《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 19

The Dao says: Long ago, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning once dwelt in the transformed land of Jingyao Huifeng, within Linghua Heaven, where he received and proclaimed the Scripture of the Supreme, Immeasurable Grade for Delivering People in the Sacred Realms of the Ten Directions. At that time, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning circled through the directions and made ten circuits, summoning the assembled saints of the sacred realms of the ten directions to take their seats. The great gods of heavenly truth, the supreme sages and exalted worthies, the perfected ones of wondrous practice, and the Immortal Lords and Immortal Kings of the transformed lands and worlds in the sacred realms of the ten directions—all countless beings—came riding through the air.

They arrived borne on dark clouds and flying rosy mists. Phoenix chariots, vermilion wheels, and ornate canopies overlapped and glimmered; precious light surged upward, illuminating the darkness in all eight directions and shining across the Great Void. For nine days and nine nights, light filled every place: the palaces of the sun and moon in the heavens, the starry palace walls, the palaces of the Celestial Emperors, jeweled towers and terraces, vermilion pavilions, divine peaks and jade mountains, and jade platforms. It reached as far as the realms of Cangdan and Xuansu, Qingdu, the Nine Abysses, the Six Circuits, and the Ten Extremities, illuminating them all and passing through without obstruction.

Within one kingdom, the ground, mountains, rivers, and forests became level and even, with no longer any difference in height; the entire land turned to yellow jade. The pure Qi of the central heaven poured down into the earth, while divine power leveled the terrain. All things ceased to show different colors. The Perfected Ones stood around in attendance as the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat in repose upon a nine-pointed, red-inscribed seat of fire-jade in the Great Void.

When the scripture had been recited once, the great sages of all the heavens praised him together. At that time, the men and women of the kingdom listened reverently to the subtle teachings and all understood the wondrous Dao. When the scripture was recited a second time, they saw miraculous transformations with their own eyes and discerned the myriad affairs and connections. At the third recitation, they gathered pure Qi and were all able to proclaim the teachings of the Dao. At the fourth, obstructions accumulated over millions of eons dissolved with a thought. At the fifth, the Qi of Golden Truth dispersed what was knotted and congested, freeing the joints and channels throughout the body. At the sixth, jeweled flowers sprang up from the earth and jade-colored patterns unfurled across the heavens. At the seventh, all manner of beings, distant and without end, were preserved. At the eighth, the ghost officials ceased their interrogations, and souls in the netherworld were able to ascend. At the ninth, the wondrous light of the Void Emperor shone across the ten directions; immeasurable Primordial Palaces manifested through his emanations, and all the heavenly beings turned with reverence to gaze toward the direction where they stood. At the tenth, jade talismans descended to stabilize and guard the sacred mountains, bringing deliverance to the world and peace beneath heaven, so that calamities would never again befall it.

At that time, every man and woman in the kingdom wholeheartedly believed and accepted the teaching. All were delivered and aided, and attained long life.

The Dao says: At that time, when the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning recited the scripture for the first time, in the eastern direction, the Boundless, Immeasurable-Grade Great God Renwang Wu…

When the scripture was recited for the second time, the Great Deity Heming of the Boundless and Measureless Realm of the South arrived through the air with countless attendants to hear it expounded. At the third recitation, the Great Deity Haoyuan of the Boundless and Measureless Realm of the West arrived through the air with countless attendants. At the fourth, the Great Deity Xuanguang of the Boundless and Measureless Realm of the North arrived; at the fifth, the Great Deity Bao’an of the Boundless and Measureless Realm of the Northeast; at the sixth, the Great Deity Liuyun of the Boundless and Measureless Realm of the Southeast; at the seventh, the Great Deity Zhenji of the Boundless and Measureless Realm of the Southwest; at the eighth, the Great Deity Chigang of the Boundless and Measureless Realm of the Northwest; at the ninth, the Great Deity Shengfang of the Boundless and Measureless Realm Above; and at the tenth, the Great Deity Yankang of the Boundless and Measureless Realm Below. Each arrived through the air with countless attendants.

When the ten recitations were complete, the great deities from the pure and sacred realms of the celestial worlds in all ten directions arrived together. Men and women throughout the land sincerely turned toward the teaching, and those who came were as numerous as dust in the air and dense mist. Carriages and horses gathered in great throngs; dark clouds converged from every direction; heavenly blessings filled the sky, and layer upon layer of white vapor spread across it. The spectacle was beyond restraint.

At that moment, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, a revered deity in Daoism, released a wondrous light from his hand. It became a round radiance that gathered into a treasure cloud, shining brightly like the full moon suspended in the sky. It hovered in the mysterious void, about a hundred zhang above the ground. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning led the pure and sacred great deities of the celestial realm, the High Sages and Exalted Venerables, accomplished adepts, and the great deities and countless attendants from the boundless celestial worlds in all ten directions into the treasure wheel, the circular halo symbolizing the sacred assembly. Those in heaven looked up and saw only the procession entering through the wheel’s radiance. Once they had entered, no one knew where they were.

The crowds throughout the land gradually dispersed, and the earth returned to its quiet, fertile state, with no further changes. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning then finished expounding the scripture within the treasure wheel. The gathered adepts jointly oversaw and protected this transmission, and passed the scripture on to me. At that time…

At this, everyone rejoiced and celebrated beyond words. The ritual was brought to a perfect close, and the spirits each returned to their proper place. Before long, all around was silent, and not a sound could be heard.

At this time, the people of Heaven, having encountered this great rite, received its widespread grace and deliverance. They were able to live out their allotted years, without suffering premature death or harm. The people throughout the realm turned their hearts toward reverence and understood how to form a bond with the Dao. They did not grow lax, turn back, fall into ruin, or change their ways; they did not act carelessly, flatter others, seek their own advantage, or show partiality; they did not fawn, form factions, overstep bounds, or commit wrongs. Their words followed fundamental principles, and their lives were thereby prolonged. Together they nurtured hearts of compassion and wisdom, and their minds and spirits accorded with the wondrous, mysterious, and distant Dao. The state was peaceful and prosperous, and the emperor’s dynastic fortune endured without end. Thus this rite began to spread. In any country, those who had formed a bond with the Dao, held sincere devotion, and honored and carefully guarded this scripture could all be delivered from suffering.

The Dao says: The scriptures spoken by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning are composed entirely of grand sacred sounds formed from the Qi of the Three Heavens. Their words are also the hidden names used by perfected immortals in the sacred realms of the ten directions; they are not ordinary expressions of the human world. The Perfected One Who Opens Fortune in the Upper Origin, Thoroughly Penetrating and Awakened to the Mystery, can understand these scriptures. If they are recited ten times, the Nine Heavens rejoice, the spirits submit their reports, and the Three Officials, who govern the affairs of Heaven, Earth, and Water, record names in their registers and send them to the Jade Capital. The sun and moon shine more brightly, the stars move in their proper courses, great demons prostrate themselves in homage, and the myriad evil spirits are bound. The living receive deliverance, the dead are freed, and even decayed corpses can be transformed into human beings and become flying immortals of the Taiji.

If the scriptures are recited ten times, all beings in the realms of the ten directions and the boundless spirit lands, down to those in the Divine Continent, the Cavern Springs, and the seas and mountains, will be safe and at peace, each enjoying freedom. This is because the highest sages and perfected ones receive the finest Qi of nature, cultivate their immortal substance in the Azure Heavens, and know the Great Dao from birth. Thus they can communicate with the Jade Clarity realm and deliver all beings without exception. The perfected immortals among the flying immortals, by contrast, come into accord with the mysterious Dao only after long study and practice. Though they attain the same rank as the sages, they cannot compare with the sages of the Upper Origin: they can deliver beings in the earthly realms, but cannot govern the ordinances of the Heavenly Dao.

To recite this chapter carelessly brings calamity upon oneself. But those who honor and cherish this scripture, guard it carefully, and establish primordial merit can ensure that their family flourishes for generations, that its roots of goodness grow strong, that no evil spirit can intrude, and that the heavenly gods protect their gates. This scripture is mysterious and profound, revered throughout the myriad realms. It is a boundless means of delivering people and the foundation on which all beings cultivate the Dao. It is vast and upright, beyond the reach of complete description.

The Dao says: Anyone who recites this Jing ten times will send the wondrous sounds arising from its mystical passages up to Jade Clarity, the highest heaven in Daoist belief, where they will resonate with the August Void, the exalted gods of heaven. The true Qi of the Three Heavens and the subtle, mysterious Qi of the Nine Yangs will descend, opening the gates in the eight directions and pouring into Luofeng, the land of the underworld, and Quanqu, the passes of the netherworld. There they will refine the suffering souls among your ancestors across countless generations, enabling them to ascend to Zhuling, the place where Daoists believe the dead are delivered. All will be saved in due time. Sacred talismans will protect life and enable people to become perfected beings. Those who delight in studying the highest scriptures and complete their merit can all become flying immortals, ascend to the celestial palace of Jade, and roam the Nine Heavens.

Those who aspire to the Great Dao and practice and recite this Jing will be delivered at once and enjoy an honored place in the Southern Palace, a celestial office. Those in the human world who uphold and recite this Jing can live out their allotted years. After the Three Origins—the Upper, Middle, and Lower Origins in Daoist belief—they can all attain the path of refining the form in Great Yin, a method of cultivation that refines the body in the netherworld and grants rebirth.

The remains are placed beneath the Nine Springs, and the body entrusted to the earth; the soul neither wanders away nor sinks into stagnation. After passing through the cycles of calamity, it can be reborn. All heavenly beings and humans can be delivered and receive boundless blessings; both the netherworld and the human world will benefit. This Jing is a forbidden esoteric text of the Highest Mystery and must not be casually transmitted in the world. Those who possess the Dao should treasure it and transmit it only after making a sincere oath. If anyone recklessly reveals the text, calamity will extend to seven generations of their ancestors, who will be made to serve the Earth Officials for a long time. Forty-eight jade boys and forty-eight jade maidens from the sacred realm who attend this Jing will guard it and protect those who receive it.

The Dao says: If you observe a long fast and recite this Jing in the first month, true light will descend and broadly deliver the netherworld, removing the sins of your deceased ancestors and raising them to the Vermilion Palace, a celestial office. If you observe a long fast and recite this Jing in the seventh month, the Qi of true life will flow into your heart’s field. Your name will be entered in the Golden Register, the sacred Daoist roll, and you will become a high immortal. If you observe a long fast and recite this Jing in the tenth month, you will connect inwardly with the sacred realm and radiate the light of the Law outward. You will pray for kings and emperors, asking that the dynastic mandate continue and the borders remain secure, so that the many lands may be at peace and the world settled. Your blessings will be boundless, the sun, moon, and stars will move smoothly, and the life span of Heaven will flourish.

Reciting this Jing on the Eight Seasonal Nodes—the four beginnings, the two equinoxes, and the two solstices—can make you a Perfected Being who preserves life at the Vermilion Palace of Flowing Pearls, a Daoist honorific. Reciting this Jing on your birth day, the day in the sexagenary cycle corresponding to your birth, will bring the great sages of the ten directions and exalted lords of the transformed realms, riding clouds and dragons, to witness your oath. They will register your name with the Primordial Dipper, a celestial office associated with the Northern Dipper, and report it to the Dark Netherworld. The hundred gods will gather, your merit will reach the Nine Heavens, and even the great demons will recommend you, so that your body may ascend and take its place among the immortals.

The Dao says: On the day of a ritual observance, one should bathe with fragrant water and fast before entering the room and facing east. Click the teeth thirty-two times so that the prayer may reach the thirty-two heavens. Perform thirty-two bows, close the eyes, and quietly visualize yourself seated upright amid clouds of blue-green, crimson, and purple.

Amid the all-pervading, murky, and profound atmosphere, the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise stand in order on either side, along with divine beasts such as lions and white cranes. Sacred realms in all ten directions appear at once. The radiance of the sun and moon illuminates the chamber, while a circular halo appears overhead, its light shining in all ten directions.

The vision is so clear that I silently recite the spell:

“Supreme Lord of the Dao, Mysterious Origin and Great High One, summon from within my body the Three and Five Merit Officers, the officials and messengers on the left and right, the jade youths who attend to incense, the jade maidens who convey messages, the Five Emperors’ appointed talisman officers, the incense officers on duty for this day, and the other thirty-two of each kind. Let them come and convey the words I report: Today is an auspicious day. In the pure fasting hall, I observe the fast and cultivate the Way, reciting the Scripture of Limitless Deliverance. May what I pray for ascend to the heavenly court and arrive directly before the exalted throne of the Primordial Lord, Supreme Sovereign of the Limitless Thirty-Two Heavens.”

Having finished the recitation, guide the breath thirty-two times, then face east and recite the scripture.

The Wondrous Scripture of Limitless Deliverance, Upper Grade, by the Primordial Beginning

The foundational scripture of the Primordial Beginning’s Cavern-Mystery Numinous Treasure reveals the sacred realms in all ten directions. It is the hidden resonance of the red talisman through which the upper grade of the Divine Empyrean transforms and delivers beings. Its radiance appears naturally: profound and vast, it reaches into emptiness.

The Jade True One—the pure, jade-like source—established the laws of the Primordial Beginning, enabling the assembled spirits to gather. The Void Sovereign’s One Qi, the primordial energy of the cosmos, established the heavens and formed the worlds in all ten directions. Through the passage of five kalpas and seven transformations, the Divine Continent took shape. The heavenly gate underwent ten cycles, revealing a wondrous sacred realm.

Immortals, perfected beings, and imperial ministers opened three great paths, which dispersed and transformed into five forms; through them, all things were made complete. At the furthest reaches of emptiness, a numinous root emerged. Its spiritual radiance flowed upward and turned back to illuminate the four quarters. Moving on its own, it formed the foundation of all things. Its brilliance was crystalline, and nothing that responded to it failed to answer. The Great Simplicity, the original undivided substance, transformed into numinous writings that stirred and resonated through the nine heavens. Winds rose and mists swept forth, moving swiftly like wheels and nets.

Treasured essences converged in the abyss. The Vast Sovereign spread the transforming power of the Primordial Beginning, encompassing all things: this is creation. As the ten directions were about to open, mountains rose high and jade terraces stood tall. In the distance, a lofty capital reached up to the heavens; jade gates hung in the sky, and blue immortal light shimmered faintly. The imperial presence towered and filled the expanse. The city of the kalpa was vast, and the Three Spirits—heaven, earth, and humanity, or the three vital energies between heaven and earth—sat in ordered ranks upon jade seats.

The Great High One’s Mysterious Court, golden pavilions, and splendid halls stood in solemn array. They coursed with vital essence, spreading rosy clouds and nourishing primordial energy. Through their circulating transformations, they brought forth countless divine beings. Among them were the registrar spirits of the Ten Heavens, the Lords of the Supreme Way of Fangzhu, the Great Sage and Wondrous Primordial Perfected Ones, and the Elders who open and guide the realms. The divine sages of the four quarters—Donghua, the Southern Pole, Xiling, and Beiyu—together with the high perfected ones of the four intermediate directions, above, and below, proclaimed the great laws, taught heaven and humanity, and upheld the righteous laws of Heaven.

On the day of limitless deliverance, the assembled divine sages gathered and, summoned, descended before the hall.

The King of Divine Transformation who governs the sacred realm of the Eastern direction, the virtuous world, the Great Sage of Long Life, Limitless Deliverance...

The King of Divine Wisdom, the Great Sage of Long Life, from the sacred realm of the South, the “Radiant Separation World,” comes to deliver people.

The King of Summoned Immortals, the Great Sage of Long Life, from the sacred realm of the West, the “Bright Grotto World,” comes to deliver people.

The King of Abundant Auspiciousness, the Great Sage of Long Life, from the sacred realm of the North, the “Pure and Tranquil World,” comes to deliver people.

The King of Awe-Inspiring Virtue, the Great Sage of Long Life, from the sacred realm of the Northeast, the “Wondrous Splendor World,” comes to deliver people.

The King of Abundant Blessings, the Great Sage of Long Life, from the sacred realm of the Southeast, the “Nine Truths World,” comes to deliver people.

The King of Golden Splendor, the Great Sage of Long Life, from the sacred realm of the Southwest, the “Flowing Light World,” comes to deliver people.

The King of Divine Intelligence, the Great Sage of Long Life, from the sacred realm of the Northwest, the “Jade Dais World,” comes to deliver people.

The King of the Dao’s Pivot, the Great Sage of Long Life, from the sacred realm above, the “Purple Void World,” comes to deliver people.

The King Who Rescues from Calamity, the Great Sage of Long Life, from the sacred realm below, the “Compassionate Protection World,” comes to deliver people.

From the boundless ten directions—the four cardinal directions, four intermediate directions, above, and below—the Kings of Divine Transformation and Adaptation, together with the great gods who fly through the air to deliver the world and teach and transform living beings, arrive in procession. They ride crimson-cloud chariots and carriages adorned with green jade, beneath feathered canopies and on jade wheels. They are drawn by dark phoenixes, white tigers, and spotted dragons, and carry jade tally-staves of primordial radiance. Their banners shine with seven kinds of light. The Ten Heavenly Marshals form ranks at the front to lead the way; behind them follow soldiers transformed from the Yellow Gate, valiant steeds, and divine beasts such as the Azure Qilin. They bound through the sky, driving away evil spirits. Heavenly officials clear the road, while Dark Truth assists the carriages. Millions of vehicles and tens of thousands of mounted attendants come through the air; their radiance gathers, and the carriages wheel around.

They rescue living beings throughout the sacred realms and assist the Jade Palace of Taiwei, upholding the divine scriptures of the Primordial Supreme Spirit and spreading its teachings. The exalted Great Grotto beings, who govern the heavens and administer their laws, come together before the Celestial Emperor. They manifest in response to each direction, explain and transmit commands to the various heavens, and proclaim them throughout the eight quarters.

Their awe-inspiring light shines upon such places as the Spirit Pass of the Cold Night, the Left Bureau of the Grotto Spirit, the Nine Abysses of Northern Waters, the Supreme Luofeng, the Six Grottoes and Three Palaces, Qu Pond, the Dragon Stables, and the River Source of the Great Tribulation. Living beings in places such as the Wind Court, Fire Mountain, and Ice Mirror are also rescued and protected for a long time. The Azure Great Lord receives a command inscribed on a talisman and ascends at the appointed time. The evil paths are cut off from then on, and the roots of sin are destroyed. Sunlight shines down, reaching the netherworld and granting pardon to departed spirits. These spirits undergo refinement in the Vermilion Palace; through transformation into immortals, they are reborn as human beings. When the human body and Qi join in harmony, life can endure through the cycles of time. After passing through the turning cycles of karmic causes and conditions, one ultimately attains the same longevity as Heaven, forever escaping the calamities of the Yang Nine and Hundred Six, as well as disasters of wind-blades, water, and fire. One transcends the Three Realms and roams freely in the Nine Heavens of Purity.

The Nine Heavens of Purity are where the Celestial Emperor observes the netherworld, and where practitioners cultivate pure Brahma conduct in the formless realm.

The Eight Heavens of the East…

In the Celestial Realm of Cloud Chambers of the Numinous Orchid, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Jixing Wanying.

In the Celestial Realm of the Opening Truth and Accomplished Transformation, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Yanji Zhuang.

In the Celestial Realm of Secret Radiance and Coalesced Spirit, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Yitu Duyun.

In the Celestial Realm of the Sacred Abode of Jade Yang, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Chixu Bisheng.

In the Celestial Realm of the Flying Isles of the Sea Kingdom, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Muy Yanli.

In the Celestial Realm of the Still Peak and Empty Tones, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Ganshi Qingzhao.

In the Celestial Realm of Constant Wisdom and Utmost Benevolence, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Shu Ju Ci Ming.

In the Celestial Realm of the Spirit Isles and Traveling Chariots, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Yi Pingzi Ke.

The Eight Southern Heavens

In the Celestial Realm of Righteous Flame and Governed Order, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Liang Gong Chengfang.

In the Celestial Realm of Abundant Harvests and Harmony, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Dizong Zhongyi.

In the Celestial Realm of Vermilion Mound and Established Prohibitions, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Chongxian Jiuchun.

In the Celestial Realm of the Descending Capital and Manifested Spirits, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Bingrang Zhonghe.

In the Celestial Realm of the Cosmic Court, Which Inspects Essence and Subdues Demons, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Huidao Qing.

In the Celestial Realm of the Firm Pivot and Measured Light, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Xiangbang Shumei.

In the Celestial Realm of the Divine Capital and Shining Net, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Daxuan Youkui.

In the Celestial Realm of Majestic Light and Vast Armies, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Chengdu Qiyang.

The Eight Western Heavens

In the Celestial Realm of the Bound Platform and Feathered Warriors, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Heji Luchuan.

In the Celestial Realm of the Han Officials and Dutiful Atonement, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Mingwei Zikang.

In the Celestial Realm of the Western Platform of Turtle Crag, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Maoxing Liyan.

In the Celestial Realm of Direct Petition and Swift Spirits, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Situo Si.

In the Celestial Realm of the Hidden Mound and Secret Inspection, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Boyao Guang.

In the Celestial Realm of the Raised Ford and Hanging Spirits, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Zhufang Kuoming.

In the Celestial Realm of the Wave Pass and Dragon’s Aid, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Hechong Fu.

In the Celestial Realm of the Three Stars’ Head and Celebration of Life, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Chili Zhubin.

The Eight Northern Heavens

In the Celestial Realm of the Dark Yin and Night City, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Dingping Ruocheng.

In the Celestial Realm of the Solitary Light and Jade Peak, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Jimeng Bianxian.

In the Celestial Realm of the Black Lofty Heights and Thunder Ministry, the presiding Celestial Emperor is named Zepi Jiguang.

This passage lists the names of the celestial realms in the Lingbao scriptures and the Celestial Emperors who preside over them. The names of the heavens and emperors are mostly proper names, and are difficult to interpret literally. The original text ends at “Black Lofty Heights and Thunder Ministry”; the continuation does not appear in the passage provided.

The emperor of Zhengju Xixuan Heaven is named Bilu Qichang; the emperor of Taiyi Zhangyao Heaven is named Youquanziying; the emperor of Suqi Huitang Heaven is named Mindu Jiaohua; the emperor of Longwei Shehuang Heaven is named Zhuxian Bixi; and the emperor of Zize Hongling Heaven is named Duxiang Shigong.

These are the secret titles and hidden names of the thirty-two heavens and their thirty-two emperors. They are numinous texts that arose naturally from the emptiness of the celestial realm. The secret rhythms of the heavens are the sounds of the celestial realm, which is inhabited by the Most High, divine spirits, great demons, and numinous officers.

With the opening of the nine layers and the unfolding of the ten directions, the mysterious gateway of Shangqing—the subtle, pure celestial realm in Daoist teaching—blends and opens through to all things, deep and unfathomable. Daoist Qi brings Heaven and Earth into being, establishes the order of all things, and spreads its transformations through the ten directions. Today we rejoice in the good fortune of gathering here to survey the heavens. The sins accumulated in the human world have been erased and their evil roots cut away. Practitioners may now pass beyond the five calamities, rise on auspicious radiance, and hasten toward the realm where the True King dwells.

The True King oversees the Mysterious Gate, with authority that knows no bounds. The Eastern Dipper records the span of life; the Western Dipper governs punishment and execution; the Northern Dipper holds the covenants; the Southern Dipper judges character; and the Central Dipper proclaims the grace of the imperial house. The emperors of the five directions each perform their appointed duties: the Azure Emperor sets the mechanisms of movement in motion; the White Emperor oversees calculation; the Red Emperor commands primordial Qi; the Black Emperor brings the currents of Qi into circulation; and the Yellow Emperor, residing at the center, presides over the great transformations and their discernment. The True King of the Azure Heaven governs treasured blessings, union, and separation; the True King of the Red Heaven uses mysterious truth to investigate transgressions; the True King of the White Heaven orders the seasons through the Qi of Primordial Simplicity; the True King of the Black Heaven governs celestial transformation and the radiance of the clouds and sky; and the True King of the Yellow Heaven is where numinous Qi gathers. The True Kings of the Five Heavens hold honored positions above the myriad realms. They patrol the Three Realms, command the mighty divine troops, bear banners and talismanic insignia, and roam through Great Clarity. Their ranks and titles are manifest and coeval with Heaven. From above, they teach and transform the people, while strictly governing the gates of darkness.

The emperor of Ziwei Heaven is charged with sweeping away demons, evils, and calamities. Marshal Tianpeng bears the seal of authority, while the Divine Tiger displays its might. Flowing Fire clears the way ahead, and the Vermilion Phoenix flies behind. All malevolent ghosts and spirits among the Six Heavens must be seized and brought to justice. Should any dare to offend or resist the Celestial Perfected, the heavenly troops will strike from the left and punish from the right, cutting down and annihilating them as wind and fire rage without pause. Thousands upon thousands will be beheaded; tens of thousands upon tens of thousands will be destroyed. Demons and evils may not intrude, and ghosts and monsters may neither resist nor trespass. The Three Offices and Beifeng, the divine authority that governs the affairs of ghosts in the underworld, must inspect the ghost camps carefully, permit no negligence or license, and swiftly submit their memorials. Now a general proclamation is made to the immeasurable divine spirits of the ten directions and the emperors of the underworld in the eight directions: let this matter be reported to Zichen, the celestial emperor’s residence.

Before Chaos divided, there were no names, nor any distinction between turbid and clear. Later it split in two. The pure, subtle, and mysterious Qi gradually settled; tiny accumulations gathered into towering forms, and the transformations between Heaven and Earth began. Once the cycles of tribulation were established, change began even in the darkness, and all things took shape in the remote depths.

The source of all things blended into one. Above, there was no visible scene; below, no abyss from which things could emerge. Wind moved through the vast expanse of the Great Void, boundless and still. A sacred realm and the mystery of the Great Dao appeared of themselves. The azure firmament descended to meet the Earth, while Metal and Water congealed to form Heaven.

Heaven and Earth alike lay in profound darkness, without light, shadow, or form. The primordial Qi of undivided Chaos—the original energy present at the birth of Heaven and Earth—shone and blended together. The transformations of Crimson Radiance and Jade Void cycled without end, flowing naturally. From the Way of Heaven came the Golden Slips and Jade Chapters, scriptures recording the laws of Heaven and the perfected spirits, along with the pure essence of Crimson Yang and the mysterious writings of the Eight Enclosures.

These laws protected Mount Kunlun, sustaining it through age upon age of tribulation. The Brahma Qi, the vast and pure primordial energy spread throughout Heaven and Earth, unfolded ten thousand laws. The principles governing Heaven and Earth connected with one another, joining the Nine Earths to the Nine Heavens.

Within the Void, transformations revolved and gave rise to countless things. Stars circled Mount Xiao as they crossed the sky. Thirty-nine Heavenly Emperors presided over the Upper Origin, ruling the sacred realms in the ten directions. In the mysterious realm dwelt perfected spirits such as Taizhen, Shangjing, and Gaohuang. Riding the flowing primordial Qi and jade-colored clouds, they chanted and cried out, seeing through all things with lucid clarity.

Golden light spread outward; radiant splendor flowed and clouds gathered. The sounds of Heaven rang clear and harmonious, numinous light shone forth, and mist and rosy clouds filled the air. Light welled up in the vast sky, and wondrous scriptures appeared from it. A thousand kinds of beings came together and, of themselves, brought the Realms of Truth into being.

Within the Realms of Truth dwelt divine beings: the Great Lord of Long Life sat in the place of Azure Florescence, with the Jade Consort standing at his right. Taiyi, Siming, Taokang, Hechun, and other deities held talismans and registers, guarding and preserving the spiritual roots of those who cultivated the Dao. They roamed above in the Purple Clear Heaven and came and went within the realm of the Mysterious Elixir.

Within the three regions and the six extremes, they descended to guard the human body. They governed the palaces within it, including the Hall of Light and the Crimson Palace, and separately led the spirits of the Five Viscera, bringing them together and protecting the whole body. They set the clear winds in motion and harmonized the myriad forms of Qi, enabling all beings to become immortals. The immortal Dao takes cherishing life as its foundation and saves all beings without exception.

Thus the mysterious utmost realms of the ten directions opened, and the gateways of the eight directions stood wide, allowing people to travel between the Three Realms and receive scriptures bestowed by Heaven. In the presence of the Celestial Worthy of Jade Enclosure, guilt and merit, prohibitions and precepts, and the karmic ties of past lives were judged, so that all beings might be saved.

The Way of Heaven brings life into being, and all beings are born into the world. Above the heavens, each level of Heaven has a gateway through which life is brought forth. These gateways contain chapters on the transformations of the Heavenly Origin: the subtle and wondrous scriptures of the Most High, whose words accord with the teachings transmitted by the High Perfected.

First: The Sound of Flying Through the Ten Directions’ Sacred Realms

Mysterious radiance and the red energy of transformation: the Great Brahma Realm has no name or form; the sacred realm drifts and soars.

The palace of divine transformation has nine tiers of gates, and jade walls wind around it; the azure firmament spreads its light.

The Whirling Terrace has endured ten thousand tribulations. Heavenly sounds and radiance illuminate the scripture. There is a Great Sage within…

He wears robes patterned with dragons and a skirt patterned with tigers, with a purple crown on his head and gold ornaments at his waist. He governs the four quarters and transforms the earth into a sacred realm at the center. If you can maintain fasting over a long period, you can refine and deliver the spirit of Wenchang, cleanse the filth within the Purple Portal, and allow true Qi to enter the Crimson Chamber. The two spirits cast forth fiery light, and the primordial One Qi shines bright. At this time, you can see my true form: now hidden, now appearing, sometimes low, sometimes high, radiant and clear. When you cultivate through visualization, it seems to be right beside you. With the aid of divine power, roam between green palaces and red windows. My Dao is profound and mysterious; your heart joins with the wondrous realm of spirit.

Chapter on the Twentieth Sacred Realm

Transformed from One Qi, the myriad realms are clear and pure. The Dark Mountain rises steeply, and the Immortal Capital and Jade Capital tower aloft; the long forests flourish in beauty, while the Great Jade Court stands solemn and resplendent. Spirits clad in vermilion robes and dragon-patterned garments bring all things to life, setting their roots and helping them grow. The sacred realm appears as the seasons of Heaven turn, and the right Dao is thereby proclaimed; true Qi courses through flying mists, and the blossoms it forms shift in endless ways. Tall towers rise into the clouds, and the Bright Hall is vast and majestic; dragons roam and tigers race, while red banners spread across the sky like a net of clouds. When the sacred realm is concealed, it is like empty space; when it appears, it is like stars arranged across the heavens. Its appearance corresponds to the path followed by the cultivator and makes clear the distinction between good and evil. Jade Zhen rides a speckled dragon, soaring high in the divine wind.

Song of the Thirtieth Sacred Realm

In the age of the Dragon-Han cosmic catastrophe, all things existed in mysterious stillness and emptiness. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning opened Heaven and Earth, first bringing forth emptiness. In the heavens of the Great Cavern, the Upper Origin, Qingwei, and Yuyu, among others, the numinous scriptures were divided into nine teachings, and the writings of the Mysterious Truth into seven chapters. The heavenly ramparts of the eight directions stretch without bounds, and the sacred realms rise high at the four corners. The era of Red Brightness began, and the assembled sages governed the heavens. The Five Peaks rise aloft, expounding and spreading the Red Writings; the heavenly gates are vast, and the dwellings of emperors stand lofty. Numinous light descends to save living beings and free them from the Three Paths—the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals. Pardon is proclaimed at the source of the River, and the wind of the true Dao spreads far and wide. Chanting this song brings one into accord with the sacred Dao.

In the emptiness above the Three Realms—the different levels of existence, including Heaven, Earth, and the underworld—there are verses chanted by the True King. Reciting this passage one hundred times is called “crossing over to the Southern Palace.” Reciting it a thousand times brings the True King’s protection and welcome. After ten thousand recitations, one’s cultivation and merit are complete: one can ascend through the heavens, transcend the Three Realms, and take a place among the celestial officials.

After hearing the wondrous sound of Heaven, even the demon kings will revere its majesty and submit to its commands, while the earthly spirits will escort and protect the way. In this manner, one can leave the gates of the underworld, escape the Five Sufferings and Eight Calamities, raise the Seven Generations of ancestors, and depart forever from the passes of the netherworld. The souls of the dead can cross over to the Vermilion Mound, where Daoists refine and deliver the departed, and receive this refinement to regain life. This is called boundless universal deliverance, without end. This scripture is a secret text preserved by Heaven and revered by all the heavens. Anyone who reveals it or treats it with contempt will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon seven generations of ancestors.

The Dao says: These two chapters are verses kept secret by the Heavenly Emperors of the various heavens and the supremely numinous True King. They reveal profound truths of the highest mystery and display the vast scope of the teachings, enabling all beings in the heavenly realms to enter the sacred state. They are the language of the Great Brahma, the highest celestial realm in Daoism, not ordinary speech of the human world. Since they lack ornate rhythms and expressions, they are called mysterious and difficult to investigate or explain in detail. Heaven regards this scripture as a treasure and keeps it hidden in the Jade Palace of the Highest Divine Empyrean, the Jade Purity Heaven, a divine residence in the Daoist heavens. The Great Lord, acting under orders, transmits the teaching in accord with the Qi of the Dao. Those who cultivate with utmost sincerity must prepare gold and precious objects as tokens of faith and, following ancient regulations, swear an oath before the heavenly realms of the ten directions before receiving this scripture.

The Dao says: The workings of Heaven and Earth pass through periods of flourishing and decline, beginnings and endings. The sun, moon, and Five Planets—the ancient name for Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury—wax and wane. Even the most holy divine beings encounter hardship, and those whose cultivation of the Dao is still shallow are more easily harmed. Whenever such calamities occur, fellow cultivators should unite in performing a Zhai purification ritual to pray for blessings. They should offer incense six times each day and recite the scripture ten times. Blessings and merit will then swiftly descend, dispelling every kind of misfortune. This boundless scripture delivers all beings universally, without end.

The Dao says: Those whose cultivation of the Dao is still shallow may not yet have completed their rank among the immortals. When their allotted life is ending and they are due to be delivered, their bodies will pass through the realm of Great Yin, which in Daoism is associated with the netherworld and death. Fellow cultivators whose practice has borne fruit should offer incense and recite the scripture ten times on their behalf, following the proper rites to deliver their bodies. In this way, the good deeds they performed in life and the hidden merit they accumulated will be answered at the moment of death: sacred realms in the ten directions will appear, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning will sit in discourse or extend a hand to receive them, and banners, standards, and canopies will come to welcome them. Their souls will then ascend directly to the Southern Palace. The days required will be determined according to their cultivation and merit; they will receive new life, pass through the cycles of rebirth without losing their way, and ultimately become immortals.

The Dao teaches: 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 order, Yin-Yang becomes unbalanced, calamities strike the realm, plagues and poisons spread, and the people suffer mass death and injury, anyone whose teachers, friends, or family have met with disaster should undertake purification and abstinence, burn incense, and recite the scripture.

The merit of purification and scripture recitation is great. Above, it can dispel natural disasters and protect and stabilize the sovereign; below, it can dispel poisons and spare the people from calamity. In this way, it can save living beings and give them support at the threshold between life and death. The blessings and merit it brings are beyond measure, and so it is called “Universal Deliverance of Heaven and Humanity Without Limit.”

The Dao teaches: Anyone who follows this scripture to cultivate this merit for Heaven and Earth, the sovereign, and the people—and who, on days of calamity, resolves to undertake purification and abstinence, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times—will have their name recorded by all the heavens and be protected by the myriad spirits. If they continue their practice, they may hope to become a minister of the Golden Towers beside a sage and enlightened sovereign. The heavens record people’s merits and faults, leaving out nothing, however slight; the True Kings of Heaven will also recommend you. Those who cultivate the Dao should thereby come to understand the principles expressed in the scripture.

The Great Brahma’s Hidden Words of Limitless Sound among the Heavens (sacred characters used in Daoist scriptures to express the secret language of the heavenly realm), written by the Dao Lord.

The Secret Chapters of the Sacred Realms in the Ten Directions from the Primordial Beginning’s Numinous Writ

What follows are the hidden words of the eight heavens of the East, the eight heavens of the South, and the eight heavens of the West. The scripture calls them “Great Brahma’s Hidden Words.” They are sacred characters in Daoist ritual and scripture and are generally not translated word for word as ordinary prose, so the original text is retained.

The Eight Heavens of the East

群陀湮索　召鑑淵沛　靈馬逾綱

期韜式晦　遼闌彌夐　列都夷悌

濛岩眷羅　逸還周器　烏陽演赤

皓凶乾銳　報美丙山　璐章蕕粹

祝多時延　綠真英仙　湛那睹泊

至良微瞻

The Eight Heavens of the South

竇夏昆略　鯨池紫澶　跛玖但思

蕭南岐顛　寶節徂徠　密盟書玄

樂藻梯莫　直幾進綿　注忝乙趨

離咸資權　藍傍依序　歷高次宣

靈僅霄華　台他閱城　璣黨扶驅

洞籟潯溟

The Eight Heavens of the West

庫岍甡匀　邱慈始傷　庚井龍羅

柏房停香　酌嶰留激　屏麻辭真

雲嶪定相　敝多淪神　徹虛琅璖

Yan Du Jing Ning, Gan Zu Yang Bi, Zhi Chuan Qi Mo; Hun Jue Ce Ling, Wei Fu Cu Gen, Liang Tiao Yi Dao; Bu Xu Tu Yin.

The Eight Heavens of the North: Hou Wang Ji Yuan, Pi Jing Duo Ling, Yi Du Bian Qi, Guo Duo Min Kui, Lian Hong Han Xue, Zhao Xian Ben Lun, Dang Jiao Yi Qu, Zheng Guang Pu Xing, Zao Qi Ye Dong, Si Meng Jue Tong, Zhi Qian Huan Yao, Gui Lin Ji Chong, Dong Yu Miao Li, Ying Kui Ye Feng, Wan Xian He Jue, Kong Ling Shi Gong.

The Daoist scripture says: These celestial domains contain the Great Brahmā’s hidden words of the sacred realms in the ten directions—that is, sounds without measure or limit. An old scripture gives the title as The Jade Capitals Above the Celestial Gates of the Ten Directional Caverns: The Divine Transformations of the Ten Directions, the Responsive Manifestation of the Spirits, and the Subtle Awakening of Those Who Unite with the Dao and Understand the Holy Realms of the Divine Homeland. These words are subtle sounds that arise naturally in Heaven and accord with the Dao. Those who understand them can enter the sacred realms.

Each character is vast and far-reaching, measuring a full ten feet in length. In ancient times, the Celestial Perfected Emperor (a legendary celestial divinity) wrote these characters and established them as the correct sounds. If someone understands their sounds and meanings, observes purification, and recites them, the heavens will send divine kings from the sacred realms of the ten directions to descend and inspect that person’s conduct, then report their merits and diligence to the heavens. The myriad spirits will come to pay homage, while earth spirits guard the doors. The True King of Great Merit will recommend the person, enabling them to ascend as a Highest Perfected One. Once their cultivation is complete, they may travel freely through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

These sounds can dispel, avert, rescue, and bring things to fulfillment without limit; they are the natural sounds of the Celestial Perfected. Reciting them can summon the Flying Immortals of the ten directions to come and observe. The Supreme Emperor answers in song from afar, the myriad spirits arrive to pay homage, and the divine beings of the Three Realms attend the carriage. All harmful spirits bow their heads, and ghosts and demons vanish of their own accord. Their jade-like, resonant sounds shake the four quarters and purify Heaven and Earth: rivers and seas grow calm, mountains draw in their mists, and the myriad spirits are stirred to reverence and submit. The assembled immortals, too, are summoned to appear. There is no turbid energy in Heaven, no demonic dust or filth on Earth, and even the darkest places become clear and bright. This is a vast and mysterious realm, profound beyond measure.