《上清靈寶大法(一)》Vol. 8

Practitioners who follow and uphold the Great Method of Highest Clarity and Numinous Treasure should choose auspicious days recognized by the heavens, purify body and mind, and observe fasting and precepts. Then the Celestial Emperor will record their names, and their nine generations of ancestors and seven generations of forebears will be able to ascend to the Southern Palace. The practitioners themselves will enjoy peace and purity, and live forever without dying. When their merit is complete, they can become perfected immortals, and blessings will extend to their whole clan. Their wishes will also be fulfilled; ghosts and spirits will bow before them, and the multitude of perfected immortals will come to pay court.

The Three Origins

The fifteenth day of the first month, the fifteenth day of the seventh month, and the fifteenth day of the tenth month.

The Three Assemblies

The seventh day of the first month is when the Celestial Bureaucracy holds an assembly to promote and reward officials. The seventh day of the seventh month is the grand celebration of the birthday in the Underworld. The fifth day of the tenth month is when the Water Realm holds its assembly to establish life.

These Three Origins and Three Assemblies are all days when the dead are universally delivered from suffering and their merits and faults are examined.

The Five Laba Days

The first day of the first month is the Heavenly Laba, the fifth day of the fifth month is the Earthly Laba, the seventh day of the seventh month is the Daoist Laba, and the first day of the tenth month is the People’s Year Laba. Within the twelfth month, any Laba day is called the Rulers’ and Nobles’ Laba. These dates are selected according to the Five Tombs in the system of Na Yin.

According to the Scripture on the Profound Kindness of Parents, spoken by the Celestial Worthy, Laba days are suitable for fasting, making offerings to deceased parents and ancestors, reciting scriptures, and practicing the Dao in order to deliver the dead. This is called filial conduct. Making offerings on other days, without a reason, is an improper sacrifice according to ritual norms; the dead should not receive offerings on those days either, or those being honored will receive no blessings.

The Lesser Three Assembly Days

On a Gengshen day, the Corpse Spirits report a person’s conduct. On a Jiazi day, Taiyi inspects and assesses the deities.

The Day of One’s Birth Destiny

All the spirits gather within a person to examine their merits and conduct.

The Eight Seasonal Nodes

Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice.

On these days, perfected immortals from the eight directions gather at the Palace of the Eight Radiances in the Upper Primordial Heaven to examine people’s sins, blessings, merits, and faults. The Perfected Writings say that on these days people should purify body and mind, observe fasting, and plan good deeds in pursuit of the Dao. On the Autumn Equinox, however, one does not perform repentance. On these days, one must not become angry or quarrel, give way to excessive joy or sorrow, or carry out punishments. These are all taboos shared by Heaven and humanity.

Festival Assembly Days

The jiawu day is the “Heavenly Festival Assembly,” the jiashen day is the “Earthly Festival Assembly,” and the jiachen day is the “Four Seasons Festival Assembly.” The jiazi day is the “Human Festival Assembly,” and the jiaxu day is the “Five Phases Festival Assembly.” The bingwu day is the “Heavenly Assembly,” the renwu day is the “Earthly Assembly,” the gengwu day is the “Sun Assembly,” the gengshen day is the “Moon Assembly,” the xinyou day is the “Stars Assembly,” and the dingmao day is the “Immortals and Perfected Beings Assembly.” The third day of each month is the “Dipper Stars Assembly,” and a person’s birthday and natal day is the “Natal Spirit Assembly.”

These festival days are suitable for performing Zhaijiao (purification rituals), offering sacrifices, praying for blessings, and reciting scriptures. According to the scriptures, when people perform these rites on such days, the true spirits will descend and bestow blessings.

The five Mao days are: yimao, dingmao, jimao, xinmao, and guimao. (The original text reads “yimao,” but according to the names of the sexagenary days, this should be jimao.)

On any Mao day, one may observe a fast and enter a quiet chamber, face east, and make devout bows while visualizing the deities and nourishing the original Qi. This is done to commune with the deities, and one may also state one’s wishes to them. If this practice is performed regularly, the Jade Maiden will descend and bestow a talismanic decree.

Days when the Celestial Worthies and Celestial Lords of the Ten Directions Descend

On the first day, the Celestial Worthy of the East and the Lord of Nine Qi descend. On the eighth day, the Celestial Worthy of the South and the Lord of Three Qi descend. On the fourteenth day, the Celestial Worthy of the West and the Lord of Seven Qi descend. On the fifteenth day, the Celestial Worthy of the North and the Lord of Five Qi descend. On the eighteenth day, the Celestial Worthy of the Northeast and the Lord of Brahma Qi descend. On the twenty-third day, the Celestial Worthy of the Southeast and the Lord of Brahma Qi descend. On the twenty-fourth day, the Celestial Worthy of the Southwest and the Lord of Brahma Qi descend. On the twenty-eighth day, the Celestial Worthy of the Northwest and the Lord of Brahma Qi descend. On the twenty-ninth day, the Celestial Worthy Above and the Lord of One Qi descend. On the thirtieth day, the Celestial Worthy Below and the Sovereign Lord of the Nine Earths descend. In a short month with no thirtieth day, this observance falls on the twenty-seventh.

Days when the Various Perfected Beings Descend

On the first day, the Northern Dipper descends from the Northwest. On the eighth day, the Dipper’s Lord of Lunar Sha descends. On the fourteenth day, the Messenger of Great Unity descends from the Northeast. On the fifteenth day, the Three Officials—the deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water—descend. On the eighteenth day, Great Unity descends from the Southeast. On the twenty-third day, the Eight Divine Messengers of Great Unity descend from the South. On the twenty-fourth day, the Northern Pole Star descends from the Southwest. On the twenty-eighth day, Great Unity descends from the West. On the twenty-ninth day, Shen Great Unity descends from Below. On the thirtieth day, Great Unity descends from Above.

The passage above is from the Jing of Karmic Retribution and Causes (Yebao Yinyuan Jing). These days are suitable for making offerings to the true spirits.

The Four First Days

The first day of the first, fourth, seventh, and tenth lunar months is called a “Four First Day.”

New and Full Moon Days

The first day of each month is the “new moon,” and the fifteenth is the “full moon.” Sometimes one may also gather for morning cultivation on the fourteenth or sixteenth.

The Days When the Lord of the Great Dao Ascends to the Jade Empyrean’s Luminous Chamber

These are the days when the Lord of the Great Dao (a revered Daoist deity) ascends to the Jade Empyrean’s Luminous Chamber:

The fourth day of the first month, the eighth day of the second, the fifteenth day of the third, the eighth day of the fourth, the ninth day of the fifth, the sixth day of the sixth, the seventh day of the seventh, the eighth day of the eighth, the ninth day of the ninth, the fifteenth day of the tenth, the third day of the eleventh, and the twelfth day of the twelfth.

It is said that on these days the Lord of the Great Dao ascends to the Jade Empyrean’s Luminous Chamber and gazes out in all directions. Those in the world who aspire to cultivate the Dao, travel far in search of it, and have let go of worldly concerns may face north at dawn, as the sun rises, and bow twice. They may also state their wishes in a quiet room (a room where Daoist practitioners cultivate in solitude), then swallow their saliva thirty-six times. Another account says that the Lord of the Azure Youth of the Eastern Sea (a Daoist immortal) often ascends the Eastern Florescent Terrace at Fangzhu on Dingmao days to gaze out in all directions. If one faces the sun at sunrise on a Dingmao day and performs this method, one may also partake of the sun’s essence—that is, absorb the vital energy of sunlight, as it is described in cultivation.

Days to Avoid

The ninth day of the third month, the second day of the sixth, the sixth day of the ninth, and the third day of the twelfth are days to avoid. On these days, one should shut the doors and remain in seclusion, and avoid meeting women. The scripture says that at these times the “Three Corpses” (spirits said in Daoism to dwell in the human body and hinder cultivation) disturb Jing and Qi, throwing the blood and Qi out of balance and causing Shen and Qi to become unsettled. Over time, this leads to death. Avoiding these days, therefore, is not only meant to prevent sexual misconduct but also to stabilize the female palace. The scripture says that the female palace is in Shen and the male palace in Yin; Yin and Shen conflict and overcome one another. On these days, the Three Corpses of men and women appear at the vermilion pupils of the eyes, calling to one another and bringing calamity. They damage the spirit and defile the vital energy. People may not notice this, but signs will appear in the body; when the Three Corpses struggle in the eyes, blood also flows into the Muddy Pellet (the Daoist name for the spirit chamber in the brain).

The scripture warns that even one’s most beloved woman or closest wife should not be faced on these days. The author says that his own former teacher became an immortal simply by practicing this method. He also mentions that Liu Yao’s wife was a female immortal who personally passed on this formula.

Another account says that on every Jia Yin and Geng Shen day, corpse demons also vie to cause disorder and disturb Jing and Qi…

On days when the Shen (spirit) is agitated and impure, one should neither sit with one’s spouse nor share a room with them, converse privately, or be intimate. On such days, one should cleanse oneself and observe abstinence, refrain from sleeping, and remain vigilant against all desires.

Monthly Prohibited Days

The second day of the first lunar month (also the Gengshen day); the ninth day of the second month (also the Xinhai day, or, according to one account, the Xinmao day); the tenth day of the third month (also the Jiaxu and Gengxu days); the first day of the fourth month (also the Guihai day); the eleventh day of the fifth month (also the Renzi day); the tenth day of the sixth month (also the Gui-Ren day); the twelfth day of the seventh month (also the Jiayin day); the twelfth day of the eighth month (also the Yimao day); the thirteenth day of the ninth month (also the Jiachen day); the eighth day of the tenth month (also the Dingsi day; the original text reads “Dingji”); the fifteenth day of the eleventh month (also the Bingwu day); the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (also the Dingwei day, or, according to one account, the Yiwei day).

On these days, burning incense is prohibited. This restriction does not apply to those who perform this practice every day.

Days of the Emperor’s Sha (a small note beside “Days of the Emperor’s Sha” appears earlier in the text): the original text gives this explanation, but the precise meaning is unclear.

Sacred Prohibited Days

Bingyin and Dingmao are the “Dao Father’s taboo days”; Renchen and Dingyou are the “Dao Mother’s taboo days”; Bingshen and Renxu are the “Northern Emperor’s taboo days”; Wuchen and Wuxu are the “Southern Emperor’s taboo days.”

The original text also has three characters here, read as “yu ba wu,” whose meaning is unclear; they may result from a copying or reading error.

One should not practice the Dao or burn incense on one’s natal year’s day of severance, the day when the Year Star reaches one’s annual age position, one’s natal year’s Six Harm day, or the last day of the lunar month. “Natal year” here means the sexagenary cycle designation associated with one’s birth year; “annual age” refers to one’s age calculated year by year.

Days of Death

First month: Xu day; second month: Chen day; third month: Hai day; fourth month: Si day; fifth month: Zi day; sixth month: Wu day; seventh month: Chou day; eighth month: Wei day; ninth month: Yin day; tenth month: Shen day; eleventh month: Mao day; twelfth month: You day.

Dragon and Tiger Days

First month: Si day; second month: Hai day; third month: Wu day; fourth month: Zi day; fifth month: Wei day; sixth month: Chou day; seventh month: Shen day; eighth month: Yin day; ninth month: You day; tenth month: Mao day; eleventh month: Xu day; twelfth month: Chen day.

Selecting an Hour by the Monthly General

In order, the names are Tiangang, Taiyi, Shengguang, Xiaoji, Chuansong, Congkui, Hekui, Dengming, Shenhou, Daji, Gongcao, and Taichong. In traditional calendrical arts, the monthly generals are a set of names used to select auspicious times.

The method for selecting a time, described earlier, determines it by the day’s Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch. On a yang day, as listed above, when the time falls from Si onward, count forward starting from “Great Fortune.” On a yin day, count backward starting from “Lesser Fortune.” In either case, the calculation begins from the Earthly Branch of that day.

The days of Emptiness are as follows: on Jia and Ji days, Shen and You are empty; on Yi and Geng days, Wu and Wei are empty; on Bing and Xin days, Chen and Si are empty; on Ding and Ren days, Yin and Mao are empty; on Wu and Gui days, Zi, Chou, Xu, and Hai are empty.

The opening and closing of the Gate of Heaven are determined by the yin and yang of the day and the time. On a yang day, the Gate of Heaven opens during a yin hour and closes during a yang hour. Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Shen, and Xu are the six yang hours. On a yin day, the Gate of Heaven opens during a yang hour and closes during a yin hour. Chou, Mao, Si, Wei, You, and Hai are the six yin hours.

These are the methods for choosing the time to submit a memorial and petition. Choose an hour when the Gate of Heaven is open.

The ancient regulations on dates to avoid during liturgies and purification observances are scattered throughout many scriptures and precepts, and are too numerous to list in full. Here I briefly select those relevant to cultivation. Whether establishing an altar to pray for favor, ascending the altar to make a petition, submitting a memorial, repenting of faults, or expressing remorse and praying for blessings, one may follow these date rules. Even when there is nothing for which to petition, one can use them to examine one’s conduct, correct mistakes, and reduce one’s faults, thereby aiding cultivation.

One should set aside anything unsuitable to approach, anything that should not be eaten, and anything that can cloud the mind and spirit, muddy the breath, or make the body impure. If one can put the Dao into practice through virtuous conduct and keep the heart settled in quietude—remembering cultivation even in dreams and remaining steadfast in haste—then one observes purification at every moment. Why insist on which particular day counts as a day of purification?

If one fails to cultivate oneself or keep one’s conduct in check, yet misuses ritual registers and violates prohibitions, the Three Officials will investigate and punish, the Five Emperors will pursue the offenses, and even one’s nine generations of ancestors will bear the blame; in the end, the offender will be punished. The Dao is not without compassion, so these precepts and injunctions must be observed carefully.

There are four grades of purification:

The first is “purification of the heart”: carefully observe the celestial precepts, bringing one’s intentions into accord with them and ensuring that one’s conduct, inward and outward, conforms to the proper standards. Be free of thought, desire, worry, and fear; sit quietly and peacefully, letting go of distracting thoughts. In this way, one’s virtue approaches that of a perfected person, and one’s cultivation of the Dao accords with the rank of an immortal.

The second is “regular purification”: abstain from pungent foods and fishy or gamey foods, avoid meat, and restrain desire.

The third is “purification and stillness”: abstain from the Five Grains, withdraw from worldly affairs, and live amid mountains and rivers, nourishing oneself with primordial Qi and observing the precepts. Forget worldly attachments, renounce sexual relations and procreation, and reduce contact with family and friends.

The fourth is “long-term purification”: maintain one or more of the three forms of purification above over an extended period—one month, two months, one year, two years, or even twenty years. One may even observe long-term purification from the moment one resolves to cultivate until ascending to immortality.

The Five Pungent Foods to be avoided are raw scallions, Chinese chives, garlic, small garlic, and coriander.

According to the Statutes on Determining Guilt in the Supreme Ultimate of Xuandu, the five pungent foods—onions, garlic, and other strongly scented foods—rank as the gravest offense among the precepts. If one breaks this precept while practicing or reciting scriptures, one offends the spirits and disturbs the pure, true Qi. After death, one will suffer the retribution of a prison in which venomous snakes pierce the heart.

These foods are pungent and foul-smelling. Even a full day after eating them, their odor lingers in the mouth. If others find it unpleasant when speaking with you, how much more inappropriate is it when paying homage to the true spirits or performing a ritual? In addition, shallots and other onion-like plants should also not be eaten.

Avoiding the Three Abominations

The wild goose belongs to the “Heavenly Abomination,” the dog to the “Earthly Abomination,” and carp, eel, and soft-shelled turtle to the “Watery Abomination.” The ritual statutes say that anyone who eats these three abominations will have no hope of attaining immortality. Moreover, eel and soft-shelled turtle carry a fishy, foul odor that is difficult to dispel, so they are also unsuitable to eat.

The meat of the six domestic animals, as well as the fetuses and eggs of birds and livestock, must not be eaten: consuming them harms life and shortens one’s years. Pork and dog meat are especially forbidden. These prohibitions do more than break the fast and violate ritual statutes. They can also bar a person from the gates of Heaven, even when their merit and virtue are complete, preventing them from submitting memorials and reaching the highest heavens.

A Daoist priest may eat dairy products and dried meat made from muntjac, deer, goose, duck, or fish when ill. Once recovered, they should stop eating these foods. It is better still to observe this rule.

Offices, Rewards, and Prohibitions

The master said that the essentials of the Great Rites comprise “three offices, four rewards, seven prohibitions, and five avoidances.” Those who study the Dao and do not violate these precepts can enter the depths of the Mysterious Gate.

The Three Offices

First is the practice of incantations. Incantations are Heaven’s secret language. The assembled true spirits respond to their summons and descend along the movement of Qi.

Second is the practice of talismans. A talisman is a token corresponding to Heaven. The assembled true spirits respond to its summons and descend.

Third is the practice of ritual methods. When these are performed, the appropriate offices take charge. Each celestial bureau has its own true spirits, who carry out their duties; there is no need to summon them or send them away with talismans and incantations.

The Four Rewards

The first is the reward of wisdom: wisdom grows day by day.

The second is the reward of the spirit: spiritual powers become responsive and clear, and one’s perceptions reach through.

The third is the reward of intention: one’s awareness and thought become unlike those of ordinary people.

The fourth is the reward of immortality: in the end, one attains the reward of the immortal Dao.

The Seven Prohibitions

The first is to restrain the mouth: do not curse or speak obscenely, and incantations and ritual methods will communicate with the spirits.

The second is to restrain the eyes: do not look upon impure things, and the eyes will be able to see the true spirits.

The third is to restrain the ears: do not listen to wanton and improper sounds, and the ears will be able to hear in all eight directions.

The fourth is to restrain the hands: do not touch impure things, and when forming hand signs, the hands will be able to communicate with the spirits.

The fifth is …

Refrain from treading on defiled or wicked places. Only then can you perform the “Pacing the Dipper” steps (a Daoist ritual step pattern) and ascend to the upper realm.

Refrain from impure intentions. Only when your mind gives rise to no defiled thoughts can you summon the perfected spirits.

Refrain from scattered thoughts. Only when your thoughts are settled can you invite the deities through visualization (a Daoist practice of concentrating the spirit and contemplating images).

Five Prohibitions

First, do not perform rituals while holding a baby or nursing an infant; otherwise, the ritual’s power cannot take effect.

Second, do not create trouble where there is none or meddle in others’ affairs; otherwise, you may invite demonic hindrances.

Third, do not be cruel and perverse or offend the divine perfected ones, lest they withdraw from you.

Fourth, do not be narrow-minded or fail to do good fully; otherwise, your merit will not be recorded in the register of immortals.

Fifth, do not be disrespectful or lacking in faith, lest deviant thoughts mingle with the Orthodox Way.

Precepts and Prohibitions

The master said: Whenever you perform purification rites or pay homage to the true deities, you should follow the rules of ritual. In daily life, you should also regularly examine and discipline yourself, cultivate body and mind, and develop your virtue. Only then can you sincerely reach the deities. If you become confused and mislead yourself, turning away from the Orthodox Way, the calamity may extend to the Seven Generations (ancestors and descendants). Be especially careful.

Ten Supreme Precepts

First, maintain an impartial heart and do not deceive yourself.

Second, be loyal to the ruler and your teachers, and honor Heaven and Earth and your parents.

Third, cherish all beings, curb greed, and exercise self-restraint.

Fourth, remain pure and upright, and form no factions or show partiality.

Fifth, respectfully observe the highest teachings and firmly trust the path of self-cultivation.

Sixth, honor ghosts and spirits; do not slight or insult them.

Seventh, know that all clothing and food come from the Primordial Ancestral Qi (the source energy in Daoist thought), and do not give rise to cravings for external things.

Eighth, wash away defilement with ash water; there is no need to adorn yourself deliberately.

Ninth, recite the scriptures with your mouth and pay homage in your heart; do not overexert your body.

Tenth, after seven days of deep concentration, the light of the spirit will become clear, and you will behold the Jade Clarity realm (a Daoist realm in the Subtle Heaven).

Twelve Great Precepts

First, do good and accumulate De; do not kill. Whether you plot it in your heart, pretend to do so in words, carry it out yourself, or urge or teach others to kill living beings, all count as killing.

Second, do good and accumulate De; do not harm living beings. Secretly plotting against them, slandering them behind their backs, flattering them in order to harm them, setting traps, laying nets, using cruel and poisonous methods, or harming them unlawfully all count as injury.

Third, do good and accumulate De; do not be envious. Harboring resentment, using schemes and opportunities to speak ill of others, wishing them misfortune, or trying to seize their property or harm living beings all count as envy.

Fourth, do good and accumulate De; do not begrudge others and seek to harm them. Secretly seducing another person’s partner, or harboring lustful thoughts and wishing to harm someone who surpasses you; even if you cannot succeed for the moment, continuing to hold a grudge also counts as begrudging and harming others.

Fifth, do good and accumulate De; do not engage in illicit sex. Do not turn from the right path for beauty or money. Having sexual relations with close relatives, engaging in incest, or becoming enamored through private ties or selfish desire, regardless of the other person’s appearance, all count as illicit sex.

Sixth, do good and accumulate De; do not steal. Climbing through walls, moving things without permission…

Opening letters and secretly sealing them away, breaking locks and changing seals without permission, concealing things out of self-interest, borrowing something and failing to return it, and deceiving, embezzling, or stealing are all called “theft.”

The seventh good virtue: not being greedy. When the heart is never satisfied, it measures things by standards that shift from wide to narrow. It looks at all things and feels that what it has received is insufficient, never content; it fails to measure its own proper share truthfully and seeks more without end. All this is called “greed.”

The eighth good virtue: having no desires. The mind scurries about like a monkey, and thoughts race like galloping horses. The six sense faculties—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—work in confusion, stirring up the seven emotions. Clinging to life and pleasure, one gives rise to all kinds of desires. All this is called “desire.”

The ninth good virtue: harboring no hatred. Holding prejudices and fixating on fragrance and stench, purity and filth, one makes false distinctions between high and low, noble and base, and cannot regard all things equally. This is called “hatred.”

The tenth good virtue: feeling no envy. Narrow-mindedness, suspicion and worry, and acting either to excess or inadequately; scheming and flattery that obstruct others and prevent things from going smoothly—all this is called “envy.”

The eleventh good virtue: not using flowery or ornate language.

The twelfth good virtue: not speaking malicious words.

To cultivate the Way of Great Stillness, the practice of calming body and mind, one should observe the mind while entering meditation. When one sees thoughts come to rest, that is the true mind; when one sees the body cease to be an object of attachment, that is the true form. Once both mind and form are forgotten, one naturally enters the Way without form. This is what is called the method of ascending to immortality in broad daylight.

The Nine True Wondrous Precepts

First, show respect and humility, and be filial in caring for one’s parents.

Second, be diligent and fulfill one’s duties, and be loyal to one’s ruler.

Third, do not kill living beings; act with compassion and aid all beings.

Fourth, do not engage in improper sexual conduct; keep oneself upright and treat others and handle affairs appropriately.

Fifth, do not steal; act according to righteousness, even if it means accepting a loss oneself.

Sixth, do not become angry and harm others, or use cruelty to humiliate them.

Seventh, do not deceive or flatter, or secretly harm the good and innocent.

Eighth, do not be arrogant or look down on the most authentic Way.

Ninth, uphold the precepts without wavering, with single-minded devotion.

All who wish to honor the supreme Daoist teachings, save and aid living beings, deliver the dead from suffering, subdue fierce demons and monsters, or govern the spirits and gods must uphold these precepts. First, they must dedicate their body and life to the Three Supreme Treasures: the Dao, the scriptures, and the teacher. They must not believe in or follow deviant teachers, be misled by illusions, heed the teachings of deluded heretics or demons, or take part in practices resembling sorcery.

Taking Refuge in the Three Treasures

First, take refuge in the supreme Treasure of the Dao.

Second, take refuge in the supreme Treasure of the scriptures.

Third, take refuge in the supreme Treasure of the teacher.

All the precepts above were personally spoken and transmitted by revered holy beings. After receiving them, if one can refrain from transgression, all the heavens will celebrate, demonic hindrances will be dispelled, and the practitioner may hope to fulfill the promise of becoming an immortal. If one violates the precepts, the Earth Registrar, the divine official who keeps the records of the underworld, will send a report swiftly to higher authorities; the Three Officials, who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, will investigate and bring charges, and the Five Emperors will record the transgressions. A minor offense will reduce one’s allotted years of life; a moderate offense will bring inspection and examination.

When living souls commit grave wrongdoing, they are punished: their merit is diminished, their affairs are obstructed, their lifespans are shortened, their good fortune and emoluments reduced, and their rank among the immortals lowered.

If the offense was not deliberate, they are still permitted to repent and atone. But note that after the autumn equinox, no more apologies are accepted. If someone breaks the precepts again, they will no longer be forgiven. If you suddenly feel dazed and confused, your whole body grows hot, your limbs feel swollen and stifled, or you become drowsy and restless, you should immediately apologize to the deities. Three offenses without forgiveness must serve as a warning.

The Dharma Gate of Salvation

The scripture says: “The Way of the immortals prizes cherishing life and universally saves living beings.” Heaven opens the Eight Gates and sets the Flying Heaven Dharma Wheel in motion, declaring in turn the distinctions between sin and blessing, the prohibitions and precepts, past destinies, and karmic connections.

The Eighteen Gates of Sin

When people commit sins, calamities befall them and may even ensnare nine generations of their ancestors, subjecting them for a long time to labor under ghost officials. They may also suffer execution by golden axes and yue-blades, punishment by the Great Heaven gods, or dismemberment by slaughtering ghosts and spirits. Countless souls may be beheaded, mutilated, and cast into hell. Misfortune may also extend to seven generations of ancestors, binding, beheading, and imprisoning people, causing their bodies to perish and their souls to suffer harm or even lose their sight.

The Sixty-Two Gates of Blessing

The deaf may regain their hearing, the blind may see again, and those who have lost their speech may speak once more. Long-standing chronic illnesses may be cured, weakened bodies restored to health, white hair turned black, and lost teeth grown back. The elderly, too, may regain their strength and be renewed. A radiance like gold and jade may reappear; even dry bones may be restored to life as human beings, allowing people to retain their original lifespans.

These gates of blessing are found in three passages on perfected beings reciting scriptures, six passages on the Ten Transgressions of the Three Primal Ones, two passages on the eight festivals of one’s natal destiny, two passages on the Two Registers, three passages on the Three Realms, six passages on purification and abstinence, and the first eight and final twenty passages of the middle section.

The Gate of Prohibitions

The method of traveling alone through Yujing, the celestial capital, must not be passed down to later generations. Heaven’s secret writings are revered by all the heavens; they are not ordinary words of the human world. They may be transmitted only after an oath of allegiance has been sworn before the Ten Heavens. Heaven’s treasured secret methods are kept in Xuandu, the celestial capital of Daoist tradition, and must not be passed on casually. The Natural Chapter is transmitted only once every forty thousand kalpas.

The Gate of Precepts

There are twelve precepts against marriage between people of different bone lineages. When carrying gold and silver treasures to express sincerity, one must not reveal them carelessly or treat them with neglect; there are four precepts on this. There is one precept concerning the practice of the Way.

The Gate of Past Destinies

If an entire state follows the Great Way and believes in it sincerely, it will prosper from generation to generation.

The Gate of Karmic Connections

All who honor and revere the Great Way can receive the opportunity for deliverance from the world. Supporting and honoring the Great Way creates wholesome karmic connections.

The Regulations and Statutes of the Mysterious Canon

The master said: “Merit and transgression, sin and blessing, can increase or diminish one’s lifespan when their effects are great. Even when their effects are minor, they can shorten or lengthen it. Human lifespans are divided into three grades and nine ranks; the relevant regulations are all recorded in the prohibitions of the Celestial Province of Great Mystery.”

It should be observed.

Highest grade, upper level: add three cycles (a cycle is twelve years); highest grade, middle level: add two cycles; highest grade, lower level: add one cycle.

Middle grade, upper level: add ten years; middle grade, middle level: add nine years; middle grade, lower level: add seven years.

Lowest grade, upper level: add half a cycle; lowest grade, middle level: add five years; lowest grade, lower level: add three years.

Highest grade, upper level: deduct 240 counts (counts measure one’s fortune and lifespan); highest grade, middle level: deduct 120 counts; highest grade, lower level: deduct 100 counts.

Middle grade, upper level: deduct 90 counts; middle grade, middle level: deduct 50 counts; middle grade, lower level: deduct 40 counts.

Lowest grade, upper level: deduct 30 counts; lowest grade, middle level: deduct 20 counts; lowest grade, lower level: deduct 10 counts.

The master said: “Every minor good deed and minor wrongdoing also brings a corresponding increase or deduction, even when the amount is fewer than ten counts, or as little as one count.”

The Perfected One of Mysterious Power of the Supreme Ultimate said: “Those who can accumulate the three grades of highest merit must not commit even the highest-grade, upper-level offenses. Each day, one minor good deed should be recorded, and each day, one minor wrongdoing should be eliminated. Accumulating minor good deeds can accomplish great merit; eliminating minor wrongdoings can accomplish great good. Highest-grade merit is not easy to attain, yet the highest-grade offenses will not be forgiven. Those who study the Dao, recite these words, and put them into practice will enjoy blessings as deep as hills; those who slight them will suffer through ten thousand kalpas.”

Highest Grade, Upper Level of the Mysterious Statutes

Murdering one’s ruler, rebellion, defiance, betrayal, incestuous adultery, and plotting treason.

The Statutes of the Mysterious Capital say: “Those who murder their ruler or father, poison their master; disrupt the order governing Heaven and Earth, the Five Constants of human relations, moral principles, and the laws; strike and defy their ruler, teachers, elders, or parents; in anger destroy or disobey the teachings of their master or parents; abandon the right path and take up a deviant one; attach themselves to sorcerers and witches; commit incestuous adultery with close kin or any of the six relations; or take part in a conspiracy to murder will be struck from the registers of immortals. Their merit will be punished, and the fruits of their cultivation destroyed. In this way, they betray the nine generations of ancestors above, implicate the nine generations of descendants below, and bring calamity upon themselves in between. They will forever endure the torment of wind and blades, without forgiveness through ten thousand kalpas. In their next life they will be reborn as animals, suffer retribution that is not human, and have no hope of ever becoming an immortal; their lifespan will be shortened by three cycles.”

Highest Grade, Middle Level

Carelessly disclosing, neglecting one’s duties, destroying and corrupting, seizing…

The Xuan Du Precepts say: To show disrespect toward rulers, teachers, or parents, or toward images of the Three Treasures (Dao, scripture, and master) and sacred writings; to disclose the secret meanings of the Three Treasures or the forbidden scriptures of the Three Caverns before the prescribed period; to reveal secrets contained in talismans and diagrams concerning Heaven and Earth, the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), prophecies and taboos, the hidden workings of the spirits and perfected beings of the future, and fortune and misfortune; to fail to honor rulers, teachers, parents, codes and prohibitions, or sacred writings; to destroy images of the Three Treasures, or possessions belonging to rulers, teachers, parents, or the community; to beat, insult, plot against, or kill people of moral cultivation, or members of the Five Bonds and Six Kinship Relations; to undermine the work of the religious community; while alive, to lack sincere faith, flatter people behind their backs and slander them to their faces, or flatter them to their faces and slander them behind their backs; to abandon one’s principles and aspirations; or to seize or rob the sacred scriptures of the Three Treasures, or the property, clothing, and implements of rulers, teachers, parents, or people of the Seven Virtues.

Those who commit these offenses will have their names struck from the registers of immortals, their merit reduced, and their rank lowered as they receive punishment; their ancestors and descendants, extending through seven generations and nine ancestral lines, will also be implicated. After death, they will fall into the Long Night and the Three Paths of suffering—hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the animal realm—and undergo retribution for a thousand kalpas, without ever receiving pardon. In a future life, they will be reborn as creatures afflicted with leprosy or as beings with deformed features unlike those of ordinary people, and their lifespan will be shortened by two ji, a unit of time in the Daoist calendar.

Lower Grade of the Upper Class

Killing, Sexual Misconduct, and Theft

The Xuan Du Precepts say: To kill living beings of any kind and bring harm upon sentient beings; to indulge in lust and engage in marital relations without observing proper rites; and to steal property of any kind. Those who commit these offenses will have their rank among immortals reduced, their merit diminished, and their position lowered as they receive punishment; their ancestors and descendants will also be implicated. After death, they will sink into hell and cannot be saved even by three pardons. In this life, they will suffer blindness, deafness, muteness, madness, paralysis, and other deformities, and their lifespan will be shortened by one ji.

Upper Grade of the Middle Class

Breaking the Fasting Rules and Precepts, Greed and Jealousy, Hatred of Others

The Xuan Du Precepts say: To eat the Five Pungent Foods, such as scallions and garlic, and the Three Abominations, the meats forbidden during Daoist fasting; to drink excessively; to favor the meat of the six domestic animals, birds, and insects; to break the fasting rules and secretly harbor illicit desires; to eat meat and other impure foods during a fast; to let joy or anger become excessive and to reward or punish unjustly; to be deceitful and hypocritical, insatiably greedy, and consumed by varied desires without knowing contentment; to envy those who surpass oneself and hate those who fall short; to suspect and harm good people and deliberately wish to bring others into evil circumstances; or to harbor a fierce and resentful heart, constantly wishing to harm someone despite knowing that one lacks the power to do so.

Those who commit these offenses will have their rank among immortals lowered by three grades, their merit diminished, and their position lowered as they receive punishment; six years will be deducted from their lifespan of nine years. They may atone by observing a year of fasting and completing an additional one hundred and twenty good deeds.

Middle Grade of the Middle Class

Cunning Flattery, Base Deception, Vile and Seductive Speech, Filthy Curses

The Xuan Du Precepts say: To be cunning in one’s thoughts, changeable and inconsistent, and deeply suspicious; to pursue only one’s selfish desires, fawning on superiors while neglecting those below; to flatter one moment and deceive with a hundred empty words, speaking without sincerity…

They shout in anger, are arrogant and self-important, depart from the right path to believe in false teachings, and cannot distinguish truth from falsehood.

They enjoy ingratiating themselves and despise honest words, while scrutinizing and debating every question of right and wrong, truth and falsehood.

Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, they devote themselves to pursuing elegance and refinement, unable to return their minds to simplicity.

They defile what is pure, violating the taboos of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, which Daoism uses to explain relationships among things). They eat meat and fish, speak obscenely, mix in all manner of improper conduct, and curse and revile others.

They swear by or resent Heaven and Earth, wind and rain, the Five Phases, and spirits, and perform all kinds of vicious curses. Such conduct lowers their rank among the immortals by two grades, incurs a penalty against their merit, and diminishes their cultivation. Over five years, 240 counts are deducted (Daoism uses “counts” to measure lifespan or good fortune). Their days of fasting and abstinence are reduced by 200, and they must make amends by performing 90 acts of good.

Lower Grade, Second Class

They steal, deceive, disregard their conscience, and harbor all kinds of evil thoughts.

The Precepts of Xuandu (Daoist rules of conduct) say: secretly taking property; failing to repay debts; borrowing something and not returning it; taking and hiding another person’s lost property when the opportunity arises; using cunning to appropriate public property; falsely reporting good or ill fortune and forging documents; misrepresenting facts and passing falsehood off as truth; misleading others with fabrications; believing oneself superior to Heaven and humanity; deceiving one’s own conscience and the spirits; secretly acting recklessly and deceiving the sun, moon, stars, Heaven and Earth, and virtuous people. Plotting and intending to commit various evils also incurs these penalties: their rank among the immortals falls by one grade, their merit is penalized and their cultivation diminished for three years, and 120 counts are deducted. Their days of fasting and abstinence are reduced by 100, and they must make amends by performing 50 acts of good.

Lower Grade, First Class

The Precepts of Xuandu say: treating the Five Grains with contempt and wasting them; abandoning gratitude and righteousness, and breaking pledges and oaths; defiling silk; being untrustworthy and unrighteous, lacking benevolence and compassion; having no spirit of humility or wish to help others; failing to keep clear agreements and lacking a sense of harmony. Such conduct lowers their rank among the immortals by three grades, incurs a penalty against their merit, and diminishes their cultivation for one year. Their days of fasting and abstinence are reduced by 70, and they must make amends by performing 30 acts of good.

Lower Grade, Middle Class

The Precepts of Xuandu say: looking down on orphans, the poor, the elderly, and children, and refusing to help them; failing to care for Daoist practitioners who are cold and destitute in the mountains and forests; sabotaging virtuous undertakings that are still in progress; failing to help virtuous people suffering hardship or illness; destroying clothing or food; damaging mountains, forests, or graves; seeking only one’s own comfort and using one’s power to coerce others, putting them in danger without coming to their aid; cutting down plants and trees while they are growing; fabricating stories and deceiving people against one’s conscience; divining the signs of Heaven and Earth, the stars, and auspicious omens; relying on the power of princes and nobles and using schemes to trap living creatures for presentation to those in high positions; serving those above poorly and giving too little care to those below; using incense and flowers for oneself, and practicing and honoring the Dao without wholehearted dedication. Such conduct lowers their rank among the immortals by two grades, incurs a penalty against their merit, and diminishes their cultivation for half a year. Their days of fasting and abstinence are reduced by 50, and they must make amends by performing 20 acts of good.

Lower Grade, Final Class

The Xuandu Lü stipulates that anyone who falsely claims that the celestial offices—the divine bureaus governing the heavenly realm—have conveyed the words of true spirits, or pretends to have received such a message; puts on an appearance of virtue in order to obtain favors and blessings; deceives ordinary people through threats; reveals matters of the Dao in order to win others’ attention; alters or opens sealed documents, seals, or talismanic writings without authorization; pries into other people’s private affairs; breaks seals or forces locks; keeps a record of others’ minor faults; tramples or presses on small living creatures; insults the lowly and humble; shouts loudly while drunk; makes promises to laborers who are cold and hungry but fails to keep them; poisons or destroys things belonging to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water); becomes embroiled in disputes without cause; seeks only fine food; whips livestock, cages birds and insects, or strikes them; tends incense in an impure manner or performs worship carelessly; conducts Zhaijiao (purification ritual) and sacrifices without proper cleanliness; submits memorials and documents without care and reverence; behaves disrespectfully toward elders; or acts improperly during Keyi (liturgy)—will be demoted by one rank in the immortal hierarchy and penalized with ninety days of lost merit and failed endeavors. To atone, they must observe a month of retreat from fasting and complete ten additional good deeds.

Six Taboos for Cultivating the Real

Places where there are corpses or mourning rites; places of childbirth; places of execution; slaughterhouses; and places of sexual misconduct.

One must not enter any of these places. Li Shaojun’s oral instructions say: “A Daoist seeking immortality does not wish to see a corpse, for this severely damages the spirit and vital energy.” When a ruler, teacher, parent, or close companion dies, one may have no choice but to attend the funeral out of human feeling. Apart from such cases, Daoists should keep away from worldly affairs and serve no ruler or lord, as though they had no sovereign; they should live in seclusion, as though they had no friends. Only when a parent, teacher, or master dies must one attend the funeral and express profound grief, even at the cost of one’s own life. If one suffers harm for this reason, it does not count as true harm. These words must be guarded carefully, and so they have been passed down only orally.

The Supreme One’s Way of Gazing at Life, Concealing Oneself, and Paying Court at the Origin

On the day of one’s natal destiny, determined from the Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch of one’s birth year, face the direction associated with that destiny. Click the teeth together three times, visualize inwardly, bow, and then recite the incantation:

“Taiyi gathers and protects life; the Three Qi unite with the true Dao and proclaim the highest radiance within the womb. The mother is the Mysterious; the father is the Origin. They gave life to and nurtured my five organs, and gather and protect my spirit. Below, draw in the Jade Fluid; above, pay court at the Muddy Pellet. At night, refine and nourish the Seven Po; at dawn, harmonize the Three Hun. On the right, visualize Jade Radiance; on the left, summon the Golden Dawn. Make me an immortal, and let the spirits heed my commands. Preserve me always in peace and upright stability, as I fly through the ten directions of heaven.”

When the recitation is complete, bow inwardly toward the four directions, click the teeth together three times, and swallow the saliva three times. If one practices this regularly, the Hun and Po will remain settled, and one will attain long life and become an immortal.

Another Method

Those who study the Dao should first discipline and examine their Hun and Po, and dispel corpse demons—Yin and malign Qi that, according to Daoist cultivation, can trouble a person. On each dark-moon day and new-moon day, as well as on Gengshen and Jiayin days, one should purify oneself through fasting, enter a chamber, bathe, and wash away dust and grime… The original text ends here.

Those who can sit properly without becoming drowsy have, for the most part, mastered the true method. Use a cinnabar brush to place a small dot beneath the left eye, and an orpiment brush to place a small dot beneath the right nostril, allowing the medicinal pigment to seep slightly into the “valley” (meaning an acupuncture point). Before making the marks, knock the teeth together three times, then recite the incantation.

The incantation means roughly: “Above, radiant forms whirl and coil. Cinnabar and orpiment dissolve into spreading vapors, subduing numinous and demonic forces and sinking away and dispersing the corpse’s impurities. Harmonize the Hun and refine and nourish the Po, so that my body unites with the Great Spirit. Grant me immortality and a life of ten thousand years; keen hearing and clear sight, vision that sees through all things, enduring good fortune, and the ability to uphold the righteous Way.”

When you have finished reciting, knock the teeth together three times again and swallow saliva three times. Press the right nostril with the right index finger and the area beneath the right eye with the left index finger. Press firmly seven times at each point, keeping your fingers in place without lifting them. This practice is based on the belief that these two places are gateways through which the Seven Po—seven yin spirits within the human body—and corpse worms enter, leave, and wander, as well as passages used by predatory essences and evil influences. The refined Qi of cinnabar and orpiment is used to block the route of corpse ghosts, draw in the fumigation of the sun and moon’s radiance, and restrain licentious Qi. This is a supreme method of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate). Practiced year after year, it brings the Hun and Po into gentle stability and disperses all corpse impurities. One may thereby become an immortal spirit with a long life, unobstructed Qi channels, and perfectly clear sight. After three years of practice, thoughts of sexual desire and other distractions will fade away. This method was handed down by the Perfected One of Great Numinous Power.

Method for Purifying Impurities

Whenever you enter a filthy or unclean place, you should bathe to dispel its influence. For this reason, the methods of the Three Pure Ones and the immortals’ journeys among humankind include a “plain decoction” for cleansing the corpse: take ten liang of mugwort leaves and four liang of peach branches with the white bark removed, and combine them with clean, pure ingredients. Add one hu and two dou of water, bring it to a boil once, then remove it from the heat. When it has cooled or warmed to a suitable temperature, use it to bathe the body. It will wash away every kind of impurity and can also treat illnesses such as debility, damp impediment, sores, and itching. Bamboo is hollow and white within; peach wards off evil and dispels impurity. Together, they can remove turbid residue from the body. Celestial beings who descend to the human world also often use this method. It is superior to the minor worldly techniques of talisman water and incantation rinses. It is especially suitable for those whose constitution is already mild and pure, though they need not bathe in this water. Truly wondrous.

The Talisman for Dispelling Impurities Given by Lady Wang of Ziwei

This talisman is also called the Talisman for Gathering and Dispelling Impurities. It is carved on a slip of catalpa wood, shaped like the tablets used for court audiences, but somewhat smaller. Carve the talisman onto it, and keep it clean and carefully protected. If you have eaten meat or pungent foods, entered an unclean place, or are in an emergency and have no time to bathe, first make a decoction of seven he of sweet flag and rinse your mouth with it. Then place seven dots in each palm, rub both hands over your eyes, and recite the incantation.

All the accumulated foul Qi dissipates with the flow of water, expelled from the numinous clarity of the intelligent gods. Execute this swiftly in accordance with the statutes.

Then burn incense before the sacred image, click the teeth forty-nine times, and hold the ritual tablet to draw in the filth. Point the filth-expelling talisman toward yourself, bend forward, and blow toward its opening while reciting the incantation:

“Foul Qi, depart; righteous Qi, enter. Let righteous Qi remain and foul Qi depart. May the talisman draw in all thirty-six kinds of defilement and all thirty-six spirits of filth. May the Crimson Palace, where the heart spirit dwells, be at peace, and the spirit portal be clear.”

When you have finished reciting, set down the ritual tablet, turn around, form the Dipper hand seal, and walk the astral steps according to the stars’ positions until you reach the ritual position. Draw in a breath, then make the flicking hand seal. Afterward, report in turn to each celestial bureau. This is an emergency method. For an important matter involving an altar rite and formal audience and petition, bathe according to the liturgy.

Method for dispelling the defiling Qi of childbirth

In general, Daoist priests living in Daoist temples should avoid places where childbirth is taking place. Lay practitioners cultivating the Dao who cannot leave because they are having a child should wait until a full month after the birth before using the method described above to dispel the foul Qi and enter the quiet chamber. The same avoidance rules should be observed in other circumstances; those who violate them will face disciplinary penalties.

Temporary leave in the event of a death

If a Daoist priest who practices ritual arts suffers a major bereavement at home, or if their parents or ordination master—the teacher who ordained them and brought them into the Daoist tradition—dies, they should submit a written report to the Three Heavenly Gates and send a notice to the generals and officers in their service. They should close the quiet chamber and suspend incense offerings and cultivation. If an urgent matter makes a formal report impossible, they should first notify the generals and officers, the Merit Officer who conveys documents, and the local earth god, then report to the High Mysteries, the deities of the upper realm.

The mourning period for a major bereavement lasts three years, or twenty-seven months, excluding intercalary months. This is the customary secular mourning system. The Daoist restriction concerns the foul Qi carried by a corpse. Once the corpse has been placed in its coffin, the defilement is contained. Therefore, after a temporary leave of one hundred days, one may dispel the foul Qi, enter the quiet chamber, and resume morning cultivation. The prescribed mourning rites must still continue for three full years. Older liturgical rules required practitioners to suspend cultivation for only one year. Since that year does not cover the full mourning period, morning cultivation should not be interrupted for longer. If the corpse has not yet been placed in its coffin, or if the coffin remains in the living quarters and the practitioner lives beside it, they must not enter the quiet chamber, no matter how many days have passed.

For mourning that lasts one year, take temporary leave for one month, then report according to the liturgy and dispel the foul Qi. During this period, if you do not approach the corpse, and likewise do not approach it during mourning for a close relative of the next degree or more distant, take temporary leave for three days; afterward, you may dispel the foul Qi and enter the quiet chamber. During one-year mourning and mourning for relatives of the next degree or more distant, you should not go to the corpse; simply keep your distance. The rite of paying condolences should not be omitted. After paying your respects, immediately dispel the foul Qi and bathe, then report to the spirit officers assigned to you and complete the procedure for reinstatement to your former duties. Carry out the other rites as usual.

Talisman for cleansing yourself at the altar after encountering defilement while away

“Within the cavern, mystery and emptiness. Radiant and clear, the Great Origin. By the jade decree of the Three Pure Ones, its light shines across the nine thoroughfares.”

The majestic spirits of the eight directions make me whole; the Lingbao talisman command proclaims throughout the nine heavens. Qianluo (the name of a talisman spell).

Danna Donggang Taixuan (a proper name in the incantation) cuts down demons and binds evil, slaying countless ghosts. The Divine Incantation of Zhongshan.

The Jade Script of Yuanshi (a talismanic text handed down by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning). Mysterious water washes away impurity and drives off ghosts and spirits, prolonging life. It travels across the Five Sacred Peaks, known throughout the eight seas.

Demon kings bow their heads; all harmful forces and impurities are swept away.

Attendants and guards protect my carriage; Dao Qi endures.

Burn the talisman and recite the Incantation of the Jade Emperor:

Divine spirits, pure and true; jade essence and mysterious fluid. The Upper Clarity’s chamber of transformation, the Venerable Lord of Primordial Beginning.

Mysteriously entering the Great Rosy Clouds, it shines upon the mysterious script. The seven spirits fly from the spring; in Northern Feng, they receive the smoke.

I hold the place of the King Above, opening and joining against the hosts of demons. The eight powers breathe forth fire; let the revered spirits be solemn.

Thousands upon thousands of impurities depart; nothing fierce or evil remains. Ten thousand times ten thousand demon kings protect life and guard the body.

Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

For the talisman method above, form the hand seal according to the Jade Emperor’s instructions three times, while visualizing the Qi of Heaven’s Gate. This talisman must be used whenever an altar is established. When purifying the altar grounds by sprinkling water, circle the altar twice. If you visit a household in mourning and encounter foul Qi, or return to the Daoist altar after attending a birth, promptly write this talisman and burn it to ashes. Mix the ashes into purified water, draw in the Qi of the east and infuse it into the water, then drink it.

Talisman for Bathing Before Practicing the Dao

The Most High’s divine water, true Qi flowing freely; Yin and Yang shine together, the divine flame illumines.

Foul Qi is cleansed; the dead are nameless. The Three Corpses are calm; for long ages, maintain clear awareness.

Unite with the Dao and become true.

While bathing, recite the incantation three times and breathe out three times. Then stir the water and recite:

With golden sacrificial wine and jade fluid, wash the body. With mysterious water, wash away impurity and purify the original spirit.

The seven numina guard and protect; myriad Qi spread everywhere. The heart aspires to emptiness and purity; the body takes its place among the forms of mysterious radiance.

Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

The Great Method of the Upper Clarity Lingbao, volume eight.