and its corresponding physical unrest. Buddhas and Taoist immortals are
described as having "put an end to leakage."
5. Taoist and Buddhist texts describe many manifestations of human
tendencies toward polarization and extremism. These include notices of
people trying to stop thinking completely, believing this to be the goal of
meditation practice.
In Taoist literature there is also mention of people who even try to stop
breathing. The idea of "making the affliction itself into medicine “ is
characteristically Buddhist, also described in later Taoist literature as
"temporarily using things of the world to cultivate principles of the Way."
6. Here the "light of the eyes “ refers to awareness of the world at large,
while the "light of the ears" refers to formless inner awareness. Here again
the text makes it clear that there is no real boundary or difference between
inside and outside: "They have the same source, but different names “ (Tao
Te Ching). The practice of "turning back to the nature of hearing" which is
one way of turning the light around, comes from the Heroic March
Scripture, a Buddhist text popular among latter-day Chan Buddhist
contemplatives and figuring prominently in the technical procedures
outlined in the Golden Flower text.
7. To "let go" is to free the mind from entanglement in objects, but to "let go
absolutely" is to fall into oblivion. Again the balance of "stopping" and
"seeing" is critical to the success of the exercise.
