The Nei-yeh (Inner Cultivation or Inward Training) Anonymous - Mid 4th Century BCE Translated by arold !

oth "ne The vital essen#e o$ all things% It is this that brings them to li$e& It generates the $ive grains below And be#omes the #onstellated stars above& 'hen $lowing amid the heavens and the earth 'e #all it ghostly and numinous& 'hen stored within the #hests o$ human beings( 'e #all them sages& Two There$ore this vital energy is% Bright) - as i$ as#ending $rom the heavens* +ar,) - as i$ entering an abyss* -ast) - as i$ dwelling in an o#ean* .o$ty) - as i$ dwelling on a mountain /ea,& There$ore this vital energy Cannot be halted by $or#e( 0et #an be se#ured by inner /ower 1Te2& Cannot be summoned by s/ee#h( 0et #an be wel#omed by awareness& !everently hold onto it and do not lose it% This is #alled 3develo/ing inner /ower&3 'hen inner /ower develo/s and wisdom emerges( The myriad things will( to the last one( be gras/ed& Three All the $orms o$ the mind Are naturally in$used and $illed with it 1the vital essen#e2( Are naturally generated and develo/ed 1be#ause o$2 it& It is lost Inevitably be#ause o$ sorrow( ha//iness( 4oy( anger( desire( and /ro$it-see,ing& I$ you are able to #ast o$$ sorrow( ha//iness( 4oy( anger( desire and /ro$it-see,ing( 0our mind will 4ust revert to e5uanimity& The true #ondition o$ the mind Is that it $inds #almness bene$i#ial and( by it( attains re/ose& +o not disturb it( do not disru/t it And harmony will naturally develo/& 6our Clear) as though right by your side& -ague) as though it will not be attained& Indes#ribable) as though beyond the limitless& The test o$ this is not $ar o$$%

+aily we ma,e use o$ its inner /ower& The 'ay is what in$uses the body( 0et /eo/le are unable to $i7 it in /la#e& It goes $orth but does not return( It #omes ba#, but does not stay& 8ilent) none #an hear its sound& 8uddenly sto//ing) it abides within the mind& "bs#ure) we do not see its $orm& 8urging $orth) it arises with us& 'e do not see its $orm( 'e do not hear its sound( 0et we #an /er#eive an order to its a##om/lishments& 'e #all it 3the 'ay&3 6ive The 'ay has no $i7ed /osition* It abides within the e7#ellent mind& 'hen the mind is tran5uil and the vital breath is regular( The 'ay #an thereby be halted& That 'ay is not distant $rom us* 'hen /eo/le attain it they are sustained That 'ay is not se/arated $rom us* 'hen /eo/le a##ord with it they are harmonious& There$ore% Con#entrated) as though you #ould be ro/ed together with it& Indis#ernible) as though beyond all lo#ations& The true state o$ that 'ay% ow #ould it be #on#eived o$ and /ronoun#ed u/on9 Cultivate your mind( ma,e your thoughts tran5uil( And the 'ay #an thereby be attained& 8i7 As $or the 'ay% It is what the mouth #annot s/ea, o$( The eyes #annot see( And the ears #annot hear& It is that with whi#h we #ultivate the mind and align the body& 'hen /eo/le lose it they die* 'hen /eo/le gain it they $lourish& 'hen endeavours lose it they $ail* 'hen they gain it they su##eed& The 'ay never has a root or trun,( It never has leaves or $lowers& The myriad things are generated by it* The myriad things are #om/leted by it& 'e designate it 3the 'ay&3 8even 6or the heavens( the ruling /rin#i/le is to be aligned& 6or the earth( the ruling /rin#i/le is to be level&

6or human beings the ruling /rin#i/le is to be tran5uil& 8/ring( autumn( winter and summer are the seasons o$ the heavens& Mountains( hills( rivers( and valleys are the resour#es o$ the earth& :leasure and anger( a##e/ting and re4e#ting are the devi#es o$ human beings& There$ore( the sage% Alters with the seasons but doesn;t trans$orm( 8hi$ts with things but doesn;t #hange /la#es with them& Eight I$ you #an be aligned and be tran5uil( "nly then #an you be stable& 'ith a stable mind at your #ore( 'ith the eyes and ears a#ute and #lear( And with the $our limbs $irm and $i7ed( 0ou #an thereby ma,e a lodging /la#e $or the vital essen#e& The vital essen#e% it is the essen#e o$ the vital energy& 'hen the vital energy is guided( it 1the vital essen#e2 is generated( But when it is generated( there is thought( 'hen there is thought( there is ,nowledge( But when there is ,nowledge( then you must sto/& 'henever the $orms o$ the mind have e7#essive ,nowledge( 0ou loose your vitality& Nine Those who #an trans$orm even a single thing( #all them 3numinous3* Those who #an alter even a single situation( #all them 3wise&3 But to trans$orm without e7/ending vital energy* to alter without e7/ending wisdom% "nly e7em/lary /ersons who hold $ast to the "ne are able to do this& old $ast to the "ne* do not loose it( And you will be able to master the myriad things& E7em/lary /ersons a#t u/on things( And are not a#ted u/on by them( Be#ause they gras/ the guiding /rin#i/le o$ the "ne& Ten 'ith a well-ordered mind within you( 'ell-ordered words issue $orth $rom your mouth( And well-ordered tas,s are im/osed on others& Then all under heaven will be well-ordered& 3'hen one word is gras/ed( All under the heavens will submit& 'hen one word is $i7ed( All under heavens will listen&3 It is this 1word 3'ay32 to whi#h the saying re$ers& Eleven 'hen your body is not aligned( The inner /ower will not #ome& 'hen you are not tran5uil within(

0our mind will not be ordered& Align your body( assist the inner /ower( Then it will gradually #ome on its own& Twelve The numinous 1mind2% no one ,nows its limit* It intuitively ,nows the myriad things& old it within you( do not let it waver& To not disru/t your senses with e7ternal things( To not disru/t your mind with your senses% This is #alled 3gras/ing it within you&3 Thirteen There is a numinous 1mind2 naturally residing within* "ne moment it goes( the ne7t it #omes( And no one is able to #on#eive o$ it& I$ you loose it you are inevitably disordered* I$ you attain it you are inevitably well ordered& +iligently #lean out its lodging /la#e And its vital essen#e will naturally arrive& 8till your attem/ts to imagine and #on#eive o$ it& !ela7 your e$$orts to re$le#t on and #ontrol it& Be reverent and diligent And its vital essen#e will naturally stabili<e& =ras/ it and don;t let go Then the eyes and ears won;t over$low And the mind will have nothing else to see,& 'hen a /ro/erly aligned mind resides within you( The myriad things will be seen in their /ro/er /ers/e#tive& 6ourteen The 'ay $ills the entire world& It is everywhere that /eo/le are( But /eo/le are unable to understand this& 'hen you are released by this one word% 0ou rea#h u/ to the heavens above* 0ou stret#h down to the earth below* 0ou /ervade the nine inhabited regions& 'hat does it mean to be released by it9 The answer resides in the #almness o$ the mind& 'hen your mind is well-ordered( your senses are well-ordered& 'hen your mind is #alm( your senses are #almed& 'hat ma,es them well-ordered is the mind* 'hat ma,es them #alm is the mind& By means o$ the mind you store the mind% 'ithin the mind there is yet another mind& That mind within the mind% it is an awareness that /re#edes words& "nly a$ter there is awareness does it ta,e sha/e* "nly a$ter it ta,es sha/e it there a word&

"nly a$ter there is a word is it im/lemented* "nly a$ter it is im/lemented is there order& 'ithout order( you will always be #haoti#& I$ #haoti#( you die& 6i$teen 6or those who /reserve and naturally generate vital essen#e "n the outside a #almness will $lourish& 8tored inside( we ta,e it to be the well-s/ring& 6loodli,e( it harmoni<es and e5uali<es And we ta,e it to be the $ount o$ the vital energy& 'hen the $ount is not dried u/( The $our limbs are $irm& 'hen the s/ring is not drained( -ital energy $reely #ir#ulates through the nine a/ertures& 0ou #an then e7haust the heavens and the earth And s/read over the $our seas& 'hen you have no delusions within you( E7ternally there will be no disasters& Those who ,ee/ their minds unim/aired within( E7ternally ,ee/ their bodies unim/aired( 'ho do not en#ounter heavenly disasters "r meet with harm at the hands o$ others( Call them 8ages& 8i7teen I$ /eo/le #an be aligned and tran5uil( Their s,in will be am/le and smooth( Their eyes and ears will be a#ute and #lear( Their mus#les will be su//le and their bones will be strong( They will then be able to hold u/ the =reat Cir#le 1o$ the heavens2 And tread $irmly over the =reat 85uare 1o$ the earth2& They will mirror things with great /urity& And they will /er#eive things with great #larity& !everently be aware 1o$ the 'ay2 and do not waver( And you will daily renew your inner /ower( Thoroughly understand all under the heavens( And e7haust everything within the 6our +ire#tions& To reverently bring $orth the e$$ulgen#e 1o$ the 'ay2% This is #alled 3inward attainment&3 I$ you do this but $ail to return to it( This will #ause a wavering in your vitality& 8eventeen 6or all 1to /ra#ti#e2 this 'ay% 0ou must #oil( you must #ontra#t( 0ou must un#oil( you must e7/and( 0ou must be $irm( you must be regular 1in this /ra#ti#e2& old $ast to this e7#ellent 1/ra#ti#e2* do not let go o$ it&

Chase away the e7#essive* abandon the trivial& And when you rea#h its ultimate limit 0ou will return to the 'ay and the inner /ower& Eighteen 'hen there is a mind that is unim/aired within you( It #annot be hidden& It will be ,nown in your #ountenan#e( And seen in your s,in #olour& I$ with this good $low o$ vital energy you en#ounter others( They will be ,inder to you than your own brethren& But i$ with a bad $low o$ vital energy you en#ounter others( They will harm you with their wea/ons& 1This is be#ause2 the wordless /ronoun#ement Is more ra/id than the drumming o$ thunder& The /er#e/tible $orm o$ the mind;s vital energy Is brighter than the sun and moon( And more a//arent than the #on#ern o$ /arents& !ewards are not su$$i#ient to en#ourage the good* :unishments are not su$$i#ient to dis#ourage the bad& 0et on#e this $low o$ vital energy is a#hieved( All under heaven will submit& And on#e the mind is made stable( All under heaven will listen& Nineteen By #on#entrating your vital breath as i$ numinous( The myriad things will all be #ontained within you& Can you #on#entrate9 Can you unite with them9 Can you not resort to divining by tortoise or mil$oil 0et ,now bad and good $ortune9 Can you sto/9 Can you #ease9 Can you not see, it in others( 0et attain it within yoursel$9 0ou thin, and thin, about it And thin, still $urther about it& 0ou thin,( yet still #annot /enetrate it& 'hile the ghostly and numinous will /enetrate it( It is not due to the /ower o$ the ghostly and numinous( But to the utmost re$inement o$ your essential vital breath& 'hen the $our limbs are aligned And the blood and vital breath are tran5uil( >ni$y your awareness( #on#entrate your mind( Then your eyes and ears will not be over-stimulated& And even the $ar-o$$ will seem #lose at hand& Twenty +ee/ thin,ing generates ,nowledge& Idleness and #arelessness generate worry&

Cruelty and arrogan#e generate resentment& 'orry and grie$ generate illness& 'hen illness rea#hes a distressing degree( you die& 'hen you thin, about something and don;t let got o$ it( Internally you will be distressed( e7ternally you will be wea,& +o not /lan things out in advan#e "r else your vitality will #ede its dwelling& In eating( it is best not to $ill u/* In thin,ing( it is best not to overdo& .imit these to the a//ro/riate degree And you will naturally rea#h it 1vitality2& Twenty-one As $or the li$e o$ all human beings% The heavens brings $orth their vital essen#e( The earth brings $orth their bodies& These two #ombine to ma,e a /erson& 'hen they are in harmony there is vitality* 'hen they are not in harmony there is no vitality& I$ we e7amine the 'ay o$ harmoni<ing them( Its essentials are not visible( Its signs are not numerous& ?ust let a balan#ed and aligned 1breathing2 $ill your #hest And it will swirl and blend with your mind( This #on$ers longevity& 'hen 4oy and anger are not limited( 0ou should ma,e a /lan 1to limit them2& !estri#t the $ive sense-desires* Cast away these dual mis$ortunes& Be not 4oyous( be not angry( ?ust let a balan#ed and aligned 1breathing2 $ill your #hest& Twenty-two As $or the vitality o$ all human beings% It inevitably o##urs be#ause o$ balan#ed and aligned 1breathing2& The reason $or its loss Is inevitably /leasure and anger( worry and an7iety& There$ore( to bring your anger to a halt( there is nothing better than /oetry* To #ast o$$ worry there is nothing better than musi#* To limit musi# there is nothing better than rites* To hold onto the rites there is nothing better than reveren#e* To hold onto reveren#e there is nothing better than tran5uility& 'hen you are inwardly tran5uil and outwardly reverent 0ou are able to return to your innate nature And this nature will be#ome greatly stable& Twenty-three 6or all the 'ay o$ eating is that% "ver$illing yoursel$ with $ood will im/air your vital energy

And #ause your body to deteriorate& "ver-restri#ting your #onsum/tion #auses the bones to wither And the blood to #ongeal& The mean between over$illing and over-restri#ting% This is #alled 3harmonious #om/letion&3 It is where the vital essen#e lodges And ,nowledge is generated& 'hen hunger and $ullness lose their /ro/er balan#e( 0ou ma,e a /lan to #orre#t this& 'hen $ull( move 5ui#,ly* 'hen hungry( negle#t your thoughts* 'hen old( $orget worry& I$ when $ull you don;t move 5ui#,ly( -ital energy will not #ir#ulate to your limbs& I$ when hungry you don;t negle#t your thoughts o$ $ood( 'hen you $inally eat you will not sto/& I$ when old you don;t $orget your worries( The $ount o$ your vital energy will ra/idly drain out& Twenty-$our 'hen you enlarge your mind and let go o$ it( 'hen you rela7 your vital breath and e7/and it( 'hen your body is #alm and unmoving% And you maintain the "ne and dis#ard the myriad disturban#es( 0ou will see /ro$it and not be enti#ed by it( 0ou will see harm and not be $rightened by it& !ela7ed and unwound( yet a#utely sensitive( In solitude you delight in your own /erson& This is #alled 3revolving the vital breath3% 0our thoughts and deeds seem heavenly& Twenty-$ive The vitality o$ all /eo/le Inevitably #omes $rom their /ea#e o$ mind& 'hen an7ious( you loose this guiding thread* 'hen angry( you lose this basi# /oint& 'hen you are an7ious or sad( /leased or angry( The 'ay has no /la#e to settle& .ove and desire% still them) 6olly and disturban#e% #orre#t them) +o not /ush it) do not /ull it) =ood $ortune will naturally return to you( And that 'ay will naturally #ome to you 8o you #an rely on and ta,e #ounsel $rom it& I$ you are tran5uil then you will attain it* I$ you are agitated then you will lose it& Twenty-si7 That mysterious vital energy within the mind%

"ne moment it arrives( the ne7t it de/arts& 8o $ine( there is nothing within it* 8o vast( there is nothing outside it& 'e lose it Be#ause o$ the harm #aused by mental agitation& 'hen the mind #an hold on to tran5uility( The 'ay will be#ome naturally stabili<ed& 6or /eo/le who have attained the 'ay It /ermeates their /ores and saturates their hair& 'ithin their #hest( they remain unvan5uished& 16ollow2 this 'ay o$ restri#ting sense-desires And the myriad things will not #ause you harm&