Let's start examining the content of the Essence Cleansing Scripture

chapter.

洗髓经篇

Essence Cleansing
Scripture Chapter

The whole chapter is only

eleven pages long. This ini-
tial page contains a Table of
Contents which describes
four different versions (from
different sources). We will
use the translated Table of
Contents as a road map for
our efforts.

Page 1 of 26
copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang
The section begins with a brief introduction.

简介

相传印度达摩祖师将《易筋》和《洗髓》二经帖藏于河南嵩山少林寺其面壁之处, 在修缮
洞壁时, 偶然发現《易筋》 《洗髓》 二经书,后者被慧可祖师收藏 时带走, 前者留存于少,
云游四方林寺內, 而能广为流传。

Brief Introduction

According to legend, Bodhidharma put the Muscle Changing Scripture (Yi Jin Jing)
and the Essence Cleansing Scripture (Xi Sui Jing)in his meditation cave in the Shaolin
Temple of Shongshan Mountain, Hunan Province.

During a renovation to a cave wall, the two scriptures were accidentally discovered.
The latter was taken by Huike(the successor of Bodhidharma) into his collection and
traveled with him in his journey around China. The former was preserved within the
Shaolin Temple and become known to the public.

《易筋洗髓二经》
(友竹山房藏版,黄竹斋稿本) {ks - Version 1}

Muscle Changing and Essence Cleansing Scriptures (From the Collection of You Zhu
Shan Fang, handwritten by Dr. Huang Zhuzhai ) (yl - Dr. Huang Zhuzhai(1886-1960), a
famous Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner)

中洗髓经之目录

Table of Contents of the Essence Cleansing Scripture

总意
Overall Ideas

元始钟气篇
Concentrating Primordial Qi chapter

四大假合篇
The Four Elements Phenomena chapter

Page 2 of 26
copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang
凡圣同归篇
Sinners and Saints Reach the Same Goal chapter

原我一致篇
Source (of life) and Self/Ego Show No Difference chapter

行住坐卧篇
Walking, Standing, Sitting, Laying-In, Every State chapter

洗髓还原篇
Washing Essence to Restore to Original State chapter

洗髓经跋
Cleansing Essence Scripture postscript

—-

《易筋经》 (本衙藏版, 宋少保岳鹏举鉴定)

《 Muscle Changing Scripture》 (A Print of Benya collection, verified by Yue fei(1103—

1142), a famous Chinese general of the Song Dynasty.)
{ks - Version 2}

中洗髓经之目录

Chinese Cleansing Essence Scripture - table of contents

序
The Preface

总意
Overall Ideas

元始钟精气篇第一
First chapter - Concentrate primordial essential qì

四大假合篇第二
Second chapter - The Four Elements Phenomena

凡圣同归篇第三
Third chapter - Sinners and Saints Reach the Same Goal

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物我一致篇第四
Fourth chapter - Source (of life) and Self/Ego Show No Difference

行住立坐卧睡篇第五
Fifth chapter - Walking, Stopping, Standing, Sitting, Laying Down, Sleeping

洗髓还原篇第六
Sixth chapter - Cleansing Essence to Restore to Original State

翻譯经义后跋
Postscript to the translation (of the) Righteous Scripture

—-

《秘本洗髓经》 〔述古堂钱遵王藏书) 之目录

The Secrete Collection of Xi Sui Jing (from the collection of Qian Zun’s Shu Gu Tang
Collection) {ks - Version 3}

Table of Contents

翻译洗髓经意序
Translation Essence Cleansing preface

翻译洗髓经总义
Translation Essence Cleansing scripture summary

元始钟气篇第一
First chapter - Concentrating Primordial Qi

四大假合篇第二
Second chapter - The Four Elements Phenomena

凡圣同归篇第三
Third chapter - Saints and Sinners Reach the Same Goal

物我一致篇第四
Fourth chapter - Source (of life) and Self/Ego Show No Difference

Page 4 of 26
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行住立坐卧睡篇第五
Fifth chapter - Walking, Stopping, Standing, Sitting, Laying Down, Sleeping

洗髓还原篇第六
Sixth chapter - Washing Essence/Marrow to Restore to Original State

翻译经义后跋
Postscript of the translation (of the) Righteous Scripture

退火法
Annealing Method

—-

內运周天火侯歌
Song of the Inner Circulation Process

(易筋內壮口诀)
(Formula of Inner Strengthening with Muscle Changing )
{ks - Version 4}

服药十锦丸方
Prescription of Shi Jin Wan (Pellet Made of Ten Materials)

五生丸万
Prescription of Wu Sheng Wan ( Pellet Made of Five Raw Materials)

五成九方
Prescription of Wu Cheng Wan (Pellet Made of Five Processed Materials)

十全九方便方
Prescription of Perfect Pellet Method

便方
Prescription of Convenient Medicines

Page 5 of 26
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What we find as we look into the rest of the Essence Cleansing Chapter is that:

1. The First Version is complete,

2. The Second Version is complete,
3. The Third Version contains the Annealing section only,
4. The Fourth Version contains the formulas for the prescriptions described in the
Table of Contents.

We will begin by presenting the translations of the First Version starting with the
Overall Ideas section.

Page 6 of 26
copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang
洗髓经 (北魏 · 达摩著)
作者: 西竺达摩祖师著 西竺圣僧般刺密谛译义 济一子金溪传金铨校

Essence Cleansing Scripture (Written by Bodhidharma of the North Wei Dynasty )

Writer: Bodhidharma (India)

Translated and interpreted by Pramiti (India)

Proofread and edited by Fu Jinshuan (Ji Yi Zi), a native of Jinxi in Jiangxi Province of
China

Time: Third year of Emperor Dao Guang's Reign (1823）

总意

Overall Ideas

1) 如是我闻时, 佛告须菩提。

I record the words,

said by the Buddha to Subhuti:

2) 易筋功已竟,方可事于斯。

Only when you mastered the Muscle Changing Scripture,

you can begin this practice.

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copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang
3) 此名静夜功, 不碍人间事。

Its name is Quiet Evening Exercise,

and it will not hinder your life in the daytime.

4) 白日任匆匆,务忙衣与食。

You are busy everyday

with getting clothing and food.

5) 运水及搬柴, 送尿与送屎。

You spend everyday in the earthly affairs such as carrying water, cut-
ting woods,
emptying the chamber pot.

6) 抵暮见明星, 然灯照暗室。

When night comes and the star appears at sky,

light a lamp to illuminate the dark room.

7) 晚夕功课毕, 将息临卧具。

Once you finish your nightly exercises,

get ready to rest in bed.

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copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang
8) 大众咸酣寝, 忘却生与死。

Everyone is sleeping,
forgetting life and death.

9) 明者独儆醒, 黑夜暗修持。

While the enlightened one is awake alone,

silently cultivating himself in the dark night.

10) 抚髀叹今夕, 过了少一日。

He pats his thigh,

sighing that another day of his life is lost with the passage of the day.

11) 无常迅速身, 同少水鱼头。

Uncertainty comes very fast,

one is like a fish in a drying pond.

12) 然而如何救, 福慧须两足。

However, how can we save ourselves?

We have to have enough wisdom and blessedness.

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13) 四思未能答, 四缘未能离。

[ks- What can be done when] One hasn’t been able to respond to
the Four Thoughts1 (that turn the Mind from Samsara)1,
or to give up the Four Causes2 (that prevent Arhats from knowing
certain things)2.

14) 四智未现前, 三身未归一。

[ks- What can be done when] One hasn’t been able to manifest the
Four Wisdoms of the Buddha3,
or to unite the Threefold Body of the Buddha4.

15) 默观法界中, 四生三有备。

When one uses silent meditative insight,

(one sees) all creatures are born in one of the four ways5 and dwell
in one of the three worlds6.

16) 六根六尘连, 五蕴并三途。

[ks - One uses] The Six Roots of Sensation (eye, ear, nose, tongue,
body, and mind) plus the Six Gunas (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch,
and ideas),
[ks - and] the Five Aggregates7 with the Three Methods8.

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17) 天人阿修罗, 六道各异趣。

[ks - One finds that] Devas and men, Asuras/Malevolent Spirits

are different because they belong to the six realms9.

18) 二谛未能融, 六度未能見。

[ks - What can be done when] One hasn’t been able to blend the
two essences10 ,
or to discern the Six Paramitas11.

19) 见见非是见, 无明未能息。

[ks - When one is] Seeing without discerning,

one isn’t able tp stop their ignorance.

20) 道眼未精明, 眉毛未落地。

One hasn't attained (through cultivation) the Eye which sees Bud-
dha-truth,
one still relies on his (physical) eyes to make judgement.

21) 如何知见离, 得了涅槃意。

How to give up depending on one’s eyes or other feelings,

and to understand nirvana.

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22) 若能见非见, 见所不能及。

If one can see the truth of things the eyes cannot see,
one can see everything.

23) 蜗角大千界, 瞧眼纳须弥。

One can see the infinite in the ear of a snail,

and receives the sight of Mount Meru12 by simply opening one’s
eyes.

24) 昏昏醉梦间, 光阴两俱失。

People live as if asleep, drunk or dreamy,

Days and nights slip away in this way.

25) 流浪于生死, 苦海无边际。

They wander the realm of mortality, homeless,

in the sea of bitterness which knows no bounds.

26) 如来大慈悲, 演此为洗髓。

The Tathagata of great compassion and mercy,

gives the world this Essence Cleansing Scripture.

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27) 须从易筋后, 每于夜静时。

One needs to practice Essence Cleansing every quiet night,

only after one masters the Muscle Changing Scripture.

28) 两目内含光, 鼻中微运息。

[ks - One needs to] Conceal the light inside one’s eyes,
and breathe gently.

29) 腹中竟空虚, 正宜纳清煦。

When your stomach is empty,

it is a good time to absorb the clear energy.

30) 朔望及两弦, 二分并二至。

In the first day, last day and the middle day of the month in the lunar
calendar,
and at the day of Vernal Equinox, autumnal equinox, Summer Sol-
stice and Winter Solstice,

31) 子午守静功, 卯酉温沐浴。

we should guard our peaceful state during 11pm-1am and

11am-1pm and massage ourselves to become warm during 5 am to
7 am and 5pm to 7pm.

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32) 一切惟心造, 炼神竟还虚。

Everything is a creation of the mind,

refine your spirit into the state of emptiness.

33) 静中常醒醒, 莫被睡魔拘。

Stay awake while in quietness,

don't be caught by the demon of sleepiness.

34) 夜夜长如此, 日日续行持。

Every night
and every day practice in this way.

35) 惟冀能容纳, 饱食非所宜。

Only hope to be able to hold (onto the practice),

so, don’t eat too much.

36) 谦和护保身, 虚风宜紧避。

One needs to guard the body with modesty,

and stay away from harmful elements in nature.

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37) 借假可修真, 四大须保固。

Seek truth with the help of this impermanent body,

preserve and maintain the body which is made of the four elements
(water, air, fire, earth).

38) 柔弱可持身, 暴戾灾害逼。

One is safe if one conducts himself with softness,

one is at risk if one is angry and crude.

39) 渡河须用筏, 到岸方弃之。

One uses a raft to cross the river,

one gives up the raft only when one reaches the other shore.

40) 造化生成理, 从微而至著。

To generate Inner Essence (Li),

follow and accumulate the nearly invisible things first.

41) 一言透天机, 渐进细寻思。

One sentence passes through the universe's truth,

think this over as you progress step by step.

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42) 久久自圆满, 未可一蹴至。

After a long time, one will attain perfection naturally,

this does not happen quickly.

43) 成功有定限, 三年九载余。

Success will come in time;

it may take 3 to 9 years.

44) 容纳在一纪, 决不逾此期。

This will not take more than 12 years.

45) 心空身自化, 殖意任所之。

When one’s heart/mind is empty,

one’s body can naturally transform.

46) 一切无挂碍, 圆通观自在。

One will not be worried by anything,

and, with the wisdom of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara,
one will penetrate the nature of all things and receive ultimate free-
dom.

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47) 隐显度众生, 弹指超无始。

One can help others cross the sea of this moral life either
by appearing or not appearing,
one’s existence will also surpass time.

48) 专报四重恩, 永灭三涂苦。

One will specifically pay back the Four Kindnesses13,

and forever get rid of the pains of the Three Ways14.

49) 后人得此经, 受持可奉行。

In the future,
those who receive this scripture should follow its teachings.

50) 择人相授受, 叮咛视莫轻。

One needs to choose carefully who they are going to teach,

don't be careless.

~~~

Page 17 of 26
copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang
Here’s the translation of the whole first section:

Overall Ideas

1) I record the words,

said by the Buddha to Subhuti:

2) Only when you mastered the Muscle Changing Scripture,

you can begin this practice.

3) Its name is Quiet Evening Exercise,

and it will not hinder your life in the daytime.

4) You are busy everyday

with getting clothing and food.

5) You spend everyday in the earthly affairs such as carrying water, cut-
ting woods,
emptying the chamber pot.

6) When night comes and the star appears at sky,

light a lamp to illuminate the dark room.

7) Once you finish your nightly exercises,

get ready to rest in bed.

8) Everyone is sleeping,
forgetting life and death.

9) While the enlightened one is awake alone,

silently cultivating himself in the dark night.

10) He pats his thigh,

sighing that another day of his life is lost with the passage of the day.

Page 18 of 26
copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang
11) Uncertainty comes very fast,
one is like a fish in a drying pond.

12) However, how can we save ourselves?

We have to have enough wisdom and blessedness.

13) [ks- What can be done when] One hasn’t been able to respond to
the Four Thoughts1 (that turn the Mind from Samsara),
or to give up the Four Causes2 (that prevent Arhats from knowing
certain things).
1 {The Four Thoughts that turn the mind from Samsara: 1) a free and well favored
human birth; 2) Impermanence; 3) Karma; 4) the suffering of Samsara}
2 {The Four Causes that prevent Arhats from knowing certain things: 1) They lack
knowledge about distant locations; 2) They also lack knowledge about distant
times; 3) they do not know the infinity of results that spring from an infinite num-
ber of causes; 4) They lack knowledge of the Buddha’s many qualities}

14) [ks- What can be done when] One hasn’t been able to manifest the
Four Wisdoms of the Buddha3,
or to unite the Threefold Body of the Buddha4.

3 {The Four Wisdoms of the Buddha are: 1) great mirror wisdom; 2) wis-
dom of equality; 3) profound observing wisdom; 4) perfecting wisdom}
4 {The Threefold Body of the Buddha is the Trikaya: 1) the Dharmakaya or
Truth Body; 2) the Sambhoghakaya or the Body of Mutual Enjoyment; 3)
the Nirmanakaya or the Created Body}

15) When one uses silent meditative insight,

(one sees) all creatures are born in one of the four ways5 and dwell
in one of the three worlds6.
5 {The Four Types of Birth: Womb, Egg, Moisture/Heat, Apparitional/
Miraculous}
6 {The Three Realms (Triple Realm, Trailokya, Three Worlds): The realms of
desire (our world), The realms of form (realms of the lesser deities), The
realms of formlessness (realms of the higher deities)}

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16) [ks - One uses] The Six Roots of Sensation (eye, ear, nose, tongue,
body, and mind) plus the Six Gunas (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch,
and ideas),
[ks - and] the Five Aggregates7 with the Three Methods8.

7 {The Five Aggregates: Forms, Feelings, Perceptions, Mental Formations,

Consciousness}
8 {The Three Methods (Essentials): As stated in the Sutra of the Great Praj-
na: To maintain mindulness of supreme Bodhi (the mind of
enlightenment); To center oneself on compassion; To learn the skillful
means of emptiness (the wisdom of non-grasping or subtle intangibility)}

17) [ks - One finds that] Devas and men, Asuras/Malevolent Spirits
are different because they belong to the six realms9.
9 {The Six Realms/Paths (of human existence): Devas, Man, Evil Spirits/
Asuras, Animals, Hungry Souls, Those Damned in Hell}

18) [ks - What can be done when] One hasn’t been able to blend the
two essences10 ,
or to discern the Six Paramitas11.
10 {From the Plum Village tradition: The Historical Dimension and The Ul-
timate Dimension; The Perception of Duality/Separateness and the Percep-
tion of Interbeing}
11 {The Six Paramitas: Charity; Keeping the Commandments; Patience in
the face of insults; Energy and Advancement; Meditation; Wisdom}

19) [ks - When one is] Seeing without discerning,

one isn’t able to stop their ignorance.

20) One hasn't attained (through cultivation) the Eye which sees Bud-
dha-truth,
one still relies on his (physical) eyes to make judgement.

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copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang
21) How to give up depending on one’s eyes or other feelings,
and to understand nirvana.

22) If one can see the truth of things the eyes cannot see,
one can see everything.

23) One can see the infinite in the ear of a snail,

and receives the sight of Mount Meru12 by simply opening one’s
eyes. 12 {Mount Meru is a sacred mountain with five peaks in Hindu, Jain, and
Buddhist cosmology; it is considered to be the center of all the physical,
metaphysical, and spiritual universes.}

24) People live as if asleep, drunk or dreamy,

Days and nights slip away in this way.

25) They wander the realm of mortality, homeless,

in the sea of bitterness which knows no bounds.

26) The Tathagata of great compassion and mercy,

gives the world this Essence Cleansing Scripture.

27) One needs to practice Essence Cleansing every quiet night,

only after one masters the Muscle Changing Scripture.

28) [ks - One needs to] Conceal the light inside one’s eyes,
and breathe gently.

29) When your stomach is empty,

it is a good time to absorb the clear energy.

30) In the first day, last day and the middle day of the month in the lunar
calendar,
and at the day of Vernal Equinox, autumnal equinox, Summer Sol-
stice and Winter Solstice,

Page 21 of 26
copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang
31) we should guard our peaceful state during 11pm-1am and
11am-1pm and massage ourselves to become warm during 5 am to
7 am and 5pm to 7pm.

32) Everything is a creation of the mind,

refine your spirit into the state of emptiness.

33) Stay awake while in quietness,

don't be caught by the demon of sleepiness.

34) Every night,

and every day practice in this way.

35) Only hope to be able to hold (onto the practice),

so, don’t eat too much.

36) One needs to guard the body with modesty,

and stay away from harmful elements in nature.

37) Seek truth with the help of this impermanent body,

preserve and maintain the body which is made of the four elements
(water, air, fire, earth).

38) One is safe if one conducts himself with softness,

one is at risk if one is angry and crude.

39) One uses a raft to cross the river,

one gives up the raft only when one reaches the other shore.

40) To generate Inner Essence (Li),

follow and accumulate the nearly invisible things first.

Page 22 of 26
copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang
41) One sentence passes through the universe's truth,
think this over as you progress step by step.

42) After a long time, one will attain perfection naturally,

this does not happen quickly.

43) Success will come in time;

it may take 3 to 9 years.

44) This will not take more than 12 years.

45) When one’s heart/mind is empty,

one’s body can naturally transform.

46) One will not be worried by anything,

and, with the wisdom of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara,
one will penetrate the nature of all things and receive ultimate free-
dom.

47) One can help others cross the sea of this moral life either
by appearing or not appearing,
one’s existence will also surpass time.

48) One will specifically pay back the Four Kindnesses13,

and forever get rid of the pains of the Three Ways14.
13 {The Four Kindnesses: your parents’, every creature’s, the nation’s, and
that of the Buddha, Monastics, and Buddhist Laws (The Three Jewels - The
Buddha, The Sangha, The Dharma)}
14 {The Pain of the Three Ways: The Fire Way (Hell), The Blood Way (Ani-
mals), and the Blade Way (Hungry Ghosts)}

49) In the future,

those who receive this scripture should follow its teachings.

50) One needs to choose carefully who they are going to teach,
don't be careless.

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copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang
My (ks) brief commentary:

The first seven lines place the practice of the Essence Cleansing Scripture
within the context of everyday life.

Lines 8 through 12 highlight the problems of samsara and ask ‘How can
we save ourself?’

Line 13 introduces the use of the Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind from
Samsara.

The first Thought is the awareness of the benefit of being born as a

human. As a human one has the opportunity to pursue a spiritual
path as well as practice Qigong.

The second Thought is the awareness that we live in a state of im-

permanence. Everything about us can change. By following a spiri-
tual life we can always improve.

The third Thought is the awareness that our actions have conse-
quences. When we choose to act compassionately (with ourselves
and others) we generate ‘roots of goodness’ as a result.

The fourth Thought is the awareness of the suffering caused by the

samsara world. When we are embroiled in afflictive emotions we suf-
fer. When we calm our desires our suffering diminishes.

Line 13 also introduces the Four Causes that Prevent Arhats from knowing
certain things.

Arhats lack the fruits of a spiritual life and do not experience miracu-
lous abilities.

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Line 14 introduces the Four Wisdoms of the Buddha.

We need to develop the Wisdoms of the Buddha: the great mirror

wisdom - the knowledge of that which is still and void, motionless;
the wisdom of equality - the ability to face mind-defilements without
attaching to them (via love or aversion); the profound observing
wisdom - the ability to observe the sensory field without impulsive
reactions; perfecting wisdom - the ability to focus attention on phe-
nomena without falling into dualistic thinking (Interbeing).

Line 15 tells us about the benefits of developing meditative insight.

We can develop insight into the sources of life as well as the different
‘types’ of realms we live in: the desire realm, the form realm, and the
formless realm.

In Line 16 we learn of the tools we can use to accomplish these insights.

Line 17 touches on the different beings we can encounter on our spiritual

journey.

Line 18 emphasizes some additional tools that can help us on our spiritu-
al journey.

The Two Essences refer to the two perceptions of the world we live
in: the Historical Dimension is our everyday perception of the dualis-
tic world; the Ultimate Dimension is the enlightened perception of
the interconnectedness of everything - Interbeing.

The Six Paramitas are qualities that develop via our spiritual path.

Lines 19 through 23 expand on the progression from Historic Dimension

to the Ultimate Dimension.

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Lines 24 through 39 describe the steps of progressing on our spiritual
journey.

Lines 40 and 41 are key instructions of Qigong.

Lines 42 through 48 explain about making progress on this spiritual path.

Line 49 is encouragement to follow the teachings of this scripture.

Line 50 is a warning to carefully choose which students are taught these

lessons.

In the articles that follow, we will explore the instructions from the sec-
tions that followed this initial section. We will also examine the differ-
ences between Version 1 and Version 2. We will finish up with the transla-
tion of the Annealing section of Version 3 and the ‘medicine’ formulas in
Version 4.

Page 26 of 26
copyright 2017 Kevin Siddons and Ying Liang