《雲笈七籤》Vol. 45

The Dao is a realm of ultimate truth beyond form; arts are methods for applying mysterious transformations. The Dao itself has no form, and relies on ritual methods to help people. People possess spiritual awareness, yet must also undergo cultivation to unite with the Dao. Those who can learn the Dao can follow the changes of nature. The essential meaning of the Dao is profound yet simple, and easy to grasp. The secrets of the arts lie chiefly in Fulu (talismans and registers), Qi, and medicines. Fulu are numinous writings of the sun, moon, and stars, tokens passed down from the Heavenly True Ones. Qi is the harmonizing energy formed by Yin-Yang blending together, and the vital energy of all things. Medicines are the essence of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), the vital fluids of Heaven and Earth. Master any one of these, and you can achieve results.

The Dao gives me life; Shen (spirit) endows me with spiritual awareness. Yet why can people not decide for themselves how long they live, or when to live or die? Because once their nature stirs, desires and passions arise. When these depart from the Dao, people are governed by the transformations of creation and lose their freedom. To transcend life and death and abide in a state of natural contentment, one should take the Dao as one’s teacher and Shen as one’s companion. The Dao and Shen do nothing, while Qi moves and transforms of itself. Without thought or intention, all things arise naturally. They enter into all things, yet also transcend the bounds of life and death.

Therefore, those who cultivate the Dao should restrain their appetites and desires and rein in cleverness and artifice. They should see colors without clinging to their forms, and hear sounds without clinging to their resonance. By remaining calm, detached, pure, and balanced, they harmonize body and mind and clarify the spirit. Only by reaching a state of emptiness, stillness, Wuwei (non-action), and forgetfulness of self can they unite with the Dao of ultimate truth. Those who unite with the Dao cannot be changed by the transformations of creation, nor can spirits and deities discern them—how much less can ordinary people?

When the Dao is transmitted, many fail to grasp their teacher’s intentions and the subtleties of the teachings. They casually study scriptures and methods without understanding the foundations of cultivation or knowing what to avoid, how to arrange action and stillness, or when to advance, withdraw, or make choices. As a result, their words and actions violate the orthodox path. Even if they accumulate merit, it cannot make up for their transgressions. Therefore, those who aspire to become immortals must investigate profound and mysterious principles and discipline their nature and emotions. Only when the nature is constantly still, emotions undisturbed, and nature and emotions at peace can one study the Dao.

Clarifying the Zhengyi Register

“Register” means a set of precepts and a record. It serves to discipline one’s nature and emotions, put an end to transgressions, cut off the roots of evil, and allow the good path to flourish.

The path of cultivation unfolds as a complete passage from ordinary person to sage, with an order to its beginning and end. One first receives the precepts and obtains a register—a certificate conferring Daoist status and duties—before proceeding to ascend to the True and become an immortal.

Things often have two sides. Once this is understood, many principles fall into place. A “register” is a ritual document recording the Three Heavens—the celestial realms as described in Daoism—as well as wondrous Qi, the immortals of the ten directions, and the names of divine officers. It is also the scripture and method that Dao followers rely on in their cultivation. A scripture says, “If you hold no Daoist rank in life, after death you will become a lowly ghost.” For a person of high standing who aspires to the Dao, or for a layperson, if it is not yet possible to give up worldly honors and stipends, it is not advisable to accept a high-ranking register upon entering the tradition. One may begin by receiving a register of the third or fifth rank, then advance to a higher one after making progress in cultivation and service.

The perfected people of antiquity studied scriptures and registers; receiving only one or two ranks was enough for them to cultivate and ascend to the True. Receiving too many registers, by contrast, did not necessarily bring an understanding of the highest principles. If a master does not understand the foundations of cultivation, receiving a register cannot truly benefit the practitioner. Cultivation of the Dao calls for sincere and upright intent. When one’s practice accords with the Dao, its responses become as efficacious as those of the gods.

The Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) tradition has twenty-four ranks of ritual registers. Here, only one or two are briefly discussed to explain the origins of Zhengyi registers. The “Zhengyi Register of Three, Five, and Five Hundred and Fifty Generals” is divided into two ranks, each listing seventy-five generals. The upper rank is called “Supreme Immortals,” and the lower “Supreme Spirits.” These refer to the orthodox deities corresponding to the Three Forms within the human body.

The “Zhengyi Register of Three, Five, and the Wenchun Original-Life Perfected Ones” is an important register in the Zhengyi tradition. “Zheng” means upright and free from deviance; “yi” means single-minded and undivided. This register can subdue the false and deviant, bringing all things back to the right path. “Wenchun” refers to the time of a person’s birth, when Heaven and Earth are in a state of first emerging from primordial undifferentiation. “Original life” refers to the fundamental life within each person. By understanding the Dao and cultivating one’s original life, one can become a Perfected One. The principles of original life are extensive and cannot be detailed here. During the transmission ceremony, the master should explain them clearly to the disciple so that the disciple understands the foundations of original life.

All methods have both inner and outer aspects, and they may also be understood from both perspectives at once. Viewed externally, in the celestial realms, the Zhengyi Alliance and Might registers refer to the stars and the palaces of the Northern Dipper. Viewed internally, in the human body, the Three Dantian (energy centers) are the dwelling places of the orthodox gods of the Three Qi. These gods can transform into twelve hundred forms and shadows, manifesting twelve thousand rays of refined light.

A scripture says, “By obtaining the root from which the Three Qi arise, one can know the origin of the number six.” Yang Qi can transform into a dragon carriage, while Yin Qi can transform into jade maidens; they move freely through the air, turning and dancing. Wherever Qi resides, it arises along with the gods. When the gods are present, Qi flourishes; when they depart, Qi moves elsewhere. The “Qi” in question is the vital energy possessed by the twenty-four deities…

Once Shen has been perfected, it too transforms into Qi. When Qi disperses, it becomes clouds and mist; when it gathers, it becomes forms and images. Qi can appear as a chaotic scene, or enter the realm of truth. Above, it condenses into the Three Origins—the Daoist term for the three kinds of primordial Qi: upper, middle, and lower. Below, it gives rise to the myriad things. When still, it acts upon my body; when moving, it acts upon my Shen. From this we can see that the realization and use of the Dao both lie within myself. As practitioners cultivate, Yin Qi diminishes day by day while Yang Qi grows. Once Yin Qi has been completely exhausted, they will naturally be able to ascend to Heaven.

Celestial Master Wu said: “Above the nine heavens there is no Yin Qi; below the nine earths there is no Yang Qi.”

Fourth: Prohibitions and Precautions

The Zhengyi Register (a Zhengyi Daoist document of rites and precepts) says: When disciples encounter strong winds and heavy rain, they must not pay reverence to the divine and perfected ones or conduct a Jiao ritual (a ceremony in which an altar is set up to pray to the gods). They should sit quietly in silence and burn incense instead. In wind and rain, the true spirits will not descend; wait until the sky clears before performing the ritual.

If illness strikes a Daoist household, its members should reflect on their faults and repent, rather than blame the gods. They may sincerely burn incense, bow, and recite prayers morning and evening, presenting memorials—documents submitted to the gods—to ask that their transgressions be pardoned. Such prayers are never unanswered.

When Daoist priests use their arts to treat someone’s illness, they should give the tokens they receive to the poor and those living in seclusion, and use whatever remains for meritorious deeds. If they divert the tokens for personal use, they violate the Daoist laws: their healing will not be effective, they will incur a punishment difficult to clear, and calamity will extend to their descendants.

Whenever people go to a master to receive the Dao, or enter the Jing chamber—a quiet room where Daoist priests perform rites and submit petitions to the gods—to make a formal petition, disciples should knock their heads three times, tap their cheeks, and then bow. On the third day after receiving the Dao, they should give thanks. If the master is far away, disciples should face in the direction where the master is, bow again with sincerity, burn incense, and cultivate. Incense must not be lit with embers from the stove. The Regulations for Disciples of the Celestial Master says that stove embers are called “the crouching dragon’s dung,” and must therefore be avoided.

After a major death in the household, one must not enter the Jing chamber to pay reverence to the divine and perfected ones for a year; after a minor bereavement, the prohibition lasts forty days. Once the period has passed, one may pay reverence after bathing and cleansing the body. Anyone who breaks this rule will be punished and fall ill for ten days.

When people enter the Jing chamber to pay reverence or make a formal petition, their words and memorials should be plain, concise, and unadorned. The high perfected and sacred spirits hear clearly; they do not care for lengthy speech. Before entering the Jing chamber to pay reverence to the divine and perfected ones, one should put on Daoist robes and hold a ritual tablet, settle the mind, visualize the spirits, and then enter while holding the breath. A scripture says: “Enter the Jing chamber with the mouth closed, and the hundred spirits will show reverence and withdraw. The merit officers—divine officials who convey the gods’ commands—and the Lords of the Dragon and Tiger, guardian generals, can then appear and speak with you.” This means that with focused attention and sustained practice, one can reach such a state.

The Precepts and Taboos for Ascending to Perfection says: “It has never been heard that someone who has done no meritorious deeds can receive a reward and remain safe, or that someone who has committed offenses can escape punishment and remain secure for long. The thoughts in a person’s heart naturally elicit a response, just as a shadow follows a body and an echo answers a sound.”

The text also says: “Those who cultivate the Dao should first do good deeds in secret, without seeking reward, and treat all with compassion…” (The original text ends here.)

The finest acts of goodness are to rescue others from danger and relieve their suffering, to value the Dao above money, and to show kindness, do good, and accumulate and share De (Virtue/Power).

Observing the precepts and avoiding taboos come first. The first precept is against greed, the second against killing, and the third against desire. Keeping these precepts is a firm step on the path of cultivation and study, and a key to entering the true Dao. If you fail to observe and practice them, you will gradually sink into decline. A scripture also says that sexual desire is the foremost of the ten ruinous behaviors. How could one fail to be cautious?

Avoiding Impurity and Observing Taboos

Liturgy (Keyi) taboos include avoiding corpses, women who have recently given birth, and households in mourning. During a Zhaijiao (purification ritual), there are restrictions on eating, washing, and using the toilet. When eating or using the toilet, do not face north or look upon the sun, moon, or stars. Women who are menstruating must not prepare ritual vegetarian food. When approaching a ritual site, do not look upon livestock, funeral carts, mourning halls, or similar things.

How to Remove Impurity (from the Zhen’gao)

Take ten liang of bamboo leaves and four liang of white peach-tree bark. Boil them in two dou of water; let the water reach a boil once, then allow it to cool to a suitable temperature. Drink one cup first, then bathe in the water. You may also use it to wash your hair. The impure Qi on your body will then disperse.

The Zhen’gao says that removing impurity can also prevent dampness-related impediments and sores. Bamboo is pure and hollow inside; peach wood can repel evil and drive away impurity. These two substances are therefore used to cleanse the body of defilement.

If you see a corpse or funeral cart, immediately visualize fire arising from your heart and moving to burn the corpse and coffin until they have turned to ash. Then visualize a fierce wind scattering the ashes. Close your eyes and visualize flames burning your whole body from within, leaving it pure and white, as the impure Qi disperses. Use this method especially if you encounter various kinds of filth in the streets.

Talismans, Water, and Incantations

Whenever you write Fulu (talismans and registers), first click your teeth three times, then recite “He Ming Tian Di Ri” three times. Keep your mouth closed and hold your breath as you write the talisman. Put it into a bowl of water and use a small knife to stir the water three times counterclockwise. As you do so, visualize the Big Dipper appearing in the water, and recite:

“Essence of the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper, descend into this water. All impure ghosts, depart at once for a distance of ten thousand li. If you do not leave, you will be slain and handed over to the White Boy of the West. Act with urgency, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.”

When you have finished reciting, hold a mouthful of water and spray it toward the impurity; it will disperse. As you spray, visualize the True Official of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity), dressed in red and wearing the Nine-Phoenix Crown from the talisman, holding clear water in his mouth and spraying it outward. The impurity will then be dispelled.

Incantation for Bathing and Washing the Face

Recite this incantation regularly when bathing or washing your face. Breathe onto the water three times, then say:

“The Four Great Ones open and illumine; Heaven and Earth abide as they are. Mysterious water washes away impurity and wards off ill fortune; twin…”

The gatekeeping youths and the seven divine officers bring peace to the dwelling and keep the cloud ford clear. They purify every kind of Qi, bringing harmony and well-being within and without. May Li Zhen protect, bless, nourish, and uphold. Yellow robes (yellow lower garments) … swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

Seventh: Burning Incense Morning and Evening

Burn incense every day during the Mao hour (five to seven in the morning) and the You hour (five to seven in the evening). Pinch the incense three times and click the teeth three times. If you do not have a tablet at hand—the board held during Daoist rites—join your hands, step back slightly, close your eyes, and watch the incense smoke as you pray softly:

“Jade radiance shines forth; the Nine Qi, the nine primordial energies, are veiled in smoke. Incense clouds fill the air and rise straight to the nine heavens. Attendant Incense Golden Youth and Message-Bearing Jade Maiden, please convey my words to the Emperor’s presence and ask that I be granted long life, becoming an immortal in every life. All that I long for and pray for, I respectfully ask to receive, each wish fulfilled.”

When you have finished praying, click your teeth and make four bows inwardly. You may also perform four full bows.

Eighth: Morning and Evening Incantation for Guarding the Spirit

Every morning and before going to sleep, burn incense and face the royal shrine. Kneel upright, click your teeth thirty-two times, and recite the Incantation for Guarding the Spirit once. The incantation is included in another volume.

Ninth: The Rite of Paying Homage to the Perfected

Perform the rite of paying homage to the deities on the first and fifteenth days of each month; the Three Yuan days (the fifteenth day of the first, seventh, and tenth months); the Gengshen and Jiazi days; your birth-sign day; the Three Assembly days (the seventh day of the first month, the seventh day of the seventh month, and the fifth day of the tenth month); and the Eight Seasonal Nodes (Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice). If the day falls on a Wuchen, Wuxu, or Wuyin day, there is no need to pay homage to the Perfected; Daoists avoid performing this rite on those days.

Before entering the Jing—a quiet chamber where Daoists establish an altar, cultivate, and perform rites—to pay homage, abstain for a day from the five pungent foods, butter, and cheese. It is better to avoid these foods for a longer period; if you cannot, at least refrain from them carefully on the day of practice. You may bathe using peach-and-bamboo water, a bath decoction prepared with peachwood, bamboo, and other materials. At the fifth watch on the appointed day, put on clean clothes and carry a tablet and incense burner. At the entrance to the Jing, click your teeth three times and pray softly:

“Four Luminaries Merit Officer, Messenger Who Communicates with the Perfected, Message-Bearing Jade Maiden, and Jade Maiden Who Attends the Jing, please convey my words to the True Deities of the Dao chamber and bring the generative Qi of the Upper Origin into my body. Today I pay homage to the Perfected; please convey my request on my behalf, so that all my prayers may reach the realms above.”

When you have finished praying, open the door and step in first with your right foot, then your left. Go to the incense table and set the burner on it. Hold the tablet before your eyes and click your teeth three times. Visualize the Jade Maiden and the youth attendants standing on either side of the incense table. After offering incense, rise, hold the tablet in front of your chest, and stand upright with your body leaning slightly forward. Recite the Incantation for Opening the Incense Burner, saying: …

The Most High Mysterious Origin Fivefold-Spirit Venerable Lord (an honorific title of the Most High Lord Lao) is asked to summon the Merit Officers, the Left and Right Dragon-and-Tiger Messengers, the Incense-Bearing Messengers, and the True Spirits of the Three Qi to present an urgent memorial to the Three Heavens. “Lord Dao, supreme and without peer, of the Mysterious Origin: I am now entering the quiet chamber, the secluded place for practicing the Dao, to burn incense and pay homage to the True Spirits. May the true Qi of the Nine Heavens descend into my body, so that the matter I present may swiftly reach the celestial court.”

After completing the rites before the Lord of the Great Clarity’s Purple Tenuity and the Lord of the Great Dao of the Mysterious Origin, bow again and kneel upright. Visualize the Lord Dao, the Most High, clothed in a mantle of nine-colored clouds and wearing a crown of the Nine Virtues. Mysterious True Ones stand in attendance on his left and right; the Dragon-and-Tiger Lords, Jade Youths, and Jade Maidens are also arrayed on either side, while the Celestial Master stands in the west. Merit Officers fill the four directions, and the hall is filled with the Qi of blue clouds. Visualize all the spirits seated on purple-cloud thrones, which seem to rise and float upward. When the visualization is complete, step back and bow again. Then kneel upright, click your teeth twenty-four times, and make this invocation:

“Disciple of the Zhengyi Covenant of Might, so-and-so, bows low. May I entrust my body, spirit, and life to the Great Dao, supreme and without limit, of the Great Clarity, the Mysterious Origin, and the Three Heavens; to the Most High Lord Lao; the Most High Elder; the Lord of Heaven; the Elder of the Heavenly Emperor; the Lords of the Nine Elders’ Immortal Capital; the Elders of the Nine Qi; and the twelve hundred official lords within the Dao-Qi, layered a thousandfold and ten thousandfold.

“By good fortune, through blessings and favor accumulated in former lives, I have been able to practice the True Way of the Dao. I know I dare not make presumptuous demands, yet I still hope for long life. I vow to restrain myself, establish merit, correct my faults, and cultivate virtue. I humbly ask that the grave sins I have committed from birth until this day be forgiven and wholly erased. Permit me to reform myself and make amends for past wrongs.

“May the disembodied and suffering souls of my parents and ancestors through nine generations escape the Nine Hells and ascend to Heaven. May my practice of the Dao accord sincerely with the True Way. I humbly ask that my name be removed from the register of the dead and entered in the immortal registers of the upper realm, so that my whole family may share in safety and good fortune. The blessings of life and nurture for which I pray depend entirely on this.

“So-and-so bows with due care in presenting this memorial, bows again, then kneels upright and says:

“I, so-and-so, have received the Dao’s teachings from my master and accepted and wear the Fulu, the registers that certify my Daoist rank. Although I have not yet understood the truth, I am resolved to seek immortality, long life, and liberation from the world. Recently, I have repeatedly suffered hardship and illness, lingering without recovery for a long time. Now I pray to the Lord of Heavenly Essence of Empty Purity: send one person and one hundred thousand soldiers in red robes to guard the Palace of the Celestial Pillar, subdue ghosts and spirits, dispel calamities, and ward off…”

May the Qi of the Six Heavens bring all illnesses of your servant, So-and-so, to complete recovery. Relying on the grace of the Great Dao, which gives life to and nurtures all things, your servant bows twice, then kneels for a long time and says:

Your servant, So-and-so, has lately been troubled and restless. My dreams are unreal, and my Hun and Po souls cannot remain settled. I humbly ask the Lord of Brightness Who Gathers the Spirits, who governs the gathering and settling of the spirit and soul, and his one hundred and twenty officers and generals to oversee my treatment, so that my heart and spirit may be at peace, my consciousness steady, and I may be in accord with the Dao.

Your servant, So-and-so, bows twice, then kneels for a long time and says:

Your servant’s body is often afflicted by illness, and the Four Great Elements—the earth, water, fire, and wind said in Daoism and Buddhism to make up the human body—are clouded and sluggish. I am ill, yet hesitate to speak of it, fearing that if my condition worsens, I may sink into the Springs and Soil, the underworld. I humbly ask the Celestial Official Lord Yangxi and his one hundred and twenty officers and generals, together with one hundred and twenty attendants and soldiers on his left and right, to treat me, open the Gate of Life, and increase my years. I also ask the Lord of the Southern Heights and his one hundred and twenty officers and generals to keep watch over the Granary Palace, prolong my life, and pray for everlasting life.

Relying on the grace of the Great Dao, which gives life to and nurtures all things, your servant is fearful and trembling, bows twice, then kneels for a long time and says:

Ever since your servant began living here, my dreams have been unsettled. Fierce and overbearing ghosts, charged with evil Qi, also disregard the laws of the Most High and often draw near me. If I do not promptly petition the Celestial Officials and their officers to drive these ghosts away and prevent them from causing trouble for long, I fear disaster will follow. Your servant now submits this petition with care, asking that the Immortal Lord and his one hundred and twenty officers and generals be summoned to subdue and destroy the fierce ghosts and their evil Qi. May true Qi descend and circulate, may the room be purified and still, may demons and evil influences withdraw, and may hearing and sight become clear.

Your servant receives the boundless grace of the Great Dao, is fearful and trembling, and bows twice. (Then lie face down at the appointed place, bowing with the bamboo tablets and striking the cheeks. When this is finished, rise.) Next, recite the Incantation for Closing the Incense Burner:

Incense Officials and Messengers, Lords of the Dragons and Tigers on the left and right, Incense-Bearing Messengers, and True Spirits of the Three Qi: may liquid gold, cinnabar and jade, mushroom blossoms, and other immortal medicines and sacred treasures naturally appear at the place where the True Immortals are worshiped. May a hundred numinous officials and assembled perfected beings gather before this incense altar. May your servant, in cultivating the Dao, come into accord with the Highest Truth; may my whole family receive blessings, and may all the people under Heaven benefit as well. May the immortal boys and jade maidens guard the rising incense smoke and carry the document of my petition to the presence of the Celestial Emperor.

After bowing twice, depart without looking back. Before entering the chamber of quietude, instruct the family in advance not to make noise. When the ritual is complete, be sure to keep silent.

The five grades of court ritual discussed above, as well as the rites Lady Wei transmitted to Celestial Master Wu of Mount Song, often use this same method.

Method for Entering the Oratory, Chapter Ten

In the Declarations of the Perfected (Zhengao), the Shangqing Perfected Feng Yanshou says: Whenever people burn incense upon entering an oratory—a room where Daoist practitioners quiet the mind and perform rites—they should face the place of the mat, bow inwardly, click their teeth, and silently offer a prayer in their hearts, stating whatever they wish to seek. If the mind and spirit are focused, a sacred response will follow. Only by setting the heart aright and regulating the breath can what one presents be conveyed upward and heard.

Do not look back while burning incense. Looking back offends the True Spirits and invites baleful influences.

The Perfected of Clear Emptiness also says: Each time you enter the oratory, first rinse your mouth with water to remove impure influences. Rinse your mouth again when you leave, to seal the Three Palaces—the three important regions within the body, often referring to the upper, middle, and lower Dantian (energy centers). When passing through the oratory’s door, you must likewise not look back. Looking back offends the True Spirits and makes the rite lose its sincerity and reverence. Once inside, do not speak with outsiders or step on the threshold. These prohibitions are very strict.

Method for Burning Incense, Chapter Eleven

The Most High teaches: Do not bite incense with your mouth when burning it. This is strictly forbidden in the spirit realm.

The Hidden Instructions for Ascending to Perfection (Dengzhen Yinjue) says: Before performing an audience and memorial rite, first build up the fire and light enough incense so that it catches at once and burns steadily. The fire should not flicker or weaken.

Instructions for Visualization, Chapter Twelve

The Celestial Master’s Incense-Burning Rite says: When entering the oratory to burn incense, visualize a Green Dragon on the left, a White Tiger on the right, a Vermilion Bird in front, and a Black Tortoise behind. These are the deities who guard the four directions in Daoist ritual.

Master Lu’s Instructions for Visualizing the Spirits says: Visualize a Golden Boy attending the incense smoke to the left of the burner and a Jade Maiden to the right. The Li family’s ritual says: Visualize five-colored smoke rising from the incense flame.

The Statutes for Entering the Administrative Seat at the Dark Metropolis (Xuandu Ruzhi Lü) says: When presenting memorials and paying homage to the True Spirits, visualize the Qi of the Five Directions, along with the officers of merit, messengers, clerks, and soldiers, arranged in orderly ranks on the left and right, as if standing before you. The Celestial Master’s Treatise on Teachings in Ink says: When entering the oratory to burn incense, you should faintly visualize these deities before your eyes. Do not simply sit in silence, perform the rite without a sound, and then withdraw.

Instructions for Clicking the Teeth, Chapter Thirteen

The Scripture of the Divine Luminaries in the Precious Book of the Nine Perfected and the Most High says: The method of clicking the teeth is as follows. Click the teeth on the left and call it “striking the Heavenly Bell”; click those on the right and call it “beating the Heavenly Chime”; click the upper and lower middle teeth together and call it “sounding the Heavenly Drum.”

If you suddenly encounter danger or an ill omen, “strike the Heavenly Bell” thirty-six times. If you have passed through danger and recite the mighty spirit’s great incantation to drive away evil, “beat the Heavenly Chime” thirty-six times. If you wish to focus your mind in visualization, comprehend the Great Dao, seek the True Way, and summon the spirits, then “sound…”

To beat the Heavenly Drum (make a sound by lightly tapping the teeth), bring the upper and lower front teeth together, close the mouth, and relax the cheeks so the sound is hollow and resonant.

The Eye-Gazing Formula, No. 14

When gazing, keep the eyes as though closed but not quite fully closed, or open but not quite fully open. This allows darkness and brightness to flow into one another. Focus intently on inner visualization and observation. Today, when people enter a quiet chamber to cultivate or submit a memorial to the deities, they may follow this method.

The Prostration Formula, No. 15

The Secret Instructions for Ascending to Zhen and Hiding says that when performing a prostration, first bow once, touching the forehead to the ground, and then bow again. In principle, one should begin with a single bow. But this custom has been passed down for so long that people often will not even complete the second bow, much less perform a separate first bow to complete the prostration. Today, some people touch their foreheads to the ground while bowing from a seated position. This is simply kneeling and touching the head to the ground; a proper prostration requires the head to touch the ground. A bow performed while merely sitting on the floor does not count as a prostration.

The Two Bows Formula, No. 16

The two bows are two successive acts of bowing. After bowing, one should rise, then sit down again; do not sit down immediately after finishing the bows. If one sits down after performing only a single bow, it does not count as two bows at all.

The “In Sincere Fear and Trembling” Formula, No. 17

When performing the rite of “sincere fear and trembling,” hold a tablet used in ritual, bend the body low, and first prostrate twice, lowering yourself to the ground. Then hold the tablet before the chest while kneeling upright, pause briefly, and prostrate twice more to complete the rite. If the ritual text says “knock the head to the ground,” then the head must touch the ground.

Tao Yinju, a sobriquet of Tao Hongjing, said: “Although Dao cultivation places importance on inner visualization, one must also show reverence through the body and recite the words aloud. In advancing, withdrawing, and walking, one should act at the proper times and keep movement and stillness in due balance. The mind should remain clear and still, and outward conduct should accord with ritual propriety.”

The material above is from the Secret Instructions for Ascending to Zhen and Hiding.

On Two People Serving the Dao Together, No. 18

The Great Mystery Metropolis says that whether practitioners or ordinary people, those who live at home with a spouse may cultivate together as husband and wife, provided they aspire to the Dao and their minds yearn for the realm of De. If they do not cultivate together, they may obstruct one another: one spouse may not understand the other’s practice, and seeing it may give rise to resistance and cause harm.

Husband and wife may serve the Dao together. During morning practice and when entering the quiet chamber, the male official (a male practitioner) stands on the left and the female official (a female practitioner) on the right. One person presents the invocation, while both remain devout and focused and bow twice together. On days when a woman pays homage to the Zhen deities, if she is in a state of ritual impurity, she should suspend the relevant rites. As long as both spouses share the intention to serve the Dao, they can resonate with the mysterious Way.

The Day of One’s Birth Cycle, No. 19

On the day corresponding to one’s birth-cycle sign, one may recite the Scripture for Delivering People once or twice. The scripture says this will purify and straighten the soul and spirit, preserve the primal Qi, free one from suffering, make the body shine with light, and bring the protection of the spirits of the Three Realms and the welcome of the Five Emperors. When one’s merit is complete, one’s name will be entered in the registers of Shangqing. On the morning of the day corresponding to one’s birth-cycle sign, one should burn…

Before the direction associated with your birth year, light incense, click your teeth together three times, and make two bows in your heart. Then pray softly:

“May Taiyi, the Daoist deity who protects life, guard me. May the three Qi unite in the chamber of truth; may the Mother of Radiance above the womb and the Mysterious Father bring forth my origin. May my five organs be regulated and my spirit and vitality made calm. Below, may Jade Nectar nourish me; above, may I attend the Mudball Palace, the place of cultivation within the head. Through evening practice, may the Seven Po and Three Hun be brought to harmony and stability. May Jade Radiance be on my right and Golden Dawn on my left. Make me an immortal, and place the spirit officials at my service. May the gods always preserve my peace and good fortune, and may I fly through the heavenly realms in all ten directions.”

When you have finished praying, click your teeth together three times, swallow your saliva three times, and make four bows in your heart. This is called “The Way of the Most High for Praying for Life and Secretly Attending the Womb-Origin.” Practicing this often can protect the Hun and Po, prolong life, and bring the practitioner to the Dao and immortality. You need not enter a meditation chamber to perform this practice. Simply become somewhat quiet and make sure no one is nearby; you may do it wherever you are seated. The passage above comes from the third chapter of the Zhengao.

Entering the Chamber and Facing the Mat, Chapter Twenty

Whenever you enter a meditation chamber to burn incense, face the mat, make a bow in your heart, click your teeth together, and pray silently, stating what you seek. If you focus your mind and act with sincere reverence, you will receive a response from the spirits.

Days for Suppressing the Three Corpses, Chapter Twenty-One

The days of Jia-Yin and Geng-Shen are when the Three Corpse spirits disturb the mind. On these days, do not share a room with your spouse or sleep and eat together in the same bed; take care to avoid this. On Jia-Wu days, you may cut your fingernails; on Jia-Wu days, you may cut your toenails. These days are considered times when the Three Corpses roam, so cutting the nails is a way to subdue the Corpse Po.

Constantly Visualizing Your Own Form, Chapter Twenty-Two

In daily life, you should often hold your own form in awareness, seeing it clearly before you. Visualize the sun and moon shining over your whole body from your face: the sun is on the left and the moon on the right, each nine inches from your face. The sun radiates purple light with nine red rays; the moon radiates yellow light with ten white rays.

When you have completed the visualization, click your teeth together three times and pray softly:

“Primordial Womb, Highest Perfected; Two Mysterious Radiances, symbols of the sun and moon: on my right, guard the Seven Po; on my left, bind and gather the Three Hun. May my spirit and form endure forever.”

When you have finished praying, click your teeth together three times and swallow your saliva seven times. This is called “The Way of the Lord for Recording the Form, Binding the Hun, and Subduing the Po.” The Huangting Jing says: “Gather the Hun and Po and bring them to rest, so they will never be endangered.”

The Zhengao says: Those who attain the Dao often regret that they did not hear of the Great Dao sooner; those who lose the Dao often regret that they did not begin practicing diligently sooner. What does “refinement” mean? It means devoting yourself wholeheartedly to the practice. What does “diligence” mean? It means reverently cultivating your spiritual work. Add to this careful self-examination and steadfast practice, and you will receive a response and draw closer to attaining the Dao. You should practice with all your heart and never become lax.

The Zhengao (a Daoist text) says: An impatient and violent temperament is a root of harm to oneself; a calm and tranquil mind is a step toward steadfastly seeking the Dao. If you act according to an agitated and violent temperament, your true nature will depart. Change this habit, and the Dao will come. When faced with different situations, reason from similar circumstances. Remain gentle and unhurried, and do your utmost to become pure and clear. Then you will not be far from the Dao.

The Perfected One of Ziyang said: Not bathing often is a habit of the Po (the spirit associated with the body and its vital processes); going against this habit is to act contrary to it. When you cultivate the true Dao, the impurities within you and the corpse Po (a Yin energy linked to the body and turbid Qi) will naturally depart.

Prayers Before Sleep (Twenty-Three)

When ordinary people sleep, they should raise the bed as high as possible. This makes it harder for the Qi of the earth to rise up, and for ghostly Qi to blow upon and disturb them. Ghostly Qi often enters the body by rising with the Qi of the earth. The bedroom should be kept clean and full of vital energy. When it is clean and full, it can receive numinous Qi; when it is neither clean nor full, it will be affected by stale Qi. Stale Qi disturbs the bedroom, making it difficult for people to accomplish anything there or establish a firm foundation. The same is true of the body, so you should bathe often and keep yourself clean.

The Zhengao says: If people in the world know the names of the Six Heavens Palaces of Fengdu (the underworld palaces in Daoist belief), the hundred ghosts will not dare harm them. Before sleeping, regularly face north and recite a prayer three times in a low voice. The prayer says:

“I am a disciple of the Most High (a revered Daoist deity), and I command the Six Heavens below. The Six Heavens Palaces are under my jurisdiction, and are also governed by the Most High. I know the names of the gates of the Six Heavens Palaces, and so I can live forever. If anyone dares to trespass, the Most High will cut down your body.”

The first palace is called the Palace of Yin Heaven Where Zhou Is Forever Cut Off. Proceeding eastward, the others are:

The second palace is called the Palace of the Heaven of Supreme Slaughter and Just Affairs.

The third palace is called the Palace of the Heaven of Bright Stars, Where Offenders Are Not Spared and the Martial City Stands.

The fourth palace is called the Palace of the Heaven of Tranquil Illumination and Sinful Qi.

The fifth palace is called the Palace of the Heaven of the Seven Transgressions of the Ancestral Spirit.

The sixth palace is called the Palace of the Heaven of Daring Command, Linked to the Repeatedly Winding Abyss.

After reciting the prayer, click your teeth together six times, then lie down to sleep, thereby warding off ghostly and baleful Qi. Do this three times. This method also comes from the Record of Fengdu.

The Northern Emperor’s Prayer Method

The Northern Emperor’s Divine Prayer Method (a Daoist practice of praying to the Northern Emperor), when not used to command or subdue ghosts and spirits, can be softly recited regularly to naturally remove filth and evil, destroy the Three Corpses (spirits believed in Daoism to dwell in the human body and hinder cultivation), dispel stale Qi, and make ghosts, demons, and evil spirits forever afraid to come near. If you recite it over a long period, the Northern Emperor will often send heavenly soldiers to protect you.

Only when using it to subdue ghosts and spirits or to handle related matters should you recite the formula aloud. Face north, click your teeth together thirty-six times, visualize the Five Spirits (the spirits within the five internal organs), and recite the formula in four-word phrases. Click your teeth once after each phrase, and pray, saying—the original text ends here unfinished.

Tianpeng, Jiuyuan Shatong, Wuding Dusi, Gaodiao Beigong, the Seven Luminaries and Eight Spirits, the Supreme One’s mighty and fearsome powers, the long-skulled giant beast, and the two divine beings Suxiao hold the Emperor’s Bell and sternly ride the Kui dragons, wielding formidable treasured swords. The Divine Kings cut down evil spirits and erase every trace of them. Riding purple Qi, they surge forth in a blaze of crimson light, devour demons and eat ghosts, stretch their bodies across the sky and drink the wind, revealing ashen tongues and green teeth. The four-eyed old man and the Heavenly Strongmen guard the south in awe-inspiring majesty, holding back calamities and evil. The fierce and violent Heavenly Steed guards the north, a sharp blade held in its mouth. Three hundred thousand soldiers and generals protect my ninefold celestial realm. They drive corpse demons thousands of miles away and disperse every ill omen. Should a lesser ghost dare to show itself, a great axe will sever its form. The raging fire of the Flame Emperor burns its blood; the fire of the Northern Dipper burns its bones; the power of Siming smashes its remains; and the power of Tianyou annihilates the ghostly kind. With a single sweep of the divine sword, the myriad ghosts scatter of their own accord. Act swiftly in accordance with the command of the Supreme Emperor. This is done.

Each line of this spell consists of four characters. While reciting it, tap the teeth once after each line to keep the rhythm. It may be recited often, by night or by day. If a ghost hears the spell three times, its eyes will be blinded and its body destroyed. The words above are spells of the High Gods and the names of divine generals who slay ghosts. The Northern Emperor kept this method hidden away. Anyone in the world who obtains it and practices it regularly can advance along the path to immortality. Men and women, young and old, may all cultivate it. This is what is known as the “Northern Emperor’s Divine Spell for Slaying Ghosts.” Ghosts are often afraid to hear it, and it is said that those who are ill can recover immediately by reciting the spell. When tapping the teeth, gather the spirit and visualize the five internal organs. Each of the five organs has its own spirit, and these five spirits naturally dwell within the body. Fengdu, the Daoist realm of the dead, kept this spell secret and required that it be strictly guarded and not revealed to unsuitable people. The spell appears in the Shangqing Bubu Dengzhen Yinjue and the Zhengao, and is also recorded in the Zhengyi section and the Fashi Yaojue. The Daojiao Lingyan Ji also records many accounts, both ancient and recent, of people who practiced this method and saw results. Here, only the general sense of those accounts is given.

Absorbing the Radiance of the Sun and Moon, Chapter Twenty-Four

“Absorbing the radiance of the sun and moon” refers to a cultivation method in which one visualizes taking in the luminous essence of the sun and moon. The Dafa Zhu Palace is the usual dwelling of Lord Qing Tong. In the palace are high immortals, perfected beings of Heaven, and divine officials such as the ministers of Taiji and the Lords of Destiny. Even after practitioners have attained the Dao and become perfected, they may continue to practice this method.

The method is as follows: visualize in your heart a sun about the size of a copper coin, red in color and shining brightly. Let its light rise from the heart to the throat and reach the space between the teeth. Do not let it leave through the mouth; instead, turn it back toward the stomach. Continue this for some time, while gathering the spirit and clearly visualizing what is within the heart and stomach. Then exhale, completing this step.

Swallow saliva thirty-nine times a day, doing this three times daily: at sunrise, while eating, and at noon. Persevering for one year can eliminate illness; for five years, the body will become radiant; for eighteen years, one will attain the Dao (the Way). When practicing at noon, the body casts no shadow, enabling one to avoid all manner of malign influences and calamities.

During practice, regularly visualize the sun in your heart and the moon in the Niwan Palace (a cultivation site in the head). Practice the sun method by day and the moon method by night. When practicing the moon method, visualize ten rays of white light radiating from the moon. They descend from the brain into the throat and reach the teeth, then are swallowed with the saliva into the stomach.

Another account says to visualize the moon and swallow saliva each day from the first through the fifteenth day of the lunar month, then stop. As the moon wanes, its light grows dimmer, and this also depletes the celestial Qi (the original energy between Heaven and Earth); for this reason, one should stop.

This method comes from the middle section of the Jing of Great Wisdom. It is a cultivation practice often used by the assembled Perfected Ones. It can preserve the body and enable one to behold an age of peace. It is said to have been transmitted by the Lady of the Southern Pole. During practice, visualize the sun in the heart and the moon in the Niwan Palace. This method is simple and easy to understand, but it must be practiced diligently and without interruption. It can dispel the Three Corpses (malevolent spirits said to reside within the body), along with every illness and a thousand evils; it is also a method for refining the hun and controlling the po. With the sun and moon constantly shining upon the body, ghosts and spirits have nowhere to hide.

The Lord of the Green Lad said, “That is why one must practice often. I am someone who has done so.” I am now telling you this method. If you can put it into practice, you may pass it on in secret to those sincerely committed to cultivation. There is no harm in practicing the Precious Book alongside it; combining the sun and moon methods will bring benefit. Immortals practice a thousand kinds of disciplines day and night without feeling weary. The Dao is attained through diligence; life must not be squandered.

The foregoing comes from the third volume of the Declarations of the Perfected. This was transmitted by Lord Wang of the Western Citadel.

Instructions of Master Meng, No. 25

Shan Shiyuan received this method from Master Meng: before going to sleep at night, first read the Inner Radiance of the Yellow Court Scripture once, then go to bed. In this way, the hun and po will naturally be regulated and tempered. Persisting in this practice for twenty-eight years can also lead to immortality. The recitations should total ten thousand; reading it three or four times each night is more suitable.

Madam Jiang of Northern Mount said, “Even before completing the prescribed number of years, reading this scripture can help one fall ill less often. This is a path to long life and immortality.”

The foregoing comes from the third volume of the Declarations of the Perfected.

The Incantation for Bad and Auspicious Dreams, No. 26

Perfected One Taisu taught beginners a method for avoiding bad dreams. Frequent bad dreams may have three causes: “po demons,” trials of the mind and spirit, or “corpse thieves” (malevolent entities said to harm people). The following method can be used to dispel their influence.

If you wake from a dream, pinch the philtrum with your left hand twenty-one times, then click your teeth together twenty-one times and softly recite a blessing: “…” (The original text ends here; the words of the blessing are not given.)

The first practice in “Prolonged Refinement of the Three Hun Souls” from the Great Cavern of Perfect Mystery (a Daoist cultivation method) is this: the Hun soul must quickly keep watch over the Seven Po (the spirits of the body); second, the Hun soul must quickly remain in the Mudball (the upper Dantian in the head); third, the Hun soul must obey the heart’s control and promptly report to the Three Origin Lords of Great Simplicity, the deities who govern the Three Origins.

If you dream of something inauspicious, it means that Wandering Corpse, one of the Seven Po spirits described in Daoism, has come to join with an evil force. At once, summon Taokang to protect your life, and report the matter to the Lord Emperor, the Five Elders, and the Nine Perfected Ones, asking each of them to guard the gateways of your body. The Divine Master of the Yellow Gate and the General of the Purple Portal, bearing axes and bells, will destroy the evil essence, turn misfortune into good fortune, and prevent calamities involving life and death from touching you. After completing this rite, if you go back to sleep, you will surely receive an auspicious sign. The evil force that caused the nightmare will be confined beneath the Three Passes. After three years, you will dream only when the spirits respond; such dreams will clearly reveal the future, and you will have no more nightmares or inauspicious thoughts.

If you have an auspicious dream at night and wake with a sense of well-being, this is an auspicious response. After waking, rub your eyes fourteen times and recite this prayer:

“Highest and most refined essence, numinous elixirs of the Three Emperors, may the Crimson Palace shine clear, and may auspiciousness respond and reveal the true state of things. May the gentle Po souls of the Three Origins receive the scriptures from the Celestial Emperor, and may all things I encounter come into harmony. May I ascend to the realm of immortals and enter Shangqing, forever meeting the Jade Perfected in the Purple Court.”

The above comes from the Hidden Book of the Great Elixir.

The “Mountain Source” acupoint lies on the left side of the philtrum beneath the nose, in the hollow below the tip of the nose. Each night, swallow saliva twenty-seven times, then immediately press the Mountain Source with the index and middle fingers of the left hand twenty-seven times. It is said that doing this regularly makes the mind clear and penetrating, sharpens the eyesight, and wards off all kinds of evil forces. The same practice should be done in the morning. After pressing the point, silently recite this prayer:

“Open the Heavenly Court and grant me long life; let my sight reach clearly ten thousand miles, and let my Hun and Po souls return to the state of an infant. Destroy ghosts and demons, drive back evil spirits, and summon a thousand numinous beings. Ascend to the realm of the Highest One and unite with the sun, so that I may be counted among the Perfected and have my name entered in the registers of mystery.”

Twenty-Seventh Method: Brightening the Eyes and Ears

The Declarations of the Perfected (Zhengao) says that the essential task for those who seek the Dao is first to make the eyes bright and the ears keen; this is the foundation of cultivation. The eyes and ears are the steps by which one seeks the true Dao, and vital gateways for governing one’s spiritual nature. Through them, the gains and losses of cultivation are determined, and life and death are discerned. Here I excerpt methods from the scriptures for people to practice:

Each day, press with your hands the small hollows behind both eyebrows, twenty-seven times. Then rub both eyes with your palms and fingers while looking upward. Next, rub both ears in a circular motion thirty times. Keep to the prescribed number of repetitions, without needing to follow a particular time of day. When finished, rub the forehead upward from below twenty-seven times.

The method of visualization begins between the eyebrows, then extends to the hairline. At the same time, swallow saliva a set number of times. Repeat this practice regularly, and your sight and hearing will become clear. Continue for two years, and you will be able to write at night.

A small aperture behind the brow is the Mansion of the Six Harmonies of the Upper Origin, an inner opening that Daoism holds to connect with the Qi of the Upper Origin and govern the eyes. It generates the eyes’ radiance, making their vital light warm and bright, so that it shines through the pupils for a long time and nourishes and refines the spirit of the eyes. This is an advanced Daoist practice used by perfected beings—those who have attained the Dao—while sitting, lying down, and going about their daily lives.

Green Ox Daoist’s Sun and Moon Visualization Formula, Twenty-Eighth

The Green Ox Daoist’s formula says: When lying down at night, visualize the sun above your forehead and the moon below your navel.

This can drive away a thousand ghosts and evil spirits and summon the jade boys and jade girls, attendants of the immortals, bringing calamities to an end. This method is highly secret and efficacious. The formula comes from Feng Junda. Shen Xi says that when taking divine medicines, one should not face north. In particular, avoid the Hai and Zi days. Do not spit just anywhere, either, or you will harm your Jing and dissipate your original Qi, shortening your life.

Luan Ba’s Oral Formula, Twenty-Ninth

Luan Ba’s formula says: When passing through the wilderness, by a numinous shrine, or near a place inhabited by malevolent spirits, visualize a perfected being in your mouth named Elder Red Numinous. Two jade girls stand beside him: one is called Hua Zheng, the other She Jing. The elder wears a red silk robe, and both jade girls wear yellow garments on their upper and lower bodies.

Once the visualization is complete, shout: “Ghosts and spirits in the shrine, come at once! Let every evil influence come before Elder Red Numinous to be slain!” All the evil spirits will then retreat a thousand li. This is a ghost-catching technique of Elder Red Numinous, the vanguard emissary sent by the Three Heavens, one of the Daoist celestial realms.

Dietary Prohibitions When Taking Medicines, Thirtieth

The female immortal Cheng Weiqi says: When taking elixirs, do not eat meat or other foods containing blood, lest the Three Corpses—the spirits said to dwell in the body and hinder cultivation—be unable to depart. Dried meat, however, may be eaten.

The Fenggang formula says: When a Daoist priest is ill, they can turn their awareness inward and visualize fire arising in the heart, burning through the whole body and the afflicted area. Concentrate until the scene seems as though it is truly visible, and the illness will be cured. Wherever there is pain, direct the fire there; this is said to be unfailingly effective.