《上清众真教戒德行经》

Fangzhu Qingtongjun, a Shangqing immortal, said that setting out on the path of cultivating the Dao (the Way) is equally arduous, just as not cultivating the Dao also brings suffering. The suffering of not cultivating the Dao consists in the unceasing afflictions from birth through aging and illness, as one strives to preserve the body until death; karmic sins accumulate throughout life and do not cease even at death, so that the sufferings are inexpressible, not to mention that many fail even to live out their natural years. The suffering of cultivating the Dao, by contrast, lies in maintaining purity and stillness while nurturing the true nature, holding fast to the mysterious Dao and contemplating the spirits in quietude; the path of seeking a teacher is fraught with difficulty, involving hundreds of trials, and one must remain diligent without cease, focused and resolute. This too constitutes great suffering. Only those who regard the rank of a feudal lord as a mere passerby, gold and jade treasures as broken stones, and fine white garments as tattered cloth can be said truly to understand the pursuit of the Dao.

Xicheng Wangjun, a Daoist immortal, said that it is extremely rare for a person to leave the Three Evil Paths and be reborn as a human being; having become human, to change from female to male is also difficult; and after becoming male, to possess sound six senses and four limbs is rarer still. Only when these conditions are met can one speak of having a foundation for seeking the Dao.

Xicheng Wangjun further said that it is difficult for a person to leave the Three Evil Paths and become human; after becoming human, to change from female to male is difficult; after becoming male, to have complete six senses and four limbs is difficult. Once the six emotions and four limbs are complete, to be born in China (the civilized land referred to in the scriptures) is also difficult; after being born in China, to encounter parents and a ruler who possess the Dao is also difficult; to encounter a ruler with the Dao and moreover be born into a family that possesses the Dao, endowed with a heart of compassion, kindness, and goodness, is even more difficult. Once a good heart has arisen, to believe that the Dao and De (Virtue/Power) can confer longevity is also difficult; after believing in the Dao, De, and longevity, to further encounter the fortune of the Taiping Renchen era is rarer still. In light of this, how can one fail to strive and encourage oneself?

The “Three Evil Paths” mentioned in the scriptures refer to the condition of being unable to be reborn as a human and instead being reborn as birds, beasts, insects, livestock, or other such forms of life.

The Most High (Taishang, the supreme deity revered in Daoism) asked a Daoist, “How much longer can a person’s life last?” Someone answered, “Perhaps only a few days.” The Most High said, “You cannot yet be considered as cultivating the Dao (the Way).” Another answered, “A person’s life is sustained between eating and drinking.” The Most High said, “You may go; this still cannot be called attaining the Dao.” Another answered, “Life is sustained between breaths.” The Most High said, “Well said. Only this can be considered as cultivating the Dao. I heard this saying formerly and now tell it to you. Study the Dao well, and perhaps you can strive to guard every breath. Even if a disciple is ten million li away from me, as long as he remembers my precepts in his heart, he will ultimately attain the Dao; by studying the jade Jing (scriptures) and precious books, he will certainly become an immortal.”

Those who stay on my left and think of evil deeds, I now admonish you: Study the Dao well, and perhaps you can strive to guard every breath. Even if a disciple is ten million li away from me, as long as he remembers my precepts in his heart, he will ultimately attain the Dao; by studying the jade Jing and precious books, he will certainly become an immortal. If those who stay on my left harbor evil thoughts and act improperly, they will ultimately not attain the Dao. People who read the Jing and practice the Dao in order to cultivate the Dao are like eating honey: no matter from which part one tastes it, it is sweet, one feels wonderful both inside and outside the body, and a remaining flavor lingers in the mouth. Those who can put this into practice with their bodies will attain the Dao.

Fangzhu Qingtong Jun (a revered Daoist deity) admonished: “If a person cultivating the Dao can uproot the roots of love and desire, it is like untying a hanging string of pearls and taking them off one by one, until there comes a time when they are all gone. Gradually remove external bad habits, and the bad habits will eventually be completely eliminated; when the bad habits are eliminated, one can attain the Dao. Another analogy: an ox carrying a heavy load walking in muddy ground, exhausted to the extreme, not daring even to look left or right, only hoping to leave the mud quickly in order to rest. A person of understanding regards passions and desires like that ox trapped in the mud; by concentrating the mind on the Dao, one can avoid all sufferings and ultimately attain the Dao.”

The Perfected of the Grand Void, the Red Lord of Nanyue (a revered Daoist deity), said: If a person has many faults yet refuses to reflect and immediately halt evil thoughts, the sins will accrue to themselves, accumulating day after day ever deeper and more numerous, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea. If after doing something wrong they realize their error, repent of their faults and turn to performing good deeds, the sins will diminish, good actions will gradually accumulate, and they too can attain the Dao (the Way).

If others bring me misfortune, I should repay them with kindness. Therefore the Qi (vital energy) of blessing and virtue constantly arises from this practice; if the Qi of resentment and harm accumulates deeply, disaster will ultimately return to the one who inflicted the harm. This is the conduct that those who study the Dao ought to have.

He also said: When an evil person harms a worthy and virtuous person, it is like looking up and spitting at the sky; the saliva does not dirty the sky but falls back on oneself. It is also like throwing dust against the wind; the dust does not reach others but soils oneself instead. The Great Dao cannot be destroyed, and the misfortunes invited by doing evil will ultimately harm oneself.

The Perfected of the Grand Void said: Supporting a hundred ordinary people is not as good as supporting one good person; supporting a thousand good people is not as good as supporting one who studies the Dao. Those practitioners who dwell in mountain forests and live in austerity while cultivating the Dao deserve even greater help, and this matter should be kept in mind.

The Lady of Purple Prime (a Daoist female immortal) said: There are five difficult things in the world: to give generously even when poor is difficult; to concentrate wholeheartedly on studying the Dao even when wealthy is difficult; to master one’s own lifespan and not die is difficult; to have the opportunity to read the Cavern Scriptures (Daoist classics) is difficult; to be born into the age of the Later Sage symbolized by the Renchen year is also difficult.

I once asked the Most High (an honorific for the supreme Daoist deity) how one can know one’s previous destinies. The Most High replied: The Dao has no form; merely knowing it brings no benefit. The key lies in firming one’s resolve and practicing the Great Dao. This is like polishing a mirror: when the dirt is removed, the brightness of the mirror appears, and one can then see one’s own form. By cutting off the six emotions (the six kinds of sensory desires and feelings) and maintaining emptiness, stillness and tranquility, one can see the reality of the Dao and also know previous destinies.

The Most High also said: By constantly contemplating the Dao, practicing the Dao and believing in the Dao, one will eventually give rise to firm faith and obtain immeasurable blessings and virtue.

Lady Purple Prime said: Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) are like someone carrying a torch into a dark room; the darkness vanishes at once and light appears by itself. By studying the methods of the Dao and holding fast to the true Way, ignorance recedes and the true Way can endure. Wealth and sensual beauty are, for people, like a young child greedily licking honey from a knife blade: the little sweetness is not enough to satisfy the mouth, yet it may cut the tongue.

Lady Mysterious Clarity said: If a person is entangled by wife, children, and household, the bondage is deeper than that of a prison. The shackles of a prison may yet have a day of release, but the affections and desires for wife and children are like honey on a knife blade: the sweetness is insufficient to satisfy the appetite, yet it may cut the tongue.

Lady Mysterious Clarity further said: Although people clearly know that passions and desires are like a tiger’s mouth that can invite disaster, they still willingly throw themselves in, and such a transgression admits of no pardon. Emotional attachments bind people like walking against the wind while holding a torch: the ignorant refuse to put the torch down, and their hands will surely be burned. The poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance lurk within the human body; if they are not soon removed by the methods of the Dao, one will inevitably meet danger and calamity. This is like a fool grasping fire and burning his own hand.

Those who cultivate the Dao, however, are like a log drifting with the current: they proceed along the flow, touching neither the left bank nor the right, neither fished out by people nor obstructed by ghosts and spirits, and they do not decay. I can determine that it will eventually flow into the sea. If a person cultivates the Dao, unconfused by filthy desires and undeceived by various heterodox teachings, persisting diligently without generating doubt, I can determine that he will eventually attain the Dao.

Lady of the South Pole said: People give rise to sorrow because of love and attachment; having sorrow, they then fear death. Without love and attachment there is no sorrow; without sorrow there is no fear. In the past there was a person reciting a scripture at night, reciting with great sadness, his emotions stirred, and suddenly there arose the grief of homesickness and wanting to return home. The Most High (Taishang, an honorific for the supreme deity in Daoism) said: As long as one practices diligently without generating doubt, I can determine that he will eventually attain the Dao.

The Lady of the Southern Pole said: People give rise to sorrow because they have attachments of love; once they have sorrow, they fear death. Without attachments of love there is no sorrow; without sorrow there is no fear.

In former times there was a man who, reciting scriptures at night, became extremely sorrowful, so sorrowful that his heart-Shen (spirit) was shaken, and suddenly there arose a melancholy of longing for his native place. The Supreme Perfected One (Taishang Zhenren, a venerated Daoist deity) suddenly transformed into an ordinary mortal and walked straight over to ask him: “Can you play the qin?” The man answered: “I often played it while at home.” The Perfected One asked further: “What happens if the qin strings are too loose?” The man said: “No sound can be produced, and there is no flavor of sorrow.” He asked again: “What happens if the strings are too tight?” The man said: “The sound will snap, and it will moreover emit a noise that makes one sorrowful.” The Perfected One asked once more: “And if the tightness is moderate?” The man replied: “The various sounds harmonize and combine, and one can play wonderful music.” The Perfected One said: “Studying the Dao (the Way) is also like this. Harmonize one’s own mind-thoughts so that they are exactly right, just as one tunes the strings when playing the qin, and only then can one attain the Dao.”

Among all desires, sexual desire is the greatest; the sins it brings cannot be matched by any other desire, and the disasters it causes are hard to pardon. Fortunately human beings have only one such desire; if there were yet one more, I fear that no one under heaven would be able to cultivate the Dao. For those who study the Dao, in performing good deeds and accumulating De (Virtue/Power) there is nothing greater than conferring benefits; in relieving others of disaster there is nothing more important than guarding one’s own person and practicing the Great Dao. The blessings thus obtained are great, and the foundation of life will also be stable. If someone hates me, I do not accept this malice, and the malice will return upon that person himself; disaster will also revert to him, just as a shadow follows the physical form and an echo answers the sound.

The above are the words spoken in the teachings of the assembled spirits.

“I have many times seen Yiqian; the records say that one may wait. The crucial thing is to erect a dwelling on East Mountain; for the time being it is enough to enclose it with a fence.” When the reason for this statement was asked, no answer was obtained. Inquiring of the assembled spirits, the answer received was still like a shadow following the physical form and an echo answering the sound.

The above are the words spoken in the teachings of the assembled spirits.

“I have many times seen Yiqian; the records say that one may wait. The crucial thing is to erect a dwelling on East Mountain; for the time being it is enough to enclose it with a fence.” When the reason for this statement was asked, no answer was obtained. Thereupon I inquired of the assembled spirits: “Is this meant to confuse me?” I do not understand the meaning in it, and so I wished to test it.

Those who constantly wander through mountains, rivers, forests and marshes within their heart-Shen (spirit), and who lodge themselves in the visionary scenes of the immortal Perfected Ones (xianzhen, the immortals and Perfected Ones of which Daoism speaks), the spiritual Qi (vital energy) will cherish their aspiration to leave the dusty world far behind, and the mountain spirits will also rejoice that they proceed toward the Dao. Therefore no kinds of illness can invade them, and no kinds of evil influences can encroach upon them. Constantly burning incense at one’s side can make a person’s hun and po souls upright, and can enable one over a long period to smell a fragrant breath; only after a very long time does one become aware of it. Upon becoming aware of this transformation, one can enter the realm of the Dao; entering the realm of the Dao, one can attain immortality; after attaining immortality, one can become a Perfected One.

Quietly drawing close to and looking up at heaven and earth, one thinks of ascending as an immortal; quietly gazing upon mountains and rivers, one likewise thinks of ascending as an immortal; quietly observing the myriad things, one thinks of the loving heart with which heaven covers and earth supports all things. By constantly maintaining such a state of mind, one can attain the Dao (the Way).

Human life is like an illusion, a temporary sojourn between heaven and earth, and the time is not long. If one can gather and nourish Qi (vital energy), concentrate on nourishing Shen (spirit), and diligently and arduously cultivate the True, one will soon attain the Dao. After attaining the Dao, one can exist together with heaven and earth, dwelling together in Taiwu (the Great Nothingness). If one can thoroughly penetrate vacuous stillness and realize emptiness, one will dwell in stillness together with Taiwu. Those who reach this realm of stillness cannot be seen or heard by others; the root of life and death is easily untied, and a long-lasting, undiminishing lifespan is easily found. As long as one seeks, it may be obtained; as long as one unties the knot of life and death, one can endure.

Those who can long preserve the Dao do so because they have fully cultivated themselves; those who can long remain in company with the Dao do so because they are skilled at taking in Qi. When Qi is abundant, life can continue; when life continues, one can nourish body and mind. After nourishing life, one can accord with the True Dao, and thus long enter the “two realms of vital Qi” (the two vital-Qi realms spoken of in the scripture). Reflecting on the still realm that follows complete cultivation, and then looking at the dark-and-yellow transformations displayed by the myriad things, one will understand that all things in the world are only temporary lodgings—how then can one not diligently cultivate the Dao? When Qi is abundant, one can avoid ghosts and evil influences; when body and mind are fully cultivated, one can avoid all manner of harm. Entering the battlefield without meeting weapons, walking in the mountains without encountering tigers, rhinoceroses, and other fierce beasts—this is precisely the principle.

The mind that seeks the Dao should be held constantly in the heart, like always thinking of breakfast, and thus there is nothing that cannot be attained. Cherish Qi as one cherishes one’s countenance, and Qi can be preserved. Yet the countenance can also be ruined, and Qi can also be depleted. People usually care most about their own faces, fearing they will be soiled or damaged, and only then attend to their four limbs. If one can treat the cherishing of Qi as the foremost matter concerning the entire body, I have rarely seen such a person grow weak and haggard.

Worldly people pursue secular reputation like burning incense: everyone smells the fragrance, yet they do not know that the incense is continuously burning themselves, until it is burned up and the fragrance also dissipates. When fame is achieved, a person may already have exhausted their life. Therefore those who possess the Dao laugh at this; I have rarely seen those who single-mindedly pursue fame not become weak and haggard because of it.

People pursue empty worldly fame just as one burns incense: everyone can smell the fragrance, yet they fail to realize that the incense is constantly permeating their own being while also steadily consuming itself. Once the incense is burned away, the scent likewise vanishes. In the same manner, just when fame is established, a person may already be approaching decline. Therefore the lofty adepts who cultivate the Dao (the Way) smile at such things and keep their distance, turning instead to return to purity and stillness.

Human life may be likened to the four symbols of sun and moon, heaven and earth. These correspond mutually with life itself: when life disappears, the four images lose all meaning; it is not the destruction of the four images that causes life to diminish. If one can achieve longevity, the four images appear as if they endure forever; this too is not because the four images themselves are eternal, but because I am capable of long life. Longevity can even arise from within the formless and imageless—so why should one regard the four images as so important?

When disaster descends, the body is destroyed and the primordial Qi (vital energy) dissipates—how is this brought about? It appears to result from excessive speech that fails to hold to the “One” (what Daoists mean by single-minded concentration and abiding in the Dao), a mind full of scattered thoughts that merely seeks to escape misfortune by chance. Just as a hanging nest and withered branches will inevitably fall, a hundred victories may be ruined by a single defeat. How regrettable that those who possess the aptitude to penetrate the way of the immortals should invite harm for the sake of paltry advantages!

The above is what the Lady of Nanyue said.

Wild geese and swans fly southward, spreading their wings across the vast space between heaven and earth and traveling hundreds of li; yet that crow considers itself already sufficient. The little sparrow sighs in admiration at how high and far they fly, while the great peng ridicules the wild geese’s flight as amounting to only a few short chi. Those who content themselves solely with the security immediately before their eyes become self-righteous; thus these three birds each have their own distinct insights and do not discuss matters with one another—what then is there to laugh at?

The above is what Ziwei said.

In youth you were lost in the net of the dusty world, your sorrow not yet dissipated; the profound spiritual nature has not been extinguished. Each person's life encounters have different karmic affinities, and the cloud ladder leading you to the immortal realm has not yet been erected. Although in your heart you yearn to advance, you have not yet penetrated the highest principles.

Your talent is indeed like the craftsmanship of Heaven, your clear and pure demeanor like ripples from on high, your aspirations entrusted to the realm of Taixuan, hoping to enter the Purple Court and travel soaring through the air. Your mind can discern the principles of flying ascent and remaining behind, your writing abundant and beautiful, in harmony with the profound mysterious principles. Your conduct accords with the rules, able to respond flexibly according to different circumstances; in stillness you experience the meaning of true wonders, and in exhalation and inhalation you can also emit a clear and far-reaching sound. It can be said that although you do not adhere to the ordinary, you reveal outstanding De (Virtue/Power), truly admirable.

However, turbid thoughts have not yet been cleared, the coarseness and stinginess of the inner heart still remain fixed, lustful thoughts have not been cut off, and the pool of the mind has not yet become clear. Therefore one cannot yet discuss with you the timing of inner and outer cultivation, nor the cultivation realm of the conjunction of the two scenes of sun and moon. For those who have lost the timing, it is valuable to be able to correct faults and transform appearance; only by letting go of attachment to formed things will cultivation not be hindered. Although for a time you can make the crowd follow, you have not yet become clear and bright; this still requires effort to harmonize. The road ahead is long, our situations differ, and the threads are many; one should often restrain the mind and maintain stability. If emotions and will are scattered, one will suffer loss due to affairs; if one can comprehend these subtle words, how then should one stop the scattering and dispel afflictions?

The above is the letter transmitted by Lady Wang of Yunlin Youying on the night of the twenty-sixth day of the seventh month. Upon seeing this letter, do not reply.

A clear and far-reaching sound disperses into the void, a divine and marvelous wind blows through the woods; the bodily form transcends the dark and secluded path, the mind and will chant the numinous marvelous sounds—perhaps the Benevolent Marquis is such a person. If one wishes to recount the origins and deeds of Perfected Pei to the one named Xi, it is permissible; this matter will surely be coordinated and accomplished. If one is not skilled in guiding him, his intentions will also be revealed within. And what kind of person is Perfected Pei?

The Jing (scripture/classic) of the Teachings, Precepts, and Virtuous Conduct of the Various Perfected of Shangqing, end of the upper volume.

Collation note: The first annotation states that the character “zai” is written as “zai” in Zhen Gao volume 6; from the meaning of the text, “zai” is preferable. The second annotation’s text is fragmentary, the existing content being: “nurture completely... it is permissible for the one named Xi, it will surely succeed in harmony; if not good at inducing him, the heart will also be manifested internally. What kind of person is Pei as well.”

The lower volume of the Shangqing Scripture of the Teachings, Precepts, and Virtuous Conduct of the Assembled Perfected records that in former times a man named Liu Shaoweng repeatedly entered Mount Taihua and paid homage to the mountain. He persisted for twenty years until one day he suddenly encountered the Elder of the Western Peak (the immortal of the Western Peak) and received from him the immortal Dao (the Way).

It further relates that there was once a person who for many successive years went every morning to the riverside and bowed in worship to the river waters. After ten years of steadfast practice the River Marquis and River Earl (water deities) at last appeared to him, presented him with ten pairs of white jade bi discs, and transmitted the method of walking through water without drowning. This person has now attained the Dao on the Central Peak.

It also recounts that when Zuo Ci first began seeking the Dao he likewise devoted himself with single-minded diligence and repeatedly paid homage to the numinous mountains. After about five years of persistence he was able to enter the inner palace, the outer palace, and the eastern and western palaces.

Those who study the Dao ought to persevere as Shan Shiyuan did; those who withdraw from worldly affairs should emulate the Qingling Zhenren; those who cultivate in deep seclusion should follow the example of Zhou Ziyang. Acting thus, how could one fail to attain the Dao?

Resolve must be diligent, the study of the divine Dao must be maintained in emptiness and stillness, and one’s actions must be cautious and secret.

It further states that on the eastern side of Middle Mao Mountain there is a small cave; how could one not attain the Dao? Resolve should be diligent, study of the divine Dao should remain empty and still, and whatever one undertakes must be cautious and hidden.

On the eastern side of Middle Mao Mountain there is a small cave whose mouth is only as large as a dog bezoar, barely wide enough for one person to crawl through. The farther one proceeds the wider the cave becomes. Outside the opening a large stone seals it, leaving only a hole the size of a cup’s mouth, guarded by mountain spirits. The large stone sometimes opens, and the place is called the “A-men of the Yin Palace” (the entrance leading to the Yin Palace). If you are diligent in purification and fasting you may seek it out and enter here, which is easier than entering by the Liangchang Cave. The Liangchang Cave contains much sand and gravel, its path is winding and remote, watery stretches are inconvenient, and the distance is greater; this small opening is preferable, for from the entrance one descends straight three or four li and arrives directly at the Xuan Ye Gate on the eastern side of the Yin Palace (the eastern gate of the Yin Palace). Two hundred paces inside the opening the interior becomes as bright as daylight.

It also states that the southern face of Great Mao Mountain likewise has a similar small cave called the “Southern Convenient Gate,” its mouth similarly sealed with stone. If one concentrates wholeheartedly on purification and fasting, reveres with undivided mind the Siming (the deity who governs human lifespan and registers of destiny), and regularly ascends the mountain on the second day of each month to invite, welcome, and offer prayers, the spirits will naturally appear. My sincerity has already reached its utmost; how then could I fail to obtain even a single view of the Yin Palace? What after all is Zuo Ci?

Mao Siming, the legendary deity who oversees destinies, said: If one can truly emulate the mysterious Dao (the Way) and grasp the fundamental root of all things, ensuring that the cultivation of purity, stillness, and oneness is rarely interrupted, then one will be able to rise above ordinary people and dwell in seclusion on high. By experiencing and attuning oneself to the superior Dao, the inner mind becomes profound and stable, as tranquil as a deep abyss and as solid as a lofty mountain. Such a person remains pure, still, and solitary, cherishing the spiritual nature of Shen (spirit), letting go of attachment to the mundane world, and harmonizing the clear and numinous Qi (vital energy). This renders the inner heart lucid, empty, and still, allowing the wisdom that penetrates the five paths (the five roads or realms involved in cultivation practice) to emerge. One is no longer bewildered by external forms, colors, and transformations, nor pulled along by desires. Uniting with a state of bland detachment, one enters the empty, silent, and profound realm, without clinging to seeing or hearing. In this manner, one can draw near from afar to the wondrous Zhen (the exalted state of the True Person), reopening mysterious and profound awakening. Inner De (Virtue) becomes complete, and outer spirituality abundant. Only then can one ride the cloud chariot to ascend into the heavens and be recorded in the immortal register of the Siming deity.

If the spirit is scattered and miscellaneous thoughts proliferate, if the foundation of life is unsteady, if the breath fluctuates with the dusty world, and if the inner heart has not truly released its attachments, then even cultivating in perilous mountain forests will only vainly exhaust the body and mind, and will certainly mislead those who later seek the Dao. Although the principle is subtle, it is easy to seek; although the path of cultivating the Dao is arduous, truly attaining it is not easy.

The Supreme True Siming, Lady Wei of Nanyue, a female immortal revered in Daoism, said: Yesterday I accompanied Mao Siming to the Qingxu Palace to examine the records of true immortals concerning gains and losses, promotions and demotions. Recently, the names of forty-seven individuals were removed from the register, while three were reinstated; we also inspected your own registers. Upon looking again now, Xu Miao has already been entered into the immortal register. I had not initially expected that he would be able to achieve this, and it is indeed a cause for rejoicing. He has washed clean his inner heart, remained diligent without interruption, concentrated wholly on comprehending the principles, and devoted all his mental effort to cultivation, remaining as cautious and as strenuous as if he were situated in the midst of ice and fire. If he can maintain this over the long term, the realm of the Zhenren will be unable to elude him, and the immortal Dao will not remain hidden from him. He should, however, still restrain and completely cut off thoughts of lust. Once he accomplishes this, we shall be able to meet him, and these words may also be conveyed to him.

Dinglu said: “Being recommended for immortality is merely an affair of the official bureaus in the lower realm. The Most High Lord Lao is about to receive reverence once again. Among the people of Jiangdong, no one has yet been seen who cultivates the Dao (the Way) with such diligence. However, one must not rely on the hope of becoming an immortal and thereby forget the cultivation of the Dao itself.”

He further said: “Falsity is a defect of De (Virtue/Power); flashy ostentation is a calamity to oneself; clinging and stagnation is the start of error; knowing shame and examining oneself is the key to self-cultivation. Only by removing these four difficulties can one begin to inquire into the Dao.” At this moment, the carriage shafts resounded, and the daylight scene gradually became visible. If one harbors depraved and transgressive thoughts, one should not cultivate the Dao of the Highest Perfected. Yesterday I observed that the Qingxu Palace was striking such people from the registers; they are now under further examination and have been delivered to the Three Officials (the divine offices overseeing the affairs of Heaven, Earth, and Water) for investigation and conviction. How can one fail to be cautious?

The above constitutes the admonitions of the Lady of the Southern Peak.

The Perfected Qingling said: “Once the heart of stinginess is forgotten, one’s attitude toward acquired things will also differ; if vulgar and shameful thoughts are not eliminated, one’s birth date will not be recorded in the registers. Although Senior Scribe Xu has been temporarily removed from the immortal registers, he had originally been struck off and has now been re-enrolled.”

The Lady of the Southern Peak said: “The Eastern Minister Director of Destinies (the divine office in charge of lifespan and destiny registers) is thoroughly familiar with Senior Scribe Xu’s compassionate yet stern character. Yesterday the King of Xiaoyou Heaven inquired: ‘Where is this person now, and what Dao is he cultivating?’ The Eastern Minister replied: ‘He is a native of my hometown, inwardly luminous and upright, outwardly harmonious with worldly life; he is a person of fine talent, currently cultivating the Dao of the Highest Perfected.’ These words accord well with human sentiment and also faintly display the bearing of an immortal.”

The Lady of the Southern Peak said: “The Eastern Minister Director of Destinies (the divine office in charge of lifespan and destiny registers) is thoroughly familiar with Senior Scribe Xu’s compassionate yet stern character. Yesterday the King of Xiaoyou Heaven inquired: ‘Where is this person now, and what Dao is he cultivating?’ The Eastern Minister replied: ‘He is a native of my hometown, inwardly luminous and upright, outwardly harmonious with worldly life; he is a person of fine talent, currently cultivating the Dao of the Highest Perfected.’ These words accord well with human sentiment and also faintly display the bearing of an immortal.”

The Perfected Ziyang said: “Xu Yufu may be allowed to bathe several additional times in order to wash away the Qi (vital energy) of water illness and to eliminate the ailments remaining from accumulated trials. This too is a stairway leading toward becoming a Perfected.”

The Lady of Purple Tenuity said: “Infrequent bathing is the original nature of the po. By going against this nature and regulating it, refining away the turbid and filthy Qi, the po will naturally dissipate.”

Lady Youying of Yunlin (a female immortal in the Shangqing Jing) said: Even when one is in hardship, one should still find ways to relieve those in distress and accumulate deeds in the cultivation of De (Virtue/Power). Is this not excellent? There is no need to worry that good deeds will go unrewarded; what one should truly worry about is that one’s own accumulation of De is not yet sufficient. Such good deeds are like tilling the field of blessings. All the various affairs of the world may be inferred from this.

Lady Youying said: From ancient times, life and death have each followed their own paths, and the manifest and the hidden have each had different circumstances. To conceal past experiences, eliminate discriminating wisdom, and accord with the secular world while living among ordinary people—these are all methods of cultivation for attaining the Dao (the Way).

As for those who ingest qiongdan (the immortal elixir), soar at Jiuhua (the immortal realm), drink yunye (the numinous liquid of the immortals) at dawn, ingest liuhuang (the mineral medicines of the immortals), raise their heads to swallow jinjiang, and chew yurui (the jade liquid or immortal herb of the immortals), they can immediately ride the solar brilliance, rise into the heavens, and fly up to Taiwei (the celestial immortal realm). If worldly affairs cause one to stray from the mysterious Dao and cultivation remains incomplete, one should temporarily pass through Taiyin (the dark underground realm), dwell hidden in the nether countryside, abandon the physical body, nourish the embryo in the abode of emptiness and stillness, harmonize the primordial Qi (vital energy), close the gates and orifices, and receive the Qi of hidden mystery. Thereupon the countenance is transformed in the lodges of the Three Yin (residences of the underworld), and passing through the portals of nine refinements (realms of repeated cultivation) one recovers a youthful complexion. Only then does one understand the wonder of the way of the immortals: though the person dies, the Shen (spirit) does not perish; within the coming and going of life and death there reside profound principles.

Mao Dinglu said: The phoenix nests in a tall tree, clothed in pure white plumage. Practitioners should accord with the orthodox Dao (the Way), think matters through thoroughly, concentrate and settle the mind and spirit, and enter the empty, still, and mysteriously subtle realm. The Five Lords’ Stone Fat (a type of ingested substance spoken of in Daoism) is suitable for those of such constitution and should be taken promptly; it is said to restore a somewhat more youthful appearance. After “three-eight making brightness,” one then cultivates the Dao of the Mysterious True, unhitches the carriage and rests at ease; this may be called a Cavern Chapter (a section in Daoist scriptures).

The Jade Blade (Qiongren, a Daoist term whose specific referent is unclear) should correspond to its number; concentrate single-mindedly on cultivation and dwell in high places. Live in quiet seclusion, close and conceal body and mind so that the proper Qi (vital energy) suffers no loss. Employing techniques to disperse illness is just suitable for you. Next take □ rice together with grains, and do not violate this requirement; in this way one can replenish the marrow, eliminate ailments, make the skin moist and plump and the muscles full. Thereafter ascend the mountain, chant the Cavern Scriptures and discuss subtle principles; when the Yin Beast White Teeth (original wording of unclear meaning) appears, you will perceive the opportune moment and finally attain deathlessness.

After the Renchen period has passed, rest peacefully in a place of flourishing trees, study and uphold the Zhou Shu, and establish records according to the Dao of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate); with a “golden name” listed at Xihua (a Daoist immortal realm or the place where immortal titles reside). As for whether learning ingestion is practicable and whether respiration accords with the numinous talismans, although the principles each have their differences they can yet correspond with one another, and the spirits and Daoist arts will also respond mutually.

Mao Baoming said: The instructions one hears, provided they are truly feasible, ought to be adopted; if they are not adopted, then the mind is insincere. How then could one drive the traces of suddenness and seek the numinous wondrous realm in the void? Minute sounds have their own profound meaning; in employing them one must be cautious and must not be careless. In all affairs one must accord with the mysteriously subtle opportunity, and only then can one preserve oneself and behold Great Peace.

The Shangqing Zhongzhen Jiaojie Dexing Jing, lower juan, ends.

Collation note: In the original the character “bo” was written as “pi”; additionally, five occurrences of the character “xian” were all mistakenly written as “bo” in the original.