《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 38

Interpretation

The foundational scripture of the Lingbao of the Cavern Mystery, transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, explains the wondrous principles by which divine talismans dispel calamities and resolve difficulties. It is a supreme jade text, capable of endless transformation and of repeatedly saving and guiding all beings.

The hidden rhythms of the heavenly truth naturally merge within the subtle realm of the void. When clouds and Qi gathered from the eight directions and Heaven and Earth first emerged from chaos, numinous radiance condensed into form, its light illuminating the Jade Capital, the palaces of Heaven. It then divided into the Three Radiances—the sun, moon, and stars—and received the essence of the Seven Origins, the stellar energies of the Big Dipper and other stars, whose influence continues without end. The powers of the various perfected spirits are governed by this radiance and made manifest in talismanic writing, through which all spirits are commanded.

Thus the divine talisman was established. Through its use, beings are saved and guided, and all things are brought into being. No spirit dares disobey what a talismanic command proclaims. Wherever calamity strikes, it can be swiftly dispelled. These are the sacred treasures: the jade texts of Primordial Beginning, the Red Script and Inner Registers, and the Writings of the Eight Assemblies, all radiating light.

The majestic talismanic seals shine forth with brilliance. Within them are the hidden inscriptions of the Northern Emperor, the phoenix seal of the Heavenly Emperor, and the mysterious commands of the Dark Statutes and Nüqing. They govern evil spirits and issue powerful summons. The associated talismanic methods can also cut down malign forces, subdue mountain demons, and bring the wicked to defeat and submission.

The secret methods of the Purple Court, the palaces of Heaven, are profound. They array the powers of the Kui and Gang stars and can destroy ghosts and spirits and subdue demons. Through Daoist ritual documents such as the Yellow Registers and White Tablets, suffering souls of the dead may be delivered and refined. These methods encompass a vast and subtle domain, governing the underworld and the void. Both the living and the dead can be saved and guided, and their blessings extend without limit.

Among these are deities who govern the transformations of light, divine lords who dispel calamities, and great gods who destroy demons and break through harm. There are also the Elders of the Nine Lights and Three Qi, deities who govern talismans and registers, and the awe-inspiring spirits belonging to the sun, moon, stars, and the Heavenly Emperors of the Five Directions. They can bring people back from death and carry out boundless acts of deliverance. Today, as this scripture is collated and recorded, the deities of the heavens have all descended before the hall.

In the East, the Boundless Flying-Heaven Divine Talisman King of Calamity Relief, the Great Saint of Long Life, carries out boundless acts of deliverance.

In the South, the Boundless Flying-Heaven Divine Talisman King of Calamity Relief, the Great Saint of Long Life, carries out boundless acts of deliverance.

In the West, the Boundless Flying-Heaven Divine Talisman King of Calamity Relief, the Great Saint of Long Life, carries out boundless acts of deliverance.

In the North, the Boundless Flying-Heaven Divine Talisman King of Calamity Relief, the Great Saint of Long Life, carries out boundless acts of deliverance.

In the Northeast, the Boundless Flying-Heaven Divine Talisman King of Calamity Relief, the Great Saint of Long Life, carries out boundless acts of deliverance.

In the Southeast, the Boundless Flying-Heaven Divine Talisman King of Calamity Relief, the Great Saint of Long Life, carries out boundless acts of deliverance.

In the Southwest, the Boundless Flying-Heaven Divine Talisman King of Calamity Relief, the Great Saint of Long Life, carries out boundless acts of deliverance.

In the Northwest, the Boundless Flying-Heaven Divine Talisman King of Calamity Relief, the Great Saint of Long Life, carries out boundless acts of deliverance.

Above, the Boundless Flying-Heaven Divine Talisman King of Calamity Relief, the Great Saint of Long Life, carries out boundless acts of deliverance.

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Interpretation

The Divine Kings Who Fly Through the Heavens, Remove Calamities, and Grant Long Life, beneath the Wuji, deliver beings without measure.

The supremely true Divine Kings Who Fly Through the Heavens in the ten directions, remove calamities, and grant long life, together with the immeasurable Great Deities who save the world, arrive riding rosy clouds. They travel in green carriages adorned with bright feathers; their chariots shimmer with light, and their canopies gleam. Wheels of precious jade essence bear the carriages, drawn by qilin and phoenixes. A numinous wind sweeps before them, and jade tablets bearing nine rays of light stand upright.

Clouds of five-colored Qi become splendid banners. Flutes sound melodiously at the front, while phoenixes call together behind; lions and white cranes cry out in resonant voices. Four generals clear the way, and the Five Directional Emperors guard the carriages. Myriad chariots fly through the air, crossing white clouds and rosy mists, their radiance rising as swiftly as lightning.

They command transformations and reveal wondrous, mysterious light. The qi of the august emperor fills the Jade Palace of Taiwei. The divine lords who govern the celestial order and the High Ministers of Heavenly Numen hold Fulu, directing all the gods of pure emptiness. They examine the conditions of the myriad beings between Heaven and Earth and, according to each being’s kind, rescue and protect them. They proclaim the scriptural teachings of the Three Caverns, and their commands reach the deities of the ten directions and the Five Sacred Peaks, as well as the southern realm of cinnabar, the northern underworld, the rivers and seas, and the wilderness of the netherworld.

Wherever the Celestial Emperor’s command reaches, wind and fire carry it forth. The spirits investigate and suppress demons, evil forces, and violence, erasing sins and treachery. They also release souls who suffer through the long night, sunk in misery and bound by the consequences of their deeds. All defilement and malign qi are swept away, and no demon or poison can stand in their path.

They stabilize the root of life and extend the lifespan to its utmost. The divine realm of the Firmament records good deeds; the Green Florescence pardons faults; and precious registers circulate and unfold. All the myriad spirits who arrive in response to the moment receive the sunlight of Dao and De, refining and nourishing their true nature. They are forever delivered beyond the Three Paths, Five Sufferings, and Eight Hardships, ascend above the Three Realms, and roam through Shangqing, the subtle and sublime celestial realm described in Daoism.

In the Heaven of Shangqing, the Celestial Emperor’s radiance shines upon the shadowy, formless realm of the netherworld. There, one practices Brahma-like purity: a solemn and immaculate cultivation.

The Eight Heavens of the East

Heaven of Clear Mystery and Primordial Vastness — Celestial Emperor Zhulu Qiying

Heaven of Far-Reaching Rectitude and Brightness — Celestial Emperor Yuan Shao Qiling

Heaven of Settled Concentration and Utmost Devotion — Celestial Emperor Fu Wei Xuming

Heaven of Refined Endeavor and Searching Separation — Celestial Emperor Ming Yu Fanping

Heaven of Nine Ruins and Brahma’s Crossing — Celestial Emperor Jueyou Guangting

Heaven of Vermilion Expectation and Talismanic Decree — Celestial Emperor Mi Wan Xu

Heaven of Edicts and Inspections at the Peak Gate — Celestial Emperor Zhou Wei Yueyuan

Heaven of Ghost Talismans and Manifest Seals — Celestial Emperor Dong Dao Zhongbing

The Eight Heavens of the South

Heaven of Rocky Exorcism and Hidden Souls — Celestial Emperor Lisha Wang

Heaven of Lodging Evil and Auspicious Utterance — Celestial Emperor Pu Miaoguang

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Interpretation

Gutu Souyu Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Hou Zhensheng;

Xuanli Huyan Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Mo Dingzhang;

Mingdou Yufu Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Chu Haibotu;

Hunyuan Taishi Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Sulai Yanzhen;

Yaoking Zhumo Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Shenyou Yuanzhen;

Xuancheng Shuji Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Lu Narong.

The Eight Heavens of the West

Fuli Jinli Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Ruofu Yaokun;

Qixi Puji Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Huazhu Yuanling;

Yanna Qiujing Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Yuxian Yuanning;

Taizi Xianchang Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Zoufu Jinying;

Oumeng Juyu Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Mifu Mianjing;

Zili Shengxuan Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Qutang Jihe;

Daoshe Chonghe Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Cisheng Shiyou;

Guzheng Jiulu Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Juanyong Qindeng.

The Eight Heavens of the North

Chiyi Hongzhi Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Nülong Wei;

Niuwei Yuanju Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Xuanshi Minghui;

Tongmei Kongqian Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Bianxi Changxuan;

Zhuoluo Bianbi Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Tongjian Guishi;

Hunchang Huakong Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Hedang Huimi;

Miaozi Mingru Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Qiao Si Dongji;

Naluo Chong’ao Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Miedu Haowei;

Zhengxi Juhao Heaven, whose Heavenly Emperor is named Miao Wu Jiuqi.

The passage above lists the thirty-two heavens and their thirty-two Heavenly Emperors. Each heaven and emperor has a hidden name; together, these names form numinous inscriptions of the empty, spontaneous nature of the heavens. “The hidden rhymes of the heavens” refers to the secret verses kept within the heavens, which are also the sounds of the celestial realms.

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Interpretation

The Most High Heavenly Worthy is the foremost of the gods in the heavens and the source of the celestial realm’s wondrous talismans and spiritual power. The Five Talismans and Eight Registers contain the boundless mysteries of the Upper Clarity tradition, so profound that they cannot be fully described. The sacred writings they bear are widely disseminated, saving all beings throughout the heavens and the human world.

Today, we rejoice in celebration, receive the talismans, and undergo the trials at the gates of the heavens. May the Eight Calamities be dispelled, the roots of evil severed, and we fly high through the sky, our names entered among the ranks of the Great Mystery. The Demon Kings are charged with inspection and identification, ensuring that passage through the gates of Heaven is unimpeded. The Eastern Dipper commands the blue slips, the Western Dipper the white writings, the Northern Dipper the dark net, the Southern Dipper the fire bells, and the Central Dipper the divine talismans; together they command the heavenly troops.

The Azure Emperor enacts benevolence and Virtue; the White Emperor crushes enemy forces; the Red Emperor dispels darkness; the Black Emperor drives away demons and spirits; and the Yellow Emperor issues commands, governing the myriad gods. The King of the Azure Talisman raises his noble might and gives aid at the ruler’s side. The King of the Red Talisman uses his blazing power to destroy evil influences. The King of the White Talisman is as fierce as a tiger’s fangs, uttering a fearsome roar. The King of the Black Talisman sweeps away and devours evil demons, ranging across the four directions. The King of the Yellow Talisman is strong and steadfast.

The Great Gods of the Five Talismans gather at the utmost extremity and are lords over the myriad demons. They raise their banners, brandish spears and halberds, lead their troops on patrol through the heavens, and inspect calamities. By the command of the Supreme Emperor, they proclaim the true talismans and act in response to what they perceive. May virtuous people support one another and accord with the Dao. Spiritual radiance guards and drives away evil; celestial gods and strange beasts join the host. The beasts have iron brows and long heads, breathe smoke and spit fire, and devour demons. The talisman-bearing generals and officers move as swiftly as wind and lightning. The enforcement officers of merit stride in formation, stern and wrathful. All ghosts that cause disorder and confuse the spirit are to be seized, recorded, bound, and escorted to the land of the netherworld.

May a thousand kinds of calamity sink away, and blessings and celebrations descend one by one. The Three Primordials and Nine Palaces report to the Mysterious Clarity. The Red Writ, Azure Slips, Cinnabar Books, and Purple Writings, together with the method of tying the Jade Net into a Dipper, bring their wondrous powers together in coordinated action. Thus may harmonious Qi gather and the foundations of cultivation be secured forever.

At the beginning of the Red Luminosity, within the Empty and Mysterious Scene, the perfected immortals of the heavens fly down. Their radiance extends far and wide, and spiritual light shines in all directions. The ultimate principles of the Three Primordials and Five Virtues are deep and formless. Their essence gathers, their breath takes shape, and they appear spontaneously, dark and profound.

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Interpretation

These numinous writings manifest within it, vivid and radiant, illuminating the ten thousand heavens. They spread out like flowing gold and fine jade; rosy clouds curl and circle, gathering into a light that shines in all eight directions. Their numinous radiance extends in every direction, sustaining the transformations of Heaven and Earth and serving as the source of the gods.

They govern Yin-Yang, set the seasons in motion, subdue the myriad demons, awe ghosts, monsters, and spirits, and command the highest sovereigns of the celestial realm, the Void Emperor and the exalted ones. They open the way to instruction, transmit profound teachings, reach through the wondrous governance of countless kalpas, and hold authority over Heaven. The Celestial Worthy Emperor, the True Man of Heaven, understood the primordial foundation. By command, he composed the chapters and explained the meaning of the scriptures, joining their contents into coherent writings, recording their hidden pivots, and spreading them through the Three Realms, where they were stored in the Five Cities.

The scriptures appear in keeping with the cycles of the kalpas, rescuing living beings and nourishing life. Great and small matters alike have their corresponding rules, and names are assigned according to rank. Dragon Chapters and Phoenix Writings—the sacred characters adorned with dragons and phoenixes—endure without end. They protect immortals and guide True Men to salvation, pacify the numinous passes so calamities cannot arise, cleanse defilement so the spirits may unite, and bestow subtle Qi to nourish body and mind. Through refinement and cultivation, the human body can accord with the pure and mysterious; within that realm of purity and mystery dwell the gods.

The True Lords of the Three Luminaries, the Mysterious Elders of the Five Spirits, the Venerable God Taiyi, and the awe-inspiring officials of the Purple Tenuity Northern Emperor hold tally tokens and carry out celestial commands. They protect life and extend its span. Practitioners may ride swift steeds and ascend into the clouds of the Purple Empyrean, drive dragons to pay court at the Jade Chariot, and receive guidance and attendance in the realm of Yangliao. They transcend the Three Calamities and escape the Eight Difficulties forever; seven generations of ancestors ascend together to immortality, leaving the dark springs of the underworld forever behind.

Thereafter, they may roam freely at the Vermilion Mound and the cavern terraces of Huayang. Mysterious grace spreads everywhere, reaching without exception; the vast bridge of the teaching transforms and nurtures all things. The scriptures take instruction and awakening as their guiding principles, and prohibitions, precepts, and karmic conditions as the basis for cultivation. Once the Way of goodness has been attained, one may advance to a higher realm. Jade tallies open the gate to salvation, and the divine perfected beings disperse like smoke and dust. Their names are entered in the registers of the Realm of Azure Florescence and announced throughout the heavens. Each heaven has its own true talisman, including the Hollow-Void Chants sung in the numinous tones of the Three Heavens. The words of these sacred writings of the highest sages accord with the Way of the High Perfected.

First: The Sound of Taiyi’s Dongxuan Flying Talisman

In the age of Red Radiance, the grand cycle opened,

and wondrous response revealed the August Sovereign of the Origin.

Within the deep and hollow void,

numinous writings shone in all directions.

Their radiance illuminated the divine order,

while brilliant light streamed down from the eight corners.

The numinous writings entwined with the Brahma-Qi of the Origin,

concealing within themselves the divine order.

They formed talismanic texts, spreading into ten thousand writings,

transforming all things and containing them without exception.

Their distribution and circulation brought forth supreme wonders;

rising with the Qi, they displayed their divine radiance.

The talismanic commands descended and were put into effect.

Wind and fire served as messengers, while dragon steeds raced forth.

They swept away demons, evil spirits, and traces of magic,

so that people might receive pure Jing and return to the source of the divine.

The calamities of the Eight Difficulties recede forever,

and all share the Dao’s mysterious merit.

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Interpretation

Good fortune and blessings accord with the natural Dao, riding the wheel of the Law as it flies through the vastness of space.

First Primordial Divine Talisman: Hidden Name of the Great Red Heaven of Supreme Clarity

Write each of the following three talismans in cinnabar on white silk. When calamity strikes, they may be worn, swallowed, or applied to the body repeatedly. All three methods may be used together.

Second: Chapter of the Taiyi Dongxuan Talisman of Deliverance

The Qi of the Eight Assemblies and Three Origins

shines from the celestial palaces, illuminating countless writings.

The subtle and empty principle encompasses the profound and mysterious.

Taiyi holds the authority of the mysteries.

The Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning reveals the golden precepts.

The jade laws set forth their words in accordance with the proper order.

Wear the talisman of the imperial True Ones in keeping with your merit;

it can dispel every kind of calamity.

The Divine Empyrean watches over good deeds and records them;

your name is entered in the registers of Qinghua.

Break and blunt the demons’ fierce attacks,

subjecting them to trials that prevent them from acting.

The Yellow Elder protects the roots of nature and life;

the Peach Child strengthens the host of spirits.

Pity the people of this dusty world,

whose lives are brief and who have lost the mysterious crossing.

Only I, the master of the lofty heavens,

can be a ladder and a guide for the people of the world.

The power to transform and deliver turns without end.

Jade writings are scattered through the Three Heavens.

Through countless kalpas, they still uphold the Supreme Dao,

keeping millions upon millions of beings from sinking into ruin.

Second Primordial Divine Talisman: Hidden Name of the Yu-Yu Heaven of Supreme Clarity

Third: Song of the Taiyi Dongxuan Talisman of Transformation

The jade net gathers in the wondrous realm of Taiwei.

Numinous light spreads, unfolding its scene;

the lofty, exalted writing shines forth in splendor.

The talismanic script circles and joins to form the eight regions.

The Purple Pole perceives its true substance;

the Imperial Man writes it with his brush.

The various Dao branches into different forms of Qi;

a thousand scriptures uphold ten thousand distinctions.

The divine tiger subdues the great demons;

golden light drives back the myriad evils.

All destinies are governed in the Hall of Clear Subtlety;

the offices of Heaven carry out the mysterious charts and registers.

The law of ritual reveals the true standards;

the great teaching discloses the hidden pivot.

The transformations of the myriad things flow together and return to one De;

all return to the supreme realm.

In stillness and distance, a patterned song appears and vanishes;

in radiant abundance, the vast Imperial Void shines forth.

Chanting and singing, I join with the numinous realm.

My Dao will long support the people.

I rise lightly and swiftly, mounting the green carriage;

turning my chariot around, I ascend the great road through the clouds.

Third Primordial Divine Talisman: Hidden Name of the Qingwei Heaven of Jade Clarity

These three celestial talismans are mysterious divine talismans that appear spontaneously above the Three Heavens, flying through the empty sky.

The true talisman of Taiyi, the True Lords of the Three Caverns… The song of the divine talisman: every note accords with the ritual forms of the Three Caverns. Recite it one hundred times, and your name is entered among those delivered to the Southern Palace; recite it one thousand times, and the Demon King protects… The original text breaks off here.

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Interpretation

Recite it ten thousand times.

When one’s cultivation is complete, one can ascend into the heavens, transcend the Three Realms, and take a place among the Immortal Lords. Hearing the wondrous sound of the divine, one drives away demonic ordeals. By command, the local earth spirits guard and escort the practitioner, freeing them from worldly calamities and relieving their misfortunes and troubles. If one faces punishment, warfare, or the Five Sufferings and Eight Ordeals, reciting and upholding the divine talisman can raise the seven generations of ancestors and free them forever from confinement under the ghost officials. The talisman can also deliver the corpse soul, refining it so that it may be reborn. Through the awe-inspiring power of the Great Dao, those transformed by it naturally attain deliverance. The divine talisman protects life, and its merit reaches the heavens above. These are secret writings kept by Heaven and revered by all the celestial realms. To disclose them or treat them with disrespect is to fall into hell, bringing calamity upon the seven generations of ancestors and one’s parents.

The Dao says: This passage of scripture consists entirely of secret words kept by the Celestial Emperors, the Divine Kings Who Deliver Through Talismans, and the True Lords Who Direct the Talismans. These are all words of the Great Brahma, not ordinary worldly expressions. Their language does not follow rhyme, and its diction is neither ornate nor graceful; hence it is called mysterious and difficult to understand, not easily explored.

These scriptures are secret texts treasured by Heaven and stored in the jeweled palaces of the Three Heavens and Three Caverns. According to the Mystical Regulations, they are transmitted only once every forty thousand kalpas. If someone who has attained the Dao brings gold and jewels and, with utmost sincerity, makes an oath of allegiance according to the established rites, the scriptures may be entrusted to them after ten days.

The Dao says: Heaven and Earth, too, have times when calamities and punishments converge. The sun, moon, and five planets can also cast their influence upon the human world, bringing disaster and misfortune. Even sages and divine beings may encounter periods of ill fortune, and those new to the Dao may also face ordeals. When such calamities arise, all who follow the same tradition should unite in fasting and purification, burning incense six times a day, receiving the divine talisman, and reciting the scriptures. Then blessings and merit will descend at once, dispelling every kind of ill omen. This immeasurable scripture can deliver all beings without limit.

The Dao says: Those new to the Dao have made little progress in their practice, or have yet to complete their rank among the immortals. If their allotted years are nearly spent and their bodies are about to pass through the period of Great Yin—that is, the threshold of death—those who have attained the Dao within their tradition should burn incense and receive the talisman on their behalf. They should wear the divine talisman or place it beside the person’s pillow, among their clothes, or in their bedding, then recite the scriptures ten times in accordance with the rites, so as to deliver their physical form. Their hun-soul and spirit will then ascend directly to the Southern Palace, the celestial offices of the immortals. The days are then counted according to their achievements in cultivating the Dao, allowing them to be reborn and enter a new life without perishing, until at last they become immortals.

The Dao says: When the Three Origins’ calamities arrive and disasters follow one after another, one should also fast and purify, burn incense, receive the talisman, and recite the scriptures. The same practice should be followed when the stars shine upon one’s life palace and calamity or adversity strikes. Whether facing robbers, warfare, floods or fires, dangers involving rivers or wells, falling rocks, knives or swords, ropes, epidemics, wrongful harm, marital discord and death, the premature loss of children, or the successive misfortunes of teachers and friends—all such troubles call for fasting and purification, burning incense, receiving the talisman, and reciting the scriptures. The merit of receiving the divine talisman and upholding the scriptures is profound. The divine talismans of the Three Heavens, when used according to the instructions of one’s teacher, can manifest immense efficacy. Upper—

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Interpretation

Eliminating natural disasters, protecting and bringing stability to the emperor, dispelling calamities, and enabling countless millions of people to be delivered beyond the sufferings of life and death: the blessings gained from receiving and upholding sacred talismans (Fulu, talismans and registers that carry divine power in Daoist ritual) are beyond counting. Hence the title, “Deliverance of Heaven and Humanity on an Immeasurable Scale.”

A Daoist scripture says: Anyone who possesses this scripture and can perform such meritorious deeds for ruler and ministers, fathers and sons, and the people should, on days when calamities occur, resolve to undertake purification (fasting and performing a ritual to pray for blessings), burn incense, receive and uphold sacred talismans, and recite the scripture ten times. All the heavens will record that person’s name, and the myriad spirits will protect them. If someone who upholds sacred talismans can cultivate to the utmost, they may have the opportunity to become a minister in the Golden Palace of the Sage Sovereign. The heavens record people’s merits and faults, omitting nothing, however slight. The perfected immortals of Heaven will transmit sacred talismans, and the Spirit Kings will recommend you. Only those who attain the Dao can truly understand this profound principle.

The hidden words of the Great Brahma divine talismans among the heavens are sounds beyond measure, written by the Dao Lord.

Jade Chapters of the Divine Talismans of Primordial Beginning

The following groups are the hidden words of divine talismans from the celestial realms of the four directions. They are sacred Daoist symbols and sounds. Since most are proper names or secret expressions that cannot be translated word for word as ordinary phrases, the original text is retained.

Eight Heavens of the East

紫宸洞京　太敔灵音　缅罗极梵

太觉洎昙　玉那何逮　丹纲惠矜

华常健无　仙补爰臻　然眇梵罗

都美奚云　领陁宛遂　素已正门

妙神越虚　责部灵玄　超庆仙度

天迹逾员

Eight Heavens of the South

符名显驱　金英玉诜　昭敕制魔

月仪祖前　文尼逮台　花明郁千

都山由房　招卑帝邅　琼除绛齿

沆浮青骞　安进日宾　蕊池四轮

竟育空遥　珍极魔容　太尽仙离

浩冥思宫

Eight Heavens of the West

龟亭浦中　燕希奇通　莽畸兖列

虹景逸堂　宋榭沈曦　卢东岳嵎

梵寂空歌　卦奥灵都　子景觅瞿

步亨峙由　符止冕律　霞芒焰首

柏苔星苏　梵津演神　韵庆牛张

微陈笃仙

Eight Heavens of the North

关敖秀名　丹精播乾　化乐自几

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Interpretation

These divine talismans are the “hidden words of the Great Brahma” (Dafan yinyu), written in red script and manifested in the heavenly realms that proclaim and transform the heavens. Their sounds are without limit and originate in ancient scriptures. They circulate above the towers and pavilions of Heaven’s gates, and over its halls and terraces.

The Celestial True Sovereign recorded these characters with a purple brush. Each character was ten zhang square, with eight corners; its strokes hung down like rays of light, twisting and flowing gracefully. They spread through the ten directions, above and below, as sacred script for the gods’ talismanic treasures. Anyone who understands how to pronounce these characters and can purify themselves and recite them—or write them in cinnabar as Fulu (talismans and registers), inscribing eight characters each day and using them as talismans—will achieve evident results.

The heavens will dispatch the Divine Kings of Deliverance Talismans, the Perfected Lords of Direct Talismans, and the Envoys of Great Unity to descend and observe that person. They will record his meritorious deeds and diligent practice and report them to the heavens. The myriad gods will come to pay homage, the earth gods will guard the gates, and the Three Realms will jointly vouch for him, enabling the practitioner to become a High Perfected One, an immortal who has attained the Dao and become perfected. When his cultivation is complete, he will be able to roam among the divine beings and ascend to the gates of the Heavenly Emperor’s palace.

This sound can ward off, dispel, deliver, and bring all things to fulfillment. It is the sound of the Celestial True Ones, arising naturally. Thus, reciting it makes the heavens descend to look upon the world; the Supreme Emperor sings in response from afar, the myriad gods obey its command, and the Three Primordials—the officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water—stand in attendance before the pavilion. All evil spirits bow their heads, and ghosts and monsters perish of their own accord. Its sound resounds through empty space; mists gather between the seas and mountains. The sky shines with a blue-green radiance, and red lotuses appear on the earth. Heaven and Earth become pure and bright, the myriad Qi currents swirl, and numinous writings spread widely, shining as they summon the immortals. Above, there is no turbid Qi; below, there is no demonic dust. Even in the underworld, the light of wisdom shines—vast and deep, wondrous beyond wonder.

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