Uroboros Posted September 20, 2015 Ch'an master Hakuin, after years of ascetic practice, healed himself and finally awakened into enlightnment while studying under the Daoist hermit Hakuyu. Hakuin has since become somewhat of a poster boy for Ch'an practice, "Hakuin is so famous and important that all Rinzai Zen masters today trace their lineage through Hakuin". This is quite interesting given the blend of the previous Ch'an with the Daoist methods. In fact there are so many instances where famous figures of either Ch'an or Daoism studied the other, that historians often cannot separate when or where, or how they influenced each other. In fact, even methods such as the yijin jing ('tendon'- changing classic) ascribed to Da Mo, were in fact from a Daoist priest and author. There is also the Wu-Liu pai, TianDao qigong, even Bruce Frantzis' 'Water' tradition teacher first taught him Ch'an practices. Doc Morris practiced Zen for years before working with qigong. According to Hakuin himself; "This treatment was first devised by Shakamuni Buddha. In the middle ages it came down through the Tendai school, where it was used widely as a treatment for extreme exhaustion. Yet seldom in this degenerate age do we hear of this miraculous treatment. How sad that people today seldom gain knowledge of this Way. When I was in my middle years I heard of it from the hermit Hakuyu, who maintained that the speed of its efficacy lay only in the degree to which the practitioner endeavored. If one is not laggard one may obtain long life. Don’t say that Hakuin has become senile and is teaching old-woman’s Ch'an. Perhaps if you just get to know it, you will clap your hands and laugh out loud. Why? ‘Unless you have seen disorders, you do not know the virtues of an honest minister; unless you have accumulated wealth, you do not know the determination of an honest man.’" I was once trying to help someone with excessive rising yangqi, they were in immense pain and struggling. I tried to help lower, sink and dissolve their qi, drawing it to their feet. But it wasn't coming down. One of my teachers helped. The person literally melted. It was like all the bones in their body disappeared. Later they described that it had felt like an egg on their head had cracked and everything sank and released downards. They did not know of Hakuin's 'butter' egg meditation, yet the description was so close it couldn't be ignored. It gave me a greater appreciation of the implications of this meditation. I never did ask my teacher exactly what they had done to help. Best, Below are two versions, a 'modern' and condensed version and a more 'traditional' version, which should allow greater appreciation as you see two angles. Hakuin's Healing Egg (a condensed version from Hoshin Dao qigong) Above your head sits a glowing white egg of pure healing energy. As you focus on it, it begins to melt and flow down through your body, cleansing your lungs and spine. It flows into your kidneys and down through your stomach, spleen, kidneys, liver and digestive tract. As you continue to focus on it, the energy flows down through the entire body cleansing the legs and pouring out the feet. As the last of the cleansing energy leaves your body, the glowing egg releases its soothing, healing medicines. Fragrant elixirs pour out of it and flood the entire body, healing all of the organs and channels and soaking deep into the bones. The entire body is soothed and relieved. Excess is moderated, deficiency is made up, heat is cooled, cold is warmed. All is balanced, calmed and nourished. Hakuin's Butter Pill Meditation “There is a remedy especially efficacious for debilitated people. Its properties for relieving exhaustion of the vital breath are particularly wondrous. It counteracts a rush of blood to the head, warms the legs, settles the bowels, brightens the eye, augments good wisdom, and is effective in casting aside all evil thoughts. The recipe for one dose of the soft butter pill is as follows: one part of the "real aspect of all things,” one part each of “the self and all things,” and the “realization that these are false,” three parts of the “immediate realization of Nirvana,” two parts of “no desires,” two or three parts of the “nonduality of activity and quietude,” one and a half parts of spongegourd skin, and one part of “the discarding of all delusions.” Steep these seven ingredients in the juice of patience for one night, dry in the shade and then mash. Season with a dash of the six perfections (1) then shape everything into a ball the size of a duck's egg and set it securely on your head. Practitioners who are just beginning their study should not concern themselves with the properties of the medicine nor amount used, but should merely contemplate the fact that a delicately scented soft butter-like object the size of a duck's egg is suddenly on their heads. When a sick person wishes to sue this remedy he (or she) should spread for himself a thick cushion, hold his back straight, adjust his eyes, and sit in a correct posture. He should then shift gently to position himself properly, and set about meditating. Repeat three times the words: ‘Of the essentials of preserving life, nourishing the breath has no peer. When the breath is exhausted the body dies.’(2) By doing so, one can truly carry out this contemplation. Those who have this duck egg with the consistency of soft butter on their heads feel a strange sensation as the whole head becomes moist. Gradually this feeling flows downward. The shoulders, elbow, chest, diaphragm, lungs, liver, stomach, backbone, and buttocks all gradually become damp. At this time the various accumulations in the chest, and those of lower back pain, stiffness and constipation all drop down at will, like water flowing naturally to a low place. This sensation is felt throughout the body, and it circulates moving downward, warming the legs, until it reaches the soles of the feet, where it stops. The practitioner should then repeat the same contemplation. The overflow that penetrates downward sinks in and accumulates until it steeps the body in warmth, just as a good physician gathers together various aromatic herbs, brews them, and pours the concoction into the bath. The practitioner feels that his body from the navel down is steeped in this moisture. When this contemplation is being practiced, because it is induced only by mental activity, the sense of smell becomes aware of exotic odors, the sense of touch becomes wondrously acute, and the body and mind become attuned. Suddenly the accumulations dissolve, the bowels and stomach are harmonized, the skin becomes radiant, and the energies increase greatly. If this contemplation is conscientiously brought to maturation, what disease cannot be cured, what magical art cannot be performed? This is indeed the secret method for maintaining health, the wondrous art of longevity." 1 The six “perfections” are: charity, maintenance of the commandments, patience, perseverance, meditation and wisdom 2 Paraphrasing Lao Zi ["Golden Butter" is used as a term in some schools to represent the golden light from heaven that is used for alchemical purposes. I am unsure of this is also why Hakuin describes the pill/egg as 'Butter'. It may simply be due to the ease of seeing/feeling butter melt through the body.] Thank you for sharing this teaching. I am going to experiment with it and see if it works. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
