木本水源
The Three Treasures ----- Guan關, Jue訣and Yin印
The attaining of Dao is liable to heartiest congratulations from other fellow Dao-devotees and even from the unseen deities, whereby the ancestors’ of a Dao-attainder are granted with “a white lotus” in front of their chests as an indication of Heaven’s blessings. Of course, the word “treasure” signifies its extreme preciousness.
There is a Chinese saying from Taoism, whose English-translated version goes like this: “The heaven possesses the Sun, Moon and stars as a trinity treasure; the earth possesses water, fire and wind as a trinity treasure; while the human possesses essence (Jing), breath (qi) and spirit (shen) as a trinity treasure -----天有三寶日月星，地有三寶水火風，人有三寶精氣神。” Yet, the Three Treasures (or “Trinity Treasure”) that one had attained in the Dao-initiation ritual was “Guan” (關 the Mystical Gate), “Jue” (訣the Mnemonics) and “Yin” (印the Contract).
The First Treasure ----- The Mystical Gate :
The First Treasure, the Mystical Gate, is a spot where all the heavenly beings share linkage with human’s soul and an entrance by which one’s spirit entered upon birth to reside within, with a spiritual “navel-tie” linking to our Heavenly Mother or “Universal Mother” (this “navel-tie” exists only after one had attained Dao with the Mystical Gate being initiated ----- hence the Initiation-master, or Dian Chuan Shi, can be described as ‘a spiritual midwife 靈性的接生婆’, who help one’s spirit ‘to be given birth’ or ‘ to deliver’ ----- here, the attaining of Dao being compared as a ‘Second Birth’). Dominating the five sensual organs and other parts of the body, it is also a main entrance by which one’s spirit entered since the first cry and SHOULD leave upon death in order to return to the Eternal Heaven and free from further rebirths. Confucian texts name it as至善寶地the finest piece of treasured land” or “率性之所residence of the free-will(ed)”; the Buddhist scriptures have it recorded as “ 正法眼藏，涅槃妙心the right doctrine hidden in the eye, a wonderful heart of peaceful Nirvana”; the Taoist texts term it as “玄牝之門Xuan Pin Zhi Men, Door of the Mystical Cow” or “天地根the root of Heaven and Earth”. This orifice is the central medium of the three realms of heaven, earth and human. As some scripture states, “Human’s heart is the heaven’s heart(人心既天心).” a secret treasure that could not be easily revealed from heaven through ages. The initiation of this First Treasure exalts one to holiness and the cultivation of it enables one to attain immortality or Buddha hood (the New Age's term is "to awaken the inner self"). A scriptural poem has it,
“Initiated with the action of Mystical Gate’s unlocking, 點開玄關竅，
One will be exempted from Hell’s call awaiting, 閻王不來叫，
One’s name will be eliminated from the Registry-book Of Hade, 地府抽了名，
And, from thence, be enlisted in Heaven’s registration instead.” 天榜掛上號。
Confucius said, “Whoever can leave the house not by the door? Yet why is it that none follows this way (Way)? 誰能出不由戶，何莫由斯道矣？” That was Confucius’ emotional sigh over how precious the Heavenly Way (天道) was and how pitiful it was that the people would not put it into practice. Considering the Chinese character戶, it is made up of a “dot ` ” and a “corpse尸” ----- that is: with a “dot `” added, it is “a door 戶” ; with the “dot” removed, it becomes “a corpse尸”. Hence, ancient characters consist of confound and mystical meanings : attaining this “dot” as initiation of the First Treasure, it is a “main door戶”; with this dot of “spiritual initiation” removed, one is a dead body 尸 subject to reincarnation of six paths. Hence the Buddhist sayings, “An initiation ‘finger-pointing’ enables to transmigrate the Three Universal Realms; an imparting of the seal (of a ‘dot’) helps to free one from The Ten Kings-of-hell 一指能超三界外，一點能脫十閻羅 。” From this, we can verify of the significance and importance of obtaining The First Treasure’s initiation. In the days of Confucius, his disciple Zigong 子貢,who had missed the opportunity of receiving Confucius' imparting of the spiritual truth, ever expressed his regrets with the sighing words, “My teacher’s essays are obtainable and can be heard of, but his revelation of Nature and Heavenly Way are not obtainable and not heard of.” Another saying has it, “Reading thousands of scriptures and texts is, yet, no match with the ‘initiation-dot’ from an enlightened teacher.” On the very day one attained Dao, one realized the spot where one’s spirit situated (from direct front-view) and it was by this orifice that past sages and buddhas cultivated and achieved spiritual perfection. Thus, there is a saying, “The Mystical Gate, the Isle of Immortals, the initiation of which reveals the priceless jewels玄關竅，蓬萊島，點開便是無價寶 The truth of Dao can be proved with factual evidences ----- if a person passes away one day, the cheeks remain healthily pink as if alive and the joints and muscles are often flexible, neither stiffened as cases in winter nor rotting as cases in summer. This is true to those having attained Dao, regardless of age and gender, only with exceptional cases of those who commit evil and defile morality. Obtaining the initiation of Dao is like obtaining a priceless treasure. The Mystical Gate is also where the Heaven shares linkage with human. But, how should we proof of it? This “Heaven” refers to the entire body of the Cosmos (or Universe), within which is like a central source of electrical energy, whereas each individual is comparable to one of a thousands of electrical terminals. The quantity of electrical bulbs, for instance as the terminals, may be numerous and yet the system operates without mess but by orderly routine, with the law of Karma regulating it in extreme precision. The principle is that each terminal is subject to the main source in order to operate and the electrical meter always reveals the correct reading. Hence, we can understand that NO HUMAN CAN COMMIT EVIL WITHOUT BEING SUBJECT TO EVIL RETRIBUTION ----- since one’s conscience within “the Eye” (The First Treasure) is like a Supervisory Deity (Jian Cha Shen監察神) watching over oneself subconsciously. Furthermore, one should take note that the ceremony serves to allow one to rejoin one's "higher self".
The present method of easy attainment of Dao is different from the difficult way of the past --- this has been due to Heaven's mercy to allow global spiritual-salvation which is being sped up by global-calamities' urgency in our age. The ancient cultivator of Dao had to “journey on foot spoiling even the metal shoes and yet to no avail 踏破鐵鞋無覓處”; the present Dao adherent or pursuer “attains it without affording much effort 得來全不費工夫”. A poem says,
“The Dao is simple but men harden their own self-realizations, 大道不難人自難，
The lost ones are like blocked off by myriads of mountains, 迷人如隔萬重山，
Revealed the Mystical Gate by Enlightened Teacher’s imparting, 明師指開玄關竅，
One can reach Western Heaven as fast as a finger-flipping.” 不勞彈指至西天。
The Mystical Gate itself is a little “Western Heaven”. Another poem goes,
“Buddha is on the Spiritual Mountain and not far apart, 佛在靈山莫遠求，
This Spiritual Mountain is merely in your very own heart, 靈山只在爾心頭﹐
Since everyone has a Pagoda of Spiritual Mountain, 人人有座靈山塔﹐
One just has to stay beneath to perform cultivation.” 好向靈山塔下修。
The Mystical Gate is also called “The Eye of Wisdom”慧眼. Since man is obstructed by his impure personality and blinded by his desires, it is true of the Chinese saying, “Having studied lots of scripture, yet one is ‘not enlightened on the orifice’ (not wised up with the key knowledge) 一竅不通. The initiation of the First Treasure is “the revelation of the Celestial Eye of Wisdom, able to penetrate into the essential truth of all scriptures.” Thus, after attaining Dao, if one is to study cautiously and apprehend deeply the scriptures of any religion, they all can be penetrated with one truth. This is why of the saying, “Throughout the universe, only Dao is unique and precious.” He who had attained Dao should treasure his affinity with Dao and not lose it. It is hoped that a Dao-attainder will cultivate progressively.
The Second Treasure ----- The Mnemonic or Password (The Non-scriptural Sutra):
The Mnemonic or Password is “the Non-scriptural Sutra”, the Great Dao of the Three Universal Realms, confound and delicate. Since it cannot be inscribed on paper-sheet but can only be imparted verbally and imprinted in the receiver’s heart in front of Buddha, there goes the scriptural saying,
“The True ‘Sermon’ (Sutra) has no scriptural form to take, 真經無字又無文，
If appeared in words, it is undoubtedly a fake; 有字有文亦非真，
Only to be heart-imprinting when imparted verbally, 只許口傳與心印，
Inscription (of it) diverts into ‘Discipline’ or ‘Theory’.” 書寫紙上犯律論。
(Quoted from Bodhidharma’s Analects達摩論)
(Tripitaka: It is a Sanskrit word meaning Three Treasures 三藏: 1.Sutra Pitika經藏 - the sermons attributed to the Shakyamuni Buddha. ; 2.Vinaya Pitika 律藏- the discipline in practice to act according to the rules and regulations. ; 3.Abhidharma Pitika 論藏- the philosophical theory, such as discourses, discussions, or treatises on the dogma, doctrines, etc. of Buddhism.)
Patriarch Bodhidharma ever mentioned also,
“Bodhidharma came from the west with no text to impart, 達摩西来一字無，
Totally basing on hard persistence out of one’s very heart, 全憑心意用功夫，
Buddha’s doctrine from text if one seeks to obtain, 若要紙上尋佛法，
Thorough combing and reading will end one up in vain.” 翻遍經卷無法度。
Why is it that the True Sutra also called “the Mnemonic” or “The Password”? In the army troop, a password is conveyed and it is a secret code for verification. Likewise, the Password is a secret password of Buddha’s title. During the present universal salvation to the Three Cosmic Kinds (the Atmospheric-Heaven’s deities仙(氣天神), human beings 人 and ghosts鬼(地府的祖先)), Buddha Maitreya complies with the periodical chance of Celestial Fortune and this Non-scriptural Sutra is imparted. If you encountered any life-endangerment beyond redemption of human capability, just recite this sutra by heart and the Universal Mother will naturally send a divine being to save you from disaster and turn danger into safety. This Mnemonic should not be thought least of. If one simply disregards its importance, he is disregarding his own life, so one should keep it a secret and not leak it out in words.
The Third Treasure ----- The Contract (He Tong 合仝 ), Zi Hai 子亥Formula
He Tong (the Contract) is a hand-seal. Just as an official governor makes endorsement with an imperial seal, the Contract serves the same for a Dao devotee to build on his faith. It associates with the official endorsement using a seal. Grandmaster Lu ( 路中一祖師, an incarnation of Buddha Maitreya) was born with the Chinese characters 合仝 as his palm-lines (one on the left ----合; the other on the right ----- 仝). This “Contract合仝” was, thus, destined by the merciful Heaven ----- Zi 子and Hai亥 are the first and last of the Twelve Earthly Branches, forming a Chinese word “孩” (child).
There has been a common saying ----- during any jubilant occasion of festival, one should carry a baby that does not cry (so as not to spoil the atmosphere).” Since a “non-crying baby” does not exist in real life, “carrying a non-crying baby” is none other than “hugging the Contract to one’s chest” as a metaphor. It is only then that one can be free of disasters and, that undoubtedly, deserves celebration the most. The heavenly secret had been disclosed to the Dao-attainder, but that was made possible only in compliance with the present Celestial Climate. The left hand signifies “goodness” and is held outside, thus one offers incense with the left hand; the right hand signifies “evil” and is placed inside, since one often uses a knife (or weapon as in the case of an ancient warrior) with the right hand. This hand-seal signifies “to publicize goodness but hide (or rid of) evil”. “Clasped in front of one’s chest, Zi and Hai combine; then one can bypass crisis and passes of nine-by-nine.” This is, under the leading of Buddha Maitreya, an ancient contract of Universal Mother and can enable us to bypass crisis and passes of nine-by-nine, eighty-one disasters.
Yet, why is it that disasters are numbered in “Celestial Figures”天數? It is all because, since Creation, it has been destined for Ten Buddhas to comply with the Celestial Fortune ----- the Ministry of Seven Buddhas and the Spiritual Harvest of Three Buddhas. Out of these Three Harvesting Buddhas, the leading Ancient-buddha Dipankara incarnated into the mundane world to render spiritual salvation and it was during those days of Emperor Fu-xi (Fu Hsi), the Green Period, that Buddha Dipankara took charge of the Heavenly Realm for 1 500 years to ferry 200 millions of “Original Celestial-fetuses And Buddha-innocents 原胎佛子” (original ancient-spirits of perfected virtue and merits). Since the human beings then were pure-hearted, the number of disaster was restricted to nine only ----- as the Deluge (or the Flood).
During the second Universal Ferry (or Universal Spiritual Salvation), Ancient-buddha Shakyamuni incarnated into the mundane world at the end of Zhou Dynasty (or “Chou Dynasty”) but, since human’s heart waxed in impurities to a greater extent, the disasters descended were of 18 in number (as the “Fire” of Raging Wars”) ---- that was the Red Period. Ancient-buddha Shakyamuni took charge of the Heavenly Realm for
3 000 years to ferry another multitude of 200 millions “Original Celestial-fetuses And Buddha-innocents” back to the Eternal Heaven.
^可以點擊圖像看大圖
Now, during the final calamitous Third Period, Buddha Maitreya is in charge of the Heavenly Realm for 10 800 years while both Living-buddha Ji-gong (The Saviour Living-buddha) and Bodhisattva Yue-hui (Bodhisattva of Moon and Wisdom) are in charge of the Dao-propagation Realm to render universal spiritual salvation to the Three Cosmic Kinds as “Universal Harvest”. But, since the human beings had accumulated too many evil deeds, eighty-one disasters are, and will be, descended and this, together with the disasters of the previous two periods, sums up to 108 disasters ----- this coincidentally corresponds to the 108 pearls of Buddhist necklace.
That accounts of the numerical figures (Celestial Numerical-Figures) of disasters in the Cosmos. Viewing from a Taoist-cum-Buddhist aspect, the famous Buddhist “Four Great Bodhisattvas四大菩薩”, namely “Bodhisattva Avalokitesva of Great Mercy” (Da Bei Guan Yin Pu Sa 大悲觀音菩薩), Bodhisattva Manjusri Of Great Wisdom (Da Zhi Wen Shu Pu Sa 大智文殊菩薩), Bodhisattva Samantabhadra Of Great Persistance (Da Xing Pu Xian Pu Sa 大行普賢菩薩) and Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha ( or Bodhisattva of Earth-storage)Of Great Vow(Da Yuan Di Zang Wang Pu Sa 大愿地藏王菩薩), corresponds to four kinds of disasters on our Planet Earth, in alignment with the “Celestial Fortune” of The Twelve Eras Of The Cosmos (as a Taoist account of the Beginning and End of the entire Universe). It is also notable that the concept of "Cosmic Clock" blends with that of the "Axial Precession Cycle" wherein "Leo" associating with "Bodhisattva Manjusri" (mounted on his pet lion), "Taurus" associating with "Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha" (mounted on his unicorn ox), "Aquarius" associating with "Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara" (pouring out water flow from a holy vase) and "Scorpio" associating with "Bodhisattva Samantabhadra" (the head of his six-tusked elephant symbolizes "a scorpion", with the pair of grasping claws aligned with the elephant's eyes and the other three pairs of legs aligned with the six tusks with the sting in due alignment with the elephant's trunk).
1) Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, or Goddess of Mercy (Guan-yin), is usually depicted holding in her hand a holy vase with a willow branch, sometimes even standing on a black dragon as a symbol of subduing the dragon “of flood disasters”, hence this deity (Guan-yin) corresponds to “Water Element水 and represents “the holding back or control of flood disasters”.
2) Bodhisattva Manjusri is usually depicted mounting on an immortal lion and held in his hand the sword of wisdom ----- he corresponds to “Fire Element 火 and symbolizes “the holding back or control of fiery disasters of war”.
3) Bodhisattva Samantabhadra is usually depicted mounting on an immortal elephant of six tusks (the elephant symbolizes “endurance” and its six tusks symbolize “the Six Practices of Ferrying” or Liu Du 六渡) and the deity himself corresponds to the “Wind Element 風” and represents “the holding back or control of wind diasters”.
4) Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha is usually depicted mounting on a holy unicorn-ox, named “Di-ting 諦聽” (Hearer of Truth), and he corresponds to the “Earth Element土”, thus representing “the holding back or control of earthquake disasters”.
It is most often spoken of the three leading disasters: the flood (of Water Element), the wars (of Fire Element) and the wind disasters (of Wind Element), inclusive of 1947’s atomic bombardments that Japan suffered and the possible future disasters of “nuclear wind” (of Wind Element) and these three calamities are the “heads” (most significant) of all other minor ones ----- thus the symbolism of three larger pearls with the other 105 pearls of smaller size in a Buddhist necklace. The above explains the “Celestial Figure” of cosmic calamities. Because during and after the Era Of Shen (申會), it will be the destruction of the Human, Earth and Heaven respectively, followed by The Cosmic Chaos, and the Great Calamities of Earthquakes will occur only after the destruction of human beings on Planet Earth, thus not very much emphasized in most preaching ----- yet, the far-future destruction of Earth (with myriads of earthquakes) is a natural great calamity that must not be overlooked as well.
(Note that each particular "Era會" in the "Cycle Of Cosmic Fortune" lasts for 10,800 years according to this Taoist aspect. Our Planet Earth had already undergone myriads of this "Fortune Cycle", such that the "theory (with 12 x 10,800 years forming one Cosmic Cycle)" does not contradict with scientist's belief that our Earth is already 4.54 billion years of age.)
The Four Great Bodhisattvas Of Buddhism correspond to the Later Hexagram as shown above. The central diagram of Later Hexagram on the other hand aligns with The Twelve Eras of Cosmic Fortune Cycle ----- from Zi’s to Yin’s Era (子會~寅會), it was the Creation of Heaven, Earth and human, the Cosmic Spring; from Mao’s Era to Early Era of Wu (卯會~午會初期), it was The Ministry Of Seven Buddhas七佛治世, the Cosmic Summer; from Later Era of Wu to Shen’s Era (午會中期~申會), it is The Harvest Of Three Buddhas三佛收元 followed by "Destruction Of Man"(which will occur in Shen's Era), the Cosmic Autumn; from You’s to Hai’s Era (酉會~亥會), it will be the Destruction of Earth and Heaven and a period of Cosmic Chaos respectively, the Cosmic Winter that is equivalent to water (That is why God was said to “walk on water” in the Bible’s Genesis Book before the Creation Of The Entire Cosmos when there was actually “nothingness” or “voidness” in the beginning ----- equivalent to “Cosmic Chaos”, Hun Dun 混沌, and this aligns with the I-Ching’s notion of “Tian Yi Sheng Shui” 天一生水 (The Heavenly Oneness gave birth to Water-element) in the very beginning, wherein God himself represents “Qian Hexagram 乾卦(which is significant with 'Heaven')” in the Era Of Hai 亥.) It should be noted that, according to the Buddhist legends or scriptures, for instance in ‘Journey To The West’, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara or Goddess Guan Yin can perform miracle of restoring life by sprinkling holy water from her sacred vase, that represents one’s nose (in shape) and the Mystical Gate as the vase’s mouth ----- this associates with the Biblical account of “God’s breathing life into Adam’s nose (shape of the 'sacred vase' whereas the 'sacred vase' signifies 'God's breath')”----- the magical life-revival capability (God's breath) is just in due alignment with the ’revival periods’ of the Cosmic Spring in this Cosmic Fortune Cycle --- whereby Goddess Guan Yin's sprinkling of holy water, as in the story of 'Journey To The West', to restore the life of a mythical Tree Of Ren-Shen-Guo (whose symbolism is equivalent with "The Cosmic Tree" or "Tree Of Life that was guarded off by winged-deities called 'Seraphs' " as mentioned in the Bible ) associates with Jehovah's action of 'pouring' out life ---i.e., life or spirit as "in water form" --- in correspondence to The "Cosmic Spring's 'restoration' (rather than 'creation') of Heaven, Earth and Human respectively". Here, the word Yin 寅(from "Era of Yin寅會, when 'Birth of Human' took place" ) is made up of 宙一人 , a man named “Zeus(宙斯)” or “Time(Chronos, as his Roman name)”, i.e. Adam ! The “blowing” of God’s breath (into Adam's nose to give him life) indicated the “PRESENCE OF WIND” and this aligns with Pu Xian Pu Sa’s significance of WIND ELEMENT also, in the position of Mao’s Era 卯會 ! (Furthermore, the Chinese character of Mao卯 is also shaped like "A NOSE" overturned! --- Adam's nose卯 ). Creation of "Adam" here aligns with "Birth Of Man" which occurred in the Era of Yin寅. So, the Theory Of 12-era-in-1-cosmic-fortune can be proved, coinciding with Biblical accounts of the Creation. Jehovah is actually a combination these 4 Supergods with a 5th mystical ‘Supergod’ of Ether Element (大慈彌勒菩薩)!
Pan Ku, the Ancient Giant, holding an egg-symbol from which he was born----- note that this image also hints about The Third Treasure, or The Contract.
Pan Ku was believed to be born out of a Cosmic Egg . The shape of Cosmic Egg symbolizes one’s skull with the hint at the Xuan Guan, from which the Buddha Nature should “sprout out” one day if the Dao-attainder cultivates hard.
The Mystical Gate And Proof From The Scriptures:
PROOF FROM HINDUISM -----
Katha Upanishad states in the fourth chapter,
“This whole moving world, whatever is,
Stirs in the breath of life (prana), deriving from it;
The great fear (this), the upraised thunderbolt;
Whoso shall know it (thus) becomes immortal.”
The first two lines describe any spinning galaxy in the entire Universe, as a whirlpool of “Qi氣” (called “prana” in Hindu scriptures or among Yogi) or “pneumatic energy”. Actually, one’s Mystical Gate is also a small whirlpool of Cosmic Energy given the name of “Eyebrow Chakra” by ancient Yogi.
The great fear (this), the upraised thunderbolt ----- the word “this” refers to the AFTER-EFFECTS of having the Mystical Gate being initiated and yet not acting upon one’s conscience, which means “acting against one’s conscience that subjects oneself to “the punishment of the upraised thunderbolt”. This “thunderbolt” refers especially to “The Thunder Of Doctrine” or “Fa Lei 法雷”. On the other hand, those who had gained enlightenment on The Mystical Gate can arouse awe-inspiring “pneumatic energy” from the Lower Dan-tian (near the navel) towards this mystical position (The Eye) and that demands respect from the deities and startles the ghosts. Thus, the later part mentions attaining Dao with initiation on The Mystical Gate makes one to “become immortal”.
The third chapter of Katha Upanishad says,
“Like light and shade there are two selves:
One here on earth imbibes the law (rta) of his own deeds;
The other, though hidden in the secret place of the heart,
Dwells in the uttermost beyond.
So say the seers who Brahman know,
The owner of five fires and of three Naciketa fires.”
This part of the scripture tells of the “two selves” of every human being ----- the physical self and the spiritual self, in layman’s terms. “Light” refers to the spiritual self which is of positive virtues, sometimes described to be as bright as the Sun (a symbol of clear conscience and pure heart); “shade” or “darkness” symbolizes the physical self which is “subject to the spiritual self” (like a shadow that follows oneself). The spiritual self, of higher personality, is “hidden in the secret place of the heart ----- this, no doubt, relates of how mystical this “secret position”(the Mystical Gate) is and only those who had attained Dao in those ancient days knew of the secret, but they could not leak it out. The final lines “The owner of five fires refers to the Taoist ‘Five Elements 五行’ which are present in everyone’s physical body or the Five Constant Virtues五常, namely benevolence仁, righteousness義, propriety禮, wisdom智 and faith信. The three Naciketa fires refers to the two physical eyes (warmest among the five sensory organs, thus symbolized as “fires”) and the Mystical Gate, within which one’s spiritual energy burns like fire, for days and nights.
From the tenth chapter of Rig-veda, there are lines as follows,
“The father of the eye ----- for wisdom of mind is he -----
Begat these twain like sacrificial ghee,
And they bowed to him in worship.
Not till the ancient bounds were firmly fixed
Were heaven and earth extended.”
The “father” (positive energy-source in one’s body) is the spiritual self dwelling within the Mystical gate and “he” is called “wisdom of mind” (one’s brain does not think if the spiritual self does not dwell there). The “twain” means the positive and negative forces (Yin and Yang) of the Universe but can also refer to the two eyes. While applying the First Treasure, one has to divert the two eyeballs towards the “ ……” as if “worshipping the devoted one (spiritual self) amidst.
