《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 50

The Dongxuan Lingbao scriptures of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, one of the highest deities revered in Daoism, explain how floods, fires, and epidemics arise, and how the gods dispel calamities and save all beings.

Before Heaven and Earth were opened and the myriad things had taken shape, Qi drifted and sank without settling. What rose was called Yang; what sank was called Yin. Yang Qi was hot and rose upward, while Yin Qi was moist and descended. As Yin and Yang gradually took form, water and fire came into being. What had visible form was called water and fire; formless Qi was closer to the source of the Great Dao. The source of the Dao is the vast emptiness. Jing and Qi are above, water below and fire above, with the gods in between to bring them into harmony. When water and fire converged, the winds and Qi changed in response. Heaven and Earth took shape, and Qian, Kun, and the myriad things could grow.

Metal Qi gave rise to brightness and strength, revealing the quality of firmness. Water Qi nourished the growth of plants and trees, and fire arose within wood. Once water and fire were present, True Earth became the ruling force. Earth is the root from which all things are generated. The celestial realms and perfected beings—including Jade Mountain’s Upper Capital, the Yellow Chamber and Purple Court, the Nine-Rank Supreme Sages, and the Three Perfected Ones at the Emperor’s Pole—were all born through the sympathetic union of water and fire.

The Qi of water and fire varies in strength and may also become blocked and lie dormant. When its movement falls out of balance, it turns into calamities and epidemics, corrupting and fouling the flow of Qi, disturbing the gods, and frightening the myriad things. The Jing of fire became the sun, and the Jing of water became the moon. Their movements formed the seasons and the cycles of the year, while the sun marked the passage of time. Thus the myriad things in the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and humanity could grow, and the Five Phases and Six Qi could each follow their proper course. Water and fire are fundamental among them.

Through cultivating and regulating the Qi of water and fire, and allowing their transformations to unfold over a long course, one can open the age of Red Light and restore the natural cycles of Heaven and Earth. Only by undergoing the trials of water and fire can one truly understand their Way.

Beyond this, there is no further source: there is only the Dao itself. The union of water and fire is like conception in the womb, nourishing the gods everywhere. Sacred writings form into talismans and registers, shaped like dragons and phoenixes amid flying clouds. Through these sacred writings, all things are illuminated, made clear, established, brought to completion, delivered, and given life. This is the Heaven within the Great Brahma Heaven, rising through layer upon layer to the supreme realm of Great Luo Jade Clarity. The True Lords of Water and Fire move in accordance with the Way of Heaven. When their course reaches the constellations of Zui, Mao, and Shen, calamities may befall the human world: water and fire bring floods and destruction by flame, epidemics spread, the earth sinks, and mountains collapse. The Qi of Heaven and Earth may move with or against its proper course, and the cycles of calamity may rise or decline. The Supreme Perfected gods dispel calamities, preserving the lives of all beings and restoring peace to the world.

The Qi of water and fire flows throughout the ten directions. Among the gods are those who save all beings and spare people from death, as well as the Lord of Longevity of the Southern Pole, the deity who dispels epidemics, the Great God Sima who guides beings through the world, the Elder Lord Han who cherishes life, and the Southern Lords in charge of destiny, records, longevity, increased years, and deliverance from calamity. These gods can restore life to withered and ruined bodies and save numberless beings. Today, the gods of the heavens have come to the hall to examine and register the scriptures.

The Supreme Limitless Divine Kings of the East, the South, the West, and the North—the Divine King of Great Mystery, the Red Emperor, the Ninefold Abyss, and the Cavernous Sea—together with the Divine Kings of the Fire Treasury in the northeast, the Crimson Palace in the southeast, the Water Treasury in the southwest, the Black Cavern in the northwest, the Sea of Space above, and the Primordial Fire below, are all great sages of long life, able to save and deliver beings far and wide.

The great gods who preserve life and deliver the world, including the Perfectly True Flying Celestial Divine Kings of the Ten Directions (the four cardinal directions, the four intermediate directions, above, and below), arrive together in carriages such as the Threefold Plain Flowing Cloud and the Eight-Jade Elixir Chariot. Their carriages bear wind wheels, rosy-cloud canopies, tiger-shaped covers, and cabins shaped like horned dragons. Vermilion phoenixes and five-colored dark dragons draw them, while the procession carries the Seven Luminaries’ emblems of the sun, moon, and stars and nine-colored numinous banners. A myriad dancers sing in unison at the front, while a thousand mouth organs—ancient instruments like panpipes—play together behind. Vermilion phoenixes and azure horned dragons sing in harmony; dark beasts and divine birds trill in melodious calls. The Five Elders lead the way, and assembled immortals guard the carriages. Countless chariots and thousands of mounted attendants stream through the air. The gods turn their carriages to inspect the realm of the Real and deliver beings from suffering.

Han Si of the Upper Palace of Nanchang, who oversees the two Qi of Water and Fire, and the great god who controls registers and watches over the living, arrive together before the Emperor Lord. Holding Fulu (talismans and registers) and administering the records of names, they dispel and quell the calamities and epidemics caused by Water and Fire, so these no longer harm living beings. They carefully inspect the heavens according to whom each is charged to save, and widely proclaim the matter to Xuandu, the heavenly gates of Yujing, and the Twelve Palaces.

Once the order of Heaven and Earth governed by the Six Jia Primordial Cycles is restored, floods no longer overflow and raging fires no longer consume. Dark essence stays in its proper place; the Crimson Seals that subdue Water and Fire lie dormant and still. The Qi of Water and Fire come together and no longer shift or fall into disorder. Through the calamities of great and lesser cycles, and the disasters of the Nine Heavens and Six Heavens, calamities and epidemics are all brought to an end, and the Three Realms are at peace.

The Water Demons in the Land of Limitless Spirits, the Palace of Winding Springs, Beidu Luofeng—the Daoist name for the underworld—and the Three Offices, Nine Palaces, and sources of the Twelve Rivers all fall silent. The mighty waves grow calm and the deep waters settle. The Nine Spirits present documents that clear the wrongfully accused of their grievances and release ancestors from their offenses… (The original text continues beyond this point.)

All manner of illnesses among one’s relatives during a kalpa are cured; the registers of sinful karma are erased, and evil roots are extinguished, so they no longer bind anyone. The souls of the dead, detained in the underworld and consorting with its ghosts, are promoted at the appointed times by command talismans issued by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. The Northern Capital’s Cold Pool Department—a bureau in the underworld that confines and governs souls of the dead—guards bodies and souls, subdues demonic obstacles, and recommends the dead for salvation and admission to the ranks of the immortals. The dead souls in the Southern Palace undergo refinement and salvation, through which they become immortals and undergo transformation.

The living, upon receiving deliverance, can endure through generation after generation; as the cycles of the kalpas turn, their lifespans become equal to Heaven’s. They can also be delivered from the Three Paths and Five Sufferings—the torments of evil realms such as hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the animal realm—and from the Eight Difficulties, transcending the Three Realms to roam freely in Shangqing.

The Heaven of Shangqing is the formless realm where the Jade Perfected, the Heavenly Sovereign, resides; it is also the realm of Brahmic practice.

Disasters such as floods, fires, and plagues are changes brought about by the great and lesser yang-nine and hundred-six cycles. Only the seed people—the people who have attained the Dao, as described in the scripture—can ascend to Heaven and escape the Three Calamities. From below the Purple Tenuity Enclosure, the celestial region of the Purple Tenuity stars, down to the Ninefold Dark Earth, the layered shadowy realm below, all places lie within the reach of disaster. Even sages and Perfected Sovereigns cannot alter or move these calamities, just as no one can avoid eclipses of the sun and moon. Only by ascending into the formless realm can one escape the harms of water and fire. The “Heaven” referred to here is also a Heaven within the Three Realms, and is connected with the Lingbao scriptures and methods.

The Eight Heavens of the East

• Great Aid, Splendid and Eminent Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Chu Fan Liua
• Shaozhen, Brahmic Radiance Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Qiu He Zongdu
• Numinous Vision, Yang Talisman Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Peng Lou Tizhen
• Abyssal Settlement, Whirling Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Boyue Yuanshu
• Great Subtlety, Correct Measure Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Shi Cong Chiming
• Eight Radiances, Cavern of Truth Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: He Ning Jingkui
• Auspicious Assembly, Transformation’s Extension Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Si Dian Gongshu
• Purple Ford, Shining Spirit Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Bian Yu Cheng

The Eight Heavens of the South

• Cloud Jade, Compassionate Mystery Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Ding Si Xianquan
• Jade Gate, Restraining Abundance Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Du Bi Ziyan
• Spreading Numinous, Imperial Truth Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Fu Hua Zichen
• Soaring Abundance, Wise Trust Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Jue Shuang Yuanqi
• Ninefold Splendor, Transforming Emptiness Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Shanli Yuxiang
• Mysterious Firmness, Descending Birth Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Cha Jian Lingshen
• Crystal Clarity, Broad Goodness Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Qi Pu Changguang
• Shining Brightness, Great Origin Heaven — Heavenly Sovereign: Lie Zhi Xie

The Eight Heavens of the West (The original text provides only this heading and lists no specific heaven names.)

This scripture describes the thirty-two celestial realms in Daoist cosmology and their corresponding Heavenly Emperor titles. The eight northern heavens are: Mysterious Cavern of Secret Divinity Heaven (Celestial Emperor named Ju Binwang), Qiu Xu's Manifestation of Truth Heaven (Celestial Emperor named Han Sibinggu), Primordial Void of Hidden Talismans Heaven (Celestial Emperor named Zhi Ji Zimang), Seven Transformations of Limitlessness Heaven (Celestial Emperor named Zhen Wen Qixuan), Lofty Purity Ascending to Enlightenment Heaven (Celestial Emperor named Yin Shu Xiji), Dark Clouds and Feathered Splendor Heaven (Celestial Emperor named Tao Shi Yuelang), Mysterious Clarity of Expansive Radiance Heaven (Celestial Emperor named Yi Dian Youfang), and Northern Splendor Dipper-Swaying Heaven (Celestial Emperor named Long Ji Chengchang).

The text reveals that each of these thirty-two heavens possesses its own secret true names and venerable titles, containing the profound principles of cosmic nature. The divine beings and demon kings inhabiting these celestial realms wield inconceivable powers, regulating universal operations through natural forces like the interplay of water and fire.

The concluding section presents an invocation for Daoist purification rituals (Zhaijiao), expressing the sincere supplication: "On this day we devoutly beseech the celestial deities, hoping to dispel all calamities and disasters (including cyclical cosmic catastrophes referred to in Daoist terminology as 'Yang Nine' and 'Hundred Six'), enabling devotees to transcend misfortune with their names recorded in the immortal registers." These contents embody the core Daoist philosophy of universal salvation, where ritual communication with celestial beings facilitates the alleviation of suffering and misfortune.

The Demon Kings oversee and command the forces in every direction. The Eastern Dipper—the stars of the east—governs the construction of the ladle, while the Western Dipper governs vital energy. The Northern Dipper is the water deity; the Southern Dipper, the fire emperor. The Central Dipper dwells in the great void, where the cycles of cosmic calamity converge. The Azure Emperor transforms and engenders Wood Qi; the White Emperor governs Metal; the Red Emperor brings forth Fire; the Black Emperor governs flying springs; and the Yellow Emperor dwells at the center. The transformations of Lingbao have no bounds.

The Azure Heaven Demon King takes the Great Mystery as his foundation. The Red Heaven Demon King fulfills himself through true soil. The White Heaven Demon King naturally possesses the virtue of Water. The Black Heaven Demon King sends up smoke through the Qi of Azure Yang. The Yellow Heaven Demon King is firm and vigorous, pure, profound, expansive, and harmonious. The Five Great Demon Emperors are the sovereigns of the myriad spirits. They ride flying chariots, accompanied by drums, and command the ghost troops. Waving banners and beating the drum in measured strokes, they patrol the great void, calling themselves the Radiant Ones and sharing rank and merit with the various heavens.

During a water calamity, immense floods surge up in layer upon layer. During a fire calamity, fierce flames blaze and noxious smoke spreads everywhere. Rushing waters and raging fires bring disaster upon the Three Realms. The primordial, upright Dao nurtures all things and brings them into harmony, dispelling the poisonous and wicked forces between Yin and Yang so that calamities do not arise.

Plagues and disasters recede; the age becomes peaceful, and the nation prospers. The Divine Lord, sent by command, descends among humankind, bringing blessings and auspicious signs. The sun and moon revolve overhead and cast their light; the stars of the Four Dippers shine clearly, while wondrous auspicious clouds appear and numinous phoenixes soar. Water and fire become treasures; gold and jade congeal into firm substance. The Six Qi are balanced, and the four seasons proceed in due order. Metal no longer overcomes Metal; the Qi of Wood and Fire descends; Yin Earth becomes a barrier protecting Water. Wood thrives through Earth, the Five Phases are harmonized, and neither Water nor Fire becomes excessive.

Then the people live long and in comfort, with no grievances or sense of injustice in their hearts. Demons and ghosts are destroyed, and killing comes to an end. The Three Officials of Beifeng, who govern the registers and examination of ghosts and spirits, inspect the ranks of the ghost realm, leaving the ghostly beings nowhere to hide. The Golden Horse courier carries documents and announces them to the boundless multitudes. The myriad spirits all come to receive their orders and report to Shangqing, one of the Daoist heavens, on the state of the Three Realms and the Five Emperors.

The gates of Yuluo Heaven encircle the eight portals. Before Heaven and Earth were divided, through countless kalpas, the ancestral Qi remained undifferentiated: above there was no color, and below there was no abyss. Water and fire coursed through the void, while the Qi of adamant supported Heaven and Earth. Above and below, there was no darkness, obscurity, form, or shadow; all was vast and boundless, without end. From this, the Age of Red Brilliance began.

The sun and moon appear in the heavens, bright and clear like images. Water and fire harmonize with each other, setting all things in motion according to their nature. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning steadies Heaven and Earth, causing water and fire to unite and form the Elixir. From this arise jade characters, red writings, five scriptural chapters, precious registers that circulate through the ten directions, and the Eight Awesome Dragon Scripts. They protect the world and ward off calamities, allowing the two Qi of Yin and Yang to flow on without end.

Vast Brahma Qi fills Heaven and Earth and encompasses the myriad things. From it the cosmic order unfolds, and the transformation and circulation of Qi extend through the thirty-two heavens. Water and fire revolve, traveling throughout the ten directions. Yin and Yang cycle, the four seasons alternate, and the Five Phases proceed in sequence. The Qi of the Three Origins divides into thirty-five parts, while the subtle Qi of the Eight Radiances joins in hidden accord and enters the realm of mystery.

The Great Sovereign Emperor within the Mysterious Realm and the gathered high perfected beings and gods move through the air, chanting cavernous hymns amid the Great Rosy Clouds. Golden true Qi shines in abundant splendor; its sound spreads through the clouds and becomes jade-like music. The numinous wind draws together primordial Qi, and mists gather in the realm of Purple Void. With the aid of the assembled immortals, all things harmonize, and the true Dao comes naturally to fruition.

Within the true Dao dwell divine beings: the Great Lord of Long Life, the Dark Emperor, god of Water’s virtue; the Lord of Cinnabar Origin, god of Fire; and Taiyi, the divinity who governs primordial Qi. They protect primordial Qi, govern the allotment of life, and preserve Shen. Taokang assists them by tending the furnace.

The divine beings sustain the vital essence of life. Holding Fulu (talismans and registers), they safeguard life at its root. They ascend to the Shangqing immortal realm and pass in and out of its splendid palaces; they also penetrate the eight regions of the underworld and the most minute spaces, descending to guard the human body. Within the Muddy Pellet Palace, the divine abode in the head, and the Crimson Palace, the divine abode in the heart, they regulate the Five Qi and bring the hundred spirits into harmony.

Numinous Qi circulates again and again, and the myriad Qi gather together, guiding all beings toward the immortal Way. The immortal Way prizes the cherishing of life and saves people everywhere. Water and fire divide and flow in their courses, while the flying celestial wheel turns. Sins and blessings, prohibitions and precepts, and karmic ties from past lives are all revealed in the course of salvation. The souls of the dead are universally delivered; the living receive new life, and matters concerning them are reported to the heavens. Above the heavens, each realm has a gate of life, where the Hymns of the Empty Cavern and the numinous writings of the Demon Kings are sung, their words resonating with the high perfected beings.

In the First Desire Realm, calamities are dispelled. Minor and major cosmic disasters, the calamities of the Yang Nine and the Hundred Six, and disasters such as floods, fires, and epidemics can all be dissolved by the sound of the flying heavens.

Jade Capital is the pivot of Heaven and Earth’s movement. The heavens revolve along with it, and the drums of the Dragon Tower resound. After more than nine thousand cycles, floods opened vast sources of water, while raging flames and violent winds swept across the Nine Provinces. Yang Qi grew strong and Yin Qi lay concealed. After the Qi of Wood had run its course, the Qi of Metal followed. Water and fire became ruling forces, surging and rushing forth. Mountains and forests burned, jade and stone were destroyed, and the people and all things were shaken with fear.

The Water Department begins with the Water Emperor. Wearing a tiger crown, he rides a chariot bearing a dragon banner, holds a document of command, and wears Fulu. He summons and seizes the gods of Fengdu’s netherworld. He opens the scriptural chapters of the Lingbao tradition, while the Black Emperor, ruler of the northern Water virtue, lays out his plans. The Fire God conducts the inspection and assessment, and the myriad spirits swiftly answer the summons. The calamities then subside into peace and calm; everything is accomplished without waiting and without seeking.

This is a chapter spoken by the Demon King of the Second Formless Heaven. It tells how to avert and dissolve great and lesser calamities, the cycles of “Yang Nine and Six Hundred,” and disasters of flood, fire, plague, and pestilence.

Primordial Qi transformed into the sun, while the Yin Mother transformed into the moon. The sun moves, and the moon follows; thus the year takes shape and is divided into four seasons and their solar terms. The Heavenly Pass turns, water Qi surges and churns, and fire Qi rises in vapor. The Big Dipper turns like a wheel, revolving year after year for more than three thousand years. In this way, the world undergoes the rise and fall of calamities known as “Yang Nine and Six Hundred.”

Calamities of Yin and Yang arise in fixed cycles, like numbers reaching the end of a sequence. Twelve degrees make one circuit, and the drum sounds three rounds. The Qi of water and fire flows through the world, affecting the movements of the sun and moon. Water swells beyond its usual bounds, and rivers overflow; fire blazes fiercely, burning even boats.

Those who cultivate the Dao reach the state of Wuwei (non-action), allowing their spirits to roam through the heavens. When the cycle of calamity reaches its end, the allotted Qi is exhausted as well. The Qi of water and fire mingles and congeals; people call this disaster and pestilence, and all things may be destroyed.

After nine cycles, all returns to the One, and Chaos comes into being again. The Celestial King of Primordial Beginning appears within it, then vanishes, changing without end; he delivers our realm and brings it into the wondrous court of Jade Clarity.

This is the divine song spoken by the Demon King of the Third Formless Heaven, declaring that disasters of water and fire cannot reach Jade Clarity.

Clouds spread wide and boundless, filling the azure heavens. The Dragon Mother has nine eyes, and her body coils for ten thousand miles. Dense black smoke surges upward, sounding like great thunder. She winds around Jade Mountain, which has eight hundred thousand tiers. Seen from above, the sun and moon flash like sparks; below, they shine upon the Nine Heavens, where stand jade towers and golden cities.

The realm where I dwell is pure and natural from the beginning, untouched by fire or the calamities of war. It is the dwelling place of the Ninefold Numinous True Mother, where no evil can pass.

The Great Dao is vast and empty; it is the supreme realm of the Immortal Perfected. Those who cultivate the Dao ascend into the formless realm. Unstained by the Six Dusts—the external conditions that entangle people—they unite with spirit and Qi, becoming pure, still, and enduring. The Qi of the Heavenly Valley flows on without end, and wisdom and awareness are undivided. Those who understand that the root lies in Wuwei (non-action) can hold a place of honor amid a great calamity.

These two chapters are hymns sung by demon kings who dwell above the Three Realms, flying through the air. Their sounds mingle with those of the Dongzhang, a type of Daoist scripture. Reciting them one hundred times earns one a place in the register for passage to the Southern Palace. Reciting them one thousand times brings the demon kings to protect and escort one. After ten thousand recitations, one’s cultivation is complete: one may ascend through the heavens, transcend the Three Realms, and take one’s place among the celestial officials.

When the demon kings hear these wondrous sounds, they honor the commands of the deities, restrain the earth spirits, and order them to escort and protect the person, freeing them from the Earth Gate, the passage to the underworld. The Five Sufferings and Eight Hardships are thereby resolved, and the person’s seven generations of ancestors can ascend, forever leaving the jurisdiction of the ghost officials. Their souls are conveyed to Zhu Ling, a place of refinement in Daoist teaching, where they undergo transformation and are reborn. This is called boundless universal deliverance, vast and without end.

These scriptures are a secret treasure of Heaven, revered by all the heavens. Whoever reveals them or treats them with contempt will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon their seven generations of ancestors.

The Dao says: These two chapters are secret hymns of the celestial emperors and the most numinous demon kings. They belong to the Great Brahma’s speech, the sacred language of the heavens, and are not ordinary worldly words. Their rhythms and phrasing are not ornate or graceful in the manner of worldly writing. They are therefore called mysterious and profound, difficult to investigate and explain in detail, and are treasured by Heaven.

The scriptures are kept in the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity in the Mysterious Capital. According to the Mysterious Regulations, the secret precepts and rites of Daoism, they are transmitted only once every forty thousand kalpas. They can regulate Water and Fire, safeguard the cycles of the kalpas, and ensure that the celestial passes operate in proper order without end, enduring as long as Heaven itself. Their transmission is strictly restricted, and they must not be disclosed casually. A person who has truly attained the Dao must demonstrate sincerity with gold and treasure, follow the established rites, and swear an oath before the Ten Heavens before receiving these scriptures.

The Dao says: When the cycles of Heaven and Earth reach their end, Water and Fire clash violently. Floodwaters cover the sky, and metal and stone burn and decay. Plagues and illnesses such as chills and fevers break out among humanity. Waters rise, the earth collapses, fierce winds blow, and flames rage, bringing human lives to an end. This is like kalpa-fire consuming all things and great waters sweeping them away: the state of the world when the cycle of a kalpa reaches its close.

When later students encounter illness or disaster, they should establish an altar whenever such calamities arise, lay out the true writings of the Five Directions, and perform the Daoist rite three times a day. In this way they can regulate Water and Fire, dispel epidemics, and pray to the deities of the upper realm so that the calamities may subside.

Those who share the Dao should cultivate the purification rites together with one mind, burn incense six times a day, and repeatedly recite the scriptures ten times. Then blessings and De will descend, and all manner of ill omens will be dispelled. These boundless scriptures can deliver all beings universally, saving them without end.

Dao says: Those who have practiced the Dao for only a short time and whose cultivation remains shallow may not yet have perfected their immortal rank. Some are tormented by physical illness, leaving their minds and spirits confused, agitated, and contentious. Others are frail and emaciated, suffering from cold and hardship, or are lame or paralyzed. All these conditions arise when the Qi of Water and Fire contend, with the stronger force overpowering the weaker. In accordance with the course of destiny, their allotted years are drawing to an end, and their bodies will return to death.

As they approach death and their souls are about to enter the Great Yin (the underworld), those among their fellow practitioners who have attained the Dao should burn incense and recite the scripture ten times to deliver their remains. According to the rite, the deceased’s soul and spirit can then ascend directly to the Southern Palace, a celestial office in Daoist belief. Their days are then reckoned according to their cultivation and merit, allowing them to be born anew and continue through the cycle of rebirth without being extinguished. In the end, they may become immortals.

Dao says: When the cycles of Heaven and Earth are about to end, the stars move in disorder, the Sun and Moon lose their regular courses, the seasons fall out of order, and the Qi of Yin-Yang becomes unbalanced. Calamities then arise within the realm: wars break out, epidemics spread, the people die or are injured, and teachers and companions may also perish. These calamities and epidemics are all caused by disharmony between the Qi of Water and Fire. The two Qi of Water and Fire govern the celestial offices at the two poles, Taiwei and Ziwei. They administer human lifespans and oversee both good fortune and calamity. Therefore, one should establish an altar according to the rites and perform a Zhaijiao, an altar rite to make offerings and report to the gods. Memorials should be presented to the Southern Dipper, the Northern Dipper, and the revered emperors of Water and Fire, with earnest prayers. If incense is burned with sincerity, the prayers will reach the gods, and the divine perfected ones will descend in person.

One should also observe ritual abstinence, burn incense, and recite the scripture. The merit of abstinence and scripture recitation is profound: above, it can dispel heavenly calamities and protect the emperor and bring him peace; below, it can eliminate poisonous harm and spare the people from disaster. The lives and deaths of countless people can benefit from it. This merit and blessing cannot be measured, and is therefore called “immeasurable”; it can deliver both humans and celestial beings everywhere.

Dao says: Whoever possesses this scripture and is willing to put these merits into practice for Heaven and Earth, the emperor, and the people should, on the day disaster strikes, resolve to observe ritual abstinence, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times. The heavens will record that person’s name, and the myriad spirits will attend and protect them. Such a person may attain the Dao and be counted among the officials of the Golden Gate of the Sacred Lords, a celestial palace. The heavens record people’s merits and faults, omitting nothing, however slight; even the demon kings of Heaven will recommend you. Those who have attained the Dao should thereby fully understand these ultimate principles.

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

The Middle Section of the Numinous Writ of the Primordial Beginning

The Eight Heavens of the East

What follows is the Sanskrit esoteric writing of the Eight Heavens of the East, secret language in Daoist scripture transcribed according to its original sounds. It cannot be translated line by line according to ordinary meaning:

蘋璣无玗　珍華肆極　辨祖幽池

魔靈滋直　𠃔被盧康　景麗縛弈

乾司燿帝　禁離蒙辟　猛牛涂巔

侯闘魯僊　障祅殿容　典蓄魁哿

梵流牡綦　智泉隱嶽　旅師戰瓏

秀宛僅涂

The Eight Heavens of the South

The flames burn like pure jasper. In their clarity, Peng and Shao appear; their radiance brings help everywhere, reaching the clouds, the heavens, and the empty realms.

Relying on merit and virtue, one casts off what is coarse and base. The free-flowing fluids stir thoughts in the heart. The mountain rocks are warm and moist, deep and secluded. Lush Lingzhi mushrooms cover the peaks, while jade liquid streams down from their hidden heights. Once more, one beholds the Hundong—the undivided state of Dao Qi, before the myriad things have taken shape. Dew appears faintly, bringing joy and calm. The traces of transformation defy description, giving rise to a wondrous and awe-inspiring true realm.

Harmonious Qi responds and connects; the myriad things mingle and come to life. Coral-red Cinnabar descends. One takes in the Dao and holds auspiciousness within; its inner wonder cannot be fathomed.

The Eight Heavens of the West

Fire and water meld in the forge. Their radiant essences meet, and deep Qi is drawn in. The embryo rejoices; all things merge into one. The sea of Qi is vast and deep, its flowering essence flourishing. One embraces emptiness, with the mind finding a place to rest. The radiance is pure white, and the teeth are like plain jade.

One looks down upon a boundless realm, holding the breath within and observing in peace. The wondrous encampment gathers the forms of the myriad things. The Heavenly Ford lies far away in the depths. Clear, dragon-shaped liquid falls like drops of golden fluid, nourishing the roots of the field. Light circles back, shining like a beacon fire. The female and male palaces of Great Mystery unite, giving birth to a numinous pearl. Its beginning is firm; its transformations are without end.

The Eight Heavens of the North

In darkness and stillness, agitation falls away. Few guests come; all is slow and settled. The furnace and cauldron are stoked, and the seeds are harmonized and nurtured. Suddenly, light appears and the gloom vanishes. Through practice and steadfast observance, the realm opens out, level and broad. Bright, refined Qi turns nine times. In stillness and calm, discriminating thoughts are broken through. The Cloud-Crested City, where rosy clouds gather, fills the view. Herb-like numinous flowers spread out, fragrant and lovely as orchids. A vast and harmonious presence accords with the proper measure. After subtle aeonic transformations, the Yellow Altar appears; one passes back and forth, each state harmonizing with the other. The precious ages that deliver the world follow one another in succession; documents are recorded in the Dipper Pavilion. The great register of names belongs to the Purple Origin, the celestial realm of Purple Tenuity.

The scripture says: Within these heavens are the hidden words of Great Brahma, whose sounds are countless. Ancient scriptures are inscribed in the palaces and halls of the Jade Terrace of Mystery, Purple Tenuity, Supreme Subtlety, and other heavenly realms. They regulate the movement of water and fire, dispel and guide the aeonic cycles of the Three Realms, and avert the calamities brought by epidemics and strange occurrences. Thus the sun and moon can contain their radiance, Yin-Yang can be harmonious and at peace, and the myriad things can arise and transform according to their own nature. Each character in the scripture is one zhang long. Golden clouds shine brilliantly, and emerald light illuminates the diagrams and texts. The Heavenly Perfected Sovereign once wrote these words as the sounds of the orthodox tradition.