right except for the impression it conveys that "emptiness" is itself
"numbing." This expression should rather be rendered as "numb emptiness."
Only "numb emptiness" is "numbing" not real emptiness as understood and
experienced in Buddhism and Completely Real Taoism. Here again,
acquaintance with Buddhist thought would have helped Wilhelm to
understand the point of this passage.
4. The "center" is explained in the notes to paragraph 15 of Section III; the
"two eyes" are explained in the notes to paragraph 4 of Section III. The
"handle of the stars" refers to the crux or key of awareness, by which self-
mastery and autonomy are attained.
5. The alchemical symbol of metal or lead is explained by Liu I-ming in his
commentary on Chang Po-tuan's Four Hundred Words on the Gold Elixir in
these terms: "Lead is dense and heavy, hard and strong, lasts long without
disintegrating; what is called true lead here is not ordinary material lead, but
is the formless, immaterial true sense of real knowledge in the human body.
This true sense is outwardly dark but inwardly bright, strong and
unbending, able to ward off external afflictions, able to stop internal
aberrations. It is symbolized by lead and so is called the true lead. . .
Because its light illumines myriad existents, it is also called the golden
flower. Because it is the pivot of creation, it is also called the North Star.
Because it conceals light within darkness, it is also called metal within
water" (The Inner Teachings of Taoism).
