《太上洞玄靈寶本行因緣經》

Interpretation of the Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Benxing Yinyuan Jing (Scripture on the Causes and Conditions of Fundamental Conduct from the Numinous Treasure Cavern Mystery)

In the third year of the Chiwu era (240 CE) during the Eastern Wu dynasty, on the first day of the lunar new year, the Supreme Left Immortal Lord Ge Xuan was in deep meditation at Mount Laosheng when thirty-three terrestrial immortals (地仙) came to pay homage. These Daoist adepts had cultivated for six hundred sexagenary cycles (approximately 10,800 years), yet remained confined to the earthly realm. They inquired of Ge Xuan: "How did you attain celestial immortality so swiftly, ascending to the Golden Palace of the Jade Capital in the heavens?"

Ge Xuan explained: In the primordial chaos of the cosmos, the formless void gave birth to the single Qi (炁). The clear Qi ascended to form heaven, while the turbid Qi condensed into earth. Humans are born endowed with harmonious Qi, originally standing equal with heaven and earth as the Three Potentials (三才). In the beginning, there was no distinction between ordinary and sagehood. But as the world declined, human hearts strayed from the Dao (道).

Though you cultivated the path in past lives, your practice focused solely on self-liberation—you distrusted Mahayana scriptures, neglected purification rituals (斋醮), and disdained the masters of the Three Caverns (三洞法师, the highest Daoist clergy). Thus, you attained only the fruit of terrestrial immortality. While this grants longevity and freedom, it cannot transcend the Three Realms.

To ascend to the Upper Clarity Heaven (上清天界), one must accumulate vast merit: relieving suffering among the people and propagating the Great Dao. Legends like Peng Zu (彭祖), who lived eight hundred years, Anqi Sheng (安期生) for a millennium, or Baishi Sheng (白石生) for three thousand years—all remained bound to the mortal world due to insufficient past virtue. Having cultivated merely centuries, you must diligently practice the Mahayana path, universally delivering sentient beings. When merit reaches perfection, the Supreme Lord of the Dao (太上道君) will guide your ascension.

(Note: The "Three Caverns" refer to the highest Daoist canons: the Cavern of Truth (洞真), Cavern of Mystery (洞玄), and Cavern of Spirit (洞神). "Terrestrial immortals" occupy the middle rank in the Daoist pantheon, above human immortals but below celestial ones.)

This scripture recounts a dialogue between the immortal Fa Cheng and the Celestial Master (a Daoist honorific for high-ranking immortals), revealing the connection between karmic causes from past lives and the path of spiritual cultivation.

After attaining immortality through cultivating hidden virtue (accumulating good deeds in secret) in mountain forests, the Celestial Master disclosed to his disciple Fa Cheng: During Emperor Yao's era, Fa Cheng had once followed him to practice on Mount Songgao. However, due to shallow determination and eagerness for quick results, Fa Cheng often mocked the Celestial Master's cultivation methods as being too abstract and arduous, even ridiculing the ancient hermits Xu You and Chao Fu for refusing Emperor Yao's abdication. At that time, the Celestial Master advised Fa Cheng to practice Shangqing Daoist methods (the cultivation techniques of the Shangqing school), but Fa Cheng persistently refused to follow the guidance. Consequently, he could only become an earthly immortal (a lower-ranking immortal capable of longevity without death), while the Celestial Master had ascended to the position of Left Celestial Master (a high-ranking immortal office), gaining entry to the Supreme Ultimate Palace to pay homage to the Supreme Dao Ancestor (the highest deity in Daoism).

Hearing this, Fa Cheng was overcome with shame as he recalled his past disobedience. He begged the Celestial Master to help transcend his current state. The Celestial Master explained that Fa Cheng's current cultivation level only permitted celestial ascension, not entry into the Supreme Ultimate Palace. When Fa Cheng inquired about karmic causes from past lives, the Celestial Master shared his own experience: in a previous existence, he had abused power to bully others, resulting in rebirth in hell after death. Later, when reborn as a poverty-stricken and sickly man, he realized this was the karmic retribution for past misdeeds, and thus began sincere virtuous practice.

Through the past-life experiences of master and disciple, this dialogue elucidates the karmic principle that "good begets good and evil begets evil." It emphasizes the need for persistent and grounded cultivation, while highlighting the importance of reflecting on destiny and repenting past transgressions in the pursuit of immortality.

This scripture expounds the principle of karmic retribution, illustrating through various life examples the different outcomes of accumulating virtue (De) through good deeds versus perpetuating evil:

The first type of person ascends to the Hall of Blessings (a Daoist paradise) after death, reborn as the child of a wealthy family surrounded by treasures and free from worldly cares. In contrast, those who mistreat servants descend to hell, where after judgment by the Three Officials (the Celestial, Earthly, and Water Officials who oversee human sins and blessings in Daoism), their karmic debts are exhausted through rebirth as lowly servants enduring whips and hardship—only then realizing their past misdeeds.

The second type, though initially charitable—donating personal wealth to the poor, revering Daoist priests, offering incense and oil, and praying for rebirth in prosperity—later takes lives for sport through hunting. After death, they endure the Five Torments of hell: knife mountains, sword forests, boiling cauldrons, molten metal, and fire pits. Only after repaying karmic debts as livestock (pigs or sheep) do they reincarnate as lowly humans.

The third type, having defrauded others of wealth, first suffers hell before repaying debts as an ox through labor and flesh. Later reborn into modest circumstances, they begin accumulating merit: supporting priests, observing precepts, practicing humility, aiding the poor, and aligning all actions with Daoist teachings. At eighty, they ascend directly to the Abode of Blessings, enjoying celestial feasts before rebirth into affluence.

The fourth type, though prone to violence, revered priests and upheld orthodox teachings. While hellbound, the Supreme One (Daoism’s highest deity) commutes their punishment due to past good deeds, permitting ascent to the Hall of Blessings. Reborn as nobility, they foresee karmic vengeance and vow to cultivate the Dao: accumulating hidden virtue, relieving distress, governing with Daoist principles, showing compassion, serving loyally, and renouncing fame. After death, they ascend to heaven, later reincarnating as even loftier adepts.

Finally, one who vowed to burn incense praying for wisdom to comprehend profound truths is reborn into a middling family as a Daoist priest. Clad in ritual robes and esteemed as a master of scriptures, they realize: this life’s blessings stem from past cultivation.

This scripture recounts a practitioner's journey through multiple lifetimes of cultivation and vows:

In the first life, an unenlightened man was reborn as a woman of exceptional talent and beauty. Through fasting rituals and scripture study, this woman vowed to be reborn as a supremely intelligent man versed in mystical truths who would become a king associating with Daoist priests. Thus he could constantly hear scriptures expounded and ascend to heaven after death, free from material wants.

This vow was fulfilled when she was reborn as a crown prince who, upon inheriting the throne, gathered Daoist masters and sages to expound the Dao and perform purification rituals (Zhaijiao), bringing stability to the kingdom. Three ministers likewise made vows: one to become a hermit (Daowei), one a Buddhist monk (Zhu Falan), and one a Daoist priest (Zheng Siyuan and Zhang Tai) - all pursuing the path of immortal ascension.

The text emphasizes these outcomes resulted from karmic connections forged through lifetimes of cultivation: maintaining fasting precepts, studying scriptures, making offerings, and practicing breath regulation (Tuna, Daoist respiratory techniques). Even when karma remained unfulfilled at death, practitioners would be reborn in virtuous families to continue as Daoist or Buddhist clergy, reuniting with past spiritual companions.

The immortals conclude that achieving the Dao requires diligent study of the Great Cavern Scripture (Dadong Jing) and accumulating merit through helping others. Immortal Ge Xian'gong states: those not devoted to supreme Daoist methods should still cultivate virtue and benefit humanity, thereby attaining the Dao swiftly.

(Note: The "Three Caverns Scriptures" refer to the Daoist Dongzhen, Dongxuan and Dongshen canons; "Tuna" denotes Daoist breath cultivation; "Taiyin" indicates the underworld or transitional rebirth state)

This scripture records a dialogue between an immortal and the Daoist master Ge Xian (patriarch of the Lingbao tradition), focusing on several key themes:

The immortal inquires how Ge Xian attained his current celestial rank, to which Ge replies that it came through indescribable years of arduous cultivation. They recall journeying together to the Heavenly King's palace beneath Dongting Lake, encountering numerous immortals from sacred grotto-mountains at Baoshan. Ge Xian explains that mystical peaks like Kunlun, Penglai, Zhongshan, Songshan, Sumeru, and Renniao mountains all host countless cave-dwelling transcendents in their hidden chambers.

Regarding Dongting Lake's mysteries, Ge Xian reveals it serves as a cosmic hub connecting major sacred mountains, linking with the Five Sacred Peaks (including Tai Shan) and even Fengdu (the Daoist underworld in the Northern Sea). He particularly mentions Mount Juqu (present-day Maoshan), his homeland, where a forty-mile grotto-heaven with resplendent palaces forms one of the Thirty-Six Minor Heavens - an ideal pure land for Daoist practice. He notes that the perfected Mao Ying (foremost of the Three Mao Lords) still cultivates there today.

When asked why Zhang Daoling (founder of the Zhengyi tradition) earned titles like "Zhengyi Perfected" and "Three Heavens Master," Ge Xian explains that the Celestial Master endured countless kalpas of tribulations through steadfast fasting, scripture study, and propagating the Great Dao. His cultivation surpassed even Ge Xian's achievements, thus meriting authority over the Three Realms.

The text concludes by mentioning the Azure Lad from the Eastern Florescence Emperor's retinue leading immortals in meditation and scripture recitation within Songshan's stone chambers, listening to Ge Xian expound these fundamental cultivation principles.

Through this celestial dialogue, the scripture reveals the Daoist cosmology of grotto-heavens and blessed lands, emphasizing the necessity of prolonged ascetic practice and merit accumulation. It also reflects the early interconnections between major Daoist lineages (Lingbao, Zhengyi, and Shangqing). The "Thirty-Six Minor Heavens" represent secondary celestial realms beneath the Thirty-Six Heavens in Daoist cosmology, while "Fengdu" governs the underworld's departed spirits.

This scripture records a dialogue between the Immortal Lord (a Daoist honorific for realized transcendents) and the Azure Lad (attendant of the Eastern Florescence Emperor, keeper of immortal registers), focusing on essential cultivation methods and ritual protocols.

The Azure Lad said: Practitioners must constantly bear in mind the true methods of the Dao (the Way) to strengthen their resolve. The Immortal Lord left profound instructions—these ancient teachings are indeed trustworthy and venerable. Upon hearing them, all the immortals bowed in reverence, pledging to follow these precepts.

The Azure Lad continued: Having received your earlier missive, I've been deeply moved by your concern. As one blessed by the Supreme Venerable Sovereign (Laozi, Daoism's highest deity), it's proper that I first seek your guidance. Though our bond runs deep, our inability to meet often leaves me restless, hoping to prove worthy of this friendship.

The Immortal Lord replied: Your gracious letter humbles me. We commune through De (Virtue) across the Three Realms (Desire, Form, and Formlessness realms), ever longing to wander freely together. The cultivation essentials you mention are all contained within sincere devotion to the Mystic Gate's teachings—with earnest aspiration and diligent practice, nothing remains unattainable.

The text particularly emphasizes several vital practices:

1. On each new and full moon, observe purification fasting in quiet chambers while reciting Daoist scriptures and transcendent biographies

2. On Ding-Mao days (specific celestial stems and earthly branches), face north and bow three times to the Azure Lad of Eastern Florescence to petition immortal attainment

3. On one's Destiny Day (birth year's corresponding stem-branch date), devote oneself wholly to scripture study, abstaining from worldly affairs

These form the crux of transcendent cultivation. While Daoist practice encompasses numerous methods, its core lies in maintaining "cinnabar sincerity" (unwavering devotion) and embodying the Mystic Gate's teachings—genuine aspiration inevitably bears fruit.