《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 29

The Chapter on Bringing Down the Perfected and Prolonging Life

The Dao says: Long ago, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning received The Supreme Dao Chapter on the Primordial Beginning’s Deliverance of People, Bringing Down the Perfected, and Prolonging Life in the Great Land of Fuliy, where the blue-green heavens resound with empty song, within the Heaven of Beginning Blue. Before proclaiming this scripture, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning circled the place ten times to summon the spirits of the ten directions—that is, the divine beings of all realms. Then countless beings came riding through the air: the great gods of the Heavenly Perfected, the high and holy honored ones, the Perfected of wondrous practice, the Spirit Kings of Bringing Down the Perfected, Prolonging Life, and Blessings and Virtue, the Dao Lords who enlighten, govern destiny, and determine life, the numinous rulers who protect people, and the Perfected Gods of the ten directions.

They rode on Qi of Purple Clarity, soaring on the wind across the blue-green heavens. Cinnabar clouds spread out like wheels; green radiance encircled their carriages, and auspicious signs formed above their canopies. The immortal retinue played fragrant music. Divine light shimmered with crimson hues. The six Qi blended and gathered; the air was pure and serene. This continued for seven days and nights.

The great sages and exalted Perfected of the heavens appeared in splendor. Palaces and watchtowers stood majestically, radiating light in every direction. Dharma drums and immortal music sounded of themselves, their clear, ringing tones echoing through countless grottoes. Divine winds drifted through the air; the sun and moon shone high, in harmony with the stars. Their doubled radiance illuminated the nine heavens. The star maidens climbed the celestial net and displayed their graceful forms. The Jade Emperor established the constant Dao and regulated primordial Qi, bringing brightness and openness to the myriad regions. The Three Realms—the heavens, the earth, and the waters—were all cleansed and made clear.

The land, mountains, rivers, forests, streams, grottoes, and seas throughout the whole country all turned golden. In each place, Perfected Ones stood upright and solemn, dressed in ceremonial robes and wearing crowns. From below, they gazed up from afar, as though waiting for something. Divine gateways and lofty towers rose majestically. Amid the blue-black horizon, celestial flowers drifted down, and scenes like brocade spread out all around. The Perfected Ones stood in attendance beside the seats. Seated in the Palace of Myriad Treasures of Heaven, upon a jeweled throne adorned with flying dragons, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning began to expound the scripture.

When the scripture was proclaimed once, the Heavenly Perfected of the ten directions descended in response. Together, they praised it, saying that it enabled people in the world to learn the cultivation of the Perfected and to extend their lives for a long time.

At that time, the men and women throughout the whole country all possessed the six spiritual powers—the six extraordinary abilities attributed to practitioners—and could transform themselves at will.

When the scripture was proclaimed twice, sincere faith reached up to the heavens, and the Heavenly Emperor, too, descended.

When it was proclaimed three times, the sea became calm and still, and the Dragon Palace appeared.

When it was proclaimed four times, blue frost fell from the sky, and purple nai fruit grew from the earth as an offering to the Perfected Immortals who had descended.

When it was proclaimed five times, illnesses arising from past karma, inner demonic obstacles, and all the difficulties encountered along the path of Dao cultivation could be dispelled. A person’s mysterious insight and divine wisdom would also awaken.

When it was proclaimed six times, one could dwell forever in the pure realm of the Dao, without falling back or sinking away when the blessings and lifespan granted by worldly retribution were exhausted.

When it was proclaimed seven times, one could use the fragrant intention of the heart, sending it throughout the realms of the immortals to invite the Heavenly Worthies of the Three Heavens in the ten directions to descend. The Three Heavens are the three levels of heaven described in Daoism.

When it was proclaimed eight times, one could quietly contemplate the myriad beings of the Three Realms and see that they were all exalted Heavenly Immortals and Perfected.

The merit of an emanation can protect and bless the nation. The people earnestly implored the True Spirits to descend, lengthen their lives, and save the world. When the scripture had been recited nine times, in the wondrous ritual space the Supreme Perfected appeared everywhere, descending to proclaim the teachings, extend people’s lives, and save them. At the tenth recitation, the people rejoiced, offered praise, and bowed.

This was truly unprecedented: the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign personally proclaimed the essential teachings, extended the lives of all beings, and brought down the True Spirits. At that time, men and women throughout the nation sincerely turned toward him, received his protection and salvation, and attained long life.

The scripture says: At that time, each time the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning recited the scripture, the True Gods of Life Extension from one direction, together with countless divine hosts, descended from the sky. At the first recitation, the divine hosts of the east descended; at the second, those of the south; at the third, those of the west; at the fourth, those of the north; at the fifth, those of the northeast; at the sixth, those of the southeast; at the seventh, those of the southwest; at the eighth, those of the northwest; at the ninth, those from above; and at the tenth, those from below.

When the scripture had been recited ten times, the True Gods of Life Extension from the ten directions and countless Great Gods arrived together. Men and women throughout the nation revered them with sincere devotion. Those who came carried flower banners, precious garments, and fruit, along with fragrant wood and fine offerings. Singing praises as they came, they bowed before the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning and prayed to hear the teachings through which the Perfected descended from Shangqing, the subtle, pure celestial realm revered in Daoism, to extend life and save people.

The human and celestial beings, the supremely perfected great spirits, and the men and women of the kingdom each reflected and said, “The Celestial Worthy’s compassion is boundless. Please dispel our darkness and help us understand the essentials of cultivating the Dao. Please also proclaim the essentials of the Great Dao for living beings in the lower realm, summon the true spirits to descend, and extend our lives.

“Though we celestial beings have ascended to heaven through cultivating the Dao and accumulating De, in the Southern Palace of Nanchang—the heavenly palace described in Daoist teachings—we are still subject to a fixed lifespan. However long our lives may be, they reach no more than hundreds of millions of years. We have still not escaped the Three Realms—the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm—nor made the heavenly realms endure forever. We ourselves have not entered the formless state, free from the cycle of birth and death.

“Now we have joyfully heard that the Celestial Worthy first proclaimed the supreme method of salvation to the Most High Lord of the Dao, and summoned true numinous beings to descend and aid living beings, extending human life. Though we already hold places among the heavens, we should all the more gladly believe and accept this teaching, practice as instructed, ascend to the sacred Dao, and never again enter the cycle of rebirth.”

As the assembly praised and proclaimed these words, their voices resounded through the worlds in all ten directions, like low thunder mingling with fierce wind and rain, and metal and stone clashing together, shaking heaven and earth. Mists gathered and waves surged among the Five Sacred Peaks, the Eight Seas, and the Twelve Spirit Mountains. Lions prowled; luan birds and phoenixes cried out. Cloud waves wheeled above the Dragon Marsh and Hong Pond, spirit pools and waters described in the scripture; the Azure Heaven displayed auspicious signs, and the Emerald Capital, the celestial city of the immortals, shone with light.

At that moment, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning rose from his seat and commanded the attendant True-Spirit Consort and the Jade Lord of Taiji to burn Lanwei Qianhe incense, produced in the Heaven of Boundless Longevity of Yudan. He had ritual instruments struck and flutes and pipes played, while instruments made of gourd, such as the sheng and chi, were sounded in turn. Looking in all ten directions, he said to the Most High Lord of the Dao, “The celestial beings in the ten directions say that receiving the gift of the true teaching can extend one’s life. Even those who already occupy sacred positions must still practice this teaching. Within the true, there is yet a truer. This True Lord governs all the perfected beings and is the teacher and ruler of the Three Realms. I now burn incense and bow in reverence, praying for the True Spirit to descend. Once the True Spirit has descended, spirit and Qi connect, body and mind unite with the true Dao, and the spirit returns to its original state; life then continues for a long time.

“Longevity is the result of harmonizing with Heaven’s De. The Dao’s lifespan has no end, while Heaven’s lifespan does have an end; the human lifespan…”

Lifespan has a fixed measure and will eventually come to an end. But if one can subdue delusive thoughts and return to true unity, allowing one’s true nature to connect with the Great Dao, then lifespan need no longer have a fixed measure. This is what is meant by long life and enduring vision, by a lifespan that stretches without limit: living for ten thousand years in peace and joyful laughter, and for a hundred million years in harmony and delight.

After these words were spoken, everyone bowed toward the ten directions—the four quarters, above, below, and all points between—and sincerely prostrated themselves before the source of the Dao. Suddenly, they saw radiance filling the realm of the empty and profound: jade-green celestial palaces, towers, and halls appeared in tier upon tier, with the myriad sages and perfected beings dwelling within. Immortals and perfected beings rode the clouds and rosy mists, steering dragons and tigers as they traveled to and fro. Seen from afar, their brows and beards were clear; when gazed upon from below, they appeared like figures in a painting. Their brightness surpassed the sun, shining above and below. The Qi of vajra surrounded them, displaying twenty-four wondrous colors that appeared and vanished, brightening and dimming. Gold and blue-green hues shone together, pure and clear as a moon pearl.

The Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning, a revered deity in Daoism, led the divine beings of Heaven, the High Sages and exalted Worthies, the perfected beings of wondrous practice, and the supremely perfected divine beings who descend from the ten directions to grant long life. Together, they entered the celestial palace. Those in Heaven and on earth looked up and saw the immortals and perfected beings drifting gently through the eight entrances of the jeweled towers and jade gates. Once inside, no one knew where they had gone.

The clouds over the land parted, and the earth grew soft, as if one were walking on cotton. Flowers of many colors fell from Heaven, piling up more than a foot deep, covering the wheels of carriages and burying people’s shoes. Fragrant breezes blew, the sky grew clear, and red light streamed across it. The Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning then proclaimed the scripture in the divine palace. When he had finished, all the perfected beings jointly oversaw the work of saving and transforming beings, and transmitted the teachings of the Dao to me.

The joy of that moment could not be put into words. When the ritual proceedings were largely complete, the heavenly beings each returned to their proper place. In an instant, all sounds fell silent. At that time, the heavenly and human beings who were fortunate enough to encounter this scripture and its teachings were all saved and delivered, their lives extended and protected from untimely death. Everyone throughout the country took refuge in the Great Dao and came to understand its truth.

People prayed for their lifespans, spirits, vital energy, inner nature, spiritual powers, bodies, breath, creative power, blessings, and good fortune to be extended and renewed. Their words held no duplicity, and their speech contained no falsehood. They joined together in kindness and care, treating even those of other surnames as kin. The state was secure, the people prosperous, and peace endured from generation to generation.

When this scripture first began to be taught, everyone in a country who took the Dao as their guide and held sincere faith, receiving the teaching of descending perfected beings who grant long life, could be saved and delivered, and freed from the sufferings of the world.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said: What the scripture contains is all true writing sent down from the heavens, within which are hidden tones and rhythms. It also contains secret words for prolonging life and the concealed names of the hundred spirits; these are not ordinary words of the world. The High Sages—holy perfected beings of lofty rank—have already attained the state of perfected immortals. They understand the abstruse principles and probe the hidden depths, and can fully comprehend the scripture’s chapters.

If this scripture is recited ten times, the Jade Clarity will send down true spirits, and the Divine Empyrean will command numinous officials to protect the reciter. The Celestial Emperor recites it to extend the course of a kalpa; perfected immortals recite it to prolong the life of the spirit; High Sages recite it to continue the Great Dao; and immortals recite it to extend the cycles of time.

The heavens will descend from afar, and radiance from the ten directions will shine over the courtyard. Rivers and seas will grow clear and still; mountains will become deep and peaceful; the light of the sun and moon will mingle; and the space between Heaven and Earth will be empty, clear, and remote. Demons will be bound, and the numinous energies of ghosts, monsters, and spirits will disperse. The dead will return to life, and white bones will become living people.

Those who aspire to cultivate and study should recite this scripture ten times. The Five Emperors will halt their carriages, and the Three Officials—the deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water—will come as guests. The High Perfected will welcome the reciter with ceremony, and numinous officials will open the gates for them. Demons and monsters will flee into hiding, while ghostly entities will be revealed. Illnesses will be cured, the dead will be delivered, and severed life forces will be restored. This happens because the old Qi within the cultivator has dispersed, the deities gradually descend and bestow true power, and the ghosts and spirits of the ten directions are summoned and subdued.

This scripture can extend life by a thousand years and command the officials of the underworld and water realm to erase the person’s offenses from the Register of Darkness, which records sins and allotted lifespans. It prolongs life and postpones death, thereby enabling the way of long life. To recite this chapter carelessly invites calamity instead. Those who make offerings to and honor this scripture will bring prosperity to their household and flourishing to their descendants, and will be joined to good affinities. No calamity will be able to trouble them, and the deities will guard their gates.

This scripture is supremely venerable and profound, unrivaled in the Jade Capital, and can deliver boundless numbers of beings. It is the foundation for summoning the Perfected and prolonging life. Its teachings are lofty and great, and its merit is beyond measure.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning further said: Whenever this scripture is recited ten times, all the heavens will descend together. The Directors of Destinies and Records, deities who oversee lifespans and merit and faults, will extend a person’s life and add to their allotted years. The Great Deity of Nanchang, who governs the deliverance of the dead and the prolonging of life, will also descend, raising a canopy over the carriage so that purple clouds shelter the person. They will enter the person’s name in their registers and record it in the Register of the Living, granting them a lifespan without end.

Disasters such as the Five Ghosts, Great Calamity, Litigation Register, and Original Destiny cannot trouble those who receive the descent of the Perfected—the true spirits of Heaven who descend to protect them. Those who delight in studying and cultivating this scripture, once their merit from its practice is complete, can become immortals, ascend to the Golden Palaces of Heaven, and feast in the Jade Capital.

When adepts of the highest rank cultivate and recite this scripture, they can summon the Perfected of Heaven. They are then delivered from suffering and ascend to the Nine Palaces. Ordinary people who uphold and recite the scripture can also bring down the spirits, prolong their lives, and gain longevity. Ultimately, they can attain the Way of Corpse Liberation, a Daoist means of freeing oneself from the physical form and ascending to immortality. Their Shen and Qi transform the body, allowing them to enter and leave the underworld and travel between the Heavenly Treasury and the realm of the Formless.

This scripture is subtle and wondrous, and can save all beings without limit. All beings of Heaven and humanity thereby receive blessings and good fortune in boundless measure, enjoy longer lives, and receive Heaven’s protection. It is a scripture treasured by Heaven and must not be passed casually to later generations. Adepts who have attained the Dao must prepare gold and precious treasures, then swear a sincere oath before Heaven before transmitting it. To divulge it carelessly brings calamity upon the nine generations of one’s ancestors, condemning them to serve the ghost officials for a long time.

Twenty-eight Jade Boys and twenty-eight Jade Maidens will protect this divine text and guard the bodies of those who receive it.

The Daoist scripture says: If, during the first month, one observes a strict vegetarian fast and recites this scripture, one can summon the Eastern Azure Emperor Lord of the Nine Qi. He cuts off unending calamities and summons to service by ghosts, prolongs one’s life, and has one’s name entered in the Azure Emperor’s Palace.

If, during the seventh month, one observes a strict vegetarian fast and recites this scripture, one can summon the Western Lord of Great Simplicity of the Seven Qi. He cuts off calamities, trials and punishments, injury, and chronic illness, bringing peace to body and mind. One’s name is engraved on the Yellow Register and White Slip, documents in which Heaven records merit and fault as well as names and status. One is removed from the register of the dead and granted a new chance at life.

If, during the tenth month, one observes a strict vegetarian fast and recites this scripture, one can summon the Northern Mysterious Ancient Lord of the Five Qi. He cuts off calamities involving water, tombs, lawsuits and punishments, wind-dampness and malign influences, and investigation and punishment. He protects the living soul. Kings, emperors, rulers and ministers, fathers and sons can all enjoy longer lives. Their protection allows the state to endure in peace through successive generations; they continually bring stability to the lands under their rule and ensure the peace of the realm.

Reciting this scripture on the days of the Eight Festivals, the eight important observances in the Daoist calendar, can summon the High Sage, the Supreme Elder of the Eight Radiances. He cuts off the mischief of ghosts and demons, epidemics and pestilence, poisonous miasmas, thirty-six kinds of wasting disease, and interference from wild practitioners of heterodox arts. The ghosts of the Five You also flee and hide, and one’s life is prolonged.

Reciting this scripture on the natal day of a Perfected of the Nine Palaces can summon the Divine Consorts of the Six Jia and the Lords of the Three Sovereigns. They cut off the harmful influences of one’s annual fate, the Grand Tally, and the Great Malefic. No spirits can trouble the body or soul of one who follows the Dao. The soul and Shen are thereby made pure and upright, and the myriad Qi endure forever; suffering and distress cease. The body shines with light, the spirits of the Three Realms guard it, the Five Emperors welcome it, and the myriad spirits pay homage. One’s name is entered in the register of Heaven; when one’s merit is complete, one can ascend to Shangqing.

Dao says: On the days when this Daoist ritual is performed, one should first bathe with fragrant water and observe a fast. Then enter a quiet chamber, face east, and click the teeth twenty-eight times, thereby reaching the Twenty-Eight Heavens above. Pay reverence to the Heart of Heaven.

After bowing twenty-eight times, close the eyes and meditate quietly, sitting upright amid clouds of blue, yellow, and white Qi. See the clouds filling the space within and around you with deep darkness. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—the guardian beasts of the four directions—stand in formation on either side, along with lions and white cranes. The sun and moon shine, illuminating the chamber clearly. A circular halo appears above the head, its radiance reflecting in all ten directions. Visualize each of these things clearly and distinctly.

Then silently recite the secret invocation:

“Supreme Mysterious Origin, Most High Lord of the Dao, summon the Thirty-Six—my Three-and-Five Merit Officers, the celestial officials who transmit orders and carry out tasks; the left and right official envoys; the jade youths who attend to incense; the jade maidens who convey messages; the Five Emperors’ Direct Talismans, the talisman envoys on duty for the Five Directions’ Celestial Emperors; and the incense officials on duty today. Let them convey and present my prayer. Today is an auspicious day. In this pure fasting hall, I observe the fast and cultivate the scripture, praying to deliver and liberate limitless beings. May this prayer ascend directly to the supreme seat of the Original Lord, Emperor of the Thirty-Two Heavens.” (When the recitation is complete)

Guide the Qi thirty-two times, then face east and recite the scripture.

The Wondrous Scripture of Original Beginning, Limitless Deliverance, Supreme Grade

The subtle and numinous chapter of the Numinous Treasure, in which Original Beginning’s Cavern Mystery descends as the True, prolongs life, and delivers people through ten recitations—the hidden rhymes of the heavens:

All things separate and come together again, arising from the natural course. The primal chaos is deep and obscure, without form or visible appearance. In the darkness between Heaven and Earth, primordial Qi has yet to come into being. Who can know the true source? What is called the “True” is the sovereign that transforms and brings forth the myriad things in the vastness of space. It does not change or move, cannot be destroyed, and is not fashioned by anything. With a substance as firm as diamond, it brings about the realm of emptiness and stillness: this is the realization of the True.

The True governs lifespans, examining and recording the myriad spirits. As a Heavenly Venerable, the True proclaims teachings and leaves scriptures behind. As the Precious August Sovereign, the True bestows blessings and prosperity upon the people. The True prolongs life and is the seed of life in this world. It increases one’s years and appoints the spirits who govern destiny. Thus the True spirits of Heaven are divine beings in the void, numinous essences in the netherworld, and true spirits within the Dao. If one prays with sincere devotion, they will respond and arrive: riding pearl-adorned carriages and phoenix chariots, they lead the way. Clad in nine colors, they harness golden and azure Qi and travel on clouds, leading thousands upon thousands of officials and soldiers. They prolong the lives of people in this world and enter their names in the registers of long life.

Above them, there are no ancestors; only the Dao can serve as the root. The Dao sends down the True spirits of Heaven, and one’s lifespan gradually increases. It frees body and mind from constraint and lets spirit and Qi flow through subtle mysteries. Without the True, there would be no radiance, no manifestation, no foundation, no accomplishment, no deliverance, and no generation. This is the True that is true within the Great Brahma.

The Azure Void, the Encompassing Firmament, the Golden Palace, and the Jade City lie at the highest point. Divine winds sweep through layer upon layer of clouds, and the Purple Court lies deep and hidden. The True has no form from the beginning, seeming to exist and seeming to vanish…

Visualize the Primordial Breath of Supreme Truth and Great Vastness (the primordial Qi that is supremely true and moves through the vast expanse) surrounding the Ten Directions within the Palace of Jade Radiance. Within the palace dwell the gods who save people from death, the Great Lord of Long Life of the South Pole, the Great God Sima who oversees salvation in the world, the Venerable Elder Lord Han, who cherishes life, and the revered gods who govern destiny, record merit, extend life, increase one’s allotted years, and avert calamity in the South. They descend among humankind and grant people longer lives. On the day of boundless salvation, the spirits of the heavens come before the hall to inspect the registers of names.

In the east, south, west, and north; in the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest; above and below—in every direction, the Great Sage of Long Life, King of the Gods who Descend in Perfect Truth and Extend Life Without Limit, comes to bring boundless salvation.

The Kings of the Gods of Blessing and Virtue who Descend in Perfect Truth and Extend Life in the Ten Directions, together with the Boundless Great Gods of Long Life who Save the World, all ride in precious chariots of azure clouds and emerald radiance. Their canopies are adorned with pearls, and their vermilion wheels are drawn by divine tigers and red-armored flying dragons. They raise high the Nine-Rayed Standard, a sign of sacred dignity, and the Eight Radiances’ spirit banners. At the front, they play the celestial pipes; the gods sing together, while immortal music sounds behind them. Bixie and Banqiu cry out mournfully. The Five Marshals lead the way, and the spirits of the Three Realms escort the procession. Myriad chariots and riders soar through the air to attend the assembly.

The celestial ministers who extend life and save beings, along with the Great God Han Si, who oversees the registers and watches over the living in the Upper Palace of Nanchang, also descend in their chariots. Holding registers of names and records, they come together before the Imperial Lord and solemnly carry out the work of salvation, each according to those entrusted to their care.

The text begins with a prayer asking the perfected divine beings of heaven to examine the supplicant and proclaim the request throughout the Three Realms. It asks them to extend people’s lifespans, dispel sins and calamities, and protect their ancestors, relatives, and descendants. The prayer says that the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sends down a talismanic command, enabling those who attain deliverance to ascend in rank at the appointed time. The Great Lord of Long Life watches over their bodies and souls, subdues demonic obstacles, and recommends practitioners for advancement, so that they may live longer, have their Qi and bones nurtured by the immortal Way, and endure forever. As these people pass through the cycles of kalpas, their lifespans become equal to Heaven’s. They deliver beings from the Three Offices, the Five Sacred Peaks, the Eight Sacred Peaks, and the Nine Hells; transcend the Three Realms; and roam freely in the formless realm where the Jade Perfected of the Heavenly Emperor of Highest Clarity dwells, cultivating pure Brahma practice.

The passage beginning “The Seven Heavens of the East” lists the seven tiers of eastern heavens and the name of the emperor of each. The scripture says that the true Qi descended through the spirit writing rises from beneath the Star of the Flowery Canopy and the pivot of the Dipper, the hub of the Northern Dipper constellation. It circles above the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, moves leftward at the twenty-seventh degree of the Fang mansion, passes through the Four Peoples’ Heaven above the sun and moon, and then disperses into the heavens. The true Qi proceeds eastward in sequence and, after returning to its original position, comes to rest in the northwest. The deities who have recently taken charge of the ritual regulations stand on either side of the Gate of the Square Court. They descend in order and meet the breath of the wind. Thus the true Way can be communicated and its responses made manifest: there must be signs in reply. This is what the passage means.

The seven eastern heavens and their emperors are:

• Heaven of Great Brightness and Protection of the True: Emperor Yuanduoluo
• Heaven of Severed Brahma and Spirit of the Way: Emperor Kangqiboling
• Heaven of Hu-le, Gathered Elegance: Emperor Maochundeying
• Heaven of Purple Elixir and Bright Reserve: Emperor Qiuwuna
• Heaven of Cavernous Rosy Clouds and Nurturing the True: Emperor Chiyangshihe
• Heaven of Empty Mystery and Numbered Cycles: Emperor Zhongguangxiangbo
• Heaven of Universal Communication: Emperor Handongli

The passage beginning “The Seven Heavens of the South” lists the southern heavens and the names of their emperors:

• Heaven of the Flame Chariot and Righteous Beginning: Emperor Zhujuezhenggong
• Heaven of the Capital’s Dimensions and Luminous Clouds: Emperor Puqianwanzong
• Heaven of Auspicious Signs, Putan, and Sandalwood: Emperor Bozishimeng
• Heaven of Following the Writings and Aspiring to Deliverance: Emperor Yaomingzhixiu
• Heaven of the Long Foundation and Delightful Play: Emperor Chaosiyuantang
• Heaven of Praying for Splendor and Spreading Grace: Emperor Yuandinghuang

Gaolingdai Wutian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Tong Sunzhang.

The Seven Heavens of the West

Zhou Yuping Wutian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Cheng Zhanhui.

Jingyan Taizhen Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Dao Wumingwei.

Lüjingshu Chen Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Chu Yanhuangshi.

Niuluo Pushì Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Shi Qidongzhi.

Dingliang Huizong Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Nan Baiwenyi.

Zhaoling Suji Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Fan Chuguang.

Jiuwei Donghuang Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Zhi Jiyongzang.

The Seven Heavens of the North

Dishu Guangjing Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Guidu Yucang.

Ziyi Jihua Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Chiluo Yanqian.

Zhiding Yunli Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Jiaosheng Yuwan.

Guangfan Jiuzhi Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Tuding Jiukong.

Hu Qin Zhengbu Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Shihua Jingduo.

Boyan Wuyuan Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Budan Youpo.

Daoming Hunyao Tian is governed by the Celestial Emperor Modu Chenglu.

These twenty-eight heavens and their twenty-eight Celestial Emperors each possess hidden names and taboo names. They are numinous writs of the heavens’ empty, subtle, and natural order, containing the secret sounds of the many heavens. They are true writings held in common by the revered gods, spirits, Perfected, and numinous beings of the celestial realm.

The gods divide and manifest as spirits, sending down Perfected Ones and bringing true Qi and primal Qi together. The high-ranking true gods descend to the immeasurably wondrous and mysterious realm of Shangqing, the upper celestial world in Daoist teaching. Its depths are too profound to describe in full.

Those fortunate enough to learn this method can welcome true Qi, lengthen their lives, and deliver living beings. Today, with reverence and joy, they receive deliverance and pass through the celestial barriers; their names are entered in the registers. Their sincere devotion reaches upward and resonates with the hidden, mysterious realm. Nine Perfected Ones fly down, and the assembly rides immortal light across the Great Mystery. Three Perfected Ones oversee and guide them as they ascend through the Gate of Heaven.

The Eastern Dipper governs human lifespans; the Western Dipper records names; the Northern Dipper records deaths; the Southern Dipper governs birth; and the Central Dipper’s Great Leader delivers living beings. After the Perfected Ones descend, the Azure Emperor submits a memorial, the White Emperor destroys the covenant documents, the Red Emperor presents a written petition, the Black Emperor records the vows, and the Yellow Emperor opens the way. The Dao joins and transforms with the Perfected Ones. The Azure Heaven receives the command, and spirits cross the distant Ninefold Darkness to arrive.

The fire bells of the Red Heaven cut down demonic souls. The White Heaven stands in battle formation with halberds, carrying out the Celestial Emperor’s commands. The Black Heaven commands all spirits, without end.

The divine host and the Yellow Heaven spread forth Qi, and the perfected ones arrive together in the Five Heavens. The High Perfected are the honored elders of the myriad gods. They can travel through the Three Realms, command thunder, wave banners, and hurl flames, making the nine kinds of vile, evil ghosts flee in terror. The gods send down true Qi, granting people long life, blessings, and peace, and breaking the force of ghosts and evil spirits. The gods of all the heavens act in concert, ascending to the celestial realm to save the people and pacify Northern Feng, the realm that governs the underworld, along with its underworld officials and ghost courts, so that the violence of killing may dissipate. The High Perfected receive the mandate of Heaven and descend; auspicious light in five colors flourishes and spreads across the Eight Seas. With the power of purity, they cleanse the Six Heavens.

The Celestial Emperor follows the registers of names, while the High Ministers oversee conferral and investiture. The Purple Emperor, a revered deity of the celestial realm, records people’s allotted years of life and extends them through millions of kalpas. Once the rite is complete, the lightning officials urge the procession forward, with courier dragons accompanying it. Should evil spirits dare to offend or obstruct the High Perfected, they travel upon clouds of smoke, displaying their divine might in the crimson chambers of the celestial palace and wielding the ritual wheel.

The Pure Perfected of the North send down a jade talisman, enabling those who receive the rite to shed their former substance and transform into a pure, infantlike form. They join the ranks of immortals alongside the Celestial Emperor’s immortal companions, and their immortal status is entered in the registers of the Palace of Vermilion Jade. The star Yaoguang shines brilliantly, its green light stretching into the distance; divine beings line the road for ten thousand miles to welcome them. The Nine Palaces assist the Celestial Emperor, while the Jade Capital, the emperor’s dwelling, continues to replenish a person’s vital energy. A wondrous life force moves within, bringing about subtle transformation until the person draws near to the perfected immortals.

The deity in charge of life records the matter with a brush, and the Emperor Lord grants the scriptures and teachings, giving the recipient boundless life. The myriad gods gather to listen, as the Three Realms and the emperors of the Five Directions proclaim the event together.

The Highest Clarity (Shangqing), the subtle and pure celestial realm revered in Daoism:

The light of the Great Beginning is still and profound; only after countless kalpas does it appear. Vast and wondrous, it cannot be described by forms or traces. It blends with primordial Qi to become emptiness; within that emptiness there is neither shape nor color, and no abyss.

At the utmost point of emptiness, wind arises; when wind descends, it becomes a marsh. Wind and marsh mingle within the void. Within Heaven there is another Heaven; within Heaven there are gods, and the gods become the Heavenly Perfected. Primordial Qi descends and divine beings move; thus Heaven and Earth come into operation, forming the Three Realms and then bringing forth the myriad phenomena. Heaven above and Earth below, every dark or distant place, every realm without form or shadow—all are contained within it. It is boundless and endless, vast and undifferentiated.

The divine Perfected carry out their teachings, allowing the myriad things to follow their nature. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning brings Heaven and Earth to rest. Clouds and rosy mists condense into writings, including sacred talismanic scripts such as the Tiger Seals of the Nine Heavens and the Dragon Writings of the Eight Powers. These nurture and transform the myriad things, bringing their spiritual nature to light and enabling the High Perfected to descend. The true Dao flows forth, unfolding the many kinds of beings; true light passes through the Twenty-Eight Heavens, and the Celestial Emperor’s pivot extends throughout the Ten Directions. The stars revolve around the celestial enclosure, while divine beings circle and patrol, once more reaching throughout the heavens.

The eighteen celestial mansions gather primordial Qi. Northern radiance shines upon the netherworld, joining with the realm of truth and opening a path to the wondrous and profound.

Within this wondrous realm, the Great Sovereign Emperor (a revered Daoist deity) and the High Perfected ride a vast cloud chariot to the Imperial Court. They play the jade ao and set its music ringing, the sound echoing among the clouds. Feathered banners flutter as the assembled sages arrive in procession to record Heaven’s mandate in the Jade Register, lengthen life, and save living beings. When people’s Qi is abundant and their spirits complete, they naturally become perfected.

In the realm of truth dwells a deity named the Great Lord of Long Life. The Divine Lord’s Son on the Left, the Venerable Deity Bright Splendor, the Emperor One Who Assists the Sovereign, the Divine Mother, and the Minister Who Supports, among other deities, sit in the Three Palaces and protect the roots of human life. True Qi flows downward to sustain them, and their years increase day by day. Above, they roam through Shangqing, the pure immortal realm of Daoist teaching, and rest peacefully in the Golden Chamber.

Within the Nine Bends, deep in the subtle reaches, divine power descends to guard the Mud Pill, the spirit chamber in the head, and the Crimson Palace, the spirit chamber in the heart. Dao Qi gathers in a hollow, blended realm, where the divine perfected dwell. The nine apertures of the body receive numinous Qi; all vital energies converge, opening the way to immortality. The immortal Way cherishes life and saves living beings with boundless power. Deities pass in and out through Heaven’s gates, looking down upon the human world and examining people’s sins and blessings, prohibitions, and karmic ties from past lives. All beings receive guidance and salvation; even ghosts may be reborn. Embodied beings may take form, and those who receive a body may in turn make themselves heard in the heavens.

Above the heavens, the descent of the perfected numinous beings has its own gateway. There are chapters of hollow-cavern songs and texts of the Three True Numinous Writings, presented in turn to the High Perfected.

Chapter One: The Threefold Radiance of the Great Emperor of Jade Clarity, the High Perfected of Golden Splendor and Subtlety

The Jade Capital is vast, without bounds;

profound, distant, and still, it seems almost empty.

Clouds tower high, layered like mountains;

the stars vanish, as though fallen into a grain-pounding mortar.

The divine Qi that moves above and below

transforms through balanced harmony into spring.

Curled tender shoots unfold of themselves,

and the true Way is thereby made clear.

Chapter Two: The Ninefold Splendor of the Great Emperor of Supreme Clarity, the High Perfected of Divine Splendor and Cavernous Subtlety

I ride the winds of the eight directions,

lightly borne as I fly upon a dragon.

Looking down upon the human world,

I see only a hazy, luminous blue.

Who is it

gazing up at my divine palace?

I drive swiftly past in my chariot at night,

and blessings bestowed descend in profusion.

Chapter Three: The Tenfold Splendor of the Great Emperor of Great Clarity, the High Perfected of Jade Splendor and Numinous Subtlety

Your lifespan is already entered in Heaven’s register of allotted years;

I hold its guiding outline in my hands.

True Qi descends, and fragrant smoke rises in song;

the phoenix chariot comes to rest, its carriage turning on.

The Jade Maidens scatter fragrant water,

granting a lifespan of millions of years.

You still do not know the true Way;

the Way has already departed from you.

Above the Three Realms, within the vast emptiness, the voices chanted by the three perfected gods (the “Three Perfected Ones”) speak every line of the wondrous, profound scriptures. Chant them a hundred times, and this is called “crossing over to the Southern Palace.” Chant them a thousand times, and the Three Perfected Ones will protect and welcome you. Chant them ten thousand times, and the Dao’s teachings will be fully realized: you can ascend through the heavens, transcend the Three Realms, and take your place among the immortals.

Whenever someone hears this wondrous celestial sound, the Celestial Perfected Ones—the true gods of the heavens—will record that person’s name and command the earthly spirits to serve, guard, welcome, and guide them. They will help the person escape the gates of hell and the Five Sufferings and Eight Calamities. Their ancestors of seven generations will also be raised up and forever freed from the jurisdiction of the ghost officials. When a Perfected One descends before the hall, the person may be reborn even after their allotted lifespan has ended. This is called boundless salvation, without end.

This scripture is a text secretly treasured in Heaven and revered by all the heavens together. Whoever reveals it or treats it with contempt will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon their ancestors of seven generations.

The Dao says: This chapter of the Cavern Scripture is a secret sound treasured by the emperors of the heavens and the supremely numinous Perfected Kings. It is all the language of the Great Brahma, not ordinary speech of the human world. Its words have neither worldly rhythms nor ornate flourishes; hence it is called mysterious and profound, and cannot be fully explored. It is a treasure cherished by Heaven and kept secret in the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity in the Mysterious Capital. According to the regulations of the Mysterious Rites, it is transmitted only once every forty thousand kalpas. If a person has truly attained the Dao and sincerely seeks it with gifts of gold and jade, they must swear an oath to Heaven according to the old custom. Only after ten days may it be transmitted to them.

The Dao says: Water and fire clash, and the movement of Yin-Yang Qi may sometimes reach a blocked and declining state; the stars, too, undergo cycles of waxing and waning. Even the most holy divine beings may have to move elsewhere and withdraw from the world. Those whose cultivation is still shallow may also encounter illness and injury.

Anyone who meets with such calamities should establish an altar according to the teachings, in the midst of famous mountains and numinous waters, among dense woods beside a stream that flows east, or in a ritual lodge or quiet chamber. Prepare incense and flowers, bow and chant, and pray for the high Perfected Ones of the Three Realms, the sacred beings of the ten directions, and the celestial troops of the Nine Heavens to descend. Ask them to ward off calamity, dispel faults, prolong life, and increase one’s years. The rites may be performed continuously for three days, five days, or seven days and nights.

Before the Celestial Perfected Ones descend, they will surely reveal signs: strange lights, white cranes, celestial music, and other auspicious manifestations may appear; or one may dream of traveling through the heavenly palaces and meeting divine beings in person. Wondrous responses will gradually appear, calamities will recede, life will be prolonged, and in the end one will attain immortality and the Dao.

If worldly obligations weigh heavily and one lacks the means to build an altar, it is enough for a group to unite in fasting, offer incense at the appointed times six times each day, and repeatedly chant the scripture ten times. Blessings and Virtue will then arrive at once, dispelling every kind of ill omen. This boundless scripture can save all beings without limit.

The Dao Lord said: Some people who have only recently begun cultivating the Dao have made little progress, and their rank among the immortals is not yet complete, but their allotted years have already reached their end. Their bodies are passing through the “approach of Great Yin,” the threshold of death as described in Daoism. At such a time, a fellow cultivator who has attained the Dao may bring down a true spirit and establish a sympathetic connection with the circumstances. If the person’s earthly lifespan is not yet exhausted and only appears to have ended according to the calculations of the mortal world, then, if Heaven’s gift of years can still be extended, even when prayers have been exhausted and the spirits have not yet responded, one should burn incense and recite the scripture ten times to deliver the person’s corpse. The soul and spirit can then ascend directly to the Southern Palace, a palace in the Daoist divine realm. There, the days are reckoned according to the merits of the person’s cultivation, allowing them to be reborn and regain their former body. The added years of life are restored to them as well. True Qi descends to nourish them, renewing their appearance and continuing their life. Their heart and spirit are no longer confused, and in the end they can become an immortal.

The Dao Lord said: A person’s lifespan is the primordial, harmonious Qi bestowed by Heaven. When a person is born, the celestial officials calculate their record of destiny and determine the years allotted to them. Accumulating hidden virtue can add years to one’s life, while the blessings earned through good deeds can erase faults. In this reckoning, one count is equivalent to three days in the human world. A person’s lifespan is capped at one hundred and twenty years; exceeding it by one count is equivalent to twelve hundred days. Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon, the four seasons, and Yin-Yang each have their bounds. When calamities and portents occur, or the sun and moon are eclipsed, those who have attained the Dao can bring down a true spirit to increase and extend the years of life, protecting the Dao of Heaven so that it endures without end.

When disasters strike, warfare breaks out, or epidemics spread and harm the people, and when the teachers who transmit the Dao and their fellow cultivators also face death and the end of their allotted fate, they should all pray for a true spirit to descend, seeking to extend life and refine and deliver the souls of the dead through Daoist ritual, so that disaster may be transformed into blessing. The merit of keeping the fast and reciting scriptures is immense: above, it can dispel celestial calamities and bring stability to the ruler; below, it can drive away poisons and save the people. The living and the dead alike can receive its benefits. This merit and blessing cannot be measured, and so it is called “universal deliverance of the people without measure.”

The Dao Lord said: Anyone who possesses this scripture and is willing to perform this meritorious work for Heaven and Earth, the ruler, and the people should, on a day of disaster, resolve to establish a fast, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times. The heavens will then send down true spirits, and the many gods will accompany them as protectors, extending life and delivering people from peril. Through this practice, cultivators may hope to become attendants of the Golden Palace of the Sage Sovereign, the celestial emperor’s court. The heavens record every person’s merits and faults without the slightest omission, and the immortal perfected beings in Heaven will recommend you.

If cultivators succeed in attaining the Dao, they should penetrate and understand these words of ultimate principle.

The “Great Brahma Hidden Words of Measureless Sound” among the heavens, the secret celestial language of Daoism. Written by the Dao Lord.

Jade Text and Spirit Chapter on Primordial Beginnings Descending as True Beings to Extend Life

The Seven Heavens of the East

Jiaolong Fuluo, Jingyi Bianhe, Diguan Xiaomo, Yuanji Mouhe, Jingfan Yanyu, Qingyan Sanna, Ziqian Yingxia, Zhongyou Meng’an, Lanchi Yanshi.

The words listed above under “The Seven Heavens of the East” are hidden invocatory sounds from the scripture. The surviving text does not allow their precise meaning to be established, so the original wording has been retained.

“Li Ji Dang Ge,” “Wan Yan Yu Zhen,” “Di Xi Hong Mo” … These are the “hidden words of the Great Brahma” listed in the scripture—mysterious sounds from the heavenly realms in Daoist scriptures. Each corresponds, in turn, to the name or syllable of a heaven, and should not be interpreted word by word as an ordinary phrase.

The seven heavens of the south: “Qiu Feng Si Ji,” “Yue Jin Chi Wei,” “Xian Cou Huang Yan” … All the entries that follow are hidden words.

The seven heavens of the west: “Chao Mou Yan Qi,” “Jia Lou Quan Ni,” “Fa Yan Gui Fang” … All the entries that follow are hidden words.

The seven heavens of the north: “Ge Lu Zhi Dou,” “Xing Zhang Ru Liu,” “Ma Ge Huo Han” … All the entries that follow are hidden words.

The scripture says that among these heavens descend the Three True Ones, who have been summoned—the three perfected sages in Daoism—and the immortals and sages of the ten directions. They can prolong life and add years to one’s lifespan. These immeasurable hidden words of the Great Brahma are wondrous sounds beyond comprehension from the heavenly realms.

In ancient copies, these hidden words were inscribed in cinnabar and gold and kept beneath the canopy of the Chen Tower. They circled and flowed through the air like scattered clouds and drifting mist. The Heavenly Perfected Sovereign (Tianzhen Huangren) gazed up at these sounds and passed them down as the orthodox pronunciation.

If someone knows these sounds and can observe purification and recite them, the heavens will send the Flying Heaven Spirit Kings down to inspect them. Such a person will not violate the Great Dao (the Way).

After the Severing of the World’s Womb (the original text may be damaged here), the Heavenly Perfected (a perfected immortal who has attained the Dao) descended at once. The Five Emperors, by command, recorded his merits and diligence with their brushes, granting him longer life. Thereafter, his deeds were reported to the heavens; the myriad spirits came to pay their respects, the Earth Deities stood beside his gate, and the Three Officials (of Heaven, Earth, and Water) vouched for his ascent to immortality. When his cultivation of the Dao was complete, he could roam through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

This sound can ward off every evil influence, dispel calamities, save living beings, and accomplish all things. It is the sound naturally uttered by the Heavenly Perfected. Reciting it brings the Flying Immortals (celestial spirits) down to observe. The Supreme Emperor answers from afar; the myriad spirits come to pay their respects, and the spirits of the Three Realms stand beside the carriage. All evil forces bow their heads and retreat; ghosts and monsters vanish of their own accord, while the True Guards (protective spirits) swiftly gather. The Heavenly Emperor’s carriage comes to a halt; the wind dies down and the mist disperses. The clear, resonant sound of jade rings out. This is the vast and profound sound of the Great Dao.

Section on Severing the Womb’s Roots and Closing the Gate of Death

The Dao says: In ancient times, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, seated in the Five-Brightness Flower Palace within the Purple-Clear Mysterious Grotto of the Beginning-Cyan Heaven, expounded the Supreme Infinite Scripture of Primordial Beginning for Saving Humanity: Severing the Womb’s Roots and Closing the Gate of Death. He circled his seat ten times to summon the spirits of the ten directions.

Then the Great Spirit of the Celestial Worthy, the High and Exalted Saints, the True King of the Jade Clarity of the Divine Empyrean, the Spirit King of Jade Clarity Who Quells Demons, the Emperor of Azure Radiance of Fusang, the Emperor of the Golden Palace of the Later Sage, and countless emperors who governed the heavens came riding through the air. They rode flying clouds and vermilion skies, borne in green carriages and jade-wheeled chariots. Their feathered canopies hung down to shelter the four directions; flowing radiance and jade light shimmered together, while brilliant streams of five-colored Qi filled the sky and illuminated the vast heavens. For nine days and nine nights, the suns, moons, and stars of all the heavens, along with the Jade Balance and Jade Measure (instruments for observing the heavens), came to a complete halt. The divine wind fell silent; clouds hid the mountains and seas; no drifting clouds veiled the sky, and the Qi of the four seasons was clear and bright. The land, rivers, mountains, and forests throughout the country became level and uniform, with no high or low places. Everyone understood the Great Dao, and the land became green jade, with no other colors to be seen. The Perfected Ones attended beside the seat.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright upon a precious seat of emerald floating glass and numinous Yang. After the scripture was recited once, the emperors of the myriad heavens praised it together and bowed, and all attained a vision of the Dao. At that time, all the men and women who had died throughout the country came back to life, and the living, too, understood the Dao. When the scripture was recited a second time, birds, beasts, and insects all gained long life. A third recitation brought harmony to the four seasons, without bitter cold or scorching heat. A fourth recitation brought the sun, moon, stars, and heavens to a halt, so that they no longer moved eastward. A fifth recitation cured diseases and chronic ailments that had resisted treatment for a long time. A sixth recitation made the earth level and even, while demons, evil influences, and defilement vanished of their own accord.

By the seventh recitation of the scripture, the Five Phases (Wood, Metal, Water, Fire, and Earth) had all merged into one and naturally accorded with the Way of Heaven. By the eighth, life within every egg and womb began to sprout and break forth. All living beings, whether already born or yet to be born, immediately came into being. By the ninth, the traces of good and evil vanished; people’s hearts returned to the right Way and were transformed through its teaching. By the tenth, there was no longer any distinction between Huaxia and the lands of the Yi, nor any trace of deviant customs. In that kingdom, everyone, men and women alike, turned wholeheartedly toward the Way. All received protection and salvation, and attained long life.

The scripture also says: At this time, whenever the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (a revered Daoist deity) preached the scripture, a Great Sage of Perfect Truth from one direction would lead countless beings and come flying through the air.

At the first recitation, the Great Sage of Perfect Truth from the Eastern Fusang Green Radiance Grotto Realm arrived with his retinue. At the second, the Great Sage of Perfect Truth from the Southern Red Spirit Sunlight Grotto Origin arrived with his retinue. At the third, the Great Sage of Perfect Truth from the Western Pure Radiance Bright Spirit Grotto Support arrived with his retinue. At the fourth, the Great Sage of Perfect Truth from the Northern Mysterious Spirit Supreme Wonder Grotto Transformation arrived with his retinue. At the fifth, the Great Sage of Perfect Truth from the Northeast Supreme Spirit Principle-Communing Grotto Wonder arrived with his retinue. At the sixth, the Great Sage of Perfect Truth from the Southeast Spirit-Quelling Essence-Embodying Grotto Spirit arrived with his retinue. At the seventh, the Great Sage of Perfect Truth from the Southwest Shining Spirit Luminous Void Grotto Penetration arrived with his retinue. At the eighth, the Great Sage of Perfect Truth from the Northwest Flowering Spirit Transformation-Commanding Grotto Distance arrived with his retinue. At the ninth, the Great Sage of Perfect Truth from Above, Spirit of the Gods, Universal Transformation, Grotto Vision, arrived with his retinue. At the tenth, the Great Sage of Perfect Truth from Below, Still Spirit, Life-Transforming, Grotto Wisdom, arrived with his retinue.

When the ten recitations were complete, the Heavenly Sages of Perfect Truth from the boundless heavens of the ten directions had all arrived. The men and women of the kingdom turned toward the Way with sincere devotion. Those who came filled the sky like a dense yellow mist; auspicious vapors and clouds of smoke overlapped in countless numbers.

Half the land in the kingdom tilted and sank, and nothing could stop it. Yuan Shi Tianzun’s inner light then shone forth. His divine Qi surged outward and rose from the Niwan Palace at the crown of his head, the site of inner cultivation in Daoism. Its fiery radiance spread throughout the heavenly realms in all ten directions. Then the Celestial Worthy drew the light back and turned it inward, gathering his divine Qi until it formed a luminous pearl.

The pearl was smooth and round like a dewdrop, suspended tens of trillions of zhang above the ground. Yuan Shi Tianzun led the great gods of heavenly truth, the highest sages and exalted beings, the lords and emperors of the heavens, and the supremely wondrous spirits of the boundless realms in all ten directions, together with countless great sages, into the pearl. The heavenly beings looked up and saw them entering through its opening one after another. Once inside, they could no longer tell where they were.

The kingdom’s borders were restored, and the land became level again, returning to its original color rather than the color of green jade. Yuan Shi Tianzun then finished expounding this Jing inside the pearl. The assembled perfected beings bore witness and transmitted the Jing to me. Their joy and celebration at that time were beyond words. When the ritual was largely complete, the heavens returned to their proper places. In an instant, all around fell silent, without a sound.

At that time, the heavenly beings were fortunate to encounter the teachings of the Jing. All were able to attain long life and preserve their years, no longer suffering premature death or injury. The people throughout the kingdom turned their hearts toward the teachings in admiration. Everyone did good and refrained from reckless action, greed, complacency, and arrogance. They neither overturned nor ruined things, neither came and went recklessly nor clung to staying, and held no prejudices. Their hearts were free of deluded thoughts, and their conduct was upright and free of wrongdoing. They treated one another equally and with compassion, regarding even people of different surnames as family. The kingdom was peaceful and secure, its people prosperous, and all gladly enjoyed an age of peace.

Once this Jing began to circulate, the people of any kingdom who took the Dao as their standard, acted with utmost sincerity, and revered and honored the Jing could all transcend the world of dust.

A Daoist Jing says that the contents of the teachings spoken by Yuan Shi Tianzun are the wondrous Dao within the inner realms of the emperors of the heavens and the divine kings of utmost numinosity, as well as the mysterious, hard-to-understand words of those who transform into immortals and change their forms.

This is the inner taboo name of the Lord on High, the ruler of the celestial realm: the hidden name of the myriad gods, not a word used in ordinary life.

The High Sages, those perfected beings of lofty rank, have completed their cultivation and become True Persons. They understand the mysteries of the Dao and have probed its most hidden subtleties, so they can fully comprehend the words and phrases of the scripture. When they recite it ten times, the heavens answer one another in song, and the myriad emperors perform rites of reverence. Rivers and seas grow still, mountains draw in their clouds, the sun and moon cease their courses, and the Jade Pivot—the hub of the celestial movements—stops turning. Demons are bound, ghosts, monsters, and spirits are destroyed; corpses rise again, the dead return to life, and white bones become living people.

Those who aspire to cultivate the Dao and recite the scripture ten times will have the Five Emperors, the celestial rulers of the five directions, attend them on either side. The Three Realms bow before them, the myriad gods uphold the scripture, and the hundred spirits protect their bodies, bringing back to life those who are near death and whose breath is failing. This is because the foul Qi in cultivators has not yet been fully cleared away, their body and mind have not yet completely penetrated the true realm, and they have not yet gained the power to subdue the mighty spirits of the ten directions. Their De can bring the earth spirits under control and command them, and bind demonic spirits. But if they recite the scripture as though it were ordinary writing, without grasping its subtle meaning, they can only escape death; they cannot go further and attain new life.

To recite this chapter carelessly and without respect brings disaster. Those who reverently make offerings to and honor this scripture will see their household prosper and their descendants flourish, in keeping with good affinities. The myriad calamities cannot assail them, and the gods will guard their gates. This scripture is supremely noble and mysterious, unique in the Jade Capital of the celestial realm. It saves people without limit and is the root of the myriad ways. Its vast teachings and merits are beyond counting.

The Dao says: Whenever this scripture is recited ten times, the heavens gather together. The departed souls of ancestors from countless generations, along with the dead who suffer, can at once be delivered and ascend to the Vermilion Palace in the celestial realm. There they undergo the refinement and transformation of their forms, receive new life, and ultimately become Perfected Beings. Those who love learning and cultivate this scripture, when their merit is complete, can become immortals, ascend to the Golden Palace where the Celestial Emperor resides, and roam and feast in the Jade Capital.

Cultivators of the highest capacity who practice and recite this scripture are immediately delivered and ascend to the Southern Palace. Those of middling capacity who practice and recite it are no longer bound to the cycle of birth and death; they live in ease and freedom and are enrolled among the immortals. Those of lesser capacity who practice and recite it attain clarity and composure of spirit and soul, are freed from illness, and may remain in the world for a long time.

This scripture is subtle and vast, offering universal deliverance without end. All beings in the celestial realms and the human world can receive its blessings, and its immeasurable good fortune benefits both the living and the dead. It is a scripture treasured by Heaven and must not be passed casually to people. Those who are truly committed to cultivating the Dao should offer gold and precious goods, make a sincere oath, and pledge themselves before Heaven before receiving the transmission. To reveal it carelessly or treat it with disrespect brings disaster upon one’s nine generations of ancestors, and punishment will also fall upon oneself.

The Celestial Officials who attend to incense, and the Jade Boys and Jade Maidens of the Five Emperors, number twenty-four for each group. They are charged with guarding the scripture and protecting those who receive it.

The scripture says: If you observe a long fast and recite this scripture throughout the first lunar month, the gates of death can be closed and the roots of rebirth severed. Body and spirit will reach a subtle state, enabling you to ascend.

If you observe a long fast and recite this scripture throughout the seventh lunar month, you can attain an immortal’s body. Your name will be entered in the registers of the heavens, and you will receive golden slips and jade talismans, tokens bearing the names of immortals and serving as their credentials. Your soul and spirit will pass freely through the hidden realms, and you will gain long life.

If you observe a long fast and recite this scripture throughout the tenth lunar month, kings and emperors, ministers and rulers, fathers and sons will be kept safe. The nation’s good fortune will be steadied and endure, and the mysterious Daoist teachings will continue without interruption. Calamities will be pacified forever, all regions brought to peace, and the people will praise the age of peace.

Reciting this scripture on the Eight Seasonal Nodes—the important days marking the transitions between seasons—can make you one of the Perfected Ones of the Nine Palaces, revered deities who dwell in those palaces. Reciting it on your natal day, the day corresponding to your birth date in the lunar calendar, can make your soul and spirit clear and upright, preserve your original Qi (vital energy), and free you from suffering. Your body will shine with light; the spirits of the Three Realms will protect you, the Five Emperors will welcome you, and the myriad spirits will come to pay homage. Your name will be entered in the registers of Heaven, and when your merit is complete, you may ascend to Shangqing, the pure and exalted heavenly realm of Daoism.

The scripture also says: On any day when you perform the ritual of practicing the Dao, first bathe with fragrant water, observe a fast, and abstain from sexual desire. Then enter a quiet chamber, face east, and click your teeth thirty-six times.