《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 2

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said: Long ago, in the Great Floating Li Land of the Primordial Azure Heaven, I received the Scripture of Limitless Deliverance, the Supreme Grade, first revealed by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. At that time, the Celestial Worthy appeared in the Clear Tenuity Heaven, manifesting auspicious signs like pearls and jade. Countless true gods, great gods, supreme sages, exalted lords, and perfected ones of wondrous practice from the heavens all entered within a pearl. The assembled true gods presided over the transmission ceremony and passed on to me the Method of the Supreme Grade of the Numinous Treasure for Limitless Deliverance.

The joy I felt then was beyond words. When the transmission ceremony was more or less complete, the gods of the heavens each returned to their places. At the beginning of the fifth kalpa of the Kaihuang era, as the Black Dragon rose beyond the heavenly pass, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning descended once more to the Heaven of Great Cinnabar and Flowing Flames, in the Jade Mystery Red Realm where the Cave Yang’s radiance gathers. There he delivered hundreds of millions of beings and transmitted the “Great Dao of Jade Purity” to me.

When the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning expounded this scripture, he first circled ten times, summoning the divine beings and perfected ones of the ten directions of heaven to take their seats. Then the great heavenly perfected beings, supreme sages, exalted lords, perfected ones of wondrous practice, the Immortal Lords who were the Primordial Masters of the Great Dao of Jade Purity, the true lords of the Supreme Ultimate, the Nine Spirits of Flying Splendor, the Heavenly Emperor of Yuyu, the Elder of Purple Clouds, and countless other beings came riding through the air.

They rode beneath canopies like drifting smoke from Jade Void, in radiant carriages, on blue-green jeweled wheels, in feather-adorned vehicles, beneath vermilion canopies, and within gauzy curtains embroidered with divine brocade and phoenix patterns. Mysterious light covered the seats; the pure, empty Qi of the Grotto-Heavens circled and mingled, and divine radiance shone in reflection. Nine Qi rose in rosy clouds, while the three chambers revolved and shone. The heavens opened wide and the earth grew calm; true Qi gathered in the blue sky, numinous winds scattered their splendor, and swirling currents of wind and Qi blended as one. The One of the Emperor watched over all beings, while the Perfected Circle poured forth primordial Qi. Breath and Qi flew between the eight directional gates; the sun disc held its light, and the moon jade sent forth rippling waves. The numinous order filled the four quarters and extended throughout the realm of transformation and nurture.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright upon a jeweled platform inscribed with jade script, which appeared in midair. After each recitation of the scripture, the Great Sage Yuchen would praise it with a single “Excellent!” at the same moment. At that time, men and women throughout the realm could hear the scripture’s sound, and no barrier separated the ten directions of the world.

At the second recitation, the gaze shone everywhere without limit, clear and penetrating, discerning all things. At the third, the voice rang out with surpassing beauty, delivering the beings from all directions who had come to hear the teaching. At the fourth, one spirit could respond to all things, while myriad spirits joined with the true Dao. At the fifth, the seed people of the Three Realms—the beings who live within them—could reach their destination with a single thought, while the spirits moved without a trace. At the sixth, a finger could press upon Heaven and Earth and, in an instant, reach all four quarters. At the seventh, birth and death were forever cut off, and life endured through hundreds of millions of kalpas. At the eighth, auspicious signs appeared in the sea of the Dao, and the mysterious mountains revealed good omens. At the ninth, the body was refined into Qi, and Qi was then refined into Shen (spirit). At the tenth, one naturally attained the realm of perfect truth, confirmed by Jade Purity.

The Dao enables beings in the ten directions and the three realms to transcend and ascend. At that time, all the men and women in a kingdom turned wholeheartedly toward the Dao, without distinction between them, and all attained longevity.

The scripture says: Then the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning recited the scripture once. The Jade Clarity Great Dao, Natural Great God of the East, together with his countless retinue, came through the air. At the second recitation, the Jade Clarity Great Dao, Natural Great God of the South and his countless retinue arrived through the air. At the third, the gods and their retinue from the West came; at the fourth, those from the North; at the fifth, those from the Northeast; at the sixth, those from the Southeast; at the seventh, those from the Southwest; at the eighth, those from the Northwest; at the ninth, those from Above; and at the tenth, those from Below.

When the scripture had been recited ten times, the Celestial Perfected and Natural Great Gods of the boundless heavens in the ten directions all arrived together. The men and women in the kingdom wholeheartedly turned toward and revered the Great Dao. The beings who came to hear the scripture gathered like clouds and mist, beyond counting. They filled the entire kingdom, crowding in from every direction, as if even the sky could not contain them.

Then the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning flicked a finger and sent forth a beam of light. Fine as a bright star, it shimmered with nine colors and hung in the air, illuminating above and below. Ten ren above the ground—a ren being an ancient unit of length—its radiance shone through both within and without, making the realms in the ten directions seem like a single, seamless expanse of crystal.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat calmly, his radiance shining in every direction. Looking upon this land, he saw it as though reflected in a mirror: the garments of heavenly beings and other creatures, the forms of men and women—even the tiniest details—were clearly visible. Nothing at all obstructed the vast emptiness. The Jade Clarity Great Dao, Natural Great God, together with the High Sages, Venerable Ones, Perfected of wondrous practice, and Great Gods of Daoist rank who had transformed their Qi across the ten directions, all appeared within this beam of light. The Dharma bodies gathered in the light were countless, hundreds upon hundreds, thousands upon thousands, packed densely like layers of fine woven silk. The radiance turned and reflected, revealing many forms…

The light reflects from itself, radiant and clear. Every scene stands out distinctly, without the slightest confusion. The celestial beings of that realm all come forward to bear witness in response, gazing up at the divine light as they race toward it like the wind.

Clouds and vapors gather around, while the myriad sages stand in the Great Void. Amid the radiance of the Dao, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning proclaims this method of deliverance from the Great Dao of the Jade Empyrean, within a realm of stillness and mystery, beyond form or substance. When the teaching is complete, the assembled Perfected Ones oversee its transmission and impart the method to me. The joy and celebration of that moment defy description. Once the ritual is over, the gods of the heavens each return to their appointed places. In an instant, Heaven and Earth grow still, and not a sound remains.

At that moment, the celestial beings gathered there encounter this great assembly and are universally delivered, ascending to the realm of immortals to live long and endure. Their minds grow still and their breath becomes unified; they merge with one another, without distinction. Everyone throughout the realm turns their hearts toward the Great Dao and takes it as their own: without thought, without Wuwei (non-action), without reflection, without striving, without awareness, without knowledge; without extinction, without birth, without arising, without abiding; without self, without name. Their words accord with the most subtle principle, and their spirits ascend to the Purple Clarity realm of immortals. All people love one another; even those of different surnames and peoples become as close as kin. The state is secure, the people prosperous, and all gladly enjoy peace. Those who believe in and understand the immeasurable method of deliverance of the Great Dao of the Jade Empyrean can all attain the Dao and become Perfected.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said: The words written in this scripture are all secret inner names and implicit sounds of the Supreme Emperor of the Great Dao of the Jade Empyrean. They are also concealed titles of the High Perfected and the divine kings of Jade Clarity, not ordinary expressions used in the world. Only the highest sages who have become Perfected Ones, understand the mysteries, and have penetrated the hidden depths can fully comprehend its chapters. Recite this scripture ten times, and the myriad heavens will bow in reverence, while a thousand heavenly emperors lower their heads to listen. The Jade Capital will thereby turn in its course, the seas will grow clear, the mountains will stand firm, and the sun, moon, and stars will shine together; the Seven Luminaries—the sun, moon, and five planets—will shine as one. Demonic spirits will be extinguished, ghosts and apparitions will vanish, and baleful influences will be purged. The Three Primal Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water will be clear and tranquil, and even withered bodies and white bones can be restored to life and spirit.

Those who aspire to cultivate the Dao and recite this scripture ten times will have the Five Elders, the emperors of the five directions, oversee their covenant; the Four Marshals, the Daoist guardian generals, will descend to inspect them; the Three Officials will record their merit; and the Eight Historians will drive away demonic obstacles from the perimeter. The Demon King, too, will carry out orders, and the myriad spirits will come to pay homage. In this way, those who died young can be rescued and delivered from calamity, and the dead can be brought back to life. This is because cultivators set their hearts upon the Jade Empyrean and unite their Qi with the true Dao. Their power can subdue the Six Heavens, the forces of ghosts and spirits in the six directions, and reaches even the most hidden places, where all will hear them. They can also receive commands to govern the Three Realms, summon the Perfected Ones, and draw near the numinous spirits.

So long as the Great Dao of the Jade Empyrean is clear in one’s heart, there is no need to rely on external elixirs. Reciting this scripture of the Cavern Mystery brings the Qi of the Dao into the body, and one may also see before one’s eyes the Three Primal Officials, the Lord of the Great Dao, and the realm beyond limits and form. Those who recite this scripture irreverently will suffer the punishment of wind-blades, and their names will be carved on Feng Mountain. The Mysterious Elder will call out their names and command them to make offerings and show reverence. Only those whose cultivation is complete, whose De (Virtue/Power) is flourishing, and whose practice accords with the Great Dao can receive the protection they are due.

True Adepts can live for hundreds of millions of years, untouched by every kind of calamity, with divine beings guarding their gates. This scripture is noble and profound, without equal in the Jade Capital (Yujing, the celestial capital in Daoist belief), and can transform and deliver living beings without limit. It is the root of the ten thousand Dao, vast and exalted, with merits too great to recount in full.

The scripture says: Whoever recites it ten times will be met by the Nine Emperors, who descend in their carriages, while the gods of the heavens sing in unison from afar. The suffering souls among one’s ancestors across countless generations will at once be delivered, ascend to Jade Radiance (Yuchen, a realm in the Daoist heavens), and rise with the Nine Emperors to the Great Empyrean, becoming guests of the Celestial Emperor. Those who devote themselves wholeheartedly to its study and practice will, once their merits are complete, become immortals, ascend to the Golden Palace in the heavens, and attain the Dao at Jade Radiance. Those who seek the Dao and cultivate this scripture, too, can receive protection and deliverance, and ascend to the Southern Palace in the heavens.

People of the world who recite and uphold this scripture can extend their lives, undergo a transformation of body and being, and comprehend the Great Dao of the Primordial Emperor, the highest Dao. Their true Shen will endure, and their Qi will unite with the Dao. Turbid Qi will disperse and clear Qi emerge; when clear Qi gathers, it forms divine beings. When Jing and numinous fluids within the body unite, one will no longer pass through hell or the Great Yin, the realm of the dead, but can refine and nurture the body. The Three Officials, divine beings who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, will guard the body, while Taiyi, the supreme deity revered in Daoism, will nourish the hun and po souls. Thus one can roam the void and pass in and out through the gates of the eight directions.

This scripture is subtle and vast, delivering both celestial beings and humans everywhere. Those already born and those not yet born can all be delivered and receive immeasurable blessings; the living and the dead alike can benefit from it. It is a scripture treasured by Heaven and must not be passed casually to people of the world. A true adept of the Dao must prepare gifts such as gold and silk, and may transmit it only after making a sincere oath before Heaven. Anyone who carelessly reveals the Great Dao will bring calamity upon their ancestors and be sentenced to labor at the source of the River, among the waves, and in the realm of ghosts. In the Northern Capital, nine elders who serve this scripture, the numinous youths of the noonday sun, and the Jade Maidens of the Great Dao—thirty-six of each—assist the True Adepts and protect those who receive the scripture.

The scripture also says: If you observe purification rites and recite it during the first lunar month, the Lord of Azure Florescence and the True Adepts of the Nine Lights will enter your name in their registers, enabling the souls of your ancestors across countless generations to be delivered and ascend to Jade Radiance.

During the seventh month, by maintaining a long fast and reciting this scripture, one can refine Qi (vital energy) into spirit, returning spirit and Qi to Yuyu Heaven—one of the Three Pure Ones’ heavens in Daoist teaching—and unite with the vast Dao. The practitioner’s spirit and form are both elevated, and they receive proof of their attainment as an immortal. Their name is entered in a precious register, they unite with Heaven and Earth, and they will never fall into ruin.

During the tenth month, by maintaining a long fast and reciting this scripture, one can protect the emperor, rulers, and all the people. Rulers and ministers, fathers and sons each find their proper place. One nurtures the myriad beings as Heaven does and cherishes life as spring does. Blessings reach every land, the realm enjoys lasting peace, and family lineages flourish and endure in lasting health and well-being. The world is settled, the people are content, and peace prevails.

When this scripture is recited on one of the Eight Festivals, the nine Yang Brahma Qi—the pure Yang energy spoken of in Daoism—enters the body, transforming the person into a being of pure Yang whose spirit and Qi endure forever. When it is recited on one’s natal day—the birthday or a commemorative day associated with one’s birth—Yuchen, a Daoist deity, descends to the dwelling. The Great Dao shines forth, the hun and po souls are purified, and the Six Qi fill the body. In this way, one is spared calamities in the human world, disasters are dispelled, and the dangers of war are avoided. The Six Heavens shut out evil influences; the Three Luminaries—the Sun, Moon, and stars—protect and raise the practitioner aloft. The path to immortality opens, officials of the Heavenly Emperor come to welcome them, and their name is engraved in Taiwei, the abode of celestial immortals, where they take their place among the Immortal Ministers. Once their merit is complete, they ascend by flight to Shangqing Heaven.

A Daoist scripture says: On days when Daoist rites are performed, one should bathe with fragrant water and observe a fast before entering the chamber. Facing east, click the teeth thirty-six times to convey one’s intentions to the thirty-six heavens, then bow thirty-six times. With eyes closed, meditate and envision yourself seated upright amid blue, violet, and crimson clouds, surrounded by deep darkness. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lions, and white cranes are arrayed to either side. The radiance of the Sun and Moon illuminates the chamber; a round halo appears above your head, its light shining in all ten directions. Envision each of these scenes with clarity and precision.

Then silently recite the secret invocation:

“Supreme Lord of the Dao, the Profound Origin beyond all heights: summon forth from within my body the Three-Five Meritorious Officers, the left and right attendant envoys, the jade youths who tend the incense, the jade maidens who carry messages, the Five Emperors’ appointed talismanic envoys, and the incense officials on duty today—thirty-six of each. Bid them report: Today is auspicious. In this quiet, pure ritual chamber, I am cultivating and reciting the Supreme Wondrous Scripture of Limitless Salvation. The matters for which I pray have been presented. Please transmit this petition upward, directly before the Most High Supreme Emperor Yuanshi of the Thirty-Two Heavens.”

After reciting this, draw in Qi while facing east thirty-two times, then face east and recite the Supreme Wondrous Scripture of Limitless Salvation of Primordial Beginning.

In the Cavern Mystery Numinous Treasure scriptures transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, this chapter explains how the Jade Sovereign Great Dao—the supreme Dao revered in Daoism—delivers all beings. Its true meaning lies hidden between what is manifest and what is concealed: it seems to appear and then vanish, yet seems absent while being present everywhere. It is still and empty, yet mingles and transforms, moving in countless ways. The wondrous principles of the Great Dao are supremely profound and far-reaching; its numinous transformations extend throughout the Nine Heavens, shine in all directions, and reach across the stars of the heavens, as though supporting and guarding Heaven and Earth on either side.

In the Purple Empyrean, the sound of the Dao resounds. Red radiance courses in every direction, shifting in countless forms and displaying the Dao’s splendor. The source of the Great Dao arises in Jade Capital and lies hidden on the Terrace of Xiao and Luo. It coils downward, reaching the source of the paired pools, pure and profound; from there, the Gates of the Sun and Moon emerge side by side. It pours forth a blaze ten thousand fathoms high, washing away demonic influences. The Cinnabar Radiance of Cavern Yang, like scarlet clouds of smoke, flows out in eight directions, pouring into and nourishing the windows of the spirits. The ninefold expanse of Kunlun shines brilliantly, drawing in rosy clouds and the Jade Spirit’s numinous essence. Practitioners take in these numinous energies until their Shen and Qi are full, and jade radiance spreads through them. Body and mind dissolve into the Great Dao, their bones transformed along with them; the ten thousand breaths are harmonized, and they ultimately enter the mysterious Dao of the Jade Sovereign.

The Qi of the Great Dao gathers to form a body, making one seem both present and absent, blended into the realm of the Great Beginning. The Dao brings life into being and gives form to Shen and Qi; it guards one’s true nature with light and makes all things flourish through its nurturing power. Wherever it goes, it reaches freely; whatever it undertakes, it brings to completion. In the realm of Grand Tenuity, Jing and Qi are refined and nourished; in the deep and silent places, they sink into concealment. The Azure Void, the Red Realm, and the Primordial Capital of the Great Dao are all realms in which the Dao’s Qi moves and manifests.

The Cloud Court rises aloft, and the Dark Gates tower high. The transforming Qi of the Heaven of Yu Yu circulates through the Ten Directions. There dwell the spirit of the Northern Terrace of Broad Release; the Lord of the Nine Harmonies of Red Essence; the Perfected One of the Celestial Canopy in the Mud Ball Palace; the ministers of the Supreme Emperor who assists the sovereign at the Golden Gates; the revered spirits of the Three Realms of Highest Clarity; and the numinous officials who attain long life, transform, and become immortals. There are also the Twin Lads with flowing radiance, the Red Writings gathered into pearls, the naturally formed Jade Sovereign Golden Perfected Elder, the Young Essence of the Hall of Light in the Great Rosy Clouds, and the Green Canopy’s Circular Compass, along with other divine perfected beings. The Great Being Taichu summons the immortals and perfected ones to descend, bestowing blessings and delivering all beings. The nurturing transformations of the Heavenly Dao continue without end. Today the spirits and deities arrive, and the myriad emperors of every quarter come together before the hall.

The limitless, naturally formed spirit kings of the east, south, west, and north, as well as the northeast, southeast, and southwest, all uphold the Jade Sovereign Great Dao and widely deliver all beings.

The naturally arising divine kings of the Northwest, the Upper and Lower Realms, and the Ten Directions, together with the gods of the Jade Empyrean Great Dao, all come forth in boundless power to deliver living beings.

The gods ride together on divine radiance. They travel in the Chariot of the Nine Suns, the Green-Cloud Golden Chariot, and the Vermilion Luan Chariot. They wear sashes that contain the myriad forms and hold canopies of pure, numinous cavern light. Scarlet banners screen the sunlight, while jade wheels roll across the sky. Each god commands marvelous spirit-beasts, including Dark Crystal Divine Beasts, black-armored venomous dragons, and the Sky-Piercing Ape that wards off evil. The beasts’ transformations are endless. The gods play the Xuyan ao, an ancient instrument, and beat the drums of the Great Empyrean. Purple mist and white clouds appear and vanish; the myriad spirits form ranks, accompanied by the celestial procession’s banners. The Great Marshal sets out, with wind and fire surging together. Divine clouds shine with light, bringing auspicious signs and blessings. The gods come through the air, raising their voices as they ascend.

The High Clarity official Sima Gao Ling, who subdues demons and protects life; the Jade Empyrean Emperor’s Office, which commands all true spirits; and other gods of the Great Dao arrive together at the Imperial Court. Among them are spirits who deliver people and answer the call to become immortals, as well as the Great Lord of Long Life. Wearing ritual registers and carrying talismanic commands, they ascend to the palace beneath the divine canopy of the Nine Heavens. There they summon the highest perfected spirits of the Mud Pill, the Three Su Flowing Crystals, the Mysterious Elixir of Great Peace, the Central Yellow and Purple Tenuity, and other realms. They proclaim their summons throughout the Three Origins—the domains governed by the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water—and to the spirits in the Purple Gate, Green Chamber, Mist-Woven Palace, Cloud Camp, Jade Hall, and other places.

The gods Zi Ying and Bo Hua, the essence that transforms the bones, the Twin Youths with Flowing Bells, the Golden Truth and Jade Radiance, and the Great Gods of the Two Luminaries also take part. On the left, they turn the Huoluo instrument; on the right, they swiftly brandish the Thunder-and-Fire Bell, urging on the officials and soldiers of the Three and Five of High Clarity. Red cinnabar patterns and purple networks surround the celestial canon. Divine radiance flashes forth and shines into the underworld. The gods draw in the Qi of the Jade City, descending to the Hidden Springs, the rivers and waterways, and the winding, secluded depths of the dark abyss.

In the Black Waters, the Jade Maidens turn the mechanisms, while the Golden Youths tighten the ropes. By command of the Ancient Ancestor of the World Above, punishment ceases. The Jade Empyrean’s Dao-Qi swiftly inspects the registers, erasing the names of the guilty from the records of sin and removing their karmic burdens so they are no longer bound or detained. The Supreme Emperor issues stern judgments and talismanic commands from the Primordial Beginning, ordering all souls to ascend at the appointed time.

All demon spirits, yin souls, and suffering souls in the Nine Capitals of Accumulated Night and the Weak Abyss of the Great Deep must undergo purification by cold dew and blazing fire. The obstructive yin Qi is burned away, and every passage throughout their bodies is cleansed. Calamities caused by the wicked and deceitful are extinguished, and the restraints of Feng Mountain are swiftly lifted. The Jade Empyrean Great Dao transforms those who undergo purification, enabling them to become immortals; when immortals undergo purification in turn, their bodies too are delivered and elevated.

Through countless tribulations, they remain unshaken. Following the guidance of the light, they breathe in and out clouds and mists within the Divine Pool, and are born together with the Dao. Their lifespan exceeds a hundred million years. They forever transcend the Seven Injuries, Eight Calamities, and Nine Afflictions, stride up to the Gate of Heaven, and pass beyond the three heavenly realms. They roam freely upon the lofty Phoenix Terrace and ascend to the Heaven of Highest Clarity.

The Heaven of Highest Clarity is the wondrous, empty realm where the Heavenly Emperor Yuanzhen dwells. It is also the place of Brahma practice: a pure and sacred realm of cultivation.

The Nine Heavens of the East

Jade Dais, Brahma, and Far-Reaching Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Yuzhen Shanghua

Era of Joy, Primordial Whisker Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Dawu Dongyou

Embracing Simplicity, Rushing Stillness Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Yutan Botian

Ascending Transformation, Layered Void Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Lehua Zisheng

Nine Lights, Empty Simplicity Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Yuanfu Xian

Scarlet Pole, Quiet Cultivation Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Dongri Zhixuan

Curving Radiance, Containing Separation Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Zihua Langying

Exalted Benevolence, Virtuous Cultivation Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Chizhu Xianhe

Dragon Embryo, Shining Splendor Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Shuming Fankang

The Nine Heavens of the South

Pure Splendor, Unshaken Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Yaodian Liuyou

Discerning the Dao, Rushing Composure Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Yuluo Zhongshen

Washing Vastness, Nurturing the Origin Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Mingyu Jingtong

Flaming Scenery, Shining Brightness Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Wuse Ying

Blessings Respond, Utmost Truth Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Luwen Ciyong

Jade Garden, Upholding the Law Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Deyi He

Settling the Name, Purple Origin Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Huangwen Taifu

Utmost Height, Contemplating Truth Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Shihua Gaocong

Dark Dragon, Hidden Plumes Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Zhangde Yongguang

The Nine Heavens of the West

Great Nonbeing, Empty Cavern, Nine Luminaries Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Yaori Chengjia

Cinnabar Turning, Green Lock Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Zhiyuan Dongsheng

Awakening to the Source, Red Jade Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Huiyan Mingzong

Pure Brightness, Auspicious Offering Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Chigong Bowen

Imperial Register, Deliverance of Life Heaven — Heavenly Emperor Changjing Luo

The Vast Yang Horizon is called Heaven; Emperor Jade Spirit knows no end. The fleeting and obscure transform through Heaven; Emperor Jiang gives rise to longing for the void. The Nine Domains take form in Yang Heaven; Emperor Li brings them diligently to completion. The Canopy Chariot is the Azure Pole Heaven; Emperor Mo is many and capacious.

The Nine Heavens of the North:

The Central Pole Heaven of Great Simplicity, Emperor Li Yuanshen; the Supreme Heaven of Broad Transformation, Emperor Choudu Jiuli; the White Soul Heaven of Far-Reaching Radiance, Emperor Bodi Hedu; the Heaven of Beneficent Light and Summoned Aid, Emperor Hongqi Dangzhen; the Heaven of All-Illuminating Primordial Yang, Emperor Jiangzi Ming; the Heaven of Brilliant Ultimate, Mysterious Bamboo, and Transformative Spirit, Emperor Chongfan Chaxu; the Heaven of Stable Equilibrium and Peaceful Nonbeing, Emperor Shahe Yaoming; the Heaven of Constant Change and Ultimate Inquiry, Emperor Yutai Cheng; the Heaven of Radiant Emptiness and a Hundred Lineages, Emperor Yuejing Wang.

These are the titles of the Thirty-Six Heavens and Thirty-Six Emperors, and the hidden sacred names of Yuchen, the Daoist deity Yuchen Tianzun. The naturally formed Ninefold Empty Spirit Writ within Heaven is a Daoist teaching concealed by the Highest Clarity (Shangqing), a noble realm in the Daoist celestial hierarchy. It embodies the truth of the Imperial Pole and the exalted status of the Cavern of Emptiness. It is the law secretly kept by the spirit of the Great Void, the Jade Capital, and a scripture that transforms and teaches all beings. It can bring people to transformation and ascension; it is a wondrous spiritual text that opens the way and delivers beings. Its doctrines, including the Nine Crystals, Ten Radiances, and the descent and birth in the Hall of Light, are so profound that they cannot be fully explained.

This scripture makes the Way of the Seven perfected ones shine forth and saves both heavenly and human beings everywhere. The Daoist teaching is of utmost importance, and perfected ones in the lower world do not easily hear it. Wearing the Five Dipper emblems and bearing the Three Luminaries—the sun, moon, and stars—one sends the spirit flying up to the lofty heavens of Jingxiao and joins with the utterly true Dao.

Today, joyfully celebrating the rite of receiving deliverance, one passes through the heavens, has one’s name inscribed in the registers of immortals, summons perfected ones, and calls upon immortals. The purple light of deliverance and the energy of blazing radiance enter the Great Mystery, cutting off the Five Destinies—the five paths of rebirth—and erasing all the sins and burdens incurred in the past. The Three Spirits recommend one together, and the Five Emperors escort one in unison. The fruit of the Dao is fulfilled; one ascends to the Highest Clarity and is thereafter free from constraint.

The Eastern Dipper begins to take form; the Western Dipper sets vital energy in motion; the Northern Dipper gives birth to bodily form; the Southern Dipper …

The Supreme Lord of the Thousand Perfected Ones (the highest-ranking Daoist deity) descends, his body entwined in a mingled radiance like gold and jade, and he commands the surging fire bells. The Palace of the Dipper Emperors, where the emperors of the Northern Dipper dwell, issues its decree to the spirits: the Azure Emperor bestows talismans and registers; the White Emperor commands the troops and generals; the Red Emperor holds authority over the laws; the Black Emperor governs punishments; and the Yellow Emperor dwells at the center, guarding all directions.

Above the Azure Heaven shines the numinous jade radiance; above the Red Heaven shines the numinous treasure radiance; above the White Heaven flows the numinous qi of bright purity; above the Black Heaven is the Taiyi essence of Heaven; above the Yellow Heaven dwells Bochang Zijing. The Jade Lords of the Five Directions, who govern the five regions, descend together with the gods of the Three Realms. They rise into Heaven and descend to Earth, moving like flashing lightning and rolling thunder as they patrol the ten directions and inspect the darkest, most remote places.

The divine marshals command countless millions of divine soldiers, patrolling mountains and searching the seas. Their banners and ornaments appear in dazzling array; they transform throughout the vast emptiness, setting their wondrous powers in motion. Anyone who dares to offend or obstruct the Jade Lords’ decree will be cut down. Those who rampage, devour, and disrupt order will also be punished. The Jade Lords issue their command to drive away and cleanse all inauspicious forces.

The azure birds beat their wings, and the long tadpoles form ranks. The Yellow Spirits charge at the front, while the Red Emperor raises his banner and shoots fire. The Great Slayer of the Infinite raises his whip. The Eight Radiances are clear and distant; the Ten Splendors stand arrayed. All the gods obey the Jade Lords’ natural and perfectly true mysterious talismanic decree. In accordance with it, Heaven’s Support turns in its course, destroying demons and evil creatures.

Though the fire decree is written in no visible characters, it can summon thousands upon thousands of forces to sever and destroy the souls of demons and fiends. The celestial beasts exhale poisonous vapors and unleash bolts of fire, racing swiftly through the clouds. The Three Officials are commanded to inspect and seize their targets, without pause. All who harm the righteous Way must be pursued and handed over to the Lord of the North for judgment.

The response of the Great Dao of the Jade Lords reaches the Imperial Venerable. The Imperial Venerable rides amid cloud banners, surrounded by feathered canopies, and ascends to pay court in the Jade Clarity realm, where the revered Daoist deities dwell.

After the passage of chaotic aeons, the vital essence of the Imperial Era lies hidden in Great Brightness. Its radiant splendor suddenly transforms, opening nine paths of life. In the Cave Tower, the dark light of the sun and moon shines like a pair of eyes, penetrating inward to connect with the Muddy Pellet, a Daoist internal cultivation point in the head, and the Court of Red Writings. Jade branches gather qi and surge in flight; the fire bells are clear on the left and moist on the right, thereby purifying the Three Palaces, the three divine abodes in Daoist teaching.

Using the gesture of sweeping…

The divine spirits sound their instruments in solemn procession, transforming themselves into the celestial capital. On the left is Golden Truth; on the right, Jade Radiance. They fly back and forth among the eight directions. Dwelling within the stone-like inner chamber, one ascends to the immortal rank of Great Rosy Cloud and takes a place among the Immortal Kings. Above the jade ramparts, the Dao’s mysteries are boundless.

Wherever one travels, there are often such immortal realms as the Nine Elixirs, Supreme Subtlety, Crimson Tower, and Jade Chamber. There, all is open and luminous, yet deep and unfathomable. Yin and Yang blend together, but cannot be confined by forms or names; neither short nor long applies. Radiance streams through the jade halls, and one looks up to take in Dark Frost, the immortal medicine spoken of in Daoist cultivation.

The cultivator’s bones become supple gold, while the spirit and soul ascend to the Heavenly Beam. Becoming an honored guest, one enters such realms as the Abyss of Blossoms, Sun Pool, and Dragon Pond. The spirit of Great Unity holds a guiding sash, while Jade Maidens raise cups of wine. The Celestial Elder bears a talismanic decree, spreading its instruction without limit. He transmits the essentials of cultivation everywhere, engraving the texts on blue jade. In this way, one escapes the Nine Depths, the furthest reaches of the underworld, and rides the wind away, leaving the dust behind.

Celestial books and secret texts, including the Phoenix Calendar, Red Writings, and Dragon Chapters, appear faintly spread out. The Five Qi transform and deliver countless multitudes. The practitioner keeps to the Celestial Balance, pays homage to the Northern Dipper’s Ladle, and has their merit credited to the Highest Mystery, the supreme celestial realm.

The Great Wheel turns and moves, governing the thirty-six heavens and connecting with the divine palaces above. The nine Celestial Emperors ride in their true chariots; the Sima records their affairs, while the Grand Historian continues and safeguards their legacy.

The sun and moon move in their courses, and the palaces shift with them. Decrees and announcements of recommendation are issued without cease. The vast work of transformation goes on forever, encompassing heaven, earth, and the four directions. Sunlight interweaves and coils through ten circuits and nine turns, as the breath joins with the Three Primordial Energies, governed by the officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water. Within these primordial energies, the Great Consort wears a flying skirt of emerald clouds, and the Seven Perfected gather with the exalted spirits of the Higher Radiance.

In the most Yin depths of the Mystery stands the Great Spirit of the Purple Tower. The divine spirits dwell in the Mysterious Elixir and Crimson Terrace, within the Feminine One, a key concept in Daoist Neidan, and the Jade Register. Clouds rise along the Yellow Path.

The boundless method of delivering all beings is recorded in the Great Cavern’s Blue Canon, an important Daoist text. The cultivator nourishes the body with Jade Radiance, gathers the vital essence of life, and becomes an Imperial Immortal. Wind turns to fire; one comes and goes, transforming freely, without interruption.

Brahma-like chants stir the primordial energy. Celestial music sounds, and mysterious rites unfold in dance. Purple clouds gather and form a canopy; white, pure breath swirls, revealing the Jade Palace as though beneath a floating canopy, where the registers of the myriad immortals are reviewed. Through repeated union, one naturally reaches the state of Perfect Truth. Essence in five colors flows, and the breath of Great Harmony enters the body. Within the body, the true spirit dwells in the Niwan Palace, the divine abode inside the head.

The spirits Attendant Minister, Assistant Immortal, the Three Primordial Emperors, and others guard the Jade Palace and tend the original source of life. The spirits Mysterious One Laozi, Perfected Linfu, White Origin, Pearl of Blossoms, and Purple Origin refine and nourish the vital essence, bringing the Bright Hall, the body’s inner chamber of spirits, into resonance with the Three Radiances.

The Jade Palace transforms and delivers all things, moving them through change. The ten thousand breaths rise high, reaching Great Clarity, Taiji, and the divine spirits above the Dark Void. The immortals wear brocade robes, star-patterned garments, and robes embroidered with dragons and tigers. They gather and nourish primordial energy, preserve life, and stand among the myriad sages and perfected ones.

The Dao’s power to nurture is boundless, and its wondrous workings are vast beyond measure. Practitioners roam above in Highest Clarity, one of the highest Daoist heavens, entering and leaving Supreme Subtlety and traveling among the Eight Radiances, where they apprehend the mysteries of the Great Being’s workings in the birth and transformation of the cosmos.

Guard the human body, bringing it into harmony with the Five Qi within the blue-green Elixir Pool. Absorb the morning sunlight; as you gaze to the left and right, even your ancestors of seven generations ascend with you.

In cultivating immortality, longevity is prized; in cultivating the Dao, attaining the Real is prized. When the true spirit attains the Dao, it can liberate people without limit. Open the Mysterious Gate above, and let the Eight Gates open in the four directions. Within them lies the most refined Qi; the place where it resides is the Niwan Palace, the Upper Dantian in the head. Practitioners of the Dao raise their hands to receive the divine light, while purple clouds flow around their bodies. Yuchen, a revered Daoist deity and celestial title, is supremely exalted, yet the Great Dao is not far away, and the divine can also appear when one attains the Real. Those who attain the Dao unite true Qi with life and recite the Shangqing numinous verses in the heavens; the heavens then send down spirits in response. Now you know the true Dao.

Above the Three Realms—the Upper, Middle, and Lower—each has a gate leading to the realm of life. Within them are writings on flying spirits and transforming Qi, as well as the Jade Chapters of the Immortal Kings, whose texts are interwoven with those of the High Perfected.

First Chapter: The Voice of the Jade Lord of the Great Dao in the Azure Void of the Lower Realm

Cloudlight blends in harmony, and the celestial wind reaches through the eight directions. Riding a green carriage, the banners rise to greet the dawn. The divine dragon is commanded to draw the carriage; the Mysterious Sea grows clear and emerald, and crimson banners subdue the demons. The divine might of the Nine Heavens resounds together, sweeping away every kind of evil. This is the numinous light within my Niwan Palace taking flight, spreading like rosy clouds, with vapor reaching through the eight directions. Azure essence weaves itself into a jade gauze, and the Dao of Purple Dawn is thereby perfected.

Pour the Qi of the Three Florescences into yourself, and you will gain merit that liberates people without limit. By order of the Primordial Heavenly Worthy, the Merit-Recording Emperor writes your name in the registers of Heaven, enabling you to leave the land of darkness, ascend beyond Zhuling—the place where the dead are refined in Daoist teaching—and enter the heights of the Imperial Court, where your body and soul are refined.

Second Chapter: The Jade Lord’s Great Dao and the Purple Cavern Immortal King’s Writ of the Middle Realm

The light of the Ziwei stars shines brilliantly, vast and boundless, reaching through the eight directions. The practitioner transforms the body, rides the Mysterious Qi, and gazes all around the numinous realm. The waters of the celestial river pour into the channels of the body; the seven stars of the Northern Dipper are arranged at varying heights. Stars adorned like jade are dense and bright, with the great and small stars shining upon one another. The constellations stir their radiance and, following their guide, arrange themselves into the imperial formation of banners.

Seated at ease in Zichen, the abode of the Celestial Emperor, golden radiance streams in all directions. Crimson clouds open wide, and the essence of fire rushes forth. There appears an old man dressed in crimson ceremonial robes and draped in cloud garments. He ascends to the Jade Capital, the palace of Heaven, and looks down upon Yuyi, the Sun Deity or spirit within the sun. Whirling winds stir the gale, bringing the light of sun and moon into accord with Xiyi, the realm too subtle to see or hear. The Sun Child joins with the precious orb; its light shines upon the central measure, and its brilliance rises to reach countless realms. Yin and Yang sometimes unite and sometimes separate.

The Dao’s hidden treasure is the Jade Perfected Immortal King, whose name is Yuanchi. He holds a long halberd and wears a belt adorned with fine jade. In his left hand he holds the tally of authority; in his right, the balance. A cinnabar serpent and a dark tortoise stand beside him. The Immortal King bestows the Dharma-sound that delivers people, enabling all beings to return to Shangqing.

Third Song: The Song of the Jade Enclosure Immortal King of the Great Dao of the Supreme Void in the Upper Origin

The Immortal King breathes out, and his breath becomes a dragon; he blows gently, and wind rises. He makes his divine chariot appear in solemn splendor, then rides upon the sunlight and flies across the sky. The sun and moon move without pause, meeting one another and revolving in an endless cycle.

You cannot see my spirit, for it is joined with the void. You ask what the Great Dao is like? It is truly difficult to describe. It is like the deep chambers of the Niwan Palace, the inner alchemy sanctuary within the head, where the spirit’s enveloping Qi flourishes and coils. The Great Dao brings the righteous Way to fullness. Cultivate and refine your primordial spirit, so that your two pupils—“twin children,” here meaning the eyes—become bright and beautiful. The flowing bells cast forth fire, and crimson radiance shines across the ninefold heavens. The spirits travel through the eight directions to the furthest reaches, while the Way of Heaven moves with deep and vigorous force. Refine away Yin邪 and dispel calamity and misfortune; serve in the celestial court and dwell within the Jade Enclosure. This Great Dao is wondrous beyond measure and brings blessings that endure without end.

This is the delivering Dharma-sound proclaimed by the Jade Enclosure Immortal King in the Palace of the Three Origins, above the Three Realms. Recite this Dongzhang one hundred times, and your name will be entered in Shangqing. Recite it one thousand times, and the Three Origins will descend into your courtyard. Recite it ten thousand times, and your cultivation will be complete, allowing you to ascend by flight. The myriad spirits of the Three Origins under Shangqing’s rule will bow in your courtyard and hear the wondrous Dharma-sound. The Immortal King will protect the cultivator’s true nature and command the Three Realms to record and appoint the thousand spirits. The cultivator will forever escape the scrutiny of the Five Offices of the Earthly Bureau and pass freely in and out without hindrance. The local earth deities will escort and protect them, and the souls of their nine generations of ancestors will also be refined and raised to a higher state. This is called the completion of the Jade Dawn Dao and the attainment of Ultimate Truth: delivering people through immeasurable power. The cultivator’s name will be written in the secret registers of the Taiji Immortals and honored by Shangqing’s documents and the heavens alike.

Whoever reveals these secret texts and treats them with contempt will sink into the prisons of the netherworld, forever cut off from the perfected immortals of Taiji.

The Daoist scriptures say: These Jade Enclosure Dongzhang are Dharma-sounds secretly transmitted by the emperors of the heavens and the Immortal Kings of the Three Origins. They belong to the Great Brahma language, the sacred language of Daoism’s highest heavens, and are not ordinary worldly speech. Their words come from the primordial cavern; their characters seem to have arisen naturally. Thus they are profound and wondrous, beyond the reach of thought. Shangqing keeps them stored in the Upper Palace of the Purple Tenuity in Xuandu. According to the Esoteric Regulations, they are transmitted only once every forty thousand kalpas. If a person who has attained the Dao receives them, that person must bring precious gold and jewels, offer them with sincerity according to the rules of transmission given by the Jade Enclosure, and swear an oath before the Nine Emperors. Only then may the texts be transmitted.

The Dao says: The workings of Heaven and Earth, too, have their endings and beginnings. The sun, moon, and five planets, as well as the Nine Palaces, may also give rise to calamities and anomalies. Those who have succeeded in cultivating the Dao may encounter changes between withdrawal and prominence, while those whose study of the Dao is still shallow may fall ill or be injured. Whenever such calamities befall them, fellow practitioners should unite in fasting and purification, offer incense at each of the six periods of the day, and recite the scripture ten times. By drawing on the secret power of the Jade Sovereign Great Dao—the supreme Dao revered by Daoism—they can restore stability to the workings of Heaven and Earth, bring peace to the spirits, still harmful ghosts, establish blessings and De, and dispel every kind of ill omen. The Jade Sovereign Cavern Text universally saves living beings without end.

The Dao says: Some who have only begun to study the Dao have not yet perfected their rank among the immortals, nor fully understood how to cultivate and practice the essentials of the Jade Sovereign Great Dao. They also do not know how to follow the natural course of things, and so entrust their minds and spirits to material forms, falling under the sway of fate. When their destined tribulation arrives and their bodies are about to perish, as they pass through the Great Yin—the underworld or realm of darkness—Realized Ones among their fellow practitioners should offer incense and recite the scripture ten times on their behalf, following the ritual procedures to save their corpse. In this way, their spirit palace will become secure and well fortified, and the Niwan, the seat of the spirits in the head, will be strengthened. Flowing bells—the ritual implements or divine majesty of Daoism—will shine within the body, while the light of the Jade Sovereign nourishes the body and spirit. Through the practices of refining the corpse, refining the soul, and extinguishing the hun soul, their consciousness can ascend. Then, according to the merits of their cultivation, the days are counted, and they may obtain rebirth: Yang Fire enters the body, restoring the decayed form; spirit and flesh are joined once more, and the person suddenly revives. From then on, they are no longer deluded by the cycle of rebirth and take their place among the high immortals.

The Dao says: When the cycles of Chen and Shen reach their limit, the tribulations have run their course, and the flow of fortune is blocked, one should fast, offer incense, and recite the scripture. The same should be done when the sun and moon change color, when solar or lunar eclipses occur, or when the stars cross or clash in their courses. When the seasons become disordered, the atmosphere grows dark and unbalanced, or the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches fall out of harmony, one should also fast, offer incense, and recite the scripture. The same applies when floods, droughts, or widespread warfare afflict a country; when epidemics spread or ghosts and spirits attack and harm people; and when a teacher or fellow practitioner dies.

The merit of fasting and reciting the scripture is immense: it can dispel disasters from above and human calamities from below; it can ensure the emperor’s longevity, bring peace to the state, save the people, and bestow blessings on both the living and the dead. This blessing is beyond measure, and is therefore called “the boundless salvation of Heaven and humanity.”

The Dao says: Anyone who possesses this scripture and can perform such acts of merit for Heaven and Earth, the emperor, and the people should resolve to fast on the day they pay homage to the Jade Sovereign Primordial Emperor, the Utmost Perfect One, a supreme divine being revered by Daoism, and make their vow.

Burn incense and recite the scripture ten times, and Shangqing will record your name. The myriad spirits will attend and protect you. A perfected person can become a minister in the jade palace of the Sage Sovereign and the Great Emperor of Long Life. The heavens will record your Daoist practice and accomplishments, then report them to the Celestial Court. Your merits and faults will all be entered, without the slightest error, in the register of merits and faults at Yuchen. The Three Primordial Immortal Kings will also recommend you. Only after you have completed your cultivation and attained the Dao can you truly penetrate these words of ultimate truth.

The Hidden Words and Numinous Sounds of the Great Dao of Yuchen in the Celestial Heavens of Shangqing, composed by the Dao Lord.

First Chapter of the Jade Writ of Yuanshi

The Eight Heavens of the East

Fanwumiaoxu, Yuhuiloujing, Yumingdigang; Huadawanshu, Mingluozhiqu, Meiguchengtu; Baidachuji, Juanwangmaoyu, Yiqinfanyuan; Tidingxuanmo, Zhuojinghaocheng, Yumugaosu; Guihuaquxie, Bianliuqionghu, Wendianzhengli; Mengbiyuandu, Yuejinninghui, Guangshendongzhu.

The Eight Heavens of the South

Jingyujiehui, Zilüyiyu, Zhujilan yan; Zhaolainiujian, Menghuojihui, Sudaohuairan; Guzhenyuanchong, Qiyuanlongchong, Gangyanqueyi; Jiayüchengrong, Qianzhitingge, Mingzhi huxuan; Yuluojingchan, Dukaiduxuan, Jiumingshama; Yuan chanyuanlian, Shengxingzhoudu, Qinguangjiaochan.

The Eight Heavens of the West

Douweikangtai, Ziliuyanlu, Qinghechiqi; Zhuanzhiwenyu, Wujijengyan, Likuaifuluo; Tianjinghaojing, Miaoshenhuandu, Dilimaoshi; Zhenbingxicu, Maojueyueyin, Chichengqiufu; Daoxicailli, Zhengzhiziyan, Pingbuminghai; Yuanlituxu, Jianjingjiyue, Sidonglanchu.

The Eight Heavens of the North

Jiayuan suoling, Tingguziji, Chichiriji; Qiuhualunwei, Huoyanbiaoju, Chizhaoyuanshi.

These phrases, composed of archaic and elegant characters, are the “hidden words and numinous sounds” recorded in the scripture. They are celestial names or syllables intended for recitation, rather than ordinary sentences that can be translated line by line into plain language.

Mingji, Lujing, Xiufu, Yanji, Tuozhu, Haoyu,

Qingshu, Jingfei, Yishi, Yuyuan, Yiyan, Bixi,

Jishi, Gウェwei, Zhentong, Dangchi, Yandu, Qingling,

Yunxian, Ziyi, Fengjin, Jichuan, Taixuan, Jingqi.

The Daoist scripture says: These words are secret writings of the Jade Emperor, kept by the Great Lord of the Jade Dawn (a revered deity of the Upper Clarity Heaven). They are boundless celestial sounds. Originally, they were recorded in green script on the upper reaches of the Purple Enclosure beneath the Flower Canopy of the Great Void. The characters curled and wound about, stretching for a length of ten feet. The Celestial Perfected Sovereign once copied them to establish the correct forms of the celestial sounds.

If someone knows the sounds of these characters and can observe purification and recite them, the heavens of Upper Clarity will send the Immortal Kings of the Three Origins and the myriad perfected beings of the Jade Dawn to examine that person’s cultivation and merit, then report them to the Four Offices of the heavens. The Nine Palaces will also come to welcome the person. Even without fully grasping their meaning, anyone who recites this text will have the Immortal Kings vouch for them, enabling them to ascend to Jade Capital, feast and wander in Dongyang, and rise to the Purple Court.

These syllables are chapters of the Great Way of the Jade Dawn. They can communicate with anything, discern anything, protect any place, and accomplish any task. When the Three Origins—the Daoist powers of Heaven, Earth, and Water—put them to use, nothing is beyond their wondrous manifestation. They are the most authentic sounds, naturally emanated by the Celestial Perfected Lord.

Therefore, when this scripture is recited, the Eight Su—the pure, numinous Qi described in Daoism—gather into a luminous scene, and divine light illuminates the body. Within the Muddy Pellet, the inner cultivation site in the head, the assembled deities appear in their ranks. The Great Lord of Mysterious Perfection then reveals the wondrous Dao to the person reciting the scripture. Reciting it every day sharpens hearing and sight; fallen hair grows back, and one naturally merges with the Mysterious. Golden perfection and jade light circle the whole body; the divine palaces stir and unfold; the myriad breaths return to the true Dao; and a thousand sages descend in rosy clouds. The ocean of the Dao becomes clear and pure, opening without limit to deliver living beings. This is the realm of the Mysterious within the Mysterious.