《无上内秘真藏经》Vol. 2

What is called “the three returning to the one” has no fixed names for either the three or the one. One eye can manifest countless forms, and one form can in turn transform into countless eyes. The skillful workings and merits of this are unfathomable.

The Heavenly Worthy said, “A good question. Your doubts and questions are well founded. The myriad teachings are without limit, and so are their merits. What is called ‘the one transforming into three’ or ‘the three returning to the one’ refers to no fixed, unchanging entities, and these expressions have no fixed names. They are established provisionally in response to circumstances, to reveal and remove the hindrances of ignorance. Once those hindrances are removed, neither the three nor the one is ultimately real. Why is this so? This scripture opens the wisdom eye—the insight that sees truth—and brings people benefit. All immortals and sages, too, attain the fruit of the Dao by relying on this scripture.

“Good men and good women, I care for living beings as a mother loves her children. With patience I guide them and with heartfelt concern I teach them. That is why I expound this scripture, explaining its true and essential principles in full, so that they may be understood with ease. If anyone hears this scripture, holds faith in it, and reverently upholds it, the immortal youths and mighty benevolent spirits will naturally protect them.

“If kings and emperors can uphold this scripture, the people of their lands—men and women alike—will be spared untimely death and harm. The country will be prosperous and its people well provided for; there will be no calamities of war, the winds and rains will come in season, and the people will live in peace. You should know that this scripture possesses immeasurable divine power and vast, far-reaching merit, beyond comparison with anything in the world.”

Then the Heavenly Worthy said:

“The teaching of the Great Vehicle is equal and universal, transforming all living beings. It is neither outside nor inside; its merit is open and impartial. The foolish do not believe in this teaching, but the wise see its principles and awaken in amazement. When the truth of the hidden treasury is understood, the Dharma realm naturally appears. I have no fixed body or form, and the nature of the Dharma cannot be confined by any name. You may praise and chant it in vain: if your mind and understanding cannot grasp it, you will still fail to comprehend.”

After finishing this verse, the Celestial Worthy told the four assemblies of disciples who were present, “The Great Power Spirit King and the Vajra Lion should uphold the True Law with wholesome intentions and help those who cultivate.” The young attendant Zangzhen and the four assemblies heard these wondrous words. Their minds immediately opened and became clear, and they understood the teaching. Joyfully, they accepted it and kept it firmly in mind. Everyone held fast to “the One Origin,” the single, fundamental source, and cultivated the supreme Dao.

The Celestial Worthy said, “Once the fruit of the Dao is attained, the mind is tranquil and free of attachment to self, reaching complete purity. The pure and wondrous Dao gives rise to the myriad things. Each thing arises and comes to fulfillment in its own way, without falling into birth and death. The Dao is sovereign and unobstructed, its merit and virtue complete.

“All sentient beings are deluded and unclear, their minds closed. Their six senses—the faculties through which they experience the world—and their sense faculties are defiled. They cling to defiled circumstances and remain confused. Delusion spreads from one to another, so that in the end they cannot awaken. Thus they revolve through the five destinies, the five realms in which beings are reborn, and do not believe in the Great Vehicle Buddhist teaching. Why is this so? Because sentient beings crave the pleasures brought by conditioned things; how could they bear to let them go? Even if they relinquish attachment to ‘existence,’ they may then become attached to ‘emptiness.’ To treat emptiness as something one can grasp still leaves one bound to existence; existence, in turn, cannot be separated from emptiness. The two terms ‘emptiness’ and ‘existence’ both bind body and mind and entangle beings in karma. How, then, can one be liberated, go beyond bondage, and enter the source of the Great Dao?”

The young attendant Zangzhen respectfully asked the Celestial Worthy, “Are the terms ‘emptiness’ and ‘existence’ the very substance of the Dao? Are they true emptiness, the wondrous principle, or the pure, ultimate state of quiescent extinction? If they are, why is there still bondage?”

The Celestial Worthy said, “A good question. You have asked about the heart of the matter. The terms ‘emptiness’ and ‘existence’ can be used to explain the fruit of the Dao and ultimate true emptiness. But if sentient beings do not understand their meaning and instead become attached to ‘existence,’ they have not attained the fruit of the Dao. Why? All sentient beings are originally and ultimately pure, falling into neither emptiness nor existence, and having no distinction of length or shortness. If they cling to various forms, they distort the true principle and turn away from the root, and so cannot attain the fruit of the Dao. Since sentient beings are originally neither empty nor existent, how can they treat ‘emptiness’ or ‘existence’ as objects to know and grasp? How can they insist that they know the nature of the Dao, the True Law, and the ultimate state?”

After hearing this wondrous teaching, the young attendant Zangzhen and the four assemblies each contemplated it in silence. They bowed to the Celestial Worthy and withdrew.

The fourth scroll of the Scripture of the Supreme Hidden Treasury of Truth comes to an end.

The Scripture of the Supreme Hidden Treasury of Truth, Scroll Five

After hearing this wondrous teaching, the youth of the True Treasury and the four assemblies present—practitioners of different Daoist identities—each reflected in silence. They bowed before the Celestial Worthy and withdrew.

Scroll Five: The Chapter on Universal Illumination

At that time, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning dwelt in the Kingdom of the Great Blessing of the Western Limit. His form had no fixed appearance: at times he vanished, at times he appeared; sometimes he manifested in a coarse and visible form, sometimes in a subtle and wondrous one. He dwelt at ease on Mount Spiritual Understanding. The mountain was lofty and vast, extending across the entire Dharma realm. Its forests were dense, and tigers, wolves, lions, venomous insects, and fierce beasts harmed living beings and devoured creatures. The mountain was also home to reclusive sages who devoted themselves to the Dao, studied the practices of the Mahayana, held firm to their faith, guarded their minds, and subdued demonic obstacles. In addition, thirty-six thousand beings practiced according to their own karmic conditions and habitual pursuits, each with different aims.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning was among the assembly when he suddenly transformed his body and entered a precious pearl, where he remained still. The four assemblies were thrown into confusion, not knowing where the Celestial Worthy had gone. For seven days and seven nights, his radiance no longer appeared. The fierce beasts and venomous insects grew even more rampant, and the men and women of the kingdom cried out to Heaven and bowed to the earth, yet could find no refuge.

At that time, the youth of the True Treasury quietly entered meditation among the assembly. He bowed low with his forehead to the ground and respectfully entreated the Celestial Worthy to appear, praying that he would save living beings and let his compassionate grace shine forth once more. Before he had finished his earnest plea, he suddenly saw light spread across the mountain, shining throughout the boundless worlds in the ten directions. Even the beings lost in darkness in the hells were freed.

At this time, the Celestial Worthy sat upright on the subtle lotus throne of the primordial beginning, calm and unmoving, with a serene smile. His majesty and the radiance of his De shone forth, subduing and dispelling all the fierce beasts and venomous creatures around him.

The Celestial Worthy said to the Youth of the True Treasury, “You should proclaim to the gathered assembly the profound, unsurpassed wondrous teachings of the True Treasury, so that living beings may see the nature of affliction, understand the principles of emptiness and existence, cleanse the five senses—the feelings and desires stirred by sensory experience—and realize that life and death are one, and that being and nonbeing are equal and indistinguishable.”

Receiving the Celestial Worthy’s power, the Youth of the True Treasury slowly rose into the air and displayed his freely changing spiritual powers. Amid the assembly, he radiated the light of wisdom and proclaimed the principle of non-arising. This light of wisdom shone everywhere, reaching from the vastest things to the smallest details, and outshining hundreds of thousands of suns and moons. Each living being received the boundless realm—the ideal realm without limits—that matched their aspirations. Whether or not they had a connection to the Dharma, all were fully fulfilled. Those of deep faith came to hear the teaching, and the four assemblies—the two orders of monastics, men and women, and the two orders of lay practitioners, men and women—gathered together.

The Celestial Worthy manifested a vast, clear, and sublime radiance, revealing the nature of living beings: still and Wuwei, unborn and undying, neither coming nor going. All who had a connection to the teaching could understand the true Dharma, quietly awaken to the Great Dao, put an end to deluded thoughts, and cease forming distinctions. Why is this so? Because the Great Dao is without duality. Life and death are without duality; coming and going are without duality; ignorance and wisdom are without duality; high and low are without duality; taking and relinquishing are also without duality.

Only when living beings are confused do we use explanations such as causes and conditions to guide them, supporting them as they gradually find their way out of delusion. Living beings have different capacities, which can broadly be divided into three kinds.

Those of superior capacity can understand the nature of bodily forms and do not cling to distinctions between morality and immorality, life and death, others and self, defilement, or karmic actions. In their view, these distinctions do not exist.

Those of middling capacity leave behind the afflictions of life and death and pursue moral cultivation, but still make distinctions between going out and entering in, morality and immorality, life and death, others and self, defilement and karmic actions.

Those of inferior capacity are deeply obscured by ignorance and cannot perceive or understand the truth. They sink into a sea of suffering, as if lost in the darkness of a long night, unable to see when liberation will come.

Men and women of the four assemblies gathered here, listen carefully and reflect: where does this light of wisdom come from? Search within and without, and you will find no fixed source for it. Clear and pure, it ultimately returns to the place of the Dao—the realm of realizing the Great Dao—appearing as a single radiance, equal and without distinction.

When the eye faculty accords with wisdom, one can understand the wondrous principle of forms. When the ear faculty accords with wisdom, one can understand the wondrous principle of sounds. When the nose, tongue, body, and mind accord with wisdom, one can likewise understand the wondrous principles of scents, flavors, bodily sensations, and thoughts. All things and principles can be understood through this. Evil spirits, venomous creatures, those with false views, and the beings of hell—including hungry ghosts, jailers, and animals—can all give rise to good thoughts and receive the medicine of sweet dew, a metaphor for the Dharma that brings liberation.

If virtuous men and women penetrate deeply into the nature of the Dharma, they can act freely in Wuwei, clearly discern the source of their thoughts, and understand with clarity and without obstruction. They should also cultivate the Great Skillful Means, neither abandoning activity in the world nor clinging to the state of Wuwei. When their merit is thus complete, they will attain the unsurpassed Dao.

As doubts arose in the assembly, a youth named Shanyin asked the youth Zhenzang, “You manifest the Celestial Worthy’s De (Virtue/Power) and proclaim the light of wisdom, nourishing all conditions everywhere. Is this light of wisdom a single radiance that shines upon everything, or does each living being possess it from the beginning? If the former, then living beings receive this light from outside, and it would be impermanent. If each living being possesses it from the beginning, why say that the light of wisdom shines everywhere? We have these doubts in our hearts. We earnestly ask you to explain them.”

Zhenzang replied, “Everyone, listen carefully. Countless eons ago, I made the Mahayana vow, the vow to save all living beings. Only now have I been able to hear and understand conditions and their workings, and to comprehend the karmic results of every kind. You ask whether living beings receive the light of wisdom from outside, making it impermanent, or possess it from the beginning, in which case there would be no need to say that the light of wisdom shines everywhere. When my radiance appears, all living beings are nourished. The Celestial Worthy’s great light of wisdom is neither within nor without. It neither increases nor diminishes, and is neither manifest nor hidden. In a wondrous way, it shapes and transforms living beings, bringing benefit to them all. The benefit living beings receive is in no way different from the Celestial Worthy’s own. So how could anything enter from outside and thereby be impermanent? And how could there be a single beam of light that appears on its own?”

He then asked, “If living beings are no different from the Celestial Worthy, why are they confused and suffering? And why must they still cultivate the Dao?”

Zhenzang replied, “You have gradually fallen into confusion, and so you raise these difficult questions. All the suffering and joy experienced by living beings arise from the source of wisdom, and are in no way different from the Celestial Worthy. You should practice the six disciplines and follow the path of the Six Directions, the way of cultivation that connects with heaven, earth, and the four quarters. What is the practice of the Dao?”

The reply was: “You have gradually fallen into confusion, which is why you ask such difficult questions. The suffering and joy experienced by all living beings arise from their original nature of wisdom, which is no different from that of the Celestial Worthy.

You should cultivate the ‘six practices’ and master the six ways of accord. What are the six ways of accord? When the eyes encounter forms and colors, if the mind does not cling to them, this is forgetting forms and colors. When the ears hear sounds, if the mind does not cling to them, this is forgetting sounds. When the nose smells fragrances, if the mind does not cling to them, this is forgetting fragrances. When the mouth tastes flavors, if the mind does not cling to them, this is forgetting flavors. When the body comes into contact with external things, if the mind does not cling to the sensations, this is forgetting sensations.

Practice in this way, and whether coming or going, taking or relinquishing, sitting or lying down, moving or still, you will remain ever the same. This sameness does not mean clinging to some permanent state. Guard the firm city of the mind and cut off every kind of external disturbance, so that evil thoughts and all their followers are destroyed. Become a sovereign lord of the Dharma, with a mind like a luminous pearl, clear within and without. Understand the true Dharma, pure and undefiled, untouched by the dust of the world. Enter the ‘Gate of the One Aspect’—the gateway to contemplating all things as returning to a single whole. This is called the Great Dao: the mother of all things, able to bring forth every Dharma.

All Dharmas possess the thirty-two marks and eighty-one excellent features, which Daoist and Buddhist scriptures use to describe a perfectly adorned body. They adorn the physical form and bring merit to completion. If good men and women can recite with calm, focused minds, remain ever compassionate, seek nothing and desire nothing, subdue the six thieves—the six sensory desires that disturb the mind—and enter the city of the five spiritual powers, break through the ranks of the three weapons, and secure their defenses on all four sides against every intrusion, they will gain fearlessness, cease to give rise to afflictions, and sever the bonds of affection and attachment forever.”

Shanyin and the others rejoiced and praised him, saying: “Recite with focused minds, remain ever compassionate, seek nothing and desire nothing, subdue the six thieves, enter the city of the five spiritual powers, break through the ranks of the three weapons, and secure your defenses on all four sides against every intrusion. Gain the power of fearlessness, let no afflictions arise, and sever the bonds of affection forever.”

Shanyin and the others rejoiced and praised him, saying: “Well spoken, well spoken! The Youth Zangzhen has expounded subtle and wondrous principles, broadly explained causes and conditions, opened the gateway to the Mahayana, and rescued those submerged in suffering. His teaching is a stairway leading to the true Dharma and a vessel ferrying people beyond suffering.”

The Celestial Worthy, a Daoist honorific for the supreme deity, told the assembled disciples: “Great Being of Good Sound, do not doubt the True-Treasury Youth. Since beginningless kalpas—immeasurably long spans of time—this person has aspired to seek the Dao. His merit and virtue are profound and vast, beyond measure. Now I will explain to you in detail the wondrous teaching of the mind and the hidden practices: turn the mind inward and guard its original state, as though protecting an old city. Keep watch day and night, letting no breach go unnoticed. All the sages constantly practice this method. It is the subtlest of teachings and the foundation of every practice. I myself attained the Dao by understanding it.

Do not grow lax; practice this method diligently and bring the six gates—the points of body and mind that require regulation in practice—under control. The teaching has no fixed, unchanging form, so do not cling to any settled conclusion. Why? Because the teaching is like an illusion: it is still and unborn, yet always changing. ‘Officials have no mind’: all things operate according to their own nature, without any ruling mind. Illusions arise through change, and change appears as illusion. Within change are the arising and ceasing of illusions, as well as the principle of non-arising. Though illusions vanish, nothing real thereby disappears. They do not know one another, yet naturally attain liberation.

Living beings are ignorant and benighted. Like people weaving a net in the dark, they entangle and bind themselves, remaining trapped in it for a long time. Three great poisonous snakes—the three poisons of greed, anger, and delusion—dwell together in one chamber, while the thieves of the eight kalpas, forces that plunder body and mind and obstruct practice, surround it on every side. They are stranded in the long night, unable to escape. You must strive diligently and concentrate only on understanding the single word I have spoken; do not give rise to distracting thoughts. Why? In practicing the teaching, the mind must not hold two thoughts.

Know that living beings in the Three Realms—the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm—remain entangled in afflictions and lack skillful wisdom. They are often scorched by the fires of affliction, whose flames burn fiercely and are hard to extinguish. Even when they hear all kinds of instruction, they may ultimately fail to understand. Good men, maintain right mindfulness; observe and reflect carefully, and investigate the nature of affliction in depth. When afflictions are purified, the wisdom eye—the insight that sees truth—becomes clear. When the wisdom eye is clear, one gains the skillful means to respond aptly. With these skillful means, the six consciousnesses—the faculties of awareness associated with the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—can function freely. When the six consciousnesses function freely, there is no grasping or attachment, and neither bondage nor liberation applies. One can use the teaching freely; this is called being a Dharma King.”

The True Treasury Youth reported to the Celestial Worthy: “The assembly gathered here today has, through the Celestial Worthy’s compassionate teachings, received the wisdom of skillful means. You have enabled us to understand sentient beings, comprehend their various capacities, and enter the gate of reality. The Celestial Worthy excels at teaching in accordance with people’s needs, making the teachings accessible and easy to understand. Yet we do not know what teachings future sentient beings should receive and practice. Which teachings are easy to receive and practice? Which are difficult to receive and practice?”

The Celestial Worthy replied: “Good, good! With great compassion, you have asked on behalf of sentient beings about the essentials of practice. Future sentient beings will lack the eye of wisdom. Listen carefully, reflect seriously, and take these words to heart. I will explain the principles of non-birth and non-death found in the True Treasury Orthodox Scripture. Future beings who follow its meaning will naturally come to understand.

“What I reveal is a single ‘word’: it belongs neither to the past, the future, nor the present; it is neither inside nor outside, and has no distinction of length. This ‘one word’ is easy to receive and practice. The various methods of contemplation can each serve as a skillful means. One method begins with counting the mind—that is, observing and counting thoughts. The mind and all phenomena never stand still or remain fixed. Because they are not fixed, there are no phenomena that are fixed and unchanging. Understanding this reveals the wisdom that comprehends the Dao. This wisdom is the true nature itself, unborn and undying.

“There are also three kinds of wisdom and power related to the cultivation of the Dao, concerning three kinds of thought: craving, anger, and delusion. They are the starting points of practice and the basis for realizing the Dao. Why? Because, fundamentally, there is no fixed craving among phenomena, so craving’s nature can be brought to stillness; there is no fixed anger among phenomena, so anger’s nature can be purified; and there is no fixed delusion among phenomena, so delusion’s nature can be liberated. Those who awaken to this nature can comprehend the gate of the Three Treasures and enter the teaching of the True Treasury. They are called great Dharma Kings and possess every kind of virtue.”

At this time, the youth Shanyin and the assembled multitude heard this wondrous teaching. Each thought to themselves: “A teaching we had never heard before—we have heard it today. A realm we had never seen before—we have seen it today. The holy assemblies of the ten directions and the profound treasury of the Dharma are beyond all imagining. This has all come about because the Heavenly Venerable, with great compassion, opened and explained the essential teachings, making them easy for everyone to understand.”

The youth Shanyin and the assembly joyfully bowed, then chanted:

The King of the Dharma beats the boundless Dharma drum, subduing the four demons—the four obstacles to cultivation—and the eight thieves, the eight afflictions that disturb body and mind. Through this, we in the assembly readily awaken and understand that, at the root, all teachings are without distinction.

The light of wisdom shines ever bright like a torch, illuminating all living beings and leaving none untouched. The Mahayana path of cultivation is vast and boundless; the Heavenly Venerable proclaims the Dharma’s ceaseless sound through many skillful means.

Living beings are entangled with their own karma, and their consciousness is trapped in a net of delusion. Nothing they see has a true, unchanging nature. Through sacred virtue, the Heavenly Venerable protects living beings and skillfully teaches them, enabling the ignorant to relinquish their attachment to material forms.

Greed, anger, and every kind of attachment should be set aside; we should no longer seek or cling. In this way, we can transform them into the true treasury of the Dharma and abide in constant joy. With body and mind, we bow in utmost sincerity, keep our thoughts upright, and make offerings continually, without ever letting up.

At this time, the Heavenly Venerable said to the assembly: “Youth Shanyin, well done! You have praised the wondrous scripture of the true treasury and urged everyone to cultivate diligently: turn the light of wisdom back upon yourself, practice the six conductives—the six virtues of cultivation—put an end to worldly cunning and resentment, guard right mindfulness at all times, and make offerings continually, without ever letting up.”

At that time, the Celestial Worthy said to the assembly, “Good-Sound Youth, you have done well, very well! You have praised this Wondrous Scripture of the True Treasury, urged everyone to practice diligently, turn the light of wisdom inward, cultivate the six virtues, put an end to worldly cunning, strife, and resentment, and let no greed or attachment arise, so that the mind becomes clear and open.

How is this possible? Because the nature of the Dharma is originally pure; the nature of afflictions is also pure, and the nature of desire is pure as well.

Some virtuous men and women renounce the household life and practice the Lesser Vehicle, which has personal liberation as its chief aim. They sit in meditation, eat only one meal a day, and teach others to practice their own path. Yet they are arrogant and self-important, believing themselves right and others wrong. Though such people are called practitioners, they are not truly virtuous. They are not my disciples, and I am not their teacher. Their labor is in vain, and in the end they cannot attain the Dao.

In immeasurable kalpas past, I too practiced in this way. I applied myself with great effort, lived in seclusion in the mountains and forests, and sought the wondrous Dao. After enduring hardship for many kalpas, I still could not find the gateway to the fruit of the Dao. Later, I encountered a supreme and honored teacher and a great spiritual guide—an excellent teacher able to lead others in cultivating the Dao. They dispelled my doubts and guided my lost mind, enabling me to enter the ‘Five Intervals Without Interruption,’ a scriptural term for a profound state of practice; subdue the ‘Five Demonic Thieves,’ the five demonic obstacles that hinder cultivation; and hold fast to the One without wavering. My spirit became free and unrestrained, and, by contemplating with right mindfulness, I finally realized the supreme Great Dao.

At that time, thirty-six thousand beings followed me in learning the Dao. They left behind the fortress of discriminating attachments, realized the principle of formlessness, and ascended the lion throne, the seat from which the Dharma is proclaimed with authority. They expounded the wondrous Dharma, saved beings far and wide, and extended their protection to all with compassionate hearts.

You who cultivate the Dao should subdue your attachment to appearances of every kind and seek out good spiritual guides. Keep your minds impartial and upright, understand the conditions and causes of the world, and inspire living beings. Help the sprouts of the Dharma grow and the eye of wisdom open. Enter the gateway of skillful means, skillfully accumulate profound wisdom, and in the end attain the supreme Dao.

Moreover, all dharmas are like reflections in a mirror: they cannot be said to be wholly empty, nor can they be said to truly exist. Ultimately, they have no independent, unchanging self. The bodies and minds of living beings are likewise like reflections in a mirror: neither empty nor existent, and pure in their ultimate nature. The teachings and paths of practice of the Three Vehicles—the paths of hearers, solitary realizers, and bodhisattvas—are also like reflections in a mirror: neither empty nor existent, and ultimately liberating. The three kinds of action by living beings—of body, speech, and mind—are likewise like reflections in a mirror: neither empty nor existent, and ultimately quiescent.

Virtuous men, you should understand that this scripture belongs to the Mahayana teaching of the undefiled, a teaching untouched by afflictions and directed toward liberation. It does not conceal the true meaning, nor is it false or merely expedient. It explains the nature of all dharmas and leads people into the gateway of the true aspect. Among all the scriptures, it is supreme.”

Moreover, in a distant age of calamity, an immensely long span of time ago, there were five impoverished men who were often arrogant and did not believe in the scriptures and teachings. When they heard this Mahayana scripture, they slandered it, thereby severing the transmission of the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha). They did not believe that all beings inherently possess the true nature of the Dao; that beings can receive the wondrous teachings in the scripture; that they can reach the state of selflessness and stillness; or that they can accord with the Mahayana teaching. Nor did they believe that beings are unborn and undying, with minds vast as the sea, capable of embodying the virtues of a Celestial Worthy, attaining the state of the wise and the sages, or becoming a gathering of great emptiness—that is, returning to vast emptiness.

Those who disbelieve in this way will suffer grave illness. In birth, death, walking, standing, sitting, lying down, eating, and breathing, they will feel as if they are trapped in a dark prison at every turn. Good men and women should quiet their thoughts and not give rise to disbelief. Even if they cannot yet fully understand the scripture’s meaning, by keeping an upright heart and refraining from slander, they can accumulate immeasurable blessings and merit that extends far and wide.

Why is this so? Because the Dharma has no fixed form or unchanging state; its nature is liberation. You should understand that a straightforward mind itself is a place for cultivating the Dao. Without destroying the various dharmas, one can enter into manifold subtle stillness. Without destroying birth and death, one can realize the true aspect of things. Without destroying grasping and rejection, one can enter wisdom. Without destroying anger and delusion, one can move toward liberation. Without destroying desire, one can enter the treasury of the dharmas. Without destroying distinctions between right and wrong, one can enter the right path. Without rejecting sounds and forms, one can enter the realm of blessing and virtue. Without damaging the six faculties—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, along with their functions—one can enter the undefiled state, no longer stained by afflictions. Without destroying the five aggregates, the five kinds of constituents that make up body and mind, one can enter great wisdom. Without destroying the four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—one can attain spiritual powers.

This teaching is exceedingly subtle; even if it were expounded throughout an entire age of calamity, it could not be exhausted. If there are beings who understand readily, a few brief words can enable them to directly realize the Mahayana and understand the unsurpassed Dao. Yet even if the teachings were expounded in quantities as numerous as grains of sand, beings who remain deluded would still be unable to understand; how much less could the teaching be exhausted, when it is limitless to begin with. If a good man has faith and can uphold, read, recite, expound, and make offerings to this scripture; if he is skilled at understanding it and letting go of attachment, and cleanses the defilements of his heart, then the merit he gains will be vast and far-reaching, beyond all imagining.

At that time, there was a king named Datong who deeply revered the Dao and De. He was always respectful and upheld and spread the Wondrous Scripture of the True Treasury. The ministers, young nobles, and common people throughout the kingdom also upheld this scripture. The country was prosperous, and the people had ample food and clothing. Men and women lived in peace and happiness, and enjoyed long lives; there were no premature deaths or accidental fatalities.

Know that this scripture’s divine power and merit are profound. Through it, practitioners can attain the Dao. It is supremely revered: it opens the ears and eyes and deepens understanding. Like a ferry, it carries people out of the misery of drowning; like a ladder to a high place, it helps them rise beyond the five kinds of suffering. Like a parent, it saves all beings without exception. Through this scripture, people can attain the Dao and freedom. Why is this so? Because the sages of the ten directions all protect and uphold it together, using skillful means to subdue demonic obstacles and reveal wondrous medicines of the Dharma.

At that time, the youth of the True Treasury said to Shanyin and the others, “You gathered here on Spirit-Understanding Mountain to hear the Celestial Worthy teach the Dharma. Within this mountain is a luminous pearl, bright and pure. It is neither outside nor inside, neither high nor low. It seems to flow and turn, coming and going, yet remains still and unmoving. Have you four assemblies seen this pearl?”

Shanyin and the others praised him, saying, “Well said! We disciples have sought the Dao through countless kalpas. We heard that there was a luminous pearl in this mountain, but have never seen it. We beg the Great Being, by the Celestial Worthy’s power, to let us see this pearl and verify it clearly.”

The Great Being of the True Treasury said to them, “Each of you, turn back, bow down to the ground, and concentrate your thoughts. The luminous pearl will appear of its own accord.” Soon after he had spoken, light shone through everything, within and without. Each person lost their bearings and felt dazed, as though they had lost their original nature. Everyone saw themselves, yet could find no trace of themselves. Alone, they emerged from confusion and returned; naturally, they awakened and understood that this precious pearl could not be revealed through verbal instruction. Here, “luminous pearl” is a metaphor for a truth that must be realized personally.

At this, the Celestial Worthy was exceedingly joyful and spoke this verse:

“I explain the purport of the Great Vehicle, distinguishing and making clear how people become confused and lose their nature, each observe themselves, yet find no trace to follow; how, alone, they emerge from confusion and return, then awaken naturally, understanding that the precious pearl cannot be revealed through verbal instruction.”

At this, the Heavenly Venerable was filled with boundless joy and said:

“What I have proclaimed is the fundamental principle of the Great Vehicle. I have distinguished and clarified its various teachings, guiding living beings through skillful means, and the precious light it radiates is without end. The wise can understand it clearly, while the ignorant slander it of their own accord. I reveal this Scripture of the True Treasury to cleanse away the hindrances that cloud the mind. You must practice diligently: even a single word can nurture your Dao-nature. Things have no fixed, unchanging form; they are like images in a mirror. The precious pearl is neither within nor without. When the mind grows still, the inner spirit will appear. Through cultivating merit, one reaches up to Heaven; the Great Vehicle’s Way takes no side. All the sages of the ten directions honor and uphold the Scripture of the True Treasury. If you practice steadfastly and do not slacken, you can attain the supreme rank.

“I will now use a parable to explain the fundamental principle: the various skillful means that appear in the world borrow the provisional to reveal the real. Living beings do not trust the Dao and are pulled along by the conditions of habitual karma, affection, and love. Each should use skillful wisdom to seek the Way amid the Five Aggregates—the form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness that make up body and mind.”

At this time, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning preached half a verse on Spirit-Understanding Mountain, telling the men and women gathered there: “Be diligent in cultivating blessings and virtue, in practice, and in making offerings. Liberation is not separate from your own body and mind. Those who attain liberation abide in a tranquil place of practice, accord with the fundamental seal of the true Dharma, understand the causes and conditions of the three ages—past, present, and future—and attain the supreme fruit.”

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning then told the Youth Good Sound: “The nature of mind in all living beings can be liberated, and the physical form can also be liberated. Mind is like the words used to teach; the body is like the written characters that carry the teaching. If you pursue only the characters and seek meaning word by word, you will lose sight of the traces of the teaching. But if you grasp the principle to which the characters point, you can enter the gate of liberation and realize the supreme Dao.”

The Youth of Good Sound reported to the Celestial Worthy: “I do not understand why it is said that the minds of living beings are teachings in words, and their bodies are written texts. The minds of living beings are ignorant and confused, and their bodies are like a darkened net. Why should living beings be made to study these ignorant minds and pursue this dark net? If pursuing the dark net can lead to the Dao, then living beings should be able to attain the Dao without studying an ignorant mind; yet those who do not study do not attain it. But studying an ignorant mind cannot lead to the Dao either. Why? If ignorance is used to study ignorance, one’s innate wisdom cannot manifest—how, then, can one attain the Dao? Living beings whose minds are clouded by ignorance and who do not know how to study likewise cannot attain the Dao. It is like fire concealed in wood: the fire does not appear on its own, but must be drawn out through human effort. In the same way, living beings whose minds are clouded by ignorance need the guidance of a teacher in order to awaken and understand. I beg the Dharma Master, out of compassion for us, to explain this.”

The Celestial Worthy said: “Good, very good. I will explain it to you. All dharmas are originally pure; they neither arise nor perish. Where, then, are there living beings who truly attain the Dao, or living beings who lose it? And where are there living beings trapped in a net of ignorance who attain the Dao by studying, or attain it by not studying an ignorant mind? All dharmas have no fixed, unchanging self-nature and, in the final analysis, are not brought to an end. Where, then, are there living beings who attain or lose the Dao? And where are there living beings trapped in a net of ignorance who attain the Dao by studying, or attain it without studying? All dharmas have no fixed self-nature; ultimately, even ‘self’ is not something to cling to. Given this, where are there living beings who differ from one another and raise such questions?

“I explain written texts so that people may understand: if they can let go of attachment to words, they will accord with truth. Skillful guidance helps people recognize written texts; likewise, skillful guidance helps them recognize the right sounds and teachings, so they may understand that the nature of dharmas is originally liberated. Those who truly realize the sound of the Dharma know that there is no Dharma to attain, cultivate, study, practice, or receive. At the ultimate point of purity, all things form an undivided whole, yet it would be wrong simply to call them one.”

Here, “Dharma” means the principles being taught and the methods of cultivation; “the nature of dharmas” means the original true nature of all phenomena. The Celestial Worthy emphasizes that written texts, teachings, and teachers can serve as skillful means to guide living beings, but should not be grasped as fixed entities. On hearing these words, the beings of the Two Vehicles—practitioners who give priority to their own liberation—were shaken with fear and stood uneasily. The Youth of Good Sound and the others, however, suddenly understood the Great Vehicle’s central teaching: all things are equal, without distinction. They took refuge in the Great Dao, forgot their bodies, bowed in homage, and departed.

At this time, the Youth of Good Sound and the assembled immortals came to the Fragrant Grove Garden to pay their respects to the Celestial Worthy and to hear and study the Great Vehicle teachings. They then felt doubts in their hearts and asked, “All living beings are illuminated by the light. Why, then, do they receive different benefits and encounter different circumstances in their rebirths? If everyone receives the same light, their innate capacities should be equal, with no difference between those who awaken easily and those who find it difficult. If their capacities are not the same, does that mean the light of wisdom does not shine on all beings, or that the Celestial Worthy shows favoritism? We would also like to ask: must living beings rely on this scripture to attain the Dao? Without it, would they ultimately be unable to attain liberation?”

The Celestial Worthy said, “Well said, well said. You ask in this way by using emptiness to question emptiness, so in emptiness there is nothing to ask. I answer in this way by using emptiness to answer emptiness, so in emptiness there is nothing to answer.

Living beings differ in form and kind, and their senses and innate capacities differ as well. Precisely because they differ, all things are said to be empty; within emptiness, there are no fixed, unchanging distinctions. The absence of fixed distinctions is called liberation. Living beings are deluded without knowing it. In truth, all possess the light of wisdom, but their eyes cannot see clearly; their nature is originally pure, yet their consciousness is clouded. This scripture can open the ears and eyes, making them clear and bright, so that one may see the basis of all phenomena and understand that, at their root, they have no differences.

Know that all living beings share the same source of the Dao; they differ only in how soon or late they awaken to it. It is like a dark jewel lost in the Red River: people search for it in every possible way, yet never find it. The nature of living beings is originally empty and still. One cannot say that it is empty, nor that it exists; it is neither within nor without. If one deliberately seeks it, one will never attain it; if one does not seek it at all, one will likewise not attain it. One must apply the proper methods and gradually nurture the roots of wisdom; only then can the result be realized naturally.

To say, ‘I am expounding the Dharma,’ is to slander the true Dharma and damage the roots of goodness. You should understand that what is spoken is not fixed, real speech: it is neither speech nor a complete absence of speech. The myriad things are equal and return to the same true reality, which has no fixed form.

Good men, cultivate quiet contemplation and observation within your hearts. Do not cling to emptiness or existence. Heaven and earth took shape, and Dao and De were expressed as teachings. The wise awaken through them, and the benevolent put them into practice. They see what ordinary people cannot see, yet do not cling to what ordinary people see; they understand what ordinary people do not understand, yet do not hold fast to ordinary people’s understanding. Their insight and hearing transcend ordinary expectations. Whether a teaching concerns conditioned phenomena—things brought about through action and causes and conditions—or unconditioned phenomena, which arise without deliberate action, you should reflect on it in this way. Practicing thus, you will comprehend and enter the Great Vehicle path and bring your merit to fulfillment.”

After hearing this, the youth Shanyin and the assembled crowd were troubled by doubt and confusion, at a loss as to what to think. They asked, “The ultimate reality of all phenomena is neither emptiness nor existence. Why, then, do you say there is some Dharma one can enter—the Mahayana, the vast path of Buddhist practice? If there is no Dharma, how can merit be realized?”

The Celestial Worthy said, “The word ‘reverse’ that I have used can be examined from many angles. Living beings harbor delusions: they take ‘existence’ to be real, then blindly cling to ‘nonexistence.’ Clinging to delusion, they become confused and fall into inversion. By ‘reverse,’ I mean seeing through the fact that delusion has no reality: illusory ‘existence’ is not true existence, and illusory ‘nonexistence’ is not true nonexistence. To contemplate in this way is called returning to the source. Through this, one enters the Mahayana and realizes merit.”

The crowd asked again, “Living beings become confused because they blindly cling to ‘nonexistence,’ and so fall into inversion. By ‘reverse,’ you mean seeing through the fact that delusion has no reality: illusory ‘existence’ is not true existence, and illusory ‘nonexistence’ is not true nonexistence. To contemplate in this way is called returning to the source, through which one enters the Mahayana and realizes merit.”

They asked again, “Living beings are deluded, and delusion means there is no real Dharma. If there is no Dharma, how can one return to the source? If there is no way to return to the source, how can there be a Mahayana to enter or merit to realize?”

The Celestial Worthy said, “Precisely so. All phenomena are originally liberated, free from the constraints of fixed attachments. To understand the principle of liberation is called entering the Mahayana and realizing merit.”

The crowd asked again, “If the liberation of all phenomena is called entering the Mahayana and realizing merit, then do all living beings—even those who neither practice nor study—count as having entered the Mahayana and realized merit? Do birds, insects, and beasts of every kind, though they neither practice nor study, count as having entered the Mahayana and realized merit? If all phenomena count as entering the Mahayana and realizing merit, then where does the merit of living beings come from? Birds, insects, and beasts of every kind, though they neither practice nor study, count as having entered the Mahayana and realized merit; and all phenomena count as entering the Mahayana and realizing merit. In that case, how are we to understand the delusions and inversions of living beings, their acts of grasping and rejecting, their comings and goings, and the differences between one another? And why do immortals and sages still teach and liberate living beings?”

The Celestial Worthy said, “Exactly. As I have said, all teachings are contained in a single word. If even one teaching lacks great wisdom and merit, that is tantamount to slandering all teachings and destroying the Great Vehicle, the teaching that penetrates the vast truth. Why? Whether sentient beings are walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, they can enter the Great Vehicle and accomplish merit. The five aggregates—the five elements that make up the person and embodied experience—and the six faculties, the six capacities for perception, can enter the Great Vehicle and accomplish merit. Greed, delusion, grasping, and letting go can all enter the Great Vehicle and accomplish merit. All conditioned phenomena, things brought about through causes and conditions, and unconditioned phenomena, truths not produced through causes and conditions, can enter the Great Vehicle and accomplish merit.

The Great Vehicle spoken of is not a fixed ‘Great Vehicle’; that is why it is called the Great Vehicle. The merit spoken of is not a fixed ‘merit’; that is why it is called merit. All teachings are subtle and Wuwei (non-action); they can all enter the Great Vehicle and accomplish merit. Though they are called the Great Vehicle and merit, these names must not be grasped as fixed, unchanging entities. All teachings are subtle, free, and Wuwei. Words are only names; they are not the true Dao.

Those who understand this principle gain the strength of fearlessness. Their hearts accord with the De (Virtue/Power) of Heaven, Earth, the sages, the sun, moon, stars, and all things. All teachings accord with De and do not harm the innate nature of anything. This is the consummate merit of the Great Vehicle.

Through deluded discrimination, sentient beings cling to various forms of existence and lose the power of merit. A painter may depict an image, but it is not a real body; likewise, an echo is not the sound itself. Understand that all teachings are like illusions and transformations: they cannot be said to be absolutely empty, nor can they be said to truly exist. Sentient beings are confused by inverted views and suffer afflictions in vain; afflictions arise in turn. They suffer through delusion, and separation from those they love brings unending hardship. In the blink of an eye, everything vanishes completely. Their souls and consciousness drift away, and their suffering grows even deeper.

Good men, do not let this give rise to disbelief, lest you lose the power of compassion. I tell you: those of great capacity can bear the humiliations of the world; those of great De can bear the evils of the world. Why? Those who truly understand have no deluded attachments, and so they can endure humiliation and bear evil. Everything they endure can become merit; thus great wisdom and the adornment of blessings and virtue are brought to completion.

Furthermore, because it is Wuwei, it can nourish and grow all things; because it is empty, it can contain and set things in motion; because it is unassuming, it can bear and unfold; because it is still, it can give voice and gather things in; because it is tranquil, it can bring things together and disperse them; because it is pure, it can reveal the wondrous and the luminous; because it is sincere, it can attain what is sought and accord with the order of things; because it is balanced and harmonious, it can transform and unite with all things. Understand that the Secret True Treasury, the profound and wondrous treasury of the true Dao, is foremost among the scriptures.

Nurture your nature through Wuwei; preserve your life through emptiness; settle body and mind through simplicity; bring flourishing to completion through stillness. Take joy in your aspirations through tranquility, calm your thoughts through purity, uphold your integrity through sincerity, and preserve your spirit through balance and harmony. Plants grow in the soil and wither when separated from it; fish and turtles live in water and die when removed from it; people depend on Qi (vital energy) to live, and when Qi disperses, they die. The sages cherish primordial Qi and safeguard vital Qi, treating them as treasures of the body.

Above, there is nothing to point toward; below, there is nothing to measure. Keep no deluded thoughts in your heart, and let your intentions flow naturally like water. Good men, understand that the nature of all teachings is originally tranquil, and they can all enter the Great Vehicle. Sentient beings are confused and do not understand the source of life. They lose the Dao of the Great Vehicle and pass through many years and kalpas, drifting through the cycle of rebirth without awakening. You, my disciples, should each spread the teaching widely and guide sentient beings according to their circumstances. The merit of this is profound beyond measure.”

At this moment, the Good-Sounding Youth and everyone present were filled with joy. They all gave rise to wholesome thoughts and chanted:

The subtle and far-reaching merit of the Celestial Worthy’s manifestation is beyond investigation. It extends throughout the entire Dharma Realm, like a lush and fragrant garden. The wise are adept at grasping its principles and know how to plant wholesome causes through appropriate means; the foolish, however, remain deluded for a long time, accompanied by their faults. Now we give rise to faith and cultivate in accordance with it, learning together the means of crossing over offered by the Great Vehicle—the teaching that widely saves sentient beings. The Dharma King, an honored title in the Buddhist or Daoist path, moves freely without obstruction and draws people toward liberation. The Great Vehicle’s path of equality saves sentient beings in heaven and among humankind. When the mind grows still and returns to its natural state, the heart aligns with it, and one’s state of mind is renewed day by day.

At this time, the Youth of Excellent Sound and the four assemblies present, both monastic and lay followers, recited verses praising and honoring the Celestial Worthy and proclaiming his merits and virtues, thereby saving living beings. The merits and virtues spoken of in the scripture are not merits and virtues in the usual sense; nevertheless, they are called merits and virtues.

Each person came to an understanding and saw a red jewel. It was neither inside nor outside, but hung in empty space, its light clear and radiant, illuminating the lands in every direction. Large or small, all appeared exactly alike. The people entered the jewel together, yet it neither arose nor ceased. In an instant, the jewel suddenly vanished. The four assemblies were bewildered, not knowing where it had gone. Each looked around, but found nothing.

After a while, the entire Dharma-realm—the whole world of myriad things and the place where they exist—came clearly into view, as if within the jewel. The four assemblies gazed at it, yet could grasp nothing. It was neither empty nor real; it had no distinction of long or short, subtle or coarse, broad or narrow. It transcended all forms, yet no form lay apart from this transcendence.

The Dharma-realm spoken of in the scripture is not a fixed, identifiable “Dharma-realm,” yet it is called the Dharma-realm; it is also the jewel. The jewel spoken of is not a fixed, identifiable “jewel,” yet it is called the jewel, and thus nothing can be attained. The Dharma-realm and the jewel are so completely one, yet neither can be grasped as fixed: the jewel is inseparable from the Dharma-realm, yet is neither within nor outside it. It is neither inner nor outer, and cannot be circumscribed by calling it “neither inner nor outer.” At this point, words and reasoning can no longer reach it, and all the workings of affliction and attachment come to an end. This merit and virtue is subtle and profound, beyond what words can fully express.

Chapter on Manifesting Admonitions and Conduct

At this time, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, a revered Daoist deity, addressed the four assemblies present—the various groups who had come to hear the teaching: All beings crave the tangible things of this world. They delight in life and fear death. Though they wish in their hearts for long life, their actions create the karmic causes that bring about death. If you do not observe the precepts, then even a long life is no more than that of an old tree. What difference does it make? If you uphold the precepts, after death you may be appointed to an official post in the celestial bureaucracy and ascend to immortality freely. Even if someone holds the rank of a prince or duke, if they fail to observe the precepts, they will still bear grave punishment after death, which does nothing to benefit their hun-soul and spirit. The suffering of the hun-soul and spirit is unbearable.

Good men, think carefully. Understand and follow the precepts, and cultivate the Dao with an upright heart. I tell you: nothing in the world can endure forever. There is birth and death, success and failure, just as the sun rises only to set, and the moon wanes only to become full again. From ancient times to the present, what has remained unchanged forever? Only the Dao and De neither arise nor perish. Cultivate goodness and accumulate good deeds: do good today, this month, and at this very moment. Keep accumulating good deeds and De until every practice is complete. Guard yourselves with good intentions, so that you may enter the Dharma Treasures—the true teachings and scriptures revered by Daoism.

The precepts say:

You must not steal what belongs to others or take their property without cause. You must not speak falsely or use empty, flowery words. You must not kill out of resentment. You must not be greedy, angry, foolish, or vicious. You must not be arrogant and discourteous or bully others. You must not curse others with malice or shout insults at them. You must not disparage or slander others, stir up discord, or make malicious accusations. You must not seize on others’ faults and gossip about them, or speak only of their shortcomings. You must not belittle good deeds to exalt yourself, or boast and act arrogantly. You must not conceal poison to harm others or write letters falsely accusing and framing them.

You must not treat the scriptures and teachings lightly or slander the sacred texts. You must not use your power to oppress others, or crave sexual pleasure and become absorbed in beauty. You must not delight in killing or drink to excess until you become confused and reckless.

Do not kill living beings or perform licentious sacrifices; do not burn forests or roam about hunting. Do not speak ill of teachers and elders or covet wealth. Do not discuss other people’s private affairs.

The Celestial Worthy said, “Here I will briefly explain some precepts. Every kind of wrongdoing has a corresponding retribution. Good man, listen attentively. Now I will explain them to you.

“Those who steal another person’s possessions will fall after death into the Golden Hammer Hell. Those who take even a single coin from someone without permission will fall after death into the Cauldron of Boiling Water Hell, where sinners are punished with boiling water. Those who speak false or frivolous words will fall after death into the Tongue-Pulling Hell. Those who kill out of resentment will fall after death into the Great Five-Prison Hell. Those who are greedy, angry, foolish, and cruel will fall after death into the Great Cage Hell. Those who slight the elderly and bully others will fall after death into Fengdu Hell, the fabled underworld tribunal where the guilty are punished. Those who maliciously curse and revile others will fall after death into the Eight-Gate Hell. Those who loudly insult others will fall after death into the Naraka Hell. Those who disparage and slander others will fall after death into the Northern Cold Hell. Those who sow discord, flatter, and make malicious accusations will fall after death into the Volcano Hell. Those who dwell on other people’s shortcomings will fall after death into the Mortar and Pestle Hell.

“Those who delight in publicizing other people’s evil deeds will fall after death into the Dark Hell. Those who denigrate good deeds and boast of themselves will fall after death into the Great Sword Hell. Those who are arrogant and conceited will fall after death into the Freezing Hell. Those who keep poison to harm others will fall after death into the Ash and Charcoal Hell. Those who write letters falsely accusing others will fall after death into the Great Darkness of the Yellow Springs Hell. Those who treat the scriptures and teachings with contempt and neglect will fall after death into the Light-Obstructing Hell. Those who slander the scriptures left by sages will fall after death into the Copper Fire Hell. Those who use their power to oppress others will fall after death into the Fiery Furnace Hell. Those who covet sexual pleasure and become absorbed in physical beauty will fall after death into the Deep Cold Hell. Those who delight in killing living beings will fall after death into the Avici Hell. Those who indulge in wine and lose control when drunk will fall after death into the Thirst and Cold Hell. Those who kill living beings and perform licentious sacrifices will fall after death into the Boiling Mountain Hell. Those who burn forests and roam about hunting will fall after death into the Body-Splitting Hell. Those who speak ill of teachers and elders will fall after death into the Mountain-Grinding Hell.”

Those who are greedy for and hoard possessions will fall into the Purgatory of Boiling Mountains after death. Those who burn forests or hunt in the mountains and wilds will fall into the Purgatory of Disfigurement. Those who slander their teachers and elders will fall into the Purgatory of Grinding Mountains. Those who are greedy for and hoard possessions will also fall into the Hungry Ghost Purgatory. Those who speak of other people’s private lives and intimate affairs will fall into the Purgatory of Dark Waters after death.

These precepts must not be violated lightly. Once violated, the karmic consequences follow a person according to the severity of their actions, like a shadow following the body or an echo answering a sound: a loud sound produces a loud echo, and a soft sound a soft echo. The retribution for good and evil works the same way. Good-Sound Youths, you four assemblies—the two monastic orders of men and women and the two lay orders of men and women—should diligently observe these precepts, gradually accumulate merit, and attain the fruits of the Dao. No method of cultivation is separate from observing the precepts. Here I have briefly set out several kinds of precepts to show which actions are good and which are evil. If you understand and follow even one of them, you will no longer violate the precepts; you will be free in relation to people and the Dharma, liberated and returning to Wuwei (non-action).

Good-Sound Youth addressed the Celestial Worthy: “I venture to ask: You have said that the consequences of various violations of the precepts and the karmic retribution for wrongdoing follow a person like a shadow. How severe or slight are the consequences of breaking the precepts? Is the guilt greater for violating one precept, or for violating many? If violating one precept brings heavier guilt, then there would be no need to list many precepts. But if violating many brings heavier guilt, then when someone first violates just one, it would seem they should incur no guilt. People are puzzled by this. I beg you, Celestial Worthy, to explain it clearly.”

The Celestial Worthy said: “A good question. The actions and karmic causes of living beings vary in countless ways, and the consequences they receive differ accordingly. I have set out the precepts at length to address different circumstances and benefit living beings. Whether someone violates one precept or many, the karmic consequences depend on the severity of the transgression: a serious violation of one precept brings a correspondingly severe consequence; if several precepts are violated and each violation is serious, each brings its own severe consequence; if the violations are slight, the consequences are slight as well. It is like a person’s shadow: when the body is tall, the shadow is long; when the body is short, the shadow is short. The consequences of violating the precepts work the same way. I have explained these various precepts in order to put an end to scattered thoughts and afflictions of every kind.”

A further question: Do vexations ultimately exist, or do they not? The answer: We cannot say that they truly exist, nor can we say that they are entirely absent. Another question: If they are neither existent nor nonexistent, why call them vexations? The answer: What does not truly exist is taken to exist; what is not entirely absent is taken to be absent. Within the true nature of the Dharma, one arbitrarily assumes that something real exists. This attachment becomes vexation.

A further question: Since the true Dharma—the true nature of the Dharma—is neither existent nor nonexistent, how can it be subject to this deluded attachment? If it is subject to such attachment, would it not fall into existence or nonexistence and cease to be called the true Dharma? The answer: The true Dharma has no fixed form. Yet within formlessness, the effects of retribution can appear to exist.

A further question: If the Dharma has no form, how can something appear to exist within formlessness? The answer: This is existence manifested through delusion; such existence is not real existence.

A further question: If this existence is not real, does that mean the deluded attachments of sentient beings can also count as the true Dharma? Can their violations of the precepts also count as the true Dharma? Then how can there be karmic offenses and retribution? Where does the delusion of sentient beings come from? If no karmic offenses are real, would cause and effect not be turned upside down, so that doing good brings guilt while doing evil brings blessings?

The Celestial Worthy said, “Why has this doubt arisen? The karmic results of different actions each have their proper causes; cause and effect are never confused in the slightest. Not a single detail is missing from the consequences that accord with subtle principles. Good deeds bring good results, and evil deeds bring evil results. It is like planting millet and harvesting millet, or planting hemp and harvesting hemp. Cause and effect may sometimes appear reversed, but understand that the seed itself is not mistaken. Cause and effect work in the same way.

Good men and faithful women, listen carefully to what I say: the orthodox teaching I expound—the teaching that accords with the Great Dao—does not depart from emptiness and existence, birth and death, affliction, coming and going, or acceptance and rejection. It is therefore still the orthodox teaching. I speak of acceptance and rejection, yet also say they are not fixed and unchanging. I speak of coming and going, yet also say that neither has a fixed substance. The same is true of affliction, birth and death, emptiness and existence: although they exist in ordinary experience, they have no eternal, unchanging self-nature, and so they can be discussed and contemplated.

Understand that the Dharma is neither two wholly separate entities nor simply one. It falls into neither ‘one’ nor ‘two’; it is still, clear, and constant. Why is this so? When the karmic actions of living beings are pure, acceptance and rejection are pure as well; coming and going, desire, affliction, and birth and death likewise become pure, until the true and ultimate is reached. The mind should have no attachments.

Understand that this scripture is supremely revered. The Celestial Worthies of the past, present, and future all attained the Dao through this scripture. The great sages of the ten directions, living beings in different worlds, and the rulers of the heavens have also cultivated this scripture and attained the Dao. Its principles encompass everything and have no bounds. Wherever this scripture is found, people can receive, uphold, and cultivate it, thereby accomplishing their work. Its power is vast, and the merit of delivering living beings cannot be fully described.

Good men and faithful women, if you sincerely believe in and uphold this scripture, the blessings and merits you gain will be deep and enduring. They cannot be measured by analogy, and their limits are difficult to fathom.”

At this time, the Celestial Worthy was proclaiming the Orthodox Teaching on Mount Lingjie. He addressed the assembly, saying:

“I will explain the foundations of cultivating merit and practice. After diligently training through long years, even if you have not encountered the Scripture of the True Treasury, as long as you practice diligently, do not turn back, and do not break the precepts, in time you will understand the supreme Dao. All this comes from causes and conditions planted in the past. You must study diligently, and your merit will grow day by day. The wondrous Dao is neither far nor near. Seek truth among the Five Skandhas—the form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness that make up body and mind. Though the practice is arduous, when you awaken to the principle, your heart is not weary.”

The Celestial Worthy then addressed his retinue and senior disciples: “The half-verse I have spoken reveals the fundamental causes and conditions. Through faith, people bring forth the aspiration to practice; through understanding, they continue onward; and through diligent practice, they enter the joyful, proper path. Once roots of goodness are established, the wisdom of the Dao naturally becomes clear.

“Nothing has a fixed, unchanging nature; at its root, all things are empty and still. Awaken to this principle, and you can bring the causes and conditions of practice to completion and attain the true fruit. Sentient beings are deluded and seek outward. The Six Thieves—six senses or desires that disturb body and mind and draw people into attachment—are present from birth. Each clings to what it craves, and the mind of discrimination shapes how it sees the world. All this belongs to the deviant path. Those who follow it are driven by delusive thoughts into bodily and mental activity; habitual tendencies entangle them in karmic causes, and karmic forces pull one another along. Thus they undergo birth, aging, sickness, and death, yet still do not understand the principle. Ignorance obscures the mind, craving grows deep, disputes over right and wrong continue, and sinful karma accumulates. Such conduct makes afflictions follow close behind and brings the consequences of the Ten Evils. You, the fourfold assembly of disciples, must carefully examine karmic causes and understand how causes and conditions arise.”

The Youth of Wondrous Sound and the assembly grasped the deeper meaning, awakened to the Dao’s teaching, and joyfully praised:

“The supreme Celestial Worthy is the true eye of the Dao, seeing all dharmas as complete and pure, shining forth like a bright pearl.

“On hearing this, sentient beings can all awaken, leave behind defilement and desire, and return to purity without remainder.

“We disciples have all benefited, and can see the eight-cornered scripture upon our bodies.

“Observe the world: all things are their true appearances. The mind neither grasps nor rejects; it rests peacefully in stillness.

“The Celestial Worthy proclaims the precepts equally to all, so that people do not break them or create karmic outflows. Thus karmic obstacles are wholly removed.

“We disciples have all benefited, and can see the eight-cornered scripture upon our bodies.”

When we observe the myriad things in the world, we can see their true nature. We neither cling to them nor cast them aside, but dwell among them in quiet peace.

The Heavenly Worthy (Tianzun) teaches the precepts and rules of practice impartially. If people can keep the precepts and avoid wrongdoing, the obstacles of karma will be dispelled.

This state fills every corner of the abbot’s chamber, the quiet room where Daoist practitioners live and cultivate. Though the myriad things change like illusions, they remain free and unhindered, just like empty space.

After passing through many kalpas and practicing austerities for a long time, the Heavenly Worthy encountered the supreme Mahayana Way. The Heavenly Worthy revealed this Way, inspiring deep faith in living beings and guiding their minds to roam the Dharma Realm and enter the One Vehicle teaching.

All dharmas neither arise nor perish. Through this, beings are naturally liberated and return to stillness, beyond the need for words.

At that moment, the Good-Sounding Youth finished reciting his verse to his companions and praised this as a supreme teaching, unlike anything ever heard before. He said, “The teachings of the Mahayana scriptures can save limitless beings. Their meaning is profound and hidden, beyond the understanding of ordinary people. I venture to ask: What conditions and methods are needed to study and practice the Mahayana? Living beings have shallow capacities and little wisdom. Bound by attachment to external things, their six faculties—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, with their powers of perception and discernment—are stained. So dull are they that they do not understand the scriptures, believe in the Mahayana, or accept instruction. Even when they hear the true treasury of profound teachings, they remain unmoved. What skillful means can guide them?

“Also, the Three Vehicles—the three paths of practice suited to beings of different capacities—guide people of three kinds. Those of superior wisdom are naturally discerning. When they hear the true treasury, they awaken spontaneously, realize the Mahayana, and come before the Heavenly Worthy. They attain liberation through Wuwei (non-action), understand the principle of neither arising nor perishing, and verify the characteristics of dharmas described in the scriptures. They can enter and leave the Dharma Realm freely, are skilled at gathering many kinds of skillful means, and possess merits so deep they cannot be measured.

“Those of middling capacity practice according to the scriptures and observe the precepts. They gradually accumulate merit and enter the Middle Vehicle. They practice diligently and make steady progress, yet never awaken.

“Those of inferior capacity know only greed and desire. They must be guided and taught before they will give away material possessions, yet in their hearts they remain miserly, ignorant, and dull. Though counted among practitioners of the Lesser Vehicle, they make no real progress. Living beings differ in acuity and dullness, and the benefits they gain differ as well. How can they be led into great wisdom?”

The Heavenly Worthy said, “Excellent, excellent. Good-Sounding Youth, you have grasped the right moment in the world, and your question is both skillful and direct. I will now explain this to you. All of you should listen, receive these teachings, and ponder them carefully in your hearts.

The highest Dao is profound and subtle, beyond all distinctions of emotion and attachment. The teachings of the Great Vehicle are mysterious and wondrous, unseen by the eyes and unheard by the ears. All beings arise from the Dao and all return to the Dao and perish. The karma beings create, and the conditions formed through karma, are connected with the Dao and return to the same source.

This is like a mother giving birth to a child, who then fails to honor her, abandons her, and does evil everywhere, until at last he is ensnared in a net of karmic offenses. The mother longs for him and grieves as if her heart and liver were being torn apart, yet the child never realizes this. He continues to endure unbearable suffering himself. So it is with beings who are deluded and turned upside down, having forgotten their own source: their soul and spirit suffer, and the pain strikes close, yet they remain tormented by afflictions.

The mysterious teachings of the Great Vehicle adapt their instruction to beings’ differing capacities, helping them gradually understand their own source. Even if beings have not yet become aware, each can be saved according to their capacity, and all can receive nourishment from the teachings. Within the True Treasury—the real substance of the Dao, the true source—beings receive profound sustenance and protection, leave suffering, and attain joy. This process has never been separate from the True Treasury. Beings are simply deluded, taking false imaginings for reality; so even while dwelling within the True Treasury, they never awaken.

Why is this so? The nature of the Dharma—the true nature of all things—is originally real. Yet within this reality, beings cling to existence, and the existence formed by this attachment is precisely the gathering of suffering, that is, affliction. The Three Vehicles I teach—the three kinds of cultivation established according to beings’ capacities—are like a vast net spread wide over all beings, benefiting them according to their differing capacities.

I observe that all beings have the potential for great wisdom. Their nature neither arises nor perishes, and is free from suffering and distress. From the standpoint of the equal source, the past and future, coming forth and entering in, receiving karmic retribution, experiencing suffering and joy, and the teachings of the Three Vehicles are all regarded equally. Beings of lesser capacity practice giving: the giver, what is given, and the recipient are all free of attachment; this is equality. Beings of middling capacity keep the precepts: neither their practice nor the precepts themselves are objects of attachment; this is equality. Beings of superior capacity cultivate wisdom: they are attached neither to wisdom nor to the notion of “I”; this is equality. Beings experience joy without clinging to the joy they receive; this is equality. Beings undergo karmic retribution without clinging to karma or retribution; this is equality. Beings differ in their capacities without clinging to those differences; this, too, is equality.

All dharmas are equal; there is no separate “equality” that can be grasped. Precisely because there is no equality to grasp, it is called the Great Dao. Good-Sounding Youth, you should diligently teach and guide beings, and cultivate in accordance with these teachings of the Great Vehicle. Do not give rise to thoughts that stray from the true path. This is the skillful means—the teachings established in response to beings’ capacities—that enables people to enter the Dharma gate of great wisdom, attain the power and merit of freedom, reach the state beyond arising and perishing, and save beings by dispelling afflictions and karmic obstacles. You disciples must not give rise to deluded thoughts.”

At that moment, after hearing these words, the Youth of Excellent Sound and everyone present were overcome with indescribable joy. They all prostrated themselves, bowed their heads to the ground, and took their leave with reverence.

Thus you may attain the power of freedom, reach the state beyond birth and death, and be able to save sentient beings, dispelling afflictions and karmic obstacles. Disciples, do not fall into mistaken and inverted thoughts.

At that moment, after hearing these words, the Youth of Excellent Sound and everyone present were overcome with indescribable joy. They all prostrated themselves, bowed their heads to the ground, and took their leave with reverence.

End of Volume Six of the Scripture of the Supreme Inner Secrets and True Treasury.

For “bitter pain,” the Essentials of the True Treasury Scripture has “pain and suffering.”

For “understood, yet did not know,” the Essentials of the True Treasury Scripture has “understood without knowing.”

The Scripture of the Supreme Inner Secrets and True Treasury, Volume Seven.

Chapter on Wondrous Virtue.

At this time, the Youth of the True Treasury and his many attendants, together with countless beings such as celestial immortals and terrestrial immortals, came before the Heavenly Venerable. They traveled through the various worlds and also journeyed throughout the boundless hells below, inspecting every place in heaven and earth.

They saw a realm called “Long Draw,” where men and women stood thirty zhang tall, lived for eight thousand years, and all studied the Dao and De. They also saw a realm where men and women were simple and sincere and had no written characters. Whether noble or lowly, they treated one another with respect and courtesy, and behaved according to proper standards. (The original repeats its description of these two realms.) In another realm, food and clothing arose naturally in abundance, and men and women lived happily, without grief or sorrow. There was also a realm called “River Barrier,” where people stood one zhang and three chi tall and were as strong as wild beasts, yet knew nothing of the Dao and De and observed no rites or courtesy.

They saw more strange realms: in some, men and women each had only one foot, ate grain that grew naturally, and wore no clothes; in another, people stood nine cun tall, dwelt among the trees, and neither dressed nor ate. In some realms, men and women honored one another and studied the Mahayana Way, naturally teaching and transforming others through Wuwei (non-action). In yet others, men and women had birds’ heads and human faces, wore clothing that formed naturally, and behaved like animals. Some men and women lived for an extremely long time and, once born, never died. Others had three legs and two heads and went naked, like wild deer. Still others had only one eye, set in the crown of the head; feathers grew on their bodies, and they moved on a single foot. They spoke like birds and did not know their parents.

In another realm stood a mountain, with trees on both its slopes that shone with golden light. The trees were about three hundred zhang tall. Their fruit was more delicious than sweet spring water, and eating it could bring one to the immortal Way; its effects lasted for a thousand days.

They also saw the hells in the boundless worlds below, where beings underwent different punishments and experienced different degrees of suffering and ease. Some clung to copper pillars, some climbed sword trees, some were thrown into boiling cauldrons, and some ascended mountains of knives. Some were dismembered, while others had their tongues pulled out with iron awls. Those being punished were assigned to different judicial offices in the hells, which administered interrogations and punishments: the Northern Origin Office, the Nine Palaces Office, the Dark Night Office, the Bitter Spirit Office, the Poison Blades Office, the Deep Abyss Office, the Office of Rectifying Examinations, the Four Extremities Office, the Long Kalpa Office, the Office of Ten Thousand Torments, the Long Suffering Office, and the Boundless Office, among others. There was also a place called the “Three Difficulties Treasure.” Such punishments and karmic retributions are too numerous to describe. The account above records only a general outline of what was seen; the circumstances varied greatly.

The Youth of the True Treasury then asked the Heavenly Venerable: “Does the Mahayana Daoist teaching extend everywhere? If it does not, it cannot be called Mahayana; if it extends to every place, then all beings should know the Dao. Since they know the Daoist teaching, surely they should have no karmic offenses; and since each person has De, there should no longer be any distinction between good and evil. I humbly ask the Heavenly Venerable, in compassion, to explain this so that everyone may hear.”

The Celestial Worthy said, “Why have you asked this question again? I will explain it to you. Consider how all things grow from the same earth, yet differ from one another: some are large, some small, some long, some short, and they vary in countless ways. The many different kinds of beings in the world are like this as well. The Great Dao brings forth all things, and what it brings into being takes many forms; the lands of different realms also have different features. The Celestial Worthy appears in different forms according to the nature of each kind of being, allowing each to find what suits it and to live according to its inherent tendencies and the actions it has undertaken. Beings thus receive corresponding bodies, yet all possess Dao and De, and in the end all enter the Mahayana, the path of cultivation leading to the vast Dharma of the Dao.

“You should know that the merit of the Secret Treasury of Truth, which contains the mysteries of the Dao, is vast and profound beyond measure. All beings partake of it, but their thoughts and actions differ: some do evil, others do good. Every kind of action arises from the mind. The Dao is always at work, subtly and pervasively, throughout all things; it is neither among things nor outside them. Imagine a lamp shining through openings into a dark room: its light may divide into many beams, but its source is one.

“True Treasury Youths, reflect carefully on the wondrous and excellent merit of the Mahayana. It cannot be known through ordinary reasoning. When you truly realize this merit, you will understand that good and evil, karmic offenses and hell, the place of the Way and all beings, the myriad dharmas and life and death, coming and going, the Celestial Worthy and all the sages, the Mahayana, ignorance and wisdom, and every kind of distinction are no longer separate, fixed things. All of them appear as merit.

“This merit pervades everything. It is the grace of the Dao, and is also called the root of the Dao, liberation, consummation, great pervasion, universal De, profound stillness, far-reaching transcendence, the mother of the Dharma, that which gives birth, wondrous form, coming forth and entering, the Secret Treasury, and the Dharma Treasure. It may also be called beings, good and evil, life and death, taking and rejecting, mixed kinds, distinctions, self and other. This merit is so wondrous that it cannot be fathomed: it can appear in countless forms, yet no words can describe them all.”

At this, the True-Treasury Youth and the four assemblies present—the term in Buddhist and Daoist scriptures commonly referring to monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen—heard the account of the merits described above. Alarmed and confused, they lost sight of the Great Dao. They could not understand whether accumulating wealth in the world counted as merit, whether cultivating the Dao counted as merit, or what, exactly, could be called meritorious.

They also wondered: if merit truly exists, are the subtle merits of the Mahayana—the profound and expansive methods of cultivation widely expounded by the Celestial Worthy—false and unreal, meant to deceive and delude living beings? But if merit does not exist at all, then living beings should be able to attain the fruits of the Dao even without practicing or doing good.

The Celestial Worthy said, “Excellent, excellent! The subtle virtues of the Great Vehicle that I have spoken of extend throughout all of empty space, without the slightest omission. You asked about accumulating wealth and cultivating merit; these too belong to virtue. Why? If, while accumulating wealth, one is not attached to wealth, and while cultivating merit, one is not attached to merit; if one is not attached in mind to the self and others, and the three poisons—greed, anger, and delusion—have also been purified, this is subtle virtue. It is the Great Vehicle, and is also called attaining the fruition of the Dao, wisdom, and liberation. All phenomena are like this: ultimately, they return to purity, to the place of the Dao, and to virtue.

You four assemblies, the communities of Daoist practitioners, should reflect carefully and keep your minds steadily focused, without wavering. The depth of virtue is often not something one can grasp all at once. Consider digging a well: the deeper one digs, the more effort one accumulates and the more earth one removes. Once one reaches the spring, its waters can quench everyone’s thirst and satisfy all, so that no one remains thirsty or hungry. When the spring gushes forth, the labor of digging the well is no longer noticeable. Cultivating the Dao and accumulating good deeds is the same: quietly showing kindness and helping others without drawing attention, probing deeply into the source, understanding one’s own nature and temperament, and becoming calm and at ease. One no longer displays one’s merit or leaves traces of it; in the end, one reaches the state of the Great Vehicle and brings virtue to completion.

It is also like a long journey: one travels thousands of miles, endures all kinds of hardships, and sees the customs and landscapes of many places. Cultivating the Dao and accumulating good deeds is likewise a matter of enduring hardship and austerity, passing through the many circumstances of the world, dispelling worldly troubles, and understanding the different innate dispositions of beings. In the end, one attains the fruition of the Dao.

The innate dispositions of living beings are often driven by the “six thieves”—desires stirred by the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—and entangled by the “four demons,” forces that obstruct cultivation of the Dao. They also create karma through choices made in the three activities of body, speech, and mind. The five skandhas, the five factors that constitute body and mind, keep people bound up in ceaseless entanglement. Thus, even a movement of the hand or foot can become an offense. Good men, you disciples should probe deeply into subtle principles and settle your minds beyond worldly concerns. Do not cling to self and others, lest worldly troubles accumulate and give rise to resentment and conflict, causing your thoughts to become distorted and confused, bringing calamity, shortening your lives, and leading you after death into evil realms.

All living beings are the same: they drift through birth and death, pulled along by affection and craving, acting from moment to moment without awareness. It is like a monkey relying on its agility to leap about, only to suddenly fall into a trap and lose its life. The inner thieves that harm the minds of living beings are just like this.

You must remain steadfast in your resolve and cautious as though walking on ice or beside a deep ravine. I will tell you a story. Long ago, there was a man who knew nothing of inner cultivation and devoted himself only to studying external wisdom, seeking good results outside himself. Every morning and evening, he knelt before a withered tree and prayed for long life, never slackening for twenty-eight years. Suddenly the dead tree blossomed, and sweet, honey-like sap flowed from its trunk. He drank it and became an earthly immortal, one who had attained the Dao and could live forever. From this we can see that when one’s resolve is sincere, the Dao does not fail to answer. If even a withered tree can respond to his sincerity, how much more can those who devote themselves to inner cultivation naturally attain liberation?”

At that time, the youth Zangzang and the four assemblies present heard this parable, were deeply moved, and understood the principles of the Great Vehicle. Whether their understanding was profound or limited, they all gained wondrous virtue and each entered the proper discipline of cultivation.

The Celestial Worthy then spoke in verse:

The nature of the myriad teachings is subtle, and merit arises from the natural Dao. It is a guide who leads all beings to liberation. Realizing the Great Dao is not far away. What I have revealed is a teaching that brings people back to their original truth; merit can be cultivated at any time. Practice diligently and continue to do good. To follow the Mahayana path, turn your body and mind around and benefit all beings. Seek truth within amid afflictions, quiet the senses and thoughts, and bring them into harmony. Each of you should reflect carefully; the foolish will never understand. Even in the many worlds elsewhere, merit is equally complete. Though beings belong to different kinds, true virtue is not diminished. I proclaim the Scripture of the True Treasury, saving all beings without distinction. If practitioners of the Lesser Vehicle do not believe, still embrace and care for them with compassion. Guide them skillfully, through expedient means, to uphold the scripture, so that their merit grows day by day. Be diligent and devoted: the Dao you realize will follow you like a shadow. Guard the “Five Skandhas” (the five aggregates, the elements that make up body and mind) as carefully as a fragrant garden.

When the Celestial Worthy had finished the verse, he praised its merit and told the young disciples and their retinue: All beings depend on verbal teaching, yet through it they can seek and attain the fruit of the Dao. Words and written characters themselves can also serve as a gateway to merit.

At that time, the youth True Treasury respectfully asked the Celestial Worthy, “If men and women wish to study written characters and the various teachings conveyed in words, how should they inquire into their meaning? Where, exactly, are written characters? Are they in the past, the future, or the present? If they are in the past, the past has already vanished and can no longer be sought. If they are in the future, the future has not yet arrived and cannot be obtained. If they are in the present, the present cannot be held in place; since it cannot be held in place, it too cannot be sought. I humbly ask the Celestial Worthy to explain this clearly.”

The Celestial Worthy said, “Well asked, well asked. Those who have not yet attained the Great Dao should leave behind all attachment to appearances and abandon the mind’s fixation on ‘emptiness’ or ‘existence.’ The written characters I speak of are, in their nature, beyond verbal teaching. They are both empty and not empty; to say they are not empty is also to say they are not not-empty. To understand words themselves in this way is the fruit of the Dao, and is also called seeking the Dao inwardly.”

Someone asked, “Living beings have different capacities, and their inner thoughts are difficult to understand. If we speak directly of emptiness, those of limited understanding may find it hard to accept. If we cling to explanations based on form and appearance, we may go against the understanding of the wise. How, then, should the teachings be transmitted?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “You should observe a person’s conduct. Those who practice the six forms of upright conduct may be taught.”

Someone else asked, “What are the six forms of upright conduct?”

“First, the eyes are not drawn by external forms, freeing the eye faculty. Second, the ears are not drawn by sounds, and hearing remains clear. Third, the nose is not tainted by odors and can discern every kind of scent thoroughly. Fourth, the mouth speaks no faults and can explain the fundamental principle. Fifth, the body is not stirred by external sensations, and its nature is empty, still, and unobstructed. Sixth, the mind is free of entanglements, and its wisdom is open and unrestricted. These six are the conduct of superior practitioners. They should accord with the Mahayana teachings and lead to the source of merit.

“There are also five kinds of good conduct. Those who possess them are likewise suited to receive instruction. What are the five? First, they are skilled at turning away from the world’s ornate and ostentatious things. Second, they are skilled at helping and supporting others with kindness and affection, in response to circumstances. Third, they are skilled at building merit and are always mindful of patience and forbearance. Fourth, they are skilled at serving an enlightened teacher and cultivating the proper Way. Fifth, they are skilled at using appropriate methods to seek guidance from good teachers and friends. These five kinds of good conduct are the accomplishments of practitioners of the middle rank. They should accord with the Madhyamayana teachings and gradually advance toward the realm of the Dao.

“There are also nine precepts. What are the nine? First, the precept of the body: do not kill recklessly; cherish living beings. Second, the precept of the mind: do not give rise to greedy thoughts or commit any kind of wrongdoing. Third, the precept of the feet: step with care when walking, so as not to harm life. Fourth, the precept of the hands: do not take things at will or accept what should not be taken. Fifth, the precept of the heart: let the heart be broad and generous like the earth, harboring no resentment. Sixth, the precept of the ears: do not listen indiscriminately or be led astray by mixed sounds of good and evil. Seventh, the precept of the eyes: do not look indiscriminately or be beguiled by the five colors and sights. Eighth, the precept of the mouth: do not speak carelessly or disparage the virtuous. Ninth, the precept of the nose: do not smell indiscriminately or become attached to fragrances. These nine precepts are for practitioners of the lower rank. As living beings cultivate, they should hold firmly to them, accumulating blessings and establishing a foundation, and gradually enter into the teachings set forth in this Treasury of Truth.

“When transmitting the teachings, one must skillfully discern living beings’ capacities and the right moment, so that the teachings are properly conveyed. You, my disciples, should cultivate and uphold them accordingly. Your merit will be immeasurable and beyond words. If someone with wisdom and understanding explains them to others, helping those who are confused to understand, the resulting merit will reach far into the future. Why? Because the teachings can be passed from one generation to the next without end, like a lamp being handed on: one lamp lights hundreds of thousands of lamps. Their lights shine together without growing dim, and the first lamp and those lit later are equal in brightness. The transmission of wisdom is the same.”

At this time, the Youth Zhenzang said to the assembled disciples, “Our meeting has been made possible by the blessings we accumulated in the past, through which we were able to encounter the Celestial Worthy. The Celestial Worthy has made De manifest and taught us with care, helping us understand the conditions that brought us here. Each of us has made a vow to pass this teaching on, from one life to the next. We should continue to do so.”

Then the Youth Zhenzang said to the assembled disciples again, “Once we have made our vows, we must carry them through every experience, from this life to the next and from one kalpa to another, never turning back. Each of us must also vow to rescue sentient beings and free them from the sea of suffering. When danger or disaster strikes, recite this scripture, and the calamity will be dispelled. If a sudden disaster or malign spirit afflicts a land, recite this scripture, and the malign spirit will cease. If flood, drought, or the calamity of war occurs, reciting this scripture will prevent hostilities from arising. If illness and misfortune befall you, recite this scripture, and the illness will be cured. The scripture’s spiritual power is vast and far-reaching. It is guarded together by celestial youths, mighty ghost kings, and Lion Vajra. We must keep our thoughts upright and not betray the vows we have made concerning this scripture. Each of you, look within and let your hearts be in harmony with one another. Settle your spirit, quiet your thoughts, and then praise it joyfully, saying:”

The Dharma King, through the power of the Dharma and compassionate grace, benefits all beings;

His teaching of De extends throughout the entire Dharma realm.

All beings receive its blessings in their deeds;

From the smallest creatures to birds soaring high, all are sheltered.

The Great Vehicle and the Great Way are equal and impartial;

They teach all deluded beings, leaving not one behind.

The foolish do not believe in the true Dao;

They turn away from the kindness and love of the mother who nurtures them.

The compassionate mother constantly saves sentient beings,

So that their comings and goings meet no obstruction.

We should reflect on our words and actions,

And accumulate De through a thousand years.

Those attached to the narrow views of the Lesser Vehicle have little De;

They shut themselves away, remain difficult to teach, and refuse to change.

The ten sages of the ten directions all uphold this Way;

Having attained fruition, they are free and unobstructed.

After the True Treasury Youth and his retinue had finished these words of praise, they asked the Celestial Worthy to teach them the wondrous Dharma:

“Sentient beings cling to their sense of self and act only according to their habitual tendencies. Even those who practice the Lesser Vehicle and hold dualistic views lead the deluded astray, claiming, ‘The words we teach are true, and our principles are upright. Nothing in the world compares with them: they are the most exalted and subtle, worthy to be called the foundation of all scriptures.’

“Various kinds of ghosts and spirits likewise claim that their teachings are unquestionably true and unrivaled in the world. In distant lands, many alien xian spirits—spirits of other kinds—live among people who gladly practice the Lesser Vehicle, devoting themselves to ending evil and resolving to do good. Yet they become attached to doing good and believe that their own way is right. Sentient beings each hold fast to their own path of practice.

“Sentient beings have limited understanding and are easily persuaded by shallow teachings, though they are also willing to learn to do good. How can they be led away from the Lesser Vehicle and toward the Great Practice, the more expansive path of cultivation?”

The Celestial Worthy said, “That is exactly so. Living beings are often confused and mistaken. They are easily led astray and deceived; once others have them under their control, they will take the wrong path.

“Why is this so? Long ago, there was a country called Zitong. Its people often did good deeds, but their understanding was shallow and their discernment weak. They were easily taken in by false arts dressed up as virtuous teachings.

“There was a wild fox, king of the foxes, skilled in using demonic arts to deceive people. It said to the foxes, ‘The king of Zitong likes to do good and despises evil, but his understanding is limited. He believes whatever good words he hears. I have a wondrous art: I can fly and become invisible, and I can make people appear wise and discerning. I will fly to the palace, take the form of a handsome person, and sit suspended a hundred zhang above the ground. There I will expound various mysterious scriptures, discuss the principle of emptiness, explain the meaning of the teachings, and distinguish Yin-Yang. My voice will ring like a bell, and my words will flow without end. The clever people in the palace, along with the consorts, ladies-in-waiting, their households, and the common people, will all believe that I am a divine spirit and sage. They will gather to hear my teaching and marvel at the spectacle. Then they will heed my words. I will urge them to give up their lives, then take their clothes and treasures and bring them home. I will sell them in the market for rich meat, which I can eat with my wife, children, and household. Could there be a better way to make a living?’

“The foxes all cried out in approval and said to their king, ‘We usually live by stealing and catching wild animals. We are always afraid of being caught, and even of losing our lives. We toil endlessly, yet cannot provide for you. Your exceptional ability is rare in this world. Why not put it to use at once?’

“The fox king was tempted by their words. In secret, it recited the texts of illusionary arts. It studied day and night for three days and four nights, memorizing more than a hundred scrolls until it knew them by heart. Then it changed its form, flew to the front of the king’s hall, rose a hundred zhang into the air, and sat there to expound the scriptures, exactly as it had promised.

“The king, the people of the palace, and their many households hurried over together and gazed upward. Seeing the fox king deliver its strange teaching, they sighed and wept. When they heard it urging people to do good and abandon evil, the ladies-in-waiting and officials alike praised it without end. They thought it was extraordinarily rare for a sage to appear in the world, so they offered up all the country’s treasures and people. More than thirty people even gave up their lives on the spot in front of the palace.

“The fox king told them, ‘Those who give up their lives in this way are the finest of people. I will use my divine power to protect them and take them to the jeweled halls on Jade Mountain, where I will settle them and provide for them.’ With that, it turned into a fierce gust of wind, swept away every corpse and treasure without leaving a trace, and carried them back to the foxes’ den. There, the foxes shared and ate the human flesh. The king also left some treasures behind, so that its young could take human form, sell them in the market, and buy meat.

“When one of the young foxes went to bargain at a butcher’s shop, several fierce dogs inside were fighting over bones and tearing at one another. The dogs startled the young fox, and in its confusion it revealed its true form. The dogs bit it to death. Alarmed, the butcher did not dare keep the treasures he had found. He reported what had happened to the market official. The official, too, dared not hide them, and immediately reported the matter to the prefecture and county. The prefecture then submitted a report to the king, explaining how the treasures had been found and where they came from.

“When the king saw the treasures listed in the report, he recognized them as things his children had once played with. He came to his senses and said, ‘These treasures were supposedly offered to the sacred Way. Why have they ended up in the hands of foxes?’ At that moment, a clear-minded man named Xianling stepped forward, prostrated himself, and said, ‘May Your Majesty forgive me, even if what I am about to say deserves ten thousand deaths, and allow me to speak plainly.’ The king promised to pardon him and told him to continue.

“Kneeling, Xianling said, ‘The one who previously preached in the air and taught the people was in fact a fox demon using false arts. I wanted to report this to Your Majesty, but feared going against your wishes and did not dare speak. It merely recited scriptures without understanding their meaning. Its mouth urged people to abandon evil and follow good, but its heart held the opposite intention. It also claimed that it could fly through the air, which itself shows that its teaching was false. A true great sage dwells in stillness and clarity. How could such a sage confuse and mislead the people?’

“The king asked, ‘What should we do about the wrongs that have already been committed?’ Xianling replied, ‘You can muster troops and bring many fierce dogs. Surround that great mound and put an end to the fox demons’ harm, so that the true teaching may spread.’ The king then issued an order, set a date, and had the hill surrounded. The fox king took human form and bowed to greet the king; when the fierce dogs drew near, it changed back into a fox and was immediately bitten to death. The king ordered his officials to dig into the underground burrow. At last, they found the foxes’ den and uncovered a great many treasures. The king ordered word sent throughout the land, so that the rightful owners could come forward to claim them. Every claimant’s account matched the objects.

“You should understand that worldly affairs are difficult to discern. Some people speak uprightly but do not hold upright intentions in their hearts. They use the name of the true Way to confuse and mislead others. You four assemblies—the monks and nuns, and the laymen and laywomen—should constantly examine yourselves. From among the six kinds of true teaching, choose one meaning and hold fast to the right path. Do not let it be harmed, and do not be confused by false teachings. What is meant by ‘one meaning’?”

The Celestial Worthy said, “To cling neither to anything that exists nor to anything that is empty; to forget oneself and be free of attachment to an ‘I’; to return completely to emptiness and stillness—this is the First Principle, the highest truth.”

Someone asked, “If one has forgotten oneself and there is no ‘I,’ then who receives this principle of emptiness and becomes the First Principle?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “I alone receive it.”

Another asked, “If what is received is the absence of self, how can there still be an ‘I’ to receive it?”

The Celestial Worthy said, “Exactly. In truth, there is no separate self; this is the First Principle. It is without arising or ceasing, and ultimately clear and still. That is why it is called ‘receiving for oneself’—naturally realizing and receiving it.”

Furthermore, because their thoughts are confused, all living beings wander through the sixty-five paths and become tainted by false views. Ghosts and spirits enter their minds, so they often speak the words of ghosts and spirits without knowing it. They hear hollow, unfounded claims and take them for good teachings. When they encounter the Secret Treasury of Truth, its words do not please their ears, so they cannot take them in and instead give rise to disbelief.

Heterodox outsiders who hold false views are skilled at inventing deceptive words that sink deep into people’s hearts. People hear them, rejoice, and praise them; then they tell their wives and children to take refuge in and practice these teachings, believing they will thereby attain the Dao. Why does this happen? These teachings seem easy to understand on the surface, and false words readily stain people’s minds, so they believe them. But when they hear the true Treasury of Truth, which teaches release from all attachment to appearances and the stilling of distinctions between emptiness and existence, they instead give rise to slander.

Furthermore, good men and women, long ago there was a kingdom whose king was named Tu’ao. He was at ease in himself and understood the principles of things. Outsiders from every region came with false views and sorcery, using all kinds of methods to instruct the king and persuade him to practice false teachings of the Dao.

The first man to arrive knew the greatest number of magical arts. He could change his form through spells, soar freely through the air, and fill the sky with the sounds of bells and music. He went straight to the palace, striking and sounding instruments as he chanted without pause. The spectacle was so grand it defies description. The palace attendants, concubines, and officials throughout the court heard these sounds of the Dharma and became confused and disoriented. Even after three periods of seven days and five days had passed, no one came to their senses.

The king said to him, “You are an outsider who practices demonic arts. Leave at once! You are now bewildering my officials and throwing my kingdom into disorder. I will punish you.”

The man replied, “I follow the true path and have come especially to pay my respects to the king. Seeing that the king cultivates goodness, I ask you to observe carefully and listen to my teaching.”

The king said, “You practice false magic, changing forms among people to deceive them. No one could go further than you in this. My kingdom has the Mahayana scriptures of the true treasury, which serve as a mirror of the Dharma for all living beings. Why would I need to hear your pompous words and let you deceive and confuse me? I have heard that those who truly possess the Dao conceal their names and traces, remaining unknown to the people. I have also heard that the highest Dao is profound and hard to perceive, and that whatever has form and appearance is mostly false. Leave at once, or I will deal with you. I have a wise minister named Tongling. If you truly possess the Dao, debate with him.”

The king summoned Tongling. Tongling came forward, bowed, and reported, “Your Majesty has urgently summoned me, but I do not know what the matter is.”

The king said, “You have heard that yesterday a man performed extraordinary arts, bewildered my officials, and even tried to teach me to cultivate goodness. You must investigate and subdue him. Debate with this outsider and pursue the matter to its conclusion. Examine his words and his breath; probe his spiritual powers.”

Tongling replied, “Most outsiders are false, and few are true. They are not worth discussing. Please summon him before the court so we can confront him face to face.”

The two debated before the king for three days and three nights, discussing emptiness and existence and examining past and present, but neither could gain the upper hand. Tongling then revealed his wisdom and discussed the true path with him. The man uttered a stream of strange sounds, and his body seemed to have nowhere to stand. He was defeated, then hid himself and fled.

The king ordered his officials to search for him everywhere. They gathered people from across the kingdom and commanded that anyone with such abilities be captured. But the man had vanished without a trace; no matter how widely they searched, they could not find him. More than three thousand of his fellow outsiders dared not appear again and gradually disappeared. The kingdom was restored to clarity, and the people’s faith in the Mahayana grew firmer.

The kingdoms in the ten directions heard that King Tu’ao understood all the teachings and could distinguish falsehood from truth without obstruction, and that outsiders could not deceive him. They withdrew of their own accord. The kingdoms then sent ministers to seek the Dao and invite revered scriptures. At that time, the king sent Tongling to respectfully invite the honored teachings and explain what had happened. The kingdoms in the ten directions also came one after another to invite the revered scriptures, earnestly imploring the Divine Worthy to grant their request with compassion.

At that time, when the Celestial Worthy heard the assembly’s questions, he sent forth a great radiance that illuminated everywhere the scripture reached. The Vajra Youths, the benevolent spirits who protect the true teaching, and countless beings all came to offer their protection. Fragrant blossoms filled the air and drifted without end, while the sacred radiance of divine might and virtue spread in every direction. Auspicious signs appeared throughout the various lands: banners, canopies, and musical instruments came down from the sky. A fragrance known as “Returning Wind and Abundant Orchids” also arose of its own accord, without being burned. It filled the air, bringing relief to the living and delivering the dead.

The kings of the various lands cleansed and adorned their realms, and welcomed the holy one into their territory to preach the teachings continuously for seven days and seven nights. Immortal youths and jade maidens filled the Dharma realm. The heavenly beings rejoiced and played music together, its clear, resonant sound reaching every land and bringing boundless joy to all beings. Each person made a vow to take refuge in the unsurpassed Dao, the unsurpassed scripture, and the unsurpassed teacher. The resulting blessings, virtues, and karmic rewards cannot be measured. The kings could enjoy peace and ease; their states prospered and their people lived in security. War ceased forever, and no calamity came even over ten thousand kalpas.

Remote regions and lands of different peoples, too, heard of this wondrous scripture’s sacred power. They played music to welcome it, honored the sacred Dao, and vowed with heart and voice to study the unsurpassed Dao in every lifetime, never growing weary. The divine spirits then sent youths, benevolent Dharma protectors, and countless beings, carrying the famed fragrance “Returning Wind and Abundant Orchids,” to the places where they had been invited, in accordance with the wishes of all beings. Wherever they went, the earth became lapis lazuli. The people rejoiced, food and clothing came naturally in abundance, and the land was purified.

The great sages of the ten directions joined in protecting and spreading this wondrous scripture, whose mysteries are deeply concealed. They also entrusted it to kings and ministers, instructing them to uphold and venerate it. The virtues described in the scripture extend throughout heaven, the human world, and the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the highest heavens revered in Daoism. Their vastness cannot be put into words.

Good men and faithful women should diligently cultivate the Mahayana path and put the “Three Wisdoms” into practice. What are the Three Wisdoms? First, skillfully apply various expedient methods and learn to dispel disturbances from the external world. Second, cut off the afflictions and faults that arise from one’s actions, and do not let oneself be drawn along by external circumstances. Third, investigate the true nature of things until one reaches the place of enlightenment and realizes the Great Dao.

Once the source is realized, two kinds of insight shine clearly. The three forms of action—those of body, speech, and mind—flow freely; the four elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—function in harmony; the five skandhas, the constituents of the person and experience, open into clarity; the six senses remain unstained; the seven consciousnesses are free; the eightfold path is realized without a self; and the nine virtues continue without interruption. The worthy sages of antiquity and the saints of later generations all attained the Dao through this practice. Thus one should know that the True Treasury Scripture is foremost. Why is this so? Other scriptures teach peripheral matters and stages of the Hinayana path. This scripture reveals the root and clarifies the truth; its meaning is easy to understand, clear, and plain.

At that time, a wise man in the assembly named Faliao addressed the Celestial Worthy: “For seven minor kalpas, I have followed my master and studied the Daoist teachings. I have heard many principles, yet many things remain unclear, and I have never dared to ask about them. Later, I followed the Celestial Worthy to Lingjie Mountain and heard you expound and proclaim the merits of the Dao.

“The realm described in the Great Vehicle of the True Treasury—the highest scriptures of the True Dao—is equal everywhere and without end; all living beings can receive its benefit. I do not understand why so many kingdoms still send their ministers to seek the Daoist teachings and invite the honored scriptures. If the benefit already extends universally to all living beings, no one should need to come and invite them. But since people do come, does that mean the Dao’s benefit has not yet reached everywhere? I beg the Celestial Worthy to explain this clearly.”

The Celestial Worthy replied: “A good question! The doubt you have raised is shared by everyone, and I will now explain it to you.

“The Great Vehicle scriptures teach living beings first by embracing all things. The Dao is everywhere, and there is nothing it cannot contain. People from distant lands come to invite the scriptures because those places have not yet received illumination, and their people do not recognize the source of the Dao. All things are born from the Dao, but people do not know it; therefore, they need teachers to awaken them.

“This is like a treasure buried underground. Many people walk over it every day without noticing, while someone who knows how to recognize it takes a look and sees that a treasure lies there. The merit of distant lands is the same: although the Dao is present, people do not yet know it, so they must invite the scriptures to open the way to understanding.

“Living beings are like this as well. Some may live in the Central Plain, where the king’s law is in force, and still fail to awaken. Even if one spoke for countless kalpas, one could never explain every principle completely. It is like standing beneath the round dome of the sky without knowing how vast and high it is, or setting one’s feet on the square earth without knowing how deep and solid it is. All phenomena arise within the Dao, yet people do not know the Dao’s form. Living beings are confused in just this way.”

At that time, Faliao and the gathered assembly joyfully bowed. They awakened to the “Six Rights,” understood the path of the “Three Wisdoms,” held fast to the ancient city of the “One,” and destroyed the many obstacles and harms caused by demons and thieves. They bowed to the Celestial Worthy and respectfully took their leave.

At that time, Faliao and the assembly joyfully bowed in homage. They understood the Six Right Ways and mastered the path of the Three Wisdoms, held fast to the old city of “One,” and destroyed all manner of demonic obstacles and harmful thieves. They bowed before the Supreme Compassionate Venerable and took their leave, grieving and weeping, choked with emotion and unable to speak. Then they departed in silence.

End of Volume Seven of the Scripture of the Supreme Inner Secret Treasury

The Scripture of the Supreme Inner Secret Treasury, Volume Eight

Chapter on Gathered Immortals

At that time, there was a perfected one named Xianling. With more than 7,400 disciples, he lived and practiced in the world and on Mount Linwu, a mountain of immortals in Daoist legend. Over many long years, they gathered and ate lingzhi mushrooms, took medicines for health and longevity, and cared for their bodies through breathing practices and daoyin exercises. In the end, they attained long life and became earthly immortals. Yet they had not understood the Mahayana path and so had not attained liberation.

Then Xianling prostrated himself and bowed before the Celestial Worthy, saying, “I have long heard that the wondrous scripture of the True Treasury is concealed on Mount Lingjie. It can aid living beings and deliver the dead, sever afflictions, dispel demonic obstacles accumulated across kalpas, and sweep away every kind of delusion. Its compassion and grace shine everywhere, nourishing all living beings. I earnestly ask the Celestial Worthy to instruct us, so that we may ask questions and gain understanding. May you look upon us with care and bestow your grace.”

At that time, the Celestial Worthy sat upon a jeweled throne of five-colored glass on Spirit-Release Mountain, a hundred zhang above the ground, and expounded the profound and hidden treasury of the true teaching. An incense fragrance called “Mugwort and Orchid Reversing the Wind” spread through the air, allowing every teaching to benefit living beings. All beings that wriggle, perceive, or live were nourished, and those who had come from the four directions naturally understood its principles. The land below, once filthy and disorderly, was thereby transformed into a splendid and beautiful place, with sights rare and wondrous.

The Celestial Worthy then said to the assembled immortals, “You disciples have long practiced the Lesser Vehicle teachings, and the karmic ties of your past are not easily severed. I am now going to expound the Great Vehicle teaching to you, but I fear it may alarm you. Why? Because its meaning is subtle and profound, beyond the grasp of thought, and few can truly understand it. To seek this Way, you must first be free of three delusions. What are they? First, the heart is deluded by the desire to preserve life. Second, the feelings are deluded by wealth and sexual desire. Third, the mind is deluded by distinctions between good and evil. Only after removing these three delusions can you seek the Way.

“There is another practice that is the foundation of the Way and the starting point for all forms of cultivation. What is this practice? Do not cling to the world, yet do not leave the world. Do not cling to emptiness, yet do not leave emptiness. Do not cling to existence, yet do not leave existence. Do not cling to others or to oneself, yet do not abandon the relationship between others and oneself. Do not cling to cause and effect, yet do not leave cause and effect. Do not cling to body and thoughts, yet do not leave body and thoughts. Always cultivate in accord with the true Way. Persist in this practice, and you will continually attain liberation, escaping the cycle of birth and death.”

The Immortal Spirit then prostrated on the ground, bowed to the Celestial Worthy, and asked, “May I ask what one should follow in practicing this method?”

The Celestial Worthy said, “Follow the words that have always been.”

The Immortal Spirit asked again, “Beginners who practice the Lesser Vehicle—the more basic methods of cultivation—may practice for many years, even across lifetimes, without understanding the source of the Dao. Why, then, is this method called ‘old’?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “That which does not give rise to mind is old.”

The Immortal Spirit asked again, “What is called ‘not giving rise to mind’ seems to mean that there is no method at all. If there is nothing to follow as a method, why call it ‘old words’?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “When the mind’s activity ceases and afflictions are ended, one can realize the principle of Wuwei (non-action). Those who realize this principle transcend birth and death, attain the perfect state of the Dao, and bring their merit and virtue to completion. This is called ‘not giving rise to mind.’”

The Immortal Spirit asked again, “Since not giving rise to mind means there is nothing to follow as a method, why call it ‘old words’?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “When the mind’s activity ceases and afflictions are ended, one realizes the principle of Wuwei. Those who realize this principle transcend birth and death, attain the perfect state of the Dao, and bring their merit and virtue to completion. This is called ‘old words.’”

The Immortal Spirit asked again, “After the mind’s activity ceases, who ends the afflictions? Who realizes Wuwei? And who knows extinction? If there is still a subject who ‘knows extinction’ and ‘realizes Wuwei,’ then some real thing must remain. Whatever is real undergoes change and cannot abide forever. Since it cannot abide forever, it is impermanent—so how can it be called ‘old words’? I still do not understand these questions. I respectfully ask you to explain them further.”

The Celestial Worthy smiled, and five-colored light shone from his body, its radiance spreading throughout the ten directions of the heavens. He also manifested a realm beyond all forms, then replied joyfully, “Excellent, excellent! Your question can dispel the doubts of all beings and reveal the essential path to awakening. I will now explain it to you. Listen carefully and reflect earnestly, and you will understand clearly.

“The teaching I have revealed has, from the beginning, no fixed inherent nature. Precisely because it has no fixed nature, everything is expressed only through inherited words and names.” At this, the immortal spirits and their gathered followers heard this Mahayana teaching, and their minds opened all at once. Their joy was beyond description. They said, “Through countless kalpas of hardship, we pursued the way far and wide, only to become more deeply lost. Now, having heard the Mahayana teaching, each of us has returned to the source and attained freedom in Wuwei (non-action).”

The Celestial Worthy continued, “Good friends, do not seek outside yourselves or give rise to deluded distinctions. Why? All dharmas are only inherited names and forms. To say that the myriad dharmas arise and perish is to slander them. This is called wrong view and an outsider’s teaching; it is also called discrimination, gain and loss, inversion, and attachment to self and others. To say that the myriad dharmas neither arise nor perish likewise distorts our understanding of them, and is also wrong view, an outsider’s teaching, discrimination, gain and loss, inversion, and attachment to self and others. Why? The root of the myriad dharmas is pure and complete: it is neither emptiness nor existence, and it is neither said to be not empty nor said to be nonexistent. The nature of Dharma—the fundamental nature of all dharmas—is thereby free and unobstructed. This is called the supreme Way. Hence it is called the ‘inherited words,’ and also the ‘true scripture.’

“Merit and virtue are neither grasped as truly existent nor confined to the opposition between emptiness and existence. To accord with the nature of Dharma without distorting the myriad dharmas is called the supreme Way; to cling neither to right nor wrong is called the inherited words; to cling neither to birth nor death is called the true scripture; to cling neither to coming nor going is called merit and virtue; to cling neither to taking nor rejecting is called the treasure of Dharma; and to cling neither to self nor others is called meditative stillness and wisdom. This wondrous teaching may also be spoken of as great birth and death, great coming and going, great right and wrong, great self and others, great taking and rejecting, and great this and that. Why? The root of Dharma is inexhaustible; even speaking of it all day would not bring it to an end.

“This is like the ocean receiving a hundred rivers: the ocean’s waters do not increase or diminish because of them. The merit and virtue of the Mahayana scriptures are likewise wondrous and profound. Even a hundred thousand myriad similes would not explain one ten-thousandth of them. The merit and virtue of this scripture cannot be measured.

“Furthermore, among you, my great disciples and the gathered immortals, some first studied the Lesser Vehicle. Their past karmic forces and habits have taken deep root and are difficult to cast aside at once. When they hear this Mahayana teaching and cannot accept it, they should not regret this so deeply that they lose the very root of merit and virtue. I hold compassion for them as a mother loves her child. Why? The Dharma is not severed; it is pure and endowed with wisdom, and it can bring people to liberation. But if even for a single thought one turns against the Dharma, one’s roots of goodness are severed.

“A mother’s love for her child is like this: her breath continues, and her thoughts never turn away; not for a moment does she abandon the child. But if the child is unfilial, leaves the mother of its own accord, flees elsewhere, and no longer thinks of her, this is like beings who, in their delusion, forget the kindness of their loving mother and stray from the path of goodness.”

At this time, Xianling bowed and prostrated before the Supreme Venerable, the Supreme Dharma, and the Celestial Worthy. “Your disciple is fortunate to have heard the Great Vehicle, the vast teaching that leads to liberation, and to have encountered a good spiritual guide who can lead people in practice. I am overcome with joy and wonder; never before have I experienced anything like this. In the past, I studied the Lesser Vehicle, a path that places relatively greater emphasis on personal practice and liberation. I labored for many years, yet could not escape birth and death, right and wrong, affliction, love and attachment, grasping, or distinctions between self and others. Nor could I free myself from attachment to the views of annihilation and permanence. I suffered in this way and could never attain liberation. Now that I have understood the Great Vehicle, my mind has opened suddenly, with no more obstructions. Yet beings have different capacities. How can they all enter the Great Vehicle?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “They can all enter the Great Vehicle.”

Xianling asked again, “Since beings follow different paths and have different capacities, why do some cultivate the Dao, while others do good or evil? And why do sages teach and transform beings? If beings truly do good and evil, then the myriad things cannot be said to be entirely the same, and the Great Vehicle must have distinctions. If the Great Vehicle has distinctions, how can it be said that all beings can enter it?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “The Great Dao has no fixed direction or boundary; every kind of difference finds its proper place. Beings are deluded and confused, so they imagine that there are different ways of entering the Great Vehicle. In truth, all beings can enter it. The good and evil that beings do are also within the Great Vehicle. But beings are immersed in it without knowing or awakening to it, and so they mistakenly believe that the many things they encounter truly exist. As a result, they create karma, are drawn along by its force, and remain bound in the cycle of rebirth, losing the way of great compassion.”

Xianling asked again, “Good and evil have different names, yet both can be included in the Great Vehicle. The real and the conventional also have different names, yet both can be included in the Lesser Vehicle. If the real and the conventional have different names without thereby creating distinctions within the Lesser Vehicle, then why can good and evil, despite their different names, both be included in the Great Vehicle?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “What essential difference is there between the names ‘good’ and ‘evil’ and the names ‘real’ and ‘conventional’? The Great Vehicle and the Lesser Vehicle are equal from the outset. Where could any difference of great and small be?”

Xianling asked again, “If so, since great and small are the same, they should not oppose one another or differ. But if they really are two different paths, they seem unable to exist at the same time. If both exist without any essential difference, then since they are merely two names, both should be the Lesser Vehicle, with no Great Vehicle. Why, then, do you say that all can enter the Great Vehicle?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “The Great Vehicle and the Lesser Vehicle are named in relation to one another. In truth, there are no two separate entities that can be used to make them manifest.”

Someone asked, “Since the Great Vehicle and the Lesser Vehicle are named in relation to one another, each depends on the other. If the Great Vehicle is named in dependence on the Lesser Vehicle, then it should be called ‘lesser’ along with it. If the Lesser Vehicle is named in dependence on the Great Vehicle, then it should be called ‘greater’ along with it. Why, then, can they still appear under the names ‘greater’ and ‘lesser’ while you say there are no two separate entities?”

Another asked, “Since the Great Vehicle and the Lesser Vehicle are named in relation to one another, why can the two names, ‘greater’ and ‘lesser,’ appear in relation to each other?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “Their appearing in relation to each other is like using medicine to dispel illness. In the minds of sentient beings are two kinds of discriminating thoughts, yet neither has anything real that can be grasped. Though nothing can be attained in this state, people conjure up deluded thoughts, distinguish two views, and divide things into good and evil.”

Someone asked, “If that is so, when a good thought arises, the name ‘evil’ should disappear; when an evil thought arises, the name ‘good’ should disappear. Why can the two names, ‘good’ and ‘evil,’ appear at the same time?”

The Celestial Worthy said, “Just so. When the name ‘good’ arises, the name ‘evil’ disappears; when the name ‘evil’ arises, the name ‘good’ disappears.”

The spirit said, “If so, the name ‘evil’ should extend through past and future, and both past and future should also be evil. If past and future are not evil, how can good and evil arise in turn in the present?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “Since past and future do not exist, the alternation of good and evil in the present has no real point of arising either. How, then, could the names ‘good’ and ‘evil’ arise?”

Someone asked, “Since the names ‘good’ and ‘evil’ have no substance, there should still be substance when good and evil arise, should there not?”

The reply was, “When good and evil arise, neither has a fixed substance corresponding to its name.”

Someone asked again, “Since the names ‘good’ and ‘evil’ are different, one cannot say that neither name has substance. If neither name has substance, then the name ‘evil’ should have substance … Since neither the name ‘good’ nor the name ‘evil’ has substance, there should still be substance when good and evil arise, should there not?”

The reply was, “When good and evil arise, neither has a fixed substance corresponding to its name.”

Someone asked again, “Since the names ‘good’ and ‘evil’ are different, one cannot say that neither has substance. If neither name has substance, should the name ‘evil’ then have substance after all?”

“All things that exist contain nonexistence” means that existence and nonexistence are not sharply opposed, and what is called “existence” has no fixed, unchanging substance.

Someone else asked, “Since the name ‘evil’ has no substance and is therefore called ‘nonexistence,’ shouldn’t the name ‘good’ have substance and therefore be called ‘existence’?”

The Celestial Worthy replied, “Good and evil are only two names; they do not refer to two different substances. In their original nature, they are equal, fixed neither as good nor as evil. By going beyond distinctions between good and evil, one reaches ultimate purity. All things can be met with ease and without obstruction, without distinctions of size or length, and in the end one attains liberation.

“Good men and women should diligently cultivate generosity, uphold the precepts, make vigorous effort, practice compassion, patience, and wisdom. Everything in the world can become a place for spiritual cultivation. If you continue to practice generosity, uphold the precepts, make vigorous effort, practice compassion, patience, and wisdom, your merit will be perfected and beyond measure.

“If someone has deep faith in the Great Dao and recites this scripture, their merit will be vast and immeasurable. If someone receives, upholds, and makes offerings to this scripture, and explains and spreads it to others, their wisdom will shine continually like sunlight. Passed down from generation to generation, this wisdom can also benefit the Seven Ancestors—the ancestors of seven generations—and bring them all to liberation. Even compared with the heavens of the Three Realms and with all things as countless as plants, trees, dust, and sand, this merit is beyond comparison: they amount to less than one ten-thousandth of it.

“This hidden treasury of truth, these profound teachings, are difficult to see and hear. Without blessings and abundant merit accumulated in past lives, one cannot hear or see them. After hearing this Mahayana scripture, all the assembled immortals should strive diligently to proclaim teachings they have never heard before. If they do not spread them, they will cut off the many conditions for goodness and block the roots of spiritual cultivation; year after year, eon after eon, they will ultimately become distant from the causes of goodness.

“All of you must purify your minds and give rise to no doubt. You must never slander the Mahayana, lest you bring grave calamity upon yourselves. Since beginningless eons, I have cultivated without pause. Through countless changes of body and life, my thoughts have continued without interruption, ever seeking the Great Dao. After learning this Mahayana, I have never turned back. To attain the Unsurpassed Dao, you should make great vows and pledge to save sentient beings, showing compassion and pity toward all.

“You four assemblies—the monks and nuns, and the lay men and women—should cultivate compassion and guide others by suitable means.”

At that time, the assembled immortals and spirits trembled with fear, their bodies shaking and sweat pouring from them. Feeling the weight of the mission they had received, they believed and followed the teaching. In those days, the laws of the realm were clear and just, everyone held compassion in their hearts, the Three Evil Destinies—hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—were eliminated, and the Five Desires no longer arose.

At this, all the immortals were filled with boundless joy. They praised the wondrous, profound merit of the Dharma King—here, the Celestial Worthy—and composed these verses:

My Master’s grace extends without limit. According to their own karmic conditions and capacity to receive, all beings find the salvation suited to them.

The nature of the Dharma never changes; its essence is still and free of action. Its merit is complete and benefits all universally.

In the past, we practiced the Lesser Vehicle, a path focused on personal liberation, enduring many kalpas in arduous and diligent cultivation.

Now we have understood the skillful means of the Great Vehicle, the broad and universal path of cultivation. Without restless effort of body or mind, we can naturally behold the Great Dao.

It is wondrous and profound, beyond thought or measure. Beings have narrow understanding and have lost sight of their own source.

At this, the assembled immortals and spirits praised the Dharma King’s wondrous merit: it benefits beings and delivers them from every kind of suffering, nourishing them all. The Great Vehicle’s path is vast and far-reaching, beyond measure. Each of us disciples has received and cultivated it; by good fortune, through karmic ties formed in the past, we have encountered the true scripture personally transmitted by the Celestial Worthy and thereby understood the unsurpassed Dao.

The Celestial Worthy said, “The Dao’s teachings have no distinction between inner and outer, nor any length or breadth that can be measured. Each of us disciples has received and cultivated them; by good fortune, through karmic ties formed in the past, we have encountered the true scripture personally transmitted by the Celestial Worthy and thereby understood the unsurpassed Dao.”

The Celestial Worthy said: The Dao has no distinction between inside and outside, no difference between long and short, and no boundaries of coming and going. Sentient beings have limited capacities and are often obscured by afflictions. For a long time they cannot awaken, as though dwelling in the dark of a long night, not knowing when they will understand. The light of the sun and moon is impartial, yet it cannot reach the eyes of the blind. So it is with sentient beings who hear the true teaching and remain confused.

He then said to the faithful men and women: A mountain of jade reflects light on both its inner and outer faces. Though jade forms in the earth, it is not stained by impurities. The nature of sentient beings is likewise: only because they are deluded and disoriented do they remain unable to awaken. The Celestial Worthy then said to his great disciples: Set your resolve, devote yourselves to practice, and persevere diligently without turning back. If you advance in cultivation even in secret, you will naturally receive the corresponding results.

Heaven and Earth each have their own immortal officials, with different ranks and stations, different domains and levels. Their realms also differ according to their cultivation, the karmic results they receive, and the categories to which they belong. Even if one spoke for an entire kalpa, these differences could not all be described. To practice only through hardship, laboring diligently over many kalpas, may still end without attaining the Dao. One must follow this Jing to attain the Dao step by step.

This Jing contains the secret methods of the true Dao and can subdue invading demons. Celestial spirits, Earth spirits, the Five Sacred Peaks, famous mountains, and the immortals dwelling in grottoes all rely on this Jing and receive teachings suited to their respective levels of cultivation. This Jing is supremely revered, the king of all scriptures, and enables those who practice it to attain freedom and self-mastery.

The Celestial Worthy then spoke this verse:

This Jing is subtle and wondrous in its own right; no clever words of mine are needed to make it clear. It reveals the principles of ancient times and accords with the capacities of sentient beings; those with wisdom hear it and rejoice. You disciples must practice diligently and not abandon the path halfway. This is not a Jing suited only to practitioners of the Lesser Vehicle. If shallow understanding leads to slackness, little can be accomplished. I now give many examples so that even the dull-witted may hear and understand with ease. The words are simple, yet the meaning is profound and subtle; through them one may verify the Dao here and now and realize the fruit of non-birth, the state beyond arising and passing away. The Dao lies nowhere outside the mind; the nature of sentient beings is the same as mine. Each of you should reflect carefully: this wondrous teaching is like a pure land of equality, a grove of wisdom and merit. Let go of distinctions based on form, and form itself will reveal the Dao’s subtle truth.