《太上洞玄灵宝救苦妙经》

At that time the Celestial Worthy Who Relieves Suffering (Jiuku Tianzun), the exalted deity who delivers living beings from hardship, pervaded the worlds of the ten directions. By the power of divine majesty he constantly rescued living beings and led them away from the path of delusion. Living beings, however, did not perceive this, just as the blind cannot see the sun and moon.

I arose from within the Great Non-Being (Taiwu, the primordial condition before the myriad things had appeared) and took command of boundless worlds. Auspicious clouds opened the gate of life, and propitious vapors sealed the door of death. All first issued from the Mysterious Origin (Xuanyuan, the profound source), and from this I governed the pivot of auspicious response. I save all who suffer from sin, release them from every calamity, and enable them to pass beyond the remote source of the immortal realms and return to the vast, pure, and tranquil realm of the Natural. All of this is upheld by the power of the great Dao (the Way) and is used to subdue demons of every kind.

How bright the void is—that which is called the Immortal of the Muddy Pellet (Niwan Xian, the perfected immortal associated with the Muddy Pellet Palace in the human body). Purple clouds cover the Yellow Elder (Huanglao, a Daoist title for exalted deities); these are the Lords of the Three Treasures (Sanbao Jun, the three divine lords honored in Daoism). They further marshal the Qi (vital energy) of the heavens above in order to subdue the souls of the Nine Heavens.

The many wondrous divinities who relieve suffering are skilled at bringing relief at the proper time. Heaven above is an undifferentiated whole, not yet divided. The Qi of heaven gathers into a single body and is thereupon transformed into persons of the Natural, and these persons of the Natural each have a different bodily form. They originally dwell in the Hollow Void (Kongdong, the realm of emptiness and quiet stillness). The Hollow Void leaves no trace that can be sought; what pervades the entire body is emptiness.

Primordial Qi first coalesces and stands established; next, life is born by following the transformations of Qi; then the norms of the myriad things take form; and finally, brightness is placed under governance. In the heavens there are thirty-six layers of heaven, and beneath the earth there are thirty-six realms. The realm of the Great Mystery (Taixuan) has no boundary. How profound and far-reaching are the wondrous principles of the Scripture of the Great Cavern (Dadong Jing)! We take refuge in the Most High Worthy and pray that every karmic offense be removed.

The Jade Treasure August Sovereign Celestial Worthy of the East; the Mysterious Perfection and Myriad Blessings Celestial Worthy of the South; the Supreme Wonder and Utmost Extremity Celestial Worthy of the West; the Mysterious Upper Jade Throne Celestial Worthy of the North; the Upper Sage Who Ferries Immortals Celestial Worthy of the Northeast; the Cherisher of Life Who Ferries Destinies Celestial Worthy of the Southeast; the Great Numen and Vacuous Sovereign Celestial Worthy of the Southwest; the Measureless Great Splendor Celestial Worthy of the Northwest; the Jade Void Luminous Sovereign Celestial Worthy of the Upper Region; and the True Sovereign Dongshen (Cavern Spirit) Celestial Worthy of the Lower Region.

The Dao (the Way) says: The Celestial Worthies of the ten directions are as numerous as sand and dust. They manifest throughout the worlds of the ten directions, universally relieving and delivering beings of the heavens and the human world; condensing primordial Qi (vital energy) and accumulating merit, they with one voice rescue the guilty souls of the dead. The Celestial Worthy of Taihua, the Celestial Worthy Luminous Sovereign of the Jade Void of the Upper Direction, the Celestial Worthy True Sovereign Dongshen (Cavern of Spirit) of the Lower Direction...

The Dao says: The Celestial Worthies of the ten directions are as numerous as sand and dust. They manifest throughout the worlds of the ten directions, universally relieving living beings, condensing primordial Qi and accumulating merit, and together delivering the guilty souls of the dead. The souls of the dead are truly pitiable, and so I now proclaim this wondrous scripture (Jing). If one continues to recite it without slackening, and body and mind remain ever turned toward the true Way without pause, the souls of the dead may enjoy great blessings in Heaven and will no longer hear the bitter cries of suffering in the hells. Raging fire and murky gloom are transformed into a cool, clear, and pure realm, and the Sword-Tree Hell disappears as well. The souls of the dead ascend to the Vermilion Mound Prefecture (the immortal mansion in Daoism that delivers the souls of the dead) and descend to enter the Gate of Opening Light, transcending the sufferings of the Three Realms (the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm) and rising straight to the Heaven of the Primordial Beginning.

At this time, the Divine Kings of the Flying Heavens and innumerable immortals looked up toward the Celestial Worthy and chanted:

The Celestial Worthy proclaims the scriptural teaching, leading the deliverance of beings in the world. Earnestly cultivating the Way of Wuwei (non-action), one can awaken to the true Dao.

Neither straying nor falling into neglect; neither clinging to the self nor craving fame.

Reciting with a clear voice the principles of sin and blessing, after ten thousand recitations the dust and defilement in the heart are cleansed.

When the Divine Kings of the Flying Heavens and the immortals had finished chanting the hymn, they bowed to the Celestial Worthy, took their leave, and withdrew.

The Supreme Dongxuan (Cavern of Mystery) Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) Wondrous Scripture for Relieving Suffering comes to an end here.

The colophon at the end of the scripture records: In the autumn of the jiachen year of the Xuanhe reign, at the Jingde Chan Monastery below the city of Chizhou, there was a young monk named Mo Daozu. Grieving and longing without cease because his mother had died, he recited the scriptures of this teaching every day, praying for the deliverance of his deceased mother, so as to repay her profound kindness. The latter part of the colophon, “By the end of autumn, there was the Taipingzhou Tianxuan Lingbao Scripture for Relieving Suffering—finished,” is incomplete in meaning and appears to have missing characters.

In the autumn of the Jiachen year of the Xuanhe reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song (1124), at the Jingde Chan Monastery below the walls of Chizhou, there was a young monk named Mo Daozu. After his mother died, he missed her deeply. Every day he recited the jing (scriptures) of his own tradition, hoping by this means to win her deliverance and to repay the profound kindness with which she had raised him.

Toward the end of autumn, Tian Gongcao of Taiping Prefecture came to stay at the monastery. Daozu often saw him perform the Tianshu method, a Daoist ritual art: he relieved the sick and the suffering, and he could also summon the souls of the dead and ask them about their circumstances in the underworld.

Seeing that these things were efficacious and extraordinary, Daozu wrote a petition asking Tian Gongcao to rescue his mother. Tian Gongcao accepted the document, annotated it, and burned it, dispatching divine generals to carry the summons. Before long, Daozu’s mother was brought before the altar. Tian Gongcao asked her, “Your son Daozu recites scriptures day and night, praying for your deliverance. Why do you still remain in the offices of the underworld?”

His mother answered, “Although my son Daozu recites scriptures to seek blessings for me, his sincerity has not yet fully reached the divine and called forth a response. If he can accomplish the ‘merit of six-six,’ so that all beings in the dark netherworld receive its grace, I will be able to gain release and be reborn.” At that time several hundred suffering men and women were present. Tian Gongcao asked again, “What is meant by six-six?” The mother replied, “The Huanglu Shuilu, the Yellow Register Water-and-Land rite—a Daoist service in which a purification feast is offered for the dead, food is distributed, and deliverance is prayed for.”

Weeping, Daozu said, “I left my mother when I was young and have lodged in this monastery. I still have no means of supporting myself. How could I possibly accomplish a merit so great?” His mother said, “It is not so. One need only recite with a sincere heart. Daoism has the Taishang Jiuku Jing, the Scripture of the Most High for Relieving Suffering, and one may also recite the holy name of Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Relieves Suffering. The underworld offices will report the matter to the court of Heaven, and the merit will soon meet with a response.” She added, “The term fixed by the underworld offices is very short, and I cannot remain long.” With that she bowed in farewell and departed.

Daozu at once asked Tian Gongcao to transmit to him the Taishang Jiuku Jing and the holy name of Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun. Day and night he recited them with devout sincerity, each to a total of one thousand times, and he wrote out a prayer and burned it. That night his mother came to him in a dream and said, “You have now not failed the kindness with which I raised you. By reciting the scripture and holding the holy name, your sincere heart has reached the exalted perfected, the divine true beings honored in Daoism. I have received the talismanic mandate of the Supreme Thearch and have already been able to be born in Heaven. From now on we shall not meet again. You should encourage yourself, and do not forget the orthodox teaching.” When she had finished speaking, she slowly departed, riding upon the clouds.

This account was recorded by Zhao Ziqiu, who held the prestige title Zhongyi Lang and a supplemental appointment as prison supervisor of Chizhou.