《雲笈七籤》Vol. 4

The Seven Slips from the Cloudy Satchel, Scroll Four, “Studies, Part Four”

(Compiled and presented by Zhang Junfang, a court gentleman serving as Assistant Director of the Board of Revenue, a Collation Editor of the Jixian Hall, holder of the crimson fish-bag, and recipient of the purple robe.)

Transmission of Daoist Scriptures and Methods

Preface with Annotations to the Catalogue of the Lineage of the Shangqing Tradition

“Shangqing” is the name of a celestial palace. It appeared beyond primordial chaos and shone in the Great Luo Heaven, the lofty celestial realm described in Daoism. The subtle, numinous breath of the empty and ineffable condensed into a wondrous space, clear and elevated; hence it was named “Shangqing.” This is where the assembled perfected immortals dwell and the great sages pass through. The palace houses precious scriptures of the August Sovereign, painted in vibrant colors and written in golden script and jade characters. These are chapters that arose naturally from the Dao of the remote past.

These scriptures originated with the Lord of the Nine Profound Ways, sovereign of the Nine Heavens. The Lord traced their roots and lineage through ninety thousand billion and nine thousand kalpas. The August Sovereign’s canonical texts each have their own system and do not intermingle. On the first day of the ninth month in the first year of the Middle Sovereign, the Lord, at the Upper Palace of the Golden Tower in the Jade-Heavened Jasper Chamber, ordered the Eastern Florescent Azure Palace to collate ancient texts and establish the wondrous chapters according to the standards of transmission from ancient to present times, gathering them into precious scriptures.

By the time of Emperor Wu of Han, these scriptures had been brought down and stored in the Bailiang Terrace. Later, divine perfected beings descended. Emperor Wu claimed to have attained the Dao, but grew lax and heedless, failing to heed the Queen Mother of the West’s advice. The following year, a heavenly fire destroyed the Bailiang Terrace, and the scriptures flew back into the sky, never to appear again.

The Primordial Perfected of Taiyuan, Mao Ying, took the Lord of Xicheng as his master and received instruction in the Shangqing Jade Pendant and Golden Clapper, and the Way of the Two Luminaries and the Jade Pivot. In the fourth year of Dìjié under Emperor Xuan of Han, in the third month, he ascended to heaven. Su Jun, Upper Minister of Xuanzhou, took Juanzi as his master and received instruction in the Shangqing method of the Three Ones. On the sixth day of the third month in the second year of Shénjué under Emperor Xuan of Han, he ascended to heaven. The Immortals Zhou Jun, Li Jun, and others also each attained mastery and transmitted scriptures and methods among themselves; many of these methods later ceased to be transmitted in the world.

On the wùwǔ day of the ninth month in the second year of Yuánshǐ under Emperor Ping of Han, the Perfected of Xicheng transmitted thirty-one scrolls of Shangqing scriptures to the Perfected of Clear Emptiness, King Wang Bao of the Lesser You Heaven, at Yangluo Mountain. During the reign of Emperor Cheng of Jin, Wang Bao transmitted the scriptures to the Lady of Nanyue, the Primordial Sovereign of Purple Emptiness, Wei Huacun, in Xiuwu County, Jixian Commandery. In the ninth year of Xiánhé, the jiǎwǔ year, Wei Huacun ascended to heaven in a wind-wheel. Before she departed this life, she entrusted the scriptures to her son Dao Tuo and also transmitted them to Master Yang, whose name was Xi. Yang Xi was born with extraordinary qualities and could communicate with the numinous…

Xu Zhen was once a teacher to Emperor Jianwen of Jin. Yang Jun became a disciple of Lady Wei of Mount Heng and received the thirty-one scrolls of the Perfect Scripture of the Great Cavern of Highest Clarity. In the eleventh year of the Taiyuan era under Emperor Xiaowu of Jin (the bingxu year), he ascended to immortality and departed.

Master Xu’s personal name was Ying. He was from Jurong County in Danyang Commandery. His seventh-generation ancestor, Xu Zi’e, accumulated hidden virtue during his lifetime, and its blessings flowed down to his descendants. Xu Zi’e’s sixth-generation descendant, named Fu, once served as magistrate of Shan County. Xu Fu had eight sons. His eldest, named Mai, styled Shuxuan and nicknamed Ying, later changed his name to Yuanyou. From a young age, he loved the Way of the immortals and devoted himself to seeking its profound and mysterious principles. He practiced breathing techniques and regulated his breath, set his aspirations high, and sought to transcend the worldly life. In the first year of the Jianxing era of Jin (the guiyou year), he crossed the river and entered Mount Chicheng, never to return. He studied under Bao Liang, the governor of Nanhai, and Lord Mao, the Perfected One of Taiyuan.

Yuanyou’s fifth younger brother was named Mi. He once served as Chief Clerk of the Guard and as Palace Attendant. He became a disciple of Lord Mao, the Perfected One of Taiyuan, and received the scriptures of Highest Clarity. In the first year of the Ningkang era, he withdrew from the world. Xu Mi had three sons. His third son was named Yufu; his eldest was named Hui, styled Daoxiang. Hui’s moral cultivation was pure and lucid, unmatched by anyone in the world. He became a disciple of Master Yang and received the thirty-one scrolls of the Correct Method of the Three Heavens of Highest Clarity: Songs and Writings of the Plain Phoenix. Later, Yufu withdrew from the world and lived in seclusion.

Yufu’s son was named Huangmin, and Huangmin’s son was named Yuzhi. Yuzhi died at White Mountain in Shan County in the twelfth year of the Yuanjia era. Before he died, he sealed the Precious Scriptures of Highest Clarity and the Wondrous Writings of the Three Caverns in the Mysterious Terrace, sealing them with a silver seal and entrusting them to the household of Ma Dusheng in Tan County. He told Ma Dusheng, “I am leaving for a short while now and will return before long. Do not open these scriptures.” The Ma family respectfully cared for the scriptures for generations, and so remained safe and well.

A Daoist named Lou Hua often stayed with the Ma family and knew the history of the scriptures well. He repeatedly begged to open them and read, but the family firmly refused. Lou Hua then tried every means to get his way. At that time, Emperor Ming of Song revered the Daoist teachings and gathered Daoist priests to serve in the rear hall. Lou Hua therefore secretly submitted a memorial to the emperor in the name of the rear hall Daoist priest Shu Jizhen. The emperor immediately sent an envoy to seize the scriptures by force and bring them to the capital. He then performed the rites to open them. As the scriptures were opened, a five-colored purple light suddenly shone before their eyes. The emperor exclaimed, “Immortals and Perfected Ones must not be offended!” Not long afterward, the emperor died.

In the first year of the Yuanhui era, the Ma family brought a petition asking for the scriptures to be returned. The emperor issued an edict granting their request. Therefore, Heaven…

This true scripture was later collected by the Ma family. A high-ranking Perfected One then took up the brush and wrote it on vermilion slips and in purple books. Later, ordinary people copied and circulated these writings and put them into practice, calling them “authentic traces.” The titles of the thirty-one chapters in the third scroll of the precious scriptures written by the Divine King are recorded here according to the subjects each chapter discusses.

Yet the principles spoken of by the Heavenly Perfected Ones are profound and difficult to grasp. Sometimes the same name refers to different teachings; sometimes the same principle is expressed in different words. The numinous and secret teachings often sit uneasily with worldly understanding. Even when people are fortunate enough to encounter them, they often cannot make sense of them. From childhood, I was fortunate to come into contact with the Dao teachings. I traveled widely in search of their sources, and by nature I have loved profound principles and immersed myself in subtle mysteries. After many years of study, I have gained a little understanding. So, relying on my limited insight and consulting the scriptures, I have compiled the Meaning and Contents of the Shangqing Scriptures. I do not presume that it can add anything to the Great Dao; I offer it merely as a personal record.

Preface to the Catalogue of the Lingbao Scriptures

On an unspecified day in an unspecified month of the fourteenth year of the Yuanjia era, Lu Xiujing, disciple of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), respectfully addresses fellow Daoists: May we all cultivate the Dao teachings together, spread the work of cultivation, and praise the mysterious teachings, so that the world may flourish and its blessings increase. I have always hoped that all beings may receive the grace of compassion, leave the evil paths, and enter into goodness. The Great Dao leads to lasting peace and joy. What could be more worthy of celebration?

The principles, however, are profound and hidden, and their mysterious meanings are subtle and far-reaching. Unless one encounters an enlightened master, the doubts and impediments in people’s hearts are hard to dispel. Am I, with my limited understanding, the only one who yearns earnestly for the Great Dao? Since the Great Void is vast and it is difficult to find a mysterious master, one should seek within and judge according to principle. I venture to exhaust my meager understanding and first offer my own interpretation.

The Lingbao scriptures originated in the Longhan era, a primordial cosmic cycle in Daoist legend. Events before Longhan can no longer be traced. During the long kalpa of Yankang, all was undifferentiated, without beginning or end; the Dao was hidden and unseen, and the precious scriptures had not yet been revealed. In the era of Chiming, as the cosmic cycle changed, the numinous scriptures began to arise. The heavens revered these scriptures together, each observing its own corresponding liturgical rules and rites. When one cosmic cycle ended, the age changed again. After five such cycles came the era of Kaihuang. Beginning in the first year of Shanghuang, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning bestowed the teachings. The Great Dao spread far and wide, the assembled sages expounded the scriptures’ meanings, and they gathered the essential texts into ten divisions and thirty-six fascicles to guide later students and deliver the gods, immortals, and all beings.

After Shanghuang, the Six Heavens turned, the assembled sages withdrew and ascended, and the scriptures returned to the Great Luo Heaven, the highest celestial realm in Daoist teaching. From then on, the teachings of the Primordial Beginning Great Dao were cut off and no longer transmitted. Although Gaoxin summoned the cloud chariots and their immortal retinue, Yu the Great obtained the book of Zhongshan, Lao Jun bestowed the true Dao upon the Celestial Master, and the Immortal Lord transmitted scriptures at Tiantai, they achieved their sacred work only because they had accumulated merit and communed with the Most High. Was this not so that the glorious name of the Great Dao might be passed down in the world and proclaimed far and wide to all beings?

The scripture records: “After the Tang succession, in the forty-sixth year, a Dinghai year…”

After the Gengzi year, the prematurely deceased son succeeded to the leadership of the factions around Yukou, sparking collective unrest and leaving bodies piled high. Around the Yuyue River, powerful ministers dominated, while a weak ruler was forced to move west. The ruler who succeeded the Dragon Essence deposed the false sovereign and rooted out rebellious people. Daoism’s influence reached its height at this time, and this Jing, too, was destined to circulate in the world. Calculations of the calendar and examination of the facts show that none of these predictions failed to come true. Only when the appointed time arrived could the methods of the Great Dao flourish.

Yet the Jing had only just begun to gain prominence; it had not yet been fully revealed and circulated. Of the Jings listed in the ten old catalogs, only three tenths have appeared to this day. Though the hidden mysteries have not yet been fully disclosed, the Dharma Wheel—the spread of the teaching—has already reached the eight directions. Without the convergence of the appointed time, who could have achieved such flourishing?

Recently, the scriptural texts have become confused and disordered, seeming to contradict one another. Some are recorded in the old catalogs, while others appear in the chapters. Altogether, old and new, there are fifty-five scrolls. Many scholars uphold their teachings, yet few distinguish the genuine from the false. At first I, too, did not understand the matter. Only when a student raised it did I investigate further, and at last I grasped the differences: some texts alter and corrupt the Shangqing Jing; some piece together material from other Jings; some fabricate prefaces; and some rearrange sections or add chapters and phrases. Some make talisman diagrams and pass them off as ancient texts; others establish new covenants and precepts. Their wording is obscure, their sounds and rhythms do not fit, their prose is convoluted, their principles shallow, and their order confused and inverted.

Examining what is essential and what is false among these texts, I conclude that they must be the work of reckless people. They were not born with a natural capacity to penetrate the mysteries, nor did they originally seek the true Dao. Yet, taking advantage of opportunities to study and pry into the scriptures, they falsely claimed the title of Daoist, coveting fame, profit, and offerings without regard for the calamities and punishments they might incur. They invented one deception after another to induce people to venerate them. They dared to place fish eyes among the pearls of Marquis Sui, and to pass off broken stones as the jade of He, deceiving the ignorant and slandering the supreme Great Dao.

Later scholars often believed them too readily and made no distinctions. As a result, the refined and the coarse became mixed together, and the genuine and the false circulated side by side. Readers were left confused and practitioners troubled. This harms the garden of Daoism’s spiritual wonders above, and brings shame upon those who study the Dao below. Neither advancing nor withdrawing is fitting; wealth and effort are wasted to no purpose. What can come of it? The offense of treating the scriptures lightly is already grave, and the guilt of slandering them is difficult to pardon.

Since childhood, I have loved the mysterious principles and resolved to study the scriptures. I have worked at it year after year, hoping to gain some understanding. If one believes the scriptures truly deserve reverence, why not state the facts clearly, rather than sit by and await severe punishment? Yet I fear there may still be matters I have not investigated fully. So here I briefly set out, in outline, the old catalogs already in circulation and the teachings transmitted by the Immortal Lord, together with their commentaries and points of doubt.

An Account of the Shangqing Jing

According to tradition, if one traces the origins of the classic, it is as ancient as the Great Void. Through one calamity after another, it has continually appeared to teach and transform the world, beyond all counting. After the Kaihuang era, in the Tianhan era, Wang Bao of Sangping in Fanyang, courtesy name Zideng, took leave of his parents on the first day of the first lunar month. Resolving to seek out the immortals and pursue the Way of long life, he entered Mount Huayin and devoted himself to cultivation for eighteen years. He later drew the attention of the Most High Sage, the Taiji Perfected One Xiliangzi, who came to him and taught him the □-rice method and the practice of consuming cloud buds, a Daoist technique of ingestion and cultivation. Five years later, the Taiji Perfected One Wang Zongzhen came again, gave Zideng thirty-one scrolls of the Shangqing Jing, and took him on travels among the Five Sacred Peaks and to view famous mountains, enabling him to receive the Daoist teachings of the highest order in their entirety.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Jin, Wei Huacun of Rencheng, courtesy name Xian’an, was the daughter of Wei Yangyuan. Wei Yangyuan had served as governor of the two commanderies of Rongyang and Yiyang, as a Palace Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry, and as governor of Jizhou. He married his daughter Xian’an to Liu Yi of Nanyang, courtesy name Youyan. At the time, Liu Yi was appointed magistrate of Xiuwu County, and Xian’an accompanied him there.

From childhood, Xian’an lived in the women’s quarters. By nature, she loved the utmost Dao. Although she had not yet become an immortal, she repeatedly experienced the arrival of Perfected Ones. After she grew up and married, her duties as a wife sometimes forced her to set aside the pursuit of the Dao and her studies. Once her children were grown, she told them, “I hope to continue pursuing my aspiration to attain the Dao and become perfected.” Thereafter, she withdrew from society and lived alone, taking no further part in worldly affairs. Claiming to suffer from a hidden ailment, she returned to the practice she had followed earlier in life. She shut herself away to cultivate, setting a term of one hundred days. With a focused mind, she thought of the immortal spirits and hoped to receive a response.

She maintained her discipline alone, her mind secretly aligned with the spirits. Through arduous cultivation and devout yearning, she at last reached the Perfected Ones in Heaven. One midnight near the end of that winter, beneath a clear moon, she suddenly heard bells, drums, reed pipes, and flutes sounding in the air, their music abundant and beautiful. She went outside to look and saw banners fluttering and feathered canopies in profusion. A procession was flying in from the eastern sky, its radiance illuminating the dark firmament; no one else could see the scene. Before long, tiger-drawn chariots, jade chariots, and vehicles with concealed wheels came to a halt before her quiet dwelling. Four Perfected Ones arrived together. They appeared to be in their twenties, with handsome, bright features and exceptional intelligence and grace. Each wore a lotus crown adorned with purple patterns, robes of flying brocade, and a belt set with precious jade flowers. Tiger patterns marked their bodies, round halos encircled their necks, and they held ornate banners. One introduced himself: “I am An Duming, a Taiji Perfected One.” Another…

One of them said, “I am the Great Deity of Donghua, the Azure Youth Lord of Fangzhu.” Another said, “I am the Perfected Man Wang Jinglin, Divine King of the Blue Sea and Sun Valley at Fusang.” A third said, “I am the Perfected Man of Clear Emptiness and the Immortal of Lesser Presence, Wang Zideng.”

After hearing them, the Lady prostrated herself and bowed again. She knocked her head on the ground and beat her breast, then said with deep emotion, “I never imagined that the Dao Lords would come down in person today. I ask only that you grant me the methods for becoming an immortal, attaining long life, and transcending the world.”

The four Perfected Ones then sat down. After a long while, Wang Zideng said to the Lady, “I have heard that you have always upheld goodness, seeking the path of cultivation wherever it led. In secret, you have cultivated true Qi, bringing your hun and po souls into harmony and your body to clarity. Your aspirations are lofty, and long ago your name was entered in the registers of Shangqing. You have formed a deep bond with the Perfected Ones. Your sincerity moved the spirits of the unseen realm, and subtle signs appeared at Red City. Thus your name was inscribed in a golden book, and your bamboo slips were stored in the Purple Pole and Jade Court. For this reason, you have received the mysterious summons of High Dawn. The Great Emperor Lord has sent me to teach you the Way of the immortals.”

The Azure Youth Lord of Donghua said, “This Perfected Man of Clear Emptiness is your teacher. You should learn from him.”

An Duoming said, “You have a bond with the Way. You have built up deep stores of good deeds and spiritual resonance, and you have sought the Way with devoted effort for a long time. Because your longing is utterly sincere, the Way has now come before you, and you are about to receive it.”

The Perfected Man Jinglin said, “Through many lifetimes, you have practiced diligently and gathered your intentions; the true spirits will gradually respond to your hopes. This is the time for you to make your resolve to cultivate the Way manifest and meet the immortals and Perfected Ones. The August Void has long seen your devotion. Taiji has already recorded your name on a jade tablet and entered it in the Palace of Purple Emptiness and the Pavilion of Donghua. Your name is also engraved in the brocade register of alchemical texts of Shangqing. You will become the Primordial Lady of Purple Emptiness, the True One in charge of destiny, and will also receive a title associated with a sacred mountain, being invested as the Lady of Mount Heng.

“Now it is clear that your endowments are truly exceptional: your bearing is lofty and radiant like clouds and rosy mists; your Jing and Qi are whole and harmonious, their brilliance layered upon itself. You have the bone structure of a phoenix and the bearing of a dragon; precious light shines from your head, purple channels run through your five organs, and featherlike markings lie within your heart. Your body dwells amid the morning clouds, while your spirit mingles with the realm beyond. You are fit to take on the duties of a celestial being. These praises are no empty words. The Emperor Lord once instructed Wang Bao to become your sworn teacher, and so he sent the Perfected One of Taiji to examine your sincerity. You must devote yourself to cultivation.”

Each of the four Perfected Ones finished speaking words of encouragement. The Lady knocked her head on the ground and beat her breast, saying, “I, Hua Cun, was born of humble station and am no more than a mortal body nearing decay. For a long time I have lived amid the dust and grime, tainted by impurity. Heaven and earth are vast and far-reaching, divided by a great gulf between above and below. I am sunk in the world of the Five Turbidities, amid disorder and filth; my spirit has fallen into the ordinary world, with no hope of escape. The radiance of the sun and moon cannot reach a dark cavern. I never imagined that the Heavenly Worthy would come down in person to meet with me…”

These scriptures record that rituals such as Zhaijiao (purification rites) are performed to cut off distracting thoughts and focus the mind, becoming free of desire and want, like an earthworm. From childhood, I have loved the path of the immortals and yearned for long life. This wish arose from my nature. I vowed to pursue the Dao, as though making an oath before the sun, moon, and stars. But I was born in an age of decline and disorder, when rules and institutions imposed many restrictions. It was difficult to escape them, and for a long time I could not fulfill my wish.

Now my appearance is no longer what it once was. Looking at my reflection, I see that my body and Qi have both grown feeble and impure. Trapped by circumstance, even if I strive to keep my integrity, it brings no benefit. I entered the Liu household to cultivate the Dao, yet my practice has declined day by day. Only recently have I found a little leisure, with the affairs of the inner and outer worlds briefly set aside, so that I can fast and meditate. I have carefully studied Daoist methods and sought out the instructions in the scriptures, following the rules for entering the chamber to cultivate. My sole intention is to nourish myself in stillness and protect the Five Viscera, warding off illness. How could I presume to hope for anything greater? I ask only that today, tonight, the Dao Lord, a revered Daoist deity, descend among us.

This grace far exceeds what I deserve; its radiance shines into the deepest darkness. I have received Heaven’s favor and am overwhelmed with awe. This maidservant is fortunate, and seems able to transcend the mortal world. I ask only that the Dao Lord take pity on me and grant me life.

When she had finished speaking, the East Flower Youth, an immortal attendant in Daoism, pointed to her and said, “From your youth you have loved the Dao, and your resolve has been sincere and steadfast. Thus you formed a bond and were able to be reborn. In the womb, the Five Spirits of the Viscera were refined and nurtured within you. Your innate intelligence was entrusted to you, enabling you to see the Dao and transcend the Eight Difficulties, the eight obstacles encountered in cultivation. Your temperament accords with spiritual radiance, and you have arrived at the appointed time. You will become a Supreme Perfected One in the Purple Void Palace, entrusted with the charge of life and the affairs of immortals. Cultivate diligently and advance without pause, assisting the Dao’s work upheld by the Supreme Ultimate. You will also be invested at a famous mountain, with rank equal to that of a feudal lord.

“Yet without hearing of the inner methods of the Supreme Dao and the Morning Radiance Jade Scripture, you cannot grasp the many wonders of the immortal path. You must strive to cultivate them! In time, I will arrange to meet you again at Yangluo Mountain. Apply yourself diligently.”

Then the Perfected One of Clear Emptiness, Lord Wang, ordered his attendants Hua San, Tiao Li, Ming Yun, and the others to part the clouds and open the jade case. They took out the Taishang Baowen, the Eight Hidden Writings of Su, the Great Cavern Perfect Scripture, the Spiritual Writings in Purple Characters, the Eight Paths of Purple Transcendence and Flaming Radiance, the Stone Essence and Jade Horse, the Tiger Writings of the Spiritual Perfected Ones, and the High Immortal Feathered Mystery, among other texts, thirty-one scrolls in all. Lord Wang had received these books long ago on Yangluo Mountain, when he met the Perfected One of the South Pole and Lord Wang of the Western City. Now he transmitted them to this lady in Wuxiu County, Jixian Commandery.

In addition, the Divine King of Yanggu transmitted the Yellow Court Inner Radiance Scripture, and the Perfected One of Zhengyi, Lord Zhang, separately transmitted methods for regulating Jing and controlling ghosts. The thirty-one scrolls were not all that this lady received over the course of her transmissions. The remaining texts and scrolls are recorded in the account of the transmission, but cannot all be copied here.

Thus the Shangqing scriptures (classics of the Shangqing School) began to circulate in the world.

The Account of the Three August Ones’ Scripture

The Scripture of the Three August Ones says: Long ago, when the Celestial August One governed the world, Heaven bestowed on him a volume of heavenly scripture. He governed the world according to its teachings for twenty-eight thousand years. When the Terrestrial August One succeeded him, Heaven bestowed another volume, and he too governed according to its teachings for twenty-eight thousand years. When the Human August One succeeded him, Heaven likewise bestowed a volume, and he also governed according to its teachings for twenty-eight thousand years. The scriptures received by the Three August Ones formed three volumes, then called the “Three Mounds” and also known as the Scripture of the Three August Ones.

After the Three August Ones, eight Emperors governed the world, each ruling for eight thousand years. Heaven bestowed a volume of scripture on each of them; these were then called the “Eight Cords.” These are the foundational scriptures of the “Three Mounds” and “Eight Cords.”

In principle, the Three Treasures (here referring to Daoist scriptures and teachings) had existed since time immeasurably ancient, sometimes hidden and sometimes revealed. After the Three August Ones and the eight Emperors, the relevant scriptures disappeared from view. In the time of Emperor Wu of Jin, a man named Bao Jing, who held the office of governor of Nanhai, lived. He had loved the way of the immortals from a young age. On the second day of the second month in the second year of Yuankang under the Jin, he climbed Mount Songgao and entered a stone chamber to meditate and observe purification. Suddenly, he saw the ancient Writings of the Three August Ones, all engraved on stone. He did not yet have a master, so, following the prescribed custom, he offered four hundred feet of silk as a pledge, swore an oath, and received the scriptures. They were later passed on to Ge Zhichuan, then transmitted through a branch of his lineage, and have continued to the present day. The Three Treasures circulate in the world in their own due time; all this came about because human intention accorded with principle and the conditions came together unseen.

Methods

Sentient beings are benighted and confused, long sunk in the cycle of birth and death. Their spirits are obscured, and they cannot grasp the truth. The sages, moved by great compassion, care for all beings as they would for infants. They respond to the needs of each age and rescue people according to their circumstances, hoping to free them from suffering and bring them the joy of Wuwei (non-action).

Yet the sacred Dao is profound and subtle, and people cannot grasp it all at once. They must proceed gradually, awakening those still in ignorance. Before the Great Dao is made clear, people are first taught more accessible, miscellaneous methods, such as preparing vegetarian offerings, using petitions and talismanic rites, and practicing the Yellow-and-Red Way. These meet people’s immediate needs, helping them gain confidence and become willing to practice. Practicing such methods is called “serving the Dao.” Once they serve the Dao, they can gradually abandon demonic ways and worldly practices, and slowly bring body and mind under control. They are then taught the methods of Lingbao. Once they have faith in Lingbao, they seek ordination as Daoist priests. After becoming priests, they should receive and uphold the one hundred and eighty major precepts and the two hundred and forty forms of ritual conduct, and continue cultivating the six…

Those who possess penetrating insight can set aside the six sense objects—the external things encountered by the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—and forty-five kinds of thoughts, while cultivating twelve great vows and twelve practices to be followed.

They can receive and uphold every method of cultivation, devote themselves to investigating its foundations, and examine deeply the true meaning of the Dao. In this way, they suddenly awaken to its mysterious principles. The cultivation of the Way of the Immortals begins here and can ultimately lead to the state of Wuwei (non-action).

It should be understood that some disordered teachings are merely methods for guiding people step by step. Although they claim to serve the Dao, they may not understand its true principles. Only those who have truly examined and discerned these teachings are fit to judge what is right and wrong among them.

Record of Daoist Lineages

A careful examination of the Inner Register of the Yuntai Administrative Center states that the Supreme Lord Lao once transmitted to the officials of the Yuntai administrative center diagrams, records, and methods for governing mountains and establishing furnaces and cauldrons. This lineage comprises forty-one generations. The names and generations recorded here are as follows:

First generation: Lord Lao. Lord Lao transmitted methods for cultivating the Great Elixir of the Fiery Mountain to three hundred people. Only three are included in the lineage: Wang Fangping, Yin Xi, and Xu Jia.

Second generation: Lord Wang. Lord Wang transmitted his teachings to thirty people. Only three are included in the lineage: Mao Meng, Sun Ying, and Zhang Zhen.

Third generation: Zhang Zhen. Zhang Zhen transmitted his teachings to seventeen people. Only two are included in the lineage: Ruoshi and Madam Li, whose name was Xian.

Fourth generation: Ruoshi. Ruoshi transmitted his teachings to fifty-two people. Only three are included in the lineage: Lady Li Yuan, Master Baishi, and Li Changcun.

Fifth generation: Lady Li Yuan. Lady Li Yuan transmitted her teachings to seventy-two people. Only two are included in the lineage: Wang Ziqiao and Xu Shucheng.

Sixth generation: the various Immortals transmit the teachings separately. This branch of the lineage became scattered, and its succession was interrupted; the names of the administrative centers and the methods also became confused with one another. Later, out of concern for those determined to study the Dao, Lord Lao descended once more upon Pinggai Mountain. He transmitted to Zhang Ling the Fire Mushroom of the Yuntai administrative center, the scriptures and methods of the Fire Immortals, techniques of transformation, medicines for long life and immortality, and methods for ascending into the clouds. He appointed Zhang Ling as the sixth generation of the Daoist lineage. The Youthful Lord of the Eastern Sea recommended and vouched for Zhang Ling, while the Supreme Lord Lao served as his master of initiation, guiding him through ordination and into the Daoist tradition. Lord Lao conferred the Yuntai administrative center upon Zhang Ling and honored him with the title Celestial Master (Tianshi). The Celestial Master transmitted his teachings to three hundred people. Only three are included in the lineage and inherited the administrative center: Zhang Shen, Wang Sheng, and Li Zhong.

Seventh generation: Zhang Shen. Zhang Shen transmitted his teachings to thirty-three people. Only three are included in the lineage and inherited the methods of governance: Li Zhongchun, Li Yiqi, and Li Xuan.

Eighth generation: Li Zhongchun. Li Zhongchun transmitted his teachings to fifteen people. Only two are included in the lineage.

The ninth generation was Li Shaojun, a fangshi (a Daoist adept in occult arts) in Daoist tradition. Li Shaojun taught ninety people, but only two carried on the lineage: Luan Ba and Li Changcun.

The tenth generation was Luan Ba. He taught five people, but only two continued the lineage: Yin Changsheng and Li Zhouxian.

The eleventh generation was Yin Changsheng. He taught eight people, but only two carried on the lineage: Zhang Jingxiao and Wang Wanjin.

The twelfth generation was Zhang Jingxiao. He taught five people, but only one continued the lineage: Liu Feng.

The thirteenth generation was Liu Feng. He taught five people, but only one continued the lineage: Liu Zheng.

The fourteenth generation was Liu Zheng. He taught five people, but only two continued the lineage: Sun Bo and Yan Guang.

The fifteenth generation was Sun Bo. He taught three people, but no one was able to carry on the lineage of this generation. He therefore withdrew into the mountains, where he refined the Great Elixir of the Dragon and Tiger in Mount Wushan, and then ascended to heaven. The methods of alchemical refinement in this lineage were consequently lost.

The Most High Lord Lao ordered Li Zhongfu to emerge from the “City of the Immortals” and transmit the teachings to Zuo Ci, courtesy name Yuanfang, in Jiangnan. Zuo Ci thus became the sixteenth-generation heir. He taught eighty people, but only three continued the lineage: Jie Xiang, Yan Guang, and the woman Li Tuo.

The seventeenth generation was Jie Xiang. He taught forty people, but only five continued the lineage: Li Yan, Zhang Shouwan, Ge Qing, Ruan Yu, and Li Yong.

The eighteenth generation was Li Yan. He taught eighteen people, but only one continued the lineage: Liu Jing.

The nineteenth generation was Liu Jing. He taught four people, but only one continued the lineage: Guo Yan of the Eastern Sea.

The twentieth generation was Guo Yan of the Eastern Sea. He taught thirty people, but only one continued the lineage: Ling Shouguang.

The twenty-first generation was Ling Shouguang. Originally a foreigner, he taught eighteen people, but only one continued the lineage: He Shu.

The twenty-second generation was He Shu. He taught ten people, but only one continued the lineage: Luo Xianqi.

The twenty-third generation was Luo Xianqi. He taught twenty people, but only two continued the lineage: Gan Jiren and Gan Xiaoxian.

The twenty-fourth generation, Gan Xiaoxian (Xiaoxian taught fifty-one people, but only one carried on the lineage of the teaching).

(This generation passed the lineage to Lord Shifan.)

The twenty-fifth generation, Lord Shifan (Lord Shifan taught nineteen people, but only one carried on the lineage).

(This generation passed the lineage to Gonghu. “Gongzhong yongzi” is another way of referring to “Gonghu.”)

The twenty-sixth generation, Gonghu (Gonghu taught eighty people, but no suitable person was found to carry on the lineage, so the transmission ended with this generation. Gonghu later went to Mount Heng and Mount Tiantai to practice, remaining there for eighty-five years).

(For a time, the true path of the immortals in the world was cut off, and the lineage did not continue.)

Laojun (the Supreme Lord Lao) took note of the practitioners’ efforts and once again descended to Mount Lu. He ordered Zuo Yuanfang to teach Shi Cun and Ge Xuan, so that they could continue the lineage and become officials among the immortals. He also instructed the ancestral masters of each generation to pass the Dao teachings on to those of virtue.

The twenty-seventh generation, Shi Cun (Shi Cun taught seventy people, but they were all merely Earth Immortals; only his fellow disciple Ge Xuan continued the lineage).

The twenty-eighth generation, Ge Xuan (Ge Xuan taught nineteen people, and only three carried on the lineage. Zhang Qin, Qiu Zhen, and Li Yong followed a separate line of transmission).

The twenty-ninth generation, Yin Si (The Supreme Lord Lao sent a messenger in purple robes down to the human world to teach five people at Mount Lu. Among them, Yin Si and Yin Gui carried on the lineage. Yin Si taught seventy people, but only two carried it on: the women Fan Zhonghe and Wei Yishan).

The thirtieth generation, Yin Gui (Yin Gui taught nineteen people, but only one carried on the lineage: the female immortal Li Yuanyi).

The thirty-first generation, the female immortal Fan Zhonghe (Fan Zhonghe taught two people, but only one carried on the lineage: Liu Gang’s mother, Lady Dongling).

The thirty-second generation, the female immortal Li Yuanyi (Li Yuanyi taught forty people, but no one was able to carry on the lineage, so this branch of the transmission came to an end).

The thirty-third generation, Liu Gang (Liu Gang was Lady Fan’s disciple and also her husband. Although he lived in the palace and presided over the governance of the Dao, this branch of the lineage later came to an end).

The thirty-fourth generation, Zhang Qin (Zhang Qin was Ge Xuan’s disciple. Seeing that the lineage was about to end, Ge Xuan once again instructed him to transmit the Dao teachings. Zhang Qin taught eleven people, but only one carried on the lineage: Wang Lie).

The thirty-fifth generation, Wang Lie (Wang Lie taught nine people, but only two carried on the lineage: Xu Xun and Hu Shaozhen).

The thirty-sixth generation was Xu Xun, the thirty-sixth patriarch in the Daoist lineage. Xu Xun transmitted the teachings to one hundred people, but no one could continue the lineage. The transmission therefore ended with this generation. After Xu Xun ascended to Heaven, two more generations passed. The people were preoccupied with warfare, and the genuine aspiration to cultivate the Dao declined; the lineage was not continued.

The Venerable Lord Lao (a respectful Daoist title for the Most High Lord Lao) sent three emissaries to Mount Tiantai and ordered Ge Xuan to transmit the teachings to Zheng Siyuan.

The thirty-seventh generation was Zheng Siyuan. He transmitted the teachings to nineteen people, of whom only two continued the lineage: Ge Hong and Li Chunfeng.

The thirty-eighth generation was Li Chunfeng. He transmitted the teachings to forty people, of whom only four continued the lineage. Two others did not transmit it: Li Daoxing and Li Jing. Later, Li Chunfeng withdrew to Mount Fangong. A hundred years afterward, he emerged from seclusion and transmitted the teachings to Zhang Changcun, Li Taixu, Li Huiju, and others, including Grand Preceptor Shen.

In the thirty-ninth generation, Li Huiju and Zhang Changcun each carried on the lineage and taught disciples separately. Li Huiju transmitted the teachings to thirty people, of whom only three could continue the lineage: Li Baozhen, Bai Xuanzhong, and Li Taichang. Zhang Changcun transmitted them to thirty-seven people, of whom only three were willing to continue it: Zhang Zhenying, Zhen Sun, and Daoyong.

The fortieth generation was Li Baozhen. He transmitted the teachings to one hundred people, but only two continued the lineage: Lin Tongyuan and Li Deren.

The forty-first generation was Lin Tongyuan.

The Register of the Nine Grades of Transmission under the Ninefold Covenant of the Nine Perfected at Xuandu is a text recording the rules for covenant vows made when transmitting scriptures and teachings.

The first section of the highest grade at Xuandu lists the scriptures Great Cavern Perfect Scripture, Precious Scripture of the Yin-One, Wondrous Scripture of the Most High Plain Spirit and Great Being, Chapters of the Three Wonders, and Precious Writings of the High Sovereign Jade Emperor. These scriptures were kept in secret in the Palace of Great Being and the Jade Chamber of the Great Mystery Spirit Terrace, above the Nine Heavens.

An old rule established in the era of the August Sovereign states that these scriptures may be transmitted only once in ten thousand kalpas. In the era of the Three Paths of Orthodox Illumination, cultivators of the Real grew increasingly numerous. Under the High Sovereign regulations, transmission was permitted only three times every seven thousand years. At the transmission, seven thousand Jade Boys and Jade Maidens had to stand guard, holding incense and lamps and overseeing the scriptures, while the teachings were transmitted in accordance with the rules.

Both teacher and disciple had to observe purification for one hundred days, and a golden vessel had to be divided as a token of their covenant. Under the Covenant Regulations of the Four Extremes, Jade Boys and Jade Maidens had to be present. If the teachings were transmitted outside the rules, the guilt would extend to seven generations of ancestors. Their ancestral spirits would be condemned to forced labor, swallowing fire and eating iron, carrying mountains and hauling stones, and enduring endless punishments and the torment of wind-blades. The offender too would suffer bodily ruin, remain imprisoned in Hell for a long time, and never attain immortality.

The second section of the Highest Grade of Xuandu says that when transmitting the thirty-nine chapters of the Perfect Scripture of the Great Cavern, the recipient must swear an oath and prepare tokens of trust: ten taels of fine gold, twenty-five jin of copper, five pairs of buttons (a kind of ring-shaped token), one gold fish and one jade dragon, one liang of green silk thread, and one item called chan chu ruo ci (the wording here is unclear in the original). In addition, prepare five taels of gold, fifty chi each of five-colored brocade, one jin of incense, and three pairs of gold buttons. For the Supreme Scripture of the Cavern of Mysterious Perfection, Plain and Numinous, prepare three taels of fine gold, one hundred chi of purple-patterned silk, twenty-seven chi of green silk, five liang of red thread, one jin of incense, and one liang of cinnabar.

The August Sovereign takes the oath as a token of trust; the heart devoted to the pledge must be complete. Any omission violates the ritual rules and precepts. If a teacher breaks the precepts, the Jade Boys and Jade Maidens who attend the scriptures will be summoned back to their palace. Within three years, the teacher will suffer the punishment of wind and blades—the divine penalties described in Daoism—and will inevitably lose the scriptures. If a recipient fails to abide by the oath and ritual precepts, they will become blind and physically impaired, while their parents and ancestors for seven generations will be punished in Fengdu, the underworld. Even after passing through ten thousand kalpas and being reborn, they will never again enter the rightful path of human existence. Those who study the Dao must be cautious.

The third section of the Highest Grade of Xuandu says that those whose names are recorded in the Golden Register and whose courtesy names are entered in the Jade Ledger may receive such scriptures as the Book of Lang of the Highest Empyrean, the Imperial Chapters of Jade Writings, the Scripture of Mysterious Transformation by Purple Radiance, the Seventy-Four Methods of Shangqing Transformation, the Central Scripture of the Nine Perfected, the Essence of the Vermilion Radiance and the Dao, the Eight Arts of Concealing Oneself in the Earth, the Jade Scripture of Unbinding the Form and Eluding Transformation, Flowing with the Light, and the Scripture of the Seven Transformations and Dancing in Heaven. These are sublime scriptural chapters received by the Perfected Kings of the Nine Heavens, the Heavenly King of Primordial Beginning, the Supreme Heavenly Emperor, and the Central Yellow Venerable Lord, within the Nine Mysterious Heavens of the Great Void, in the realm of nonbeing. They are kept secret in the Palace of the Supreme Numinous Capital and overseen by the Three Primordial Lords of the Purple Chamber. Three thousand Jade Boys and Jade Maidens serve as their guards.

Since the beginning of Primordial Beginning, these scriptures have been transmitted only once every seven thousand kalpas. Since the establishment of the Three Paths in their proper form, they may be transmitted only three times in seven thousand years; if a suitable person appears within seven hundred years, they may also be transmitted. Each transmission requires fasting and purification for ninety days, or nine days, followed by a declaration of the pledge and an oath before the scriptures are bestowed. One must also follow the ritual rules and precepts of the Four Extremes’ covenant and provide the offerings required by the Jade Boys and Jade Maidens. If the scriptures are transmitted in violation of the ritual rules, the guilt will extend to the recipient’s parents and ancestors for seven generations. They will be conscripted as servants of the ghost officials, carrying stones from Meng Mountain and filling the River of Accumulated Night. Even after passing through ten thousand kalpas and being reborn, they will never again enter the rightful path of human existence. The transmitter will suffer the punishment of wind and blades, inevitably lose the scriptures, and ultimately fail to become an immortal. Those who transmit the scriptures must be cautious.

The fourth section of the Highest Grade of Xuandu says that when transmitting the Imperial Chapters of Jade Writings, one must prepare a gold fish, a jade…

Thirty-two feet of azure silk fabric and three pairs of golden hoes are the oath offerings for transmitting the Scripture of Purple Measure and Flaming Radiance. Fifty feet of each of the five colors of brocade, five taels of the finest gold, five jin of agarwood, one jin of genuine cinnabar, one writing knife, seven gold tablets, and seventy feet of crimson patterned fabric are the oath tokens for transmitting the Scripture of the Seventy-Four Methods of Transformation from the Highest Clarity.

Forty feet of azure silk fabric, ten taels of the finest gold, six pairs of gold clasps, and one jin of premium incense are the tokens for transmitting the Central Scripture of the Nine Perfected: Oaths of the Golden Fish and Jade Dragon. Earlier liturgical rules required cutting off one’s hair as an oath offering. Now ninety feet of white silk are used in its place, in keeping with the number of the Nine Perfected. One jin of azure silk and twenty-four feet of crimson patterned fabric constitute the “Oath of Northern Radiance”; twenty-four feet of deep-green silk constitute the “Oath of Lunar Splendor.”

To transmit the Testament of the Perfected Transformation of the Primordial Constant Youth, The Elixir Radiance and Dao Essence, The Eight Arts of Concealment in the Earth, Transformation of Form and Evasion through Change, and the Jade Scripture of Flowing Radiance, one must offer ten taels of gold, one golden fish and one jade dragon, forty feet of azure silk fabric, forty feet of purple patterned fabric, and three pairs of gold clasps.

To transmit the Scripture of the Seven Transformations and Dances in Heaven, the oath tokens must consist of five taels of gold, one jin of genuine cinnabar, and thirty-two feet of azure silk fabric. The tokens demonstrate sincerity and must not be incomplete; any omission counts as a breach of liturgical rules. The master should place the celestial offerings—the gifts presented as oath tokens—in a secluded retreat in the mountains, where they can be used to relieve the poor. The rest should go toward preparing the materials needed to produce the scriptures and must not be put to other uses. If the master violates the highest liturgical rules, the Jade Youths and Jade Maidens who attend the immortals will be taken away, their lifespan and allotted years reduced, and their names entered into the records. They will be sent back to the human world and dispatched to Fengdu. If the recipient fails to observe the liturgical rules, their souls will be lost and their spirit scattered. They will suffer punishments like blades of wind; within three years, they will naturally lose the scriptures and methods, and in the end will be unable to become an immortal.

The fifth chapter of the Highest Grade of Xuandu says: The Jade Clarity Hidden Book of Demon-Quelling Wisdom, Treasure Cavern of Flying Empyrean, Golden Chapters of the Juehai, Purple Phoenix Red Writings, Morning Charts of the Eight Radiances, Numinous Writings of Golden Truth and Jade Light, Purple Writings, Golden Pendants, and Jade Pei, Upper Scripture of the Golden Root, and Orthodox Methods of the Three Heavens are precious hidden texts of the Great Lord of the Dao Above, the Heavenly King of Primordial Beginning, and the Emperor Lord of the Golden Towers. They are kept in the golden chambers and purple gates of the Jade Clarity Palace, guarded by numinous officials and attended by three thousand Jade Youths and three thousand Jade Maidens. Since the beginning of Primordial Beginning, they have been transmitted only once in each thousand kalpas. Since the establishment of orthodoxy in the Three Heavens, they have been permitted to be transmitted only three times in seven hundred years. In any century, they may be transmitted just once, and only if a suitable person is found; the recipient is then assigned Jade Youths and Jade Maidens. The transmitter must follow the oath regulations of the Four Extremes and transmit the scriptures after a purification retreat lasting ninety days or nine days. Anyone who transmits them without following the liturgical rules will incur guilt.

The seven generations of ancestors will be made to serve as ghosts for a long time, unable to be released. The person will also suffer the punishment of wind blades and, after death, become a low-ranking ghost, forever unable to attain immortality.

The sixth section of The Highest Grade of Xuandu says: To transmit The Golden Writ of the Cavern of Flying Clouds, Severing the Mysteries through Wisdom that Destroys Demons and The Morning Chart of the Eight Radiances in Red Script, one must offer ten liang of gold, one jade slip, one gold fish and one jade dragon, and forty chi of purple silk. To transmit The Spirit Writ in Purple Script of the Scripture of the Golden Root, one must offer five liang of gold; one gold tablet and one jade slip, each one chi and six cun long and two cun and four fen wide; one gold fish and one jade dragon; one hundred chi of purple silk, forty chi of blue-patterned silk, thirty chi of blue silk used for the Correct Rites of the Three Heavens, forty-three chi of blue cloth, and five pairs of gold rings, to serve as tokens in the secret oath.

The Pledge for Communing with the Spirits, Golden Truth and Jade Radiance, Jade Pendants and Golden Ornaments, and The Hidden Writ of Jade Clarity must likewise each be accompanied by one gold fish and one jade dragon as tokens of the oath. The liturgical regulations state that none of these items may be omitted. If any are missing, the master will take away the Jade Youths and Jade Maidens and enter the recipient’s name in the register of Beifeng, the underworld. If the recipient is later permitted to receive transmission again, they will still be sent to Beifeng. Transmitting without following the liturgy will scatter the hun and po souls and dissipate the spirit, bringing punishment by wind blades. Within three years, the scriptures will inevitably be lost of their own accord, and the recipient will never be able to attain immortality.

The seventh section of The Highest Grade of Xuandu says: The Seven Stars Shift Their Positions, The Feathered Scripture of Flight with White Plumes and Black Quills, Walking the Celestial Net, Treading the Seven Primordials, The Hidden Writ of the Most High, and The Six Jia of Spiritual Flight are the ways of ascending to Heaven and the chapters on concealment and transformation of the Most High, the Great Emperor, Taiji, and the Celestial Emperor of Taiwei. These scriptures are kept secret in the Purple Chamber of the Most High’s Jade Palace, where three thousand Jade Youths and Jade Maidens attend and guard them.

According to the liturgical regulations, transmission is permitted once every seven thousand years. After the Three Heavens established the correct order, this was changed to permit three transmissions within every seven hundred years. If a suitable person is found within a hundred-year period, the transmission may be given at once, but the recipient must observe purification for ninety or thirty days, be assigned Jade Youths and Jade Maidens, and follow the liturgical regulations for the Oath of the Four Poles. Transmitting without following the liturgy will bring guilt upon the seven generations of ancestors, forcing them to serve for a long time as ghosts in Beifeng and suffer the ten torments and eight calamities. The person will suffer the punishment of wind blades and, after death, sink into the depths of the underworld, forever unable to attain immortality.

The eighth section of The Highest Grade of Xuandu says: To transmit The Seven Stars Shift Their Positions, one must prepare thirty-one chi of blue-patterned silk, seventy chi of crimson silk, ninety chi of phoenix-patterned gauze, and one pair of gold buttons. To transmit The Feathered Scripture of Flight with White Plumes and Black Quills, one must offer two liang of gold and thirty chi of blue-patterned silk… (The original text is damaged here.)

Use two feet of white silk in place of the oath ritual of cutting hair and drinking blood. Also prepare thirty feet of brocade patterned with the Steps of the Heavenly Dipper, one goldfish, and one jade dragon. For the oath concerning the goldfish and jade dragon in the Taishang Hidden Writ, the pledge tokens must be sixty feet of Lingfei Liujia white silk, six pairs of gold rings, and six liang of green silk, in accordance with the Heavenly Regulations—the transmission rites prescribed by Heaven. At the oath, the heart and intent must be entirely sincere, without the slightest lapse. If the oath is broken, the teacher will take away the Jade Youth and Jade Maiden and erase the recipient’s name from the Green Register, the roster of those who cultivate the Dao, returning it to Northern Feng, the realm of the northern underworld. If the recipient does not observe the rites, their Jing and Qi will be depleted and their Shen and soul injured. They will suffer the punishment of wind-blades and, within three years, naturally lose the scriptures and methods, ultimately becoming unable to attain immortality.

The ninth chapter of the Supreme Grade of Xuandu says: The Fangzhu Text, the Zhenling Talisman, the Seven Primordials of Huoluo, the Hidden Writs of the Eight Heavens, the Flowing-Gold Fire Bells, the Tiger Talismans of the Metal Spirits, the Demon-Quelling Stems and Branches, the Spirit Candles that Shine at Night, the Eight Arts of Hidden Evasion, the Jade Talismans of Purple Purity, the Five Registers of Dongxuan, the Upper Talismans of Liujia, the Secret Writs of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and the talismans contained in the Regulations of Xuandu together comprise six hundred sections. The Most High has included these talismanic texts in the old scriptures as methods of cultivation. When transmitting them, the oath ritual must follow the instructions in the scriptures. Any omission incurs the same offense as described above.

Without talismans, even with scriptures, heavenly demons will harm a person. Without scriptures, even with talismans, visualization and contemplation will bring no response, and the divine perfected beings will not descend. The ritual texts say that neither scriptures nor talismans may be practiced alone; doing so incurs an equally grave offense. Scriptures, liturgy, and Fulu (talismans and registers) all originate in the Qi of nature and the writings of emptiness, so one must not cultivate only one of them. Those who practice the Dao without following the rites will ultimately be unable to attain immortality.