文／蓮生活佛 盧勝彥
如佛威儀，金剛跏趺坐，或半跏趺坐，二手結法界定印，脊椎直豎，兩肩平張，曲頸令頷壓喉結，舌抵上顎，目不瞬顧，直視二尺。如是坐已，澄定身心。
吸一口氣入丹田，上氣下壓，下氣上提，如寶瓶狀。閉息久久至閉不住。在閉氣閉不住時，一個重要的口訣就是先再吸一口氣，令餘氣入中脈，達心際，融入各脈輪，達於一一毛細孔，散出。
未融入的氣，如射狀，吐氣。修氣的要訣是：脊椎直豎－－中脈才會直。
壓喉結－－上氣會下壓。
提肛－－下氣會上提。
舌抵上顎－－中脈才能上達頂竅。
上壓下提－－氣才會入中脈。
密教修「寶瓶氣」的目的，最重要是使「氣入中脈」，只要氣入中脈，則可以產生作用，我們稱入了中脈的氣，即是「智慧氣」。「寶瓶氣」修持久久。
全身經脈通暢。
氣的循環順遂。
氣足。
道家稱「大周天」、「小周天」的循環。
密教行者要明白上行氣、中行氣、下行氣、偏行氣、心氣。由氣的作用，修出「拙火」修出「明點」澄淨，修出「無漏」明點，達到大樂、光明、空性。
The Key Instructions to Cultivating Winds or Chi
Written by Lian-shen Linving Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by Cheng Yew Chung edited by Victor Hazen
True Buddha Foundation Translation Team
Sit either in the crossed-legged vajra position (full lotus) or half lotus position, with the dignified demeanor of a Buddha. With your hands forming the Amitabha's Dhyana Mudra, you hold your spine erect, shoulders straight, slightly tilting your neck while holding the chin inwards against the throat. Your tongue pressed against the upper pallet, and look to the ground about two feet in front of you. When you sit in this way, your body and mind settles down and maintains its stability.
Inhale a breath of air down to the dan-tian (lower abdomen, navel chakra), pressing the ascending winds and drawing up the descending winds, where [with muscular control]the winds are cupped in a vase. Hold your breath for as long as you can, until you can no longer retain the winds, a vital pith instruction is to inhale another breath of air which presses the remaining winds into the central channel, reaching the heart center and dissolving into the other chakras, eventually traveling to every pore and being released through them.
The unabsorbed winds or chi is exhaled through the nostrils, shooting up like an arrow.
The pith instructions to cultivating winds are as follows:
The spine must remain straight and erect－only then can the central channel remain straight.
Chin pressing slightly down and inward－The ascending wind shall be pressed downwards.
Tighten the pelvic muscles－the descending wind will be drawn upwards.
Tongue against the upper pallet－only then can the central channel be linked to the crown chakra.
Pressing the ascending wind downwards and drawing the descending wind upwards－only then can the winds or chi enter the central channel.
The practice of vase breathing aims to direct winds or chi into the central channel. As soon as the winds enter the central channel, a reaction occurs. The winds that enter into the central channel are referred to as the wisdom wind.
When you practice the vase breathing meditation long enough, all meridians and channels in your body shall remain clear and open, with a smooth circulation of chi. Your chi is sufficient. This is known in the Taoist teaching as the macrocosmic and microcosmic circulation.
The Tantric practitioner must know the five vital winds, namely the ascending wind, equalizing wind, descending wind, pervading wind, and life-essence wind. From the action of winds, one ignites the inner fire, through which the clear and pure drops are formed. When the non-leakage drops are developed, one gains great bliss, clear light, and emptiness.
