《太上洞玄灵宝智慧罪根上品大戒经》

The Most High Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun), a revered deity of Daoism, was then at the Cypress Mound Lodge of the Upper Hall of Southern Cinnabar Cavern-Yang. He paid his respects to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning and sought instruction, saying:

“I recall the merit and virtue I accumulated in past lives. Only after passing through countless millions of kalpas have I gained this opportunity to behold the sagely and luminous Celestial Worthy. In former times I received your elevation and teaching; you also transmitted to me the Spirit Scriptures of the Three Treasures (Sanbao Shenjing, Daoist scriptures) and the Great Precepts, and bestowed the sound of the Dharma as instruction. My heart was filled with boundless joy.

“After receiving that teaching, I spent long years in empty mountains observing purification and the precepts, reverently upholding the Dharma and the precepts and never daring to grow slack. Now my practice of the Dao (the Way) has borne some fruit. I am able to guide and deliver celestial beings and all living beings, so that men and women of every kind may behold the gate of cultivating the Dao, their lives prolonged and the realm at peace. My wish to devote myself wholly to the Dao has never diminished. Having already been awakened, I still hope to hear teachings I do not yet know.

“I do not understand the mysteries of wisdom, destined fate, and the roots of transgression. These numinous and wondrous sounds are secret and precious; might I for a time be allowed to read the relevant chapters? If, in your compassion, you would bestow further instruction and precepts, it would be like the sun shining into a long dark night. Souls who have suffered through long kalpas could also be saved and reborn in a blessed land. The saving reach of the Dao has no boundary, and its grace ought to be bestowed widely. My words are trivial, and I fear they may offend the Celestial Worthy; yet I look up in sincerity and beg your gracious gift.”

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning was then preparing to transmit the teaching in the lecture hall. The original text then repeats the closing phrases of the preceding passage, concerning such words as “the salvation of the Dao knows no outside” and “grace should be universally exalted.”

At this time, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) was about to transmit the Supreme Precept Scripture on the Roots of Wisdom and Transgression to the Supreme Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun). The Five Elder Lords, the Great Sage Honored Deities, the Supreme Perfected of the Ten Directions (the highest perfected immortals of every quarter), the celestial immortals of the various heavens, the Jade Maidens of Mysterious Harmony, and a host of fifty-two thousand five hundred deities all came before the seat of the teaching.

Fragrant flowers descended from the heavens, and countless divine dragons struck up music. Celestial immortal jade maidens, holding the Ten-Absolute Numinous Banners, whirled in dance around the Radiant Essences of the Sun and Moon (divine objects symbolizing the brilliance of the sun and moon). Divine winds gathered from the four quarters, sweeping away the dust with their fragrance; purple clouds cast forth radiance, and crimson auroras spread across the sky. The three luminaries—sun, moon, and stars—shone together, and all the heavens grew bright. Rivers and seas grew calm, mountains and peaks withdrew their mists, the longli (marvelous beings of the scripture) leapt for joy, and humans and spirits alike rejoiced.

The living and the dead all found peace, and blessings flourished everywhere; the Five Sufferings (five kinds of affliction) were entirely dissolved, and the Three Condemned (sinful souls undergoing punishment) were pardoned together. All beings forever escaped the hells, were reborn in the heavens, and attained long life.

Thereupon the Celestial Worthy commanded the flying celestial deities of the ten directions to open the Jade Casket of the Ninefold Darkness (the precious casket in the netherworld that seals documents) and the Case of the Long Night, and to take out the registers of the sins of life and death together with the roots of evil karma and of grievances. The flying celestial deities of the ten directions each set forth the causes and conditions therein and reported them to the Supreme Great Lord of the Dao.

The Celestial Worthy (Tianzun) admonished them, saying: In the years of Longhan, I appeared in the world to transmit the Law and instruct the people. The people of that time were foolish and ignorant and could not understand the voice of the Law. They merely preserved a simple, unspoiled nature and had no evil thoughts. They did not understand ritual and rightness, nor was there any distinction between ruler and subject; they knew nothing of destined fate or of causes and conditions. Later I taught them by means of the Law, so that they gradually entered the gate of the Law and devoted themselves wholeheartedly to faith. Because they had no root of sin, their lives were all very long, and there was neither premature death nor injury.

After I departed the world, heaven and earth fell to ruin, and there was no longer any light. Men and women alike turned to ash and sank into the age of Yankang (a kalpa in which heaven and earth lay in darkness and the world was thrown into disorder), passing through a hundred million kalpas (cosmic ages) in the long darkness. Not until the era of Chiming (a kalpa in which heaven and earth were opened anew) did light reappear and heaven and earth recover their order. I appeared once more, under the title “Root of Sin.” [The scripture is worded thus at this point; taken literally it means “Root of Sin,” and how it connects with the surrounding context is unclear.] The people’s lives were all very long, and there was neither premature death nor injury.

After I departed the world, heaven and earth were ruined once again, the light vanished, and men and women turned to ash. They sank into Yankang and remained amid the darkness of a hundred million kalpas. Not until the era of Chiming, when light reappeared and heaven and earth were restored to their proper places, did I appear again, titled the Nameless Lord, spreading the teaching of the Law and instructing and saving the various heavens and the people of the world.

The people of that time acted sometimes well and sometimes ill, and could not set their hearts wholly on goodness. Those who held faith and turned toward the correct Dao (the Way) all enjoyed long life; those who were jealous, who harmed others, who did evil, who rebelled against their superiors, and who were disloyal had short lives. The causal roots of sin and of blessing were thereby made manifest.

After I departed the world, one kalpa passed, and heaven and earth were ruined yet again and lost their light, remaining in darkness through five kalpas. In the first year of Kaihuang, the True Writs of Lingbao (the sacred talismanic script of the Daoist tradition) appeared. They opened the three images of heaven, earth, and humanity; heaven and earth were settled anew, and patterns of five colors shone forth with light. In the Heaven of Initial Azure (Shiqing Tian) I was titled the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), widely transmitting the teaching of the Law and instructing and saving the living beings of all the heavens. When heaven and earth first opened, the people were simple and sincere. They kept records by knotted cords; their minds were still an undivided whole, in accord with what is natural, and so all of them lived to the age of thirty-six thousand years.

In the first year of Shanghuang, human hearts gradually declined, and the correct Law was no longer complete. I therefore traveled through the various lands, proclaiming and transmitting the celestial writs, so that everyone might enter the gate of the Law and set the mind aright. Over the course of half a kalpa, people’s lives gradually grew shorter, so that they lived to a little more than eighteen thousand years.

After I departed the world, the course of Heaven grew daily more hurried, human hearts decayed, and people plotted to harm and rebel against one another. They envied those who surpassed them and contended for merit and fame. They did not believe the scriptures (jing) and the Law, and they doubted the Dao of Heaven and the Perfected (Zhenren). Their mouths said one thing while their hearts thought another. They even established teachings of their own, sacrificed to deviant spirits, and killed living beings in prayer. Confused and without single-mindedness, they injured one another, and thus brought premature death and harm upon themselves. Lifespans no longer had any fixed measure.

Thereupon people planted the karmic causes of evil and, turning again and again, fell into the Five Paths and the Eight Difficulties (conditions of suffering within the round of rebirth) and sank into the Three Paths (the three evil destinies of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals). They did not know the root of their own destiny. Through a hundred million kalpas in the long night of boundless darkness they could scarcely gain release. Whirled about and tormented amid suffering, their plight was truly pitiful.

Now I shall tell you the precepts for cultivating the self, merit and its recompense, the results brought about by evil, and the root of the destiny of life and death. You must listen and receive this carefully, observe it with caution, and not forget it. You must also proclaim it widely, disclose it so as to save, and make it known universally to heavenly beings and the people of the world. Let all men and women enter the gate of the Law, keep the precepts, practice purificatory abstinence and cultivation, and keep far from the root of every evil deed, so that the path of life and death may be safe and smooth, and they may at last attain the Dao and return to what is natural.

The Lord of the Dao (Daojun) joyfully bowed forward and listened to the teaching of the precepts.

The Celestial Worthy said: If you wish to settle your own person and bring order to the state, to make your household pure, upright, and honored, and to win the protection of the celestial deities and the affectionate reverence of the earth spirits, you should cultivate and accumulate good deeds, devote yourself wholeheartedly to purification and abstinence, and widely proclaim the methods of the Dao (the Way). Consider others before yourself, bestow kindness on all things, and let merit extend to everything. When merit has been accumulated to the full measure of three thousand, you may ascend to heaven in broad daylight; if strength still remains after the practice of goodness, cloud chariots will descend from heaven to receive you. To promote the Great Dao is without limit, and in the end one may attain life without death. These are the superior precepts that practitioners ought to observe—how could one fail to follow them?

The first is to cherish those near death and to protect life, and to rescue people struck by disaster, so that they may enjoy the lifespan that is properly theirs and neither die young nor suffer injury.

The second is to treat illness and to help those gravely sick and hard-pressed escape danger, so that their bodies may be at ease and they no longer endure severe pain.

The third is to aid the poor and relieve those in peril, giving of one’s own wealth to help others without grudging what is given.

The fourth is to revere teachers and the Three Treasures—the Dao, the Jing (scripture/classic), and the masters, which Daoism venerates—to build jingshi, the chambers in which Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) and other rites are performed, together with Daoist abbeys, and to practice merit widely without slackness or weariness.

The fifth is to copy and collate the scriptures, to worship and recite them morning and evening, and to offer incense and lamps, with a mind neither negligent nor disrespectful.

The sixth is to practice purification and abstinence and to keep the Great Dao in mind, observing the rules with a reverent heart, so that body and mind, within and without, are pure, empty, and still, and no filthy or evil thoughts arise.

The seventh is to humble and withdraw oneself while upholding what is right, not contending for merit and fame; to preserve simplicity and purity, and to act in accord with what is natural.

The eighth is to preach and instruct the ignorant and worldly, to dissuade them from strife and dissolve evil conduct, so that all may turn with one heart to revere the Great Dao.

The ninth is to dig wells beside the roads, plant fruit trees, teach the young and unknowing, and exhort everyone to do good.

The tenth is that what one carries out should be able to serve as a standard for others; one’s bearing in advancing and withdrawing should be plain for people to see; the teachings and institutions one establishes should accord with proper norms; and one’s everyday conduct should remain always so.

These ten kinds of good conduct are the superior precepts that practitioners ought to observe, and they are also the precepts followed by the ten kings of the celestial deities. Those who can fulfill them will match in merit the flying celestial immortals. One should further set oneself right and act with care: in speaking with the ruler, let one’s words benefit the state; in speaking with one’s father, let them help him love his children with kindness. One’s own bearing should be plain for others to see, the teachings and institutions one establishes should accord with proper norms, and everyday conduct should remain always so.

These ten superior precepts, grounded in the “ten good causes and conditions,” are jointly revered by the divine kings of the Ten Heavens. Those who can practice them may equal the flying celestials in merit. One should next be careful in word and deed: when speaking to a ruler, urge him to bestow kindness upon the state; when speaking to a father, urge him to love his children; when speaking to a teacher, urge him to care for everyone; when speaking to an elder brother, urge him to lead by personal example and to be affectionate toward his brothers; when speaking to a minister, urge him to be loyal to the ruler; when speaking to sons and daughters, urge them to be filial toward their parents; when speaking to friends, urge them to associate in good faith; when speaking to a wife, urge her to be faithful to her husband; when speaking to a husband, urge him to bring harmony to the household; when speaking to disciples, urge them to be respectful and to observe propriety; when speaking to country folk, urge them to be diligent in farming; when speaking to Daoist priests, urge them to cultivate the Dao (the Way) with integrity; when speaking to people of other lands, urge each side to keep to its own territory; when speaking to servants, urge them to be careful in their work.

These fourteen precepts of careful speech and conduct have always been revered by the sovereigns of the Four Heavens. I proclaim them widely to the upright scholars, the deities, the men and women among the common people, and the children of the four quarters, so that all may observe these superior precepts and enter the Natural Blessing Halls of the Four Heavens (the realms of natural blessing and joy established by the Four Heavens). Those who can practice them will be honored by the Four Heavens and commended by the earth deities, and their station may compare with that of the immortal kings.

There are, besides, one hundred eighty precepts of the upper grade, eighty of the middle grade, and forty of the lower grade. All belong to the three grades of primordial wisdom and are compiled as the Great Precepts for Contemplating the Body, three hundred in all. Unless one is a person whose virtue has reached the realm of the superior immortals, whose body communicates with the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing; the three pure realms of which Daoism speaks), and whose person accords with the natural, it is very difficult to observe these precepts. In the latter age, the minds of men and women are easily corrupted; their conduct grows gradually slack and unrestrained; doubt and wavering stir within them; pursuits of rivalry and contention are many; and few can keep to the true Dao. They will surely find the Great Precepts for Contemplating the Body hard to observe. And since they do not observe them, they will certainly bring great calamity upon themselves.

Ten precepts of the upper grade have now been set forth, to deliver and transform the people of the world and to spread teaching widely, so that they may enter the gate of the Dao. Those who observe them diligently will obtain natural blessing and the Dao of Wuwei (non-action; the state of according with the natural and not acting recklessly). These ten precepts are as follows.

First, one must not envy those who surpass oneself, nor suppress or exclude the worthy, the capable, and the clear-sighted.

Second, one must not act without restraint after drinking wine, nor defile or disturb the Three Palaces (the palace halls of which Daoism speaks, or the inner palaces of the body in cultivation).

Third, one must not violate another person’s wife, nor should one crave the pleasures of intimacy between men and women. Fourth, one must not abandon or look down upon the elderly, the sick, or those who are poor and of low station.

The ten precepts are as follows. First, one must not be jealous of those who surpass oneself, nor suppress or exclude the worthy, the capable, and the clear-sighted. Second, one must not indulge in unrestrained conduct after drinking wine and thereby disturb the Three Palaces (three important palace-sites within the body, also referring to the inner palaces of cultivation). Third, one must not violate another person’s wife, nor should one crave the pleasures of intimacy between men and women. Fourth, one must not abandon or look down upon the elderly, the sick, or those who are poor and of low station. Fifth, one must not slander good people, nor defame or attack fellow practitioners. Sixth, one must not covet the hoarding of precious treasures and refuse to give them away. Seventh, one must not kill living beings in sacrifice to the ghosts and spirits of the Six Heavens (deities as spoken of in Daoism). Eighth, one must not presumptuously discuss the Jing (scripture/classic), or declare the Jing false and absurd. Ninth, one must not betray the kindness and moral obligation of one’s teachers and elders, nor deceive or treacherously harm beginners. Tenth, in dealing with others one should hold a single mind of equality, and treat all people with benevolence and filial piety.

These ten precepts universally teach and transform the boundless worlds of the ten directions and deliver all living beings. Those who are able to observe them have their merit recorded in the Ten Heavens, and their blessings extend through seven generations of ancestors, enabling the ancestors to leave the long darkness of the Ninefold Gloom (the obscure realm of the underworld), ascend into the Southern Palace, and enter the light. The good conditions of cultivation continue without cease, and in the end one may become an immortal. Every kind of good deed should be cultivated in full; at the same time one must avoid the Ten Evils, keep far from the path of delusion and error, and cut off the root of sinful karma.

Among the Ten Evils, one who commits them likewise causes the root of sin to continue. One ought to avoid the Ten Evils, lest blessings be impaired and one fall into the dark realm. The Ten Evils are as follows. First, drinking wine and indulging desire, with craving that has no limit. Second, secretly harming people of the world, and mocking and slandering Daoist priests. Third, slighting teachers and elders, neglecting the religious teaching, and treating with arrogance the Three Treasures (the Dao, the Way; the Jing; and the Master). Fourth, stealing books of the Jing and presumptuously expounding the essentials of the methods of the Dao. Fifth, failing to return what has been borrowed, and deceiving and enticing the common people. Sixth, killing living beings out of greed for food, saying one thing with the mouth while thinking another in the heart. Seventh, being unfilial, abandoning kindness, violating moral rightness, and transgressing various taboos. Eighth, when reciting the Jing, being careless and slipshod in attitude, yet regarding oneself as in the right. Ninth, harshly blaming others for not complying with one’s own wishes, and showing anger toward the Four Classes (practitioners and believers of differing stations).

The tenth precept requires that one not distort the meaning of the scriptures (Jing), nor damage or alter the sacred canon; that one not deny the karmic connections of past lives; that one not indulge desire and act as one pleases; that one not slight or defile earth, water, fire, and wind—the “Four Great Elements”; and that one not forget to seek the Dao (the Way) and cultivate life.

These ten precepts should be observed at all times. Those who violate them will meet with all kinds of calamity, suffer harm from ghosts and spirits, endure every manner of pain, and find peace hard to obtain. Even if they wish to do good, they may repeatedly encounter adversity and fail in all their affairs. After death they fall into hell and are long confined in dark prisons, unable to see the sun, moon, and stars (the Three Luminaries); day and night they are driven and tormented. They must also embrace bronze pillars, walk the mountain of knives, pass through the trees of swords, enter boiling liquid, swallow fire and eat charcoal, and undergo the five kinds of bitter punishment, long sunk in the Nine Darknesses (the dark and profound hells), with no appointed time of rebirth. Even if they manage to leave hell, they are reborn as livestock and can no longer become human beings.

Evil deeds give rise to evil results, and good deeds likewise bring good karmic connections. The retribution of guilt and blessing is as clear as the light of the sun and moon. The cycle of birth and death does not cease of itself; it is like a shadow following the body. Causes and conditions circulate and add to one another, like a wheel turning round and round. These precepts are now proclaimed in order to protect and deliver celestial beings and human beings. One should understand them, practice them in earnest, cultivate them diligently, and not forget them. If men and women of pure faith (male and female devotees who believe in the true Way) can keep the ten precepts, if their ability and circumstances are also sufficient to undertake further cultivation, and if they are willing to advance with vigor and widely perform good deeds, then the “Twelve That May Be Followed” (twelve precepts that ought to be observed) may be transmitted to them, and the “Ten Goods and Fourteen Articles of Maintaining the Body” (the methods of practicing the ten goods and of maintaining one’s person in the cultivation of virtue) may be expounded.

The Celestial Worthy said: Those who study the Dao by cultivating purification retreats and seeking the Way, who save celestial beings and human beings, and who perform all kinds of meritorious works, ought to observe the Twelve Precepts That May Be Followed. Cultivating in accordance with them, one can obtain deliverance, attain the true Way for oneself, and finally enter the realm of Wuwei (non-action); all that one wishes can also be accomplished. The Twelve Precepts That May Be Followed are as follows.

The first: On seeing the true scriptures and the orthodox teaching, and being willing to use them to guide and save all living beings, one gives rise to the mind that seeks the Dao, and vows that in a future life one may ascend to the realm of the great sages.

Second, one should always cherish a compassionate heart, wishing that every living being may come to see the correct teaching, and should widely guide and deliver living beings so that they may be freed from obstacles.

Third, one should love the scriptures and their teachings (Jing), study them deeply, and gain a broad command of them; with a firm and clear resolve, one should be able to guide and instruct those who are ignorant and benighted.

Fourth, one should follow and accept the instruction of teachers and elders, widely exhort people to goodness, bring them into the gate of the correct teaching, and keep them far from erroneous paths.

Fifth, one should have faith in the profound methods of the Dao (the Way), revere the scriptures and the essential instructions for cultivation, and recite and study them morning and evening, without slackness or weariness.

Sixth, one should not pursue glory, wealth, and high rank, but cut off the worldly ties that entangle body and mind; with undivided concentration, one should set all that one does upon the cultivation of the Dao.

Seventh, one should be diligent in reciting the scriptures of the Great Dao, always hold the wish to deliver every living being, widely build bridges leading to the correct teaching, and plant good affinities for lives to come.

Eighth, one should always maintain a good heart, being neither crooked nor false, neither jealous nor harmful to others; one should do no evil, nor indulge in arrogance and overbearing conduct.

Ninth, wherever one is reborn, one should vow always to meet an age of sagely clarity, to promote and practice the Lingbao teachings, and continually to encounter those with whom one shares affinity.

Tenth, one should keep one’s person pure and observe the precepts, cultivate the rites of purification and accumulate merit, and widely aid living beings so that all of them may attain liberation.

Eleventh, one should study and read widely, and expound and transmit to fellow practitioners the teachings that are to be observed in common; taking as a prior model the beings of heaven (the deities and living beings of the celestial realms), one should bring all people everywhere to guidance and deliverance.

Twelfth, in life after life one should constantly meet an enlightened teacher, receive instruction and proclaim the teaching, deliver innumerable living beings, and cause every good heart to return to the truth of the Dao.

The Celestial Worthy said: Those who cultivate the Dao, in cultivating body and mind, ought to observe these twelve precepts. If one can practice these good intentions with wholehearted devotion, then in lifetime after lifetime one will see the sages, form an affinity with the Dao, and receive the recognition and protection of the deities of the various heavens, moving freely and without obstruction within the Three Realms. In this way one may long escape the three evil paths, the five paths, and the eight difficulties (categories that Daoism and Buddhism commonly use to sum up wretched destinations in the cycle of birth and death, and obstacles to cultivation), and receive the reverent protection of the deities and the guardianship of the earth spirits (deities of the earth); one’s household will be pure and at peace, and calamities of every kind will not come to trouble it. This may be called attaining the Dao even while sitting upright in stillness. One ought to recite and cultivate with diligence, and expound these teachings widely among fellow practitioners, so that all people may together enter the gate of the correct teaching.

At this time, the Celestial Worthy (a venerated deity of Daoism) finished expounding the precepts. The Most High Lord of the Dao, the Supremely Perfected of the Ten Directions (the supremely perfected deities who come from the ten directions), the Limitless Great Sages, and the Lofty and Mysterious Perfected all joyfully paid homage. Together they faced east, bowed their heads, and prostrated themselves upon the ground.

The Most High Lord of the Dao stepped forward, knelt upright, and said to the Celestial Worthy: “The assembled Perfected sit here in attendance and have been able to hear the sound of the Dharma. All the heavens rejoice and leap with delight beyond words. The Great Dharma has already arisen and can broadly save living beings in heaven and in the human world; men and women born hereafter will all receive this grace. Yet I see that the people of the world are foolish and closed off. They cannot see their own root of destiny (the root that determines the fortune and misfortune of a life), nor do they understand whence sin and blessing come. Even when they are instructed and awakened, many still refuse to believe. The Celestial Worthy has already graciously bestowed teaching. I earnestly beg that a vast grace be enacted, so that the men and women of the limitless worlds of the ten directions may awaken at the same time, come to know the karmic causes of good and evil from former lives and the retribution of sin and blessing, and understand where the root of destiny lies. In this way all living beings under heaven can be saved, and the Dharma teaching can flourish day by day.”

Thereupon the Celestial Worthy sent forth a radiance of awesome majesty. The light penetrated within and without, illuminating the ten directions. There was no dark or hidden place, nor any bound or end. In an instant all things grew bright, as if they were right before the eyes.

Everyone saw that the men and women in heaven were all good people in the halls of blessing of the various heavens, roaming at ease in Wuwei (non-action) and rejoicing spontaneously. They also saw that in the Offices of the Nine Darknesses below (the dark underworld) the long night was without light: prisoners toiled in servitude, hungry ghosts and animals suffered, and the souls of the dead drifted and wandered. Some had their heads and bodies maimed by punishment; some had lost their bodily form. Shut away in layer upon layer of confinement, they could not see the sun, moon, and stars (the Three Luminaries).

The men and women among the people likewise all saw the root of destiny, the causes and conditions of sin and blessing, and the retribution of good and evil. None in the assembly was not shocked and afraid. They then turned with one heart to revere the Great Dharma, cultivated every kind of good deed, entrusted their lives to the Celestial Worthy, and reverently observed the precepts, never turning back. They all accumulated merit and blessing; their joy was beyond words, their delight without equal. The Great Sages of the various heavens praised them as well, and thereupon composed a hymn, saying:

The celestial realms of the ten directions move through the void, and both birth and death cycle forth from them. Good deeds and evil deeds each plant their own roots; cause and effect correspond, and there has never been any error. In former times I saw those who devoutly believed in the Dao (the Way), and for this reason they were able to ascend in flight to the celestial realms of the ten directions. I surveyed the Nine Darknesses (the dark and remote underworld) and saw suffering souls clinging to the mountain ridges and weeping in grief; the long river of suffering is hard to cut off, and the Mountain of Knives cannot be avoided. Sentient beings transmigrate through the Five Paths (the five destinations of reincarnation), which moves one to sorrow. The Celestial Worthy proclaims the prohibitions and precepts; the clear and bright sound of the Dharma illuminates the long night, distinguishing good from evil and turning people toward goodness. All the heavens rejoice together, and this joy is beyond compare.

The Celestial Worthy said: Now the divine beings of the various heavens should be commanded to proclaim the records of every kind of sinful karma and to spread the sound of the Dharma, so that sentient beings may awaken and the beings of the heavens may also understand. Good men and good women should know that evil committed by the body becomes a root within life; the causes and conditions are never severed, and calamity and retribution come one after another, causing souls to drift and suffer in the Three Paths (hells, hungry ghosts, animals, and other places of misery) and the Five Paths, so that even after a hundred million kalpas release is hard to attain. Therefore these precepts are proclaimed, so that people may enter the methods of cultivation, rescue the departed souls in the Nine Darknesses, and uproot the sources of suffering; so that the living may behold the true Dao and escape the Eight Difficulties (the eight obstacles encountered in cultivation and in hearing the Dharma), and so that the dead may obtain peace and joy, ascend to heaven, and before long be reborn in the human world as Wheel-Turning Sage Kings (ideal monarchs who rule the world by the true Dharma). In this way life and death are peaceful and secure, enduring age after age.

All who have already given rise to faith and are willing to turn toward the true Dao should devote themselves to observing the precepts and keeping the fast in cultivation; in this way they can realize the Great Dao. One must act with caution and cultivate diligently, earnestly receive the teaching, and not forget it; if one can accord with the Great Dao, one ought to listen with reverence.

End of the upper volume of the Scripture of the Supreme Great Precepts on the Roots of Sin in the Wisdom of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery (Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Zhihui Zuigen Shangpin Dajie Jing).

Lower volume of the Scripture of the Supreme Great Precepts on the Roots of Sin in the Wisdom of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery (Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Zhihui Zuigen Shangpin Dajie Jing).

The flying divine beings of the Eastern Extremity World (the immortal realm of the East) said: Throughout the boundless worlds of the East, whether one has already attained the Dao (the Way), attained the Dao in a past life, or is a good man or good woman who has not yet attained the Dao but still possesses blessings in the present, so long as they cultivate and uphold the Ten Precepts of the Highest Grade of Wisdom, with merit complete and blessings fully sufficient, they can soar through the void, ascend to heaven in broad daylight, ride the clouds and rosy mists, command dragon carriages, ascend to Yuqing (the Pure and Subtle Immortal Realm of which Daoism speaks), and roam the Nine Qi (vital energy) Heavens of the Eastern Extremity (the ninefold celestial realms of the East).

Those who have not yet attained the Dao may also, by this means, be born into families of wealth and rank, be honored by all, enjoy long life, and meet neither early death nor harm. The Azure Emperor of the East (the presiding deity of the East) will enter their names on the registers and report them to the celestial officials of the upper heavens of the Nine Qi. Those officials then order the Three Offices and Nine Bureaus of the East (the divine agencies that administer the affairs of the human world and the netherworld) to erase, in the earthly prisons, the roots of the sins accumulated over their past lives, and to remove the related records from the documents of the Jade Casket of the Long Night of the Ninefold Darkness of the Azure Origin. The Director of Destinies of the Azure Heaven (the deity who governs lifespan and the registers of fate) records them in the ledgers of the gods and immortals of all the heavens; their ancestors of seven generations likewise ascend to heaven, where clothing and food are naturally abundant. When they are reborn, they take birth in the households of emperors and kings, rejoicing generation after generation, long enjoying their blessings, with wholesome conditions unbroken, and thus they come to give rise to faith.

The Most High Lord of the Dao (a revered deity of Daoism), turning back, asked the flying divine beings of the Eastern Extremity World: I have traversed all the heavens. When I went forth by the Eastern Gate, I saw, in the hells of the boundless worlds of the East, many ordinary men and women undergoing punishment and beating. Every kind of suffering fell upon them; their bodies were tormented until they were maimed and wasted, and the misery they endured is beyond words. Seeing this, I was deeply grieved. For how many years must they serve their sentences and labor before they can be released? Once freed and reborn into the human world, they will again meet with evil conditions. For people such as these, what merit ought they to cultivate so that this resentful karma may be dissolved, they may be helped to leave their suffering, and they may enter once more upon the good path?

The flying divine beings of the world of the Eastern Pole say: The grave evil this person has committed will be entered in the archive of the Long Night of the Ninefold Darkness (the dark place within the Ninefold Darkness where the registers of sins are kept). The Heavenly Lords of the Nine Qi (vital energy), the Numinous Officials of the Azure Heaven, and the divine clerks who reckon accounts throughout the Three Realms will record his offenses. According to the law of the Left Office of the Upper Palace of Nüqing in the Mysterious Capital, he must pass through ninety thousand kalpas before he can leave the evil paths; even if reborn, he cannot become a human being, but must suffer through endless transmigration for nine hundred million kalpas. Only when the destined span of Heaven and Earth is exhausted might he become a conscripted servant of the Nine Rivers, bearing hardship beyond all description.

If one wishes to obtain salvation and sever evil karmic ties, one should follow the Keyi (liturgy) of the Upper Palace of Nüqing in the Jade Casket of Mingzhen: prepare ninety feet of azure-patterned silk, or else nine feet, together with one golden dragon, and go before the Heavenly Lords of the Nine Qi of the East and the numinous officials of the eastern quarter, praying that they rescue the suffering souls from the Ninefold Darkness and eradicate the root of sin. For nine days and nine nights in succession, light lamps and burn incense, bowing and offering repentance and thanksgiving to the Heavenly Lords. In this way, light can be seen beneath the Ninefold Darkness, the souls of the dead are liberated, and wholesome karmic ties are formed anew. After nine years, all of them can be reborn as human beings; life after life they dwell in peace, and their blessings endure long.

The flying celestial divine beings of the southeastern world said: In the boundless world of the southeast, beings as countless as the sands of the Ganges—whether those who have already attained the Dao (the Way) and departed in former lives, or good men and good women who have not yet attained the Dao, who still dwell in the human world and enjoy the recompense of blessings—need only cultivate and observe the Ten Precepts of the Upper Grade of Wisdom. When their merit is complete, they will obtain blessed recompense, and their names will be entered in the immortal registers of Shangqing (Highest Clarity). Some will ascend to holy rank; some will become divine immortals, roaming the Five Sacred Peaks, driving dragons and riding the void; and some, while still in the world, will become teachers and exemplars of the people, revered by the common folk and honored by the Three Realms, their households illustrious and their blessings without end.

The Office of Earth of the southeast will register their names one by one and report them upward to the Upper Heaven of Brahma-Qi (Fanqi). The celestial officials of Brahma-Qi will then command the Three Officials and Nine Bureaus of the southeast, together with the one hundred and twenty departments under them, to strike out the roots of sin from their past lives and release them from the netherworld registers of guilt—those of Huangyuan, Jiuyou, Yugui, Changye, and the rest. The Controller of Fate of the Brahma Heaven will enter them in the roster of immortals of the Brahma Heaven. Their ancestors of seven generations will likewise be able to leave the Three Paths (places of suffering such as the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals), ascend to the halls of heaven, and partake of the clothing and food of the celestial kitchen. After twelve years, they will all be born anew within the Gate of Blessing and Virtue. Should later generations be born into the households of emperors and kings, they will know joy generation after generation, and in the end, following causes and conditions, they will transmigrate and become flying immortals.

The Most High Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun) turned to the flying celestial divine beings of the southeastern world and asked: I have traversed the various heavens, and, going forth from the southeastern gate of heaven, I saw in the hells of the boundless world of the southeast men and women of ordinary households undergoing evil retribution, their suffering beyond description. Seeing them, I was filled with sorrow and found them truly pitiable. For how many years must they still be punished before they can be released? After they receive pardon and are reborn in the human world, what kind of people will they be? By what merit can people such as these obtain salvation?

The pain of those who suffer this evil retribution is beyond words, stirring grief and pity. If they are to be saved, upon what merit ought one to rely?

The flying celestial beings of the southeastern world said: The deeds this person has committed are offenses of extreme wickedness and defiance. His sins are recorded in the Long Night of the Ninefold Darkness (the depths of the underworld), and are entered in the registers of guilt by the Celestial Lord of the One Qi (vital energy), the various Numinous Officials of Brahma-Qi, and the divine offices that preside over the Three Realms. According to the law of the Central Palace of Nüqing in the Mysterious Capital, he must pass through ten thousand kalpas before he can return to the human world. Upon rebirth he will be born into a lowly household, his body suffering six kinds of grave affliction—either maimed and injured, or stricken with diseases difficult to cure. He must further wander in suffering through one hundred and twenty thousand kalpas and countless cycles of transmigration before he may become a menial servant of the Eastern Peak. Such hardship is beyond words.

If one wishes to rescue the departed soul and enable it to form good karmic ties anew, one should follow the regulations of the Keyi (liturgy) set forth in the Mingzhen Jade Casket of the Central Palace of Nüqing, prepare one hundred and twenty feet of yellow patterned silk—or twelve feet may also be used—together with one golden dragon, and send them into the Ninefold Darkness under the jurisdiction of the Celestial Lord of Brahma-Qi of the Southeast and the various Numinous Officials of the Southeast, in order to redeem the guilty soul. For twelve consecutive days and twelve nights, light lamps and burn incense, and bow before the Celestial Lord in repentance; then the departed soul may obtain deliverance and behold the light. After twelve years, it will be able to enter once more the gate of blessing and virtue, enjoy peace and happiness from life to life, and long receive the rewards of merit.

The flying celestial divine beings of the Boundless World of the South (divine beings who have ascended into the celestial realms) say: In the Boundless World of the South, living beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges—whether they attained the Dao (the Way) in the past, or are good men and good women who have not yet attained the Dao and now dwell amid the rewards of blessing—so long as they cultivate and observe the Ten Precepts of the Highest Grade of Wisdom and bring their merit to completion, will receive the blessings of the Cinnabar Heaven (the southern celestial realm).

Those who have already attained the Dao may rise in station to the Supreme Perfected (high-ranking immortals). Some become divine immortals, some become Numinous Officials (holders of divine office in the celestial realm), and some attain deliverance (release from birth and death). Those who remain in the world become intelligent and wise, knowing good and ill fortune in advance. Some penetrate what is numinous and extraordinary and see with clarity, and are able to command ghosts and spirits; others find themselves in the households of emperors or of the wealthy and noble.

The Red Emperor of the South (the celestial emperor of the south), together with the Terrestrial Office of the Southern Extremity, will enter these persons’ names in the registers and submit them in memorial to the Numinous Officials of the Cinnabar Heaven of the Three Qi (vital energy). The Numinous Officials of the Cinnabar Heaven of the Three Qi then report them upward to the Celestial Officials of the Three Qi. The Celestial Officials of the Three Qi order the Three Offices, the Nine Bureaus, and the One Hundred and Twenty Departments of the South (the divine administrative organs of the celestial realm) to expunge, from the coffer of the Jade Casket of the Long Night of the Ninefold Darkness of the Red Origin, the roots of the sins these beings accumulated in former lives.

The Director of Destinies of the Cinnabar Heaven (the divine office that governs lifespan and the registers of fate) will enter their names in the register of divine immortals of the Cinnabar Heaven. Their ancestors of seven generations will all escape the Three Paths (places of suffering such as the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals), ascend into heaven, and roam freely and at ease in the Southern Palace. After three years, they will all obtain new blessings and virtue. Joy will continue from generation to generation, felicity beyond all measure, and good affinities without end, until at last they become divine immortals.

The Supreme Lord of the Dao (the Way), a revered deity of Daoism, turned and asked the flying celestial Shen (spirits) of the world of the Southern Pole: “I once traveled through all the heavens and journeyed out by the Southern Gate. In the hells of the boundless world of the South, I saw many ordinary men and women, naked and exposed, swallowing fire and eating charcoal. Their heads and faces were scorched, and their whole bodies had rotted until they no longer had human form. They were undergoing evil retribution, and their suffering was beyond description. To see them suffer in this way was heartbreaking. For how many more years must they still receive this retribution before they can be released? After they are pardoned, will they return to the human world, and as what will they be reborn? By what great method of compassionate goodness should one help them, and what merit should one accumulate, so that they may leave their suffering and form good affinities anew?”

The flying celestial Shen of the world of the Southern Pole replied: “These people were once cruel and rebellious. Throughout their lives they did not keep to the correct Dao, and their sinful karma was entered in the Bureau of the Ninefold Darkness and the Long Night (the prisons of sin in the dark depths of the underworld). The Celestial Lords of the Three Qi (vital energy) and the various Numinous Officials of the Cinnabar Heaven (deities who govern the movements of Qi in the celestial realms and their official duties), together with the gods of reckoning in the Three Realms, have all registered their crimes. According to the laws of the Solar Officials of the Nüqing Yang Palace of the Mysterious Capital, they must perform service for thirty thousand kalpas. After that they must still be reborn as various kinds of livestock, in order to repay the debts of resentment they formed in the past. Only after a further cycle of three million kalpas will they have the chance to become laborers of the Water Bureau of the Three Rivers, and the hardship of that time cannot be put into words.

“If one wishes to save and deliver them, sever their evil affinities, and enable them to return to the human world sooner, one should follow the Keyi (liturgy) and precepts of the Jade Casket of Luminous Truth of the Nüqing Yang Palace. Prepare thirty chi (three chi may also be used) of deep-red patterned silk (a kind of red fabric) and one golden dragon, and go to the Ninefold Darkness, where the Celestial Lords of the Three Qi of the South and the various Numinous Officials of the Southern Quarter reside, to redeem the sinful souls. For three days and three nights continuously, light lamps and burn incense, and bow the head in repentance before the Celestial Lords. They will then be able to leave the dark prison of the long night more quickly and see the light. Within three years, all of them will be reborn in the human world, continue to form good affinities, and gradually give rise to a heart of faith.”

The flying celestial divine persons (feitian shenren) of the Southwest World said: In the boundless world of the Southwest, living beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges—whether they have already attained the Dao (the Way) and passed from this life, or have not yet attained the Dao and remain in the world as good men and good women—need only cultivate and observe the Ten Precepts of Superior Wisdom. When their merit is complete, they obtain the blessed reward that corresponds to it. Those who have already attained the Dao may rise in rank to the Superior Perfected (Shangzhen). Those who have not yet attained the Dao are, while alive, praised by the earth deities (spirits of the earth) and revered by the celestial gods; after death they ascend to the Southern Palace, receive the title “Superior Appointee to the Celestial Officials,” and command ghosts and spirits.

The Celestial Lord of Brahma-Qi of the Southwest (the celestial deity who governs Brahma-Qi—Qi, vital energy—in the southwest) conveys the command to the earth deities of the southwest and to the divine offices of the Three Officials, the Nine Bureaus, and the One Hundred and Twenty Departments. He remits the roots of sin these people have accumulated in former lives and strikes the relevant records from the document case of the Yellow Prime, the Ninefold Darkness, and the Jade Casket of the Long Night. The Director of Destinies of Brahma Heaven (the deity who governs lifespan and the registers of fate) then enters their names in the immortal register of Brahma Heaven. Their ancestors of nine generations are all able to escape the Three Paths and Five Sufferings (evil destinies and every kind of hardship), ascend to the Southern Palace, and roam in peace and freedom within the Hall of Blessings. For the twelve years that follow, they are all reborn into families of wealth and honor; if their causes and conditions remain unbroken, they may in the end become immortals.

The Most High Lord of the Dao (a revered deity of Daoism) turned and questioned the flying celestial divine persons of the Southwest World, saying: I have ranged through all the heavens and gone out to wander at the Heavenly Gate of the Southwest. I saw, in the long-night hells of the boundless Southwest World, among the Three Rivers, the Nine Rivers, and the Five Marchmounts, many common men and women undergoing evil retribution, in pain beyond endurance. Seeing them, I was filled with grief and compassion, and the anguish cut through my liver and bowels. For people such as these, how many years must ordinarily pass before they can be released and obtain pardon? When that time comes, as what kind of persons will they be reborn? What merit must they possess in order to be saved and to enter once again a realm of blessing?

The flying celestial divine persons of the Southwest World should explain how many years these people must pass before they can be released and obtain pardon; as what kind of persons they will be reborn when pardon is granted; and what merit they must possess in order to be saved and to enter once again a realm of blessing.

The flying divine being of the southwestern world said: For ten lives in succession in former existences, this person was reborn as a human being, yet never once did any good; in every life, from the moment of birth, he turned against what is right and committed evil. The Heavenly Lord of the One Qi (vital energy; the celestial honored deity who governs primordial vital energy), the various numinous officials of Brahma Qi, and the chief administrators of the Three Realms therefore entered his offenses in the registers. According to the law of the Right Official of the Lower Palace of Nüqing in the Mysterious Capital, he must pass through ten thousand kalpas before his sins can be redeemed; only then may he be reborn as a lowly person and serve as a menial attendant and errand-runner. He must still revolve through transmigration for one hundred twenty thousand kalpas, undergoing birth and death countless times, before he can become a laborer in the service of the Southern River. Such hardship cannot be fully told in words.

If one wishes to save him, free him from suffering, and let him form good karmic ties anew, one should proceed according to the Grades of the Jade Casket of Illuminating Perfection and the Lower Palace of Nüqing (a Daoist Keyi, liturgy of precepts and ritual): use one hundred twenty chi of yellow-patterned silk—twelve chi may also be used—and prepare one golden dragon; go to the place of the Heavenly Lord of the Southwestern Brahma Qi and the various numinous officials of the southwest, and redeem the guilty soul in the Ninefold Darkness (the depths of the underworld). For twelve days and twelve nights without interruption, light lamps and burn incense, and bow before the Heavenly Lord in confession of fault. In this way the various numinous officials of the southwest may open for the guilty soul the gate of deliverance, so that amid the dark and endless night it may see the light. After twelve years, guilty souls may all be reborn once more into circumstances of blessing and good fortune.

The flying divine being of the western world said: Among the beings of the boundless world of the west, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges—whether those who have already attained the Dao (the Way) and departed in past lives, or good men and good women who have not yet attained the Dao and still enjoy blessings now—so long as they cultivate and observe the Ten Precepts of the Highest Grade of Wisdom, and their merit and practice reach completion over twelve years, all may be reborn into circumstances of blessing and good fortune.

The flying divine being of the western world said further: Among the beings of the boundless world of the west, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges—whether those who have already attained the Dao, or good men and good women who have not yet attained the Dao and now enjoy blessings—so long as they cultivate and observe the Ten Precepts of the Highest Grade of Wisdom and accumulate merit to the full, they will receive the corresponding blessings. Those who have already attained the Dao are ranked among the Superior Zhenren (realized persons of high station); those who have not yet attained the Dao have their names entered at the Mysterious Terrace of Grand Simplicity, and after death they ascend to heaven and become guests of the Most High. The White Emperor of the West (the imperial lord of the western heavens) enters their names into the Heaven of the Seven Qi. The Heavenly Lord of the Seven Qi orders the Three Officials of the West (the divine offices governing heaven, earth, and water) to expunge, in the earthly prisons of the Nine Bureaus, the roots of the offenses of their former lives that remain in the files of the White Origin, the Jade Casket of the Ninefold Darkness, and the Long Night. The Controller of Destiny of the Plain Heaven then registers their names in the rolls of the gods and immortals of the various heavens.

Their ancestors of seven generations can all leave the Three Paths and Five Sufferings (realms of suffering such as the hells), ascend to the Golden Portal, and receive spontaneous blessings, roaming at ease in the Hall of Blessings in joy without end. If thereafter they are born again as human beings, they can also become persons held in honor, respected by the Three Realms and praised by ghosts and spirits; turning continually within blessed conditions, they can all in the end become gods and immortals.

The Supreme Lord of the Dao (the Way), a revered deity of Daoism, turned and asked the flying celestial spirit-beings of the world at the Western Extremity: “I once surveyed all the heavens and journeyed out through the western gate, and in the long night of the boundless world of the west I saw the hells of the Ninefold Underworld, together with the mountain lands of the Three Rivers, the Nine Streams, and other such places. There, the ghosts of men and women were punished and pressed into forced labor, cast adrift upon the Three Paths—places of suffering such as hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—and made to endure the five kinds of suffering to the full. The grievances and debts these people contracted in former lives—from what causes did they ultimately arise, that they should suffer punishments such as these? For those like them, how many years must pass before they can be released? And what merit must be accumulated if they are to be delivered from the hells of the Ninefold Underworld and from the mountains of the Three Rivers and the Nine Streams?”

The flying celestial spirit-beings replied: “In former lives these people acted contrary to the true Dao. The Heavenly Lords of the Seven Qi (vital energy)—the divine lords who govern the seven kinds of primordial vital energy of the west—together with the various numinous officials of the west and the presiding authorities of the Three Realms, have already registered their offenses. The sentence they receive under the Code of the Yin Officials of the Right Palace of Nüqing in the Mysterious Capital is this: only after passing through ten thousand kalpas may they be reborn in remote kingdoms of the borderlands. Though they then possess human form, they lack human feeling. They must further pass through seventy thousand kalpas, and only when the kalpas governed by the White Emperor have completed their turning may they become laborers in the service of the Western Marchmount. This course is long and distant, and its suffering is beyond words.

“If they are to receive pardon and to form good affinities anew, one should follow the provisions of the Liturgical Grades of the Right Palace of Nüqing in the Jade Casket of Luminous Perfection: offer seventy feet of white patterned silk—seven feet may also be used—and prepare one golden dragon, and go before the Heavenly Lords of the Seven Qi of the west and the various numinous officials of the west, there to ransom and remove the root of sin for the departed souls in the Ninefold Underworld. For seven days and seven nights without interruption, light lamps and burn incense, and bow before the Heavenly Lords in confession of offense. They will then have the chance to be saved and to behold the light. After seven years, all of them will be able to be reborn into the households of good people.”

The flying celestial beings of the northwest world said: In the boundless world of the northwest, living beings as countless as the sands of the Ganges—whether persons of former ages who have already attained the Dao (the Way), or good men and good women still living today who have not yet attained the Dao—need only cultivate and observe the Ten Precepts of the Uppermost Grade of Wisdom. When their practice is fulfilled and their merit brought to maturity, those who have already attained the Dao rise to the rank of the Supreme Perfected, while those who have not yet attained the Dao have their names entered in the registers of the Nine Heavens; when their lifespan comes to an end they ascend to heaven and keep company with the Five Emperors. The Yellow Emperor reports their names one by one to the Heavenly Lord of the Brahma-Qi Heaven, the celestial realm filled with Qi (vital energy). The Heavenly Lord then orders the Three Offices and Nine Bureaus of the northwest—the offices that administer the affairs of the heavens and the underworld—together with the earthly prisons, to expunge the roots of the sins of their former lives recorded in the Yellow Prime of the Nine Darknesses and in the Jade Casket of the Long Night. The Controller of Destiny of the Brahma Heaven, the divine office that governs lifespan and the registers of fate, also enrolls them in the registers of the gods and immortals of the various heavens. All their seven ancestors, the forebears of seven generations, escape transmigration through the Five Paths, ascend to the Nine Heavens, and enjoy blessings without end. When they are thereafter reborn as human beings, they advance with valiant diligence, their majesty overawes the five directions, they form an unbroken bond with the Dao, and in the end they are appointed to the offices of the Perfected of the Five Emperors.

The Most High Lord of the Dao inquired of the flying celestial beings of the northwest world, saying: “I have surveyed all the heavens, and when I traveled out through the northwest gate of heaven, I saw those who cultivate with zealous diligence, whose majesty overawes the five directions, whose bond with the Dao never ceases, and who are thereby appointed as the Perfected of the Five Emperors…”

The Most High Lord of the Dao inquired further of the flying celestial beings of the northwest world, saying: “I have surveyed all the heavens, and when I traveled out through the northwest gate of heaven, I saw that in the hells of the boundless world of the northwest there is the Cold-Ice Night Court of the Long Night of the Nine Rivers. There ordinary people, men and women, suffer as though sunk in mud and water or in charcoal and fire; their bodies are whipped, and their agony is beyond words. For persons such as these, according to the weight of their karmic offenses, how many years of punishment must they endure before they are released? On the day they receive pardon and return to the human world, into what bodily forms will they be reborn? And if they have not yet been pardoned, what merit can help them escape this suffering?”

The flying celestial beings of the Northwest World said: “What this person has done is cruel and perverse, and wholly without restraint. The Heavenly Lord of the One Qi (vital energy)—the celestial venerable who presides over unified Qi—together with the Numinous Officials of the Northwest and the presiding officers of the Three Realms (the divine offices that administer the affairs of Heaven, Earth, and humanity), has already registered his offenses. According to the Statutes of the Water Officials of the Xuandu Nüqing Office of Great Yin, he will, through ten thousand kalpas, be reborn into benighted and darkened conditions, suffer deafness, blindness, and many other disabilities, and lose human form. He will pass through the Five Paths (the five destinations of rebirth) for one hundred twenty thousand kalpas, and only after countless cycles will he have the chance to be appointed a menial servant of the Changhe Administration. The suffering of this long course is beyond words.

If one wishes to help the departed soul leave this suffering and enter once more upon the good paths, one should follow the liturgical grades of the Mingzhen Jade Casket of the Nüqing Palace of Great Yin: prepare one hundred twenty chi of yellow-patterned silk, or else twelve chi, together with one golden dragon, and go to make offerings to the Heavenly Lord of the One Qi of the Northwest and the Numinous Officials of the Northwest, praying that the guilty soul be rescued and redeemed from the Nine Darknesses (the depths of the underworld). For twelve days and twelve nights without interruption, lamps are lit and incense is burned, and one prostrates before the Heavenly Lord in confession of fault; the departed soul may then be saved and come to see the light. After twelve years the soul will attain freedom, be reborn as a human being, set out again upon the path of good affinity, rejoice life after life, and long enjoy blessings without end.”

The flying celestial beings of the northern world say: In the Limitless World of the North, among living beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, good men and good women—whether they have already attained the Dao (the Way) and passed away, or have not yet attained the Dao and still enjoy blessings in the world—need only cultivate and observe the Ten Precepts of the Upper Grade of Wisdom until their merit is complete. They then receive the blessings bestowed by the Mysterious Heaven, and their names are entered in the immortal registers of Shangqing (Supreme Clarity). Some are thereby ranked among the highest sages and come and go in the realm of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing); others, after death, become the Luminous Lords of the Four Poles. While they are still alive, they also enjoy merit and blessing, receive the reverent protection of spirits, and no calamity can trouble them.

The Earth Office of the North reports the circumstances of each of these people to the Upper Palace. The Heavenly Lords of the Five Qi (vital energy)—the celestial deities who govern the Qi of the five directions—then transmit orders to the Three Officials, the Nine Bureaus, and the One Hundred and Twenty Departments of the North (the offices that administer the affairs of the celestial realm). These agencies expunge the roots of sins from former lives—the sinful karma accumulated in previous existences—that remain in the archive of the Long Night of the Jade Casket of the Nine Darknesses of the Mysterious Origin. The Controller of Destiny of the Mysterious Heaven—the deity who governs lifespan and the registers of fate—enters them in the rolls of the gods and immortals of the various heavens. Their ancestors of seven generations all ascend to the halls of heaven, and of themselves they want for neither clothing nor food. Within five years, all of them are reborn into the households of emperors and kings; thereafter they cycle amid merit and blessing and often meet with good conditions.

The Most High Lord of the Dao turned to the flying celestial beings of the northern world and asked: I once traversed the various heavens and journeyed out through the Northern Gate, and I saw that in the hells of the Limitless World of the North the Three Rivers, the Nine Streams, and the various mountains were all compelling the common people, men and women, to suffer. They writhed in mud and fierce fire, forced to carry mountains on their backs and shoulder stones, to block the headwaters of the long rivers, and to swallow fire and eat charcoal, scarcely retaining human form. These people are tried and punished—after how many years can they be released? Once released and reborn into the human world, what kind of people will they become? Do they still have a chance to be saved?

The flying celestial beings of the northern world replied: When these people were alive, they acted with cruelty and perversity and did not keep to the correct Dao. Reckoned in the years of the Five Qi, when can they be released? After their release, as what kind of people will they be reborn? And can they still obtain salvation?

The flying celestial beings of the northern world say: While this person lived in the world, he was violent and perverse, and he disregarded moral righteousness. The Heavenly Lords of the Five Qi (vital energy)—the celestial deities who govern the qi of the five directions—together with the various numinous officials of the north and the presiding authorities of the Three Realms, have already registered his offenses. According to the laws of the Fire Officials of the Nüqing Great Yang Palace of the Mysterious Capital, he will pass through ten thousand kalpas, be reborn as all manner of livestock, and transmigrate for fifty thousand kalpas through the Five Paths (the five destinations of reincarnation). Only when the term fixed by the Mysterious Heaven comes to an end may he possibly be appointed as a menial servant of the Northern Marchmount. These retributions of sin accumulate layer upon layer and cannot be repaid quickly.

If one wishes him to obtain liberation and to have the root of his destiny (the basis of fate and lifespan) manifest as soon as possible, one should follow the Keyi (liturgy) of the Nüqing Great Yang Palace of the Jade Casket of Luminous Perfection: prepare fifty chi of dark-patterned silk—five chi will also do—together with one golden dragon, and go to the Heavenly Lords of the Five Qi and the various numinous officials of the north within the Nine Darknesses (the realms of the underworld) to redeem the sins of the departed soul and deliver it. For five days and five nights without interruption, light lamps and burn incense, and bow in repentance before the Heavenly Lords; then there is hope of obtaining liberation and of beholding all manner of light. After five years, this person will in every case be reborn into circumstances bound by good affinity.

The flying celestial beings of the northeastern world say: In the limitless world of the northeast, beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges—whether they attained the Dao (the Way) in the past, or are good men and good women who have not yet attained the Dao but now possess blessings—so long as they cultivate and observe the Ten Precepts of the Upper Grade of Wisdom, once their merit is complete, those who have already attained the Dao may rise to the station of the Superior Perfected, while those who have not yet attained the Dao will, in life, be honored by the Three Realms and held in awe by the earth deities, and after death will ascend to the heavenly halls and associate with numinous beings. The Earth Administration of the northeast will report the matter upward, level by level, to the Heavenly Lord of Brahma-Qi (the celestial deity who presides over Brahma-Qi). The Heavenly Lord of Brahma-Qi will order the Three Offices, Nine Bureaus, and One Hundred and Twenty Departments of the northeast to expunge the roots of sins from former lives recorded in the Jade Casket of the Nine Darknesses of the Yellow Origin; the Director of Destinies of Brahma Heaven will then enter their names in the registers of the gods and immortals of the various heavens. Their ancestors of nine generations will also be elevated and delivered to the Southern Palace, leave the cycle of the Five Paths, and roam at ease in the Hall of Blessings. After five years, all who cultivate in this way will be reborn into families of merit and virtue, form good affinities generation after generation, and enjoy blessings without end.

The Most High Lord of the Dao turned and asked the flying celestial beings of the northeastern world, saying: “I once surveyed all the heavens and journeyed out through the northeastern gate, leaving the cycle of the Five Paths and roaming at ease in the Hall of Blessings. After five years, all are reborn into families of merit and virtue, form good affinities generation after generation, and enjoy blessings without end.”

The Supreme Lord of the Dao inquired of the flying celestial deities of the northeastern world—divine beings who soar through the heavens—saying: “I have surveyed all the heavens. Once, setting out through the celestial gate of the northeast, I saw, in the hells of the boundless world of the northeast, many ordinary men and women enduring the retribution for sins left from former lives. They suffered every kind of hardship, writhing and struggling in misery until they no longer resembled human beings. What wrong did these people commit? What lives did they harm? What evil did they do, that they should now receive such retribution? What meritorious deeds ought to be performed to redeem their sinful bodies and bring them once more onto the path of goodness?”

The flying celestial deities of the northeastern world replied: “In former lives these people harbored no compassionate heart. During the three months of spring they went out hunting, spreading nets and setting snares, setting the mountains ablaze, and killing wild beasts with spears and arrows, cruelly harming living beings; their sins were therefore exceedingly grave. After death they met with calamity and punishment: their bodies were beaten, severe pains of every kind assailed them all at once, and they were driven to run about, with scarcely a moment of peace. To release karma of this kind and restore them to blessed recompense, one should act according to the graded articles of the Mingzhen code (Daoist precepts and ritual norms): prepare one hundred and twenty chi of yellow-patterned silk—or, alternatively, twelve chi—together with one golden dragon, and convey them to the Heavenly Lord of Fanqi (Qi, vital energy) of the Northeast, the various numinous officials of the Northeast, and the Bureau of the Ninefold Darkness (the divine office that governs the underworld), so as to ransom the souls of the dead.

The rite is to burn incense and light lamps for twelve days and twelve nights in succession, so that the light illuminates all the heavens and the hells and the shades long under punishment may behold the light. In this way the root of sin is dispersed, the souls of the dead reenter the gate of blessing, their spirits ascend to the Southern Palace (a palace-office of the celestial realm), and they naturally obtain felicity.”

The flying divine beings of the lower world (divine beings who fly through the celestial realms) said: “In the boundless worlds below there are countless living beings. Among them, the earth immortals and the Perfected of the Five Sacred Mountains who have already attained the Dao (the Way), together with the good men and good women who have not yet attained the Dao but are now enjoying the rewards of blessing—if they cultivate and observe the Ten Precepts of the Upper Grade of Wisdom, then, when their merit is complete, those who have already attained the Dao will rise to the station of the Upper Perfected, while those who have not yet attained the Dao will also have their names entered in the registers of the various heavens. After death, they may ascend directly into the Hall of Blessings.

“The Five Emperors of the Five Sacred Mountains in the Palace of Eastern Florescence will together report to the Celestial Emperors of the Thirty-two Heavens. The Celestial Emperors will then issue orders to the eight directions, the Three Officials, the Nine Bureaus, and the earth prisons, to cut away the roots of sin they accumulated in former lives and to strike their names from the Jade Caskets of the Nine Darknesses (the depths of the underworld) and from the Files of Eternal Night. The Directors of Destiny of the various heavens (deities who govern lifespan and the registers of fate) will then enter them in the registers of the immortals.

“Their seven ancestors, too, will be released from earthly servitude, no longer held by the corvée officers of the underworld, and will ascend to the Southern Palace. Thereafter they will be reborn as human beings in families of wealth and honor; continuing to accumulate merit and to cultivate with diligence and without slackening, they will at last be able to ascend in flight to the Heaven of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) and take their place among the immortals.”

The Most High Lord of the Dao turned to the flying divine beings of the boundless worlds below and asked: “I have surveyed the worlds below in every quarter and traveled through the eight directions, and I have seen that in the hells there are many common people, men and women alike, all enduring harsh punishments; some implicate their families, and prisoners fill the eight directions. What fault have they in fact committed? What crimes have they done in this life, and what Jing (scriptures) and laws have they violated, that they should suffer such punishment? And what merit ought they to accumulate and cultivate in order to redeem the sins of former lives, so that they may be born again as human beings?”

The flying celestial beings of the lower world say: Some people, in former lives, did not revere ghosts and spirits, did not believe in the scriptural teachings (Jing), and offended the earth deities (spirits of the ground), the Five Marchmounts (spirits of the five famous mountains), and the Four Waterways (spirits of the four great rivers). The sins they committed were too many to count. After death they must endure harsh punishment and sink into the hells; if they are not delivered by the Mingzhen ritual statutes (the Daoist liturgical rules used to save the souls of the dead), they will scarcely gain release even after myriad kalpas. To save them, one should prepare thirty-two chi of yellow-patterned silk (silk cloth with yellow designs) and one golden dragon, and send them to the earth bureaus of the various places below, the famous mountains of the Five Marchmounts, the Three Officials and Nine Offices of the waters, the twelve river sources, and the Nine Darknesses (the underworld). Only thus can the sins of the departed souls be redeemed. Through all twelve hours of one day and one night, incense should be burned and lamps lit, so that light shines throughout the Nine Darknesses beneath the earth, allowing souls long in suffering and already dead to behold the light, receive salvation, and enter once more the realm of blessings.

The flying celestial beings of the upper world say: In the boundless worlds of the thirty-two heavens above, the many supreme sages, lofty gods, and Perfected who have attained the Dao (the Way), together with the men and women among the people who have not yet attained the Dao but who still enjoy blessings now, need only cultivate and observe the Ten Precepts of the Supreme Grade of Wisdom. When their merit is complete, those who have already attained the Dao will be ranked among the upper Perfected, while those who have not yet attained the Dao will have their names registered in the thirty-two heavens. On the day their lifespan comes to an end, they will ascend directly into the Hall of Blessings, roam at ease above Daluo Heaven, and take their respective places among the heavens.

For the departed souls in the long night of the Nine Darknesses, this cultivation can also erase the registers of their sins and rescue the seven ancestors (seven generations of forebears counted upward), so that they ascend to the Southern Palace, are reborn in the human world, and continue to cultivate the good Dao. In this way, generation after generation, the bond of blessing can be carried on and fine things enjoyed, until at last they become immortals and fly within the Daluo Heaven of the Three Realms.

The Most High Lord of the Dao turned and asked the flying celestial beings of the upper world: “I have surveyed all thirty-two heavens above, and I have also traveled through the Three Realms. In the Northern Prison of Tianyi, the Upper Prison of Qingshao, and the Bureau of Accumulated Night of the Three Rivers, I saw many men and women of ordinary households, naked and suffering, without clothing or food. They were beaten with iron rods until the pain was unbearable, and they were dragged back and forth among the Three Rivers, drawing floodwaters to pour into the Four Rivers (the four great rivers), laboring day and night without rest.

“What faults did these people commit in life, and what precepts did they violate, that they should suffer such retribution? What merits ought one to cultivate in order to redeem them, so that they may obtain deliverance and be reborn as human beings?”

The flying celestial beings of the upper world replied: “In their previous lives these people did not revere the Great Dao (the Way). They doubted and slandered the scriptures (Jing) and violated the Ten Precepts, and so in this life they receive this retribution and are conscripted as penal laborers of the celestial realm. Unless they are delivered according to the Mingzhen Kepin (the ritual norms used in Daoism for Zhaijiao [purification ritual] and rites of deliverance), they cannot be released even after ten thousand kalpas.

“To open the way of deliverance for them, one may prepare thirty-two feet of blue patterned silk and one golden dragon, and send them to the palace offices of the various heavens, so as to redeem the souls of the dead from the retribution of former lives and to liberate the prisoners and dead souls in the Ninefold Darkness (the depths of the underworld). Then, throughout the twelve periods of one day and night, burn incense and light lamps, so that the light shines through all the heavens, the River of Accumulated Night, and the Ninefold Darkness. Thus the ghosts under penal service may behold the light, receive deliverance, and enter once more the gate of blessing.”

The Most High Lord of the Dao joyfully paid his respects and reported to the Celestial Worthy: “Today, sitting in attendance, I have been able to hear the flying celestial beings of the ten directions expound the upper-grade method for delivering the roots of all sins. The living may obtain deliverance; the dead may regain a path of return; throughout the Ninefold Darkness all receive the light; and those reborn in a future life may also enter the gate of blessing.”

The Supreme Dao Lord (Taishang Daojun) joyfully made his obeisance and reported to the Celestial Worthy: "Today I am fortunate to sit in attendance here and to hear the flying-celestial spirit beings of the ten directions expound the method of the highest grade for delivering souls from the roots of sin. Through it, the living are enabled to be saved, the dead are able to return to life, and even the Nine Obscurities (Jiuyou, the deepest and darkest realm of the underworld) universally receive light. If men and women of future ages hold good intentions and have faith in this Dao (the Way), they will obtain blessings. Generation after generation their fortunate karmic ties will not break, the fine things they enjoy will never run out, and in the end they will become immortals. If a household makes offerings of incense and lamps, its family will flourish, the spirits of the Three Realms will guard it, the myriad numinous beings will come to pay homage, ghosts and demons will be subdued, and no calamity of any kind will be able to trouble it. The Great Dao broadly transforms living beings through its teachings and will not be exhausted even after ten thousand kalpas; its blessings and celebrations are grand and majestic, supremely lofty, and impossible to surpass. I rejoice that beings of later ages will receive such great kindness, and my heart is filled with boundless delight, so I have composed a hymn in praise." At this, the divine beings of all the heavens praised him in unison.

Hymn of Supreme Wisdom and Lasting Joy

In the age of Longhan (the name of a kalpa), the common people were simple and pure, their hearts merged in oneness, following what is natural. The Five Emotions (the five human affective states) did not contend with one another, and so within the body dwelt a deathless divine light. The Dragon Gate cut off the great river, and the Three Paths (the places of suffering: hell, hungry ghosts, and animals) no longer enslaved living beings. The Five Destinies (the realms of rebirth for living beings) came to rest, and the places of punishment, such as the Mountain of Swords, were abolished. Within the vast Yuanhan (in Daoism, the primordial and mysterious realm), the souls of the Nine Obscurities suffered no more. No sound of wailing or funeral procession was heard, only words of lasting joy; no ghosts of the long night were seen, only flying celestial immortals.

What joy is there in this world that is worth rejoicing over? Therefore I recite this song of rising happiness. The divine beings of the heavens bow their heads in celebration and together praise the years of this kalpa. In the Mysterious Capital (Xuandu, a Daoist realm of immortals) stand groves of the seven treasures, and the heavens of the ten directions are filled with Miluo (the vast, boundless heaven). Purple mist and rosy clouds reflect a radiance of spiritual beauty, and the scenery of cloud-vapor shines with loveliness among the peaks of the Jade Terrace. Above stands the Hall of Blessings and Virtue, its palaces and towers rising and falling in graceful array. Those who dwell there are all Pure and Faithful Ones (those who devoutly follow the Daoist teachings), households of those who have ascended as immortals. The Three Realms open onto the mysterious road, and the Five Destinies are pure and free of evil.

Good roots grow in accordance with causal conditions, and accumulated merit brings still more blessings. Interlinked causal ties continue without end, and the efficacy of the Great Method is truly not empty. No one in the world has lived ten thousand years; everyone shares with the kalpa the same beginning. People cling lovingly to the joyful world, and the words they speak turn into songs of celebration. The scenes of this age are boundless and without limit, yet what will become of the fortunes still to come?

When the Supreme Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun), a venerated deity of Daoism, received the precepts in the Cypress Ridge Lodge of Dongyang Abbey, he saw, in the halls of blessing among the heavens, ancestors and kindred who had passed through hundreds of millions of kalpas, all at ease and content. They lived without worry; clothing and food were naturally abundant. Light shone from their bodies, and they kept company with flying immortals. They had no sorrow, nor did they know the taste of suffering. Moved by both grief and joy at this sight, the Lord of the Dao composed the Hymn of Everlasting Joy.

Supreme Hymn of Wisdom on the Spirits of Suffering

Sentient beings fall into the spirit realms of suffering and turn without cease through the Five Paths (Wudao, the five destinations of rebirth). The Ninefold Darkness (Jiuyou, the deep and remote hells) is sealed in a long night; through kalpa after kalpa, no light is seen. There, sword-trees grow thick upon the mountains of blades, and poisoned edges rise crossed and towering. No flocks of birds are seen gathering; only the voices of suffering souls are heard. Whirling Yin winds shake the long branches, and mournful sounds drift through the cold, shadowed courts.

On the mountains, people climb without pause and may not rest for a moment. When hungry, they can eat only the charcoal of the winding springs; when thirsty, they can drink only the essence and vital energy (Jing and Qi) within the smelting flames. They drift and suffer through the Three Paths of Misery (Santu—hells, hungry ghosts, animals, and other realms of affliction), unable even to recognize their own forms and names. To think that you do not understand destiny and karmic cause and effect is truly a cause for sorrow.

Sin and blessing each have the conditions that give them form; good and evil do indeed arise from the heart. The cycle of rebirth turns without end: just as sound does not cease, its echo will not break off of itself. Within the Ninefold Darkness are primordial registers that record the destinies of beings; across ten thousand kalpas, the receiving of retribution continues without interruption. The cold ice is endless; the long night lies in layer upon layer of gloom. No dwelling is seen where one might peacefully enjoy blessed virtue—only the wooded wilds where wretched ghosts gather.

Suffering, long as a river, is hard to cut off. Afflicted souls cling to one another and are drawn along, wailing and weeping. A solitary voice rushes toward the extremity of despair, and cries of grief fall upon the peaks of the blade-mountains. Form no longer resembles form. It is grievous indeed.

The Supreme Lord of the Dao went forth through the portals of the eight directions. He saw the hells everywhere, dark and sealed, with barriers set layer upon layer, and between the Three Rivers and the Nine Streams he saw mountains of blades and trees of swords spread on every side. Prisoners and hungry ghosts were trapped; dead souls were driven to forced labor, drifting through torments like burning charcoal. Their bodies no longer held any complete shape, and the sight was more than one could bear to look upon. Grieved by this, the Lord of the Dao composed the Hymn on the Spirits of Suffering.

The Celestial Worthy said to the Most High Lord of the Dao (the Way): “Today I, together with the Most Perfected of the ten directions—the True Persons who have attained the Dao—and the great sages of the Limitless, have passed through this kalpa. Our joy is beyond comparison. Words cannot exhaust it, nor can what is felt in the heart be fully shown. Now I shall set forth every kind of good and evil, the prohibitions and precepts, and the rules and statutes, concealing nothing. All the heavens celebrate together and with one voice proclaim the sound of the teaching, universally saving beings beyond number.

How fortunate is this present life, that one can encounter the teaching of this Jing (scripture/classic)! If a person thereby gives rise to a good heart, their years may be lengthened and their life increased, and they will not meet violent calamity or die before their time. At the hour of death they ascend directly into heaven; good conditions continue without end, and in the end all can attain the true perfection of the Dao.

I think of the men and women of the degenerate age to come. They often move with the fortunes of the world; their minds are hurried, and without realizing it they create sinful karma. From this the roots of sin arise, causing them to sink into the Five Paths—the five destinations of rebirth. Once the chance to have faith in the Dao is lost, there is no time of return; they can only pass back and forth amid the Three Paths and Five Sufferings—the evil destinies and every kind of hardship. There are mountains of knives and trees of swords, and blood flows for ten thousand li; there is also boundless cold and ice, and lonely souls trapped in darkness wail in long cries and mournful chants without cease, a sight that moves one to sorrow. How pitiful that, once these unfortunates have fallen in, they can hardly return.

Therefore I now expound this scripture, opening a way for those in the future who are willing to believe and honor it, and universally helping them remove the roots of evil karma, so that body and mind enter the light and return to good conditions. Those who can revere it with utmost sincerity will receive blessings; those who do not believe and honor it will bring disaster upon themselves.

After I have departed, this scriptural text should be stored in the Purple Tenuity Palace of the Mysterious Terrace of the Seven Treasures, above the Grand Veil Heaven. In accordance with the Mingzhen Xuanke—the Mysterious Code for Illuminating the True, the Daoist regulations for transmitting scriptures and practicing ritual methods—only after forty thousand kalpas will it be transmitted to the lower world, to teach and save the beings of heaven and all living creatures. I tell you these words now; you must understand them and keep them in mind.”

At this the assembled sages and the Most High Lord of the Dao joyfully paid their respects and bowed, then withdrew.

Lower Scroll of the Most High Dongxuan (Cavern Mystery) Lingbao Scripture of Wisdom, the Roots of Sin, and the Great Precepts of the Upper Grade.