《灵宝无量度人上品妙经》

The scripture of the Dao (the Way) says:

In former times, in the Heaven of the Beginning Azure, in the realm of the Emerald Empyrean of Empty Song, upon the great land of Fuli, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning transmitted the Wondrous Scripture of the Primordial Beginning on Limitless Salvation of the Highest Grade. When the Celestial Worthy was about to expound this scripture, he first recited the text over and over, ten times in all, so as to summon the living beings of the ten directions to come and hear the teaching; only afterward did he ascend the seat of the teaching.

The perfected gods, sages, and exalted spirits of the heavens, together with perfected beings of profound attainment and countless listeners, all came from the sky riding auspicious clouds. They drove flying clouds and traveled in carriages of the cinnabar empyrean, green palanquins, and vehicles with wheels of fine jade, shaded by canopies decked with feathers. Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) circulated and flowed; jade light glittered; a rich splendor of five colors shone through the whole of space. This spectacle lasted seven days and seven nights.

During that time, the sun, moon, and stars of all the heavens ceased their motion. The divine winds grew still, and the clouds and mists between the mountains and seas drew in and settled. The sky was free of any veil of cloud, and the Qi of the four seasons was clear and pure. Across the entire land, the mountains and rivers and the trees of the forests became level and even, with no longer any high or low. The ground was wholly transformed into green jade, and no other color could be seen. All the divine perfected beings stood in attendance beside the seat of the teaching. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat aloft in empty space upon a five-colored lion.

When the Celestial Worthy had expounded the scripture once, the great sages of all the heavens praised it at the same time, exclaiming “Good!” At that moment, every deaf person in the land regained the power of hearing.

At the second recitation, the blind saw the light once more.

At the third recitation, those who could not speak opened their mouths and spoke.

At the fourth recitation, the lame and those too ill to walk were all able to rise and walk.

At the fifth recitation, those who had been ill for a long time and could not be cured recovered their health all at once.

At the sixth recitation, white hair turned black, and teeth that had fallen out grew in again.

At the seventh recitation, the elderly regained a robust vigor, and the young all became strong.

At the eighth recitation, pregnant women, and birds and beasts carrying young in the womb—whether already born or not yet born—were all able to grow and come to life without hindrance.

At the ninth recitation, the treasures hidden deep in the earth were revealed, and gold and jade appeared upon the ground.

At the tenth recitation, withered bones grew anew and in the end were all transformed into living people.

At this time, every man and woman in a country, whoever they were, turned wholeheartedly toward the Dao (the Way). Protected and delivered, they all attained long life.

The Daoist Jing (scripture/classic) says:

At this time, the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning began to expound the scripture.

Each time the scripture was proclaimed once, the supremely perfected great deities of the infinite and the immeasurable, together with their many attendants, descended from the sky from one direction. The phrase “hosts without number” refers to an extremely great multitude of deities.

At the first recitation, the great deities and the host of gods of the east arrived; at the second, those of the south; at the third, those of the west; at the fourth, those of the north; at the fifth, those of the northeast; at the sixth, those of the southeast; at the seventh, those of the southwest; at the eighth, those of the northwest; at the ninth, those from above; and at the tenth, those from below.

When the ten recitations were finished, the great celestial perfected deities of the infinite from the ten directions—east, south, west, north, northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest, above, and below—arrived all together.

In one country, men and women alike turned with sincere hearts to revere and honor the methods of the Dao (the Way). Those who came were as dense as fine rain and thick mist. Their numbers were beyond counting; they packed half the land, and even the ground was pressed until it tilted and sank, and nothing could hold them back. Thereupon the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, a revered deity of Daoism) suspended a precious pearl no larger than a grain of millet, which hung in the air five zhang above the earth.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning led the great gods of celestial perfection, the supreme sages and exalted worthies, the Perfected of wondrous practice (Zhenren), and the countless supremely true great gods from the ten directions, and all of them entered into the precious pearl. The celestial beings looked up and saw only clusters of light and shadow passing in through the mouth of the pearl; once they had entered, no one could see where they were. The people of the country then dispersed, and the land grew level again, no longer tilting or sinking.

Within the precious pearl the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning finished expounding the scripture (Jing). The assembled Perfected jointly examined, attested, and transmitted this scripture. The joy and celebration of that time were beyond words. When the ritual was for the most part complete, the gods of the various heavens each returned to their places, and in the blink of an eye all around fell silent.

At that time, the celestial beings and the common people who had the affinity to encounter this scriptural teaching were all saved and delivered. Each was able to live out the years allotted by Heaven, free from unexpected harm. High and low throughout the country turned toward the methods of the Dao, and every heart held to good intentions: not to kill living beings or harm others, not to be jealous or envious, not to commit sexual misconduct or to steal, not to be greedy or to indulge desire, not to hate or to reject; their speech was not ornate, and no evil words left their mouths. People cherished one another with kindness; though not of the same kin, they were as close as a single family. Thus the state was secure and the people prosperous, and they gladly enjoyed an age of great peace.

This scripture had only just come forth, and already it spread the methods of the Dao throughout one country. All who were sincere in heart and willing to honor and revere it could attain deliverance.

The Dao declares:

All that is set forth in the scripture spoken by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning consists of the inner names and secret rhymed sounds of the God-emperors of the various heavens, and it also includes the inner taboo-names of the demon kings and the hidden names of the various spirits. These are not the ordinary words used in the world. The supreme sages who have already cultivated themselves into Perfected beings penetrate what is obscure and mysterious and inquire into what is subtle and fine, and therefore they can fully understand the chapters and lines within.

(In the original text, the passage from “the people of the country dispersed…” through “the exposition of the scripture was entirely finished,” and the passage beginning “when the scripture first emerged…,” contain repetitions; the above presents them combined according to their sense.)

When this Jing (scripture/classic) is recited ten times, all the heavens respond in harmony from afar, and the ten thousand celestial emperors bow in reverence to the text. Rivers and oceans grow still, the cloud-vapors among the mountains withdraw, the sun and moon seem to halt their light and shadow, and the Xuanji in the heavens—the pivot of the stars’ motion—no longer turns. The hosts of demons are bound in their forms, and ghosts and sprites lose their numinous nature; bodies already rigid in death are revived, the dead return to life, and white bones can be transformed into human form.

Practitioners who aspire to the Dao (the Way), after reciting it ten times, will be attended and guarded by the Five Emperors—the celestial emperors of the five directions—and the Three Realms—the various levels of the world, such as heaven, earth, and humanity—will all bow to them. Demonic sprites lose their power, those on the verge of death are rescued, and those whose breath has ceased can live again.

This is so because the impure Qi (vital energy) in the practitioners’ bodies has not yet been eliminated, and body and mind have not yet fully penetrated the true Dao. Although they can summon and subdue the spirits of the ten directions, their majestic power is not yet sufficient to restrain the celestial realm. Their De (Virtue/Power) and ritual arts can subdue the earth deities—the spirits of the earth—and bind demonic beings, yet they can only hold death at bay and cannot restore the dead to life. Therefore, if one recites this chapter rashly, one will instead bring calamity upon oneself.

If one can make offerings and reverently worship this Jing, the household will prosper and the generations will flourish; one will also accord with good affinities, be spared the assaults of every kind of disaster, and have divine beings guarding the gate of the home. This Jing is noble and profound, peerless in the Jade Capital—the capital of the celestial realm—able to save living beings on a vast scale, and it is the root of the myriad Dao. Vast and lofty, its De can hardly be expressed in full.

The Dao speaks:

Whenever this Jing (scripture/classic) is recited ten times, all the heavens descend together. Distant ancestors, together with the souls of the dead in the dark underworld, are at once delivered and rise to the Vermilion Palace (Zhugong, the celestial palace of which Daoism speaks). After nine years of teaching and transformation, they are reborn as human beings and become persons of high standing. If they continue to cherish and study this supreme Jing until their merit is complete, they can all become immortals, ascend in flight to the Golden Portal (Jinque, the palace gates of heaven), and feast and roam in the Jade Capital (Yujing, the celestial capital of Daoist legend).

Those who have succeeded in cultivating the Dao (the Way), when they practice and recite this Jing, are all at once delivered and ascend in flight to the Southern Palace (Nangong). If people of the world receive and recite this Jing, they can prolong their years and benefit their lifespan; if they afterward go on studying it until their merit is complete, they too can become immortals, ascend in flight to the Golden Portal, and feast and roam in the Jade Capital. Those who have succeeded in cultivating the Dao, when they practice and recite this Jing, are all at once delivered and ascend in flight to the Southern Palace. If people of the world receive and recite this Jing, they can extend their years and live long, and afterward they can all accomplish the way of shijie (the Daoist practice of departing the physical form by means of the remains, or by a symbolic substitute, so that the hun-soul and Shen (spirit) ascend and are transformed): the hun-soul and Shen temporarily withdraw from view and, without passing through the hells, recover bodily form and roam in the Grand Void.

This Jing is mysterious and profound, and its deliverance reaches everywhere without end. Among heavenly beings and the living beings of the human world, there is none who cannot thereby obtain blessing and good fortune. Measureless grace extends to the multitudes of the living and the dead. It is a classic treasured by Heaven and is not transmitted to ordinary worldly people. One who possesses the Dao must prepare gold, silk, and other valuables, and only after sincerely swearing a covenant and announcing it to Heaven may it be transmitted. If one rashly divulges it or treats this Jing with negligence, disaster will implicate nine generations of ancestors, and one oneself will long be pressed into service by the ghost officials.

The Five Emperors who attend this Jing, together with the Jade Lads and Jade Maidens, number twenty-four persons each. They guard the divine power contained in the scriptural text and protect the body of the one who has received the Jing.

The Dao says:

If during the first month one keeps a prolonged fast and recites this Jing, one can release the departed souls of former lives from their detention and forced labor in the underworld and cause them to ascend to the Southern Palace. If during the seventh month one keeps a prolonged fast and recites this Jing, one oneself can become an immortal, and all the heavens will register one’s name.

In the first month, observing a prolonged fast and reciting this Jing (scripture/classic) can release the departed souls of former lives from penal bondage in the underworld and enable them to ascend to the Southern Palace (a celestial palace in Daoism). In the seventh month, fasting and reciting the scripture can enable one to attain the Dao (the Way) of the immortals; one’s name is registered by the various heavens on the Yellow Register and the White Slip (documents of the celestial realm that record merit and demerit and the registers of names), removed from the register of the dead, and entered instead upon the register of the living. In the tenth month, fasting and reciting the scripture can offer prayers for kings and emperors and for rulers and ministers, fathers and sons, so that the state is secure and the destiny of the realm endures, continuing from generation to generation without end; it can also enable a person to remain long as ruler, to bring peace to the territory under his governance, and to have the people praise an era of peace.

On the Eight Nodes (eight seasonal festivals to which Daoism attaches special importance), fasting and reciting the scripture can make one a Perfected of the Nine Palaces (an immortal perfected who dwells in the Nine Palaces). On one’s own natal day (the day of birth, or the day corresponding to one’s zodiac animal), fasting and reciting the scripture can make the hun-soul and Shen (spirit) clear, pure, and upright, and the primordial Qi (vital energy) long endure; one is spared suffering and distress, and the body manifests radiance. The divinities of the Three Realms will guard and protect one, the Five Emperors will come to receive one, and the host of gods will come to pay homage; one’s name is registered in the celestial realm. When merit and virtue are complete, one can ascend in flight to Shangqing (the higher celestial realm spoken of in Daoism).

The Daoist scripture says:

On the day of practicing the Dao (performing the ritual of scripture recitation and cultivation), one should first bathe in fragrant hot water and, after observing the fast, enter the quiet chamber. Facing east, knock the teeth thirty-two times so that the sound rises to the Thirty-two Heavens; bow thirty-two times in the heart, then close the eyes and meditate in stillness, visualizing oneself seated amid clouds of Qi of the three colors azure, yellow, and white. Then, still facing east, knock the teeth thirty-two times and bow thirty-two times in the heart, and again close the eyes and meditate in stillness, visualizing oneself situated amid clouds of Qi of the three colors azure, yellow, and white. Visualize the inner and the outer as one expanse of secluded depth and luminous clarity. The Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion Bird, and the Dark Warrior, together with lions and white cranes, are arrayed to the left and the right; the sun and the moon shine, the chamber is bright and transparent throughout, and above the head a circular image of light appears, its radiance illuminating the ten directions. The visualization must be clear and distinct.

Silently recite the incantation:

“Unsurpassed Mysterious Origin, Most High Lord of the Dao, I beg you to summon forth from within my body the Three-and-Five Officers of Merit (divine clerks who transmit documents), the officers of the left and the right, the Jade Lads who attend the incense, the Jade Maidens who convey words, the duty-talisman officers of the Five Emperors, and the incense officers of the day, thirty-two of each kind. I ask them to open and transmit my petition: Today is auspicious and blessed. In a pure fasting chamber I keep a prolonged fast and cultivate this supreme scripture, the Scripture of Limitless Salvation. May my prayer ascend and reach directly before the throne of the Most Venerable Lord-on-High of Primordial Beginning of the unsurpassed Thirty-two Heavens.”

When the recitation is finished, regulate and draw the breath thirty-two times, and, facing east, recite the scripture.

The Original Chapter of the Primordial Beginning, Dongxuan (Cavern Mystery), Numinous Treasure:

The marvelous opening of the supreme grade: ten revolutions that deliver human beings. The hidden rhymes of the hundred demons: parting and joining follow what is natural. The red script of the chaotic cavern: the Non-Non, the supreme perfected.

In the ancestral kalpa of Yuanshi—the primordial age before the opening of the cosmos—the various heavens were brought into being, and the three luminaries, the sun, the moon, and the stars, were opened and set shining. This is the root of heaven and earth. The primordial Qi (vital energy) of heaven returns once more to its source; only the Dao (the Way) constitutes its substance.

A space of five zhang unfolds, broadly bringing divine spirits to birth. There are no written characters.

The ancestral kalpa of Yuanshi brings the various heavens into being and opens and illuminates the three luminaries of sun, moon, and stars; this is the root of heaven and earth. The primordial Qi of heaven returns again to its source; only the Dao constitutes its substance.

A space of five zhang unfolds, broadly bringing divine spirits to birth. Without written characters, the myriad things cannot give forth light or become clear; they cannot be established, nor can they be brought to completion; they cannot receive deliverance, nor can they go on being born without end. This is the Great Brahma (Dafan, the vast and boundless atmosphere of the heavenly realms), the highest heaven among the heavens. There stand the Yuluo Xiao Terrace and the Upper Capital of Jade Mountain, situated in the Daluo Yuqing realm, above that which is already unsurpassed.

That realm is lofty, remote, and profoundly deep, seeming at once to exist and to vanish. The Three Floresces separate and take their places; the Wondrous Court of Great Existence, its golden towers and jade chambers pure and majestic, is spread throughout. The vast Brahma-Qi moves and circulates through the ten directions.

Within it are the spirit who delivers people from death and the Lord of Longevity of the Southern Pole; the great divine marshal who delivers the world and the Elder Lord Han who delights in life; and the honored deities of the Southern Superior, the Director of Destinies and the Director of Records. They govern human lifespan, the reckoning of blessings, and calamity. The gods can revive abandoned remains and restore the dead to life, broadly delivering all living beings.

Today the rite of collation and registration—the ritual of checking and recording scriptures and name registers—is performed, and the divine spirits of the various heavens come before the hall.

In the east, the south, the west, and the north, and in the northeast, the southeast, the southwest, and the northwest, each quarter has its divine kings of the limitless flying heavens and its great sages of longevity, charged with the measureless deliverance of people, the broad salvation of all living beings.

The Flying Celestial Divine Kings and Great Saints of Longevity of the boundless realms above save and deliver all living beings without end; the Flying Celestial Divine Kings and Great Saints of Longevity of the boundless realms below likewise save and deliver all living beings without end.

The supremely perfected divinities and Flying Celestial Divine Kings of the worlds of the ten directions are all great gods who confer long life and deliver the world, their spiritual power without limit. Together they ride flying clouds, seated in cinnabar-red carriages and green palanquins, with feathered canopies and wheels like jade, drawn by vermilion phoenixes and five-colored dark dragons. The procession raises nine-colored ceremonial standards and ten kinds of numinous banners. Ahead, nine phoenixes cry long and clear; within the ranks, voices sing in unison; behind, music is played. Eight luan birds call together, and lions and white cranes give forth melodious whistles and songs. The Five Elders of the Five Directions see them off as they depart; the host of immortals escorts the carriages; hundreds of millions of chariots and riders come soaring through the void.

They draw in their divine radiance and turn their carriages about, inspecting the perfected spirits and saving living beings. The chancellors of the various heavens, Registrar Han Si of the Upper Palace of Nanchang, and the great gods who oversee life come together before the Celestial Emperor, holding Fulu (talismans and registers) and rolls of names. According to those whom each is charged to save, they strictly examine the name registers of the various heavens and proclaim the matter throughout the Three Realms.

They also proclaim to the boundless divine realms, the Bureau of Quanqu (the office that governs the netherworld), the Northern Capital of Luofeng (the seat of the underworld), the Three Officials and Nine Bureaus (the offices of the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water), and the Twelve River Sources: pardon the offenses of ancestors and of kin through successive generations, swiftly erase the ledgers of sin, destroy the roots of evil karma, and do not again detain or coerce them or consign them to the ranks of ghosts.

By the talismanic mandate of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the souls of the dead may ascend at the proper time. The divinities of the Northern Capital guard their forms and souls, subdue demonic obstructions, and recommend them, so that they may rise into the Southern Palace. The souls of the deceased receive refining and deliverance and are transformed into immortals; those still living are likewise saved. Through life after life and kalpa after kalpa they endure, turning with the cycles of the kalpas, their lifespan equal to Heaven’s, forever freed from the Three Paths, the Five Sufferings, and the Eight Difficulties. Transcending the Three Realms, they wander at ease in Shangqing (the higher celestial realms of Daoism) and enter the Heaven of Shangqing, the formless realm where the Celestial Emperor, the Jade Perfected, dwells, there to cultivate pure Brahma-conduct.

Eastern Eight Heavens

The Heaven of Taihuang Huangzeng, whose Celestial Emperor is named Yujian Yuming.

The Heaven of Taiming Yuwan, whose Celestial Emperor is named Xu’a Natian.

The Heaven of Qingming Hetong, whose Celestial Emperor is named Yuanyu Qijing.

The Heaven of Xuantai Pingyu, whose Celestial Emperor is named Liudu Neixian.

The Heaven of Yuanming Wenju, whose Celestial Emperor is named Chou Falun.

The Heaven of Shangming Qiyao Moyi, whose Celestial Emperor is named Tianhui.

The Heaven of Taiming Yuwan, whose Celestial Emperor is named Xu’a Natian.

The Eight Heavens of the East are the Qingming Hetong Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Yuanyu Qijing; the Xuantai Pingyu Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Liudu Neixian; the Yuanming Wenju Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Chou Falun; the Shangming Qiyao Moyi Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Tianhui Yan; the Yuwu Yueheng Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Zhengding Guang; and the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Mengyi Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Quyu Jiuchang.

The Eight Heavens of the South are the Chiming Heyang Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Lijin Shangzhen; the Xuanming Gonghua Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Kongyao Chouyin; the Yaoming Zongpiao Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Chong Guangming; the Zhuluo Huangjia Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Moyi Miaobian; the Xuming Tangyao Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Ajia Lousheng; the Guanming Duanjing Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Yumi Luoqian; the Xuanming Gongqing Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Longluo Puti; and the Taihuan Jiyao Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Wanli Wuyan.

The Eight Heavens of the West are the Yuanzai Kongsheng Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Kaizhen Dingguang; the Tai’an Huangya Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Poluo Atan; the Xianding Jifeng Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Zhaozhen Tong; the Shihuang Xiaomang Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Saluo Louwang; the Taihuang Wengzhong Furong Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Minba Kuang; the Wusi Jiangyou Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Mingfan Guang; the Shangdie Ruanle Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Bobo Lan; and the Wuji Tanshi Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Piaonu Qionglong.

The Eight Heavens of the North are the Haoting Xiaodu Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Huijue Hun; the Yuantong Yuandong Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Fanxing Guansheng; the Taiwen Hanchong Miaocheng Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Nayu Chouying; the Taisu Xiule Jinshang Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Longluo Juechang; the Taixu Wushang Changrong Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Zongjian Guishen; the Taixu Yulong Tengsheng Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Miaomiao Xingyuan; the Longbian Fandu Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Yunshang Xuanxuan; and the Taiji Pingyu Jiayi Heaven, whose Celestial Emperor is named Daze Famen.

The scripture (jing) lists the Thirty-Two Heavens together with the name of the Celestial Emperor of each. “Concealed taboo-names” and “hidden names” refer to titles in the celestial realm that are not readily disclosed and that carry sacred significance. The phrase “the hollow void within the heavens, the numinous stanzas of spontaneity” means that these names and the laws of the celestial realm are profound and mysterious, arising of themselves from the natural, and are not human fabrications.

The secret verses chanted by the heavens are the sounds of the celestial realms, and within them appear the venerable deities, spirits, great demons, and celestial officials of all the heavens.

The thirty-two emperors of the Nine Heavens (the divine emperors who govern all the heavens), together with the hidden names and secret appellations of the heavens, are contained within these vast, profound, and spontaneously formed numinous verses.

The secret verses chanted by the heavens are the sounds of the celestial realms, and within them appear the venerable deities, spirits, great demons, and celestial officials of all the heavens.

The nine rhythms accord with the ten directions and transform as they ascend into the Shangqing realm (the high celestial realm of Daoism). Their depths are immeasurable and cannot be fully explained. They spread the teachings of the spirits and the Perfected, and universally deliver beings in both heaven and the human world.

Today is a day for joy and celebration, for those receiving salvation will pass through the successive barriers and be delivered.

We pray that the heavens dispel the Three Evils (evil deeds, evil thoughts, and their evil consequences) and sever the roots of the underworld, so that those being delivered may fly across the gates of the five paths and have their names recorded in the realm of Taixuan (the Great Mystery). The Demon Kings oversee inspection and recommendation, allowing them to pass through the gates of heaven without obstruction. The Eastern Dipper governs lifespans, the Western Dipper records names, the Northern Dipper presides over death, and the Southern Dipper oversees promotion. The Central Dipper commands the many spirits and supervises all the numinous beings. The Azure Emperor guards the hun souls, the White Emperor guards the po souls, the Crimson Emperor nourishes the primal Qi, and the Black Emperor keeps the blood vessels flowing freely. The Yellow Emperor presides at the center, so that the myriad spirits each keep to their posts.

The Demon King of the Azure Heaven is named Ba Yuan Chou Bo. The Demon King of the Crimson Heaven is named Fu Tian Dan Shi. The Demon King of the White Heaven is named Fan Shan Liu Mu. The Demon King of the Black Heaven is named Jian Chou Lang Fu. The Demon King of the Yellow Heaven is named Heng Tian Dan Ren. The Great Demons of the Five Emperors are the chiefs of the myriad spirits. When they set out, drums and music accompany them. They lead armies of ghost soldiers, bearing banners, ceremonial standards, and drum-tally signals, and roam through the vast void. They proclaim their awe-inspiring radiance and carry out their labors together with the heavens.

Heaven delivers living beings and strictly governs Beifeng (the seat of rule in the Daoist underworld). The Divine Lords, acting on command, sweep away all inauspicious things. When they set out, drums and music accompany them. They lead armies of ghost soldiers, bearing banners, ceremonial standards, and drum-tally signals, and roam through the vast void. They proclaim their awe-inspiring radiance and carry out their labors together with the heavens.

Heaven delivers living beings and strictly governs Beifeng. The Divine Lords, acting on command, sweep away all inauspicious things. The Eight Awesome Divine Generals exhale fierce breath, and fierce steeds gallop toward the four directions. Celestial soldiers clear the way ahead, and the great marshal holds the banner. Flames are hurled for ten thousand li, and the sound of drifting bells spreads in all eight directions. Whoever dares to offend or obstruct the Highest Perfected (the Perfected and deities who have attained the Dao) shall first be slain by the golden battle-axe and then punished by the Great Heavenly One. Ghosts and specters will be hewn apart, and wind and fire will not cease. Thousands upon thousands of heads will be severed, and myriads upon myriads of bodies will be cut down. Demonic evils shall not encroach, and spirits and monsters shall not wreak havoc.

The Three Officials of Beifeng (the underworld in the north that governs ghosts and souls) are clearly investigating the affairs of ghosts and spirits, examining them thoroughly and permitting no concealment. Documents are swiftly carried by golden horses and proclaimed far and wide across boundless regions. The myriad spirits all come to receive their commands, and the Three Realms and the Five Emperors likewise report the matter to Shangqing (the celestial realm venerated in Daoism).

In the Longhan and Yankang ages spoken of in the Yuandong Yuli (the chronicle that records the kalpic destinies of heaven and earth), after the passage of vast and innumerable kalpas, heaven and earth still remained in chaos: above there was no color, and below there was no abyss; wind and water filled the void, and adamantine Qi (vital energy) upheld the heavens. At that time there was, between heaven and earth, no distinction between darkness and light, nor any form or image; all was vast without limit. The Qi of the Great Brahma filled the empty cosmos, yet there was no brightness. Only when the Chiming age opened the charts and registers of the heavens did the revolutions of heaven and earth naturally unfold. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning settled heaven and earth and sent down five scriptures: the Red Writ in Jade Characters and the Dragon Script of the Eight Majesties. These scriptures uphold and regulate the kalpic cycles, so that heaven may long endure.

The Qi of the Great Brahma spreads in all directions; the myriad kinds of Brahma Qi unfold, and the guiding order of the Primordial Beginning circulates in its course. The Thirty-two Heavens turn in endless cycles, reaching throughout the ten directions. The stars and the Dipper move, passing through the lodges Dou and Ji, and thereby set the Five Constants in transformation. Thirty-five kinds of Qi gather in the Upper Prime; the breaths of the Eight Effulgences join in subtle harmony and enter a realm mysterious and profound. The lines chanted again and again here describe the spectacle of the heavens and of primordial Qi circulating in their rounds.

Within this mysterious realm are exalted deities such as the Great Sovereign, the Supreme Thearch, and the High Perfected. Riding the glow of rosy clouds, they chant the Cavern Chapters (Daoist scriptures) amid the Grand Aurora. Golden true Qi shines bright and abundant, and their voices carry through the clouds. Jade tones draw in primordial Qi; numinous winds gather mists and vapors; in the purple void auspicious beauty appears, and the host of spirits assists the assembled immortals. The myriad harmonious Qi blend of themselves, and thus true immortals are brought to completion. Among the true immortals are further divinities, including the Great Lord of Long Life, Prince Wuying, the Venerable Spirit Baiyuan, Taiyi the Director of Destinies, Taokang, Heyan, and others. They hold the Fulu (talismans and registers), protect life, and nurture vitality. Ascending, they roam Shangqing and pass in and out of the Huafang (abodes of the immortals); and, in the remote places of the eight directions and in the most minute reaches, they descend to garrison the Niwan (the spirit chamber of the head) and the Jianggong (the spirit chamber of the heart) within the human body, harmonizing the five Qi within, uniting the hundred spirits, circulating numinous Qi, and bringing the myriad Qi together to return to the Dao (the Way) of immortality. The Dao of immortality treasures life and, with measureless power, saves all living beings.

The heavens open the eight gates, and the dharma wheels of the flying heavens revolve. The prohibitions concerning sin and blessing, together with destiny and karmic conditions, are proclaimed universally to all beings, so that people may receive instruction and salvation. The souls of the dead are enabled to live again, and the body likewise obtains rebirth. The various heavens of the upper realm hear of this. Each heaven has its own Gate of Life; within them are realms of the Cavernous Void, where hymns and the numinous texts of the demon kings circulate. The wording of these texts all attends upon the High Perfected and accords with the Dao of the High Perfected.

The paths of the human world are remote and hard to trace; the Dao (the Way) of becoming an immortal is vast without limit; and the ghostly Dao takes its joy in the return to the end. These song texts ought to rise and reach the many heavens. Above the many heavens, each has a gate that leads toward life. Among them are realms of void, cavernous and perfectly clear, and also ballads, chapters, and the numinous writings of the demon kings, whose wording all stands in company with that of the exalted perfected (immortals of lofty rank).

First: The Sounds of Flying in the Void in the Realm of Desire

The paths of the human world are remote and hard to trace; the Dao of becoming an immortal is vast without limit; and the ghostly Dao takes its joy in the return to the end. The human Dao leads toward life; the immortal Dao treasures life; the ghostly Dao treasures death.

The immortal Dao ever brings good fortune; the ghostly Dao ever brings misfortune. The immortal realm of the Most High, pure and numinous, is bright, clear, and fresh, and songs of sorrow ring through the breadth of great space.

The wish is only to fulfill the immortal Dao, and not to sink into weariness and hardship in the human world.

In the Bureau of Winding Springs of the Northern Capital (the office that governs the underworld), throngs of ghosts are gathered. They seek only to cut short people’s allotted years and to sever the gate of human life.

I chant the Cavern Chapters (Dongzhang, chapters of Daoist scripture) in order to draw in and restrain Northern Luofeng (the earthly courts within the underworld). I bind and recite the demonic sprites of the scripture, and I cut off the sharp edge of the Six Ghosts.

The Qi (vital energy) of the many heavens surges without bound, and my Dao grows more flourishing day by day.

Second: The Sound-Chapters of the Demon King of the Realm of Form

High and far, broad and great, bright Qi spreads toward the four directions. The heavens of Brahma-practice (the celestial realms of pure cultivation) encircle the ten directions, and innumerable great deities all manifest from within my body.

The Qi of the many heavens surges without bound, and my Dao grows more flourishing day by day.

Second: The Sound-Chapters of the Demon King of the Realm of Form

High and far, broad and great, bright Qi spreads toward the four directions. The heavens of Brahma-practice encircle the ten directions, and innumerable great deities all manifest from within my body.

I possess the Cavern Chapters; recite them ten thousand times, and one may become an immortal. The immortal Dao sets its weight on delivering and liberating all living beings, whereas in the ghostly Dao each is bound to the next. Heaven and earth are vast and remote, and defiled Qi spreads and fills them.

Within the Three Realms (the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm) there are places of peace and joy; once one has passed beyond them, one may endure for long. If the body can be delivered into my realm, its form merges into spontaneity (ziran). The joy of that time comes entirely from my grace.

The Longhan (the remote ancient kalpic age of which Daoism speaks) is vast without limit; who can tell the true from the false? My realm is hard to enter by deliverance, and so I have specially written the Cavern Texts. I cause them to transform and fly through the void in order to test your body and mind.

When, meeting success or failure, one grows slack and turns back, how many in the end can attain deliverance? I scoff at you who cannot be delivered, and so I compose a song to open the piece.

Third: The Demon King of the Realm of Form Sings

Above the Three Realms lies the Daluo Heaven, lofty, distant, and darkly subtle. There is no root of form and appearance there, and the banks of cloud rise high. Only Yuanshi (the honored deity of Daoism, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning) dwells in the fundamental place at the beginning of the vast kalpas.

The rule (of the celestial realm) covers my domain and communicates with the Mysterious Capital (Xuandu). If any living beings pass beyond my domain and enter deep into the Jade Void (Yuxu), I, as the king of higher station, must set right the demon kings of the three realms of form. The demon kings sing:

Above the three realms lies the vast and boundless Grand Veil Heaven (Daluo Tian). No tangible forms or appearances are found there, and tier upon tier of cloud-Qi (vital energy) rises aloft. Only the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) dwells within it—the fundamental abode that remains unchanged through great kalpas.

The rule (of the celestial realm) covers my domain and communicates with the Mysterious Capital. If any living beings pass beyond my domain and enter deep into the Jade Void, I, as the king of higher station, must take command of the host of demons.

In the void, transformations are endless, and turbid Qi spreads in wild confusion. Few hold fast to the true Dao (the Way); the deluded are many. The immortal Dao is hard to maintain, while the ghostly Dao easily leads people onto errant paths.

The path a person takes turns upon one’s own heart; it is truly not decided by anyone else. The Dao of cultivating immortality prizes what is genuine, whereas the Dao of the human world often values mere outward show.

If you are unwilling to cultivate the immortal Dao, how can you transcend the three realms? If you insist on turning into the cycle of the five paths, what am I to do?

These two chapters are songs sung by the demon kings in the void above the three realms, and their tones accord with the Cavern Chapters (Dongzhang, the Daoist Jing, scripture/classic). To recite them one hundred times is called passing through the Southern Palace (Nangong); recite them one thousand times, and the demon kings will protect and come to receive you; recite them ten thousand times, and your merit in the Dao is complete, so that you may fly up into the Great Void, transcend the three realms, and take your place among the Immortal Dukes (Xiangong). On hearing this numinous sound, the demon kings honor one’s bodily form and command the earth spirits (Diqi, deities of the land) to guard, escort, and receive one, so that a person leaves the Earth Door (Dihu, the portal leading to the netherworld), passes beyond the five sufferings and eight hardships, and brings advancement to seven generations of ancestors, who depart forever from the ghost officials. The hun and po souls pass through Zhuling (the place of refining and deliverance spoken of in Daoism), receive refining and deliverance, and gain new life. This is called the Limitless (Wuliang): it can universally save living beings without end.

This secret text of the heavens above is honored in common by all the heavens. If one treats it lightly or divulges it, one will fall into hell, and the disaster will reach seven generations of ancestors.

The Dao says:

The two chapters above are hidden tones of the Supreme Thearchs of the many heavens and of the numinous demon kings. They belong to the words of the Great Brahma (Dafan, the sacred language of the celestial realms), and are not the speech commonly used in the world.

The Dao says:

The two chapters above are hidden tones of the Supreme Thearchs of the many heavens and of the numinous demon kings. They belong to the words of the Great Brahma, and are not the speech commonly used in the world. Their wording has none of the rhyme or ornate embellishment of the secular world, and their melodies do not strive after florid, winding grace; they are therefore called profound and arcane, and are hard to investigate or explain in full. Heaven treasures this Jing and keeps it secretly stored in the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity (Ziwei Shanggong) of the Mysterious Capital. In accordance with the Mysterious Regulations (Xuanke, the Daoist precepts and rules of transmission), it is transmitted only once every forty thousand kalpas. If there is one who has attained the Dao, who prepares gold and treasures as tokens of faith, whose heart follows the regulations of old, and who swears a covenant before the deities of the Ten Heavens, only then may the Jing be conferred upon that person.

The Dao says:

When the workings of Heaven and Earth reach a certain point, they too decline and come to an end; the sun and moon, and the Five Stars—the five planets of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water)—likewise have their waning and their fullness. Even the most holy divine persons have times of decline and hardship, and those whose cultivation of the Dao (the Way) is still shallow also meet with illness and injury. Whenever calamities of this kind arise, all those concerned should, with one mind, undertake the purification retreat (observing the prescribed abstinence and purifying body and mind), offer incense at six double-hours each day, and recite this scripture ten times. In this way merit and blessing descend, and every kind of inauspiciousness is removed. This immeasurable and wondrous text can universally save living beings without end.

The Dao says:

When those whose cultivation is still shallow and whose practice of the Dao is insufficient have not yet perfected their attainment of the immortal path, and they come to the exhaustion of their allotted span, the body entering Taiyin (here meaning the state after death of returning to the dark and hidden realm), then at the point of death a fellow cultivator who has attained the Dao should offer incense for them and recite the scripture ten times, and according to the rite perform the deliverance of the remains. In this way their soul-spirit may ascend directly into the Southern Palace (one of the palace precincts where immortals dwell); then, counting the days according to the merit of their cultivation of the Dao, they may obtain life anew, pass into another existence without being cut off and annihilated, and in the end become immortals.

The Dao says:

When the workings of Heaven and Earth are about to reach their end, fellow cultivators who have attained the Dao should offer incense on their behalf, recite the scripture ten times, and according to the rite perform the deliverance of the remains, so that the soul-spirit ascends directly into the Southern Palace; then, counting the days according to the merit of their practice, they may be born again, transmigrate without perishing, and in the end become immortals.

The Dao says:

When the workings of Heaven and Earth are about to come to an end, one should practice the purification retreat, offer incense, and recite the scripture; when the stars move out of their proper course and the sun and moon grow dim and lose their order, one should do the same; when the seasonal nodes of the four seasons fall into disorder and Yin-Yang is thrown out of harmony, one should do the same; when the sovereign meets with calamity and warfare rises on every side, one should do the same; when epidemic disease spreads and the people suffer great numbers of dead and wounded, one should do the same; and when a teacher or a fellow cultivator dies, one should do the same. To keep the precepts, practice the purification retreat, and recite this scripture is a merit of very great weight: above, it can dispel the calamities of heaven and protect and bring peace to emperors and kings; below, it can remove poisonous harms and disasters and save the common people. The living and the dead alike benefit from it. This merit and blessing are hard to measure, and so it is called “Immeasurable,” able to save the beings of heaven and humankind universally.

The Dao says:

All who possess this scripture may perform such merit on behalf of Heaven and Earth, emperors and kings, and the common people. When calamity is encountered, if one but resolves to practice the purification retreat, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times, all the heavens will record that person’s name, and the myriad spirits will stand by to guard them and to weigh their merit and conduct, and thereby save the beings of heaven and humankind universally.

The Dao says:

Whoever obtains this scripture (Jing), if they can use it to do good and accumulate De (Virtue/Power) on behalf of Heaven and Earth, the emperors, and the common people, should, on a day when disaster strikes, resolve to hold a zhai—keeping the fast and offering prayers according to Daoist ritual procedure—burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times. All the heavens will then record that person’s name, and the many gods will protect them. They will also be entered among the Perfected (zhenren), and in the end will become a minister within the Golden Portal (Jinque) of the Sagely Lord.

The heavens record a person’s merits and faults, and not the slightest fraction is omitted. The demon kings in heaven likewise recommend those who are able to attain the Dao (the Way). These words profoundly clarify the ultimate principle of the Dao.

The hidden language of the Great Brahma (Dafan yinyu, the sacred secret speech of the celestial realms) among the heavens comprises innumerable kinds of sound. The Lord of the Dao (Daojun) composed this scripture.

Upper Chapter of the Numinous Writ of the Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Lingshu)

What follows is the hidden language of the Eight Heavens of the East:

Guang sheng gao ying, jue yuan dong xu; ying xuan jiu zhen, hua jiao zhao tu; wen ling yun gou, zong fan xuan du.

Gan bian zong kuo, wei zhao zi cheng; lü cen qian jing, huang dao han ming; tian lin yao yao, qi jing yu hun.

Rong luo fu li, yuan ying yin min; qi ju shen bao, hong gang gao ning.

What follows is the hidden language of the Eight Heavens of the South:

Zhang yan tong fan, jian fu cheng zong; xu xiang xuan hua, long yang wu qiong; wei zheng xiao yan, yuan tai ning chong.

Yuan guan san niu, da fan fei kong; yin jue long yi, tian lun qing cheng; shen hu chan luo, zhen yuan san jing.

Jing wo ming zhao, hui he sheng qian; dao qian yan yun, ling ying teng tian.

What follows is the hidden language of the Eight Heavens of the West:

Gang ze wei kong, yin jun gu yi; guan qi ming su, chen dong kai wei; zhou hua you ying, cheng hui di tai.

Ping xia yi xu, hui mao tong chi; jie biao lin yu, li wu san kai; yang tong bai liu, chen mang yin jie.

You kuo ming mo, zhen feng hui ling; jian pi shun dao, gao ming qian lin.

What follows is the hidden language of the Eight Heavens of the North:

Long an dong bian, chun yang yin xuan; fang ben huan qi, xiang fu gao yuan; shen bian hui yun, jie lian ling gen.

These sentences, arranged by direction, belong to the celestial hidden language of Daoist scripture. They serve chiefly to express a sacred and mysterious meaning; there is no firm basis for translating them word for word into plain language. In the original text, duplicated wording appears before the section on the Eight Heavens of the West; the version above follows the later, more complete passage.

The Red Jing (essence), crimson Qi (vital energy), is pure and wholly at one with the Dao (the Way). The city is named Weizun. Beneficent clouds abide constantly, and hills rise to a hundred million ren; amid these towering mounds, ramparts are densely built like jade. Peaceful songs spread abroad and bring blessings and joy.

Within the jade chamber a divine office is received, and the grand statutes reach through the dark unseen. Subtle scriptures shine forth in splendor, and the guiding norms of the celestial Dao circulate and turn without rest.

The middle chapter of the Yuanshi Lingshu (Numinous Writ of the Primordial Beginning) was composed by the Daojun (Lord of the Dao).

The Eight Heavens of the East

Danlou Ahui, Wushu Guanyin, Xuyan Mingshou, Falan Putan, Jiana Ayi, Huhe Liuyin;

Huadu Quli, Xianpu Yuzhen, Daluo Dafan. The vapors disperse, auspicious clouds appear, and drift in flight over the Jade Capital (Yudu, the jade metropolis of the heavens). Mingmo Mingshou, Falan Putan, Jiana Ayi, Huhe Liuyin;

Huadu Quli, Xianpu Yuzhen, Daluo Dafan. The vapors disperse, auspicious clouds appear, and drift in flight over the Jade Capital, Mingmo Shangmen;

Wuxing Shangshou turns its tracks and spreads the mysterious Qi; Atuo Longluo, and the Four Images (Sixiang, the emblems of the four quarters of heaven and earth) respond as one.

The Eight Heavens of the South

Nanyan Dongfu, jade pupils in great number; forms of Fan appear in the void, and the Nine Numina (Jiuling, nine kinds of numinous Qi) advance in the lead. Zeluo Putai, Lüluo Daqian (the vast and boundless worlds).

In the dim immensity of the Nine Chou, the music of Shao and the voices of song wind and circle; above the clouds are the Nine Capitals, and the Shen (spirits) of ascent rise freely on high. Nayu Yufu, Moluo Falun.

Hongchi Wujing gathers bearings and sets forms in motion; fragrant and bright, vast and magnificent, the divine cap-bands (Shenying, sacred bands) emerge from the original palace.

The Eight Heavens of the West

Daoli Chanyou, Poni Jiutong, Wansou Dise, the Hall of Great Subtlety; Liuluo Fanming, scenery rich and abundant, Xiaoyu deep and secluded.

Yimiao Wuji, Wanshou Shaodu, Ajian Yuzhu, Huamo Yanyou; the ninefold gates stand clear of themselves, Ana Pinshou.

Canopies of support beyond measure, Fuluo united with Shen; Yudan Changsang, Baikong Duxian.

The Eight Heavens of the North

Juewu Zishou; the nine suns guide the celestial Dao. The Kunmu (mother goddess who symbolizes the earth) spreads her cover toward the east, and bodily forms are gathered up into the heavens. Tuoluo Yumiao; subtle Qi merges with the clouds.

Feitian Dachou holds overall charge of inspecting the heavens; Shatuo Jieliang, Longhan Yingxian. Biluo Fuli; songs in the void guard and uphold the treasures.

Eyi Wupin penetrates the mysterious and returns to the real. Yuanfan: bodily forms are gathered up into the heavens; Tuoluo Yumiao, and subtle Qi merges with the clouds.

These passages follow the order of the heavens of the four directions, setting forth the names of the celestial realms, the titles of the deities, and scenes of solemn majesty. Many of the names in the Jing (scripture) are divine names or syllabic titles in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) scriptures, used chiefly for recitation and invocation, and they are difficult to explain by the literal sense of the characters.

飞天大丑、总监上天、沙陀劫量、龙汉瑛鲜、碧落浮黎、空歌保珍。

恶奕无品，洞妙自真。元梵恢漠，幽寂度人。

The Dao (the Way) says:

These great Brahma hidden utterances of the celestial realms are the boundless sounds of Heaven. In ancient times the graphs that recorded them were each one zhang in length. The Tianzhen Huangren (a celestial immortal official in Daoist legend) once set these graphs down as the orthodox sounds of Heaven.

If someone knows these celestial sounds and recites them after fasting and purification, the various heavens send the Divine Kings of the Flying Heavens down to observe his conduct, record his merit and diligent cultivation, and then report to the various heavens. The myriad spirits bow to him, the earth gods keep watch at his gate, and the Great Merit Demon King (a guardian deity in Daoist scriptures) recommends him to become a superior immortal. When his cultivation and meritorious practice are complete, he can pass freely among the Three Realms and ascend into the Golden Gate.

These celestial sounds leave nothing they do not ward off, nothing they do not ritually avert, nothing they do not deliver, and nothing they do not bring to completion; they are the spontaneous sounds of celestial perfection. Thus, reciting them brings the Divine Kings of the Flying Heavens to observe, the Celestial Emperor to chant in praise, and the myriad spirits to come in audience, while the divinities of the Three Realms stand in attendance on either side of the imperial carriage. Hosts of demons are bound and helpless, and ghosts and specters perish of themselves; sounds like tinkling jade shake the four quarters, the ten directions grow solemn and pure, rivers and seas fall calm and silent, the smoke and dust of the mountains disperse, and the myriad spirits submit in reverence. They can summon the host of immortals, so that Heaven holds no turbid Qi (vital energy) and earth holds no demonic filth; profound wisdom penetrates the truth, and the realm is vast and mysterious.

Lower chapter of the Yuanshi Lingshu (Numinous Writ of the Primordial Beginning), composed by the Tianzhen Huangren

The Eight Heavens of the East

森角储云，九魂炼晶，枳默窥玦，浮枚臼存。鹿几阳房，碧提质回，池滇党负，趾逭谒势。忝章变瑜，兰泮璧环，亢滂野生，极中昆清。曜展洞涸，寂无眇凝，素荷虚罗，皇达元灵。

The Eight Heavens of the South

炎镀绰堂，太逍谣隅，历遐荐漪，周扃加图，披峣蹊躆，觚坛浑都。

The phrases of the East and the South above belong to the phonetic texts of the celestial hidden language recorded in the Yuanshi Lingshu. In the surviving text their meaning cannot be fixed as ordinary words and phrases; the original is therefore retained, and no conjectural translation is offered.

The Eight Heavens of the South

Ji Yun Tu Xuan, Jing Qi Chi Pu, Zhang Wei Ze Yi, Yi Guang Lang Cui, Bian Lü Yi Dan, and You Wei Bi are names or syllables within the southern celestial realm; their precise meanings are difficult to determine from the characters themselves.

Yan Du Chuo Tang, Tai Xiao Yao Yu, Li Xia Jian Yi, Zhou Jiong Jia Tu, Pi Yao Qi Ju, and Gu Tan Hun Du are likewise names or syllables of the southern heavens, and they cannot be translated character by character.

The sequence Ji Yun Tu Xuan, Jing Qi Chi Pu, Zhang Wei Ze Yi, Yi Guang Lang Cui, Bian Lü Yi Dan, and You Wei Bi Lei appears again, with the character Lei (“thunder”) added at the end.

Juan Huang Shi Dong, Chi Yao Cong Ji, Yu Xuan Yan Hou, and Bai Qu Zhi Gui are equally difficult to interpret with certainty. They seem to list celestial titles or to describe the mysterious scenes of those heavens.

The Eight Heavens of the West

Hao Zheng Zuo Shi, Po Ni Sha Ling, Bei Zhao Jun Jiang, Ji Nan Chan Kui, Jing Yi Sun Guang, and Hun Yuan Jue Yuan. Dao Shou Cen Yao, Mian Zheng Zhi Xuan, Tai Ling Yan Mo, Bing He Lu Sui, Zhe Jing Chang Hua, and Xu Xian Jian Sha. Li Duo Chu Zhu, Hui Yan Qiu Pei, Zhuo Yun Qing Fu, and Ye Du Ban Ji. Most of the above are names or syllables of the western celestial realm; their specific meanings cannot be determined from the surviving text alone.

The Eight Heavens of the North

Wa Hai Meng Gan, Cui Yu Jiu Lan, Xiao Gou Lian Xing, Long Fen Shen Guan, Gou Lun Chen Mo, and Huo Man Qi Tong. Xuan Liao Kang Xi, Wu Zhi Si Ming, Mang Xiu Ji Xi, Fu Tan Shi Quan, Tang Chang Fu Chang, and Fei Yong Jin Ji. Chao Kang Ji Kuan, Mi Fa Chi Xuan, Guang Di Li Sheng, and Wei Zhao Hong Ren. Most of the above are names or syllables of the northern celestial realm, and they are difficult to explain character by character.

The Celestial Perfected Sovereign (Tianzhen Huangren), a sacred figure in Daoist scriptures, takes as his foundation the clear, empty, profound, and far-reaching Brahma Qi (Fanqi). The Celestial Treasure (Tianbao) arises of itself and sends forth sounds that accord throughout the eight directions, presiding over the workings of the world. The earth endures floods and disasters and meets every kind of upheaval and peril. Reciting this scripture can avert calamity and drive away demons and evil.

The Celestial Perfected Sovereign takes as his foundation the clear, empty, profound, and far-reaching Brahma Qi. The Celestial Treasure arises of itself and sends forth sounds that accord throughout the eight directions, presiding over the workings of the world. The earth endures floods and disasters and meets every kind of upheaval and peril. Reciting this scripture can avert calamity and ward off baleful demonic signs, so that the pure and quiescent Qi of the Dao settles the four quarters and no place is without peace. The Earth Official (Diguan), the deity who governs the earthly realm, transmits the documents at command, and the hundred spirits stand in awe. Written in divine cinnabar, the scripture shows its efficacy when worn or carried. This practice is transmitted for the use of those whose cultivation of the Dao is profound, and it is not disclosed to ordinary people of the world.

Hymn of the Perfected Person of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji Zhenren)

Sacred cloud Qi shines through the layered heights of heaven, and Brahma Qi pervades the azure vault. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) arrives drawn by nine dragons, while the Celestial Perfected Sovereign takes the reins and rides in an azure carriage. Numinous radiance gathers the ten thousand perfected spirits.

Zhujing (bright starlight) illuminates and opens the darkness of the Kaiyang star, revealing the chapters of the Lingbao Jing (scripture/classic). These scriptures can summon blessings and De (Virtue/Power). The Dao (the Way) of Dongxuan (one of the scriptural divisions of the Three Caverns of Daoism) lies deeply hidden in a lofty and solemn place, while jade tones (precious and exquisitely pure sounds of the Dao) drift above the yun’ao (legendary musical instruments of the celestial realm).

Principles without measure, unless personally comprehended, are difficult to fathom. In the sea of the Dao, wave upon wave arises, yet the meaning of the teachings is like a trickling stream. It nourishes and cultivates the human heart, just as it causes fine seedlings to grow, and is used to relieve those who hunger and suffer hardship.

Moral instruction flourishes and safeguards the court; the emperor is honored and enjoys a lifespan of a hundred million years; all under heaven is at peace, and warfare and weapons come to an end. The multitude perform the jishou (bowing the head in ritual salute), gazing up toward Yuchen (the palaces of the celestial realm, also the abode of the Heavenly Worthies), and behold only numinous radiance emitting a golden light.