How does one become an immortal according to taoism?

[RongzomFan]

I tried to ask this before, but the thread got hijacked by drew hempel.

 

How does one become an immortal according to taoism?

[Thunder_Gooch]

The yin and the yang spirits must be fused together, how this is accomplished isn't taught publicly.

[RongzomFan]

The yin and the yang spirits must be fused together, how this is accomplished isn't taught publicly.

 

 

How do you do this?

Edited February 22, 2011 by alwayson

[Thunder_Gooch]

How do you do this?

 

If I knew I would tell you, the knowledge of how to accomplish it isn't publicly available.

 

According to the book the magus of java, the lower dan tein is filled with yang energy, and the perineum point is filled with yin, the dan tein is sent down to that point and brought back and forced together in an explosive discharge. After that you've reached the first level of immortality but not considered a true immortal until somewhere around level 30.

 

All the schools that teach this sort of knowledge keep it under lock and key.

[Ken]

First we need to define what is an Immortal? What do you mean by an immortal?

[RongzomFan]

First we need to define what is an Immortal? What do you mean by an immortal?

 

 

a physical immortal. Physical body lives a long time.

[Ken]

a physical immortal. Physical body lives a long time.

 

Excellent, now we have somewhere to start. Do you know that the Chinese character 仙 which got translated in the west as "immortal" does not mean physical immortality? And as far as I recall there is no physical immortal in any Chinese legend, except 彭祖 who was said to be 3000 years old around Yellow Emperor's time. All other famous "immortals" all died (their physical body at least) eventually.

Edited February 22, 2011 by Ken

[RongzomFan]

Excellent, now we have somewhere to start. Do you know that the Chinese character 仙 which got translated in the west as "immortal" does not mean physical immortality?

 

 

hmm thats interesting.

 

I guess I have to make a deal with an extraterrestrial to become an immortal. That is not a joke.

[gendao]

It involves becoming a fully Heavenly yang shen. Not unlike the Tibetan Buddhist Rainbow Body jalus.

the hexagram Qian is represented as Dragon Flying into the Sky.

 

The idea is to help people appreciate that Qian Gua refers to qi that rises upwards and/or a type of qi that is very strong “like” a dragon flying into the sky.

One could also interpret this as symbolic of alchemical immortality that could parallel the popular mythology about carp transforming into dragons after swimming upstream and leaping over the "Dragon's Gate."

All true dragons are of two kinds: those which are such by birth and those which become dragons by transformation from fish of the carp species. The transformed variety become dragons by leaping up the waters of a certain cataract upon a western mountain stream. Large numbers of carp swim once each year, we learn, to this waterfall known as the "Dragon's Gate." Here under the cataract they flounder about, jumping and springing up out of the swirling water; a few of them succeed in getting over the falls to the higher waters above. Those which are successful in this effort become dragons.

Of course, "Dragon Gate" also just "happens" to be a popular sect of the Quanzhen (Complete Reality) school of Taoism.

 

Now, in MoPai, it is said that once you pass Level 4 (technically 5), you can "take all your yang qi with you." That would be a preliminary stage of immortality. Although you really have to reach above Level 30 to become a "true immortal."

 

So, the basic concept here appears to be: becoming entirely yang.

 

Remember, the founder of the Quanzhen school was Wang "Chongyang." I believe chongyang meaning "heavy yang."

Edited February 22, 2011 by vortex

[Ken]

 

 

Remember, the founder of the Quanzhen school was Wang "Chongyang." Chongyang meaning "completely yang."

 

I believe Great ancestor Wang ChongYang is a Heavenly Immortal (天仙）but his physical body still died when he was 50 years old.

Edited February 22, 2011 by Ken

[RongzomFan]

I believe Great ancestor Wang ZhongYang is a Heavenly Immortal (天仙）but his physical body still died when he was 50 years old.

 

 

what is a heavenly immortal and how do you obtain that?

[The Way Is Virtue]

How does one become an immortal according to taoism?

 

This is an excerpt from the book 'Opening the Dragon Gate', page 50:

 

"Our ancestral teacher Wang Chongyang said there are five classes of immortals.

Ghost immortality is not worthwhile.

It is not necessary to talk about human immortals.

Earth immortals remain in the world forever.

Spiritual immortals go from being into nonbeing. Those who can disappear and appear unfathomably, have embodiment outside the body, and can double their bodies, are called spiritual immortals.

Celestial immortals are ranked even higher than spiritual immortals."

 

So, based on that, not sure what the difference is between Human immortals and Earth immortals...

[Ken]

what is a heavenly immortal and how do you obtain that?

 

What Vortex posted earlier is accurate enough.

 

No one who posts on this forum knows how to obtain it.

Edited February 22, 2011 by Ken

[gendao]

I believe Great ancestor Wang ChongYang is a Heavenly Immortal (天仙）but his physical body still died when he was 50 years old.

Interesting..

 

Well, I don't think anyone ever attained physical immortality, so Taoists gave up on that a long time ago. Although some have attained extreme physical longevity.

 

And I think "immortal" also has some different connotations than the Chinese word xian. So, that adds some slight misconceptions too.

 

But remember, Ch 33 of the Dao De Jing says:

One who may die but will not perish, has life everlasting.

 

So, this acknowledges physical death (for mortals and immortals alike). The difference is that an "immortal" does not "perish" with the death of his body.

Edited February 23, 2011 by vortex

[Ya Mu]

I tried to ask this before, but the thread got hijacked by drew hempel.

 

How does one become an immortal according to taoism?

I think eating bad peanuts could possibly do the trick.

[The Way Is Virtue]

Edited February 23, 2011 by The Way Is Virtue

[hyok]

It's what the Secret of The Golden Flower is all about. Darin Hamel has posted and written extensively about his 13 year journey down that path.

[kathyli]

[Gerard]

You are already an immortal, and it's impossible becoming a physical one as it would completely violate "impermanence." Another thing is extending human lifespan to worldy impossible numbers...but to achieve that you'll eventually become a breatharian and lead the life of a wandering hermit cutting ties with society for good and forever...this path is not for everyone. The last Buddha didn't live for 500 years...he didn't need to

[zerostao]

You are already an immortal, and it's impossible becoming a physical one as it would completely violate "impermanence." Another thing is extending human lifespan to worldy impossible numbers...but to achieve that you'll eventually become a breatharian and lead the life of a wandering hermit cutting ties with society for good and forever...this path is not for everyone. The last Buddha didn't live for 500 years...he didn't need to

with all of that wonderful scenery you shared on another thread,, you wouldnt want to wander around in wonder of the sublime natural beauty of nature?

occasionally crossing paths and having fellowship with other wandering hermits?

sharing experience with the brave and rare adventuresome hikers and (under 100 yr old)seekers?

what's another 500-800 years anyways?

[Astral_Anima]

Hmmmm, Dixian definately sounds fun...I'm already working on breatharianism...I wonder what else is required? Physical immortality IS talked about in other traditions...well I only know of one other tradition other than (apparently?) Taoism. Ohhh and I wonder what the transformation would be like, sounds fun. Oh and lastly I don't think the Dixian would have to be away from society, just toxicity (ie modern society). I wonder if Yi-gong is a part of it. I remember in the kunlun book you're supposed to visualize yourself with pure white skin on a 1000petaled lotus.

 

-Astral

Edited February 23, 2011 by Astral_Anima

[Gerard]

with all of that wonderful scenery you shared on another thread,, you wouldnt want to wander around in wonder of the sublime natural beauty of nature?

occasionally crossing paths and having fellowship with other wandering hermits?

sharing experience with the brave and rare adventuresome hikers and (under 100 yr old)seekers?

what's another 500-800 years anyways?

 

Yes but in the end you'll get bored. Personally OK for a while and excellent to remove blockages and purify old karmas and reach a heightened spiritual level...but knowing that things eventually change and so you will...then you will be faced with this question: what if I return to the original state and shed of this body and mind?

 

The key point is: what if?

 

When one lives too many lives and several of them dedicated to the spiritual path...there is a point in time they'll ask to themselves: I just want to hop out of this carousel and have a long-lasting peace. Let me give you an example, which is rather graphical and a bit out of the religious context:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1uBn2LFIp0

 

Wise old "little" man.

 

Blessings,

 

Edited February 23, 2011 by Gerard

[Astral_Anima]

He said that there is a Holy Man living on faraway [姑射] Ku-she Mountain, with skin like ice or snow, and gentle and shy like a young girl. He doesn't eat the five grains, but sucks the wind, drinks the dew, climbs up on the clouds and mist, rides a flying dragon, and wanders beyond the four seas. By concentrating his spirit, he can protect creatures from sickness and plague and make the harvest plentiful. (1, tr. Watson 1968:33)

 

This was a description of a "shenren (神人 "divine person")". not eating the 5 grains and sucking the wind and drinking the dew could be referring to breatharianism and the "elixir of immortality" the excretion from the pineal gland? Skin like ice or snow could be referring to the "Earth Immortal's" condition. Maybe melanin is eventually lost? or maybe an entirely new body is forged?

 

Anyone know what the other things might mean? Climbing on clouds and mist, riding dragons, etc?

 

-Astral

 

EDIT: http://books.google.com/books?id=giThXv6OvSAC&pg=PA91&lpg=PA91&dq=5+grains+tao&source=bl&ots=QWC1XrBzOx&sig=eOfsxQ9tGi-QW-ZuI5S9mRP-3QM&hl=en&ei=dHFlTdy4BYSq8AbFvPS8Bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&sqi=2&ved=0CE8Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=5%20grains%20tao&f=false

Edited February 23, 2011 by Astral_Anima

[2netis]

First we need to define what is an Immortal? What do you mean by an immortal?

Thanks for this!

[2netis]

Excellent, now we have somewhere to start. Do you know that the Chinese character 仙 which got translated in the west as "immortal" does not mean physical immortality? And as far as I recall there is no physical immortal in any Chinese legend, except 彭祖 who was said to be 3000 years old around Yellow Emperor's time. All other famous "immortals" all died (their physical body at least) eventually.

This too.