《七元真人说神真灵符经》

Qiyuan Zhenren (a Daoist deity) admonishes all ghost kings and spirit kings, as well as the celestial demon kings of the Six Caverns of Mount Luo in Northern Fengdu: from this day forward, they must not kill the common people of the world without cause. The common people are the limbs and vessels of my own body. I possess divine chapters by which I can command and restrain external demons and cause them to attach to the six viscera.

From this day forward, if a Shangqing Daoist—a practitioner of the Shangqing school—comes to remote rocky cliffs and deep valleys, concentrates on cultivating a single method, is able to yield himself and uphold moral righteousness, does not prize wealth, devotes himself wholly to aiding others, and practices the Daoist methods I have transmitted, he should turn toward the Purple Tenuity Thearch and the Five Elder Perfected, Daoist deities. If a Daoist wholeheartedly wishes to receive and uphold this method, he should prepare plain white silk, report and petition the Upper Perfected—the perfected deities of the upper realm—practice according to the ritual regulations, swear not to divulge it, and conceal the method’s instructions in a jade casket, never transmitting them to others even through a hundred million kalpas.

Qiyuan Zhenren admonishes the demon hosts of the Six Heavens: all must heed these instructions. Those who cultivate and practice the Daoist methods will be received and guided by cloud carriages; those who slight the Daoist methods will suffer calamity that will not be eliminated even through three kalpas. I now make these words known to you.

Qiyuan Zhenren says: I command the Great Talisman of the Divine King of the Awesome Sword. If a Daoist treats illness on behalf of others, he may write this talisman in ink on plain white silk and give it to the patient to wear, and the illness will be cured. This talisman issues from the Demon-Subduing Officials of Fengdu, the divine officials of Fengdu who govern the subjugation of ghosts and demons. Once a Daoist obtains this talisman, he may practice the method in the world to save people, treat illnesses caused by evil, and punish ghosts and specters. When the Daoist enters a sick household, all the ghosts will submit of their own accord. The scripture then speaks of “the power of the Great Dao giving birth to spirits and orthodox perfection,” and says that the demons will submit and be extinguished of their own accord, hiding themselves among the Demon-Subduing Officials of Fengdu; it also says that methods of this kind must not be transmitted even through the kalpa of Black Killer. The original text repeats phrases at this point, and the meaning may be somewhat incomplete.

The Divine Talisman of the Five Celestial Stalwarts of Black Killer, a Fulu (talismans and registers) used to stabilize a residence and expel plague ghosts, is written in cinnabar on white poplar wood one chi and five cun in length, and is used to guard the five directions of the dwelling. The method of writing this talisman is transmitted on a Tiangang day.

The Upper Celestial Stalwarts are in charge of slaying the blue plague ghosts of the east.

The Middle Celestial Stalwarts are in charge of slaying the red plague ghosts of the south.

The Lower Celestial Stalwarts are in charge of slaying the white plague ghosts of the west.

The Celestial Stalwarts of the Left (the celestial troops of the left quarter) are charged with slaying the Black Pestilence ghosts of the north; the Celestial Stalwarts of the Right are charged with slaying the Yellow Pestilence ghosts of the center.

The seven Perfected (Zhenren) said: There is a divine talisman called the “Five Numina Black Killer.” It is written in ink on a board of catalpa wood two chi in length, with an azure ground, and it is written on a jiazi day (one of the days of the sexagenary cycle). If one wishes to suppress the sources of mountains and rivers that have for many years been troubled by essence-specters and malign spirits, one may use this talisman to perform the method of cutting off and intercepting them, while preparing wine and dried meat, twelve portions in all, and reciting the divine incantation of Tianpeng seven times. We shall command the many troops and generals who guard the numinous spirits to set forth, so that fierce fire reaches as far as ten thousand li, sweeping away demonic evils, awing the myriad spirits into submission, and causing the malign spirits to flee and scatter without a trace.

This talisman comes from the Palace of the Six Heavens at Fengdu (the underworld palace of Daoist legend). It belongs to the divine talismans of the true covenants of the Three Heavens and is written with the One Qi (the primordial vital energy of which Daoism speaks).

The seven Perfected said further: There is a divine talisman called the “Announcement to the Eight Awes.” If a Daoist priest wishes to treat illness and check essence-specters and malign spirits, he may write it in ink on a board of cypress wood one chi and five cun in length, hang it in the center of the courtyard of the residence, and carry a patterned silk corresponding to his own natal destiny (a token made according to the destiny to which he belongs); only then may this talisman be transmitted. Protective suppression is performed once every thirty years.

The Seven Perfected (Qizhen) say: This Divine Chapters of the Nine Talismans is also called the “Mandate Announced by the Nine Dragons.” The talismanic writ it employs is set down on white silk, thirty-six chi in all. Wearing one such divine talisman causes the hundred numina to lie hidden and subdued and the myriad spirits to attend in service. If, among Daoists who later study the Dao (the Way), there is one who is diligent and vigorously progressive, courageous in cultivation, and held in respect by all under Heaven, this cinnabar writ of divine instructions may be transmitted to him, to be used in subduing every demonic realm. Should evil influences rise in disorder and epidemics and disasters occur in the world, one may travel from place to place, bestowing the divine talismans on living beings stricken by calamity, and on a grand scale establish altar grounds of the Seven Primordials, lighting lamps and practicing the Way, summoning the examining officers and troops—divine officers and soldiery commanded to carry out the rites, expel evil, and uphold protection—so as to aid the people of Heaven. One who performs merit of this kind will be commended by the Three Realms.

This scriptural chapter (Jing) is numinous and wondrous, and is kept with the numinous officers of the grotto-heavens of the Five Marchmounts. In each place there are two hundred and forty thousand divine troops attending the scripture, burning incense and scattering flowers, guarding it on the left and on the right. If one has accumulated good causes in the past, one will of oneself meet the mysterious and wondrous Dao, and at that time be able to receive the transmission.

The Seven Perfected say: The time for writing the Fulu (talismans and registers) should be chosen as the early morning of the third or the twenty-seventh day of each month. Facing east, one stands before the table and writes with cinnabar, swallowing one talisman until the prescribed number has been taken in full. In this way one may attain penetrating clarity and discernment, so that spirit and Qi (vital energy) do not decline. Do not allow the Fulu to be touched by the impure Qi of women. When cultivation has been maintained for a full one thousand days, one will see the Divine Maiden of Taiwei appear in person.

These are the First Primordial True Qi (the first kind of true Qi of the Primordial Beginning), the Second Primordial True Qi (the second kind of true Qi of the Primordial Beginning), the Third Primordial True Qi (the third kind of true Qi of the Primordial Beginning), the Fourth Primordial True Qi (the fourth kind of true Qi of the Primordial Beginning), the Fifth Primordial True Qi (the fifth kind of true Qi of the Primordial Beginning), the Sixth Primordial True Qi (the sixth kind of true Qi of the Primordial Beginning), and the Seventh Primordial True Qi (the seventh kind of true Qi of the Primordial Beginning).

The Seven Perfected say: In former times, after the precious method of Mysterious Truth had been received, it was secretly stored in Daluo Heaven. There, the golden pylons and jade chambers of the Holy Mother of Mystery upon Mystery guard this divine and wondrous true chapter. When a jiao sacrifice is held and announcement is made to the famous mountains and great rivers and to Mingyuan—the deities of mountains, rivers, water sources, and the like—it may be used to heal illness and to deploy troops and dispatch generals; the gods of the Thirty-Two Heavens all come to assemble in audience.

The Primordial True Qi of the Great Thearch (the true Qi of the Primordial Beginning presided over by the Great Thearch).

The Seven Perfected (seven realized persons who have attained the Dao) said: In former times they received the precious methods of Xuanzhen (the subtle true Dao, the Way), secretly stored in the Daluo Heaven (the highest heaven in Daoism). There, in the golden pylons and jade chambers (sacred dwellings) of the Holy Mother of Profound Mystery, these divine perfected verses are preserved. They may be used at famous mountains and great rivers to hold jiao offerings—setting up an altar for sacrifice and inviting the spirits—and to pray that the sources of water be clear and bright; they may also be used to heal illness and to lead troops and dispatch generals. Throughout the Thirty-two Heavens, the gods all come to pay court. This method belongs to the lineage of the Great Thearch (Taidi). Within the statutes under its charge are eight hundred thousand divine formulas, which cannot all be transmitted. To learn this one method is enough for a thousand days of cultivation; in carrying it out, one should follow the oral instructions personally imparted by one’s teacher.