《上清太极隐注玉经宝诀》

The Supreme Subtle Mystery (Taishang Xuanwei), the Daoist name for the highest and most mysterious Dao (the Way), is the original source of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), the three great divisions of the Daoist scriptures (jing). The words of the scripture are profound and finely subtle, hidden and hard to hear; lofty and deep, it embraces all things. The highest De (Virtue/Power) and the exalted realm are where the myriad wonders dwell and the source of the way of the immortals. These teachings were gathered together and compiled into this scripture.

Reciting this scripture, one may ascend into the void, riding dragons and mounting the clouds; yet one must believe and revere with true sincerity, give the whole of one’s earnest intent, restrain the emotions, and make mind and will one. Those resolved to cultivate the Dao will seek this scripture from afar, honor the master, come to the place where the methods of the Dao are taught, prostrate before the master, inquire and seek instruction in earnest, and request transmission of this precious scripture. Do not violate the teachings, and do not harbor doubt; so long as one sincerely believes in the orthodox Dao, there is hope of becoming an immortal. Through methods of cultivation such as exhaling the old and inhaling the new and ingesting lingzhi, one comes into correspondence with the Dao of emptiness, and in the end there comes a day of flight and ascent into immortality. When the practice is complete, the methods of the Dao come full circle in awakening, and one can see clearly into the nine heavens and the eight directions. Wondrous secret instructions such as these are not necessarily understood by ordinary cultivators of the Dao.

Those who study the true Dao, if they can reflect alone in stillness and contemplatively illuminate what lies before their eyes, bring the state of mind into accord with the inner Elixir (Dan, the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) of life meant in the practice of Neidan (internal alchemy)). When the mind is refined and put to the test, they are not drawn by external things or by desire; they endure hunger and cold and, though they feel the hardship, do not grow slack; they eat only at noon; slander brings them no sorrow, and praise brings them no delight; within, they cultivate De, and without, they treat others with calm evenness; they bathe with fragrant herbs such as qingzhi and keep the Qi of embryonic breathing (taixi, a Daoist method of regulating the breath) from being lost. They then observe the purificatory fast, enter the quiet chamber, and burn true sandalwood incense.

They next don the cape and put on the headcloth, set their ritual vestments in solemn order, bow toward the lower direction, and give their lives over to the Supreme Truth (Taizhen, the ultimate true deity venerated in Daoism), bowing three times before the scriptures. They then open the repository of the eight colors—the precious store of which the scripture speaks—lay out the supreme treasure, and take up and recite such scriptures as the Great Cavern of Dongxuan, the Venerable Scripture of the Dao and De, the Hidden Chapters of the Eight Purities, Golden Perfection and Jade Radiance, Dispelling Demons and Scattering the Numina, Summoning the Immortals and Pacing the Void, and the Feathered Scripture of Flight. The clear, far-carrying sound of recitation spreads through the cloudy heights, and the myriad Perfected descend into the courtyard.

The Most High (Taishang) mounts his carriage and sets out, and the immortals ride together in cloud-chariots; the cloud-Qi is dense and abundant, converging from afar into the depths of the dark and hidden. The Three Pure Qi (Sansu, the three kinds of clear and bright Qi of which Daoism speaks) shine with the same radiance as the sun and moon. Round halos crown the immortals’ heads; they wear capes of gauze and bear jade pendants and fire-bells. The majestic exalted Perfected—immortals who have attained the Dao—drift lightly on their far journey, aided and protectively upheld by the deity Jade Blossom, and together they ascend to the realm of Shangqing (Supreme Clarity).

Whether one attains the Dao does not depend on noble or humble rank; what matters is utmost sincerity. The Three Realms all come to present offerings, and the demon kings also come forward to receive one. Long life having been cultivated, and the span of years without end, one is no longer bound by the allotted term of the kalpic cycles. In this realm one wanders free and at ease, forever keeping peace, firm rectitude, and good fortune.

The Taishang Yujing Yinzhu (Hidden Commentary on the Jade Scripture of the Most High) says that the ritual for transmitting the Daodejing, the classic of the Dao (the Way) and the De (Virtue/Power), is as follows: the master faces north, places the scripture on the table, and the disciple respectfully receives it. In this way one may enjoy years without end, unbound by the limits of kalpas and the passing of time, free and at ease, forever preserving auspiciousness and steadfast rectitude.

The Taishang Yujing Yinzhu further says that the ritual for transmitting the Daodejing is as follows: the master faces north and places the scripture on the table; the disciple prostrates on the left, the master holds the scripture, and the disciple presents the faxin (the token of faith used when the teaching is transmitted). The master clicks the teeth thirty-six times and inwardly visualizes the three palaces of the body—the Niwan, the Dantian (energy center), and the Jianggong—together with the “Three Ones” within them (the deities dwelling in the body in Daoist cultivation). The master then visualizes a thousand chariots and horses escorting the scripture and the master and disciple, and offers this invocation:

Upon the mist-veiled, boundless ridges of the Grand Void, flowing radiance hangs high in the Upper Mystery. This scripture has been transmitted from the beginning, passing through kalpas without end, and has long protected heaven and earth and the human world. When rulers of the world study it, they may attain a De like that of Yao; when Daoist priests recite and practice it, they may attain the Dao and become immortals. Persons of worthy virtue who now respectfully receive the scripture should transmit it to one another according to the proper rites. If one does not meet a person of the highest virtue, one must guard it in secret and must not proclaim it lightly. Those who revere this scripture may ascend to the Taiqing (Grand Clarity); those who cast it aside will fall into the Nine Springs. What I set forth is the Dao of Wuwei (non-action); the De of clarity and stillness comes to completion of itself.

When the invocation is finished, the disciple performs three bows and receives the scripture. A female disciple prostrates on the right. Whenever scriptures are transmitted, the ritual is conducted in this manner.

The Taishang Yujing Yinzhu further says that the ritual for transmitting the Dadong Zhenjing (Great Cavern Perfected Scripture) is as follows: the master faces north and places the scripture on the table; the master holds the scripture, and the disciple presents the faxin. The master clicks the teeth thirty-six times, inwardly visualizes the Taishang Yuhuang (a revered deity of Daoism), visualizes the radiance of the sun and moon shining upon the scripture, the master, and the disciple, and then offers this invocation:

How remote and secluded is the Taiwei (a palace of the celestial realm)! Perfected beings congeal and are born within the void. The Dao of spontaneity emerges from emptiness and gathers to form the Dadong Jing (Great Cavern Scripture). Worthy perfected beings respectfully bear the faxin, accord with the turning of the times, and pass through the Huangting (the inner place of cultivation spoken of in Daoism). The Most High strikes their names from the register of the dead (the roster on which deaths are recorded), and the deity Director of Destinies writes down the names of those who become immortals. One must keep the secret for a long time. If one leaks it and treats this scripture with contempt, one will suffer the torments of hell. Calamity and punishment will also implicate seven generations of ancestors, subjecting you to the punishment of the wind-knives so that your bodily form dissolves.

When the invocation is finished, the disciple performs three bows and receives the scripture.

When the Scriptural Methods of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern of Mystery of the Most High (Taishang Lingbao Dongxuan Jingfa) are transmitted, the master faces north, places the scripture on the altar table, and holds the scroll, while the disciple presents the ritual pledge (faxin) as a token of faith. The master clicks the teeth thirty-six times, visualizes each of the five viscera displaying its corresponding color, and brings them into complete harmony so that they transform into cloud-like Qi (vital energy) in the form of a precious canopy, encircling and covering the scripture together with master and disciple. He then offers this prayer:

The chapters of the celestial writing are concise and free of superfluity; the principles of the Dao (the Way) and De (Virtue/Power) are naturally complete. One who cultivates this Dao will surely become a divine immortal—what more need one seek? The radiance of the scripture penetrates the Great Void (Taixu), bright and profound. In transmission the ritual norms must be strictly observed; if one divulges the scriptural methods or treats them with disrespect, one will fall into hell.

When the prayer is finished, the disciple performs three bows and, after receiving the scripture, bows once toward each of the ten directions, beginning from the north, turning toward the east, and proceeding in sequence through a full circuit. One visualizes the Most High (Taishang)—a revered deity of Daoism—manifesting his true form in the ten directions, as vividly as an image seen before one’s eyes.

When the Celestial Script of the Three Sovereigns of the Most High (Taishang Sanhuang Tianwen) is transmitted, the master faces north, places the scripture on the altar table, and holds the scroll, while the disciple presents the ritual pledge. The master clicks the teeth twenty-four times and visualizes that in each of the upper, middle, and lower palaces there is a Perfected Person (zhenren), formed like an infant and wearing no clothes, who breathes forth purple Qi from the mouth to suffuse and moisten the scripture and both master and disciple. He then offers this prayer:

The celestial script of the Most High is said to date from the time when heaven and earth first opened. The August Person (Huangren) proclaims its mysterious intent; this is the book of supreme truth. The worthy and enlightened should receive it with reverence and set their resolve upon ascending into the Great Void.

When the prayer is finished, the disciple performs two bows and receives the scripture.

Scriptures and Fulu (talismans and registers) of the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) grade are all transmitted facing north. Scriptures of the middle grade are outer documents belonging to methods of deliberate action (youwei), and for these the master should face east. When the name-registers of the descendants of immortals and sages are transmitted, the transmitter faces south; male disciples prostrate on the left and female disciples prostrate on the right. The ritual pledges and the prayers and oaths are all carried out according to the rites performed by the ritual master (fashi).

When one opens the principles contained in the Scripture of the Dao and De (Daodejing), one should first burn incense, arrange the ritual robes, and perform the bows according to the rites described above, and then offer this prayer:

The ultimate Dao (the Way), mysterious and yet more mysterious, is the root of the myriad ways; the highest De (Virtue/Power) embodies the primordial Qi (vital energy) of the beginning of heaven and earth. Although the realm of celestial perfection is profound and subtle, it may take as its point of origin the Lord of the Mud Pellet close at hand (the presiding spirit in the brain). The palace halls are all formed of the seven treasures, and the windows range themselves in natural order. If one constantly maintains purity and stillness, one can reach the realm of the true; one rides the radiance of the sun and moon and travels upon purple clouds. With the sun and moon shining to left and right, one may ascend as an immortal, live long, and preserve life. Ancestors of seven generations all ascend to heaven, and descendants, generation after generation, become a household that cultivates the Dao and accumulates De. When these things are accomplished, one may then read the scriptures (Jing).

The Concealed Commentary on the Jade Scripture of the Most High (Taishang Yujing Yinzhu) says: When opening and reciting the scriptural treasury of the Dongzhen Jing (the scripture of the Cavern of Perfection, one of the Three Caverns—Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen; the secretly preserved scriptures of which Daoism speaks), one should first burn incense, set one’s ritual robes in order, perform obeisance according to the rite, and then make this invocation:

The subtle and mysterious ancestral gate shines with clear light and penetrates through to the Hollow Void. The ultimate Dao opens from within purity, stillness, and silence, and one is then able to behold the Palace of the Three Simplicities (a celestial palace in the Daoist heavens). The great Dao is accomplished here; one rides the radiance of the sun and moon, traveling in a dragon chariot upon the clouds. To left and right are immortals who attend the scriptures, with jade maidens and jade lads accompanying them. One oneself crosses the Ford of Deathlessness (the crossing that leads to the realm of undying), is released from the nets of the dusty world, and travels with the numinous wind. Ancestors of seven generations return to the root and are born anew, and generation after generation they become a household of divine immortals.

The Concealed Commentary on the Jade Scripture of the Most High says: When opening and reciting the scriptural treasury of the Dongxuan Jing, one should first burn incense, set one’s ritual robes in order, perform obeisance according to the rite, and then make this invocation:

The root of utmost stillness and supreme emptiness towers aloft beyond numberless kalpas. The Dongxuan scripture, suddenly made manifest—who can fathom its mystery, deep, vast, and far-reaching? Once one has entered the path of the Great Vehicle, who still reckons how many years, months, and kalpas have passed? There is neither birth nor death; should there be birth by transformation, one is born from the lotus. The path that transcends the Three Realms (the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm) loosens the nets of the world with a compassionate heart. The Perfected (those who have attained the Dao) possess unsurpassed De, and generation after generation all become immortal households.

The Concealed Commentary on the Jade Scripture of the Most High says: When opening and reciting the scriptural treasury of the Celestial Writs of the Three Sovereigns, one should first burn incense, set one’s ritual robes in order, perform obeisance according to the rite set out above, and then make this invocation:

The talismanic mandate of the Most High that settles the spirits and the gods commands the wisdom between heaven and earth. Upon hearing the name, without waiting for carriages, the myriad immortals at once assemble. Numinous spirits are summoned with no regard to high or low station—how much less those turbid things? One purifies oneself and keeps the fast, cuts off worldly affairs, abides in transcendent stillness, and comes face to face with the spirits. One ascends to the Palace of Jade Clarity (a celestial palace revered in Daoism) and roams and feasts beyond the distant heavens.

The Concealed Commentary on the Jade Scripture of the Most High says: When reciting the Daode Jing, … [The latter portion of the original text is repetitive and incomplete, and its content is continuous with the invocation of the preceding section.]

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says that when one reads the Daode Jing (the Classic of the Dao [the Way] and the De [Virtue/Power]), one should first click the teeth thirty-six times and then swallow the saliva in the mouth thirty-six times. One next visualizes in the mind a green dragon on the left, a white tiger on the right, a vermilion bird in front, and a dark warrior behind; beneath the feet are the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and thirty-six divine turtles, a lion crouches in front, and the Seven Stars canopy the head. The five viscera give rise to five kinds of Qi (vital energy), and rays of light like colored patterns cover the whole body. The Three Ones—the three deities within the body, as Daoism describes them—attend beside the scripture, each accompanied by a thousand chariots and horses and ten thousand followers; and throughout heaven and earth eighteen thousand jade maidens and jade lads stand guard as well.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says that when one reads the Dongzhen Jing (a scripture of the Dongzhen, one of the Three Caverns [Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen]), one should click the teeth thirty-six times and swallow the saliva thirty-six times. One first visualizes in the mind the returning wind blending the Sovereign One, the hundred Shen (spirits), and the myriad Perfected—deities of Daoism—and only then recites the Dongzhen Jing.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says that when one reads the Dongxuan Jing, one should first perform huoluo tooth-clicking, a Daoist method of clicking the teeth, clicking the teeth thirty-six times, and then swallow the saliva thirty-six times. One visualizes each of the five viscera sending forth Qi of a different color, rising to join the Jing (essence) and Qi of the five stars, and then recites the scripture.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says that when one recites the Taishang Dongxuan Scripture of Pacing the Void, one first clicks the teeth three times and swallows the saliva three times. In the mind one visualizes the sun and moon before oneself, entering through the nostrils into the Cavern Chamber and the Palace of Golden Florescence, inner landscapes of the body in Daoist visualization. The light of the sun and moon issues from behind the head and neck and appears as a circular radiance of nine colors, then gradually enters the Jade Pillow, the Daoist inner landscape at the back of the head, its brightness illuminating the ten directions. The sun and moon travel far with the sound of one’s recitation and then wheel about in their course: the sun enters through the left nostril and the moon through the right nostril. When this is complete, one clicks the teeth again by the method used at the beginning.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says that when one reads scriptures of ascending to immortality, one first clicks the teeth twelve times and swallows the saliva twelve times; each time a section has been recited, one clicks the teeth three times more. Different scriptures each have their corresponding methods; where no specific method is recorded, one may practice according to this oral instruction.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture (Taishang Yujing Yinzhu) says: In cultivating the Daoist scriptures (Jing), if one has not received instruction from a master, the divine spirits (Shen) will not appear. If there is no ritual master in the world, and no one to transmit the Daoist registers—the credentials that the Daoist teaching confers upon practitioners—one should prepare tokens of sincerity and take them to a Jingzhi, a Daoist abbey or ritual altar, or else face north in a quiet chamber, respectfully invite the Mysterious Master Lord Lao (Xuanshi Laojun), the master of transmission venerated in Daoism, and bow three times. Afterward one should give goods to those who are hungry, cold, and in distress, and cultivate the scriptures with an impartial and single-minded heart. If a master is already to be found in the world, one need not follow this method.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says: When reciting the scriptures, one should sit on a small couch five chi high, with length and width the same. One need only wear a headcloth and a ritual cape, the ceremonial dress of Daoism; one need not wear a coarse hemp robe. The ritual vestments of the Supreme Perfected (Taishang Zhenren) when reciting the scriptures are a brocade cape of Liluo ninefold radiance and a headcloth of cinnabar gauze and precious radiance. Dressing in this manner is sufficient.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture further says: When the Supreme Perfected recites the scriptures, he wears shoes patterned with lions. Daoist priests of the present day labor diligently at ritual practice in plain ritual capes; on the day they attain the Dao (the Way), the Celestial Emperor will bestow upon them the cape of Liluo ninefold radiance and the flying-immortal ritual vestments of Heavenly Treasure and jeweled tassels, in recompense for the merit of their past cultivation. Practitioners should not envy the official caps and ceremonial robes of the secular world, nor should they disdain the plain clothing of Daoist priests. Secular dress may appear glorious for the moment, yet it cannot spare a person from death; a Daoist priest who cultivates in plain ritual vestments will in the end ascend as an immortal and put on the garments of the celestial realm. Clad in heavenly robes, one can rise in flight as an immortal and travel through the air.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says: In reciting the scriptures one should follow the pronunciation of Zhongxia, an ancient name for China, for this is the orthodox sound of the Nine Heavens. The recitation melody of the Sixty-fourth Great Brahma Praise Scripture likewise belongs to the orthodox sound; the tone of scriptural recitation should take this as its standard. The Immortal Duke (Xiangong) said that Laozi once transmitted the Dao to the west and instructed the Hu peoples; when foreigners recite the scriptures, they mostly adopt the melody of the Great Brahma Heaven. As for the melody Daoist priests use in recitation, each may follow the manner he prefers.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture (Taishang yujing yinzhu) says: Each time one has read five hundred characters of scripture, one should click the teeth three times, then lick the upper and lower lips with the tongue and swallow the saliva in the mouth in three portions. This prevents excessive fatigue; continued over a long period, the voice becomes clear and bright. One who does not know this method will, in reading scripture, deplete Qi (vital energy) and exhaust the spirit. The Zhenren (Perfected) say: Boil bamboo leaves down into a strong decoction and take it as a drink; while reading the scripture, practice cunxiang (quiet, concentrated visualization). This can augment Jing (essence) and Qi, open communion with Shen (spirit), and let the breath circulate calmly and freely.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says: The Supreme Great Concealment Talismans are nine in all and should be swallowed at one time with water when the sun stands directly overhead. Persist for a thousand days, and one can come and go without obstruction, conceal the body or make it appear just as one wishes, and become an immortal. Wear the five Lingbao talismans (Talismans of the Numinous Treasure) on the body, and one can ride a dragon and harness Qi, pass through water and fire, receive the aid of the Five Emperors, roam far and fly high, and likewise become an immortal. After putting on the True Form Charts of the Five Sacred Peaks and the Great Talismans of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), one must not approach the bedchamber or engage in sexual union and other defiling acts; otherwise death is certain, and one can never become an immortal. How can one fail to be careful!

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says: When a Daoist priest enters the chamber for purification and fasting and recites the jade stanzas of the Supreme Pacing the Void together with the Flying Feather Writs, he can harness nine dragons, and a cloud carriage will come to receive him. These two practices should be kept secret.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says: If one constantly recites the Five Thousand Characters—the Daodejing (Classic of the Dao [the Way] and De [Virtue/Power])—ten thousand times, the Supreme will descend, riding cloud-dragons, to receive one. Even if, after the ten thousand recitations are complete, one has not yet left the world and become an immortal, one need only recite it three times each month; when the cloud carriage descends, one may ascend as an immortal.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says: Regular recitation of the Huangting neijing jing (Scripture of the Inner Landscape of the Yellow Court) brings long life without death. Regularly ingesting primordial Qi is likewise a way of long life.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says: Constantly visualize one’s own head as upright and blue-green like jasper, the two hands as red as cinnabar, and the two feet as white as snow. Concentrating on this visualization while reciting scripture and cultivating the various wondrous methods, one draws near to immortality. One should also often click the teeth twelve times: a day and a night are divided into twelve periods, with one click in each period. In this way one can likewise become a body that does not die, with spirits standing guard at every moment.

Knocking the teeth is also called the “Heavenly Drum.” It is said that this can summon the spirits (Shen) within the body, call down the Perfected from heaven, and bring one into company with the immortals. Knocking the teeth on the left is called “sounding the Heavenly Bell”; knocking the teeth on the right is called “striking the Heavenly Chime.” If a Daoist priest feels fear and wishes to keep clear of ghosts, monsters, and thieves, he may sound the Heavenly Bell and the Heavenly Chime twenty-four times each. The scripture (Jing) says that in this way sprites and demons will not dare to draw near, the celestial demons will protect one’s person, and every kind of blessing will arrive together.

The Daodejing of Laozi says: “Looked at but not seen, it is called Yi; listened to but not heard, it is called Xi; touched for but not grasped, it is called Wei.” Here “Yi, Xi, and Wei” are explained as the titles of the Three Primordial Lords. The scripture further says that these three cannot be pursued to their ultimate ground, and so they blend into one. The three “su”—the pure, clear, and subtle Qi (vital energy) of which Daoism speaks—unite to form the Lord of Primordial Unity. The Lord of Primordial Unity is the mysterious father and primordial mother of the Embryo Worthy (a venerable deity associated with gestation and the source of life). When this scripture is recited, the three Lords will appear before you, and you will be able to see them; from this the way of immortality may be achieved. The principles of the great Dao (the Way) are all contained here, yet writing cannot exhaust speech, and speech cannot exhaust what the mind intends. Among texts that set forth principles profound and subtle, none is more accomplished than this scripture; even if one knows it thoroughly and can read it with understanding, one may still fail truly to grasp its deeper meaning.

The immortal mountains of Kunlun, Penglai, Zhongshan, Songgao, and Wangwu are likewise included in the Shangqing Jing (Scripture of Highest Clarity).

The Hidden Commentary on the Jade Scripture (Yujing) of the Most High (Taishang) says: On Mount Kunlun there is a place called the “Mountain of Humans and Birds,” located in the kingdom of Naluowei and under the separate rule of the Celestial King of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianwang). Palaces of the seven treasures stand there, their lofty terraces rising straight into the clouds. When the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu) first cultivated the Dao (the Way), she too ascended this mountain.

The mountain holds the Jing (scriptures/classics) of the Three Caverns (the three classes of Daoist classics, namely Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen). The scriptural text is written in the void, each character a full zhang square. The mountain’s True Form Chart (a diagram depicting the true appearance of the immortal mountain) is exceedingly precious; if one can wear it, one may obtain the profound and subtle truths contained in the Three Caverns. The hundred beasts on the mountain can all fly and do not die—how much more so human beings? Every kind of rare and wondrous thing likewise comes from this mountain.

The assembled sages recite scriptures within the mountain, and the tones they use were all established by Great Brahma Heaven (Da Fantian): neither mournful nor sorrowful, neither hurried nor slow, ample, dignified, and yet exquisitely refined. Those who hear them find heart and Shen (spirit) brought into harmony. The immortals of Mount Kunlun often chant the scriptures of Zhongxia (here referring to the region of Huaxia), intoning them above the Nine Heavens. The sound is distant and clear, and listeners seem to rise beyond the clouds, forgetting worldly feelings.

When the immortals gather, they sing the Dongxuan Jing, reading and chanting it in unison. The new melodies surge and reverberate, lingering and far-reaching. In the hollow void they unfold their verses, pluck the strings of emptiness, and play music that brings joy even to Yuqing (the pure and subtle immortal realm spoken of in Daoism). Thus the recitation of scriptures is something the higher perfected (Shangzhen, perfected immortals of high rank) regard with the greatest esteem.

The Inscription of the Lofty Terrace (Gaotai Ming) says: “If you wish to ride the void and soar through emptiness, recite my Buxuan and Yushu.” The immortals do not understand this saying. As for these two books, the Buxuan and the Yujing, even the Mysterious Scripture of the Most High does not transmit them to the middle immortals (Zhongxian, immortals of lower status).

The Perfected of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) says: The Buxu Jing is the scripture recited while pacing in the Lingbao purification rite; the Yujing, for its part, is a passage for chanting within the Dongzhen Jing.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture (Taishang Yujing Yinzhu) says: Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) while living at home should receive and uphold the Five Thousand Words, that is, the Daode Jing (the Classic of the Dao and De, Virtue/Power). On the first and the fifteenth of every month, on the day of one’s fundamental destiny—the day determined from the zodiac animal of the year of one’s birth—on the eight nodal days (Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice), and at noon and at midnight, one should recite it once on each occasion. If you cannot recite it yourself, you may ask a teacher to recite it for you. You should personally tend the incense and fire, listen with full concentration to the essential purport of the Jing (scripture/classic), and resolve to practice according to the wondrous methods set forth in it.

On the day when the bodily form returns to Taiyin—in the Daoist context, the place to which a person returns after death—the Celestial Emperor will come, driving a cloud chariot, to welcome the spirits of your body, so that you need not suffer the judgment and punishment of the hells of the Three Officials of Mount Tai. Above, you may be reborn in the celestial realm to serve the Celestial Emperor; below, you may also be reborn into the household of a marquis or king in the human world. Your features will be well formed and your countenance bright, so that those who see you feel joy in their hearts. So long as one has the affinity to hear or see this scripture, one may also be transformed from female to male, form a bond with Shangqing—the exalted deities of Daoism and the celestial realms in which they dwell—and in the end complete the cultivation of the immortal Dao. This scripture may be transmitted to all kinds of people. Whatever their station, high or low, they may seek as their hearts desire and will not be hindered. Whether for settling the dead or for protecting and nourishing the living, nothing is more fitting. It can also bring stability to the state, peace to the people, and control over the foreign peoples beyond the borders, causing them to submit to the methods of the Dao. This scripture is exceedingly mysterious and wondrous; nothing can surpass it.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture further says: Although those who study the Dao cultivate good deeds, they sometimes meet with resentments and adversaries formed in previous lives, and therefore illness clings to the body, calamities follow one after another, and body and mind grow exhausted. A Daoist priest or ritual master should observe a fast for the sick person and perform the turning recitation of the Five Thousand Words and of the Cavern Scripture of Demon-Dispelling Wisdom of Jade Clarity and Golden Perfection (Xiaomo Zhihui Yuqing Jinzhen Dongjing). These scriptures possess awe-inspiring divine power of the middle grade and can protect the sick. This is what is called receiving rescue when peril is at hand. For rescuing every kind of critical emergency, no method can compare with this scriptural practice.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture also says: After receiving and upholding the scriptures of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen—in Daoism, the three classes of classics), one should cut off all worldly affairs and devote oneself single-mindedly to cultivation. The Three Caverns are together called “Taishang Dongyi” and are the highest of the classics. If this passage is transmitted to three people, one cannot ascend to immortality. In this matter one must be cautious; one must be cautious.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture (Taishang Yujing Yinzhu) says: When one receives a scripture (jing), every character must be collated and checked three times. A single wrong character shortens one’s lifespan by one year; if the errors exceed that number, the loss is reckoned one by one according to the total count of mistakes. Scriptures are divided into the Three Caverns, among which the Taishang Dongyi is the highest-ranking classic. If these words are passed on to three people, one loses the opportunity to attain immortality. The utmost caution is required in this matter.

The Taishang Yujing Yinzhu further says: When one receives a scripture, every character must be collated and checked three times. A single wrong character shortens one’s lifespan by one year, and adding or deleting a character without authorization likewise shortens one’s lifespan by one year. If one recklessly damages a scripture, one will in a future life suffer the punishment of being dismembered by the knives of the wind. If one fails to respect one’s teacher when receiving a scripture, cultivation will bring no blessed recompense; in a future life one may be cast aside, or reborn as livestock.

Of all the evils in the world, none is more serious than secretly harming others. If a person has done such a thing and yet cultivates the methods of the Dao (the Way), retribution is certain in this very life: deafness and blindness, vexation and blockage of the mind and the nasal passages, failure of the fluids in the stomach to circulate, and worms and illness arising in the body. After death one falls into hell and undergoes every kind of suffering, including the mountain of knives and the trees of swords, boiling in scalding liquid, and being devoured by fierce fire. The orifices of the body fester and rot, and one longs to die but cannot. In the end one is reborn as a pig or a dog and is slaughtered once more. The scripture calls an ordeal of this kind the “Three Evils.”

The Taishang Yujing Yinzhu says: When transmitting scriptures of the middle grade and below, one should face east, click the teeth twelve times, and then recite this invocation:

“The reverent and pure De (Virtue/Power) of the Supreme Perfected causes one to withdraw from the traces of dust and abide in the realm of emptiness and stillness. Radiance ascends into the realm of Great Simplicity, and between coming and going there is no barrier. When sincerity is in the heart, a response comes of itself; if one is not single-minded toward the Dao, cultivation will be broken off and unsteady. Handed on from one to another in this way, a bond may be formed in the unseen. Although the ritual master and the disciple are not linked by the dress and ceremonial etiquette of ordinary society, they may through this become closely joined. In upholding the scriptures and widely practicing good deeds, one should at all times be as cautious as if standing at the edge of a deep abyss. Outwardly one relieves calamity and illness; inwardly one guards oneself, so that body and mind may pass through in safety.”

When the recitation is finished, one bows and receives the scripture. The text also says that the immortals’ own vocation employs this same method of invocation.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture (Taishang Yujing Yinzhu) says: The Perfected Scripture of the Great Cavern (Dadong Zhenjing) is also called the Scripture of the Dao (the Way) of Supreme Truth (Taizhen Daojing), and is further known as the upper-grade Inner Scripture of Contemplating Heaven of the Supreme Dao of Great Clarity (Taiqing Shangdao Guantian Neijing), in ten juan altogether; the Shangqing Scripture of the Golden Elixir (Jindan) comprises seven juan. There is, in addition, the Lofty Supreme Great Wonder Great Elixir Demon-Dispelling Wisdom Perfected Scripture of the Great Cavern (Gaoshang Damiao Dadan Xiaomo Zhihui Dadong Zhenjing), in thirty-nine chapters.

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says: The purport of the Shangqing is lofty and profound, and its wording is subtle and refined; it is a wondrous scripture cultivated by flying immortals. The Numinous Treasure Scripture (Lingbao Jing) is also called the Dongxuan, and is also known as the Scripture of the Most High’s Ascent into Mystery (Taishang Shengxuan Jing); all are superior scriptures transmitted by lofty immortals, containing the principles of emptiness and ultimate perfection, and are profound treasures of the Great Dao. The Celestial Writs of the Three Sovereigns (Sanhuang Tianwen) are also called the Dongshen and the Dongxian, and are also known as the Jade Tablets of the Most High (Taishang Yuce). These three classes of scriptures, together with talismans and registers (Fulu)—that is, the “scriptures and talismans of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen)”—constitute the essential framework of Daoism. They are the mysterious purport of the Great Void and the foremost scriptures cultivated by the supreme perfected; how could ordinary immortals of the middle rank ever hear of them?

The Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Jade Scripture says: The Precious Instructions (Baojue) are the root of the many scriptures. The Most High commanded that they be transmitted to the immortal dukes, immortal kings, and immortal registrars within the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate). They are the mysterious purport of the Great Void and the foremost scriptures cultivated by the supreme perfected; how could ordinary immortals of the middle rank ever hear of them?

The Hidden Commentary on the Jade Scripture of the Most High (Taishang Yujing Yinzhu) says: The Precious Formula (Baojue) is the root of the many scriptures (Jing). The Most High (Taishang) commanded that it be transmitted to the Immortal Dukes, Immortal Kings, Immortal Earls, and Immortal Ministers of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate). Those who have not obtained the qualification for transmission must not be given this scripture.

Any Daoist priest who is able to see this book ought to be one with the prospect of becoming an Immortal Duke. His name has long been entered in the Mysterious Registers (Xuanji)—the roster of immortals and perfected beings spoken of in Daoism—and the time of his becoming an immortal will also arrive. When this scripture is transmitted, tokens of faith must be prepared: five taels (liang) of gold, ninety feet (chi) of white silk, and three hundred sheets of scripture paper, presented to the Daoist master. Only then does the master know that the seeker’s sincerity in seeking the Dao (the Way) is already sufficient, and only afterward may this Precious Formula be transmitted.

Master and disciple must first purify themselves and fast together for nine days; they may also fast for seven days, five days, or three days. When the fast ends, the scripture is received at noon. At the transmission the master faces north and, in the quiet chamber, respectfully takes up and holds the scripture with the left hand; the disciple supports it with the right hand, receives the scripture together with the pledges of the Daoist oath, and covenants not to disclose the scriptural text casually to worldly people.

Master and disciple are to write an oath, taking the ancestors of seven generations as witnesses, declaring that they will practice benevolence, filial piety, and a heart of great compassion; and they pray that they themselves may ascend and become immortals, that the ancestors of seven generations may be freed from suffering, and that all may be born together in the heavenly realms. After the master has finished reading the oath, he then pronounces an oral blessing to the disciple, saying:

The Great Dao (the Way) is plain and without form. Sages of every age have called it the “Mysterious” (xuan)—deep and subtle. From it the two breaths of Yin-Yang, the “Two Instruments” (eryi), begin and run their course to the end, and the roots of the myriad things lie hidden deep within. The teaching of the Dao passes through myriads of kalpas, turning again and again like a ring. Profound principles come to rest in what is never forgotten; by quieting the mind in meditation, one can sense the karmic ties of former lives. The highest awakening is unsurpassed wisdom, and nothing surpasses this dharma wheel, a gateway symbolizing the ceaseless turning of the Dao’s methods. One who resolves to cultivate the Dao must emulate this gateway, observe it, and place trust in it. Only when the disciple is sincere and has fulfilled his proper duty should the master transmit it.

If the world has no person who is worthy, wise, and penetrating, seal the teaching away and store it in a famous mountain. If one transmits it merely to please others, after death one will clasp a stone and sink into the Nine Springs. Zhao, the title of the one who receives the transmission, is the Duke of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate). The Superior Honored One, a deity of high rank, has commanded me to transmit this Jing (scripture/classic). The matter has already been reported to the Three Realms—the realms of heaven, earth, humanity, and the like—and the Mysterious Capital (Xuandu), the capital where Daoist divinities dwell, already knows of it. When the rite is finished, make six bows, then receive it with both hands. After this sacred object has been received, the master should prepare a purification and fasting rite for the scripture and its methods, and bestow and transmit the teaching to those in the world who suffer hardship. All are to be treated alike; one must not show partiality.

This scripture is constantly attended by thirty Jade Maidens and thirty Jade Lads, who examine the De (Virtue/Power) of Daoist priests and report to the Most High (Taishang), a revered deity of the Daoist tradition. How could one fail to be cautious? When the scripture is transmitted, visualize in the mind the Lords of the Three Origins (Sanyuan jun), the honored deities who preside over the Three Origins, within the Mud-Pill Palace (Niwan gong), the upper Dantian (energy center) in the head. At the transmission one should also click the teeth thirty-six times, and then offer the invocation.

The ritual for transmitting the Scripture of the Dao with Hidden Annotations (Yinzhu Daojing) ends here.

The Perfected of the Taiji says: Most perfected beings of the past each followed the method they cultivated and received oral instructions separately; they did not receive the whole transmission at one time. Therefore each immortal has one portion that may be handed on. When the teaching is transmitted in stages, the ritual pledge (faxin)—the token offered when the method is transmitted—is one liang of gold and one hundred sheets of paper; white silk is not required. The rites of visualization and invocation are performed according to the method set out above.

The Perfected Person (Zhenren) of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) said: The Traditions of the Immortals’ Original Occupation (Xianren Benye Zhuan) is also called the Scripture of the Traces of the Dao (the Way; Daoji Jing). All the methods in the scripture ought to be transmitted by a master. At the time of transmission and reception, one should face west and, following the rites of invocation set out in the various scriptures, express the utmost sincerity of the heart with ten feet of red silk.

When reciting and practicing the Scripture of the Proximate Way of the Superior Immortals (Shangxian Dao’er Jing), one should visualize jade maidens and jade lads attending and protecting at one’s side: for immortals of the higher grade, ten of each; for those of the middle grade, five of each; and for those of the lower grade, three of each. They constantly accompany the person who transmits the scripture, burn incense to protect and bless the disciples who recite and receive it, and also guard the disciples’ families.

Those who cultivate the Dao should be loyal and filial and revere their masters. They should hold in their hearts the four kinds of equanimity, endure humiliation while advancing with diligence, delight in giving, forgive the faults of others, and not contend over vain and illusory matters. They should keep to their resolve with single-minded concentration, constantly contemplate the Great Dao, and make vows to practice. In this way they can spread their wings and ascend to the Grand Clarity (Taiqing, the lofty celestial realm spoken of in Daoism), fly through the Upper Mystery (Shangxuan, a high and profoundly subtle celestial realm), and go together with the exalted immortals. This is an important path of cultivation.

If one can receive the Esoteric Annotated Essential Words (Yinzhu Jueyan) transmitted by the Most High (Taishang) and cultivate the Scripture of the Great Cavern (Dadong Jing), one is called a Great Ritual Master of the Most High (Taishang Da Fashi). One who has already received the scriptural methods of the Three Caverns (Sandong: Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen) is called a Great Ritual Master of the Mysterious Scriptures of the Most High (Taishang Xuanjing Da Fashi); such a ritual master may naturally transmit the Scripture of the Traces of the Immortals’ Dao (Xianren Daoji Jing). If one does not receive and study this scripture from a master, the jade maidens will not protect that person, and cultivation of the Dao will hardly bring any benefit.

When illness, suffering, or disturbance by strange spirits occurs, one may observe a purification fast in a pure and quiet place and recite the Scripture of the Traces of the Dao. The scripture says that the hundred ghosts and wangliang, together with the calamities they bring, will all disperse at the sound. The jade maidens and jade lads will also chant hymns of praise, so that the sound reaches the Nine Mysteries (Jiuxuan, the deep and lofty celestial realms); when the immortals hear it, they will gladly come to save and deliver you.

The Perfected Person of Taiji further said: Since heaven and earth were first opened, Chisongzi, Wang Qiao, Xianmen, Xuanyuan, Yinzi, and others all received the Esoteric Annotated Secret Instructions (Yinzhu Mijue) to the Five Thousand Words (Wuqian Wen), diligently cultivated the Great Dao, and thus became elders among the Perfected. This is truly the subtle excellence of the hidden annotations and instructions. Coming to the Filial Emperor of the Han…

The Zhenren of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) said: Ever since heaven and earth were first opened, Chisongzi, Wang Qiao, Xianmen, Xuanyuan, Yinzi, and others all received the hidden commentaries and secret instructions of the Five Thousand Characters (the Daodejing). They diligently cultivated the Great Dao (the Way) and later became Zhenren of lofty station. The commentaries within these secret instructions are truly subtle and exquisite.

In the time of Emperor Wen of the Han, he delighted in the learning of the Dao and of De (Virtue/Power). His mind was concentrated, empty and still, free of distracting thoughts. The Most High Zhenren descended at the riverside to teach and transform Emperor Wen, and he often recited the scripture in person. At that time Emperor Wen had not yet fully grasped its profound principles, yet he longed for them deeply within. Hearing that an extraordinary person had appeared, he gladly went in person, performed the kowtow, inquired after the Zhenren’s manner of life and the methods of the Dao, and sought instruction in the true meaning of the Great Dao. The Zhenren explained the meaning of the scriptural lines for him; by briefly raising only a single point, he enabled the emperor to understand what had formerly been beyond him.

The depths of this scripture are hard to fathom, and so it is said that it cannot be thoroughly understood by thinking and argument alone. Even so, it was enough to let Emperor Wen lodge himself in the lofty realm of the immortals, preserve his bodily form, ride the clouds and drive dragons, and ascend directly to the Golden Flower Palace in heaven, where he studied and recited together with the immortals of the various heavens. This too may be counted as one stage in the cultivation of the immortal Dao, and it is truly a cause for joy. Because Emperor Wen cultivated the Daodejing, he attained this exalted realm. Emperor Wu, though he single-mindedly and arduously pursued the way of the immortals, was hard and forceful by temperament, and so could only be ranked among the heavenly beings. In cultivating the Dao, one should take gentleness and sincere good faith as the foundation.

To read and recite a single chapter of the scripture of the Zhenren of the River is to reach upward to the Jade Capital of the Most High (the sacred heavenly realm spoken of in Daoism). The immortals of the various heavens join their palms in praise, and the sound of their praise spreads throughout the Three Realms; the Demon Kings offer ritual respect in their halls, and Fengdu (the nether realm spoken of in Daoism) likewise bows reverently to the ritual master. The Zhenren of the River was the ritual master who expounded the Daodejing, and for this reason his chapters and sentences are held in honor.

The secret methods of self-cultivation and the Great Dao should not be casually transmitted to worldly people. Ordinary people often ridicule this scripture as empty and absurd, holding that it cannot enable one to ascend as an immortal and transcend the world. This is because each person has his or her own predestined affinity, and instruction cannot be forced. If one teaches another who is unwilling to practice, both parties may thereby incur blame; therefore one ought to guard the secret with care.

The Taiji Zhenren (Perfected of the Supreme Ultimate) said: When paying ritual reverence to this scripture, one should concentrate the mind and visualize the Most High Lord Lao, performing three bows; then visualize Master Yin and the Perfected by the River, regarding them as Dharma masters of the Mysterious Center, and bow three times more, facing the scripture scroll in every case.

At all times, thirty-six thousand immortal lads and jade maidens attend this scripture. One should secretly treasure and store it, burn incense, and scatter flowers, and thereby commune with the host of immortals, praying for oneself a lifespan of deathless longevity and seeking the Dao (the Way) of ascending to heaven in broad daylight.

The Taiji Zhenren said: When a Daoist priest refines the Golden Elixir, if he recites this scripture day and night, Taiyi (a revered deity of Daoism) will rejoice and descend to his dwelling. In this way ghosts, demons, and inauspicious misfortunes can be driven off, and whatever one undertakes will surely succeed.

The Taiji Zhenren said: In studying the Dao, purification and abstinence should be the foundation. Reciting scriptures, collating the text, copying scriptures, writing Fulu (talismans and registers), compounding medicines, refining the Golden Elixir, quieting the mind in meditative visualization, visiting one’s master to seek instruction, performing worship, receiving scriptures, healing illness and dispelling calamity, and summoning the Perfected—all of these require purification and abstinence. Purification and abstinence are honored by the Most High, safeguarded by Lord Lao, and relied upon by the sages and Perfected. The forms of purification and abstinence are many; one should practice them according to the method one has cultivated and received.

The Taiji Zhenren said: When I formerly studied the Dao, I once heard the Most High Perfected expound these teachings, and I reverently put them into practice. Now I transmit them to you. You should preserve them in secret and cultivate them, and also transmit them with care to those of later generations who possess affinity from past lives and are suited to become superior immortals.

The Taiji Zhenren said: Some people, by affinity, are born into the household of immortals and sages; they love the methods of the Dao, delight in reading scriptures, and are gentle in temperament and compassionate in heart. All of this is the meeting, in the present day, of karmic affinity from past lives with the heart of aspiration. They are already not far from becoming immortals. They should diligently cultivate ritual practice, and they will surely become superior immortals.

The Taiji Zhenren (Perfected of the Supreme Ultimate), one of the revered deities of Daoism, said: If a person is to possess the appearance and character of an immortal perfected being, the key lies in holding compassion in the heart and treating kindly the people and affairs one encounters, thereby enhancing one’s own character; only then can one become an immortal. If one cannot restrain one’s own temperament and tolerate the faults of others, the character required for immortality will be impaired. These words are indeed trustworthy. You must be careful, reflect on them thoroughly, and practice accordingly; they have already been spoken with great earnestness.

The Taiji Zhenren said: I possess the Jiutian Huangsu Yinjue (Hidden Instructions of the Yellow Silk of the Nine Heavens), a secretly transmitted Daoist classic (jing), which is passed on to those who have an affinity for it. It is also called the Dongzhen Weiyi (Ritual Protocols of Dongzhen, one of the Three Caverns), the Falun Yuangang Jing Taishang Yinjue (Supreme Hidden Instructions of the Scripture of the Dharma Wheel and Primordial Guideline), the Taishang Yuqing Neijiao (Inner Teachings of the Supreme Jade Clarity), the Taishang Sandong Weiyi Jing (Scripture of the Ritual Protocols of the Three Caverns of the Supreme), or the Taishang Yujing Taiji Yinzhu Jue (Hidden Annotated Instructions of Taiji in the Supreme Jade Scripture). This classic is transmitted only to those fated to become the Taiwu Taiji Immortal Dukes, Immortal Kings, Immortal Earls, and Immortal Ministers in the Taishang Yujing Xuandu (the sacred realm of the immortals as spoken of in Daoism), and is not transmitted to Daoist priests who have only just begun to study the Dao (the Way). If anyone in the world meets a teacher who transmits this classic, it shows that this person’s golden name has already been entered in the registers of Xuandu.

The Taiji Zhenren said: A Daoist priest who practices the scriptures of the higher vehicle ought to make the heart accord with speech; to regard others as one regards oneself, to revere the teacher as one reveres one’s father, and to study the classics with the same urgency as seeking water when thirsty; to keep in mind the relief of those in hardship, to admonish and encourage others to do good, and to treat people with gentleness and yielding compliance.

The Perfected of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) says: Any Daoist who reverently upholds this supreme scripture (jing) should make what the heart thinks accord with what the mouth speaks. Regard others as you regard yourself, and honor your teacher as you honor your father. Yearn for the scripture as one hungers and thirsts, and constantly think of rescuing those in danger and distress. Dare to admonish and urge others toward goodness, and also gently and generously tolerate their faults. Draw near to those who possess the Dao (the Way), keep far from any craving for scenic wandering and pleasure, and always cherish a heart of compassion and benevolence. Dwell in high station without pride, and when illness, hardship, and adversity come, still hold your resolve firm and do not depart from the Dao. Only with such a person may one speak of the great Dao, and only such a person is fit to receive the secret annotations contained in the scripture.

If someone merely puts on a refined appearance, vies with others, and thinks one thing while saying another, these precious oral instructions should be kept secret and hidden forever. Three years after the scripture is received, his conduct may be observed; by then his character can be clearly judged. Thus this scripture is secretly treasured only by the highest immortals, and even immortals of the middle rank seldom have a chance to see it. If a student of the Dao has not accumulated, in former lives, merit enough to bear this vast teaching, then even upon reaching the Mysterious Metropolis (Xuandu) and the Jade Capital (Yujing) of the Most High (Taishang), his name will not be entered in the registers, and in the end he will never meet a master who transmits this scripture. If one receives the oral instructions yet transmits them without authorization to even a single person, one cannot ascend as an immortal; after death one becomes a lowly ghost and suffers in the hells of the Three Officials (the places where, in Daoism, the officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water examine offenses). In the next life one is also born among the six forms of suffering existence and undergoes retribution in turn. The offense is extremely grave, so secrecy is essential—and this is why they are called “hidden annotations.”

The Perfected of Taiji says: One should long maintain purity, stillness, and ritual fasting, single-mindedly yearn for the mysterious Dao, recite the scriptures, repent of one’s offenses, and burn incense in worship. In this way one will behold the flying celestials (heavenly immortal spirits in Daoism), and immortal lads and jade maidens will also come to your dwelling. At times you may hear someone within the chamber praising you; at times radiance may shine upon your body; at times you may hear gold and jade striking together, or the eight tones resounding. All these signs show that your cultivation of the Dao is about to bear fruit. Cultivate diligently! The Most High will not fail you. The difficulty of cultivating immortality lies in the fear that your resolve is not firm, and that you have not given your whole heart to studying the scriptures. You should often remember these words.

The Perfected of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) said: When I first attained the Dao (the Way) and became an immortal, I received from the Most High Lord of the Great Dao the Great Wisdom Jing (scripture/classic), and I recited it seven times. I clicked my teeth three times, swallowed the saliva in my mouth three times, and in my heart visualized the Three Primordial Ladies of Simplicity (a Daoist goddess) dwelling in the Palace of Golden Blossoms, their forms like those of infants; only then did I chant this scripture. The root scripture of wisdom contains thirty-one thousand characters in all. The supreme sages copied out this one chapter from it and transmitted it, so that readers might hope thereby to become Daoist priests of the Immortal Lord of Taiji of the Most High Jade Capital. Now I ought to tell it to you—surely you are not unwilling to listen?

Hymn in Praise of the Most High Wisdom Scripture

The Most High Great Dao is profound and mysterious; it is the root of the myriad ways. One spreads the Great Dao and reveres this scripture. In the space between looking up and looking down, one has already attained the Dao and become an immortal, having passed through countless kalpas and countless years. The De (Virtue/Power) of the Great Perfected is lofty and vast; still and resting in Wuwei (non-action), one is not bound by birth and death. The scenes amid the clouds seem to form palaces in the void; they ride the void and set forth of themselves, spontaneously. Sun and moon shine with light, and peace and joy have no end.

One who cultivates immortality must cut off craving for worldly glory and splendor, for thoughts of every kind draw one another on and accumulate without cease. When the heart and Shen (spirit) rush about in confusion after these thoughts, one grows restless and unsettled, and any experience whatever may be drawn into the tangle. Dispel distracting thoughts and let the mind rest in empty stillness and ease, and one may enter the void in purity and quiet. Study the scriptures with the same concentration with which one seeks food and drink when hungry and thirsty, and hold to your resolve as firmly as metal and stone. In this way you can be guarded as you set foot on the mysterious path of ascension, and, by means of the Five Numinous Deliverance Fulu (talismans and registers)—the talismans and name-registers used in Daoism for cultivation and deliverance—pass the trials.

The scripture teaches me to cultivate the Six Perfections (six kinds of meritorious practice), and thus I am freed from the Three Nets (the threefold snare that binds the practitioner). With a heart made pure by fasting and abstinence I pay homage to the Great Simplicity (a divine perfected revered in Daoism), and through the regulation of breath I nourish the Cloud Sprouts (a Daoist name for the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) within the body). I wander freely within the Golden Portal, and take the Jade Capital (the celestial capital of the immortals in Daoist lore) as my home. In accord with what is natural, the Seven Treasures come into being; every person can sit upright upon a lotus. Looking up, one chews the immortal fruit of the Mysterious Metropolis; looking down, one tastes the melons and fruits of the Hollow Void. One’s countenance outshines ten suns—why then reckon how many years and kalpas have passed? The dharma drums of heaven gather the celestial immortals, while the sound of bells summons the great demons.

A numinous wind brushes the fragrant flowers, and gorgeous robes shine and unfold. The Great Perfected plays the cloud ao (a musical instrument used in the music of Daoist immortals), and the host of immortals pluck the numinous qin. Above the Three Heavens (the celestial realms of which Daoism speaks) elegant music is sung, and the light of wisdom spreads through the Forest of Jade Blossoms. By the mysterious tones of this scripture, the seven ancestors (seven generations of forebears) ascend into the Hall of Blessings. If the De accumulated in former lives is insufficient, this scripture is remote and hard to obtain; if the heart that trusts in the Dao is not firm enough, the wish to ascend in flight will instead end in a fall. Whether the Most High Dao of Wuwei can be spread abroad depends on whether it is present in your heart.

To study the Dao (the Way), one must take the cultivation of elixir methods as one’s conviction, and serve one’s master as one would one’s closest kin. Gather in mind and spirit (Shen), rest securely in clarity, stillness, and emptiness, and persevere without slack, so that each day brings progress. Before all others have attained deliverance, one cannot in the end attain deliverance alone. Establish a vast vow, and a profound reward will surely follow; accumulate deep and hidden De (Virtue/Power), and this may truly be trusted. To do evil in secret is an offense of great gravity; when retribution arrives, it turns like a wheel and will at last come round to oneself.

Studying the Dao is indeed arduous; morning and evening one must cultivate blessings and accumulate De. “Establishing a field of merit” means practicing goodness and storing up blessings, just as one sows seed. Accumulating De is like planting a tree: the deeper the roots, the more abundant the fruit. If you can devote yourself wholly to revering the mysterious Great Dao, you may rise lightly into the clear heavens. In practicing this Way of Wuwei (non-action), one should form a bond with good deeds.

The Most High promulgates the supreme Dao and sets down what concerns wisdom in the Chapter on Wisdom. By vast wisdom one roots out suffering, transcends the secular world, and realizes the true Dao. Such a person is numinously refined and uncommon, rarely met with in the world, radiant like a lotus in a deep pool.

People’s actions each have their roots, all bound up with the merit accumulated in former lives. De should be established without delay, and once a vow has been made one must strive to carry it out. Good and evil each receive their due retribution, and the principle that misfortune and fortune depend upon each other is profound and hard to fathom. The worthy follow the teachings set forth in the scriptures and norms (Jing); in cultivating the Dao and De, they must also be able to forget any clinging to the Dao and to De. To understand and practice this is great wisdom, by which one may ascend to the station of Duke of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate).

At that time, precious canopies are joined with jade carriages, and when one rides forth, nine dragons draw the chariot; Jinhua bears the Cavern Scripture (Dongjing), and those who offer incense are all immortal lads. The whistling songs of the immortals resound through the Mysterious Capital; jade pendants strike together, and jade bells ring.

One leaps aloft into Great Clarity, passes beyond the sun’s shadow, and flies out from the Purple Empyrean. Holding to clarity, stillness, and Wuwei, and observing the prescribed norms, one may roam freely in the mysterious realm. To pass through ten thousand kalpas seems only like last night; to span a thousand years is as if morning had just begun. Lofty immortal realms lie veiled among clouds and roseate mists, and in one’s hand one brushes the branches of the jeweled grove. Incense smoke rises of itself; one ascends the mysterious steps, and the body is lifted with the wind. Spirit banners stream away on the breeze, and the tangle of thoughts disperses with them. Discriminative reckoning is cleared away, and the undivided Great Dao is proclaimed; from the realm of Wuwei, one sings songs of clarity and stillness.