《太上靈寶元陽妙經》Vol. 3

At that time, the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning (the supreme deity of Daoism) was seated in the Nine-Bend Chamber of the Golden Radiance Jade Hall within the Purple Tenuity Palace, his sacred abode in the Primordial Yang world. Addressing the Perfected of Wondrous Joy, he said: "You now cultivate compassion, joy, and equanimity in this land, dwelling in the realm called 'Beloved Only Child.'" The Perfected of Wondrous Joy bowed reverently and inquired: "Why is this place named 'Land of the Beloved Only Child'?"

The Celestial Venerable explained: "Just as parents raising a child feel joy upon seeing their offspring safe and sound, so too does a cultivator in this realm experience great delight upon witnessing beings practicing virtuous ways. Thus this place is called 'Beloved.'"

"Again, like parents who—though distressed—would never abandon their sick child, the cultivator in this realm grieves upon seeing ordinary beings afflicted by the sickness of delusion, aching as if for their own child, even to the point where their pores seem ready to weep blood. Hence this is also called 'Land of the Only Child.'"

Continuing with analogies, the Celestial Venerable said: "When a child foolishly puts filth in its mouth, parents immediately cleanse it with water. Similarly, when cultivators see beings committing evil through body, speech, or mind, they extend the hand of wisdom to uproot such karma, unable to bear watching them drift through the sufferings of birth and death."

"Just as bereaved parents mourning their sole child wish they could die together, so too would cultivators willingly descend into hell realms when seeing beings fall into the Three Wretched Paths (hells, hungry ghosts, animals—Buddhist concepts assimilated into Daoist practice). For should these suffering beings generate but a single thought of repentance, I would immediately teach them virtuous methods to plant roots of goodness."

"Finally, as parents cherish their only child unconditionally—gently instructing even when the child errs—so too do cultivators regard all deluded beings with compassionate hearts."

This scripture employs parental love for an only child to illustrate the mindset for cultivating the Four Immeasurables (compassion, joy, and equanimity): regarding all beings as one's own—rejoicing in their virtues, grieving for their sufferings, never abandoning them. The "Three Wretched Paths" (santu), referencing Buddhist cosmology absorbed into Daoist practice, denote the realms of hell-beings, hungry ghosts, and animals.

The Supreme Numinous Treasure Yuanyang Scripture expounds the essence of compassion and the behavioral principles for practitioners.

Wonderful Joy Zhenren (a Daoist adept) inquired of the Celestial Master (Tianshi, the highest deity in Daoism): "If a practitioner attains the 'single-child state' (the realm of equal compassion that regards all beings as one's only child), why did the Celestial Master, when incarnated as the King of Sweet Dew, execute Elder Dharma Dragon? If one truly possesses complete compassion, why wouldn't such actions lead to rebirth in the Three Wretched Realms (hell, hungry ghosts, and animals)?"

The Celestial Master elucidated the true meaning of cultivation through three progressive explanations: First, using the example of a genuine Daoist practitioner, he explained how adepts would rather endure hunger than beg from those harboring jealousy, fearing such actions might cause the givers to create negative karma leading to hell rebirth. Practitioners might even sit or stand motionless for entire days to dispel others' doubts. This subtle level of compassion exists even in ordinary practitioners, let alone in great sages like the Celestial Master.

Then, through five parallel "suppose" statements, the Celestial Master emphasized: Even if one could drain the oceans, invert heaven and earth's elements, attain sagehood while violating precepts, or make heretics abide eternally—one must never become the source of others' afflictions. This demonstrates the fundamental stance of great compassion: never allowing one's actions to plant seeds of malice or create causes for suffering in others.

Finally, the Celestial Master pointed out that raising such doubts itself reflects improper understanding. All actions of great practitioners aim to sever the roots of sentient beings' afflictions, never to create causes for suffering. This dialogue reveals the profound realm of "unconditional great compassion" in Daoist cultivation—true compassion transcends surface behavior, always considering beings' ultimate liberation.

I (the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, Yuanshi Tianzun) shall never become the source of afflictions for ordinary sentient beings. Even when accomplished Daoist practitioners (zhenren) violate the Four Covenants and precepts, or slander the true Dao, I will not be the root of their delusions. Should all beings sever their innate Dao-nature, I still would not become the fundamental cause of their suffering.

Even if someone could bind the wind with ropes or reduce mountains to ashes with fierce flames, I would not be the origin of sentient beings' afflictions. I would rather dwell with venomous serpents and fierce tigers than claim that "a sage could become the source of worldly troubles." Noble practitioners should understand that the Celestial Worthy is utterly real—he only severs afflictions for beings, never becoming their cause.

The Perfected Being of Marvelous Joy once mentioned how the Celestial Worthy slew the Dharma-Dragon Elder in past kalpas. But noble practitioners should know that now I wouldn't harm even the smallest insect, let alone a virtuous person like the Dharma-Dragon Elder. True cultivators should constantly embody compassion, bestowing immeasurable longevity upon all beings. Offering food is offering life—when Daoist adepts practice generosity, they're providing all creatures with boundless life-sustenance.

Observing the precept of non-killing prolongs life. When adepts uphold these precepts, they're granting limitless longevity to all beings. Careful speech that avoids unwholesome karma also brings long life. When practicing forbearance, adepts constantly advise beings to abandon resentment—attributing rightness to others and faults to oneself, thus naturally attaining longevity. Therefore, when perfected beings cultivate patience, they've already bestowed immeasurable life upon all creatures.

Single-minded cultivation of virtue yields longevity. When adepts diligently practice, they constantly exhort beings to cultivate wholesome dharmas—through such practice, beings extend their lifespans. Thus when perfected beings practice diligence, they've granted boundless life to all. Cultivating mind-restraint methods (samadhi practices) brings long life—when adepts practice stillness, they contemplate all beings' equal essential nature, enabling lifespan extension through such cultivation. Therefore, when perfected beings practice serenity, they've already bestowed immeasurable longevity upon all beings.

All sentient beings possess immeasurable destinies. When spiritual practitioners (virtuous men) encounter various Dharma methods, if they can maintain unwavering focus without slackening, they will attain longevity. Perfected beings (those who have achieved cultivation) employ wisdom to admonish ordinary people: all sentient beings should practice good deeds and cultivation methods with diligent perseverance. It is precisely because common people cultivate in this manner that they can extend their lifespans. Therefore, when Perfected beings exercise wisdom, they are already bestowing upon all beings the boundless method of life extension.

Practitioners should understand this principle: true Dao cultivators never abandon any sentient being. Perfected Miaole (an enlightened being), regarding your question about the killing of Elder Falong—at that time, I indeed severed his life out of compassionate concern, not with malicious intent. Just as parents deeply love their only child, when the child violates the law, the parents may banish or even execute him out of fear, yet never with malice. Similarly, when Perfected beings uphold the virtuous path—if ordinary people slander the Yuanyang Jing (an essential Daoist scripture), they may punish them with whipping or even take their lives, all to guide them from evil to goodness.

Perfected beings constantly contemplate: what methods can inspire virtuous intentions in sentient beings? They employ appropriate teachings according to circumstances. After Elder Falong's death, he was reborn in the Xuan Sha Northern Prison (a hell realm), where he developed three realizations: first, understanding he came from the human world; second, knowing he was in Xuan Sha Northern Prison; third, awakening to the fact that his slander of the Yuanyang Jing and disbelief in the true Dharma led to his execution by the king and subsequent fall into this realm. Upon these realizations, he developed reverence for the Yuanyang Jing and was immediately reborn in a blissful, liberated world, attaining a complete lifespan.

Practitioners should know that in past kalpas, I once shared lifespans with such individuals. What actions constitute killing? For example, digging the earth and harming life, cutting grass and felling trees, desecrating corpses, or malicious curses—all such deeds lead to falling into hell realms. Perfected Miaole said to the Celestial Worthy (the highest deity in Daoism)... [original text ends here]

This scripture presents a dialogue between the Celestial Worthy (the supreme deity in Daoism) and the Perfected Being of Wondrous Joy, elucidating the karmic retribution associated with taking life. The Celestial Worthy explains that acts of killing are categorized into three grades based on the nature of the victim:

First, it teaches that even plants and insects should not be harmed wantonly, as all beings possess spiritual nature. However, killing done to protect living beings (such as eliminating venomous creatures or predatory animals that threaten humans), while still considered taking life, incurs lighter karmic consequences. For instance, slaying tigers, wolves, or poisonous snakes that endanger people results in only minor retribution.

The text then details the three grades of killing: The lightest offense (lower-grade killing) involves harming small creatures like ants, which leads to rebirth in the three wretched realms (hells, hungry ghosts, or animal existence) to suffer retribution. Medium-grade killing refers to harming ordinary people or novice Daoist practitioners, incurring moderate karmic punishment. The most severe offense (upper-grade killing) involves plotting against rulers, parents, realized Daoist masters, or virtuous individuals—such sins condemn one to eternal hellish suffering with the gravest penalties.

A special case is mentioned regarding virtuous Daoist priests or Perfected Beings who may intentionally incarnate as animals to deliver sentient beings. These "manifestation beings" must never be harmed, as doing so incurs even greater karmic consequences. The scripture concludes by emphasizing that sincere repentance and three days of fasting can eliminate the karma from ordinary killings, but the grave sins of murdering virtuous people, Daoist practitioners, or parents result in endless kalpas of hellish torment.

This passage embodies Daoism's core principle of "valuing life" (guisheng), advocating compassion for all living beings while systematically outlining the hierarchical nature of karmic retribution for different acts of killing.

The Supreme Numinous Treasure Yuanyang Scripture recounts a profound tale about karmic retribution and the Celestial Master's (Tianshi) compassionate guidance of sentient beings.

The scripture begins by explaining that those who commit the Ten Evils and Five Heinous Crimes (ten wicked deeds and five extreme transgressions) are so blinded by ignorance that they harm life as casually as one fells trees or uproots grass, while habitually hurling abuse and wielding whips against others. Yet slaying such wicked individuals incurs no karmic penalty, for they have already severed their roots of virtue and can no longer benefit living beings.

A dialogue then unfolds addressing a challenge: When questioned why the Celestial Master would revile "virtuous practitioners," the text clarifies that the Master's words and actions transcend ordinary logic. The Celestial Master (Tianshi) speaks according to circumstance—sometimes seemingly harsh words carry genuine benefit, while pleasing speech may conceal falsehood and harm.

The scripture illustrates this through a vivid account: Once, while dwelling in mountain forests, the Celestial Master encountered a man-eating demon named Jingchang who devoured one living person daily. Initially, the Master gently expounded the Dharma to it, but the demon remained unrepentant. Thereupon, the Master manifested as a deity of tremendous power, demolishing the demon's palace. When Jingchang led troops in rebellion and beheld the Master's true form, it collapsed in terror. With compassionate touch, the Master revived the demon, who then awakened to remorse and took refuge in the true path. Finally revealing his original form, the Master meticulously explained the true Dao (the Way), compelling the demon to vow eternal abstinence from killing.

That very day, Elder Falong—who was fated to be the demon's next victim—was spared. This parable demonstrates how the Celestial Master employs infinite skillful means (including seemingly severe methods) to guide beings, all ultimately directed toward their benefit and the cessation of evil through virtue.

This scripture recounts how the Celestial Venerable (the supreme deity in Daoism) instructed both spirits and practitioners. The Celestial Venerable encountered a spirit named Ruzhou, who had previously subsisted on flesh and blood but, after converting to the orthodox teachings, was uncertain how to sustain himself. The Celestial Venerable thus decreed: henceforth, all perfected beings (Zhenren) and Daoist priests who cultivate the Dao must provide nourishment to these converted spirits. If practitioners refuse to make such offerings, they are not true cultivators of the Dao but rather allies of celestial demons.

The Celestial Venerable disciplined guardian spirits with a wooden staff, pushed great demons down mountains, and pricked hairy demons with needles—not to destroy them, but to ensure they remained steadfast in the correct path. He emphasized that he never insults those holding misguided views, nor is he so foolish as to consume human saliva, much less would he fall into evil realms of suffering. He never slanders Daoist priests or practitioners, violates the Four Covenants (keypledges in Daoist precepts), nor disparages core scriptures like the Yuanyang Miaojing (Marvelous Scripture of Primal Yang).

The Perfected Being Miaole (an immortal who attained the Dao) offered an analogy: just as chewing sugarcane yields sweetness, through repeatedly hearing the scriptures, he came to savor the true flavor of the Dao, the true flavor of the teachings, the true flavor of wisdom, and the true flavor of liberation. The Celestial Venerable, in turn, compared the process to refining gold: just as genuine gold becomes purer with each smelting, so too must cultivation be tempered through repeated refinement to attain fruition.

This scripture recounts a dialogue between Miaole Zhenren (a Daoist practitioner) and the Celestial Venerable (the supreme deity in Daoism), focusing on how practitioners can attain equanimity through contemplating emptiness.

The Celestial Venerable first praises Miaole Zhenren for seeking profound teachings to benefit all beings. Miaole Zhenren asks: After practitioners cultivate compassion to reach the "state of universal kinship" (regarding all beings as one's own children), what realm can they achieve when further cultivating the mind of relinquishment (abandoning attachments)?

The Celestial Venerable replies: When practitioners cultivate the mind of relinquishment, they abide in the "dharma-ground of empty-space equanimity." In this state, practitioners no longer discriminate between worldly relationships like kin and foes, embracing all things as empty space does. Through thoroughly contemplating the principle that all phenomena are empty, their minds maintain perfect equanimity.

Miaole Zhenren then inquires about the meaning of "emptiness." The Celestial Venerable explains in detail: Emptiness is categorized as internal emptiness (the emptiness of inner phenomena), external emptiness (the emptiness of outer phenomena), Wuwei emptiness (the emptiness of non-action), and youwei emptiness (the emptiness of deliberate action). When contemplating internal emptiness, practitioners realize all inner phenomena—including material possessions and Dao-nature—are intrinsically empty. Dao-nature itself neither resides within nor without, being eternally unchanging. The same principle applies to external emptiness and the emptiness of both internal and external phenomena.

Finally, it's revealed that only the Dharma-heirs of the Celestial Venerable and Dao-nature transcend the duality of internal and external emptiness, for Dao-nature is the absolute truth beyond relative concepts. Through this master-disciple dialogue, the scripture elucidates the core Daoist teaching of realizing Dao-nature by contemplating emptiness and overcoming attachments.

This passage expounds on several realms of "contemplating emptiness" in Daoist cultivation. Here, "emptiness" does not signify nothingness, but rather the wisdom that transcends appearances to perceive ultimate reality.

The first stage is "emptiness of both inner and outer": Practitioners must realize that both external phenomena (outer emptiness) and internal experiences (inner emptiness) are ultimately illusory. True eternal joy (zhenchang zhi le) arises from realizing this emptiness, which constitutes the supreme truth (first-principle emptiness). The Dao-nature neither clings to conditioned phenomena (deliberate actions) nor to unconditioned states (passive non-action).

The text then presents five methods of contemplating emptiness:

First is "contemplating wuwei emptiness"—seeing through the impermanent changes of the world, understanding that pleasure and pain, the self, bodily sensations (the aggregates and sense-fields), and even cultivation methods themselves are illusions to be released.

Second is "contemplating beginningless emptiness"—awakening to the truth that the cycle of birth and death has no origin, that all is fundamentally pure and quiescent (empty stillness), as are the Three Treasures (Dao, scriptures, and teachers) and the Dao-nature itself.

Third is "contemplating dharma emptiness"—penetrating the empty nature of all phenomena (all dharmas), recognizing that suffering and joy, purity and defilement are relative concepts without fixed essence.

Fourth is "contemplating possessionless emptiness"—like a poor man seeing through material attachments, thoroughly abandoning all clinging until not even the concept of "emptiness" remains.

Fifth is "contemplating supreme dharma emptiness"—using wisdom-eye observation to witness the arising and ceasing of phenomena, realizing visual perceptions are illusory (no eye, no perceiver), and finding no substantial agent within karmic cause and effect.

Through these contemplations, true cultivators (zhenren daoshi) transcend dualities of inner/outer and existence/non-existence, attaining the unchanging realm of eternal truth. This "emptiness" is not nihilistic void, but the authentic nature revealed when all attachments are dissolved.

The Supreme Numinous Treasure Yuanyang Scripture elucidates how practitioners can elevate their cultivation through contemplation of the state of "emptiness." Here, "emptiness" does not denote ordinary nothingness but refers to a transcendent realm of wisdom.

The scripture first distinguishes three levels of contemplating emptiness: Lower-level practitioners understand "emptiness" as clinging to superficial concepts of existence and non-existence, right and wrong—this understanding remains shallow. Intermediate practitioners (the Threefold World Perfected Ones) grasp a slightly deeper level of emptiness, yet their comprehension remains as minute as dust particles. True adepts (Perfected Daoist Masters) perceive the "Great Emptiness," the supreme state realized through the wisdom of the celestial eye.

Those who attain the "Great Emptiness" abide in the "Ground of Boundless Space," characterized by non-attachment to all phenomena and a mind free from obstructions. Just as the vast sky neither clings to beautiful scenery nor reacts with anger upon encountering unpleasant sights, practitioners dwelling in this state possess a mind so expansive it embraces all things. They correctly comprehend and apply various teachings—such as precepts, almsgiving, and other Dharma methods—without distortion.

However, the scripture particularly cautions: Although genuine practitioners are aware of various ascetic methods (such as drowning or fire-walking, common among heterodox paths), they do not cling to these formal practices. These extreme austerities were typical of non-Daoist traditions at the time, and Daoism emphasizes transcending such ritualized cultivation.

This scripture primarily expounds on the precepts and stages of cultivation that practitioners should follow. A genuine cultivator (zhenren daoshi, or "True Person Daoist") must sever worldly desires, abstain from meat, avoid craving the five flavors, and depart when alms are refused without insistence. However, the text clarifies that mere external observances alone cannot lead to true liberation.

A practitioner must cultivate two types of wisdom: "insight" (jian) and "knowing" (zhi). "Insight" refers to the ability to perceive how ordinary people, clinging to erroneous methods of cultivation, inevitably fall into hell realms. "Knowing" is the understanding that sentient beings who practice virtuous deeds such as generosity and diligence will assuredly attain liberation. Higher-level practitioners reach the state of "both insight and knowing": they not only penetrate the truths of worldly impermanence, suffering and joy, purity and defilement, self and non-self, but also realize that sages possess indestructible diamond-like bodies and that all beings inherently possess the Dao-nature (the potential for enlightenment).

The text concludes by outlining three stages of cultivation: "those who follow the current" refer to ordinary people engrossed in worldly life; "those who go against the current" are practitioners who cultivate from the state of Wuwei (non-action) to attain immortality; and "those who abide correctly" are those who have already reached the stage of True Person Daoists. Through the practice of the Great Vehicle (Mahayana) method, practitioners with divine vision can clearly perceive three destinies: those who create evil karma fall into hell, those who perform good deeds ascend to heaven or are reborn as humans, and the cyclical states of sentient beings between light and darkness.

(Note: "Supreme Liberation" (wushang jietuo) refers to the highest level of liberation; "extinction and transcendence" (miedu) signifies nirvana; the "Primordial Yang World" (yuan yang shijie) denotes the Daoist ideal of a pure realm; and the "Great Vehicle Method" (da cheng famen) represents the advanced practice of universal salvation.)

Ordinary people in this world (common mortals) and all sentient beings either fall from light into darkness or progress from light into greater illumination. True cultivators of the Dao (zhenren daoshi) not only comprehend this principle but also witness it directly. They understand that beings cultivate through refining their body, practice, methods, precepts, meditation, and wisdom. Yet some create negative karma in this life through greed, anger, or ignorance, planting seeds that should lead to retribution in the three wretched realms of hell, hungry ghosts, or animals.

However, because these individuals persist in cultivation, their retribution is mitigated in the present life, preventing descent into the three wretched realms. Why is this so? Because they sincerely repent, openly confess their faults, resolve not to repeat them, and with remorse make offerings to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), constantly examining themselves. Thus, they endure only minor retributions in this life—illness, misfortune, hunger, hardship, or physical pain—which is called "knowing" (zhi).

What is "seeing" (jian)? Zhenren daoshi observe those who fail to cultivate properly. Though their misdeeds may be few, their refusal to repent, lack of self-reflection, and absence of fear allow negative karma to accumulate, ultimately leading to retribution in the underworld's prisons. This is called "seeing."

There is also the state of "knowing without seeing": understanding that all beings possess a pure intrinsic nature (Dharma-nature) yet remain obscured by afflictions, like objects hidden in darkness—known but not clearly perceived. In contrast, celestial sages (tianjie shengren) both "see and know," grasping the principles while perceiving them clearly.

Worldly phenomena—writing, speech, clothing, beds, food, treasures, and the appearances of beings—fall within the scope of "both seeing and knowing." But the profound states of sages, such as transcending gender distinctions or material existence (gardens and the like), remain "unseen and unknown" to ordinary people. Similarly, while one may understand the principle of generosity (dana), failing to realize its deeper meaning still constitutes "knowing without seeing."

This scripture primarily discusses the four unimpeded wisdoms that a Daoist practitioner (zhenren or Daoist priest) should possess, and how to properly approach these wisdoms.

Only those who truly understand the relationships between offerings, receiving offerings, and karmic retribution can be considered as having genuine "knowledge" (zhi); conversely, those who fail to comprehend these relationships remain "unenlightened" (bujian). Through his divine insight, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the supreme deity in Daoism) comprehends eight kinds of true knowledge. The Perfected of Sublime Joy (Miaole Zhenren, an advanced immortal) inquired of the Celestial Worthy: What benefits would a Daoist priest attain if they possessed such true knowledge?

The Celestial Worthy replied that such a practitioner would acquire four unimpeded abilities: unimpeded understanding of methods (fa wu'ai), unimpeded understanding of meanings (yi wu'ai), unimpeded understanding of wisdom (zhi wu'ai), and unimpeded understanding of insight (hui wu'ai). Unimpeded understanding of methods means mastering all cultivation techniques and terminology; unimpeded understanding of meanings refers to the ability to interpret the essential principles behind various practices; unimpeded understanding of wisdom enables one to analyze profound theories in the scriptures; and unimpeded understanding of insight allows one to resolve doubts for other immortals and elucidate all essential teachings of cultivation.

The Celestial Worthy further explained: Unimpeded understanding of methods enables Daoist practitioners to comprehend the profound methods within the immortal scriptures; unimpeded understanding of meanings allows them to recognize that although cultivation is divided into three vehicles (upper, middle, and lower levels of practice), all ultimately return to the same truth; unimpeded understanding of wisdom empowers them to expound on a single principle in countless ways, never exhausting its meaning even across immeasurable kalpas (vast cosmic time periods); unimpeded understanding of insight grants them the ability to teach according to the capacities of sentient beings, employing infinite skillful means to convey the teachings.

However, it is crucial to note that although Daoist practitioners possess these wisdoms, they must not cling to them. If one becomes attached to methods, meanings, wisdom, or insight, they cannot be considered true cultivators. The Perfected of Sublime Joy then raised a doubt: If one does not cling, how can they truly know? And if one knows, does that not imply attachment?

This scripture expounds the path through which practitioners can transcend attachment and attain true liberation.

The Celestial Venerable (the supreme deity in Daoism) declares: Those who truly comprehend the Dao do not cling to anything. If attachments remain, one cannot be called truly free and unhindered. Those who claim to be practitioners yet remain bound by attachments are in truth still deluded beings. Why is this so? Because fixation on material forms (色), sensations, and thoughts gives rise to craving, binding one to these phenomena and preventing liberation from the sufferings of birth, aging, illness, and death.

Authentic practitioners (真人), through countless eons of cultivation, have penetrated the essential nature of all phenomena. They generate no clinging toward anything, and thus remain unshackled by material forms or mental constructs, naturally transcending the vexations of life and death. Just as guilty persons may be seized by authorities while the innocent remain beyond their grasp, when a practitioner's mind is pure and untainted, harmful thoughts cannot assail them.

The state of unhindered liberation (无碍法) refers to the realized being's wisdom of responding spontaneously without losing awareness. This wisdom arises as naturally as the earth gives birth to all things, or as a mother embraces all. Though ordinary people may know the names of myriad phenomena, only those who comprehend their true meaning attain genuine freedom. Like the earth nurturing plants and trees without effort, authentic wisdom manifests spontaneously.

This scripture explains five levels of cultivation through metaphorical descriptions. First, practitioners are likened to the earth that carries all things, termed "like the earth"; then as steadfast as mountains, called "like mountains"; then possessing the clarity of eyes that perceive truth, termed "like eyes"; further as nourishing as clouds and rain, called "like clouds"; finally as compassionate as physicians healing others, termed "like humans," and as selfless as a mother's love, called "like mothers."

True Daoist cultivators (zhenren daoshi) who study great vehicle scriptures like the "Yuanyang Miaodian" attain four unobstructed abilities: first, "unobstructed speech" that thoroughly expounds the profound meanings of scriptures; second, "unobstructed wisdom" that could never exhaust the teachings even across kalpas (immeasurably long periods) as numerous as Ganges' sands; third, unobstructed comprehension of principles through cultivating the "supreme truth dharma"; finally, unobstructed wisdom attained through studying the "Lingbao Dadong Zhenjing" and the "Three Pure Ones' sublime methods."

The text clarifies that ordinary immortal disciples (zhuxian dizi) haven't truly attained these four unobstructed abilities, as their practice remains at the elementary stage of pursuing immortal rank (xiaxian fa). True cultivators possess these abilities to liberate ordinary people. The passage concludes by describing how sublime beings like Miaole Zhenren, upon hearing the Celestial Venerable expound these truths, rose respectfully to bow in acknowledgment of their understanding.

After paying homage with bows, the celestial deities each returned to their original seats. This scene recorded in the third volume of the Supreme Lingbao Yuanyang Marvelous Scripture ("Lingbao" refers to one of the Three Caverns of Daoist scriptures, while "Yuanyang" represents the primal pure Yang Qi) depicts the solemn ritual atmosphere of a celestial assembly. In Daoist ceremonies, this procedure of collective veneration followed by orderly return symbolizes the harmonious unity of celestial and human orders.