《靈寶無量度人上經大法》Vol. 15

In practicing “Inner Vision,” first gather the mind and spirit, and regulate the breath until it enters the Dantian (energy center). In the later phase, direct it upward for thirty-six breaths. When drawing in the breath, on a Yang day first direct it to the left for twenty-four breaths; on a Yin day, the numinous spirit first moves to the right, reducing the count by twenty-four breaths. After the form appears, direct it downward to the left for thirty-six breaths.

On a Yang day, first proceed for thirty-six breaths to form one line, which is the Qian trigram; then proceed for twenty-four breaths to form another line, changing it into the Kun trigram. On a Yin day, first proceed for twenty-four breaths to form one line, which is the Kun trigram; then proceed for thirty-six breaths to form another line, changing it into the Qian trigram.

Each day, after swallowing a jade talisman (a talismanic slip taken in Daoist practice), sit upright and regulate the breath, gathering Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) in the Sea of Qi, the Dantian area below the navel. Draw the breath into the Dantian and visualize true Qi within both arms, shaped like red threads, writing the four characters from the “Central Section” in the Dantian. Then cultivate and refine according to the firing times—the measures for regulating the breath and circulating Qi in practice. Inhale the blue Qi of the heavens through the nose, and draw one Yang line below the navel, colored like cinnabar, arranging it in the Sea of Qi. Inhale the blue Qi six times in this way, forming six Yang lines. Next, inhale the yellow Qi of the heavens through the nose and draw one Yin line in the Sea of Qi. Inhale the yellow Qi six more times, connecting the lines into six Yin lines, then stop.

As you inhale through the nose, count silently and gently: nine breaths on a Yang day, six on a Yin day. Do not inhale forcefully. When the Qi descends, do not swallow it; simply guide it in sequence into the six lines. Once the six lines are complete, rotate to the left forty-nine times on a Yang day, or to the right thirty-six times on a Yin day, harmonizing the Qi in the Sea of Qi. When finished, click the teeth nine times, then stop. If the breath naturally escapes, let it do so; do not forcibly restrain it.

Incantation for the “Inner Vision Urging Method”:

Queen Mother, Immortal Lady, gather numinous power; Queen Mother’s immortal peaches, gather numinous power. May the Queen Mother’s true Qi descend upon me. I now consume the Immortal Lady’s offering; may I reach the abode of the East. I now consume the immortal peach; may I reach the realm of Jade and Yao, and be granted an audience with the Father of the East. The Father of the East commands the Azure Lad to descend, and the Azure Lad conveys his command to me. I pray that the Queen Mother will send down true Qi, enabling me to know good fortune and misfortune and to attain inner vision, seeing through all the transformations of ghosts and spirits without hindrance. May the true Qi of the Father of the East and the true Qi of the Queen Mother both come and gather me in.

The “Method of Concentrated Contemplation” describes:

The Father of the East wears five-colored robes and a crimson cap. His name is Wuwei and his courtesy name is Junjie. Wang Qiao is on his left, and Red Pine Master is on his right. He dwells within the sun, bears the title Jun’a, and is named Fuxi. He is the ancestor of the myriad spirits and the forerunner of the myriad Qi.

The Queen Mother of the West wears a five-colored cloud coiffure. Her name is Ziran, and her courtesy name is Jun Si. A round halo is at her left, and the Jade Maiden of Great Yin is at her right. She is the source of the primordial Qi of the Great Void and the ancestor of the myriad forms of Qi. She should be contemplated regularly.

Inviting the Spirits and Opening the Eyes

Next, invite the fourteen hundred Jade Maidens of Weak Water. Clad in white, they serve as attendants, enabling the spirits to appear and revealing good and ill fortune as far as ten thousand li away.

Then contemplate the place where your spirit is settled. Five-colored youths riding in carriages and on horses enter your eyes joyfully. Then recite the incantation:

The youth in my left eye is named Feiling; the youth in my right eye is named Chenying. Their divine light shines bright, like the might of Heaven, and beams forth like a shooting star. May I see clearly, without limit, reaching all the way to the Jade Clarity realm. With all haste, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

After contemplating the youths each time, click your teeth nine times and silently recite the incantation nine times. Inhale green Qi, rinse the saliva in your mouth three times, then swallow it and send it down to the liver. Next, press your thumbs into the “Sun Lord mudra” (a hand gesture) and hold them against your eyes nine times. Then you may stop.

The Immortal’s Method for Seeing Through Things

For the first three days, observe purification and bathe. At the third watch, wait until the moon is directly overhead. If the moon is not visible, do not practice. Face the moon, offer incense, and make this invocation:

Your servant, so-and-so, submits this petition on an auspicious day of the Three Origins: General Zhou, Lord of Great Yin, Right Crystal Water Mother, True Lords of the Three Heavens, Envoy of Highest Clarity, Immortal Who Illuminates the Six Pitch-Pipes, Empress Who Spreads Light Across the Moon, Lord of the Dark Cavern, Lord Who Illuminates the Sun, Lord Taiji Mengyi, the Inner Zhen of the Three Sovereigns of Highest Clarity, the True Sovereign Who Assists the Mandate of the Three Heavens, Lord of the Five Luminaries, and Lord Yuanhuang Who Holds the Registers. Your servant dares not kill or wantonly harm living beings. I pray to gain penetrating vision in my right eye, to see the forms of ghosts and spirits, and to practice in accordance with the prescribed rites. May great light pour into my eyes, enter my brain through my eyes, then return from my brain to my eyes, moving back and forth without obstruction, so that I may reach the realm of the immortals. I now receive the primordial Qi and pray that my wishes may be fulfilled.

When you have finished reciting, step back once, then advance three steps using the Ding-gang stepping method. Hold your breath and gaze quietly at the moonlight. Draw in the moon’s luminous Qi through your nose. When your breath is full, swallow it. Then exhale into your hands and use them to rub and wash both eyes. Next, recite the incantation:

The returning wind blends; the ritual master descends with light; the youths receive and contain it.

After reciting, rub your eyes. Recite the incantation six times, then stop. After practicing this method, begin that same day to collect dew regularly in a vessel and use it to wash your eyes each morning. If there is no dew, you may use water from ice, frost, or snow. When performing the penetrating-vision method, make the mudra of the original master and turn it once, then make the mudra for the hour of the day. Close your left eye and look through your right.

Focus the spirit and gaze steadily without blinking. If you see a corpse or anything filthy, turn away as you would from a corpse. If you cannot turn away in time and have already seen it, use this method to dispel the effect: write a talisman in cinnabar, put it in water, then wash your eyes with the water.

Incantation for penetrating vision and drawing in what is seen (a method for perceiving things and drawing them into view):

“Wherever Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon shine, the myriad spirits reveal their forms.”

First write the two characters “Dao yan” (“The Dao says”), then recite the incantation above. Next recite: “Kui, Gui, Yu, Xing, Bi, Liu, Piao.” Turn to the left seven times, then inhale and blow the breath into your hands. Rub your eyes with your hands. This is the key to the method. To summon and draw in the souls of the dead, blow your breath onto a paper canopy or a banner.

Another incantation says:

“My left eye is a pool of divine pearls; my right eye is a pool of jade pearls. I pray that the divine talisman and divine water will cleanse my eyes, making my vision clear so that I can see ten thousand miles into the distance. With urgent haste, in accordance with the statutes and commands.”

Then recite another incantation:

“Heaven opens and Earth grows dim. Ask one and know ten; ask ten and know a hundred. The divine talisman enters my belly, the aperture of my heart opens, my thoughts flow freely, and my ears and eyes grow keen. With urgent haste, in accordance with the statutes and commands.”

Burn the talisman to ash and swallow it with clear water. At the same time, form the hand seal and draw in Qi from the northeast.

Another method for penetrating vision by ingesting jade characters:

Enter a quiet room, click the teeth together nine times, then sit and regulate the breath eighty-one times, until it is even. Visualize the Primordial Heavenly Lord, the Most High Lord of the Dao, and the Most High Old Lord seated in the center of the kidneys, with a divine tortoise above them and the Queen Mother of the West and the Dingjia divine generals standing guard. The inner Golden Elixir in the heart shines like the sun.

Then, following the scripture’s instructions, visualize yourself seated amid blue, yellow, and white clouds, with clouds dense both inside and outside. The upper Dantian is blue, the middle Dantian yellow, and the lower Dantian white. Inside and out, the clouds are like walls enclosing a city, joined to the inner chambers of the body. Visualize a blue dragon emerging from the liver and standing on the left; a white tiger emerging from the lungs and standing on the right; a vermilion bird emerging from the heart and standing in front; and a dark tortoise emerging from the kidneys and standing behind. Six pairs of lions emerge from the back of the heart, while six pairs of white cranes emerge from the crown of the head and line up on either side. Their light shines like a rainbow, illuminating the ten directions.

Visualize the sun and moon lighting the inner chamber: their light shines from the eyes and illuminates the room. A round celestial form appears above the head, its light illuminating the ten directions. The light of the sun and moon shines from the Great Authority; the two rays meet overhead and form a circle of light.

Next visualize the palaces of the thirty-two heavens in the four directions. Golden towers and jade halls stand in the sky amid five-colored clouds. In the palaces, the Heavenly Emperor sits solemnly, dressed in a dark red ceremonial robe and wearing a crown with hanging beads. When this vision is clear and distinct, begin with Huangzeng Heaven. At each place, click the teeth together once and pay homage with focused attention. After completing the homage, silently recite the incantation:

The Supreme Lord of the Dao, the Most High Lord of the Mysterious Origin, summons the Three-Five Merit Officers within my body—the divine messengers—as well as the attendants on the left and right, the incense-bearing golden boys, the message-carrying jade maidens who scatter flowers, the Five Emperors’ tally officers, the incense officers on duty for the day, and other divine officials, thirty-two of each. They leave their posts to report the matter for which I have prayed: “Today is auspicious. In the pure, quiet ritual hall, I observe purification and cultivate the Way, reciting the Scripture of Salvation. I pray that I may perceive the ten thousand spirits and see through to ghosts and spirits, convey the matter I have reported upward, and present it directly to the supreme Primordial Lord, Sovereign of the thirty-two heavens above.”

Those who practice this method should first still their breath and focus their spirit. Imagine the eight heavens of the east entering the liver, the eight heavens of the west entering the lungs, the eight heavens of the south entering the heart, and the eight heavens of the north entering the kidneys. Then, according to the earthly branch of the day, sit upright facing its corresponding direction. On a Hai day, for example, recite the following incantation:

Silent and still, it returns to the utmost, where there is no source.

The void is lofty and vast, enduring through kalpas.

The writings of the Grotto Mystery appear in a sudden blaze—who can fathom their deep and distant reaches?

Once one has entered the Great Vehicle, who still counts the years and kalpas?

Neither born nor extinguished; when birth and transformation are sought, they emerge from the lotus.

They transcend the beings of the Three Realms, and with compassionate hearts escape the world’s snare.

The Perfected Ones possess supreme De; in every generation, they belong to the immortals.

Then recite:

The cloud seal script stretches vast and boundless, arising in the primordial age of the Great Void.

At times near, at times far; now sinking, now floating, it moves among the Five Directions, its compass no more than a zhang.

The Celestial Perfected Sovereign holds the brush and writes, expounding the chapters of the Grotto.

Then he writes the numinous talismans; the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning descends, and the true writings are spread far and wide.

When revealed, they are plainly visible; when concealed, they vanish into darkness and formlessness.

Those sunk within them can rise beyond the hardships of the dusty world; those caught in the depths can float free.

Through them, beings in the netherworld will escape the cycle of birth and death and ascend to the city of immortals.

Make this vow in order to perceive the ten thousand spirits and see through to ghosts and spirits, to save all beings without limit, and to deliver the departed from the netherworld. First recite the “Jade Writ” once, then visualize swallowing the hidden, tabooed characters. Next, visualize the color and clouds of the heaven in the direction you face blending together. Then visualize the Heavenly Emperor exhaling a light of that direction’s color, which merges with your own breath into a single stream. Let it pass straight through the crown of your head and flow in turn into your seven apertures, filling your whole body with radiant Qi. After a while, look up toward the heaven in that direction and visualize luminous characters appearing in the sky: the eight colors of that direction, red in hue.

Next, inhale the jade characters through your nose: draw one character into your heart, then one into your spleen, one into your lungs, one into your liver, and one into your kidneys. Then, using your mouth, draw one character into the Mud Ball (the upper Dantian in the head), one into the middle Dantian, and one into the lower Dantian. Once all eight characters have been drawn in, visualize them entering the five viscera and three Dantians, glowing red like fire and remaining there for a long time.

After some time, suddenly being able to see, to dream, or to perceive clearly through inner vision are all auspicious signs of penetrating insight. There are also practitioners who keep themselves pure and observe the precepts. They perform the method eight times each day, or complete the prescribed number of repetitions over a full day and night. If they persist for seven days, they will be able to see the xianzhen (immortals and perfected beings), and to see ghosts and spirits.

Contemplate the Three Fields (the upper, middle, and lower Dantian) and the five viscera, causing purple light in five colors to shine through the five organs and seven apertures. When finished, perform eight bows, then rise and continue with daily activities and the practice.

General True Talisman of the Three Sovereigns for the Hidden Heaven

When writing the Hidden Heaven Talisman, recite this incantation:

“Elder Emperor Lords of the Nine, Great Spirit of the Immortal Capital, Emperor Lords of the Three Sovereigns, True Spirits of the Eight Seats, Directing Talisman Officials of the Six Jia, and the hundred spirits of the Three Offices: please descend and protect the divine talisman of the Hidden Heaven. If I am to know future good or ill fortune, inform my heart and spirit; manifest and bring confirmation according to each circumstance, so that I may communicate with the sacred spirits. Hasten, in accordance with the statutes of the Elder Emperor Lords of the Nine.”

After reciting the incantation and writing the talisman, make the Yuqing hand seal, a Daoist mudra.

Mysterious Communication Formula

The talisman’s shape in the text is marked with symbols such as “▲▲▲▲,” followed by the characters rendered here as “kui yu.” According to the instructions, write the talisman continuously for three periods of seven days, that is, twenty-one days; once the talisman has been completed, swallow it. Then write and take the Hidden Heaven Talisman.

Talisman of the Three Sovereign Lords for Penetrating Vision

Taishang Laojun’s Talisman for Clear Sight: It is said that taking this on a “Day of Heaven’s Opening” enables one to see a distance of ten thousand li after a full year. Write the talisman on a mirror and look at your reflection in it. It is said that this allows one to see westward while facing east, and to see treasures within stones.

Taishang’s Eight Scribes Talisman for Penetrating Vision

Write the talisman on paper with cinnabar, hold it up toward the sun, then swallow it with clear water. Separately, put the talisman into water and wash the eyes with that water; one can then see far into the distance, as much as a thousand li. After placing the talisman in water, gaze toward the direction of sunrise; the sunlight itself will seem to reach farther.

Yuqing Incantation for Opening the Eyes: When encountering a “flying star,” recite the incantation and swallow.

“Radiant spirit-light of the luminescent stars descends from heaven into my body, enabling me to see ghosts and spirits clearly. Blending and returning to unity, it opens the way to the true Dao.”

Method for Taking in the Light of a Shooting Star: After receiving the star’s Qi and swallowing it, settle the mind in the lower Dantian, the inner alchemical visualization point in the lower abdomen. Then sit quietly and visualize the acquired Qi circling in the Dantian, rising along the left side to cleanse the impurities of both eyes, then returning to the Dantian.

Incantation and Talisman for Opening the Eyes

“Radiant and bright, it shines upon the spirits of the east. Within the mysterious is the sacred; within the sacred is the spirit. The spirits impart the true Dao to me, joining me with the Great Dao.”

This may be used either to wash the eyes or to be swallowed. Write the talisman with cinnabar on yellow paper, and stamp it with the Dongqi Yuqing seal, a Daoist talisman seal.

Taishang Incantation for Washing the Eyes with Spell Water and Gaining Penetrating Vision

“The sun rises in the east and shines with brilliant light. The spirits guard me, making me an immortal youth with eyes open to all things. I descend and travel within the granary, swiftly receiving a command from Tongmang. The Three Origins fill my whole body, and the Eight Spirits become my protective screen.”

Note: Some characters and talisman forms in the original are corrupt or missing, including the form after “Mysterious Communication Formula” and the words “lin” and “tongmang” in the incantation. They are retained here as given, without conjectural emendation.

Huanglao (a revered Daoist deity) gives the command: urgently order the gaze to shine across the world, and immediately summon Tongmang.

Youlin Tongquan Manghuang, urgently, in accordance with the statute, by command.

For the method above, on a Mao-Rooster day (a date-selection term associated with the Mao constellation and the Rooster; the original does not explain it further), chant the incantation seven times at dawn when the sun comes into view, holding it in your hand. Gather the Qi of sunlight and blow it into water, then wash your eyes with the water forty-nine times. Focus your spirit, close your eyes, and sit quietly for a short while; then open them. Do this for seven days to see ghosts and spirits; after forty-nine days, you will be able to see heavenly beings.

Those who call themselves “Mao-Rooster day” recipients of the incantation water should chant the incantation seven times over water at dawn, then blow the Qi of sunlight into it. Before a sacred image, have men and women wash their eyes with this water fifty times. Then, following the method above, have them close their eyes and sit quietly for a short while before opening them. They will see heavenly beings, ghosts, and spirits. Avoid eating spicy foods, and avoid seeing certain things. When the ritual is over, put away the ritual implements and recite:

Huanglao gives the command: You Tongmang Lao, withdraw to your own bureau, lest the secrets of the spirits be disclosed. Urgently, in accordance with the statute.

Catch the incantation in your sleeve. After reciting it, blow into the sleeve, then brush the men’s and women’s eyes with it. Next, give them malt-sugar soup to drink.

For the Seven Stars Divine Incantation above, face the sun each day and recite the incantation forty-nine times. Use the incantation water to drink and wash your eyes. At night, face the Northern Dipper and again recite the incantation forty-nine times, using the water to drink and wash your eyes. After doing this for one hundred days, you will see a divine child. If you practice “stepping the Dipper” (following a prescribed sequence of steps to imitate treading the positions of the Northern Dipper), do it seven times at each of the Zi, Wu, Mao, and You hours. This method is said to ward off the calamities of war, floods, and drought; dispel disasters brought by comets and baleful stars; prolong life; subdue all ghosts; and drive away every illness through the breath.

The Great High, All-Illuminating Divine Talisman

Male

Female

Whenever you write this talisman, form the Dipper seal with your left hand (a hand sign symbolizing the Northern Dipper) and hold the brush in your right. Look at the brush and recite:

“This brush is supremely efficacious; the Celestial Emperor bestowed it upon me. True Immortals guard my body, drive away strange beings, dispel illness, and grant me long life. After I write the divine talisman and incantate the water, may all things go smoothly. Urgently, in accordance with the statute.”

When you have finished, draw Gang Qi (the celestial energy of the Heavenly Dipper, in Daoist usage) in through your nose and blow it toward the brush, then flick your hand seal.

“Command power, command power, single power. Bai Zhi, the Heavenly Inspector, governs the head; the Earthly Inspector governs the feet; the Human Inspector governs the hands; Bian Que governs the eyes. Wherever the divine talisman reaches, all illness recedes. Urgently, in accordance with the statute.”

The divine talisman above is specifically for treating various eye disorders in men and women. It is said to brighten the eyes and to enable tongzhu (as written in the original; the meaning is unclear). On the Four Seasonal Commencement days, or on the first day of the Yin, Shen, Si, or Hai months, as well as on Jiazi, Gengshen, and one’s own birth-sign day, burn incense and face the Wang direction (a directional name not further explained in the original). In spring and winter, use the method described above to write the talisman in cinnabar; there is no limit to the number—the more, the better. Each day when using it, put one talisman into a cup of clean hot water to soak, and use the water to wash both eyes, while reciting over it:

The left eye is likened to a pool of divine pearls, and the right eye to a pool of jade pearls. Now place a divine talisman in water and pray that the deities will enable the water to cleanse my eyes, making them clear so that I can see far into the distance. Urgently, in accordance with the statutes!

Then stir the water with a staff. Just before washing the eyes, recite the incantation:

The sun rises in the east, its light rich and brilliant. The divine talisman transforms into water, to wash away eye pain, sores, and the poisonous influences that harm the people, and to disperse turbid Qi. Washed with the talisman’s sacred water, the eyes will regain their brightness. Urgently, in accordance with the statutes!

Ritual to the Well to Dispel Impure Influences (a method of making offerings to the well deity and clearing turbid influences from the well; the original book describes this method as divinely efficacious)

On a Three Assemblies day (a date designated for Daoist purification rituals), a Jiazi day, a Gengshen day, or one of the Three Yuan festivals (Upper, Middle, and Lower Yuan), prepare ten cups each of cypress-leaf tea, tea, and wine, along with seasonal fruits, unusual flowers, incense, and lamps, and arrange the offering table. Burn incense, tread the ritual steps that imitate the stars of the Northern Dipper, transform your divine form, and face the well as you recite the incantation and perform the rite. Then take Qi from the direction corresponding to the Qi swallowed that day, blow it into the well, and recite:

I, the humble perfected adept [name], respectfully offer sacrifice to the great deity within the well, the well’s attendant youths, its divine generals, its numinous Qi, the spirits who guard its spring, and all perfected spirits. I do this to draw in the numinous Qi of the earth’s springs, to swallow and cleanse my inner organs, dispel impure influences, and wash away the dust and grime accumulated in my ears and eyes. May the well water become an aid to divine powers. When my work is complete, I will share the offerings with all the deities, and I will not break this pledge.

Click the teeth together three times and recite the “Well-Restraining Incantation” one hundred times, while forming the Xu and Hai hand seals by pressing the corresponding finger positions. Recite:

O deep and cold water of the well, clear and alive, your breath reaches far and wide, giving rise to ten thousand ways. The springs of the Five Directions flow without end, carrying everywhere the command of the Celestial Emperor. No one in all the lands may violate them. Whoever dares to offend or defile the well spring shall be punished with the fire bell. Urgently, by the command of the Azure Mystery!

Treading the Ritual Steps Around the Well to Bar Evil

If the north, at the Zi position, faces the well’s Wu position, then the well’s Wu position corresponds to Zi; calculate the other directions in the same way. The practitioner transforms their divine form, treads the ritual steps, and leaps to the positions of the seven stars of the Northern Dipper, then visualizes the star stepped upon flying into the well. Follow the usual ritual steps for the Dipper. Once you have visualized the stars flowing into the well, write talismans for the Zi, Wu, Mao, and You directions on peachwood boards and nail them around the well as a boundary. This prevents ghostly Qi from disturbing the Qi of the well, helping the water remain pure and numinous. Practitioners should study this carefully.

True Talismans for Sealing the Well

For the talisman above representing Zi, face north, blow Qi, and form the Zi hand seal.

For the talisman above representing Wu, face south, blow Qi, and form the Wu hand seal.

For the Mao talisman, face east; for the You talisman, face west; proceed in the same way for the remaining directions.

Making and Offering a Mirror

When making a ritual mirror, first cut paper into a round mirror shape to serve as a pattern, then find an antique mirror. The two sides of the mirror symbolize Yin and Yang. Place the mirror in a box, making sure neither side of the box is set in an unclean place. Offer incense, flowers, wine, and fruit, then recite the “Mirror-Summoning Incantation,” a spell used to call forth and command the ritual mirror, and make this invocation:

“I, the lesser adept, Perfected One So-and-so, respectfully offer a sacrifice to the numinous spirit within this mirror. Numinous Qi within the mirror, spirit who guards the mirror, spirit who protects the mirror, and all other spirits: I have received the power of the Supreme Mystery Origin Treasure Mirror, a Daoist ritual object that symbolizes insight into Yin and Yang. I can illuminate Yin and Yang and clearly discern the hidden world. Spirits and ghosts alike, I ask you to communicate with me. Now I make this offering to you spirits: make my eyes clear and my ears keen, and let what I see and hear pass through without obstruction, so that I may discern the hidden mysteries between Yin and Yang. When the work is complete, I will share the reward with you and will never let you down. Spirits within the mirror, heed my admonition.”

Click the teeth together three times, then recite the “Mirror-Summoning Incantation” one hundred times. Next, form the Jade Emperor hand-seal, one of the Daoist hand-seal techniques, and recite:

“The Supreme Sovereign of Great Mystery restrains evil Qi and makes it pure. The Yellow Elder forged and refined it; the Supreme One bestowed its numinous power. It reveals spirits and ghosts and reaches directly into the hidden world. Spirits cannot conceal their Qi, and ghosts cannot escape being seen. Harmonious Qi spreads out in array; a hundred kinds of demons and specters gather. If any refuse to appear, erase their traces and destroy their forms. All must appear at once and must not defy the command. Spirit within the mirror, numinous guardian of the mirror: when the work is complete, ascend together to Shangqing, the clear heaven of subtle purity in Daoist cosmology. Swiftly obey the laws of Shangqing. I command you to summon and gather them.”

Ritual Offerings to the Seal to Communicate with Spirits

The adept, a Daoist ritual master’s self-designation, selects an auspicious day and instructs a craftsman to make ritual seals. Once the Lingbao Great Method Seal, the Three Heavens Supreme Seal, the Seal of Unified Documents to the Three Heavens, the Nine Spirits Memorial Seal, and the other Lingbao ritual seals have been prepared, set out twelve portions each of incense, flowers, wine, and fruit to offer to the immortals and spirits within the seals, and recite:

“I, the lesser adept, Perfected One So-and-so, respectfully offer a sacrifice to the great spirit within the seal. Immortals within the seal, perfected ones of true Qi, numinous officials who hold the seal, Jade Maidens who guard the seal, Jade Youths who guard the seal, immortal soldiers who guard the seal, and all the immortals within it: I have received the Great Method of Lingbao, through which I can govern and command ghosts and spirits, summon immortal soldiers, communicate clearly and discern all things, and roam together with the spirits, becoming forever a perfected being who has attained the Dao. Please accept this offering, made with sincere devotion, and help me complete my cultivation of Dao-Qi and attain my merit. When the work is complete, I will share its fruits with you. I would not dare let you down.”

Click the teeth together three times and recite the “Seal-Summoning Incantation,” a spell used to call forth the power of the ritual seal, one hundred times, while forming the Chief Inspector hand-seal, one of the Daoist hand-seal techniques. Recite:

“Spirit is true; Qi is true. Qi is true; spirit is true. The true spirit divides and orders the Qi of the Supreme Ultimate, gathering the Qi of the highest purity. The Mystery Seal transforms, responding wondrously and numinously. Swiftly obey the laws.”

The final phrase, “Lì ài dòng guān pǐn,” appears to be the title of the next section.

In practicing the Way of Inviting the True Spirits, you should let your thoughts reach far, survey widely, and quietly turn your attention inward. Sit and envision realms without bounds, penetrating deeply into the subtle and empty. After three years, you will be able to discern the true scene clearly: spirits will appear, their radiance shining all around. You will be able to foresee events before they happen and observe as far as the edge of the celestial realm. There will be no dark place you cannot see into, no height you cannot reach, and no depth you cannot look down upon. Afterward, you will be able to receive the title of the Great Thearch.

All this comes from a response cultivated over a long time. How could anyone be capable of it from birth?

At dawn, before the light appears, when the pale blue glow of morning first rises, rub your hands together until they are warm, then rub your eyes twenty-one times. Click your teeth together twenty-four times. Move your tongue around your mouth, sweeping it thoroughly above and below until saliva gathers, then swallow nine times. When you have finished, cover your whole body with a quilt and your clothing and lie down comfortably, calming both body and mind. In visualization, remain focused and clear, quieting both inside and out, and listen to no sounds.

Cover your ears with your hands and close your eyes. In your mind, envision yourself seeing the scene ninety thousand li to the east: mountains and rivers, the colors of the land, plants, birds and beasts, and old men from the lands of the Hu, all as though before your eyes. Make the scene clear and precise. If you cannot yet see it clearly, continue visualizing; in time, you will naturally see it. Once the scene is clear, you will hear the sound of bells and drums within your ears, bright and pleasing, continuing for a long while. Then envision the Immortal Official of the Eastern Peak arriving on a blue dragon amid green clouds, holding the Five Mushrooms. Twelve Jade Maidens follow behind him, dressed in blue feathered flying skirts. They bring Blue Essence Jade Syrup in a golden dish and present it to you. When you see the Immortal Official, bow to them and accept the Jade Syrup, then swallow it at once; you will find its taste sweet. Afterward, rub your eyes again and swallow nine times. This completes the practice.

After practicing in this way for three years, your eyes will be able to see things ten thousand li away, and your ears will be able to hear sounds from that distance, all clearly. You will also be able to foresee what is to come, including good and ill fortune, blessings and calamities, and the length of life. Your own body will emit an extraordinary light, shining brightly and transparently within and without.

The methods of the Way of Inviting the True are exceedingly subtle. They may be passed on only from mouth to ear and are not written down. You should keep silent, guard this secret, and practice accordingly.

Next, follow the method above and envision yourself seeing the scene ninety thousand li to the south: mountains and rivers, the colors of the land, plants, birds and beasts, and old men from the lands of Yue, all as though before your eyes. Make the scene clear and precise. If you cannot yet see it clearly, continue visualizing; in time, you will naturally see it. Once the scene is clear, you will hear a variety of sounds within your ears, mingling together and continuing for a long while. Then envision the Immortal Official of the Southern Peak arriving beneath a canopy of cinnabar clouds. Twelve Jade Maidens follow behind him, dressed in cinnabar silk flying skirts. They bring Dark Net Vermilion Fruits in a golden dish…

After I was given the body, I saw an immortal official. I bowed to him and received the immortal medicine, then swallowed it. Finding the medicine sour, I rubbed my eyes again and swallowed Qi nine times. Practise this method for three years, and you will naturally be able to see clearly into deep and distant realms, to see ten thousand li away and hear sounds from ten thousand li away. With long practice, nothing will remain obscure; you will also know in advance the good and ill fortune of what is to come. Your body will take on the lustre of jade, and your face will shine with a jade radiance. This is a method for summoning perfected immortals, and it is exceedingly subtle. The Lord Emperor transmitted it orally alone and forbade that it be written down and passed on.

Next, follow the method above and visualize: ninety thousand li to the west, see mountains and rivers, the color of the earth, plants and trees, birds and beasts, and the venerable elder of mystery (a revered deity or perfected immortal in Daoism), as though they were right before you. See them clearly and accurately. If they are not clear at first, continue visualizing for a long time, and you will naturally see them. Once they are clear, you will hear the sound of golden drums ringing in your ears, resounding sharply for a short while. Then you will see the immortal official of the Western Peak flying toward you on white clouds, followed by twelve Jade Maidens. They wear flying skirts of purple brocade and present you with Golden Elixir essence, an immortal medicine, in a golden dish. When you see the immortal official, bow to him and receive the medicine, then swallow it. Finding the medicine sweet, rub your eyes and swallow Qi nine times. Practise this way for three years, and your gaze will penetrate without obstruction: you will see things at boundless distances and clearly perceive good and ill fortune, blessings and calamities, and events that have not yet occurred. A golden radiance will appear on your face. This is a method for summoning perfected immortals. It must not be written down and passed on, but may only be transmitted orally.

Again, follow the method above and visualize: ninety thousand li to the north, see mountains and rivers, the color of the earth, plants and trees, birds and beasts, and the elder of the Qiang (as the original text has it; its precise referent is unclear), as though they were right before you. See them clearly and accurately. If they are not clear at first, continue visualizing for a long time, and you will naturally see them. Once they are clear, you will hear the sound of a bronze bell ringing in your ears, resonant and clear for a short while. Then you will see the immortal official of the Northern Peak flying toward you in a black cloud chariot, holding the Five Mushrooms, the numinous fungi of Daoist lore. Twelve Jade Maidens follow behind him, wearing flying skirts of black brocade and presenting you with jade nectar and fragrant elixir, a precious immortal liquid, in a golden dish. When you see the immortal official, bow to him and receive the medicine, then swallow it. Finding the medicine bitter, rub your eyes and swallow Qi nine times. Practise this way for three years, and you will be able to perceive in all eight directions and see into deep and distant realms; seated, you will see to boundless distances. Your body will become light and luminous, as though you were seated in mysterious emptiness. This is a method for summoning perfected immortals, exceedingly mysterious and difficult to express. It may only be transmitted orally and must not be written down and passed on.

Again, follow the method above and visualize inwardly, looking into your own body, so that you may see completely what is within the Nine Heavens…

Facing palaces, mountains and rivers, forests, flying dragons and beasts, the edge of the clouds and sky, and remote, profound places, imagine yourself meeting with the assembled Perfected Ones and speaking with the Immortals. Steady your thoughts and discern things clearly; if they are not yet clear, continue contemplating them. In time, understanding will gradually come of its own accord.

Then hear the five tones in harmony and the sound of the qing, an ancient percussion instrument, coming from within your ears, as if distinctly audible. After listening for a long time, see the Immortal Palace of the Central Peak arrive riding on rosy clouds, accompanied by flying dragons. Twelve Jade Maidens, dressed in yellow brocade flying robes, hold five-colored banners and present you with the essence of the Five Mushroom Elixirs, set on a golden tray. When you see the Immortal officials, bow to them in turn and receive the elixirs. After swallowing them, feel their sweet taste. Then rub your eyes, swallow Qi twelve times, and stop.

This is the “Wondrous Method for Summoning the Perfected and Attaining the Utmost.” Its particular wonders are difficult to put into words. After three years of practice, you will be able to see through hidden and subtle realms, thoroughly perceive the profound darkness, and discern signs of good and ill from past and present concerning rank, salary, and lifespan. Your body and mind will become clear and unobstructed, and your face will take on the luster of jade. Practitioners pass this on orally to one another, without written instruction. After completing the contemplation of the Five Directions—that is, visualizing in the mind the spirits or scenes associated with each direction—rise, face east, click your teeth nine times, and pray:

“Creatures take form and life; the wondrous principles govern the void. Turning and revolving, without sound or breath, they move through the four directions. Their streaming radiance shines for ten thousand miles, enabling me to see through the hollow, secluded realm. The precious light of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) shines brilliantly; flying rosy clouds fill the palace. In the morning, wondrous vital essence pours into me, opening the nine apertures. The four directions converge, and the eight directions flow freely. Preserving the spirits and guarding emptiness, I summon the formless numinous beings, so that my spirit and thought become keen and I may discern good and ill. I ride the dark chariot and the green flying carriage, soar through the air to the Great Dawn, and then pay my respects to the Jade Emperor.”

With this, the inner contemplation that summons the Perfected and the vision of heavenly rites are complete. The efficacy of this method is extraordinary, surpassing that of other forms of cultivation. If you settle your thoughts in the central direction and concentrate on contemplation, then enter a chamber to practice for one hundred days, you will begin to see signs that seem to reveal the spirits and Perfected Ones. After three years, their realm will become manifest, and you will be able to perceive hidden matters without anything escaping your sight.

This may be called seeking the Way of the Perfected within the mysterious. The Way is so profound and subtle that worldly discourse cannot describe it. It is therefore passed on orally and not set down in writing. Practitioners value rank and salary, yet I would gladly exchange this Way for the rank and salary of people throughout the four seas, and I have never heard of anyone willing to make the exchange. My Way is the foundation of long life and deathlessness. It enables one to foresee what has yet to appear, perceive hidden realms, look upward and measure the boundless, hear as far as ten thousand miles, and comprehend wondrous principles in all directions. What marvelous thing under heaven could surpass it?

Those who obtain this method can ride the green flying carriage, accompanied by the flying rosy clouds and the Immortal Maidens’ canopy, and ascend to the imperial court of Heaven. But they must treasure it and guard it carefully, never revealing it recklessly. If they break their oath and disclose the true text, the guilt will implicate them and their ancestors across nine generations, bringing hardship upon them all. They will be conscripted for a long time, sink into the dark springs after death, and suffer the investigations and punishments of the Three Offices, which govern the affairs of Heaven, Earth, and Water, enduring great hardship.

After receiving the Bright Precepts, one may practice the method of preserving the True called “Violet Measure, Flaming Radiance.” This is a form of cultivation through visualization, used to develop true penetrating sight—the Daoist art of seeing at a distance and perceiving deeply.

In practicing, one should often sit alone in a quiet room, set aside worldly affairs, and calm the mind in visualization: imagine the mountains and rivers, forests, grasslands, birds and beasts, and people across the four directions of the world, as far as ten thousand li away, all coming to pay homage to you. Then imagine firelight streaming from your eyes, like a meteor falling from the heavens, its radiance shining ten thousand li into the distance. The mountains and marshes in the four directions, the Huai and Ji Rivers, the forests, and all else dissolve in its light, until the sky is clear and pure, free of dust and impurity. Imagine your gaze reaching throughout the boundless realm, penetrating everywhere, with nothing beyond its reach; all things are clear, distinct, and seen without error.

Then click your teeth nine times, raise your head, and recite this prayer:

“Wondrous radiance is reflected from within the heart, discerning the boundless. It sees through distant places and hears what is far away; the nine gates, symbols of the body’s inner passages, are all opened. Jing and Qi surge and flow, making the realm of ten thousand li clear and open. Sitting quietly, one can see the signs of nature and foresee good and ill fortune; one can ride the flying rosy clouds and ascend into the vast sky.”

When the prayer is complete, guide the Qi and swallow saliva seven times, then stop. It is said that those who practice this method may see their first signs of attainment within a hundred days. After three years of cultivation, they can see the empty realm—the Daoist realm of voidness—and, while sitting quietly, see and hear across ten thousand li. This exceedingly subtle Daoist art cannot be transmitted through writing; it can only be passed on orally. Anyone who steals the teaching will suffer the punishment of wind blades; after death, their soul will not be reborn, and their ancestors for nine generations will be made to serve the ghost officials for a long time. One must therefore observe the precepts with care.

“Guiding the Qi” means regulating and directing the breath. “Swallowing saliva” usually means swallowing the mouth’s natural fluids; these are common methods of regulating the breath and preserving vitality in Daoist cultivation. The claims in this passage about seeing and hearing at a distance, ascending into the sky, and other effects describe the benefits attributed to the practice by the scripture.

Lingbao Wuliang Duren Shangjing Dafa, juan 15