《無上祕要》Vol. 28

The Supreme Secret Essentials, Volume 37: A Plain-Language Interpretation

Ritual for Transmitting the Five Thousand Words of the Dao and Its De

Tokens for Receiving the Five Thousand Words

The recipient of the scripture must prepare fifty feet of white silk and one golden dragon.

If, because of insufficient merit or poverty, the recipient cannot provide these items alone, they may be reduced in proportion to their means. However, the recipient must not disregard the scriptural requirements entirely.

(From the Hidden Commentary Scripture)

Secret Invocation on First Entering the Ritual Hall

(Recite silently:) Four Luminaries, Meritorious Officials; Messengers Who Communicate with the True; Meritorious Officials Who Convey Messages; Jade Maidens Who Attend the Pure Ones: communicate for me with the true gods of the Dao Hall. May the life-giving Qi of the Upper Origin enter my body.

(From the Golden Registers Scripture)

Next: Chanting the Quieting Invocation

(According to the ritual procedure.)

Next: Contemplating the Three Masters

First, contemplate the scripture master: Focus your thoughts on the direction where the scripture master is located, and bow three times inwardly. May the master attain the Immortal Dao, and may I be delivered and raised beyond the ordinary world.

Next, contemplate the register master: Focus your thoughts on the direction where the register master is located, and bow three times inwardly. May the master attain flight as an Immortal and open the way for the deliverance of my ancestors across seven generations, so that they may ascend to Heaven at once. May I attain the true Dao and ascend into the formless.

Next, contemplate the ordination master: Focus your thoughts on the direction where the ordination master is located, and bow three times inwardly. May the master be delivered and ascend to the rank of a high Immortal, and open the way for my deliverance from the Five Destinies and Eight Calamities. May my name be entered in the register of Immortals, and may I forever become a perfected person.

(From the Jade Registers Scripture)

Next: The Furnace-Incensing Rite

(Recite silently:) Most High Three Heavens, the Three Qi of the Mysterious Origin, and the Supreme Lord Lao: summon forth the Three-and-Five Meritorious Officials within the bodies of us, [names]; the officials and messengers to our left and right; the incense bearers to our left and right; the courier dragons and mounted clerks; the golden boys who attend the incense; the jade maidens who convey messages and scatter blossoms; and the direct talisman officers of the Five Emperors, thirty-six of each. Come forth! As soon as you emerge, make yourselves ready in full ceremonial dress, and report to the true officials and gods of this local territory. I am now burning incense to transmit the teaching and confer initiation. May the true Qi of the Supreme One’s ten directions come and enter the bodies of us, [names]. May what I now petition be conveyed swiftly and directly to the presence of the Jade Emperor, the Most High, the Most Ultimate Great Dao, the Most True.

(From the Scripture of Bright Truth)

Next: Paying Reverence to the Three Treasures

With utmost sincerity, I bow my head to the Most High, the Most Ultimate Great Dao.

With utmost sincerity, I bow my head to the honored scriptures of the Thirty-Six Sections.

With utmost sincerity, I bow my head to the great master of the Mysterious Center.

(From the Golden Registers Liturgy)

Next: The Master and Disciples Kneel at Length and Read the Covenant Text

In the year of the sexagenary cycle beginning with [the stem] Jia or Yi, on the [month], [new moon date], [day], in [county], [prefecture], [township] (at [location]), the master and disciples kneel at length and proclaim the covenant text. (The text of the covenant follows the main body of the ritual.)

Note: This section describes the liturgy for transmitting and receiving the Five Thousand Words of the Dao and Its De, including the tokens, the secret invocation upon entering the altar, contemplation of the Three Masters, the furnace-incensing rite, reverence to the Three Treasures, and reading the covenant text. The “Three Masters” are the scripture master, register master, and ordination master, who respectively transmit scriptures, record names in registers, and confer deliverance. “Furnace-incensing” means burning incense and making petitions. The “Three Treasures” are the Dao, the scriptures, and the master. The note “the above is from [a scripture]” at the end of each passage identifies the Daoist scripture from which that part of the ritual comes.

A Passage from the Wushang Miyao (Supreme Secret Essentials): A Plain-Language Interpretation

A Vow by a Devotee Seeking to Receive a Scripture

A faithful devotee of the pure Dao, named so-and-so (write in the name, age, and other details), has long been attached to sights and sounds, and has let the body and mind become stained by honor and favor. Desires often fill the heart, yet are hard to escape. The devotee has heard that on the jiazi day of the seventh month in the “First Year of the Limitless,” the Venerable Lord (Laozi) was to travel west and pass through Hangu Pass. Yin Xi, the pass official, cherished the Way of long life and wished to seek from a worthy teacher “a book of a single saying.” Laozi said: “You ask well! My Dao is profound and cannot be transmitted casually. When the Way of life enters the abdomen, the spirits are all present. The joints and openings of the body and the Six Jia are joined together, winding and crossing within the body in tangled paths. Guard the center through embryonic breathing, and connect above with Heaven. Through practicing this, one may become an immortal; by receiving it with reverence, one may become a perfected person. If the transmission is not carried out according to the proper method, misfortune will befall you: your body will die and your name be extinguished, and your descendants will fall into a low condition.”

So-and-so knows themself to be an ordinary person of limited understanding, yet privately longs for this teaching without end. With single-minded sincerity, they earnestly hope to receive it in accordance with the proper method. Now, following the regulations of the Luminous Truth, and bearing a solemn vow, they travel to such-and-such prefecture, province, county, township, and village, to seek and receive the “Five Thousand Words of the Dao and De” (that is, the five thousand characters of the Dao De Jing) from the Three Caverns master and Mr. So-and-so of such-and-such sacred mountain. They will cultivate and honor the text, keeping it forever as a treasure of the body. They swear an oath as firm as cut metal: should they violate the regulations or break the covenant, they will enter the dark prison of the long night. They dare not speak falsely.

(From the Ritual for Transmitting the Five Thousand Talismans and Registers)

The Scripture-Transmission Rite and Visualization Method

Next, the master holds the scripture while everyone sounds the ritual drum thirty-six times.

Visualization method (steps for contemplation):

First visualize a Green Dragon on the left and a White Tiger on the right, a Vermilion Bird in front and a Dark Warrior behind. Beneath the feet is a divine tortoise bearing the Eight Trigrams; thirty-six lions crouch in front. The headcloth bears the Seven Stars; the Five Phases arise from the Five Viscera, and a patterned net covers the body. The Three Ones (body, spirit, and Qi united as one) attend the scripture, each guarded by a thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen.

(From the Hidden Commentary Scripture)

A Hymn Chanted During the Transmission

Above the Great Void Ridge, all drifts and floats; flowing radiance rests in the highest mysterious realm. The beginning and end are without end through the kalpas; Heaven, Earth, and humanity are forever preserved. The ruler of the age studies how to attain the Brahma realm; the Daoist chants and thereby gains it. The worthy one now reverently receives it and transmits it to others in accordance with the proper method. When there is no perfected person of the highest attainment, treasure it in secret and do not proclaim it carelessly. Take it as the root and rise to the Great Clarity; abandon it and fall into the Nine Depths. I speak of the Dao of Wuwei (non-action): through stillness and quietude, one attains the natural state.

(From the Ritual for Transmitting the Five Thousand Words and Talismans and Registers)

Paying Respect to the Master and Taking Refuge

Next, the master presents the scripture, and the disciple receives it while kneeling, then returns to their place. When the rite is complete, each person bows to the master three times.

Then they take refuge in all the honored Dao:

With utmost sincerity, I entrust my life to the Celestial Worthy of the Mysterious Highest Jade Dawn of the North.

Note: This text is a ritual model for transmitting the five thousand words of the Dao De Jing. It includes a devotee’s vow, a sworn covenant, drumbeats, protective visualizations, a transmission hymn, the kneeling reception of the scripture, three bows to the master, and taking refuge in a Celestial Worthy. It links the transmission of scripture with bodily and mental cultivation and the protection of divine beings. Terms such as “Three Caverns master,” “ritual of talismans and registers,” “guarding the center through embryonic breathing,” and “Three Ones” are terms used in Daoist scripture transmission and cultivation.

I. Taking Refuge in the Celestial Worthies of the Ten Directions

(Source: the Lingbao scriptures)

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy who Saves and Transports the Immortals, the Most High Sage of the Northeast.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy, the Jade Treasure August Sovereign of the East.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy who Cherishes Life and Saves Lives of the Southeast.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy of Mysterious Truth and Myriad Blessings of the South.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy, the Great Spirit, Empty Sovereign of the Southwest.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy of Supreme Wonder and Utmost Perfection of the West.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy of Measureless Great Florescence of the Northwest.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy, the Jade Void Radiant Sovereign Above.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy, the True Sovereign, Cave Spirit Below.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy, the Lofty Jade Sovereign of the Past.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy, the Primordial Beginning of the Present.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Celestial Worthy of the Supreme Ultimate of the Future.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in the Jade Capital, the Mysterious Terrace, and the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity—the names of celestial abodes in Daoism.

With wholehearted devotion, I take refuge in all perfected immortals and the holy assembly of those who have attained the Dao.

(The passages above are excerpts from various Lingbao scriptures.)

II. Three Hymns for Circumambulation

(1) Delighting in the Precepts of the Great Worthies

Received as a treasure for life, the teachings are always studied too late. We regret not having cultivated ourselves sooner; all should unroll the hidden texts.

In a flash, the years have passed and we are old. We clutch the scrolls and draw in their teachings, yet time is nearly gone; then death’s anguish and sorrow will come. So, while still young, I left the world to study the Dao.

(2)

The urgent task is to study the way of the immortals. Uphold the admonitions and restrain the lazy mind; dwell in emptiness and tranquility, with upright Qi, and the immortals and sages will seek one another out.

If you do not trust the words of the teaching, why dwell in the mountain forest?

(From the Scripture for Dispelling Demons.)

(3)

To study the way of the immortals, cast off thoughts of worldly splendor. Thought follows thought, each adding to the next; coming and going, they disturb my Shen, and when the spirit is restless, nothing goes untouched.

Still the thoughts and enter quiet emptiness; serene and clear, enter the stillness of the void.

Seek the scriptures as though hungry and thirsty; hold your resolve as firm as metal and stone. Preserve the child, and travel the mysterious path of flight; the Five Spirits will convey you through the registers of talismans.

(From the Scripture of Hidden Commentary on the Supreme Ultimate.)

III. Method for Facing East and Reporting to the Immortal Officials: Invocation Format

Disciples of the Most High Lingbao, the Supreme Three Caverns, [name] Master of [mountain], [personal name], and others, respectfully submit this invocation:

To the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, empty and spontaneous; the Lord of the Dao, the Most High Dao Lord, limitless and great; the Lofty Jade Sovereign; the assembled great sages who have attained the Dao; the perfected lords and venerable elders; the emperors of the Thirty-Two Heavens; the Jade Void High Sovereign; the Jade Emperor, the Great Sovereign; the Eastern Florescence, the Southern Ultimate, the Western Spirit, and the Northern Perfected Ones; the Mysterious Capital, the Jade Capital, the Golden Gate, the Seven-Treasure Mysterious Terrace, and the spirit officials of the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity; and all divine perfected beings who are to be honored with ritual.

(According to the liturgy, the disciple states their name and title, then presents this invocation to the revered gods.)

This passage comes from Daoist liturgical texts in the Daoist Canon. It records an invocation used when transmitting scriptures and precepts and establishing a purification retreat; a rite for renewing the incense burner; a hymn in praise of upholding the precepts; and a secret blessing recited when leaving the ritual space. The following gives the general meaning in plain language, in the order of the original.

Invocation

Precious, Most True and Luminous August Lord of the Dao (an honorific for the Lord on High of the Dao), and the assembled divine beings: Through the affinities formed in past lives, we were born in an age taught by the Dao and its methods. We received the opening and deliverance of the Mysterious Truth and entered the root of faith. Our former master, under oath, transmitted to us the Three Treasures (the Dao, the scriptures, and the master) and the divine scriptures. We take offerings, reverence, and respectful veneration as our foundation, and put the accumulation of merit first.

On this day, the [day] of the [month], we respectfully transmit the scriptures and perform the rites of the Dao for [Name] and the others, establishing a purification retreat and carrying out its ritual observances, burning incense, confessing, and making vows. Now that the transmission is complete, we have invited the celestial immortals, earthly immortals, flying immortals, Perfected Ones, divine beings, and sages, as well as the officials who oversee the retreat, those assigned to its duties, the boys who attend the incense, the jade maidens who scatter flowers, the Five Emperors’ duty talisman officers, the messengers who convey words and report affairs, the flying dragons and mounted attendants, and all others. They have overseen the retreat and diligently guarded it. May each receive a reward according to their merit, advance in rank and office, and return to their stations in the heavens. We respectfully submit this report.

Next: The Rite for Renewing the Incense Burner

Incense officials and messengers, Lords of the Dragons and Tigers on the left and right, and all the divine officers who attend the incense: May golden liquid, cinnabar and jade-green radiance, and the blossoms of the sacred fungus naturally arise within this quiet chamber—images of auspicious signs brought forth by the Dao. May the assembled Perfected Ones and myriad spirits gather here before this incense and flame. May [Name] and the others, having received the Dao, be surrounded and protected by the gods, and soon attain the state of the immortal Perfected Ones.

May the August Emperor enjoy ten thousand blessings, and may all under Heaven receive his grace. May the jade boys and jade maidens of the ten directions attend the rising smoke of the incense, convey our words and report, and carry them directly before the boundless Dao of the Most High.

(From the Scripture of Luminous Truth)

Next: A Hymn in Praise of Upholding the Precepts

The Dao takes selflessness as its guiding principle; every deed can become a field of merit. No one person owns the work of establishing merit; each person may act from their own original vow. Empty yourself to receive all beings, and focus your mind so that none are treated unequally. The Great Sage proclaimed the vast and supreme teaching, appearing twice in the world as a heavenly being—an image associated with teachings about Laozi and others. Though high, a mountain encompasses all things; by remaining low, it becomes a deep abyss. The sea rules over the hundred rivers and can therefore contain dragons and scaled creatures. Its wisdom and power endure through ten thousand kalpas; how could they be limited to a single lifetime? Uphold the precepts without the slightest lapse, and in every life form good affinities. Practice diligently and keep the Great Vehicle—the Great Dao—in mind; in the end, you will embody the truth of the Dao.

(From the Scripture of the Immortal Lord’s Questions)

Next: The Secret Blessing for Leaving the Ritual Space

The mysterious heights, the great Yin; the eight windows open in light. When a petition is made, the Maiden communicates with the divine. The rite is complete; all return to their places, and the myriad gods withdraw into stillness.

(From the Golden Register Scripture)

Explanation

The passage consists of set phrases used in liturgy. The first part reports the proceedings to the Lord of the Dao and the celestial gods and immortals, stating when and by whom the scriptures were transmitted and the purification retreat held, and asking them to oversee the retreat and reward merit. The rite for renewing the incense burner invites the spirits once more before the incense and asks them to protect those who have received the Dao. The hymn praises keeping the precepts, establishing merit, humility, and impartiality, and identifies its source. The final secret blessing is a short invocation recited when leaving the ritual space: the petition has been made, everyone returns to their place, and the gods withdraw. The placeholders “someone,” “[Name],” and “[month] [day]” come from a template and are replaced with the participants’ names and the date when the rite is performed.