《上清神宝洞房真讳上经》

The Shangqing Divine Treasure Cavern Chamber True Taboo Upper Jing (scripture/classic), also known as the Sequential Record of the Azure Youth Dao Lord and the Grand Protector Jade Jing. Immortals who cultivate this Jing can become Perfected Ones of Shangqing. In former times Lady Wei (named Huacun) transmitted the Jing to Lord Xu (named Yuanyou). Lord Xu dwelt at the Yong Terrace of the Western City and, making a solemn covenant, offered precious objects such as the Purple Scene Ten Flower Medicinal Jade and the Star Cloud Precious Empyrean Soaring Phoenix Brocade, presenting them in report to Shangqing. They stipulated that this Jing be transmitted to one Perfected One every hundred years, that unpublished scriptures not be leaked to worldly persons, but be presented and reported to Heaven.

The Jade Protector King Azure Legacy Dao Lord, named Longguangxuan, courtesy name Youwu. He was born from the Wood True One Qi (vital energy) of the Azure Mansion Flowing Light Nine Transformations, on Xuanluo Mountain in the Eastern Jade Na Country. In the mountain kingfisher splendor conceals Jing (essence), with flowing pearls guarding left and right; after nine thousand years fragrance pervades the agate flowers and radiance shines upon the roots of the numinous medicines. He stands nine chi in height and can discern the ten directions. Heavenly maidens hold his garments and the Jade Emperor kowtows in salute to him. When he recites his voice is clear and bright, spreading through mountain forests and valleys and shaking the four directions.

The Heavenly Treasure Divine Immortal King conferred upon him one hundred fifty-five sections of the secret registers of the Azure Origin Upper Perfected (a sacred roster and cultivation method transmitted in Daoism), in which the recorded true names and contents are complete and thorough. He transforms and nurtures all living beings, opening the era of the operation of the Dao (the Way). Concerning the root of opening the Dao, he spoke as follows:

The supreme Dao (the Way) is “Dongxu” (the realm of empty luminosity and penetrating clarity). The root of the transformations of the myriad things lies in “Jueyi” (the awakened mind capable of perception). Although Heaven and Earth do not speak, they nevertheless manifest; although the myriad things are numerous and diverse, each has its signs; the changes of thunder and lightning, wind, clouds, and breath cause people to feel resonances. This is because Jueyi can comprehend these changes: there is nothing among the myriad things that is not born from Dongxu and that does not continually transform.

“Hua” refers to constant transformation, while “bian” is the name given to change. The myriad phenomena of Heaven and Earth all arise from Dongxu, yet Dongxu itself is without form or substance. The traces of change and Jueyi both issue from “Dongfang” (here referring to the inner, subtle realm spoken of in the scripture). Dongfang is “non-being within being,” while Dongxu is “being within non-being.” Although there are existent things within the chamber, the formation of the myriad things does not follow human will.

Heaven’s creative transformation is ingenious, surpassing human skill; people cannot see it directly, yet they can comprehend it through the mind. When a person comprehends by means of Jueyi, this is “de” (to obtain); “de” means to acquire or to comprehend. Heaven manifests to people through images and bestows them upon them. If a person accords with the bestowed intention, then Dao and De (Virtue/Power) can merge into one with the primordial Qi (vital energy); in this way there is nothing that cannot be put into practice, and nothing that cannot be discerned. The coming and going of life and death, the flourishing and decline, waxing and waning of the myriad things, are all contained within Jueyi.

Heaven and Earth are our father and mother; the myriad things are no different from Heaven and Earth. The beginning and end, being and non-being of the myriad things, do not go beyond this principle. Acting in accordance with this, one will respond as one proceeds, and the subtle signs therein will naturally appear. “Ji” refers to the Zhenhui (true taboo names or secret appellations) spoken of in the Shangqing Shenbao Dongfang Zhenhui Shang Jing (scripture/classic). What is called “zhen” is truly according with this realm; what is called “hui” is to keep this realm secret. Those who obtain this Zhenhui can become Taishang immortals.

Yubao Daojun (a venerated deity of Shangqing Daoism) at that time radiated a jade-like glow from his entire body, an inexhaustible brilliance. He wore a tall crown, jewels illuminating his form, and was draped in rosy mists; auspicious omens appeared between heaven and earth, and the cinnabar fungi also released their fragrance.

After cultivating the true Dao (the Way), he withdrew to a purification chamber and reported the circumstances of Qingtong (a Daoist venerated deity) to Jinque Dijun (a heavenly venerated deity): “Great and profound, it has attained the ultimate. It causes the myriad things to arise and broadly bestows its grace, nourishing the root of the transformations of all things; therefore it is called ‘Jade Treasure.’ Like an infant it guards softness and abides in stillness, its profound grace remaining unrevealed; therefore it is called Qingtong.”

Jinque Dijun said to Qingtong: “You possess jade bones, and within your heart are the Nine Sovereigns (nine deities); your two eyes shine like windows of the sun, a purple divine spirit resides between your eyebrows, and your azure eyes are deep and luminous. You ought originally to ascend to the rank of the High True Ones. Now I transmit to you the secret appellations of the Dao; your physical form is lodged within the harmonious Qi (vital energy) of heaven and earth, and you too should cultivate calmness, allowing being and non-being to unite and transform, ultimately ascending into the Mysterious Palace (the deep palaces of the heavenly realm).”

Qingtong Daojun withdrew to the Yulin purification chamber, performed the rites, and requested instruction. Jinque Dijun then told him: “You should dwell quietly in solitude, close your eyes and practice contemplation, making yourself as though your eyes were open; then practice in the interval between opening and closing the eyes, neither departing from what is seen nor clinging to it. Persist for one hundred days, and during nocturnal contemplation light will appear and the light will also penetrate.

“Thereafter, gather the heavenly light into the Mysterious Mirror (the mirror of the mind-spirit used for inner contemplation), successively visualize the crystal-like radiance within the body, then gaze upward to the True Ultimate (the highest heavenly realm) and downward illuminate the three True Deities, each the size of a square inch, within the Cavern Chamber (the divine chamber inside the human body). After one hundred days of contemplation you will hear sounds like heavenly thunder; this square-inch space will expand to one zhang in extent. After one hundred eighty days it will become as spacious as a great hall; after three hundred days as grand as a palace; after one thousand days it will equal the vastness of heaven and earth.

“Do not deliberately think, yet visualization arises; do not intentionally ponder, yet thought arises; do not cling to awareness, yet awareness arises; do not hold intention, yet comprehension arises. So long as Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) are concentrated and interpenetrate as one, the myriad phenomena will all manifest. Everything previously attained through contemplation and intention is contained therein. The marvelous Dao naturally appears; after appearing it returns to the obscure and subtle, enabling one to withdraw leisurely from the dusty world. You will behold within the Cavern Chamber your own inexhaustible, boundless creativity. At that time you will suddenly ascend to heaven, sit peacefully in the Cavern Chamber holding a scripture and facing south, and Huang-Lao (the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, also referring to Daoist venerated deities) will nourish you with marvelous substances.”

After practicing this method for one thousand days, Qing Tong Daojun (the Azure Lad, an immortal from the Shangqing scriptures) wears the Huoluo (the mysterious talismanic pendants spoken of in the scriptures), rides a phoenix and mounts clouds of Qi (vital energy), and arrives at the Solar Palace. Within the sun everything is a boundless expanse of crimson. You suddenly ascend to the heavens and sit at ease in the inner chamber (the divine room visualized in contemplative meditation), holding a Jing (scripture) and facing south, whereupon Huang-Lao (the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, here referring generally to Daoist deities) nourishes you with wondrous substances.

After Qing Tong Daojun has practiced this method for one thousand days, wearing the Huoluo, riding a phoenix and mounting the clouds, he arrives at the Solar Palace. The crimson Qi within the sun condenses into Jing (essence), swirling and circulating through a thousand winding turns; the Shen (spirit) of the solar origin congeals into a jade essence named “Yuyi Red Chapter Dragon Script.” Qing Tong bows to it and takes in the solar Jing and Qi.

This is the text of Dongming Yuqing Taishang (a Daoist deity).

Qing Tong Daojun says: Ingest the solar elixir and layers of radiant rings will shine brightly; draw in Qi and absorb the most refined Qi, then ascend into the moon. The yellow Qi blends and opens wide, finely gathering the golden radiance, containing emptiness and stillness while nurturing brightness, so that the Shen and the intention become clear and settled. This is called “Jielin Yellow Book Tiger Script.”

Qing Tong Daojun gazes upward into the void of Xuanji (the utmost heights of heaven), causing the divine lights to interpenetrate one another; he causes the Qi of sun and moon to condense and refines them into a cool, pure true form. Heaven and earth gather the mysterious principles within, and the Shen appear from their dwellings. Looking back upon the Nine Heavens, he flies to the farthest reaches of the eight directions; the Golden Perfected (Daoist golden immortals) take in the Qi, and the Jade Empyrean (the celestial realm) once more emits light. The light pervades the entire body, and inward contemplation reveals the Three Palaces; the Three Palaces unite and transform, revealing two Shen. The two Shen appear from their dwellings, looking back upon the Nine Heavens and flying to the farthest reaches of the eight directions; the Golden Perfected take in Qi, and the Jade Empyrean again emits light. The light pervades the entire body, and inward contemplation reveals the Three Palaces; the Three Palaces unite and transform into twenty-seven palaces, and in the majestic Golden Court the jade infants sit according to their ranks.

The Niwan (the upper Dantian, or energy center, in the head) contains nine palaces, each with its own name; downward it connects to the Long Tower, where there are twelve jade cities.

The middle Dantian of the human body (one of the Dantians, an internal cultivation site located between the chest and abdomen) contains nine spirit palaces. The higher concave and flat area above the two breasts is the Shoucun Shuangtian (two internal sites used for visualization and holding). On the left is a great deity named Mingning, courtesy name Shuping; on the right is a great deity named Zhengjing, courtesy name Zizhang. He wears a red embroidered robe and holds a fire bell to illuminate the four directions.

Louhuan is the Zhenren Palace, inhabited by the Yuqing Zhenren named Tianyu, courtesy name Xuantong. He wears a cyan-cloud robe and holds a jade mirror. The lungs are the Haoqing Palace, containing the Suhua Daojun named Cheng, courtesy name Yuxu. He wears a flying-cloud robe, sits on a golden bed, and holds a large pearl the size of a chicken egg. The heart is the Danyuan Palace, containing the Yuzhen named Longjing, courtesy name Xishen. He wears a red brocade-jade robe and holds the sun in his mouth. The spleen is the Huangshi Palace, containing the central Jade Maiden named Shesheng, courtesy name Bohun. She wears a purple-mist robe and holds a jade ruler. The liver is the Lanling Palace, containing Mugong named Changjing, courtesy name Mengxian. He wears a jade-green sky robe, holds the Jade Emperor’s talismanic writings, and sits on the back of a piebald dragon. The gallbladder is the Taizhen Palace, containing the Xuanguang Tongzi named Yanweiyu, courtesy name Xianhunzi. He wears a purple-cloud robe and holds a precious sword. The left kidney is the Yudi Palace, containing the Xuanqing Jun named Tongzhen, courtesy name Youfu. He wears a green-cloud robe and holds fire jade. The right kidney is the Yunü Palace, containing the Zhengzhen Tongzi named Xugen, courtesy name Zhengxian. He wears a yellow-jade robe, sits with palms joined facing forward. Inside the large intestine is the Taichang Palace, containing the Gaoshang Jun named Dongying, courtesy name Hanhua. He wears a cyan-cloud robe and holds a qiong (bamboo staff).

The spirits of these nine palaces all appear as infants, sitting upright amid purple clouds and governing the square-inch region (the location of the heart-spirit within the human body).

The lower Dantian (energy center) has nine palaces. The recessed areas at a slightly higher position on both sides of the navel are called the Twin Fields, in which dwell two great deities: the left one is named Biaoyuan, courtesy name Qiwang; the right one is named Liming, courtesy name Jingqing. They both wear purple embroidered robes and hold torches, illuminating the Nine Abysses below, guarding and stabilizing the light of life.

One inch inward is the Mingtang Palace, which contains the great deity Taokang, named Yuwei, courtesy name Shangming, wearing a red brocade robe and sitting on a golden bed. Two inches inward is the Dongfang Palace, which contains the Mysterious High Emperor Lord, named Wuyou, courtesy name Mingzhen, wearing a black brocade robe and holding a key. Three inches inward is the Dantian Palace, at the center of which is the great deity of the Life Palace, named Wuguang, courtesy name Qinyuan, wearing a crimson fine robe and holding a jade bell.

Four inches inward is the Liuzhu Palace, which contains the great deity of Weak Water, named Jiyuan, courtesy name Tianying, wearing a white robe of light gauze. Five inches inward is the Ziji Palace, which contains the great deity Taiyi, named Baoling, courtesy name Qingsheng, wearing a single-layer brocade robe.

From this point, one inch upward is the Dongyuan Palace, which contains the Southern Upper Jade Consort, named Su, courtesy name Juechang, wearing a blue-green cloud-patterned robe. Two inches upward is the Dongting Palace, which contains the High Emperor of Azure Origin, named Dahuang, courtesy name Zengzi, wearing a yellow embroidered robe. Three inches upward is the Dongyang Palace, which contains the Great Lord of Solar Mystery, named Yuming, courtesy name Jiansheng, wearing a black brocade robe. Four inches upward is the Dongzhen Palace, which contains the great deity Diyi, named Bogao, courtesy name Duyuan, wearing vermilion clothing, sitting upright and facing outward.

The nine palaces of the lower Dantian are each one inch square. The deities within the palaces all have the appearance of infants and sit amid yellow clouds of Qi (vital energy).

The Azure Lad Lord of the Dao (Qing Tong Daojun), a venerated deity of Shangqing Daoism, perceives the twenty-seven Perfected Ones. They are arrayed like jade infants, secretly disposed within lotus-like palaces; their spirit-thought returns to the subtle and hidden, attaining a state of no-knowing and no-awareness, their bodily forms uniting with the Dao (the Way) of the Great Mystery. The Qi (vital energy) of Dao and De (Virtue/Power) arrives and dwells here, becoming one with Heaven. The invocation says:

Palaces and towers connect in successive layers, and jade officials dwell within the nine-fold city. The Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water are arrayed in their several places, while lights of cinnabar-red and azure-green display the Jing (essence). The Jing circulates through the hundred passes of the entire body, lying hidden to refine and transform the physical form. Subtle Existence, the wondrous manifestation of the Dao, unites with primordial Qi, and light is born amid transformation. Commanding and riding the realm of Great Existence, one ascends in flight to the Heaven of Jade Clarity.

The Dao is already complete, the spirit-treasure perfectly full. In the midst of mystery one receives the true secret names of the divine Perfected. The blessing of De extends throughout all living beings, and the Jade Emperor’s face is glad. The body unites with the Qi of Subtle Existence; light is born amid transformation. Commanding and riding the realm of Great Existence, one ascends in flight to the Heaven of Jade Clarity.

The Dao is already complete, the spirit-treasure perfectly full. In the midst of mystery one receives the true secret names; the blessing of De extends throughout all living beings, and the Jade Emperor’s face is glad. The body rides a dragon chariot, traveling throughout the ten thousand heavens. Gazing down upon the sun, moon, and stars, one knows while sitting upright the affairs of a hundred million years. Thus this scripture was composed and engraved upon the Mysterious Observatory of the Jade Tower of Eastern Florescence, to be transmitted to those high Perfected Ones whose names are registered in gold and recorded on azure-written jade slips.

The Scripture of the Dao of the Azure Lad, Jade-Preserving King

Nine times the dragon embryo is opened, a symbol of the mysterious state in which true Qi is gestated, beginning first with embryonic breathing. Embryonic breathing is deep and hidden, as if at the primordial beginning of Great Nonbeing. In the realm of Jade Emptiness, formless Qi constantly circulates; true intention gathers together with the precious methods of the Dao. The body draws near the rosy glow of Fusang in the east, swallowing and inhaling Qi as if rising forth from the Purple Towers. The Three Primes of Heaven, Earth, and Water return to the beginning of the Primordial Origin, governing the realm of Upper Mystery with the highest De.

At the moment when resonance is aroused, the scene remains dim and hard to discern. What wondrous awareness penetrates is precisely the Dao of nature itself. The Father of Taokang and Xuanji, divine names within the scripture, causes the Jing of life to rise to the Mud Pill, the cultivation site in the head. The vermilion pearl nourishes the cloud-root, and the heavenly tip descends into the deep abyss. The true Shen (spirit) unites with the mother’s Jing, flowing on and on like a fine stream of clear spring water. Silently one drives and rides Lord Boyu; morning clouds rise and condense into mist. Light shines and is stored at the place of the Jade Lord above, supporting and drawing one into the midst of Zhenrong. Golden radiance conceals itself within the splendor of the numinous mushroom, and the Great Emperor bows in greeting upon the jade steps.

The name of the True Constant appears within chaotic transformation; wisdom causes life to undergo nine turnings. A lifespan of a hundred million years is still not considered long. When one cultivates the unchanging Flying Spirit Elixir, the Great Dao is able to endure forever. The Dao of long endurance operates amid opening and closing, amid transformation and change.

The jade scripture of Qing Tong Daojun has oaths and prohibitions of the utmost solemnity; it is the hidden and mysterious pivot of the Dao. Now Qing Tong Daojun rests within the Azure Grove, generally directing and examining the Upper Perfected, regulating and guiding spirit-Qi. A lifespan of a hundred million years is still not considered long. When one cultivates the unchanging Flying Spirit Elixir, the Great Dao is able to endure forever. The Dao of long endurance operates amid opening and closing, amid transformation and change.

The Jade Scripture of Qing Tong Daojun (a venerated deity of Shangqing Daoism) treats oaths and precepts as of the utmost importance; they form the profound pivotal essence of the Dao (the Way). At present Qing Tong Daojun dwells at ease in the Azure Forest, overseeing and examining the Highest Perfected Ones, regulating and directing Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy), and nurturing all things. The true secret names of the Divine Treasure exist prior to Heaven and Earth. Anyone able to know this scripture can cultivate immortality; those who know its precious divine names can ascend to the ancestral mystery realm, attend closely upon the Heavenly Emperor, and enjoy boundless longevity.