《靈寶無量度人上品妙經》Vol. 59

On Transforming the Corpse and Receiving a New Form

The Dao speaks: Long ago, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning appeared in empty space within the Heaven of Luminous Caverns and chanted the Wondrous Scripture of the Great Mystery: Nurturing Earth, Receiving Primordial Beginning’s Deliverance, and Transforming the Corpse to Receive a New Form, Supreme and Boundless. The Celestial Worthy expounded this scripture, reciting it ten times in an unbroken cycle to summon the gods of the ten directions. Only after all the gods had gathered did he proceed to the ritual seat.

The great divine beings of heavenly truth, the supreme sages and exalted worthies, the perfected ones who cultivated the wondrous method of transforming the corpse and receiving a new form, and countless other immortals came riding through the air. Their vast, noble Qi parted the clouds as they arrived amid the radiance of the sky. Purple carriages, yellow canopies, crimson clouds, jade wheels, and the light of dawn shone together. The ornate canopies hanging from the carriages gave off cinnabar-colored brilliance. Strange and wondrous lights surged up in thick profusion, illuminating the vast heavens.

For three days and three nights, the stars of the heavens, the sun’s beaded radiance, and the moon all ceased their courses. A gentle breeze scattered the mists, and colored clouds spread across the sky. No drifting clouds obscured the heavens, and the Qi of the four directions was clear and bright. The ground, mountains, rivers, and forests throughout the entire realm became level and even, with no longer any difference in height. The earth turned a soft jade green, crossed with patterns like those of precious stone, and no other colors remained.

The perfected ones stood in attendance beside the ritual seat, one after another. Seated upright on a jade dais amid the Brahmā-light of the Nine Qi, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning proclaimed the scripture in empty space. Each time he completed a recitation, the great sages of the heavens all praised it in unison.

At that moment, the corpse impurities and baleful Qi in the bodies of all the men and women throughout the realm were cleansed away, and their forms changed with them, becoming immortal. At the second recitation, clouds and floral radiance encircled the empty sky, and their golden bodies shone brightly like the sun. At the third, fresh flowers condensed into immortal dew, and the centers of ten thousand blossoms gleamed like pearls. At the fourth, divine Qi came into being, the bones were refined, the corpse transformed, and the body restored in full. At the fifth, what had been knotted and blocked was greatly opened, and divine Qi gathered together. At the sixth, their names were entered in the Highest Clarity, a high realm of the Daoist heavens, and numinous fluid poured through their entire bodies. At the seventh, their wondrous bearing sprang forth in a blaze of light, illuminating the Mudball, the Daoist term for the seat of divine Qi in the head. At the eighth, heavenly horses galloped on the wind, enabling the corpses to cast off their old forms and change their former substance. At the ninth, the Three Officials, the deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, issued their commands, allowing the Yin corpses to break free. At the tenth, divine radiance settled and stood guard, and the sea of life-giving Qi became clear and pure.

At that moment, all the men and women throughout the realm wholeheartedly believed and accepted the teaching. All received protection and deliverance, and attained long life.

The Dao speaks: At this time, when the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning gave the first recitation, the Great God of Quiescent Dao, Limitless and Boundless, of the Eastern Region, together with countless other gods, came riding through the air. At the second recitation, the Great God of Divine Power, Limitless and Boundless, of the Southern Region, together with countless other gods, came riding through the air. At the third recitation, the Great God Who Gathers Essence, Limitless and Boundless, of the Western Region, together with countless other gods… (The source text ends here unfinished.)

(The scripture continues from the preceding passage.) The gods of every direction rose into the sky in succession to hear the scripture. At the fourth recitation, the Great God of Dark Movement, together with his countless attendants and the immeasurable ranks of beings under his command, came from the boundless heaven of the north. At the fifth, the Great God of Corpse Demons and his attendants came from the boundless heaven of the northeast. At the sixth, the Great God of Numinous Forms and his attendants came from the boundless heaven of the southeast. At the seventh, the Great God of Embryonic Spirits and his attendants came from the boundless heaven of the southwest. At the eighth, the Great God of Mechanism and Function and his attendants came from the boundless heaven of the northwest. At the ninth, the Great God of Transforming Corpses and his attendants came from the boundless heaven above. At the tenth, the Great God of Receiving Form and his attendants came from the boundless heaven below.

When the scripture had been recited ten times, the great Celestial Perfected and gods of the boundless heavens in all ten directions arrived together. The men and women throughout the kingdom looked on with sincere reverence. They understood the Great Dao and were deeply attuned to its wondrous source. They all said that although they had been granted life, and although lifespans varied and could extend to millions of years, in the end every life had its appointed limit.

Thereupon, the Mighty Spirit of the Mysterious Ultimate displayed vast supernatural power, enabling everyone to concentrate and gain clear understanding, and to investigate the roots of life. What are people like before they are born? In the expanse of space, by what cause does awareness suddenly arise, allowing them to see and hear? The changes of the Five Phases and of cold and heat can all be understood. When people die, Qi disperses and Shen departs, leaving only a decaying corpse. How, then, does the wisdom of the divine spirits of the Primordial Beginning nourish all beings, cause their most numinous nature to respond, make the decaying corpse vanish, and bring them to life again in a new form? To ascend and become a Perfected One must involve subtle principles; these should be explained to everyone.

The Celestial People and other beings gathered there were beyond counting. Supporting the old and leading the young, the worthy and foolish, ordinary people and sages alike, all hoped to listen with undivided attention. Though beings in the celestial realms were less tainted by desire, they had still not attained tranquil emptiness and clear illumination in the wondrous principles of the Great Dao. So they all came to receive this sublime teaching, gathering like clouds and mist. The arrivals were as endless as fine rain and dense fog, filling the entire kingdom, as if their weight were pressing the land down into a collapse; their advance could not be stopped. Then the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning universally …

Auspicious light streamed from the thoughts of the assembly above their heads. It shone in nine colors, illuminating the boundless lands in all ten directions. The Thirty-Two Heavens and their thirty-two Heavenly Emperors appeared bright and distinct within the light. Throughout it were revealed the delusions and habitual ignorance of living beings across countless kalpas: these passed from one to another, becoming in turn the seeds of life, repeatedly arising and perishing. Because living beings did not see the truth of the Great Dao, they accumulated immeasurable karmic consequences, retributions, grudges, and debts. All of this was perfectly clear, as though it lay right before their eyes.

Yuanshi, the Daoist deity Yuanshi Tianzun, gazed down at the assembly and spoke: “The Dao of Jade Clarity is wondrous beyond words. It can turn the light back from the divine Qi of the myriad heavens, causing corpse forms to vanish. It refines the body until it becomes Qi; it embraces the Original Spirit and contains emptiness, appearing and disappearing at will, entering and leaving without hindrance.”

Looking back at the world, he saw that it was as small as a drop of water. He then gathered in the realms revealed by the auspicious light and condensed them into a precious pearl, as large as a millet grain, suspended in the empty expanse seven zhang above the ground. Yuanshi led the Heavenly Perfected, the great gods, the highest sages and exalted worthies, as well as the wondrous practitioners who had transformed corpse forms and received bodies, the mysterious silent numinous immortals, and countless other beings, all into the pearl. Those in heaven looked up and saw them entering one after another through its opening. Once inside, no one knew where they had gone. The lands at once became empty and level, and the earth returned to its even state, no longer tilting or collapsing.

Within the pearl, Yuanshi finished expounding the scripture. The assembled Perfected jointly watched over and delivered the beings, then transmitted the scripture and its teaching to me. The joy and celebration of that moment defy description. When the ritual was largely complete, the heavens each returned to their proper place, and in an instant all around fell silent.

At that time, the heavenly beings and living creatures were fortunate to encounter this scripture and teaching. All received deliverance and were spared, keeping their allotted lifespans without suffering untimely harm. The entire realm turned its heart toward the teaching and revered it. They cast off their corpse forms and regained the forms of life. They were neither benighted nor boastful; they neither waged war nor harmed others. They were neither defiled nor disruptive, and neither alarmed nor guarded against one another. Living beings shed their corpse-like substance, accepted deliverance, and regained the forms of life. They loved one another equally and compassionately, becoming family even across different surnames. The state was peaceful, the people prosperous, and all gladly enjoyed an age of peace.

The first chapter, “The Scripture’s First Appearance and Teaching,” says: “In a country, all who beforehand hold sincere hearts and revere and honor the Great Dao can attain deliverance and transcendence.”

Everything said in the scripture consists of hidden names and resonant sounds conveyed by the Lords of Heaven through corpse-forms. They are also the secret names held within the True Kings when they receive bodily form, and the concealed names of the myriad spirits. None of this is ordinary worldly speech. The highest sages and perfected beings who have attained the Dao understand its profound principles and investigate its hidden depths. They can dispel impurity, cleanse decay, shed their old forms, and take on wondrous spiritual bodies; thus they are able to comprehend every passage in full.

When this scripture is recited ten times, the heavens respond from afar, transforming the old into the new. The myriad Emperors also give their approval, enabling the human form to receive True Qi. The waves of the Nine Seas grow calm, the Five Sacred Peaks release clouds, and the radiance of the sun and moon shines together in shifting splendor. Yin and Yang Qi are thereby harmonized and transformed. Ordinary people can thus become immortals, the multitudes of demons are restrained, and ghosts and spirits disperse. Those who have already taken corpse-form can be born again, and white bones can regain human form.

Those who study and cultivate the Dao, by reciting the scripture ten times, can restore vitality to the Five Viscera. The Three Corpses—the spirits said in Daoism to dwell within the body and hinder cultivation—flee; demonic essences lose their power; and ghosts, monsters, and calamities are destroyed. In this way, people are saved.

Even those at the point of death, when their breath has stopped, can be brought back to life through it. Yet the foul Qi within a cultivator has not been fully purged, and the body has not yet fully penetrated the True Dao. Their own power to subdue corpse Qi is not strong enough to command affairs in the celestial realm. Their De may suppress and direct earth spirits and demonic forces, but they can only postpone death for a time; they cannot yet descend into the realm of the True. To recite this scripture carelessly would instead bring calamity.

Those who make offerings to this scripture, honor it, and bow before it will bring prosperity to their household and flourishing across generations. They can also form wholesome ties, avoid every kind of disaster, and receive divine protection for their home. This scripture is supremely precious and profound, without equal in the Jade Capital, the celestial city of Daoist immortals. It can save beings far and wide and is the foundation of the myriad paths. Its vast model and merit are beyond telling.

The scripture further says that when it is recited ten times, all the heavens descend together. Among one’s ancestors through the generations, those who have sunk into the netherworld and are suffering can at once shed their corpse-forms, be born again, and ascend to the Vermilion Palace. There they undergo nine years of instruction, receive new life, become persons of high rank, and delight in studying the scriptures. When their merit is complete and their De perfected, they can all become immortals, ascend to the Golden Towers, and feast and wander in the Jade Capital.

Those of higher attainment who practice and recite this scripture can immediately be delivered from suffering, refine their bodies, remove corpse impurity, and ascend to the Southern Palace. People in the world who receive and recite it can also prolong their lives. In time, they can attain the Dao of “corpse liberation,” a Daoist practice in which one sheds the physical body and lets the soul-spirit depart and ascend. At that moment, the soul-spirit briefly leaves the body, bypasses the underworld, and manifests again to roam through the vastness of space.

This scripture is subtle and profound, and can save beings without limit. All sentient beings in heaven and on earth can receive boundless blessings from it; the living and the dead alike can benefit. It is a scripture treasured by Heaven and must not be passed on indiscriminately to people of later generations. Those truly accomplished in cultivation should prepare gifts of gold and precious objects, then transmit it only after sincerely swearing an oath to Heaven. If they reveal it carelessly or treat the scripture with disrespect, calamity will ensnare their ancestors for nine generations, condemning them to serve the ghost officials for a long time. Guarding this scripture are twenty-four Jade Youths and twenty-four Jade Maidens of the Five Emperors. They patrol and protect the divine text and safeguard those who receive and uphold it.

The scripture says that if you maintain a strict vegetarian fast and recite this scripture throughout the first lunar month, the Great Pure One’s Transmitter of the Numinous, Purple Emperor Lord will deliver the souls of your deceased ancestors from previous lives. He will free them from service in the underworld and the suffering of their corpse bodies, dissolve their former forms, grant them rebirth, and guide them to ascend into the Southern Palace.

If you maintain a strict vegetarian fast and recite this scripture throughout the seventh lunar month, the Three Perfected Ones of the Highest Clarity, the Imperial Lords of Taiwei, will deliver the souls that have taken form through corpse transformation. The practitioner will attain immortal status, and their name will be entered in the Purple Register and Golden Tablets—the rolls of the immortal realm—and removed from the register of the dead to be transferred to the register of the living.

If you maintain a strict vegetarian fast and recite this scripture throughout the tenth lunar month, the Jade Clarity Lord of Divine Simplicity and Flying Mystery will deliver the souls that have taken form through corpse transformation and enable them to become flying immortals. The practitioner, too, may become a flying immortal, a king, or an imperial ruler. Rulers and ministers, fathers and sons will each find stability; the country’s destiny will be secure and enduring, continuing through the generations. A ruler who practices this will often bring peace to the realm, and the people will praise its lasting peace.

On the Eight Festival days, the important seasonal observances of the year, reciting this scripture will cause the Imperial Lord of the Nine Heavens, who transforms corpses and grants them form, to liberate and deliver the immortal perfected beings, bringing them down into the courtyard. The practitioner will attain the status of a Perfected One of the Nine Palaces.

On one’s natal day, the day of one’s birth, reciting this scripture will cause the True King of the Nine Heavens to arrive from the vast emptiness in a flying carriage. He will deliver those transformed through corpse dissolution and cleanse their souls and spirits, granting them rebirth. The practitioner may then receive elixirs offered by the hundred spirits in the realm of Great Mystery. Their life will be clarified and set in order, their primordial Qi will remain vigorous for a long time, and they will suffer no more distress. Light will shine from their body; attendants of the Three Realms will protect them; the Five Emperors will come to welcome them, and the myriad spirits will pay homage. When their merit is complete, their name will be entered in the celestial register, and they will ascend to Highest Clarity.

The scripture also says that on days when Daoist rites are performed, one should bathe in fragrant water and observe the fast before entering a quiet chamber. Facing east, click the teeth thirty-two times to communicate upward to the thirty-two heavens, then bow thirty-two times. Next, close the eyes and meditate, imagining oneself seated amid blue, purple, and white clouds, with dense, shadowy clouds all around. Azure Dragons, White Tigers, Vermilion Birds, Black Tortoises, lions, and white cranes stand in rows on either side. The sun and moon illuminate the chamber; a circular radiance appears above the head, its light shining in all ten directions, and the vision is clear and distinct.

Then silently recite the secret invocation:

“Supreme Mysterious Origin, Most High Lord of the Dao, summon forth the Three-Five Merit Officers within my body, the officials and messengers on my left and right, the Jade Youths who attend to incense, the Jade Maidens who convey messages, the Five Emperors’ tally-bearers, and the incense officials on duty today—thirty-two of each—to report my words: Today is auspicious. In this pure, fasting chamber I practice and recite this most supreme scripture. May what I pray for ascend to the heavenly court and reach directly before the exalted throne of the Primordial Lord, Supreme Sovereign of the thirty-two heavens above.”

After reciting this, guide the breath thirty-two times, face east, and recite the scripture:

The Wondrous Scripture of Supreme Purity for Delivering People, the Supreme Scripture of the Primordial Beginning and Boundless Salvation

This chapter from the Scripture of Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery, revered by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, describes the wondrous transformation called “the corpse becoming alive and receiving a form”—the change from an insentient corpse into a body with form. The scripture sets out its teaching in subtle, veiled verses, whose words shift and combine, unfolding naturally.

Primordial Qi—the original vital energy that forms heaven, earth, and all things—rises from the crimson heights and is refined by fire until it becomes true. At the beginning of the primordial age, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning caused corpses to come alive and receive forms. When Shen leaves the body, the body is called a “corpse”: it has no awareness and can neither hear nor see. When Shen inhabits the body, it is called a “form”: it can move, rise, bend, and stretch. These are all transformations of the Dao, subtle principles revered by the Highest One. Thus, all things can come alive from corpses and receive forms.

When the form moves and the corpse lies still, the movements of Shen reach balance; the corpse then transforms into a form, and Jing and Qi arise of themselves. They share the same source as heaven and earth. From them, heaven and earth unfold and form the Three Luminaries—the sun, moon, and stars. This is the “root of Heaven.” Shen has no fixed appearance and takes the Dao as its body. The spirits, vital essences, and misty Qi of the Five Phases take on visible forms in response to emotion, then use those forms to give bodies their shape. The true Qi of the five colors gathers into five kinds of pattern. As these patterns unfold, they establish the spirits everywhere. Wherever there is a pattern, nothing fails to shine, nothing fails to be bright, nothing fails to take form, nothing fails to be accomplished, nothing fails to be transformed, and nothing fails to grow.

The true talismans for summoning spirits, used in Daoist ritual practice, can restore form to white bones. The Inner Writings of the Human Sovereign, a legendary secret text on the transformation of body and spirit, says that a corpse’s form can grow again. Only by refining away the old and returning to new life can one truly attain the true. When a corpse comes alive and receives a form, that form can endure and remain firm. Its size, however, has no fixed measure, and it can even ascend to Great Clarity, the highest heavenly realm in Daoist cosmology.

This is the celestial realm within Great Brahma: Yuluo Xiaotai and the Upper Capital of Jade Mountain, the supreme Great Luo Jade Clarity. Its realm is deep and remote, seeming to exist and yet not to exist. The Three Flowers, Libi, the Great Expanse’s Wondrous Court, the golden gates, and the jade chambers are arrayed in tier upon tier, pure and vast. The Qi of Great Brahma moves throughout the ten directions.

There are spirits who govern the transformation of corpses into living forms; the Southern Pole Lord of Empty Harmony, Transformation, and Long Life; the Great God Sima, who changes substance, bestows essence, and presides over the reception of form; and Lord Han the Elder, embodiment of the Mysterious Pattern, who transforms corpses and cherishes life. There are also the Southern High Lords who Govern Fate and Keep the Registers, extend life and increase one’s allotted years, deliver people from calamity, and preside over other divine matters. Today, the gods of the heavens examine and record the countless acts of saving and delivering living beings, as the celestial deities gather in court.

The Great Sage, Long-Life Spirit King of Limitless Radiance, East, saves and delivers measureless beings.

The Great Sage, Long-Life Spirit King of Limitless Illumination, South, saves and delivers measureless beings.

The Great Sage, Long-Life Spirit King of Great Qi, West, saves and delivers measureless beings.

The Great Sage, Long-Life Spirit King of Nurturing Life, North, saves and delivers measureless beings.

The Great Sage, Long-Life Spirit King of Grateful Virtue, Northeast, saves and delivers measureless beings.

The Great Sage, Long-Life Spirit King of Celebrated Life, Southeast, saves and delivers measureless beings.

The Great Sage, Long-Life Spirit King of the Motherly Dao, Southwest, saves and delivers measureless beings.

In the northwest is the King-God of the Limitless Primordial Father, symbolizing the primordial source as a father-god. He is a Great Sage of Long Life and can deliver countless beings from suffering.

Above is the King-God of the Limitless Revivifying the Dead, who governs the revival of the deceased. He is a Great Sage of Long Life and can deliver countless beings from suffering.

Below is the King-God of the Limitless Restoring the Body, who governs the restoration of physical form. He is a Great Sage of Long Life and can deliver countless beings from suffering.

The Supreme True Gods of the Ten Directions, the King-Gods who transform the dead and restore their bodies, and the countless Great Gods who bring long life and deliver beings from the world’s suffering arrive together, riding an emerald carriage through the celestial empyrean, adorned with the luminous pearls of the Three Pure Clouds. Feather ornaments form the ceremonial escort. White beasts, blue-green phoenixes, and qilin draw the carriage, while the Banner of the Great Subtlety and Returning Yellow flies above it.

Gods such as Wuying and Mingling hold vermilion banners and loudly chant the Cavern Chapters at the front. Behind them, inner tones rise in answer to the songs ahead. Dark cranes and azure luan sing together; the Seven Perfected lead the way, and the Eight Spirits guard the rear. A thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen come from the sky. The heavenly light shines brilliantly, piercing layer upon layer of darkness.

The Immortal Ministers of Fangzhu, the Lord of Life and True Ruler of the Southern Water’s Left Palace, the Sun’s Fire Officials, and others arrive together before the Heavenly Emperor, carrying registers and records. They assess and examine each person’s deeds, promoting those who qualify. An official talismanic command informs the Northern Emperor, the gods of Great Yin, the Nine Waters’ assistants, the Lord of Numinous Dark Nourishment, the Thunder and Lightning of Yin Shadow, the Seven Primordial Spirits of Huo Luo, the Nine Reflections’ Mighty Swords, the Six-Heaven Great Demons, the Record-Keeper, the Controller of Destiny, the Examiner, the Merit Officer, the Dark Passes and Hidden Courts, the True Kings of the Springs, Bends, and River Sources: by command, deliver universally the corpses sunk in torment.

Using the Qi of Great Mystery, revive the corpses; bathe their souls in yellow water; cleanse away their impurities with flowing fire; then refine their forms with purple-fusing Qi, so that they receive numinous Qi and unite with primordial Qi. Transform them into immortals and human beings, without again undergoing the impurity of birth from a womb. Let body and mind become pure and radiant.

Through the turning of karmic conditions, all beings may attain the same lifespan as Heaven and forever escape calamities such as wind-blades, boiling and burning, and demonic trials. They can fly and wander in joyous freedom through the heavens of Highest Clarity. The Heaven of Highest Clarity is the colorless realm where the Heavenly Emperor’s Cavern of Yang is located, and where the immortals cultivate.

Eight Heavens of the East

Heaven of Auspicious Celebration and Radiant Splendor — Heavenly Emperor Yugang Qiqun

Heaven of the Floating Carriage and Balanced Measure — Heavenly Emperor Shaoyuan Zizong

Heaven of Gurgling Waters and Surging Currents — Heavenly Emperor Baoxian Yifeng

Heaven of Shaozheng and the Exclusion of Sovereigns — Heavenly Emperor Bian Wantong

Heaven of the Horn’s Purification and the Gathering of Worms — Heavenly Emperor Meicheng Fufu

Heaven of Recorded Ponds and Fragrant Rest — Heavenly Emperor Lü Fangxuanrong

Heaven of Dao’s Governance and the Mysterious Region — Heavenly Emperor Le Cisheng

Heaven of the Cavern’s Hidden Depths and Subtle Profundity — Heavenly Emperor Lu Xibowen

Eight Heavens of the South

In the east, south, west, and north, there are eight celestial realms, each presided over by a Heavenly Emperor. Listed below are the names of the realms and their corresponding emperors.

〔The eight heavens of the preceding direction〕

The Heavenly Emperor who presides over Xihua Zizhen Heaven is named Fan Zeyun; the emperor of Shanglu Chanwen Heaven is named Juepu Wanlou; the emperor of Zhuangzhi Yuemang Heaven is named She Weichitong; the emperor of Baozun Yangpeng Heaven is named Mao Tang’ao Xuan; the emperor of Huozang Zhaosha Heaven is named Jidao Siting; the emperor of Huangling Ju’yong Heaven is named Fu Ziju Sheng; the emperor of Guluo Yingxian Heaven is named Baming Dufang; and the emperor of Dujian Youming Heaven is named Gandu Qiuzheng.

〔The eight western heavens〕

The Heavenly Emperor of Zhenhundongxiang Heaven is named Bosangaoqing; the emperor of Qianbi Miaoxu Heaven is named Ziyun Zhongmei; the emperor of Liming Zhouyu Heaven is named Mianji Kanghu; the emperor of Yanzheng Yashu Heaven is named Yikan Ciniu; the emperor of Zhuogan Hehua Heaven is named Fan Min Aba; the emperor of Haohui Fengling Heaven is named Changzhao Xiantong; the emperor of Yehe Siling Heaven is named Qianshi Qudang; and the emperor of Taizi Lunzhen Heaven is named Min Yu Zhichen.

〔The eight northern heavens〕

The Heavenly Emperor of Baoju Ziyang Heaven is named Xuanfang Jiuling; the emperor of Baoying Shenbian Heaven is named Liaoxiang Yanyuan; the emperor of Duwang Shengchi Heaven is named Leizhi Daokai; the emperor of Taishi Zhenhui Heaven is named Biming Yunsui; the emperor of Chaowei Zunjing Heaven is named Along Chang; the emperor of Miaojin Xiaozhi Heaven is named Woxian Fawang; the emperor of Dianjiao Liji Heaven is named Yiyu Sunfei; and the emperor of Zhaozui Xieshi Heaven is named Shansheng Qimen.

These names of heavens and emperors are divine titles found in the scriptures, used chiefly to describe the hierarchy of the celestial realms and those who preside over them.

The Thirty-two Heavens each have thirty-two Celestial Emperors, and each likewise possesses a secret name. The numinous chapters that arise of themselves in these celestial realms, together with the hidden rhythms of the various heavens, are all sounds that shift primordial Qi (vital energy) and restore life. The exalted deities who govern rebirth and turn the corpse into a divine spirit can cause the spirit that has received form to pass through the changes of nine dispersals and ten reunions. What is described here is the profound and unfathomable boundless teaching of Shangqing: divine perfected beings send down scriptures (Jing) and universally save beings of heaven and humanity, together with the spirits.

On this day there is joyful celebration of the reception of deliverance. The one who receives it passes through the barriers of the various heavens and petitions that the three evils be removed and the roots of the corpse cut off, so as to ascend in flight and attain perfection, to be born anew, and to have the name entered in the Taixuan. The Perfected King of the Taixuan oversees inspection and recommendation, and the Gate of Heaven imposes no restraint. The Eastern Dipper governs the span of life; the Western Dipper registers the rolls of names; the Northern Dipper cancels the registers of the dead; the Southern Dipper presides over the granting of survival; and the Great Chief of the Central Dipper directs the dissolution of the corpse and the rebirth of the bodily form. The Azure Emperor calls back the hun and po souls; the White Emperor restrains the po spirits; the Red Emperor restores primordial Qi; the Black Emperor returns the blood and Qi; and the Yellow Emperor brings life back. The myriad spirits, bearing tallies and carrying out their orders, swiftly summon the Taiyi, so that the corpse rises again and life is reborn, with bodily form and spirit-consciousness both complete. They then regulate the three passes of the human body, the gateways through which Jing (essence), Qi, and Shen (spirit) circulate.

Divine wind blows into the cavities and orifices, and spring water wells up to fill Mount Kun. At a single call from the Jade Lad, the Six Ding deities display their power. The one who receives deliverance transforms amid a haze of indistinctness and ascends into the realm of the immortals.

The practitioner crosses the divine realm that walls off the ordinary world and, according to the rite, obtains registration of the name and the bestowal of registers. The scripture mentions the yellow register, the golden countenance, a tiger-shaped cap, a red ritual robe, blue-green balustrade pendants, and Fulu (talismans and registers). Gazing up toward the Nine Empyreans, one visualizes the Three-Five Dipper Guideline within the Mudball Palace. Purple clouds and vapors drift; the corpse is transformed and the bodily form refined to completion, until at last one ascends in flight. The practitioner sits established in the Great Abyss, dwelling among the nine households, and whistles to summon the hundred numina.

The Demon King of the Azure Heaven cuts off wandering corpses; the Demon King of the Red Heaven wields the golden seal and the jade chi-dragon; the Demon King of the White Heaven holds the white turtle of the Primordial Sea; the Demon King of the Black Heaven grasps mysterious radiance; and the Demon King of the Yellow Heaven has crimson curtains and the Purple Infant. In obedience to the commands of wind and the edicts of fire, they swiftly carry out the method of dissolving the corpse. The August Lord of the Heavenly Corpse presents precious chapters to the Celestial Emperor; the August Lord of the Earthly Corpse slays ghosts and subdues what lies hidden; and the August Lord of the Human Corpse severs the calamities of death. The corpse is changed into a living body, accompanied by the rosy nectar of the green sea and by eighty-four thousand splendid chambers and winding apartments. The spirits gather as one, returning life to a single, interfused primordial state. The bones bear azure frost, and the marrow is like blue-green jade and langgan; these serve to transform the corpse and to drive off demonic evils and aggrieved souls.

The Great Demons of the Five Emperors are the ancestors of the myriad spirits. When they fly, drums and music follow in their train. They take overall command of the divine troops and direct the ceremonial escort, banners, standards, drums, and beats, touring the Great Void. The escort is majestic and resplendent, and the heavens record their merits. They carry out the practice that dissolves the corpse and regenerates the bodily form, and they exercise strict control. The Upper Minister of the Celestial Pivot of Northern Feng, the Divine Duke of Jade Clarity, respectfully receives the command of the Celestial Emperor and sweeps away all that is inauspicious. Thunder, lightning, and hail shake with violent force; dragons and tigers rouse themselves; and celestial troops drive out baleful influences. The great commander, riding swift winds and black clouds, leads lightning and fire in a charge of ten thousand li.

If any malevolent spirits at the eight directions (the eight quarters) dare to offend or obstruct the true soul, they are cut down with a golden battle-axe. Giant serpents devour their vital energy, while ghosts and demons are ceaselessly cut away by wind and fire. Thousands of heads are severed, and myriad forms are cut to pieces. No monsters or demons can intrude, and no ghosts can work mischief. The celestial realm secretly issues an order to erase their names from the registers. The Three Officials, who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, and the Northern Feng, the northern underworld, inspect the ghost registers; no ghost camp may conceal them. The Golden Horse courier station carries the documents, proclaiming them to the gods throughout the endless worlds: all must obey the command and report the matter to the Three Realms and the Five Sacred Peaks, and present it to Shangqing, one of the celestial realms in Daoism.

Within the boundless cosmic cycles of the Vast Heaven, the aeons of Longhan, Yankang, and others pass through immense and measureless calamities. Above, the realm without color is established; below, the Ninefold Darkness, the deepest underworld, is opened. Wind stirs the waves, and inside and outside Heaven and Earth stretch without limit. The outer part is firm, the inner part hollow, and golden locks reach through to the utmost mystery. Between above and below there is no dark or hidden place, nor any form or shadow. It is boundless and endless, without limit or terminus.

Within it may be a great deity with tiger’s teeth and dragon’s lips, six eyes and eight horns, riding the wind and clouds. In its hand it holds the Qi of Chaos, shaped like an egg, round and three inches five tenths across, white as silver. Within it are the Three Realms, the sun and moon, Heaven and Earth, mountains, seas, and plants; the old and the young are all contained within. The living receive form, while the dead become corpses; they come and go in cycles of rebirth, and the movement of Qi is ever in motion. Corpses turn into ghosts, and ghosts turn into people: this is the Dao’s return, as autumn turns into spring. The Celestial Emperor breathes out a jade talisman, transforming the corpse and ending the state of death.

Those who receive form and are born become perfected beings, whose mystery is beyond comparison. The Vast Qi of the Great Void joins with the Northern Dipper and Southern Stars, returning to the Utmost Nonbeing. The mysterious black and white have not yet separated, and Heaven and Earth remain in a state of Chaos. The realm of the Great Brahma is vast and boundless, without light. The Qi of Red Radiance opens the celestial design; all movement and transformation arise naturally. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning settles Heaven and Earth, bestowing and unfolding the Five Scriptures. The red-script jade characters and the Eight-Power Dragon Script protect the cycles of calamity and preserve the celestial realm forever. Brahma-Qi spreads everywhere, from which the various laws unfold. The governing patterns of Heaven and Earth circulate and evolve, forming the Thirty-Two Heavens. They flow through the realm without color and encircle the ten directions. The Dipper and Winnowing Basket constellations turn in sequence, while the Qi of the Five Constant Virtues circulates in cycles. The thirty-five divisions gather into the total Qi of the Upper Origin; the Eight Hidden Radiances unite, and Qi enters the realm of mystery. The Great Emperor of the Mysterious Center, with the High Perfected and divine spirits, floats above the Great Rosy Clouds, chanting the Cavern Chapters, Daoist scriptures.

The Golden Writ (a sacred Daoist document) shines with brilliant radiance and sounds that shake all things. It drives back and destroys corpse demons, sending them fleeing, while the souls return to their proper places. Its sound enters the Cloud Palace, where the qi of stillness and emptiness gathers. From this, tones arise and give birth to spirits. Phoenixes dance, luan birds sing, jade-like notes ring out, clouds blaze with qi, and winds turn as rain falls.

The Divine One (a deity) dwells in the Palace of Li. The assembled Perfected Ones stand in ordered ranks, holding jade bi discs and wearing jade pendants, while dragons and tigers guard them on either side. Numinosity gathers into mist and cloud. The Azure Perfected Spirit protects the liver, and the qi of Purple Emptiness wells up in luxuriant splendor.

The Three Officials (of Heaven, Earth, and Water) dwell in the Jade Hall, assisting and guarding the assembled immortals. Hundreds and thousands of immortals gather in unbroken ranks, in harmony with one another, and naturally cultivate themselves into Perfected Ones. Among the Perfected Ones are spirits: the Great Lord of Long Life, Wuying, Dujie, and Baiyuan, who hold scriptures in their hands. Taiyi receives the qi of life, while the Lord of Destiny governs lifespan and presides over vows.

Taokang presides over the force of life, sustaining and nurturing life. The spirits hold talismans and registers, protecting life and securing its roots. They travel upward to Shangqing (the pure and void celestial realm revered in Daoism), entering and leaving splendid immortal palaces.

Within the eight directions of the netherworld, in the subtlest and most hidden places, spirits guard the human body. They also dwell in the Mudball Palace (the head’s spirit chamber) and the Crimson Palace (the heart’s spirit chamber), regulating the Five Qi and bringing the hundred spirits into harmony.

After ten cycles, numinous qi circles back and the myriad kinds of qi are complete; one can then become an immortal. The Way of the Immortals prizes cherishing life and carries boundless merit in saving others. It opens the eight gates and turns the flying wheel of Heaven. It sets forth prohibitions and the consequences of sin and virtue, clearly discerning the causes and conditions of past lives. It widely extends deliverance, freeing the souls of the dead, protecting the bodies of the living and restoring their vitality, and reaching up to the heavens.

Above the heavens, each realm has its own gate of life. Among them is the “Song of the Empty Cavern,” a chapter that records the wondrous Way of the True Kings, its language comparable to that of the High Perfected Ones.

First: The Sound of Desire-Realm Skyflight and Corpse Transformation

Qi gathers and takes shape, transforming through Jing and qi. The body changes by means of wind, and wind opens onto mysterious wisdom.

Creation and transformation are the root of all things. The body’s many layers of hidden depth are in truth wrought by the power of the Dao.

Born as humans, people have knowing smiles and are male or female; immortals and sages, ghosts and spirits, also come and go among them. The sea of desire is boundless, and the mind’s thoughts surge like waves, vast and remote.

Life flows wherever the mind’s intent pursues. Its underlying reasons are difficult to fathom. The qi of life is as fine as an autumn hair: it gathers into form, then changes like melting ice.

The Aides (star deities) spread the light of the Dipper and enter the signs of human beings, appearing in the pupils of their eyes. Human understanding and breadth of mind come from the Great Void. The utmost spirit unites with the Dao and grows continually as the Dao moves.

After the body dies, one becomes confused again, like a newborn infant. When one’s allotted qi is exhausted and breathing stops, only the body remains. The Seven Po souls depart with the Three Peng (spirits said to dwell within the body), and living beings revolve endlessly through the Six Paths.

The Perfected One naturally enters the mysterious realm, and the corpse ascends in broad daylight. Taiyi summons the hundred spirits, who bow toward the dark, empty void.

The Dao of wondrous mystery enables people to receive the primordial Qi of Heaven. Purple clouds circle the Nine Palaces—the nine tiers of palaces in the celestial realm—and the ancestors of seven generations may thereby ascend to the highest heavens.

Preserve yourself, and you will endure with the lasting strength of a numinous pine.

Chapter on the True King of the Second Form Realm Receiving a Body

Emptiness is stained and transforms into form; form, in turn, changes back into emptiness. Forms and appearances shift without ceasing and have no permanent state.

Emptiness does not mean absolute nothingness. Before a body becomes manifest, it is called emptiness; once a body appears, it is called form. When the body changes and its appearance fades, life ends and returns to emptiness. Yet emptiness is not something that comes from somewhere or goes somewhere.

A body cannot remain forever. When a body appears, its form and appearance appear with it; what is called emptiness has neither coming nor going.

People view emptiness through deluded understanding, and call phenomena arising from causes and conditions “form.” All of this belongs to the transformations of the Great Dao.

How could the Great Dao be explained or discerned through words and distinctions? It dwells in emptiness and takes shape as a body; it is the subtle essence within profound darkness.

Who makes it mysterious, and who receives it? When Yang Qi stirs, life comes into being. Yet emptiness is not the same as Yin-Yang, and Yin-Yang is not the same as emptiness. Mistaking emptiness for the Dao is like being trapped in a net like a captured bird.

The Dao is neither an emptiness that can be grasped nor any fixed form. It is like a dragon that transcends appearances and flies freely. Those who understand this undergo endless births and transformations.

After a body is born, it transforms into a corpse. This transformation can be said to be neither wholly united nor entirely separate. The corpse’s transformation has no fixed shape, yet an image seems to emerge indistinctly. This is not a cycle of rebirth governed by karma, but a process of generation, growth, and nurturing—the mystery of my Dao.

This numinous chapter was transmitted by the True King, who here presides over the Form Realm. It warns you all: do not transmit it to those who are unable to receive it.

Song of the Empty Cavern of the Jade Clarity King of the Third, Formless Realm

The primal Brahma Qi is without form or trace. Jade Clarity—the Daoist realm of Subtle Purity—is vast and flourishing, reaching straight down to Spirit Mound and circling back like waves rising in the sea.

After seven kalpas, the Golden Mountain still stands. Above the myriad heavens, the branches of the jade tree flourish. The sun and moon, these two sources of light, move on without ceasing through immense calamities.

A breath out gives rise to Yin Qi; a sigh brings Yang Qi. Fragrant winds blow, crimson rain drifts down, and treasure towers rise upon platforms like precious jade.

The essence flowing from the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning piles up like snow and congeals like cream. When touched by fire, it melts into liquid, which is used to cast the Jade Capital, a palace of the celestial realm.

Towering mountains and lofty cliffs are no more than the vast regions and Muddy Pellet Palace within the human body—the latter a Neidan term for the seat of spirit and Qi in the head. Within the body are stored yellow and red Qi; the waters of the Celestial River rush down to pour through it, while the Tailgate, a lower aperture through which Qi and water circulate, remains firmly closed.

Floodwaters surge in churning waves, within which the virtue of the heavenly Dao lies hidden; the backbones and joints of the myriad people are there as well.

Within the human body dwell nine true spirits. White clouds surge and billow, while divine winds blow in from the eight directions. Wuying, a spirit within the body, wears a blue headscarf and commands the breath, which transforms into thunder. Jade Maidens play reed-pipe music, and the five notes—gong, shang, jue, zhi, and yu—ring out in abundance. The seven emotions—joy, anger, worry, thought, grief, fear, and alarm—sometimes bring tears and sometimes laughter. The Dao has the nature of utmost essence, yet is without form or name.

The Dao can transform a corpse and grant those who receive deliverance a new body. The registers of immortals, which record their names, are written among the Purple Spirits. Chanting this song of emptiness allows one to ascend, through the ultimate principle, to the realm without a name. People of the world do not understand the true Dao, and so they continue to cycle through rebirth, returning again and again countless times, forever sinking in the bitter sea of desire.

This song is sung by the True King above the Three Realms, in the midst of the void; its tones accord with the Cavernous Chants. Chant it a hundred times, and one’s name will be entered in the Southern Palace. Chant it a thousand times, and the heavenly perfected immortals will protect and welcome you. Chant it ten thousand times, and your Dao practice will be complete: you will ascend through the vast heavens, transcend the Three Realms, and take your place among the Immortal Lords.

When the Demon King hears this wondrous, numinous immortal music, he reveres its majesty. The Earth Spirits, commanded to guard and escort, come to welcome and send the practitioner on their way, freeing them from the gates of hell. Through the Five Sufferings and Eight Calamities, the ancestors of seven generations can all be elevated and delivered, forever freed from the scrutiny of the underworld officials who examine the dead. Their souls cross to Zhuling, the Daoist site of purification in the underworld, where they undergo refinement and are reborn. This is called universal deliverance without measure or end.

This secret text comes from Heaven and is revered by all the heavens. Whoever reveals it or treats it lightly will fall into hell, bringing calamity upon the ancestors of seven generations.

The Dao says: These two scriptural chapters are immortal chants, secretly treasured by the Heavenly Sovereigns of the various heavens and the True King of Jade Clarity. They speak of shedding the old body and receiving deliverance, gaining a new body, cultivating the Dao and becoming perfected, transforming the breath, and returning to the source to be reborn. Their words come from the natural Great Dao; they are not ordinary expressions of the world. They have neither rhyming tunes nor ornate, graceful embellishments, and so they are called profound and mysterious, difficult to investigate fully. They are precious texts treasured by Heaven and kept in secret in the Eastern Jade Hall of the Mansion of the Jade King of the Divine Empyrean. By decree of the Heavenly Sovereign, the scriptures are transmitted only to those who have truly attained the Dao, after they prepare gold and precious treasures, swear an oath with sincere hearts, and complete the customary ten-day covenant ritual.

The Dao says: When people turn far from the Great Dao, their lives decline. Jing and Qi disperse, and Qi becomes scattered; when the breath falls silent, the spirit and soul depart, leaving only flesh, bones, teeth, hair, and the body, like a clod of earth. The breath is cut off, and the corpse lies rigid. This happens because people cannot retain the spirit, nourish Qi, or accumulate Jing. They are like plants and stones, without awareness or the ability to move. This state is called “corpse.” The most sacred divine beings are about to restore the breath and summon back the spirit and soul, causing wisdom to arise within the corpse. Suddenly…

Knowing that you have already shed your former body is like returning to your original dwelling. The hundred spirits all come back together and wander and feast in halls of gold and chambers of jade. If you witness events brought about by worldly circumstances and desires, or if something stirs in your thoughts and you do not know why, you may look up at the sun, moon, and stars and observe the myriad things below, finding joy and contentment within. The perfected beings of high attainment who have attained the Dao shed their old bodies and receive new forms. This is the principle that governs all things.

The cycles of Qi all come to an end in time, and the sun, moon, and stars likewise wax and wane. People, too, have times of good fortune and hardship, and face calamities such as death, illness, and injury. Whenever such calamities occur, fellow cultivators should join together in performing purification rites, burn incense at the six appointed times each day, and recite the scripture ten times.

By reciting the scripture in this way, blessings and De descend, dispelling all manner of misfortune. The scripture’s meaning is immeasurable, and it can universally save sentient beings without end.

The Lord of the Dao said: Some beginners have made little progress in cultivation, and their rank among the immortals and perfected beings is not yet complete. When, in accordance with the course of their Qi, they are about to undergo a calamity of extinction and their bodies enter the Great Yin—the realm of darkness—their fellow cultivators who have attained the Dao should burn incense for them and recite the scripture ten times. This enables them to shed their old bodies and receive new forms according to the proper rites, while their souls and spirits ascend directly to the Southern Palace. Then, according to the merit they have accumulated in cultivation, the days are counted, so they may be reborn and pass into a new life without losing their way, eventually becoming immortals.

The Lord of the Dao said: Shedding the old body and receiving a new form applies not only to the human body, but also to Heaven and Earth. Welcoming the force of life and renewing primordial Qi can bring blessings and De, and prayers for a longer life; it also brings one’s deeds into accord with the Dao. When the cycles of Qi in Heaven and Earth are nearing their end, the stars’ courses fall into disarray, the sun and moon depart from their proper patterns, the seasons lose their order, or Yin-Yang falls out of balance; when calamities strike a country, epidemics spread, people die or are injured, or the lives of teachers and friends approach their end, purification rites should be performed, incense burned, and the scripture recited. The merit of purification and recitation is profound: above, it can dispel heavenly calamities and protect and bring stability to the emperor; below, it can neutralize harm and save the people, bringing blessings to both the living and the dead. This De is beyond measure, and so it is called “immeasurable universal salvation for Heaven and humanity.”

The Lord of the Dao said: Whoever possesses this scripture and can perform these meritorious acts for Heaven and Earth, the emperor, and the people should, on the day calamity strikes, resolve to perform purification rites, burn incense, and recite the scripture ten times. This will cleanse away the impurity of the corpse and enable them to attain the path of the flying immortal. All the heavens will enter their name in their registers, and the myriad spirits will attend and protect them. As for perfected beings who have attained the Dao, they can become ministers in the Golden Palace beside the Sage Lord. The heavens record people’s good and bad deeds, leaving out not even the slightest detail. The True Kings of Heaven will also recommend you; only those who have truly attained the Dao can fully understand these ultimate principles.

The Great Brahmā’s hidden language among the heavens—the immeasurable sounds—compiled by the Lord of the Dao.

Jade Chapters on the Primordial Lord’s Numinous Writ for Shedding the Corpse and Receiving a New Form

Eight Heavens of the East

Chao Yu Ji Ying　Zhen Yu Jiao Huai　Guan Mi You Shang

Radiant splendor on the lofty heights, the source entwined with precious stones, the emerald courtyard in ordered array … (The lines that follow are all Great Brahmā hidden words: mysterious sounds or secret phrases chanted in Daoist scriptures, usually not interpreted as ordinary sentences.)

The Eight Heavens of the South

Blazing heat and fierce light, bright rosy clouds and shining stars, the jade earrings of auspicious Han … (The lines that follow are likewise Great Brahmā hidden words.)

The Eight Heavens of the West

Wings guard the starry ridge, refinement transforms without end, the chariot shaft swiftly circles … (The lines that follow are likewise Great Brahmā hidden words.)

The Eight Heavens of the North

Proud and gentle, dark and fine; the Dipper pours forth life; joined essences rejoice like snakes … (The lines that follow are likewise Great Brahmā hidden words.)

The Dao says: The Great Brahmā hidden words among these heavenly realms have sounds beyond measure. The old scriptures were kept in secret within jade cases. The True King commanded the Perfected One of Supreme Clarity, the Spirit of the Void and Master of Destiny of the Great Mystery, to write them with a cinnabar brush. Wearing these written characters can free the dead from the perils of the corpse and allow them to be reborn; illness and calamity should also be dispelled.

If one can understand these hidden words, their effects come as swiftly as wind scattering dust. All manner of grievances in the world, corpse apparitions, and every kind of ill omen can be dealt with by writing these characters in cinnabar, then burning them and consuming the ashes.

The “Eight Heavens” mentioned here are heavenly realms divided by direction. “Wearing and consuming” means wearing or ingesting the talismanic writing. “Write it in cinnabar, burn it, and consume it” describes a Daoist Fulu ritual: writing a talisman in cinnabar, burning it, and swallowing it.

At times, people use incantations to make a celestial scripture and sacred chart appear at once in a temple or shrine, manifesting their efficacy. Each character on the chart is one zhang wide and one zhang long. In ancient times, the Perfected Celestial Emperor wrote these characters; they served as the sacred phonetic script of the orthodox tradition.

Those who understand this script and recite it after observing purification and fasting will have the heavens dispatch attendant spirit officials to inspect their conduct and report their diligent practice of virtue to the celestial courts. The myriad gods come to pay homage, while the earth deities stand watch at their gates. The Great Meritorious True King protects and recommends them, enabling them to realize the mysterious virtue. In the end, they can travel through the Three Realms and ascend to the Golden Gate.

This script can everywhere ward off evil and impurity, avert calamities, and save living beings; there is nothing it cannot accomplish. It is a script that arises naturally from the Perfected Celestial Ones. Reciting it can therefore summon the flying immortals to descend and watch from above. The Supreme Lord chants from afar, the myriad gods come to pay homage, and the spirits of the Three Realms stand beside the celestial chariot. All demons bow their heads and submit, while ghosts, monsters, and spirits disperse of their own accord.

The resonant chant of the scripture rings out in every direction, and the ten directions fall into solemn purity. Rivers and seas grow still and silent; mists vanish from the mountains. The myriad spirits are awed into submission, and the immortals gather at the summons. The sky is free of murk and defilement, and the earth of strange portents and dust. The netherworld and the realm of wisdom alike become clear and transparent: vast, mysterious, and without bounds.