《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 34

The Great Holy Kings who radiate and soar with boundless light in the lower realm, bringing long life and salvation to all, together with the utmost true Kings of the Ten Directions who radiate and soar with light, and the boundless Great Gods who grant long life and save the world, all arrive riding flower-adorned dragons and colorful phoenixes. They travel in golden-rooted yang-sui chariots and five-colored jade carriages, surrounded by swirling light, purple canopies, and gleaming spirit banners. At the front, people give long cries and sing songs of the heavens; behind them, sacred music is played. Lions and white cranes call out together, spirit children scatter flowers, and jade maidens guard the procession.

Thousands upon thousands of chariots and ten thousand mounted attendants descend through the air, gathering in their radiance and turning their carriages around. They oversee the true Dao and save living beings. The ministers of the heavens, along with Han, the Great God who directs the registers and oversees the lives of beings in the Upper Palace of Nanchang—the celestial office responsible for saving lives—also uphold the laws and order. Riding in a chariot before the Emperor, they solemnly inspect the heavens, according to the salvation each being is due.

The true light of the sun, moon, and Five Planets surges and circles. The gods gather and transform Jing and Qi, hastening forth to guide them and infuse their merit into the Great Mystery, the hidden and wondrous celestial realm. This merit is offered upward to the exalted immortals, and its blessings spread without limit.

The scripture issues a universal proclamation to the boundless divine realms of the Three Worlds, and to the underworld offices: the Mansion of Winding Springs, the Northern Capital of Luofeng, the Three Offices and Nine Bureaus, and the sources of the Twelve Rivers. All sins accumulated through kalpas by ancestors and deceased kin are to be released; the charges in their registers of sin are erased, and the roots of their harmful deeds destroyed, so they are no longer detained or harried by the hosts of ghosts.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning issues a talismanic command, and the souls of the dead may then ascend at the appointed time. The attendants of the Northern Capital’s Cold Pool guard their bodies and souls, subdue demonic obstacles, and recommend the departed souls, enabling them to proceed to the Southern Palace according to their rank. The souls of the dead undergo refinement and salvation, transforming into human immortals. The living, once saved, endure through kalpas and remain undiminished; they turn with the cycles of time and live as long as Heaven.

They are forever delivered beyond the Three Evil Paths—hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—as well as the Five Sufferings and Eight Adversities. They transcend the Three Worlds and roam freely in the realm of Highest Clarity. The Heavenly Emperor of Highest Clarity sees clearly the pure practice in the realm beyond form and color.

The Eight Heavens of the East

Heaven of Ultimate Radiance and True Illumination — Emperor Xian Shen’ge

Heaven of Jade Brightness and Pure Intent — Emperor Shu Zhengwei

Heaven of Boundless Radiance and Splendor — Emperor Miao Zipinji

Heaven of Vermilion Scriptures and Cloud Separation — Emperor Qiong Xiuduohui

Heaven of True Excellence and Dragon Enclosure — Emperor Zhao Du Kangshi

Heaven of Yan Chang and Soaring Emptiness — Emperor Qiao Li Zhiyin

Heaven of Nine Rays and Deep Spirituality — Emperor Jue You Dongxian

Heaven of the Immortal Terrace and Light-Borne Ascent — Emperor Chong Yao Kefu

The Eight Heavens of the South

Heaven of Purple Mystery, Gathering Light, and Radiant Transcendence — Emperor Min Jiang Yuefan

In the several heavens of shifting rosy light and golden radiance, the Heavenly Emperor of each is named: “Bianqi Guangxian,” “Rendelu Zhen,” “Gugu Yunjia,” “Tailong Asheng,” “Bochi Tengchong,” “He Ming Siguan,” and “Daozhen Qinhe.”

The Eight Heavens of the West

The Heavenly Emperors of the Morning Vastness and Dark Origin Heaven, the Pure Jade Advancing Hope Heaven, the Golden Plume and Zhi-Bearing Heaven, the Radiant Supreme Great Truth Heaven, the Green Light Crossing the Mysterious Heaven, the First Sovereign Containing Radiance Heaven, the Dao Taboo Facing Essence Heaven, and the One-Mixture Dew and Fluid Heaven are named, respectively: “Zexuan Jiyuan,” “Yunying Biaohua,” “Biwei Yuancheng,” “Dingji Yaoguang,” “Shangfei Bohui,” “Changding Yiwen,” “Zhuanyue Cixin,” and “Bo Huan Yanggong.”

The Eight Heavens of the North

The Heavenly Emperors of the Chi-Dragon Chamber Benefiting Spirit Heaven, the Vast and Hidden Ancestral Radiance Heaven, the Dragon-Tuo Brahma Dao Heaven, the Origin One Giving Life and Aiding Transformation Heaven, the Hanging Glow Pouring Qi and Changing the Root Heaven, the Wall of Subtlety Raising Rosy Light and Bestowing Wisdom Heaven, the Fiery Pattern Forming the Flow Heaven, and the Dharma Having Full Measure of Thought Heaven are named, respectively: “She Wanjing,” “Xuanzu Qiqing,” “Chongrong Dingfang,” “Jichang Huashi,” “Yi Zhao Jinjuan,” “Hao Yao Weiguang,” “Sha Yu Bianzhou,” and “Zhou Yao Mingqian.”

These are the Thirty-Two Heavens and their thirty-two Heavenly Emperors. Each heaven also has secret taboo names and titles. These words form numinous registers of the empty, natural realm of heaven. Their sounds, which govern its manifestations, conceal their resonance within the crystalline radiance of seven kinds of light. They pertain to the sacred order between Heaven and Earth.

Feichen, Sansu, Yuyi, and Jielin—the Daoist gods and luminous energies of the sun and moon—and the transformations of the nine colors and ten blossoms all belong to the immeasurably profound and wondrous realms of Shangqing, the pure and tranquil heavenly sphere revered by Daoists. Their depths are too vast to describe in full. By cultivating this method, one can summon the gods, absorb numinous light, and broadly save humans, heavenly beings, and all living creatures.

Today, we joyfully celebrate your receiving salvation. You will travel through the various heavens. May the Sun Soul, the Moon Po, and the Dao Lords of the Five Planets bestow their radiance and rosy clouds upon you. Let them pour crimson numinous liquid into your whole body, strengthen all your bones, and raise the Muddy Pellet—the upper Dantian in the head—to the Imperial Palace. Enter the Jade Terrace, then ride a precious carriage to the gates of the sun and the dwelling of the Moon Consort.

The gods of the sun and moon grant you the Pearl Bud Pool, where you may bathe. Jupiter guards the liver; Venus nourishes the lungs; Mercury strengthens the kidneys; Mars steadies the mind; and the Central Earth Sovereign, the god of Earth in the central direction, guards the spleen. Together, the Five Planets nourish your spleen’s original vitality and protect your whole body. Green clouds guard the Hun, white clouds guard the Po, red clouds nourish Qi, black clouds circulate the blood, and yellow clouds govern longevity. The myriad gods each perform their own duties and do not overstep their stations. The five-colored clouds shine brilliantly as they descend from heaven and enter your Nine Palaces and Three Fields—the sites within the body where Daoist gods and vital essences circulate.

The five-colored numinous blossoms whirl among the Eight Radiances, wondrous visions within the body or the heavens, and gather into such gods as the Azure Flower Emperor, the Vermilion Flower Emperor, the White Flower Emperor, the Black Flower Emperor, the True Lord of Green Waves, and the Yellow Flower Emperor. A precious cauldron receives the auspicious signs, and the Five Flower Emperors descend with them. The gods of the sun and moon follow you, helping you draw in numinous light and circulate Shen, so that radiance shines from the dark pearl—the inner alchemy term for the gleam in the eyes.

The Imperial Lords of the Seven Luminaries command the gods and are the patriarchs of the myriad spirits. The gods fly in their train, joining their power to illuminate the way. Nine hundred million troops heed their orders; ceremonial guards, banners, standards, drums, and music are all in readiness. They tour the Celestial Ford, spreading numinous energy and nurturing life, and together bring wondrous merit to completion. Heaven saves humanity by taking this Dao as its foundation. The messengers of the sun and moon, the Sovereign Lords of the Two Radiances, and the Supreme Kings of the Five Planets turn through the rosy clouds and reveal green numinous blossoms. Acting under the command of the south, they sweep away all ill omens, first cutting down hidden evil and then sending their might below.

Golden essence emits its might. The Jade Horse and the Dipper Star deploy their formations; heavenly troops clear the way ahead, while the great marshal bears a banner and hurls flames. The ringing of bells travels for ten thousand miles, and their power reaches in all directions. Should any evil being dare to offend or obstruct the Supreme Perfected, the golden axe will strike it down from the front and the giant halberd punish it from behind; ghosts and spirits will also face the torments of wind and fire. Thousands upon thousands will be beheaded, and tens of thousands will have their forms cut down. Demons and evil forces cannot intrude; ghosts and spirits cannot cause harm. The Three Officials and Beifeng, the divine administration that governs ghosts and spirits, inspect the ranks of the ghost realm, leaving evil ghosts nowhere to hide. The Golden Horse courier carries this command far and wide, proclaiming it without end. The myriad gods must all obey, and the Five Emperors of the Three Realms will report it to Shangqing.

The original essences of the sun and moon and the awesome spirits of the Five Planets have virtue in accord with the Dao. They came into being together with Heaven and Earth, and their light was already shining in the age before Heaven and Earth separated, when chaos had not yet opened.

Above, form and color no longer exist; below, there is no abyss. Spirit winds surge and churn, while fiery liquid congeals into light. The sun and moon join in brilliance, and the five planets link together like a pearl. Together they dwell within the wondrous prenatal origin, nurturing the body of the celestial realm.

Between Heaven and Earth there is neither darkness nor obscurity, neither form nor shadow. There are no bounds and no end.

The Red Radiance (the name of a cosmic age in Daoist scriptures) opens the charts and registers, setting in motion and arranging the natural measures. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning settles into his station and keeps watch. The Seven Luminaries (the sun, moon, and five planets) take their places; the two wondrous lights soar, and the five planets travel across Heaven. Water and fire each carry out their appointed roles, and all things come into being.

The power revered by the gods guides people in taking in Jing and Qi, enabling them to become perfected beings. White, radiant splendor condenses into fluid, and Shen and Qi unite. The twenty-four passes in the celestial tower transmit and bestow power in succession: Wood flourishes, Earth transforms, Metal is refined by fire, and Fire melts all things. The flow of Qi crosses and flashes forth; the tiger races, and the dragon coils.

Red markings form veins and channels, spreading throughout the Three Primordial Realms (the three levels or domains of primordial Qi in Daoism). The Jade-True Luminous Hall unfolds five scrolls of red writing, jade characters, and dragon script of the Eight Powers. These sacred writings protect life and enable people to endure through the ages.

Primordial breath (the precelestial source of Qi) fills and spreads through space, from which the myriad laws unfold. The primordial framework circulates and extends, reaching through the thirty-two heavens. The celestial wheel turns, spanning the Formless Realm and encircling the ten directions. It turns the Dipper’s stars, passes through the Winnowing Basket constellation, and directs the Qi of the Five Constants. The combined Qi of thirty-five divisions returns to the Upper Origin. The subtle radiance of the eight directions converges in mystery, and Qi enters the hidden depths.

The Great Sovereign Emperor dwells in the hidden depths. The High Perfected (immortals who have attained the Dao and hold exalted rank) appear amid the Great Rosy Clouds, chanting Cavern Songs (sacred Daoist hymns). They wear the sun and moon as crown and sash, and the stars as garments. Their light streams downward and rises in brilliance, shining clearly through the lofty, pure expanse. Golden, true Qi shines brightly and gathers in abundance, its flowing radiance illuminating the cloud palaces.

Jade-toned sounds gather primordial Qi, while numinous winds draw in mist and rosy clouds. In the purple void, numinous vitality flourishes, aiding the assembled immortals. The light of the sun, moon, and five planets penetrates and enters the human body. A thousand harmonies unite, and myriad currents of Qi blend; people then naturally become perfected beings. Within a perfected being are gods: the Great Lord of Long Life, the Young Lord Without Excellence, the Venerable Spirit White Origin, as well as Taiyi, the Director of Fate, Taokang, Heyan, and other deities. They hold talismans and registers, guarding the root of life.

Practitioners travel upward through the Upper Clarity realm and enter and leave the chambers of splendor. In the hidden reaches of the eight directions, down to the subtlest depths, gods also guard the human body. They dwell in the Mud Pill (the divine chamber in the head) and the Crimson Palace (the divine chamber in the heart), regulating the Five Qi and bringing the hundred gods into harmony. After ten cycles, numinous Qi circles back, and all currents of Qi attain immortality together.

The immortal path values life and saves people without measure. Above, the eight gates open, and the Flying-Heaven Dharma Wheel (the sacred law governing the movement of the celestial realm) begins to turn. The sun and moon move, and the seasons of cold and heat alternate. The five planets govern the seasons, guiding and harmonizing Qi so that life may come into being. Once a person has received life in the body, they can ascend to the heavens.

Above the heavens, each realm has its own gate of life. There are songs of the Hollow and Open (sacred hymns transmitted in Daoism), as well as numinous writings of the True Kings. The words and phrases of these texts accord with the Dao of the High Perfected.

Chapter One: The Sound of Radiance Soaring Through the Void

Water and fire contain one another, and their Qi is called primordial chaos (the state before the division of the undifferentiated). It is softly wrapped within a sac, round and complete, enclosing without revealing itself. It drifts and sinks through the great void, becoming the divine embryo of Heaven and Earth.

Primordial Qi (the innate vital energy) rises like mist, swirling to the left and right. Its purest essence transforms into stars.

The sun appears dark, while the moon glows blue-green. Their light flickers and gives rise to radiance, shining forth in splendor beyond words. Tianlao, a legendary deity, analyzes the forms of Heaven and Earth, and the Jade Luminous Divine Infant, a spirit-child like those of the immortals, appears. The sun and moon move of their own accord, and the Five Planets shine within.

In the depths of the hidden realm, Yin and Yang nourish one another, and radiance rises. The light and colors of the sun, moon, and stars converge, revealing the patterns by which all things come into being. When the vermilion writings and jade script of Heaven appear, animals and plants flourish, and each thing receives its own measure of the laws of Heaven.

Within, there is emptiness held in balance; without, radiance and pattern become visible. Inner emptiness allows one to commune with primordial Qi, while pattern sets the vital essences in motion. Shen (spirit) governs life, and the vital energies of plants and animals balance one another. The transformations and nourishment of all things are brought about as radiance rises.

The great void is remote and profound, wondrous and still. Once the sun and moon have shone, even things that were once bent low can unfold. The True Sovereign, a revered divine being in Daoism, flies through the sky, reflecting the sun and moon in a precious wheel. Seeing into all ten directions, he sends down light to save living beings. By cultivating this secret path, one may become an honored guest in the Divine Empyrean.

Second: “The Chapter of the Two Luminaries Flying Like Rosy Clouds.”

The Jade Sea stretches without end, its blue-green vapors circling to and fro. Fusang, the legendary place where the sun rises, extends for ten thousand miles, and the blue-green gates of Heaven tower high and sheer. Within them stands a precious terrace, concealing the pivot of Heaven and Earth’s movements.

The sun is on the left and the moon on the right; the Heavenly Dipper is before, and the Heavenly Leader behind. A Jade Maiden holds the key, while divine officials open the gates. Day and night alternate, as the energies of the sun and moon are drawn in and dispersed together.

Raise the emblems and turn the ritual wheel, and all phenomena move according to their own courses. Within the two gates of the sun and moon, lightning surges and thunder flies. Precious light rises in billows, borne aloft by nine dragons. Crimson clouds and purple vapors illuminate the sky in a hazy glow. Vermilion radiance spreads like a bowstring, while golden cords reach down to join it.

The cultivator holds two talismanic seals, guiding the light of the sun and moon to reach all eight directions. The Solar Youth releases dark flames, and the Moon Consort reveals her splendid form. The two breathe in and out light and spread its radiance, sending brightness throughout the four quarters. They preserve the cultivator’s life and aid their transformation into an immortal.

The two luminaries shine together, reaching deep into a lotus-like realm and revealing forms of purple and gold. The cultivator receives the scripture bestowed by the Celestial Emperor Xuanyuan, a legendary ruler and sacred figure.

Third: “The Song of Refining the True with the Five Planets” says:

In the East are nine kinds of Qi (vital energy), corresponding to the Year Star (Jupiter) and nine layers of Heaven’s gates. There stand ten thousand tiers of jade towers. A jeweled carriage spins through the air; within the towers dwells an emperor, wearing a blue robe and a red skirt.

In the South are three kinds of Qi, corresponding to the Radiant Star (Mars) and three layers of Heaven’s gates. There stands an octagonal jade terrace, surrounded by streams of drifting smoke. Within the terrace dwells an emperor, wearing brocade robes and a jeweled crown.

In the West are seven kinds of Qi, corresponding to the Dipper Star and seven layers of Heaven’s gates. Golden palaces, adorned with gold and jade, appear and vanish tier upon tier, scattering jade-colored light in every direction. Within the palace dwells an emperor, wearing white robes and a skirt decorated with tiger stripes.

In the North are five kinds of Qi, corresponding to the Morning Star (Mercury) and five layers of Heaven’s gates. A dragon palace rises high into view, while purple clouds encircle the carriage. Within the palace dwells an emperor, wearing black robes and a flowing skirt.

At the Center are ten kinds of Qi, corresponding to the Guard Star (Saturn) and ten layers of Heaven’s gates. There are a Yellow Pool and an Imperial Terrace. The Five Dippers—the Northern Dipper and related constellations in Daoist belief—gather and contain the vital essences. Within the terrace dwells an emperor, wearing yellow robes and a brocade skirt.

Together, the emperors of the Five Directions rule over the myriad spirits. They transform into a boundless radiance of Heaven and enter your body, enabling you to refine true Qi, transform your form, and have your name entered in the registers of the immortals. Riding a flying dragon, you travel through the Nine Palaces and feast in the Wondrous Court, dancing with a thousand youths. Tiger banners crisscross; feathered canopies sway; bells and drums resound, and the music of Heaven rises with them. The emperors of the Five Directions rejoice and bestow blessings and protection upon the imperial palace, keeping the spring warmth ever-present and life without end. Draw in numinous light, and let Shen (spirit) and Qi mingle in gentle harmony. Ascend to the Upper Clarity realm and rise beyond the blue vault of Heaven.

This is the song sung by the True King—the celestial True King described in the scripture—above the Three Realms, as he flies through the sky. Its tones accord with the Cavern Chapters. Recite it a hundred times, and your name will be entered in the Southern Palace. Recite it a thousand times, and a True Immortal will descend to welcome you. Recite it ten thousand times, and your cultivation will be complete: you will ascend into the great void, pass beyond the Three Realms, and take your place among the Immortal Lords.

When the True King hears this numinous sound, he will descend and command the earth deities to attend, guard, welcome, and escort the practitioner, drawing him out through the Earth Gate, the passage to the underworld. His seven generations of ancestors will be elevated and forever leave the offices of the underworld. Their souls will be conveyed to Zhu Ling, the place of refinement and deliverance in Daoist belief, where they will undergo refinement and regain life. This is called universal deliverance without measure: salvation without end.

This scripture is a secret text of Heaven, revered by all the heavens. If it is divulged or treated with contempt, one will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon seven generations of ancestors.

The Dao Lord said: These two chapters of scripture contain the secret words of Heaven, uttered by the Supreme Gods of the various heavens and the True King of Divine Heaven (a celestial god-king revered in Daoism) as they gathered the radiance of the sun and moon and caused it to shine upon the sun, moon, and five planets. These words belong to the “Great Brahma utterance,” the fundamental sound of the celestial realm in Daoist teaching; they are not ordinary worldly speech. They have neither worldly meter nor ornate embellishment, and so are mysterious and profound, beyond exhaustive inquiry. Heaven treasures this scripture, keeping it hidden in the Scripture Chamber of the Eastern Florescence in the Jade Palace of Jade Purity in Divine Heaven. Only in the year renchen will it be transmitted to the human world in accord with the cycles of time. A person who possesses the Dao must bring gold and treasure, sincerely follow the established rites, and swear an oath of allegiance to the True King before receiving this scripture.

The Dao Lord said: The workings of Heaven and Earth have their time of ending; the sun, moon, and five planets wax and wane; even the most sacred spirit beings may suffer decline and hardship; and those whose cultivation of the Dao is still shallow may encounter illness and injury. Whenever such calamities occur, fellow cultivators should fast together, burn incense six times each day, and recite the scripture ten times. Then blessings and De (Virtue) will descend, dispelling every kind of ill omen. This scripture has immeasurable merit and virtue and can universally save countless beings.

The Dao Lord said: When a person whose cultivation of the Dao is still shallow and whose attainment of the immortal way remains incomplete faces the end of their allotted time and the death of the body, fellow cultivators who possess the Dao should burn incense and recite the scripture ten times for them as death approaches, then perform the rites to deliver their corpse. With the aid of the sun and moon’s two radiances and the essence of the five planets, they refine away the corpse’s impurities, allowing the soul and spirit to ascend directly to the Southern Palace in the celestial realm. Then, according to the merit they earned in cultivating the Dao, the time of their rebirth is determined. They may enter the cycle of rebirth without losing their way, and ultimately become immortals.

The Dao Lord said: When the workings of Heaven and Earth reach their end, the courses of the stars fall into disorder, the sun and moon become irregular, the seasons lose their order, and Yin-Yang falls out of balance, commanderies and counties may suffer locust plagues, floods and droughts, and displacement. Epidemics spread, the people die or are injured, and teachers and friends pass away. All these things are connected with changes in the sun and moon’s two radiances and the five planets. When such events occur, one should also fast, burn incense, and recite the scripture. The merit of fasting and recitation is exceedingly great: above, it can dispel celestial calamities and protect and stabilize the emperor; below, it can dissolve poisons and save the people. Both the living and the dead can receive its blessings. These blessings are beyond measure, hence the term “immeasurable”; they can universally save beings in Heaven and the human world.

The Dao Lord said: Anyone who possesses this scripture and can cultivate these merits 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. The various heavens will record their name, and the myriad spirits will protect them. Such a person may one day become a person of the Dao, assist a wise and enlightened ruler, and serve as an official in the Golden Palace of Heaven. The heavens record everyone’s merits and faults, leaving out nothing, however small; the True Kings of Heaven will also recommend and protect you. Only those who have attained the Dao can truly understand these ultimate principles in full.

“Scripture of the Hidden Words and Immeasurable Sounds of Great Brahma in the Various Heavens,” composed by the Dao Lord.

The Seven-Star Treasure Chapters of the Numinous Book of the Primordial Beginning (a chapter from the numinous book transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning)

The Eight Heavens of the East

骞楼岸符　宛萧瑶琚　玟还阿奢

奔泽西杅　落栈谟群　攴斗益敷

渺化尤砭　历论伊寻　光讹定拘

定思云魂　神洞郁郁　亿亶胡汾

赤咤庆庐　戚驿资存　佑路善特

匪耀维腾

The Eight Heavens of the South

素登邱霞　月液芬葩　九帝畜武

迎田凑营　畔府碧颜　鸟鉴留南

质承子敔　燕程被几　靖暮轻槎

愿废猛寂　乾窦殊坚　波缄罔直

琼酴亿欢　奔升管堤　焰陈宣嶷

游丹冲昵

The Eight Heavens of the West

晨鸾著啼　翘赵忘雷　乙战兑丑

祝照漂随　党薄豫童　鸠沙华溪

势式庄驱　玉昆辅宣　丙铅雌神

合规扶邻　正戟回枚　暴酉那兑

俵道韩曲　大庚枞竹　臼积天屡

万阑敏目

The Eight Heavens of the North

疆默窘阑　夷增巨修　岑永部承

击几前谟　飞魔周玄　术如纪光

洚钦野卢　抱图逸嵩　稽庸等化

饮谨周夷　智洪观区　投幽运机

慧同昭彻　晨锋敕弥　尺坎浔奏

虎震威峙

The scripture says: Within these celestial realms, the secret words of Great Brahma can summon and subdue the spirits and vital essences of the sun, moon, and Five Planets, along with their rosy radiance and numinous fluids, as well as the exalted Perfected Ones of the Upper Way—deified beings who have attained the Dao. Their sounds enable people to attain long life, and their number is without limit. The ancient scripture was revealed when the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning opened the celestial chart. It arose among the sun, moon, and Five Planets, shining brilliantly and responding to and nurturing the myriad things. Each character is vast and extends for one zhang. The Celestial Perfected Sovereign, a numinous deity in Daoist tradition, once wrote these characters as the Correct Sounds. Those who know…

The characters and phrases presented here are the “hidden words of Great Brahma” described in the scripture. They are not ordinary sentences formed according to everyday meanings, so the original characters are retained rather than translated one by one. The source text ends mid-sentence at “Those who know…”.

Anyone who observes purification and recites this scripture will be inspected in body and mind by divine officials from the Celestial Firmament, sent down by the heavens. They will record the person’s merit and diligence, then report back to the myriad gods of heaven. Earth deities will also come to pay their respects and keep watch at the gate. The spirits responsible for recommending and protecting cultivators of the Cavern Mystery, the Dao, and the Way’s perfection will report on the person’s behalf. Such a person can travel freely through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

The sound of this scripture can, in every place, drive away evil and avert harm, dispel calamities and misfortune, deliver living beings, and bring merit to completion. It is the sound of natural truth.

Thus, reciting it can cause the sun and moon to spread forth their essence, the human body and spirit to soar upward, and the Five Planets to cast down their radiance. By refining Qi, one can become an immortal. This is the Way of the Most High. The scripture conceals profound mysteries. From afar, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning chants it; the myriad gods come to pay homage and stand in attendance beyond the Three Realms. All evil spirits bow their heads, and ghosts and monsters vanish of their own accord. As the chant resounds like jade chimes, even metal and stone ring in response. The sacred music of the immortal realms accords with its rhythm; the ten directions grow solemn and pure; rivers and seas fall silent; the Seven Luminaries pour forth their light; heavenly demons dance as they retreat; mists disperse among the mountains; and all spirits are awestruck and subdued. The assembled immortals are summoned to attend. No turbid Qi remains in heaven, and no demons or defiling dust remain on earth. The netherworld becomes lucid and pure, vast, wondrous, and boundless.

Section on the Register of Immortals of the Nine Palaces

The Dao says: Long ago, in the Great Azure Heaven, the song of purple clouds and mystery rang out across the void. The True Earth received from the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning the Supreme, Boundless Scripture of Deliverance: The Register of Immortals of the Nine Palaces. As the Celestial Worthy was about to expound this scripture, he circled around ten times to summon the deities of the ten directions. Then the great divine beings of heavenly truth, the highest sages and honored ones, the perfected beings of wondrous practice, the deities of the registers of the Three Origins, and the Great Gods of the Nine Palaces came through the air in countless numbers. They rode flowing clouds and radiant skies in jade chariots and phoenix carriages, bearing feathered ceremonial standards. They sat in emerald carriages beneath pearl canopies; gold and green gleamed together, and nine kinds of radiance blazed brilliantly, illuminating the void.

This spectacle lasted three days and three nights. The movements of the sun and moon, palaces and offices, and celestial constellations in the heavens changed, as did the laws governing the celestial realm and the order of the years. The great workings of the Dao between heaven and earth briefly came to a halt; all around lay vast stillness, deep and dark. Treasured flowers sprang from the ground, while red talismanic script spread across the sky. Melodious music joined in a wondrous harmony, and its brilliance illuminated the upper realms. The gates of the eight directions swung open, and the whole land became level, with mountains, rivers, and forests brought to the same even plane, without high or low. All the earth turned into beautiful purple jade, clear and translucent, reflecting the whole world. Its flames of light flowed and its crystalline colors shimmered.

The perfected beings, whose forms differ from one another, stood in attendance. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright in midair, upon a feathered seat borne by a divinely transformed flying dragon.

When the scripture was proclaimed for the first time, the great sages of the heavens praised it together, saying, “Excellent!” At that moment, the men and women of the entire kingdom opened their hearts and awakened to understanding, inwardly attuning themselves to the subtle principles of the Dao.

When it was proclaimed for the second time, the hundred spirits gathered together, descended, and revealed a radiance like jade blossoms.

When it was proclaimed for the third time, the forces of life interwove and flowed, joined and transformed, and returned to the right way.

When it was proclaimed for the fourth time, the Qi of perfect, all-encompassing emptiness responded and appeared; the Five Palaces—the divine residences of the five organs within the body—were infused with numinous Qi like rosy clouds.

When it was proclaimed for the fifth time, the wheel of cultivation turned within the body, bringing one into accord with Heaven’s laws.

When it was proclaimed for the sixth time, all things that had been bound and stagnant through long eons dissolved in an instant.

When it was proclaimed for the seventh time, spiritual awareness opened into lucid emptiness, making it possible to see clearly in all ten directions.

When it was proclaimed for the eighth time, names were entered in the registers of the Nine Palaces, and the body ascended to take its place among the immortals.

When it was proclaimed for the ninth time, its grace reached all things, and its blessings extended far into the netherworlds of the eight directions.

When it was proclaimed for the tenth time, beings in the cold of night roamed freely and escaped their suffering. At that moment, all the men and women throughout the kingdom wholeheartedly believed and accepted the teaching. Every person received protection and deliverance, and could attain long life.

The Daoist scripture says: At that moment, each time the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning proclaimed the scripture, countless divine beings from one of the heavenly palaces came through the air.

At the first proclamation, the Great Spirit of Upright Qi led countless divine beings through the air from the Purple Tenuity Palace of the Mysterious Capital, in the Upper Origin’s measureless and boundless realm.

At the second proclamation, the Great Spirit of Joined Radiance led countless divine beings through the air from the Primordial Yellow Palace of the Supreme Ultimate, in the Upper Origin’s measureless and boundless realm.

At the third proclamation, the Great Spirit of Shining Radiance led countless divine beings through the air from the Grotto White Palace of Great Clarity, in the Upper Origin’s measureless and boundless realm.

At the fourth proclamation, the Great Spirit of Meritorious Action led countless divine beings through the air from the Grotto Void Palace of Clear Numinous Presence, in the Middle Origin’s measureless and boundless realm.

At the fifth proclamation, the Great Spirit of the Immortal Registers led countless divine beings through the air from the Southern Pole Grotto Yang Palace, in the Middle Origin’s measureless and boundless realm.

At the sixth proclamation, the Great Spirit of Primordial Yin led countless divine beings through the air from the Nether Abyss Palace that Guides the Mountains, in the Middle Origin’s measureless and boundless realm.

At the seventh proclamation, the Great Spirit of Protection and Preservation led countless divine beings through the air from the Azure Florescence Palace of the Regional Lords, in the Lower Origin’s measureless and boundless realm.

At the eighth proclamation, the Great Spirit of the Primordial Dao led countless divine beings through the air from the Southern Waters Palace of Scenic Ease, in the Lower Origin’s measureless and boundless realm.

At the ninth proclamation, the Great Spirit of the Dark Emperor led countless divine beings through the air from the Palace of Yin Heaven’s Transformation, in the Lower Origin’s measureless and boundless realm.

At the tenth proclamation, from the Immortal Bureau’s measureless and boundless realm, the Great Spirit of Examination …

The great divine officials who investigate human merit and transgression and oversee the registers of the mysterious realm descended in succession from the sky. After the scripture had been recited ten times, the flying celestial deities who oversee the Three Primordial Forces, the Nine Palaces, the Twenty-Seven Offices, and the One Hundred and Twenty Bureaus, and who govern creation and transformation, good and evil, also arrived together. The men and women of the whole country sincerely turned toward and revered the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning then pointed southeast with his Five-Brightness jeweled fan. At once, the light of heaven blazed brilliantly, illuminating the vastness of space. The celestial beings and the assembled people gazed upward in the direction indicated by the fan and witnessed a wondrous transformation: a jeweled mountain rose high into the realm of Jade Void, its expanse impossible to measure. On the mountain stood jade terraces, jade temples, and splendid palaces, with divine beings arrayed among them. The heavenly perfected ones—the immortals who had attained the Dao—bowed to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, traveled through the air, and, treading upon emptiness, chanted praises in his honor.

The Celestial Worthy then summoned the High Officials of the First Rank: the Heavenly Official of Clear Subtlety, Supreme Exaltation, and Transformation, who governs the myriad treasures of Jade Void; the Earth Official of the Second Rank, of the Yellow Court, Great Tranquility, and Broad Transformation, who governs the lands of the world; and the Water Official of the Third Rank, of the Great Deep, Flowing Movement, and Broad Transformation, whose profound virtue governs the nine abysses. They took their places to the right of the seat. The thirty-two Heavenly Emperors stood to its left; the supreme holy kings of the Nine Heavens stood before it; and the great deities who govern the celestial order—the sun and moon, the Five Dipper constellations, the celestial meridians and parallels, and the ranked stars—stood behind it. The twenty-five great demon kings, holding the crystal radiance of the jade pole and maintaining the cosmic order, and the flying celestial deities from the limitless realms of the ten directions, formed ranks according to their divisions. The ceremonial guard of the Nine Heavens protected the procession, divine troops of the Three Realms accompanied it, jade flowers drifted through the air, and heavenly music rang out in concert as the feathered ceremonial retinue escorted the Celestial Worthy’s carriage into the sky.

The carriage flew into the celestial realm of the southeast. Those below looked up and saw countless carriages, mounts, and attendants, numbering in the hundreds of millions. Phoenix chariots and dragon carriages glittered like stars, too numerous to make out one by one. Before long, yellow clouds gathered from every direction, and the people could no longer see them. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning then completed his exposition of this scripture within the Jade Gate of the southeast. The assembled perfected ones jointly supervised and witnessed this transmission, and bestowed the scripture’s teachings upon me. The joy of that moment was beyond words. When the ritual was over, the ten thousand perfected ones each returned to their appointed places; in an instant, all around fell silent.

At that time, the people of Heaven understood this vast system of laws and were universally rescued and blessed. They were all able to extend their lives and forever escape the suffering of falling into ruin. Everyone throughout the realm turned toward the Great Dao and came to understand the root of life. The divine perfected ones guided the people and entered their names in the Nine Palaces. The Qi of Heaven and Earth harmonized and transformed; demons, malign forces, and evil beings were subdued; and all things were spared the afflictions of calamity and illness. The myriad phenomena became clear and accessible, the gates of evil were shut, and the right path could proceed unhindered. In this way, they could long support the highest reaches of the Heavenly Dao, extend its authority far and wide, and bring peace to the world, prosperity to the state, and abundance to the people. From then on, the scripture’s teachings spread throughout the country, guiding its people. Each person devoted themselves wholeheartedly to reverence and respect, and in the end, all attained deliverance.

The contents of the Wondrous Scripture of Limitless Salvation by the Most High of the Numinous Treasure (commonly called the Scripture of Salvation) are all the secret names and hidden rhythmic sounds of the Natural True King of the Nine Heavens. They are also the taboo names of the palaces and offices of the Three Primal Heavens—the upper, middle, and lower celestial realms in Daoist teaching—and the secret names of the many gods and spirits. They are not words used in ordinary life. The perfected cultivators who opened and transformed the way in the Shangqing tradition understand the True Dao and grasp its mysteries, fully attuning themselves to the scripture’s meaning. When they recite it ten times, the celestial officials chant from afar, the True Lords perform rites of reverence, the Great Abyss is guarded, the sacred peaks grow quiet, and the clouds draw in. The Primal Emperor issues a decree, and the reciter’s name is entered in the Nine Palaces. Great demons are subdued, evil spirits vanish, the dead return to life through transformation, and decayed bones become human beings.

When an adept who cultivates the Wondrous Dao recites the scripture ten times, the officials of the Nine Palaces stand guard, divine generals bow their heads, and ghosts, monsters, and spirits flee, daring not to disturb the adept. The scripture can also deliver beings sunk in suffering, allowing them to rise again to a blessed realm. If the people of the Divine Land, newly beginning to study the Great Dao, follow the prescribed rites and recite the scripture ten times, they can dispel every evil and welcome many auspicious signs. The sound of their recitation reaches up to the Heaven of Great Subtlety, one of the highest heavens, while the meaning of the Dao extends through the Purple Empyrean. Officials of the Three Primal Heavens take up their brushes and record the reciters’ names in the Nine Palaces. Once their merit is complete, they may ascend to become earthly immortals.

Those who recite this jade text carelessly and without reverence will sink into suffering for a long time. Those who honor and revere it will have their wishes fulfilled. The scripture may also be passed down from generation to generation to teach and deliver living beings, ensuring that the myriad demons cannot disturb them and that the celestial Perfected guard their doors. This scripture contains profound mysteries. It is an important classic for delivering living beings in the Jade Clarity Heaven, one of the heavens revered in Daoism, and belongs to the teachings of the Numinous Treasure tradition. It is exalted and wondrous beyond measure.

The scripture also says that whenever someone recites it ten times, the Perfected Ones and officials in charge of the Nine Palaces descend with registers recording the transformations of life and death. They inspect the reciter, erase their name from the dark register of Luofeng, one of the Daoist underworlds, and enter it in the Azure Register, the celestial record of merit. The departed spirits of their ancestors can also ascend to the Court of Flowing Fire, undergo refinement that transforms their form and nature, and have their spiritual awareness restored, becoming subjects of the celestial realm. Practitioners, meanwhile, can understand the mystery of being and nonbeing and cultivate the highest Dao. Great demons will report on their behalf so that they may be delivered and elevated. They may fly through Zhuling, the immortal realm where the dead are delivered, roam freely in all eight directions, ascend to Shangqing, descend to the Celestial Gate, become worthy people in the human world, spread the Great Dao, and assist wise rulers.

When people in the world uphold and recite this scripture, all illnesses are broadly dispelled, the inner realm of the spirit becomes clear and empty, jade radiance is refined within, and golden light gathers without. Though people temporarily dwell on earth, their bodies undergo transformation within the deep Yin realm. When their allotted lifespan ends and their pure Yang nature is complete, they follow the course of Heaven and receive life anew. This scripture is mysterious and profound, delivering beings without limit; all living creatures receive its immeasurable blessings.

This scripture continues the heavenly rules governing the transmission of scriptures and explains the merit gained through reciting it, along with the ritual practices for following the Way.

The scripture says that Heaven guards it strictly, and it must not be passed on casually to ordinary people. Only those who truly possess De (Virtue/Power) and spiritual cultivation may receive and uphold this precious scripture in accordance with the covenant. Anyone who treats a secret Daoist chapter with contempt and transmits it without authorization will bring disaster upon seven generations of ancestors, leaving them to linger for a long time in the netherworld. The Nine-Palace Jade Boys and Jade Maidens who serve the scripture number twenty-four of each. They protect the sacred text and guard those who receive it.

The scripture says that if one fasts and recites it in the first month, the Upper Palace of Ziwei will record one’s merits. Realized adepts who have completed their cultivation ride the radiance of the Lesser Yang and the empyrean skies down to the human world. They open the gates of the netherworld, rescue the souls of the dead from past lives, and raise them to Heaven.

If one fasts and recites the scripture in the seventh month, the Primordial Palace of the Cavern of Emptiness will record one’s merits in precious registers. The Dragon-Radiance Divine King reports the matter to the Nine Heavens, which then send down life-giving Qi to protect the reciter’s body with divine power.

If one fasts and recites the scripture in the tenth month, the Palace of the Cavern of Fangzhu will submit a formal record of one’s merits. The Mysterious Heavenly Great Demon, who governs the order of the relevant celestial realms, will eliminate evil spirits and malign beings, subdue a hundred kinds of monstrous creatures, and dispel the Three Calamities, bringing peace and stability to the world.

Reciting the scripture on the eight seasonal turning points—the beginnings of the four seasons, the equinoxes, and the solstices—can make one an earthly immortal, free to wander among the hidden realms of the netherworld in all eight directions. Reciting it on one’s natal day, the day marked by the same cyclical signs as one’s birth, allows the Qi of the Five Palaces to pour in and refine the body’s spirits. The essences of the sun and moon mingle and flow through one another; the Qi of the Nine Primordials gathers without cease, restraining the hun souls and drawing in the po souls, so that they rise amid crimson clouds, gather radiant splendor, and circulate the numinous spring. When merit is complete and the Way fully cultivated, consciousness ascends and takes its place among the immortals.

The scripture also says that on a day of ritual practice and recitation, one should bathe in fragrant water, observe a fast, and enter a quiet chamber. Facing east, click the teeth thirty-two times to communicate with the thirty-two heavens, then bow thirty-two times. Sit quietly with eyes closed and visualize yourself within clouds of nine colors, with mist filling the space around you, both inside and out. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lions, and white cranes stand in rows on either side. The many celestial officials of the Three Primordials and Nine Palaces appear solemnly before you. The light of the sun and moon illuminates the chamber; a round radiance forms above your head, its beams shining in all ten directions. Make this vision clear and distinct in your mind, then recite the incantation silently:

“Supreme Mysterious Origin, Lord of the Dao, summon the Three-Five Merit Officers within my body; the officials and messengers to my left and right; the Jade Boys who attend to incense; the Jade Maidens who convey messages; the Five Emperors’ official tally-bearers; and the incense officers on duty today, thirty-six of each. Convey this report on my behalf: Today is an auspicious day. In this pure place of fasting, I observe the fast and cultivate the supreme scripture, the Scripture on Universal Salvation through Measureless Deliverance. May the matter I pray for be sent upward and presented directly before the supreme throne of the Primordial Beginning, Lord of the Origin of the Three-Two Heavens.”

After reciting the incantation, guide the breath thirty-two times, face east, and recite the scripture.