《道法會元》Vol. 212

This scripture documents the esoteric practices and ritual content of the Daoist "Great Method of the Celestial Stem Flying Stars and Living Luminaries Governed by the Central Sovereign." It primarily explains how to utilize the Celestial Stem Qi (a primordial energy in Daoist cosmology) for longevity cultivation, along with the related pantheon of deities and invocation ceremonies.

The cultivation method describes: First, one must harmonize and merge the Kan (kidney water) and Li (heart fire) energies within the body, then differentiate them into Dragon-Tiger Qi (Yin-Yang energies) to form a threefold cyclical movement. Through silent concentration at the Mysterious Pass (Dantian), practitioners adjust their cultivation direction according to seasonal nodal periods. When the golden Jing (essence) energy from behind the elbows (the Governing Vessel) is drawn inward, the Muddy Pellet Palace (upper Dantian) at the crown of the head emits lightning-like radiance.

The scripture enumerates the deities presiding over this method: The supreme deity is the Great Sage of the Northern Pole Celestial Stem, the Purple Court Star Lord, assisted by the Five Virtuous Great Deities of the Five Directions (the great divine kings of east, south, west, north and center), along with Dharma-protecting deities such as the Mani Vajra of Great Strength, the Fire Wheel Divine General, the Flying Chariot Marshal, and the Fiery Steed Fierce General.

Particular attention is given to the Celestial Stem Deity's manifestations on different Yin-Yang days: On Yin days (corresponding to the Heavenly Stems Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui), it appears in the form of the Big Dipper constellation—red-faced with three eyes, wearing white robes and red skirts, standing atop a fire wheel. On Yang days (Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren), it manifests as a Three-Headed, Nine-Eyed Ghost King with six arms holding various ritual implements, wreathed in blazing flames.

The text concludes with invocation mantras for paying homage to the celestial star lords and summoning the Five Directional Divine Generals for protection. These incantations reference high-ranking deities like the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Worthy (Lingbao Tianzun), the Purple Tenuity Emperor (Ziwei Dadi), and the Northern and Southern Dipper Star Lords, while invoking the formidable power of the Celestial Stem's Army-Breaking Star and beseeching the Thunder Department deities to safeguard the Dharma realm.

This scripture passage describes the ritual summoning of the Five Directional Divine Kings (Red-bodied Great Divine King of the South, White-blade Great Divine King of the West, Black-mist Great Divine King of the North, and Yellow-headed Great Divine King of the Center) along with the Fire Department's divine generals in Daoist ceremonies. These deities possess the power to traverse heaven and earth, their bodies radiating fiery light as they command countless flame-headed soldiers. They wield flying fire swords that circle through the skies. Particularly notable is a crimson-robed, three-eyed emperor figure with disheveled hair brandishing a sword, manifesting amid fiery clouds with purple-gold radiance—his majestic power shakes heaven, earth, sun, and moon, dedicated to delivering beings from suffering.

The latter part details the ritual procedure: First, the Daoist priest devoutly pays homage to the Seven Luminaries of the Northern Dipper (including the Pojun Star Lord of the Ziwei Enclosure in the Great Canopy Heaven), invoking the Celestial Gang Great Sage and the Purple Tenuity Emperor Lord to lead the Fire Department generals (such as the Mani Mighty Vajra and the Jvala Fire-wheel Divine General) to descend upon the altar. These deities arrive on fiery-wheeled golden chariots, wielding axes and halberds, capable of purging demons from all directions and dispelling "corpse-transmitting" disease ghosts (referring to infectious epidemic pathogens).

The ritual method involves: After reciting the mantra "Bagua Babu Moni Jili Daduo", the priest forms the Chen-Xu Dipper Hand Seal (a specific Daoist mudra) with the left hand, pointing toward the designated direction while drawing in the Northern Dipper's authentic Qi (vital energy) to circulate through both body and altar. This is followed by chanting the Xidou Zhou (Analyzing the Dipper Spell)—a mantra that sequentially summons the power of each Northern Dipper star (Tanlang, Jumen, Lucun, Wenqu, Lianzhen, Wuqu, and Pojun), emphasizing their functions of annihilating malign forces and protecting the virtuous. The spell concludes with "Jiji Rulu Ling" (a common Daoist mantra ending meaning "swiftly, as by imperial decree").

Note: The term "corpse-transmitting" refers to ancient beliefs about hereditary consumptive diseases. "Moni" is a Sanskrit loanword meaning "luminous jewel," while "Celestial Gang" is an alternative name for the seventh star of the Northern Dipper, Pojun. This ritual exemplifies Daoist practices that harness the Fire Department generals to subdue Yin-based evils and employ the Northern Dipper's astral power to dissolve calamities.

This scripture describes the ritual practice and incantation techniques of Daoist "Heavenly Gang Great Method" (Tiangang Dafa). The practitioner first visualizes the seventh star of the Big Dipper (Pojun, the "Army Breaker"), then traces the characters "flying immortal" (feixian) in the air using the sword mudra (a Daoist hand seal), imagining these characters transforming into golden-red light. Next comes the contemplation of the majestic form of the Heavenly Gang Star Lord (Tiangang Xingjun), the stellar deity governing punishment within the Dipper constellation, manifesting a ten-thousand-foot dharma body amidst flames.

The practitioner presses the tongue against the palate while silently reciting secret sacred names (zhenhui), followed by the main incantation: "True Imperial Lord of the Heavenly Gang Star, please descend your authentic Qi into my body to aid me in curing illness and slaying demons." Subsequent verses invoke the power of the Heavenly Gang Star Lord through various honorific titles including "Great Dharma King of the Central Heaven's Thirty-Six Heavenly Gangs," petitioning for disaster dispelling and the descent of thunder-fire Qi.

The incantations vary according to time and weather conditions:

Daytime yang incantation: "True yang aids true fire, celestial might gathers sacred power"

Nighttime yin incantation: "True yin aids true fire, sacred might gathers sacred power"

Rainy day Sanskrit incantation: "Sanskrit sounds repel mundane waters, primordial sovereign gathers sacred power"

The verses incorporate numerous esoteric mantras like "Om Sura Na" and other Sanskrit dharanis to summon celestial forces. Upon completing the ritual, the practitioner guides the Heavenly Gang Qi through nasal breathing into the central yellow court (a Dantian region), sealing the vital energy with the jade seal method (a neidan technique) to circulate true fire throughout the body, achieving healing, demon expulsion, and even revival effects.

The practice concludes with repeated invocations of sacred titles like "Heavenly Gang numinous, Heavenly Gang sacred, Great Sacred Heavenly Gang" to strengthen the energetic connection with the Star Lord. This complete method integrates visualization, incantation, spirit contemplation, breathwork, and other Daoist cultivation techniques.

This scripture is a Daoist incantation for exorcism and healing, primarily invoking the Celestial Gang Star Lord (the deity of the seventh star in the Big Dipper, known as Pojun) to descend with divine power to slay evil spirits and alleviate suffering. Let me explain its meaning section by section:

First, it summons the "Great Sage of Celestial Gang," a fierce star deity adorned with talismanic seals bestowed by the Heavenly Emperor, specifically tasked with vanquishing all kinds of malevolent spirits. The incantation asks why these evil ghosts have not yet perished, declaring that with just a single breath from an ascended immortal, countless demons would flee in terror. This hyperbolic language emphasizes the awe-inspiring might of the Celestial Gang Star Lord.

Next, it highlights the power of the Pojun Star Lord (the seventh star of the Big Dipper), who executes the wicked, eradicates traces of demons, and causes evil spirits to tremble in fear. This deity is dedicated to relieving the suffering of the people, curing illnesses, dispelling disasters, and even reviving the dead. The phrase "urgently, urgently, in accordance with the law" (急急如律令) is repeated—a common concluding formula in Daoist incantations, meaning "carry out this command immediately."

The following section describes specific exorcism methods: the Celestial Sha belongs to Yang, the Earthly Sha to Yin, and the incantation calls forth flames thousands of feet high to incinerate ghosts and spirits. The ritual master is to "swallow" these flames into their abdomen (a visualization technique used in cultivation) and harness the fire-wheel of the Six Celestial Gang Spirits (the Six Jia Generals). Terms like "fire-bell" (火铃) and "fire-chant" (火吒) refer to ritual instruments and incantations used to control flames.

The incantation repeatedly mentions terms like "Red Yang Three-Five" (赤阳三五) and "Red Yin Three-Five" (赤阴三五), which refer to fire-based rituals performed at specific times (Yang days/Yin days, midnight/noon, or tiger-hour/noon). "Three-Five" denotes a cultivation method combining the Three Dantian (energy centers) with the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water).

The final section invokes the Three Platforms Star Lords (Upper, Middle, and Lower Platform deities) and the Thirty-Six Celestial Gang Stars (constellations associated with the Big Dipper), specifically mentioning the "Flame Emperor" (the fire deity) granting the power to rend ghosts. The incantation prays for the transformation of true fire into thunder-fire (the power of the Supreme Lord Lao) and for the true Qi (primordial energy) of Celestial Gang to descend like a rain of light, gathering the energies of heaven, earth, sun, moon, stars, and wind to drive out evil.

The entire scripture is rich in imagery of fire-based magic, employing visualizations of flames, ingesting fire-essence, and riding fire-wheels to showcase the distinctive features of Daoist Thunder Magic (a practice harnessing the power of thunder for exorcism and healing). The incantation is interspersed with Sanskrit mantras (e.g., "Om Ming Hong Hong") and esoteric chants to amplify its efficacy.

This passage contains incantations and talismanic commands from Daoist Thunder Magic (Leifa), a practice characterized by summoning thunder and lightning to exorcise evil spirits. The text serves primarily for banishing malevolent entities and invoking divine protection. Its content can be divided into several key sections:

The opening section summons the Celestial Pivot Great Sage (Tiangang Dasheng), a guardian deity of Daoism, to wield his sword against various demonic forces—including celestial and terrestrial evils (Tiansha and Dishu). References to "fiery bells" (huoling) and "thunderous Nezha" (Pili Nezha) invoke thunder department deities, summoned through mudras (ritual hand gestures) and mantras to subdue demons.

The middle section details the essential methods for binding evil spirits using sacred fires—including Samadhi True Fire (Sanmei Zhenhuo) and thunderbolt fire. The recurring character "she" (capture) denotes control and restraint, while "fuye" signifies binding demons. This passage also mentions subduing evil forces with fiery wheels and flaming lassoes—ritual implements of Thunder Magic.

Following this is the Celestial Pivot Mantra, extolling the majestic virtue of the Celestial Pivot Star Lord (Tiangang Xingjun, one of the Big Dipper deities governing thunder). It depicts his golden radiance illuminating the cosmos and commanding the forces of Yin-Yang. The phrase "all ghosts submit and hide" (wangui fucang) emphasizes total demonic submission. The standard Daoist incantation conclusion "urgently, urgently, in accordance with the statutes" (jiji rulüling) signals immediate enforcement.

The final section contains the Vermilion Brilliance (Zhuming) talismanic chant, invoking this southern fire deity's protection. Here, the practitioner visualizes solar and lunar essences circulating through the five viscera to achieve "harmony of the seven governing energies" (qizheng anning)—a state of physical and spiritual equilibrium. The command "muster troops and gather spirits" (qubing jushen) refers to mobilizing both internal divine generals and external deities for joint guardianship.

Frequent references to "pinching certain patterns" (e.g., yinwen, wuwen) indicate the accompanying hand seals used during recitation—each mudra corresponding to specific deities and functions. In actual practice, these incantations are typically performed in conjunction with fulu (talismans), ritual steps (gangbu), and other ceremonial elements.

This scripture describes Daoist talismanic rituals (Fulu) for exorcising evil spirits and healing illnesses, invoking divine protection. The phrase "returning to ancestors and retrieving dispersed souls to restore vitality" refers to Daoist methods that help the ethereal soul (Hun) and corporeal soul (Po) reunite with the body, dispelling malign influences and curing diseases. The "fiery chariot," "venom-water chariot," "wind chariot," and "Qi chariot" (Qi being the primordial vital energy) are all mystical vehicles imagined in Daoist rituals, capable of traversing the nether realms. "True radiance transformation" describes the luminous manifestation of deities, while "Dao-bones light and pure" portrays the transcendent state of accomplished practitioners who rise above worldly defilements.

"Vermilion Brilliance," "Nine Primes," and "Nine Perfected" are all honorific titles of Daoist deities who emanate countless rays of light, leaving no hiding place for baleful specters and evil forces. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise are the four directional guardians, presiding over the elements of Wood, Metal, Fire, and Water respectively. The ritual master proclaims himself the "Earth Sovereign" (central ruler), commanding eight million divine troops—protecting the ritual altar above, summoning spirits from all directions below, and patrolling the celestial palaces in between, marshaling heavenly soldiers and divine generals to stand guard. The text emphasizes that upon the talisman's arrival, all ailments must retreat immediately, its execution as imperative and unassailable as an edict issued by the Celestial Emperor.

This incantation embodies the Daoist principle of "using divine power to subdue ghosts," suppressing malevolent forces by invoking higher spiritual authorities. The interplay of the Five Phases' mutual generation and restraint, along with the concept of heaven-human resonance, permeates the text, making it a classic example of Daoist ritual literature.