《靈寶無量度人上經大法》Vol. 18

Lingbao Wuliang Duren Shangjing Dafa (The Great Methods of the Upper Scripture of Universal Salvation of the Lingbao Boundless Measure), Scroll 18 (Gold Eight)

Peifu Neiyin Pin Xia (Lower Grade of Wearing the Inner Sounds)

Xifang Qi Qi Su Tian Ba Hui Shu Yin (Written Sounds of the Eight Assemblies of the Seven Qi Heavens of the West)

The four characters Yuanzai Kongsheng Tian are written above the Nanji Xuanchuang (Southern Pole Dark Window), and they govern the rank at which the adept receives refinement. The characters "fifth" and "sixth" are written at the Nanji Dongyang zhi Guan (Hall of the Cavernous Yang of the Southern Pole), and they govern the rank of the adept's refinement and wandering among the immortals. The characters "seventh" and "eighth" are written above the Nanshang Beichuang (Southern-Upper Northern Window), and they govern the power to subdue the intrusions of the myriad demons.

Taken together, these eight characters are written in a square, each character one zhang (ten feet) across, with the eight corners shining brightly, appearing within Kongsheng Tian.

The Heavenly Perfected Huangren says: those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality (feixian) should, on the fifth day of the fifth month and the seventh day of the seventh month, write the first four characters in cinnabar and take them facing south. The body will then produce fluids, the inner and outer parts will be bright, and the myriad spirits will guard the palace. Again, on their own birth day, they should write the characters "fifth" and "sixth" in cinnabar and take them facing their birth direction. Then the Three Officials (Sanguan) will erase their registers of transgression, and the Southern Palace will record their names in the registers of immortals by merit. Again, on the day of Lichun (the beginning of spring), they should write "seventh" and "eighth" in cinnabar and take them facing north. Then the myriad demons will be subdued, ghosts and evil spirits will perish, the true spirits will gather about the body, and the practitioner may ascend to Taiqing (Supreme Clarity).

Tai'an Huangya Tian (Heaven of Great Peace and the Imperial Cliff)

The first two characters of Huangya Tian are written south of the Golden Gate (Jin Que), and they govern the opening, closing, and turning of heaven and earth. The third and fourth characters are written in the Chamber of Penetrating Perfection (Tongzhen zhi Fang) of Daluo Heaven, and they govern the transformation of all the defiled airs of the mundane world. The next four characters, counting from the fifth, are written above the Hall of Blessings (Futang) of the Southern Palace (Nangong), and they govern the ranks of those who attain the Way by ascending to heaven.

Taken together, these eight characters are written in a square, each one zhang across, with the eight corners shining brightly, appearing within Huangya Tian.

The Heavenly Perfected Huangren says: those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on a taisui day (the day of the Grand Year Star), write the first two characters in cinnabar and take them facing east. Then, whether living or dead, they will move in accord with the flow of fortune, and their light will never fade. Again, on the days of the eight solar nodes, they should write the third and fourth characters in cinnabar and take them facing the sovereign. Then all foul airs will be cleared away, the spirit-qi (shenqi) will be clear and upright, their names will be entered in the Vermilion Palace (Zhugong), and the officials of the immortals will come to receive them. Again, on the seventh day of the seventh month, they should write the last four characters in cinnabar and take them facing south. Then they may be enrolled among the ranks of salvation of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), recorded by the Nine Spirits (Jiuling) into the Hall of Blessings, and both living and dead will enjoy natural sustenance and rejoice in the Seven Treasure Grove (Qibao Lin).

Xianding Jifeng Tian (Heaven of Manifest Stability and Ultimate Wind)

Neiyin (inner sounds) is the esoteric terminology the scripture uses to mark the heavens, the true spirits, and their offices. Content classed as shuyin (written sounds) generally describes writing the corresponding phrases as talismanic characters (fuzi) and wearing them or taking them at the designated days and directions. The original's fu zhi ("take it") refers to taking the characters written in this manner. Some of the names and punctuation here are abbreviated, and the translation retains the original designations.

Jifeng Heaven (Jifeng Tian) (a heaven within the celestial realm): the two characters at the top are written on the shadowed side of the Moon Palace and govern the ritual of the Heavenly King's feasting excursions, as well as the dispersal of moonlight. The third and fourth characters are written in the Purple Chamber of the Mysterious Capital (Xuandu Zizhi, the palace of the immortals as described in Daoist teaching) and govern the dates of the cosmic calamity assemblies. The four characters below are written together on the Jade Capital Mysterious Terrace (Yujing Xuantai, a palace of the immortal realm) and govern the registers of life and death, as well as the recording of good and evil deeds and merit and demerit. The eight characters together, each measuring one zhang square and arranged in an octagonal form, shine brightly within Jifeng Heaven.

The Perfected Lord of Heavenly Emptiness (Tianzhen Huangren) says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality (feixian zhi dao) should, on the third day of their birth month, write the two characters at the top in cinnabar and take them while facing the moon. After three hundred days, their faces will take on a golden radiance and their bodies will emit light. One may also, on the eight solar nodes (the beginning of spring, the spring equinox, the beginning of summer, the summer solstice, the beginning of autumn, the autumn equinox, the beginning of winter, and the winter solstice), write the two characters below in cinnabar and take them while facing northwest, thereby escaping the greater and lesser calamity assemblies and the disasters of heaven and earth.

In addition, on the day when Taisui (the Grand Duke Year, a celestial deity governing the year) is present, write the four characters below in cinnabar and take them while facing the direction associated with one's birth year. After one hundred days, the Three Officials (Sanguan, namely the Heavenly, Earthly, and Waterly Officials of Daoist belief) will remove your name from the registers of the netherworld, and the Southern Palace will record your immortal name. Twenty-four years later, a cloud of three colors will come to greet you and carry you up to the courtyard of Jingxing (the Radiant Star), allowing you to roam freely within the Taiyuan (the Great Origin) and take your place as Perfected Jingxiao.

Shihuang Xiaomang Heaven (Shihuang Xiaomang Tian)

In Xiaomang Heaven (a heaven within the celestial realm), the four characters at the top are inscribed together on the Vermilion Gate (a red palace gate) to the south. They govern the opening and closing of life and death, and also the dissolution of the enmities bound by good and evil karmic connections, recorded in the Red Tablets (Chijian, the register of immortals as described in Daoist teaching). The four characters below are written together over the Upper Hall of the Sun (Rishang Guan). They govern the refinement of the form of the one who receives salvation, opening the gates of the Nine Obscurities (Jiuyou, the deepest regions of the netherworld) and leading them into the gate of rebirth. The eight characters together, each measuring one zhang square and arranged in an octagonal form, cast down their light and shine brilliantly within Xiaomang Heaven.

The Perfected Lord of Heavenly Emptiness says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on their own birth day, write the four characters at the top in cinnabar and take them while facing the direction associated with their birth year. After one hundred days, the Nine Obscurities will strike your name from the Sustained Tablets (Susu, the register recording the transgressions of past lives), and the Southern Palace will record your immortal name. The registers of life and death will be dissolved, and you will be able to be reborn into the Hall of Blessings (Futang). One may also, at noon on the fifteenth day of each month, write the four characters below in cinnabar and take them while facing the sun. After three years, the Sun Youth (Ritong, a divine being within the sun) will descend, and your face will bear a radiance like sunlight. In this way, you will be delivered, refined, and granted new life. When the great cycle is complete, you may ride the Flying Carriage of Radiance (Feijing zhi yu, a flying immortal's chariot) and travel above the Three Realms and the Courtyard of Great Stillness (Taiji zhi ting, a serene immortal realm). The seven generations of ancestors will all share in the blessings, and the descendants of later generations will likewise attain immortality, generation after generation.

Taihuang Weng Chongfu Rong Heaven (Taihuang Weng Chongfu Rong Tian)

In Weng Chong Heaven (a heaven within the celestial realm), the two characters at the top are inscribed on the nine-story long tower of the Mysterious Capital and govern the summoning of demonic beings within the heavenly realm. The third and fourth characters are inscribed on the Gate of Three Conveniences, governing the subduing of——

"Tianzhong Demon King Ballad Sound": The four characters below the title sit above "Beixu Shangguan" and govern the prisons of the myriad ghosts. Taken together, the eight characters, each one zhang square, send down light from their eight corners, shining on "Wengchong Tianzhong."

The Celestial Perfected Huangren (Tianzhen Huangren) says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality (feixian zhi dao) should practice the Way and seek transcendence on fasting days (zhai jie). Write the upper two characters in cinnabar, take them facing north, and no evil spirits can disturb you, and the true numinous beings will descend at once. On days when you enter the mountains to petition the gods or recite scriptures, you may also write the third and fourth characters in cinnabar and take them facing northeast. Then your recitation will be clear and penetrating, as though it carries up to heaven, and your mind and spirit will become quiet and upright. Cultivating in this way for seven years will allow you to become an immortal. If you suffer nightmares or are harmed by the hundred ghosts, write the four characters from the fifth through the eighth in cinnabar and take them facing northeast. The hundred ghosts will then be bound, and the Three Officials (Sanguan), who in Daoist belief are the officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, will gather up the demons so that the evil spirits destroy themselves. When the divine perfected beings descend and their cycle is complete, you will ultimately attain the rank of Supreme Immortal.

"Wuse Jiangyoutian": Within Jiangyou Heaven, the four characters at the top are inscribed above the Palace Gates of the Nine Heavens (the palaces of the heavenly realm), and they govern the qi of the four seasons and the numbers of Yin and Yang. The four characters below are inscribed on the "Terrace of Clear Perfection," which governs the registers of those who have been extinguished and leads those who have received renewed life. Taken together, the eight characters, each one zhang square, send down light from their eight corners, shining on the center of Jiangyou Heaven.

The Celestial Perfected Huangren says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on the days of the Eight Seasonal Nodes (bajie: Lichun, Chunfen, Lixia, Xiazhi, Liqiu, Qiufen, Lidong, and Dongzhi), write the four upper characters in cinnabar and take them facing the royal direction. In this way they will naturally accord with the qi of the four seasons. Though they pass through calamities, they will not perish, and though they meet with harm, they will not be injured. Furthermore, on one's own birth day (benming ri), one may write the four lower characters in cinnabar and take them facing the direction associated with one's birth star. Then the Nine Netherworlds (Jiuyou, the realm of the dark underworld) will strike the names of the dead from the registers of the earth prison, and the living names will be recorded in the Southern Palace. Seven generations of ancestors will also share in the blessing and will enter for a long time the hall of joy.

"Shangjie Ruantianle": Within Ruan Le Heaven, the two characters at the top are written above the north pavilion of the Ziwei Terrace, and they govern the ranks of those who have attained the Way. The third through fifth characters are written on the Nanyang Terrace, which examines the registers of the dark night, releases the souls of the dead so that they receive new life, and raises them to the Vermilion Hall (Zhuling Guan), where they enjoy the blessed halls where food and clothing arise naturally. The three characters below are written on the Initial Yang Terrace above Great Luo, which governs beings of the highest rank, enabling them to liberate the great chiliocosm and ascend to the Hall of Primal Radiance (Yuanjing Tang). Taken together, the eight characters, each one zhang square, emit light from their eight corners, shining within Ruan Le Heaven.

The Celestial Perfected Huangren says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on the first day of the first month...

Write the two characters in cinnabar, and take them facing east, once a day for one hundred days. The Donghua Palace will then record your name and enter it among the ranks of the Superior Immortals.

On the night of the seventh day of the seventh month, during the Zi hour, write the three characters below in cinnabar and take them facing north. In this way, the long-night register of the Nine Obscurities (the dark underworld) will be struck off, and your name will be recorded in the Southern Palace as one reborn to life. Your nine generations of ancestors will then be freed from the Five Sufferings and ascend to the Hall of Mysterious Blessings and Emoluments.

On each of the Eight Seasonal Festivals (the eight important days of the Daoist calendar), write the three characters below in cinnabar and take them facing the royal direction (wang fang). In this way, the dead will all be delivered and ascend to the Great Luo Heaven, where they will roam at ease in the Forest of the Seven Treasures.

Wuji Tanshi Heaven

The upper six characters of Tanshi Heaven are to be written together on the green forest tree of the Donghua Palace. They are the natural sounds that arise spontaneously from emptiness within Heaven. The two characters below are to be written upon the Jade Terrace of the Xuandu, where they govern the true persons who take in the Essence of the Five Clouds and the light of sun and moon. All eight characters should be written one zhang (zhàng) square, each character with eight corners, radiating light that illuminates Tanshi Heaven.

The True Emperor Man (Tianzhen Huangren) says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on the days when they ascend the purification platform and practice the Dao, write the upper six characters in cinnabar and take them facing the royal direction. In this way, their voices will resonate with the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), their breath will enter the Divine Empyrean (Shenxiao), and the Highest Sovereign will call their names from afar, so that within a few days they attain immortality. Again, at cockcrow, write the two characters below in cinnabar and swallow them with the cloud sprout. After one hundred days, the complexion will shine, the Five Viscera will be full of essence, and the body will be lifted up and refined into immortality. The nine generations of ancestors will also be freed from the netherworld and receive new life. When merit is complete, one may ride the Three White Carriage and feast in the Purple Palace of the Celestial Emperor.

Northern Five Qi Mysterious Heaven Eight Assemblies Script Sounds

Haoting Xiaodu Heaven

The upper two characters of Xiaodu Heaven are to be written together upon the Xuandu Long Tower, where they govern the opening and closing of Heaven and Earth and manifest the true nature of what is natural. The four characters from the third through the sixth are to be written together upon the Divine Tower, where they govern the times when the cosmic cycles of calamity and renewal change. One who has crossed over the world and attained the Dao cultivates Taihe Qi and is thereby able to enter the true nature of what is natural. The two characters below are to be written on the leaves of the Celestial Gate, where they govern the one who has received deliverance, who goes to the Celestial Gate to be refined and then returns. All eight characters should be written one zhang square, each character with eight corners, radiating light that illuminates Xiaodu Heaven.

The True Emperor Man says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, at the hour of Wei (1 to 3 p.m.) on the first morning of the first lunar month (Zhengdan, the New Year's Day), write the two characters above and take them facing east. In this way they will accord with the turning of destiny and not lose their original form. Again, on Zhengdan, write the four characters below in cinnabar and take them facing east, extinguishing and...

The practitioner who receives the washing and refining of the Taihe Qi (the harmonious, pure vital energy that pervades heaven and earth) enters the natural realm of perfection. On the ninth day of the ninth month, they may also write the "two characters below" in cinnabar and swallow them while facing northwest. When the practitioner's physical body perishes, they can ascend with their nine generations of ancestors through the gates of the Nine Heavens and be reborn after purification.

Yuantong Yuan Dongtian (the Primal Cavern-Heaven of Profound Penetration)

Within the Yuan Dongtian (cavern-heaven), the upper two characters are written in the Hall of the Spirit Controller of Fusang, and the next two in the Hualin Hall of the Eastern Well. These characters respectively govern the onset of floods and the rhythm of their rising and falling. The four characters below are written in the Taiji Palace, which oversees the registration of destinies when great waters arise and examines whether those who cultivate the Dao and seek immortality have attained deliverance. The eight characters, written together in a square one zhang on each side, with eight-cornered rays and brilliant light, appear within the Yuan Dongtian.

The Heavenly Perfected Huangren says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on the jiazi day after the winter solstice (the day in the sexagenary cycle named jiazi), write the four characters above in cinnabar and swallow them while facing north. After twenty-four years, they will be able to walk upon water. The River Earl (the water deity who governs rivers) will come to greet them, the myriad spirits will escort them, and calamities will be unable to harm them. Then write the four characters below in cinnabar and wear them on the body, and they will be enrolled in the registers of the Heavenly Emperor, transforming life and death into immortality. When floods occur, write these characters in cinnabar and swallow them facing north. The Bird Mother will come to receive the practitioner, carry them eastward and up to Mount Sumeru (the legendary sacred mountain), and let them roam freely amid the surging waves.

Hanchong Miaocheng Tian (the Heaven of Wondrous Accomplishment)

Within the Miaocheng Tian (heaven), the upper two characters are written in the Upper Hall of the Moon, which governs the alternation of light and darkness in the yin and yang of heaven and earth, and also preserves light through the long night. The third and fourth characters are written at the Sanbian Gate, which governs the registers of life and death and processes the records of deliverance for those who have attained the Dao. The fifth through eighth characters are written in the Purple Tenuity Cloud Palace, which governs the feathered garments and flight rites of those who have been delivered. The eight characters, written together in a square one zhang on each side, with eight-cornered rays and brilliant light, appear within the Miaocheng Tian.

The Heavenly Perfected Huangren says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on the third day of the lunar month, write the two characters above in cinnabar, bow twice facing the moon, and then swallow them. After seven years, light will shine forth from within the body and illuminate the five viscera. Then, on each of the Eight Solar Terms (lichun, chunfen, lixia, xiazhi, liqiu, qiufen, lidong, and dongzhi), write the third and fourth characters in cinnabar and swallow them facing north. The practitioner will pass through the calamity of the Great Disaster and become a subject of the sovereign, and the Five Emperors will recommend them to the rank of immortal king. Then, again on the Eight Solar Terms, write the four characters below in cinnabar and swallow them facing north. The practitioner will transcend life and death, ascend to the Vermilion Hill (in Daoist legend, the place where immortals are refined and receive their garments), receive feathered robes, and roam through all the heavens.

In the chapter "Shangtian" (Ascending to Heaven), the two characters Shangtian are written on the Jade Terrace and govern the book of empty, natural space. The third and fourth characters are written at the Gate of the Three Convenient Passages (Sanbian Men) and govern the registers of life and death, by which those who have attained the Dao are examined. The four characters below them are written in the Purple Tenuity Long Tower (Ziwei Changlou), where they oversee the qi of all the heavens and the rosters of those who ascend to immortality. Together the eight characters each occupy a square of one zhang, and light falls from their four corners, bright and dazzling.

The Perfected Lord of Heavenly Emperors (Tianzhen Huangren) says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, at dawn, write the two characters Shangtian in cinnabar, take them internally facing the direction "Wang," and so bring their bodies into accord with the four seasons and the solar terms. They should chant the subtle sounds and make reverence upward to the Shenxiao heaven. Again, at noon on the seventh day of the seventh month, they should write the third and fourth characters in cinnabar and take them facing their birth-direction (benming fang). After one hundred days, the Northern Emperor (Beidi) will strike their name from the registers of death and enter it in the immortal registers of the Southern Palace (Nangong). The Demon King will also stand surety for them, so that they pass from the way of life and death to the Dao. Again, on eight festival days, they should write the four characters below in cinnabar and take them facing the direction "Wang." After eight years of practice, the seven generations of their ancestors will all be able to ascend to the Palace of Vermilion Mound (Zhuling Gong), while they themselves will travel among the heavens and enter the realm of Highest Clarity (Shangqing).

Wushang Changrong Tian (The Heaven of Unsurpassed Constant Harmony)

In the Changrong Heaven, the four characters above are written in the Tongyang Hall of the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity. They govern the grading of the merit and demerit of those who have attained the Dao. The four characters below are written within the Tiandi Yuanxuan Dou (the Celestial Dipper of the Mysterious Origin of Heaven and Earth), where they govern the refining of those who have attained the Dao, causing their bodies to move into the Hall of Naturalness (Ziran Tang). The eight characters together each occupy a square of one zhang, and light shines brightly from their four corners.

The Perfected Lord of Heavenly Emperors says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on the seventh day of the seventh month, write the four characters above in cinnabar and take them facing the direction "Wang." After one hundred days, the Three Realms will report their merits to the Palace of Vermilion Mound. Seven years later, they will take their place among the Perfected. Again, on the first day of the first month, they should write the four characters below in cinnabar and take them facing east. In this way, both life and death will return to natural light, they will be freed from the roots of the Nine Gloomy Depths (Jiuyou), and they will ascend to the Hall of Boundless Blessing (Wuji Futang).

Yulong Tengsheng Tian (The Heaven of Jade Abundance and Ascending Victory)

In the Tengsheng Heaven, the four characters above are written in the Jade Clarity Cloud Palace (Yuqing Yungong). They govern the ceremonies by which the assembled sages attend court, and they also govern the gathering of clouds and mists. The four characters below are written in the Upper Hall of Purple Yang (Ziyang Shangguan), where they govern the sounds of natural harmony and the chapters of emptiness. The eight characters together each occupy a square of one zhang, and light shines brightly from their four corners.

The Perfected Lord of Heavenly Emperors says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on the eight festival days, write the four characters above in cinnabar.

On the three occasions of sunrise, noon, and sunset, write the upper four characters in cinnabar, facing the direction of Wang (the original reads "toward Wang," and its precise referent is unclear), and then swallow them. Persist for one hundred days, and the myriad spirits will come to pay court to you. After twenty-four years of cultivation, you will be able to ride the Jade-Mist Carriage and ascend to the Seven-Treasure Cloud Palace.

On the day of each of the eight seasonal nodes (Lichun, Chunfen, Lixia, Xiazhi, Liqiu, Qiufen, Lidong, and Dongzhi), write the four characters below in cinnabar at noon, face the direction of Wang, and swallow them. After eight years of practice, you will naturally understand the voices of the heavens, penetrate the mysterious realm of emptiness and nothingness, and become one with the Perfected.

Dragon Transformation, Fandu Heaven

Within Fandu Heaven (Fandu Tian), the upper two characters are inscribed in the Pavilion of the Purple Void and Tai-Wei, signifying the one who presides over the liberation of persons and their attainment of immortality. The lower six characters are jointly inscribed in the Pavilion Terrace of the Upper Palace of Nanyang, signifying the one who governs the assessment of the merit of those who have attained the Dao. Together, the eight characters, each one zhang in breadth and with bright corners, appear within Fandu Heaven.

The Heavenly Perfected Huangren says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on the first day of the first lunar month, write the first and second characters in cinnabar, face the direction of Wang, and swallow them. After eight years of practice, the Vermilion Palace will record your name in the register of immortals, and you will stand in the same rank as those who fly through the heavens. Again, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, write the six characters below in cinnabar, face the south, and swallow them. After twenty-four years, you will naturally perceive your former identity, destiny, and the roots of your karmic conditions. Whether living or dead, you will ascend to the Hall of Joy in the Heaven of Jade Clarity.

Taiji Pingyu Jiayi Heaven

Within Jiayi Heaven, the upper four characters are inscribed on the Taiji Yang Terrace of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity, signifying the names of the true immortals born spontaneously from the void and non-being. The lower four characters are inscribed at the Gate of the Dark Male of the Northern Gate-Tower, signifying the one who governs the Qi of the Six Pervasions and the persons who have been refined and attained the Dao. Together, the eight characters, each one zhang in breadth and with bright corners, appear within Jiayi Heaven.

The Heavenly Perfected Huangren says: Those who cultivate the Way of flying immortality should, on the first day of the first lunar month, write the upper four characters in cinnabar, face the east, and swallow them. After nine years of practice, you will be able to sit upright and know the affairs of the natural world and of the sky. The Taiji will record your name in the register of immortal ranks. Again, on the day of Lidong, write the four characters below, face the north, and swallow them. After one hundred days, the Six Palaces (the viscera within the body) will be able to receive the True Qi, and light will arise within the body. After twenty-four years of practice, both the living and the dead will be able to roam through the Great Luo Heaven and move freely among the forests of unfettered ease.

Wearing and Taking the Inner Sound Formulas According to the Seasons

The Heavenly Perfected Huangren says: In cultivating the Way of flying immortality, as well as in practicing the methods of extinction and liberation (in which the form is concealed and transformed so as to transcend it), whether the corpse is hidden and the body transformed, or one turns through life and death according to fate, one should accord with the rhythms of the times and, during the periods of Taiyin, roam freely without constraint. One should write the jade characters of the celestial heavens and the countless inner sounds in cinnabar on white silk, wear them on the body, and follow ...

Cultivating the scriptures and regulating the mind and spirit, one keeps the heart free from defilement, so that the five viscera are clear and harmonious and the six fu-organs are calm and at rest. When the mental state becomes empty, still, and non-acting, and this is sustained for eight years, one can penetrate the heavens and, while sitting in quiet, see the ten directions. Divine beings and true spirits come to meet the practitioner, descend into the body, and cause it to emit a jade-colored radiance. One rides a dragon chariot in flight and ascends to the heavenly realm in broad daylight.

The Jade Youth (a child attendant of the immortal perfected) says: cultivating the Supreme Way passes through forty thousand kalpas (an extraordinarily long span of time). In practicing this method, one should follow the seasons and write the scriptures in cinnabar. In the spring months of the first, second, and third moons, write the scriptures in cinnabar, face the Royal Direction, click the teeth nine times, and then recite the incantation:

Flying Great Brahma, extending through the eight directions; the Nine Qi Clear Heaven, all united as the Divine Sovereign. The Five Unions and Eight Assemblies, light flowing through the great void. Above, it connects with the immortal lineages of the Longhan era; below, it liberates the suffering souls dwelling in the nine dark regions of the long night, so that withered bones shine with light again. The body transforms and grows feathers and is clothed in garments of five colors; mounted on a green dragon and a jade chariot, one walks through the air. Today I report to the Blue Heaven: all things are in harmony, and my qi is one with the cosmos. I ascend into the formless realm, preserved forever, enduring without limit.

When the incantation is finished, swallow the scripture, lift the head, swallow the eight qi (eight kinds of breath), and then stop.

In the summer months of the fourth, fifth, and sixth moons, write the scriptures in cinnabar, face the Royal Direction, click the teeth eight times, and then recite the incantation:

The celestial script unfolds, the pure conduct becomes manifest, the world of Chiming Brightness opens the eight directions, the Five Unions connect, and spirits respond. The Great Dao turns, and the moment opens; through Yang-cavern refinement of essence, the jade script shines brightly, and the three luminaries of sun, moon, and stars appear naturally. Below, it rescues all beings caught in birth and death. Today is an auspicious day, and the Great Sage descends into the courtyard. The nine-fold night opens its windows, and the dark places become bright and pure; the three evil paths (the three destinations where beings suffer) come to rest, and my cultivation of the Way is naturally accomplished. The Five Emperors protect and receive me, and lead me up to the Splendid Capital; within the forest of the seven treasures, I enjoy longevity lasting through kalpas.

When the incantation is finished, swallow the scripture, lift the head, swallow the eight qi, and then stop.

In the autumn months of the seventh, eighth, and ninth moons, write the scriptures in cinnabar, face the Royal Direction, click the teeth seven times, and then recite the incantation:

The Flying Mystery of the Eight Assemblies, qi gathers and becomes true. The sixty-four characters together govern the root of the numinous heaven. They open the gate of rescue from birth and death, so that withered bones are restored to life as human beings; they cause scattered wandering souls to emerge and receive the qi of the Supreme Mystery. Today the hour is auspicious, and all wishes may be declared; the perfected assemble, and I vow to become an immortal. I vow to become one with the Dao, and I vow that my spirit may ride white clouds and ascend to the heavenly palace of the sovereign. Rejoicing in the world of the seven treasures, I make friends with the realized beings.

When the incantation is finished, swallow the scripture, lift the head, swallow the eight qi, and then stop.

In the winter months of the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth moons, write the scriptures in cinnabar, face the Royal Direction, click the teeth five times, and then recite the incantation:

The Jade Characters open the gate of the dark underworld, and light spreads through the portals of the upper realm. The eight qi condense into perfection, pure conduct becomes manifest, and auspicious clouds appear like a vision. The Divine Sovereign emits light, and the three luminaries of heaven, earth, sun, moon, and stars shine clearly and distinctly; five-colored radiance lingers and illuminates my soul.

Today the moment is auspicious, and I humbly beseech the Lord Emperor (Dijun), a revered Daoist deity, to forgive me, open the gate of grace, bestow the scripture, and transmit to me this true text.

Jade-like luster flows through and pours into the body, nourishing the five viscera and six bowels so that one attains long life. Feathers sprout upon the body and it transforms, riding on the rosy light and the chariot of the Heavenly Emperor.

Leaving the dark netherworld and entering the realm of emptiness, one attains immortality by following what is natural. The seven generations of one's ancestors also return together to the Upper Primordial (the celestial realm), rejoicing and at peace. Having recited this text, one then tilts the head back and swallows the Eight Qi (the eight vapors spoken of in cultivation practice), and the rite comes to its close.

The Celestial True Sovereign Man (Tianzhen Huangren) said: "The words of this invocation are all the Qi of the Four Gatherings and the Sounds of the Eight Harmonies, a melody born of nature. Those who cultivate it will be sung of from afar in the heavens. The Three Realms (the worlds of heaven, earth, and humanity) will set out ritual to welcome them, and the myriad spirits will straighten their sashes and attend and guard them at their sides. The numinous text is recited in step with the rhythm, and one takes in Qi and offers prayers according to the prescribed method. When one recites this invocation and swallows the Qi for a hundred days in this way, the heavenly realms will register one's name, and the Earth Officials will strike one's record from the registers of the dead.

Eight years later, a divine perfected will descend. The body will give off a jade radiance, and one will be able to penetrate the profound and void realms, sitting still and seeing the natural realm. Even when one enters the realm of death, one will be reborn, as though returning to the womb, and will be released from the cycle of human transmigration, no longer suffering the torment of birth, death, and endless flow, and will attain the Way of the immortals.

This method is noble and subtle, and it is transmitted only once in forty thousand kalpas (jie, vast aeons of time). If one carelessly divulges it or treats it with negligence, one bears a crime like that of tainting the source of the Yellow River, endures the wind-and-blade torments of ten thousand kalpas, and in the end cannot become an immortal. According to the old rules for making the true Way manifest, this method should be kept secret."

Great Method of the Upper Scripture on the Numinous Treasure Limitless Salvation of Humankind (Lingbao Wuliang Duren Shangjing Dafa), Scroll Eighteen