《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 33

The Dao says: Long ago, in the Palace Above the Great Brightness and Mixed Cavern, within the Treasure Flower Spirit Gate of the Beginning Blue Heaven, there was a Dao realm of Wuwei (non-action), great compassion, abundant life, mystery, and emptiness and purity. It rose above the floating light, primordial transformation, and the nine subtle levels and eight passes of primordial chaos, and looked down over the vast blue sky. The stars moved in their courses, shining with brilliance.

There dwelt a Perfect King, titled Sheyun Shu, whose Dao Power arose naturally and whose place was among the highest mysteries. There also stood a wondrous Sacred Treasure Mountain, stretching across the heavenly realm. On the mountain were the Heavenly Worthies of the Five Directions, who governed the east, south, west, north, and center. They dwelt in palaces of purple clouds and light, wreathed in flying rosy mists. Their officials and generals numbered in the hundreds of thousands, their people in the hundreds of billions, and their lifespans were without end. The air there was always like spring; the colors of countless flowers mingled and transformed into light. In the Jade Sea lived dragons with red fins and green markings. They often drove chariots of the Ninefold True Dark Jade in service to the Jade Emperor.

In this heavenly realm arose the upright Qi of the Five Directions, the essence of the Five Phases. It followed the workings of the Dao of Heaven, was neither confined nor overcome, and was therefore called the “Primordial Qi of True Unity.” It was the root of all things and could bring auspicious signs and treasures. It differed from the Qi produced by the contention of Yin and Yang: Yin-Yang Qi brings about gathering and dispersal, decline and growth, diminution and decay, and changes without constancy.

The Primordial Sovereign, in great compassion, manifested this true realm. The Heavenly Worthies of the Five Directions sat peacefully upon their jeweled thrones, spreading the upright Qi and drawing nourishment from the essence of flower roots. They sent its breath flowing far and wide, sheltering the heavenly realm. When Heaven received the upright Qi, it stood firm like a rounded canopy, never tilting. When Earth received it, the seas and mountains became calm and settled. When rulers received it, the realm beneath Heaven could be at peace. When people received it, they could become worthy people in the world, admire the Great Dao, seek immortality through cultivation, support the teaching of the orthodox way, and bring all things back to truth.

As the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning was about to proclaim this scripture, he first circled it in reverence ten times, then faced the Five Directions and summoned the Heavenly Worthies of the Five Directions:

The Eastern Nine-Spirit Great-Cavern Jade Perfected Heavenly Worthy; the Southern Three Blossoms Supreme Pole Vermilion Radiance Heavenly Worthy; the Western Five Brightnesses Great Perfection Golden Radiance Heavenly Worthy; the Northern One Perfection Cavern-Yin Precious Mirror Heavenly Worthy; and the Central Jade Blossom Yellow Radiance Subtle Wonder Heavenly Worthy.

The Heavenly Worthies of the Five Directions reverently carried out the mysterious command. They rode yellow carriages and vermilion spirit chariots, drawn by three-colored flying clouds. Dragons and cranes adorned with feathers accompanied them; immortal officials carried their records, while the heavenly cavalry cleared their way. They came swiftly as the wind. Chariot bells rang out, and thunder and fire lit the sky. The boundless worlds in the ten directions trembled. All the heavenly people and spirits knew that the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning was summoning the Lords of the Dao of the Five Directions. All the gods longed to hear this supremely wondrous great teaching of the “Qi of True Unity.” The Heavenly Worthies of the Five Directions bowed their heads in obeisance, and the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning lowered his gaze to look upon them…

Countless beings from the ten directions of the universe—the true Great Gods, the Highest Sages and Venerable Ones, and the Perfected Ones of wondrous practice—were summoned and came riding through the air. Radiance flowed and shimmered; jade carriages, borne by immortals, and rainbow wheels shone together, while colored mists veiled the sky. Numinosity rose like clouds and rosy vapors; divine smoke filled the air, and precious clouds layered one upon another. The wind died down and the smoke dispersed. Auspicious, harmonious Qi spread in every direction, and the earth became firm and steadfast, deep and clear as the essence of gold. The Perfected Ones stood in attendance beside the seat.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat in the air, upon the wondrously radiant jade terrace above the heavenly gate and cloud mountain, and began to expound the scripture.

At the first recitation, the Great Sages of the heavens all praised it at once. At that moment, the men and women of a whole kingdom first received the true Dao; their numinous wisdom opened and brightened, and their minds became quiet, empty, and clear.

At the second recitation, people’s hearts accorded with the subtle, hidden principles of the Dao, and they would never again fall into ruin.

At the third recitation, the upright Qi of the five directions poured in, nourishing the roots of life.

At the fourth recitation, mysterious radiance flowed and shone upon their bodies.

At the fifth recitation, the Red Writ and Jade Canons—sacred writings and ritual laws of Daoist scriptures and talismans—sealed and guarded the passage of death.

At the sixth recitation, blessings spread throughout the world, and auspicious signs descended together.

At the seventh recitation, the Qi of the four seasons came into harmony, and all things flourished in abundance.

At the eighth recitation, beings of every kind could grow and multiply, safe and secure, free from calamity.

At the ninth recitation, baleful spirits were destroyed at their root, and demonic harm ceased.

At the tenth recitation, the aged regained their vigor, while the young enjoyed long lives.

At that moment, all the men and women of the kingdom wholeheartedly accepted protection and deliverance, and all attained long life.

The scripture says: Each time the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning recited the scripture, true divine beings, formed from the upright Qi of countless kinds in one direction, came riding through the air.

At the first recitation, true divine beings arrived, formed from the azure essence-Qi of countless kinds in the limitless East. At the second recitation, true divine beings arrived, formed from the vermilion essence-Qi of countless kinds in the limitless South. At the third recitation, true divine beings arrived, formed from the white essence-Qi of countless kinds in the limitless West. At the fourth recitation, true divine beings arrived, formed from the purple essence-Qi of countless kinds in the limitless North. At the fifth recitation, true divine beings arrived, formed from the guardian essence-Qi of countless kinds in the limitless Northeast. At the sixth recitation, true divine beings arrived, formed from the flame-colored essence-Qi of countless kinds in the limitless Southeast. At the seventh recitation, true divine beings arrived, formed from the flower-colored essence-Qi of countless kinds in the limitless Southwest.

The deities who had come riding through the air had already heard the scripture eight times. The gods from the boundless, immeasurable realm in the northwest had received subtle, wondrous essence and Qi. All were supreme true deities, beyond number. Riding through the air, they arrived to hear the scripture for the ninth time. The gods from the boundless, immeasurable realm above had likewise received subtle, wondrous essence and Qi. All were supreme true deities, innumerable in number, and came riding through the air to hear the scripture. The gods from the boundless, immeasurable realm below had received profound, hidden essence and Qi. They too were supreme true deities, countless in number, and came riding through the air to hear the scripture. When the scripture had been preached ten times, the great celestial perfected ones and deities from the boundless heavens of the ten directions all arrived at once.

The men and women of every kind within the kingdom gathered their spirits and gazed upward at the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning and the Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions. They saw the great deities appear in nine-colored light, which shone throughout the worlds of the ten directions and every land. People everywhere called to one another and came in groups, carrying wondrous incense, precious treasures, unusual flowers, celestial robes, banners, pennants, and jeweled canopies. They came from the ten directions to make offerings, arranging all manner of rare gifts before the Celestial Worthy’s seat. The offerings swirled and transformed into a hundred billion jeweled canopies, a hundred billion pearls and jades, a hundred billion knotted sashes, a hundred billion bolts of colored silk, a hundred billion embroidered patterns, a hundred billion miraculous visions, and a hundred billion rays of light, filling every world throughout the heavens.

All these men and women bowed reverently and listened with upturned faces as the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning expounded the Great Dharma of Lingbao (the expansive Dao teachings of the Lingbao scriptures), the boundless way of liberating beings, and the way of the Five Directions’ vital Qi. They gazed upon the Celestial Worthy’s sacred countenance and devoted themselves wholeheartedly. At that time, the Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions and the Five Elders, the Supreme Emperors, stood on either side of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning’s teaching seat. The Celestial Worthy straightened his robes and cap, rose to his feet, then sat down again after a while.

Then violet-gold divine light streamed from the Celestial Worthy’s face. Its radiance interwove with other lights, unfolding ten thousand subtle and splendid visions. Every celestial being could see these visions within the heart; they were not seen with the eyes from outside. The Celestial Worthy sat serenely, like a jeweled mountain. Everyone then saw within themselves the Three Ones and Nine Palaces (a Daoist conception of inner deities and inner palaces within the body), revealing manifold mysterious realms. Boundless light and Qi flowed upward from below and downward from above, from east to west and from west to east, shining upon one another and surging in streams. These sacred transformations were beyond compare.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning told the assembly, “Now I will save living beings by teaching the method of the Five Directions’ vital Qi, which protects all life. Those who receive my vital Qi can realize the wondrous Dao, become perfected immortals of the heavens and sages of the ten directions, and benefit the world. I will proclaim the Great Dao so that all beings in the heavens may hear its profound principles.” The Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions stood in a circle around him…

The gods surrounded the throne, each radiating immense light that illuminated the whole world. It shone like a thousand suns, making the heavens transparent.

The celestial beings, palaces, and imperial terraces and towers in nine trillion heavenly realms appeared clearly in the light, distinct at every level and without obscuring one another.

At that moment, each heaven appeared within the light as an image formed through the gathering and transformation of the righteous Qi of the Great Dao in its natural state. These images were close at hand and could be seen clearly. In the light, each also displayed five scrolls of sacred jade writing—divine characters presented in the form of jade books. Their radiance was vivid, and they unfurled in flowing lines, their characters twisting and darting like flying forms. They had the power to suppress, summon, avert calamity, and subdue, bringing peace to the world.

In the east, the righteous Qi appeared as the ninefold nets of morning light, with pure radiance lingering and circling, while rosy clouds gathered between emerald ramparts. In the south, it appeared as layers of purple clouds surging upward and mist spreading everywhere; within vermilion cinnabar light, three kinds of vital essence gave rise to countless forms. In the west, it appeared as the gathered and transformed radiance of luminous stone and primordial purity, neither smoke nor mist. In the north, it appeared as the darting vital essence of the Dark Gate, the Twin Sovereigns, and the Great Subtlety, all encompassed within Jade Purity. In the center, the righteous Qi appeared as the supreme Dark Treasure Cavern, wondrously transforming into myriad forms.

The righteous Qi of the five directions gathered and transformed into countless forms, including dragons and phoenixes, suspended in the vast expanse of space. Each sent forth auspicious light, which flowed into the fiery jade ruyi held by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. The five-colored radiance stretched and coiled, blending into a single orb as brilliant as the sun and encompassing all the visions manifested in the five directions.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning led the Celestial Worthies of the five directions, the great celestial immortals, the highest sages and exalted ones, the perfected ones of wondrous practice, the supremely perfect great gods from the ten directions and boundless realms, and countless other gods into this orb of five-colored light. When the scripture’s teaching was complete, the assembled perfected ones oversaw the rite of ordination and salvation, and transmitted the scripture and its teachings to me. The joy and celebration of that moment defy words; the ritual was for the most part complete. The gods of the heavens returned to their places, and in an instant, all around fell silent.

At that time, the beings of the heavens were fortunate to encounter this scripture and its teachings. Each received the righteous Qi, awakened the heart of the Dao, and understood the Great Dao. They saw the gateway through which all things are born and transformed, understood the origin and lineage of the Dao, and were universally saved, their original lifespans preserved. When their allotted years came to an end, they ascended into…

Within the vastness of space, one escapes the cycle of life and death and endures forever together with the upright Qi. One can manifest a hundred billion forms, changing in response to circumstances. The void is by nature still, and so it is called “void”; once it is set in motion, it appears as form. It responds everywhere throughout the ten directions, follows the same Way as the sages, and understands that body and mind are like illusions.

One acts without contrivance or reckless effort, universally saving living beings and enabling them to end the cycle of rebirth forever. The body becomes settled; one forgets desire and self-interest, allows upright Qi to enter the body, and merges with the principle of transformation. Leaving behind all doubt and conditioned habits, one attains liberation. The practitioner’s transformed body ascends to the Great Void and becomes one of the people of Heaven—beings who belong to the celestial realm.

Speech is not florid, and no harmful words issue from the mouth. Living beings show one another compassion, and even different peoples can be as close as family. The state is at peace, the people are prosperous, and all rejoice in the age of peace. Once the teachings of the scriptures begin to spread, the people of an entire nation take the Dao as their standard. All who harbor sincere devotion and honor and revere the Great Dao can be delivered from worldly suffering.

The Dao says: What the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning says in the scriptures consists entirely of the inner names of the Heavenly Lords and the upright Qi of the Five Directions; these are secret tones. They are also the hidden personal names of the Sovereign Lords of the Three Treasures and the Venerable Elders, as well as the secret names of the myriad numinous beings. They are not words used in ordinary speech.

The High Sages have already attained the state of perfected beings. They comprehend the profound principles and have probed the deepest mysteries, so they can fully grasp the scripture’s verses and phrases. Reciting it ten times can summon the gods of the Five Directions, transform and refine, gather numinous Qi, awaken the spiritual nature, and form the embryo of the Real. The upright Qi of the Five Directions each has its own symbols:

The upright Qi of the East symbolizes brilliance, literary talent, purity, bearing, worthy virtue, and benevolence and forgiveness; it corresponds to the Qi of the Immortals and perfected beings. As it appears among the myriad things, it corresponds to precious jade, rare treasures, auspicious birds and beasts, and other uncommon wonders of the world.

The upright Qi of the South symbolizes insight, ritual order, eloquence, understanding, the ability to issue commands and administer affairs, and the power to assist revered gods. As it appears among the myriad things, it corresponds to cinnabar, splendid and brilliant colors, and the arts of painting and craft.

The upright Qi of the West symbolizes righteousness, decisiveness, rectitude, steadfastness, courage, and fidelity to principle. It also symbolizes the great gods and revered officials who uphold the laws. As it appears among the myriad things, it corresponds to armor, metal and stone, objects of great strength, leather, tusks and horns, and the signs of defense, troops, and penal law.

The upright Qi of the North symbolizes quickness, broad knowledge, strategic insight, calculation, adaptability, and the ability to penetrate the profound and transform into the Real. It also corresponds to hidden numinous beings such as the True Mother, the Queen, and Taiyi. As it appears among the myriad things, it corresponds to long serpents, dark and winding places, strange and concealed things, and the auspicious signs of ghosts and spirits.

The upright Qi of the Center symbolizes exalted virtue, deeply hidden principles, generosity and tolerance, vast learning, and the sublime sacred power that assists emperors and rulers in their work of instruction and transformation. As it appears among the myriad things, it is revealed through signs of balanced harmony and integration, gentle abundance, profound height, sweetness, and peace. Those who encounter upright Qi…

This scripture can enable a person to rank among the imperial immortals above, become an official who governs a region in the middle, or become a virtuous person below. It can bring longevity, good fortune, and blessings. Thus, when it is recited, the heavens sing its praises together, the myriad emperors bow in homage, and upright Qi gathers. Heaven and Earth grow clear and tranquil; the Sun and Moon shine in harmony; the celestial movements proceed in order; and the demons of Heaven disperse.

Even bones that have decayed can be brought back to life. When a cultivator recites the scripture ten times, the Lords of the Five Directions come to serve and protect them. Living beings in the Three Realms—Heaven, Earth, and the human world—pay homage; upright Qi descends; and the ghosts of the Dipper lodges and other demons and evil beings are destroyed. Even those on the brink of death, with their life almost extinguished, can be rescued and revived through it.

This is because cultivators contemplate the divine and bring their minds and spirits back to the true realm. By sitting quietly, they can summon upright Qi. When life encounters this Qi, it can attain honor and reach the state of the immortal perfected ones. One can also summon and command the ten directions, becoming one with Heaven. The Qi of the Five Phases manifests its numinous power together; pure Qi shines forth; and blessings and De arise naturally. Treating this scripture with contempt while reciting it will instead invite calamity. If one makes offerings to it and reverently pays homage, one’s household will prosper and flourish for generations, in accord with wholesome affinities. No calamity can trouble it, for the divine will guard its gates.

This scripture is supremely precious and mysterious, without peer in the Jade Capital, the celestial city of the immortals in Daoist tradition. It can save all beings and is the foundation of the myriad Dao. Its vast teachings and De are beyond exhaustive description.

The Dao says: Whoever recites this scripture ten times will draw together the true Qi of the Five Directions. Use it to cultivate yourself, and you can transform into an immortal, live forever, and fill the Dantian with numinous Qi. Use it to nurture the myriad things, and they will become firm and flourishing, revealing their wondrous vitality. Use it to govern the people, and you will gain an upright reputation, a dignified bearing, and surpassing distinction.

Use this scripture to communicate with ghosts and spirits, and the suffering souls of your ancestors across countless generations in the netherworld can all be liberated at once and ascend to the Vermilion Palace, a celestial palace in Daoist tradition. A numinous being born of upright Qi and true in all Five Directions can, after nine years of transformation, be born anew and become a person of high rank. Those who delight in studying the scriptures, once their cultivation is complete and their De perfected, can all become immortals, ascend to the Golden Palace where the Celestial Emperor resides, and feast and wander in the Jade Capital.

When accomplished cultivators practice and recite this scripture, the upright Qi of the Five Directions enters their bodies, turning ignorance into wisdom and transforming ordinary people into the worthy. The worthy thereby attain the Dao. Once they attain the Dao, they can become immortals, sages, and divine beings: this is the work of upright Qi. When demons and evil beings cause harm, that is the work of malign Qi. In either case, all can be liberated at once and ascend to the Southern Palace.

When people in the world receive and recite this scripture, the radiance of the upright Qi of the Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions shines upon their true form—the practitioner’s actual body—and extends their lives. In the end, all can cultivate the Way of Corpse Liberation: the soul and spirit temporarily leave the body, pass beyond Hell, and then recover their form and roam through the Great Void. The mysteries of this scripture…

All beings can be delivered without limit. Every celestial and human being may receive its blessings and immeasurable good fortune, and be protected in life and death. Heaven treasures this scripture; it must not be passed casually to later generations. Those who cultivate the Dao must prepare gifts such as gold and silk, and may transmit it only after making a sincere oath. If they disclose it carelessly or treat the scripture with disrespect, calamity will befall nine generations of their ancestors, who will be made to serve the ghost officials for a long time. The five emperors’ jade youths and jade maidens who attend this scripture number twenty-four of each. They guard the scripture and protect the bodies of those who receive it.

The scripture says: If one observes the fast and recites this scripture during the first month, the Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions will ascend to the Jade-Treasure Azure-Blossom Gate, a celestial palace, where they will circulate the righteous Qi of the Five Directions and govern and transform the Three Realms. They will also release the souls of the departed from earlier generations from service in hell, allowing them to be delivered and ascend to the Southern Palace.

If one observes the fast and recites this scripture during the seventh month, the Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions will ascend to the Vermilion Mound, Cinnabar-Blossom Gate, a celestial palace, where they will circulate the righteous Qi of the Five Directions and govern and transform the Three Realms. The reciter may attain the Dao of the immortals, have their name entered in Heaven’s Yellow Registers and White Tablets—records of merit and fault and of immortal status—and have it removed from the register of the dead and transferred to the register of the living.

If one observes the fast and recites this scripture during the tenth month, the Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions will ascend to the Purple-Cloud Jade-Chart, Mysterious-Truth Gate, a celestial palace, where they will circulate the righteous Qi of the Five Directions and govern and transform the Three Realms. This can stabilize the nation’s fate, making the country secure for generations to come; it can also bring peace to the ruler’s realm, so that the people praise its lasting peace.

If one recites this scripture on any of the Eight Seasonal Festivals, the righteous Qi of the Five Directions will circulate throughout the eight directions and return to the Emperor. From a single Qi, all living beings will come into being, and the reciter may become a Perfected of the Nine Palaces.

If one recites this scripture on one’s natal day, the Five Elders, the High Emperors, will descend and guard the five viscera. The Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions will breathe forth righteous Qi into the body’s inner palaces, including the Palace of Destiny, the Crimson Palace, and the Muddy Pellet. The true Dao within the body will then awaken of itself. The soul and spirit will become clear and upright, and the various original Qis will endure; suffering will cease. The body will radiate light, the gods of the Three Realms will protect the reciter, the Five Emperors will welcome them, and the myriad spirits will come to pay homage. The reciter’s name will be recorded in Heaven, and when their merit is complete, they may ascend to Shangqing.

The scripture also says: On the day of practicing the Dao, bathe in fragrant water, observe the fast and keep the precepts, then enter a quiet chamber and face east. Click the teeth thirty-two times to reach the thirty-two heavens, then bow toward the Celestial Heart thirty-two times. Next, close the eyes and meditate, envisioning oneself seated amid clouds of blue, yellow, and white Qi, with profound stillness within and without. The true Qi of the Five Directions circles the body and shines with radiance. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lions, and white cranes stand in rows on either side. The sun and moon illuminate the chamber; above the head appears a circular radiance whose light reaches the ten directions. Once this vision is clear, silently recite the incantation:

The Most High Lord of the Dao, the Supreme Sovereign of the Mysterious Origin, summons the Thirty-Six Merit Officers within my body, the messengers on my left and right, the jade youths who attend the incense, the jade maidens who carry the words, the Five Emperors’ talisman officers, and the incense officials on duty for the day. He directs them to report above: Today is an auspicious day. I have fasted and purified myself, and in a quiet hall I am cultivating and reciting this scripture. I pray that what the scripture petitions may ascend to the heavenly court and be presented directly before the throne.

I respectfully report before the supreme throne of the Primordial Sovereign of the Thirty-Two Heavens. (The bowing is complete.)

Face east, guide the Qi within the body thirty-two times, then recite the scripture.

The Wondrous Scripture of Supreme Origin, Limitless Deliverance

The Dongxuan Lingbao scripture transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Origin uses the upright Qi of the Five Directions, turning ten times to deliver living beings. The hidden tones of the heavens naturally separate, join, and transform.

Wondrous Qi, profound and mysterious, boundless and without limit, gives rise to its source. Dense as purple clouds of smoke, it divides into three essences. The Qi of Jade Purity disperses and flows, interweaving across the vast heavens and earth. It passes through the Mysterious Gate, circling and gathering, now rising, now sinking.

The true way of the heavenly origin transforms into the Mysterious Capital. Yin Qi embraces within it the utmost Yang; Yin and Yang unite and give rise to true Qi. True Qi transforms into Shen, Shen into Qi, and Qi in turn into numinous power. Thus all things transform. Though they have no fixed form, they can fulfill the wondrous functions of perfection.

The Qi that brings forth all things is hidden deep within the Yellow Court. Within the Spirit Pool and Crimson Abyss, its colors gather and congeal like a red infant elixir. It circles and drifts, moving up and down without a fixed direction.

The Yellow Emperor and Laozi—together known as the Yellow Elder—conceal themselves in cultivation, while the Dao-body rests within the constant Dao. In the east is blue-green, in the west white, in the south red, and in the north black; at the center is the Precious Sovereign. The upright Qi of the Five Directions flows of its own accord. The gods of the Five Directions move without cease, circulating in a continuous cycle like thunder racing and clouds surging. The Five Emperors bestow talismanic mandates, and the Five Elders unite the divine souls.

The radiance of Heaven has no concrete form. All things mingle as one in the undivided state of primordial simplicity. Their essence shines with brilliance, while numinous fluid Qi fills and spreads everywhere. All things receive it and grow; ghosts receive it and become numinous; spirits receive it and become manifest; people receive it and become immortals; Heaven receives it and grows clear; Earth receives it and grows peaceful. Above, it divides to form the Three Realms; below, it extends to the Nine Springs.

The wind and Qi of the void flow and circulate, changing throughout Heaven and Earth. The deep and wondrous vital Qi of the Orthodox Way proclaims the Imperial Way. It all begins with the Lord of Heavenly Truth, hidden in mystery, a revered deity dwelling in the celestial realm.

He wears a jade crown and embroidered robes, with a long, blue-green skirt patterned with phoenixes. He rides a team of nine dragons and commands a thousand divine officials. He bestows vital Qi and sets it in motion to nourish the Five Directions. The balanced Qi received by all things makes people into immortal spirits and grants honor to the worthy. Through its mighty laws and principles, it gives form to all things and brings forth their finest essence. All things respond to vital Qi, transforming through it into divine and perfected beings.

The Way of Perfect Truth has no form or trace. Vast visions flow with subtle radiance, remote and impossible to fathom; it seems to vanish, yet also to exist. Precious jades and treasures adorn splendid halls, while jade-like flowers of the immortals bloom in wondrous realms. Between purple gates and mysterious passes, divine beings stand in solemn ranks, appearing above the clouds. The vital Qi amid five-colored halos circulates throughout the ten directions.

Among them are the Lords of the Three Su of the Most High, the divine Holy Mother of Purity, the revered Jade Emperor of Taiwei, the Lord of the Primordial Embryo and the One, and the Elders of the Five Directions of the Dao and De. There are also mysterious Dao deities who govern registers, household records, generation, and transformation. They turn the workings of Qi and store and nourish vital Qi. Today, during the rite for the immeasurable salvation of all beings, the scriptures are collated and recorded, and the divine beings of the heavens descend together before the hall.

In the east, south, west, and north; in the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest; above and below: in each direction, the Kings of the Divine Lords of Boundless Flying-Heaven Vital Qi and the Great Sages of Long Life come to grant immeasurable salvation.

The Perfect Ones of the ten directions—the Kings of the Divine Lords of Flying-Heaven Vital Qi, the Long-Lived Saviors of the World, and the Great Gods of Immeasurable Power—ride together in chariots of nine rays of cinnabar light, transformed from the changing forces, and in divine carriages of fiery winds and purple clouds. Their vehicles blaze with red radiance and bear the canopies of a hundred gods and the Five Essences of Heavenly De.

The Banner of Great Power, a standard symbolizing might, is borne by vermilion chi dragons and jade dragons. The ceremonial standards of the Ten Flowers of the Myriad Heavens are raised, along with banners from the Cavern of Spirit (Dongshen) that summon the perfected. Divine beasts shaped like Kui dragons cry out in sorrow and leap about, while green phoenixes and purple luan birds fly through the air. At the front, singers chant the songs “Eight Su” and “Nine Yang”; behind them, musicians play “The Six Pipes: Life from Emptiness.” Divine tigers bound through the sky, and pixie beasts clear the way. The Five Elders travel forth, guarded by a host of immortals. Myriad millions of chariots and horses arrive, floating through the air. Divine light gathers; the chariot turns about, bringing the living to salvation through the vital energy of the orthodox Dao.

The divine perfected ones known as the Central Emperor, the Inner Assistant, the Primordial Dipper, the Right Palace, the Purple Enclosure, and the Great God of the Wondrous Penetration of Taiji govern primordial Qi and oversee the true Dao, assembling in the lofty, mysterious realm. They ascend and descend, traveling through the void, and proclaim their decrees to the unfathomable passes in the shadowy realms of the eight directions: above, to the Jade Net Heaven and the numinous lords of the Great Void; below, to the nine layers of the earthly realm and the source of the deep cavernous abyss. They set the orthodox Qi of the Great Dao in motion, refining people until they become divine immortals. The great gods of the Five Directions and the officials of the Jade Bureau grant life and nurture all things. They act in accordance with the law, turning ordinary people toward the sacred realm and transforming their form and substance so they may ascend. In a state of trance, people commune with the Dao and enter the Gate of the Great Hun Emperor.

The spirits who guard the Northern Capital’s Cold Pool protect people’s bodies, souls, and Qi, gathering their spirit and sustaining their lives. Standing upright within nature, people receive the orthodox Qi and are saved. According to their rank, the souls of the dead undergo refinement and deliverance in the Southern Palace, becoming immortals in human form. The living, too, may receive deliverance, enduring the cycles of tribulation and lasting on. As the cycles of tribulation turn, they live as long as Heaven and forever escape the Three Paths—the torments of hell, hungry ghosts, and beasts—along with the Five Sorrows and Eight Afflictions. They rise beyond the Three Realms and roam freely in the heavens of Shangqing.

The heavens of Shangqing are the realm without color where the Heavenly Emperor Miaohé resides; they are also the realm of Brahmic practice.

These are the heavens where the orthodox Qi of the Five Directions dwells. Beginning from the Horn lunar mansion, each degree increases by one and a half miao. Through the celestial divisions of the Five Planets, this Qi spreads and transforms, bringing the laws into accord with the orthodox Dao. It moves along the ecliptic without crossing the boundaries of the surrounding celestial ordinances. It receives the mandate of the Imperial Pole and is devoted to the practice of orthodox Qi. Each of the four directions has two heavens, paired with the central position of Earth. Earth at the center has no fixed form, so it is distributed among the four directions, where all converge at the center. The Five Directions enact the teachings and govern the creation and transformation of all things. Whoever obtains the balanced, central Qi among them may become a High Perfected One.

The Eight Heavens of the East

Dingdu Yuexuan Heaven — the Emperor Bi clears away the orthodox void

Luyi Xiuhuang Heaven — the Emperor Bo rides east above

Liang Wushu Yuan Heaven — the Emperor Jue inscribes words as they are revealed

Yili Guchang Heaven — the Emperor Dao treads the silent pivot of Yang

In the north are eight layers of heaven, each with its own name and Heavenly Emperor: Qisen Zhuzhuo Heaven, ruled by Emperor Chawu Yunchong; Jiuqi Cangqiu Heaven, ruled by Emperor Lǜ Yunshiqi; Bihuang Jiaozong Heaven, ruled by Emperor Qiangbi Siyun; and Haoming Duyuan Heaven, ruled by Emperor Zhenbao Lichang.

In the south are eight layers of heaven. The scripture lists Ya Ji Biyao Heaven, ruled by Emperor Qiuti Zhensheng; Yanming Shengwei Heaven, ruled by Emperor Zu Zheng Yixian; Biaoli Zhengshen Heaven, ruled by Emperor Niu Chengfu; Dongchong Jingjiang Heaven, ruled by Emperor Zhengpu Shilong; Menghua Jingyu Heaven, ruled by Emperor Bian Di Chayan; Lu Jin Xiaogong Heaven, ruled by Emperor Yue Shu Zhaoxuan; Lijin Zongming Heaven, ruled by Emperor Hu Ba Mingli; and Jiaoying Xunling Heaven, ruled by Emperor Du Yi Shengyou.

In the west are eight layers of heaven. The scripture lists Xinzhen Qiongdu Heaven, ruled by Emperor Ye Pu Shunkang; Zhou Yu Hanjian Heaven, ruled by Emperor Dang Fu Nan; Duji Taiyuan Heaven, ruled by Emperor E Ling Yuntan; Bujiao Yaoping Heaven, ruled by Emperor Xian Shu Liewei; Chanfei Qianyu Heaven, ruled by Emperor Zhuo Luo Bingqi; and Lejing Yunzhi Heaven, ruled by Emperor Du Tu Arong.

This passage sets out the layers of heaven in different directions through their celestial names and the names of their emperors, using the sacred naming conventions common in Daoist scriptures. The source contains missing and variant characters, as well as passages that are difficult to decipher; the correspondences between some layers and names are also incomplete. The translation therefore follows the surviving text as it stands, without attempting to fill in what is missing.

The Celestial Emperor of Zhengxuanmiaoyi Heaven is named Bianke Supian, and the Celestial Emperor of Xiqianyingxu Heaven is named Shangbei Mitong. In the north are eight heavens: Tanmi Ruanling Heaven, Zhaojun Lingju Heaven, Duming Jihuang Heaven, Yuchen Hehua Heaven, Yanli Wufeng Heaven, Zhuwan Xianshu Heaven, Yuanzhu Yangyu Heaven, and their respective ruling Celestial Emperors: Haosun Yufang, Yueyuan Liwo, Boji Xunhui, Baiyu Biancheng, Luzhen Yifu, Zhaoling Qiming, and Longying Chuangwang. The Celestial Emperor of Xiandu Shenjing Heaven is named Bimiao Xuanying.

The thirty-two heavens, their thirty-two Celestial Emperors, and the heavens’ secret taboo names, titles, and numinous writings of the naturally arising empty realm together form the profound and mysterious substance of the celestial world. The hidden rhythms and sounds of the heavens, the exalted gods and spirits, the great demons and numinous officials harmonize and transform one another, revealing the immeasurably profound principles of Shangqing (the higher celestial realm in Daoism), which cannot be fully described. They spread the power of spirits and perfected beings, universally saving living beings in Heaven and on Earth.

Today is a day for rejoicing. Living beings receive transformation and pass through the trials of the various heavens. The Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions enact upright Qi, transforming the vital energies of all things so that they accord with the Dao, remain free of disorder and deviance, and hold steadfastly to what is right. Those who encounter the correct Dao gain good fortune; those who lose it sink into ruin.

The Five Emperors protect life and save all beings, severing the Five Sufferings and freeing people from constraint. The Heavenly Gate, the Eastern Dipper, the Western Dipper, the Northern Dipper, the Southern Dipper, and the Central Dipper each have their own charge: the Eastern Dipper holds the tally, the Western Dipper presents the mandate, the Northern Dipper proclaims commands, the Southern Dipper records and registers, and the Central Great Dipper opens the Heavenly Gate and establishes charts and registers. The Azure Emperor assists Virtue, the White Emperor governs intention, the Black Emperor protects the spirit, the Red Emperor rules the mind, and the Yellow Emperor commands the heavens and records upright Qi.

The true deity of the Azure Heaven, Yuyang Zhenbo, governs the Qi of the righteous spirits. The true deity of the Red Heaven, Donghua Gange, governs response and transformation. The true deity of the White Heaven, Jinde Sisha, governs Metal Virtue and punitive killing. The true deity of the Black Heaven, Fugan Podi, subdues treachery and defeats hostile forces. The true deity of the Yellow Heaven, Zhongyu, rules from the center.

The Five Directional True Gods of Non-Extremity are the sovereigns of all spirits. When they travel, drums and music accompany them. They command the immortal troops, with banners, standards, drums, and ceremonial instruments all in readiness as they make their rounds through the heavens. Their awe-inspiring radiance shines forth, and together with the heavens they carry out the work of saving and guiding living beings. The heavenly way of transformation by which people are saved is the subtle pivot of Supreme Clarity; empty stillness opens into understanding, and the divine wheel turns without cease. The harmonious Qi that arises through resonance can forever destroy demons, evil, and violence. The imperial officials who govern life and gather in souls ride this movement. When Yin and Yang meet and the flow of Qi comes into harmony, the world receives blessings and good fortune, and all submit. Should anyone dare to offend or resist, the assembled Perfected will strike them down with blades of wind, then burn them with cinnabar fire. The upright Qi of the five directions can turn dry bones into immortal bodies. Through refinement and transformation, all forms change as Qi flows; following nature, they pass through nine revolutions and return to the true Dao. The five-colored Qi condenses and blends, thereby bringing the Way of Grotto Yang to completion. This proclamation spreads throughout boundless realms; all the spirits come to receive its commands, and the Five Emperors of the Three Realms report upward to Supreme Clarity.

Transformation is deep and unfathomable, mingling in the darkness. The heavenly Yang turns, and vast forms meet one another: this is the beginning of the wondrous source. Light and form depend on one another. Though Shen and Qi are formless, they are the subtle principles of Heaven and Earth. The Great One, the source Qi through which all things are generated, contains the Qi of the Primordial Beginning and gives rise to true Jing. The empty valley responds; the void becomes luminous through the Dao. The Demon Examiner, an office responsible for testing talismans and commands against demonic forces, verifies the directives. When movement reaches its utmost point, it returns to stillness. The state of upright Qi is harmony and peace: in motion, it appears as the sages and Perfected; in stillness, it reaches its full perfection. Heaven and Earth manifest auspicious signs, and the six Qi blend in bright harmony. Subtle, empty Qi gathers and nourishes; Water and Fire take form, and golden light appears amid the vast expanse of the primordial image.

The five directions establish the foundation, and upright Qi arises naturally. The Imperial Dao of the Primordial Beginning, the supreme Way transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning, is proclaimed from this foundation. Primordial harmony embraces all things, while below, the Wind Abyss is established. Above and below, all that is dark or distant, formless or without shadow, lies within the boundlessness of Non-Extremity. The undivided primordial chaos reveals the laws of Heaven; the unformed, murky expanse spreads its radiance. The five colors divide into forms, and their movement extends throughout the whole circuit of Heaven. Virtue flourishes, and all things are preserved through the Dao. Purple Qi gathers and congeals into cloud palaces. The five scriptures are written in red characters and jade script, adorned with phoenix-shaped covers and dragon patterns. They summon back upright Qi, keeping Heaven and Earth enduring. Wondrous transformations spread throughout the cosmos and act among the myriad beings. The Five Essences of the five directions open the way for transformation, passing through the heavens, embracing light and color, and extending to all eight directions. Yin and Yang move back and forth, thereby establishing the four seasons.

Within the thirty-two directions, the immortals and Perfected refine and nourish the Qi of the Great Subtlety. The Eight Luminaries join together, and their breath enters the Mysterious Radiance. The Five Elders of the Mysterious Radiance and the Great Gods of the Primordial Cavern are charged with protecting the Celestial Emperor and the Heavenly Emperor, sharing Heaven’s lifespan and remaining upright forever. They roam through azure mists, chanting in cloud palaces. The Flowing Bells transform seven times; the Expansive Fall and Eight Powers—Daoist ritual implements and generals who drive away evil—are set in motion. The Immortal Kings summon primordial Qi, and numinous sounds echo nine times. Songs ring out through the void and take form as immortals ascending to Heaven. Through countless acts of harmony, upright Qi completes the true Dao; true Qi then gives birth to the gods.

The Celestial Worthies of the five directions, the Great Emperor of Longevity, the Lord of the Precious Flower, the Earl of Wuying, the Recorder of Fate, the Great One Who Restores the Corpse, Jingjing, Taokang, and Jingyan oversee talismans, commands, and scriptures, and protect the Mysterious Root of life. They roam above in Supreme Clarity and enter and leave the Yellow Court, the inner realm of the body where the gods of the body dwell.

Within the celestial sphere traversed by the stars, among the Three Realms, towering palaces rise as if swept aloft by a mighty whirlwind. The people enjoy long and healthy lives, worthy ministers appear in the world to assist, and the fortune of the Dao flourishes.

Righteous Qi descends and nourishes the human body, gathering in the Mudball Palace (the divine seat in the head, as described in Daoism). It harmonizes the Five Qi (the five forms of vital energy that make up the human body and the cosmos) and connects the body’s gates and passages. After ten cycles, the numinous Qi returns; the myriad breaths together lead a person toward the immortal Dao.

The immortal Dao takes cherishing life as its essential principle and widely saves living beings. I summon your righteous Qi as the source of your blessings and open the gate of instruction. Through the great celestial cycle, salvation is extended to all in accordance with sins and merits, precepts, and the karmic ties of past destiny. Righteous Qi gives life to the body, enabling it to be born; this matter reaches up to the heavens. Above the heavens, each realm has its own gate of life, and within them are texts on the life-giving Qi of the empty and mysterious. The writings of these Supreme Numinous Texts may be compared with those of the High Perfected (exalted immortal beings revered in Daoism).

Chapter One: The Flying Void Hymn in Which the Divine Kings of the Five Directions Bestow Righteous Qi and Cut Off the Roots of Evil

Scarlet banners unfurl like rosy clouds, while golden horses gallop along the cloud roads. The demons of the Six Caverns lie hidden beneath the underground springs. When they emerge to wreak havoc, they obstruct our righteous Qi, disrupt the seasons, and veil the true light. They linger in the air, indulging in wickedness; they also cling to the earth and become gu-spirits (malevolent beings that harm people), bringing calamity upon the people and spreading pestilence amid disaster and disorder.

The Jade Book (a sacred Daoist text) shines with scarlet characters, and its true light illuminates Heaven and Earth. Radiant jade chapters are arrayed throughout, and the numinous mountains are settled in their proper places. The Five Elders (revered deities who guard the five directions) keep watch over the Five Heavens, gathering in the baleful and driving away the cold night. Bells ring and drums thunder, cleansing away every kind of foul spirit and evil influence, so that the ten thousand regions beneath Heaven may remain at peace for ages, with immortals and perfected beings ever arriving to protect them.

Chapter Two: The Mysterious Creation of Righteous Qi by the Thearchs, the Five Elders of the Five Directions, and the Text That Makes the Three Realms Majestic

Gathered clouds transform into fine jade; tier upon tier, emerald palaces gleam with penetrating golden light. The winds of the eight directions mingle and merge; the Dan Tower rises high, and verdant peaks stand tall. Scarlet wheels roll over the lunar sphere, while a distant, clear chant resounds through the void.

There is a mysterious yellow Qi, the sovereign of the Great Dao. It can turn white into purple, and thereby make precious flowers fragrant. Jade-like embryos gather and merge their breaths, joining Yin and Yang as two halves. In the left hand, a jade pendant is held…

On the right, he wears a golden pendant, with layers of five-colored radiance overlapping, each settled in its own direction. The spirits act according to intention; the Dao is guided by De. Upright Qi spreads far and wide, and its transformations follow no fixed pattern. In the Crimson Terrace, the vermilion balustrade, the chambers adorned with precious jade, and the green rooms dwells the August One, a revered spirit. He wears a robe patterned with dragons and a tiger-shaped emblem. He gives all things their true forms and makes the Three Realms a place of peace and joy. The Immortals and perfected beings nurture all things everywhere, while the Great Cavern Scripture is a bridge leading to the Great Dao.

Chapter Three: A Song of the Celestial Worthies Who Guard the Five Directions, Protect Upright Qi, and Help People Transcend

I ride the rosy clouds of the East and plant spirit sprouts among the clouds. In the South stands a red city of cinnabar; I cry out to summon and command the fire spirits and their troops. The western spirit tortoise rests upon the Jade Terrace, its breath like dragon fungus. The Dark Elder and the Great One exude fragrance as they circle the sun. The Yellow Spirit raises his banners and drives his chariot toward the Gate of the Emperor. In the hollow reaches of the cavern, blue-green light gathers; the radiance of red strings shines straight ahead.

The sea lies calm and still, and the stars shine clear. Dawn light falls upon Fusang, the legendary place in the East where the sun rises, and ten thousand treasures flourish in abundance. Upright Qi passes through the splendid palaces, entering and leaving them. Balanced Qi fills the realm of Great Mystery; red dew and pure frost shine together. The forms of all things are shaped and refined, while the nine kinds of ugly, baleful spirits lie hidden and unseen. My Great Dao is clear and bright; I hold a golden measure and a vermilion pendant.

This is the song sung by the perfected beings above the Three Realms, as they fly through the heavens; its melody accords with the Cavern Chapter. Recite it a hundred times, and your name will be entered in the Southern Palace. Recite it a thousand times, and the Five Emperors will escort you and welcome you. Recite it ten thousand times, and your cultivation of the Dao will be complete: you will ascend through the vast heavens, pass beyond the Three Realms, and take your place among the Immortal Lords. Hearing this wondrous sound, the demon kings will fear and respect its power. They will be ordered to restrain the earth spirits, and to guard, escort, and welcome those who recite the scripture. Upright Qi will reach the unseen realms; the heavenly perfected will descend, and the Five Essences will support and protect you. Practicing in this way brings the hun and po souls to rest, safeguards the body, and enables you to soar to Jade Clarity, the lofty heavenly realm of Daoism. This is called boundless salvation, without end.

This secret text belongs to Heaven, and all the heavens honor it together. If it is revealed carelessly or treated with disrespect, one will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon seven generations of one’s ancestors.

The Dao says: The two chapters above are sacred sounds, secretly transmitted by the Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions and the supremely numinous Spirit Kings. They all belong to the Great Brahma…

The words spoken in these scriptures are not the kind commonly heard in the world. They have neither ornate melodies with rhymes nor embellished, elegant passages, and so they are called mysterious and profound, difficult to investigate fully. They are scriptures treasured by Heaven, kept in the scripture chambers of the Jade Palace of Divine Empyrean (the celestial palace described in Daoism). According to established rules, they are transmitted to the human world only after thirty-seven thousand years, when the proper time arrives. A person who has made progress in cultivation may receive this scripture only after bringing gold and jewels, making a sincere vow before the gods for ten days, and following the old rules.

The Dao says: People are born endowed with the vital energy of the Five Directions—the upright energy that comes from the east, south, west, north, and center—and can thereby receive blessings, wealth, honor, peace, and longevity. If they go against the right way, the energy of the Five Directions becomes disordered and scattered, unable to bring blessings or cultivate De (Virtue/Power). They may then face hard times, disturbances among the Three Luminaries (usually the sun, moon, and stars), calamities, illness, and injury. Whenever such calamities occur, all those affected should join in fasting, offer incense at the six appointed times of the day, and recite the scripture ten times. In this way, blessings and De will descend and all inauspicious influences will be dispelled. This boundless scripture can save all beings everywhere, without limit.

The Dao says: When the energy of the Five Directions loses its proper order, this appears in a person as the end of their allotted years and the cessation of change—that is, as a sign of death. If someone who has only begun to study the Dao and has not yet attained a full rank among the immortals is fated to die, fellow cultivators who have made progress should offer incense and recite the scripture ten times for them as their body passes through Great Yin (here, the underworld). They should then perform the prescribed rites to transform the corpse, so that the person’s soul and spirit may ascend directly to the Southern Palace (a celestial palace described in Daoism). There, according to the merits of their cultivation in life, their allotted days will be reckoned and they will be able to be reborn without confusion, ultimately becoming an immortal.

The Dao says: The upright energy of the Five Directions arises from the Dao and spreads through the five directions, bringing all things to completion. It descends to fill human beings and all things. When the energy is upright, it brings blessings; when it is not, it brings calamity. This upright energy is the true essence within Heaven and an expression of the Dao’s wondrous naturalness. If it is defied, the workings of Heaven and Earth fall into disorder: the stars move erratically, the sun and moon grow dim, the seasons go awry, Yin-Yang falls out of balance, disasters befall the realm, wars break out, epidemics spread, and the people suffer injury and death, until both their years and their allotted lifespans are exhausted. Whenever such circumstances arise, people should fast, offer incense, and recite the scripture. The merit of fasting and reciting is immense: above, it can dispel heavenly calamities and protect and stabilize the emperor; below, it can drive away poisonous harm and save the people. Both the living and the dead can receive its blessings. This De is beyond measure, and so it is called “boundless salvation for Heaven, humanity, and the immortals.”

The Dao says: Anyone who possesses this scripture and cultivates merit for Heaven and Earth, the emperor, and the people should, on the day calamity strikes, resolve to fast, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times. All the heavens will record their name, and the myriad spirits will protect them. A person who has made progress in cultivation may also become a retainer of the divine palace of Jade Clarity (one of the highest celestial realms in Daoism). The heavens record people’s good and bad deeds without missing even the smallest detail. The demon kings of Heaven will also recommend you… (The original text ends here.)

Only those who have attained the Dao should fully comprehend these supreme words.

The Boundless Sounds of the Great Brahma’s Hidden Speech in the Heavens (the grand, secret, and boundless sounds used in the heavens), compiled by the Dao Lord.

The Jade Text of Primordial Beginning’s Numinous Writings: The Righteous Qi of the Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions (a jade text transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, recording the righteous Qi of the Celestial Worthies of the Five Directions):

The Eight Heavens of the East

The hidden syllables of the eastern heavens are listed below: Lan Tuo Yuan Yu, Zheng Chen Ba Lin, Tan Tian Fan Du, Qun Xian Xiao Shen, Xi Yan Lü Shang, Ming Ji Xiao Cen, Ju Luo Jun Lou, Du Qiu Yan Jin, Ju Yu Ri Lu, Ting Xi Mo Lin, Chuan Ding Tai Qiu, Pan Ju Miao Cheng, Xuan Mang Quan Yi, Wei Di Juan Bi, Xia Miao Yao Li, Dian Qu Qian Quan.

The Eight Heavens of the South

The hidden syllables of the southern heavens are listed below: Long Yao Fang Pi, Yue Ting Ding Zhen, Qiu Duo Bu Yin, Lu Gua Ruan Shen, Chi Qing Sha Jing, Yuan Mou Ji Fan, Cheng Zhi Bao Zhi, Fan Ying Xiang Gong, Yuan Hui Sa Yu, She Xian Jiu Pu, Dao Lan Da Xu, Yan Xian Qu Shu, Jia Fu Mo Lun, Xian Na Yi Kun, Sha E Bai Kong, Fei Hua San Bu.

The Eight Heavens of the West

The hidden syllables of the western heavens are listed below: Dan Wu Fa Chou, Zhen Ming Lü Xuan, Bi Tian Yun Di, Se Kai Jiu Xian, Chi Ming Ying Xie, Bian Shi Mou Mian.

The “Great Brahma’s Hidden Speech” listed here belongs to the Daoist scriptures. These symbolic secret syllables of the celestial realm are not ordinary spoken sentences, so their sounds are preserved as they appear in the original, without interpreting them character by character. The original text’s section on the Eight Heavens of the West ends with “Bian Shi Mou Mian”; no further text is present.

Youjing mangqi, guyibianhuan, pushou dusi… (The following phrases are mysterious sacred sounds from the scripture. They are jade inscriptions formed from the pure Qi of the five directions, meant primarily for chanting rather than ordinary speech.)

The Eight Heavens of the North:

Xiongxuan bizhen, shuoxuan huiling, chenjie xiuye… (These, too, are sacred sounds associated with the North.)

The Dao says: The pure Qi of the five directions joins with the essence of the Great Brahma—the vast, fundamental Qi of the cosmos. Winds circle and mists turn,凝结成 jade inscriptions written with cinnabar. Their five-colored radiance shines upon the heavenly gates. They become a celestial book recording the Five Qi, as well as a treasured text kept by the Supreme Emperor. Able to summon wondrous spiritual powers, their words are profound and obscure. They comprise five sections and correspond to the scriptures handed down from ancient times.

Each character is one zhang square. The Perfected Sovereign of the Shangqing realm and the Dao Lords of the Highest Truth, holding brushes of Heavenly Radiance and Nine Essences, wrote these words in cinnabar at the southern pavilion of the Phoenix Terrace, in the halls of the Pure Capital of Taiwei. They established them as the true sounds, setting the Qi of the five directions in motion throughout the Three Realms.

Whoever knows these sacred sounds and can purify themselves and chant them will be visited by flying celestial kings sent down from the heavens. They will record the person’s merit and report it to the Divine Empyrean. The myriad gods will come to pay homage, the earth gods will wait at the gate, and the demon king will commend the person’s great merit, enabling them to take their place among the highest immortals. When their cultivation and merit are complete, they will travel freely through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

These sacred sounds can dispel, avert, deliver, and accomplish all things. They are the sounds of the natural, uncontrived Perfected. Chanting them summons the flying celestial kings to descend and observe; the Supreme Emperor answers from afar in song, the myriad gods come to pay homage, and the spirits of the Three Realms attend in procession. All evil forces bow their heads, and ghosts and monsters vanish of their own accord. The scripture’s sound rings like jade chimes, purifying the ten directions. Rivers and seas fall silent; mists clear among the mountains. All spirits are awed, and the assembled immortals are summoned to come. The heavens are free of defilement, the earth of demonic dust, and even in darkness, clear wisdom can appear. This is the vast and profound realm of mystery.

The Dao says: Long ago, in the Central Heaven’s Radiant Cloud Cave and Great Bright Land, the Most High Heavenly Worthy of the Primordial Beginning, a revered Daoist deity, proclaimed the Highest Scripture on Delivering People through the Ascendant Radiance of the Two Luminaries and Five Stars. Each time the Heavenly Worthy recited the scripture, he summoned the gods of the ten directions. Only after he had recited it ten times did the gods arrive before his seat. Countless immortals came through the air: the great gods of heavenly truth, the highest sages and honored ones, and perfected beings of wondrous practice. Purple smoke drifted, jade winds stirred, and splendid carriages appeared beneath a canopy of numinous clouds. Their radiance shone like the light of dawn, while brilliant nine-colored rays illuminated the ten directions.

For seven days and seven nights, the wondrous Qi of the heavens gathered and transformed into every kind of treasure. The winds of the eight directions blew gently, the four seas were calm, and no calamity or strange portent arose. All things followed their natural course. The land, rivers, mountains, and forests throughout the realm became level and even, with no high or low places. The ground was covered with moon-shaped jade discs and sun-shaped luminous pearls, which cast forth five-colored numinous light. The perfected beings stood in attendance before the seat. The Most High Heavenly Worthy sat upright in the air upon a wondrous throne of the Transforming Dragon Immortals and the myriad forms of Quchen, and proclaimed the scripture.

When the first recitation ended, the great sages of the heavens praised him together. At that time, the ruler and ministers of the realm upheld the Dao and De, and their devotion reached the spirits. When the second recitation ended, the two luminaries, the sun and moon, shone together. With the third, Heaven, Earth, and Humanity—the Three Powers—became open and harmonious. With the fourth, the seasons followed their proper course, and the Yin-Yang Qi between Heaven and Earth was brought into balance. With the fifth, the five stars moved along their proper paths and would not fall into disorder, even through the passage of kalpas. With the sixth, the six Qi circulated and their transformations worked in harmony. With the seventh, the seven origins were settled and their radiance endured. With the eighth, the stars of the eight directions each kept their proper place and did not interfere with human destiny. With the ninth, the rulers of the nine palaces warded off calamities and dispelled misfortune. With the tenth, the spirits of the ten directions each rested in their proper place and brought lasting good fortune.

At that time, all the men and women throughout the realm sincerely turned toward the Daoist teachings. They received protection and deliverance, and attained long life.

The Dao also says: When the Most High Heavenly Worthy had recited the scripture once, the supreme true gods and countless immortals of the Eastern Boundless and Immeasurable Grade of Heavenly Crystal Ascendant Radiance came through the air. After the second recitation, the supreme true gods and countless immortals of the Southern Boundless and Immeasurable Grade of Heavenly Crystal Ascendant Radiance came through the air. After the third, the supreme true gods and countless immortals of the Western Boundless and Immeasurable Grade of Heavenly Crystal Ascendant Radiance came through the air. After the fourth, the supreme true gods and countless immortals of the Northern Boundless and Immeasurable Grade of Heavenly Crystal Ascendant Radiance…

In the Heaven of the Boundless Realm, the Celestial Crystal Radiance, Perfectly True Great God and his countless retinue came through the air. When the scripture had been recited for the fifth time, the Celestial Crystal Radiance, Perfectly True Great God of the Heaven of the Boundless Realm in the northeast, together with his retinue, arrived through the air. At the sixth recitation, divine beings of the same kind came from the southeast; at the seventh, from the southwest; at the eighth, from the northwest. At the ninth, the Perfectly True Great God who commands the stars and celestial phenomena, with his retinue, arrived from above. At the tenth, the Perfectly True Great God who receives the light and gathers the scenes, with his retinue, arrived from below.

When the ten recitations were complete, the Celestial Perfected Great Gods of the boundless heavens in the ten directions, who govern the celestial crystals, sun, moon, and stars, all arrived together. Men and women throughout the country sincerely turned toward them in reverence and admiration. Those who came were as numerous as fine rain and dense mist, filling half the country. The earth sank and tilted beneath their weight, and they could scarcely be restrained.

At that moment, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning leaned forward with a smile, while millions upon millions looked up at him. He then ordered the Purple Tenuity Jade Consort, an immortal who served him, to open the sacred incense burner reserved for his use. Night Mountain Fire Jade was kindled inside, and wondrous, mysterious numinous incense was burned. The smoke gathered in the air, taking the form of treasures and clouds, and revealed a jade palace—a celestial chamber like precious jade. The palace hovered amid the mists, ten zhang above the ground.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning led the Celestial Perfected Great Gods, the Supreme Sages and Exalted Ones, the Perfected Beings of Wondrous Practice, and the Perfectly True Great Gods of the boundless directions with their countless retinues into the jade palace. Those in the heavens looked up and saw them glide lightly into the smoke and clouded radiance. Once inside, they could no longer tell where the beings were. The crowds gathered throughout the country then dispersed, and the ground became level again, no longer tilted or sunken.

Within the jade palace, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning completed his exposition of the scripture. The assembled Perfected Gods watched over me and transmitted the scripture’s teachings to me. The joy of that moment was beyond words, and the ritual was largely complete. The gods of the heavens each returned to their proper place. In an instant, all fell silent, without a sound remaining.

At that time, the heavenly beings who encountered this scripture and its teachings attained awakening and long life, free from harm. Everyone throughout the country received its salvation and was able to unite with the Dao and become perfected. They suffered no calamity or injury; they did not die young or become maimed, nor were they diminished or ruined. They committed no transgressions and met with no misfortune; they did not grow old or die. Their faces gleamed like jade, their bodies shone with golden light, and their minds and bodies were without blemish. Subtle and wondrous, they joined with the Mysterious Dao, and in turn could protect their families and country, bringing peace, prosperity, and flourishing. Thus the scripture’s teachings began to spread.

Anyone in a country who approaches this Way with sincere devotion in advance, believing in it and honoring it, can be delivered and freed from the sufferings of the earthly world.

The Dao says: The words in the scriptures spoken by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning are the inner names and hidden sounds of the gods of the heavens. They are also the hidden sounds of the Two Luminaries—the sun and moon—and the Lords of the Five Planets; the secret words of the High Perfected, those who have attained the Dao; and the concealed names of the Three Pure Essences of the Linyi—the celestial names and vital energies described in Daoism. None of these are ordinary words used in the human world. Only the perfected sages and perfected beings who have attained the Dao, and who understand the mysteries and probe the hidden, can fully grasp the meaning of its passages.

When this scripture is recited ten times, the heavens respond from afar and the myriad emperors pay homage. The sun and moon shine forth, the stars reveal their radiance, precious Qi flows and essences descend, wondrously infusing the Three Palaces—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian within the body. The hundred spirits drink jade nectar, the multitude of perfected beings take in fragrant Qi, demons are bound, and ghosts and evil spirits disperse. The dead can return to life, and white bones can be transformed into living people.

Those who practice the Dao and recite this scripture ten times will have their virtue examined by the Lord of the Sun, while the Consort of the Moon bestows spiritual Qi upon them. They can rise beyond worldly calamities and may hope for long life. This is because those who study the Dao have only just begun to understand the subtle meaning of its scriptures; they have not yet refined the true Dao to perfection. Through diligent practice, they gradually ascend into the mysterious realm and can naturally dispel illness and calamity and connect with wondrous Qi. Yet this can only keep a person from dying; it cannot bring the dead back to life. Anyone who recites this passage carelessly will bring misfortune upon themselves.

By making offerings to and honoring this scripture, a household will prosper and flourish from generation to generation, forming ties with goodness. All manner of calamity will leave it undisturbed, and the spirits will guard its doors. This scripture is noble and mysterious, unique in the Jade Capital of Heaven. It can deliver countless beings; it is the foundation of the myriad Dao, its laws are majestic and vast, and its benevolence is beyond measure.

The Dao says: Whenever this scripture is recited ten times, all the heavens descend together, and the true spirits of the Seven Luminaries—the sun, the moon, and the five planets of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—protect the virtuous. When one person is delivered, their ancestors for seven generations also ascend, enjoying the blessings of heaven and dwelling forever in peace and freedom. Those who have succeeded in cultivating the Dao and practice and recite this scripture can accord with the virtue of the Great Dao and respond to the Way of Heaven. People in the world can recite it to dispel misfortune and extend their lives. If they later make progress in cultivation and encounter an opportunity to receive the essential instructions of this scripture, they can attain the path to liberation and use it to deliver others.

This scripture is mysterious and can save countless beings. All beings in the heavens and the human world can thereby receive immeasurable blessings, and both the living and the dead benefit from its grace. Heaven holds this scripture precious; it must not be passed casually to people in the world. Those truly determined to seek the Dao should prepare gold, silk, and precious objects to express their sincerity, and swear an oath before Heaven. Only then may the scripture be transmitted. Anyone who carelessly reveals it or treats it with disrespect will bring calamity upon their ancestors for nine generations. The twenty-four Jade Youths and twenty-four Jade Maidens who attend this scripture will guard it and protect those who receive it.

The Dao says: Those who observe an extended fast and recite this scripture during the first lunar month can summon the solar soul, preserve life, and refine the body. In this way, they can gather the radiance, become perfected, and attain the state of a Perfected Being. This is a superior method of cultivation.

When people in this world die and their breath stops, they may, after burial, seek deliverance from the Southern Palace, the celestial realm described in Daoism. If they keep a strict fast and recite this Jing (scripture) each seventh month, they can summon the spirit of the Moon’s essence, preserve life, and refine the corpse, enabling it to descend into the light and attain the state of a perfected being. Their names will also be entered in the registers of the heavens, listed on the Yellow Registers and White Tablets, and erased from the rolls of the dead, so that they may be reborn and ascend.

If they keep a fast and recite this Jing for ten months in succession, they can summon the essences of the Five Planets, preserve life, and refine the corpse, joining it with the light and attaining perfection. They will shine with the radiance of jade, allowing all beings to flourish and be nurtured. This practice can also help kings and emperors, rulers and ministers, fathers and sons each fulfill their proper place, bringing stability to the state and enduring fortune to the realm. Generations will continue, and the people will live in peace.

Reciting this Jing on the eight seasonal nodes—the Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice—will make the spirit and Qi flow without end and transform the body, ultimately bringing one to the wondrous work of the Dao and making one a Perfected Being of the Nine Palaces. Reciting it on one’s natal day, the date of one’s birth, will secure the fate-palace and seal the passage leading to death. The soul will be refined, the Dao-body renewed day by day, suffering transcended, and the body filled with light. Divine spirits from the Three Realms will attend as guards; the Five Emperors will send divine generals to welcome one, and the myriad gods will come to pay homage. One’s name will be entered in the registers of Heaven, and, when one’s merit is complete, one will soar to Shangqing, the Highest Clarity Heaven.

The Daoist scripture says: On the day of a recitation rite, bathe in fragrant water and observe the fast before entering a quiet chamber. Face east and click the teeth thirty-two times, sending the mind upward through the thirty-two heavens. Bow thirty-two times, then close the eyes and meditate in stillness. Visualize yourself seated upright amid clouds of five colors, with the space within and around the chamber deep and boundless. Let the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lions, and white cranes stand in ranks to your left and right. The true Qi of the Five Planets coils around you; the sun and moon shine, filling the chamber with radiance. A round halo forms above your head, its light illuminating the ten directions. Once these images are clear, silently recite the secret incantation:

“Supreme Lord of the Dao, Mysterious Origin and Most High, summon forth the Three-Five Merit Officers within my body; the officials and envoys at my left and right; the jade youths who attend to incense; the jade maidens who transmit words; the Five Emperors’ appointed talisman officers; and the incense officials on duty today—thirty-six of each. Let them together make this report: This is an auspicious day. In this pure fasting hall, I keep a strict fast and cultivate the Supreme Scripture of Limitless Deliverance. May the matter I seek be presented before the Most High, the Supreme and Venerable Primordial Lord of the thirty-two heavens.”

When the incantation is complete, draw in Qi facing east thirty-two times, then recite the Jing.