《上清大洞三景玉清隐书诀箓》

After fasting and purifying himself for a thousand days, the Primordial Heavenly King (Yuanshi Tianwang), a revered Daoist deity, swore a solemn oath and made an announcement to the Ten Heavens in the Palace of Jade Clarity (Yuqing Gong). The realm there is without sound or color, without form or name, possessing neither progenitor nor origin; it is profound and spiritually marvelous, belonging to the natural realm of the Nine Mysteries of Jade Clarity, and has passed through countless kalpas (exceedingly long spans of time).

The Primordial Heavenly King transmitted the Dadong Sanjing Sanyuan Yuqing Jinhu Fengwen (Great Cavern Three Scenes Three Origins Jade Clarity Golden Tiger Phoenix Script), the name of a Shangqing scripture and register referring to a sacred talismanic text and secret formulas. The jade youths and jade maidens of the Three Heavens delivered it to later students. Recipients who possess an immortal name should be ranked among the Perfected of Jade Clarity (Yuqing Zhenren), with their names recorded in the Golden Repository of the Mysterious Terrace, and they should compose documents according to the jade ritual ceremonies to welcome the true spirits. Thereafter they may fly through the realm of Jade Clarity, gaze upon the cavernous numina, obtain new life in spontaneity, attend upon the Superior Perfected (high-ranking immortal perfected ones), be registered in the roster of immortals, subdue demonic beings and command spiritual deities, and descend riding golden-terrace cloud chariots and jade-adorned carriages.

On a certain year, month, and day of the Tai Sui, a male or female disciple named so-and-so from such-and-such prefecture, county, and village, of such-and-such age, born at a certain hour on a certain day of a certain month. From childhood the disciple cut off all worldly attachments, personally upholding the mysterious scriptures and diligently practicing them morning and evening without interruption. Now, respectfully preparing incense and tokens of faith, the disciple makes a solemn oath and covenant, ingests the elixir, and proceeds to the residence of a certain Three Caverns (Sandong) Dharma Master to request transmission of the Shangqing Dadong Sanjing Yuqing Hidden Writings Instructions and Registers.

The disciple respectfully follows the teachings of the former master, announcing the covenant to the mysterious texts during the purification ritual, diligently practicing morning and evening without interruption. Now, respectfully preparing incense and tokens of faith, making a solemn oath and covenant, ingesting the elixir, the disciple goes to the gate of a certain Three Caverns Dharma Master to request transmission of the Shangqing Dadong Sanjing Yuqing Hidden Writings Instructions and Registers, and in accordance with the former master’s teachings announces the covenant during the purification ritual.

Today the disciple carries the tokens of faith to pay homage to the Three Caverns Dharma Master. This humble servant so-and-so, standing in the ritual altar, announces above to the myriad spirits and below to the Five Sacred Peaks, the Three Rivers, and the Nine Sources, wishing that all deities take note of this matter. This servant now transmits this method in accordance with the regulations. After receiving the transmission, should the recipient violate the oath of alliance or betray the covenant of faith, then the recipient’s ancestors of seven generations, parents, and the recipient themselves shall long endure interrogation and punishment by the officials of the left and right, experiencing the mountain of knives, swallowing fire and eating charcoal, falling into the twenty-four hells, suffering the three torments and five bitter afflictions, and remaining unable to attain liberation even through ten thousand kalpas.

Humbly we request permission to open and transmit this method, that the utmost true divine spirits may descend together with the jade lads, jade maidens, and the divine officials and generals to assist and protect the recipient, removing the name from the registers of sin and inscribing it in the jade calendars of the immortals of the Nine Heavens, granting long existence and immortality. May the seven generations of ancestors and parents also receive blessings, be born into the heavenly realm, and swiftly attain salvation and promotion. May the fortune of the imperial dynasty flourish, and may the ancestral temples of successive generations ascend to perfection and become immortals. All is to be carried out in accordance with the covenant text and the ordinances of the heavenly officials.

The term “Huangshu” appears repeatedly as a marker in the original text, referring to Huangshu documents or related talismanic writings.

The envoys of the Supreme Cavern Numinous, Chaotic Natural Jade Clarity Eastern Azure Numinous Jade Void Perfected One, numbering ninety million. The envoys of the Supreme Cavern Numinous, Chaotic Natural Jade Clarity Southern Vermilion Numinous Jade Void Perfected One, numbering ninety million. The envoys of the Supreme Cavern Numinous, Chaotic Natural Jade Clarity Western White Numinous Jade Void Perfected One, numbering ninety million. The envoys of the Supreme Cavern Numinous, Chaotic Natural Jade Clarity Southern Vermilion Numinous Jade Void Perfected One, numbering ninety million. The envoys of the Supreme Cavern Numinous, Chaotic Natural Jade Clarity Western White Numinous Jade Void Perfected One, numbering ninety million.

In the Unexcelled Cavernous Numinous, Chaos Nature, and Realm of Jade Clarity (Yuqing jing), the envoys of the Northern Black-Numinous Jade Void Perfected One (Yuxu zhenren) number ninety million; the envoys of the Central Yellow-Numinous Jade Void Perfected One likewise number ninety million.

In the Realm of Jade Clarity, the Jade Void Perfected One envoys of each of the Flying Immortal Azure Emperor, Vermilion Emperor, White Emperor, Black Emperor, and Yellow Emperor all number ninety million. The envoys of the Flying Immortal Jade Void Left Officials each number nine thousand nine.

In addition, the Jade Void Perfected One envoys of the Flying Immortal Yellow Emperor number ninety million; the envoys of the Flying Immortal Jade Void Left Officials, Right Officials, Front Officials, and Rear Officials, together with those of the Heaven Officials, Earth Officials, Water Officials, Yin Officials, and Yang Officials, each number ninety million ninety thousand.

Here “Jade Clarity” (Yuqing) is one of the highest celestial realms in Daoism; “Jade Void Perfected Ones” (Yuxu zhenren) and the various “officials’ envoys” refer to the divine perfected of the heavens and the envoys serving under them. The “Azure Emperor, Vermilion Emperor, White Emperor, Black Emperor, and Yellow Emperor” correspond respectively to the spirit system of the five directions and the Five Phases (Wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). These numbers express the scripture’s depiction of the numerous sacred official subordinates in the celestial realm.

This passage primarily enumerates the immortal official bureaus, spirits, envoys, and troops of soldiers and horses in the Yuqing (Jade Purity) realm, a high heaven venerated in Daoism, together with their designations and numbers. The Unsurpassed Cavern-Spirit Chaos-Nature Yuqing Flying Immortal Jade-Void Capital Official Envoys total ninety-nine thousand. This is marked by Huangshu three times. The High Supreme Purple-Void Empty-Cavern Yuqing Natural Azure-Plain Spirits total ninety thousand. The Unsurpassed Cavern-Spirit Chaos-Nature Yuqing Flying Immortal Jade-Void Capital Official Envoys again total ninety-nine thousand, likewise marked by Huangshu three times.

Further groups, each numbering eighty-two, include the High Supreme Purple-Void Empty-Cavern Yuqing Natural Azure-Plain Immortal True Officials serving as Five Emperors Gongcao; the Crimson-Plain Immortal True Officials as Three-Five Gongcao; the White-Plain Immortal True Officials as Healing Gongcao; the Black-Plain Immortal True Officials as Yin Official Envoys; and the Yellow-Plain Immortal True Officials as Yang Official Envoys. Additional groups of eighty-two comprise the Regenerated Heavenly Immortal Perfected as Capital Official Envoys, the Regenerated Earthly Immortal Perfected as Upper Official Envoys, the Regenerated Flying Immortal Perfected as Capital Official Envoys, the Regenerated Earthly Immortal Perfected again as Upper Official Envoys, and the Regenerated Flying Immortal Perfected as Middle Official Envoys. There are likewise Regenerated Heavenly Immortal Nine-Rider Soldier-and-Horse Envoys, Regenerated Sun-and-Moon Nine-Rider Soldier-and-Horse Envoys, Regenerated Nine Palaces Nine-Rider Soldier-and-Horse Envoys, Regenerated Three Rivers Nine-Rider Soldier-and-Horse Envoys, and Regenerated Four Seas Nine-Rider Soldier-and-Horse Envoys, each totaling eighty-two.

Gongcao denotes heavenly officials charged with conveying orders, recording merits and faults, or handling affairs. Duguan, Shangguan, and Zhongguan are titles of envoys attached to official bureaus of differing rank or function. Qing Su, Chi Su, Bai Su, Hei Su, and Huang Su distinguish groups of true immortal officials according to the five colors. Wudi, Sanwu, Yin Official, and Yang Official indicate their particular offices and duties. The term “nine riders” refers to divine troops of horses organized in groups of nine. Huangshu is a specialized name or notation appearing in the scripture and is retained here exactly as in the original.

From the High Supreme Purple Void Hollow Jade Clarity (Yuqing)—a high-level heavenly realm in Daoism—the naturally regenerated spirit troops of the Five Sacred Mountains consist of nine mounted messengers and eighty-two attendants. Those of the Four Waterways consist of nine mounted messengers and eighty-two attendants, those of the Nine Rivers consist of nine mounted messengers and eighty-two attendants, and those of the Water Palace consist of nine mounted messengers and eighty-two attendants. The Huai-Ji spirit troops number nine persons. The Water Palace spirit troops consist of nine mounted messengers and eighty-two attendants, and the Huai-Ji spirit troops consist of nine mounted messengers and eighty-two attendants. These Fulu (talismans and registers) are written entirely in azure characters.

Governed by the Dongqing Xuxuan Ultimate Truth Natural Spirit-Flying Hidden Scripture (a secretly transmitted Daoist spiritual text), the Left Official Messengers of Yuqing number eighty trillion, as do the Right Official Messengers of Yuqing, the Upper Official Messengers of Yuqing, the Middle Official Messengers of Yuqing, the Lower Official Messengers of Yuqing, the Heaven Official Messengers of Yuqing, the Earth Official Messengers of Yuqing, and the Water Official Messengers of Yuqing. The Dongqing Xuxuan Messengers number eighty trillion. The Earth Official Messengers of Yuqing number eighty trillion, the Water Official Messengers of Yuqing number eighty trillion, and the Wood Official Messengers of Yuqing number eighty trillion.

The Hidden Book of the Numinous Flight of Ultimate Truth, Empty Mystery, and Spontaneity of the Cavern of Clarity records that the Fire Official Messengers of Jade Clarity (Yuqing) number eighty trillion in multitude, that the Metal Official Messengers of Jade Clarity number eighty trillion in multitude, that the Water Official Messengers of Jade Clarity number eighty trillion in multitude, that the Earth Official Messengers of Jade Clarity number eighty trillion in multitude, that the Solar Official Messengers of Jade Clarity number eighty trillion in multitude, that the Lunar Official Messengers of Jade Clarity number eighty trillion in multitude, that the Stellar Official Messengers of Jade Clarity number eighty trillion in multitude, that the Lunar Official Messengers of Jade Clarity number eighty trillion in multitude, that the Stellar Official Messengers of Jade Clarity number eighty trillion in multitude, that the Capital Official Messengers of Jade Clarity number eighty trillion in multitude, that the Direct Messengers of the Yang Officials of Jade Clarity (the direct subordinate messengers of the Yang Officials) number eighty trillion in multitude, that the Direct Messengers of the Yin Officials of Jade Clarity (the direct subordinate messengers of the Yin Officials) number eighty trillion in multitude, and that the Direct Messengers of the Supervisory Officials of Jade Clarity (the direct subordinate messengers of the Supervisory Officials) number eighty trillion in multitude.

In the palace diagrams, suitable positions should be selected for placing and depicting these deities.

One reverently invites the Left Immortals, Right Immortals, Upper Immortals, Middle Immortals, Front Immortals, Rear Immortals, and Lower Immortals of the Great Cavern Jade Clarity Palace, each numbering one hundred thousand. One reverently invites the Left Perfected, Right Perfected, Upper Perfected, Middle Perfected, Lower Perfected, Front Perfected, and Rear Perfected of the Upper Palace of the Great Cavern Jade Clarity, each numbering one hundred thousand. One reverently invites the Flying Heavenly Divine Kings, Flying Heavenly Warriors, and messengers holding bows and crossbows of the Upper Palace of the Great Cavern Jade Clarity, each numbering one hundred thousand. One reverently invites the Heavenly Immortals, Earthly Immortals, Divine Immortals, clerks and soldiers, warriors, as well as the Flying Heavenly Divine Kings, Flying Heavenly Warriors, and messengers holding bows and crossbows of the Upper Palace of the Great Cavern Jade Clarity, each numbering one hundred thousand.

We respectfully invite the celestial immortals, earthly immortals, and spirit immortals, together with the officials, soldiers, and warriors of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity (Yuqing) in the Great Cavern of Highest Clarity (Shangqing Dadong), one hundred thousand of each.

We respectfully invite the left officials and right officials of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity, as well as the officials, soldiers, and warriors belonging to the Heaven Official, Earth Official, and Water Official, totaling one hundred thousand.

We respectfully invite the yin officials and yang officials of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity, along with the numinous officials of the Nine Heavens, the messengers, and the warriors, one hundred thousand of each.

We respectfully invite the left immortal youths, right immortal youths, left jade maidens, and right jade maidens of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity, one hundred thousand of each.

We respectfully invite the Flying-Pace Celestial Master (Tianshi), the warriors who guard the scriptures, and the Jade Gentlemen who administer the scriptures of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity, one hundred thousand of each.

We respectfully invite the immortals who cultivate the body, the warriors who present incense, and the soldiers and messengers who support the deities of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity, one hundred thousand of each.

We respectfully invite the immortals who refine the bones in the water palaces of the Three Rivers, Four Seas, and Nine Rivers of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity, one hundred thousand of each.

We respectfully invite the immortals who refine the five viscera among the Five Sacred Mountains, the Four Waterways (the four great rivers), and the Twelve River Sources of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity, one hundred thousand of each.

We respectfully invite the immortals of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity who are able to transcend the mundane world and fly by treading the void, as well as the warriors who convey incense offerings, three thousand of each.

In accordance with the liturgical methods the transmission and conferral take place, and the Qi (vital energy) bestowed by the Thearch Lord follows, descending from the heavens. In the heavens the deceased are delivered, enabling them to leave the corpse body, be transformed into an embryonic form, after which heaven nourishes their Qi so that the hun and po souls receive attendance.

The Thearch Lord records the name register of the recipient of the teaching in the Joyful Cinnabar covenant and, according to the liturgical methods, transmits and confers this unsurpassed Secret Instructions of the Hidden Writings of Jade Clarity. The recipient swears to cultivate diligently in order to become an immortal and to come and go in the palace of ultimate bliss of Jade Clarity.

May the one thousand two hundred Perfected immortal officials, jade youths and jade maidens, officials, soldiers and generals, warriors and messengers, together with innumerable divine hosts, protect the recipient of the teaching so that they may swiftly obtain ascent and deliverance; may they also protect the nine generations of ancestors and the parents, enabling them to be reborn in heaven. May this merit assist the flourishing of the imperial family’s fortune and the longevity of the nation’s destiny, enable the deities of the ancestral temples to attain perfection and become immortals, allow all the deceased souls in the netherworld to attain liberation, and grant pardon to the dead of the long night; may it cut off the roots of evil karma and spare all beings from the sufferings of the Three Paths (the three destinations of hardship spoken of in Daoism).

If the recipient of the teaching violates the oath and abandons the practice midway, the nine generations of ancestors will sink into perdition, and they themselves will lose the illumination of the Three Luminaries (the sun, the moon, and the stars). Blame must not therefore be placed upon the Dao (the Way) or the transmitting master; all shall be carried out in accordance with the documents of the sworn covenant and the statutes.

After cultivation is completed, the Nine Netherworlds (the nine layers of the netherworld) will all abandon you, the darkness like a long night will dissipate, the root of evil thoughts will be severed, and the path leading to the Three Evil Destinies will also be cut off.

If one personally violates the covenant, failing in cultivation halfway and thereby causing nine generations of ancestors to sink into perdition while oneself also loses the life corresponding to the sun, moon, and stars, one cannot blame the methods of the Dao or the master; everything shall be handled according to the precepts and commands in the oath document.

Guarantor:

Supervisor of Transmission (the person who supervises the transmission ritual):

Transmission Master (the master who presides over the transmission and imparts the Dao methods):

Based on the Formula of the Hidden Book of Jade Clarity of the Three Sceneries of the Great Cavern of Highest Clarity.