《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 47

The Dao says: Long ago, in Miaocheng Heaven, one of the celestial realms described in Daoism, at a time when dawn clouds shone and the wind sounded like music, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning taught the Wondrous Scripture of Primordial Beginning for Deliverance from Drought and Flood.

Before the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning began to preach this scripture, he first circled once and recited it ten times to summon the great divine beings of Heaven, the High Sages and Exalted Worthies, the Perfected Ones of wondrous practice, and the Dragon Kings of the ten directions. He also summoned the divine officials who governed water and drought, the water bureaus of the Eight Seas, the fire officials of the Three Origins, the presiding gods of the Four Rivers, the great gods of thunder and lightning, the divine generals of flowing fire, the emissaries of the Red Emperor, and the spirit officials and mounted attendants. These many divinities came from the sky riding clouds and Qi, in chariots of streaming light and carriages from the Cavernous Empyrean. Their processions stretched and wound onward, casting shade and radiating crimson light. Their many colors intermingled and illuminated the vast sky.

For seven days and seven nights, the golden towers, jade palaces, red halls, and splendid immortal mansions of the heavens all fell silent. The stars shone in shifting colors, and cinnabar osmanthus gave off its fragrance. The forests of the immortal realm grew lush and dense, with rainbow bridges spanning among them. The sky was bright, and sunlight shone through layer upon layer of luminous halos. The mountains, rivers, and forests throughout the land became level and even, with no high or low places. The earth turned into green jade, soft, clear, and translucent, its color uniform everywhere. The Perfected Ones stood in attendance beside the seat.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright in the air, within a cloud formed from nine-colored radiance. A roaming dragon encircled by a round halo served as his mount, and he began to preach the scripture.

After he preached it once, the great sages of the heavens all praised its goodness. Harmony spread throughout the land, and all things were freed from illness and calamity.

After he preached it twice, the plants and trees flourished, and all things bore abundant fruit.

After he preached it three times, the forests of the immortal realm drew phoenixes, and their leaves unfurled patterns of celestial writing.

After he preached it four times, lotus flowers opened, beaded with dew, while their centers held immortal nectar.

After he preached it five times, water and fire came into balance, and animals and plants alike flourished and thrived.

After he preached it six times, clouds moved and rain fell; springs flowed steadily and rivers ran calmly.

After he preached it seven times, the three spirits of Heaven, Earth, and humanity moved in their proper cycles, bright and harmonious, while the stars’ radiance joined in accord.

After he preached it eight times, the sacred workings of transformation proceeded smoothly everywhere, and all living beings shared in peace and safety.

After he preached it nine times, the nations were peaceful, Yin-Yang was harmonized, and the four seasons followed their proper courses.

After he preached it ten times, the sovereign’s Way prospered for generations, its achievements flourished, and its government was complete.

At that time, all the men and women in the land turned their hearts sincerely toward the Great Dao and received its protection and deliverance, attaining long life.

The Dao says: At that moment, just after the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning had preached the scripture once, the Dragon King who issued commands in the East and the divine officials who governed water and drought…

(The assembly) came through the air and listened to the scripture being expounded twice.

The Great-Brightness Dragon King of the South, who governs floods and droughts in the south, and the countless deities of the two offices of water and drought, who govern floods and droughts respectively, came through the air and listened to the scripture being expounded three times. The Dragon King of Orderly Governance of the West and the countless deities of the two offices of water and drought came through the air and listened four times. The Dragon King Who Brings Life of the North and the countless deities of the two offices came through the air and listened five times. The Dragon King Who Guards the Mountains of the Northeast and the countless deities of the two offices came through the air and listened six times. The Dragon King Who Spreads Transformation of the Southeast and the countless deities of the two offices came through the air and listened seven times. The Dragon King Who Holds the Pivot of the Southwest and the countless deities of the two offices came through the air and listened eight times. The Dragon King Who Directs the Cosmic Order of the Northwest and the countless deities of the two offices came through the air and listened nine times. The Dragon King Who Spreads Moisture Above and the countless deities of the two offices came through the air and listened ten times. The Dragon King Who Brings Transformation Below and the countless deities of the two offices came through the air as well. Once the scripture had been expounded ten times, the Dragon Kings from the boundless reaches of the ten directions, those in charge of floods and droughts, and the great divine beings of Heaven all arrived together. Throughout the land, men and women, young and old, turned their hearts toward reverence. The arrivals crowded together like fine rain and thick mist, each bearing precious treasures to offer to the Celestial Worthy.

All gazed up at the Celestial Worthy’s holy countenance and listened joyfully to the subtle and wondrous Daoist teaching. At that moment, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, one of the supreme deities revered in Daoism, radiated light, and the heavens displayed myriad colored clouds. The Celestial Worthy manifested many Dharma bodies, their forms appearing and vanishing, as though present and yet gone. The two wheels of water and fire spun and shone, eclipsing the sun. The sublime music of Heaven rang out from afar; immortal flowers drifted down in profusion. Heavenly music and wondrous immortal melodies sounded together, while auspicious vapors filled the sky. Jade script issued from the Celestial Worthy’s mouth, its light and shadow spreading across billions of worlds. He spoke with a smile and once again admonished the gods of Heaven and the people of the world:

Floods and droughts arise when the Yin-Yang energies of Heaven and Earth become excessive or deficient. They are also influenced by the circumstances of the people, so disasters differ from one region to another. In addition, the cycles by which Heaven and Earth govern the years interact with human Qi, and can thereby bring about floods and droughts. Floods belong to an excess of Yin; droughts result from an overabundance of Yang. A ruler’s virtue resonates with Heaven and Earth: when governance is clear and harmonious, the seasons proceed in due order. An excess of Yin brings floods, while an excess of Yang leads to drought. Sometimes, even when an emperor’s virtue is pure and his grace extends throughout the land, floods or droughts still occur. In such cases, it is the celestial deity who governs the year…

At that time, the celestial cycles corresponded to the years Bing, Xin, Wu, and Gui, and to the Great Yu and Great Zhi cycles. When calamities arose, they affected palaces one, six, two, and seven, making floods and droughts inevitable and bringing great harm to the world. When the damage was slight, people prayed for the calamity to be averted; when it was severe, they performed rites of expiation, beseeching the Dragon Kings of the Ten Directions—the spirits who govern the waters in every region—and the great gods of the Water and Drought Offices, who oversee floods and droughts, to harmonize the vital breaths and restore the seasons to their proper order. When people carefully followed the seasons, the people and all things were free from pestilence, Yin-Yang and governance were in harmony, and Daoist methods were not abused.

At this time, the two wheels of water and fire—ritual instruments or sacred powers symbolizing the movement of water and fire—came together and transformed into a pearl, as small as a millet grain. It hung in the mysterious void, five zhang above the ground. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning led the great gods of heavenly perfection, the exalted sages and high worthies, the Dragon Kings of the Ten Directions, the great gods of the Water and Drought Offices, and countless other divine beings into the pearl. The assembled humans and celestial beings looked up and saw only the divine host streaming through the pearl’s opening. Once inside, no one knew where they were.

The people of the kingdom then opened their hearts and put the teachings into practice. Within the pearl, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning finished expounding the scripture. The assembled perfected gods oversaw the deliverance of beings and transmitted the scripture to me. The joy and celebration of that moment cannot be put into words. When the ritual was nearly complete, the gods of the heavens each returned to their appointed place, and in an instant all around fell silent.

At that time, the assembled humans and celestial beings were fortunate to encounter this scripture and its teachings. They were broadly delivered, lived out their natural lifespans, and suffered no harm. The people throughout the entire realm turned to the Dao with reverence and lived in peace. Their hearts held no regret, stinginess, arrogance, partiality, ignorance, deceit, excess, impropriety, or falsehood. They guided others through good conduct and spoke without anger. They lived together in harmony and kindness, treating even those of different surnames as family. The realm was stable, the people prosperous, everyone joyful, and all under Heaven at peace.

Once the scripture began to circulate, if the people of a kingdom took the Dao as their refuge and honored and revered it with wholehearted sincerity, they could all be transformed and rise beyond worldly suffering.

The Dao says: Everything the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning speaks of in this scripture consists of the inner names and secret tones of the lords of the heavens, as well as the hidden names of the true kings. These secret names are used to pray for relief from floods and droughts and to summon the gods.

“Dragon”—here a hidden name for the Dragon Spirits—is a name kept secret by the host of myriad spirits, not an ordinary word used in the world. Only the Highest Sages, having perfected themselves as Realized Beings and attained the arcane principles in all their subtlety, can fully comprehend its passages. Recite it ten times, and the heavens will answer from afar. The workings of Heaven and Earth will proceed in order, with advance and retreat following the constant Way; neither drought nor flood will depart from its proper course. Prayers to avert calamity will likewise be answered as requested. All things will grow and flourish, demons will be restrained, and ghosts, monsters, and spirits will disperse. In this way, generation after generation will be spared famine, and blessings will extend to all.

Those who cultivate the Dao and recite the scripture ten times can pray for rain or for floods to subside, bringing peace to the four directions and protection to all things. This is because the water and fire within the cultivator rise and descend in harmony, and the movement of Qi follows its proper measure, corresponding with Heaven and Earth. Prayers and petitions to avert calamity are therefore fulfilled, impurities are dispelled, and the body moves toward Dongzhen, the profound reality spoken of in Daoism. Summoning and restraining the Dragon Spirits of the ten directions brings auspicious signs and causes harmonious Qi to descend. When one’s De is complete, one can preserve oneself, extend one’s years, and attain long life.

Reciting this passage carelessly invites calamity upon oneself. But if one makes offerings and pays it reverent homage, the five grains will yield abundantly, one’s descendants will prosper, and one will find affinity with goodness. Ten thousand calamities will not intrude, and the spirits will guard one’s household. This scripture is supremely wondrous: it can reach upward to report to Yujing, the celestial capital of the immortals, and broadly deliver countless beings. It is the forerunner of the myriad Dao. Its vast teachings and merits are beyond measure.

The scripture says: Whenever someone recites it ten times, the heavens will all descend together. When rain is sought, the dragons send forth clouds and bring down wondrous sweet rain to moisten withered plants and trees. Smoke and dust disperse, clouds and mists gather, and dried-up marshes fill again. When clear skies are sought, the bright sun appears, darkness recedes, and sunlight shines everywhere, illuminating even the most shadowed places. Those who love learning, recite the scripture, and cultivate its practice will, when their merit is complete, become immortals, ascend to the Golden Palace in Heaven, and wander in feasts at Yujing.

Those who cultivate the Dao at the highest level and recite and uphold this scripture can bring Yin and Yang into balance and unite water and fire within the body. They will then receive deliverance and ascend to the Southern Palace in Heaven. When ordinary people uphold and recite it, their five organs will be healthy and their Three Fields—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian, the sites of cultivation within the body—will flourish. The “drought and flood” within the body will be brought into harmony and properly nourished, without depletion. They may then refine and nourish their true nature through the Yin Cauldron and Yang Furnace, metaphors for the body and mind and the conditions of Neidan cultivation, thereby perfecting their practice and extending their years. They may also attain the Way of Corpse Liberation: the soul and spirit temporarily leave the fleshly body, avoid the underworld, and take on a new form to roam through the vast sky.

This scripture is subtle and profound, and can universally deliver countless beings. All beings, in Heaven and on Earth, can receive its grace and enjoy immeasurable blessings; both the living and the dead are protected. The scripture is a treasure cherished by Heaven and must not be passed on indiscriminately to the people of the world. When transmitting it, a sincere cultivator should express their devotion with gifts such as gold and silk, and swear an oath before Heaven. If someone carelessly divulges it or treats it with disrespect, calamity will befall their nine generations of ancestors, and they themselves will be made to serve the ghost officials for a long time. The Five Emperors’ Jade Youths and Jade Maidens who attend this scripture number twenty-four of each kind. They will guard the scripture and protect those who receive it.

The Daoist Lord said: During the first month, fasting and reciting this Jing can help avert floods and droughts, so that plants and trees flower and bear fruit in spring and summer, each flourishing in its own way. During the seventh month, fasting and reciting the Jing can help avert floods and droughts and halt the force of calamity, so that crops grow well and the fruits of all living kinds ripen. During the tenth month, fasting and reciting the Jing can help avert floods and droughts, bringing abundance and well-being to the people and all things, gathering the numinous vitality of celestial splendor, and dispelling epidemic illness.

Praying for kings, emperors, ministers, fathers, and sons can bring peace to the state and longevity to its fortunes, with good harvests year after year and prosperity maintained. It can also bring peace to the place where one lives, so that the people praise its tranquility. Reciting this Jing on the Eight Festivals—the eight major festivals observed in Daoism—can help avert floods and droughts, bringing rain and clear skies in their proper seasons and peace to all things. Reciting the Jing on one’s birth-year day, the day corresponding to the year of one’s birth, can harmonize the ascent and descent of the Water and Fire Qi within the body. The paired radiances of sun and moon shine upon one another, and body and mind accord with the Dao of Heaven. The hun and Shen become clear and upright, the Dao’s Qi remains within, distress is kept at bay, and the body is filled with light. The spirits of the Three Realms protect the practitioner; the Five Emperors send their envoys to welcome them, and the myriad spirits come to pay homage. When merit and virtue are complete, one ascends to Shangqing, the pure and exalted realm of immortals.

The Daoist Lord said: On days when a rite of practicing the Dao is performed, one should bathe with fragrant water and fast, then enter a quiet chamber and face east. Click the teeth thirty-two times to communicate with the Thirty-Two Heavens, then bow to Heaven thirty-two times. Sit quietly with eyes closed and visualize yourself surrounded by red, black, and yellow clouds of Qi, with profound darkness within and without. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lions, and white cranes stand in ranks on either side. The Dragon Kings of the ten directions, the divine officials who govern floods and droughts, and the great spirits guard the front and rear. Sun and moon shine, illuminating the chamber; a circular radiance forms above your head, its light reaching the ten directions. Once the vision is clear, silently recite the secret invocation:

“Supreme and Mysterious Primordial, Most High Daoist Lord, summon forth the thirty-six Three-Five Meritorious Officers within my body, the official messengers on my left and right, the attendant fragrant jade youths, the heralding jade maidens, the Five Emperors’ talisman officers, and the incense officials on duty today. Let them report above: Today is an auspicious day. In a pure and quiet fasting hall, I observe the fast and practice the Way, reciting the Wuliang Duren Jing. May what I report ascend to the Heavenly Court and reach directly the supreme seat of the Primordial Lord, sovereign of the unsurpassed Thirty-Two Heavens.”

When the rite is complete, guide the Qi thirty-two times, face east, and recite the Yuanshi Wuliang Duren Shangpin Miaojing.

The scriptures of the Primordial Beginning (the supreme deity in Daoism) and the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery reveal the hidden, wondrous principles and causes through which prayers avert floods and droughts, divine powers respond and descend, and people are delivered to health and peace.

In the secret scriptures of the Great Cavern, the Void Emperor’s Ancestral Qi—the source Qi from which all things are born—exists in emptiness and stillness, yet is supremely divine. It gives life to many perfected immortals, flows through the Three Realms, and opens and transforms the Dao of the Cavern Mystery. It governs the guiding principles and sustains the central pivot; its movement circulates without cease, its light illuminating the Great Luo Heaven. Purple Qi blends in harmony, while blue-green radiance shines through the nine layers of heaven and earth.

The sources of wind, water, and rivers are all encompassed within the deepest processes of transformation and nurture. The myriad spirits dwell within them, as Yin and Yang Qi rise, descend, and circulate, bringing peace to heaven and earth. When Yang Qi grows excessive, severe drought forms; when Yin Qi is blocked and unable to flow, relentless rain follows. When Yin and Yang Qi fall into disorder, floods and droughts arise. Qi becomes congested, harmonious currents are obstructed, and calamities descend upon the people. They labor in vain, and their fields yield little.

Thus, commands are issued in vermilion divine script to summon the Dragon Spirits and call forth clouds and rain, to end drought forever, clear the waterways, and spread teachings far and wide, proclaiming them in the ten directions.

Among these are spirits who govern prayers to avert floods and droughts; divine lords who command the Yin-Yang Qi of Greater Yin, Lesser Yin, Greater Yang, and Lesser Yang; great deities who control the Dragon Spirits and summon clouds and rain; perfected beings who gather dark clouds and disperse veils of cloud; and revered deities who make all things grow, lengthen life, increase one’s years, and dispel calamities.

They guide and usher in harmonious Qi, transforming living beings through immeasurable merit and virtue. Today, as the scriptures are collated and recorded, the divine beings of the heavens come before the hall.

The Dragon Virtue Spirit King of the boundless East; the Dragon 𤓁 Spirit King of the boundless South; the Dragon Might Spirit King of the boundless West; the Dragon Treasury Spirit King of the boundless North; the Dragon Transformation Spirit King of the boundless Northeast; the Dragon Wisdom Spirit King of the boundless Southeast; the Dragon Yin Spirit King of the boundless Southwest; the Dragon Ascent Spirit King of the boundless Northwest; the Dragon Father Spirit King of the boundless Upper Region; and the Dragon Transformation Spirit King of the boundless Lower Region are all great sages of long life, revered deities who deliver people without limit.

The Utmost Perfect Dragon Kings of Water and Fire in the ten directions are likewise great deities who grant long life, save the world, and possess immeasurable merit and virtue.

A jade carriage rides upon flying clouds of ten colors. It is drawn by vermilion chariots, with a blue-green canopy and jade-adorned wheels, and accompanied by divine beasts. Six horses pull its splendid banners. On the carriage stand the Standard of the Eight Awe-Inspiring Powers, which symbolizes divine might and the dispensing of grace, and the Banner of the Six Yang Radiances, which symbolizes sunlight.

At the front, attendants raise long cries and sing songs of the Caverns, while the assembled company answers in unison. Behind them, they play the empty flute, an ancient wind instrument, sounding together. Lions and white cranes also cry out in long, resonant calls. The Five Thunder Gods clear the road, and the Nine Kui, legendary divine beasts, guard the carriage shafts. Countless carriages and riders come through the sky, draw in their radiance, turn their procession, answer prayers, and protect life.

The Chancellor of the Three Heavens submits a report. The Right Palace’s Celestial Pivot Grand Minister, an official title of a great deity who governs droughts and floods, holds the register of names and oversees the rolls. Together they come before the Celestial Emperor.

They examine the seasonal markers and the cycles of the years, rigorously inspect the heavens according to established regulations, and issue proclamations throughout the boundless divine realm of the Three Realms. The proclamation reaches the Nine Waters’ cold night and the hidden gates of the Fountain’s Bend, as well as the offices of the Three Officials and Nine Prefectures, famous mountains, the Eight Seas, Five Lakes, Four Rivers, Nine Rivers, Seven Marshes, Six Wilds, and Twelve Spirit Streams. The great gods of thunder and lightning, the deities who govern drought, and the fire officials all receive the command as well.

The sunlight burns fiercely, smoke surges upward, and furnaces and volcanic mountains blaze with heat, while the pools grow warm and rich with vapor. The Yang Office, which governs affairs in the human realm, follows the talismanic command of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. At the appointed times, it directs the rising and setting of forces, answers prayers, dispels calamities, and informs the relevant divine offices that wind, rain, frost, and snow must follow the command without fail. Any divine office that acts beyond its authority will be seized and handed over to the Water Office for punishment. In this way, all things can revive, bringing benefit to the people everywhere.

May all people be delivered, attain the Dao, and endure forever. Even as the cycles of the kalpas turn, they may share the heavens’ longevity, pass through drought, floods, and every calamity without end, transcend the Three Realms, and roam freely in the Upper Clarity.

The Upper Clarity Heaven is the colorless realm of cavernous clouds where the Celestial Emperor dwells, within the domain of the Brahma heavens.

Eight Heavens of the East

The Heaven of Lihua Zhaoyong; its Celestial Emperor is named Choudu Zaochen.

The Heaven of Jiling Suwang; its Celestial Emperor is named Yangqi Miqing.

The Heaven of Necheng Quyi Zhangqi; its Celestial Emperor is named Zhuyue Tundun.

The Heaven of Lanjue Xuanju Jingzhi; its Celestial Emperor is named Bolin Xian.

The Heaven of Mingxu Cunyi; its Celestial Emperor is named Dongshi Guang.

The Heaven of Yinzhong Cixin; its Celestial Emperor is named Siwei Dutian.

The Heaven of Longzha Shuyun; its Celestial Emperor is named Niechang Zilun.

The Heaven of Daoming Chaoji; its Celestial Emperor is named Zhuqi Anpang.

Eight Heavens of the South

The Heaven of Daoxhen Chongli; its Celestial Emperor is named Nanzi Chong.

The Heaven of Wujin Jingzhi; its Celestial Emperor is named Danshi Zunxuan.

They are:

Heaven of the Nine Distant Reaches, marked by the talisman: its Emperor is named Dousi Guan;

Heaven of the Pivot of Advancing Qi and Turning Fortune: its Emperor is named Wanglie Zhen;

Heaven of the Marquis Yu, Broad in Authority: its Emperor is named Zhongdi Xuewang;

Heaven of Supporting Hao and Assisting the Spirit, where the petitions are fulfilled: its Emperor is named Jidui Jiao;

Heaven of Dispatches and Reports from the Eight Extremities: its Emperor is named Kangqiu Lingyan;

Heaven of Radiance and Transformation, responding to the Dao: its Emperor is named Zhengmian Yaoliu.

The Eight Heavens of the West

Heaven of Green Slopes and the Chu Peaks: its Emperor is named Gaotu Shunying;

Heaven of the Spirit’s Return and Swift Wisdom: its Emperor is named Dusu Jiantang;

Heaven where the Emperor’s Procession Gathers and Flows: its Emperor is named Xiaozhi Yiming;

Heaven that Distinguishes Qi and Governs the Mysterious: its Emperor is named Beili Wen;

Heaven of Settled Nourishment and Prayers at the Shrine: its Emperor is named Daofang Xibin;

Heaven of the Luminous Cavern and Dragon Army: its Emperor is named Baotai Yixiong;

Heaven of the Sun Bell and Racing Chariot: its Emperor is named Gumi Nong;

Heaven of the Zi Valley, where Splendor is Nurtured: its Emperor is named Huangshi Zhong.

The Eight Heavens of the North

Heaven of the Dragon’s Well and Glorious Clouds: its Emperor is named Liuye Feiqu;

Heaven where Sea-Waves Overflow Their Bounds: its Emperor is named Jialou Dungang;

Heaven where the Gods Are Summoned and Demons Dispelled: its Emperor is named Miduobeibei;

Heaven where the Fish Pond Seethes with Flood Dragons: its Emperor is named Jieshatuo Wang;

Heaven that Records Merit and Examines the Springs: its Emperor is named Nian Anshou;

Heaven of Tranquil Radiance in the Northern Palace of the Mysterious Capital: its Emperor is named Gu Guiqichuan;

Heaven where the Hidden Perfected Return from Corpsehood to Life and Transformation: its Emperor is named Miaolu Yuanyi;

Heaven that Pours into the Marsh and Judges the Underworld: its Emperor is named Bobo Xi.

The passages above list thirty-two heavens and thirty-two Heavenly Emperors. Each heaven has its own secret taboo names and titles. These hidden names and hidden resonances are numinous writings arising naturally from the empty expanse within the heavens. They are the sounds of invocation and descent within the hidden resonances of the heavens. They are also the names of the revered gods of Water and Fire, the gods of Yin and Yang as they transform the movements of Qi, the great demons, and the spirit officials on duty.

Here, “secret taboo names” and “hidden names” refer to the names of gods and heavens transmitted in secret in Daoist scriptures. Most of the listed heavens and emperors have proper names, and some characters may vary across editions or manuscript traditions. Their names are therefore retained without further interpretation of their literal meanings.

The interaction and transformation of Yin-Yang energies contain immeasurable, profound mysteries of the Highest Clarity (Shangqing), the exalted celestial realm revered in Daoism, and cannot be explained in full. The divine perfected ones—the spirits and realized adepts who have attained the Dao—widely save and deliver beings in Heaven and among humankind.

Today we pray for the removal of floods and droughts. We make our petitions known to all the heavens and ask that the drought demon, a legendary evil spirit that causes drought, be driven away. We command the rain gods to raise wind and rain, to wield their weapons and quell the scorching sun, to summon clouds and calm the wind, and to send down abundant rain to nourish all things. May calamities be swept from the four directions, so that all beings pass safely through this time of disaster. This sincere plea rises to the Great Mystery, where the two divine offices responsible for floods and droughts watch over and record it.

The Eastern Dipper of the Heavenly Gate, the Western Dipper of the Thunder Court, the Northern Dipper of the Rain Metropolis, the Southern Dipper of Violent Floods, and the Central Dipper of Red Fields each oversee their appointed duties. The Central Dipper governs talismanic decrees and floods and droughts. The gods of the five directions each govern a season: Goumang rules spring, Rushou autumn, Zhurong summer, Xuanming winter, and Houtu the seasonal transitions. The gods disperse their blessings and set them in motion, answering Heaven’s intent and extending its grace to the human world. Through their virtue, they manifest wondrous, mysterious achievements.

The Azure Heaven Demon King shakes Heaven and Earth and destroys evil influences. The Red Heaven Demon King issues fierce commands and unleashes the might of flame. The White Heaven Demon King spreads dark clouds, the Black Heaven Demon King commands the deep waters, and the Yellow Heaven Demon King harmonizes water and fire. The Five Emperors’ Great Demons are the ancestors of the gods. They command the myriad spirits; when they travel, music and drums accompany them. They direct the ghostly troops and marshal the ceremonial guard, inspecting and assessing matters of flood and drought in the Purple Empyrean and eliminating calamities. Heaven issues its decree to quell drought and upheaval and to restrain raging floods. The Wu and Ji powers, associated with the center and the Earth phase, suppress omens of disaster. The Yellow-Headed troops and generals behead and bind flood dragons and water monsters; the perfected ones in dark crowns and robes put an end to violence.

Under the force of these commands, withered things revive, all beings turn green, and food and drink are brought into balance. Should anyone dare to defy or test these orders, arrogating to themselves the authority of the two offices of floods and droughts and acting with partiality and injustice, harming the people and all living things, the golden battle-axe shall first sever their head, then punishment shall follow, destroying treacherous spirits and evil beings. Wind and fire shall rage without cease; thousands upon thousands shall have their heads cut off, and tens of thousands their forms severed. Demons shall not invade, and ghosts shall not make mischief. The Three Offices and Beifeng, the divine bureau that governs the netherworld, shall inspect the hosts of ghosts, leaving evil spirits nowhere to hide. Divine messengers shall carry documents by golden horse relay, proclaiming them throughout the infinite realms. All the gods must obey, and the Five Emperors of the Three Realms shall submit a report to the Highest Clarity.

In the Primordial Cavern’s Jade Calendar, water and fire circulate, with the sacred vessel—the wondrous instrument—at their center. Heaven and Earth, in all their vastness and minuteness, are encompassed within chaos: without color, without abyss. Wind rises, Qi gathers, and accumulated Yang forms Heaven. Above and below, in every dark and silent place, in all that has neither form nor shadow, there is no end. Chaos is vast and boundless, and originally there was no light. The advent of Crimson Radiance opened the celestial registers, and the true fire shone brightly. Eight dragons bore the sources of water on their backs; springs surged from the nine layers of Earth. From water and fire all things were formed, and the Five Texts were set forth and revealed, cast in vermilion script and jade characters.

The kalpas of fate—the cycles and seasons, such as those governed by Metal and Water or by Fire, that affect the world—rise and fall, and their changes have their balance. As the world grows old, people’s hearts drift from the Dao (the Way). Droughts and floods take turns occurring, and all things suffer through their ups and downs. People chase after turmoil and distraction, unaware of the deep, subtle, and unceasing Great Dao.

The Brahma Qi, the primordial energy of the cosmos, spreads vast and wide, unfolding the forms of all things. The principles governing the movements of Heaven and Earth extend through the thirty-two heavens, setting the cycles of Water and Fire in motion and keeping ascent and descent, high and low, in their proper order.

The Northern Dipper moves through the Winnowing Basket constellation, setting the seasons and the Five Constants—the Five Phases and their order of operation—in motion. Thirty-five divisions gather and govern the Qi of the Upper Origin; the Eight Radiances, eight inner and celestial manifestations or currents of Qi, merge in hidden stillness, and Qi enters the realm of the mysterious within the mysterious.

The Great Sovereign Emperor and the High Perfected, exalted Daoist deities and immortals of profound attainment, soar through the air on rosy clouds, chanting the Cavern Chapters, esoteric Daoist scriptures. The golden, true Qi shines in abundant splendor, its sounds spreading through the clouds. The Sun’s primal Jing (essence) joins the Dao in its constant course; jade tones gather the primordial Qi. Spirit winds draw clouds and mists together, while the Yin scene, serene and cool, glows within, and clouds billow and fly. The Purple Void, a heavenly realm steeped in purple clouds, flourishes in beauty, assisting the assembled immortals. Then droughts and floods cease, the Sun and Moon move without deviation, and all things harmonize, naturally attaining their true state.

The Supreme Venerable of the Divine Empyrean, the Great Lord of Long Life, and the Green Emperor of the Eastern Pole Palace govern the registers of Water and Fire and make their rounds among the peoples of all nations. People pray for disasters to be dispelled and spiritual Qi to be received, and ask Heaven and humanity to bestow blessings.

Wuying stands on the left, Baiyuan on the right, Taiyi in front, and Siming behind; all are spirits who protect body and mind. The spirits Taokang, Haibo, Heyan, Hehou, and others work together to regulate Water and Fire, keeping their movements balanced. Practitioners hold talismans and registers (Fulu, Daoist talismans and registers) to protect their nature and life and strengthen the foundations of life.

Practitioners connect upward with the heavenly realm of Highest Clarity, entering and leaving splendid immortal palaces. Their spirit reaches throughout the eight directions, into the hidden depths and the finest obscurities; below, it connects with the body’s Niwan, the upper Dantian in the head, and Jiangong, the palace of the heart. They harmonize the Five Qi within the body, bring the spirits into accord, and nourish the upper, middle, and lower Dantian, the three cultivation centers within the body, until they are full and flourishing. In this way, droughts and floods do not arise together. Turning their gaze inward, practitioners see that the movements of Heaven and Earth correspond to the currents of Qi within the body.

The seasons proceed in due order, and the Jade Pool, the saliva in the mouth, remains moist and warm. By repeatedly circulating spiritual Qi, all Qi gathers and returns to the Immortal Way. The Immortal Way treasures life above all and can save beings far and wide.

The scripture says that Heaven opens its eight gates and the Flying-Heaven Dharma Wheel, the celestial order through which Heaven turns and teaches, sets in motion its governance of sin and blessing, prohibitions and precepts, destiny, and karmic ties. The Water Officials and Fire Officials together hold the scales and pass judgment.

All beings receive instruction and deliverance. The world is thereby made peaceful and prosperous, and harmful, evil Qi vanishes forever. This vow rises to the heavens; above every tier of Heaven stands a gate leading to life.

There are songs transmitted from the Empty Caverns, the deep and still heavenly realms, as well as numinous chapters of the True Kings; their words and meanings accord with the High Perfected.

First Section: Flying-Heaven Sounds Praying for an End to Droughts and Floods

Dense clouds spread across the sky, and the thunder chariot rumbles. Rain is already falling, and the rivers are rising.

Food falls upon your hearth and is evenly set within your home—this is a prayer that the people may have grain to eat and means to sustain their households. How could the people know the reason for it? Yet they suffer such sorrow and hardship; the blazing sun scorches, inspiring dread…

The metals were all burned until they melted, and the stones were scorched. Thick smoke rose across the countryside, and all the plants and trees turned red.

The fields split open, the ponds dried up, and even the sound of spring water could no longer be heard. There was no hope of finding even a single drop of water. With no grain stored up for the year, the people faced this calamity.

So an altar was set up and its boundaries sealed. The ritual songs of the Cavern Scriptures were sung, bells and drums were sounded, and Fulu talismans and registers summoned the Dragon Spirits of the Ten Directions. A thousand children played music and danced; incense was burned and scriptures recited, sending their sincerity up to the Purple Vault of Heaven. May drought and flood come to an end, may blessings and prosperity descend everywhere, and may peace endure for millions of years. We bow in reverence before the Qinghua Palace, an abode of Daoist immortals.

Second: A Song to Summon the Dragons and Bring Rain

In the great fields around South Mountain, people cut down reeds and sedge, plowed deeply, and tended the land from afar, hoping to make it through the bitter cold of the year. But the earth was hard as stone, too firm to plow. To reap any harvest, they could only hope that Heaven would show mercy and send rain.

So wine and sweet offerings were prepared, and a solemn purification and sacrificial rite was held at the altar. The Azure Dragon held a Fulu talisman in its mouth, and streams murmured among the mountain ridges. The Red Dragon held a Fulu talisman in its mouth, and fine rain fell in a steady shower. The White Dragon held a Fulu talisman in its mouth, and the rice grew lush early. The Black Dragon held a Fulu talisman in its mouth, and the granaries piled high. The Yellow Dragon held a Fulu talisman in its mouth, and clouds gathered as rain poured down. We pray that the Dragon Lords of the Ten Directions take pity on the people and nourish all living things, so that plants and trees flourish and the seasons bring abundance. Sincerity reaches through to the Three Heavens, and grace spreads in every direction. We praise and recite the Empty Cavern Scripture, asking the Dragon Spirits to obey their command and bring rain, without rushing about recklessly.

Third: A Song to Stop the Rain and Pray for Clear Skies

The Water Official had loosened the restrictions, and the Thunder City stood unsealed. Then spirits and ghosts stole the thunder chariot, and its wheels and bottles fell to the ground. The fierce dragon had not yet been subdued, and the rain went on without cease. Clouds and mist covered the fields; crows gathered, and foxes were frightened. Moss spread over stubborn stones, and fungi grew on the dead mulberry trees. Farmers sighed in distress, and the grain in the storehouses had nearly run out.

The sun hid behind the screen of Heaven, and smoke and clouds rose from the dragon’s back. People did not know when they would escape this calamity. Beneath the thatched eaves, rain poured down like a rushing stream. So the Daoist rites were carried out, and the Jade Writings, sacred Daoist texts, were recited in prayer for the rain to stop and the skies to clear.

As morning light rises, moisture over the fields lifts like steam; after rain, the sea and mountains grow clear and bright. Clouds and mist gather in the valleys between the peaks. Divine talismans open up the land, and people then build their homes. The daylight is peaceful, the winds are gentle, and all things can revive. People set out wine jars and offer wine, making sacrifice to the True Kings of the four directions, the spirits who guard them. The True Kings of the four extremities then command the gods in charge of the year to fill the granaries and make the harvest abundant.

The spirits protect the world, bringing peace under Heaven and allowing instruction and precepts to flourish. A jade dragon bears a flame in its mouth, lighting the ten directions. The sage king lives for ten thousand years, clad in ceremonial robes embroidered with patterns.

These three chapters are songs of the True Kings above the Three Realms, moving through the air; every syllable is joined with Cavern Scriptures, the mysterious texts of Daoism. Recite them a hundred times, and all things will flourish; recite them a thousand times, and harmonious Qi will circulate; recite them ten thousand times, and the Daoist rites will be complete. Floods and droughts will be forever dispelled, and beings throughout the Three Realms will be delivered and ascend to the Divine Empyrean. The celestial officials hear these sacred sounds and honor their rites. They command the earth spirits to escort the dead, freeing them from the registers of death and carrying them through the Five Sufferings and Eight Calamities. Their ancestors of seven generations ascend, forever leaving the jurisdiction of the ghost officials. The souls of the dead pass through Zhu Ling, the place said to refine and deliver the departed, where they undergo refinement and are reborn. This is called boundless universal deliverance, without end. This scripture is a secret text of Heaven, honored by all the heavens as a foundational canon. Whoever reveals it or treats it with disrespect will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon their ancestors of seven generations.

The Daoist scripture says: The two chapters above are sacred, secret words of the emperors of the heavens and the True Kings of the Divine Empyrean. They may be used to pray for rain, seek clear skies, avert floods and droughts, assist the state, and protect the people. These are words of the Great Brahma, the sacred language of Heaven, not ordinary expressions of the world. They do not follow worldly rules of rhyme or ornate diction, and so their mystery is profound and difficult to fathom completely. They are secret texts treasured by Heaven and kept in the Eastern Florescence Scripture Chamber of the Jade-Clear Palace of the Divine Empyrean King. Only when the appointed time came in the year renchen were they transmitted in accordance with Heaven’s mandate. If a person accomplished in cultivation carries gold and treasure, makes a sincere oath, and follows the ancient rites to swear an alliance before the Celestial Lord, only then may this scripture be bestowed.

The Daoist scripture says: The movement of the Qi of Heaven and Earth has its regular and irregular patterns. Zi, wu, mao, and you are the regular positions of time; yin, shen, si, and hai are the initial positions; chen, xu, chou, and wei are the concluding positions. These are all irregular. Floods and droughts result from irregular movements of the times of Heaven; at times they also arise in response to the conduct and well-being of the people. When rainfall is insufficient, pray for rain; when it is excessive, avert the floods and ask for clear skies. Whenever such calamities occur, all concerned should observe purification together, offer incense at each of the six periods of the day, and recite the scripture ten times. Blessings and De will then descend, dispelling every kind of ill omen. This boundless text can deliver beings without limit.

The Dao teaches: When praying to eliminate floods and droughts or for rain, clear a site to the southwest of the capital and establish an altar there. Place images of the Dragon Kings, representing the ten directions, on all four sides of the altar, and set five sacred rain-prayer talismans at its center. Immerse paulownia, bamboo, and green poplar branches in water prepared for the five directions. Then write the prayer on green paper in ink and present it to the Water Offices of the Three Origins, the Four Seas, and the two ministries of the Great Mystery and Celestial Mechanism, petitioning them to send rain.

When praying for clear skies, clear a site to the south of the capital and establish an altar there. The altar should be nine feet high and three ren in form, round above and square below, with four gates at its sides. The gates connect to the Nine Ramparts and serve as paths for ritual steps. Place images of the Dragon Kings, representing the ten directions, on all four sides of the altar, and set five talismans for clear skies at its center, one for each direction. Arrange incense, lamps, and candles to drive away the darkness. Write the prayer in cinnabar and present it to the Fire Offices of the two ministries, petitioning them to dispel the floods and clear the skies.

When accomplished practitioners preside over the offering of incense and recite the scripture ten times, prayers to avert disaster will be answered, and floods and droughts will not become yearly calamities. The duration of the prayers may be set according to the severity of the disaster, from a short period of seven to twenty-one days. If one prays with focused sincerity and one’s intentions reach above, the heavens will observe and recommend that person, enabling them to become an immortal.

The Dao teaches: When the seasons fall out of order and Yin-Yang is unbalanced, the stronger force brings excessive calamity. Thus, an excess of Yin, with rain falling for days, causes floods; an excess of Yang, with prolonged drought and no rain, causes drought. People in the affected regions are displaced and forced to migrate, birds and beasts lose their habitats, epidemics and poisons spread, and many lives are lost without cause. In such circumstances, one should also observe purification, offer incense, and recite the scripture, praying for calamities to be dispelled and repenting with offerings of apology.

The merit of purification and scripture recitation is immense: above, it can dispel heavenly calamities and protect and stabilize the emperor; below, it can eliminate poisons and bring relief to the people. Its blessings can be relied upon from generation to generation. This merit and virtue are beyond measure, and so it is called “the immeasurable salvation of all beings, heavenly and human.”

The Dao teaches: Whoever possesses this scripture and is willing to dispel floods and droughts for Heaven and Earth, the emperor, and the people, should, when disaster strikes, resolve to observe purification, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times. The heavens will record that person’s name, and the gods will guard them. Accomplished practitioners may in the future become ministers serving beside the Golden Palace of a sage ruler. The heavens record people’s merits and faults without overlooking even the smallest detail; the true kings in Heaven will also recommend you. Only those who have attained the Dao can truly fathom these profound principles.

“Hidden words of the Great Brahma among the heavens, sounds without measure”—written by the Lord of the Dao.

The Middle Section on Prayers and Averting Calamities for Water and Fire, from the Numinous Book of the Primordial Beginning

The Eight Heavens of the East:

Pántángjī-sūn, Yàochè-qióngzǔ, Tánchí-yùyuān, Jǐnglóng-yǔnfǔ, Diànlíng-yǒujiào, Yuèliàn-juǎnlǔ.

This passage is unlike classical Chinese prose that can usually be translated sentence by sentence. The main text consists largely of words and characters that are difficult to read in sequence. They may be names of deities, titles of heavenly realms, or taboo names and symbols; they may also contain copying, printing, or reading errors. Based on the text available, its specific meaning cannot be reliably explained.

The discernible headings are “The Eight Heavens of the South,” “The Eight Heavens of the West,” and “The Eight Heavens of the North,” referring respectively to eightfold heavenly realms in the southern, western, and northern directions. The vernacular meaning of the remaining phrases cannot currently be determined from this text alone.

The Dao Jing says: The “Great Brahma Hidden Words” in these celestial realms are boundless heavenly sounds. In ancient times, the scriptures were carved into the azure jade cliffs of the two palaces of Water and Fire, Taiwei Palace and Ziwei Palace. They set in motion the four seasons of Heaven and Earth and the Qi of Water and Fire. They are books of marvelous transformation whose effects cannot be described in worldly language.

When practitioners of the Dao in this world pray to avert calamity or dispel drought and flood, they may follow the prescribed rites, write these hidden words in cinnabar and ink, and post them at the four gates of a ritual altar to summon Yin-Yang Qi. If demons or spirits of Water and Fire descend into the human world to cause harm, these words can be used to subdue and pacify them, bringing great fortune. Each character is one zhang wide. In ancient times, the Celestial Perfected Sovereign, a legendary immortal of remote antiquity, wrote these words as the correct sounds. If someone understands their tones, observes purification, and chants them, the heavens will dispatch flying celestial dragon messengers to descend and inspect that person’s conduct and meritorious deeds, then report to the Divine Empyrean. The myriad spirits will come to pay homage, while the earth deities keep watch by the gates. When one’s merit reaches the highest level, the Three Heavens will confer an office; once the Dao of the Cavern Mystery is complete, one may travel among the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

These heavenly sounds can ward off, invoke, dispel, deliver, and bring things to fulfillment without limit. They are the natural sounds of the Celestial Perfected. Thus, when they are chanted, heavenly officials descend to inspect; the Supreme Emperor answers from afar, the myriad spirits come to pay homage, and the divine beings of the Three Realms attend the celestial carriage. The gathered demons bow their heads, and ghosts and monsters vanish of their own accord. The scripture’s sounds ring like jade chimes, bringing solemn purity to the ten directions. Rivers and seas grow calm; mist disperses among the mountains; the myriad spirits are shaken into submission, and the immortals gather. Then no foul Qi remains in Heaven, no demonic dust on Earth, and both the netherworld and wisdom become lucid and clear—vast, profound, and without limit.