Uploaded August 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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Companion blog post that covers some of the content I left out of the video, in the interest of length: benebellwen.com/2024/08/25/baopuzi

The version I’ve been working from is the Wang Ming 王明 “Baopuzi Neipian Jiaoshi 抱樸子內篇校釋,” which is the version canonized in the Taoist Canons.

Scans of Baopuzi shown in this video are from this archived copy: benebellwen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/e59b9be983a8e58299e8a681_e68ab1e6a8b8e5ad90.pdf

A digitized full-text version of Baopuzi (300 – 343 AD) can be found at: ctext.org/baopuzi/zh

TIMESTAMPS:

00:12 What is the Baopuzi 抱樸子? (and its Meaning)
02:25 Two Books: Inner Chapters 內篇 & Outer Chapters 外篇
06:22 Nine-Character Secret Mantra 九字真言
--- 06:36 Mudras with the Mantra Recitation (Taiwanese-Mandarin)
--- 07:40 Mantra Recitation with Pin Yin (Chinese, Beijing Proper)
--- 07:48 English Translation of Mantra
--- 07:58 Mantra Recitation with Mudra Illustrations (Hokkien, Minnan)
--- 08:39 Word for Word Study and Meaning of Mantra
--- 10:31 Passage in Baopuzi that the Mantra is Found In
--- 12:08 Meaning of “Liu Jia 六甲,” the Mantra’s Namesake [六甲秘祝]
13:21 Sampling a Few I Ching References in Baopuzi
14:49 Significance of the Liu Jia Secret Mantra; Uses
16:19 Can you separate a book/idea from its author?
17:06 Who was Ge Hong 葛洪?
18:46 Ge Hong’s wife, Bao Gu
20:25 Bridging Folk Taoism and Aristocratic Taoism
21:34 Xuan 玄: Unbridled Mystery (and the Mystery Maiden, Xuan Nu)
--- 22:39 To Know the Way of the Mysteries (Xuan Dao 玄道)
--- 23:30 Guang (Astral Light) & Xun (Thunderous Force; Vajra)
24:54 The Golden Elixir 金丹 [Formula(s) for Immortality]
--- 26:07 Secret Text, Dao Ji Jing 道機經 (Compare: Dao De Jing 道德經); continued: 27:02
--- 26:30 Archetype of The Weaver
--- 27:56 Formulating the Elixir; Cultivating the Person
28:50 Taoist Morality
30:44 Good Samaritan Jurisprudence (according to Ge Hong)
31:18 Are you born with it? Is Craft inherited or learned?
32:44 Hanging Talismans
34:33 Closing Remarks
35:55 Blooper Outro
36:08 Secret Mantra Grid Demo (Taiwanese)

Past Videos Referenced:

Secret Book of the Three Sovereigns (referencing Ge Hong and Bao Gu in connection with another Taoist grimoire), benebellwen.com/2024/03/20/secret-book-of-the-three-sovereigns

On the Lady of the Nine Heavens (Jiu Tian Xuan Nu), youtu.be/uIUcZD3hAr0

Wu Shamanism (referencing xian gu 仙姑), youtu.be/CECViRZ8xqE

Ritual Magic & Shamanism in Pre-Qin China, youtu.be/--DceQ1735Y