《太上洞玄三洞开天风雷禹步制魔神咒经》

At that time, in the Jade Void Hall of the Celestial Palace of the Great Kalpa, the Supreme Jade Emperor of Vast Heaven was expounding the Kai Tian Feng Lei Yubu Zhimo Shenzhou Jing (Scripture of the Divine Spells for Opening Heaven, Wind and Thunder, the Pace of Yu, and Subduing Demons) to all the heavens and earths, the sun, moon, and stellar mansions, the flying heavenly spirit-kings, the great bodhisattvas, and the celestial beings.

The Jade Emperor said to the Great Emperor of Fusang of the Water Bureau: “You have charge of the two Qi (vital energy) of earth and water in the lower realm. I observe that in the Water Bureau there are many demon-dragons, flood dragons, and mirage-spirits who recklessly raise wind and rain, so that the human world is left storm-tossed. Tigers and wolves, insects and snakes, wild jackals, and the like, once they have lived long, also become essence-specters of Jing (essence). They do not return to the proper Dao (the Way); they indulge their natures, improperly seek illicit sacrifices, disturb the common people, and thereby demand blood offerings. Some vicious demons even slaughter living beings at will. You ought to take pity on them and come to their aid.”

The Great Emperor of Fusang then reported to the Celestial Emperor: “Your servant presides over the two offices of the Water Bureau, yet does not know by what method living beings are to be rescued.”

The Lord on High (Shangdi) said: In former times I did not go forth to become a king. I renounced wealth and rank and cultivated myself through eight hundred kalpas, until I suddenly awakened to the Great Vehicle and at last realized the realm of purity, spontaneously attaining enlightenment and becoming a king. Thereafter, just as the Tathagata did in instructing the bodhisattvas, I passed through an equally vast span of kalpas. Receiving the talismanic mandate of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), I was able to enter the Celestial Palace of the Vast Kalpas, become the Emperor of Jade Vacuity (Yuxu Di), and preside over the opening of heaven and the parting of earth and over the governance of heaven and earth.

At that time the sun and moon eclipsed one another, and the stars strayed from their proper courses. They swallowed one another, and each contended for the terrestrial domains that belonged to it—for the ancients held that every constellation in the heavens corresponded to a particular region of the earth. I summoned the thunder gods of the eight directions and subdued the host of stars. I further used spiritual power to refine, transform, and bring under control the constellations of the demon kings. That power was vast and beyond all measure.

I could have one thunder god lift Mount Tai in his hand and move it elsewhere; have one thunder god open his mouth and swallow all the waters of the four great seas until not a drop remained; have one thunder god leap eighteen yojanas—an ancient measure of length—open his mouth, swallow the sun and moon, and devour the stars; and have yet another thunder god spew fierce fire that spread through every world, burning away demons and monsters until all of them returned to the orthodox Dao (the Way). Thus the sun, moon, and stars each settled in the stations proper to them and kept to their own celestial domains. The light of the stars grew bright once more, and day and night were thereby clearly distinguished.

Now I entrust to you this scripture and register of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen)—the transmission of Daoist classics (Jing) together with talismans and registers (Fulu). It may be taught in the mortal world to those who possess the Dao, that they may cultivate it. The thunder gods, each according to his own precious register, will await the talismanic mandate, appear in secret, and respond at once, displaying might that shakes heaven and earth and the divine efficacy of slaying demons and expelling monsters. Whoever receives and upholds this scripture and register should constantly recite this incantation, so as to increase the awesome radiance of the thunder gods, and should confer it upon the thunder gods, causing them to accord with the orthodox Dao and to answer to this mind.

At that moment the Jade Emperor (Yudi) uttered the Divine Incantation for Opening Heaven and Subduing Demons:

The mighty spirits of the Five Thunders came into being together with the Jade Emperor. Refined and transformed by him, they can subdue the host of stars. Their fierce generals and subordinate officers number in the tens of thousands, and the yakshas likewise form a thousand companies. They have seven heads and a hundred arms, mouths gaping wide, and bodies hard as gold; they stand ten thousand zhang tall and devour ghosts, monsters, and sprites. When they walk, wind and rain rise with them; when they sit in stillness, thunder crashes. Lord Thunder wields the thunderbolt, and Mother Lightning displays her divine might.

The yakshas of wind and thunder number in the tens of thousands. Each has seven heads and a hundred arms, a huge mouth and a body of gold, a stature of ten thousand zhang, and feeds on ghosts and monsters. When they move, wind and rain come down together; when they sit, thunder roars. Lord Thunder sends forth the thunderclap, and Mother Lightning manifests her numinous power. Wind and thunder surge and howl, and heaven and earth are shaken; they slay flood-dragons and cut down demonic beings, day and night without cease.

A thousand gods clasp their hands and take orders; ten thousand spirits all obey the command. The mountain gods of the Five Marchmounts, the Celestial Emperors of the Five Directions, the water gods of the Four Waterways (the four great rivers), and the divinities of the Yangtze, the Yellow River, the Huai, and the Ji, together with those of the twelve streams, must all submit. Beneath the Nine Earths, the dark underworld of Quanqu, Luofeng of the Northern Capital (the netherworld of Daoist legend), and the Cavern Abyss of the Great Dark Sea, and, above the Nine Heavens, the sun, moon, and stars and the divine kings who fly through heaven, likewise obey one by one. The divine offices on earth, the spirits of the water bureaus, and the companies of ghosts and gods each keep to their posts, constantly carrying out the orthodox commands and nurturing all living beings.

If anyone does evil and violates the commands, spirit-generals are summoned by talismanic mandate. The thunders, receiving the order, go forth to slay, cut down, and burn whatever is guilty and perverse; their awesome force none can withstand, and culpability cannot be escaped. The gods of the Nine Heavens take their places in front, and the Jade Emperor proclaims the command; divine might is displayed in splendor, wrath is roused and awe is shown, demons are beheaded and monsters removed, and thunder and lightning race like stars. The might of Poluo shakes the four quarters; courage is keen, and radiance shines forth. (Here the original is full of repetition; some phrases appear corrupt or incomplete, and the meaning is difficult to determine with certainty.)

The Jing (scripture/classic) then lists a string of phrases that are hard to read, such as “fu you chen ji, bi jian fei yi” and “gu liu wei miao, nan lu zhi yi.” These may be taboo characters, syllables of an incantation, or errors of copying and transmission, and they cannot be explained with certainty from the text as it now survives. The scripture continues: this spell belongs to the concealed, tabooed language of the thunders; recite it ten thousand times, and one may enter into accord with the gods and spirits. A brilliance like that of the sun and moon, together with divine might, will empower the reciter.

On the days ren, gui, hai, and zi (days in the traditional cycle of stems and branches), this Jing should be recited regularly. The spirits will aid and protect, bringing a person into harmony with the Dao (the Way) and returning that person to what is true. The divine spell of the Jade Emperor must not be transmitted to unsuitable people; if it is carelessly divulged, or if the scripture and spell are treated with negligence, misfortune may extend to one’s descendants. Recited with utmost sincerity, it enables one to command the thunders: above, one may attend audience with the Jade Emperor; below, one may bring relief to the underworld. Those who follow this teaching will have their names proclaimed and sung throughout the heavens; the thunders will also guard the reciter and call that person a Zhenren (Perfected Person). It concludes with “Urgently, urgently, let it be as the statutes and ordinances of the Jade Emperor,” meaning that the command must be carried out at once in accordance with the Jade Emperor’s laws.

At this time the Great Emperor of Fusang of the Water Palace, together with the multitudes of all the heavens and all the earths, the sun, moon, and star lodges, the flying celestial spirit-kings, the great bodhisattvas, and the celestial beings, were all filled with joy. They received this scripture (Jing) in faith and pledged to practice it. The Great Emperor of Fusang then vowed, “I will widely transmit this scripture in the lower realm, spreading it abroad so as to rescue the people of the world.”

The Jade Emperor again admonished the Great Emperor of Fusang: “Without these scriptures and registers (the scriptural text together with the credentials of ritual method), people in the world would be unable to subdue demons and evil beings or to command the thunder—the Daoist ritual practice of summoning and dispatching the Thunder Gods. You ought to transmit them widely in the world, yet you must not transmit them to those who are unfit, and in this way rescue the people of Heaven. I will dispatch the Three Officials—the Heavenly Official, the Earthly Official, and the Water Official in Daoism—to record and examine merits and faults, omitting not the slightest detail. Those who have merit I will summon by a celestial talisman to the Golden Portal, the palace where the Celestial Emperor resides, and according to the depth of their accomplishments I will confer upon them the corresponding ranks of immortal office.”

Thereupon the Great Emperor of Fusang drafted and received the sacred edict, bowed in thanks for the celestial grace, took leave of the court, and withdrew.