《法海遺珠》Vol. 5

Fahai Yizhu (Pearls from the Sea of the Dharma), Volume 5: Secret Instructions of the Taiyi Fire Palace, Model Family Letter, Vernacular Explanation

Background

This is the model family letter (jiashu, a formal memorial to the patriarch) used in the Taiyi Fire Palace (Taiyi Huofu) liturgy. A lay believer or Daoist priest writes a petition on behalf of a patient, asking the patriarch to report the matter to Heaven and to dispatch divine generals to expel evil influences, cure illness, and dispel calamity.

Body Format of the Family Letter

Humbly submitted by the (generation number) descendant of the teaching lineage, [name], who kowtows a hundred times and respectfully petitions:

To Master Zhongtian Shuxiang, Fumo Xu Zhenjun (Lord Xu the Perfected, Subduer of Demons), before the Master,

To Master Qingyin Xiansheng, Boyun Yang Zhenren (Perfected Yang of Clearing the Clouds), before the Master,

Your disciple does not shrink from the crime of being punished by the axe and presumptuously sets forth a sincere heart. Respectfully relying on (the petitioner's native place and the name of the person on whose behalf the request is made), I beg for relief and healing as follows.

Your disciple has already received the petition and entered the altar. Apart from the talismans already issued and the documents already dispatched, I dare not act further on my own, and so I respectfully submit this family letter. I humbly hope that the compassionate Master will graciously review it and transmit it on my behalf to the Supreme Heaven, requesting that an imperial decree be issued to the true officials of the Three Realms who govern calamities and blessings, and to the Yue Fu (Mountain Prefectures), the Chenghuang (City Gods), and the Caozhi (Yin-bureaus of the underworld), pardoning the ancient and present errors and transgressions of the afflicted person (name), so that all such guilt may be dissolved like ice melting.

I further hope that the Taiyi Huofu (Taiyi Fire Palace) will dispatch twelve Great Heavenly Generals, who will join with the generals and marshals of a certain Jing-Shuai and the entire company of officials, and immediately descend to the household of the petitioner. Together with the Siming (Controllers of Fate) and the upright Tudi (Earth Gods, local guardian deities), they shall investigate the causes of the afflicted person's illness, seize the evil ghosts that are bringing harm, and escort them to the Leiyu (Prison of Thunder) in the underworld for interrogation. The generals shall compel the return of the sickness-qi, recall the afflicted person's living soul, and carry out punishment in accordance with the law.

If there are any entanglements (fulian), such as resentful kin, old debts, or attached spirits, they too shall be enlightened and reconciled, and their qi shall be gathered in and sent back to their proper places. This is petitioned solely for the afflicted person (name): above, to dispel heavenly calamities; below, to ward off earthly disasters; to disperse epidemics; and to gather auspicious signs.

I further beg that pure and upright qi be poured into the body-field (shentian) of the afflicted person (name), so that the six pulses are harmonized, the hundred joints are unobstructed, the medicine takes effect, the illness is healed and the person recovers, life is lengthened, and eternal blessings are received.

If this is granted, I shall bow in gratitude for the gift of life. Presuming upon the Master's dignity, the afflicted person (name) respectfully trembles with fear and awaits the Master's grace, with the utmost sincerity. Respectfully submitted.

Year, month, and day of the Grand Duke (Taisui)

Submitted by the (generation number) descendant of the teaching lineage, (name), who respectfully petitions.

Outer Envelope Format

The front of the envelope reads: Family letter, a hundred bows, humbly submitted. To Master Fumo Xiangshuai Xu Zhenjun, before the Master.

Sealed respectfully by the (generation number) descendant of the teaching lineage, (name).

Reverse Side of the Envelope Format

Year, month, and day of the Grand Duke. Family letter bowed and sent from (name).

Family Letter Passage

(This is the ritual phrase used in the liturgical section where the family letter is opened and delivered. The original text does not elaborate on it, as it is simply the name of a ritual step.)

Glossary of Terms

Taiyi Huofu (Taiyi Fire Palace): A heavenly administrative office in Daoist liturgy responsible for fire, exorcism, and healing. It often dispatches heavenly generals to the human world to enforce its judgments.

Jiashu (family letter): In this context, not a letter between family members but a formal petition written by a disciple to the patriarch, asking the patriarch to report the matter to the heavens.

Xu Zhenjun (Lord Xu the Perfected): Refers to Xu Xun, the legendary patriarch, said to be a Zhongtian Shuxiang (Celestial Pivot Minister) who subdued demons and slew monsters.

Yang Zhenren (Perfected Yang): Master Yang, a patriarch in the same lineage as Xu Zhenjun, belonging to the Qingyin Boyun (Clearing the Clouds) branch.

Jingshuai (Jing-Shuai generals): The marshals and divine generals worshipped in a locality or ritual, along with their subordinate troops.

Leiyu (Prison of Thunder): An underworld prison governed by heavenly thunder, used to interrogate and punish evil ghosts.

Fulian (entanglements): Resentful kin, old debts, or attached spirits connected to a patient's illness that must be resolved along with the illness.

Shentian (body-field): Uses the image of a field to represent the body. When pure qi is poured into it, the original vital energy is restored.

Summary of Meaning

The patient or family, through a disciple of the teaching lineage, submits a petition to Lord Xu and Master Yang. They ask the patriarchs to report to Heaven, pardon the patient's transgressions, and dispatch Taiyi Fire Palace generals together with local divine officers. These forces are to investigate the cause of the illness, seize the evil spirits responsible, and send them to the Prison of Thunder for punishment. They are also to recall the patient's sickness-qi and living soul and dissolve any associated entanglements. The petition further requests the dispelling of disasters and epidemics, the infusion of pure qi to restore the patient's health, and a long life for the patient. The envelope and reverse-side formats follow the model text, and the letter is then delivered through the family letter passage (jiashu guan) of the liturgy.

This office now issues a family letter (jiashu), respectfully presented to the Ancestral Master, the Central Pivot Minister and Demon-Subduing Perfected Lord Xu (Zhongtianshu Xiang Fumo Xu Zhenjun), the deity Xu Xun as revered in Daoism, with a request that it be transmitted. This official document (guanwen) must reach the relevant passes before the letter may be sent.

The guanwen reads: Zhifu Xie (name) and Thunder Deity Ji (name) now hold the family letter and proceed before the Master's courtyard to request permission for its transmission. Although the cloud-road of transmission is limited, they must wait here for a response of spiritual resonance. Hence this guanwen is issued.

Taisui year, month, day, and hour guanwen. Signed by the official surnamed Xing (name).

The secret instructions of the family letter are as follows. Perform the three purifications (sanjing), the rite of cleansing body and mind before a ritual, as usual. The Master closes his eyes and visualizes his spirit, forms the sword mudra with both hands, and then arches his waist toward the sky, transforming his appearance into that of Yuanming Zhenren (Perfected Lord of Primal Destiny), an honorific title representing the originary spirit of one's destiny. Recite the incantation "Northern Emperor, swiftly transform my body," and strike the table three times.

Light one precious incense stick to purify the ten directions, and strike the Dharma drum three times to gather the myriad spirits. The Thunder Office of the Fire Palace of Taiyi (Taiyi Huofu Leiting Dusi) summons by burning incense: the duty Zhifu official who receives affairs, the Gongcao (a spirit clerk responsible for relaying orders and handling business), at the Zhai-Jiao chamber (the hall where the ritual is held) must hear this summons and hasten to the altar.

The Gongcao spirits are profound and difficult to fathom, born together with heaven and earth. When they scatter, they become qi; when they gather, they take form. At a call they come at once, and at an invitation they descend immediately. Now, by this summons with the faith incense, Zhifu Xie is ordered to come, and Ji Maoqing is commanded to appear before the altar at once to await orders. Be swift and let it be done as desired.

When the offering is complete, dismiss the spirit officials and dispatch the family letter.

The Ancestral Master parts the clouds, sends off the family letter, and summons and dispatches the spirit officials. Within this lies a subtle mystery.

The Master forms the Chen-wen mudra with the left hand and presses it over the heart, while the right hand forms the Xu-wen mudra and covers the kidney region. The left hand faces upward and the right downward. With eyes closed and then slightly opened, he draws in the fire qi of the Xun trigram (one of the Bagua directions, here the place where wind qi resides) and swallows it into the Dantian. He visualizes and circulates the water and fire qi within the body so that heart and kidneys interact. The qi moves up to the tail end of the spine (weilü) and along the spinal ridges (jiaji), and two streams of qi unite in the Jianggong (the neidan practice site associated with the heart). He visualizes fire-light bursting forth within the heart and General Xie appearing before his eyes, then recites:

"Om... (the special sound at the symbol in the scripture)... swiftly summon."

"Om... hum hum, the Brahma sound echoing like a thunderclap, summon!"

At the same time, he visualizes that the Zhifu spirit official has arrived at the altar.

Recite again:

"The Four Duty Gongcao convey commands and report sincerity, moving between heaven and earth like clouds. Hearing my call, descend swiftly at once. Quickly, quickly, quickly!"

After reading and sending the document, recite:

"I have now memorialized at the altar. Please wait here to hear what I state and what I pray for." The chief officiant forms the Chen-wen mudra.

Fahai Yizhu (Pearls Left Behind in the Sea of the Dharma): A Vernacular Commentary

Having reached the presence of the Emperor, I submit my memorial with jade writ (or document) and wait, prostrate, (with the Thunder Bureau or the document-dispatch variant). I respectfully invite the Lady Li Yuanjun, Lord of the Taiyi Huofu (Fire Palace of Taiyi) and Supreme Steward of the Hall; the Chief Marshal Qiu; the Vice-Commander Wang, Great Spirit; Thunder Spirit Chen, Great Spirit; Qinglei Li, Great Spirit; Guofa Kong, Great Spirit; Huolei Cui, Great Spirit; Shuilei Zhou, Great Spirit; Feihuo Ji, Great Spirit; Heilei Liu, Great Spirit; Feilei Lin, Great Spirit; the White Envoy who drives the thunder; the Zhifu (Duty Envoy) Envoy Xie; the Duty Generals of the Four Altars, Gao, Tao, Cui, and Zhao; the Thunder Spirits of the Five Directions, Zhu, Zhu, Liu, Zhang, and Yang; the Duke of Thunder, the Lady Lightning, the Earl of Wind, and the Master of Rain.

You Thunder Spirits and Duty Envoys, now that you have arrived at the altar, swiftly take this faith incense and proceed directly to the Taiyi Fire Palace. Memorialize and invite the Lord Supreme, the Emperor of Supreme Virtue of the Primordial Unity in the Great Vermilion Heaven Palace, the Venerable of the Way and Virtue of Grand Clarity (Taiqing Daode Tianzun), the Patriarch Chen Xiyi, Perfected of Jade Clarity, the Patriarch Liu, Perfected of Grand Clarity, the Patriarch Xu, Perfected who Subdues Demons, the Patriarch Yang, Perfected of the Cloud-Mantle, the Master Huang of Yunzhuang, Master Huang of Chengxin, Master Chen of Qingxi, and Scholar Li of Qiaoru, together with all the masters of the successive lineages of transmission. Respectfully we ask that they descend their radiance and come to the altar.

Invocation Mantra for Inviting the Master:

Memorialize the Three Heavens above, and summon the sacred mountains and rivers below. Govern the thunder hosts as a whole, and hold the fulu (talismans and registers). (When praying for rain, say:) Drive the rain and command the wind, bestowing grace and blessings far and wide. Your heir and servant respectfully wishes that you descend upon the crane-clouds. (When dispelling evil, say:) Expel the ice-soldiers, hurl thunder and lightning, drive the rain and chase the wind, and punish the wicked ghosts according to the law. (This connects to the text that follows.) Whatever is petitioned and whatever is wished, may all be granted as requested.

Another Mantra:

Tian ding ding, di ling ling (Heaven's ding-ding, Earth's ling-ling). Yin and yang unite, and the Thunder Ministry takes form. Ji ji!

Visualization: From the Si position (the south), visualize the Green, Red, and White qi gathering in the Heart Palace. The tongue presses against the upper palate, and qi issues before the eyes as flashing fire-light. The Master has descended to the altar, and the commanding officers and generals stand at the left and right.

The Daoist priest performs the bows, offers tea, and presents three rounds of wine. He silently reports the matter at hand and presents the family's document. Kneeling, he prays as if dispatching the generals, and then proclaims in a loud voice:

I receive the Heavenly Mandate and hold the seals and talismans. I assist the thunderbolt, and I direct its commands. Swift as wind and fire, my decrees spread as quickly as wind and thunder. I now command you, and you must not disobey in the least.

Note: This passage is the "Invitation of the Deities to the Altar" section of thunder-rite (leifa) rituals for rain-prayer and exorcism in Daoist practice. The bracketed text gives variant wordings for the different purposes, rain-prayer or the dispelling of evil, and reflects the adaptable formulas used in liturgical practice.

Pearls from the Sea of Dharma (Fahai Yizhu): A Vernacular Explanation

Reading the Public Document on the Altar

On the altar, the official documents must be read aloud with solemnity.

Introductory Invocation for Submitting Documents to the Gate Office (Xuanguan Yin)

The memorial to the gate office was prepared and read in full beforehand. Now, in obedience to the fire order, it is to be carried out swiftly. Thunder generals and the deities on duty, sprinkle the sacred water and dispatch it at once to the Heavenly Court. I bear the Great Dharma and dare not delay. Urgent, urgent, as the thunder and fire statutes command.

(The Thunder Bureau then recites:)

Faint thunder rumbles, and earth-thunder roars. The sun and moon stand in array and illuminate my purpose. Heavenly generals who have received the command must not linger. I await the response before the altar.

Faint thunder (at the hour of Chen, 7–9 a.m.), spirit thunder roars (at the hour of Mao, 5–7 a.m.), dragon thunder raises the waters (at the hour of Yin, 3–5 a.m.), water thunder churns the waves (at the hour of Chou, 1–3 a.m.), and the thunder hosts of the altar-god (at the hour of Zi, 11 p.m.–1 a.m.) crash in every direction. Lightning strikes at once, the spirit mechanism fires, and the evil spirits are wiped out. The Twelve Great Generals must swiftly move the thunderbolts. By the command of the August Lord on High, carry it out at once. Urgent, as the Thunder Emperor's statutes command.

Spraying Water to Release the Thunder (Penshui Fa Lei Ju)

Visualize the Marshals Xie and Ji, who bear the family letter and part the clouds and mist as they depart. Visualize golden light crossing and radiating, dispatching the generals and clerks who serve the talismans, until they reach the Fire Palace of Taiyi.

Releasing the thunder: With the body pacing the Dipper steps (bu dou gang), stand at the very center of the Three Platforms, and lie prostrate while flying the Gang energy to cover the body.

The incantation says:

Divine heart and spirit, sacred Heaven and numinous Earth. Yin and Yang merge, and creation takes shape. One Qi fills everything, and no wish goes unfulfilled. Spirit clear and Qi refreshed, straight through to the thunder. Urgent, as the Emperor of the Northern Pole, Purple Subtlety, decrees.

Visualize the Founding Patriarch. After kneeling to request the decree and completing the bow, return to your position, click your teeth, and withdraw.

Talisman for Summoning Clouds and Covering the Stars (Qiyun Gai Xing Fu)

(Transformation decree of Deng)

(The three-stroke covering)

(The three-exit stroke)

Decree incantation:

Dark clouds, dark and deep. Auspicious vapors, dense and thick. Lightning flashes bright. The sun and moon are shut and still. The star officials withdraw to their posts, and the myriad phenomena sink into stillness. Urgent, as the Emperor of Thunder's statutes decree.

For the talisman on the right, write with cinnabar on a new tile and burn it together with five-colored paper arranged in the thunder pattern beneath the Dipper. Silently recite the incantation given above.

Talisman for Halting Rain and Opening the Clouds (Da Zhu Yu Fu)

(Also used when reporting to the Dipper for rain. This talisman is written in cinnabar on yellow paper.)

Talisman for Stopping Rain and Clearing the Clouds

Before using the two preceding talismans, recite the following: On this day, the Marshal Cui Yuan of the Fire Wheel sweeps aside the clouds and mist (at the hour of Wu, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.). Yang Qi surges to the heavens (at the hour of Wei, 1–3 p.m.). Yin Qi is gathered and held (at the hour of Si, 9–11 a.m.). The Kan palace lies hidden (at the hour of Zi, 11 p.m.–1 a.m.), and the Li palace pours forth its light (at the hour of Wu, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.).

Glossary of Terms

The text as a whole sets out the rites of proclaiming the memorial, releasing thunder, summoning clouds and covering the stars, and stopping or bringing rain within the thunder rites (Leifa) of the altar. The incantations and talisman forms must be carried out together with the pacing of the steps, visualization, and burning of talismans. The notes in parentheses mostly indicate the hour, direction, or procedure, and should be followed according to the teacher's instruction and the altar manual in use.

Fire Command Decree Section

Urgent, urgent, as the Fire Command Decree of the Great Red Heaven Emperor (Dachi Tiandi) directs (Wu, Wu, Wu, Wu). This is issued as if by the Fire Command of the Great Red Heaven Emperor, with the decree repeated in succession. "Wu" is a marker for the hour and direction, and it recurs throughout the passage.

Again, the decree: (Wu).

On this day, the Commander of the Day (mou shuai) and the Great General Xie of the Three Heavens (Santian Xie Dajiang) (Chen), in obedience to the Heavenly Emperor's command (Si), shall act with all speed. Open the way (Wu), and let the Fierce Gale Officials (Gangfeng Mengli) (Zi) neither obstruct nor delay. Should anyone violate this talisman's command (Zhong), report them at once to the Heavenly Court. Urgent, urgent, as the Statute of the Great Red Heaven Emperor directs (Zhong, Zhong, Zhong, Zhong, Zhong).

Huoche (Fire Chariot) Rain-Halting Talisman

Five-Fire Talisman for Praying for Clear Skies

Fire-lightning fire: begin from the Kun palace (Wu, Wei, producing the character "san," meaning three). Heavenly fire: begin from the Qian palace (Hai, producing "yi," meaning one). Earthly fire: begin from the Xun palace (Wu, producing "er," meaning two). Samadhi true fire (Samadhi zhenhuo): from Yin to Si, with Wu producing "si," meaning four.

Write the word "fire" at the four corners of the talisman. After writing, make the alterations and added strokes according to the secret formula. This is used by Marshal Cui (Cui Yuanshuai). When Zhu Demao and Liu Hanxiang go, add the character yan (a fire-radical character) into the talisman.

Spoken Incantation:

The sun rises in the Mao palace (Wu), and the fire blazes brightly (Wu). The Commander of the Day (Chen) temporarily halts the rain wheel (Si). Should anyone disobey, the jade script of the decree shall be brought to bear (Zhong). Urgent, urgent, as the Dutian (Wu) Great Red Heaven Emperor's command directs (Wu, Wu, Wu produced).

Incantation for Halting Rain at Once

The Nine-Heaven Thunder Officials (Jiuzhong Leili) scatter the clouds and open the mist (Mao). The rain wheel stops swiftly (Si), in reverent obedience to the Emperor's position (Zhong). The Northern Mighty Spirit (Kan), the talisman officials pass through to Heaven. Urgent, urgent, as the Great Red Heaven Emperor's decree directs (Wu, Wu, Wu).

Heavenly thunder lord of fire (Wu), earthly thunder lord of fire (Zi). The Commander of the Day (Chen) opens the clouds and rolls back the mist, opens the fog and rolls back the water, and swiftly gathers all the floating clouds of the five directions. The Water Army Fire Lord and the Fire Army Fire Lord, roll back the mist swiftly. Urgent, urgent, as the Dutian Great Red Heaven Emperor's command directs (Wu, Wu, Wu produced).

Usage: Write the preceding talismans three times in cinnabar on red paper, then fold them into a single piece. The rain-praying talisman goes on top, to blow away the dark clouds. When dispatching officials and officers, write the matter at hand inside the talisman. Place the rain-extinguishing talisman in front of the head of the bundled petition, or set it on a roof tile, and burn it according to the intention, sending it onward.

Talisman for Raising Wind and Extinguishing Rain

Kai Siming Talisman (Opening the Four Brightnesses)

(Visualization: the heart's fire rushes upward to the crown of the head, dingmen.)

Spoken Incantation:

(The structure of this section closely resembles the fire-command and rain-halting incantations above. Its general sense is: by the order of the Great Red Heaven Emperor and the Dutian, urge the thunder officials to scatter the mist, halt the rain wheel, open the clouds and roll back the water, and clear away all floating clouds of the five directions. The Fire Lord rolls back the mist, without any delay.)

Explanatory Notes (to aid reading the original):

The Great Red Heaven Emperor (Dachi Tiandi) is a deity name often associated with fire, clear weather, and rain-halting in Daoist liturgy. The Commander of the Day (mou shuai) and the Great General Xie of the Three Heavens (Santian Xie Dajiang) are placeholder names in the talisman for the officer on duty that day; when the talisman is performed, these are replaced with the actual names of the divine officers or the generals honored by the altar. The rain wheel (yulun) is a ritual concept representing the turning of rain and cloud, and halting the rain means ordering it to stop turning. The Fierce Gale Officials (Gangfeng Mengli) and talisman officials (fuli) are the spirit-soldiers and generals who open winds, halt rain, and carry orders. The Kun, Qian, Xun and other palaces refer to the placement of fire according to the eight trigrams, in coordination with the visualization and the order of writing in the "Five-Fire Prayer for Clear Skies." Samadhi true fire (Samadhi zhenhuo) originates in Buddhism, and here it is combined with Daoist talisman-fire methods to denote the highest grade of "true fire," whether in inner cultivation or within the talisman. The markers in parentheses, Wu, Zi, Chen, Si, Mao, Kan, and others, are mostly marks for where to begin writing or reciting by hour, direction, or palace. They should be checked against the overall talisman format and the oral instructions of one's teacher, and should not be altered arbitrarily according to their literal reading.

Fahai Yizhu Related Passages (Vernacular Interpretation)

Incantation for Opening the Heavens (Excerpt)

"Open the sky, bright and clear" (corresponding to Hai), "open the earth, calm and still" (Si), "open the sun, shining radiantly" (Mao), and "open the moon, shining alone" (You or Wei). Under the decree of the Great Vermilion Heaven Emperor (Dachi Tiandi): decree, decree, decree, decree, decree (Wu). Let the General [name] act swiftly and in accordance with this order.

(Note: The bracketed Earthly Branch positions are the twelve directional markers commonly used in Daoist incantations, which set the intention according to the hour and direction. "Great Vermilion Heaven Emperor" is one of the honorific titles of the supreme deities of the heavenly realm. "Mou Jiang" ("the General [name]") is a blank to be filled with the name of the spirit general at the time of use.)

Incantation for Praying for Rain

The sun sinks into the Eastern Sea, and the moon shines at the Gate of Heaven. Hold chaos upside down, and the seas and mountains give birth to clouds.

Another Incantation for Praying for Rain

Hold chaos upside down and turn heaven and earth. Halt the shadows of the sun and moon, and let clouds rise from the mountains and rivers. Raise yin and lower yang, and the subtle principle abides within.

(Summary: Using a formula that symbolizes primordial chaos and the reversal of yin and yang, this prayer asks that clouds rise from the mountains and seas and that yin ascend so that rain may form.)

Incantation for Praying for Clear Weather

The sun rises from its palace, and the moon rises at the Gate of Heaven. Rivers and seas lie still, and mountains conceal their clouds. Raise yang and lower yin, and the ultimate principle abides within.

(This is the reverse of the rain prayer: it seeks to raise yang and lower yin so that the sky becomes bright and the air clear.)

Talisman for Halting Wind and Stopping Rain

(Written on red paper with a cinnabar brush. It is used when reporting to the Dipper and when directing the rain.)

The incantation reads:

The sun rises at the eastmost point (Mao), its light blazing (Chen). Marshal of the Day (Si), swiftly halt the rain-wheel (Zi). The mighty spirit of the north (Yin), the talisman-clerks who pass through heaven (Shen), and the fierce wind-spirits of the gang wind (Shen) shall not refuse to stop (Central Palace). Gather the wind and seize the rain (Wu). Urgently, urgently, as ordered by the decree of the Great Vermilion Heaven Emperor: decree, decree, decree (Wu).

Talisman for Opening the Clouds and Revealing the Dipper

The incantation reads:

The statutes of the Supreme Emperor (Yu) drive out evil and the dead (Sha). Spare the obedient ghosts (Yin), but the defiant shall bear the consequence (Sha). Hear my command (natal star): let the sacred peaks and rivers crush the clouds (Shen). My bodily soul is settled (Wu), and the Seven Qi descend (Wu). Guard the correct qi (Central Palace), and naturally attain perfection (Central Palace). The mist clears and the clouds are still (You), and the evil dragon is destroyed (Si). Stars shine bright and the Dipper gleams (Wu), and Taiyi illuminates the chamber (Wu). When the troops set forth (Shen), the Dipper appears in the four directions (Hai). Urgently, urgently, as ordered by the statute of the Southern Cinnabar Heaven Lord.

(The "appearance of the Dipper" refers to the shape of the Northern Dipper becoming visible once the clouds have dispersed. "Taiyi illuminates the chamber" relates to the stars and to celestial omens.)

Supreme Talisman for Opening the Clouds and Sending Forth the Official

Upon completing the talisman: Using the turning of black clouds, enter the Five Generals into the talisman. When opening the clouds, write the names of the Five Generals' clouds into the talisman.

▲ (name of the dragon, for opening) ▲ (name of the thunder, for opening) ▲ (name of the rain, for use), written into the talisman. Visualize the black clouds turning within the kidneys, surging upward and moving in and out of the talisman.

Secret Incantation

Om, bu ▲ shen, qian chi wei ni xing cha she.

(The final line is a transliteration of sacred sounds, a common feature of Daoist incantations. When chanting at the altar, it is recited together with the blank ▲, which is filled with the spirit's name. The exact pronunciation should follow the oral instruction of one's teacher.)

Background: These passages belong to a class of Daoist methods for praying for clear or rainy weather, halting wind, and opening clouds. They are typically performed together with talismans, incantations, directional markers (the Earthly Branches), and the decrees of supreme deities. The "Five Generals" and the "Dragon, Thunder, and Rain" are names or images to be filled into the talismans. They are to be inscribed according to ritual procedure when needed, not recited as everyday texts.

Plain-Language Commentary on Passages from the Fahai Yizhu (Pearls from the Sea of Dharma)

The Kaixin Shefu (Tongue Talisman for Opening the Heart), for Summoning the Thunder Gods. This talisman, the kaixin shefu, is used to invite the Thunder Gods. It is accompanied by the following incantation, in which the bracketed markers wu (noon hour), mao (dawn hour), and sha (the sha direction) indicate the time or direction to be observed during the rite: "Four Spirits, Four Spirits (wu), swiftly attend my soldiers (mao), heed my summons and command the heavens and earth (sha). Swiftly, swiftly, as the statutes decree." In the methods known as pi yun (Parting the Clouds), this talisman is called the Four Spirits Walking Talisman. When it is sent upward (shang fa), it is directed to the shangjia (the upper realm and the heavenly court).

To write the talisman, first sit quietly for a moment, then burn it to obtain a response. For weighty matters, light an incense stick in front of you, summon the attending officials, state the purpose of the request, and bow three times. Rise, click the teeth together, silently recite the xinzhang (heart-seal), and pray for the desired outcome. Use intention to command the shen (spirit) within the body. While chanting, write the Kaixin Fu (Heart-Opening Talisman) on the tip of the tongue, then write the Kuahe Fu (Riding-Crane Talisman) beneath your seat. You will naturally feel drowsy, as if drifting into sleep, and should wait for the response to appear on its own. Once it has completed, recite the Guishen Zhou (Returning-to-Spirit Incantation), rise, and continue practicing as you see fit. The two talisman names appended here are the Kaixin Fu and the Kuahe Fu.

Incantations for Commanding the Shen Within the Body and for Protection. The practitioner recites the Xiao Jinguang Zhou (Small Golden Light Incantation) while visualizing black and white qi. A faint golden light appears from it, and one draws it in through the nose and breathes it out through the mouth, letting it settle over the body to command the shen within. Other formulas in this group include the Shenzhong Baoying Zhou (Retribution-in-the-Body Incantation), the Guishen Zhou (Returning-to-Spirit Incantation), and the Zhaolei Bing Zhoujue (Formula for Summoning the Thunder Soldiers). The incantation reads: "Om, ong zha, Lord Yao of battle, swiftly enter the Niwan (Mud Pellet Palace), I obey the decree of the Jade Emperor and gather them. Om, hum zha, soar through the vault of heaven, swiftly enter the Niwan, I obey the decree of the Jade Emperor and gather them." Niwan is the Daoist term for the upper dantian, the place within the head where the divine spirit dwells.

The Rain-Prayer Talisman (Another Version). The incantation reads: "By the decree of the Supreme Emperor, summon the Thunder God. Envoys of Jiao and Kang, let thunderbolts strike the void. Envoys of the Wind Earl, Yi and Zhen, crush the evil. Drive the dragon, seize the lightning, let Jiang and Bi move the wind. My talisman proclaims below; let the rain come swiftly. Swiftly, as the statutes of the Thunder Office command. Decree, decree, decree, decree." Jiao, Kang, Yi, and Zhen are lunar mansions, and the wind and lightning figures are the officials who serve under the Thunder Office. The talisman is written at the mao hour, drawing on the qi of the east, within the thunder bureau setting. Its purpose is to summon clouds and lightning. It may also be written on a brick and thrown into the water of the Dragon Well.

Essentials of Inner Practice (Neidan). In inner alchemy (neidan), diligent cultivation at all times is considered the highest priority. The text says that when a disciple thinks of the master, the master never leaves the disciple, and that "when my body moves, the divine presence appears, suddenly before the eyes." One gathers the spirit and settles the breath, recites the Da Weide Zhou (Great Majesty and Virtue Incantation), and sees that the entire body has become thunder and fire. The Dantian realm is contained within a single orifice, and the Yuanshen (primal spirit) takes on the appearance of one's own body. Chanting "Om, hum, pili" (the sound of thunder) shakes the Eight Gates, the doorways of the body's eight directions. The practitioner then sees an infant, a common image for the Yuanshen or for a child-form within the inner landscape, rushing toward the Heart Palace and the Dipper Mansion, with fire... (The original text breaks off here. This transcription is incomplete, and the description of the practice that follows is missing.)

Note. The source combines Daoist thunder rites, rain prayers, and inner practice. It includes talismans, time markers (wu and mao), directional qi (east), bodily spirits, the Niwan, and the Yuanshen. These procedures must be understood in the context of the full text and the master's oral transmission. A plain-language gloss like this one is not enough to attempt them.

Ritual for Summoning Generals and Petitioning (Visualization and Incantation)

When the light of the heart opens wide, this is the Fire Realm (huǒjiè), a visualized state defined by the image of fire. In a dreamlike, indistinct state, one seems to see one's master before oneself. The Yuanshen (yuánshén, primordial spirit) rises with me to the crown of the head and sees the Great Vermilion Heavenly Emperor. In the heart, bow, kneel, and respectfully petition: beg for the dispatch of Lady Li Zhuyuan and the other generals, that all may be granted as wished.

When the matter is complete, return the spirit and recite the Hum-Teng Incantation (hōng téng zhòu). Then return to the primordial chamber (the Dantian, or the room where the Yuanshen dwells) and recite the Nine Qi Incantation once for the Yuanshen. The breath of Qi bursts out from the Heavenly Eye (the point between the eyebrows or at the top of the forehead), and one exhales the Qi of the heart. Recite the Om Hum Hum Dou Shu formula again, without counting repetitions, visualizing all the generals arrayed before the eyes.

Recite the Nine Qi Incantation once more. When the petition is finished, recite the Small Golden Light Incantation, then gather everything back into the primordial chamber for the Yuanshen, and recite the Great Majesty and Virtue Incantation to bring the rite to completion.

Secret Incantation for Summoning the Generals

(Marked as supreme secret; not to be used lightly.)

Om hum hum dou shu, fan ying lei hong she.

(When the Sanskrit-derived sound answers like thunder, the generals and officials are gathered in.)

General Talisman Incantation

This formula is used for prayers for clear weather, for rain, and for the subduing of calamities. It is the Taiyi (tàiyǐ) Secret Name, and it must not be divulged or treated carelessly.

Wu you shou gui, hui chang zong wan qi ru yuan gong she.

(It gathers the myriad Qi back into the primordial palace.)

Incantation for Presenting Memorials and Hastening Commands

Om... ha, om... ye zhun, zushi da jiao chi.

(The Ancestral Master's great teaching decrees it.)

Incantation for Spirit Projection

Jin jin jie shi wo... ye shi wu ru yi ye chang ye, chang jing ye jin fa zha.

Invoke the numinous cavern of the Spirit-Stilling Realm, where the myriad phenomena sound the Dharma drums in unison, guarding the lord of the soul and the eighty-four thousand bodily spirits in their assembly, who attend on my left and right. Now I, the discerning consciousness, fix my resolve and call upon the five true officials of the body and the thunder officers and soldiers within it, to accompany my flying spirit far off to the Heavenly Gate to present a memorial. Let the matter reach the Emperor's throne at once, so that what I do and what I point to accords with my wish. Swiftly, swiftly.

Om hum pili, zhendong ba men, shun lü xi chi, tai guang shang chu Niwan (ní wán, the Mud Pellet, the cavity at the crown), shuang ling su ben di hu, you jing wei wu chuan song. Wu feng Hunyuan yu chi.

(Om hum thunderbolt: it shakes the Eight Gates, and in accord with the statute it receives the rare decree. The Terrace Light rises out through the Niwan; the bright spirit rushes swiftly to the Earth Gate; the hidden essences transmit it for me. I receive the Jade Decree of Primordial Unity.)

Hour of Use and Entering the Chamber for Visualization

For any undertaking, one must enter the chamber during the first four quarter-hours of the Yin hour (yín shí, roughly 3 to 5 a.m.). First, gaze inward at the heart with the eyes and exhale three breaths of foul Qi. Then draw in the Primordial Azure Qi through the nose, press the tongue against the upper palate, stir the Huachi Shenshui (huáchí shénshuǐ, the "Jade Pond spring water," the saliva of the mouth), and let the azure Qi descend into the Dantian.

Next, visualize a single point within the space between the two "worthies" (the kidneys or the space between the ribs). Close the eyes and visualize the left eye as the sun and the right eye as the moon. The yin and yang Qi meet in an encounter (gòu, the hexagram of meeting) and descend into the azure Qi of the Dantian. Remain still and non-acting, letting the Qi rise naturally... (The text continues here or passes to another section.)

Note: This passage belongs to the Daoist genre of ritual manuals for summoning generals, dispatching the flying spirit to report, and thunder-rite (léi fǎ) practice. It contains visualization, incantation, the timing of the rite, and inner-body terms such as the Niwan and the Earth Gate. The secret incantations, the general decrees, and the spirit-projection formula are each marked "not to be divulged lightly." Passages marked ▲ and other lacunae should be checked against other editions of the text.

Fahai Yizhu (Pearls Left in the Sea of Methods): A Vernacular Explanation

(This section describes an inner-cultivation visualization in which heart-qi (xin qi) and the other qi unite, the Huangting (Yellow Court) forms a light, five qi rise to Niwan (Mud Pellet Palace), the practitioner merges with the "True Person of One's Original Form" (Benxiang Zhenren), and this True Person then manifests the Sanqing (Three Pure Ones), the eight realms of the heavens, and the spirit generals and clerks (jiangli) to carry out petitions. When the rite is complete, the practitioner returns to stillness and draws the light back into the Huangting.)

First, let the intention rise to the heart (xin), and then return it to the place called "Xian" (pinyin for the character in the original; this may be a term specific to this method, a position for storing spirit that corresponds to the heart and the Huangting). If you follow common alchemical practice, it may instead refer to "Xuan" (Mysterious) or to a dantian-type point of return. The instructions must be cross-checked against the rest of the text. Within a short moment, the two qi meet in the Huangting (Huangting, the "Yellow Court," is the central palace of the body, located behind the middle of the stomach and above the navel, often used as a metaphor for the place where spirit and qi converge).

When the two qi unite, they form a single mass of golden light, as if fire were refining gold, shaped like a Jin Dan (Golden Elixir) pill. Although the body is not truly one's own (meaning that ego-attachment to the mundane self is set aside), the five qi arise from the five viscera and gather around this golden light. They ascend along the spine (jiaji) all the way to the Niwan, which lies behind the eyebrows at the top of the head and is the upper dantian, the seat of the spirit-illumination.

Suddenly the golden light opens, and within it appears a True Person whose form is my original form, and this True Person merges with me into one. After a short while, one visualizes that this True Person emits a qi from above the Niwan, and that this qi divides and appears as the Sanqing and the supreme deities of the eight realms of heaven, together with the spirit generals and clerks of this method, the divine officers who protect and assist the rite. Only at this point may one freely offer petitions or report a particular matter, which is the request or memorial made within the ritual.

When the rite is finished, one returns to stillness and non-action (wuwei). The golden light then gathers and is drawn back into the Huangting. Its profundity is beyond measure, and it should be kept secret and not disclosed.

Brief glossary of first-occurring terms:

• Erqi (two qi): Usually refers to yin and yang, spirit-qi, or the qi of the heart and kidneys, depending on the specific method.
• Huangting (Yellow Court): The central palace, the place of inner visualization and elixir formation.
• Wuqi, wuzang (five qi, five viscera): The liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, with their associated qi. In inner cultivation, these qi are imagined as rising to support the golden light.
• Sanqing (Three Pure Ones): The highest deities of Daoism, representing the supreme realms of the Dao.
• Bajing zhutian (eight realms of the heavens): The sequence of celestial realms envisioned in meditation.