《太上老君说消灾经》

On the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month of the gengyin year, a bingwu day, the Supreme Lord Lao sat together with the great saints of the various heavens in the Hall of Azure Mist, upon the Seat of the Five Clouds. Perfected immortals attended and guarded him at his side, while countless devotees, bearing ritual insignia and holding incense, were ranged on either side. All assembled together.

The Lord Lao summoned the celestial immortals, the terrestrial immortals, and the immortals of the Five Sacred Peaks, together with the thirty-six sovereign lords among the celestial immortals, the twenty-four sovereign lords among the terrestrial immortals, the ten sovereign lords among the divine immortals, and the host of great flying-immortal saints. He further summoned 360,000 superior immortals, 250,000 middle immortals, and 140,000 inferior immortals of other lands, as well as the eight great dragon lords, the eight great ghost lords, the eight great lords of beasts, the lords of the Three and the Five, the twenty-four natures, and the assembled deities—all of whom came. He then commanded the recorders and the officers of the name registers of the celestial capital and the terrestrial capital to seize and restrain the heterodox demons and evil ghosts of the world, the chimei and wangliang (strange essences [jing] and anomalous beings of the mountains and rivers), together with thieves and tigers and wolves, lawsuits and disputes of the tongue, the calamities of war, water and fire, sickness and disaster, and sudden crises. All who meet with these afflictions, whether men or women, should bathe in fragrant water, observe fasting and abstinence, light lamps, burn incense, bow in worship, recite, and make offerings to this scripture (jing).

If a household encounters swarms of demons, wild bandits, essence-specters and baleful influences, pestilence, or sudden crisis, one should summon the thirty-six vajra warriors, the twenty-five divine kings, the twenty-seven strongmen, and the thirty-seven Celestial Masters (Tianshi). The scripture says that these vajra warriors, divine kings, strongmen, and Celestial Masters all have charge of sickness and calamitous change, and that good and ill fortune, disaster and blessing, are likewise under their scrutiny.

If men and women of sincere faith can long observe the fast, burn incense, bow in worship, and recite this scripture, they will obtain immeasurable merit. A thousand kinds of calamity, every sort of disease, and the harms brought by thieves, tigers, and wolves will of themselves be dispelled. The Celestial Worthy will send down blessings and protection, so that in all affairs one’s wishes are fulfilled and one receives blessing and aid, the household remains at peace, and descendants flourish. All who cultivate this scripture will obtain numinous efficacy; those who slight it may bring calamity upon nine generations of ancestors. The scripture therefore admonishes male and female devotees to understand the retribution of cause and effect within it, so that all may benefit from it.

The Vajra of Primordial Qi (Yuanqi Jingang), the vajra guardian who upholds the Qi (vital energy) of the primordial beginning; the Vajra of Chaos, who upholds the Qi of chaos; the Commanding Vajra, who leads all the vajras; the Vajra of the Myriad Multitudes, who protects the countless living beings; the Ghost-Seizing Golden Blade, the divine general of the golden blade who seizes ghosts and strange spirits; and the Register Vajra, who has charge of the rolls of names.

The Qi-Gathering Vajra, who draws in and gathers Qi; the Life-Cherishing Vajra, who protects living beings; the Garrison Vajra, charged with standing guard; the Evil-Dispelling Vajra, who drives out malign Qi; the Life-Protecting Vajra, who safeguards life; the Form-Guarding Vajra, who upholds the bodily form; and the Qi-Guarding Vajra, who upholds the Qi.

The Vajra Who Practices the True, who carries out the true Dao (the Way); the Vajra Who Removes the False, who clears away illusion and vanity; the Vajra Who Expels the Baleful, who removes malign hauntings; the Delusion-Cleaving Golden Blade, the divine general of the golden blade who cuts through confusion; the Memorializing Vajra, charged with presenting reports upward; the Lower-Guard Vajra, charged with protection in the lower world; the Upper-Brightness Vajra, who reaches through to the upper realms; and the Body-Protecting Vajra, who safeguards the body.

The Longevity Vajra, who blesses long life; the Vajra of Transformation, who governs change; the Vajra of Clarity and Stillness, who brings a person to purity, quiet, and calm; the Body-Settling Vajra, who steadies the body; the Vermilion Bird Vajra, a guardian divine general associated with the Vermilion Bird; the Dark Warrior Vajra, a guardian divine general associated with the Dark Warrior; the Great Sage Vajra, a vajra of great holiness; the Dao-Accomplishing Vajra, who assists in attaining the fruit of the Dao; the Vajra of the Heavenly Dao, who upholds the way of Heaven; the Vajra of the Earthly Dao, who upholds the way of Earth; the Vajra of the Spirit Dao, who upholds the way of the spirits, Shen (spirit); the Fire-Head Vajra, who commands the bureau of fire; the Vajra of Majestic Wrath, stern and furious in awesome dignity; the Vajra of Great Strength, possessed of mighty power; and the Demon-Destroying Vajra, who subdues demonic obstructions.

The Great Spirit King of Heaven, great spirit king of the heavenly realm; the Great Spirit King of Earth, great spirit king of the earthly realm; the Great Spirit King of Kingship, great spirit king of the realm of sovereigns; the Spirit King of the Elements, who governs the elements; the Spirit King of Primal Generation, who presides over the generation and transformation of life; the Spirit King of Yin De, who governs hidden virtue, De (Virtue/Power); the Spirit King of Qi Refinement, who presides over the refining of Qi; the Spirit King of Shen Refinement, who presides over the refining of Shen; and the Spirit King of Life Refinement, who presides over the refining of life.

The Spirit King of Opening and Transformation, who inspires and instructs; the Spirit King of Cosmic Fashioning, who governs creation and transformation; the Spirit King of the True Dao, who upholds the true Dao; the Spirit King of the Spirit Dao, who upholds the way of the spirits; the Spirit King Who Protects the Body, who safeguards the body; the Spirit King Who Shatters the Baleful, who breaks malign hauntings; the Spirit King Who Upholds the Correct, who holds to the true path; the Spirit King Who Subdues the Alien, who overcomes uncanny evils from outside; the Spirit King Who Subdues Bandits, who overcomes raiders and foes; the Spirit King Who Seeks Ghosts, who searches out ghosts and strange spirits; the Spirit King Who Beheads Ghosts, who cuts down ghosts and strange spirits; the Spirit King of Distant Travel, who protects those who journey far; the Spirit King Who Settles the Person, who gives one a secure place; the Spirit King Who Slays Ghosts, who destroys ghosts and strange spirits; the Spirit King Who Devours Mei, who swallows bewitching specters; and the Spirit King Who Captures Jing, who seizes anomalous essences, Jing (essence).

The Mighty Officer Who Roots Out Treachery, a divine general who eliminates the treacherous and the wicked; the Mighty Officer Who Roots Out Flattery, who eliminates sycophants and fawning persons; the Mighty Officer Who Breaks Resentment, who dissolves knots of grievance; the Mighty Officer Who Breaks Delusion, who dispels confusion; the Mighty Officer Who Opens the Way, who clears a road; the Mighty Officer Who Dispels Calamity, who removes disasters; the Mighty Officer Who Scatters Misfortune, who drives off affliction; the Mighty Officer Who Resolves Adversity, who dissolves hardship and peril; and the Mighty Officer Who Eliminates Demons, who removes demonic obstructions.

The Mighty Officer of Seizure and Control, who has charge of gathering and containment; the Mighty Officer Who Commands Ghosts, who leads the hosts of ghosts; the Mighty Officer Who Gathers Ghosts, who draws in the ghostly throng; the Mighty Officer Who Subdues the Baleful, who overcomes and gathers malign spirits; the Mighty Officer Who Copies the Rolls, charged with transcribing the registers of names; and the Mighty Officer Who Settles the Documents, charged with examining and confirming written records.

The divine warrior (lishi) charged with judging and determining guilt, the divine warrior charged with presenting memorials upward, the divine warrior who clears the way ahead, and the divine warrior who dispels calamity; the divine warrior who disperses misfortune, the divine warrior who relieves hardship and distress, and the divine warrior who eliminates demons and evil spirits; the divine warrior who oversees the binding and restraint of affairs, the divine warrior who commands the hosts of ghosts, and the divine warrior who subdues the hosts of ghosts; the divine warrior who subdues baleful spirits, the divine warrior charged with copying documents, and the divine warrior who examines and confirms documents; the divine warrior who judges and determines guilt, the divine warrior charged with presenting memorials upward, and the divine warrior who reports to the Celestial Lord; the divine warrior who receives and carries out commissions, the divine warrior who manifests the majesty of Heaven, and the divine warrior who extends the bounds of the earth; the divine warrior who seizes and subdues baleful spirits, the divine warrior who breaks the disasters of warfare, and the divine warrior who campaigns against evil; the divine warrior who seizes and subdues spirits and divinities, the divine warrior whose might spans heaven and earth, and the divine warrior who devours Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy).

The Celestial Master (Tianshi) Who Inaugurates the Primordial, the Celestial Master of the Radiance of the Dao (the Way), and the Celestial Master Who Opens Transformation; the Celestial Master Who Advances toward Immortality, the Celestial Master of Renewed Light, and the Celestial Master of Luminous Clarity; the Celestial Master of Pure Stability, the Celestial Master Who Settles Evil, and the Celestial Master Who Gathers Ghosts; the Celestial Master Who Subdues Demons, the Celestial Master Who Beheads Ghosts, and the Celestial Master Who Opens Heaven; the Celestial Master who oversees documents and registers of names, the Celestial Master charged with presenting memorials upward, and the Celestial Master who removes the peril of death; the Celestial Master who stabilizes the vitality of life, the Celestial Master who protects all living beings, and the Celestial Master who brings universal relief to all living beings; the Celestial Master who rescues those in hardship, the Celestial Master who saves those on the brink of death, and the Celestial Master who safeguards life; the Celestial Master who prolongs the lifespan, the Celestial Master who delivers the people of the world, and the Celestial Master who cherishes life; the Celestial Master who delights in doing good, the Celestial Master endowed with the power of transformation, and the Celestial Master of unfathomable divine subtlety; the Celestial Master of supreme and peerless dignity, the Celestial Master who bestows the myriad blessings, and the Celestial Master who attains the highest realm; the Celestial Master of the Jade Asterism, the Supreme Holy Celestial Master, and the Celestial Master of the Vacuous Sovereign; the Immeasurable Celestial Master, the Celestial Master of the Bright Sovereign, and the Celestial Master of Cavernous Depths; the Celestial Master Who Universally Gathers, and the Celestial Master of Divine Subtlety; the Celestial Master of supreme and peerless dignity, the Celestial Master who bestows the myriad blessings, and the Celestial Master who attains the highest realm; the Celestial Master of the Jade Asterism, the Supreme Holy Celestial Master, and the Celestial Master of the Vacuous Sovereign; the Immeasurable Celestial Master, the Celestial Master of the Bright Sovereign, and the Celestial Master of Cavernous Depths; and the Celestial Master Who Universally Gathers.

This scriptural passage, by continuously calling upon names, sets forth the offices and honorific titles of many divine warriors and Celestial Masters. The divine warriors attend to presenting memorials, keeping records, opening the way, subduing ghosts and evil spirits, dispelling calamities, and relieving distress; the Celestial Masters are invoked to subdue demons and evil, protect life, and bring relief to all living beings. The final several groups of Celestial Master titles recur and are still listed exactly as they appear in the scripture.

Lord Lao (Laojun) said: This Celestial Master (Tianshi)—a revered deity of Daoism who commands ghosts and spirits and the divine offices associated with them—dwells above the Thirty-Six Heavens and at the same time governs the lower world. He commands ghosts and spirits, together with every kind of evil essence (Jing), epidemic disease, fierce beast and venomous beast, the Qi (vital energy) of seasonal plagues, and matters of slander and cursing.

If anyone fails to revere the methods of the Dao (the Way), goes against the immortal scriptures (Jing), and instead worships evil deities alone, or cultivates worldly teachings and takes on evil influences, or offers sacrifices to ghosts and spirits, then the offenses of such people grow ever heavier. They do not understand how things stand, and their conduct is defiled. Turning their backs on the orthodox Dao, they put their faith in heterodox teachings, and so they must undergo interrogation and punishment, remaining for a long time in benighted ignorance and suffering through a thousand kalpas. Even if they are born again afterward, they can only be reborn as animals, losing the human form, driven and used at others’ will, and meeting with suffering beyond imagination.

After death, such people still pass through the hells, and a day of return is hard to come by. Their sinful karma is deep and heavy and cannot be told in full. Even if they do obtain rebirth, they are often beset by illness, poor and hard-pressed, and seldom at peace; they also suffer sanctions from the authorities and harm from other people, and their lives are short. After death they enter the dark, lightless underworld, of which people in the world can know nothing, and they must still endure punishment through a hundred kalpas before they can again obtain a human form.

Only if they can cleanse their hearts and correct their conduct is there a chance to gain new life once more. If they cling to delusion and do not awaken, they draw step by step nearer to death, remaining for a long time in the evil paths, with no further chance of rebirth. Now I admonish you once again: you must understand this and be careful. The scripture repeats this passage once more.

At this, all the Perfected and great immortals rejoiced and leapt with joy. They bowed their heads and paid homage to Lord Lao, and composed a hymn of praise, saying:

The doctrines of the Great Dao (the Way) are exceedingly subtle, and they can universally save and deliver both celestial beings and human beings. All who cultivate it attain the Dao, while all who turn away from it bring calamity upon themselves. This scripture can dispel disasters and wash away defilement, keeping people far from the turmoil of the dusty world. When living beings lack wisdom and go against the orthodox Dao, they come to worship deviant spirits. After death they fall into the Cold Ice Hell, where they suffer punishment and hardship beyond measure. Only by turning the heart and returning to the orthodox Dao can one obtain a true immortal body. Only by single-mindedly walking the path of immortality can one cross the ford of the celestial realm, forever enjoy inexhaustible longevity, manifest in countless bodies, and become a true immortal.

The ancestors in the Ninefold Darkness (the nine depths of the obscure netherworld) can all leave the realm of the dead, and the ancestors of seven generations can likewise depart from the ford of the underworld. They naturally partake of the offerings of the celestial kitchen; all of this depends upon the grace of the Holy Sovereign. Immortal spirits sing of the mysterious Great Dao, and through ten thousand kalpas they still preserve their pure true nature. People of the world can all be delivered according to their conditions, cross the ford of the celestial realm, forever enjoy inexhaustible longevity, manifest in countless bodies, and become true immortals.

The ancestors in the Ninefold Darkness can all leave the realm of the dead, and the ancestors of seven generations can likewise depart from the ford of the underworld. They naturally partake of the offerings of the celestial kitchen; all of this depends upon the grace of the Holy Sovereign. Immortal spirits sing of the mysterious Great Dao, and through ten thousand kalpas they still preserve their pure true nature.

Three true immortals respond to the mandate of the Holy Sovereign; the five directions are quiet and silent, and the methods of the Dao gradually become manifest with the age. It seems as though only half a day has passed, yet demons, deviant spirits, and ghostly beings have already invaded people’s hearts. The Qi (vital energy) of Yin-Yang now wanes and now flourishes, and the common people therefore meet with famine. The Perfected Person is about to leave the world; good and evil are mixed together in the world, and this is truly hard to bear. The hidden flood-dragon, wishing to rise again, closes its eyes and remains in a dark dwelling. Reckless people create the evil karma of turning right and wrong upside down, and before long they bring disaster upon themselves. They sink into hell, suffer cruel punishments, and their agony is unbearable. All of this comes from harboring deviant views, which lead them into terror and suffering.

The adamantine command leads people back to the Great Dao, and by its power it shatters delusion and absurdity. The multitudes step in time with song; Yin and Yang join in harmony and the world is at peace, and from then on the Great Dao is long upheld and widely proclaimed. Wind and rain come in due season, the five grains yield abundant harvests, the four quarters submit in allegiance, and the qilin and the phoenix naturally appear as auspicious signs. When an enlightened ruler holds power and the age is clear and orderly, one may pass through ten thousand kalpas and long preserve great peace.

Lord Lao (Laojun) said to Yin Xi (the legendary figure who received the methods of the Dao from Laozi): “This scripture is most exalted; it is the key by which the immortals attain the Dao and become perfected. You have now received my essential instructions. You must cultivate them with wholehearted devotion and guard them carefully within your heart. Do not transmit them to unsuitable people; transmit them only to those who study and cultivate the immortal Dao, and to those who are skilled at nurturing body and life and who seek longevity.”

Laojun (the Supreme Lord Lao) said to Yin Xi: “This Jing (scripture/classic) is exceedingly exalted. It is an important method by which the immortals cultivate and realize the true Dao (the Way). You have now received the essential instructions I have transmitted. You must practice them with wholehearted concentration and guard them carefully within your heart; do not transmit them to those who are unsuitable. Only Daoist priests who cultivate the immortal Dao, and men and women who harbor good intentions and sincerely believe in the Dao, may be taught in accordance with the text of the scripture. Explain the methods of the Dao clearly, and have them observe the precepts with deep and careful reverence, so that they do not miss the time for practice. I now solemnly admonish you once more: this must not be transmitted at will. What I have said is most secret, and you should treat it with caution.”

Yin Xi immediately kowtowed and knelt in reverence, and received the scripture. At this time the perfected ones and immortals, having finished hearing the scripture, respectfully left their seats and stood in attendance for a while. A great many immortals descended from the sky, riding on clouds of Qi (vital energy); their numbers were vast. Each held fragrant flowers and carried ceremonial tallies. They came before Laojun, bowed together, and invited him to return to Yujing (the jade capital, a celestial palace in Daoist legend).

Laojun gladly ascended his immortal carriage and said again to Yin Xi: “I am about to ascend to heaven. Since you have received this scripture, you will surely attain the Dao.” Yin Xi was at once overcome with sorrow and shed tears. He bowed low and offered his thanks. Laojun suddenly disappeared; only the sound of music could be heard, shaking the mountains and rivers. Yin Xi looked up and saw the dragon carriages of the immortals circling away through the clouds of Qi, their five-colored radiance vivid and bright—a scene that people of the world could not discern. Before long the immortal carriages gradually receded and vanished from sight.