《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 52

The Dao says: Long ago, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning transmitted the Scripture of Primordial Beginning, Deliverance of Humanity, Mysterious Illumination, Cavernous Depths, and Immeasurable Supreme Excellence in the radiant land of Great Dawn, amid the green vistas and empty songs of the Purple Origin Heaven. Each time the Celestial Worthy proclaimed this scripture, he summoned the gods of the ten directions to gather before him.

The great gods of Heavenly Truth, the supreme sages and exalted worthies, and the perfected ones of wondrous practice came, along with the Five Mystic Elders of Mysterious Illumination and Cavernous Depths, the Water Emperor, the Dragon Kings of the Cavernous Depths of the eight directions and nine seas, the forty-two bureaus of the Water Office, and the officials and attendants of rivers, streams, springs, and sources. Countless divine beings rode clouds into the sky. They traveled in jade chariots and dark, radiant carriages, accompanied by purple canopies and divine wheels. Their precious light shone like rainbows in myriad colors, illuminating the vast heavens.

For five days and five nights, the sun, moon, and stars of the heavens seemed to sink beneath the sea, and the constellations dimmed their light. The divine palaces grew still, and the sacred mountains fell silent. The clouds dispersed, leaving the eight directions clear and the nine wildernesses pure. Throughout the land, the earth, mountains, rivers, and trees became level and uniform, with no differences in height. The ground was clear as jade, its color pure and even.

The perfected ones stood in attendance beside the seat. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright in the air on a precious throne borne by a numinous turtle that embodied the Three Lights and seven transformations, and began to proclaim the scripture. Each time he recited it, the assembled beings of the heavens cried out together, “Good!”

At that time, the men and women of the land all took refuge in the teaching of Primordial Beginning, Mysterious Illumination, and Cavernous Depths. With each proclamation, they gradually came to understand:

At the first recitation, they grasped the source of life, beginning with the teaching of “pearl dew.” At the second, they learned that true Water transforms without limit. At the third, they recognized the principle of gentleness and clarity that benefits all things. At the fourth, they contemplated the first awakening of the palace of life: the Qi of the Cavernous Depths descended, vitality stirred in the kidneys, and a spirit turtle seemed to swim through water.

At the fifth, the numinous apertures within the heart opened wide and a tide of spiritual power stirred. The liquid of Mysterious Illumination spread through the body, moistening every aperture. People focused their attention and quieted their minds, experiencing the wondrous principle of Wuwei (non-action). At the sixth, the Qi of Heavenly Ting grew clear and limpid, and consciousness divided into distinct forms. They understood that within the mystery, each thing fully possesses its own form.

At the seventh, the Qi of the Cavernous Depths became still and deep green, and the Dragon Spirits came at the summons. At the eighth, clouds over the sea lifted sweet dew, whose nectar nourished life. At the ninth, the radiance of the water shone forth, revealing a thousand tiers of palaces, where the people of Heaven all understood the Dao.

At the tenth, the Qi of Mysterious Illumination transformed into purple clouds that spread across the heavens. The Sea of Wuwei appeared, and even the suffering souls sunk in darkness were delivered, free to wander in ease.

At that time, all the men and women of the land devoted themselves wholeheartedly in faith. They received protection and deliverance, and attained long life.

At that time, whenever the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (a revered deity in Daoism) finished expounding the scripture, a boundless host of great perfected spirits from the Mysterious Bright Cavernous Abyss would come from the sky to listen.

When he finished the first expounding, the great spirits of the east arrived; after the second, those of the south; after the third, those of the west; and after the fourth, those of the north. After the fifth, the great spirits of the northeast arrived; after the sixth, those of the southeast; after the seventh, those of the southwest; and after the eighth, those of the northwest. After the ninth expounding, the great spirits from above arrived; after the tenth, those from below.

When the ten expoundings were complete, the boundless great perfected spirits of the Mysterious Bright Cavernous Abyss from the ten directions all arrived at once. The men and women of the realm were filled with sincere reverence. They spoke among themselves, saying, “On this day, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning has descended to the Heavenly Palace of the Hundred Treasures and Purple Origin to reveal to the immortals the wondrous teaching of the true Water of the Five Phases. The Qi of this true Water is called ‘Mysterious Bright Cavernous Abyss.’ I have heard that ‘Mysterious Bright’ expresses the nature of true Water, whose form and color are both beautiful; ‘Cavernous Abyss’ expresses its capacity, deep and boundless. The Water of the Five Phases that we see surges sky-high, vast and immeasurable, yet we do not know what the formless true Water of the Five Phases is like.”

Before Heaven and Earth were divided, there was true Earth. It could stabilize and contain the upper and lower realms and the ten directions; within it, true Water was boundless and immeasurable. The force of wind stirred true Water and true Earth, causing all things to coalesce and giving rise to life. At the root of the Great Dao lies the wondrous principle of the “Five Phases without form,” which the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning is expounding today.

If I can hear the mysteries of this true Qi, I will naturally ascend to the highest realm of the Divine Empyrean, the lofty heaven described in Daoism. Then all should pay homage to the Celestial Worthy, hoping to receive his great compassion and be granted an exceptional teaching. So I said, “Respectful salutations; I bow again.”

Those who came to hear the teaching were as numerous as fine rain and dense mist, stretching without end. Half the land of the state of Ze tilted and sank, and nothing could stop it. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning therefore suspended a precious pearl, as large as a millet grain, in the empty void, five zhang above the ground. He led the Heavenly Perfected Great Spirits, the High Sages and Venerable Ones, the Perfected Ones of Wondrous Practice, the Five Mysterious Elders of Dark Clarity and Deep Caverns, the Water Emperor, the Dragon Kings of the Deep Caverns of the Eight Directions and Nine Seas, the forty-two offices of the Water Bureau and their spirit clerks, and countless beings into the pearl. The people of Heaven looked up and saw everyone entering through its opening. Once inside, no one knew where they had gone. Afterward, the crowds in the state dispersed, and the ground became level again and stopped sinking.

Within the pearl, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning completed his exposition of the scripture. The assembled Perfected Immortals supervised and bore witness to this transmission, then passed the scripture and its teaching on to me. The joy and good fortune of that moment defy description. When the ritual was nearly complete, the gods of the various heavens each returned to their stations. In an instant, everything around us fell silent, without a sound.

At that time, the people of Heaven and all beings were fortunate to encounter this scripture and teaching. They were universally saved, each retaining their allotted lifespan and suffering no harm. Everyone in the state turned toward and revered the Great Dao, and together cultivated a pure, wondrous, and spiritually perceptive practice of the heart: with a nature like water, the heart benefits all things without end. They made the heart clear, open, and transparent, allowing it to illuminate all things; they increased their wisdom, discernment, and power of clear judgment, and came to understand the Great Dao and its mysteries. With no obstruction remaining in their hearts, they silently accorded with the mysterious principle and entered together into the deep and far-reaching realm, comprehending its essential truths. Thus the state was secure, its people at peace, and all enjoyed freedom and tranquility.

When this scripture was first revealed, it transformed an entire state. All who had beforehand held a heart of utmost sincerity and honored and paid homage to the Great Dao could be delivered.

The Dao (the speaker of the scripture) says: What the scripture describes consists of the hidden names and secret sounds of the Lords of Heaven, the private names of the True Kings, and the concealed names of the spirits and deities. The scripture also speaks of the method of “wondrously transforming formless true water, dark and luminous, penetrating the abyss.” “Dark and luminous” refers to water’s nature; “penetrating the abyss” refers to where water dwells. When water flows, it manifests as wisdom; when still, it manifests as lucid insight. Flowing enables it to reach everywhere, while stillness enables it to perceive clearly. If you can grasp this, understanding will come naturally.

Heaven and Earth take shape through stillness, and true water, too, is born of stillness and nourishes the myriad things. Dry heat belongs to Fire; still cold belongs to Water. Dryness can overcome cold, and stillness can overcome heat. From this, true water comes into being. If you settle into quietude, true water will move and transform on its own. Stillness nourishes life’s source; by maintaining quietude, one can live long. This is no commonplace saying, but a principle confirmed by the highest sages.

The Perfected understand the mysteries and investigate what is subtle, and so can comprehend the meaning of the scripture. Recite it ten times, and the heavens will respond from afar, while the myriad Emperors perform rites of reverence. Rivers and seas will grow still, the gates of the underworld will be opened, and the sun and moon will follow their proper courses. The Jade Pivot—the ancient instrument for observing the heavens, and also a reference to the movement of celestial bodies—will cease to turn. Demons will be bound, ghosts and spirits will disperse, the dead will return to life, and bare bones will be transformed into human beings.

Those who have made progress in cultivation and recite the scripture ten times will be attended by the Five Emperors, and the Three Realms—the different levels of existence encompassing Heaven, Earth, and humanity—will pay them homage. Demonic essences will lose their power, and ghosts and monsters will be destroyed. Even those on the verge of death, whose breath has stopped, may be saved and brought back to life. This is because the foul Qi in a Dao cultivator has not yet been fully purged, and the body has not yet become completely permeated by the true Dao. Thus, although such a cultivator can summon and subdue spirits from the ten directions, their authority is still insufficient to govern the commands of Heaven. Their power of De can subdue and command the earth deities, and bind demonic spirits, but can only keep people from dying; it cannot restore the dead to life. Reciting this scripture carelessly will bring calamity upon oneself.

Reverently honoring and venerating this scripture can bring prosperity to one’s household and flourishing to one’s descendants. It forms bonds with goodness, wards off every calamity, and brings the protection of the gods to one’s gates. This scripture is exalted and profound, unique in the Jade Capital, the celestial city of Daoist tradition. It can save countless beings. It is the foundation of the myriad Dao, vast and majestic, with a De beyond measure.

The Dao also says: Whenever someone recites this scripture ten times, all the heavens will descend together. The Water Emperor will make a report, injustices in the Springs of Darkness—the netherworld—will be pardoned, and its shadowy gates will open. The departed souls of countless ancestors and the dead who suffer in anguish will at once be delivered and raised to the Vermilion Palace, the dwelling of immortals in Daoist tradition. They will all undergo nine years of instruction, after which they may be reborn as nobles and will delight in studying the scriptures. When their merits and De are complete, they will all become immortals, ascend to the Golden Towers, and feast and wander in the Jade Capital.

If those of the highest attainment cultivate and recite this scripture, true water above…

The infants are nourished by the five organs. When they ascend to the Niwan Palace—the center of the head, where spiritual awareness resides—and undergo the baptism of dark frost and purple ice, they can all be delivered and ascend to the Southern Palace.

If people in the world can recite this scripture, the numinous Qi of clear insight will surge forth, and the spirit spring will circulate through the body eight times, nourishing the body, filling it with spiritual vitality, and extending life. In time, practitioners can all attain the Way of “解脱 by corpse,” in which the soul and spirit temporarily leave the body, then restore it without passing through hell, and roam through the vast heavens.

This scripture is subtle and wondrous, able to deliver all beings without limit. No being in heaven or on earth fails to receive blessings and good fortune from it. Its boundless grace reaches both the living and the dead. Heaven holds this scripture precious, and it is not to be passed on to worldly people. Those who truly possess the Way must prepare treasures such as gold and silk, make a sincere oath, and only then may they receive the scripture and its transmission. If they disclose it carelessly or treat it with disrespect, calamity will befall their ancestors for nine generations, condemning them to long service.

To the right of the scripture stand divine generals who serve it: the Five Emperors, and sixty-four Jade Boys and sixty-four Jade Maidens. They guard the sacred text and protect those who receive it.

The Daoist scripture says: If during the first lunar month one observes a prolonged fast and recites this scripture nine times, its grace can reach the netherworld, freeing the souls of the dead from past lives from the torments of hell and conveying them upward to the Southern Palace.

If during the seventh lunar month one observes a prolonged fast and recites this scripture, True Water will well forth from the womb. The practitioner will attain the Dao and long life, becoming an immortal. The heavens will enter the practitioner’s name on the Yellow Register and White Slips, and erase it from the registers of the dead, transforming death into life.

If during the tenth lunar month one observes a prolonged fast and recites this scripture, one can return to the source, and one’s merit will be credited to the Supreme Mystery. This scripture gathers the正气 and commands the high immortals. Applied to the state, it enables kings, emperors, ministers, fathers, and sons each to fulfill their proper place; stabilizes the fortunes of the realm; preserves Heaven’s mandate through successive generations; and brings peace to a region so that its people may live in tranquility.

If one recites this scripture on the days of the Eight Festivals, important observances in the Daoist calendar, the spirit spring will flow through and fill the Jade Pass, the body’s inner gateway, enabling one to become a Perfected of the Nine Palaces.

If one recites this scripture on one’s natal day, the day of one’s birth, True Water will become clear and luminous, shining inward through body and spirit. Shen and Qi will emerge from the Purple Palace and enter the Yellow Court; the five organs will bring forth their essence, the soul and spirit will become pure, and the myriad primordial energies will endure. The practitioner will no longer undergo suffering, and the body will shine with light. Divine beings from the Three Realms will attend and protect them; the Five Emperors will come to welcome them, and the myriad spirits will pay homage. Their name will be recorded in heaven, and when their merit is complete, they will ascend to Shangqing.

The Daoist scripture says: On days when a cultivation rite is performed, one should bathe with fragrant water and observe a pure fast before entering a quiet chamber. Face east, click the teeth thirty-two times so that one’s prayers reach the thirty-two heavens, then bow thirty-two times. With eyes closed, meditate and visualize yourself seated amid clouds of blue, yellow, and white, with deep, shadowy clouds filling the space within and around you. Beside you are a Azure Dragon, a White Tiger, a Vermilion Bird, a Black Tortoise, lions, white cranes, and …

The sun and moon stand to the left and right, illuminating the room until it is bright and clear. The Qi of the Mysterious Brightness and Abyssal Depths takes the form of purple mist, interweaving and circling, pouring into one another, all plainly visible. Round halos appear above the heads of the hundred spirits, their radiance shining in all ten directions. During the ritual, clearly recite this secret incantation:

“Supreme Lord of the Dao, Most High of the Mysterious Origin, summon forth from within my body the Three-and-Five Merit Officers, the left and right official envoys, the attendant Jade Boys who bear incense, the Jade Maidens who transmit messages, the Five Emperors’ Direct Talisman Officers, and the Incense Officials on duty today, thirty-two of each. Let them come and report the matter for which I pray. Today is an auspicious day. In a purified hall, I observe the great fast and cultivate the Way, reciting the Scripture of Salvation Without Measure. May the matter I have presented rise to the heavenly court and be delivered directly before the supreme throne of the Primordial Beginning Emperor in the Unsurpassed Thirty-Two Heavens.” (The ritual concludes here with a bow.)

Guide the Qi eastward thirty-two times, then recite the scripture.

The Mysterious Brightness and Abyssal Depths described in this chapter of the Primordial Beginning Cavern-Mystery Numinous Treasure are the subtle hidden resonance of the highest spring pass, through which people are delivered. Arising from the beginning of Qi, it naturally blends into the most real Qi of mysterious brightness and nonbeing. Original Qi establishes the foundation, from which the Yin and Yang Qi begin to spread: the utmost Yang Qi descends, while pure Yin Qi rises. The Qi of celestial truth opens and encompasses all things; the ascending and circulating Qi of original harmony gathers and blends. Qi reaches Kunlun, and Jing Qi courses through like a surging spring. Hence it is called “Mysterious Brightness.” When it gathers and accumulates, it becomes the “Abyssal Depths.”

The Abyssal Depths give birth to a dragon. The dragon is a mysterious numinous creature, with nine heads and two wings, a forehead like gold and a chest like bronze. Amid the elusive and unfathomable, it transforms without limit, presides over the source of Qi, and nurtures the myriad kinds of beings. Once the myriad things have appeared, the Mysterious Dao also begins to circulate. At the beginning of the Primordial Era, the various heavens came into being; jade radiance opened the light and established the foundation of the mystery. Original Qi is the ancestor of all things, while the Dao is their root.

Vast radiance condenses into flowers; their abundant petals reveal intricate patterns. From these, the five sense organs are established, and the spirits take shape. This is the celestial realm within the Great Brahma Heaven: the Lofty Mysterious Peak of Yucha and the Jade City of Turtle Terrace rise high to the Primordial Radiant Grand Cavern and the Realm of Supreme Clarity. There, depths stretch far and wide through long kalpas. Flying Jing Qi, the Three Blossoms, spacious halls, the Numinous Brahma Jade Courtyard, the Golden Gate of Cinnabar Yang, and glittering treasures and divine pools are all infused by heavenly fluids, which protect and deliver living beings.

The unfailing, mysterious light takes form, and a great torrent pours into the hollow abyss. The abyss has no bounds and reaches down through nine layers of earth to its firm foundation, containing the wondrous principles of endless change. It rises to the Nine Heavens, circulating and moving the vital Qi, and setting the Celestial Gate in motion.

Within it are the gods of the Mysterious Light Abyss; the Great Emperor of Longevity at the Southern Pole, the honored deity who presides over long life; the Lord of the Azure Florescence at the Eastern Pole, the honored deity who presides over salvation; the Great Divine Official Sima, who delivers the world; and Han Jun Zhangren, who cherishes life. There are also the Great Abyssal honored gods who, from the highest mystery, govern change and transformation and preserve Heaven through calamity. They can restore the dead to life and bring the dying back from death, using boundless spiritual power to save all beings. Today, as the registers are reviewed and recorded—a ritual for checking names and ranks and entering merits and faults—the honored gods of the heavens come before the Emperor’s throne.

In the east, south, west, and north; in the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest; above and below—in every direction are the limitless flying heavenly kings of the Mysterious Light Abyss, the Great Sages of Longevity, who carry out boundless salvation.

The supremely true flying heavenly kings of the ten directions, together with the immeasurably great gods of longevity who deliver the world, ride in chariots of luminous clouds and purple abysses, drawn by blue-green jade carriages with phoenix-shaped canopies and rainbow wheels. Nine phoenixes pull the chariots, while azure dragons in seven colors guide them. Their great and efficacious ceremonial standards are held aloft, and their banners bear the words “Abyss of the Ten Directions.” Ahead, the perfected ones cry out and sing in unison; behind them, feathered immortals play their instruments, and the music rises together. Lions and white cranes join in, singing in harmony.

The Great Emperor leads the way, while many official gods escort the procession. Countless chariots and horses come through the sky, shining brightly as they wheel around. The Grand Councillor of Supreme Mystery, who oversees the perfected and delivers the living; the Mysterious Registrar of the Spirit Palace at the Valley of Sunlight; and the Water Official of the Lower Origin, who governs the waters of the lower realm, all carry their registers and ledgers and come together before the Emperor’s throne.

At the beginning, silently summon Xuanming—the subtle, luminous power—to bring the earth’s Qi into accord with Heaven’s will and nourish all things. Even barren places can then give rise to springs. The true waters of Xuanming gather and transform, bringing forth countless gateways, towering mountains, treasure palaces, and precious forests. All these rely on Xuanming’s凝聚 and firming to take shape through transformation.

The Water Emperors of the Nine Rivers and the Great God of the Mysterious Ford, who governs the wondrous crossings, make their rounds through Langfeng and Kunlun’s twelve cavern towers, as well as the Crimson Sea, Yellow Pond, White Waves, and Purple River. In this way, dark places are refined, metal and stone are transformed, and the face becomes moist and rosy. One may attain long life, conceal one’s traces, and depart for another place. The gods of life allotment and the Emperor’s Palace carry out their appointed transformations, carefully inspect and record them, and proclaim them throughout the heavens and the Three Realms.

The divine homeland without limit, the secluded night of the Spring Gate, Fengdu at the Northern Gate—the abode of the underworld—the commanders of the Four Vacuities, the spirit demons of the Six Caverns, and the examining offices of the Mysterious Bureau in the dark regions of the cold night all receive the order. The true officials of the Four Rivers, Seven Marshes, and Twelve Streams are also commanded to rescue ancestors and kin, erase the sins they have accumulated over countless kalpas, remove their names from the registers of guilt, and extinguish the roots of evil. They will no longer be confined or harried, nor will they return to the ranks of ghosts.

The talismanic mandate of the Cavern Abyss sets the appointed time for the souls of the dead to ascend to the Jade Pool of the Nine Sources, where divine officials guard their bodies and souls. The gods subdue demonic obstacles and recommend the souls, enabling them to pass the tests of rank and proceed to the Southern Palace. There, the souls of the dead undergo refinement and transformation, regaining human form. Once they have a human body, they can endure through generation after generation. As the cycles of kalpas turn, their lifespan will match Heaven’s, and they will be forever freed from the Three Paths, the Five Sufferings, and the Eight Difficulties, rise beyond the Three Realms, and roam at ease in the realm of Shangqing.

Above the Heaven of Shangqing lies the realm where the Celestial Emperor dwells: profound, harmonious, without color or form. There, pure and sacred practice begins.

The Eight Heavens of the East

• Dragon Luminescence, Auspicious Jade Heaven: Celestial Emperor Su Ci Mi Deng.
• Nurturing Celebration, Dao Advancement Heaven: Celestial Emperor Cheng Han Hong Hui.
• Jade Truth, Discerning Mystery Heaven: Celestial Emperor Dian Yun Xi Feng.
• Flowing Splendor, Pouring Spirit Heaven: Celestial Emperor Wu Wei Yu Guang.
• Exalted Extension, Fulfilled Blessing Heaven: Celestial Emperor Meng Zhang Feng Gao.
• Ordering the Heart, Transforming Heaven: Celestial Emperor Xuan Xuan Jian Hou.
• Cloud Bureau, Descending Grace Heaven: Celestial Emperor Zhi Zhu Deng Quan.
• Dao’s Brilliance, Crystal Void Heaven: Celestial Emperor Shuang Zao Yan Shi.

The Eight Heavens of the South

• Jade Tablet, Star, and Quelling Yang Heaven: Celestial Emperor Lu Zhuang Xiu Huang.
• Crimson Radiance, Flying Light Heaven: Celestial Emperor Bao Qi Yao Bei.
• Cavern Stream, Welcoming the Dragon Heaven: Celestial Emperor Dui Yu Yi Xuan.
• Transforming Realm, Cloud Palace Heaven: Celestial Emperor Shang Ding Wei Ning.
• Illuminating Mystery, Generating Qi Heaven: Celestial Emperor Zhu Shi Liang Qiong.

Tianying He Ye Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Shengyan Futong; Longxiao Yizhen Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Fuhua Ciyuan; and Shengzheng Xianqi Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Dongliang Wuqiong.

In the west are eight heavens:

Haoling Bojiang Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Zuzong Ningfang; Jingen Yangwu Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Dao Wei Chilu; Xuanhe Liusu Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Guangdan Tihui; Chaoxian Biandu Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Youxuan Cifeng; Qizhen Gongjing Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Fanshan Baicong; Yujing Sichong Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Pu Bing Pingyin; Zhushen Huaji Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Miaodong Zhiping; and Yangsi Dingli Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Choutu Jiyong.

In the north are eight heavens:

Baosi Hushu Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Fuyi Chunzi; Lieyuan Zhengyi Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Mingxian Yizhong; Yaoguang Shuye Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Yichang Jing; Changying Zhengli Hezhen Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Su Hong Cizhang; She Si Huguang Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Zhaoshen Lüexuan; Qisheng Geyuan Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Changhui Fushen; Xianlong Jianghe Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Ze Pi Yanmen; and Jiji Yinmeng Tian, whose ruling Emperor is named Futing Gang.

The above are the hidden appellations and concealed names of the Thirty-Two Heavens and their thirty-two ruling Emperors. These names are sacred secret titles found in the scriptures.

Within the celestial realm are numinous writings of empty, spontaneous nature: talismans or scriptures that arise naturally and possess sacred power. The hidden cadence of Xuanming is the sound of Dongyuan; the honored being of Xuanming is the deity of Dongyuan; the true demon of Xuanming is the numen of Dongyuan.

The Nine Grades and Ten Stages refer to the profound realms that unfold in layers within the Shangqing Dongyuan. Their mysteries are so deep and far-reaching that they cannot be fully described. The dragon takes water as its spirit, and wind takes fire as its numen. Fire arises within water; the dragon’s fire and the essence of water are both true Qi. True Qi circulates and spreads out, becoming scattered divine perfected beings. Water arises again within fire: when the mind’s spirit stirs, Jing and Qi gather and condense.

The water of the heavenly realm is the spirit of the life destiny associated with the earthly branch Zi. Whoever can cultivate in accordance with it can bring salvation widely to heavenly beings and all living creatures. Today is a day for celebration: those who receive salvation drink and savor the wondrous, numinous Qi, enter the deep abyssal realm of the immortals, and pass through the celestial barriers. They seek the removal of hidden evils and the severing of calamity at its roots, thereby transcending the Six Qi and ascending in spirit to the Great Mystery.

The True King of the Great Mystery oversees inspection and recommendation, while the Heavenly Gate stands open and unrestrained. In the east is the Dipper star Cangjing; in the west, the Dipper star Sutong; in the north, the Dipper star Xuanzhen; in the south, the Dipper star Danfeng; and at the center, the Dipper star Huangyao. The radiance of the stars shifts and mingles, while the divine kings dwell in palaces within the deep abyssal realm. Outside the palaces is mystery; within, there is light. The Eight Seas flow together, primordial Qi transforms into the myriad things, and the true waters move unseen, joining Heaven and Earth. Heaven and Earth harmonize, and the myriad things grow settled and abundant.

In the sea of life-giving Qi, nine dragons gather above the Highest Empyrean, their splendor linked to Heaven. They govern the vital gateways of the human body and life, as well as the great patterns of Heaven and Earth. Riding the true wind among the Six Qi, they fly swiftly beyond the mortal world. Each of the nine divine beings has a distinct charge: the Azure Emperor gives life to the hun souls; the White Emperor nurtures the hun souls; the Red Emperor governs the breath; the Black Emperor nourishes the blood; and the Yellow Emperor establishes the foundation and creates the true abode.

The Azure Emperor’s Dragon King is Anbao; the Red Emperor’s Dragon King is Yuanshan Yuluo; the White Emperor’s Dragon King is Xuanyao Yuxia; the Black Emperor’s Dragon King is Daorou Xianhe; and the Yellow Emperor’s Dragon King is Jiajian Chibo. The mysterious, radiant power of the Five Emperors’ Dragon Kings manifests through transformation in the deep abyssal realm and flies through the Purple Clarity. They command the True Immortals and the divine troops of the Most High, leading banners, drums, music, and retinues as they tour the deep and distant reaches of the unseen world.

They proclaim themselves mighty and radiant, and the heavens respond at every moment. Heaven descends to transform the people, and the gates of the underworld are opened. By command, the divine kings bring salvation throughout the world to those facing calamity and danger. Mysterious beasts exhale poisonous vapors, and divine dragons race in all directions, clad in jade armor and wielding great axes. Azure youths carry banners and hurl flames; their radiance streams for ten thousand miles as they display divine power in every direction.

Should evil forces dare to offend or obstruct the Supreme Sages, wind-blades will rush upon them. Mighty heavenly gods fly across the sky, their ringing bells resounding together, as the Mysterious Immortals muster their power. Thousands upon thousands of demons are beheaded, and tens of thousands of monstrous forms destroyed. Demons may not trespass, nor ghosts wreak havoc. The Three Officials and the Northern Feng enforce their punishments with strictness, allowing no guilt to be concealed.

The Golden Horse Post Station, which conveys documents from the divine realms, is commanded to deliver its dispatches and proclaim them throughout the boundless reaches. All the myriad gods obey together, while the Three Realms and the Five Emperors submit a memorial on the matter to the Great Clarity, the highest celestial realm.

Through nine transformations of mysterious creation, its depths are boundless, and from it arise the ways of the round and the square. The divine dragon governs the movement of Yin-Yang, and its laws accord with the Dao. Its nature is upright and purely strong. It spreads vast and wide through the celestial court. Its wondrous workings appear yet remain formless: it is the root of creation and transformation, and the place where clouds and rain gather and are stored. True Water lies deep within the ninefold abyssal sea, turning and moving according to the original order of the primordial beginning.

Across long eons, at the dawn of chaos, mysterious Qi above took shape as Heaven, while rivers below formed the abyss. The wind turned the jade wheel, and divine might and radiance covered the sky. The divine dragon had one body and nine heads, coiling among many palaces and towers. Its Azure Source, Jade Sea, Dragon Peak, and Flying City extended throughout Heaven and Earth; there was no hidden or shadowed place it could not reach. The dragon’s Qi surged in vast, unfathomable depths, and all dragons gathered there.

This divine sanctuary preserves cloud-script and jade characters—the red script of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. They guard the lower realm and protect the world, keeping it at peace for ages to come. In the age of Longhan, the Yellow Gate in the Miro Heaven realm stood open. Mysterious, wondrous light spread through the nine earths and nine heavens, revolving to encompass all and encircling the ten directions. The divine dragon trod upon the waters and coiled around them, guiding and teaching the Way of the Five Constant Virtues. Thirty-nine kinds of Qi rose and descended between the Jade Sources; the Nine Palaces each carried out their duties, converging in the realm of layered mystery.

The Dragon Emperor, who dwells in the Supreme Tenuity Heaven, and the flying immortals and perfected spirits floated amid the azure sky, holding and chanting the Cavern scriptures. The radiant light of Jade Perfection shone forth, illuminating the realm of Mysterious Brightness. In the heavens, splendorous light moved in an upright course; the Qi of pure gold gave off clouds and rosy mists. In the Purple Empyrean, throngs of immortals gathered to assist and protect the exalted immortals. Countless kinds of Qi converged and gave rise to flowing, mobile essence. Essence circulated and transformed into liquid, and thus, naturally, the perfected beings came to be. Within these perfected beings were spirits: the Great Lord of Long Life; Dongji Qinghua Danming Ziling; Wuying; Hunji; Baiyuan; and Baosheng Taiyi, among others. Taiyi checked and settled the registers of names. The Azure Lad infused the body with fluids, wielded talismans and held registers, and safeguarded people’s nature, life, and vital foundation. The spirits roamed above in the Purple Void realm, entering and leaving splendid immortal palaces.

Within the eight seas and among the stars of the Eastern Well, this power also descended to guard the human body. It resides in the Yellow Court and the Crimson Abyss, regulating the Five Qi and gathering the hundred spirits. It sets the spiritual nature of all things in motion again and again, enabling beings of every kind to become immortals. The Way of the Immortals cherishes life and delivers boundless multitudes. Heaven opens the eight gates, and the flying celestial wheel turns. Sin and merit, prohibitions and precepts, and the causes and conditions of past lives all fall within its teaching. All beings receive its mysterious beneficence, and through refinement and conjoining, they attain life.

After practitioners have received life, they hear above them the sounds of the various heavens. Above each heaven is a gate of life, where hollow, boundless hymns are sung. The verses of the True King’s numinous scriptures accord with the words of the exalted perfected ones.

Chapter One: The Sound of Mysterious Brightness, the Cavernous Abyss, and Flight Through the Heavens

True Yang is formless from the beginning, arising by relying on Mysterious Brightness. Mysterious Brightness transforms into true dew; when its breath is exhaled, the myriad things take shape. The vast sky has no boundary. Primordial Qi rises like smoke, its dense breaths mingling and rushing in swift flight. Water descends from Heaven like a surging spring, its mighty sound flowing without end.

The waters surge, vast and deep. A scorching wind blows across them, naturally shaping them into winding, twisting forms. Only after enduring many trials do the dragon’s scales and horns fully grow. It suddenly transforms, able to enter the earth and reach the heavens, holding clouds and rain in its mouth, its body like a jade centipede—the fabled centipede of jade.

It can summon lightning with a shout and breathe out mist. It is an immortal spirit who commands thunder and fire, turning all things and opening and guiding the source of life. Among these mysterious powers, the divine dragon stands first.

It reaches through the deep sea and hidden abyss, gathering the waters of a hundred rivers and serving as the source of all waters. Water contains the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and the human body is formed according to this same principle. The divine pool—the inner landscape described in cultivation—is pure and profound.

The energy of vibration transforms into a dragon, which travels among the three fields: the upper, middle, and lower Dantian. Whether soaring or lying hidden, it follows the Great Dao. Its life endures for billions upon billions of years. To deliver measureless beings from suffering, chant this scripture of the Dongzhen Cavern.

Chapter Two: Hymn to the True King of the Mysterious Light and Cavernous Abyss

The Jade Capital of Kunlun, the celestial mountain, rests upon emptiness. Below, it spans the blue sea and governs the primordial Qi of nine hundred million worlds. A wondrous peak rises at its center, with the sun and moon shining together between them. Its brilliant light illuminates the Seven Perfected, while springs flow upward from below.

Within its thirty-nine gates, cultivation and the refinement of Yin and Yang Qi all depend on the power of Mysterious Light. It encompasses the Yellow Palace below and commands the spirit officials of heaven. It causes the revolving breath to descend, gathering and governing the Primordial Sovereign, a revered goddess or primordial divine being.

One Qi divides into six interwoven, entwined currents, from which the Three Origins—Heaven, Earth, and Water—come into being. Breath flows in and out of the Three Essences, surging through the Wind Abyss. It travels along rosy clouds and Yulei, a divine name, while the Flowing Bells, Daoist ritual implements or divine bells, race in all directions.

Here the Way of generation and transformation is first set in motion, and the spirits are established. Primordial Harmonious Qi nourishes all things, stabilizing the Way of Heaven so that it does not collapse. Anyone in the world who knows this Way will have their name entered in the azure registers of the immortals.

I now compose this chapter, using True Water to transform and save lives. By means of the Flying Steps, I ascend to the Divine Empyrean. Immortals and Perfected Ones alike should bow in reverence.

Chapter Three: Song of the True King of the Mysterious Light and Cavernous Abyss

We sail into the pool of the Cavernous Abyss, where numinous winds stir among the green woods. Celestial sounds naturally form into music; amid myriad transformations, all things ultimately return to unity. Within the towering palaces of the Divine Empyrean, the True King holds an imperial mandate and dwells in Eastern Florescence, the realm of the immortals in the east.

Practicing the Wondrous Scripture of Limitless Deliverance, Highest Grade of the Numinous Treasure can bring people back to purity and help them lay down their many worries and troubles. Mysterious light spreads like dew from Heaven, nourishing all things and transforming them as they melt away. Through this, practitioners refine and nurture their bodies; their bones glow with a jade-like radiance, and they attain long life, free from fear and worry.

Why should people turn away from the immortal way and sink into filth, letting corpse worms gnaw at them? Without understanding the foundation of the Great Dao, how could they escape decline and disaster? Blue-green clouds curl through the mountains, and spirit dragons dwell in the waters. Between Heaven and Earth, there are places of quiet where the Dao can be cultivated. Why chase greed and struggle against others, sinking into impurity until one grows old, as confused and ignorant as a child?

I hold the rank of the King of the Empty Cavern. My ceremonial retinue is solemn, and drums and bells ring together. Taking pity on the people of the world, I uphold the great laws, deliver all beings, and revive the teachings. Recite the Song of the Jade Perfected, and you may ascend to the Palace of Dongxuan. The eight hardships of the world will then be dispelled, and joy will have no end.

These are the songs sung by the True King in the Empty Heavens, above the Three Realms; every line accords with the Cavern Chapters. Recite them a hundred times, and your name may be entered in the Southern Palace of Deliverance. Recite them a thousand times, and flying immortals will escort you in welcome. Recite them ten thousand times, and when your cultivation of the Dao is complete, you will ascend beyond the Great Void, pass beyond the Three Realms, and take your place among the Perfected.

If someone hears this numinous and wondrous sound, the Demon King will honor their person and, under command, restrain the earth spirits—the deities of the land—and have them guard and escort the listener, freeing them from the gates of Hell. The Five Sufferings and Eight Hardships will be removed; the listener’s seven generations of ancestors will rise to a higher state, forever leaving the jurisdiction of the underworld officials. Their souls will go to Zhuling to undergo refinement, be renewed, and be reborn. This is called limitless universal deliverance, without end.

This scripture is a secret text kept by Heaven, revered by all the heavens. To disclose it or treat it with disrespect is to fall into Hell and bring calamity upon seven generations of ancestors.

The Dao says: These two chapters are secret sounds kept by the Lords of Heaven and the most numinous True Kings. They are wondrous, silent, and formless. True water gives birth to Heaven and Earth, and Heaven and Earth in turn give birth to spirit dragons. Those with the destined affinity, if they can understand and follow these teachings, may become immortals whose long life never ends. All of this is the speech of the Great Brahma—the sacred language of the highest heavens—not ordinary words of the world. Its sounds follow none of the rhythms of worldly music, and its diction has none of the ornate, flowing beauty of worldly verse. That is why it is called mysterious and difficult to fathom.

Heaven treasures this scripture and keeps it hidden in Xuandu, Shenxiao, the Jade Clarity King’s palace, and the chamber of Donghua. By the prescribed rule, it is passed down only when the time is right, once every thirty-seven thousand years. If someone who has attained the Dao offers a fast with gold and precious treasures, sincerely observes the ancient rites, and swears an oath before the spirits for ten days, the scripture may then be transmitted to them.

The Dao says: The movements of Heaven and Earth have periods of flourishing and decline, beginning and ending; the sun, moon, and five planets likewise wax and wane. Even the most sacred perfected beings encounter decline and adversity. How much more easily, then, may those whose cultivation is still shallow suffer illness and injury? Whenever such calamities arise, all those who share the same Qi lineage should unite in performing a fast: burn incense at each of the six daily periods, and recite the scripture ten times in a continuous cycle. In this way, blessings and Virtue will descend and dispel every ill omen. This scripture of limitless deliverance saves all beings everywhere, without end.

The Dao says: Some who cultivate the Dao have not yet advanced very far, and have not yet completed the ranks of the Immortals and perfected beings. They die when their allotted years come to an end. As they approach death and their souls pass through Taiyin (the underworld), accomplished Daoist masters who have cultivated alongside them may burn incense and recite the scripture ten times, then perform the rites to deliver the deceased’s body. In this way, the Qi of dark illumination can arise anew, and the Qi of the netherworld can turn back. The Jade Maidens within the kidneys guard the Yang Gate—the body’s passage through which Yang Qi enters and leaves—and close the gate of death. The Three Officials, divine beings who govern the affairs of Heaven, Earth, and Water, set the ritual wheel in motion, restoring life and the body and entering the deceased’s name in the register of Emperor Xuan. The soul and spirit proceed directly to the Southern Palace. There, the days are reckoned according to the merits of the person’s Daoist cultivation, and the person can be born again. Passing through the cycles of rebirth without losing the way, they ultimately become a god or immortal.

The Dao says: The workings of Heaven and Earth are nearing their end; the stars have strayed from their proper positions, the Sun and Moon have lost their regular courses, and the seasons have fallen out of order. Yin and Yang are out of balance, the borders of the realm are unsettled, and the people suffer calamities, famine, and epidemics. Poisons and diseases spread, leaving many dead or injured. Teachers, friends, and fellow cultivators, too, may reach the end of their lives and perish. Whenever such things occur, one should establish a fast—a ritual fast and prayer—offer incense, and recite the scripture. The merit of fasting and reciting the scripture is immense: above, it can dispel calamities in Heaven and protect and bring peace to the emperor; below, it can ward off poisons and save the people. Both the living and the dead can receive its blessings. This merit and blessing are beyond measure, and so it is called “boundless deliverance for all beings of Heaven and humanity.”

The Dao says: Anyone who possesses this scripture and can cultivate such merit for Heaven and Earth, the emperor, and the people should, when calamity strikes, resolve to establish a fast, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times. The heavens will record their name, and the myriad spirits will protect them. They will also encounter accomplished Daoist masters and ultimately become an attendant of the sage ruler in the Golden Palace, the heavenly court. The heavens record people’s merits and faults, omitting nothing, however small; the True King of Heaven will also recommend and protect you. Only after attaining the Dao will a cultivator truly and fully understand these words of utmost truth.

The Great Brahmā’s hidden words in the heavens are sounds without limit, written by the Dao Lord.

The Purple Chapters of the Numinous Writ of the Dark Abyss of Mysterious Illumination, Primordial Beginning

Eight Heavens of the East

迮芹洒定　淵婁池溟　旣霸沔洟

留靑濟眞　唐屏卞師　邀除止明

鬱落月肌　胡定杳征　命澤玄嶽

列淵自昇　雲荼帝嶴　利賓延承

洞假幽狄　越英仰靈　鑄晶漾口

The Dao’s Stillness, the Primordial Scripture

Eight Heavens of the South

猛洪滋盈　力羌華營　建浦時會

洙玄伺膺　綠養漸宛　被盧次丁

蕩蒙愈謹　玉毫途平　赤宮赫蘇

The passages for the eastern and southern heavens are “hidden words” in Daoist scriptures, not ordinary phrases. Since the present text provides no word-by-word explanations, the original wording has been retained.

The numinous Qi (vital energy) of the Primal Head proclaims its mandate to the Terrace of Feng. The Imperial Preceptor and the tiger ministers secretly subdue demons and intercept dragons, strike thunder and gather in the stars; Yanqi and Huyou together examine transgressions and the names by which they are called.

In the eight heavens of the west: the pools of True Geng, and divine tigers flying to the four quarters; Liluo looks on in peace, and Youzheng sends forth the troops; the hosts of Dan assemble in blessing, and Yenu lays bare the source; Gouyan brings the lodges into harmony, with the Seven Primordials and the Nine Offices; scrutiny and remission are already entered on the tablets, under Aolang and Yuanfei; by the royal statutes the guilty souls are judged, the dark gates open, and ascent comes full circle; the precious are raised at crown and corner, guarding the perfected and prolonging their years; the remote reach of the August Pole is cut off, and the seal-mountains close the city.

In the eight heavens of the north: within Peng a campaign presses northward, banners and pheasant plumes speeding the chariots; kingfisher insignia interlace in rich display, and the Nine Transformations answer from Fangzhu; the heart of Yingdan is washed clean, and the spreading waters cast out a jade net; roots take in the scarlet tail, and fire-dragons sport upon the waves; the hall of victory blazes and surges, and the arsenal records its bronze; Heiliao pursues repose, with Jianyu and the hundred of keen hearing; behind, flame fills the water caverns, and Shen and Huan stand at the Winnowing Terrace; the edict urges on the lingering ghost-souls, and spirits who have become immortals return.

The scripture says that within these celestial realms there is a hidden language of the Great Brahma, sounds without measure and without bound. The ancient text was engraved on the gates of the Long’a cavern chamber of Dark-Bright Northern Mountain, the root-place from which the myriad things arise. The principles of these numinous stanzas of the Nine Heavens are held under guard. They are deep and subtle, and people of the world can scarcely hear them. The written forms are broad and long, each character a full zhang in size.

In the past the Heavenly Perfected August Person wrote these characters down and fixed them as the correct pronunciation. If someone understands these sounds, keeps the purificatory abstinence, and recites them, the various heavens send the Spirit Kings of the Flying Heavens down to inspect that person, record his merit and diligent practice, and memorialize them to the heavens above. The myriad spirits come to pay court and homage; the earth deities attend beside the gate; and the Perfected Kings of Great Merit recommend him, so that he may be ranked among the Supreme Perfected. When his practice of the Dao (the Way) is complete, he can roam the Three Realms and ascend into the Golden Portal.

These sounds are fully able to ward off evil, avert calamity, save and deliver, and bring all to completion. They are the spontaneous sounds of the Heavenly Perfected and of nature itself. Thus to recite them brings the Flying Heavens down to inspect; the Supreme Thearch sings in response from afar; the myriad spirits come to pay court; and the divinities of the Three Realms stand in attendance upon the carriage. The hosts of evil bow their heads; ghosts and specters disperse of themselves. The recitation rings out like jade chimes; the ten directions grow solemn, still, and clear; rivers and seas settle into silence; the vapors among the mountains and peaks disperse; the myriad numina tremble and submit; and the hosts of immortals come when summoned. Then there is no foul Qi in heaven and no demonic dust on earth. Profound wisdom grows limpid and pure, vast and mysterious.