《無上祕要》Vol. 57

The Chapter on Changing Form (Yixing Pin)

Laozi said: When a snake obtains the numinous treasure (lingbao), it can transform into a divine dragon. When a bird obtains it, it can become a phoenix. When a common beast obtains it, it can become a qilin. When an ordinary person obtains it, they are called a sage (shengren).

What is a sage? A sage possesses the Penetrating Sacred True Script (tongsheng zhenwen) and constantly takes it as a regular practice. Such a person can roam among the Five Sacred Peaks, wander freely through the void, transform the five zang organs, and alter their own appearance. In the first year the qi is changed, in the second year the blood, in the third year the flesh, in the fourth year the sinews, in the fifth year the frame of the body, in the sixth year the bones, in the seventh year the marrow, in the eighth year the hair, and in the ninth year the form itself. When the whole body has been transformed, the Dao (the Way) is complete.

(The above is drawn from the Dongxuan Ziran Wuchen Jing, the Scripture of the Five Designations of Dongxuan Naturalness.)

Formulas for the Grand One Immortal's Generation of the Five Zang Organs

The Grand One immortal generates the five zang organs, fills the six fu organs, nourishes the nine orifices, harmonizes the nine barriers, refines the three hun souls, illuminates the two child-spirits, and preserves the one body, so that one may live for ten thousand years.

The First Formula for Filling: The Yuyuliang-Centered Group

The chief ingredient is four liang of Grand One yuyuliang (a mineral known as "Yu's surplus grain"), which steadies the six fu organs and fills the five zang organs. It is assisted by one liang of true dang gui (angelica), which harmonizes with the yuyuliang and checks the hundred illnesses. One liang of frankincense (xunlu xiang) works with the angelica to fumigate the interior of the five zang organs. One liang of ginseng replenishes the fluids of the six fu organs and strengthens the yuyuliang. One liang of clove (jishe xiang) removes heat lodged in the stomach and relieves phlegm and oppression.

Pound the chief ingredient one hundred times with the pestle, then add the four assistants in sequence and pound until the mixture becomes a powder.

The Second Formula: The Cinnabar-Centered Group

The chief ingredient is four liang of cinnabar (dansha), which gathers the hun and po souls, fills the three shen spirits, and regulates the harmony of qi. It is assisted by one liang of licorice, which harmonizes with the cinnabar, nourishes the skin, and restores black hair. One liang of costus (qingmu xiang) strengthens the licorice and expels the three worms and latent corpse-parasites. One liang of dried rehmannia harmonizes the hundred marrows and fills the brain with blood. One liang of Jiangzhen incense (jiangzhen xiang) benefits the pupils of the eyes and fumigates the lower passes.

Pound the chief ingredient one hundred times, then add the four assistants in sequence and pound until the mixture becomes a powder.

The Third Formula: The Poria-Centered Group

The chief ingredient is four liang of poria (fuling), which fills the seven orifices, replenishes the nine depletions, and harmonizes the numinous passes. It is assisted by one liang of atractylodes (zhu), which harmonizes with the poria, strengthens the shen and qi, and brightens the pupils. One liang of dried ginger strengthens the atractylodes, dispels phlegm and heat, opens the three passes, and removes cold. One liang of saposhnikovia (fangfeng) treats weakness of the limbs, expels foul fluids, and stops hunger and thirst. One liang of mica powder (yunmu fen) moistens the body, brings a glow to the face, and replenishes bone and blood.

Pound the chief ingredient one hundred times, then add the four assistants in sequence and pound until the mixture becomes a powder.

The Four Infilling Spirit Pills (Sì Tián Shén Wán) from the Wushang Miyao (Supreme Secret Essentials): A Vernacular Reading

The first group is the Maidong (Ophiopogon) group, which takes Ophiopogon root as its principal ingredient and contains five substances in all. Ophiopogon root, four liang with the core removed, fills the Shen (spirit) and Jing (essence), nourishes the spiritual fluids, and firms the bones. Dried jujube paste, one liang, helps the Ophiopogon condense the blood vessels and clears impurities from the heart. Aconite, one liang and parboiled, strengthens the qi within the brain, fills the cold in the internal organs, and dispels phlegm. Sesame, one liang and parboiled, harmonizes the fluids of the throat and mouth, fills the Xiaguan point, and moistens the three Shen. Dragon bone, one liang, benefits the six fluids, nourishes the depleted intestines, and darkens the hair while halting its graying. These five substances center on the Ophiopogon, and the other four serve as supporting agents. The principal ingredient is first pounded one hundred strokes with the pestle, after which the remaining substances are added in turn and pounded into a powder.

The Four Infilling Spirit Pills comprise twenty ingredients in total. The five substances above form one section, and each section is first pounded separately into powder. The sections are then combined and pounded in a fixed order and number of strokes. The Yuyu Liang section (limonite) comes first and is pounded three thousand strokes. Cinnabar comes next and is pounded four thousand strokes. Poria (Fuling) follows and is pounded five thousand strokes. The Ophiopogon section is then added and pounded six thousand strokes. Next, four liters of white honey are added and pounded seven thousand strokes, followed by twelve liang of white wax, which is pounded eight thousand strokes. If the mixture still feels hard, more honey is added; if it feels soft, no further honey is needed, though adding more honey is also acceptable. In either case, the mixture is pounded a further thirty thousand strokes. Once the medicine is complete, each pill should be about the size of a chicken's egg yolk, though it may also be shaped into small pills, with the yolk taken as the unit of dosage.

The pills are compounded in the first or ninth month, on an Upper Establishment Day (shangjian ri), a day selected by the calendar, and dosing begins on the day of the full moon. During the first hundred days, the practitioner takes an amount suited to their constitution, five pills per day. They must fast for one day beforehand, take the pills at dawn the following day, and then resume their normal diet. After the first thousand days, the dosage is raised. For the next two hundred days, the practitioner takes seven pills daily. After nine thousand days, the dose becomes twenty-nine pills daily for three hundred days. After three thousand days, it rises to thirty pills daily for four hundred days. This is the measure to be followed, by which the Shen is filled, the center is held, and the practitioner's life endures together with heaven and earth. The text further claims that these pills do not spoil for ten thousand years, and that anyone who regularly takes them needs no other ordinary foods or medicines.

The text also prescribes preparations and rites. Before compounding, the practitioner must observe seven days of abstinence and give up sexual activity permanently. Chickens, dogs, children, and women must not be allowed to see the pills being made. During compounding, incense is burned and a spirit seat is set up facing east, dedicated to the positions of Taiyi Dijun (Lord Taiyi), Taiyi Jun (the Lord of Taiyi), and Taiyi Shangyuan Jun (the Lord of the Supreme Origin of Taiyi). The practitioner should keep these deities constantly in mind and invoke them. When taking the pills, the practitioner should likewise hold the deities in mind and face the spirit seat.

I. Yue Wang on Filling the Four Shen with the Four Great Elements (from the Dongzhen Jiuzhen Zhongjing)

Yue Wang (the Moon King) describes using the Four Great Elements (si da) to replenish the Four Shen (si shen), thereby regulating the hundred illnesses.

If a person refuses to cultivate, they will hardly be able to see scenes ten thousand li away. White hair will not return to black, fallen teeth will not grow back, the face will wither, and the skin will lose its luster.

If one practices and takes the method faithfully, then in one year long-standing ailments may be removed; in two years the body may be exchanged (huan) for one as light as a bird; in three years the qi may be exchanged (huan qi); in four years the channels may be exchanged (huan mai); in five years the jing may be exchanged (huan jing, or "exchange of the viscera," huan zang); in six years the sinews may be exchanged (huan jin); in seven years the bones (huan gu); in eight years the teeth (huan chi); in nine years the form (huan xing); and in ten years one may command ghosts and spirits and hold tigers and wolves in awe.

(These statements belong to the Daoist doctrine of stages in inner training. Each "exchange" refers to a stage in which the body passes from coarse and heavy to light and subtle, and from weak and sickly to strong and healthy.)

II. Chapter on Longevity (from the Dongxuan Lingshu Jing)

When the Heavenly Venerable (Tianzun) had completed the five directional lands and was liberating all the people of the world, he once returned to the Hall of Eternal Joy (Changle She).

At that time the kingdoms, large and small, were in turmoil and collapsing, and the people came pouring in, so that they could not be held back.

The Heavenly Venerable then closed off the light of heaven for three days and three nights, so that its brilliance no longer shone upon the world. He piled firewood on a high place, some two hundred zhang high, and sat himself atop the wood, burning his own body.

Once the fire was lit, its light shone in all four directions. The men and women of the various kingdoms saw the Heavenly Venerable seated upon the fire from afar. Unable to draw near, they could only lay open their hearts. The Heavenly Venerable, wishing to see their hearts, told those who came: "If you desire long life, you must enter the fire and receive the Dharma from me."

Those who admired the Dharma with utmost sincerity, numbering seventy-two thousand four hundred and fifty, threw their bodies into the fire and all came before the Dao. Within the fire, the Heavenly Venerable transmitted the scriptures and methods to them, teaching each as they entered. Their bodies were also liberated, and they transformed in form and departed.

Some three hundred thousand who had not entered the fire saw from afar that those who went in could not come out again. Believing them to have been burned to death, they withdrew and each returned to their own land.

Those who first entered the fire and received liberation all went home first. Those who had not entered arrived later, and when they returned and saw them, they were filled with lamentation and regret, but it was too late. The bodies of all who received liberation attained long life.

(This is an allegorical narrative in which the Heavenly Venerable demonstrates the method through self-immolation, tests the hearts of people, and liberates those who have karmic affinity.)

III. Daoyan (Origin of the Scripture as Spoken by Yuanshi Tianzun)

Daoyan: All of them, within the Shiqing Heaven (Shiqing Tian), the Biluo Kongge, and the Great Fuli Land (Da Fuli Tu), received from Yuanshi Tianzun (the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning) the immeasurable supreme method of liberating humanity, and this scripture is to be expounded.

When Yuanshi Tianzun preached the scripture, he circled ten times to summon the ten directions. Then they began to approach the seat: true perfected beings (tianzhen), great spirits, supreme sages, exalted lords, and wondrous-practice perfected ones (miaoxing zhenren), countless in number, descended through the void. They flew on clouds into the vermilion heavens, with green carriages and jade wheels, feathered canopies casting shade, streams of essential jade light, and five colors surging forth.

(Shiqing Heaven, Biluo Kongge, and Da Fuli Tu are names of heavenly realms in Daoism. "Circling ten times" refers to repeated recitation to gather the holy assemblies of the ten directions. The true perfected beings, supreme sages, and wondrous-practice perfected ones are the ranks of holy beings who attend to hear the scripture.)

Note: The blank in the original phrase "yi [missing character]" is commonly restored as "jing" or "zang" and similar readings. These fit the surrounding sequence of refinement stages, "exchange qi, exchange channels, exchange sinews, exchange bones." I have therefore rendered it as "huan jing (or huan zang)" without determining the exact character.

Wushang Biyao: A Vernacular Interpretation

(The following is from the Dongxuan Wuliang Dure Jing, the Scripture on the Boundless Salvation of Humanity)

The cavern-heaven blazed with light for seven full days and nights. In the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars, along with the Xuanji and Yuheng (ancient astronomical instruments), all halted their turning at once. The divine winds fell still, the mountains and seas gathered in their clouds, and the sky was clear and free of haze. The four qi (vital currents of the cosmos) were bright and pure. The land of the whole realm, with its mountains, rivers, forests, and trees, grew level, with no more heights or hollows. The earth turned the color of green jade, without any mixed hue. The perfected stood attending at the sides of the seat. Yuanshi Tianzun (one of the highest deities of Daoism) sat serenely, suspended in the void atop a five-colored lion, and recited the scripture once, whereupon the great sages of all the heavens praised it together. At this point, the men and women of the realm who were deaf had their hearing opened. At the second recitation, the blind regained their sight. At the third, the mute could speak. At the fourth, the lame and those with chronic ailments could rise and walk. At the fifth, those long ill recovered their bodily appearance. At the sixth, white hair turned black and fallen teeth grew again. At the seventh, the aged returned to vigor and the young grew strong. At the eighth, pregnant women and pregnant animals were blessed, and those not yet born were brought to completion. At the ninth, the treasures hidden in the earth were released, and gold and jade were revealed. At the tenth, withered bones were restored to life and rose up as whole persons. At this time, the men and women of the realm all turned their hearts toward the teaching, were delivered, and attained long life.

(The following is from the Dongzhen Tiansheng Wuzang Jing, the Dongzhen Scripture on Replenishing Life and the Five Viscera)

Yunyu (cloud-rich essence), also called Xuanshui Yuye (Dark Water Jade Fluid), Feilong Yunyu (Flying Dragon Cloud Essence), or the refined flower-essence of the Five Minerals, when taken for fifteen years, causes the body to shine with a jade-like light, clear both within and without, and may extend life to match heaven and earth.

(The following is from the Miao Tian Jing, the Wondrous Replenishment Scripture)

The Daoist who seeks a livelihood does not pursue fame or profit. Dressed in worn robes and torn shoes, he does not covet honor or status. His heart remains pure and white, and his intention does not lean toward any object. His will flows like water. Though he dwells in the city and marketplace, he steadily holds to wuwei (non-action), and only then can he attain long life.

(The following is from the Daode Jing, the Classic of the Way and Its Power)

In governing people and serving Heaven, nothing is better than se (frugality, the husbanding of one's strength). It is only through frugality that one returns early. Returning early is called the accumulation of De (Virtue or Power) upon De. When De is accumulated doubly, nothing is left unconquered. When nothing is unconquered, no limit can be known. When no limit can be known, one may hold a state, and one who holds the mother of the state may endure long. This is what is meant by deep roots and firm stems, the Dao (Way) of long life and enduring vision.

(The following concerns Lady Ziwei)

Lady Ziwei said to Amu: Ingest the solar qi at dawn, gather the lunar light at midnight, and visualize them held nine cun (a traditional unit of length) in front of the face, so that their radiance shines upon the Niwan (Muddy Pellet), the cavity at the crown of the head within the skull.

The text descends through the five viscera and pervades the whole body. When one draws Qi (qi) into the body, the light and colors within become luminous and abundant. With long practice, one attains perfection, and by constantly practicing this method one can gain longevity.

(The above is drawn from the Scripture of the Dongzhen Taiyi Dijun Taidan Yinshu.)

The Perfected says that consuming the essential Qi of the sun ensures longevity. For this reason, one who wishes to ascend to heaven and pay respects to the Primal Lady must first, on the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and fifteenth days of each month, take nourishment between sunrise and midday. Before eating, one should recite in the mind: "The sun is within the heart; within the sun is a mysterious canopy (Xuangai, a Daoist image of a protective cover over the sun); beneath the canopy is a young child; the righteous Qi fills the body within and without across nine layers." One visualizes red Qi filling the crown of the head, rising through the top of the skull, circling the sun nine times, and then chants the incantation:

"Sun Lord, Primal Yang, return to the Crimson Palace, unite your virtue with mine, and together nourish the young child."

Next, one visualizes the sun's essence descending, entering the crown of the head and the nostrils, and swallows it three or nine times until it fills the heart. Within the heart, one imagines three figures: on the left, the Father of Taiyi; on the right, the Mother of Xuanyuan; and at the center, the red infant. The child sits upon a golden couch and a jade dais, holding a jade plate and a jade cup containing divine wine of jade blossoms and heavenly lingzhi herbs. When the child appears and partakes of them, one is free from hunger and thirst and attains longevity.

Consuming the essential Qi of the moon also confers longevity. For this reason, one who wishes to ascend to heaven should, at midnight on the fifteenth day of the month, face the moon, bow twice, and chant:

"Moon Lord, Zi Guang, return to the Dantian (energy center), unite your virtue with mine, and together nourish the young child."

One then visualizes white lunar Qi and yellow essence descending, entering the nostrils and mouth, and swallows them three times seven times before stopping. Once the lunar essence is lodged at the root of the kidneys, one attains longevity.

Consuming the essential Qi of the stars enables one to ascend to Supreme Clarity (Taiqing). One should regularly recite, at sunrise, in the afternoon (bushi), at midday, and at midnight, while facing the North Star, the Great Yellow Star:

"August Heavenly Sovereign, Supreme Lord Dao's great-grandson, the little one named so-and-so, is devoted to the Way of the immortals and wishes to attain longevity."

One visualizes the starlight essence descending between the eyebrows and flowing into the nose and mouth, and swallows it three or five times. One then visualizes Qi filling the heart, gallbladder, and spleen, within which the Dao Mother (Daomu) nourishes the red infant. Thus one is free from hunger and thirst and attains longevity.

(The above is drawn from the Scripture of the Dongxuan Five Talismans.)

The Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Perfected says that one who completes three hundred good deeds may attain the rank of earth immortal (dixian), dwelling enduringly upon the earth. If even one good deed is left unfinished, one must begin again from the first, and all prior merit is voided. Keep this principle always fixed in the heart-spine (xinlü, the heart and the spine, a metaphor for the innermost depths of the mind); this is what is meant. When a disciple guides others to do good, that guidance itself counts as meritorious work.

(The above is drawn from the Scripture of the Dongxuan Dingzhi Jing.)

Words of the Dao: The Lower Grade Cultivates the Self

The Daojing says that lower-grade practitioners (those at a lower level of cultivation) cultivate the self by severing emotional attachment and restraining desire (duanqing rense), and by nourishing the spirit (yangshen) through herbal preparations and guided breathing exercises. They keep away from glory and luxury, dwell in secluded forests, love mountains and streams, delight in stillness and true simplicity, and remain calm and steadfast in their detachment. They abstain from the five grains (jue gu xiu liang) and undertake long periods of fasting and devotional recitation of the Dao, taking no food after noon. When they sit in meditation, they face their master and the treasured scriptures; when they go out, they keep company with birds and beasts. They travel alone through rock caves and face the empty mountains by themselves. They do not long to return home, and they do not grieve over the body's decline. They make their peace with the forest streams and take delight in the spirit as though feeding on it. Their faces show hunger, and their hearts hold the cinnabar within, as they endure hardship as an infant endures care, yet keep a serene countenance. When tested, they are not afraid, and their minds remain quiet, reverent, and at rest. Through such practice, they move the August Sovereign of Emptiness (Xuhuang) above. Having died nine times and been reborn nine times, their resolve does not waver, and their grasp on the Way grows exceptionally firm. They may then attain transformation, fly through the void, and roam among the Five Sacred Peaks.

(The above is from the Dongxuan Falun Jing.)

Great Calamity Crossed, Precious Life Preserved

The Yuanshi Jiuxuan Zhi Jing and the Da Yangjiu zhi Hui teach that when floodwaters rise to the heavens, one should write a talisman (fulu) on blue writing paper with white silk and wear it on the head. Such a person can float and glide above the clear waves, the disaster cannot harm them, and their body and life are preserved. Wearing it for a long time can bring about immortality.

Lesser Calamity Crossed, Precious Life Preserved

The Jiutian Taizhen Fu Jing and the Xiao Yangjiu zhi Zhou teach that when water and fire rage across the land and countless disasters arise together, one should write the talisman in vermilion on white silk and wear it on the left elbow. Such a person can enter deep water without sinking and enter fire without burning, no harm can reach them, and their body and life are preserved, living as long as Heaven itself. Wearing it for a long time can bring about immortality.

(The above is from the Dongzhen Qingyao Zishu.)

The Three Sovereigns: Heavenly, Earthly, and Human

All the great characters contain the wondrous methods of pure emptiness and the precious texts of the Dongxuan. They are inscribed in the golden names within the Azure Palace of Fangzhu, and ordinary people cannot hear of them. Those who possess these texts become earth immortals (di xian).

(The above is from the Dongzhen Siji Mingke.)

Rank of Heavenly Immortals

The text of the Zhongzhen Xiayuan Ziyuan Daxian Dongqi Yangling is this: it is the jade script born from the transformation of the essence (jing) of the Great Immortal's cavern-qi and yang-generation. It serves to assist the True Sovereigns of Shangqing (Shangqing), transform the qi of the eight directions, commune with the spirits, summon the perfected, and preserve life everlastingly. Taking it for eight years causes the nine jade youths of the Purple Origin Terrace to appear and respond, and allows one to summon the eight luminaries through spirit communication. The divine officials then send their cloud carriages and feathered canopies to appear and carry one aloft in flight.

The text of the Shangzhen Xiayuan Yangling Zhenwen and its transformative talisman is the jade script born from the essence of the Dongyang's transformative spirit. It serves to turn the Supreme Perfected Sovereigns, transforming the qi of the eight directions.

(The above is from the relevant Shangzhen and Dongyang scriptures.)

(Continuing from the talisman passages on the square qi and the summoning of spirits by jade youths)

Having taken this talisman for eight years, one can sense and commune with spirits, summon true numina, and preserve life to achieve longevity. The nine Jade Youths of the Southern Pole will appear in response, summon the Eight Radiance Spirit Palaces (bajing shengong), and command cloud carriages and feathered canopies to come and carry you aloft.

Next: The Talisman of the Transformed Text of the "Dongyang Daling" (Great Spirit of Cavernous Yang), Central Perfected and Central Primordial Grades

This is a jade script produced by the essence of great yang's generative force, transformed by the Supreme Perfected Lord on high. It can transform the qi of the eight directions, commune with spirits, summon the perfected, and preserve life to achieve longevity. After eight years of taking it, the nine Jade Youths of the Southern Pole respond and commune with you, summon the Eight Radiance Spirit Palaces, command cloud chariots and feathered canopies, and carry you aloft in flight.

Next: The Talisman of the Transformed "Dongyin Taixuan" (Profound Supreme Mystery of Cavernous Yin), Central Primordial and Central Perfected Grades

This is a jade script produced by the essence of the ultimate yin at the Northern Gate. It assists the Central Primordial and Central Perfected grades and the Eight Radiance Spirit Palaces, connects upward to the celestial qi, and protects below those who study the Way. It summons spirits and draws in the perfected, guarded by officials of a thousand chariots and ten thousand riders. After eight years of taking it, the eight Jade Maidens of the Dark Palace (xuangong yunü) descend in bodily form, bestow the Nine Heavens Phoenix Garments and the register of the Perfected Command, summon the carriages of the Eight Radiances, and carry you soaring aloft.

Next: From the Scripture of the Transformations of the Seventy-Four Directions of the Cavernous Perfected

The Heavenly Honored One (Tianzun) said: Good sons and good daughters who awaken the natural intention of the Dao, enter my Dharma gate, receive the Ten Precepts, and practice the Twelve Compliances (shi'er kecong), become "Pure Faith Disciples" (qingxin dizi) of the Great Dao. The merit and courage of a Pure Faith Disciple are equal to those of a Flying Celestial (feitian). Those who have not yet attained the Dao but are Flying Celestials are still "Ten-Stage Disciples" (shizhuan dizi) of the Dao, who fly through the void and drive chariots for the heavens. A Pure Faith Disciple in this world is freed from worry and affliction, can deliver the multitudes from suffering, enters into light, and whose form within is clear and upright. Such a disciple can command spirits and subdue demonic essences. When the ten stages are completed, one attains the rank of Flying Celestial. If within a single stage one advances diligently without slackening, performs meritorious works, keeps long fasts and ascetic practice, and remains untiring from dawn to dusk, one's merit is equal to that of a Flying Celestial.

The Heavenly Honored One further said: The Six Precepts are all practiced by applying the wisdom of the six penetrations (liutong) to the bestowing of virtue. When conduct accords with what is natural, blessings and felicities constantly accompany the body, calamities and harms remain far from the door, and enjoyment of the Dao never ceases, generation after generation in karmic connection. One who receives the reward of a single stage is equal to a Flying Celestial in merit. One who transcends the nine stages of the wheel attains the rank of the great Dao. A Ten-Stage Disciple has their name inscribed among the heavens, and their seven ancestors rise together and are reborn above in the Heavenly Hall.

Note (to aid reading the original): In this kind of scripture, zhao generally refers to a response, an auspicious omen, or the adept who receives the rite. "Bajing" (Eight Radiances) and "yun yu yu gai" (cloud carriage and feathered canopy) are imagery of the Daoist summoning of spirits and ascent to flight. "Shijie," "shi'er kecong," "qingxin dizi," and "shizhuan" are the particular terms of cultivation stages found in this scripture. They are rendered here literally, without further doctrinal elaboration.

The Heavenly Venerable (Tianzun) says: The so-called Ten Good Exhortations and Precepts (shi shan quan jie) can only be fully practiced by those who are disciples of the Ten Transmissions (shi zhuan dizi), those who have received the teaching through ten successive transmissions and hold a very high rank. Such practitioners may match the merit of the Flying Immortals (fei tian), the perfected beings who ascend to the clouds. Their minds become equal in wisdom to the Six Spiritual Powers (liu tong), such as the heavenly eye and heavenly ear, and they penetrate the void. After death they can all travel through the clouds, and they escort the assembled sages on tours of the ten directions in the imperial carriages (luan jia), the processions of the perfected beings.

This teaching is found in the Scripture of the Great Precepts of the Dongxuan Cavern (Dongxuan da jie jing).

The Mingzhen Liturgy (Mingzhen ke) says: Those who cultivate and uphold the Ten Precepts of superior wisdom, accumulate all good merit, make offerings to the Dharma master, burn incense and light lamps to help the heavenly light shine across the ten directions, bestow kindness and spread virtue, and dedicate their thoughts to delivering all beings, will after death ascend to Donghua (the heaven governed by the Lord of Donghua) and receive the title and rank of Flying Immortal. They will rank above the disciples of the Ten Transmissions of the Supreme Lord, and they will escort the sages on their procession through the clouds. The text further says: Respectfully believe in and uphold the Ten Precepts, burn incense, and keep the lamps always lit. When the merit is complete through the Ten Transmissions, the reward rank will reach that of the Flying Immortal.

This is found in the Scripture of the Mingzhen of the Dongzhen Cavern (Dongzhen Mingzhen jing).

Chapter on Ascending to the Lunar Court (Shengyue ting pin)

Those who wish to practice the Way of gathering the Yellow Blossoms of the Moon (cai yue huang hua), which means gathering the lunar radiance and the yellow flowers in order to cultivate immortality, should do so on the day when the moon arrives at the Eastern Well lunar lodge (yue lin dong jing). In the early morning, take one jar of well-flower water (jing hua zhi shui), the fresh, clear water or dew drawn from a well, and set it out in the courtyard to be exposed to the sky. At midnight, write the talisman for Yang Essence Jade Embryo and Refining into Immortality (yang jing yu tai lian xian zhi fu) and place it in the water. Facing east, click your teeth twenty-four times. Over the water, recite the incantation:

"Yellow qi, yin blossoms, yang essence, deep and bright,

bathe the nine spirits and adorn the golden dawn.

Perfect illumination opens and announces, the jade embryo is refined into immortality,

the light of the flowers intertwines and shines, scattering fragrance and nourishing the vital fluids.

The nine yangs together transform, the dark mists disperse,

the primordial scenery returns to spiritual efficacy and curves to reflect my body,

ascending to the upper palace and gazing into the jade pavilion."

When the recitation is finished, take one dou of the water and drink it facing the moon. Then hold the grasping-fist posture (wo gu) and visualize the five-colored flowing essence of the moon all coming to crown and receive one's body. Within the five colors there are also yellow qi of the moonlight, each as large as the pupil of an eye, piled up in dozens, which lie within the five-colored essence of the moon and enter through the mouth, circulating fully through the five viscera. Facing the moon, swallow the essence fifty times, and swallow the saliva ten times. Then click your teeth ten times more and recite the faint incantation:

"Yellow qi flows with essence, the three unite and congeal into light,

the dark radiance returns to its proper course, crowning and adorning the eight points of light,

refining the soul in the Eastern Well, receiving brightness and ascending to the Flying Sovereign.

The golden blossoms scatter their spirit, the Five Lords flow with fragrance,

the Lady descends with sweet dew, moistening and sprinkling the ten directions.

The great fungus pours down, the six viscera overflow and are filled,

the golden essence transforms nine times, and the scenery changes back to its form.

Riding the void and falling into the mist, roaming in the great emptiness,

ascending to the lunar court to be equal with the perfected, to be paired with them,

transforming through eight paths, emerging from non-being and entering into being,

the three dawns penetrate with light, forever..."

(The final line of the incantation may be incomplete in the original; the text here follows the surviving manuscript.)

Note: This passage belongs to the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) school's cultivation grades, where the Ten Precepts and Good Deeds are linked to the rewards of the Flying Immortal rank and Donghua. The Chapter on Ascending to the Lunar Court belongs to a category of visualization and ingestion practices involving the Eastern Well, the Yellow Blossoms of the Moon, talismanic water, and swallowing lunar essence. These differ from the later accounts of Neidan (internal alchemy). They should be understood according to the visualization methods of the ancient rites, and should not be read literally as "taking medicine" in the modern chemical sense.

After completing a stage of cultivation, bathe the whole body with the remaining ritual water. Then return indoors, face east, and consume the “Yang Essence,” the refined essence cultivated in correspondence with the sun.

Wear or consume the “Jade Embryo Talisman for Refining into an Immortal.” First click the teeth together twelve times and silently recite the incantation. Its general meaning is: “Conceal and contain the radiance of the heavens; yellow Qi gathers and spreads. Essence and Qi congeal into splendor, and light shines brightly and purely in all eight directions. A scene like yellow stone transforms and nurtures body and mind; fluids like jade fungus fill and moisten them. Vast as the Han River, it refines all beneath the heavens. At dawn, when the Morning Star shines, ride the sun’s radiance into the sky and ascend to the celestial palace. Leave the dusty world behind, transcend the eight calamities, and shine with the sun, sharing its course with the moon.” When finished, swallow the breath fifty times.

This is the method for “consuming the moon’s radiance,” a wondrous practice of the Primordial Beginning. After one year of practice, the face becomes lustrous as jade. After seven years, spirits descend and golden light shines from the body. After nine years, one can fly upward to the “Lunar Realm,” the moon palace.

On the day of the Grand Duke Jupiter, write the “Yin Essence Talisman for Flying Radiance” in yellow ink on bamboo membrane. Face the direction of the Grand Duke Jupiter and consume it. After three years, moonlight streams down and penetrates the six viscera and five organs, bringing clarity within and without and giving the face a jade-like glow. After nine years, one flies upward to the “Lunar Court,” the moon palace.

By daylight on the autumn equinox, write the “Threefold Essence Talisman for Flying Essence and Summoning Immortals” in yellow ink on bamboo membrane. At dawn, face west and consume it. After three years, the immortal officials of the Five Sacred Peaks will come. The forms of the Supreme Perfected may appear and disappear: those of middling attainment perceive them dimly, as if they appear and vanish, while those of lesser attainment speak with immortals in dreams. After nine years, the immortal officials will come in cloud chariots to welcome the practitioner, who then ascends to the “Solar Court,” the sun palace.

On the day of one’s birth-year destiny, write the “Yellow Blossom and Stone Radiance Talisman for Inner Transformation of the Spirit” in blue ink on bamboo membrane. Face the direction corresponding to one’s birth-year destiny and consume it. After three years, golden light appears at the crown of the head, and mysterious radiance shines for a distance of one li. After nine years, one speaks with the “Lady of the Moon,” flies up into the heavens, and ascends to the Lunar Court.

The above is from the Scripture of the Eightfold Purities of the Cavern of Perfection.

At midnight on the winter solstice, write the “Sun Soul Talisman for Refining Essence and Yin” in black ink on blue paper. Cast it into water and use the water to bathe; the blood and essence throughout the body will be refined. Bring the sun’s essence to the purple radiance, and let flying blossoms descend to the Eight Heights. Refine the five inner organs in the Jade Pool, and set the signs of the body in motion in Vast Cold. Also write the black characters on blue silk and wear it on the body. After eight years, golden light shines from the body, and a round radiance appears above the head. A Perfected One descends and bestows the true writing upon the practitioner, who flies up into the Great Void and ascends to the palace of Vast Cold.

The above is from the Scripture of Yellow Qi and Yang Essence of the Cavern of Perfection.

The “Jade Embryo Spirit Talisman of Flying Blossom and Solar Radiance”: On the day of one’s birth-year destiny, write it in vermilion on bamboo membrane. Face the direction corresponding to one’s birth-year destiny and consume it. After three years, flowing essence and purple light shine through the body.

Clicking the teeth together and swallowing the breath are common Daoist methods for regulating the breath and gathering the spirit.

Bamboo membrane, yellow writing, and blue paper are materials and colors used for writing talismans; each carries a meaning within the ritual tradition.

The Grand Duke Jupiter, one’s birth-year destiny, the winter solstice, and the autumn equinox guide the choice of dates and directions in accordance with the calendar and principles of destiny.

The periods of one, three, seven, or eight years are common stages of practice in the scriptures, marking the gradual deepening of merit and the emergence of results.

The Lunar Realm, Lunar Court, Solar Court, and Vast Cold refer to levels of the immortal realms corresponding to the moon and sun. They belong to practices such as “consuming the moon’s radiance” and the “Sun Soul” method.

Secret Essentials of the Supreme — A Plain-Language Interpretation

The face takes on a golden hue; after nine years, one can fly through the Great Void and ascend to the Gate of the Sun

Yang Essence Flying Radiance Jade Talisman: On the day of the Grand Tai Sui (the annual spirit associated with that year’s cyclical signs), write the talisman in cinnabar on bamboo membrane, face the Tai Sui, and wear it. After three years of use, the stomach’s organs and channels become clear and bright with true light, which fills the Numinous Jade Gate (referring to the upper Dantian, the space between the eyebrows, or another mysterious inner opening). After seven years, sunlight appears on the face, and one can fly through the Great Void and ascend to the Gate of the Sun.

The above is from the True Scripture of the Eight Pristine Qualities of the Cavern of Truth.

Talisman for the Eight Refinements, the Golden Realm, and Transformation into an Immortal True Being: On the day of the Beginning of Spring, write it in yellow ink on blue paper and place it in water for bathing. The whole body will then be refined and transformed, able to draw down the mysterious radiance of the sun and moon and bring a Perfected One (an immortal who has attained the Dao) to descend into the Jade Court. Alternatively, write the characters in yellow on blue silk and wear them on the body. After eight years, one can converse with a Perfected One, summon a cloud chariot, and fly up above the Golden Gate.

Jade Talisman for the Eight Refinements and the Cinnabar Embryo: At noon on the day of the Beginning of Summer, write it in cinnabar ink on yellow paper and place it in water for bathing. Both the inner and outer body will then be refined, summoning the root of the immortals into Yang Essence, bringing yellow Qi to the Yellow Florescence, and turning the sun and moon so that their mysterious radiance shines forth, drawing a Perfected One to the Jade Universe. Alternatively, write the characters in cinnabar on yellow silk and wear them on the body. After eight years, a Perfected One will descend and impart secret writings, enabling one to fly through the empty mystery and ascend to the Palace of Cavernous Yang.

Talisman of the Ninefold Dragon Radiance Refinement: At dusk on the day of the Beginning of Autumn, write it in blue ink on white paper and place it in water for bathing. The bones and marrow will then be refined and transformed, summoning mysterious radiance into the purple brilliance, bringing Yang Essence to the flying root, receiving yellow Qi into the Water Mother, and bringing a Perfected One down to the Purple Hall. Alternatively, write the characters in blue on white silk and wear them on the body. After eight years, the head will shine with a round radiance like the sun; one can fly through the Great Void and ascend to the Hall of Vast Numinous Light.

The Way of Seeking Immortality: At midnight on the night of the Summer Solstice, enter a room and face south. Sit or lie down as you wish, and gently close your eyes. Inwardly visualize the Lady of Cinnabar Radiance in the moon. Her surname and personal name are not given here. She is eight cun and eight fen tall, wears her hair in a drooping-cloud coiffure, and is dressed in a flying skirt of cinnabar brocade. Holding moonlight in her mouth, she descends into the practitioner’s body and enters the Crimson Palace (the heart and chest area, often likened in inner alchemy to a red palace). In a short while, the moonlight spreads out as yellow Qi, surrounding the whole body. The lady is at the center of the moon, gathering the essence of kongqing (a blue mineral pigment) and scattering it through the yellow Qi. She exhales red Qi of Yang Essence to fill the practitioner’s form. The yellow and red Qi wind around one another, moving from within to without and illuminating the whole body. The lady gives the practitioner’s body six tones written in purple script and cinnabar characters. The practitioner then draws in the yellow Qi and swallows twenty-four times, draws in the Yang Essence and swallows twelve times, then stops and clicks the teeth twenty-four times.

Vernacular Explanation

The upward-facing spell says (he raises his head and recites the spell as follows):

A myriad acres of flowing fire, essence of Dongyang; the lodge of Yang’an, the Jade City of the Three Flowers. Golden immortals shine within, the Eight Purities and Four Radiances; the Nine Luminaries send down Qi, Lady of the Supreme High Numen.

Rinsed with fragrance and scattering blossoms, in Jade Clarity the cinnabar writ and purple characters coalesce into sound; in the azure orchid pool, jade moisture flows and sprinkles through the eight dark regions. Crimson light flows as a canopy, and all heaven is fresh and flourishing; the revolving dawn and curving luminaries illuminate and watch over my form. May my form die and live together with the crimson sun; riding the emptiness and driving the void, I harness and mount the flying carriage. Jade Maidens attend my station, Golden Youths support my spirit; with a light canopy of kingfisher feathers, I ascend to the Emperor’s court.

When finished, swallow Qi twenty-four times and swallow saliva twelve times, then stop. Then take up the Purple Writ in Cinnabar Characters. After practicing this Dao for eight years, the Lady will bestow on the adept the true text of the cinnabar writ and the jade eardrop from within the sun, causing the adept to fly up and ascend to the Palace of Dongyang.

Explanation

The upward-facing spell (yangzhou) is a secret spell recited with the head raised during cultivation, often used in practices such as visualization (cunsi), contemplation, and Qi ingestion. Dongyang is a Daoist cave-heaven and a realm where yang essence gathers; it corresponds to the “Palace of Dongyang” mentioned below. The Jade City of the Three Flowers, the Eight Purities and Four Radiances, and the Nine Luminaries mostly refer to celestial palaces, scriptures, or names of stars, used to lay out the sacred scene in visualization. The Lady of the Supreme High Numen is the honored deity in the scripture who oversees the bestowal of the cinnabar writ and jade ornament, often appearing in the form of a female immortal. “Rinsed with fragrance and scattering blossoms” and “in Jade Clarity the cinnabar writ and purple characters” refer to visualizing celestial maidens sprinkling fragrance and scattering flowers, while the purple characters and cinnabar writ appear in Jade Clarity Heaven. The eight dark regions are the dark places of the eight directions or eight layers of darkness; the crimson light shining everywhere means radiance penetrates all. “May my form die and live together with the crimson sun” means that the body dies and lives together with the crimson sun—the yang essence and symbol of the sun—a figure for uniting with yang essence and attaining long life. “Harness and mount the flying carriage” means driving through emptiness and riding the void, ascending on a flying carriage, an immortal vehicle. Swallowing Qi twenty-four times and swallowing saliva twelve times are the numbers of Qi-swallowing and saliva-swallowing repetitions after the spell, as accompanying bodily practice. The Purple Writ in Cinnabar Characters is the true text written in purple and cinnabar, often referring to transmitted secret texts and talismans. “Practicing this Dao for eight years” means practicing according to this method for a full eight years. The jade eardrop from within the sun is a jade ornament bestowed within the sun, a sign of flight to heaven. “Ascend to the Palace of Dongyang” means finally ascending to the celestial Palace of Dongyang.

The above is from the Dongzhen Jing of Yellow Qi and Yang Essence.

Wushang Miyao, Scroll 88

(Scrolls 89 and 90 are originally missing.)