《洞玄靈寶太上真人問疾經》

At that time, the Most High Lord of Numinous Radiance and Precious Treasury (a supreme Daoist deity) was seated beneath the celestial Qianhiua tree in the Dragon Fang Mountains of the Northern Dragon Mystic Benevolent Sage World. There, he convened with countless sages and immortals from the ten directions—an assembly so vast its numbers rivaled the sands of the Ganges River. Together, they immersed themselves in studying the Great Vehicle scripture Five Thousand Characters, delving day and night into its profound teachings with unwaning devotion, never tiring of its wisdom.

The gathering drew beings of every attainment: those who had already realized the Dao (the Way), those nearing realization, and those yet to enter the path. Also present were the Four Heavenly Kings, the Brahma Qi Kings, the God-Emperor Shakra (a Buddhist guardian deity), the immortal sovereigns of Mount Kunlun with their retinue of thirty-two Brahma Kings, along with countless spirits—ghosts, demons, celestial demon kings, mountain and sea deities, and solar valley god-kings. Sentient beings from the Three Realms, whether human or otherwise, including ninety-eight kinds of heterodox practitioners and innumerable spirits, all came to participate. The Wheel-Turning Sage Kings, the Sun and Moon Deva Princes, and rulers from across the ten directions arrived with their entourages, mounts, and celestial palaces to listen beneath the Qianhiua tree.

Though the Lord’s teachings on the Great Vehicle were profoundly subtle—beyond ordinary comprehension—the assembly rejoiced in their hearts. They scattered fragrant flowers in offering, praying to grasp the true meaning. The Lord revealed: "The Great Vehicle principles I expound and the Three Penetrations (wisdom encompassing past, present, and future) are not easily understood by ordinary minds."

Among the listeners were countless perfected beings (Zhenren)—those eternally abiding in the world, those perfected in past ages, and those attaining realization in the present. Of these, 86,000 were masters of the Great Vehicle, including: the Primordial Beginning Perfected, the Celestial Sovereign Perfected, the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji) Perfected, the Exalted Sovereign Perfected, the Highest Sovereign Perfected, the Great One (Taiyi) Perfected, the Great Peace Perfected, the Great Simplicity Perfected, the Great Origin Perfected, the Luminous Sovereign Perfected, the Long Night Perfected, the Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi) Perfected, the Fixed Light Perfected, the Spiral Radiance Perfected, the Wondrous Sound Perfected, the Lingering Net Perfected, the Great Void Perfected, the Mysterious Wonder Perfected, and the Wisdom-Accord Perfected, among other realized beings.

This scripture depicts an assembly of perfected beings (zhenren, Daoist practitioners who have attained the highest spiritual states). These include the Great Pervasion Perfected (Datong Zhenren), Boundless Perfected (Wuliang Zhenren), and Mystic Serenity Perfected (Xuanji Zhenren), who achieved their status through cultivating the Great Vehicle teachings (advanced spiritual methods) in past lives. Those who neglected these teachings could only attain lesser karmic forms (lower-level practitioners).

Then, the fifth disciple, Beginningless Perfected (Wushi Zhenren), paid homage to the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun, the supreme Daoist deity) and posed a question. He observed that while many currently struggle to comprehend the Great Vehicle teachings, persistent devotion and practice will ultimately lead to unsurpassable true Dao. The Celestial Worthy replied that explaining these profound methods now prepares beings for future kalpas (cosmic cycles) of adversity. He specifically designated Beginningless Perfected and Fixed Light Perfected (Dingguang Zhenren) as teachers during the Bhadrakalpa (the current auspicious aeon), bestowing upon them the titles "Beginningless Celestial Master" (Wushi Tianshi) and "Fixed Light Celestial Master" (Dingguang Tianshi).

Furthermore, the Celestial Worthy appointed Orthodox Unity Perfected (Zhengyi Zhenren) and Mysterious Wonder Perfected (Xuanmiao Zhenren) to propagate the Three Vehicle teachings during the Dharma-Ending Age, honoring them as "Three Heavens Dharma Master" and "Six Perfections Dharma Master." These four disciples have traversed past, present, and future existences—progressing from rudimentary to sublime practice, even incarnating as sons of Dharma Kings to liberate beings, rescue hell-bound sufferers, and instruct celestial realms.

The Celestial Worthy revealed his present manifestation of countless billions of forms serves to alleviate worldly suffering. He emphasized that among the Three Vehicle teachings, the supreme Three Caverns scriptures (Daoism's highest classics) will proliferate as myriad texts. During the first kalpa, his primordial emanation as Celestial Treasure Lord (Tianbao Jun) appeared in the Jade Purity Palace; during the second kalpa in the Purple Tenuity Palace...

This scripture records the profound mysteries revealed by the supreme Daoist deity Yuanshi Tianzun (the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning) to his disciples. It mentions the "Precious Lords" as three manifestations of Yuanshi Tianzun across different kalpic cycles: during the first kalpa he was called "Divine Precious Lord," in the second kalpa "Numinous Precious Lord," and in the third kalpa "Divine Precious Lord of the Supreme Ultimate Palace."

Yuanshi Tianzun explains: "Numinous" (Ling) is the origin of all things, like a father who creates all beings; while "Precious" (Bao) is the mother of all things, capable of nurturing existence. The method of the Numinous Treasure (Lingbao) is the fundamental teaching for delivering sentient beings lost during the end times. The Celestial Worthy then enumerates his ten sacred names: Coming One, Past One, Present One, Eternal One, World-Guiding One, Compassionate One, Pure One, Void One, Being-Nonbeing One, and Heaven-Earth One, instructing disciples to remember these holy appellations.

At this point, Wushi Zhenren (an emanation of Yuanshi Tianzun) raises a doubt: beings in the Dharma-ending age struggle to comprehend profound teachings, requesting simpler explanations. He specifically questions why even the Celestial Worthy experiences illness and ultimately faces death.

The Celestial Worthy manifests eight-colored auspicious light, praising this excellent question. He reveals: the root of all suffering and illness lies in "having a body" (physical form). Since the separation of heaven and earth, illnesses have been as countless as the sands of the Ganges River—precisely because of this corporeal existence that afflictions arise. This exposition unveils the core Daoist cultivation concept of "perfecting both form and spirit" (xing-shen ju miao), wherein the physical body is seen as an obstacle to spiritual attainment.

In the subsequent "Chapter on Inquiring About Illness," the Celestial Worthy particularly addresses common flaws of later cultivators: outwardly wearing ritual robes (external practice) while inwardly harboring dark malice (internal neglect). This dichotomy between appearance and reality, he teaches, is the fundamental reason for failure in achieving immortality. This revelation strikes at the heart of spiritual practice, emphasizing the essential cultivation principle of perfect alignment between inner and outer being.

This scripture enumerates various "grave illnesses" (major faults) that practitioners of the Dao may encounter, which can be categorized into several types of issues:

First are problems in cultivation attitude. Examples include dressing ostentatiously while lacking sincere devotion in one's heart; being lazy and regressive in practice; transmitting essential Daoist methods without following cosmic principles; teaching scriptures without proper ritual protocols; or failing spiritual tests when confronted by demonic obstacles. These represent fundamental errors easily committed by practitioners.

Second are issues in personal conduct. These include lacking compassion for sentient beings; failing in filial piety toward parents or kindness toward spouse and children; family disharmony and strained kinship relations; being unvirtuous and unjust; deceiving the poor and suffering; defaulting on debts or cheating in trade measurements; using harsh words to hurt others or lying to deceive people. Such behaviors erode the foundation of spiritual cultivation.

Third are social relationship problems. Examples include acting arrogantly while serving as ruler or official; seeking wealth and status through improper means; being miserly and greedy; killing living creatures for culinary pleasure; disrespecting teachers and friends; deceiving upright companions; looking down on or neglecting mentors; mocking teachers' mistakes; failing to properly instruct disciples; or hiding authentic scriptures while spreading false teachings. These behaviors damage a cultivator's social connections.

Fourth are issues of faith. These include lacking belief in the Three Treasures (Dao, scriptures, and teachers); showing no reverence toward spirits; worshiping malevolent deities; envying others' talents while boasting about oneself; refusing to share merit with others; stubbornly clinging to opinions while pretending to understand; indulging in sensual pleasures; abandoning true teachings to follow false paths; coveting lesser spiritual vehicles; or yearning for heterodox practices. These all demonstrate wavering spiritual conviction.

Finally, the text mentions specific misdeeds: plotting against rulers; disobeying sovereigns and fathers; rulers and fathers acting without virtue; disrespecting the sun, moon, and stars; blaming others for present misfortunes caused by unresolved karmic debts from past lives; betraying a teacher's kindness; or practicing fraud in loans and transactions.

These "grave illnesses" essentially encompass all potential faults a cultivator might commit across personal cultivation, social relationships, and spiritual pursuit—serving as reminders for Dao practitioners to constantly examine their words and deeds.

This scripture enumerates seventy-two "major illnesses" (grave faults) that practitioners should avoid, revealing Daoism's core emphasis on purity of body-mind and harmony with nature in spiritual cultivation.

First, it identifies indulgent behaviors in daily life as serious impediments to practice: excessive drinking, gluttony, craving bloody meats, and overconsumption of the "five pungents" (stimulant foods like onions and garlic) all damage cultivation. Irregular daily rhythms, lack of compassion, giving in to anger or jealousy during purification days (special Daoist practice periods), killing living beings or breaking precepts—these constitute major transgressions.

Interpersonal conduct also carries numerous prohibitions: couples disregarding Yin-Yang keyi (Daoist dual cultivation norms), mocking the poor or ill, gossiping about others' faults, envying others' successes—all corrupt one's De (Virtue). Environmental violations like polluting water sources, felling trees, or improper burial of killed creatures are considered grave offenses against celestial principles.

Deeper obstacles to cultivation include: hoarding wealth while refusing to study teachings that dissolve karma, disbelieving in cause-effect and reincarnation, denying spirit-world existence, withholding charity from the poor, amassing treasures, or ignoring those in mortal danger. Such behaviors condemn practitioners to prolonged cycles of rebirth.

The text particularly emphasizes how the "Four Great Elements" (earth, water, fire, wind—Daoism's fundamental components of the physical body) form the root of suffering. True awakening comes through realizing the truth of "no four elements"—understanding the body's illusory nature to transcend rebirth. Attachment to physical form traps one endlessly within the Five Paths (celestial, human, animal, hungry ghost, and hell realms).

Ultimately, it reveals cultivation's true essence: through "transforming form and dispersing Qi" practice, one may manifest as seventy-two sages (enlightened beings of varying attainment), realizing the profound state where "being contains non-being, non-being contains being." Superior practitioners transform "Qi-less" states into their true Shen (spirit) form, while lesser ones cling to the "Qi-filled" physical body. Only by seeing through the body's illusion can one attain the achievement of enduring vision and lasting life.

This scripture expounds the philosophy of impermanence in life and death, along with methods for Daoist liberation. The essence is as follows:

In this world, nothing remains eternal. All things grow in spring, flourish in summer, wither in autumn, and perish in winter—this is the natural order. Joy is always fleeting, while suffering lingers. The pain brought by death is especially profound, as the human spirit struggles to transcend, remaining trapped in anguish through the long night.

Yet the scripture reveals that what we call the "self" is ultimately illusory—"my death is not death, my life is not life either." This suffering appears to belong to me, yet it is not the true self; the "self" that knows no suffering is our original essence. Most beings remain bound by this duality of life and death, unable to attain liberation.

The Celestial Worthy (Tianshi, the highest Daoist deity) teaches the path to liberation: one must cultivate the Great Vehicle (Dacheng) teachings and purify body and mind through fasting (zhai). Specific methods include:

1. Wearing the talismans (fulu) of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, Dongshen)

2. Upholding the scriptures (jing) of the Three Caverns

3. Practicing uninterrupted scripture recitation for six periods daily (ancient timekeeping divided the day into twelve two-hour periods)

These six periods correspond to overcoming the desires of the six senses:

• First period: Eliminating the eye's craving for form
• Second period: Eliminating the nose's craving for fragrance
• Third period: Eliminating the mouth's craving for taste
• Fourth period: Eliminating the ear's craving for sound
• Fifth period: Eliminating the mind's craving for thoughts
• Sixth period: Eliminating the body's craving for touch

Persistent practice eradicates the six emotions (joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, love, and hatred) and awakens six wisdoms, culminating in the perfection of the six paramitas (generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom). At this stage, one transcends demonic obstacles, attains spiritual powers (shentong), and reaches a state of enduring vision (chang sheng jiu shi)—free from sorrow and affliction.

The scripture also highlights two key practices:

1. Lighting Lamps: Symbolizing the illumination of the dark realms with wisdom's light to liberate ancestors of seven generations and all sentient beings.

2. Burning Incense: Using precious fragrances like aloeswood and sandalwood to purify the impurities of the Three Realms (desire, form, and formlessness), transforming hell into a fragrant paradise. A special immortal herb called "ghost medicine" or "yilan" is mentioned—its fragrance spreads four hundred miles, curing karmic illnesses of beings.

Through these practices, one ultimately dissolves the six emotions and five constants (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness), repaying five kinds of grace: the grace of parents, teachers, rulers, sentient beings, and heaven and earth.

This scripture primarily describes two supernatural abilities attained by Daoist practitioners through disciplined cultivation: universal hearing (extraordinary auditory perception) and universal sight (extraordinary visual perception).

Regarding "universal hearing," the practitioner can simultaneously perceive all worldly sounds without confusion. These include celestial music from heavenly realms, the dharma teachings of various heavens, the harmonious calls of dragons and phoenixes, and other sacred sounds. They also encompass earthly sounds like royal court music, military drills, scholars reciting poetry, as well as virtuous sounds such as Daoists chanting scriptures, teachers instructing children, and healers treating the sick. Simultaneously, the practitioner discerns distressing sounds - the wails of suffering souls in hell, the cries of slaughtered animals, and human conflicts with perfect clarity. This represents a special ability gained through disciplined practice.

Concerning "universal sight," the practitioner perceives visions beyond ordinary human sight. These include majestic scenes of celestial beings expounding the dharma, the profound patterns of solar and lunar movements, the natural interplay of Yin-Yang, and auspicious manifestations like dancing dragons and phoenixes. Such extraordinary vision similarly results from rigorous cultivation.

The scripture particularly emphasizes these abilities are not illusory but represent genuine states of spiritual attainment. Through steadfast adherence to precepts and diligent practice, practitioners gradually develop these transcendent perceptual capacities. The text mentions the "Five Virtues" (referring to fundamental ethical principles) as the foundation of cultivation, which include social ethics like respecting rulers and caring for common people.

This scripture describes the supernatural abilities attained by practitioners through strict observance of precepts, categorized into four aspects: eyes, nose, mouth, and hands.

When various scenes unfold between heaven and earth—such as celestial venerables guiding beings through the skies, rulers and ministers indulging in pleasures, Daoist masters expounding scriptures, people repenting their wrongdoings, the grief of life-and-death partings, suffering in hell realms, prisoners enduring punishment, those starving and parched, animals preying on one another, sacrificial killings, licentious depravity, slander and falsehood, treacherous jealousy, laziness and complaints—the practitioner can clearly perceive all without being deluded. This is the supernatural power gained through maintaining the precepts of the eyes.

The practitioner can smell all wondrous fragrances of heaven and earth: the natural incense of celestial realms like Tuoluo, Shamoni, and Botiman, the scents of blue, white, and purple blossoms, the golden diamond-hued aromas, the bodily fragrance of high-ranking perfected beings (Xianzhen) from the ten directions, the breath of celestial maidens, sandalwood and aloeswood, green osmanthus, benzoin resin, various medicinal herbs, and the natural scent of pure youths—all discerned without attachment. This is the supernatural power gained through maintaining the precepts of the nose.

The practitioner can taste all celestial delicacies: the sweet and numinous flavors, the essence of sun and moon, the profound taste of neither-born-nor-perished, the medicinal savor of green waters and yellow essence, the sweetness of pine and cypress—all appreciated without craving. This is the supernatural power gained through maintaining the precepts of the mouth.

Finally, the supernatural power of hand precepts: without deliberate seeking, the hands naturally attain abundance; without forced action, they achieve perfect fulfillment; through stillness, equilibrium is obtained. These four supernatural abilities are all special powers cultivated through rigorous observance of precepts.

This scripture expounds the principle of attaining supernatural powers through cultivating one's inner nature and observing precepts. When inner cultivation reaches its ultimate state, one naturally achieves wondrous realms without deliberate effort—objects come without being grasped, items rise without being held, vessels overflow without being filled—all through resonance with divine consciousness.

The seventh section specifically discusses the profound functions of cultivated consciousness: A disciplined mind can govern the Three Realms (Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm), operate the cosmos, subdue demons, and enlighten spirits. It can manifest palaces and pavilions, harmonize Yin-Yang energies, and guide the movements of sun and moon. It can sanctify ritual spaces and roam with celestial immortals (higher deities). Where consciousness extends, it transforms into radiant light to enter microscopic realms or manifest grand visions, commanding natural elements like water, fire, wind, and earth. Such a mind can deliver all beings, liberate souls from hell realms, resolve calamities and afflictions, and assume myriad forms without losing its original nature—all abilities attained through disciplined practice and precept observance.

The Celestial Worthy (supreme Daoist deity) reveals: Our physical form, composed of the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind), can attain various supernatural powers in this very life by following the Dharma and upholding precepts. Though not yet realizing the ultimate Dao, one gains divine-like freedom. Through progressive cultivation from foundational to profound stages, practitioners ultimately achieve eternal life, transcending the sufferings of the Three Wretched Paths (hell, hungry ghosts, animal realms).

The eighth section illuminates the cultivation path for all truth-seekers: Whether aspiring to shape-shift and fly, ingest elixirs (dan), practice breath regulation (tuna), conduct energy guidance (daoyin), study scriptures, traverse the Great Void, ride dragons and phoenixes, dwell in pure realms, transcend time and space, subdue demon armies, surpass existence and non-existence, or accomplish great deeds—devoted recitation and study of this scripture fulfills all aspirations. The text particularly emphasizes that these miraculous abilities fundamentally arise from "abiding in Wuwei (non-action)"—cultivating through natural spontaneity without forced striving.

This scripture expounds the miraculous effects attainable through devout recitation of the Dongxuan Lingbao Scripture of the Supreme Perfected One's Inquiry into Illness. With sincere practice of this classic, one may realize various inconceivable aspirations.

The text enumerates over twenty types of attainable blessings: the ability to transform size and form at will, to adapt to all environments between heaven and earth across mountains and seas, to regulate heat and cold, hardness and softness; to behold the Perfected Ones (Daoist accomplished practitioners) of the ten directions and hear their teachings simply by wishing it; to witness spontaneously formed celestial palaces and heavenly music and dance as desired; even to perceive the true forms of exalted deities like the Thirty-Two Heaven Lords ruling Mount Sumeru (a celestial realm shared by Buddhist and Daoist cosmology), the Heavenly King of Brahma Qi (a high Daoist deity), and the Wheel-Turning Sacred Monarch (an ideal Buddhist ruler).

Further described are visions of celestial generals, heavenly kings and princes across realms, demon kings' palaces, the Three Realms' spirits (celestial, terrestrial, and aquatic deities), the Solar Valley Divine King (ruler of sunrise regions), the Five Directional Thearchs (Blue, Red, Yellow, White, and Black Emperors), along with the true forms of divine creatures like dragons and phoenixes. Most notably, the text emphasizes that whether seeking a body of wisdom and intelligence, or liberation from poverty and misfortune to obtain blessings, all can be achieved through devoted scripture recitation.

These descriptions exemplify the Daoist concept of "scriptural resonance," where earnest engagement with sacred texts enables practitioners to commune with divine beings, thereby attaining various supernatural powers and karmic rewards.

This scripture expounds how disseminating Daoist teachings (preaching the doctrine) can bring various blessings and fulfill wishes. The text enumerates multiple scenarios:

Those wishing to change gender will ultimately achieve their desire for transformation through teaching the Dao. Aspiring recluses or spiritual guides (Daoist cultivation instructors) will realize their aspirations by propagating the teachings. Those seeking to subdue demons and spirits, pray for worldly peace, or resolve disturbances in dwellings and burial sites—all such wishes will be fulfilled through sharing the doctrine.

The scripture further states that teaching the Dao resolves numerous predicaments: eliminating recurring misfortunes and bereavements within households, dispelling worldly taboos and ghostly disturbances, attaining official success, solving livelihood problems, and reconciling enmities. Whether desiring rebirth in blessed lands or regions of Daoist practice, seeking familial prosperity and harmonious descendants, or aspiring to reincarnate into noble households—all these aspirations can be realized through spreading the teachings.

However, the text observes that many cannot comprehend these authentic instructions. If one makes offerings to Dharma teachers (preachers) with incense lamps, food, treasures, ceremonial canopies, banners, silken hangings, garments, bedding, elevated seats, or temple halls, and maintains such practice steadfastly, they will reap abundant rewards—like planting a single seed that yields ten thousandfold fruits.

The concluding section reveals that during the previous kalpa (cosmic cycle), all beings attained the Dao through different practices: those making offerings to the Three Treasures (Dao, scriptures, and teachers), reciters of cavern scriptures (Dongjing), observers of purification precepts, practitioners of Qi cultivation and daoyin exercises, those submitting memorials to the Five Sacred Peaks and Three Rivers during specific seasons, and devotees offering robes to Dharma teachers—all these practitioners achieved genuine realization long ago.

This scripture primarily expounds on two key aspects: first, it enumerates various virtuous deeds and merits, illustrating how practitioners of good can attain Dao-realization swiftly; second, it describes how the Celestial Worthy (the supreme deity in Daoism) embraces all beings with parental compassion for universal salvation.

The first section lists twenty types of virtuous acts that accelerate one's path to Dao-realization: these include charitable giving, releasing captive creatures, contributing to the construction of Daoist temples and meditation spaces, supporting ordained masters, assisting others in scripture recitation, participating in zhaijiao (purification rituals), repenting and reforming after hearing Daoist teachings, maintaining compassionate hearts, aiding the impoverished and vulnerable, lighting lamps at night to illuminate darkness, and upholding orthodox teachings. The text states that such deeds are recorded in the celestial registers known as "golden tablets and jade slips" (Daoist immortal records of merits and faults), resulting from virtuous karma accumulated in past lives.

The second section employs the metaphor of "virtue covering all" (symbolizing compassionate embrace) to illustrate the Celestial Worthy's boundless grace. The Celestial Worthy proclaims parental care for all beings, offering protection like fish finding deep waters, children reunited with mothers, the hungry receiving nourishment, the sick obtaining skilled physicians, the poor discovering treasures, or prisoners granted amnesty. The teachings of the Celestial Worthy rain down like nourishing clouds upon all creation, yet beings remain oblivious to this benevolence. The scripture concludes with a solemn warning: those who disregard these teachings and neglect cultivation will fall into the wretched paths of hell, while diligent practice alone can eradicate karmic obstacles and yield the fruits of eternal bliss.

This chapter expounds the karmic principle of retribution, where evil deeds committed in past lives manifest as corresponding suffering in the present existence. The text details specific cause-and-effect relationships:

Those who murdered others or exterminated lineages in past lives will be left without descendants in this life. Those who killed infants or aborted pregnancies will see their own children die young or bear offspring who become adversaries. Those who took pleasure in others' misfortunes will endure prolonged hardship, while those who envied others' gains and losses will frequently face slander.

Individuals who mocked the poor, stole, amassed wealth through deceit, or defaulted on debts will be reborn as oxen—burdened with toil, their minds fixated only on grass and water. Loan sharks will suffer destitution, while those who shunned the sick (such as lepers or those with sores) will contract the same diseases.

Those who resented the intelligent will be reborn dull-witted; those who defiled sacred spaces by wearing shoes will suffer leg disabilities. Nighttime burglars will be born blind, while the wealthy who hoarded riches without aiding the poor will reincarnate as barbarians in uncivilized lands.

Pretending to hear (while ignoring others) or despising the deaf leads to deafness; incest transforms one into donkeys or horses. Those who slaughtered creatures for meat will become livestock hunted to repay karmic debts. Burying living beings as grave offerings condemns one to rebirth as those very creatures.

Killing another's son-in-law results in unwed daughters; murdering wives leaves one wifeless. Obstructing others' education brings ignorance, while officials who framed colleagues will themselves be falsely accused.

Stealing ritual offerings to spirits brings perpetual hunger; verbal abuse leads to being cursed or rebirth as dogs. Drunken violence begets madness, and filial impiety ensures one's own children will be unfilial.

(Note: "Kanke" denotes persistent adversity; "borderland tribes" refer to uncivilized regions; "six domestic animals" include horses, cattle, sheep, chickens, dogs, and pigs.)

This scripture elucidates the principle of karmic retribution, which in modern terms means: your present life circumstances are the direct result of past actions.

First, examples of negative karma: Unfilial children today result from parents lacking kindness toward siblings and spouses in past lives; families plagued by constant quarrels and public ridicule stem from past lives spent wishing others to serve as one's slaves; those born into servitude now are reaping the consequences of having wished enslavement upon others. These karmic threads are infinitely complex—here we merely cite simple illustrations.

Now for positive karmic rewards: Present wealth springs from past generosity; becoming a ruler derives from devout offerings to the Three Treasures (Dao, scriptures, and masters in Daoism; or Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha in Buddhism); becoming a teacher who skillfully guides multitudes originates from past devotion to the Great Vehicle (Mahayana) teachings; wisdom and intelligence grow from diligent scripture study in former lives; being revered by others comes from strict moral discipline in the past; having ample clothing and food results from past charity to the poor; attaining high office arises from past harmlessness toward living beings; dignified appearance stems from never slandering the Three Treasures; eloquent speech springs from expounding Mahayana texts; being trusted derives from past care for all beings; receiving deference from others comes from having supported others' virtuous deeds.

These karmic consequences operate as naturally as the sun and moon's movements, ocean tides, seasonal cycles, and the Five Phases' (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) rotations—as precise as a turning wheel. The scripture concludes with urgent questions: Do you understand now? Have you awakened? Can you accept this truth? Will you henceforth guard your words and deeds?

(Note: The "Three Treasures" refer to either Daoist triad of Dao, scriptures, and masters, or the Buddhist triad of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; "Great Vehicle" denotes the universal salvation path; "six sensory faculties" indicate the functions of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind.)

This scripture depicts a dialogue between the Primordial True Being (Wushi Zhenren) and the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun), revealing profound Daoist teachings concerning kalpas (cosmic cycles), spiritual cultivation, and ultimate truth.

The assembled audience rejoiced and marveled, yearning to comprehend the profound mysteries spoken by the Celestial Worthy. The Primordial True Being explained that the essence of Tianzun's teachings was supremely subtle, capable of turning all beings back toward the Dao. Yet, the stages and methods of cultivation involved were countless—billions in number—and many beings still struggled to grasp them. He emphasized that only the "Dao" can understand the "Dao," only the "True" can recognize the "True," and only "Non-Being" (Wu) can fathom "Non-Being."

Declaring himself the "Primordial Celestial Master" (Wushi Tianshi) who would propagate the Great Vehicle of the Supreme Venerable Lord (Taishang) in the final kalpa, the Primordial True Being observed that many present had yet to awaken. He illustrated this with metaphors: The kalpic manifestations of Tianzun (his divine forms across cosmic cycles) were like a palace in the Valley of the Sun, containing a Water Spirit Terrace spanning 800,000 li, filled with golden sand. Each grain was as tiny as a mustard seed, vanishing one by one every ten thousand years—only when all had disappeared would a minor kalpa be complete. Similarly, the 180 Kunlun Mountains of the north governed 38,000 worlds, and only when all their peaks and lands dissolved into dust scattered through the void would a major kalpic manifestation of Tianzun be fulfilled.

The Primordial True Being lamented that even after such vast kalpic cycles, beings remained unenlightened. Not only ordinary devotees but even celestial emperors and disciples of the fourfold assembly struggled to fully comprehend, let alone beings in this turbid age. He noted that the seven stages of cultivation—faith, knowledge, awakening, acceptance, encounter, vision, and devotion—were all difficult to attain, making the transmission of teachings by masters an arduous task.

Finally, the text reveals that the Daode Jing's five thousand words are the "Treasure of Luminous Radiance" (Lingyao Baozang), and that the divine spirits within Tianzun's five bodily forms (head, hands, and feet) are also manifestations of Laozi. Five hundred Laozi figures jointly expounded these teachings: "Ling" (Spirit) is the father of all beings, "Bao" (Treasure) is their mother, "Yao" (Radiance) is the sunlight illuminating all things, and "Zang" (Storehouse) is the source that embraces all existence. The Celestial Worthy observes all beings across billions of Sumeru worlds (the central cosmic realms in Buddhist cosmology)—whether virtuous or wicked, practicing or not, human or non-human, in every conceivable form of life.

This scripture primarily expounds on the relationship between the cycle of rebirth and the retribution of good and evil. It states that for all sentient beings—whether born from womb, egg, or transformation—every evil deed manifests clearly before me. People often turn a blind eye to truths right before their eyes: some claim the True Sages (referring to Daoist deities) are too distant, while others deny the very existence of divine beings.

The text emphasizes the paramount importance of filial piety: honoring one’s parents invites the protection of spiritual Qi, while unfilial conduct invites calamity. Womb-born parents are merely temporary dwellings due to karmic conditions—a truth few truly grasp. Practicing the Great Vehicle (referring to the highest Daoist cultivation) requires accumulating virtuous affinities. If one’s merit is insufficient, they will continue revolving through rebirth. However, those who preserve an unbroken root of blessings will be reborn into noble and virtuous families, endowed with dignified features, guided by benevolent spirits, mentored by enlightened teachers, buried in geomantically auspicious land, wed to worthy spouses, and blessed with prosperity.

Conversely, those who reject the Three Treasures (Dao, scriptures, and teachers), slander sages, and act unvirtuously will be reborn into impoverished and lowly households. Such individuals encounter mediocre teachers, are buried in inauspicious land, marry crude spouses, suffer financial ruin and legal troubles, lack the protection of benevolent spirits, and are instead harassed by malevolent deities. These outcomes stem from past-life karma, as each person’s fate is governed by their corresponding constellation (Daoism teaches that one’s birth is overseen by a specific stellar deity)—the virtuous belong to auspicious stars, the wicked to baleful ones.

The scripture clarifies that the laws of birth, death, and rebirth are unequivocal. Unless one attains the Great Vehicle, escape is nearly impossible. Yet sentient beings often misguidedly follow heterodox teachings. The text mentions 198 such heterodox paths, all of which are actually manifestations of the Celestial Worthy (the supreme deity in Daoism). Because beings across the ten directions possess diverse dispositions—some disbelieving in spirits—the Celestial Worthy employs varied methods to teach, accommodating their capacities to gradually guide them toward the true path.

Finally, it elucidates the essence of "Orthodox Unity" (Zhengyi, the foundational Daoist doctrine): it transcends distinctions of inner and outer, surface and depth, refined and coarse, and avoids dualistic opposition. The key to cultivation lies in the mind, and the principles of the hidden and manifest are profoundly subtle. Beings should maintain reverence—whether they perceive the divine or not, whether they fear it or not, they should act as if in the presence of the sacred. Whether cultivating or not, they should uphold the mindset of cultivation. The scripture states that adhering to these 360 precepts (referring to the complete ethical code) enables one to discern truth from falsehood. This text exists to illuminate these truths.

This scripture primarily expounds the supreme truth and cultivation methods transmitted by the Celestial Worthy (the highest deity in Daoism). The golden words spoken by the Celestial Worthy must not be disparaged or treated lightly—those who disrespect them will incur misfortune, while those who revere them will receive blessings. Those aspiring to the Great Vehicle (Dacheng) path should devoutly venerate and recite the scriptures, deeply contemplating their true meaning. By doing so, they can dissolve present-life transgressions, eradicate karmic obstacles from past lives, deliver nine generations of ancestors from calamities, and relieve all suffering. In future quests for the Dao, this practice will purify the spirit (Shen), garner protection from deities and spirits, and even command reverence from demon kings. However, to receive such authentic transmission, one must prepare gold, silver, and treasures as tokens of sincerity and observe prolonged purification (Changzhai) for a thousand days before the teachings can be conferred.

The Primordial Perfected Being (Wushi Zhenren, a high-ranking Daoist immortal) revealed that the "non-action" (Wuwei) he realized is, in essence, the fundamental Qi (vital energy) underlying all phenomena. "Primordial" (Shi) signifies the condensed Jing (essence) of all things, wherein the principles of life, death, and rebirth manifest within one's own body. The scripture enumerates ten symbolic names: Dragon's Fang Mountain, Dragon's Body, Dragon's Liver, Phoenix's Cry, Lion's Head, Minor Kalpa, Eternal Abode, Present Reality, Future Dawn, and Past Epoch—each representing different manifestations of the Dao. This divine mountain spans 800 trillion li in circumference, with Qihua trees at its base covering 40 trillion li. Every kalpa (an immense cosmic cycle), the highest sages and perfected beings descend to this mountain to expound the Great Vehicle scriptures, gathering multitudes to listen to the Dharma.

The Celestial Worthy expounded the teachings through myriad methods, enabling each listener to comprehend according to their innate capacity. Even the kings of birds and insects grasped the same truth. This sacred mountain features a platform of gold, steps of silver, trees of the seven treasures (seven precious substances), and blossoms of auspicious clouds—a dwelling place for dragons, phoenixes, and celestial beasts. Countless beings have never witnessed such splendor.

Through great compassion, the Celestial Worthy revealed the form of this mountain, a manifestation of karmic affinity from past cultivation. All who diligently practice the Great Vehicle will ultimately reach this realm. At its summit lies a palace of the seven treasures, resonating with celestial music, where seasons do not change and the harmony of Yin-Yang remains eternally balanced. The Great Vehicle scriptures are but a fragment of the truth; dispersed, they could take 100 million forms, too vast for dragon-drawn chariots to carry or the waters of the Eastern Well (Dongjing constellation) to match. This truth is the "Five Thousand Characters" (the Daode Jing), which is simultaneously emptiness, void, non-being, and existence—heaven, earth, and the myriad things. The eternal perfected beings of the ten directions contemplate this truth without weariness. Every single character is a hidden name of the Celestial Worthy, ever revealed to worldly beings, though few comprehend it. In later ages, only those who attain the Dao, along with sages, the wise, and Confucian scholars, will grasp its true meaning.

This scripture expounds the essential principles of spiritual cultivation. The Primordial Heavenly Sovereign (one of Daoism's supreme deities) reveals that while the methods for nurturing life through the Dao are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, the key lies in focusing on fundamentals. Practices like ingesting talisman water (fulu) or performing breathing exercises (daoyin) – ancient longevity techniques – yield limited results without proper cultivation. However, those who sincerely venerate this scripture, persisting in ritual worship, devoted recitation, and deep study with unwavering faith, may attain the fruit of ascension to immortality, with blessings extending to redeem nine generations of ancestors.

The text particularly emphasizes the principle of "taking the common people's heart as one's own heart," meaning cultivators should harmonize with ordinary human sentiments rather than judge others harshly. Many past practitioners became entangled in doctrinal debates, yet the True Lords embrace all sincere seekers regardless of their depth of understanding.

The hymn of the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign (Yuanshi Tianzun) unveils the profound mysteries within the five thousand characters of the Daode Jing: The supreme Dao itself leaves no trace in its formless state, yet becomes unfathomable upon manifesting through differentiation. The Three Treasures (Jing-Qi-Shen) unite within the body's sovereign (the inner deities), and the Three Vehicles of cultivation ultimately share one essence. However, sentient beings often dwell in doubt, requiring skillful teachings for awakening. Those who sever karmic afflictions transcend the sufferings of aging and illness, riding auspicious clouds to attain the Dao, roaming the celestial void in company of perfected immortals.

A final warning cautions later students: Those who cultivate with lax effort, divided faith, or jealous hearts risk sinking into the Ninefold Nether Darkness (Daoism's deepest underworld), cycling endlessly among the Three Wretched Realms (hells, hungry ghosts, and beasts), forever severed from auspicious fruits. Practitioners of past kalpas obsessed with physical immortality became burdened by worldly attachments – anxieties over spouses, children, wealth, illness, mortality, and poverty. These very attachments obstruct the path to longevity, for only by transcending such mundane concerns can one attain true freedom from sorrow.

This scripture passage primarily addresses common misconceptions about life and death, spiritual cultivation, and filial piety, while presenting the correct path of practice. Through contrasting worldly people with genuine Daoist practitioners, it reveals the futility of conventional approaches.

The text observes that ordinary people only cherish their physical bodies (composed of the "Four Great Elements" of earth, water, fire, and wind), neglecting to nurture their inner spirit (Shen). Like abandoned houses that cannot endure, when the spirit disperses after death, one becomes trapped in the cycle of rebirth without liberation. Ignorant individuals construct lavish tombs and conduct extravagant burials with animal sacrifices, mistakenly believing this demonstrates filial piety, unaware these acts actually increase the deceased's karmic burdens in the underworld.

True cultivators seek swift transcendence from samsaric cycles, unconcerned with lifespan. When adepts with incomplete merit must depart, disciples should invite Daoist priests to conduct a 21-day "Three-Seven Purification" (Sanqi Zhai) ceremony: during the first seven days, the Water Official (Daoist deity governing water realms) absolves sins; the next seven days, the Earth Official (deity of land) resolves transgressions; the final seven days liberates beings across the Three Realms from hellish suffering. Throughout this period, practitioners recite the Five Thousand Character Classic (Daode Jing) ten times while making offerings to the priests and the Three Treasures of Daoism (Dao, Scriptures, and Teachers).

The scripture criticizes those who fail to accumulate virtue (establish fields of merit) during life yet bury treasures and fine garments with the dead—these worldly possessions become spiritual burdens. Simple seasonal burial garments suffice. Finally, the Primordial True Being (Wushi Zhenren, a Daoist deity) prophesies future generations becoming increasingly restless and superficial, requiring wise teachers to transmit these truths.

The core teachings emphasize: genuine filial piety manifests through purification rituals (Zhaijiao) that assist souls' liberation, not materialistic burials; true cultivation focuses on spiritual transcendence rather than physical longevity.

This scripture primarily discusses two main themes: the first part examines the distinction between worldly rituals and Daoist cultivation, while the latter emphasizes the proper mindset for practitioners.

Regarding worldly rituals, the text clarifies: Conventional mourning customs—such as wearing mourning garments for deceased parents, siblings, uncles, aunts, and other relatives—are established norms for ordinary people. Those pursuing the supreme Dao should not be bound by such conventions. When a cultivator's parents pass away, they should focus on accumulating merit (De) for them, praying they may be reborn as "true parents" (transcendent immortals freed from the cycle of reincarnation) rather than clinging to worldly memorial rites. Excessive attachment to funeral rituals disrupts the cultivator's heart-mind and becomes a source of confusion.

The Primordial Perfected Being (Wushi Zhenren, a high-ranking Daoist immortal) admonishes later disciples: The gravest error is insatiable greed and violating ethical principles for personal gain. Such individuals may study scriptures, wear talismans (Fulu), practice Daoyin breathing techniques, observe fasting rituals, ingest elixirs, or regulate diets—yet these become mere physical exertions in vain. Though appearing to cultivate immortality externally, they remain utterly disconnected from the Daoist path and will incur celestial retribution more swiftly. The Dao is not a tool for fame or profit; those who exploit cultivation for worldly ends will be slain by malevolent spirits after death, descending into hell realms.

A true cultivator should nurture this mindset: maintain equal kindness toward insects and ants, livestock, birds and beasts, spirits and deities, virtuous and wicked people alike—even extending this benevolent regard to trees and all beings without the slightest trace of anger or blame. Those who achieve this will receive protection from divine beings and recommendations from the Three Realms (Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm), naturally attaining true immortality.

Finally, the Primordial Perfected Being declares: The Celestial Worthy (Tianzun, the supreme Daoist deity) and he perceive all past and future events with crystalline clarity, as if reflecting them in a mirror. At this moment, the Celestial Worthy emits violet light from his forehead, illuminating the ten directions—countless world-systems including Mount Kunlun. All beings witness this golden radiance, from which emanate hundreds of sublime harmonies. Following the light, they arrive unknowingly beneath the Qionghua Tree (a celestial treasure-tree) to hear the Celestial Worthy expound the root of karma. Such manifestations of majestic spiritual power are exceedingly rare, perhaps occurring only once in a great kalpa (an immense cosmic cycle). Practitioners should cherish these opportunities for profound cultivation.

The Celestial Worthy (the supreme deity in Daoism) possesses supreme power and divine abilities for the purpose of saving all sentient beings. This power is like the invisible presence within the Three Realms (the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm)—unseen yet emitting a vast resonance, intangible yet containing immense energy, akin to the sun, moon, and stars moving naturally through the void without attachment to any object.

The human body operates in the same way. When the Qi (vital energy) flows smoothly within, one can resonate with divine power. If a person maintains their pure innate nature, their true essence will remain with them—those who revere the divine will receive divine protection; those who cherish their spiritual nature will be embraced by it. But if one forgets their Qi, it will depart; if one neglects the Dao (the Way), the Dao will distance itself.

Those with virtuous affinity will progress from brightness to greater brightness, from awakening to deeper awakening, from liberation to greater liberation, from joy to higher joy. Conversely, those without virtuous affinity will only descend from faults into greater faults, from darkness into deeper darkness, from suffering into more suffering. These are the root causes of the cycle of rebirth for all beings.

In the coming kalpa of calamity, those who can believe, practice, uphold, cultivate, perform good deeds, and strive diligently are true masters of the Dao. They correctly transmit the teachings of the Celestial Worthy, guiding sentient beings into the Dharma gate, freeing themselves from the bonds of life and death through fasting, scripture recitation, repentance, and prayer. There are many specific rituals, which later sages will compile in detail.

The accumulation of merit begins with small steps: from one to ten, from a hundred to a thousand, from a thousand to ten thousand. Offerings of silk, treasures, and alms should be prepared for the Zhaiguan (Daoist priests presiding over rituals), divided into three portions: one to venerate the Three Precious Masters (scripture masters, register masters, and salvation masters) of Lingbao, one to venerate the supreme sacred beings, and one to support those with virtuous affinity. Such offerings embody the dialectical relationship between "being" and "non-being," manifesting the true Dao in the interplay between existence and emptiness.

The Zhenren (Perfected Being) further explains: of the three portions, one is given to the Zhaiguan, one to the Dharma-transmitting master (to be offered continuously for one to three years), and one to the salvation master and ancestral masters. If the latter two are no longer in this world, the offerings should be entrusted to the register master to handle according to the laws of the Three Heavens (Qingwei Heaven, Yuqing Heaven, and Dachi Heaven).

Attaining the title of Zhenren has strict criteria and remains distant from the supreme Dao. Though Zhenren possess supernatural abilities and can command spirits, they must still accumulate merit continuously, endure kalpas of refinement, and progress diligently to gradually approach the highest realm. These achievers are the result of cultivation over countless kalpas—not something attained overnight.

Life is deeply intertwined with the karma of darkness. If one regresses due to negligence, they will sink back into the cycle of the Five Paths (the path of gods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell-beings). Following the teachings of the Celestial Worthy, in the coming kalpa of calamity, I will guide sentient beings like a parent teaching their children, helping them understand how to distance themselves from evil deeds. Please contemplate these teachings carefully.

This scripture expounds the essential principles of Daoist cultivation and the merits of scripture recitation. The core teachings reveal:

The cosmos operates according to inherent patterns, and only the appearance of a Celestial Master (Tianshi, the highest Daoist adept) can properly align with these rhythms. Authentic scriptural teachings make no distinction between great and small, earlier and later, or superior and inferior—all are fundamentally interconnected. Various graded scriptures like the Ancient Rules of Xuandu, the Thirty-One Scrolls of Yuqing, the Thirty-Six Scrolls of Ziwei, and the Three Scrolls of Taiqing were all established by sages to deliver sentient beings.

The crux of cultivation lies in inner refinement, as calamities often stem from internal disharmony rather than external causes. By maintaining mental serenity, one's spirit (Shen) and vital energy (Qi) naturally return to their proper positions—this is called "silent spirit" (Moshi, the meditative state of quieting the mind and preserving spirit). Superior cultivation follows the path of Wuwei (non-action) and natural spontaneity, while inferior practice exhausts body and mind. Only by eliminating karmic obstructions can the heart-mind achieve true peace, ultimately attaining the state of longevity and luminous vision.

The scripture particularly emphasizes the extraordinary merits of recitation: whether facing national disasters, ailing rulers, epidemic outbreaks, public suffering, celestial anomalies, famines, wars, family misfortunes, cultivation setbacks, or slanderous disputes—devout recitation of this Dongxuan Lingbao Scripture of the Supreme Perfected's Inquiry into Suffering will invoke divine response. When recited, the sound ascends to the Great Void (cosmic origin), summoning celestial deities who descend with such reverence that even demon kings bow in homage.

Through sustained practice, one ultimately unites with the Dao, manifesting thirty-two majestic marks of accomplishment: jet-black hair, a neck radiating purple light, crescent-moon eyebrows, keen hearing, lucid eyes, perfectly aligned white teeth, and other transcendent physical signs. These achievements naturally emerge through devoted scripture recitation and gradual entry into divine stillness.

This scripture describes essential techniques for regulating the body during Daoist cultivation. Practitioners must: rest the tongue flat to draw in lunar essence (yuejing) like channeling spring water, allowing saliva to moisten the throat. The spine (gaozhu) should stand straight and strong, while the hands remain supple yet capable of controlling both internal and external forces. The feet must be vigorous enough to tread the realm of mystical emptiness, and the heart-mind should maintain upright serenity to subdue demonic obstructions.

Each of the five viscera has corresponding cultivation methods: The liver (gan) should shine brightly with the steadfastness of Mount Tai (Daizong); the lungs (fei) must circulate white qi as pure as Mount Hua (Huayin); the kidneys (shen) require the abundant power of Mount Heng; the spleen (pi) receives qi with the fertile richness of Mount Song; while the gallbladder (dan) projects such awe-inspiring presence that spiritual power resonates within it.

The text emphasizes that these states can only be attained through dedicated practice, not by natural endowment. The five sacred mountains mentioned (Tai, Hua, Heng, and Song) serve as Daoist symbols corresponding to the five viscera in cultivation.