《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 15

The Dao Ancestor said: In ancient times, in the Bright Treasure Heaven, in the Yellow Flower Brahma Landscape and Great Simplicity Luminous Land, I received the Scripture of Deliverance: Moonlight and Yin Radiance of Limitless Excellence, transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning.

As the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning was about to expound the scripture, he first circled the assembly site ten times to summon the gods of the ten directions. Then the Celestial Worthy, the divine beings of the Great Dao, the sages and perfected ones, along with the ladies of the rear palace and Noble Ladies of the High Palace of Guanghan, their attendants and immortal officials, Golden Youths and Jade Maidens, and countless other immortals all came riding through the air. They traveled on plain clouds, jade firmaments, and golden carriages, borne in jade wheels. Their feathered canopies billowed like clouds; flowing radiance blazed, jade hues shone together, and their splendor illuminated the vast sky. For seven days and seven nights, the sun, moon, and stars of the heavens ceased their courses. Divine winds swirled, mountains and seas grew clear, and Heaven and Earth became pure, empty, and still. The mountains, rivers, and forests throughout the lands became level, without high or low; the earth turned to golden glass and fine jade, their radiance shining together. The perfected ones attended at the Celestial Worthy’s side.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright in the air on a jade terrace upheld by nine dragons, above layer upon layer of clouds. When he expounded the scripture for the first time, the holy beings of the heavens praised him together. At that moment, the men and women of one land began to understand the conditions that lead to the true Way: Yin energy is the mother of all things, and from it Yin-Yang and the Three Primordials—Heaven, Earth, and Water, in Daoist teaching—were conceived and took shape within chaos.

When he expounded it a second time, people’s minds grew clear; they understood their original nature and grasped the source of the Dao. The third recitation enabled them to leave the Yin womb and enter transformation into life. With the power of the scripture, the fourth recitation enabled them to ascend and become immortals. At the fifth, they heard the scripture’s teachings and understood its principles; their spirits grew clear, reaching throughout Guanghan. At the sixth, golden light filled the sky, and the trees in the immortal realm swayed and sounded in response. At the seventh, profound teachings became manifest, bringing lasting stability to the cycles of calamity. At the eighth, songs praising the scripture rang through empty space, and the myriad heavens answered one another from afar. At the ninth, the Moon Empress descended in her carriage; flowers drifted down and gathered into a beautiful scene. At the tenth, the Qi of the Six Yangs came together in homage, and all things suddenly came into being. At that time, every man and woman in the land wholeheartedly turned toward the Dao. All received protection and deliverance, and attained long life.

The Dao Ancestor continued: Then the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning expounded the scripture for the first time, and a great host of divine beings from the Eastern Limitless Realm of Moonlight and Yin Radiance of Limitless Excellence came through the air. At the second recitation, the divine beings from the Southern Limitless Realm of Moonlight and Yin Radiance of Limitless Excellence also…

Countless hosts of great deities, beyond measure, came through the air to listen to the scripture. When the scripture was recited for the third time and reached the section on the boundless and immeasurable West, the great deities of lunar radiance and the yin aspect of the northern constellations arrived through the air. The fourth recitation reached the North, the fifth the Northeast, the sixth the Southeast, the seventh the Southwest, the eighth the Northwest, the ninth the regions above, and the tenth the regions below. As each direction was reached, its hosts of great deities of lunar radiance and the yin aspect arrived in turn. When the ten recitations were complete, the hosts of these deities from all ten directions had assembled.

The men and women throughout the country sincerely turned toward and revered the teaching. Hearing that the Celestial Worthy was about to proclaim the great teaching, “The Supreme, Wondrous Dao of Lunar Radiance and the Yin Aspect,” they said to one another, “Only after hearing the scripture ten times have we gradually begun to grasp its mysterious purpose. We have not yet heard all the mysteries of the yin aspect.”

At first, we heard that the moon has no light of its own and, on the night of the full moon, is like a dark mirror. Sunlight shines upon the surface of the water and is reflected as light; people therefore suppose that the moon itself is bright. The Qi of Metal and Water condenses to form the yin aspect: the waxing crescent belongs to Metal, the waning crescent to Water, and together they make the moon. When the Metal body is fully formed, it follows the celestial pattern and becomes round. The moon depends on the sun for its brightness, while the sun’s radiance, in turn, depends on the moon to be made visible. At the full moon, the moon manifests pure Yang; at the end of the lunar month, it manifests pure Yin.

People know only that abundant Yang Qi can make a person immortal, but they do not know that the yin aspect is the root of the six Yangs. This is why sages honor Yang and also value Yin. Yin arises from Yang, and Yang can also give rise to Yin. When the Dark Crow and the White Hare—the Golden Crow and Jade Hare, symbols of the sun and moon—unite, they draw upon the essence of Heaven. Having reached the utmost, they return to their beginning. Those who attain this principle can live forever and never die. At first, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning proclaimed the moon…

The original text ends with the character “moon”; the passage is incomplete.

In the Dao of Huayin Jing (a Daoist practice that takes the moon’s shadow and radiance as images for cultivation), everyone gave up their treasured, hidden possessions in the hope of receiving and upholding this scripture. Those who came gathered like fine rain and dense fog, without end, filling the land. Half the land was crushed down and began to sink, and the collapse could not be stopped.

At that moment, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, moved by great compassion, entered the realm of the Nine Yin and peacefully entered meditation. The crowd looked up and saw him gather in his divine radiance and stand motionless, like a mountain of treasure. After a long while, he transformed into a full moon. As it rose, it cast forth ten streams of numinous light, which reflected one another in overlapping layers. The moonlight was deep and shadowed, shaped like a pupil; its purple radiance rose straight into the sky, with indistinct forms visible within.

The immortals gathered at the sea assembly watched in astonishment and bowed down to the ground. Suddenly, within the immense lunar disk appeared towers and pavilions, palaces, the quarters of consorts, and cities inhabited by immortals, all bright as day. The moon’s radiance flowed and shimmered like every kind of precious gem. The crowd gazed upward and waited in wonder. In an instant, the moonlight drew inward and transformed into a precious pearl, no larger than a grain of millet, suspended in the dark void about five zhang above the ground.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning led the Celestial Immortals, Great Spirits, Supreme Sages, Venerable High Ones, and Perfected Ones of wondrous practice, together with the Great Spirits of Lunar Radiance and Yin Shadow from the limitless ten directions and countless beings, into the pearl. The celestial and human beings looked up and watched as everyone entered through its opening. Once inside, no one knew where they had gone. The people of the land then dispersed, and the earth returned to level ground, no longer sloping or sinking.

Within the pearl, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning finished preaching this scripture. The assembled Perfected Ones jointly oversaw the work of delivering and transforming beings, and transmitted the scripture and its teachings to me. The joy of that moment is beyond words. When the ritual work was mostly complete, the heavens each returned to their proper place, and in an instant all around fell silent. The celestial and human beings and all other creatures had encountered the scripture and its teachings, received deliverance throughout, and were able to live out their allotted years unharmed.

Everyone throughout the land turned toward and revered the Daoist teachings. They understood the transformations of Yin and learned about Yin Shadow, Yin spirits, Yin Qi, Yin essence, Yin fire, as well as Yin transformation, Yin birth, Yin gestation, Yin change, and Yin return, which ultimately leads back to Yang. When the sun and moon join, this is called “Yang Blossoming”; the mouth is the “Yin Gate.” When Yin and Yang are in harmony and cherish one another, even people of different surnames and kin can become family. The nation was secure, the people prosperous, everyone joyful, and all under heaven at peace.

After the scripture first began to circulate, it transformed an entire nation. All who possessed sincere devotion and revered and honored the Daoist teachings were delivered beyond the world.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning says: What is described in this scripture consists entirely of the secret inner names and hidden sounds of the “Jielin” within the moon, the private names of the moon’s empresses and ladies, and the hidden names of the myriad spirits. If you can grasp these teachings, you will be able to draw in the moon’s radiance and gather its images, causing Yang to arise within Yin. When Yang energy reaches its height, you can attain an immortal body. The Female Palace will respond from afar, and numinous perfected beings will descend to protect your blood, Qi, and brain spirit, sustaining your life for a long time.

The moon is the spirit of the corporeal soul, and blood belongs to the utmost Yin. When Yin and Yang unite, Yin energy preserves Yang energy. The Yin within the “fetal Yin” is called “ancestral earth.” These secret writings in green script are not words used in the ordinary world. The Highest Sages have already become perfected beings and have comprehended the mysteries and explored the hidden depths; therefore, they can fully understand the chapters within. Recite this scripture ten times, and the heavens will answer in song from afar. The myriad emperors will perform ritual homage, the rivers and seas will fall silent, and the mountains will draw in their clouds and mists. The moon will send down its Yin radiance; yellow syrup will transform the body; the hosts of demons will be bound, and the baleful energy of ghostly spirits will be extinguished. The dead will come back to life, and white bones will become human again.

Those with the resolve to learn the Dao who recite the scripture ten times will be guarded by the Five Emperors. Yin energy will be subdued and Yang brought into harmony. Perfected spirits will arrive in a carriage drawn by six dragons, and the divine beings of the Three Realms will all pay homage to the scripture. Demonic spirits will lose their sight, the baleful energy of ghosts and monsters will dissipate, and even those close to death can be saved: after their breath has ceased, they will live again.

This is because the foul Qi on those who study the Dao has not yet been completely purged, and their bodies have not yet fully penetrated the truth. Even if they summon and control the power of the moon’s radiance, they still cannot command the workings of the heavens. Their De can subdue and direct the earth spirits, bind demonic beings, and halt death, but it cannot bring the dead back to life. Those who recite this chapter carelessly will suffer calamity in their bodies. If they make offerings to and honor this scripture, their household will flourish, their descendants will prosper, and they will form wholesome connections. All manner of calamities will leave them undisturbed, and the spirits will protect their gates. This scripture is supremely honored and mysterious, without equal in the Jade Capital, the celestial realm of immortals. It can save beings far and wide and is the root of the myriad Dao; the merit of its great and exemplary teaching is beyond full description.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning says: Whenever this scripture is recited ten times, all the heavens will descend together. The perfected beings within the moon will pause before your hall, and the ladies of the moon will speak to you. Your ancestors through countless generations, along with the departed and suffering souls in the underworld, can all be delivered at once and ascend to the Vermilion Palace in the heavens. After their deliverance, they will undergo transformation for nine years and be reborn as people of noble status. If they delight in studying the scriptures and their merit is complete and their De accomplished, they can all become immortals, ascend to the Golden Palaces, and feast in the Jade Capital.

Those of the highest rank who study the Dao and practice and recite this scripture will find that the moon’s radiance shines forth and nourishes their bodies, transforming their bones and refining their spirit. They will then be delivered and ascend to the Southern Palace. When people of the world receive and recite this scripture, golden essence will enter their bodies, their foreheads will ring of their own accord, Jade Maidens will carry the scriptural scrolls, and Golden Youths will be commanded to attend them. In this way they will prolong their lives and ultimately attain the path of corpse liberation, a method of cultivation in which the body is left behind or disappears as the soul and spirit depart to become immortal. Their souls and spirits will briefly withdraw without passing through hell, then regain their forms and roam through the vast sky. This scripture is subtle and vast…

so that all the heavenly beings, without end or limit, may receive its blessings, gain boundless merit, and be delivered from the sufferings of life and death.

This scripture is treasured by Heaven and must not be passed on to worldly people. A person who truly follows the Dao must prepare gold, silver, and precious objects, and make a solemn oath before receiving its transmission. If it is disclosed carelessly or treated with arrogance and disrespect, disaster will follow, and nine generations of ancestors will be condemned to long service under the officials of the underworld. When the scripture is transmitted, twenty-four Jade Boys and twenty-four Jade Maidens of the Five Emperors attend it, guard its words, and protect the body of the person who receives it.

The Dao says: If you observe the fast and recite this scripture during the first month, a great deity will appear amid the shadowy scenes illuminated by moonlight. Wearing tiger-patterned robes and carrying a tally, the deity will deliver your ancestors, freeing the souls of the dead from confinement in the underworld and raising them to the Southern Palace.

If you observe the fast and recite this scripture during the seventh month, a great deity will appear amid the shadowy scenes illuminated by moonlight, dressed in yellow and holding a precious register inscribed with your immortal name. You will receive an immortal body, and your name will be entered in the registers of the heavens. The Yellow Registers and White Slips—the Daoist records of immortals and registers of life and death—will erase your name from the death register and turn death into life.

If you observe the fast and recite this scripture during the tenth month, a great deity will appear amid the shadowy scenes illuminated by moonlight, dressed in embroidered robes and wearing a broad sash, presiding over the myriad spirits. This will bring stability to kings, emperors, rulers, ministers, fathers, and sons, and ensure that the realm remains peaceful and endures for generations. It will also bring peace to the lands governed by the ruler, allowing the people to live in a time of prosperity.

If you recite this scripture on the Eight Seasonal Nodes—the Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice—the shadowy scenes illuminated by moonlight will send rays of light toward the eight heavenly directions, enabling you to become a Perfected One of the Nine Palaces, an immortal who dwells in the Nine Palaces.

If you recite this scripture on your life-birth day, the day of your birth, the shadowy scenes illuminated by moonlight will establish your life and body, and Shen and Qi will arise within your abdomen. Jade pendants and golden earrings will appear, and numinous fluid will flow into your stomach. In this way, you will attain long life; your soul and spirit will be pure and upright, and the ten thousand kinds of primordial Qi will endure. You will no longer suffer affliction. Your body will radiate light, the spirits of the Three Realms will attend you, the Five Emperors will send messengers to welcome you, and the myriad spirits will come to pay homage. Your name will be recorded in Heaven. When your merit is complete, you may ascend to Shangqing, the highest celestial realm in Daoism.

The Dao says: On days when Daoist rites are performed, you should bathe with fragrant water and observe the fast. Then enter the room, face east, and click your teeth thirty-two times to communicate upward through the thirty-two heavens. Next, bow inwardly thirty-two times. Close your eyes and visualize yourself seated upright among clouds of purple, yellow, and white, with dense mist all around you, within and without. On either side stand the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lions, and white cranes. The sun and moon shine, filling the room with light. A round halo appears above your head, its radiance reaching in all ten directions. Visualize each of these scenes clearly.

The secret incantation says:

The Supreme Dao Lord of the Mysterious Origin summons the Three-Five Meritorious Officers within my body—the divine officials who convey documents and communicate with the gods—along with the left and right attendant messengers, the incense attendant, the Jade Youth who conveys words, the Jade Maiden who carries commands, the Five Emperors’ appointed officers, and the daily incense attendants, thirty-six of each, to come and report the matters for which I have prayed.

Today is an auspicious day. In a pure hall, I observe the long fast and cultivate the scripture The Scripture of Limitless Salvation. May the matters for which I pray reach the hearing of Heaven and be delivered straight before the honored throne of the Primordial Supreme Emperor in the thirty-two heavens beyond the highest heaven. [The ritual ends here.]

Draw in the breath while facing east thirty-two times, then recite the scripture facing east.

The Wondrous Supreme Scripture of the Primordial Beginning on Limitless Salvation

This chapter from the Dongxuan Lingbao scriptures of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning presents the lunar radiance and shadowed essence as the supreme wondrous method. It unfolds in ten sections, each set to the hidden poetic refrain “Jielin.” Yin and Yang separate and unite by their own nature, blending into the lunar shadow. The supreme True Qi, like the breath of dark gold, is the embryonic breathing of the original Mysterious One: Yin on the outside, Yang held within. Jing and Qi gather but have not yet appeared; when stillness reaches its utmost, Shen is born. Metal and Water join to take shape, their rounded radiance illuminating the vast cycles of cosmic calamity; seas and mountains grow clear and serene.

Yang Qi transforms by itself and fades away; Yin Qi congeals, and change comes to rest. The two subtle forms of Yin and Yang join in mystery, becoming the form of the Mysterious Female, the mother from whom all things arise. Yin Qi rises as rain and dew; Yang Qi descends as deep springs. At the beginning of the Primordial Calamity, the heavens came into being through this process. The lunar shadow is the ancestor of all things. The moon’s radiance holds within it a lotus-like light, from which the sun, moon, and stars appear. This is the root of Heaven. From then on, there is no other ancestral source: only the Dao is the root.

Within the moon are wondrous spirit-script characters. The characters of the Yellow Divine Book are as numerous as leaves in a forest, and among them are jade chapters. They broadly transform the spirits: every character shines, illuminates, establishes, accomplishes, delivers, and nurtures. This is the Heaven within the Great Brahma Heaven: the Jade Watchtower of Yuluo and the Golden Terrace of Ruiyuan, situated in the supreme, unsurpassed Great Luo Jade Clarity realm. Its expanse is deep and vast, seeming both present and absent. The Three Flowers stand apart in splendid mystery; the Great Wondrous Court, Jade Gate, and Rui Chamber are arrayed in solemn ranks, while the Brahma Qi of the Purple Mist Divine Firmament encircles the ten directions.

There dwell the gods of lunar radiance and shadowed essence; the Lord of Longevity at the Southern Pole; the Emperor Lord of Azure Florescence at the Eastern Pole; the Great Divine Marshal who commands the ten dragons’ flying chariot; and the Venerable Han, patron of life, together with the Southern High Lord of Destiny, the Registrar, the Extender of Life, the Augmenter of Years, and the Deliverer from Calamity. They restore corpses to life and bring the dead back to life, saving all beings without limit. Today the divine beings of the heavens inspect and register the scripture, attending before the palace hall to examine it.

The Great Sage of Longevity, King of the Yellow Flower in the Moon, who flies without limit in the East, saves beings without limit.

The Great Sage of Longevity, King of the Red Radiance in the Moon, who flies without limit in the South, saves beings without limit.

The Western Infinite Flying Moon Palace King of the Plain Soul (the deity who governs the plain soul in the moon’s western quarter), the Great Sage of Longevity who saves beings without limit;

The Northern Infinite Flying Moon Palace King of the Purple Characters (the deity who governs the purple characters in the moon’s northern quarter), the Great Sage of Longevity who saves beings without limit;

The Northeastern Infinite Flying Moon Palace King of Divine Light (the deity who governs divine light in the moon’s northeastern quarter), the Great Sage of Longevity who saves beings without limit;

The Southeastern Infinite Flying Moon Palace King of Yin Fire (the deity who governs Yin Fire in the moon’s southeastern quarter), the Great Sage of Longevity who saves beings without limit;

The Southwestern Infinite Flying Moon Palace King of Red Dew (the deity who governs red dew in the moon’s southwestern quarter), the Great Sage of Longevity who saves beings without limit;

The Northwestern Infinite Flying Moon Palace King of the Jade Gate (the deity who governs the gates of the jade palace in the moon’s northwestern quarter), the Great Sage of Longevity who saves beings without limit;

The Upper Infinite Flying Moon Palace Kings of the Five Queens (the five queen deities in the moon’s upper quarter), the Great Sage of Longevity who saves beings without limit;

The Lower Infinite Flying Moon Palace King of the Jade Consort (the deity of the Jade Consort in the moon’s lower quarter), the Great Sage of Longevity who saves beings without limit.

The Supreme and Perfect Kings of the Flying Moonlight and Yin Radiance of the Ten Directions (the supreme, unsurpassed kings of the moon palaces in the ten directions), great deities who grant longevity, deliver beings from the world, and save them without limit, ride together in plain-cloud carriages and jade chariots, in vermilion palanquins adorned with radiant canopies and golden wheels. A numinous phoenix, ten Perfected Ones, and white dragons accompany their procession. They raise the banners and pennants of the Guanghan Palace, which gleam with light. Heavenly music sounds before them, answered by the instruments of the spirits behind; lions and white cranes sing together as well. The Five Elders of the Five Directions, divine lords who guard those regions, clear the way, while assembled immortals protect the carriage shafts. Countless chariots and horses come coursing through the air.

They draw in their radiance and turn their carriages back to inspect the Perfected Ones and deliver living beings. The Jade Palace Chancellor and the Great Deity Han, Director of Registers and Monitor of Life in the Upper Palace of Nanchang, who governs names and records life and death, carry the registers and ledgers together before the Celestial Emperor. If a devotee can respond to the deities’ grace, they may receive the flowing rosy mists of the Jade Heaven and drink the highest azure, mysterious Qi. Then, using a yellow moon jar—a vessel for drawing water—they scoop up the secret spring fragrant with flowers. Its divine water penetrates the distant depths; its true light transforms people into immortals. Swallowing the numinous liquid and reciting the precious texts, one visualizes Baiyuan, a deity in Daoist visualization practice. Five Ladies then support and assist, dancing lightly as they ride in smoke and travel by chariot. Ten dragons draw the carriage, moving upward to the high heavens and downward to the netherworld.

The deities go wherever beings are to be saved, carefully inspect the heavens, and proclaim their commands throughout the Three Realms. Their summons reaches the Infinite Divine Land, the Office of Winding Springs in the netherworld, Beidu Luofeng—the Daoist capital of spirits and ghosts in the north—as well as the Three Offices, Nine Administrations, the sources of the Twelve Rivers, and other places. The ancestors, parents, and kin of the deceased through generations, along with the karmic offenses accumulated over lifetimes, can all be released. Their records of sin are erased and the roots of evil destroyed; they are no longer detained or forced to join the ranks of ghosts.

By the Moon Emperor’s written command, the deceased may be promoted at the appointed time. The Northern Capital’s Cold Pool will send attendants to protect their bodies and souls, subdue demons, and present the departed for advancement, so that they may be delivered in due order. The Southern Palace will refine and deliver the souls of the dead, transforming them through rebirth and bringing them to immortal form. Those who receive salvation in this life will live long in every life to come.

Born as the cycles of cosmic tribulation turn, they live as long as Heaven itself. Forever they deliver beings beyond the Three Paths of Suffering—the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals—as well as the Five Sufferings and Eight Hardships. They transcend the Three Realms and roam freely in Shangqing, the highest celestial realm described in Daoism.

In the heavens of Shangqing dwells the Heavenly Emperor Donglin, who resides in the formless realm and practices the pure path.

The Eight Heavens of the East

Yuli Yanh uang Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Lu Jianfeng Zuo.

Xiufeng Bihua Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Shengsi Gao An.

Longqiao Shengji Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Yitu Chaofang.

Pingdong Haoyuan Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Peng Ling Pi Jiang.

Jizhen Changle Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Bianzong Yuanyuan.

Zhenguang Baosheng Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Liao Du Luo Xun.

Huaxuan Kaixu Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Xianqiong Zifan.

Jiushan Longyuan Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Yuntao Micheng.

The Eight Heavens of the South

Chiyang Fengqi Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Zhu Bi Daliang.

Yaoling Jisi Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Ning Hua Jia.

Xunzai Loubin Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Miaodu Cigong.

Xizhen Wuji Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Yinfan Duorong.

Jiangli Xianyuan Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Chuyan Yingmo.

Huoyan Kaoguo Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Lüeduo Yitai.

Yuanming Qingguang Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Conggui Muming.

Mingxu Zhengyi Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Bianpeng Qushi.

The Eight Heavens of the West

Weishen Jianji Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Yi Kui Miandu.

Lianxian Bianxuan Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Yue Jianqiong.

Kuiwen Zhanmo Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Zhentuo Xigong.

Qijue Zhuming Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Juelu Youjin.

Taisu Buyang Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Yining Wujun.

Fanguang Tenggang Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Zhijia Yun Chu.

Yeling Huamo Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Su Boyin.

Shengge Zhixian Heaven, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Zhongwu Jianshi.

The Eight Heavens of the North

The source text breaks off at the heading “The Eight Heavens of the North,” before giving the names of the heavens or their emperors.

Riding upon mingled light and Qi (vital energy), one ascends to the celestial realm. The Heavenly Emperor there is titled “Ba Bu Yi.”

The precious Original Qi shines upon the subtle heaven. Its Heavenly Emperor is titled “Zheng You Wan Shi.”

Dao Qi nurtures the heaven of Qu Meng. Its Heavenly Emperor is titled “Zheng Zhao Tai Guang.”

Beyond the heaven of Yue Long Xuan Jian, the Heavenly Emperor is titled “Hai Yu Zheng Gai.”

At the heaven of Ming Xian Hai Ji, the Heavenly Emperor is titled “Bao Ji Yong Sheng.”

At the heaven of Luo Jian Zong Ming, the Heavenly Emperor is titled “Ji Guang Chi Lun.”

At the heaven of Fei Dou Cheng Yi, the Heavenly Emperor is titled “Yao Ci Yi Ji.”

At the heaven of Xiao Ting Du Zhen, the Heavenly Emperor is titled “Zheng Ze Qian Ling.”

These are eight of the thirty-two heavens and the titles of their Heavenly Emperors. They are also called the hidden taboos or hidden names of the heavens. “Hidden taboos” and “hidden names” refer to sacred titles transmitted in secret within Daoist ritual.

This scripture is a numinous chapter of the Central Void and Natural Spontaneity. It contains the hidden rhythms of the heavens—that is, the sounds within the moon—as well as the titles of the revered gods, spirits, Perfected Ones, and spirit officials dwelling in the moon. The transformations of the Nine Qi and Ten Flowers embody the boundless, profound mysteries of Shangqing. Their depths are too vast to describe fully. The scripture spreads forth and reveals the Qi of the divine and Perfected, universally delivering the celestial realm and the human world.

Today, we are fortunate to receive deliverance and pass through the barriers of the heavens. We pray that the heavens will destroy Yin evil and sever the roots of the earth, enabling those who receive deliverance to soar beyond the Five Dippers, have their names entered beneath the Supreme Dark True King, and receive his oversight and recommendation without obstruction at the heavenly gates. The Eastern Dipper gods flash forth like soaring dragons; the Western Dipper gods fly like tigers; the Northern Dipper crouches like a wolf; the Southern Dipper rises high like a phoenix; and the Central Dipper lies low like a qilin. All the gods together shine with splendid radiance.

The Yin force of the moon changes without cease, taking on wondrous forms. The Azure Emperor breathes forth rosy clouds; the White Emperor holds a jade object; the Red Emperor bears a flame; the Black Emperor lies concealed, unseen; and the Yellow Emperor joins with divine Qi. The moon’s essence refines and nourishes true Qi, while the King of Azure Radiance answers through the Horn Mansion.

The King of Red Radiance, Ba Yuan, supports the heavens with the Winnowing Basket and Wings Mansions. The King of White Radiance turns mountains with the power of the Three Stars Mansion. The Black… (the original text ends here)

The Divine King of the Yin Radiance, who governs the Yin Radiance, is named Xuanzheng. The Divine King of the Yellow Radiance under the Chou Inspector is named Kui𩲃. He strides across the heavens and shines with the moon’s brilliance. The five-colored Yin Radiance circles and descends, appearing in the Three Palaces within the human body: the upper, middle, and lower palaces. The Divine King of the Moon’s Brilliance is the chief of all the gods. When he travels, drums and music accompany him, and he commands the divine troops. He raises a glow of rosy clouds to illuminate the vast heavens. His divine light shines brilliantly, and he shares in the accomplishments of the gods of all the heavens.

The Yin Perfected, the true gods of the underworld, are charged with guiding and saving the people. They patrol and inspect Beifeng, the governing region of the northern underworld. The Divine Lord is ordered to sweep away every ill omen: the Azure Dragon breathes out poison, the White Tiger spreads its four claws, the Vermilion Bird leads the way, and the Black Tortoise carries a banner. Flames reach across ten thousand miles, while the ringing of bells surges through all directions. Anyone who dares to offend is cut down by golden blades in front and punished by jade halberds behind. Demons and ghosts are cut apart; wind and fire rage without cease, severing thousands upon thousands of heads and slicing countless bodies. Evil spirits cannot intrude, and ghosts cannot wreak havoc. The Three Officials and Beifeng inspect the ghostly strongholds, leaving the ghosts nowhere to hide. The Golden Horse Relay Station carries dispatches far and wide. All the gods come to receive their commands and report to the Five Emperors of the Three Realms.

Clear Qi emerges from the Primordial Cavern, the original void, and the Yin Radiance gives rise to Yang Qi. Yang Qi is sought within Yin, while Yin Qi also remains within Yang. The Five Cycles revolve from beginning to end, from Dragon to Kang. The sun moves within the moon, and water Qi protects the Golden Chamber. Yang Qi is born from Yin Qi; its gentle De steadies the firm body. If the body is not harmonized by Great Yin, Yin Qi, Yang Qi will grow excessive and run wild. When Yang Qi is cut off, the body declines and dies. Therefore, the sages never conceal or neglect the way of harmonizing Yin and Yang.

Within the inscrutable chaos, through millions upon millions of kalpas, gold is the color above and water the abyss below. Between them lies a realm of utter emptiness, without form, where spirit and Qi dwell in peace. Wind and lake flow through the void, while the Qi of adamantine strength rides through the heavens. Above and below, in darkness and obscurity, there is no form or shadow; all is boundless and without end. Chaos stretches vast, filled with Brahma Qi, the primordial energy that forms Heaven and Earth. The Yin Radiance opens into light, and its transformations unfold naturally.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning brings Heaven and Earth to rest and widely spreads the five scriptures. The red writings in jade characters and the Eight Majestic Dragon Scripts, sacred Daoist talismanic writings, protect and govern the cycles of kalpas, ensuring that Heaven endures. Brahma Qi fills the celestial firmament, from which the laws of all things unfold.

The Three Key Principles govern and extend through the Thirty-Two Heavens, while the celestial wheel turns without pause. The Formless Heavens extend throughout the ten directions. The stars wheel through the sky, passing through the Winnowing Basket mansion and returning again and again, crossing the Five Constants. The combined Qi of the thirty-five divisions returns to the Upper Origin, joining the profound depths of the Eight Radiances as Qi enters the mysterious realm.

The Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Center, the High Perfected, and other divine beings descend in abundance above the Great Rosy Clouds, chanting the Cavernous Chapters, Daoist scriptures. Golden true Qi shines in splendid radiance, its sound spreading through the clouds. Jade-toned music draws in numinous Qi, and spirit winds gather purple mists and clouds. The Qi of the Purple Void rises in lush beauty; Yin shadows transform into immortal realms. A thousand kinds of change and myriad forms harmonize, and the true Dao comes into being naturally.

Within the true Dao are divine beings: the Great Lord of Long Life, the Azure Florescence Lord, the Venerable Spirit of the Moon’s Soul, the Great One in charge of destiny, and Taokang Heyan. They wield talismans and registers, protect life, and nurture the root of life. They roam above the Highest Clarity, enter and leave the Flowery Chamber, and dwell within the dark reaches of the eight directions, even in the most subtle places.

They descend to guard the human body, regulating the Five Qi in the Muddy Pellet Palace, where the head’s spirit and Qi reside, and the Crimson Palace, where those of the heart reside. They bring the hundred spirits into harmony. After ten cycles, they turn back the numinous Qi and gather the myriad Qi, helping people become immortal.

The Way of the Immortals prizes cherishing life and can save people without limit. Each month, ten gates of flying celestial treasure wheels administer blessings, punishments, and prohibitions according to the fated ties of each person, so that all beings may receive deliverance. The souls of the dead may be born again in bodies, and bodies may receive new life. They ascend to the heavens; above each heaven is a gate of life.

Among these are songs of the Empty Cavern, numinous writings of the Celestial True Kings. The words of these texts are interwoven with the teachings of the High Perfected.

Chapter One: The Sound of the Moon’s Radiance and Yin Shadow Flying Through the Air

Within the Six Directions, all was still and empty; at the beginning, nothing existed. The void suddenly stirred of its own accord. The flow of Qi became wind, and the wind began to turn. Its howling formed the hard wind, while Qi became the primordial Qi.

Qi was like black mist. The wind drove the mist together, transforming it into a black moon that floated without direction. From within the blackness arose red, and the red sphere became the sun.

The splendor and substance of Heaven and Earth thus came into view: the moon is the sun’s source. Ten forces spread throughout, and fluids of five colors flowed forth. All numinous beings looked up to and revered the Moon’s Radiance and Yin Shadow.

Yang Qi arose within utmost Yin, and light flourished; this is the root of creation and transformation. Yin and Yang depend on one another, while five forces gathered into luminous essence associated with the moon’s radiance. The beings of Heaven drew near to me.

Chapter Two: The True King’s Chapter of the Moon’s Radiance and Yin Shadow

In the mountain hollow of Dragon Mountain, green silk-like foliage encircles the moon. Heavenly light meets unseen, and jade-like snowflakes swirl in all directions. When Yang Qi reaches its height, Yin Qi arises; Yin Qi becomes the ruler of the myriad things.

With Yin still and inactive, all things nevertheless flourish and grow; Yang Qi moves, while Yin Qi remains quiet. The scene of Yin is naturally balanced and upright. Change arises within stillness, and each thing fulfills its own nature and life.

You do not understand the true principle and are always exhausting my spirit. In the realm of emptiness and stillness, you yourselves gradually fall into ruin. You do not know how to preserve the spirit: to guard Shen is to be still. From this comes the practice image of Yin Radiance, associated with moonlight and Yin Qi, which becomes a method. Within the body, the utmost Yang Qi arises; the spirit strides among the Dipper stars, as in the ritual steps that trace the Northern Dipper. Swallow the Golden Liquor and roam the land of the white clouds. Why remain attached to the human world? A youthful face will eventually grow old.

Song of the True King of the Third Moonlight Yin Radiance

The spirit wind bears the bright moon, and the world travels with the clouds. All one sees are countless towers, with rainbows rising above their jade beams. The Queen of Heaven wears a yellow embroidered robe; her pendant rings chime and her radiance shines over the nine heavens. Ten dragons race forth, bearing pure white essence.

Cultivate upward and gaze toward the dwelling place of the spirits. Draw in essence and contain the utmost essence within. Transform the body, washing the intestines and stomach three times; in the Divine Empyrean, your immortal name is inscribed. Qi and blood naturally fill the brain, while Yin Radiance lengthens the years of life. Dark dew arises in the sea, and true water comes from the depths of the netherworld.

The Southern Palace delivers seven generations of ancestors; the Northern Capital dispels sins and calamities. At ease, ride the flying carriage and race toward the Palace of Vast Cold. Though you pass through calamities, your youthful beauty remains; for a thousand years, no sound of sorrow is heard. From this we know that the utmost true Dao brings forth the myriad spirits through wondrous transformations.

I sing beneath the Great Clarity and bow as I ride a jade horse. Golden moonlight surges like a tide, and the lovely scenery seems close enough to reach out and pluck. Moon essence nourishes the spirits. I sing once more and continue my account.

This is the Song of the True King above the Three Realms, in the midst of flight through the sky; its sound accords with the Cavern Chapters, sacred passages of Daoist scripture. Recite it a hundred times, and your name will be entered in the Southern Palace register. Recite it a thousand times, and the True King will protect and welcome you. Recite it ten thousand times, and your Daoist work will be complete: you will ascend through the vast sky, transcend the Three Realms, and take your place among the Immortal Lords.

All who hear the wondrous music of the immortals are honored by the True King, who commands the Earth Spirits to guard and escort them. They are freed from the gates of hell and spared the Five Sufferings and Eight Hardships; their ancestors of seven generations are also elevated and forever leave the underworld. The souls of the dead are delivered to Vermilion Mound, where they undergo refinement and are given life anew. This is called boundless universal salvation, delivering beings without end.

All the heavens honor this secret celestial text. Whoever reveals it or treats it with disrespect will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon seven generations of ancestors.

The Dao says: The previous two chapters are both voices secretly transmitted by the Divine King Jielin, the exalted divinity who dwells in the moon. They speak of the Way of Yin Radiance. It precedes Yang Qi (vital energy of a yang nature): Yang Qi is where Yin Qi resides, and the moon appears through the sun. As the moon passes through its phases—first quarter, full, and new—Yin and Yang are distinguished. The method of fetal breathing brings the natures of Metal and Water to completion. By gathering the spirit and holding the breath, one lengthens life, nurtures and stabilizes the fetal origin, and thereby preserves one’s years.

Heaven and Earth uphold this principle. Within the Deep Abyss of the Moon’s Essence, the Mother of Qi (the source of the Qi of all things) comes forth. She is the primal source of the myriad beings and their hidden ancestor. The True Fire is passed down from generation to generation; the Three Officials (the Heavenly, Earthly, and Water Officials venerated in Daoism) move back and forth, bringing forth and transforming the myriad things, until their merit and virtue are complete. The Supreme Emperor governs through Wuwei (non-action), while the primal nature of De (Virtue/Power) operates unseen. These are words of the Great Brahma, not ordinary worldly speech. Their language has no rhyme, and their melody is not ornate; hence they are called writings of mysterious profundity, difficult to investigate fully. They are scriptures treasured by Heaven and kept in secret at the palace of the King of Jade Clarity in the High Divine Heaven of the Mysterious Capital. The Dao Lord, following the turning of the times, descended into the human world and transmitted this scripture. If a perfected person of profound virtue and cultivation brings gold and treasure, sincerely follows the established rites, and declares an oath of allegiance, then after ten days this scripture may be transmitted to them.

The Dao says: The workings of Heaven and Earth have their periods of flourishing and decline, their beginnings and endings; the sun, moon, and five planets wax and wane. Even the most sacred divine beings experience favorable and adverse circumstances. Those whose cultivation of the Dao is shallow and who have not yet become immortals may encounter calamity or illness. When such disasters occur, all who are affected by the same Qi should join in fasting and cultivation, offer incense at six appointed times each day, and recite the scripture ten times. Then blessings and virtue will descend, and every kind of ill omen will disperse. This immeasurable text can universally save beings without limit.

The Dao says: Those who have cultivated the Dao only briefly, whose attainment is still insufficient, or whose rank among the immortals is not yet complete may be nearing the end of their allotted lifespan, with their bodies undergoing the calamity of Great Yin, a dark realm associated with the moon and Yin Qi. For such a person, perfected companions in the cultivation community should offer incense and recite the scripture ten times, then perform the rites to deliver the corpse. The moon’s radiance will then remain bright, Yin Radiance will send down its essence, and True Qi will suddenly arise. The Yang Spirit (the yang aspect of a person’s spirit) will be restored, and the person’s spirit will ascend directly to the Southern Palace. The days are then reckoned according to the merit earned through their cultivation, granting them renewed life. They will pass through cycles of rebirth without perishing and will ultimately become an immortal.

The Dao says: When the workings of Heaven and Earth are nearing their end, the stars move in disorder, the sun and moon lose their radiance, the seasons fall out of sequence, and Yin and Yang become unbalanced; when disasters strike the land, virulent plagues spread, and the people die in great numbers, or when teachers and companions face the end of their lives, all should fast, offer incense, and recite the scripture. The merit of fasting and reciting the scripture is immense: above, it can dispel celestial disasters and protect and calm the emperor; below, it can drive away poisons and save the people. Both the living and the dead can receive its blessings, and its merit and virtue are beyond measure. Hence it is called “the immeasurable universal deliverance of Heaven and humankind.”

The scripture says: Anyone who can cultivate this scripture for Heaven and Earth, the emperor, and the common people should, on days of calamity, set their intention on fasting, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times. Then the various heavens will record their name, and the gods will protect them. In this way, they may have the opportunity to become a perfected person and qualify to serve as a minister in the Golden Tower of the Sage Sovereign. The heavens record people’s merits and faults, omitting nothing, however small; the true kings of Heaven will also recommend and protect you. Only after attaining the Dao should those who cultivate the Way truly understand these profound truths.

“Among the heavens, the Great Brahmā’s hidden words resound in countless tones” refers to celestial hidden words composed by the Dao Lord. The following are the hidden words of the four celestial directions—East, South, West, and North—as recorded in the middle chapter, “Moonlight and Yin Radiance,” of the Primordial Beginning’s Numinous Writ. Each direction has eight heavens. The characters listed are symbolic secret writings of the celestial realm. Since the original gives no word-by-word explanation, they should not be forced into an interpretation.

Eight Heavens of the East

Yin watches the meeting of radiance; moon pearls congeal into liquid; the wooded heights’ foundations brighten the soul.

Jade-green clouds leave their traces; refined merit is praised in a net; the Yi pearl is a cliff of jade.

The passage of spirits opens the subtle; numinous perfection shines forth; within Tan, red sand blazes.

Secret Yu diligently keeps the laws; Chang, Jiao, Liu, and Gui; wondrous brightness reflects the sun.

Broad He, the primordial lineage; the transformed pool is deep and secret; Yang perfection becomes wind.

The splendor of change is set in motion and harmonized.

Eight Heavens of the South

Red radiance flourishes with numinous power; one watches the instructions and bears the insignia; the Yang measure rises crosswise.

The raft reaches the utmost limit; jade torrents contain emptiness; true unity settles transformation.

Flowing along, one steps through the realm; clouds are replenished, floating corridors appear; stations are ordered, flames surge upward.

The司 holds authority and moves swiftly through the currents; enchanting waves fill the cavernous valley; true purity is forbidden jade.

Fine soldiers, mushroom dew; the bronze bell is struck, stored within the fortified enclosure; the altar is established, the shock is raised, and Pi Di is assisted.

The mysterious direction forks toward peace.

Eight Heavens of the West

Numinous holders open and transmit; the school’s blade commands the clouds; provisions and rank are assigned.

Shen and Bi shine in response; the imperial immortals gather in ranks; passing through the rosy clouds, they remain beyond.

Green registers honor the light; golden thunder rests in silence at the Wei; refined profusion fills the canopy.

The Three Pure Ones inspect and assess; assistance is extended and precious things recorded; the Phoenix Gate rises in splendid peaks.

Those who hold the canon pursue integrity; in the mysterious homeland, divine force surges; clear and mighty, they spread brightness.

The Long Geng star floats as an auspicious sign.

Eight Heavens of the North

The cavern ridge confronts the surging waves; opposing billows rise in splendor; fragrant reserves are completed and support provided.

The dragon’s perfection is transmitted greatly; grasping the pivotal links, they array against demons; they raise thunder and bless the borders.

Blazing mountains tilt and rush; the dark void’s sharp extremities; the azure tortoise and fire serpent.

In the hidden spring, officials contend; evil is controlled and the vile beheaded; at the summit, the steadfast Wu Luan.

The Celestial Worthy said: These writings are the “Great Brahma hidden words” used in the moon’s celestial realm, and they contain immeasurable sounds. In ancient times, people carved them into the ten-rayed palace in the moon, using them to summon and connect with the great Luminous Spirit.

These writings spread light through the Great Void and summon Yang Qi, enabling all things to become real. They return Yang Qi to True Yin and make True Yin hold fast to True Yang, allowing spirit and Qi to endure. They can help a person refine a body of gold and bones of jade, shape the body with moonlight, and cleanse away impurities, ultimately enabling one to become an immortal and ascend to the heights.

Those who respectfully hear and praise the merit of the Celestial Origin receive immeasurable blessings. Each character is vast and elongated, measuring a zhang in length. The August Person of Heavenly Truth once wrote these characters as the correct sounds. If someone knows their sounds and can observe purification and recite them, the heavens will send a Flying Cavalry Spirit King to inspect him, record his meritorious deeds, and report them to the heavens. The myriad spirits will come to pay homage, while the earth spirits keep watch before his gate. The Great Merit True King will recommend him for elevation among the ranks of the Supreme Perfected. Once his Dao practice is complete, he will be able to travel through the Three Realms and enter the Golden Gate.

These sounds can dispel, avert, deliver, and bring things to completion without limit: they are the natural sounds of Heavenly Truth. Thus, reciting them summons a Flying Cavalry Spirit King to inspect the reciter. The Moon Consort sings in response from afar, the myriad spirits come to pay homage, and the gods of the Three Realms attend nearby. All evil beings bow their heads and bind their hands; ghosts and monsters vanish of their own accord. Their jewel-like tones reverberate in all directions, bringing calm and clarity to the ten directions. Rivers and seas fall silent, mists vanish from the mountains, the myriad numinous beings are awestruck and submit, and the assembled immortals are summoned. There is no turbid Qi in heaven, no demons or dust of impurity on earth, and even the underworld becomes bright and pure. This is a vast and profound realm, mysterious and without limit.

Pronunciations and glosses: The following are the pronunciations and meanings of several rare characters. For example, “𡜍” is equivalent to “嫉”; “𧵥,” pronounced “guǐ,” means wealth or property; “頧” is equivalent to “追” and describes something crooked; “澒” is pronounced “yú qǐng”; “窊,” pronounced “wā,” means low or sunken; “飤,” pronounced “sì,” means provisions; “滉,” pronounced “huǎng,” refers to the gleam of water; “礜,” pronounced “yù,” refers to a poisonous stone; and “□” is the character “竞.”

At the end of the text, “The Section on the Union and Separation of Yin and Yang and the Transformation of the Five Phases” is listed separately. It appears to be the title of a subsequent text or chapter.

The Dao says: Long ago, in the Heaven of Mysterious Transformation—the celestial realm described by Daoism—Primordial Beginning, the Heavenly Worthy of Limitless Excellence, who manifests the union and separation of Yin and Yang and the Five Phases through the transforming earth of the Great Perfected One of Primordial Illumination and Numinous Song, was about to proclaim this scripture. He recited it ten times in an unbroken cycle to summon the divine beings of the ten directions.

At that time, countless divine beings arrived through the air, including the Great Gods of Heavenly Truth, the High Sages and Venerable Ones, and the Perfected Ones of Wondrous Practice. Light shone from their bodies. They rode in red carriages adorned with canopies and kingfisher feathers; radiant colors illuminated the scene, while auspicious vapors swirled around them. For nine days and nine nights, the Yin-Yang movements of the heavens, the courses of the sun, moon, and stars, and the Three Origins—the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, or the three Qi—came to a halt. The vast sky was clear and profound, its scene beyond description; winds and clouds fell still, and all things flourished. The mountains, rivers, and forests throughout the land became level and even, with no difference in height. The earth was patterned like jade, interwoven with countless colors.

The Perfected Ones stood in attendance beside the seat. The Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright on the Taiji seat of Ten Flowers and Nine Lights in midair and proclaimed the scripture. When he had recited it once, the Great Sages of the heavens praised him together.

At that time, the illnesses and accumulated calamities afflicting the men and women of the land were dispelled. At the second recitation, all things each fulfilled their own life; at the third, Dao Qi returned to the forms of things; at the fourth, the people became prosperous and long-lived, and their lifespans were extended; at the fifth, the rising and descending of Heaven and Earth and the movement of Yin and Yang came naturally into harmony; at the sixth, the seasons followed their proper course, nourishing all things and dispersing calamity; at the seventh, the myriad spirits worked together to bring forth and nurture life, and all things flourished; at the eighth, the realm became peaceful and prosperous, the people healthy and enjoying an era of peace, and the state endured in prosperity; at the ninth, customs became pure and generous, and people honored the Perfected Ones who had attained the Dao; at the tenth, both the living and the dead received its benefits, universally relying on its mysterious grace.

At that time, all the men and women of the land sincerely turned toward the Dao. All received protection and deliverance, and attained long life.

The Dao says again: At that time, with each recitation by the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning, countless divine beings from one direction arrived through the air. At the first recitation, the Great God of Jade Treasure, of infinite rank and number, from the boundless East, arrived with countless divine beings. At the second, the Great God of Mysterious Truth, of infinite rank and number, from the boundless South, arrived with countless divine beings. At the third, the Great God of Supreme Wonder, of infinite rank and number, from the boundless West, arrived with countless divine beings.

The Great God of Ziyang, from the limitless and measureless grade of the north, came soaring through the air with countless attendants to hear the scripture. When it had been recited for the fifth time, the Great God of Deliverance, from the limitless and measureless grade of the northeast, arrived with countless attendants. At the sixth recitation, the Great God of Cherishing Life came from the southeast; at the seventh, the Great God of Luminous Splendor came from the southwest; at the eighth, the Great God of Dark Mystery came from the northwest; at the ninth, the Great God of Jade Void came from above; and at the tenth, the Great God of the True Sovereign came from below. Each arrived with countless attendants.

When the scripture had been recited ten times, many great and perfected gods from the limitless heavens of the ten directions arrived all at once. Men and women throughout the realm turned their minds toward reverence. Those who came to hear the scripture gathered like clouds and drifting mist, beyond counting. The crowds filled the land until the ground nearly sank beneath them; they could scarcely be held back. Yuan Shi Tianzun, the Daoist venerated deity, then gathered in the paired lights of the sun and moon and the Mysterious Root, coiling them together into a precious wheel. As large as a wheel hub, it hung in the air nine zhang above the ground.

Yuan Shi Tianzun led the perfected gods, the highest sages and exalted ones, the Perfected Ones of wondrous practice, and the many supremely perfected gods of the ten directions and of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—into the precious wheel. Those in heaven and on earth looked up and saw only flashes of light within. Once the gods had entered the wheel, no one knew where they were. The crowds in the realm then dispersed, and the ground returned to level, no longer tilting or collapsing.

Within the precious wheel, Yuan Shi Tianzun finished expounding the entire scripture. The gathered true gods watched over it and transmitted it to me. The joy and celebration of that moment defy description. When the ritual proceedings were nearly complete, the heavens each returned to their proper place, and in an instant all was silent.

At that time, the beings in heaven and on earth were fortunate to encounter this scripture and its teaching. They were universally delivered and could all preserve their full lifespans, without suffering harm before their time. The people between heaven and earth were in accord with the supremely true Dao. Nothing among the myriad things was diminished, ruined, disturbed, thrown into disorder, or at fault.

Wherever there was blockage, discord no longer prevailed; among the myriad things, there were no differences. There was neither decline nor extinction. Nothing met an untimely end, and people lived long lives. People cared for one another with compassion and kindness, united in heart; the state was at peace, the people had plenty, and all joyfully enjoyed a time of peace.

When the Scripture on Deliverance (the Wondrous Scripture of Limitless Deliverance, Supreme Grade, of the Lingbao) first began to circulate, it transformed an entire state. All who held aspirations, believed in this Way, and worshipfully paid their respects could attain deliverance.

The Dao says: The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning declared that what is spoken of in the scripture consists entirely of the inner names and hidden tones of the gods of the various heavens, as well as the secret names of the kings among the perfected beings and the concealed names of the myriad spirits. These names can move in and out of being and nonbeing, separate and unite Yin and Yang, and bring change to the Five Phases; yet their essence returns to the constant Dao. They can shine forth in manifestation, yet also remain hidden or disappear. Understand them and put them into practice, and you can set Yin and Yang in motion. These are not ordinary words of the world.

The highest sages have already become perfected beings. They understand the mysteries, investigate what is hidden, and can fully grasp the chapters of the scripture. Reciting it ten times can mobilize the spirits who govern the transformations of Yin and Yang and the Five Phases throughout the heavens and the earth.

Perform rites and offer reverence with a single-minded heart, and the wondrous power will bring the constant Dao into harmony. By never neglecting to nurture the forces of life, the myriad kinds of beings will naturally sprout, each finding its proper place, without being damaged or diminished. Those who cultivate and study at a higher level recite it ten times, and Yin and Yang then follow De; the Five Phases each fulfill their function. In this way they accord with the guiding principles of Heaven’s workings, whose cycles and measures are without end. They can preserve and rescue those in distress, dispel calamity, and prolong life.

This is because the Dao Qi of those who cultivate the Way has not yet become pure and harmonious; their bodies and minds have not yet joined with the Dao, their Shen and Qi have not yet been properly regulated, and their cultivation has not reached the wondrous realm. Thus they can only strive to dispel calamities in the present, pray to avert misfortune and halt ill fortune, and drive away harm. If they recite this chapter carelessly or irreverently, retribution will fall upon them. By making offerings to this scripture and honoring it, a household’s lineage and livelihood will prosper from generation to generation, flourishing and forming good karmic ties. The myriad calamities will be unable to intrude, and the spirits will guard the household.

This scripture is exalted and mysterious, without equal in the Jade Capital, and delivers beings without limit; it is the root of the myriad Ways. Its loftiness and greatness, and the blessings it bestows, cannot be fully described.

The Dao teaches: If anyone recites this scripture ten times, the heavens will all descend together. The disordered and conflicting energies and patterns of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases will thereby be brought into harmony and aligned with the true Dao. After three years of recitation and practice, one can assist the workings of creation and communicate with the unseen, enabling spirits to respond and employ the subtle gateways of mystery. One can take part in nurturing and transforming the myriad things and bringing about their growth and change, as though holding the authority of creation itself. One’s name will also be entered in the register of the Golden Palace, where the Celestial Emperor resides, and one will be admitted to the realm of Jade Purity.

Those who practice the Highest Dao and recite this scripture can bring Yin-Yang and the Five Phases, both within and beyond the body, into accord with the mysterious Dao. In their outward actions, they follow the patterns of Heaven and Earth; in their inward practice, they safeguard their innate original Qi. The workings within and without thus accord with nature. Ordinary people who receive and recite the scripture can also, nourished by the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars, gradually cultivate the Way of Corpse Liberation, a Daoist practice in which one leaves behind the mortal body and the spirit ascends: the body temporarily perishes, but the spirit avoids the underworld, manifests a body anew, and roams through the vastness of space. This scripture is subtle and boundless, able to save all without limit. All heavenly beings and humans can receive immeasurable blessings from it, and both the living and the dead benefit from its grace.

This is a precious scripture bestowed by Heaven and must not be passed lightly to later generations. Those who practice the Dao must prepare gifts such as gold and silk, and may transmit it only after making a sincere oath. Anyone who carelessly reveals it or treats the scripture disrespectfully will bring calamity upon seven generations of ancestors and will be made to serve under ghost officials for a long time. Twenty-four Jade Youths and twenty-four Jade Maidens attend upon this scripture. They will guard it and protect those who receive it.

The Dao teaches: Observe an extended fast and recite this scripture in the first month. Yin and Yang will unite, and the myriad things will grow. Hardness and softness will be harmonized; the energies of the Five Phases will intermingle and circulate, bringing harmony to body and mind. The body will suffer no harm, and body and spirit will endure.

Observe an extended fast and recite this scripture in the seventh month. Yin and Yang will unite, and the myriad things will ripen. The scripture’s Qi will nourish the hun and po souls, making them whole and complete. The energies of the Five Virtues will nurture body and mind, bringing clarity to the body and preserving the wholeness of body and spirit.

Observe an extended fast and recite this scripture in the tenth month. Yin and Yang will unite, and the myriad things will return to their true nature and accord with the mysterious source. The Five Essences will be nourished, strengthening body and mind and keeping body and spirit vigorous for a long time. In general, these practices can protect and stabilize the emperor and the state, ensuring the country’s lasting prosperity and a clear, enduring government.

Reciting this scripture on the Eight Seasonal Nodes—the eight important points in the Daoist calendar—can open, guide, and harmonize the energies of Heaven and Earth, gathering strength to assist the work of creation. Through sustained practice and the accumulation of merit, one can enter the ranks of the immortals and perfected beings.

Reciting this scripture on one’s birth-cycle day, the commemorative day corresponding to one’s year and date of birth, can draw upon the mysterious original Qi of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases to preserve life and support body and mind. One will remain free from suffering for a long time, and the body will shine with radiance. The spirits of the Three Realms will guard one on every side; the Five Emperors will come to welcome one, and the myriad spirits will pay homage. One’s name will be entered in the celestial register. When one’s merit is complete, one can ascend by flight to Highest Clarity, the pure celestial realm revered in Daoism.

The scripture says that on each day one practices this Jing (scripture), one should first bathe in fragrant, warm water, observe a fast, and purify oneself, and only then enter the meditation chamber.

Facing east, one clicks the teeth thirty-two times, thereby reaching upward to the heart of the Thirty-Two Heavens (the thirty-two layers of the celestial realm in Daoist cosmology), and then performs obeisance. After clicking the teeth thirty-two times, one closes the eyes and settles the mind in visualization: one is seated upright amid clouds of blue, yellow, and white Qi (vital energy), with the inner and outer worlds alike profound and boundless. One then visualizes the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion Bird, and the Black Tortoise (the divine beasts of the four directions, guarding east, west, south, and north respectively), along with a lion and a white crane, arrayed to the left and right. The radiance of the sun and moon shines down, penetrating everything with clear brilliance and illuminating the whole chamber. One then visualizes a halo of light (a sacred circular disk of radiance) emerging behind the nape of the neck, its rays shining clearly and distinctly in all ten directions.

Next, one silently recites a secret incantation, whose general meaning is as follows:

"O Supreme Mysterious Origin, Most High Lord of the Dao (that is, Taishang Laojun, the highest deity of Daoism), I beseech you to summon from within my body the Three and Five Officials of Merit (the spirit officers whom Daoists visualize within the body, responsible for transmitting memorials and petitions), together with the attendants of the left and right, the Jade Youths who tend the incense, the Jade Maidens who convey messages, the Duty Talismans of the Five Emperors (the talisman envoys of the Heavenly Emperors of the five directions), and the Officer of Incense for the day, thirty-two of each, to carry upward on my behalf the matters I have set forth. Today is an auspicious and joyful day. In this pure and tranquil hall, I observe a long fast and practice cultivation, reciting the Wuliang Duren Jing (Scripture of Limitless Salvation). May the vow I have made ascend directly to the most honored desk of the Primordial Celestial Sovereign (Yuanshi Tianzun), Supreme Lord of the Thirty-Two Heavens." The incantation ends here.

Then one draws in Qi (guiding the breath through exhalation and inhalation, drawing in the pure Qi) thirty-two times, and, facing east, recites the scripture.