《洞玄灵宝自然九天生神章经》

Tianbao Jun (Lord of Celestial Treasure) is the venerated deity of the Dadong Jing (Great Cavern scripture), a category of Daoist scriptures. Tianbao Zhangren (Elder of Celestial Treasure) is the ancestral Qi (vital energy) of Tianbao Jun, that is, his primordial energy. Tianbao Zhangren was condensed from the Qi of Hundong Taiwu (the Chaotic Cavern of Great Non-being) and of Yuanshi Gaoshang Yuxu (the Jade Vacuity of the Lofty Supreme Primordial Beginning), amounting in all to ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety yi-wan (hundred-million myriads) of Qi. Later, in the first year of Longhan, Tianbao Jun was born by transformation. When the scriptures were revealed, the palace in which he resided was called the Gaoshang Dayou Yuqing Gong (Palace of Jade Clarity of the Great Existence of the Lofty Supreme).

Lingbao Jun (Lord of Numinous Treasure) is the venerated deity of the Dongxuan Jing (Scripture of the Cavern of Mystery). Lingbao Zhangren (Elder of Numinous Treasure) is the ancestral Qi of Lingbao Jun. Lingbao Zhangren was condensed from the Qi of Chihun Taiwu (the Red Chaos of Great Non-being) and of Yuanshi Xuanshang Zixu (the Purple Vacuity of the Mysterious Supreme Primordial Beginning), amounting in all to ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine wan (myriads) of Qi. Later, when the charts were opened in the Longhan era, Lingbao Jun was born by transformation; after one kalpa, in the first year of Chiming, he brought forth the scriptures to save and deliver people, transmitting them in order to redeem the world. The palace in which he resided was called the Shangqing Xuandu Yujing Qibao Ziwei Gong (Palace of Purple Tenuity of the Seven Treasures at the Jade Capital of the Mysterious Metropolis of Highest Clarity).

Shenbao Jun (Lord of Divine Treasure) is the venerated deity of the Dongshen Jing (Scripture of the Cavern of Spirit). Shenbao Zhangren (Elder of Divine Treasure) is the ancestral Qi of Shenbao Jun. Shenbao Zhangren was condensed from the Qi of Mingji Xuantong (Dark Stillness and Mysterious Pervasion) and of Yuanwu Shangqing Xu (the Vacuity of Highest Clarity of Primordial Non-being), amounting in all to ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety wan of Qi. Later, in the first year of Chiming, Shenbao Jun was born by transformation; after two kalpas, in the first year of Shanghuang, he brought forth the scriptures. The palace in which he resided was called the Sanhuang Dongshen Taiqing Taiji Gong (Palace of Great Clarity and the Taiji [Supreme Ultimate] of the Dongshen of the Three Sovereigns).

These “three designations” (the three titles Xuan, Yuan, and Shi) differ in name and in the ages over which they preside, yet their origin is one and the same. They differentiate into the three Qi (vital energy) of Xuan, Yuan, and Shi—the three fundamental vital energies that constitute heaven, earth, and the myriad things—and each operates on its own. The Three Treasures (here, the exalted deities corresponding to the three Qi) are all divinities revered by the three Qi. The three designations give rise to the three Qi, and the three Qi, combining, in turn give rise to the nine Qi.

The nine Qi already existed before the Great Void had taken form, lying hidden within the empty hollow. At that time there was no light and no image, no bodily form and no name, no color and no beginning, and no sound. They set the world in motion and governed it, opening the profound and mysterious transformations of heaven and earth. The appearances of the three Qi were chaotic and hard to distinguish, now emerging and now vanishing. As the course of transformation advanced and the allotted measure of Qi reached its limit, the three Qi began to give forth light: the clear, light Qi rose and grew pure and bright, accumulating Yang Qi to form the sky; the condensed Qi grew heavy and stagnant, accumulating to form the earth.

The nine Qi each settled in their proper places. The sun, moon, and stars, Yin-Yang, the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), human beings, and the myriad things all received life and growth from this. Nothing among the endless transformations between heaven and earth can arise unless it is nurtured by the Three Origins (the three primordial sources, Xuan, Yuan, and Shi) and guided by the nine Qi. The three Qi are the fundamental sovereign lords of heaven and earth, and the nine Qi are the root of the myriad things. Thus the three, coming together, bring to completion the De (Virtue/Power) of the myriad things; this is the fundamental law by which heaven and earth operate.

A human being is conceived in the mother’s womb, nourished by the Three Origins and given form by the coagulation of the nine Qi. Thus, when pregnancy reaches nine months, spiritual consciousness (Shen, spirit) gradually becomes complete and the breath grows full, so that sound can be uttered; when sound is produced, spiritual consciousness is already present. The Nine Heavens celebrate this. Taiyi (a revered deity of Daoism) holds the tally; the Imperial Lord assesses the endowed destiny; the Chief Registrar enters the name in the registers; Siming (the deity who governs the length of human life) fixes the lifespan; the Five Emperors oversee the birth; the Holy Mother guards the birthing chamber; and the gods of heaven, the spirits of earth, and the deities of the Three Realms all stand by in protection. In the courtyard, the Marshal of the Nine Heavens faces east and recites the Precious Stanzas of the Nine Heavens on the Birth of Spirits nine times. If the child is a boy, the myriad gods cry out together, “Gong” (“reverence”); if a girl, the myriad gods cry out together, “Feng” (“dutiful service”). When a boy is born, Siming respectfully assents; when a girl is born, Siming respectfully complies. Only thus can a human being be born. If the Marshal of the Nine Heavens does not proclaim the precious stanzas, and the myriad gods do not answer in unison, a human being cannot be born.

That a person can come once more into the human world and obtain a body beneath the light of the sun is a momentous event that stirs heaven and earth, noble in the extreme. The perfected beings of heaven, the spirits of earth, and the deities of the Three Realms all descend together to protect and bless the birth. Birth, therefore, is no casual matter, nor is it in any sense a lowly one.

Thus, if people can care for the body, preserve the spirit, treasure primordial Qi, and secure the root of life, they can avoid death and decay and at last attain the Dao (the Way) and become immortals, form and spirit ascending together to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing; the highest celestial realms in Daoism). This is to share the same De as the three Qi and to join in harmony with the nine Qi. Yet although human beings are granted birth, they often fail to respect their own primordial Qi, do not cherish the body or life, and do not care for the spirit. As a result they proceed of their own accord toward death and ruin, and grow distant from their original true nature.

The Chapter on the Birth of Spirits (Shen) in the Nine Heavens—a scriptural chapter (Jing) that tells how the spirits of the Nine Heavens are born—is formed by the gathering of the soaring mysterious Qi (vital energy), subtle, wondrous, and lively, which issues from the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen, the three major categories of Daoist scriptures). The three kinds of primordial Qi unite and give forth sound, condensing into numinous writing. It communicates with the host of spirits and contains hidden melodies and inner names (the inward titles of the deities); shaped, moreover, by the coagulation of generative Qi, it is therefore called the “Chapter of Spontaneity.”

When the Celestial Treasure recites it, the light of heaven and earth can be opened. When the Numinous Treasure recites it, a way out can be opened for souls in the long night of the Ninefold Darkness (a place of the utmost depth and obscurity). When the Divine Treasure recites it, the myriad spirits can be brought under control. When the Great Unity recites it, the spirits within the body can be made complete. When the Sovereign Lord recites it, the bodily form can be condensed. When the Nine Heavens recite it, human beings can be brought to birth. When a cultivator of the Dao (the Way) hears it, that person can ascend to heaven; when ghostly spirits hear it, they can rise to a higher station; when ordinary people hear it, they can long endure; when souls in darkness hear it, they can obtain deliverance; when withered and decayed things hear it, they can transform and give rise to smoky vapor; when infants hear it, they can open their mouths and speak; when the bones of the dead hear it, they can be restored as human beings.

The divine mystery of the Three Treasures is the root of the growth of the myriad things, and so it is not something that ghosts, spirits, or ordinary people can readily know or hear. Those who study the higher Dao and look with longing toward the immortals, even if they pass through corpse-liberation (the Daoist teaching of casting off the ordinary body and becoming immortal), through cessation and deliverance, or through rebirth and transmigration, will in the end return to the way of the immortals, so that bodily form and spirit-consciousness join and are no longer parted, and together enter the true realm of the Dao.

If this scripture did not exist, the Qi of womb and embryo would congeal and become obstructed, deathly Qi would harden at the root, the true scenes (the true and wondrous visions beheld by the cultivator) could not be maintained, and generative Qi would lose its source and stream. The nine orifices would be stopped, the body would be unable to give birth to spirit-brightness, and in the end there would remain only an empty form, as if a single breath were lodged in it and it merely struggled on. Once this method is learned, one may sit at ease and spontaneously attain the fulfillment of cultivation.

The Three Treasures are noble and majestic. The utmost true Dao of the Nine Heavens has hidden this scripture in the realm of Great Existence, storing it within the ninefold golden lattices and upon the jade terrace of Purple Yang. Unless heaven and earth are opened anew, the scripture will not appear. It is a forbidden book of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning; even ghosts and spirits have no way to hear it. Anyone who secretly steals it will pass through the calamity of the wind-blades; the hun and po souls will perish and cannot be born again. Those who reverently practice it according to the regulations can have form and spirit become immortal together.

If a person already has a golden name and purple characters recorded in the Palace of the Three Primordials (the celestial palaces of the Three Primordials spoken of in Daoism), and is destined in a coming life to become an immortal of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), then that person ought to receive this scripture. Should one encounter it through a destined affinity, one should prepare gold and precious offerings, express sincere intent to the master, and receive the scripture by covenant and oath according to the ritual protocol; one should gather in the mind, practice with reverence, guard it carefully, and not disclose it lightly, or else suffer the punishment of the wind-blades.

The method of cultivation is to keep a fast for a continuous thousand days, set aside worldly affairs, and let every worldly tie and desire fade away; to quiet the mind and spirit and concentrate in silence; to burn incense and uphold the precepts, then enter a still chamber, face east, click the teeth nine times, even out the voice and the breath, and recite this precious scriptural chapter.

Recite it once, and the sound reaches the Nine Heavens; recite it twice, and Heaven and Earth alike receive one with reverence; recite it three times, and the spirits of the Three Realms (worlds of differing levels, such as Heaven, Earth, and humanity) all come forward to pay homage; recite it four times, and the Heavenly Kings descend; recite it five times, and the Five Emperors (the deities who govern the five directions) come to audience with the True Dao (the Way); recite it six times, and the Demon Kings draw back and submit; recite it seven times, and the constellations halt in their courses; recite it eight times, and even places of darkness give forth light; recite it nine times, and the spirits of all the heavens descend together to guard the practitioner.

Reciting it once opens a passage to Heaven above and clears the “embryonic origin” (the site which the scripture associates with the source of life); reciting it twice, the sound reaches the earth, the fetal knot is undone, and the root is loosened; reciting it three times, the spirits offer reverence, the gate of the hun-soul is tempered, and one tends toward becoming an immortal; reciting it four times, the Heavenly Kings descend, the portal of the po-soul is closed, and the host of spirits all come to protect one. Reciting it five times, the Five Emperors come to audience with the True Dao, and the viscera grow cool and clear; reciting it six times, the Demon Kings submit and answer the command, and fluids arise in the stomach; reciting it seven times, the constellations shine bright, the body’s orifices are opened, and hearing grows keen; reciting it eight times, light appears in dark places, the Three Divisions and Eight Effulgences (the systems of inner deities and Qi [vital energy] within the body) are set in full order, and form and spirit are nourished; reciting it nine times, the spirits of all the heavens descend, so that the Three Passes, the Five Viscera, the Six Bowels, the Nine Palaces, the Golden Towers and Jade Chambers, the twelve layers of gates, the Purple Door and Jade Closure, and the thirty-six thousand joints of the whole body all, from the fundamental source, simultaneously give rise to spirit and Qi.

Nine recitations count as one round. When a round is completed, the Three Realms register the practitioner’s name, and the Five Emperors discern him and call him a zhenren, a Perfected Person. After ten rounds, breath and Qi run through without obstruction, and one can command the myriad spirits; the Demon Kings will also recommend him, so that he is entered among the immortal ranks of the various heavens. After a hundred rounds, one can reach through to the bright spirits, and while seated at ease can resonate with the spontaneous natural order; the Taiyi (a revered deity of the Daoist tradition) bestows a talismanic mandate, and the Yuanjun (an honorific for a goddess) grants life. After a thousand rounds, one can commune with the numinous, and may pass away in seated transformation or depart at once; immortal lads and jade maidens will obey one’s command. After ten thousand rounds, cultivation of the Dao is complete; one may come and go in a dragon carriage and ascend into the heavens in broad daylight.

At that time the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) was dwelling in quiet leisure, resting at ease in the Yellow Chamber of the Cloud Palace, within curtains of the Seven Treasures. Peaceful and unattached, he nourished his original nature, cultivated the True Dao in the realm of empty azure, immersed himself in realizing the principle of penetrating wisdom, and looked down to examine and study the method of generating the spirits; he inquired into the subtle principles within the Great Primordial Chaos (the original state before Heaven and Earth had separated), and the sound of his whistling chant rang through the Nine Heavens. Dawn.

At that time the Primordial Heavenly Worthy dwelt quietly in seclusion, resting at ease within the Yellow Chamber of the Cloud Palace, behind curtains of the Seven Treasures. In clarity and stillness he nourished his nature, cultivating the true Dao (the Way) in a realm of luminous emptiness and remote profundity. He devoted himself to realizing profound wisdom, looked down to examine the principles by which Shen (spirit) is brought into being, inquired into the subtle truths of the Great Beginning, and with a clear, bright voice sent his sound resounding through the Nine Heavens.

At that time the Flying Heaven Great Sage, the Limitless Divine King, the Jade Assistant Supreme Chancellor, and four associate Morning Attendants had fasted, purified themselves, and waited upon the Heavenly Worthy according to ritual. Sensing the Heavenly Worthy’s wondrous and numinous presence, the Flying Heaven Great Sage, the Limitless Divine King, raised his eyes to that divine gaze and opened his heart. Hearing the sacred chapters of the Jing (scripture/classic), he rejoiced within; listening to the Heavenly Worthy’s instruction, he seemed to have gained a new life. Seizing the moment to grasp the principles contained in it, he ventured to set his thoughts before the Heavenly Worthy.

Thereupon the Flying Heaven Great Sage, the Limitless Divine King, stepped forward, paid his respects, bowed his head to the ground, and addressed the Heavenly Worthy:

“Your servant has been fortunate enough to attend the Heavenly Worthy, yet my understanding is shallow and crude. Only because the Heavenly Worthy has instructed me in laws profound, dark, and mysterious have I once more come to comprehend the Dao of condensing and refining what is hidden and obscure, and so been ranked among the Divine Kings. I have general charge of life and death, direct the celestial offices concerned with them, inspect the Seven Awakenings, survey the quarters from afar, and, together with the Supreme Chancellor, jointly govern the various Morning Attendants.

“Now the appointed juncture has arrived. The Nine Great Yang are about to open, the principles of the Yin Talisman will likewise be made plain, and I am to nurture the multitudes of the people. The great cycle is drawing near, and the count of destinies will reach its end in the year jiashen. At that time floods will wash away filth and defilement, and baleful calamities will spread over the whole world. The Three Officials (the divine bureaus that govern the affairs of Heaven, Earth, and Water and examine good and evil) will take up the brush to review the records, distinguish the lot of all beings, reckon merit and fault, and render to good and evil each its own judgment.

“From the age of Chiming down to the first year of Shanghuang, according to the record of the Yuanyang Jade Casket, those who received deliverance should have numbered two hundred and forty thousand. After the age of Kaihuang, and on to the year jiashen, the various heavens will select immortal officials anew. Offices in the realm of the immortals stand vacant, officials are too few, and many posts lie idle; all must be filled by selection. According to the Yuanyang Jade Calendar, after three generations there will again be an examination of those who have good hearts, who have accumulated merit and practiced goodness, who have been recommended by the Three Realms and sponsored by the Five Emperors, and whose names stand on the registers of Heaven. One hundred thousand will be chosen to hold office, and a further one hundred and twenty thousand will be chosen as officials in reserve.

“The grounds of selection are not all the same. Some have long had their names set down on the Mysterious Charts; some have a bone structure that accords with the marks of an immortal. Some are reborn through the causes and conditions of former lives; some devoutly revere the Three Treasures (the Dao, the Jing, and the Master), so that their good deeds ascend to the celestial court. Some make offerings to the Three Treasures and win the praise of the Three Officials; some observe purification retreats and keep the precepts, accumulating merit and virtue; some give away wealth and goods and found halls of the Dao; some relieve the poor and aid all beings; some establish merit on behalf of the Three Masters. All who have a name among the celestial officers, are recorded in the registers after examination, and receive the joint recognition of the Three Officials will have their names entered in advance and be assigned according to their several ranks, with none left out.

“In addition, the Bureau of the Ninefold Darkness (the underworld of the shades), obeying the Nine Dragon talismanic mandate of the Azure Palace of Eastern Florescence, is charged with delivering the souls of dead men and women out of the Jade Casket of the Ninefold Darkness. All who did good in life, whose merit and virtue are complete, and who ought to obtain liberation will be chosen to the number of three hundred and twenty thousand; after calamity and defilement have been driven off in the year jiashen, they will become the ‘People of Great Existence.’

“When that time comes, the fates of the living and the dead will meet, and good and evil will be judged apart. To pass through this catastrophe is truly cause for rejoicing. Yet the Three Officials press the work urgently, and documents and affairs multiply without cease. Examinations are held at the Dragon Gate; the Bird Mother oversees the hosts of immortals; the myriad sages display their ceremonial regalia, day and night without pause. Merit and fault must be reckoned fairly, and neither the living nor the dead may be favored. All this turmoil is precisely what troubles your servant.

“The great limit draws near, and in the various affairs there are still omissions. Your servant constantly fears that one day he will on this account be called to answer before the public offices. Your servant has heard that the Heavenly Worthy carries out a teaching of great compassion, pities all beings, and opens the profound gates of the teaching of the Nine Heavens in order to rescue the people. The relevant written precepts impose prohibitions, and your servant, being of humble station, dare not inquire of his own accord. But the term of the great kalpa is already fixed, the year jiashen is about to end, the count of the cycle is pressing, and so vast a gate of the teaching ought to be transmitted and put into practice. Only then can those whose hearts turn toward the Dao, when they undergo examination, hear the sound of the teaching and broaden what they have seen and heard, and thereby also exhort those who have not yet awakened.

“Your servant therefore presumes to present this memorial, fearing to give offense to the Heavenly Worthy. He earnestly begs the Heavenly Worthy to look down in pity and to bestow upon your servant the meaning of the teaching that he has never before heard.”

Thereupon the Celestial Worthy, a revered deity of Daoism, lightly tapped the desk, composed his expression, and sank into concentrated thought. Raising his head, he recited the Cavern Chapters and chanted immortal music as clear and ringing as the sound of jade. After a long while he suddenly sighed and said, “The ordinances of Heaven are vast and far-reaching, their principles deep, subtle, and mysterious. The great Dao (the Way) runs through mystery upon mystery; primordial Qi (vital energy) surpasses the Divine Empyrean (Shenxiao, the lofty celestial realms). Its utmost reach can hardly be put into words, and its marvels can hardly be attained.

“You already hold the imperial station and have been commissioned as a divine king. In the Jasper Palaces (Qiongque, the immortal palaces) you assist the Flying Heavens, and at the Bright Wheel (Minglun, a celestial office or palace) you assist the Four Stewards. Your gaze reaches the four quarters; you oversee endless affairs, harmonize the myriad things, and nurture all living beings. Now the great cycle is about to open. The appointed time of the Three and the Five has come; the calamity of the Hundred and Six arrives in its season, and the disaster of Yang Nine is surging. Floodwaters churn, and catastrophe fills the heavens. The Four Palaces are selecting people to replenish the Seed People (Zhongmin, those who after the cataclysm will continue humankind and the transmission of the Dao). Since the Three Dynasties the world has been dark and disordered; good and evil ought to be clearly distinguished. You should labor for all living beings and hurry among the Three Officials (Sanguan, the Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water). At this turning between rise and decline, people of ability must be employed. I now entrust this matter to you; you are to do your utmost.

“This precious scripture is exceedingly rare. It is the numinous, wondrous tones of the Nine Heavens, transmitted only to the highest sages and not to be heard by ghosts and spirits. Only one who has attained the realm of Illumined Perfection (Mingzhen) and conforms to the regulations may transmit and practice it once in forty thousand kalpas. Now I brave the prohibition and give it to you. Guard it strictly, and do not transmit it lightly.”

Thereupon the Celestial Worthy ordered the Marshal of the Nine Heavens and the Jade Lad Who Attends the Immortals to open the Purple Yang jade casket, a purple book case of jade, and the pouch of cloud brocade, and to take out the Jade Chapters on the Birth of Spirits of the Nine Heavens. The Four Assistants took their places; the Five Elders oversaw the perfection of the rite; the Great Unity (Taiyi) commanded the hours; the Jade Emperor intoned the covenant. Following the complete canons of the rites of prostration and of Illumined Perfection, the assembled deities performed the ceremony, kneeling at length facing south, and presented the precious chapters to the Flying Celestial Limitless Divine King (Feitian Wuji Shenwang). When the rite was finished, the gods of the various heavens each returned to their places.

The Celestial Worthy again admonished the Flying Celestial Divine King: “These chapters of the Nine Heavens are the soaring, mysterious Qi of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen, the three comprehensive categories of Daoist scriptures). Through the Three Assemblies they condense into tones, form perfect script, and can gather the hundred spirits.” When he had spoken, he knelt and handed them to the Flying Celestial Limitless Divine King. When the rite was finished, the gods of the various heavens each returned to their places.

The Celestial Worthy once again admonished the Flying Heaven Divine King: this “Chapter of the Nine Heavens” is condensed from the soaring mysterious Qi (vital energy) of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen; the collective name for the three categories of Daoist scriptures). Three convergences form musical tones that coalesce into the true writ; it gathers the hundred spirits within it and expresses them through hidden cadences and inner names.

Therefore the Taiyi (a revered deity of Daoism) examines the ten directions and shelters all living beings, comprehends the principle of the Cavern Void, and solemnly establishes a covenant. Unless one has passed through the karmic conditions of hundreds of millions of kalpas and has long been entered in the registers of the Celestial Emperor, one may not take part in reading it. If one is fortunate enough to see even the titles of its sections, the ancestors of nine generations may all attain immortality together.

One should select persons suited to immortality and transmit this chapter to them. Before transmission, within a span of seven hundred years one must choose the proper time and observe a pure fast for a thousand days, bring gold and silk, swear an oath with utmost sincerity, and transmit the text according to the covenant. Guard it with care, and one will enjoy blessing and long life; leak the scripture, and one will invite disaster. The blessings gained by keeping the covenant extend to the ancestors of nine generations, and one’s De (Virtue/Power) is as weighty as mountains and seas. To break the covenant and call down calamity is to undergo trial and exile across hundreds of millions of kalpas, suffering as if boiled in poisonous broth or punished by the blades of wind. How can one fail to be cautious?

The Celestial Treasure Chapter of Initial Azure and Clear Subtlety

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning opened the formless realm of cavernous emptiness, and the three kinds of primordial Qi condensed at the gateway above. Purple divine light shone upon the great void, and within the brightness of the four quarters the numinous root was nurtured. Wondrous transformations arose from the jasper realm of the east, and three beams of flying light ascended from Kunlun in the west.

Its name accords with the clear Qi of the Nine Mysteries, and five-colored radiance encircles it like brocade clouds. The light of Liluo illumines the divine lamp, and the Jing (essence) of the Seven Stars shines upon the mysterious realm of the north. It rises lightly into the Heaven of Clear Subtlety; its splendor is vast, and the Divine Worthy of the Imperial One appears in majestic stillness.

Lofty scriptural chapters unfold layer upon layer, and feathered youths come and go in numbers. The flowing fragrance is in itself without form or color, yet it reaches the place where the myriad immortals assemble. Turning to the left, one passes through three kalpic cycles; revolving to the right, one opens the ninefold barriers of heaven.

Golden lotuses adorn the crowns of the jade youths, and the winds of the eight directions whirl in the void. The four seasons move without pause, and the azure and white Qi have long been clearly distinguished. Through the count of nine times nine, kalpic cycles succeed one another; with every three transformations, a new spring arrives.

Heaven and earth have, in the end, a time of meeting and of cessation, and the profound secret ultimately returns to mysterious transformation. One fully illuminates the methods of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) and rigorously practices the writs of the Six Heavens. The age of Great Peace returns to emptiness and nonbeing, in service and aid to the Latter Sage Lord.

The Numinous Treasure Chapter of Primordial White and the Yuyu Heaven

From the western gate a numinous wind rises, and brocade clouds well up from the jeweled trees to the east. Three kinds of primordial Qi (vital energy) shine upon the Jade Isle, and drifting fragrance rides the light breeze eastward. Jade blossoms scatter with the wind, and in a moment the pure realms of the Nine Heavens stand bright and clear.

The Qian forests mirror the red sun, and the Yellow Waters rise with the moon. Among them are immortal youths gathering numinous mushrooms, clad in feather robes and wearing Flying-Sound crowns. Wind and light move swiftly, and the myriad winds rise together; the immortals wander free and at ease, feasting and tilling amid the green wilds.

The empty wheel that governs the Nine Heavens drives the turning and course of all things. On the left, documents issue commands to the Three Heavens; on the right, troops and generals hold the Six Heavens. They inspect the primordial Qi and cause it to return to the realm of the Hollow Void. The Six Degrees (the cycles of the motion of Heaven and Earth) incline and turn in accord with kalpic destiny.

Kalpic destiny has its own gathering and change; who can foresee its ruin or its fulfillment? Vast currents whirl within the Numinous Gang (the sacred celestial field of Qi), and within the six directions no bodily form can escape. White bones and corpses drift in the long waters, while solitary souls thereby regain their spiritual nature.

Only by reflecting on the passage back and forth between life and death does one understand the light of the orthodox Dharma. Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) should strive all the more diligently, so that their jade names may be registered in Donghua (the immortal realm of the East). Fortunate to be accompanied by perfected immortals bearing white tablets, all together enjoy Great Peace.

Divine Treasure Chapter of the Mysterious Yellow and Great Crimson

The passes and apertures of the grotto-heavens turn the celestial net, and the five Qi revolve through the Three Subtleties (the hidden and far-reaching celestial realms). Purple portals emit jade tablets, and golden gates of heaven receive divine light. The eight directions converge, true winds meet, and the radiance is vast, shining forth layer upon layer. Those who cultivate the Dao should strive all the more diligently, so that their jade names may be registered in Donghua; fortunate to be accompanied by perfected immortals bearing white tablets, all together enjoy Great Peace.

Divine Treasure Chapter of the Mysterious Yellow and Great Crimson

The passes and apertures of the grotto-heavens turn the celestial net, and the five Qi revolve through the Three Subtleties. Purple portals emit jade tablets, and golden gates of heaven receive divine light. The eight directions converge, true winds meet, and the radiance is vast, shining forth layer upon layer.

Beyond the pure realms of the Nine Heavens, divinities come and go in the lofty distance. The Qi of three colors returns to emptiness, and the four seasons accord with the order of Yujing (the abode of the Celestial Emperor). The River Marquis (the deity who governs the rivers) has already set brush to paper, and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) secretly shift one another.

The Six Degrees cycle without cease; when kalpic destiny reaches its end, the myriad things ride the Qi and return. A host of demons fills the heavens, and the multitude of the violent at last display their might. The common people suffer calamity, and the heaped corpses move one to grief.

Truly mysterious and wondrous are the scriptures of the orthodox Dharma, able to set forth the principle of kalpic destiny and to endure long without decline. When the time comes, divine perfected ones will come to receive one; in accord with them, one may ascend in flight to the Nine Heavens. I wish to covenant with you to share in Great Peace; set aside anxious care, and it is as though one may fly without need of wings.

First Divine Birth Chapter of the Boundless Heaven of Yudan

Imperial Perfected Primordial of Embryonic Destiny — the Qi of Yellow Emanation

Within the blended Qi of the Hollow Void, fleet spirit-clarity drifts through a realm obscure and vast. The Yankang kalpa (the long cosmic kalpic age) has no end; the myriad things are faint and remote, as if parted from their source. Suffering souls sink into the ninefold darkness, longing to rise upon the yang Qi of dawn and attain release.

Once the Dayou Portal to the Mysterious (the gateway leading into the realm of subtle mystery) opens, Yudan (the name of a celestial realm) sends down the cloud-Qi (vital energy) of dawn. Yellow clouds gather in the Numinous Residence (the dwelling of Shen, spirit), and the two Qi of Yin-Yang intermingle. The womb-origin (the source that gestates life) condenses, forming enduring life; the roots of evil are then eliminated as the kalpa-cycles turn, subtly departing from their original root. Suffering souls sink within the ninefold dark night, hoping to rise toward the sun upon the morning light.

Once the Dayou Portal to the Mysterious opens, Yudan sends down the cloud-Qi of dawn. Yellow clouds gather in the Numinous Residence, and the two Qi of Yin-Yang intermingle. The womb-origin condenses, forming enduring life; the roots of evil are eliminated as the kalpa-cycles turn.

Taokang (the name of a Daoist deity) causes Jing (essence) and Qi to conjoin and lifespan to lengthen; the Two Emperors (two celestial emperors) manifest a jade-hued radiance. Jing and Qi pour into the Gate of Womb-Destiny (the fundamental portal that gestates life); once refined, spirit does not decay. The Nine Heavens issue the Chapter of Mandated Numina (the scriptural chapter, Jing, by which spirits are brought into being); one who recites and upholds this chapter finds that the spirits naturally ascend.

The Yuanjun (an honorific for a goddess) blocks the road that leads to death, and the Sima chants the Cavern Hymn (a song of praise from the Dongxuan Jing, the scripture of the Cavern Mystery). At the first singing, the myriad perfected (the host of true immortals) answer in unison; when it has been sung nine times, all the heavens come to pay court. The assembly bows their heads, reverently celebrating the turning of the kalpa and rejoicing that this numinous sprout of former days may flourish.

The Second Spirit-Generating Chapter of the Shangshang Chanshan Heaven of Immeasurable Longevity

The Qi of the Cavern-Dark Purple Portal of the Imperial Perfected Embryo-Destiny Origin (the Qi of the Cavern-Dark Purple Portal corresponding to the Imperial Perfected Embryo-Destiny Origin)

The Immeasurable (boundless and without limit) condenses into the Purple Portal (a purple gateway of subtle mystery). Its Qi is exalted; it is the king at the center of the heavens. It opens and ferries across the subtle divine souls that ascend in flight, causing them to condense and transform and to enter the realm of the empty void and the formless. Thus the former root departs from the clinging affections of the past, and the source of karmic conditions looks back in remembrance upon the ancestors of old.

Souls sink through the dark and protracted kalpa; when the great cycle has run its course, passage may be gained. The Imperial Perfected begins to bring Jing and Qi into manifestation, under the name “Binding the Purple Portal.” Its Qi is exalted; it is the king at the center of the heavens. It opens and ferries across the subtle divine souls that ascend in flight, causing them to condense and transform and to enter the realm of the empty void and the formless. Thus the former root departs from the clinging affections of the past, and the source of karmic conditions looks back in remembrance upon the ancestors of old.

Souls sink through the dark and protracted kalpa; when the great cycle has run its course, passage may be gained. The Imperial Perfected begins to bring Jing and Qi into manifestation, under the name Primordial Yang. The infant Bo Shihua forms the fetal body and stands guard within the Yellow Chamber (the inner palace within the body where life is gestated).

The roots are severed and the portal leading to death is closed; the infant is nurtured so that it may grow. The Chanshan Heaven guides the numinous Qi, subtly nourishing the fragrant bloom of the flying heavens. Splendid radiance renders the jade-like form graceful; through refinement, a beautiful appearance is naturally achieved.

By single-minded cultivation of the mysterious Dao (the Way), one nurtures the life of the upper realms so that it is arrayed like the ranked stars in the Bright Hall (a palace of the heavens). The Great Void responds to this numinous conjunction and bestows upon me this Spirit-Generating Chapter. Chanted once, it stirs the Nine Mysteries; recited a second time, Heaven and Earth are brought into communion.

Yin-Yang, together with Jing and Qi, mingles of itself and the two harmonize; when the recitation reaches nine times, the cultivation is accomplished. The Great Sage celebrates the auspicious omen, scattering flowers in reverence to the Vast Expanse. All the heavens rejoice together, and every living being bows the head in homage.

The Third Spirit-Generating Chapter of the Fanjiansuyan Heaven

The Imperial Perfected Soul-Destiny Origin…

The original text ends here. Its closing line, “A long chant stirs the Nine Mysteries; a second recitation brings Heaven and Earth into communion,” repeats what appears above.

A multitude of primordial Qi (vital energy) blend and coordinate; only after nine cycles of circulation and transformation is the efficacy of cultivation brought to completion. The Great Sage rejoices that this auspicious fulfillment has reached perfection, scattering flowers and paying homage to the Great Void. All the heavens are glad and joyful, and all living beings together bow their heads in rite.

The Third Divine Chapter on the Generation of Spirits of the Fanjian Xuyan Heaven

This is the heavenly chapter on the generation of spirits (Shen) that corresponds to the “Qi of the Imperial Perfected, the Primordial Destiny of the Hun-Soul, the Ever-Numinous Bright Immortal.” “Imperial Perfected” (Dizhen) refers to the venerable deities of the heavens. “Primordial Destiny of the Hun-Soul” (Hunmingyuan) is the root of the life of the hun and po, the spiritual soul and the bodily soul. Qi is what Daoism calls the primordial energy that constitutes life and the workings of heaven and earth.

The Xuyan Heaven gathers under its command three kinds of cloud Qi, and from these the Qi of the Mysterious, the Primordial, and the Inaugural differentiate. The Qi of the Great Brahma spreads vast and wide, displaying a gorgeous radiance, noble as green jade. Clear and pure Brahma Qi transforms into soaring scenes of mystery, so that the hun and po souls of the Long Night obtain deliverance.

The wandering hun-spirits return at the appointed time, and every kind of primordial Qi likewise returns to its original root. The Great Emperor’s appellation is “Yangtang” (Hall of Yang), and his courtesy name is “Balingjun” (Lord of the Eight Numina). The nine paths open, and green, spiraling roads appear; from this the primordial Qi within the embryo generates the Upper Prime.

The Qi of Lingfan has charge of the name-registers by which lives are delivered. The deity Taiyi (the Great One) assists Jing (essence) and Qi, so that life continues. In the Niwan Palace (Mud-Pill Palace) the seat of the Imperial Lord is laid, and the Three Divisions and the Eight Effulgences within the human body become distinct in turn. The hun-soul is gathered and guarded by the roaming primordial Qi; after nine revolutions and transformations, one may naturally become an immortal.

A clear, ringing sound comes from the Nine Heavens, and the jade stanzas bring the host of spirits into being. After three recitations and performances, the spirits each take their proper places, and primordial Qi joins the gates of the stars of the eight directions. The Mysterious Pass (Xuanguan) seals the gate of death, and numinous Qi guards the source of the vital fluids.

When the right conditions converge, one can respond to the numinous and wondrous order; when one understands the great Dao (the Way), the cycle of life turns back within the hidden and subtle. In celebration that this infant has shed its mortal embryo, all bow their heads and offer praise to the Cavern Writ (Dongwen).

The Fourth Divine Chapter on the Generation of Spirits of the Serene Doushu Heaven

This is the heavenly chapter on the generation of spirits that corresponds to the “Qi of the Imperial Perfected, the Primordial Destiny of the Po-Soul, Dangshi Mingyan You.” “Primordial Destiny of the Po-Soul” (Pomingyuan) refers to the root that concerns bodily form and life. “Doushu Heaven” is the name of a heaven in Daoist teaching.

Serene and without color or form, it is the root of the myriad phenomena; the Doushu Heaven is raised high above the Daluo Heaven (Grand Veil Heaven). Wondrous transformations divide into four kinds of scenes, and myriad beams of kingfisher-green and vermilion auroral light spread forth. The wandering hun and po no longer look back upon the mortal world; once they depart, they enter a deep and secluded realm, passing beyond the interference of the hosts of demons.

The Divine Duke (Shengong) gathers the roaming primordial Qi, making it light and numinous so that it drifts and turns into pure white quintessence. Its flourishing beauty endures through long kalpas, according with the course of the times and answering to the numinous charts and registers. Out of the Hollow Void (Kongdong) the divine chapters are born, and a sound clear as jade carries among the nine auroral mists.

Chanted once, the myriad Perfected come and assemble, and the hun and po that rise in flight thereby return to unity. After nine revolutions and transformations, the numinous scenes stand complete; the radiance is rich and dense, blazing like flowers of jade. The Doushu Heaven opens a vast realm of blessing, and living beings therefore celebrate, enjoying fortune that lasts long.

The carriage of the Upper Sage returns to the heavenly court, and the infant suddenly begins to sing. All rejoice in this fair hour of meeting, and together bow their heads in answering accord.

The Fifth Divine Chapter on the Generation of Spirits of the Boluonimi Bujiaole Heaven

This is the chapter on the generation of spirits of the Bujiaole Heaven (Heaven of Joy without Arrogance). “Boluonimi” is the name of a heaven. The primordial Qi that corresponds to this chapter is called the “Qi of the Imperial Perfected, the Primordial Destiny of the Viscera, the Central Numen of the Five Immortals.”

(There are several repetitions in the original; the translation below follows the text as it stands.)

The chariots of the Five Emperors come surging forth and rise lightly toward the mysterious celestial gate. They roam among the fields of Yellow Blossom and return once more to the numinous realm of Jiaole. After the sights that fly through the void have been gathered, the clarity and brightness of former days have for the most part ceased to remain.

Taiwei turns the yellow banners, and Wuying waves the numinous pennants. They summon the departed souls in the Bureau of Eternal Night, open the path of deliverance, and enable them to receive birth anew. The Young Lord assists Huanghui and comes to the numinous realm of Jiaole. After the sights that fly through the void have been gathered, the clarity and brightness of former days have for the most part ceased to remain.

Taiwei turns the yellow banners and Wuying waves the numinous pennants, summoning and gathering the departed souls in the Bureau of Eternal Night and opening for them the gate of deliverance and rebirth. The Young Lord assists Huangning, taking charge of and registering bodily forms and spirit-souls.

The Jade Chapters (the sacred talismanic scriptures of Daoism) can reach through to the numinous realms of darkness. After five transformations, Heaven and Earth are thereby distinguished. By refining and nourishing the inner viscera with primordial Qi (vital energy), the purple portals open of themselves, and a person may thereby become an immortal. When the cycle comes to completion, the many Perfected assemble; when Yang Qi opens, matters of sympathetic response increase as well.

Jade Maidens bathe and cleanse people with the five fragrances, and the Holy Mother celebrates ten thousand years. The Three Realms rejoice together, and all bow and pay homage to the Celestial Worthy.

Chapter Six: The Divine Chapters on the Birth of Spirits of the Dongyuanhua Yingsheng Heaven

The Chongrong Qi of the High Perfected of Destiny-Origin in the Numinous Bureau of the Imperial Perfected (the harmonious Qi received by the High Perfected of Destiny-Origin within the Numinous Bureau of the Imperial Perfected)

The Yingsheng Heaven belongs to the Formless Realm (one of the celestial realms spoken of in Daoism); its radiance shines upon and covers the ten directions. The transforming Dharma wheel turns without leaving form or shadow; within the hidden darkness it follows the proper moment and leads toward the ritual precinct. The chariots of the divine spirits need no reins, and naturally and clearly manifest the Chapters on the Birth of Spirits.

The Hollow Void is vast and without limit; the mysterious clear Qi likewise takes this as its realm. By cultivating Jing (essence) and Qi so that the embryonic origin returns to the primordial beginning, one may long ride the Bridge of Flying Mystery. If one covets accumulation, one loses the true nature bestowed by Heaven; disperse disordered thoughts and wait to recover an ordinary state.

Cut off and clear away the obstructions brought by the tree of the womb and embryonic membranes, and the mind-spirit can roam freely and ascend to the capital palaces above. Once the wish has accorded with the mysterious Dao (the Way), the distinction between self and other dissolves as well. May blessings descend from the farthest reaches of the Nine Heavens and join in ritual accord with auspicious days and times upon the earth.

Transformation and fusion return to the Primordial One; rising on high, one meets the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. Bow in reverence to the numinous Perfected of the same path, and take lasting leave of the clamor and turmoil of the dusty world.

Chapter Seven: The Divine Chapters on the Birth of Spirits of the Linghua Fanfu Heaven

The Dongji Qi of the High Immortals of Destiny-Origin in the Primordial Bureau of the Imperial Perfected (the Dongji Qi received by the High Immortals of Destiny-Origin within the Primordial Bureau of the Imperial Perfected)

The mysterious assembly holds sway over boundless realms, and the blended primordial Qi returns to the Fanfu Heaven. The divinities plan and set numinous transformations in motion, secretly impelling the myriad things so that their movement is not limited by the alternation of cold and heat. In accordance with the numerical allotment of Qi they form upright branches; they wave their sleeves and brush past soft and pliant wings.

Within the jade-like immortal palaces, there is a Zhang... The mysterious assembly holds sway over boundless realms, and the blended primordial Qi returns to the Fanfu Heaven. The divinities plan and set numinous transformations in motion, secretly impelling the myriad things so that their movement is not limited by the alternation of cold and heat. In accordance with the numerical allotment of Qi they form upright branches; they wave their sleeves and brush past soft and pliant wings.

From the jade chambers, the palaces of the immortals, wondrous music sounds forth, and the company seems to have ascended to the dwelling of the high gods. A wheel of light like the full moon shines without cease, and the true immortals take their seats in order. The cloud-road to the upper realms stretches high and far, and the Cavern Mystery (Dongyuan, that is, Dongxuan) is deep beyond measure.

Graceful leaves screen the blue-green clouds and mists, and deep shade rests beside cool waters. Roaming and taking delight there, one comes to realize the Five Spirits (Wushen, the spirits of the five viscera within the body). When thoughts grow tangled, one gives a long whistle toward companions of clear understanding. The five entanglements that are hard to cast off recede as the principle is grasped; mind and spirit (Shen) tend toward clarity and stillness, and ease comes of itself.

The clear, refreshing hun and po souls follow their source and abide long in the void. Recite the scripture (Jing) seven times, and barrier after barrier will open. Clearing what is blocked does not depend on forcing divine power to show its strength. Penetrating transformation begins within the heart; one then praises aloud and raises the hands in the rite of jishou, bowing the forehead to the ground.

Eighth Celestial Chapter on the Birth of the Spirits: Lofty Void and Pure Brightness

The Qi (vital energy) in which the Imperial Perfected of the Floral Palace commands the destiny-origin and the true numen to transform and condense—that is, the primordial Qi within the Imperial Perfected’s Floral Palace, brought forth and gathered as the destiny-origin and the true numen transform.

The Qi of pure brightness rises through heaven upon heaven. The hun and po souls follow their source and long remain in the void. Recite the scripture seven times, and the many passes open. Removing obstruction is not a matter of divine power straining to prevail. Unobstructed transformation starts from within the heart; one therefore lifts the voice in praise and raises the hands to perform the jishou salute.

Eighth Celestial Chapter on the Birth of the Spirits: Lofty Void and Pure Brightness

The Qi in which the Imperial Perfected of the Floral Palace commands the destiny-origin and the true numen to transform and condense.

The Qi of pure brightness ascends to the layered empyrean and meets the auspicious clouds. The jade chapters, the sacred scriptures, give off a Qi of clarity and emptiness, rendering mind and spirit limpid. A solitary, bright numinous light summons the many spirits to gather. Radiance like rosy clouds spreads abroad, and no spirit fails to come.

Jade-like branches carry flowing, melodious sound, and the company speaks at ease of the empty and wondrous Dao (the Way). Numinous music shakes the hollow void, and even the Nine Mysteries (Jiuxuan, the profound celestial realms) can hardly sound its limit. Moved by the clear, refreshing Qi, mind and spirit are no longer clogged. Coming and going are free, as easy as loosening a sash.

One who clearly understands and realizes the Chapters on the Birth of the Spirits may roam on high and not fall into decline. Mysterious and wondrous scenes light the paths among the clouds, and one’s traces pass beyond the realm of gods and immortals. Response and sympathetic communion have no fixed bounds; for the moment one may draw on this to set heaven, earth, and the four quarters in motion.

Study with a concentrated mind, offer the jishou salute, and recite, and the host of sages will praise you together.

Ninth Celestial Chapter on the Birth of the Spirits: No Thought, No Knot, No Attachment

The Qi in which the Imperial Perfected’s Divine Palace commands the mysterious illumination of the spontaneous—that is, the primordial Qi within the Imperial Perfected’s Divine Palace, transformed by destiny together with the mysterious, wondrous light of what is so of itself.

When the heart holds no binding knot, there is no clinging affection. Mystery upon mystery: empty, still, clear, and bright. Turning and change follow no fixed order; when the reckoning of Qi arrives, it is hard to calculate. Who says the realm of nothingness contains nothing at all? Lofty hills still rise within it.

Quiet the heart and concentrate the spirit; let intention go forward with a single mind, looking to pure and still divine brightness to lead. A fair meeting is not settled by years of age—how could the numbers of the kalpas be fully told? The roaming bright numen (Shuangling, the clear spirit) follows its former channels, and the return to the fetal origin has its own constant Dao.

Wondrous resonance runs through the Great Void. With flying steps one mounts the cloud heights, as if treading cold ice. Fords and bridges, together with aims and inclinations, gather the ten thousand circulating Qi; the true spirit condenses in the hidden and subtle and rises. Where there is no attachment, there is no sorrow. Ascend the heights to behold the Dao, perform the jishou salute, and rise.

Two Hymns of the Perfected of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate)

Although the Great Dao (the Way) has no subjective will, it can manifest through sentient seekers of the Dao. When a person’s Shen (spirit) consciousness drifts and the mind is scattered, one is drawn along by external conditions; if one can return to the primordial beginning, one can go back to the embryonic origin and recover constancy.

When Shen and numinous power communicate, they illuminate the Great Void; the cultivator seems to tread lightly and mount into the heights. The pathway of the true Dao lies open, setting the circulation of the myriad things in motion; divine authenticity, hidden and settled in concentration, rises along with it. When the heart holds no craving, there is likewise no anxiety; revering the Great Dao from a lofty and lucid realm, one is able to ascend.

Two Hymns of the Perfected of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate)

The Great Dao is originally without mind, yet it may be sought with sincerity. The cultivator waits quietly in the empty void, looking back upon the vast sea veiled by clouds and vapor; beyond the Three Realms one remains pure and luminous, wandering at ease through Yujing (the celestial capital of the immortals spoken of in Daoism).

If not by the aid of a mysterious turn of fortune, who could comprehend principles so deep and hidden? The Heavenly River is clear and limpid; between raising the eyes and bowing the body, body and mind return to emptiness, stillness, and gentleness. The Seven Mysteries (the seven generations of ancestors linked to a person) disperse the dark obstructions; the cultivator returns to the embryonic origin and accords with the changes of sinking and rising.

If one can concentrate Shen and guard the Dao in the unseen depths, there is no need to fear the Yang Nine (years of calamity). Seeing this scene of coming and going in mutual meeting, one often abides within it. Forgetting the bodily form, one can instead preserve oneself; the true immortal is able to meet worthy companions of shared aspiration.

The import of the mysterious Dao stretches on without end, and the light on the clear waves of the Heavenly River reaches far and deep. The myriad things succeed one another, turning like a ring, while the long-lived chu tree keeps its trunk and branches unchanged. With a quiet mind one contemplates the Dao of ultimate truth, accords with the times, follows transformation, and is not caught in any net.

The principle of stimulus and response remains connected from first to last, and Shen-consciousness can of itself pass freely back and forth. Roaming in plain detachment, the realm has no bounds; teeming thoughts can discern the Nine Rosy Clouds (the rosy light of the celestial realms). The root is like scattered tree roots, and the mysterious principle like branches and leaves unfolding; the myriad principles return to the root, and there is no other secret.

If one often recites this jade chapter, the mysterious tones of the Dao can carry through to the distant reaches of heaven. When the great flood of the jia-shen year arrives, one can spread one’s wings and fly to the abode of the Queen Mother of the West; enjoying endless years from then on, how would one know how many kalpas the world has passed through?

The numinous response obtained by reciting this Jing (scripture).

The collation note at the end of the text explains that the Dunhuang manuscript differs in the writing of several words, such as “尼蜜” written as “泥密” and “翻翻” written as “幡幡”; “玉章” originally read “五章” and has been emended to “玉章” on the basis of the Dunhuang manuscript. The end of the Dunhuang scroll further records: “On the third day of the fifth month of the bingwu year, the ordained Daoist priest Wang Faqian respectfully completed the copying.”

Qingcheng Mountain in the land of Shu is a place where immortals gather. Long ago, Meng Chang, ruler of Shu, went into the mountain to pray. He met the female immortal Magu and held a retreat beside the ritual altar. Later, the magistrate of Qingcheng presented to Meng Chang a beautiful woman of the Zhang family. Meng Chang took her in, gave her the name Lihua, and the two of them lived at the Abbey of the Elder (Zhangren Guan).

One night, thunder and lightning suddenly broke out together. Torrential rain and violent winds tore up the buildings; the houses were flung into the air and then fell scattered to the ground. Zhang Lihua died because of this and was buried at the foot of the mountain.

Several decades later, on the Shangyuan festival (the fifteenth day of the first lunar month), Li Ruochong, a Daoist priest of the Abbey of the Elder, was returning at night and stopped to rest before the mountain. Suddenly a woman came weeping out of the shadows of a bamboo grove, approached him, and recited a poem:

“Alone away from home, I have passed through the autumn days, and the hair at my temples has withered like cicada wings. The white poplars are stirred by the wind, and I cannot sleep the whole night through. Thinking of the time when I was favored in the palace, my tears soak my robes, and even my green-jade hair ornaments seem to have lost their luster.”

When she had finished, she wept again and departed. Li Ruochong returned to the abbey and saw, standing in the Hall of the Elder, many figures in official robes and red shoes, all facing north as if reporting on some matter. In the corridor below the hall, many condemned souls were lined up in ranks. He also saw jailers bind a woman to an iron pillar and beat her with staves, while she cried out in pain. Looking closely, Li Ruochong recognized her as the very woman he had just met before the mountain.

At that moment a benevolent deity pointed a sword at Li Ruochong and said, “Tonight the Heavenly Official of Shangyuan and the Elder of the Five Sacred Mountains (the deities of the Five Marchmounts) are examining and verifying the registers of the sins of the living and the dead. You should not remain here long.” Li Ruochong quietly withdrew, and only at dawn did he recount in full what he had seen to his master, Tang Dongqing.

Tang Dongqing said, “Do you know who that was? It was Zhang Lihua. She was once favored here, yet she treated the Supreme Perfected (Shangzhen, the exalted perfected deities revered in Daoism) with irreverence, and so she suffers this punishment. Since she appealed to you in a poem, you ought to save her.” Li Ruochong asked, “By what means can she be saved?” His master replied, “You need only recite in turn the nine scrolls of the Scripture of the Nine Heavens for Generating the Spirits (Jiutian Shengshen Zhang Jing), and then submit a Golden Register white slip (Jinlu baijian, a ritual document used in Daoism to pray for blessings and memorialize the deities). This will free her from suffering, after which she may be reborn.”

As it happened, Tian Luchou, prefect of Linqiong, was just then holding a Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu zhai, a Zhaijiao [purification ritual] established in Daoism for praying for blessings, averting disaster, or delivering the dead). Li Ruochong prepared the memorial documents, recited the scripture ten times at the place of the Zhaijiao, and cast the documents into the fire used for the ritual to be burned. When the recitation of the nine scrolls was finished, it coincided exactly with the moment for burning the documents. Li Ruochong then dedicated the merit to Zhang Lihua and burned the documents.

The next day, four lines written in sand appeared at Zhang Lihua’s grave:

“Talisman clerks in haste knocked open the gate of night;

I followed the golden slip and left the dark underworld.

I am indebted to the master’s deliverance, whose kindness is profound;

I have received the Shengshen Jing (scripture), recited nine times.”

If one can observe quietly with an emptied mind, one will understand: the Most High (Taishang—Daoism’s honorific title for the supreme deity) sent down teachings and, out of compassion for all living beings, established methods of salvation to help people escape the predicament of the cycle of birth and death. Alas, if people of the world wish to save relatives and friends who have already passed away, they truly ought to revere this precious scripture (Jing) and regard it as a convenient means of helping the deceased attain liberation. These words have been deliberately written at the end of the scripture in order to urge people to honor and revere this classic.