Nei-yeh (Chinese Self-Cultivation Manual)

13. Stabilizing Jing results in Shên, which aligns Hsin (Mind)

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  1   There is a numinous [mind] (shên) naturally residing within.

  2   One moment it goes; the next moment it comes.

  3   And no one is able to conceive of it.

  4   If you lose it, you are inevitably disordered.

  5   It you attain it, you are inevitably well-ordered.

  6   Diligently clean out its lodging place (shé)

  7   And its vital essence (jing) will naturally arrive.

  8   Still your attempts to imagine and conceive of it.

  9   Relax your efforts to reflect on and control it.

10   Be reverent and diligent

11   And its vital essence (jing) will naturally stabilize.

12   Grasp it and don’t let go.

13   Then the eyes and ears won’t overflow

14   And hsin (the heart-mind) will have nothing else to seek.

15   When a properly aligned mind (cheng hsin) resides within you,

16   The myriad things will be seen in their proper perspective.

Commentary

The previous verse introduced shên, the source of understanding. Verse 13 refines our understanding of the relationship between jing, shên, and hsin. These three word-concepts are highly significant for the Nei-yeh as well as the enduring tradition of Taoism. This song-poem continues relating the benefits of shên (cognitive energy) and a well-ordered hsin (heart-mind). It also incorporates jing (life force) into this network. This continuity of topics is further evidence for the Nei-yeh’s developmental nature.

 

Lines 1-3:

     1   There is a numinous [mind] (shên) naturally residing within (zhöng).

     2   One moment it goes; the next moment it comes.

     3   And no one is able to conceive of it.

 

The poem begins by stating that shên is naturally found within, but that it is elusive. Just like the Tao, jing and chi, it comes and goes somewhat unpredictably. Further, like the Tao, we can’t understand it.

Lines 4-5:

     4   If you lose it, you are inevitably disordered.

     5   It you attain it, you are inevitably well-ordered.

 

We definitely want shên to remain within us. When in our core (zhöng), shên is an organizing force. When it leaves, we inevitably become disorganized. Shên seems to be an essential component of a well-ordered, i.e. balanced, life.

Lines 6-7:

     6   Diligently clean out its lodging place (shé)

     7   And its vital essence (jing) will naturally arrive.

 

Again the counsel is to ‘clean out the lodging place (shé)’ and jing (life force) will come naturally. Master Ni also spoke about the importance of emptying the Original Cavity in order to align with the Tao. In both cases, jing and the Tao naturally arise once the space is empty.

Shên is the focus of this verse. The word ‘its’ in these and subsequent lines seems to imply that shên is associated with jing, our life force. If conditions are right, i.e. a clean lodging place – empty core (zhöng), the energy pair emerges naturally. It is the only place in this terse document that the two are linked. Later Taoist texts, as we shall see, consider the jing-shên connection to be of paramount importance.

 

Lines 8-11:

     8   Still your attempts to imagine and conceive of it.

     9   Relax your efforts to reflect on and control it.

   10   Be reverent and diligent

   11   And its vital essence (jing) will naturally stabilize.

 

As with the unknowable Tao, we must resist the urge to define or control shên.  While we can move our arm or understand a concept, we can’t imagine or control this elevated condition. Indeed, the Nei-yeh counsels us to ‘still our attempts’ and ‘relax our efforts’ to grasp the jing-shên synergy, presumably because it is a waste of mental energy. Instead, we must ‘diligently’ prepare a place and hope it comes.

It is impossible to imagine or control the synergy. However, if we are both ‘reverent and diligent’ presumably in self-cultivation practices, e.g. meditation, then we can stabilize the jing/shên synergy once it comes. Presumably, this superior form of internal energy won’t be so elusive. Instead shên will remain to properly order our life.

 ‘Reverence’ could have 2 components – respect for the importance of shên and proper humility. Humility is associated with emptying hsin, the heart-mind, of the thoughts and behavior associated with personal ego. If the mind is too full of the emotional thoughts associated with personal ego, the jing/shên synergy will be repelled. However, if we engage in regular ego cleansing, then we will be able to tap into this elevated energy source.

Diligence’ could also have 2 components – daily practice and regular attention. One Taoist text likens this concentrated attention to that of a setting hen. Once the hen begins setting, it doesn’t ‘forget’ the eggs for the 3 weeks or more that they take to hatch. Similarly, we must not ‘forget’ our inner cultivation practices.

What are these practices? Recall from Verse 8 that there are 3 conditions that must be fulfilled in order to create a lodging place (shé) for jing: 1) a stable mind, 2) eyes and ears acute and clear, 3) 4 limbs fixed. These conditions seem to suggest some kind of meditation, whether sitting or standing. Further 'eyes and ears acute and clear' suggests that we are in a state of readiness. While aware of our environment, we lack volition, in terms of fulfilling desires.

 

Lines 12-14:

   12   Grasp it and don’t let go.

   13   Then the eyes and ears won’t overflow

   14   And hsin (the heart-mind) will have nothing else to seek.

 

The final lines of song-poem #13 bring hsin, the heart-mind, into the process. Diligence in our practices stabilizes the jing/shên synergy. Then ‘the eyes and ears won’t overflow, and our mind (hsin) will have nothing else to seek’.

Eyes and ears are frequently associated with desires. As Master Ni stated, we see something and want it. This statement also applies to hearing. We hear about something and we want it, even though we’ve never seen it.

When disorganized, the powerful hsin, our heart mind, focuses upon fulfilling the desires that are catalyzed by the eyes and ears. Conversely, when actively engaged in self-cultivation practices, miscellaneous sights and sounds won’t distract our heart-mind (hsin). Focusing upon stabilizing the jing-shên synergy, hsin will have nothing else to seek

Lines 15-16:

   15   When a properly aligned mind (cheng hsin) resides within you,

   16   The myriad things will be seen in their proper perspective.

 

Stabilizing the jing/shên synergy simultaneously aligns hsin, the innate processes of our heart-mind. With a properly aligned mind at our core, we are able to perceive our environment from the proper perspective, i.e. without the distortions of desires. With emotions balanced, we are more easily able to experience the direct nature of reality.

To better understand the interactions between the key concepts, let’s summarize the relationships from the last few verses. A well-ordered hsin leads to well-ordered speech and actions, which in turn lead to a well-ordered community (V10). Tranquility (ching) is a precondition for a well-ordered mind (V11). The disruption of our sense-desires repels shên (V12). Without shên, hsin is inevitably disordered (this verse). In brief, we need shên at our core if we are to have the well-ordered mind that exerts a positive effect upon the planet. (This logical sequence is yet another indication of the developmental nature of the Nei-yeh’s verses.)

Hsin, our behavior patterns, not a cosmic energy source

With the inclusion of shên, the Nei-yeh has introduced all the cosmic energies. Further the trio of energies is connected with hsin, our heart mind. Let us speak a little about hsin.

The ideogram for hsin appears 25 times in the Nei-yeh – more frequently that any other word-concept. Roth translates hsin simply as ‘mind’. This translation is good as long as we remember that hsin is different than our neurological brain and/or the Universal Mind of Buddhism.

Hsin is unique from the cosmic energies – jing, chi and shên. These are all positive spirit energies that we want to attract and stabilize in our center (zhöng) because they bring vitality (shêng) and wisdom. They are abstract, unchangeable, universal power sources that are available to anyone at any time. However they are also elusive and somewhat unpredictable.

While the cosmic energies are general, hsin is individual and personal. Hsin can be viewed as our innate psycho-emotional nature. As such, we have inclinations and behavioral tendencies that can and should be modified and shaped, if we are to maximize our potentials.

While the rest of the energies are immutable, hsin goes through many transformations. These are the result of innate tendencies or processes. When hsin is well-ordered, our thoughts and behavior are balanced. When hsin is disordered or disrupted, our behavioral patterns are unbalanced.

Mind sees something and wants it. Automatic behavior patterns kick in to obtain the object of our desire. If we can’t fulfill our desires, we become angry. This anger generates inner turmoil that disrupts hsin, our heart-mind. This disruption repels the cosmic energies associated with the Tao. Without the Tao’s mental integration, our vitality (shêng) dims and our cognitive skills are compromised. This natural process is associated with hsin.

Generally speaking, mental turbulence repels the cosmic energies associated with the Tao, while mental tranquility (hsin ching) attracts them. In other words, our state of mind (hsin) is an exceptionally important ingredient in whether these universal energies remain or leave. While our mental state is somewhat unpredictable, one of the implicit messages of the Nei-yeh is that we don’t have to be a victim of the innate tendencies associated with hsin, our heart mind.

Te, our mental restraint muscle, can exert an effect upon these mental processes. If we view hsin as a wild horse, te is the mental muscle that we employ to rein him in and channel his energies. By exerting te, will power, we can enhance the likelihood of healthy processes and minimize the possibility of unhealthy behavioral patterns. Via te, we can restrict hsin’s natural tendencies that lead to the emotional disruption that drives away the cosmic energies.

Because the cosmic power sources are permanent, te has no effect upon them. However we can employ te, our will power, to mold hsin, or at least to encourage healthy processes and discourage unhealthy processes. By employing te to clean our inner spirit house of mental turbulence, we attract the jing/chi/shên synergy to our center.

Te is the mental muscle that we employ for inner cultivation, i.e. to calm the mind and align the body. In this sense, the Nei-yeh teaches us the best Way (the Tao) of employing te to cultivate body and mind (hsin) in order to both attract and stabilize the jing/ch’i/shên synergy. The self-cultivation process is designed to maximize both physical vitality and mental acuity.

Summary

Verse 13: Shên is required for the well-ordered mind (hsin) that generates a well-ordered community (V10). Shên is only present with jing at our center. Cleaning out shé, our internal space, attracts and stabilizes jing. Recall from Verse 8, that alignment, balance and tranquility creates a proper space (shé) for jing. Regular meditation practices could clean, i.e. empty, this space. A stabilized jing limits desires, which leads to mental alignment and subsequently to the well-ordered mind (hsin) that harmonizes the community.

 

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