《法海遺珠》Vol. 10

Volume Ten, Section Ten of Pearls Left by the Dharma Ocean discusses the sitting practice of the “Supreme Way of Divine Heaven” and a method called “Manifesting the Rainbow.”

Sitting Practice: Each night at midnight, rise and sit upright. Put on a robe and rub your hands together until they are very warm. Wipe your eyes with your hands as though washing your face. Open your eyes, exhale the turbid Qi from your abdomen, then inhale clear Qi through your nose and draw it into your chest and abdomen. Tap your teeth three times, and visualize your Original-Life Perfected Person—the image representing your own original Shen—standing between your eyebrows, resembling you in appearance.

Next, recite the “Incantation for Gathering the Shen”:

“The True King within the radiance shakes the Nine Heavens with his might. He holds the Three Su in his hands and treads upon the Nine Profound Realms. The Golden Tiger veils the sun; the Azure Dragon encircles the Qian position. The Yellow Spirit wields an axe, and the Green-Toothed One raises a whip, inspecting the Five Sacred Peaks and regulating the Seven Primordials. I carry out the Heavenly Emperor’s command, transforming form and extending life. From the beginning of Taiji, I have possessed this span of years; now I hold the talismanic mandate and wield authority. Wind and thunder rise together, and lightning crashes. I divide day from night, examine spirits and ghosts, trace things back to their origins, and oversee all affairs of thunder. The Mother of Justice favors ordinary people; all whom I command must act as instructed. Hasten and obey the law!”

When you have finished, visualize your original Shen rising from between your eyebrows to pay homage to the True King. The True King’s palace lies about three inches above the space between your eyebrows. Then visualize ten palaces surrounding you, with the Perfected Lord Taiyi among them.

Next, recite the incantation:

“Jade Clarity shines bright; the Nine Qi arise naturally. Through transformation, divine beings come forth and extend throughout the Thirty-Six Heavens. The sun and moon blaze with majestic radiance, and the thunder chariot is grand. The sky is azure and the earth dark; ghosts, monsters, and malign spirits are destroyed. I now examine and verify the heavens, presiding over the court and its affairs. Winds fly and lightning wheels; all spirits obey. Hasten and obey the command of the Celestial Lord of the Primordial One Qi!”

Then visualize the nine streams of azure Qi within your liver rising upward and spreading across Miro Heaven. Next, visualize three streams of red Qi from the south joining with the Qi of your heart. They transform into gold and mingle with the Qi of the Spleen Palace. Briefly hold your breath, then exhale the golden Qi of the Spleen Palace and let it circle your whole body.

Next, use your left hand to lift the outer kidneys—the scrotum—and hold your breath briefly. Visualize the water of the kidneys surging upward to meet the descending fire of the heart at the navel wheel. Press your tongue against the roots of your upper and lower teeth and wait for the water to rise and the fire to descend. Then swallow the saliva into the Lung Palace, visualizing golden radiance intertwining and finally condensing into a Perfected Person, who goes to pay homage to the Supreme Emperor of Primordial Void. At this point, recite the “Lesser Golden Radiance Incantation” and swallow the saliva in three portions. Then stretch out your hands to let Qi flow through your whole body. When you have completed these steps, lie on your side and sleep in a posture shaped like the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper.

Manifesting the Rainbow: In the morning, face west; in the afternoon, face east. Form the Thunder Bureau hand seal with both hands, gaze at the sun, and then recite the incantation.

Incantation of the Sun’s Soul and Vermilion Radiance

Let the Vermilion Radiance of the Sun’s Soul shine forth, concealing the emerald hue and reflecting the glow of rosy clouds. The Red Child’s mystic fire—winds surge as though charging steeds.

I proclaim this command: reveal the true image at once! A rainbow stretches ten thousand li, its five colors forming a barrier. Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes! By command of the Solar Emperor Lord.

Another Incantation

Rainbow, appear at once, with rain dividing east from west. Appear swiftly—stretch across the sky, fill the heavens.

After reciting this incantation, exhale three breaths of Qi (vital energy). The rainbow will immediately appear in the sky.

Divine Empyrean True Text for Bringing Rain and Summoning Thunder

(Write it in four lines, with four characters in each line.)

Write this True Text in cinnabar ink on blue paper one chi and six cun long, facing the Xun direction (southeast).

It is used to summon the thunder spirits. It may also be cast into a Dragon Pool or submitted in a formal petition to the Thunder Department; it never fails to bring a response.

Writing one or two characters can cure every illness and drive away every malign spirit. When traveling, one need not fear wind, waves, dragons, or other strange beings. Once one’s work is complete and the Dao fully attained, carrying it enables one to ascend to the Jade Clarity Heaven of the Divine Empyrean and serve as an attendant at the Golden Portal. To treat madness caused by malign influences or strange hauntings, add the Sudden Fire Talisman within; the effect is immediate.

Convenient Talisman (Envoys of the Barbarian Thunder of the Five Directions)

• Ma Yulin, Envoy of the Barbarian Thunder of the East: rise swiftly. (Use the talisman text for the Chen position/east, and dot it with blue Qi.)
• Guo Yuanjing, Envoy of the Barbarian Thunder of the South: rise swiftly. (Use the talisman text for the Wu position/south, and dot it with red Qi.)
• Fang Zhonggao, Envoy of the Barbarian Thunder of the West: rise swiftly. (Use the talisman text for the You position/west, and dot it with white Qi.)
• Deng Gongchen, Envoy of the Barbarian Thunder of the North: rise swiftly. (Use the talisman text for the Zi position/north, and dot it with black Qi.)
• Tian Yuanzong, Envoy of the Barbarian Thunder of the Center: rise swiftly. (Use the Banishing Evil text at the Heavenly Gate position, and dot it with Qi.)

(Open the Heavenly Gate and command the winds and clouds to rise; break open the Earthly Gate and command the waters to move through the water court; keep the Human Gate open and command the birth of the myriad things; block the ghost road and command thunder and lightning to crash. Bearing strength across the sky, break straight through Fengdu; from the eight directions, bow and join to destroy the gathered souls.)

(Command of the True King of Jade Clarity; the Five Thunders’ order.)

(Lord of the Six Waves, send rain pouring down. Great Spirit Mulang and Perfected Lord Taiyi: let lightning flash and thunder rise swiftly.)

(Supreme Lord of the Rain Department, let rain pour in streams; let radiance shine to the eight extremities and spread throughout the four seas. Green Youth, Green Youth, sweep across the sky and drink in the wind.)

(Raise clouds and draw lightning; command the rainbow from all eight directions. Lash the dragons, bind the ugly spirits; behead the ghosts and erase their traces. Let Heaven’s might act swiftly. Si-script. Thunder. Rain.)

This scripture documents the specific procedures of Daoist Thunder Rituals (a form of ritual magic invoking thunder deities for rainfall), which consist of three main components:

First are the incantations and mudras (hand seals) for summoning thunder deities. The ritual master must recite spells such as "Swiftly Arouse the Trembling Script" to invoke the Five Directional Thunder Gods (Dragon Thunder, Celestial Thunder, Divine Thunder, Water Thunder, and Earthbound Thunder), while performing specific hand gestures: the right hand traces the character "field" (田) while the left hand outlines the constellations "Yi and Zhen" (two of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions). Through twenty-four palm rubbings to generate heat, this symbolizes channeling the Qi of thunder-fire into the ritual talisman. The incantation mentions "Tianpeng," referring to Marshal Tianpeng, leader of the Four Saints of the North Pole who governs wind, rain, thunder, and lightning in Thunder Rituals.

Next comes the detailed method for drawing talismans. These must be inscribed with cinnabar mixed with rooster blood, then burned with spirit money when invoking deities. The scripture meticulously records the incantation for summoning the Swift-Fire Great Deity (an important thunder general), commanding the thunder pantheon to "deploy wind and clouds" and "release rainfall like sweet dew," specifically emphasizing this is for relieving drought and reviving crops.

Finally are the instructions for talisman application. This particular talisman, called the "Iron Rite of Five Thunders," has multiple uses: for rainmaking, it's cast into deep pools; for exorcism, it's written with black ink on yellow paper or cinnabar on red paper; for home protection against spirits, it's engraved on iron plates. Infused with the spiritual power of the Swift-Fire Great Deity and combined with standard Daoist boundary-setting phrases like "Open Heaven's Gate, Close Earth's Door," it possesses formidable efficacy described as "instant thunder-fire ignition" and "lightning-fire soaring through air."

The entire ritual exemplifies how Daoist Thunder Rituals integrate incantations, mudras, talismans, and burnt offerings, with the core purpose of regulating natural weather patterns and dispelling calamities by summoning the thunder pantheon.

Images in the First Passage

Eight million heavenly soldiers and generals, the Five Thunder Fire Chariot, and the foul smoke of thunderbolts and lightning are used to burn away ghost bandits and bring peace to the human realm. The passage also describes the power of thunder fire and lightning fire.

Commands in the Second Passage

The Great God of Xu Fire must carry out the talisman’s command at once, flying like a star and turning like lightning, cutting down meteors, and—by the Jade Emperor’s edict—capturing and subduing evil spirits. “Heng” and “hong” imitate the sound of crashing thunder.

The Third Phrase

The characters in this phrase vary widely in form, and may reflect a shift in the sounds used when reciting it. When the might of thunder stirs, it strikes fear into the heart.

Edict Incantation: General Spell for Carrying Out the Command

Heaven is numinous, Earth is numinous; the Six Jia and Six Ding, the Earl of Wind and Master of Rain, the Five Thunder divine troops, the Lightning Mother’s awe-inspiring radiance. General Thunderbolt races with the talisman, swiftly striking down ghostly essences. Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

Incantation of the Great God Mulang of Taiyi’s Three Mountains

The refined Qi of the Qian Heaven streams its radiance east of the Jade Pool. The sacred one of covenant power, named Qing Tong, hurls fire ten thousand li; riding boldly and swiftly from the Kan and Zhen palaces, he rushes forth. He cleaves open the vast, primordial chaos and pierces through Kongtong; green waves bear up Heaven and turn. The secret decree of Gou Rong and Qing Hua orders the Director of Seals to take charge of the talismanic command and descend to the Imperial Palace.

The mighty god Mulang of Taiyi’s Three Mountains receives the profound mystery above and follows it with utmost reverence. With a sudden cry he drives thunder across the ridges; thunderbolts shatter stone, and the springs at last open their source. From Kun to the Xun gate, the Radiant Spirit Elder streams crystalline light and brilliance, rushing toward Zhu Rong. Fierce horses spread in all directions; Xu Fire charges the great chariot. On Mount Taihua he climbs into the clouds, bearing a golden hammer, jade iron, and a blazing fire bow; the heavenly drums thunder in alarm, rumbling, rumbling.

The great sage of the Celestial Dipper descends, his true hearing awakened. The talismanic command of the Divine Empyrean shines with numinous power, striking down the myriad evils without leaving a trace. I now carry out the command and summon the Thunder Duke. East, west, south, and north, Xu Fire surges in clusters; banners and pennants descend in daylight and rise through empty space. Asuras are cut off from the sun and return to Sangyong. The envoy Pili, Tian Yuanyong, swings the tail of the Kun, and the heavenly embankment and ridges shake.

The Flame Emperor steams the rain; dense clouds mass. In an instant, black Qi swells in the Kan position. The August Void blazes and shoots from the pupils; Etai stirs the peaks of Kunlun. He drives thunder and lashes lightning, riding the fire dragon; flying sand and rolling stones rise into the empty sky. Hidden spirits churn the sea, keeping company with Xuanming.

Feng Yi drums and dances, then cries out to summon the wind. The Weaver Girl and Fourth Brother shout at the vanguard; Gou Lou Jili drives on the Azure Dragon. Ding and Xin drip and fall as they grasp the Emperor’s bell. The envoy of Covenant Power stands cold as winter frost; the Jade Radiance Boy pounds without end. With a hoarse cry, ▲ sprays out his fury, roaring through the vast vault of Heaven. The foolish and the bright are marked for destruction; the venomous centipede is burned. Huang Li takes up his sword and beheads the dragon-serpent and its mate.

The Han minister obeys the command and inspects your body. The waters of Penglai’s Weak River rise to accomplish the great work; the immortal retinue of Yingzhou returns amid the tinkling of jade pendants.

Reading Note

This text belongs to the Daoist Thunder Rites tradition and the lineage of Xu Fire and Mulang, the Great God Mulang of Taiyi’s Three Mountains. It uses talismanic commands to summon the Thunder Duke, General Thunderbolt, and other powers, calling on the Five Thunders, the Fire Chariot, and Xu Fire to strike down ghosts and destroy demonic essences. Many of the names are divine generals and envoys revered in particular ritual lineages, including Qing Tong, Zhu Rong, Feng Yi, and Etai. The directions often correspond to the Bagua, including Kan, Zhen, Kun, and Xun. The forceful language of “obeying the edict” and “in accordance with the statutes and commands” emphasizes that the rite must be carried out according to Heaven’s decree, without delay.

This passage comes from a Daoist liturgy for praying for rain and driving away drought. Its tone resembles a ritual master chanting spells at an altar, summoning the gods of the Thunder Ministry, the mountain gods of the Five Sacred Peaks, and the messengers of the stars, while commanding them to destroy the drought demon and bring down sweet rain. The explanation below gives the general meaning in plain language; specialized terms are briefly explained when they first appear.

Heavenly thunder rumbles softly and strikes the golden bell; divine thunder blazes with might and smashes through obstructions; dragon thunder shakes the sky, and heavenly fire glows red; water thunder drums up waves until the seas swell. The local altar official, a god who governs the community and its land, strikes down hosts of demons and monsters. The drought demon of Liyang, an evil spirit said to bring drought, is wiped from the earth, and every corner finds peace. A long crossbow sweeps away the rainbow clouds. The “Six-One”—a swift sign in Thunder Rites, like the Six Jia and Six Ding—is sent ahead to subdue the evil fiends. The one with red hair, enormous wings, and twin eyes like pupils spits thunder and lightning from his mouth and drives the Five Dragons, the five divine dragons who govern water. Gloom hangs over the Four Seas, and dark clouds gather thickly. As I perform the Yu-step, a ritual step said to have been handed down from the Great Yu, who controlled the floods, for calming waters and praying for rain, may divine power descend and respond. Amid the thunder, Heaven and Earth rush into motion. Behead the drought spirits, the demons, and their leaders. Scatter fire across the land: let it redden ten thousand miles, burn up every evil demon, and leave not a trace behind. As soon as the talismanic command arrives, the promise of rain comes through; thunder and lightning rise, and drums boom. Drive forth the Thunder Ministry: black rain begins with a single clap of thunder, and mist veils all the Four Seas.

Jinhua and Dui Marsh, names of immortal realms and watery palaces often found in Daoist scriptures, fly forth in solemn harmony. Kan and Li, the Water and Fire trigrams, establish their order, and the command is issued to the Dark Source. Water patterns hasten their transformation; the Gate of Heaven opens wide, lightning bursts forth, and flames roar through the sky. Gongbin commands the halberds and brings down Gonggong, an ancient deity associated with floods and inundation. Wherever the rain formations reach, rivers surge in flood. Thunder crashes across the surrounding seas. Your title is Primordial Sovereign, an honorific for a marshal revered in Thunder Rites and in the Zhenwu tradition. The vanguard, Shangyang—a legendary creature said to summon wind and rain, here serving as the rain host’s advance guard—cries out as its cloudlike hair rises in disarray. Red chickens and purple geese tumble from their golden cages; auspicious crimson vapors stream forth, soft and luxuriant. From the ninefold Gate of Heaven hang red maples.

The learned spirit of Mount Tai and Feng Meng, a divine general famed for his archery, join the numinous officials of Mount Heng in the south to lead Chisong, an immortal whose name also symbolizes longevity and life-giving rain. The Golden Heaven deity of Mount Hua in the west sends the Four Fiends into battle. Black pottery vessels of startled gloom are offered at Mount Heng in the north. In the central palace of Miro, the Five Luminaries—the five stars associated with Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—pay court to Heaven. The hundred gods of Mount Song descend through the sky, driving divine steeds. Zhezha and Jiuluo slay flying insects; the Ice Dove warms its chambers, while the mighty Stone Cliff holds a jade tablet. Yannian, Zhen’er, Xiongwu the Fierce, Huangjing, Zhaozhen, Zongrong, Xiongguiyan, Shanju, Pengsi, Quanzi, and Zhenwei: the Lord of Heaven in the Cavernous Abyss, the two patriarchs, turn the imperial heart. The envoys who bear the command and hold its tally blow their flutes across the open sky. Demons crowd the roads, yet dare not attack.

Furong and Jinjiang sing of Kongtong. The gods of the Divine Empyrean, the heavenly realm of the Thunder Gods in the Shenxiao tradition, examine people’s good and evil; their thoughts are recorded on jade tablets. The great host of thunder gods drives forth, beheading tigers and leopards and slaying fierce apes. The countless officers and generals are filled with anxious concern. With one heart, we hold you in reverence and bow before your jade countenance. The constellations of all the heavens remain in their proper order; the myriad forms all belong to the pivot of the Jade Axis, the cosmic hub around which the heavenly bodies turn.

The water-bearing envoys travel back and forth through the middle of Heaven, sending their bounty down to the earth below, where it flows without end. May they help my Daoist rites flourish day by day; help me relieve the drought and bring abundance in its season; help me earn great merit by ending the drought. May they destroy every evil and erase its traces. May all things—

(The final sentence seems to continue into the following passage. If the text continues after “all things,” it may go on to describe rain bringing life back to the world.)

Overall, the ritual master rings the golden bell, performs the Yu-step, and issues talismanic commands to summon thunder, dispatching heavenly thunder, divine thunder, dragon thunder, and water thunder. The master destroys the drought demon and beheads the leaders of the demons, bringing down dark rain and sending rivers surging in flood. The master also summons the gods of the Five Sacred Peaks, the Five Luminaries, the hundred gods of Mount Song, and the thunder gods of the Divine Empyrean, naming many divine generals who hold jade tablets and drive away evil. The water-bearing envoys spread their bounty through the heavens, and the prayer asks that Daoist rites flourish, that drought relief bring merit, and that every evil be destroyed. This text is a prayer for rain, not a narrative. It should be read together with the surrounding ritual passages to see how the summoning of generals, the raising of thunder, and the confirmation of rain fit together.

A Plain-Language Reading of the Scripture Pearls Left Behind in the Sea of Dharma

Command: Order the Primordial Lady of the Purple Emperor of the South Pole to descend

The accomplishment returns to the forging and shaping of creation; may Heaven’s glory be shared, and may the merit be without end. Command the Primordial Lady of the Purple Emperor of the South Pole to descend. Swiftly, swiftly, as with a fiery command: seize and restrain.

Another Commanding Incantation

Great Thunder Lord of the Celestial Metropolis, let thunderclaps shake the void. Three hundred thousand troops bearing blades, blazing in the Purple Cavern. Whoever dares refuse to submit shall find no leniency under this stern command. Seize them and escort them to the place beneath Kui and Gang, where they shall remain forever in a state of purity and stillness. Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the law.

Dispatching Incantation

I respectfully invite the Great God of Sudden Fire, Deng Bowen, to lead a hundred thousand divine generals and soldiers of thunder and fire. Enter my talisman and burn the ghosts and bandits, making their retribution plain. Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the Supreme Emperor’s decree: race with the wind and fire, and swiftly carry out the command, bringing retribution clearly to light. Swiftly, swiftly.

When the incantation is complete, spray water and make the Dou hand sign to cover it; guide the wind Qi of the Xun direction into the water, then recite again:

Great God of Sudden Fire, Deng Bowen: Om, Sha, seize and restrain by command. Great Thunder Lord, seize with thunderclaps, lightning, and fire.

Method for Destroying a Heretical Temple

Whenever a heretical temple or the home of a ritual master or medium is to be destroyed, write in cinnabar on red silk and place it on the altar. After dispatching the generals and completing the invocation, bury it at the Earth Gate—usually the Kun direction, or a place underground or in a pit—without letting anyone see. Keep this secret.

Purple Court’s Hidden Mystery: Summoning the Generals

Visualize the Marshal riding a dragon, with the various generals of the Six Ding and Six Jia standing in orderly ranks. Strike the brush down three times, then begin the rite.

Talisman of the Flame Spirit

(The two characters “Ding Song” are placed inside the talisman.)

For this talisman, visualize the great general Ding Song, dressed in red, wearing a celestial warrior’s cap and red shoes, carrying a sword, and riding a fire chariot down from the south. Visualize the Sun Qi within my body emerging from the lower Dantian and blending together as it spreads into the talisman.

Talisman for Replenishing Qi

(Settle into stillness and draw this circle, writing the two characters “Hang” and “Jue.”)

Once the talisman is complete, recite the Incantation of Heavenly Spirit and Auspicious Glory, and guide eastern Qi into it. Then make the finger signs in sequence: Ge (Si), Zheng (Chen), Ji (Mao), Gang (Yin), Heng (the upper part of the thumb), Wei (the middle of the thumb), and Wen (the base of the thumb). Then form the Sha sign and direct it into the talisman.

Explanatory notes for reading the scripture:

• “Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the law” / “Swiftly, swiftly, as with a fiery command”: Formulaic phrases in talismanic incantations expressing urgency and immediate effect, similar to “Carry out the command at once.”
• Great Thunder Lord of the Celestial Metropolis: One of the principal deities of the Thunder Department, often associated with thunderclaps and the punishment of evil.
• Kui and Gang: Directions associated with the Kui and Gang stars; often described as the place to which ghosts and malign forces are taken after being seized.
• Great God of Sudden Fire, Deng Bowen: “Sudden Fire” refers to swift, intense fire; Deng Bowen is a divine general of the Thunder and Fire Department.
• Six Ding and Six Jia: Names of Daoist divine generals, often charged with guarding the altar and obeying commands.
• Striking the brush down three times: Striking the brush against the talisman or altar three times to summon the generals and activate the talisman.
• Making the Dou hand sign to cover it and guiding Xun Qi into the water: After the incantation, spray water and use the Dou hand sign to guide the wind Qi of the Xun direction into it.
• Forming a hand sign: Pressing the fingers at prescribed points in coordination with directions and times, akin to a secret ritual gesture.

These passages form a ritual text for invoking Daoist generals of thunder and fire, burning away evil, destroying temples, writing talismans, and replenishing Qi. Much of the language is archaic; this translation aims for fluency while retaining specialized terms and adding brief explanations.