《太上洞玄靈寶福日妙經》

The Wondrous Scripture of Auspicious Days from the Most High Cavern Mystery and Numinous Treasure (Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Furi Miaojing) offers this popular interpretation:

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the supreme deity in Daoism) declares: Devoted men and women seeking to avoid calamities across past, present, and future lifetimes must sincerely uphold this scripture and accumulate merit through virtuous deeds on designated auspicious days. By doing so, they will enjoy peace and joy in this life and ascend as immortals after death.

The Celestial Worthy identifies six months as "Long Fasting Months" - the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh lunar months. Those who maintain the full-month fast (a practice of purifying body and mind while abstaining from meat and strong flavors) will attain the Dao in this lifetime, ensure family well-being, and elevate seven generations of ancestors.

Three particularly significant auspicious days are:

• The 7th day of the first month: "Celestial Court Merit Evaluation Assembly" (when heavenly officials review karmic records)
• The 7th day of the seventh month: "Earthly Tribunal Salvation Assembly" (when the underworld liberates souls)
• The 5th day of the tenth month: "Water Palace Blessing Assembly" (when water deities bestow fortune)

Observing fasting on these three days protects families from epidemics for ten thousand generations.

The "Three Primordial Fast Days" - the 15th days of the first month (Shangyuan Festival), seventh month (Zhongyuan Festival), and tenth month (Xiayuan Festival) - when observed with fasting, prolong life and dispel suffering.

Other important fasting days include:

• The "Five La Fast Days": New Year's Day ("Celestial La"), 5th day of fifth month ("Earthly La"), 7th day of seventh month ("Dao-Virtue La"), 1st day of tenth month ("People's Year La"), and the year-end "Royal La"
• The 1st and 15th of every month
• Jiazi days, personal birth stem-branch days, and Gengshen days

Reciting scriptures while fasting on these days fulfills all wishes.

Each month also has "Ten Straight Days" for fasting: 1st, 8th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 23rd, 24th, 28th, 29th, and 30th. Observing these brings blessings in both life and death, ensuring eternal peace.

The "Eight Solar Terms" among the twenty-four seasonal nodes (including Spring Commencement, Spring Equinox, Summer Commencement, and Winter Solstice) also serve as auspicious fasting days. Maintaining precepts and scripture recitation during these periods brings family prosperity and ancestral joy.

The Celestial Worthy concludes: Fasting on auspicious days permanently dispels misfortune and ensures present-life happiness. Those who transcribe this scripture will receive these rewards:

• 10 scrolls: Eliminates karmic obstacles from ten thousand kalpas (cosmic time cycles)
• 100 scrolls: Gains protection from demon kings (guardian deities, not evil beings)
• 1,000 scrolls: Achieves unimpeded flight and repels all malevolent forces

(Note: In Daoist practice, scripture transcription is considered significant merit-making. "Demon kings" refer to protective deities rather than malevolent entities.)

This scripture expounds the miraculous efficacy of the Wonderful Scripture of Auspicious Days from the Supreme Dongxuan Lingbao Tradition:

Regarding plague prevention, sincere devotion to this scripture ensures constant protection from door deities and local guardian spirits. Whether karmic obstacles stem from past or present lives, all can be thoroughly eradicated, granting practitioners rebirth as virtuous beings.

Those who copy or recite this scripture will receive boundless blessings. When facing the following perils—life-or-death struggles, encounters with tigers/wolves/venomous creatures, deep-seated enmities, warfare conflicts, childbirth complications, storms/pirates at sea, critical illnesses or near-death situations—earnest recitation summons celestial immortals who descend instantly to deliver the practitioner from danger, fulfilling all righteous wishes.

This scripture represents the supreme authentic classic, the foundation for cultivators' practice and the essential key to attaining the Dao and achieving immortality. Those who encounter and uphold it shall ultimately realize Daoist perfection, while those never granted its revelation will struggle to grasp the true essence of the Dharma.

After hearing these revelations, the entire assembly paid reverent homage to the Celestial Worthy (the supreme deity in Daoism), affirming their unwavering faith and vowing to practice according to the scripture's teachings.