《雲笈七籤》Vol. 16

The Heavenly Treasure Lord is a revered deity of the Great Cavern, one of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen). The Elder of Heavenly Treasure is the ancestral Qi, the source from which the Heavenly Treasure Lord came into being. The Elder is the Qi of the Primal High Jade Emperor of the Vast, Undivided Void. After passing through 999,900,000,000,000 cycles of Qi, in the first year of the Longhan era, this Qi transformed and gave birth to the Heavenly Treasure Lord. When the Lord appeared in the world and transmitted the scriptures, he was called the “Numinous Treasure Lord of the High and Vast Jade Pure Palace” and dwelt in the Jade Pure Palace.

The Numinous Treasure Lord is a revered deity of the Cavern of Mystery. The Elder of Numinous Treasure is the ancestral Qi, the source from which the Numinous Treasure Lord came into being. The Elder is the Qi of the Crimson, Undivided Void. After passing through 999,999,000,000 cycles of Qi, in the Longhan era, he opened the celestial charts and transformed to give birth to the Numinous Treasure Lord. After one cosmic tribulation, in the first year of the Chiming era, the Lord appeared in the world, transmitted the scriptures, and guided people to salvation. He was called the “Divine Treasure Lord of the Seven Treasures Purple Tenuity Palace in the Upper Pure Mysterious Capital of Jade,” and dwelt in the Purple Tenuity Palace.

The Divine Treasure Lord is a revered deity of the Cavern of the Gods. The Elder of Divine Treasure is the ancestral Qi, the source from which the Divine Treasure Lord came into being. The Elder is the Qi of the Silent, Mysterious, All-Penetrating Primal Jade Void Above. After passing through 999,990,000 cycles of Qi, in the first year of the Chiming era, he transformed to give birth to the Divine Treasure Lord. After two cosmic tribulations, in the first year of the Shanghuang era, the Lord appeared in the world and transmitted the scriptures. He was called the “Divine Treasure Lord of the Three Sovereigns, Cavern of the Gods, Great Purity, and Supreme Ultimate Palace,” and dwelt in the Supreme Ultimate Palace.

Although these three revered deities appeared in different eras and bore different titles, they share a single source. Each arose from one of the Mysterious, Primal, and Beginning Qi, and each governs one of the Three Treasures. Taken together, their titles also gave rise to the Nine Qi.

The Nine Qi appeared before the Great Void and lay concealed within the hollow expanse. At that time there was no light, image, form, name, color, order, or sound. The Nine Qi set things in motion and governed the world, opening up the deep and mysterious realms of Heaven and Earth. The Qi of Heaven and Earth was undivided and chaotic, at times appearing and at times vanishing. As the cycles of Qi advanced and the patterns of number reached their limit, the Three Qi revealed their radiance: the clear, light Qi rose and grew bright, gathering Yang Qi to become Heaven; the heavy, turbid, stagnant Qi gathered below to become Earth. The Nine Qi each settled into their proper place, and so the sun, moon, and stars, Yin-Yang and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), as well as humanity and all things, came into being. The many transformations between Heaven and Earth could not occur without being nurtured by the Three Primal Forces—the Daoist forces of Heaven, Earth, and humanity—and set in motion by the Nine Qi…

The Three Qi—the three primordial forms of vital energy in Daoist teaching—are the root of all things. When they come together, they form the highest law between Heaven and Earth.

A person is conceived in the mother’s womb, nourished by the Three Origins, the sources of life corresponding to the Three Qi, and takes shape as the Nine Qi—the nine forms of vital energy that constitute human life—coalesce. By the ninth month of pregnancy, the Shen Qi has filled the body, and the fetus can make a sound; its awareness is also complete. The Nine Heavens, the nine levels of the celestial realm, celebrate this event. Taiyi, the deity who governs all things between Heaven and Earth, holds the talismanic mandate; the Emperor Lord assesses the life; the Registrar records the name; and the God of Destiny determines the lifespan. The Five Emperors oversee the birth, the Holy Mother protects the birthing room, and the gods of Heaven and Earth, together with the spirits of the Three Realms, join in guarding the child.

The Marshal of the Nine Heavens faces east in the courtyard and recites the Precious Scripture of the Nine Heavens for Generating Life nine times. When a boy is born, all the gods voice their congratulations in unison; when a girl is born, they voice their praise. At a boy’s birth, the God of Destiny respectfully acknowledges the event; at a girl’s birth, he respectfully assents. In this way, a person can be born safely. If the Marshal of the Nine Heavens does not proclaim the Scripture for Generating Life, the gods do not respond with congratulations, and the God of Destiny does not give his assent, the person cannot be born.

For a person to be reborn as human and come into the world is an event that stirs Heaven and Earth; its significance is beyond measure. The Celestial Perfected, the earth deities, and the spirits of the Three Realms all descend together to protect and bless the person. Birth, then, is no ordinary matter. A person should therefore cherish the body, preserve the spirit, value the primordial Qi, and strengthen the root of life. In this way, one may escape death and decay and hope to become an immortal, ascending with body and awareness together into the Three Pure Ones’ realm, the celestial domain of Daoism’s three highest deities. This is how one joins with the Three Qi and gathers the Nine Qi in full.

Yet after being born, people often fail to honor the primordial Qi, cherish the body, or care for their life and spirit. Instead, they lead themselves toward death and decay, moving far from life’s true nature.

The Scripture of the Nine Heavens for Generating Life is formed through the union of the flying and mysterious Qi of the Three Caverns, the three main divisions of Daoist scriptures. The Qi transforms into sound and condenses into numinous writing. The scripture contains the hidden rhythms and inner names of a hundred spirits; it is a natural text that gathers life-giving Qi and gives form to the body. When the Heavenly Treasure recites it, the light of Heaven and Earth is opened; when the Numinous Treasure recites it, the path of departed souls through the long darkness of the Nine Hells is opened; when the Divine Treasure recites it, all spirits are brought under its command. When Taiyi recites it, body and spirit are made complete; when the Emperor Lord recites it, the body takes shape; when the Nine Heavens recite it, a person is born. When Daoist practitioners recite it, they ascend to Heaven; when ghosts and spirits hear it, they rise to higher stations; when ordinary people hear it, they may endure; when departed souls hear it, they may be saved; when withered things hear it, they may sprout again; when infants hear it, they may begin to speak; and when the dead hear it, their bones may return to life as human beings.

This scripture contains the wondrous principles of the Three Treasures and is the source of life for all things. For this reason, it is not something that spirits and ordinary people alike can understand or hear. Those who practice the highest Dao and aspire to immortality will, even if they ultimately undergo corpse liberation or extinction—the Daoist means of transcending the body and escaping birth and death—pass through cycles of rebirth and eventually return to the immortal path. At that time, body and awareness will unite and never again be separated.

Without these teachings, one cannot enter the Dao directly, and one’s true nature cannot be nourished. Without this scripture, the obstructions and dead Qi formed in the womb are difficult to dissolve.

If a person cannot guard their original foundation and numinous manifestations, their vital energy will be cut off, their nine orifices will close, and their body will be unable to give rise to spirits. Such a person has only an empty form, as though barely living by virtue of a single breath. Learn this method, and you can sit at ease and naturally attain the state of the Dao.

The Three Treasures—the sacred foundations revered in Daoism—are precious and majestic. This scripture is a secret treasure text preserved by the Perfected Ones of the Nine Heavens. It is kept in the ninefold Golden Register and upon the Purple Yang Jade Terrace. It will not appear unless Heaven and Earth are created anew. This is a forbidden book of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning; even ghosts and spirits cannot hear of it. Anyone who secretly studies or steals this book will suffer ten thousand kalpas of punishment, as though wind-driven blades were cutting their body. Their souls will perish, and they will have no hope of rebirth.

By practicing this method in accordance with the liturgy, both body and spirit can become immortal. In the Three Primordial Palaces—the Daoist divine courts of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Primordial Heavens—one’s name has already been recorded in gold and purple characters. In the next life, one should become an immortal in the realms of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). If you have a destined connection with this scripture, offer gold, silk, and precious things to your master, and seek instruction with a sincere heart. Receive the teaching according to the liturgy and pledge yourself in an oath; gather your thoughts and practice with reverence. Never disclose it lightly. Otherwise, you will suffer the trial of wind-driven blades, and your body will be punished as well.

The method of practice is as follows: observe a strict vegetarian fast for one thousand days, take no part in worldly affairs, and cleanse yourself of all burdens and desires. Calm your mind and settle your thoughts; silently hold the teaching in awareness, purify body and mind, and keep the precepts. Enter a quiet chamber and face east. Click your teeth nine times, regulate your voice and breath, then recite the treasured text.

With one recitation, your voice reaches the Nine Heavens. With two, Heaven and Earth show reverence. With three, the Three Realms bow in homage. With four, the Heavenly Kings descend. With five, the Five Emperors come to pay court to the true Dao. With six, the demon kings bind themselves and submit. With seven, the stars halt at their stations. With eight, light appears in dark places. With nine, the heavens descend, and all spirits protect the practitioner.

With one recitation, Qi flows through the heavens and the original source within the womb is opened. With two, the Qi of Earth responds, the fetal knot dissolves, and the foundation is unblocked. With three, the spirits honor the Gate of the Soul, enabling one to attain the immortal Dao. With four, the Heavenly Kings descend and the Soul’s Abode closes. With five, the Five Emperors pay court to the true Dao, and the organs become cool and clear. With six, the demon kings are subdued and fluids arise in the stomach. With seven, the stars shine brightly, and the orifices open and become keenly responsive. With eight, light appears in dark places; the Three Departments and Eight Luminous Manifestations become orderly and complete, and both body and spirits are brought into alignment. With nine, the heavens descend, and spirits arise all at once in the Three Passes, Five Viscera, Six Bowels, Nine Palaces, Golden Tower and Jade Chambers, Twelvefold Gates, Purple Door and Jade Barrier, and the foundations of all thirty-six thousand joints throughout the body.

Nine recitations make one complete round, and each round must be recited in full. The Three Realms then record the practitioner’s name, the Five Emperors become their companions on the Dao, and they are given the title “Perfected One.” After ten rounds, the breath flows freely, allowing one to command the myriad spirits. The demon kings will also recommend the practitioner, whose name will be entered among the heavens. After one hundred rounds, the breath can flow through…

A spirit can attain a state of natural Wuwei (non-action) while seated and receive the gift of the Supreme One’s talisman of deliverance, the Primordial Lord. After undergoing a thousand trials, that spirit can still communicate with the divine. Seated or standing, it can travel swiftly to and fro. Immortal boys and jade maidens heed its commands, rushing east and west; every kind of Daoist method is at its command. It can also ride a dragon at full speed, ascend in the light of day, and soar into the heavens.

At that time, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, one of Daoism’s supreme deities, was dwelling quietly in a secluded place, resting in the Yellow Chamber of the Cloud Palace. Within a curtain of seven treasures, he peacefully nurtured his nature and stilled his spirit. In the realm of azure emptiness, he refined and nurtured his true nature, devoted himself to contemplating profound wisdom, and looked down upon the principles by which life is generated. With subtle and mysterious thoughts, he chanted in the realm of Great Primordial Chaos, his voice resounding through the Nine Heavens.

Then the Great Flying Sage, the King of Boundless Spirits, the Jade Assistant High Minister, the Four Attendants of Dawn, and other deities purified themselves through fasting. Holding talismanic tablets, they stood in attendance nearby. They gazed up at the Celestial Worthy’s face and felt their hearts respond; they looked upon his divine eyes, and their hearts opened. In private, they received the sacred writings and rejoiced. Listening to the heavenly voice, they were renewed. Seizing the moment to grasp the Dao, they poured out their thoughts before the Celestial Worthy’s numinous radiance.

The Great Flying Sage and the King of Boundless Spirits stepped forward, bowed, and said, “We humbly report to the Celestial Worthy: we are fortunate to attend upon your numinous carriage. Though our understanding was once shallow, we received your teachings and came to comprehend the mysterious Dao anew. We now rank among the spirit kings, oversee life and death, command the celestial immortals, examine and supervise the Seven Awakenings, and survey the regions in every direction. We have now also been honored with the rank of High Minister and the post of Assistant Attendant of Dawn.

“Now the time appointed by destiny has come. The Nine Suns Cavern’s Yin Talisman for Ordering will soon be put into effect, and we will direct all beings with a clap of our hands. The great cycle is about to arrive. The allotted span of the Jia Shen year will end, floods will sweep away filth, and calamities will engulf Heaven and Earth. The Three Officials, who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, will take up their brushes to assess people, determine their origins, and reckon their merits, faults, and good and evil deeds.

“From the Red Bright era through the first year of the August Sovereign, twenty-four myriad people should have received deliverance in accordance with the Yuan Yang Jade Casket. From the Kaihuang era onward, up to the Jia Shen year, the various heavens have selected immortal officials, but many posts are vacant and there are too few officials to fill them. Appointments must therefore be made. According to the Yuan Yang Jade Calendar, a new assessment will be carried out over three generations. One hundred myriad people will be selected to fill the vacant posts: those with benevolent hearts who have long practiced good deeds and accumulated merit, who have been recommended by the Three Realms and protected by the Five Emperors, and whose names are recorded in Heaven. Another twelve myriad will be selected as reserve officials.

“Among those who meet these conditions, some have already been entered in the mysterious registers; some have the bone structure suited to becoming immortals; some have been reborn through affinities from past lives; and some faithfully honor the Three Treasures, with their good deeds and accumulated merit reaching Heaven. Some support their teachers and the treasures of the Daoist tradition, earning the approval of the Three Officials; some observe purification rites and precepts, accumulating merit; some distribute wealth and build Daoist halls; some aid the poor and guide beings to deliverance; and some establish merit on behalf of the Three Masters…”

The registers of the celestial officials and the records of their assessments have been prepared. The Three Officials—the divine offices governing Heaven, Earth, and Water—have cross-checked them, and everyone on the lists has already been entered in advance. The registers are divided into upper and lower grades, with meticulous distinctions and nothing overlooked.

In addition, the Office of the Ninefold Abyss, which governs the underworld, has received the Nine-Dragon Talisman Mandate issued by the Eastern Florescent Palace, the celestial palace in the eastern immortal realm. It has sent messengers to select the souls of deceased men and women from the Jade Coffer of the Ninefold Abyss. Of those who performed good deeds in life, completed their merits, and ought to be saved, 320,000 are to be chosen as the people of great deliverance—those who will be brought through after calamities are dispelled on the day of Jia-shen. At that time, the fates of the living and the dead will converge, and good and evil will be clearly judged. Those who pass through this trial have every reason to rejoice.

Yet the Three Officials are constantly urging one another on, and the documents are numerous and chaotic. At Longmen, an assembly for receiving deliverance is being held; the Bird Mother is pressing the immortals and perfected beings, while sacred beings appear from every quarter and travel without pause, day or night. Merits and faults must all be assessed fairly, so that neither the living nor the dead are treated with partiality. This scene of confusion and frantic activity fills me with deep concern. The deadline of the great calamity is near, and many matters are about to erupt. I am constantly afraid that, should anything be overlooked, the celestial court will hold me to account.

I have heard that the Celestial Worthy teaches the world with great compassion, takes pity on all beings, reveals the profound principles of the Nine Heavens, and saves the people of the world. The explicit rules and prohibitions place limits on what may be asked; someone of my low status cannot presume to inquire about them. But the deadline of the great calamity is approaching, the period of Jia-shen is nearly over, and the cycles of fate are moving swiftly. The great teaching ought to be put into practice, so that those sincerely seeking the Dao may hear its teachings while their names are being assessed, understand its guidance, and so that those who have not yet awakened may be urged to change.

Therefore, I have dared to submit this petition, fearing that I may offend the Celestial Worthy. I humbly ask for compassion and for instruction in a teaching I have not yet heard.

At this, the Celestial Worthy rested a hand on the table. His expression was solemn as he gathered his thoughts, raised his head, and recited passages from the Cavern Scriptures, intoning the resounding music of the immortals. After a long while, the Celestial Worthy suddenly sighed and said:

“The highest principles are empty, still, and far-reaching; their meaning is subtle and profound. The Great Dao extends through layer upon layer of the netherworld, and its power surpasses the divine heavens. It is truly difficult to speak of, and its mystery cannot be exhausted. Since you govern the position of the Celestial Emperor and have received the mandate to serve as a Divine King, you assist the flying immortals in the Jade Palace and help govern the four quarters through the luminous celestial wheel. You observe all things from afar and rule over the boundless; you harmonize the myriad transformations and nurture all beings. Now the great cycle is beginning, and the period of Three and Five is near; the calamity of a hundred and six is also arriving in its appointed time. The disaster of Yang Nine surges forth, floods sweep across the land, and every kind of calamity presses upon Heaven. The Four Palaces are selecting people to serve as the seed population who will carry human life forward after the calamity. Since the Three Dynasties, the world has been in disorder; now good and evil must be distinguished. You should devote yourself wholeheartedly to the people of the world. The Three Officials are at a turning point between prosperity and decline, and the method of deliverance must be put into practice. I now entrust this matter to you. You must do your utmost to complete it.

“This precious book is of the utmost value: it is a numinous and wondrous teaching transmitted from the Nine Heavens, imparted only to the highest sages, and unheard even by ghosts and spirits. The Perfected Ones who receive and transmit the teaching follow a fixed rule: it is put into practice only once in forty thousand kalpas. I now risk violating the prohibition by entrusting it to you. You must keep it carefully concealed.”

Be very cautious; this scripture must not be passed on lightly. Dengming ordered the Nine Heavens Sima Attendant Immortal Yulang to open the Ziyang Jade Casket, which held precious scriptures, and the brocade pouch, and take out the Jade Chapters on Generating the Spirits of the Nine Heavens. The Four Assistants, the deities of the separate ranks, the Five Elders, the Inspectors of Truth, Taiyi, the Lords of Destiny, and the Jade Emperor all chanted their oath and formed an alliance. Following ritual protocol, they bowed and raised their heads, understanding and observing the ordinances. Then they knelt facing south and handed the scripture to the Flying-Heaven Boundless Divine King.

When the rite was complete, the deities of the heavens each returned to their proper places. The Celestial Worthy again admonished the Flying-Heaven Divine King: “This Chapter of the Nine Heavens is a sound formed from the Qi of Flying Mystery in the Three Caverns, after it has converged three times, and condensed into a true script. It accords with all the hundred spirits and bears secret tones and inner names. Thus Taiyi examines the way of nurturing life and commands the ten directions; all gather in the realm of Dongxu and pledge themselves by oath. Without karmic ties spanning many lifetimes and a register of one’s former lives, one cannot be granted an audience with this scripture—not even a glimpse of its titles.

“Through it, nine generations of ancestors may all attain immortality together. You must choose a worthy recipient: one who has hope of becoming immortal, who has observed pure fasting for a thousand days within seven hundred years, brings gold and silk, makes an earnest oath, and acts according to the covenant. Be exceedingly cautious in passing it on. Those who honor the covenant will enjoy blessings, which will extend to their ancestors for nine generations; its beneficence is deeper than mountains and seas. To disclose the scripture is to invite calamity. Those who bring calamity upon themselves will suffer through countless kalpas, as if boiled in a poisonous broth and subjected to the punishment of wind-blades. How could one fail to be cautious?”

First: The Spirit-Generating Chapter of the Heaven of Yudan Wuliang

The Celestial Perfected takes as its source the primordial yellow Qi of the Origin of Womb-Life. This Qi mingles with the Qi of the Great Void, flying freely and clear, drifting through the deep and distant realms and enduring through endless ages.

After remote kalpas, afflicted souls who have departed from their source sink into the ninefold darkness. Riding the morning Yang Qi, they rise upward, hoping to enter the Great Being and pass through the mysterious gate. The Heaven of Yudan Wuliang sends down the clouds of dawn; yellow clouds gather in the numinous abode, Yin and Yang Qi converge, and the womb-origin condenses. Thus the life of longevity continues.

Evil roots dissolve in response, while the Qi of Taokang joins with Jing, extending the numinous excellence of the Two Emperors. Jade fluid pours into the gate of Womb-Life, refining Jing and keeping Shen from decline. The Nine Heavens send down the Chapter of the Life-Spirit, enabling the spirits to ascend beyond the ordinary. The Primordial Lord blocks the road to death, and Sima chants the immortal song of the grotto. At its first singing, all the Perfected respond; when it has been sung nine times, the heavens come to pay court. All bow their heads in reverence and celebrate this glory regained after ages of long kalpas.

Second: The Spirit-Generating Chapter of the Heaven of Shangshang Chanshan Wuliangshou

The Celestial Perfected takes as its source the Qi of the Cavernous Dark Purple Gate within the Origin of Womb-Life. This boundless Qi gathers at the Purple Gate, a Daoist term symbolizing the mysterious gate, and is honored as the sovereign of the heavens. It opens the gate of salvation, causing the Qi of Flying Mystery to gather and transform as it revolves through the realm of the Great Void.

Sever the roots of the past and leave behind the attachments and concerns of former days. After sinking into darkness through distant kalpas, the kalpic cycle at last comes to an end, and the Great Destiny can finally unfold. The Celestial Perfected then begins to manifest Jing, which is called the “Primordial Yang Infant.”

The child’s history master forms the embryonic body, guards the Yellow Chamber (the inner palace where life is nurtured), cuts off its source, and closes the Gate of Death. He harmonizes the breath and nourishes life.

The infant’s meditation and goodness guide the numinous Qi, using subtle, mysterious energy to nourish the self. He ascends to the heavens; his radiant beauty shines forth, and his jade-like substance is pure. Through cultivation, body and spirit naturally come to fulfillment. Devoted to the mysterious way of nurturing, while still alive in the human world he already possesses an illustrious divine office, taking his place in the Hall of Light (where the spirits gather in court) and the Great Void (the vast heavenly realm).

He communicates with the spirits and accords with Heaven’s mandate. Recite the “Divine Chapter of My Birth”: sing it once, and the Nine Heavens tremble; recite it a second time, and you communicate with Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang blend, and all is naturally harmonized. Recite it nine times, and the adult’s merit is complete; the sacred realm rejoices in good fortune. The radiance of splendid rites spreads through the cosmic expanse. All the heavens rejoice together, and every spirit bows in reverence.

“Divine Chapter of Birth,” Third: Heaven of Brahmā’s Supervision and Suyan

The Emperor’s True Soul and Life: the Qi of the Origin, Longling, and Mingxian.

Suyan Heaven governs the three clouds (the three layers of cloud Qi in the heavens). The primordial Qi of the Mysterious Origin divides and emerges, vast and boundless, filling the splendid Celestial Capital. It is as precious and clear as green jade; Brahmā’s Qi soars, and mysterious visions unfold. It frees souls from the long night and brings them safely to the assembly. Souls return to the primordial Qi, and the Qi returns to its root. The Great Emperor bestows the title “Hall of Yang,” with the courtesy name “Lord of the Eight Spirits.”

Within the Nine Gates, the course of calamity’s fire turns back. From this, embryonic Qi is born; it rises to the Upper Origin Mausoleum of Brahmā and enters the immortal registers of those delivered from death. The Great One (the spirit who governs primordial Qi and life) assists the vital essence, drawing it into the Muddy Pellet Palace (a cultivation site within the head) and laying out the imperial seat. The Three Departments and Eight Scenic Forces (the spirits and Qi mechanisms within the body) divide the souls and gather in scattered Qi. After nine revolutions, one naturally becomes an immortal.

The sounds of the Nine Heavens ring out, and the Jade Chapter reveals the myriad spirits. Reciting it three times places one among those of the proper rank; Qi joins with the gates of the Eight Celestial Bodies. The Mysterious Pass (the aperture where inner and outer Qi meet in cultivation) blocks the Gate of Death, while numinous Qi guards the source of the body’s fluids. Through their meeting in response, the numinous numbers become clear, and Dao Qi moves secretly in return. They celebrate the infant’s emergence from the womb and bow to praise the Cavern Scripture (a scripture of the Cavern of Truth).

“Divine Chapter of Birth,” Fourth: Heaven of Silent Stillness and Doushuai

The Emperor’s True Soul and Life: the Qi of the Origin, Dangshi, and Mingyan Youzhi.

Silent and without color, it governs Doushuai Heaven and transcends the Great Luo Heaven. The spirits transform, and the scenes in the four directions divide into myriad forms. Between emerald hues and vermilion clouds, the wandering soul no longer looks back; once it departs, it enters the Cavern Heaven. The Divine Lord subdues the assembled demons, while scattered Qi drifts aloft. The vital essence is pure and bright, flourishing like blossoms and enduring like the Chinese toon tree.

Through kalpas and cycles of time, one follows the numinous celestial chart. A divine chapter arises within the void, its jade-like tones drifting among the Nine Rosy Clouds. Sing it once, and the myriad Perfected gather together; they ascend lightly and swiftly, joining as one family. After nine revolutions, the numinous visions are complete, their radiance abundant, shining like jade flowers.

Doushuai Heaven opens the realm of Great Abundance and celebrates blessings that endure. The Supreme Sage turns back the imperial carriage, and the infant suddenly begins to sing. The auspicious gathering in this fine hour brings joy beyond words; all the spirits bow together and respond in unison.

“Divine Chapter of Birth,” Fifth: Heaven of Paranirmitavaśavartin, the Heaven of No Pride and Pleasure

The Emperor’s True Hidden Organs and Life: the Qi of the Origin, the Central Spirit among the Five Immortals.

The chariots of the Five Emperors come whirling through, and the Mysterious Gate opens lightly above. The spirits roam the fields of Yellow Florescence, turning back the numinous Qi…

Proud delight gathers scenes of flight through the sky, though most of the clear, bright landscapes of old have vanished. Taiwei, the star palace in the heavens, turns the yellow banner; the spirit banner of Wuying summons the souls of the dead. This opens the Office of Long Night, allowing the dead to be delivered and reborn. Lord Fu of Huangning, the young lord, oversees the forms and spirits of all beings, while the jade scroll shines into the underworld. He transforms the Qi of Heaven and Earth five times, refining and nurturing primordial Qi and the internal organs. The Purple Portal naturally brings forth the destiny of becoming an immortal, and the assembled Perfected Ones gather in due order. Yang Qi responds and descends; the Jade Maidens pour out the five fragrances. The Holy Mother celebrates for ten thousand years, the Three Realms rejoice together, and all bow with foreheads to the ground before the Celestial Worthy.

The Sixth Spirit-Birth Chapter: Heaven of Responsive Voices and Transformation through the Cavernous Origin

In the Imperial Perfected Ones’ numinous palace, the High Perfected Ones who govern the life-source receive the Qi of harmonious union.

The sound of responsive resonance reaches throughout the Formless Realm, its light illuminating the ten directions. The Dharma Wheel of transformation has neither shadow nor form, and even the appointed term in the underworld opens onto the place of the Dao. The spirits’ chariot needs no horses to draw it; the radiant and manifest Spirit-Birth Chapter is vast and boundless.

The subtle, refreshing Qi can also invigorate body and mind. By refining and nurturing the embryonic origin, life returns to its beginning, and one rides the Flying Mystery Bridge for a long time. When the mind and spirit are scattered and one loses one’s innate nature, gather the thoughts and hold fast to the constant Dao. Cut away the roots of delusion, so that the mind and spirit may roam freely above in the Celestial Capital.

Having already vowed to meet in the subtle realm, one understands its principles and forgets even the distinctions between realms. Blessings extend throughout the nine heavens; with reverence, one joins Heaven, Earth, and the stars. Returning to the beginning amid fusion and transformation, one bows before the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, joins fellow Dao companions, and takes leave for a long time of the clamor of the mundane world.

The Seventh Spirit-Birth Chapter: Heaven of Numinous Transformation and Brahma’s Assistance

In the Imperial Perfected Ones’ primal palace, the High Immortals who govern the life-source receive the Qi of the Cavernous Scriptures, the texts of the immortal realms.

The subtle assembly gathers boundless realms, and the fused Qi returns to Brahma’s Assistance Heaven, one of the Daoist heavens. It devises wondrous numinous transformations and sets them in motion unseen, beyond the limits of cold and heat; following the cycles of Qi, it establishes the laws of the true Dao. With a sweep of their sleeves, the immortals brush away delicate feathers; from their jade-like palaces comes a wondrous music.

All set out by boat and ascend to lofty heights. The realm of the spirits is filled with perfect light, and the immortals and Perfected Ones stand in ordered ranks along the road leading to the highest clouds. The Cavernous Origin is deep and boundless; countless luxuriant trees spread their branches and leaves, while emerald clouds rest above the cool waters by the shore.

As they wander and take in the sights, the five spirits—the activities of the mind within the body—grow calm and joyful. Their thoughts flow on, and they answer with long calls to their enlightened companions. The five hindrances dissolve through insight into the Dao; the mind becomes balanced and serene. Their refreshed souls and spirits return to their roots and dwell on, unbroken, in the sky.

Recite this seven times, and layer upon layer of barriers will open; what was blocked will become clear and free-flowing. This does not depend on divine martial force, but on movement that flows freely and is set in motion from within. Chant aloud and bow in reverence.

The Eighth Spirit-Birth Chapter: Heaven of High Emptiness and Clear Radiance

In the Imperial Perfected Ones’ radiant palace, the numinous beings who govern the life-source receive the Qi that gathers and nurtures through transformation.

The Qi of clarity rises layer upon layer to the high heavens, joining the realm of auspicious clouds and bringing good fortune. The jade scroll, a sacred Daoist text, gives off light and brings harmony to the mind and spirit; its solitary radiance guides the spirits as they gather. Its brilliance spreads like the rosy glow of the setting sun, revealing all that the spirits hold precious.

The jade tablets release distant, resonant tones, and subtle words of emptiness arrive unhurriedly. The numinous sound shakes the hollow realm, drawing the Nine Mysteries, the remote and profound heavens, away from their dark confines.

The mind is clear and unclouded, without stagnation; coming and going feels as free as loosening one’s sash. Understand the meaning of the Shengshen Zhang (Chapter on the Generation of Spirits), and you can soar high without hindrance. Mysterious radiance shines along the cloud road; your path reaches beyond the realm of immortals, and spiritual communion and transformation have no fixed place.

For now, make use of the human “Four Great Elements”—the four basic elements that make up the body—devote yourself to study, and bow before the assembled sages as you recite the scriptures. The sages together commend this practice.

No thoughts, no knots, no desire—“The Heavenly Generated Spirit Chapter,” no. 9.

In the divine residence of the Imperial Perfected, primordial Qi (vital energy) appears naturally, sending forth a mysterious radiance. When the heart is free of ties and attachments, it becomes clear amid profound mystery and stillness. The movement of Qi turns and transforms without a fixed place, and its sequence unfolds accordingly. No one can master this transformation. The clouds have no color, yet rise in layer upon layer, like a range of hills. Still the mind and spirit, and set out toward distant places in search of a realm of purity. If the right moment comes, there is no need to be bound by age. How can anyone say how the cycles of tribulation are counted?

Clarity and openness each have their own order; returning to the beginning restores what is constant. The spirits respond, reaching through the Great Void. Step across the clouds above, cross the icy ford, and hasten to the source of the myriad streams. Gather the True Spirit through deep practice and reach a state free of desire and attachment; then there will be no sorrow. Look up toward the heights, bow in reverence, and ascend to a higher realm.

Two Hymns to the Perfected of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate)

The Great Dao is originally without intention, yet one may seek it with sincerity. Dwell within the empty and still, and look back upon the sea obscured by clouds and mist. Beyond the Three Realms, all is pure and bright; there one may roam freely in the Jade Capital, the celestial realm. The mysterious Dao establishes itself naturally and flows on without end. Who can understand its hidden depths? The Celestial River is clear and vast; between one glance upward and downward, body and mind return to emptiness, stillness, and gentleness.

The Seven Mysteries scatter the darkness, return to the beginning, and accord with the changes of rising and falling. If you can gather your spirit through deep practice, there is no need to fear the Yang Nine, the period of calamity spoken of in Daoism. Draw near to this Dao and come and go in communion; at times, you may also pause there. Though the body dwells beyond the world, life endures; True Immortals meet with worthy companions.

Deeply understand the mysterious Dao, clear as the waters of the Celestial River. All things succeed one another in an unceasing cycle, while the branches of the chun tree seem to endure forever. Quiet the mind and contemplate the most True Dao; accord with transformation, and you can escape the snares of the world. The principle of spiritual response is always connected, and the mind’s intent comes into accord with the source. Roam freely and lightly, without boundary; scattered thoughts dissolve, and you ascend amid the Nine Rosy Clouds. The roots disperse, and mysterious branches and leaves appear; the principle returns to the beginning, with nothing else. If you recite the Jade Scripture (a Daoist classic) regularly, the mysterious sound of its recitation can rise through the clouds.

When the floods of the jia-shen year arrive, you can spread your wings and fly to the abode of the Queen Mother of the West, enjoying endless years forever. Who can know how many cycles of tribulation time contains?

—Yunji Qiqian, fascicle 16