《上清洞真解过诀》

Qingling Zhenren Pei Jun, a legendary immortal in Daoist tradition, related that every year at noon on Lichun, the Beginning of Spring, the Taiji Zhenren (True Person of the Supreme Ultimate) convenes with immortals in the Taiji Palace to inscribe jade slips and register the names of the immortals. At midnight that same day he faces due north, gazes up at the North Star, performs two bows together with kowtows, recounts the number of faults he has committed, and expresses his wish to request pardon and the dissolution of his sins. After speaking he bows twice more and then stops.

At noon on the Spring Equinox the Taisu Zhenren meets various immortal officials at the Jade Terrace of Kunlun to examine and authenticate the true Jing (scriptures).

At noon on Lixia, the Beginning of Summer, the Five Emperors of Shangqing assemble with the immortals and four Zhenren in the Purple Tenuity Palace to discuss the merits and faults of those seeking the Dao (the Way).

At noon on the Summer Solstice the Three Officials of Heaven join with Siming and Hehou to verify the sins and blessings of ordinary people and, on that basis, to add years to their lives or reduce their allotted span.

At noon on Liqiu, the Beginning of Autumn, the Zhenren of the Five Sacred Mountains proceed to Yellow Chamber Cloud-Court Mountain, the residence of the Central Huanglao Jun, where they meet with immortal officials to examine and determine the spirit charts, registers, and numinous medicines of the world.

At noon on the Autumn Equinox the Supreme Sovereign Great Emperor ascends the Qingling Tower of the Grand Tenuity Lodge and, together with the Three Elder Lords of the Most High, the various True Dukes of the North Pole, the Great Gods of the Eight Seas, the Honored Spirits of the Five Sacred Peaks, and numerous immortal officials, jointly determines the sins and blessings of all living beings under heaven. They record one by one the diligence or negligence of those studying the Dao and deliver the records to Siming, the deity who governs human lifespan and destiny registers, for registration and handling.

At noon on Lidong, the Beginning of Winter, the Yangtai Zhenren meets with immortal officials and Jade Maidens to recatalog the names of those who have just attained the Dao and newly entered the immortal registers.

At noon on the winter solstice, the Perfected Ones and the host of immortals in heaven all proceed to the Eastern Floriate Great Palace of Fangzhu to pay homage to the Azure Youth Lord of the Eastern Sea, where they inscribe names in the Golden Book that records the registers of the immortals. Those who have recently attained the Dao (the Way) and have just been entered into the immortal registers are also enrolled at this time.

Ordinarily, on the nights, midnights, or noons of the Eight Seasonal Nodes, one should confess the faults of one’s ancestors of seven generations, one’s parents, and oneself. In this way the recorded transgressions can be erased. If practiced over a long period, one can become a divine immortal and attain deathless longevity.

On the days of the spring equinox and autumn equinox, the Supreme Divine Perfected Ones inspect and determine the circumstances of the myriad immortals. Those who have not truly attained the Dao should not arbitrarily choose these two days to atone for sins. The various Perfected Immortals and immortal officials gather at noon on the days of the Eight Seasonal Nodes and remain assembled for three consecutive days before dispersing. Those who wish to cultivate the Dao should first observe fasting and purification so as not to miss such an opportunity.

After receiving the fifth secret method transmitted by Master Jiang, Zhi Ziyuan practiced visualization (cunsi, quietly concentrating the mind in inner contemplation) on the days of the Eight Seasonal Nodes. He recounted how many sins he had committed since establishing himself in life, sincerely confessing them, and requested that the Heavenly Emperor and the various Perfected Ones (honored deities of the celestial realm) examine the records and grant their protection, so that he might reform his faults, turn toward goodness, return to the proper Dao, and thereby seek longevity and immortality. The original text contains repetitive phrasing in this sentence; the translation here follows its general meaning for coherence.

At the autumn equinox the Qi (vital energy) of heaven and earth is clear, empty, and harmonious; it is an important day of balance between Yin-Yang. The various Perfected Ones and immortals review sins on this day. The immortal officials on earth responsible for investigating wickedness and overseeing local affairs also report on the merits and faults of local Daoist practitioners, as well as the sins, liabilities, and matters of life and death among the common people.

The Xianji Zhenji says: “Those who wish to ascend to heaven and become immortals must be especially cautious on the Autumnal Equinox. Sins, whether great or small, will all be reported to the Heavenly Court. Seeking immortality while carrying sins makes becoming an immortal very difficult, so those who study the Dao (the Way), when they think of this, should give rise to vigilance in their hearts.”

This is an important admonition on cultivating the Dao from Master Zhongyang of Zhu Huo Danling. At the Autumnal Equinox the Qi (vital energy) of Yin-Yang is in harmony, day and night are equal, and people should accord with the transformations of Heaven and Earth. At this time the Yang Qi that has reached its peak gradually contracts, and the myriad things turn from lush flourishing toward withering and decline; Mysterious Water (symbolizing the water essence of Yin Qi) conceals its moistening fluids and nurtures vitality in the direction belonging to Metal of the Five Phases. The luminous Qi of the sun declines from fullness and transforms into Lesser Yang Qi, so that Heaven and Earth enter a phase of gathering, storing, and nurturing. The succession of Yin-Yang and hardness-softness is established at this moment, the two atmospheric conditions coordinate in sequence, brightness circulates, and Yin-Yang together with the sun, moon, and stars each become clearly distinguished. The Autumnal Equinox is a landmark among the Eight Nodes (the important seasonal markers by which the ancients divided the climatic changes of the year) and is also a significant occasion for seeking the Dao and cultivating immortality.

Every Autumnal Equinox at noon the Supreme Emperor Lord of the Highest ascends to the Guanghan Upper Clarity Numinous Residence, that is, the Cinnabar City, Purple Terrace, and Long Brocade Jade Tower in the Great Void. The assembled True Immortals gather at the Observatory of Taiwei, open the gates of the Nine Heavens, and invite the Nine Heavenly True Sovereigns; they also invite the Three Elder Lords of the Most High, the various True Ones of the North Pole, and the Great Gods of the Eight Seas, and summon those who have attained the Dao and become immortals from the Five Sacred Mountains and famous peaks. Numerous numinous worthies assemble together in the Hall of Distant Yang to discuss and adjudicate the sins and blessings of the common people of the world, and also to record the diligence or negligence of those cultivating the Dao in pursuit of immortality. They register item by item the dates of people’s transgressions, their good and evil manifestations in practice, the corresponding statutes of reward and punishment, as well as matters of life and death; then, according to the territories and official posts to which they belong, they trace back to the origins, list them by categories, and submit them to Siming (Director of Destinies, the divine official who oversees human lifespan and life and death) for archival, to be written into the Imperial Register (the ledgers of the Heavenly Court). No matter how tiny the sins, or how hidden and unapparent the faults, or how insignificant the hidden merits and good deeds, there is not one that will not be investigated and recorded one by one.

At midnight that night one should go to the center of the courtyard, face north and look up at the North Pole, remove one’s headscarf, bow twice, then kowtow and kneel at length, reporting to the Most High North Polar Celestial Worthy Great Emperor Lord. Subsequently one should privately confess the seven kinds of faults one has committed and recount the hidden and subtle good deeds one has performed.

At midnight on this night, one should go out into the courtyard, face north and gaze up at the Northern Pole, remove one’s headscarf, perform two kneeling prostrations, then remain kneeling and kowtow while praying to the Most High Northern Pole Heavenly Worthy Great Emperor Lord (Taishang Beiji Tianzun Dadi Jun).

Next, one must earnestly state in one’s heart a plea to pardon the sins of seven generations of ancestors as well as those of one’s parents, and also recount all the various faults one has committed since coming of age. One prays for remission, and from this day forward to reform, cultivate goodness, and make amends for past wrongs. The words spoken must come from a sincere heart, and one must swear with utmost sincerity, making an oath before Heaven and Earth never again to do evil. While making this statement, keep the words in one’s heart. If one perseveres in this practice over a long period, one will become an immortal and attain eternal life without dying.

After the prayer is finished, one should say: “May the Most High Emperor erase my charges, send the documents to the Three Officials (Sanguan, the Daoist deities who preside over the affairs of Heaven, Earth, and Water), so that my name may be entered in the register of immortals and inscribed on jade tablets, thereby attaining long life without decline and communion with the True Dao (the Way) and the spirits.” After speaking, kowtow four times, perform two kneeling prostrations, and then return to the quiet chamber.

Upon returning to the quiet chamber, one should deeply examine oneself and visualize the spirits of the Three Origins (Sanyuan, the deities related to the Three Origins of Heaven, Earth, and Water), asking them to report upward to the Most High. Doing this three times, one’s name will be entered into the immortal registers, and one’s sins will be eliminated.

The “Three Origins” refer to the three deities dwelling in the Niwan, the Jianggong, and the Dantian (energy center). Visualize these three deities, report upward to the Heavenly Worthy, request pardon for one’s faults, and have them help state one’s petitions so that they will surely reach the hearing of Heaven.

Performing the announcement three times at the autumnal equinox confirms the name-registers of the living and removes the names of the dead from those registers. This method comes from the Jingming Qingtu and is a secret technique of longevity. Yet even people of the world who love the arts of the Dao (the Way) still live amid human society; sins in the human realm are many and of more than one kind, so it is probably unwise to practice the autumnal-equinox confession of faults at once. One should first enter the mountain forests, withdraw from worldly affairs, dwell in quiet solitude, and cease harming the myriad beings before undertaking this practice.

Once the vow of repentance and turning toward goodness has been uttered, and once one has declared the intention to reform and begin anew, those words have already been heard by the gods on high. One must therefore be strictly cautious never again to violate the precepts or harm life. If grave sins are committed once more and the offenses reach ten, Heaven and Earth will grant no pardon; the death of the body itself is the proof, and no later amends can restore what has been lost. Seeking the Dao with this resolve leaves no further requirements.

The Dao of nourishing life is like the intermingling of water and fire. Gaining its benefit, one may ascend to Heaven in broad daylight; violating the precepts, the body sinks into the Nine Springs. The autumnal equinox is especially weighty, even more so than the “Seven Nodes”; Zhao Boxuan called it the “Gateway of Life and Death.”

The Sanjiu Suyu states that on the autumn day when sins are judged, both the honored and the lowly assemble; it is the day that decides life and death. Here the original text again mentions the intermingling of water and fire, the benefit of observing the precepts and the penalty for violating them, and declares that the autumnal equinox outweighs the “Seven Nodes,” which is precisely the “Gateway of Life and Death” named by Zhao Boxuan.

The Sanjiu Suyu states: The autumn day for judging the fates of all living beings is a day when both the noble and the humble assemble, and it is also the day that determines life and death. The ancients regarded the autumnal equinox as the Autumn Judgment Day. This is because at the autumnal equinox the numerous True Immortals and spirits of the Nine Heavens and Eight Earths, together with the Most Honored Upper Emperor, all gather. For three consecutive days and nights they jointly determine the fates of the myriad people. Many matters are discussed, and all the honored deities are present in full. During the eight festivals the True Officials of heaven and earth all convene; they remain before and after each festival, totaling three days and nights, after which each returns to the post they administer. This is the oral formula transmitted by Zhi Gongzi Yuan, specifically explaining the Autumn Judgment and not to be mixed with the rules of the other seven festivals.

Houye Shentong’s Jin’gen Jing (Golden Root Scripture) states: The days of the eight festivals are times of large-scale gatherings for those seeking immortality, and all the deities summoned by Heaven’s Mandate should come to assemble. On the day before the festival the myriad spirits arrive at the palaces of the Heavenly Court; at noon on the festival day itself the noble and the humble enter in sequence to pay court; on the day after the festival sins and blessings are judged separately. After three days and nights the affairs of Heaven are completed. You must act with caution, avoid committing offenses, and diligently accumulate meritorious virtue so that your name may perhaps ascend to the ranks of the True Immortals and be entered in the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) immortal registers. These are not empty words; those who know this should keep it deeply hidden. You should promptly repent of your faults and carefully guard the secret, not revealing it lightly. This passage was also transmitted orally by Zhi Gong himself and later passed to Lord Pei.

Xu Xiansheng’s oral formula on repenting sins on the eight festival days, the second: Xu Xiansheng’s formula states that on every eight-festival day, after midnight, sit upright facing north, visualize your physical form and contemplate its image so that you seem to see the spiritual body (the self-image visualized in cultivation). After the visualization is complete, cross both hands and raise them above the head, then kowtow to the ground eighteen times; this eliminates sins and faults and unites form and spirit.

Xu Xiansheng’s oral formula on repenting sins on behalf of ancestors on the Five Penetration Days, the third: On every Five Penetration Day face north and repent sins on behalf of your three-Zeng and five-Zu ancestors, requesting that the punishments they have received be lifted so that the sins of your previous generations may be dissolved. The so-called Five Penetration Days are the first day of the tenth lunar month and the first day of the second lunar month. If one does not seek to lift the punishments suffered by the ancestors yet wishes to pursue immortality, one remains far from becoming an immortal.

Xu Xiansheng’s oral formula on repenting sins on behalf of ancestors and oneself on the Five Attainment Days, the fourth: The scripture remains unfinished at this point, and the specific content of this section has not yet been given.

On the “Five Auspicious Days” (the fortunate days listed in the scripture as suitable for performing this ritual), face north and bow five times. Silently recite in the heart the names of the Supreme Sovereign Lords and their Consorts three times each:

The True Sovereign of the Year Star (Jupiter): Yu Can, Yu Can, Yu Can; his Consort: Fei Yun, Fei Yun, Fei Yun.

The True Sovereign of the Sparkling Deluder (Mars): Wei Ting, Wei Ting, Wei Ting; his Consort: Hua Ping, Hua Ping, Hua Ping.

The True Sovereign of the Guardian Star (Saturn): Dan Yan, Dan Yan, Dan Yan; his Consort: Fei Xian, Fei Xian, Fei Xian.

The True Sovereign of the Great White (Venus): De Biao, De Biao, De Biao; his Consort: Ling En, Ling En, Ling En.

The True Sovereign of the Chronogram Star (Mercury): Jing Yuan, Jing Yuan, Jing Yuan; his Consort: Long E, Long E, Long E.

These are the exclusive appellations of the five Sovereign Lords and their Consorts. Earlier documents do not record them; this material consists of oral secrets separately transmitted by Lady Zhaoling.

After the recitation, knock the teeth five times. Then untie the headscarf, kneel in the long-kneeling posture, and respectfully present a petition to the Supreme Sovereign High Perfected Dao Lords of the Five Stars, Sun, and Moon, the Dao Lord Consorts, the Jade Clarity (Yuqing) Most High Highest Clarity (Shangqing) Supreme Sovereign High Lord God, and the Holy Lord of the Great Dao (the Way): recount all the various sins committed from the ancestors of seven generations and one’s parents down to oneself, asking that the offenses accumulated from previous lives be released; petition the Three Officials (the divine offices that preside over Heaven, Earth, and Water) to report upward to the Heavenly Emperor so that the charges may be dissolved and erased from the Cinnabar Registers (the divine records of sins). Pray that one may race together with the Perfected of the Five Stars toward Huachen (the Floriate Dawn), ascend to the realm of Highest Clarity, and move freely among the Jade Palaces.

The Five Auspicious Days and their corresponding hours are as follows: the sixth day of the first month at the noon hour; the first day of the second month at the shen hour; the seventh day of the third month at midnight; the ninth day of the fourth month at mealtime; the fifteenth day of the fifth month at midnight; the third day of the sixth month at the noon hour; the seventh day of the seventh month at midnight; the fourth day of the eighth month at the noon hour; the second day of the ninth month at dawn; the first day of the tenth month at dawn; the sixth day of the eleventh month at midnight; and the twelfth day of the twelfth month at midnight.

The Supreme One (Taishang) concealed the days of the Five Communications (Wutong) within the jade shoots of the Five Sacred Peaks (Wuyue), and hid the Way of Returning to the Origin (Huiyuan) at dawn on the second day of the ninth month, at dawn on the first day of the tenth month, at midnight on the sixth day of the eleventh month, and at midnight on the twelfth day of the twelfth month.

The foregoing records five auspicious days of communication.

The Supreme One concealed the days of the Five Communications within the jade shoots of the Five Sacred Peaks, and hid the Way of Returning to the Origin in the Palace of the Nine Dawns (Jiuchen Gong). After cultivating the Five Communications, one should also cultivate Returning to the Origin. The Five Communications open at the “Imperial Beginning” (Dishi), while Returning to the Origin opens at the “Mysterious Culmination” (Xuanzhong). Therefore those who cultivate the Five Communications and practice the returning Dao of the Seven Origins (Qiyuan) eat nothing that contains blood or raw flesh; if they encounter corpses or anything unclean they must likewise keep away. Transgressors will be examined and held to account by the Great Mystery (Taixuan).

The Five Communications are the Supreme One’s auspicious days of assembly; Returning to the Origin is the Supreme One’s day of renewal. Without understanding the Five Communications one cannot dissolve sins or remove faults; without understanding the hidden Way of Returning to the Origin one cannot have one’s name inscribed in the registers of the Highest Perfected (Shangzhen). On these days one should constantly contemplate auspicious matters, declare them to the deities, and repent of one’s own transgressions. The scripture states that this brings liberation from the sins of seven generations and exemption from punishment and criminal charges. This method must not be transmitted or shown to the immortals of the Nine Palaces (Jiugong).

Taiyi’s Method of Confession and Removal of Sins: Repenting Transgressions at Midnight or Noon (Fifth)

Taiyi (the Great One) says: If you have committed sins and wish to confess them frankly, repent, and request their removal, enter a chamber at midnight or at noon, close the door, sit upright, and face north. Visualize the Emperor Lord (Dijun) within the Purple Chamber (Zifang, the inner dwelling of the spirit in the body) according to the visualization method already described; then further visualize yourself inside the Purple Chamber, prostrating before the Emperor Lord and silently stating your faults. Hold the breath for a time until the entire body perspires and the clothing is soaked with sweat. Repeat this three times, and the sins for which you seek liberation will dissipate of themselves.

Once sweat has covered the whole body, recite the invocatory prayer, saying:

So-and-so (referring to the ritual practitioner) has committed offenses and reports them upward to the hundred spirits, requesting exemption from the calamities of seven and nine (meaning disasters or misfortune), as well as disasters of water and fire. May Taiyi (the Great One, a deity or primordial spirit revered in Daoism) who guards life preserve oneself, and one entreats the Imperial Lord (Dijun) for deliverance. Sweat streams unceasingly over the whole body, and the Three Souls (sanhun, the souls of the human body according to Daoist teaching) are startled and restless. One only wishes that the Most High (Taishang, an honorific title for the supreme deities of Daoism) would grant favor and forever eliminate misfortunes on one’s behalf. After the ritual is completed, call the name of the Imperial Lord three times in succession.

The taboo name of the Imperial Lord is Lingfan, his courtesy name is Lüchanglíng, and he is also called Seven Spirits and Divine Elder. He constantly dwells within the Purple Chamber of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), sitting upright and even, with the countenance of an infant; purple Qi (vital energy) frequently envelops his form. He wears magnificent garments of five colors and a crown of sun and moon: above the left ear is a sun nine cun in diameter, and above the right ear is a moon one chi in diameter. When the visualization is finished, open the eyes. This practice is called “the Way of the Imperial Lord Absolving Transgressions,” that is, confessing faults inwardly to the Five Spirits (the deities stored within the body); sweating is the manifestation of a spiritual response.

When ordinary people confess their sins they kowtow and slap their cheeks; this belongs to a different method. If one cultivates the Three Ones (Sanyi, visualizing the triune deities within the body), guards the Cavern Chamber (Dongfang, a spirit chamber within the human body), serves the Imperial Lord, and upholds Taiyi, one must never kowtow or slap the cheeks. Kowtowing startles the Three Souls, disturbs the Niwan (the spirit chamber in the head), makes the Purple Chamber uneasy, and also troubles the Imperial Lord. Slapping the cheeks causes the embryonic knots to become firm, disturbs the “Eastern Po sinews,” makes Taiyi grieve, and causes the Five Spirits to migrate; therefore it is a great taboo. If one merely thinks of kowtowing or slapping the face in action or in thought, one may also complete the inner confession of faults only in the heart. Immortals perform rites only in the heart and need not bend the body; I consider this to be fitting.

Master Liu: Confessing Faults for Ancestors and the Entire Family on Chen-Si Five-Virtue Days, Number Six

Master Liu records: People constantly have offenses. Although the net of Heaven appears sparse, it never lets guilt slip through; the underworld accordingly reduces a person’s allotted lifespan, so people cannot live long. Even though the human body originally possesses the Dao of longevity, if one does not confess faults one will still suffer many illnesses, many worries, and many afflictions. This text comes from the twenty-third chapter of the Inner Chapters of the Hetu of Taiwei Wenchang.

If an entire family finds itself in straitened circumstances, with the household declining, affairs frequently failing to succeed, or with many illnesses, anxieties, and calamities, one may also practice the method of confessing faults as described in this text. This text comes from the twenty-third chapter of the Inner Chapters of the Hetu of Taiwei Wenchang.

If a person's household is impoverished and in decline, if their undertakings frequently fail to succeed, if their descendants do not flourish, if they receive no promotion in official positions, if their livestock perish, or if they meet with sudden calamities, all of this is due to the accumulation of many faults. One who is able to wash away impurities, purify the inner mind, refrain from indulging desires, refrain from envying others, and refrain from acting contrary to principle; who harbors compassion and pity, who worries over the worries of others and takes the joy of others as one's own joy; who regards the losses of others as one's own losses and the gains of others as one's own gains; who neither slanders nor harms others nor spreads gossip; who is able to give away wealth and rescue those in difficulty, will thereby extend one's lifespan and often have one's wishes fulfilled.

One should, at dusk on a Chen day or a Si day, sweep the location in the house known as the "place of Heavenly Virtue" (Tiande zhi di), that is, the directions corresponding to Jia, Geng, Bing, Xin, and Ren. After lighting incense, the entire family faces north, removes their headscarves, and performs kowtows several dozen times. Do not make any sound, but only silently recite in the heart: "May the sins committed by the entire family be dissolved." In this way, peace and longevity can be obtained. If the faults have not yet ceased, even if one performs confession and atonement many times, there will be no benefit. Once there are no more faults, if one is still able to frequently practice this method of confessing and atoning for faults, one may long be free from anxieties and misfortunes.

The days Jiachen, Bingchen, Wuchen, Gengchen, and Renchen, as well as Jisi, Xinsi, Guisi, Yisi, and Dingsi: the above five days belong to the "Five Virtue Days" (Wude ri).

This is the seventh section of the Taishang Huiyuan Yindao for Using to Remove the Registers of Sins on the Days of Huiyuan Five Penetrations, Atoning for Faults.

The Inner Chapter of the Supreme One's Hidden Dao of Returning to the Origin for Erasing the Register of Sins says: The Supreme One's Jade True Hidden Origin Inner Observation (a Daoist internal cultivation method) should be practiced on the days of the Six Ding. At this time, the primordial Qi (vital energy) of Heaven spreads and circulates, the embryonic cells gather and become firm; the Seven Po (the seven kinds of spiritual activities of a person) report upward, and the Three Hun (the soul-spirits of a person) record the faults. The faults implicate seven generations of ancestors, and punishments accumulate in the Three Yin, therefore a method for eliminating sins is provided, allowing one to escape from culpability and disasters. Practicing this method of the Dao is an important cultivation for seekers of immortality.

One should visualize the Seven Origins and contemplate the Dao of the Nine Mornings. When the practitioner sleeps, they must not share a bed with others, and their clothes must not be mixed with those of others. If men and women sleep on the same mat, they will be listed in the sin register of the Northern Mysterious Darkness; if they also commit filthy acts, disasters will descend upon them in hell. Masters and disciples as well as fellow practitioners mixing and sleeping together also counts as a violation of the precepts.

The Five Communications are auspicious days on which the Supreme One grants blessings; Returning to the Origin are days on which the Supreme One renews all things. Without knowing the method of the Five Communications, one cannot dissolve sins and remove faults; without knowing the Hidden Dao of Returning to the Origin, one cannot have one's name inscribed in the immortal register of the Upper True Ones. One should often, on these days, contemplate auspicious matters and first confess one's own sins to the deities. This is called escaping the sinful karma of seven lifetimes and being exempted from the register of punishments. If this is not done, one cannot transmit this method to the immortals in the Nine Palaces.

The Supreme One hides the days of the Five Communications in the jade bamboo shoots of the Five Sacred Mountains, and conceals the Dao of Returning to the Origin in the palaces of the Nine Mornings. After cultivating the Five Communications, one should still practice Returning to the Origin. The Five Communications are connected to the Imperial Beginning, while Returning to the Origin opens the Mysterious End. Therefore, those who study the Five Communications and practice the Returning Dao of the Seven Origins do not eat bloody foods, nor should they see corpses or other filthy objects; those who violate this will be subjected to the trials and punishments of the Great Mystery.

All who practice the ritual methods of the Cavern Chamber and Purple Chamber, as well as those who contemplate the Nine Mornings and Seven Origins, before sleeping, after rising, at the time of performing the hexagrams, and before eating as well as after finishing eating, should first whisper a prayer saying:

The Five Sovereigns and Five Powers (the five imperial deities together with the five spiritual communicative forces), the Purple Chamber of the Six Harmonies (the purple divine chamber corresponding to the six directions of Heaven and Earth), Returning to the Origin and Concealing in the Dao (returning to the primordial beginning and hiding within the Great Dao), and the Open Manifestation of the Seven Perfected (the seven Zhenren appearing brightly). That which causes the hun and po souls to be born is the Mysterious Father (Xuanfu); as the father transforms, he generates the first deity. That which causes the po to take form is the Mysterious Mother (Xuanmu); as the mother transforms and generates, she forms the body. That which unifies and governs my tendons and bones is the Young Lord (Gongzi, the spirit that protects the tendons and bones), and that which oversees my Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) is White Prime (Baiyuan, the spirit in charge of Jing and Qi). May I obtain long life and longevity, return to the origin and conceal myself in the Dao, and manifest the seven Zhenren; may the Mysterious Father generate the hun and the Mysterious Mother generate the po, so that my Shen (spirit) and Qi are complete and sufficient, my body is peaceful and stable, I live long and see far, fly up as an immortal, and take my place among the Ten Heavens. When the recitation is finished, do not allow the ears to hear the sound of the incantation. This is the secret prayer of the Most High (Taishang), used to expel evil Qi, attract the spirit, and keep a person from remaining benighted throughout life.

The Eighth Method: Absolving the Sins of Seven Generations of Parents on the Six Ding Days within the Six Jia Periods and on the Evening of the Last Day of the Month

One ordinarily selects the Dingmao day within the Jiazi decade, at midnight, sitting upright in the sleeping chamber, facing north, joining the two hands together, and knocking the teeth seven times. Then look upward while visualizing the seven stars of the Northern Dipper, causing them to shine brightly in the north. After a short while, recite softly in a low voice: “The First Great Star, Mysterious Pivot, Yangming, Heavenly Pivot, Hun Spirit, Upper Mysterious Nine Lords.” Invoke this repeatedly seven times. When finished, recite further: “May you eliminate for me all the yang sins and yang faults committed from the seven generations down to this present body of mine, causing them all to be completely removed; may whatever I seek be granted according to my wishes, may all affairs proceed smoothly as I desire, may I fly and pace the Seven Origins (the abode of the seven stars of the Northern Dipper), last as long as Heaven itself, have my name listed in the Dipper at dawn, and have my lifespan extended by tens of millions of years.”

When the recitation is finished, visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper flying down from Heaven, entering through one’s own mouth, and going directly into the heart. Then visualize light emanating from the heart, making the interior and exterior of the body transparent and luminous, and concentrate the mind upon this visualization. When completed, face north and perform two bows; after bowing, swallow saliva eighteen times. One may also rise and then perform the bows. This is called “Unbinding the Dawn Knots, the Inner Illumination of Luo, the Supreme Dao.”

On the Dingchou day of the Jiaxu ten-day cycle, at midnight, sit upright on the bed facing north with the hands joined together and first knock the teeth seven times. Then look upward and visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper (Beidou) so that they appear brightly in the north. After a moment, softly recite the invocation: “Second Origin Star, Yin Essence of the Northern Terrace, Heaven-endowed Hun Spirit, Upper King Nine Lords.” After calling this seven times, pray: “May the yin sins and yin transgressions committed from my past seven generations down to myself all be eliminated.” Facing north, after a while, softly recite again: “Second Origin Star, Yin Essence of the Northern Terrace, Heaven-endowed Hun Spirit, Upper King Nine Lords.” After calling seven times, pray: “May the yin sins and yin transgressions committed from my past seven generations down to myself all be eliminated; may the Six Qi become abundant, may the Four Spirits share their numinous power with me, that I may fly through the Seven Origins (the celestial realm governed by the seven stars of the Northern Dipper), have my name recorded in the Jade Book, ascend to Purple Clarity (the immortal realm), ride a mysterious carriage, come and go freely, with everything proceeding smoothly in accordance with the proper Way and in harmony with the Dao of Heaven.”

When the prayer is finished, visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper flying down from the heavens, entering the mouth and proceeding directly to the spleen, enabling one to discern both interior and exterior and clearly behold the five viscera. In visualizing the stars entering the mouth, one should feel the radiance spreading and filling the oral cavity; a slight warmth in the mouth is the verification that the Jing-Qi of the stars has entered. Afterwards, visualize oneself in the mind facing north and perform two bows. After bowing, swallow the saliva eighteen times; one may also rise to perform the bows.

On the Dinghai day of the Jiashen ten-day cycle, at midnight, sit upright on the bed facing north with the hands joined together and knock the teeth seven times. [Here the original text continues from the previous section, referring to “after visualizing the seven stars of the Northern Dipper entering the body,” and then immediately repeats the instructions to bow twice facing north and swallow saliva eighteen times; there are gaps in the connections between sentences.] On the Dinghai day of the Jiashen ten-day cycle, at midnight, sit upright on the bed facing north with both hands joined together and knock the teeth seven times. Then look upward and visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper, causing them to appear brightly in the north. After a moment, softly recite the invocation: “Third True Star, Upper True of the Nine Extremes, Lady of the Upper Origin, Tianji Po Essence, Upper Plain Nine Lords.” After calling this seven times, then pray:

One is willing to pray on behalf of a certain person that, from the seventh generation down to the present lifetime, all capital crimes, faults, accumulated evil deeds, and hidden sins that violate the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water (the Heaven Official, Earth Official, and Water Official of Daoism) be eliminated together. May the person’s vision become bright and clear, able to discern the obscure and subtle; may they fly upward to the Seven Origins (the celestial realm governed by the seven stars of the Northern Dipper); may their name be recorded in the Shangqing registers of immortals; may they command the myriad spirits; may they ascend the Jade Court, riding luminous Qi (vital energy) to soar through the void and abide together with Heaven.

When the prayer is finished, visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper descending from heaven, flying into one’s mouth and entering directly into the liver so that their radiance illuminates the five viscera, making interior and exterior thoroughly luminous. Then visualize in the mind that one faces north and bow twice. After bowing, swallow the saliva eighteen times; one may also rise and perform the ritual bows.

On the Dingyou day within the Jiawu decade, at midnight, sit upright on the sleeping couch facing north, join the hands, and knock the teeth seven times. Then raise the head and visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper so that they appear brightly in the north. After a moment, recite softly:

“The fourth Niu star, revolving the fundamental root; Xuanming Heaven, circulating the po Jing (essence); the Nine Lords of the Upper Void.”

Intone this prayer seven times. Then pray again:

One is willing to pray on behalf of a certain person that, from the seventh generation down to the present lifetime, all hidden evil sins of ingratitude and lack of virtue, of inhumanity and unfilial conduct, and the like, however many they may be, be completely extinguished. May the person ingest and absorb Jing (essence) and Qi so that they increase day by day; may they fly upward to the Seven Origins, their name engraved in the Taixuan and ranked among the immortals of the Jade Emperor; may they ride the wind into the Nine Heavens, command the spirits and harness the numinous Qi, with sun and moon constantly renewed.

When the prayer is finished, visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper descending from heaven, flying into one’s mouth and entering directly into the spleen so that their radiance becomes thoroughly bright and penetrating, illuminating the five viscera. Then visualize in the mind that one faces north and bow twice. After bowing, swallow the saliva eighteen times; one may also rise and perform the ritual bows.

On the Dingwei day within the Jiachen decade, at midnight, sit upright on the sleeping couch facing north, join the hands, and knock the teeth seven times. Then raise the head and visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper so that they appear brightly in the north. After a moment, recite softly:

“The fifth Gang star, Heavenly Balance; Dan Yuan Jade Steelyard, the Po Ling Upper Lord above.”

On the Dingwei day of the Jiachen ten-day cycle, at midnight, sit upright on the bed facing north with hands joined together and knock the teeth seven times. Then raise the head to visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper, allowing them to appear brightly in the north. After a while, softly recite:

“Fifth Gang Star, Heavenly Balance Cinnabar Origin Jade Balance, Soul-Spirit Upper Lord, Upper Origin Nine Lords.”

After calling this seven times, continue:

“May all inner and outer defilements and sins of so-and-so, from the seven generations down to so-and-so himself, together with the accumulated faults both outer and inner, however many thousands of billions of myriads they may number, as recorded in the netherworld barriers, be entirely eliminated. May the body become substantial and the primordial Qi (vital energy) abundant, the Huangting (Yellow Court, the inner landscape region of the body associated with the spleen and stomach) stabilize the spleen and stomach, the middle and upper regions be inscribed, the Grand Simplicity manifest its luminous appearance, and the name be registered in the Purple Palace (Ziqong); with jade maidens attending on the right and jade lads on the left, the sun and moon shining together in radiance, so as to take a place among the True Kings.”

When the recitation is finished, visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper flying down from heaven, entering the mouth and proceeding directly into the stomach, causing the stomach to become bright and translucent so that the five viscera are illuminated and rendered clearly distinct. Then, while mentally facing north, perform two bows. After bowing, swallow saliva eighteen times; one may also rise to perform the bows.

On the Dingsi day of the Jiayin ten-day cycle, at midnight, sit upright on the bed facing north with hands joined together and first knock the teeth seven times. Then raise the head to visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper, allowing them to appear brightly in the north. After a while, softly recite:

“Sixth Ji Star, Life Mechanism North Pole Opening Yang, Soul-Spirit Upper Cinnabar Void Emperor Nine Lords.”

After calling this seven times, continue the recitation:

The original text breaks off at this point.

May all vicious and evil sins committed and performed by so-and-so, from the seven generations down to the present person, together with all deeds of treachery, rebellion, disorder, and falsehood, be eliminated. May every charge registered in the palaces and offices of the Celestial Emperor be completely extinguished; may the hundred illnesses be healed, the body’s Qi (vital energy) flow unobstructed and harmonious, the name be recorded in the terraces and offices of the immortal realm and engraved upon the golden registers of Shangqing (the Clear Subtle immortal realm of Daoism), so that one may command the ten thousand spirits and fly through the Nine Heavens.

When the prayer is finished, visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper flying down from heaven, entering the mouth, and proceeding straight into the kidneys, rendering the kidneys brightly luminous and transparent so that the five viscera become clearly visible. After the visualization, bow twice in the heart toward the north. After the bows, swallow the saliva eighteen times; one may also rise to perform the bows. On yang days visualize the starlight entering the left kidney; on yin days visualize it entering the right kidney. Odd-numbered days are yang, even-numbered days are yin.

In cultivating this method it is especially forbidden to come into contact with bloody filth or foul-smelling things, and also to be negligent or disrespectful; mixed consumption of meat, fish, and pungent spicy foods is likewise prohibited. Otherwise the sins will implicate the seven generations of ancestors above and bring calamity upon oneself below; after death one will become a low-ranking ghost and the name will be struck from the immortal registers of the Celestial Emperor.

On the night of the last day of each month—that is, the night before the first day of the following month—before the cock crows, sit upright facing east on the bed in the sleeping chamber, join the hands, and click the teeth seven times. Then look up at the seven northern stars and imagine them shining brightly upon one’s left side. After a moment, softly recite the prayer:

“Seventh Pass Star, Mysterious Yang Heavenly Pass, Yaoguang Great Brightness, Most High Jade Emperor Dao Lord.”

Recite this invocation seven times. Then pray again:

“May the secretly concealed sins of so-and-so from the seven generations down to the present person, together with crimes that violate the Five Punishments, be eliminated. The spirits within the body number in the thousands of millions of billions; their charges are all recorded in the ghost-official registers of the Northern Emperor (lord of the northern netherworld in Daoism). May these charges be completely extinguished, so that so-and-so’s Shen (spirit), Qi (vital energy), and Jing (essence) become bright, clear, and penetrating, and while sitting upright one can immediately…”

The concluding phrase “er, bi, nai zhu yue” appears to contain textual errors or omissions, and the remainder of the text is likewise unfinished; the translation above follows the extant wording, and the precise meaning after “sitting in sudden death” cannot be determined.

May I eliminate the sins committed by so-and-so through concealment and covert actions from seven lifetimes past up to the present life. All the body gods recorded in the registers of the ghost officials of the Northern Emperor (Beidi)—Daoism holds that guardian spirits reside within the human body—numbering in the tens of millions of billions, let their offenses be completely extinguished. May the spirit and qi of so-and-so circulate freely through the eight directions, enabling one to see distant places while seated, to hear the most minute sounds with keen ears, and to produce purple light from both eyes that illuminates the Jade Registers and the Great Simplicity (Taisu, the pure primordial source spoken of in Daoism), thoroughly revealing the forms of ghosts. May the name be entered in the registers of the Imperial Lords, with a lifespan equal to that of the sun and moon, flying among the Seven Origins (Qiyuan, the designation for the stellar deities of the Big Dipper), and dwelling peacefully in the Purple Court (Ziting, the palaces of the heavenly realm).

After the prayer is completed, visualize the seven stars of the Big Dipper (Beidou) descending from heaven and entering directly into the pupils of both eyes, their radiance penetrating the two eyes and making them bright inside and out so that one contemplates one’s own form. Next visualize the five viscera, rendering them clear and distinct. On yang days visualize the stars entering the left pupil; on yin days visualize them entering the right pupil. When finished, face north in the mind and bow twice. After bowing, swallow the saliva in the mouth eighteen times; one may also rise and perform the bows.

On the six Jia days (liujia, the six days beginning with the heavenly stem Jia), at midnight when vital energy is abundant, perform this on the bed in the sleeping chamber, whether lying or sitting, with the head facing any direction. Form the wogu mudra with both hands (a Daoist cultivation gesture of curling the fingers into fists), hold the breath and concentrate the spirit. After a short time knock the teeth nine times and then swallow saliva eighteen times; one may also rise to perform the ritual bows.

In the same manner, on the six Jia days at midnight when vital energy is vigorous, lie or sit on the bedchamber bed with the head in any direction. Form the wogu mudra, hold the breath and concentrate the spirit. Shortly afterward knock the teeth nine times. Then visualize the nine stars of the Big Dipper shining brilliantly above the crown of the head, their lights reflecting upon one another. Softly recite the invocation: “Eighth Imperial Star, High Jade Emperor Deity (Gaoshang Yuhuang Shen); Primordial Lord of the Eight Landscapes (Bajing Yuanjun); Ninth Honored Star, Jade Emperor Lord of Great Subtlety (Taiwei Yudi Jun); Primordial Lord of the Seven Mornings of Great Simplicity (Taisu Qichen Yuanjun).” Intone the titles of each of these honored deities nine times. When that is done, recite the prayer text once more.

I wish that all the great and small offenses committed by my parents and ancestors of nine generations down to myself, in mountain ridges, rivers, water sources, and similar places, be entirely eliminated. Some of these offenses have already been entered in the registers of the dead; others involve secretly doing evil, committing violence and treachery, concealing the truth and practicing deception, and their number is beyond counting. Some are listed in the ledgers of Fengshan of the Ghost Emperor; others are recorded as capital crimes in the black registers of the Nine Origins Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Perfected Ones of the North. I pray to the Jade Mystery Lord, the Great Emperor of the Nine Origins (a Daoist deity), that these offenses be eliminated one by one in their entirety, so that the related departed souls may soar along the seven paths, ascend to Yuqing (Jade Purity, a Daoist immortal realm), roam together in Taiwu (the vast emptiness of which Daoism speaks), ride upon a sun-like radiance to be born at dawn, dwell in peace in the northern realm of the Eight Purities, and last as long as the sun and moon; that they may preside over the imperial consorts at court assemblies and command and govern the myriad spirits.

After the prayer is completed, visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper descending from heaven and entering directly into one’s own Niwan Purple Chamber (the divine chamber within the head). Let the light of the seven stars illuminate the Niwan and cause the radiance to penetrate the five viscera throughout the body, so that purple cloud-Qi (vital energy) arises both within and without, dense, abundant, and filling everything. Quiet the mind and contemplate this scene. When the visualization is finished, perform another bow in the heart, then swallow the saliva twenty-seven times.

If it is a Liu Jia day, the last day of the lunar month, or a Liu Ding day, one may visualize in a similar manner, gradually adjusting and carefully practicing according to circumstances, without frequently scheduling these days one after another. Each ritual is to be conducted in this way, so as to follow the true method completely. At this point, the Dao (the Way) of the Supreme One’s Returning to the Origin and Confession of Sins is thereby completed.