Fu healings

[Mak_Tin_Si]

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Mak Tin Si

Edited January 8, 2009 by Mak_Tin_Si

[Aetherous]

Thank you, Mak Tin Si. That was very informative as well as interesting.

[ZenStatic]

Well, what kinds of things would these be used for? It's easy for me to understand the reasoning behind the ritualistic parts of it, but unless I missed something, you didn't really go into their usage.

[Mak_Tin_Si]

As requested from the moderator of TaoBum, I have moved to this forum : http://www.daoismworld.com right now.

 

So if you want to talk to me or ask me anything about Taoism, please feel free to go over to this forum and enjoy the new forum. New members for discussion are also welcomed.

 

http://www.daoismworld.com

 

Mak Tin Si

Edited January 8, 2009 by Mak_Tin_Si

[Pietro]

Well, what kinds of things would these be used for? It's easy for me to understand the reasoning behind the ritualistic parts of it, but unless I missed something, you didn't really go into their usage.

 

He is not teaching how to use them. He is just sharing about it.

This is a prerequisite before even contemplating to learn this "stuff".

 

Understanding all this will let us understand if (a.) we want to be a taoist priest (there is a number of people on this board that have asked about it, in the last months.); and not necessarily with him. (b.) understand if we want to get involved in other ways (for example asking for a blessing before a retreat).

 

Plus since this tradition should be coming from the same root as the one we are studying, then we might discover striking similarities between this material, and other material we are studying. I mentioned the case of "Jelousy" in the other thread, remember?

 

Sometimes things have an use which is not direct. I, for once, learned that altars are passed down through the lineage. And there is a difference between a taoist which is just used for worship and lineage altars (and maybe there are others too).

 

Also it can be useful if you find your name on a red cloth with some weird looking chinese character arounds. It might mean that you are in trouble.

 

In short I think you are going way too fast. At the moment this gentleman is presenting to us the elements of his world. Some of us might learn to use them. Some might not. But in any case, since this is the world of taoism, the world were the meditations that you find so dear came from, it is still interesting.

 

Take a modern meditation like the 6 healing sounds, as teached by Mantak Chia. This is actualy a very old meditation (you find references of it in th Ge Hong, which is available at least in Italian, I think also in English), and the sounds (from what I have understood) were the actual names of the spirits of the various organs.

 

Can you see how this knowledge might give rise to insights, understandings, and comprehension about the taoist world that go beyond the mere "doing something right now"?

 

Relax, absorb, and be grateful for the opportunity to be exposed to something unusual.

 

[ZenStatic]

I'm sorry if it seemed as though I was coming off wanting to know how to do them. I was thinking more along of the lines of problems of mine that they could help

Edited November 22, 2008 by lostmonk

[White Wolf]

..

Edited December 24, 2008 by ahmed020202

[ZenStatic]

I'll share some info with you, I'm not allowed share any more info than the one below.

 

Here is a typical example of how the Taoist Mao Shan sect make Fu's.

 

1) Mantras to purify heart, speech/mouth and body.

2) Earth deity mantra, Purify heaven and earth mantra, great brilliance mantra, wish fulfilling incense mantra, mysterious spiritual gatheing mantra.

3) Taoist deity/ God invocation mantra.

4) Blessing and empowering of inventory: empower paper, water, ink, brush.

5) Drawing the 3 strokes (The 3 Pure Ones, the highest deities of taoism).

6)The Ninth Heaven Mysterious Lady Empowerment Mantra.

7) Then draw talisman, recite mantra with mudra to empower and then seal.

 

Below is an example of a finished talisman. The Tai Shang Lao Zun Talisman for Protection

 

 

 

Interesting. The only thing I am wondering is why does it look like it was printed on, not hand done? Or is it just a weird play on vision because of the picture?

[White Wolf]

I took the pic from my phone and the camera's not so good.

[fiveelementtao]

I'll share some info with you, I'm not allowed share any more info than the one below.

 

Here is a typical example of how the Taoist Mao Shan sect make Fu's.

 

1) Mantras to purify heart, speech/mouth and body.

2) Earth deity mantra, Purify heaven and earth mantra, great brilliance mantra, wish fulfilling incense mantra, mysterious spiritual gatheing mantra.

3) Taoist deity/ God invocation mantra.

4) Blessing and empowering of inventory: empower paper, water, ink, brush.

5) Drawing the 3 strokes (The 3 Pure Ones, the highest deities of taoism).

6)The Ninth Heaven Mysterious Lady Empowerment Mantra.

7) Then draw talisman, recite mantra with mudra to empower and then seal.

 

Below is an example of a finished talisman. The Tai Shang Lao Zun Talisman for Protection

 

 

 

ahmed,

Is your Mao Shan from the Shang Ch'ing sect?

[White Wolf]

I'm not sure. I'm a beginner, been studying for 6 months now.

[Dog]

Fu Jau 符咒 in chinese means Fu and Jau, Fu is the yellow or red paper talisman that taoist write

Here is a talisman made for me by a Taoist monk on Huashan Mountain. If some one could translate it that would be wonderful. Are the folds done in a special way as well?

[thelerner]

Here is a talisman made for me by a Taoist monk on Huashan Mountain. If some one could translate it that would be wonderful. Are the folds done in a special way as well?

 

Lets see the first word is Go

 

the next is ...away or far

 

Then personal possesive must be .. I

 

a verb .. trying

 

then comes a compound word ..to.meditate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just kidding

 

Michael

[White Wolf]

I'll see if my master knows whats its for.

 

Talismans are normally folded into a triangle, this is because we want the talisman potency to increase immeasurably by reinforcing the talisman into a triangle. In taoism we believe in the Cosmic Trinity; Heaven, Man, Earth. We actually try to harness the cosmic energy with the combination of the talisman. The 3 points of the triangle represent the cosmic trinity.

[Xienkula1]

Interesting. The only thing I am wondering is why does it look like it was printed on, not hand done? Or is it just a weird play on vision because of the picture?

 

the printed appearance is like Mak said you have to carve copies of lineage stamps from your master and each takes 9 hours by yourself carving from start to finish, each sect has its own particular seals of authority so depending on your sect you will get different stamps which will give printed seals to be superimposed over the written talisman. If it is unstamped in some cases, the talisman is said to be not authorised. The printed appearance is merely the 3 stamps over the written talisman, the Fu letters, have been written in caligraphy before being stamped, and then the talisman is stamped and then consecrated at the altar which has itself been authenticated with a lineage tablet which has been provided by your master and sect lineage, without which the Fu would be ineffective.

[ZenStatic]

the printed appearance is like Mak said you have to carve copies of lineage stamps from your master and each takes 9 hours by yourself carving from start to finish, each sect has its own particular seals of authority so depending on your sect you will get different stamps which will give printed seals to be superimposed over the written talisman. If it is unstamped in some cases, the talisman is said to be not authorised. The printed appearance is merely the 3 stamps over the written talisman, the Fu letters, have been written in caligraphy before being stamped, and then the talisman is stamped and then consecrated at the altar which has itself been authenticated with a lineage tablet which has been provided by your master and sect lineage, without which the Fu would be ineffective.

 

Forgive me if I break this down too much, and if so please correct me, I'm just trying to figure this out in terminology that makes more sense to me. So basically, when you create these seals they are sort of infused with the energy of your lineage, and then when you stamp a Fu, along with the consecration, it is essentially activating the spell put onto the Fu?

[YMWong]

Here is a talisman made for me by a Taoist monk on Huashan Mountain. If some one could translate it that would be wonderful. Are the folds done in a special way as well?

 

Dog,

 

I am afraid I have to tell you this talisman is useless, unlike the other attached by ahmed020202 who has been written by somebody who evidently knows how to draw talismans.

 

YM

 

PS for ahmed020202: you are not supposed to post this kind of talisman on the web

Edited November 23, 2008 by YMWong

[Mak_Tin_Si]

As requested from the moderator of TaoBum, I have moved to this forum : http://www.daoismworld.com right now.

 

So if you want to talk to me or ask me anything about Taoism, please feel free to go over to this forum and enjoy the new forum. New members for discussion are also welcomed.

 

http://www.daoismworld.com

 

Mak Tin Si

Edited January 8, 2009 by Mak_Tin_Si

[VCraigP]

Dog,

 

I am afraid I have to tell you this talisman is useless, unlike the other attached by ahmed020202 who has been written by somebody who evidently knows how to draw talismans.

 

YM

 

 

YM

 

How about some more supporting info?

Why would this talisman be useless?

Does it say "Yankee Dog come to Huashan and go home with less $ not more wisdom!"

 

If it IS useless what do you suppose the writer had in mind?

 

Not trying to be argumentative but when you make statements like this without supporting information it doesn't seem like you are being helpful or have interest to clarify, but just to say " I know something and you are ignorant!"

 

So...anything to add? I for one would really appreciate your helping to build up our knowledge rather than just sit on the sidelines and tell us when we are ignorant without attempting to shine any light.

 

Craig

[Mak_Tin_Si]

As requested from the moderator of TaoBum, I have moved to this forum : http://www.daoismworld.com right now.

 

So if you want to talk to me or ask me anything about Taoism, please feel free to go over to this forum and enjoy the new forum. New members for discussion are also welcomed.

 

http://www.daoismworld.com

 

Mak Tin Si

Edited January 8, 2009 by Mak_Tin_Si

[YMWong]

How about some more supporting info?

Why would this talisman be useless?

 

The first 'Huashan' talisman has been written by somebody without actual talisman writing knowledge for many reasons.

Something has been already explained by MTS.

Look at the lower part of the second talisman, which in the pic is the right side, and see what's in there. That talisman shouldn't be photoed and placed on the web but it should be now burned.

 

There is some literature available on the practice of Daoist talismans but as I write I can't recall precise details which I'll try to sort out when I have time, maybe articles by Bokenkamp or Strickmann

 

YM

 

EDIT: some good references here http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/public...s/pdf/a1084.pdf

Edited November 23, 2008 by YMWong

[Pietro]

Thanks to all those that are sharing their knowledge.

 

Is the art of writing Fu a fundamental knowledge for a Taoist, or a complementary? And for a Taoist Priest?

 

It is my understanding that there is quite a strict division where the Taoist Priest must know how to write the Fu, and no one else, but him. Or are the boundaries less strict, where a Taoist Priest might not know or specialize in Fu writing (say he is not personally interested), and someone else in the social community who is more interested does them, instead.

 

Thanks for any pointer,

Pietro

[YMWong]

Is the art of writing Fu a fundamental knowledge for a Taoist, or a complementary? And for a Taoist Priest

 

Not all Daoists write talismans, some simply have not learned it, some specialise in other things and finally certain school do not emphasize them.

Talisman were central to the early Daoist schools during the Han dynasty because the treatmen of illness with charms was fundamental in their spread. Later it remained of prominence in certain schools and lost to different 'techniques' in others.

 

YM

[Pietro]

Not all Daoists write talismans, some simply have not learned it, some specialise in other things and finally certain school do not emphasize them.

Talisman were central to the early Daoist schools during the Han dynasty because the treatmen of illness with charms was fundamental in their spread. Later it remained of prominence in certain schools and lost to different 'techniques' in others.

 

YM

Hi YM,

sorry, I still don't have it clear. Do I understand correctly that it mainly depends on the school. And in some school talismans are really important, and the Taoist Clergy are supposed to know it. While in others they have a secondary importance and students of the Tao can avoid to study them. Or do all sects give this sort of freedom.

 

Pietro

[YMWong]

Do I understand correctly that it mainly depends on the school. And in some school talismans are really important, and the Taoist Clergy are supposed to know it. While in others they have a secondary importance and students of the Tao can avoid to study them. Or do all sects give this sort of freedom.

 

Yes, on the school first and on the teacher/line then - meaning that even in certain lines were talismans are regularly used some teachers might make little to no use of them.

More in general, those performing rituals for the public use them all the times for treatment and during petitions so they are very much bound to them.

Those mostly in (solitary) cultivation might have never used them.

 

YM