《太上一乘海空智藏經》Vol. 6

At that time, Haikong Zhizang (a symbolic representation of Daoist spiritual attainment) rose with the celestial immortals and terrestrial adepts, reverently kneeling with palms joined to address the Celestial Worthy (the supreme deity in Daoism): "Most Compassionate Celestial Worthy, as we wander through the human realm, we witness all sentient beings—humans and creatures alike—trapped in this dusty world of afflictions. Demonic forces, heretical paths, and malevolent spirits constantly harass them, leaving beings without peace, consumed by daily anxieties and fears, finding no refuge. How may we employ the pure precepts of the 'One Vehicle of Haikong' (spiritual discipline) to bring immeasurable beings to tranquility? We beseech Your Compassion to reveal these wondrous precepts, that beings may abide eternally in serenity."

The Celestial Worthy responded approvingly: "Excellent! Listen attentively and uphold these unobstructed pure precepts, for they shall benefit beings in times to come. All cultivators should contemplate five types of purified precepts: First, the Dao Precepts (fundamental spiritual principles); second, the Sage Precepts (disciplinary codes of saintly realms); third, the True Precepts (precepts of original nature); fourth, the Immortal Precepts (requirements for transcendence); fifth, the Beings Precepts (vows for universal salvation). You must diligently practice these fivefold disciplines."

Haikong then inquired further: "What constitutes the essential practice of the 'Dao Precepts'?" The Celestial Worthy explained: "The so-called Dao Precepts resemble the secret treasury contained within the One Vehicle scriptures, capable of manifesting countless aspects of cultivation. They encompass 180 minor precepts and 300 major precepts, yet transcend the duality of 'having precepts' and 'having no precepts'—neither rigidly clinging to rules nor being entirely without discipline; neither eternally fixed codes nor arbitrarily interruptible injunctions. Like empty space nourishing all wholesome dharmas, so are the Dao Precepts. When beings hear these mysteries of the Haikong treasury, faith arises within them. Contemplating the wondrous precepts of the True Dao, they ultimately attain the unsurpassable true Dharma—eternal bliss, pure perfection."

Haikong pressed further: "Then how do the 'Sage Precepts' become a bridge for delivering beings?"

The Celestial Venerable One (the supreme deity in Daoism) praised Haikong, saying: "Haikong, you have spoken well. The so-called Sacred Precepts refer to the four types of people in the world—ordinary laypeople, Daoist cultivators, kings and ministers, and the virtuous elderly—who, upon hearing such profound scriptures as the One-Vehicle Treasury of Wisdom (the highest Dharma gate of wisdom), should all rejoice in their hearts and seek the Secret Treasury of the Great Vehicle (the profound essentials of cultivation).

Cultivators must relinquish worldly attachments: forsaking family and loved ones, houses and estates, gold and silver treasures, ornate decorations, incense and ritual offerings, song and dance entertainments, attendants and servants, as well as all kinds of livestock and poultry. One must understand that household life is like a prison, breeding all manner of afflictions and the suffering of deprivation. We should reflect: this very body is but a vessel of birth and death, a gathering place of afflictions, a breeding ground for parasites, and a den of desires as ravenous as a starving tiger. Since this body endures all kinds of unwholesome karma, why not renounce the household life and cultivate the unsurpassable true path?

When people vow to leave home to cultivate, demonic heretics will obstruct them in countless ways. But true cultivators should avoid contention and simply proceed to the Daoist sanctuary (a place of practice) to pay homage to the Celestial Venerable One. There, one may witness the majestic dignity of the Celestial Venerable One and their disciples, their bodies and minds purified, gentle and serene. If sentient beings can come to such a sanctuary to request ordination, don the robes of the Dharma, strictly uphold the precepts, and conduct themselves with serenity—committing no transgressions, not even the slightest—revering the precepts with a resolve as unshakable as vajra (diamond), they will then be able to hear the supreme Dharma gate of Haikong’s Secret Treasury.

This is like someone crossing the sea holding a lacquer tray, while demonic thieves (symbolizing inner demons) in the ocean constantly demand the tray (representing the fruits of cultivation). If the cultivator yields even slightly—offering half or a third—they will ultimately sink into ruin. A true cultivator should prefer death to surrender, never compromising with the inner demons by even a fraction."

This scripture passage employs a vivid parable to illustrate the vital importance of practitioners maintaining their precepts. The story tells of a man attempting to cross the sea while carrying a precious lacquer tray (symbolizing precepts). Along the journey, demonic thieves (representing temptations and trials) repeatedly demand he relinquish his treasures: first asking him to abandon the lacquer tray, then to discard the jewels in his hands, and finally to surrender the luminous pearl on his person (all symbolizing various precepts and merits in spiritual cultivation). Yet the man remains steadfast, preferring to sink into the ocean depths rather than surrender his treasures. Ultimately, he successfully reaches the far shore, realizing it was precisely his unwavering resolve that ensured his success.

Here, the "lacquer tray" serves as a metaphor for the subtle and pure precepts found in the Haikong Zhizang Jing (Scripture of the Oceanic Void's Wisdom Treasury), while the "jewels" and "luminous pearl" represent the various precepts and merits upheld by practitioners. The scripture emphasizes that genuine cultivators (true adepts and pure-hearted disciples) must guard their precepts with the same determination as this man guarded his lacquer tray. Even when faced with countless temptations and threats, they must remain unshaken in their discipline—only then can they ultimately reach the shore of liberation.

Haikong Zhizang (referring to the wisdom contained within this scripture) explains to the Celestial Venerable (Tianzun) that the merit gained through such steadfast adherence to sacred precepts is immeasurable. By upholding pure precepts, practitioners can give rise to all manner of virtuous thoughts and cultivate countless wholesome practices. The passage concludes with a question: How should genuine practitioners receive and maintain these precepts? This sets the stage for the teachings that follow. The entire parable vividly demonstrates how precepts protect practitioners, much like the lacquer tray aided the man in crossing the sea.

The Celestial Venerable replied to Haikong (Bodhisattva's name): "An excellent question! Virtuous one, if sentient beings can accomplish the following, they are practicing true cultivation:

First, they must renounce worldly fame and profit, refraining from dishonest business practices like giving short measure or deceiving others. They shall not exploit power to seize others' property, fields, houses, or granaries, nor keep extravagant possessions like elephants, horses, carriages, cattle, sheep, mules, donkeys, chickens, dogs, monkeys, peacocks, or parrots. They must not trade in boys, girls, or servants. Gold, silver, lapis lazuli, agate, and other precious treasures should all be given away as alms, while they single-mindedly seek and uphold the pure precepts of realized beings (Zhenren).

Second, regarding food and drink, they should practice contentment and moderation: whether consuming raw or cooked grains, they eat only once daily without a second meal; during fasting periods (Zhaijiao), they eat only before noon. They decline special invitations, avoid mixed foods, and abstain from the five pungent vegetables (onions, garlic, etc.). Maintaining this physical and mental purity earns them reverence and offerings from celestial beings and humans alike, keeping them forever on the true path. Whether male or female, all who draw near to hear this wondrous teaching of the 'One Vehicle of Haikong' (supreme Dharma) shall obtain jewel-like wisdom.

Furthermore, true practitioners hoard no gold or silver treasures, recline on no ornate beds adorned with seven jewels, covet no colorful silks and satins, and gaze not upon phoenixes, peacocks, or parrots. They listen not to flutes, zithers, or harps for entertainment, practice no fortune-telling or divination, hold no princely titles or noble ranks. With upright hearts free from jealousy or flattery, they cherish all beings equally while abiding in pure states.

Virtuous one, these constitute the subtle pure precepts of realized beings (Zhenren). By upholding these precepts steadfastly, one subdues mental demons, clarifies the mind to perceive one's true nature, and realizes the undifferentiated true suchness. Those who maintain pure precepts should vow: 'Rather than violate these subtle precepts of realized beings, I would cast myself into flames or leap into deep chasms.' True practitioners must further vow: 'Rather than receive robes offered by devotees while breaking precepts, I would endure red-hot chains binding my body; rather than sleep in...' "

This passage describes the solemn vows taken by a devout Daoist practitioner (referred to as "virtuous man" or "true child of the Dao"), emphasizing the utmost importance of maintaining precepts in spiritual cultivation. He declares he would rather endure extreme suffering than receive offerings from devotees while violating his vows.

Specifically, he pledges: He would rather have his body pierced by a thousand needles than accept bedding offerings from devotees while breaking precepts; he would rather plunge into boiling oil than accept medicinal offerings while violating vows; he would rather have his body ground to dust than receive reverent bows from followers while transgressing discipline.

He further makes severe oaths regarding the six senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind): He would rather have red-hot iron hooks gouge out his eyes than harbor lustful thoughts toward beauty; he would rather have molten iron block his ears than listen wantonly to decadent music; he would rather have sharp knives sever his nose than greedily inhale fragrances; he would rather have blades cut out his tongue than crave delicious flavors; he would rather have axes dismember his body than indulge in sensual pleasures.

These extreme vows stem from the belief that breaking precepts leads to rebirth in the three wretched realms: hell, animal existence, or hungry ghost realm. This cultivator vows to strictly maintain pure discipline to achieve the "One Vehicle Ocean-Empty Precepts" (referring to the supreme, all-encompassing precepts of vast emptiness). By upholding such pure discipline, one may ascend to the Jade Purity Palace (the highest heavenly realm of the Three Pure Ones), with body and mind remaining steadfast and unshaken.

The passage concludes with a metaphor: Just as the legendary Jade Capital Mountain remains unmoved by wind, the Daoist heart of a precept-keeping true practitioner stands firm and unshaken. When seated in meditation, such a cultivator remains undisturbed by inner afflictions or outer demonic obstacles, eternally maintaining the pure precept-body.

This scripture expounds the wisdom practitioners attain by contemplating the body's true nature to overcome attachments. It states that even when facing demonic interference, adepts remain unshaken because they possess the "Ocean-Void Wisdom Treasury" (haikong zhicang) - a boundless, empty wisdom as vast as the sea and as serene as the void.

Practitioners must comprehend the essence of pure precepts for all beings, whether the Twenty Precepts, Five Precepts, or Three Precepts. These serve as bridges across the cycle of birth and death, enabling one to abandon evil deeds and prevent transgressions. When truly observing Dharma-nature (the true essence of phenomena), one discovers it is simultaneously empty and non-empty - empty because it lacks permanent substance, yet non-empty because dependent phenomena manifest.

The text then details body contemplation: from head to toe, examining skin, flesh, internal organs, bones, and bodily fluids - all impure substances. Through this observation, one questions: Which part truly represents "me"? To whom does "I" belong? Where does it reside? Is it beast, hungry ghost, human, celestial being, plant, or insect?

Particular attention is given to bones: Are bones "me"? Or is what remains after removing bones "me"? Bones display various colors - blue, yellow, white - yet these characteristics don't define "me", for "I" transcends such attributes. This reveals the so-called "self-image" isn't the true self.

The scripture systematically describes skeletal interdependence: foot bones support ankles, which support shin bones, progressing upward through knees, thighs, pelvis, spine, ribs, neck, jaw, teeth, skull, along with shoulder, arm, wrist, palm, and finger bones. This demonstrates the body's transient assembly through conditional causes.

Through such contemplation, practitioners realize all bodily components are temporary aggregates, thereby severing desires. Further insight reveals: the body's birth and death flow like impermanent water, and the so-called "self" lacks substantial existence. Repeated observation leads beyond self-attachment to the transcendent state where "it may be me, or not me" - a realization beyond dualistic distinctions.

This passage discusses the relationship between the "Four Great Elements" (earth, water, fire, and wind—the fundamental components of the material world) and the "self." Just as a konghou (an ancient stringed instrument) produces sounds when touched by the wind, making it impossible to pinpoint exactly which string vibrates, our physical bodies are likewise formed through the conditional convergence of these four elements. Like an illusion, they manifest in various forms according to circumstances. Practitioners should focus on upholding the secret precepts of the "Ocean-Void Treasure Store of the One Vehicle" (referring to the highest truth).

At this point, Haikong Zhizang (the personification of the wisdom treasury) rose and addressed the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun): "If virtuous men and women sincerely observe pure precepts, we disciples will protect them. Even when heretical demons come to disturb, we will shield those who uphold the precepts from harm. Such individuals will never fall into hell, for they are our most capable Dharma protectors, guarding sentient beings in their practice of precepts." Hearing this, the Celestial Worthy praised him, saying, "You speak well."

The Celestial Worthy then recounted a story from his past life: "I was once reborn as King Faming in the lower world. I frequently cultivated the Mahayana scriptures, maintained virtuous thoughts, spoke gently, and often gave alms to the poor and lonely, diligently practicing without negligence. At that time, I heard of the sublime scripture 'Ocean-Void Wisdom Store of the One Vehicle' from the East. Both the queen, the crown prince, the ministers, and I were moved to tears. Auspicious beasts—dragons, qilins, lions, phoenixes, and peacocks—gathered and flew to us. When the ministers asked why the king wept, he replied that he grieved because he could not personally journey east to seek this scripture. Yet an elder in the kingdom harbored wicked thoughts and slandered this sacred text."

This scripture employs multiple metaphors to reveal the dangers of clinging to desires and becoming attached to superficial appearances. It recounts the story of an elder who, obsessed with illusory arts, died with his body festering like a hungry ghost, yet escaped hell due to his past protection of sacred scriptures.

The text explains how sentient beings remain trapped within the Three Realms (the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm), enduring the eight fundamental sufferings—birth, aging, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, and others. Like those who crave the sweet nectar on the opposite shore of the ocean yet remain unaware of the ship-swallowing leviathans beneath the waves, or like the lotus flowers in a pond that appear delicate and vibrant but wither instantly when struck by hail, these metaphors illustrate how people chase fleeting pleasures of beauty and desire while remaining blind to the hidden peril of falling into the Three Evil Paths (hell, hungry ghosts, and animal rebirth).

The scripture particularly emphasizes that true cultivators (zhenren tongzi, "Perfected Ones and pure practitioners") should emulate the wise who do not crave delicacies, maintaining clear awareness. Through practicing the "Ocean-Empty Treasury" contemplation method (a meditation visualizing vast emptiness), they penetrate the nature of afflictions and remain unswayed by appearances. Just as the elderly reminisce about their youth, or as autumn lotuses inevitably wither, all beautiful forms ultimately succumb to impermanence. Therefore, Dao cultivators must relinquish attachments to external phenomena like youth and beauty to attain genuine liberation.

This scripture employs multiple metaphors to illustrate the impermanence of human life and the importance of spiritual cultivation. It first compares sugarcane losing its sweetness after being pressed to humans losing their youthful vitality in old age, while the need to polish a mirror daily symbolizes people's constant longing for their prime years. Practitioners (zhenren child disciples) observe worldly suffering and afflictions just as enemies remain perpetually sorrowful, or as pests in rice grains inevitably perish—human ailments prove difficult to cure, and death may come at any moment.

The text then uses the analogy of ministers guarding a king during military campaigns to illustrate how cultivators should likewise remain steadfast among sentient beings, witnessing their suffering. Those who study the Mahayana scriptures (Treasure of Sea and Emptiness) transcend tribulations like avoiding fire and flood—when conflagrations consume all, practitioners dwelling in Mahayana realms remain unscathed; when deluges submerge the Three Realms, they are preserved as if aboard a Mahayana treasure ship. Like the immortal Penglai Isles untouched by floods, or phoenixes and peacocks dancing to a parrot's song, those who uphold this scripture receive universal praise.

Finally, it describes hell-beings sighing under the compassionate gaze of the Celestial Worthy: "We remain shackled day and night, trapped in the cycle of life and death without liberation." Hungry ghosts across kalpas reflect on why they fell into such misery, implying that cultivation alone offers escape from samsaric suffering. The passage emphasizes life's transience, asserting that only through Mahayana practice can true liberation be attained.

This passage depicts a scene illustrating the law of karmic retribution. A group of hungry ghosts (tormented spirits suffering from perpetual hunger and thirst due to evil deeds in their past lives, as described in both Buddhist and Daoist traditions) endure suffering in hell. Their bones and flesh are separated, undergoing daily cycles of death and rebirth without a moment's respite.

Then, a Celestial Worthy (Tianzun, one of the highest deities in Daoism) manifests in the form of an ox-headed being and asks the hungry ghosts if they have seen the immortals in heaven. The ghosts confirm they have. The ox-headed figure then asks whether they have seen the celestial delicacies and divine nectar (in Daoism, the elixir of immortality). Again, the ghosts acknowledge having witnessed these.

The ox-headed being reveals to them: "Those immortals are actually your own younger brothers. In your past lives, you were born into noble families as the eldest sons. You committed countless evil deeds—murdering innocents, indulging in lust, seizing others' wives and daughters, bullying the weak, and acting with arrogance. Meanwhile, your younger brothers cultivated compassion, aided the poor, found solace in nature, and devoted themselves to moral cultivation and spiritual practice. Now, they have ascended as immortals, feasting on heavenly delicacies and nectar, while you have fallen into the realm of hungry ghosts, tormented by endless hunger and thirst."

Upon hearing this, the hungry ghosts weep bitterly, their cries shaking the heavens like thunder. At this moment, all the suffering beings in hell—men and women alike—raise their hands toward the sky, clenching their fists and wailing, "How bitter! How bitter!" The tortures of hell momentarily cease.

Then, an immortal appears in the sky and asks the ghosts if they wish to partake of his divine nectar. This nectar, he explains, can free all beings from hunger and thirst, transcending the cycles of suffering, life, and death. The ghosts, desperate with hunger, eagerly agree. The immortal then distributes the nectar, satisfying them all. He further reveals that there exists an even more miraculous medicine—one that can sever all suffering forever and allow them to abide eternally in the blissful Pure Land. The ghosts unanimously declare their willingness to receive it.

This scripture describes how the Wisdom Treasury of Oceanic Emptiness (a symbolic representation of Daoist spiritual attainment) employs wisdom to deliver sentient beings. A certain immortal vowed to relieve beings from the suffering of a thousand lifetimes, bestowing upon hungry ghosts the "One Vehicle Purity Precepts of Oceanic Emptiness" (the highest level of pure precepts). Upon receiving these precepts, the hungry ghosts were immediately reborn with dignified appearances and came to understand the roots of good and evil across past, present, and future existences.

The text illustrates the wisdom of Oceanic Emptiness through four metaphors: just as good medicine cures all illnesses, as a wise person comprehends all languages to translate for beings, as pure gold can be fashioned into various ornaments, so too can Oceanic Emptiness expound the Dharma according to different beings' needs through diverse methods. He teaches beings to realize the principle of "non-self" (the absence of any permanent, unchanging identity), because all phenomena arise through conditional causation and are therefore impermanent. The suffering of hungry ghosts and other beings in the cycle of rebirth stems precisely from failing to understand this truth.

Oceanic Emptiness inquired of the Celestial Worthy (the supreme deity in Daoism): "If all dharmas are without self, why do hungry ghosts still weep for their kin?" The Celestial Worthy replied that teaching "non-self" helps beings recognize how life is as fleeting as lightning and as illusory as dreams or bubbles. Our bodies originate from parents who age and die, and our own forms will likewise perish—thus no dharma possesses eternal substance.

The Celestial Worthy further explained the predicament of hungry ghosts through three analogies: like merchants carrying treasures who encounter robbers on their journey; like fools intoxicated by beauty who chase after it day and night only to be poisoned; like officials who abuse power to oppress people and ultimately face imprisonment. These all demonstrate how beings create negative karma through clinging to "self-existence," just as hungry ghosts suffer by clinging to memories of kin. In truth, so-called "enemies and loved ones" are merely temporary conjunctions of conditions—their essential nature is impermanent.

This scripture describes a dialogue between the Ocean-Void Wisdom Treasury (a profound state of enlightenment) and the Celestial Worthy (the highest deity in Daoism), elucidating the profound meaning of the "One Vehicle Ocean-Void Treasure."

The Celestial Worthy explains to Ocean-Void that this wisdom treasury is as eternal and unchanging as the void itself. If one realizes that "the Ocean-Void Treasure is my true nature," they become united with the Dao—I am Ocean-Void, and Ocean-Void is me; I am the Dao, and the Dao is me; I am the Celestial Worthy, and the Celestial Worthy is me. This wisdom can proclaim wondrous teachings, inspiring admiration and praise among all beings.

The Celestial Worthy uses several metaphors to illustrate the principle of turning the Dharma Wheel (a symbol of Buddhist or Daoist teachings): just as the eye perceives objects without claiming "I produce vision," or as wood generates fire through friction without declaring "I create fire," so too does the Celestial Worthy turn the Dharma Wheel without the thought, "I am turning the Dharma Wheel." This natural state of no-thought and no-deliberation is the true "turning of the Right Dharma Wheel," embodying the essence of the "One Vehicle Ocean-Void Treasure."

The scripture emphasizes that true wisdom transcends dualistic distinctions. It neither clings to the notion of "self" nor deliberately seeks to "preach teachings to save others." Instead, it allows all things to manifest naturally. This state is like the all-encompassing void—boundless and formless, yet containing everything within it.

Once there was a cultivator (a virtuous man). When I first expounded the Dharma beneath the Qianshu tree, ninety thousand celestial beings came to listen. They all developed sincere faith, immersed themselves in the Dharma, and were unwilling to depart. At that time, these celestial beings immediately attained the supreme and wondrous fruition of enlightenment.

Now, within the city of Seven Treasures, I am revealing for the first time this precious teaching of the "Oceanic Void of the One Vehicle." Here, eight million and forty thousand celestial beings abide steadfastly in this Dharma assembly, their faith unwavering and irreversible. These celestial beings have likewise instantly obtained the four kinds of pure Dao-fruits.

Know that when all Celestial Masters (Tianshi) expound scriptures and teachings, it is called "turning the Dharma wheel." Why is this so? Just as the sacred treasures possessed by a sage king are called "wheel treasures," these wheel treasures protect beings, allowing them to dwell in peace and prosperity, eliminating all calamities. The Dharma is the same—it guides beings to the realm of bliss, freeing them from afflictions. You should now praise this true Dharma, the "Oceanic Void Wisdom Treasury of the One Vehicle," for its merits and profound wonders are beyond imagination.

At this point, Haikong (a bodhisattva) addressed the Celestial Master: "Most exalted Celestial Master, this great Dharma wheel you have expounded is not beyond my understanding. The reason I ask is to benefit countless beings, so that all may grasp the essence of this secret teaching, the 'Oceanic Void Wisdom Treasury of the One Vehicle.' Truly, this is not something ordinary people or common cultivators can comprehend."

The Celestial Master praised him, saying: "Well spoken, Haikong! You and others already possess the roots of the Great Vehicle; your actions and questions accord with the true Dharma. Know that in past lives, I too once cultivated the 'Dharma Wheel of the Oceanic Void of the One Vehicle' as an ordinary person, completely subduing all demonic disturbances and truly realizing and upholding this wisdom teaching. At that time, I understood: this secret treasury-like 'Dharma Wheel of the One Vehicle,' with its subtle merits, is indeed inconceivable. We cultivators should abandon this defiled physical body and purify the turbid Qi brought by external demons."

Hearing this, the demon kings present in the Dharma assembly immediately prepared a grand purification ritual (Zhaijiao), offering their most cherished treasures—wealth, spouses, children, mansions, elephants, horses, carriages, servants, and all their possessions. They adorned the sacred space with pure incense and flowers, coming before the assembly to repent for their past transgressions.

The Celestial Venerable (supreme deity of Daoism), having heard these words, lightly pressed the armrest and addressed the Demon King: "Noble one, ordinary people in this world who cannot govern their six roots (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) will create unwholesome karma, become entangled in afflictions, and ultimately fall into the evil paths. Like an untamed wild horse—violent in nature—it will carry its rider to perilous places. So too, those who fail to restrain their six roots will lead others astray from the Sea-Sky Path of Goodness (referring to the pure path of liberation), plunging them into wicked ways.

"Consider also the untrained elephant—its wild nature makes it uncontrollable. If one forcibly mounts it, it will not obey commands but instead carry its rider deep into the wilderness. Likewise, those who cannot govern their six roots will distance people from the Sea-Sky Jeweled City (symbolizing the realm of purity), casting them into the wasteland of birth and death. This is like treacherous ministers inciting a ruler to evil deeds—the six roots are just like those ministers, constantly urging beings to commit boundless unwholesome acts.

"Ordinary people are like rebellious children, ignoring the teachings of parents and teachers, daring to commit all manner of wickedness. The unrestrained six roots behave the same, disregarding the guidance of virtuous mentors and recklessly creating evil. Such people are often harmed by the three evil paths—hell, animals, and hungry ghosts—just as ruthless bandits injure good citizens. If worldly beings cannot subdue the three poisons (greed, hatred, and delusion—the root afflictions) and indulge in the temptations of the five dusts (form, sound, scent, taste, and touch), they are like a careless shepherd allowing his cattle to trample another’s crops, ultimately suffering endlessly in the cycle of rebirth.

"But the true practitioners of the Great Vehicle scriptures (referring to cultivators) walk the sacred path, skillfully taming the three poisons. They remain vigilant against greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and envy, all for the sake of attaining wholesome dharmas. If one can guard the roots of these three poisons, the mind will naturally be restrained. And with the mind restrained, the three poisons will be subdued. It is like a person who protects himself—he can then protect his country. And one who guards the country will surely also safeguard himself. So too with cultivators: if they can hear profound scriptures like the Sea-Sky Scripture of the One Vehicle, they will attain wisdom. With wisdom, they can focus and restrain the six roots. Even if the mind scatters, it can be swiftly calmed. Like a skilled shepherd who sees cattle about to graze on another’s crops and immediately stops them."

This scripture explains how practitioners (zhenren tongzi, "true person child disciples") can use wisdom contemplation to break through attachments and ultimately realize the state of "single appearance" (the unified nature of all phenomena).

The practitioner must observe dependent origination with a mind of wisdom, restraining the six senses (liuqing: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) from chasing outward distractions. A truly wise person does not cling to the appearances of self, external objects, or sentient beings, seeing through the illusory nature of all phenomena, which are as insubstantial as earth, stone, or broken tiles. For example, a house is merely a temporary gathering of conditions, without any fixed, unchanging essence; sentient beings, too, are temporary combinations of the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind) and the five aggregates (form, sensation, perception, mental formations, consciousness), lacking any eternal, unchanging self.

Precisely because all things lack a fixed, inherent nature, sentient beings cycle endlessly through birth and death. Yet even while dwelling within this cycle, the zhenren tongzi does not cling or crave, instead recognizing the tragedy of beings who, amid suffering, only generate more suffering. Thus, they cultivate the profound mysteries of the "single-vehicle sea-emptiness" (the supreme path of liberation), building great dharma ships and bridges to ferry beings across the ocean of suffering.

Just as a painter uses pigments to depict men, women, oxen, and horses—fools take them as real, but the painter knows they are mere arrangements of color—so too does the zhenren tongzi perceive the unified nature of emptiness within all diverse phenomena, no longer generating discriminating attachments. This wisdom ensures that even upon seeing a beautiful woman, they feel no desire, for they deeply understand:

The pleasures born of craving vanish in an instant, like a dog gnawing a bone—the more it chews, the thirstier it becomes; like a man holding a torch against the wind, only to burn himself; or like a pool of poisoned embers, treasures obtained in a dream, birds fighting over meat, or the fleeting illusion of a bubble. Sentient beings, clinging to sights, sounds, smells, and tastes, have piled up bones over countless eons into mountains as vast as the Jade Capital (Yujing Shan), drunk milk exceeding the four seas, and shed enough tears for loved ones to fill the great oceans—even the stars cannot outnumber their cycles of rebirth.

Through vivid metaphors, this passage illustrates the dangers of desire: like borrowed goods that must be returned, or a bustling marketplace that must disperse. The zhenren tongzi, seeing the true nature of desire, transcends the suffering of samsara.

This scripture employs metaphor to illustrate how practitioners maintain pure wisdom amidst worldly distractions. Like a virtuous minister ordered to carry a full jar of honey through a crowd spanning three thousand miles—where the slightest mishap would cost his life—he must remain utterly focused without distraction. Similarly, the "True Person Child" (referring to accomplished practitioners) dwells in the dust of desire and affliction yet always guards the jar of wisdom, keeping it untainted by the Five Desires (sensory cravings for form, sound, scent, taste, and touch).

When observing worldly beauty, practitioners do not generate attachment, seeing only the inherent suffering within it. Confronting all phenomena, they neither cling to arising appearances nor fixate on vanishing ones, nor do they pursue causal connections, maintaining instead the illumination of wisdom at all times. This is because the True Person Child possesses purified Five Roots (the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch) and strictly upholds precepts, whereas ordinary people, with impure roots, struggle to maintain complete discipline and cannot preserve their innate virtue and merit (the original pure nature).

The scripture further explains that cultivating the Yi Cheng Hai Kong Zhi Zang Jing (Scripture of the Oceanic Void Treasury of Wisdom), which encompasses the profound teachings of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, Dongshen) and Seven Divisions (classical Daoist textual categories), enables transcendence over the afflictions of birth and death. Just as an enlightened master guides sentient beings, those who deeply trust the teachings and refrain from evil in both thought and speech truly distance themselves from afflictions and unwholesome karma. Such practice ultimately attains the fruition of Wuwei (the non-action state beyond artificial striving), eternally severing afflictions and achieving ultimate liberation.

This scripture passage extols the extraordinary merits of cultivating the Supreme One-Vehicle Scripture of the Ocean-Void Wisdom Treasury (Taishang Yicheng Haikong Zhi Zang Jing). The text compares this scripture to a "worldly panacea" that liberates practitioners from afflictions, just as fine medicine preserves health and longevity while warding off toxins.

Those who earnestly receive and uphold this scripture—through recitation, exposition, and contemplation of its profound meanings—will never fall into the Three Evil Realms (hell, hungry ghosts, or animal rebirth) in this lifetime. Moreover, those who expound this scripture to others will gain the karmic reward of majestic beauty in both human and celestial realms.

The passage particularly emphasizes that copying this scripture by hand with a purified body and mind, rendering each character as flawless as jade, grants great wisdom and the blessing of immortal youths attending beside the Celestial Venerables (Tianzun). This esoteric treasury of a scripture possesses inconceivable merits.

Finally, the text declares that those who elucidate the scripture’s essence for others are true disciples of the awakened ones. Whether such practitioners dwell in mountain forests, wilderness, or palace towers, the Celestial Venerables will eternally reside among them. The Venerables manifest in diverse forms: sometimes as Daoist monks seated in meditation, sometimes as sages expounding the classics, or even as impoverished scholars begging for alms. These cultivators will witness auspicious signs in dreams—immortals preaching the Dharma, celestial beings appearing, visions of sun and moon over mountains and rivers, or relatives arriving with treasures—all omens of divine favor.

This scripture recounts how a celestial being named Formless Heavenly Venerable (Wuxing Tianzun) expounded the precious teachings of the Ocean-Void Wisdom Treasury Sutra (Yicheng Haikong Zhi Zang Jing) to the assembly. It emphasizes that anyone who develops faith in this scripture and makes offerings to it will receive immeasurable blessings and subtle merits equivalent to making offerings directly to the Heavenly Venerable himself.

For those wishing to cultivate this scripture, several practices are essential: First, one must have unwavering faith in the Heavenly Venerable's teachings. Second, one should resolve to transcribe, recite, and explain the profound meanings of this scripture to others. Those who transmit the scripture should be treated with reverence and provided for as honored guests—arranging proper lodging and preparing necessary items. If the teacher comes from afar, disciples should personally welcome them and offer their most cherished possessions in veneration of the scripture. Because this teaching is exceptionally rare, listeners must concentrate fully on receiving and practicing it.

The scripture then relates a past-life story: When the assembly first heard these teachings, they rejoiced and held a purification feast (Zhaijiao) in celebration. At that time, a cultivator (the narrator's previous incarnation) manifested as a destitute man selling himself. He encountered a buyer who needed human eyes to cure an illness, offering seven gold coins daily as payment. Rather than fearing this request, the cultivator felt profound joy. This parable illustrates how true practitioners willingly relinquish everything—even their physical bodies—in pursuit of the Dharma.

With the eye of wisdom, I observed as clearly as the bright moon, witnessing the scenes of samsara within my gaze. I said to that person: "Give me your wealth, and now repay with your eyes." The man immediately handed over his money. Having received it, I returned to my original place, where I held a grand Zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) to make offerings to the honored deities, then devotedly listened to this scripture.

At that time, my faculties were dull. Though I heard the scripture, I could only retain a single phrase—"the treasure of the One Vehicle" (referring to the supreme path of liberation). After upholding this phrase, I returned to the sick person's home. Though I distributed luminous charity daily, I continuously recited "the oceanic, empty treasure of the One Vehicle." Gradually, the pain in my body ceased. After persisting for a full month, through this karmic connection, my illness was completely cured—my body restored to its original state without even a scar. Then I beheld myself adorned with dignified and subtle features.

Reflecting on this, I realized: If merely upholding this single phrase of "the secret oceanic treasure of the One Vehicle" held such power, how much more would come from fully upholding, explaining, reciting, and contemplating the profound meaning of this scripture? Witnessing such potency in this scripture, I developed a virtuous aspiration: May all future beings achieve immortality by studying this subtle scripture of the One Vehicle's treasure.

O virtuous one, it was precisely through the karmic power of this single phrase that I am now able to expound the treasure of the One Vehicle to this assembly of celestial beings. This Oceanic Empty Wisdom Treasury (the scripture whose wisdom is vast as the ocean and whose nature is empty as space) is inconceivable—it benefits immeasurable beings with boundless merit. Its profound and secret meaning lies herein: If any being can properly uphold it, severing all evil roots—what is evil? It is the evil mind, evil intentions, evil illnesses, evil thoughts, and the like. By distancing from these evils, one nurtures virtuous roots, abiding in good thoughts, wholesome contemplation, wisdom, and upaya (skillful means to liberate beings).

O virtuous one, those zhenren (perfected persons) and spiritual youths dwelling in the city of afflictions observe their own bodies and see: This form is like sickness, festering sores, or poisoned arrows—an aggregate of suffering, the root of both good and evil. Therefore, practitioners regard the body not with attachment. To obsessively nourish this form is merely to maintain a hungry ghost body, a hell-realm body, a form bound to the wheel of birth and death.

Like wildfire consuming dry wood or plantain leaves struck by hail, this body is as fleeting as lightning or sparks—illusory and insubstantial as dreams, bubbles, or shadows. The virtuous one should understand: Ultimately, this body is empty.

This scripture passage explains how practitioners can attain realization through proper cultivation. The text mentions the "Childlike Perfected One" (referring to accomplished Daoist disciples) who, though dwelling in the dusty world filled with afflictions and observing their physical forms, can transcend the mundane body bound by the cycle of birth and death. By abiding in the "Treasure of the One Vehicle of Sea and Emptiness" (representing the supreme truth of Daoism), they attain the wondrous Dharma Body (the perfected physical manifestation of cultivation) endowed with seventy-two marks and eighty-one auspicious characteristics, achieving supreme merit and becoming Dharma Wheel Kings (symbolizing guardians of the Daoist teachings).

The scripture emphasizes the importance of protecting the physical body, for without proper care, life cannot be preserved. Without preserving life, one cannot copy, uphold, recite this scripture, nor extensively explain its profound meanings. Therefore, practitioners should cherish their bodies like sea travelers cherishing their boats—only through such protection can they reach the shore of liberation.

At that time, Sea-Emptiness (likely the celestial being expounding the scripture) and all the heavenly beings and immortal youths, having heard this teaching, rejoiced in their hearts and earnestly received and contemplated its true meaning. Together they bowed in gratitude to the Dharma expounder before respectfully taking their leave and returning to their respective cultivation abodes. This passage comes from the sixth volume of the Supreme One-Vehicle Scripture of the Sea-Emptiness Wisdom Treasury, primarily teaching practitioners to both transcend worldly attachments and properly maintain the physical body as an instrument for Daoist practice.