Method of Vowing Before the Great Masters

By Kong Jing

(Miao li jing wei ping shi yin, kua xuan tong ling zai zhi cheng.
　　 Dao zai shi chuan xiu zai ji, qi shi li zhi hao xiu xing.)
　　 Although the orthodox is profound, deep and subtle,
　　 They can be understood if you obtain the enlightened Master's aid;
　　 Although the other side of the Taiji string is mysterious, wondrous and out of our reach,
　　 It can be seen if it's believed devoutly;
　　 Although it is said that the duty of the Master is to lead you to know the Tao and the cultivation of virtue and practice depends on yourself,
　　 The practice and cultivation will become easier if the lofty ideal is set up.

　　 Method of Vowing Before the Great Masters is one of the important methods to adjust our body and mind to the nature of Tao, returning to the innate state. Although this method is traditional, it can provide the obvious physical and mental relaxation in the process of practicing perfection, so it's a very important method that can regulate and adjust oneself as a whole, and the effect of it can't be ignored. Therefore, we should absorb the scientific and reasonable essence of it and develop its effect to the full, and enable the practicer to enter the innate state of peace from the acquired state. If we want to achieve the high level of Qigong, we should reject its dross and assimilate its essence, applying it with a scientific attitude.

　　 The traditional theory of practicing perfection regarded worshiping the great masters as the prerequisite to practicing Tao. The learner of practicing perfection should receive and uphold the three gems--Tao, Sutras and Masters, firstly, we should have our body and mind taken refuge in the natural Tao and the invisible and visible masters, only after this can we understand the sutras and cultivate the virtue and practice according to the demand of Tao since the sutras are profound, beating about the bush, and can't be understood by ourselves without the guidance of the enlightened masters.

　　 The number of sutras of Taoism and Buddhism is immense, but the difference between right and wrong, good and evil is very hard to be discerned, furthermore, a small error may lead to a serious result, so only when being instructed by the great masters, can we understand the mysterious mnemonic rhyme without any error or mistake.

　　 The invisible masters are different from the visible ones, and the visible are also different from each other. Some of them are superior to broad and profound knowledge, some superior to lofty moral, some superior to great virtue and high prestige, some superior to being free from things of the world, etc. I've told about things on looking for the masters in some chapters. In fact, the key of which is to look for the invisible masters on the basis of finding the visible masters, cultivate the virtue and practice under their instruction, and finally attain the realm of the celestial beings or Buddha.

　　 The invisible masters include not only the invisible masters beyond the four-dimension time-space but also the masters living in the world, who acquired great achievements in both Xing Gong and Ming Gong and their spirits are in the invisible high space-time.

　　 We should look for the orthodox masters. No matter in the visible or the invisible circumstance, there're numerous masters including the Buddhist masters, the Taoist masters, the orthodox masters and the heterodox masters, etc. For thousands of years, the San-Qing method of Laots is thought as the best one for those who want to practice Golden-Dan Great Tao, for the secret method and material are all mastered by Laots, only after we've found the masters of the Laots (Taishang) sect can we succeed in cultivation and practice.

　　 When looking for the invisible masters, you shouldn't deal with them in different ways, for there is no difference between the Buddhism and the Taoism at the high level of Qigong, and there is only difference between good and right, not between the sects; Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are identical in essence; some practicers with the Buddhist origin practice under the Taoist sect, and some with the Taoist origin practice under the Buddhist sect. Masters of the three sects often teach and train the Shen by turns after it was born. Therefore, we can see that the distinguishing sense is needed to be removed as the mental retardation by the practicers of practicing perfection, otherwise, we'll be obstructed and very hard to achieve the high level of the natural Tao.

　　 That "Beseech the great masters" of this method means to report and pay respect to the visible and invisible masters. The prerequisites to beseeching the masters is to respect them; and only by the piously beseeching to them can the qualitative energy of our body and mind send out the microwave current so that we can be received and taught by the invisible masters. If we haven't the lofty aspiration, we'll be hardly received and taught by the invisible masters.

　　 But whether we'll be received and taught by the invisible masters will depend on the lofty degree of the aspiration of the practicer of practicing perfection. If we have vowed our lives to the services to Tao, to the beings, we'll be taught and helped by the masters, otherwise, they can't help us.

　　 To set up the ideal is to vow the lofty aspiration, and to set up the great aspirations, because only deep roots can give rise to flourishing leaves, only great aspirations can make the Xing combine with the Shen well. Our ancestors said: "People have ten thousand Shen, which can be commanded by nothing but the great aspirations, once our aspirations are set up, the interior will respond to the exterior, and we'll be able to carry all before us, which prepares the conditions for visiting the invisible masters”

　　 This method is a very important ideological base that can initiate us to practice perfection for it'll be difficult for us to find the fathers and the masters, to find the subtle Qigong phenomenon, or to enhance the Qigong power to achieve the advanced Qigong level if our aspirations are not lofty or broad.

　　 The vowing words with regular form and concise sentences, which can be worked out beforehand on the basis of the specific ideological realm of the practicer of practicing perfection, should be learned by heart at ordinary time, and recited silently when practicing. Furthermore, its content should be amended, complemented and perfected on time when the understanding of practicing perfection and cultivating virtues is deepened.

　　 The vow can't be made at random, which should be carried out cautiously and conscientiously for the lifetime, for the qi of the vow of the practicers of practicing perfection can penetrate through both the invisible and the visible realms, the energy of which is very tremendous, and the effect and influence of which are very obvious. And it's equal to forsake and betray the masters and to self- devastate and self-destruct if we undo the vow randomly after vowing, the serious result of which should be paid attention to. Practicers who set up the ideal in the morning but rescind it in the evening, or are quick to switch the sides, stop after getting a little knowledge of the subject, change the mind when seeing something new, seek quick success and instant benefits, or are not afraid of consequence are very common, we mention this point here so as not to self-mislead.

　　 Through burning the incense sticks, the ancient practicers of practicing perfection and the Qigong practicers often expressed the strong desire for being received and taught by the masters, or transmitted the aspiration. The modern society has already broken this rite, and the practicer may not light the incense sticks. In order to make everyone know the traditional method, I cite an instance for you to study and refer:

　　 The disciple so-and-so piously light the incense sticks and report to the founders of Buddhism and Taoism, the great masters, the loving-masters, and the saving masters: I'm pious to cultivate virtues and practice Tao, and willing to become the San- Qing disciples; I vow to abide by all the taboos and commandments of practicing perfection for all my life, aim to comprehend and prove Tao, to be free from samsara, to give thought to all the living beings, and to free all the living beings from samsara without seeking any fame or wealth; I'm willing to follow the founders of Buddhism and Taoism, the great masters, the loving-masters, and the saving masters for ever ;I will not abandon my masters for ever, I will accomplish the unyielding desires of my masters, now, I beseech each of you can receive and teach me, pass on the Gong and the method to me. I thank you wholeheartedly and Koutow to you again. ........."

　　 This traditional vow is fairly simple and unsophisticated, and its cream can be got to serve the present. In reality, we can recite it before practicing each time after canceling the word--"light the incense sticks" or amend other sentences according to the modern spirit. The following sample can be used under the ordinary circumstance:

　　 All the loving-masters: I, your disciple so-and-so, am determined to practice perfection, I will obey the taboos and commandments, accumulate the virtues and merits, and stand by my vow for ever. Now I begin to cultivate the virtue and practice Tao, and beseech all the loving-masters to teach and help me to reach the highest level, it's here to report......

　　 In the traditional practicing method, the above vowing words were often worked out in advance according to the practicer's understanding of practicing perfection or the characteristic of the content of the method, being learned thoroughly by heart, and devoutly recited one to three times by heart before practicing each time.

　　 The elder believed that the sincerity can move the heaven and earth and this method is the one that can move the heaven and earth. The practicer can't cultivate the virtue and practice Qigong correctly without the instruction, training and aid of the loving-masters during the long period before or after the Shen was born. What we can achieve is only the qi , not the Gong and Zhen if our Shen are not taught by the masters. This method plays a very important role during the traditional cultivation and practice, so I introduce it to everyone for researching. The one wants to achieve the high level of Qigong or wants to build body by practicing Qigong should study its inherent scientific mechanism such as psychological action, etc.