《太上老君说解释咒诅经》

At that time, the Supreme Lord Lao, at the place of immortal deliverance in the kingdom of Yutian, said to Yin Xi (a figure in Daoist legend): “In high antiquity, the people were simple and honest, upright in heart and gentle in temperament, and they did not envy one another. When the ways of the world declined and grew thin, human hearts became cunning and deceitful. They no longer did good, but only what was vicious and cruel. They did not revere the Great Dao (the Way); instead they attached themselves to evil spirits, practiced sorcery, cursed others, and devoted themselves to harming life.”

Then the Perfected Yin Xi bowed twice before the Supreme Lord Lao and said: “May you take pity on the living beings sunk in suffering. Their hun and po souls undergo interrogation and punishment and have lost all support. I earnestly beg you to bestow a method of liberation, so that living beings may be spared undeserved calamity.”

The Lord Lao said to Yin Xi: “Listen carefully. I have seen with my own eyes that people of middle antiquity specialized in yandao (using spells or prayers to curse and suppress others). In the shrines and altar-halls of evil ghosts throughout the world, they drew the likeness of the person to be cursed, wrote down that person’s name and the heavenly stems and earthly branches of their birth, secretly recited incantations and swore oaths, and then sprinkled water…”

Lord Lao (the Most High Lord Lao) said to Yin Xi: “Listen carefully. With my own eyes I have seen the people of middle antiquity who specialized in yansheng, suppressive sorcery, and in malign arts of prayer. In the temples and shrines of evil ghosts everywhere under Heaven, they drew images of ghosts and spirits (shen), wrote down names together with the heavenly stems and earthly branches of the time of birth, secretly recited incantations and swore oaths, then sprinkled water and trampled with their feet, glaring and gaping as they performed every kind of gesture. They devoted themselves wholly to acts contrary to the orthodox Dao (the Way), wrongfully injuring good people. Whether they carried these acts out themselves or taught others to carry them out, they brought disaster upon their victims.

If good men and good women are cursed or subjected to suppressive prayer by evil persons, they may bathe in fragrant water, establish a ritual space, and invite Daoist priests of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen)—priests versed in the scriptural methods of the Three Caverns of Daoism—to recite this scripture (Jing). The merit thus obtained is beyond conception, and illness will also be cured.

Whether man or woman, anyone who has been cursed may follow this method to resolve the affliction, lest life be harmed. Respectfully invite the Five Emperors of the Five Directions—the sovereigns who respectively preside over east, south, west, north, and the center—together with the soldiers and horses under their command, nine million for each, to dissolve the curse on behalf of the disciple so-and-so in the four quarters and eight directions, above, below, and at the center; to cut away evil sprites and inauspicious ghosts; and to extend the disciple’s blessings and years of life. Then recite the incantation:

The Great Law is solemn and majestic; Heaven is round and Earth is square. Heaven has nine pillars, and Earth has nine beams. Those who practice the curse-arts of yansheng will themselves suffer the harm. With six pillars and three beams, the arts of suppressive gu-sorcery scatter and perish; with three beams and six pillars, the arts of suppressive gu-sorcery return upon the one who worked them. On the days of the six jia and the six yi, the arts of suppressive gu-sorcery swiftly depart; on the days of the six bing and the six ding, the arts of suppressive gu-sorcery may not be performed; on the days of the six wu and the six ji, the arts of suppressive gu-sorcery cannot arise; on the days of the six geng and the six xin, the arts of suppressive gu-sorcery lose their power; on the days of the six ren and the six gui, the arts of suppressive gu-sorcery perish of themselves. The curse is dissolved at once. Quickly, quickly, let it be carried out in accordance with the statutes and ordinances!

Further, respectfully invite the Three-Five Generals, the Envoys of the Eight Winds, the Altar Officers of the Nine Provinces—divine officers who govern the altar-soil of every region—the Generals of Myriad Antiquity, and numberless soldiers, to pursue and seize the three hun-souls and seven po-souls of those who practice suppressive gu-sorcery and cursing, and to escort them to the Celestial Prison of Northern Yin, the celestial prison of the underworld. Let the curses of the evil persons who harm others by incantation be dissolved at once. Quickly, quickly, let it be carried out in accordance with the statutes and ordinances!”

We respectfully summon the Generals of the Three and Five (protective spirit-generals in Daoism), the Envoys of the Eight Winds, and the Altar Officers of the Nine Provinces (divine clerks who oversee the soil-altars of every region), together with the Generals of Myriad Ages and soldiers in their thousands upon thousands, to pursue and seize those who practice oppressive sorcery, gu arts, and curses cast through sound; to take their three hun and seven po (the souls of the human body, as spoken of in Daoism) and escort them to the Celestial Prison of Northern Yin. Let the Jing (essence) and souls of evildoers who curse and harm others scatter and disperse, their minds fall into disorder, and their heads break into seven pieces. Let all be carried out in accordance with the statutes.

I now set forth this method of the Jing (scripture/classic) for undoing curses and maledictions and for releasing yanmei (arts that beguile or harm people by deviant techniques). If good men and faithful women hear this scripture and recite it for others, so as to heal illness and dispel calamity, they can bring everyone peace and ease, with bodies strong and body and mind light and quick, blessings increased and life prolonged, forever far from disaster. Creditors of grievance and debt (those with whom one is bound by resentment and obligation) can also swiftly dissolve the knots of resentment; harms of bewitchment are driven away; the Three Corpses (spirits which, in Daoist teaching, lodge in the human body, incite people to do wrong, and wear away the lifespan) fall away; and in the end one attains the Dao (the Way) and realizes perfection.

At this time Lord Lao composed a gatha and said: In the past I traveled through China, and my station rose to the Unsurpassed Heaven. Now I have come to the kingdom of Tianzhu (India) to teach and transform the living beings there. In the world there are ninety-six kinds of teachings, each with causes and conditions suited to it. Let those who have the affinity, and who revere and believe, transmit and recite it from one to another. So long as one cultivates with diligent effort and does not lose faith, one can be reborn in the Unsurpassed Heaven. Wherever this scripture is recited, people can all lengthen their years and increase their lifespan; the hundred spirits come to protect them, and every kind of illness can be cured. In this very life they can obtain peace and joy, and the body grows firm as metal and stone. This is the supremely true and unsurpassed gate of the teaching, able to dispel calamity and send down blessing.

The Most High Lord Lao said: From the beginningless beginning, the immortal sages have always saved and delivered living beings, bringing them peace; they drive out demons and deviant spirits, undo curses and maledictions, scatter baleful misfortune, and let auspicious fortune lend its aid. At this time all the great sages and perfected immortals rejoiced and leapt with joy. All were willing to receive and uphold this scripture, and, after bowing their heads in homage to Lord Lao, they withdrew.