Ling definitionAlthough the term ling is almost unknown in medical literatur

[Guest guest]

Hi John,

 

I talk about Ling extensively in Nourishing Destiny:

 

Let us go back to the Beginning: Before the Beginning was the dao.

Let us call the dao zero, neither negative nor positive: pure potential

(ling). Then, the primordial energy will be one; it will be a kind of

treasure (bao), and that is exactly what the Chinese call it, comparing

it to a single pearl in the midst of a boundless ocean.5

 

Lagerwey, 1987, p. 8. The use of the term lingbao ( ) is based on the

Daoisttrinity yuanshi ( ), lingbao ( ), and daode ( ). Yuanshi equates to

zero,the primordial cause of being. Lingbao equates to pure potential, and daode

signifies the manifestation of potential. Personal communication from Jeffrey

Yuen.

 

Let us go back to the Beginning:

Before the Beginning was the Dao. Let us call the Dao

zero, neither negative nor positive: pure potential (ling). 38

As pure potentiality, the dao ultimately must be identified with the

attributes of yin. In Daoist spiritual writings, the character ling refers to

the dao as " pure potentiality. " Porkert tells us that " jing in medical contexts

exactly takes over the role played by ling, `structive force,'

`structive capacity,' in philosophical and Daoist technical writing. . . . " 39

 

Although the term ling is almost unknown in medical literature, its

character figures prominently in the names of five acupuncture points.

These are Heart-2, " blue-green spirit " ; Heart-4, " spirit path " ; Kidney-

24, " spirit burial ground " ; Gallbladder-18, " receiving spirit " ; and

Governor Vessel-10, " spirit tower. "

Jing and ling differ in quality. Jing is stored in the kidneys and is

treated chiefly through points related to the lower burner; ling is treated

through points related to the upper burner.

 

The character ling has been changed in modern Chinese to one that

hides the meaning of its etymology ( ). There is no discussion of ling

as an aspect of spirit present in the modern texts from China. These

texts, which reflect the materialistic ideology of Marxism, discuss only

shen. This reflects the predilection of the modern Chinese to shun a

concept of spirit that has a shamanistic derivation and implies that the

individual has the power to evoke changes in heaven (the governing regime). The

concept of spirit inherent in shen, that heaven sends down

the portents of what will be, is probably a more comfortable notion to

the leaders of a totalitarian state.

The concepts of spiritual power present in ling have been decried not

only in the modern era. Xunzi (born 312 b.c.e.) directly attacked the

notion of ling: " When performance of the great rain dance is followed

by rain, what does this mean? say it means nothing. It is as though

the rain dance had not been performed and it had rained. . . . understanding

them [rituals] as ornamental leads to good fortune;

understanding them as spiritual leads to ill fortune. " 44 Perhaps Xunzi

is railing against the superstitious masses who both fear omens from

heaven (such as falling stars) and employ " witch doctors " to protect

them from evil. The concept of ling is still a potent symbol for the spiritual

power of one who has fulfilled destiny and, in this highest sense,

should not be discarded.

The etymology of the character ling reveals its

inner meaning. At the top, four drops of rain fall

from clouds under heaven . In the middle,

three mouths appear, and, at the bottom,

two female shamans40 offer jade and dances

to heaven. The image is a ritual dance for rain.

The notion expressed in the character is that

through the appropriate performance of ritual,

heaven is summoned, effecting change in the

world. Hence ling has the associated meanings

" spiritual, " " mysterious, " " supernatural power

or effect, " " transcendent, " and " marvelous. " 41

Mathews defines ling as " The spirit of a being,

which acts upon others. " 42 In religious Daoism,

ling is the aspect of spirit that manifests itself

after death to protect its descendants.43

-----------

In contemporary terms, I will suggest that, from a nondual perspective, Ling

describes the spiritual power of one who has recognized him or herself as

emptiness, to create in the world from a pure motive.

" having realized myself as emptiness, I am one with the pure motivation of

emptiness in creating a universe. I am a vehicle through which the pure motive

and potential of emptiness is realized in the world of form. "

[Guest guest]

I'm a bit uncertain of the status of ling in between Xunzi (312 b.c.e.) and the

Communists 2000 years later.

Doug

 

 

, " Lonny " <revolution wrote:

>

> Hi John,

>

> I talk about Ling extensively in Nourishing Destiny:

>

> Let us go back to the Beginning: Before the Beginning was the dao.

> Let us call the dao zero, neither negative nor positive: pure potential

> (ling). Then, the primordial energy will be one; it will be a kind of

> treasure (bao), and that is exactly what the Chinese call it, comparing

> it to a single pearl in the midst of a boundless ocean.5

>

> Lagerwey, 1987, p. 8. The use of the term lingbao ( ) is based on the

Daoisttrinity yuanshi ( ), lingbao ( ), and daode ( ). Yuanshi equates to

zero,the primordial cause of being. Lingbao equates to pure potential, and daode

signifies the manifestation of potential. Personal communication from Jeffrey

Yuen.

>

> Let us go back to the Beginning:

> Before the Beginning was the Dao. Let us call the Dao

> zero, neither negative nor positive: pure potential (ling). 38

> As pure potentiality, the dao ultimately must be identified with the

> attributes of yin. In Daoist spiritual writings, the character ling refers to

> the dao as " pure potentiality. " Porkert tells us that " jing in medical

contexts

> exactly takes over the role played by ling, `structive force,'

> `structive capacity,' in philosophical and Daoist technical writing. . . . " 39

>

> Although the term ling is almost unknown in medical literature, its

> character figures prominently in the names of five acupuncture points.

> These are Heart-2, " blue-green spirit " ; Heart-4, " spirit path " ; Kidney-

> 24, " spirit burial ground " ; Gallbladder-18, " receiving spirit " ; and

> Governor Vessel-10, " spirit tower. "

> Jing and ling differ in quality. Jing is stored in the kidneys and is

> treated chiefly through points related to the lower burner; ling is treated

> through points related to the upper burner.

>

> The character ling has been changed in modern Chinese to one that

> hides the meaning of its etymology ( ). There is no discussion of ling

> as an aspect of spirit present in the modern texts from China. These

> texts, which reflect the materialistic ideology of Marxism, discuss only

> shen. This reflects the predilection of the modern Chinese to shun a

> concept of spirit that has a shamanistic derivation and implies that the

> individual has the power to evoke changes in heaven (the governing regime).

The concept of spirit inherent in shen, that heaven sends down

> the portents of what will be, is probably a more comfortable notion to

> the leaders of a totalitarian state.

> The concepts of spiritual power present in ling have been decried not

> only in the modern era. Xunzi (born 312 b.c.e.) directly attacked the

> notion of ling: " When performance of the great rain dance is followed

> by rain, what does this mean? say it means nothing. It is as though

> the rain dance had not been performed and it had rained. . . . understanding

> them [rituals] as ornamental leads to good fortune;

> understanding them as spiritual leads to ill fortune. " 44 Perhaps Xunzi

> is railing against the superstitious masses who both fear omens from

> heaven (such as falling stars) and employ " witch doctors " to protect

> them from evil. The concept of ling is still a potent symbol for the spiritual

> power of one who has fulfilled destiny and, in this highest sense,

> should not be discarded.

>

> The etymology of the character ling reveals its

> inner meaning. At the top, four drops of rain fall

> from clouds under heaven . In the middle,

> three mouths appear, and, at the bottom,

> two female shamans40 offer jade and dances

> to heaven. The image is a ritual dance for rain.

> The notion expressed in the character is that

> through the appropriate performance of ritual,

> heaven is summoned, effecting change in the

> world. Hence ling has the associated meanings

> " spiritual, " " mysterious, " " supernatural power

> or effect, " " transcendent, " and " marvelous. " 41

> Mathews defines ling as " The spirit of a being,

> which acts upon others. " 42 In religious Daoism,

> ling is the aspect of spirit that manifests itself

> after death to protect its descendants.43

>

> -----------

> In contemporary terms, I will suggest that, from a nondual perspective, Ling

describes the spiritual power of one who has recognized him or herself as

emptiness, to create in the world from a pure motive.

>

> " having realized myself as emptiness, I am one with the pure motivation of

emptiness in creating a universe. I am a vehicle through which the pure motive

and potential of emptiness is realized in the world of form. "

>

[Guest guest]

, " " wrote:

>

> I'm a bit uncertain of the status of ling in between Xunzi (312 b.c.e.) and

the Communists 2000 years later.

> Doug

>

>

 

Well, we know that ling was kept in the point names, occurs in place names, and

occurred throughout the Daoist cannon. One can only understand the medicine in

context of the rest of developing culture. No part of culture exists in

isolation. There is no such thing as translating the medicine on " its own terms "

as some entity mysteriously isolated from the rest of culture. It's interesting,

for example, to consider the function of a point like K-24, Lingxu, in

relationship to the usage of those characters in relation to the imperial burial

grounds.

 

As for the communists, I find it interesting to consider the character ling

in relationship to their treatment of, and fear of, the Falun Gong (I don't know

much about this cult so I'm not making any statement about it one way or the

other). But the imagery of 10,000 people surrounding the Communists party head

quarters and doing " Qigong " (or whatever they were doing) as a ritual to create

regime change ( evoke changes in " heaven " ) is precisely contained in the

etymology of the character ling depicting shaman's performing a rain dance. The

communists/atheists/materialists have done everything to suppress the notions

inherent in Ling-the idea that an individual or collective could attain the

potency, power, to summon " mysterious " forces and evoke change in the hierarchy

above them. Certainly there is a lot of myth and superstition that we all have

to overcome for the sake of creating a sane world, but we don't want to throw

the baby out with the bath water as the totalitarians have done.

[Guest guest]

The Ling shu was originally called the " Zhen jing " ... acupuncture classic.

 

When in history did the name change occur... and under what kind of

philosophical circumstances did it become known as the " Ling shu " ?

 

On another subject, here's a pdf excerpt describing some of the Daoist

influences on the Nei jing and early Chinese medicine.

http://www.bluepoppy.com/pdf_book/daositacupuncture_excerpt.pdf

 

K

 

 

 

On Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 11:57 AM, Lonny <revolution wrote:

 

>

>

>

>

> --- In

<%40>,

> " " wrote:

> >

> > I'm a bit uncertain of the status of ling in between Xunzi (312 b.c.e.)

> and the Communists 2000 years later.

> > Doug

> >

> >

>

> Well, we know that ling was kept in the point names, occurs in place names,

> and occurred throughout the Daoist cannon. One can only understand the

> medicine in context of the rest of developing culture. No part of culture

> exists in isolation. There is no such thing as translating the medicine on

> " its own terms " as some entity mysteriously isolated from the rest of

> culture. It's interesting, for example, to consider the function of a point

> like K-24, Lingxu, in relationship to the usage of those characters in

> relation to the imperial burial grounds.

>

> As for the communists, I find it interesting to consider the character ling

> in relationship to their treatment of, and fear of, the Falun Gong (I don't

> know much about this cult so I'm not making any statement about it one way

> or the other). But the imagery of 10,000 people surrounding the Communists

> party head quarters and doing " Qigong " (or whatever they were doing) as a

> ritual to create regime change ( evoke changes in " heaven " ) is precisely

> contained in the etymology of the character ling depicting shaman's

> performing a rain dance. The communists/atheists/materialists have done

> everything to suppress the notions inherent in Ling-the idea that an

> individual or collective could attain the potency, power, to summon

> " mysterious " forces and evoke change in the hierarchy above them. Certainly

> there is a lot of myth and superstition that we all have to overcome for the

> sake of creating a sane world, but we don't want to throw the baby out with

> the bath water as the totalitarians have done.

>

>

>

 

 

 

--

 

 

""

 

 

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