《法海遺珠》Vol. 24

The 24th scroll of Fahai Yizhu (Pearls from the Ocean of Dharma) records a cultivation method called the "Great Cavern Swift Five Thunder Method." Practitioners must first sit in meditation while reciting the Golden Light Incantation, then visualize three types of Qi (vital energy)—azure, yellow, and white—rising from within the body. At this stage, one should imagine their entire body transforming into golden light without distinct form, while a single point of crimson Qi descends from the heart to the kidney region before surging upward through the Tianmen acupoint at the crown of the head. As this energy returns to the body, three-colored Qi will manifest before the practitioner, merging with the Qi of their five viscera to form an egg-shaped golden radiance—yellow within and white without.

Next, the practitioner inhales the yellow Qi while reciting the Golden Light Incantation again, forming the Thunder Hand Seal and pointing it southeast (the Xun position of the Bagua). At this moment, three Thunder Marshals and the Five Directional Thunder Deities will appear visibly. Prayers may be offered to them before drawing their Qi into the Dantian (energy center) for fusion, accompanied by recitations of each marshal's personal incantation and secret mantra.

The three Thunder Marshals are described as follows:

1. Marshal Deng Bowen: Azure-faced with a phoenix beak and silver teeth, crimson hair and sapphire body, towering a hundred zhang tall. He wields a thunder hammer in his right hand and a thunder drill in his left, with wings sprouting from his back, eyes emitting light, and dragon-clawed feet capable of traversing the Three Realms to devour ghosts and spirits.

2. Marshal Liu Shengguang: Golden-haired with a nine-flame crown, demonic blood-red visage, clad in an emerald short robe over golden armor, brandishing a sword.

3. Marshal Deng Duqing: Jet-black hair with a five-flame crown, dark face and white eyes, wearing a white short robe with golden armor. He treads upon a water wheel, carries a wind sack on his back, and holds a long spear.

During the "Divine Transformation" phase, practitioners recite an incantation invoking the Jade Pure Celestial Lord's decree to summon the Five Thunder Kings. Beginning with hand seals from the Zi to Mao positions (north to east), they perform the Gangstar Steps while drawing southeast Qi to blow upon both hands, simultaneously visualizing their own transformation into the Five Thunder Emissary. Three recitations of the Exorcism Incantation follow, then another drawing of southeast Qi for hand-seal formation.

The final stage involves coordinating the Eight-Character Mantra ("Swift Fire's Awe-inspiring Light Shatters All Evil") with Bagua-direction hand seals, followed by chanting the Heaven-Earth Summoning Incantation: "Imperial Heaven's Qian Spirit, Earthly Nether's Kun Spirit, Nine Constellation Laws, Annotated Statutes, Swift Black Fiend's Sacred Gangstar Decree—Capture and Subdue!" while sequentially stepping the Big Dipper Gangstar pattern. This method integrates visualization, incantations, and mudras to achieve the dual purpose of invoking thunder deities and exorcising malevolent forces.

Kuixing: Tanlang, Jumen, Lucun, Wenqu, Lianzhen, Wuqu, Pojun

(Kuixing / Tanlang, Jumen, Lucun, Wenqu, Lianzhen, Wuqu, Pojun)

This refers to the names of the star deities of the Northern Dipper, which are, in order, Tanlang, Jumen, Lucun, Wenqu, Lianzhen, Wuqu, and Pojun, together with the star deity Kuixing and others.

Reversed Dipper

(Reversed Dipper / Pojun, Wuqu, Lianzhen, Wenqu, Lucun, Jumen, Tanlang, Kuixing)

This means reciting the names of the Dipper's seven stars in reverse, which gives Pojun, Wuqu, Lianzhen, Wenqu, Lucun, Jumen, Tanlang, and then Kuixing.

The Right Chen-Xu Dipper Formula

For the Right Chen-Xu Dipper, pinch the Xu position and chant "lei huo ling chi sha she." For the Right Xu-Chen Dipper, pinch the Chen position and chant "ji ji ru lei huo ling chi sha she."

Shifting the Formula: Forming the Xuhuo Zui Seal

At the Mao position (east), form the Xuhuo Zui mudra. Pass the little finger through the two middle fingers, and press the two fingers down on the little finger. Press the thumb against the Li position (south). Then chant the incantation in sequence.

Secret Incantation

The incantation is rendered as "Om xu ou xu [rare characters] li zha she." This is a secret oral transmission, to be chanted as taught by one's master and not altered at will.

Self-Incantation

Great Spirit of the Statute Command, lord of wind and fire, with wings of great span, you soar through heaven and earth. You slay demons and devour evil, bind ghosts and gather souls, summon rain or bring clear skies in an instant. Summoned by the incantation, you descend through the Xun gate, hurling sand and stones and shaking the true spirits. You draw down Qi from the five directions, drive out thunder and subdue spirits, command the fire generals, destroy evil essences, and protect all living beings. By the decree of the Most High, Marshal of the Five Thunders, swift general, come at once, quickly, quickly, as the thunder and fire bell command, and seize the sha-qi.

Meaning: The Great Spirit of the Statute Command is the lord of wind and fire. With wings spread, he flies across heaven and earth, slaying demons, punishing evil, binding ghosts, and gathering souls. He can bring rain or clear skies. When summoned, he descends through the Xun gate, the southeast gateway, stirring sand and stones and shaking the true spirits. He draws down Qi from the five directions, drives out thunder, subdues spirits, commands the fire generals, destroys evil essences, and protects all beings. By the decree of the Most High, the Marshal of the Five Thunders is ordered to come at once, and the sha-qi is seized as the thunder and fire bell commands.

Visualizing the Spirit

Visualize the great spirit descending into your hand. Form the Xuhuo Zui mudra and visualize it flying into the talisman field, where its fire blazes tens of thousands of feet high and fills the room. Then draw the first Marshal Talisman.

First Marshal Talisman: Command Incantation

Xuhuo Great Spirit, pure and true in fire, hurl fire ten thousand li, illuminating thunder. You command the great generals and govern the clerks and soldiers: the old trees, the evil temples, the blood-feasting guests, the springs, earth, and stones, the grass-leaning spirits, the wolf-fanged fierce clerks, and the flowing-gold fire bells. Let heaven's majesty roar in wrath, shatter their forms, relieve the suffering of the people, and bring peace.
Quickly, quickly, as the thunder and fire bell command, seize the sha-qi!

Meaning: The Xuhuo Great Spirit is pure and true in its fire. It hurls fire across ten thousand li and lights up the thunder. It commands the great generals and governs the clerks and soldiers. Whether the target is an old tree, an evil temple, a blood-feasting ghost, a spring, earth, or stone, a grass-leaning spirit, or a wolf-fanged fierce clerk, all are subdued by the flowing-gold fire bells. Heaven's majesty is roused to wrath, their forms are shattered, and the people's suffering is relieved so that peace is restored. Quickly, quickly, as the thunder and fire bell command, seize the sha-qi!

Steps for Drawing the Marshal Talisman

When drawing the Marshal Talisman, first chant the Self-Incantation. Then chant the Descent Incantation:

Radiant Source True Qi, drive forth swiftly, bright and seizing fire command, quickly!

Repeat it as many times as needed; forty repetitions is common. When finished, press the tongue against the upper palate and visualize the heart-qi forming a red bridge that crosses the Xun gate (the southeast doorway). Visualize the great spirit's true form flying in and settling within yourself, where liver and gall merge into a jade-green Qi that emerges and unites your body with the heavenly general. Then chant the joining incantation:

Heavenly Thunder Fire Great General, Thunderclap True Lord, step briefly away from your jeweled hall and come to my altar!

Note: This section describes the complete ritual for summoning the Xuhuo Great Spirit and drawing the thunder-fire marshal talisman within the Daoist thunder rites (leifa). It involves Dipper-star formulas, the Xuhuo Zui mudra, visualization (tongue to palate, heart-qi as a bridge), and talisman commands. The source classifies these as inner-transmission secret methods, to be practiced only under a teacher's oral instruction and not on one's own. Several characters in the source's incantations and headings are corrupted, so some transliterations above are approximate or marked as unrecoverable.

Dispatching the Marshals and Expelling Evil

Invite the Marshals down to assist me in the rite and to seize the evil spirits. When I shout over the talisman, respond at once and act for me.

(1) Sound

Visualization and Talisman Writing

Visualize clearly the true form of the Great Spirit of Xuhuo (Xuhuo, a fire deity in the Thunder Fire system of Daoist ritual). Visualize the Xuhuo generals on the left and right, too. They fly into the altar space, flames rise ten thousand feet, and the whole room is brilliant. Only then write the talisman.

Talisman name: True Fire Light Talisman (also called the Great Thunder Fire Talisman).

This talisman follows the same method as the First Marshal talisman. When burning it, use the thunder-fire mantra. When praying for rain, face the Great Sha Direction (sha direction, the position of the day's or region's inauspicious malevolent forces). When subduing afflictions or attacking temples, face the sha direction and burn the talisman on the tip of the sword.

The Second Marshal

Its transformation, function, and method are the same as those of the First Marshal, and the same incantation is recited as before.

Mudra: Pinch the Dui Palace (the Dui position of the Eight Trigrams, corresponding in the hand mudra system to a particular finger position).

General meaning of the incantation: Great Thunder Spirit, aid me in carrying out the command. Thunderclap Sky, Rare-character Sky (the character, read approximately "hui," sounds like "destroy"), and Dual-Sky: quickly gather the swift thunder, fierce winds, and sha demons, and let them move swiftly.

Next, follow the earlier method: walk the Four Dippers (si dou, the stepping patterns of the Dipper steps, bugang) forward and backward as before.

Quick, quick, like lightning and fire, by decree of the law, subdue and gather the sha.

Short mantra (zhou): Om hum hum, hu chi duo zha li chi she (pinyin transliteration of the syllables). Nothing sick, I break the yang spirits. I am the yang spirit who breaks the yin ghosts. (Here the section ends.)

General meaning of the Marshal's incantation: Wolf-Fang Fierce Officers and the True Venerable of Thunderclap: fire wheels flash and spread across heaven and earth. Thunderous roars shake the Five Sacred Peaks until they collapse. Drive the thunder to bring rain, drive the rain to bring thunder, with lightning and thunderclaps. Break the essences of rock and stone, send fire chariots of countless lines, and let thunder and lightning rush straight down to subdue demons, seize monsters, and protect all living beings. The Supreme Emperor has issued the decree; let the law be carried out.

Second Marshal Talisman

Order of the talisman: First visualize the Marshal standing in his chariot. Then, as if pretending, move the foot to stir the thunder chariot. Next, turn the wind-fire wheels. When the Descending Sage incantation is finished, proceed.

Response (fa zhao, the activation and resonance): Press the tongue against the upper palate and direct the heart qi straight toward the Xun Gate (the gate of the Xun direction, which in thunder rites often refers to the Xun position or the thunder gate). Form a rainbow bridge, and let the Marshal descend from the Xun Palace. As the response arises in the body, the green qi of liver and gallbladder mingles, and with a single exhalation of "xi," it is released so that the Marshal merges with the celestial general. When the recitation is complete, visualize the Great Marshal flying into the talisman.

General meaning of the talisman-command incantation: Thunder light and lightning light, Xun Gate and Kan direction: I recite the Great Cavern (a term for cultivation methods based on the Great Cavern Jade Scripture or similar lineages), and the armies hasten to my altar. Kuixing and Tiangang, quick, quick, like lightning and fire, by decree, subdue and gather the sha.

Talisman-entry mudra: Press the four fingers over the three, then press the two fingers over the four. The thumb pinches the two fingers and presses down, and the little finger flicks out straight. This mudra enters the talisman.

The Third Marshal

Its transformation, function, and method are the same as those of the first two Marshals.

Note

In this text, the character for "Marshal" refers to the thunder rite's marshal-generals (such as Tianpeng and Tianyou in their respective systems). The talisman, incantation, and mudra work together: first visualize the true form of the Marshal, then write the talisman, recite the incantation, and form the mudra. Some steps require burning the talisman or burning it on the sword tip, combined with the Dipper steps, mudras, and directions (Xun, Kan, sha direction, and others). Different transmitted editions may differ in characters, incantations, and wording, so recitation should follow the ritual manual and oral instructions of the lineage one has received.

Section One (Invocation and Subjugation)

Request the Fire Official of the Southern Dipper (Nan Dou) to remove the poisonous harms, and call upon the Water Spirit serving under the throne of the Northern Emperor (Bei Di) to extinguish calamities. Subdue the "Great Ghost King of the Six Heavens" (Liutian Da Guiwang) and sweep away all diseases in the ten directions.

Swiftly, swiftly, as the statutes of wind, thunder, and fire decree: command and seize!

(Recite the mantra) Om, xu, ou, xu... (transliterated mantra sounds, omitted). Seize!

You yin ghosts who invade the yang spirit, I command the Thunder Lord to unleash his thunderbolts. Seize!

Supreme Numinous Lord of Primal Simplicity, Thunder and Lightning Perfected Lord: wind and fire flash, greatly shaking heaven and earth. You can bring clear skies or rain, rolling up the waters and gathering the clouds. Winds and waves roar for ten thousand miles, and the Thunder Lord governs the Eight Trigrams and Nine Palaces. Fire chariots and fire wheels command the armies, driving rain and cloud, with wind howling across ten thousand miles. The Five Emperor Numinous Lords subdue demons and tame monsters, strike down evil spirits, and drive away the wind-howling Wood Lang. Eliminate the ills and calamities. By the command of the Supreme Emperor, the Jade Pivot descends. Carry it out!

Second General Talisman

The Four Wheels of the Bright Star: summon wind, fire, water, and celestial thunder. Seize!

Next, recite the "Descending Sage Mantra." Once finished, press the tongue against the upper palate and exhale the red qi from the heart, aiming it straight at the gate of the Xun direction (southeast). It forms a rainbow bridge, merges with the white qi within the general's manifestation, and unites with the celestial spirit generals. Then recite the combining mantra and visualize the general flying into the talisman.

Incantation for Issuing the Talisman

Fierce generals of the Shenxiao (Divine Empyrean), Spirits of the Abyssal Cavern, and Swift Envoys: I summon you by name. The Five Thunder Envoys may not linger long. When I inhale, you come; when I exhale, you depart. Receive the decree and act with all haste! Swiftly, swiftly, as the statutes of wind, thunder, and fire decree: command and seize!

Press the thumb onto the Chou position, bend the third and fourth fingers into the palm, and extend the second and fifth fingers straight. Perform this gesture freely.

After the talisman is lowered, "enter the general" again to put it into use.

Usage Notes

When using one general's talisman, invoke that general's name and dispatch him. The other generals' talisman follow the same pattern.

Open the Heavenly Gate and unblock the Earthly Passage. Detain the human gate and block the ghost roads.

Thunder of Heaven is released at the Chen hour, Thunder of Earth at the Mao hour, and Thunder of Spirit at the Yin hour. Water Thunder is released at the Chou hour, and Thunder of the Earth Altar at the Zi hour.

Cut off the Heavenly Sha, Earthly Sha, Year Sha, Month Sha, Day Sha, and Hour Sha, and eliminate all evil from below.

Entering the Generals (First and Second General)

First General Deng Bowen (Feng Hou): visualize the true form of the Huo Fire talisman entering the talisman.

Om, xu, ou, xu... (mantra sounds). Seize!

Call out: Shen (wind), Yin (ya), Hai (cha), Si (xia). Yin and Si emerge.

Second General Liu Shengguang (Emperor Ku): visualize the general's form entering the talisman.

Notes

Great Ghost King of the Six Heavens: A name for a ghost king frequently mentioned in Daoist thunder rites and healing liturgies, symbolizing the leader of demonic spirits who spread disease.

General / General Talisman / General's Name: The generals of the thunder ministry, along with their talismans and names. In practice, the general is "invited" into the talisman and then dispatched to carry out the task.

Jade Pivot: Here refers to the thunder rites and decree system transmitted from the Jade Pivot Office of the Jade Emperor, within the Shenxiao thunder tradition.

Opening the Heavenly Gate and Unblocking the Earthly Passage: Practices of opening and closing the "gates" of heaven, earth, human, and ghost realms, so that generals may be summoned and demons expelled.

Heavenly Thunder, Earthly Thunder, Spirit Thunder, Water Thunder, Thunder of the Earth Altar: Five categories of thunder, often matched with earthly branches, directions, and hours for their use.

Incantation One (Third Marshal Deng Duqing, Zhuanxu)

Om, hum, hum, chi, duo, zha, li, zha: gather and bind. (Note: the call-sound hu is paired with the shen (monkey) hour, feng with the yin (tiger) hour, ya with the hai (pig) hour, cha with the si (snake) hour, and xia with the yin hour.)

The third marshal is Deng Duqing, corresponding to the ancient sovereign Zhuanxu. The practitioner visualizes the marshal's form and brings the marshal's will into the talisman.

Om, xu, ou, xu, [unrendered character], wu, hu, zha: gather and bind. (Hu, feng, ya, cha, and xia follow the same pattern and are matched to their corresponding hours and directions.)

Combined Incantation for the Three Marshals

[Unrendered character], [rare character], [unrendered character], he, li, [unrendered character], xin, zhou: gather and bind.

Incantation of Restraint

By decree of the Celestial Emperor, restrain and command the Five Thunder Generals. Together with me, take charge of the thunder soldiers, quickly raise the thunder generals, stir the thunder spirits, and release the thunderbolts. Let the wheel of fire, obeying the Supreme Emperor's order, destroy temples, eliminate demons, seize evil spirits, and bind them before the altar. Act within the set time and moment, immediately and without delay. Swift, swift, as the fire-order commands: gather and bind.

Comprehensive Decree Incantation

First, release the thunder chariot (zi hour). Second, release the lightning (wei hour). Third, release the roaring thunder (wu hour). Fourth, release the shaking thunder (yin hour). Fifth, release flying sand and running stones (chen hour). Sixth, release the wild wind and great thunderclap. Swift, swift, act as the fire-order commands.

Decree that the heavenly thunder roar (chen hour), the earthly thunder roar (mao hour), the water thunder roar (yin hour), and the spirit thunder roar (chou hour). Decree that the Lord of the Soil (she ling, the spirit who governs the land of a region) thunder roar (zi hour). Thunder One is formed by folding the thumb inward; Thunder Two by folding two fingers inward; Thunder Three by folding three fingers inward; Thunder Four by folding four fingers inward; Thunder Five by gathering all five fingers into the thunder seal and touching the waist.

Incantation for Dispatching the First Marshal

Xu, the Great Fire Spirit, whose fire is true and bright: hurl fire a thousand li and illuminate the thunderbolts. Lead the great generals and command the officials and soldiers. Search out and attack ancient trees, evil temples, blood-feeding demons, spring sources, water stones, and spirits dwelling in grass. Langya, the fierce officer, and the fire bell of flowing gold: let heaven's majesty rage and shatter their forms, rescue the people from suffering, and preserve peace.

Incantation for Dispatching the Second Marshal

The Langya sharp sword governs the punishment of the thunder soldiers. Against the great demons of the world who harm living beings: I know your fields and know your names. I cut you down and punish you, so that you will never be reborn, and you will be held forever beneath the thunder.

Incantation for Dispatching the Third Marshal

Mountain sprites Meng, the green-mountain ghost Liu Ning, and the seven brothers Meng Hui and Meng Ji, along with others of the mountain-spirit kind: know, know (repeated to signify gathering and binding). The final line of the original text is damaged, but its general meaning is still a command to gather and bind them, and to allow no resistance.

Notes for Reading the Incantations

• The branch names in parentheses (zi, chou, yin, mao, and so on) are the Twelve Earthly Branches, which were paired with directions and hand-seals when Daoist priests chanted.
• She (gather and bind) means to summon spirits and demons to the altar or lead them away.
• The Three Marshals are generals of the Thunder Bureau. Dispatch incantations assign each of them a separate task. The Five Thunders refer to the different kinds of thunder rites associated with heaven, earth, water, spirit, and the Lord of the Soil.
• The original uses borrowed characters, variant characters, and purely phonetic incantations. The English gives only the meaning, and the actual pronunciation should be learned from a teacher's oral transmission.

This scripture records the incantations and ritual procedures of Daoist Thunder Magic (a technique for summoning lightning to exorcise evil). The ritual master invokes the Thunder Department generals (the Daoist pantheon of deities governing thunder and lightning) through specific hand gestures, verbal formulas, and visualization techniques.

The ritual begins with reciting the Thunder Summoning Incantation: "You mountain spirits and wild demons, I hear even the caws of crows and magpies. By celestial decree I command the thunder's might—defy Heaven's order and lightning shall annihilate your forms. When divine wrath stirs, neither wind nor fire shall cease."

Next comes forming the "General Summons Seal" hand gesture to invoke the Five Sacred Mountain Thunder Envoys (thunder gods of the five holy peaks) and Lightning Deities. The incantation continues: "Thunder Lord, Thunder Lord, wielder of great power—where my talisman reaches, radiance fills the void. Heaven-shaking majesty leaves no hiding place for evil; by the Jade Emperor's command, enter this talisman now! Thunder Lord manifests, Lightning Mother (Thunder Lord's consort) unleashes might—smite demons with celestial bolts. Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes!" (a standard Daoist incantation closing indicating immediate execution).

Specific ritual actions include: forming thunder mudras (ritual hand signs) rising from the kidney region, crossing them past the ears to produce thunderclaps, making the eyes flash like lightning, exhaling to create gales, spraying water to summon rain, and stomping the ground to trigger thunder.

The recitation continues: "With peals that shake creation, fiery clouds erupt in brilliance. The Six Ding and Six Jia (Daoist guardian generals) follow close behind as Five Thunders mobilize instantly, lightning weaving radiant patterns. Demonic entities shall perish without delay." This is accompanied by directional mantras: "Shen-wind Hai-subdue Yin-again Si-glow Xu-position," symbolizing the activation of thunder from all eight directions.

The final "Three Passes" ritual involves: stepping through five directions, pointing to five quarters, and chanting five-syllable formulas. The incantation summons the Five Thunder Sovereigns (supreme commanders of the Thunder Department): "Flaming wheels and wind-axes ceaselessly strike, roaring infernos blaze with sky-piercing fury. Rivers boil and mountains crumble—all evil forces flee for your lives! Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes!"

The text concludes by mentioning the use of fulu (Daoist ritual talismans) to summon three Thunder Marshals. These talismans may be affixed to ritual documents or painted on mirrors, then placed at the altar's center as protective guardians.