灵枢·禁服 Miraculous Pivot · Prohibition and Adherence
雷公问于黄帝曰：“细子得受业，通于九针六十篇，旦暮勤服之，近者编绝，久者简垢，然尚讽诵弗置，未尽解于意矣。Lei Gong asked the Yellow Emperor, "I have received instruction, mastered the sixty chapters on the nine needles, and have been diligently studying them day and night. The bamboo slips near the binding have been worn out, and those used for a long time have become soiled. However, I still recite them continuously without fully understanding their meaning.
《外揣》言‘浑束为一’，未知所谓也。夫大则无外，小则无内，大小无极，高下无度，束之奈何？The 'Outer Estimation' states that 'gathering them into one whole', but I don't know what it means. When it comes to the concept of size, it can be as large as having no outer limit and as small as having no inner boundary. The range of size is infinite, and the degree of height and lowness is immeasurable. How can they be gathered together?
士之才力，或有厚薄，智虑褊浅，不能博大深奥，自强于学若细子。细子恐其散于后世，绝于子孙，敢问约之奈何？”The abilities of scholars may vary in strength. Some have limited intelligence and shallow thinking, unable to comprehend the profound and extensive knowledge as I do. I am afraid that this knowledge will be scattered and lost in later generations and among descendants. May I ask how it can be condensed?"
黄帝曰：善乎哉问也！此先师之所禁，坐私传之也，割臂歃血之盟也。子若欲得之，何不斋乎？The Yellow Emperor said, "What an excellent question! This was prohibited by our predecessors. It was because of private transmission that there was an oath-taking ceremony by cutting the arm and smearing blood. If you want to obtain it, why don't you fast?"
雷公再拜而起曰：请闻命于是也。乃斋宿三日而请曰：敢问今日正阳，细子愿以受盟。Lei Gong bowed twice and stood up, saying, "I will follow your instructions." He then fasted and stayed overnight for three days and then asked, "May I ask that on this very day of midday sun, I am willing to take the oath."
黄帝乃与俱入斋室，割臂歃血，黄帝亲祝曰：今日正阳，歃血传方，有敢背此言者，反受其殃。The Yellow Emperor then went into the fasting chamber with him, cut their arms and smeared blood. The Yellow Emperor personally offered a prayer, saying, "On this day of midday sun, we smear blood to transmit the prescriptions. Whoever dares to break this oath will suffer misfortune in return."
雷公再拜曰：细子受之。Lei Gong bowed twice again and said, "I will accept it."
黄帝乃左握其手，右授之书，曰：“慎之慎之，吾为子言之。凡刺之理，经脉为始，营其所行，知其度量。The Yellow Emperor then held his left hand with his left hand and handed him a book with his right hand, saying, "Be cautious, be cautious. I will explain it to you. In general, the principle of acupuncture starts with the meridians. One should understand the path they travel and know their measurements.
内刺（别本作次）五脏，外刺（别本作别）六腑，审察卫气，为百病母，调其虚实，虚实乃止。泻其血络，血尽不殆矣。”Acupuncture is performed on the five zang-organs internally and on the six fu-organs externally. One should carefully examine the defensive qi, which is considered the origin of all diseases. Adjust the excess and deficiency until they are balanced. When draining the blood vessels, when the blood is drained, there will be no danger."
雷公曰：此皆细子之所以通，未知其所约也。Lei Gong said, "These are what I have already understood. I don't know how to condense them."
黄帝曰：夫约方者，犹约囊也，囊满而弗约，则输泄，方成弗约，则神与弗俱。The Yellow Emperor said, "Condensing the prescriptions is like tying up a bag. If the bag is full and not tied up, its contents will spill out. If the prescriptions are formulated but not condensed, the essence will not be grasped along with them."
雷公曰：愿为下材者，勿满而约之。Lei Gong said, "I am willing to be a person of lesser ability. I will not let it be full before tying it up."
黄帝曰：未满而知约之以为工，不可以为天下师。The Yellow Emperor said, "If one knows how to condense before it is full, one can be a skilled practitioner but cannot be a teacher for the whole world."
雷公曰：愿闻为工。Lei Gong said, "I would like to hear about being a skilled practitioner."
黄帝曰：“寸口主中，人迎主外，两者相应，俱往俱来，若引绳大小齐等。The Yellow Emperor said, "The cubit-opening pulse mainly reflects the condition of the interior, and the renying pulse mainly reflects the condition of the exterior. The two should correspond to each other, coming and going together, like a rope being pulled with equal lengths on both sides.
春夏人迎微大，秋冬寸口微大，如是者，名曰平人。In spring and summer, the renying pulse is slightly larger; in autumn and winter, the cubit-opening pulse is slightly larger. Those who are like this are called normal people.
人迎大一倍于寸口，病在足少阳；一倍而躁，在手少阳。If the renying pulse is twice as large as the cubit-opening pulse, the disease is in the foot shaoyang meridian;
人迎二倍，病在足太阳；二倍而躁，病在手太阳。if it is twice as large and restless, it is in the hand shaoyang meridian.
人迎三倍，病在足阳明；三倍而躁，病在手阳明。If the renying pulse is three times as large as the cubit-opening pulse, the disease is in the foot taiyang meridian; if it is three times as large and restless, it is in the hand taiyang meridian.
盛则为热，虚则为寒，紧则为痛痹，代则乍甚乍间。Excessiveness indicates heat, deficiency indicates cold, tightness indicates painful bi-syndrome, and intermittency indicates sudden severity and remission.
盛则泻之，虚则补之，紧痛则取之分肉。In case of excessiveness, drain it; in case of deficiency, tonify it; in case of tight painful bi-syndrome, select the muscles between the skin and flesh for treatment;
代则取血络且饮药，陷下则灸之，不盛不虚，以经取之，名曰经刺。in case of intermittency, select the blood vessels for treatment and also take medicine; in case of sunken pulse, apply moxibustion; in case of neither excessiveness nor deficiency, select the meridian for treatment, which is called meridian acupuncture.
人迎四倍者，且大且数，名曰溢阳，溢阳为外格，死不治。If the renying pulse is four times as large as the cubit-opening pulse and is both large and rapid, it is called excessive yang, and excessive yang is an external blockage, which is incurable and will lead to death.
必审按其本末，察其寒热，以验其脏腑之病。One must carefully examine its origin and development and observe its cold and hot conditions to verify the diseases of the internal organs.
寸口大于人迎一倍，病在足厥阴；一倍而躁，在手心主。If the cubit-opening pulse is twice as large as the renying pulse, the disease is located in the foot jueyin meridian; if it is twice as large and shows restlessness, the disease is in the hand jueyin meridian.
寸口二倍，病在足少阴；二倍而躁，在手少阴。If the cubit-opening pulse is three times as large as the renying pulse, the disease is in the foot shaoyin meridian; if it is three times as large and shows restlessness, the disease is in the hand shaoyin meridian.
寸口三倍，病在足太阴；三倍而躁，在手太阴。If the cubit-opening pulse is four times as large as the renying pulse, the disease is in the foot taiyin meridian; if it is four times as large and shows restlessness, the disease is in the hand taiyin meridian.
盛则胀满，寒中，食不化，虚则热中、出糜、少气、溺色变，紧则痛痹，代则乍痛乍止。When there is excessiveness, there will be fullness and distension, cold in the interior, and indigestion; when there is deficiency, there will be internal heat, loose stools, shortness of breath, and a change in urine color; when the pulse is tight, there will be painful bi-syndrome; when the pulse is intermittent, there will be sudden pain and then remission.
盛则泻之，虚则补之，紧则先刺而后灸之，代则取血络而后调之；In case of excessiveness, it should be drained; in case of deficiency, it should be tonified; when the pulse is tight, acupuncture should be performed first and then moxibustion; when the pulse is intermittent, the blood vessels should be selected for treatment first and then adjusted;
陷下则徒灸之，陷下者，脉血结于中，中有着血，血寒，故宜灸之，不盛不虚，以经取之。when the pulse is sunken, only moxibustion should be applied. The sunken pulse means that the blood in the vein is congealed in the interior, there is stagnant blood, and the blood is cold, so moxibustion is appropriate. In case of neither excessiveness nor deficiency, treatment should be carried out according to the meridians.
寸口四倍者，名曰内关，内关者，且大且数，死不治。If the cubit-opening pulse is four times as large as the other relevant pulse (such as the renying pulse), it is called Neiguan. The Neiguan pulse is both large and rapid, and it is incurable and will lead to death.
必审察其本末之寒温，以验其脏腑之病。One must carefully examine the cold and warm conditions of its origin and development to verify the diseases of the internal organs.
通其营输，乃可传于大数。Only by understanding the transportation of qi and blood in the meridians can the major principles be transmitted.
《大数》曰：‘盛则徒泻之，虚则徒补之，紧则灸刺且饮药，陷下则徒灸之，不盛不虚，以经取之。’The 'Major Principles' state: 'In case of excessiveness, simply drain it; in case of deficiency, simply tonify it; in case of tightness, perform moxibustion and acupuncture and also take medicine; in case of sunken pulse, simply apply moxibustion; in case of neither excessiveness nor deficiency, select the meridian for treatment.'
所谓经治者，饮药，亦曰灸刺。脉急则引。脉大以弱，则欲安静，用力无劳也。”What is called meridian treatment means taking medicine, and it is also called moxibustion and acupuncture. If the pulse is tense, it should be stretched. If the pulse is large but weak, one should seek quietness and avoid excessive exertion."
