《靈寶無量度人上經大法》Vol. 12

When thoughts turn six times, visualize heaven and earth, the sun and moon, and the stars, and recite the command. Swallow these six words each day to summon the vital energy of Wugang.

The prayer says:

Spirit King of Jiazi, Wenqing, leading eighteen attendants, talisman officials, and celestial generals of the Heavenly Seasons; Jade Maiden Ming, and Yin A-Jun, the moonlight official of the ten-day cycle.

Spirit of Jiaxu, Zhan Zijiang, leading fourteen attendants, talisman officials, and celestial generals of Heavenly Yin; Jade Maiden Qionglong, and Zhang Bulin, the ten-day-cycle official Denggu.

Spirit of Jiashen, Hu Wenchang, leading sixteen attendants, talisman officials, and celestial generals of Heavenly Movement; Jade Maiden Jianbing, and Chen Zisi, the ten-day-cycle official Kaiming.

Spirit of Jiawu, Wei Shangqing, leading eighteen attendants, talisman officials, and celestial generals of Heavenly Reward; Jade Maiden Lingguang, and Du Chujun, the ten-day-cycle official Han.

Spirit of Jiachen, Meng Feiqing, leading fourteen attendants, talisman officials, and celestial generals of Heavenly Might; Jade Maiden Tianqin, and Gongsun Dajun, the ten-day-cycle official Yingtai.

Spirit of Jiayin, Ming Wenzhang, leading sixteen attendants, talisman officials, and celestial generals of Heavenly Vision; Jade Maiden Mengzhang, and Xu Junwang, the ten-day-cycle official Dengzhi.

I now put this talismanic method into practice. May all the celestial generals serve as the gods on duty and run errands and deliver commands on my behalf. Wearing embroidered caps, enter straight into the realm without gates. With all urgency, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

To perform this method, swallow the talisman at dawn. Then walk sixty steps in the direction indicated by the talisman. At a point ten steps beyond yourself, take a piece of wood facing directly in that direction; a branch or leaf may also be used. Take the wood in your right hand and break it halfway with your left. Leave one half on the ground, and hold the other at the joint of your left middle finger. Do not let any grass fallen on the ground touch your hands. Return indoors, face west, visualize the spirit general and Jade Maiden of your own Jia cycle standing before you, and recite:

Six Jia and nine Zhang; heaven is round and earth is square. The four directions and Five Phases: green, red, white, and yellow. Taiyi is my teacher; the sun and moon are my light. Yu the Great governs the roads; Chiyou drives away the calamities of war. The Azure Dragon guards the carriage; the White Tiger protects the abundant vital energy. The Planet of Fire leads the way, sweeping away ill omens. The Northern Dipper destroys evil and dispels calamity. The gods of the five directions guide me as I travel through the eight directions.

With unobstructed insight, one can see clearly in all eight directions. Whoever faces me will die, and whoever turns their back on me will perish. Those who hate me will bring calamity upon themselves. May it be done swiftly, in accordance with the command. (A formula in Daoist incantations urging an order to take effect at once.)

Face west and inhale through the nose, imagining the Qi (vital energy) entering the kidneys. During the day, visualize Qi entering from outside; at night, visualize it being gathered into the kidneys. Change the method every ten days, and practice for six Jia days (days marked by the Heavenly Stem Jia). At each season, recite the corresponding incantation:

On a Jia day in spring: “The Jia spirit is in Heaven, receiving Heaven’s wondrous, subtle, light, and pure Qi, and returning to the Golden Origin of the Yellow Path.”

On a Jia day in summer: “The Jia spirit is at the Yin position, spreading abundant Qi. The Kui star stands upright; the numinous chart is vast, gathering the power of the eight directions.”

On a Jia day in autumn: “The Jia spirit is beneath the earth, receiving the generative Qi of the Nine Springs, and strengthening my Three Fields (the upper, middle, and lower Dantian, the parts of the body where Daoist cultivation takes place).”

On a Jia day in winter: “The Jia spirit is at the time when Yang Qi rises, filling the Dipper and Ox lunar mansions. The stars throughout the heavens join in nurturing the seedlings in my fields,” a metaphor for the foundations of cultivation within the body.

This method is performed at dawn on the six Jia days. First face the Jia direction of the day, form the Five Peaks mudra (a hand gesture used to visualize the Five Peaks), and recite the three incantations “Kui Gang,” “Qian Yuan,” and “Heavenly Truth.” Then inhale once while facing the Jia direction, hold the Qi in the mouth, rinse it thirty-six times, and swallow it in three portions until it reaches the Dantian. Next, click the teeth thirty-six times. Still facing the Jia direction, sit with the legs extended and the hands overlapping on top of the head, arms straight. Make three movements like a crane pecking for food, then shake two joints eighteen times. After that, visualize the crown of the head receiving water Qi like waves, draw the Qi in to below the navel, and swallow one more breath. Then place the talisman on the tongue, recite the incantation as before, and swallow it with saliva. The ritual is complete.

The stages of cultivation are as follows: on the first Jia day, the Metal Essence naturally becomes firm; on the second, the meridians flow freely; on the third, the Metal Essence congeals like red jade; on the fourth, the hundred spirits guard the body; on the fifth, the Five Spirits provide protection; and on the sixth, the Dantian congeals into a treasure. Only after this may one rise and put away the ritual implements. If one breaks the precepts against desire and indulges in sensual pleasures, all the cultivation achieved before will be lost.

Talisman of the Six Ding Gentle Qi

Ding-Chou: prolong my life; Ding-Hai: bind and gather my Hun; Ding-You: restrain my Po; Ding-Si: deliver me from calamity; Ding-Mao: dispel my troubles; Ding-Wei: drive away my misfortune. The incantation of the Six Turns says: “Yin Qi, clouds, thunder, lightning, rain.”

Swallow these six characters each day to summon gentle Qi. The incantation says:

“The Ding-Mao Jade Maiden is named Wenbo Rengao; the Ding-Chou Jade Maiden is named Wengao Rengui. The Ding-Hai Jade Maiden is named Wentong Renjing; the Ding-You Jade Maiden is named Wenqing Rengong. The Ding-Wei Jade Maiden is named Wenzhi Renhe; the Ding-Si Jade Maiden is named Juqing Renda.”

One who knows how the Six Ding divine generals come and go need not fear or be startled, even when in a place shrouded in darkness and mystery.

May it be guarded for a thousand years and never fall for ten thousand, enduring alongside Heaven and Earth, with life everlasting through every generation.

Act at once in accordance with the ordinances.

In the method above, at dawn on a Ding day—one of the specific days associated with the Six Ding spirits—swallow the talisman and recite the incantation, then draw in the Qi of the corresponding direction. Blow the breath over your body and walk sixty steps toward that direction. When you are twelve steps beyond it, take a clean blade of grass with your left hand and break it off with your right. Do not look back. Return indoors, place the grass in the corresponding direction, and visualize it transforming into the figure of a Jade Maiden. Then burn incense.

Pray:

I respectfully burn precious incense, sending its fragrance up to the Heavenly Court. The Masters of the Six Ding made an agreement with me to transmit their wondrous arts. With reverence, I offer fragrant incense, dried venison, honeyed soup, Anqi dates—the legendary dates of the immortals—and fruits with tiny seeds and abundant flesh. I also offer celestial green-ant wine, with its green foam floating on the surface, brewed jade nectar, crisp cakes, pure fruits, and bright candlelight.

With utmost sincerity, I bow and ask to summon the Spirit Kings. May the lives of my teachers and friends be as firm as vajra; may their lifespans be extended and their years increased, so that they enjoy lasting happiness without end. May every young and old member of my family receive good fortune and peace. May nothing high be brought to ruin, and may ghostly poisons disperse. May baleful spirits and specters flee far away; may enemies and the envious hide and withdraw. May every request be granted and all affairs proceed auspiciously and smoothly. May I perceive spirits and ghosts, with nothing concealed from me; may I attain spiritual communion and sagehood, with keen hearing and clear sight. Today I summon the spirits and earnestly ask them to bestow good fortune. Act at once in accordance with the ordinances.

In the method above, draw in the Qi of the Six Ding direction. For example, on a Dingmao day, store all nine portions of Qi in the kidneys. At night, visualize the Qi remaining in the kidneys; during the day, visualize it emerging from the kidneys and accompanying you wherever you go.

On the night of the sixth day of each month, follow the previous method to recite the three incantations of Kui Gang, Qianyuan, and Tianzhen. Empower cinnabar with the incantations, then recite the Incantation of the Five Peaks. Blow on a sheet of paper to empower it, write the names of the Six Ding spirits on it, and cut it into three sections. In the first ten-day period of the month, take the two characters from the upper section; in the middle ten-day period, take the two characters from the middle section; and in the final ten-day period, take the two characters from the lower section.

On the sixth day, place the talisman beside the head of the bed and recite the incantation to empower water. At the very beginning of the fifth watch, rise, put on a robe, sit upright, and face the Ding direction corresponding to that ten-day period. Take out the two characters from the upper section, swallow them with water, and recite the spirit’s name as many times as you wish, continuing until you hear someone pass outside the door, make a sound, or cough. Then draw in and swallow the Qi from the direction the sound came from, visualizing the two Ding spirits entering your heart. On the next sixth day, perform the method again in the same way, continuing until all three ten-day periods are complete.

Whenever someone presents a written petition asking you to expel malign spirits or avert calamity, burn incense and place the document describing the request before you. Face the Ding direction, recite the spirit’s name, draw in Qi, and blow on the document. Recite the spirit’s name again, draw in Qi, and blow toward the person who brought it. Then recite the spirit’s name once more, draw in and swallow Qi, visualizing the Six Ding spirits within your heart as you also draw in a breath from the petitioner.

First establish a focused visualization in the mind, calming the spirit and quieting stray thoughts. After a while, wait for a thought to arise naturally. Then state, one by one, whether troublesome ghosts or spirits are present, how many there are, and what symptoms the patient has. What you say will accord with the facts. Do not let stray or improper thoughts intrude, and do not allow a second thought to arise. If you begin with suspicion or guesswork, your words will not be accurate or true. Be sure to exercise caution; be sure to exercise caution.

Qi talisman governed by the Four Direct Yang Spirits (the Four Direct Spirits are the deities presiding over the year, month, day, and hour; Qi means vital energy)

The talisman bears the following words: “Ju-lu Direct, Lu-sheng Direct, Shen-li Direct, Year: the Way of Heaven, Month: the Way of Humanity, Day: the Way of Earth.”

(Rui-yi Direct: the Way of the Immortals at the hour.)

(The four-turn incantation is called “Wu-lun-tu”; there are also other versions.)

Qi talisman governed by the Four Direct Yin Spirits

The talisman bears the following words: “Xu-si Direct for the Year, Chen-lan Direct for the Month, Fu-yuan-yan-miao Direct for the Day and Hour.”

(The four-turn incantation is called “Om Ye-tu Ju-cha.”)

Both talismans must be used with the hand seal for turning the Bagua (Eight Trigrams): use a Yang trigram for Jia and a Yin trigram for Ding. Draw in Qi from the north, breathe it out to form the talisman, and recite the incantation:

“Shu, Xuan, Ji, Quan, Yang, Yao, Heng, Wen; Four Direct Envoys, Merit Officer on Duty for the Day, Year Spirit, Month General, Master on Duty for the Hour: if there is a matter, come and report it; if it is urgent, report it at once. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.”

Face the direction of the Grand Year (Tai Sui), swallow the talisman, and visualize the Four Direct Envoys. On Yang days they wear red and yellow robes; on Yin days they wear blue and purple robes. They wear crossed-wing futou headwear and embroidered bands around their foreheads, and stand in the four directions. Recite:

“Cui, Lu, Deng, Dou, bring the news at once! Four Direct Spirits Li and Wei, bring the news at once!”

Then recite the incantation one hundred times in a single breath, click the teeth four times, and visualize the four deities attending at your side. Recite:

“By command, Four Direct Envoys and Merit Officer on Duty for the Day, obey: when I send you to Heaven, go at once to the Celestial Administration; when I send you into the earth, go at once to the Underworld; when I send you into the water, go at once to the Water Court. Go quickly, go quickly; do not linger. Remain always at my side and guard my person. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.”

On a day of Tai Sui, write these eight characters and wear them just above the right elbow. After burning incense in the morning, swallow the talisman and carry it with you. Remove it at night and put it on again in the morning. Also draw in the Qi from the talisman and breathe it onto the body; when going to bed at night, draw in the body’s Qi and breathe it onto the talisman.

Secret Taboo-Name Talisman of the Five Officials (a talisman bearing the secret names of the Five Official deities)

Mengzhang (governs long life and longevity, and safeguards Jing and Qi), Jianbing (governs the registers of official rank and safeguards spiritual energy), Lingguang (protects life and safeguards the primordial Shen), Zhiming (protects the body and preserves one’s true nature).

Qionglong (refines and nourishes the body, and calms the mind).

(The Five Transformations Formula proceeds in this order: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth.)

For the talisman method above: make the hand signs for the Five Phases and use the Qi of one’s original nature to draw the talisman.

Secret Taboos of the Three Generals Talisman

Tang Hong (the upper three fields, whose name is Chang), Ge Yong (the eight scenic realms in the middle, whose name is Fen), Zhou Wu (the nine Yang realms below, whose name is Ling).

(The Three Transformations Formula is “Xuan, Yuan, Shi.”)

For the talisman method above: pinch the upper, middle, and lower sections of the middle finger.

Jade Taboos of the Three Paths Talisman

Xingsheng (Taihua’s Fusang, in charge of the Qian person’s path), Duli (guards Fengdu below, in charge of the Kun earth’s path), Kehan (Lord Han, the Elder).

(“Delivering people so they do not die” corresponds to the middle section of the middle finger and governs the extinction path.)

(Three transformations.)

For the talisman method above: draw in the Qi of the Three Heavens through the nose, then take it into the mouth. Hold the breath while drawing the talisman; when it is complete, blow upon it. Exhale with a “he” sound three times for each.

Incantation:

“Xingsheng turns, Duli moves, Kehan shines, the work is complete. Set the corners straight; gather and capture the soul.”

For the talisman method above: each day, face the Gate of Heaven and recite the incantation. After swallowing the talisman, form the seal of the Three Paths and Five Sufferings. Draw in three mouthfuls of Qi from the northwest and send it to the crown of the head; draw in three mouthfuls from the southwest and send it into the spleen; then draw in three more mouthfuls from the northeast and send them to the Dantian (energy center).

Jade Taboos of the Five Emperors Talisman

Hongxing (the Wood Department of Mount Taihua, Primordial Lady of the Nine Qi), Mohei (Fire Official of Mount Heng and Mount Huo, Primordial Lady of the Three Qi), Mozhen (Metal Lord of Mount Jinhua, Primordial Lady of the Seven Qi), Mola (Water Emperor of Mount Heng, Primordial Lady of the Five Qi), Lingbao (Earth Emperor of Mount Song, Primordial Lady of the One Qi).

(Make the hand signs in the order of the five directions, circulate Qi, and draw the talisman.)

Incantation:

“Azure Emperor of the East, Azure Essence of Mount Tai; Red Emperor of the South, Cinnabar Spirit of Mount Huo; Yellow Emperor of the Center, Central Mount Songgao; White Emperor of the West, White Stone of Mount Hua; Black Emperor of the North, Mysterious Nourishment of Mount Heng. May the Five Emperors of the five directions each send down true Qi. Take the Five Stones to replenish true Qi; may the hundred channels flow freely, and may life endure in longevity and clear vision.”

For the talisman method above: on a day associated with Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, or Earth, recite the first two lines of the incantation for that direction while facing it, and visualize Qi of the corresponding color. Then, according to the directions, visualize the Five Emperors and their attendants.

Practitioners draw in and ingest the Qi (vital energy) of the Five Directions—the east, south, west, north, and center. This belongs to a category of methods known as the “Five Directions and Nine Colors.” The rites must be performed in sequence after the hour of Chou. Afterward, one may practice the Five-Direction Vision, contemplating and gaining insight into the images of the five directions.

The Thunder Gods’ Secret Names

The scripture lists a set of secret names of the Thunder Gods, which are to be recited in sequence. Then recite the “Mystic-Character Incantation” eleven times.

The “Chen hand-seal” recorded on the right states that Thunder One, Thunder Two, Thunder Three, Thunder Four, and Thunder Five each have their own positions, and that all the hand-seal positions are at the Zi position. Once the talisman has been written, blow the Qi of the Xun direction—the southeast—onto it.

Incantation for Ingesting the Talisman

The incantation’s general meaning is as follows: The Dark-Jade Inner Consort presides over the union and pairing of Yin-Yang; the Three Masters govern the ordinances, while the Four Sages are arrayed in authority. The Yang spirits of the Six Jia, the Yin officers of the Six Ding, the Four Duty Primordial Lords, and the Commanders of the Five Offices each carry out their duties. The Three Paths and Five Sacred Peaks guard the four quarters of Heaven and Earth. Thunder shakes the Xun and Zhen directions, using the power of Yin-Yang to bind and subdue; light shines forth from Dui and Qian, while Kan and Li each return to their proper places. In this way, the Gate of Ghosts is opened and filth and polluted Qi are swept away, enabling the practitioner to ascend to the realm of the immortals and travel alone without fear. The final phrase, “Primordiality, flourishing, advantage, and truth; the divine Qi of reversal and compliance,” invokes the power of the method through the language of the trigrams and divine Qi, praying that it may operate in both directions.

Ritual for Receiving and Maintaining the Jade Talisman

Anyone who receives and maintains this method should begin by preparing for its practice on New Year’s Day. Fast and bathe beforehand, choose a clean room, set a table facing north, and write down the various secret names. Bow twice, then place what you have written in a clean container. Set it in three or five separate locations, committing their positions to memory and taking care not to confuse them.

Thereafter, on each of the six Jia days, retrieve and ingest the corresponding inner secret names:

• On a Jiazi day: retrieve the secret names of the Three Heavens, the Jade Characters of Heaven and Earth, the inner secret names of the Three Perfected Ones, and the inner secret names of the Supreme Emperor.
• On a Jiayin day: retrieve the inner secret names of the Seven Luminaries, the Northern and Southern Dippers, the Three Platforms, and the Central Dipper.
• On a Jiachen day: retrieve the inner secret names of the Three Sovereigns and the Three Generals, and the secret names of the Two Origins and the Three Masters.
• On a Jiawu day: retrieve the inner secret names of the Six Jia, the Six Ding, and the Four Duty Meritorious Officers.
• On a Jiashen day: retrieve the inner secret names of the Divine Tiger, the Divine Officers, the Mysterious Woman, the Inner Consort, and the Celestial Beings.
• On a Jiaxu day: retrieve the inner secret names of the Thunder Gods.

Method for Ingesting the Talisman

Set out an incense burner, a sword, a bowl, and a small bell, one of each. After going to bed, rise at the hour of Chou or Yin, light a candle, rinse your mouth, and wash your hands. Then take a bowl of well water and offer it before the sacred image. Next, take out the talisman and place it on the table, clearly recording each item. Step back and go outside. Form the Yuqing hand-seal with both hands, walk the steps of the Dipper, then return to the table. In spring and summer, begin at the position of the mouth of the Kui star and walk to the Piao star; in autumn and winter, begin at the Dipper’s Piao star and walk to a point above the Kui star. Then offer incense and perform a salutation facing the Gate of Heaven.

The officiant bows three times and silently recites the memorial once, visualizing the soul and spirit within the incense burner. Then the officiant bows again, forms the “Jade Clarity Hand Seal” with both hands, faces north, and recites the incantation and performs the rites as before.

Silent Memorial

On this day, in the [month] of the [year] of the Great Ming, I, your subject [name], of the rank [title], bow my head and make obeisance twice as I submit this memorial:

I reflect that I was born into the dusty world and have wandered amid worldly affairs. Fortunately, I was bound to the Daoist teachings and was able to receive and wear the registers of the tradition. I have been blessed by the mysterious grace of the Great Dao and have been entrusted, unworthily, with a pure office in the Three Caverns. My original wish was to assist Heaven in spreading its teachings, help the state and relieve the people, and vow to pray for blessings, repent of sins, dispel calamities, save the living and the dead, cut down evil, and uphold the righteous mind. I dare not slacken in this aspiration even for a moment. I respectfully offer this account in gratitude.

I also reflect that although I sincerely observe the celestial precepts, my every action and thought still does not fully accord with truth. Thus I cannot discern what is hidden and subtle, nor exercise divine powers or manifest wondrous responses. This is because I possess only an ordinary mortal body, impure and defiled; how could I see clearly into the heavenly realm? Moreover, it is difficult for me to see ghosts and spirits, and I rarely succeed in turning demons toward the right path. My achievements have brought little benefit to living beings. At times, I am as if blind though I have eyes, and deaf though I have ears.

In the past, my masters transmitted to me the Jade Writ of Primordial Unity, the Inner Texts of the Three Sovereigns, the sacred inner names of the perfected beings, and the divine texts that penetrate all things, and commanded me to uphold them. Now I have chosen an auspicious day and will henceforth observe a prolonged fast, following the prescribed method to swallow the inner names, cleanse the mind of worldly dust, and refine the vital essence of my eyes. I hope to discern the Three Realms and pray to see ghosts and spirits. I beseech the founding masters, my original master, the perfected masters, the Supreme Lord on High, and the true sages of the Three Treasures to show compassion. May they not take offense at my rash presumption, but especially send down the vital energy of the True and Righteous, the wise light of the Great Dao, and the Dharma grace of the Three Treasures, so that the divine wisdom of the six supernatural powers and the wondrous light of true transformation may enter my body.

May these powers clear the mind’s inner realm of obscuring dust and wash the eyes free of outer defilement. May they refine away the shadows that cloud the hundred spirits and illuminate the five viscera and six bowels; wash away sins and obstructions, sever entangling knots and the roots of the womb, subdue the trials that hinder cultivation, and bring all perfected beings together in protection. After I swallow the inner names, may I sit quietly and observe the Three Realms, at once illuminate the four directions, discern the immortals and perfected beings, and see through to ghosts and spirits. May I secretly know signs before they appear and clearly see the celestial phenomena. May I forever escape the eight tribulations and three calamities, and dispel a thousand kinds of disaster and nine classes of misfortune.

May auspiciousness meet me wherever I go, and may the wishes I present be conveyed and carried out. May the Great Dao flourish, and may living beings believe in it and turn toward it. I vow, in life after life, to relieve living beings, deliver the souls of the dead, and subdue demons. Through ten thousand kalpas and a thousand years, may I forever remain a disciple of the Three Treasures. May I receive the mysterious light of grace and attain its corresponding response and recompense.

I dare not reveal even a word or half a word of Heaven’s secrets. I prostrate myself and bow, presenting this memorial as an expression of my sincere intent.

Once this memorial is delivered above, it will pass straight through the gates of the Three Heavens. I earnestly ask the gods to carry it along with the incense smoke and present it before the exalted seat of the Great Dao and the Three Treasures. My heart is full of supplication, seeking Heaven’s grace. I am fearful and ill at ease; with reverence, I bow my head again and again and respectfully submit this petition.

Offering Incense and Making the Prayer:

On this day, in this month and year, I, the subject [name], holding the ritual rank of [rank], respectfully seek Heaven’s aid and make this reverent petition:

The Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the Jade Emperor, the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity, the Sun, Moon, and Five Planets, the Southern and Northern Dippers, the stars of the Three Terraces, the Perfected Ones of the Three Heavens, the Marshals of the Four Saints, the Five Sacred Peaks and their Five Emperors, the Inner Consorts of the Seven Stars, the Elder of Nanchang, the Divine Lords of the Six Ding, the Divine Lords of the Six Jia, the Thunder Gods, the Gods of the Rain Bureau, the Great Holy Envoy of the Divine Tiger, the Merit Officers of the Four Watches, the Divine Generals of the Four Watches, the Divine Generals Who Peer into the Caverns, and the Youths Who See Through All Things:

I now respectfully follow the Hunyuan Jade Tablets and Hidden Writings of the Highest Clarity from the Great Lingbao Method. On every Six Jia day—a day whose stem in the sexagenary cycle is “Jia”—I observe purification and abstinence, and swallow the inner secret names, hidden names, and jade characters of the Perfected Ones above. What I seek is the power to discern and behold, to command the divine and the immortal, and to pursue and capture souls.

I earnestly ask that, in their sacred compassion, the gods not punish me for offending them, and that they permit me to ingest their secret names and jade talismans. Today is a Jiazi day, and I respectfully ingest the inner secret names of the Perfected Ones above, praying to be granted Dao-Qi and the Dharma Eye, so that I may discern the myriad spirits and command a thousand Perfected Ones; call upon the Six Jia gods on my left and summon the Six Ding gods on my right; summon food for the immortals while seated; know what has yet to happen; and enter water or fire, transforming at will.

I earnestly seek Heaven’s sacred grace and am filled with awe and trepidation. Having completed this prayer, I bow again.

The Six Ding Method

The inner commentary on The Six Ding Method says: At noon on a Six Ding day, write the true names of the Six Ding gods on yellow paper using cinnabar. Following the original names, form each talisman from two characters, beginning with the direction assigned to the current ten-day cycle and writing the rest in sequence. Breathe Qi into each talisman, making three talismans in all.

At the beginning of the Chou hour that night, around one in the morning, which is the first day of the seven-day period, put on a robe and face the Ding direction. Take one talisman, roll it into a circle, and hold it in your palm. Speak the divine name written on it, then swallow it with water. As soon as someone makes a sound, quickly face the corresponding direction, inhale six breaths of Qi, and swallow. Repeat this seven times, continuing for seven days; the effects are the same.

After three ten-day cycles, or about thirty days, whenever something arises, face the corresponding direction, recite the divine name, inhale Qi, and swallow it with your eyes closed…

When I was young, the spirits told me that the things opened within my heart and that came to mind were all things that would happen in the future. Every one of them came true.

The Six Jia Method

The Outer Transmission of the Six Jia Method says: At the mao hour (about five to seven in the morning) on a Six Jia day, write the names of the Six Jia on white silk with cinnabar. Face the corresponding direction and swallow the talisman bearing the names. Alternatively, use water flowing westward, or well water untouched by the light of the sun, moon, and stars.

Afterward, clasp your hands firmly (make fists and fold your thumbs inward), sit upright, and sound the Heavenly Drum thirty-six times (cover your ears with your hands and tap the back of your head with your fingers). Click your teeth together twenty-four times. Cross your hands, shape them like a crane’s beak, and move the two joints nine times. Then separate your hands and rest them on the crown of your head. In your mind, visualize bright sunlight in the Dantian (energy center), illuminating your whole body like fire, red both inside and out. Recite the names thirty-six times, inhale, then blow over your whole body, keeping in mind the image of the Six Spirits standing beside you.

By practicing this, the Six Jia can reveal in dreams things that have not yet happened, and will remain beside you to protect you. It is said that after long practice you can see the Six Jia spirits and summon or command them at will. If minor demons or evil spirits cause trouble, write a talisman in cinnabar and burn it with a coin. The text says that the six generals will immediately drive the spirits out and send them into the sea. If you see strange signs in a dream, they are evidence given by the spirits.

The Six Ding Method

Whenever evil ghosts cling to someone and confuse them, silently recite the formula once, then close your eyes and wait quietly. The Six Ding spirits will communicate through your thoughts and awareness: any words that appear will reveal the reason for the ghosts’ mischief. Details such as the spirits’ clothing, its color, and their number will also prove accurate, one by one.

The Gongcao Method

If you are injured by something poisonous, or suffer from carbuncles, red swellings, or illnesses of the five viscera, urination, or bowel movements, write the talisman on the affected area. You may also swallow it or apply it externally. The text says that if the talisman contains no more than three characters, the illness will subside.

The Three Heavens Taboo-Names Method

The “Method for Joining the Petition to the Covenant” says: On the day before New Year’s Eve each year, bathe and put on clean clothes. At dawn on New Year’s Eve, sit upright in a secluded room facing the Gate of Heaven—the celestial portal in Daoist belief. Recite the hidden taboo-names of the Three Heavens and the taboo characters listed in the text continuously for twelve double-hours, for a total of three hundred thousand recitations. The next day, you must still remain silent for the entire day. Thereafter, whenever you submit a petition or memorial, or recite a formula, recite it once and blow the breath of the East over the writing. It is said that the writing will then reach the celestial realm and receive a clear sign or response.

This method may also be practiced on the dark moon, the last day of each month, with one hundred thousand recitations. Petitions and memorials will then be delivered at once to the Three Heavens, receive a response, and reach the human world directly.

The True Taboo-Names of the Three Heavens Method

The “Method for Rescue and Protection in Times of Danger” says: Observe purification on the Eight Seasonal Nodes (Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice). At the end of the xu hour and beginning of the hai hour (about nine to eleven at night), enter a quiet room, sit upright, and recite the true taboo-names of the Three Heavens. The text breaks off at the words “guarding within, Yuanqiu Delei, reaching ten thousand,” and the remainder is not preserved.

Whenever you encounter a tiger, wolf, or poisonous creature, hold your breath for seven counts and silently recite thirty-two times, “May the myriad poisons quietly disappear, and dare not cause harm.”

For the method above, recite the words ten thousand times on the new moon, the first day of the lunar month. After three days, when you encounter any kind of calamity or hardship, it will dissipate on its own. Even silently reciting the words thirty-two times will cause the calamity to resolve on its own.

The Five Peaks Formula

The “Formula for Having the Five Peaks Protect the Body” says: On the ninth day after the beginning of spring, the third day after the beginning of summer, the seventh day after the beginning of autumn, the fifth day after the beginning of winter, and the first day after each seasonal Earth-dominant period, at the hours of Mao, Wu, You, Zi, Yin, Shen, Si, or Hai, click your teeth the appropriate number of times according to the direction. Visualize the Lord of the Eastern Peak arriving before you, leading the lords and officials of the other four peaks. Form the “Five Peaks Formula” with your fingers, recite the invocation and the divine taboo names (special designations for divine names), then inhale and swallow the Qi of the five directions.

After one full year of practice, when seeking something, feeling afraid, facing an urgent danger, paying a visit to a person of rank, or entering mountains or crossing waters, first click your teeth five times and recite the divine names. Inhale and swallow the Qi of the five directions, then exhale outward and direct the Qi according to the directions. You will thereby escape danger and find good fortune and success wherever you go.

The Five Peaks and Three Paths Formula

On the left hand, the Zhen position (east) corresponds to “Red Apricot,” with the Eastern Peak on the middle finger; the Li position (south) corresponds to “Ink Black,” with the Southern Peak on the fourth finger; the Dui position (west) corresponds to “Grinding Truth,” at the base of the middle finger; the Kan position (north) corresponds to “Sock Wax,” at the middle of the middle finger; and the central position corresponds to “Wen Lingbao,” at the center of the middle finger. The “Three Paths” are: the Heavenly Path corresponds to the Kun pattern, the Earthly Path to the Xun pattern, and the Human Path to “Rising Life.” These written forms may contain textual errors and are retained here as they appear in the scripture.

To form the “Five Peaks and Three Paths Seal,” raise the little and fourth fingers of both hands and hold the hands facing one another. Then hook each index finger around the opposite fourth finger. Extend both middle fingers and press each thumb against the center of its middle finger.

Talisman for Pacifying the Five Peaks

Use the divine taboo names of the Five Peaks to pacify the five directions: the southeast is the Human Path, the northwest the Heavenly Path, the southwest the Duguong, and the northeast the Earthly Path. Once the entire talisman has been written, it is said to ward off all kinds of ominous apparitions and spirit-demons, as well as evil influences at ritual altars, temples, and dangerous places. It may also be written on a large stone, which is then cast into water or buried underground.

Within a hundred days, heavenly thunder will shake apart and destroy the inscribed stone or object. Write with cinnabar, form the “Five Peaks and Three Paths Formula” with your fingers, draw in the Qi of the Five Peaks and Three Paths, and blow it onto the talisman.

The Dipper’s Taboo Names Formula

The Formula of Illuminating Clarity and Myriad Wisdom says: On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, write the taboo names of the Northern Dipper deities in cinnabar, in any quantity. Roll the cinnabar into wax pills, place them in a green bamboo tube, and seal it with several layers of paper.

Take what is left in a hen’s nest where she sleeps, wait until it has formed, then take and ingest it. You will then be able to recite ten thousand words each day and understand subtle, hidden principles.

To strengthen wisdom and gain understanding of the spirits, so that you can recite ten thousand words each day without forgetting, write cinnabar on yellow silk, mix it with yellow wax, and make seven portions. Take one portion each day, with a clear and calm mind, washing it down with clean water. After taking it for forty-nine days in succession, your wisdom will naturally become lucid. You will be able to recite ten thousand words and recall them as soon as you begin to speak, without forgetting.

The taboo characters of the Southern Dipper (the southern celestial constellation):

Write the taboo characters of the Southern Dipper in cinnabar on yellow silk. Swallow the silk or wear it to treat various illnesses.

The above is from volume twelve of the Great Method of the Upper Scripture on Deliverance from Suffering Without Measure (Lingbao Wuliang Duren Shangjing Dafa).