Yu Ching Realm Diagram
The above diagram was used in my Teachers teachings, and was later put in a book we worked on together, as when I met him, I was so impressed with his knowledge and what he taught, that I asked him to write his Commentary on the Tao Te Ching as he would always refer to the Tao Te Ching in relation to the practice and teachings of Internal Alchemy; he holds that the Tao Te Ching, the Chuang Tzu and also the Yi Ching are Internal Alchemy Textbooks, and in his oral teachings he explains the inner or hidden meaning of these texts in relation to actual practice.
As I helped to compile the book, and served as editor and the like, I have the diagrams on my computer (and a huge wealth of other stuff), and thought they would be interesting for the members here as I have permission to use them in various form.
I do not want to promote anything I am involved with here that has commercial aspects to it, so I am not going to site the book here.
I just wish to share freely without commercial gain here to the members of Tao Bums, so others may gain some insight.
The diagram is a representation of Realms, and actually shows how realms evolve, and shows where advanced pratitioners reside and also where we are all stuck in this physicality.
To be honest, I am good at practice, but very poor on theory, yet I must also master this aspect as practice and theory are two sides of one coin.
Really to the point, the Three Realms are where Taoist Immortals reside.
Immortals will generally reside in the three pure realms of YuQing, ShangQing and TaiQing.
It is something that really, we can not comprehend at all.
Why is this so?
Now, we are operating in the realm of Yin, Yang and the 5 Elements.
Our 5 Sense organs and our Consciousness (the 6th), all are based in or founded in Yin and Yang - (Refer to the Diagram of the 8 Cognitive Shens listed in the gallery)
So by this we may understand that they can only perceive and only comprehend things that also are based and composed of Yin and Yang.
Which is why generally we do not see Immortals, Qi, and the like in our daily life.
This also leads to our understanding of why we must still the mind and withdraw the senses in practice.
Or as my teacher once put it when I was pestering him with Questions about if there really are Immortals and if he ever met any.........
He replied, "Yes, there are such things as Immortals and yes, I have met such people. But to explain the realm of Tao and Immortals is something common humans can not understand. It is much like you trying to speak to an ant, and explaining your human world to an ant..... An ant only knows what it can know,
but never knows why. Perhaps ants may know why somehow, but it is a thing relatively speaking, to the ant. The ignorance of the very source, determines it is a passive knowledge. Tao gives rise to all universal things, including ants and human beings. Human beings regards ants' mentality as almost nothing. Yet, perhaps something may regard human beings mentality as almost nothing also…… Now let us practice."
The below text is from our published work together and may give some insight to this diagram, it is not the original edit, and the book version is a little different as the publisher edited it............
Chapter 35 of the Tao Te Ching holds the following message:
Whoever holds persistently to the Tao,
Shall become the one to whom all things under Heaven return.
Returning to it but receiving no direction, all things shall live in happiness and peace.
Music and good food can stop the passersby temporarily.
But Tao, when tasted, is free of any flavor,
When looked into, is beyond the thorough perception,
When listened to, is beyond the thorough appreciation,
When utilized, is beyond exhaustion.
The polarization of Tao brings about the emblematic presentation, thus coming out with YuQing (Jade Clarity) Realm, then ShangQing (Supreme Clarity) Realm, and then TaiQing (Ultimate Clarity) Realm.
Down below TaiQing Realm is Tai Xu - a pure, boundless, and void state. which means the first forming phase, which is free of any Qi.
Tai Yi…a vast expanse of emptiness; soundless, without light, formless and nameless.
After Tai Yi comes Tai Chu (meaning primeval elementary nature). At this forming phase the Primeval Qi begins to come into being – Congenital Nature, and the True Heart, denote the same as Primeval Qi.
Later the forming phase of Tai Shi (meaning primeval beginning) brings about the basic structure and shape for all universal things, but without yet having any substance or physicality.
Then comes the forming phase of Tai Shu (meaning elementary substance), which signals the stage in which the elementary substance for all universal things becomes ready, yet their bodies have not been formed into being.
Then follows the Tai Zhi (meaning Great Unification) which is the unified state of basic structure, shape and substance existing before the creation of Heaven and Earth and all universal things thereafter. Such a forming sequence is very much like a tree: the root stays at the beginning, then the trunk, branches, twigs and leaves reach out to enjoy their temporary existence.
Formation Process of All Universal Things After Tai Zhi and the Five Elements
In ancient Chinese Taoism theory it is held that the Unification consisted of Tai Yi, Tai Chu, Tai Shi and Tai Shu, and finally Tai Zhi.
Therefore Infinite Unification can be seen as an infinite chaos in which Primeval Qi, basic shape, structure, and elementary substance become ready for all, but there is no division among them—they are unified into one.
Yang will arise once the Great Unification becomes involved in motion. Stillness will follow up when there is extreme motion, and thus Yin arises in consequence.
When stillness continues for some time the motion will follow up and Yang will arise again. Such a division of Yin and Yang is called the Two Lines. In fact, Yin and Yang refer to one thing in two different states.
Once Yin and Yang have come into being they react upon each other in a way of alternate motion and stillness, and in consequence, the Qian (Heaven) Trigram and the Kun (Earth) Trigram will take their places.
With alternate motion and stillness continuing incessantly the four emblematic Symbols will come forth.
The four emblematic Symbols will produce the eight Trigrams when Yang develops in one direction and Yin in the opposite direction.
The six trigrams beyond the Qian (Heaven) and the Kun (Earth) Trigrams are in fact six kinds of Qi, which, when they have intercourse in their particular way, will produce the Five Elements.
Yin, Yang and the Five Elements all work together to produce the Myriad Things of the Universe. The nature of the Five Elements in different proportions determines the acquired nature of all things.
Therefore all kinds of innate or inexorable laws emerge and take their places naturally. So, looking up, you behold spiraling nebulas spreading throughout the universe, and looking down you behold all the myriad things constantly striving to satisfy their desires.
The Five Elements - wood, fire, earth, metal and water - have nothing to do with the composition of the material world as most people have theorized before.
Actually, the Five Elements function in all levels and in all directions.
Wood, fire, earth, metal and water each have their own different and special natures.
Such special natures combine with the Primeval Qi in a very magical way, bringing about an endless evolving process.
One thing after another is always having direct or indirect relations; thus the transformations and changes persist in everything in the universe.
All the myriad things owe their births to existence, which owes its birth to nonexistence.
Existence and nonexistence intermingle with each other persistently and depend upon each other for their respective states of being, in much the same way that the interior must rely upon the exterior.
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