《灵宝无量度人上品妙经》

The Wondrous Scripture of the Upper Chapters on Limitless Salvation of the Numinous Treasure

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said:

In former times, within the Heaven of the Beginning Azure, in the immortal realm of Biluo Kongge and the Great Land of Fuli, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning received the wondrous teaching of the limitless upper grade for the salvation of all beings, and prepared to proclaim this scripture. He circumambulated and recited the text ten times in order to summon the gods of the ten directions, and only then came before the ritual seat.

The true gods, sages, and exalted spirits of the heavens, together with Perfected Ones of profound cultivation and countless deities, all arrived borne upon clouds of Qi (vital energy). They drove flying clouds and rode in blue-green carriages with wheels of jade, sheltered beneath canopies adorned with feathers. Radiance streamed and jade hues shone; colors glittered in profusion, brightly illuminating the whole of space.

This spectacle continued for seven days and seven nights. The suns, moons, stars, and celestial bodies of all the heavens halted in their courses; the divine winds grew still, the cloud-Qi between the mountains and seas withdrew, the sky was without the slightest veil, and the Qi of the four seasons was clear and pure. Throughout the land, the soil, mountains, rivers, and forests all became level and even, with no longer any distinction of high and low; the earth was entirely transformed into green jade, of no other color. The divine Perfected stood in attendance beside the ritual seat, while the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat suspended in the air, with five-colored lions beneath his seat.

When the scripture was recited the first time, the great sages of all the heavens praised it together. At that moment, all the deaf throughout the land recovered their hearing.

At the second recitation, the blind regained their sight.

At the third recitation, those who could not speak were able to open their mouths.

At the fourth recitation, the lame and those too ill to walk were all able to rise and walk.

At the fifth recitation, stubborn illnesses long resistant to cure were healed at once, and people were restored to health.

At the sixth recitation, white hair turned black, and teeth that had fallen grew again.

At the seventh recitation, the elderly recovered the strength of their prime, and the young all became robust.

At the eighth recitation, pregnant women, and birds and beasts carrying young—whether the offspring had already been born or were not yet born—were all able to grow and flourish without hindrance.

At the ninth recitation, things buried underground came to light, and gold and jade appeared upon the surface of the earth.

At the tenth recitation, withered bones regained life and were all reborn as human beings.

At this time, men and women throughout the land, without exception, believed and accepted it with sincere hearts, received its protection and salvation, and all attained long life.

Whenever the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), one of the supreme deities revered in Daoism, recites the scripture once, boundless numbers of supremely true great deities come soaring from different directions.

At the first recitation, the great deities of the east arrive; at the second, those of the south arrive; at the third, those of the west arrive; at the fourth, those of the north arrive; at the fifth, those of the northeast arrive; at the sixth, those of the southeast arrive; at the seventh, those of the southwest arrive; at the eighth, those of the northwest arrive; at the ninth, those from above arrive; and at the tenth, those from below arrive. When the scripture has been recited ten times, the boundless and immeasurable celestial true great deities of the ten directions assemble all at once.

Men and women throughout the land all revere him with sincere hearts and come to take refuge, arriving in numbers as dense as fine rain and thick mist. The throng is boundless and endless, pressing so heavily that half the territory cannot bear the weight; the ground tilts and sinks and cannot hold them back. The multitudes then come soaring through the air.

When the scripture has been recited ten times, the boundless and immeasurable celestial true great deities of the ten directions assemble all at once.

At that time, men and women throughout the land turned to the Dao with single-minded devotion and reverence, and those who came gathered as densely as fine rain and thick mist. Listeners beyond measure and number filled half the country, and the ground was pressed down until it tilted and collapsed, with no way to stop it. Then the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, one of the highest venerated deities of Daoism) suspended a precious pearl in the air, about the size of a millet grain, five zhang above the ground. Leading the Great Spirits of Heavenly Truth, the High Sages and Supreme Venerables, the Perfected of Wondrous Practice, and countless other deities, including the Great Spirits of Utmost Truth from the ten directions of the boundless, Yuanshi Tianzun entered the pearl together with them all. People looked up and saw billowing clouds of qi (vital energy) flowing into the mouth of the pearl; once they had entered, no one knew where they had gone. The crowds in the country then dispersed, and the earth became level again, no longer tilting or collapsing. Within the pearl, Yuanshi Tianzun finished expounding the entire scripture (jing), and with the Perfected Ones overseeing the work of salvation, transmitted the scripture to me. The joy of that moment is beyond words. The rites were largely complete, the heavens each returned to their proper places, and in the blink of an eye everything fell silent, leaving not a trace of sound behind. The people of that age, having encountered this scripture and its teachings, were universally delivered, preserved their allotted lifespans, and suffered neither premature death nor harm along the way. The whole nation, high and low, turned to the Dao with reverence and together practiced good intentions: they did not kill or harm, were not jealous, were neither lewd nor given to theft, were neither greedy nor indulgent, and harbored neither hatred nor clinging attachment. Their speech was free of showy embellishment, and no harsh words passed their lips. They loved one another with equal compassion, and even those of different bloodlines were as close as one family. Thus the country was at peace, the people prospered, and all lived in joy and tranquility.

When the scripture first appeared in the world, the Dao was used to teach the people of an entire country, and all those who had earlier set their resolve and honored it with reverence were able to transcend the mortal world.

The Dao says:

The words that Yuanshi Tianzun speaks in the scripture are the inner names of the Heavenly Sovereigns of the many heavens, their hidden sounds and rhymes, and also the inner taboo names of the demon kings and the secret names of the hundred spirits. They are not the ordinary language of the world. Only High Sages who have already become Perfected Ones, who have penetrated the mysterious and exhausted the subtle, can fully comprehend their verses and passages.

Reciting this scripture ten times, the gods of the various heavens chant in responsive harmony from afar, and the ten thousand celestial emperors bow in ritual homage. Rivers and oceans fall silent, the mountains conceal their cloud vapors, the sun and moon seem to halt their light and shadow, and the stars of the Northern Dipper cease their course. Hosts of demons are bound, and ghosts and spirit-beings lose their numinous power; the dead are able to return to life, and white bones can once more be transformed into human form.

When a person who aspires to cultivate the supreme Dao (the Way) recites it ten times, the Celestial Emperors of the Five Directions come forth to offer protection, and all the gods of the Three Realms bow their heads in reverence to the scripture. Demonic spirits lose their strength, and ghosts and goblins disperse; those about to die are delivered, and those whose breath has ceased can also be restored to life.

This is because, if the impure Qi (vital energy) upon the practitioner’s person has not yet been fully eliminated, and body and mind have not yet completely penetrated the true Dao, he still cannot summon and subdue the spirits of the ten directions, nor is his majestic authority sufficient to restrain the celestial realm. Nevertheless, his De (Virtue/Power) and ritual arts may be able to subdue the earth deities (earth gods) and bind demonic spirits; they can also prevent a person from dying, yet cannot restore to life one who has already died. If one recites this scripture rashly, one will instead bring calamity upon oneself. If one can reverently enshrine and worship this scripture, the household will flourish, generation after generation will prosper, good affinities will attend them, disasters will not come to afflict them, and divine beings will also guard the gates of the home.

This scripture is exalted and mysterious, peerless in the Jade Capital (the immortal capital of the celestial realm). It can broadly save and deliver all living beings, and is the root of the myriad ways. The Great Brahma (the vast and boundless substance of the Dao) that it embodies is lofty in the extreme, and its merit is beyond measure.

The Dao says:

Whenever this scripture (Jing) is recited ten times, the divine spirits of all the heavens descend together. Ancestors of successive generations, and those departed souls suffering in the dark underworld, can all thereby be delivered and ascend to the Vermilion Palace (the heavenly palace spoken of in Daoism). After nine years of instruction and transformation there, they can be reborn and become persons of noble standing. If one continues to delight in cultivating this supreme scripture, then, when merit is complete and virtue accomplished, one can become an immortal, ascend in flight to the Golden Towers (the palatial towers of heaven), and roam and feast in the Jade Capital (the celestial capital of immortals spoken of in Daoism).

Those who aspire to cultivation of the higher vehicle, by practicing and reciting this scripture, can all be delivered and ascend in flight to the Southern Palace (a palace of the heavens). If people of the world are thereby born as human beings, they too can become persons of noble standing; if they continue to delight in cultivating this supreme scripture, then, when merit is complete and virtue accomplished, they can become immortals, ascend in flight to the Golden Towers, and roam and feast in the Jade Capital.

If people of the world receive, uphold, and recite this scripture, they can prolong their years and increase their lifespan; in the end they can also accomplish the path of corpse liberation (shijie). Shijie is a Daoist way of speaking about cultivation: the practitioner’s soul and spirit (Shen) temporarily leave the bodily form and do not pass through hell; afterward the form is restored, and one roams the vastness of space.

This scripture is mysterious and profound, and can universally save and deliver countless living beings. Heavenly beings all obtain blessings because of it, and living beings, amid birth and death, can all receive its grace. This scripture is treasured by Heaven above and must not be transmitted to ordinary worldly people; only those whose cultivation has succeeded, after preparing gold and precious offerings and swearing a covenant to Heaven with sincere hearts, may transmit it. If one rashly divulges it or treats it with negligence, disaster will implicate nine generations of ancestors, and one oneself will long be pressed into service by the ghost officials.

The Five Emperors who attend this scripture, together with twenty-four Jade Lads and twenty-four Jade Maidens, will guard the scriptural text and protect the body of the one who receives and upholds it.

The Dao (the Way) says:

If in the first month one keeps a prolonged purification fast and recites this scripture, one can release the departed souls of former lives from penal servitude in the underworld and cause them to ascend to the Southern Palace. If in the seventh month one keeps a prolonged purification fast and recites this scripture, one oneself can become an immortal; the heavens will register one’s name and dispatch the guardian spirits of the Yellow Registers and the White Persons to guard the scriptural text and protect the body of the one who receives and upholds it.

The Dao says:

In the first month, observing a prolonged fast and reciting this scripture (Jing) can release the souls of the dead from former lives from their compulsory service in the dark underworld and enable them to ascend to the Southern Palace. In the seventh month, observing a prolonged fast and reciting this scripture allows the practitioner to obtain the body of an immortal; the various heavens will write his name on the yellow registers and white slips (documents in which Daoism records the name-rolls of immortals and perfected beings), so that he escapes death and instead obtains new life.

In the tenth month, observing a prolonged fast and reciting this scripture allows one to pray for kings and emperors, and for rulers and ministers, fathers and sons, so that the state may be secure, its destiny long-lasting, and its succession continued through the generations; one also prays that sovereigns may guard their domains generation after generation, and that the people may praise an age of great peace. Reciting this scripture on the Eight Nodes (eight important seasonal junctures) enables one to become a Perfected Being of the Nine Palaces. Reciting this scripture on one’s natal day (the sexagenary day corresponding to the year of one’s birth) can make the hun-souls and Shen (spirit) clear and upright, the primordial Qi (vital energy) ever-enduring, free from suffering and vexation, and the body filled with light. The divinities of the Three Realms will protect him, the Five Emperors will come to receive him, and the myriad gods will come to pay homage; his name will be registered in the heavens. When merit is complete, he may ascend in flight to Shangqing (the higher celestial realms of which Daoism speaks).

The Dao (the Way) says:

On days when Daoist rites are performed, one should first bathe in fragrant hot water, observe the fast, and then enter the quiet chamber. Facing east, knock the teeth thirty-two times so that the sound rises to the Thirty-Two Heavens; bow in the heart thirty-two times, then close the eyes and meditate in stillness: visualize yourself seated amid clouds of Qi in the three colors of azure, yellow, and white, dark and profound within and without; the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion Bird, and the Dark Warrior, together with lions and white cranes, arrayed on either side. The radiance of the sun and moon illuminates the chamber, bright throughout; above the head appears a circular halo, its light shining upon the ten directions. These scenes must be visualized clearly and distinctly.

Silently recite the incantation:

“Supreme Mysterious Origin, Most High Lord of the Dao, I ask you to summon forth from within my body the Three-and-Five Merit Officers (divine functionaries who transmit prayers), the officers of the left and right, the Jade Lads who attend the incense, the Jade Maidens who convey messages, the talisman-officers of the Five Emperors on duty, and the incense officials of the day, thirty-two of each. I ask them to report for me the matters I declare: today is auspicious; I observe the fast in a pure and quiet fasting chamber and cultivate this supreme scripture, Limitless Salvation of Humanity. May the content of my prayer ascend and be presented directly before the throne of the Most Venerable Primordial Supreme Thearch of the unsurpassed Thirty-Two Heavens.”

When the incantation is finished, draw in Qi thirty-two times, then face east and recite the scripture.

The Primordial Dongxuan (Cavern Mystery) Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) Root Scripture—the Lingbao classic of the Dongxuan division handed down by the Primordial Heavenly Worthy (Yuanshi Tianzun)—is used for the boundless salvation of people. May the scripture I begin to recite ascend before the honored presence of the Primordial Lord of the unsurpassed Thirty-Two Heavens.

When the recitation is finished, regulate the breath and circulate Qi (vital energy) thirty-two times, then face east and recite the scripture.

The Primordial Dongxuan Lingbao Root Chapter

This is the opening of the wondrous teaching of the highest grade, able to save living beings again and again. The cadence of the scripture causes the hundred kinds of demonic obstruction to withdraw; the parting and joining of Yin-Yang all accord with what is natural. It is formed of the crimson celestial script that appeared out of primordial chaos, and it is the truth that transcends all things and stands supreme.

In the kalpic course at the very beginning of the Primordial, the heavens were generated and transformed from this, and the three lights of sun, moon, and stars (the “Three Luminaries”) were opened from this; this is the root and source of heaven and earth. Primordial Qi returns to its origin, and only the Great Dao (the Way) constitutes the fundamental substance of the myriad things.

The scripture unfolds to a breadth of five zhang and universally conceives and nurtures spirits. Without the scripture there is no radiance, no clarity, no establishment, and no accomplishment; without the scripture there can be neither deliverance and transformation nor generation and transformation. This is the realm of the Great Brahma, the heaven within heaven.

The Yuluo Xiao Terrace and the Upper Capital of Jade Mountain stand above the unsurpassed—that is, the Daluo Yuqing (the supreme celestial realm of which Daoism speaks). It is vast and profound, seeming to exist and yet seeming to have no form. The Three Hua (the florescences of Jing (essence), Qi, and Shen (spirit) of which Daoism speaks) scatter apart and mingle together, revealing the wondrous court of Great Existence. There are golden pylons and jade chambers, ranged tier upon tier, pure and luminous; the vast Brahma-qi circulates and pervades the ten directions.

Among them are the Spirit Who Saves People from Death and the Lord of Long Life of the Southern Pole; there are also the Great Divine Marshal Who Saves the World and Elder Lord Han, Who Delights in Giving Life. Here too are such deities as the Southern Superior Directors of Destiny and Directors of Registers, who preside over lengthening lifespan, adding years, and releasing people from calamity and hardship.

They can cause abandoned remains to rise again and the dead to return to life, saving living beings without measure. Today the collation of records is carried out (the checking and registering of the merits, faults, and name-registers of living beings), and the spirits of all the heavens come before the hall.

The Boundless Flying-Heaven Spirit Kings of the East and the Great Saints of Long Life save living beings without measure.

The Boundless Flying-Heaven Spirit Kings of the South and the Great Saints of Long Life save living beings without measure.

The Boundless Flying-Heaven Spirit Kings of the West and the Great Saints of Long Life save living beings without measure.

The Boundless Flying-Heaven Spirit Kings of the North and the Great Saints of Long Life save living beings without measure.

The Boundless Flying-Heaven Spirit Kings of the Northeast and the Great Saints of Long Life save living beings without measure.

In the southeast, southwest, northwest, above, and below, there are in each case boundless Flying Celestial Divine Kings. They are the great sages of long life, able to deliver all beings far and wide.

The supremely perfected deities of the ten directions (the four quarters and eight directions, together with above and below) are all able to deliver living beings.

The boundless Flying Celestial Divine Kings of the northwest, above, and below are once more extolled as the great sages of long life, able to deliver all beings far and wide.

The most exalted true gods of the worlds of the ten directions, the divine kings who fly through the heavens, and the countless great deities who grant long life and deliver the beings of this world all come riding on flying clouds. They travel in cinnabar-red carriages and green imperial chariots, with feathered canopies and jade-ornamented wheels, drawn by vermilion phoenixes and five-colored dark dragons. In the procession are raised nine-colored ceremonial insignia and the Ten-Ultimate Numinous Banners, the banners of Daoist ritual processions. Ahead, nine phoenixes cry long and clear; behind, the company sings and plays as one, and the eight simurgh-bells sound together. Lions and white cranes also give forth lingering calls and songs. The gods of the Five Elders clear the way and escort them, and the host of immortals guards the carriage shafts. Numberless carriages and mounted attendants come sweeping through the air.

The gods draw in their radiance and turn their carriages about, inspecting the true Dao (Dao) and delivering living beings. The chancellors of the many heavens, the Han Si Chief Registrar of the Upper Palace of Nanchang—the divine officer who keeps the registers of those to be given life and salvation—and the Great Gods who oversee life come together before the Celestial Emperor, holding name rolls and record books. According to the condition of those who ought to receive deliverance, they carefully verify the name registers of the heavens and proclaim them throughout the Three Realms.

For the dead in the Divine Realm of the Limitless, the Bureau of Winding Springs, Luofeng of the Northern Capital—the underworld of which Daoism speaks—the Three Offices and Nine Bureaus, the divine departments governing Heaven, Earth, Water, and related affairs, the Twelve River Sources, and other such places, the gods will remit their offenses, seek out and rescue their ancestors and their kin through a hundred million kalpas, swiftly erase the registers of sin, destroy the roots of evil, and neither detain them nor force them into the company of ghosts. This is ordained by the talismanic command of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning: when the appointed time comes, the dead may ascend.

In the Cold Pool of the Northern Capital, the gods guard the bodies and souls of the dead, subdue demonic obstructions, and recommend them so that they may enter the Southern Palace and receive salvation. After the souls of the dead undergo refinement and deliverance, they may be transformed into immortals and restored as human beings, and people of the present world may also obtain liberation. However many kalpas they pass through, they endure, turning with the cycles of the kalpas. The gods continue to protect form and soul, overcome demonic hindrances, and sponsor the dead for entry into the Southern Palace and salvation; dead souls are transformed through refinement and deliverance, and the living are saved as well. Thus they endure age after age, their longevity equal to Heaven’s, forever leaving the Three Paths—the three conditions of suffering: the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals—together with the Five Sufferings and Eight Difficulties, transcending the Three Realms and roaming freely in the Shangqing, the pure, still, and lofty realm of which Daoism speaks. The Heaven of the Shangqing is the abode of the Celestial Emperor of Jade Perfection, and it is also the formless realm and the realm of pure Brahma-practice.

The Eight Heavens of the East are these. The Heaven of Taihuang Huangzeng has a Celestial Emperor named Yujian Yuming. The Heaven of Taiming Yuwan has a Celestial Emperor named Xu’a Natian. The Heaven of Qingming Hetong has a Celestial Emperor named Yuanyu Qijing. The Heaven of Xuantai Pingyu has a Celestial Emperor named Liudu Neixian. The Heaven of Yuanming Wenju has a Celestial Emperor named Chou Falun. The Heaven of Shangming Qiyao Moyi has a Celestial Emperor named Tianhui Yan. The Heaven of Yuwu Yueheng has a Celestial Emperor named Zhengding Guang. The Heaven of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Mengyi has a Celestial Emperor named Quyu Jiuchang.

The Eight Heavens of the South are these. The Heaven of Chiming Heyang has a Celestial Emperor named Lijin Shangzhen. The Heaven of Xuanming Gonghua has a Celestial Emperor named Kongyao Chouyin. The Heaven of Yaoming Zongpiao has a Celestial Emperor named Zhong Guangming.

The Zhuluo Huangjia Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Moyi Miaobian. The Xuming Tangyao Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Ajialousheng. The Guanming Duanjing Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Yumiluoqian. The Xuanming Gongqing Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Longluo Puti. The Taihuan Jiyao Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Wanli Wuyan.

The Eight Heavens of the West: the Yuanzai Kongsheng Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Kaizhen Dingguang. A Celestial Emperor is named Yumiluoqian. The Xuanming Gongqing Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Longluo Puti. The Taihuan Jiyao Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Wanli Wuyan.

The Eight Heavens of the West: the Yuanzai Kongsheng Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Kaizhen Dingguang. The Tai’an Huangya Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Poluo Atan. The Xianding Jifeng Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Zhaozhen Tong. The Shihuang Xiaomang Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Saluolou Wang. The Taihuang Wengzhong Furong Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Minba Kuang. The Wusi Jiangyou Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Mingfan Guang. The Shangdie Ruanle Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Bobolan. The Wuji Tanshi Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Piaonu Qionglong.

The Eight Heavens of the North: the Haoting Xiaodu Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Huijue Hun. The Yuantong Yuandong Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Fanxing Guansheng. The Taiwen Hanchong Miaocheng Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Nayu Chouying. The Taisu Xiule Jinshang Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Longluo Juechang. The Taixu Wushang Changrong Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Zongjian Guishen. The Taixu Yulong Tengsheng Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Miaomiao Xingyuan. The Longbian Fandu Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Longluo Juechang. The Taixu Wushang Changrong Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Zongjian Guishen. The Taixu Yulong Tengsheng Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Miaomiao Xingyuan. The Longbian Fandu Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Yunshang Xuanxuan. The Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Pingyu Jiayi Heaven has a Celestial Emperor named Daze Famen.

The foregoing are the thirty-two layered heavens and the thirty-two Celestial Emperors. Each heaven has a hidden taboo-name and a formal name. Among the heavens there are mysterious and wondrous realms of the hollow void, and also numinous chapters that arise of themselves.

The heavens possess secret tones and rhymes, which are the sounds of the celestial realm, and within them are exalted gods, divine spirits, great demons, and numinous officials. They blend and fuse with one another and respond in mutual resonance, so that the myriad things transform and return to Shangqing (the pure and lofty realm of which Daoism speaks). Boundless mystery is held within, so profound that it can scarcely be explained in full. From this the divine Perfected spread their transformations and become manifest, universally delivering all beings of the heavens and of the human world.

On this day there is joyful celebration: the one who receives salvation has already passed through barrier after barrier and has attained deliverance.

The divine spirits of all the heavens petition that the Three Evil Paths—the three evil destinies of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—be eliminated, that the roots leading to those evil destinies be cut off, and that people may ascend in flight, passing through the Five Households (Wuhu, possibly the barriers that obstruct ascent and deliverance), and have their names entered in Taixuan, the lofty celestial realm of which Daoism speaks. The Demon Kings are charged with inspection and recommendation, and the gates of ascent to heaven are no longer blocked. The Eastern Dipper, a pantheon of stellar deities, governs the span of life; the Western Dipper registers names; the Northern Dipper determines death; the Southern Dipper presides over ascent into life; and the Central Dipper is the Great Chief, commanding all the spirits. The Green Emperor protects the hun and po souls; the White Emperor attends the po spirits; the Red Emperor nourishes the vital breath; the Black Emperor keeps the blood vessels flowing freely; and the Yellow Emperor, dwelling at the center, rules as sovereign, so that the myriad spirits all obey his command.

The Demon King of the Green Heaven is named Bayuan Choubo; the Demon King of the Red Heaven is named Futian Danshi; the Demon King of the White Heaven is named Fanshan Liumu; the Demon King of the Black Heaven is presided over from the center by the Yellow Emperor, and the myriad spirits all obey his command.

The Demon King of the Green Heaven is named Bayuan Choubo; the Demon King of the Red Heaven is named Futian Danshi; the Demon King of the White Heaven is named Fanshan Liumu; the Demon King of the Black Heaven is named Jianchou Langfu; and the Demon King of the Yellow Heaven is named Hengtian Danren. The Great Demons of the Five Emperors are the ancestral lords of the myriad spirits. When they go forth, drums and music accompany them; they command the ghost soldiers, direct the banners and pennons, the drums and the staffs of command, and patrol the Grand Void. They proclaim their own renown as mighty and illustrious, and all the heavens work in concert with them.

Heaven above delivers and transforms living beings and sternly sets in order Beifeng, the seat that governs the dark realm of ghosts. The Divine Duke, acting on command, sweeps away all that is inauspicious. The divine generals of the Eight Awes breathe forth poisonous vapors; fierce horses are arrayed in the four directions; celestial troops clear the way ahead; the Grand Marshal holds the pennants; flung flames fly as far as ten thousand li; and the divine soldiers of the Flowing Bells shake the eight quarters. If any baleful spirit dares to affront or obstruct the Superior Perfected—Perfected Persons who have attained the Dao—golden battle-axes slay them in front, and the divine generals of Giant Heaven inflict punishment behind. Ghosts and specters are cut down, and wind and fire do not cease. In their thousands and tens of thousands, ghost heads are struck off; in their myriads of myriads, their forms are shorn away. Demons may not trespass, and ghosts may not haunt or do harm.

The Three Officials—the Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water—together with Beifeng closely examine and register the affairs of the ghost realm, and concealment is not permitted. Golden horses transmit the documents and pass without hindrance; the proclamations are conveyed everywhere, without limit, and the myriad spirits all come to receive their orders. The Five Emperors of the Three Realms also report this matter upward to Shangqing, the higher celestial realm of which Daoism speaks.

The Yuandong Jade Calendar, the Daoist chronology of kalpic cycles, records Longhan and Yankang, names of kalpic eras. Space and time are vast and remotely obscure, yet the affairs of the ghost realm must still be closely examined and registered, and concealment is not permitted; golden horses transmit the documents and pass without hindrance; the proclamations are conveyed everywhere, without limit, and the myriad spirits all come to receive their orders. The Five Emperors of the Three Realms report this matter upward to Shangqing.

In the two kalpa-ages of Longhan and Yankang spoken of in the Yuandong Yuli—a Jing (scripture/classic) that records the cycles of kalpas and the movements of heaven and earth—vast and boundless ages passed. Heaven and earth still lay in chaos: above there was no color, and below there was no abyss; wind and watery Qi (vital energy) filled the void, and adamantine Qi bore up heaven. Above in heaven and below on earth there was neither gloom nor murky darkness, nor any form or shadow; there was no limit and no end.

Vast and boundless Fanqi—Brahma-Qi, the pure and sacred Qi of the primordial beginning—filled the void, and all around lay desolate and without light. At the time of Chiming (Red Brilliance), the charts and registers of the heavens opened, and the workings of heaven and earth unfolded of themselves. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) settled heaven and earth and set forth and transmitted five scriptural texts. Among them were the Red Writ in Jade Characters and the Dragon Script of the Eight Awes, used to uphold and regulate the kalpa-cycles so that heaven might long endure.

Fanqi spread throughout the celestial realms, and the many Brahma realms unfolded one by one as the guiding order of the Heavenly Dao (the Way) circulated and turned. The Thirty-two Heavens revolved in the formless realm and reached through all ten directions. Moving in accordance with the Dipper mansion and the Winnowing-Basket mansion, they regulated the constant measures of the Five Phases (Wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), distributed the thirty-five Qi, and gathered the upper-origin Qi of the Primordial Beginning. The luminous Qi of the eight directions quietly intermingled, and this breath entered a profound and mysterious realm. This passage on the movements of the heavens appears repeatedly in the scripture.

Within the mysterious realm are venerable Shen (spirits) such as the Grand Sovereign, the Supreme Thearch, and the Lofty Perfected. Riding on radiance, they drift above the Grand Aurora and chant the Dongzhang (Cavern Chapters, Daoist scriptural stanzas). The golden light of the Perfected shines bright and abundant, and their voices stream and resound among the clouds. Jade tones draw in the primordial Qi, and numinous winds gather mist and auroral clouds. The Qi of the Purple Void is fair and richly full, assisting and protecting the myriad immortals. A thousand harmonies and the myriad forms blend together, and within spontaneity True Immortals are brought to completion.

Among the True Immortals there are further divinities: the Great Lord of Long Life, the Young Lord Wuying, the Venerable Spirit Baiyuan, the Great One Director of Destinies, Taokang, Heyan, and others. They hold the talismanic mandates and the registers of names, protect human life, and cause the root of life to grow. They roam upward through the heaven of Shangqing (Highest Clarity), entering and leaving splendid immortal palaces; they range through the hidden darkness of the eight directions and also penetrate into the most subtle. Descending to take their posts in the human body, they dwell in the Niwan (the spirit chamber of the head) and the Jianggong (the spirit chamber of the heart), regulating the five Qi of the body and harmonizing the hundred spirits within it. After ten revolutions, numinous Qi returns; when the myriad Qi flow freely in harmony, a person may unite with the Dao of the Immortals. That Dao prizes the cherishing of life and universally delivers all beings.

The heavens open the Eight Gates, and the dharma wheel of the Flying Heavens turns; sins and blessings, prohibitions and precepts, and the karmic conditions of destiny are all made manifest thereby. Living beings are universally opened and brought to deliverance. The souls of the dead may regain life, receive bodies and be reborn, and ascend to the various heavens. Each heaven has its own Gate of Life, and within the heavens human beings also dwell.

The preceding text opens the gates of the eight directions and turns the flying Dharma wheel. It proclaims sin and blessing along with the precepts, and it reveals the destinies and causal ties of past lives. All beings can receive its instruction and deliverance, and the souls of the dead can be reborn. The related scriptures reach up through the many heavens. Above each heaven lies a gate of life, and beyond them lies the Void (an unfathomably deep and remote realm). Songs and the "Devil King Chapters" are also transmitted, their wording drawing on the High Perfected (exalted immortals).

The Sound of Flight Through Space in the First Desire Realm

The roads of the human world are deep and bewildering, while the Dao (the Way) of immortality is vast and boundless. The path of ghosts has its own pleasures, yet while people live they still have a gate that leads toward vitality. The Dao of immortals prizes life, whereas the path of ghosts takes extinction as its destination.

The Dao of immortals often brings good fortune, while the path of ghosts often brings danger. The realm of High Clarity and Numinous Purity is bright and refreshing, and a mournful song echoes across the wide sky.

I wish only to perfect the Dao of immortals, and not to be worn down and exhausted in the human world.

In the Prefecture of Springs and Melodies in the Northern Capital (the office that governs the souls of the underworld), crowds of ghosts gather. They seek only to cut short human lifespans and sever the gates of human life.

So someone chants the Dongzhang (verses from Daoist scripture) to subdue the northern realm of darkness. By reciting the scripture again and again, they restrain demons and spirit-monsters and cut down the sharp power of the six kinds of malevolent ghosts.

The Qi (vital energy) of the heavens is vast and expansive, and my Dao flourishes more with each passing day.

The Chapter of the Devil King's Sound in the Second Form Realm

Lofty and vast, the bright Qi spreads in all four directions. The heavens follow the pure Brahma conduct and encircle the ten directions. The countless great spirits all issue forth from my own body.

I possess the Dongzhang, and reciting it ten thousand times brings immortality. The Dao of immortals values the deliverance of beings, while the path of ghosts entangles beings in an unbroken chain of life and death. Heaven and earth are wide and without limit, yet defiling vapors spread and do not disperse.

Within the Three Realms there are all kinds of pleasure, but to transcend the Three Realms is to endure forever. Let body and mind be carried across into my realm, and let form return to naturalness. The peace and joy of that moment all come from my grace.

The Longhan era (an age of ancient cosmic cycles in Daoist thought) is vast and boundless, so how can the true be told from the false? My realm is hard to enter, and so I have written the Dongwen (Cavern Text). It transforms, soars, and fills the air.

Within the Three Realms there are all kinds of pleasure, but to transcend the Three Realms is to endure forever. Let body and mind be carried across into my realm, and let form return to naturalness. The peace and joy of that moment all come from my grace.

The Longhan era is vast and boundless, so how can the true be told from the false? My realm is hard to enter, and so I have written the Dongwen. It transforms, soars, and fills the air, to test you all.

Success or failure in cultivation depends on whether one grows slack and turns back. How many in the end will be delivered? I laugh at you for not having been delivered, and so I am the first to sing.

The Devil King's Song in the Third Form Realm

Above the Three Realms lies the deep and distant Daluo Heaven (the highest heaven in Daoist cosmology). There is no material foundation of form there, and the clouds tower high. Only the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) dwells in the House of Vast Kalpas (the fundamental realm that endures through long ages of cosmic cycles).

The host of demon kings holds sway over my realm and also commands Xuandu (the sacred celestial realm spoken of in Daoism). To pass beyond my realm is to enter deeply into Yuxu (the pure, lofty, and remote realm spoken of in Daoism). I hold the station of superior king, commanding and subduing the host of demons.

In the void, transformations are endless, and turbid Qi (vital energy) seethes in chaotic abundance. Those who can preserve their true nature are few; those who fall into delusion are many. The Dao (the Way) of the immortals is hard to hold fast to, while the path of ghosts easily turns into error.

The road a person walks depends upon their own heart-mind; truly, no one else can take their place. The immortal Dao values what is genuine and plain, while the way of the human world tends to value outward show.

If you are unwilling to cultivate the immortal Dao, how can you find release within the Three Realms? If you wish only to wander back and forth among the Five Paths (the different destinations of living beings in the cycle of rebirth), then what am I to do?

This passage is the song sung by the demon kings of the void above the Three Realms, and its tones accord with the Dongzhang (Daoist scriptures). Recited one hundred times, it allows one’s name to be entered in the registers of Nangong (the official bureau of the immortals spoken of in Daoism); recited one thousand times, the demon kings will escort and welcome one; recited ten thousand times, one’s attainment in the Dao will be complete, so that one may ascend in flight into the Great Void, transcend the Three Realms, and take rank as an Immortal Duke (xiangong). Those who hear this sacred sound will be honored by the demon kings; the earth deities (the divinities of the earth) will be placed under command and restraint, and the gods will attend as guards to escort and welcome them. Thereby one leaves the gates of hell and the Five Sufferings and Eight Hardships, and one’s ancestors are raised in station as well. One departs forever from the jurisdiction of the ghost officials; the hun and po souls proceed to Zhuling (the place of refinement and deliverance spoken of in Daoism) and, through refinement and deliverance, obtain new life. This is called “the Immeasurable” (wuliang): the universal deliverance of innumerable living beings.

This secret text of Heaven is revered in common by all the heavens. If one rashly divulges it or treats it with contempt, one will fall into hell, and the calamity will extend to seven generations of ancestors.

The Dao says:

What is spoken of here as the “Earth Door” (dihu) is the pass leading to the dark netherworld and the places of suffering. Reciting the scripture can free a person from the Five Sufferings and Eight Hardships, raise the ancestors in station, and bring a lasting departure from the ghost officials, so that the hun and po souls go to Zhuling to receive refinement and deliverance and are born anew. This is called “the Immeasurable”: the universal deliverance of innumerable living beings.

This secret text of Heaven is revered in common by all the heavens. If one rashly divulges it or treats it with contempt, one will fall into hell, and the calamity will extend to seven generations of ancestors.

The Dao says:

These two chapters are both voices secretly transmitted by the Celestial Emperors of the Various Heavens and the Numinous Demon Kings. They belong to the “Words of the Great Brahma” (the sacred language of the celestial realms) and are not the ordinary speech of the everyday world. Their wording makes no attempt at rhyme or ornate elegance, nor does it use intricate embellishment; they therefore seem mysterious and profound, and a detailed explanation is hard to seek. Heaven treasures these Jing (scripture/classic) and keeps them secretly stored in the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity in the Mystic Capital. According to the Mysterious Regulations (the precepts and rules of transmission in Daoism), they are transmitted only once every forty thousand kalpas. If a person whose cultivation has reached a certain stage prepares gold and treasures as pledges of faith, inwardly observes the established regulations, and swears a vow and covenant before the celestial realms of the ten directions, only then is the Jing transmitted to him.

The Dao (the Way) says:

The turning of Heaven and Earth also has a time when it comes to an end; the sun, the moon, and the Five Stars (the five great planets spoken of in Daoism) also have their deficiency and their fullness; even the most sagely Shen (spirit) persons may encounter hardship and adversity; and those who have only begun to learn the Dao may also fall ill or be injured. Whenever calamities of this kind are met, all who share the Dao should, with one heart, cultivate the purification fast (observing abstinence while practicing good deeds and self-cultivation), burn incense six times in a day, and recite this Jing ten times. Blessings and merit will then descend, and every kind of inauspiciousness will be dispelled. This immeasurable Jing is able to save and deliver countless living beings everywhere.

The Dao says:

Some who have only begun to learn the Dao are still shallow in their practice, or their rank and grade among the immortals are not yet complete. When their allotted span of life reaches the time it ought to end, the body passes through the “Great Yin” (Taiyin: in Daoist conception, a realm associated with the unseen netherworld). At the point of death, practitioners among his fellow students should burn incense for him, recite the Jing ten times, and, in accordance with the proper ritual method, perform the deliverance of his remains. In this way his cloud-soul and Shen can ascend directly to the Southern Palace (a celestial palace-office in Daoism). The days are reckoned according to the merits of the cultivation he accomplished in life, and he obtains the chance of coming to life anew; even if he passes through the cycle of transmigration, his cultivation will not on that account be cut off, and in the end he will be able to become an immortal.

The Dao (the Way) says: When the course of heaven and earth reaches its end, one should also observe purification and fasting, burn incense, and recite the scriptures (jing). When the stars and constellations move in disorder and the sun and moon depart from their proper courses, one should do the same. When the four seasons fall out of sequence and Yin-Yang (yinyang) lose their balance, one should do the same. When the ruler meets with disaster and warfare breaks out on every side, one should do the same. When pestilence spreads and the common people are killed or injured, one should do the same. When a teacher or a friend dies, one should do the same.

Upholding the precepts, observing purification and fasting, and reciting the classics is a merit of the very greatest weight. Upward, it can dispel the calamities of heaven and protect and steady the sovereign; downward, it can drive out poisonous harm and enable the people to pass through disaster. Both the living and the dead may benefit from it. This blessing is beyond measure, and so it is called “limitless”; it universally saves and delivers all beings in the heavens and in the human world.

The Dao says:

Whoever possesses this scripture may cultivate this merit on behalf of heaven and earth, the sovereign, and the people. When calamity comes, if one resolves to observe purification and fasting, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times, all the heavens will record one’s name, and the myriad spirits will guard and protect one. One will be entered into the ranks of the Perfected Persons (zhiren), and may in the end hope to become an immortal official who attends the Holy Lord and holds a place in the Golden Portal (jinque). The heavens record a person’s good and evil, merit and fault, and not even the slightest detail is overlooked. The demon-kings of the celestial realms will also recommend one, so that one attains the Dao. To know and understand these supreme teachings is the root of attaining the Dao.

The Limitless Sounds of the Hidden Language of the Great Brahma among the Heavens was composed by the Lord of the Dao.

Upper Chapter of the Numinous Writ of the Primordial Beginning

The Eight Heavens of the East

Guang sheng gao ying, jue yuan dong xu. Ying xuan jiu zhen, hua jiao zhao tu. Wen ling yun gou, zong fan xuan du.

Gan bian zong kuo, wei zhao zi cheng. Lü cen qian jing, huang dao han ming. Tian lin yao yao, qi jing yu hun.

Rong luo fu li, yuan ying yin min. Qi ju shen bao, hong gang gao ning.

The Eight Heavens of the South

Zhang yan tong fan, jian fu cheng zong. Xu xiang xuan hua, long yang wu qiong. Wei zheng xiao yan, yuan tai ning chong.

Yuan guan san niu, da fan fei. Hong gang gao ning.

The sentences above belong to the “Hidden Language of the Great Brahma of the Various Heavens.” They are sacred secret utterances within the scripture, not ordinary narrative prose, and they cannot be interpreted word for word as everyday language. At the end of the original text, “The Eight Heavens of the South” appears once more.

Much of this chapter consists of names of the celestial realms, Daoist technical terms, and symbolic phrases, and the precise meaning of the words is not easy to fix character by character. What follows interprets them, as far as possible, according to the literal sense and the context.

“Zhang yan tong fan, jian fu cheng zong”: light, broad and great, spreads far and wide; it is firmly laid out, and the original lineage is clarified. “Xu xiang xuan hua, long yang wu qiong”: the scene within the void displays a mysterious splendor, and the dragon and Yang Qi (vital energy) dance in the sky. “Wei zheng xiao yan, yuan tai ning chong”: a subtle yet upright and magnanimous brilliance shines upon the high heavens, and a deep, far-reaching Qi condenses into emptiness and stillness.

“Yuan guan san niu”: the pass of the Primordial Beginning has three layers of pivots. “Da fan fei kong”: the vast Brahma-qi soars aloft in the void. “Yin jue long yi, tian lun qing cheng”: a faint, hidden awareness and the dragon-qi increase, and auspicious celebration appears in the celestial realm. “Shen hu chan luo, zhen yuan san jing”: the sacred portals intertwine with one another, and the true primordial source gives off Jing (essence) and Qi.

“Jing wo ming zhao, hui he sheng qian”: in purity one holds the light of the profound depths; it circulates all around, converges, and ascends. “Dao qian yan yun, ling ying teng tian”: the immortal perfected are guided to feast at ease among the clouds, and a subtle, numinous response rises to the edge of heaven.

The Eight Heavens of the West

“Gang ze wei kong, yin jun gu yi”: a firm and vigorous grace subtly governs all things; Yin Qi is stern and severe, displaying a solitary and lofty emblematic bearing. “Guan qi ming su, chen dong kai wei”: the movement of Qi runs through and connects, clear, bright, and plain; in the depths of the celestial realm, what is faint and hidden is opened. “Zhou hua you ying, cheng hui di tai”: transformation and nurture extend everywhere, and there is a response in the dark unseen; clear radiance illuminates the imperial terrace.

“Ping xia yi xu, hui mao tong chi”: the distant regions are brought back to peace, and the Qi of emptiness is drawn in; the Tongchi is vast and flourishing. “Jie biao lin yu, li wu san kai”: whirlwind-like currents of Qi gather, descend, and bring things to birth; splendor appears and scatters toward the four directions. “Yang tong bai liu, chen mang yin jie”: Yang Qi penetrates the “bailiu” (here perhaps a term for the calendrical numbers of the celestial Dao, or for a kalpa-count); the rays of light sink and lie hidden among the steps of heaven.

“You kuo ming mo, zhen feng hui ling”: it is deep, spacious, and utterly still, without a sound; the peaks of the true realm meet and join with numinous Qi. “Jian pi shun dao, gao ming qian lin”: firm and vast, it accords with the great Dao (the Way); the sacred mandate is proclaimed to Qianlin (a transcendent realm, or a sacred place, within the heavens).

The Eight Heavens of the North

“Long an dong bian, chun yang yin xuan”: the dragon-qi is settled and yet transforms without end, and pure Yang Qi holds mystery concealed within it. “Fang ben huan qi, xiang fu gao yuan”: the myriad things return to the root, and the movement of Qi turns back; symbolic celestial signs lie hidden in the high and distant reaches. “Shen bian hui yun, jie lian ling gen”: marvelous transformation bestows its grace, and the numinous root is thereby set free and refined and nourished.

“Chi jing chun dao, cheng hao wei zun”: Chijing (a form of Jing and Qi spoken of in Daoism, or the title of a divinity) is pure and unitary and united with the Dao, and the city walls take majesty and honor as their name. “Li yun you chang, yi ren zhong qiu”: beneficial bounty falls like clouds, and friendliness is constant; a hill of tremendous height stands towering. “Yu cheng qiong lei, yao yin qing liu”: ramparts like fine jade are built up layer upon layer, and auspicious celebration spreads with a sound like song.

“Shou wei yu shi, da xian tong you”: divine rank is received in the Jade Chamber, and a vast rule reaches through to the hidden darkness. “Xuan zhang huan luo, gang lun nai zhou”: the mysterious talismanic writs shine forth in splendor, and the guiding order and the course of its operation are then complete and all-pervading.

The phrase “Yuanshi lingshu zhongpian daojun zhuan” means that this middle chapter of the Primordial Numinous Writ (Yuanshi Lingshu) was composed by the Lord of the Dao.

The Eight Heavens of the East

Danlou Ahui, Wushu Guanyin, Xuyan Mingshou, Falan Putan, Jiana Ayi, and Huhe Liuyin: these are titles of the heavens, or transcribed names, and they are difficult to explain character by character according to the sense of ordinary words. In general, they list the sacred titles among the various heavens of the East.

“Hua du qu li, xian pu yu zhen”: the splendid celestial capital winds in gorgeous curves; vivid numinous Qi nurtures the myriad things and brings them to completion. “Da luo da fan, san yan qing yun”: the Qi of the Great Brahma descends, and auspicious mist and clouds of celebration spread abroad. “Fei sa yu du, ming mo shang men”: radiance flies and scatters over the Jade Capital (a transcendent realm of the heavens); a bright power comes to the gate of heaven and drives away demonic obstruction.

“Wu xing shang shou, hui zhi liu xuan”: the formless one occupies the foremost place, moving back and forth and spreading the Qi of mystery. “A tuo long luo, si xiang yu yuan”: “Atuo Longluo” is a sacred title; the Four Images (the four basic symbols of heaven and earth) answer and gather together.

The Eight Heavens of the South

“Nan yan dong fu, yu mou shen shen”: a title of the southern heavens; the jade pupils (the eyes of the divinities) are numerous and resplendent. “Fan xing luo kong, jiu ling tui qian”: the form of the Brahma heaven appears in the void, and nine kinds of numinous Qi press forward. “Ze luo pu tai, lü luo da qian”: grace descends upon the Putai (a numinous mountain or sacred sanctuary), and an atmosphere like green gauze spreads throughout the great thousand-world cosmos.

In the deep, vast, and far-off distance, the Nine Uglies appear—spirits (Shen) or powers that symbolize darkness and the Qi (vital energy) of baleful impurity. The music of Shao circles and returns, winding and melodious. Clouds of Qi rise to the Nine Capitals, the capital cities of the celestial realm, and from there the spirits who fly through heaven lift and soar. The myriad things germinate and grow, the fragrance grows rich and thick, and Moluo—here the divine power that upholds the wheel of the Law—turns that wheel.

Hongchi, a mysterious term in Daoist scripture, is like a formless mirror: it gathers in bearing and sets appearance in motion. The fragrance is bright and clear, the radiance grand and abundant; sacred jeweled tassels appear of themselves within the palace halls.

The Eight Heavens of the West

Daoli Chanyou, a mysterious term in Daoist scripture, Poni Jiutong. Wansou Dise, Taimiao zhi Tang. Liuluo Fanming, Jingwei Xiaoyu.

Yimiao Wuji, Wanshou Shaodu. Ajian Yuzhu, Huamo Yanyou. Jiukai Zibian, Ana Pinshou.

Wuliang Fugai, Fuluo Heshen. Yudan Changsang, Baikong Duxian.

The Eight Heavens of the North

Juewu Zishou, Jiuri Daogan. Kunmu Dongfu, Xingshe Shangxuan. Tuoluo Yumiao, Miaoqi Heyun.

Feitian Dachou, Zongjian Shangtian. Shatuo Jieliang, Longhan Yingxian. Biluo Fuli, Kongge Baozhen.

Eyi Wupin, Dongmiao Zizhen. Yuanfan Huimo, Youji Duren.

The Daoist scripture (Jing) says:

In these celestial realms there circulates the Hidden Language of the Great Brahma, the sacred secret speech of the heavens, its sounds measureless and without bound. Tradition holds that these characters were originally immense, each one a full zhang in length. In the past the Heavenly Perfected Sovereign, a sacred figure in Daoist legend, wrote these characters down and fixed them as the correct pronunciation.

If someone understands the pronunciation of these secret words and, after purification and fasting, can recite them, the various heavens will send the Divine Kings Who Fly Through Heaven down to observe that person, record the merit of diligent cultivation, and report it up to the heavens. The myriad spirits will bow in reverence, the earth deities—spirits of the earth—will guard the doorway, and the Demon King of Great Merit, a divine title in Daoist scripture, will also recommend that person. Such a one can then achieve the immortal Dao (the Way), bring the merit of cultivation to completion, come and go among the Three Realms—the celestial realm, the human world, the underworld, and other distinct realms—and ascend into the Golden Gate, the gate where the immortals and perfected of the heavens dwell.

There is nothing this sound cannot expel, nothing it cannot ritually avert and dispel, nothing it cannot save and deliver, and nothing it cannot bring to fulfillment. It is the sound of celestial perfection and natural spontaneity. Thus, reciting this sound of the Jing (scripture/classic) can summon the flying celestial spirits to descend. The flying celestial spirits look downward and sing to the Lord on High; the myriad spirits come forward to pay homage and perform rites; and the spirits of the Three Realms attend on either side of the Imperial Lord’s carriage. Hosts of demons fold their hands and obey command, while ghosts, monsters, and sprites disperse of their own accord. A resonance like tinkling jade shakes the four directions; the worlds of the ten directions grow solemn and pure; rivers and seas fall silent; the mists among the mountains disperse; and the myriad numinous beings submit in reverence. It can also assemble the host of immortals, so that heaven is without defiling Qi (vital energy) and earth is without the dust of demonic evil. This sound is profound and mysterious, reaches through to the True Realm, and holds a power both vast and arcane.

The Lower Chapter of the Yuanshi Lingshu (Primordial Commencement Numinous Writ) was composed by the Tianzhen Huangren (August Person of Celestial Perfection).

The Eight Heavens of the East

森角储云。九魂炼晶。枳默窥玦。浮枚臼存。鹿几阳房。碧提质回。

池滇党负。趾逭谒势。忝章变瑜。兰泮璧环。亢滂野生。极中昆清。

曜展洞涸。寂无眇凝。素荷虚罗。皇达元灵。

The Eight Heavens of the South

炎镀绰堂。太逍谣隅。历遐荐漪。周扃加图。披峣蹊躆。觚坛浑都。

戢芸荼炫。井欺持蒲。掌维迮仪。奕洸琅璀。扁屡益但。幽微毕雷。

涓湟实东。赤曜丛稽。玉玄演候。柏渠至规。

The Eight Heavens of the West

镐正左适。婆泥煞灵。悲昭均疆。洎南巉魁。静夷损光。混元觉缘。

道守岑遥。绵征知宣。太灵淹漠。炳和卢随。哲京常华。墟咸坚沙。

栗铎黜株。会衍球裴。卓云青府。页睹般基。

The Eight Heavens of the North

洼孩蒙甘。翠宇九兰。萧勾连兴。龙汾神关。沟沦沉魔。豁蛮祈通。

The writings of the heavenly realms in each direction above are for the most part divine names, titles of heavenly realms, or secret texts from the Yuanshi Lingshu. They serve chiefly to express the order of the heavens and an aura of sacred majesty. On the basis of these phrases alone, it is difficult to translate them word for word into fluent modern Chinese.

Mysterious and remote, it stretches into the far distance, and the breath of Qi (vital energy) rises aloft. Though without knowledge or awareness, light nonetheless appears in full. Grasses and trees are set in order, ushering in an auspicious night; the altar ground is fragrant, and the fields of the season are likewise nourished. Waters flow on without cease, in flourishing abundance. At the divine pass of Longfen, ravines engulf the host of demons; all at once it opens into clarity, and prayers are able to get through.

Mysterious and remote, it stretches into the far distance, and the breath of Qi rises aloft. Though without knowledge or awareness, light nonetheless appears in full. Grasses and trees are set in order, ushering in an auspicious night; the altar ground is fragrant, and the fields of the season are likewise nourished. Waters flow on without cease, in flourishing abundance; observing and practicing with care, one saves and delivers all beings.

The court is secure and well; calamities and adversities are dispelled, and grace is broad. The secretly transmitted method is widely proclaimed. The sovereign governs the world, enabling all beings to live and be nourished. The work of protection begins from this, and teaching is spread abroad for the benefit of the many.

The Heavenly Perfected Sovereign (Tianzhen Huangren, a venerated deity of Daoism) says: Fanqi (pure and sacred Qi) is mysterious, remote, and vast. The Heavenly Treasure arises of itself and is transformed into the harmonious sounds of the eight directions. It presides over the seasonal conjunctions of the world, guards the great earth, widely bestows grace, and can transform disasters and adversities. Those who recite and intone this scripture can avert calamitous portents and drive off evil influences. The Qi of the Dao (the Way) is clear and still, and among the myriad things none fails to be at peace. The Earth Official, under command, transmits the scripture, and the hundred numina stand in awe. Divine beings inscribe the text with a vermilion brush; if one wears it and puts it into practice, its numinous efficacy becomes manifest. This scripture should be transmitted to those who truly cultivate the Dao, and is not to be expounded to ordinary people of the secular world.

Hymn of the Perfected Person of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji Zhenren)

Divine clouds shine with splendor through the layered heights of the sky. Fanqi is arrayed in ranks and gathers in the blue-green empyrean. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning comes riding a carriage of nine dragons; the Heavenly Perfected Sovereign holds a cyan ceremonial standard, and numinous light assembles ten thousand perfected immortals.

A radiance like pearls and jade illuminates the broad vault of heaven and brings forth the Lingbao Chapters. Blessings and De (Virtue/Power) are thereby drawn forth. Profound principles lie hidden in lofty and secluded depths, and jade-like tones drift amid the music of instruments among the clouds.

Measureless wondrous principles are difficult to fathom. The ocean of the Dao surges with waves. The meaning of the teaching is like a trickling stream that nourishes and fosters growth, and will in the end become fine seedlings of grain; by means of it one rescues those who are hungry, hard-pressed, and destitute.

Teaching and transformation flourish and protect the court. May the sovereign be noble and long-lived, undiminished through millions upon millions of years. All under heaven is at peace, and arms and weapons come to rest. The multitude bow their heads and look up toward the Jade Palaces (Yuchen, the palace halls of the celestial realm), and numinous, wondrous radiance gives forth a golden light.

Note: In the opening two passages, quite a number of phrases are difficult to construe coherently according to ordinary sense; the rendering above follows the literal wording as far as it can be made to cohere. Among them, expressions such as “the divine pass of Longfen” may also belong to the numinous script within the scripture, or to characters that are corrupt or missing.