《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 28

The Chapter on the Radiance of the Three Luminaries, Preserving Life and Extending Longevity

A Daoist scripture says: Long ago, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning preached the Wondrous Scripture of Primordial Beginning for Delivering People, the Supreme and Boundless Teaching at the Great Floating Li Land of the Blue-Luo Void Song in the Heaven of Primal Azure. The Celestial Worthy preached this scripture in a cycle, repeating it ten times and manifesting in response throughout the heavens. After preaching it through six cycles, sixty times in all, countless spirits gathered to hear the teaching, and everyone present was delivered.

This scripture is kept in the Jade Palace of the Lofty Empyrean. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning proclaimed the jade-toned words and expounded the vast Daoist teachings. Since the High Sovereign first opened Heaven and Earth, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning has spread the true Qi and established the realms of the Dao. At the end of the Great Sovereign period and the beginning of the Middle Sovereign period, he descended to the east, opened the Heaven of Numinous Contact, Forbidden Heights, Great Rosy Clouds, and Cavern-Origin, and established the world of the High Sovereign’s Brahma-Flying realm. He set in motion the wind of immortal transformation and ascension, and unfolded the Qi of flying immortals and cavernous networks.

In the south, in the Heaven of Cavernous Yang and Great Radiance, he opened the world of Yang Clarity and Cavernous Brilliance. He set in motion the wind of blazing crimson fire and unfolded the Qi of the Three Heavens’ fire-refined cinnabar pool.

In the west, in the Heaven of the Nine Immortals’ Brahma Practice, he opened the world of Far-Reaching Practice and Misty Clouds. He set in motion the wind of the Great Sovereign’s vast mist and unfolded the Qi of lesser Yin, opening and illuminating the way for immortal transformation.

In the north, in the Heaven of Yin’s Birth and Vast Numinous Power, he opened the world of Dark Nourishment, Light-Borne Return, and Flying Back. He set in motion the wind of the Highest Pole and Luo Heaven, and unfolded the Qi of true caverns and flying light.

In the northeast, in the Heaven of Primal Azure and the Wood Sovereign, he opened the world of Blue-Luo Void Song. He set in motion the wind of the harmonizing Nine Qi and unfolded the Qi of primal Yang, stirring and bringing life into being.

He let down jeweled pearls and gathered in the vaporous Qi, establishing the laws and ordinances. When these arrangements were largely complete, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning’s Dharma body manifested three hundred and sixty transformations and released divine light in nine colors, illuminating both the void and the manifest world.

The primordial One Qi spread in every direction. In the Azure Yang Palace, the three breaths of the sacred embryo, the jeweled inheritance, circulated. The Wood Mother gave birth to Fire, and Fire appeared in the east. There stood the world of Jade Clouds, Ten Thousand Blossoms, and Warm Radiance. Within its towering purple-gold palaces sat a revered deity with the appearance of an infant. He wore yellow-red brocade and a golden belt, and sat upon a seat of fine jade. He guarded the Three Enclosures—the three groups of stars in the heavens—and ruled over the myriad forms. His honored title was Jade Sovereign of Primordial Origin.

He manifested the complete celestial image in the Great Void, with the sun, moon, and host of stars arranged to either side in reverent attendance. The red radiance belongs to utmost Yang: it is the sun. The yellow brilliance belongs to pure Yin: it is the moon. The pure Qi of the eight directions flows and transforms into stars. The Nine Origins and Five Patterns transform into spirits, who guard the pivot of the Heavenly Dipper and stand above the sun, moon, and stars. Next, in the Heaven of Great Simplicity, there are the Scenic Empyrean, Empty Yin, and Eternal Joy… (The original text ends here unfinished.)

(The beginning and ending of the following scripture both appear to have been excerpted from longer passages.) As the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), a revered Daoist deity, delivers salvation, the radiance of the Three Luminaries—the sun, moon, and stars—shines upon this place. This is a method for preserving life and extending one’s years. At that moment, countless immortals arrive through the air: the Great Divine Perfected Ones of Heaven, the Highest Sages and Venerable Ones, the Perfected Ones of Wondrous Practice, and others. They ride the Threefold Plain flying clouds and the Eightfold Radiance jade chariots, the conveyances of immortals. Holding splendid banners and green ceremonial standards, they stream with light and color. Five-colored clouds gather thickly, illuminating the distant heights of the open sky.

Numinous rosy clouds spread across the heavens. The sun, moon, and stars shine in concert, radiating light in every direction. Wondrous Qi gathers into forms and transforms into dragons and phoenixes. Sweet dew falls like pearls, while marvelous vapor coils in long, quiet strands. The framework of Heaven and Earth revolves and encircles all. Whatever the sages and Perfected Ones gaze upon becomes bright and clear; mountains, rivers, and trees merge with one another without obstruction. The canopy of Heaven appears complete, and the Earth is like green jade, without any other color.

The assembled immortals stand in attendance all around. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sits upright in the open sky, amid the interwoven radiance of fire and jade, upon the throne of the divine tiger.

When the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning expounds the scripture once, the Great Sages of the heavens all praise it together. At this, the Primordial Framework of Taiji—the order governing the cosmos—arranges itself like stars; twin radiances shine forth, and the palaces grow luminous. When he expounds it a second time, an Auspicious Star rises, its light reaching Taiwei, the celestial region of star officials. At the third recitation, yellow clouds and the vital essence of Yang harmony wheel across the heavens and dance through the open sky. At the fourth, the Five Planets reveal their true forms and gather together at the jade palace. At the fifth, auspicious signs appear in the palaces of the sun and moon. At the sixth, numinous energy responds and descends, allowing the people to live longer. At the seventh, the Red Writings—the divine script of Heaven in Daoist tradition—come into view, and all cultivate together in accordance with Heaven’s laws. At the eighth, the assembly chants and upholds the Cavern Chapters, drawing in the essence of the sun, moon, and stars. At the ninth, merit is complete, and the dead in the netherworld can be rescued. At the tenth, all things take form through transformation, and the way to life is opened for long ages.

At that time, men and women throughout the kingdom wholeheartedly believed and accepted the teaching. Everyone received protection and salvation, and attained long life.

The scripture says: At this time, when the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning expounded the scripture once, the Great Divine Perfected Ones of Bright Truth and countless immortals from the Eastern Realm of the Infinite, the Boundless Grade, arrived through the air. When he expounded it a second time, the Great Divine Perfected Ones of True Yang and countless immortals from the Southern Realm of the Infinite, the Boundless Grade, arrived through the air. When he expounded it a third time, the Great Ones of Great Simplicity from the Western Realm of the Infinite, the Boundless Grade, …

…The ranks of the gods were beyond counting. Gods continually descended through the air to hear the scripture. When it had been recited for the fourth time, the Great God Yuming, of the Boundless and Immeasurable Order in the north, led countless gods through the sky to listen. At the fifth recitation, the Great God Biluo, of the Boundless and Immeasurable Order in the northeast, arrived with his retinue. At the sixth, the Great God Donghu, of the Boundless and Immeasurable Order in the southeast, came. At the seventh, the Great God Feifu, of the Boundless and Immeasurable Order in the southwest, arrived. At the eighth, the Great God Bifei, of the Boundless and Immeasurable Order in the northwest, came. At the ninth, the Great God Qingdu, of the Boundless and Immeasurable Order above, arrived. At the tenth, the Great God Yuanchang, of the Boundless and Immeasurable Order below, came.

When the scripture had been recited ten times, the Heavenly Perfected Great Gods from the boundless heavens of all ten directions arrived together. The men and women throughout the kingdom sincerely turned toward and revered the Dao and its teachings. Those who came to listen each rode a precious carriage adorned with the bright clouds of the Seven Luminaries—the sun, moon, and five planets. Their many carriages stretched without end, and none could stop them. People saw the palaces of the Sun Emperor, the Moon Sovereign, and the stars spread throughout the various worlds. In every palace were sovereigns, their ministers and officials, the people, and the clerks who assisted with documents. The lands and territories under each one’s jurisdiction were so vast they could not be measured or calculated.

Heavenly Immortals and the Highest Perfected—those who had attained profound cultivation—rode vermilion carriages beneath feathered canopies, traveling on divine creatures such as horned dragons and lions. They gathered, refined, and absorbed the luminous, wondrous Qi of the highest order. At that moment, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning manifested a marvelous light, vast as the vault of heaven. He led the Heavenly Perfected Great Gods, the Highest Sages and Venerable Ones, the Perfected Ones of Wondrous Practice, the supremely perfect Great Gods of the ten directions, and countless other gods into this wondrous light. Together they discoursed on the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars, and on the great methods for preserving life and extending one’s years, revealing the most subtle and wondrous Dao teachings. The Dao is not something with form…

Yin and Yang mingle to generate the myriad things. Metal and Water congeal to form the hun soul, which in turn nourishes the womb chamber. Radiance shines forth from the divine spirits, establishing the exalted status of the Supreme Wondrous Emperor.

There are Three Emperors, including the Great Emperor and the Great Emperor of Primordial Unity, who govern the myriad transformations. The scriptures speak of numbers as vast as nine, seven, and six hundred million. The Celestial Lords of the Upper Palace of Gouchen (the heavenly star officials) appoint the Great Emperor of the Celestial Sovereign to the Left Palace, the Venerable Emperor of the Sun to the Right Palace, and the Primordial Lord of the Moon to the Central Palace. The Great Emperor of the Purple Tenuity Northern Pole oversees the two forms of the Sun and Moon and sets the Qi of the Five Phases in motion. Together, they govern the three celestial bodies: the Sun, the Moon, and the stars. These three follow the revolutions of the Primordial Dipper (the Northern Dipper and the star groups under its command): a year has 365 and one-quarter days, circling and beginning again. The cycle of the sixty sexagenary combinations moves through the essence of the nine Yangs to form the Sun; the essence of the ten Yins forms the Moon. The essences of the Sun and Moon combine to generate the stars.

The Sun has nine colors, and the Moon ten luminous hues. The Sun is called the “Round Form of Nine Colors,” and the Moon the “Round Radiance of Ten Splendors.” The divine spirits of the Great Dao govern these lights, which are therefore called the Light of the Great One’s Celestial Spirit, the Light of the Great Mystery Without Night, the Light of the Great Azure Clear Cavern, the Light of Green Glass and Crimson Radiance, the Light of Five-Colored Luminous Gauze, the Divine Radiance of White Silk and Yellow Blossoms, the Light of Cinnabar Clouds and Vermilion Fire, the Light of Great Purity and Jade Blossoms, and the Light of Crimson Flames and Nine Subtle Glows.

Within the light, Brahma-Qi naturally congeals, forming the Purple Writings, Jade Tablets, True Script, Dragon Chapters, Phoenix Seals, and the five cloud-and-mist scrolls. These writings are composed of the Qi of the eight directions. Their strokes twist and turn, containing profound, hidden tones; their radiance streams down, and their forms resemble the Bagua (Eight Trigrams). They bring universal aid to heavenly and human beings alike, freeing all living beings from suffering.

The Sun’s circumference is one thousand li, and it travels one degree each day. The Moon’s circumference is also one thousand li; over day and night, it travels an average of thirteen degrees, moving twelve degrees when slow and fourteen when fast. When the Sun and Moon converge, the myriad things grow and come into being. The larger stars have a circumference of nine hundred li, while the smallest are only one hundred li; each moves according to its place in the sequence. The degrees traveled by Mercury and Mars cannot be measured by a fixed standard. The radiance and markings of the Sun, Moon, and stars appear in many forms.

The Eight Assemblies of the Numinous Writings, the Wondrous Chapters, the Mysterious Diagrams, the Curved Silks, and the Great Cavern are all wondrous scriptures concerning the Way of Radiance. Practicing their methods enables one to commune with wind and clouds, Qi and rain, and the Mysterious Ford and Jade Nectar, bringing body and spirit to a profound state. If one can command radiance, swallow the vapor of rosy clouds, draw in sunlight, and walk among the stars, one may become a Supreme Perfected One. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning completed this scripture amid wondrous light. The assembled Perfected Ones oversaw the rite of transmission and deliverance, and bestowed this scripture upon me.

At this moment, joy and celebration are beyond words. When the rites were largely complete, the gods of the heavens each returned to their appointed places. In an instant, all around fell silent. Now that the people of Heaven and all living beings had the good fortune to encounter this scripture and its teachings, they were universally saved and could preserve the span of life allotted to them by nature, free from harm. All beings under Heaven turned together toward the Great Dao and revered it, and all came to understand the light.

When a person’s Shen (spirit) unites with the light and their Qi (vital energy) unites with its brightness, life can be preserved, its thread left unbroken and its duration made endless. The Sun, Moon, and stars—the Three Luminaries—move through the heavens, while the Dao’s true meaning remains deep, subtle, and harmonious. When the light of the Three Luminaries enters the heart, a person can ascend and become a perfected being; when their light shines upon the earth, the Seven Treasures can guard and stabilize the human world. Understanding these principles, one’s bones can transform into dragon patterns; receiving and drinking in their radiance, one’s flesh can turn golden. One can move between the visible and invisible worlds, forever severing the changes of life and death. Embracing all things with compassion, one can even make kin of those of a different bone and blood. The state is at peace, the people are prosperous, and all under Heaven rejoice in an age of peace.

When this scripture first began to circulate, any state that took the Great Dao as its standard, held sincere devotion in advance, and honored and revered this scripture could attain deliverance.

The Dao says: The scriptures spoken by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning contain the inner names of the emperors of the heavens and their hidden taboo sounds. They also include the inner taboos of the Sun and Moon and the hidden names of the constellations. These are not words used in ordinary worldly speech. The radiance of the Sun, Moon, and stars can preserve life and extend its years because the Three Lights contain essence and the spirits of celestial truth. They descend to draw up a person’s Qi and Shen. When spirit and Qi mingle, the nature of the light becomes manifest; in the human body, this light appears as consciousness. Consciousness depends on Qi to endure, and Shen does not depart from life’s root. This is called “life.” Whoever penetrates the essential principle can preserve life. Life is the master of existence; when this master is secure, life can continue. When life continues and one attains the Dao, the Dao’s wondrous workings arise naturally. The highest sages have already completed their cultivation and become perfected beings. They penetrate the mysterious and investigate the hidden, fully comprehending the passages of this text.

Recite this scripture ten times, and the heavens will answer one another from afar while the myriad emperors perform their rites. Rivers and seas will be still, mountains will conceal their clouds, the Sun and Moon will cease their courses, and even the Northern Dipper will stop turning. The host of demons will bow their heads and submit to restraint; the vital essences of ghosts and spirits will vanish. The dead can return to life, and white bones can become human again.

When practitioners devoted to the Dao recite it ten times, the true spirits will ascend and join with the radiance of the Three Luminaries. Riding in a dragon chariot, they will tour the splendid celestial courts under the protection of the Celestial Emperor. The filth of corpse worms will disperse, and impurities from the womb will be cleansed and made clear. Earth spirits will be subdued and demonic beings bound. A person can reverse aging and overcome death, recover the years of life, and receive life anew.

To recite this scripture carelessly brings calamity upon the body. But if one makes offerings to it, honors it, and treats it with reverence, one’s household will prosper and flourish for generations, in accord with good fortune. No disaster can intrude, and the spirits will guard the household gates. This scripture is supremely revered and mysterious, without equal in the Jade Capital—the celestial city spoken of in Daoism—and saves countless people. It is the foundation of the myriad Ways. Its methods are lofty and vast, and its beneficence cannot be fully described.

Daoism teaches that if one recites this scripture ten times, the vital essence of the Sun, Moon, and stars will descend and protect the reciter. The light within the heart rises upward and joins with the numinous energy of the underworld. The scripture depicts a sacred scene: a divine child called “Child of the Radiance of the Primordial Beginning” and a “Woman Who Gathers Blossoms” hold an azure-green sash and summon the gods of the Three Spirits to refine Shen in the Mudball Palace, an important point above the head in Daoist teaching. In a hazy state, the mind’s spirit ascends, climbs to a high place, and gazes upon the heavens of Great Nonbeing. Through this, one’s ancestors across the generations and the departed souls in the underworld can all be delivered and ascend to the Vermilion Palace. The scripture says that after nine years of instruction there, they are reborn as noble people who delight in learning. When their cultivation and merit are complete, they can become immortals, ascend to the Golden Tower, and feast and wander in the Jade Capital.

Those who cultivate the Dao and learn and recite this scripture can ascend with the Qi of the stars, be delivered, and rise to the Southern Palace. When ordinary people recite it, they can draw the radiance of the Sun, Moon, and stars into their bodies. This refines and nourishes their bodies and souls, turns the Five Viscera golden, gives their faces a jade-like glow, and prolongs their lives. Ultimately, they can also attain the Dao of “corpse liberation.” Corpse liberation is a Daoist account of becoming an immortal: the body temporarily vanishes or is left behind, while the soul and spirit depart from the mortal body, escape the underworld, and later reappear in bodily form to travel through the vastness of space.

This scripture is subtle and boundless, and can deliver all beings without limit. Living beings in Heaven and on Earth can receive its blessings, and both the living and the dead benefit from it. The scripture is a treasure cherished by Heaven and must not be passed on casually to ordinary people. Those of virtue must prepare gold, silk, and precious objects, then take a sincere oath before receiving it. If they disclose it carelessly or treat it with disrespect, calamity will befall their ancestors for nine generations, condemning them to long service under the officials of the underworld. The Jade Boys and Jade Girls who attend the Five Emperors number twenty-four each; they guard the scripture and protect those who receive it.

The scripture also says that if one observes ritual purity and recites it in the first month, the Heavenly Emperor will descend to inspect. Heavenly light will shine upon the body, the Ninefold Rosy Clouds will refine and nourish the bones, and purple Qi will unite with the spirit. As a result, the souls of the dead from former generations can escape their confinement in the underworld and ascend to the Southern Palace. If one observes ritual purity and recites it in the seventh month, the Star Emperor will descend to inspect. Heavenly light will shine upon the body, and precious clouds will refine and nourish its substance, turning its vital essence golden. The practitioner will thereby attain an immortal body. The heavens will also enter the name of the scripture’s recipient in the Yellow…

It is said that reciting this scripture and practicing according to the liturgy can erase one’s name from the register of the dead and enter it in the register of the living. After ten months of continuous fasting and scripture recitation, the Moon Deity will descend to observe, and the light of Heaven will shine upon the body. Precious clouds refine the primordial Qi, bringing the three lights of the Sun, Moon, and stars into harmony with the body. The deities within respond to one’s intentions, transforming and renewing themselves, and one is reborn as a king or emperor, or as a lord, minister, father, or son.

Reciting the scripture for the sake of the state can stabilize its fortunes, ensuring that the country remains secure and endures through generations. If one regularly recites and upholds it for the ruler, the lands under that ruler’s governance will be brought to peace, and the people will praise the era as peaceful and prosperous.

When the scripture is recited on the Eight Festivals, the eight seasonal observances valued in Daoism, the paired lights—the radiance of the Sun and Moon—turn toward the primordial spirit. Close the eyes and quiet the mind; visualize light shining through the Valley of Heaven, while red Qi refines and nourishes the primordial spirit. The Five Planets descend with their true Qi; the Sun, Moon, and stars circle the body; and the awe-inspiring spirits of the eight directions breathe forth fiery light. Primordial Qi then arises of its own accord, enabling one to become a Perfected One of the Nine Palaces.

When the scripture is recited on one’s natal day, the day of one’s birth, the radiance of the Sun and Moon shines upon the Nine Origins, and vermilion clouds swirl around, granting one mysterious insight and spiritual clarity. Riding a dragon, one ascends into the Purple Empyrean, follows the Dipper stars and climbs the Kui constellation, travels through the realm of the Three Yangs, and passes the trials of the Three Mysteries, thereby dispelling calamities. Divine beings of the eight directions and the Seven Luminaries—the Sun, Moon, and five planets of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—guard the practitioner, so that sitting or lying down, one is as if within the Northern Dipper, safe from every kind of misfortune. The Sun, Moon, and stars radiate light, restoring one’s appearance; the hun and shen souls become clear and upright, and primordial Qi endures. From then on, one suffers no more distress. Light fills the body, the spirits of the Three Realms guard it, the Five Emperors send divine beings to welcome the practitioner, and the assembled deities come to pay their respects. When one’s merit and virtue are complete, one ascends to the Highest Clarity.

The Daoist scripture says: On each day this rite is performed, bathe in fragrant water and fast before entering the chamber and facing east. Knock the teeth thirty-two times so that the prayer reaches the Thirty-Two Heavens, then bow thirty-two times. Close the eyes and meditate quietly, visualizing oneself seated amid blue, yellow, and white clouds, with profound, luminous stillness within and without. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lions, and white cranes stand in ranks on either side; the Sun and Moon shine above, and the Five Planets shine upon and protect one another. The chamber is filled with penetrating light, and a round halo appears above the head, illuminating the ten directions. The visualization should be clear and distinct.

Silently recite the incantation:

“Supreme and Mysterious Origin, Lord of the Great One, summon the Three-Five Merit Officers within my body; the officials and messengers to my left and right; the attendant Jade Youths of Incense and the Jade Maidens who transmit words; the Five Emperors’ appointed talisman officers and the incense officials on duty today—thirty-six of each—to convey the matters I have presented. This day is auspicious. In this pure fasting hall, I have long fasted and cultivated this supreme scripture. May the words I submit be fully heard and conveyed to the honored throne of the Primordial Lord, the Supreme One of the Thirty-Two Heavens.” (At the end of the incantation.)

Then guide the breath thirty-two times, face east, and recite the scripture:

The Wondrous Scripture of Supreme Grade for Deliverance Without Limit by the Primordial Beginning

The Wondrous Chapter of the Three Luminaries’ Radiance, Protecting Life and Prolonging Years, from the Primordial Beginning Cavern Mystery Lingbao Scripture tells how the Three Luminaries—the sun, moon, and stars—shine forth to protect life, lengthen one’s years, and deliver all beings.

Hidden verses appear of themselves, and the radiance of the great law rises high. Divine light spreads out and gathers again, while true Qi blends in the deep obscurity of chaos. Yellow without and red within, two forms join one another. Yin and Yang Qi come together, and from this union the Heavenly Treasures take shape as written characters. These jade characters are divided into five sections, and the spirits of the eight directions reveal their majesty. They are the foundation of creation and the source of Heaven and Earth. Heaven and Earth nurture and transform the myriad things, vast and profound, merging with the Qi of chaos in boundless expanse. From this, three lights open forth and become the foundation of Heaven. The sun and moon are born within them, and the nine paths then divide.

Primordial essence and dark essence give rise to the myriad heavens. Above the heavens there is no higher ancestral source; only the Dao is the foundation. Five kinds of writing unfold, planting spirits everywhere. Divine light and Qi knot into threads, winding and stretching for millions upon millions of fathoms. Dragon chapters and tiger scripts—the sacred writings of Daoism—are set upon jade and arrayed in golden light. Their brilliance flourishes, joining and separating in interwoven patterns until they coalesce as true essence, complete, rounded, and lofty.

From Mount Luoyu and Xiao Jing, and other places, they reach directly to the Great Void, the supreme and empty realm. The Three Pure Ones of the Cavern of Chaos are deep and wondrous. Purple canopies reflect one another with the Yellow Court; the sun is on the left, the moon on the right, and red radiance shines at the center. The Six Qi intertwine, and the Three Luminaries take form. The Five Emperors issue their talismanic commands, while the Seven Luminaries—the sun, moon, and five planets—reveal wondrous scriptures. Clouds weave into a net, and a divine pool gives birth to an infant.

There are the racing lights of the sun and moon, and the Red and Black Gods; a sovereign surrounded by Brahma Qi; the true divinities known as the Sun Youth, Moon Maiden, and Star Consort; Yuyi and Jielin, deities who represent the sun and moon, together with Leizhu and the radiant spirits who shine blue and purple. There are also scriptures that gather light and essence, composed of eight kinds of plain writing. The Red Emperor, the Yellow Elder, and such exalted spirits as the Celestial Soul and the High-Flying One are present as well. The round image of the sun corresponds to the square form of Earth. Nine-colored clouds pour into and refine the Five Viscera, cleansing and regulating all the body’s hundred gates. Riding a dragon chariot, one ascends swiftly, reaching the Emperor’s Pavilion, the dwelling of the Heavenly Emperor.

The radiance of the Three Luminaries protects life and prolongs years, reviving withered bodies and bringing the dead back to life. Through boundless methods, it delivers all beings. Today, as this scripture is collated and transcribed, the spirits of the heavens descend before the imperial throne.

The Eastern Limitless King of Bright Truth is a Great Sage of Long Life, able to deliver people without limit.

The Southern Limitless King of True Yang is a Great Sage of Long Life, able to deliver people without limit.

The Western Limitless King of Great Simplicity is a Great Sage of Long Life, able to deliver people without limit.

The Northern Limitless King of Feathered Brightness is a Great Sage of Long Life, able to deliver people without limit.

The Northeastern Limitless King of Blue Heaven is a Great Sage of Long Life, able to deliver people without limit.

The Southeastern Limitless King of the Cavern Gate is a Great Sage of Long Life, able to deliver people without limit.

The Southwestern Limitless King of Flying Talismans is a Great Sage of Long Life, able to deliver people without limit.

The Northwestern Limitless King Who Wards Off Evil is a Great Sage of Long Life, able to deliver people without limit.

The Supreme Kings of the Gods of Limitless Clarity above, who dwell in the Clear Capital of the upper realm, and the Supreme Kings of the Gods of Limitless Distant Prosperity below, together with the Perfect Ones of the Ten Directions, the gods who govern the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars, and the gods who ascend to the heavens—all possess the supernatural power to grant long life, carry beings beyond this world, and save immeasurable multitudes. Together they ride the Eightfold Plain Clouds, the Purple Cloud Chariots, and the Luminous Cavern Cars, drawn by flying dragons and coursing phoenixes. Their vehicles are wreathed in fragrance and crowned with canopies of jade in gold and emerald hues. They bear divine regalia and banners.

Before the procession, attendants strike the resonant ao, a musical instrument used in Daoist ritual, and play; behind it, others perform melodies, their immortal music lingering in the air. Dark cranes and blue-green luan birds call and sing. The Nine Perfected Ones clear the way, while the Ten Radiances guard the chariot shafts. Millions upon millions of chariots and riders descend through the air, gathering in their divine radiance and turning their vehicles to protect people’s lives and extend their years.

The Celestial Dipper’s Inner Minister, the Jade Assistant of the Imperial Spirit, the Grand Tenuity Director of Fate, the Great God of Mysterious Union, and other deities carry registers and books of names. They come together before the Celestial Emperor and check the records of the heavens, one by one, for those who are to be saved. The High-Rising Red Emperor draws in and directs the Qi of the Nine Primordials and Five Celestial Bodies, bringing harmonious Qi into resonance and union. The radiance of the Great Mystery flows downward to shelter living beings and prolong their lives.

The deities Zhu Jing, Lü Ying, Biao Xiang, Tao Qian, Yan Zhao, Hong Li, Jie Lin, Huang Hua, and others record people’s names on the Vermilion Terrace, where the registers of the heavens are kept. They refine and nourish body and mind with the Qi of flying rosy clouds, enabling people to sit at ease in a clear, luminous emptiness and to wear and uphold numinous scriptures. These deities proclaim their message throughout the limitless divine realms of the Three Realms, as well as the Palace of the Sun and the Court of the Moon. The divine offices of the Left Record and Right Registry, the Nine Heavens, the Five Dippers, the Eastern Well, and the River Source all send down their Qi. It joins with the Qi of the Mysterious Elixir at Kunlun, erasing the registers of sin and extinguishing the roots of evil, so that people are no longer detained or forced to join the ranks of ghosts.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning issues a talismanic decree, stipulating that those who have been delivered shall ascend in rank at the appointed time. The sun, moon, and stars move along their courses, their blazing radiance flowing and turning, while even the cold springs change in response. The scripture further says that divine power can subdue demonic obstacles and protect and raise up cultivators, enabling them to follow the light of the sun and moon and become immortals. Even Yin forms—the bodies or wandering souls of the underworld—can undergo refinement and deliverance and receive a divine radiance that endures without end.

The Perfected Gods of the Three Palaces use the Dao to bring forth wondrous essence and Qi, restoring life to those who have been delivered. They endure through every age and every kalpa; as the cycles of the kalpas turn, they live as long as Heaven. They are forever freed from the Three Paths, the Five Sufferings, and the Eight Adversities, and rise beyond them to the Pole Star, ascending to the Three Enclosures, the regions of stars in the heavens. Above the Three Enclosures lies the colorless realm where the Celestial Emperor Ziwei resides.

The Eight Heavens of the East

This is the heavenly realm where the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars appears and nurtures the myriad things. Following the Way of the Three Courses, associated with the movements of the sun, moon, and stars, one can ascend to the Palaces of the Sun and Moon. There stand towers and palace halls, and there are worlds inhabited by immortals; all are brought forth from crystal-clear radiance.

Heaven of Utmost Luminous Light and Caves of Jade—Emperor Yue Jingling Gong.

Heaven of Bright Brahma and Radiant White—Emperor Dao Jin Guan Yuan.

Heaven of Mysterious Virtue and Life’s Delight—Emperor Bo Zi Ming Qi.

The Sky of Gongji Yanzhang, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Jiaola Tongdi.

The Sky of Subtle Mystery and Nine Truths, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Zhaoyu Jingjing.

The Sky of the Deep and Majestic Cavern Pass, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Yongyou Jiuying.

The Sky of Great Flight, Mystery, and Broadness, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Dingzheng Changwu.

The Sky of Dark Seclusion and Leaking Passage, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Jici Zhuangyou.

The Eight Heavens of the South

The Sky of Nine Paths and Abyssal Fish, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Riguan Fudu.

The Sky of Forest Origins and Trusting Winds, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Qiao Ping Zixu.

The Sky of Transformation, Purity, Stillness, and Peace, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Huan Dou Alou.

The Sky of Brahma Clouds and Profound Depths, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Minjiang Yousheng.

The Sky of Accomplished Virtue and Precious Qi, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Shunhu Yanqiu.

The Sky of Stillness, Rectitude, and Spreading Clouds, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Dongzhen Duanyao.

The Sky of Ascending and Descending, Governed and Fulfilled, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Qingdu Sibing.

The Sky of Pure Truth and Violet Emptiness, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Fengguan Zhuwang.

The Eight Heavens of the West

The Sky of Blended Precious Truth, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Taisu Jing.

The Sky of Preserved Seals and Further Mystery, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Chituo Xi.

The Sky of Vast Arching and Ancestral Excellence, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Duxian Yuanzun.

The Sky of Arrayed Stars and Nine Masters, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Huangyin Taiwei.

The Sky of Empty Clarity, Light, and Nonbeing, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Changming Qixuan.

The Sky of Han’s Office of Bright Prohibitions, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Hualü Zhenji.

The Sky of Flowing Essence and Jade Orbs, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Bodong Beifu.

The Sky of the Spirit Dragon’s Transformation and Arrival, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Yuqing Jianzhen.

The Eight Heavens of the North

The Sky of Transformation, Passage, and Transmuted Truth, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Qiuhe Pulin.

The Sky of Empty Brahma and Hidden Shadows, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Juexian Dangru.

The Sky of Wind Origins and Transmuted Qi, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Bichi Huyu.

The Sky of Approaching Mountains and Descending Immortals, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Doukui Yuchen.

The Sky of Gathered Blessings and the Azure Chamber, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Duoduo Shaliu.

The Sky of the Morning Swallows and the Fierce Regiment, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Taishi Xuanxia.

The Heavenly Emperor of Jieren Jiming Heaven, and the Heavenly Emperor of Dongyan Wubei Heaven; the Heavenly Emperor of Xiangkui Daozheng Heaven, and the Heavenly Emperor of Haobei Shanzun Heaven.

Each of the thirty-two heavens has its own Heavenly Emperor. Every heaven has secret titles and hidden names. These are the wondrous spiritual writings of the naturally empty celestial realms, as well as the secret rhythms and heavenly music of the various heavens. In heaven dwell revered deities, spirits, great demons, and perfected immortals. The Nine Radiances and Ten Florescences transform without end, containing the boundless, profound principles of the highest clarity, whose full account is beyond words. The divine perfected descend to offer universal salvation to the people of heaven and earth.

Today, all rejoice in celebration. Those who receive salvation pass through the barriers of the heavens and are welcomed and guided by them. The light of the celestial hour shines down, and the gods look upon the rite; their radiance illuminates the Jade Terrace. The primordial Qi sets down the guiding ordinances, while crimson strings play wondrous music. The essence of the jade moon is gathered and fashioned into protective gear. The Five Stars revolve like bright pearls falling into the Hall of Light. Flying spirits are visualized in the Nine Palaces, and the radiance of the sun is swallowed, so that the light within the body shines brilliantly, unbound.

At the Gate of Heaven are the Eastern Dipper’s Azure Chamber, the Western Dipper’s Jade Tower, the Northern Dipper’s Purple Gate, the Southern Dipper’s Dark Elixir, and the Central Dipper’s Yellow Court. The starry Dippers of the five directions converge. Flying immortals breathe out azure Qi and bestow blessings for ten thousand years. The Azure Emperor seizes and commands the hun-souls; the White Emperor governs the jing-souls; the Red Emperor removes the stains of fire; the Black Emperor sweeps away defilement; and the Yellow Emperor summons and commands the demons, subduing and destroying every kind of evil spirit.

The King of the Azure Florescence contains the refined Qi of Wood virtue. The King of the Vermilion Florescence holds authority over the laws. The King of the White Florescence, Gou Tian, turns the winds about, while the King of the Black Florescence, Crimson Mist, flies like a child. The King of the Yellow Florescence, who drinks dark Qi, shines upon the Three Enclosures—the celestial regions of the stars—and the Five Florescences. The galloping dragon is the forefather of the myriad gods. As it flies, the gods follow, beating drums. They command the celestial troops, carry banners and drum batons, patrol the vast sky, spread refined Qi, and shine with brilliant splendor, flourishing together with the Dao.

Heaven above grants salvation to humanity. Golden tigers and jade dragons, together with the vast wind, gather in breath; the Celestial Pole refines and nourishes the body, making it splendid, while the Phoenix Net protects life and makes it endure. The Five Elders hold talismans, and the Great One rings the bell, urgently summoning the myriad gods to send their radiance into the deepest palaces. They wash away the errors of darkness, record the wondrous merits of the profound, sweep away ill fortune, and cut down treachery and evil.

Fierce horses breathe fire, while golden axes clear the way ahead. Wind and thunder shake the heavens; mighty thunder crashes, and lightning flashes in every direction. The spirits swiftly carry out the Heavenly Emperor’s commands and summon radiance. Lives that have endured calamity regain their vitality and no longer wither. After running three times and swallowing the essence, one may return to the azure heavens. Divine officers dressed in blue feathered robes and skirts seal the mountains and inspect the refined Qi. The Three Officials and Beifeng, the divine authority over the underworld, carefully investigate and make their records, leaving no place for the hordes of ghosts and demons to hide. Reports are then sent upward by the golden-horse courier.

This proclamation is announced everywhere, without end; all the myriad gods obey its commands. The Five Emperors of the Three Realms also submit their report to the highest clarity.

The Nine Lights of the Hundong (the nine kinds of light and Qi, still undivided and whole) congeal into a jade wheel. Ten rays of light revolve like flowing pearls, bending and spreading, extending in all directions, giving rise to life and setting it in motion. Ancestral Qi (the fundamental energy from which all things arise) is the Dao’s most subtle essence.

Jing and Qi disperse, and rosy clouds appear; the precious wheel turns, and talismanic patterns circle around. Lines like those of dragon script interweave, opening and closing; phoenix Qi coils around them, clouds of the Dan immortals hang low, and lingzhi mushrooms unfurl like mountains. Jade-colored crimson light gives off wondrous brilliance; the Supreme One’s numinous scripture (a sacred text of the highest order) protects life and makes the right path clear. The radiance of the sun, moon, and stars gathers and transforms, arising of itself.

Above, it reaches the rounded canopy of the heavens. The Emperor Lords transform without end, circulating and transforming primordial Qi, and establishing the Three Enclosures (the three celestial regions). The netherworld is deep and vast, boundless in its emptiness; at the beginning of Heaven and Earth, chaos spread wide and Qi was balanced and harmonious. Wondrous visions shine brightly; Brahma Qi (pure, sacred energy) circles in the depths, and subtle fluid nourishes and awakens spiritual communion. In a hazy, indistinct state, one transforms into an immortal.

Yellow and red Qi rise and descend, while immortals feast and wander in Shangqing (one of the Daoist heavens). The guiding order of Heaven and Earth revolves and evolves, forming fifty-two layers of heaven. Stars are arranged like a net, encircling the ten directions.

The stellar stations—Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, Ji, Dou, Niu, Nü, Xu, Wei, Shi, and Bi—revolve, opening the forces of life and revealing the Five Constant Virtues. Fifteen divisions gather and direct the Qi of the Highest Mystery, merging in darkness with the Eight Radiances. Qi enters the wondrous realm, and mysterious light shines forth. Spirits arise naturally within this light; they are called the Red Emperor. The consorts of the Five Emperors open the nine gates, and white numinous radiance appears faintly.

The spirits hold the Dongzhang (sacred chapters) and summon the Qi of the Heavenly Origin to descend. Purple Void Qi flourishes in its beauty, supporting and protecting the myriad immortals. A thousand kinds of auspicious Qi come together, and the true Dao is realized of itself. Within the true Dao is a spirit called the Heavenly Emperor Lord, who dwells in the mysterious palaces of Taiwei, the North Pole, and the Celestial Market. The Sun Emperor and the Lunar Luminary preside over the stars.

Golden rosy light and vermilion rays protect life and prolong its years. Practitioners ascend to Shangqing and enter and leave the Yellow Chamber (the body’s divine chamber in Daoist teaching). In the shadowy realms of the eight directions, in places of utmost subtlety, spirit and Qi descend once more to settle within the human body, dwelling in the Niwan (the divine chamber in the head) and the Crimson Palace (the divine chamber of the heart). The four-eyed spirits secretly summon and guide; fiery light and precious dragons move within the body, regulating the Five Qi and bringing the hundred spirits together as one.

Jia marks the beginning of the yang days, and Ren their end; Geng marks the beginning of the yin months, and Shen their end. Jiao is the beginning of the stellar stations, and Bi their end. The courses of the three luminaries—yellow, red, and black—travel independently in their cycles: they sink at the hour of Hai and are reborn at the hour of Zi.

Numinous Qi passes through ten cycles of transformation, and the myriad Qi return together to immortality. The immortal Way values life. The Scripture of Radiant Deliverance passes through eight gates; the flying Dharma wheel races forth, drawing and guiding, awakening communion and offering salvation. The Red Mirror turns to the left, universally opening the way and delivering beings: the souls of the dead are carried across, and the bodies of the living receive new life.

The scripture ascends to the heavens. Above each layer of heaven is a Gate of Life, containing empty, numinous chapters concerning the sun, moon, and stars: these are the numinous writings of the Supreme Emperor. These words and phrases resonate with the High Perfected (high-ranking deities honored in Daoism).

First Hymn: The Sound-Chapter of Crimson Light Racing Swiftly Like the Sun

The golden city in the valley where the sun rises,

ascends to the divine Fusang tree,

its radiance stretching ten thousand li.

Radiance shines in all ten directions. The pearl’s light is perfectly rounded on the outside, while within it holds profound essence. The Heavenly Emperors of the Five Directions dwell in the crimson gates of heaven. In the Jade Pool grow emerald lotuses, their green, purple, white, and yellow hues reflecting one another. The elixir breath flows without cease, streaming down into your body and granting you long life.

The sacred trees of Qianlin are arrayed in the eight directions. Cloud vapors bear jade fungi, scattering them among the hundred spirits. Essence and vital energy join with Heaven and Earth. The sun-fire implement Yangsui is borne by nine dragons, while the heavenly steed races on high winds. The Daoist deity Guanglao descends in a blaze of radiance and ascends to the palace of the Sun Emperor, granting you the “Chapter of the Cavern’s Origin,” a passage from a Daoist scripture on immortality. In the realm of Highest Clarity, you become a True Lord.

Chapter Two: The Chapter of Yellow Blossoms Racing to the Moon

The Moon’s essence is like a green net. Jielin, the Daoist deity who dwells on the Moon, transforms into radiance. There is a great deity there, known as the Pure Sovereign. He travels in a vast procession, his train of carriages stretching far beyond measure. In palaces of pearl and jade, in jeweled pavilions and halls of jade, he commands the spirits and vital energies and presides over the fundamental laws of Heaven and Earth. Feathered banners sweep aloft, and ten dragons draw his carriage.

The waters of the Celestial River flow around Kunlun. Its mysterious peaks rise high, where sources of auspiciousness converge. He sends down the Radiant Youth. Immortals wander amid rosy clouds and enter the Azure Void, freely riding the numinous wind. They gather essence and vital energy, absorb radiance, and gaze down into the Great Void, bestowing on you a register of long life. Their great grace is deep and enduring, bringing everlasting harmony and accord.

Chapter Three: Song of the Eight Su Racing Among the Stars

All things and appearances are arrayed within the great cosmic order, and divine beings govern the Three Enclosures. The revered deity at the center of Heaven is solemn and majestic; the Northern Dipper and the Pole Star turn their flying wheels. The Purple Tenuity Emperor is an incarnation of the Primordial Sovereign. The paired lights of the Sun and Moon assist the mysterious workings of creation, while the Five Planets carry out the laws of Heaven. The transformations of the Great Dao gather without end. Yellow primordial Qi rises and becomes the essence of the Sun.

The Nine Heavens send down pure, tranquil, mysterious Qi. In the Highest Firmament, seven Perfected Ones stand arrayed. At the Valley of Sunrise, subtle, hidden light appears, and the assembled sages cross beyond Western Kunlun. The Great Compassionate Emperor of the Void opens the gateway of life for all beings through transformation. Yellow banners summon the heavenly demons, and the Perfected Ones hasten to the realm of light. The Six Qi intertwine, allowing all things to endure and grow. The Supreme Pole—the highest law and center between Heaven and Earth—has been established.

One should cultivate oneself by following these two ways of the Dao, referring to the paths of practice described earlier. The Eight Su (heavenly scriptures or the energy of divine beings in Daoism) descend to Yuyu Heaven, while the people of the celestial realm hasten toward the Five Celestial Stars. All practice together the Way of the True Origin; their spirits ascend and reach the Jade Capital, the abode of the Celestial Emperor.

These three chapters of celestial truth are sung through the empty spaces above the Three Luminaries. Their sounds mingle with the Cavern Chapters, the scriptures of the celestial realm. Reciting them a hundred times earns one a place among those who have passed beyond the Southern Palace; reciting them a thousand times brings the celestial beings down to welcome one. After ten thousand recitations, one’s practice of the Dao is complete: one can ascend through the vast heavens, transcend the Three Realms, and take one’s place among the Immortal Lords. If someone hears these wondrous sounds, the Demon King will bow in reverence and submit to their command; the Earth Spirits will attend and protect that person, escorting them on their way and delivering them from the gates of hell. They will be freed from the Five Sufferings and Eight Calamities, the many torments of hell. Their seven generations of ancestors will rise to a higher state and leave the offices of the ghosts forever. Their souls will be brought to Zhul ing, the Daoist realm where departed souls are refined and delivered, to undergo this transformation and receive new life. This is called boundless universal salvation, without end. These scriptures are a secret treasure of the celestial realm.

All the heavens revere these scriptures. Anyone who reveals them or treats them with contempt will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon their ancestors for seven generations.

The Dao says: These two chapters are secret sounds treasured by the celestial emperors and the celestial beings of the Three Luminaries. They belong to the Great Brahma’s utterances, the sacred language of the heavens, and are not ordinary words of this world. They gather radiance and summon visions, bringing down heavenly light so that people may penetrate the mysteries and transform into immortals. For this reason they are called profound and mysterious, beyond exhaustive investigation. They are treasures stored by Heaven and kept in the eastern part of the Divine Empyrean Jade Palace. By celestial law, they are passed down only when the proper time comes, once every thirty-seven thousand years. If a person who has attained the Dao brings gold and jewels and swears an earnest oath, the scriptures may be entrusted to them only after they have pledged themselves before the heavens in all ten directions, in accordance with established practice.

The Dao says: The radiance of the Three Luminaries—the sun, moon, and stars—is tranquil, clear, and undiminished; it cannot be obscured or eclipsed. The celestial bodies move in their cycles: how could they ever come to an end? When the moon and sun travel along the same path, Yin Qi encroaches upon Yang Qi and conceals the sunlight; when the sun and moon travel along the same path, Yang Qi obscures Yin Qi and veils the moonlight. When their energies meet, their radiance may seem hidden, but the Three Luminaries themselves are unharmed, for they are the purest beings between Heaven and Earth.

Those who can gather and absorb the radiance of the Three Luminaries can become Perfected Beings of Highest Clarity and govern the laws at the Mysterious Terrace, a place in Heaven where practitioners cultivate the Dao. The celestial bodies wax and wane in their courses, and people, too, experience good fortune and hardship. To address illness and injury, one may preserve the true Qi, absorb the light of the sun and moon, and massage the affected area. At times, one may also visualize and hold the sun and moon, or place one’s hands upon the governing patterns of the stars. Through such quiet sitting and cultivation, one can attain the state of an immortal and preserve life without growing old.

Devote yourself wholeheartedly to fasting and cultivating the Dao. Burn incense six times each day and repeatedly recite the scriptures ten times. Blessings and De will soon descend, and all manner of ill fortune can be dispelled. This boundless scripture can save all beings universally, without end.

The Dao teaches that the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars can protect life and prolong one’s years. The divine light of nine colors can refine the bones and fill the mind and spirit, joining the essence of Yang energy with primordial Qi (vital energy) and thereby transforming one into the realm of the immortals. If practitioners can keep the Three Luminaries—the vital essences of the sun, moon, and stars—in the Niwan Palace (the upper Dantian, or energy center, in the head), allowing their light to shine through the body inside and out, they can nourish their radiance and swallow the fluids of the body, ultimately becoming perfected immortals of the highest rank.

Some beginners, however, have made little progress in the Dao, or have yet to complete their cultivation of the immortal rank. If their allotted years are about to run out, they may undergo the cycle of Great Yin and become bedridden. The Five Dipper stars—the cycles of fate governed by the Big Dipper and other stars—then turn in correspondence. At the time of death, fellow practitioners who have attained the Dao may burn incense and recite the scripture ten times to deliver the deceased. When the rite has been properly performed, the person’s hun and shen (soul and spirit) can ascend directly to the Southern Palace in the celestial realm. The time needed for rebirth is determined by the merit of their cultivation. They will be reborn without losing their way in the cycles of transmigration and may ultimately attain the Dao and become immortal.

The Dao teaches that the sun, moon, and stars are the foundation of the Supreme Dao. All things depend on them to grow, and immortals and sages attain their cultivation through them. Drawing on their divine might can subdue the demons of the Six Heavens. When the body is bathed in starlight, its radiance can penetrate the gates of the underworld, cleanse impurities from the womb, disperse corpse blood, and resolve the enmity accumulated over seven generations. Absorbing the stars’ essence makes the body shine gold and the face gleam with jade light. One may then take a place in the Palace of Taiwei, where the celestial officers dwell, while one’s spirit ascends to Jingxiao in radiant splendor. As one’s essence gathers, it can form elixirs and accumulate treasures. The flying crystals guide the soul, bearing it to the Purple Court, where it feasts and wanders in the Jade Capital of the Shangqing realm, a high heaven in Daoist cosmology.

When the cycles of Heaven and Earth near their end, the stars fall out of order, the sun and moon lose their light, and the seasons depart from their proper course—or when a region suffers disaster, war persists, epidemics spread, and people die—if a teacher or fellow practitioner’s allotted life has ended, the others should perform a purification retreat, burn incense, and recite the scripture. The merit of retreat and recitation is profound: above, it can dispel heavenly calamities and safeguard the emperor’s peace; below, it can ward off poisons and save the people. The blessings thereby bestowed on living beings are beyond measure. For this reason, it is called “the boundless salvation of all beings in Heaven and among humankind.”

The Dao teaches that anyone who possesses this scripture and reveres and follows it will be bathed in the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars. This radiance can ward off ill fortune in the outer world and calm the spirit within; deliver the dead from the underworld so they may behold the light of Heaven; refine the hun and dissolve the corpse; and protect life and prolong one’s years. If practitioners dedicate this merit to Heaven and Earth, the emperor, and the people, then on the day disaster strikes, they should resolve to perform a purification retreat, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times. The heavens will record their names, and the myriad spirits will protect them. In time, such a person may become a sage ruler who has attained the Dao, or a minister in the Golden Palace of Heaven. The heavens record people’s merits and faults, overlooking nothing, even in the smallest details; the demon kings of Heaven will also recommend such a person. Only those who have attained the Dao can truly grasp the scripture’s highest teachings.

Among the heavens, the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars transforms into vast and hidden celestial sounds, containing countless tones. Written by the Dao Lord.

The Jade Chapters of the Most High on Preserving Life and Prolonging Years among the Three Enclosures

Below are the names of the eight tiers of heaven in each of the four directions: east, south, west, and north. These phrases are celestial allusions found in Daoist scriptures, formed largely from rare characters. They are used mainly to designate the heavens and are not ordinary sentences.

Eight Heavens of the East

Zhu Lu Qiu Tu · Bu Yuan Yun Zhu · Ying Luo Long Pu

Guang Shen Si Lin · Min Wei Zhao Lu · Qing Dang Ji Pin

Zheng Zhen Lu Wei · Xuan Li Kan Chi · Dao Ji Shuang Bao

Jue Jing Qiu Lian · Da Wan A Bai · Zhen Tian Xuan Xian

Xu Hua Fei He · Chu Miao Na Fu · Yuan Bi Dong Kong

Ying Yao Tan Duo

Eight Heavens of the South

Po Yao Tan Ming · Yue Ni Tong Ling · Yu Yu Chou Huo

Mi Shi Xian Lun · Nan Ze Yun Hong · Dan Jia Da Wu

E Tuo Min Zhu · Kuo Yi Ying Du · Quan Tian Shan Ji

Ju Zhen Fu Luo · Guo Mo Quan Mo · Yi Xun Xin He

Wang Zhui Si Xi · Fen Tong Yan Rao · Fan You Ming Yuan

Fa Yi Bo Zou

Eight Heavens of the West

Yan Fu Yu Yan · Ying Lü Zong Jian · Wu Xuan Jing Ji

Chu Mu Chen Yan · Kuo Hong Tai Bei · Fang Dou De Xian

Hua Jiu You Li · Bian Bu Ping Piao · Zi Luan Yan Lun

Jin Miao Fu Fen · Ba Jing Hu Yang · Chi Yan Jiang Ben

Yu Qu Shu Cang · Di Bo Ji Hun · Ye Du Qian Du

Chen Mo Bei Sun

Eight Heavens of the North

Xuan You You Du · Cheng Fan Lian Guan · Zheng He Wu Ping

Zi Cha Yun Ting · Jin Tai Yue Huan · Luo Ze Qi Shi

Bo Hao Shuai Jie · Wen Ding Yuan Hui · Zhou Meng Ge Liu

Hu Li Ti Ying · Zhuan Hua Kuang You · Bian Ming Ci Ding

Zi Ling She Jing · He Shi Mang Tao · Bao Wan Bian Yu

Miao Po He Mei

Daoism teaches that this scripture is an immeasurable, wondrous sound issued by the “Hidden Words of the Great Brahma” among the heavens. It can draw forth the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars, and usher in the true Qi of the nine heavens. Whoever recites it in stillness, wears it, and reads this heavenly text will be met by the descending Qi of the celestial realm. This text arose from the natural breath of Brahma within the celestial palace of the Three Luminaries—the sun, moon, and stars. It is used to dispel calamities great and small throughout the Three Realms, as well as disasters of flood and fire.

The Celestial Perfected Sovereign engraved it within the celestial patterns traced by the courses of the sun, moon, and stars. Its purpose is to remove calamity, break through hardship and obstruction, and increase a person’s fortune and allotted destiny. Those who understand this text can use it to restrain ghosts and spirits and command the Six Ding—the six guardian deities of Daoist tradition—thereby preserving life and extending their years. When these numinous characters were transmitted to the human world, they were said to be a zhang in size and octagonal in shape. They are worn with a vermilion cord, while the bearer’s name is recorded on a jade tablet.

Those who know its sounds and rhythms, observe purification, and then recite it will be visited by flying celestial kings sent by the heavens, who will report their merit to the celestial courts. The myriad gods pay homage, the earth deities stand watch at the gates, and the Great Merit Demon King vouches for and recommends them, enabling them to ascend among the highest perfected beings. Once they have fulfilled the conditions required for cultivation, they can travel through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

This wondrous sound can ward off, dispel, save, and bring all things to fulfillment. It is the sound of the natural order of Heaven. When it is recited, the sun, moon, and stars send down their radiance, and the Qi of the nine rosy clouds gathers, refining the mortal body. Even one’s ancestors can attain immortality alongside the practitioner. Golden flowers bloom above the reciter’s head, the face becomes like fine jade, and life endures as long as the full moon. In this way, the Dao is attained and one ascends in flight.

The flying celestial kings ascend to pay their respects to the Supreme Emperor and chant from afar. The myriad gods come to pay homage, while the spirits of the Three Realms stand beside the imperial carriage. All manner of evil beings bow and prostrate themselves; ghosts, demons, and spirits of uncanny things vanish of their own accord. The ringing chant resounds in the ten directions, and the four quarters fall into solemn purity. Rivers and seas grow silent, mists disperse among the mountains, the myriad spirits tremble and submit, and the assembled immortals are summoned to attend.

Then no defiling Qi remains in Heaven, and no demonic dust or impurity remains on Earth. The underworld and the realm of wisdom alike become clear and completely illuminated. This is the vast and profound realm of mystery.