The meaning of Purity and Stillness in Taoism 什么是清净

The meaning of Purity and Stillness in Taoism

"Qing Jing" (清净, "Purity and Stillness") is one of the cultivation methods proposed by Sima Chengzhen.

"Qing" (清) means purifying the source of the mind; "jing" (净) means purifying the sea of Qi. The meaning is to purify the mind and reduce desires, to be pure and still without action. This is a cultivation method and attitude toward life that Taoist Priests and followers must practice. Taoism values purity and stillness, viewing them as the root of the Dao. Only when Heaven, Earth, and all things are pure and still can the Dao dwell there. Those who study the Dao can only cultivate and attain the Dao through purity and stillness.

The meaning of Purity and Stillness in Taoism

The idea of purity and stillness first appears in Laozi. Daode Jing Chapter 16 states that though Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things are diverse and ever-changing, they return to their root in cyclical fashion — returning to the root is stillness. Chapter 45: "Stillness overcomes agitation; cold overcomes heat. Purity and stillness are the rectifiers of the world under Heaven." This also states that stillness is the fundamental characteristic of the Dao. To comprehend the great Dao lies in attaining emptiness and preserving stillness. Purity and stillness have a dual meaning: they are both the root of the Dao and the method for knowing the Dao. If people emulate the Dao's purity and non-action, they can embody the Dao and attain it.

After the Tang and Song Dynasty, "purity and stillness" gradually became emphasized in Taoist cultivation theory, eventually becoming an important content of Internal Alchemy. Tang dynasty Sima Chengzhen, incorporating Buddhist elements, regarded "purity and stillness" as the main method for cultivating longevity.