《無上祕要》Vol. 26
About this page. The original text of 《無上祕要》 Vol. 26 (Taiping 太平部, 67 volumes) is shown in Classical Chinese as transmitted in the Kanripo (Kyoto University) edition. An English interpretation of the 12 passages on this page accompanies it: select a passage or press “Interpretation” to show it. All texts in English
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Source textInterpretation
Wushang Biyao, Scroll 34: The Qualities of Teachers and Disciples
The Most High (Taishang) said: “If, in the future, you wish to spread the inner teachings of the Lingbao among the people, you must possess these eleven virtues. Only then will the people have faith in you, and you will be able to promote this scripture:
“First, be wholly sincere, and let no damage be done to your inner faith in the Dao.
“Second, aid orphans, widows, and the poor, and hold compassion in your heart.
“Third, urge people to turn away from evil and cultivate goodness, devoting yourselves to them as you would to your own children.
“Fourth, do not covet fame; treat praise and blame alike.
“Fifth, diligently perform rites of reverence and cultivate every kind of merit in private, as though you were among a crowd.
“Sixth, do not deceive others. Let the people trust you as they trust the turning of the four seasons.
“Seventh, be willing to give up worldly splendor; let no official rank attach to you.
“Eighth, keep apart from wife and children, and live in quiet solitude.
“Ninth, draw near to worthy and wise people, and ask widely about the good Dao.
“Tenth, the Great Dao is deep and hidden. Do not cling to your own views; discuss it with the worthy, and do not decide matters on your own.
“Eleventh, always treat people with humility and respect.
“Only when you possess these eleven qualities may you gain access to the inner teachings. You should diligently cultivate and study them.”
The Most High told Ziming: “Those who study the Dao hear the teachings as a hungry person longs for food. When they meet someone fit to be their teacher, it is like a sick person finding a doctor. Why be reluctant to humble yourselves? Be like the poor in this world, who toil for food and clothing and labor at another’s bidding, sparing no effort and making no distinction between the noble and the lowly, the young and the old, seeking only their pay.
“Those who study the Dao should be the same. In seeking the teachings and serving a teacher, make no distinction between noble and lowly, young and old. Do not say, ‘I am old and he is young,’ or, ‘He is a lowly person, while I am a lofty scholar.’ If you give rise to such thoughts, you remain bound by worldly feelings of birth and death and do not understand the essential truth of equality. Such a person can only hope in vain to make progress in studying the Dao.
“No one is noble or lowly by nature; whoever possesses the Dao is worthy of respect. An elder is not necessarily old in years. One must know and have seen much to be called a teacher. Do not say, ‘He began studying after me, while I began before him,’ and ask why you should then serve him as your teacher. Anyone who thinks this way is foolish and envious, and is not my disciple.
“The Dao calls for humility: yield to those with ability, defer to those with virtue, and follow what is good. Do not exalt yourself, look down on others, or insist that you alone are right and others are wrong. This is a grave failing among those who study the Dao. When you teach people in generations to come, be exceedingly careful.”
The Most High said: “Even if disciples receive the Dao from many teachers, they should still honor their original teacher—the one who first transmitted it to them.”
Essential Secrets of the Most High — A Plain-Language Interpretation
Disciples, too, should be humble. The reason is this: attaining the Dao and helping others transcend the world both depend on a teacher and a lineage of transmission. A teacher is like the root of a tree: only with roots can its branches flourish. Those who study the Dao take their original teacher as their foundation and gradually attain great wisdom. Once they have attained great wisdom, they can also attain lesser wisdom. It is like a tree growing branches from its roots, then roots from its branches: generation follows generation, and the lineage never ends. Through receiving the Dao from a teacher, one’s De (Virtue/Power) gradually increases. Even if one surpasses the original teacher, one should give back to that teacher. The saying “the Dao is precious, while people are insignificant” has a meaning much like this.
Daoling asked: “According to your revered teaching, does the original teacher still count as a disciple’s teacher? And what of the rites and formal procedures for receiving the Dao? Between an earlier teacher and a later one, whom should one honor first?”
The Great High One replied: “Both the earlier and later teachers should be respected. The original teacher is the root of one’s study of the Dao. A mountain begins with a single basket of earth and gradually grows tall; the original teacher is also the foundation that opens the way to learning. A later teacher helps bring one’s cultivation to completion. It is like preparing formal robes: even when all the garments are ready, one cannot take part in public affairs until the cap has been added. So it is with a later teacher. One may have studied the Dao for a long time, but if the higher methods remain incomplete, one still cannot attain the Dao.”
(The above is from the Scripture of Ascending to the Mystery.)
The Lord Yin recounted: “From the time I was a young child with my hair hanging down, I loved the Dao and De. I left home and followed a teacher, traveling east and west, north and south. I set aside the Five Classics and withdrew from the world, living in seclusion for more than twenty years beside famous mountains. When I was cold, I could not manage to put on clothes; when I was hungry, I could not manage to eat. I did not dare think of returning home, nor did I dare rest from my labors. I served the holy teacher, attending to his wishes and pleasing him. My face was grimy and my hands calloused. Only then did I receive his compassionate recognition…”
(The above is from the Scripture of Daoist Deeds.)
A good person is the teacher of one who is not good; one who is not good is a resource for the good person, a source of learning. If one does not honor one’s teacher or value this resource, then even if one believes oneself to be wise, one is in fact deluded. This is called the essential mystery.
(The above is from the Dao Scripture of Laozi.)
Laozi said: “If you study the Dao without a clear-sighted teacher, how can you resolve your doubts and difficulties? My Dao is as fine as a hair. Who can discern it clearly? Since the beginning of time, the stages I have passed through have stretched across countless kalpas, as numerous as grains of sand. I myself know how arduous and diligent the effort has been.”
(The above is from the Scripture of the Western Ascension.)
The Supreme Mystery One Perfected said: “A teacher is like a treasure. Without a teacher, learning cannot bring the Dao to completion. Without a teacher, one cannot be saved; without a teacher, one cannot become an immortal. Therefore, a teacher is like my father. A disciple must not treat a teacher lightly.”
Note: “Daoling” generally refers to Zhang Daoling, also known as Celestial Master Zhang. “Lord Yin” is often associated with legendary figures such as Yin Changsheng. “The above is from” indicates that the passage is excerpted from the scripture named.
A Plain-Language Reading of The Supreme Secret Essentials
1. Admonitions to Those Who Study the Dao
Only by sincerely respecting and caring for one’s teachers and following the Dao can one overcome demonic obstacles without harming oneself. Only then might one obtain the Eightfold Radiant Dragon Carriage, which welcomes immortals from the upper realm, and ascend through the Jade Gate of Taiji, the entrance to the immortals’ palace in the upper realm.
Now that you study the Way of Shangqing, you should aspire to ascend and enjoy immeasurable blessings for a long time. If you neglect your teachers and treat the practice of the Dao lightly, coveting only the empty fame of bodily ascension, it is like casting a luminous pearl into darkness: all your previous effort will come to nothing.
2. The Three Supreme Mysterious-Oneness Perfected Ones as Teachers of Salvation
(Based on the meaning of the Scripture of the Cavern Mystery’s Dharma Wheel)
First Teacher of Salvation: Yuluoqiao
The Supreme Mysterious-Oneness Perfected One Yuluoqiao said to the Left Immortal Lord of Taiji:
“Through many lifetimes, you have kept your thoughts and actions focused on the Dao, sacrificing yourself to save living beings. You have guided those with feelings toward salvation, and your kindness has extended even to plants and trees. You entrusted yourself to mountain forests, guarded your feelings and restrained your desires, respectfully honored your teacher, and never wearied of hardship. Your resolve has been firm and steadfast; thus you have attained supreme virtue. Your merit has moved the Purple Orchid Terrace, the Golden Gate, and the Shangqing Palace to bestow upon you jade writings in purple script. Your merit is lofty, and your conduct accords with that of the highest immortals. The Supreme One has appointed a Perfected One of Taiji as your Great Master of the Three Caverns. Now he has also sent me to serve as your First Teacher of Salvation. Take your seat again, and I will tell you the essential admonitions of the Dharma Wheel that guides beings toward salvation.”
Second Teacher of Salvation: Guangmiaoyin
The Second Supreme Mysterious-Oneness Perfected One, Guangmiaoyin, said to the Left Immortal Lord:
“Through cycles of birth and death, you have formed ties with goodness. Over many kalpas, you have accumulated merit, generation after generation without interruption. You abandoned honor and salary, withdrew into secluded valleys, and endured hunger, cold, and danger, keeping your thoughts on the Dao without complaint. You revered your teacher and the Three Treasures, as constantly as if standing before the divine. You were kind, gentle, and compliant, cheerful whether sitting or rising. You undertook prolonged purification and painstaking reflection, never daring to neglect them. Your essence responded with clarity and became concentrated; therefore, your name has been listed among the beings of Shangqing. The Supreme One has appointed me as your Second Teacher of Salvation. I will explain in full the essential admonitions concerning the Three Paths of Suffering, the Five Sorrows, and the roots of life and death.”
Third Teacher of Salvation: Zhendingguang
The Third Supreme Mysterious-Oneness Perfected One, Zhendingguang, said to the Left Immortal Lord:
“For seven generations, your family has been blessed by your kindness. You gave up food from your own mouth to save the poor; your benevolence reached birds and beasts and brought blessings to your descendants. You also served your teacher diligently and wholeheartedly: in the cold, you gave no thought to fur garments; when hungry, you were not picky about food. You endured hardship in the mountain forests, keeping your attention unwaveringly on the Dao. The Purple Treasury received the Perfected Ones, and a wondrous light appeared around your neck. This moved the Most High to descend in person and confer upon you the rank of Immortal Minister, rewarding your virtue from former lives. How lofty your merit is! The Supreme One has appointed me as your Third Teacher of Salvation. I will now tell you the essential admonitions concerning boundless wondrous attainment and the transformation of Shen into meditative absorption.”
3. From the Right: The Scripture of the Cavern Mystery’s Dharma Wheel — What to Do When There Is No Teacher to Transmit the Teaching
If a scripture is not received from a teacher, its methods will not work and its spirits will not respond. If there is no ritual master in the world and no transmission of registers, one should present a token of faith at Qingling. Alternatively, one may make a request to the “Mysterious Teacher” in a secluded room. Then the teaching may be transmitted and practiced.
Note: The Left Immortal Lord traditionally refers to the eminent Daoist Ge Xuan, who lived during the Three Kingdoms period. The Three Teachers of Salvation are said to have imparted teachings from the upper realm on three occasions, corresponding to three levels of essential instruction: the Dharma Wheel that guides beings toward salvation, the Three Paths of Suffering and Five Sorrows, and wondrous attainment through entering meditative absorption. The final passage belongs to the same tradition as the instruction elsewhere in The Supreme Secret Essentials to “present a token of faith at Qingling,” and describes a way to request transmission of the teaching when no teacher is available.
A Plain-Language Interpretation of The Essential Secrets of the Most High
1. Giving and Using the Scripture
First, face north and bow three times. Then lay the offerings on the ground and give them to people who are hungry and in need.
If an accomplished master is already guiding the transmission of the scripture in the world, and everyone can practice in accordance with it with equal dedication, there is no need to perform this separate ritual.
(The above is from the Scripture of Esoteric Annotations from the Cavern of Mystery.)
2. The Jade Register of the Middle Origin: Proper Conduct in Honoring the Master (Section on the Immortals)
Scripture Master: The scripture comes through this master, so one should pay respects to them. Their name is entered in the ancestral registers of the “Three Generations”—past, present, and future.
Register Master: This is the Scripture Master’s own teacher, who should also be honored. Their name is recorded in the registers of life and death, and they are someone on whom one depends for deliverance.
Deliverance Master: This is the master who transmits the teachings of the scripture and guides you into the tradition. They once delivered you from the sufferings of the Five Paths, so they should be honored.
If those who study the Dao fail to honor the Three Masters, the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scripture, and the master—will not descend; the Three Realms—the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm—will show no regard for them; and ghosts and demons will harm their bodies.
3. The Yellow Register of the Lower Origin: Proper Conduct in the Merit of Honoring the Master (Section on the Numinous Immortals)
When the Scripture Master initiates and guides disciples: Three disciples receive the teachings. After receiving them, their names are entered in the registers of merit kept by the heavens.
Once their merit has been recorded, they become guests of the Five Emperors of the Three Realms, and their names are entered among the ranks of the immortals.
When the Register Master initiates and guides disciples: Seven disciples receive the teachings. After receiving them, their names are entered in the registers of merit kept by the heavens.
Their names are entered among the ranks of the immortals. Their seven generations of ancestors ascend higher together and reach heaven.
When the Deliverance Master initiates and guides disciples: Nine disciples receive the teachings. After receiving them, their names are entered in the registers of merit kept by the heavens.
This accrues the greatest merit. Their names are written on white slips, and their ancestors of nine generations ascend together. All attain the Dao and roam freely in the Seven-Treasure Grove.
When all Three Masters have become immortals: If the Scripture Master has ascended, one should also initiate and register the Register Master. If the Register Master has ascended as well, one should also initiate the Deliverance Master. In accordance with the prescribed rules, record their merit and submit their names to the heavens.
If all Three Masters have become immortals, initiate three disciples and entrust them to worthy fellow students. The fellow students must enter their names in the registers of the heavens in accordance with the prescribed teachings, leaving nothing out.
(The above is from the Scripture of Brief Texts in the Golden Register of the Cavern of Mystery.)
4. The Central Scripture of the Most High
A teacher is called a “master” because they transmit the teachings of the scriptures. Those who receive the Dao cultivate it and share one heart with their master. Their sorrows and joys are closely bound together, and their affection and loyalty endure as fully as life and death. Only then can they attain realization together at the moment of death and appear together at the immortal court.
Accordingly, they bow toward the east and receive the covenant vows. They make their covenant in a secluded chamber, with ranks and distinctions clearly observed to affirm the Three Covenants—the Dao, the scripture, and the master, or the related vows. With diligent devotion, they keep the precious scripture hidden and secure, uphold its essential teachings, remain sincere and single-minded, and honor both master and scripture, never letting them slip from their hearts. This is the proper way.
Only when these things have been done is one qualified to speak of communing with the spirits and entering into accord with the Great Dao. By upholding the scripture, keeping its methods secret and undisclosed, and adhering faithfully to one’s vows in all one does, one may have one’s name inscribed on jade tablets above and entered in the registers of the Imperial Palace of Taiji.
(The passage above comes from the “Chapter on Faith in the Dharma” in the Scripture of the Hidden Writings on the Great Elixir of the Cavern of Truth.)
The Flying Celestial Immortal said: To receive the ten wondrous scriptures of the Numinous Treasure Perfect Writings, one must cast three golden dragons into the Water Palace, the numinous mountain, and one’s dwelling. These three places together serve as tokens of commitment for studying the Way and becoming an immortal.
He also said: One must use forty feet of patterned silk in each of the five colors, corresponding to the five directions, to address the Five Emperors and offer it as a token of one’s vows.
He also said: The rite requires five ounces of superior gold, offered in an alliance with the Five Sacred Peaks—the eastern Mount Tai and the other four—as a token of commitment to the precious scripture.
He also said: The rite requires twenty-four thousand gold coins as a pledge to the twenty-four Life Officials, corresponding to the twenty-four Qi and the offices of the Life Official spirits, as a token of earnest devotion to the perfected ones. Those without gold coins may use copper coins instead.
He also said: The celestial writings are secret and precious; without a pledge, they cannot be treasured. Thus the highest sages use pledges to demonstrate their sincerity. Without a pledge, the Dao is treated as base; without an oath, the treasure is treated lightly.
If someone receives a scripture before having prepared the required pledge, then later encounters a worthy person who brings a pledge and asks to receive it, the pledge offered must first make up the share owed to the former master. Any remainder may be used for the recipient’s own religious practice.
When making a pledge to receive a scripture, one should divide the offering into ten parts: send two to the ancestral masters, distribute two among the poor and Daoist recluses living in the mountains, and use the remainder for one’s own practice. One should burn incense and light lamps to accrue merit for one’s disciples.
When a Heavenly King or emperor seeks to avert disaster and overcome calamity, patterned silk in the five colors should be offered in lengths corresponding to the dimensions of each direction. Use superior gold for the golden dragons, purple patterned silk for the silk offerings made on behalf of a person’s fate, and plain silk for commoners; use medium-grade gold for the dragons. Incense should be burned and lamps lit as petitions, following the same method described above.
(The passage above comes from the Scripture of the Cavern of Mystery and Clarity.)
The Celestial Worthy said: Why would the Great Dao demand people’s wealth and treasures, forcing them to perform meritorious deeds? It observes their reluctance to give and tests their intentions: if they have wealth but will not share it, what else could they be seeking? If they are poor yet sincerely resolve to give, with firm and clear purpose, and serve their master diligently, enduring hardship without hesitation, the Dao has already witnessed it. In such cases, their merit moves the heavens. Thus wealth is given in response to the heart, and the heart is weighed against the wealth; their merit is equal. People of old sought the heart; people in later ages seek wealth. In ancient times, none became immortal without sincerity; in later ages, none could be saved without wealth. This is because in later ages wealth is prized above the Dao: ten thousand jin of gold are exchanged for a single volume of an immortal scripture, which is offered to … (the original scroll may be missing what follows).
Plain-Language Interpretation of The Supreme Essentials
People living in remote mountains at the end of the age often covet this money—the funds used for offerings and as ritual tokens. Do they covet the immortal scripture itself? Gold used improperly can become a source of harm to the body; but if one follows the teachings and practices the immortal scripture prescribes, one can overcome the limits of fate and extend one’s life. Most people understand this principle, yet they still cannot help being miserly and grasping. If they cannot escape miserliness and greed themselves, how can they claim to be practicing the Dao? The point is that the Dao does not first exalt humanity; people must first become worthy of the Dao.
(From the Jing of Precepts and Admonitions of the Three Primordials in the Dongxuan Cavern)
The Most High says: Use ritual tokens—offerings and material goods prescribed by liturgical rules—to arrange Zhaijiao purification rites and make offerings to the scriptures and the Dao. Use incense, oil, and other things to create fields of merit for all beings, and give alms to Daoist practitioners living in the mountains and forests, to the poor and destitute, and to those afflicted with the six illnesses—that is, various diseases. A ritual master must not appropriate these offerings for personal use. The offense is grave, and it can also obstruct people from learning the Dao. Those who study the Dao must be careful, and careful again.
(From the Jing of Naturalness in the Dongxuan Cavern)
The Celestial Worthy told the Perfected Left Mysterious: When you transmit this scripture, follow the prescribed forms of the hidden canon. Offerings of money, patterned silk, and other goods must all conform to the required standards. This method comes from the teachings that the Primordial Sovereign Lady of Emptiness and Pure Simplicity developed through contemplation of the five directions, and that the Primordial Elders have always treasured and practiced. Recipients of the scripture must prepare five fen of gold and five liang of plain silk to offer in reverence to the spirits of the Primordial Elders of the five directions. They must also provide patterned silk according to their allotted lifespan: for those destined to live to 120, one bolt for the Gong and Wang; for people of moderate means, one zhang; and for the poor, one chi. These three kinds of offerings are indispensable. Anyone who receives the scripture without providing them is at fault. The amounts may be adjusted according to a person’s means; use sound judgment.
(From the Jing of Subtle Reflection and Settled Will in the Dongxuan Cavern)
The Perfected One said: The rules for transmitting the Wuqian Wen—an immortal scripture of about five thousand characters—are the same as those for the Lingbao scriptures and teachings. Only those of outstanding talent and virtue, who delight in reciting and studying it and seek the Dao of natural ascent to immortality, may receive it. They must prepare fifty chi of patterned silk as a ritual offering, and receive it together with the Lingbao teachings at the summit of a famous mountain.
The Immortal Lord said: When people of profound virtue in the world wish to recite and study the scripture in hopes of ascending to immortality, they should receive it at the same time as the Lingbao teachings.
(From the Jing of Purification and Ablution in the Dongxuan Cavern)
The Celestial Emperor of Taiwei told the Lord of the Blue Lad, Upper Chancellor, and the Lord of the Western City: Those who love the Dao inwardly, delight in seeking the realm of truth, and devote themselves wholeheartedly to the mysteries do not begrudge their wealth. They regard possessions lightly and prize the Dao. The Dao is present everywhere; only such people are fit to discuss the inner teachings with. But for those who inwardly crave wealth and treasure and outwardly are restless and eager for fame, the Dao sees through them and closes its gates. It places the scriptures in a jade casket and the gates of the Golden Palace under lock, keeping them hidden in a famous mountain until those people have completed their ascent.
(From the Jade Scripture of the Supreme Lord of the Divine Tiger in the Dongzhen Cavern)
Plain Language Interpretation of The Supreme Secret Essentials
Transmitting True Taboo Names and Concealment Arts
To transmit true taboo names and concealment arts, one must form an alliance according to the Four Extremities Clear Regulations (formal ritual rules for Daoist covenant oaths), and provide eight liang of purple gold (pure gold) and eighty chi of vermilion-patterned brocade (bright red woven brocade).
(The above requirements) come from The Scripture of the Eight Arts of Concealment in the Earth, the Daoist Essence of the Vermilion Radiance of the Cavern of Truth.
Rules for Masters Handling Covenant Offerings
A scripture master should distribute any covenant offerings received to people in poverty and hardship, to aid those facing urgent need and feed the hungry, or to fund public works for the divine beings. If the master secretly keeps the offerings for personal support or greedily profits from them, the master’s ancestors for seven generations will suffer prolonged interrogation and punishment in the underworld, and the master will also endure the torment of wind-blades, a hellish punishment like being cut by knives.
(The above requirements) come from The Scripture of the Golden Mystery of the High Sage of the Cavern of Truth.
Protocol for Receiving the Thirty-Nine Chapters of the Great Cavern of Truth
Before receiving the thirty-nine chapters of the Great Cavern of Truth Scripture, as well as the Eight Visions of the Lord of the Great Dao Above, the Eight Winds of Wandering in the Jade Registers, the Dao of the One Emperor, the Hidden Mystery of the Great Elixir, the Five Penetrations of Returning to the Origin, the Twelve Supreme Vows, the Eight Chambers of the Mysterious Mother, the Advanced Cavern Chamber, the Female One of Golden Radiance, the Nine Mysteries’ Recorded Annals, the Numinous Writings in Purple Script, the Five Viscera That Sustain Life, and the Langgan Floral Elixir, one must first open the ring and cut the cord. Only then may the texts be transmitted. The protocol is as follows:
- Make a ring of purple gold, one cun in diameter, and cut it into two halves. The scripture master and disciple each wear one half for life.
- Use blue silk to make a cord nine chi long, then cut it in half. Wind and tie each half around one half of the ring, then wear the pieces together.
- Take one chi and eight cun of blue brocade and divide it in half to make two pouches. Place one half of the gold ring and one blue silk cord in each pouch. After the ring has been divided, the disciple receives the scriptures with three bows.
(The above requirements) come from The Scripture of the Great Cavern of Truth of the Cavern of Truth.
Covenant Offerings for Receiving the Great Jade Chapters of Supreme High Plain Numinousness
To receive the Nine True Clear Regulations of The Great Jade Chapters of Supreme High Plain Numinousness, one must provide three liang of fine gold, one hundred chi of purple-patterned silk, twenty-seven chi of blue silk fabric, five liang of red silk, one jin of agarwood, and one liang of cinnabar, and join with the scripture master in establishing these as tokens of the covenant.
(The above requirements) come from The Scripture of the Jade Instructions on the Names of the Inner Gods of the Four Offices of the Cavern of Truth.
Covenant Offerings for Receiving the Scripture of the Purple Measure, Flaming Radiance, and Divine Mystery Transformation
- Fifty chi of each of the five colors of brocade, to invite the officials of the Five Emperors
- Five liang of purple gold, as a token of the oath sworn in the five directions
- At least five jin of agarwood, whose fragrance reaches the palaces of the Three Primordial Ones (the celestial palaces of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Primordial Heavens)
- One jin of pearls, as a token of the cinnabar covenant
- One writing knife, to cut off the path of death-bound Qi (declining, lifeless energy)
- Seven gold pearls, to honor the essence of the Seven Luminaries (the Sun, Moon, five planets, and other seven celestial deities)
- Seventy chi of deep red brocade, as a token of the Flaming Radiance
(The above requirements) come from The Scripture of the Divine Mystery Transformation of the Purple Measure and Flaming Radiance of the Cavern of Truth.
Receiving the Hidden Writings of the Great True Book of Dark Mound
Anyone receiving the hidden writings of the Great True Book of Dark Mound must provide forty chi of white silk and a blue collar or blue garment.
Note: This text belongs to the Daoist tradition of covenant transmission rites. It lists in detail the names and quantities of gold, brocade, agarwood, and other covenant offerings used when masters and disciples swear oaths during the transmission of scriptures. It also stresses that these offerings must be used to relieve poverty and urgent need, and must not be kept for personal use; otherwise, the scripture master and their ancestors will be punished in the underworld. The repeated phrase “the above is from the Scripture of the Cavern of Truth…” indicates that each rule has a basis in a specific scripture, reflecting the rigor of early Daoist Canon transmission practices.
A Plain-Language Interpretation of the Wushang Miyao
When transmitting secret methods, one should prepare ten feet of white silk, three pairs of gold rings, and nine ounces of incense.
White silk takes the place of the blood-sipping rite in the old “Qu Su” covenant, in which blood was offered to Heaven as an oath. A blue collar cloth serves as the pledge that the teachings will be passed on to only three generations within seven hundred years. Gold rings are tokens of keeping the oath and never revealing the teachings. Brittle incense is an offering used to make a covenant with the spirits.
Anyone receiving methods such as the “Qu Su formula and instructions” should, according to the established rules, prepare forty feet of vermilion silk and two pairs of gold clasps. These serve as tokens when calling upon the Emperor, the Dark One, and the Perfected Ones to bear witness.
(This item comes from the Dongzhen Qu Su Jueci Jing.)
When transmitting the text known as “Purple Books in Vermilion Characters,” the disciple must prepare seven ounces of refined gold, forty feet of yellow-patterned silk, and thirty-two feet of blue collar cloth. The text is transmitted only after the covenant has been formally declared.
(This comes from the Dongzhen Huangqi Yangjing Jing.)
When transmitting the talismans for “Summoning spirits, bringing forth the Perfected, subduing demons, and freeing the Seven Primordial Ones,” the disciple must, according to the established rules, prepare one gold fish, one jade dragon, one hundred feet of purple-patterned silk, and three ounces of refined gold. These are presented to the master who holds the scripture as tokens of an oath made in the Nine Heavens.
(This comes from the Dongzhen Jinzhen Yuguang Bajing Fei Jing.)
In ancient times, making a covenant often required sipping blood, cutting one’s hair, and building an altar to make an announcement to Heaven. These acts showed that one would never speak of the matter outside the covenant and would faithfully keep one’s word.
Later generations could use gold and blue materials—gold objects and blue silk—in place of cutting the hair or drawing blood and injuring the body. Another account says that one could retire to a quiet room and invoke the August Sovereign, using three gold rings, which must be bright red and lustrous, and thirty-nine feet of blue silk as substitutes for the “covenant of three pledges.” The silk could also be made into a continuous length of twenty-seven feet. The covenant objects should be entered in a register and must not be used for personal purposes or private gain.
(This comes from the Dongzhen Taidan Yinshu Jing.)
Anyone receiving the text known as “The Mysterious Register of the Seven Sages, the White Writ and Plain Register of the Nine Heavens of Returning to Heaven” must prepare seven ounces of refined gold, seventy-two feet of purple-patterned silk, and seven ounces of superior vermilion pigment. Before the master, the disciple faces north and asks the High Sages to witness the covenant with Heaven; only then is the text transmitted.
(This comes from the Dongzhen Qisheng Xuanji Jing.)
Anyone receiving the “Mysterious Scripture of the Nine Perfected Ones” must first sip blood, pile up an altar, and cut their hair to make a covenant, swearing not to announce or disclose the teachings. Later sages, concerned that sipping blood harmed one’s vital energy and cutting hair damaged the body, replaced the bloodletting token with gold and the hair-cutting pledge with thirty-two feet of soft blue silk. After receiving the pledge objects, the master must not divide them up or use them privately or improperly. They should instead be given to reclusive practitioners living in the mountains, who cultivate the Way alone in poverty.
(This comes from the Dongzhen Taishang Feixing Yu Jing.)
Taken together, these passages explain that transmitting secret scriptures and talismans requires ritual, tokens, and a covenant. In ancient times, blood and hair were used; later, gold, silk, incense, and other materials often took their place. The covenant objects are prescribed in set quantities for specific purposes and must not be privately appropriated or misused.
Relevant Passages from the Wushang Miyao (Essential Secrets of the Supreme)
Receiving the Great Mystery Scripture
Anyone wishing to receive the Great Mystery Scripture must prepare three liang of fine gold, one hundred chi of purple-patterned silk, twenty-seven chi of blue silk, five liang of red thread, one jin of agarwood, and one liang of cinnabar, and bring these items to the teacher to request transmission.
(Source: Dongzhen, Scripture of the Great Mystery of Su Ling)
Receiving the Scripture of the Embryonic Essence, Central Record
Anyone wishing to receive the Scripture of the Embryonic Essence, Central Record must prepare one jin of fine gold, eighty chi of white silk, and one jin of cinnabar in place of the customary oath offerings. The recipient must stand facing north to make an oath before the transmission. The oath must not be made lightly or without sincerity.
(Source: Dongzhen, Scripture of the Embryonic Essence, Central Record of the Nine Elixirs’ Supreme Transformation)
Receiving the Scripture of the Nine Red-Spotted Talismans
A disciple receiving the Scripture of the Nine Red-Spotted Talismans must prepare three liang of fine gold, fifty chi each of patterned silk in five colors, thirty chi of brocade, and one jin of superior incense. The disciple must go to a crag of five colors and announce the matter to the Five Emperors before the transmission.
(Source: Dongzhen, Supreme Clarity Scripture of the Nine Red-Spotted Talismans)
Receiving the Scripture of the Purple Phoenix and Red Writings
A disciple receiving the Scripture of the Purple Phoenix and Red Writings must prepare one gold tiger tally and one gold tiger tally, ninety chi of purple-patterned silk, and one jin of vermilion. The parties make their announcements, prayers, and oaths together before the transmission.
(Source: Dongzhen, Scripture of the Purple Phoenix and Red Writings of the Nine Patterns of the Dragon Radiance)
Receiving the True Talisman of the Golden Tiger
Anyone receiving the True Talisman of the Golden Tiger must prepare a golden tiger, a jade bell, plain brocade, and dark gauze, thirty chi of each. These serve as an oath of golden truth, by which the recipient makes an unspoken pact with Heaven and Earth.
(Source: Dongzhen, True Talisman of the Golden Tiger of the Celestial Emperor of Taiwei)
Receiving the True Tiger Talisman
Anyone receiving the True Tiger Talisman must prepare ten liang of fine gold as a token of spiritual truth, ninety chi of brocade as an oath to the Nine Heavens, and thirty chi of blue silk as a pledge of the heart: to cherish the Dao and delight in truth, to devote the heart diligently to the Mysterious, and to begrudge no possessions.
(Source: Dongzhen, True Talisman of the Divine Tiger with the Jade Cord of the Most High)
Receiving the True Scripture of the Eight Su
Anyone receiving the True Scripture of the Eight Su must make an oath before a teacher who possesses the scripture and prepare forty chi of white silk and two pairs of silver rings.
Anyone receiving the teachings on cultivating the five powers within it must make an oath before a teacher who possesses the scripture and prepare thirty-two chi of blue cloth as a pledge never to disclose them throughout one’s life.
(Source: Dongzhen, True Scripture of the Eight Su)
Receiving the Jade Register of the Three Origins
A disciple receiving the Jade Register of the Three Origins must prepare five liang of fine gold, ninety chi of phoenix-patterned gauze, and thirty-two chi of patterned silk, then ascend the Mountain of One’s Birth Destiny with the teacher to receive the scripture.
(Source: Dongzhen, Jade Register of the Three Origins: Transmission of the Scripture)
Receiving the Supreme Scripture of the Precious True
A disciple receiving the Supreme Scripture of the Precious True must prepare nine liang of fine gold, forty-seven chi of cinnabar-dyed yellow brocade, twenty-two chi of blue cloth, one gold fish, and one jade dragon.
(Source: Dongzhen, Supreme Scripture of the Precious True—the original does not separately mark the scripture title here; following the convention within the volume, it belongs to the Dongzhen tradition.)
Notes for Reading the Original
“Fine gold” refers to gold of relatively high purity, used as a token for the transmission of scriptures.
The terms ji and meng refer to bringing gifts to pay respects to a teacher and making an oath, respectively.
Dongzhen is one of the major scriptural divisions of the Shangqing Daoist Canon. Transmissions of its scriptures often require tokens, oaths, ascents to sacred mountains, or announcements to the Five Emperors.
The silk, incense, and cinnabar listed in these passages were customary offerings for making or substituting for an oath. They signified reverence for the scriptures and a refusal to transmit them lightly.
“Terms on Oaths and Covenants for Transmitting Scriptures” from The Supreme Secret Essentials (Wushang Biyao): A Plain-Language Interpretation
The following passages come from the Daoist Canon. They describe how, before transmitting a scripture, one must establish a covenant, prepare tokens of trust, and report the matter to Heaven while facing north. The requirements differ from one scripture to another. “Three Caverns (Dongzhen)” appears several times in the text and refers to the Shangqing tradition of Daoist scriptures.
General Rule: The Precious True Scripture of Primordial Beginning’s Transformations
When transmitting a scripture, one must first establish a covenant, face north, and report to the Nine Heavens. Only then may the scripture be transmitted.
(Source: the Three Caverns’ Precious True Scripture of Primordial Beginning’s Transformations)
Receiving the Scripture of the Yellow Court
Anyone receiving the Scripture of the Yellow Court must make a solemn covenant, pledging not to disclose it. In ancient times, the tokens of trust were:
- Ninety feet of dark spirit brocade
- A gold tablet engraved with writing
- Forty feet of phoenix-patterned gauze
- Nine pairs of gold clasps, standing in for the covenant of cutting hair and swearing an oath with blood
These items were wondrous silks from the “divine realm,” not things found in the human world. They may now be replaced with more accessible materials:
- Brocade may be replaced with white silk.
- Gauze may be replaced with blue cloth.
- Gold clasps may be replaced with gold rings.
These are also sufficient as tokens of the oath. The covenant must be reported to the Nine Heavens and witnessed by the Three Officials before the transmission may be carried out by a qualified scripture master.
(Source: the Three Caverns’ Scripture of the Yellow Court’s Inner View)
Receiving the “Scripture on the Grades of Release in Foreign Lands”
The disciple must prepare nine liang of superior gold and thirty-six feet of patterned silk as tokens of trust.
(Source: the Three Caverns’ Scripture on the Grades of Release in Foreign Lands)
Receiving the “Purple Book”
The rite follows the practice prescribed in the “Mystical Regulations of the Nine Perfections.” An altar is set up and a covenant is made. The disciple prepares:
- One gold fish and one jade dragon
- One hundred feet of purple silk
- Forty feet of blue patterned silk
The disciple then goes to the scripture master and makes the covenant—by swearing with blood or otherwise establishing the pledge—before receiving the scripture.
(Source: the Three Caverns’ Scripture of the Azure Essentials and Purple Book)
Receiving the “Golden Scripture”
The disciple prepares two liang of superior gold, forty feet of blue patterned silk, and ninety feet of white gauze. The covenant is reported, and the scripture is transmitted.
(Source: the Three Caverns’ Upper Scripture of the Supreme Ultimate: Golden Scripture of the Jade Pendant and Golden Bell)
Receiving the Scripture of the Forty-Four Methods of the Great One’s Yellow Writ
The covenant requires:
- One jade tablet, one foot and five fen long and one cun and four fen wide, for swearing an oath to the Perfected Ones of the four directions
- Forty feet of yellow silk
- Two pairs of gold rings, standing in for an oath sworn with blood and a pledge not to reveal the scripture
(Source: the Three Caverns’ Scripture of the Forty-Four Methods of the Yellow Writ)
Receiving “The Seven Stars’ Transfer of Positions”
The disciple prepares the following as tokens for reporting the covenant:
- Thirty-one feet of blue patterned silk
- Seventy feet of red silk
- Ninety feet of phoenix-patterned gauze
- Seven pairs of gold clasps
- One pair each of gold fish and jade dragons
(Source: the Three Caverns’ Scripture of the Three Charts of the Heavenly Pass and the Seven Stars’ Transfer of Positions)
Receiving the Book of the Lang of the Great Empyrean
The disciple prepares nine liang of superior gold and ninety feet of purple patterned silk as tokens for swearing to the Nine Heavens. The master must inspect and verify them before the covenant is made and the scripture transmitted.
(Source: the Three Caverns’ Book of the Lang of the Great Empyrean)
On Transmission and Initiation: General Account
Whenever a scripture is transmitted, the qualified scripture master must first seek a confirming response—such as evidence of sincerity or auspicious signs—and only then may the transmission take place.
Note: The character written here as “cui” is often written “shi,” meaning to swear an oath with blood or to establish a covenant as a token of trust. “Three Officials” commonly refers to the Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, who witness the covenant. “Nine Heavens” refers to the levels of the celestial realm to which the transmission is reported. The phrase “the above is from” indicates which scripture in the Three Caverns each rule comes from.
A Plain-Language Interpretation of Wushang Miyao (Supreme Secret Essentials)
Prayer before transmission
When preparing to transmit the teachings, enter a room and burn incense. Inwardly swear a secret vow before the spirits, then reverently bow before the scripture and quietly recite this prayer:
“Supreme Lord and Primordial Sovereign, great spirits of the Immortal City: On this auspicious day, I respectfully set forth eight vows. I wish to transmit the highest teaching and dare to report this to the numinous powers. I do not know whether this is permitted; I must await a response before making the teaching known.”
After reciting the prayer, go to bed and rest. A numinous response will surely come, and the disciple will know in their heart whether the outcome is auspicious or inauspicious. Only after carefully discerning that the teaching may be transmitted should it be passed on.
General ritual for a scripture master transmitting a scripture
When transmitting a scripture, the master should first bow inwardly toward the four directions and pray for the spirits to serve as witnesses and guardians of the lineage. Then, holding the scripture, stand and address Heaven, declaring an oath before the spirits as a covenant under the hidden rules. State the recipient’s name, report the matter to the great spirits, and set out the titles and contents of the scriptures being transmitted. Following the prescribed regulations, record the terms in writing and present them in a formal statement. After the prayer, the disciple bows again, kneels, and receives the scripture. Once it has been received, the disciple bows again. This is the covenant by which a perfected person reports the matter to the spirits. The inner teachings do not require every pledge to be sealed by drawing blood or by swearing not to reveal them.
Whenever a scripture master transmits teachings, the rite must be performed properly, with purification and abstinence, in a separate, quiet place, apart from ordinary human affairs. First report the matter to the spirits and seek a secret response; only then should the transmission take place. If the response is confused or the signs are inauspicious, this is Heaven’s spirits making their judgment known, and the transmission is not permitted. If a disciple is careless, defies the spirits, and transmits the teachings to two people, then, according to the regulations of the Huangsu (Yellow Writ), the disciple will face punishment in the underworld. The souls of seven generations of ancestors will remain imprisoned in Hell, and the disciple’s own life will also come to an end. How, then, could anyone hope to attain the immortal Way?
(From the forty-fourth scripture of the Dongzhen Huangsu [Cavern of Perfection, Yellow Writ])
The Supreme One tells Daoling: “Ten signs” of a person fit to receive a scripture
The Supreme One said: “Daoling, you should know that someone who wishes to receive the teachings must show ten signs before this scripture may be entrusted to them:
First, they earnestly seek superior teachings and readily follow what is good.
Second, they seek the company of the worthy and wise, and act without hesitation.
Third, they are discerning and intelligent, able to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Fourth, they are careful in speech and do not overstep in their conduct.
Fifth, they are gentle and mild, and have committed few faults or misdeeds.
Sixth, they can take as their teacher someone more accomplished than themselves, without pride or arrogance.
Seventh, they respect their teacher and value the teachings as dearly as a poor person values a treasure.
Eighth, they serve their teacher and elders without shying away from hard work.
Ninth, they feel a desire to repay their former teacher’s kindness.
Tenth, they earnestly request instruction and do not slacken, day or night.
These are the ten signs. You should make them known.”
Warning for later generations who happen upon a true scripture
The Supreme One said: “If, in a later age, a Daoist who studies the true Way has not seen a true scripture, but suddenly finds one among mountain crags, or obtains one from Daoists of other schools or from heterodox families with mistaken views…”
(The text continues with warnings: anyone who obtains a scripture without receiving it through proper transmission from a teacher must not pass it on recklessly or practice it without authorization.)
A Plain-Language Interpretation of The Essential Mystery of the Supreme (Wushang Miyao)
On whether scriptures may be transmitted
The word “scripture” means that one should read a text from beginning to end and confirm that it is genuine. Only if one truly cannot find a master to transmit it may one practice it on one’s own.
May one practice it independently, or must one receive transmission from a master?
The Most High (Taishang) replied: One may practice it independently, personally following the scripture in one’s cultivation; but one must not transmit the scripture to anyone else.
Why? The cultivation of the Dao (the Way) requires a master-to-disciple lineage. Without formally receiving teachings and methods from a master, one may not teach others. There are two reasons: first, to avoid misleading later students; second, without a formal lineage, others may not believe the teachings, and once they disbelieve, they may slander the scripture. Therefore, one must not transmit it indiscriminately. Only after finding a master and receiving the teachings does one qualify to transmit them to others.
If one searches throughout the land and truly cannot find a master, one may withdraw to a quiet room, make a solemn vow, and practice alone. If one encounters a person of utmost faith who possesses the “ten signs” described above and earnestly requests transmission with diligence and perseverance, one may first ask the person to offer proof money as a test. If they show no hesitation and their resolve grows firmer, one may transmit the teachings to them.
If there are inhabited places anywhere in the land where a master can still be found, one must first receive a formal lineage transmission; one must not transmit the teachings casually.
Ziming further asked: If a perfected person in later generations who studies the Dao has already received the covenant documents of the Outer Teachings of Lingbao, and practices the Five Writings, but has not yet encountered this scripture of the Inner Teachings, may the scripture be transmitted to them for practice if they encounter it later?
The Most High replied: They must first receive the covenant of the Seventy-Two-Character Covenant Scripture on Fangsu and the Supreme Register. Only then may this scripture be given to them. Why? The scriptures and covenant documents of the two teachings differ. The covenant documents of the Outer Teachings of Lingbao do not include the Great Invocation to the Most High of the Ten Directions. Consequently, the officials and attendants of the Ten Directions, the celestial gods and earthly spirits, and the heavenly dragons and ghosts and spirits will not come to protect and support that scripture or empower its covenant.
(The above passage comes from The Scripture of the Inner Teachings on Ascending to Mystery.)
Note: Terms in the text such as “Seventy-Two-Character Covenant of Fangsu,” “Supreme Register,” “Outer Teachings of Lingbao,” “Five Writings,” “ten signs,” and “proof money” refer to Daoist practices for transmitting scriptures, making vows, and testing disciples. The specific provisions should be checked against The Scripture of the Inner Teachings on Ascending to Mystery and covenant documents of the Lingbao tradition.
Source text: Kanripo 漢籍リポジトリ（KR5e0040）; Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Report an error / feedback