Kitchens)
The Qingjing jing 清靜經(The Clarity and Calmness)

6. Serenity and the Reaffirmation of Physical Transformation
The Zuowang lun 坐忘論(Sitting and Forgetting)
The Dingguan jing 定觀經(Stability and Observation)

7. Serenity, Primal Qi, and Embryonic Breathing
The Cunshen lianqi ming 存神鍊氣銘(The Inscription)
The Taixi jing zhu 胎息經註(Embryonic Breathing)

8. Conclusion

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• East Asian religions
• Taoism

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 04 novembre 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781438458243
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 11 Mo

Extrait

Daoism, Meditation, AND THE Wonders of Serenity
SUNY SERIES IN C HINESE P HILOSOPHY AND C ULTURE
Roger T. Ames, editor
Daoism, Meditation, AND THE Wonders of Serenity
From the Latter Han Dynasty (25–220) to the Tang Dynasty (618–907)
STEPHEN ESKILDSEN
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS
Cover illustration: Laozi Riding an Ox , hanging scroll, light color on paper, 101.5 × 55.3 cm.
National Palace Museum, Taiwan. Laozi is carrying a copy of the Dao De Jing .
Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Published by State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2015 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.
For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
www.sunypress.edu
Production, Dana Foote
Marketing, Michael Campochiaro
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Eskildsen, Stephen
Daoism, meditation, and the wonders of serenity : from the latter Han dynasty (25–220) to the Tang dynasty (618–907) / Stephen Eskildsen.
pages cm.—(SUNY series in Chinese philosophy and culture)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4384-5823-6 (hardcover : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4384-5824-3 (e-book) 1. Meditation—Taoism. 2. Taoism—China—History—To 1500. I. Title.
BL1923.E845 2015
299.5'1443509—dc23
2014045580
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
C ONTENTS
A CKNOWLEDGMENTS
1. I NTRODUCTION
Opening Comments
The Ancient Precedents
Overview
2. T HE E ARLIEST -K NOWN D AOIST R ELIGIOUS M OVEMENTS
The Taiping Group Texts 太平經 ( The Great Peace , GP Synopsis , GP Instructions )
The Laozi Xiang’er zhu 老子想爾注 ( Laozi-Xiang’er )
3. D RAMATIC P HYSICAL AND S ENSORY E FFECTS
Surges of Primal Qi : The Xiandao jing 顯道經 ( The Manifest Dao )
The Rushi si chizi fa 入室思赤子法 ( Contemplating the Baby )
The Taishang hunyuan zhenlu 太上混元真錄 ( The True Record )
4. I NTEGRATING B UDDHISM : E ARLIER P HASE
The Xisheng jing 西昇經 ( The Western Ascension )
The Xuwu ziran benqijing 虛無自然本起經 ( The Original Arising )
5. I NTEGRATING B UDDHISM : E MPTINESS AND THE T WOFOLD M YSTERY
The Benji jing 本際經 ( The Original Juncture )
The Wuchu jing 五廚經 ( The Five Kitchens )
The Qingjing jing 清靜經 ( The Clarity and Calmness )
6. S ERENITY AND THE R EAFFIRMATION OF P HYSICAL T RANSFORMATION
The Zuowang lun 坐忘論 ( Sitting and Forgetting )
The Dingguan jing 定觀經 ( Stability and Observation )
7. S ERENITY , P RIMAL Q I , AND E MBRYONIC B REATHING
The Cunshen lianqi ming 存神鍊氣銘 ( The Inscription )
The Taixi jing zhu 胎息經註 ( Embryonic Breathing )
8. C ONCLUSION
N OTES
B IBLIOGRAPHY
I NDEX
A CKNOWLEDGMENTS
I have never taken up the practice of meditation because I seriously lack patience and bodily flexibility. Attempting certain meditation postures such as the full lotus position would probably kill me. The restricted dietary regimens that frequently accompany meditation practice are also problematic, as I tend to require more nutrition than the average person. However, the experiences of people who meditate—especially if they are Daoists—somehow fascinate me.
This book developed over the course of the past ten years as my constant curiosity toward Daoism, meditation, and mystical experience drew my attention toward specific texts that vividly attest to the variety and magnitude of sensory and physical phenomena that may be brought about just by making the mind clear and calm. Actually, such texts range in date from the Latter Han right down to the modern period, and I had originally envisioned a volume of much broader chronological scope than this one. However, I eventually came to realize that the Han-through-Tang material easily yielded enough interesting data to fill a monograph, and that a proper, careful analysis of the Neidan (internal alchemy) materials of the Song period onward was an endeavor that needed to be deferred to the future.
Most of the material in this book has not been previously published. Exceptions to this are found in parts of chapter 3 and chapter 4. Some of the discussion on The Manifest Dao has appeared in my article “Some Troubles and Perils of Taoist Meditation” ( Monumenta Serica , no. 56 [2008]): 259–291). Some of the discussion on Contemplating the Baby and The True Record has appeared in my recent article “Red Snakes and Angry Queen Mothers: Hallucinations and Epiphanies in Medieval Daoist Meditation” (in Hindu, Buddhist and Daoist Meditation: Cultural Histories , ed. Halvor Eifring [Oslo: Hermes Publishing, 2014], 149–184). Some of the discussion on The Original Arising appeared in my article “Mystical Ascent and Out-of-Body Experience in Medieval Daoism” ( Journal of Chinese Religions 35 [2007]: 36–62).
The people I need to thank on this occasion are many. My gratitude goes out to all of my teachers of past years, especially Daniel Overmyer and Joseph McDermott. I am grateful to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for providing me with a happy work environment for many years, and for providing me with a Faculty Research Grant to do fieldwork in China during the summer of 2010. I thank all of my friends and colleagues in Chattanooga for their kindness over the years. I thank Nancy Ellegate and her fine staff at the State University of New York Press, along with the two anonymous readers who took the time to read the manuscript carefully and provide helpful, insightful feedback.
Perhaps the main reason for why I was finally able to complete this book this year was that I had the outrageous good fortune of receiving a one-year Visiting Research Fellowship from the Käte Hamburger Kolleg, “Dynamics in the History of Religions between Asia and Europe” situated at the Ruhr-University Bochum (Germany). My stay in Bochum has been extremely intellectually stimulating, and has allowed me the time and resources to complete my project. I would like to particularly thank Volkhard Krech, Licia DiGiacinto, and Lucia an der Brügge for their generosity.
But my most constant companion and supporter over the past decade has been my wife, Eiko Namiki. I thank her for her love and encouragement, and look forward to her future scholarly monographs. I also thank Hana-chan and Kobuton (the ascended) for all of the furry, cuddly comfort that they have provided. Finally, I send my love and gratitude to my parents Edward and Marion Eskildsen, my brothers Tom and Walter, and my Aunt Lucile—all of whom have been a blessing to me for my entire life.
ONE
I NTRODUCTION
OPENING COMMENTS
D aoism has always emphasized mental serenity and maintained that good effects will come about from it. To be serene means that the mind is clear ( qing 清 ), or free of any thoughts that confuse it; it also means that the mind is calm ( jing 靜 ), without any emotions that agitate it. Daoism maintains that you should foster serenity at all times and in all activities. Activity itself is best limited to only what is most natural ( ziran 自然 ) and necessary—“nonaction” ( wuwei 無爲 ) is thus frequently enjoined.
For Daoists, meditation has been a primary means of fostering serenity and bringing it to greater depths. The greatest depths of serenity are entranced states of consciousness wherein mystical insights or experiences are said to come about, 1 or where vital forces of both mind and body—typically conceived as spirit ( shen 神 ), qi 氣/炁 and essence ( jing 精 ) 2 —are said to be activated and mobilized in most salubrious and wondrous ways. However, for such wondrous occurrences to come about in full abundance, it is frequently maintained—as we shall see—that your method of meditation ought to be simple and passive, apparently so as not to hinder the wonders that can only arise naturally. Less is more in all things, including meditation.
An immense variety of meditation methods and regimens have been devised within Daoism. Many of these have actually been very complicated, and have involved the active manipulation of the psyche and physiology by means of techniques such as visualizations (especially of deities inside and outside the body), invocations, mental guiding of qi , controlling and holding of breath, swallowing of breath, swallowing of saliva, knocking of teeth, self-massages, bends, stretches, drawing or swallowing of talismans, and such. Techniques of this sort—which we refer to as proactive (as opposed to the sort that most concerns us, which we refer to as passive )—are presented in particular detail and abundance in a category of Daoist scriptures called the Shangqing 上清 or Maoshan 茅山 scriptures, which originated out of divine revelations that are said to have occurred in the latter half of the fourth century in Jurong 句容 , not far from present day Nanjing. These scriptures were widely acknowledged as the highest of divine revelations in medieval Daoist circles, to the extent that in the structure of the Daoist canon as conceived in the early fifth century, the canon’s first section—the Dongzhen 洞真 section—was reserved for them. Modern scholarship has rightfully devoted a great deal of attention to the Shangqing scriptures, and Isabelle Robinet has provided us with particularly detailed and illuminating studies on their meditation methods. 3
However, such elaborate, proactive meditation techniques are not described or endorsed in ancient Warring States (Zhanguo 戰國 ; 403–221 BCE) period Daoist texts such as the Laozi 老子 (The Old Master, aka Daode jing 道德經 [Classic of the Way and the Virtue]), the Zhuangzi 莊子 (Master Zhuang) or the Neiye 内業 (Inner Training). These texts endorse the habitual fostering of serenity throughout all circumstances and activities; if and when they