《法海遺珠》Vol. 17

The Precious Beads Left Behind by the Sea of the Dao, Volume Seventeen: The Great Rite of the Southern Court’s Fiery Prison (Modern Interpretation)

Divine commanders and their retinue

Chief commander: Marshal Song Wuji—blue-faced, with three eyes, three heads, and six arms. He wears golden armor and carries a long spear.

Deputy commander: Marshal Xu Ji.

The five directional generals who pursue and capture: Marshal Zhao Gongming—when transformed, he is blue-faced and clad in golden armor, with fangs bared, and carries an iron spade and a long spear.

Also present are General Chen, the Great General Who Discerns Evil; General Liu, the Great General Who Burns Demons; and General Gong, the Great General Who Beheads and Drains Blood.

The Six Ding and Six Jia, divine generals who take their posts according to the hours, are responsible for capturing offenders, putting them in cangues, and interrogating them. The Wind-Bearing Perfected One, the fierce official Yin Meng, conducts fiery interrogations. The Procession Officials and Generals accompany the rite and carry out its business.

Purification and removal of defilement incantation

Within the grotto, emptiness and mystery; bright and clear, the Great Primordial. The awe-inspiring spirits of the eight directions make me as I am. By the command of the Numinous Treasure talismans, I proclaim this throughout the nine heavens. Qian Luo Da Na, Dong Gang Tai Xuan: slay demons, bind evil, and kill myriad ghosts. The divine incantation of Zhongshan, the jade script of the Primordial Beginning. Recite it once, and ghosts retreat while life is prolonged. It travels through the Five Sacred Peaks, and its power is known across the eight seas. Demon kings bow their heads and guard my carriage. Evil and defilement are swept away; the Dao’s Qi endures forever. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

Outline of the ritual procedure

To perform this rite, first sweep and cleanse the patient’s room, then burn a talisman on the ground. Visualize Fire Qi rising, use a sword to trace the character “jing” in the air above the ground, and recite:

With the first stroke, Heaven is clear;
with the second, Earth is at peace;
with the third, people gain long life;
with the fourth, the Fiery Prison is formed.

Form the Yin Dipper hand seal with the left hand and blow toward the area prepared on the ground. With the right hand, make the “circle” hand sign and visualize a golden well appearing in the ground, ten thousand fathoms deep and broad. Then pour ashes onto the ground and recite the Incantation for Consecrating the Ash Altar:

I consecrate this altar of pure ash: radiant, bright, solemn, and clear. Above, it opens to the Three Heavens; below, it reflects upon and sunders the Three Paths. The prisons of the underworld rise up, their encircling mountains and barriers knotted close. Every mote flashes with light; in every life, cold and heat arise. A single handful encompasses the realm of sand; the four quarters are all penetrated and made clear. By this, the heavenly prisons are formed, each displaying its banners and insignia. Heavenly immortals and ghosts and spirits see it and are bewildered. All ghosts who stray from the Dao are seized without delay. The gathered waters do not return; the iron mountain’s barriers twist and turn. Swiftly, by command of the Great Emperor of the South Pole!

Next, place—by burning it or arranging it according to the ritual—the Text for Subduing Demons and Banishing Baleful Forces. Then light a lamp, draw in a breath of the southern Qi, form the Southern Dipper hand seal, and recite the Incantation of the Star Lord of Fire Virtue:

Its points and horns stand in awe; its dragon and phoenix display their might. Its radiance cries out in the ten directions; its red astral force shines through the five watches; its vermilion fire…

(The surviving text may be incomplete at this point, and the full incantation is not recorded here.)

Explanation for understanding the ritual

This rite belongs to the Southern Court tradition and is a liturgy connected with the Fiery Prison and the pursuit and capture of evil ghosts. First, Marshal Song and the other commanders are invoked to secure the ritual space. The purification incantation then clears it. A sword is used to draw a well on the ground, and ashes are spread to form an altar. These actions symbolize opening the prison and creating barriers such as the iron mountain. Together with the imagery of the Six Ding and Six Jia and fiery interrogation, they serve to gather “ghosts who stray from the Dao” into the Fiery Prison. The “Three Paths” refers to the three evil destinies—places of suffering such as the hells, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the animal realm. The Great Emperor of the South Pole is often associated with thunder, fire, and the subduing of evil. Specific procedures, including the shape of the talisman, the complete text for banishing baleful forces, and the details of the sword techniques, should follow a complete transmitted text and the teachings of a ritual lineage. This interpretation offers only a plain-language account of the scripture’s contents.

…the three-sided blazing talisman shines brilliantly; the righteous Qi, sword and spear, and resplendent weapons of authority bring the tumult to an end. The ominous star and comet dare to block the way—swiftly, in accordance with the command of the Great Emperor of the Southern Pole.

Then recite the “Bright Lamp Circling the Prison” incantation:

The fire blazes fiercely and the wind rushes hard, transforming into a prison compound. Snakes coil and tigers prowl; thunder crashes and lightning flashes; Heaven and Earth grow dark. The net of Heaven and the snare of Earth, swords and spears, surround the place on every side. The spirit officials of the fiery prison appear at once. Let the ghosts below submit to Heaven’s law and obey the Supreme Emperor’s command; carry it out swiftly—swiftly, in accordance with the command of the Great Emperor of the Southern Pole.

Next, burn the remaining embers beneath the patient’s bed. Then hold a mirror and recite the incantation:

The ancient mirror reveals ghosts a thousand years old; the bright lamp burns away evil forces ten thousand years old—swiftly, as the law commands.

Spread the baleful Qi of the Dipper over the mirror, and visualize: Among the fiery clouds of the south stands a hall, with a red plaque bearing the four characters “Southern Court Fiery Prison” written in gold. Draw in its image with the breath and blow it over the altar. See the fiery prison stretching wide, with its chief and deputy generals and a full retinue of officials. The generals and troops of this altar precinct seize the ghosts and escort them to the fiery prison to carry out the fire command. Visualize a bridge formed of fiery Qi inside the prison, reaching straight to the patient’s bed. Use the sword hand sign of the right hand to form the bridge, and hold the lamp’s remaining embers in the left hand while reciting the incantation. The master traces out a seat of the Southern Dipper, then performs the Dipper steps and leaves the prison, declaring:

I burn incense and summon once more the chief general (so-and-so), together with the officials and generals of the various departments of the ritual bureau. You have heard this summons; come swiftly to the altar and state your purpose.

Burn the prison talisman inside the prison. Trace the Yin Dipper toward the Xun gate (the southeast). Visualize the generals of the ritual descending, and recite the sending incantation:

Great Thunder God of Heaven, lightning shakes the empty sky; three million weapons of war blaze and scatter through the prison city. Should anyone disobey my command, the Supreme Emperor will not allow it. Seize them and bring them beneath Kui and Gang, and grant them the blade of purification—swiftly, as the Supreme Emperor commands and decrees.

Next, trace out a seat of the Yin Dipper, cover the prison with it, and bind the prison as it is brought to the prison gate. Visualize the celestial generals holding their positions. Then recite the summoning incantation:

I respectfully summon the Great Black God who flies through Heaven, the Lord of the Prison Gate who commands thunder and lightning, the Perfected Ones of the Law, and the Three Heavenly Dings. Join me in shackling and interrogating the offenders. The altar’s officials and assistants support the ritual investigation; our duty is to save living beings. Whoever dares resist and refuse to submit shall be seized, brought to the fiery prison, and utterly destroyed in form—swiftly, by decree of the Great Emperor of the South.

When the incantation is complete, bind a prison in empty space; once the prison and its gate are established, perform the six methods.

“Open Heaven’s Gate and close Earth’s Door; leave the human gates open and block the road of ghosts”: While performing the rite, visualize Heaven’s Gate standing open and Earth’s Door closed, with the gates of the human world left as they are and the paths by which ghosts and spirits come blocked off. Then visualize a golden beam laid across and jade pillars raised upright, piercing the ghosts’ hearts and breaking open their bellies. Set nets around the mountains in all directions and shatter the Five Sacred Peaks; gather the astral energy and grasp the Big Dipper mudra, bringing all evil forces under control and causing the ghosts to destroy themselves. At the end, recite “Swiftly, swiftly, as…”—that is, act in accordance with the decrees and commands of the Great Emperor of Longevity at the South Pole (a revered Daoist deity associated with longevity and the Southern Dipper).

The Nine Provinces’ Astral Energy

In the mind, visualize Heaven and Earth overturned, and “flick” the evil spirits into a prison—the prison is a visualization used in ritual practice to confine ghosts and demons.

Incantation:

Match the Nine Provinces with directions and numerical correspondences—for example, Ji, Qing, and Jing Provinces with Kan and Li, Qian and Kun, Xun and Gen, and so on. Let evil spirits have nowhere to hide; let the wind race and rain lash down, thunder strike and lightning flash. Seize the ghosts of the Three Realms and send them to Kui-Gang, the astral energy or star spirit associated with the Dipper’s handle and the subjugation of ghosts and demons.

Then shrink the Nine Provinces into one province, that province into one county, the county into one township, the township into one village, until all are confined in the palm of your hand. Draw Heaven down to Earth and Earth up to Heaven; turn East toward West and West toward East, South toward North and North toward South, above toward below and below toward above. Compress all the directions, above and below, into a space no larger than a square inch. Let the wind rage and rain pour, thunder crash and lightning roar—swiftly, swiftly, as commanded by the Law.

If the prison’s form still does not appear, use the Huoluo Dipper’s astral force to drive it into view. Then use the Sha configuration to draw in the energy of the north and blow it forth. The Sha configuration and northern Qi are martial forces and directional energies used in Thunder rites and methods for suppressing malign forces.

The Locking Rite

Incantation: Copper head, iron feet, fiery eyes, golden pupils—the Three Officials’ emissaries, divine generals dispatched by the Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, lock down the demon—swiftly, swiftly, as commanded by the Law.

At a place charged with malign energy, establish a Yin Dipper. When the Heavenly Dipper manifests, visualize the talisman characters glowing red, draw them in, and blow them toward the prison. Silently visualize it, and it will appear at once. After reciting the prison incantation once, say:

Divine Hero, Divine Hero, let ghosts and spirits lose their forms. I now end the prison rite; afterward, establish the passage to spiritual communion—swiftly, swiftly, as commanded by the Law.

Then spray a mouthful of water and say:

Clear, clear water, the radiance of Sun and Moon unfolds; within it rests the Northern Dipper, and within it the Three Terraces are arrayed. Spray this divine water, and calamity departs while good fortune arrives—swiftly, swiftly, as commanded by the Law.

After the incantation, have someone sweep the ashes out the door. Outside the door, the practitioner uses the sword mudra to draw the character “sever” in the air, followed by the character “well,” while reciting: With one stroke, a river is formed; with two, a stream; with three, the waters of the Yellow River flow backward; with four, the traces of a hundred ghosts are cut off. Heaven is dim and Earth is dim; a hundred ghosts cannot recognize the road by which they came, and ten thousand ghosts cannot find the trail of their departure.

This passage consists of Daoist ritual formulas for seizing and subduing spirits, confining them in a prison, and locking down demons. Its steps use the gates of Heaven and Earth, the shrinking of the Nine Provinces, the Dipper’s astral force, malign energy, sprayed water, and signs drawn in the air to confine ghosts and spirits in the “prison” and cut off their comings and goings. Details of the talisman characters, hand mudras, and Sha configurations are generally transmitted by teachers; this plain-language account gives only their general meaning and should not be used as a basis for attempting ritual practice.

Recite inwardly and visualize once more. After making the invocation and dispatching the forces by the “Dipper-Gripping Hand Seal” and the six methods described earlier, depart.

Use the lampblack from the oil lamp to burn the “Demon-Subduing Talisman.”

(The talisman or liturgy may include names such as “Upper Terrace: Xu Jing; Middle Terrace: Liu Chun; Lower Terrace: Qu Sheng,” as well as visualizations and invocations such as “their sharp points standing in ranks,” “the awe-inspiring radiance of dragons and phoenixes,” “commanding the ten directions,” and “the cinnabar stellar force shining bright.”)

At midnight, vermilion fire blazes fiercely; the three sides shine with brilliance. The talisman is set true, and the Qi sword flashes forth, manifesting the authority of the troops. Should evil signs appear—such as the intruding Cangqiang stars, portents of harm, or the ominous Bó and Huì stars daring to block the way—draw in the fire Qi and place it within the talisman.

(This is accompanied by visualizations and invocations employing names for fire methods, such as “True Fire of Bing and Ding,” “civil fire,” “martial fire,” “Southern Jambudvipa,” “Suo Li,” “Branching Fire,” “fire begetting fire and fire flourishing,” and “Fire Bell and Fire Wheel.”)

Blazing flames: by imperial command, General Song Wuji kindles a great fire to burn spirits and refine ghosts, and to slay demons and annihilate essences. Hasten at once, in accordance with the command of the Great Emperor of the South Pole to destroy baleful ghosts.

The incantation says:

Om, Huiwei, command the Dipper; Bitan Ye, Emperor, seize and subdue. (Exhale the South Qi.)

Once the talisman is complete, visualize the commander-in-chief, Song Wuji: blue-faced, with three heads and six arms, flames streaming from his entire body. He wields a fire spear, fire rope, fire sword, and fire bell, and rides a cloud of fire into the talisman. Then add baleful Qi to the talisman, pressing it over the character “ghost.”

Talisman for Urgent Seizure:

Use three copies of this talisman each time. The words “Fire Prison” on the talisman are used when first establishing the altar. Add the words “Urgent Seizure” when dispatching the forces. Add the character “Lock” afterward when using the locking method.

(Other invocations include: “Golden nets and iron meshes capture and restrain wicked essences; search carefully through mountains, forests, and trees.”)

The Celestial Official of the Upper Origin urgently seizes the spirits; the Earth Official of the Middle Origin urgently seizes the ghosts; the Water Official of the Lower Origin urgently seizes the essences. The officers and soldiers of this altar shall swiftly seize every wicked spirit that brings harm.

(There are also instructions to seize immediately, at their source, the “ancestral evil ghosts” and fifteen kinds of ghosts, including those “with heads severed and feet cut off.”)

Urgent Seizure (the Great Dao has its spirits):

They are called the Heavenly Dings. They serve under the Nine Heavens, carry out their charge, descend from the Three Pure Ones into the world, and destroy demonic spirits. When the Spirit King descends, the Five Sacred Peaks collapse; the hordes of demons are bound, and the ghost troops beheaded and slain—thousands upon thousands decapitated, tens of thousands cut to pieces. Should Luofeng, the ghost realm of Fengdu, dare to test the rite, let the Northern Capital join in its execution: the wicked shall die, the good shall live. The souls of the Six Heavens are sunk, and each name recorded: whoever defies me shall be destroyed; whoever obeys me shall prosper. Flying and wandering baleful forces that dare to transform the Underworld shall hasten and depart.

(Also visualize splitting open a Yin Dipper, breaking through the Xun portal, and seeing Marshal Zhao enter the talisman with a fire spear.)

A Plain-Language Interpretation of Relevant Passages from Fahai Yizhu

The Celestial Emperor orders the ritual general Zhao Gongming—also known as Zhao Xuantan, the Daoist guardian deity associated with wealth—to use ritual power to expel ghosts and make them reveal their true forms. The Celestial Emperor wears the seal and insignia, together with talismans marking the celestial pole and the five directions—the positions of the celestial pole stars and baleful forces.

Why do wicked, violent ghosts not perish? The flying immortal takes a single breath, and ten thousand ghosts vanish without a trace.

Great Sage of the Celestial Pole, chant “Om, Hong, Wei, Da, Li,” drawing the Qi of the celestial pole into the talisman.

On Yang days, arrange the stars of the Northern Dipper from top to bottom: Greedy Wolf, Great Gate, Wealth Star, Literary Star, Chaste Star, Martial Star, and Army Breaker. On Yin days, arrange the Dipper stars, including Kui and Piao, from bottom to top.

An ancient mirror reveals ghosts that have lived for a thousand years; a bright lamp burns away evil that has endured for ten thousand years. Next, visualize a palace amid the southern fire clouds. On its red plaque, the four characters “Southern Court Fire Prison” are written in gold. Draw in a breath and blow it over the ritual altar; the fire will then appear.

The Fire Prison is vast. Visualize the generals seizing ghosts and taking them there to carry out the fire command. Envision a bridge made of fiery Qi inside the prison, extending all the way to the patient’s bed, then blow the fiery Qi toward the patient. Rub the affected area with red apricot, a sock, and cured meat; use a needle, ink, and black Lingbao objects to suppress evil. Summon the Three Officials’ messengers, with copper heads and iron feet, fiery eyes and golden pupils, to lock up the demons.

Thunder Fire Prison Method

Visualize a golden well in the ground, ten thousand fathoms deep and wide, and recite the incantation to activate the rite.

Incantation:

Essence of the true Sun, radiance of fire, essence of fire; Three-Eyed General, crow soldiers of blazing fire; General of the Fire Wheel, Song Wuji; Yan Chi, Sen Che, capture them.

With reverence, burn incense and summon Song Wuji, the King of the Golden-Light Fire Wheel of the Southern Red Hemp Kingdom, and his deputy generals. Search out and seize every ghost, bandit spirit, demon, and specter within the body of [the named person]. Burn spirits into liquid and refine ghosts into ash.

Make the Thunder Hand-Seal to draw in baleful Qi, then recite the incantation for driving out and capturing:

Five Thunder Messengers, Black Capital Red Emperor, celestial spirits and earthly gods: drive out ghosts and seize ghosts. Mighty officers and high ministers: drive out ghosts and make them show themselves. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

The Fire Prison is numinous and efficacious; the Celestial Master commands that it be carried out. The prison-building officers obey the command with stern authority. Seize and capture the evil ghosts; show them no mercy. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

Burn incense and summon the officers and generals of the various departments once more. Quickly seize and capture the headless and the footless, mountain sprites and stone spirits, demons of earth and wood, fox spirits, one-legged beings, and the fifteen kinds of improper, lowly evil entities. Take them into the Fire Prison and make them appear clearly. They must not disobey; carry out the command swiftly.

Then recite again:

The ritual general Zhao Gongming is commanded: use ritual power to expel the ghosts and make them appear in their true forms.

This text belongs to a Daoist Thunder Rites practice for using a Fire Prison to suppress evil. It calls upon divine generals such as Zhao Gongming, Song Wuji, and the Five Thunder Messengers, and combines visualization of the Southern Court Fire Prison, a golden bridge, and a golden well with stellar and baleful-force directions, talismans, incantations, and incense offerings. The rite sends the supposed ghosts and evil forces attached to a patient into the Fire Prison to be refined away. Terms such as “visualize,” “make the Thunder Hand-Seal,” and “draw in baleful Qi” refer to inner visualization and ritual actions at the altar. The “fifteen kinds of improper, lowly evil entities” are a list of harmful beings named in the ritual and need not be taken literally according to modern ideas.

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

Incantation for Establishing a Prison (a spell for setting up a fire prison)

Om… (incantation syllables; some characters are missing from the original)

The fire prison is built, its gates locked fast. The demon’s name is entered in the registers. The examining officials question it about its deeds; the matter is urgent.

The capture must be swift; the summons must not be delayed. The officers and commanders of Fengdu, the Daoist capital of the underworld, govern the mountains and rivers. At the call, they arrive at once. When summoned, they communicate with spirits, drive out ghosts, and reveal their traces. They must manifest swiftly—at once, in accordance with the law!

Incantation for Summoning the Fire Generals

Fire generals rise in the Four Great Continents; gods of the sun’s blazing flames and the southern prison’s unconstrained fire generals: communicate with me swiftly, drive the evil ghosts at once into the prison, and make them appear. Great Fire Blazes, Great Fire Flows (during the rite, at noon, score the character and draw in stellar Qi to the talisman); Great Fire Punishes. With the talisman, transmit the name. Heaven and earth turn scarlet; sun and moon grow dim. Om, dali she (draw in baleful Qi and form the Thunder Mudra). I obey the command of the Great Emperor of the South Pole to destroy the baleful ghosts.

Instructions for Performing the Rite

Whenever performing any rite of “questioning ghosts and marking out the prison” (questioning and escorting troublesome spirits into prison), one must ride upon the stellar Qi of the Northern Dipper, transform oneself into the celestial constellation, and, sword in hand, lead the generals. Surround the area from the left, right, front, and rear, then mark out the prison according to the proper direction.

Thunder-and-Fire Prison Talisman

(The talisman commonly names prisons such as Celestial Fire, Terrestrial Fire, and the True Fire of the Samadhi Abyss, and bears phrases such as “Fire Prison of the Great Flame Emperor of the South Pole.” These signify the burning and destruction of all unrighteous ghosts and spirits.)

With the first turn, one wall of the city; with the second, two walls… continuing until the ninth turn, when nine walls are complete. Celestial troops arise within the ninefold city. I respectfully summon the great ghost-pursuing generals of the five directions to nail the ghosts so that they leave no trace. At once, in accordance with the law!

(The talisman is formed as it is drawn.)

Next, Recite the Incantation for Consecrating the Prison and Apply It to the Talisman

The fire prison is numinous and powerful; the Celestial Master commands its operation. The prison-building strongmen obey the order with stern authority. They seize and contain the evil ghosts; do not show them the slightest mercy. At once, in accordance with the law!

Next, Recite the Incantation for the Lamp Wick

The Flame Emperor has issued his command; fierce blood carries it out. The True Lord of the Four Brightnesses shatters bones to pieces. Tianyou destroys the entire kind; their bones are burned to ash. As soon as the divine talisman is applied, the myriad ghosts collapse of their own accord. At once, in accordance with the law—by command!

Lamp-Wick Talisman

(The talisman includes designations such as Celestial Fire Thunder God, Terrestrial Fire Thunder God, the Five Thunders bringing down Qi, and locking up ghosts and sealing their vital essence.)

Explanation

Parenthetical notes in the text, such as “draw in stellar Qi,” “the noon character,” and “score the noon character,” are instructions for Daoist priests on pacing the celestial steps, drawing in Qi, observing the time of day, and writing the talisman while performing the rite. They are not separate passages of scripture. The entire section consists of talismans, incantations, and ritual procedures for exorcising evil, interrogating ghosts, and establishing prisons in which to burn them. It differs from the everyday discussion of scriptural teachings. This plain-language rendering follows the text’s sense without adding or removing claims about the efficacy of its supernatural powers.

A Plain-Language Interpretation of Pearls Left Behind in the Ocean of the Dharma

How the Talisman Characters Are Formed

(Two Commanding Platforms of the Pivot: Fierce Generals, Swiftly Advance / Cut Off the Ghost Road, Slay Evil and Preserve Life) Xie

This character is transformed from the phrase “the two Qi of the heart and kidneys join, and in the Yellow Court this character takes shape.” In other words, the Yang Qi in the heart and the Yin Qi in the kidneys unite and condense in the Dantian (the Yellow Court) to form this talisman character.

(For entering and leaving the talisman / Simply write this character)

(At the first turn, the six spirits hide; at the second, the four killers vanish / At the third turn, the Kui and Gang stars move; at the fourth, thunderbolts burst forth)

With each turn of the incantation, its power increases by another level:

• First turn: The six spirits (the six spirit-generals) conceal themselves.
• Second turn: The four baleful spirits (malevolent spirits of misfortune) disappear without a trace.
• Third turn: The Kui-Gang stars (the first star of the Northern Dipper, which governs killing and warfare) begin to move.
• Fourth turn: Thunderbolts and thunderclaps erupt.

At the fifth turn, the Five Thunders roar; at the sixth, the mountain ghosts die; at the seventh, seize and restrain the named person.

All the evil ghosts within the body—those with necks severed and feet cut off, and the fifteen kinds of ghosts—

are taken under guard to the fiery prison, where they are rigorously tortured and refined. They are compelled to reveal themselves, their spirits are made to withdraw, and the illness is driven away.

Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the command.

Join the form (once the talisman has been written, its form is brought together as one).

Great Might and Virtue Incantation (for Applying to the Talisman)

Next, recite the Great Might and Virtue Incantation, transmitted by the King of Great Might and Virtue, and apply it to the talisman:

Om—Hum, hum—San tan na han nan yan qian yi chi—

By command of the boundless King of Great Might and Virtue of the Celestial Fire Department of the Nine Heavens, arise—

Great Thunder Fire of the Nine Heavens, Flying Fire, Sudden Fire, Molten-Gold Hurling Fire, Seven-Star Thunderbolt Fire, Blazing Thunder and Fierce Fire—

The Fire King of the Nine Heavens mounts his solemn chariot, riding a Kui-Dragon, with flying tigers, lions, white beasts, Xiezhi, qilins, fire camels, fire elephants, fire vultures, fire eagles, and countless hosts of fire beasts—

Copper heads and iron faces, a million divine troops; the tally axes of the Five Emperors. As the imperial bells of the Four Heavens ring through the lands, all demonic paths tremble—

Grotto-heavens and blessed lands, mountains and rivers, the netherworld, city gods and local spirits: all unrighteous ghosts and spirits. Mountains collapse, trees shatter, and the hundred valleys boil. What ghost would dare stand in the way?

Those who refuse to submit shall face the Great-Mouthed Wind King, Fire Lads, Fire Maidens, Fire Dragons, and Fire Horses descending from the heavens; the Generals Bing and Ding rising from the earth—

Fire clouds spread their Qi; eight dragons race through the sky. The Five Generals of the Celestial Capital devour thunder and roar. Flying sand and rolling stones, uprooted trees and shifted roots; the wind wheel turns left, the fire chariot circles right—

The Three Realms blaze with light, transformed into a crimson citadel. Beneath the Bagua and the Dipper, the Thunder Department spreads its commands and executions on every side. Heaven’s power burns bright; fierce winds and thunderbolts shake the air—

Any ghost or spirit that sees this plunges ten thousand fathoms into the earth and turns to flying ash. Ancient trees and evil temples are reduced forever to dust and mud—

Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the commands of the boundless King of Great Might and Virtue of the Thunder, Fire, Wind, and Cloud Department of the Nine Heavens.

Add Seven More Characters to the Talisman

When the incantation is finished, add the final seven characters and visualize a wheel of fire from the south entering the talisman:

[talisman characters in the original are not rendered here]

(Perform the Yin-Wu Dipper hand gesture, pointing toward the Yin and Wu positions, and draw in baleful Qi to infuse the talisman.)

Incantation for Driving Away Illness

(The following is an incantation for dispelling illness, used in the talismanic method described above.)

Explanation

This text is a talismanic incantation for dispelling evil and driving away illness, drawn from Daoist Thunder Rites (incantations of the Thunder Department). Its central logic is that the two Qi of the heart and kidneys unite to form a talisman character. After it is empowered through seven turns, the practitioner summons the King of Great Might and Virtue of the Celestial Fire Department of the Nine Heavens, who leads the thunder and fire troops in capturing the evil spirits inside the patient and taking them to the fiery prison, forcing them to reveal themselves and leave so the illness can depart. The many divine names and names of fire beasts in the text refer to guardian generals of the Thunder Department. There is no need to examine each one in detail; it is enough to understand the overall intent: using the power of thunder and fire to slay evil and dispel illness.

Classic: Pearls Left Behind in the Sea of the Dharma (Fahai Yizhu)

General Meaning of the Scripture (Opening Edict)

Heaven turns and Earth revolves; spirits are summoned and deities brought down. Let all demons and apparitions quickly reveal their forms. Let illness retreat and calamity fade, all in accordance with the statutes and commands of the arcane rites.

How to Use the Talisman Above

Make this talisman on red paper and write it in cinnabar. Take a lamp wick and roll it toward the left to form a paper twist for use.

Thunder-Fire Talisman (Explanation of Its Core Structure)

Heaven is round and Earth is square; thunder—the radiance of thunder-fire. The Azure Dragon dwells on the left, and the White Tiger on the right. The divine troops of the Five Thunders together destroy evil Jing. Exhale and direct Xun Qi, the true energy associated with wind. The golden light of the Fire Bell begins at the Qian position and reaches the Gen position. The Fire Bell Deity, the Fire Bell Troops, the Fire Bell Youth, and the Fire Bell General. Thunder-fire burns and destroys evil Jing, passing from Kun through the Gen gate. Visualize the thunder-fire blazing tens of thousands of feet high, burning the gate of the ghosts; with one stroke, hook them up. (Xin Hanchen is the name of this talisman method.) The Three Corps’ Generals: swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands. Search throughout the world for ghost bandits; the Iron-Faced General shows no mercy.

Consecration Incantation

I have received the righteous Qi of the Five Thunders and the might of the Lightning Mother. When entering, I heal illness and preserve life; when going out, I dispel calamity and eliminate evil. By the statutes and commands of the Most High, may the fierce officials with silver fangs protect the righteous Qi and cleanse away violence and evil. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

Next, recite the Incantation for Encircling the Prison:

Fire blazes and wind races, transforming into a prison compound. Serpents coil and tigers run; flying thunder and flashing lightning darken Earth and dim Heaven. Qian and Kun are transformed; the net of Heaven and the snare of Earth are spread. Swords and halberds fill the offices of the fiery prison, which swiftly appear. Let the ghosts below be made to suffer Heaven’s sentence. By the command of the Supreme Emperor, carry this out swiftly. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

Fengdu Nine-Heavens Black Prison Talisman (Prison Lords of the Directions)

In the eastern Wind-Heaven Prison, the presiding lord is Wang Yuanzhen; in the southern Fire-Heaven Prison, Zheng Yan; in the western Metal-Heaven Prison, Yao Quan; in the northern Water-Heaven Prison, Shi Tong.

In the southwestern Metal-Fire Heaven Prison, the presiding lord is Wu Yan; in the northeastern Water-Wood Heaven Prison, Zhou Sheng.

In the southeastern Fire-Wood Heaven Prison, the presiding lord is Kong Sheng; in the northwestern Metal-Water Heaven Prison, Diao You.

In the central Earth-Heaven Prison, the presiding lord is Wen Tong.

Recite the Incantation and Apply It After Completing the Talisman — After drawing the talisman, recite the incantation and apply incantation water (or the specified medium) to its surface to prepare it for ritual use.

A Plain-Language Interpretation of Treasures Left by the Sea of Dharma

First passage (incantation for seizing and restraining ghosts and spirits)

The Spirit Lords of the Nine Prisons, the Great Deity of Fengdu (the Daoist capital of the underworld), and divine generals such as Zhang and Ma use the power of the “Four Poisons” to seize ghosts and spirits. They use golden nets and iron meshes to capture evil demons and strange beings. The Three Heavens’ Emperor issues a stern command. The Earth Gods and local altar gods of the Nine Provinces lead their troops in from every direction; wind, rain, thunder, and lightning strike together. Any strange creature that appears is immediately exposed and destroyed. The prison is called “Great Fire”; there is no kalpa before its renewal. Iron lions and copper dogs will wound and devour your physical form. With the first stroke, Heaven stirs; with the second, its essence is destroyed; with the third, the Wind Master answers the command; with the fourth, the prison is formed. The Emperor commands: “Quickly reveal your true form!” Swiftly obey the Emperor’s laws and command!

Second passage (how to use the talisman and purified ash)

Place the talisman shown on the right beneath a small cup, then cover it with clean ash. After gathering and transforming the baleful energy, recite the “Incantation for Leveling the Ash.” Its general meaning is as follows:

By command, let this purified ash make the ritual ground bright, pure, and clear, reaching upward to the Three Heavens and reflecting downward into the Three Paths of Suffering—the places of torment such as fire, blood, and blade-covered mountains. Split open the hells and reveal the pass through the towering Mount Cu’e Luo, a barrier of the underworld. The stagnant energy flashes and glimmers everywhere; life after life, cold and heat torment its victims. A handful of ash fills the worlds as numerous as grains of sand, illuminating all four directions. By means of this, the heavenly prisons are formed, each displaying its banners and insignia. Heavenly immortals and ghosts alike are bewildered at the sight. Seize every unrighteous ghost without pause; once captured, they shall never return. The iron mountain pass winds and rises steeply—swiftly, as commanded by the law!

Third passage (the Nine Prisons talisman and a summary of the ritual method)

The Nine Prisons talisman: When performing the prison rite, first burn a talisman and lay it out on the ground; then place purified ash above it.

(The method of the Twelve Monthly Generals: begin with Tian’gang at the Chen position; place the “Great Sage” in the central palace. Other names include the Flying Great Sage and the Swift Messenger.)

(The palaces from Zi through Chou and the other positions are assigned Tian’gang, the Great Sage, the Nine Heavens’ Messengers, and the stellar deities Tanlang, Jumen, Lucun, Wenqu, Lian Zhen, Wuqu, and Pojun. Also listed are General Tang Hong of the Upper Origin, “the Spirit Who Seizes Quickly”; General Ge Yong of the Middle Origin, “the Ghost Who Seizes Quickly”; General Zhou Wu of the Lower Origin, “the Essence Who Seizes Quickly”; and the Great Deities of the Eight Trigrams.)

“On the first turn, the Six Spirits hide; on the second, the Four Baleful Forces vanish; on the third, the underworld prison is formed; on the fourth, the Heavenly Pass is opened; on the fifth, evil has no path; on the sixth, ghosts are destroyed; on the seventh, they are seized and restrained, and the ghosts’ feet are severed. All ghosts and spirits who defy Heaven and act without righteousness, the fifteen kinds of unrighteous beings, shall be sent to my underworld prison to die.”

“Heaven will not tolerate you, and Earth will not bear you! The Great General Tianpeng, of the Tianpeng Marshal lineage, descends from Mount Fengdu to seize and restrain unrighteous ghost bandits and send them to my Fire Prison to die! Do not move or act—swiftly!”

Note: This text consists largely of talismans and incantations for the Nine Prisons and Fengdu rites to seize and restrain evil ghosts, combined with ritual steps and lists of divine generals. The wording has become corrupted in some places through copying (for example, “Zhang and Ma, Four Poisons” and “nets and evil spirits”). For recitation and ritual practice, it should be consulted alongside the surrounding chapters of the same text and the teachings transmitted by a master. This plain-language rendering is only intended to aid understanding and cannot replace the original liturgical text.

A Plain Language Interpretation of The Treasury of Dharma’s Pearls

The right-hand talisman command must be empowered with the Tianpeng Incantation. After establishing a prison to confine and capture malign spirits, and then dispatching them, perform the Steps of the Nine Provinces on the Dipper.

This star-step pattern is also called the Shrinking Earth-Veins Pattern, because as one performs the steps, it is as though the vast land of a thousand miles contracts beneath one’s feet.

The incantation says:

“Jizhou, one; Kan and Li, nine; the left of Nanyang, three. To the right, Qingzhou, seven; Xiliang, Qian, six. Yongzhou, Xun, four; Xuxiang, Kun, two. Jingzhou, Gen, eight; the center of Yanfang, five; Yuzhou—may malign spirits find nowhere to hide. Winds race and rain pours; thunder bursts and lightning flashes. May the ghosts of the Three Realms be seized and brought before the Dipper. Let the nine provinces contract into one province; one province contract into one county; one county contract into one township; one township contract into one village; one village contract into the palm of my hand. Contract Heaven to meet Earth, and Earth to meet Heaven; contract east to meet west, and west to meet east; contract south to meet north, and north to meet south; contract above to meet below, and below to meet above. Let the four quarters, above and below, contract into the space of an inch. Winds rage and rain pours; thunder and lightning roar. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.”

Proclamation for Dispatching Flying Birds, Rats, and Ants

Directorate of Thunder

In accordance with the request received, this office issues a Heavenly Talisman to sever the connection with the specified object at the specified place. The required notice is hereby sent; let this talisman command be carried out.

The right-hand talisman is issued to the local earth spirits and other deities: immediately drive the specified object away from the specified place and send it to an empty place. It must not remain here in bodily form, nor stay in anyone’s person or house. Should it disobey, report the matter to the Imperial Lord of the Western Peak for instructions, and carry them out urgently wherever necessary. This document is hereby issued.

Issued under the year, month, day, and hour of the ruling Tai Sui.

The appointed official, whose surname is [name], receives and carries out this command.

White Emperor Perfected Lord of Mount Hua, Western Peak

Dispatch Talisman

Thunder Talisman for Severing the Mountain Goblin and the Five Powers

To be used with: “Yi Qi, cooked meat and oil; mixed meat comes first. White snake, young rat; flowing blood to the left. This oil first rots in the meat. Swiftly, in accordance with the command of the Most High.”

For the right-hand talisman: recite the Tianpeng Incantation three times to empower it. After writing it, paste it on the door.

Talisman to Stop a Child’s Nighttime Crying

The incantation says:

“Little child, do not cry at night. Write the character ‘Tian’ in red ink on your navel. On the road you will meet Li Kui; it is simply the moment when the Old Lord mounts his horse. I have a fire-poking staff; I shall make it a gate guardian. I will seize the night-crying ghost and beat it until dawn, without letting it go. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.”

A Plain-Language Interpretation of Pearls Left Behind in the Sea of Daoist Rites

A Five Thunder Talisman for Barring Sorcerers and Shamans

Use the talisman as follows: Draw its design in cinnabar on an iron plate. Circle your thumb seven times over the surface of your index finger, then flick the baleful Qi into the talisman. Next, nail the talisman in front of the altar and cut it down.

Then recite the Five Thunder incantation over a bowl of water to empower it, and sprinkle the water in the four directions. If someone has been harmed by sorcery or an evil method, the talisman may also be drawn in cinnabar on yellow paper and made into a pill for the victim to swallow.

Explanation: “Five Thunder” refers to the Thunder Deities of the five directions in Daoist thunder rites. “Barring sorcerers and shamans” means restraining and preventing ritual masters and shamans who practice evil methods from acting. “Baleful Qi” refers to a harmful, poisonous, or malign force. The “altar” is the ritual platform set up for performing rites. This entry describes using a Five Thunder talisman to suppress sorcery and malign practices, along with sprinkling water in the four directions and having the victim swallow the talisman as remedies.