《太上洞渊神咒经》

Preface to the Supreme Scripture of Divine Spells from the Cavern Abyss

The preface is attributed to Du Guangting. A Daoist priest of the late Tang and Five Dynasties period, Du held several official posts and received titles such as Duke of Cai of Pengcheng Commandery. The titles and designations listed in his signature, including “Celestial Master,” “Great Master Who Propagates the Teaching,” and “Master Guangcheng,” were honorific titles or statuses bestowed upon him. “Feathered guest” refers to a Daoist priest.

In the final years of the Western Jin dynasty, warfare ravaged the Central Plains. Famine struck repeatedly, followed by epidemics. Wang Zuan, a Daoist on Ma Ji Mountain in Jintan, often did good deeds in secret and came to the aid of all living beings. He felt compassion even for the smallest creatures. At that time, miasma spread unchecked, claiming many lives. Villages fell into ruin, and the dead came one after another.

In a quiet chamber, Wang Zuan submitted memorials to the Heavenly Court and prayed for three consecutive nights, weeping so bitterly that he could scarcely speak. On the third night, the courtyard suddenly blazed with daylight. Auspicious clouds and gentle winds drifted through the sky, accompanied by a wondrous fragrance and celestial music. More than three thousand armored soldiers stood in formation, as if awaiting someone. Then jeweled canopies, precious banners, colorful pennants, and ceremonial regalia appeared in the air. White cranes wheeled overhead, and vermilion phoenixes danced. Two attendants in blue robes carried flowers and incense, while four jade maidens bore a jade table. A brocade mat was spread across the ground, and a great screen was set up before it. Generals of dragons and tigers and their officials stood guard on either side; golden-armored generals, great spirit kings, and others also stood in orderly ranks.

Before long, the sound of reed pipes and flutes filled the sky, and five-colored rays of light shone down from the northwest. A man carrying a writing tablet and wearing a precious sword stepped forward and told Wang Zuan, “The Most High Dao Lord has arrived.” Then a splendidly adorned throne descended from the sky. The Dao Lord sat upon a lotus throne borne aloft by a five-colored flying dragon, more than a zhang above the ground. Two perfected beings and two Celestial Masters stood beside him. Wang Zuan hurried to bow and welcome him with reverence.

The Dao Lord said, “You took pity on the people and set your thoughts down in a memorial. Your sincerity was so deep that you wept, moving both the netherworld and the heavenly realm. The Earth Bureau, which governs the underworld, reported this matter, and that is how I came to take notice of you.” Wang Zuan prostrated himself and offered his thanks.

The Dao Lord said: “Yin and Yang alternate and transform, bringing forth the myriad things. The myriad things come into being through the workings of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water). The Five Phases overcome one another, and all things have their own periods of flourishing and decline. They turn and change without end. Thus life continues unbroken, and breaths follow one another in succession, never ceasing throughout the ages. Those who attain life have received pure Yang Qi (vital energy) and ascend to Heaven to become immortals. Those who meet death sink into the realm of utmost Yin and become ghosts. Among ghosts, too, there are distinctions of rank and status, strength and weakness, firmness and softness, goodness and evil—no different from among the living.”

The Celestial Worthy, the Jade Emperor, feared that ghosts and spirits might run rampant and harm the people. He therefore often ordered the Five Emperors and the Three Officials—the Daoist system of divine offices—to inspect and restrain them, and to establish laws governing their jurisdiction. The penalties were also fully and clearly laid down. But in times of decline and disorder, opportunists and hypocrites became more numerous among the people, their honest nature dissipated, and baleful forces began to arise. People were disloyal to their rulers, failed to honor their parents, and violated the teachings of the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues, bringing death upon themselves. Thus the Six Heavens’ old, noxious Qi, demons, and the armies and fallen commanders defeated in wars through the ages gathered into factions and ravaged the people. They summoned wind and rain, preyed on the weak and seized every opening to wreak havoc, bringing on all manner of illness and causing great suffering. Some people did not live out their allotted years, but died young or met untimely deaths.

In ancient times, the Dao Lord composed the Divine Incantation Scripture at Duyang Palace and bestowed it upon the Perfected Tang Ping, commanding him to spread the scripture and save the people. Ignorant people in the world saw the names of Wang Jian and Bai Qi mentioned in it and assumed its contents were absurd. In truth, commanders who led armies in life became ghost marshals after death. Those who had accumulated merit could be promoted to officials of the underworld, while the cruel remained confined among the demons. They used the corrupting Qi of the Five Phases to cause epidemics and illness. The authority of the human world could make them fear, and the divine incantations could make them submit. In this way, calamities would naturally subside.

Now the Dao Lord has bestowed this Divine Incantation Scripture upon you once more and commanded you to follow its teachings to save and protect the people. The Dao Lord then ordered an attendant boy to open the precious casket that held the treasured Nine Lights, and gave Zuan the scripture together with the methods for the Three-Five Great Retreat, a form of Daoist purification ritual and liturgy. He said to him: “Strive in your practice and accumulate hidden virtue; then you may hope to attain the rank of an immortal.” With that, the Dao Lord and all the Perfected attendants ascended toward the northwest.

Zuan then conducted rites throughout the Jiangnan region according to the scripture’s ritual grades and retreat methods. The people were thereby kept safe and well, and the epidemics dispersed. From the Jin dynasty to the present day, the number who have received its blessings is beyond counting. Those who cultivate and uphold this scripture should be pure and upright, reverent and single-minded, diligent and unflagging. With clear and sincere hearts, they should commune with the spirits; the response will come as swiftly as an echo. If they are negligent or disrespectful, or carelessly reveal the teachings, they will incur guilt. Those who cultivate this scripture must be sure to observe these precepts carefully. Moreover, this scripture is vast and profound, and its principles are subtle; it was spoken aloud by the Primordial Emperor himself.

The Most High reveals the Dao through words that are subtle and profound. If someone stills the mind in reverence and sincerity and resonates with the Dao, the response of the divine beings comes at once, like an echo. But if they cease their practice, grow negligent, and carelessly disclose the scripture, they will incur guilt upon themselves. Those who practice and uphold this scripture should carefully observe these precepts. What is more, this scripture is vast in scope and comes from the very mouth of the Primordial Sovereign, a revered deity in Daoism; its teachings are profound.

The Most High’s subtle teachings say that if someone recites the scripture in stillness and reverently keeps it, the moment the incense burner is lit, the true spirits respond at once. Divine troops and mounted officers swiftly sweep away the wicked, demons, and malign spirits. Valiant celestial horses and heavenly attendants also disperse plague and pestilence wherever they go. We now once again petition skilled artisans to produce this scripture, using masterful carving and fine calligraphy, in the hope that it will be practiced for a long time and widely circulated. May the state’s fortunes flourish, surpassing the long dynastic span foretold for the Zhou by divination. May the emperor enjoy a long life, matching the great longevity of Emperor Yao. May roads and tracks be unified throughout the realm, and the calendar and laws prevail in every direction. In this way, we praise the mighty numinous virtue of the Great Dao and support the court’s benevolence in nourishing the people, so that abundant blessings and wondrous auspices may continue without end.

The Scripture of Divine Incantations from the Cavernous Abyss of the Most High, Volume One

Chapter on Vowing to Subdue Demons

The Dao said: “In the past, above the Three Heavens, I proclaimed immeasurable scriptures to many men and women, teaching and transforming all living beings. At that time, the Perfected Ones of the lower world, including Wei Mingluo, together with the heavenly assembly, numbering four hundred and ninety thousand, came above the Three Heavens to hear the Great Immeasurable Scripture. Their inner selves and outer surroundings were brought to peace. Wei Mingluo and the others resolved to rise once more, then bowed three times before the Most High,

Mingluo and the others asked the Supreme Lord for guidance: “Is it difficult for the Celestial Venerable to teach and transform living beings? We are low in status, and have come to express the worries in our hearts.”

The Supreme Lord asked whether they had come from Jambudvīpa, the human world. Mingluo and the others said that they had. He then asked, “In the world, are there people who revere the Great Dao, recite and study the scriptures, and cultivate themselves to become immortals?”

Mingluo and the others replied: “The people of the world have piled up evil deeds and do not believe in the Daoist teachings. In the human realm, one hears only the sounds of mourning, not the songs of immortals. People are filthy and impure, so the teachings of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen) cannot take hold. The calamities of the Hundred and Six cycles descend, and warfare and plague arise together. Demon kings unleash their poisons and kill the good. Every household suffers misfortune and decline, and cries of grief follow one another without end. Living beings harm one another, bringing suffering upon themselves and dragging one another to their deaths. They endure suffering in ignorance, yet never learn how to escape it. How can such people be saved?”

After hearing Mingluo and the others, the Supreme Lord addressed the heavenly beings: “What is in the minds of living beings? They do not understand the Daoist teachings or the instruction they have received, and so they do evil to one another and slander one another. The scriptures of the Three Caverns have already spread throughout the world, yet people do not know how to receive and follow them. They are like blind people walking beneath the sun and moon. Are the sun and moon not bright? It is simply that the blind cannot see them. When ritual masters proclaim the teachings, the ignorant cannot understand them either.”

The Supreme Lord then led eighty million billion heavenly beings and Jade Maidens down to the world to save living beings, passing through Jade Capital, a celestial realm of immortals. On Jade Capital Mountain grew a peach tree three hundred and nine hundred million li tall. Its eastern branch covered the east, its southern branch shaded the south, its western branch sheltered the west, and its northern branch covered the north. It flowered once every four billion nine hundred million years and bore fruit once every eight billion years. When ripe, each fruit was as large as a cartwheel. Anyone who ate a bite would not feel hunger for three thousand years; when ghosts saw the tree, they died of their own accord.

Each heavenly being carried peach wood down to the world to destroy plague demons with it and bring every kind of good fortune.

The Dao says: Beginning in the years Xinsi and Renwu, ghost troops ran amok everywhere, while demon kings spread evil poisons, causing the people to contract poisonous illnesses. I now send forty-nine hundred million officers of restraint to seize the demon kings of the Thirty-Six Heavens. The demon kings have all come down and sworn together: From now on, if anyone in the realm dies without cause, suddenly falls ill, suffers the calamity of judicial punishment, or becomes a prisoner, it will be because the demon kings and their like failed to restrain the ghosts in the lower world, allowing them to harm the people. If, in the future, unrestrained ghosts again cause the people to suffer pestilence, the calamities of war, hardship, judicial punishment, imprisonment, or an unnatural death, the demon kings will bear responsibility for having failed to control the ghosts of the lower world before. They will be executed, without mercy.

Thereupon, the Most High sent 490,000 lords of the ten directions—divine officials in charge of affairs across the ten directions—along with thirty million celestial maidens and Great Brahma Kings to deliver the decree. They summoned all the demon kings of the Thirty-Six Heavens and eighty billion lesser ghost kings. The demon kings’ wives, children, and attendants also swore stern oaths. Three million six hundred thousand others, including the Mysterious Maiden, Magu, and the royal consort, came as well to reprimand the demon kings on behalf of the Most High. The demon kings all submitted, each sending demon sons and strongmen to patrol the borders of the realm and protect its people, lest the Most High condemn and punish them. The Brahma Sons of the Nine Heavens, the great demon kings among the celestial beings, and the demon kings, their ladies, and their maidens all bowed three times and carried out the Most High’s commands.

The Dao also says: From the time of Fuxi through the end of the Han dynasty, the people lived in peace and comfort. Yet many did not believe in the Dao, and so all came under the influence of evil demons generated by the Qi (vital energy) of Heaven and Earth as they naturally moved and operated. They did not know that there was a Dao, nor did they know that there was…

The Dao says: From the time of Fuxi until the end of the Han dynasty, people lived in peace and comfort. Most did not believe in the Dao and knew nothing of the Dao, its methods, or its scriptures; they simply lived in accord with nature. Later, few people believed in the scriptures.

By the time of the Great Jin, the age was on the verge of decline. People’s hearts were no longer simple and sincere, and a new generation had arisen to rule the people of the world. At first, many suffered, and people at every level faced hardship and distress. Only later did conditions gradually improve. The region that prospered was Jiangzuo, east of the lower Yangtze River. Heaven and humanity met, and the Dao’s Qi—the transformative power of the Dao—began to flourish. As the time of calamity drew near, people in the world would occasionally encounter and receive teachings such as the Three Treasures, the immeasurable Shangqing, the Huangting Records of Immortals, Taisu, and the Lingbao Samadhi. They had all accumulated great blessings in past lives, and those blessings continued into this life. Hearing of and seeing this scripture enables one to survive calamities such as the floods of the Three Left Regions and the Three Rivers.

Good! Good! You men and women—whether kings and emperors, regional governors and high officials, ordinary people, or even servants and slaves—if you can encounter this scripture and receive its covenantal records, the registers and names conferred on practitioners, your names will be entered among the ranks of immortals, and you will never die an unjust death.

The Most High preached this Divine Spell Scripture in the Palace of Mysterious Radiance. The great demons of the Nine Heavens, rakshasa demons and bandits, and the retinues of the various heavens—eight hundred million in all—gathered there to hear the Heavenly Worthy expound the Dao. They all drew in their hands and bowed in concentrated reverence. The Heavenly Worthy then preached to them the Great Scripture that records the methods for becoming an immortal. After hearing it, all four assemblies felt strange sensations in their bodies.

The Dao says: Listen closely. I will now describe what will happen when the future cycle of calamity comes to an end. Three thousand years after the time of Fuxi, floods will engulf the land, and half the people will die. The Three Regions…

Dao said, “Listen carefully. I will now explain what will happen when the future kalpa is nearing its end.

Three thousand years after the age of Fuxi, floods will overwhelm the land, and half the people will die. Thirty-six years later, the people will rebel and slaughter one another. By the fall of the Zhou and Qin, the people will be almost wiped out. At the end of the Han and Wei, people will flee in every direction, and half of them will die. Later, a fifth-generation descendant of the Liu clan will inherit the founders’ legacy. At that time, people throughout the land will cry out in anguish. The realm will be in peril, and no one will be able to live in peace. Driven and pressed by the Six Yi—a term used in antiquity for peoples living beyond the borders—they will flee east of the Yangtze, while some will hide their whereabouts and take refuge around the Huai and the sea. In the jiawu year, the people will return to the Central Plains. Chang’an will flourish again, and the Qin River region will enjoy peace and harmony. The Six Yi will submit and withdraw to the mountains and forests, no longer entering the Central Plains, and the Dao will prosper. ‘Wood, Child, Bow, Mouth’—an obscure phrase whose specific meaning is unclear—will rise once again.”

Dao said, “When the great kalpa is about to arrive, the rulers who govern the realm will issue disordered commands, and the people will lament. Wind and rain will come out of season, the five grains will fail, people’s hearts will grow corrupt, and rebellion and defiance will spread. Fathers and sons, brothers, will plot against and kill one another, bringing about their own destruction. Resentment and theft will spread everywhere, and the innocent will be killed. At that time, pestilential Qi—the baleful influence that brings epidemics—will be rampant. Ninety kinds of disease will afflict the land, and illness will take the lives of the wicked.

There will be a red-headed killing demon, whose king stands ten thousand zhang tall and commands thirty-six hundred million killing demons. Each demon will carry a red staff and roam the world, taking people’s lives and waiting for an opportunity to strike in the month of Si, around the fourth lunar month. Blue Qi will cause sudden death; red Qi will cause swelling diseases; yellow Qi will cause diarrhea; white Qi will bring cholera; and black Qi will invite legal troubles. These demons will spread all kinds of pestilential Qi throughout the world, killing the foolish.

Only Daoist priests and ritual masters who uphold this Scripture of Divine Incantations will be protected by ninety hundred million great deities, natural warriors, and celestial maidens of jade. Those who uphold and venerate this scripture will see all illnesses fade away of their own accord and will not suffer untimely death. When a large force of bandits from a neighboring kingdom comes to threaten and invade, reciting this scripture will make them withdraw of their own accord.

The men and women seated there heard the Most High explain this scripture and, astonished, rose to their feet…”

The disciples respectfully bowed, willing to receive this scripture.

The Dao says: Calamities are about to come, and most people in the world do evil. Those who believe in the Dao and revere the scriptures are heavenly beings from the celestial realm, not ignorant people of this world. Seeing that the world was polluted and in turmoil, the Great Sage sent heavenly beings down to earth, where they were born in China to help teach and guide people of the age. The disciples are willing to receive this scripture.

The Dao says: Calamities are about to come, and most people in the world do evil. Those who believe in the Dao and revere the scriptures are heavenly beings, not ignorant people of this world. Seeing that the world was polluted and in turmoil, the Great Sage sent heavenly beings down to earth, where they were born in China to help teach and guide people of the age. Among the Son of Heaven, ministers, princely kings, nobles, local officials, and military officers, even those of low status will be guided by immortals if they wholeheartedly believe in the Dao and, after hearing the scripture, accept and practice it. Anyone who hears of or sees this scripture but refuses to receive and uphold it will be judged to have been reborn from among the six domestic animals, with no connection to the scriptures. Thus, when a great flood comes, fish and turtles will devour them; they will drift along with the muddy waters and have no hope of escape.

The Dao says: From now on, anyone, man or woman, who hears of or sees this scripture, or is willing to uphold it, will receive blessings in every generation, whatever their station—enslaved person, official, or commoner—if they receive the scripture, copy it and preserve it, and make offerings to the scroll. Their career will advance steadily, their illnesses will be dispelled and cured, and their wishes will be fulfilled.

Those who uphold this scripture will draw many demonic hosts: the Great Demon of the Three Heavens, the Great Demon of the Nine Heavens, demons who have passed through thirty-six generations, and the murderous ghost spirits of the ten directions, among others. The Demon King, together with his wife, children, and retinue, will all vow to do evil. The Dark Maiden, Magu, the Princess, and their three hundred and sixty million followers will also come together to become the Great One’s Demon King of Obstruction, who impedes the Great One’s teachings. The demons of sixteen generations, the murderous ghost spirits of the ten directions, and the Demon King’s wife, children, and retinue will likewise vow to do evil; the Dark Maiden, Magu, the Princess, and their three hundred and sixty million followers will also come together to become the Great One’s Demon King of Obstruction. In the end, all the demons will be subdued. Each will send demon sons and mighty warriors to patrol the realm and protect its people, fearing that the Great One will punish and destroy them. The Brahma Sons of the Nine Heavens, the Great Demon Kings among the heavenly beings, and their kings, consorts, and celestial maidens will all bow three times and follow the Great One’s teachings.

The Most High said: From the time of Fuxi until the end of the Han dynasty, people lived in comfort and ease, yet most did not believe in the Dao (the Way). They all suffered the disturbances of demons and malign forces in the natural world between Heaven and Earth, but did not know that there was a Dao, a method, or a scripture. They simply lived according to the natural state of things. Later, few people remained who believed in the scriptures.

By the time of the Great Jin, the world was nearing decline, and the people were no longer simple and honest. A new generation arose and began to rule the realm. At first, people endured many hardships, and everyone, from those above to those below, felt the urgency of the times. Only afterward did circumstances gradually improve. The region where prosperity took hold was Jiangzuo, east of the lower Yangtze River. Heaven and the human world met there, and the Dao’s Qi—the transforming power of the Dao—arose.

As a calamity cycle drew near, people often experienced realizations. Those who encountered the Three Treasures and scriptures such as the Shangqing, Huangting, Taisu, and Lingbao Samadhi had accumulated great blessings in previous lives, blessings that continued into this life. Hearing and seeing this scripture could spare them the calamity of the Three Rivers’ floods.

Good indeed, good indeed! You men and women—whether kings, imperial rulers, regional governors, officials of two thousand bushels, people of low rank, or even enslaved servants—if you can encounter this scripture and receive its covenant registers, the tokens or ritual records conferred in Daoist transmission, your names can be entered among the ranks of immortals, and you will ultimately not die in vain.

When the Most High proclaimed this Scripture of Divine Incantations in the Palace of Mysterious Radiance, the great demons of the Nine Heavens, rakshasa ghosts and bandits, and the retinues of the various heavens—eighty million in all—gathered to hear the Heavenly Venerable expound the Dao. Each folded their hands and bowed in single-minded reverence. The Heavenly Venerable then preached to them this great scripture, which records the path to becoming an immortal. After the Four Assemblies heard it, every one of them felt a strange change within themselves.

The Dao said, “Listen carefully. I am now going to tell you what will happen when the calamities of the coming age draw to a close.

Three thousand years after the time of Fuxi, floods overwhelmed the land, and half the people perished. Thirty-six years later, people throughout the realm rose up in rebellion and slaughtered one another. By the fall of the Zhou and Qin, the population had nearly vanished. At the end of the Han and Wei dynasties, people fled in every direction, and half of them died.

Later, a fifth-generation descendant of the Liu clan inherited the legacy of his ancestors. At that time, the four regions were in turmoil and the realm was in peril; the people could find no place to live in peace. Driven out by the Six Yi—a collective ancient term for peoples living beyond the borders—they fled south of the Yangtze and concealed their whereabouts. Some also took refuge around the Huai River and the sea.

In the Jiawu year, people finally returned to the Central Plain. The realm was still in peril, and the people could not live in peace. Once again, driven out by the Six Yi, they fled south of the Yangtze and concealed their whereabouts; some also took refuge around the Huai River and the sea. In the Jiawu year, they returned to the Central Plain. Chang’an was opened up and flourished, and the Qin River region became peaceful and prosperous. The Six Yi submitted and withdrew to the mountains, forests, marshes, and wetlands, no longer entering the Central Plain. The Daoist teachings also flourished.

“Wood, Child, Bow, Mouth” foretells the rise once again of a certain person or power.

Dao says: A great calamity is about to arrive. Local governance is in disarray, and the people lament. The winds and rains are out of season, the crops fail, people’s hearts grow corrupt, and acts of rebellion and defiance occur one after another. Fathers and sons, brothers among themselves, scheme against one another and ultimately meet their ruin. Grudges and bandits roam everywhere, and even the innocent are killed.

In such times, plague Qi spreads widely, and there are ninety kinds of illness throughout the world. The wicked will lose their lives to disease. Among these afflictions is the Red-Headed Killing Demon. Its king stands ten thousand zhang tall and commands thirty-six hundred million killing demons. Each demon carries a red wooden club and patrols the human world, seeking out the living and waiting for an opportunity to strike in the month of Si. Blue Qi causes sudden death; red Qi causes swelling sickness; yellow Qi brings diarrhea; white Qi causes cholera; and black Qi brings lawsuits. These demons carry all manner of Qi as they spread across the world, harming the ignorant.

Only Daoist priests and ritual masters who uphold this Divine Incantation Scripture will be protected by ninety billion myriad great spirits, natural strongmen, heavenly beings, and jade maidens. If someone believes in this scripture, recites and upholds it, and makes offerings to it, illness will disperse and they will not suffer an untimely death. If a great army from a neighboring kingdom invades, simply reading this scripture aloud in turn will cause the enemy troops to withdraw of their own accord. After the men and women present heard the Most High finish preaching this scripture, they all sprang to their feet and performed three formal bows. The disciples declared their willingness to uphold it.

Dao also says: Calamity is near, and people in the world commit many evil deeds. Those among them who believe in the Dao and abide by the scriptures are heavenly beings, not ignorant people of this world. Seeing that the world had become murky and chaotic, the Great Sage sent heavenly beings down to the human realm to be born in China and help teach the people of that time to transform their ways. Whether they are emperors, ministers, nobles, local officials, officers or soldiers—even those of low status—anyone who single-mindedly believes in the Dao, hears the scriptures, and believes and follows their teachings will receive guidance from immortals.

If someone hears of or sees this scripture but refuses to accept and uphold it, that person probably came from among the six kinds of livestock in a former life and has no affinity with the scripture. Thus, when a great flood comes, they will be devoured by fish and turtles and swept along with the mud and water; among ten thousand, scarcely one will escape.

The Dao says: From now on, whether man or woman, anyone unwilling to accept and preserve this scripture shows that in a previous life they were born among the six domestic animals and had no affinity with scriptures. Therefore, when a great flood comes, they will be devoured by fish and turtles and swept along with the mud and water, with almost no chance of escape.

The Dao says: From now on, whether man or woman, anyone who hears of or sees this scripture, or sees someone upholding it, should accept it, copy it, uphold it, and make offerings to the scripture scrolls—regardless of whether that person is a man or woman, a servant, or someone in public or private service. In this way, they will enjoy blessings in every generation, advance step by step in official rank, recover from illness, and see their wishes fulfilled. Even if the Three-Day Great Demon, the Nine-Day Great Demon, the demons of thirty-six generations, and murderous ghost spirits from the ten directions wreak havoc and kill everyone, those who uphold this scripture will be welcomed by nine dragons. Multitudes of heavenly beings will distinguish good from evil. You should believe these words.

If someone falls ill because the faults of their ancestors in generations past have brought calamity upon them, they should uphold this scripture. If they face a lawsuit or imprisonment, or often encounter misfortune, they should also uphold it. If they suffer from madness caused by evil forces, disputes, or any of the many other calamities, they should uphold it as well. Whenever things go wrong, they should uphold this scripture. The Demon King dares not intrude upon those who uphold it.

The Dao says: In the evil age of the Five Turbidities, when the world is filled with impurity and affliction, officials govern harshly and trouble the people, showing no concern for them. The people sigh and resent them. The world is in turmoil; the sun and moon follow irregular courses; the grain harvests fail; many people are driven from their homes; and great floods break out everywhere. When people of understanding see this scripture, they should quickly accept and copy it, then place the scroll in a bamboo chest, basket, or case and store it somewhere high. They may also wrap it in a five-colored cloth bag. If they recite and transmit this scripture, ghost soldiers will disperse of their own accord, and lawsuits will be resolved. If even one person in a household upholds it, the household will escape calamity. Even those who cannot read may accept the scripture, hire someone to copy it for them, and place it in their home as an offering. Evil ghosts will naturally submit and dare not come near.

The Dao declares: From now on, wherever this Jing (scripture) is recited or taught, if someone falls ill, becomes entangled in a legal case or quarrel, or suffers loss and unrest at home, they should heed the admonitions in the Jing and recite the Divine Spell for Driving Away Demons. If any ghost refuses to leave, falsely claims to be a great deity, or presents itself as a spirit worshipped in the mountains and forests or at a community shrine, the principal deity of a worldly temple, a general who died in defeat, or a ghost whose name has been removed from the registers; if it comes to aid an evil ruler and make people ill, and refuses to submit to the Orthodox Law, then the killing spirits of the ten directions shall seize and execute it. If they return again and continue to do evil and harm people, the Ghost King shall slay them, and the Demon King shall reduce their bodies to ten thousand pieces, showing no mercy. Urgent as decreed by the law!

The Dao declares: The age is brief and people’s hearts are treacherous; few believe in the Orthodox Law. A great flood is drawing near, and I fear many of you will drown before you know when you can escape. I feel deep compassion for this. Therefore, in the Hall of Nine Convergences within the Palace of Dark Radiance, I have built a bridge for all beings of the future and opened a path leading to the Orthodox Law. I point them toward the Dao and guide them in cultivating its teachings, so that they may escape the Three Calamities, dispel the Nine Afflictions, and avoid the Eight Hardships; be reborn in heaven or among humankind; and gain the opportunity to ascend to immortality, continuing through generation after generation. Thus I have subdued the Demon King and brought peace to the people. I have proclaimed the spell in advance to restrain and put an end to evil ghosts. From now on, wherever someone upholds and recites this Jing, they will receive many blessings. Men and women in later generations who uphold this Jing, honor their master, and practice its teachings may also ascend to immortality.

The Dao says: Liu Zi, the grandson of the fifth generation, will assist in governing the world and carry on the foundations of the immortal Dao. Among the people of the Great Han, many have encountered and accepted the Three Treasures (the Dao, the scriptures, and the teacher). Why is this so? Because in every generation there are good people who can give rise to a longing for the Dao. The recluses in the mountains and forests are beyond counting. They see that the great calamity is about to end, and seven or eight out of ten people have already accepted this scripture. The Three Calamities are about to descend upon you; only Daoists who have a bond with the Dao can believe in and uphold this scripture. The Most High weeps with compassion for all beings. If you believe my words, a Nine-Dragon carriage, drawn by nine dragons, will come to welcome you. If you do not believe, disaster will befall you at the Three Rivers of Mengjin. The three billion men and women gathered at this assembly have all come to accept this scripture.

The Dao says: The Most High weeps with compassion for all beings. If you believe my words, a Nine-Dragon carriage will come to welcome you. If you do not believe, disaster will befall you at the Three Rivers of Mengjin. The three billion men and women gathered at this assembly have all come to accept this scripture.

The Dao says: If you accept this scripture in twenty volumes, venerate it, practice according to its teachings, and pass it on, the various illnesses afflicting your bodies will heal of their own accord. Those who hold office will be promoted, your wishes will be fulfilled, and you will even be able to see the True Lord, the sage ruler who will descend in the future. The True Lord is not far off: in the year jia-shen, calamity will arise and the world will fall into chaos. Only after the world has been swept clean and Heaven and Earth have been opened anew will the True Lord appear. When the True Lord arrives, sages, worthies, immortals, and those who have accepted this scripture will all come to help. Daoists from the east, west, south, and north will assist him at his side; the foolish will not be among them. You people of this world need only accept this scripture, and you will naturally be able to see the True Lord.

The Dao says: The True Lord is the person represented by the phrase “Wood, Child, Bow, Mouth.” He will govern the world, bringing peace and joy to all under Heaven. Crops will be harvested nine times in a single year, and people’s lives will be extended by another three thousand years. After this, Heaven and Earth will change once more, becoming level and settled, while the sun and moon will shine more brightly than usual. Only those who accepted this scripture in past and present lives will come to assist the True Lord. Therefore, wise Daoists should teach the foolish and lead them to accept this scripture. In this way, they can dispel all manner of epidemics, drive away ghosts and bandits, fulfill every wish, and ensure that all undertakings go smoothly. Wherever those who have accepted this scripture may go, the Demon King will help instruct and transform them, and will never let them encounter misfortune.

The Dao says: If male and female Daoists wish to cultivate the Dao and attain its fruits, their aspirations can be fulfilled. Wherever those who uphold this Jing go, the demon king will help guide and transform them, and they will ultimately be spared encounters with evil.

The Dao says: Among male and female Daoists, only those whose endowments accord with the immortal Dao can encounter this Jing. Only those whose lifespan accords with that of a Perfected Lord—a revered deity who has attained the Dao—and who are destined to meet a Perfected Lord can uphold it. This Jing possesses divine power and can enlighten the mind.

After the Perfected Lord appears in the world, he will govern all under Heaven through Wuwei (non-action, following nature without forcing things). Warfare and the suffering of punishments and imprisonment will vanish from the world. Under the governance of the sage, the people will live in abundance and contentment, without coveting wealth. Chickens, pigs, dogs, mice, oxen, horses, and other domestic animals will no longer exist. Instead, phoenixes and white cranes will serve as household fowl, while qilin and lions will serve as domestic animals. People will devote themselves to practicing the Daoist teachings, and Daoists will serve as ministers. Men and women will remain chaste, free from lustful desire. When the people grow up, they will no longer be like Daoists are today. Without realizing it, their appearance will change, becoming upright and tall: ordinary people will stand thirteen chi tall, and the Perfected Lord sixteen chi. Their faces will be radiant and clear, with no ugliness; they will be pleasing to look upon from every angle.

All those present heard the Most High describe the Perfected Lord and his realm and were filled with joy. They rose together and performed three prostrations, touching their heads to the ground. Disciples, too, should practice and uphold this Jing.

Taishang Dongyuan Shenzhou Jing, Scroll One, ends.

Scroll Two: “Chapter on Sending Away Demons”

The Most High said: “I was in the ninefold palace of Xuandu, the dwelling place of Daoist immortals, expounding the Shangqing Zhongxuan Miaojing. At that time, in the world below, there were two great deities…”

The Dao speaks: “I was in the nine-tiered palace of Xuandu, explaining the Wondrous Scripture of the Upper Clarity and Central Mystery to the assembly. At that time, the Great Spirit of the lower world, the knowledgeable Juminzi, and eighty thousand Perfected Ones came together, bowed their heads, and, after making three obeisances, addressed the Celestial Worthy: ‘The hearts of people in the world are treacherous, and they do not believe in the highest teachings. Now the Three Caverns scriptures—the Daoist system for classifying scriptures—have been revealed, yet people do not know how to receive them. Plague demons and warfare kill living beings until they are dead or wounded in their entirety, and so they no longer seek liberation. We disciples often witness these calamities with our own eyes and are so grieved that we cannot bear to hear of them. In our lands there are now even people like walking corpses, people without virtue; rulers and ministers harm one another, and fathers and sons punish one another. When Daoists cultivate the Way, the foolish instead vie to mock them. They walk willingly toward evil paths and refuse to seek the ranks of the immortals. A great calamity is near, yet they know nothing of it. The baleful Qi of pestilence kills almost everyone. We disciples cannot bear to see or hear of these things, and so we have come to make this earnest appeal.’”

Then the Celestial Worthy looked up to Heaven and sighed deeply: “How pitiful! Living beings do not understand the essentials of the Great Dao or know how to cultivate their minds and nature. Thus they bring calamity upon themselves and are afflicted by pestilence. I will now dispatch eight hundred million Heavenly Strongmen, eight hundred million Heavenly Cavalry, four hundred thousand senior Heavenly officials of the prohibition offices, four hundred thousand Heavenly troops of execution, and four hundred and ninety thousand Heavenly Canopy guards to drive these demons from the human world. Take this Scripture of Divine Incantations and spread it throughout the lands. When someone receives this scripture, the plague demons will naturally withdraw.”

The scripture says: Beginning in the years Gengchen, Xinsi, Renwu, and Guiwei, as the year Jiashen approaches, ninety-two kinds of epidemic disease will appear throughout the world, taking the lives of the wicked. Those who do not practice the Dao may find it very difficult to escape this plague.

The diseases will cause alternating chills and fever, headaches and blurred vision, disorders of the five organs, and distress of the heart. Symptoms may also affect the nose, mouth, and throat, along with coughing and abdominal distension; Qi surging upward and stabbing pain in the chest; cramping in the hands and feet; pain in the chest and back extending to the head; deafness, jaundice, swelling, reddening or darkening of the body, and various forms of diarrhea. Other possible symptoms include cholera, vomiting blood, nosebleeds, abscesses, pain in the limbs and joints, fever and terror, grief and confusion, inability to sleep at midnight, restless limbs, incoherent speech, and delusions of seeing spirits and ghosts. There may also be swelling of the genitals, lower abdominal pain, loss of control of the hands and feet, sudden death, or loss of consciousness. The scripture attributes these illnesses to plague demons—spirit beings that bring disease—killing the wicked.

If you can wear and practice the Three Caverns scriptures and methods, I will send the celestial generals and strongmen to drive out the plague demons, so they will not harass you. A great flood will soon come as well. All living beings should quickly cultivate goodness, receive and transmit the scriptures and methods, and thereby avoid the flood.

The scripture also says: From now on, if a Daoist devotes himself wholeheartedly to seeking the Dao, does not cling to worldly honors and riches, practices the Dao’s methods wherever he goes, concentrates on the Three Caverns scriptures, follows his teacher into the mountains to cultivate, and teaches and transforms people, I will send forty-nine hundred million celestial generals and strongmen to accompany and protect him. Wherever he goes, no matter whether entering or leaving, the myriad ghosts will dare not harm him. The scripture further warns the demon kings and others that from now on they must diligently save living beings and drive away all plague demons.

The scripture says again: The year Jiashen is approaching, and a great flood will soon come. The plague demons are now harming people. In the world, the wicked are many and the good few; living beings do not understand the true words. The Three Caverns scriptures have long been transmitted, yet no one practices them. You should diligently save living beings and drive away all plague demons.

The Dao declares: The year jia-shen is approaching, and the great flood will soon follow. Today, plague demons are harming people. Evil deeds are common in the world and good deeds are few. Living beings do not know the true words—the sacred incantations of Daoism. The Three Caverns, the collective name for the Daoist scriptures, have long been disseminated, yet people do not know to seek them out and receive them. They thus bring suffering upon themselves. What can be done? Living beings are truly to be pitied. I now send the eight divisions of prohibiting troops, the celestial host of guardian soldiers, to drive out and destroy the plague demons and command them to retreat. Daoist priests, for their part, shall teach the people to follow the scriptures of the Three Caverns.

The Dao declares: From this day forward, whoever receives and upholds this scripture of divine incantations will be guarded in heaven by thirty thousand mighty troops of Commanders of the Dark Blade. For the sake of living beings, you need only teach all the ignorant each day. If the ignorant stubbornly refuse to understand and mock those who do good, Heaven will send plague demons to drive them out and kill them. The souls of these people will all enter the three evil paths—hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—and will never have a chance to escape.

The Ancient Dao declares: In the years xin-si and ren-wu, eighty million great demons will come to destroy the wicked. Those who sow discord, slander the Daoist teachings, address their masters by name, debate the scriptures, disbelieve in the scriptures of the Three Caverns, or refuse to accept the Daoist teachings will be destroyed by the great Demon King, who will come with the great demons.

The Dao declares: From this day forward, wherever a Daoist priest follows the scriptures of the Three Caverns and practices the Dao to save people, I will send nine hundred trillion troops of the Nine Heavens, who will descend together to protect you. If any demon refuses to leave, warriors of the Ten Directions will come and seize it.

From now on, wherever a Daoist recites and expounds this scripture, Heaven will send down 493,000 Three Caverns strongmen, 800,000 Six Heavens strongmen, and an army of ninety billion from the Thirty-Six Heavens. They will arrive together to destroy plague demons, so that the sick and those caught up in lawsuits may quickly escape their troubles and their illnesses ease and improve. The gods, too, will live in harmony and peace, bringing joy to the family. The local earth gods, kitchen gods, and spirits enshrined in the home must each remain in their proper place and must not wrong or harass the living. Apart from the spirits worshipped in the household, all other ghosts must be driven away and made to leave this place forever. If any ghost refuses to obey, or any ghost soldiers refuse to depart, the Demon Kings and the rest will be put to the sword, without mercy. You must act with utmost care: the words spoken by the sages are no falsehood.

This Divine Incantation Scripture records the names of thirty-six Demon Kings of Heaven and seven trillion lesser kings. Wherever a Daoist recites and expounds this scripture, the thirty-six Demon Kings of Heaven, along with seventy-two lesser kings such as Goupanzi, will come to submit and obey. Therefore, if someone can recite and uphold this Divine Incantation Scripture in the final age, when calamity draws near, and enshrine it at home, no evil ghost will dare come unbidden. Why? Because these great Demon Kings will dispatch strongmen to guard the scripture, while heavenly beings, Jade Maidens, and immortals will come by the hundreds of millions to protect it. Ghost soldiers will not dare approach it from the front or behind.

The scripture says: “From now on, wherever this scripture is recited, if evil ghosts or fierce spirits still dare to harbor ill intent and harm the living or a Daoist ritual master, the Ghost King and the eight hundred million great demon kings all vow to accept the punishment of decapitation three times, their heads shattered into thirty thousand pieces.” The Demon King also says: “From now on, if a Daoist uses ritual methods to expel and subdue evil ghosts or fierce spirits, and they still dare to harbor ill intent and harm the living or a ritual master, the Ghost King and the great demon kings are willing to accept the same punishment.”

The Demon King further vows: “From now on, when Daoists treat people’s illnesses, recite scriptures on their behalf, or pray for blessings by reciting scriptures and carrying out the Dao, their efforts should go smoothly and their wishes should be fulfilled. If this vow is broken, the disciples Ju and Min, among others, are willing to suffer ten thousand executions by decapitation.”

The scripture also says: “Now that the scriptural teachings of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), the Daoist classification system for scriptures, are widely circulated, even the Perfected Ones have received them—how much more so should ordinary people. From now on, whenever someone upholds the teachings of the Three Caverns, ghost soldiers will come to their aid, ensuring that their undertakings succeed and proceed smoothly, while the great demon kings protect them. Daoists should therefore diligently teach and guide ordinary people. When someone receives the scriptural teachings, the masters of the Three Caverns may travel among humankind and save living beings. If someone suffers an acute illness, a Daoist may recite scriptures on their behalf. When this divine incantation is recited, the three demon kings of Heaven will summon the lesser ghost kings from every quarter to help the disciples carry out the ritual.”

When Daoists receive this scripture of divine incantations, they should not uphold it together with other scriptures, but receive this one on its own. This is because the great demon kings in the scripture possess immense spiritual power, so it must not be mixed with other scriptures. After copying it, they should also store it separately in a case. Carrying it on one’s person when traveling will keep all ghosts from daring to approach. When performing a Zhaijiao (purification ritual), one should also follow the relevant liturgy and ritual regulations.

The Dao says: This Scripture of Divine Incantations records the names of various ghost kings, and for this reason the Highest Lord—a Daoist honorific for the supreme deity—holds it in great esteem. Wherever the scripture is recited, evil ghosts cannot approach people. Only the ghosts of ancestors, relatives, or respected elders whom the living honor in their household may come; all others are forbidden to arrive on their own. From this moment on, all great gods within and beyond, the many wangliang spirits that haunt mountains, rivers, lakes, and marshes, the spirits who govern life and death, the ghosts and spirits linked to the fortunes and misfortunes of men and women, and the ghosts in tombs must be driven ten thousand li away. Anyone who disobeys this command will be slain ten thousand times, without mercy.

Only the ghosts of ancestors, relatives, or respected elders whom the living honor in their household may come; all others are forbidden to arrive on their own. From this moment on, all great gods within and beyond, the many wangliang spirits, the spirits who govern life and death, the ghosts and spirits linked to the fortunes and misfortunes of men and women, and the ghosts in tombs must be driven ten thousand li away. Anyone who disobeys this command will be slain ten thousand times, without mercy.

The Dao says: In the world there are eighty thousand kinds of drowning ghosts. Each ghost is three chi and two fen tall. They travel in great crowds, in countless numbers, lying in wait beneath the water to harm people. Those who do not honor the Daoist teachings receive no protection from benevolent spirits and may die without cause. There are also nine hundred and eighty thousand kinds of waterborne illnesses, thirty-two kinds of hard-to-cure diseases—black, white, red, blue-green, yellow, and others—and thirty-six kinds of sudden death. All these illnesses are brought on by sinners. People in the world fail to follow the Daoist teachings and disrupt the realm; so evil people gather and multiply throughout the world, refusing to turn toward goodness. Heaven therefore sends down mighty warriors to destroy them through various diseases.

From this moment on, wherever a Daoist performs meritorious works, establishes a fast, and saves people, even the demon kings must assist the ritual master so that he can cure the sick. If the illness still does not heal, the head of the demon king Gao Linzi will be shattered and split into ninety pieces.

The Dao says: You demon kings, if men and women in the human world from now on can believe in and uphold the Daoist teachings, receive my Three Caverns (the collective term for Daoist scriptures and methods), spread the teachings throughout the land, and heal people and recite the scriptures, then you must help them instruct the ignorant, accumulate merit and virtue, and assist them in calming the winds and stopping the rain. Do not approach those who practice the Dao. If you can do these things, I will raise your rank. If you break your oath, your heads will be shattered into nine pieces.

The Dao says: All you divine kings and demon kings, although you are connected to my Wuwei Original Qi (the fundamental Qi that, according to Daoism, flows naturally in stillness and non-action), your conduct differs. Even with your great supernatural powers, you are still my disciples. Why? Because you have not cultivated the natural Qi of the Dao, and for a long time you have harbored wicked intentions; you remain trapped in the cycle of birth and death. Only through the great merit you accumulated in past lives did you become divine kings or demon kings. I dwell above the Three Heavens and preside over all the spirits. Since countless kalpas ago, I have pitied all living beings as though they were my own children. My laws enable the good to flourish and bring good deeds to completion; they also punish wickedness and put an end to evil deeds. This applies not only to people but also to birds and beasts: all who are good can become virtuous beings.

Now the great teachings of the Three Caverns are beginning to spread throughout the world, and virtuous people in every region often have the chance to encounter the scriptures and teachings. If Daoist priests heal people and save lives, you demon kings must help them accumulate merit, ensure that what they seek is fulfilled, and not obstruct their good works. If you break your oath, I will punish and execute you severely, without mercy.

The Dao says: Virtuous people throughout the world often have the chance to encounter the scriptures and teachings. If Daoist priests heal people and save lives, you demon kings must help them accumulate merit, ensure that what they seek is fulfilled, and not obstruct their good works. If you break your oath, I will punish and execute you severely, without mercy.

The Dao says: There are many great gods under Heaven, and many demon kings as well. You and I share the “Qi of Wuwei” (the Daoist Qi of natural non-action), but what you do differs from what I do, and falls far short of it. You have long since been subdued and made my subordinates; I control your lives and deaths. My people all live between Heaven and Earth, and many of them do not believe in the Dao. Now the teachings of the Three Caverns (the collective name for Daoist scriptures and methods) are spreading throughout the world. Whenever anyone encounters these scriptures, or a Daoist treats the sick and saves lives, you must help them and not hinder them from accumulating merit. If you ever break your oath, you will all be executed, without mercy.

The Dao says: The demon kings number eight hundred million myriad. Whenever anyone encounters the scriptures, or a Daoist treats the sick and saves lives, you must help them and not hinder them from accumulating merit. If you ever break your oath, you will all be executed, without mercy.

The Dao says: The demon kings number eight hundred million myriad, and the lesser kings also number eight hundred million myriad. Each group must issue this command: From now on, wherever the teachings of the Three Caverns are disseminated, and wherever Daoists travel to treat the sick, you must join together to protect and assist them. Ensure that the sick recover and that their undertakings are successfully completed, and let the people of Heaven and the spirits protect them. Let wind and rain come in their proper seasons and cause no disasters. If anyone violates the precepts, fails to revere the sacred words, or recklessly unleashes ghost troops to kill good people and masters of the Three Caverns without cause, bringing them undeserved peril, illness, and suffering, then all who break their oaths—including the demon king Wuliuzi and the other thirty-five kings—will be executed, without mercy.

The Dao says: Most of the people in the kingdom do not believe in the Great Dao. If anyone accepts the teachings of the Three Caverns, you must help them. If the demon king Wuliuzi and the other thirty-five kings break their oaths, they will all be executed, without mercy.

The Most High Dao Lord (Taishang Daojun) said: Most people in the lands do not believe in the Great Dao. If anyone accepts the scriptures and methods of the Three Caverns, you must help them, so that they will often give rise to good intentions and not let them fade. You must protect them, and the divine beings of Heaven will come to assist as well. Since ancient times, many people have suffered from illness, and there have been many kinds of ailments. Thousands upon thousands of diseases have brought people great misery. Some suffer from headaches and heaviness in the body; their hands and feet cannot move, their minds grow confused, and they may vomit or have diarrhea. Red blotches appear on their bodies, throwing their breath into disorder. I know all your names, you ghosts: Rishen Youaizi, Jiao’er Pingwang, and the person called A Xin Sanye. You countless ghosts, quickly gather in the lesser ghosts under your command and let the living recover. If the sick still do not recover, your heads will be smashed and split into eighty pieces.

The Most High Dao Lord said: In the years of the Jiazi cycle, there are seventy-two kinds of disease. At Chang’an, the Suolu invaders cruelly slaughter the people; in southern Chu, war and bereavement drive people to flee to other states. The forces of the Two Invaders, the Three Wu, and others join in a struggle for all under Heaven. A worthy minister from the lands east of the lower Yangtze once again comes forth to assist in governing the realm. The world is unsettled, the people are sorrowful and distressed, and those in lowly positions grieve and worry. Wandering-soul ghosts come each day to seize human lives, and the people are nearly wiped out. Only one or two people uphold the teachings and cultivate the Dao, yet they are mocked by evildoers. Therefore, the immortals refuse to appear; the world cannot find peace, and the people suffer grief and sorrow. Wandering-soul ghosts continue to harm people until the people are nearly dead; the few who receive the teachings and cultivate the Dao are again ridiculed by evildoers. Thus the immortals no longer appear, and it seems as though there are no immortals in the world.

The Most High Dao Lord said: In the years of the Jiaxu cycle, people throughout the lands flee in great numbers to the lands east of the lower Yangtze, while many also gather at Chang’an. In the region of Shu and Han, there are thirty thousand Red Ghosts, who devote themselves to killing the people because they do not believe in the Dao. I often send Dong Xuanke and Yin Zhongkan to teach the ignorant people of the world, but they still do not believe. What can be done? Now Heaven has sent down one hundred and twenty kinds of disease to afflict humanity. If a ritual master who upholds the scriptures and methods of the Three Caverns comes to recite and perform this sacred incantation scripture, even the dead can be brought back to life. I often command all the demon kings and lesser kings: wherever a ritual master is curing the sick, restrain and control the lesser ghosts, so that the living may recover. If the sick recover, you will be promoted; if they do not, you will die. Hasten to obey the spoken command of the Most High and carry it out in accordance with the statutes.

The Dao says: During this decade of the Jia Shen year, 490,000 black ghosts—ghosts and spirits that bring death—will appear in the world and kill the people. Many will die suddenly in accidents. When the Zi-Chou period arrives and disaster draws near, 800,000 red soldiers—ghost troops that bring slaughter and calamity—will come to seize the people’s lives, though the people will know nothing of it. In the Ren Wu, Gui Wei, and Jia Shen years, large numbers of black ghosts will also kill people, causing many sudden deaths. When the Zi-Chou period arrives and disaster draws near, the 800,000 red soldiers will come again to harm people, while the people remain unaware. In the Ren Wu, Gui Wei, and Jia Shen years, great floods will also come, and military calamities and epidemics will strike together. The great ghost king Jiang Gongyan will come to kill people as well. From now on, if lesser ghosts trouble the sick, they must leave at once and go a thousand li away. If they do not leave, the great demon kings and others will split their heads into eighty pieces.

The Dao says: In the decade of the Jia Wu year, 360,000 ghosts of the Shi, Qiang, Hu, and Liao kinds, as named in the scripture, will come to kill the people. 700,000 red crows—fierce birds of crimson hue—will fly across the land. Anyone who sees them will naturally contract an epidemic that cannot be cured. This is because they do not believe in the sacred teaching, and so they will die of illness. From now on, whenever anyone in the land upholds and recites this scripture, the Scripture of the Divine Incantation, the great demon kings and celestial beings—spirits of the heavenly realm—will come to help, and the sick will recover on their own. If the sick recover, you ghosts and spirits will receive a great promotion and your merit will increase ten thousandfold. If they still do not recover, your kings and lesser ghosts will be cut into ten thousand pieces, without mercy.

The Dao Ancestor said: During this cycle of the jiachen year, ninety kinds of illness will arise throughout the world. People will often die suddenly, and livestock will also be stricken by pestilence. This is because people do not believe in the Great Dao. When someone upholds the scriptures and acts in accordance with the Dao, the ignorant mock him. Therefore, Heaven has sent thirty-nine thousand great demons to punish the people and make them fall ill; plague demons, too, will come in great numbers to harm them. If a ritual master recites and upholds this scripture of divine incantations, eight hundred thousand billion mighty celestial warriors will come together to assist him. Should the illness still not be cured, and someone even die from it, the Great Demon King will first punish the lesser demons and immediately seize his subordinate spirits, forbidding them to harm the good people. They must be admonished one by one, without the slightest leniency.

The Dao Ancestor said: Those who recite and uphold this scripture of divine incantations will receive the protection and aid of eight hundred thousand billion mighty celestial warriors. Should the illness still not be cured, and someone even die from it, the Great Demon King will first punish the lesser demons and immediately seize his subordinate spirits, forbidding them to harm the good people. They must be admonished one by one, without the slightest leniency.

The Dao Ancestor said: During this cycle of the jiayin year, sixty kinds of illness will arise, and about nine out of every ten people will die. Wang Jian will command the spirits, bringing turmoil upon the people, while Red Crow demons will wreak havoc. From now on, wherever a Daoist recites and upholds this scripture, the sick will recover on their own. Should they remain uncured, bringing decline and calamity upon people, the Great Demon King will first punish the lesser demons, striking one of them until his head is split into forty-nine pieces.

The Dao Ancestor said: There are many evil people in the world, and sages do not dwell in such a place. At that time, there was a Daoist who practiced the methods of the Three Caverns, the Daoist system for classifying scriptures. Celestial beings and spirits all came to protect him. From now on, if a sick person is in critical condition and gravely ill, the Great Demon King will eliminate the evil people who disrupt the human world and seize the lesser demons who bring calamity upon the household, so that the sick person may recover on their own. If the sick person recovers, the Great Demon King and the others will be promoted; if not, you will be cut into ten thousand pieces. There are countless lesser demons in the world. Each of you must depart and must not cause anyone’s death. If you disobey my command, I will dispatch four billion nine hundred million Red Ding messengers to slay the Great Demon King and the others, without the slightest leniency. Carry out this oral decree of the Most High at once.

The Scripture of Divine Incantations from the Cavern of the Great One (Taishang Dongyuan Shenzhou Jing) says: From the twenty-ninth day of the eleventh month in the Renwu year to the third day of the tenth month in the Renchen year, 720,000 lesser demon kings will make a special point of entering people’s homes and spreading sudden illnesses, causing people to fall sick. Li Xin and Li Ling each lead 400,000 demons, coming to seize people’s lives. Your name is now known, so you must leave at once and go far away. Here are 720,000 Red-Slaying Mighty Warriors—divine generals charged with killing demons—who will slay you. If you do not flee quickly, you will be beaten to pieces, with no mercy shown. Flee at once to a place ten thousand li away!

The Scripture of Divine Incantations from the Cavern of the Great One says: When Daoist priests perform rites, they should take the Three Caverns—the three main divisions of Daoist scriptures—as their foundation. Only by receiving and upholding this divine incantation may they enter the mountains or perform rites among the people, cutting down all demon bandits. If they do not receive and uphold this scripture, demons will not fear them. Now 36 million violent demons are coming to kill people. I know your name. Flee quickly to a place one thousand li away. Urgently, as the statutes command!—a phrase in Daoist talismans and incantations directing that an order be carried out immediately.

End of Volume Two of the Scripture of Divine Incantations from the Cavern of the Great One.

The Scripture of Divine Incantations from the Cavern of the Great One, Volume Three: Binding Demons

The Scripture of Divine Incantations from the Cavern of the Great One says: From the Wuyin year to the Guiwei year, a time of great tribulation, evil people will not believe in the Daoist rites. Heaven will therefore send plague demons to spread seventy-two kinds of illness and kill the wicked through disease. The world will be in turmoil everywhere, as demon troops spread harm in every direction. This is truly cause for concern. If anyone upholds the scriptures of the Three Caverns, I will send 490,000 mighty warriors to bind the demons who do evil and harm people for the ritual masters who perform the rites. Wherever Daoist priests recite the scriptures, perform rites, and help people, demon kings and others will also assist them in binding these demon troops.

The Scripture of Divine Incantations from the Cavern of the Great One says: The Jade Maidens of the Three Heavens, the consort of the Great Brahma King, and eight thousand myriads of others came to the human world to hear the scripture and swore an oath there. Demon kings and others will also assist Daoist priests in binding these demon troops.

The Dao teaches: Eighty million Jade Maidens of the Three Heavens, the wives of the Great Brahma King, and others came to the human world to hear the scripture. They vowed, “From now on, whenever a Three Caverns master (a master who transmits the scriptures and methods of the Three Caverns) in the world establishes a purification rite to save people and recites this Scripture of Divine Spells, we will protect them and prevent plague demons and all kinds of malign spirits from harming the master. If they refuse to leave, we will subdue them first.”

At that time, the Great Demon King of the Nine Heavens and eight billion Jade Maidens also came before the Most High and reported: “From now on, if a Daoist recites this scripture to heal the sick, and murderous demons come to cause trouble and refuse to leave, we will bind them together so that the master is not disturbed and the patient can recover. The patient’s recovery will be due to our power, and all the holy beings will rejoice.” Each of the demon kings vowed to bind any plague demon that refused to leave.

The Most High then spoke this verse:

“I now proclaim the divine spell. The ghosts and spirits subdued by it will lose their forms. The ruler decides who is to be punished; those who do evil may not resist. Since you have vowed to submit, come together and listen to my teaching. From now on, you must support the Daoist teachings and help one another wholeheartedly. Do not incite one another to do evil again. If you persist in wrongdoing, mighty warriors will bind your souls and subject you to punishments such as boiling in cauldrons, burning in fire, and traveling back and forth over knife mountains. If you are willing to turn toward goodness, I will not punish you harshly.”

The Dao teaches: In the year Renwu, thirty-nine thousand Red Demons were commanded to punish evildoers. If anyone encounters a Three Caverns master, the plague demons will be driven a thousand li away. From now on, in cases involving imprisonment or illness, reciting this scripture will summon eight hundred thousand great deities, thirty thousand mighty warriors, four hundred thousand Jade Maidens, and three hundred thousand youths to guard the place where it is recited. Ghost soldiers and demon kings will bind the plague demons.

The Most High Dao Lord said: “Long ago, when I was at the Mysterious Radiance Palace on the Five Sacred Peaks, I proclaimed this scripture for all living beings. Eight hundred thousand great deities, thirty thousand mighty warriors, four hundred thousand Jade Maidens, and three hundred thousand youths came together to guard the place where the scripture was recited. Ghost soldiers and demon kings also came to seize the plague demons.

“The Most High Dao Lord said: ‘Long ago, when I was at the Mysterious Radiance Palace on the Five Sacred Peaks, I proclaimed the Samadhi Scripture, which explains the methods of meditative concentration, for all living beings. At that time, three hundred thousand Demon Kings of the Seven Heavens came together and vowed: “From now on, whenever a ritual master recites this sacred incantation scripture at a place where the sick are being treated, in order to save them, we will clear the way for him. We will prevent calamities, drive away evil ghosts, and bring heavenly beings to his aid. The sick will recover, illnesses will be dispelled, and those trapped in prison will be freed. If this still proves ineffective, we willingly accept execution by waist-cutting; even if we die, we will have no regrets.”

“The Most High Dao Lord said: ‘After the years renwu and xinsi, eighty million plague demons will surely come to kill evildoers who do not believe in the Dao. Therefore, the Jade Maidens of the Three Heavens and three hundred and sixty thousand Great Brahma Kings of the Nine Heavens came together and reported to the Most High: “From now on, we too will guard the places where ritual masters recite scriptures and perform rites. We will bring the sick back to health and hasten the resolution of legal cases for those caught up in lawsuits. If plague demons come again to harm good people, we will seize them.”

“The Most High Dao Lord said: ‘From now on, we too will guard the places where ritual masters recite scriptures and perform rites. We will bring the sick back to health and hasten the resolution of legal cases for those caught up in lawsuits. If plague demons come again to harm good people, we will seize them.’”

The Dao says: From now on, whenever someone upholds the scriptures and teachings of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), seven hundred thousand heavenly troops from the Nine Heavens and seven hundred thousand demon kings from the Thirty-Six Heavens will come to protect that ritual master. If anyone in the household falls ill or faces a lawsuit, they should promptly recite this scripture. It has great divine power: lawsuits will settle on their own, and the sick will recover. Anyone who refuses to submit will be seized and bound by the Demon Kings of the Three Heavens, who will come in person. Plague spirits and red soldiers will naturally be wiped out, and all the male and female ghosts haunting the household, inside and out, will be driven ten thousand li away. Strong warriors from the ten directions will also protect the ritual master.

Then the Most High spoke this verse:

The teaching of the Great Vehicle of the Three Caverns reveals the principles of the true Dao on its own. Without the affinities accumulated over many lifetimes, there would be no chance to receive instruction and hear this teaching. Reciting this scripture can save living beings and destroy hordes of ghosts. The perfected beings of Heaven will join in protecting you, and no demon or spirit will dare approach. Whoever violates this teaching will have their body shattered into a hundred pieces.

He then spoke another verse:

The substance of the Great Dao is originally formless; what the scripture says is the Dao. The Dao moves within the formless, sweeping away every demon. The pure and the turbid each have their place, and the celestial officials will come to inspect. When I think of your wickedness and rebellion, I often feel grief and distress. I will bind your arms behind your backs, split open your heads, and make you cling to the sword tree as punishment.

The Dao says: When we look at the human world today, evil people are numerous. The surrounding peoples encroach on one another, and people harm one another as well. In the year Renwu, the world will be thrown into turmoil and the people will find no peace. War and epidemics will spread, and evil people will be killed. Evil people do not believe in the Great Dao, and so they will die. From now on, all who believe in the scriptures of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen) may naturally become immortals.

People in the world are ignorant. They see that Daoists die and evil people die, and conclude that the two are no different. In fact, after death, evil people fall into the three evil paths described in Buddhist teachings—hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the realm of animals—while Daoists are reborn in heaven or among humans. Some become great kings; some become immortals directly. In the end, they will never fall into an evil realm. Those who ascend to become immortals by flying up in broad daylight, however, must take elixirs for many years and undergo long periods of cultivation first. If someone honors the venerable masters of the Three Caverns, receives and upholds the scriptures, and practices the Dao diligently, they can ascend to the realm of immortals and remain deathless through ten thousand kalpas. From now on, whenever a Daoist steps forward to save someone, the Demon King and others will subdue ghosts, demons, and spirits.

The Dao says: In the past, I joined thirty thousand Chinese immortals, including Dongyue Zhilianzi. Each of us carried a token of sincere intent, to be presented when receiving the scriptures. We climbed a mountain, built an altar, and paid homage to the Five Emperors of the Five Directions, divine beings who guard the five regions. They made a pact with the Five Emperors, broke a silver ring in two, and each kept one half as proof. They also drank elixir with their master and swore: “Today we drink the elixir, receive the scriptures, and make offerings. From this day onward, for the rest of our lives, we will never violate our vows.”

If someone falls ill or faces an urgent crisis, if their household is beset by misfortune, if they become embroiled in quarrels or lawsuits, or if they are punished and imprisoned, Daoists recite scriptures for them and perform purification rites. Every ceremony is conducted in accordance with the rules of the rites, in a clean and solemn manner; such work is also part of the Daoists’ daily duties. The immortals transmit the methods of the scriptures to people, spreading their teachings throughout the land and healing the people. As a result, all the ghost kings hide themselves and flee.

The Most High said: Many people in the world do not believe in the Dao. When someone takes up and upholds the scriptures, others laugh at him together, saying, “This person refuses to live a proper life. He runs off to the mountains to avoid people, and does not even seek an official post.” They do not know that this person originally came from Heaven to the human world. Seeing how polluted the world had become, he chose to seek the immortal Dao, hoping in this way to save and deliver others. People fail to recognize those who truly cultivate the Dao and instead mock them. This is truly lamentable. In time, people like these will commit grave sins and fall into the Red Chain Hell, described in the scriptures. There they will suffer amid water and fire for three hundred billion kalpas, with no end to their punishment. After their karmic retribution is complete, they will be reborn as human beings. Though they have human bodies, they will lack human awareness and feeling; some will be intellectually disabled, deaf, unable to speak, or mute, and unable to understand human affairs. After that, they will be reborn as domestic animals—the six kinds of livestock, such as cattle and horses—eating grass and drinking water until people slaughter and eat them. From the moment they are born, they will endure hardship and suffering, with no one to whom they can appeal. These sinners will continue to cycle through rebirth in this way, with little hope of release. Remember my words.

At that time, the Most High also spoke this verse, a teaching expressed in rhyme:

The foolish, stubborn, and defiant do not understand the Dao’s teachings. They see how many people in the world have already accumulated sins, yet not only do they themselves disbelieve in the Dao, they also mock those who cultivate the true Dao. They do not know that the person came from Heaven; they themselves may soon be reborn as human beings or as livestock. Your understanding is limited, yet you gossip about one another. Words spoken aloud bring calamity, and retribution will arrive soon. After death, you will suffer dreadful punishment, your sins binding you in the Red Chain Hell. In the cycle of the Five Sufferings, you will be judged and punished for billions of kalpas. Even if you are reborn as human beings, you will lose human awareness and feeling and be afflicted by all kinds of illness. Even if you are reborn as one of the six kinds of livestock, perhaps some sensation of body and spirit will remain. If you do not practice the Great Vehicle, what can keep your bodies from becoming impaired? The causes and conditions of karmic retribution are simply thus. Remember my words.

The Dao says: Throughout the world there are many people who harbor evil intentions and do not believe in the true words. Heaven has dispatched the Rampaging Slaughter General and eighty million troops to patrol the world and capture these evildoers. From now on, all who practice the scriptures and methods of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen)—the classic texts of Daoism—are protected by three thousand demon kings, who follow them at all times, sheltering and aiding them.

If a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) is to be held, the weather will be clear on the day of the gathering; wind and rain will not disturb it, and the beings of Heaven will come to assist. Wherever a Daoist goes, people will feel affection for them when they see them. The Qi of the Dao will fill that place, keeping people free from illness and pain. Protectors will accompany the Daoist and come to their aid. If evildoers insult a Daoist, or plot to falsely accuse or harm one, their souls will be taken and they will be put to death, demonstrating that the Great Dao is indeed guarded by divine spirits. Swiftly, in accordance with the laws!

The Dao says: In the world there is the Ghost King Wuwan, seven or eight feet tall, each with a force of ninety million troops under his command, all red-colored soldiers. Every month they descend to seize people’s original Qi and lives, causing people throughout the world to die unjustly. During the Jiaxu and Jiawu ten-day periods—the corresponding spans in the sixty-day cycle marked by the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches—they also descend to harm people, bringing on thirty-nine thousand kinds of illness and causing men and women, old and young, to die from sickness. From now on, whenever a Daoist recites this scripture, you must recall your troops and drive them ten thousand miles away. If they do not leave, you will be put to death. During the Jiaxu and Jiawu periods, they still descend to seize lives and spread thirty-nine thousand kinds of illness, causing men and women, old and young, to die from sickness. From now on, whenever a Daoist recites this scripture, you must recall your troops and drive them ten thousand miles away. If they refuse to withdraw, you will be executed. Who among the three hundred million troops of the Ghost King Wuwan would dare disobey?

The Dao says: During the Jiachen ten-day period, the eighty-nine thousand Great Demon Kings, including Weidu, will lead countless followers down to the human world. Each month they will make people ill, bringing down nine thousand kinds of disease. These illnesses are difficult to cure, and the demons will also join forces with the dead generals and ghost troops in the human world to kill people. From now on, call back your ghost troops and do not unjustly harm the good people. Wherever a Daoist or Daoist priestess practices the Way, you must help them. If you disobey the Five Teachings—the teachings and precepts upheld by Daoism—your head will be shattered into eighty pieces.

The scripture says: During the years Xinsi and Renwu, people will suffer unexpected deaths, the world will be in turmoil, and many will die. The ghost king Wuwan and the Red Qi (red vital energy) beneath the earth will rise up and bring slaughter. Epidemics will spread widely, and nearly every household will have someone fall ill; three or four out of every ten people will die. What should be done? Only by having every village hold a large purification fast and ritual, paying reverence to the spirits of the Five Emperors, praying for the safety of one’s family, and making the Celestial Gods aware of the situation can this be addressed. Then the ghost king Wuwan will submit and cease killing.

The scripture says: Once you have received this scripture and your master has explained it to you, you may establish a purification fast when someone falls ill. The same ritual may be held in cases involving lawsuits and punishments, a household troubled by many ghosts, failure to advance in official service, or poor harvests in the fields and silkworm raising. After the ritual, the Celestial Beings and spirits will come to protect you, your wishes will be fulfilled, and all will go smoothly. The ghost king will naturally submit to anyone who upholds this scripture. From now on, wherever a Three Caverns master—that is, a Daoist who transmits the scriptures and methods of the Three Caverns—performs this rite, the ghost king must offer protection. If a Daoist falls ill, you ghost kings will have your heads smashed into eighty pieces.

The scripture says: In the year Gengchen, the ruler must act with caution, and the ministers must support the sovereign. The world will be turbulent and unsettled, and everyone will be filled with fear. Those of low status will suffer at one another’s hands, while the eminent will fail to uphold the Dao. Ninety kinds of disease will appear throughout the world, and illness will claim the lives of the wicked. The ghost king, named Tanzhi, commands one third of them.

The scripture also says: In the year Gengchen, the ruler must act with caution, and the ministers must support the sovereign. The world will be turbulent and unsettled, and everyone will be filled with fear. Those of low status will suffer at one another’s hands, while the eminent will fail to uphold the Dao. Ninety kinds of disease will appear throughout the world, and illness will claim the lives of the wicked. The ghost king Tanzhi commands thirty-six ghost kings, who are governed by the Great Demon King Mingzhu of the Seven Heavens. They will descend to the human world and spread all kinds of disease, which will be difficult to cure. At that time, the wicked will be numerous, and many people will not believe in the Dao. Those who uphold this scripture, especially those who uphold the scriptures and methods of the Three Caverns, will be protected by forty-nine hundred million Great Demon Kings and others, who will assist the ritual master in carrying out magical rites.

The Most High says: When a master who practices the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen)—the three classes of Daoist scriptures and methods of cultivation—enters a household, the myriad ghosts will all flee. He heals the sick and saves lives; no illness is beyond his power to cure. It is because evil people commit one wicked deed after another that ghosts are commanded to kill. The Most High pities all living beings and gives these ghost kings a special warning: they must restrain every kind of poison and harm. From now on, if a Daoist meets with calamity or illness, the heads of these ghost kings will split into eighty pieces.

Then the Most High spoke this verse:

The Daoist teachings are truth within truth; within truth there is also wondrous spiritual power. When a master of the Three Caverns enters a home, the myriad ghosts disperse. Demons and falsehoods are foul and impure, while the nature of the Dao is pure from the beginning. Aid and protect everyone; deliver all living beings. The Most High spreads compassion far and wide, destroying the hosts of the heavenly demons. Let every poison restrain its own force and never wield its power at will. Let your heads split into eighty pieces, and hand you over to the heavenly soldiers. They will cut you down; your crimes will be punished, with no forgiveness. The Most High makes no distinction between one and another, and makes the law clear.

The Most High says: There are many foolish people in the world, because the sages have not taught and transformed them. From now on, floods will come and the calamities of weapons and war will draw near. The people of the land do not believe in the Daoist teachings, and so they will harm the people for no reason. The people are troubled and suffering, with no idea how to strive to save themselves; they can only pray to the Most High. The Most High fears that the ghost kings will kill indiscriminately and bring harm to the good people of the world. So he proclaims the scriptures of the Three Caverns, allowing their teaching to spread throughout the world. From now on, if a Daoist suffers calamity without cause, I will help him and keep him from punishment by the courts, disputes and slander, and illness. If anyone violates the law, the Great Demon King Jumin, the Ghost King Wuwan, and their million followers will have their heads split into twelve pieces.

The Most High says: From now on, if a Daoist anywhere in the world suffers calamity without cause, I will help him and keep him from punishment by the courts, disputes and slander, and illness. If anyone violates the law, the Great Demon King Jumin, the Ghost King Wuwan, and their million followers will have their heads split into twelve pieces.

The Most High said: Among the people of the world, thirty-nine thousand received the Dao beginning in the Renwu year. The men and women from Qingzhou and the Qin River region who attained the Dao and became immortals—including Wang Fang, Zhang Xuan, Du Gui, Shu Han, Luo Dao’an, Fei Touran, Li Ying, Zhang Shi, Sun Hongmei, Hou Jin, and Yuan Daoci—did not attain the Dao and become immortals until the Jiashen year. All you ghost kings must protect and assist practitioners of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), so that illness does not afflict them. Anyone who grows angry with a ritual master, insults, bullies, or beats them, or plots to harm them, will die, and their entire family will be destroyed. After death, for seven kalpas they will be unable to take visible form, and will exist only by lodging in wind and rain, dust and plants. Only after ten thousand kalpas will they regain human form. Ghost kings, you must protect and assist the masters of the Three Caverns. If anyone does not believe my words, the heads of the great demon kings Fudan and Wuwan will split into ninety pieces.

The Most High said: Among the ghost hordes commanded by the thirty-six great demon kings, if people of this land do not believe in the Dao, but some do believe in the teachings of the Three Caverns, then the ghost kings and ghost children must descend from heaven to protect them. When Daoist priests perform a purification ritual to avert calamity and cure illness for the people, you must drive away the malign Qi so that the priests can heal the sick as quickly as possible. From now on, if anyone disobeys this command, the heads of the great ghost kings Wuwan and the others will split into eighty-nine pieces.

The Most High said: The ghost who watches the gates is called Chengbo; the ghost in charge of opening and closing them is called Alunran; the ghost who watches the well is called Zhen Lianzi; the ghost who guards the surrounding fences is called Shibogong; the ghost who appears on the roads is called Wuziding; and the ghost who occupies homes is called Xuanzidu. They gather and descend, surrounding people’s homes in layer upon layer. No one knows how many people they have harmed or how many commoners they have killed. From now on, you must retreat ten thousand li away. If you still try to make people ill, the ghost kings’ heads will split into twelve pieces.

At this time, the Most High recited a verse—a teaching or hymn expressed in rhyming words:

I admonish you ghosts who guard the gates, along with the spirits of wells and hearths, and the ghosts that roam along fences: do not trouble the good people. If you seek to do evil, the force of the wind will destroy your bodies. You must help Daoism teach the people and drive out evil ghosts. Do not harbor malice or summon crowds of ghosts such as corpse demons. If you are willing to honor your oath, you must report upward at all times. If you disobey the commands, your heads will be severed from your bodies.

Another verse says:

The Great Dao accords with nature and rewards the good. You must help Daoism teach the people and drive out evil ghosts. Do not harbor malice or summon crowds of ghosts such as corpse demons. If you are willing to honor your oath, you must report upward at all times. If you disobey the commands, your heads will be severed from your bodies.

Another verse says:

The Great Dao accords with nature, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked. It chastises those who go against the Dao and puts an end to their evil deeds, but does not let them become separated from the Dao. Though you may wish to do evil, the Orthodox Law will surely punish you according to the law. The celestial troops will come bearing a command of authority to destroy all manner of evil beings. If you leave of your own accord, you can escape this calamity.

The Dao says: In the world there are one hundred thousand Red-Linked Ghosts, each three feet and six inches tall, numbering a million in all. There are also three hundred thousand Long-Headed Ghosts, who carry red clubs and use them to kill the people. From the Renwu and Renchen years onward, they began killing people, and great floods will also come. If the king fails to govern, many people will die suddenly; by the Jiashen year, calamity will bring about the extinction of humankind. What is to be done? What is to be done? Daoist priests teach the ignorant, enabling them to receive the Three Caverns—the collective name for Daoist scriptures and teachings—and so escape the nine kinds of calamity.

The Dao says: Great disorder is about to engulf the world, and the people will be killed and wounded in great numbers, mostly at the hands of ghost kings. The good will not die, while the wicked will fall into the Three Paths, the three evil realms. From now on, if anyone dies unjustly, Heaven will also help them. Great disorder is about to engulf the world, and the people will be killed and wounded in great numbers, mostly at the hands of ghost kings; the good will not die, while the wicked will fall into the Three Paths. From now on, if anyone dies unjustly, Heaven will also help them. From now on, all who cultivate the Daoist teachings and become masters of the Three Caverns will be protected by the Great Demon King. If a ghost king brings a Daoist priest into danger or illness, the ghost king and its companions will bear the blame, and their heads will be smashed into eighty pieces.

The Dao says: From this moment on, the Ghost Kings must not kill the people without cause. Wherever Daoist priests travel, if they are treating the sick, you must help with their care and not prevent the patients from recovering. If a patient still fails to recover, it means you have disobeyed my command and wrongfully killed an innocent person. Your heads will be smashed and split into one hundred and twenty pieces. You must obey the statutes issued by the Most High (a revered Daoist deity) to ward off calamity and protect people, and carry them out at once.

End of Volume Three of the Scripture of Divine Incantations from the Cavernal Abyss of the Most High.

Scripture of Divine Incantations from the Cavernal Abyss of the Most High, Volume Four: “The Chapter on Slaying Ghosts”

The Dao says: Since the time of Fuxi, warfare has continued without end. Armies have been routed, generals have fallen in battle, and many people have suffered grievously. Blades and weapons clashed across the battlefield, corpses lay everywhere, and the dead were too numerous to count. Some bodies lay exposed, their bones scattered, their torsos and heads separated and lying far apart; others were hurled into the air, leaving the spirits of the dead unable to gather together.

The Dao says: Since the time of Fuxi, many people have fallen in battle or been defeated in war, and many corpses have been mutilated. Blood has covered the ground beneath blades and weapons, and the dead have lain in great heaps. Some bodies were left exposed, their bones scattered, with bodies and heads separated; others were hurled through the air, leaving their souls unable to gather together. Some people lost their heads, others their hands and feet, and some had mouths but no eyes. These countless spirits of the dead have nowhere to settle. They can only wander about, cling to mountains, forests, and trees, and wait for a chance to take people’s lifespans.

People in the world often do not know where these ghosts come from. They unsettle people’s minds and take the opportunity to cause trouble, damaging crops and silkworm raising and making everything go wrong. They also harass families and bring about strange occurrences, causing the living to suffer all kinds of illnesses, livestock to die suddenly, quarrels and lawsuits to arise at home, and floods and fires to follow one another, bringing every kind of ill omen.

These are all the ghosts of those who died far from home in your world. They wander among the clouds with Li Ziao of the Clouds, a spirit mentioned in the scripture, and travel back and forth along the coast, coming and going in all directions. Riding the wind and mounted on sparrows, they catch people’s chickens and dogs. They also make crows and beasts appear uncanny, cause the living to die sudden, violent deaths, and demand offerings of blood and food—sacrifices for ghosts and spirits to consume. When fortune-telling, folk practitioners often frighten people by claiming that dead family members are causing trouble and that the household has brought disaster upon itself together. In this way, the false teachings of worldly heresy have taken shape.

You little ghosts hear such claims and seize the chance to act with violence, hurling stones and injuring people. Those harmed by your vicious attacks often cannot find peace, and the common people suffer along with them. You imagine that you were responsible for half of all the wrongful deaths in the world in former times.

From this day forward, the Great Demon King, his forty-eight hundred million kings, and the eight hundred million lesser kings under each king must each issue orders to seize every little ghost in the world. If someone falls ill and the illness becomes critical and very severe, so that they may not survive, you must immediately remove the ghost attached to the sick person and flee a thousand li away. If you disobey, I will send General Great Sha with an army of nine hundred million to pursue and capture you one by one, and execute you without mercy. The Demon Kings must all immediately seize and detain these ghosts.

The Dao says: “From now on, whenever someone speaks maliciously to slander another person, the 140,000 divine troops of the Taiyin officials will kill the demons causing the trouble. If someone faces a lawsuit, punishment, or imprisonment, the 720,000 divine troops of the Zunshi Lords will kill the demons that cause people to be shackled and confined.

“If someone is afflicted by the Qi of water or fire, I will send Song Xianwen to lead 280,000 wind-and-water generals to eliminate the source. They must subdue and destroy the Wajie Dingling demons, Shantu Muzi demons, Dayang Zousi demons, Six Domestic Animals in Human Form demons, Five Woods and Hundred Charms demons, Manyi Diliao demons, Beidi Qianglu demons, and all demons on mountains, beneath mountains, in water, and in fire. They must also eliminate the Shegong myriad kinds of demons, the Twelve Disorder-and-Illness demons, the Six Domestic Animals and Servants demons, the Self-Stabbing and Suicide demons, and every demon, great or small. From this moment on, all must sink a thousand feet underground and never again make people sick or suffer. Legal disputes will be settled, and demonic Qi will dissipate of its own accord. If they still refuse to leave, I will destroy them utterly, without mercy.”

The Dao also says: “From now on, when a Daoist priest treats someone’s illness, and the patient’s family comes to invite the priest, they should first make Fulu (talismans and registers), placing them at the twelve earthly branches, as well as at the doors, wells, stoves, and other places. They should write them in cinnabar and hang them up. They should also make talismans to be swallowed, preparing three at a time. The patient should take them three times a day, in the morning, midday, and evening, and another three times during the night.

“Three times each day, the Daoist priest should perform the ritual in the center of the courtyard, facing north, submitting a memorial to the divine authorities. When turning the scripture and performing the Dao, the priest should walk according to the three daily periods of the Buxu rite. Buxu is a ritual form of walking that accompanies scripture recitation in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual). If a large Zhaijiao cannot be held, it is enough to invite a Daoist priest to perform the rite three times each day. If a grand Zhaijiao can be held, it should be carried out fully according to the ritual procedures, and teachings on giving should also be offered. Giving means donating money or other possessions. Such generosity enables the heavenly gods to bring blessings to people and benefit the world. Without giving, the gods of the scriptures will not offer their protection, and the sick will not recover.”

Sixteen Talismans

Write the talismans in cinnabar on white paper and post them according to direction: hang the first and second on the main gate; affix the third to the door; place the fourth at the Mao position (east), the fifth at the Xun position (southeast), the sixth at the Wu position (south), the seventh at the Kun position (southwest), the eighth at the You position (west), the ninth at the Qian position (northwest), and the tenth at the Zi position (north); place the eleventh at the Gen position (northeast), and the twelfth inside the home. Affix the thirteenth above the stove and the fourteenth above the toilet. Cast the fifteenth into water and have the sick person swallow it. The sixteenth should be written twenty-one times and taken in three doses.

The Dao says: Today there are Three Caverns Great Masters, the highest rank among ritual masters. In the Three Realms, whether Daoist priests or male and female lay believers, anyone who receives this teaching will be protected by the Ghost King. All illnesses they treat will be cured, and no calamity will occur between humans and ghosts. From now on, if a Daoist priest transmits this scripture and the illness still does not heal, the priest does not advance in official rank, or a legal case is not resolved, then the Ghost King, the Great Demon King Qingzhen, and the others will have their heads split into twelve pieces.

The Dao says: Ghosts in the ten directions, all spirits both true and false, the eighteen thousand streams of Qi, and the thirty-six thousand Red Ghosts: from now on, each of you must keep your own soldiers in check and drive them all ten thousand li away. Do not let the people suffer illness or pestilence, and do not disturb the local earth spirits. Wherever a Daoist priest practices this scripture, illnesses will naturally be cured, and every wish will come true as intended. If any of you fail to follow this instruction, your heads, Great Lun Ghost Kings, will be split into thirty pieces.

The Dao says: The illnesses of people today are caused by Lianzi. Heaven has sent twelve kinds of strongmen to capture him. From now on, if you hear that a Daoist priest who is a Supreme Three Caverns Great Master is saving the sick, reciting scriptures, and practicing the Way, but male and female lay believers and households holding purification rites do not assist the priest, causing the sick person to remain uncured, then they are to be executed without mercy.

The Most High Dao Ancestor said: Lianzi and eight thousand myriads of others specialize in spreading poisonous Qi, causing people to contract epidemics and suffer severe illness. Now 360,000 of Lianzi’s followers have descended into the human world and are causing eye pain. From this moment on, you must restrain yourselves and stop this conduct. If you still refuse to leave, the heads of the Ghost Kings and their companions will be split into sixty pieces.

The Most High Dao Ancestor said: There are no people in this world who are born good; those called good come from Heaven. If a king sincerely believes in the Great Dao, that too shows he came from Heaven. Now, if Fengwang and the others disobey the command, their heads will be split into sixty pieces.

The Most High Dao Ancestor said: There are no people in this world who are born good; those called good come from Heaven. If a king sincerely believes in the Great Dao, that too shows he came from Heaven. Some people now practice the Three Caverns (the Daoist system for classifying scriptures) because they formed deep affinities in a previous life; that is why they can hear of and encounter the Great Dao in this life. From this moment on, wherever Daoists teach and practice the Way, the Ghost Kings must hunt down evil spirits and assist the Daoists, so that the sick recover and do not die. Anyone who suddenly acts contrary to the law must be executed without mercy.

The Most High Dao Ancestor said: People in this world do not believe in the Great Dao, and so there are many sinners. When sinners enter hell, the ghost soldiers run rampant everywhere, making no distinction between good and evil. Now, all who have received the Dao must be helped by the Great Demon Kings Zizhen, Konglun, Mayanshuai, Chongchouyuan, and the others, each contributing their strength to make their hearts firm in the Dao. The ruler of the state must also practice the Great Dao and teach the ignorant. Wherever Daoists treat the sick, the Qi of ghosts must withdraw of its own accord and retreat a thousand li. Those who refuse to obey must be executed without mercy by the Demon Kings and the others.

The Most High Dao Ancestor said: Now all ghosts in the ten directions are under the command of the Demon Kings. From this moment on, they must not kill good people without cause, hide by day, or emerge at night to abduct men and women. Wherever Daoists practice the Way, the Ghost Kings must assist them and prevent wicked people and evil spirits from readily harming them. Anyone, human or ghost, who plots against Daoists or deliberately commits evil must be exterminated one by one, so that both humans and ghosts are punished and the heart of the Dao is made clear. You must carefully obey these supreme instructions of the Most High. Whoever disobeys must be executed without mercy.

Dao says: People who commit evil in this world will encounter eighty-nine kinds of ghosts that kill and harm human beings. There are altogether 3,900 great ghosts belonging to the classes of mountains, forests, water, fire, wind, and earth. They are led by the Ghost King Great Harmony, who can cause people to suffer from various illnesses. There are also thirty-six kinds of ghosts of the six domestic animals. Led by a Ghost King named Dunu, they command 800,000 lesser ghosts and can cause illnesses such as malignant sores and blood in the stool. In addition, there are 3,000 black ghosts, led by a Ghost King named Wen Qingzi, who can cause red disease and white leprosy, illnesses that are very difficult to cure. Those who do evil, defy their elders, and do not believe in the essential methods of the Three Caverns will all be struck by illnesses sent down by the black ghosts, and will find it difficult to recover. From now on, wherever Daoist priests perform rites to heal people, illnesses will be dispelled and the wishes of the people will be fulfilled; the Ghost Kings and others will also be reprimanded and punished.

Dao says: In China, the fates of 39 million people are destined for immortality. In the regions of Qin River, Han-Shu, and the Three Wu, three thousand people—including Sun Daoliu, Wang Zining, Tang Wansheng, Jiao Shizi, Liu Guangzhi, Ma Chengqing, Xun Taichu, Sima Ping, Guo Xiuzhi, Ding Tailun, Le Fahu, Xie Ying, An Feihou, Wang Zilin, Yuan Boren, Yuan Sunzhi, and Daolin—once gathered medicinal herbs for Du Lanxiang and later all came to Wudang Palace. Daoist priests today, so long as they devote themselves to receiving and upholding the methods of the Three Caverns, can also meet these immortals. Daoist priests should do all they can to help ordinary people who have fallen into calamity, so that they may be safe and unharmed. Wherever you practice the Dao and recite the scriptures, the demon kings will naturally be subdued. If they are not subdued, recite the scriptures and perform rites again and again, never letting them off.

Dao says: Among the methods of the Three Caverns, divine incantations are the most important. Why? Because this scripture can subdue all the great demon kings and prevent them from daring to intrude. If they are still not subdued, recite the scriptures and perform rites again and again, never letting them off.

The Dao says: Among the teachings of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), divine incantations are the most important. Why? This scripture can subdue all the great demon kings, making them afraid to intrude. From now on, wherever Daoist priests recite scriptures and cultivate the Way, the forty-nine kings among the demon kings—Wuchuan, Lianzi, Wen Jixiu, Feng Linzi, and the others—as well as the three thousand six hundred lesser kings, must each protect the Daoist priest and must not casually offend him. If you do this, I will allow you to ascend to the realm of immortals and attain Wuwei (non-action). If you fail to protect Daoist priests, instead abetting evil and disrupting the orthodox teachings, so that their healing is ineffective and their undertakings go awry, then for even a single day’s wrongdoing, the demon kings and the others will be punished: they will be beheaded, with no pardon. All this is to be carried out at once, in accordance with the Most High’s personal decree, as strictly as the law commands.

The Dao says: In the world there are four hundred and ninety thousand evil ghosts. They bring people disaster and death, and unleash all manner of baleful Qi (vital energy) to harm them. When Daoist priests recite scriptures, these illnesses and calamities will cease. If a king therefore believes in the Daoist teachings and receives the scriptures of the Three Caverns, his descendants will enjoy high status for generations. Wuchun Linqi, son of the great demon king, commands eighty million followers. In the Renwu and Guihai years, he will lead ten thousand ghosts to kill people. Now that your names are known, from this day forward you must not kill innocent people indiscriminately. If you continue, the great demon king, the lesser ghosts, and all such violent beings will be beheaded without mercy.

The Dao says: In China, a True Lord will appear in the Renchen year. Among thirty million people, only one will truly bear responsibility for leading affairs. At that time, many men and women in the world will fall ill. In the Renwu year, this True Lord will enter the mountains to instruct and transform the ignorant. If the ignorant do not believe in the Daoist teachings or receive the scriptures of the Three Caverns, they will suffer floods and drowning, as well as the calamities of warfare. Alas, alas! Only Daoist priests who uphold the scriptures can receive the demon kings’ protection and ultimately avoid an untimely death. They should also be allowed to treat people’s illnesses, for none of the illnesses they treat will fail to be cured. If they violate the decree for even a single day, the demon kings’ heads will be split into eighteen pieces.

The Most High said: “There are many people in the world who do evil and do not know that the Dao exists. Even when they encounter it, they refuse to follow it. That is why so many people die. Today, ritual masters who cultivate the scriptures and methods of the Three Caverns are revered by humans and spirits alike. From now on, in any place where Daoists recite scriptures and practice the Dao, demon kings and others must not come to disturb them. Should anyone defy this command, the ghost kings and others are to strike them down with the Heaven’s axe, without mercy. This oral edict of the Most High must be carried out at once.”

The Most High said: “I have delivered this command one by one to the demon kings of the thirty-six heavens, their sons, and all others. Everyone who receives it must accept it with reverence and obey it.”

End of Volume Four of the Scripture of Divine Incantations from the Most High’s Cavernous Abyss.

Scripture of Divine Incantations from the Most High’s Cavernous Abyss, Volume Five: The Chapter on Restraining Ghosts

The Most High said: “At Duyang Palace, a Daoist temple, I expounded the Scripture of the Great Exorcism to the royal daughters, guiding and teaching living beings. At that time, Tang Ping, a perfected one from China, came to report: ‘Recently, deaths have followed one after another, and the situation is alarming. From now on, in what year will things improve?’”

The Most High replied: “From now until the years wuyin and renwu, plague ghosts will kill those who do evil. It will not be until the year jiawu that the epidemics subside. In the year guiwei, the plague energy will spread again, and civil war will break out in the country, with fathers and sons, rulers and ministers killing one another. At that time, people will commit many evil deeds and will not believe in the Great Teaching. Those who uphold the scriptures and methods of the Three Caverns have all come from Heaven; they were not born in this world.”

The Most High said: “From now on, if Daoists receive these scriptures and methods of the Three Caverns, diligently teach and guide others, seek the Dao, honor the Three Venerable Ones—the three deities revered in Daoism—and save the ignorant, I too will send heavenly troops from the ten directions and strong warriors from the thirty-six heavens to protect them. I will also designate as a forbidden zone any place where a ritual master carries out this teaching. If the plague ghosts still do not leave, the strong warriors are to strike them down one after another.”

The Dao says: From now on, if anyone falls ill with an epidemic, they should listen attentively when a ritual master recites this scripture, and the whole family should have faith in it and honor it. Calamities inside and outside the home, various evil spirits, the ghosts and gods worshiped in the mountains and forests, the spirits of cold and hot stoves, and every kind of disaster in the house should all be made to subdue themselves. If the illness still does not improve, and evil spirits continue to trouble the household and harm its relatives, the Celestial troops and mighty warriors, together with the Four Brahma Kings, will come and destroy them. I now command the demon kings to restrain the plague ghosts and others: they need only guide people toward transformation and uphold this scripture.

The year Jiashen is approaching, and a great calamity will soon occur. Daoist priests must do all they can to save the people. The Great Demon Kings of the Three Heavens will descend together and swear: “From now on, wherever a Daoist priest travels to save people by reciting the scripture, if plague ghosts still dare to act with murderous intent, bringing sudden illness, suffering, or legal troubles upon the people and driving them into distress, may my head shatter into eighteen pieces as my oath. When Daoist priests teach and guide people, I too will help. If someone falls ill, I will help treat them. If someone faces slander, disputes, or a lawsuit, I will help turn the matter around and resolve it.”

The Dao says: From now until the year Xinsi, plague ghosts will surely harm the people, and many will die. How pitiful that people do not believe in the Daoist teachings! If the wondrous scriptures of the Three Caverns—the Daoist scriptures of the Three Caverns—and their teachings are allowed to spread, then through their power of blessing people may ascend to Heaven, and heavenly beings will come to help. The people may then have hope of escaping calamity. Yet stubborn and foolish people refuse to accept them. When the calamity of Jia-Jia arrives, floodwaters will engulf them. They will regret it only after they are dead, when it is already too late. As evildoers grow more numerous, Heaven will send eighty million Red-Killing Great Ghosts, carrying plague energy to punish them. In the year Renwu, floodwaters will surge across the world, and ghost troops will come to kill the evildoers. Daoist priests will save the people, and heavenly beings will protect them and subdue the hundred ghosts.

The Dao says: Ghost troops will carry plague energy to punish the evildoers. In the year Renwu, floodwaters will surge across the world, and ghost troops will come to kill the evildoers. Daoist priests will save the people, and heavenly beings will personally protect them and subdue the hundred ghosts.

The Dao says: During the jiazi cycle, eight thousand red plague demons and thirty-nine thousand ghosts emerge to harm people. Anyone who understands this should promptly invite an enlightened Daoist who has received and upholds the Three Caverns scriptures and methods to recite the scriptures for them. The plague demons will then naturally be restrained. Their king is named Youlian. He stands thirty-seven feet tall and carries a red cord. When he enters a household, he causes the family members to quarrel and fall into discord. From now on, wherever a ritual master recites scriptures and performs rites, these demons should be ritually restrained.

The Dao says: In a jiaxu year, thirty-two kinds of illness will appear, and evil people will die from them. From now on, when a ritual master recites scriptures, the Great Demon King of the Three Heavens will come in person to restrain the plague demons, so they can no longer harm people. In a jiashen year, seven hundred thousand evil ghosts will emerge to harm people. If a ritual master comes to their aid promptly, the heavenly spirits will all come to help the Daoist restrain the plague demons.

The Dao says: In a jiawu year, and in a shen year, seven hundred thousand evil ghosts will emerge to harm people. If a ritual master comes to their aid promptly, the heavenly spirits will all come to help the Daoist restrain the plague demons.

The Dao says: In a jiawu year, eighty kinds of plague demons will emerge and kill evil people. Evil people do not believe in the Great Dao; they slander and undermine Daoists, whom they cannot be taught to follow. In jiachen and jiayin years, three hundred and sixty thousand plague demons will emerge to kill evil people, because evil people are numerous. Heaven will send down strong warriors to punish them. Daoists should promptly carry out their teaching and guide the ignorant. It is a grave delusion when the foolish do not believe; those lost in delusion never awaken, which is truly beyond remedy. From now on, wherever plague spreads or official lawsuits arise, I will send down the Demon Kings of the Three Heavens and the lords of the ten directions—the spirits who govern each direction—to punish the plague demons. Wherever the Three Caverns scriptures and methods are taught, transmitted, and practiced, and wherever ritual methods are used to treat the sick, the plague demons will be driven away and restrained.

The Dao says: “Central Mystery” refers to the time when the Most High proclaimed the scripture here, seated in the Chamber of Nine Unions within the Palace of the Eight Luminaries. He sat upright in contemplation: “I should send down the Demon Kings of the Three Heavens and the lords of the ten directions to punish the plague demons. Wherever the Three Caverns scriptures and methods are taught, transmitted, and practiced, and wherever ritual methods are used to treat the sick, the plague demons must be driven away and restrained.”

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said: “What is called ‘Central Mystery’ refers to the occasion when the Most High preached the scriptures in the Chamber of Nine Unions at the Palace of the Eight Scenes. He sat upright in contemplation: Which lands are enduring suffering, and which enjoy peace? When will calamities draw near, and when will they pass? Amid all the turmoil, where will living beings ultimately go?

“The Three Calamities are about to descend, yet the ignorant have no awareness of them. They deceive one another, act unjustly, slander others, disbelieve true words, and show no respect for the virtuous. When they see others doing good, they mock them instead. Such people will fall into hell and suffer punishments such as fiery carts and sword trees, enduring unbearable pain. In the end, each must bear the karma they have made; no one can take another’s place. The Most High now sees all and understands every change. How could living beings fail to follow his teachings?

“For the sake of living beings, the Most High assembled the great Dharma masters, Daoist priests of the Three Caverns (those who study the Daoist scriptures of the Three Caverns), immortals from the ten directions, officials of the heavens, the great demons of the eight directions, male and female demon kings, and the spirits who oversee prohibitions and divine incantations. He feared that people would die needlessly in calamities. Great floods were on their way, yet people knew nothing of them. So the Most High ordered the Demon King not to harm the people, and instructed him to teach the ignorant, so that they might receive this scripture.

“This scripture is called the ‘King of Scriptures.’ It speaks of wondrous transformations and divine incantations, and comprises four volumes. Foreseeing the disorder of the world in ages to come, the Most High proclaimed it. If anyone in the world has the good fortune to encounter this scripture, they can use it to dispel calamities. Those who receive it will be spared disaster, and heavenly beings will come to welcome them, enabling them to behold the Perfected Lord, the immortal revered in Daoism.

“The Most High also said: ‘The boundless samadhi of Shangqing, a meditative state in Shangqing Daoist practice, can enable a person to ascend to immortality. The divine transformation incantations can subdue every demon. After receiving this teaching, Daoist priests need not fear driving out evil spirits and demons, whether in the mountains and forests or among people. By receiving and upholding these twenty volumes of scripture, one need not study other scriptures; this scripture can bring a person to immortality more quickly.’

“The men and women present were all delighted to hear this, and one after another asked to receive and uphold the scripture. They rose together and asked: ‘We do not know how we should receive this scripture, or how we ought to make offerings to it. We beg you, Celestial Worthy, to instruct us in detail. We, too, are willing to practice and uphold it. If we know the proper method, we can follow it in making our offerings.’”

When the Dao heard that everyone was delighted and eagerly asking to receive the scripture, they all rose together and asked, “We still do not know how we should receive and venerate this scripture. We beg the Celestial Worthy to instruct us in detail. We are also willing to follow and uphold its teachings. Only by learning the proper way can we prepare its offerings with care.”

The Dao said, “This scripture can subdue demons and dispel all manner of calamity. Those who receive it will not be troubled by ghostly troops and will naturally remain safe. If someone faces a lawsuit or illness and has long been trapped in hardship, with no one coming to their aid even after a full month, hearing or seeing this scripture will bring relief from their suffering and disperse every kind of calamity. Immortals will come to protect and attend those who receive it. Serve your teachers as you would revere the sun and moon, and cherish the scripture as you would precious gems and fine jade. First make offerings to the Five Emperors of the Great Beginning—the five divine emperors named in the scripture—then dissolve the covenant and receive the scripture. After receiving it, transmit it in accordance with the teachings. If a household has someone who is ill, a Daoist priest may turn the scripture for them—that is, recite it and perform rites to pray for protection. Before turning the scripture, make eight talismans and place them at the doorways in the eight directions. When you turn the scripture and perform the Daoist rites for the household, the ghosts and spirits inside and outside the house will hear the divine incantation and disperse on their own. Benevolent spirits will assist you, bringing every blessing to you, and the scripture-protecting warriors will naturally watch over you.”

The Dao continued, “When the Great Calamity is about to descend and floods spread, the ghosts and spirits inside and outside the house will hear the divine incantation and disperse on their own. Benevolent spirits will assist you, bringing every blessing to you, and the scripture-protecting warriors will naturally watch over you.”

The Dao continued, “The Great Calamity is approaching. Floodwaters will surge across ninety thousand li, and the three disasters of water, fire, and wind will strike in turn. Ghostly troops will drive people in every direction, and nearly all humanity will perish. Now I ride a Green Dragon, leading the heavenly beings and four hundred and eighty thousand warriors. I will intercept the plague demons, drive away the demon kings, and come in person to the world to teach the ignorant, so that they may receive this scripture. Those who receive it will be entered on the immortals’ registers and included in the Jade Register, the roll of immortals, thereby escaping floods and the other nine calamities. From now on, if you hear and uphold this scripture, I will send heavenly troops and warriors to follow and protect you at all times.”

The Dao says: Chinese people now accept and uphold this twenty-scroll Scripture of Divine Spells, which is circulating everywhere. Among Daoist priests, none who receive and uphold this scripture fails to ascend to immortality. The Hu peoples (a general ancient term for peoples of the Western Regions and the north, among other places) also uphold it. From now on, among men and women who receive and uphold this scripture, the scripture will be guarded by troops from the ten directions, and eight hundred million mighty warriors will protect the teachers who transmit it. Those who uphold the scripture will not suffer a violent death, and evil ghosts will not dare approach them.

The Dao says: This scripture can enable people to ascend to immortality, and the Hu peoples also uphold it. From now on, among men and women who receive and uphold this scripture, the scripture will be guarded by troops from the ten directions, while eight hundred million mighty warriors protect the teachers who transmit it. Those who uphold it will not suffer a violent death, and evil ghosts will not dare approach them.

The Dao says: The world is now disordered and defiled. Many people do evil and do not believe in the Dao’s teachings. If anyone hears of or sees this scripture and takes joy in it, then receives, upholds, and makes offerings to it, I will send armored soldiers and mighty warriors, together with forty-nine hundred million red cavalry from the ten directions (riders clad in red armor), to stay constantly at your side. They will make you wise, fulfill your wishes, advance your official career, and bring you every kind of blessing of their own accord. They will also keep you safe from the three calamities and nine hardships (three kinds of disaster and nine kinds of adversity).

The Dao says: The three cycles (stages in the course of a kalpa) are drawing near; ghost troops are running rampant everywhere, and floodwaters surge. Do you know this? The Most High (a Daoist title for the supreme deity) fears that all living beings will be swept up in it. Is this not cause for sorrow? What is to be done? What is to be done? The world is defiled, and people’s hearts are false. Each of you should guide and teach others, exhorting living beings to free themselves from the Three Paths (the three realms of suffering: hell, hungry ghosts, and animals). If you Daoist priests uphold the scripture yourselves but do not teach others, your lives will be in danger. These are no empty words of mine. The wise should receive this scripture and encourage others to learn about it. From now on, all who uphold it will receive help from heavenly beings and divine powers. Mighty warriors will guard their doorways, and no evil force or pestilential Qi can trouble them.

The Dao says: From now on, if anyone receives and upholds this four-scroll Scripture of Divine Transformation and Divine Spells, I will send armored soldiers from the ten directions, merit officers and messengers (divine officials who convey orders from the Celestial Bureaucracy), immortals and jade maidens, and red-carriage warriors to stay constantly with and protect those who receive the scripture.

The Dao says: From now on, whenever anyone receives these four scrolls of the Scripture of Divine Transformation and Divine Incantations, I will send the armored soldiers of the ten directions—the celestial host—together with merit officers and messengers, the immortal men and jade maidens, and the strongmen in red chariots. They will remain with those who receive the scripture and protect them from misfortune. When great disasters strike, a dragon will soar through the air to come and welcome them. You who receive this scripture will not die before your time. Those suffering from serious illness, facing legal cases, or troubled in body or mind—whether men or women—as well as those whose households are beset by misfortune, may all receive this scripture. It is like medicine, able to treat every kind of illness. You Daoist priests must have faith in this scripture and receive it. If you do as I have said, what could I have to worry about?

The Dao says: I now instruct the ghost kings of the ten directions: from now on, whenever someone in the world is gravely ill or faces danger, and a Daoist priest comes to help and recites this scripture, you must protect them and see that they suffer no injustice or harm. I also solemnly command the messengers who oversee the registers of life and death: wherever this scripture is recited, even if the sick person’s allotted lifespan is nearly over, let them live. If their name has already been entered into a stone casket and listed among the dead, remove it for them. If someone has been ill for a long time or is facing a legal case, follow my decree and release them from scrutiny and punishment. If you disobey my command and instead harm innocent people, the ghost kings and the others will cut you into ten thousand pieces and dismember you into a thousand fragments, with no mercy. You must be vigilant!

The Dao says: In the age of declining fate, the world’s days are numbered and people’s hearts are treacherous; many do not believe in the Dao. Those who receive this scripture can escape great disasters. The immortal men and jade maidens will stand guard beside them. When the waters swell and floods come, a dragon will soar through the air to welcome them. This is called the dragon’s ascent: it stretches across a vast expanse of eighty-four thousand li, and such ascents occur four hundred and ninety thousand times. When the dragon comes to welcome them, those destined to ascend to Heaven will rise without even realizing it. The floods will rage across the world, inundating every place; only those who receive this scripture will escape.

The Most High said: During the year jiǎxū, countless Chinese men and women believed in the Great Dao, received the scriptures, and entered the mountains to devote themselves to cultivation. The assembly, hearing the scripture, rejoiced and all asked to receive it. Three hundred thousand people rose together, circled the Most High seven times, and bowed three times, saying, “We are willing to receive this covenant of the scripture.” The Most High said, “Good, good. I should transmit it to you.”

The Most High said: The people of the five directions all asked to receive the scripture. Three hundred thousand people rose together, circled the Most High seven times, and bowed three times, saying, “We are willing to receive this covenant of the scripture.” The Most High said, “Good, good. I should transmit it to you.”

The Most High said: The world is polluted and in turmoil, and people often die in sudden calamities. Even when events plainly defy reason, many still do not believe in the Dao. Ghost armies are driving people away, and a great disaster is about to descend, yet the ignorant do not know it. If you can receive and venerate these twenty scrolls of scripture, when the great flood comes, immortals will come to welcome you, and you need not fear losing your lives. If you believe my words, what have I to worry about?

The Most High said: From now on, those who receive my covenant of the scripture will be aided by benevolent spirits. The head of the household will remain safe and unharmed by evil. You Daoist practitioners must believe in this scripture and encourage others to follow it, so that the ignorant may escape the three calamities. If anyone upholds this scripture yet cannot cross the three rivers, then I am unworthy of being called a sage and will no longer teach and transform living beings in this world. The great gods of the ten directions, all evil ghosts, and the kings of demonic forces will all be placed under strict restraint. From now on, wherever this scripture is transmitted, every illness will heal of itself and legal disputes will be settled. Those who receive it will have all their wishes fulfilled. The assembly, hearing the scripture, rejoiced; each received the covenant and put it into practice.

The Dao says: You Daoist priests need only receive this twenty-volume Scripture of Divine Incantations, and you too can attain the Dao and become immortals. Why? Because this scripture can subdue and drive away all demon kings, and benevolent spirits guard those who receive it. If someone who receives this scripture has an immortal root from a former life, that person came from the celestial realm and is no ordinary person of this world. In generations to come, people from the Central Plains, men and women alike, as well as people of the four border regions, will be transformed by its teachings. Many people in the lands of Hao and Shu believe in Daoism. When the world is in turmoil and the people are driven from their homes, the wise will enter the mountains. The years Jiashen and Renchen are years of ill fortune; you should be aware of this. Daoist priests must diligently teach one another and broadly guide people toward salvation. If someone personally receives this scripture, humans of Heaven and the spirits and deities will protect that person, so that they will ultimately avoid a violent death.

The Dao says: Even if you have received the Scripture of the Boundless Samadhi of Highest Clarity and Numinous Treasure, you cannot become an immortal unless you also receive this scripture. Without receiving it, you cannot be considered a Daoist priest, nor can you perform rites to heal various illnesses. If you receive this scripture and enshrine it at home, all ghosts and spirits will be subdued, and you will receive blessings in life and death. The Dao does not speak falsely; you should believe this. Whether young or old, all those seated here should each seek to receive this scripture. The Most High, a revered Daoist deity, takes pity on all living beings and wishes for you all to receive it and observe its precepts. After receiving this scripture, do not show disrespect to your teacher or neglect the scriptures. Practice its teachings throughout your life, keep the spirits in mind, and hold the Great Dao in your thoughts. In time, you will ascend to immortality, welcomed by nine dragons. On hearing this, everyone was filled with joy and excitement; they rose in amazement, bowed their heads, and performed three prostrations.

The Dao says: After receiving this scripture, you should make a copy of it and choose an auspicious day to establish a meditation chamber in a quiet dwelling. Set up a high seat and enshrine the scripture there. On the first and fifteenth days of each month, burn incense, pay homage to the Ten Directions, and bow to your teacher. If your teacher is not nearby, face the direction where your teacher resides and bow four times. If you live with your teacher, go to pay your respects in person. After receiving these instructions, everyone performed three prostrations and followed them.

End of Volume Five of the Scripture of Divine Incantations of the Cavernal Abyss of the Most High.

“Chapter on Oaths”

The Most High says: From now until the jiaxu and renwu years, the human world will suffer much sorrow, disaster, and death. People will flee from place to place, while the Dao-Qi of the lower realm grows ever more abundant. This flourishing will appear in Jiangnan, Hanzhong, and Shu. The Three Caverns—the classification system for Daoist scriptures—will spread widely, and the Six Yi, an ancient general term for neighboring peoples, will suffer death. Ghost soldiers will run rampant, harming the people, spreading epidemics, and taking lives. More than one place will be afflicted.

From now on, the heavenly gods will protect the people wherever someone upholds this scripture. I will bind by oath all spirits and demons that manifest auspicious signs, as well as every evil essence. From now on, for anyone healed by a ritual master, legal disputes will be settled and illnesses cured. If they are not cured, the Most High will send 490,000 warriors of the Three Heavens to seize the male and female ghosts of the waiguo throughout the world and drive them a thousand miles away. No one treated by a Daoist priest’s rites will fail to recover. Those in legal disputes in the ten directions will be freed, and the sick will recover. If they are still not cured, the Most High will send 490,000 warriors of the Three Heavens to seize the male and female ghosts of the waiguo throughout the world and drive them a thousand miles away. The great gods of the ten directions will also come to help this ritual master heal the sick.

The Most High says: From now on, if someone falls ill and a Three Caverns ritual master recites and performs this scripture there, all plague demons who hear it will immediately flee ten thousand miles away and dare not come near to cause harm. Legal disputes and matters concerning prisoners in jails will also dissipate of their own accord. If they still do not leave, I will send ten million heavenly soldiers and warriors down to the world to destroy you.

The Most High says: In the xin-si, ren-wu, and gui-wei years, seventy-two kinds of illness will afflict the world, and evil people will die from them. Most evil people do not believe in Daoist methods, so illness will kill them. From now on, if a ritual master within China heals the sick, I will send the Nine Heavens’ Officials—divine functionaries of the heavenly realm—to establish an oath and command all evil ghosts of the waiguo to retreat far away to other places. They must not harm anyone healed by this ritual master. This is the stern prohibition of the Most High of the Central Heaven, and it must be obeyed at once. If you disobey, heavenly soldiers and warriors will descend to execute you, cut you down without mercy.

The Supreme Ancestor of the Dao said: From now on, wherever Daoists recite scriptures and perform the Dao on behalf of others will become a “Hall of the Supreme Mystery,” a sacred sanctuary of the Supreme One and a place where divine beings from the heavens dwell. Anyone caught up in a lawsuit or struck by an epidemic will recover, and quarrels and litigation will cease. Even prisoners will be able to free themselves. Why does this happen? Because these are wondrous words spoken by the Supreme One himself, the Three Days’ Mighty Warriors, the heavenly generals, will destroy the plague spirits.

The Supreme One also said: Some ritual masters today do not covet worldly official rank. They devote themselves to studying the Three Caverns, the three great divisions of Daoist scriptures, and practice the Dao in the world to aid others. When they see people facing danger, they devote themselves to helping them. When someone is caught up in a lawsuit or falls ill, they also intervene on that person’s behalf. Such people, having accumulated great blessings and virtue in past lives, have brought their beneficence throughout the Central Land and been reborn as teachers of living beings. When I see the places where these ritual masters perform rites to save people, I swear to all plague spirits: they must never return.

The Dao declares: From this day forward, the world will suffer the calamity of floods, and ghost troops will spread everywhere. In the years Jiaxu and Renwu, there will be many Red-Accumulation Ghosts, a kind of demon described in the scriptures. They will disperse throughout the Nine Provinces, kill the good, and afflict people with severe, sudden illnesses, causing the True People of the Highest One—those who follow the Way of the Highest One—to die without cause. From now until the years Jiazi and Renchen, calamity will extend far and wide.

Those who are causing these disturbances are all you demon ghosts. Among you are the residual Qi left behind by ancient generals who died in battle, rulers and ministers, and low-ranking officials, as well as ghost bandits from the human world. Others are ghosts arising from sexual relations, disasters of fire and water, and weapons, or from people who died while traveling. When the fortune and Qi of people in the world grow weak, you rush in to cause trouble, scheming to harm the people, win fame, and demand blood offerings—sacrifices of the flesh and blood of animals or humans. You number in the thousands and tens of thousands, and go as far as people’s homes, making strange lights and shadows appear. You bring people into disputes and even cause them to suffer punishment.

From this day forward, if any ghost disbelieves my words and continues to linger in a dwelling, refusing to leave, the Great Generals Who Slay Ghosts of the Ten Directions will lead three hundred thousand troops to cut you down and allow you no place to remain. This is a command spoken by the Highest One, the supreme deity of Daoism, and it must be carried out at once. If you still do not leave, the Demon King Juliuzi will lead two hundred thousand troops and smash your heads, dividing them into twelve pieces.

The Dao says: Three Heavens Demon King Gupo Qiang, lead 120,000 men to the human world. From now on, if the Red-Ding Fire Demons lead 780,000 followers each to spread pestilence and unjustly kill good people, send 36,000 Jianhe officials and soldiers to seize them and escort them to the Prison of the Nine Heavens. Let the illnesses of the good people throughout the realm be cured and their lives kept safe; let punishments and lawsuits cease of their own accord, all troubles dissolve, and disputes and accusations come to an end. All who seek these blessings will understand the boundless grace bestowed by the Great Dao. If you disobey my command, the body of the Hundred-Foot Demon King will be cut down. Carry this out swiftly, as though the Most High had issued the decree in person. If you fail to obey and allow demons to harm the people without departing, Seven Heavens Demon King, your head will be cut into twenty pieces.

The Dao says: In the years jiaxu and renwu, there is a Black-Foot Demon, three zhang and six chi tall, with reddish-yellow eyes. At times it transforms into a red crow called Zu Ri and spreads pestilence far and wide. Thousands upon thousands of demons fly together and perch on people’s rooftops, causing them to fall suddenly ill.

The Dao says: In the years jiaxu and renwu, there is a Black-Foot Demon, three zhang and six chi tall, with reddish-yellow eyes. At times it transforms into a red crow called Zu Ri and spreads pestilence far and wide. Thousands upon thousands of demons fly together to people’s rooftops, leaving them stricken with sudden illness. The sick person’s body turns yellow, alternating between chills and fever; there is incessant discharge, and the diarrhea is red and black. The face and eyes become parched and bluish; the illness comes and goes. The person cannot eat, and vomits as soon as food is taken. Bloody urine flows at the same time, and the eyes grow red, the head aches, the sinews and vessels contract, and the hands and feet become unresponsive. These symptoms are all caused by demons of the Black-Foot kind. The Demon King is named Big-Head Lu and commands eighty million brothers who roam in bands. I already know your names. Leave at once and go a thousand li away. If you do not leave, I will slay you without mercy. Carry this out swiftly, as the law commands.

The Dao says: From now until the year jiachen, 490,000 black-faced ghost kings named Zhang Chang will come into the human world. Forty-six trillion ghosts will roam throughout the land, bringing dysentery. Some people will suffer pain in the chest, back, and waist, and watery eyes; their eating and elimination will also become difficult. This will cause arguments within households and leave families impoverished. Ghost soldiers will surround houses, linger beside people’s doorways, and spread in all directions. They too will come into the human world and bring dysentery; some people will suffer pain in the chest, back, and waist, and their eyes…