《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 35

This chapter of the Scripture of Numinous Treasure from the Cavern Mystery, transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning—the supreme deity honored in Daoism—ranks among the highest works in the registers of the Nine Palaces of the Immortals. It describes the Great Dao that raises and lowers beings and guides them to deliverance: it gathers scattered Qi together, allowing things to arise naturally. In the Jade Cavern, purple numinous writings unfold layer upon layer, revealing the ordered profusion of all forms. The Dao of emptiness nurtures and transforms the myriad things, circulating without cease, establishing patterns and bringing honored ranks into being. Perfect light divides into wondrous forms, from which the vast multitude of things appears. Numinous roots fly and spread through the Nine Palaces, bringing forth bodies; the Qi of the One Emperor, the primordial Qi in Daoist thought, generates life. The heavens and earth, like a vast expanse of jade and jewels, stretch boundlessly; red patterns bring the myriad things to life. The celestial bodies move, waters flow and circle, and the Three Realms—Heaven, Earth, and Water—are linked together.

The mysterious ford is deep and unfathomable; its many passes turn within the void. Flying wheels settle Yang Qi, while the Ziwei—the celestial region of the Purple Tenuity, also a name for the Emperor of Heaven’s abode—and the Imperial Palace meet. This is the utmost point of transformation: cloud palaces rise high, the Great Empyrean stretches into the distance, and sacred hills stand solemn and still. The Jade Void is boundless and tranquil; immortal perfected beings await the flying clouds. Radiance glimmers, winds disperse, and through the passage of kalpas the Primordial Terrace spreads forth numinous Qi. Immortal officials of every rank take their places, their numbers complete. They uphold the governing order that sustains the workings of Heaven and Earth as the great cycles of Yin and Yang alternate. The gates of Heaven extend wide, their intersecting lines of order woven throughout. Splendid palace walls shimmer with light, covering the four quarters and protecting the celestial realm. In the bright heavens, within the myriad celestial enclosures, dwell the true spirit of the Great Emperor; the sovereigns who govern broadly through the Three Offices of Heaven, Earth, and Water; the spirits who oversee the registers of immortals in the Nine Palaces; and the venerable elders who spread teachings throughout the realms and guide living beings. There are also twenty-seven administrations and one hundred and twenty bureaus, staffed by officials who govern Yin and Yang, Water and Fire, and other domains, and who assess life and death. They proclaim the most wondrous Dao, save beings of Heaven and humankind, travel through the Great Void, and protect the world so that it may endure.

They ascend to attend the Great Luo Heaven, the highest celestial realm in Daoism; descend to govern the hidden courts of the underworld; oversee the Northern Feng, the netherworld in the north; and inspect the celestial camps among the clouds. They transmit divine talismans and commands, carrying out mysterious edicts. Today, as the scripture is proclaimed, the gods of all the heavens have come before the hall.

The Infinite Divine King of Abundant Life of the East, the Great Sage of Long Life, performs the boundless work of guiding beings to deliverance.

The Infinite Divine King Who Upholds the Law of the South, the Great Sage of Long Life, performs the boundless work of guiding beings to deliverance.

The Infinite Divine King Who Directs Punishment of the West, the Great Sage of Long Life, performs the boundless work of guiding beings to deliverance.

The Infinite Divine King Who Benefits All of the North, the Great Sage of Long Life, performs the boundless work of guiding beings to deliverance.

The Infinite Divine King Who Guards the Pole of the Northeast, the Great Sage of Long Life, performs the boundless work of guiding beings to deliverance.

The Infinite Divine King Who Sets Transformation in Motion of the Southeast, the Great Sage of Long Life, performs the boundless work of guiding beings to deliverance.

The Infinite Divine King Who Protects the Scriptures of the Southwest, the Great Sage of Long Life, performs the boundless work of guiding beings to deliverance.

The Infinite Divine King of the Jade Wheel of the Northwest, the Great Sage of Long Life, performs the boundless work of guiding beings to deliverance.

The Infinite Divine King of the Purple Empyrean Above, the Great Sage of Long Life, performs the boundless work of guiding beings to deliverance.

The Infinite Divine King of the Yellow Gate Below, the Great Sage of Long Life, performs the boundless work of guiding beings to deliverance.

The boundless Flying Heavenly Kings of the Ten Directions and the immeasurable Great Gods who grant longevity and deliver beings from the world arrived together, riding white cloud chariots through floating radiance. Their carriages were adorned with splendid canopies and feather ornaments, and their wheels sped like the wind. Scarlet tigers, divine phoenixes, and golden luan birds guarded their sides. On the chariots stood dark standards like green clouds and ornate banners shimmering with emerald light. The Nine Heavens divine seal cleared the way, while demon-subduing banners—flags used to overcome evil spirits—guarded the rear. Su Ling carried a great axe, Qing Zhen held the command pennant, and the divine marshals opened the road.

The Dark Elder Lord presided over the covenant and led countless chariots and ten thousand mounted attendants through the air. They drew in their radiance, turned their carriages around, gathered their Qi, and summoned the immortal officials: the Purple Cloud Chancellor, the first-rank celestial officials who kept the registers of the Pure Subtlety precinct in the Upper Palace of Taiji, and others. Holding bamboo tablets and presenting registers of names, they all came before the Celestial Emperor.

The Celestial Emperor explained how things change from their beginnings and proclaimed throughout the heavens: the vast divine palaces, the realm where all things are mingled, the Seven Capitals and Nine Abysses, the dark regions of Luofeng, the icy mountains of cold blades, the fiery cities and infernal prisons, the fierce winds, and the ninefold whirlwinds are all jointly governed by the demons and the divine officials of the Six Offices, who examine merit and fault. When the cycles of calamity alternate and clash, the talismans and mandates of the Nine Palaces can subdue demons and evil forces. The radiance of divine power shines everywhere, pardoning the sins of many departed souls and raising them to the Hall of Blessing.

The departed souls are delivered and enter Zhuling, the southern realm of blessing in Daoist belief, where they roam freely and attain release. All suffering is removed, and their wishes are fulfilled. They transcend life and death, receive instruction, and form bonds amid a joyous gathering. As the cycles of calamity pass, they attain longevity equal to Heaven, survive the trials of the Three Calamities and Nine Ordeals, and dwell forever in the Upper Realm, wandering through the Nine Pure Heavens. The Nine Pure Heavens are the celestial grotto realm where the Celestial Emperor resides, and the Brahma realm of the Formless Realm.

The Eight Heavens of the East

Heaven of the Mysterious Benefit and Extended Lineage — Celestial Emperor Chengyuan Shuming

Heaven of Abundant Harvest and Hidden Radiance — Celestial Emperor Qing Bailing

Heaven of Luminous Spirits and Jade Marshes — Celestial Emperor Lüeyi Yaohé

Heaven of the Jin Masters and Long Life — Celestial Emperor Wansheng Wuyi

Heaven of Zhangting, Master of Immortals — Celestial Emperor Keshen Yuping

Heaven of the Ultimate Light and Return to Truth — Celestial Emperor Motí Suying

Heaven of Hidden Thought and Pure Qi — Celestial Emperor Dingxuan Jingjian

Heaven of Quiet Release and Responsive Sincerity — Celestial Emperor Longqi Jiaoyuan

The Eight Heavens of the South

Heaven of Bright Radiance and Auspicious Narratives — Celestial Emperor Zhixiu Youliang

Heaven of Fiery Splendor and Scarlet Brilliance — Celestial Emperor Tuoduan Chengguang

Heaven of Refining Truth and Dispelling Demons — Celestial Emperor Yiqiu Weilán

Heaven of Silent Deliverance and Forgetting the Dust — Celestial Emperor Jinwu JiFinal

The radiance of numinous brightness shines upon the Mysterious Heaven, the lofty, remote, and profound celestial realm. The emperors inherit the ritual models and uphold the constant secret methods.

In the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Heaven of Examining the Immortals, Perfect Illumination, and Proper Transformation, the emperor’s power is firm, vigorous, and actively efficacious. In the Heaven of the Red Ridge, Flying Rosy Clouds, and Refining the Center, the emperor relies on nothing external and is himself able to proclaim and spread the teaching. In the Heaven of Quiet Constancy and Beneficent Shen (spirit), the emperor is sincere and generous in bestowing grace, and thereby brings blessing and joy.

The Eight Heavens of the West

In the Heaven of Assembling Immortals and Examining Registers, the celestial realm charged with examining and verifying the name registers of immortals, the emperor proclaims the clear and bright Dao (the Way). In the Heaven of Supporting Goodness and Recording Merit, the celestial realm that aids good deeds and records achievements, the emperor causes merit to become full and abundant. In the Heaven of Western Flourishing and Revering the True, the celestial realm that practices the true Dao, the emperor discerns the affairs of the world and causes the orthodox Dao to shine forth. In the Heaven of Isolating Ghostly Spirits by the Rhinoceros Barrier and Expelling Demons, the celestial realm that walls off ghostly spirits and drives out demons, the emperor refines and transforms the host of evils, bringing them back to harmony and compliance.

In the Heaven of Drifting Dawnlight, Assisting Action, and Proclaiming Brightness, the emperor’s Yang Qi (vital energy) surges forth, and he holds fast to the vapors of the clouds. In the Heaven of Extending Emptiness, Retaining the Covenant, and the Spirit of the Left, the emperor is faithful to the true Dao and summons the assemblies at their appointed times. In the Heaven of Elder Transformation, Saving the Injured, and Rescuing Beings, the celestial realm that rescues the wounded and delivers all things, the emperor clearly understands moral principle and penetrates the patterns of affairs. In the Heaven of the Capital Bureau for Summoning Spirits, the celestial realm charged with summoning spirits, the emperor assists the loyal and honors the De (Virtue/Power) of reverence.

The Eight Heavens of the North

In the Heaven of Proclaiming Yin and Spreading Transformation, the celestial realm that announces Yin virtue and carries out teaching and moral transformation, the emperor inquires into what is hidden and obscure and grants pardon to those who dwell in ignorance. In the Heaven of Subduing Demons and Holding the Registers, the celestial realm that subdues demons and keeps the name registers, the emperor rectifies majestic bearing and settles brightness and light. In the Heaven of the Wheel of Qi and the Accumulation of Works, the celestial realm that turns by means of Qi and accumulates meritorious achievement, the emperor venerates the mountains and offers sacrifice in the ancestral temples. In the Heaven of Ascending to the True and Advancing in Clarity, the celestial realm that helps beings rise into the true and progress in luminous clarity, the emperor assists the spirits of the East in ascending to the splendid realm.

In the Heaven of Fashioned Crystal and Rectified Thought, the emperor is lofty, remote, and austere, and diligent in governance. In the Heaven of Moving the Dragon and Directing Yang, the celestial realm that circulates dragon Qi and supports the way of Yang, the emperor is ardent and pure, his mind wholly concentrated. In the Heaven of the Nine Palaces Administering the Peaks, the celestial realm in charge of the Nine Palaces and the mountains, the emperor plans with breadth and generosity and is modest in word and deed. In the Heaven of According with Spirits and Relieving the Dark Realm, the celestial realm that accords with the spirits and brings relief to the underworld, the emperor answers the divinities and brings peace and well-being to all beings.

The Thirty-Two Heavens and the thirty-two Imperial Lords each have secret titles within the celestial realms. These hidden names form the numinous chapters of the heavens’ cavernous void and spontaneous nature, sacred talismanic writs or Jing (scripture/classic).

The hidden rhymes of the various heavens are the sounds within the celestial realms. The supreme venerable of the heavens and the gods of all the heavens preside over the name registers of the true, the demonic, and the immortal, and over affairs concerning the mysterious, the wondrous, the numinous, and the true. The nine cycles, the ten…. From this the majestic order of the celestial realms and the registers of spirits and gods unfold.

It circulates everywhere, its transformations profound and unfathomable, containing immeasurable mysteries and extending beyond all reckoning. The original True Qi unites Heaven and humanity; its merit is entered in the Jade Register, the Daoist record of the merits and names of immortals and perfected beings, allowing one to rise and ascend into the celestial realm. Today, the Mysterious Gate, the subtle portal, responds and resonates, clearly proclaiming the boundless realm. Evil records are erased, and names are entered in the Curved Register, the Daoist register of immortals. The spirits rise high, wheeling on the wind, and ferry beings across the depths of the dark, weak waters. The great demons bow in homage and ride together in jade chariots.

The Eastern Dipper governs generation; the Western Dipper holds authority; the Northern Dipper dispenses blessings; the Southern Dipper presides over transformation and transition; and the Central Dipper spreads its teaching widely and governs all affairs. Among the numinous officials, the Azure Emperor descends as spirit, the White Emperor commands Qi, the Red Emperor nurtures the embryo, the Black Emperor unites intentions, and the Yellow Emperor sits in calm majesty, guarding and ruling the celestial realm. The True King of the Azure Palace, Great Benefactor, lays his foundation in the realm of emerald gauze. The True King of the Red Palace shines through vermilion script and opens the palace gates. The jade-bright gates of the True King of the White Palace stand open in flourishing splendor. The True King of the Black Palace dwells in the subtle depths of purple purity. The True King of the Yellow Palace brings forth the power of transformation in the quarter of Metal. The high spirits of the Five Palaces are revered deities of the myriad heavens. They fly through the nine tiers of celestial ramparts, command the heavenly troops, bear banners and tally tokens, and patrol the Great Darkness.

Their divine might is resplendent, united with the Dao. The great celestial decree for delivering beings from suffering is carried out in the world, and the Primordial Emperor, acting under orders, sweeps away ill omens. Radiant stones shine against one another as the celestial command is widely proclaimed. Jade horses gallop, colossal beasts carry mountains in their jaws, and the Fire Essence, the spirit of fire or its vital energy, spreads far in every direction. The places where evil spirits dwell are sealed, so they dare not trespass unchecked. They are slain with the dark battle-axe and cut down with the jade axe; monsters are swept away and demons destroyed. The Orthodox Way and the precious destiny of the Supreme Ultimate are brought under one rule. Demonic beings can no longer intrude, and evil influences have nowhere to hide.

The offices and departments of the nine bureaus examine and correct the registers of names; the ranks of ghosts and spirits must not slacken or act wantonly. Heavenly officials fly up with memorials and reports, announcing them throughout the numinous passes. All perfected beings look up and heed the commands; the Three Realms and the ten directions must all be informed.

The numinous books and great compendia, the precious registers and mysterious writings, circulate and transform without end. They harmonize the Five Constants and the Three Qi, derive the Supreme Ultimate and lay out its forms, and shine with an unbroken radiance. Amid the vast aeons of primordial chaos, all things are remote and expansive, rising, transforming, and changing. The Six Qi alternate in their courses, limitless and boundless. Above are arrayed the Lords of the Five Dippers; below lie the abyssal depths of the Nine Hells. Winds enfold the open heavens, while circling waters surge toward the sky.

Jade Capital stands tall, and the nine cities of Great Primordial Purity rise in towering majesty. In the celestial palaces of jade and jewels, the names of immortals and perfected beings are entered in the registers. Emerald mists flourish, and immortal Qi drifts through the air. The essence of the Morning Star congeals into mountains, then flows into the myriad rivers. Within them lies the High Spirit, governing all things. The primordial order circulates through the Three Realms and the heavens, encompassing the azure vault and linking the gateways of life. It turns the celestial cycles, sets the measures in motion, and returns endlessly to its beginning. The Thirty-Nine Emperors rule the Four Mysteries, the Eight Administrations oversee the perfected beings, and True Qi converges at its source. In the imperial Purple Star Jade Palace, crimson clouds...

Seated in quiet contemplation within Jingming Grotto-Heaven, they chant and sing wondrous, profound verses. The golden scriptures shine brilliantly, while songs like the sound of jade echo through the cloud palaces. Sacred voices refine body and spirit, spreading through the lofty heavens and among the jade gates.

Numinous vitality rises, revealing the merit of the Beginning. Through countless cycles of transformation, the myriad forms revolve and renew themselves, and the True Dao comes naturally to completion. Within the True Dao dwell divine beings: the Great Lords of the Celestial Offices, the Jade Assistants of Ziwei, the High Venerables of Yanggu, and the Boy Earl-Scribes.

The Thousand Essences of Taiyi jointly command the jade talismans, protecting and reporting on the fundamental nature of living beings. They travel above in the Great Void and enter and leave the Heaven of Vast Circles. They dwell in the caverns of Jade Mountain and on the heights of Xiaoren Mountain, and they also respond below within the human body. In the Five Palaces flows a numinous river; the gateway to the Palace of the Brain is broad as a square pool. The springs of the Six Caverns wind and flow through it, nourishing the body and sending blue-green Qi soaring. Thus the Nine Subtlety Points of Qinghua open, enabling the deliverance of those in Heaven and on Earth.

They present petitions upward to the Cloud Net and turn the jade wheels of the Eight Gates. Through the power of great blessings, they issue prohibitions and proclamations; all are universally aided and delivered, whatever the causes and conditions of their good or evil deeds. The souls of the dead are carried across, and the bodies of the living are preserved. They may even attain rebirth after death, and this is reported to the Imperial Court. Above the Court, each has its own wondrous celestial music, including the patterns for opening and closing the Nine Palaces. The words of the numinous songs of the Three Origins accord with the Dao of the High Perfected, the immortals of profound attainment.

First: The Sound of the Immortals of the Nine Palaces Soaring Through the Air

Light shines in the eight directions; emptiness extends to all four quarters, encompassing the Nine Palaces. The Qi of Red Chaos is sublime and clear.

The heavens are interlaced and arrayed across the Great Void, above the eightfold heavens, where wind and marsh meet.

The hidden depths of Heaven and Earth connect with one another. Below, they guard Beifeng, the realm of the dead, under the authority of the Three Offices.

Among them are supreme divine beings who command the great laws of Heaven and possess merit equal to that of the Great Dao.

The Celestial Emperor established their positions; the Jade Perfected preside over their affairs, wondrously transforming and nurturing all things.

Thirty-nine Celestial Lords assist the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning above. They remain revered through the passage of kalpas.

They move in and out between existence and nonexistence, flying through the Jade Capital, proclaiming the chapters of the Cavern scriptures, and issuing edicts below to be announced throughout the ten thousand heavens.

Second: The Register of Immortals of the Nine Palaces

The celestial statutes, like purple jade, are the true regulations of the Jade Apex. The secret names of the High Perfected are treasured in the Heaven of Vast Circles.

Names of immortals are arranged upon vermilion jade tablets; the Three Blossoms of Purple Silk, sacred radiance symbolizing the documents of the immortal realm, shine brilliantly.

The titles of flying immortals and assembled sages gleam like red celestial script amid the rosy clouds. Treasure slips are fashioned from dark gold, and fine, supple pages are strung together from yellow jade.

These documents record the registers of all the Perfected, with the Celestial Emperor personally weighing and deciding their cases.

The Mysterious Palace of the Supreme Ultimate checks the registers of immortals and confers their mandates, while also showing compassion to all people in the world.

All things continually change. The hun rises and the po descends, until at last they sink into the Nine Springs, the shadowy underworld beneath the earth.

Why not climb a mountain to cultivate and recite this Cavern Scripture, a Daoist text? If you grasp the Supreme Dao, your body can ascend to the Imperial Pavilion, where the Celestial Emperor resides.

Third: “Song of the Nine Palaces of the Supreme Ultimate”

In the nine directions of Great Clarity, graceful clouds swirl and gather the workings of Heaven;

they open a passage into the deep and shadowed realm. Between the emerald mountains and the purple river, mysterious Qi intertwines.

Within the Upper Palace of Taiwei, a high celestial abode, there is an old man;

he rises into the sky and disappears into the Dao.

He gathers the radiance of the sun and moon to form an immortal body;

across the clouds, a splendid net unfurls, shining with bright vermilion light.

The celestial wheel turns and revolves, transforming and giving birth to all things;

the nine abysses encircle and connect with one another, forming a ford that leads to the Dao.

The Pure and Subtle Emperor One and the Great Cavern Numinous Worthy, Daoist divine titles,

are silently invoked, bringing one into accord with the realm of Great Abundance;

thus the utmost truth is attained naturally. I sing of the immortals’ realm of the Nine Palaces,

and hope to join in paying homage to the Celestial Emperor.

This is a song sung by the True King in the sky, above the Three Realms. Every syllable corresponds to the Cavern Scripture. Recite it one hundred times, and you will be registered and admitted to the Southern Palace; recite it one thousand times, and the True King will protect you and welcome you; recite it ten thousand times, and your Daoist cultivation will be complete. You will ascend to the Nine Palaces, transcend the Three Realms, and take your place among the immortals.

Those who hear this sacred music of the immortals will find that the demon kings revere their bodies, while the earth spirits obey orders to guard, escort, and welcome them. Those who cultivate by reciting it can escape the Earth Gate, the entrance to the underworld, and free themselves from the Five Sufferings and Eight Calamities. Their seven generations of ancestors will rise, leave the Northern Mountain—the underworld—forever, and have their hun and po guided to Zhu Ling, the place where Daoists refine and deliver the souls of the dead, to undergo refinement and be reborn. This is called boundless universal salvation, without end. This scripture is a secret treasure of Heaven.

The heavens all honor this scripture. Anyone who reveals it or treats it with contempt will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon seven generations of ancestors.

The scripture says: These two chapters are secret writings from the lords of the heavens and the celestial registers of the Nine Palaces. They contain the names of nine True Gods: one male deity, one female deity, and the inner names of the immortals and sages. Those who recite and chant these scriptures may have them inscribed and entered into the celestial registers of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), thereby receiving the corresponding rank in the Nine Palaces. Within the human brain is the Purple Chamber, the Daoist name for the chamber of the gods in the brain, where the True Gods sit in ordered ranks. When the sound of this scripture is heard beyond, it reaches upward to the Supreme Ultimate and resonates below in the Grotto-Heavens. The gods of the Nine Palaces will then tell the practitioner that an immortal affinity is drawing near. These are all words of the Great Brahma, not ordinary worldly speech. Their language follows no secular rhythms and uses no ornate phrasing; this is why they are called mysterious and profound, beyond exhaustive investigation.

This scripture is a secret canon treasured in Heaven and kept in the repository of the Eastern Terrace of the Jade Palace of the Jade Clarity of the Lofty Empyrean Divine Firmament. By regulation, it is transmitted only once every thirty-seven thousand years, when the time is right. A person who has attained the Dao may receive it only after bringing treasures such as gold and silk, sincerely following the established rites, and swearing an oath of alliance before the Nine Palaces.

The scripture says: The workings of Heaven and Earth have periods of flourishing and decline, beginning and ending; the sun, moon, and five planets wax and wane. Even the most holy divine beings have times of repose, while those whose learning is still shallow may encounter calamity. When people suffer such disasters, their fellow practitioners should join together in purification, offer incense at each of the six daily periods, and recite the scripture ten times. In this way, blessings and merit will descend and dispel every ill omen. This immeasurable scripture can universally save beings without end.

The scripture says: When someone whose cultivation of the Dao is still shallow and whose rank among the immortals remains incomplete reaches the appointed time and is about to die, those among their fellow students who have attained the Dao should offer incense and recite the scripture ten times as the person passes through the Great Yin, the Daoist realm of the dead and the afterlife, thereby liberating the corpse. If they follow the rite, the Jade Radiance Imperial Consort will carry a torch to destroy Yin evils, while the Cloud-Rite Jade Maidens strike the heavenly chime in the Palace of the Brain. Then the hundred gods gather, and the essence of the nine lights enters and fills the Mudball Palace, the Daoist name for the chamber of the gods in the brain, restoring the person to their source. Their hun spirit then rises directly to the Southern Palace. The number of days is determined by the merit of their cultivation of the Dao; they may thus attain rebirth, continue through cycles without perishing, and ultimately become an immortal.

The scripture says: When the workings of Heaven and Earth near their end, the stars move out of order, the sun and moon grow dim, the seasons fall into disorder, and Yin-Yang loses its balance, calamity strikes the state and epidemics spread, leaving the people dead and injured. Teachers and friends pass away, and fellow students too suffer misfortune. In such circumstances, one should undertake purification, offer incense, and recite the scripture. The merit of purification and recitation is immense: above, it can dispel celestial calamities and protect the ruler; below, it can drive away poisons and save the people. Both the living and the dead may receive its blessings. Its merit is beyond measure, which is why it is called “Universal Salvation of Heaven and Humanity Without Measure.”

The scripture says: Anyone who possesses this scripture and cultivates this merit for Heaven and Earth, the ruler, and the people—who, when calamity strikes, resolves to undertake purification, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times—will all be among the various … [The original text ends here unfinished.]

Heaven records the names of those who cultivate the Dao in its registers and dispatches the myriad spirits to attend and protect them. Such people may one day serve as officials in the Golden Palace of the Sage Sovereign. The heavens record people’s merits and faults, omitting nothing, however slight; the True Kings in Heaven will also recommend you for your rank. Only after truly attaining the Dao should one fully understand these words of ultimate truth.

The Boundless Sounds of the Hidden Language of Great Brahmā in the Heavens, compiled by the Dao Lord.

The First Chapter of the Precious Names of the Perfected in the Celestial Registers of the Nine Palaces, in the Primordial Spirit’s Writ

What follows are the secret names of the eight heavens in each of the eastern, southern, western, and northern directions. These are celestial names found in Daoist scriptures, used chiefly in ritual texts and recitation. The syllables and phrases themselves should not be interpreted word by word as ordinary language.

The Eight Heavens of the East

戛图元铃、流体射回、恍濡咸泰、周浆明垂、爓龙疋芻、斗江频雷、仰断鸿极、招仙纳晖、演莆寂著、空蒙华催、都瑶审涂、洽玄壁刀、察陈澡珂、秘来发深、辨薈祈蔚、壮卑茂彬。

The Eight Heavens of the South

赫那提都、明邀诊彦、荒度觉攸、璣标暄煥、仗掌云籍、曾湍游旻、曜勤祝慈、边溏气司、骈胡耿池、晶圭薄微、摘卓鄙消、幽罗菅尸、静立冥洑、扬华激弥、滻云驿童、丰佐毕龟。

The Eight Heavens of the West

燎梵诸照、环光秫罗、邀兵无形、堆逵辏围、应道洛馘、周蒙宛毗、屹左游缚、朱幷丙持、渺但洞泽、仆幽楮奚、亮愬祖穆、由汾淇真、独绵阁韩、夷虚角张、密变兹斐、琼迅时机。

The Eight Heavens of the North

叱麓擎蔽、□吟时陆、绛海碧岨、希幽烱梅、逸跃便烛、锡光瑶陀、钦载更驱、每官元师、救漯垒岳、坚风育悲、族荡萃远、淑丕在丹、阳辅葛则、厌车横鳞、处灭生久、关盘泊婴。

In the northern names, “□” indicates a character missing from or illegible in the original.

Dao says: This passage is the “hidden language of Great Brahma” among the heavens, and also the boundless music of heaven. In ancient times, the scripture was carved into the towering walls of the Nine Palaces of Taiji, to make it known to those who had not yet attained deliverance and were still seeking instruction. If a Dao cultivator can settle the spirit in the Nine Palaces, let Qi (vital energy) encircle Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate), and grasp the rhythm of these hidden words, their name will be entered in the registers of the immortals. They will ascend to the highest reaches of the Great Mystery and approach Zuoyuan.

Each character in this text stands ten feet tall. The Celestial Perfected Sovereign (Tianzhen Huangren), a legendary immortal of the heavenly realm, once wrote it as the orthodox sound. If someone understands its sounds and meanings, observes purification, and recites it, the heavens will send the Right Minister of Taiji, a divine official of Taiji’s heavenly realm, to inspect them, record their merits, and report them to the heavens. The myriad gods will come to pay homage, while the earth gods stand in attendance by the gate. The Great Merit True King, a perfected spirit who oversees merit, will recommend this person, enabling their cultivation in the Nine Palaces to reach completion. They will then roam through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

This heavenly music can dispel, avert, deliver, and bring things to fulfillment in every way; it is the natural sound of the Celestial Perfected. Reciting it can therefore bring the divine officials of Taiji to inspect the practitioner. The Supreme Lord sings in response from afar, the myriad gods come to pay homage, and the spirits of the Three Realms stand in attendance beside the celestial carriage. All manner of demons and evil influences bow their heads and withdraw; ghosts and strange spirits disperse of their own accord. Its jade-like tones ring out, and the ten directions grow solemn and still. Rivers and seas become calm and silent; mountains seem to draw in their mists. All spirits are awed into submission, and the host of immortals is summoned. No foul energy remains in heaven, no uncanny dust on earth, and even the netherworld becomes lucid and clear. Its meaning is vast and profound, mysterious beyond mystery.

“Notes on the Pronunciation and Meaning of Seven Sounds in the Jiao Collection” explains the pronunciations and meanings of characters in this passage. The phrase “pronounced like X” in parentheses indicates a character whose sound is close to that of X; the meaning of the character is then given.

赬 is pronounced like “檉”; 畹 like “宛,” meaning twenty mu of land; 皛 like “檄”; 帟 like “亦,” meaning a canopy; 𩴹 like “劬”; □ like “藟.”

縟 is pronounced like “辱,” meaning ornamentation; 縝 like “嗔,” meaning black; 翬 like “煇,” referring to the sound of birds’ feathers; 魒 like “飃,” the name of a star; 莬 like “问,” referring to plants just beginning to grow.

嶼 is pronounced like “胥” in the falling-rising tone, meaning an island; □ like “阳”; 窊 like “霔”; 揇 like “南” in the falling-rising tone, meaning to grip or hold; 㖟 like “授,” meaning to teach orally; 薾 like “尔,” describing abundant blossoms; 璩 like “渠,” referring to a kind of ring-shaped jade object; 𦅌 like “腾”; 鬐 like “耆,” meaning a horse’s mane; 蘤 like “蔿,” meaning a flower; □ like “部”; 噩 like “萼,” meaning to startle; □; 腃 like “喟”; □ like “珉,” meaning harmony; 㛹 like “楩” in the level tone; 杅 like “于,” referring to a vessel for drinking water; 敔 like “语,” meaning to prohibit; 䙕 like “竦,” referring to a single-layer garment.

滁 is pronounced like “除” and is the name of a river; 撩 like “聊,” also the name of a river; 蜚 like “屝,” the name of an insect; 㮒 like “然” in the falling-rising tone; 洑 like “伏,” referring to water flowing in a swirling course; 滻 like “产,” the name of a river; □ like “耶”; 岨 like “砠.”