《太上长生延寿集福德经》

At that time, during the Chiming kalpa (a cosmic age spoken of in Daoism), the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, together with a host of perfected immortals who had attained the Dao (the Way), supreme sages, great lords of longevity, divine kings of the five blessings, and the dragon spirits of the various heavens, came to the Hall of Good Fortune in the Garden of the Empyrean Mound in the Kingdom of the Transformed City. There, upon the Terrace of Fungus Blossoms, he discoursed on kalpic destiny and on merit and De (Virtue/Power).

At this moment the Divine King Who Prolongs Life and Protects Blessings rose from his seat, paid homage to the Celestial Worthy, and said: “I have seen, in worlds in every direction, many men and women who practice good, yet have not entered the gate of the Dao. They constantly meet with calamities of flood and fire, of weapons and blades, and of sickness. If they enter the gate of the Dao, what merit should they cultivate in order to gain peace and joy, long life, and clothing and food that arise of themselves in abundance? I earnestly beg the Celestial Worthy, in compassion, to expound widely the methods of deliverance and transformation.”

The Celestial Worthy replied: “Excellent. The Divine King is able to make clear for living beings the essentials of cultivating the Dao. From this day forward, all who take refuge in and revere the supreme Dao, who are mindful of the grace of the Dao’s nurturing transformation and so enter the gate of the Dao, must first treat others with impartiality, restrain their sharpness, and dissolve contention, and must cultivate three kinds of purity: first, purity of the body; second, purity of the mind; and third, purity of the mouth. Only after the conduct of body, mind, and mouth has all been made pure may the supreme methods of the Three Caverns (Sandong; the system of Daoist scriptures and methods) be transmitted. In this way one may cultivate without cease through long kalpas, ever dwell in the heavenly realms, have the five blessings gather for long, and receive the protection of the hundred spirits.

“When one meets the Three Primes, the Five La festivals, the Eight Nodes, the Four Seasons, or one’s own benming birthday (the natal day reckoned from the zodiac animal of the year of birth), one should, in a pure hall, burn various wondrous incenses, face east, kneel at length in homage, click the teeth and swallow the saliva in the mouth, and then recite the Incantation for Prolonging Life and Extending Longevity:

“The mysterious and true One Qi (vital energy) fills this body; scriptures are expounded and spread through the Nine Heavens. One flies through the heaven of Daluo and, upon the golden terrace, has audience with the August Person (a Daoist perfected immortal). Long life is free of suffering and distress; one’s years stretch on like the numinous cedar. Jade-colored radiance shines through all the hundred bones of the body, and one reverently gives thanks to Lord Baiyuan (a Daoist deity).”

After the recitation, click the teeth three times, swallow the saliva three times, close the eyes and visualize oneself seated upright amid five-colored light, and then recite the Incantation for Gathering Blessings and Virtue.”

The numinous writ inscribed by the Jade Terrace Youth—writing that Daoism regards as endowed with sacred power—is guarded at its gates by numinous immortals. Blessings and De (Virtue/Power) increase day by day, and the radiance of the body illuminates the Three Heavens, the celestial realms of which Daoism speaks.

A purple canopy of splendor spreads over a thousand palaces, and the heart turns toward the Unsurpassed Honored One, the supreme deity. The five kinds of blessings continue without end. The Incantation of Blessings and De says:

The numinous writ inscribed by the Jade Terrace Youth is guarded at its gates by numinous immortals. Blessings and De increase day by day, and the radiance of the body illuminates the Three Heavens.

A purple canopy of splendor spreads over a thousand palaces, and the heart turns toward the Unsurpassed Honored One. The five kinds of blessings continue without end, secretly protecting practitioners within the mysterious methods of the Dao (the Way).

The Celestial Worthy said: “If anyone cultivates and single-mindedly recollects this scripture (Jing), it can make the Shen (spirit) and soul penetrating and lucid, and drive away ghosts, specters, and deviant forces that come from outside. Blessings and De accumulate day by day; body and mind merge with nature; the body manifests radiance; one returns forever to the orthodox Dao; and life after life is peaceful and joyful.”

At this time the Divine King Who Protects Blessings, hearing the Celestial Worthy set forth such vast and extraordinary rewards of blessing, was devout and firmly faithful in heart. He bowed his head to the ground in homage, looked up in thanks for the mysterious grace and De, and then chanted a hymn aloud:

The Celestial Worthy nurtures all living beings through mysterious teaching; the teaching of the true Dao extends throughout the worlds of the ten directions. Merit and De, together with the bounty of blessings, reach this present life, and lifespan stretches on without end. Accumulating goodness and accumulating blessings brings auspicious fortune. With reverence I bow and give thanks to the Lord within the Mystery, Daoism’s name for the Dao or the honored deity.

When the hymn had been chanted, the immortals and sages, the heavenly dragons, ghosts, and spirits, and the people of the walled cities and the lands all aroused the resolve to pursue the unsurpassed Dao, opened hearts that clearly awaken to the good Dao, received the teaching in faith, and put it into practice. When the worship was finished, everyone withdrew.

Lifespan stretches on without end. Accumulating goodness and accumulating blessings brings auspicious fortune. With reverence I bow and give thanks to the Lord within the Mystery.

When the hymn had been chanted, the immortals and sages, the heavenly dragons, ghosts, and spirits, and the people of the walled cities and the lands all aroused the resolve to pursue the unsurpassed Dao, opened hearts that clearly awaken to the good Dao, received the teaching in faith, and put it into practice. When the worship was finished, everyone withdrew.

Here ends the Most High Scripture of Longevity, Extended Life, and the Gathering of Blessings and De.