《太上虛皇保生神咒經》

The Scripture of the Divine Incantations for Preserving Life by the Supreme Void Sovereign is a vital Daoist text for protection and longevity, containing sacred incantations transmitted by the Supreme Void Sovereign (one of the highest deities in Daoism). This scripture describes the meditative state attained through reciting these divine mantras to obtain the blessings of immortality:

The Supreme Void Sovereign opens the sacred jade courtyard of the celestial realm, where golden and azure palaces intermingle with emerald towers. Here, three pathways (possibly referring to the three realms of heaven, earth, and humanity, or the upper, middle, and lower Dantian) are established to vanquish demonic influences and safeguard living beings. Practitioners can reach a state beyond life and death, reversing the aging process, refining their ethereal and corporeal souls (Hun and Po), and pacifying the spirits of the five viscera.

The adept learns to ride the chariot of swirling winds, paying homage northward to the Jade Pure Realm (one of the Three Pure Ones), ascending into the Great Void, shining with the radiance of the sun and moon, and ultimately attaining the fruition of a Perfected Being (Zhenren). The Five Thearchs of the cardinal directions jointly offer protection, while the Three Origins (deities of the upper, middle, and lower Dantian) convey divine decrees, commanding the obedience of ten thousand spirits. One reaches the profound state of Samadhi (meditative absorption), resonating with countless numinous beings, attended by hosts of immortals, and inscribed in the Jade Pure celestial register.

The scripture particularly emphasizes the power of the Five Directional Life-Preserving Incantations:

• The Azure Youth of the East safeguards the ethereal and corporeal souls
• The Crimson Numen of the South stabilizes primordial Qi
• The White Numen of the West dispels baleful energies
• The Primordial Essence of the North harmonizes the five Qi currents
• The Central Divine Sovereign protects the physical form

Ultimately, the practitioner gains the freedom of celestial flight, sharing the lifespan of heaven and earth, ascending to the Jade Capital (celestial court) above while subduing demons below, bringing blessings to all living beings. This scripture exemplifies the Daoist cultivation method of visualizing deities, reciting incantations, and harmonizing the Qi of the five directions to achieve longevity and divine vision.