The Record of Quotations by Realized Person Danyang 丹阳真人语录

Record of Quotations by Realized Person Danyang was composed by Ma Yu, a patriarch of the Quanzhen Dao in the Jin Dynasty, and compiled by his disciple Wang Yizhong. Later, it was included in the Taixuan Division of the Daozang (Taoist Canon).

The book collects more than fifty quotations of Ma Yu, all of which promote the doctrines of the Quanzhen Sect and advocate the inner alchemical path of cultivating both nature and destiny. Its teachings take "purity, tranquility, and non-action" as the core, stating that among the thousands of Taoist classics and theories, "all can be summed up in one phrase: purity and tranquility." Purity and tranquility mean purifying the source of the heart and calming the sea of qi. A practitioner should remain constantly pure and tranquil throughout the twelve hours of the day, without arousing the slightest mundane thought. "By simply calming the heart and dispelling desires, remaining untouched by all external distractions, and maintaining the harmony of spirit and qi, one attains the Dao."

It also says: "For those who study the Dao, there is no other task but to nurture qi. When the fluid of the heart descends and the qi of the kidneys ascends to the spleen, and the primordial qi lingers without dispersing, the elixir will congeal." In short, the essence of cultivating the true self lies in nurturing qi and preserving spirit. One must cut off all worldly attachments, keep both the inner and outer realms pure and tranquil, and through long-term dedication, achieve the concentration of spirit and the surge of qi. When the three elixirs are fully formed, the spirit will unite with the Dao, and one will attain immortality and verify the true nature.

The book also emphasizes that those who study the Dao must abstain from alcohol and meat, eliminate sexual desires, wander and beg for food, be content with poverty and endure humiliation, practice kindness and humility, and keep the Dao in mind at all times—whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. This is the tradition of the Quanzhen Sect, "directly passed down from Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin."

In general, the book mostly records trivial matters of Ma Yu's practice and teachings to his disciples, with occasional additions of the words and deeds of Wang Chongyang and Qiu Chuji. It holds certain value for the study of the Quanzhen Dao, and its ideological viewpoints contain many insightful highlights.