《太上老君说五斗金章受生经》

At this time, the Supreme Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun), one of the highest deities venerated in Daoism, was in the Golden Hall of the Realm of Great Clarity (Taiqing) in the Great Scarlet Heaven. He summoned the Five Elder Imperial Lords, together with the deities who govern allotted lifespan, birth, names, life and death, inspection, the bestowal of blessings, and the removal of calamity: the Lord of the Eastern Dipper Who Calculates Lifespans (who oversees the reckoning of longevity), the Lord of the Southern Dipper Who Presides over Birth (who governs procreation and vital growth), the Lord of the Western Dipper Who Records Names (who registers names), the Lord of the Northern Dipper Who Assigns Death (who presides over death), and the Lord of the Central Dipper Who Directs Inspection (who oversees surveillance as a whole). Also summoned were the Lords of the Nine Heavens Who Engender Spirit, the Lords of the Nine Heavens Who Register Birth, the Lords of the Nine Heavens Who Register Emolument, the Lords of the Nine Heavens Who Keep the Registers and the Calculations, the Lords of the Nine Heavens of the Treasuries of Wealth and Emolument, the Lords of the Nine Heavens Who Dispel Calamity and Scatter Misfortune, the Holy Mother of the Nine Heavens and the Taiyi Primordial Lord of the Nine Heavens, the Great Deity of the Nine Heavens Who Supervises Birth, the Seven Primordial Stellar Lords of the Northern Dipper, the Six Ministerial Stellar Lords of the Southern Dipper, and the Stellar Lords of Natal Destiny, Original Chronogram, and the Establishment of Birth (star deities associated with a person’s year and month of birth and with personal fate).

All these deities came into the hall together, each bringing from their own retinues the merit officers and numinous officials (Gongcao and Lingguan, divine clerks charged with transmitting and carrying out affairs), the Golden Boys and Jade Maidens, and countless others of the holy assembly. They paid homage to the Supreme Lord Lao, burned incense, and scattered flowers. Treading the ritual paces of Buxu (Pacing the Void), they circled in procession, then knelt for a long while before the Dao, listening to the teaching with reverence and undivided attention.

The Most High Lord Lao extensively expounded weighty and profoundly mysterious principles, addressing the Five Elder Imperial Lords of the five directions—East, South, Center, West, and North—and the assembled host of sages:

In the beginning, when Heaven and Earth had not yet separated and all remained a single chaos, the primordial creative Qi (vital energy) pervaded the ten directions and brought forth the myriad things. It created Heaven and Earth and formed Yin-Yang: Yang Qi rose and was transformed into the various heavens; Yin Qi descended and was transformed into the earth. The surplus of Yang Qi became men, and the surplus of Yin Qi became women. The two Qi of Yin and Yang conjoined of themselves and generated life without cease, and thus human society came into being.

After the human world had taken form, each person’s destiny and causal conditions differed: there were the good and the evil, the long-lived and the short-lived, the noble and the humble, the wealthy and the poor. Retribution for good and evil follows as a shadow follows the form and as an echo answers a sound: doing good brings good fruits, and doing evil invites evil fruits; plant orchids and there is fragrance, sow grain and there is a harvest. Good conduct brings auspiciousness, and evil conduct brings calamity. The various conditions that people encounter are all produced by their own merit and karma.

Human beings live upon the earth, yet their lifespans are bound to Heaven’s mandate. Born between Heaven and Earth, the body is endowed with the Qi of Yin and Yang and also possesses the orthodox Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and is governed by the Lords of the Five Dippers (the stellar deities who respectively preside over the five directions). A person’s root destiny and primordial chronogram (the life-calculations associated with the year and day of birth, and the like) likewise correspond to the twelve zodiac animals. Those born in the years Jia and Yi have their lives governed by the Eastern Dipper; those born in the years Bing and Ding are governed by the Southern Dipper; those born in the years Wu and Ji are governed by the Central Dipper; those born in the years Geng and Xin are governed by the Western Dipper; and those born in the years Ren and Gui are governed by the Northern Dipper.

When human beings receive life, each is endowed with the true Qi of the Five Phases. The true Qi intermingles and condenses into an embryo; after ten months in the womb, passing through the generative Qi of the ten directions, the body takes form. That generative Qi embraces the myriad things. It is deep and hard to fathom, and within it lie subtle refinements, elusive and difficult to grasp: it cannot be seen and cannot be heard, and it transcends every distinction. This is called the Wondrous Dao (the Way). The Wondrous Dao dwells within human life and must not be lightly lost; to lose it is easy, but to preserve it is hard. Many people lose the true Dao, chase after the sources of perversity and delusion, and sink into lust, killing, greed, and anger; they therefore fall into hell and lose the chance to be human again.

At the moment a person receives life, the Lords of the Five Dippers and the holy assembly of the Nine Heavens register that person’s lifespan, stipend, wealth, poverty, length or brevity of years, and good or ill fortune. Yet the scripture (Jing) also says that all of these are made by living beings themselves and borne by themselves.

If, while in the world, a person reveres the Great Dao, makes offerings to the Celestial Worthies, is filial toward parents and kind to kindred, is free of jealousy, greed, and indulgence, observes purification retreats and the precepts, and widely forms good affinities—or receives and upholds such codes as the Three Precepts, the Five Precepts, the Ten Precepts, the Twelve Precepts That May Be Followed, the Fourteen Precepts for Guarding the Body, the Twenty-Four Precepts, the Thirty-Six Precepts, the Seventy-Two Precepts, the One Hundred and Eight Precepts, and the Three Hundred Great Precepts; and further cultivates such retreat rites as the Retreat of Supreme Clarity, the Golden Register Retreat, the Retreat of the Three Primordials, the Three-Sevens Retreat, the Gengshen Retreat, the Jiazi Retreat, and the Retreat of One’s Root Destiny—then such good men and good women will have their names entered in the Celestial Bureau (the registers of the heavenly realm). Generation after generation they will not lose a human body, and they will obtain wealth and honor together with intelligence, becoming persons outstanding among human beings, sound in body and proper in bearing.

In sum, every human life receives the true Qi sent down by the Five Elder Imperial Lords of the five directions, and is further joined with golden documents and numinous talismans (Fulu, talismans and registers possessed of sacred efficacy) and the Qi of spontaneity, and is at last transformed and born as a human being.

I now proclaim the true-script divine incantation of the first Golden Chapter spirit talisman of the East:

The nine kinds of primordial Qi (vital energy) of the East gather in the Beginning Azure Heaven (the azure celestial realm of the East). The Azure Spirit Primordial Elder (the venerable deity of the East) unites with the Dao (the Way) of spontaneity and is transformed and born as a human being.

I now proclaim the true-script divine incantation of the first Golden Chapter spirit talisman of the East:

The nine kinds of primordial Qi of the East gather in the Beginning Azure Heaven. The Azure Spirit Primordial Elder, together with the Heavenly Lord of the Nine Qi (the deity who commands the nine Qi of the East), jointly upholds and protects.

The Perfected (Zhenren), following the true script, sets brush to paper and infuses the power of the spirit talisman into the human body. The De (Virtue/Power) of Wood—the virtue among the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) that corresponds to the East—condenses vital force, causing a person to join with the Dao and return to the True.

This spirit talisman guards the person’s liver. If the liver falls ill, write the talisman in cinnabar, burn it to ash, and ingest it, and recovery will follow.

The true-script divine incantation of the second Golden Chapter spirit talisman of the South:

The three kinds of primordial Qi of the South gather in the Cinnabar Heaven of the Vermilion Spirit (the vermilion celestial realm of the South). The Cinnabar Spirit True Elder (the venerable deity of the South), together with the Heavenly Lord of the Three Qi, jointly upholds and protects.

The Director of Fate and the Director of Records (deities who govern a person’s lifespan and the records of merit and fault), together with the Venerable Deities of the Crimson Gate-Towers (venerable deities who dwell in the red celestial gate-towers), jointly bestow protection. The De of Fire (the virtue among the Five Phases corresponding to the South) is bright, flourishing, and full of vital force, causing a person to join with the Dao and return to the True.

This spirit talisman guards the person’s heart. If the heart falls ill, write the talisman in cinnabar, burn it to ash, and ingest it, and recovery will follow.

The true-script divine incantation of the third Golden Chapter spirit talisman of the Center:

It commands and inspects the multitude of spirits, extending throughout the twelve heavens. The Primordial Spirit Primordial Elder (the venerable deity of the Center), together with the Twelve Heavenly Lords, jointly upholds and protects.

The Chief Registrar (the divine office that oversees the registers of names) is charged with checking and collating the registers of names, and presides over guarding the Shen (spirit) of the spleen. The De of Earth (the virtue among the Five Phases corresponding to the Center) is stable and full of vital force, causing a person to join with the Dao and return to the True.

This spirit talisman guards the person’s spleen. If the spleen falls ill, write the talisman in cinnabar, burn it to ash, and ingest it, and recovery will follow.

The original text then continues: “The spirit of the true-script divine incantation of the fourth Golden Chapter spirit talisman of the West. The De of Earth secures what flourishes; one meets the Dao and joins the True. The spirit talisman of this chapter guards within a person’s spleen. If a person’s spleen is afflicted by illness, write it in cinnabar, burn it to ash, and ingest it, and recovery is immediate.” This passage repeats the content of the third chapter of the Center in the text above, and it does not connect with the fourth chapter of the West that follows. It may be wording that was mixed in during transmission or editorial arrangement.

The true-script divine incantation of the fourth Golden Chapter spirit talisman of the West:

The seven kinds of primordial Qi of the West gather in the Heaven of Great White (the white celestial realm of the West). The Brilliant Spirit August Elder (the venerable deity of the West), together with the Heavenly Lord of the Seven Qi, jointly upholds and protects.

They record a person’s name, settle the person’s hun and po souls, and preside over guarding the Shen of the lungs. The De of Metal (the virtue among the Five Phases corresponding to the West) is firm and full of vital force, causing a person to join with the Dao and return to the True.

This spirit talisman guards the person’s lungs. If the lungs fall ill, write the talisman in cinnabar, burn it to ash, and ingest it, and recovery will follow.

The true-script divine incantation of the fifth Golden Chapter spirit talisman of the North:

The five kinds of primordial Qi of the North gather in the Heaven Within the Mysterious (the dark and profound celestial realm of the North). The Five-Spirit Mysterious Elder (the venerable deity of the North), together with the Heavenly Lord of the Five Qi, jointly upholds and protects.

Pursuing the living and registering the dead, it presides over and guards the Shen (spirit) of the kidneys; the De (Virtue/Power) of Water is pure and refined, uniting with the Dao (the Way) and attaining the realm of true reality.

This numinous talisman can guard the spirit within the kidneys of the human body. If someone suffers from disease of the kidneys, one may write the numinous talisman in cinnabar, burn it to ash, and then ingest it, and recovery will come at once.

At this time Lord Lao further proclaimed the divine spells of the true writs of the five directions and summoned the Stellar Lords of the Five Dippers of the Five Directions (deities in Daoism who govern the stars of the five directions together with human allotments of fate and life). He sent down numinous talismans, true writs, and divine spells, and entrusted them respectively to each of the stellar lords. The stellar lords in turn wrote them in golden script and jade seal characters and, according to the direction each of them guards, stored and upheld them, using them to register the lives of the people of the world. People may also rely on these numinous writs to pacify and secure the five viscera, so that each of the five viscera obtains its own protection.

The nature and life of ordinary people are all governed by the generative Qi (vital energy) of the Nine Heavens, the Stellar Lords of the Five Dippers, and the natal yuanchen (the fate-star corresponding to the year of one’s birth, together with its spirit). If someone understands this fundamental principle, then on the Three Yuan (Shangyuan, Zhongyuan, Xiayuan, and other important purification observances), the Five La (the five important sacrificial dates of Daoism), one’s own natal birthday, and the day when the Northern Dipper shines upon one, one should solemnly establish an altar ground and, according to one’s own means, perform a zhangjiao (a rite of presenting a memorial in prayer to the deities and setting forth a jiao offering). One should make offerings to the Five Elders of the Five Directions, to the holy assembly who are transformations of Lord Lao and who preside over the recording of birth, and to the Stellar Lords of the Five Dippers and the natal yuanchen. Through the jiao liturgy one presents wealth, so as to repay the host of the perfected and requite the grace by which they enabled one to be born among humankind, to come to China, and to receive the protection of the Great Dao.

When a person is born, the Celestial Offices and the Earthly Prefectures have already recorded that person’s natal-destiny money: those born in jia or yi years belong by destiny to the nine Qi of the Eastern Dipper, and at the receiving of life pledged ninety thousand strings of silver cash; those born in bing or ding years belong to the three Qi of the Southern Dipper and pledged thirty thousand strings; those born in wu or ji years belong to the twelve Qi of the Central Dipper and pledged one hundred twenty thousand strings; those born in geng or xin years belong to the seven Qi of the Western Dipper and pledged seventy thousand strings; those born in ren or gui years belong to the five Qi of the Northern Dipper and pledged fifty thousand strings.

If men and women who cherish good intentions widely plant roots of goodness and keep their good deeds unbroken, they will be able to be human in lifetime after lifetime. They should, through the jiao liturgy, respectfully present the five kinds of natal-destiny money. Of this the Celestial Offices and the Earthly Prefectures each keep clear written records, and there are established twelve Treasury Spirits corresponding to the twelve natal destinies (deities who manage the treasuries of natal-destiny money).

People born in the zi hour once pledged fifty thousand strings of silver cash as their own natal-destiny money. If good men and faithful women plant roots of goodness and keep those roots unbroken, so that life after life they are reborn as human beings, they should, through the jiao rite—a Daoist ritual of blessing and of announcement and offering—present and send five portions of natal-destiny money. Both the Celestial Bureau, the offices of the heavenly realm, and the Earth Administration keep this in clear written record: for each of the twelve birth-year zodiac animals, one treasury deity is in charge.

Those born in the year of the Rat correspond to the first treasury, those of the Dragon to the second, those of the Monkey to the third, those of the Pig to the fourth, those of the Rabbit to the fifth, those of the Goat to the sixth, those of the Tiger to the seventh, those of the Horse to the eighth, those of the Dog to the ninth, those of the Snake to the tenth, those of the Rooster to the eleventh, and those of the Ox to the twelfth.

This means that at birth every person has a treasury of wealth, emolument, and destiny that belongs to them. If, on the natal-destiny day—the day corresponding to the zodiac animal of one’s year of birth—one burns and sends the offerings according to this method and completes the jiao rite with nothing lacking, one can enjoy peace and ease in the present life.

This means that at birth every person has a treasury of wealth, emolument, and destiny that belongs to them. If, on the natal-destiny day, one burns and sends the offerings according to this method, with the full amount and nothing owing, then in this life one will be peaceful and at ease, one’s comings and goings will go smoothly, and whatever one meets will be auspicious; whatever one seeks will be granted as wished. The stellar official of one’s natal destiny will constantly protect one, enabling one to preserve the full span of one’s heaven-allotted years. After death, one will not lose a human body, and will be able to be reborn into a household of wealth and rank or into a family of civil or military officials. The stars will shine upon the star of wealth and the star of emolument, and the Five Blessings will illuminate one’s personal destiny and the palace of the embryo, bringing peace, ease, and long life, free from evil conditions.

If men or women have only a shallow share of blessings in their destiny and lack the means to hold a zhangjiao—a blessing rite in which an altar is set up and a jiao is performed—they may, on the natal-destiny day, invite one, two, three, or five Daoist priests of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity). They may also, in a Daoist temple or at home, ask a Daoist priest to recite the Precious Scripture of the Golden Chapters of the Five Dippers, or recite and uphold it themselves according to the wish of their own heart. Each single recitation can offset ten thousand strings of cash. They should also, with a sincere mind, hold and recite the Celestial Worthy of Entrustment, Transformation, and Reception of Birth—the honored deity to whom one prays to be entrusted with rebirth into a new life. Reciting in this way a thousand times or ten thousand times, one will in the future be able to be entrusted with birth as a human being, and for three successive lives be reborn as a male, sound in body and proper in appearance, respected by all, and with the opportunity to encounter the unsurpassed, orthodox, and true Dao (the Way).

At this time the Imperial Lords of the Five Elders of the Five Directions, the Star Lords of the Five Dippers, the Star Lords of the Six Offices of the Southern Dipper, the Star Lords of the Seven Primordials of the Northern Dipper, the holy hosts of the Nine Heavens, together with the Natal Star Official (the stellar deity who governs a person’s natal destiny), the Yuanchen Star Official (the stellar deity who governs a person’s fortunes in the passing year), the Spirit Officials of the Merit Bureau, the Golden Boys and Jade Maidens, and the whole company of deities, having heard Lord Lao expound this true scripture (Jing), were filled with joy. They paid homage and gave thanks to Xuanyuan (here referring to Lord Lao), and each vowed to receive and put into practice what had been taught.

At that moment the Imperial Lord of the Primordial Elder stepped out from the ranks, knelt long upon the ground, intoned a verse, bowed his head in thanks, and then solemnly withdrew:

“I bow to the supreme and unsurpassed Venerable Deity of True Origin, and with a single heart I put my faith in this inconceivable method of the Dao (Dao). So subtle and wondrous a teaching I had never heard; only now, at this moment, do I receive it in full. It can bring light to darkness, and a skilled physician to illness. The talismans of the Five Numina (Fulu) and the divine incantations are truly a wondrous method! I vow to take refuge, and each of us shall receive and practice them.”