《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 53

The Dao tells everyone: In the past, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat in the Jade Spirit Heaven, facing the Mighty Divine Land of Bright Scenery and Song. There he received and proclaimed the Supreme Scripture of Primordial Beginning for Delivering People and Slaying the Evil Monsters of the Five Phases. Each time the Celestial Worthy recited the scripture, he summoned the spirits of the ten directions to come. As soon as the recitation began, countless divine beings arrived through the air: the Great Gods of Heavenly Truth, the High Saints and Venerable Ones, the Perfected Ones of Wondrous Practice, the True Officials of the Five Emperors, the Mighty Generals of Bright Authority, the Cavalry Officers who Slay Evil, the officials who command Yin-Yang and the Three and Five, and the divine troops of the Purple Tenuity.

Golden radiance illuminated the open sky, while jeweled immortal carriages swept in on the wind. Ornate canopies and feathered decorations encircled the rosy dawn; ten thousand beams of light interwove, shining in all eight directions. For seven days and seven nights, the tiered towers and jeweled palaces where the immortals of the ten directions dwelt were joined together. The heavenly order ceased to be in disarray, and the stars returned to their proper courses. A divine breeze stirred gently; auspicious clouds gathered and became fragrant, and the atmosphere between Heaven and Earth grew harmonious. The seas and mountains became clear and pure. The land, rivers, and forests throughout the country stretched level in every direction, with no differences in height. The earth became crystalline, radiant floral jade in five colors. The immortals stood in attendance before the seat, while the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sat upright in midair, his body shining brightly. Seated upon a heavenly throne formed from a divine dragon, he proclaimed the scripture.

When the Celestial Worthy recited the scripture for the first time, the great saints of all the heavens praised him together. At that time, the men and women throughout the country gave up the Five Desires—the craving for sensory pleasures such as sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. On the second recitation, the five forces of transformation flourished and flowed freely. On the third, the five celestial bodies returned to their proper courses. On the fourth, the five Qi were balanced, and all things grew in harmony. On the fifth, the order of the Five Constant Virtues was settled and undisturbed, and the arts of governing the world were renewed each day. On the sixth, the five cycles worked together without error. On the seventh, the five patterns became visible, and the wondrous teachings were made clear. On the eighth, the five spirits upheld the right way; divine authority spread widely, true Qi filled the world, and calamity and inauspicious influences were swept away. On the ninth, the five essences were firmly nurtured and their numinous light preserved. On the tenth, all the evil monsters among the Five Phases were destroyed. At that time, the men and women throughout the country sincerely turned toward the Celestial Worthy. All received protection and deliverance, and attained long life.

The Dao says again: At this time, when the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning recited the scripture for the first time, the Utmost True Great God who slays the evil monsters of the Green Essence, together with countless divine beings from the boundless, immeasurable worlds of the East, arrived through the air. On the second recitation, the Utmost True Great God who slays the evil monsters of the Red Essence, together with countless divine beings from the boundless, immeasurable worlds of the South, also arrived through the air. On the third recitation, from the West…

In the north, the “Limitless and Boundless Chapter” (a scripture chapter without limit or measure) destroys the evil spirits of bright essence. The supremely true Great Gods, an innumerable host, come riding through the air and proclaim the scripture four times.

In the northeast, the Limitless and Boundless Chapter destroys the evil spirits of dark essence. The supremely true Great Gods, an innumerable host, come riding through the air and proclaim the scripture five times.

In the southeast, the Limitless and Boundless Chapter destroys the evil spirits of wandering essence associated with the Fire Phase. The supremely true Great Gods, an innumerable host, come riding through the air and proclaim the scripture six times.

In the southwest, the Limitless and Boundless Chapter destroys the evil spirits of wandering essence associated with the Metal Phase. The supremely true Great Gods, an innumerable host, come riding through the air and proclaim the scripture seven times.

At the center, the Limitless and Boundless Chapter destroys the evil spirits of wandering essence associated with the Water Phase, as well as the central yellow essence. The supremely true Great Gods, an innumerable host, come riding through the air and proclaim the scripture eight times.

In the northwest, the Limitless and Boundless Chapter destroys the evil spirits of wandering essence associated with the Wood Phase. The supremely true Great Gods, an innumerable host, come riding through the air and proclaim the scripture nine times.

Above, the Limitless and Boundless Chapter destroys the evil spirits of the Five Phases belonging to the Celestial Origin. The supremely true Great Gods, an innumerable host, come riding through the air and proclaim the scripture ten times.

Below, the Limitless and Boundless Chapter destroys the evil spirits of the Five Phases belonging to the Terrestrial Origin. The supremely true Great Gods, an innumerable host, come riding through the air.

When the scripture has been recited ten times, the Limitless powers of the ten directions unite to destroy the evil spirits of the Five Phases, and the true gods and Great Gods of Heaven descend at the same time. Men and women throughout the country sincerely turn toward them in reverence and admiration. Those who come gather like dense clouds and fine mist, so numerous they cannot be counted, filling half the country. The earth sinks under their weight, and the situation cannot be brought under control.

At this time, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning manifests a circular radiance, its size shifting without limit. It emits five-colored light and hangs in the air, nine zhang above the ground. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning leads the Celestial True Great Gods, the High Sages and Venerable Ones, the Perfected Ones of Wondrous Practice, the True Officials of the Five Emperors, the Mighty Generals of Illustrious Authority, the Cavalry Officers Who Slay Evil, the officials who jointly oversee Yin-Yang and the Three and Five, and the supremely true divine kings who destroy the evil spirits of the Five Phases in the ten directions … (the original text continues).

The subtle divine warriors—the divine troops of the Three Heavens—entered the circular manifestation, accompanied by countless heavenly beings. The people looked up and saw everyone streaming into the circle. Once inside, they could no longer tell where they had gone. The people of the land dispersed, and the ground became level again, no longer tilted or collapsed. Within the circle, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning finished expounding the scripture. The assembled true divinities watched over and guided the people, teaching them the scripture’s teachings and methods.

At that moment, the joy and gratitude in my heart were beyond words. The ritual proceedings were nearly complete, and the gods of the heavens had each returned to their proper places. In an instant, everything around us fell silent, without the faintest echo. The people of the heavens had been fortunate to encounter the teachings: they were saved as one, their original lifespans preserved, and they suffered no harm.

The land was at peace, and the people turned their hearts toward the Dao, setting their thoughts straight: they were not biased, deceitful, flattering, cruel, stubborn, or perverse. They did not turn from the right path, give way to jealousy, or do evil. Their words and actions were fair and upright, their understanding steady and clear. They were united in purpose and shared their insight; though they differed, they lived together in harmony. The state was peaceful, the people content and at ease, their hearts calm and joyful. Once the teachings began to spread, everyone throughout the land followed the methods of the Dao. All who approached the scripture with utmost sincerity, honored it, and showed it reverence could be delivered from the dust of the world.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said: What the scripture contains are the hidden names and secret tones of the emperors of the heavens. They are also secret names for driving away true demons and destroying the evil beings of the Five Phases and the myriad spirits. They are not ordinary words of the human world. The enlightened sages and perfected beings who have attained the Dao understand its profound principles and probe its hidden mysteries; they are able to comprehend its passages.

Recite this scripture ten times, and the heavens will praise and protect you, while the Five Spirits will serve you with reverence. The Qi of the Five Phases—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—will unite; Shen, Qi, and Jing will become pure, concentrated, and balanced. Harmful things will cease to arise. All things, nurtured through their intermingling, will transform from within and reach into the hidden realms. Then evil spirits and demons will have no way to emerge. When a seeker of the Dao recites the scripture ten times, the Five Directional Emperors will take notice, and the Nine Perfected Ones will recommend them for immortal status. After being put to the test, baleful influences will disappear, and strange calamities will be banished forever. The work of the Dao will be made firm, and good deeds brought to completion.

This is because reciting the scripture connects one with the spirits of the Five Phases, clears away and subdues evil beings, and summons and commands the power of the spirits. In this way, one can realize the highest Dao, harmonize true Qi, and nourish life; ascend to the mysterious realm, meet the High Perfected, and attain deathlessness, without further undergoing the cycle of birth and death.

Reciting this scripture carelessly will instead bring calamity upon oneself. But if one makes offerings to it and honors it, one’s household will prosper and flourish for generations. One will be in accord with good fortune, beyond the reach of countless calamities, and the spirits will guard the household’s gates.

This scripture is supremely precious and mysterious, without equal in the Jade Capital, the celestial realm of immortals. It can deliver beings without limit and is the fundamental principle of the myriad paths. Its methods are exalted and vast, and its beneficence cannot be fully described.

The Dao says: If anyone recites this scripture ten times, the divine beings of the heavens will all come forth to destroy the evil spirits and monsters generated by the Five Phases in the ten directions, and to annihilate demonic essences, preventing them from bringing calamity into the human world. Calamities and wrongdoing will be banished forever. People will thereby gain blessings and good fortune, and the changes of the world will remain peaceful, bringing stability to all under Heaven. All living beings will receive the wondrous grace of the Mystery, and attain kindness, long life, prosperity, joy, and purity of body and mind, naturally and without effort.

Those who cultivate the Dao and recite and practice this scripture can cleanse away evil and calamity, making the Dao’s Qi pure and true. When people receive and recite this scripture, they can take in the wondrous Dao of Primordial Reality, leave deluded thoughts behind forever, and preserve the full span of their lives. After death, they will all receive refinement and deliverance—a Daoist rite for saving departed souls. Their souls will temporarily leave their bodies without passing through the hells, then promptly regain their bodies and roam through the vast heavens.

This scripture is subtle and supreme, and universally saves limitless beings. All beings in Heaven and on Earth can gain blessings from it; the living and the dead alike receive its grace. Heaven keeps this scripture in its treasury, and it must not be casually passed on to the world. A perfected adept who has completed their cultivation must prepare gold, silver, and precious treasures, and swear an oath before Heaven with a sincere heart before it may be transmitted. Anyone who carelessly reveals or neglects this scripture will bring calamity upon nine generations of ancestors. The examiners who guard the scriptures, the Five Emperors who attend them, and thirty-six Jade Boys and thirty-six Jade Maidens will all protect the text and safeguard the bodies of those who receive it.

The Dao says: If one observes purification and recites this scripture in the first month, one can summon the General of the Upper Origin to destroy the evil monsters and unrighteous demons generated by the Five Phases, clearing and opening the heavens so that the sun, moon, and stars shine constantly.

If one observes purification and recites this scripture in the seventh month, one can summon the officials and generals of the Middle Origin to destroy the evil monsters and unrighteous spirits generated by the Five Phases, protecting the people so they may live in peace.

If one observes purification and recites this scripture in the tenth month, one can summon the officials and rulers of the Lower Origin, their generals and officers, and the troops of the Five Sacred Peaks to destroy the evil monsters and unrighteous spirits generated by the Five Phases. They will bring peace to all under Heaven, protect the ruler, and ensure that the nation’s destiny endures through successive generations.

If one observes purification and recites this scripture on the Eight Festival Days—eight important dates in the Daoist calendar—one can summon the troops of Heaven and Earth and of the four directions and eight extremes, drive away demonic spirits, and set the Five Qi flowing smoothly to nourish the growth and transformation of all things. If one recites this scripture on one’s Natal Day, the birthday associated with one’s zodiac sign, one can summon the star officials and gods of awe-inspiring power from the Nine Palaces of the Celestial Origin. They will examine the registers of one’s fate, destroy the evil spirits of the Five Phases, and cut off their traces. The Five Spirits will guard the true path, enabling the myriad Qi to nourish the body and the Dao’s spiritual nature to become firm, so that one may ascend beyond to the realm of Highest Clarity.

Daoist ritual texts state that on days for cultivation and scripture recitation, one should bathe with fragrant water. After observing the fast, enter a quiet chamber. Face east and click the teeth thirty-two times, thereby conveying one’s intentions to the hearts of the thirty-two heavens; then bow thirty-two times. Next, close the eyes and sit quietly, visualizing oneself within clouds of blue, yellow, and red Qi, with profound darkness all around, within and without. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lions, and white cranes stand in rows on either side. The sun and moon shine, illuminating the chamber throughout. A circular radiance appears above the head, casting light in all ten directions. All these images should be visualized clearly.

Then silently recite the secret invocation:

“Supreme Lord of the Dao, Most High Lord of the Mysterious Origin, summon from within my body the Three-Five Merit Officers, the officials and messengers on my left and right, the Jade Youths who attend the incense, the Jade Maidens who carry messages, the Five Emperors’ Direct Talismans, and the Incense Officers on duty today, thirty-two of each. Let them come forward to report and present my petition. Today, on this auspicious day, I observe the fast and cultivate in a pure ritual hall, reciting the Scripture of Deliverance. May the wishes I have made be carried up to the celestial court, before the supreme throne of the Original Beginning in the Unsurpassed Thirty-Two Heavens.”

When the recitation is complete, bow again. Guide the breath thirty-two times, then face east and recite the scripture.

The Wondrous Scripture of the Supreme Grade for Deliverance, Limitless and Primordial

This Lingbao scripture of the Dongxuan Cavern was transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of the Original Beginning, a revered Daoist deity. Its supreme teachings can cut down evil and destroy anomalies. Through the mystery of ten turns of transformation, the scripture enables deliverance. It contains the hidden tones of a hundred demons, along with the true texts of the Five Qi, formed naturally through separation, union, and transformation. It is a wondrous realm beyond the mysterious void, a vast source of primordial chaos, and the profound root of Heaven and Earth.

The Dao governs and sets the Five Qi in motion; it is the source of the Five Phases and directs the great transformations throughout Heaven and Earth. It endures through countless cycles of tribulation without end. The Five Phases spread throughout the world, nurturing all things, which depend upon one another and transform without ceasing. Without the Dao, nothing can appear, be understood, be established, or become real. When the Qi is thrown into disorder, it congeals into mists, and evil spirits and anomalies take form. The wondrous power of natural De continually drives them out and vanquishes them: this is the subtle law of the mysterious, supreme Dao.

The Jade Gate of Taiji and the numinous capital of the Golden Gate are where Yin-Yang primordial Qi converges and where the Three Qi turn in motion. Vast primordial Qi gathers and disperses in turn. The Jade Palace of Azure Radiance first comes into view, followed by the wondrous courts and halls. Their terraces rise into the clouds; harmonious Qi blends there, and radiant light shines throughout the worlds in all ten directions, spreading layer upon layer until it reaches everywhere.

Among them are spirits who regulate the Five Phases and follow their transformations; a sovereign who presides over the Mysterious Ultimate and brings forth all things; a great deity who slays demons and dispels calamities; and officials and elders who oversee the precious registers of the immortals. There are also the Illustrious and Mighty Orthodox Unity deities, who govern Yin-Yang and the patterns of numbers such as three, five, seven, and nine, as well as the deities who determine destiny and are charged with cutting off and destroying evil spirits and anomalies. Today these spirits are examining the registers of names from the heavens, attending court and listening to petitions.

In the east, south, west, and north, as well as the northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest, above, and below—in all ten directions—there are boundless flying deities who slay evil and destroy monsters. These great deities possess the sacred virtue of long life and can save beings without measure.

The supreme true deities of the ten directions, the flying kings who slay evil and destroy monsters, are boundless in their power to grant long life and save the world. Together they ride precious carriages like the rosy clouds of dawn, escorted by immortal winds. Their carriages are adorned with radiant feather canopies, and immortals attend and protect them. Officials and generals of the Three Primordial Forces, along with spirit immortals from the ten directions, raise the regalia for slaying evil and unfurl divine banners for destroying monsters.

At the front, they play the wondrous music of the Dongzhen Cavern; behind, they chant sublime songs of the numinous void. Purple luan birds and dark swans answer one another, their calls resounding through the heavens. The deity Tianpeng clears the way, while dragons and tigers guard the carriage poles. Tens of millions of carriages and horses sweep through the sky. The deities turn their radiant carriages to inspect the true Dao and save beings.

The Inner Steward of the Heavenly Gate and the High Officials of the Fire Bells inspect the demons and enforce prohibitions against them. The Great Deities who oversee registers and deliverance under the Dark Numen and Purple Clarity hold command banners and battle-axes, displaying their mighty spiritual power. Together they carry out the Jade Emperor’s talismanic decree, examine the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and investigate and govern the myriad kinds of beings. The spirit officials who oversee creation govern the mountains, rivers, seas, and peaks; the movements of the stars; the seas in the eight directions; the nine layers of the earth; and the twelve palaces and celestial divisions. They drive away the faults caused by demons, evil spirits, and rebellious Qi, and bind wicked essences and malicious monsters so that they cannot grow negligent and unruly or wreak havoc at will.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning issues a proclamation and commands the divine troops to cut down evil forces. They spare people from calamity, enlighten living beings and nourish life, protect and uphold the stability of the true Dao, and free all beings from the cycles of tribulation. They also set the workings of true and wondrous principles in motion, refine subtle Qi, and let it nourish and prosper all things and humankind far and wide.

Eliminate illness and the calamities of violent death, and make the grace of the divine powers manifest. Bring people into accord with the light, so that they may forever escape the disasters of this world, live as long as Heaven, rise beyond the Three Paths—the three realms of suffering in Daoist teaching—and be wholly free from hardship.

Ascend into the demon realm and roam through the Highest Mystery, the lofty, profound heavens. The heavens of the Highest Mystery are governed by the Heavenly Emperor Yuyan. There, in the realm beyond form, all cultivate the pure practice of the Brahma path.

Eight Heavens of the East

Heaven of Jade Splendor and Luminous Understanding; its Heavenly Emperor is Hu Jiongti Su.

Heaven of Silent Mystery, Penetrating Truth; its Heavenly Emperor is Liao Yaochu.

Heaven of Aiding Awakening and Subduing Yang; its Heavenly Emperor is Xiu Dan Zhu Guan.

Heaven of the First Light, Setting Cultivation in Motion; its Heavenly Emperor is Bian Yingzi Tong.

Heaven of Numinous Grace and Transformation; its Heavenly Emperor is Hai Guang Dongzhu.

Heaven of the Vast Realm and Imperial Passage; its Heavenly Emperor is Quhai Wujin.

Heaven of the Capital’s Foundation and Radiant Light; its Heavenly Emperor is Bosi Putai.

Heaven of the Purple Unicorn Summoning Immortals; its Heavenly Emperor is Fu Changsheng.

Eight Heavens of the South

Heaven of Supreme Subtlety and Lush Dawn; its Heavenly Emperor is Baoce Ziwei.

Heaven of Crowning Light and Treading the Truth; its Heavenly Emperor is Daoji Micheng.

Heaven of Preserving Mystery, Celebrating Wisdom; its Heavenly Emperor is Dunxi Gur en.

Heaven of Transmitting the Numinous and Destroying Demons; its Heavenly Emperor is Pian Zhu Dangmo.

Heaven of Manifesting Life and Transforming the Body; its Heavenly Emperor is Yinxue Lukan.

Heaven of Red Treasures and Bestowed Peace; its Heavenly Emperor is Yilu Yaoji.

Heaven of Bestowed Blessings and Radiant Protection; its Heavenly Emperor is Mianlou Shayong.

Heaven of Penetrating Light and Revering Mystery; its Heavenly Emperor is He Tong Lichong.

Eight Heavens of the West

Heaven of Divine Writings Revealing the Tradition; its Heavenly Emperor is Yuqi Shangyuan.

Heaven of Tiger Garments and the World’s Emblem; its Heavenly Emperor is Fanwu Yankang.

Heaven of Roaming in Truth and the Use of Emptiness; its Heavenly Emperor is Ye Chang Hualong.

Heaven of Righteous Qi and Firm Talismans; its Heavenly Emperor is Miao Yu Gui.

Heaven of Divining the Spirits and Seeking Investiture; its Heavenly Emperor is Xuan You Shuzhen.

Heaven of Presenting Merit and Attesting to the Dao; its Heavenly Emperor is Yun Changming.

Heaven of Fierce Earth and Gathered Darkness; its Heavenly Emperor is Hao Xiyuan Tu.

Heaven of Slaying Monsters and Bringing Government into Accord; its Heavenly Emperor is Chu Yannan Ling.

Eight Heavens of the North

(The source text ends here and does not yet list the Eight Heavens of the North.)

Forbidden and suppressed, the Heaven of the Hundred Benefits of the Primordial Origin is ruled by an emperor titled “Immortal of Jade Blossoms.” The Heaven of Lofty Palace, Great Subtlety, and Harmonious Ancestral Joy is ruled by an emperor titled “Flying Net of Phoenix Splendor.” The Heaven of Hidden Intent, Dark Emptiness, and Ritual Strength is ruled by an emperor titled “Yang of Literary Virtue.” The Heaven of Ninefold Return, Turning Virtue, and Reflecting on the Root is ruled by an emperor titled “Clear One of Vast Distance.” The Heaven of Dark Union, Resting Calm, and Preserving Unity is ruled by an emperor titled “One Who Upholds the Yang Pattern.” The Heaven of the Northern Clarity, General Administration is ruled by an emperor titled “Judge of the Sovereign Pole and Cavern.” The Heaven of Dark Subtlety and Examination of Destinies is ruled by an emperor titled “One Who Nurtures Long Life and Brings It to Completion.” The Heaven of Investigating Spirits, Adjudicating Prisons, and Interrogating the Numina is ruled by an emperor titled “Lord Who Gazes into the Hidden Depths and Brings Peace.”

These are some of the titles of the thirty-two heavens and their thirty-two Heavenly Emperors, together with the hidden titles and secret names of the various heavens. They form a sacred and numinous natural hymn of the celestial realm, and include the heavens’ concealed sounds and the sounds of the Five Phases, as well as the revered spirits, numina, and great demons of the Five Phases.

The sounds of the Five Phases harmonize and transform, reaching through to the realm of Highest Clarity. Their mystery is profound and far-reaching, beyond exhaustive explanation. These divine perfected beings descend in generosity, universally saving the people of Heaven and the human world.

Today we joyfully celebrate the rite of deliverance. Those receiving deliverance pass through the barriers of the heavens and pray for the heavens to destroy strange and evil forces, cut off the roots of baleful influences, and harmonize and set the Five Phases in motion. This merit takes part in the creative work of the Primordial True King of Heaven and Earth. The True King guards and governs, allowing the Qi of the Dao to emerge and spread.

At the eastern extremity, Wood Qi takes form; at the western extremity, Metal Qi is generated; at the northern extremity, Water congeals; at the southern extremity, flames of Fire are kindled. In the central upper palace, the Qi of the four directions comes together. The Azure Emperor protects the force of life; the White Emperor gathers in De; the Red Emperor purges demons and baleful influences; the Black Emperor subdues poison and harm; and the Yellow Emperor governs from the center. In this way, all manner of calamities are brought to an end.

The great demon of the Wood Phase releases flying light and transforms into a treasure dragon. The great demon of the Fire Phase shines across the heavens and transforms into a purple youth. The great demon of the Metal Phase returns to spirit Qi and reunites with form. The great demon of the Water Phase commands the breath and rides the wind. The great demon of the Earth Phase raises rosy clouds. The great demons of the Five Phases are the progenitors of the myriad spirits. They command divine officials and enter and leave the netherworld. Bearing spears and halberds across their bodies, they array themselves in armor and lead ten thousand mounted troops surging like clouds. They wield their might, attack evil, and unite with the Dao.

Thus the heavens open to bring forth their teachings, examining and recording the spirits and the wicked. They make numinous awareness clear, bring peace and serenity, and sweep away every calamity. The Jade Pivot, the sacred hub of Heaven, issues its commands, and keen-edged divine generals deploy one after another. Three generals gallop forth; four marshals raise their banners. They seize the celestial signs, kindle flames, shake the thunder, and disperse the smoke. All who dare to offend or obstruct the Highest Perfected—supreme perfected beings and deities—will be punished. A golden battle-axe goes before to slay the greatest villains; punishment follows to sweep away demons and strange beings. Wind and fire never cease. By the thousands and tens of thousands, they sever their heads; by the tens of thousands upon tens of thousands, they destroy their forms, so that demons and baleful forces cannot intrude and ghosts and spirits can no longer wreak havoc.

The Three Officials, deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, observe and keep records in the Northern Feng, the realm of the dead. Nowhere can the camps of ghosts and spirits remain hidden. The Golden Horse Post Station carries this matter abroad, proclaiming it to the countless spirits without end. All the gods come to hear their commands, and the Five Emperors of the Three Realms present their account together in Shangqing.

Within the wondrous record of the Primordial Mystery, the Five Qi bring Heaven and Earth into being. The deep, vast Qi, still undivided in chaos, gives life to all things through transformations too subtle to describe. It spreads the radiance of the divine above and releases numinous brilliance below, extending and interweaving throughout Heaven and Earth. Yin and Yang, hardness and softness, respond to one another; the Five Phases take their places and move in sequence, bringing forth the myriad things. They propel change without obstruction and harmonize all things, guiding them back to the true and wondrous Dao. The Great Dao circulates everywhere of its own accord. The five kinds of true Qi flow without pause, moving up and down in a revolving cycle.

The Great Dao nourishes all things, enabling life to grow and transform. Yin and Yang Qi join and mingle, surging forth without end like a spring. Each of the Five Phases follows its proper course, and the myriad kinds of beings flourish as a result. When one Qi grows too strong and encroaches upon the position of another, it exceeds its proper place and shifts into something else. When its movement becomes disordered, pestilence takes shape, and harmful spirits and strange creatures arise. Calamities descend, bringing undeserved suffering to people and all beings. The Supreme Lord therefore issues a command to promulgate five scriptures, written in red script and jade characters and marked with the eight mighty dragon forms, to safeguard the cycles of cosmic change and preserve Heaven and Earth.

Brahma Qi, the pure and mysterious primordial Qi, fills Heaven and Earth, from which all things unfold. The fundamental law circulates and sets in motion the opening of the thirty-two heavens. It revolves throughout the realm beyond form, encircles the ten directions, and follows the Northern Dipper and the Winnowing Basket constellation, setting the Five Phases in motion.

The thirty-five divisions gather and govern the Eight Visions of the Upper Origin, joining the hidden and the manifest; Qi enters the depths of mystery. The Supreme Emperor within the Mystery and the High Perfected Ones, those exalted spirits who have attained the Dao, descend upon the Great Rosy Clouds and chant the Cavern Chapters, Daoist scriptures. Golden true light shines forth in brilliant splendor, and its sound carries through the clouds. Jade tones gather primordial Qi, while numinous winds converge with clouds and mists. The Qi of Purple Emptiness wells up in exquisite beauty, assisting the myriad immortals. The five Qi mingle and naturally bring the true Dao to completion. Within the true Dao dwell spirits, including the Primal Lord of Taiji, the Perfected Elders of the Three Heavens, and the Venerable Spirit of the Great Chaos. The Great One directs transformation; divine officials of the Three and Five hold Fulu, talismans and registers, protecting and delivering the numinous perfected ones.

These perfected spirits roam above through Shangqing and enter and leave splendid palaces. Within the hidden realms of the eight directions, they penetrate the finest subtleties, guard the Five Sacred Peaks below, and bring peace to the nine heavens above. They regulate the five Qi and unite the hundred gods, setting numinous Qi into a tenfold cycle. The myriad Qi rise together toward immortality, while harmful spirits of the Five Phases are cut down and can no longer cause harm.

The lofty and radiant Purple Tenuity, the celestial palaces, circulates through the heavens and governs worldly sin and blessing, sharing the same mystery as the Great Dao. The immortal way treasures life above all and carries out boundless methods for delivering people. The five planets fly in blazing light, revolving like wheels. Below, the Nine Palaces hold the structure in place; above, the Eight Gates open. Sin and blessing are governed by prohibitions and precepts, and are also bound to the causes and conditions of destiny. All beings receive deliverance. The Qi of the Five Phases grants life to the body, and the body is thereby born; this matter reaches up to the heavens. Above, each heaven has its own Gate of Life. Within them are scriptural chapters that explain the principle of the empty openness of the Five Phases. They are numinous writings of the True King, whose meaning and purpose accord with the way of the High Perfected Ones.

This is the first section of the musical chant on the Five Phases flying through the void and transforming into life.

Before the Great Brahmic Realm (a supreme and boundless realm in Daoism) was revealed, Heaven and Earth had not yet formed, and the myriad things had no shape or name. Later, the two primary forces of Yin and Yang separated, and the world came into order.

The Five Phases each took their place: the east belongs to blue-green, the west to white, the south to red, the north to black, and the center to yellow. The five primordial energies move in relation to one another, each with its own ruler and qualities, changing along with the transformations of the Great Dao. This is the foundation of the Dao, from which forms, colors, and material things are linked.

Within jeweled terraces and jade palaces, amid green mountains and golden gates, dwell the High Perfected, immortal sages, and countless Lords of Heaven. In depths beyond sight, the Perfected and divine spirits move in accordance with the Way of Heaven. Brocade banners, yellow sashes, purple canopies, and vermilion wheels are all forms brought forth by the transformations of the true Qi of the Five Phases.

Still the breath and quiet the mind, bringing the heart and spirit back to a unified state of hidden mystery. From this, ten million forms can unfold; one can transcend the Three Realms, ascend through the air, and become immortal. People of the world do not understand this principle; the True King should proclaim it far and wide. The Divine Empyrean Realm extends for tens of thousands of miles, its golden gates shining upon one another. Divine beings fly through a realm beyond clear perception, while the myriad sages speed toward it in cloud chariots.

The thoughts of people in the world follow the shifting dust of the mundane realm, and this often fills me with pity. Why not turn toward the mysterious Dao, grasp its wondrous foundation, and understand the final destination? Then all evil spirits and monsters will vanish, and people can dwell forever before the Jade Emperor.

Chapter Two: Destroying the Evil Spirits of the Five Phases

The Celestial Origin Great One (a Daoist divine title) is the Lord of Heaven who governs military affairs. The deity protects the world, preserves harmony between Yin and Yang, and replenishes the vital essence that sustains life. The deity wears splendid robes and a jade crown, with a blue-green headband. A Azure Dragon stands to the left and a White Tiger to the right; the deity bears a dragon sword and the insignia of the Five Blessings.

The deity commands the divine officials of every department and the Three-Five Generals, inspecting the movements of Yin and Yang and directing the primordial energies. No evil spirit among the Five Phases can withstand the assault: every evil presence is cut down, every monster crushed. The deity bestows blessings and good fortune, opening people’s minds so they may perceive the rarefied mystery—the elusive realm that cannot be grasped through sight or hearing.

With the evil spirits destroyed, the Five Emperors send down their numinous power to protect the world for ten thousand years. The Lord of Heaven’s virtue grows ever brighter and more abundant. A Yellow Dragon descends from the central heavens, and the Lord’s life endures long, as Heaven has ordained. As the Divine Empyrean Empty Cavern Chapter is recited, incense smoke rises in delicate wisps, dispersing as blue-green mist.

The third song, “The Song of Harmony: Uniting the Five Phases Within the Body and Pledging to the Dao,” says:

Within the Great Void dwells a wondrous, mysterious spirit; in the empty, boundless realm is a profound and formless sovereign, born amid the distant, undifferentiated expanse. Through this, creation reveals the source of all things. When the mind is detached and still, holds fast to its true nature, and turns inward to contemplate itself, evil Qi can be dispelled. Subdue demons and monsters, remove calamities, and bring body and mind into harmony, in accord with the utmost truth. Let wisdom shine like a sharp blade, its awe-inspiring force driving back the host of demons. How could the turbid, wicked age of the Five Turbidities disturb you? The radiance of the divine illuminates your form.

Wear and recite the “Lingbao Chapter,” and cloudlike light will shine forth from your body. Use a jade talisman to steady the Qi and spirit within, so that the Dragon and Tiger entwine and the embryo-child takes form. Water, Fire, Metal, and Wood blend together and return to unity, becoming the highest spiritual reality. Dwell majestically above the vermilion heavenly gate, and quietly regulate the hundred kinds of vital essence. Who can know the cycles of years and kalpas? Those who cultivate the Dao preserve their lives without end; beyond the Three Realms, they ride and wheel through the air, soaring up to the pure realm of the Nine Heavens.

This song is a sacred hymn sung by the True King above the Three Realms, flying through the sky; every line accords with the Dong chapters. Recite it a hundred times, and your name will be entered in the Southern Palace. Recite it a thousand times, and the Demon King will escort you and greet you. Recite it ten thousand times, and your cultivation of the Dao will be complete: you can ascend through the vastness of space, transcend the Three Realms, and take your place among the immortals.

For anyone who hears this wondrous sound, evil spirits and monsters will be destroyed. It can command the earth spirits to protect living beings and dispel calamities, enabling people to pass beyond perilous places. It can also raise up seven generations of ancestors, freeing them forever from the ranks of ghosts and guiding their souls to Zhu Ling, the place in Daoist legend where souls are refined, to undergo transformation and be reborn. This is called boundless universal deliverance, saving without end. This scripture is kept secret in Heaven and revered by all the heavens. To divulge 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 both secret, sacred hymns of the Heavenly Emperors and the most numinous True Kings. They belong to the “Speech of the Great Brahma,” the sacred language believed in Daoism to come from the celestial realm. They are not ordinary words of the human world, and their language does not follow worldly rules of rhyme and literary ornament; for this reason, they are called mysterious and difficult to understand. They are scriptures treasured by Heaven and kept in the eastern library of the palace of the Jade Pure King of the Highest Divine Empyrean in the Mysterious Capital. According to the Mysterious Regulations—the Daoist rules governing discipline and transmission—they may be passed down to the human world only when the appointed time comes, once every thirty-seven thousand years. If a person who has attained the Dao brings gold and treasure and, with utmost sincerity, follows the established rules, the scripture may be bestowed upon them only after they have sworn an oath of allegiance before the Jade Pure One.

The Dao Lord said: When the Qi of the Five Phases runs in reverse and falls into disorder, excess and usurpation arise. When Yin-Yang loses harmony and becomes chaotic, strange and uncanny events appear. Disasters follow the seasonal divisions and the movement of cosmic forces; injury, punishment, and calamity then take hold. When such disasters occur, all who cultivate the Dao should fast sincerely, purifying body and mind and keeping the precepts in reverence for the gods and the Dao. They should burn incense at each of the six daily periods and recite the scriptures ten times over. The blessings and Virtue gained through this practice will descend and dispel every kind of ill omen. This immeasurable scripture can universally save countless beings.

The Dao Lord said: When the Qi of the Five Phases declines and is cut off, human life comes to an end. When the fortunes of the Three Origins—the Daoist Three Origins of Heaven, Earth, and Water, which also refer to their corresponding cosmic forces—are unfavorable, primordial Qi wanes. Those whose cultivation of the Dao is still shallow and whose rank among the immortals is not yet complete will, if their allotted years have run out, pass through the Great Yin, a realm associated in Daoist contexts with the underworld and death. During this period, fellow cultivators should burn incense and recite the scripture ten times for them, then follow the ritual procedure to deliver their corpse, so that their soul and spirit may ascend directly to the Southern Palace, one of the abodes of the immortals. The heavenly realm will reckon the days according to their cultivation and merit, allowing them to be reborn. If they can be reborn without losing the right path, they may become immortals.

The Dao Lord said: When the Qi of the Five Phases turns into evil spirits and monsters, the cosmic forces of Heaven and Earth decline, the stars move out of order, the sun and moon lose their light, the seasons fall into disarray, and Yin-Yang loses balance. The state too becomes unstable: wars and fires break out often, epidemics spread, and the people are killed or injured. The lives of teachers and fellow cultivators may also be threatened by calamity. In all such circumstances, one should fast, burn incense, and recite the scripture. When the ghosts of the Five Phases hear its words, they will be subdued. The cultivator should call them by name, explain the cause and reason for their mischief, then bow and make a supplication. The evil spirits will then never again dare to intrude upon the scripture’s hidden, wondrous Daoist teachings. When this is joined with authentic Fulu (talismans used in Daoist ritual), no calamity cannot be warded off and dispelled.

The merit of fasting and reciting scripture is immense. Above, it can eliminate heavenly disasters, destroy evil spirits, and protect and secure the emperor. Below, it can ward off poison and harm and bring salvation to the people. Both the living and the dead can receive its blessings. This grace cannot be measured, and so it is called “universal salvation of Heaven and humanity, without limit.”

The Dao Lord said: Whoever possesses this scripture and can cultivate these merits for Heaven and Earth, the ruler, and the people, need only resolve to fast, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times when calamity strikes. All the heavens will record their name, and the myriad gods will guard them. The scripture also says that such a person may gradually become a Perfected One and ultimately serve as a minister to the Sage Lord of the Golden Palace, a heavenly palace. The heavens record people’s good and bad deeds, omitting nothing, however slight. The True Kings of Heaven will also recommend you. Only those who attain the Dao will truly understand these highest principles.

Among the heavens, the hidden true incantations of Great Brahma contain immeasurable sounds. This chapter was composed by the Dao Lord.

The Central Section of the Scripture of Numinous Writs of the Primordial Beginning

The Eight Heavens of the East:

Cheng Yu Li Qiong, Lü Jiao Ming Wai, Qi Luo Qu Dan, Miao Ying Chu Jin, Yun Fei Yao Hong, Li Yi Jin Hui.

The names listed under “The Eight Heavens of the East” are sacred Daoist esoteric words. The characters should not be interpreted according to their ordinary Chinese meanings.

This passage mainly lists the celestial esoteric words corresponding to “the Eight Heavens of the South, the Eight Heavens of the West, and the Eight Heavens of the North.” The scripture calls these phrases the “Great Brahmā Hidden Words,” meaning the mysterious language used in the high heavens. They are not ordinary sentences and cannot be understood word by word according to everyday meanings.

The scripture then says that the countless sounds of these celestial realms were originally inscribed in ancient characters on Qiao City, above the Eastern Terrace of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji). Qiao City is where the Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) flows in and out and converges. To calibrate the divisions and express how the scripture changes with the times, brings forth the myriad things, and accords with seasonal cycles, the characters were written very large, each one a zhang in length. The Celestial Perfected Emperor (Tianzhen Huangren), a sacred figure in Daoist legend, once wrote these characters to establish the correct sounds.

The original text ends at “one who knows,” and the sentence remains incomplete.

This sound of the scripture—the sound produced when the text is chanted—purifies body and mind. When someone chants it, the celestial officials assigned to that day, dispatched by the heavens, fly down to observe their practice, record their merits, and report them to the myriad gods of the heavens. The earth deities come to pay homage and stand guard at the doors. The Great Merit True King recommends this person, enabling them to perfect the Way of the Five Phases and the celestial times, and ultimately to travel through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

This sound of the scripture can dispel, avert, and deliver from every affliction, and can bring every undertaking to completion. It is the natural sound of the celestial immortals. Chanting it summons the celestial officials to observe, causes the Supreme Lord to sing in distant response, and draws the myriad gods to pay homage, while the spirits of the Three Realms attend the celestial carriage. Demons bow their heads, and ghosts and specters vanish of their own accord. The scripture’s sound rings out like the jade chimes of a precious palace. The ten directions grow solemn and still: rivers and seas grow calm, mountains swallow clouds and breathe out mist, all spirits are awed into submission, and the immortals gather. No foul energy clouds the heavens; no demonic dust or impurity pollutes the earth. The underworld and the realm of wisdom alike are clear and penetrating, vast and wondrous.

Talisman for Slaying Evil Spirits in the Wood Palace

Talisman for Slaying Evil Spirits in the Fire Palace

Talisman for Slaying Evil Spirits in the Earth Palace

Talisman for Slaying Evil Spirits in the Metal Palace

Talisman for Slaying Evil Spirits in the Water Palace

Chapter on Beheading and Capturing Inauspicious Beings

The Daoist scripture says: Long ago, in the Heaven of Primordial Blue, Ziyang Fanyin sang of the Great Blissful Land and transmitted the Primordial Celestial Worthy’s Wondrous Teaching on Delivering People and Beheading and Mutilating the Inauspicious—a wondrous method for delivering beings and eliminating ill omens. When the Primordial Celestial Worthy preached this scripture, he recited it ten times while facing the four directions, summoning the spirits of the ten directions. Then the true gods of the heavens, the highest and most venerable sages, the perfected beings of wondrous practice, the spirit might kings, the Black Heaven Jade Capital generals, the mighty troops who behead evil and cut away poison, the giant demon-subduing and soul-destroying officials, and countless other gods all came flying through the air.

Precious clouds joined the sky, and luminous rosy clouds spread over the sea. Jade chariots and wheels descended, casting pearl-like shadows; flying flowers and wondrous light overlapped in layer upon layer, their brilliance illuminating the azure sky. For three days and three nights, the palaces of the heavens, mountains, rivers, and valleys appeared together in nine colors. The sun, moon, and stars each settled into their proper radiance; the Five Dipper Stars ceased their turning, bright light flowed through the four directions, and sacred vapors became clear and pure. The lands, cities, and people of the whole realm reflected one another: myriad bodies returned to a single body, while one form universally encompassed myriad forms. Form and emptiness appeared together; spirit and Qi joined, communicating through the hidden realm. Near and far became equal, and all distinction between high and low disappeared. The land grew soft, moist, and emerald green, clear and transparent, while the assembled perfected immortals stood in attendance before the seat.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), the supreme deity revered in Daoism, sat upon a Heavenly Treasure throne, encircled by the paired lights and shadows of the sun and moon and guarded by coiling divine dragons. He began to proclaim the scripture.

When he proclaimed it for the first time, the great sages of all the heavens praised it together. At that moment, the men and women throughout the kingdom were pure in body and mind and lived in harmony, while marvelous fragrances drifted all around them.

When he proclaimed it for the second time, the celestial realm grew vast and majestic, and splendid scenes unfolded above the Nine Heavens.

When he proclaimed it for the third time, sweet dew congealed into pearls, and beaded nets hung among the jeweled trees.

When he proclaimed it for the fourth time, celestial sounds gathered into music. Clear, ringing notes, like jade and gold, flowed and echoed, and sacred sounds praising the mysterious Great Dao arose of themselves.

When he proclaimed it for the fifth time, the waters shone clear and bright, and auspicious signs appeared across the seas and mountains.

When he proclaimed it for the sixth time, flying immortals scattered flowers through the sky, and brocade-like colors spread in every direction.

When he proclaimed it for the seventh time, numinous power descended upon the world and swept away demonic influences.

When he proclaimed it for the eighth time, the Three Realms—the worlds inhabited by beings of the heavens, the human realm, and the underworld—received blessings, and the human world became peaceful.

When he proclaimed it for the ninth time, the Six Qi returned to their proper course, and the Three Calamities were dispelled.

When he proclaimed it for the tenth time, the celestial perfected ones descended to relieve the people, proclaim the righteous teachings, and guide the world toward salvation. At that moment, all the men and women throughout the kingdom wholeheartedly believed and submitted. They received protection and salvation, and attained long life.

The scripture says that each time the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning proclaimed it, a host of spirits from one direction came through the air.

At the first proclamation, the boundless and immeasurable Great Spirit of Numinosity arrived with his retinue from the east. At the second, the boundless and immeasurable Great Spirit Who Slays Demons arrived with his retinue from the south. At the third, the boundless and immeasurable Great Spirit Who Slays Ghosts arrived with his retinue from the west. At the fourth, the boundless and immeasurable Great Spirit Who Slays Essence Spirits arrived with his retinue from the north. At the fifth, the boundless and immeasurable Great Spirit Who Presides over Prisons arrived with his retinue from the northeast. At the sixth, the boundless and immeasurable Great Spirit Who Slays Evil arrived with his retinue from the southeast. At the seventh, the boundless and immeasurable Great Spirit Who Sends Fulu (talismans and registers) arrived with his retinue from the southwest. At the eighth, the boundless and immeasurable Great Spirit Who Spits Poison arrived with his retinue from the northwest. At the ninth, the boundless and immeasurable Nine-Headed Great Spirit arrived with his retinue from above. At the tenth, the boundless and immeasurable Great Spirit of Slaughter and Punishment arrived with his retinue from below.

When the scripture had been proclaimed ten times, the spirits from all ten directions had gathered.

The Great Spirit of Boundless Power (a divine being with inexhaustible might) came together with the others to a kingdom. The men and women there sincerely turned toward and revered them. Those who came gathered like clouds and mist, filling the whole country. The people hoped for peace in the kingdom, the cutting down of every evil force, the sweeping away of all ill omens, and tranquility throughout the land. The crowds pressed together, gazing up at the divine beings, and could scarcely be restrained.

At that moment, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning revealed a golden radiance between his brows. The light circled and transformed, and within it appeared palaces in the ten directions, their gates thrown open and their halls and towers rising high. Light and Qi blended together, and the palaces slowly hovered five zhang above the ground. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning led the Great Divine Beings of Heavenly Truth, the High Sages and Venerable Ones, the Perfected of Wondrous Practice, the Great Spirits of Boundless Power from the ten directions, and countless beings into the palaces brought forth by transformation.

The heavenly beings looked up and saw everyone entering one after another through the golden light of the transformed palaces. Once inside, they could no longer be seen. The crowds in the kingdom then dispersed, and the divine palaces flowed away and vanished, their radiance turning like a revolving rainbow. Within the palaces, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning finished expounding the scripture. The assembled Perfected oversaw the work of guiding and saving beings, and transmitted the scripture and its teachings to me.

The joy of that moment was beyond words, and the rites were nearly complete. The divine beings of the heavens each returned to their proper place. In an instant, all around was silent, without a sound. The heavenly beings were fortunate to encounter the scripture and its teachings, and were saved far and wide. The distinction between the deviant and the righteous was made clear; demonic forces, evil spirits, and monsters were cut down, and every ill omen swept away. The people of the whole country turned toward and revered the teaching, and everyone’s heart inclined toward goodness. They corrected their wisdom, their paths, their spirits, thoughts, reflections, intentions, strengths, bearing, conduct, and rites. Their speech was clear and upright, their conversation gentle and harmonious, and they were of one mind, treating one another with compassion; even those of different surnames were as close as family. The kingdom was at peace and the people prosperous, and all gladly enjoyed a time of peace. The orthodox teaching spread widely, malign spirits were subdued, and the Dao’s mysteries and the highest truth were made clear throughout the land. The people cherished the precious righteous Dao within their hearts, honored the religious tradition, and performed their rites with reverence; in the end, all attained deliverance from the world.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning says: The words that appear in this scripture are the true names and hidden sounds of the lords of the heavens. They are also the secret names of the numinous kings of might from the Ten Directions—names that spirits do not readily disclose—and hidden names used to cut down misfortune. They are not the everyday words of the human world. Only the highest sages, having perfected themselves as realized beings and explored the mysteries and penetrated the subtle, can fully understand its structure. When this scripture is recited ten times, the heavens command the numinous officials, the Eight Mighty Divine Generals, the Demon Marshal Who Holds the Inscribed Tablets, and other divine officers to assemble in their proper order and according to its structure. They answer the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning’s command and release radiance, causing evil essences to fall silent and vanish, and ghosts and apparitions to lose their form. The right way then opens in the heart; true light guards the soul, and Yang Qi enacts the highest De, enabling a person to be reborn after death.

When someone who has made progress in cultivation recites this scripture ten times, their name is entered in the registers of the Nine Heavens. The Five Emperors grant them a carriage, and the Three Officials of the Three Origins—Upper, Middle, and Lower—provide them with troops and generals. The registers of evil ghosts are erased, calamities disperse, and the merits of the living grow and become complete. Evil Qi is also shut out and blocked. The Red Writ, a sacred document from heaven, descends into the courtyard, and blessings spread of their own accord; calamities no longer occur. This is possible because the cultivator’s sincerity reaches upward to Jade Clarity, the celestial realm where the honored Daoist deities dwell, and is witnessed by the high heavens.

Feathered standards form ranks like a military camp. The spirits, summoned by command, assemble and subdue the mighty spirits of the Ten Directions, their power extending throughout the Six Heavens. The Great Dao is revered by the Supreme Ultimate, and all numinous beings come to honor it. The scripture’s promised effects are indeed striking: if one steadfastly upholds Yellow Tranquility, the state of peace described in Daoism, the earth spirits will respectfully submit, demonic spirits will be brought under control, illness and disaster will be driven away, and one’s life will be prolonged.

Carelessly reciting this chapter diminishes the primordial vitality of the womb, unsettles the spirit and soul, and damages the Seven Po. If one instead cultivates diligently and offers reverence and devotion, one’s household will flourish, heaven will send down tokens of blessing, and good fortune and prosperity will gather together. The Great Marshal wields an axe to cut down misfortune; De is passed from one generation to the next; descendants thrive and prosper; blessings and celebrations follow one another; and countless disasters are subdued and fade away. This scripture is noble and mysterious, unrivaled in Jade Capital, the Daoist celestial realm. Its purpose is to save beings without limit, and it is the foundation of the Great Dao’s teachings. Its upright Qi stands majestic, and Heavenly De can naturally overcome evil.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning further says: Whenever this scripture is recited ten times, all the heavens descend together. The divine commanders, the heavens of the Five Dipper stars, the giant celestial cavalry who behead and sever, the armored soldiers, the mighty southern giant troops, the Great Marshals of the Five Heavens, and the other divine generals will lead the numinous powers of the Ten Directions and the Great Spirit of River Kui. Bearing talismans of command and battle axes, they will immediately rush to the place where the scripture is being recited. There they will hunt down the nine kinds of foul and evil beings, all manner of apparitions hiding in dark marshes, deep rivers, and ancient abandoned shrines, and every soul, ghost, and monster attached to them.

Those who are born from secret unions between wood and stone are falsely accused and drawn into lawsuits; the Three Officials—the Celestial Official, Earth Official, and Water Official of Daoism—keep watch over such matters. During prayers and sacrifices, the Four-Eyed Spirit cries out loudly, the divine tiger beats its wings, and venomous beasts bare their fangs. They breathe and hurl fire, summon lightning, and behead and cut off ears. Thus should every inauspicious sign in the world be swept away and eradicated.

Those who practice the highest Daoist arts and recite this scripture will have the Great Spirit of the Green Chamber ring a bell to dispel filth, while the General of the Purple Gate draws his sword to ward off demons. The Jade Maidens strike jade instruments in the Nine Chambers, and the Yellow Elder proclaims his message in a ringing voice from the Heaven of the Three Primordials. When people in the world receive and recite this scripture, they can prolong their lives. In remote dwellings beneath the Yellow Court, at the ends of the white clouds, and in the Spring-Bend Cold Pool, the myriad ghosts will all lie low and withdraw. The Kidney Sea—the Daoist Neidan term for the realm of essence and Qi within the body associated with the kidneys—will be calm and still, and water demons will hide their tracks and flee far away. The Upper Palace praises good deeds, and the Three Administrations rejoice; the Mysterious Empress and the others will also attain the way of corpse liberation, in which a practitioner’s remains are transformed and the spirit ascends. Demons cannot summon them, and the Earthly Bureau cannot seize and register them. Shen and Qi gather within the body, naturally forming the Dharma Body; once demonic essence has been refined, it can fly up into the vast heavens.

This scripture is subtle and unfathomable, and can save beings everywhere without limit. All beings in heaven and on earth receive its blessings. The misfortunes brought by the Five Demons of Heaven, the Five Households of the Middle Origin, and the Five Examinations of the Earthly Bureau can be ended forever, allowing people to retain the primordial auspiciousness for a long time. Amid immeasurable blessings, both the living and the dead can receive its grace. This is a scripture treasured by Heaven and not passed on to worldly people. Those truly devoted to the Dao must prepare gold and jewels, then make a sincere oath to Heaven before it may be transmitted. If they reveal it carelessly or treat the scripture and its teachings with disrespect, calamity will befall their ancestors for nine generations, condemning them to long service under the ghost officials.

The Jade Youths and Jade Maidens of the Five Emperors who attend this scripture number twenty-four each. They guard the scripture and protect the bodies of those who receive it.

The Dao says: If you fast during the first lunar month and recite this scripture, you can summon the divine troops who command the Supreme Spirit of Northern Clarity and Dark Yin, and make a report to the Upper Palace. If you fast during the seventh lunar month and recite this scripture…

The Purple Tenuity Emperor commands the five marshals of the Central Heaven and the great demons of the Three Realms. He governs the hundred gods, purges the roots of evil, and dispels the Qi of demons and malign spirits. If one observes a strict vegetarian fast for ten consecutive months and recites this scripture, one can summon the spirits of the Six Heavens’ Cavern Altars, the great soul-examining gods of the Three Officials’ bureaus, the great gods who govern the hooks and locks of the Eight Mountains, and the Dragon Lords with nine heads. They will cut away longstanding evil Qi and inauspicious things, drive off fierce ghosts and pestilential, poisonous vapors, and banish the spirits of earth and wood, as well as the ghosts and gods of the Qiang and Yi peoples, that bring harm to living beings. In this way, the borders of the realm will be peaceful and the people secure; the ruler and subjects, fathers and sons will each find stability; and the state will endure, firmly established through the generations. If a ruler recites this scripture regularly, he can bring peace to the lands under his authority, and the people will praise the era of peace.

Reciting this scripture on one of the Eight Seasonal Nodes—the eight important seasonal dates in Daoist tradition—can summon the mighty smoke and fire of the Eight Heavens’ Cavern of Incense, the Eight Spirits of Taiyi, and the numinous lords of the Eight Killings. They ride the winds and clouds, inspect the Nine Palaces, the Solitary and Empty positions, and the directions and arts of the Qimen system, and cut away inauspicious things so they can no longer disrupt the proper order.

Reciting this scripture on one’s natal day—a recurring day determined by the animal sign of one’s birth year—can summon three perfected beings and raise them into the Mudball (a Neidan term for an important region within the head) amid the purple vapor of the Northern Dipper. The Supreme Perfected of the Central Yellow exhales blue numinous Qi from the mouth, protecting the person reciting the scripture and their companions. The Three Corpses—impure influences believed to dwell within the body and obstruct cultivation—disperse. Calamities, illness, and epidemics burn away like withered wood; dark, congealed entities and white malign spirits are cut down. The Three Emperors record one’s merits, the Seven Perfected manifest their divine power, and divine youths lead the way. The cultivator’s body shines with light; spirits of the Three Realms stand guard, the Five Emperors send divine messengers to welcome them, and the myriad gods come to pay homage. When their merit is complete, they can ascend to Shangqing, the pure and exalted realm.

The Daoist teaching says: On any day when a Daoist ritual is performed, first bathe with fragrant water and observe the fast. Then enter the room, face east, and click the teeth thirty-two times to send one’s intention up to the Thirty-Two Heavens. Next, bow thirty-two times to the heart of the Thirty-Two Heavens. Close the eyes and quietly envision oneself seated within blue, yellow, and white clouds, surrounded inside and out by a deep, boundless darkness. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, together with lions and white cranes, stand in formation on either side. The attendant divine officials and soldiers of the Three Heavens, the ghost-slaying envoys, and the Heaven-riding forces that cut down evil stand solemnly arrayed, keeping close guard. The sun and moon shine, illuminating the room; an image appears above the brow, its radiance reaching in all ten directions. When this vision is clear and distinct, silently recite the incantation:

“Supreme Mysterious Origin, Lord of the Dao, summon the Three-Five Meritorious Officials within my body, along with the officials and envoys to my left and right, and the incense attendants…”

The Jade Youth conveys the message to the Jade Maiden, the Five Emperors’ Divine Envoys, and the incense officials on duty. There are thirty-two Jade Youths, thirty-two Jade Maidens, thirty-two Divine Envoys of the Five Emperors, and thirty-two incense officials assigned to each day. Together they report: Today is an auspicious and joyful day. The cultivator has observed a long fast in a pure hall and recited and practiced the Wuliang Duren Shangpin Miaojing (“Wondrous Scripture of the Highest Rank for Delivering the Unbounded”). May the prayers and petitions be conveyed upward and presented directly before the throne of the Most High Primordial Lord, revered above the thirty-two heavens.

(After completing the prostrations.)

Then regulate the breath and circulate Qi thirty-two times, facing east as you recite the scripture.

“Incense officials assigned to each day” refers to divine functionaries who take turns transmitting petitions. “Regulate the breath and circulate Qi” means adjusting the breath and guiding Qi according to ritual practice.