Four symbols
A symbol is also the spirit and soul.
Guan Yin Zi said: Water can be separated and combined, but there is no spirit in it; fire depends on the gods of the incense and the wood, but there is no me in it. Therefore, the ears can hear before and after the cover, there is no one, wisdom is not about anyone, one odd is not about anyone, winter withers autumn things are not about anyone, black can not be changed, there is no one, the north is not about anyone, all are spirits. The tongue is the teeth, the teeth form words, no self, the lowly have no self, the two sides have no self, summer is due to spring, no self, red can change, no self, the southern sky has no self, all are gods. With no self in the essence, that is why when the rice is hulled, the essence remains. With no self in the gods, that is why when the ghost relies on things, the gods are seen. The person who is whole in essence forgets right and wrong, gains and losses, what is here is not there, the person who holds on to the gods is strong in times of darkness and weak in times of light, what is there is not here.
It is said: The spirit is like water and fire. The five elements mutually generate and extinguish one another, and there is no beginning or end. There is no beginning or end to a single drop of my essence, and there is no arising or ceasing of my spirit. There is no self, no others, no beginning and no end, and so it is one with heaven and earth.
It is said: Essence is water, spirit is metal, and soul is fire. Essence is dominated by water, spirit by metal, and metal gives birth to water, so essence is stored by spirit. Spirit is master of fire, soul is master of wood, wood gives birth to fire, so spirit is hidden in soul. Only water, as a substance, can store and rest gold, and nourish and prosper wood, so it separates soul and spirit. Only fire, as a substance, can melt and dissolve gold, and burn and scorch wood, so it extinguishes soul and spirit. Only essence, in heaven, is cold, on earth, it is water, in humans, it is essence. Spirit, in heaven, is hot, on earth, it is fire, in humans, it is spirit. Pao, in heaven it is dry, on earth it is metal, in man it is Pao. Hsiun, in heaven it is wind, on earth it is wood, in man it is Hsiun. Only with my essence can I unite the essences of heaven and earth and all things, as when ten thousand waters are united into one. Only with my spirit can I unite the spirits of heaven and earth and all things, as when ten thousand fires are united into one. Only with my Pao can I unite the Pao of heaven and earth and all things, as when metal can be united with metal of a different kind and melted into one. With my soul, I unite the souls of heaven and earth. Just as wood can be joined with different kinds of wood to become one, so too can all things in heaven and earth be united. Then heaven and earth, all things, are all my essence, my spirit, my soul, and my spirit. Which will die and which will live?
It is said: The movement of the five elements is due to essence and spirit, which are due to god, which is due to intention, which is due to spirit, which is due to essence. The five elements circulate endlessly, so my false heart circulates the creation. For hundreds of millions of years, there is no end in sight. However, the buds grow from one another, and there are tens of thousands of them. Although the world is vast, there are no buds growing in midair. Females give birth to males, and there are tens of thousands of them. Although yin and yang are wonderful, there can be no females without males. However, those that come to me are all controlled by one breath, so that the changing things become me, and nothing is not me. Who can change the so-called five elements?
It is said: “People who use the soul to control the spirit have an excess of metal and a lack of wood. The sage who uses the spirit to control the soul has an excess of wood and a lack of metal. The spirit controls the soul, and the soul controls the spirit. The spirit is active during the day and the soul is active at night. The spirit sees, and the soul dreams. Those who can see are not separated by the spirit, and those who can dream are not separated by the spirit. Those who can see are not separated by the spirit, and those who can dream are not separated by the spirit. Those who can see are not separated by the spirit, and those who can dream are not separated by the spirit. Those who can see are not separated by the spirit, and those who can dream are not separated by the spirit. Those who can see are not separated by the spirit, and those who can dream are not separated by the spirit. Those who can see are not separated by the spirit, and those who can dream are not The dreamer's soul has no distinction between the analyzer and the analyzed, and the analyzer and the analyzed are said to be the self and the other. Fire gives rise to earth, hence the mind gives rise to the will; earth gives rise to metal, and the will gives rise to the soul. What the mind moves is not called the mind, it is called the will; what the will moves is not called the will, it is called the soul. Only the sage knows that I have no self and that there is no object, for all is the result of thought and calculation. Therefore, when everything comes, I respond with my nature, not my mind. The nature of the heart is not yet formed. Without the heart, there is no intention. Without intention, there is no spirit. Without spirit, there is no metal. Without one, all five are lost. If you can regard the world as your soul, then you can regard the world as your spirit. If all of creation is my soul, and all of creation is my spirit, then there is nothing that can enslave me. If you give up the liver, you will give up the lungs
saying: “Ghosts are the soul, ghosts are white, and this is the case in the text. Ghosts are what people become after death.
Clouds are wind, wind is wood; white is qi, and qi is metal. Wind is scattered, so it is light and clear, and light and clear goes to heaven. Metal is hard and heavy, and heavy and dark goes to the earth. Those who are light and clear, the soul ascends with the soul; those who are heavy and dark, the soul descends with the soul. Those who ascend through benevolence are assisted by Jupiter; those who ascend through righteousness are assisted by Venus; those who ascend through propriety are assisted by Mars; those who ascend through wisdom are assisted by Mercury; and those who ascend through faith are assisted by Saturn. Those who sink through unkindness are overcome by the wood demon; those who sink through unrighteousness are overcome by the metal demon; those who sink through impoliteness are overcome by the fire demon; those who sink through unwise-ness are overcome by the water demon; and those who sink through lack of faith are overcome by the earth demon. If the soul and the spirit are half-balanced, then in the human world, the ascending soul is noble, the descending spirit is base; the soul is wise, the spirit is foolish; the light soul is bright, the heavy spirit is dark; the ascending soul is like feathers, the descending spirit is like hair; the bright soul is like a god, the dark spirit is like a ghost. Their forms, their dwellings, their knowledge and their preferences are all bound by the five elements. However, the numbers of the five elements are uneven, so there are still many things in the world, filling the sky and the earth. It is hard to say whether the five things can be attributed to the five elements, or whether the five elements can be used to describe the five creatures. It is like the divination with tortoise shells and yarrow: if you are sincere, the elements will respond. If you are not sincere, you will get no response, no matter how many times you try. The sage uses objects to understand the world, and the five elements cannot avoid responding.
It is said that the five elements have a soul. The soul is the consciousness, the eyes are the essence, and the colour is the spirit. The person who sees is the soul, and the eyes, ears, mouth, nose and heart are born in this life. Love is the essence, the source of life for the other; sight is the spirit, the source of life for the other. Although love and sight are different, they are both born of the same knowledge, and the source of life for the other is born of the other. One is the father, so it receives the breath from the father, and the breath is water. The other is the mother, so it receives the blood from the mother, and the blood is fire. With a father and a mother, the other is born. But love has no knowledge, like the interlocking of a lock; sight has no knowledge, like the light of a lamp. My knowledge does not sprout, so what is my life?
It is said: It is like the sound of a drum being struck with a mallet. The shape of the drum is my existence, and the sound of the drum is my perception. The mallet has already gone, but the sound of the drum is still there, and it will eventually disappear. The shape of the drum is like my essence, and the sound of the drum is like my spirit. The remaining sound is like the soul, and knowing that it comes and goes so quickly, the five elements of the qi, how can I have any?
It is said: The fruit has a core, and it is only when the three elements of water, fire and earth are present that they can produce an endless supply of life. If the three elements are not present, as in the case of a severe drought, a severe flood or a severe famine, there will be no life. The essence is water, the spirit is fire and the intention is earth. These three elements are not meant to mix, but people can unite them through the root, and thus see something in them. It is like a magician who can see a lot of things in the most ordinary things.
It is said: The soul is wood, and wood takes root in winter water and blossoms in summer fire. Therefore, the soul of man is hidden in the essence of night and seen in the god of day. In harmony with essence, what is seen is unique to me, for there has never been anyone else. In harmony with god, what is seen is the same for everyone, for there has never been me.
It is said: “Knowing this body, as if it were a dream, and whatever one sees according to one's emotions, one can fly with the gods as me and roam the great void. Knowing this object, as if it were a dream, and whatever one sees according to one's emotions, one can condense one's essence to create things and ride the eight desolations. This is the way, which can see the spirit and live long, and can forget the spirit and transcend. Breathing in to nourish the essence, as metal gives birth to water, and breathing in the wind to nourish the spirit, as wood gives birth to fire, so one relies on the outside to prolong the spirit. Rinsing the mouth with water nourishes the essence, which is why it is never depleted. Rubbing the fire nourishes the spirit, which is why it is never depleted. So by relying on the inside, the spirit is prolonged. As for those who forget the spirit and transcend life, I have already spoken of them.
It is said that if a person is diligent in observing propriety, their spirit will not wander and they can concentrate; if a person is diligent in acquiring wisdom, their essence will not be distracted and they can gather it. Benevolence is yang and bright, so it can lighten the soul; righteousness is yin and dark, so it can control the spirit.
It is said: The dung beetle rolls a pill, and when the pill is formed, it ponders it, but there is a wriggling white creature that remains inside the pill, which soon sheds its shell and becomes a cicada. The dung beetle does not ponder, so why does the wriggling creature become a white cicada?
The cook boiled the crab, and one of its legs was left on the table. The crab was already cooked, but the leg was still moving. This is the gathering and dispersing of one breath, which gives rise to life and death. There is no life and no death, but people recklessly calculate life and death.
There are those who die standing, those who die sitting, those who die lying down, those who die ill, and those who die from medicine. There is no difference between those who die and those who do not. If a wise person knows this, he does not see life, and therefore does not see death.
It is said: Those who are disgusted with life and death and transcend them are in great trouble. It is like a demon. If a person has a mind that is disgusted with life and death and transcends them, it is only called a demon, not the way.
It is said: Those who calculate life and death say that death either exists or does not exist, or that death is both present and absent, or that death is neither present nor absent. Some say that one should rejoice, others that one should fear, others that one should resign oneself to it, and others that one should transcend it. The more you change, the more you understand, and the more you run, the more you know. But you don't know that my life and death are like the hands of a horse or the wings of a cow, that there is no there there, and then there is no there there. It is like water and fire. Although you violate water and fire, you cannot burn or drown.

四符
符者，精神魂魄也。
关尹子曰：水可析可合，精无人也；火因膏因薪神，无我也。故耳蔽前后皆可闻，无人，智崇无人，一奇无人，冬凋秋物无人，黑不可变，无人，北寿无人，皆精。舌即齿，牙成言，无我，礼卑无我，二偶无我，夏因春物，无我，赤可变，无我，南天无我，皆神。以精无人，故米去壳则精存，以神无我，故鬼凭物则神见。全精者忘是非，忘得失，在此者非彼，抱神者时晦明时强弱，在彼者非此。
曰：精神，水火也。五行互生灭之，其来无首，其往无尾，则吾之精一滴无存亡尔，吾之神一欻无起灭尔，惟无我无人，无首无尾，所以与天地冥。
曰：精者水，魄者金，神者火，魂者木。精主水，魄主金，金生水，故精者魄藏之。神主火，魂主木，木生火，故神者魂藏之。惟水之为物，能藏金而息之，能滋木而荣之，所以析魂魄。惟火之为物，能镕金而销之，能燔木而烧之，所以冥魂魄。惟精，在天为寒，在地为水，在人为精。神，在天为热，在地为火，在人为神。魄，在天为燥，在地为金，在人为魄。魂，在天为风，在地为木，在人为魂。惟以我之精，合天地万物之精，譬如万水可合为一水。以我之神，合天地万物之神，譬如万火可合为一火。以我之魄，合天地万物之魄，譬如金之为物，可合异金而镕之为一金。以我之魂，合天地万物之魂，譬如木之为物，可接异木而生之为一木。则天地万物，皆吾精吾神吾魄吾魂，何者死，何者生？
曰：五行之运，因精有魂，因魂有神，因神有意，因意有魄，因魄有精。五行回环不已，所以我之伪心流转造化，几亿万岁，未有穷极，然核芽相生，不知其几万株，天地虽大，不能芽空中之核。雌卵相生，不知其几万禽，阴阳虽妙，不能卵无雄之雌。惟其来于我者，皆摄之以一息，则变物为我，无物非我，所谓五行者，孰能变之？
曰：众人以魄摄魂者，金有余则木不足也；圣人以魂运魄者，木有余则金不足也。盖魄之藏魂俱之，魂之游魄因之。魂昼寓目，魄夜舍肝。寓目能见，舍肝能梦。见者魂无分别析之者，分别析之曰天地者，魂狃习也。梦者魄无分别析之者，分别析之曰彼我者，魄狃习也。火生土，故神生意；土生金，故意生魄。神之所动，不名神，名意；意之所动，不名意，名魄。惟圣人知我无我，知物无物，皆因思虑计之而有。是以万物之来，我皆对之以性，而不对之以心。性者，心未萌也，无心则无意矣。盖无火则无土，无意则无魄矣。盖无土则无金。一者不存，五者皆废。既能浑天地万物以为魂，斯能浑天地万物以为魄。凡造化所妙皆吾魂，凡造化所有皆吾魄，则无有一物可役我者。舍肝当作舍肺
曰：鬼云为魂，鬼白为魄，于文则然。鬼者，人死所变。
云者风，风者木；白者气，气者金。风散故轻清，轻清者上天。金坚故重浊，重浊者入地。轻清者，魄从魂升；重浊者，魂从魄降。有以仁升者，为木星佐，有以义升者，为金星佐，有以礼升者，为火星佐，有以智升者，为水星佐，有以信升者，为土星佐。有以不仁沉者，木贼之，不义沉者，金贼之，不礼沉者，火贼之，不智沉者，水贼之，不信沉者，土贼之。魂魄半之，则在人间，升魂为贵，降魄为贱，灵魂为贤，厉魄为愚，轻魂为明，重魄为暗，扬魂为羽，钝魄为毛，明魂为神，幽魄为鬼。其形其居，其识其好，皆以五行契之。惟五行之数，参差不一，所以万物之多，盈天地间，犹未已也。以五事归五行，以五行作五虫，可胜言哉。譬犹兆龟数蓍，至诚自契，五行应之。诚苟不至，兆之数之，无一应者。圣人假物以游世，五行不得不对。
曰：五者具有魂。魂者识，目者精，色者神。见之者为魂，耳目口鼻心之类在此生者。爱为精，为彼生父本，观为神，为彼生母本。爱观虽异，皆同识生，彼生生本在彼生者。一为父，故受气于父，气为水。二为母，故受血于母，血为火。有父有母，彼生生矣。惟其爱之无识，如锁之交，观之无识，如灯之照。吾识不萌，吾生何有。
曰：如桴扣鼓，鼓之形者，我之有也；鼓之声者，我之感也。桴已往矣，余声尚在，终亦不存而已矣。鼓之形如我之精，鼓之声如我之神。其余声者，犹之魂魄，知夫倏往倏来，则五行之气，我何有焉。
曰：夫果之有核，必待水火土三者具矣，然后相生不穷。三者不具，如大旱大潦大块，皆不足以生物。夫精水神火意土，三者本不交，惟人以根合之，故能于其中横见有事。犹如术祝者，能于至无中见多有事。
曰：魂者木也，木根于冬水而华于夏火。故人之魂藏于夜精，而见于昼神。合乎精，故所见我独，盖精未尝有人。合乎神，故所见人同，盖神未尝有我。
曰：知夫此身，如梦中身，随情所见者，可以飞神作我而游太清。知夫此物，如梦中物，随情所见者，可以凝精作物而驾八荒。是道也，能见精神而久生，能忘精神而超生。吸气以养精，如金生水，吸风以养神，如木生火，所以假外以延精神。漱水以养精，精之所以不穷，摩火以养神，神之所以不穷，所以假内以延精神。若夫忘精神而超生者，吾尝言之矣。
曰：人勤于礼者，神不外驰，可以集神；人勤于智者，精不外移，可以摄精。仁则阳而明，可以轻魂；义则阴而冥，可以御魄。
曰：蜣螂转丸，丸成而精思之，而有蠕白者存丸中，俄去壳而蝉。彼蜣不思，彼蠕奚白？
曰：庖人羹蟹，遗一足几上，蟹已羹，而遗足尚动。是生死者，一气聚散尔。不生不死，而人横计曰生死。
曰：有死立者，有死坐者，有死卧者，有死病者，有死药者。等死，无甲乙之殊。若知道之士，不见生，故不见死。
曰：人之厌生死超生死者，皆是大患也。譬如化人，若有厌生死心，超生死心，止名为妖，不名为道。
曰：计生死者，或曰死己有，或曰死己无，或曰死己亦有亦无，或曰死己不有不无。或曰当喜者，或曰当惧者，或曰当任者，或曰当超者。愈变识情，驰骛不已。殊不知我之生死，如马之手，如牛之翼，本无有，复无无。譬如水火虽犯水火，不能烧之，不能溺之。