《太上洞玄灵宝三一五气真经》

Long ago, the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan had once read the Jing (scripture/classic) of the True One of the Heavenly Sovereign, yet he failed to grasp the essential meaning of the True Qi of the Three Ones (Sanyi Zhenqi, Qi meaning vital energy). He therefore traveled everywhere in search of an explanation.

The Yellow Emperor set out on a long journey by chariot. Changyu drove the vehicle, Fangming served as the charioteer, and Limu accompanied him. First he went east to Qingqiu. When passing Feng Mountain he visited Master Zifu and received the large-character Inner Writings of the Three Sovereigns, which could be used to summon and command the various spirits. He then went south to the Mysterious Stream of Jade Zhi, climbed Yuanlong, viewed the hundred numinous beings under the Jianmu tree, and picked the flowers of Ruogan.

The Yellow Emperor went west to pay respects to Zhonghuangzi and received the arts of nine additions. Passing through Kongtong Mountain, he studied the Jing of Nature with Guangchengzi. Later he traveled north to Hongdi, ascended Juici Mountain, and visited Dayuanjun Huanggai Tongzi, receiving twelve volumes of the Diagrams of Immortal Mushrooms. Next he returned to Wangwu Mountain and transmitted the Jing of the Nine-Turn Divine Elixir of Golden Liquid to Xuannü. Thereafter he also journeyed to Yuntai and Qingcheng Mountain to visit Master Ning.

Master Ning said, "I am only someone who began to become an immortal after attaining the Dao (the Way); I am not an immortal official in charge of the matters of the Three Sovereigns' celestial truth, and I truly do not understand this True One scripture. Recently Huangren, under the command of the Lord of Fusang, has been overseeing the immortal officials of Emei Mountain and has not yet departed from there. You may go inquire of him."

Thereupon the Yellow Emperor went once more to Emei Mountain. After three months of quiet fasting and purification, he was finally able to meet Huangren.

No one knows in which era Huangren lived. He stood nine chi tall, his body covered in long black hair more than a chi in length, though the hair on his head measured only a few cun. He dwelt in a precipitous cave on the northern side of a mountain; the dwelling was built of white jade, its curtains fashioned from yellow jade and decorated with magnificent patterns. Inside the cave burned “Qianhe incense.” Those who served him were all immortals and jade maidens, and among the guests at the gathering were three visitors who all styled themselves Immortal Kings of Taiqing (Great Clarity). After meeting the Yellow Emperor, Huangren set out a full dou of jujubes, entertained him with the blossoms of Danhua mixed with precious fruits, and invited him to drink the numinous elixir of the jade elixir of the Vermilion Palace.

The Yellow Emperor crawled forward on his knees until he came before Huangren, performed the rites of bowing and kowtowing once more, then stood waiting. Huangren asked, “What do you seek?” Kneeling, the Yellow Emperor replied, “I hope to attain longevity.” Huangren said, “You have already traveled throughout the four seas and still desire immortality—is that not too greedy?” Still kneeling, the Yellow Emperor answered, “If the myriad people under Heaven have no sovereign, they will oppress and tyrannize one another; therefore I established laws so that they might be transmitted to later generations. I myself also love the Great Dao (Dao), and thus have journeyed far across the four seas. Fortunately I have encountered the Lord of the Dao; I earnestly beg you to show compassion. I have privately seen the Zhenren Zhenyi Jing (Scripture of the True Person and the True One), yet I have only read the characters without grasping their meaning; I have looked upon the phrases of the scripture without understanding the matters of which they speak. Therefore I earnestly request your instruction.”

Upon hearing this, Huangren was greatly astonished. He stroked his body and sighed for a long while before answering: “You have only read the characters without grasping their meaning; you have looked upon the phrases of the scripture without understanding the matters of which they speak. Therefore you earnestly request instruction.”

Huangren (a venerated deity in Daoist scriptures) was greatly astonished. Stroking his own body, he sighed at length before answering: “How have you come to hear of and see these contents? This book is the first chapter recording the registers of life and death, a numinous talisman of Heaven, and a precious Jing (scripture/classic) of the Most High.

To ascend to Heaven in broad daylight, soar through the void, generate water and fire from the body, undergo infinite transformations, and become a true celestial immortal, one must cultivate the Dragon Embryo Golden Fluid Nine-Turn Elixir. Cultivating this elixir method protects the physical form, cuts off food and drink, drives away all manner of evil influences, commands ghosts and spirits, and confers immortality.

If one wishes the blood vessels to flow unobstructed, the intestines to transform into sinews, all calamities to be unable to harm oneself, and life to be prolonged to the utmost, then one must practice the ‘True One’ and ingest the ‘Five Sprouts.’ These two secret methods of celestial writing have always been administered by the Lord of the Southern Dipper (Nandou Jun, the deity who oversees lifespan and the registers of life and death), who keeps the registers, jointly safeguarded with the Taichang Taya (the divine official in charge of the related secret registers). Unless the immortals have stipulated transmission once every forty years, no one may violate the precepts and leak them without authorization.

The Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu, a venerated Daoist deity) further placed this book within the Five Cities, guarded outside by twelve immortal towers. The book is stored in a casket of purple jade, inlaid with gold, sealed with cinnabar polypore and luminous herbs, and stamped with the Central Seal of the Most High. Those without an immortal register may not hear of this book. You ought not to hear the secret sounds of Heaven in this mundane place; you should leave.”

The Yellow Emperor kowtowed and replied: “In former times I received a divine elixir from the Mysterious Maiden, yet I have not yet had time to refine it. I have simply not received the essential meaning of the Jing (scripture) ‘Ingesting the Five Sprouts and Eating the True.’ Fortunately I have met the True Lord today; if you do not transmit to me the way of long life, then it is my destiny not to transcend the dusty world. Yet if I merely prolong a feeble existence, what meaning would that have? I earnestly beseech you to take pity on all living beings and grant them aid.”

Having spoken, the Yellow Emperor kowtowed until his head was broken and wounded, collapsed to the ground, and did not awaken for a long time. Huangren went into the grove, helped him up, and only then did he revive. Huangren told him: “You are precisely the kind of person who can truly attain the Dao (the Way).”

The three Immortal Kings of Taiqing (Taiqing Xianwang), seeing how sincere the emperor’s heart was in seeking the Dao (the Way), felt compassion and wished to help him. They said to Huangren: “This person’s ancestors in previous lives once encountered famine. They themselves preferred to go hungry rather than fail to share their food with the starving and afflicted. They also labored diligently, rescued birds and beasts, and reduced corvée labor in order to nurture even the tiniest living creatures. They persisted in this for forty years. Their benevolent De (Virtue) moved Heaven, and their merits and virtues reached all things. The Most High recorded their good deeds, and the Nine Heavens recorded their lineage, so that their good name was handed down, blessings extended across several generations, and their benevolent De likewise benefited their descendants. Precisely because this person first possessed such good deeds, he now enjoys this fortune. Why then do you keep the scripture of the true essentials secret and refuse to transmit it? Moreover, he has sought the Dao with such diligence that he has now had the chance to meet me. You may instruct him so that he may complete his cultivation.”

Huangren sighed with feeling and said: “The good deeds you accumulated in previous lives are so profound—what could I possibly begrudge? You may sit down once more, and I shall tell you the important methods of the Dao.”

“Taiqing Immortal Kings” and “Huangren” are both titles of immortals appearing in Daoist scriptures; the “essential Way” (yaodao) mentioned in the text refers to important methods of cultivating the Dao.

After the Sovereign Lord had taken his seat, the August Person first arranged a banquet, bowed in respect, and then slowly said: “In the True Scripture of the Dao (Daozhen Jing) that you received earlier, there are still some words you do not fully understand. They speak of how Heaven uses yin Qi (vital energy) to store and conceal, thereby protecting and blessing a person’s entire body. If one can clearly see and know oneself, longevity can be attained.

Among all living beings, humans are the most spiritually luminous, yet they often fail to recognize themselves and cannot guard the Shen (spirit) within, and thus cannot resist various calamities. Those who understand this principle need not seek protection from heavenly deities; it is enough to apply effort to their own persons. Therefore it is said that the human body is like a country: the chest and abdomen are like palaces, the four limbs like the national borders, and the joints like the hundred officials. Shen is like the ruler, blood like the ministers, and Qi like the people. One who knows how to regulate the body also knows how to govern a country.

Only by cherishing the people can the country be at peace; only by valuing Qi can the body be preserved. If the people scatter, the country will perish; if Qi is exhausted, the body will die. A country already destroyed cannot be restored, nor can a person already dead be revived. Therefore those who have attained the Dao eliminate hidden dangers before misfortune occurs, regulate and treat before illness arises, lay a firm foundation in times of peace, and do not wait until after events have passed to regret and try to make amends.

The human body is difficult to nourish and protect yet easily depleted, so one must carefully handle authority and De (Virtue/Power) in order to maintain the stability of body and mind, and restrain likes and desires in order to stabilize blood and Qi. In this way the True One (the unified authentic Qi within the body) can remain, the Three Ones (the corresponding Shen and Qi in three places within the body) can be guarded, the body can be strengthened, and lifespan can be prolonged.

The Niwan, Jianggong, and Dantian (energy center) are the true palaces where the Three Ones reside (the essential sites in the body for storing Shen and nourishing Qi). If you now guard these places, ten thousand poisons and a thousand kinds of deviant Qi will not dare to harm you. By continually rinsing and swallowing the water of the Flowery Pond (the saliva in the mouth) and ingesting the Five Sprouts (a Daoist longevity practice referring to the essential Qi of the five directions), one can become an immortal.

My former teacher personally received this method from the True King of the Nine Heavens, and I now write it down to transmit to you. Visualizing it in the mouth is called the ‘Vermilion Bird Elixir’; obtaining it through self-cultivation is called the ‘True One.’ These are all writings from the Book of Heavenly Treasures.”

In the early morning, face east and silently recite: “Eastern Qingya (the green Jing (essence) Qi (vital energy) of the east), ingest Qingya, drink Chaohua (the essence of dawn).” After reciting, lightly touch the outer side of the upper teeth with the tongue, then lick the lips and rinse the mouth; once saliva has fully accumulated, swallow it. Repeat this three times.

Next recite the Southern Zhudan (the vermilion Jing-Qi of the south): “Ingest Zhudan, drink Dan Chi (the essence of the vermilion pool).” After reciting, lightly touch the outer side of the lower teeth with the tongue, then lick the lips, rinse the mouth, and swallow, three times in all.

Then recite the Central Wuji (the heavenly stems representing the central direction): “Towering like Mount Tai, ingest Jinghei (the pure black Jing-Qi), drink Li Quan (the sweet spring).” After reciting, lightly touch the Xuanying (a vital point on the tongue according to Daoist tradition) on the upper surface of the tongue to draw forth saliva, lick the lips, and swallow, three times.

Then recite the Western Mingshi (the bright Jing-Qi of the west): “Ingest Mingshi, drink Lingye (the wondrous fluid).” After reciting, lightly touch the teeth with the tongue, then lick the lips and swallow, three times; knock the teeth once after each repetition. Subsequently recite the Northern Xuanzi (the mysterious black Jing-Qi of the north): “Ingest Xuanzi, drink Yu Yi (the jade-sweet fluid).” After reciting, lightly touch beneath the tongue, lick the lips, and swallow, three times.

When all of this is finished, inhale through the nose to the fullest, then slowly exhale; repeat more than five times to complete the practice. Knocking the teeth is a common action in Daoist cultivation, typically performed together with recitation and swallowing saliva.

The Three Immortal Kings further told the Yellow Emperor: “In former times I cultivated and ingested this method, and thereby attained immortality. My former teacher instructed me to increase the saliva in my mouth and swallow it, while reciting: ‘White stones layer upon layer, spring sources successively well forth within the cavern; drink the jade slurry and you can live long, lifespan also extended.’ This statement consists of twenty-two characters; you may follow it—can you do so?”

The scripture says: Practitioners who continuously ingest the “True One” (the primordial Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) of which Daoism speaks), constantly swallow the saliva in their mouths, and hold the breath for a long time without tiring, can attain the Dao (the Way) and no longer eat grains. It is said that without taking medicines, after a period of time they succeed. The people of remote antiquity lived long because they did not eat grains in daily life. The Dayou Zhang states: “The five grains are like chisels that shorten lifespan; they cause the five viscera to decay, leading to a short life. Once these things enter the mouth, longevity is hard to attain. If you wish not to die, let there be no residue in the intestines; if you wish to live long, keep the viscera clean, allow the body to nourish an essence like jade slurry, in harmony with Heaven. When jade fluid is in the mouth, heavenly beings and humans can share longevity together.”

After hearing the teaching, the Yellow Emperor presented all his ordinary jujubes and fruits and the pure Dark Wine (xuanjiu, the clear wine used in Daoist sacrificial rites) to the Huangren (August Person), swore not to transmit these teachings outside, then bowed and took his leave.

The Huangren said: “If you understand the elixir of the True One, all things become clear. Understand the ‘One’ and there is nothing you do not understand; fail to understand the ‘One’ and there is nothing you can truly understand. The ‘One’ is the most honored, unmatched designation. The Dao arises from the ‘One’; the myriad things and myriad numbers all come from the ‘One.’ Heaven obtaining the ‘One’ becomes clear and bright; Shen (spirit) obtaining the ‘One’ becomes numinous and efficacious; Earth obtaining the ‘One’ becomes peaceful; humans obtaining the ‘One’ can live. Metal sinks in water, feathers float on the surface; mountains stand still, rivers flow. These principles cannot be seen or heard: hold them in mind and they appear; neglect them and they vanish. Accord with them and it is auspicious; oppose them and it is inauspicious. Cherish and guard them, and blessings extend without end; leak them, and lifespan withers…”

The latter half of the original text shows obvious repetitions and incompleteness; it stops at “xia,” followed by another stretch of repeated wording, so the remaining sentence meanings cannot be fully determined.

The blessings of life are inexhaustible. If this principle is leaked, life will decline and fall into hardship. The Dao (the Way) is vague and indistinct, yet within it there are forms; in the midst of vagueness there are actual things. This is what is called the “One” (the fundamental Dao of which Daoist cultivation speaks).

If one wishes for longevity, one should understand the “Three Ones” (cultivation methods related to the One). Thinking of the One, even hunger can receive nourishment; thinking of the One, even thirst can obtain sweet springs. The ancients treasured this true One of the Dao, transmitting it secretly by word of mouth and preserving it carefully in writings. The One can generate and set Yin-Yang in motion, and can also drive the succession of cold and heat: it sprouts in spring, grows in summer, gathers in autumn, and stores in winter. It is so great that Heaven, Earth, and the four directions cannot cover it, so small that it cannot be compared even to a fine hair. The common people live in it every day without knowing of its existence.

Do not lose the One, and do not discard it and leave it neglected. Let the One dwell securely in its proper place, holding to its abode neither in haste nor in delay. When the mind is at peace and at ease, the One will not depart. Diligently preserving and holding the One, it can communicate with the Shen (spirits). Drink little wine and moderate one’s diet, and the One can remain. When facing danger without doubt, holding the One can eliminate disaster; when calamity approaches, thinking of the One can preserve one’s life.

Knowing the One is not difficult; the difficulty lies in persisting in it consistently from beginning to end. If one considers oneself to understand the true Dao yet does not put it into practice, it is no different from not knowing it. By continually seeking and persistently cultivating, one can ascend to the Nine Sovereigns (high-ranking deities venerated in Daoism). On land one can avoid fierce beasts and poisonous insects; in water one can avoid wangliang (legendary water ghosts) and jiaolong. There is nothing that cannot be averted, and no evil influence that cannot be resisted.

Holding to the true Dao, Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) can be preserved; if Jing and Qi leak away and are depleted, life will decline and perish. Practicing the method of ingesting Qi (a cultivation method based mainly on regulating the breath and taking in Qi), it is said, can prolong life and keep the appearance youthful for a long time. Let me tell you: if a person can preserve and hold the One, the One will likewise preserve and hold that person. Therefore, a sharp blade cannot damage his keenness, nor can all manner of disasters display their peril; even when in a dangerous situation, one can turn danger into safety.

Is the true method of Lingbao something that Daoist priests have invented to deceive? Are the profound intentions of the supreme sages not worthy of the world’s belief? It is only that those who seek and cultivate it are too few, and I fear that in later times even the foundations of the school will become stained and corrupted.