《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 42

Praying for Children and the Continuation of a Family’s Blessings

The Dao says: Long ago, in the Purple Cloud Grotto within the Broadly Generative Heaven of the Great Beginning—one of the heavenly realms in Daoism—there was a place called the Land of Great Fortune and Joy. There, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning preached the Wondrous Scripture on Deliverance through Prayers for Offspring, and on Extending the Good Fortune and Honor of One’s Family.

As the Celestial Worthy was about to preach, he made ritual obeisance in all directions ten times to summon the divine spirits of the ten directions. Then he ascended the teaching seat. Countless revered beings arrived through the air, among them the Great Gods of Heavenly Truth, the High Sages and Venerable Worthies, and the Perfected Ones of Wondrous Practice. Fragrant mists swirled around them, while phoenixes flew beside their jeweled canopies. Red light blazed ahead to guide the way; jade carriages rolled like thunder, adorned in splendor, as multicolored immortal clouds and countless radiant hues illuminated the vast sky.

For seven days and seven nights, the heavens, seas, and mountains shone in mutual reflection. Rosy clouds rose, and the sun, moon, and stars shone with extraordinary brilliance, illuminating every direction together. Divine winds blew from afar; jade cliffs glittered with dew. The sky stretched high and deep blue, while red clouds drifted and flowed. Throughout the land, the soil, mountains, rivers, and trees were clear and bright, with distant and nearby features laid out distinctly. Looking upward, even the tiniest things appeared in layer upon layer, and all the sights of the world seemed ordered as one. The earth turned a soft, lustrous jade color, deep blue-green in hue.

The Perfected Ones stood in attendance beside the teaching seat. Seated upright in the air upon the jeweled Terrace of the Rui Pearl, a platform in the immortal realm, the Celestial Worthy preached the scripture once. The great sages of the heavens praised him together: “Excellent!”

At that moment, men and women throughout the land awakened to understanding and developed roots of goodness. When the Celestial Worthy preached the scripture a second time, they were able to settle their minds and contemplate their original nature, no longer falling into realms of suffering. At the third recitation, everyone understood that the Supreme Dao is the root from which all things are born and nurtured. At the fourth, people were fortunate to be born in an age of sage rule and to become worthy and capable. At the fifth, they came to cherish filial devotion and compassion, and to care well for the elderly. At the sixth, Yin-Yang Qi joined and responded, conceiving a spiritual embryo. At the seventh, people received the highest teachings, and their descendants could continue without end. At the eighth, even when born as humans, they were no longer bound by craving and desire, nor did lustful thoughts arise in them. At the ninth, they understood subtle and mysterious principles, grasped the wonder of the union of female and male and the blending of Yin and Yang, and could penetrate the profound truths. At the tenth, all sentient beings could ensure the lasting continuation of their descendants, spread blessings and good fortune throughout the world, and extend their beneficence to the underworld.

At that moment, men and women throughout the land turned to the Dao with wholehearted sincerity. All received protection and deliverance, and attained long life.

The Dao says: At the first recitation, the Great God of the Mysterious Dew of Cloud Sprouts of Primordial Birth, from the Boundless and Immeasurable Rank of the East, and countless other gods, arrived through the air. At the second recitation, the Great God of the Precious Flower of Cloud Sprouts of Luminous Nature, from the Boundless and Immeasurable Rank of the South, and countless other gods, arrived through the air. At the third recitation, from the Boundless and Immeasurable Rank of the West…

The Great Plain Cloud Sprout Transforming Deity led countless divine beings through the air and expounded the scripture four times. Next, the Deity of Spirit Water Cloud Sprout Who Settles the Embryo, from the boundless and measureless grade of the north, led countless divine beings through the air and expounded the scripture five times. The Deity of Received Awareness Cloud Sprout Who Illuminates Wisdom, from the boundless and measureless grade of the northeast, led divine beings through the air and expounded the scripture six times. The Deity of Interwoven Threads Cloud Sprout Who Directs Function, from the boundless and measureless grade of the southeast, led divine beings through the air and expounded the scripture seven times. The Deity of Worthy Substance Cloud Sprout Who Presides over Blessings, from the boundless and measureless grade of the southwest, led divine beings through the air and expounded the scripture eight times. The Deity of Yang’s Movement Cloud Sprout Who Nurtures and Strengthens, from the boundless and measureless grade of the northwest, led divine beings through the air and expounded the scripture nine times. The Deity of Jade Lotus Cloud Sprout of the Nine Palaces, from the boundless and measureless grade above, led divine beings through the air and expounded the scripture ten times. The Deity of Numinous Treasury Cloud Sprout Who Restores Life, from the boundless and measureless grade below, led divine beings through the air and also expounded the scripture ten times.

The perfected beings and deities of mysterious transformation from the boundless heavens in all ten directions—the east, west, south, north, four diagonal directions, above, and below—ultimately arrived together. The men and women of the whole country sincerely turned toward and revered the Great Dao, and came to understand the source of the Dao. They passed their lineage on to their descendants, continued the foundations of life’s generation and nurture, and inherited their ancestral tradition from one generation to the next, so that blessings and joy would endure in their household. Those born afterward multiplied like fine rain and dense mist, beyond counting.

The gods gathered in one country in such numbers that they filled the land; the very earth seemed unable to bear their weight and sank beneath them, with no way to stop it. Yuanshi, the Primordial Origin—a revered Daoist deity often regarded as the beginning of creation—was moved by great compassion and wished for the countless beings to understand the roots of creation and the profundity of the Supreme Dao. Thus, the scripture expresses the most mysterious and hidden principles through the union of two divine beings, the Feminine One and the Masculine One, from which a hexagram is formed. Yin and Yang intermingle; the hundred gods come and go; vapor swirls and wind spreads. From this, the True One comes into being. The human body contains this most secret Dao.

Even flying immortals and perfected beings, before they attained the Dao, were once cast down from the Cloud Pearl and joined in resonance with the Golden Liquor, thereby giving rise to a numinous embryo. Their spirit and vital energy became full and complete, and their true body manifested within. This unshakable essence opened up and revealed the principle of praying for descendants, extending blessings and joy, and bringing prosperity to the family.

Cultivating and practicing the scriptures gives rise to thoughts in the human heart and plants the roots of goodness; at the beginning, all of this originates in primordial Qi. The subtle essence of primordial Qi is as fine as a single thread. Thus, in the deep stillness of emptiness, a precious pearl appeared, the size of a grain of millet, suspended ten zhang above the ground.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning led the true gods of Heaven, the highest sages and venerable beings, the perfected ones of wondrous practice, the supremely perfect beings from the limitless realms in the ten directions, the true sons who transform and give birth like cloud buds, and countless other great beings and living creatures into the pearl. The people of Heaven looked up and saw them entering one after another through its opening. Once inside, no one knew where they were. The land then became level and open, and the ground was restored to an even plane, no longer tilted or collapsing.

Within the pearl, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning manifested as an infant in a lotus womb. After he finished expounding the scripture, the assembled perfected beings oversaw the work of salvation and transformation, then transmitted the scripture and its teachings to me. The joy and celebration of that moment are beyond words. When the ritual was mostly complete, the gods of the heavens each returned to their proper place. In an instant, all around fell silent, without a sound.

At that time, the people of Heaven were fortunate to encounter this scripture and its teachings. Their lineage could flourish and endure, blessings and good fortune would follow, and they could preserve their allotted years without meeting sudden disaster. All within the nation turned toward reverence and devotion. Everyone practiced goodness, generosity, harmony, humility, instruction, compassion, forgiveness, frugality, benevolence, peace, and righteousness. Speech was not loud or contentious; there was no flattery or clever pleading. All shared compassion for one another, and even people of different surnames were as close as family. The nation was at peace, its people prosperous, and all rejoiced together in an age of peace. Once the scripture and its teachings began to spread, anyone in a nation who took the Dao as their guide and sincerely revered and honored it could be delivered.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said: What this scripture describes consists entirely of the hidden inner names of the heavenly emperors and gods, and of the secret resonant sounds used when spirits are generated and infants are nurtured. They are also the inner taboos of divine perfected beings and demonic spirits; they can blend and transform, change embryonic breathing, and ensure the continuation of descendants and the lasting flow of blessings. They are likewise the secret names of the myriad spirits, not words commonly used in the human world. Through them, the scripture expounds the Great Dao, reveals the source of the Dao, and explains how all things first came into being through gestation.

Vermilion essence and white lead (the essence of cinnabar and white lead, terms in Daoist usage often associated with methods of refinement, cultivation, and transformation).

The Three-in-One, a divine title revered in Daoism, harmonizes the myriad beings, stirs the force of life, and nourishes the spirit with jade fluid. A radiant pearl opens; the Emperor and his consort dance; the purple womb-sack splits, and the Celestial Infant is born. The Celestial Infant is titled “True One” and styled “Essence’s Extension.” He governs the body and stands foremost among the gods. He upholds the foundation of the Great Dao, bears life, and becomes the Dao in embodied form.

If you pray for worthy and virtuous children, hoping your household will prosper and your lineage continue through the generations, you should understand that the Great Dao is boundless, and only great sages who have attained the Dao can fully know its principles. Recite this scripture ten times, and the heavens will answer from afar; the myriad emperors will perform their rites, and the Holy Mother will remove every obstacle. The God of Destiny will secure the registers of life and keep watch over souls, increasing good deeds and multiplying blessings. Demons will be restrained and ghostly spirits dispersed. It can also restore life to a corpse, bring the dead back to life, and revive a fetus.

Those who aspire to cultivate the Dao and recite it ten times will be protected at home by the Queen of Heaven, while the Three Realms join in praising them. The Celestial Minister of the Starry Heavens will add years to their allotted lifespan, enabling children to be born and descendants to carry on the lineage, so that blessings endure for generations. In this way, the scripture can also rescue those caught in the anguish between life and death, preserving lives that are about to be cut short.

This is because cultivators of the Dao wash away worldly impurities outwardly and inwardly enter the realm of the Great Dao. The Youth Lord holds a chi, an ancient wind instrument; the Maiden Lord plays a xun, an ancient ceramic wind instrument. When their music harmonizes, the spirits bestow wondrous teachings. The secret names of the gods are passed down; the embryo of the Dao nurtures a childlike spirit, and Qi flows naturally. It summons and commands the spirits of the ten directions, protecting and refining the embryonic immortal, so that auspicious children may be born and spared an untimely death.

To recite this scripture carelessly will bring misfortune upon oneself. But if one reverently makes offerings and pays it respect, the family will prosper for generations and remain aligned with benevolent karmic ties. No calamity will be able to approach, and the gods will guard the household gates.

This scripture is supremely honored and profound, occupying the highest place in the Jade Capital, the celestial city of Daoist tradition. With immeasurable power, it saves living beings and is the foundation of the Way of Life. Its great principles are exalted beyond measure, and its benevolence cannot be fully described.

The scripture says: Whoever recites it ten times will find the heavens descend together to open and reveal the register of life, granting worthy and virtuous descendants and ensuring the lasting transmission of the immortal Way. Ancestors of every generation, along with suffering souls in the underworld, will also be rescued at once and ascend to the Vermilion Palace. They must undergo nine years of instruction before they can be reborn.

When a noble patron delights in learning and studying the scriptures, and the merit of cultivating the scripture is complete and their virtue fulfilled, their descendants may become immortals. Generation after generation, they will inherit the blessings of the Daoist tradition, and the family’s good fortune will endure. All may ascend to the Golden Palace in heaven and feast in the Jade Capital, the celestial city of the immortals in Daoist belief.

Those who study and cultivate the Dao may recite and practice this scripture to pray that all beings be granted descendants, so that the Dao lineage, which renews itself without end, will not be cut off. The people may have descendants, and the incense offerings to their ancestors may continue. In this way, they accumulate hidden virtue and leave blessings to their posterity. Those who recite and receive this scripture may be transformed and delivered, ascending to the Southern Palace. When people in the world recite and receive it, their clans may flourish through generations, and they themselves may enjoy long life. In the end, all may attain the Dao of corpse liberation, a Daoist form of release in which the spirit ascends after the body dies or is shed. The spirit temporarily leaves the body, passes beyond the torments of the underworld, and then manifests a body anew, roaming through the vast sky.

This scripture is subtle and mysterious, and universally saves countless beings. All heavenly and earthly beings may receive immeasurable blessings, and both the living and the dead may benefit from it. It is a scripture treasured by Heaven and must not be passed on to worldly people. If someone who has successfully cultivated the Dao wishes to transmit it, they should offer gold and precious jewels as a sign of sincerity and swear an oath to Heaven. Anyone who carelessly reveals or treats this scripture with disrespect will bring calamity upon nine generations of ancestors, and will long be conscripted by the officials of the netherworld to serve the scripture.

Twenty-four Jade Youths and twenty-four Jade Maidens of the Five Emperors will guard the sacred text and protect those who receive it.

The Dao says: During the first month, those who observe purification and recite this scripture to pray for descendants and the continuation of their family’s blessings may summon the divine Lord of Wind and Fire, who sends down divine light. This brings forth intelligent, gifted, and outstanding children. It can also deliver the souls of the departed from past generations, freeing them from service in the underworld and raising them to the Southern Palace.

During the seventh month, those who observe purification and recite this scripture to pray for descendants and the continuation of their family’s blessings may summon the Qi of the Golden True Ones’ Yellow Chamber, a sacred primordial energy in Daoist belief, which sends down the Hidden Essence. This enables the body to be complete and the inner palace to be firm and peaceful. The hundred spirits enter the womb, thereby giving the human body the substance of an immortal. The heavens record their names in the Yellow Registers and White Slips, the Daoist records of the names and ranks of immortals, releasing them from the registers of the dead so that they may return to life.

During the tenth month, those who observe purification and recite this scripture to pray for descendants and the continuation of their family’s blessings may summon the essence of the Great Mystery’s True Oneness, which sends down the Bright Spirit, one of the human soul spirits. This opens the mind to the far reaches of the hidden realm, gives wisdom that penetrates the Nine Hells, and enables one to foresee auspicious signs and accord with the generative transformations of all things.

If one prays for a king or emperor to be granted a wise and enlightened heir, so that the branches and leaves of the imperial clan may flourish, and the people…

By reciting and upholding this scripture, all under Heaven may receive its blessings. The state will be secure, its fortunes enduring, and its generations will continue without interruption. It can also bring peace to the ruler, while the people under his rule praise the age as peaceful and prosperous.

Reciting this scripture on the Eight Seasonal Nodes—the Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice—can bring down Dao Qi upon beings without offspring, enabling them to have children, establish households, and become Perfected Ones of the Nine Palaces, a Daoist term for transcendent immortals. Reciting it three times on one’s birth date can return a person to the childlike state of purity, gathering spiritual radiance like a white pearl. The Dao Father and Dao Mother, protective deities honored by practitioners, will long guard the Niwan, the upper Dantian in the head. The Director of Destiny, deity in charge of lifespan and the register of life, will record the person’s name, while Bohua, a deity who prolongs life, will add years to it. The hun and shen souls will become clear and upright; the myriad energies will endure, free from suffering and distress. The body will shine with light, the Three Realms will protect it, the Five Emperors will welcome it, and the myriad spirits will come to pay homage. The person’s name will be entered in the celestial registers, and, when their merit is complete, they will ascend to Shangqing, the Daoist heaven of Highest Clarity.

The Dao says: On days when a scripture recitation ceremony is held, bathe with fragrant water, observe purification and fasting, and enter a quiet chamber. Facing east, click the teeth thirty-two times to send the sound up to the Thirty-Two Heavens, then bow thirty-two times. With eyes closed, meditate and visualize yourself seated amid clouds of five colors, with the space inside and outside the chamber dim and indistinct. On either side stand the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lions, and white cranes. The sun and moon shine, illuminating the chamber throughout; a round halo appears above your head, radiating light in all directions. Visualize all these scenes clearly and distinctly. Then silently recite the secret incantation:

“Supreme Lord of the Dao, Mysterious Origin, please summon the Three-Five Meritorious Officers within my body, the officials and messengers to my left and right, the jade youths who attend to incense, the jade maidens who transmit words, the Five Emperors’ command bearers, and the incense officials on duty—thirty-six of each—to convey what I have stated. Today is an auspicious day. In this pure and quiet fasting chamber, I cultivate this immeasurable scripture for delivering people. May what I pray for be carried upward to the throne of the Supreme Origin Emperor, the Most Exalted One of the Unrivaled Thirty-Two Heavens.”

(After completing the bows.)

Face east, regulate your breathing thirty-two times, then recite the scripture.

Wondrous Scripture of the Supreme Scripture for Delivering People Without Measure, of the Highest Rank, by the Original Beginning

The Original Beginning’s foundational chapter of the Cavern Mystery and Numinous Treasure is recited to pray for children and celebrate the household, allowing life to multiply and come forth, and delivering beings from suffering. The hidden rhythms of male and female, symbols of Yin-Yang union, intermingle, and life arises naturally.

Three Qi arise in the void, transforming into red talismanic script. At the beginning of creation, the Original Beginning brought forth the heavens. The sun and moon shone opposite one another, thereby forming the foundation of Heaven. Primordial Qi was spread and the ancestral source established; the Dao was made the body. Five kinds of talismanic script unfolded, and the spirits took their places in the Five Viscera; above stood the celestial gate…

The assembled immortals come in purity and emptiness. A person’s channels and blood vessels then become the most numinous foundation, possessing the power to command all things. They bear the scriptures of the Dao of Heaven and transmit life, allowing descendants to continue and ancestors to be carried on through successive generations. Pray for auspicious, superior Qi and honor and good fortune to enter the household, so that the womb may receive true Qi. Bloodlines connect like threads of blue-green silk woven together, running through the eyes and transforming into sinews and vessels.

In this way, one may become a lineage ancestor of the immortals and ought to ascend to a high position. The body bears vermilion marks, and the tongue has patterns like embroidered brocade. Thirty-six thousand divine talismans surround the whole body, forever assisting the Celestial Emperor in his transformative work and ascending to Yuchen, the celestial palace. Down among the people and all things, wondrous patterns and brilliance can also appear, circulating through the inner heaven and earth filled with the Qi of the Great Brahma.

The head is the Tower of Xiao, and the brain is the Jade Mountain. Nine winding, connected chambers lie within. In front are the Hall of Light, the Vermilion Mirror, and three divine lords; behind are the □ Hall, the Nine Ancestors, and the Seven □. Together they record the continuation of descendants and the preservation of good fortune for the family. The Primordial Star of Destiny submits documents and slips to Heaven, which are then carried by the heavenly horse.

Thus the celestial gods name the descendants and record the grandchildren, ensuring that the ancestors’ foundation continues without end. The space within the heart is empty, tranquil, and full; there sit the High Perfected, dressed in purple robes and crimson skirts, their appearance like celestial infants. Every joint and every hollow in the body, like a stream-cut valley, becomes a Jade Capital, where the hundred gods gather.

This realm is remote and unfathomable, seeming not to exist yet truly enduring. The Three Flores—the manifestations of Jing, Qi, and Shen—are distributed throughout it. Within are the Great and Wondrous Court, the Golden Gates, and the Jade Chambers, pure and vast, with Brahma Qi flowing through the ten directions. There dwell the gods who deliver people from death, the Lord of Long Life of the South Pole who descends in response, the Great Divine Marshal Sima who governs deliverance from the world, and Lord Han the Elder, who cherishes life. There are also the revered gods who govern destiny in the Southern Heavens: the Masters of Destiny and Records, the Extenders of Life, the Augmenters of Years, and the Deliverers from Calamity. The gods can restore life to abandoned bones and raise the dead to their feet, saving beings through boundless spiritual power. Today, as names in the registers are examined and recorded, the gods of the heavens arrive before the hall.

The Boundless Eastern Flying-Heaven Lord of Fortune, the Divine King and Great Sage of Long Life, carries out immeasurable acts of deliverance.

The Boundless Southern Flying-Heaven Lord of Determined Birth, the Divine King and Great Sage of Long Life, carries out immeasurable acts of deliverance.

The Boundless Western Flying-Heaven Lord who Records Descendants, the Divine King and Great Sage of Long Life, carries out immeasurable acts of deliverance.

The Boundless Northern Flying-Heaven Lord who Bestows Blessings, the Divine King and Great Sage of Long Life, carries out immeasurable acts of deliverance.

The Boundless Northeast Flying-Heaven Lord who Increases Years, the Divine King and Great Sage of Long Life, carries out immeasurable acts of deliverance.

The Boundless Southeast Flying-Heaven Lord who Raises Rank, the Divine King and Great Sage of Long Life, carries out immeasurable acts of deliverance.

The Boundless Southwest Flying-Heaven Lord who Sends Birth, the Divine King and Great Sage of Long Life, carries out immeasurable acts of deliverance.

The Boundless Northwest Flying-Heaven Lord who Delivers from Calamity, the Divine King and Great Sage of Long Life, carries out immeasurable acts of deliverance.

The Boundless Above Flying-Heaven Lord who Advances De, the Divine King and Great Sage of Long Life, carries out immeasurable acts of deliverance.

Below are the Limitless Flying Immortals who assist the sage kings, the Great Saint of Long Life, and the Great God of Measureless Salvation. The supremely true Flying Immortals of the ten directions descend with auspicious signs. The divine kings and great gods all arrive in cloud-borne chariots: they ride in jade carriages wreathed in emerald clouds and star chariots, covered with feather canopies and richly adorned. Wind wheels, azure phoenixes, divine tigers, and blue dragons draw the chariots, while myriad-flowered staffs and celestial steeds stand at their fronts.

Spirit banners roar ahead, and the Nine Spirits sing together; behind them, the Eight Ponds answer in unison. Flying lions give mighty, prolonged roars. The Five Elders lead the way, and the assembled immortals guard the chariot poles. Countless chariots and mounted attendants float through the air. They draw in their radiance, turn their chariots around, and descend to the human world to save and deliver living beings.

The High Steward of Nanchang, the Chancellor of the Celestial Pivot, the Attendant of the Golden Palace, the Great Dark Lord of Destinies, Han, Lord of Records of the Purple Numen Immortals, the Great God who Oversees Birth, and others come together before the Celestial Emperor, carrying talismans and registers. They respond to people’s prayers, enable living beings to flourish, and examine and record lifespans, blessings, and emoluments. The heavens, too, conduct strict assessments and proclaim their commands throughout the Three Realms.

The divine offices of the Limitless Spirit Realm, the Palace of the Spring Bend, the Northern Capital of Luofeng, the Three Officials’ offices and Nine Bureaus, and the Twelve River Sources are all commanded to carry out the work of salvation. Those who pray for high rank or the continuation of their family line, or who seek to save their ancestors and generations of kin, can have their records of sin cleared and the roots of their harmful karma erased. The souls of the dead will no longer be detained or forced to mingle with ghosts. By command of the talisman of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the dead may ascend in due course; the divine officials of the Northern Capital’s Cold Pool will also protect their body and soul.

The gods subdue demonic obstacles and recommend the souls of the dead, enabling them to be delivered and proceed to the Southern Palace for refinement, where they are transformed into immortals. The living, too, may receive salvation and endure through the cycles of calamity. As the cycles turn, they will live as long as Heaven, forever escaping the Three Paths, the Five Sufferings, and the Eight Difficulties, transcending the Three Realms and roaming freely in the realm of Shangqing.

The dwelling of the Celestial Emperor Dongyao in Shangqing is a realm without form or color, where the assembled immortals cultivate the path of purity.

Eight Heavens of the East

The Heaven of Tenfold Splendor and Auspicious Celebration; its Celestial Emperor is named Dongjue Haosheng.

The Heaven of Victorious Ancestry and Enriched Worthies; its Celestial Emperor is named Dingshi Maoxuan.

The Heaven of Purifying Radiance and Refining Light; its Celestial Emperor is named Tuoming Shangying.

The Heaven of Dragon Seed and Jade Infants; its Celestial Emperor is named Guanfu Guangying.

The Heaven of the Ancestral Apex and Received Charts; its Celestial Emperor is named Miaowu Changsheng.

The Heaven of the Transforming Pivot and the Movement of Yang; its Celestial Emperor is named Xiaozhen Yuankun.

The Heaven of Calendrical Tallies and the Responding Terrace; its Celestial Emperor is named Guodu Mikong.

The Heaven that Transmits Blessings and Sustains Life; its Celestial Emperor is named Nayeh Hehe.

Eight Heavens of the South

The Eight Heavens of the East

Heaven of Moving Light and Descending Awareness: The sovereign emperor of this heaven knows all things without limit.

Heaven of Distinguishing Breath and Clarifying Principle: The sovereign emperor of this heaven devotes himself to continuing the lineage.

Heaven of Vast Marshes and Returning Well-Being: The sovereign emperor of this heaven follows the flourishing of his descendants.

Heaven of Transmitted Mystery and Ancestral Dao: The sovereign emperor of this heaven has a mind of subtle, unfathomable insight.

Heaven of Filial Beginnings and First Blessings: The sovereign emperor of this heaven first gives life to all things and seeks what lies above.

Heaven of Pure Opening and Bright Capital: The sovereign emperor of this heaven is as white as a magnolia and equal to fine jade.

Heaven of Delicate Patterns and Rosy Clouds: The sovereign emperor of this heaven becomes an immortal in stillness and is naturally replete.

Heaven of Allied Lineage and Abundant Mists: The sovereign emperor of this heaven has a firm foundation, flourishing descendants, and an enduring radiance.

The Eight Heavens of the West

Heaven of Auspicious Prayers and Rewarded Blessings: The sovereign emperor of this heaven is named Boyun Yuluo.

Heaven of Refined Splendor and Abandoned Desire: The sovereign emperor of this heaven joins with the True and the divine, receiving a mandate and carrying it out.

Heaven of Hidden Seals and Secret Yang: The sovereign emperor of this heaven conceals blessings in advance.

Heaven of Warm Sweet Wine and Purifying Branches: The sovereign emperor of this heaven rides the vital energy to the place of ritual.

Heaven of Honored Dao and Fulfilled Success: The sovereign emperor of this heaven holds talismanic mandates and understands the principles of things.

Heaven of Deep Caverns and Encountering the Beginning: The sovereign emperor of this heaven brings the work of the great beginning to completion through strength.

Heaven of Sunlit Irrigation and Radiant Descendants: The sovereign emperor of this heaven is named Lu Ben, the Great King.

Heaven of Ninefold Splendor and Dew: The sovereign emperor of this heaven remains quietly steadfast, clear-minded, and bright.

The Eight Heavens of the North

Heaven of Dark Mounds and Gathering Spirits: The sovereign emperor of this heaven gives life to all things, making them complete and alike.

Heaven of Measuring and Correcting the Thread: The sovereign emperor of this heaven holds to stillness and quiet, allowing all things to unfold.

Heaven of Accumulated Radiance and Departmental Yu: The sovereign emperor of this heaven transforms into a spirit.

Heaven of Guiding Needs and Ranked Abundance: The sovereign emperor of this heaven disperses rosy light and is clever and perceptive.

Heaven of Pure Transformation and Pearly Eggs: The sovereign emperor of this heaven dwells in a hidden realm and repays kindness.

Heaven of Describing Truth and Constant Sacrifice: The sovereign emperor of this heaven governs the teachings of the masters, bringing peace to distant places.

Heaven of Silent Embrace and Harmonious Abundance: The sovereign emperor of this heaven brings virtue and goodness to light, becoming a numinous spirit.

Heaven of Lush Splendor and Nine Subtlety: The sovereign emperor of this heaven enjoys complete blessings, with all things in order.

These names of heavens and titles of emperors are proper names in Daoist celestial genealogies. Some characters may have variant readings or specialized meanings; the explanations above follow their literal sense in accessible language.

The thirty-two Heavenly Emperors of the thirty-two heavens command the hidden names of the heavens and the mysteries of birth and transformation. The heavens protect and nurture infants through secret names, and bestow emblems upon them.

Yin and Yang harmonize; generations follow one another, and descendants multiply. Spirits emerge from the void, and life sprouts and grows like plants and trees. These naturally formed sacred talismans and the secret names of the Highest Perfected—those who have attained the Dao—are sounds that summon primordial Qi.

The Venerable One of the Womb, who governs conception and gestation, forms the infant’s spiritual body, which belongs to the Highest Perfected. An immortal who nurtures infants also brings the Qi of the Nine Yangs into harmony and joins together the Ten Yins, so that descendants may attain honor and glory and blessings may continue without end for the family. The mysteries involved are unfathomably deep and cannot be fully explained.

The gods descend to deliver humans and spirits alike. Today we pray and seek deliverance and protection, asking the heavens to remove calamities from the infant’s register of fate, cut off evil influences, and ensure a safe birth without premature death. May the infant’s life reach through the Great Mystery, watched over and protected by the Director of Destinies, free from constraint.

The Qi of the Gate of Life is received from the Eastern Dipper, while the body is cast by the Western Dipper. The Northern Dipper bestows the po-soul, the Southern Dipper grants the hun-soul, and the Central Dipper governs within. In the seven-jeweled palace where the honored spirit of the Muddy Pellet resides, the windows are clear and the spirit’s Qi is abundant.

The Five Directional Emperor Lords, who command all spirits, protect body and mind: the Azure Emperor guards the hun-soul, the White Emperor attends the po-soul, the Red Emperor nourishes Qi, the Black Emperor circulates the blood, and the Yellow Emperor dwells at the center and commands all the gods. The Azure Heaven Demon King commands the spirits of might and brilliance; the Red Heaven Demon King governs transformation and change; the White Heaven Demon King strikes down falsehood; the Black Heaven Demon King rules the hosts of dark mystery; and the Yellow Heaven Demon King sets observance and transgression at odds. The Five Great Emperor Demons are the progenitors of the myriad gods. They lead their hosts in flight, with drums accompanying them; command ghost troops; and patrol the vast sky bearing banners, pennants, drums, and insignia. Their movements are elusive and unpredictable. They descend into the human body, lie hidden within the six faculties—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—and patrol the nine palaces, from the crown of the head to the heels, reaching everywhere.

We pray for descendants and wish for a Heavenly Child to be born. May all impurities within the womb be swept away, and may the infant be guarded with utmost care. The Spirit King of Northern Feng, who governs the underworld domain of Northern Feng, is commanded to sweep away every ill omen. A Jade Maiden holds a yellow embroidered jacket and wears golden pendants; the Holy Mother protects life and brings blessings and prosperity to fullness. Divine officials and armored steeds hunt down calamity; they cut it down and deliver it to the Heavenly Net for judgment. Flames are hurled, and bells ring out for ten thousand miles. In all eight directions, whoever dares use curse magic or sorcery to harm the infant will be struck down on the spot with a golden battle-axe, then punished and the evil spirits cut away. Wind and fire rage without cease: thousands upon thousands of heads are severed, tens of thousands of bodies cut apart. Demons may not intrude; ghosts may not wreak havoc. The Three Officials and the inspectors of Northern Feng scrutinize the ghost camps, leaving evil spirits nowhere to hide, while documents are sent by golden-horse relay and proclaimed everywhere.

Countless deities are listening. The Lords of the Three Realms and Five Directions declare: The Upper Clarity (Shangqing), a high celestial realm in Daoist teaching, was brought forth by Primordial Qi. It passed through the cosmic tribulations of Longhan, Yankang, and others, and its substance is linked to the fetal breathing within human beings. Heaven and Earth came together in primordial chaos: the eyes became the sun and moon, the head became Mount Kunlun, the eyebrows became the canopy of heaven, the hair became forests and mountains, the stomach and intestines became rivers and seas, the breath became wind and clouds, and the voice became thunder.

When Heaven and Earth first began to shine, immeasurable ages had passed, and Primordial Qi remained undivided. Above there were no colors; below there was no abyss. Wind and marsh waters flowed through the void, while the Qi of adamantine strength upheld the celestial bodies. It generated Heaven and Earth, nurtured the myriad things, and protected the joints throughout the human body from without. Metal Qi is firm and strong, making the human form robust and stable.

When the cosmic tribulations first began, there was no distinction between darkness and light, nor between form and shadow; all was vast and boundless. The Great Brahmā realm was broad and empty, without light. At the time when the Red Radiance opened the cosmic chart, the workings of the universe unfolded of themselves. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning settled Heaven and Earth and spread the Five Scriptures, along with the Red Writ in Jade Characters and the Eight-Powered Dragon Script, to sustain the cosmic order and preserve Heaven and Earth.

As you are about to be born into human form, the hundred spirits already reside within your body. Taiyi, the deity who governs life, arrives in subtlety and brings peace to body and mind. The Qi of Jade Truth flows through you, clear and luminous, spreading fragrance like blossoms; purple meridians crisscross, and spirit-script patterns cover the membranes of the brain. Vermilion Qi and its pathways move naturally, protecting and gathering the root of life like drifting clouds, so that the lifespan may be extended.

Brahmā Qi pervades all things, laying out the framework of the universe and circulating through the Thirty-Two Heavens. It travels throughout the Heavens Without Color and encircles the Ten Directions, setting the Big Dipper turning and the stars in motion, while harmonizing the Five Constants and thirty-five kinds of Qi. The Qi of the Eight Radiances of the Upper Origin mingles in the dark and enters the depths of mystery. The Supreme Emperor and the High Perfected deities manifest in radiance, chanting the Cavern Chapters amid rosy clouds. The Qi of Golden Truth shines and flows, sending forth jade tones from among the clouds. It gathers numinous winds and the Qi of Purple Emptiness to aid the assembled immortals.

The scriptures pray for the continuation of descendants, so that later generations may carry on the family line. Smoke swirls and winds about; the Brahmā Qi of Purple Emptiness harmonizes within the womb. After countless natural unions, the infant takes shape. The infant’s true spirit corresponds with the Great Lord of Long Life, Taiyi, the deity who governs childbirth, and Siming, the deity who governs lifespan; together they record the years of life. The deity Taokang joins with the human form, bringing Jing and Qi together.

The deities of the Dantian govern talismanic mandates and registers, protecting the root of life. Shen and Qi rise to the Upper Clarity, entering and leaving splendid celestial palaces. They extend throughout the eight directions and the hidden realms, and reach into the body’s finest recesses, where they guard it for ages. The Mudball Palace, the spirit chamber in the head, and the Crimson Palace, the spirit chamber in the heart, regulate the Five Qi and bring the hundred spirits into harmony. Through repeated cycles, numinous Qi circulates in a continuous circuit, and all the Qi move together toward the immortal Way.

The immortal Way prizes the cherishing of life and opens the source of its teaching through the boundless method of saving people. The birth of living beings is like a turning wheel; sin and merit, prohibitions and precepts, and the karmic ties of past lives all shape each being’s fate. The scriptures and teachings save living beings everywhere, deliver departed souls, and restore life. They allow people to receive the chance of rebirth once more and carry their wishes upward to the heavens. Above the heavens, each realm has its own gate through which life may be renewed. There are also scriptures such as the Chapters of Empty-Cavern Songs and the Numinous Writings of the True Kings, whose words correspond to the High Perfected.

First, hymns in the realm of desire for praying for descendants and welcoming joyful occasions

What is the foundation of human life? It is the blessing of one’s descendants. Ancestors are like a tree’s trunk, and descendants like its branches and leaves. When a family flourishes and its generations multiply, its lineage can endure far into the future.

By accumulating De and doing good, one receives worthy descendants from the Heavenly Emperor and brings joy upon the family, allowing it to endure for generations. But repeated wrongdoing can bring an end to one’s descendants, leaving the family in decline and ruin, sunk in the netherworld. The Heavenly Emperor shows no favoritism; blessings arise from good deeds. If a family has few descendants, the reason may be sought in the registers of darkness kept under the authority of the Three Heavens, the levels of heaven in Daoist teaching. After repenting, one should pray to the Most True, a Daoist title for the highest state of truth or for divine beings, and confess one’s wrongs sincerely. The Director of Destinies, the deity who governs human lifespans and registers of fate, may then pardon one’s offenses from the books of punishment, while Jade Maidens escort the True Spirit back.

This is a blessing for you to enjoy a thousand years from now: accumulate good deeds and plant the roots of the True Dao far and wide. Then you may ride a golden carriage to the Purple Court, the palace of heaven, while the joy you have accumulated grows as deep as a mountain.

Second, a passage on protecting the fetus and keeping the infant safe

The True One and the Mysterious One, the original vital energies spoken of in Daoist teaching, unite to become the essence of Heaven, transforming into flying dew and falling pearls. Once conceived, this becomes a human being. Harmonized Qi opens the beginning of life, through which the human form takes shape. When Jing and Qi are abundant, one enters a blessed state: able to understand affairs and speak, clear-minded, able to grasp the wondrous principles of truth, and capable of achievement in both civil and military affairs—as an emperor, a regional governor, or a minister.

The ancestors establish the family’s foundation, and their descendants inherit and carry it forward. Thus the Way of life does not come to an end, and the wondrous principle of longevity is revealed. Accumulated De can benefit generations, with blessings and joy continuing without end. Keep the Dao in mind and contemplate the True: the Most Holy, the highest of the holy and true beings, does not favor those who are close to him. Heaven has its own records of merit and De, granting the people blessings and wisdom.

But what do the people know? They often assume that there are no gods in Heaven, and so kill, steal, covet, give way to anger, and act without restraint, unaware that this can end their line of descendants and bring calamity upon themselves. The Heavenly Officials record good deeds with their brushes: these may bring a person many descendants and generous stipends. If you pray with sincerity and perform a Zhaijiao offering ritual for the Immortal Lord, the deity who oversees the rite and grants blessings, the Supervisor of Births will escort the souls, and the Nine Elders, a title for Daoist honored deities, will reveal their countenances. Your family line will then continue for generations, its life force never ceasing. Therefore, understand the wondrous principle of the Dao: its source lies in the Great Yin, the Yin source power spoken of in Daoist teaching, which can transform and fly forth as a thousand dragons.

Third, the song of the Jade Emperor’s holy sons says…

The Golden Towers, the dwelling of the Celestial Emperor, rise amid crimson clouds. Flying dragons circle the mountains, and purple palaces stand upon emerald earth.

The Cavern-Heavens are serene and vast. The Celestial Emperor has eight sons, each wise and discerning, with vast spiritual powers.

The Great Lord of Long Life, the revered deity who governs longevity, has a radiant gaze. Qinghua Dong Sang—the Qinghua Emperor and his Eastern Immortal Realm—is sacred and pure.

They were each invested with rank in the Three Heavens, the three levels of heaven in Daoist teaching. The Immortal King of Penglai commands the myriad spirits and issues divine decrees.

They hold divine seals and jade tablets, wear emerald robes and feathered headdresses, and are all spiritual officers of the Upper Realm, endowed with a sacred lineage and great merit.

How much more, then, should people in the world cherish and carry forward the De (Virtue) of their ancestors: offering sacrifices to them and honoring them in ancestral temples, so that blessings may endure for generations. Those who do not understand and uphold the highest teachings should submit memorials and set forth their words upon jade tablets. They should summon vital energy, seek worthy and upright people, and pray that both ruler and ministers may become sages.

The Great Dao (the Way) forever cherishes life, nurturing and transforming the myriad things so that life continues without end, generation after generation. When Yin-Yang harmonize and attain the state of Great Harmony, the strong wind of heaven lifts the human body aloft.

This is the song sung by the True King in the sky above the Three Realms; every line accords with the Cavern-Chapters. Reciting it a hundred times fills one with the Qi of the Dao. Reciting it a thousand times brings the assembled immortals down to observe. Reciting it ten thousand times perfects one’s Daoist practices and merit, moves the spirits, and makes one upright and pure—a worthy person in the world who can then cultivate the Dao.

When one’s merit is complete, the body can ascend to heaven. At the sound of wondrous spiritual music, the hundred gods will guard one’s body. Earthly deities charged with their duties will escort those who come and go, and deliver departed souls from the gates of hell. They will free seven generations of ancestors from the Five Sufferings and Eight Calamities, elevate and deliver them, and forever remove them from the jurisdiction of ghost officials. Their souls will cross to Zhuling, the place where Daoists refine the souls of the dead, receive refinement, and be reborn. This is called universal salvation, without end.

This scripture is a secret text kept in heaven and revered by all the heavens. To reveal it or treat it lightly is to fall into hell and bring calamity upon seven generations of ancestors.

The Dao says: These two scriptures are teachings bestowed upon all beings by the Celestial Emperors of the heavens, the most numinous True Kings, and the High Ministers of the Celestial Mysteries. Their purpose is to ensure that descendants continue without interruption and flourish without end, passing on the source of life so that vitality may be nearly limitless. When blessings come through external conditions, one’s descendants will flourish like spreading branches. When a response is brought about through inner cultivation, male and female spirits meet and their breaths mingle, giving rise to a Jade Infant. The one thus born receives a pure endowment; their appearance resembles their original nature, and they inherit the immortal lineage, becoming an immortal. They can also manifest in millions upon millions of forms, dwell in seclusion within the space of an inch, and let their spirit roam throughout the ten directions. All of this is hidden, wondrous spiritual teaching.

These are the words spoken by the Great Brahmā—the pure sound of the heavenly realm—not ordinary expressions of the world. Their language has neither worldly rhythms nor ornate phrasing, and so it is called mysterious and profound, beyond exhaustive investigation. The scripture was originally a treasure kept in Heaven, secretly preserved in the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity in the Divine Empyrean. Only when the time was right was it transmitted below and proclaimed as a teaching. If someone accomplished in cultivation offered treasures such as gold and silk as a sign of sincere devotion, and, following the established rites, swore an oath of alliance before the deities, the scripture could be transmitted to that person after ten full days.

The scripture says: Among those who sincerely follow the Dao, some have no son to inherit the family estate, so their ancestral lineage is in danger of ending and their family standing gradually declines. Others have many children, but they often die young, before reaching adulthood. When such calamities occur, members of the same lineage should submit a petition to the Heavenly Deities, pray with sincere devotion to the Supreme Perfected Ones—the revered deities of Heaven—and join together in fasting. During the fast, they should offer incense six times each day and recite the scripture ten times. In this way, blessings and De will descend; children will be born and grow to adulthood; good fortune will continue for generations; and all manner of misfortune will be dispelled. This immeasurable scripture can save beings without end on a vast scale.

The scripture also says: Some people who have only recently begun the path and have made little progress in cultivation have not yet accumulated sufficient merit. Though they pray for children and succeed in having them, the children do not reach adulthood and often die young. Fellow cultivators who have made progress can offer incense and recite the scripture ten times on their behalf, thereby saving the souls of children who died young. According to the ritual, these souls ascend directly to the Southern Palace, the celestial office that governs the dead. There they receive merit according to the good deeds they performed in life, are reborn, and become virtuous boys. In this way, the family’s good fortune continues and its lineage does not end. Through such cultivation, one can ultimately attain the Dao and become an immortal.

The scripture also says: People in the world do not understand the gravity of having no descendants, and firmly believe that all ties are severed once a person dies. They do not understand the Great Dao, nor recognize that the Qi of life can continue from generation to generation without end. The Nine Generations of the Mysterious Ancestors and the Seven Generations of Forebears—a general term for ancestors across many generations—as well as more recent ancestors, may have been gradually forgotten because their descendants abandoned the rites of ancestral offering. Some descendants have grown old without having children; some have children repeatedly but cannot raise them to adulthood; some children find no success in marriage, official careers, or other paths in life; some are born dull-witted, their intelligence and innate spiritual qualities unopened. Even when children occasionally reach adulthood, they may fail to follow the proper occupations expected of them, show little distinction in their studies and conduct, and wander far from home without a settled course, leaving their parents anxious and grief-stricken. Others are frail from childhood and plagued by illness, with no lasting recovery despite treatment. The scripture explains all these as calamities left behind by parents and ancestors, and says that one should offer incense and recite the scripture, praying for blessings and good fortune from the divine offices of Heaven.

The merit of fasting and reciting the scripture is profound: above, it can be used to pray for the ruler to have many descendants; below, to pray for families among the people to endure. The living and the dead alike can receive its blessings. This merit cannot be counted, which is why it is called “immeasurable.” It can save beings throughout Heaven and the human world.

The scripture says: If someone recites and practices this scripture for emperors, rulers, and the people, and on a day of prayer resolves to undertake a purification retreat—fasting and cleansing body and mind—then burns incense and recites the scripture ten times, all the heavens will record that person’s name, and the gods will protect them. Such a person may become one who has attained the Dao and may ultimately become a sage ruler, admitted among the officials of the Golden Palace in heaven. The heavens record people’s merits and faults, overlooking nothing, however small; the True Lord of Heaven will also recommend you. Those who have attained the Dao should fully understand these words of supreme truth.

The Great Brahma’s hidden words among the heavens—the sacred, secret sounds of the heavenly realm, without ordinary meaning—are immeasurable in number and were composed by the Lord of the Dao.

The Middle Volume of the Scripture of Primordial Beginning

Below are the hidden words of the eight heavens in each of the east, south, west, and north. They are sacred sounds within the scripture and are preserved here as in the original:

Eight Heavens of the East

綠應昭符　　黎學道蘇　　熙南允封

𢍆天合魚　　英晃爽夕　　麓素凝濡

神灨誠布　　聿詔大魁　　鑒蹟匪囘

蘄永壽言　　帝澤寶有　　霄飛意冥

道大眞龍　　禳慶沛度　　安祉變猷

寀勝廣定

Eight Heavens of the South

綺綸斗包　　子還戌高　　天籍司枚

福溱效嚴　　奚盧忻恚　　閱空辭彬

洞𤣥幽計　　瑰罔筵頤　　酎陣嶮縛

鬼首樵肥　　鄒靈哿顏　　辨炳牛尼

嶽驅機相　　𤣥省都微　　曜强注生

監𤣥仰淵

Eight Heavens of the West

紀景靈定　　坤足邀明　　遙魔彥堅

武箕婁魔　　洞洪寥濱　　元圖隱哥

澤弈肆宗　　邱騎旼還　　縣禀列暝

億健由灘　　支務海洛　　宜勤棣般

杳浦翹梭　　欹淇徧巒　　士浸蔚角

秋火戈山

Eight Heavens of the North

酆程窅都　　支溪遄蕪　　厯眞离周

氐室傳俞　　勿落盤濯　　神鳳著騫

槎皇卷鋤　　謹命瓛序　　依攸憫遷

覺稠倣傞　　雲兖披灊　　孟阿邢何

“Turtle-brilliance strange borders,” “mysterious and remote Dao-jade,” “divine officials set the banquet,” and “immortal-green dew and zhi mushrooms”—these phrases belong to the secret, profound coded language of Daoism.

The Daoist scriptures say that the great Brahmā hidden language of these many heavens consists of countless sounds, written in an ancient script, with each character spanning ten feet. Divine beings such as the Lords of Destiny, the Chief Ministers of the Southern Palace, and the Great Gods who oversee the lives of the living write these characters with feathers from luan birds and ribbons patterned with purple eye-like markings. They inscribe them on crimson terraces, jade chambers, and golden cities as the Correct Sounds, to stabilize life and nurture the breath. This is an important part of the flourishing of Dao-Qi and the transmission of secret taboos. Six thousand Jade Youths and Jade Maidens each attend the scriptures, holding precious flowers as they stand on either side and covering the texts with dragon cloths.

If someone knows how to pronounce these hidden words and can fast and recite them, the heavens will send Flying Heavenly Spirit Kings down to observe that person, record their merits and diligence, and report them to the heavens. In this way, blessings endure and lifespan increases, while the family prospers for generations. Those with outstanding achievements will also be recommended by immortal officials and become Supreme Immortals. Once their merits in cultivating the Dao are complete, they can travel through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate. These sounds can open, avert harm, deliver, and accomplish anything; they are the sounds of heavenly truth and natural spontaneity.

Therefore, reciting these scriptures can summon the Flying Heavens to come and observe. The Lord on High sings in response from afar, the myriad spirits bestow their blessings, and the Three Realms can all hear. The assembled demons bow their heads, and ghostly essences disperse of their own accord. The sound, like the ringing of jade, shakes the four directions, making the Ten Directions still and clear. Rivers and seas fall silent, smoke and dust vanish from the mountains, and the myriad spirits are roused and submit; the assembled immortals are summoned. There is no defiling Qi in the heavens, no demonic dust on earth, and even the underworld becomes clear and lucid. This is the vast and profound Dao realm, mysterious beyond mystery.

Section on Protecting the Fetus and Preserving Life

The Daoist scriptures say that long ago, in the Azure-Luminous Empty-Song Great Land of Fulí in the Beginning-Cyan Heaven, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning transmitted the Wondrous Scripture for Deliverance, Protecting the Fetus, and Preserving Life. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning expounded this scripture, making ten complete circuits as he called upon the divine beings of the Ten Directions. Then countless beings arrived, including the Great Gods of Heavenly Truth, the High Sages and Venerable Ones, the Perfected Ones of Wondrous Practice, and the Great Gods of the Three Origins and Six Jia who protect the fetus and preserve life. Treading upon radiant light, they came in carriages that coursed through flying clouds, arriving in vehicles among the purple clouds. Emerald palanquins, golden chariots, and canopies of colored silk enveloped them in deep shade, giving off a concentrated, lucid radiance. Blue, red, and yellow lights shone brilliantly, illuminating the depths of the empty mystery.

For ten days and ten nights, the jeweled gardens of the heavens were filled with layers upon layers of towers, terraces, courtyards, and palaces—lofty and towering. The wondrous nets of the sacred law and the divine radiance came to rest, their brilliance briefly subsiding, while clouds gathered over the sea and took shape…

Among auspicious mountains, mist and clouds drift and mingle in the distance and nearby. Deep and secluded places reach toward the borderlands; clouds and rosy light shine across the landscape as magnificent music rises. The blessings of the immortals fall like rain, brushing against people’s robes. Everyone smells their fragrance and receives the Supreme Dao. Across the whole realm, mountains, rivers, and forests are veiled in dense layers of emerald clouds. A quiet breeze, fragrant as orchids, drifts in, while rosy light circles and descends. The distant, unending sound of the Dao spreads throughout the immeasurable heavens.

The immortals praised this scene as truly rare, while the Perfected Ones stood in attendance. Primordial Heavenly Worthy sat in the empty expanse and preached the scripture from a great jeweled throne, adorned with twelve hundred heavenly palaces, ten thousand dragon-like spirits lifting luminous pearls, and countless precious gems. When the scripture had been recited once, the Holy Mothers of the heavens all praised it together.

At that moment, the immortal consort and goddess of a kingdom recalled and understood the causes and conditions of the distant past. She saw the root of the Dao and understood that, before Heaven and Earth had taken shape, primordial Qi—the original energy that forms all things—had already begun to emerge. Shen and Jing absorbed what was pure, and Yin-Yang thereby congealed into an embryo. After nine billion kalpas, the Three Qi remained blended and undivided. After another ninety great kalpas, the Three Flores—the essences manifested by Jing, Qi, and Shen—began to separate. The Five Elders, deities who govern the five directions or Five Phases, protected the embryo’s origin. The Three Origins, the three forms of primordial Qi underlying Heaven, Earth, and humanity or body and mind, nurtured the souls. The seven apertures gradually opened; the earth then split apart, the Two Forms—Heaven and Earth—came forth, and the world began to take shape.

After Primordial Heavenly Worthy preached the scripture a second time, all beings were able to take form: those born from the womb, from eggs, or from moisture, as well as beings covered in fur, scales, or shells. After the third recitation, living beings began to call out and speak, answering one another in harmony and accord with Heaven’s rhythms. After the fourth, their skin became whole and firm, and the vitality and numinous nature of their Qi could unfold as a vigorous force circled and flowed. After the fifth, the wondrous workings of the Dao appeared, along with clear, graceful thought and sound. After the sixth, every kind of skillful craft was perfected, and all things fulfilled their own nature, embodying the De of Heaven. After the seventh, infants took shape in the womb, wisdom grew, and their bodies were nourished. After the eighth, all lives grew and came to fulfillment, whether women were pregnant, beasts and birds carried young, or beings had already been born or were yet to be born. After the ninth, the organs within the womb were fully developed, revealing the precious substance within. After the tenth, the Dao’s workings brought wondrous transformation, and all things naturally transformed and came forth as human beings.

At that time, everyone in the kingdom, women and men alike, wholeheartedly believed in and protected the embryo, cherishing life. Thus, they all attained longevity.

When the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning had finished preaching the scripture for the first time, the great gods Tianming, Baotai, Wanhe, and Huming, along with their countless attendants, came flying through the air from the Eastern Palace of Jia, the Limitless Realm.

After the second recitation, the great gods Tianzhen, Baotai, Xuanming, and Huming, with their attendants, came flying from the Southern Palace of Bing, the Limitless Realm. After the third, the great gods Tianli, Baotai, Suling, and Huming, with their attendants, came from the Western Palace of Geng, the Limitless Realm. After the fourth, the great gods Tianpei, Baotai, Shunsheng, and Huming, with their attendants, came from the Northern Palace of Ren, the Limitless Realm.

Thereafter, each time the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning finished reciting the scripture, the gods in the Northeastern Palace of Gui, the Southeastern Palace of Yi, the Southwestern Palace of Ding, the Northwestern Palace of Xin, the Upper Palace of Wu, and the Lower Palace of Ji arrived in turn, flying through the air. Among them were the great gods Tianyun, Tianshou, Tianshen, Tiantong, Tianming, and Tianyang, as well as the divine attendants Baotai, Huzheng, Lehui, Daoji, Xuanzu, Fayi, Daokang, and Huming.

When the scripture had been recited ten times, the great gods who protected pregnancy and life in the Limitless Worlds of the ten directions had all arrived. The men and women of the entire realm devoted themselves wholeheartedly to admiring and turning toward the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. The arrivals were as numerous as stirred-up dust and piled grains of sand, like countless stars and drifting mists; they filled the whole realm, beyond counting. The nine regions of the earth shook, and nothing could stop it.

Then the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning radiated light from his entire body, illuminating the ten directions above and below. After a long while, he drew in the light. At that moment, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning appeared amid clouds of jeweled light. He was compassionate and majestic, his face golden, his radiance brilliant. Between his brows appeared a jewel-shaped mark of light. This jewel was subtle and wondrous, and its light extended one xun—a unit of length, about eight feet. Through the jewel, one could see the Jade Gates of the Void Emperor and the Celestial Spirit Treasure Terrace: countless heavenly beings were walking, standing, resting, or lingering, while others rode phoenixes and immortal cranes. They spoke and laughed with one another, turning back and glancing around; all appeared at once. Water and fire burst forth together, mountains…

This passage says that the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning appeared within the vast, clear, and tranquil realm of Supreme Mystery and True Oneness. Dividing and transforming into many forms, he revealed immeasurable appearances. He led the perfected beings of the heavens, great spirits, supreme sages, exalted ones, and other deities, together with the great perfected spirits who protect pregnancy and preserve life, and countless living beings, into the radiance of his divine pearl. The heavenly beings and deities looked up and saw light and shadow flickering, as if they were entering through the pearl’s glow. Once inside, they no longer knew where they were.

After they had vanished, the earth became open and empty again, no longer crowded. The Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning finished preaching this scripture within the wondrous light of the divine pearl. The perfected beings witnessed and attested to what had happened, then passed the teaching of the scripture on to me. The joy of that moment is beyond words. The ritual was nearly complete; the heavens returned to their proper places, and in an instant all fell silent.

At that time, the people of the heavens were fortunate to encounter this teaching. They were saved as a whole and received the protection of the spirits who preserve pregnancy and life; no one was lost. People throughout the country turned toward and honored the Dao, and everyone held good intentions: they did not act recklessly, lose themselves in confusion, deceive, or covet; they did not depart from the right path or harbor guilt, impose their will on others, or behave inconsistently. Their words accorded with the Way of Heaven, and they spoke with one voice. Though they were not bound by blood, they loved one another as kin. The country was secure, the people prosperous, everyone was joyful, and peace prevailed throughout the world.

When this teaching first circulated, the whole country took the Dao as its guiding principle. All who approached it with complete sincerity, honored it, and paid it reverent respect could attain deliverance.

What this scripture describes are the inner names and hidden sounds of the divine kings of the heavens who protect pregnancy and preserve life. They are also the secret names of the spirits who protect pregnancy, the Three Primordials, the Six Jia, and others; they are not words used in everyday life. The perfected beings who have attained the way of the supreme sages can understand the mysterious and investigate the hidden, grasping the meaning of the scripture. If they recite it ten times, the heavens will answer in song from afar, and the myriad emperors will pay their respects.

Among all things between Heaven and Earth, every life conceived and carried in the womb comes into being through this process. The secret teaching explores the source and penetrates the mysteries of the primordial beginning. From the myriad things in Heaven and Earth down to the tiniest insects, all pass through gestation in the primordial womb, receiving the Dao’s Qi, gathering Jing and blood, and then taking form. Sages and worthies, the emperors of the heavens, and exalted immortals all grew from the root of the womb.

Therefore, protecting pregnancy and life, and reciting the scripture to summon the spirits, can set Yin-Yang in motion and transformation and bring blessings to living beings. When those who have succeeded in cultivating the Dao recite the scripture ten times, the Holy Mother will descend.

The Registrar of the Chamber, a divine official in charge of domestic affairs, and the Attendant of the Chariot, the Director of Destiny, who oversees the registers of life, record people in those registers. The Five Emperors grant people long life, help fetuses grow safely to completion, and protect mothers and their lives.

This is possible because practitioners of the Dao silently recite secret incantations within themselves and chant the true scripture aloud. In this way, they can summon and subdue the spirits of the ten directions, share honor with the Dao, command the earth deities, and bind demonic spirits. This not only frees them from death but also enables them to cultivate an immortal body. “Summoning” means calling upon the Three Origins and Six Jia—deities who govern the seasons, destiny, and protection—and the fetal spirits of the ten directions to guard one’s body and life. It also means making the fetal origin within the body, the Ten Perfected, the Red Lords of the hundred joints, and other spirits obey one’s commands.

This scripture is not meant only for women to recite during pregnancy. Practitioners may also read it and contemplate its meaning as a way to study the Dao and refine the true. To neglect its recitation invites calamity. Those who make offerings to and honor this scripture will see their household prosper and flourish for generations, align themselves with good causes, and remain beyond the reach of every kind of calamity; the spirits will guard their household. This scripture is exalted and mysterious, unrivaled in the Jade Capital, and saves people without limit. It is the foundation of the myriad Ways, and its vast virtue is beyond description.

The scripture says: Whoever recites it ten times will be met by the Three Origins and Six Jia of the heavens, along with the Great Gods of the Nine Palaces who protect pregnancy, preserve life, and bring good fortune. They will descend together to offer protection and cut off the harm that the evil ghosts of the Six Heavens and the souls of the dead from past lives inflict on living beings. These malign forces bring false accusations and harm into people’s fetal origins and palaces of destiny, causing true Qi to dissipate and the radiance of the spirit to fade. As a result, pregnancy may fail and the family line may not continue. If the malign influence persists, it may even affect generations to come. At such a time, the spirits will swiftly deliver the troublemakers to the Northern Capital, where the guilt of ghosts and spirits is judged, destroy their ghostly forms, and assess good and evil according to the registers. This allows practitioners to live out their lives in prosperity and become people of distinction.

Those who delight in practicing the scriptures, once their merit is complete, will naturally come to know the fetal true. In time they will become immortals, ascend to the Golden Palaces of Heaven, and feast and roam in the Jade Capital. Practitioners of the highest attainment who practice and recite this scripture will be saved at once, and their true spirits will fly forth from the fetal palace. Women who uphold and recite it will receive protection.

The Embryonic Spirit (the deity who protects the fetus) and the Life-Protecting Spirit regard the fetus as their own child. They transform essence and Qi into an infant, enabling it to be born. At every stage from conception to birth, the Embryonic Spirit protects its life, so it suffers no harm. If a man practices from a young age, his blessings will grow, he will accord with the Dao, good fortune will accompany him, and his life will be prolonged. Ultimately, he may attain the Dao of Corpse Liberation—a Daoist means of freeing oneself from the physical form and allowing the spirit to ascend. The spirit temporarily leaves the body and no longer undergoes the usual cycle of birth and death; afterward, it returns to the body and roams through the vast heavens.

This scripture is subtle and vast, and can save all beings without limit. All celestial beings and humans may thereby gain joy and immeasurable blessings, while people in the world may also receive its grace. Heaven treasures this scripture, so it must not be passed on casually. If a truly realized adept wishes to transmit it, they must offer gold and silk as tokens and, after making a sincere oath before Heaven, may then pass on the scripture. Anyone who carelessly reveals it or treats it with disrespect will bring calamity upon nine generations of ancestors, condemning them to long service under the ghost officials. Thirty-two Jade Youths and thirty-two Jade Maidens who protect pregnancy and life are charged with guarding the scripture and protecting the bodies of those who receive it.

The Dao says: If one observes an extended fast during the first month and recites this scripture, one can swiftly summon the Six Jia Direct Officials of the Upper Origin, who stand watch during the Upper Origin period. They protect pregnancy and life and put an end to the pursuit and summoning of descendants by the souls of the dead from earlier generations, as well as their appeals to the Celestial Official. In this way, conditions caused by spirits and ghosts—such as a fetus failing to form, the ending of pregnancy, or having no descendants—can be dispelled.

If one observes an extended fast and recites this scripture during the seventh month, one can swiftly summon the Six Jia Direct Officials of the Middle Origin. They protect pregnancy and life and put an end to curses, gu techniques, harmful suppression spells, jealous attacks on men and women, and appeals to the Earth Official. In this way, a fetus’s failure to form, the ending of pregnancy, having no descendants, and being listed in the registers of spirits and ghosts and pursued by them can all be dispelled.

If one observes an extended fast and recites this scripture during the tenth month, one can swiftly summon the Six Jia Direct Officials of the Lower Origin. They protect pregnancy and life and put an end to disputes connected with graves, illnesses caused by dampness, entanglements inherited from the ancestors, the consumption of a fetus’s vital essence by spirits and ghosts, and appeals to the Water Official. In this way, a fetus’s failure to form, the ending of pregnancy, having no descendants, and being entered in the black registers and sentenced to punishment can all be dispelled.

Reciting this scripture on the days of the Eight Seasonal Nodes—the four beginnings of the seasons, the two equinoxes, and the two solstices—protects all beings, ensuring that the roots and lifespans of all forms of life do not falter. The Embryonic Spirits of the eight directions each lead their own officials into the court to pay audience to the True Lord Taiyi of the Nine Palaces, thereby prolonging life, protecting pregnancy and life, and nurturing the foundations of life.

Anyone who recites this scripture and extends its merit to all beings plants a good seed of the Dao not only for women; the Celestial Emperor will also descend to observe. If one recites this scripture on one’s own birth-sign day, one can swiftly summon the Embryonic Spirit to hear the true scripture. The Three Lords of the Bright Hall will guard the fetus’s vital essence, keeping its spirit clear and upright and its original Qi preserved for a long time. It will suffer no further affliction, and its body will shine with radiance. Attendants and guards from the Three Realms will accompany it; the Five Emperors will welcome it, and the myriad spirits will come to pay homage. The reciter’s name will be entered in the heavenly registers. When the merit is complete, the reciter will ascend by flight to Shangqing, the Daoist realm of the highest heavens.

On the day you recite and practice this Jing, bathe with fragrant water and observe purification and fasting. Then enter a quiet room, face east, and click your teeth together thirty-two times, thereby making your appeal known to the thirty-two heavens. Next, bow to the thirty-two heavens thirty-two times.

Then close your eyes, quiet your thoughts, and sit upright. Visualize yourself surrounded by clouds of blue, yellow, and white Qi, with everything within and around you dim and indistinct. At your sides stand the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, guardians of the four directions, together with lions and white cranes, arrayed to your left and right. The sun and moon shine brightly, illuminating the room throughout. Then visualize a circular halo appearing above your head, its light reaching in all ten directions, with every scene clear and distinct.

Next, silently recite the secret incantation:

“Supreme Lord of the Dao, Mysterious Origin, please summon from within my body the thirty-six officials of the Three and Five, who transmit documents; the attendants and messengers to my left and right; the Jade Youths who tend the incense; the Jade Maidens who convey messages; the Talisman Envoys of the Five Emperors; and the incense officials on duty for the day. Let thirty-six of each come forward to convey and report this petition: Today is an auspicious day. In this pure fasting hall, I observe purification and practice the Dao, reciting the Scripture of Deliverance Without Measure. May the matter I report be heard above and conveyed directly to the seat of the Supreme Primordial Emperor, the Most Venerable One of the Supreme Thirty-Two Heavens.”

(The rites of bowing and petitioning are now complete.)

Then inhale thirty-two times while facing east, and recite the Jing facing east.