《太上洞玄灵宝宿命因缘明经》

At that time the Most High Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun, a revered deity of Daoism) sat upright upon the clouds and roseate mists and addressed the Perfected who attended him: “The greatest De (Virtue/Power) between heaven and earth is the Primordial Dao (the Way); the most precious De is the Beginning Dao; and the De that links heaven, earth, and the myriad things to one another is the Human Dao. When the De of these three Daos is joined together, it transforms and gives rise to every kind of change, hidden and manifest. It originates in the void, and it is the root of sagely and enlightened teaching.

“Nüwa had the body of a serpent, and Fuxi had a scaly body. At that time Yin-Yang was still in chaos, and heaven, earth, and the myriad things had not yet differentiated. Later, three sages yielded the throne to one another in succession, and the Five Emperors began the work of governing the world. Dao and De were gradually established, and good fortune and ill fortune became clearly distinguished because of this. The influence of teaching spread; causes and conditions gradually took form; signs of good and evil began to appear; and the affairs of the world changed accordingly.

“In remote antiquity the customs of the people were honest and plain, and teaching was easy to put into practice. By middle antiquity the ways of the age grew increasingly false. Strife and harm filled the world; people no longer kept faith and turned away from the root of the Dao. Yu the Great governed the world by De, surveyed the achievements of flood control, and was therefore recommended by Shun. Toiling, he hurried among the mountains and rivers, dredged the four great rivers, and brought relief to the myriad people. In life he accepted the throne yielded to him; after death he governed Zhongshan. As Lord of the Palace of Great Yin (master of the palaces of the underworld), he clearly oversaw the affairs of the water officials. Heaven bestowed a precious talisman upon him, so that those who were drowning might be preserved. The methods of the Three Treasures (the methods of Daoist cultivation and teaching) were thereby propagated and made to transform and nourish. Excellent, excellent—thus was the Dao proclaimed.”

The Dao Lord said: “My Dao is profound and subtle. The hidden world and the manifest world can all communicate through it. It accords with good deeds in carrying out its teaching and sends down precious scriptures (Jing). If people of later ages become wicked, stubbornly refuse to believe the teachings, and sink into bondage with one another, they will gravely mislead and harm their descendants and, after death, suffer the Three Torments and Five Sufferings (the underworld punishments and hardships spoken of in Daoism), pain beyond words. I am often deeply troubled by this. Good and evil ought in the end to be clearly distinguished: if one does not cultivate good De, one will without cause invite guilt and the calamity of resentment. You must diligently practice purification and abstinence and long seek liberation, so that you may pass through every disaster, forever preserve peace, joy, and gladness, and follow the teaching. Only then may one be called flourishing and secure.”

The Dao Lord said further: “I am concerned for the life and death, the guilt and the blessed recompense, of living beings yet to come, who will be entangled by the causes and conditions of their destined fate. If they accumulate good deeds, they will naturally obtain blessings and good fortune. This is the subtle Dao cultivated and attained by those who possess the Dao. Once it is obtained, one can become an immortal and attain deliverance.”

Yin Sheng bowed his head to the ground and paid his respects, saying, “Wonderful, wonderful! Now I have heard the teaching of the precepts. In proclaiming these teachings, one should not distinguish between the close and the distant. At Emperor Yao’s side were Shun and Yu. What predetermined destiny (the karmic affinities of former lives) did they possess, that they were wise and sagely from the moment of birth and enjoyed blessings that endured? Great Yu labored to control the floods, and his achievements have been handed down in the world—what karmic causes were these? And why am I worn and haggard, suffering vexation, grief, and unhappiness? What profound De (Virtue/Power) did they accumulate, that they became celestial beings? What hidden De (good deeds accumulated in secret, without seeking to be known) enabled them to become flying immortals, escape the eight calamities, and protect their descendants? I now bow my head and weep, begging to learn the karmic causes of these things.”

The Dao Lord said, “Good, good. You have asked rightly. As for the precepts and admonitions to be left to later generations, you may set them forth in full. The predetermined destinies and karmic affinities, and the sins and blessings of life and death, of which I speak are all perfectly clear. I wish only that people of later ages will understand them and follow the teaching. The Dao (the Way) of Heaven shows no partiality toward those who are close; it favors only those who do good. Be cautious, be cautious. Tell it as I have spoken.”

The Dao Lord said, “Above the Three Realms (the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm), the unsurpassed Great Dao wondrously transforms and nourishes the myriad things, striving to save the many and to aid all living beings universally, so that they may escape the evil world of the Five Defilements (a world filled with every kind of turbid affliction). Can such merit be fully told? Now the Five Poisons (greed, anger, delusion, and the other afflictions that cause people to do evil) are about to prevail. I shall drive out rebellion and wickedness throughout the world, and discern the worthy and the good. I fear that you will fall into evil destinies and be reborn as animals in the life to come, and so I grieve for you. What, then, is to be done about suffering such as this?”

The Dao Lord said, “When that time comes, rulers and ministers will attack one another. Whether good or evil, great or small, noble or humble, and whether teachers or friends, all will suffer undeserved calamity; after death their names and reputations will perish together, and almost no one will be spared. Those who do not cultivate De and moral conduct while alive will meet with disasters of this kind. Those who harbor jealousy, lack a heart of gentle concord and compassionate love, slander one another, and regard each other in confusion and delusion will fall into the hells and the path of hungry ghosts. Those who covet only a moment’s glory, are not diligent in accumulating blessings, and make no provision for the life to come may be reborn in foul and wretched places, suffer bullying and humiliation from others, and endure cruel pains like slaughter, cutting, and flaying. How can such suffering be fully told?”

Yin Sheng asked, “If people of later ages meet with calamity, by what method should they be taught? I am truly concerned for all living beings and find them pitiable. Those who receive good recompense do so because they have accumulated great merit and formed good affinities; after death they escape the Three Paths and the Five Sufferings—the evil destinies and various hardships of which Daoism speaks—and for a long time ascend into the Hall of Blessings, where clothing and food arise of themselves in full sufficiency. This is truly a good thing!”

Yin Sheng continued, “Just as the Sage Lord has said, I wish to ask: by what causes and conditions may a person be reborn as an immortal or a person of high station, and live a life that others long for? By what causes and conditions is one reborn as an ordinary person? By what causes and conditions is one reborn in the hells, to endure sufferings beyond words? By what causes and conditions is one reborn as a bondservant, despised by others, steeped in distress and without joy? By what causes and conditions is one reborn as a worthy and upright person, pure in body and speech, and held in respect by all? By what causes and conditions is one reborn coarse and ugly, constantly met with disgust and insult, and given to unwholesome deeds? And by what causes and conditions may one, after rebirth, live in ease and leisure, be honored, constantly receive offerings, and see one’s wishes fulfilled? I earnestly beg you to explain the principles behind these deeds and to point out the source of liberation, so that people may be saved, long enjoy their blessings, and no longer suffer scorching heat and other hardships.”

The Lord of the Dao (the Way) said: “Listen carefully to the words with which I admonish you, and take earnestly to heart this sincere, painstaking counsel. I shall now explain its essential meaning for you in full. The blessings that virtuous conduct—De (Virtue/Power)—brings are chiefly six.

The first is to hold compassion in the heart: not to kill living beings, to cherish the myriad things, and to do one’s utmost to rescue them so that they may find safety and peace. The second is to revere and love the worthy and the good, to harbor no thought of theft, and to wish only to give, relieving and showing kindness to those in poverty. The third is to keep a chaste heart, to cultivate with single-minded diligence and vigorous progress, to stay far from the temptations of sound and sensual beauty, and not to violate the precepts. The fourth is to be sincere, trustworthy, and steadfast, not to deceive others, to be careful in speech, not to indulge one’s faults, and to be neither greedy nor defiled. The fifth is neither to indulge in wine so as to harm the body, nor to stain the pure, upright, and worthy with filthy conduct. The sixth is to hold reverence and awe, and personally to believe in and honor those who possess the Dao.

One who practices these six things will be born above the celestial beings, roam in carefree freedom, and become a flying immortal; with food and clothing in abundance, with provisions supplied when setting out, and held in respect by others, one becomes a teacher and a friend to people.”

At that time the Lord of the Dao further proclaimed in praise:

“Not to kill brings long life and freedom from disease, and one is ever far from suffering. In time one may enjoy a blessed station in the celestial realm; the body is healthy and at ease, and there is support on which to rely.

Not to steal allows one always to preserve purity, rectitude, and honorable standing, while wealth gathers of itself. Palaces are raised of the seven treasures; life is peaceful and joyful, and others too may dwell in security.

Not to engage in licentiousness means one does not invite disorder, and the body remains ever pure. When one is reborn, one’s features are upright and proper, one’s conduct bears De, and wisdom arises of itself.

Not to deceive means the mouth is ever fragrant and one’s words are loyal and upright; what one says accords with the Great Dao, and the matters one speaks of can be brought to completion.

Not to touch a drop of wine means no faults arise from drunkenness. One ever looks forward to seeing flowers and fruits flourish, and celestial beings may also attend one.

When one’s lifespan comes to an end, one ascends to the heavenly realm, and twenty-five deities come forth to receive one. Blessings of every kind descend of themselves, and a bright radiance ever rests upon the body.”

The Dao Lord said that there are yet six kinds of good conduct by which a person may be reborn as a human being in the next life. The first is to give wealth and goods to relieve those in poverty, and to carry a little less sorrow and distress in the heart. The second is to keep the precepts, cultivate with diligence, and not commit the ten evils (a classification of grave wrongdoing found in Buddhist and Daoist texts). The third is to practice patience and humility, treat others with tolerance, and not speak at random. The fourth is to admonish the foolish and obstinate so that they become willing to be reverent and careful. The fifth is to devote oneself single-mindedly to the true Dharma, treat people with benevolence, and serve with wholehearted loyalty. The sixth is to cherish life and abhor killing, and not to do what is improper.

One who practices these six kinds of good conduct will be born as a human in the next life, will often enjoy wealth and honor, and will for the most part obtain what is sought. One whose giving is especially wide-ranging may in a later life become a king and be revered by the various states. The Dao Lord then praised this virtue in verse. Giving brings great blessings, and wealth arrives of itself. In lives to come one is always born into a noble household and enjoys happiness from generation to generation. Those who keep the precepts constantly hold reverence and serve the Nine Worthies (the deities venerated in Daoism). With sincere reverence and without doing evil, one can preserve one’s own person and prolong one’s life. Bearing insult with humility, one does not keep anger on the lips; when others revile, one can endure and not reply, and blessings, emolument, and longevity may then be retained of themselves. Cultivating without slack and keeping the mind on the Great Dao (the Way), one can obtain the true Dao. When conduct accords with the Dao, after the span of life is complete one may become a celestial being (a divine spirit dwelling in the heavenly realms). Keeping the true Dao in mind without turning back, loyal, faithful, and honest, and speaking no false words, and making offerings to the various deities of lofty virtue, one will not meet with hardship in the next life. One who is able to practice these six kinds of good conduct can be reborn as a human, with well-formed features, and will naturally become a person of high standing.

The close of the original text repeats the emphasis once more: be loyal, faithful, and honest, and speak no false words; make offerings to the various deities of lofty virtue, and the next life will not be hard. One who can practice these six kinds of good conduct will be reborn as a human, with a regular and comely countenance, and will naturally become a person of high standing.

The Daojun (Lord of the Dao) says: There are yet seven kinds of evil conditions that cause a person, after death, to fall into hell and suffer punishment for a hundred million kalpas, with no end in sight. What are these seven evil conditions?

The first is to be neither loyal nor filial, and to slander and insult the venerable Lord of the Dao, bringing on an early death or bodily injury and disability; after death one falls into hell and suffers punishment for tens of thousands of years.

The second is to invoke falsely the names of ghosts and spirits in order to revile good people, and thereby to meet with disaster and punishment, enduring suffering beyond words.

The third is to destroy spirit halls and fail to venerate the Three Worthies (the sacred exalted stations honored in Daoism), and so to receive severe punishment, the body bearing bitter pain.

The fourth is to be heavy with doubt and scant in faith, to hold that there are no ghosts or spirits in the world, to act in a perverse manner without the Dao (the Way), and to profane the Three Luminaries (the sun, the moon, and the stars). Such a person contracts all manner of painful illnesses, is long confined in the celestial prison, and constantly encounters every kind of evil; the children born to them are often lame or disabled, and they themselves fall early into hell, suffering calamity for ten thousand years.

The fifth is that closest kin do not love one another, brothers harm one another, they slander ghosts and spirits, their conduct is foul and arrogant and they do not keep purity, and above all they do not believe in the Zhongzhen (the true Dao of which Daoism speaks). They therefore die before their time and cannot live out their allotted span; after death they fall into hell and undergo every kind of torment.

The sixth is to defy laws and regulations, to imprison one’s father or one’s ruler, to fail in respect and love for elders and superiors, and to speak evil words continually. Such a person’s body suffers the punishment of flaying and cutting; they die young while their offenses are still unpaid; in a later life they are also wounded by tigers, and the calamity extends to their descendants.

The seventh is to suffer from danlai (jaundice and leprosy, skin diseases), and also to be jealous, perverse, and fond of asserting one’s strength; offenses and evil deeds never leave one’s person, and so one meets with disaster; after death one falls into hell and for ten thousand kalpas suffers the boiling cauldron (the punishment of the seething copper pot).

Such is the retribution of evil deeds. The Lord of the Dao composed a hymn, saying:

Stingy and greedy for wealth, unwilling to give alms; stealing in secret, and failing also to support one’s parents. Hoarding money and goods, intent only on riches and high station, unwilling to relieve the aged and the poor. Wife, children, and servants freeze and go hungry, yet one will not give them clothing or food. One merely sits guarding one’s possessions, and after death becomes a hungry ghost.

They are miserly and greedy, unwilling to give in charity; they steal property and do not support their parents. They hide their wealth away, bent wholly on fame and profit, and will not relieve the aged and the poor. To their wives and children and the servants of the household they give no clothing, leaving them to hunger and freeze. They sit fast, guarding their possessions, and after death they sink into the state of hungry ghosts and suffer every torment: they can never eat their fill, poisonous sores break out upon their bodies, and though they beg in every place they obtain no food; even their families decline and perish.

Those who wag their tongues and spread rumors to stir up trouble suffer, after death, the punishment of having the tongue torn out: molten copper is poured into the mouth, the tongue is drawn out to half the length of the body, and copper is forced in again until the stomach and intestines within the belly are burned away. Those who will not do good while alive meet suffering after death. Those who viciously slight and oppress others must endure punishment for tens of thousands of years. When the burden of their offenses is at last exhausted and they are reborn, they still fall into low and humble station. Those whose guilt is extreme and who delight in killing, or who steal and do evil by force, are left with mutilated bodies after death, fall into hell, and pass through calamity across ten thousand kalpas.

The Lord of the Dao (the Way) said: There are yet five kinds of evil conduct that cause a person, after death, to be reborn as an animal. The first is to break the precepts and steal, and to refuse repayment of a debt that is owed. The second is to commit licentious acts with one’s own kin and to show no reverence for Heaven and Earth. The third is, without cause, to wrong the innocent, and to swear oaths rashly with no regard for lawful measure.

The Lord of the Dao said further: There are yet five kinds of evil conduct that cause a person, after death, to be reborn as an animal. The first is to break the precepts and steal, and, having incurred a debt, to refuse to repay it. The second is to commit licentious acts with one’s own kin and to show no reverence for Heaven and Earth. The third is, without cause, to wrong the innocent, and to swear oaths rashly, heedless of lawful measure. The fourth is to take no delight in good conduct when it is seen, and to follow along when evil is heard of, so that one oneself meets harsh punishment and the disaster extends even to one’s descendants. The fifth is to deceive those above and to keep subordinates in the dark, to serve the ruler without loyalty, and, once seated in high office, to bully others by power and to wrong the loyal and the worthy; to take a cruel pleasure in slaughter and cutting, flaying oxen and sheep while they still live, by painful and savage means, with a heart like that of jackals and wolves.

Those who practice these five kinds of conduct fall into hell after death and are afterward reborn as animals, suffering every kind of poisonous harm and hardship, the worthy and the foolish alike. Such is the retribution for offense. The Lord of the Dao then composed a verse, saying:

Those who constantly harbor thoughts of theft, who incur debts yet refuse to repay them, who take life and delight in hunting, who associate with worldly people by improper means, who conduct their affairs without good faith and grow angry at the slightest unpleasant word, who do evil without the least awareness of it, and who favor deviant paths while refusing to believe in the orthodox Dao (the Way)—such people, after death, are reborn as livestock such as oxen, sheep, donkeys, and horses. Their bodies are filthy and foul-smelling; year after year they bear heavy loads, suffering in this way through ten thousand kalpas.

If one commits the offense of licentiousness and violates the proper order of human relations, one will be struck dead by thunder and lightning. After death one falls into hell, hung upside down and subjected to punishment, burned by fierce fire. If one stirs up gossip and slanders the true Dao, in the next life one will suffer extreme hardship: molten copper will be poured into the mouth, and one will constantly endure hunger and cold.

The Lord of the Dao (a revered deity of Daoism) says: There are also five kinds of good conduct that can enable a person to attain a position of honor, to be respected by all, to have one’s deeds spread throughout the world, and to become one toward whom the multitude looks with reverence and allegiance. What are these five kinds of good conduct?

The first is, in giving, not to be stingy, so that kindness spreads widely, relieving those in urgent distress and those who live in poverty, and letting good deeds be known in all directions. The second is to venerate the great Dao and to treat the Three Treasures—the Dao, the Jing (scripture/classic), and the teacher—with reverence. The third is to set one’s thoughts aright, to keep the fasts and observe the precepts, and to treat others with quiet gentleness, humility, and respect. Even when wronged or insulted, one does not rush to argue or appeal; the Dao remembers such a person, entering the name in the register of immortals so that one may ascend as an immortal. The fifth is to delight in cultivating the Qi (vital energy) of the Dao, to understand and believe in the celestial patterns, and to entrust body and mind to the Dao. The Dao then constantly abides in one’s person, enabling one to discern the Nine Palaces and at last to become an earthly immortal, an immortal who dwells in the human world. Foolish people in the secular world often do not believe these things.

On the basis of the foregoing responses, the Lord of the Dao then composed a hymn, saying:

Those who give constantly and without stinting, and who broadly relieve the many so that they may live in peace and security, can in this life attain a pure and honored station, and people of the world may even have occasion to see them ascend as immortals. Those who support and draw near to persons who cultivate the Dao (the Way) and possess De (Virtue/Power), and who keep the fasts and observe the precepts, will be able to behold the true spirits; if they quiet the mind and hold to concentrated recollection without ever slackening, seven generations of their ancestors will all ascend into the heavens. Those who can endure humiliation and do not give rise to anger will in a future life be born upright and proper; those who study diligently and draw near to persons of De will become people held in respect. Those whose mind and nature are gentle in all they do, who are humble and observant of propriety and who yield to others in every circumstance, and who rescue those in urgent peril and deliver people from hardship and distress, will be able to prolong their lives. Those who revere the precepts of the Lingbao, who understand and cultivate the Dao of the Nine Palaces, and who sincerely put their faith in the Dao of emptiness, may enjoy a lifespan as enduring as Heaven.

The Lord of the Dao said: There are also five kinds of evil conduct that cause a person to be reborn again and again in a low and humble station, even as a slave or bondservant. Which five? The first is pride and negligence, with no respect for one’s parents; the second is obstinacy and perversity, the heart lacking reverence and caution; the third is unrestrained conduct and failure to honor the Three Worthies—the Dao, the Jing (scripture/classic), and the Master, whom Daoism venerates; the fourth is acting willfully and recklessly on one’s own, together with theft; the fifth is, after incurring a debt, fleeing into hiding and defying the agreement by refusing to repay it. These five kinds of conduct cause a person constantly to be reborn as one who is base, reduced to servitude, subjected to whipping, hardship, and humiliation, long enduring hunger and cold, and unable to meet even the basic needs of life.

The scripture further sings: The foolish treat their parents with arrogance and hold no reverence whatever in their hearts, and in a future life they will be reborn as persons of low station. When they see precious things or honored elders and yet do not pay respectful homage, when their conduct runs counter to their seniors, and when they show others neither kindness nor filial care, they will in a future life become slaves and servants. For clothing and food they must depend entirely on others, and day and night they suffer being driven and whipped. After rebirth they suffer without cease, and even after death release is hard to attain. Those who indulge themselves and cling to lustful desire, and who go so far as to disbelieve in ghosts and spirits, will in a future life be pressed by hunger and cold, and in whatever they do they will meet with hardship. Those who leave their debts unpaid and instead curse others, and who, when sunk in poverty and destitution, even revile their ancestors, will in a future life become oxen and sheep, driven, controlled, and tormented by human beings.

The Dao Lord (Daojun) said: There are also five kinds of good virtue. Those who practice them constantly form good affinities, and in a future life they may be born among human beings. Their breath is fragrant and pure, their bodies and minds are ever at peace, and they are respected by others. What are these five virtues?

The first is to believe sincerely in the true Dao (the Way) and not to deceive others. The second is to be single-minded and undivided when reciting the scriptures (Jing) and practicing the methods of the Dao. The third is to be diligent in purification and fasting and to take joy in cultivating the way of immortality. The fourth is to teach people to do good and not to do evil. The fifth is to be earnest and generous, compassionate and kind, to aid those in hardship and urgent distress, and to keep faith without doubt.

Those who possess these five good deeds are born into eminent households. Their breath is fragrant and pure; they do not easily fall into error; their minds remain at peace; they are honored by others; and they are never poor throughout their lives. By accumulating merit over a long time, they can gradually become celestial immortals. Because good conduct receives such blessed recompense, the Dao Lord therefore composed this hymn:

Believe firmly and joyfully practice the Dao that gives life to and nourishes the myriad things, and always cherish a heart of compassion and mercy. Keep food and drink plain and pure, so that body and mind become clear and pure, and after death one may ascend to the heavenly realm. Reverently uphold the Three Treasures (Sanbao)—the Dao, the Jing, and the teachers venerated in Daoism—and do not act arrogantly toward one’s parents. Treat others with a sincere heart and do not deceive or scheme; this is the conduct of those who are loyal and filial. Be cautious in speech and do not speak falsely; act with careful attention and look after everyone thoroughly. Urge others to keep far from wrongdoing, bear the methods of the Dao in mind, and do not go against the regulations. Relieve the poor and rescue those in peril and pressing need; merit of this kind is truly great. It can increase one’s lifespan and lengthen one’s years, so that one’s whole life is peaceful and happy. Make friends widely, promote the moral principles of the Dao, and respect one another as one respects one’s parents. Put a stop to evil and exalt the good; the virtues of filial devotion and loving-kindness can move the spirits.

The Dao Lord said: There are also six kinds of inauspicious conduct. When what a person does runs counter to the right Dao (the Way), and the defilement of evil deeds falls upon himself, his body becomes lowly and haggard, and whenever he goes out he constantly meets with hunger and cold.

What are these six evil deeds? The first is that one habitually makes a mockery of matters already agreed upon, and is utterly without good faith. The second is that one has no belief at all in the true Dao; on hearing the teaching preached, one wishes to destroy it; in ordinary life one has no heart turned toward goodness, and one is forever slandering others. The third is that one does not keep the good precepts in mind, and one trifles with the Zhenren (those who have succeeded in cultivating the Way). The fourth is that one insults one’s elders, and one’s conduct is often improper. The fifth is that one is cruel-hearted and perverse in action, and falsely accuses the good. The sixth is that the mind is always fixed on evil things, and one grows angry without cause.

A person who has these evil deeds will, in a later life, be reborn as someone of low station, constantly suffering hunger and cold, and obliged to take orders from others, finding no ease by day or night; the body gives off a foul stench, and joy is seldom known. The Dao then composed a hymn, saying:

Those who practice fraud and falsehood and are given to lying

have no constant good faith in the heart.

What the mind thinks and what the mouth says stand opposed to each other,

and they often suffer disgrace.

Their conduct is perverse and wicked, and they love to slander;

after death they fall into hell.

Molten copper is poured into the mouth,

and for a long time they sink in dark suffering.

Those who wallow in wine and lust and love to revile others

do not believe in ghosts and spirits.

Iron hooks seize the tongue,

and that pain is truly beyond words to tell.

Even if they are later reborn as human beings,

a rank and foul breath remains always in the mouth;

they are loathed by others,

and calamities of every kind fall upon them one after another.

Those who harbor evil thoughts often meet with evil things;

wherever they go, they may suffer punishment.

Disaster strikes them without cause,

and of every kind of suffering there is none they do not endure.

After death they return again to hell,

and are reborn once more as beasts.

Amid all manner of poison and harm they suffer in turn,

and they pass a whole life in sorrow, affliction, and humiliation.

The Lord of the Dao says that there are also five kinds of virtuous conduct by which a person may attain a favorable destination. Such people constantly abide within the methods of the Dao (the Way); they are respected by all, and what they say is readily accepted. When good deeds accumulate to five hundred, in the next life one can meet the Immortal Lord (a venerable being of the immortal realm); at the next lower grade, one may also be reborn as a Daoist priest, fond of learning and widely informed.

Those who vow to cultivate the five De (Virtue/Power) take as their highest aspiration communion with Xiwei, the profound and subtle realm of the Dao. The five are these. First, one cherishes immortals and perfected beings, reveres the Three Treasures—the Dao, the Jing (scripture/classic), and the teacher—recites scriptures and practices the methods of the Dao, and travels in every direction to save beings in the midst of calamity; burning incense, one visualizes the realm of emptiness and transcends suffering. Second, one associates with immortal worthies and protects oneself by merit and virtue. Third, one wishes to be born in the human world and to understand and cultivate the Way of the Three Origins; the Three Origins are a Daoist classification of heaven and earth, of times and days, or of the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) within the body, and the precise meaning varies with the scripture. Fourth, one praises Shangqing, an important celestial realm and cultivation tradition in Daoism; even without taking food or drink, one is naturally filled and satisfied. Fifth, one roams the void, so that karmic offenses and obstructions are cleared away all at once.

The good reward is thus. The scripture then speaks in verse: Revere and turn toward the three De, proclaim the teaching, and exhort people to do good. May one meet immortal worthies and long receive the descent of the perfected. May I comfort all the worthy so that they are of one heart with me and not otherwise; may my mind be peaceful and pure, wholly given to cultivating the Dao, sincere and reverent without slackening. Diligently studying day and night, may my wisdom suffice for me to become a celestial being. Yin Sheng teaches living beings in the west, so that all come to know the true Dao. If one earnestly loves and thinks of immortals and perfected beings and continually accumulates such thoughts, one will come into accord with the Dao. First, may one ascend to roam the void and commune with the realm of Xiwei. The more good deeds the better; do not be grudging in bestowing kindness and favor. Merit calls forth a response from immortals and perfected beings, who of themselves descend and grant the elixir.

The Lord of the Dao (the Way) said: Practice this method in accord with the capacities of beings in the world, and one may thereafter follow the path that transcends the Three Realms—the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm. The first method is the highest. It belongs to the realm of Shangqing (Highest Clarity), enables ascent in flight and transformation, and accords with the Dao of Dongzhen (of the Three Caverns: Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen). Next, after innumerable kalpas, one manifests in divided bodies and is called the Tathagata. The root is the same, while the manner of teaching differs only slightly; in the end the teaching is transmitted to remote and uncivilized lands.

Among the worlds of the ten directions, the land of China is the most difficult to convert, and so there is a further manifestation in the West. My Dao takes form as Master Lao (Laozi) and guides the adept Yin (Yin Xi). At that time the five thousand words were spoken aloud, nurtured for ten years, and carried three times throughout the world, until at last they converge and bring to completion a perfect foundation of merit and virtue. Only practitioners of my Dao, on seeing these words, should exercise profound caution.

The Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Jing (scripture) on Predestined Destiny and Causal Conditions, the Mingjing, ends.

The collation note says: “Mingjing” should be “Miaojing.” There appears to be a lacuna here, and the fourth item is missing.