《法海遺珠》Vol. 30

Volume Thirty of Pearls Left by the Dharma Ocean (Volume Thirty-One / Same Volume), Li Ninth

Secret Method of the Year Star · Earth-Raising Talisman

The Celestial Master said: When people begin construction or build houses, violating the taboos of the Earth Deity will, in eight or nine cases out of ten, bring disaster and even death. The ancient method contains a set of essential instructions for “raising earth,” suitable for all kinds of households. Once someone has violated an earth taboo and fallen ill, medicine is often of no avail. Write out the circumstances in full and submit them; then take a piece of peach wood, nine inches long, one and a half inches wide at the top, broad above and pointed below. Write the talismanic script on the wood. After performing the prescribed cultivation, place the talisman at the direction where the taboo was violated, then drink talisman water. This will dispel the affliction at once and prevent further harm. These instructions must not be passed on indiscriminately.

Whenever writing a talisman, set up an incense altar according to the prescribed form, perform the Pace of Yu and transform the spirit, summon the generals, and state the reason for the rite in full. Now write the celestial talisman in seal script and dispatch it to a certain household, to set in motion and send away all spirits and baleful influences, pacify and protect the household, and restore the sick person to health.

Tap the brush five times, then write the talisman.

(The talisman is divided into three tiers: the upper tier, in yellow, dispels misfortune; the middle tier, in white, protects the body and secures the home; the lower tier, in blue-green, extinguishes calamity and removes harmful essences.)

“Wherever the stars of the Three Platforms arrive, they bestow great numinous power. I obey the decree of the Supreme Emperor. The Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper, great spirits in the midst of Heaven—

“Attend the Golden Palace above; below, save the imperial people. Unite and descend; direct the Lord of the Year. Quickly dispatch the spirits and baleful influences; they must not linger. Urgently obey this command, in accordance with the statutes.”

(The talisman also contains seal-script inscriptions, including: “By command of the Most High, [the] Venerable Spirit of the Year’s Virtue in the Middle Years, [the] secret formula for this year: urgently dispatch the spirits and baleful influences to sweep away evil essences; do not allow them to bring calamity; rescue the imperial people; carry this out with utmost urgency. Those who refuse will be sentenced as life-taking baleful spirits; whoever dares disobey the command will be sent forever to the Northern Darkness. May the imperial people be safe and at peace; may the Dao’s Qi endure forever,” along with the thunder formulas of the Five Thunder divisions, commands to pacify and protect the household, “evil baleful influences, rise swiftly and do not delay,” and “upon arrival of the talisman, carry out its command.”)

Take Qi from the direction of the current year’s Grand Year, blow it onto the talisman, and make the hand seal. Write Chinese characters on the left and Mao script on the right. Then, at the center of the talisman, recite aloud: “Officials of the Earth Bureau, respectfully obey the talisman’s command. Proceed to a certain household, set in motion and send away all spirits and baleful influences; do not delay. Anyone who violates the order above shall be judged as one who has violated the prescribed statutes.” After reciting, have the person requesting the talisman, upon the talisman—

(The right half gives the procedure for drawing in Qi, making the hand seal, and reciting the invocation. It corresponds to the seal-script inscriptions on the talisman and is carried out in the prescribed ritual sequence.)

Explanatory note (for clarity; not part of the scripture):

This text describes a Daoist “earth-raising” liturgy. According to its beliefs, breaking taboos associated with the Grand Year or earth baleful influences before digging or building can cause illness and disaster. The Daoist uses a peach-wood talisman, the Pace of Yu, and invocations to summon deities and dispatch baleful influences. The talisman is placed at the direction where the taboo was broken, and talisman water is drunk to protect the household and preserve life. “Celestial Master” is an honorific for a Daoist priest; the Lord of the Year is the deity of the Grand Year governing that year. The “upper, middle, and lower tiers,” and the colors yellow, white, and blue-green, refer to the talisman’s divisions and color prescriptions, which are used together with directions such as Si, Wu, and Wei when writing the secret script.

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

1. Offerings in the Offending Direction and Driving the Talisman into the Ground

Set out wine and fruit in the offending direction—the direction or quarter associated with violating a taboo or clashing with the Grand Duke of Jupiter, among other things—and divide them into five portions as offerings to the commanders and officers written on or invoked by the talisman, the divine generals who serve as protectors.

Present twelve packets of spirit money and twelve paper horses—paper money, paper horses, and other funerary offerings—to the Revered Spirit of the Grand Duke of Jupiter, the Five Thunder Generals, divine officers who enforce the laws of the Thunder Department, and the twenty-four spirits and baleful influences. Use an axe to drive the talisman into the ground, striking until you reach the character “sever” written on it. If the illness has not abated, drive it in again the next day until the entire talisman is buried, then sprinkle it with pure water. This will bring things to rest. Keep this secret above all secrets; it must not be passed on. If a family member has passed away—or if the phrase refers instead to an illness or calamity that remains unresolved—you may still recite the incantation and empower the talisman as described above, following the same format.

2. Incantation for Empowering and Sending Forth

The Emperor issues a command; the command descends to the Thunder City. Summon the commanders and officers swiftly, and let them travel with the talisman. Direct the Virtue of the Year and the Revered Spirit of the Grand Duke of Jupiter to collect and subdue all spirits and baleful influences of the Earth Court. Do not let them cause calamity or unjustly harm the people. If they disobey my command, subject them to severe punishment. Hurry, hurry, in accordance with the statutes and commands! This is a common closing formula for Daoist incantations, meaning that the order must be carried out at once.

3. Guiding Qi and Hand Seals

Inhale Qi from the northwest and blow it toward the hand seal formed with the right hand. Then gather Qi from the east and blow it toward the seal formed with the left hand. Next, form the seal for the current year, corresponding to that year’s Grand Duke of Jupiter and calendrical signs.

4. The Spirit of the Virtue of the Year

The Spirit of the Virtue of the Year holds authority over the year. Each of the twenty-four has its own office, and all fall under this spirit’s command. Let them hasten forth at the signal and order them not to stir up calamity or obstruction without cause. If they disobey, consign them to the deepest depths, where wind and blades torment them through the endless night; through ten thousand kalpas, they shall find no pardon. Hurry, hurry, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

5. Talisman of Marshal Yin, the Great Majestic Virtue

General Yin Jiao of the Earth Bureau, associated with the Grand Duke of Jupiter.

He appears as a celestial being in human form, with a green face and twelve skulls around his neck. He wears a crimson robe and a black sash tied around his waist, and is barefoot. In his left hand he holds a yellow battle-axe; in his right, a golden bell.

6. Invocation Incantation

Fierce general of the Year Lord, commander of all the spirits: the yellow banner leads the way, and the leopard tail follows behind. The seventy-two seasonal markers, the twenty-four Qi of the solar terms, the twelve taboos, and the baleful spirits take the lead. The yellow battle-axe slays demons; the golden bell strikes down evil spirits. Envoys of the five directions and fearsome spirits of pestilence and poison—by the Emperor’s command, assist me in the Great Dao and sweep away the host of spirits! Let any who dare resist be beheaded, their heads presented. By the statutes of the Mysterious Capital, let baleful ghosts never rest. Hurry, hurry; I solemnly obey the command and decree of the Great Emperor of the North Pole and Purple Tenuity.

7. Visualization and Tracing the Talisman

Next, visualize the general riding on a black cloud from the south. Receive him with Qi from the heart, inhale it with a voiced sound, then send it out before your face as you state the matter. When finished, form the seal for writing the baleful text.

Empowered command (the words of the command are interwoven with the talisman’s meaning): “The Northern Emperor commands: General Yin Jiao of the Earth Bureau, come swiftly. All spirits obey the order; the fierce baleful spirits devour demons…” Proceed according to the characters written on the talisman.

Note: This text belongs to the Pearls Left Behind in the Sea of Dharma tradition of Daoist liturgies and incantations. It describes making offerings in the offending direction, driving a talisman into the ground, commanding the Thunder City’s generals and officers, and having the Virtue of the Year and the Grand Duke of Jupiter subdue baleful forces. It also describes summoning Marshal Yin Jiao, his appearance, and visualizing him arriving from the south on a black cloud. “Spirit money” and “paper horses” are common ritual offerings; “Hurry, hurry, in accordance with the statutes and commands!” and obedience to the decree of the Great Emperor of the North Pole and Purple Tenuity are common closing formulas. Ritual practice should follow the complete liturgical text and a teacher’s transmission; do not improvise from this excerpt alone.

A Plain-Language Explanation of Fahai Yizhu (Pearls Left in the Sea of Dharma)

On Talismans, Incantations, and Groundbreaking Rituals

If you encounter an inauspicious force such as the Grand Duke Jupiter while writing a talisman, recite an edict before the talisman and address it specifically to the Marshal. You may say: “Command the spirits, including the Yellow Banner and Leopard Tail.”

Uses include: suppressing harmful forces when breaking ground, dispelling harmful influences from the earth, treating illness with fumigation, driving away pestilence and taking medicine, and protecting memorials by burning talismans. One may also write a “talisman to avert harm from a neighbor’s construction” to dispel the clash caused by a neighbor breaking ground.

While writing the talisman, recite:

The King of the Mountains and Seas commands him to work in another direction, in another place; I shall not be hindered. Act swiftly in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.
The Great Dao is originally empty and void; how could spirits and harmful forces ever have existed?

After completing the talisman, recite the “Mountains and Seas Incantation,” then apply the writing. Next, recite the incantation of the Great Sage, the Seven Lords of the Northern Dipper, who can dispel misfortune from any direction. When finished, recite the Incantation of the Year’s Virtue Spirit to issue the command and send the forces away.

Command and Incantation for the Talisman That Raises the Earth in a Direction

The Supreme One’s talisman flies from the Mysterious Capital of the Four Luminaries. The heavenly troops of the Nine Perfected and Four Chariots follow behind. They seize souls and spirits with the Five Dragons and Eight Talismans. The Lord Emperor issues this command: seize and capture the true servants and the Five Pestilence Ghosts and their poisons, and send them to Fengdu. Act swiftly in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.

Incantation for Raising and Dispersing the Spirit Talisman (used when a household breaks ground in a particular direction, to avoid baleful stars and harmful forces):

The spirit talisman raises and disperses the earth in the direction of (a particular direction) of the household of (a particular family), disturbing all baleful stars and harmful forces and making them rise and depart. I obey the command of the Supreme One. Act swiftly in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.

Eight Yang Incantation (when breaking ground, invite the star spirits associated with each direction to take one’s place)

• When breaking ground in the east, let the Year Star (Jupiter) take one’s place.
• When breaking ground in the south, let the Blazing Warrior (Mars) take one’s place.
• When breaking ground in the west, let the Great White (Venus) take one’s place.
• When breaking ground in the north, let the Morning Star (Mercury) take one’s place.
• When breaking ground in the center, let the Quelling Star (Saturn) take one’s place.

If the year spirit consumes me, let the Eastern Sea take my place; if the month spirit consumes me, let the Southern Sea take my place; if the day spirit consumes me, let the Western Sea take my place; if the hour spirit consumes me, let the Northern Sea take my place. Corpse spirits and stagnant vital energy, goblins, and demons may seek to harm me; they must quickly keep away. Cut off their heads by the thousands, sever their vital energy by the tens of thousands; let a thousand calamities disperse, and let there be nothing to fear. Act swiftly in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.

(In essence: when breaking ground in the five directions, the corresponding Five Planets take the blame; the Four Seas take the place of the spirits associated with the year, month, day, and hour. If corpse spirits or demons come to attack, they must quickly retreat. The incantation calls for their vital energy and power to harm to be cut off, so that nothing is taboo.)

Five-Direction Earth-Settling Talisman

The talismanic command is issued to the five directions and five soils of the household of (a particular family), to the Earth Lords and Earth Mothers, the Dragon Kings who guard homes in the five directions, the Commanders of the Seasons, the Generals of the Twelve Monthly Builds, the Grand Duke Jupiter, the Great Yin, the Yellow Banner and Leopard Tail, and all spirit officials and earth authorities associated with the colors green, blue, yellow, black, and purple, as well as all divine beings who govern prohibitions. Let all carry it out as commanded.

The talismanic command settles and guards the household and courtyard: corpse spirits and stagnant vital energy, goblins, mountain spirits, demons, wandering spirits and void-consuming forces, imbalances of wood and earth, and all manner of demons and spirits—any who dare to cause harm must be sent away at once and without delay.

Note: “Raising the earth” and “returning the earth” refer to construction work such as breaking ground and filling it back in after completion. “Baleful stars” and “Grand Duke Jupiter” are harmful spirits associated with directions in a given year. “Yellow Banner and Leopard Tail” are the names of guardian generals who suppress harmful forces in Daoist ceremonial processions. Fengdu is a legendary place where ghosts and evil spirits are confined. “Act swiftly in accordance with the statutes and ordinances” is a formula used to conclude incantations and talismans, meaning that the command must be carried out swiftly and according to law.

Pearls Left in the Sea of Dao (Fahai Yizhu): A Plain-Language Interpretation

Supreme One’s Command (Erasing Traces and Dispelling Forms)

The Supreme One issues a decree: Let inauspicious traces and evil forms be dispelled; let the household be purified and peace prevail within and without. Let thieves vanish without a trace, fires be quietly extinguished, official affairs proceed smoothly and favorably, and people remain safe and well. Let all the gods respectfully hear and carry out this formal command. Haste, haste, in accordance with the Supreme One’s laws and commands!

Talismans for Pacifying the Land (Five Directions)

• Eastern Talisman for Pacifying the Land
• Southern Talisman for Pacifying the Land
• Western Talisman for Pacifying the Land
• Northern Talisman for Pacifying the Land
• Central Talisman for Pacifying the Land

Each of the five talismans guards one direction, pacifies the land, prevents calamity and upheaval, and turns misfortune into good fortune.

Soul-Pursuing Talisman

(Supreme Lord of the Way, Virtue, and the Great Purity) (Swift Messenger Flying Through the Clouds) (Commander of the Cloud Host) (Sudden-Fire Messenger in the Clouds) (Zhengyi Soul-Seizing Messenger) (Thunder Officials and Thunder Soldiers pursue the soul and attach it to the body) (Tai Guang) (Shuang Ling) (You Jing)

Great General Who Pursues Souls, Great Heavenly General Who Seizes the Po: Retrieve the true Hun-soul and proper Po-soul of (so-and-so), and swiftly return them to the afflicted person.

Soul-Seizing Talisman

(Messenger Who Flies Through the Heavens with Swift Dispatch, reporting upward to the Heavenly Gate) (Messenger of the Thunder Formation and Fire Chariot, sealing the Earth’s Gate below) (Four Directional Divine Generals) (Great Sage of the Celestial Mound pursues and captures so-and-so’s souls and returns them to the body) (Haste, haste, haste: draw in the Qi of the Celestial Mound)

Talisman for Driving Off Epidemics Among the Six Domestic Animals

(The mountain peaks of Gen, the northeast trigram) (Open the Heavenly Gate, close the Earth’s Gate, leave the human gate open, block the ghost road, pierce the ghost’s heart, break the ghost’s belly) (Adapt the method to each creature) (Five thousand epidemic healers above; five thousand epidemic healers below)

By command of the Great Sage of the Celestial Mound: Gather and subdue epidemics from Heaven and Earth, as well as the twenty-four kinds of pestilence, and immediately grant long life. The Five-Thunder Epidemic Officer is named Fire Qilin. It is unrelated to the myriad creatures and feeds exclusively on epidemics afflicting oxen, horses, pigs, and other livestock in the five directions. Haste, haste!

Talisman for Protecting Blood and Wealth

(The text appears elsewhere in this volume; only the title is given here.)

Talisman for Protecting Silkworms

(The text appears elsewhere in this volume; only the title is given here.)

Further Text

(Indicates that the same volume continues; this is a continuation of Volume Thirty of Pearls Left in the Sea of Dao.)

Note: The text consists of talisman and incantation names, the titles of divine generals, and brief commands used in Daoist liturgy. These are associated with pacifying land, pursuing souls, dispelling epidemics, protecting wealth, protecting silkworms, and other purposes. The names in parentheses are commonly written on talismans or recited in incantations; they include divine officials, heavenly generals, and Celestial Mound deities. Specific procedures and complete talisman designs should be consulted in the full volume of Pearls Left in the Sea of Dao and learned through an authorized teacher.