Digging Caves to Cultivate

[林愛偉]

Digging Caves to Cultivate the Tao

By Liu Jinsong

Special to The Epoch Times

Jun 25, 2007

 

The steep slope of Hua Mountain, one of the best known Taoist mountains in China. (Source: www.minghui.org)

The steep slope of Hua Mountain, one of the best known Taoist mountains in China. (Source: www.minghui.org)

 

 

Hao Datong, one of the Seven Supreme Taoists in Quanzhen Taoism, is well known in China. He once traveled to Wozhou in today's Hebei Province in northern China. There he sat still in meditation under a bridge for six years. During that time, naughty children made fun of him but he was not bothered. The children even piled stones on top of his head yet he was still not disturbed. When the river rose he did not leave but nonetheless remained safe. That is to say, he was a person with high tolerance and supernormal abilities.

 

Digging Caves in the Mountain

 

Hao Datong was a disciple of Wang Chongyang, the master of Quanzhen Taoism. After Wang Chongyang passed away and became a Taoist god, his seven disciples separated from one another and traveled around. Hao Daotong went to various places and survived by begging for food.

 

One day Wang Chongyang descended into the human realm in the form of a young adult and told Hao Datong that only by digging caves in a mountain and cultivating in them could he reach enlightenment.

 

Hao Datong followed his teacher's words and went to Hua Mountain in central China. He spent three years digging the steep western slope. While digging the cave, two disciples began to follow him: Meiliang and Zhuqing. These two disciples helped Hao Datong dig the cave and worked very hard. Hao Datong was also responsible to them. When they completed the cave, they named it Purple Rose Cave and prepared to cultivate in it.

 

Unexpectedly as soon as Purple Rose Cave was finished, an elderly Taoist monk arrived and said, "Your cave looks very nice. I do not know how to dig a cave; can I borrow this cave to cultivate here?" Hao Datong agreed and gave the cave to him. The two disciples became upset but could not do anything since their teacher had already agreed.

 

Hao Datong and his two disciples went to another part of the mountain to dig a cave. As soon as the second cave was finished, another fellow Taoist came and asked for it. In this way, one cave after another, Hao Datong and his two disciples gave away the caves they dug.

 

Hao Datong and his disciples spent more than 40 years digging, completing 70 caves, but they still had no place to settle for their cultivation.

 

"The Rock of Turning Hearts"

 

Hao Datong led his two disciples to a cliff on Hua Mountain called Nieniechuan. He asked his two disciples to hold a rope with which he lowered himself down the cliff to dig a cave on the side of the cliff.

 

These two disciples had originally planned to follow Hao Datong to cultivate themselves into Taoist gods but throughout the years, they only helped Hao Datong dig caves to give away to other people while learning nothing about the Tao. They wanted to quit, but they did not want Hao Datong to see them leave. Since Hao Datong was down the cliff, the two disciples thought it was a good opportunity to leave. They cut the rope, leaving their teacher down on the side of the cliff and immediately left with their belongings.

 

As they walked away, passing a boulder, they saw Hao Datong walking nonchalantly towards them. The two disciples immediately realized that their teacher had reached enlightenment, and so they felt great regret.

 

Seeing their regret, Hao Datong once again accepted them as disciples. That boulder was later named the "Rock of Turning Hearts."

 

Hao Datong took his two disciples to Southern Heavenly Gate at the southern peak of Hua Mountain and started to dig a cave there. One day, while Hao Datong was sitting inside the cave, he passed away to became a divine Taoist god. Thus this cave was not completed, and was later named the "Unfinished Cave."

[dao zhen]

Dragon Immortal Cave ~ Huashan Mountain

 

[Wun Yuen Gong]

Thanks Lin,

 

Nice story, i think i read something from Mantak Chia that he went to certain mountains to look for caves but found rubbish and sh!t as well snakes etc. What are these caves like especially the dragon cave Dao Zhen has put up are they clean?

 

Cheers

WYG

[林愛偉]

Thanks Lin,

 

Nice story, i think i read something from Mantak Chia that he went to certain mountains to look for caves but found rubbish and sh!t as well snakes etc. What are these caves like especially the dragon cave Dao Zhen has put up are they clean?

 

Cheers

WYG

 

 

Given that most semi-famous to famous temples in China are tourist attractions....that is one reason.

 

The temples and caves that are dirty, are most likely not gov. extorted.

 

Peace,

Lin

[Wun Yuen Gong]

In opening the dragon gate book, the 3 wizards dig a hole for wang li ping to sit in and meditate as well made a dark room for him. Might be better to make your own in the backyard?

 

WYG

[Oolong Rabbit]

I will ask the obvious question here, but what are the advantages of cultivating in a cave? I am guessing the cave would have a very yin energy and is sort of symbollic of the womb. Other than that is one's energy inside a a cave heightened etc... Kosta wrote a bit about the metallic elements in mountains carrying an energy, almost like an energetic tuning fork or something. Any thoughts Lin or Dao Zhen?

[Wun Yuen Gong]

Yeah its Yin as its like the meridians of earth energy, love to try it one day!

[exorcist_1699]

It seems that the keep-coming taoists asking for an already dug cave was some kind of planned tests for Hao's disciples and it lasted for 40 years.

 

Maybe some people think that such kind of test is too harsh and demanding that unlikely can you find people to meet it .Or, you may doubt whether it is worthy of it . However, just thinking of the following question , then , the answer seems clear :

 

Why in this world billions of people are predestined to death and you few guys get the privilege to live forever ?

Edited March 1, 2008 by exorcist_1699

[Oolong Rabbit]

It seems that the keep-coming taoists asking for an already dug cave was some kind of planned tests for Hao's disciples and it lasted for 40 years.

 

Maybe some people think that such kind of test is too harsh and demanding that unlikely can you find people to meet it .Or, you may doubt whether it is worthy of it . However, just thinking of the following question , then , the answer seems clear :

 

Why in this world billions of people are predestined to death and you few guys get the privilege to live forever ?

 

Or maybe the test was for Hao himself, and cultivating the Tao was not in reaching the destination (when the cave was finished ), but in the journey (in the act of digging itself). Hao realized this, but his disciples did not.

[林愛偉]

I will ask the obvious question here, but what are the advantages of cultivating in a cave? I am guessing the cave would have a very yin energy and is sort of symbollic of the womb. Other than that is one's energy inside a a cave heightened etc... Kosta wrote a bit about the metallic elements in mountains carrying an energy, almost like an energetic tuning fork or something. Any thoughts Lin or Dao Zhen?

 

 

A cave is all Earth; minerals and the like. In the summer it is cool, in the winter, it is warm- not really too warm, but warm. It is stable, and unmoving, mountains. Cultivating such would keep the mind still, heart unmoved, and all things observed would not be chased.

 

It is rock, a formation, hard and protruding out from the ground, Yang! It is very high in energy, and will enhance one's cultivation while in stillness of meditation, and or practicing Qigong/Shengong.

 

Just being on a mountain uplifts one's energy and mind. Imagine if one was purposely cultivating.

 

Peace,

Lin

[idquest]

The idea of using caves for cultivating is confusing for me. Hard rock formations are opaque for any kind of electromagnetic energy. Anybody who tried to use a cell phone in concrete cellars knows that.

 

Many people say that the nature of chi is of electromagnetic kind. Kunlun school by Mantra says that their energy is magnetic one. None of them can penetrate rock of a cave.

 

Caves were natural habitat for ancient humans. All major archeologic discoveries related to last about 50,000 years were made in caves. Probably, living in caves is easier, but cultivating?

[de_paradise]

Mantak Chia's quest for cave is a quest for darkness and sheilding from solar radiation. He emphasizes darkness more than some kind of mineral energy vibe. In "the taoist soul body" he explains in pretty scientific terms--Seratonin, melatonin production of body, the thalamus gland resting, pituitary gland activated which can open the door to transcedental states. (simple paraphrasing)

 

For me, the perfect cave should have internet access.

Edited March 2, 2008 by de_paradise