《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 48

The Chapter on Pacifying the Nine Earth Layers and Dispelling the Calamities of Earth Demons

A Daoist scripture says: In ancient times, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning received The Wondrous Chapter on the Primordial Beginning’s Deliverance of Humanity, Pacification of the Nine Earth Layers, and Dispelling of the Calamities of Earth Demons in the Crystal-Brilliance Paradise of the Great Subtlety, within the Cave-Yang Heaven. As the Celestial Worthy proclaimed this scripture, he taught it ten times in succession, circling through the ten directions, and summoned the gods of the ten directions to come and listen.

The great gods of heavenly truth, the highest sages and honored ones, the perfected beings of wondrous practice, the Immortal Kings, the Earth Emperors, their officials and attendants, and countless beings who assisted the earth deities came riding through the air. Auspicious clouds, ornate canopies, and immortal carriages filled the sky. Their radiance illuminated the Nine Earth Layers—the nine levels of the terrestrial realm in Daoist belief—and the dark places in all eight directions. Interweaving streams of light lit up the vast expanse for five days and five nights. The sun, moon, and stars in the heavens, along with the celestial instruments known as the Jade Pivot and Jade Balance, all ceased their movements. The earth, seas, sacred mountains, caves, streams, and valleys grew bright and clear. Wind and clouds fell still; no clouds drifted across the sky, and no lurking evil spirits remained on earth.

Throughout the land, fields, forests, plains, and low-lying marshes became uniformly level, without any differences in height. The earth turned into beautifully veined jade, its clouds and rosy hues shining together, so that every place looked the same. The perfected beings sat in attendance as the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright in the void, upon a dragon dais wreathed in golden flames of nine colors.

Each time the Celestial Worthy finished reciting the scripture, an auspicious sign appeared on earth. At the end of the first recitation, the Earth Emperors throughout the land all cried, “Excellent!” A short while later, the sacred palaces of the Five Sacred Peaks revealed true writings. At the end of the second recitation, the Dark Gate opened wide. At the end of the third, sweet springs gushed forth. At the end of the fourth, mountains, marshes, and rivers all displayed auspicious signs. At the end of the fifth, the treasures hidden beneath the earth yielded the Seven Treasures, which flowed into the human world. At the end of the sixth, the spirits and demons of the earth abandoned evil and returned to the right path. At the end of the seventh, harm was cut off and calamity dispelled. At the end of the eighth, the guilty souls in the Northern Capital of Luofeng, the Daoist realm of the dead, and in the Nine Netherworlds were all pardoned. At the end of the ninth, the ghost officials in charge of affairs were all promoted to ranks among the immortals. At the end of the tenth, all things attained their proper nature, and the people were no longer cut down in their prime or injured.

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

The Daoist scripture further says: Each time the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning finished a recitation, the Immortal King and Earth Emperor deity of one direction, together with countless followers, came riding through the air. At the end of the first recitation, the Eastern Immortal King of the Boundless, Immeasurable, Multicolored, Moist Earth Layer arrived with the Earth Emperor deity and others. At the end of the second, the Southern Immortal King of the Boundless, Immeasurable, Multicolored, Firm Earth Layer arrived with the Earth Emperor deity and others. At the end of the third, the Western Boundless Immortal King…

The Immortal Kings, Earth Sovereigns, and Divine Lords from such places as Shile Seilei, Runze Seilei, Jinsu Zelei, Jingang Tielei, Shuizhi Zelei, and Dafeng Zelei, together with countless attendants, came through the air. Each time the scripture was recited, the divine host of one direction arrived. At the fourth recitation, the divine host from the boundless, measureless world in the north came; at the fifth, the host from the northeast; at the sixth, from the southeast; at the seventh, from the southwest; and at the eighth, from the northwest.

At the ninth recitation, the Eight-Pole Spirit Immortals and the Nine-Palace Earth Perfected—earthly immortals who dwell in the Nine Palaces—from Kunlun, Langfeng, Zhunque, Yaochi, and other places in the boundless, measureless world above also arrived through the air with countless attendants. At the tenth recitation, the Immortal Kings, Earth Sovereigns, and Divine Lords of Dongyuan, Wuse, Hunhuang, Dongkong, and Gangwei Lei, from the boundless, measureless world below, likewise came with their many attendants.

When the scripture had been recited ten times, the Immortal Kings and August Lords who governed the earth in the Nine Layers of the boundless worlds of the ten directions arrived all at once. The men and women throughout the land sincerely turned toward them in devotion and admiration. The arrivals were as numerous as thickly falling snowflakes and swirling sand, crowding so densely that half the country’s land tilted and sank. The situation could no longer be stopped.

At that moment, Yuanshi, the supreme deity revered in Daoism, gazed down upon the deep and distant Nine Layers and their inhabitants. The palaces, towers, and observatories of the great Earth Sovereigns in the Thirty-Six Palaces slowly rose up and came before the Celestial Worthy. Yuanshi took up a jade whisk of red, radiant fire, whose light illuminated the palaces and towers. They then transformed into a precious pearl. At first it was only the size of a pellet, yet it made the interiors of all Thirty-Six Palaces bright and clear, so that everything could be seen.

Yuanshi again displayed his divine power and raised the pearl. It shrank to the size of a millet grain and hung in the empty expanse, nine zhang above the ground. Yuanshi then ascended and led the Heavenly Perfected, great gods, exalted sages, and high worthies, together with the wondrous…

At that moment, countless divine beings—including the supremely true Great Gods of the Ten Directions, the Immortal Kings of the Nine Layers, and the Lords of the Earth—entered the precious pearl together. Those in the heavens looked up and saw the gods streaming through its opening. Once they had entered, nothing inside could be seen through the opening, and no one knew what the pearl now contained.

The land immediately returned to a broad, level state; it no longer tilted or sank. Within the precious pearl, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning perceived the earth demons, wicked ghosts, and various inauspicious beings among the Nine Layers. He then manifested sacred writings imbued with divine power, to stabilize the land, dispel calamities, and benefit the people. When the writings had been proclaimed, the perfected immortals oversaw the completion of the ritual and transmitted them to me.

The joy of that moment is beyond words. Once the ritual was largely complete, the gods of the heavens each returned to their proper places. In an instant, all was silent, with no sound remaining. The people of the heavens were fortunate to encounter this scripture and its teaching: they were saved and preserved in their original lifespans, unharmed. The tilting land was made stable again, and the people turned to faith in the Dao and its teachings. All lived in comfort and good health: they felt neither joy nor anger, neither worry nor sorrow; they fell ill neither, were troubled neither, suffered neither, grew weary neither, were disturbed neither, nor felt fear. Their words and actions returned to the right path, their minds accorded with their nature, and they loved one another. Even those with no kinship ties could become family. The state was peaceful and the people prosperous; everyone rejoiced, and all under Heaven lived in peace.

When this scripture was first revealed, anyone in a country who followed the Dao, was wholeheartedly sincere, believed in it, and reverently paid homage could be delivered and saved.

The Dao says: What the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning speaks of in this scripture consists entirely of the titles and secret sounds used within the Nine Layers by the Earth Sovereigns, as well as the taboo names used within the Immortal Kings’ ranks and the hidden appellations of the myriad spirits. These are not words used in ordinary worldly speech. Only the highest sages, having become perfected beings and mastered the mysteries while discerning what is hidden, can fully understand these passages.

Recite this scripture ten times, and the gods of the heavens will answer from afar, while the myriad emperors will pay their respects with ritual offerings. The Nine Layers will thereby be stabilized, and the earth demons will be bound in form, carefully obeying Heaven’s commands and daring not to harm people. The Supreme God will issue an order for heavenly troops to swiftly protect the person reciting the scripture.

When a cultivator recites the scripture ten times, the Earth Gods of the Five Directions will obey the command, and the Three Mysteries—the three levels of mystery or power spoken of in Daoism—will bow in reverence. Evil spirits and monsters will lose their sight, and earth demons will lose their power to cause harm. In this way, those close to death can be rescued, brought back from the brink, and restored to life.

The reason it says that only those close to death can be brought back to life is that the cultivator’s De is not yet complete, and their cultivation has not yet reached the state of a perfected being. Their authority is not yet strong enough to subdue the evil beings of the Ten Directions and the Nine Palaces. Though their De is sufficient to overcome and bind all manner of demons and spirits, it can only temporarily keep people from dying; it cannot yet revive the dead.

If one recites this passage of the scripture carelessly, the reciter will instead suffer calamity. But if one makes offerings to the scripture, honors it, and pays it reverence, one’s household will prosper and flourish for generations, in accord with auspicious ties. Every kind of calamity will stay away, and the spirits will guard the household’s gates. This scripture is exalted and mysterious. It can stabilize the Yellow Palaces of Heaven, sweep away inauspiciousness throughout the world, and widely save all beings. It is the fundamental teaching of the Nine Earths, a grand model whose De is beyond all telling.

If a person recites this scripture ten times, the thirty-six Immortal Kings and Earth Emperors of the Nine Layers (the successive regions beneath the earth) will all descend together. They will clear away the demons, baleful forces of punishment, and harmful energies beneath the soil. Acting under orders, they will subdue the ghosts and spirits there and use their divine power to protect people. The wandering and suffering souls of ancestors from countless generations will also be delivered at once and ascend to the Vermilion Palace. After nine years of instruction, they will be reborn as nobles and come to delight in studying the scriptures. When their merit is complete, they can all become immortals, rise to the Golden Tower, and feast and wander in the Jade Capital.

If those who cultivate the highest Dao recite and practice this scripture, the Perfected Lord of Numinous Treasure, who embodies the Earth Virtue of the Central Palace, will send down the vast primordial Qi. It will flow into the practitioner’s body, immediately delivering them and enabling them to ascend to the Southern Palace. If people in the world receive, uphold, and recite this scripture, the Earth Bureau, which oversees the land and affairs below it, will destroy the documents authorizing the detention of the dead. It will not dare to imprison their bodies or search for their bones. The Earth Official will extend their lifespans and grant them longevity. In time, they will all attain the Way of Corpse Liberation: their souls and spirits will temporarily vanish, but without passing through hell, they will recover their bodies and roam through the vast heavens.

This scripture is subtle and wondrous, and can deliver countless beings everywhere. All beings in the heavens and the human world can thereby receive immeasurable blessings; the living and the dead alike benefit from it. Heaven keeps this scripture as a treasure and does not pass it on to ordinary people in later generations. Those who truly possess the Dao must prepare gold, silver, and precious objects, and solemnly swear an oath to Heaven before they may receive it. Anyone who carelessly reveals it or treats its teachings with disrespect will suffer calamity, sink into the Nine Layers, and serve the Earth Officials for a long time. Thirty-six Jade Boys and thirty-six Jade Maidens, who attend this scripture, will guard its sacred text and protect those who receive it.

The scripture says: If one observes a prolonged fast and recites this scripture during the first lunar month, one can stabilize and protect the Blue and Red Earth jurisdictions, ward off the twelve kinds of earthly calamity in the Nine Layers, dispel the evil energy they send forth, and free the souls of the dead from detention in their former lives, allowing them to be delivered and ascend to the Southern Palace.

If one observes a prolonged fast and recites this scripture during the seventh lunar month, one can stabilize and protect the White and Yellow Earth jurisdictions, ward off the twelve kinds of earthly killing forces and punitive energies in the Nine Layers, and enable people to become immortals. The heavens will record their names in the Yellow Registers (documents used in Daoist purification rituals to deliver the souls of the dead) and on white slips, erase them from the registers of the dead, and place them among the living.

If one observes a prolonged fast and recites this scripture during the tenth lunar month, one can stabilize and protect the Black and Dark Earth jurisdictions, ward off the twelve kinds of earthly demons and harmful energies in the Nine Layers, and bring peace to kings, emperors, rulers and ministers, fathers and sons … (the original text ends here unfinished).

Safeguard the nation’s blessings and good fortune, so they endure for ages and pass from generation to generation without end. May the ruler always be secure, the regions at peace, and the people praise the era as peaceful and prosperous. Whenever one recites this Jing on one of the Eight Festival days—the eight festivals held in special regard by Daoism—the blessings of the fortunate lands in all eight directions descend upon oneself as well, enabling one to become a Perfected Being of the Nine Palaces.

If one recites this Jing on one’s natal day—the day associated with one’s birth—the Earth Official will bestow blessings. The Immortal King Xuanshi, who extends the years of life, will protect one’s life and prolong one’s lifespan. A Perfected Being will offer one water from the Flower Pond, clearing and purifying the soul and spirit and preserving the original Qi so that one no longer suffers distress. The body will shine with light; spirits of the Three Realms will guard it; the Five Emperors will attend its arrival; and the myriad spirits will come to pay homage. One’s name will be entered in the registers of Heaven. When one’s merits and virtues are complete, one will ascend to Shangqing.

The Dao says: On every day when one performs the ritual of practicing the Dao, one should bathe in fragrant water. After observing purification and abstinence, enter a quiet chamber and face east. Click the teeth thirty-two times, sending the mind upward to the thirty-two Heavens; then bow thirty-two times, close the eyes, and meditate in silence. Visualize yourself seated amid clouds of yellow, black, and purple Qi, with dense, deep clouds within and around you. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—the guardian beasts of the four directions—stand in rows on either side, along with lions and white cranes. The sun and moon shine, filling the chamber with clear light. A round halo appears above your head, its radiance illuminating the ten directions. Visualize all of this distinctly.

Then silently recite the secret incantation:

“Supreme Lord of the Dao, the Mysterious Origin, summon from within my body the Three-and-Five Meritorious Officers; the officials and envoys on my left and right; the Jade Youths who attend to incense; the Jade Maidens who convey messages; the Five Emperors’ tally-bearers; and the incense officials on duty today—thirty-six of each. Let them report above the matters I speak of. Today is auspicious and blessed. In this pure ritual chamber, I observe purification and cultivate this Wuliang Duren Shangpin Miaojing. May the matters for which I pray be conveyed to the Heavenly Court and presented directly before the most exalted throne of the Primordial Heavenly Emperor, Sovereign of the Supreme Thirty-Two Heavens.”

(When you have finished reciting.)

Draw in the Qi thirty-two times, face east, and recite the Wuliang Duren Shangpin Miaojing of the Primordial Beginning.

Among the Dongxuan Lingbao scriptures of the Celestial Worthy of Original Beginning, one of the supreme Daoist deities, there is a passage for calming and securing the nine layers of the earth, dispelling demons and inauspicious forces beneath the soil, opening up wondrous methods, and rescuing living beings through long ages of tribulation. The scripture says that when the Orthodox Way is in motion, the spirits freely ascend and descend, coming and going, and return to the ultimate realm of Primordial Unity.

Within the ninefold Dharma Wheel, which symbolizes the successive turning of the methods of the Dao, the mysterious Primordial Qi of emptiness and perfect truth flows and gathers, giving birth to all things. Wind and deep springs envelop one another; the wondrous workings of the Dao unfold, allowing all things to take root. The power of the Great Spirit protects all kinds of beings, bringing forth emerald forests and verdant pools. Mysterious spirits stand in ordered ranks, gathered within nine radiances. The Jade Writings of the High God, sacred talismans, join and separate in transformation, establishing the Red Cycle and clearing the vast heavens. The Dharma Wheel turns, revealing the laws of flight and movement, and the true fragrance. This is the realm of harmonious subtlety, mysterious within mystery.

Yulei, one of the Daoist gate deities, governs the six directions and rules beneath Kunlun Mountain, guarding such remote and shadowy places as Wind Marsh and Jie-ren Springs. The transformative power of Heaven and Earth is boundless; at dawn, the vast vital energy gathers and becomes essence. Three True Gods spread auspicious signs throughout the realm, while yellow light shines upon the splendid palace halls. The spirits Xuanshi, Changyang, Jiatu, Yuanqing, and others raise purple mists and crimson clouds, illuminating the pure and lofty heavens. They command the myriad demons and make them sit quietly under restraint.

Within the ten directions are the True One of the Primordial Gate, who governs the distribution of Qi; the Divine Lord, who communicates with spirits and responds to change; the Great Dao deity, who investigates and opens the way to transformation; and the Elder, who subdues malevolent spirits and destroys demons. There is also the August Elder, a revered deity who perceives the Nine Underworlds, reaches through the abyss, and bears up Heaven and Earth. Together they proclaim the supreme teachings and manifest the Great Dao.

Today, a rite is being performed to calm and secure the land, and the myriad holy beings gather in the hall. The honored titles of the Divine Kings of the Ten Directions are then recited:

In the East, the Limitless Divine King Who Protects the World, Great Holy One of Long Life, Deliverer of Countless Beings;

In the South, the Limitless Divine King Who Destroys Demons, Great Holy One of Long Life, Deliverer of Countless Beings;

In the West, the Limitless Divine King Who Wards Off Evil, Great Holy One of Long Life, Deliverer of Countless Beings;

In the North, the Limitless Divine King Who Punishes Evil, Great Holy One of Long Life, Deliverer of Countless Beings;

In the Northeast, the Limitless Divine King of Flourishing Virtue, Great Holy One of Long Life, Deliverer of Countless Beings;

In the Southeast, the Limitless Divine King Who Opens the Way, Great Holy One of Long Life, Deliverer of Countless Beings;

In the Southwest, the Limitless Divine King of Orthodox Qi, Great Holy One of Long Life, Deliverer of Countless Beings;

In the Northwest, the Limitless Divine King Who Brings Forth Transformation, Great Holy One of Long Life, Deliverer of Countless Beings;

Above, the Limitless Divine King of Highest Clarity, Great Holy One of Long Life, Deliverer of Countless Beings;

Below, the Limitless Divine King of Wind Marsh, Great Holy One of Long Life, Deliverer of Countless Beings.

The Most Perfect Divine Kings of the Nine Ramparts in the ten directions (the worlds of every direction), together with the great deities who possess boundless divine power and bring long life and deliverance from the world, all ride upon yellow clouds. They sit in red carriages and jade-green chariots, shaded by yellow canopies. Their flying wheels are drawn by white tigers and dark phoenixes. Red luan birds raise high banners that subdue demons and evil forces; dragon standards woven from divine brocade lead the way, their radiance shining in every direction. The commander leads the procession, followed by tigers, earth dragons, lions, and qilin, leaping and flying in ranks on either side. Seven sages clear the way, while the Four Luminous Spirits bear the carriage shafts. Millions upon millions of spirits and immortals come from the sky, floating through the Great Void.

The revered deities Feiguang, Jingxiao, Zhongyuan, Yixiang, Lingniu, Yougong, Xuanci, Shangzuo, and Taiyin command the perfected immortals of the earth. They come together before the Sovereign Lord and receive his command to pacify every place, making it secure for all time and preventing it from ever falling into ruin. The divine beings proclaim their instructions throughout the spirit-world gateways of the Nine Ramparts and Eight Extremities, and within sacred realms such as the Gate of Turbid Yellow and the Court of Azure Jade. All the spirits formed from the qi of the Thirty-Six Lords, along with the deities of the Nine Palaces, the grotto-heavens, the departments of the Celestial Bureaucracy, the mountains, rivers, and water sources, the Five Rivers and Eight Seas, the Twin-Luminary Grotto Springs, and the Three Mysteries and Four Origins, are to seize the demons lurking in the earth and destroy evil spirits and monsters. The ghost troops are to be restrained by Luofeng, the Northern Capital of the underworld.

This is done so that the people may live in peace and the realm enjoy tranquil good fortune; so that the souls of the dead may be transformed and their white bones take shape again; so that the living may receive deliverance, endure alongside primordial qi, and through the turning of karmic conditions ascend into the various heavens, forever freed from the underworld. The fifteen kinds of earth-dwelling demons that threaten living beings must all be destroyed, and ill omens cleared away, until the Four Dark Realms are solemn and pure. The heavens of the Four Dark Realms are a realm formed by the Heavenly Emperor, united with the Dao, where Brahma-like practices of purity are observed.

Eight Heavens of the East

Yellow Center, Ordering the Mysterious Heaven — Emperor Liu Zhuyansun

Nine Ramparts, Divine Emptiness Heaven — Emperor Bi Kangyong

Utmost Perfection, Radiant Harmony Heaven — Emperor Ge Qu Shangquan

Life-Giving Waters, Spreading Blossoms, Washing the Spirit Heaven — Emperor Mi Jingpiqiong

The Dao Shines, Thickening Transformation Heaven — Emperor Zhao Wudi Yuan

Great Surge, Virtue and Form Heaven — Emperor Ling Fandu Guang

Stillness and Compliance, Nourishing the Origin Heaven — Emperor Bao Youjiu Fei

Ancestor of Life, Without Fault Heaven — Emperor Changxi Yingong

Eight Heavens of the South

Fire-Wall, Red Mound Heaven — Emperor Nian Jizhu Yuan

Zhangling, Flowing Waters and Channels Heaven — Emperor Wo Shanyu Yang

Brahma Origin, Deliverance through Emptiness Heaven — Emperor Jing Zhu Shenglong

The Unadorned Heaven of Luminous Infants: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Shuo Luo Tong Zhan; the Heaven of Wondrous Light in the Valley Cave: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Shi Chong Liang Fu; the Heaven of Subtle Emptiness on the Coiled Foundation: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Zhi Ji Dun Shi; the Heaven of the Curved Pool under Yangli: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Dian Qi You Shan; the Heaven of the Earth Court that Examines Prisons: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Yu Shen Mi Shu.

The Eight Heavens of the West

The Heaven of Hidden Transformation, where the Void Rises: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Se Yi Zhi Hui; the Heaven of the Ancestral Spirits of the Imperial Cliff: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Yao Qing Bei Xiu; the Heaven of Ancient Seclusion and Flourishing Harmony: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Bai Yuan Kong Xiang; the Heaven of Four Presences in the Dark Land: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Jue Dao Tian Chun; the Heaven of Subtle Shores in the Cave River: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Fan Long Jiu A; the Heaven of Vast Radiance and Subtle Life: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Cui Ye Ling Cun; the Heaven of Constant Joy in Leaving the True: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Zhao Fu Su Kong; the Heaven of the Jade Sequence, Woven with Essence: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Jie Jiang Te Ming.

The Eight Heavens of the North

The Heaven of Great Emptiness, Brahma’s Countenance, and Radiance Without Limit: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Ning Fu Lang Xu; the Heaven of Great Emptiness, the Treasure Kalpa, and Abundant Formation: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Zhu Chi Du An; the Heaven of Direct Illumination, Discernment, Trust, and Advancing Resolve: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Bian Luo Shi Ming; the Heaven of the Dipper’s Pivot, Shimmering in the Sky: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Ji Hua Tu Xian; the Heaven of Advancing Shen and Nourishing Life: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Wei Xun Wu Sheng; the Heaven of Assisting the Sovereign and Gathering the Ramparts: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Di Liang Qie; the Heaven of Settled Resolve and Examining Yin: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Bei Yu Meng Si; the Heaven of Noble Benefit, Rising, Roaming, and Reaching the True: the hidden name of its Celestial Emperor is Wu Qiu Tai Yong.

The above are the thirty-two heavens and the hidden names of their thirty-two Celestial Emperors—that is, the unrevealed honorific names of each heaven. These concealed names are recorded in the numinous scripture of the natural void within Heaven. The secret tones of the nine levels of the earthly realm are sounds uttered by the Earth Sovereign. They also symbolize the exalted rank of the Immortal Kings and the divine power of the Earth Sovereign. The nine capital demons and the spirits of wind and marsh are also included among them.

The Nine Coils and Ten Ramparts are the primordial root of transformation and the ancestor of wondrous communion. Their merit and virtue are beyond measure; they extend everywhere and govern the numinous and the perfected.

Now we joyfully celebrate the pacification of the nine layers of the earth. The baleful forces that wrought havoc beneath the soil have been severed at their roots, and every ill omen has been dispelled. Dao’s energy now flows freely between above and below, and the movement of spiritual energy has been restored.

The realms of earth, water, and wind together comprise twenty-seven layers. The True Kings patrol and govern them, exercising their divine powers. At the eastern extremity, breaths are gathered; at the western extremity, vital essence is condensed. At the northern extremity, forms are brought into unity; at the southern extremity, forms are generated. The central extremity, together with the mountains above, guards the hidden depths.

The Azure Emperor, sovereign of the east, opens the pivot; the White Emperor, sovereign of the west, guards the passes. The Red Emperor, sovereign of the south, sets the vital mechanism in motion; the Black Emperor, sovereign of the north, clears the channels; and the Yellow Emperor, sovereign of the center, harmonizes the myriad things and brings evil spirits to rest. The divine kings of the five directions—azure, red, white, black, and yellow—each govern their own region, guard its boundaries, and carry out their divine duties. The great gods of the five realms and the ancestral lord of the deep earth patrol the terrestrial domains and command the spirit officials. Wielding spears and battle-axes, they oversee their appointed offices, hold the guiding principles of Heaven and Earth’s workings, and take part in the generation of creation. All are subordinate to the Mysterious Pivot, the center that governs the transformations of Heaven and Earth.

They receive and carry out the commands of the heavenly realm, opening Yin and Yang so that the myriad things may harmonize, flourish, and thrive. The Kui commander, a divine general, drives away poisonous forces, while the tiger generals expel fierce evils. The mighty troops surge forth; qilin leap into the air, and divine light flashes across the eight regions of the heavens to repel evils from the ten directions. All who dare oppose or obstruct the True Sovereign are punished. The Golden Essence and the devouring divine beasts destroy demons that prey on living beings; not one of the evils marked for execution escapes. The assembled demons bow their heads and are bound, while all ghosts vanish from sight.

Mountains and rivers return to peace, and plants and trees grow luxuriantly. The Three Luminaries—the sun, moon, and stars—and the Five Elders, venerable gods of the five directions, block the sources of baleful energy, leaving evil spirits nowhere to hide. The Golden Horse relay, the divine realm’s means of transmitting commands, carries the decrees everywhere, even to the furthest reaches. Thus the way by which the myriad things are nurtured and transformed is proclaimed, and the Sovereign Lords of the Nine Earthly Layers take their places to submit reports to the Mysterious Heaven above.

From the Void, existence takes form, and Heaven and Earth are opened. Primordial Qi is vast and boundless, at first appearing as undifferentiated chaos: the light and clear Qi rises, while the dense and turbid Qi sinks. The cycles of cosmic tribulation unfold according to the natural order. Yang and Yin Qi intermingle, and true essence flows through them in intricate patterns. Adamantine and iron wheels join together to form palaces and offices, where the associated gods each have their own place and abode.

Within these palaces and offices, the True Rulers govern the workings of reality and share their rule with the spirit immortals. The assembled gods each receive Qi from the Three Mysteries and establish the title of Earth Emperor. They oversee the pivot of Heaven and Earth’s transformations, allowing the cycles of tribulation to turn without end. They prevent strange and baleful energies from harming the world and keep evil and ferocious spirits from causing disorder. The five directions are thereby pacified, and the sacred revealed writings of the Dao can be proclaimed.

The Red Script and Jade Characters of the Eight Assemblies, sacred talismanic writing found in Daoist scriptures, preserve the cycles of tribulation and keep the earth’s axis from tilting. Brahma Qi spreads everywhere, unfolding the myriad forms. The guiding order of Heaven and Earth turns and moves, extending through the nine deep layers of the underworld. Its cycles pass through the realm without form and travel throughout the netherworld; the Qi mechanism revolves, passes through its gates, and moves back and forth until it joins again in luminous harmony.

The thirty-six palaces jointly govern the Lower Origin, the terrestrial realm and its associated divine offices. The Eight Effulgences, spiritual realms of the eight directions in Daoist teaching, blend and interpenetrate, ascending into the lofty, mysterious realm. The Imperial Sovereigns of the Mystery and the Jade Perfected spread forth the Qi of Great Harmony and the spirit of Yellow One.

This scripture presents a grand cosmological vision and Daoist cultivation system. The opening depicts a world brimming with spiritual energy (Qi): mountains, rivers and oceans nurture all beings, while celestial essences (Jade Hua) condense into form, and divine energies rise like mist and clouds. Five sacred mountains stand verdant, encircling and guarding the myriad celestial realms. Heaven and earth connect seamlessly, with energies flowing naturally between them, inhabited by supreme deities—Donghuang Tianjun (Celestial Lord of the Cavernous Radiance), Kunyuan Shengmu Nüwa (Holy Mother of Earthly Origins), and Houtu Zunshen (Venerable Earth Deity), who assist the Dao alongside the Yellow Emperor (Jia Tu Xuan Shi).

The text then describes the governance of the earthly realm: nine terrestrial officials wield talismans (Fulu) to protect the foundations of the earth, patrolling the depths of the underworld. These deities guard both the subterranean abyss and the Dantian (energy center below the navel) within the human body. When the Five Phases' energies (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) harmonize within the practitioner and all spirits return to their rightful places, ten transformative cycles unite the myriad energies to achieve immortality.

The scripture emphasizes the core tenet that "the Dao of immortality values life," advocating the flourishing of life through the salvation of all beings. Earth deities rotate the Dharma Wheel (symbolizing the spread of Daoist teachings) across the nine subterranean realms (Jiu Lei), instructing beings according to their karma, ensuring all things attain salvation and preserve life. This teaching influences both the visible world and the unseen realms.

The latter sections contain specific incantations:

The first, "Melody to Pacify the Nine Subterranean Caverns," reveals the mystery of the earth's formation: primordial chaos (Hun Dun) condenses into form below, with earthly veins rooted in the void. Here resides the Sovereign of Earth (Tu Huang Jun), appointed by the Celestial Emperor to govern thirty-six palaces and myriad deities. The earth stands firm as metal and stone, infused with the essence of Mount Kunlun, vast as the ocean, with winds and mists circulating endlessly. This passage extols the earth's profundity and stability, emphasizing that only by aligning with the natural Dao can peace be maintained.

The second, "Chapter to Expel Earthly Calamities," is a spell to dispel terrestrial misfortunes: the scriptures of Yuanshi Tianzun (Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning) gather divine spirits and regulate earthly energies. The thirty-six Sovereigns of Earth open the subterranean gates, dispelling malevolent stagnations across the nine layers. When the orthodox Dao operates and mystical energies blend, disasters wrought by spirits and monsters are eradicated. This section demonstrates the Daoist practice of harmonizing heaven and earth through sacred texts to exorcise evils and avert calamities.

All things roam freely and at ease. Calamities are warded off and brought to an end, and good fortune that is auspicious and steadfast is enjoyed for a long time.

All beings rejoice, relying on my divine presence enthroned high in Heaven. The Daoist scriptures, liturgies, and precepts are proclaimed through this.

All wicked and deceitful acts are eliminated, and its efficacy is without end. Heaven and Earth stretch wide and boundless, nurturing and protecting all things so that life may grow. Bodies are transformed into light, and all beings throughout the world are saved.

Merit and virtue belong to the Most High Celestial Worthy.

Third Section: “Song for Dispelling Inauspiciousness”

Beneath the nine layers of the Earth, within the depths of hidden gates, the order of Brahma Qi—the sacred primordial energy—is upheld in the dim, chaotic realm of mystery. There dwells the True Emperor, a Daoist deity, who receives the power of creation and opens the four directions. He carries and sustains the Qi of supreme harmony, bringing Yin and Yang into ordered accord; he transforms discordant Qi and sweeps away inauspiciousness. The unsurpassed Jade Writings, sacred scriptures of Heaven, disperse calamities and destroy misfortune.

The roots of the Earth extend deep and far; wondrous, refined Qi rises and transforms. Ascending Mount Kunlun, one moves between ascent and descent, circling as the mysterious Qi flows without cease. All things become clear and pure, the human world grows peaceful, and blessings and De increase in succession. The state is secure and solemn, and even through immense calamities it will not fall into ruin.

The majestic Supreme One, the highest Daoist deity, governs the gods. All realms converge in the wondrous Law, together preserving the generation and growth of all things.

This is the True King’s song, sounding above the Three Realms and through the flying heavens; its tones accord with the Cavern Chapters, sacred Daoist hymns. Recite it one hundred times, and your name will be entered in the registers of the Southern Palace. Recite it one thousand times, and the True King will protect and welcome you. Recite it ten thousand times, and your Daoist practice will reach completion: you will ascend through the sky, transcend the Three Realms, take your place among the immortal officials, and come to hear the Dao of the immortals.

When the numinous sound rings out, the Demon King fears its majesty. By command, the earthly spirits stand guard and escort the departed, freeing their souls from the nine levels of hell and the five sufferings and eight ordeals. The seven generations of ancestors are raised up and forever leave the jurisdiction of the ghost officials. Their souls are conveyed to Zhuling, where departed spirits undergo refinement, and through this refining they receive new life. This is called boundless universal salvation, a deliverance without limit.

All the heavens revere this secret scripture from on high. Whoever reveals it or treats it with contempt will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon seven generations of ancestors.

The Dao says: The preceding two chapters are voices secretly transmitted by the Lords of Heaven in the various heavens, and by the Earthly Emperors and Immortal Kings who govern the nine layers of the terrestrial realm and its thirty-six palaces. They can pacify evil spirits in the land, prevent violations of taboos, dispel harms associated with particular directions, and protect the people and all things. These are words of the Great Brahma—sacred speech from the highest heaven—not ordinary words of the world.

The wording of these scriptures follows no worldly rhythm, and their melodies do not seek graceful ornament. They are therefore called profound and difficult to understand. They are secret texts treasured by Heaven. Only later, in the East Treasure Hall of the Primordial Chamber at the Jade Palace of the King of the Divine Empyrean and Jade Purity, did they descend to the lower world, when the time corresponded to the Renchen year. A person whose cultivation has reached accomplishment may receive the scriptures only by offering precious gold, acting with sincerity, making a vow according to the established precedent, and reporting to the divine beings of Jade Mystery.

The Dao says: Earthquakes and shaking mountains are signs of changes in the currents of Qi. The sinking and cracking of the land are also connected with the movements of time. Strange phenomena and omens of good or ill fortune can likewise appear in the nine layers of the terrestrial realm. When such disasters occur, Daoist practitioners should fast together, offer incense at six appointed times throughout the day, and recite the scriptures ten times. Then blessings and De will soon descend, protecting and pacifying the region and driving away ill omens. This immeasurable text can universally deliver countless beings.

The Dao says: Some beginners in the Dao have made little progress, or have yet to perfect their rank among the immortals. When their allotted years come to an end, they die. Their remains enter Great Yin, the realm of the dead, and are buried in the Earth Palace, the divine realm that governs the land and the souls of the dead. Their bones are refined and arranged in successive layers. They cling to the burial earth as their dwelling, while their wandering spirits have not yet awakened. As they approach death, fellow practitioners whose cultivation is accomplished may offer incense and recite the scriptures ten times on their behalf, performing the rites to deliver their remains. In this way, the Earthly Emperor can drive away evil and misfortune and pacify the myriad spirits. The dead will be reborn when their appointed time comes, no longer lost in confusion, and will ultimately attain immortality.

The Dao says: Between Heaven and Earth, Heaven has nine firmaments, and Earth has nine ramparts—the nine layers of the terrestrial realm. Each rampart lies 907,200 li from Heaven; below the nine ramparts, the distance from Heaven is another 12,180,000 li. Above the nine ramparts lies Kunlun, situated at the center of Heaven and Earth like the yolk inside an egg. The Earth Officials have the Hall of Cavernous Origin and the Gate of Passage to Yin, with forty-two bureaus under their jurisdiction. Together, these offices are called the Earth Directorate, and they govern the guilty souls of the dead. In addition, thirty-six Kings of the Cavern Immortals dwell underground. They command the various spirits and govern thirty-six kinds of evil spirits and strange beings in the earth. These entities harm and falsely accuse the living, disturb graves and homes, and cause disasters of water and fire. When such things occur, one should fast, offer incense, and recite the scriptures.

The merit of fasting and reciting the scriptures is profound and weighty. Above, it can dispel celestial disasters, pacify the nine ramparts, and subdue evil spirits and ill omens in the land; below, it can dissolve poison and deliver beings. The living and the dead alike can receive its blessings. Since this De is beyond measure, it is called “immeasurable deliverance for Heaven and humanity.”

The Great Dao declares: Whoever possesses and practices this scripture can bring peace to the realm on behalf of Heaven and Earth and the sovereign, and help the people avoid calamity. When disasters occur, if one sincerely undertakes purification, offers incense in reverence, and recites the scripture ten times, the heavens will descend with true Qi and dispel ill omens. Such a person may also be called a perfected one and can become a servant in the Golden Palaces of the sage ruler of Heaven. The heavens record people’s merits and faults, omitting nothing, however slight; the true demons of Heaven will also recommend you. Only those who have truly attained the Dao can fully understand these ultimate truths.

The Great Brahmā Hidden Words among the heavens—the sacred utterances secretly transmitted in the celestial realm—are sounds without limit, composed by the Lord of the Dao.

The Wondrous Chapters of the Nine Ramparts in the Primordial Spirit’s Writ

Eight Heavens of the East

These phrases are part of the Great Brahmā Hidden Words:

杳洞兰澮、演明机珠、燿璉益闔；

理丙玄舒、曰苴载精、圆奔海逋；

现祥留寂、央笳洁图、律帝阳辞；

求开拯需、约淳骑伸、并散窈符；

溅积柯能、正伎逸苏、冲维泰𧋸；

炽度焰无。

Eight Heavens of the South

These phrases are part of the Great Brahmā Hidden Words:

赫延亘咖、龙罗景吠、荡球送真；

祅伏屏异、群苛历盘、变枚辽治；

谒济横博、亭微绵禧、冲计忌火；

落兰侯师、古洞无杰、命青祈兹；

溢毒梁贝、范尹凝施、玞育衡定；

固宾邈宜。

Eight Heavens of the West

These phrases are part of the Great Brahmā Hidden Words:

边奚峦卿、孟初浩泰、质福枚涂；

娄空止当、光展论符、救化度戒；

和召总灵、察迅出辩、鹫鸑吕余；

池名普观、优揓木多、时萌正载；

魁镇垒块、真妙驿大、文戎宠涡；

柳倩推界。

Eight Heavens of the North

These phrases are part of the Great Brahmā Hidden Words:

紫云蔼都、八景俱缠、闲罗蒙星；

祝举夷骞、叱张度宫、救曾路宣；

傍嘿明徒、衣飞寥玄、漠题运沙。

The phrases listed above for the East, South, West, and North are the “Great Brahmā Hidden Words” mentioned in the scripture: sacred secret utterances in Daoist texts, not ordinary prose. They are therefore not translated word by word according to everyday meanings.

Chou qi ying jian, ben jiang ji yang, fan xi xin quan; che chi fang fu, lin ku jie ban, zhi hu gou tong; si bing gong xian.

The scripture says: These characters are the “Great Brahma hidden words” used to pacify and guard the nine layers of the heavenly realms and earthly regions (the Nine Ramparts). Their sounds are immeasurable. In ancient times, they were engraved above the gate of the Yellow Jade Tower of the Earth Official, in the Clear Emptiness Lesser-Abode Grotto Heaven on Mount Wangwu. They were used to suppress calamities in the Nine Ramparts, demons beneath the earth, and inauspicious beings. Each character was vast, measuring one zhang in length. The Celestial Perfected Sovereign once wrote these characters as the correct sounds.

If someone understands these sounds and can observe purification and recite them, the heavens will send divine kings who inspect the earthly regions to come and observe that person, then report the merit of their diligent practice to the heavens. The myriad spirits will come to pay homage, while the earthly deities attend beside the gate. The Great Merit True King will recommend and protect the person, enabling them to complete the Way of Hidden Earth, travel throughout the Three Realms, and ascend to the Golden Gate.

These sounds can drive away evil, avert calamity, deliver and transform beings, and bring things to completion wherever they are. They are sounds that arise naturally from the Celestial Perfected. Reciting them therefore brings the heavens down to observe; the Supreme Lord sings in response from afar, the myriad spirits come to pay homage, and the deities of the Three Realms stand in attendance. Demons bow their heads, and ghosts and monsters disperse of their own accord. Their jade-like sounds resound through the ten directions; Heaven and Earth are purified, rivers and seas grow calm, mountains draw in their mists, and all spirits are awed into submission. The assembled immortals are summoned to come. Above, Heaven is free of turbid Qi; below, Earth is free of demonic corruption and dust.

Dark wisdom, penetrating clarity; vastness upon vastness.

(The opening groups of characters and the closing phrase “Dark wisdom, penetrating clarity; vastness upon vastness” are hidden words or rhythmic phrases in the scripture. Their meaning is difficult to determine from the surviving text, so they have been retained in the original.)