《上清靈寶大法(一)》Vol. 21

Shangqing Lingbao Dafa (Great Methods of the Shangqing and Lingbao), Scroll Twenty-One, Section Six

Transmitted by the Lofty Scholar of Dongwei and Perfected Ning Quanzhen of Kaiguang Jiuku (Opening the Light and Rescuing from Suffering). Compiled by Wang Qizhen, Heir Master and Lingbao Preceptor, a disciple of the Shangqing Three Caverns.

Gate of Talismans Written from the Scripture Phrases

Among the talismatic commands governed by the Lingbao scripture phrases, some talismans recur. Each should be selected according to the particular circumstances.

Lingbao Taizhang (Great Seal of Lingbao): This talisman helps one obtain an audience with a noble person and is also used to remove the Sanshi (Three Corpses, parasitic worms said by Daoists to dwell in the body and hinder cultivation).

Shihui Dures (Ten Returns of Salvation): This talisman is used to prolong life and to bear noble sons.

Lihe Ziran (Separation and Union, Naturally): This talisman is used to accomplish various affairs and to bring the five viscera into harmony.

Huasheng Zhutian (Transforming Life Across the Heavens): This talisman is burned in the coffin to cut off corpse-labor (shilao), a disease that the ancients believed was transmitted from corpses and harmed the living.

Yuanshi Zujie (Ancestor of Primordial Beginning and Calamity): This talisman is used to suppress and cut off the affliction of corpse transmission (chuanshi).

Shi Wei Tiangen (This Is the Root of Heaven): When this talisman is written on a stone, it causes the hundred beasts not to linger nearby.

Kaiming Sanjing (Three Radiances Opened to Brightness): Taken over a long period by swallowing, this talisman enables a person to awaken to the Dao.

Shang Wu Fuzu (Above, No Repeated Ancestor): This talisman is used to cure illness, to secure the dwelling, and to stabilize the spirits of the house.

Wuwen Kaimiao (Five Patterns Open the Temple): This talisman is used to steady the liver, harmonize the five viscera, and let the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) flow smoothly.

Yuluo Xiaotai (Yuluo Terrace of Xiao): If the mountain terrain is dangerous or the dwelling harbors hidden hazards, a talisman may be written on an iron plate and used to pin down the root of the mountain.

Puzhi Shenling (Universally Planted Spirits): This talisman is used to destroy temples of evil spirits and to expel the lurking corpse (fushi), a spectral presence hidden in the body that causes illness.

Sanhua Lipian (Three Flowers, Separation and Convenience): This talisman is used to cure illness, to regenerate flesh in wounds of the mouth, and to purify the primordial qi.

Yushan Yujing (Jade Mountain, Jade Capital): This talisman is used to treat headwind (toufeng, a headache) and to enable a person to attain immortality.

Changsheng Zhijun (Lord of Long Life): Worms of the corpse are taken from the Dihu (Earth Gate, the place where earth qi enters and exits), and the ash is taken in water drawn from three households' wells, administered at the Shen hour (3–5 p.m.).

Dayou Miaoting (Wondrous Court of Great Possession): This talisman can cause a person to awaken to the Dao, and it is also used to treat ailments such as miasma-fever (lanzhang) and the "water arrow" affliction (suishuijian).

Jinque Yufang (Golden Gate, Jade Chamber): Swallowing this talisman can bring about the birth of a noble son.

Senluo Jingxia (Sennuo Pure Frost): Place this talisman in water, burn it until it dissolves, and wash the eyes with the water to make the eyes bright.

Duren Bu Si (Salvation of Humanity, Non-Death): This talisman is used to remove the Sanshi and the Jiuchong (Nine Worms, insect-like parasites said to dwell in the body and harm a person). It is taken with water from three households' wells at the Wu hour (11 a.m.–1 p.m.).

Dushi Sima (Sima of Crossing the World): Worms are taken and a decoction is made with frankincense and willow twigs, to be taken at the You hour (5–7 p.m.).

Han Junzhang Ren (Han Lord, Elder): Flying corpse worms are taken and a decoction is made with jiangzhen incense, to be taken at the Zi hour (11 p.m.–1 a.m.).

Siming Silu (Director of Destiny, Keeper of Records): This talisman is used to eliminate calamities of death and the karma of transgressions.

Han Sizhu Lu (Han, Keeper of Records): Worn for a long period, this talisman can bring about the birth of noble sons.

Dushi Zunshen (Venerable Spirit of Crossing the World): This talisman protects the dwelling and the body, bringing good fortune.

Jiansheng Dashen (Great Spirit Who Oversees Birth): This talisman is used to expel a stillborn fetus. If taken one day in advance, it can transform a female fetus into a male.

Huihai Qisi (Restoring the Bones, Raising the Dead)

Zhí Fú Qǐ Jí

The above talisman (referring to the talismans listed earlier) can be used to treat long-standing illness and to expel a stillborn fetus. It is taken with a decoction of frankincense (rǔxiāng tāng).

Fēi Tiān Zhì Zhēn

The talisman helps one obtain an audience with a person of rank, seek official appointment, and carry out one's aims successfully.

Zhū Tiān Chéng Xiàng

Worn or carried on the person, the talisman enables one to attain immortality and has the effects of clearing the mind and "exchanging the bones."

Nánchāng Shànggōng

The talisman drives away pestilence and subdues demons and evil spirits, calming the heart and spirit.

Wújí Shénxiāng

Worn after the talisman is made, it helps one avoid calamities brought by malevolent stars.

Xiān Huà Chéng Rén

The talisman can be used to control water monsters. Write it on an iron plate and bury it in the ground when channeling water.

Xiān Huà Chéng Rén

Worn or carried on the person, the talisman can transform one's appearance.

Huáng Zēng Yù Lǚ (reading of the name approximate)

The talisman can be used to treat liver disease and subdue water monsters.

Yù Wán Nà Tián

The talisman can pacify a house and expel earth pestilence (plague-like evils associated with the earth), bringing peace to one's family.

Hé Tóng Yuán Yù

The talisman can pacify a house and expel heavenly pestilence (shàngwēn), benefiting the person who holds it. It also protects against nightmares and removes lurking corpse-spirits (fúshī, hidden spirits that cause harm).

Píng Yù Nèi Xiān

The talisman can cure infant night crying and expel external invading evils (kèxié, intruding spirits from outside).

Wén Jǔ Chǒu Fǎ

The talisman can make a person clever and prolong life.

Mó Yí Yán (reading of the name approximate)

The talisman can be used to subdue the demons that cause disasters in mountain forests.

Yuè Héng Zhèng Dìng

The talisman is used for tomb-sealing. It stabilizes the mountain terrain of the qián direction (northwest) so that the deceased rest peacefully in the coffin. It is written on catalpa wood (zǐ wood) in cinnabar.

Méng Yì Jiǔ Chāng

The talisman is used for tomb-sealing. Written on catalpa wood, it is said to make one's descendants distinguished and honored.

Hé Yáng Shàng Zhēn

The talisman can cure heart disease and extinguish fire disasters.

Gōng Huá Chǒu Yīn

The talisman can resolve calamities caused by Sìmìng (the deity who governs one's lifespan and destiny).

Zōng Piāo Chóng Guāng

The talisman can dissolve the calamity of weapons and warfare.

Huáng Jiā Miào Biàn

Worn on the person, the talisman enables one to defeat an opponent.

Táng Yào Lóu Shēng

The talisman can suppress all poisons and protect both the body and the home.

Duān Jìng Luó Qiān

The talisman can guard the eight directions of a house.

Gōng Qìng Pú Tí

Written on catalpa wood in cinnabar, the talisman can be used for tomb-sealing. It is said to make one's descendants flourish and to dissolve lawsuits as well as calamities of water and fire.

Jí Yáo Wú Yán

The talisman is used for tomb-sealing and stabilizes the kūn direction (southwest). It is said to make one's descendants flourish and live long, and to eliminate chuánshī (the pestilence believed to spread through or cling to corpse-qi).

Kǒng Shēng Dìng Guāng

The talisman can cure lung disease and resolve lawsuits.

Huáng Yá Ā Tān

The talisman can be used to treat fēishī (flying corpses, spirits believed to afflict the living), protecting life and extending longevity.

Jí Fēng Zhēn Tóng

The talisman can suppress the calamity of weapons and malicious spirits.

Xiào Máng Sà Luó

The talisman can suppress fúshī (hidden corpse-spirits that cause harm).

Fú Róng Mǐn Bā

The talisman can drive away the evil spirits that cause self-injury.

Jiāng Yóu Fàn Guāng

The talisman can drive away evil spirits that attach themselves to objects or to the human body and cause harm.

Shé Ruǎn Bó Jiān (reading of the name approximate)

This talisman is used to pacify a tomb. It is placed in the northwest (Qian direction) and written on catalpa wood, and it can drive away the ash-related malign influences (huisha) affecting male and female servants, cattle, and sheep.

"Tanshi piaolong."

This talisman is used to pacify a tomb. It is placed in the west (Dui direction) and written on catalpa wood, and it can regulate women with overly forceful temperaments, the disruption of the proper order between masters and servants, and licentious conduct.

"Xiaodu juehun."

This talisman is used to treat kidney disorders and to subdue bandits.

"Yuandong xingguan."

This talisman is used to treat a hundred diseases and to relieve the poison of medicines.

"Xiule juezhang."

This talisman is used to guard the four directions and to correct cases of filial impiety among descendants.

"Changrong zongjian."

This talisman is written on willow wood and is used to suppress the directions from which demonic forces approach.

"Taixu zongjian."

This talisman is also written on willow wood and is used to suppress the directions from which demonic forces approach.

"Yulong xingyuan."

This talisman is used to suppress the disturbances and strange events caused by birds that fly into a house.

"Fandu yunshang."

This talisman is used to pacify a tomb. It is placed in the north (Kan direction) and written on catalpa wood. It can make descendants prosper, bring abundant harvests of fields and silkworm mulberry, and protect the family from punishment and injury.

"Jia Yi famen."

This talisman is used to pacify a tomb. It is placed in the northeast (Gen direction) and written on catalpa wood. It can prevent flood disasters and help one's land and property flourish.

"Sanguan jiushu."

This talisman is used to remove the Three Corpses (sanshi), the spirits that, in Daoist belief, dwell within the human body and record one's faults. The Mulberry Bark Decoction is taken during the hour of Chou (1 to 3 a.m.).

"Shi'er heyuan."

This talisman is used to drive out ghosts and spirits from a well. The talisman is written on an iron plate and placed in the water at the corresponding direction.

"Ji chu zuibu."

This talisman is worn on the crown of the head. It can erase one's offenses from the register of records and so enable one to attain immortality.

"Luomie ege."

When this talisman is worn, it causes ghosts to retreat and begins the purification of the filth within the heart.

"Bude juliu."

This talisman is used to pacify a house and drive away evil ghosts.

"Bihe guiqun."

When worn, this talisman subdues mountain spirits (shanjing), the spirits and monsters dwelling in the mountains.

"Bu wei xingpo."

This talisman may be carried or taken internally. It is used to stabilize the hun and po souls and to bring calm to the spirit.

"Zhimo baoju."

This talisman is used to place the hand of a dead person, and it can block the transmitting corpse illness (chuanshi), a disease that, in ancient belief, could spread from one person to another.

"Beidu hanchi."

This talisman is used to pacify a house and to bind ghosts.

"Tianzhong kongdong."

This talisman is used to subdue mountain spirits, strange monsters, and poisonous dragons.

"Fuluo shenzhen."

This talisman is used to avert the calamities brought by one's birth star (benming xingxiu).

"Shou du li guan."

This talisman is used to avert the punishments and fated misfortunes brought by malevolent stars.

"Zhan jue di gen."

This talisman is used to remove the dead from the register of death and to sever the veins of the earth.

"Zhu ji ji ming."

This talisman is used to record one's destined lifespan, to pray for a son, and to register a name.

"Luosi shangsheng."

This talisman is used to prolong life and remove calamities.

"Zhong dou da kui."

This talisman is used to pacify a tomb and establish protection in the center of the heavens.

"Hu hun shi po."

This talisman is used to treat lurking corpses (fushi), the corpse-ghosts that, in Daoist belief, hide and cause harm, and to stabilize the hun and po souls.

"Zongjian zhong ling."

This talisman is used to bind ghosts so that they cannot move.

"Wudi da mo."

Zhongzhu Wanshen (Zhongzhu Wanshen): The talisman on the right may be swallowed to strengthen one's physical vigor and to treat diarrhea.

Bayuan Choubo (Bayuan Choubo): The talisman on the right treats liver disease. It is taken with a decoction of black beans.

Futian Danshi (Futian Danshi): The talisman on the right treats heart disease. It is taken with a decoction of cinnabar.

Fanshan Liumu (Fanshan Liumu): The talisman on the right treats lung disease. It is taken with a decoction of patchouli.

Hengtian Danli (Hengtian Danli): The talisman on the right treats spleen disease. It is taken with a jujube decoction.

Jianchou Langfu (Jianchou Langfu): The talisman on the right treats kidney disease. It is taken with a salt decoction.

Zongling Guibing (Zongling Guibing): The talisman on the right is written on banners or drums to command ghost soldiers and to secure victory in battle.

Huichuang Gujie (Huichuang Gujie): The talisman on the right is used to suppress evil and to project authority.

Youguan Taikong (Youguan Taikong): The talisman on the right is used to cleanse the ears and eyes, so that a person hears and sees clearly, and it is said to help one bear clever children.

Zihao Heyi (Zihao Heyi): The talisman on the right is used to subdue evil thoughts within the heart.

Shangtian Duren (Shangtian Duren): The talisman on the right is written on a willow board one foot two inches long and placed in the hand of the deceased, to block the spread of contagion from the corpse.

Yanshe Beifeng (Yanshe Beifeng): The talisman on the right is used to ward off evil and to stabilize the household.

Shengong Shouming (Shengong Shouming): The talisman on the right is used to remove ghostly fetuses and noxious deathly qi.

Puzao Buxiang (Puzao Buxiang): The talisman on the right is also used to remove ghostly fetuses and noxious deathly qi.

Bawei Tudu (Bawei Tudu): The talisman on the right is used to block the mischief of ghosts of the executed from prisons and courts.

Mengma Sizhang (Mengma Sizhang): The talisman on the right may be swallowed to treat parasitic worm disease.

Tianding Qianqu (Tianding Qianqu): The talisman on the right is used to expel ghosts and to resolve injustices.

Dashuai Fufan (Dashuai Fufan): The talisman on the right is used to dissolve curses and to prolong life.

Zhihuo Wanli (Zhihuo Wanli): The talisman on the right is used to suppress fires and to control various illnesses of young children.

Liuling Bachong (Liuling Bachong): The talisman on the right is used to treat abnormal bleeding in men and women.

Ganyou Ganshi (Ganyou Ganshi): The talisman on the right is used to treat epidemics among the six domestic animals.

Juse Shangzhen (Juse Shangzhen): The talisman on the right is used to resolve grievances carried across three generations.

Jinyue Qianlu (Jinyue Qianlu): The talisman on the right is used to capture the Five Penetrating Ghosts (Wutong ghosts).

Jutian Houxing (Jutian Houxing): The talisman on the right is used to drive away mountain ghosts.

Tuge Guishuang (Tuge Guishuang): The talisman on the right is used to drive away water ghosts.

Fenghuo Wuting (Fenghuo Wuting): The talisman on the right is used to drive away sea dragons and spirits of the water.

Qianqian Jieshou (Qianqian Jieshou): The talisman on the right is used to guard places haunted by ghosts. The ghost's name is written beneath the talisman, and it is said that this can conceal the ghost's traces and destroy its form.

Wanwan Jianxing (Wanwan Jianxing): The talisman on the right is used to break the power of evil shrines and to subdue their gods.

Mo Wu Ganfan (Mo Wu Ganfan): The talisman on the right is used to destroy demonic obstacles and to expel evil spirits.

Gui Wu Yaojing (Gui Wu Yaojing): The talisman on the right is used to guard the eight directions, so that ghosts and monsters cannot enter the territory.

Sanguan Beifeng (Sanguan Beifeng): The original text ends here.