《太上說東斗主筭護命妙經》

The Wondrous Scripture of the Eastern Dipper's Life-Preserving Calculations as Expounded by the Supreme Lord (Taishang Laojun, the highest deity in Daoism) reveals:

The Supreme Lord instructed Celestial Master Zhang Daoling (Tianshi of the Zhengyi tradition): "The movements of the Dao are profoundly mysterious, and celestial phenomena conceal heaven's secrets. The cosmos contains 118 stellar offices with 782 stars—including the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, the sun and moon, and the Five Planets—all harmonized by the Northern Dipper (Xuanji) to maintain cosmic order. Among the Five Directional Thearchs, the Numinous Dipper Sovereign governs the four quarters. Today I shall expound for you the esoteric scripture of the Eastern Dipper Sovereign. If ordinary people recite it with sincere devotion, calamities transform into blessings; practitioners who obtain this method may receive numinous radiance."

The Supreme Lord continued: "Having previously transmitted the Northern Dipper's techniques for extending destiny and the Southern Dipper's six offices for delivering humanity, I now reveal the Eastern Dipper Sovereign's jade-spirit treasure text governing lifespan. This sovereign oversees human longevity, delivering beings from the Three Torments (hell realms), Five Sufferings, and Eight Calamities. He wields the authority to 'erase death registers and inscribe longevity,' commanding both physical form and ethereal soul (hun and po) with boundless mystery."

Describing the Eastern Dipper's powers, the Supreme Lord revealed: "In the east dwells the Venerable Sage Han, companion of stars and Great Saint of Longevity, who holds the scepter of life. Flanking him are the Deathless Divinity and Longevity Sovereign, while Grand Minister Sima executes celestial decrees. The Directors of Fate (Siming) and Records (Silu) augment mortal lifespans. The Green Thearch (Qingdi, ruler of the east) safeguards the soul (hun), while the Supreme Lord sustains the physical body. Even the Demon King Ba Yuanchou submits to their command—all collaborating to rescue suffering beings."

The scripture concludes by listing five Eastern Dipper True Lords:

1. True Lord of Azure Numen Who Prolongs Life

2. True Lord of Mound Radiance Who Protects Destiny

3. True Lord of Heavenly Pass Who Gathers Blessings

4. True Lord of Great Brightness Who Harmonizes Yang

5. True Lord of Tail Polaris Who Oversees All

The Supreme Lord emphasized: "Recitation demands utmost sincerity. Practitioners must first observe purification (zhai) to cleanse the heart, facing east while performing the ritual of teeth-knocking (a Daoist salutation)." The text includes two incantations extolling the Dao's profundity and the Five Dippers' (cardinal directions) revolutions, declaring this scripture capable of dispelling demonic interference and bestowing longevity.

This scripture describes a ritual method for seeking blessings and dispelling misfortunes from the Eastern Dipper Emperor (one of the Five Dipper Lords in Daoism, who governs lifespan):

During practice, one should sit upright with eyes closed, concentrating the spirit (Shen), visualizing the Mysterious Numinous Emperor (the honorific title of the Eastern Dipper Lord) leading numerous celestial beings in the infinite eastern paradise, surrounding the practitioner. When encountering calamities, one may prepare fresh flowers, precious fruits, and incense with a tranquil mind at home or in a Daoist temple on auspicious days such as one's birthdate, the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, or the ninth day of each month. Facing east, make prostrations to the Eastern Dipper Emperor, confess transgressions, and pray for longevity. Sincere practice of this method brings immeasurable blessings, and those who attain the Dao (Dao) may transcend worldly dust.

The scripture concludes by recording that after the Supreme Elderly Lord (Taishang Laojun) finished expounding this scripture from his Jade Platform Throne (the legendary teaching seat), he particularly instructed the Celestial Master (Tianshi, referring to Zhang Daoling): "If these profound scriptures are transmitted to those with unrighteous intentions, it will bring misfortune upon nine generations of ancestors. Therefore, I transmit them only to you, to be used for promoting the orthodox path (Zhengyi), universally delivering sentient beings, and helping people attain longevity." The Celestial Master reverently kowtowed and received the teaching accordingly, allowing this scripture to circulate in the world thereafter.

(Note: The term "ritual repentance" (Jiaoxie) refers to the Daoist altar ceremony for confessing transgressions, while "Upper Clarity" (Shangqing) denotes the highest heavenly realm among the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) in Daoism.)