《三光注龄资福延寿妙经》

The Dao (the Way) says: I dwell in seclusion within the four quarters of heaven and earth, resting at ease in the Mingtang (the inner place of clarity and brightness), guarding and refining Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and the hun and po souls. In this way one naturally attains penetrating clarity, discerns the four directions, and brings the realms of all things into connection. The Dao is the most fundamental source at the very beginning, when heaven and earth were first opened. I set forth these principles in order to explain the Dao of the human body and mind; you should receive them with care and not transmit them casually to others.

Heaven has seven mechanisms and also the three lights; the stars of the Northern Dipper correspond to the Heavenly Mechanism (Tianji), and starlight corresponds to Tiangang. The Northern Dipper has seven stars, corresponding to the five viscera of the human body. To quiet the body and mind and settle the spirit is called upright cultivation. The ears should not listen to confused sounds, the eyes should not look upon wicked things, the nose should not smell foul odors, and the mouth should not take in unclean flavors. Let the three lights within the body (in Daoism, the luminous power that symbolizes clear and bright primordial Qi) circulate in emptiness and stillness throughout the whole body; the head symbolizes heaven, and the feet symbolize earth. The Dao assists the human body with natural Qi.

If the ears hear confused sounds and sights, this harms a person; if the eyes look upon wicked things, the true light cannot shine brightly; if the nose smells foul Qi, the Yuzhen (symbolizing pure Jing and Qi) is not clear; if the mouth takes mixed and unclean food, the body easily falls ill. Thus illness often enters through the mouth, and blessings are also worn away by indulgence in sound and sight. If you can refrain from these, your lifespan may continue in accord with heaven.

If one can ingest the Golden Liquid (the precious substance of cultivation spoken of in Daoism), one may hope to become a flying immortal; if one can take the Reverted Elixir (the refined elixir), one can make the bones firm and prolong life. If you aspire to cultivate the Dao, you should go to famous mountains, practice Wuwei (non-action) and freedom from desire, cultivate in quietude and advance without ceasing, and not go along with worldly people. Greed and desire invite calamity. The mysterious and wondrous sacred principle of the Great Dao lies before you: the Northern Dipper covers and shines upon your bodily form, and the three lights illuminate your Jing and Qi. Only by carefully and secretly cultivating in accordance with this can the work of the Dao be accomplished.