《太上太清天童护命妙经注》

“Taishang” refers to the supreme sovereign of the Dao (the Way). It is the king of the Mysterious Origin and the teacher of the myriad sages, peerlessly venerable and too lofty to be reached. Upward, it embraces every phenomenon between heaven and earth; in the middle, it brings universal relief to all living beings; downward, it nourishes the myriad things. The myriad things continually come into being and change, and the primordial Qi (vital energy) they receive comes from the Great Beginning; things of every kind likewise receive the great Dao within emptiness and non-being. Amid the countless transformations of the world, there is nothing that does not manifest the Dao of Taishang.

What is called the “Heavenly Dao” is the clear yang Qi that circulates without cease; what is called the “De (Virtue/Power) of the Youth” is conduct that accords with a virtue pure and true to its original nature. When the two fit together and their wondrous functions return to unity, life can be protected and nourished. Divine spirits will grant their protection; the rhinoceros and the tiger cannot do harm, nor can venomous insects inflict injury. How can life be made firm? The key lies in the divinely marvelous pivot.

The Most High Heavenly Youth of Great Clarity

The High Perfected—the lofty divine True Ones honored in Daoism—employ spiritual power to teach and transform the myriad things, and their marvelous workings are difficult to fathom.

The hymn says: Taishang Xuanyuan is the first and supreme honored one, seated upright upon the lotus throne and dwelling in the Palace of Jade Clarity; the wondrous transformed body of the Heavenly Youth is perfectly complete and radiant, illuminating the whole cosmos and rendering the myriad phenomena empty.

The Wondrous Jing (scripture/classic) for Protecting Life

Reciting this Jing can dispel evil spirits and baleful influences; cultivating this Jing can gather and hold upright Qi.

The hymn says: Taishang personally transmitted the Jing for Protecting Life, and its mysterious words are plain and clear. If one silently recites it three times at dawn, the host of demons will take fright and withdraw.

August Heaven Gave Birth to Me

The Celestial Emperor gave birth to me…

Jingong Daofu, a term in Neidan (internal alchemy) for yang Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy), shelters and protects my true body. The hymn says: all things are generated and transformed from the Qi of the Dao (the Way). August Heaven nurtures me and makes my breath and Shen (spirit) clear and bright. Within the pot I guide the dragon-fire in its circulation, and within the cauldron I congeal and refine the Golden Elixir (jindan) so that it gradually takes form.

August Heaven gives me birth and nurture.

Jingong Daofu shelters and protects my true body. The hymn says: all things are generated and transformed from the Qi of the Dao; August Heaven nurtures me and makes my Qi and Shen clear and luminous. Within the pot I guide the dragon-fire as it circulates, and within the cauldron the Golden Elixir is refined to completion.

August Earth bears me up.

Huangpo and Pinmu, Neidan terms for the powers that harmonize and bear the Jing and Qi of Yin-Yang, turn and move my bodily form. The hymn says: when the single Qi surges forth in harmonious fullness, the myriad things thereby appear; the generation of all things is rooted in the center. Only when the Dantian (energy center), the place within the body regarded as the site for refining and nurturing Jing and Qi, has matured the medicine of the numinous immortal does the practitioner become aware of the spirit roaming the immortal realm and entering the imperial homeland.

The sun and moon shine upon me.

The Jing and Qi of Heaven and Earth resonate with me and return me to pure Yang. The hymn says: the sun and moon move on their courses like the solar crow in flight and the lunar hare on the run; the radiance of the two orbs shines forth and crosses the Heavenly River. One who has reached understanding at this point can open the eye of wisdom; one may ask whether ordinary men and women of the world recognize the subtlety within.

The Northern Dipper assists me.

The apertures of the heart stand open and clear, and the movement of the Dipper’s handle is plainly visible. The hymn says: turn the mouth of the Dipper and set the Heavenly Pass in motion; two points of starlight come and go at will. Silver waves surge within the eye of the cauldron, and a crystal radiance streams within the door of the furnace.

The stars and constellations make me radiant.

The essential brilliance and numinous excellence that fill the sky shine upon me and settle my Shen and Qi in stillness. The hymn says: lift your gaze, and yang Jing, a Neidan term for yang essence and Qi, appears as several points of light, rising and falling, swift as flight. Nurtured within the void, the embryo-immortal, the inner numinous nature formed in the course of cultivation, is thereby brought to completion; one then rides the golden dragon with a steady seat, coming and going through Taiwei, the region of heaven where the stellar offices reside.

Rivers and streams ferry me across.

The golden waters of the winding river, a Neidan term for the Jing and Qi that circulate in cultivation, gather together and let me pilot the spirit-boat with a steady hand. The hymn says: numinous waves roll eastward in full flood and empty into the vast, boundless Dharma Sea. I steer the spirit-boat securely, passing through every place, and cast a line straight into the depths at the heart of the waters to angle for dragon and fish.

The North Star attends upon me.

When the Beichen, the North Star, first appears, it accompanies me in a shared clarity. The hymn says: the North Pole is deep, dark, and mysterious, standing guard over the azure heaven; once the aperture of the heart opens, comprehension comes at once, and awakening is not far off. Where the embryo-light, the inner light of spiritual clarity, grows limpid and gathers into stillness, ten thousand rays of rosy glow drift beyond the dusty world.

Wind and rain see me off on my way.

Between heaven and earth all grows gradually still, empty, and luminously clear; the rain has stopped, and the wind has turned crisp and fresh. The hymn says: Thin mist hangs like light smoke, fine rain drifts down, and the distant mountains hold their deep green—the scene is altogether fitting. Where do wind and rain send me? I strike my sword and mount a dragon, ascending to the Purple Tenuity Heaven, the exalted celestial realm spoken of in Daoism.

The immortals raise and support me.

The company of perfected immortals aid me together, merging with me as one. The hymn says: The immortals support me as I go in audience before the Three Realms—the realms of heaven, earth, and water spoken of in Daoism—and the host of sages accompany me into the capital where the Celestial Emperor dwells. Before the gates of the Golden Portal they call me an immortal guest; on the immortal register of the Jade Empyrean my immortal name is inscribed.

The Director of Destinies travels with me.

The celestial Siming, the deity who governs human lifespan and the registers of fate, and I issue from one and the same source. The hymn says: The Siming spirit is composed in bearing and clear of mind; joining with me, we together conceive and nurture the spirit-infant—the “infant” of the practice of Neidan (internal alchemy), symbolizing the gathering and growth of spirit. When the spirit-infant has grown to maturity, it returns to a state of undifferentiated nothingness, and a single point of numinous light appears everywhere.

Taiyi leaves me free to act.

Taiyi, the mysterious Daoist conception of the supreme origin or sovereign power, holds subtle workings within and leaves me free to exercise spiritual powers. The hymn says: The Taiyi furnace opens with a sound like a lion’s roar; the cauldron of Primordial Unity breaks apart, and a fire dragon soars. Flames fill the sky as if burning through the whole void; every kind of refined gold gathers into radiance, shining as bright as the light of the sun.

The Six Ding help me go forward.

The gateways of the six paths stand open and unobstructed, so that I may travel in spirit. The Six Ding, Yin deities and guardian divine generals in Daoism, help me roam at will. The hymn says: Hair unbound and robes thrown open, I ride a fire-ox; precious sword in hand, teeth clenched, I swallow and draw in the sun and moon; then, by means of Fulu (talismans and registers), I command divine generals to pursue and seize the heads of the living.

The Jade Maidens follow me.

The Golden Boy leads the way in front, and the Jade Maidens follow behind. The Golden Boy and the Jade Maidens are the immortal youths who attend gods and immortals in Daoist legend. The hymn says: Jade Maidens accompany me as I tour the grotto-heavens; pipes and song lead me up onto the Crystal Tower. Leaning on the railing and gazing afar, I no longer see the turmoil of the dusty world—only the sun appearing in the void.

The Five Emperors guard me.

Five kinds of rosy radiance gather into my spirit palace. The hymn says: The five Qi (five kinds of vital energy) come in audience at the precious palace; the three flowers—symbols, in cultivation, of Jing (essence), Qi, and Shen (spirit) coalesced as one—drift down piece by piece through the air. The mysterious pearl joins in union and gives rise to bright radiance, illuminating heaven and earth above and below, so that the four directions shine clear.

The Gate of Heaven opens for me.

When paying homage at the Golden Portal, the palaces of the immortal realm, one may freely pass in and out of the Yi Gate, here the portal leading into the mysterious realm. The hymn says: At leisure, riding a white horse, one arrives at the Gate of Heaven and strolls at will through the Moon Palace. In the jeweled hall, Heng’e, the legendary fairy of the Moon Palace, has just issued a command, granting me a branch of bright red osmanthus.

The Earth Door, the portal leading into the deep and mysterious realm, opens before me.

When the two apertures within the heart communicate, spiritual thought can reach an unfathomable realm. The hymn says: With a light knock upon the Mysterious Pass, the Earth Door opens; the immortal maiden of the Crimson Palace, the dwelling of mind and spirit, ascends the Spirit Terrace, the inner domain where mind and spirit move. Looking far into the distance, one sees jade blossoms in full bloom, as if all of them had been planted amid the flames of a red furnace.

My nature and my life are in my own hands.

Nature and life are both preserved, and Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) are all abundant. The hymn says: There is a method for nurturing primordial Qi and preserving the spirit; settle the hun and po souls so that they no longer drift and scatter. Once the way of the elixir has been accomplished, mind and spirit have already communed with the sacred realm, as if one had bored through walls and crossed the mountain ridges, opening a way straight through to sea and sky.

My nature and my life are in my own hands.

Nature and life are both preserved, and Jing, Qi, and Shen are all abundant. The hymn says: There is a method for nurturing primordial Qi and preserving the spirit; settle the hun and po souls so that they no longer drift and scatter. Once the way of the elixir has been accomplished, mind and spirit have already communed with the sacred realm, as if one had bored through walls and crossed the mountain ridges, opening a way straight through to sea and sky.

Great Clarity (Taiqing, the pure and lofty realm spoken of in Daoism) possesses mysterious scriptures.

The Dao (the Way) of Great Clarity holds sway over the mysterious scriptures and the myriad spirits. The hymn says: Great Clarity forever guards the Yi Gate, and the transformations of the myriad things all arise from there; the one nature runs through Heaven and Earth, and the Golden Infant—in Neidan (internal alchemy), the symbol of the primordial spirit brought to completion, or of the elixir embryo—returns to the Jade Dawn Palace, the abode of immortals and perfected beings.

Between the Three Palaces there is rising and falling, coming and going: ascent and descent, while the Three-in-One, the three palaces within the body and the Dao of oneness, now floats and now sinks. The hymn says: The Three Palaces rise and descend, and floating and sinking are thereby brought to rest; in one who has attained thorough understanding, the apertures of the heart open, and heavenly nature is naturally deep. Civil fire and martial fire are added to the furnace of the Great One, and within the cinnabar cauldron refined gold is smelted. Here furnace and cauldron, the timing of the fire, and the refining of gold from cinnabar serve as metaphors for the practice of Neidan.

Movement up and down, back and forth, has no end.

Whether near or distant, however great the separation, the principle within is without end. The hymn says: Rising and descending, coming and going without limit, yet no form or trace can be seen; the formless original substance is naturally pure and tranquil. Numinous cinnabar accumulates without cease, its splendors reflecting one another, so bright that they dazzle the eyes.

Golden rice and jade nectar: whatever is sought can be obtained.

This is a natural nourishment of subtle excellence; once it is taken, one’s years may be lengthened. The hymn says: A platter of golden rice is steeped in jasper nectar; after one eats and drinks, the spirit is clear and Qi refreshed, and it enters the Great Granary, here the place within the body that stores essence and Qi. Then, riding five-colored clouds, one pays homage to the Holy Sovereign and, in the Hall of Purple Tenuity, makes report to the Bright Emperor, the imperial lord of the celestial realm.

The sun and moon of the empty Brahma—the sun and moon that transcend the dusty world and hang aloft, illuminating the void: a precious mirror is suspended in empty space, and the eye of the Dao, the mind’s eye that contemplates profound principle, is clear, bright, and far-reaching. The hymn: A platter of golden rice is steeped in jasper nectar; after one eats and drinks, the spirit is clear and Qi refreshed, and it enters the Great Granary. Then, riding five-colored clouds, one pays homage to the Holy Sovereign and, in the Hall of Purple Tenuity, makes report to the Bright Emperor.

The sun and moon of the empty Brahma.

A precious mirror hangs suspended in the void, and the eye of the Dao (the Way)—the vision that penetrates the Great Dao—is lofty and bright. The hymn says: The empty heavens are radiant and resplendent, illuminating Daluo Heaven; the sun and moon hang high, casting their light upon the world. Drop by drop the mercury-water in the cauldron falls, and the refined red sand gradually fills the furnace-cauldron.

Taking Heaven as witness, one swears an oath.

Human nature is endowed by Heaven, while human thoughts and ingenuity belong to oneself. The hymn says: Human nature communicates with Heaven, and the human being seems likewise to mirror Heaven; when Heaven and humanity accord with one another, the root is established. Once this root has fused into one, whither does it return? It returns to the time before the transformations of the myriad things, that vast and boundless realm.

Gui, Guan, Tiao, Gui, Xing, Kui—

These are the names of the North Pole, able to uphold the orthodox and expel the deviant. The hymn says: The Primordial Lord of the North Pole stands guard in heaven, clenching the teeth and wielding a sword to slay the Demon King; sprites, demons, and ghosts are all destroyed, and in the end become formless, as if transformed into a flash of blood-light.

Act according to this Dao, and one can attain completion;

To turn away from it is to die; to accord with it is to live. The hymn says: When the elixir is refined, it is never exhausted; the Mysterious Female (Xuanpin, what Daoism calls the gateway through which Yin-Yang generates and transforms) lets the breath come and go freely in the void. The White Tiger (Yin Qi, vital energy, in Neidan, internal alchemy) continually swallows the marrow of the Golden Phoenix (Yang Qi in Neidan), and the Black Dragon (the Qi of Yin and Yang in Neidan) often drinks the essence of the sun.

There is no spirit that cannot be commanded,

Everyone can take part in it, and the myriad things likewise follow its working. The hymn says: The ten thousand spirits rejoice and gather within the three luminaries of sun, moon, and stars; cultivating through to the Great Dao, one transcends birth and extinction and thereby endures. By constantly employing mercury and lead (the medicinal agents in Neidan that symbolize Yin and Yang) in reverse, one naturally refines the elixir of pure Yang.

There is no command that cannot be carried out,

Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things are all born by receiving Qi (the primordial energy that constitutes and impels all things). The hymn says: At the first stirring of the single Yang, the Yellow Sprout (Huangya, the sign in Neidan of vitality just beginning to emerge) appears; when the two Qi of Yin and Yang conjoin, the snow-white essence condenses, clear and pure. The two medicines unite, together weighing sixteen liang, and at last congeal into one perfect, luminous precious pearl.

Above is the Vermilion Bird (Zhuque, one of the Four Symbols, representing the south and fire),

A fire dragon coils about the crown of the head, and the cinnabar phoenix gathers Yang Qi. The hymn says: The Vermilion Bird leaves its nest, rides the sun, and takes flight, surging upward into the Heavenly Valley (Tiangu, the site of cultivation within the head) and reaching straight into the midst of clouds and rainbow mists; spreading its golden wings, as if turning the stars, it causes sunlight to flood Taiwei (a stellar region of the celestial palace).

Below is the Dark Warrior (Xuanwu, one of the Four Symbols, representing the north and water).

The turtle dwells in the Water Palace and is the Jing (essence) of Taiyin—Taiyin referring to the place where Yin Qi (vital energy) reaches its extreme. The hymn says: Xuanwu (the northern deity formed of turtle and snake together) moves through the Water Palace, encircled by a red snake and brought into being within fire; in an instant, golden waves surge up in the well and pour into the red furnace-cauldron to be refined and boiled.

On the left is the Azure Dragon (Qinglong).

The Azure Dragon originates in the Zhen position of the east (Zhen being one of the Bagua, the Eight Trigrams), yet mercury is born from the west. The hymn says: the Azure Dragon leaps forth and emerges from the watery marsh of the east; it spreads crimson clouds that envelop the Jade Capital; two flashes of lightning pass and a thunderclap sounds, startling the Three Heavens and standing guard over the rivers and lakes.

On the right is the White Tiger (Baihu).

The White Tiger originates in the Dui position of the west, yet lead is born from the east. The hymn says: the White Tiger lies hidden deep in the Dui quarter, seated in stillness upon Mount Sumeru (a sacred mountain commonly found in Buddhist and Daoist texts), manifesting the radiance of the dragon; its light pierces heaven and earth, the host of demons withdraws, and it alone guards the mountains, streams, and seas.

Those who cherish me can attain long life.

Only by preserving Jing and Shen (spirit) and nurturing primordial Qi can one protect life and live long. The hymn says: the transformations of Yin-Yang and the firing phases of cultivation must not go astray; within the lead cauldron, frost-blossoms seem to form, giving forth emerald cinnabar; a single bright pearl turns and rolls, radiance glittering across the sky and reflecting the crimson clouds.

Those who loathe me will meet with misfortune.

Greed and anger deplete primordial Qi, and jealousy injures Shen. The hymn says: do not let greed, anger, and jealousy arise; trust the natural order of heaven and earth and act with composure. If, during pure and quiet cultivation, corpse-ghosts run riot, draw the sword from the sleeve and cut down the Three Peng (the three corpse-spirits within the body, as spoken of in Daoism).

Those who scheme against me will meet destruction.

Do not contend for wealth, sensual allure, profit, and fame; sinking into passion and loving attachment makes karmic burdens ever deeper. Those of penetrating understanding stand aloof from these attachments, while the deluded do not awaken and remain long immersed in them.

Those who hate me will perish.

The mind-monkey and will-horse (a metaphor for restless thoughts that are hard to control), if given free rein, bring ruin. The hymn says: deviant demons and yin-ghosts crowd in to cause disturbance; one should practice Wogu (the Daoist method, in cultivation, of clenching the fist to gather Qi) and preserve Shen, allowing no stray thoughts to intrude. If, when the mind is silent and still, one is stirred by worldly affairs, open the bright moon within the heart and let it shine through all of empty space.

Three thousand six hundred Jade Maidens constantly attend at my side; the myriad spirits assemble and do not depart from me. The thoughts of the mind are like a horse; if indulged, they bring ruin. The hymn says: deviant demons and yin-ghosts crowd in to cause disturbance; one should practice Wogu and preserve Shen, allowing no stray thoughts to intrude. If, when the mind is silent and still, one is stirred by worldly affairs, open the bright moon within the heart and let it shine through all of empty space.

Three thousand six hundred Jade Maidens remain constantly at my side. Hosts of spirits gather together and never leave my body.

The hymn says: The immortals assemble as one, their presence clear and radiant; from deep within the colored clouds comes the sound of rejoicing in Great Peace, celestial music fills the air, and all reverently escort the Perfected One into the immortal realm of Dongting.

They bear ceremonial insignia and hold talismanic mandates, roaming together with me. Whether I walk or pause, sit or recline, in every gesture and movement they stay close beside me.

The hymn says: The Jade Maidens accompany me as I wander the land where night never falls; phoenixes and luan birds receive the carriage and usher it into the Bright Hall. The Golden Lads urge me to drink the jade nectar; as it enters the mouth it is pure and fragrant, and its coolness runs straight to the crown of the head.

The Most High—the supreme Dao (the Way)—presides over the celestial capital. The exalted Perfected, those of profound attainment, each occupy their stations, and the host of sages comes to pay court.

The hymn says: The Most High sits aloft upon a precious lotus and sends forth light that shines without bound. The immortals each preside over the offices of the exalted Perfected, and the multitude of sages comes before the imperial throne to offer homage.

This is a vision, between Heaven and Earth, of great good fortune, prosperity, and peace.

Heaven and Earth are empty, silent, and pure, deep and lucid, full and yet vacant and still.

The hymn says: Primordial Unitary Qi (vital energy)—the original energy of the cosmos—steadies the rising and falling, the sinking and floating of Heaven and Earth. Standing alone amid emptiness and stillness, it is the root from which the myriad forms first arise. Vast and profound, it surpasses a thousand kalpas; clear and far-reaching, it overspreads the void.

There are twenty-four Fulu (talismans and registers)—in Daoism, talismanic writings that bear divine power and are used in Keyi (liturgy) or in rites of supplication and the averting of misfortune.

Divine talismans can dispel illness, and the mind-seal—the seal-formula by which the inner heart accords with the Dao—can drive out malign spirits.

The hymn says: The divine talismans cut off baleful influences, so that yin evils disperse; the mind-seal expels deviant Qi, and the orthodox Dao arises of itself. The Golden Register Mysterious Rites, an important ritual form within Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) and Keyi, transmit secrets conferred in person, to relieve the people, aid the state, and keep the world long in clarity and peace.

These talismanic methods correspond to the stars and to calendrical reckoning.

The river of stars is pure as jade, and the mind is clear as ice and the moon.

The hymn says: The Milky Way shines bright upon the silver toad—the toad said in legend to dwell in the moon—and the Unsurpassed Perfected inspires one to look upward in reverence. A Jade Maiden draws open palace doors clear as autumn water, and a Golden Lad lifts the bright curtain of night.

“Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes!” This is a common closing formula of Daoist talismans and spells, meaning that the command must be carried out at once, just as a statute requires.

Once the essential purport of the Jing (scripture/classic) has been grasped, one should immediately take up the practice of recitation.

The hymn says: When the cultivation of merit and the cultivation of the Way are both complete, one may shine forth in transcendence and ascend with a lightened body. An Azure Lad leads the way to the place of audience with the Primordial—the immortal realm where one pays court to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning and other exalted deities—riding a transcendent crane on fragrant winds into the grotto-heaven.