《法海遺珠》Vol. 35

The Pearl Bequeathed by the Sea of the Dharma, Scroll 35 (Excerpt 2) · The Thunder Method of Tai Sui Wu Chunlei

The Roster of Generals

Chief General: Yin Jiao, Tai Sui of the Earth Bureau

(Tai Sui: A deity who governs the fortunes of the year and is often associated with that year’s Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch; here, the supreme commander within a thunder-method system.)

Appearance: Bare-chested, with a blue face and blue body; singed yellow hair standing on end; a skull atop his head and eight skulls hanging around his neck; leopard skin wrapped around his hips; eyes shining with light. He has four arms: the upper right hand holds a golden bell, the left a seal; the middle pair hold a yellow banner in the left hand and a leopard tail in the right; the lower pair hold a ji (a long-shafted weapon) in the left hand and a fire sword in the right. A beam of golden light shoots from between his brows to strike people. He is barefoot, and flames fly all around him.

Deputy Commander: Senior Deputy General Hou Biao

The following generals are listed by name: Great Deity of the Five Black-Road Ghosts Zhang Jin; General of Black-Road Family Destruction and Great Calamity Yu Wen; Great General of the Three Yin Spirits and Sha Fiends Geng Tong; Registrar in Charge of Memorials Xue Shen; Great General of the Erudite Wu You; Great General of Strongmen Who Slay Ghosts Zhao Yu; General of the Ten Evils and Great Defeat He Zhong; Great General of the Curved Ruler, Great Waste, and Ghost-Swallowing Feng Meng; Great General Who Raises Souls and Seizes Po Hun Luo Shiwen; Great General Who Praises the Spirits and Subdues the Spirits Xie Feilian; Great Deity of Red Gauze Who Illuminates the Way and Adornment Boxes Qin Zao; Great Generals of the Blue Ox and Golden Dog Lu De; Great Deity of the Azure Dragon Ma Wen; Great Deity of the White Tiger Chen You; Great Deity of the Vermilion Bird Feng Da; Great Deity of the Black Tortoise Tang Kai; Great General of the Yellow Banner Wang De; Great General of the Leopard Tail Ding Sheng; Great General of the Disease Talisman Ma Chong; Funeral Cart Li You; Shentu Xu Songgao; Yulei Sang Boyuan; Great General of the Yellow Battle-Axe Guan Sa; Eastern General Jin Wenzheng; Southern General Du Ji; Western General Ji Shao; Northern General Wu Zhengda; Central General Li Hui; Great General of the Seventy-Two Seasonal Periods Song Xingwen; Great General of the Twenty-Four Qi Cycles Han Bao; Great General of Swift Capture Jiang Yue; and all human spirits, spirit lords, baleful spirits, malevolent slayers, and other divine officials.

Refining the Generals and Bringing Them into the Assembly

Whenever one refines the generals (visualizing and concentrating the generals’ spirits at the altar), one must first collect the spirit and steady the intention, then visualize the Yellow Court (the central palace, roughly the area of the Dantian above the navel). Within the central palace is a clod of yellow earth, clearly visible.

Raise the head and inhale the yellow Qi of the central heavens through the nose into the heart; the fire of the heart rises to meet it. Then turn the process around: the yellow Qi outside presses downward, while the yellow Qi of the central palace rises to join the fire. See the three Qi of generation (usually understood as Jing, Qi, and Shen, or as the Qi associated with Heaven, Earth, and humanity) blend together, all becoming yellow Qi. Then set it in motion upward (sending it upward to deploy the generals and put them to work).

Note: This section belongs to the deployment texts of Daoist thunder methods. It arranges Tai Sui, Earth Bureau deities, the Five Directions, the Four Emblems, Shentu and Yulei, and other divine names and titles into a “roster of generals” for visualization and dispatch during ritual practice. The closing passage on “refining the generals” describes a visualization in which internal refinement brings yellow Qi and heart fire together, in coordination with external practices such as drawing talismans and performing ritual steps. Many personal names and titles derive from the transmission of particular liturgical texts and should not be altered casually.

A Plain-Language Interpretation of Fahai Yizhu

Methods of Cultivation

First Step: Regulate the Breath and Gather Qi

Exhale a mass of Qi through the mouth, letting it rise to the middle of the sky. Then draw it together and bring it down, and inhale it through the nose into the central palace (the Dantian).

Second Step: Circulate Qi and Transform It into Light

Next, circulate this golden-yellow Qi. Exhale it and cast it onto the ground, letting it spread throughout the whole cosmos. At this point, neither oneself nor anything else can be seen; only the dense, abundant yellow Qi remains. Form a sword gesture with the right hand and make the Thunder Formation at the waist with the left. Set the Worthy Thunder in motion, sending it from the spinal region up to the ears. It splits open the yellow Qi, and sparks of fire burst out. Within them, the sign of the Marshal appears. Turn sideways and draw near. Using the inhalation method, draw down the glimmering light from between the eyebrows. Let it pass through the Dantian and the coccyx, where it joins the golden light in the two kidneys. It then surges upward along the spine to the Niwan (the crown of the head), emerging as a golden sign.

Third Step: Take in the Qi and Form a Pellet

Inhale the golden light through the nose and blow it toward the Marshal. If you are carrying out a task—directing and commanding, stating your intention, or writing a talisman—use it then. If you are practicing regularly, shape the golden light into a small sphere, gradually making it star-like. Inhale it through the nose into the central palace, and bring it out for use when needed.

Invocation Spell

I respectfully summon the fierce general, so-and-so. Hearing the summons, come at once, swift as a spark, fast as wind and thunder. Drive off clouds and draw lightning; cast fire and hurl meteors. Let the yellow banner lead the way, with the leopard tail following behind. The seventy-two seasonal divisions, the twenty-four Qi, and the twelve prohibitions: let the baleful forces lead the charge. When demons appear, cut them down at every step; when ghosts are encountered, erase their forms. Drive away the nine ugly spirits in front, destroy the mountain sprites behind, and subdue the flying dragons and earth monsters. Suppress and overcome Kui Xing. I summon you now: descend at once with fiery urgency. Whoever disobeys the Emperor’s command shall have their form destroyed by wind and fire.

I respectfully summon the fierce official of the Earth Bureau, Yin Jiao. Come swiftly. By the decree of the Supreme Emperor. (Make the Jade Mudra and recite silently.)

By the decree of the Celestial Talisman’s Kui Jade Maiden: subdue and seize the baleful forces.

Writing the Talisman

When you have finished reciting the spell, visualize the Marshal arriving. State your intention according to the task, then write the talisman.

Spell for Empowering the Brush

Issued from the Central Ancestor; Wu and Ji transform into Earth. All spirits take refuge, and a hundred evils dare not look upon me. The Nine Luminaries conceal themselves within me; the Five Emperors govern the number of stars. The Yellow River flows backward; the Five Sacred Peaks collapse. Great forests are blown away; in the three months of spring, leaves wither and turn yellow. I lodge at the mouth of the Dipper and Ox mansions; ten thousand, ten thousand demonic essences flee. The Earth Spirit protects my righteousness; blazing radiance gathers over dead ashes. If I should grow angry, I open my eyes and look again. I lock down the center and make all things hide. The divine seal shines upon them; all evil spirits vanish beneath its seal, transformed entirely into congealed blood. Quickly, quickly, by the decree of the Great Sage of the Central Palace, the Earth Constellation: subdue and seize the baleful forces.

The Three Decrees Talisman

(Make the Jade Mudra.)

The following is a modern plain-language interpretation of this ritual passage from Fahai Yizhu. Brief explanations of proper names appear in parentheses at first mention. Interlinear notes and variant characters in the source are incorporated by meaning rather than transcribed word for word.

Edict

Acting on the edict of the Central Palace Earth Star Spirit—a stellar deity associated with the Spleen and the central virtue of Earth—command the Earth Office, the authority over the land and the underworld, and Yin Jiao, the Grand Marshal Yin Jiao, who serves in Daoist rituals as a deity of the year and a general who subdues Earth demons, to descend at once. Let all the gods receive the command and fiercely destroy ghosts and demons.

Should the demon-subduing officers resist or disobey, the killing of ghosts shall continue without pause. Grand Marshal Yin Jiao, Lord of the Year and General of Earth’s Demons, carry out at once the commands of the Celestial Talisman and Kuiyu, names of ritual commands.

For the method of summoning and controlling Sha through the goddess Nüchi, whose name appears in some versions in a form meaning “female general,” place the intention of “humanity” within the edict. Let the great general of the Earth Office follow the command and swiftly carry out whatever has been stated.

Recite the edict-and-control incantation for grasping and subduing Sha, beginning “Om, the great fiery light of heaven” (a Sanskrit protective spell), and draw the righteous Qi of the Celestial Dipper into the talisman. When the edict is complete, add: “I obey the edicts of the Supreme Emperor of Jade Purity, the Supreme Emperor of Highest Purity, and the Great Emperor of Great Purity.” Next recite “Om duru di svaha,” then add the three secret syllables, hong, wu, and wei, written according to the master’s transmission. Still visualize the Spleen Qi, associated with Earth, rising to the Muddy Pellet Palace at the crown of the head and transforming into the Central Palace Earth Star Spirit. Within the Earth Star Spirit is a golden character pronounced wu. Draw the Spleen’s Metal Qi into the talisman.

Incantation for Empowering the Talisman

The dark source of Heaven and Earth, the root of the myriad Qi; through vast cultivation over countless kalpas, I realize my numinous powers. Within and beyond the Three Realms, I alone am honored. Golden light crowns my head and envelops my body; though seen, it cannot be seen, and though heard, it cannot be heard. It encompasses Heaven and Earth and nourishes all living beings. Recite and uphold it ten thousand times, and light will shine from the body. The Three Realms stand guard; the Five Emperors attend. The myriad spirits pay homage, and thunder is put to service. Ghosts and demons lose their courage; essences and monsters vanish. Within, thunderclaps resound, and the Thunder God’s name remains hidden. Profound insight shines through, and the Five Qi surge forth. May golden light appear swiftly and cover and protect the form of the talisman. Act with urgency, in accordance with the command.

This is a common Daoist protective incantation for guarding the body and empowering talismans. In meaning, Heaven and Earth are the source of the Dao and the root of all Qi; through cultivation and realization, numinous powers become freely available. Light crowns and protects the body, which contains Heaven and Earth while remaining beyond ordinary sight and hearing. With successful recitation, light appears from the body; the Three Realms, the Five Emperors, and the myriad spirits provide protection, and thunder can be commanded. Ghosts, demons, and spirits dare not approach. A Thunder God remains hidden within, the Five Qi flow through the body, and golden light protects the talisman so that it takes effect swiftly, as commanded.

Incantation for Raising the Souls

Swiftly bewilder the Fetal Light at the hour of Wei; cloud the Hidden Essence at the hour of Wu; move the Bright Spirit at the hour of Si. Heaven (Qian), Earth (Kun), Sun (Mao), Moon (You), Water (Zi), and Fire (Wu) join and exchange above and below, making the levels of the soul and consciousness rise and grow firm as iron. I respectfully summon Grand Marshal Yin Jiao to arrive at once.

Yellow and black rays of light spread their hidden power in all directions. Lord of the Year, descend swiftly; may Heaven and Earth flourish for long ages. Tong, li, hedu—the great sage’s numinous might commands and controls with speed. Zha, ji, li, zha, bing—destroy the wicked and the malevolent. Swiftly obey the edict of the Supreme Emperor of Jade.

The hours and the Bagua directions—Qian as Heaven, Kun as Earth, Mao as Sun, You as Moon, Zi as Water, and Wu as Fire—are brought together to stabilize the levels of the soul known as Fetal Light, Hidden Essence, and Bright Spirit. Grand Marshal Yin Jiao is summoned, and the hidden yellow and black light exerts its power in all directions. The rite seeks enduring prosperity for Heaven and Earth and invokes the edict of the Supreme Emperor of Jade to destroy evil.

Incantation for Seizing

Numinous Origin Great Ritual Master, Five-Direction Emissaries for Swift Seizure: overturn Heaven and Earth and seize the evil ghosts at once. Make no distinction between kin and stranger, or between high and low; seize them immediately and carry out the command without delay.

Swiftly obey the edict of the Supreme Emperor of Jade.

This summons the Numinous Origin Great Ritual Master and the Five-Direction Emissaries for Swift Seizure. They overturn Heaven and Earth and seize evil ghosts, regardless of kinship or rank, carrying out the task swiftly under the edict of the Supreme Emperor of Jade.

Note: Much of the source belongs to the secret language of ritual manuals. Parenthetical notes often contain homophones, formulae, or instructions for carrying out the rite, such as drawing the Celestial Dipper’s Qi into a talisman or raising Spleen Qi to the Muddy Pellet Palace. The plain-language interpretation follows common ritual practice to make the passage coherent; where it differs from a specific master’s transmitted formula, the version used and its lineage take precedence.

A Plain-Language Interpretation of Related Passages from The Unveiled Pearl of the Dharma Sea

Urgent recitation: “Heavenly Emperor, descend at once! Seize and subdue the demons. Carry this out urgently, in accordance with the law!”

The Talisman for Expelling and Restraining Evil

“Fierce officers under Lord Yin, the Grand Duke of the Year (Tai Sui), come the moment you are summoned, swift as sparks and swift as wind and thunder. Drive the clouds and hurl lightning; cast fire and shooting stars. The yellow banner leads the way, and the leopard’s tail follows behind. The seventy-two seasonal periods, the twenty-four Qi, and the twelve prohibitions are all arrayed before us. When evil appears, kill it first; when a demon appears, strike it down at once; when a ghost appears, destroy its form. Let the Nine Ugly Ones—the nine kinds of malevolent ghosts—lead the way, and destroy the mountain sprites, spirits of the wilderness. Subdue the flying dragons and earth monsters together; even the Star of Kui, a spirit who governs literary fortune and also restrains baleful forces, obeys my command. I summon you now: descend swiftly. If anyone defies the Emperor’s command, let wind and fire destroy their form. Urgently obey the decree of the Great Three Pure Ones.”

Next, recite the Heavenly Talisman of Kui and respectfully summon the earthly office of Tai Sui. Let the Jade Maiden seize and trace the jade script, then direct it to General Yin Jiao. Obey the talisman’s command at once; strike down demons and destroy goblins. Urgently obey the decrees of the Great Three Pure Ones. Seal command: “I hold the golden seal in my hand and carry it with me. At a single gesture from me, destroy all that is inauspicious.” Kui, Gui, Si, Xing, Bi, Fu, and Piao—names of the Dipper stars and baleful stellar forces—along with Greedy Wolf, Great Gate, Prosperity Keeper, Literary Song, Chastity, Martial Song, and Army Breaker—the names of the seven stars of the Northern Dipper—receive this command: “Urgently obey the decree of the August Heaven and grant the power to slay ghosts and bandits.” The Five Directions and their five stars, the Lords of Slaughter, the revered spirit Tai Sui, the yellow banner and leopard’s tail: let them relentlessly slay ghosts. Urgently obey this command, in accordance with the law. Let flying sand and rolling stones, earth tossed up and dust raised, bring down mountains and uproot trees, ranging throughout Heaven and Earth. Flames leap and soar, destroying ghosts and bandits. Clouds fly and lightning surges; let fire break forth at once. By decree of the Star Lord of Earth, restrain and seize with ice, snow, and hail. Let auspicious snow and unyielding ice shine; let lightning not flare or strike. Taiyi’s unyielding ice drives out ghosts and draws the worthy Qi from the north. Heaven responds with essence, Earth responds with numinous power; the generals of Tai Sui seize ghosts and spirits. Let ice and hail fall fiercely; let the Yellow River run clear, Heaven and Earth tremble, and the Three Realms be shaken. By decree of the clear and luminous Emperor of Heaven, revered by the myriad spirits: urgently obey this command, in accordance with the law.

How to Perform the Talisman Above

Draw in a mouthful of yellow Qi from the center of Heaven and blow it downward. Visualize yourself transforming into the Star Lord of Earth, the deity who presides over Earth’s virtue and guards the directions. The ritual master closes their eyes and visualizes the yellow Qi becoming a Daoist priest in yellow robes, wearing the Star Lord of Earth’s crown and going barefoot, with a yellow earth dragon tied around the waist as a sash. The dragon’s eyes shoot light forward. The priest’s left hand presses down on a yellow ox; the right holds a goosefoot staff, an ancient kind of staff.

The ritual master sends light from the Yintang, the point between the eyebrows, and fixes it upon Tai Sui, the spirit who presides over the current year. The master commands Yin Jiao, a protective divine general under Tai Sui who is often shown holding a golden seal to destroy evil, to carry out the order. The following incantation again recites the passages about ice and snow, the Star Lord of Earth, and Tai Sui seizing ghosts. Its general meaning is similar to the preceding text: Heaven and Earth respond; Tai Sui captures ghosts; ice and hail fall with bitter force; and even “the Yellow River runs clear, Heaven and Earth tremble, and the Three Realms are shaken”—all under the urgent command of the Luminous Emperor of Heaven and the myriad spirits.

Note for Reading the Talismanic Incantation:

This text belongs to Daoist ritual liturgy (Keyi) and talismanic incantations. It includes visualization and transformation: the practitioner imagines becoming a divine general and performing the rite. Its language largely consists of summons and vows to slay directed at star deities, Tai Sui, Yin Jiao, and baleful spirits of the Five Directions. Many parenthetical forms are variant written forms, pronunciations, or esoteric characters. A plain-language rendering can convey only their general meaning; they should not be taken as everyday language. Actual practice requires the complete ritual, an authorized lineage, and a ritual altar. It should not be attempted independently.

A Plain Language Interpretation of The Pearls Left in the Ocean of the Dao

A flexible method for when dispatching the generals does not work

I command that the operation proceed swiftly and visualize the officers and generals going forth. If, after being summoned and dispatched, they still refuse to go, use the Earth-Transforming Lodging Incantation and make the Jade Script Sword Mudra, a sword-shaped hand gesture used in Daoist spells, while reciting:

“Om … ha! Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the decree of the Supreme Emperor,” with the urgency of a celestial emperor’s command.

The secret method of the Dipper’s Mouth and the Kui spirit marshal

The formula:

“The red-robed envoy pays court at the Golden Palace; the blue-faced lord descends to the Purple Court. One’s own task is not a complicated one: a single Primordial Lord rises and sits at will.”

Essential points:

The spirit is silent; Qi flows without pause. Visualize Qi; visualize the Cinnabar Primordial. It passes through the Mud Pill Palace behind the brow, surges upward to Heaven, lays out the Golden Bridge, reveals the Seven Primordials, and the Kui spirit descends. Red Qi swirls and blends into one; its secret name hangs suspended. In a trance, your own Qi coils around it. Inhale swiftly, swallow gently, gather it in the Primordial Palace, and refine it with true fire. Then raise it again before the space between the brows: golden light appears and shines without limit. Do not linger over the Flying Sword Mudra. The golden light splits open, and the officers and generals are fully present. In performing the rite, focus is essential.

The method in detail:

First settle the spirit in profound stillness, then visualize a Zi-Wu Dipper formation, arranged according to the twelve earthly branches, in the empty darkness above. Visualize a mass of golden-red light in the Cinnabar Primordial Palace, transforming into the shape of a sun disk. It rises through the upper chambers of the body, lays out the Golden Bridge, and ascends from the Mud Pill Palace to the Dipper’s Mouth. The Kui Star, immense in size, descends and merges with the sun disk. The character “Hong” appears at its center. In a trance, a streak of silvery-white light from the west pierces the golden-red light. Inhale it swiftly into the Heart Palace and hold it steady for a moment. Breathe it out through the wondrous gate; it remains golden-red light, filling the cosmos.

With the sword mudra of the right hand, divide the light and see Marshal Ma standing atop a wheel of fire, blue-faced and three-eyed. When attending the Dipper, he wears a golden Tianding crown, has red hair, and wears a crimson robe with wide sleeves, a green immortal sash tied in a knot, and red shoes. When capturing evil spirits, he wears an iron helmet, a red forehead band, a red net-patterned robe, golden armor, a green immortal sash, and green boots. His left hand forms the Dipper mudra; in his right he holds a fiery sword. A white serpent breathes fire from his mouth, and fleshy horns grow from his head. Spirit marshals surround him on every side. The Marshal stands amid golden flames and is a thousand zhang tall. When refining the generals, inhale him into the Dantian and stop there. For ordinary use, raise him and unite him with the Marshal above, then place him in the talisman.

Personal talisman

“Hong” (recite the summoning incantation or the name of the general entering).

Yang sequence: Kui, [pinyin of characters unavailable], Kui, [pinyin of characters unavailable], Kui, [pinyin of characters unavailable], Kui.

Yin sequence: Kui, [pinyin of characters unavailable], Kui, [pinyin of characters unavailable], Kui, [pinyin of characters unavailable], Kui, Juzi.

Note: The passage above describes Daoist ritual practices involving invocation, visualization of officers and generals, and the Kui spirit of the Dipper’s Mouth. It includes visualization, breathing, talismans, incantations, and images of marshals. These practices are performed according to a master’s transmission and ritual procedures; they should not be attempted independently.

(Noon Position / Subduing the Sha)

When capturing evil spirits, add the character “Sha” to the talisman and continue chanting: “Om … Di … Zha … Na Di Zhi Xi Li Suo Ha. Om Hou Hou Fen.” (Supply the missing characters from the oral transmission.)

(Swift Manifestation of Suo)

(The Zi Script: Twelve Branches in Forward Sequence, Returning to Zi)

Chant the character “He” rapidly and send it swiftly into the talisman. Proceed from the Xu position to Si, enter Chen, then return to Si and enter. Continue chanting the secret incantation:

The Northern Dipper shines with numinous power; the stars before its handle—Tanlang (the name of the first star of the Northern Dipper), who seizes the wicked and devours their essence; Jumen, radiant and glorious, shining with brilliance; Lucun, rushing through the mist and commanding the Celestial troops; Wenqu, whose light beams forth; Lian Zhen, of mighty numinous power; Wuqu, the perfected one; the Assistant Star and Tiangang, the great sages; Pojun, the honored star. The Gate of Heaven is sealed, and turbid Qi congeals. The Emperor wields the battle-axe and grips the Celestial warriors in his hand. With a mighty shout to the south, he strikes terror into the heart and shatters the courage.

The Numinous Officer patrols and inspects, listening, observing, and seeking the sound. The local deities of the nine provinces hear each name called in turn. Slay and behead the wicked; their crimes are grave. The wicked die, the compassionate and good live. Sever heads and feet; pound their forms to pieces. Let ghosts and demons be utterly destroyed, and the human realm restored to peace. Drive out evil and cure illness; when the talisman arrives, obey and carry out its command. Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.

The talisman on the right: Visualize Marshal Ma, draw his divine radiance into the brush, and write the talisman. When it is complete, summon golden light and transform it from between the eyebrows into the character “Sha,” sending it into the talisman. Breathe it in through the mouth and project it from the eyes.

Formula

The talisman can open the luminous aperture; only then can the Original Spirit join with the mechanism. Capture the dead, bring down the ox, and swiftly sever the demon’s feet. One should perform the flying Dipper when going to pay court; writing it upright preserves protection and blessing. The brush rises in radiant Yang, then descends in two flowing strokes. There is also the wondrous principle of Yin and Yang; those who practice it must understand it all.

Formula for Misting Attachment

The master forms the Dipper mudra with both hands and transforms the spirit, summoning Marshal Ma. Then, still forming the Dipper mudra with both hands, the master performs the waist steps of the Dipper.

After completing the Dipper steps, move the child to stand within them. Then write the character “Hong” invisibly before and behind the child. Visualize golden light enveloping the child in mist, and shout for Marshal Ma to attach himself swiftly.

○ The Numinous Officer’s Seventeen-Character Secret Method

Internal Refinement

For internal refinement, first rub the palms, click the teeth, and swallow saliva thirty-six times each, allowing turbid Qi to descend and drain away.

Open Heaven and close Earth in turn, twenty-one times each—from the crown of the head down to Yongquan. Then rub the left and right hands together, and recite the secret incantation:

Fire Emperor, King of the Fire Spirits, Ma Sheng enters my heart …

(The rest of the incantation and formula continues in the complete text.)

The practitioner first visualizes a ball of fire in the mind and lets its heat issue from the Muwan (Niwan, "Mud Pellet"), which Daoists regard as the site of the Upper Dantian. Next, reciting a secret mantra, the practitioner summons the Water Sovereign and the Water Spirit King Wang Wenyuan to descend and enter the body. Then, by intention, water is drawn up from the Yongquan (Bubbling Spring, an acupoint on the sole of the foot, which Daoists consider the place where kidney water rises). The water rises until it meets the fire, and the two are drawn together into the abdomen, where they disperse in the Central Palace, the Dantian at the center of the belly. At this point, the practitioner feels that a single bright red fire-pearl remains inside the body. When needed, a breath is exhaled, and the pearl appears. This is called the "Self Talisman" (benshen fu).

Next comes the drawing of the talisman together with hand seals. The talisman's form is built mainly around the character hum (Sanskrit hūṃ), supplemented by the directions of the Eight Trigrams (Bagua) and the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, traced through finger pinches known as the "trigram formula" (guajue). The practitioner then recites the secret mantra "Om sa-luo-[unrendered] hum hum [unrendered] [unrendered] sa-he," pinching the Wu position (south) with the fingers while visualizing the Qi of the south. Next, the practitioner recites "Om chuo-jin-zha sa-po-he," pinching the Xun position (southeast, the Si direction) and visualizing the Qi of the southeast. This gathering of the Qi from the south and southeast into the body is called "uniting the Qi" (heqi).

The method of uniting the Qi is as follows. With the mind calm and still, the practitioner visualizes a current of Qi shooting from the Niwan toward the Celestial Gate (tianmen). From the Celestial Gate descends a beam of golden light and red Qi, carrying a golden talisman that falls and merges with the talisman form drawn earlier, while the practitioner visualizes the golden light flickering. The practice is performed during the Yin, Wu, and Xu hours (roughly 3 to 5 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 7 to 9 p.m.). The practitioner sits cross-legged and rubs the hands until warm. First, the left palm presses the right sole, and the right palm presses the left sole, each twenty-one times. Then the warmed hands massage the eyes, also twenty-one times. At the same time, the practitioner recites: "Ma Sheng, Great Spirit King of the Red Emperor of the South, quickly descend true Qi into my heart, swiftly, swiftly, as the statute commands." ("As the statute commands," ru lü ling, is a common closing formula in Daoist incantations, meaning to act immediately as the statute demands.) After the recitation, the practitioner visualizes red Qi descending from the crown into the heart.

Next, the practitioner recites the incantation of the Black Emperor of the North, the Water Spirit King Wang Wenyuan, and requests that he descend true Qi. After the recitation, the practitioner visualizes black Qi entering the body through the mouth and reaching the middle of the body, clearly and distinctly. The practitioner then visualizes the Qi of the heart flowing out through the top of the head and descending along the left side. Next, the practitioner visualizes black Qi welling up from the Yongquan, rising along the right side until water and fire meet. At this point consciousness becomes hazy, the two Qi merge into a single mass, and they are gathered and swallowed into the Lower Palace (the Dantian), while the practitioner visualizes a point of bright red light remaining there.

The final "Imperial Talisman Incantation" (chifu zhou) takes the Big Dipper (Beidou) as the source of divine power. The incantation invokes spiritual power through the names and functions of the Dipper stars. Tanlang, the Greedy Wolf star, governs the expulsion of evil ghosts and the consumption of demons and goblins. Jumen, the Giant Gate star, is renowned for its brilliance. Lucun, the Star of Stored Prosperity, commands the heavenly troops. Through these, the practitioner calls on the stars to protect the body and drive away evil.

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

Summoning the Stars to Protect the Dharma, Punishing Evil and Bringing Peace to the People

The Star of Literary Brilliance shines in every direction. The Perfected Ones of Lian Zhen, Awe-Inspiring Spirit, and Wu Qu arrive, along with the Assistant Star, the Great Sage Tian Gang, the Venerable Star Po Jun, and other divine beings. The Gate of Heaven is shut, and turbid Qi gathers and congeals. The Lord Emperor holds an axe and a battle-axe, commanding the celestial soldiers. His might shakes the south; at a single shout, hearts quake and courage fails. The Spirit Officials patrol and listen, coming at the sound of the call. The earth gods of the nine provinces are summoned one by one and ordered to punish and destroy the wicked. Those who have offended are shown no leniency: the wicked die, while the compassionate and good live. Heads are severed and feet cut off; their forms are crushed to pieces, and ghosts and monsters are wiped out, leaving the human world at peace. Drive out evil and cure illness; when the talisman arrives, obey at once. Act with urgency, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

The Flame-Thunder and Zhi Talismans (Essentials for Working the Talismans)

(Incense the Flame-Thunder talisman and wear it.)

Flame Talisman: By command, summon Liu Yan, Great General and fire deity of the south, to descend at once. As you work the talisman, recite “Om Da Li Di She,” pinch the Horse position, and unite the Qi of the heart with the Qi of the south.

Zhi Talisman: By command, summon Liu Zhi, Great General and water deity of the north, to descend at once. As you work the talisman, recite “Om Bo Si Di She,” pinch the Rat position, and unite worthy Qi with the Qi of the north.

There are also forms for essence-lightning and thunderbolts. By command, summon the Flame deities and spirits; act with urgency, in accordance with the statutes and commands. Pinch the Horse position to draw in the Qi of the south. Also coordinate with the Lords of the Five Virtues Stars: the Lord of the Metal Virtue Star (pinch the Rooster position and draw in the Qi of the west), the Lord of the Wood Virtue Star (pinch the Rabbit position and draw in the Qi of the east), the Lord of the Fire Virtue Star (pinch the Horse position and draw in the Qi of the south), and the Lord of the Earth Virtue Star (pinch the central palace and draw in yellow Qi), along with the positions of Dog, Ox, Dragon, and Goat.

Summon together the Thunder Deity of Heavenly Fire (pinch the designated position), the Thunder Deity of Earthly Fire (pinch the Snake position), the Thunder Deity of Yin Fire (pinch the Monkey position), the Thunder Deity of Yang Fire (pinch the Tiger position), and the Thunder Deity of Central Fire (pinch the central palace).

The Five Thunders Enter the Body, Curing Illness and Driving Out Evil

May the Five Thunders descend with their numinous power and enter the intestines and stomach, searching out and seizing evil essences. Let ghosts and spirits depart at once, and the sick body return to peace. I declare these commands under my authority: show no undue mercy. Let every illness depart swiftly. When the talisman arrives, obey at once. Act with urgency, in accordance with the statutes and commands. Write the character “Thunder.”

(For further empowerment: pinch the Thunder configuration with the left hand and draw in the Qi of Xun. On the first turn, the Six Spirits conceal themselves at Rabbit; on the second, the Four Fiends vanish at Dragon; on the third, move the Kui and Gang stars. On the fourth turn at the Li position, thunder-fire erupts; on the fifth, at the central palace, thunderbolts strike in terror; on the sixth, at the Kun position, mountain ghosts are destroyed; on the seventh, at the Dui position, seize all unrighteous and evil ghosts and send them beneath Kui and Gang to meet their death. They must not move. Pinch the Fiend position.)

The Flame and Zhi Generals and the Sending-Forth Incantation

The two generals, Flame and Zhi, and the sending-forth incantation above are to be performed according to the prescribed liturgy.

Note: “Pinch the designated position” means pressing the corresponding joint or point with the fingers while working the talisman, often in coordination with the directions associated with the twelve earthly branches. This is combined with “drawing in the Qi of” a particular direction, and forms part of the bodily techniques and oral instructions used in Daoist Fulu and thunder rites. The parenthetical passages are mostly practical reminders for ritual officiants, rather than separate scripture, so their function is conveyed here without expanding each instruction word for word.

Plain-Language Interpretation of The Lost Pearls of the Dharma Ocean

By imperial command, summon the southern fire god, General Liu Yan, and the northern water god, General Liu Zhi, along with the members of the Wind and Thunder Division. Let thunderfire descend and divine power manifest; may calamities vanish of themselves. From Kui to Piao—the names of generals associated with the Thunder Division in Daoist thunder rites—let thunder roar and shake heaven and earth, annihilating ghosts and spirits and leaving no demons or monsters.

We respectfully summon the Five Thunder Envoys, the Wind Earl, who governs the wind, the Rain Master, who governs the rain, the Thunder Duke, the Lightning Mother, and all the officials, lords, generals, and officers of the Thunder Division. Let them seize the demons, monsters, essence-ghosts, and spirits in the Three Realms and Six Grottoes—the realms of heaven, earth, and humanity, and the various grotto abodes—as well as the fifteen kinds of beings that defy Heaven and reject the Dao, together with all fierce gods and evil spirits, malevolent Qi, ghostly plagues, pestilential toxins, and ghost bandits. Bring them all under the thunderbolt and put them to death. Be sure they can neither move nor act recklessly. Carry this out at once, as the law commands.