《太上洞神天公消魔护国经》

At that time, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, a supreme deity of Daoism), together with the celestial emperors of the various heavens, the Utmost Perfected of the Ten Directions (supreme deities of every quarter who had attained the Dao (the Way)), the Limitless Great Saints, the Perfected of Wondrous Practice, the great host of saints who had attained the Dao throughout the ten directions, as well as the Golden Boys and Jade Maidens, the Three Masters of the Most High, and the assembled perfected who served as guards and attendants, were expounding the scriptures (Jing) and their teachings in the Purple Tenuity Palace on Jade Capital Mountain in the Mysterious Metropolis, broadly saving and delivering all living beings.

At that time the radiance of the sun and moon shone forth, and heaven and earth were at peace. The Celestial Worthy sent out five-colored light that illumined the boundless worlds of all the heavens, reaching upward to the Thirty-Two Heavens and downward to the dark hells of the underworld. The divine light shone everywhere, rescuing innumerable living beings, so that beings of the underworld and of the human world alike could dwell in security, enjoy happiness, and no longer suffer illness or harm. Celestial fragrance spread in every direction, and gentle, auspicious winds blew throughout; the hungry ate golden rice, and the thirsty drank jade nectar. Hungry ghosts and suffering departed souls were all satisfied, their spirits were delivered, and their karmic retributions were entirely dissolved. The hells returned to tranquility, and living beings gradually ascended into the immortal realms. Before long they left their sufferings behind, beheld the Celestial Worthy in person, were reborn above in Huaxu (the immortal realm), and regularly attended the Dharma assemblies.

At this moment a Perfected named Wuji, seated in the assembly, rose to his feet. Draped in a mantle of rosy clouds and holding jade blossoms, he set his robes and cap in order and bowed with reverence. When the salutation was finished, he calmed his mind, knelt for a long while, and, touching his head to the ground, addressed the Celestial Worthy: “I, your servant, am fortunate that, by the blessed merit of former lives, I may attend this Dharma assembly and hear the Celestial Worthy personally expound the profound and wondrous teaching, so that all living beings upon the earth, in the underworld and in the human world alike, may rest secure. Yet I now see that the people of the lands below meet with every kind of calamity. Some suffer flood or fire; some encounter famine, bandits, or plague; and elsewhere drought has long continued without rain, the five grains yield poorly, grasses and trees are scorched and withered, the borders of the realm are unsettled, and the people are filled with fear. These many sufferings weigh upon my heart. I wish to rescue them, yet I have no means. I now vow to bring relief to living beings, and I earnestly beg the Celestial Worthy, in compassion, to bestow an expedient teaching. The work of the Dao lies in generating and nurturing the myriad things. I beg you to save living beings and spare them these disasters and afflictions.”

At this time the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said to the Perfected of the Infinite: “Excellent, excellent! You are now able to make a vast vow on behalf of all living beings upon the earth, to practice benefit widely, and with sincere heart to protect and rescue them so that they may be spared disaster. The merit of your aid to living beings is profound and far-reaching! I now command the demon hosts of the Nine Heavens who govern the Three Realms, together with the Generals of the Three and Five, the Divine Generals of the Six Jia, the celestial attendants and mighty warriors, the Perfected of Wondrous Practice, the Perfected of Compassion, the Perfected of Jade Clarity, the Perfected of the Cavern Sovereign, and the many other spirits; also the divine lads of Jade Clarity, the Crimson Officials of Celestial Numina, the merit officers and chief clerks, the Director of Longevity, and Elder Lord Han, the many celestial immortals and earthly immortals, and the divine hosts of the Divine King of the Awesome Sword, the Divine King Who Seizes Poison, the Divine King Who Dispels Demons, the Divine King Who Devours Evil, the Divine King Who Shatters Demons, the Divine King of the Flying Immortals, and others; and further the Three Masters of Precepts and Prohibitions (the three spirits charged with precepts and prohibitions), the God of Thunder, the God of Wind, the God of Rain, and the God of Lightning, to patrol the human world and relieve every kind of calamity.

If living beings meet with flood or fire, they need only pray silently with a concentrated mind and open and recite this scripture. If they encounter bandits, they recite this scripture; if they meet with pestilence, they recite this scripture; and if they face severe drought, unrest within the realm, a poor harvest of the five grains, or affairs that do not go smoothly, they likewise recite this scripture.

All who copy and venerate this scripture will move to response the demon hosts of the Nine Heavens who govern the Three Realms, the Generals of the Three and Five, the Divine Generals of the Six Jia, the celestial attendants and mighty warriors, the Perfected of Wondrous Practice, the Perfected of Compassion, the Perfected of Jade Clarity, the Perfected of the Cavern Sovereign, the divine lads of Jade Clarity, the merit officers and chief clerks, the Director of Longevity, the celestial immortals and divine immortals, and the divine kings of the Awesome Sword, of Dispelling Demons, of Seizing Poison, of Devouring Evil, of Shattering Demons, of Seizing Pestilence, and of the Flying Immortals, together with the Three Masters of Precepts and Prohibitions, the Earl of Wind, the Master of Rain, the Duke of Thunder, the Mother of Lightning, and the other spirits. Leading a thousand chariots and ten thousand riders, they will come through the air and gather at the place where the scripture is recited, so that those who venerate it obtain immeasurable blessings.

Thereupon every kind of venomous evil will disperse, bandits will be driven off, pestilence will be eliminated, flood and fire will subside of themselves, the realm will be at peace, the peoples of the four quarters will come to submit, foreign lands will come to pay court, epidemics will be cured, disputes of word and tongue will be stilled, the cangues and fetters arbitrarily imposed by the authorities will be swiftly removed, the calamities that cling to one’s person will be cut off, and deviant demons will arise no more.

At this time the Perfected of the Limitless (Wuji Zhenren, a title for a perfected being in Daoism) again addressed the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun): “Living beings throughout the world constantly meet with scorching heat and drought and suffer greatly. What means is there to harmonize wind and rain so that the five grains yield a plentiful harvest?”

The Celestial Worthy said to the Perfected of the Limitless: “You have now received my teaching; practice it with diligence. You may establish an altar on lofty mountains, along the shores of waters, before caves and rocky cliffs, in pure and quiet places, in a Daoist abbey, or in the home. Install the venerable images, hang pennants and banners, flower canopies, and colored flags and standards, light lamps, and burn incense. After bathing and observing the purification fast, make offerings of fresh flowers and fruit, widely expound the meaning of the Jing (scripture/classic), set up the altar and perform the rites, and chant and revolve the scriptural text.

“When these rites are performed, present prayers and petitions to the supreme sages of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the three highest deities revered in Daoism), the Jade August Great Celestial Emperor, the Limitless Celestial Worthies of the Numinous Treasure of the Ten Directions, the Celestial Emperors of the Thirty-Two Heavens, and also the Heavenly Father and Earthly Mother, the Three Officials and the Five Emperors, the host of stars of the Nine Heavens, the Five Dippers, and the Nine Luminaries, together with the other divinities. The various immortals, all numinous officials, and the dragon gods should likewise be revered. In this way benefit may be widely extended. The Celestial Worthy will dispatch the Divine Kings Who Fly through Heaven, the Great Demons of the Five Emperors, the Earl of Wind, the Master of Rain, and other spirits to raise thunder and stir up mist, to patrol the world, and to command the dragon gods to lend their aid. Before long, wind and rain will answer the prayer, moistening rivers, streams, and gullies and both the upper and lower fields; grasses, trees, flowers, fruits, and the crops of the five grains will all grow, their branches and leaves luxuriant.”

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) then intoned a verse of praise:

“The north wind comes drifting in; from the west, dense cloud-Qi (vital energy) surges up; in the south the cinnabar phoenix takes flight; in the east nine dragons wheel about. The Perfected carries out the celestial talisman and commands the rain and thunder of heaven; cloud-Qi covers Kunlun and everywhere moistens the roots and shoots of plants that suffer drought and hardship.”

At this time the Perfected One of Wuji, the Limitless, again inquired of the Celestial Worthy: “Through countless kalpas I have seldom met with an opportunity so rare. Today I have heard this subtle and wondrous scripture (jing), and I have also come to know the many inconceivable transformations by which living beings may be saved and healed. What name should this scripture bear? How ought we to practice it, receive it, and uphold it?”

The Celestial Worthy said: “This scripture is called the Kaidu Pin, the Chapter on Opening and Deliverance, of the Taishang Lingbao Tiangong Xiaomo Huguo Jing (that is, the chapter on opening and deliverance within the Taishang Dongshen Tiangong Xiaomo Huguo Jing, the Scripture of the Most High, of Dongshen, one of the Three Caverns, on the Celestial Lord Who Dispels Demons and Protects the State). You must proclaim it well and receive and uphold it with reverence. If anyone, foolish and ignorant, slights this scripture, that person will fall into the evil paths and suffer for a long time.” At this, the celestial beings and the hosts of immortals seated in the assembly all accepted it with reverence, paid their respects, and departed.

Here the first scroll of the Taishang Dongshen Tiangong Xiaomo Huguo Jing comes to an end.

Middle Scroll of the Taishang Dongshen Tiangong Xiaomo Huguo Jing: Yingji Pin, the Second Chapter (On Responding to Capacity)

At this time the Most High Lord Lao sat upright in the Lingbao Hall of the Taiqing immortal realm, leaning upon an armrest and holding a jade fly-whisk, expounding the teaching and delivering beings. The Perfected Yin Xi, the immortal hosts of the ten directions, and the golden lads and jade maidens, bearing ceremonial regalia and holding incense, stood ranged in attendance on either side.

At this time a Gentleman of the Interior of the Golden Portal (Jinque Langzhong) from the Crown Gate, accompanied by a numinous official, came before the Jasper Pool bearing a blue-green document case sealed with vermilion script, and presented a memorial. When the memorial was finished, he submitted the case, then withdrew and departed. The Perfected Yin Xi stepped forward, paid his respects, and said to Lord Lao: “I have served the Most High down to the present day. Whenever the immortals assemble in audience and the various heavens submit memorials, there is a fixed rite. Just now I saw the Gentleman of the Golden Portal bring a numinous official to the Jasper Pool to present a memorial and submit a document case, and then withdraw. My understanding is shallow. I humbly beg Your Sagely Compassion to explain this to me in detail.”

Lord Lao said: “Since you have raised the question, I will explain it in response to your capacity. This memorial comes from a disciple in the human world, Wang Fajin of Linjin County in Jianzhou, who reveres the Dao (the Way), bears the registers (lu) of the Fulu (talismans and registers), and cultivates the Golden Elixir (Jindan). He performed a Lingbao Tiangong ritual assembly and purification retreat (zhai)—a religious rite in which an altar is established and a purification retreat is conducted according to Lingbao ritual procedure—lasting one day and one night, and, following the rite, he declared his merits and submitted a memorial. The memorial was carried through the air to the Crown Gate by a flying-dragon courier, a mythical envoy who transmits the documents of the celestial realm. That is why the Gentleman of the Golden Portal, in accordance with the rite, introduced and presented it.”

Lord Lao said: The Tian Gong Zhai (the purification rite of sacrifice and announcement to the Lord of Heaven) originates in the ritual norms, within the nine grades of zhai liturgy, for announcing thanks to the gods and spirits. If the devout men and women of the world can comprehend the principle by which the Great Dao (the Way) brings all things into being, they will be grateful for the grace of Heaven covering and Earth bearing the myriad beings: the Qi (vital energy) of the Three Primes shines down from above, and the Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) nourishes from below; cold and heat alternate, and water and fire are brought into harmony. People thereby enjoy the produce of the lands of the five directions and accord with the seasons of the year; above they serve the true gods of the celestial realm, and below they nurture the old and the young of the household. Thus a family is peaceful, happy, and well provided for, and all affairs proceed smoothly; divine spirits guard the household gates, and malign spirits lie hidden and do not emerge.

In any month that includes the Six Zhai Days and the Ten Days of Uprightness (specific dates in Daoism for keeping the purification fast and doing good), one selects an auspicious day, cleanses the residence, lays out the altar according to the symbols of Heaven and Earth, and hangs sacred images and banners. On the altar are enshrined the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) and the Jade Emperor, and after them the Supreme Sages of the Ten Directions, the Five Emperors of the Five Directions, the Three Primes and the Three Officials, the Thirty-Two Heavens, the Celestial Sovereign and the Earth Empress, the stellar lodges of the various heavens, the host of immortals of the Three Realms, the Earl of Wind and the Master of Rain, the Duke of Thunder and the Mother of Lightning, and the Venerable God Taisui who inspects the void, together with Fuxi and Shennong, the God of the Soil on the left and the God of Grain on the right, the various gods of the treasury, of protecting life, and of extending longevity, the gods of famous mountains and great rivers, the gods of the Five Sacred Peaks and the Four Great Rivers, the Four Duty Messengers, the earth gods and numinous officials, the supervising officials who present memorials, and the generals and clerks who guard the altar, and others besides.

The whole family observes the zhai in cleanliness, with sincere reverence in the heart, and respectfully invites ritual masters of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) and the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen)—Daoist priests who preside over zhai rites and are versed in the relevant scriptures (Jing) and methods. Three, five, or seven may be invited, to hold a zhai rite of one day or of three days. In the rite one offers five kinds of fresh seasonal fruit, tea and wine, incense and flowers, duckweed and aquatic plants, and other foods of the zhai, as well as clean cloths, tokens of faith, silver cash and cloud-horses, rice for prayer and the warding off of misfortune, and patterned silks; lamps are lit and incense is burned, and the Dao is practiced in accordance with the rite.

When the rites at the altar are concluded, the masters declare the merit and offer thanks to the divine perfected, bowing to present memorials and petitions and submitting prayers, and they beseech the spirits to grant blessing and protection. The Four Duty Messengers are responsible for delivering the memorials and prayers; the numinous officials, the supervising officials of memorials, and the clerks who ride dragon relays transmit the memorials upward and present them to the Three Pure Ones. The Three Pure Ones record the words submitted, examine the merit, reward goodness and encourage the good, and then issue edicts to the Three Officials and the Nine Bureaus, the examining officers of the Five Emperors, the local immortal officials, the City Gods and the magistrates of the soil altars, the Directors of Fate and the Directors of Records, and the gods of the soil. The gods carry out the celestial commands and protect the place where the zhai rite is performed. For this reason there came to be a purification rite such as the Tian Gong Zhai.

Perfected Yin Xi and the assembled immortals together bowed in thanks, and then addressed Lord Lao: “The immortal officials of Lingbao Heaven (the celestial realm spoken of in Daoism), together with the City God, the gods of the altar and the community, the Director of Destinies, the Director of Records, and the various earth gods, all carry out the celestial talismanic mandate (the commands issued by Heaven) and protect the place where the purification ritual is held. That is why such a response has occurred.”

Perfected Yin Xi and the assembled immortals again bowed in thanks, and once more addressed Lord Lao: “The Lingbao Heavenly Lord Purification (the Daoist purification rite offered in worship of the Heavenly Lord) can indeed communicate with the spirits and manifest efficacious signs; its mystery is unfathomably deep. I still do not know whence this purification rite originated. Yin Xi is dull-witted and has not yet grasped it; I earnestly beg you to reveal your sacred words.”

Lord Lao said: Long ago, when I was in the realm of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing)—the three pure celestial realms of which Daoism speaks—I saw that, as worldly customs grew daily more corrupt, the Dao (the Way) of simple purity among the beings of the world was gradually fading away. The people had lost the proper Way, and deviant customs prevailed. They did not revere Heaven and Earth; they resented wind and rain; they scorned grain and wasted silk and cotton to no purpose. They were unfilial and unkind, and they lacked humaneness and righteousness. They devoted themselves only to heterodox teachings and offered sacrifices to ghosts and spirits at random. They envied the worthy and able, and they were greedy, stingy, and given to lust. They did not honor the Great Dao, and they harmed living beings. Thereupon ghosts and spirits sent down calamities, and Heaven and Earth produced disasters and anomalies. Floods and fires followed one after another; the crops grew poorly; epidemics spread; and plague demons rose on every side. The people were sunk deep in suffering, yet they only blamed Heaven and reproached Earth, without understanding the cause and effect that link wrongdoing with the recompense of blessing. Pitying all beings, I expounded the thirty-six divisions of honored scriptures (Jing), made clear the precious talismans of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen) and of Supreme Clarity (Shangqing), established the nine grades of Zhai (purification rite) liturgy, and taught the formulas of the ninefold cycled elixir, so that beings might awaken to the Great Dao through the scriptures, wear talismans and registers (Fulu) to drive off baleful influences, observe the purification rites so as to move and commune with the true numina, cultivate the methods of the Dao and temper body and mind, and at last return to the true, attain the Dao, and live long without dying.

What are called the thirty-six divisions of honored scriptures are the twelve divisions of the Most High Numinous Treasure (Taishang Lingbao) Dongzhen, the twelve divisions of the Taishang Lingbao Dongxuan, and the twelve divisions of the Taishang Lingbao Dongshen, amounting in all to 1,884,220 scrolls. The twelve divisions of Dongzhen treat the transformations of Heaven and Earth, the operations of Yin-Yang, the nine reversions and the return of the elixir, and the Way of refining the golden liquor, refining the bodily form, and ascending in flight as an immortal. The twelve divisions of Dongxuan treat the dispelling of calamity and the curing of illness, the confession of faults, prayers for blessing and rites to avert disaster, and the methods of salvation and of delivering the living and the dead. The twelve divisions of Dongshen treat the Way of governing the state, ordering the household, and cultivating the self.

The numinous talismans of the Three Caverns are divided into the Shangqing section, the Zhongfa (Middle Methods) section, and the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) section. In the nine grades of purification-rite liturgy, each class is further divided into three grades, making twenty-seven grades in all. The various purification rites include the Taizhen Zhai, the Jinlu Zhai, the Yulu Zhai, the Mingzhen Zhai, the Ziran Zhai, the Huanglu Zhai, the Sanyuan Zhai, the Tutan Zhai, the Dongshen Zhai, the Shenzhou Zhai, the Jiutian Zhai, the Zhijiao Zhai, the Zhengyi Zhai, the Tianbao Zhai, the Jiuyou Zhai, the Wulian Zhai, the Taiping Zhai, the Taiyi Zhai, the Badi Zhai, the Sanhuang Zhai, the Shangqing Zhai, the Dadong Zhai, the Jinfang Zhai, the Beidi Zhai, the Wudi Zhai, the Huahu Zhai, the Lingbao Zhai, and the Tiangong Zhai. Which purification rite one cultivates is to be chosen according to the matter one seeks.

Among these, the Jinlu Zhai, the Yulu Zhai, and the Jiutian Zhai are purification rites performed by emperors and kings; officials and common people may not cultivate them. The Huanglu Zhai is used to save widely the beings of the three paths of suffering (the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, and other places of misery), to extend its benefit to all sentient beings, and to deliver both the living and the dead. The Lingbao Tiangong Zhai, for its part, is undertaken in order to recall with gratitude that the Great Dao transforms and gives birth to the myriad things, to repay the grace with which Heaven and Earth cover, shelter, and bear all things, to dissolve the faults of beings, to pray for future blessings and good fortune, and to hope that wind and rain will come in their proper seasons, that the five grains will be abundant, that pestilence will be eliminated, that blessings will descend, and that life spans will be lengthened. Those who cultivate this purification rite must clear away distracting thoughts, concentrate the mind and gather the spirit (Shen), and cherish a sincere heart; blessings and merit will then arrive swiftly, just as an echo answers a sound.

At this time, Lord Lao again said to Yin Xi: “In former times, my ancestral master, the Most High Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, together with the Lord of the Great Dao (the Way) of Jade Dawn, dwelt above the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). They saw that the eighty-one kingdoms of the Western Regions, including Khotan, had come into being by receiving the Metal Qi (vital energy) of the West. The people there had a rank, gamy odor, and their temperaments were fierce and violent. They wallowed in lust, delighted in slaughter, and cruelly harmed living beings. Rulers did not act as rulers, ministers did not act as ministers, fathers did not act as fathers, and sons did not act as sons. Their cruelty and tyranny knew no limit, and their karmic offenses grew ever deeper. Thereupon, obeying the decree personally spoken by the Primordial Great Dao, I went to the Western Regions to teach and transform the Hu peoples.

“When I reached Hangu Pass, you were serving as the pass officer. Seeing that your nature and life accorded with the Dao, and that you wholeheartedly revered the true Dao, I transmitted the Golden Elixir (Jindan) to you. After a full thousand days of cultivation, we agreed to meet at the Black Sheep Market in Great Shu, to ascend to heaven together in broad daylight, pass through the Nine Heavens, and have audience with the Jade Emperor.

“Although you have already attained the Dao, you still do not understand the grounds of the Primordial Great Dao’s hidden subtlety and mysterious profundity, nor of its power to penetrate and transform. You should listen with a sincere heart; I will now explain this to you.

“In former times, heaven and earth had not yet divided, the sun and moon had not yet appeared, the stars had not yet been arrayed, and the myriad things had not yet taken form. There was only a vast chaos, dim and undifferentiated. Before this heaven and earth, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning was born. He had no ancestors and no lineage. In stillness he transformed alone, nameless and formless, profound and subtle, reaching into the mysterious distance, inexhaustible in transformation, and unfathomably deep. Thereafter he produced the One Qi and nurtured forth the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). The Five Phases generated one another, and thus heaven and earth were formed. Only after heaven and earth had divided did animals and plants take on visible form.

“Therefore, heaven, receiving the One Qi, rose upward in purity and became heaven; earth, receiving the One Qi, condensed downward and became earth; and the harmonious Qi dwelling between heaven and earth transformed and gave birth to the myriad spirits. The sun arose from Yang Jing (essence), and the moon from the Yin soul.

“In the east the Eastern Dipper was set in place; among the Five Phases it belongs to Wood and governs the sprouting of spring. In the south the Southern Dipper was established; among the Five Phases it belongs to Fire and governs the growth and nourishment of summer. In the west the Western Dipper was arrayed; among the Five Phases it belongs to Metal and governs the ripening of autumn. In the north the Northern Dipper was established; among the Five Phases it belongs to Water and governs the storing of winter. In the center the Central Dipper was arranged; among the Five Phases it belongs to Earth and governs the four seasons. When the myriad things receive the Qi of Earth, they are spontaneously transformed and born.

“After the Five Dippers had been arrayed, the host of stars each occupied its place. These stellar patterns displayed in heaven—are they there merely in vain? They manifest the Dao of water, fire, and the Golden Elixir. Those who see and awaken to this principle will flourish.”

At that time, Lord Lao (Laojun) recited a verse in praise of the Dao (the Way):

Before heaven and earth had taken form, there already existed the Primordial Supreme Immortal (the supreme deity revered in Daoism). He belonged to no school and had no ancestral master; he was a being who arose through spontaneous self-transformation and abided in concentrated stillness. He brought forth the one Qi (vital energy), and from this the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) were born. Turbid Qi formed the earth, and clear Qi formed the sky; the Qi in which the clear and the turbid were harmonized formed human beings, and when it dispersed it became mountains and rivers. The stars are arrayed across the sky, and the sun and moon hang high within it. Jupiter rises in the east, and Venus lies to the west; the Northern Dipper occupies the position of Kan (the north), and the Southern Dipper inclines toward the position of Li (the south). Spring, summer, autumn, and winter follow one another in turn. Metal is born from Water and is linked with Wood; Fire generates Earth; among the Five Phases there is both mutual overcoming and mutual affinity. The nine reversions and seven returns (a term of Daoist Neidan, or internal alchemy, referring to the cyclical transformations of the Qi of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases in the course of cultivation) correspond to the patterns of heaven. Those who perceive these principles may prosper, and those who cultivate them may become immortals. The supreme principle is profound and subtle, mysterious beyond all comparison.

Lord Lao said: The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) brought forth three Qi from the one Qi (the primordial vital energy at the origin of the cosmos), and the three Qi in turn brought forth nine Qi. The three Qi are the Mysterious (Xuan), the Primordial (Yuan), and the Inaugural (Shi). Through the Qi of Mysterious Unity, transformation proceeds level upon level, mystery upon mystery.

Lord Lao spoke further: The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning brought forth three Qi from the one Qi, and the three Qi again brought forth nine Qi. The three Qi are the Mysterious, the Primordial, and the Inaugural. With the Qi of Mysterious Unity he formed the Daluo Heaven (Grand Veil Heaven) of the sacred realm of Jade Clarity (Yuqing): there stand jasper towers and precious halls, the Jade Capital of Xuandu (the Mysterious Metropolis), and the palace towers of Ziwei (Purple Tenuity). This is the dwelling place of the Most High Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, and the age is called the “kalpa of Longhan” (Dragon Han).

With the Qi of Primordial Unity he further formed the Yuyu Heaven of the sacred realm of Upper Clarity (Shangqing). There stand jade towers and jasper halls, and precious trees grow in groves; this is the dwelling place of the Great Lord of the Dao of the Jade Dawn (Yuchen Dadaojun), and this period is called the “middle kalpa of Chiming” (Red Brightness).

At that time, the Most High Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun) took the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning as his teacher. In the Shiqing Heaven (Heaven of Initial Azure), the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning assembled the boundless sages of the ten directions and, within the Precious Grove, preached the Dao and expounded the teaching for all living beings, bearing witness and delivering them.

With the Qi of Inaugural Unity, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning further formed the immortal realm of Great Clarity (Taiqing): there stand pearl towers and golden gates, and the palaces are built of the seven treasures. This is the place where I myself dwell. This period is called the “present kalpa of Kaihuang” (Opening Sovereignty). I too took the Great Lord of the Dao of the Jade Dawn as my teacher.

The three sages of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) were each brought forth by transformation in ages separated by one kalpa. They dwell in the Daluo Heaven of the upper realm of the Three Pure Ones, that is, the Jade Capital of Xuandu. Each of the three Qi further generated three Qi, transforming into nine Qi and forming the Nine Heavens. Beyond the Three Pure Ones there are another Nine Heavens, in which the Imperial Lords of the Nine Heavens reside. The names of the Nine Heavens, in order, begin as follows. The first is Yudan Wuliang Heaven (the Boundless Heaven of Yudan).

The second level is the Jade Capital of the Mysterious Metropolis (Xuandu Yujing). Each of the three kinds of primordial Qi (vital energy) further transforms and gives rise to three kinds of Qi, which together make nine Qi, and from these the Nine Heavens are formed. Beyond the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), nine layers of heaven are arranged in succession, and the Imperial Lords of the Nine Heavens dwell there. The celestial names of the Nine Heavens are: first, the Yudan Wuliang Heaven; second, the Shangshang Chanshan Wuliangshou Heaven; third, the Fanjian Xuyan Heaven; fourth, the Jiran Doushu Heaven; fifth, the Boluonimi Bujiaole Heaven; sixth, the Dongyuan Huayingsheng Heaven; seventh, the Linghua Fanfu Heaven; eighth, the Gaoxu Qingming Heaven; and ninth, the Wuxiang Wujie Wu’ai Heaven.

Beyond the Nine Heavens there are a further thirty-two heavens, where the thirty-two Celestial Emperors reside.

The celestial names of the eight heavens of the east are the Taihuang Huangzeng Heaven, the Taiming Yuwan Heaven, the Qingming Hetong Heaven, the Xuantai Pingyu Heaven, the Xuwu Yueheng Heaven, the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Mengyi Heaven, the Yuanming Wenju Heaven, and the Shangming Qiyao Moyi Heaven.

The celestial names of the eight heavens of the south are the Chiming Heyang Heaven, the Xuanming Gonghua Heaven, the Yaoming Zongpiao Heaven, the Zhuluo Huangjia Heaven, the Xuming Tangyao Heaven, the Guanming Duanjing Heaven, the Xuanming Gongqing Heaven, and the Taihuan Jiyao Heaven.

The celestial names of the eight heavens of the west are the Yuanzai Kongsheng Heaven, the Tai’an Huangya Heaven, the Xianding Jifeng Heaven, the Shihuang Xiaomang Heaven, the Taihuang Wengzhong Furong Heaven, the Wusi Jiangyou Heaven, the Shangdie Ruanle Heaven, and the Wuji Tanshi Heaven.

The celestial names of the eight heavens of the north are the Haoting Xiaodu Heaven, the Yuantong Wudong Heaven, the Taiwen Hanchong Miaocheng Heaven, the Taisu Xiule Jinshang Heaven, the Taixu Wushang Changrong Heaven, the Taishi Yulong Tengsheng Heaven, and Longbian yue:

Haoting Xiaodu Heaven, Yuantong Wudong Heaven, Taiwen Hanchong Miaocheng Heaven, Taisu Xiule Jinshang Heaven, Taixu Wushang Changrong Heaven, Taishi Yulong Tengsheng Heaven, Longbian Fandu Heaven, and Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Pingyu Jiayi Heaven—these are all names of heavenly realms listed in the scripture.

Although there are so many heavenly realms, they are still bound by kalpic cycles, the periodic catastrophes that arise in the workings of heaven and earth. Yuchen Daojun, the Jade Dawn Lord of the Dao (the Way) and a revered deity of Daoism, therefore compiled the four chapters of the Yuanshi Lingshu, the Numinous Writ of the Primordial Beginning. The Lingshu is seal script, an ancient calligraphic form, condensed from cloud Qi (vital energy). Each character is one zhang square, with radiance hanging down from its eight corners. The four chapters respectively guard the eight heavens of the east, the south, the west, and the north, protecting and controlling the kalpic cycles so that the heavenly realms may endure.

Lingshu of the Eight Heavens of the East

The following is a phonetic transcription of one set of Lingshu seal characters:

Danlou ahui, wuhe guanyin. Xuyan mingshou, falan putan. Jiana ayi, huhe liuyin. Huadu quli, xianpu yuzhen. Tailuo dafan, sanyan qingyun. Feisa yudu, mingmo shangmen. Wuxing shangshou, huizhi liuxuan. Atuo longluo, sixiang xuyuan.

Lingshu of the Eight Heavens of the South

Another set of phonetic transcriptions of Lingshu seal characters is also listed below:

Nandu quli, xianpu yuzhen. Tailuo dafan, sanyan qingyun. Feisa yudu, mingmo shangmen. Wuxing shangshou, huizhi liuxuan. Atuo longluo, sixiang xuyuan.

Lingshu of the Eight Heavens of the South

Nanyan dongfu, yumou shenshen. Fanxing luokong, jiuling weiqian. Zeluo putai, lüluo daqian. Miaomang jiuchou, shaoyao yuanzhan. Yunshang jiudu, feisheng ziqian. Nayu yufu, moluo falun. Hongchi wujing, lanzi yunrong. Fulang kuoyi, shenying zigong.

Lingshu of the Eight Heavens of the West

Daoli chanyou, poni jiutong. Wansou dise, taimiao zhitang. Liuluo fanmeng, jingwei xiaoyu. Yimiao wuji, wanshou shaodu. Alan yuzhu, huamo yanyou. Jiukai zibian, ana pinshou. Wuliang fugai, fuluo heshen. Yudan changsang, baikong duxian.

These Lingshu writings belong to the Daoist tradition of Fulu (talismans and registers) and ritual memorials. They are used to guard the heavenly realms and subdue the kalpic cycles, and are presented here in syllabic form; they are not ordinarily explained character by character as ordinary words and phrases. Later, the original text introduces the northern Lingshu with the words “The Lingshu of the Eight Heavens of the North says,” but the passage given here does not include its content.

Juwu, a creator deity of ancient myth, did not bring forth the myriad things by relying on himself; the nine suns guide Qian Heaven, the Way of Heaven. Kunmu, Mother of the Earth, spreads her covering toward the east, and her form receives the mysterious Qi (vital energy) from above. The subtle Qi of Tuoluo Yumiao, an ancient divine name, merges with the Qi of the clouds. Feitian Dachou, a celestial office, presides over the inspection of the heavens. Shatuo Jieliang and Longhan Yingxian, names for Daoist kalpas and ages, appear in turn. From within Biluo Fuli, a celestial realm, songs of the void are heard, upholding the precious methods of the Dao (the Way). Eyi Wupin, a Daoist divine name or title, transcends all ranks, discerns the mysterious, and returns to the true Dao. The Primordial Brahma Qi is vast without bound, profound and still, delivering and transforming the people of the world.

Therefore the sun and moon move in their courses, the stars are arrayed and shine, and the Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) turns in succession and intermingles. Feitian Dachou presides over the inspection of the heavens; Shatuo Jieliang and Longhan Yingxian appear one after another; from within Biluo Fuli come songs of the void, guarding the precious treasures; Eyi Wupin discerns the mysterious and returns to the true Dao; the Primordial Brahma Qi, vast, deep, and silent, delivers and transforms all living beings.

Thereupon the sun and moon course and the stars give light; the Five Phases are employed in rotation, and the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter circulate in harmony. Day and night alternate, and cold and heat succeed one another. The Lord of Thunder, the Mother of Lightning, the Earl of Wind, and the Master of Rain all look up to and receive the Way of Heaven, each in charge of his or her own office.

The hymn of praise says: The Mysterious Primordial Beginning Qi, the primordial Qi at the first arising of heaven and earth, is born from within the Dao. The three kinds of primordial Qi transform and give birth to Yujing, the Daoist celestial capital. There stand towers of jasper and palaces of jade, and trees of precious gems rise tall and flourish. The Lord of Daluo Heaven dwells within, and the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the three highest deities revered in Daoism, are likewise present there. The attendants and companies of teachers of the Three Pure Ones must pass through three kalpas before they reach completion. The three kinds of primordial Qi continue to lead transformation and further give birth to the Nine Heavens; the Nine Heavens unfold with change and form the Thirty-two Heavens. The heavens build their halls of the Seven Treasures and guard the jade registers. They uphold and administer the kalpas, so that the celestial realms endure. The sun and moon move in their courses, and the constellations stretch in continuous ranks; the Five Phases turn without error, and the Qi of the four seasons communicate with one another. Day and night alternate, and their movement is just and without partiality. The Lord of Thunder, the Mother of Lightning, the Earl of Wind, and the Master of Rain carry out Heaven’s mandate, each fulfilling his or her duties. When the seasonal order of Yin-Yang is harmonized, the myriad things all receive nourishment. The supreme Dao brings heaven and earth to completion; its merit is profound and without selfishness.

End of the middle scroll of the Taishang Dongshen Tiangong Xiaomo Huguo Jing (Scripture of the Most High, Dongshen, on the Celestial Lord Dispelling Demons and Protecting the State).

In the original, one character in the phrase “each administers his own office” is unclear; it is provisionally read according to the text as it survives.

Lower scroll of the Taishang Dongshen Tiangong Xiaomo Huguo Jing: Section Three, On Comprehensive Rule.

The Old Lord (Taishang Laojun, the Supreme Lord Lao) said: “Tiangong” means that Heaven’s Dao (the Way) is fair and impartial. Heaven is father and Earth is mother, and the Jade Emperor, the Great Celestial Thearch, is commissioned to preside over Heaven and Earth. After Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things were complete, the Primordial Great Dao withdrew into Wuwei (non-action) and charged the Jade Emperor with ruling the Three Realms, nurturing all living beings, and upholding fairness without partiality.

The Jade Emperor appointed the Earth Mother as Empress of Earth, and further charged the Celestial Official with the offices of the heavenly realm, the Terrestrial Official with the earthly bureau, and the Water Official with the watery bureau. Throughout the Four Rivers (the four great rivers), the Five Marchmounts, famous mountains and great streams, and the grotto abodes and blessed lands, he dispatched immortal officials to take charge. He also appointed divine offices such as the Director of Fate and the Director of Records, together with the duty envoys of the sun’s course, the moon’s passage, and of the year, month, day, and hour, to keep watch in the void. Every locality likewise has deities who oversee the soil and the mountains and rivers. Each of these divine offices has its own duties: they patrol the world and discern right from wrong.

The Son of Heaven in the human world therefore models the governance of Heaven and Earth. In the Central Plain he establishes the state and its capital; beyond it he divides the Nine Provinces and the hundred commanderies and holds sway over the Four Yi and the Eight Man. He appoints officials in charge of the four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—together with the Three Dukes, the Nine Ministers, and the civil and military officers of every rank, so that they share their duties and govern the world together.

The Son of Heaven is not an ordinary person of the world, but one endowed with pure, true, and undivided primordial Qi (vital energy), born into the human realm age after age. In the realm of immortals such a ruler is a superior immortal; among the constellations, a major star. All receive the command of the Great Dao and the Jade Emperor, descend into the human world in accord with Heaven’s course, and ascend again to the heavenly realm in accord with Heaven’s course. All of this is arranged by Heaven’s mandate and its destined reckoning.

Thus the Pole Star stands in the heavens, and the host of stars circles around it. In Heaven there are constellations representing the sovereign, the empress and consorts, the crown prince, the other sons, the Three Terraces, assisting ministers, feudal lords, rulers, subjects, and civil and military officials. All things on earth likewise correspond to the stars above. Heaven and Earth are the offspring of the Great Dao, and the myriad things are the descendants of the Great Dao. The Great Dao is the source of Heaven and Earth, and the two Qi of Yin-Yang are the root of the myriad things. Only when the Qi of Yin and Yang rises and falls in its circulation, and the Qi of Heaven and Earth interpenetrates, can the hundred grains be sown and all living beings be universally sustained.

The merit of the Great Dao and of Heaven and Earth is profound and hard to fathom. They nourish the myriad things in secret, yet do not claim this as their own, nor do they deliberately bestow favor; the myriad things naturally have a place to which they belong. They bring the myriad things to completion, yet they do not dominate them. People ought therefore to fast and purify themselves and set body and mind aright, so as to repay the grace of the Great Dao and of Heaven and Earth.

The eulogy says:

Heaven has a father and Earth has a mother. Houtu (the deity who governs the earth) and the Jade Emperor jointly rule Heaven and Earth. Once Heaven and Earth have been established, the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the three highest deities venerated in Daoism) withdraw behind the scenes, and the Jade Emperor, receiving his charge, commands the four quarters. The three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Water are administered by the Three Officials (the Official of Heaven, the Official of Earth, and the Official of Water). Famous mountains, great rivers, and the Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands are the dwelling places of the immortals. Deities such as the Controller of Destiny and the Controller of Records, together with the Day-Roaming Spirit and the Month-Roaming Spirit, each keep watch according to the year, month, day, and hour. The Four Duty Divine Kings (the deities who respectively stand duty over the year, the month, the day, and the hour) patrol the world, investigating whatever is inauspicious.

In the human realm the Son of Heaven founds the state and governs its territories. Looking upward, he observes the patterns of Heaven; looking downward, he examines the configuration of the earth. Thereupon he builds the Bright Hall (Mingtang, the ritual building in which the emperors of antiquity performed sacrifices and conducted the business of government). The structure follows the images of Heaven and the lay of the land, its back turned to yin and its face turned to yang (Yin-Yang). All under Heaven there are the Nine Provinces and the myriad states, and also the various peoples of the distant borderlands. The court establishes assisting officials such as the Three Terraces and the Four Supports, together with the full body of civil and military officers, who divide the various affairs among them so as to govern every region.

The Son of Heaven governs all under Heaven with an attitude of clarity, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action). He sits upright in the court hall and does not disturb affairs without cause. Immortals and constellations of Heaven descend into the lower world and become emperors and kings, and emperors and kings receive the Mandate of Heaven and thereby govern the world. The transfer of the Mandate of Heaven admits of no fixed and unchanging condition. Beichen (the North Star) occupies the center, and the stars of the Three Terraces assist beside it. Empresses and consorts, the crown prince, the feudal lords, and the sovereigns of successive ages each have their place. The Son of Heaven is solemn in bearing, and the feudal lords are illustrious and radiant. Below, the myriad people and the myriad things are nurtured; above, the azure Heaven is reverently served. When merit and virtue are commensurate with Heaven and Earth, blessings and auspicious signs descend. The working of Heaven and Earth is like clouds in motion and rain bestowed, universally moistening the myriad things without limit. The grains come to abundant harvest, the myriad things are spared from harm, living beings receive relief on every side, and the granaries stand full. This is precisely the manifestation of the Great Dao (the Way) transforming and nurturing Heaven and Earth, and of a mysterious merit without end. Therefore the Heavenly Purification Rite (Tianzhai, the purification rite for sacrificing to the deities of the heavenly realm) is established, to celebrate the peace of the world.

Lord Lao said: Human beings are all born by receiving the Great Dao and the Qi (vital energy) of Heaven and Earth. Thus the head is round, symbolizing Heaven; the feet are square, symbolizing Earth; the flesh symbolizes soil, the bones symbolize stone, the breath symbolizes wind, and the blood symbolizes water; the eyes symbolize the sun and moon, the hair symbolizes grasses and trees, hearing symbolizes the open country and the caves, and speech symbolizes the roar of thunder. Waking symbolizes daylight, and sleeping symbolizes the dark of night; walking symbolizes clouds, and sitting still symbolizes mountains; joy symbolizes clear weather, and anger symbolizes rainfall. The five viscera symbolize the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), the four limbs symbolize the Qi of the four seasons, and the nine orifices symbolize the apertures between Heaven and Earth, thereby corresponding to the yang numbers. Human beings have four limbs, five viscera, and six bowels, and they also have movement and stillness, joy and anger. Since all of these correspond to Heaven and Earth, are human beings not born of the Great Dao and the Qi of Heaven and Earth?

The Lord Lao (Laojun) said: As soon as a person is conceived in the womb, Heaven sends the two deities Siming and Silu (the spirits who govern human lifespan and merits and demerits) to protect and bless that person at all times. After birth, the four limbs, the five viscera and the six bowels, together with movement and stillness, joy and anger, all correspond with Heaven and Earth. Is human life not brought forth by the mysterious Qi (vital energy) of the Dao (the Way) that lies between Heaven and Earth?

The Lord Lao said: As soon as a person is conceived, the two deities Siming and Silu come by Heaven’s mandate to offer protection until the child is born. When a boy is born, the host of spirits acclaims it as good; when a girl is born, the host of spirits offers congratulations. The child’s name and register are entered in the Sanyuan (the celestial realms of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Origins), and the name ascends to the Supreme Thearch. The Eastern Dipper is charged with reckoning the span of life, the Western Dipper with registering names, the Northern Dipper with recording death, and the Southern Dipper with registering birth, while the Central Dipper, together with the Yuanchen deities (the spirits who govern one’s natal destiny), protects life and prolongs longevity.

The Great Dao causes the myriad things to grow, and supreme De (Virtue/Power) nurtures them; the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, which constitute the myriad things) give them form. Lofty Heaven covers all things, the great Earth bears them, the sun and moon shine upon them, the stars and constellations watch over them, and divine spirits stand guard. The Qi of the four seasons moves in its course, wind and rain moisten and nourish, silk floss keeps people from the cold, human ethical relations enable people to support one another, music brings harmony, ritual propriety imposes due restraint, and the sovereign governs the world. All these are the merits of the Great Dao and of Heaven and Earth in nurturing the myriad beings—truly mysterious, vast, and unsurpassed!

If living beings can understand these principles, they ought to revere the Dao with sincere hearts and honor Heaven and Earth, their parents, and the sun, moon, and stars. Looking upward, they should accord with the constant order of the Heavenly Dao; looking downward, they should make good use of the resources of the land. They should realize a father’s kindness and a child’s filial piety, an elder brother’s amity and a younger brother’s respect, the loyalty of ministers and the wisdom of the sovereign. Then the Great Dao will extend its blessing, and Heaven and Earth will send down auspicious fortune. By cultivating the Golden Liquid (a term in Daoist Neidan, internal alchemy), one may refine and nourish the bodily form and attain long life and enduring vision.

If, however, one slights the Great Dao and shows no reverence for Heaven and Earth, squanders grain and wastes silk floss, turns from the correct Way to venerate deviant teachings, indulges desire and takes life, curses the wind and rain, and slanders the Jing (scriptures), then the Great Dao will no longer bring that person into being and nurture them. Heaven will no longer cover them, Earth will no longer bear them, the sun and moon will no longer shine upon them, and the stars and deities will no longer protect them. The Qi of the four seasons will fail to move in its proper course, wind and rain will fall out of measure, the five grains will not nourish people, silk floss will not keep out the cold, human relations will no longer sustain one another, music will lose its harmony, ritual will lose its restraint, and the sovereign will no longer govern. Such a person will be poor and lowly and beset by illness; and when their sinful karma has been exhausted, the deity who presides over killing will come to punish them.

After death they leave the human world, yet they will sink into the hells and suffer every kind of torment: embracing red-hot copper pillars, lying on beds of freezing iron, being cut by saws and blades, swallowing fire and eating charcoal, forever falling into the evil paths of rebirth, with no term set for release. I now expound this wondrous scripture for you and for all living beings. You ought to receive and uphold it with reverence and practice it with diligence. Thereupon the Lord Lao spoke a verse of praise:

The Great Dao (the Way) moves between Heaven and Earth, and its foundation is the generation and nourishment of the myriad things. Human beings and all things alike receive one and the same primordial Qi (vital energy), the fundamental breath of which life is constituted. Heard in the ordinary way, this may seem unremarkable; only after it has been personally examined and verified does one come to know its worth.

A person’s head is round, in the likeness of Heaven; the feet are square, in the likeness of Earth. The flesh of the body is like soil, the bones like stone; breath is like wind, and blood like water. The voice resembles thunder, and the hair resembles grasses and trees. When the sky is dark and overcast, it is like anger; when the weather is clear and bright, it is like joy. By day a person is as if awake; by night, as if asleep. In movement, one is like clouds in motion; in quiet sitting, like mountains settled and unmoving. The five viscera and four limbs correspond to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and to the four Qi, four kinds of primordial vital energy.

The living beings of the world are many and varied; all are lives with hair upon their heads and teeth in their mouths. The Great Dao courses through Heaven and Earth, bringing you, me, and all living beings to birth and nourishment.

Living beings ought to withdraw and reflect. When male and female unite, Jing (essence) and Qi come together, and the fetus begins to be nurtured in the womb. The Director of Destiny and the Director of Registers—divine offices charged with lifespan and the registers of fate—guard the fetus and cause spiritual nature to descend. The father’s heavenly Qi unites with the mother’s earthly Jing; after ten months the infant leaves the mother’s womb, and mother and child part. A male infant is born head downward; a female infant is born lying face upward. The Jing (scripture/classic) says that when a male infant is born the myriad spirits pronounce it good, and when a female infant is born the myriad spirits rejoice.

A person’s register of fate is joined to the celestial realm and likewise bound to the stars. The Three Primes—the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water—govern the registers of names, and the Five Emperors—the celestial emperors of the five directions—are charged with receiving them. The Eastern Dipper presides over the span of life; the Western Dipper records names; the Northern Dipper governs death; the Southern Dipper governs increase; the Yuanchen, the stellar deity who guards one’s natal destiny, protects life; and the Central Dipper prolongs the span of life.

Dao and De (Virtue/Power) cause the myriad things to grow; Heaven and Earth uphold and shelter living beings. The light of the Three Primes shines upon the four quarters, and day and night succeed one another; the four seasons change and the Five Phases revolve, and all things depend upon them. The five grains sustain human life, and silk and cotton keep off the cold. People harmonize feeling and disposition through music, and restrain conduct through rites and law. The bearing of the Son of Heaven is grave and dignified, and the order of human relations is harmonious and well arranged.

The merit of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth is profound, vast, and without limit. As a human being, one ought to be filial to one’s parents and affectionate toward one’s brothers and sisters; acting in accord with the Dao of Heaven, one can avoid calamity. If one is diligent in revering Heaven and Earth, one may live long and not die. If one turns against this principle and yet hopes to go far, one will likely fall into hardship: poverty and low station, illness upon the body, and a life of obstruction and misfortune. Once offenses have accumulated to the full and guilt has been judged, the deities who preside over killing and punishment will come to exact retribution, causing a person to sink into hell, to leave the human world forever, to pass through the calamities of countless kalpas, and to suffer disasters beyond number.

Good men and good women ought to vow to cast off evil thoughts forever.

Lord Lao said: This Jing (scripture/classic) is exceedingly venerable. It is an important classic by which all living beings repent of their faults, pray for grace and blessings, and cultivate the Dao (the Way) so as to attain perfection. It may be recited on the benming yuanchen (the duty star corresponding to the year of one’s birth), when the seasonal nodes of the four seasons succeed one another, on the Eight Nodes (Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice), and on fast days such as the Six Fasts and the Ten Days of Upright Observance. According to what one seeks, one may pray to avert floods and droughts and pray for abundant harvests of the five grains and for blessings; one may also repent of faults, dispel calamities, and undo curses. So long as the heart is reverent and the prayer sincere, one may invite one or two, or three, five, or seven masters of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) and the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen) to preside and, according to one’s own capacity, set up a fast, practice the Way, and recite this scripture. Blessings and De (Virtue/Power) will then descend, and every kind of inauspiciousness can be removed.

In spring, when the myriad things are growing, or in autumn and winter, when the myriad things come to maturity, one may also burn incense, offer the scripture, open the altar, and recite it, so as to repay the merit of the Great Dao and of Heaven and Earth in generating and nurturing the myriad things. Heaven can hear the prayers of those of humble station, and the Dao can commune with a sincere heart. Heaven above will record this prayer of utmost sincerity and bestow blessings and good fortune. The mysterious principle is profound and subtle; divine majesty and gracious favor are beyond measure. It should be treated with reverence—with reverence!

When the Tiangong fast and vigil is held (the rite of sacrificing to the Lord of Heaven, keeping the fast, and practicing the Way), one must maintain ritual purity, abstaining in advance from meat, fish, and pungent flavors, and sweep the courtyard so that everything is clean. The Great Dao and Heaven and Earth will observe and record a person’s sincerity. One must strictly avoid vessels already used in ordinary daily life, as well as things regarded as impure through association with mourners, pregnant women, chickens and dogs, monks and nuns, and the like. If one thereby offends the Heavenly Perfected and the Great Dao, the rewards and punishments of Heaven and Earth are impartial, and the requital brought by reverence or by negligence is awesome and hard to bear. Every article required for the offerings of the Zhaijiao (purification ritual) should be fully prepared. If there is the slightest disrespect, the Supreme Thearch will not partake of the offerings, and misfortune will instead be incurred. The whole assembly, men and women alike, must be reverent and cautious.

This is the incantation by which the Lord of Heaven commands the expulsion of evil spirits. Devout men and women who believe in Daoism, whenever they would recite and uphold it according to the ritual procedure, must first burn incense and prostrate in homage, gather in mind and Shen (spirit), and silently invoke the exalted perfected of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the celestial emperors of the various heavens, the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother, the incense officers on duty for the day (the incense officials then in office), and the numinous spirits of the soil (the deities who govern the locality). They then click the teeth three times and recite the incantation seven times. Of itself this can bring a numinous response. They will receive the protection of the Heavenly Perfected, be spared the harassment of baleful influences, and have every kind of sinful karma eliminated.

After the Most High had finished expounding the scripture (Jing), Perfected Yin Xi, the immortal hosts who attended as guards, the officials who kept watch over the incense fires, and the local earth deities together clicked their teeth three times and recited the scripture seven times. The scripture says that in this way one will naturally call forth a numinous response and receive the protection of the perfected immortals of the celestial realm, so that no evil spirits can intrude and the many karmic offenses are eliminated.

After the Most High had finished expounding the scripture, Perfected Yin Xi and the immortal hosts who attended as guards together prostrated themselves, bowed reverently once more, and sincerely devoted themselves to practicing the scripture.

End of the lower scroll of the Taishang Dongshen Tiangong Xiaomo Huguo Jing (Scripture of the Celestial Lord of the Cavern of Spirit, Dongshen, of the Most High for Dispelling Demons and Protecting the Nation).