Thursday, September 23, 2010

alchemy




Nine times nine, hard task of immortality!
Firmness of will yields the mysterious key.
By bitter toil you must the demons spurn;
Cultivation will the proper way return.
Regard not the scriptures as easy things.
So many are the sage monk's sufferings!
Learn of the old, wondrous Kinship of the Three:
Elixir won't gel if there's slight errancy.

-written by a buddhist monk in Journey to the West