《無上祕要》Vol. 53

Earth Immortal Medicines

The Most High Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun) says that the medicines of the lower grade include pine and cypress shade-fat, mountain ginger hidden essence, sweet flag (changpu), ophiopogon (maidong), giant sesame (juesheng, also called hu ma), Solomon's seal (huangjing), chrysanthemum, goji berry, cliff honey, poria (fuling), peach bark, water plantain (zexie), Solomon's seal rhizome (yurui, also called jade bamboo), coptis, Sichuan pepper and hemp, rehmannia (dihuang), red board, zhu ying, ling fei, and water cassia. There are many more, and only some are listed here. Taking these medicines brings only modest benefit and cannot keep a person in the heights forever. Their effect may extend life to about seven hundred years, and at the least to three or four hundred, but one should not expect to enjoy this for long, nor to have any fixed prospect of ascending to Clear Heaven (Qingtian). They can also make the body glow, restore a youthful complexion, command the hundred spirits, and make one an Earth Immortal (Dixian) who can travel by land to the Five Marchmounts (Wuyue) and roam the famous mountains. For this reason it is said that one "need not hide" (bu bi, need not avoid the world), since this result is certain.

If one gradually seeks the superior-grade medicines to renew oneself, progress through the stages will be easier. Why cling to old methods and refuse to change, taking only the limited span of years and then losing one's teeth and dying? Of course, those who follow this Way must be gentle, humble, and kind, with a single and wholehearted intent, a pure and clean body, harmonized viscera, a settled form and a harmonious inner state, and the preservation of the hundred spirits. They must guard the hun and po souls, refine the vital energies, sweep away impurities, and let the mind wander in profound mystery (chong xuan). Their desires must not flow outward, and they must embrace the One and go alone, carrying no entanglements of the dust. Pungent foods and the five strong-smelling plants must not enter the mouth, and rich, fatty, blood-rich foods must not pass through the intestines. They should dwell in the mountains, in quiet places, and not concern themselves with worldly affairs. At the higher level, they may delight in the mysterious, preserve the true self, and summon spirits and talismans. At the lower level, they may take the eight minerals as food and practice breathing and the circulation of saliva.

Next are the following: the thirty-six fungi, the flying furnace and rising smoke, yang water and moon blossom, the richness of the Five Lords, medicines that refill and regenerate the five viscera, those that transform the appearance and change the body, the cloud-fragments of colorful blossoms, and the gold powder and jade grains. These too can prolong life, reaching ten thousand years.

Further still are the following: the cloud-blossom essence of mysterious water, the Five Yellows of numinous vapor, the essence of the central refined stone, the fine grains and the many blues, zhu ying and white carriage, the fruit of the flying joint, and the purple wood of the flowing horse. Taking these at once makes a person's span of life be counted in thousands of eras (qianji). They are called medicines that extend life each day and that advance one's destiny along with the medicine, moving alongside it. They are endlessly numinous substances and marvelous prescriptions for not dying. Once a person's span is counted in thousands of eras, one need take only a single dose at a time.

Heavenly Immortal Medicines

East Ying white fragrance, Canglang green coins, Gaoqiu surplus grain, and more.

(If further categories follow, the structure is the same as above: a list of names, followed by an explanation of their effects and their rank.)

Elixirs of Ascension (Taken by Celestial Immortals)

The elixirs Jishi Feitian (Flying Field of Stacked Stone), Taixu Huandan (Returning Elixir of the Great Void), Daqin Xuanjian (Great Qin Mysterious Firmness), together with Changguang Liucao (Long Light Flowing Grass) and Yuntong Feigan (Cloud Youth Flying Dry), all enable the body to rise lightly and ascend to the true realms of the celestial heights. They are taken by Celestial Immortals and ground by the flying spirits. Those who travel the earth and wander the mountains can neither hear of them nor see them.

Beyond these, one must also master the Nine Transformations and Ten Changes (jiuhua shibian) and the Eight Arts of Hidden Earth (yindi bashu). Only then can one roam widely through the mysterious void, step backward across the celestial ridges, ride the clouds and mount the dragons, and soar into the heavens.

Fifth Fungus: Baike Yuzhi (White Branch Jade Fungus)

When split open and eaten (taking its refined core), it can confer the title of True Upright Censor (Zhenzhi Yushi) of the Three Officials (Sanguan): Heaven, Earth, and Water.

Source: Dongzhen Taishang Zhihui Jing (Scripture of the Supreme Wisdom of the Dongzhen).

Elixirs of the Taiqing Tradition

The famous elixirs of the Taiqing (Great Purity) lineage include Taiqing Jiuzhuan (Nine-Cycle Taiqing), Wuyun Zhijiang (Elixir of the Five Clouds), Xuanshuang Jiangxue (Dark Frost and Crimson Snow), and Tengyue Sanhuang (Three Yellows of Leaping).

Third Fungus: Yantai Zhi (Swallow-Embryo Fungus)

Purple in color, shaped like a mallow leaf, with the form of a swallow upon its leaves, as if about to take flight, and luminous and transparent. Eating one stalk confers the title Immortal Lord of Dragon and Tiger of Taiqing and Gentleman of Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi Langzhong).

Fourth Fungus: Yeguang Dongcao Zhi (Night-Shining Cavern Grass Fungus)

Blue-green in color, with white fruit as large as a plum, three to four feet tall, with leaves resembling those of the cypress. Viewed at night, its fruit gives light like moonlight filling an entire room. Each plant bears nine fruits. When a fruit falls to the ground, it swiftly grows to the size of a mirror seven cun across and lies flat, one to two cun thick. When viewed at night, it blinks like an ox's eye and seems to look back at the observer. Eating one confers the title Left Censor of the Taiqing Celestial Palace.

Elixirs of the Taiji Tradition

Next come the elixirs of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) lineage: Sizhen Changzhen (Four True Treasures), Jiushi Lianyan (Nine-Stone Refining Smoke), Danye Yuzi (Elixir Liquid and Jade Nourishment), Guanshou Liuzhu (Pearls Flowing from the Crown), Linhua Shijing (Essence of the Jade Flower Stone), Danlu Jinye (Golden Elixir Liquid in the Furnace), and Zihua Hongying (Purple Flower and Rainbow Blossom).

First Fungus: Longxian Zhi (Dragon Immortal Fungus)

Shaped like two dragons coiled together, its leaves forming scales and its roots like a coiled dragon. Whoever obtains and eats it is granted the title Immortal Minister of Taiji (Taiji Xianqing).

Third Fungus: Cancheng Zhi (Joined-Completion Fungus)

Red in color, shining with a vermilion radiance. When its stems and leaves are struck, it gives a sound like metal and stone. When broken and rejoined, it becomes whole again as before. Whoever obtains and eats it is granted the title True Person of Taiji (Taiji Zhenren).

Elixirs of the Shangqing Tradition

Next comes the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) lineage of the Shadowy Fungi (Youzhi): Taishang Jiushi (Nine Hours of the Most High), Bagguang Taihe (Eight Radiances of Great Harmony), Banlong Heitai (Mottled Dragon Black Embryo), Wenhu Baimo (Patterned Tiger White Foam, which comes from the Western Hill), and Qixuan Feijie (Seven Mysteries Flying Joints).

(The names of the remaining fungi and their corresponding titles, if they continue in the original text, still need to be translated from the following passage.)

Nine-Orifice Jade Pearls, Cloud-Essence Jade Wine, and Xuanpu Fine Jade Marrow

White resin of Mount Zhong, green ointment born of gold, and brain-stone of Langfeng Peak. Coral of the Black River, the white phoenix of Mount Meng, and the jade joint-mound of the Numinous Hill. Golden blood of the Cangluan bird, red greens of Dongying, and the fellowship of the Nine Ministers. Purple hemp of Taiwei, jade fruit of Qionghua, and whale pearls of the Flowing Abyss. Crimson jade of the Red River, drawn from the well of Taiji in the north and the great vermilion vein plucked from the center. Spirit peaches of the Cloud Court, level sparrows of Kun Garden, and night essence and sun grass. Green ford and jade-green Di, the Lush Altar of the True Palace, and the three canopies of Xuandu. On the left, take in the light of the Jade Youth; on the right, draw the breath of the Jade Maiden; above, summon divine radiance. Below, drink from the dark rapids; bending down, dig the jade essence of the Orchid Garden, and pluck the purple fruit of the Round Mound. White-water spirit clams, the red [illegible] of the Eight Heavens, and a life of ten thousand years. Nine Teams of Flowing Light.

All of these are treasures of the heavenly realm. If a person of fortune obtains and consumes them, they can ascend to heaven. They are the supreme treasures of the Heavenly Emperor, and they are not things that a Taiji Perfected may hear of or that a Person of Central Perfection may obtain. Reciting this chapter can marvelously prolong life, and chanting the names of these treasures can dispel illness and sever evil demonic qi.

Medicines of Jade Clarity

Six Pure Blossoms in bloom, Dark Light of the Eight Corners, wind-fruit and cloud seeds. Jade gates of the Emperor's Wall, golden ointment gleaming, and yellow wood of the Broad Heaven. Jade stamens of Changcheng, fire-jade of the Night Mountain, and resonant sour wine of the phoenix grove. Jade wine of the Western Jade Lake, purple honey of Zhonghua, and the green hill of the Northern Mound. Golden marrow of the Crimson Ford, the essence of the sun and the blossom of the moon, and the coral seeds of the Vermilion River. Patterned [illegible] of Penglai Mountain, seven stalks in the washing waters, and thunder-willows of the collapsing peak. Gathering fine green onions from the dark wall of the north, tilting the head to sip the vermilion honey of Cloud Mountain, and the bone of the night ox. Divine yellow sheen, spirit melons of the empty cavern, and one fruit for four kalpas. The gall of the unicorn-like beast of the Ying realm, the night sun of Flame Mountain, and, in the east, the cinnabar mulberries picked from Fusang. Bending down to probe the patterned algae of the Long Abyss, above blending the flying jade of the Nine Transformations, and below swallowing the rosy-cloud treasure of Qingxuan. The knotted jade ring of the Great Void, the embrace of the White Maiden, and the purple dragon youth. Nine-colored phoenix brain, hidden Taiji fungus, and the sun-path descending from the tree. Rainbow plums of the Most High, great grass of the Milky Way, and giant pearls of the Southern Palace. Supporting-the-Elder of the Western Hamlet and the dragon blossoms of the Three Beams, which the Numinous Consort seeks.

Wushang Miyao, Scroll 78: Selected Excerpts in Modern Vernacular

Whoever obtains and ingests the preceding (some elixir or method) after heaven has begun to decline will live as long as Heaven and Earth and will scarcely age as ordinary people do. This is the substance that is constantly taken in Yuqing (Jade Clarity, one of the three heavenly realms of the Shangqing hierarchy, symbolizing the highest heaven), and it is the treasure guarded by Taishang (the title for the Supreme Dao-Lord). Once taken, one can soar upward to the luminous clouds of the high heavens, share the morning light with the myriad Dao, guard and hold the essence of Huang Jing (Imperial Essence), and each morning pour nourishment into the Nine Brains (possibly the brain palace or the upper dantian, or a similar cultivation site).

Yet this Dao is exceedingly vast, its marvelous and numinous efficacy profound and remote, and it cannot be fully grasped by ordinary people who eat meat and drink wine. Common people can only hear the mysterious sounds that dispel turbidity and rely on wind and qi to sweep away defilement. Above, this practice can float beyond Taisu (Great Simplicity, the primordial qi or the state before chaos divides), and below, it can ward off demons and cure illness.

Quoted from the Daoji Jing (Scripture of the Traces of the Dao).

Scrolls 79 through 82 are missing from the original and were not transmitted.