《太上洞玄灵宝八威召龙妙经》

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said: In the years of Chiming, when heaven and earth first opened, chaos began to differentiate, and the fundamental order of heaven and earth thereupon came into operation. These lofty and wondrous Jing (scriptures) were composed by the Most High. During the Dragon-Han kalpa, while heaven and earth still lay in darkness and turbid confusion, the crimson numinous writings already shone with brilliant radiance. They are celestial texts generated of themselves, subtle and profoundly mysterious, difficult to put into words.

They abide in a realm of extreme seclusion and mystery and are called the Sea Perfected (Haizhen); their sovereign is called the Dragon King Elder (Longwang Zhangren). The King of the Sea Perfected is the lord of the true spirits within the seas and dwells among them. The Qi (vital energy) of the stars envelops him, and for this reason he is also called the Mysterious Source (Xuanyuan). In each of the one hundred and eighty numinous seas there are more than ten thousand great springs. Their waters lead to the source of the water-veins and surge forth to generate thirty-two lesser celestial realms.

When calamity and kalpa are about to arrive and mountains and seas overturn, the Eight Awes (Bawei—spirits commanded to subdue the Dragon King) exhale fierce and mighty Qi. Water and fire are about to arise; the seawater whirls and surges; the mountains are struck and collapse; the Dragon King comes and goes through deep valleys; and flood dragons churn upon the sea. The Dragon King’s subordinate officials and the various lords of the Three Officials each hold their own duties, act in accordance with the Dao (the Way), and record and transmit the commands of Taixuan.

The Sea Perfected throw the seas everywhere into disorder and seal the gates of the grotto-heavens. The exalted perfected ones venerated by the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure and the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning have already summoned the Eight Awes and subdued the Dragon King. The relevant wording is recorded in the Crimson-Character Jade Instructions. It can deliver one from the perils of life and death and can also rescue living beings. This Jing ought to be clearly understood and carefully treasured. If one wishes to eliminate calamity, one must cultivate it continuously for one thousand days.

When Taisui presides over the year and the day falls on a zi day or a wu day, one practices the Dao, burns incense, and recites the Jing, summoning the Eight Awes and the Dragon King Elder. When the Dragon King hears the Jing, joy arises in his heart; he lowers his head and closes his eyes. Those who receive and uphold this Jing and, being summoned, put it into practice may escape calamity. At the eight seasonal nodes one ascends the mountains and peaks; in the four seasons one casts Fulu (talismans and registers) into the abyss. When calamities great and small arrive, one may also cast the talisman into the water at a ferry crossing. The Dragon King will come forth to welcome one, and the Bird Mother (Niaomu—a spirit who guides ascent to heaven) will receive and escort one, so that one may ascend to the Jade Capital (Yujing—the palaces of the celestial realm) and thereby draw near to and serve the Jade Emperor.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning says: Within the thirty-two heavens there are altogether one hundred and eighty tracts of sea, together with thirty-two water sacs under the jurisdiction of the mountain seas. The Dragon King Elder—the honored one among the dragon deities of the sea—roams between the seas and mountains and the Cavern Abyss. When he sees people who can be saved and who can cultivate the way of immortality, he expounds and composes the Wondrous Scripture (Jing) of the Eight Awes for Summoning Dragons, by Which the Dragon King Repels Floods and Extinguishes Flames. One who regularly practices the rites according to this scripture can lengthen one’s years and increase one’s lifespan, attain corpse liberation (in Daoism, the shedding of the physical remains and the ascent of spirit-consciousness), be spared the ten sufferings and eight adversities, and save seven generations of ancestors, causing them to rise into the Vermilion Mound Grove of the Southern Office, where they naturally receive food and drink, and even their dead bodily forms can return to spirit (Shen).

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning commands the Perfected One Gaoshang Xuandu, on the eight nodal days, to ascend the mountains, summon the Dragon King Elders of the various seas, recite the eight covenants and the summoning texts, and employ talismans and registers (Fulu).

The rites of the eight nodal days are performed according to the season. On the day of the Beginning of Spring, one uses a piece of blue-green silk nine cun long and, in cinnabar, writes the names of the prefecture, commandery, county, and village, the year and age, and the title of the person who receives the conferral. One writes that so-and-so wears the Three Divisions and Eight Effulgences—a Daoist account of the body gods and the inner luminosities—and that celestial immortals and earthly perfected ones constantly abide within the body. One prays: “May I, so-and-so, at the Beginning of Spring of this year, have my name and register memorialized to Great Mystery, have my register of death struck out, and have the roots of my offenses severed.”

On the day of the Beginning of Spring one recites the hymns of the four directions; the method of using the summoning texts is the same as before.

“Ah, revered deity of Longhan, bold and mighty king of the lofty gods! All you Lingbao spirits of the Cavern Abyss, pray summon the Dragon King Lord. The Demon King Elder presides over this matter, and the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning is the holy deity.

“Wielding power, subdue the eight poisons, destroy the floods, and still the flames and smoke. Roaming at ease, scatter into the realm of emptiness and nothingness; the body shines with the light of water and fire. When the great cycle opens, salvation is bestowed on all; passing through the kalpas, the years are as a single age.”

On the day of the Spring Equinox one recites, and uses the summoning texts and Fulu; the method is the same as above.

“The venerable Abyss-Penetrating Dragon arrives; the Water Mother receives the flying clouds. The vacant numinous marchmounts sink away; in the vast expanse there is nothing at all. The Crimson Garrison severs Jar Ridge; the Eastern Well lies hidden at Flower Ford.”

On the day of the Spring Equinox one recites, and uses the summoning texts and Fulu; the method is the same as above.

The Jade Maidens, Numinous Consorts, and divine beings of the Six Jia of Xuanhe are all present here. The realm of the Empty Cavern does not admit the worthy, and the Numinous Sovereign returns to the Nine Mysteries. If one diligently and reverently cultivates the work of Gaochen, one can be delivered from the dusty world and become a venerable one who has attained the Dao (the Way).

The summoning writ for the day of the Beginning of Summer uses a length of deep crimson silk eight cun long and is written in cinnabar according to the method given above.

The Jade Characters of Chiming thereby appear. Within the heaven of Dawei the celestial signs flourish, reaching all the way to the realm of Yuluo. One wears the Cloud Scenery of Upright Radiance, yet the auspicious marks upon the body are not better the more numerous they are. Transforming and roaming within the orthodox Dao of the human world, where does the person of Utmost Truth make a home?

One prays to be spared the Five Calamities and to subdue and summon the demon hosts of the various heavens. The Dragon King appears with the talismanic mandate held in his mouth, and the seas at once turn to dust and sand. The numinous peaks will not collapse or subside, and cultivators in the blessed lands may still continue to refine and nourish form and spirit.

The summoning writ for the day of the Summer Solstice uses a length of deep crimson silk eight cun long and is written according to the method given above.

The Vacuous Sovereign receives the numinous and wondrous Dao of ascent and dwells above the Nine Mysteries of Taixiao. Wind and cloud appear and vanish, subtle and hard to fathom; one expounds and recites the rules and methods of cultivation of the Five Marchmounts. Blessed lands spread through valleys and streams, and within the numinous mountains are grotto-heavens and immortal realms.

Immortal zhi grow in abundance as wondrous medicines; once refined and ingested, they cause a person to manifest a luminous immortal appearance. The various treasures are distributed through the treasure gardens, and pearls and jade guard the numinous storehouses. There are giant clams, fine colored glaze, amber, and diamond mirrors.

The summoning writ for the day of the Beginning of Autumn uses a length of white silk six cun long and is written according to the method given above.

Radiance shines forth. The various treasures are distributed through the treasure gardens, and pearls and jade guard the numinous storehouses. There are giant clams, fine colored glaze, amber, and diamond mirrors.

The summoning writ for the day of the Beginning of Autumn uses a length of white silk six cun long and is written according to the method given above.

The star Taibai shines with brilliant splendor, and the mountain ridges stand lofty and unbroken. The Dragon King breaches the Heavenly River, so that the seas converge in a single moment. The Celestial Perfected of the Thirty-Two Heavens each wear the Scripture of the Awesome Dragon (Jing).

Having passed through the age of Later Longhan, the practitioner may ascend to Yuqing. Through visualization and cultivation, one exhales and inhales so as to expel foul and turbid Qi (vital energy) and then draw in pure and fragrant Qi, letting it nourish the body and mind symbolized by cap and tassels. The Great Dao is vast without limit, profound, far-reaching, and immense.

The summoning writ for the day of the Autumn Equinox uses a length of white silk six cun long and is written according to the method given above.

Amid the turning of the kalpas, the various heavens come into conjunction, and the grand spectacle of the Great Dao no longer appears. The Numinous Treasure Worthies of the Ten Directions ultimately all manifest in the form of Perfected Persons. Within the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen) one upholds the root of the Dao, together with the truly wondrous and supreme scriptures.

One who wears this scripture may enter the void; by reciting and chanting, one reaches Taiqing directly. The Dao is the true venerable lord and can enable a person to transcend inexhaustible spans of life. Utmost Truth ultimately returns to the formless; if the practitioner is diligent in cultivation, one may ascend in flight to Shangqing.

The summoning writ for the day of the Beginning of Winter uses a length of black silk five cun long and is written according to the method given above.

In the scripture, “summoning writ” refers to a summoning talismanic writ made and inscribed according to a specific date, size, and color; “jiangzeng,” “baisu,” and “zaozeng” refer respectively to deep crimson silk, white silk, and black silk. Expressions in the text such as “Dragon King,” “celestial demons,” and “the Five Calamities” belong to the conceptions of deities and kalpic calamities found in Daoist scriptures.

The numinous birds threw the age of Longhan into disorder, and phoenixes and qiu-dragons no longer descended. The abodes of the Fushou and the Santai (Three Terraces)—their titles and their standing—have all been forgotten, and this is a cause for sorrow. Scholars possessed of the Dao among the numinous peaks (Lingyue, the immortal mountains), wearing scripture cases at their belts, go to pay homage to their teachers.

Carrying their scripture cases, they set out to travel, and they recite the Mingjing (Bright Mirror scripture, Jing) in order to dispel demonic obstructions. Taking the Sanyuan (Three Primes) and Yuanshi (the Primordial Beginning) as their root and foundation, they set forth the method of summoning the Dragon Kings. The Bawei (Eight Powers—potent divinities or arts of ritual) disperse the poisonous qi (Qi), and the Four Seas no longer raise vast waves.

Wearing scripture cases at their belts, they go to pay homage to their teachers.

Carrying their scripture cases, they set out to travel, and they recite the Mingjing in order to dispel demonic obstructions. Taking the Three Primes and the Primordial Beginning as their root and foundation, they set forth the method of summoning the Dragon Kings. The Eight Powers disperse the poisonous qi, and the Four Seas no longer raise vast waves.

On the day of the winter solstice the summoning rite is performed: take five cun (inches) of black silk and write upon it according to the method given above.

The Great Light shines upon the ten directions, and the heavens seem all but ready to collapse. Under the guiding tenet of the Great Vehicle of numinous karma, the Four Seas surge with flood-waves. Above, this reaches the foundation of Yujing (the Jade Capital, celestial metropolis of the immortals); below, it extends to the region of the cavern-palaces in the abyss.

Every kind of living being—those that wriggle, those that fly, and those that crawl—moves along the roads. The hosts of demons fasten their sashes once more, receive the admonition, and cultivate the precious scriptures. Cycles of turning and transformation proceed of themselves, and bodies take on appearances of every different kind.

The scripture passages above are for recitation on the eight festival days, each to be chanted on the festival to which it corresponds.

The Method of the Summoning Texts for the Four Seasons

The rite is held on the days fixed for the four seasons: a jiayin day in spring, a jiawu day in summer, a jiashen day in autumn, and a jiazi day in winter. A water slip is cast into the water, and one golden dragon and two blue-green pearls are used. One faces the body of water lying to the west and stands oriented toward the east; this body of water is regarded as the source of the Linghai (Numinous Sea). Facing due north, one recites the ritual formula three times, joins the dragon to the pearls, then writes in vermilion upon blue-green silk and places it in the water. Thereupon one again solemnly admonishes the one hundred and eighty Great Perfected (Dazhen) of the Numinous Sea and the Eight Powers that they must not release poisonous qi. One faces the western waters and stands oriented toward the east; these waters are regarded as the source of the Numinous Sea. Facing due north, one recites the ritual formula three times, joins the dragon to the pearls, then writes in vermilion upon blue-green silk and places it in the water. Thereupon one again solemnly admonishes the one hundred and eighty Great Perfected of the Numinous Sea and the Eight Powers that they must not release poisonous qi. The Dragon Kings, holding the talismanic mandate in their mouths, arrive at once in answer to the call.

If the bodily forms of the Dragon Kings cannot be seen, it is enough that unusual sounds and surging waves appear in the water: that, too, is a sign of numinous efficacy. One should cultivate for thirty-two years; when that time comes, the Eight Powers will come to receive the practitioner, and the Dragon Kings will guide him.

The Rite of Again Issuing an Edict for the Summoning Text

The three Primordial Lords of Taixuan (Great Mystery), Taisu (Great Simplicity), and Taiwei (Great Subtlety), together with high perfected ones such as the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, Master of the Upper Effulgence, the Jade Maiden of Mysterious Harmony, and Lady Lingfei: I (so-and-so) was formerly enfeoffed as divine king of a certain sea, charged with keeping the waterways of the abyss open and with ensuring that the floods of the Celestial River do not overflow into disaster. Today, at a chosen hour, I present a golden dragon and a blue-green pearl as offerings, and earnestly beg the former lords (the deities whom I serve) to enter my name in the registers of the Celestial Emperor and to erase the root causes of my capital offenses.

On the days corresponding to the four seasons, cast the water slips into the water. The water slips are written in red on blue-green paper; facing north, recite the Brahma-heaven tones of the Four Covenants (the sacred sounds used in the ritual).

First Hymn of the Lords of Taixuan, Taisu, and Taiwei

The Dongxuan (Cavern Mystery) text of the Most High is the true Jing (scripture/classic) of the Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) of the Three Primes. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning transmitted the jade instructions; these are the teachings handed down from high antiquity. The divine power of the Eight Awes comes attended by poisonous Qi (vital energy), destroying demons and deviant forces together with the dust and filth of the secular world.

The orthodox Dao (the Way) abides in the empty, cavernous, and mysterious realm, and the most exalted and profound primordial Qi is supreme in honor. In the turn of an eye one crosses the sixfold realms and soars into Taixuan. One hundred and eighty tracts of sea surge and churn, and the Dragon Han kalpa opens the vast gates.

Yuantong is the foremost of all waters, and it is also the root of human beings, birds, and the numinous peaks. Wondrous beings—hornless dragons, beasts, jiao-dragons, and whales—are incomparably fierce, and in their vast power they guard the Dongxuan scriptures. When they see those who seek to study the immortal Dao, they loose blazing flames upon the road that leads to it.

(The following verses restate this:) One soars into Taixuan; one hundred and eighty tracts of sea surge and churn, and the Dragon Han kalpa opens the vast gates.

Yuantong is the foremost of all waters, and it is also the root of human beings, birds, and the numinous peaks. Wondrous beings—hornless dragons, beasts, jiao-dragons, and whales—are incomparably fierce, and in their vast power they guard the Dongxuan scriptures. When they see those who seek to study the immortal Dao, they loose blazing flames upon the road that leads to it.

They press on the governing order of motion held by Yuyi (the solar deity) and Jielin (the lunar deity), drawing the sequence of the sun’s and moon’s revolutions to a close. Sunlight is no longer bright, and the yin Jing (essence)—the moon—no longer shines. The calamities signified by the Hundred and Six and the Yang Nine come to an end, and new greater and lesser kalpas are about to arise.

Second Hymn of the Lords of the Three Primes

The divine Dragon Kings of the Eight Awes descend into the world. They have no fixed surname; born of Qi, they spew forth eight kinds of poisonous vapor. They do not deliver or transform those who are without the Dao. If the foolish cannot be swept away, they too will come together to the Court of the Five Sufferings (the dark realm where suffering is endured).

Corpses lie strewn across the lands of the various kingdoms, and white bones lie exposed along the roads. The numinous peaks are filled with secular filth, and the people have all become subjects of sorrow and distress. In life they do not cultivate the scriptures, and when they hear the sounds of the Teaching they will not take them to heart.

One ought to strive with diligence, to eliminate the foolish and the wicked, and also to save all beings that creep and fly. Deeds done in former lives cause one to receive such retribution in the present life; now one prays to be absolved of the charges.

Third Hymn of the High Perfected of Primordial Beginning

Boundless and vast is the abode of the Dragon Han, and the numinous peaks are dim and hazy. In the distant mansion-realms of the various heavens, the initial Qi of chaos comes into being. Within the deep and silent cavern palaces, the courtyards where the numinous perfected dwell rise high and precipitous.

Transcendent adepts, lofty and pure and withdrawn from the world, are clear, still, and sincere, and take cultivation as their foundation. The dragon conceals itself in the abyss; tigers and leopards lie hidden among mountains, wilds, and fields. In the world one rarely meets a lofty master who has truly studied the Dao (the Way), yet one often hears the words of those who are careless and perfunctory.

When hungry they swallow primordial Qi (vital energy); when thirsty they drink the Mysterious Jade Jing (essence)—the subtle spiritual energy of which Daoism speaks. Guarding and cultivating this frail body, they enable themselves to pass through endless years.

The Fourth Hymn of the Master of the Upper Lights

Within the Huoluo Palace of the Primordial Murk (a celestial palace of which Daoism speaks), the sound of recitation surges without bound. The constellations reverse all at once, and the stars seem to turn into things that stream and drift away. “Jinyuan gen mangmang; Dinghuang wu kanji.” (The wording here is obscure and cannot be interpreted with certainty.)

Sinking and floating are left entirely to their own turning; the parching and withering of all things each has its appointed time. Heaven and earth are vast and open, without limit or exhaustion; after passing through myriad kalpas they come again. The human form, together with nature and life, vanishes in an instant; only the method of the supreme Dao can spare me from calamity.

Returning along the path of Xuhuang (a revered deity of Daoism), a hundred million years are as a single moment. Wearing on the body the Bawei Ce (the Daoist ritual register for summoning dragons and protecting oneself), one can dispel the Basu calamities (the disasters of which Daoism speaks).

Yuanshi Tianzun, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, together with the Elder of the Dragon Kings, the perfected of Longhan (the host of perfected beings of the Longhan kalpa), the deities who lead the Bawei, and dragons, tigers and leopards, lions, bixie, horned dragons and flood-dragons, phoenixes and swans, wild geese, white egrets, and others, all come together to the Seven-Jewel Palace of the Nanyang Cavern Terrace and gaze upward at Hongya. At that time the Celestial Worthy of Clear Void and Tranquil Detachment expounds the Jing (scriptures), ritual registers, talismanic diagrams, and hymns for summoning the dragons of the Bawei, in order to transmit them to those who have not yet awakened to the Dao; and he clearly instructs them that they must cultivate according to the method and receive the teaching with caution. The secret method transmitted by the precious jade must be strictly guarded, strictly guarded; if it is carelessly divulged, it will bring death upon oneself.

When practicing the Lingbao Zhai (Numinous Treasure purification ritual), one may wear the text of the Bawei Ce. Wearing this register document, the host of perfected beings will come to guide one, and even the Demon Kings cannot encroach.

The method of making the text of the Bawei Ce: take one piece of true sandalwood, eight cun long and four cun wide; also prepare white-ground brocade, one chi long and four cun wide, and make it into a pouch in which to keep the ritual register. During the purification fast, wear it on the body, with the Eight Spirits of the Three Divisions on the left and the register text on the right.

The red characters on the register text must all be written upright, even, and square.

The Supreme Sovereign of High Antiquity, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Primordial Lord of First Birth, the Great Perfected of the Primordial Elements, the Lord of Primordial Unity of Great Simplicity, the Exalted Shen (spirit) of the Three Simplicities, the Primordial Lord of the Numinous Treasure, the Great Emperor and Elder of Primordial Beginning, Master Jingyang, Divine Preceptor of Jade Clarity, the Great Perfected, Great Sage, and Great Immortal Lord of the Jade Calendar of Great Clarity, the earth immortals of the Five Marchmounts, the Lords of the Dao (the Way) of the Numinous Mountains, and all the other honored deities:

Disciple So-and-so was born in such-and-such commandery, such-and-such county, such-and-such township, and such-and-such village, belongs to such-and-such heaven and corresponds to such-and-such constellation, and has been invested as Master of such-and-such marchmount and as a Daoist priest of such-and-such office. This disciple has heard that there are the “Divine Registers of the Eight Awesome Powers” (talismanic registers formed by the power of eight kinds of awesome spirits), by which the Dragon Kings may be summoned. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning generates and nurtures the myriad beings. This disciple has especially received the grace of the Exalted Perfected (honored deities of Daoism) and has thereby been granted investiture and a matching covenant, entered in the name-registers of the celestial realm, deleted from the registers of the dead, and given the protection of awesome spirits, so that the host of demons withdraws. The disciple may thus wander the four seas, coming and going at will, and all that is done accords with written documents and statutory ordinances.

Apart from the text of the registers, Fulu (talismans and registers) are appended separately.

True-form images of the one hundred and eighty elders, the Dragon Kings of the sea essences.

The covenant document for passing through calamities great and small, expounded by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning.

In high antiquity, exalted deities—the Supreme Elder, the Most High Lord of the Great Way (Dao), the Primordial Numinous Laozi, the Boundless Honored One of the Dao, together with the Most High of the Eastern Bureau, the Elder of the Southern Pole, the Cavern Mother of the Western Numina, the Perfected of the Northern Mystery, the Great Thearch of the Central Palace, and the Primordial Lord Huanglao—roamed together through the celestial domain of Yuantongzong Piaozhuluo, which lies among the heavens of the Dragon-Han age. Dwelling in pure emptiness and silent stillness, they recorded the regular patterns of the movements of Heaven and Earth and of the cycling of the kalpas. The deities then dispatched twelve Jade Maidens of Mysterious Harmony and twelve Ladies of the Numinous Consort, bearing the Scripture (Jing) of the Eight Awesome Registers on the Celestial Cycles of the Greater and Lesser Kalpas of the Most High Cavern Mystery (Dongxuan) Numinous Treasure. By means of it they summoned the Dragon Kings, transformed the void, refined the true spirits (Shen), guided living beings into manifestation, and settled and guarded the twenty-four true spirits.

This scripture is profound and mysterious. It was first transmitted to the Perfected Xuandu of the White Stone Hollow Cavern. After cultivating it, the Perfected passed it on to the Exalted Lord of the Dao, who in turn transmitted it to the Jade Immortal Golden Mother. The Golden Mother transmitted it to the Unsurpassed Lady Li; Lady Li transmitted it to the Old Lord of the North Pole; the Old Lord transmitted it to Master Shangjing; and Master Shangjing transmitted it further to Lord Wang of Great Harmony. Lord Wang and the others cultivated this scripture through several Dragon-Han kalpas—a Daoist reckoning used to mark immensely long cycles of cosmic destiny—and later returned to the Cavern Homeland, where they lived in seclusion and never emerged again. Among those who study the Most High Dongxuan Lingbao Scripture, scarcely one in a hundred can be found.

In the age of the High Sovereign, the Exalted Laozi expounded this scripture and sent out Immortal-Seeding Envoys and Flying Heavenly Persons, who carried the thirty-six wondrous scriptures of the Primordial Celestial Worthy of Most Ancient Origin and sealed them away in the numinous-mountain grotto residences of the Five Marchmounts. Only people in the world whose virtue is deep and abundant can see these scriptures.

On the jiazi day, the eleventh day of the seventh month in the first year of Emperor Cheng of the Eastern Jin, the Numinous Treasure Celestial Worthies of the Ten Directions descended into the human world together with the host of deities and perfected. They opened the scriptures stored in the caverns, expounded the methods of the Dao, and delivered the people of the age, and thereupon transmitted this scripture to Emperor Cheng. The text circulated in the world in order to teach and liberate all living beings, and also to remind people to observe the secret methods with care. When Emperor Cheng received these scriptures concerning the greater and lesser kalpic cycles, he prepared tokens of faith and ritual objects according to the covenant oath: five taels of gold, a pair of gold rings, patterned silk of the five colors, one golden dragon, one jade fish, two blue-green pearls, one Boshan incense burner, one cloth spread upon the ground, ten taels of silver, and nine kitchen attendants to offer food and drink. The covenant oath was performed according to the rite of “seven, five, and three,” and with these tokens as proof he swore before the Primordial Numinous Laozi and the Celestial Worthy of the First Sovereign.

When the scripture is conferred, an altar must be established on a cliffside rock, so that the ritual space looks out toward a numinous spring and stands far from ordinary people. Once the altar is complete, the ritual master faces east and proclaims the covenant oath: “I, disciple so-and-so, who receive the scripture, am an ordinary person born of turbid vital energy (Qi) within the borders of such-and-such a province. By good fortune I have encountered the Primordial Great Dao, have been nourished by harmonious Qi, and have been able to glimpse this wondrous text. Now I reverently present the ritual protocol and request the covenant oath, taking the ancestors of successive generations as witnesses.”

I, a disciple of such-and-such commandery, such-and-such county, such-and-such township, and such-and-such village, religious name So-and-so, personal name So-and-so, of so many years of age: I was born with an ordinary, worldly body, yet I have received the Qi (vital energy) of numinous harmony. My name is entered among the Three Origins, and I have been nurtured by the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen). Still, I do not yet know the destiny fixed for me in former lives, nor have I been able to uproot the source of my sinful karma or to understand the methods of the immortal Dao (the Way).

Formerly I visited a certain master of the rites, So-and-so, and reverently received the Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Scripture of the Venerable and Wondrous Dharma (jing). The contents of this scripture are profound and hard to fathom. The ultimate Dao is precious and mysterious, and it is not something that a person of meager intelligence and an ordinary body, such as I, is fit to wear and recite. I have not measured my own capacity. I think only of advancing day by day, of cultivating forward and never turning back.

I have heard that the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning expounded the teachings through greater and lesser kalpas. Among them is the method of the “Eight Awesomes Summoning the Dragons,” which can bring forth by transformation the twenty-four perfected divinities within the Empty Cavern, guide the Three Luminaries, and penetrate to the root of Dongxuan. This is an essential secret of the highest perfected, venerable as precious jade and continuous with the true marks of Cavern One (Dongyi)—truly a teaching one rarely has the fortune to hear.

I, So-and-so, am willing to pledge my life to it. I reverently bow my head to the ground and beg that my request be granted. I earnestly implore you, enlightened master, to bestow your grace, transmit the teaching, and deliver me. I dare not rashly divulge this method. Once the covenant oath is established, I bind it upon my seven ancestors and seal away this precious teaching. If anyone proclaims it or rashly leaks it, let calamity fall upon my own person and my family, and let me confess the offense before the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water. Even if I die ten thousand deaths, I shall not dare to complain thereafter.

On such-and-such year, month, and day, a person of such-and-such commandery, such-and-such county, such-and-such township, and such-and-such village—Disciple of the Grand Unity and the Limitless, of the Adamantine Completed Covenant, of the Three Caverns and the Three Effulgences; Left Leader of Spirits and Presiding Officer of the Most High—should it be thrice proclaimed and lightly leaked, exposing the person of So-and-so and the members of his household, confession is made before the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water. On the day of ten thousand perishings, one shall not dare to harbor resentment afterward.

The wording of the final passage in the original is fragmentary, and oath formulas repeatedly appear to the effect that, if one broadcasts or rashly leaks the teaching, the fault is brought upon one’s own person and the members of one’s household, and one confesses before the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water; even after ten thousand deaths, one dare not complain thereafter. The designation “Disciple of the Grand Unity and the Limitless, of the Adamantine Completed Covenant, of the Three Caverns and the Three Effulgences; Left Leader of Spirits and Presiding Officer of the Most High” is a ritual office or a title of identity within the covenant, and it is retained as in the original.

On a certain year, month, and day, in a certain commandery, county, township, and hamlet, the disciple of the Great Unity and the Limitless Adamantine Completed Covenant, of the Three Caverns and the Three Luminosities; Supreme Lord of the Left Command of Spirits; Master of the Northern Peak and Great Transmitter of the Three Sovereigns and the Five Marchmounts; Daoist priest of a certain office; great-grandson and humble minor Perfected so-and-so, kowtows and bows twice before the gods and spirits, solemnly makes report, and establishes a covenant oath.

I respectfully address the Primordial Ancient Exalted Supreme Great Lord of the Dao (the Way), the Elder Lord of Primordial Numen, the Immeasurable Venerable of the Dao, the Supreme One of the Eastern Bureau, the Elder of the Primordial Lord of the Southern Pole, the Cavern Mother of Western Numen, the Lord of Northern Mysterious Unity, the Elder Lord of the Central Palace, and the Great Perfected of the Ten Directions: this humble servant so-and-so reports to the Primordial Lords and asks that you manifest in response to the world and transmit the methods of the scriptures (jing), so that I may proclaim and comprehend them.

Now so-and-so has carefully prepared the ritual pledges (tokens offered when seeking the teachings and establishing a covenant) and requests leave to consult the catalogue of scriptural texts.

Previously, on a certain year, month, and day, I respectfully went to the Master of a certain cavern, the Perfected of the Five Numina and Daoist priest of a certain palace, in a certain commandery, county, township, and hamlet, and together with a certain person established a covenant, offering pearls and jade as tokens.

The other party opened and delivered the catalogue of the Thirty-Six Divisions, and further disclosed the divine Perfected of the Eight Luminosities, the measures of the greater and lesser kalpa cycles, the transformations within the hollow caverns, the passage through the Five Marchmounts, and the great abodes of the numinous mountains.

Now the Master and Libationer so-and-so of a certain prefecture and commandery presents the ritual pledges, including patterned silks of the five directions, golden dragons and jade fish, blue-green pearls and white silver, and sets an incense burner upon the ground, praying that the covenant be announced and the precious secret methods transmitted, so as to secure the state and rescue the people, to bring the locality peace and freedom from distress, and also to permit travel among the Five Marchmounts.

Wherever I pass—rivers and lakes, great marshes, mountains and streams, brooks and valleys—may the host of numina come forward to receive me; may dragons, qilin, tigers, leopards, lions, bixie, and other guardians attend me, and may the celestial Perfected and earthly immortals shelter me.

When the rite of transmitting the statutory methods is complete, so-and-so will cultivate according to the instruction received. I further ask the Ancient Supreme One to send orders down to the thirty-two heavens of the lower realm, to strike so-and-so’s name from the registers of death, and to cut off the roots of sinful karma.

The disciple further offers one hundred eighty prostrations and thirty-two bows toward the east, and, facing the four directions, lets down his hair.

This humble servant so-and-so again addresses the Celestial Worthy of the Great Perfected Numinous Cavern of a certain mountain: so-and-so asks you to stand as guarantor for the covenant-announcing scriptural methods that I seek, and to bless so-and-so with a lifespan as enduring as the numinous marchmounts, passing through the kalpa cycles without decline.

The disciple recites the hymn proclaiming the covenant:

In the vast and boundless deep waters, dragons and qilin come forth to receive him. The Water Mother journeys far beyond the western reaches, and fierce fire no longer harms anyone. May the spirits protect and uphold so-and-so, granting him a lifespan as enduring as the mountains and peaks, undiminished even through the passing of kalpas.

The disciple recites the hymn proclaiming the covenant:

In the vast and boundless deep waters, dragons and qilin come forth to receive him. The Water Mother journeys far beyond the western reaches, and fierce fire no longer harms anyone. May so-and-so ascend to the Jade Capital Towers (the celestial palaces of the Daoist heavens) and soar lightly and freely through the void.

The above brings to a close the upper scroll of the Wondrous Scripture of the Eight Awesome Powers for Summoning Dragons of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern of Mystery of the Most High (Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Bawei Zhaolong Miaojing); what follows begins the lower scroll.

The Lord of the Great Dao (the Way) said: The Supreme Prime Lord and the High August Boundless Great Thearch Lord traveled to the Jade Capital Mountain of Kunlun. Together with the Perfected One of Wondrous Practice, the Lord of Supreme Truth, the Elder of Supreme Truth, and the immortals and perfected beings from the Five Marchmounts (five famous mountains) and the Four Waterways (four great rivers)—two thousand four hundred in all—they descended to tour the world below. They invited the Heavenly Sovereign, the Earthly Sovereign, and the Human Sovereign, and the whole company descended together upon Mount Xuandu. Officials of every rank surrounded the terraces and gate-towers, listening there to instruction and to the exposition of the methods of the Dao.

At that time there was an Elder of the Dragon Abyss, known as the Dragon Lord. Leading several tens of thousands of dragons, he came to pay homage to the Great Thearch Lord of the Three Sovereigns and to hear of wholesome teachings and of doing good and accumulating De (Virtue/Power). The Dragon Lord spoke in praise: The De of the unsurpassed Great Dao is inherently noble and exalted, rising above even emptiness and nothingness. By the path of the Great Vehicle it passes through the cycles of one hundred and six, works transformations without end, urges people to do good, delivers all beings from the suffering of birth and death, and diligently teaches and guides the people of the world.

There are, moreover, nine hundred and sixty billion orthodox and true ways of the Dao, whose accumulated merit is beyond all reckoning. All of them instruct living beings through the Great Dao, transmit the methods by which life is sustained, and flexibly employ expedient means, universally saving beings and uprooting every evil karma and every root of death. Bearing the four kinds of compassionate heart, people relieve those who suffer injury and sudden disaster. At that time heaven and earth were stricken by drought and withered, and the common people cried out in distress. The Dragon Lord then put forth transformations and led tens of millions of dragons from beyond the deserts of the Western River and from within the boundless land of the Yu Abyss. The host of dragons bore watery Qi (vital energy) upon their backs and rode the clouds, spreading across the world, sending down a great rain, and moistening every region. The spirits of the Five Marchmounts and the Four Waterways likewise raised clouds of Qi, veiling heaven and earth and bringing relief to every parched and exhausted place under heaven. Within a few days, every place on water and on land had been refreshed by the rain; rivers and mountain valleys filled, and the waters ran vast and surging.

Then Heaven further dispatched two hundred and forty thousand maidens in colored robes to follow the Supreme Boundless Great Thearch Lord. Riding in carriages whose canopies covered the sky, they descended into the human world. Singing and making music, they toured the four seas and celebrated the blessed fortune granted to Heaven’s people. The realm was calm and secure, and great peace prevailed; everyone under heaven rejoiced and leapt for joy, answering one another in song.

At that time the three exalted and supremely perfected divinities—the Lord of the Great Dao, the Lord of the Dao and De, and the Great Thearch Lord—together with the Lofty Sage, the Perfected One of Wondrous Practice, the Great August of the Celestial Thearch, and multitudes beyond number, all came in person to receive them. Golden lads and jade maidens numbering in the hundreds of millions, bearing incense and flowers, descended in sky-covering canopies to welcome the Three Worthies and the Four Perfected (revered Daoist deities and perfected beings). Great divinities, among them the Unsurpassed, Boundless, and Beginningless Prime Lord and the Great Thearch, Lord of Supreme Veneration, together with the golden lads, the jade maidens, and the jade maidens of incense and flowers, all raised harmonious song. With the hundreds of millions of spirits between heaven and earth and tens of millions of maidens in colored robes, they came before the thrones of the Great Thearch and the Three Worthies, knelt long in homage, reverent and solemn.

At this time the Dragon Lord (the deity who commands the host of dragons) again led tens of millions of dragons to come before the Great Emperor (a venerated deity of the celestial realm) and bow in prostration. After a long while, the Dragon Lord reported to the Great Emperor:

“The Three Lords inherited the transformative work of the Three Sovereigns (the legendary emperors of high antiquity). Since heaven and earth were first opened, they had never encountered the cycles of Yangjiu and Bailiu (the calamitous aeons spoken of in Daoism). Now nine thousand nine hundred years have passed since the floodwaters receded. A withered yang overshadows the abyss, and the Water Mother (the deity who governs water) has fled into hiding and cannot be found. Therefore the withered yang has concealed the sunlight beneath the Nine Springs, and a scorching obstructive Qi (vital energy) spreads through the eight directions. The common people, parched and suffering, send their cries of grief up to the celestial court and one after another set forth the disaster. Those who have withered and died already amount to more than two-thirds of all under heaven; the multitudes are tormented by the blazing sun and have nearly perished altogether. Only after three years will the wicked, together with all affairs of rebellion and disorder, be entirely eliminated.”

Thereupon the Great Emperor summoned the Dragon Lord and ordered him to lead tens of millions of dragons to spread a celestial net, bear rainwater upon their backs, and sprinkle it over the earth and its lakes and marshes. In less than a month, all who had withered and died revived and returned to life.

Of the people of the land, only one in ten remained, to serve as the surviving seed-people. Someone inquired of them why they had been able to live on, and why, though they had suffered drought, they had not died out completely. The survivors replied: “That we suffered an extremely severe drought and yet were not cut off is because we underwent the examination of the Three Officials (the Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, who are charged with inspecting and assessing the people of the world). Our ancestors had accumulated good deeds and the practice of De (Virtue/Power), and their achievements were handed down from generation to generation; we ourselves also cultivated our persons and did good, and seldom did what was improper, and so we were able to survive. We diligently accumulated De, and received the protection of the Official of Heaven and the nurture of the earth deities. Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) in this manner ought properly to be ranked among the lesser immortals (immortals who have not yet attained high station), and before a calamity arrives they too will be examined and set apart.”

The Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water examine the merit accumulated by the ancestors and verify the diligent achievements accumulated by the person himself. Those whose merit is outstanding have their names recorded in the Southern Palace (the celestial office that keeps the registers of merit and names). When later generations encounter disaster, the Three Officials memorialize the relevant merits. Deities such as the Lord of the Southern Marchmount and the Envoy of Fiery Obstruction bestow grace and deliverance; they also invite the Fire-Pearl Envoy of the Celestial Emperor, and, employing the Flowing Fire, the Flying Refinement, the Golden Perfected Tiger Talisman, the Taiyi Adamantine Resplendent Precious Seal, the True Talisman in Phoenix Script of the Divine Perfected Who Draws the Radiance, and other sacred talismans, they protect and uphold the people and wash away the obstructive calamity, so that the disaster of scorching heat withdraws. Immortal worthies and the great bird with the golden beak also come to their aid, enabling people to escape the disaster, preserve their lives, and come to know caution and awe. All of this is the sheltering response brought about by the practice of accumulating goodness. How could one fail to cultivate purification and abstinence with diligence, and to set body and mind aright?

The Dragon Lord said: “The merits of accumulated goodness all originate in the Dao. Those who wish to establish merit and virtue should practice according to the Taishang Lingzhen Sanbao Zhai rite (the purification ritual that venerates the Three Treasures of the Dao, the Jing (scripture/classic), and the Master), persevering without cease through years and months. Siming (the deity who governs a person’s lifespan and the registers of fate) will present the good merit to the celestial court, and the Celestial Emperor will command the Three Officials to record that merit. In this way one can pass through the three calamities and the five hardships. The merit of the Zhai is especially important; how could one fail to cultivate it diligently? This is the root of life renewing itself without cease.”

Now I compose this Jing, entitled the Taishang Bawei Zhaolong Jing: the upper section records the methods of performing invitation and summons and of invoking and addressing the dragon deities, while the lower scroll explains the origins of these methods.

Note: The original text contains repeated sentences, symbols for missing characters, and passages that appear corrupt or incomplete. The above merges obviously repetitive content according to the sense, and does not supply characters for gaps that cannot be made out.

The Most High Lord of the Great Dao (the Way) sets forth the principle by which fortune turns from decline to flourishing and all things revive from withering into prosperity once more, and then he chants:

The vast Dragon Lord has received the supreme numinous power of Heaven. Yet now he meets the calamity of Yangjiu and the disaster of Bailiu (terms the ancients used for cycles of calamity and misfortune). The people of the world suffer as if being seared, dying of thirst beside the marshes. They look up to Heaven and sigh in grief, imploring Heaven to take pity on this disaster.

The people kneel and petition, calling out in sorrow, and their hearts reach the celestial realm. Once Heaven responds, it summons the Dragon Kings. The dragons, however, hide themselves and conceal their forms, taking refuge in the Yuyuan (the legendary abyss) and in the stone caves of cliffs.

Thereupon the Eight Awesome Powers (Bawei: celestial divine generals, or majestic presences, endowed with awe-inspiring divine might) solemnly issue commands and summon the dragons one after another. If a Dragon Lord wears the Five Stars (stellar marks symbolizing the power of the celestial realm), he strikes the Yuyuan with his fingers, and at once the dragons rise and cry out. He arrays and directs myriads of dragons, making them obey and act so as to establish merit.

The Dragon Lord subdues the Rain Master (the deity who governs rainfall) and gathers the cloud Qi (vital energy), sending it up to the celestial realm. For three days and three nights sweet rain falls without cease, restoring the dried marshes to clarity and calm. Seedlings and crops grow thick and lush, and the people are able to live; the climate of the four seasons is harmonized, and the world is peaceful and favorable.

If a Dragon Lord wears the Five Stars and strikes the Yuyuan with his fingers, the dragons rise and cry out, and he arrays and directs myriads of dragons, who obey and establish merit. The Dragon Lord subdues the Rain Master, gathers the cloud Qi and sends it up to the celestial realm, and rain falls for three days and three nights, making the marshes clear and tranquil. The crops grow abundant, and the people are able to survive; the four seasons are harmonious, and the world is settled in peace.

The Lord of the Great Dao says: Praise the great merit of the Dragon Lord; how lofty indeed is the Dragon Lord’s De (Virtue/Power). Those who expound this Jing (scripture/classic) ought to cultivate it, and understand the text of the Five Precepts set out below (admonitions of practice urging people to observe them):

When instructing others, cherish abundant compassion, and Heaven will open what is dark and hidden for them. Caring for others can help them cast off sorrow and distress; merit will be passed on to later generations. The Dao does not betray a person’s effort; one fears only that people themselves are unwilling to act.

Why is it that one meets precisely a time when fortune is in decline? The hearts of good people are therefore anxious and distressed. One must diligently urge others to do good and rescue those who suffer calamity. The Dragon Lord’s might is great and his merit deep; the grace he bestows bears the numinous power of Heaven.

The Dragon Lord restores the people of the world to life, so that everyone may obtain blessing and ease. The calamity of Yangjiu can be avoided, and the disaster of Bailiu is thereupon laid to rest. Places that are parched and ruined are moistened by the rain, and turbid, agitated Qi becomes clear and bright.

The Eight Awesome Powers issue solemn commands and written mandates, and precious documents are delivered to the Celestial Emperor. All of them are talismanic seals for subduing noxious evil, and their power can suppress the hosts of demons. The Dragon King betakes himself to the river’s edge; the dragons appear in throngs, startling into cries as they rise.

Accumulate good deeds, and myriad blessings will descend; observe the purification fast over a long period, and praise the sounds of the Dao (the Way). Blessings come in every case from good deeds. Through dignified ritual bearing one moves the spirits of the upper realms to respond, and the recompense of blessing descends like the peal of heavenly thunder, so that deafness and every kind of illness are healed.

The blind see again, and the lame are able to rise and walk. The good are protected by spirits, while those who do evil are punished by ghosts and spirits. The Dao takes goodness as its root, and De (Virtue/Power) is made manifest through keeping faith.

Those who are compassionate and filial are beloved of Heaven; those who diligently cultivate the Great Dao will not easily suffer the decline of their years.

The Lord of the Dao said: “The Dragon Lord’s merit is weighty and may be called the highest good. The achievements you accumulated in the past accord with the heart of Heaven, and so they move Heaven and Earth without fail. What is more, the immortals and the Perfected all praise the excellence of the precepts—the norms and rules observed in cultivating the Dao.” The Lord of the Dao said again to the Dragon Lord: “You have taken up the merit accumulated in former lives; it has now become manifest and brings grace to all. Of late you have again labored with diligence, and among the Three Treasures—the Dao, the Jing (scripture/classic), and the Master—your achievements are especially outstanding. Listen carefully to my admonition and consider my words with care. I shall further expound at length the primordial method of the Great Dao. These words are of great importance; all that is said consists of methods by which one ought to practice cultivation and broadly accumulate measureless good deeds.”

The Dragon Lord said, “What counts as the practice of great goodness? I beg to listen with reverence. I wish to receive the precepts and admonitions once more, to spread them throughout the ten directions, to exhort people toward goodness, and to enable them to persevere without flagging.”

The Most High Lord of the Great Dao (the Way) answered the Dragon Lord, “There is yet another way of cultivating goodness. A Daoist priest who cultivates the way of goodness, if possessed of fine conduct and a dignified bearing, will obtain the precious scriptures (jing) of the various perfected ones of the Daoist tradition. What is transmitted by the perfected ones of the Cavern of the Three Sovereigns—perfected ones associated with the methods of the Three Sovereigns—includes the Great Code of Supreme Truth, the Cinnabar Slips and Ink Registers (documents recording elixir methods and Daoist techniques), the Hidden Writings of Jade Clarity of the Three Sovereigns, and the writings of the Three Sovereigns; there are also the elixir scriptures of Supreme Clarity, the arts of flying stones and invisibility, and the secret methods of the numinous and wondrous Youth Elixir. All of these are true methods of the Dao. The mysterious and wondrous Great Dao set down in the Primordial Registers of Heaven and Earth (scriptures recording the Daoist methods of heaven and earth) has already been explained with full clarity. The essentials of ascending in flight and attaining immortality are of crucial importance; how could one fail to cultivate them diligently? One ought to practice them well and constantly maintain right mindfulness. The root of the ultimate Dao lies in putting into practice a conviction that is genuine and firm.

“The way of great goodness is lofty and vast. One should restrain the more elementary methods of cultivation with fitting norms, set limits, and exercise moderation. To understand restraint and to know where to stop is itself a form of dignified deportment. The practice of the Great Vehicle, for its part, contemplates all living beings and guides them by the merit of the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters revered in Daoism—so that they may advance gradually.

“The Dragon Lord already possesses merit from former lives, yet should still observe the thirty-three precepts and follow the ritual norms of the thirty-two heavens. These precepts are all the foundation for exhorting people to do good. In addition, there are sixteen practices for increasing wisdom, by which one manifests the spirit of widely bestowing grace and of diligently cultivating goodness.

“What are the sixteen practices for increasing wisdom? They include giving alms and doing good, so that the conduct of the many is made upright; upholding the precepts and guarding one’s speech, so that the precepts suffer no deficiency; forbearance, and not treating what is improper as something that may be endured; continuing in vigorous effort until one at last reaches meditative concentration; bringing the various practices to completion, so that wisdom and sincere good faith are fully present; serving in accordance with the Dao and entering a state of clarity, stillness, peace, and joy; cultivating the methods of the Six Worthies, and especially practicing the Ten Goodnesses; rectifying body, speech, and mind, and possessing virtue and moral integrity; knowing contentment and delighting in quiet; and, beginning from oneself, continually exhorting oneself to vigorous progress, cultivating good deeds both inner and outer, and exhorting others to do good. After one has cultivated these sixteen, one will be able to receive auspicious blessings, to unfold a vast mind of wisdom and make it manifest, and, in an age when the Great Dao flourishes, to obtain the reward of merit; the grace one has bestowed, together with one’s wisdom, will also be handed down to later generations.”

“The Dragon Lord should also cherish a mind of wholesome wisdom and practice twenty-two forms of cultivation, so that the mind keeps far from deviant paths, sets its resolve upon the way of the Great Vehicle, and makes its aspirations lofty, pure, and clear. The Way of Supreme Clarity requires that one remove what is turbid and restrain worldly thoughts; that one not speak of confused and miscellaneous matters, nor do what goes against the orthodox Way; that one abandon evil, hold fast to wisdom, and cultivate wholesome methods. In this way the path becomes open, and one’s work in the Dao becomes vast. The Dragon Lord’s power has already been brought under restraint, and he has already entered the way of the Great Vehicle—how much more, then, the Most High?

“If the Dragon Lord continues to practice these twenty-two cultivations, he will be able to press forward and increase in wisdom, his heart filled with faith and willing accord. The demons and their followers, together with deviant customs and heterodox teachings, will be unable to withstand him, and in the end will be subdued and driven back. What is meant by a spirit of exertion that surpasses the ordinary person? It is to make one’s resolve courageous and firm, to keep a guard upon one’s words and deeds without slackening, to practice with strength so as not to fall away, and, within, neither to grow idle nor to cease.

“In the time of exertion one ought to be like the awesome divinities of heaven and earth, possessing a majesty that overawes ghosts and spirits, ordinary people, what is false and hypocritical, things that poison and harm, fierce beasts, and all that is not upright. This is the emblem adopted by the method of the Eight Awes. What is called awe is a cultivation as firm as vajra.

“The Dao declares: the Dragon Lord, a perfected one, possesses twenty-two methods of vigorous cultivation. By practicing these methods one can establish majestic power and bring to completion a cultivation that is strong and steadfast, together with a universal mind of wisdom. All the hosts of demons, as well as external evils and heterodox ways, will not dare to defy the Dragon Lord’s majesty and restraint. The methods of the Dao are not empty talk; therefore they possess, of themselves, their rules and their ritual norms.”

The Dao (the Way) says: When rivers and seas surge with violent waves, the blazing sun parches the earth, and floodwaters spread in every direction, the moving of clouds and the sending of rain, the stilling of wind and the calming of water, the commanding of dragon spirits, and the summoning of perfected numina all depend on the Dragon Lord (Longjun) exerting his power to direct them. The methods of the Dao are not applied at random; for this reason there are fixed norms of ritual.

The Dao says: When rivers and seas surge with violent waves, the blazing sun parches the earth, and floodwaters spread in every direction, one ought to raise clouds and bring rain, pacify the winds and the floods, command the dragon spirits, and summon the perfected numina. At the moment power is exerted, the host of dragons starts up in alarm and clouds and mists gather; heaven and earth then grow clear and open, sweet rain falls, and the dry, scorched soil is moistened. Five fragrances fill the courtyard—this is precisely the radiant manifestation of the Great Dao. A good deed of this kind may truly be called most beautiful.

The Great Lord of the Dao (a revered deity of Daoism) says: If the Perfected Dragon Lord is to exert power and summon the host of dragons, he should first offer sacrifice to comfort the Great Dragon King, and then, by the Jiao rite (a ritual in which an altar is set up to sacrifice to the gods and to pray that the deities descend), sacrifice to the river gods, the Earl of Wind, and the Master of Rain. He must also pray to the dragon spirits, the River Earl (Hebo), the water deities, and the envoy of Yuyuan, and chant the prayer three times. The practitioner should fast and keep ritual abstinence for three days, go to the place where the river waters flow, and recite the covenant-oath text set out above.

When the sacrificial Jiao and the covenant oath are performed in order to summon the dragons, one must also reverently serve the River Earl, the Five Marchmounts, the Four Waterways, and the other spirits. Only thus can the Qi (vital energy) of heaven descend and the Qi of earth ascend, so that the floodwaters may pour forth and irrigate. For this, the De (Virtue/Power) of Yin-Yang must be brought into accord, the Two Modes (Liangyi) of heaven and earth must respond to one another, and the four seasons must proceed in due order. The Five Marchmounts each keep to their stations, the four seas communicate in secret, the river gods command the host of dragons, the waters of Yuyuan (in legend, the place where the sun sets) brim full, and the gates of the eight directions are opened. Only then can the methods of the Dao be accomplished, and their efficacy is very great.

The Zhenren (Perfected) of the Great Prime, the Dragon Lord, said: I have already received the methods for sending rain according to the sequence of the four seasons and for commanding the dragon spirits, yet I have still not encountered the teaching of the Five Clarities (Wuming). What are the Five Clarities? The first is the clear understanding that penetrates the Great Dao (the Way) and keeps the heart pure and free of desire; the second is the clear understanding that discerns the distinction between self and other and the aspirations of the human heart; the third is the clear understanding that comprehends the principles of affairs and grasps them as an integrated whole; the fourth is the clear understanding that applies wisdom and adapts to changing circumstances; the fifth is the clear understanding that looks afar to the ten directions—the four quarters together with above and below—and sees all without obstruction. These are the five kinds of penetrating clarity.

The radiance of the Five Clarities first receives the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) of the Three Sovereigns and the Five Stars, then receives the spirits of the Five Sacred Peaks and the Four Great Rivers (the four major waterways), and also receives the numinous clarity of the Five-Fragrance Zhi-Essence. The Five-Fragrance Zhi-Essence is a numinous tree from lands beyond the seas: one plant has five roots, one stalk has five branches, each branch has five leaves, and each interval again has five joints, corresponding throughout in fives; therefore immortals and worthies call it the “Five Fragrances.” When the Five-Fragrance wood is burned for ten days, its smoke ascends to the heaven of the Nine Sovereigns. It harbors a heart of compassion and is a sacred thing possessed of the transformative power of De (Virtue/Power).

The Lord of the Great Dao further told the Dragon Lord that he must proclaim the teaching and transmit the wholesome methods. If there are those who delight in practicing purification and seeking the Dao, who hold sincerity and reverence in their hearts, and who are truly able to cultivate the essential Way, these methods may be transmitted to them broadly, so that they understand the wondrous subtlety of the ritual arts and their transformative teaching. In this way, later worthies may continue to attain clear understanding of principle, and this wholesome method will not be cut off.

After receiving the command, the Dragon Lord mounted a dragon and flew to the Dragon Pool of Yuyuan (the legendary watery palace of the dragon spirits), summoning the host of dragons to descend upon the various lands. Wherever under heaven there is need of water or a time of drought, one should, in accordance with the Jing (scripture/classic) of the preceding section, declare vows before the water officials, river gods, and other spirits and perform the jiao offering (a Daoist rite of prayer addressed to the deities). Thereupon the Elder of the Dragon Abyss (the spirit who governs the dragon pool) will open the pool gate, rise upon the clouds, and come bearing the pool’s waters to rain them down.

The Lord of the Great Dao said: Command the Zhenren Dragon Lord to act according to the seasons. When droughts occur out of season, one should likewise, in accordance with the Jing of the preceding section, declare vows before the water officials, river gods, and other spirits and perform the jiao offering; afterward, the Elder of the Dragon Abyss will open the dragon pool, rise upon the clouds, and come bearing the pool’s waters to rain them down.

The Lord of the Great Dao (Dao) said: Command the Perfected and the Dragon Lords to carry out their duties at the proper times. If there is no special need at the moment, provide for them according to usual practice, and supply the celestial immortals, the flying immortals, and the officials under them with the ceremonial regalia and articles that each customarily uses. Unless the purpose is to pray for rain, there is no need to seek water separately. If a purification fast is to be held, recite the upper and lower chapters of the Dragon King Scripture (Jing). In recitation the voice and breath should be mournful; face the river and chant amid the flowing water, seven times for each chapter. The ritual master then offers praise and intones words of blessing, so that the river deities are moved. When the host of dragons grows sorrowful, they will faintly appear and descend bare-bodied to the east and the west. If the response comes within three days, the sun will shine brightly by day and light will also appear by night—this is the response to a prayer for clear skies.

The Lord of the Great Dao further commanded the Dragon Lord Perfected, saying: If during the purification fast a great drought occurs, dust rises over the whole land, the drought lasts many days and many months, and the fierce sun shines long without rain, one should summon the Dragon Lords and pray for rainfall. Following the covenant text of the upper chapter, recite the lower chapter seven times; when the voice is plaintive yet beautiful, the celestial Perfected Dragon Lords will descend riding dragons. As the upper chapter states, recite the upper and lower chapters seven times each, continuing through one day and one night. Offer sacrifice and perform the jiao rite for the river deities and the Dragon Lords, asking them to dispatch the dragons to fly to the four seas and the rivers, draw up watery Qi (vital energy), course through the sky, and cause that Qi to fill the heavens. Then torrential rain will pour down for three days, falling through three nights. First arrange incense, fires, lamps, and candles by day and by night; if one prays for rain in this way, the rain will soon descend.

The scripture then offers praise: This is the response bestowed by the orthodox Dao; its grace is vast, its branches and leaves luxuriant. The sage king’s De (Virtue/Power) is profound, and good merit increases daily; he can employ extraordinary arts of transformation. Yet summoning the spirits is no easy matter, and once the affair is completed the Dragon Lords should be sent away as soon as possible. This is the response whereby the Dragon Lords, wondrously pure and still, send down rain and bestow moisture. Without a ruler whose virtue is deep and whose sincerity is pure and single-minded, how could such a descent be brought about? This Dao is remote, profound, and subtle; only those of steadfast faith and sincere reverence can receive it.

Daozhen Wushang Tianzun, the Unsurpassed Celestial Worthy of the True Dao, said: There are four ways to cultivate good conduct and accumulate great merit. What are the four? The first is to cultivate purity and stillness; the second is to make firm the resolve to seek the Dao (the Way); the third is to be skilled in teaching and transforming the myriad beings so that they may come to fulfillment; and the fourth is to establish merit and, by means of expedient methods, to save and deliver the nature and life of sentient beings.

For what, then, are these four kinds of merit cultivated? Longjun Zhenren, the Perfected Dragon Lord, said that there are also eight kinds of upright conduct. In practicing the method of the Eight Majesties for summoning and subduing—a Daoist ritual procedure that uses ceremonial dignity and ritual arts to summon and subdue divine dragons and the like—one must in every case take a mind grounded in the orthodox Dao as the foundation. Whatever does not accord with the orthodox Dao should not be set before worthies of good conduct for them to look upon those improper articles of the Keyi (liturgy). The relevant content ought to be explained openly. If the wholesome teaching is not widely transmitted, that is the fault of the Brahma Lord, the venerable deity who oversees the transmission of the teaching, for failing to inform disciples and masters, and it is also a responsibility that the master ought to bear.

Longjun Zhenren said further: I have also heard that the Dao has three realms. What are the three realms? Those who diligently cultivate De (Virtue/Power) and practice by advancing toward the realm of vacuity dwell in the formless realm, a spiritual realm without material form. When all has become pure, one can purify one’s own nature and life, and one can also transcend the Dharma-realm. When the Dharma-realm is pure, the realm of number becomes pure; when the realm of number is pure, the numberless realm is likewise pure; when the numberless realm is pure, the three realms become pure.

After the three realms are pure, the realm of eye-consciousness—the realm reached by vision and the cognition that belongs to it—is also pure. When the realm of eye-consciousness is pure, the realm of mental consciousness becomes pure; when the realm of mental consciousness is pure, the realm of emptiness becomes pure; when the realm of emptiness is pure, all Dharma-realms are pure as well. Because these realms are pure, all phenomena are equally pure, without discrimination, just as empty space is. In this way sentient beings, too, are made pure. Once sentient beings are pure, they no longer cling to dualistic distinctions, nor do they cling to the notion of “non-duality.” When even these attachments are laid aside, the Dao attains purity. This, therefore, is the Dao of ultimate purity.

The Perfected Dragon Lord (Longjun Zhenren) further said: “The Dao (the Way) itself cannot be spoken of with clinging attachment, and the many thoughts need not deliberately dwell upon the Dao. When every kind of thought grows pure and still, it is as though one has ascended to the highest, most wondrous and quiescent realm; there, even the expression ‘eternal non-being’ does not exist, and this is called the ‘Gateless’ (wumen). Thought should reach the state in which nothing is thought: one does not think of the Dao, nor retain any perception or mental notion. The Dao is originally nothing that can be grasped; one enters a realm dark, profound, and far-reaching. To cultivate this no-thought is precisely the utmost true realm of the Way of no-thought.

“If the Perfected Dragon Lord wishes to cultivate this Way of purifying mind and intention, he should understand that the Dao toward which thought is directed is originally nothing that can be grasped, and that one should enter the dark, profound, and far-reaching realm. Cultivating no-thought is the utmost true realm of the Way of no-thought. He should also understand the practice of purity, making his own body, speech, and mental activity all pure, and from this generating and receiving Qi (vital energy). The Dao mysteriously receives its endowment from non-being and manifests as being; this is called ‘generating the Dao’ (shengdao), and it is the root of the Dao.”

The Perfected Dragon Lord asked: “What is meant by the cultivation of the body?”

The Dao replied: “The movements of the body come and go, constituting the various phenomena that arise; coming without end constitutes the various scenes manifest in the present; ending without end—all of these are called the movements of the body. The body is further formed by the gathering of various causes and conditions; when those causes and conditions age and decline, the body returns to emptiness, and the mind no longer harbors thoughts, becoming placid and free of ideation. The realm is subtle and profound. If the Dragon Lord now wishes to cultivate and contemplate the body in accordance with this principle, he must be diligent and unremitting in order to obtain the true Dao.”

The Great Lord of the Dao (Dadaojun) said: “Perfected Dragon Lord, if, relying on such a pure mind, one is born in the Realm of Desire (the world possessed of desire and sensory craving) and is also situated in the Realm of Form (the heavenly realm in which form and visible appearance still exist), dwelling together with all manner of subtle realms and the assembled deities of the various heavens within the Brahma heavens, then conduct that is quiet and free of restless, reckless movement is that by which the Perfected Dragon Lord is able, together with the divine beings of the various heavens, to respond and transform according to circumstances and to teach and transform living beings. One may also be born in the Realm of Form yet manifest the appearance found in the Realm of Desire. He will further, together with the various heavens, come and go among living beings; in sitting down and in rising he feels no fatigue, nor does fatigue give rise to arrogance. Even if living beings possess worthy virtue, he does not on that account belittle himself. Cultivating in this way, maintaining purity, abiding in the various meditative concentrations, rectifying the thoughts of the mind and receiving the principle, one can then roam the mysterious void within the supreme Dao.”

The Lord of the Great Dao (the Way) said: The Perfected One has already come into complete accord with the natural Dao, and constantly preserves a body of purity and stillness. Only a person who cultivates in this way can truly be called great. After body and mind have settled, if one then clings to “settledness” and no longer follows the changes of things, a hesitant mind, wavering between advance and retreat, will arise. This is not truly to have received the true Dao. For instance, when the Unsurpassed Perfected One first begins to teach living beings, he too employs skillful and expedient methods. If a Daoist resolves to seek learning, understands the principle of purity and stillness, and diligently cultivates Daoist arts such as flight and transformation, this may be called earnest practice; the Dao will not fail such a person.

The Lord of the Great Dao said: It is further heard that, when the Dragon Lord Perfected One first taught people, he taught them to seek the Dao by “non-learning.” What is called “non-learning” means not clinging to repeated study, and not clinging to treating the Dao as an object of pursuit; only thus can one understand the working of the Dao. The cultivator should also not cling to expecting that he will one day acquire the methods of the Dao. From the beginning there is no need to force the result of cultivation; the Dao will not fail a person.

The Lord of the Great Dao said: It is further heard that, when the Dragon Lord Perfected One first taught people, he taught them to seek the Dao by “non-learning.” What is called “non-learning” means not clinging to repeated study, and not clinging to treating the Dao as an object of pursuit; only thus can one understand the working of the Dao. The cultivator should also not cling to expecting that he will one day acquire the methods of the Dao, nor need he cling to pursuing what is obtained.

Some people, perhaps through their own root capacity and innate endowment, have already fully understood this fundamental principle; there are also those who do not cling to the thoughts that arise, and who wish only to grasp the mode of cultivation within the Dao known as “non-learning.” When one reaches the realm of still extinction and liberation, one can then understand the Dao of life and death. If the thoughts of cultivating and of not cultivating remain attached to the Dao throughout, is this not clear and plain? The Dao will thereby be made manifest.

The Ultimate Dao said: Turning the dharma wheel of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen) in the realm of empty perfection—the propagation of the teaching symbolized by the scriptural methods of the Daoist Three Caverns—the innumerable Dragon Scriptures unfold in turn, and the host of dragons rejoices and leaps with delight. The Dragon Lord further said:

The true Dao (the Way) is not far away; once one has passed through “sanwu fufan,” it can become manifest. “Sanwu fufan” is a technical term in the scripture, and its precise meaning is difficult to determine from this passage alone. When the sky is clear, it is the time to observe the weather, pray for rain, and summon the dragon Shen (spirit). As soon as the Dragon Lord descends, he gives a long, drawn-out cry; rain falls and moistens the drought-stricken seedlings. What is prayed for accords with the correct Dao and is not an improper request.

The river officials of Yuyuan and the Shen of the high peaks of the Five Marchmounts can all proclaim the teaching and transform the people of the world; only by doing good does one fulfill loyalty. Filial devotion to one’s parents and kindness toward others must be maintained with perseverance, until one is without equal under Heaven. The power realized through fasting, purification, and ritual method can at times enable a person to comprehend the way of the dragon Shen. Once the Dragon Lord descends, everyone without exception reveres and submits. Drawing up warrant texts according to the regulations and summoning the true Shen can also call forth the Demon King; the forms and shadows of the host of ghosts then disperse, and the Peng Shen likewise bow in respect. The scripture says that these powers can cut off the road to evil destinies and enable a person to ascend on high.

The purification texts are transmitted together with these, to instruct beginners. As for the Flowing Water golden talisman and the brilliantly radiant precious seal, one wears the Six Jia talismans on the left and the seal on the right. One should constantly contemplate the “Three Realities” and hold them firmly in mind; “Three Realities” is a specialized designation in the scripture, and it is not further explained here.

If one turns to the Dao with single-minded devotion and is diligent in fasting and purification, why press the question of whether ascent in flight is possible? The way of ascent in flight is profound and far-reaching; cultivation should follow the teachings and advance calmly, step by step.

If the Dao (the Way) is not attained through practice, how could it suddenly appear in a person’s thoughts? Seeking the Dao means returning to emptiness and non-being, while also establishing forms at the proper time. Those who are ill are often unsteady in will, and so they waver with outward appearances. If one is unwilling to practice and seek the Dao, one should sweep away every kind of filth and corruption. The true Dao originally requires no deliberate practice; when the mind is pure and clear, the wangliang—demonic and spectral beings—will withdraw. If someone begins to practice, sincerity and single-mindedness alone will allow that practice to be sustained for a long time.

The Dao teaches that there is no clinging to an “I.” Once the thought of self is cut off, no shadow remains. After thought is severed, one comes forth from nothingness, and within nothingness the substantial again arises. If you can cultivate the good and transform the evil, that turning toward good can summon true spirits. Who knows how precious the true Dao is? The Golden Elixir (Jindan) lies within your own person. Nourish what lies beneath the xuanyong—the mysterious place within the body—and life can be prolonged. Why busy yourself with a fleeting existence, yet refuse to cast off the yuanjing, the primordial Jing (essence), the essential Qi (vital energy) at the root of life? The yuanjing is in fact easy to understand: abide securely in the citadel of mystery, the wondrous place within body and mind.

Beneath sun and moon, open a gap and sound the bell to summon officials and troops. Who can grasp the principle in this? One should visualize the Court of the Three Origins, where the Shen (spirits) of the upper, middle, and lower origins reside. If one does not know how to seek my Dao, one will instead suffer calamity and punishment; the body will perish upon the Mountain of Knives, and the reputation of the Daoist tradition will be damaged and brought to ruin.

Why not practice purification and hold to what is upright, and thereby be spared drifting across ten thousand years? Fear only that merit has not been accumulated sufficiently; there is no need to worry that, once accumulated, it still cannot be fulfilled. The Great Dao does not speak empty words; the only fear is that you will incur offense. Therefore the Precious Jing (scriptures) of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen)—the classics of the Daoist Three Caverns—are opened, urging you to cultivate body and mind, so that life may be long and at peace, the five kinds of suffering may be passed through, and you may ascend to the imperial court of the immortal realm. You and I know each other’s hearts; who can recognize this principle that is truly worth hearing?

The Dragon Lord, a Zhenren (Perfected Person), said: I received the Dao (the Way) of the Most High Great Thearch and personally accepted the unsurpassed, orthodox, and true teaching. I diligently observed the zhai (purification fasts) and kept the precepts, restrained myself, and gave to others.

If you wish to attain deliverance yourself, you must first help others attain deliverance; if you wish to perfect yourself, you must first help others to be perfected; if you wish to be respected, you must first respect others; if you wish to be honored, you must first honor others; if you wish to establish something, you must first help others establish it; if you wish to accomplish a matter yourself, you must first help others accomplish it; if you wish to seek a teacher and pursue the Dao, you must first treat others with the courtesy due a teacher; if you wish to manage your own affairs, you must first help others manage theirs; if you wish to relieve yourself, you must first relieve others; if you wish to prosper without obstruction, you must first enable others to prosper. If you wish to be happy, first make others happy; if you wish to eat your fill, first let others eat their fill; if you wish to be well off, first make others well off; if you wish to be first in everything, first let others go ahead; if you wish to govern yourself well, first help others govern themselves well; if you wish to settle yourself, first help others find peace; if you wish to treat people with a compassionate heart, first show compassion to others; if you wish to fulfill filial piety, first respect and honor others with filial regard. Some sentences in the original recur, but all of them urge one to accomplish things for others and to help them first.

Be humble and self-possessed, diligent in your duties, and mild of countenance; morning and evening, pay respects and attend upon your elders. When you meet the elders of others, honor them as you honor your own. Keep the Dao in mind and invoke it aloud, always cherishing reverence, and diligently perform ritual bows. Season plain food until it is pleasing and offer it to your elders, without interruption morning or evening. When the weather turns cold and ice forms, do not be the first to put on warm clothing; clothe the elderly first. Such good deeds ought to ascend and reach the heavens.

If you have wealth, do not merely hoard it; open the storehouses and give to the poor. Each year set aside several thousand hu of grain, all of it used to relieve those in hardship and want. In his early years the Dragon Lord practiced these good deeds and moved Heaven. Heaven values the De (Virtue/Power) of loyalty and filial piety, and so when his allotted span was about to end it was prolonged, his life increased tenfold; and when that life finally ended, a dragon came to receive him. Accumulating good deeds and showing filial respect to elders springs from a compassionate heart, and one should also bestow much kindness on the poor.

The Dragon Lord was indeed hard to master; later everyone revered him as the Dragon Lord. He could rise and descend at will and roam as he pleased; he could also manifest in transformed bodies and alter what appeared, with nothing beyond his reach. He expounded the teachings to the multitude, admonished and inspired later students, and urged people to cherish compassion; whenever he met the worthy, he was invariably respectful. The Supreme Sages added him to the ranks of the Zhenren, and only afterward did he begin to teach and transform the world. When his merit was complete, he roamed the four seas and circled the Five Sacred Peaks; though he had attained the way of the immortals, he left a name behind, so that later generations might accumulate practice, cultivate goodness, and receive instruction.

When the way of the world declines and calamities arise on every side, one should diligently observe the zhai in order to attain deliverance for oneself. If one can nurture the “three lives” (a Daoist notion connected with the cultivation of life) and practice the methods of the Dao at the “three origins” (the Upper, Middle, and Lower Origins of Daoism, whether as appointed days or as a celestial order), one may sit upright and contemplate the Great Dao, roaming as far as Kunlun. If one cannot yet ascend into the realm of the mysterious void, one may first enjoy the life of an earth immortal. There is no need to cling to human pleasures; one may wander the summits of the Five Sacred Peaks, and afterward refine the golden liquor and ascend in flight to the heavens.

Why not diligently keep the zhai and cultivate, instead of sinking into the mundane world? Then one will suffer the assaults of a hundred ghosts and may well diminish the lifespan granted by Heaven. Let good intentions continue without cease, and give aid to the poor. The warnings of the Heavenly Dao are no empty words: they urge you to form broad good connections and do many good deeds. If goodness can be sustained and De accumulated, one’s blessings and lifespan will be extended.

The Lower Scroll of the Wondrous Scripture (Jing) of the Eight Awesome Powers for Summoning Dragons of the Supreme Cavern Mystery (Dongxuan) Numinous Treasure.