posted ago by MindlessRationality ago by MindlessRationality +5 / -1

I saw this translated poem recently in relation to Sun Wu Kong (The Monkey King) who was said to have achieved many legendary feats including immortality and even defied heaven itself and chose instead to claim equal status to heaven.

Part of the steps were to achieve immortality which is claimed he was taught the secret by Taoist monks. The secret was said to be the following:

"This bold, secret saying that’s wondrous and true: Spare, nurse nature and life—there’s nothing else. All power resides in the semen, breath, and spirit; Store these securely lest there be a leak. Lest there be a leak! Keep within the body! Heed my teaching and the Way itself will thrive. Hold fast oral formulas so useful and keen To purge concupiscence, to reach pure cool; To pure cool Where the light is bright. You’ll face the elixir platform, enjoying the moon. The moon holds the jade rabbit, the sun, the crow; The tortoise and snake are now tightly entwined. Tightly entwined, Nature and life are strong. You can plant gold lotus e’en in the midst of flames. Squeeze the Five Phases jointly, use them back and forth— When that’s done, be a Buddha or immortal at will!”