《洞真太上八道命籍经》

The upper scroll of the Explanation of the Scripture of Registers of Destiny and the Eight Paths of the Most High in the Cavern of Truth expounds the “instructions for using the method to absolve sins.”

The Scripture of Registers of Destiny and the Eight Paths is also known as the Scripture of the Eight Intervals and the Scripture of the Eight Reaches. It is also called the Wondrous Scripture of the Eight Liberations: Untangling Bonds, Undoing Knots, Acknowledging Sins, and Extending Blessings. According to tradition, the Three Primordial Ladies of Great Simplicity, revered deities in Daoism, received this scripture from the “Chapters of Nature.” They sealed it in the Purple Chamber of the Numinous Capital of the Most High, where three hundred attendants bearing golden insignia and jade blossoms guarded it and maintained its incense offerings. The Youth of the Eastern Sea, the Perfected Ones of the Four Extremities, and Lord Wang of the Western City sealed the scripture in the Western Chamber of Mount Emei.

The scripture says that this classic is transmitted only once in countless kalpas. Only those whose names appear in the “Emperor’s Register of the Mysterious Names, written in purple characters,” and who have been admitted to the jade repository of the Azure Palace, are qualified to hear it three times over the course of a thousand years. A seeker of the Dao who has not obtained this scripture will ultimately fail to attain the Dao, even if they practice in the mountains and forests in vain.

The “Eight Paths” are the eight routes taken by the Sun and Moon in their courses. The Sun travels along the equator, and the Moon along the ecliptic. These two paths, the equatorial and ecliptic, are the regular routes of Yin-Yang. At the Start of Spring and the Spring Equinox, the Moon travels along the azure path, east of the ecliptic. At the Start of Summer and the Summer Solstice, it follows the red path, south of the ecliptic. At the Start of Autumn and the Autumn Equinox, it follows the white path, west of the ecliptic. At the Start of Winter and the Winter Solstice, it follows the black path, north of the ecliptic. Together, these are called the Eight Paths.

The scripture also says that when the Moon travels along the Eight Paths, all things undergo change. Living beings imbued with vitality, such as birds and reptiles, as well as plants and creatures of land and water, respond to conditions and change accordingly: the old fades and the new arises; the light grows heavy and the heavy grows light; good and evil also transform into one another. These are natural phenomena brought about by changes in Qi and the movements of celestial bodies.

Those who have succeeded in cultivating the Dao should respond to these changes by teaching and guiding others: nurture what is auspicious and good, eliminate what is ominous and harmful, encourage good deeds and abandon evil ones, bring light to the fore and leave darkness behind, guide people toward the proper path and correct deviant conduct, refine away falsehood to realize what is true, and lead the ignorant toward sagehood. The scripture regards this method as subtle and wondrous, and therefore calls it the “Eight Reaches”; its principles are profound and inexhaustible.

The First Register of Destiny: At dawn on the day Beginning of Spring, gaze toward the north. If you see clouds of purple, green, and white, they are the Three Plain Clouds appearing as the Supreme Three Origins Lords, revered deities of Daoism, make their procession. At that moment, visualize the scene within the clouds. Knock your head and pat your cheeks nine times each, pay respects inwardly four times, then bow twice. Afterward, silently recite this prayer:

“Your great-grandchild, [name], has today had the good fortune to encounter the Three Origins Lords on their procession. I pray for long life and wish to serve their carriage. For any other request, make it according to your own wishes: for this illness, pray for recovery; for this hardship, pray to overcome it; for this calamity, pray for it to be dispelled; for this undertaking, pray for success.”

If you see the carriage in the clouds three times, you will be able to ascend to immortality in broad daylight, without needing to repeat any other visualization practices. If you use this method to pray for someone’s recovery from illness, escape from hardship, deliverance from calamity, or success in an undertaking, then seeing the carriage in the clouds three times will also enable you to ascend to immortality in broad daylight, without having to perform other visualizations hundreds or thousands of times. Those who practice by this method will certainly be entered into the registers of the immortals. Hence it is called the “Eight Registers of Destiny.”

The Second Register of Destiny: At midnight on the day of the Spring Equinox, gaze toward the northeast. If you see clouds of black, blue-green, and yellow, they are the Three Plain Clouds appearing as the Lord Emperor of the Great Tenuity Heaven. Visualize, pay respects, and silently recite the prayer as described above.

The Third Register of Destiny: At dawn on the day Beginning of Summer, gaze toward the northwest. If you see clouds of purple, blue-green, and yellow, they are the Three Plain Clouds appearing as the Supreme True Lord of the Great Ultimate and the Perfected Ones of the Inner Palace of the Three Origins. Visualize, pay respects, and silently recite the prayer as described above.

The Fourth Register of Destiny: At dawn on the day of the Summer Solstice, gaze toward the southeast. If you see clouds of red, white, and blue-green, they are the Three Plain Clouds appearing as the Great Lord Emperor of Fusang. Visualize, pay respects, and silently recite the prayer as described above.

The Fifth Register of Destiny: At dawn on the day Beginning of Autumn, gaze due west. If you see clouds of white, red, and purple, they are the Three Plain Clouds appearing as the Perfected One of Great Purity and the Lord White Emperor of Heaven. Visualize, pay respects, and silently recite the prayer as described above.

The Sixth Register of Destiny: At dawn on the day of the Autumn Equinox, gaze toward the south. If you see clouds of plain white, red, and yellow, they are the Three Plain Clouds appearing as the Supreme Perfected One of the Southern Pole and the Lord Red Emperor of the Upper Sovereignty. Visualize, pay respects, and silently recite the prayer as described above.

On the day of the “Seventh Register of Destiny,” at dawn on the Beginning of Winter, face southwest and look toward the sky. If you see clouds of green, purple, and blue, they are understood to be the “Three Plain Clouds” (clouds of three colors) manifested by the Perfected Ones of Highest Clarity, the Sovereign Lords, and the Imperial Ancestors. Visualize them with reverence, bow, and silently recite the incantation; follow the method described earlier.

On the day of the “Eighth Register of Destiny,” at dawn on the Winter Solstice, face due east and look toward the sky. If you see clouds of vermilion, jade green, and yellow, they are understood to be the “Three Plain Clouds” manifested by the Jade Consort of the Great Empyrean and the Perfected Ones of the Great Void. Likewise, visualize them, bow, and silently recite the incantation, following the method described earlier.

For each of these eight days of the Registers of Destiny, bathe and burn incense one or two days in advance to prepare. On the appointed day, go outside at the prescribed hour to observe the sky, then return indoors after about the time it takes to eat a meal. If it is cloudy or raining, there is no need to look. If you happen to see such clouds on a day that is not appointed, bow and recite the incantation as described earlier; this is said to be three times as effective as performing the practice on an appointed day.

If the sins and entanglements accumulated in past lives and this life, in former times and the present, have not yet been cleared away; if repeated confessions have not brought true forgiveness and pardon remains delayed, then you should cultivate and accumulate merit, bow, and recite the incantation as described earlier. This is said to be three times as effective as performing the practice on an appointed day.

If the knots of sin from this life and past lives remain unresolved, confession is insincere, and forgiveness is delayed, it will be difficult to accumulate merit and advance in cultivation. When tested by demonic obstacles, you may not recognize what is happening and will often regress and fall away. Old age will come readily, the hope of attaining immortality will be hard to fulfill, and in the end you will depart never to return, enduring the sufferings of the netherworld for a long time. Those who cultivate the Dao should understand this, become alert, make a firm resolve, and aspire to the Great Dao. With sincere devotion, they can move the mysterious and reach the spirits, and may thereby obtain a Register of Destiny—a record of a cultivator’s rank and allotted fate—truly sever the roots of sin, undo harmful bonds, strengthen the roots of goodness, prevent the host of malign forces from intruding, and swiftly become perfected. If they can recite with single-minded focus and cultivate in secret, there will be a response.

To remove the burden of sinful karma, one must first observe purification and fasting, and perform the rite on one of the Eight Fasting Days—days suited to the practice of fasting rites. During the observance, body and mind must be pure and solemn. Those who do not share the same aspiration should not casually take part in the practice of the Great Dao.

Sages, perfected beings, immortals, and male and female practitioners often gather at the Dark Capital, observing the fast over long periods and assembling in purity. They teach living beings by setting an example in body and mind, widely practice good deeds, and save and aid the people. Living beings have never ceased to exist, even for an instant, so their instruction cannot be interrupted for an instant either. Since the work of responding to and transforming beings cannot cease, there must be a place where it is continually carried out. The Terrace of the Jade Capital is such a place.

All beings who are born must die, and those who die will be born again; the cycle of birth and death has no end. The heavens, earth, and lands are innumerable, and living beings continually pass through birth and death without pause. Arising and perishing alternate, while being and nonbeing depend on one another. Life is called “being,” and death is called “nonbeing”; yet nonbeing is not absolute nothingness, and being is not an unchanging state. By clinging neither to being nor to the annihilating view of nonbeing, one can respond continually and remain present, endure without perishing, and possess boundless wisdom.

Those who aspire to study and practice should turn together toward this Dao. The path to the Great Dao has stages, and entering it depends on Qi (the vital energy of life and the cosmos as understood in Daoism). By holding the divine powers in mind, gathering the breath of Qi, and practicing according to the prescribed methods, one climbs the stages step by step. This is called “fasting.” Fasting means bringing things into order and uprightness: cleansing one’s thoughts and purifying the body, so that body and mind accord and inner and outer are united. One remains focused and reverent, without deviation or weariness, without perfunctory effort or self-conceit, and draws near to the Highest Dao with a calm, detached mind. This is why it is called fasting.

There are many kinds of fasting practice, too many to record in full. They are generally transmitted by sages and perfected beings, passed from teacher to student by word of mouth, and their rites are also recorded in various scriptures. Here only the main points are outlined; how to adapt and carry them out depends on each practitioner. To study without fasting is merely to waste effort and gain nothing. It is like having firewood but no fire, or fire but nothing with which to kindle it; like wishing to ascend to heaven without a ladder of clouds, or to fly without the aid of astral Qi. However hard one tries, one will scarcely achieve one’s aim. To fulfill one’s wishes, one must rely on fasting. Once the fast has brought stillness and purity, one must also repent of one’s faults. If wrongdoing is not washed away, good fortune will not arrive; if good fortune does not come, calamity will draw near. Once calamity strikes, it is difficult to avert, and there is then no way to become an immortal or a sage.

Sages and immortals fast for long periods and devote themselves to contemplating the Dao. Over time, they remove and repent of their many faults, distance themselves from misfortune, welcome good fortune, and accumulate blessings and De (Virtue/Power). When their De is complete, they can enter the Great Dao, unite with the divine powers, and enjoy lasting peace and happiness without suffering.

Those who aspire to reach this state should free themselves from worldly entanglements, vow to practice pure fasting, and adopt the Three Origins method, a practice associated with Daoist beliefs about the Three Origins. This method takes “guarding the One” as its foundation. The One finds its destination in tranquility, and tranquility is rooted in the human heart; therefore, one should bring the heart into harmony. The beauty of harmony is something people cherish. Learning and spreading this method is not easy, mainly because the sins of the past and present remain entangled as obstacles, and evil spirits may also interfere. One should therefore promptly undertake fasting and, according to the prescribed forms, perform rites of repentance at three or six periods of the day, making vows and confessing one’s faults. For the specific rites and words, one may consult the relevant scriptures and methods and carry them out in order.

After completing the fast, one should also give alms to those in need, aid those in danger, secretly accumulate hidden virtue, correct one’s thoughts and conduct, and diligently perform good deeds. Knowing that something should not be done, one must not do it. If one has committed a fault, one should repent; after committing it again, one should repent again. After three acts of repentance, calamity will recede and good fortune will come. If one’s wishes are still not fulfilled, one should continue practicing with diligence and not slacken, stopping only when one’s wishes have come true and one has attained the Dao and become an immortal. The scripture also warns that once the same fault has been committed more than three times, one must no longer seek repentance. Even if one repents, forgiveness will not be granted; everyone must therefore be cautious.

Calamities and misfortunes fall broadly into three kinds: those encountered before receiving the teachings, those encountered after receiving them, and those accumulated from birth onward. Each kind includes many circumstances of varying severity, too numerous to list one by one, so only a general account is given here. Similar cases may be understood by analogy. Although past and present lives, and former and present bodies, differ in how remote they are in time, the kinds of offenses committed are the same. Their origins should all be traced, and each offense explained and removed; through this, merit and virtue are accumulated.

Those born into wealthy and honorable families may be considered to have reached an intermediate state if they can balance worldly life with practice in the Daoist tradition, moving forward and withdrawing in safety and with good fortune attending them. Whatever their livelihood—serving as officials, conducting business, farming and raising silkworms, or fishing and hunting—as long as they do not indulge their desires, steal, engage in illicit sexual conduct, or meddle recklessly in the affairs of others; as long as the young and old in the household remain safe, the elderly die peacefully without illness, and the younger generations live without harm; and as long as they can bury the dead and welcome the newborn, mourn at funerals and celebrate happy occasions, they enjoy an ordinary measure of good fortune. Yet few are truly able to preserve it for long.

Some people enjoy the pleasures of the heavens but cease accumulating merit and virtue. Once their past blessings are exhausted, they may still fall into perilous realms. For this reason, the wise would rather be born in a lower realm and follow a master in practicing the Dao. Through the transmission between teacher and student, and through helping one another achieve success, they ultimately seek the way of the immortals and everlasting life. This is called “higher learning,” and its attainment surpasses that of ordinary, intermediate pursuits. Those in the intermediate state can practice higher learning only if they continue to advance. The realm of higher learning lies beyond the judgment of ordinary people with shallow understanding.

Repeated Bereavements (1):

If one’s grandfather, father, teacher, sovereign, or collateral relatives, whether older or younger, die before the calamities destined to end their lives, one must don mourning clothes. The misfortunes that befall them will also implicate oneself. This is believed to result from being unfilial, offending one’s elders, or personally doing or urging others to do base and improper things without repenting. To avert this, give money to buy many living creatures, feed them, and then release them so that each may return to a place suited to its life.

Frequent Illness from Childhood (2):

A person is often ill from birth; if, after recovering, family members or the person themselves fall ill one after another, this falls under the circumstances described in the third section. This is believed to result from a lack of compassion, harming living things, mocking others’ illnesses, or even cursing people with sickness. To avert this, prepare wine and medicines and, at night, place them where people pass by, such as on main roads and in markets, as well as in places of poverty and need.

Disputes Among Relatives (3):

Even when one is not at fault, one may be drawn into disputes for no apparent reason. People of any rank or gender, whether near or distant relatives, may become involved. This is believed to result from an unruly temperament, a love of fighting, urging others to litigate, and capturing or imprisoning living creatures such as flying birds and aquatic animals. To avert this, prepare paper, brushes, cinnabar ink, and knives, and give them to anyone one meets, without explaining why.

Quarrels and Disputes, Great and Small (4):

Daoist priests and laypeople slander one another and spread rumors; some write arguments without first checking the facts, provoking disputes out of nothing. This is believed to result from refusing advice, being habitually indifferent toward friends and family, speaking ill of others everywhere, and acting against admonitions. To avert this, prepare rice, soup, meat, seafood, fruit, and vegetables, and set them out at busy crossroads without staying to watch over them.

Encountering Robbers While Traveling (5):

Whether traveling for official or private reasons, or stopping in the countryside, one may be harassed and robbed by evildoers, or even injured. This is believed to result from a lack of compassion, robbing others, and acting against admonitions. To avert this, prepare rice, soup, meat, seafood, fruit, and vegetables, and set them out at busy crossroads without staying to watch over them.

Encountering Robbers While Traveling (5):

Whether traveling for official or private reasons, or stopping in the countryside, one may be harassed and robbed by evildoers, or even injured. This is believed to result from a lack of compassion, plundering everything, harming other people and spirits, and indulging one’s desires and pursuing personal gain. To avert this, use valuables and materials such as bamboo, wood, tiles, straw, earth, and bricks to repair houses or lodgings, and replace ritual implements (objects used in ceremonies).

Lack of Progress in One’s Studies (6).

Classic: The Scripture of the Registers of Destiny of the Eightfold Way of the Most High (Dongzhen Taishang Badao Mingji Jing)

You study books of the Classics, Histories, Masters, and Collections outside, and sacred writings, ritual arts, and important secrets within, yet you dislike hearing about the quest for the Dao (the Way). When you encounter related material, you turn away; even after years of reading and recitation, you still fail to understand it, wasting your time. These faults arise from an unrighteous heart, which leaves body and mind impure; from failing to observe proper conduct between teachers and friends; from envying the learning and talent of others; and even from taking it upon yourself to alter the scriptures. To make amends, use ointment and oil, firewood, charcoal, and candles to copy scriptures and images by hand, and encourage and assist those who share your aspirations.

For these six matters, reckoned according to the three grades, one should perform the practice ninety-nine thousand nine hundred times.

Failure in official life, seventh

As a ruler, minister, or official, you may lack ability in office and be dismissed; or, though you possess moderate virtue, you may be demoted without cause and return to your native place, confined to a remote region in poverty and distress. These misfortunes arise from neglecting proper conduct, pretending to a status you do not hold and making a show of yourself, acting arrogantly at court and in the provinces, and bullying people in every direction. To make amends, quietly take a broom and winnowing basket to another person’s home and sweep the roads morning and evening, without letting anyone know.

Having no sons and many daughters, eighth

Your wives and concubines may remain childless for many years; or they may bear sons who die soon afterward, while daughters survive. These misfortunes arise from going against Heaven’s order and defying one’s elders, severing other people’s lines of descent, or conspiring with others to commit adultery. To make amends, cast gold, silver, and precious gems into flowing water; make offerings to virtuous relatives who died without descendants; and carry on the family traditions and moral legacy of lineages that have been broken.

Harm to the fetus and difficulty raising children, ninth

After your wives or concubines become pregnant, the fetus may be harmed and miscarried; or a child may be born but live for fewer than ten days, or only until youth. These misfortunes arise from acting without care, engaging recklessly in sexual intercourse, harming another person’s fetus, or using rituals of suppression, cursing, and the like in public or private affairs. To make amends, bring fragrant oil, a golden scepter of good fortune, low tables and mats, and bamboo mats used for offerings to a ritual hall, a place where Daoist ceremonies such as sacrifices and purification rites are held.

Sexual misconduct and jealousy between men and women, tenth

Relations between spouses, or between a ruler and his concubines, may lack restraint; they may suspect and envy one another without cause, leaving the household and its surroundings in discord. These troubles arise from failing to preserve chastity, with each spouse secretly consorting with others; from competing to display one’s own virtues while venting anger on others. To make amends, give away five-colored ink and multicolored silk along the roads, without distinguishing between rich and poor, high and low.

Mutual bullying and humiliation between people of high and low status, eleventh

When an emperor encounters bandits, disaster falls upon him, yet his anger shows on someone else’s face. To avert this, place five-colored ink and multicolored silk on a road, whether those concerned are rich and noble or poor and humble.

The Noble and Lowly Suffering Humiliation (Category Eleven)

An emperor is harassed by bandits, a minister is robbed, a monk or layperson meets with danger, or someone is injured or insulted on the road. The calamity stems from turning away from the right path and abandoning good for evil, overturning the proper relations between men and women, or defiling a pure place. To avert it, quietly send incense burners, boxes and caskets, and bronze or iron objects into the mountains and wilderness. One may also help others marry or encourage people to attend purification gatherings.

Calamities Caused by Water, Fire, Insects, Birds, Ghosts, and Other Beings (Category Twelve)

Calamities involving livestock behaving strangely or changing in unusual ways may occur at home, while traveling, or in mountains, rivers, and along roads. The calamity stems from unrighteous conduct, dismemberment and slaughter, and disrespect toward one’s family, ruler, teacher, or elders. It may also arise from disrupting proper relations within the household and threatening one another. To avert it, cast items such as hats, clothing, chests, tables, knives, and spoons into the mountains, by the water, or onto roads where people pass.

For the six items above, carry out each practice thirty-three thousand three hundred times according to the regulations of the three grades.

Losing Possessions Without Cause (Category Thirteen)

Scriptures, treasures, money, grain, cloth, ministers, servants, and other possessions are lost without cause. The calamity stems from lax discipline, laziness, and letting matters get out of hand. It may also arise from being unable to bear another person’s request for something, or from stealing from others for personal gain. To avert it, send items such as glue, lacquer, locks, and keys to the place of governance.

Mistakes Caused by Drunkenness and Confused Memory (Category Fourteen)

When reciting scriptures or speaking, one forgets what came before and leaves out what follows; when passing on a message, one distorts it or conveys it incorrectly. The calamity stems from acting carelessly and treating confusion and disorientation as harmless. Negligence in reciting and studying scriptural precepts can also bring misfortune. To avert it, send a bright mirror and assorted hides to the place of governance.

Living in a Remote Place (Category Fifteen)

One lives in a humble lane in the Central Plains, a border town, the lands of the Rong and Yi peoples, or a place made remote by mountains and rivers. The calamity stems from indecision in handling affairs, keeping close to flatterers, showing favoritism to those close at hand, and damaging other people’s dwellings. To avert it, place tools such as knives, axes, saws, chisels, hammers, drills, and nails on the road.

Suffering Calamity Despite Doing Good (Category Sixteen)

If one incurs offense through fasting and purification, almsgiving, fighting, harming, or violating others, or through theft, disaster, or the disturbance of humans and ghosts, the cause lies in failing to understand the principles, going against the Three Revered Ones—the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters honored in Daoism—and falsely invoking the names of gods and ghosts to make reckless judgments based on divination and dream omens. The way to resolve this is to use ritual objects such as golden dragons and jade fish, attach their images to bamboo slips, and then cast them into mountains or rivers.

Doing Good Yet Bringing About Harmful Results Seventeen

You speak to someone with good intentions, yet they suspect your words are harmful. Advice instead breeds resentment, and you are met with contempt, mockery, and angry accusations; the bitterness only grows. The fault lies in a lack of wisdom: mistaking ignorance for insight, slandering the Daoist teachings of one’s master, and grasping for fame and praise. The way to resolve this is to light lamps—ten, a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand—following the prescribed ritual numbers and dates, and acting according to one’s means.

What Should Have Succeeded Instead Fails Eighteen

Whether it is a worldly undertaking, building or construction, starting a venture, or a public or private plan, something that by all reason should succeed is instead thwarted by people or spirits and gods. The fault lies in failing to understand the principles, acting in ways that meet obstacles at every turn, behaving recklessly, and destroying what others have already accomplished. The way to resolve this is to provide and make use of servants, carriages and horses, oxen, boats, lamps, candles, and other such things for the matter at hand.

For the six items above, carry out the practice 77,777 times according to the rules of the three grades.

Having Gained Something, Then Losing It Nineteen

Whether something sought in the world or a public or private matter, you have clearly obtained it and can see it as you come and go, but then, suddenly—moments later or after some time—you no longer know where it has gone. The fault lies in an unclear heart and mind: freely accepting all kinds of possessions, concealing ill-gotten gains, and later regretting and reproaching others for having shown them kindness. The way to resolve this is to give away things you wear, use, and cherish. When you go out and meet someone, give them something, without asking whether they are poor or in need.

Being Envied by Others Twenty

After the original text lists “having talent,” it goes on to say “suddenly no longer knowing where it is,” and describes the same pattern: something already gained is later lost. The fault lies in an unclear heart and mind: freely accepting possessions, hiding personal goods, and later regretting having helped others. The way to resolve this is to give away things you wear, use, and cherish as you travel; give to anyone you meet, without asking whether they need it.

Those who possess ability and virtue may gain status and wealth and earn people’s respect, yet thereby provoke envy and hatred. Such failings arise from treating people unfairly, favoring one’s own faction, acting arbitrarily, striving to outdo others, and suppressing the worthy and wise. To resolve them, prepare a wooden bed, bed curtains, and other such items as offerings for people of the Way. Give offerings to any person of the Way you encounter, whether or not you know them.

Suspected by Others, Twenty-One

One’s moral reputation and status grow day by day. Some respond by restraining their prominence and keeping themselves hidden; others cherish what they have gained and maintain their usual ways. Yet they are still suspected without cause. Such failings arise from disloyalty: deceiving people both openly and in secret, repeatedly breaking oaths, and delaying and ruining good works. To resolve them, prepare an urn and basin for cold water, along with the implements used for washing and bathing, and deliver them to the zhizhong, a Daoist place of cultivation or the person who oversees cultivation there.

Afflicted by Ghosts, Twenty-Two

One suddenly sees ghosts or strange beings, or has visions of men and women coupling; there may also be insults, shouts, or obscene behavior, of which one remains unaware. Such failings arise from a lack of integrity: making empty boasts, practicing fraud and deception, conducting sacrifices in a disorderly manner, confusing the false with the true, and disturbing the people. To resolve them, prepare a peachwood tablet for memorial talismans—a peachwood board used for writing talismans—clean and smooth it, and also prepare a ritual mat and cinnabar. Deliver these to the zhizhong.

In Contact with Evil Influences, Twenty-Three

An ordinary person suddenly begins to behave unusually. At times, illness brings visions that cause fear and distress. When the person seeks the right path and tries to understand these experiences, the episodes may cause no harm, but the evil influences and afflictions grow worse day by day. Such failings arise from improper conduct: using the name of Daoism to pursue worldly affairs, mixing men and women together, and disrupting the order between the human and divine realms. To resolve them, prepare an altar for scriptures, a hall or chamber, a bed and curtains, tables, towels and caps, kitchen chests, and other such items, and deliver them to the zhizhong.

Failing to Pass the Trials, Twenty-Four

Tests set by a master, friends, or a demon king, as well as unforeseen situations in public or private affairs, may involve things one has never encountered before and ought to reject. Yet one accepts them as good, or even allows them to shake one’s resolve. Such failings arise from a lack of focus in one’s cultivation, indiscriminate and excessive study, impatience for quick results coupled with lingering dissatisfaction, and the disclosure of precious secrets. To resolve them, give oneself in service to one’s master and obey their instructions. Then build a cultivation hall, a place where Daoists cultivate or reside. Personally tend the incense and lamps, sweep and clean, and serve with all one’s effort; in time, teach and guide those who come after.

The six items listed on the right are to be performed 33,333 times according to the three grades.

There are forty-six items in all, making twenty-four categories, which also include the numbers three and eight and encompass many entries. Their major and minor points, and their similarities and differences, are interwoven; right and wrong are complicated and difficult to consider one by one. Annotations are therefore appended here to distinguish them. By observing these rules, undertaking purification and repentance, one can release and dispel one’s faults. Any wealth offered or given away should be devoted wholeheartedly and sincerely to washing away faults. Do not regret it or be stingy, and great blessings will come.

This does not mean that one must provide gold and silk, which broadly refer to material wealth. Rather, one should act according to one’s intentions and means, estimate the labor one can offer, and calculate its corresponding value by the number of days. The amount one can contribute is not imposed; it is up to each person. Those who cannot afford it, whether poor or wealthy, should give a reasonable amount. If offering gold and silk, one should likewise act according to one’s intentions and means, estimate the labor, and calculate the days; the amount is up to each person, and those who cannot afford it should also give according to their circumstances. The essential point is not to be stingy. Once stinginess leads you to commit a fault again, three such offenses cannot be pardoned.

The Lord of the Azure Lad of the Eastern Sea, a Daoist immortal, admonished the Perfected Ones of Fangzhu, Daoist transcendents: “You respond to the Dao of Heaven and teach living beings. All those with aspirations should be encouraged to complete their cultivation. Pass this set of secret instructions on to them and impress its importance upon them. There is no need to discuss in detail what happened in earlier times. From today onward, correct your own faults and act in accordance with these rules. After purification and repentance, minor calamities will be dispelled. If a major calamity has not yet been averted, you should promptly seek to escape it. To determine where to go, use the armillary sphere, an instrument for observing celestial phenomena, to examine the heavens; look up to study the celestial patterns and down to survey the land. Be meticulous and cautious, and do not reveal this carelessly. The major calamities shown by the heavens can certainly be averted. This scripture is the foremost means of dispelling calamities and bringing blessings. Its essential teachings are treasured both within and without, and all the sages hold it in great esteem. Its good name will endure for a long time.”

The Two Lords, two immortals surnamed Wang, treasured this scripture above all. Wei Huacun, a Daoist female immortal, received it by command and verified its efficacy through practice. Later, its transmission was interrupted for a time, and it faded from view. Few people practice this scripture, and few become Perfected Ones; nevertheless, their names will surely be entered in the registers of mysterious names, the Daoist records of the names and ranks of immortals and Perfected Ones.

The highest grade is to serve as a teacher to the ruler; the middle grade, as a teacher among the people; the lower grade, to study self-cultivation; and the lowest grade, to serve as a teacher to others. These are the three grades.

End of Volume One of the Scripture of the Registers of Destiny of the Eight Paths of the Most High in the Cavern of Perfection.

The primal Qi of the Great Dao of the Most High circulates through the ten directions. Every human action depends on the eight directions. The four cardinal directions and four intermediate directions all belong to the realms above and below, and the space between Heaven and Earth is likewise governed by the eight directions. The principal deities of the Eight Trigrams (Bagua) set the Qi of the eight directions in motion, with Taiyi as their chief; the Qi of the Three Origins—Heaven, Earth, and Humanity—flows freely between them.

This Qi circulates through the human world, where there is also a road leading to the Great Dao. The road leads to the virtuous. Those who possess a jade tablet, cultivate and aspire to the realm of carefree freedom, can leave through the eight gates—the portals leading to the various directions—and reach the ten directions, traveling freely between them. The assemblies of sages in the ten directions also enter and leave through the eight gates. The Register of the Eight Paths records the deeds of the sages. They teach and aid the virtuous. As the sun is Yang and the moon is Yin, hidden virtue—good deeds accumulated in secret—communicates with the spirits in the unseen realm. These wondrous methods of communicating with the spirits are secret treasures kept by the sages and perfected beings; therefore, the requirements for purification and abstention are especially strict.

So long as one’s karmic offenses remain unresolved, one cannot see or hear this scripture. Even if one sees and hears it but cannot understand it, understands it but does not put it into practice, or practices it without achieving results, all effort is in vain and one’s offenses will increase. But with utmost sincerity, single-mindedness, and concentrated thought that reaches the spirits, one is sure to resolve one’s offenses, encounter this scripture, understand its principles, and receive great blessings. Practice according to the scripture’s methods, and the promised results will come; in the end, one will become a perfected person.

A purification rite for repaying and expiating offenses should be performed by the ritual master alone. Those who share the same aspirations may perform it together in groups of two or three, with no more than nine participants. If favorable karmic conditions and the right time bring together a larger number of worthy people, they should form a separate purification group. Do not force everyone to join in a single group, lest you offend the Nine Heavens and bring misfortune upon yourselves while seeking blessings. Each person must take care.

If a teacher or fellow practitioner is struck by illness or calamity and cannot attend the purification rite in person, a willing member of the same tradition may perform it on their behalf. Whether practicing alone or in a group, the number of participants must never exceed nine. The ritual master, the chief lecturer who assists in expounding the scriptures, the purification supervisor, and those attending to the scripture, incense, and lamps must all carry out their duties in accordance with the ritual procedures. The practice of the Eight Paths must be coordinated with the four seasons, the six observances, the eight seasonal markers, the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), the twenty-four solar terms, and arrangements for the virtue of trustworthiness and the work of Earth. In this way, every inner and outer aspect is made complete, so no separate purification rite for the four seasons is established.

When performing this purification rite on behalf of another person, one must not accept the four categories of ritual offerings used by the temple’s presiding master. After the rite concludes, any payments or offerings due for those four categories should be handled discreetly, without letting others notice. In this way, the purification rite for the four seasons is also not performed.

Whenever you conduct a purification retreat for others, you must not accept the pure and refined offerings or the four categories of offerings provided by the retreat’s sponsor. After the ritual is over, quietly accept and dispose of the four categories of offerings they send; do not let others notice. If anyone asks, reply tactfully. If someone makes an unexpected donation or says they wish to offer something to you but hesitates out of concern, do not press them, lest you arouse suspicion; you may pass the offering on to someone else. If another person accepts it, there is no need to tell anyone whether they did so.

The “Di Xie Zhai” (a kind of Zhaijiao purification ritual) may be performed on any of the Three Primal Days: the Upper Origin, Middle Origin, and Lower Origin. The length of the retreat varies by season: nine days in spring, three in summer, seven in autumn, and five in winter. During the retreat, perform the rites by day and night, and bow at the appointed times in the morning and evening. Offerings for the morning and daytime should consist mainly of dried vegetables, fruit, and similar items, arranged as circumstances allow.

Several days before the retreat begins, clean the inside and outside, put the ritual implements and other supplies in order, and prepare everything in advance, keeping it clean. Do not leave preparations to the last minute. The retreat’s prohibitions and precepts must be observed strictly, without noise or disorder. Participants must not leave; if someone has already gone out, they should not return to the retreat site, lest they compromise its purity.

If someone outside brings a letter or message, have them wait beyond the gate and let someone inside the retreat relay it. Before passing on the message, rinse the mouth with water; rinse once more afterward. Do not neglect this. When setting up the altar, hall, and rooms, ensure that the bed curtains, tables, incense utensils, mats, and the screens and coverings around the well are all clean, complete, and secure. Burn various kinds of incense in the kitchen, at the well and stove, and in the bathhouse and latrine as well, so that foul odors do not spread and pollute the pure dwelling.

Latrines should be arranged separately, with distinct places for sitting, lying down, and relieving oneself; these uses must not be mixed together. Failure to distinguish them, or crowding them into one place, will bring calamity and punishment. To avert disaster and seek blessing, one must understand these rules and observe them carefully.

On the evening before the participants gather for the retreat, they may eat or abstain from food. The rules for drinking fermented liquids and taking medicines differ, but all should bathe. Even during a prolonged retreat, bathe at suitable intervals, care for body and mind, and regulate one’s speech. When the night is deep and quiet, first make the formal announcement; then, in a composed and purified state, enter the chamber and follow the usual morning court ritual. At the grand penitential rite, when reciting the penitential text, the cantor should call out the names and ranks. The ritual master should click his teeth thirty-six times, then kneel upright and hold the penitential text as follows:

When all is quiet, the Master of the Three Caverns of the Great Mysterious Capital, Lord Mouyue—a title of a senior Daoist priest—announces his petition to the deities. After purifying his body and mind, he enters the chamber and performs the customary rites of homage. At the great penitential rite, when the penitential text is recited, the cantor proclaims the priest’s title and identity. The priest clicks his teeth thirty-six times, kneels upright, holds the document in both hands, and reads aloud the following:

The Master of the Three Caverns of the Great Mysterious Capital, Lord Mouyue, is a Perfected One of the Lesser Zhao and a disciple of the Three Luminaries, who carries out the methods of the Great Cavern Scripture. If he has not received the registers of the Three Caverns, he should instead identify himself directly as a disciple of the Three Luminaries of the Jade Chamber and Purple Palace in the Jade Capital of the Most High, a Master of the Great Cavern, and a Perfected One of the Lesser Zhao. He should also state the names of Lord Mouyue and his wife. The names of the Primordial Lady’s subordinates and attendants should be given as well.

With reverence, I make this petition to the Most High, the Limitless Great Dao; the August Elders of the Three Origins, the Most True; the High Sovereigns of the Lofty Immortal Capital and the Jade Emperor; the Lords of the Nine Mysteries; the Celestial Worthies of Limitlessness; the Supremely Lofty, Naturally Arising Sovereign of the Void of the Mysterious Cavern; the Five Emperors of the Five Directions; the Flying Immortals of the Five Sacred Peaks; and all the divine officials in the Jade Secretariat and Golden Gate.

I, so-and-so, am ignorant and of shallow understanding. Having received the teachings of the Supreme Dao, I feel joy and gratitude, yet am ever watchful and ashamed. I have failed to devote myself to cultivating the wondrous methods and swiftly ascending to the realm of immortals. The affairs of the world keep turning; sins and calamities have accumulated. The sun and moon pass swiftly, and the span of life is hard to hold back. I am often fearful that life may suddenly end and I may depart never to return. This fills me with dread and sorrow, piercing me to the heart. Relying on the mysterious compassion of the deities, I beg you to grant me mercy and protection.

Now is the time to drive away calamities, and I have been fortunate to learn the method by which one may escape death. Though I have long forgotten the sins and defilements of my own person, I still vow to look up to the art of long life. I now respectfully read the Scripture of the Registers of the Eight Ways and the Essential Text of the Eight Reaches. I gaze upon the Three Pure Ones—the sacred heavens described in Daoism—and visualize and pay homage to the eight divine beings. With sincere devotion, I follow the methods of the purification ritual to repent and give thanks, so that the bonds of sin may be undone, calamities past and future dispelled, and the Dao of the immortals ultimately attained. I dare not confine myself to the limits of an ordinary person; I vow to cultivate these methods.

If the text is being recited on behalf of another person, one may say: “At this time, our teachers and friends, elders, ruler, parents, children, and men and women, so-and-so, are all receiving this method together. So-and-so is now beset by illness or calamity, or entangled in public or private affairs, and cannot undertake the practice in person. Therefore, we make this petition on their behalf and, in accordance with the liturgy, devote ourselves to visualization and contemplation. Sharing their purpose, we respectfully presume to speak for them and read this petition aloud to the deities above.”

In accordance with the liturgy, we prepare offerings and keep the essential instructions in mind. We cleanse body and mind, prepare the words of petition, and carefully read them aloud, sending them up to the deities.

The male and female Daoist priests, official libationers (a Daoist title), and disciples of a certain grotto who live in a certain province, commandery, township, and neighborhood are listed below, with their names, ages, household registrations and population counts, and current addresses. A certain person bows repeatedly, acknowledges guilt, and respectfully submits this petition to beg for grace. Those joining in the petition must also give their neighborhood, role, and name.

I, your servant, am of humble standing and limited understanding, born into an ordinary family. By good fortune, I formed a karmic connection that allowed me to encounter the wondrous Daoist teachings and receive the Dao’s grace. This kindness is profound and inexhaustible. Yet I grew up in the secular world and have long been influenced by its harmful habits. My conduct and words have repeatedly gone wrong, and my faults have accumulated over time. Though I have followed the scriptures and precepts, I have not truly lived up to them. Now I dwell in an age of frequent calamities, at a time when disasters are being driven away. I therefore fear that I may be destroyed, and am troubled and grief-stricken. Like sparrows and rats, insects, and reeds and plants, I ask only to preserve my life. Though my sins are grave, I venture to beg for the chance to advance in cultivation.

On a certain day, month, and hour in a certain year, at a certain place, I paid a visit to the male and female ritual masters named so-and-so and received a certain scripture, precepts, essential instructions, and wondrous arts, as well as precious secrets and hidden texts, in a certain number of scrolls and fascicles. Some of these scriptures were obtained at a certain place, on a certain day, month, and hour in a certain year, through a certain opportunity. Then, on a certain day, month, and hour, at a certain place, I entered into a Mysterious Covenant, pledging myself to the Dao. I was sincerely joyful and vowed to honor and practice what I had received, hoping to fulfill my long-held aspiration.

On a certain day, month, and hour, at a certain place, I suddenly fell ill with a certain disease, or suffered a calamity in public or private affairs; the circumstances are set out in detail. I am anxious and unsettled, afraid that I may not pass through this safely. It may also be that I have been sickly since childhood, suffered poverty and hardship, lost my parents young and grown up alone without support, or encountered rare natural or human-made disasters, along with various other misfortunes.

These calamities have truly come from the weight of my past sins, compounded by new faults. I feel ashamed and fearful, and dare not blame anyone. On reflection, I ought to accept punishment and willingly die. How could I presume to disturb the authorities above with a petition? Yet I rely on the Dao’s vast compassion, which can contain even the dust and grime, support and bring all things to completion, and leave no kindness ungiven. I therefore respectfully cleanse my heart and body, observe purification and repent, and beg for the grace to reform myself anew. I ask for the great kindness of threefold pardon, to dispel calamities and illness, resolve legal disputes, let matters settle as they stood before, and extend my life.

I vow not to repeat my faults. I hope to be given the chance to reform and begin anew, continue cultivating the scriptures and teachings I have received, and strive to reach the appointed time for fulfilling my seed of immortality. Now, by your grace, I am permitted to submit this petition and beg for aid, receiving the Dao’s gracious and compassionate favor. I respectfully submit this petition.

On a certain year, month, day, and hour, the faithful, gathered at a mountain lodge in a village in a county of a certain prefecture, respectfully set forth their sincerity and implored the spirits to show compassion, grant what they sought, and answer their prayers. They prayed that their sins might be forgiven, blessings bestowed, virtue flourish, and their efforts bear fruit, until at last they attained immortalhood. The faithful carefully recited and studied the precepts, observing the teachings transmitted in secret, so that every demonic obstacle might be subdued and the myriad spirits guard their doors. The Nine Truths messengers would convey what had been presented above, directly before the throne of the Jade Emperor of the Nine Heavens, a revered Daoist deity. After the ritual service the following morning, they would continue presenting the petition.

When the petition had been completed, they rose and made a circuit, reciting the three sections of the Scripture of Wisdom. After finishing, they faced north and paid respects to the Ten Directions. They then proceeded around to the east, faced west, and proclaimed the “Seven Rewards and Seven Injuries,” followed by a recitation of the Great Precepts for Contemplating the Body. Those unfamiliar with the scriptures could hold the text and read from it.

The following are the “Seven Rewards”:

The Perfected Ones, the immortals who have attained the Dao, say: People receive the Qi of Yin-Yang, and each has different causes and circumstances. Some leave death behind and gain new life, and the karmic results they receive differ as well. Good deeds bring good rewards; evil deeds invite evil consequences, following one as closely as a shadow follows the body, without the slightest error. There are many kinds of good and evil, and blessings are beyond counting. In general, they fall into seven main kinds.

First: In a past life, one performed good deeds, spread virtue widely, and aided living beings. If one acts in this life as one did in the past, one will surely be born in the Hall of Blessings, transcend the Eight Difficulties—the eight obstacles encountered on the path of cultivation and becoming an immortal—and enjoy the blessings and celebrations of the human world, while naturally receiving Heaven’s reward.

Second: In a past life, one diligently studied and wholeheartedly aspired to the way of the immortals, honored the Daoist precepts and regulations, revered and believed in Daoist scriptures, kept good thoughts in mind, corrected one’s faults, and cultivated virtue in order to enter the Dao. If one acts in this life as one did in the past, one may be permitted to serve the emperors, have one’s name entered in the Purple Register, a document listing the names of immortals, and ascend to Yuchen, a celestial realm in Daoist belief.

Third: In a past life, one cherished the Great Dao, feared neither cold nor hardship, followed one’s master in service, and always put the hard work first. Even when hungry or thirsty, one labored diligently without complaint. If one acts in this life as one did in the past, one may be permitted to serve the emperors, have one’s name entered in the Purple Register, and ascend to Yuchen.

The third kind of person loved the Great Dao in a former life. They feared neither hardship nor cold, and followed their master in their work, always putting toil first. Even when hungry or thirsty, they did their utmost to finish what needed to be done and never complained. If their conduct in this life is the same as in their former life, they can attain the Daoist art of soaring aloft and ascending to immortality, travel and feast among the Five Sacred Peaks, ride the void through the air, and depart in a wisp of smoke.

The fourth kind of person kept themselves pure and upright in a former life. They were not promiscuous or deceitful, did not covet or indulge their desires, and remained unmoved even when faced with beauty. Their resolve was firm as cold ashes, and they steadfastly guarded the roots of the Great Dao. If their conduct in this life is the same as in their former life, a numinous being will guide them onward. They will be delivered beyond the Three Paths of Suffering, the Daoist realms of hardship and evil, and escape the calamities of the Five Sufferings.

The fifth kind of person practiced goodness and generosity in a former life, hoping Heaven would extend its grace to all, so that everyone might be delivered and freed from the Eight Difficulties, the obstacles encountered in cultivating the Dao and attaining deliverance. They wished to spare all beings from suffering, even at the cost of their own peace. They gave away their clothes to aid the poor, set aside their own grain to feed crows, and left their possessions in the empty mountains to give to others. If their conduct in this life is the same as in their former life, the Four Offices, divine authorities who oversee merit, wrongdoing, and reward, will praise their good deeds. They will move the Jade Emperor, ruler of the heavens revered in Daoism, who will enter their names in the Purple Register of celestial immortals and ceremonially confer upon them the rank of a High Immortal.

The sixth kind of person was loyal and filial in a former life. They served their elders and parents with reverence, honored those greater than themselves, and respectfully followed the proper rites in honoring their teachers and ruler. Their hearts were in accord, as though they were one, without jealousy or disrespectful words. Their conduct within and without was consistent, and all their actions conformed to the roots of the Great Dao. If their conduct in this life is the same as in their former life, a numinous being will guide them onward. They will endure no suffering in the Three Paths and will transcend the Eight Difficulties. Good deeds follow good deeds, and blessings follow blessings. How could the Great Dao fail to honor a person according to this principle of retribution?

The seventh kind of person was born with an evil disposition, harboring malice and concealing deceit. They attacked the foundations of the master’s lineage, slandered the scriptures of the sages, and showed no reverence for sacred writings. They doubted the two Heavenly Perfected, exalted Daoist divine beings, while outwardly putting on a show of elegance and virtue. They pretended to seek glory, spoke one way while thinking another, and acted against the roots of the Great Dao. They stole scriptures, circulated them without first making a covenant, divulged secret teachings, and spread falsehoods. If their conduct in this life is the same as in their former life, they will violate precepts and prohibitions and become mired in guilt. Even their ancestors of seven generations will suffer calamity, and the punishment may extend to the spirits of the dead in the underworld. After death, they will be beaten, made to swallow flames and climb mountains of blades, and forced to endure the Three Paths and Five Sufferings. They will go unpardoned for ten thousand kalpas, whipped in darkness and afflicted with pain to the bone.

Those who wish to cultivate the Dao and study its teachings should read this passage from the scripture carefully, correct their wrongdoing, persist in doing good, and cultivate themselves into immortals as soon as they can.

The Seven Harms

The Perfected One said: “The value of cultivating the Dao lies in bringing the body and mind, and the inner and outer aspects, into harmony. Therefore, one must carefully guard against seven harms.”

The first harm is to appear to cultivate the Dao while acting deceitfully; to cling to sexual desire and deplete one’s spirit, so that the essence and Qi of the hun and po souls continually drain away. The light of the essence withers, Qi disperses, and the po soul grows weak. The bones become hollow and the body trembles. The spirits within the depths of the inner palace weep in sorrow. Word of this reaches the heavenly realm, and the True Immortals depart. Such a person forms ties with the ordinary, dusty world and returns to the Earth Bureau—the underworld. How could they still become an Immortal?

The second harm is to appear outwardly to cultivate the Dao and seem to long for the true Way, while inwardly harboring malice and ill intent. One’s thoughts turn vicious: one hopes others will fail and envies those with talent and virtue. The words sound pleasant, but the heart goes against them; the face shows joy, but the heart holds resentment. One speaks of others’ faults and failings, invents accusations, slanders fellow cultivators, and attacks the foundations of one’s own school. The Three Officials, the deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, record all these deeds and place the offender among the wicked. The Immortals depart, and demons seize the opportunity to assail the body, throwing the person’s form and spirit into disorder and scattering their spirit and Qi. In the end, the person suffers calamity, and their evil karma reaches its height. When the period of karmic punishment is complete, the body turns to ash and the spirit sinks into the Nine Springs. Even if one once sought a place in the registers of the mysterious, how could one preserve the chance to cultivate the Dao and attain realization?

The third harm is excessive drinking: becoming so drunk and dazed that one’s strength is depleted and one’s spiritual awareness is lost. The Five Viscera within the body are damaged, the assembled spirits are alarmed, the hun and po souls scatter, and both body and mind decay, within and without. The inner chamber of the spirit lies empty, and the Red Child—a Daoist term symbolizing the pure original spirit within the body—cries out in sorrow. The True Immortals depart, and demons invade through the opening. Cultivating the Dao in this way only wastes one’s sincere effort; even if one has a record in the mysterious registers, one will lose one’s name in the jade register of Immortals. The spirit ascends to the upper palace, while the physical body turns to ash and sinks into the netherworld. Even if one seems to extend one’s life for a time, how could that last?

The fourth harm is to show disrespect in one’s dealings with others, to reproach one’s elders and patriarchs, to harbor anger and speak abusively, and to let joy and anger exceed all bounds, so that one’s temperament departs from what is natural. This stirs the flow of Qi and scatters awareness; the inner True Spirit flies away, the hun and po souls separate, the nine apertures become clouded, and the Five Viscera decline. All this stems from an impure temperament and unwholesome conduct. The True Immortals therefore depart, and sickness and harmful influences from outside invade the body. What, then, can such cultivation possibly gain? Even if one possesses mysterious charts and registers, these calamities cannot be avoided. The hoped-for day of becoming an Immortal recedes farther and farther, and the road to the Immortal realm grows longer and longer.

The fifth kind of loss occurs when one’s nature is not sufficiently pure and one’s conduct brings misfortune. The true immortals have gone far away, while harmful influences from outside enter the body. What can one ultimately attain by cultivating the Dao in this way? Even if one holds wondrous talismans and registers, they cannot avert calamity. The hoped-for day of becoming an immortal grows ever more distant, and the road to the realm of immortals ever longer.

The fifth kind of injury refers to someone who receives precious scriptures when a mysterious chart appears, or who happens by chance upon an efficacious master and obtains wondrous writings, yet fails to keep the ritual prohibitions and vows made when the teachings were transmitted, and divulges heavenly secrets. Before nine years have passed, this person submits a name card at a sacred mountain, having their name entered in the Green Palace—the celestial offices of Daoist belief—and registered in the Golden Towers, the palaces of the immortal realm, but then immediately passes the scriptures on to others and spreads them throughout the world. Such contempt for the true Dao and disclosure of its treasures bring trials and guilt, entangling the person in their consequences. Though they may possess only a wondrous title, they will bring harm upon their ancestors and descendants. The immortal path recedes; after death, they fall into the netherworld and endure the punishments of ghosts and spirits for a long time, with no hope of pardon even after countless kalpas.

The sixth kind of injury occurs when the body’s Jing and Qi have been depleted over a long period, the numinous gate—the aperture linking body and mind with the spirits—has lost its brightness, the Five Spirits, the inner spirits of the five organs, have scattered, and the Red Child, a symbol of the inner original spirit, flits about restlessly. Demons then seize the chance to intrude, bringing harm both within and without. One cultivates the Dao hoping to succeed, but instead suffers harm. The true immortals have gone far away, leaving only an empty, silent scene to move on alone. How can someone sunk in murkiness become an immortal?

The seventh kind of injury refers to eating the flesh of the six domestic animals—ox, horse, sheep, chicken, dog, and pig—and killing living beings to satisfy one’s appetite. The foul, bloody Qi fills the internal organs, harming life and damaging both inner and outer cultivation. One cultivates the Dao hoping to succeed, but instead suffers harm. The true immortals have gone far away, leaving only an empty, silent scene to move on alone. How can someone sunk in murkiness become an immortal?

The seventh kind of injury refers to eating the flesh of the six domestic animals and killing living beings to satisfy one’s appetite, filling the internal organs with foul, bloody Qi. This harms life and brings punishment upon oneself. True Qi is disturbed at the numinous gate, the aperture through which the body’s spirits and Qi enter and leave; the original spirit is shaken and unsettled; the hun and po souls wander restlessly within the body’s inner palaces; and foul, heavy Qi clings around the mouth and teeth. The true immortals ascend to Jade Purity, a high realm in Daoist cosmology, while one sinks into the underworld. Even with a wondrous title and one’s name entered in the registers of the Heavenly Emperor, death cannot be escaped.

The High Sagely Lord says: When beginning the practice of the Dao, the most important thing is first to heed the prohibitions listed among the “Seven Injuries.” Even if you have already been granted a view of the Cavern Gate and read the immortals’ scriptures, failing to observe the Seven Injuries precepts may turn your hopes upside down. You may sit upright and wait for the gods to descend, hoping to ascend in broad daylight, yet end up seeking success and meeting failure, seeking life and meeting death, seeking good fortune and meeting calamity, or seeking ascent only to sink into ruin. The numinous immortals will leave the lofty heavens; the Five Spirits—the five divine beings within the human body—will scatter in every direction; the Infant Child, a symbol of the inner spirits, will weep within the body; and wandering souls will lament in the shadowy void.

Thus, the cultivation of the immortal Dao may succeed or fail, and even the highest learning has its seven injuries. Those firmly resolved and devoted to the Great Dao should study these precepts carefully. Only those whose inborn endowment accords with the Immortal Chart, who possess the quality called “Jade Embryo in Purple Emptiness,” and whose names are registered in Donghua, the eastern immortal realm, have the affinity to see the text that records the Seven Injuries. Without such an endowment, one must not casually browse numinous writings or presume to read precious scriptures. Those who encounter this scripture have a mysterious endowment that accords with the immortal Dao. After nine years of cultivation, they will be able to fly through the mysterious void and ascend to the Heaven of Jade Clarity.

When reciting the precepts, begin with the fifth and read in sequence to the last, then return to the earlier entries. After reading the first, continue through the fourth. The opening and closing prefaces need not be recited. Longer passages of scripture are not copied here; when reciting, read them from other scrolls.

After reciting the precepts, rise, face the lamp before you, knock your teeth together three times, and silently recite the “Hymn to the Bright Lamp” three times:

The light of the Highest One shines in all ten directions; the flowered lamp is joined to sincere devotion. All the heavens shine brightly, and all the earth is filled with light. My body, too, is radiant and clear; the Five Viscera give birth to brilliance. The flames of light illuminate the Great Void, and my mind and spirit gaze from afar toward the immortal realm of Jade Clarity.

The Elixir Essence, refined within, is entrusted to the Great Origin; the Mysterious Intestines, the subtle inner workings of Qi, echo through the void. Gather in the body and dispel the source of distress; with a subtle and mysterious mind, apprehend the utmost truth. The descending radiance is no tangible thing, but an image of light appearing through conditions. My body and mind are likewise: following change, they rest upon a scene of flowing light.

The hymn also says: The flames of light illuminate the Great Void, and I gaze from afar toward the immortal realm of Jade Clarity. The Elixir Essence is entrusted to the Great Origin, and the Mysterious Intestines echo through the void; gather in the body and dispel the source of distress, and with a subtle and mysterious mind apprehend the utmost truth. The radiance is no tangible thing, but an image of light appearing through conditions; my body and mind likewise follow change and rest upon a scene of flowing light.

Night radiance, the light of the night, reveals the Yang Elixir, shining brightly upon the chamber of the numinous. All the lamps blaze forth, and every shadow at once disperses. My spiritual awareness, too, grows keen and clear; I often exercise wisdom and ingenuity. At ease, I follow the workings of the Great Dao, allowing the seasons to turn and all things to pass and transform. With my whole body I enter the realm of emptiness, while the lamps at night shine with flowing brilliance.

When the incantation is complete, turn back to face west, then turn toward the east. Close the incense burner to conclude the incense rite, recite the incantation, rinse the mouth, and return to the room. Conduct all daily activities according to the morning ritual. At dawn on the second day, at the hour of the Ox, everyone rises together and makes themselves orderly and clean. At the hour of the Tiger, ascend the ritual platform and go to the door. Rinse the mouth, recite the incantation, and visualize the revered master; perform the rite according to the morning ritual.

Those who do not take a worldly master as their teacher, but instead announce their vows and enter an alliance with the Mysterious, should visualize the Mysterious Master, the Azure Youth Lord, in the Palace of Fangzhu, the legendary abode of immortals. Pray that he will descend and manifest, impart the secret methods of long life, bring swift success in cultivating immortality, and teach without end. After completing the visualization of the revered master, close the eyes, click the teeth thirty-six times, and recite the incantation:

The Great Demon King of the Northern Emperor received his command before the Imperial Lord. The officials of the Springs and the ghosts of the Spring’s winding paths, the Four Brightnesses of Feng Mountain, and a thousand kinds of demons and malign spirits that change their forms, each with nine heads on one body: the divine tiger releases its poisonous breath; thunder crashes and strikes, destroying evil spirits. The Divine Lord of True Sound slays them with incantations. Whether near or far, all who fall under the authority of the Grand Tenuity are seized and recorded upon receiving the command. Mountains and rivers ring with bells, and flames of light are cast from one to another. The winds and fires of the Nine Heavens, and the divine troops sent forth to punish, form ranks to attack the wicked and subdue and destroy the myriad spirits. All who harm living beings and spread demonic poison shall be beheaded and confined at the Three Passes. Let all proceed according to the methods of the Cavern; none shall fail to obey. When the incantation is complete, click the teeth another thirty-six times, open the incense burner to invite the gods in an incense rite, then click the teeth again.

After the incense rite is complete, kneel facing north, or sit back slightly on the knees, and click the teeth thirty-six times. Summon the divine officials:

I hereby respectfully summon the Perfected Numinous Officials within our own bodies, in our four limbs and five bodily forms, and within the thirty-nine gates of the Jade Gate and Purple Pavilion, together with the Flying Immortals on the left and right, the Attendants of Jade Void, the Five Emperors and the Five-Colored Primordial Sovereign Perfected, the Flying Dragon Officers of Merit, and the envoys of the immortals.

We reverently invite the thirty-nine numinous officials within the bodies of your servants, So-and-so and the others, together with the flying immortals to our left and right, the attendants of the Jade Void, the Five Emperors and the Five-Colored Primordial August Perfected, the Flying Dragon Merit Officers, the Immortal Envoys, and other divine beings. May thirty-six of each kind descend to protect and assist us. May the attendants of the Jade Void hold aloft the feathered staffs of the flying immortals and the nine-colored banners of Heaven; may the Five Emperors and the Five-Colored Primordial August Perfected carry the spirit banners that command and subdue demons; may the Flying Dragon Merit Officers wear feathered robes and bear golden seals of the Phoenix of Perfected Reality; and may the Immortal Envoys encircle the Seven Primordials, hold jade tables, and stand facing your servants as they receive the secret vows spoken from our mouths.

May they ride flying-cloud chariots drawn by golden-rooted steeds beneath purple canopies, with vermilion shafts and jade carriages. Guarded by twelve Golden Immortal Jade Youths and twelve Great Florescence Jade Maidens, and by a host of 240,000 winged riders of the Azure Dragon and White Tiger who soar to Heaven on our left and right, may they fly across the Purple Void and ascend to the golden towers and jade halls, the jade chambers and vermilion rooms, above the Nine Heavens. There may they present our petition to the highest divinities: the Ninefold Profound Primordial Father, the Great Void Profound Mother, the Primordial Heavenly King, the Most High Purple Void, the Most High Jade Void Elder of the Myriad Ways, the Heavenly Kings of every celestial tier, the seventy-four Emperors of Heaven, the thirty-six Heavenly Kings, the thirty-six Earth Sovereigns, Master of the Myriad Beginnings, the Jade Youths of the Three Heavens, the Nine Heavens Chancellor, King of Perfected Reality, the Most High Thirty-Nine Emperors, the Twenty-Four Jade Emperors, the Master of Profound Antiquity, the Elder of the Myriad Beginnings, the Most High Jade Dawn Lord of the Great Dao, the Later Sage Emperor Lord of the Golden Tower, the Divine King of Fusang and Yanggu, the Four Offices and Five Emperors, the Prohibited Lord of the Southern Pole’s Upper Origin, the Turtle Mother of the Western Terrace, the King of Jade Protection of Perfected Reality of Highest Clarity, the High Minister and Great Director of Destinies, Master of High Dawn, the Jade Gate of the Eastern Sea and the Azure Florescence Youth Lord, as well as the Highest Clarity, Profound Origin, Upper Three Heavens, Limitless Great Dao, the Most High Lord Lao, the Most High Elder, the Heavenly Emperor Lord, the Nine Heavens Immortal Capital Lord, the Elder of the Nine Qi, and all the others. We also invite the hundreds of thousands of layers of Dao Qi, the twelve hundred officials and lords, the Four Perfected Ones of the Supreme Ultimate, the countless August Perfected of the Dao, the Limitless Heavenly Venerables, and the Primordial August Emperor of naturally arising mysterious capitals within the lineage of Qi, to bear witness.

The disciples of the Three Luminaries of the Great Cavern—Lesser Omen Perfected Ones, Mr. So-and-so of such-and-such mountain, Madam Primordial Lord, and your servants—declare: We were originally burdened with the impurities of birth in the womb. By good fortune and blessed destiny, we entered the Dharma gate through the turning of the wheel and were born as human beings. We then received the beneficent radiance of the High Perfected, who awakened us from ignorance, enabling us, in our ordinary bodies, to look up and read the scriptures of the sages. At such-and-such year, month, day, and hour, at such-and-such place, a ritual master, Daoist, or male or female Perfected One named So-and-so transmitted to your servants, So-and-so, a number of volumes of the High and Profound Dragon Books and Phoenix Seals of the Nine Heavens, the Most High’s Jade Tablets and Precious Texts of the Three Pure Ones, along with talismans and instructions. Or an ancestor, So-and-so, received the precious scriptures of Highest Clarity from a certain master, and they were handed down through the generations; or we came by the scriptures through an encounter at such-and-such place, at such-and-such year, month, day, and hour. We have honored and studied them, read them repeatedly, and sought guidance from our masters to resolve our doubts. At times we searched for a master for many years without finding one. Therefore, at such-and-such year, month, day, and hour, at such-and-such place, we established a mysterious covenant and vowed to honor and practice the teachings, so that our aspirations might be fulfilled.

Yet we were born in this defiled and wicked age of the Five Turbidities. Though we look up to the Three Pure Ones, our bodies remain encumbered by impurity. The years pass, but we have not ascended; we remain in the cycle of the Nine Profound Realms, sunk in the lower world. Our actions have often gone astray, our observance of the precepts has been deficient, and our conduct has been at fault; the divine beings of the Four Offices have recorded our transgressions in the registers of ritual law. Now, relying on the sacred scriptures, we accept and uphold the fasting texts and the three grades of the Perfected Ones’ Three Origins’ essential teachings, in accordance with our covenant. The highest grade corresponds to the Nine Profound Realms and is used to unite the Elixir and secure life. The middle grade corresponds to the Six Directions and is used to release us from violations of ritual law and precepts, as well as faults accumulated in past lives. The lowest grade corresponds to Heaven, Earth, and Humanity and is used to deliver our seven generations of ancestors, release them from the sins of the Nine Yin, and free the departed from death so they may ascend to Heaven.

This is the wondrous teaching of the Most High and the foundation of seeking immortality and cultivating the Dao. Your servants cherish the Great Dao and wish to practice it. Some recite scriptures and uphold the precepts; others refine elixirs. Those who have not yet refined an elixir have recently planned to seek medicines and the secret prescriptions of immortals, compound divine elixirs, or prepare pills, powders, wines, and other preparations. Yet we fear that since the beginningless past our conditions have been shallow and our merit slight, so our refining has not succeeded. We also fear that in our actions, past and recent, we have broken precepts or violated the scriptures, and that our offenses in the unseen and visible worlds have accumulated day by day and year by year without yet being dispelled, preventing our aspiration to cultivate goodness from coming to fruition. We further worry that our countless ancestors and our parents of seven generations committed grave sins in life, sank into the Three Paths, endured the Five Sufferings, and have not yet ascended. The calamities they left behind continue to affect their descendants, making it difficult for our prayers to reach the divine Perfected, while demonic obstacles readily intrude. We also recall that, though we have repeatedly held universal fasts in the past and present to atone for our offenses, our sincerity has not been clear and single-minded, and so we have not received pardon.

Now, in accordance with the wondrous intent of the Scripture of the Eight Ways, we clearly repent of the grave faults committed before and since, examine our thoughts, and reflect on our conduct. In the matter at hand, we respectfully offer such-and-such object and such-and-such act as signs of our sincerity, and set out each matter according to the ritual regulations, not daring to trouble the divine beings. The words we present are the same as those in our former petitions; our feelings are earnest, and we humbly beg for compassion.

May we, from this day forward, enter the chamber, establish a fast, recite scriptures, perform rites of the Dao, hold our masters in mind, contemplate the gods and remember the Perfected Ones, burn incense and light lamps, make obeisance to the Jade Heavens, practice the arts and refine medicines; repent our sins, redeem and release our grave transgressions, establish merit, and deliver the Nine Profound Realms, our seven generations of ancestors and parents, and all the departed on both sides of our family. May the knots of past lives be undone, freeing them from darkness so they may ascend to the Southern Palace; may suffering souls be delivered and reborn in the heavens, or enjoy ease and blessing in the Daoist community and form bonds with the Perfected Ones. May this grace spread and reach our descendants, so that the evil offenses of your servants are immediately released and our good deeds shine forth again.

In particular, we humbly beg the Most High, Limitless Heavenly Venerable to bestow the light of grace and examine what your servants have presented. We also invite the Three Treasures, the attendant lords who lead the immortals, the spirit-overseeing officials of the Five Emperors of the Five Directions, the Great God who oversees the fast, the Envoy who administers the fast, the Perfected Ones of the true fast, and the immortals, flying immortals, heavenly immortals, earthly immortals, and numinous immortals of the Five Sacred Peaks. May they bring their own troops and mounts, numbering together nine hundred million, to descend and guard your servants, destroy demonic obstacles, and drive away calamities. May they summon the naturally arising righteous Qi of the Nine Heavens, the essence of Golden Liquid and the Elixir, and the finest growths of the numinous fungi, so that the immortals may descend upon the fasting hall and altar and shine their radiance upon your servants’ bodies. We also invite the Jade Youths and Jade Maidens to protect the incense smoke, so that your servants may gain Qi through performing the rites of the Dao, attain the Dao through seeking it, and attain immortality through seeking it; may we fly through the Great Void, ascend into the Nine Heavens, fulfill our aspirations, and ascend together with the Three Treasures into the realm of Perfected Reality.

May our seven generations of ancestors and parents escape the Three Paths and be released from the sins of the Nine Yin, and may the departed ascend to Heaven. May all beings throughout the heavens receive deliverance. May calamities be dispelled and sins extinguished; may a thousand faults and ten thousand offenses alike be pardoned, and our karmic hindrances dissolve. May the matters for which we pray flourish, and may we be freed from the Ten Sufferings and Eight Hardships. In the end, may we attain immortality and receive the boundless, immeasurable saving grace of the Eight Venerable Ones of the Eight Ways of the Perfected Ones of Great Truth.

When the rites of practice and reverence are complete, may we respectfully invite the divine Perfected Ones to return to their palaces, and ask the divine beings to convey our petition above. We will remember their kindness and honor their teachings without fail.

After reading the memorial aloud, turn back to face east, offer incense upward three times, and then recite:

We, disciples of the Great Cavern of the Three Luminaries of the Supreme Mystery, the Lesser Omen Perfected Ones, the Masters and Ladies of such-and-such mountain, and I, (name), now observe purification and preside over this Daoist ritual ground. We visualize the divine beings, call to mind the Perfected Ones, recite the scriptures, and offer our prayers. May we ascend to the Nine Heavens. With sincere hearts, we give thanks to the Three Primal Powers—the deities of the Upper, Middle, and Lower realms. We burn incense and light lamps, dedicating this merit and praying that the faults and calamities of me, (name), and the others be dispelled; that the causes of death be severed; that the Way of upright truth be ushered in; and that our names be entered in Shangqing, the Highest Pure realm of the immortals.

May the nine generations of ancestors, the seven generations of forebears, our parents, relatives on both sides of the family, and the souls of the unclaimed dead be delivered. May calamities be cut off and the suffering in the netherworld released, so that they may leave the hells forever, ascend to heaven, escape the Five Sufferings, receive the blessings of the Southern Palace, and be transformed into Perfected Ones. May those living in this world also be protected. May the karmic burdens, ancient resentments, and harmful ties accumulated over our past lives be removed; may a certain offense be cleansed; and may a certain undertaking be brought to completion.

We now entrust our bodies, spirits, and lives to the supreme Ninefold Mystery, the Primordial Jade Emperor; the Great King of Heaven of Taizhen Yudan, boundless in measure; the Great King of Heaven of the Highest Meditative Goodness, with boundless life; King Xuyan; the Thirty-Nine Emperors; the Twenty-Four Perfected Ones; the Chancellors of the Nine Heavens; the Most High Lord of the Great Dao, Jade Morning of the Highest High; and the myriad Immortals, all the Sages, and the Heavenly Worthies of Limitless Extent. May this merit be dedicated to me, (name), and the others. May our faults and calamities be dispelled, the causes of death severed, the Way of upright truth ushered in, and our names entered in Shangqing. May the seven generations of forebears, our relatives on both sides of the family, and the souls of the unclaimed dead be delivered; may calamities be cut off and the suffering in the netherworld released, so that they may leave the hells forever, ascend to heaven, escape the Five Sufferings, receive the blessings of the Southern Palace, and be transformed into Perfected Ones. May those living in this world be protected, and may the karmic burdens, ancient resentments, and harmful ties accumulated over our past lives be removed, a certain offense cleansed, and a certain undertaking brought to completion.

May body and spirit be refined and renewed, transformed until they pass freely through the void, and ascend to the palace of the Golden Towers of Jade Purity. We now burn incense in devotion to the Most High and Utmost Perfected Ones of Heaven. Once we attain the Dao, may we enter the realm without form and share in the workings of transformation with the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the teachers.

At the second and third incense offerings, pray:

We who fast and practice the Dao sincerely turn our thoughts to the divine immortals. We recite the scriptures and voice our prayers and wishes, hoping that the spirits may ascend through the nine heavens. With reverence, we offer thanks to the Three Nonbeings—the three supreme realms or sacred powers revered in Daoism.

We burn incense and light lamps, and dedicate this merit to the heavens in all ten directions, to distant places without limit, to those who live in seclusion and cultivate the Dao in the famous mountains, and to ritual masters who have or have not yet attained the Dao, our parents and honored elders, fellow practitioners and teachers, disciples and students, and all people of virtue. May they all receive deliverance, escape suffering and sin together, fulfill the Dao they each cultivate, and ascend to Shangqing, the pure and luminous heights of heaven.

May our parents of seven generations be freed from sorrow and hardship and be reborn in the heavenly realms. May we also eliminate, as described above, a thousand karmic obstacles, ten thousand inherited grievances from past lives, and grave offenses. We entrust our bodies, spirits, and lives to the Perfected Ones of Great Truth, the Three Origins, the sages of the Nine Mysteries, the Jade Emperor of the myriad immortals, the Limitless Primordial, Most High Jade Emperor, the Supreme and Utmost Silent Heavenly King, the Heavenly King of Unabashed Joy, the Heavenly King Who Responds Through Transformation, the Thirty-Nine Emperors, the Twenty-Four Perfected Ones, the Chancellor of the Nine Heavens, and the Most High Jade Morning, Supreme Lord of the Great Dao, together with the myriad immortal sages and Limitless Celestial Worthies.

May we dedicate this merit to the heavens in all ten directions, to distant places without limit, to those who live in seclusion and cultivate the Dao in the famous mountains, and to ritual masters who have or have not yet attained the Dao, our parents and honored elders, fellow practitioners and teachers, disciples and students, and all people of virtue. May they all receive deliverance, escape suffering and sin together, fulfill the Dao they each cultivate, and ascend to Shangqing. May our parents of seven generations be freed from sorrow and hardship, be reborn in the heavenly realms, and enjoy abundant food and clothing without effort. May we also eliminate, as described above, a thousand karmic obstacles, ten thousand inherited grievances from past lives, and grave offenses.

Now we burn incense and take refuge in the Great Truth of the Void, the High Sages of the Three Origins, the Supreme Perfected One, and the Most High, Limitless, Supreme Celestial Worthy. May we attain the Dao and become immortals, roam at ease in the Golden Palaces of heaven, ascend to the formless realm, and share in the long life of the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the teachers revered in Daoism.

At the third incense offering, pray:

We, your subjects, fast here and observe the Daoist rites. We hold the spirits in mind and think of the perfected ones; we recite the scriptures and voice the wishes in our hearts, hoping to ascend to the Nine Heavens. With sincerity, we express our gratitude to the Three Primordials, the celestial deities revered in Daoism. We burn incense and light lamps, dedicating this merit to our family, our kin and relatives by marriage, and also to the emperors and rulers of the realm, officials of every rank, the common people, all those in our dwellings, and every living being, from flying insects and crawling creatures onward. May all be nurtured and sustained, whether already born or yet to be born. May every transgression of our family be forgiven, and may grace extend throughout the heavens and to all living beings.

We entrust our bodies, spirits, nature, and life to the revered deities: the perfected ones of the lofty, supreme Nine Heavens; the Jade Emperor of the Primordial Beginning, Jade Void, and Limitless; the Supreme, Most Exalted, Ninefold-Mystery Jade Emperor of Great Truth; the King of Brahma Treasures; the King of Brahma Kamayi; the King of Paridahe; the Thirty-Nine Emperors; the Twenty-Four Perfected Ones; the chancellors of the Nine Heavens; the Most High Great Dao Lord of Jade Dawn; and the myriad immortals, sacred sages, Limitless Heavenly Worthies, and other honored deities. May this merit be dedicated to our family, our kin and relatives by marriage, and also to the emperors and rulers of the realm, officials, the common people, all those in our dwellings, and every living being. May all be nurtured and sustained, whether already born or yet to be born. May every transgression of our family be forgiven, and may grace extend throughout the heavens and to all living beings, so that all may share in deliverance and salvation, be freed from the Ten Sorrows and Eight Calamities, the Five Disasters and Six Harms, the Nine Afflictions and Seven Wounds, each retain their blessings and emoluments, and dwell in peace for long in the realm of nature.

Now we burn incense and take refuge in the Most High, Limitless Heavenly Worthy. We pray to attain the Dao and become immortals, ascend to the Nine Heavens, enter the formless realm, and unite with the Three Treasures, the fundamental Daoist principles of the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters.

When the three offerings of incense are complete, we face east and chant the following:

With utmost sincerity, we take refuge in the Eastern Limitless, Beginningless, Most High Jade-Perfected Great Emperor, Heavenly Worthy. We perform three bows. When the bows are complete, the ritual master kneels and reads the confession text while the others bow their heads and listen quietly. After the text has been read, all rise together and continue the rites according to the ceremony.

When the three offerings of incense are complete, we face east and chant the following:

We all turn with one heart toward the Supreme Celestial Worthy of the East, the Limitless and Beginningless Jade Perfected Emperor (the highest Celestial Worthy of the East). After making three prostrations, the ritual master kneels and recites the confession text while everyone else bows low and listens in silence. When the recitation is finished, everyone rises together, composes body and mind, and gathers their thoughts. Their movements must be in unison, without disorder or variation.

The confession text says: “We, so-and-so and others, now establish the fast and perform the rites, following the prescribed ceremonies to practice the Dao. We hold our master and lord in mind, turn our thoughts toward the divine Perfected Ones, recite the scriptures and seek immortality, hoping to ascend through the Nine Heavens. We burn incense and light lamps to release the sins accumulated in the past, and offer our apologies to the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, whom Daoists revere as the Three Yuan. We turn with devotion toward the Supreme Celestial Worthy of the East, the Limitless, Primordial, Lofty Jade Emperor, the Great Perfected One. We earnestly ask the Celestial Worthy to bestow grace upon us and look upon us with compassion, forgiving certain sins we have committed in past and present lives, through all our successive existences. We ask that our sins be cleansed, the old cast away and the new brought forth, that the record of our offenses be erased forever and our name among the blessed endure. Grant that I, so-and-so, may escape a certain calamity and bring a certain undertaking to completion; may I study the Dao and attain the Dao, seek immortality and become immortal, travel through the skies, and rise into the Nine Heavens. May our parents of seven generations be delivered from the Three Destinies—the realms of suffering of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—and ascend to the Southern Palace. May blessings extend without end, and may they receive the grace of the Celestial Worthy’s salvation.”

When the recitation is complete, everyone bows their heads three times together, then gently pats their cheeks three times, and stops. All movements should be gentle and unhurried, without making a sound.

Next, they face southeast, due south, southwest, due west, northwest, due north, northeast, the upper northwest, and the lower southeast in turn, performing the rites of confession.

The rites of confession toward the ten directions follow the same procedure as those facing east. Make three prostrations in each direction; alternatively, one may bow just once or make three prostrations inwardly. The gentle patting of the cheeks must not be omitted, and the number of pats must not be more or fewer than prescribed.

Then chant the confession and homage text for the five directions.

Next, face west and chant: “We, so-and-so and others, turn with one heart toward the Supreme Celestial Worthy of the West.” Then bow. The ritual master sits briefly and recites the supplication text while everyone else bows low and listens in silence.

We, your petitioners, whose names are omitted here, now establish this purification rite and perform our bows with reverence. We burn incense and light lamps, praying that the sins and many faults accumulated in the past may be dissolved and removed. The particular offense is as follows: (to be filled in).

May the Supreme Mysterious Origin of the Void, the Great Beginning, the Ninefold Mystery, the Elemental Jade Perfected One of the West; the High Sage Immortal, Jade Consort of the Tortoise Terrace; and the Jade Void, Great Spirit, Limitless Heavenly Venerable—exalted divine beings revered in Daoism—bestow their grace and shine their light upon us. May they show special compassion, pardon us, seize and dispel the particular offense (to be filled in), and grant the favor sought (to be filled in). May those who practice the Dao attain the Dao, and those who seek immortality become immortals; may they fly through the vast skies and ascend to the Nine Heavens. May the seven generations of ancestors be delivered and rise to the Southern Palace, dwelling forever in the realm of Wuwei (non-action), with clothing and food provided of themselves, and receiving the saving grace of the High Sages. Each person then strikes their cheeks three times as a sign of reverence.

Next, face north and chant; the rite follows the same procedure as when facing west.

We, your petitioners, whose names are omitted here, now establish this purification rite and perform our bows with reverence. We burn incense and light lamps, praying that the sins and many faults accumulated in the past may be dissolved and removed. The particular offense is as follows: (to be filled in).

May the Supreme Elder of the Void, the Mysterious Cavern and Purple Void, the Primordial Beginning; the Jade Youth of the Three Heavens; the High Jade Dawn, the Great Dao Lord Most High; the Perfected Elder of Great Truth; the King of Great Truth; the Central Perfected One, Marquis of the North; and the High Mysterious Heavenly Venerable, Sage above the myriad immortals—divine beings revered in Daoism—bestow their grace and shine their light upon us. May they show special compassion, pardon us, seize and dispel the particular offense, and grant the favor sought. May those who practice the Dao attain the Dao, and those who seek immortality become immortals; may they fly through the vast skies and ascend to the Nine Heavens. May the seven generations of ancestors be delivered and rise to the Southern Palace, dwelling forever in the realm of Wuwei (non-action), with clothing and food provided of themselves, and receiving the saving grace of the High Sages.

Next, face east and chant; the rite follows the same procedure as before.

We, your servants so-and-so (the officials or faithful taking part in the purification rite), now establish a Zhaijiao (purification ritual), burning incense and lighting lamps. We pray that the karmic offenses left from previous lives, along with every kind of fault and transgression, may be dispelled and removed. The particulars are as follows. May the Supreme High Emperor of the Nine Mysteries and Jade Void in the East, the Great Dao without limit of the Three Heavens of Supreme Clarity and Mysterious Origin, the Most High Lord Lao, the Lords and Elders, the Divine King of the Sun Valley, the Great Emperor of Fusang, the Lord of Heaven, the Emperor of Taiwei, the Yellow Elder Lord of the Center, the Lords of the Nine Elders and Immortal Capital, the Elders of the Nine Qi, the King of Jade Protection and Supreme Truth of Shangqing beneath the Jade Steps of Supreme Clarity, the Young Lord of Qinghua at the Eastern Sea Jade Gate, Minister of the Left, and the Celestial Worthy of the Highest Immortals and Myriad Saints grant their favor and show special compassion: forgive the faults of so-and-so and grant what is being sought. May those who practice the Dao attain the Dao, and those who seek immortality become immortal; may they soar across the vast heavens and rise through the nine skies. May they deliver seven generations of ancestors and raise them to the Southern Palace. May they dwell for a long time in the realm of Wuwei (non-action), with food and clothing naturally abundant, and receive the grace of the highest sages, who rescue and deliver them.

Next, face south and chant. The ritual proceeds as before.

We, your servants so-and-so, now establish a Zhaijiao, burning incense and lighting lamps. We pray that the karmic offenses left from previous lives, along with every kind of fault and transgression, may be dispelled and removed. The particulars are as follows. May the Supreme Jade Emperor of the Mysterious Origin and Numinous Cavern of the Nine Mysteries in the Southern Vast Heavens, the Lord of the Forbidden Court of the Southern Pole and Upper Origin, the Lord of Life and Longevity who administers the Mandate in Nanchang, and the Celestial Worthy of the High Sage and Upper Immortal of Dongyang grant their favor and show special compassion: forgive the faults of so-and-so and grant what is being sought. May those who practice the Dao attain the Dao, and those who seek immortality become immortal; may they soar across the vast heavens and rise through the nine skies. May they deliver seven generations of ancestors and raise them to the Southern Palace. May they dwell for a long time in the realm of Wuwei, with food and clothing naturally abundant, and receive the grace of the highest sages, who rescue and deliver them.

Next, face the central Tai Sui (the year deity on duty that year) and chant. The ritual proceeds as before.

We, your subjects, now establish a Zhaijiao (purification ritual), burning incense and lighting lamps to pray for the removal of sins from past lives and of the many accumulated transgressions, as described above. May the Central Supreme, Infinite, Boundless Lord of the Primordial Void and Mysterious Cavern of Antiquity, the Parent of the Myriad Dao, the Lord of Purple Void and Azure Essentials, the Imperial Lord of the Nine Mysteries in the Golden Palace, the Four Perfected Ones of Central Mystery at Taihua’s Jade Spirit, and the High and Holy Celestial Worthy of the Central Sovereign bestow their grace, show me special compassion and forgiveness, remove my transgressions, and grant what I seek. May I cultivate the Dao and attain the Dao, seek immortality and become immortal, ascend through the Great Void, and soar into the Ninth Heaven; may I deliver my ancestors of seven generations and raise them to the Southern Palace; may I dwell forever in the realm of Wuwei (non-action), with clothing and food naturally provided, and receive the grace of deliverance from the Supreme Sages.

After bowing to the spirits of the five directions, face east, visualize the spirits, and close your eyes. Knock your teeth together five times and swallow the saliva five times, imagining that all five spirits are present within you. The five talismans shine brightly within and without, and the demons of the five directions flee far away. The spirits who come to guard you stand in orderly array, fully armed, behind the Perfected Official. After a short while, swallow saliva three times and knock your teeth together three times, then recite the Human-Bird Mountain Scripture Incantation:

The Yellow Center sets the original Qi (vital energy) in motion, cutting down the source of demons and evil; it watches over and subdues violent spirits, severing malign influences. The Supreme One has issued a command: the Supreme One’s chamber urgently summons the Northern Emperor to the Jade Palace. The Northern Emperor carries out the command with awe-inspiring power and proclaims it to the Demon King. The Nine Qi rise in dense billows and unite with the Qi of destiny; thus the secret Jade Writ flourishes. The fortunes of the Three Heavens shine forth; the fortunes of the Six Heavens come to an end. O worthy one!

After visualizing the spirits and reciting the incantation, turn the Mysterious Qi toward the ten directions in the following order:

The Supreme One’s hymn for the north:

The Supreme One opens the hidden depths of the Mysterious Mystery; the direction of the True Dao shines forth. Heavenly treasures spread far and wide, honored together by the ten directions. It has neither beginning nor end; it does not take brightness as its name, and so it has no darkness. Ascend in reverence to the Jade Capital Terrace, and rest at ease on Kunlun. Deliver the City of Winding Springs, the land of the dead, and make even the Demon King willing to obey. Through this, ancestors of seven generations are transformed and brought to life, and the grievances from my past lives are released. Entering, I ride the soaring Mysterious Radiance; departing, I mount the purple clouds.

The Supreme One’s hymn for the northeast:

Layer upon layer of light shines over the Jade Dawn Palace, the celestial palace of the Daoist realm. Riding the radiance, one opens the realm of perfect illumination. The phrase “longing to hear” means seeking to hear this Dao. Through it, seven generations of ancestors may be transformed and brought to life, and the resentments and entanglements left from my former lives may be released. Upon entering, one rides the wondrous, ever-moving radiance; upon leaving, one rides the drifting purple clouds.

Hymn to the Most High in the Northeast:

Layer upon layer of light shines over the Jade Dawn Palace, and riding the radiance, one opens the realm of perfect illumination. The Hall of the Cavern of Truth rises high, tier upon tier, its Seven Treasures gleaming with brilliance. In a single thought, one can cross the Eight Difficulties, the eight obstacles encountered in cultivating or hearing the Dao, and remain forever in the company of the Most High. A circling, interwoven yellow light appears, while sunlike radiance rises from the void. If people in the world do not turn their thoughts to the Great Dao, they will not hear this scripture of wisdom. The precepts of the Cavern of Truth are vast and profound; through wondrous resonance, they can bring the demon kings to sincere allegiance. Ten thousand kalpas seem to pass in a single instant. Why count a lifespan of a thousand billion years?

Hymn to the Most High in the East:

The Most High takes Great Nonbeing as his original nature, manifests in diverse forms, and saves those sunk in hardship and despair. He devotes himself to devising and proclaiming wondrous Daoist arts, while the perfected beings of Heaven join in praising and spreading them. Those who are destined to encounter the scripture will find signs that accord with its words; those without such a connection will set it aside and keep it hidden. If one can hear and practice this Dao, a circular halo will appear above one’s head. This very body can then cross a ford that requires no reliance on external things and drift onward to the halls of the immortals.

Hymn to the Most High in the Southeast:

From nothingness comes nothingness, and in the end all returns to nothingness. But if one comes from being, how can one enter the wondrous realm in peace? The celestial writings are sublime and unsurpassed; the wondrous teaching has its own key. The wheel of the Three Treasures turns, its light shaking and illuminating the ten directions. The Most High looks down upon the Jade Capital, while the demon kings howl in vain through the empty sky. The Celestial Emperor joins his palms in praise, and the perfected beings arrive through the void, smiling in welcome. Scattering flowers to set my thoughts aright, I naturally transcend and fulfill the eight aspirations.

Hymn to the Most High in the South:

Numinous immortals ride auspicious clouds and, mounted on dragons, tread the wondrous waves. In union with the perfected beings, they reveal auspicious signs; they bathe their feet in the Eight Rivers and wash away the dust. Blessings arrive without any prior arrangement on my part, and so I am freed from the net of Heaven that binds people. Dao and De stand above the Three Realms, surpassing even the earth’s governing order. Fortunate am I to encounter the gathering of numinous perfected beings and rise beyond the world.

Hymn to the Most High in the South:

Numinous immortals ride auspicious clouds and, mounted on dragons, tread the wondrous waves. In union with the perfected beings, they reveal auspicious signs; they bathe their feet in the Eight Rivers and wash away the dust. Blessings arrive without any prior arrangement on my part, and so I am freed from the net of Heaven. Dao and De stand above the Three Realms, surpassing even the earth’s governing order. Fortunate am I to encounter the gathering of numinous perfected beings and rise beyond the world; the scripture of clear, penetrating wisdom appears like a lotus flower.

Hymn to the Most High in the Southwest:

The unsurpassed Dao awakens beings in the four quarters. Vast and boundless, it transcends the dusty world. The hidden and the manifest each have their own reason for being; without the hidden, there could be no clarity in what is manifest. The wondrous Dharma Wheel turns and arrives, and the perfected beings gather at a splendid assembly. They often roam through realms of profound and boundless expanse, far from the heavenly beings and difficult for them to see.

Hymn to the Most High in the West:

The wondrous Way reveals itself through many signs, and a passage connects Heaven and the human world. It is like sailing a boat across an unfathomably deep sea, always fearing that wind and waves will capsize it. All this arises from forces accumulated in former lives. Who could calculate them by human intelligence and skill? Let the mysterious pivot turn slowly, and hidden, unfathomable causes and conditions will become plainly visible. The Daoist who stands tall above others, having attained the Way, plays a wondrous melody on a celestial lute. With a cool and tranquil mind, reverence extends in all directions; the adept feels no longing for either departure or return.

Hymn of the Supreme One of the Northwest:

The Supreme One proclaims profound scriptures, drawing those of worthy De toward deep affinity with the Dao. In the serene and far-reaching realm of the Three Treasures (Dao, scripture, and master), my karmic ties flourish and prosper. “Bo Shi” and “Ru Jing” (specific terms in the scripture whose precise meanings are unclear) purify the substance of body and mind, transforming it into a golden body. When one cosmic age ends and a new one begins, the wondrous countenance is renewed all the more. I revere the supreme Dao, recite the scriptures with devotion, and invite the Utmost True One to descend. The garden of the Dao flourishes in the Celestial Capital, shining down upon the immortals everywhere. Freely wielding and spreading numinous power, it proclaims the great Dharma with boundless force.

Hymn of the Supreme One Above:

The Supreme One surveys the ten directions, spreading a gentle breeze of subtle, auspicious harmony through all the hidden reaches. I revere the supreme Dao, recite the scriptures with devotion, and invite the Utmost True One to descend. The garden of the Dao flourishes in the Celestial Capital, shining down upon the immortals everywhere. Freely wielding and spreading numinous power, it proclaims the great Dharma with boundless force.

Hymn of the Supreme One Above:

The Supreme One surveys the ten directions, and even the dark and remote places are bathed in a gentle, harmonious breeze. Perfect radiance shines upon the sun, moon, and stars, while the Perfected Ones wear celestial robes. The demon kings stand respectfully with hands clasped, and the spirits charged with receiving visitors keep watch near Fengdu, the capital of the underworld. The sun and moon veil their former brilliance, while the Seven Treasures shine with inexhaustible light. At this time, all beings cultivate good deeds, blessings increase, and the torments of hell cease. The Infinite Venerable One is wondrous beyond words; neither the beings of Heaven nor those of the human world can fathom him.

Hymn of the Supreme One Below:

The Three Treasures fill the ten directions without end, clearing the void. All things turn and flow along the winding course of change; whenever there is a response, the Dharma wheel rises and turns. Do not cling to realms of brightness or darkness. The four great elements, too, arise with the turning of the seasons. Neither emptiness nor being can contain them; even the loftiest mountains lie within their reach. The Supreme One’s mind is free of obstruction. Dispelling deluded thoughts, he enters the Great Vehicle, the vast Buddhist teaching that liberates all beings, also used to mean a broad and unsurpassed path of cultivation.

At each of the six periods, chant “The Melody of Subtle Spirit” and “The Jade Writ of the Great Empyrean.” These texts are too lengthy to copy here; when the time comes, take out the scriptures and recite them.

Chant the words of sorrow and joy of the Five Emperors, make three circuits, circle the south, and finally stop facing north. Then recite the “Jade Writ of the Empyrean” from the Four Extremities. These texts are too lengthy to copy here; when the time comes, take out the scriptures and recite them.

Chant the words of sorrow and joy of the Five Emperors, make three circuits, circle the south, and finally stop facing north. Then recite the three poems of the “Five Torments” from the Four Extremities, as follows:

The Great Cavern—the profound Great Way spoken of in Daoism—encompasses three levels. In the beginning, the generation and transformation of all things had no form. It was silent, as if without origin, yet majestic, as though a numinous presence had appeared. Alas, the sorrow and suffering people endure in the Three Paths of Woe, the three realms of hardship spoken of in Daoism, arise from this. Those who truly seek the Dao should carefully observe these precepts and build up good deeds, persisting without slackening until the end of the kalpa. When the kalpa comes to an end, they can be transformed and born in the heavens, their bodies standing alongside the sun and moon.

The foolish pursue what the world esteems, studying superficially only to win fame. They proclaim teachings without discipline and carelessly reveal the precious Heavenly Treasure Scripture. Once such a person’s name is entered in the registers of ritual law, they will pass through the gate of death; the netherworlds of the four directions record their name. Their hun and shen must undergo nine calamities and endure the Five Sufferings, the five kinds of infernal torment spoken of in Daoism, for a long time. They must swallow fire and tread upon mountains of blades, suffering hardship without a moment’s peace. Reflecting on the roots of misfortune and good fortune is truly sobering; the underlying principle has been clear for a long time.

The High and Exalted One left strict precepts, from which misfortune and good fortune give cause for reflection. The immortal path has always depended on the right conditions, and its outcome is already determined in the unseen. Without the proper conditions, the immortal path will not open. Once you have understood, you should remain settled at all times. If you honor the Mysterious Regulations—the Daoist precepts and standards for practice—you can naturally ascend beyond the heavens. But if you cling to desire and are burdened by cravings, why give yourself over to wanton pleasure? Living amid transgressions, you will have your offenses entered in the registers of the Four Bright Courts, and pass through suffering between life and death. Your hun and shen will wander through the courts of the Five Sufferings, while the karmic retribution of the Three Paths of Woe is hard to dispel. Your sunken soul will be seized and punished in the Ninefold Darkness, waiting through ten thousand kalpas without seeing dawn. Thinking of the teachings transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, how could one not feel grief?

The empty, lofty Nine Mysteries, the sublime celestial realm spoken of in Daoism, opened in darkness as the first realm of transformation and birth. There was no form or image, and its depth could not be measured. The two fundamental forms of Heaven and Earth began to move and appear, gathering primordial Qi—the original breath from which all things are formed—and giving rise to tangible matter. The Three Luminaries, the celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and stars, shone upon the Primordial Chamber; the Five and Nine, the orders and laws of the heavens, each had its own measure. People bring misfortune and good fortune upon themselves, and where good and evil ultimately lead depends entirely on their actions. Those who understand the mysterious Great Way can transcend obstacles and ascend to the heights. But those who wield the axe that fells life, filling their hearts day after day with evil thoughts, will accumulate guilt and have their offenses entered in the registers of the Four Bright Courts; punishments from past lives will follow. Their bodies will endure torments like knives of wind, and the Five Sufferings will be endless. Even their ancestors for seven generations will be implicated and cast into the land of darkness; only after ten thousand kalpas will one cycle be complete. Their hun and shen will wander without end through the Three Paths of Woe, never awakening to the suffering of birth and death.

After reciting the “Five Sufferings,” chant:

We, your servants, sincerely entrust our lives to the Supreme, Boundless Great Dao; to the precious scriptures and talismans of the Most True One; and to Laozi, the Great Master of the Law within the Mystery, and the Lord of the Green Youth. Perform nine bows in homage, or three, or bow inwardly in the heart alone. The ritual master recites the Great Confession while the others prostrate themselves. After completing nine bows to the Three Honored Ones, each person knocks their head nine times, then returns to the incense burner.

If fellow practitioners perform a penitential rite on behalf of another person, they should also conduct the Great Repentance Ceremony, even if the rites at the fifteen altars have already been completed. During the ceremony, they should let their hair hang loose and focus their minds in meditation. The accompanying petition reads:

At the Great Mystery Capital (Taixuan Du), perform the Three Caverns prostration rite, bowing nine times before each, then return to the incense burner.

Your servant, so-and-so, a disciple of the Three Radiances under the Master of the Three Caverns of the Great Mystery Capital, the gentleman of a certain sacred mountain, and the Perfected One of the Lesser Mystery, respectfully serves in the rites of the Scripture of the Great Cavern and submits this petition to all the honored spirits: the Supreme One, boundless and supreme, Father of the Nine Mysteries of the Cavern of Truth; the Mysterious Mother of the Great Void; the Celestial King of Primordial Beginning; the Venerable One of the Ten Thousand Paths of the High Jade Void; the kings of heaven in every realm; the ministers of the Nine Heavens; the Jade Youths of the Three Heavens; the thirty-nine emperors of the High Heaven; the Twenty-Four Perfected Ones; the ancient Mysterious Sages; the Venerable Ones of the Ten Thousand Beginnings; the High Sage Jade Dawn Supreme One, Lord of the Great Dao; the Great Emperor of Fusang and Divine King of Yang Valley; the Four Offices and Five Emperors; the Turtle Mother of the Western Terrace; the King of Jade Protection of the Supreme Truth of Highest Clarity; the High Dawn Master, Chief Minister and Great Controller of Destiny; the Jade Gate of the Eastern Sea and Lord of the Azure Flower Youths; the Supreme Lord Lao; the Supreme Venerable One; the Celestial Emperor; the Lords of the Nine Elders’ Immortal Capital; the Venerable Ones of the Nine Qi; and all the spirits, Dao Qi, officials, Perfected Ones, and Celestial Worthies present throughout the realms, together with all righteous spirits within and beyond the Three Realms who answer prayers.

We, your servants, have received the blessings of the spirits and been granted access to the wondrous, true Dao and the opportunity to serve the precious scriptures. Yet our inborn nature is dim and shallow, and we have failed to understand the Dao’s profound principles. Our actions have gone against the precepts, and our conduct has repeatedly fallen into error. Our past offenses are already grave, and now we have added new faults. We fear our days may soon run out while even our modest aspirations remain unfulfilled. Now, by good fortune, we have received the forgiveness of great compassion. From this day on, we pledge to cherish every moment and strengthen our resolve to cultivate the Dao. In accordance with the ritual regulations, we submit this petition and respectfully recite it before you. The petition is as stated above; our words are sincere and earnest. We look up to the spirits, asking them to show compassion, grant forgiveness, and bestow the grace of three pardons.

We implore the spirits to forgive the offenses of us, your servants, and all those concerned: offenses from past and present lives, those of our ancestors and kin through the generations, and those of rulers and ministers, teachers and friends, the dead who came before us and those who died after them, and the living of this age. Whether living or dead, all who have suffered calamity because of their offenses, whose studies or official careers have gone poorly, or whose wishes have not been fulfilled, should receive your aid.

Now we cleanse our hearts and dedicate our lives to the Dao. With our hair loose, we bow our heads and repent. We especially implore the Three Venerable Ones to show compassion and examine our plea, and to command the divine officials responsible for their offices to remove every transgression of ours and of our kin through the generations, in both the visible world and the unseen realms. The offenses for which we seek pardon include: lack of compassion, filial respect, benevolence, reason, reverence, humility, trustworthiness, loyalty, discipline, consideration, integrity, generosity, fairness, uprightness, diligence, and obedience; killing, robbery, plunder, plotting adultery, and incest; inciting murder, harming living beings, envying the worthy, and betraying teachers and elders; revealing scriptures after receiving them, and treating precious scriptural passages with contempt; violating the precepts while practicing the rites, entering places of mourning and burial, and coming into contact with blood and impurity without reforming; becoming overly intimate with women while practicing esoteric methods and disturbing the state of purity, or failing to observe the scriptural precepts; claiming to practice the Three Caverns while failing to remove the Three Corpses (spirits said to dwell in the human body and lead people to wrongdoing), harboring sinister intentions, acting violently, harming fellow practitioners, destroying scriptures, and betraying the Three Venerable Ones.

These offenses also include disregarding daily taboos, knowingly breaking the rules, and allowing private desires to violate the precepts; excessive eating and drinking to the point of drunkenness and loss of control, thereby damaging the Daoist teachings; secretly passing on scriptures without instruction from a teacher, or carelessly transmitting, exchanging, or borrowing magical methods without holding purification rites and making vows; deceiving the people and arbitrarily altering sacred texts, seeking novelty and inventing one’s own methods; serving the Dao without focus, failing to keep scriptures in a dedicated place, neglecting offerings, and abandoning ritual homage; living and associating with people who are unsuitable, and mixing clothing and attire; holding high office while despising subordinates, killing the innocent indiscriminately, and dispensing rewards and punishments unjustly; serving as a subject, official, or servant while deceiving superiors and subordinates, embezzling and abusing authority, or acting in defiance and rebellion; disorder and confusion in relations between men and women, harming others out of jealousy, abandoning the right path to follow heretical ways, and slandering the true Dao; and knowingly refusing to repent after wrongdoing, or repeatedly returning to the same offenses after repenting.

We implore you to cleanse away all these accumulated offenses, avert calamities and bestow blessings, settle resentments and enmities, end lawsuits and disputes, and block the roots of wrongdoing. May our deceased relatives be released from the underworld and rise into realms of light. May our descendants receive blessings, and may benevolent spirits protect both the living and the dead. May the deceased be reborn and form a bond with the Dao; may the living renew their studies and accumulate merit through their deeds. May graves be undisturbed and homes peaceful; may families and the state flourish, and the Dao’s transforming influence grow ever brighter. May demons be subdued and the assembled sages descend; may heaven and earth be at peace, and the sun, moon, and stars shine in ordered brilliance. May the four seas be calm and the Five Sacred Peaks flourish; may wind and rain come in season and crops yield abundant harvests. May all things beneath heaven share in blessings and celebration, and may peace prevail throughout the world.

We implore the spirits to respond with compassion and grant our request, so that what we seek may come to pass and today’s vows not be made in vain: above, may we repay the Great Dao for its renewed and generous grace; below, may the aspirations of us, your servants, who admire the Dao’s blessings and pray with sincerity, be fulfilled.

After completing the Great Repentance Rite, face east, click your teeth, and offer a prayer. May I receive grace and see my wishes fulfilled, and may I not betray the words spoken today: above, may I repay the Great Dao for renewing creation and bestowing its De of grace; below, may I answer the sincere devotion of those who serve as ministers and consorts.

After completing the Great Repentance Rite, face east, click your teeth thirty-six times, and recite the five vows. Alternatively, they may be recited during the three purification days of the five-day period; this practice is also suitable.

First vow: May I be born from the Qi of nature, the original Qi that precedes Heaven, and take form as Qi condenses. May my life endure as long as the sun, moon, and stars, the Three Lights, and may I enjoy forever the inexhaustible root.

Second vow: May I dwell forever above the vastness of space, within jade palaces and chambers. In the morning, may I feast with the Jade Emperor; in the evening, may I wander with the Dark Mother. When thirsty, may I drink from the waters of the Wave Well and Vast Spring, and partake of jade fungus. When hungry, may I eat such immortal delicacies as dragon embryo, jade oil, and the crimson children of the scarlet tree.

Third vow: May wondrous forms arise upon my body, sending forth seventy-two rays of light. May I grow strange feathers and unusual features, wear feather robes, ride the emptiness and travel through the sky, and enter and leave the palace of the Emperor. May abundant blessings descend, and may my life be without limit.

Fourth vow: May I be born together with Qi and die together with Qi, and be reborn after death. May I be reborn as an emperor, granted authority over the ten directions of Heaven, and made chief of all immortals.

Fifth vow: May all living beings, whether already born or not yet born, together protect and uphold the sun, moon, and stars, the Three Lights. May the seven generations of ancestors of those who cultivate the Dao ascend to the Southern Palace, and may every blessing under Heaven go to those who deserve it. The five vows made in the four directions ultimately converge in the Jade Hall.

Next, pray that the nine generations of ancestors protect and nurture my body, and that my hun, po, and true Shen dwell constantly within my palace. May I reach the realm of celestial immortals above and the depths of the caverns below. May the Earth, wind, clouds, and spirits all come to assist and protect me. When the five vows unite as one, may I be inscribed in the register of long life. May purple clouds descend from Heaven, and may the Five Spirits guard me from the Earth. May I ride the clouds and travel through the sky in a flying carriage and a green immortal carriage, ascend to the Golden Palace, and then proceed to Jade Clarity. May blessings and grace extend to the seven generations of ancestors, granting them another chance at rebirth. When the five vows are united, may I enjoy prosperity, steadfastness, and good fortune for all time.

The five middle vows are all fundamental aspirations for attaining the Dao: may I accord with Yin, Yang, the Great Void, the Great Nonbeing, and the Great Mystery, so that I may serve the Sovereign Lord in the Jade Chamber, the abode of the immortals, and form bonds with the immortals. May I travel through the Gate of Life, roaming the Nine Heavens as freely as riding the wind and waves. May the Primordial Father assign me a place in the register of immortals, and the Mysterious Mother record my years of life; may Taokang, a Daoist deity, gather my Jing and Qi and secure them in my Dantian. May my body rise aloft like adamant, and my name be entered in the Jade Register of the immortal realm; may my ancestors for seven generations be released, and blessings and joy descend upon them.

The five lower vows are these: may I accord with the Great Void, the Great Being, the Most High, the Great Truth, and the immortals. May I move atop the Five Sacred Peaks and drift among the Nine Heavens, entering and leaving the Gate of Opening while remaining beyond the Gate of Death. May Heaven and Earth be my parents; may the sun, moon, and stars—the Three Luminaries—protect my life, and may the myriad spirits guard the openings to the Nine Springs, the underworld. May numinous Qi descend from the Qi of nature. In accordance with these five vows, give voice in response, joining the vows together.

When the vows have been spoken, click the teeth fourteen times and recite the incantation:

Supreme Emperor of the Upper Origin, Mysterious Scripture of the First Emperor: five-colored auspicious clouds scatter their radiance, filling the Three Pure Ones, the three heavens where the Daoist deities dwell. Jade Boys and Jade Maidens burn incense in service to the spirits. Please present my upper vows, so that I may unite with the immortals, become an immortal, and ascend to the Imperial Court. May the Northern Emperor, ruler of the underworld, dispel death; may the deity of the Southern Gate determine my years of life. May my name be inscribed in the Golden Register of Donghua, so that I may fulfill my boundless aspirations. When the recitation is complete, click the teeth twenty-one times, raise the head and swallow the breath five times, then stop.

After reciting the incantation, turn the incense three times, return it to the incense burner, and recite:

Three Origins, Three Heavens, Five Sacred Peaks, Five Emperors, immortal messengers, the three pure and true Qi of Heaven and Earth, the Azure Dragon and White Tiger on the left and right, Celestial Immortals, Earthly Immortals, Flying Immortals, and Divine Immortals, as well as the incense officers of the Five Spirits: summon the righteous Qi of the ten directions, along with the naturally formed Golden Liquids, Elixir Essences, and mushroom blossoms of the immortals, and the Jade Perfected Ones of the Nine Mysteries. May these numinous energies gather in the purification hall, the open-air altar, and the sacred altar, and infuse the bodies of me, [name], and the others. May we study the Dao and attain it, seek immortality and become immortals, and be able to fly through the Great Void and rise into the Nine Heavens. May the Jade Boys and Jade Maidens attend the rising incense smoke and present the petitions of me, [name], and the others to the Most High, Boundless Supreme Great Dao Jade Emperor.

After the ritual, click the teeth together nine times and silently recite: “Seek the Dao and you will attain the Dao; seek immortality and you will become immortal. Fly through space and rise above the nine heavens. Jade boys and jade maidens serve and protect me amid the incense smoke. Let them report the matters that I, [name], and the others have prayed for, presenting them before the Supreme Jade Emperor of the Great Dao, exalted above all and without limit.”

Then click the teeth together nine more times and swallow the saliva nine times. This completes the ritual. Next, put away the incense burner and continue the circuit in the original order. As you leave, chant the liturgical text as described earlier.

The six texts above are to be recited one at each of the six daily periods. If the ritual is performed only three times a day, recite them in rotation, repeating the cycle. After the chanting, recite the spell and rinse the mouth when leaving, following the morning ritual’s procedure. After the meal, present the scriptures and lecture on them. At the doorway, rinse the mouth and click the teeth together three times. Then visualize the deities according to the ritual, bow inwardly three times, and silently recite the spell:

“The Jade Emperor’s supreme teaching reaches up to the Three Pure Ones, the highest heavens revered in Daoism. By observing purification on an auspicious day, may I open the sacred scriptures. Whatever obstacles I encounter, may the things I seek be accomplished. Jade boys serve and protect me; Jade Flowers release their fragrance. May I ascend to the Three Primes, the three heavenly realms of Daoist teaching, and attain long life together with them.” Recite this spell as well when opening the scriptures.

Enter the hall and bow three times facing the Dao. When many people are present, you may proceed in turn to the east. If everyone is standing in a fixed place, you may bow together three times, bow once, or bow inwardly. After bowing, sit upright and close your eyes. Then bow three times facing the Dao again. When many people are present, you may proceed to the east; if everyone is standing in a fixed place, you may bow together three times, bow once, or bow inwardly. After bowing, sit upright with your eyes closed. Make the Hand-Clasping gesture, click your teeth together, and visualize your head as upright and blue-green like jade, your hands red as cinnabar, and your feet white as snow. Let the Hun remain settled on the left and the Po on the right. After a while, open your eyes, rub your hands and massage your body. Then rise. Once the visualization is complete, ascend to the high seat to recite the scriptures and explain their meaning.

Before ascending the seat, bow nine times to the Dao seat, then bow three times, and ascend. Before opening the scriptures, click your teeth together thirty-six times and swallow saliva thirty-six times. Visualize the Returning Wind, the Supreme One, the hundred deities, and the ten thousand perfected beings. Then silently recite the spell:

“The subtle and mysterious gate of the tradition shines with light through the distant, empty realm. The utmost Dao comes through silence; one should behold the Three Su Palaces, the abodes of immortals. Through this, the Great Dao is accomplished, and one ascends on a cloud dragon. Attendants who serve the scriptures stand on either side; jade maidens and jade boys attend. This body is delivered and joins with the ten thousand perfected beings…”

The subtle and wondrous lineage is radiant and far-reaching, penetrating the emptiness. The highest Dao is to be sought in silence, and practitioners should behold the Three Su Palace, the celestial palace described in Daoist teaching. When the Great Dao is realized, one can ride clouds and dragons and travel with the immortals, accompanied on either side by those who uphold the scriptures, while Jade Maidens and Jade Youths attend nearby. One can cross the ford of immortality, escape the nets of the mundane world, and ride upon the spirit wind. Even one’s ancestors of seven generations can return to their roots and be reborn, becoming an immortal lineage in every generation.

When reciting the “Thirty-Nine Chapters,” “The Female One,” “The Great Being,” “The Nine Truths,” and “The Great Elixir,” face north and sincerely bow toward the four directions. Click the teeth thirty-six times and swallow the saliva thirty-six times. Visualize five-colored radiance emerging from the five viscera, and the vital essences of the Five Planets entering them. Then recite “The Divine Continent,” followed by “The Inner Names of the Hundred Spirits,” and then the “Thirty-Nine Chapters.” Let the mind correspond to what is visualized, without stray thoughts. Recite the entire text without stopping midway.

When reciting the thirty-one scrolls, face north and sincerely bow toward the four directions. Click the teeth twenty-four times and swallow saliva thirty-four times. Visualize the vital essences of the Five Planets, the sun, and the moon gathering and entering you in a profound, mysterious way. The rites for the remaining scrolls are to be performed according to other oral instructions.

Before reciting the “Scripture of Wisdom” and its hymns of praise, first close the eyes, click the teeth three times, and swallow saliva three times. Visualize the Three Su Primordial Lords, the revered deities of the Three Su Palace, in the Golden Flower Palace, appearing like infants; then recite the scripture. When the exposition and recitation are complete, everyone rises together and stands upright, then bows three times to the Three Venerable Ones. After bowing, all prostrate together, click the teeth three times, and silently pray:

“Lingfan Lichang, Elder of the Seven Spirits, Taiyi Wuyou, and the Five Spirits Huangning: may I ascend to the Nine Heavens and stand among the Celestial Emperors; may I attain flight as an immortal; may my ancestors of seven generations be transformed and reborn as infants; may my sins be absolved and the nets fall away, and may I ascend to Jade Clarity.”

After the ritual is complete, click the teeth together seven times, swallow the saliva in the mouth in three portions, then rise, go outside, and visualize the divine beings. Do this both morning and evening. After seven years, one may ascend to Heaven. Whether the practice is performed three or six times a day, the visualization and incantation remain the same. The incantation is slightly different when entering the ritual altar: simply replace phrases such as “hall and chamber” with “ritual altar.” Three concentric layers should be arranged both inside and outside the altar or hall.

For a high-ranking rite, the ritual master enters the innermost layer, the next-ranking master remains in the middle layer, and the next-ranking fasting practitioners stay in the outer layer. Apart from the lamps arranged in sets of seven or nine, the number of lamps lit in the hall or altar may be adjusted as appropriate. In general, ninety lamps are set for the Upper Origin, sixty for the Middle Origin, and thirty-six for the Lower Origin, making a total of 186. They are arranged on the left and right sides of the hall or altar, at the gate towers, and in the positions corresponding to the Grand Year, the month’s ruling branch, the day’s cyclical sign, one’s natal year, and one’s current year. The Grand Year lamp and the natal lamp are kept lit day and night; the other lamps are lit only at night. When it rains, light two lamps inside the hall and place the others by the gate.

After completing the ritual circumambulation, each person faces the natal lamp and the Grand Year lamp, bows twice, and states their petition. Each may explain their wishes in their own words.

In addition, according to the Rules of the Four Poles, nine lamps are set out in the courtyard at the Beginning of Spring and the Spring Equinox; eight at the Beginning of Summer and the Summer Solstice; six at the Beginning of Autumn and the Autumn Equinox; and five at the Beginning of Winter and the Winter Solstice. Twelve lamps are set for one’s natal year. On the Eight Seasonal Nodes, face the ruling Qi of the season. When performing the natal-year rite, face the Grand Year, click the teeth together twenty-four times, and recite the incantation:

“Highest, most exalted Perfect Ones; the myriad sacred Five Emperors; the Jade Officers of the August Sovereign; chiefs of the immortals and inspectors of the Perfected: today is an auspicious hour, and the Qi of the Eight Seasonal Nodes is opening. May sins in the world of the living and punishments in the underworld be dispelled, and may the calamities of the Nine Yins be ended forever. From this day onward, may the seven generations of ancestors be delivered.”

When performing the natal-year rite, face the Grand Year, click the teeth together twenty-four times, and recite the incantation:

“Highest, most exalted Perfect Ones; the myriad sacred Five Emperors; the Jade Officers of the August Sovereign; chiefs of the immortals and inspectors of the Perfected: today is an auspicious hour, and the Qi of the Eight Seasonal Nodes is opening. May sins in the world of the living and punishments in the underworld be dispelled, and may the calamities of the Nine Yins be ended forever. From this day onward, may the seven generations of ancestors be delivered, freed from the fiery prisons and forever kept far from the blade mountains, no longer burdened by the sufferings of the Three Paths and Five Torments. May I live as long as Heaven and Earth and preserve my position in the Imperial Dawn for a long time. May the Five Vows and Eight Assemblies grant every request.”

After completing the ritual, remove your headcloth and bow until your forehead touches the ground 120 times. Do not strike your head hard enough to cause pain. When you have finished, put the headcloth back on and gaze up at the sky. Silently recite in your heart: “Today, by Heaven’s grace, I have received the chance to transform my body, be reborn, and ascend to become an immortal.” After reciting this, tilt your head back and swallow 24 breaths. The ritual is then complete. Practicing in this way can erase three years of transgressions and make the body like that of a perfected person.

Set lamps around the altar: 186 in all across the four directions. If each side of the ritual ground is nine zhang long, set 186 lamps along each side, for a total of 644. In addition, place 1,860 lamps in courtyards, lanes, and roads, and keep watch until dawn. Suspend the practice in windy or rainy weather. When the appointed period has ended, the entire ritual is complete; then report all the merits gained through these observances together. On the morning when the purification ritual ends, set out lamps in the same way and keep watch until dawn.

On the morning after the purification rite has ended, after performing the Daoist liturgy, do not burn incense again yet. Next, recite the names and ranks in order. Whatever Daoist methods have been received, whether high or low, must be stated according to rank. The highest method is to be described exactly as recorded in the Yellow Register (Huangsu), a Daoist ritual manual. If registers of the master’s lineage have also been received, first list the calendrical system and titles governed by them.

We respectfully report to the Three Primordial Most Perfect Ones of the Cavern of Emptiness, the Nine Mysteries, the Great Void, the High Jade Emperor; the Thirty-Nine Emperors; the Twenty-Four Perfected Ones; the High Sage Jade Dawn Supreme Lord of the Great Dao; the Four Offices and Five Emperors; the myriad Dao’s Primordial Beginning, High Sages; and the Most Exalted Heavenly Worthies:

We, your subjects, cherish the Great Dao and delight in cultivating the way of immortality. We have resolved to ascend through the Nine Mysteries, pay our respects to the High Perfected, and on a certain day and at a certain hour of a certain month, at a certain place, established an altar and performed the purification rite. We performed the Daoist liturgy and recited scriptures, visualized the divine Perfected, prepared elixirs with utmost care, repented our offenses and accumulated merit, purified body and mind, and devoted all our strength to observing the precepts and ritual forms. Now our practice is complete and its appointed term has ended. We respectfully report this and pray to the High Three Primordials, the Three Pure Ones, and the Three Scriptures.

We, your subjects, have visualized the divine Perfected, prepared elixirs with utmost care, repented our offenses and accumulated merit, purified body and mind, and devoted all our strength to observing the precepts and ritual forms. Now our practice is complete and its appointed term has ended. We respectfully pray that the High Three Primordials, the Three Pure Ones, and the Three Treasures dispatch the attendant officials who lead immortals, the supervising spirits of the Five Emperors of the five directions, the purification rite’s registrar and envoys, as well as the Flying Immortals, Celestial Immortals, Earthly Immortals, and Divine Immortals, the spirits of the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Great Rivers, and the true officials and numinous immortals who inspect each region. May they welcome us back to the Palace of the Perfected, advance us to the rank of High Immortal, raise our noble rank among the Emperor Lords, and grant us immortal offices according to our grade.

May everything proceed in accordance with the rites of the Most Perfect Ones, so that the deceased among our Nine Mysteries and Seven Ancestors, and among our relatives both within and beyond the family, may together leave the realm of darkness and enter the light. May the sins of former lives be dispelled and our blessings and virtue grow day by day. May we attain the Dao through performing its rites, and attain immortality through seeking it; may our alchemy succeed, and may our refining of gold succeed. May sincere thought reach the divine, allowing us to move among the spirits. May repentance remove our offenses, and prayer bring down blessings. May we divide and transform our bodies, traveling among the seventy-four regions. May the Three Primordials descend and bestow the green immortal carriage. May we ascend through the highest purity, soar through the air to the Nine Heavens, and shine together with the sun and moon, as the Three Treasures radiate in unison. We pray only that the Most Exalted and Venerable Spirits look down upon us and recognize our sincere hearts.

We, your subjects, have studied the Daoist methods but have not yet fully mastered the rites of approach and withdrawal. The purification rites, too, are difficult to perform with complete skill. We often violate their subtle rules, fail to conform to their canonical forms, and transgress the ritual precepts through our movements and conduct. For this we have been investigated by the Four Offices and detained by the Five Emperors. We have committed offenses of a thousand kinds and ten thousand varieties. We especially beg your pardon: pity us for our lack of understanding and ignorance, and we earnestly ask the Venerable Spirits to show compassion and encourage our intention to do good. Please do not impose punishment.

I, your subject, respectfully bow before the True Officials and ask to proceed to the Mysterious Capital according to my rank among the immortal offices, there to receive an official appointment appropriate to my grade. When the rewards have been bestowed, please allow me and my fellow subjects to return to our bodies, and let us all be promoted according to our ranks and fly through the vast heavens.

We respectfully submit this report and await the divine reply. I, your subject, and my fellow subjects are filled with reverent awe; we bow our heads and submit this petition with repeated obeisance.

After the ritual, bow twice more, then pinch incense three times. Return to the incense burner, recite the incantation, and rinse your mouth as usual.

Any objects to be sent or matters to be carried out should, in principle, be arranged for the principal fasting day, the day on which the purification ritual is held. The timing may be adjusted according to circumstances. If unforeseen obstacles such as wind or rain prevent this, the work may be postponed until after the fasting period, but by no more than nine days. If the deadline is exceeded, the fasting ritual must be performed again, beginning as usual with reciting the incantation and rinsing the mouth.

Sending objects and handling other affairs should in principle take place on the principal fasting day. If unforeseen circumstances such as wind or rain make it impossible to complete the work on schedule, it may be postponed, but no more than nine days. If more than nine days pass, the fasting ritual must be performed again. When resuming the matter, first state and confess the lapse, explain that the work remains unfinished, and report it once more to the deities, asking that it be brought to a successful conclusion in keeping with the original sincere intention. If auspicious or inauspicious events, or conflicts involving public or private affairs, arise during the fasting period and prevent the ritual from being completed, the work must be arranged again afterward. Repeat the process until a response is received.

The prescribed number of days for each of the four seasons must not be exceeded, nor may any required tasks be omitted; all arrangements must be complete and thorough. If you estimate that you lack the labor or resources needed, sell possessions or seek help from others to see the work through. Distribute items intended for the group widely among fellow practitioners—those who share the same aims—and do not give them to unrelated people. If you live in a remote place, far from towns and roads, prepare boats, carts, and other travel provisions, and do all you can to make the necessary arrangements. Set the fasting period and deadline according to your means, and be sure to finish without delay. If you suddenly find yourself in difficulty and forget the arrangements made earlier, an attempt to seek blessings may instead bring misfortune, so proceed with care.

If ritual implements prepared for the Zhaijiao (purification ritual) have not yet been sent and are accidentally lost, destroyed by water or fire, stolen or hidden by thieves or demons, or contaminated by impurity, they should be discarded. Report the matter to the deities, then burn or bury them. Do not put them to ordinary use. Prepare replacements and follow the prescribed rules carefully, omitting nothing. If other ritual implements likewise fail to reach their destination or are accidentally lost, handle them in the same way, and write a separate report explaining the circumstances and confessing the lapse.

If a person bears several kinds of calamity and guilt, perhaps as many as twenty-four in all, they cannot be dispelled all at once. Instead, they must be resolved one by one over three years. The three years are divided into twenty-four solar terms, and none may be omitted. If even one term is missed, the process must begin again from the start. This is extremely difficult; only those with firm resolve who devote themselves wholeheartedly to cultivation can accomplish it.

Whether or not they can accomplish this, people cannot thereby attain the Dao; the conditions that arise in the future may not accord with the wishes they hold today. So, when facing the vow made today, they should cultivate diligently, attentively, and carefully, never forgetting it. Persist in this way, and nothing will be impossible.

If several calamities, misfortunes, and transgressions are connected and together make up six items, all six may be dispelled at once. There is no need to divide them into six periods and address just one at a time. If no response has been received after three years, one may instead focus on dispelling a single item at a time, completing them year by year. Persist to the end, and one will surely attain ascent—that is, rise to an immortal realm or a higher state, as Daoism describes it.

This concludes the lower volume of the Scripture of the Registers of Destiny for the Eight Paths of the Most High of the Cavern of Truth. The original note states that six hymns seem to be missing beneath the character “left.”