Page 599 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

JINDAN DAYAO 557

Jindan dayao

Great Essentials of the Golden Elixir

This *neidan work, *Chen Zhixu's magnum opus, is contained in both the
Taoist Canon (CT 1067) and the *Daozangjiyao (vol. 16). Two disciples wrote
prefaces (dated 1335) to the version in the Taoist Canon, which is followed by
three supplements: one containing charts (Jindan dayao tu !ilI] ; CT I068), an-
other devoted to hagiographies of *Quanzhen patriarchs (Jindan dayao liexian
zhi J"U 1ill ~ ; CT I069), and the last describing a ritual performed in honor of
*Zhongli Quan and *Ui Dongbin (Jindan dayao xianpai 1ill ~ ; CT I070). The
three supplements form the second juan in the Daozangjiyao version, which is
more complete than the version in the Taoist Canon. The anonymous work
entitled Xiulian xuzhi 1~i~HJi9iIJ (Required Knowledge on Cultivation and
Refinement; CT 1077) contains juan 7-8 of CT I067.
While the originalJindan dayao was in ten juan (CT I067, 1.ua- b and 12.8a),
the present text in the Taoist Canon is divided into sixteen juan. The content
of the text, rearranged according the original plan, is the following:
1. The first juan (corresponding to j. 1 and 2 in CT 1067) is a commentary
on the first section of the Daode jingo
2. The second juan (j. 3 and 4) discusses the precosmic essence, pneuma,
and spirit (*jing, qi, shen), i.e., the three "substances" and three stages of
the alchemical work.
3. The third juan (j. 5 and 6) deals with the "wondrous functioning" (miaoyong
:9-'Y Jfj) of various elements of neidan, such as the tripod and the furnace
(*dinglu), fire phasing (*huohou), and the collection of the inner elixir. This
juan was originally divided into nine sections, two of which, missing from
the Taoist Canon but found in the Daozangjiyao, deal with the Reverted
Elixir (*huandan) and with the alchemical notion of "reversal" (diandao
M{f~ ).
4. The fourth juan (j. 7 and 8) mainly concerns fire phasing.
5. The fifthjuan (j. 9 and IO) contains poems and a rewording of the Daode
jing from an alchemical point of view. In the Daozang jiyao, this juan is
followed by a section entitled "Five Items for the Golden Elixir" eJindan
wushi" ~:Pt .li ~), which is missing in CT I067.
6. The sixth juan (j. II and 12), composed of small pieces addressed to Chen's