《無上玄元三天玉堂大法》Vol. 5

In the fifth volume of The Supreme Mysterious Primordial Three Heavens Jade Hall Great Method, the "Chapter on Ascending to the Dipper and Hastening to the Stars" records that for practitioners seeking protection and longevity, the most essential practice is to venerate the Northern Dipper Star Lords (the deified spirits of the Big Dipper in Daoism). To refine the hun and po souls and elevate yang qi, the key lies in cultivating gang qi (the righteous energy of heaven and earth according to Daoist teachings). Ancient sages taught that those who can commune with the Northern Dipper Lords will enjoy robust health, abundant primordial qi, extended lifespans, and protection from all malevolent forces. All Daoist methods originate from the Northern Dipper, and all divine beings are dispatched by its authority. Thus, no cultivation practice can achieve genuine efficacy without the assistance of the Northern Dipper Lords.

The text then details the spiritual hierarchy of each of the seven stars:

The first star, Tai Star (Celestial Pivot Star), has an essence called Mysterious Pivot, with the star god named Yang Brilliance, and its hun soul spirit known as Celestial Pivot Soul Deity. This star god holds the celestial office of Grand Commandant, overseeing the rectification of faults, governing the immortals of the Nine Heavens above, supervising the mountain gods of the Five Peaks in the middle realm, and directing cultivators below.

The second star, Yuan Star (Celestial Rotating Star), has an essence called Northern Terrace, with the star god named Yin Essence, and its hun soul spirit known as Celestial Rotating Soul Deity. This star god serves as the celestial Prime Minister, presiding over blessings and emoluments, governing the constellations above and commanding myriad deities below.

The third star, Zhen Star (Celestial Mechanism Star), has an essence called Supreme Perfection of the Nine Poles, with the star god titled Zhenren (Perfected Being), and its hun soul spirit known as Celestial Mechanism Soul Deity. This star god holds the celestial office of Minister of Works, managing immortal affairs, overseeing the lofty perfected of the Nine Heavens above and the numinous immortals of the Five Peaks in the middle realm.

The fourth star, Niu Star (Celestial Authority Star), has an essence called Jade Root, with the star god named Dark Mystery, and its hun soul spirit known as Celestial Authority Soul Spirit. This star god serves as the celestial Mobile General, responsible for punishing rebellion, governing the ghosts and deities of the Nine Heavens above, commanding the Three Officials of the Northern Emperor (the Daoist triad of Heaven, Earth, and Water Officials) in the middle realm, and overseeing sentient beings below.

The fifth star, Gang Star (Jade Balance Star), has an essence called Great Peace, with the star god named Cinnabar Origin, and its hun soul spirit known as Jade Balance Soul Spirit. This star god is the sovereign of the Northern Dipper, in charge of the registers of destiny, governing the immortal records of the Nine Heavens above, the rosters of ghosts and deities in the middle realm, and directing cultivators below.

The sixth star, Ji Star (Opening Yang Star), has an essence called Destiny Mechanism, with the star god named Northern Pole, and its hun soul spirit known as Opening Yang Soul Spirit. This star god holds the celestial office of Grand Minister of Ceremonies, presiding over promotions, overseeing the true immortals of the Nine Heavens above and the flying immortals of the Five Peaks in the middle realm.

The seventh star, Guan Star (Twinkling Brilliance Star), has an essence called Primordial Yang, with the star god named Celestial Pivot, and its hun soul spirit known as Twinkling Brilliance Great Radiance. This star god serves as the Celestial Supreme Emperor, governing the cyclical transformations of heaven and earth's qi.

Additionally, two supreme deities are mentioned: the Most High Jade Emperor (the Jade Emperor) manifests as the Lord of Eight Radiances and Void Origin, while the Jade Emperor of the Great Tenuity manifests as the Sevenfold Pure Seven Spirit Lords. The scripture particularly notes that those who behold these two stars with their own eyes may extend their lifespans, and those who cultivate methods associated with them may attain immortality.

Finally, the text transmits specific cultivation methods: typically practiced during the midnight hours of the third, seventh, and fifteenth days of each lunar month, where practitioners enter a quiet chamber to regulate breathing and stabilize qi (entering a meditative state) for cultivation.

Close your eyes and turn your gaze inward, visualizing your body gradually rising to fly toward the Kui Star (the first star of the Big Dipper). At this moment, you will sense a Perfected Being (an accomplished practitioner) seated behind you. After prolonged stillness, you will realize you have already entered the celestial realm of the Big Dipper. When your entire body grows warm during practice, it signifies the fusion of your internal Qi with the stellar energies.

At this stage, the violet radiance of the Dipper (its unique spiritual light) will pour down from above, permeating your entire being—inside and out. Upon entering the Dipper's constellation, you must pay homage to each stellar lord in sequence while reciting invocations:

To the First Star, the Mysterious Pivot Supreme Perfected Lord, pray for ascension to immortality and the ability to ride clouds and mists;

To the Second Star, the Northern Terrace Supreme Perfected Lord, pray for roaming immortal grotto-heavens;

To the Third Star, the Nine Poles Supreme Perfected Lord, pray for comprehending the Three Mysteries (the profound principles of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity);

To the Fourth Star, the Jade Root Supreme Perfected Lord, pray for enrollment in the registers of immortals;

To the Fifth Star, the Great Peace Supreme Perfected Lord, pray for ascending to the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) celestial realm;

To the Sixth Star, the Destiny Mechanism Supreme Perfected Lord, pray for inscription in the Taiwei immortal records;

To the Seventh Star, the Mysterious Yang Supreme Perfected Lord, pray for being attended by jade attendants;

To the Eighth Star, the Exalted Jade Emperor Stellar Lord, pray for entry into the halls of sages and perfected beings;

To the Ninth Star, the Taiwei Jade Thearch Stellar Lord, pray for admission to the alchemical chambers and jade towers (abodes of immortals).

After completing these invocations, visualize the Dipper's four-colored Qi—mysterious black, yellow, red, and violet—pouring into your body, merging with your primordial Shen (spirit) and returning together to the Cavern Chamber (the upper Dantian or Mud Ball Palace). Then recite mantras, praying for the stellar light to envelop your crown, refining your sinews, bones, and blood vessels while gathering your ethereal and corporeal souls to assist your celestial ascent to pay homage to the Jade Emperor and the Great Unity Primordial Lord.

Upon concluding the practice, close your eyes and calm the mind, forgetting physical form to enter serene absorption. Finally, visualize yourself standing at the Dipper's celestial mouth, with the four-colored Qi continuously infusing your mortal frame.

Regarding demon-subduing methods: The Supreme Dao Ancestor (Taoism's highest deity) fundamentally embodies compassion and rarely displays might. However, when demons cause chaos and malevolent spirits transform to harm people—profaning the orthodox Dao—these subduing methods become necessary. Practitioners should focus on cultivation as their foundation. Those who attain genuine realization will naturally command reverence from spirits and alignment of the Three Realms—why resort to frequent displays of power? True practice emphasizes inner realization rather than external subjugation.

The Daoist scripture The Great Method of the Jade Hall of the Three Heavens and Supreme Mysterious Origin records the Patriarch's explanation: Before the cosmos took form and when heaven and earth first separated, primordial Qi (vital energy) circulated ceaselessly, and people in that era were benevolent and long-lived. Later, when the balance of Yin-Yang was disrupted, ghosts and deities gradually arose. From the nine-layered celestial winds above to the Yellow Springs of the underworld below, all manner of spectral beings took shape according to their respective directions. These beings all received the perverse Qi between heaven and earth, assuming vicious forms that spread poison and practiced dark arts—such was their inherent nature.

Among the celestial palaces in the heavens, there exist demons capable of creating calamities, while upon the earth, there are deities who govern human fortune and misfortune. Every sixty-day Jiazi cycle, a duty god takes rotation, commanding legions of thousands of demonic spirits that roam the mortal world. Though heaven and earth can give birth to these beings, they cannot entirely eradicate them, which is why methods of subjugation had to be established. However, these techniques belong to the celestial realm's most severe punishments and must not be employed lightly.

The scripture meticulously documents the names and attributes of various demonic entities: for instance, the "Ten-Thousand-Zhang-Tall Demon of the High Heavens" is the king of a hundred ghosts, bearing the surname Tian and given name Liufang, dwelling in the waters of Mount Tai's southeastern corner. The "Three Elders Demon of the Southern Region" oversees wandering souls of the dead, with the surname Che and given name Ni, residing in Mount Tai's northwestern corner. They are responsible for recording the names of the deceased and examining the sins of the living, commanding their own subordinates capable of harming people.

Within the Northern Dipper constellation, there are ghost-generals specializing in slaughter, clad in black robes and standing seven thousand zhang tall, with the surname Wu and given name Huan. Near the Zi-star of the Dipper's handle dwells an unnamed red-robed demon of execution, nine zhang tall, dedicated to slaying the treacherous and rebellious across the land. Under the command of the Great Unity Deity (Taiyi), the execution demons have no fixed form, standing one zhang and six chi tall, dressed in red robes. The demon named "Gui," associated with the Three-Five Celestial Examinations, stands one zhang and seven chi tall, wearing white robes with a red headscarf and wielding a long halberd.

The Five Dipper Lords (of the East, South, West, North, and Center) each have their chief demons: the Northern Dipper's Three Platforms demon bears the surname Ban and given name Wan; the Western Dipper's is Zhuo Qiu; the Southern Dipper's is Ming Wen; the Eastern Dipper's is Jue Che; and the Central Dipper's is Wang Xian. These demons specialize in recording human transgressions and bringing calamities to claim lives. There is also the "Xu" demon of the Five Dippers' reverse executions, the "Jietian" demon serving as the Five Directions' direct mandate officer, the "Gaogao" demon of the Celestial Unity's malevolent descendants, and the "Liangtian" demon of the celestial flying rings. All these demonic categories are regularly dispatched by the Great Emperor of Northern Yin Fengdu (the Daoist deity governing the underworld) to monitor human sins, operating continuously in the mortal realm.

Collectively, these are referred to as "Heavenly Demons" (Tianmo), all originally formed from the interaction of heaven and earth's dual forces of Yin and Yang.

This scripture records a Daoist system of exorcism and ghost-subduing techniques, primarily detailing sixty specific days along with the names of corresponding demons and methods to counter them.

These malevolent spirits manifest in diverse forms and can cause great calamities when they wreak havoc. Rather than employing violent extermination, they must be subdued through specific talismanic incantations. One notable example is the "Celestial Emperor's Demon-Subduing Talisman" (Tianzhi zhitianmo fu), which requires accompanying hand seals (yuding jue, a type of Daoist mudra) during its activation. Written on yellow silk and either worn or displayed, this talisman ensures peace and auspiciousness.

According to ancestral teachings, the Daoist deity Wenchang Daojun once ascended Emei's sacred peak in a cloud-dragon chariot and witnessed commoners suffering from demonic disturbances below. Observing these numerous wandering spirits harming innocent people, he established this "Ghost-Slaying and Demon-Subduing" method. Simply knowing a demon's true name prevents it from causing harm, while reciting its name three times consecutively causes the entity to dissipate automatically.

The scripture meticulously lists sixty demons corresponding to the sexagenary cycle days—for instance, "Yuanguang" appears on Jiazi days, "Bingzhang" on Yichou days, and so forth. These entities share common features: naked crimson bodies with red fur, ears but no eyes, the ability to travel a thousand li daily, and towering three-zhang stature while specializing in harming commoners. Merely knowing their daily names keeps them at bay; shouting their names three times drives them weeping a thousand li away. Beyond name invocation, specialized talismans are provided for their subjugation.

(Note: ▲ marks indicate missing or illegible characters in the original text)

This scripture records the demon-subduing talismanic rituals from the Daoist text The Supreme Mysterious Primordial Three Heavens Jade Hall Great Method. The content is divided into three main sections:

First, it enumerates various types of supernatural beings and demonic entities, including mountain spirits (shanjing), tree spirits (mujing), rock spirits (shijing), fox spirits (hujing), and dozens of others, as well as objects that have gained sentience like bed ghosts, umbrella ghosts, and sword ghosts. These malevolent entities can shapeshift and roam the human world causing disturbances, numbering in the millions.

The text then explains that although these demons pervade heaven and earth, the Supreme Lord Lao (Laojun, the highest Daoist deity) has long established methods to subdue them. Merely hearing the names of these incantations will make the demons flee, while sight of the fulu (Daoist talismanic documents) will send them scattering without daring to return.

Finally, it details two crucial demon-expelling talismans: The first is the "Northern Emperor Fire Bell Talisman," which must be written with cinnabar on red paper. When accompanied by its matching incantation, it summons celestial soldiers (tianbing) and generals (tianjiang) to burn demon lairs with purifying flames. The second is the "Three Heavens Demon-Slaying Jade Character True Talisman," equally potent in destroying evil spirits. The incantations reference the "Northern Emperor" (Beidi, the Great Emperor of the Purple Subtlety, a major Daoist deity governing spirits) and "Heavenly Warriors" (tianding, a collective term for divine troops).

These talismans belong to the secret transmissions of Daoism's fulu (talismanic register) tradition. When performing these rituals, priests must strictly follow ceremonial protocols, combining hand seals (qiejue), visualization techniques (cunxiang), and other practices for efficacy. The scripture particularly emphasizes the materials for writing talismans (yellow paper with black ink or red paper with cinnabar), their targets (various spirits), and the precise recitation methods—demonstrating Daoist ritual's emphasis on formal precision.

This scripture describes a ritual method for exorcising evil spirits and subduing demons. When encountering malevolent ghosts or demonic generals causing disturbances, one should burn talismanic documents (die) inscribed with sacred characters in the courtyard. If violent winds and torrential rain occur that night, it signifies the complete annihilation of the evil entity. Should there be only fierce winds without rain, the spirits will flee a thousand miles away. If neither wind nor rain appears, this indicates the presence is not a major demon but merely an ordinary mischievous spirit (yaoxiao), for which the celestial court will not impose the most severe punishment—though it must still be recorded and not taken lightly.

The specific method involves inscribing jade-script characters (Daoist talismanic writing) on cypress wood tablets using either yellow paper or cinnabar. This permanently suppresses the baleful energies of that location. By channeling the vital Sheng-Wang Qi (the flourishing life-force energy in Daoist cosmology), one can permanently eliminate the misfortunes brought by demons and evil spirits. This passage originates from Volume 5 of the Wushang Xuanyuan Santian Yutang Dafa (Great Method of the Jade Hall of the Three Heavens, Supreme and Mysterious Origin), representing an advanced level of exorcism practice.