《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 46

Nothing cannot be driven away or dispelled; nothing cannot be saved or brought to completion. This is the voice of the natural, uncontrived Dao. Thus, when this scripture is recited, the worlds of the ten directions descend to observe. The Lord on High responds in song from afar, the myriad gods come to pay homage, and the spirits of the Three Realms—Heaven, Earth, and Water—stand beside the imperial chariot. Demons lower their heads and surrender; ghosts, apparitions, and uncanny beings vanish of their own accord. The scripture’s recitation rings like jade striking jade, its clear resonance reaching throughout the ten directions. Heaven and Earth fall still, rivers and seas grow silent, mountain mists and dust disperse, the myriad spirits tremble and bow, and the assembled immortals answer the summons. No foul energy remains in Heaven, no demonic haze on Earth; profound wisdom shines through with clarity, vast and mysterious without limit.

Chapter on Dispelling and Averting the Calamities of Flood and Fire, Drifting and Burning

The Daoist scripture says: Long ago, in the Heaven of Quiet Joy, Feiqing Liaoge Dabuwei Tu received from the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning the wondrous scripture On Deliverance from and Dispelling the Calamities of Flood and Fire, Drifting and Burning. When the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning was about to expound this scripture, he first circled the area once, making ten circuits in all, to summon the deities of the ten directions. He then ascended the ritual seat. The divine beings of natural truth, the supreme sages and exalted worthies, the two marshal offices governing water and fire, their immortal lords, generals, officials, and troops, as well as the officials charged with directing water, kindling fire, and carrying out their duties, and the perfected beings who rescued people from calamities and relieved their suffering—all came riding through the air, countless in number.

They swept onward amid clouds of red and black, riding tiger chariots and accompanied by armored warhorses. Yellow banners, red tallies of authority, green canopies, and vermilion pennants followed in their train. Thunder crashed through the sky, and mighty winds toppled mountains. Strange auspicious lights surged and drifted, illuminating the open sky. For seven days and seven nights, the keys to the gates of the celestial palaces rang out; halls and towers shook; the numinous radiance of the sun, moon, and stars burst forth and glittered, and the moving sun and moon halted their chariots. The immortals’ sacred hymns came to rest among the clouds, while rosy light circled and wound around the Northern Dipper. Green shadows and gleams floated gently, and purple smoke gathered into towers.

Throughout the kingdom, the land, mountains, rivers, and forests became level and uniform, without high places or low. The ground was transformed entirely into blue-green jade, with no other color. The perfected beings stood in attendance beside the seat.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright in the air upon the naturally formed Flying Immortal Tenfold Flower Seat of five colors. Each time he completed a recitation of the scripture, the great sages of the heavens praised it in unison. At that time, the men and women of the kingdom all received blessings, and the heavens too enjoyed lasting peace, receiving the Dao’s teachings.

At the second recitation, the offices of Taiwei and Ziwei, together with the bureaus governing water and fire, submitted reports of meritorious deeds and recorded Virtue. Yin-Yang was thereby brought into harmony and stability.

At the third recitation, the Emperor of the Sun held a tablet, while the Queen of the Moon offered a reverent salute.

At the fourth recitation, the two luminaries, the Sun and Moon, and the Three Origins—Heaven, Earth, and Water—came to receive their commands.

At the fifth recitation, the Mother of Water set the workings in motion, extending life and ensuring its continuance from generation to generation; the Fire Official…

By the sixth recitation of the scripture, one can calculate good and ill fortune and extend one’s lifespan. Guilt is judged appropriately, and no innocent person is wrongfully accused. By the seventh recitation, the suffering caused by disasters such as drifting in floods and being consumed by fire comes to an end; the pain of drowning and the consequences of evil deeds are also dispelled. By the eighth, the Three Realms—the heavens, the earth, and the human world—are at peace, with no further disturbances. By the ninth, the spirits dwelling in places such as the earthly furnace and the heavenly stove return to their proper stations, and the order of Yin and Yang is harmonized. By the tenth, every kind of misfortune is resolved, and people and all things dwell in peace.

At this time, all the men and women in the country sincerely believe and accept the teaching. They receive protection and salvation, and attain longevity.

The Daoist scripture records that when the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (a revered Daoist deity) preached the scripture for the first time, the Great God of Water and Fire in Charge of Merit from the boundless East, together with his countless retinue, came down from the sky. When he preached it for the second time, the Great God of Water and Fire in Charge of Inspection from the boundless South, together with his countless retinue, arrived. At the third recitation, the Great God of Water and Fire in Charge of Punishment from the West and his retinue arrived; at the fourth, the Great God of Water and Fire in Charge of Justice from the North and his retinue; at the fifth, the Great God of Water and Fire in Charge of Calamities from the Northeast and his retinue; at the sixth, the Great God of Water and Fire in Charge of Commands from the Southeast and his retinue; at the seventh, the Great God of Water and Fire in Charge of Registers from the Southwest and his retinue; at the eighth, the Great God of Water and Fire in Charge of Prohibitions from the Northwest and his retinue; at the ninth, the Great God of Water and Fire in Charge of Destiny from above and his retinue; and when he preached the scripture for the tenth time, those below…

The great gods of the Water and Fire Offices from the Measureless Realm arrived through the sky with countless attendants, spreading throughout the ten directions.

The great gods who oversaw the registers in the Water and Fire Offices came together to a kingdom. The men and women there sincerely turned toward them and held them in reverence. All who came bowed and offered praise, praying that they might escape great calamities and disasters caused by water and fire, and suffer no misfortune from changes in heaven, earth, and the human world. Those still living in the world also prayed to avoid the miseries of being burned by fire or swept away and drowned by water; to escape punishment when the Three Offices—the divine agencies governing Heaven, Earth, and Water—examined the registers of their offenses; and to be spared penalties imposed by water and fire. They asked the two Offices to carry out their heavenly duties according to the proper principles, so that the human world might be peaceful and prosperous, the realm of ghosts at rest, and malevolent gods and demonic officials subdued, unable to act recklessly and cause trouble by unleashing floods or starting fires. They bowed before the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning and rejoiced to hear this teaching of utmost importance.

Each person brought out wondrous instruments from the Heavenly Treasure and true treasures of the Divine Land. They gathered like clouds, accompanied by attendants too numerous to count. The crowd filled nearly half the kingdom’s land, which began to tilt and sink everywhere, beyond anyone’s power to stop.

Then the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning looked around the ten directions and down upon the assembly. He rose, shook out his robe, and set Heaven and Earth in motion. He breathed out, transforming his breath into the radiance of water; he exhaled, transforming it into flames. Two beams of light, like the Sun and Moon, crossed and danced, coiling and rising like swimming dragons until they reached the open sky. After a long while, they transformed into a precious pearl, no larger than a millet grain, suspended seven zhang above the ground.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning led the Heavenly Perfected, the High Sages and Venerable Ones, the Perfected who save from calamity and deliver from hardship, and the officials and officers of the Water and Fire Offices—including the great gods who governed the punishments of drowning and burning—together with their countless attendants, into the pearl. The people of Heaven looked up and saw only the assembled beings continually entering through its opening. Once inside, they could no longer tell where they were. When the people of the kingdom dispersed, the ground became level again and stopped tilting and sinking.

Within the pearl, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning finished explaining the scripture. The Perfected oversaw and witnessed the transmission, then bestowed it upon me. The joy of that moment cannot be put into words. When the ritual proceedings were largely complete, the gods of Heaven returned to their appointed places; in an instant, all around fell silent.

At that time, the people of Heaven and the beings of the human world were fortunate to encounter this scripture and its teaching. All received deliverance and were able to live out their natural lifespans, without suffering sudden harm. The people throughout the kingdom turned toward the teaching with reverence and kept good thoughts in their hearts: they were not violent, angry, extravagant, indulgent, harshly judgmental, licentious, lax, neglectful of the proper time, flattering, or crooked. Their words were clear, and no harmful sounds came from their mouths. They showed one another kindness, and even those with different surnames were as close as family. The kingdom was at peace, the people prosperous, and all rejoiced in the blessings of peaceful times.

The scripture and its teaching began to spread through the kingdom. All who cultivated in accordance with the Dao with utmost sincerity, and who honored and reverently upheld it, could attain deliverance.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), a revered Daoist deity, says: The contents mentioned in this scripture are the hidden inner names of the Lords of Heaven. They can ward off calamities, avert misfortune, restrain floods and fires, and save people from drowning or burning. The secret sounds in the scripture are also the inner taboo names of the True Kings—the hidden names of revered deities. They can be used to restrain and command the two offices of Water and Fire, preventing them from flooding at will, starting fires, or arbitrarily imposing punishments and harming the people. These are secret names for summoning the rulers of the myriad spirits, not ordinary words used in the human world.

The highest sages have attained the state of perfected beings. They understand the mysterious principles and have plumbed the most hidden subtleties. They possess efficacious ritual treasures that allow them to trace the origins of changes in water and fire, understand how water and fire calamities arise, and know the rules that govern them. When this scripture is recited ten times, the heavens answer one another from afar, and the myriad emperors perform their rites. The spirits of water, earth, and fire grow calm; rivers and seas subside; fierce flames are restrained. The sun and moon cease their courses, the stars of the Northern Dipper stop turning, demons are bound, and ghostly essences are destroyed. The flames quietly die down, and floods naturally recede.

When a cultivator recites the scripture ten times, the dark essences each remain in their proper place, red monsters no longer appear, demons and phantoms lose their power to cause trouble, and ghosts and evil spirits disperse. In this way, the cultivator can relieve the calamities of flood and fire. The reason is that the cultivator’s Cinnabar Palace—the inner seat of cultivation—has not yet been completed; the transformations by which water and fire rise and descend are not yet fully understood; the power to summon and subdue the two offices of Water and Fire has not yet taken shape; and the cultivator’s De is not yet sufficient to constrain the decrees of the celestial realm. The power of the scripture can suppress evil and bind the roaming Qi of fire calamities, but it can only ward off evil and deliver people from danger; it cannot make the two deities of Water and Fire cease all punishments entirely.

Reciting this chapter carelessly may instead bring calamity. Those who make offerings to and honor this scripture will see their household prosper and flourish for generations, in accord with wholesome karmic connections. Floods and fires will not come to trouble them, and the spirits will protect their doors. This scripture is exalted and mysterious, unique in the Jade Capital, the palace of the heavens in Daoist tradition. It can command water and fire and dispel the disasters of flood and burning. It is the foundation of the myriad Ways, and its vast, sublime De is beyond full description.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning also says that the two offices of Water and Fire have spirits of immense power, known as the True Lords Who Govern the Five Sacred Peaks. They oversee the unleashing of floods, causing people to be swept away and drowned, and the outbreak of fierce fires that spread and consume. They protect the good and punish the wicked, and they also impose punishments on those who are guilty. After sinners die, they must endure severe torments such as the cold pools and fiery chariots of the hells. They are boiled and exiled to places of punishment such as the Springs of the Netherworld and the Volcano of Fire, where they suffer immersion in boiling water and burning until charred.

Xili Zhenjun, a Daoist deity, governs the affairs of water and fire. In Heaven are the two lights of the sun and moon, the numinous roots of Yin-Yang. They shine upon the people below, bestowing blessings and sending down calamities. These rewards and punishments do not occur without cause; the Great Might Spirit, the Nine Heavens Arbiter of Fate, the Investigating Envoys, the Elders of the Five Sacred Peaks, and the Administrators of the Five Sacred Peaks jointly govern the affairs of water and fire.

Punishments by water and fire are carried out by six generals, acting under orders to inflict calamity. The generals who command water are General River Chief Du Yuanji, General Heavenly Register Zhang Zihua, and General Talisman Bearer Sha Bohuang. Those who command fire are General Swift and Fierce Liu Tianqiang, General Boundary Setter Zhou Juncai, and General Fire Raiser Shi Wanfou. Hidden caverns of water and fire lie throughout the world.

The essences of Yin and Yang transform into water dragons and fire dragons. When people face danger, flying dragons send down calamity, and water and fire strike together. The Dipper holds the Northern Emperor’s command, and the officials in its departments oversee the affairs of the water and fire dragons. Their chief official is titled Lady Jade Radiance and Purple Numinous Power. She has thousands of officials beneath her, each in charge of a corresponding duty.

If the living have sinned in a previous life, after death their souls are imprisoned in the prisons of water and fire, where they suffer the torments of both. They may be forced to labor in water or fire, to channel water into the caverns of the Four Rivers, or to chop wood and kindle fires before being placed in a cauldron a hundred li across and boiled. Floodwaters reach the heavens, and blazing fires cover the land. Those undergoing punishment suffer day and night without end.

If someone recites this scripture ten times, the heavens will all descend together and free suffering beings from the water prison, allowing their spirits to travel to the Purple Terrace; they will also be freed from the fire prison and ascend to the Vermilion Palace. After nine years of instruction there, they can be reborn as noble people. The scripture also says that reciting it can dispel the calamities of flood and fire and naturally bring blessings and good fortune. Those who delight in studying the scriptures, once their merit is complete, can cause the numinous treasure to coalesce into an elixir. After the body undergoes the seven reversals and nine returns of water and fire—a Daoist term for the repeated process of refining and cultivating—it can become that of an immortal. They then ascend to the Golden Palace and feast in the Jade Capital.

Those of the highest attainment who study, practice, and recite this scripture can make true water rise and numinous fire descend to warm below, conceal the sunlight in the sea, and bring clouds forth from every pore. Through this, they are immediately delivered and ascend to the Southern Palace. When people in the world receive and recite this scripture, they can prolong their lives and, in time, cultivate the Dao of Corpse解, a Daoist method of attaining immortality in which the physical body is shed and the spirit ascends. Their souls temporarily disappear, without undergoing … [The original text ends here]

Even if they suffer in hell, swept away by water and fire or consumed by flames, they can recover their original form and roam through the vast reaches of space. This scripture is utterly subtle and wondrous, and can save all beings without limit. There is no celestial or human being who does not receive blessings and good fortune through it; its immeasurable blessings also extend to the living and the dead.

This scripture is a classic treasured by Heaven and is not passed on to worldly people. Only those who possess the Dao may receive it, after preparing gold, silver, and precious treasures and solemnly swearing an oath to Heaven with sincere hearts. If anyone carelessly discloses it or treats it with disrespect, calamity will befall nine generations of their ancestors, and they themselves will serve for a long time under the ghost officials. The Jade Boys and Jade Maidens who attend this scripture number twenty-four of each for the Five Emperors (the Celestial Emperors of the Five Directions). They are charged with guarding the text and protecting those who receive it.

The scripture says: If one observes a month-long fast during the first lunar month and recites this scripture, the souls of the dead from earlier generations can be released from imprisonment in hell, spared the calamities of water and fire and the reckoning of their deeds, and guided to the Southern Palace. If one observes a month-long fast during the seventh lunar month and recites this scripture, calamities of being swept away by water or consumed by fire can be dispelled, and the body can attain an immortal’s form. The heavens will enter one’s name in the Yellow Register, a Daoist roster used to record and deliver the souls of the dead, and erase it from the register of the dead on the White Slip, entering it instead in the register of the living.

If one observes a month-long fast during the tenth lunar month and recites this scripture, calamities of water and fire can be dispelled and Yin and Yang Qi brought into harmony. Kings, emperors, lords and ministers, fathers and sons will be at peace; the nation’s fortunes will be protected and endure through successive generations. Reciting the scripture regularly for a ruler can bring peace to the lands under his authority, so that the people praise the age as one of peace and order.

Reciting this scripture on the Eight Seasonal Festivals, the eight important days in the Daoist calendar, can bring harmony to the red and black realms and allow all things to grow and flourish. If one recites it on one’s birth-cycle day, the day corresponding to the stem and branch of one’s birth, one can become a Perfected Being of the Nine Palaces. Yin Qi will stay within its proper bounds and Yang Qi flow smoothly; ministers will be loyal to their ruler, and Fire Qi descend while Water Qi rises. Humble in virtue yet honored in rank, one’s soul and spirit will be clear and upright, and the myriad breaths will endure. One will suffer no distress; one’s body will shine with light; the spirits of the Three Realms will serve as guards, the Five Emperors will come to welcome one, and the myriad spirits will pay homage. Once one’s merit is complete, one’s name will be recorded in Heaven, and one may ascend to Shangqing, the Upper Realm in Daoist cosmology.

The scripture also says: On days when Daoist rites are performed, one should bathe with fragrant water and fast before entering the chamber. Facing east, click the teeth thirty-two times to carry one’s prayer up to the thirty-two heavens; then bow thirty-two times to the thirty-two heavens visualized within the heart. Close the eyes and meditate, imagining oneself seated upright amid clouds of blue, purple, and deep red. All is profound and still within and without. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lions, and white cranes stand in ranks to either side. The great spirits of Water and Fire, together with divine officials and attendants, command their ranks and guard the front and rear. Sun and moon shine down, filling the chamber with light; a rounded aura appears above the head, its radiance reaching in all ten directions. Once the visualization is clear, silently recite the spell:

“Supreme Mysterious Origin, Lord of the Dao, summon forth the Three-Five Merit Officers within my body, along with the officials and messengers on my left and right, the Jade Boy who attends the incense, the Jade Maiden who conveys messages, the Five Emperors’ appointed talisman officials, and the incense officials on duty today, thirty-six of each, to convey and report the words I now speak…”

Choose an auspicious day, quiet the heart, and observe a purification fast while practicing this scripture in a clean hall. May the wishes presented here rise and reach the heavens.

Reverently present the scripture before the throne of the Supreme Primordial Lord of the Thirty-Two Heavens. (When the ritual is complete)

Face east, regulate the breath and guide the Qi thirty-two times, then recite this scripture.

The Wondrous Scripture of Supreme Quality for Deliverance without Measure by the Primordial Beginning

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, a revered Daoist deity, perceived the mysteries of the profound and sent down the scriptures of the Numinous Treasure. This chapter concerns dispelling the calamities of flood and fire, averting disasters such as being swept away or burned, and saving living beings. The scripture holds wondrous tones whose hidden power can deliver living beings.

The two forces of Yin and Yang turn and interact throughout nature, revealing the highest truth. Before Heaven and Earth began, when they had yet to take shape, wondrous transformations occurred during the Primordial Beginning’s first kalpa. At first there was neither form nor spirit; then a single Qi came into being. In the empty, mysterious expanse, Qi gathered into a great vessel. Warm Qi rose and became mysterious dew; then it descended and formed the waters of the Celestial River. Thus Water and Fire became the Supreme One, the Great Unity, who precedes the emperors—the highest primordial force.

Deep and gentle breaths of Qi gathered into blazing fire and became wondrous fluid. Fire shone bright, while water was dark; thus the two forces of Water and Fire were complete. Water filled the vessel as the fire’s Qi circulated. As warm Qi gathered over time, the fluid condensed into a rich, solid substance.

The Nine Palaces of Jade Capital, the halls of the celestial realm, took shape. The gates of the eight directions were secured, and the ten regions shone bright. Red and black appeared: these are the foundations of Heaven. Water and Fire have no fixed source or progenitor, yet from one they unfold into nine and transform into the True Elixir. The Elixir’s light flashed, and the spirits Xuanlao, Dachen, Bifei, Zhufeng, Canglong, and others appeared.

These divine powers can sweep away the calamities of the Hundred and Six and the Yang Nine, as well as evil forces, warfare and disorder, strange beings, fires, dark Qi, and every kind of misfortune, making disasters vanish without a trace. These teachings were formed into a scripture called “The Profound within the Profound of the Great Law.” The phoenix writings and jade chapters formed through the Three Origins and Eight Assemblies—a Daoist term for how celestial script and talismanic writing came into being—are supremely secret and sacred texts. They have endured for billions of years and, as True Kings rule the world and fulfill their appointed destiny, have been passed down to deliver all beings caught in the cycle of life and death. Every suffering soul can respond to the scripture and receive its aid, even through endless kalpas.

By cultivating this scripture, one can pass through floods and fires without encountering violent forces. Evil and disorder can also be transformed, and worldly disasters brought to an end. When calamity is near, one may perform rites of appeasement and deliverance: burn talismanic writings and drive away the peril of drowning, so that disaster swiftly departs.

The Celestial Emperor commands that any calamity daring to attack be burned away and dispersed in the Great Void, so that the course of Qi returns to the right path. In the celestial realm are spirits who dispel disasters and misfortune and transform the perils of flood, fire, drowning, and burning; the Lord of Longevity of the South Pole; the Great God Sima, who directs deliverance from the world; the Venerable Lord Han, who cherishes life; and the Southern Director of Destiny, the Director of Records, and other deities. They govern the prolonging of life, the increase of one’s allotted years, deliverance from calamity, and the return of the dead to life.

The Dao of deliverance without measure now records and verifies the assembled deities. The spirits of all the heavens have come before the imperial presence.

The Limitless King of Wind Power of the East, Great Sage of Longevity, delivers all beings without measure.

The Limitless King of Glorious Might of the South, Great Sage of Longevity, delivers all beings without measure.

The Limitless King of Golden Light of the West, Great Sage of Longevity, delivers all beings without measure.

The King of the Boundless Cavern Abyss in the north, the King of the Boundless Subduing Treachery in the northeast, the King of the Boundless Blazing Fire in the southeast, the King of the Boundless Water Repository in the southwest, and the King of the Boundless Dispelling Calamity in the northwest, along with the King of the Boundless Deliverance from Distress above and the King of the Boundless Release from Affliction below, are all Great Saints of Longevity, responsible for saving and delivering all living beings.

The perfected kings and great deities of the ten directions who dispel and avert disasters caused by water and fire arrive together in cloudlike, radiant carriages. Their carriages gleam with brocade and splendor, drawn by five phoenixes and twelve dark dragons. They carry ceremonial implements that summon the true spirits, while the Eight Radiant Spirit Banners—sacred flags used in Daoist ritual—lead the way. A thunderous sound rings out ahead, and golden instruments sound in unison. Behind them, jade flutes are played, while lions and white cranes sing together. The ranks of perfected immortals clear their path; the immortals guard their carriages, and thousands upon thousands of chariots and riders descend from the sky.

They inspect disasters of water and fire and observe the circumstances of living beings. Officials of the Divine Empyrean Court, Lord Han, the immortal elder of the Upper Palace of Qinghua, and the Great Deity Who Disperses Calamity arrive together before the Celestial Emperor, carrying registers. They carefully examine the heavens according to each person’s need for deliverance, and issue proclamations throughout the Three Realms and to such places as the Boundless Divine Land, the Palace of Linked Mansions, and the Palace of the Spirit Pivot.

They rescue those trapped in the Six Heavens and Nine Prisons, in icy pools and fiery mountains, and those struck down, swept away, drowned, or burned. They also release and pardon the souls of the dead who are suffering. The Three Officials, deities who oversee the affairs of Heaven, Earth, and Water, absolve the dead of their transgressions. They also erase the records of accumulated sins of their ancestors, parents, and generations of kin, and sever the roots of their evil karma, so that they are no longer held in custody or forced to consort with ghosts.

In accordance with the talismanic decree of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, departed souls may ascend at their appointed time. The shadowy gloom of fires and the cold realms of the underworld are also placed under protection. The spirits guard bodies and souls, subdue demonic obstacles, and help people escape calamity. Souls delivered at Nanchang are refined and transformed, becoming immortals and being reborn as humans. The living who receive deliverance can endure from age to age. As all beings pass through the cycles of the kalpas, they live as long as Heaven, forever escaping the suffering of being swept away, submerged, or burned. They transcend the Three Realms and wander freely in the Upper Clarity Heaven and the colorless realm of the Celestial Emperor’s Cavern of Awakening, cultivating the Brahma Way.

The Eight Heavens of the East

Heaven of Celebrated Splendor and Jade Radiance—its emperor’s title is “Platform of Prosperity, Dancing Clouds.”

Heaven of Manifest Clarity and Mysterious Endowment—its emperor’s title is “Spirit Valley, Shaking Light.”

Heaven of Commanding Spirits and Nine Perfections—its emperor’s title is “Compassionate Ba, Bringing Auspiciousness.”

The eastern heavens include:

The Heaven of Sun Gazing and Yang’s Radiant Spirit, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Qi Shengfang; the Heaven of Stepping on the Extraordinary and Riding the Horn, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Tong Yuanluo; the Eastern Heaven Next to the Di Lodge, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Zhentu Liuyuan; the Heaven of Wondrous Tones and Hanging Precepts, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Yue Dao Weimei; and the Heaven of Settled Rites and Subtle Teachers, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Bochu Taoying.

The eight southern heavens include:

The Heaven of Shining Splendor and Ordering Radiance, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Sun Sidao Yi; the Heaven of Forbidden Brightness and Martial Valor, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Po Man Qihuan; the Heaven of Peace and Joy, Illumination and Benevolence, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Yu Zhenying; the Heaven of Yang’s Transformation and Deliverance to Immortality, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Youyun Jingfang; the Heaven of Subtle Realms and Roaming in the Vastness, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Zishu Heng; the Heaven of Historian Tao and the Escaped Soul, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Fu Qian Chuning; the Heaven of the Red Cavern, Revealing the Hidden, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Bian Chang Zexu; and the Heaven of Favorable Peace and Harmony, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Zhao Wu Jingan.

The eight western heavens include:

The Heaven of Brahmic Qi, Seven Perfected, and Divine Radiance, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Ji Yuan Zhengji; the Heaven of White Chapters and the Civil Emperor, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Yue Dingzhuang; the Heaven of the Terrace of Mystery and the Utmost Principle, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Xian Min Fuming; the Heaven of River Mists, Zixiang, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Tao Shu Gaicang; the Heaven of the Central, Distant, and Mysterious Transformation, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Shi Yuan Tonggui; the Heaven of Stillness, Wondrousness, and the Entrusted Spirit, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Yue Lu Huayou; the Heaven of the Cavern’s Light and Plain Radiance, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Luo Qiu Zaozhang; and the Heaven of Controlling Flight and Guarding Essence, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Xue Mi Qiufu.

The eight northern heavens include:

The Heaven of Beautiful Rectitude and True Time, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Huang Wuming; the Heaven of Transcending Emptiness, Ascending and Transforming, and Blue Flame, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Zhao Zhibin; the Heaven of Jade’s Swift Passage, Purple Scenery, and Dewy Yang, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Zong Yaohuang; the Heaven of the Secret, Pure, and Jade Chapters, the Spirit’s Palace, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Zhong Ji Mian; the Heaven of Precious Chen, Flowery Looms, and the Descending Dragon, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Xue Jilong; and the Heaven of Cloud Marshes Spreading and Forming, ruled by the Heavenly Emperor Da Si Jinxing.

Listed here are the names of the heavens in each direction and the Heavenly Emperors who rule them. Titles such as “Heaven” and “Emperor” are proper names in the Daoist divine hierarchy. Some terms are specialized names for heavenly realms and deities, and are retained according to their scriptural readings. The source lists only six northern heavens, and ends here.

In the Purple Fusion and Subtlety Heaven and the Heaven of Perfect Truth and Ten Thousand Ages, the Celestial Emperor’s ceremonial retinue sets out, and the sovereign establishes a vast domain. The Thirty-Two Heavens and their Celestial Emperors each have secret names.

This is the Natural, Numinous Chapter of the Hollow Cavern. Reciting the hidden cadences of the various heavens can avert disasters of flood, fire, drowning, and burning. The Venerable Water-Origin Great One and the Scarlet Emperor God of the Fire Origin unleash the powers of water and fire. The host of demons performs fire rites, while the True Spirits set the nine yang and ten yin in motion, bringing about transformations without end. Among these, the mysteries of the Highest Clarity are unfathomably profound.

The divine and perfected beings bestow their power to relieve the suffering of drowning and burning. Today’s ceremony dispels calamity and misfortune for the people, drives away evil influences, and admonishes the divine officials who oversee scriptures and calendrical cycles. They are to notify the heavens and petition for the destruction of disasters by water and fire, the severing of evil and resentful bonds, and the people’s ascent and passage through the trials of water and fire, so that their names may be entered among the Great Mystery. The Demon Kings are charged with inspecting and exposing wrongdoing, and no obstruction is to bar the gates of Heaven.

The Eastern Dipper keeps the record of good deeds, while the Western Dipper sends down auspicious signs. The Northern Dipper examines disasters of water, and the Southern Dipper governs disasters of fire. The Central Dipper determines punishments and deals with burning and drowning. Whether living or dead, those with grave offenses face the calamity of death, while even those with lesser offenses will suffer disaster. The Azure Emperor watches over souls; the White Emperor captures them; the Red Emperor wields the torch, making wind and fire blaze fiercely. The Black Emperor raises vast waves, sending the waters surging without limit. The Yellow Emperor presides at the center and directs executions and punishments.

The Demon King of the Azure Heaven watches and tests the hosts of evil spirits. The Demon King of the Red Heaven hurls blazing fire and sends up smoke and flames. The Demon King of the White Heaven raises surging, towering waves, as if to topple mountains. The Demon King of the Black Heaven stirs up floods that swallow the abyss. The Demon King of the Yellow Heaven makes corpses scorch and float. The Great Demons of the Five Emperors are the progenitors of the myriad gods. They command the gods of water and fire and their mighty troops, directing ceremonial retinues and music as they patrol the vast heavens. Flames blaze fiercely; floods reach the sky. They bind dragons, ascend to Heaven to deliver people, and sternly command the True King of Northern Feng, the divinity who governs the netherworld, to obey the order and rescue those in peril.

The Eight Mighty Divine Generals guard the imperial carriage, while fierce steeds patrol the borders. The Flying-Heaven Marshal puts out fires, blocks floods, eliminates sudden calamities, and suppresses disasters. Whoever dares to stir up disorder and defy the Highest True Ones will have their guilt judged by the gods who oversee wrongdoing, entered in the register of the Great Heaven, and be taken into custody and dealt with by gods such as the Scarlet Misfortune and the Great Ugly One. The heavenly troops block them at every turn, and the myriad gods join in destroying their forms. Whoever dares to subject good people to drowning or burning will be clearly observed by the Three Officials, who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, and by Northern Feng; neither ghosts nor spirits may conceal the matter. This order is carried by the Golden Horse courier station and proclaimed to the endless myriad gods. The gods of the Three Realms and the Five Emperors must all obey, and the matter is to be reported up to Highest Clarity.

Within the Unified Domain of the Primal Cavern, water and fire each have their own realm. Yin contains the essence of yang, and yang, too, depends on the power of yin. The two Qi of Yin and Yang interact to generate the myriad things, giving them qualities both soft and hard.

Through kalpas beyond counting, Heaven and Earth existed in a state of chaos. The clear, light Qi rose and formed the visible world; the heavy, turbid Qi sank and became the deep waters. Water and fire spread through the sky, mingling and coalescing to form the heavenly realms. Heaven lay above, Earth below, while the shadowed and hidden realms had yet to appear. Nothing had form or shadow, and Heaven and Earth stretched without limit. At that time, they were vast and empty, shrouded in darkness.

Once water and fire had come into being, the Three Realms—the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm—also took shape. Later, as the flow of Qi waxed and waned, rising, descending, and shifting, water and fire each established divine officials to investigate and assess the karmic offenses of all beings. The vile beings of Quanqu, the underworld below, and the volcanoes overstepped their bounds and rebelled. They acted deceitfully and recklessly, wielding power without authorization, causing the people of Heaven to be swept away and drowned, while fires ravaged the earth.

The August Emperor, the Heavenly Emperor, was enraged. He summoned the hundred gods and issued a jade proclamation, commanding the generals of the spirit world through red script charged with righteous Qi. The Black Essence, the Womb-Bearing Dragon Mother, dragged her long sash; the Heaven-Shaking, Awe-Inspiring King commanded ten thousand troops, while Yumo carried the banner. The Ugly Earl seized their vital essences. The Old Lord, acting on the imperial decree, swept away the demonic miasma and captured the wandering spirits of fire. He cleared the waterways so that water spirits could no longer invade at will. All the gods reverently obeyed the command, purged the cosmos, and returned to report to the Heavenly Emperor.

The radiance of divine might shone down, opening the gateways in all eight directions and granting universal pardon to the departed souls of Beifeng, the northern underworld. All the souls undergoing retribution and suffering attained profound insight and understood the root of the Great Dao. Following the cycles of karmic conditions, they were reborn in the various heavens and enjoyed great blessings for ages to come. They refined immortal embryos and ascended to immortality, rising beyond the Three Realms to dwell high in Taiqing, the highest pure and empty heaven. There they feasted and wandered at the Terrace of Blossoms, receiving rewards for their merits in due order.

The Heavenly Emperor’s voice regulated the flow of Qi, and the floodwaters subsided of their own accord. The spirit wind gathered the smoke, and the raging flames no longer burned. The waves fell still and the flames went out. The gods of water and fire acted in accordance with liturgy and the golden statutes and jade laws. The divine powers nurtured all things and returned them to their true state. In the realm of truth, the supreme deity, the Great Lord of Long Life, governed the virtue of fire. Revered by the myriad heavens, he ascended through the Nine Heavens and ruled over the myriad spirits.

The gods Wuying, Fuxiang, and Baiyuan governed the hidden depths. Taiyi, Mingyao, Siming, Guangxuan, Taokang, and the others joined the characters of the Two Luminaries to gather Jing and Qi. Holding Fulu, they protected the root of life, enabling people to preserve their lives and extend their years. The spirits roamed above in Shangqing, entering and leaving the chambers of radiance and moving through the hidden and subtle realms in all eight directions. They also descended to guard the human body, dwelling in the Niwan Palace, the spirit chamber in the head, and the Crimson Palace, the spirit chamber in the heart. There they regulated the Five Qi, brought the hundred gods into harmony, circulated spiritual Qi, and guided the myriad Qi toward the immortal Dao.

These divine powers could avert disasters and dispel misfortune, rescuing people from the suffering of floods and fire and saving all beings. They removed calamities and resolved dangers. The Emperor Lord issued commands to distinguish guilt from blessing, so that all beings could receive deliverance: the departed could be freed, and the living kept safe.

The living could be reborn, and all the gods in Heaven could hear of it. Above the heavens, each realm has a Gate of Life, containing verses of empty-cavern song. The spirit writings of the True Kings have words that accord with those of the High Perfected.

This is the first chapter, titled “Flying Sounds for Removing Water Calamities and Drowning.”

The Water Official, the deity who governs water, inspects the spirits, commands the Northern Origin, the northern underworld, and regulates Yin Qi while restraining Yang Qi.

The river suddenly swelled, as evil spirits and wicked beings disrupted the order of Heaven and gathered in great numbers. Floodwaters surged, seeming to sweep away even the mountains—how could boats be of any use? The River Lord, too, withdrew far away before the overwhelming waters, while flood dragons and mirage demons came to lend their strength to the calamity. The people suffered this disaster beneath the vast, boundless Heaven and Earth, and no one could know the depth of their anguish.

The fish and turtles devoured human flesh, and bones lay scattered in sand and mud. A mournful wind swept through the Ninefold Darkness, the deep and shadowy underworld, while children cried through the night. Many lives were cut short without cause; people drifted as refugees, with nowhere to turn. Evil spirits exploited the occasion of sacrificial rites to sow chaos, and no one knew where the dead went after death.

The True King, a divine being who descends in accordance with the Dao to subdue evil, came down from the Nine Heavens and seized the wicked spirits, sending the perpetrators to the Realm of Seven Transgressions, where evil is punished. He cut off the demons’ ears and severed their waists and necks, then destroyed them among the mountains and rivers. Afterward, he summoned the dead with jade talismans, allowing their souls to be reborn. By reciting this Cavern Chapter, a Daoist scripture, and writing the names of the dead on vermilion registers, they could all be delivered and ascend to Red Mound, the celestial realm described in Daoist tradition.

Chapter Two: A Rite to Avert the Calamity of Fire

The Fire Official, a celestial deity who governs fires, examines human wrongdoing and oversees the affairs of the Southern Celestial Bureau. A great star shines in the heavens. An old man dressed in red, carrying a bow and marked by the head of a quail, rides out in a chariot to drive away disaster. Their merit benefits all things, sending fire to flow into the Jade Pool, a sacred place symbolizing the quelling of fire. The workings of Heaven are watched over by the celestial officials, and the six gates between Heaven and Earth shine brightly.

Yet officials in the lower realm usurp authority and act in disorder, and are therefore punished. At midnight, a fire suddenly breaks out. Fierce winds rush and cross one another; blue-green smoke coils like a dragon, and a raging blaze sweeps in every direction. Flames leap a myriad feet high, blazing fiercely, their roar like distant thunder. People cry out and run toward the walls, trapped in panic among the curtains, unable to find a way to escape. Their bodies are consumed; fat and blood flow. The ghosts of those who die young hurry after them. Their hair knots break apart, their hair is scorched black, and their breath fades with the dying embers.

Their souls drift through the netherworld as fierce fires spread everywhere. Even when people come to offer sacrifices, evil ghosts sniff out the offerings; they thirst but cannot drink, and grow weary but have nowhere to rest. The immortals and sages dwell in the heavens—who could say they do not know of disasters among humankind? The celestial officials make their rounds and inspect the world, arresting the wicked and correcting wrongdoing. Jade talismans are used to subdue fires, and none dare defy the ways of ghosts and spirits.

The Emperor issues his command so that all beings may receive blessings of peace and good fortune, and the people may live in safety.

Free from the danger of falling into ruin.

Part Three: Song for Dispelling Calamities and Delivering Those in Suffering

Above Jade Clarity, in the realm of Divine Empyrean—the Daoist heavens—the view opens wide. The imperial capital has nine tiers of heavenly gates.

There is a Great Lord who wears embroidered robes and a deep red ceremonial garment. On his head is a crown of green jade, with strings of pearls hanging from it.

He governs the Three Realms, the ten directions and their myriad heavens, and twelve hundred offices. Officials of every rank each carry out their appointed duties. Eight hundred and seventy immortals are arranged according to their offices. The Seven Primordial Stars, deities in the Daoist pantheon, oversee sin and blessing; the primordial energies of water, fire, and qi also fall under their authority. They establish commands and precepts, assist in governing countless affairs, inspect the records of the living and the dead, and oversee rivers, seas, streams, and springs.

When baleful qi runs rampant and disrupts the gates of the underworld, recklessly stirs water and fire, and brings harm to living beings—causing fires and floods and continuing its wanton disturbances without end—a secret petition is sent to Heaven on a precious memorial and jade tally. Heaven then sends mighty precious swords and great axes to cut down ghosts, demons, and malevolent spirits, making the floodwaters recede and the flames die down, so that people are spared calamity.

Recite the Cavern Texts, Daoist scriptures, and pray to Heaven with sincere devotion. The True Lord will then descend to observe, inscribe names in the Azure Register, dispel calamities, and deliver the dead, raising the ancestors of seven generations. Through the refinement of qi, one transforms and becomes an immortal; the spirit soars, the mind becomes numinous, and blessings are received from generation to generation, as all ascend together to Jade Capital, the Daoist celestial city.

This is a song sung by the True Lord above the Three Realms, flying through the skies. Reciting it a hundred times in the cadence of the Cavern Chapters can ward off the calamities of fire and flood for a long time and enable the dead to be delivered to the Southern Palace, a Daoist celestial palace. Reciting it a thousand times brings the True Lord’s protection and welcome. Reciting it ten thousand times brings one’s cultivation to completion: one ascends through the vast sky, transcends the Three Realms, and takes one’s place among the Immortal Lords.

Hearing this wondrous immortal music, even the Demon King stands in awe and obeys its commands. The earth spirits stand guard and escort the person away from the gates of the underworld, freeing them from the calamities of water and fire. The ancestors of seven generations, too, can ascend and leave the netherworld forever; their souls are delivered to Vermilion Mound, a place where the dead are refined and delivered in Daoist belief, to undergo refinement and be reborn. This is called boundless universal deliverance, saving without end.

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

The final character “Weng” is likely due to a copying error or a damaged text; here the translation follows the preceding passage and ends with “bringing calamity upon the ancestors of seven generations.”

The Dao Lord said: These two chapters of the scripture are divine sounds secretly preserved by the Lords of Heaven and the True Kings of the Divine Empyrean. They can avert the dangers of drifting and drowning and ward off fires. Evil spirits and demons steal the power of water and fire to poison living beings, while falsely demanding blood offerings. As soon as the bells and drums sound, the True King will investigate and destroy the evil spirits, employ jade talismans, and block every kind of sudden calamity.

The Calamities of Water and Fire

When someone dies by water or fire, their soul and consciousness may become possessed by ancient harm-causing ghosts, and they may suffer another calamity of water or fire. They may also endure water disasters for generations, or face fires year after year. All these misfortunes are caused by evil spirits usurping the authority of the Celestial Bureau and recklessly unleashing floods and flames. Those who practice this scripture and recite it reverently can deliver the afflicted and dispel these calamities.

These scriptures are words of the Great Brahma, sacred utterances transmitted from the high heavens, not ordinary speech used in the world. They have neither ornate rhymes nor artfully embellished expressions, and are therefore called profound and difficult to understand. They are secret writings treasured in Heaven, kept in the Eastern Florescence Repository of the Jade Purity Palace of the Divine Empyrean King. They are transmitted to the human world only when the time is right. A person of virtue may receive them only after bringing gold and precious offerings, approaching with utmost sincerity, and swearing an oath of alliance to the True King according to the established ritual.

The Dao Lord also said: Heaven and Earth are wondrous instruments that put water and fire to work. The Celestial River lies above, so the water cauldron is set above; the Sea of Fire lies below, so the fire cauldron is stored beneath. The great void lies between them, and the sun and moon serve as the ingredients. The sun and moon are the roots of water and fire, connected to the Southern and Northern Dippers—that is, to the central offices of the two poles, Taiwei and Ziwei. When water draws near to fire, water can overcome fire; when fire is separated from water, fire can overcome water. When water and fire are balanced, they support one another and bring all things to fruition. When their movements fall out of balance, all things suffer calamity.

Heaven uses water and fire as the crucial means by which it nourishes and transforms life. When this mechanism turns as it should, Heaven’s ordinances can be carried out. But the six classes of ghosts and demons among the officials of the lower realm steal the power of water and fire and use it to harm living beings. The Lord Emperor therefore revealed methods to avert calamity and ward off misfortune, saving those caught in danger.

Whether Heaven and Earth have reached the turning point after extreme decline, the sun, moon, and five planets are waxing or waning, holy and divine beings face hardship, or beginners in cultivation fall ill or are injured, anyone who encounters such calamities should join in performing a purification ritual, offer incense six times each day, and recite the scripture ten times over. In this way, blessings and merit will descend, and every kind of ill omen will disperse. This immeasurable scripture can deliver all beings without limit.

The Dao says: Some cultivators have not studied the Dao deeply, or have not yet perfected their rank among the immortals. When the time of calamity comes, they are about to die, and their bodies pass through the underworld. This happens because the clear, cool water and the light-filled hall fire within their bodies cannot yet rise and descend in harmony. The spirits within the body then battle the Lords of Destiny and the Ghost-Slayers at the gate of water and fire. When death is near, if fellow cultivators can burn incense for the person and recite the scripture ten times, they can deliver that person’s corpse. In accordance with the ritual, the person’s soul and spirit can then ascend directly to the Southern Palace. The days are calculated according to the merit earned through study and cultivation, allowing the person to be reborn and reincarnated without losing their way, and ultimately to become an immortal.

The Dao says: When the cycles of Heaven and Earth are about to end, the stars move in disorder, the sun and moon lose their regular courses, the seasons fall out of order, and Yin-Yang loses its balance. Lands suffer disasters such as fire and flood; people lose their livelihoods, epidemics spread, and many are injured or die. Teachers and friends reach the end of their lifespans, while fellow cultivators die prematurely. All this stems from water and fire falling out of harmony and from their waxing and waning becoming unbalanced, bringing calamities in their wake. Heavenly officials neglect their duties, and demons and monsters run rampant. Even without external disasters such as fire or flood, an imbalance in the flow of Qi can bring abnormal and sudden calamities within the body.

Therefore, all should practice purification rites, burn incense, and recite the scripture. The merit of fasting and reciting the scripture is immense: above, it can dispel heavenly disasters and protect and bring stability to the ruler; below, it can drive away poisons and save the people, benefiting all beings in life and in death. This blessing and virtue cannot be measured, and so it is called “the limitless salvation of Heaven and humanity.”

The Dao says: Whoever possesses this scripture and can cultivate these merits for Heaven and Earth, the ruler, and the people will, if they resolve to practice purification, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times on a day of calamity, have their name entered in the registers of all the heavens and be protected by the myriad spirits. Such a person may in time become an official in the Golden Palace of the Sage Ruler. The heavens record people’s good and bad deeds, leaving out nothing, however small; the True Kings in Heaven will also recommend you. Those who have attained the Dao should truly understand these highest principles.

“The Great Brahma’s Hidden Words in the Heavens, Limitless Sounds for Dispelling and Averting Water and Fire Disasters”—these are the limitless sounds used to pray against disasters of water and fire, composed by the Lord of the Dao.

The Middle Section of the Numinous Book of Primordial Beginning

The Eight Heavens of the East

The following are the hidden words for the Eight Heavens of the East as listed in the scripture:

飊忽保灵　蔚元浮砂　觉济飞泝

迎机濮耶　駚江兖敷　卽玄蘄蒙

允答贶策　幽榭穆崇　献翰强惫

资氓逸聪　熛定澱化　制碑毕戎

弄斗阁越　籍司奎钟　昊叙瀁建

池邹卷冲

The Eight Heavens of the South

The phrases listed earlier, from “Ru Xue Tan Yi” to “Wan Hu Ming Ming,” and from “Fan Du Qian Duan” to “Liao Nuo Yun Chuo,” are respectively designated the “Eight Heavens of the East,” the “Eight Heavens of the West,” and the “Eight Heavens of the North.” These phrases belong to what the scripture calls “the boundless sounds of the Great Brahma’s hidden language.” They are mystical utterances in Daoist scriptures and cannot be translated word for word as ordinary classical Chinese.

The scripture says that these hidden utterances are the sounds of the Great Brahma among the heavens. Earlier scriptures record that the Primordial Qi of the North reached the dwelling of the Emperor of Tai Water, while the numinous Qi of the South reached the Tengtuo Weiguan and the Palace of Flying Blossoms. These forces balance and regulate water and fire, and govern the rise and fall, advance and retreat of the Xuanji, an ancient instrument used to observe celestial phenomena and calculate their movements.

When the signs of Yin and Yang correspond, Heaven and Earth can bring about great transformations. Heaven and Earth blend in harmony; the sun and moon follow their regular courses; and the Qi of Yin and Yang comes forth. Immortals and sages, too, transform and rise and descend, moving between above and below. All this may be compared to a balance and measuring instruments: by weighing and judging things carefully, each of the myriad beings finds what suits it, and the Way’s operation does not deviate.

The sun, moon, and stars—the Three Luminaries—move along their respective paths and govern the myriad beings. If their proper order is lost, the Five Demons seize the chance to usurp authority. The treasure vase kept by the Most High possesses natural spiritual powers and works without hindrance: when opened, it transforms into a dragon and phoenix; when closed, it becomes a tortoise and snake. It encompasses the mysteries of the Dao, yet does not allow ordinary people to learn its written characters easily.

These scriptures are written across pages measuring one zhang square. The Celestial Perfected Sovereign (Tianzhen Huangren), a sacred figure in Daoist legend, once set them down in writing as the correct pronunciation. Those who understand these syllables and can purify themselves and recite them will be visited by divine officials—such as the Jade Aides of the Divine Court and the Perfected Kings—sent down by the heavens to observe their practice, record their merits and diligence, and report back to the heavens. The myriad gods will come to pay homage, while earth spirits keep watch beside the door. The Great Meritorious Perfected King will recommend them, enabling them to attain a Dao rank in the Highest Clarity tradition. In time, they will travel through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

These sounds can dispel, avert, deliver, and bring things to completion without limit; they are the natural sounds of the Celestial Perfected. Reciting them can summon heavenly gods to descend. The Supreme Emperor sings from afar, the myriad gods come to pay homage, and the spirits of the Three Realms attend beside the imperial carriage. All malign forces bow their heads and withdraw; ghosts and apparitions vanish of their own accord. The scripture’s resonant, jewel-like recitation carries in every direction, bringing stillness and clarity to the ten directions. Those in the water will not drift away or drown; flames will cease to burn; and all spirits will be renewed.

Reverently summon the gathered immortals, so that no foul energy clouds the heavens and no demons or dust pollute the earth.

Profound wisdom reaches clarity and understanding; the heart is vast, its mystery without end.