《靈寶無量度人上經大法》Vol. 17

At that time, in the early years of the Chimi era, the Supreme Lord (Taishang) ordered the True Perfected Huangren (Tianzhen Huangren) to transmit the "Inner Sound True Method" (Neiyin Zhenfa) of all the heavens. This method stabilized the heavens, established the order of Heaven and Earth, and set the rules governing the movements of the stars, sun, and moon, so that the heavens and their numerous sacred spirits could take form. All kinds of beings and things came into existence through it, receiving the power of the Supreme Numinous Treasure (Taishang Lingbao). Because of the True Qi (zhenqi) of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable (Yuanshi Tianzun), they were able to grow, and each received a name according to its own nature.

This method can deliver all living beings in heaven and on earth, and it can also help the sacred assemblies who have already attained the Dao to achieve perfection. When living beings receive the mysterious Qi contained in the Inner Sound True Method, they can accomplish the Great Dao. If a person encounters this true teaching, there is hope of ascending to heaven, and all the great sages attained sainthood by relying on the Inner Sound True Method.

The True Perfected Huangren said: "Throughout heaven and earth, this sound opens every place, drives away calamities, delivers living beings, and brings things to completion. It is the spontaneous sound of true perfection, called the 'Inner Sound True Method of All the Heavens,' and it is through this that the order of Heaven and Earth is naturally established."

When cultivating this method, one must align oneself upward with Heaven, downward with Earth, and centrally with humanity. Conduct and speech must never harm any being, and one must constantly hold the intention of diminishing oneself to benefit others and of aiding all things. Only by cultivating in this way can one practice the Inner Sound True Method of All the Heavens and ultimately attain the Way of ascending to heaven. The sovereigns and sages of the heavens are all said to have become immortal officials by means of this method.

The Inner Sound method is extremely precious. Its merit equals that of all the heavens, and it can carry people across to ascension, so it is treasured and not transmitted lightly to later generations. The Primordial Heavenly Venerable transmits it to the world only once every forty thousand kalpas. These eight kinds of meritorious sound are the principles that all the heavens follow in common; they are the method of ascension, the root of entering sainthood, the gate of longevity, and the path leading to the celestial realms.

A person who passes through ten thousand kalpas may have the chance to encounter this method, and through it, within one body, can attain the Dao and ascend to heaven. Moreover, they can deliver their Nine Mysterious Ancestors and Seven Generations of forebears (referring to the ancestors and clan elders of past generations), enabling them, too, to become immortals. All the sages and true spirits of heaven and earth are understood to have perfected the Way of the Exalted Perfected through it. The saying "the Inner Sound delivers immeasurable beings" means that it is the root of all Dao and the essential path to attaining the Dao.

Dongxuan Lingbao Tianzun Dong Fang Jiu Qi Qing Tian Ba Hui Shu Yin (Eight Assembly Script-Sounds of the Azure Heaven of the Nine Qi of the East)

Tai Huang Huang Zeng Tian (Heaven of Great Yellow Imperial Ancestry)

The first, second, and third characters of Huang Zeng Heaven are written upward above the Long Tower of Xuandu. These characters regulate the measures of heaven and earth and summon the great spirits and perfected beings of the ten directions.

Next, the fourth and fifth characters are written upward on the southern pavilion of the Lord Emperor's Wandering Terrace, where they govern the spirit-perfected beings that arise naturally within the Void.

Next, the sixth, seventh, and eighth characters are written at the Gate of the Sun and Moon, where they convey the light of the Nine Dark Realms (the depths of the netherworld) and open the palace of the long night. Each of these characters is a square one zhang on a side, shaped with eight radiant corners, and shines brightly.

The Heavenly Perfected Sovereign (Tianzhen Huangren) says: In cultivating the Way of ascending as an immortal, on each of the ten assembly days of the month, write the first, second, and third characters of Huang Zeng Heaven in cinnabar, take them facing the King, and recite the incantation according to the method. Practiced for one hundred days, the myriad spirits will come to pay homage to you.

On the fifteenth and thirtieth days of each month, write the fourth and fifth characters in cinnabar, take them facing the King, and recite the incantation according to the method. Practiced for twenty-four years, the spirit-perfected beings will appear together, and whether in life or after death, you will ascend to heaven and arrive upon the Lord Emperor's Wandering Terrace.

On the days of the first and last quarter moons and the full moon, write the sixth, seventh, and eighth characters in cinnabar and take them facing the moon. Practiced for eight years, light will shine from within your body and your face will take on a golden hue. Whether in life or after death, you will ascend to the Hall of the Sun and Moon, be refined there, and become an immortal. Wearing these characters, the Three Officials (Sanguan, the offices governing heaven, earth, and water) will no longer enter your name in the registers of evil retribution. Your name will be recorded in Huang Zeng Heaven and, as fate turns, will endure without end through countless kalpas. This method is profound and precious, and its efficacy is equal to that of heaven itself.

Da Ming Yu Wan Tian (Heaven of Great Brightness and Jade Completion)

The first and second characters of Yu Wan Heaven are written side by side on the palace gate in the northwest of heaven, where they govern the limits of the kalpas of heaven and earth.

Next, the third and fourth characters are written on the jade fan of the Gate of the Three Realms, marking the moment when this gate begins to open and to be divided into its measured stages.

The text breaks off at the words "next, the fifth." Note: The phrases such as "take it facing the King" in the original may contain errors or omissions, so the above follows the surviving text literally. "Take" (fu) here may refer to swallowing the talismanic characters or related ritual objects.

The sixth and seventh characters are inscribed in the Upper Pavilion of the Purple Subtlety (Ziwei Shangguan, a principal palace in the heavens), where they govern the adjudication of transgression and merit and open the gates of life and death. The seventh and eighth characters are inscribed within the Northern Primordial Dipper (Beiyuan Xuandou), where they govern the jurisdiction of the Celestial Passes and the periods of their rotation. These celestial writings are square, one zhang on each side, with eight bright corners that illuminate the Wangwan Heaven.

The Perfected Emperor of Heavenly Truth (Tianzhen Huangren) says: Those who cultivate the Way of ascending as a Flying Immortal (feixian) should, on a wuxu or wuchen day, write the first and second characters of the Wangwan Heaven in cinnabar, take them facing the northwest, and recite the incantation according to the prescribed rules. In this way they accord with the allotted fate, are transformed and reborn again and again within the trials of life and death, and take their place among the Flying Immortals. Then, on one's own birth-sign day (benming ri), write the third and fourth characters in cinnabar, take them facing the direction of one's birth-sign, and recite the incantation according to the rules. After one hundred days, the Earth Officials will strike the name from the registers of death, and the Three Realms will protect the practitioner as they attain immortality. Whether living or dead, one will be able to pass directly through the Gate of the Three Convenient Passages.

Again, on a jiazi day, write the fifth and sixth characters in cinnabar, take them facing north, and recite the incantation according to the rules. After one hundred days, the Three Officials will remove the practitioner's name from the ledger of transgressions and record it in the heavenly Bureau of Life-Fate (Siming Cao), the divine office that governs longevity. Wandering spirits will thereby walk out of the long gate of darkness, receive deliverance, and be able to be reborn into the Hall of Blessed Virtue.

Again, on the day of Lixiu or the Spring Equinox, write the seventh and eighth characters in cinnabar, take them facing the direction of the Wang region, and recite the incantation according to the rules. Persist for seven years, and the Dipper will register the practitioner's name and place it in the court of the Celestial Sovereigns. The practitioner's seven generations of ancestors will likewise ride in feathered carriages and ascend to the Jade Palace of the Perfected Dawn (Yuchen Gong, a palace of the heavens). Whoever carries this talismanic text will no longer be burdened by the old grudges of past lives, and will be freed from the long night and the Eight Difficulties (eight obstacles encountered in cultivation or in the pursuit of salvation). Both the living and the dead will universally receive liberation and will wander freely in the Forest of the Seven Treasures of the Jade Terrace (Xuantai Qibao Lin).

Qingming Hetong Heaven

The first and second characters of the Hetong Heaven are inscribed in the Upper Pavilion of the Golden Carriage, where they govern the registers of life and death and the fundamental record of merit and fault. The third and fourth characters are inscribed on the Seven-Treasure Jade Capital Terrace (Yujing Qibao Xuantai), where they govern the rites by which the myriad immortals pay court. The fifth and sixth characters are inscribed in the Hall of Nine Spirits (Jiuling Guan), where they govern the transformation of the great limits of heaven and earth, the turning of the gate of mysterious transformation, and the merit of broadly bestowed salvation. The seventh and eighth characters are inscribed upon the Northern Primordial Gate, where they govern the qi of heaven and earth and hold the beginnings of prosperity and decline. These celestial writings are square, one zhang on each side, with eight bright corners that illuminate the Hetong Heaven.

The Perfected Emperor of Heavenly Truth says: Those who cultivate the Way of ascending as Flying Immortals should, on the seventh day of the seventh month, write the first and second characters of the Hetong Heaven in cinnabar, take them facing the Wang region, and...

Xuan Tai Ping Yu Heaven

Practicing the incantation method for one hundred days causes the Nine Palaces (Jiufu), the divine offices that keep the registers of the netherworld, to strike the offenses from the ledgers of the underworld and to record the deceased's name in the golden script of Xuandu (Mysterious Capital), the celestial capital in Daoist cosmology. The dead are thereby delivered from the Nine Gloomy Realms (Jiuyou), the depths of the afterlife, and their spirits ascend to the palace of the Southern Pole.

On the Eight Solar Nodes (bajie), namely Lichun (Start of Spring), Chunfen (Spring Equinox), Lixia (Start of Summer), Xiazhi (Summer Solstice), Liqiu (Start of Autumn), Qiufen (Autumn Equinox), Lidong (Start of Winter), and Dongzhi (Winter Solstice), one writes the third and fourth characters in cinnabar and swallows them while facing north. After one hundred days of practice, the divine perfected (shenzhen) of the Three Realms (sanjie) will come to pay their respects. The practitioner's body and spirit become free and unfettered, life and death no longer bind them, and they wander through the Forest of Seven Jewels (Qibao Lin).

On the days Wuxu and Wuchen, one writes the fifth through eighth characters in cinnabar and swallows them while facing northwest. The calamities of the great cycle can all be passed through, and the disasters of flood and fire are dissolved along with the cycle. One is restored to life and enters the Primordial Heaven (Shitian).

Xuan Tai Ping Yu Heaven

Within the Ping Yu Heaven, the first through fourth characters are inscribed on the Gate of Azure Splendor (Qinghua zhi Men) in the Upper Palace of Taiji (Taiji Shanggong). This gate is governed by the multitude of jade maidens and perfected, who chant the sounds of the Five Harmonies. The fifth and sixth characters are inscribed on the Terrace of Cavern Origin (Dongyuan zhi Tai), which governs the radiance of the auspicious clouds in heaven and composes the melodies that unite the Eight Tones. The seventh and eighth characters are inscribed on the Upper Hall of the Numinous Cavern (Dongling Shangguan), which governs the emperor's tours of the eight directions and also oversees the Heavenly Demon King and the Perfected Kaidu.

The heavenly scriptures are all one zhang square and octagonal in shape, bright and luminous, and they are located within the Ping Yu Heaven. The Perfected Heavenly Emperor (Tian Zhen Huangren) says that whoever cultivates the Way of ascending as an immortal should, on a jiazi day, write the first four characters in cinnabar and swallow them while facing "Wang." The original text reads "facing Wang," but what this refers to is unclear. After one hundred days of practice, one can roam freely within one's own dwelling. Chanting the incantations brings a response from above, and one descends to the place of the sovereign.

On the Spring Equinox and the Autumn Equinox, one writes the fifth and sixth characters in cinnabar, gazes up at the sky, visualizes white clouds, and then swallows them. After one hundred days of practice, the face takes on a jade-like luster, and one can associate with the immortals. On the ten fasting days (shi zhai ri), days of ritual abstinence in Daoist practice, one writes the seventh and eighth characters in cinnabar and swallows them while facing "Wang." After twenty-four years of practice, one can communicate freely beyond life and death, ascend to the heavens, travel through the eight directions, transform among them, and roam at ease in the Forest of Seven Jewels of Xuandu.

Yuanming Wenju Heaven

Within the Wenju Heaven, the first through fourth characters are written on the "Gate of the Three Convenient Heavens" (Tiansan Bian zhi Men). This gate governs the primordial numerical qi of heaven and earth, opens the barrier of Great Abundance (Dayou), and connects with the perfected of the Longhan era (Longhan zhi Zhen). The fifth and sixth characters are written on the Terrace of Fused Birth (Rongsheng zhi Tai). This terrace is the excursion platform of the Upper Primordial of the Southern Pole (Nanji Shangyuan). It oversees the perfected and jade maidens who scatter the fragrance of the Five Harmonies and employs the celestial script. The seventh and eighth characters are written on...

Ziyang Guan (the Purple Yang Hall, a palace where the perfected immortals dwell) is governed by the lingfeng qi (numinous wind qi), and auspicious clouds move swiftly through it. The tianshu (celestial script) is square, eight zhang on each side, with eight corners that emit light, and its bright characters hang suspended in the midst of the heavens.

The Tianzhen Huangren (Celestial Perfected Huangren) says: Those who cultivate the Dao of feixian (flying immortality) should, on a wuxu or wuchen day, write the four characters "Wenju Tianzhong Diyi Lai Si" in cinnabar, take them while facing the celestial gate, and they will transcend life and death. They will also be able to pass through the yangjiu zhi zai (the calamities of the Nine Yang, the period of disaster that the ancients spoke of), and at the time when all things are renewed they will ascend to the upper realms, travel through the courtyards of the Three Realms, and enter the "Erbian zhi men" (the Gate of the Two Convenients). The original text does not specify what this refers to.

Again, on the ten fasting days (the days of abstinence prescribed by Daoist practice), write the fifth and sixth characters in cinnabar and take them while facing one's benming (birth-star direction). After one hundred days, the Yunü (Jade Maidens, female immortals who serve the perfected) will descend, and the myriad spirits will gather around the practitioner. Then, on a Taisui day, write the seventh and eighth characters and take them facing south. After eight years, the body will develop a jade-like luster and naturally emit fragrance. The practitioner will be able to associate with many perfected beings, the Jade Maidens will come to the practitioner's chamber, and the practitioner will be able to travel through Ziyang Guan.

Qiyao Moyi Tian (The Heaven of the Seven Luminaries and Moyi)

In the Moyi Heaven, write the first and second characters on the Xuandu Yuguan (the Jade Gate of the Mysterious Capital, the jade gate of the heavens), and it will open and release vast light and cause the natural numinous qi to descend. Write the third and fourth characters on the Ziwei Tai (the celestial palace terrace), and it will open the gates of the Jiuyou (the Nine Dark Recesses), allowing the spirits of the dead dwelling in the long night to emerge. Write the fifth and sixth characters in the empty space at the position of the Beiling Guan (Northern Numinous Hall), and they will subdue the myriad demons in the Di Ting (Imperial Court). Write the seventh and eighth characters at the Beiji (North Pole). Taken together, these eight characters each form a square of one zhang in both shape and size.

The Tianzhen Huangren says: Those who cultivate the Dao of flying immortality should write the first two characters mentioned above in cinnabar on their own birth day, and take them facing their benming direction. After one year, their destiny of life and death will be equal to that of the flying immortals. At the end of life, they will not need to pass through the underground palace but will ascend directly to the Upper Palace of the Mysterious Capital.

Again, on a Gengshen or Jiashen day, write the third and fourth characters and take them facing the northwest. After one hundred days, the qizu (seven generations of ancestors) will all be freed from the long night and ascend to the eight gates of the Zhuling zhi Gong (Palace of Vermilion Peak, a celestial residence where the spirits of the dead are placed and receive salvation).

Then, on the fifth day of the fifth month at the noon hour, write the fifth and sixth characters and take them facing south. After twenty-four years, the practitioner will be able to move freely within Wenju Tianzhong, summon the demonic hosts, subdue spirits and monsters, and wield authority sufficient to subdue a million people.

Again, on the seventh day of the seventh month, write the seventh and eighth characters and take them facing the benming direction. After one hundred days, the Beidi (Northern Emperor, the deity who governs the netherworld and matters of life and death) will remove the practitioner's name from the registers of the dead, and the Nangong (Southern Palace, the celestial palace that governs the registers of the living) will record the practitioner's name in the Changsheng Bu (Register of Long Life). The Siming (Director of Destiny, the deity who governs human lifespan and destiny registers) will then record the practitioner's birth, grant the xianji (immortal registry), and cause the practitioner to become a perfected being at the appointed time.

Xuwu Yueheng Tian (The Heaven of Empty Void and Transcendent Balance)

In the Heaven of Yueheng (Yuèhéng Tiān), the first and second characters are written on the Yuanshi Xuantai (Yuánshǐ Xuántái, the Terrace of Primordial Beginning), where they govern the guiding principles of the opening and closing of heaven and earth, as well as the Dao (Dào) that pervades the eight directions. The third and fourth characters are written at the Xuanguan Gate (Xuánguān Zhī Mén) in the sky to the north, where they govern the qi (qì) of fate and the cycles of destiny. The fifth and sixth characters are written on the northwest gate of heaven, where they govern the timing of the appearance and concealment of the Five Chapters of True Writing and the opening of the periods of life and death. The seventh and eighth characters are inscribed on the Terrace of the Nine Nights, where they govern the return of the dead soul to spirit, its rebirth into the world, and the registers of life and death together with the karmic bonds of successive lives.

The Perfected Sovereign Huangren (Tiānzhēn Huángrén) says: those who cultivate the Way of ascension to immortality (fēixiān, "flying immortals") should, on their birth-day (běnmìng rì), write the first and second characters above in cinnabar (zhūshā), face the Heavenly Gate (Tiānmén), and swallow them. This aligns one's spirit with one's fate, so that the fortune of life and death remains long within blessing and does not scatter. On the day of one's current year (xíngnián), write the third and fourth characters in cinnabar, face the Earth Gate (Dìhù), and swallow them, so that one's essence and qi align with fate and the fortune of life and death dwells long in the Southern Palace (Nángōng) without leaving the body. Then, on the days of Taisui (Tàisuì, the Grand Year Star), write the fifth and sixth characters in cinnabar, face Taisui, and swallow them. After eight years, the five viscera will all produce purple light, the numerous spirits will be refined together, and the practitioner will be able to transcend life and death and become an immortal. On the Winter Solstice, write the seventh and eighth characters in cinnabar, face north, and swallow them. In this way, the nine ancestors can all escape the netherworld (yōumíng) and ascend to the Southern Palace in the dark night, and the practitioner's body will move in accord with Yuanshi, endure through countless kalpas without end, and share the merit of the flying immortals.

Here, "swallow it" (fú zhī) means taking the characters written in cinnabar as a talismanic writing (fúshū), as the scripture prescribes. "Birth-day" (běnmìng rì), "current year" (xíngnián), and "Taisui" are all dates in Daoist calculation (shùshù) tied to a person's birth year or annual fortune.

Taiji Mengyi Heaven (Tàijí Méngyì Tiān)

In the Taiji Mengyi Heaven, the first through fourth characters, four in all, are written on the long tower at the nine-bend branch of Longshan (Lóngshān Jiǔzhé Zhī Kē), where they govern the protocols for the Lord Emperor's (Dìjūn) bearing when he tours and observes. The fifth and sixth characters are written on the Northern Dipper Terrace (Běidǒu Xuántái), where they govern the register of life and death. The seventh and eighth characters are written in the Palace of Long Life in the Southern Dipper (Nándǒu Chángshēng Gōng), where they govern the transfer of dead souls into the Southern Palace, the refining of their hún and pò souls, and the recording of their names for rebirth.

The Perfected Sovereign Huangren says: those who cultivate the Way of flying immortals should, on the days of the eight solar terms (bā jiéqì), write the four characters above in cinnabar, face the Wang direction (wáng fāng), and swallow them. After twenty-four years, the Lord Emperor will descend, and the high perfected will also arrive. On the fifth day of the fifth month, write the fifth and sixth characters in cinnabar, face north, and swallow them, and the Northern Dipper will strike the name from the death register and transfer it into the Palace of Life. On the seventh day of the seventh month, write the seventh and eighth characters in cinnabar, face south, and swallow them, and the Southern Dipper will verify and seize the souls, refine them, bring them into the Palace of Life, and the body will enter...

The final sentence breaks off in the original at "tǐ rù zì," so the explanation can only be rendered to this point.

Yet the bestowal of emolument in the Hall of Blessings is an affair of the heavenly assemblies, in which blessings are conferred and rank is granted.

Eight Assemblies Script Sounds of the Three-Qi Cinnabar Heavens of the South

Heaven of Vermilion Brightness and Harmonious Yang (Chiming Heyang Tian)

In the Heaven of Harmonious Yang, the first through fourth characters are inscribed in the Hall of Cavernous Yang, where they govern the perfected beings and those who have attained the Dao. Those who have received refinement are granted feathered insignia (the ceremonial retinue for ascent) and entered in the register of ascended perfected ones.

The Heavenly Perfected Huangren (Tianzhen Huangren) says: those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality may, on the fifth day of the fifth month, write the four characters above in cinnabar and take them while facing their birth-year direction. After five years, the body within and without will be clear and luminous, able to shed defilement and reach the state of a perfected being, and the spirits will commune with them. Then, on the seventh day of the seventh month, they should write the fifth and eighth characters in cinnabar and take them while facing Grand Duke Sui (Taisui), a spiritual power associated with the motion of Jupiter. In this way, the Qi of the five viscera condenses into an immortal, a luminous circle appears above the head, the myriad spirits serve as guardians, and the retinue arises of its own accord. Ultimately they become a perfected being and roam at ease in the realm of Taiqing (Grand Clarity).

Heaven of Mysterious Brightness and Gonghua (Xuanming Gonghua Tian)

In the Heaven of Gonghua, the first through fourth characters are written upon the Mysterious Terrace of Jade Capital Mountain, where they govern the spirit that turns, opens, and transforms the primal origin of heaven. The four characters below are written together in the Upper Primordial Palace of the Southern Pole, where they govern life and death, merit and fault, as well as lifespan and the registers of emolument. Written together, the eight characters, each a square of one zhang (about three meters) on a side, appear in brilliant light within the Heaven of Gonghua.

The Heavenly Perfected Huangren says: those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality may, on the Beginning of Spring day, write the four characters above in cinnabar and take them while facing east. After eight years, the myriad spirits will become visible, the body will be transformed, and they may move with the Qi-currents of the eight directions. Even through countless calamities, they will endure. Then, on their own birth-day, they should write the four characters below in cinnabar and take them while facing Grand Duke Sui. After one hundred days, the Three Officials (the deities governing heaven, earth, and water) will strike their names from the registers of death, and the Southern Palace will record them in the registers of life. The Nine Darknesses (the underworld) will open, releasing the souls of their nine ancestors, and the Vermilion Hill (a Daoist realm of transcendent beings) will greet them with a renewed form. Across ten thousand kalpas, they will still dwell within the Seven-Treasure Grove.

Heaven of Radiant Brightness and Drifting Ascent (Yaoming Zongpiao Tian)

In the Heaven of Zongpiao, the first through fourth characters are written in the yellow chamber of Dragon Marsh Mountain in the southwest of heaven, where they govern the opening of the brightness of sun and moon. The Flying Heavenly Perfected Ones record merit in the registers of accomplishment according to each person's deeds. The fifth and sixth characters are written in the Upper Hall of Sun and Moon, where they govern the degrees of motion of the three luminaries of sun, moon, and stars, as well as their waxing and waning. The seventh and eighth characters are written above the Mysterious Gate at the center of heaven, where they govern the degrees and limits of motion of the boundless worlds of the four directions. Written together, the eight characters, each a square of one zhang on a side, appear in brilliant light within the Heaven of Zongpiao.

The Heavenly Perfected Huangren says: those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality may, on their own birth-day...

Write the four characters in cinnabar, face south, and swallow them, and you will be protected from the assaults of the Yangjiu (Nine Yang) calamity. The "Yangjiu calamity" refers to disasters, catastrophes, and tribulations. On the days of the first and last quarter moon, write the fifth and sixth characters in cinnabar, face the sun and moon, and swallow them. Then you can escape birth and death and the dark netherworld, always dwell in light, and be harmed by no defilement. On a Taisui day, write the seventh and eighth characters in cinnabar, face Taisui, and swallow them. Then you can move through the colorless realm, be spared the calamities of the Five Sufferings, and live in a state of carefree joy.

Zhuluo Huangjia Heaven

Within Huangjia Heaven, the first and second characters, written together, are placed in the Ziwei Upper Palace (Ziwei Shanggong), where they govern the opening of the Heavenly Gate, the moment when light appears, and the registers of those to be delivered. The third and fourth characters are placed at the Window of the Northern Emperor's Cold Spirit (Beidi Hanling Zhi Chuang), where they govern the essences of the myriad demons. The fifth and sixth characters are placed at the Gate of the Three Conveniences (Sanbian Zhi Men), where they subdue the ghosts of the songs that drift through the clouds. The seventh and eighth characters are placed at the Gates of the Southern and Northern Dippers (Nan-Bei Ergou Zhi Men), where they govern the registers of life and death, good and evil, and merit and demerit. Taken together, the eight characters, each one a zhang (about three meters) square, shine clearly within Huangjia Heaven.

The Heavenly True Sovereign (Tianzhen Huangren) says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality (feixian zhi dao) should, on the Spring Equinox, write the first two characters in cinnabar, face east, and swallow them. Then they can escape birth and death, enter Zhuling (Vermilion Numinous Realm), and be enfeoffed as immortals. Zhuling is the place the scripture names as the site where immortals receive deliverance and investiture. On the Beginning of Winter, write the third and fourth characters in cinnabar, face northeast, and swallow them. After a hundred days, the myriad ghosts will all come to pay court. Even if ghosts come to disturb and test the practitioner, one who studies the Way will remain upright and self-guarded, and the spirits will naturally descend. Further, on the eight solar-term days, write the fifth and sixth characters in cinnabar, face the Heavenly Gate, and swallow them. This will make the recitation of scripture clear and far-reaching, so that it ascends to the Celestial Court, and the nine heavens' myriad demons will be subdued. Once the Way is accomplished, one can become an immortal. On the fifth day of the fifth month and the seventh day of the seventh month, write the seventh and eighth characters in cinnabar, face "Wang," and swallow them. The text says only "Wang," and what "Wang" refers to is not specified. After a hundred days, the Northern Emperor will erase the practitioner's name from the registers of death, and the Southern Dipper will write it into the registers of the immortals. From then on, one escapes birth and death and becomes a Flying Heavenly Perfected (feitian zhenren).

Xumingtang Yaotian (Hall of Void Brilliance Shining Heaven)

Within the Hall of Void Brilliance Shining Heaven, the first four characters are placed on the Nine Yang Terrace of the Jade Capital (Yujing Jiuyang Zhi Tai), where they govern the ceremonies by which Flying Heavenly Perfected pay court. The last four characters are placed in the Upper Yang Pavilion of the Floating Cavern (Fudong Yangshang Guan), where they govern the ranks of the deliverance granted to each student of the Way. Taken together, the eight characters, each one a zhang square, shine clearly within the Hall of Void Brilliance Shining Heaven.

The Heavenly True Sovereign says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on the eight solar-term days...

On a certain day, write the four characters above in cinnabar and take them, facing the Wang direction. In this way, both the living and the dead may ascend to the Xuandu (Mysterious Capital) Palace, the celestial palace of Daoist cosmology, receive the five-colored auspicious clouds showered by the flying celestial beings, and become Feitian Zhenren (Flying Perfected Immortals), true persons who have attained the Dao and become immortal.

Again, on the fifth day of the fifth month and the seventh day of the seventh month, write the four characters above in cinnabar and take them, facing south. In this way, the hun souls are refined, and the breath becomes naturally clear and upright. The Eight Scenes (bajing, the spirit deities or inner visions within the body in Daoist teaching) are sustained and join together to lift the human body, carrying it up above the Xuandu, into the realm of the Qiaolin (the groves of the celestial immortals).

Guan Ming Duan Jing Tian

In the Duanjing Heaven (one of the celestial realms), write the first character above the Heavenly Gate to govern the Qi of the four seasons. Write the second through fourth characters, three in all, above the Beidou Xuanguan (Mysterious Pass of the Northern Dipper), to govern the rites of the assembled perfected beings at court and feast. Write the fifth and sixth characters on the north wall of the Golden Gate, to subdue the heavenly demons. Write the seventh and eighth characters at the Sanbian Gate (Gate of Three Expedients), to govern which practitioners of the Dao are to be delivered. Combine the eight characters into a single talismanic script, one zhang square and octagonal in shape, so that it shines clearly within the Duanjing Heaven.

The Celestial True Emperor Ren (Tianzhen Huangren) says: Whoever cultivates the way of flying immortality should, on the days of the Eight Solar Nodes (the start of spring, the spring equinox, the start of summer, the summer solstice, the start of autumn, the autumn equinox, the start of winter, and the winter solstice), write the first character above in cinnabar and take it, facing the Wang direction. Persist for one hundred days, and no myriad calamities can harm you, nor can poisonous plagues disturb you. You will then be in harmony with the Qi of the four seasons and perceive the principles of nature.

Again, on the Eight Solar Node days, write the second through fourth characters, three in all, in cinnabar and take them, facing the Wang direction. Persist for one hundred days, and the myriad spirits will come to pay court and guard your body. Then, on the day of the start of winter, write the fifth and sixth characters in cinnabar and take them, facing northeast, and the myriad demons will be subdued and the ghostly essences bound.

Again, on the seventh day of the seventh month, write the seventh and eighth characters in cinnabar and take them, facing your own birth-direction (benming fangxiang). Write the name of the immortal in the south and register it in the Jade Register (yubu, the celestial register of immortals). In this way, the souls of the netherworld can be drawn out, the body can enter the Gate of the Dharma Wheel, and one can feast within the Gate of Opening Brightness.

Xuan Ming Gong Qing Tian

In the Gongqing Heaven, write the first character on the north wall of the Ziwei Palace (Palace of the Purple Subtlety), to govern the myriad spirits. Write the second character in the Nanhua Palace, to arrange the rites of the Divine Dragon Kings. Write the third through sixth characters, four in all, at the Sanbian Gate, to govern the registers of life and death and to oversee the ranking of immortals' deliverance. Write the seventh and eighth characters in the Nanji Palace (Palace of the Southern Pole), to govern the rites of refining Qi. Combine the eight characters into a single talismanic script, one zhang square and octagonal in shape, so that it shines clearly within the Gongqing Heaven.

The Celestial True Emperor Ren says: Whoever cultivates the way of flying immortality should, on the first day of the first month...

Jiyao Heaven (Jiyao Tian)

On a certain day, one writes the first of the characters above in cinnabar and swallows it while facing east, and myriad spirits will then guard the practitioner, whose authority will be felt throughout the ten directions. On the first day of spring (lichun), one writes the second character in cinnabar and swallows it while facing east. After eight years of cultivation, a divine dragon will become the practitioner's messenger.

On the fifth day of the fifth month and the seventh day of the seventh month, one writes the third through sixth characters, four in all, in cinnabar and swallows them while facing south. After one hundred days of cultivation, the Northern Emperor (Beidi), the deity who governs the netherworld in the north, will strike the practitioner's name from the registers of the dead and enter it among those ranked for ferrying to immortality (dushen) within the Three Realms (sanjie). On the summer solstice, one writes the seventh and eighth characters and swallows them while facing the direction of Wang (wang fang). After one hundred days of cultivation, the face will take on a luster like jade, the myriad spirits will settle and guard the Five Viscera (wuzang), and an immortal embryo (xiantai) will form.

Jiyao Heaven

In Jiyao Heaven, the first through fourth characters, four in all, are to be written on the Seven-Jewel Terrace of the Jade Capital (Yujing Qibao Tai). The Seven-Jewel Terrace is where the perfected beings (zhenren) make their processions and hold their ceremonies. The four characters below are to be written in the Purple Tenuity Palace (Ziwei Gong), which oversees those who have attained the Way after death. The eight characters, arranged in the eight corners, shine forth within Jiyao Heaven.

The Heavenly True Sovereign (Tianzhen Huangren) says that whoever cultivates the Way of Flying Immortals (feixian zhi dao) should write the four characters above in cinnabar on each of the Eight Solar Terms (bajie): lichun, chunfen, lixia, xiazhi, liqiu, qiufen, lidong, and dongzhi. They should swallow them while facing the direction of Wang. When they perform purification and practice the Way, myriad spirits will come to guard them, and when they recite the scriptures with a clear and penetrating voice, the assembled perfected beings will also descend.

Furthermore, on one's own life day (benming ri), the day in the sexagenary cycle corresponding to the year of one's birth, one writes the four characters below in cinnabar and swallows them while facing Grand Duke Year-Star (Taisui). The Three Officials (sanguan), who govern heaven, earth, and water, will erase one's transgressions, and one's name will be removed from the registers of the netherworld. The Purple Tenuity Palace will then enter the practitioner's name into the register of immortals and place it within the Xuandu Ziwei Palace (Xuandu Ziwei Gong).