Taoism has a mystic practice of “Three times Five”.  What is it?

The saying regarding Three times Five is not limited to Taoism;

Confucianism and Buddhism also have the same sayings.  In

Confucianism, it is the Three Orders⁸ and Five Bonds⁷ of morality. 

In Buddhism, it is the Three Followings³⁴ and Five Disciplines¹⁷. 

In Taoism, it is the Three Flowers and Five Qi*.  Though the

appellations are different, they all are based on the Truth. 

Upon the fulfillment of these practices, one becomes what

Confucianism calls a Saint; Buddhism, a Buddha; or Taoism,

an Immortal.  These are the outer Three times Five.

There is a simpler practice, the inner Three times Five. 

Wu-ji Lao-Mu⁴ descended to the Altar and stated “The

True Self and life are completed when Two times Five. 

When Three times Five coagulates, one pervades the cosmos.” 

For example, the new moon begins on the first of the Chinese

Lunar Calendar.  After three times five days, on the fifteenth,

it becomes a full moon.  A male reaches adulthood at the age

of fifteen.  Tao follows Three times Five too.

What is Two times Five?  That means the two eyes.  What is

Three times Five?  It is the True Self plus Two times Five. 

In the celestial sense, Two times Five refers to the sun and

moon, which complement each other.  Reflecting the aureole

inward and coagulating It in the Right Portal, one can return

to the Origin and restore his True Self.  Scriptures and Sutras

contain many hidden messages.  If a person cannot realize the

true messages in the Scriptures, in order to realize them, all he

has to do is to hold on to his True Self and portal, seek the

Enlightened Teacher with Tien-Ming¹ and receive Tien-Tao. 

He then can realize the hidden messages in time.  Upon full

realization, he can abandon all Scriptures and practice Tao

tenaciously on his own.  Why?  The Buddhist Sutra states

“The Dharma I spoke of is like a raft.  Once one gets on to

the shore, why should he carry the raft with him?”

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*Three flowers are the three treasures of the body; the

vitality, spirit (Qi) and soul.  See Question 75.