Nowadays in China, qigong is being intensively studied by many scholars in various fields as an old yet new branch of medicine.
In Japan, too, interest in qigong is now gradually heightened, and, as people are brought to demonstrations of qigong , even the most skeptical are greatly surprised and eagerly become engaged in the research work on the subject.
It is said that qigong originated from Taoism and Buddhism. However, in the Chinese medical classic 'Huangdi Neijing' or 'Classic of Internal Medicine' and 'Lushi Chunqiu' or 'The Spring and Autumn Annals' it can be observed that a consideration of qigong s methodology was taken up in search of therapy by the authors of these old books. From this fact, I deduce that qigong, Taoism and Buddhism have developed their own history separately and in parallel rather than being originated one from the other.
Various attempts of medical and scientific analysis have been tried on qigong to find its substance, but I think it will take some time to verify its hypostasis.
As a religious man, I think it is more important for, me to analyze qigong from a religious perspective, particularly from that of Buddhism as opposed to a medical or scientific analysis of qigong. In my view qigong originated separately and in parallel to Buddhism. I feel very strongly that I should pursue an analytical study from the view point of Buddhism. The exercise patterns of qigong and its mind-control are quite similar or almost the same to Mijiao Shan (Esoteric Zen Buddhism) which I personally am preaching. In addition to this, I can find many points of similarity between qigong and the 'GOKAJI', a mystical prayer conducted by powerful ascetics. Mijiao Shan preaches that the body, mouth and mind power are three important elements of attaining to perfection. Illness can be cured by such practice, and I have had numerous examples cured by Mijiao Shan.
The difference between Mijiao Shan and qigong is perhaps the absence of prayer in qigong . qigong is normally conducted in front of a patient while Mijiao Shan can be effectively performed regardless of the distance between the patient and the one offering the prayer.
Some people may not believe this, but it is a fact that cannot be denied. The qigong treatment performed from a distance of several meters, and the Mijiao Shan prayers that are from longer distances, can be found very similar in principle.
How is the Mijiao Shan performed? It is performed by those well-practiced ascetics that inherit the competence from their masters. the 'Yizhi' (a manual or instruction book) contains such instructions as expressions of the hands (Yin), ways of concentrating mind and ways of breathing. These physical performances are found very similar to the qigong ways of practice.
Take one example, both qigong and Mijiao Shan try to concentrate one's mind in a relaxed bodily state, using similar kinds of 'Yin ', expressed by the hands.
I am sorry that due to limited space, I cannot explain this to the reader in detail, but it is a fact that the strength of the alpha wave emitted from the brain is enhanced when Yin is added to the meditation.
' Zhenyan ' or incantation that is uttered from the mouth are many. The most famous of all, and the one that is said to be most effective is 'Namakusamanda, bodanan un shitchi sowaka'. When you say this prayer seven times in one breath with a concentrated state of mind, you can solve any problem that you face and you can attain anything that you wish.
I have disclosed the secret words of Zhenyan . My intention of doing this is to tell the reader that the deed of uttering these words is exactly the same as that defined by Alexis Carrel, the Nobel prize winner. 'State of mind which is spiritually agitated by spoken mystical words, and in which the absolute world and universal principles are unified by the consciousness.'
This, I think, is the same as the state of mind when a GOKAJI performance is being conducted by monks.
Buddhism is based on the thought that 'all are rooted in one', and it deems the human society a small universe as against the big universe which is the root of all phenomena.
Buddhism preaches that the energy with which the big universe is filled. can be realized as the 'qi '. therefore, therapy by 'qi ', not only the internal qi but also emitted qi can fill the patient with the energy of the universe. Should qigong, the therapy of the qi be reinforced with the consciousness mentioned above, it would certainly be more effective in curing diseases. Because the human being possesses a power of the mind, the activity of the soul is much stronger than the qi which is the essential power source of signed.
Supposing the energy or qi is the combined strength of electromagnetic power, infrared rays and distant infrared rays that work on the flesh, the energy of mind may be an unknown supernatural power that works on the mind of human beings. It is therefore suggested that the study of qigong should not only be the study of the effects of qi, but it should also include the study of the mind. If it is so requested, I will make public the practice of Mijiao Shan to show people that phenomenal effects can be seen in the common alpha wave zone both in the qi and the mystic power of the Mijiao Shan.
