《金鎖流珠引》Vol. 14

This passage comes from the sixteenth volume of the Daoist scripture Jinsuo Liuzhu Yin (Golden Lock and Flowing Pearls Guide), primarily discussing the cultivation methods of the Six Jia (the six heavenly stems beginning with Jia: Jiazi, Jiaxu, Jiashen, Jiawu, Jiachen, and Jiayin) and the mysteries of their associated talismans.

The text first explains that the Six Jia are products derived from the Five Phases (Wuxing), outlining the Daoist cosmogony: beginning with the Dao generating Primordial Qi (Yuangi), which sequentially gives rise to Yin-Yang, the Three Origins (Sanyuan), the Four Seasons, the Five Phases, the Six Jia, and ultimately culminates in the number eighty-one—the supreme numerical limit—before manifesting the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth. This numerical progression reflects Daoist understanding of cosmic order.

The scripture mentions that the Six Jia talismans are divided into three grades, with the highest-grade Upper Prime talisman known as the "Laojun Six Jia Talisman." Practitioners who cultivate this talisman with sincere devotion can attain six major benefits: first, summoning the Six Jia divine generals for protection; second, receiving guardianship from the Six Jia duty officers; third, gaining the attendance of Jade Youths and Jade Maidens; fourth, obtaining assistance from the duty celestial officials; fifth, receiving the protection of the Direct Talisman Spirit; and sixth, having talisman clerks at their command. These divine beings aid practitioners in exorcising malevolent spirits, refining their essence, and attaining spiritual awakening.

A crucial emphasis is placed on the necessity for aspiring cultivators to first study and ingest these talismans to stabilize their ethereal souls (hun) and corporeal souls (po) and solidify their physical form. This is the essential method for establishing the foundation of longevity and opening the gate to attaining the Dao. In Daoist rituals, these talismans are frequently used in memorial documents, serving as vital mediums for communicating with the divine.

Finally, the text notes that these Six Jia talismans were transmitted by the Supreme Lao Jun (Taishang Laojun) and possess the power to command the myriad deities of heaven and earth. They are called the "Chief Messengers of Announcements and Petitions," overseeing the principal generals of the Three Officials (Sanguan: the Celestial Official, Earthly Official, and Water Official). This passage highlights the significant role of the Six Jia divine general system within the Daoist talismanic cultivation tradition.

This passage expounds upon the highly significant Six Jia (Liujia) deity system in Daoism. The Six Jia deities (comprising the six combinations from the sexagenary cycle: Jiazi, Jiaxu, Jiashen, Jiawu, Jiachen, and Jiayin) command vast celestial armies throughout heaven and earth, including 1,360 Jade Boys, 2,440 Jade Maidens, along with Great Generals, Attendant Officials, and Talisman Officers totaling nearly 130,000 divine troops. These deities are categorized into three tiers: the supreme tier consists of the Heaven-Earth Six Jia Army established by Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun), the middle tier comprises the Numinous Flying Six Jia, and the lower tier contains the Five Phases (Wuxing) Six Jia.

For practitioners seeking Daoist immortality, mastery of the Six Jia deity methods is essential. The specific practice involves daily ingestion of Six Jia deity talismans (Fulu) for fourteen consecutive years to attain transcendence. The supreme and middle-tier Six Jia talismans facilitate ascension to immortality, while the lower-tier talismans primarily serve for divining auspicious/inauspicious signs and averting calamities. When consuming the talismans, one must recite the names of the presiding divine officers, talisman attendants, and jade maidens, followed by chanting the longevity incantation twice. Practitioners first ingest Lord Lao's secret Six Jia talismans for three years before progressing to the Numinous Flying Six Jia talismans, with each talisman requiring the invocation of specific deity names.

The scripture particularly emphasizes that the Six Jia system represents the indispensable path for ancient Daoist practitioners—even supreme deities like Lord Lao and the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Dadi) prioritized this cultivation method. The Later Sage Lord (Housheng Jun), an advanced Daoist immortal, also instructed Lady Tongjun of Fangzhu that those seeking longevity must first cultivate the Six Jia deity talismans.

This passage reveals the ancient Daoist secret method of crafting divine tablets from bamboo or wood. The technique involves creating small plaques from bamboo slats or wooden pieces, inscribed with the names of various deities (such as jade maidens and other guardian generals). Practitioners must memorize these divine names thoroughly, silently reciting them while walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. In emergencies, these deities can be summoned to rescue people, subdue demons, avert military disasters, or resolve disputes. Simply displaying the tablet and calling the deity's name will prompt an immediate response.

Important reminder: When sleeping at night or entering a woman's chamber, hang the divine tablet on a quiet wall or pillar—never near doors or windows, as this may disturb the gatekeeping spirits. The key lies in memorizing the deities' names with such devotion that summoning becomes as natural as moving one's hand at will. Ancient immortals emphasized that mental invocation holds greater power than verbal petitions; silent remembrance equates to formal summoning.

Regular practice involves memorizing divine names and frequently visualizing (meditating upon) these deities. Before meals, one should mentally invite the celestial generals and jade maidens on duty to partake in the offerings. Through daily visualization and veneration, the deities will respond with exceptional efficacy when summoned. The text recounts the story of Li Boyao, a mountain-dwelling Daoist who practiced the Six Jia divine arts (a protective Daoist method) for five years without leaving his retreat. One day, a green-robed immortal riding a black leopard suddenly arrived bearing a Purple Golden Elixir (Zijin Dan), announcing that consuming it would enable ascension. Before achieving immortality, Li Boyao instructed his disciple Wei Xiang to devote himself to cultivation, assuring him of future enlightenment. At that moment, hundreds of voices—including women's—emerged from the forest, manifesting divine presence.

This passage recounts a Daoist practitioner's encounter with demonic temptations. A group of a dozen red-robed figures captured an envoy riding a leopard. When the envoy threw his head to the ground, it transformed into an ancient dragon while the leopard became a tiger. The practitioner struck them twenty times with his wooden staff and rebuked: "Though Li Jun (referring to himself) has not yet attained immortality, his name is already recorded in the celestial registers. How dare you demons harm people with poison!" Bo Yao (likely the practitioner's Daoist name) recognized these were not true immortals.

At this moment, the Jia Shen Jade Maiden (a goddess among the Six Jia divine generals) explained that these were heavenly demons and poisonous ghosts taking the form of ancient dragons and tigers to harm humans. If one's practice of the Six Jia arts (protective Daoist rituals) is insufficiently diligent, they risk being poisoned to death. In an instant, these dragon-tiger poison creatures revealed their true ghostly forms and perished—all thanks to the protection of the Six Jia deities. Bo Yao himself had once died from demonic poisoning precisely because he lacked the Six Jia gods' guardianship. This account serves as a warning: one must never accept medicines of unknown origin. With sincere worship, such malevolent forces will disperse and dare not harm again.

Laojun (Lord Lao, the supreme Daoist deity) declared that the Six Jia arts possess six divine powers: First, they open the gate to the Great Dao (Dadao), enabling one to subdue ghosts and spirits and vanquish demons through ritual majesty. Second, they allow communion with celestial deities and dragons to slay evil, summon wind and rain, and dispel baleful energies. Third, they command earth deities, thunder gods, lightning mothers, and the Four Guardians (deities overseeing the Yangtze, Yellow River, Huai River, and Ji River), as well as the local gods of the Nine Provinces and myriad states—including city gods (protective deities of walled settlements, traditionally said to originate from King Rui of Wu). Fourth, they mobilize water deities and aquatic beings to safeguard and assist practitioners. Fifth, through prolonged cultivation, they liberate practitioners from the constraints of the Five Phases (Wuxing), eradicate the Five Sufferings and Eight Calamities (Daoist terms for life's tribulations) along with all illnesses, and transcend the cycle of the Three Realms.

To attain longevity and the power to command the celestial, earthly, and aquatic deities, one must master six essential principles. These principles enable communion with the divine beings of the Big Dipper, including the Lord of the Northern Dipper (Beidou Jun) and his retinue—a principal consort, three concubines, two noble ladies, and two maidens (all anthropomorphic deities representing the seven stars of the Big Dipper, who govern the mortal world's registers of life and death).

Those seeking liberation from the cycle of life and death often practice cultivation on the auspicious Liujia Days (special Daoist dates). The process involves three steps: first, drawing the Earthly Matrix Diagram (Diji Tu, a symbolic earth-aligned formation); second, forming the Celestial Guideline Seal (Tiangang Yin, a seal representing heavenly order); and finally, performing the Yu Steps (Yubu, a ritual footwork passed down from Yu the Great's flood-control era). These steps correspond to the three-tiered cultivation system of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Primordials (Shangyuan, Zhongyuan, and Xiayuan). Ordinary practitioners begin with the Earthly Matrix, termed the "Upper Primordial" stage, while immortals who have transcended the Three Realms (of desire, form, and formlessness) start directly with the Celestial Guideline, which for them constitutes the true "Upper Primordial." Master Yin Xi (disciple of Laozi) taught: Mortals still bound by the Three Realms must use the Earthly Matrix as their foundation; those who have overcome the calamities of water and fire may immediately practice the Celestial Guideline steps. Complete mastery requires progressing through all three stages—earth, heaven, and human—to fully grasp the Step-Guideline Art (Bugang Shu), thereby escaping the Three Disasters (war, famine, and pestilence).

These esoteric methods are recorded in the first volume of the Golden Lock Flowing Pearls Guide (Jinsuo Liuzhu Yin). By comprehending this single text, practitioners gain access to the Six Jia Divine Arts and six supernatural powers, freeing themselves from the suffering of the Three Realms and averting calamities brought by the Big Dipper. It is said that at birth, humans fall under the Yang Qi governance of the Southern Dipper (Nandou, which governs life), determining their lifespan; at death, they submit to the Yin Qi dominion of the Northern Dipper (Beidou, which governs death). Ancient sage-kings despised this bondage to mortality and thus transmitted secret talismanic methods, renaming the original "Golden Register" (Jinlu) as the "Golden Lock Flowing Pearls." They established the Celestial Guideline and Earthly Matrix steps to subdue the Northern Dipper's Six Yin Palaces (symbolizing deathly Yin Qi) and their divine rulers. Accomplished adepts can make these Northern Dipper deities tremble in obedience, freely commanding them to rotate the Heavenly Pivot (Tian Guan, the celestial axis), subduing demonic forces of heaven and earth. This is the path to liberation bequeathed by later sages.

This scripture describes the process of attaining Daoist ascension through cultivating the Six Jia Talismans (Fulu), secret Daoist incantations. The Supreme Venerable Lord (Taishang Laojun) teaches: When first practicing the Six Jia Talismans, ancient masters prescribed sixty days of continuous ingestion to see initial effects. After one hundred twenty days, all illnesses begin to recede; by two hundred forty days, all diseases are completely eradicated. At three hundred sixty days, Jade Maidens (celestial guardian spirits) manifest in dreams to protect the practitioner's soul.

Upon completing one thousand days of cultivation, the talismans become fully efficacious, enabling communication with the Direct Talisman Deities (guardian spirits of the celestial bureaucracy), though these divine beings typically remain invisible to ordinary people.

After three thousand days of practice, the Six Jia Jade Maidens frequently appear in visible form. Persisting for fourteen years leads to celestial ascension, entering the seventh star of the Big Dipper (Yaoguang). At this stage, the Dipper constellation lowers its position to welcome the accomplished adept. The Supreme Venerable Lord emphasizes: Those wishing to practice the Pacing the Dipper ritual (a Daoist ceremonial footwork) must first complete Six Jia Talisman cultivation, because the human soul naturally fears the Big Dipper. Yet through ingesting these talismans, the soul overcomes this fear, and instead, the Dipper Lords come to respect the practitioner like siblings or devoted servants.

The scripture further explains that Six Jia cultivation has three grades, corresponding to celestial institutions structured like human bureaucracy with three-tiered offices (resembling military camps and administrative divisions). The Supreme Venerable Lord specifically states these miraculous phenomena shouldn't be explained in detail to ordinary people, lest they be mistaken for demonic falsehoods. Thus, transmission occurs only through secret master-disciple lineages, emphasizing single-minded cultivation of Wuwei (non-action, the highest Daoist attainment) while maintaining pure and virtuous intention.

In the Daoist celestial hierarchy, the highest-ranking divine force is the Six Jia Divine Army governed by the Supreme Unity Palace (the highest celestial institution in Daoism). These heavenly troops are stationed in the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) celestial realm, known as the "Celestial Six Jia Military Encampment," commanded by three celestial generals with subordinate officers, jade attendants, and maidens. Their complete roster is recorded in Laozi's Six Jia Secret Talismans and Registers (Fulu).

This celestial army numbers 3.6 million, primarily responsible for regulating the orderly operation of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Stationed at the Central Palace of Supreme Purity within the Supreme Unity Palace, they safeguard the celestial realm above, stabilize the sources of rivers and mountains in the middle realm, and protect humanity below, ensuring the proper succession of seasons and timely transformations of the Five Phases. The Supreme Unity Emissary (a celestial official conveying divine decrees) leads this divine army in guarding the heavenly palace, subduing demonic obstructions, and recommending accomplished adepts. Three times annually, the emissary reports to the Supreme Dao Lord (one of Daoism's highest deities) and the Sage Monarch (a divinity assisting the Jade Emperor).

According to Celestial Master (Tianshi, an honorific title for Daoist adepts like Zhang Daoling) records, this elite Six Jia Divine Army is now stationed beneath the left steps of the Jade Emperor's Supreme Dao Lord Hall in the Great Peace Golden Palace (the Jade Emperor's residence), positioned like high-ranking ministers at an imperial court. They hold three grand assemblies yearly, where immortals raise ceremonial banners to awe demons with Daoist majesty, purifying the order of heaven, earth, and humanity. These assemblies occur during the Shangyuan Festival (15th day of the first lunar month), Zhongyuan Festival (15th of the seventh month), and Xiayuan Festival (15th of the tenth month), collectively called the "Three Origins Assemblies."

During these gatherings, the Three Officials (heaven, earth, and water), Five Phase deities, Six Jia generals, and other celestial beings accompany the Great Celestial Immortals (high-ranking officials) to pay homage to the Jade Emperor's Supreme Dao Lord. They meticulously examine the merits, faults, and karmic records of all beings across the three realms within the current ten-day cycle (a Daoist temporal unit), paying special attention to accomplished practitioners or those nearing enlightenment. These records are presented to the Jade Emperor, who personally orders the Three Officials to punish wrongdoing, arrange rebirth cycles, and dispatch inspectors to document human virtue and vice—ensuring just rewards and punishments while maintaining accurate karmic accounts throughout the ten-day period.

This passage explains the three tiers of the "Six Jia" (Liujia) method in Daoist cultivation and their respective functions.

The highest-tier Six Jia (referring to the most advanced cultivation method) is associated with the Director of Fate (Siming Shen), the deity who governs life and death. It aids practitioners in transcending the cycle of rebirth. The mid-tier Six Jia, known as the "Numinous Flight Six Jia" (Lingfei Liujia), serves as a protective force assisting the Sovereign of Later Sainthood (Housheng Jun) and the Jade Emperor's Lord of the Supreme Dao (Yuhuang Shang Daojun) in the Golden Palace of Great Peace (Taiping Jinquè), the highest Daoist celestial realm. These divine forces are stationed beneath the right steps of the immortal palace.

The lowest-tier Six Jia pertains to the transformations of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) in the human world, influencing fortune and misfortune. Ordinary people often face adversity due to the mutual conquest of the Five Phases, but through cultivating the Great Dao (Da Dao), these conflicts can be resolved.

If a practitioner masters all three tiers of the Six Jia method and applies the six corresponding cultivation techniques (including talisman ingestion [Fufu] and the Pacing the Void and Treading the Dipper [Bugang Tadou] ritual), they can fulfill their desires, swiftly dispel calamities—faster than the mutual overcoming of water and fire—and rapidly attain the Dao of longevity.

Particular emphasis is placed on the mid-tier "Numinous Flight Six Jia," which belongs to the Upper Prime Orthodox Unity Bureau (Shangyuan Zhengyi Fu), a high-ranking celestial institution. Its organizational structure resembles the Six Jia military camp of Lord Lao (Laojun), with Jade Maidens (Yunü) standing guard. However, most worldly cultivators remain ignorant of the operational principles of these Six Jia armies, causing them to stray further from the Dao. Historically, only the Ge clan (possibly referring to the lineage of Ge Hong) truly grasped these mysteries, though they later misused these magical arts to deceive people, deviating from the proper path.

Note: Pacing the Void and Treading the Dipper (Bugang Tadou) is an essential Daoist ritual movement symbolizing walking upon the stars to commune with heaven and earth. Talisman ingestion (Fufu) refers to swallowing or wearing Daoist talismans to invoke divine power.

This passage discusses several key concepts in Daoist cultivation. In worldly society, later enlightened rulers may detest certain practices, yet they still inherit the Daoist methods for attaining immortality. However, such individuals cannot ascend to heaven to assume celestial official positions, and can only frequently reflect on their cultivation experiences.

Those seeking the essential teachings of the Dao often fail to find the true path of entry. Even if someone occasionally encounters authentic transmission, they may misuse these methods, failing to follow their underlying principles. Therefore, this text specifically clarifies the essence of the Great Dao (Da Dao) by recording Daoist registers (Fulu), thereby enlightening later practitioners.

The "officers, generals, and soldiers" mentioned in the text refer to guardian deities known as the "Lingfei Liujia Right Army of the Dao’s Defense" (Liujia being the celestial generals of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches system). The commentary explains that these are celestial soldiers and generals, with the Supreme Unity Lord (Taiyi Jun, a revered Daoist deity) commanding the left army and the Celestial Master (Tianshi Jun) leading the right army, each responsible for recording the merits and faults of practitioners.

This passage emphasizes the importance of proper and moderate cultivation methods while introducing part of the organizational structure of Daoism’s guardian deity system.