《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 41

The Daoist Lord said: In ancient times, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning taught the Scripture of the Five Phases Fully Complete, Bringing Life to Beings and Granting Limitless Longevity, the Supreme Scripture of the Highest Rank, in the Wondrous Peaceful Flying-Truth Great Good Land of the Great Luo Floating-Light Heaven. The Celestial Worthy began expounding the scripture, repeating it ten times to summon the heavens of the ten directions.

Perfected Ones, Great Spirits, High Sages, Venerable Lords, and Perfected Ones of Wondrous Practice from the celestial realms of every direction came riding clouds and soaring through the sky, along with countless beings. Purple smoke dispersed and rosy clouds flowed; cloud vapors shone upon one another. Immortal songs rose with the music, while divine winds moved in silent stillness. Red carriages, colorful canopies, jeweled carriage frames, and jade chariots gleamed with the light of three-colored jade. The immortal realm stretched deep and radiant, illuminating the vast sky.

For seven days and seven nights, the palaces of the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars, and the courses of the constellations all came to a halt; everything stood still. Divine smoke dispersed and clouds spread across the sky. Mists between mountains and seas vanished, and no breath drifted through the heavens. The scenes in all eight directions were clear and bright. The mountains, rivers, and forests throughout the entire land became level and uniform, with no differences in height. The earth turned into deep blue-green jade, without a trace of another color, its vermilion and clear azure light reflecting one another. The Perfected Ones stood in attendance beside the seat.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright upon a five-colored lion suspended in midair. Each time the scripture was expounded, the holy assembly of the heavens praised him together, saying, “Good!”

When the first recitation ended, the men and women of the land were all at peace and enjoyed long lives, rising above the ordinary world. The Qi of the Five Phases was complete and abundant, without damage or deficiency. When the second ended, auspicious clouds appeared and sweet dew fell through the air. When the third ended, the ten thousand treasures revealed auspicious signs, and the Qi of the Five Phases flourished in harmony. When the fourth ended, the spirits refined their hearts and attained understanding, and the people no longer suffered illness. When the fifth ended, a celestial treasure lotus appeared, and True Immortals were born and took their place. When the sixth ended, jade infants sang in midair, their songs answering the sounds of the Great Cavern. When the seventh ended, punishments in the Ninefold Darkness ceased, and water and fire each returned to their source. When the eighth ended, true talismans were bestowed, and their blessings reached both the underworld and the human realm. When the ninth ended, the myriad spirits welcomed the light, and all beings joined together and returned to the One Emperor. When the tenth ended, withered and decayed bones rose again, and through the workings of numinous transformation, life took form.

At that time, all the men and women of the land wholeheartedly believed and received the teaching. They were all protected and delivered, and attained long life.

The Daoist Lord continued: At this time, as the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning expounded the scripture for the first time, the Great Spirit Who Reveals Benevolence, Limitless and Boundless in the Eastern Direction...

The Great God of Majestic Transformation from the boundless, measureless southern realm led countless beings through the air to hear the scripture. This was the second appearance. The Great God of Universal Survey from the boundless, measureless western realm led countless beings through the air. This was the third appearance. The Great God of Gathering and Restraining from the boundless, measureless northern realm led countless beings through the air. This was the fourth appearance.

The Great God of Steadfast Resolve from the boundless, measureless northeastern realm led countless beings through the air. This was the fifth appearance. The Great God of Universal Vibration from the boundless, measureless southeastern realm led countless beings through the air. This was the sixth appearance. The Great God of Protection and Peace from the boundless, measureless southwestern realm led countless beings through the air. This was the seventh appearance. The Great God of Upright Qi from the boundless, measureless northwestern realm led countless beings through the air. This was the eighth appearance. The Great God of Primordial Radiance from the boundless, measureless upper realm led countless beings through the air. This was the ninth appearance. The Great God of Wondrous Spirit from the boundless, measureless lower realm led countless beings through the air. This was the tenth appearance.

The many great celestial perfected beings from the boundless heavens of the ten directions—the upper and lower realms, the four cardinal directions, and the four intermediate directions—also arrived at the same time. Men and women throughout the realm sincerely turned toward and revered the Dao and its teachings. Those who came fell from the sky like fine rain, gathering in an unbroken stream. Their numbers were so vast that half the land across the realm sank under the crush, and nothing could stop it.

Then the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning used divine power to gather within the Real Realm the eighteen thousand heavens, the lands of the ten directions, and the Nine Earthly Springs—the hidden underworld below—and bind them together into a pearl the size of a millet grain, suspended a hundred feet above the ground. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning led the celestial perfected beings, the supreme sages and exalted venerables, the perfected ones of wondrous practice, and the supremely perfect great gods of the boundless ten directions and the complete five regions, along with countless beings, all into the precious pearl. Those in the sky looked up and saw the beings entering one after another through the pearl’s opening. Once inside, no one knew where they were.

After the crowd dispersed, the ground became level again and no longer sank. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning then, within the precious pearl, addressed the countless beings, celestial beings, immortals and sages, and all the ghosts and spirits in the lands of the ten directions… (The scripture continues.)

The teaching is made known to all: only when the Five Phases are complete can living beings dwell in a state of peace and longevity. This is the foundation of how Heaven and Earth operate, and the subtle essence of the Great Dao. Without being a supreme sage, one can scarcely understand it.

The Five Phases are the wondrous workings of the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and humanity—and the essence of what is most true and numinous. Wind, heat, dryness, dampness, and cold are the Five Phases of Heaven; Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water are the Five Phases of Earth; joy, anger, thought, sorrow, and fear are the Five Phases of humanity. Birth, growth, transformation, harvest, and storage are the Five Phases of the seasons. The Qi of the celestial cycle runs through six periods—here, cycles of Qi’s movement—making one complete cycle. The terrestrial cycle runs through five years, likewise making one complete cycle.

When the Five Phases operate fully, the flow of Qi is balanced and properly ordered. When the flow of Qi is balanced and properly ordered, people will not die young or suffer harm; each can live out the full span of their allotted years. Those who study the Daoist arts should restrain what is excessive and support what is weak, keeping upright Qi present and avoiding excess or deficiency. In this way, they can live long and behold the distant future, become immortals, and enjoy unending life in the realm of longevity. “Realm” here means a boundary or domain.

In the sequence of numbers, five and six join together: seven hundred and twenty Qi periods—units in the cycle of Qi’s movement—make one era. Thirty years contain one thousand four hundred and forty Qi periods, while sixty years make one complete cycle. If the movement falls short or exceeds its proper measure, the Five Phases are not complete. To be complete means that the Qi of Gong and Zhi is harmonious and abundant. If Gong and Zhi are deficient, the phases are not complete. Gong and Zhi are two notes in ancient Chinese music; here they describe the condition of the Qi of the Five Phases.

When the Five Phases are balanced and properly ordered, Yin and Yang do not bring calamity through mutual conflict or harm. When Yang Qi follows the right course, people can live long and escape death. The changes of life turn in cycles: birth follows death, and new life follows death. Those who succeed in cultivation ascend as immortals and unite with the Dao, becoming perfected beings.

When the scripture’s exposition was complete, the assembled true immortals watched over the rite of salvation and transformation, then transmitted the teachings of the scripture to me. The joy and celebration of that moment are beyond words. After the ritual was largely complete, the divine beings of the various heavens returned to their places. In an instant, all around grew quiet, and no sound remained.

At that time, the people of Heaven encountered this scripture and its teachings and were universally delivered. Each was able to complete their allotted years without suffering harm along the way. People in all four directions turned toward and trusted in the Daoist teachings. Everyone practiced goodness, living through Wuwei (non-action) and having no business to pursue, with no contention or desire, no greed or grasping. They did not cling to arising or ceasing, to thought or attainment; they did not casually echo others’ words or speak in crooked tones and falsehoods. They were united in compassion, treating even those of other surnames as their own kin. The state was peaceful, the people prosperous, and all gladly enjoyed an age of peace.

When the teachings of the scripture first began to spread, they brought an entire country to the Dao. All who had first cultivated a heart of utmost sincerity, believed, and paid reverent homage could receive salvation.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said: What is mentioned in this scripture consists entirely of the inner names and hidden sounds of the Lords of Heaven, as well as the forbidden names of demon kings and the secret names of the myriad spirits. These are not words in ordinary use in the world. The perfected sages who have attained the Dao possess the complete Qi of the Five Phases and have limitless lifespans. They understand the mysteries and investigate what is subtle, and can fully grasp the scripture’s meaning. When this scripture is recited ten times, the heavens sing in response from afar, and the myriad emperors pay homage. Rivers and seas grow calm, mountains stand solemn, clouds withdraw, and the sun and moon halt their radiance. The Northern Dipper, the Jade Pivot, also ceases to turn. Demons are bound, and ghosts, monsters, and spirits vanish. The bodies of those who have died can rise again; the dead return to life, and white bones become people once more.

The Five Stars, essences of the Five Phases, respond and descend, taking visible form. Qi and destiny become complete, and life’s vitality is made enduring. Purple channels of Qi coil around the head; the sinews are red and the marrow frost-white. Even what has withered and decayed can be restored. When beginners recite this scripture ten times, the Five Emperors come to protect them, and the Three Realms—Heaven, Earth, and Water—bow together. Demonic spirits lose their powers, and ghosts, monsters, and evil beings are destroyed. Even those at the point of death, whose breath has stopped, can be rescued and brought back to life.

This is because those who cultivate the Dao understand how to use the Five Qi. They can make up what is lacking and harmonize what is excessive, reconnect severed vitality and prolong life, carry transformation to its utmost and bring forth the source. They understand the mechanism by which life begins and grasp the foundation of attaining the Dao. If a practitioner has some of the necessary conditions but has not yet fulfilled them, if turbid Qi has not been cleared and body and mind have not yet fully opened to the true Dao, then the power to summon and subdue the forces of the ten directions is still incomplete, and the commands of the celestial realm remain beyond their control. Their De can subdue only the earth spirits and bind demonic beings. They can escape death, but cannot yet bring the dead back to life.

To recite this chapter carelessly will bring calamity upon the body. But those who make offerings to and honor this scripture will see their household prosper and flourish through generations. They will form ties with goodness, remain untouched by the myriad calamities, and have their gates guarded by divine beings. This scripture is exalted and subtle, without equal in the Jade Capital, the celestial city. It delivers countless beings and is the foundation of the myriad paths. Its vast teachings and beneficence are beyond words.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said: Whenever this scripture is recited ten times, all the heavens descend together. The departed souls of ancestors from millions of generations, along with the dead who suffer, are at once delivered and raised to the Vermilion Palace, a celestial palace. There they undergo nine years of instruction, then are reborn as people of honor, with the Qi of the Five Phases complete. The numerical pattern of their transformation ultimately returns to nine: nine transforms into one, and one transforms again into nine. There is neither excess nor deficiency; great and small are balanced equally. In this way, Metal and Wood move in harmony, Water and Fire unite, and Earth occupies the center. The Qi of the Five Phases then circulates within, and the Four Images—the four basic forms arising from Yin-Yang—are thereby stabilized.

With the aid of this wondrous and profound scripture, departed souls and the dead can undergo refinement and receive renewed vitality. After nine years, they can ascend to perfection, receive instruction, and be born anew. Those who delight in studying the scriptures, whose merit is complete and whose De is perfected, can all become immortals, ascend to the Golden Palace in the celestial realm, and feast in the Jade Capital. Those who study the higher teachings…

All who practice or recite this scripture can be delivered from suffering and ascend to the Southern Palace. The Southern Palace is a heavenly realm corresponding to the Six Qi and Five Cycles. When the Six Qi and Five Cycles each settle into their proper place, they are brought into balance, and the Qi of the Five Phases is complete. Through cultivation, practitioners may thus gain the chance to ascend to the Southern Palace, the Palace of Vermilion Mound, and allow the true Qi to enter their bodies, thereby attaining immortality. Those in the world who recite and receive this scripture can also extend their years and lengthen their lives. When their cultivation is complete, they will lack neither blessings nor longevity; when their merit and practice are sufficient, their lifespan will be boundless.

If all living beings can fully follow this Way, they can attain a long life. When their allotted years come to an end, they can still attain the Way through the method of corpse liberation: their hun and Shen temporarily leave the body, bypassing hell, and then they can restore their form and roam through the vast emptiness.

This scripture is subtle and immense. It can save all beings, bringing blessings to numberless humans and celestial beings; the living and the dead alike can receive its grace. It is a scripture treasured by Heaven and must not be passed on to the unworthy. Only a person of the Way may transmit it after expressing sincerity with gold and precious stones and swearing an oath to Heaven. If it is disclosed carelessly or its teachings are treated with disrespect, calamity will befall nine generations of ancestors, condemning them to serve for a long time in the offices of the ghosts. The Five Emperors’ jade youths and maidens who attend this scripture number twenty-four each. They guard the text and protect those who receive it.

The Daoist scripture says: If one fasts and recites this scripture in the first month, the Nine Qi will arise, freeing the souls of the dead from earlier generations from service in hell and raising them to the Southern Palace. If one fasts and recites it in the fourth month, the Three Qi will nurture all things, enabling one’s family and kin to extend their years and lengthen their lives. If one fasts and recites it in the seventh month, the Seven Qi will gather in all things, causing the many treasures to coalesce and ripen so they can aid the people. Practitioners themselves can also attain the Way and become immortals; their names will be entered in the celestial Yellow Registers and White Tablets, erased from the registers of the dead, and granted new life. If one fasts and recites it in the tenth month, the Five Qi will settle and keep watch, bringing blessings to the ruler, prolonging the fortunes of the state, and preserving peace for a long time.

Reciting the scripture on an auspicious day in each of the four seasons allows the One Qi to harmonize and become balanced. This can forever eliminate Qi that overcomes and harms, wipe out epidemics, bring peace to the people, and ensure well-being throughout the region. Reciting it on the days when the Perfected Ones of the Nine Palaces gather and disperse can bring clarity to the Way of Heaven and peace to the Earth. When the mind and Shen unite with the Most Perfect, ascension becomes possible. At that time, the hun and Shen will be clear and upright, the myriad Qi will endure forever, suffering will cease, and the body will shine with light. Attendants from the Three Realms will guard and escort the practitioner; the Five Emperors will come to welcome them, and the myriad gods will pay homage together. The practitioner’s name will be entered in the celestial registers, and, once their merit is complete, they will ascend to the Upper Clarity Heaven.

The Wondrous Scripture of Supreme Rank for the Primordial Beginning’s Boundless Salvation says: On days when Zhaijiao purification rituals and scripture recitations are performed, one should first bathe with fragrant water, observe the fast, and purify oneself. Then enter the room, face east, and click the teeth thirty-two times, thereby communicating upward with the hearts of the thirty-two heavens. Next, bow thirty-two times. Close the eyes and meditate quietly, imagining yourself seated upright amid clouds of blue, yellow, and white Qi, with deep, shadowy clouds filling your body inside and out. Visualize the Qi of the Five Phases—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—arranged in sequence, with the numbers nine, three, one, seven, and five respectively, making twenty-five in all. Then visualize twenty-five true spirits attending you. The sun and moon shine, the five planets gleam, and a round radiance appears above your head, its light illuminating the ten directions. Once this vision is clear, silently recite the secret incantation:

“Supreme Lord of the Dao, Most High of the Mysterious Origin [a revered Daoist deity], summon from within my body the Three-Five Commandery Officers [divine officials who convey documents], the left and right attendant messengers, the jade youths who attend the incense, the jade maidens who transmit words, the Five Emperors’ talisman envoys [envoys of the emperors of the five directions], and the incense officials on duty today—thirty-six of each. Submit to the heavens the matter I report today. Today is an auspicious day. In this pure ritual hall, I observe the fast and cultivate the Way, reciting this scripture, the Scripture of Boundless Salvation. May the matter I report ascend to the heavens and be presented directly before the supreme throne of the Primordial Beginning, Sovereign of the thirty-two heavens.”

After reciting this, draw in the breath thirty-two times. Face east and recite the scripture.

The scripture continues:

The foundational chapters of the Primordial Beginning’s profound and mysterious Lingbao scripture embody the Dao of the Five Phases, enabling living beings to enter the realm of longevity. Through ten transformations, they deliver living beings from suffering. When the Six Qi join with the Five Cycles, one can ascend to the vast, boundless Great Void. Thus the foundations of Heaven and Earth are established, spirits emerge, creation expands and gives voice, and the Qi of the Three Mysteries descends and refines the myriad things, making what is formless and shapeless manifest.

The heavens in the eight directions spread forth their light; Yin recedes and Yang shines bright. Hardness and softness balance one another, and the August Way—the order aligned with the Dao of Heaven—begins to operate. The jade mechanism turns and flies, transforming Qi throughout the heavens. Vermilion light gleams like crystal, and upright Qi flows on without end. The Great Mysterious Emperor One opens the imperial chart of generation and transformation, while the August Sovereign of Pure Radiance bestows true talismans everywhere. Sacred talismanic texts appear: blue bamboo slips, green characters, and numinous books with phoenix-shaped clasps. The Seven Spirits shine forth. The Five Phases are complete, interwoven lengthwise and crosswise and revolving through the four quarters of the empty expanse. The mysterious vision is lofty and magnificent: it is the dwelling place of the myriad sages.

Among them are the Lord Who Examines the Registers of Vast Radiance; the Venerable One of Long Departure Who Responds to the Cosmic Cycle; the Perfected One of Beautiful Yin, Immortal and Refined; and the Elder of the Lush Single Realm, Transformer of Qi. There are also the spirits who dwell at Kunlun and Langfeng, who govern the creation of Heaven and Earth and command the myriad Dao; the revered deity who prolongs life; the deity who soars through the heavens and guards the peaks; and the deity of boundless salvation. Today they proclaim the teachings, and the spirits of all the heavens come before the hall.

In the eastern quarter, the Limitless King of the Gods Who Opens Life, the Great Sage of Long Life, delivers living beings without measure.

In the southern quarter, the Limitless King of the Gods Who Transforms and Nurtures, the Great Sage of Long Life, delivers living beings without measure.

The Divine King of Boundless Mystery and Transformation of the West, the Divine King of Boundless Virtue of the North, the Divine King of Boundless Hidden Wonder of the Northeast, the Divine King of Boundless Great Depths of the Southeast, the Divine King of Boundless Surging Qi of the Southwest, the Divine King of Boundless Union with the Dao of the Northwest, the Divine King of Boundless Broad Movement Above, and the Divine King of Boundless Stabilizing Power Below are all Great Sages of Long Life, capable of saving living beings without limit. The Divine Kings of Ultimate Truth who establish the Pole in the Ten Directions—the four cardinal directions, four intermediate directions, above, and below—and the countless Great Gods who grant long life and deliver the world all ride swift, emerald-green carriages and ornate chariots. They drive flying wheels beneath purple canopies, their vehicles drawn by dragons and tigers, with attendants following like wind and clouds. They carry ceremonial staffs glowing with cinnabar light and raise yellow flags bearing sacred phoenixes. To their left are arranged the precious instruments of the Nine Heavens; to their right are displayed the true writings and divine seals of the Eight Radiances, along with red talismans, to subdue demons and evil forces.

The Divine Generals of the Celestial Net march ahead, the Star Gods of the Seven Origins guide them from behind, and the gods of the Four Poles accompany them. They descend amid hymns of praise, as the celestial scriptures shine forth, summoning divine beings and welcoming immortals. Yudan and the other assistants support the high perfected ones of the Great Cavern. Qinghua, the senior assistant, and Master Wanshi take charge of the charts and registers. Together they arrive at the Imperial Hall, where, as the cycles of tribulation begin, they carefully verify and arrange all affairs.

They govern the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) and maintain the workings of the pivot, keeping the movement of Qi from falling into disorder. When one great tribulation gives way to another, the gods gather at the source of the River and urgently summon the Bird Mother to ride the flood dragon. Countless beings of Tuoqiu keep watch below over Kunlun, channeling water to fill the Eastern Well and clear the waterways. Floodwaters surge, the winds and waves spread far and deep, and the nine layers of water are fraught with danger, nearly drowning the cycle of one hundred and six—the measure of calamities within the tribulation cycle. When Yin reaches its utmost, it turns into Yang. Gold and jade melt away; Heaven and Earth grow dim. The constant patterns of the Five Phases begin their cycles anew, as the forces of water and fire shift and transform.

After the tribulation cycle of Yanchang has passed, filth is swept away and the treacherous and corrupt are punished. High immortals descend to rescue living beings, enabling them to dwell for ages in the Great Void, the Daoist realm of emptiness, and to wander in delight in the High Mystery, the lofty and wondrous celestial realm. Red light opens the charts and registers, and the three celestial bodies—the sun, moon, and stars—shine forth once more. Moved by compassion for living beings, I therefore bestow a jade edict and command the Five Elders to stabilize and guard the world, so that all things may endure.

The boundless multitude of beings is governed by the Three Officials (of Heaven, Earth, and Water). The righteous Qi of the Five Sacred Peaks rises to become the gods of the five directions. The Qi of Primordial Harmony becomes abundant, and through it forms take shape and life begins. Once living beings receive the wondrous teachings of the true Dao, they can all attain long life, forever severing and overcoming the fated cycles of mutual opposition and harm. From then on, they roam freely in the Vermilion Palace and ascend to the Great Cinnabar Heaven.

The Great Cinnabar Heaven is the celestial realm where the Heavenly Emperor dwells. It is a state in which all things are harmoniously arrayed and intermingle without obstruction, and it manifests the pure and sacred order of spiritual practice.

Taiyu Yuwei Heaven is presided over by Emperor Yunci Shiming; Zhuying Shunhua Heaven by Emperor Fuhui Yuanxiao; Huiyou Taihe Heaven by Emperor E’du Choulan; Zhizheng Kuochang Heaven by Emperor Baixian Dusheng; Liaojisan Shen Heaven by Emperor Zhaofu Mengchu; Bianjing Yaohua Heaven by Emperor Qiu Shi Yanqiang; Leyuan Jinghuang Heaven by Emperor Chaodu Youming; and Haohui Qingming Heaven by Emperor Zongjian Hanshi.

These are the eight heavens of the South. In Daoism, “heavens” refer to celestial realms at different levels, and “Emperor” refers to the presiding deity of each heaven. This passage mainly lists the names of the celestial realms and their principal deities.

Dongjue Hedi Heaven is presided over by Emperor Xuchen Miaoyi; Yuyuan Chengzhi Heaven by Emperor Jing Baisun; Fanguang Jingzhen Heaven by Emperor Taichu Zhiqian; Zhaoli Jiyan Heaven by Emperor Lu Shen Guan Hun; Jiudi Bianzong Heaven by Emperor Yinjun Mitong; T丹 Chongji Heaven by Emperor Guizu Deng; Yiyong Bianshen Heaven by Emperor Yueling Zhuanqi; and Cangqi Huaxian Heaven by Emperor Lingzhen Jian.

These are the eight heavens of the West.

Dawei Xianguang Heaven is presided over by Emperor Suming Yaoluo; Zichen Dayuan Heaven by Emperor Zidou Yaomen; Yeguang Hanye Heaven by Emperor Zhuhua Zhengji; Gandong Ningjin Heaven by Emperor Qiongchi Xiangyan; Lizhe Zhengsu Heaven by Emperor Guihua Qidu; Yulan Lichu Heaven by Emperor Haoqi Yanshan; Chongren Zhenyou Heaven by Emperor Hun Du Ling; and Zhaotai Huazhen Heaven by Emperor Dangyuan Bokang.

These are the eight heavens of the North. Next are Taishang Zhenhua Heaven, presided over by Emperor Jiangqi Yuhua; Za[missing character] Yuanyang Heaven, presided over by Emperor Zhongming Xian; and Zhenyi Sihe Heaven, presided over by Emperor Lianshen Chaoyun. One character is missing from “Za[missing character],” so the complete name of that heaven cannot be determined.

The Heavens of Zhiquan Yuechong, Yanhe Najia, Yuanguang Yuanjing, Qiongsheng Zixiao, and Dongbo Hunming are five of the thirty-two layers of Heaven, each governed by its own Heavenly Emperor. The thirty-two Heavens and their thirty-two Heavenly Emperors each have a secret name. These names, together with the natural numinous writings of the celestial realms, are deeply hidden from view.

The secret tones of the various Heavens are the sounds of the celestial realms, where dwell honored deities, the assembled gods, demon kings, and numinous officers. The eight directions shift and turn, and the four sides intertwine, in accord with the laws of the mysterious workings of Great Clarity. Though the movements and transformations of Heaven and Earth follow their own patterns, they flow without cease, generating the Three Blossoms and nourishing all living beings.

The sun and moon rise and travel, nurturing and transforming the Five Phases. The guiding order of Heaven and Earth is upheld, allowing the myriad things to come into being. Original Qi is abundant, and life is prolonged without decline. Seven and nine converge; the great and the small act upon one another as the vast celestial wheel turns and transforms. The warp and weft of Heaven and Earth are deep and far-reaching; the seasons cycle and move in a soaring current.

Heaven opens and Earth unfolds. The Brahma Qi—the primordial Qi spoken of in Daoism—flows in abundance. The Five Spirits shine, and the myriad things begin to take shape. The Qi of Li and Kan, corresponding to Fire and Water and symbolizing Yin-Yang, unite to form the Real, bringing all things into accord with the patterns of growth and transformation.

The Elixir Spirit stands high, and the Azure Palace is clear and bright. Today we celebrate the establishment of the Three Luminaries—the celestial lights of the sun, moon, and stars. Their radiance rises, stabilizing the pivot of Earth and turning the framework of Heaven. Thus one ascends beyond to the Jade Palace and takes one’s place among the offices of Taiwei, the celestial palaces and star divisions. The Great Demon keeps watch, discerning and revealing the fundamental principles that set Heaven and Earth in motion.

Jupiter guards the liver; Venus examines the lungs; Mars rectifies the heart and Shen; the Star of the Year assists the kidneys; and Saturn steadies the spleen. The stars bestow celestial authority and issue commands: the Primordial Elder causes the myriad things to sprout; the August Elder protects life; the True Elder sends down original Qi; the Mysterious Elder opens the innate nature; and the Origin Elder governs all realms, bringing the Nine Qi to their proper places.

The Immortal Kings each have their duties: the Three-Qi Immortal King oversees the registers and talismans—the lists of immortals and deities across the Three Realms, together with their Fulu; the Seven-Qi Immortal King governs nurture and growth; and the Five-Qi Immortal King commands punishment and clears away evil and impurity.

The Immortal King Who Purifies the One Qi guards the celestial court and ranks among the Supreme Perfected of the Five Directions. He transforms and nurtures the many heavens, receives the reverence of beings, flies to the farthest reaches of the eight directions, and holds overall command of the divine hosts. He assists the root of the Great Dao (the Way), governs the four seas, cuts off the sources of evil, and sweeps away the qi (vital energy) of demons and deviance. His awesome light descends everywhere, reaching the ten directions. Thunder and lightning arise together, and wind and fire are put into effect, so that the myriad things are at peace, the transforming work of the Dao flourishes, and the world is tranquil and secure. Turbidity subsides, the true Dao is made firm, and all living beings are able to attain long life.

The grand methods of the Dao are widely proclaimed. The mandate of Heaven is announced to the four quarters; the spirits of the five directions celebrate together; and the stars display their light. The fierce qi of killing and punishment disperses. The yin stars of the Northern Dipper (stellar deities associated with the underworld and the affairs of the hidden darkness) record names. The divinities summon and take charge of the Six Heavens (the six directional heavens, or related divine domains, spoken of in Daoism), examine the duties of the gods within the cloud encampments, and subdue every kind of evil spirit. Upright qi joins with the true immortals. The fiery Jing (essence) rouses its majestic power, and radiance shines far and deep. Holding authority, they set living beings at ease and prolong the span of life.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning issues a talismanic mandate, warning the celestial officials that they must neither conceal nor obstruct. The gates of the dark underworld are thereby opened, and beings of every kind who have sunk into obscurity are able to advance upward without hindrance. The senior assistants of the Three Origins (divine offices that assist the Celestial Officials of the Three Origins) present memorials to the celestial court in succession.

The power that opens heaven and earth and governs the reckoning of times shines forth like dragon light, and the firm wind moves abroad. The yellow silk (the yellow silk used in Daoism for writing talismanic mandates and scriptures) proclaims the true Dao. The Great Harmony of the Mysterious Void is vast and profound: above is the Primordial Dipper, and below stand the numinous palaces. Spirits take flight and transform, nurturing the myriad things, and Brahma Qi (the primordial qi that constitutes heaven, earth, and all things) condenses into script. The deep cavern springs have no limit; the celestial pylons are remote and hard to fathom. Heaven and earth revolve, and the myriad kinds come into being with them.

When heaven and earth were first formed, they passed through millions upon millions of kalpa-cycles, and chaos was vast and without form. Crimson light opened the way to brightness; the qi of the mixed cavern surged and blended in harmony. The realm of Great Clarity is distant and deep, dark and inexhaustible. Numinous Treasure manifests the patterns of heaven and is the root of the myriad transformations. The Nine Ways of Grand Tenuity and the venerable August Pivot grow ever more illustrious. The qi of the Upper Origin is established in expansive fullness. The Jade Chapters of the Great Cavern (important scriptural passages of Daoism) and the precious stanzas of the crimson writings of the Thirty-Nine Sovereigns spread far and wide. They install the hundred spirits, eternally guard the ten directions, and keep the Great Void ever at peace. The norms of the orthodox Dao are proclaimed from this.

Yilin presides over examination and verification, and the myriad phenomena unfold their light. The Celestial Net is set in order, and divine stations are ranged in sequence among the exalted Perfected. The higher spirits among the true immortals serve as assisting ministers of the Golden Portal. They brandish auroral light, circulate qi in the Purple Chamber, and pour forth wondrous tones above the Grand Empyrean. Jingyan Hefan (a divine name or official title) sings clearly the songs amid the clouds; the cloud encampments are settled and given form, and the winds of the fiery quarter rise in response. The Circular Net surveys and illuminates and, under command, summons the Jade Chen (celestial divine perfected beings, or the realm in which they dwell). The Jade Chen sends down primordial qi; the myriad things are spontaneously transformed and born, revealing the subtlety of the Great Dao. The Imperial Worthy of the Whirling Wind (a divine name) unites and condenses with the Masculine One, the Primordial Father, and the Feminine One, the Primordial Lady, and through transformation gives birth to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water).

The Five Phases proceed in order, and the Six Qi (transformative powers of qi such as Yin-Yang, wind and rain, darkness and light) arise in alternation. Pure Jing joins with golden florescence, and the qi of myriad harmonies brings immortal spirits into being. Divine might illuminates through and through, and brightness reaches throughout the Nine Heavens. True light descends everywhere and opens the gates and barriers of the hidden darkness. The bureaus of Great Yin (the divine offices of the underworld) and the Cavern Abyss of the Yellow Portal uphold the awesome commands of the Dao and issue edicts to the Nine Offices. The Nine Offices in turn present memorials to the heavens of the celestial court, examine guilt and blessing together with the causal conditions of destined fate, and ensure that judgment is without error. Precepts and teaching-commands are clearly proclaimed. Living beings everywhere receive opening, instruction, and deliverance, and all are able to rise to a higher station.

Those who ascend into Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate), the realm that is the source of the cosmos, have their names recorded in Yujing, the celestial capital of Daoist legend. Above Yujing are the Gates of Life, from which resound the hollow tones of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), mysterious sounds corresponding to the Five Phases. The verses of the Demon King Lingzhang bring together the intent of the High Perfected, an honorific for exalted Daoist immortals.

First: The Flying Immortals’ Praise of the Sounds of the Complete Five Phases

The Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning opened heaven and earth. From this, Yin-Yang gave birth to the two fundamental powers. The sun, moon, and five planets—the Seven Luminaries—shone forth, while harmonious Qi spread spiritual vitality and kept all things from harm.

The Five Sacred Peaks were settled, ensuring that the earth would endure and heaven and earth remain forever. Those who awaken to the supreme Dao embody the Great Dao and unite with primordial Qi. Water and fire rise and descend, their radiance illuminating Huajing, the palaces of heaven. Moving between above and below, they set the Qi of embryonic breathing in motion and bring the hundred spirits together in harmony. By means of the circling wind, they return to their source and are reborn, flying to the Jade Palace in the immortal realm, where they sit at ease and behold the worlds of the ten directions.

They gather the paired blossoms, the essences of Yin and Yang, and pour them into the Yellow Chamber, the place within the body where Qi and essence are cultivated and refined, nurturing them until the Qi of the Five Phases is complete. In this way, they keep the celestial realm from collapsing, command the myriad demons, and bring clarity to the Great Dao.

Second: The Perfected Ones’ Hymn on Bringing All Beings into the Realm of Longevity

The Dragon Han age, an ancient era of cosmic tribulation in Daoist legend, lies in the distant past. Through the Three Blossoms, stages within the cycles of tribulation, all beings circle through the world and are born again among humankind. They receive their endowment from Yuluo, the Qi of heaven, yet are led astray by boundless greed and sink into desire.

Lost amid immense calamities, how can they escape the cycle of rebirth? The great demon seizes your body, and your wandering soul follows the Qi away. Having turned from the right path, what can you rely on after rebirth? Sinking into the Three Paths, the realms of suffering within the cycle of rebirth, you can only bring grief to the celestial immortals.

Do you not know the purpose of creation? When will the lives of beings ever reach their end? The ten sections of the Dongxuan scriptures are the foundation for cultivating the Dao and attaining perfection. Once you understand the Way of Long Life, the inner palace where the spirits dwell opens wide. Directing your body into the Great Void, you unite body and spirit and ascend together into immortality.

Third: The High Perfected’s Song on Transcending the Five Phases and Attaining the Great Dao

Lofty Yucha Mountain is the sacred peak where Yuchen, a revered Daoist deity, was born. Entrusting himself to its numinous Qi, he was born from the womb of a woman of the Hong clan. He dwelt in seclusion and cultivated the Dao through countless eons. In time, he encountered the August Void, another revered Daoist deity, and heard him expound the Lingbao teaching.

He guards the celestial realm so that it will never collapse. Seated serenely within the Golden Palace in the immortal realm, he saves beings beyond measure.

The deities descend to the Dipper’s pivot, the celestial region of the Northern Dipper, and hold in their hands the hinge on which Heaven and Earth turn. The ordered warp and weft between Heaven and Earth surrounds and protects them. Su Ling bears a red banner, while the Azure Sovereign raises a golden axe; freely and at ease, they pass beyond the crimson radiance.

Once the Jade Script was revealed, all beings came to life through it, and the Five Phases were made complete. When the cycles of Qi reach their utmost, they return to nonbeing. Who can say when life begins or ends? Why do those who study the true Dao not hasten to follow the sun and moon and cultivate the Great Dao? Reciting the Book of Flying Heaven once can lift one beyond the great calamities and let one roam and feast in the realm of No-Thing-There, where the myriad heavenly realms rejoice.

These are songs sung by perfected immortals who fly through the heavens above the Three Realms. Every line accords with the sacred celestial scriptures known as the Cavern Chapters. Recite them a hundred times, and one will be recorded for deliverance to the Southern Palace; recite them a thousand times, and the Demon King will escort and welcome one. When one’s cultivation is complete after ten thousand recitations, one can ascend through the open sky, pass beyond the Three Realms, and take one’s place among the Immortal Lords. The Demon Kings who hear this wondrous divine music respectfully obey its commands, restrain the earthly spirits, and send attendants to escort and welcome the practitioner, freeing them from the underworld. The Five Sufferings and Eight Calamities are dispelled, and ancestors of seven generations may also ascend. They leave the jurisdiction of the ghost officials forever, and their souls are conveyed to Zhu Ling, the celestial place where the dead are refined. There they undergo refinement and receive life anew. This is called universal deliverance without measure or end.

This scripture is a document kept secret in Heaven and revered by all the heavens. Whoever reveals it or treats it lightly will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon seven generations of ancestors.

The Dao says: The two chapters above are celestial music secretly preserved by the sovereigns of the heavens and the most numinous Demon Kings. They are scriptures that harmonize and regulate the Five Phases, preventing them from overcoming one another and ensuring their cycles are complete and their Qi abundant. They can summon the breath of peace, nourish the lives of all beings, restore what has been severed, and sustain life without end.

Blessings arrive one after another, and life grows long. The scattered breaths of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning gathered into the Cavern Chapters. The Great Brahma words within them are not ordinary speech from the human world: they have neither the rhythms of worldly language nor its ornate, graceful melodies. For this reason, they are called profound and difficult to fathom. They are precious treasures kept by Heaven and hidden in the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity. According to the ordinances of Heaven, they are transmitted only once every forty thousand kalpas. If someone who has attained the Dao brings gold and precious offerings, approaches with a sincere heart, follows the established rites, and swears an oath to Heaven for ten days, only then may the scripture be bestowed upon them.

The Dao says: The workings of Heaven and Earth pass through cycles of flourishing and decline, while the sun, moon, and five planets wax and wane. The most perfected holy beings can pass through periods of decline unharmed; those whose cultivation is not yet deep are easily injured. Such calamities arise because the Five Phases have not been fully harmonized. Anyone who encounters such misfortune should join with others in cultivating the fast, burn incense during the six periods of the day, and repeatedly recite the scripture ten times. Blessings and De will then descend, and every kind of ill omen will disperse. This immeasurable scripture delivers all beings throughout the world, without end.

The Dao says: Some people enter the Dao late, have made little progress in cultivation, or have not yet brought their accumulated cultivation of the immortal ranks to completion when their allotted lifespan comes to an end. They find themselves in Great Yin, the shadowy realm through which the souls and spirits of the dead pass. The Qi of the Five Phases is not yet complete, and the vital essences of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water are still insufficient. Their souls and spirits therefore depart from the body at death. When their lives end, fellow cultivators who have attained the Dao may burn incense and recite the scripture ten times, following the prescribed rites to deliver their bodies. In this way, the Qi of the Five Phases can be harmonized, and the vital essence of their souls and spirits restored to completeness. When the time allotted to them is right, they may return to their bodies, while their souls and spirits ascend directly to the Southern Palace, a celestial residence in Daoist teaching. The time is then determined according to the merit they earned through study and cultivation during life, allowing them to be reborn, escape confusion, and ultimately attain immortality.

The Dao says: As the cycles of Heaven and Earth approach their end, the stars fall out of their courses, the Sun and Moon depart from their regular paths, the seasons lose their order, and Yin-Yang falls out of balance. Disasters and epidemics arise within the realm; the force of war assails the stars, disease spreads, and the people die or are injured. Fellow cultivators and teachers may also reach the end of their lives and pass away. All this is caused by the Five Cycles of Heaven and Earth—the movements of the Qi of the Five Phases, great and small—falling out of their proper order. When such calamities occur, one should also observe a purification retreat, burn incense, and recite the scripture. The merit of purification and recitation is immense: above, it can dispel disasters in Heaven and protect the ruler; below, it can neutralize poisons and save the people. Both the living and the dead can receive its blessings. This merit is beyond counting, and is therefore called “boundless”: it saves all, both heavenly beings and people in the world.

The Dao says: Anyone who recites this scripture and widely performs such meritorious acts for Heaven and Earth, the ruler, and the people may, on the day disaster strikes, resolve to observe a purification retreat, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times. The heavens will then record their name, and the gods will protect them. By cultivating in this way, they may hope to become people who have attained the Dao, serving the sage ruler in the Golden Palace, the celestial court. The heavens record people’s merits and faults without overlooking even the smallest detail; the demon kings of the celestial realm, too, will recommend and protect you. Only those who have attained the Dao can truly understand these profound words.

The hidden true words of Great Brahma among the heavens are sounds without measure, composed by the Lord of the Dao.

Numinous Writ of the Primordial Beginning, Part Two

The Eight Heavens of the East

The mysterious, secret pearl cavern; the deep, hidden ford among the rosy clouds.

The mechanism sets Water and Fire in motion; the dragon rises amid wondrous Brahma-sounds.

The divine and the true merge as one; the glorious robes of Wuying.

White Origin’s brocade curtains; the Emperor One within the tiger.

The pure radiance turns back to yellow; scattered chambers become clouds.

Male and female Qi overflow; the Five Dewdrops shimmer in profusion.

Ritual radiance interweaves and shines; the Emperor Lord of the Central Pool.

In vermilion robes and an emerald crown, purple clouds gather on all four sides.

The Eight Heavens of the South

Life is secured and longevity made firm; the Five Elders ride Kunlun, their flying radiance gradually reaching the sea.

The Golden Elixir (a Daoist divine medicine or the essence of cultivation) surges and flows, layered with shadowy depths, silent and soundless, reaching directly to Great Chen in the depths of heaven. All things suddenly transform, and the numinous root renews itself naturally. Carefully guard the taboos of the celestial realm and understand the profound principles within. Yù □ rises to the Upper Capital; jade cliffs stand dark and imposing. Treading on white clouds, one moves through the void. The Phoenix Gate and jeweled wheel appear, while mysterious wisdom settles the spirit. Life and death turn like dust.

The Eight Heavens of the West

Hold fast to what cannot be known yet can be experienced. The Highest Dao is profound and unfathomable; leave behind rigid attachments and cease vain imaginings. The Divine Empyrean has a gate: wait there with composure until the mind is empty and clear. Emptiness and clarity are the foundation of life. With the spirit’s intent, set the furnace of intention in motion; the Three Ones (a Daoist cultivation term concerning Jing, Qi, and Shen, or their unification) remain ever bright. The jeweled books and precious chapters, the Great Brahma’s wheel of nets: settle into stillness and preserve tranquility, revealing nothing outwardly, and naturally you will become perfected. The true demonic commanders receive their orders and hurry forth to drive away baleful influences. Every operation must follow the proper rites and regulations, so that living beings may be safeguarded.

The Eight Heavens of the North

Life is made abundant, blessings are bestowed by Heaven, and the people are welcomed and protected. The Nine Shao ritual tassels must not be sought indiscriminately. Take in pure, harmonious Qi and roam among the scenes, floating across the Luo Terrace. Nourish the sprouting of all things; as the sun and moon alternate in their courses, the body transforms and becomes a dragon spirit. In the East Hui and South Yan, quiet the mind and examine □ judgments. In vast, boundless confusion, at Na Han’s Upper Capital, memorials are presented and records submitted, and all beings are guided across. The Primordial Sovereign widely bestows grace, supporting the Way of loyalty and trust.

The scripture says: In these heavens there is a secret and immeasurable sound of the Great Brahma. In ancient times, the Five Elder Emperors carved these characters upon the Jade Tower of the Five Stars, then sent them down according to the proper measure. Their contained Qi is full and complete, and can lengthen the lives of living beings. The characters are broad and elongated, each standing one zhang high. The Celestial Perfected Sovereign (a sacred figure in Daoist legend) once wrote them down as the orthodox sounds.

Those who understand these sounds and recite them after purification and fasting will have the heavens send Flying Celestial Spirit Kings down to inspect their conduct and report their merit. The gods of the heavens will come to pay homage, while earth spirits keep watch beside the gate. Even the demon kings of great merit will recommend them, enabling them to become exalted perfected beings. When their Dao practice is complete, they can roam through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

These sounds can repel, avert calamity, deliver beings from suffering, and bring things to completion; they are sounds of the natural order of the Celestial Perfected. Thus, reciting them can summon Flying Celestial Spirit Kings to descend and inspect, while the Supreme Emperor sings in response from afar. The myriad gods come to pay homage, and the spirits of the Three Realms stand beside the carriage. All evil beings bow their heads, and ghosts and apparitions vanish on their own. Their sounds, clear as jade chimes, resound in the ten directions, bringing stillness and clarity to all quarters. Rivers and seas grow calm, mountains seem to draw in their mists, and the myriad spirits are stirred to life.

We respectfully summon and gather the assembled immortals. At this time, no turbid or impure energy clouds the heavens, no strange demonic dust lies upon the earth, and even the underworld is filled with lucid wisdom. Vast and boundless… (The final phrase is missing characters; the original reads “□□,” so its meaning cannot be known with certainty.)