《太上洞淵神咒經》Vol. 17

The Most High Lord of the Dao (one of the supreme deities in Daoism) arrived at the Sunlit Valley beneath the Mulberry Grove during the primordial creation of heaven and earth, accompanied by celestial deities, immortal sages, and divine kings from the ten directions. Circling three times to the left, they paid homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (the supreme deity in Daoism) and petitioned: "When mortals pass away, their families bury them in mountain ridges, erecting tombs to seek prosperity for descendants. Yet in reality, many households suffer consecutive misfortunes—financial losses, ruined harvests, legal entanglements, barren livestock, failed crops—with everything going awry."

The Most High Lord of the Dao entreated the Celestial Worthy to show compassion and explain the causes of these calamities. With a light flick of his fingers and a furrowed brow, the Celestial Worthy responded: "The suffering you describe indeed warrants deliverance. Those living in abundance either accumulated virtue (De) in past lives or inherited ancestral blessings—they should particularly assist the poor, restore ancient sacred sites, and thereby receive present-life rewards. As for those in destitution, their plight often stems from past misdeeds: harming the virtuous, stealing possessions, ignoring those in peril, abusing power, or endlessly expanding estates without accumulating virtue—ultimately inviting disasters and exhausting their fortunes."

(Note: This scripture passage, framed as divine dialogue, expounds the Daoist concept of "inherited consequences"—where present circumstances correlate with past actions and ancestral merit—emphasizing how virtuous conduct can transform one's destiny.)

This scripture explains that when people recklessly violate geomancy taboos (such as offending inauspicious directions like the "Two Black" or "Five Yellow" malignant stars) or undertake construction projects or burials during ill-fated days (such as the "Nine Emptiness" or "Four Ruins" calamitous hours), they invite misfortune. The consequences manifest as family decline, discord among relatives, livestock failing to reproduce, and even extreme cases like wives killing children, disrespect toward elders, or accidental injuries. Additional disasters may include fires, lightning strikes, epidemics, imprisonment, and prolonged financial misfortune.

To resolve these calamities, one must invite a high-ranking Daoist priest well-versed in the Lingbao scriptures to perform a ritual. The specific method involves constructing an altar 2 zhang and 4 cun tall and 1 zhang and 2 chi wide, arranged with 24 bamboo strips and three circles of ropes. The altar must open four directional gates: the Celestial Gate (Tianmen), Earthly Gate (Dihu), Human Gate (Renmen), and Ghost Gate (Guimen), with incense tables placed in either five or eleven directions. The priest must burn incense and chant scriptures continuously for one day and two nights, ascending the altar three times daily—morning, noon, and evening—to pray and summon various deities by reciting the scriptures.

The deities to be reverently invited include the highest Daoist divinities, the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing): the Jade Pure Primordial Heavenly Worthy (Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun), the Supreme Pure Jade Dawn Lord (Shangqing Yuchen Daojun), and the Great Pure Mysterious Origin Elder Lord (Taiqing Xuanyuan Laojun), as well as the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity (Taiyi Tianzun), the Five Ancient Thearchs of the Five Directions (Wufang Wulao Dijun), and the gods of the sun, moon, and stars. Special emphasis is placed on summoning the five dragon kings who guard the tombs in the five directions—the Green Emperor (Qingdi), Red Emperor (Chidi), White Emperor (Baidi), Black Emperor (Heidi), and Yellow Emperor (Huangdi)—to suppress grave-related baleful energies and ensure household peace.

Throughout the ritual, the priest must maintain physical and mental purity, meticulously detailing the taboos violated by the supplicant, confessing past transgressions, and beseeching divine forgiveness to ultimately achieve the goal of dispelling misfortune and resolving calamities.

This scripture enumerates the numerous Dragon Kings who govern various realms in Daoist belief. Each of the five directions—east, south, west, north, and center—has corresponding Treasury Dragon Kings overseeing different domains of blessings. There are also Dragon Kings administering celestial and terrestrial realms, state and prefecture-level jurisdictions, as well as specialized deities responsible for forests, crops, silks, gold, silver, and precious gems.

The text describes how every social stratum—from emperors and nobles to common households—has designated Dragon Kings protecting their residences, descendants, and ancestral tombs. Some Dragon Kings specialize in exorcising malevolent spirits, ensuring livestock prosperity, attracting wealth, or even governing moral virtues like benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and filial piety. Natural phenomena such as rainfall, dew, and springs are likewise governed by specific Dragon Kings.

Yuanshi Tianzun (the supreme deity of Daoism) reveals that each Dragon King commands nine hundred thousand attendants. If virtuous devotees experience prolonged misfortune, they may invite accomplished Daoist priests to conduct rituals in their homes. During the Zi period (11 PM-1 AM) or Wu period (11 AM-1 PM), petitions should be submitted according to the severity of the predicament—typically requiring three to six liturgical sessions. After completing the Zhaijiao purification rites, a "Great Dragon-Summoning Ceremony" must be performed to honor these deities, thereby ensuring household and national peace while dispelling all calamities.

This scripture describes the divine protection bestowed upon those who devoutly practice Daoist teachings. When people sincerely embrace Daoism and recite the Northern Pole Divine Incantation Scripture, celestial deities, dragon kings, and heavenly generals will descend to the mortal realm to offer protection.

Specifically, the text states that all calamities and misfortunes will be kept at bay—thieves vanish without a trace, and divine dragons arrive to safeguard the people. Disasters swiftly recede into the distance, allowing communities to live in peace, and crops to flourish in abundance. This occurs because the Supreme Lord Lao (Laozi, one of the highest Daoist deities) commands various gods, dragon kings, and celestial armies to descend and protect the nation and its people.

From emperors and ministers to ordinary citizens, all who sincerely follow the Dao and accept the teachings of the Northern Pole Divine Incantation receive the guardianship of celestial deities, dragon spirits, sage kings, divine warriors, and immortal soldiers. These devoted believers are granted longevity, prosperity in official positions, and enduring peace for the nation. The people thrive, harvests are plentiful, and the world enjoys harmony. The sun, moon, and stars move in perfect order; the seasons transition smoothly; all disasters are permanently eradicated, and warfare ceases to exist. All of this is achieved in accordance with the decree of the Supreme Lord Lao.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the highest Daoist deity) further warns humanity: If in the future the nation falls into turmoil, the people suffer unrest, disasters strike frequently, poisons spread, banditry runs rampant, and families are torn apart—these are calamities brought forth by demonic forces.

Should a ruler, official, or local worthy gather even just five or ten households to join in sincere devotion—purchasing fragrant oils (for ritual offerings), establishing a sacred altar, and earnestly inviting accomplished Daoist priests to conduct ceremonies—then divine aid will come. These priests must be well-versed in scriptures and precepts, reciting the sacred texts that summon dragon spirits and the Secret Texts of the Northern Pole’s Profound Cavern. With shared sincerity, they pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Five Supreme Sovereigns (high-ranking deities), and other immortal sages, presenting their petitions in detail. If their devotion is true, the Celestial Worthy will dispatch the invoked divine beings, dragon spirits, and their retinues to descend upon the altar, fulfilling the people’s wishes.

These deities will command heavenly troops to subdue malevolent spirits, eradicate poisons and disasters, and bestow immense blessings upon those who turn their hearts to the Dao. The faithful will forever receive profound grace, bathed in the compassion of the Great Dao. Their endeavors will succeed, their families will flourish, and their households will rise in honor. Once peace is secured, they must devote themselves even more earnestly to revering the Three Luminaries (sun, moon, and stars) and upholding the Great Dao.

This passage discusses a divine incantation transmitted by Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun, one of the highest deities in Daoism) within the indigenous Chinese religion. The phrase "切靈祇自然永蒙安泰" conveys that through sincere supplication to the divine, one can naturally attain lasting peace and well-being. "急急如太上所勅教" indicates the immediate execution of commands according to Lord Lao's sacred decree.

The subsequent line "民除災請福大律令" reveals that the sacred precepts recorded in this Scripture of the Divine Incantations of the Dongyuan by the Most High (Taishang Dongyuan Shenzhou Jing) can help people eliminate calamities and invoke blessings. The frequently appearing phrase "急急如律令" serves as a standard concluding formula in Daoist incantations, signifying that divine will must be carried out swiftly, like an immutable law.

The entire passage emphasizes that by reciting the divine incantations contained in this scripture, one can swiftly obtain divine protection, achieving the dissolution of misfortune and the attraction of auspicious fortune. This exemplifies the Daoist practice of "communicating with the divine through incantations" (yi zhou tong shen), where adherents connect with celestial beings through specific mantras to access transcendent power.