《靈寶無量度人上經大法》Vol. 7

Harmonizing the Five Qi within the body, it can open the meridians throughout the body and nourish the skin when taken.

Unifying the Hundred Spirits, it can protect a house and bring peace to a dwelling; it can also restrain the Dragon Spirits.

Turning ten times to restore the spirit, it can subdue ghosts in wells and springs, as well as spirits born from flowers and trees.

All Qi converging in the Way of the Immortals can subdue the ghosts of buried corpses and those of travelers who died away from home.

Opening the Eight Gates above can protect the household’s possessions and help them prosper and grow.

The Flying Wheel of the Heavens can protect possessions and prevent them from being squandered.

The Precepts Governing Sin and Blessing can protect one’s descendants from hardship, sorrow, and decline.

Destiny and Karmic Bonds from Past Lives can subdue the jealous ghosts that trouble married couples.

Universal Reception and Deliverance may be placed in the hands of a benevolent person. Write it on catalpa wood dipped in cinnabar, then explain and perform the rite; this can free people from blame.

The Soul of the Dead and the Body of the Living may be placed in the hands of the deceased. According to the text, write it on catalpa wood dipped in cinnabar and explain the rite; this can enable descendants to be reborn and extend their lives.

The Human Way is remote and difficult to fathom; this can be used to address and subdue earth plagues.

The Immortal Way is vast and boundless; this can be used to treat practitioners who have lost their resolve in the Dao or have taken substances improperly.

The Ghost Way delights in loss; this can protect boats and ships, preventing dragons, shen (water spirits), and other beings in the water from causing calamity.

Opening a Path of Life for Humanity can deliver the ghosts of those who died from injuries and enable them to be reborn. The same written notice can also be used when protecting the land.

The Way of Heaven prizes life, while the Ghost Way prizes death. The Way of the Immortals is ever auspicious; the Ghost Way is ever baleful.

The High, Pure, and Luminous Spirit sends its mournful song ringing through the vastness of space. It wishes only for the Way of the Immortals to be attained, and not for humanity to remain in hardship.

In the Northern Capital’s Court of Dark Springs, countless hosts of ghosts gather. They seek only to cut short human lifespans and sever the paths of life. Chanting the Cavern Chapter can subdue the Northern Fengdu, capture and banish demons and spirits, and cut off the power of the six kinds of ghosts.

The Qi of all the heavens surges without limit, and my Daoist methods grow ever more powerful. They unfurl high above, while pure and lucid Qi spreads in every direction. The Brahma heavens extend throughout and encircle the ten directions. The immeasurable great spirits all emerge from my body. I recite the Cavern Chapter, chanting it ten thousand times throughout; then I may become an immortal.

The Immortal Way places the greatest importance on saving and delivering all beings.

The realm of ghosts is bound up with the affairs of ghosts and spirits. Heaven and Earth are vast and remote, while foul, turbid energy mingles and spreads everywhere. Though there is happiness within the Three Realms, only beyond them can one endure forever. If you can free yourself from the realm I have described, your body will enter the Great Dao of nature. The joy of that time—ponder it even briefly, and you will know it is a gift of my grace.

The vast expanse of the Longhan age, a legendary primordial era of cosmic tribulation: how can one discern the true Dao? The realm I describe is difficult to escape, which is why I have written this text of the Cavern of Mystery. Along the path of cultivation there will be transformations, and there will be ascensions; these will test you. Of those who succeed or fail, grow negligent or turn back, how many will ultimately be delivered? I mock you for failing to attain deliverance, and so I have composed this song.

Above the Three Realms lies the remote and boundless Great Luo Heaven, the highest celestial realm in Daoism. There is no root of visible form there, and the clouds rise to great heights. Only the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning resides in the place of the great kalpa, governing the realm I describe and presiding over Xuandu, the celestial capital of Daoist legend. Beyond the realm I describe, body and spirit enter Yuxu, the pure and empty realm of immortals. I hold the throne of the Supreme King, ruling over and subduing all demons.

In the empty expanse, transformations are innumerable, and foul, turbid energy is tangled and confused. Few can guard the true Dao; many are deluded. The Immortal Way is difficult to hold fast to, while the ghostly way easily leads people astray. The key to the human path lies in one’s own heart; surely it is not decided by someone else. The Immortal Way prizes true cultivation, while the human path often values outward show. If you do not wish to cultivate the Immortal Way, how can you transcend the Three Realms? If you only wish to wander through the cycle of the Five Paths, what can I do for you?

The Demon King honors the bodies of those who cultivate the Dao and commands the earth deities to obey, so that cultivators may forever escape the dominion of ghosts and spirits. Their souls and spirits are delivered to Zhuling, where departed souls are refined; they pass beyond the Three Realms, undergo refinement, and are granted life anew. This is called boundless deliverance: saving all beings everywhere, without end.

Next, write the talisman and recite the incantation:

Heaven’s crystal essence, Earth’s broad rivers; the Thunder Lord opens the way and dispels evil spirits, while the Lightning Mother answers Heaven’s command. Spirits of grasses and trees, numinous beings dwelling in trees ten thousand years old—all dare come before the altar. Lu-lu ling-ling, obey and guard the four directions; divine spirits below, summon your own soul and spirit. Come at once, so that I may foresee events a thousand years hence; attach yourself at once, arrive at once, and answer and manifest whenever called. Se-se li-li, numinous earth spirits gather swiftly; Xie-xie Jidi, the spirit tortoise obeys the command. Hasten and carry out the command of the Most High Lingbao.

For the rite described above, form the Mao-wen hand seal with the left hand while reciting the incantation. Write on yellow paper with cinnabar, following the instructions given earlier.