《太上灵宝升玄内教经中和品述义疏》

At this point, Celestial Master Zhang Daoling respectfully bowed to the Most High Lord Lao and asked, “May I hear you explain the secrets of cultivating the Dao, the reasons one attains the Dao, the stages and ranks of spiritual practice, the ways of reverence and caution, the standards of balance and harmony, the path to longevity, and the rites for observing prohibitions? My abilities are limited, and I have not yet grasped the principles of the inner teachings. I beg you to take pity on me and proclaim your teachings, sweet as nectar, so that men and women in Heaven and on Earth may hear these sacred words.”

The Most High Lord Lao said, “The Daoist teachings you have asked about, Daoling, are indeed profound and wondrous. They are the truest, most essential, and highest principles. These matters are not discussed in the Five Chapters Scripture of the outer teachings. I shall now explain them. Listen with undivided attention.”

The Scripture of Central Harmony (Zhonghe Jing) is likely a wondrous formula for cultivating oneself into a perfected being and an essential method for entering the Great Dao. Its principles run through the teachings of profound mystery upon profound mystery, and its meaning encompasses two kinds of relinquishment: letting go of attachment to existence and letting go of attachment to emptiness. By practicing it, one can enter deeply into the path of ascending mystery; by keeping it in mind, the gate of True Unity will open.

In the phrase “Central Harmony,” “central” means not seeking outwardly, while “harmony” means following the Great Dao without going against it. Gathering one’s thoughts inward is called “central”; following the Great Dao without defying it is called “harmony.”

For this reason, the “Chapter on Central Harmony” follows the “Chapter on Opening the Conditions.” Teachings on the causes and conditions of good and evil can lead people to abandon evil deeds and practice good ones. Yet there is also a concern that people may become attached to distinguishing good from evil, so the Way of Central Harmony is taught. This Way does more than lead people to abandon evil; it also leads them to contemplate goodness. To contemplate goodness and abandon evil without becoming attached to either is called “central harmony.”

This chapter has six parts. The first urges people to practice the conduct of central harmony. The second, beginning with “I observe the ten directions,” urges people to stay clear of wrongdoing. The third, beginning with “Men and women throughout the world,” urges people to establish meritorious good works. The fourth, beginning with “The Dao instructs Daoling,” urges people to cultivate the methods of the teaching. The fifth, beginning with “Sensual desire ruins affairs,” urges people to observe the Five Precepts. The sixth, beginning with “By upholding the teaching and cultivating the Dao,” explains the benefits gained from upholding the scripture and practicing its teachings.

The preceding passage has two parts: first, the Celestial Master asks how to enter the Dao; then the Heavenly Worthy explains the meaning of central harmony. The Celestial Master’s inquiry has two layers: he first makes his request, then explains why he is asking. Here, the circumstances of his inquiry and the meaning of the prohibitions and precepts are explained first.

“ at that time” refers to a moment when the conditions for cultivating the Dao are aligned and the causes and conditions have matured. “Celestial Master” is an honorific title for the master of the Three Heavens’ teachings. His surname was Zhang and his given name was Daoling. “Bowing with hands joined before the Dao” means that the Celestial Master saluted before the Dao. One should rise and bow when seeking to deepen one’s learning or receive instruction; since he was asking about profound principles, he bowed with special reverence.

“May I hear the clear instructions for cultivating the Dao” expresses the wish to hear the essential methods for cultivation, plainly explained. “The basis for attaining the Dao” asks what methods of practice lead one to become perfected and attain the Dao. “The grades and stages in their proper order” asks about the distinctions between levels of cultivation and the sequence in which one becomes perfected. “The methods of cautious reverence” asks about ways to practice with care and respect. “The rules for central harmony” asks about the standards of cultivation that accord with the Dao. “The teaching of long life” asks about the teachings through which one attains the Dao and longevity. “The forms of prohibitions and precepts” asks about the rules governing religious disciplines and restrictions.

The text then explains the Celestial Master’s purpose in making his request. Zhang Daoling said that he had never heard these supreme teachings and had not yet heard the wondrous sound of the mysterious teaching. He asked about their subtle meaning in order to benefit others. After stating his request with a calm and gracious manner, he spoke humbly: “I am lowly in status, seated among the last in the ranks of the teaching. I still have much that I do not understand about the principles of the inner teaching. I beseech you to take pity on me and explain these wondrous teachings, sweet as nectar, so that Heaven and humanity, men and women alike, may hear these inspired words.”

Earlier, the Celestial Master asked the Most High (a revered Daoist deity) to reveal the method of entering the Dao. From this point onward, the Most High expounds the wondrous teaching of “Central Harmony.” The Celestial Master said that he had not yet understood the principles of the Inner Teaching, the teachings transmitted within Daoism, and earnestly asked the Most High, in his compassion, to explain this precious teaching, as valuable as sweet dew, so that men and women in Heaven and on Earth might hear its numinous, wholesome, and correct instruction.

This passage first praises the Celestial Master’s request, then agrees to answer it. The Most High commends him: the essentials of attaining the Dao and the rules and rites of discipline that he had asked about earlier are all excellent, supremely true, subtle, and beyond ordinary understanding. Even the Five Chapters of the Lingbao Scripture does not discuss them. The Most High then promises: “I will now explain them to you in detail. Listen carefully, receive the teaching, and put it into practice.” Here, “I” is the Most High speaking of himself as the one who is free and at ease.

After praising the request and agreeing to teach, the text proceeds to the formal instruction. The teaching has three parts: first, it explains that there are different stages of attaining the Dao; second, it sets out the essential practices of cultivation; and third, it recounts how the Celestial Master grasped the teaching. The first part has four levels: it begins by introducing three grades, then lists their names, explains each in turn, and finally urges people to cultivate.

The Supreme Dao Ancestor said: “The teachings and precepts I proclaim contain clear essentials for cultivation. The spiritual attainments gained through cultivating the Dao fall, broadly speaking, into three grades: the highest can become a divine immortal, the middle can attain the realm of the ‘Mud Pill,’ and the lowest can prolong life.

“Those who cultivate themselves into divine immortals, attain the Dao, and become perfected can ascend to Heaven naturally. In broad daylight, they ride the light and rise to the celestial realm of Purple Dawn. A fleshy protuberance grows on their crown, and they possess bodies indestructible as vajra. Jade youths scatter flowers for them; celestial women accompany them amid cloud and mist. Phoenixes sing to their left and right, dragons call before and behind. Their bearing is solemn and sublime, and all they see are celestial beings.

“Those who reach the realm of the ‘Mud Pill’ can transcend and be delivered after death, escaping seizure by the Earth Official. Their souls and spirits are clear and upright, and they can ascend to Heaven. Some join the ranks of immortals; others are reborn as sagacious rulers, continuing to accumulate De through successive cycles of rebirth. Once their De is complete and their blessings established, cloud chariots come to welcome them. Deliverance and ascent depend on accumulated merit and cannot be accomplished in a single lifetime. With firm resolve and unflagging cultivation, one can ultimately become an Immortal King.

“Methods for prolonging life can make the body healthy and strong and extend one’s years. Abstaining from grain cleanses the stomach and intestines and ends the need for food; taking herbs and other plant substances can drive out corpse demons. When one’s allotted years come to an end, one can escape conscription by the Northern Feng—an underworld office that oversees examinations and judgments—and become a ruler below, overseeing the registers of the lives and deaths of humans and ghosts. After three hundred and sixty years, one can rise further and become an immortal. The merit of cultivation may also lead to rebirth as a person born from a womb, continuing through the cycles of rebirth without perishing. Its foundation is the same as the Way of the ‘Mud Pill.’

“Yet all three attainments begin with cultivating the body: harmonizing the Qi within body and mind, changing worldly conduct, cutting off attachment to wealth and beauty, and aligning one’s actions with the Dao. The relevant precepts are five:

“First, one must not engage in sexual misconduct or dwell on improper thoughts. Sexual desire exhausts the spirit and depletes Jing, leaving the hun and po souls unable to remain settled. When upright Qi disperses, malign influences can enter through the opening.

“Second, one must not give free rein to anger. When rage surges within and one opens one’s mouth to shout curses and imprecations at others, it is as though Heaven and Earth have been disturbed, and the spirits will not offer their protection. The true officials within the body will report the matter to the Three Heavens and enter the offense in the registers. In this way, one cannot become an immortal.

“Third, one must not harbor malicious thoughts, envy others, or harm them. The celestial spirits will take note, the Earth Official will report the matter, and the offense will be entered in the black register. In the end, severe punishment will follow and may even endanger one’s life. This is the gravest offense to commit, and its harm can extend to one’s descendants.

“Fourth, one must not drink to excess, becoming disordered, damaging the body, and changing one’s proper nature. Nor should one disregard the precepts, fear no laws, fail to honor one’s parents and superiors, neglect one’s kin, or let desire lead one into sexual misconduct. Such actions make the hun and po cry out in grief and defile the Five Spirits within the body. Those who curse others heedlessly, defy their parents, and act without filial respect will ultimately bring down calamity from Heaven and suffer its consequences themselves.

“Fifth, one must not covet wealth. Money and possessions are like dung, yet some carry knives for the sake of riches. As the age declines and deceit grows, human dealings become perilous; some plot to kill others for profit. Wealth can become one’s own enemy, so why covet it? Surplus possessions should not be hoarded; they should be used to cultivate blessings and De. An empty, clear mind and a quiet dwelling are what make a home worthy of an immortal.

“Not one of these five precepts may be violated. To break a precept is like walking across treacherous ice or stepping into empty space. The offense is already established, yet when punishment arrives, people are often wholly unaware. The worthy must remain vigilant and guard themselves at all times, whether sitting, standing, lying down, or resting. They must do nothing that violates the precepts, and blessings will naturally become manifest.

“If anyone disbelieves these teachings, slanders and doubts the scriptures and teachings, or fails to observe these five precepts, calamities will befall them in this life. What I say now is true and without deceit. At the outset of transmitting the teachings, one must first find a suitable recipient.” Daoling clasped his hands in salute and promised to observe them with reverence.

To transmit the teachings means to expound the scriptures, uphold the precepts, and make their essential points clear. The attainments gained through cultivating the Dao fall broadly into three grades. Their number has already been given; here are their names: first, the immortals; second, deliverance through the dissolution of the Mudball Palace; and third, prolonging life and increasing longevity.

Immortals are people who can fly freely and perform many kinds of transformation. Some ride in carriages to pay their respects to Yuchen, a revered Daoist deity; others travel through Wanli, an immortal realm, in cloud chariots. The scripture gives Ren’an Shouhua and Prince Jin’s farewell to the Zhou king as examples. Deliverance through the dissolution of the Mudball Palace means abandoning the body, realizing the realm of Wuwei (non-action), leaving this world and ascending to the farther shore. The scripture gives Buddhist disciples manifesting nirvana and the Immortal Lord pretending to leave behind an empty coffin as examples. Prolonging life means enjoying a long lifespan and strong mental and physical health, as in the legends that Dongfang Shuo lived for nine thousand years and Pengzu for eight hundred.

The three realms are explained in turn below. When immortals attain the Dao, heavenly beings who have realized the true Dao naturally become light and ascend. They rise to heaven in broad daylight, riding the clouds to the Hall of Purple Tenuity, where they ask the Great Dao Yuchen for instruction and pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. A fleshy protuberance, like a topknot, naturally grows on their heads, so they need not comb their hair. Their bodies become as indestructible as diamond, immune to harm from calamities. Jade youths attend them at their sides, scattering flowers like flying snow. Heavenly maidens burn a hundred blended fragrances, whose scent travels far and rises like clouds. Luan birds cry out and phoenixes sing on either side; dragon-shaped processions surround them before and behind. Their attendants are magnificent in appearance. All these are heavenly immortals.

Deliverance through the dissolution of the Mudball Palace frees one from the jurisdiction of the underworld’s ghost officials, brings clarity and peace to the hun and po souls, and raises one to a pure heavenly realm. Some are admitted among the immortals; others are reborn into the families of sage kings. They must continue to accumulate good deeds through successive lives and regularly cultivate the scriptures and the Dao. When they have amassed three thousand meritorious deeds and completed ninety thousand virtues, a cloud chariot will come to welcome them and a divine dragon will guide them. If their practice is not yet complete, they continue to be reborn and accumulate good deeds, diligently advancing without wavering in their resolve. In the end, they can attain the rank of Immortal King and govern the various spirit officials.

The way of prolonging life strengthens and preserves the body, delays death, and may ultimately lead to the same destination as deliverance through the dissolution of the Mudball Palace. This practice calls for courage and physical strength, as well as abstaining from grain to cleanse the intestines, dining on rosy clouds, and breathing in Qi (vital energy). One consumes such substances used in cultivation as green pine, purple cypress, baizhu, and yellow essence to expel the Three Corpses and Nine Worms and subdue the Four Demonic Armies and Bandits. When one’s lifespan ends, if one escapes being recorded by the ghost officials of the Northern Emperor’s Fengdu underworld, then after three hundred and sixty years one may advance to become an immortal. If one’s merit and virtue are still insufficient, one is reborn again. Though the body perishes, the hun and po souls are not extinguished, and in the end one can reach the same realm as deliverance through the dissolution of the Mudball Palace.

The foregoing explains the different levels of these three realms of cultivation. All three paths must follow the correct way and accord with the Dao. To attain any one of them, one must observe the precepts and cultivate the body, making one’s Qi and temperament gentle. One must act in accordance with moderation, restrain desires that conflict with the world, and put an end to cravings for wealth, sexual pleasure, and riches. Only then can one accord with the Dao.

The differences in rank among the three realms of cultivation have already been explained. What follows concerns the essential methods of moderation and harmony. This discussion has five parts: first, it gives the number of precepts; second, it lists them; the next three illustrate the precepts through examples; the fourth explains the harm caused by violating them; and the fifth urges care in transmitting the teachings.

There are five precepts of this kind. First, do not indulge in sexual excess or let your thoughts sink into depraved desires. This depletes the spirit and harms the hun and po souls. Once you depart from the correct path, your body is also more likely to attract malign influences. Of the hun, there are three: Shuangling, Taiguang, and Youjing. There are seven po.

Second, do not give free rein to emotional quarrels, anger, or resentment, and do not shout curses, utter imprecations, or speak malicious words that disturb Heaven and Earth. Such offenses are grave, and the spirits will not protect you. The Three Corpses within the body, spirits said to record and report a person’s faults, will report them to the Three Heavens and enter the offenses in a register. Anyone who commits them cannot become an immortal. The scripture names the Three Corpses Pengju, Pengzhi, and Pengjiao.

Third, do not harbor ill will or plot to harm others, and do not envy the worthy or resent those who surpass you. Otherwise, the heavenly spirits will investigate, the earthly officials will report you, and your offenses will be entered in a black register. This will bring calamity upon you and may even bring misfortune upon your descendants.

Fourth, do not crave wine to the point of confusion and loss of restraint. Wine disorders the Five Spirits within the body and changes a person’s usual nature. It leads people to violate the scriptures and precepts, disregard the laws of the ruler, and disrespect their teachers. It also destroys the bonds between those near and far and the rules of proper conduct, and can even lead to treasonous schemes. This unsettles the hun and po souls and disturbs the internal organs. If one also curses recklessly and defies the Way of Heaven, calamity will fall upon oneself.

Fifth, do not covet money and possessions. Wealth is like filth: it obstructs cultivation and burdens the self. In life it may invite robbery, and after death it may lead to one’s tomb being plundered. Therefore, do not hoard possessions; use them for giving and the cultivation of good fortune. A home with an empty, quiet hall can be called an immortal’s household, and its gates will naturally appear noble and pure.

These are the five precepts. Not one of them may be violated. To do so is as dangerous as walking through the air or stepping onto thin ice. If one knowingly commits an offense and refuses to change, one cannot escape responsibility. Those who cultivate the Dao should be mindful at all times and guard themselves carefully whether sitting or lying down. If they can maintain their integrity without wavering, the blessings will naturally become evident.

If someone disbelieves in and slanders the scriptures, refuses to observe these five precepts, and deliberately commits the three kinds of wrongful conduct, calamity will strike at once. The specific circumstances are described in the first scroll of this scripture.

Everything I have said today is true and without falsehood. You must carefully choose a suitable person to receive this teaching; do not pass it on indiscriminately. Zhang Daoling, the Celestial Master (Tianshi) of Daoism, bowed and replied, “I will obey. Now that I have received this admonition, how could I dare to disobey or neglect it?” He then rose and respectfully received the sage’s instruction.

The foregoing urges people to cultivate the Dao of moderation and harmony. What follows urges them to turn away from transgressions. This discussion falls broadly into two parts. The first, ending with “residual Qi in the food,” lists transgressions and urges people to abandon them. The section beginning “what the wife of Daoling desired” explains how to avoid wrongdoing. The first part has two layers: it first discusses evil deeds, then uses the passage beginning “Some may assist in deceit” to explain what came before. The explanatory section has four points: it first says that people in the world lack good deeds, then describes the evil deeds they commit, identifies those who do evil, and finally lists their misdeeds.

The Supreme Lord of the Dao said: I have observed the worlds in the ten directions and seen that, in ages to come, among the people, Daoists, men and women of virtue who keep the precepts, and all the people of the realm who devote themselves to the Dao, there will be scarcely one in ten thousand. Why do I say this? Because in later generations, customs will grow steadily worse. Officials and common people alike will compete in the pursuit of empty glamour, grasping for glory, wealth, and high rank. They will neglect benevolence and righteousness, and take manipulation and deceit for cleverness. Fathers and sons will deceive one another; rulers and ministers will distrust one another. People will solicit favors and bribe their way into office, dismiss the loyal and upright, and appoint flatterers and the wicked. They will trust treacherous ministers, form factions for private gain, and protect one another. The rich and powerful will attach themselves to one another, while the poor and lowly are cast aside. People will wear fine clothes and ride in ornamented carriages, pursuing ostentatious splendor as though it could secure their place in the world. The streets will be full of such people.

With even a little authority or status, they look down on others. With even a little money, they divide people into rich and poor. Gentlemen and petty people alike act according to their own circumstances, with their minds fixed on worldly life. How could they still think of the Dao? What such people covet are all foolish things; even if they once did good, they are not worthy of admiration. Once the foolish and shallow rise to prominence and honor, they become excessively arrogant and extravagant, doing whatever they please for their own gratification and observing no proprieties. The tranquil, empty Dao does not admit such people. The spirits withdraw from them, and evil ghosts seize the chance to harass them. Some then resort to fraud, turn away from the true Dao, and pray to ghosts and spirits for help. The net of Heaven’s Dao is vast; its punishment simply has yet to descend. It is like rice that has finished cooking: after the fire is removed, the steamer remains warm for a while. How long can that residual heat last? The wicked who have not yet suffered punishment are like that remaining warmth; in time, their punishment will come.

Daoling, what people hope for is long life, and they regard being alive as precious. What they dread is death, which they regard as low and base. Is this not so? Heaven and Earth are impartial: they reward the good with life and punish the wicked with death. Good fortune and misfortune, blessings and calamities, all come from the profound and unfathomable Dao of Heaven. The wealthy cannot escape calamity by praying to the spirits, and the poor cannot avoid it simply by wishing not to suffer. Do good and blessings follow; do evil and calamities result. Even if a ruler possesses countless treasures, when death approaches and he cannot bear to give up life, how could he buy his way out by exhausting the city’s wealth and offering great quantities of gold?

Even if the worthy are poor and lowly, they need not force themselves to seek wealth and status. To wear oneself out pursuing them wastes the effort that should be devoted to cultivation. Arrogance disturbs the mind, causes one to lose the Dao, and can also shorten one’s life. When fools see the wealthy and powerful, they fix their hearts on living the same way and waste their thoughts in vain. Even if they attain it, they will gain little. Since the gain is limited, it is better not to let desire disturb the mind. If you have a wish or aspiration, seek to cultivate yourself and set your intention on the Great Vehicle, the vast path of practice that leads to liberation. Whether your aspiration is great or small, bring your mind into harmony and uphold the supreme Great Scripture.

You should set up a bed in the fasting hall to enshrine the Celestial Book. Clear away dust and filth, making the surroundings dignified and pure. Burn incense and light lamps so that their radiance illuminates the bed. Observe the fast over a long period, focus your mind, and reflect deeply. Envision the spirits and keep the true Dao in your thoughts. The Dao will then descend. Practice each day, and your wishes will be fulfilled; the seven generations of your ancestors will receive blessings, and the living and the dead alike may become immortals. If you practice diligently, the Dao will not fail you.

If you seek something, you need not bribe anyone with money or goods, rely on personal connections or influence, offer wine and meat in sacrifice, or resort to clever words and schemes. If you sincerely turn toward the Dao and act through Wuwei (non-action), things will come to fruition of themselves, and your wishes will be fulfilled according to your true intention. If you wish to sow the seeds of generosity and good deeds, you may give according to your means, offering money for incense oil or support for the fasting hall to accumulate merit. Give what you can; there is no need to give too much. The point is that blessings cannot be measured by a fixed standard. If you follow worldly people in turning away from the Great Dao and praying to wicked spirits, you will gain no blessing but instead invite calamity.

Even if you perform good deeds, accumulate merit, and fulfill all kinds of wishes, the reward you receive—even if vast and boundless—cannot compare with the merit of upholding this scripture, making offerings and bowing in reverence to it, and reciting it constantly. That merit is many tens of millions of times greater. Why? Because this scripture is the classic upheld by the Heavenly Perfected of the ten directions as they seek the Supreme Dao and cultivate the Great Dao. Therefore, if a good man or woman naturally awakens to the wish to follow the Dao and upholds this scripture, there is no wish that cannot be fulfilled and no blessing that cannot be attained.

Yet people’s lifespans differ, and their understanding may be keen or slow. The wise study with great effort and press forward without rest, yet still worry that they will not keep pace in cultivating the Dao. The foolish and dull discard the scriptures and turn away from the Great Dao, yet still fear they have not strayed far enough from it. People differ in this way; what can be done? Daoling, you should transmit this scripture to later students whose aspirations accord with the true Dao. Whatever their natural capacities, you should guide them and lead them through the gate of cultivation.

The Heavenly Worthy said, “I observe the men and women in the worlds of the ten directions. Whether they are Daoist priests, Daoist nuns, or ordinary people, not one truly cultivates goodness. Those who leave home to cultivate the Dao secretly envy and scheme against others. Those who remain at home are arrogant and self-indulgent, sink into sexual desire, and kill and steal. Apart from sages who transcend the world, almost no one can devote themselves wholeheartedly to the Dao.”

The commentary explains that this passage first gives a general account of the world’s lack of good conduct, then identifies the evils, the people who commit them, and the forms those evils take. The evils described arise from the decline of public morality and the shallowness of human relationships at the time. Officials and commoners alike compete for glory, disregard benevolence and righteousness, and greedily seek wealth and status, abandoning the right path to practice deceit and manipulation. Fathers and sons deceive one another face to face; rulers and ministers harbor conflicting intentions. At the first opportunity, they undermine one another. Rulers cannot hear clearly or see plainly, yet trust the words of powerful ministers. Some use connections and gifts of money to buy office; loyal and worthy people are demoted and driven out, while the treacherous are appointed. Thus the gentlemen are left in obscurity while petty men hold power.

People form factions for private gain and compete for wealth and status, abandoning orphans and widows and oppressing the poor. Their carriages, horses, and clothing are lavish and dazzling. Officials travel about with an air of self-importance; though they occupy high positions, they regard the people as beneath notice. People judge rank by wealth: those who amass money are called gentlemen, while the poor are regarded as petty men. Everyone in the world gladly pursues such things. Who, then, still thinks of the Dao?

The commentary continues: these people are fools of the world. Even if they seem comfortable for a time, they are not worthy of envy. Their understanding is shallow; they cannot consider what came before or what may follow. Relying on their power, they are arrogant and extravagant, acting as they please, overstepping the law and disregarding rules of courtesy and proper conduct. The Great Dao is tranquil and frugal; it will not admit such people. Once the spirits withdraw from them, wicked ghosts take the opportunity to harm them.

Some people harbor deceit in their hearts, turn away from the true Dao, and put their faith in deviant ways, praying to ghosts and spirits for blessings. Yet the Way of Heaven is like a net spread across the sky: its mesh may seem wide, but nothing escapes it. A person’s guilt may not become apparent at once, but the resulting misfortune and punishment will ultimately be clear. The commentary compares this to cooking rice: once the rice is cooked, removing the fire afterward cannot make it raw again. When evildoers go unpunished for a time, the force of what they have already set in motion has simply not yet run its course. One must not conclude that retribution will never arrive.

To stay clear of wrongdoing, one must first understand that the Way of Heaven is impartial and that reward for good and punishment for evil inevitably follow. People love life and hate death, yet often fail to cultivate goodness and avoid evil, hoping only for peace and long life. This is the wish of people regardless of their rank. The Way of Heaven is just, and Heaven’s eye sees even the smallest details. Its rewards and punishments do not err, though they come from the unseen realm and may escape people’s notice.

Misfortune and good fortune often arrive without being arranged in advance by human beings. The poor may seek blessings and fail to obtain them; the rich may try to ward off misfortune and fail as well. Cultivating goodness brings blessings, while doing evil brings calamity. No official rank or power can undo this, and no gold or silver can bribe it away. Wealth, status, and glory each have their own allotment and karmic causes. There is no need to exhaust oneself seeking wealth beyond one’s share, thereby losing the right path and shortening one’s life. When fools see others prosper, they hope to become equally wealthy, not knowing that each person’s fate and foundation are different. Even if they gain wealth by luck, it may not last. Better to still the mind and preserve tranquility.

If you seek something or hold a wish, first receive and uphold the Supreme Scripture. Set your intentions right, observe the fast with sincerity, and place the heavenly scriptures in a pure and solemn ritual hall. Make offerings of incense and lamps, practice with undivided attention, keep the mind focused on emptiness and stillness, and realize the true Dao. The Dao does not disappoint sincere devotion: it responds to the wishes of those who practice, bringing blessings to their ancestors and enabling practitioners to become immortals. If you cultivate diligently, what the scriptures teach will not prove empty. Wishes are not fulfilled through bribery with money or through flattering words. Devote yourself to reciting the Dao and keeping the true within, and blessings will come of themselves.

If you wish to accumulate merit and De (Virtue/Power) and seek protection from the unseen, give according to your means. Provide food for ritual feasts and oil for lamps; do what you can, with a sincere heart, and the blessings you gain will be beyond measure. Do not turn away from the right path, slight the true Dao, and venerate wicked spirits, praying repeatedly to ghosts and spirits. Such acts bring no blessings; they only invite calamity.

The commentary also urges people to receive and uphold this scripture. Performing good deeds and giving alms to plant seeds of blessing are not equal to upholding even a single phrase or verse of the scripture. For this scripture is the foundation of the Heavenly Perfected—the true sages of the heavenly realms in the ten directions—and of all the sages. It is the source from which all goodness arises and the refuge through which practitioners attain realization of the Dao. If a good man awakens a spontaneous heart for the Dao and upholds this scripture, he will be in accord with every kind of blessing and goodness.

People differ in the length of their lives and in the clarity of their understanding. The wise practice diligently and always feel they have not done enough. The foolish, however, turn away from and slander the right path; their thoughts are separated from the Dao as if by a mountain. The sages feel deep compassion for them, so they instruct the Celestial Master to transmit the scripture to later practitioners, that they may remove the dust from their hearts and enter the gate of the Dao together.

Finally, the commentary turns to the harms caused by evil karma and urges people to correct their faults and repent of their sins. It next recounts the Celestial Master’s question and the Lord of the Dao’s explanation. Before presenting the question, it first identifies the immortals who were present to hear the teaching.

At this time, Daoling (Zhang Daoling) received the Daoist teachings. The great sages, the Brahma Daoists (practitioners of the Dao in Brahma heaven), the Perfected Ones of Wondrous Practice, and the Heavenly Worthies of the Ten Directions all sent messengers to praise Daoling. A total of seven hundred billion people gathered before him.

Daoling arranged his ritual robes among the assembly, joined his hands in salute, and stood before them to ask about the causes and conditions of misfortune and fortune, and the reasons for calamities and auspicious signs. He said, “I have seen people who follow the Dao and practice its methods sometimes suffer calamities, suddenly fall gravely ill, or die without warning. They may also face official documents and disputes of words, so that nothing goes smoothly: their undertakings fail, and their wishes go unfulfilled. I do not understand what these events have offended. Do they arise from causes and conditions in a former life, or from one’s own failings in this life? I beg you to explain this, so that those who do not yet understand may come to realize it.”

The Old Lord answered: “What has befallen these people is all brought on by their own evil deeds, and is also connected to the causes and conditions of past lives. Why do I say this? People in the world are not diligent enough in cultivating and upholding the Daoist teachings. Though they know that the Dao is exalted and wish to follow it, their minds and conduct are no different from those of worldly people, and they do not rid themselves of crooked and deceitful thoughts. It is ultimately impossible to seek accord with the righteous Dao through a crooked and deceitful heart.

“Crookedness and deceit are incompatible with the righteous Dao, just as thieves and evildoers cannot abide the sight of their guards. Some people follow the Great Dao while also praying to evil spirits, their minds wavering between the two; as a result, they turn instead toward the deviant path. Such people may claim to follow the Dao and hope to receive its protection, but the Dao will not accept them. They become tainted by and attach themselves to evil essences, yet call themselves members of the Daoist community. When disaster or illness befalls them, or calamity and hardship strike, they hope the Great Dao will shelter them, but the Dao does not save them. Evil essences and malevolent ghosts seize the opportunity to harm them, and the Dao does not drive away the malign forces on their behalf. Thus they die, and their family fortunes fall into ruin.

“Yet the foolish and worldly never come to their senses. Instead, they grow more defiant and claim that the Dao has no divine power. Even if they do not say so aloud, their hearts are full of resentment. Why do these people not set their conduct straight and change their minds, while they still have time to reform and make a fresh start, in the hope of escaping disaster? If they do so, there is scarcely anyone who cannot be saved. But if they remain stubborn and violent, their hearts never changing, after death they will have to endure the ‘Three Paths and Five Sufferings’—the evil realms and many kinds of suffering described in Daoism. By then, regret will come too late.

“How sad, foolish worldly people! They honor the false and deviant while slighting the righteous Dao. Why do they not cleanse their hearts and reform from this day onward? The wise can hold to true faith, cultivate the scriptures and teachings, and put them into practice. The Great Dao is supreme, vast and all-pervading, without bounds. It encompasses Heaven and Earth, governs the gods, and brings forth and nurtures all things. All beings that fly, crawl, or breathe are transformed and brought forth by the Dao.

“The Dao’s power is everywhere. It can gather, disperse, dissolve, bring to completion, and subdue all things. The Great Dao holds the pivot of Heaven and Earth’s workings and commands the myriad gods. It existed before all things and reaches to the end of the infinite. Human life unfolds between Heaven and Earth, and passes in an instant, like the opening and closing of an eye. All that people are is transformed by the Dao and born from it.

“The Great Dao cares for all living beings as a mother grieves for her children. Therefore it set forth teachings and precepts to save people in the world, so that they might cultivate the Dao and do good. Those whose merit is greatest may become immortals; those whose merit is middling may enter the ‘Mud Ball’—the upper Dantian and the related stages of Daoist cultivation; those whose merit is least may prolong their lives. People do not understand such exalted blessings. They sink together into worldly falsehood and refuse to change. At this I weep, and so I speak this verse:”

Evil causes were planted in a past life, so even the good deeds accumulated in this life are impure. A heart tainted by wicked thoughts that nevertheless claims to serve the Dao will only invite calamity. True Qi, the pure original energy spoken of in Daoism, cannot help such a person; instead, evil will brew disaster. Three calamities will descend at once, destroying the family and ending lives, while they sink into ruin along with their kin, still unwilling to abandon worldly deceit. I weep for them, and so I speak this verse:

Evil causes were planted in a past life, so even the good deeds accumulated in this life are impure. A heart tainted by wicked thoughts that nevertheless claims to serve the Dao will only invite calamity. True Qi cannot be a source of help; instead, evil will brew disaster. The Three Calamities descend together, destroying the family and ending lives. The Seven Generations of Ancestors sink into the prisons of the Three Officials, the deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, their souls following one another. Their feet are forced to tread across mountains of blades, their hands to touch trees of swords. They are tossed between the upper and lower Courts of the Five Sufferings, bleeding and suppurating, their bodies covered in sores. Though they endure ten thousand kalpas, they are never granted pardon, but can only be reborn again and again in the Five Destinies, the five realms of rebirth. If there are disciples who uphold the ritual laws and precepts, the Heavenly Officials will descend to welcome them.

When the Celestial Master (Tianshi), the honorific title Daoism gives Zhang Daoling, received the teachings, the great sages of the ten directions, Daoist priests, perfected ones, and Heavenly Venerables from wondrous realms all sent envoys to offer praise. Some rode on clouds and drove before the sun; others arrived in carriages borne aloft on platforms. At that time, seven hundred billion people gathered beneath the Seat of Ascending Mystery. Having described the audience present, the text now recounts, in order, the questions they raised.

This passage has two parts. First, it lists the misfortunes people suffer and asks why they occur. Then it asks why people should cultivate the Dao, to explain the results this can bring.

Daoling respectfully said, “I have seen people who serve the Dao and practice according to its teachings, yet do not obtain what they seek. Since people of the world serve the Dao and uphold its laws, they ought to receive the protection of sacred power. Why, then, do they still suffer calamities, even facing mortal danger? Some suddenly fall ill and die; some are arrested and imprisoned for no reason; some fail in their undertakings and encounter all kinds of ill fortune. What have these people done wrong? Is their misfortune the result of offenses they committed in this life, or are they affected by calamities from a former life?”

Next comes the Lord Lao’s reply. He first explains the causes of evil karma, then urges people to amend their ways, and finally encourages them to cultivate the Dao. The Lord Lao says that people who fall into hardship do so, broadly speaking, for one of two reasons: they have brought it upon themselves, or calamities left over from a former life have carried over into this one.

Why do some people who serve the Dao still suffer calamities? Because they are not single-minded in their practice. When they fail to obtain what they seek, they grow resentful; they waver, lack sincerity, and sometimes believe while at other times they doubt. Their minds are unsettled. They hear that the Great Dao is exalted and gladly embrace it, but they do not abandon worldly conduct; their hearts still harbor deviant thoughts and deceit. How could people like this hope to attain the true Dao? When the Orthodox Way meets deviance and delusion, it is like a thief running into a patrol officer. Because their resolve is weak, Heaven lets deviance and delusion exploit the opening. Once they become attached to evil spirits, the Supreme Way no longer protects them. When calamities and illness strike, they receive no rescue; instead, evil spirits may harm them, bringing death and the decline of their household. Yet foolish people of the world fail to awaken. Instead, they complain that “the Dao has no divine power.”

The Lord Lao then urges them to repent: “Why do you not reform your conduct and precepts, and change your hearts? The longer deviant thoughts take hold, the deeper they grow day by day. Heaven’s net is vast: though its mesh may seem wide, nothing escapes it. Good is repaid with good, and evil with evil; nothing goes unanswered. Why are you so stubborn that you cannot reflect on your offenses and make amends for your faults? Once you die and sink into the dark realms of evil, regret will come too late.”

The Lord Lao pities the foolish people of the world and laments that they trust in deviance and delusion, while belittling the Great Dao, refusing to uphold the precepts and cultivate the true. He urges them to wash away their evil thoughts and begin doing good again, starting now.

The Lord Lao then encourages people to cultivate the Dao, giving four reasons: the Great Dao is exalted and wondrous; it possesses divine power; it generates and nurtures all things; and cultivating it brings blessings and benefits.

The wise should set their thoughts straight, receive and uphold the scriptural precepts, and diligently cultivate the Great Dao. Daoist teachings are exalted and subtle, beyond comprehension. Heaven and Earth endure through the Dao, and all things are generated and nurtured through it. The Great Dao is boundless and vast, yet it can also reach into the smallest details. Since the Dao is so exalted, the wise should cultivate and honor it.

The Dao’s majestic divine power reaches everywhere. It can summon, avert, and subdue all kinds of things; it governs the pivot of Heaven and Earth’s workings and can command spirits and ghosts. It transcends every traceable beginning and reaches the limits of the infinite.

People live between Heaven and Earth. Their lifespans may be long or short, but all are brought forth by the Dao. The Dao pities the people of the world as a mother cherishes her child. That is why it earnestly expounds the scriptural precepts and urges everyone to cultivate the Dao and learn to become an immortal.

The merit of practice varies in depth, and the blessings people receive vary accordingly. Yet people of the world often fail to understand this. They do evil and refuse to change, sinking together with little hope of returning. The great sages feel deep compassion for them, even shedding tears, and so they left behind scriptural precepts to urge people to abandon evil thoughts.

Next come the verses. The first verse explains the causes of evil karma: evil ties were planted in a former life and were never purified over many lifetimes. People became tainted by deviance and delusion while claiming to serve the Dao, and thus brought misfortune upon themselves.

The second verse describes the consequences of evil karma: primordial Qi, the original vital energy spoken of in Daoism, cannot aid people who are evil; instead, deviant conduct brings calamity. The three calamities close in at once, perhaps destroying a family and taking its members’ lives. The seven generations of ancestors sink into the Three Offices, the divine authorities governing the affairs of Heaven, Earth, and Water. Their souls are drawn along, passing through mountains of blades and trees of swords, suffering boils, wounds, and bleeding. They are punished in the courts of the Five Sufferings and receive no pardon for ten thousand kalpas, turning and turning through the Five Paths.

Finally, the text urges people to cultivate the Dao: if disciples observe the ritual methods and uphold the precepts, the celestial officials will descend to welcome them. Their phoenix carriage will be wreathed in clouds, and their dragon carriage will soar high as it travels through the sky.

The preceding section has now given an overall explanation of how to keep away from wrongdoing. What follows is the third major section, which urges people to establish merit through good deeds. This section has three parts: first, prose urging people to perform meritorious deeds; then a verse urging them to cultivate the Dao and its practices; and after the verse, a description of the benefits of cultivation, offered as further encouragement.

The prose section has four layers: first, it urges people to correct their faults; second, to establish merit and virtue; third, to cultivate; and fourth, it explains the benefits gained through cultivation.

The layer on correcting faults has two parts: first, it urges people to abandon harmful conduct and keep right thoughts in mind; then it urges them to recite the scriptures and repent of their faults. The first part has two steps: first, it urges people to give up harmful conduct; then, to keep the Dao in their thoughts. What follows begins by explaining how to put an end to harmful conduct.

The Dao tells its disciples: The men and women of the world turn away from the right path and do not follow the teachings. They crave only desire, wealth and rank, beauty, profit, and precious treasures. They drink wine and eat meat, indulge their inclinations and pursue pleasure, and live in excessive luxury. How could they still give any thought to the Dao?

When people constantly keep the Dao in mind, the Dao, too, watches over them. People are like fish, and the Dao is like water: fish live when they have water and die when they lose it. If the Dao’s Qi—the primordial energy brought forth by the Dao—does not remain within the human body, the body will be empty. And once the body is empty, how can it endure for long? The key is to practice diligently and keep the supremely true Dao constantly in mind.

I tell you, worthy ones: those who wish to preserve life, save themselves, attain the Dao, and become perfected should honor and uphold the Supreme Lingbao Scripture of Ascending the Mystery and the Inner Teaching of the True One (a Daoist scripture). All should cleanse their thoughts, rid themselves of past wrongs, mend their ways, do more good deeds, and follow the scripture’s teachings. Those who can do this fulfill the purpose of the supreme, true, and perfect Dao.

All who cultivate the Dao must remove their wrongs and establish merit: reflect on their sins and make amends for their failings. If you killed someone before encountering the teachings of the scripture, then after receiving the teachings you should save someone who is close to death, thereby atoning for your sin. In this way, you can both erase the wrong and gain merit by saving a life. If you once robbed or stole, taking another person’s property, then after receiving the teachings you should vow sincerely to give your own possessions to the poor and establish merit. In this way, you can repay what you owe and receive the good reward of giving aid. If, out of jealousy, you once slandered someone, made malicious accusations that led to the death of a worthy and virtuous person, or falsely accused an innocent person, you should recommend people of talent and virtue to make amends. In this way, you can settle your debt and receive the good reward of promoting the worthy. Turning disaster into good fortune is a truly important principle.

Once cultivators have committed themselves to the practice of the Dao, they should be careful and honorable in both word and deed. When they see another’s faults, they should advise and admonish one another. They should also proclaim the teachings of the scriptures and save all beings throughout Heaven and the human world, so that men and women alike may benefit from them. The merit and blessings of such deeds cannot be measured.

Do not become arrogant or dismissive because the Dao has no form or appearance. Act with reverence, cultivate diligently, and remain pure morning and night. When you see people suffering from illness, help one another; do not use cleverness to deceive the foolish, rely on power to cheat, or invoke the name of ghosts and spirits to frighten people and extort money. Nor should you boast of knowing a little, look down on the poor, lowly, or foolish, or disparage one another.

Do not spread rumors or find fault with the worthy in public and private. Do not act out of selfishness, greed, or harshness; honor the powerful while humiliating the lowly; favor the rich while abandoning the poor; or feign sincerity while harboring partiality and resentment. Do not seek blessings to satisfy private desires or treat charitable giving as a way to buy favors. The Dao will not comply with such requests, and ghosts and spirits cannot be ordered about. Acting this way only corrupts the true teachings and ultimately brings calamity upon you.

Those who share the same aspirations should seek one another out and treat one another kindly. Men and women who cannot read may still take part in practice in the purification hall, provided they uphold the scriptures, devote themselves to the Dao, and listen attentively as the scriptures and precepts are recited. They should listen carefully to the teachings and not forget them. They may also burn incense in the hall and sit quietly in purity. Men and women should sit in separate rows, keep their bodies upright and their minds calm, and listen with focused attention to the teaching. They should not speak carelessly, sit crookedly, let their minds wander, or grow lazy and fall asleep. Nor should they gather in pairs or small groups to whisper and chat, wasting their efforts without gaining anything.

Those who cultivate in accordance with the rules, with reverence and solemnity, will receive boundless blessings. The immortal officials who serve the scriptures will come to protect them. They will be spared calamity throughout their lives and eventually attain the Dao and ascend to Heaven. Then the Most High Lord Lao said in verse:

One should honor the Dao of emptiness and nothingness, respect the teachings of the Great Vehicle, and sever all desire for sensual pleasure. Cultivation of the Dao begins with diligent effort and perseverance; then evil spirits will have no way to intrude. To transform misfortune, cultivate virtue; karmic debts from the past will gradually be erased of their own accord. Merit accumulates day by day and grows without cease, allowing one to transcend the ordinary world and become unlike worldly people. Cherish and put into practice the teachings and admonitions of the scriptures; through them, great achievements can be established.

In the world there are foolish and wicked people who invoke the name of spirits to establish heretical cults of ghosts and gods. They disguise selfish desires as public righteousness, speaking thousands upon thousands of words, not one of which brings real results. Indulging their impulses and acting in demonic ways, they invite severe calamity. Unaware of what they have done wrong, they are suddenly struck by cruel harm; their souls are imprisoned in Fengdu, the legendary underworld, where they endure suffering and torment.

There are also surely people who cherish the Dao and its methods, placing their faith in karmic affinity. Even if they cannot read, they still hold a sincere and earnest intention in their hearts. Setting aside preconceptions and clearing away evil thoughts, they listen as someone recites several thousand characters of scripture. By practicing with focused attention, they can attain the Dao and ultimately realize the supreme True Dao. If they can receive and uphold the meaning of the scriptures, their merit will be vast as the heavens.

All good men should listen attentively as I teach this scripture. Do not argue with one another or become immersed in useless emotional desires: these will both disrupt the supreme teachings and exhaust body and mind. A weary body and mind bring only suffering, while attachment to sensual desires causes one to lose clear judgment. Be reverent and cautious; do not show disrespect to the spirits.

Look at those who diligently cultivate the Dao: they can ascend to immortality and take up positions in the heavens, raising themselves high and passing beyond the Brahmā heavens. It is not especially difficult to study and cultivate the Dao. Why cling to the defiled pleasures of the earthly world instead of seeking freedom for body and mind? Those unwilling to roam the Golden Palaces of heaven can only be bound alongside ghosts and spirits at the Northern Gate, the entrance to the underworld.

I have seen those who suffer the Five Pains wailing atop mountains of blades. Their faces become unlike those of ordinary people, and they beg for food among the hungry ghosts. Heavenly punishments fall without end, and they endure trials and punishments through vast kalpas. This is all because they failed to accumulate good deeds and instead slandered and harmed the worthy who had attained the Dao. Retribution comes swiftly, yet the foolish do not believe. If they persist in doing evil and refuse to repent, they will bear heavenly punishment alone. Better to cultivate and spread the Great Dao, so that the assembled Perfected Ones—immortals who have attained the Dao—may join your company.

Men and women in the world mostly turn away from the true and proper Way. They do not keep the precepts or recite the scriptures, but only crave glory and wealth, satisfy their appetites with meat and drink, and indulge their desires for possessions and sensual pleasure. They know only how to pursue comfort and luxury. Who still thinks of cultivating the Dao?

The text first urges people to correct their harmful conduct, then urges them to keep the Dao constantly in mind. Through a parable, it explains that when people remember the Dao, the Dao in turn cares for them. People are like fish living in water: once deprived of water, they die. The Scripture of the Western Ascension says, “People dwell within the Dao, and the Dao dwells within people; fish dwell in water, and water dwells within fish. When the Dao leaves people, they die; when the water dries up, the fish’s life comes to an end.” This is precisely the point.

If the Dao’s Qi—the Dao’s transforming vital force—does not remain within the human body, the body becomes empty. And once the body is empty, how can it endure? Therefore, one must diligently cultivate the Supreme Way and keep the Utmost Truth—the highest reality of the Dao—constantly in mind.

After urging people to correct their conduct and remember the Dao, the text next urges them to uphold the scriptures to dispel their failings. This passage has three parts: first, it urges people to uphold the scriptures; second, it urges them to remove their faults; third, it explains how to attain the Dao. It begins with upholding the scriptures: worthy people, if you wish to preserve your life and bring body and mind through to salvation, you should uphold the True Scripture of the One of the Numinous Treasure of Ascension to the Mysterious. The scripture says that those who wish to preserve life, save the body, become perfected, and attain the Dao should honor and uphold this scripture. Supported by the power of the scripture, they will naturally attain the Dao.

Next, the text urges people to remove their faults: cleanse the defilements within your heart, reflect on your sins and make amends for your failings, and devote yourself wholeheartedly to following the Dao, making the practice of its teachings your sole concern. If you can follow the Dao in this way without going against it, you will accord with its utmost principle. The Scripture of the Dao says, “The Dao comes to those who are one with it.” This is what it means.

After urging people to correct their faults, the text next urges them to establish good works. This has five parts: it urges people to save living beings; it urges them to give generously; it urges them to recommend worthy people; it explains the benefits gained from establishing merit; and finally, it offers concluding encouragement.

First, saving living beings: all who aspire to cultivate the Dao should remove their faults and establish merit. If, before upholding the scriptures and observing the precepts, they personally killed living creatures, they should now rescue lives on the brink of death to make amends for their past wrongdoing. In this way, they can repay the debts incurred through past sins and gain the blessings that come from saving others.

Next, generosity: if, before hearing the teachings of the scriptures, they took other people’s possessions by force, they should now vow inwardly, reflect on their wrongdoing, and give their own possessions to the poor. By doing so, they can cultivate a field of blessings and establish merit. In this way, they can repay the debts they incurred in the past and gain the rewards of kindness and aid to others.

Then, recommending worthy people: if they have slandered those who surpassed them, disparaged the worthy, falsely accused the innocent, or envied people of high moral character, they should now recommend worthy scholars and praise those who are learned and talented. This can make amends for past wrongs and bring the good reward of recommending worthy people.

The scripture then explains the benefits of establishing merit: cultivating the Dao and doing good works can turn calamity into blessing. This is a principle of great importance, urging people to change their harmful intentions and cultivate blessings and goodness. If you see others at fault, you should explain the scriptures and precepts to them, so that men and women alike may benefit from the teachings of the Dao. The merit of such acts is vast and boundless, beyond measure.

Finally, the text cautions: do not look down on the Great Dao or become arrogant because it has no visible form. Practice with seriousness and diligence; morning and evening, cleanse your heart and clear your thoughts.

Earlier, we spoke of prideful thoughts and the need to remain calm and clear-minded from morning until night. Do not become careless or lax simply because the Great Dao has no form or appearance. Approach your practice with seriousness and diligence, and clear your mind and settle your thoughts morning and evening.

Here, the earlier advice to do good and establish merit comes to an end. What follows urges people to correct their faults, then returns to the practice of goodness. First, correct your faults: when you see people suffering from illness, find a way to help them. When you see others in distress, help them pray for blessings and relief from calamity, so that they may find peace. Do not use your cleverness to deceive those who are less discerning, or invoke spirits and ghosts to frighten people and extort money. Do not use a little knowledge of uncanny arts to mock virtuous people or look down on those of low status, while slandering one another. Do not honor the rich and powerful while despising the poor and lowly, harboring favoritism and resentment. Do not put on a false show of virtue and refuse to offer help in ways that meet people’s actual needs; still less should you drive others away or exclude them at will. Spirits and ghosts will not assist in such conduct, and it will bring no efficacy through the righteous Way. Those who act this way will instead invite misfortune. This is what it means to correct one’s faults.

Next comes the counsel to cultivate the Dao. Seek out people who share your aspirations, draw close to good companions who practice the same teaching, honor and study important scriptures, and devote yourself to the Great Dao. If you do not yet understand the teaching, ask someone who does. Listen attentively, take its meaning to heart, and do not forget it. You should also compose your appearance, settle your mind, and keep your body upright. Do not let your thoughts wander to other matters, or become playful, lax, drowsy, or caught up in idle face-to-face chatter. Otherwise, in the end, you will gain nothing.

This explains how to avoid faults while cultivating the Dao. What follows describes the blessings gained: if you practice in accordance with the teaching, with seriousness and single-mindedness, you will receive immeasurable blessings. Immortal officials who serve the scriptures will come to protect you, so that you suffer no calamity throughout your life and ultimately ascend to the heavens.

The long scripture has now come to an end. What follows uses verse to encourage people to build merit and virtue. The verses fall into several parts: the opening two and a half lines explain the benefits of doing good and establishing merit; the next part describes the harm that comes from foolish wrongdoing; then comes an exhortation to believe in and recite the scripture; finally, a contrast between good and evil urges people to choose their path.

First, the text speaks of those who believe in the scripture. They trust in the Dao of emptiness, honor the Great Vehicle—the broad and profound teachings of the Dao—no longer covet worldly splendor and beauty, and cultivate themselves diligently. In this way, outer demons have no opportunity to accuse or trouble them. This is an exhortation to establish merit through cultivation. The text then describes the benefits of practice: if people can cast aside coarse thoughts, correct their conduct, and do good, their past offenses will gradually be erased and their merit will steadily increase. In the end, they will transcend the mundane world and rise lightly in form, becoming unlike ordinary people. People should follow these great virtues, and the verse ends here.

Next, the text describes the harm caused by wrongdoing. There are foolish people in the world who invoke the names of ghosts and spirits to spread strange and false teachings. They deceive others openly, and not one of the tens of thousands of things they say can be trusted. This describes their wrongdoing. The text then explains the disasters it brings: driven by deluded thoughts, they commit demonic acts, and once their offenses have accumulated to a certain point, calamities and punishments arrive. They do not know when or why they will die; suddenly they suffer a violent misfortune, and their souls are taken to Fengdu, the ghost court of the underworld in Daoist tradition, where they endure every kind of torment.

The text then urges people to cultivate themselves through the scripture, in two parts: first, it speaks of those who believe in it, and then of those who hear and accept it. First are those who follow the teaching: some delight in the Daoist teachings and form a bond with them through reverence, faith, and goodwill. Though they may not understand written characters, they can listen to the recitation of the scripture with focused sincerity and humility. The text then describes the benefits they may receive: by cultivating themselves wholeheartedly, they can enter the path of the immortals and attain the highest state of perfected truth. As long as they uphold this wondrous scripture, their merit will naturally be great.

The “faithful recipients” section has just been recited; next comes the “listeners to the teaching” section. All good men and faithful women, please listen attentively as I expound this scripture. This scripture is supreme and true. Whoever can accept and uphold this wondrous scripture will naturally gain great merit.

The “faithful recipients” section has just been recited; next comes the “listeners to the teaching” section. All good men and faithful women, please listen attentively to the scripture, and do not show further disrespect to the spirits. The Dao says: Men and women among the faithful should listen to the scripture with full attention. Do not talk among yourselves, speak recklessly, or harbor confused and misguided views. Such conduct first disrupts the supreme teaching, and second makes you waste your body and mind in vain. You will exhaust yourselves to no purpose, and later reap the consequence of being unable to hear or understand well. You should respectfully make offerings to the scriptures and the Dao’s teachings, and no longer slight the spirits.

The preceding passage has already urged people to uphold the scriptures. It now contrasts good and evil to encourage people to choose good and abandon evil. This section has two parts: first, it lists good and evil and urges people to take up the good and leave aside the evil; then it encourages the cultivation of the Dao, explaining the benefits it can bring. The first part has two further sections: a single line urges people to do good, followed by five lines urging them to abandon evil.

First, the text urges people to do good: when someone is seen diligently cultivating, leaving behind worldly life to study the scriptures and their teachings, they can ascend to immortality and transcend the world, take up a post among the heavenly officials, rise aloft and travel through the air, and even roam beyond the Brahma heavens. Cultivating the Dao is not difficult; anyone willing to learn can make progress.

Next, the text urges people to abandon evil. It laments that people willingly remain in the impure world, taking worldly life to be beautiful, only to suffer heavenly punishment alone in the end. They are absorbed in worldly concerns and unwilling to ascend to immortality or feast and roam in the Mysterious Capital, the Daoist realm of the immortals. They will be numbered among the ghosts and spirits at the Northern Gate and cycle through the five destinies, the five possible realms of rebirth. They will wail beside cauldrons of boiling liquid and cry out upon blades and swords, their faces contorted in misery as they endure burning, hunger, and cold. With no way to obtain food, they must also bear heavenly punishment and penal examinations through long ages. The text says this fate comes from slandering the worthy, disbelieving in destiny, and persisting in evil without changing.

Instead, one should study the scriptures, spread the Great Dao, and bring glory to the teachings. In this way, one can become a companion to the perfected ones who have attained the Dao.

After the Lord Lao finished his verses, he instructed the Daoist assembly. The preceding passage used verses to encourage people to establish merit; the text now turns to urging people to cultivate goodness in order to gain its benefits. This section has two parts: first, it explains the benefits one can gain through one’s own cultivation; then it urges people to honor and treasure the scriptures.

When the Venerable Lord had finished reciting the verses, he said to Daoling (Zhang Daoling, the founding patriarch revered by the Celestial Masters): “Throughout countless, boundless eons as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, I cultivated this chapter, chanted its lines, practiced in accordance with it, and studied it with reverence. That is how I came to attain the fruition I have today. Its meaning is profound and subtle, reaching the utmost depths. Now I entrust it to you. You must honor it with care, and do not transmit it to those who lack faith. If anyone doubts or slanders it, Heaven’s punishment will descend, and may even bring calamity upon their entire family.”

The Most High Venerable Lord told the Celestial Master: “In countless eons past, I cultivated the passages of this scripture, chanted its teachings, studied them with reverence, and practiced them diligently. That is how I attained the supreme fruition of the Dao today. Know that the teachings of this scripture reach far and are supremely mysterious. These words both explain the benefits of cultivating it and urge you to honor and carefully protect it. Now I transmit this great scripture to you. You should receive it with care, honor the Dao diligently, and not pass it on lightly. If anyone doubts or slanders it, Heaven’s punishment will descend, and may even bring calamity upon their entire family.”

The preceding material discussed encouraging people to establish merit through good deeds. Here, the Venerable Lord proclaims this great scripture and instructs you to receive it with care, honor the Dao and its teachings, and cultivate them diligently. Do not pass it on lightly; if anyone doubts or slanders it, Heaven’s punishment will descend, and may even bring calamity upon their entire family.

The preceding material discussed encouraging people to establish merit through good deeds. From this point onward comes the fourth major section of the work, which continues to encourage the cultivation of the scripture and its teachings through both prose and verses. The prose is divided into two parts. The first sets out wholesome and unwholesome causes and explains why people are born; the second presents the precepts of the scripture and urges people to practice them. The first part has two sections: it first discusses the unwholesome deeds of birth and death among ordinary people, then describes the corresponding consequences. The discussion of their unwholesome deeds has four points: first, it explains ordinary people’s ignorance; second, it describes their attraction to wrongdoing and related conduct; third, it explains their inability to have things go as they wish; and fourth, it summarizes the point and urges people to abandon wrongdoing. The text begins by discussing ordinary people’s ignorance.

The Old Lord said to Daoling: Among all things, human beings are the most precious. We live between Heaven and Earth, and everyone knows the day they were born, yet no one knows when death will come. Whether good or evil, rich or poor, everyone hopes for a long life. Who would wish to die young? People do not want to face death, but who among all beings in the world can avoid it entirely? Only those who have never been born are free from this worry.

Yet each person’s destination after death depends on their causes and conditions. Those who do good receive good results; after death, even as ghosts and spirits, they will tend toward goodness. Those who do evil receive evil results and become evil ghosts after death. Thus some enter the hall of our Dao, while others fall into the hells of the demonic path. It is like calling out: an echo is sure to follow.

A person’s lifespan is governed by emptiness—the profound, hidden source of the Dao. Emptiness has no voice or form, so sages were established to transmit the Dao. After the sages withdrew from the world, they left scriptures and precepts behind. The scriptures and precepts are the Dao: they urge people to do good and teach them to cultivate life. In one respect, they help dispel faults; in another, they guide people toward immortality. What one gains is not merely longevity, but the possibility of becoming a true immortal.

Such blessings cannot be obtained through wealth and possessions, nor by begging others for alms. They cannot be won by offering meat and wine in prayers to ghosts and spirits. They come only to Daoist practitioners and worthy people who honor the scriptures and precepts and practice diligently. Hardship comes first, reward afterward: the way cause and effect are fulfilled is clear.

Of all the life forms born between Heaven and Earth, humans are the most honored. Yet people are often clouded by ignorance, with little clarity or understanding. They know only to celebrate the wealth and status that accompany birth, and do not know when death will come. This shows how little ordinary people understand. The text then explains that, whether high or low in status, all people are alike: the kindhearted and the wicked have much the same wishes. Who does not want a long life? Who would choose poverty and an early death?

No one welcomes death, yet everyone in the world must eventually face it. The body perishes and the hun and po souls depart: this is something everyone abhors, but no one can escape. The only way to be entirely free of death is to be born no more. However earnestly one may seek immortality, it is better not to undergo birth again. If one can refine away bodily form and return to one’s original nature, what cause for worry could remain? The earlier passage uses people’s aversion to life and death to urge them to relinquish attachment; the discussion now turns to the different consequences of good and evil actions.

Each person forms different karmic ties and therefore receives different retributions. The ghosts and spirits people become after death vary accordingly, as do their rises and falls. This is like a cry producing an echo, or a seed bearing its corresponding fruit. The passage describes the differing consequences of good and evil causes, helping people understand the principle at work.

The text next uses the scriptures and teachings to encourage cultivation. Human life is received from the Void—the Daoist name for the deep, formless source—so the sages established and taught the scriptures and precepts. These scriptures and precepts are themselves part of the Dao. Those who can spread the teachings can personally realize the Great Dao.

The purpose of establishing the teachings is to encourage people to cultivate life. If people uphold the scriptures, their lifespans will naturally grow longer. They can not only avoid dying young, but also realize the Dao and become perfected immortals.

Such blessings cannot be obtained through high office, generous stipends, or abundant wealth. They come only from upholding the scriptures, observing the precepts, and making diligent practice one’s foundation. These blessings will then be plain and clear, like the light of the sun and moon.

The Explanatory Commentary on the Central Harmony Chapter of the Scripture of the Inner Teachings for Ascending to the Mystery of the Numinous Treasure of the Most High first explains that the text now shifts from lengthy prose to verses intended to encourage people to receive and uphold the scripture. The first five lines urge people to abandon evil and listen to the scripture, emphasizing that rank and great wealth cannot bring true blessings. Only by receiving and upholding the scripture, observing the precepts, and practicing diligently will blessings become clear, like the sun and moon. The later verses urge people to devote themselves to the Dao and change their conduct. The discussion has three parts: it first points out that worldly people do not understand the principles of the Dao, then explains the different destinies of the good and the evil, and finally urges people to heed the teachings of the scripture.

Then the Lord Lao spoke these verses:

Human life is most precious, yet some refuse to draw near to the luminous teachings of the Dao. They let themselves drift through birth and death, unaware of where they are headed. In darkness and ignorance, they chase after what they desire, and only awaken when retribution comes upon them. Those who do evil will fall into the “Three Plunders,” the realm of evil retribution described in the scripture; those who do good will receive the blessings of great compassion.

If someone has the capacity to accord with the true Dao, they should listen to the scripture, reflect on goodness, and consider its meaning. Do not be like the deaf and blind, hearing the teaching yet deliberately pretending not to understand. I take pity on beings in heaven and on earth, and so I have left behind these unsurpassed words of instruction. They are the great law for living among others and the healing medicine that saves the world and its people.

Use wealth to make offerings to the true teachings; do not spend it worshipping evil spirits. Such acts bring no blessings. Instead, they cause demonic forces to grow stronger and calamities to increase. Why not practice the Dao diligently, and reflect carefully after hearing the true teachings? Evil deeds bring evil consequences; better to lay the foundations of goodness from this very moment. Through arduous practice, one will at last receive sweet blessings and naturally ascend to the Mysterious Terrace, the sacred realm described in Daoism.

The preceding passage spoke of worldly people’s failure to understand the Way: human life is supremely precious, yet people often awaken only when retribution is near. Among all things between Heaven and Earth, human beings alone are most precious. Why, then, do people not diligently cultivate the scriptures and preserve purity and joy? Instead, they let themselves drift through life and death, unaware of where they are headed. Only when they find themselves in the long, dark night and retribution is upon them do they understand.

Having finished describing the ignorance of worldly people, the text now explains that good and evil lead down different paths. Those who do evil fall into hell, where their bodies and souls are punished three times in a single day. Those who do good ascend to Heaven and are received with compassion by the Great Sage.

Next, the text urges people to hear the True Teaching. Anyone who sincerely turns toward the Dao should reflect on goodness and listen to the scriptures. They should not pretend to be deaf or mute, hearing the teachings and then deliberately acting as though they do not understand. The Great Sage takes pity on the heavens and on humanity, and therefore left behind the supreme wondrous teaching as the Great Way and good medicine for the world. Those with wealth should put it to proper use. They should stop praying to ghosts and spirits or making offerings to evil deities. Such practices will never bring blessings; they only allow baleful, demonic Qi to grow stronger.

After urging people to abandon evil, the text urges them to cultivate the Dao. Why not diligently cultivate the Higher Way, follow the Way of nature, and ascend to the Mystic Terrace—the wondrous, exalted realm of immortals described in Daoism? When people encounter the True Teaching, they should seek it earnestly at once and put its instructions into practice. Evil deeds bring evil consequences, so it is better to lay the foundations of goodness. Even the hardships of Daoist cultivation can ultimately be borne willingly, allowing one to dwell peacefully upon the Mystic Terrace.

This concludes the part that urges people to uphold the scriptures and teachings. What follows is the second major section of the whole text, which urges people to observe the Five Precepts—the rules that Daoist practitioners should follow. This section has two parts, prose and verse. The prose is divided into five layers: first, it points out evil conduct and urges people to abandon it; second, it lists the precepts and urges people to observe them; third, it explains the benefits of keeping the precepts; fourth, it explains the consequences of violating them; and fifth, it urges people to guard the precepts carefully and not disclose them lightly. We now turn to the passage urging people to abandon evil conduct.

The scripture says: “Lust corrupts one’s affairs and is the thing one ought least to do. Yet in the world, people of every kind—wise or foolish, noble or lowly—share this desire. Only Daoist priests can hold firmly to their resolve and observe the teachings and precepts, using them to restrain themselves.”

The Dao teaches that craving sensual pleasures can ruin one’s life and is among the things one should avoid most. Yet in the world, people of every kind—wise or foolish, high or low in status—are easily drawn to them. Only Daoists can hold firm to their resolve, follow the teachings and precepts, and use them to discipline themselves. In all their actions and conduct, their hearts remain free of deviation, and they do not violate the precepts when faced with desire.

When they see beauty, gain, or splendid honors and riches, they use the precepts to cover their eyes. When they hear pleasing or irritating words, or any kind of music, they use the precepts to block their ears. When they encounter fine delicacies and sweet foods, they use the precepts to restrain their mouths. When greed for wealth and treasures arises in their hearts, or their desires run unchecked, they use the precepts to curb their thoughts. If lustful thoughts arise and they want to do something improper, they use the precepts to stop themselves from acting. These five practices are meant to use the precepts to discipline the eyes, ears, mouth, heart, and conduct.

Those who can cultivate themselves in this way can help seven generations of their ancestors ascend to heaven. Their food and clothing will come naturally in abundance, and they themselves can become immortals and ascend in broad daylight. Even if they attain the Dao through “corpse liberation”—a Daoist means of becoming immortal in which the physical body is left behind as the spirit departs—they can continue their cultivation through successive stages and ultimately become perfected beings. Those who have made progress in their cultivation should sincerely follow these teachings.

Whether men or women, those who cannot follow these teachings and are unwilling to accept and uphold them have no way forward. I would rather give someone ten thousand gold pieces than write down this passage. Daoling, choose suitable people to receive it, and do not reveal this true scripture.

Indulgence in sexual pleasure corrupts body and mind and may even destroy one’s life. Ordinary people cannot keep away from these temptations. The text first gave examples of wrongdoing to urge people to abstain; it now explains the precepts and urges people to practice them.

First it speaks of those who uphold the precepts, then of the precepts themselves. Only Daoist priests can keep from violating them at all times. They understand the teachings and precepts for themselves, follow them resolutely, and discipline body and mind. Even when surrounded by desire and passion, they do not break the precepts.

Having discussed those who uphold the precepts, the text turns to the precepts themselves. When they see beauty, splendor, or vivid colors, they restrain themselves by the precepts and do not let their eyes gaze upon them. When they hear the Five Tones—gong, shang, jue, zhi, and yu—or licentious, seductive music, they use the precepts to close off their senses and do not let their ears listen. When they encounter rare and abundant foods or sweet, fragrant delicacies, they use the precepts to control their mouths and do not taste them. When they think of money, valuables, and unusual objects, they use the precepts to restrain their minds and keep greed from arising. When they think of adultery, covetous desire, or other wrongdoing, they use the precepts to govern their actions and do not let their feet carry them there. Having explained the precepts, the text then returns to those who uphold them. Once people can do these five things, it goes on to explain the faults that follow from violating the precepts.

If men and women cannot follow and put these teachings and precepts into practice… The passage ends here. The scripture laments that people of that time valued material goods and slighted the Great Dao, and so issues this warning. If everyone sinks together, what can be done?

Having explained the faults that follow from violating the precepts, the text next urges that the scripture be transmitted. Daoling, the person receiving instruction in the scripture, you should choose suitable people to teach, and do not disclose the true text. If someone reveres and believes in the Daoist teachings, meets the ten conditions described earlier, and comes forward to request the scripture, first have them bring tokens of faith and show their sincerity. Test whether their resolve is firm and will not falter, and only then give them the text. If they still hesitate and doubt, keep the scripture secret and do not transmit it to them.

This concludes the prose section. What follows are verses, divided into four parts: the first is three and a half lines on the harm suffered by those who do not uphold the precepts; the second is three and a half lines on the benefits gained by those who do; the third is three lines on how to avoid the five forms of wrongdoing; and the fourth is two and a half lines on the benefits gained by reforming one’s conduct.

What is desire? It all arises from the heart. The eyes see splendid sights, the ears hear every kind of music, the mouth craves delicacies, the heart dwells on wealth and glory, and the mind yearns for lustful and illicit affairs; the hands and feet then follow through. Once the five kinds of wrongdoing go unchecked, guilt will show itself in one’s own body. Such a person is forever cut off from the path of cultivation, and their shadowy soul will eventually be entered into the registers of the ghosts. After their sins have been expiated, they may be reborn as a human being, but will have lost the nature and feelings proper to human beings.

To uphold the precepts and do no evil is to close the heart’s five gates: the eyes do not gaze at alluring beauty, the ears do not listen to disturbing sounds, the mouth does not crave delicacies, the heart does not love wealth, the mind does not wander toward lustful things, and the hands and feet do not carry out evil deeds. When the five kinds of wrongdoing fall still and do not arise, where could punishment come from? In this way, one remains forever in harmony with the true Dao and is no longer under the authority of ghost officials. Merit begins with upholding the precepts; while still alive, one can ascend to Yuchen, the Daoist realm of the highest heavens.

Regard beautiful appearances as enemies and resolve from the outset not to look at them; regard sounds as enemies and resolve from the outset not to listen; regard tastes as bitter and keep them from tainting you; regard precious treasures as a source of fault and do not become attached to them; regard illicit conduct as a thief and do not consort with it; regard perilous roads as obstacles and do not set foot on them. Face all the afflictions that come through the eyes, ears, mouth, heart, mind, and feet by following the same path of upholding the precepts, without straying into pursuit from the very beginning. To accomplish this is a wondrous achievement amid difficulty. Once the difficult has been mastered, defilement and obstruction can find no place to linger. When the body is pure, the spirit is at peace. Guard the Imperial One (Huangyi), a Daoist practice of single-mindedly preserving the spirit, and settle the mind and spirit in the Dantian (energy center). Every practice of cultivation begins with upholding the precepts; in the end, one can ascend to the highest heavens.

Where do human desires come from? They all arise in the heart-mind. “Upper desire” refers to the heart-mind that gives rise to desire, while “lower desire” refers to the objects it craves. Where do these two aspects come from? They both come from our own inverted and deluded thoughts. The forms these desires take are explained below.

The eyes look heedlessly at every kind of color; the ears greedily listen to every kind of sound; the mouth craves fresh, fragrant, and sweet foods; the heart-mind schemes after wealth and possessions; and thoughts crave improper things. Once greed arises, the hands and feet follow by acting on it. This describes the harmful deeds that desires give rise to. Next comes an account of the damage they cause.

When the five desires arise in the heart-mind and it cannot become still, calamities and trials descend upon us. Those who cultivate the Dao are thereby forever cut off from the way of long life. After death, their wandering souls fall into the prisons of the underworld. When they have undergone the full retribution for their offenses, they may be reborn, but with one or more of their six senses impaired. This describes the harm brought about by violating the precepts.

To uphold the precepts and do no evil is to close the gates through which the five desires enter the heart-mind. In practice, this means that the eyes do not greedily gaze at alluring forms, the ears do not crave music, the mouth does not crave delicacies, the heart-mind does not covet wealth, thoughts do not give rise to delusions about things outside oneself, and the hands and feet do not act recklessly. This describes how to uphold the precepts. Next comes an account of the benefits.

Once the five desires have subsided, calamities and trials will no longer descend without cause. A person can then accord with the true Dao and will no longer sink into the realm of ghosts. The merit of cultivating the Dao comes from keeping the precepts. Ultimately, one may ascend by day to the Jade Capital, an immortal realm in Daoism, and reach Yuchen, one of the dwelling places of Daoist immortals.

Next comes an explanation of how to distance oneself from the five desires: regard forms as enemies and do not let the eyes look at them; regard sounds as foes and do not let the ears listen to them; do not crave sweet and delicious foods, and do not let the heart-mind cling to gold, jade, and other treasures. Do not entertain lustful or wicked thoughts, and do not associate with corrupt and evil people. Act uprightly, and do not set foot on dangerous or crooked paths. This describes how to distance oneself from the five desires. Next comes an account of the benefits.

The five desires differ in form, but they all arise from the same heart-mind. If you can keep the heart-mind free of bias and delusion, and prevent it from becoming entangled with external things, you can cast off desire. This is the hardest of all difficult things. If you can do this, defilement and obstruction will find no place to remain within you. Your body will be pure, your spirit at peace, and the Sovereign Person (Huangren), a divine being in Daoist scriptures, will dwell securely in your Dantian (energy center, where Qi gathers in Neidan cultivation). Complete cultivation has its roots in keeping the precepts; through this, one can reach the Dao of emptiness and transcendence—a state of stillness, Wuwei, and freedom from worldly concerns.

Those who uphold the teachings and cultivate the Great Dao should be diligent; those who cultivate body and mind should be steadfast; those who advance in practice should persevere; those who observe the precepts should be firm; those who focus their minds in recitation should remain constant; and those who contemplate carefully should keep the Dao ever present in their hearts. Stay far from deviant thoughts and delusion, from demonic falsehoods and deceit, from sexual excess and greed. Remove every kind of fault, thereby safeguarding the true Dao, until at last you reach the realm of ascent to the immortals.

This is a path of hardship first and reward afterward. To transcend the world and ascend to immortality, you must look toward the fruits to come rather than focus only on the present. Evil deeds do not always bring disaster at once, and good deeds do not always earn blessings immediately. Think carefully, act with dignity, cultivate yourselves diligently, and do your utmost to uphold and preserve the teachings of the scriptures.

This scripture is profound and wondrous. It encompasses the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), and is the foremost mysterious chapter of supreme truth. Those able to receive and uphold it are exceedingly rare in this world; without an immortal’s place in the registers, one would be hard to find even among ten thousand. For those resolved to cultivate, receiving this scripture should be like finding food and drink when starving and thirsty, winter clothes in the cold, or spring garments when the weather turns mild; like a poor person finding a treasure, or someone of low rank receiving an official post. It should also be like the urgent need for rest after extreme toil, the longing for sleep when exhausted, or the long-awaited fulfillment of a hope. Having received this scripture and its teachings, you should cherish them in this way and practice them diligently. The blessings will be beyond measure.

This scripture can save countless people. Those who cultivate the Dao and recite it can become perfected beings—immortals who have attained the Dao. Recited in fear, it prevents demons and spirits from invading the body. Recited during illness, it can revive a soul on the verge of death. Recited in sorrow and distress, it brings joy. Recited when trapped in a legal case, it can free one from imprisonment. Recited for the dead, it can bring them peace and calm. Recited in poverty, it can preserve one’s possessions. Recited when fate brings danger and hardship, it can lengthen one’s life. Recited in ignorance and darkness, it can awaken the mind and bring wisdom, raising one to the level of the sages.

When one person recites and upholds this scripture, its blessings can extend to nine generations of kin. The scripture can save countless people, and its grace spreads throughout the heavenly realms in all ten directions. Those above and below, great and small, near and far, can all receive its compassion. You must treasure this scripture and never spread it carelessly. If you treat it lightly, disclose it, or pass it to someone unworthy, you will face a severe punishment like blades of wind, and after death may be seized and confined by the ghost officials. Be sure to act with caution. What I have said is no falsehood.

After paying his respects and giving thanks, Daoling departed.

To uphold the scriptures and precepts, study the Daoist teachings, and cultivate oneself, one should be steadfast and sincere, keeping the teachings constantly in mind and contemplating them with care. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one should keep the Dao in thought. If the scriptures and teachings are passed on to an unsuitable person, the offender will face severe punishment and, after death, fall under the jurisdiction of the ghost officials. You must be cautious: what I have said is no falsehood.

This passage first urges people to keep the Daoist teachings firmly in mind. It then counsels them to shun evil, doubt, strange and demonic influences, and deceit; they should not crave only the pleasures of the moment. Instead, they should leave behind their many faults and protect their true nature. Though this may be hard at first, in time it will bring the good reward of becoming an immortal.

The passage next urges people to uphold the scriptures and praises the exalted status of the teachings. Evil deeds do not bring genuine blessings, and good deeds may not yield immediate results. One should therefore set one’s mind and conduct straight, and diligently receive and practice the teachings. This scripture is profound and mysterious, and encompasses all numinous beings; it is among the most exalted scriptures of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen). The Three Caverns are a system for classifying Daoist scriptures. To say that the scripture “governs all numinous beings” means that its Daoist teachings hold an eminent position, encompassing all things and spirits. Since the teachings are so exalted, those able to encounter and uphold them are rare. Those without a mysterious foundation and affinity with the immortals will ultimately find it difficult to encounter this scripture.

Those who sincerely seek the Dao should yearn for its teachings as a hungry or thirsty person longs for food and drink, always hoping to gain insight. On encountering these teachings, they should cherish them deeply. If they diligently practice in accordance with them, they will receive boundless blessings.

The number of people this scripture has saved is beyond counting. Its grace extends throughout the heavens in the ten directions and benefits nine generations of one’s relatives. “Nine relations” refers to kin with ties reaching far back through the family. The merit of the teachings is vast, and its blessings reach everywhere, with no limits above or below and no end near or far; all beings can receive its grace.

Finally, the disciples are cautioned to safeguard the scriptures carefully and pass them on only to suitable people. They must not spread them indiscriminately, or they will incur guilt. Zhang Daoling then bowed with his head to the ground in gratitude and departed.

The previous scroll has finished explaining the practice of “Central Harmony.” From this point onward, the assembly meets again at Penglai, where the Most High is about to explain important principles for making the true Dao manifest.

This concludes the “Central Harmony” section of the Scripture of the Most High, Numinous Treasure, and Ascension to the Mysterious: Inner Teachings.

This concludes the Explanatory Commentary on the Meaning of the “Central Harmony” Section of the Scripture of the Most High, Numinous Treasure, and Ascension to the Mysterious: Inner Teachings.

What follows is the textual collation, which records differences in wording among various editions and the editor’s emendations, additions, and deletions to the text based on the Dunhuang manuscript.