《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》

The Dao says: Long ago, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, a revered Daoist deity, received and upheld the Wondrous Scripture of Primordial Beginning for Delivering People, Boundless and Supreme. He was in the Great Floating Li Land of Biluokongge, within the First Azure Heaven. He expounded this scripture ten times in succession, summoning the worlds in the ten directions.

At the first recitation, countless divine beings of the Dao, supreme sages, exalted worthies, and perfected ones of profound cultivation arrived through the air. They rode flying clouds and traveled in vermilion-cloud green carriages with wheels of jade. Feathered canopies hung above them, casting shade, while exquisite jade light shimmered around them. Dense, brilliant clouds in five colors illuminated the sky. For seven days and seven nights, the sun, moon, and stars of the heavens, along with the Jade Balance and Jade Sighting Tube, instruments for observing the heavens, ceased their movements. The divine winds fell still, and clouds over the mountains and seas drew back. No drifting clouds veiled the sky; the Qi of the four directions was clear and bright. The land, rivers, mountains, and forests throughout the country became level and even, with no high or low places. The entire ground turned to green jade, without any other color. The perfected ones sat in attendance as the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright in the air upon a five-colored lion and expounded the scripture once.

The great sages of the heavens praised the scripture together. At that moment, all the deaf men and women in the country recovered their hearing. At the second recitation, the blind regained their sight. At the third, those unable to speak found their voices. At the fourth, people who were lame or long bedridden with illness rose and walked. At the fifth, those who had suffered for a long time from stubborn illnesses recovered at once. At the sixth, white hair turned black and lost teeth grew back. At the seventh, the elderly regained their strength, and the young became robust. At the eighth, pregnant women and pregnant birds and beasts all gave birth safely, whether their offspring had already been born or were yet to come. At the ninth, gold and jade buried in the earth came to light. At the tenth, dry bones grew flesh again, and the dead rose to life.

At that time, men and women throughout the country all gave themselves wholeheartedly to faith and acceptance. They received protection and deliverance, and thereby attained long life.

The Dao says: Each time the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning expounded the scripture, countless supremely perfected divine beings from one direction arrived through the air. At the first recitation, countless supremely perfected divine beings and innumerable gods from the boundless East came through the air. At the second, the supremely perfected divine beings and innumerable gods of the South arrived through the air. At the third, those of the West arrived through the air. At the fourth, the boundless, innumerable supremely perfected divine beings and gods of the North…

Throughout the boundless celestial realms in all ten directions, innumerable Perfected Great Gods from the northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest, above, and below rode through the air to hear the scripture. When the text had been recited for the tenth time, the limitless celestial Perfected Ones from the ten directions arrived together in a kingdom. The men and women there sincerely turned toward the Dao, and those who came to hear the scripture were as numerous as fine rain and dense mist. They filled half the kingdom’s land, pressing the ground down until it sank, and the crowd could scarcely be held back.

Then the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning suspended a precious pearl in the dark, mysterious emptiness. It was no larger than a millet grain and hung five zhang above the ground. The Celestial Worthy led the celestial Perfected Ones, the highest sages and exalted worthies, the Realized Ones of wondrous practice, and the innumerable Perfected Great Gods from the ten directions into the pearl together. The celestial beings and the gathered people looked up and watched the gods continually enter through its opening. Once inside, they vanished from sight. The crowd dispersed, and the ground returned to level, no longer sinking.

Then, within the pearl, the Celestial Worthy finished expounding the entire scripture. The assembled true gods supervised and bore witness to its transmission, and then the scripture was entrusted to me. The joy and celebration of that moment defy description, and the ritual proceedings were nearly complete. The celestial gods each returned to their appointed place, and in an instant, all around fell silent.

At that time, the celestial beings and the gathered people were fortunate to encounter this scriptural teaching. All received deliverance, each preserving their allotted lifespan and suffering no harm. Everyone in the city turned toward and honored the Dao and its teachings, and all practiced good deeds: they did not kill or take life; they did not envy, engage in sexual misconduct, steal, covet, indulge their desires, or harbor hatred; nor did they speak empty, flowery words or utter harsh speech. People cared for one another, and even without kinship, they were as close as one family. The kingdom was peaceful, its people prosperous, and all enjoyed a life of peace and well-being.

When this scriptural teaching was first transmitted, everyone in the city followed the Dao. All who were sincere in their aspirations, revered it, and respectfully bowed in worship could attain deliverance.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said, “What the scripture says consists entirely of the inner names of the Lords of Heaven and the hidden tones of their sounds. It also includes the inner taboos of the demon kings and the hidden names of the myriad spirits. These are not words used in everyday life. The High Sages have already cultivated themselves into perfected beings. They understand the mysteries and explore the obscure, and are able to grasp the scripture’s chapters completely.

When the scripture is recited ten times, the heavens respond from afar and the myriad emperors pay homage. Rivers and seas grow calm, clouds conceal the mountains, the sun and moon cease their courses, and even the stars of the Northern Dipper stop turning. The host of demons is bound, and ghosts, monsters, and spirits lose their power to cause trouble. The dead can rise again, and white bones can be transformed into living people.

Those who cultivate this Way and recite the scripture ten times will have the Five Emperors guarding them on either side, while the three realms—heaven, earth, and the human world—pay homage together. Demons and monsters lose their power, ghosts and disturbances vanish, and even those at the point of death, whose breath has stopped, can be saved and brought back to life. This is possible because the foul Qi within a practitioner has not yet been completely dispelled, the body has not yet fully penetrated the realm of truth, and the power to summon and subdue beings in the ten directions has not yet reached the level required to administer the laws of heaven. The practitioner’s De can subdue and command the earth spirits, and bind demons and spirits, but can only keep the dead from dying; it cannot yet bring them back to life.

Anyone who recites this scripture carelessly will bring misfortune upon themselves. If you make offerings to it and honor it, your household will prosper, your descendants will flourish, and you will accord with good fortune. Every kind of calamity will stay away, and the spirits will guard your home. This scripture is supremely precious and mysterious, unmatched in the Jade Capital, and saves people without limit. It is the foundation of the myriad Ways; its vast and exalted De cannot be fully described.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning continued, “Whenever this scripture is recited ten times, the heavens descend together. The souls of ancestors from millions of generations past who are suffering in the underworld are immediately delivered and rise to the Vermilion Palace in heaven. After nine years of instruction, they are reborn as noble people who love learning. When their cultivation and merit are complete and their De is perfected, they can become immortals, ascend to the Golden Palace of the Heavenly Emperor, and roam and feast in the Jade Capital.

Those of the highest rank who cultivate the Way and recite this scripture are immediately delivered and ascend to the Southern Palace. People in the world who receive and recite it can prolong their lives. In the end, they can all attain the Way of Corpse Liberation, a Daoist method of freeing the spirit from the mortal body: the soul-spirit temporarily leaves the body without passing through hell, then regains its form and roams through the vast heavens. This scripture is supremely mysterious and brings universal, boundless salvation. All beings in heaven and on earth can receive its blessings and good fortune, which extend without limit to both the living and the dead.

Heaven cherishes this scripture and does not allow it to circulate freely in the world. Those who truly possess the Way must offer gold and precious objects as tokens, and swear an oath to heaven with sincere hearts before they may transmit it. Anyone who carelessly divulges or profanes the scripture will bring calamity upon nine generations of ancestors, condemning them to serve for a long time in the offices of the ghosts. The Five Emperors who attend this scripture, along with twenty-four Jade Youths and twenty-four Jade Maidens, will surround it and guard it, protecting those who receive it.”

The Lord Dao said: If you observe a fast and recite this scripture throughout the first month of the year, you can free the souls of your departed ancestors from confinement in the hells, guide them to deliverance, and raise them to the Southern Palace, a celestial residence.

If you observe a fast and recite this scripture throughout the seventh month, you can attain the status of an immortal. The heavens will enter your name in the Yellow Registers and White Tablets, celestial records of merit, faults, and names, so that you are removed from the register of the dead and entered into the register of the living.

If you observe a fast and recite this scripture throughout the tenth month, you can pray for peace among the king, the emperor, officials and their sovereign, and fathers and sons, and for the stability and endurance of the realm. In generation after generation, you can assist the ruler in pacifying the land, while the people praise the peace.

If you recite this scripture on the Eight Seasonal Nodes—the Start of Spring, Spring Equinox, Start of Summer, Summer Solstice, Start of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Start of Winter, and Winter Solstice—you can become a Perfected One of the Nine Palaces, an immortal who dwells in the Nine Palaces and has attained the Dao. If you recite it on your natal day, the day corresponding to your birth year, your hun and shen will become clear and upright, and your original Qi will endure. You will be free of suffering and distress; light will radiate from you, the spirits of the Three Realms will protect you, the Five Emperors will welcome you, and the gods will come to pay homage. Your name will be entered in the celestial registers, and when your merit is complete, you will ascend to Shangqing, a higher celestial realm in Daoism.

The Lord Dao also said: On days when you establish a ritual altar, bathe with fragrant water and purify yourself through fasting. Then enter the room, face east, and click your teeth thirty-two times to convey your intention to the Thirty-Two Heavens; next, bow thirty-two times. Close your eyes and quietly imagine yourself seated upright amid clouds of blue, yellow, and white, with deep, misty clouds enveloping you within and without. On either side stand the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lions, and white cranes. The radiance of the sun and moon illuminates the room. A round halo appears above your head, shining in all ten directions. Once this vision is clear, silently recite the secret invocation:

“Supreme, Mysterious Origin, Most High Lord Dao, summon from within my body the Three and Five Merit Officers, the officials and messengers on my left and right, the jade youths who attend the incense, the jade maidens who transmit messages, the Five Emperors’ talisman officers, and the incense officials on duty—thirty-two of each. Have them report: Today is an auspicious day. I am fasting and practicing in a pure ritual hall, reciting and studying this boundless scripture of deliverance. May the prayer I present reach the desk of the Most High Supreme Emperor of the Primordial Beginning in the supreme Thirty-Two Heavens.”

After reciting this, draw in Qi toward the east thirty-two times, then face east and recite the scripture:

The Wondrous Scripture of the Supreme Text on Boundless Deliverance by the Primordial Beginning

The Primordial Origin Cavern Mystery Numinous Treasure Original Chapter is a wondrous chapter of the highest order. Written in subtle, hidden verse, its words and phrases shift and intertwine with natural grace, and it possesses the power to deliver living beings beyond suffering.

The Red Text of the Undivided Cavern, symbolizing the sacred script of the universe’s origin, is the supreme Original Essence. The Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Origin took form from it. In the cosmic cycle of the Great Beginning, the heavens opened from it, and the Three Lights—the sun, moon, and stars—were revealed. This is the foundation of Heaven. From then on, there was no earlier ancestor or beginning: the Dao is itself. The numinous writings of the Five Directions unfolded, nourishing the spirits everywhere. No numinous writing fails to shine, reveal, establish, accomplish, deliver, and bring forth life. Thus it is the highest heaven within the Great Brahma Heaven.

The Yuluo Xiaotai and the Jade Mountain’s Upper Capital lie within the supreme realm of Great Luo Jade Clarity. There, heights stretch beyond all bounds; through ten thousand kalpas, things seem both to exist and not to exist. Where the Three Blossoms part and open lies the Wondrous Court of Great Being. The Golden Gate and Jade Chambers stand in splendid array, pure and vast. The Qi of Great Brahma flows throughout the ten directions.

Among them are the Spirit Who Delivers People from Death, the Lord of Long Life at the Southern Pole, the Great God Sima Who Governs Deliverance from the World, and the Elder Lord Han, who cherishes life. There are also the revered spirits who govern destiny, keep the registers, extend life, add years, and avert calamity in the south above. They can restore life to bones and raise the dead, performing boundless merits in delivering people.

Today, as this scripture is collated and recorded, the spirits of the heavens have come before the hall. From the east, south, west, and north; the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest; and above and below, come the Kings of the Infinite Flying Heaven and the Great Sages of Long Life, performing boundless merits in delivering people.

The Utmost Real Flying-Heaven Divine Kings of the ten directions, and the countless great gods who grant long life and deliver beings from the world, all ride together in flying cloud chariots and green carriages. The vehicles bear feather-decorated canopies and wheels like fine jade, and are drawn by vermilion phoenixes and five-colored dark dragons. They raise nine-colored banners of honor and numinous pennants of the Ten Absolutes. Nine phoenixes lead the way, crying out in unison; eight luan birds follow, calling together. Lions and white cranes sing in harmony, their voices melodious and far-reaching. The Five Elders clear the road, and the gathered immortals guard the chariot poles. Millions upon millions of carriages and horses arrive through the air, drawing in their divine radiance as they turn the procession around.

The celestial ministers who oversee the examination of the true and the deliverance of beings, along with the great god Han Si, registrar and overseer of the living in the Upper Palace of Nanchang, arrive together before the Celestial Emperor, holding registers and books of names. They carefully examine and verify each person’s circumstances and eligibility for deliverance, then make a general proclamation throughout the heavens and the Three Realms—the realms of Heaven, Earth, and Water.

Throughout the boundless world of spirits, the Office of Wanqu in the Springs, the Northern Capital of Luofeng—the Daoist underworld—and the Three Offices, Nine Bureaus, Twelve River Sources, and other places, the accumulated sins of ancestors and kin, gathered over countless kalpas, are to be released. Their records of sin are erased and their roots of evil extinguished, so they are no longer held in custody or forced to join the ranks of ghosts.

By the talismanic command of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, they may ascend in rank at the appointed time. The troops of the Northern Capital’s Cold Pool guard their bodies and souls, subdue demons, and recommend the departed for deliverance, enabling them to transcend. The souls of the dead enter the Southern Palace to undergo refinement and deliverance, and ultimately become immortals. The living, too, may receive deliverance and endure through the kalpas, continuing for a long time. As the kalpas turn, their lifespans become as long as Heaven’s. They are forever freed from the Three Paths of suffering—hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—pass beyond the Five Sufferings and Eight Hardships, rise above the Three Realms, and wander at ease in the realm of Shangqing.

The Heaven of Shangqing is the colorless realm where the Celestial Emperor Yuzhen resides. The following are the eight heavens of the east:

• Great Sovereign Heaven of Yellow Zeng — Emperor Yulan Yuming
• Great Brightness Heaven of Jade Perfection — Emperor Xu Anatian
• Clear Brightness Heaven of He Tong — Emperor Yuan Yu Qijing
• Mysterious Womb Heaven of Equal Peace — Emperor Liu Du Neixian
• Primordial Brightness Heaven of Civil Eminence — Emperor Chou Falun
• Supreme Brightness Heaven of the Seven Luminaries and Moyi — Emperor Tian Huiyan
• Heaven of Emptiness and Transcendent Balance — Emperor Zheng Dingguang
• Supreme Ultimate Heaven of Dim Obscurity — Emperor Qu Yu Jiuchang

The eight heavens of the south:

• Red Brightness Heaven of Harmony and Yang — Emperor Li Jin Shangzhen
• Mysterious Brightness Heaven of Reverent Splendor — Emperor Kong Yao Chouyin

The Heavenly Emperor of Yaoming Zongpiao Tian is named Chongguang Ming;

the Heavenly Emperor of Zhuluo Huangjia Tian is named Mayi Miaobian;

the Heavenly Emperor of Xuming Tangyao Tian is named A’eluosheng;

the Heavenly Emperor of Guanming Duanjing Tian is named Yumi Luo Qian;

the Heavenly Emperor of Xuanming Gongqing Tian is named Longluo Put i;

the Heavenly Emperor of Taihuan Jiyao Tian is named Wanli Wuyan.

The Heavenly Emperors of the Eight Heavens of the West, in order, are:

Kaizhen Dingguang of Yuanzai Kongsheng Tian;

Balou Atan of Tai’an Huangya Tian;

Zhaozhen Tong of Xianding Jifeng Tian;

Saluo Lou Wang of Shihuang Xiaomang Tian;

Minba Kuang of Taihuang Wengzhong Fuyong Tian;

Mingfan Guang of Wusi Jiangyou Tian;

Bobo Jian of Shangdie Ruanle Tian;

Piao Nu Qionglong of Wuji Tanshi Tian.

The Heavenly Emperors of the Eight Heavens of the North, in order, are:

Huijue Hun of Haoting Xiaodu Tian;

Fanxing Guansheng of Yuantong Yuandong Tian;

Nayu Chouying of Taiwen Hanchong Miaocheng Tian;

Longluo Juechang of Taisu Xiule Jinshang Tian;

Zongjian Guishen of Taixu Wushang Changrong Tian;

Miaomiao Xingyuan of Shiyu Longteng Sheng Tian;

Yunshang Xuanxuan of Longbian Fandu Tian;

Daze Famen of Taiji Pingyu Jiayi Tian.

The above are the Thirty-two Heavens and their thirty-two Heavenly Emperors. All the heavens have hidden names and taboo names, as well as the naturally arising numinous writings of the celestial realms, their secret rhythms, and the honored gods, spirits, and great demons within those realms. These elements interlock in layers and transform without end, containing the immeasurable and profound mysteries of Shangqing. They are difficult to describe in full. They proclaim the divine and the perfected, delivering beings in Heaven and on Earth.

Today, we joyfully celebrate the rite of receiving salvation, passing through the heavens and asking for the destruction of “three…” (The original text breaks off here; what follows is incomplete.)

They cut off evil and sever it at its root, enabling people to ascend and pass beyond the “Five Households” and take their place in Great Mystery, the highest and most wondrous realm. The Demon King of Great Mystery oversees inspection and recommendation, and the Gate of Heaven stands unobstructed. The Eastern Dipper governs lifespans; the Western Dipper records names; the Northern Dipper presides over death; the Southern Dipper oversees the bestowal of life; and the Central Dipper commands and inspects all spirits.

The Azure Emperor protects the hun-soul, the White Emperor attends to the po-soul, the Red Emperor nourishes primordial Qi, the Black Emperor sets the blood vessels in motion, and the Yellow Emperor dwells at the center, commanding the myriad gods. The Demon King of the Azure Heaven is named Ba Yuan Choubo; the Demon King of the Red Heaven, Fu Tian Danshi; the Demon King of the White Heaven, Fan Shan Liumu; the Demon King of the Black Heaven, Jian Chou Langfu; and the Demon King of the Yellow Heaven, Heng Tian Danli. The Great Demons of the Five Emperors are the foremost of the myriad gods. Drums accompany them as they fly; they command ghost troops and direct the ceremonial retinues, banners, drums, and beaters as they patrol and observe the vast expanse of space.

They call themselves radiant and illustrious. The heavens together serve Heaven’s work of saving people, while keeping strict command over Beifeng, the realm that governs ghosts and spirits of the underworld. The Divine Lord, acting under orders, sweeps away ill omens everywhere. The Eight Mighty Spirits exhale poisonous Qi; fierce horses take their places in the four directions. Heavenly soldiers clear the way, and the Marshal wields a banner and hurls fire, while flying bells race ten thousand miles. Who among the eight directions would dare offend or obstruct the Most High Perfected? The golden axe strikes down the mighty demons before them, then punishes and cuts down ghosts and monsters. Wind and fire never cease: thousands upon thousands of ghost heads are severed, and myriads of ghostly forms are cut away. Demons may not trespass; ghosts may not wreak havoc. The Three Officials and Beifeng clearly inspect the ghost camps and allow no ghosts or monsters to hide. Messengers on golden horses carry the commands everywhere, proclaiming them to the farthest reaches without end. All the myriad gods must obey; the Five Emperors of the Three Realms report together to the Highest Clarity.

The Jade Record of the Primordial Cavern of Highest Clarity states: amid the chaos of remote aeons such as Longhan and Yankang, there was no color above and no abyss below. The domains of wind and water were clear and empty, while the Qi of adamantine upheld Heaven and Earth. In that time, neither above nor below was there darkness or an underworld; there were no forms or images, no boundaries or end. Vast and boundless Brahma-Qi spread everywhere, empty and without light. In the era of Red Luminosity, the celestial chart unfolded, and Heaven and Earth came into motion of their own accord. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning settled and guarded them, setting forth the Five Books of scripture. The red-written Jade Characters and the Eight Mighty Dragon Texts protected and governed the aeons, ensuring that Heaven endured.

Brahma-Qi spread and filled the cosmos, unfolding the laws of all things. The guiding order of Primordial Beginning circulated, and the Thirty-Two Heavens revolved in their cycles. The Formless Realm traversed the ten directions; the Dipper and the Winnowing Basket constellations turned, circling and regulating the Five Constants. The total Qi, divided into thirty-five parts, returned to the Upper Origin; the subtle Eight Luminaries joined in harmony, and Qi entered a realm both mysterious and profound. The Great Emperor of Mystery within Mystery and the High Perfected—exalted divine beings revered in Daoism—floated through the Great Rosy Clouds above the void, chanting Cavern Chapters, Daoist scripture passages. The light of the Golden Perfected shone brilliantly, and their voices spread through the clouds. Jade tones governed primordial Qi, while numinous winds gathered mist and rosy clouds. The Violet Void, a beautiful and flourishing celestial realm, supported the immortals. A thousand kinds of harmonious Qi blended in myriad ways, and the Perfected Ones were cultivated naturally. Among the Perfected there is a spirit named the Great Lord of Long Life.

The deities Wu Ying Gongzi, Baiyuan Zunshen, Taiyi Siming, Taokang, Heyan, and others hold Fulu (talismans and registers used in Daoist rites to communicate with deities, protect the body, and avert calamity), protecting the root of human life. They travel above through Shangqing (a high celestial realm in Daoist cosmology), entering and leaving vast yet subtle domains such as the Flowery Chambers and the dark reaches of the eight directions. They also descend to guard the human body. Between the Niwan (the spirit chamber in the head) and the Jiang Palace (the spirit chamber in the heart), they harmonize the Five Qi, bring the hundred spirits into accord, set the numinous energies turning again and again, and gather the ten thousand Qi.

The immortal Way prizes cherishing life and saves all beings without distinction. Heaven opens the gates of the eight directions and sets the flying celestial wheel in motion. Regardless of sin or merit, precepts, destiny, or karmic conditions, it offers guidance and deliverance to all: the souls of the dead may be liberated, and the living may be born anew. Thus the scripture was transmitted to the heavens above. Each heaven has a gate of life, and within it are songs issuing from the Hollow Void (a wondrous realm of emptiness in Daoist thought). The verses of the Demon King’s numinous writings also take part, and together with the High Perfected (a respectful title for exalted immortal beings), they proclaim the teaching.

First: The Flying Sounds of the Desire Realm

The human road is distant and hard to travel; the immortal Way is vast without limit, while the ghostly way delights in finality.

People should turn toward the gate of life. The immortal Way cherishes life, while the ghostly way prizes death.

The immortal Way constantly brings good fortune; the ghostly way constantly brings danger. O high, pure, and numinous spirits, sing your sorrow aloud in the Great Void.

May the immortal Way alone be fulfilled; may the human way not fall into hardship.

In the Northern Capital’s Office of the Springs and Curves (the underworld bureaucracy in Daoist thought), myriad ghosts gather. They seek only to cut short the years of the living and close the gate of human life.

Chant the Cavernous Chapters (sacred passages in Daoist scriptures) to subdue the Northern Mount Luofeng (a place in the underworld), bind and drive away demons, monsters, and evil spirits, and destroy the blades of the six ghosts.

The Qi of the heavens surges without end; my Daoist teaching grows more powerful day by day.

Second: The Demon King’s Verses of the Form Realm

High and vast, the bright primordial Qi spreads in all directions. The Brahma practice (pure cultivation) extends through the heavens and encircles the ten directions. The immeasurable great spirits all emerge from my body.

I have the Cavernous Chapters. Recite them again and again, ten thousand times, and you can become an immortal. The immortal Way is devoted to saving beings; the ghostly way entangles them with one another.

Heaven and earth are vast without limit, yet foul Qi fills them. The Three Realms—the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm—make people glad to dwell there; transcend the Three Realms, and you can endure forever.

If you can be delivered from my realm, your body can enter the realm of nature. The joy of that moment—briefly put—is also a gift of my benevolence.

The Dragon-Han era (an ancient cosmic cycle in Daoist thought) is vast without limit; how easy is it to distinguish truth from falsehood? Deliverance from my realm is difficult.

I deliberately wrote down these Dongwen (the mysterious script of the heavens), letting it shift and soar through the air, in order to test your body and mind. Some of you will succeed, some will fail, and some will grow slack and turn back. How many of you can truly be saved? I laugh that you cannot attain deliverance, and so I have composed this song on purpose.

The Demon King of the Third Realm of Formlessness sang:

Above the Three Realms, remote and profound, lies the Daluo Heaven (the highest heaven in Daoism). It has no root or affinity with the Realm of Formlessness. Its clouds rise high in layered tiers, and only the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, one of the highest deities in Daoism) dwells there, in an abode that endures through calamities and cosmic ages. He divides and governs this realm of mine, and commands and rides through Xuandu (the immortal capital where Yuanshi Tianzun resides). If anyone passes beyond my realm, they enter Yuxu (the celestial palace where Yuanshi Tianzun resides), while my rank is that of Supreme King, who corrects and rules over the multitude of demons.

Within the void, myriad phenomena shift and change, and turbid qi (Qi, vital energy) swirls in profusion and disorder. Few can preserve their true nature, and many are deluded. The path of immortals is hard to make firm, while the path of ghosts easily slides into depravity. Whether one becomes human or immortal depends on one's own heart, and truly is not decided by anyone else. The path of immortals prizes simplicity; the path of humans prizes showy vanity. If you take no joy in the path of immortals, how can you ever rise beyond the Three Realms (the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm)? You wish to keep revolving through the Five Paths (heavens, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hells, that is, the paths of reincarnation). What can I possibly do about you?

The above is the song of the Demon King of the soaring void above the Three Realms, its tones in harmony with the Dongzhang (the cavern verses). Recite it one hundred times, and your name will be transferred into the Southern Palace (the office in charge of the registers of immortals). Recite it one thousand times, and the Demon King will protect and welcome you. Recite it ten thousand times, and your practice will be complete and perfected, so that you can ascend into the Great Void, cross beyond the Three Realms, and take your place as a Lord of the Immortals. Whenever anyone hears this wondrous sound, the Demon King will reverently manifest in person and command the Earth Spirits (local deities) to attend, escort, and welcome them. He will lift people out through the Gate of the Earth (the gate to the underworld), release them from the Five Sufferings and Eight Calamities (the many afflictions of human life), and raise their Seven Ancestors (successive generations of forebears) to higher states. They will be freed forever from the jurisdiction of the ghost officials, and their hun and po souls will cross over to Zhuling (the immortal domain in the south where souls are refined), where they will be purified and reborn. This is called universal deliverance without measure, without end.

This text is a secretly treasured scripture of the highest heaven, revered together by all the heavens. If it is leaked or treated with disrespect, one will fall into hell, and calamity will extend to the Seven Ancestors.

The scripture says that these two chapters are the hidden sounds of the Lords on High of all the heavens and of the most numinous Demon Kings. They are entirely the language of Dafan (the supreme and pure), not the everyday speech of the world, and have no meter and no ornate melody. This is why they are called profound and are difficult to fathom. Heaven regards them as treasure and keeps them hidden in the Upper Palace of Ziwei within Xuandu, and in accordance with the Xuanke (the celestial codes), they are transmitted only once every forty thousand kalpas. If there is a person of the highest virtue who brings gold and treasure as a token of good faith, sincerely follows the ancient rules, and swears a covenant before the heavens of the ten directions, only then may the text be transmitted to them.

The Heavenly Worthy (Tianzun) said: Will the movements of Heaven and Earth ever come to an end? Do the sun, moon, and five planets ever wane or wax full? Will even the most accomplished sages and divine beings one day cease? Will later students fall ill or be injured? Whenever such calamities arise, fellow practitioners should join with one mind in observing a purification retreat. Throughout the six double-hours of a day and night, they should burn incense and offer reverence, and recite this scripture ten times. Blessings and virtue (De) will then descend and dispel all manner of ill omens. The boundless and wondrous meanings of this Jing (scripture) can universally deliver living beings without ever being exhausted.

The Heavenly Worthy also said: Later students have shallow attainment, and their immortal rank is not yet complete. When their allotted life is ending and they enter the Great Yin (Taiyin, the dark realm after death), their fellow students and more advanced practitioners should burn incense and recite the scripture ten times on their behalf, in order to deliver the remains of the body. If this is carried out according to the proper method, the soul and spirit (Shen) can ascend directly to the Southern Palace (the immortal palace of Daoist refinement and rebirth). In accordance with the merit and practice they accumulated in their ordinary cultivation, they will, as the days add up, gain new life. They will revolve without perishing, and eventually become immortals.

The Heavenly Worthy also said: When the cosmic cycle of Heaven and Earth reaches its end, one should observe a retreat, offer incense, and recite the scripture. The same applies when the stars move in disorder and the sun and moon lose their light, when the four seasons fall out of order and Yin-Yang is out of balance, when the ruler meets with disaster and warfare breaks out on all sides, when plague spreads and the people suffer death and injury, and when teachers or friends pass away. The merit of fasting and reciting the scripture is very great. Above, it can quell calamities of Heaven and protect the sovereign. Below, it can dispel poison and harm and deliver the myriad people. Both the living and the dead receive its blessings, and its benefits are too vast to describe fully. For this reason it is called "Boundless" (Wuliang), delivering all beings in Heaven and among humankind.

The Heavenly Worthy also said: Whoever holds this scripture is able to cultivate such merit on behalf of Heaven and Earth, the sovereign, and the people. On days of misfortune, if they resolve to observe a retreat, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times, the heavens will record their name, and the divine beings will come to attend and protect them. Among them, those of higher attainment may be granted office as ministers of the Sage Lord in the Golden Gate (the palace of the Heavenly Emperor). The heavens record each person's merits and faults without the slightest error, and even the demon kings of the heavens will recommend you. Only those who have personally attained the Dao (Way) can truly understand these ultimate words thoroughly.

What follows is "The Boundless Sounds of the Great Brahma Secret Language of the Heavens," composed by the Lord of the Dao (Daojun) and belonging to the "Upper Section of the Original Numinous Writings." It lists the names of the eight heavens of the east: Guangsheng, Gaoying, Jueyuan, Dongxu, Yingxuan, Jiuzhen, Huajiao, Zhaotu, Wenling, Yungou, Zongfan, Xuandu, Ganbian, Zongkuo, Weizhao, Zicheng, Lücen, Qianjing, Huangdao, Hanming, Tianlin, Yaoquan, Qijing, Yuhun, and others. These are the secret sounds of the Great Brahma of the heavens, and their deeper meaning is not to be explained literally.

These texts are celestial spirit writings from the Wondrous Scripture of Highest Rank for Delivering the Limitless (Lingbao Wuliang Duren Shangpin Miaojing). They consist mainly of mysterious celestial names and symbolic phrases. They are not written in ordinary grammar and cannot be translated literally line by line. Here, the proper names are retained, while their general meaning is explained in accessible terms.

Rongluo Fuli, Yuanying Yinmin, Qiju Shenbao; the Great Heavenly Order proclaims peace: the gods and spirits of the celestial realm each keep their appointed places, and the vast order of the Dao is declared secure.

The Eight Heavens of the South

Zhangyan Tongfan, Jianfu Chengzong, Xuxiang Xuanhua, Longyang Wuqiong, Weizheng Xiaoyan, Yuantai Ningchong: the southern heavens are vast and clear. Yang Qi moves through the upper sky, while deep primordial Qi gathers in harmony.

Yuan’guan Sanniu, Dafan Feikong, Yinjue Longyi, Tianlun Qingcheng, Shenhu Chanluo, Zhenyuan Sanjing: the gateways of primordial Qi connect with one another, and the Great Brahma Qi rises into the sky. The celestial order is auspicious and harmonious; the portals of the spirits interconnect, and primordial truth spreads throughout.

Jingwo Mingzhao, Huihe Shengqian, Daoqian Yanyun, Lingying Tengtian: pure and tranquil power shines into hidden places, as the movement of Qi rises and falls. The spirits guide beings toward the clouds and sky, and wondrous responses reach the celestial realm.

The Eight Heavens of the West

Gangze Weikong, Yinjun Guyi, Guanqi Mingsu, Chendong Kaiwei, Zhouhua Youying, Chenghui Ditai: the Qi of the western heavens is strong yet profound. Yin and Yang Qi flow through one another, and clear light shines upon the imperial platform. Celestial transformations extend everywhere and respond even to the most hidden things.

Pingxia Yixu, Huimao Tongchi, Jiebao Linyu, Liwu Sankai, Yangtong Bai Liu, Shenmang Yinjie: the heavens are spacious, distant, and still; the sacred pool is lush, and gathered winds nurture and transform all things. Yang Qi reaches everywhere, while dim lights shimmer unseen among the celestial steps.

Youkuo Mingmo, Zhenfeng Huiling, Jianpi Shundao, Gaoming Qianlin: in the deep and silent heavens, true spirits gather. They steadfastly follow the Great Dao and convey edicts through the celestial realm.

The Eight Heavens of the North

Long’an Dongbian, Chunyang Yinxuan, Fangben Huanqi, Xiangfu Gaoyuan: the northern heavens possess a profound power of transformation. Pure Yang Qi is hidden within the mysterious, all things return to their source, and celestial forms lie concealed in the distant heights.

Shenbian Huiyun, Jielian Linggen, Chijing Chundao, Chenghao Weizun, Liyun Youchang: wondrous transformations bestow blessings and refine the spiritual roots. Red Jing accords with the Dao; auspicious clouds remain around the majestic, revered celestial city.

Yiren Zhongqiu, Yucheng Qiong Lei, Yaoyin Qingliu, Shouwei Yushi, Daxian Tongyou, Xuanzhang Huanluo, Ganglun Naizhou: towering hills become immortal cities of jade, and auspicious songs flow through them. Spirits receive their ranks in jade chambers; celestial law reaches into the hidden realm, mysterious talismanic writings shine with radiance, and the order of the Dao circulates in its completeness.

Middle Section of the Primordial Beginning Spirit Scripture, written by the Dao Lord

The Eight Heavens of the East

Danlou Ahui, Wuhe Guanyin, Xuyan Mingshou, Falan Putan, Jiana Ayi, Huhe Liuyin, Huadu Quli, Xianpu Yuzhen, Daluo Dafan: these are the spirit-writing names of the eight eastern heavens. They evoke a celestial realm unfolding in layers, luminous light flowing through it, and spiritual Qi bringing forth life.

Sanyan Qingyun, Feisa Yudu, Mingmo Shangmen, Wuxing Shangshou, Huizhi Liuxuan, Atuo Longluo, Sixiang Xuyuan: auspicious vapors and clouds spread across the heavens, and flying light showers down upon the Jade Capital. The gods and spirits subdue demons and guard the celestial gates; mysterious Qi circles and flows, while the Four Images—the sacred symbols of the four directions and the changes of Yin and Yang—encircle the celestial realm.

The Eight Heavens of the South

Nanyan Dongfu, Yumu Shenshen, Fanxing Luokong, Jiuling Tuqian, Zelu Putai, Lüluo Daqian: the southern heavens are vast and deep, and the spirits shine with the luster of jade. Brahma Qi appears in the sky; the Nine Spirits move forward, and sacred platforms extend across the boundless worlds.

Miaomang Jiuchou, Shaoyao Yuanzhan, Yunshang Jiudu: in the distant, spacious realm, spirits of many kinds appear one after another. Auspicious music echoes through the heavens, revealing the nine celestial capitals above the clouds.

The flying beings rise of themselves; there, nurturing and flourishing, the fragrant air fills the space. The Dharma wheel turns.

霐 is held without a mirror; forms are gathered and appearances set in motion, bright fragrance spreading through the vast expanse.

The spirit tassel emerges of itself from the palace.

The Eight Heavens of the West

刀利禅猷, 婆泥咎通, and 宛薮涤色.

In the hall of supreme subtlety, 流罗梵萌; radiant splendor covers 萧嵎.

易邈无寂, 宛首少都, 阿缣郁竺.

华莫延由, 九开自辩, 阿那品首.

Immeasurable canopies uphold; 浮罗 joins with the spirit; jade is born at 长桑.

柏空 crosses over to become an immortal.

The Eight Heavens of the North

玃无育 itself; the nine suns guide the Qian, while the Kun Mother covers the east.

Forms gather the highest mystery; 陀罗 nurtures the distant; subtle Qi joins the clouds.

The Flying Heavens’ Great Chou oversees all; the supreme heavens are under its charge; 沙陀 measures the kalpas.

龍漢瑛鮮, 碧落浮黎; empty song preserves the treasure.

惡奕無品; the wondrous cavern is true of itself; primordial Brahma spreads through the vastness.

幽寂 delivers people.

The scripture says: In these celestial realms circulate the hidden words of Great Brahma—that is, immeasurable, mysterious sounds. Their original written forms were immense, each character stretching ten feet. The Heavenly Perfected Sovereign (Tianzhen Huangren), a legendary celestial being, once wrote these characters and established them as the sounds of the true pronunciation.

If someone understands these sounds and can observe purification and recite them, the heavens will send Flying-Heaven Divine Kings down to inspect the person’s practice, record their merit and diligence, and report it to the heavens. The myriad gods will come to pay homage, earth spirits will guard the doorway, and the Great Meritorious Demon King will recommend the person, enabling them to become a high-ranking immortal. Once their practice is complete, they will be able to travel through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

These sounds can ward off, avert, deliver, and bring things to completion without limit; they are the natural sounds of the Heavenly Perfected. Thus, reciting them can summon the Flying-Heaven Divine Kings to descend and inspect one’s practice. The Supreme Emperor sings in response from afar, the myriad gods come to pay homage, and the spirits of the Three Realms attend the carriage. Demons bow their heads, and ghosts and monsters perish of their own accord. The sound of the recitation rings like jade striking jade, spreading through the ten directions and bringing stillness and clarity everywhere: rivers and seas grow calm, mountains draw in their mists, the myriad spirits are awed into submission, and the assembled immortals gather. There is no foul air in heaven, no demonic dust or impurity on earth; the underworld and the realm of wisdom are clear and penetrating, and the domain is vast and mysterious.

The Lower Section of the Primordial Beginning’s Numinous Writings

Composed by the Heavenly Perfected Sovereign

The Eight Heavens of the East

森甪 stores the clouds; the nine souls refine their essence; 枳默 peers into the jade pendant.

The preceding sections, “Eight Heavens of the East,” “Eight Heavens of the South,” “Eight Heavens of the West,” and “Eight Heavens of the North,” consist mainly of sequences of archaic characters. They are celestial names or sacred syllables, and their individual meanings cannot be reliably determined from the forms of the characters alone.

The Celestial Perfected Sovereign (Tianzhen Huangren), an immortal sage in Daoist legend, commands the eight directions through the heavenly treasure sound, formed from Brahma Qi—the pristine, original energy present before birth. Its profound and sublime resonance harmonizes the flow of Qi in the world, steadies the earth, and dispels calamities. Reciting this scripture can avert disasters and ill fortune, disperse strange and malign energies, and bring the Dao’s tranquil Qi to peace.

The Earth Official, a deity in the Daoist pantheon who governs the earthly realm, bestowed this text, and the myriad spirits hold it in awe. Written in cinnabar and worn or carried on one’s person, it can manifest its efficacy. Yet it should be passed on only to those who truly cultivate the Way, and not freely taught to ordinary worldly people.

Hymn of the Perfected of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji):

Mystical clouds shine amid the layered heights of the sky,

The Brahma net gathers among the azure clouds,

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning rides in a chariot drawn by nine dragons.

The August Immortal rides in a blue chariot, while numinous radiance gathers ten thousand perfected immortals. Pearl-like light illuminates the vast and remote heavens.

Thus the Lingbao Chapter is proclaimed, bringing blessings and merit in its wake. The Dongxuan is hidden deep within a lofty and solemn realm, while jade-toned music resounds among the clouds.

The immeasurable realm is beyond thought; waves surge across the ocean of the Dao. The meaning of the teaching flows like a slender stream, nourishing growth until it becomes fine grain, offered to relieve those afflicted by hunger and poverty.

The teaching flourishes and protects the court. The august sovereign enjoys a lifespan of ten thousand years; peace reigns throughout the land, and warfare comes to an end.

All bow their heads and gaze up toward the Jade Palace, the abode of the Celestial Emperor. Its wondrous radiance shines forth in golden beams.