《上清靈寶大法(二)》Vol. 18

Interpretation

Shangqing Lingbao Great Rites, Volume Eighteen, Day Nine · A Plain-Language Interpretation

The Section on the True Seals in Jade Script

The scripture says: “When the Red Radiance opened the registers, the cycles and transformations unfolded naturally. The Primordial Beginning established and secured all things, spreading down the Five Texts. The Red Script in Jade Characters and the Eight-Power Dragon Script preserve and regulate, examine and direct the cycles, so that Heaven may endure forever.” This is the method by which the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning transformed the ancestral Qi of the Great Brahma into jade characters, issued scriptures, and guided people to salvation. At the beginning, when the registers were opened, the middle section of the sacred texts was called “the Middle.” It was formed through the blending of the Qi of central harmony, and so was given that name. The Illustrious King of Filial Piety presides over it. The Five Qi are set out in five positions, and the five sections of the Red Script in Jade Characters are thereby spread down; for this reason, the Five Old Lords preside over them.

The Middle Section is placed last, following the principle that “living things begin below,” while the Red Script comes first. Yet the incantations and instructions of the true texts come from ancient books, making them difficult for later students to put into practice directly. Thus the High and Exalted One set down explanations to resolve obscurities and open up the subtle, wondrous words of the ancient texts. The Celestial Worthies recite the jade-toned words; from afar, the ten directions chant in response. The Lords on High perform the rites, spirits and demons submit, Heaven is secured and Earth is pacified, and the efficacy is without end.

In the latter days, the true Dao is easily concealed and the highest principles fall into obscurity. People of the world are accustomed to valuing what they have encountered first, and so prize the unusual. They also regard what is commonly available as lowly and what is obtained by chance as a treasure, valuing what is hard to obtain. They then treat what is difficult to obtain as something rare and what is easy to obtain as insignificant. For this reason, many teachers who gain access to the wondrous teachings do not pass them on. Blind teachers deceive the world, each setting up a different doctrine. Confusion follows confusion, and later generations are led astray. Now, having carefully examined the methods for approaching the Immortal Scriptures, I have sought to make them concise and clear, retaining only a small part of the mysterious web.

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The True Text of the Red Script in Jade, the Lingbao of the Azure Emperor of the East

“(The nine Qi of the East begin) (the Imperial Azure Heaven, the blue-green clouds) (within Yulei there is an elder) (who collectively verifies the registers and charts) (gathers Qi and raises the immortals)”—these twenty-four characters are written on the Primordial Terrace of the Nine Heavens. They govern the summoning of the Lords of the Nine Heavens to verify the registers and charts of the spirits and immortals.

“(The Year Star assists the Liver, Jiao) (Kang guards the true Di and Fang) (Xin and Wei, the sunlight circling back)”—these seal-script characters correspond to the Year Star, the Liver, and the constellations Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, and Wei, among other stars and the organs of the body.

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Note: This section belongs to the Lingbao school’s “Section on the True Seals in Jade Script.” It explains the origins and uses of the five sections of the Red Script in Jade Characters, the Eight-Power Dragon Script, and other seal forms used by Primordial Beginning to guide people to salvation. Its final section argues that, in the latter days, teachings should be passed on simply rather than elaborately, and warns that divergent doctrines taught by blind teachers can mislead people. The material in parentheses consists of character-by-character breakdowns or formulas written in secret seal script. To put them fully into practice requires consulting other sections of this volume and the relevant Daoist Canon liturgies; here they are rendered only in translation, with their structure explained.

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Interpretation

A Plain-Language Reading of The Great Lingbao Rites of the Shangqing Tradition (II)

Thirty-Two Characters Related to the Hall of Donghua and the Palace of Ziwei

(▲▲▲▲▲)

〔The original text is damaged here, so the characters cannot be matched one by one.〕

(The revolving ladle governs the seven celestial markers)

Corresponding to the “revolving jade ladle” (the instrument that turns the celestial pivot, including the Big Dipper), it governs the order of the seven celestial markers (such as the seven lunar mansions or seven luminaries).

(Correct the Dipper, brighten the wheel, and uphold)

Correct the Dipper’s handle and the bright wheel (an image of the celestial movement), and carry on the cycles of Heaven.

(With Qi, subdue what is perverse and sweep it away)

Use Qi to subdue evil and perverse forces and clear away calamities and obstructions.

(Calamity hosts)

Multitudes of calamities, or groups of evil spirits.

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〔A thirty-two-character text〕

The title means a talismanic text or secret writing consisting of thirty-two characters.

The Hall of Donghua in the Palace of Ziwei summons stellar officials and rectifies Heaven’s divisions and measures

This thirty-two-character text is under the authority of the Hall of Donghua in the Palace of Ziwei, the celestial residence of the central heavens. It is used to summon stellar officials and set right Heaven’s divisions and measures—that is, the motions of the celestial bodies and the calendar.

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(The divine incantation of the Eastern Mountain subdues)

The divine incantation of the Eastern Mountain is a spell of the mountain spirit of the East, used to subdue and restrain evil beings.

(Summon the red writings of the Nine Heavens)

Summon the red writings of the Nine Heavens, the many-tiered celestial realm. These are celestial books in red, or commands and talismans associated with the Red Emperor.

(With talismanic commands, restrain the assembly of Fengdu)

Use talismanic commands to control Fengdu, the Daoist underworld and abode of the ghost prison, and similar offices of the netherworld.

(Bind demons like a mountain and send off ghosts)

Bind demons as if with a mountain, and escort ghosts out of the territory.

(None marked for execution shall escape removal)

All those destined for execution are eliminated. Here, “remove” means to clear away or release.

(Bring them before the Wood Officials; whoever dares)

Escort them before the Wood Officials, underworld or administrative officials associated with the East, spring, and the virtue of Wood. Should anyone dare to delay…

(to delay)

To linger or cause a postponement.

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〔A thirty-two-character text〕

The Hall of the Donghua Bureau of Numina governs the subduing of ghosts and demons and rectifies the Qi of the Nine Heavens

This thirty-two-character text is under the authority of the Hall of the Donghua Bureau of Numina. It is charged with subduing ghosts and demons and rectifying the Qi of the Nine Heavens, restoring the celestial realm’s proper vital energy.

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(Below, restrain the source of the river and the sea)

In the lower realm, control the source of the river and the palace of the sea—that is, the powers of the water offices.

(The water and eastern gods face a great calamity)

The water offices and the gods of the East respond to disasters on the scale of a great calamity.

(Flood disasters and harmful dragons)

Floods and calamities caused by harmful dragons, among other things.

(Taking office in the water palace, open the waterways)

Assume the duties of the water palace and open up the waterways.

(▲▲▲▲▲)

〔The original text is damaged here.〕

(Open paths in their hundreds of thousands, reaching the North)

Open pathways in every direction, reaching countless places, and connect with the celestial realm of the North. The character “path” refers to a route or passage.

(By the Emperor’s pardon, command wind and fire)

Act under the Emperor’s pardoning decree and employ the methods of wind and fire to drive off evil and transmit commands.

(Without obstruction)

With no separation or escape; or, depending on the context, “the realm of no interval,” meaning that nothing lies beyond its reach or control.

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〔A thirty-two-character text〕

At the Jade Gate and Cinnabar Terrace in the northeast of the Nine Heavens, govern the subduing of the Eastern Sea Water Emperor, the great flood calamity, and the summoning of harmful dragons and water gods

This thirty-two-character text is associated with the Jade Gate and Cinnabar Terrace in the northeast of the Nine Heavens. It is specifically charged with subduing the Water Emperor of the Eastern Sea, responding to great calamities and floods, and summoning harmful dragons and the various water gods to carry out their duties.

General Account of the One Hundred and Twenty Characters and Their Names

Together, the above make one hundred and twenty characters, all writings that arose naturally from the Primordial Beginning

The passages above total one hundred and twenty characters. They are all natural cloud writings formed through the workings of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, rather than characters invented by human beings; hence the name “writings that arose naturally.”

Other names for the text include:

• The Chapter of the Grotto Mystery on Generating Spirits and Treasuring the Real
• The Divine Incantation of the Eastern Mountain
• The Writ of Eight Powers of the Azure Emperor

All are under the authority of the Venerable Lord of the Azure numinous beginning in the Eastern An Bao Flower Grove, a revered deity in the lineage of the Azure Emperor of the East.

The Azure Emperor is the god of the East, associated with Wood and the life-giving force of spring. The Writ of Eight Powers is a secret text containing eight forms of authority and command. The Primordial Beginning is one of the highest Heavenly Worthies in Daoism; many Lingbao and salvation scriptures trace their origin to teachings spoken by the Primordial Beginning.

The Southern Red Emperor’s Lingbao Red Writings: The True Text of the Jade Chapters

The Southern Red Emperor’s Lingbao Red Writings: The True Text of the Jade Chapters

What follows is the Lingbao red writing and true text of the jade chapters associated with the Southern Red Emperor. It is a celestial text in the form of a jade register.

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(The southern cinnabar sky is red)

The southern cinnabar sky is the realm of the red heavens, or southern sky.

(The Emperor is in the Jade Hall)

The Red Emperor is in the Jade Hall, a celestial office or palace.

(The great god bears a name related to red)

A great god bears a title associated with “red,” such as the Red Emperor or a red numinous deity.

(The August Lord’s blazing current is like smoke)

The august Lord occupies a place of blazing Yang, with Qi like flowing fire or clouds of smoke.

(With the Three Qi, command the gods of light)

Issue commands to the gods of light through the Three Qi, usually understood as the Qi of Heaven, Earth, and humanity, or, in Lingbao usage, as three levels of wondrous Qi.

(Immortals receive their mandate and respond to the cycles)

Immortals receive the Heavenly mandate and respond to the cycles of calamity and the appointed times.

(The sun)

This is associated with the sun and the southern heavens’ virtue of Fire.

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〔A thirty-two-character text〕

The Hall of Grotto Yang in the Nine Heavens governs the registers, charts, and golden names of the celestial immortals

This thirty-two-character text is under the authority of the Hall of Grotto Yang in the Nine Heavens. It oversees the registers and charts of the celestial immortals and their golden names—their formal titles in the immortal registers.

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(Yinghuo assists Xin and Jing)

Yinghuo, the planet Mars, assists the Xin and Jing lunar mansions, stellar officials among the Twenty-Eight Mansions.

(Gui guards Fang and Liu)

Ghostly Qi or the Gui mansion guards the Fang and Liu mansions, which are linked to stellar divisions and the signs of good or ill fortune.

(Zhang and Yi command the four)

The Zhang and Yi mansions govern one part of the Four Emblems or the four directions. They are commonly associated with the southern celestial region of the Vermilion Bird.

(“Xiangqin” oversees the seven mansions)

“Xiangqin” appears to be an OCR error. The general sense may concern divisions of the sky, a celestial procession, or the governance of the seven southern mansions: Jing, Gui, Liu, Xing, Zhang, Yi, and Zhen.

(Turn the regular course of Heaven and summon)

Turn the regular course of Heaven—that is, the celestial order and calendar principles—and summon the stellar officials.

(Urge the cycles to converge upon the right Way)

Hasten the cycles and bring them into accord with the right Way, the proper ordering of Heaven’s movements and the principles of cultivation.

(Carry the red command swiftly by relay)

Like a message carried swiftly from station to station, transmit the command of the red writing.

(Numinous)

The numinous powers respond, and the spirit officials carry out the command.

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〔A thirty-six-character text〕

The Cinnabar Terrace of the Three Qi summons stellar officials, clarifies the numbers, and rectifies Heaven’s divisions and measures

This thirty-six-character text is under the authority of the Cinnabar Terrace of the Three Qi. It summons stellar officials, clarifies their numbers—that is, the star sequences and degrees—and rectifies Heaven’s divisions and measures. Its function resembles that of the passage concerning the Hall of Donghua, but belongs to the southern cinnabar-heaven system.

Points to Keep in Mind When Reading

The format first presents excerpts from secret writings, often with missing or corrupted characters, then identifies them as “thirty-two-character texts” or “thirty-six-character texts” and states which halls or offices govern them and what they do, such as summoning stellar officials, rectifying celestial measures, subduing ghosts, or managing floods.

The hierarchy runs from writings that arose naturally from the Primordial Beginning, to texts governed by the Azure Emperor or Red Emperor, and then to offices such as the Hall of Donghua, the Jade Gate and Cinnabar Terrace, the Hall of Grotto Yang, and the Cinnabar Terrace of the Three Qi. This accords with the Lingbao tradition’s way of describing celestial writings and heavenly administrations as distributed among different offices.

The references to stellar officials and the calendar, subduing ghosts and sending them to Fengdu, floods in the Eastern Sea, harmful dragons and water gods, and golden names in the registers of immortals belong to a religious cosmology of celestial administration and the response to calamities. They are not explanations of astronomy or hydrology in the modern scientific sense.

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Interpretation

Draw in and subdue the ghosts of Mount Feng in the north; send away demonic sects and heretical teachings; set out, one by one, the crimes of those to be punished; use the divine incantation originating from Southern Mountain; awe the northern host of demons; destroy the myriad kinds of demonic evil; crush them until they perish.

These thirty-two characters are written on the Jade Gate-Tower in the southwest, the gateway to an immortal palace. They are used to carry out the order to subdue Northern Feng, the ghost realm of Fengdu in the north, and to bring the forces of ghosts and evil spirits under proper control.

The divine incantation of the Dragon King, Great Bo, Water Emperor of the Southern River: let divine power course forth and sweep away ill omens everywhere; halt floods and sudden calamities; command the jiao dragons to open the waterways; clear a thousand water routes and open all ten thousand channels; whoever dares to transgress…; …; when the matter is finished, draw them in and send them to the Palace of Fire. Nothing warned against in the Red Script goes unheeded.

These forty-eight characters are written on the Jade Gate-Tower of Primal Yang in the southwest. They are used to carry out the order to govern the Southern Sea Water Emperor. When the great flood calamity arrives and waters rise everywhere, they summon the jiao dragons and water deities to handle the matter.

The foregoing amounts to one hundred and forty-eight characters in all. They are characters that the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning brought forth spontaneously. They are also called the Numinous Treasure Talisman of the Southern Clouds that Reaches Heaven, the Divine Incantation of the Nine Heavens, and the Red Emperor’s Eight-Power Edict. They are held by the True Lord, the Old Emperor of Numinous Elixir of Bright Yang, Brahma Treasure of the South.

The Central Yellow Emperor’s Numinous Treasure True Text of the Red Script in Jade Chapters

The Yellow Emperor who commands all spirits at the center; born in Heaven since before the beginning of time; the supreme Central Emperor among the Five Elders; commands primordial Qi and oversees the perfected ones; presides over all immortals and sets the registers and liturgies in motion; keeps the hidden charts and celestial rosters; uses jade script to propel the course of Heaven; proclaims his commands to all the myriad spirits.

These forty characters are written on the Mysterious Terrace of the Great Mysterious Jade Treasure. They are used to govern the jade tablets of the immortals and the celestial rosters, and to command the Qi of all immortals.

The Planet Saturn assists the spleen and turns the celestial degrees; directs the Northern Dipper’s Kui star; oversees the cutting down of evil spirits and severing of their roots; drives away malicious ghosts; clears away filth and disperses gloom; restores the mysterious stars and constellations to their proper brightness; governs Heaven’s Pass and the talismanic commands of the Nine Heavens; dispatches orders by the Golden Horse relay station.

These forty characters are written on the Jade Terrace of the Mysterious Capital. They are used to command the celestial officials and correct the degrees of the heavenly bodies.

Command the Northern Emperor to draw in and subdue the ghosts, seal the gates of the underworld, and cut down evil spirits.

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Interpretation

Shangqing Lingbao Great Rites (II): A Plain-Language Interpretation

Fragmentary Incantations and Spirit Writings of the Northern Emperor Tradition

The text contains a sixteen-character spirit writing inscribed at the Jade Terrace of Xuandu. Its function is to gather and command the Qi of the Northern Emperor’s righteous heaven, and to inspect ghosts, demons, and spirits. The accompanying Divine Incantation of Zhongshan means, in essence: summon dragons and ride the clouds; restrain and unite; subdue and govern the nine rivers and their sources in the Yellow River region, without slackening. Distinguish good from evil, and report the thousand demons and ten thousand wicked beings to the Imperial Lord. Do not test it recklessly. Let it blaze like the sun. Proclaim it in red-script jade characters and spread it throughout the world. (Several lines of the original scripture are blurred and can no longer be read in full.)

There is also a forty-eight-character writing, likewise inscribed at the Jade Terrace of Xuandu. It is specifically charged with controlling the Water Emperor of the Central Sea and the waters of the Four Springs, governing the measure of floods and overflowing waters, and summoning water dragons and jiaolong.

These writings total 144 characters. All were naturally formed by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. They are also called the Spirit Writing of the Nine Heavens, Cavern of Clarity, of the Precious Kalpa, the Great Incantation of the Yellow Spirit, and the Document of the Yellow Emperor’s Awe-Inspiring Power. They are held by the Imperial Lord, Primordial Elder of the Central Numinosity.

The True Writing of the Red Script and Jade Tablets of the Western White Emperor’s Lingbao

(The White Emperor of the West, the Golden Spirit of the Seven Gates of the Plain Heaven, shines vast and bright over Taihua. Fragrant currents flow; white rocks rise in lofty crags, and the seven Qi mingle in a hazy vapor. Above is the Great God, the Imperial Elder of Primordial Birth, who commands the Qi of the lungs, oversees the Nine Heavens, inspects and determines charts and registers, and commands and summons the high immortals.)

This forty-eight-character writing is above the northern veranda of the Palace of the Nine Heavens’ Plain Spirit. Its charge is to summon the Qi of immortals and raise the Way of the immortals.

(Venus inspects the lungs; Kui and Lou protect the soul; Wei, Mao, Bi, and Zi establish the ordinances. The seven mansions, together with the Dipper’s handle, are overseen by Shen. Receive the talisman from the Northern Origin.) This writing consists of ninety-two characters (or is divided into an inscription of twenty-four characters). It is inscribed at the Dark Window of the Golden Tower and is charged with commanding the star officials of the White Emperor and setting the courses of heaven in order.

(Red-script jade characters, the order of the Nine Heavens; also gather and summon the myriad Qi, returning them all to the Imperial Lord.) This is sixteen characters, inscribed at the Hall of Three Charts in the Golden Tower. It is charged with commanding the ghostly Qi of the Six Heavens; this is the office invoked when performing the rite.

(Divine Incantation of the Western Mountain …) A divine incantation associated with the Western Mountain; the text that follows is missing from the original scripture.

Notes

• White Emperor: The deity of the West in the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), associated with the lungs, Metal, and Venus. The spirit writing here belongs to the Western section of the Lingbao Red Script and Jade Tablets.
• Jade Terrace of Xuandu, Palace of the Nine Heavens’ Plain Spirit, Dark Window of the Golden Tower: Places in the celestial realm where writings are composed and talismans kept in the Daoist Canon; they should not be understood as earthly locations.
• The bracketed passages preserve the scripture’s original incantation names, character counts, palace and tower titles, and transcriptions or excerpts of the true writings. A plain-language rendering can convey only their functions—such as inspecting ghosts, summoning dragons, controlling water, summoning immortals, and commanding star officials. The sounds and forms of the talismans must be established from the original scripture and through transmission from a teacher.

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Interpretation

“‘Mighty Seven’ is the title of this group of talismanic writings. ‘The upper dragons summon the mountain spirits to escort them; the clouds are where they are verified and received. Together they arrive at the gate of the Emperor, assisting and guarding the perfected beings above, cutting off and destroying the sources of evil. If anything inauspicious arises, seal it off with the Golden Barrier. The red-written talismanic command is relayed by wind and fire.’ This passage is meant to summon the dragon spirits to provide an escort and guard the perfected beings above—those who have attained the Dao—and to cut away the roots of evil. When something inauspicious occurs, it is blocked by the Golden Barrier, while the command written in red is carried swiftly by wind and fire.

“‘The forty-eight characters are titled “The Lord of the Three Charts Pavilion in the Golden Tower, who governs and commands the Water Emperor of the Western Sea and all the spirits in its waters, and summons cloud dragons to prevent floods.”’ These forty-eight characters are associated with the Three Charts Pavilion in the Golden Tower. They govern the Water Emperor of the Western Sea and the many spirits in its waters, and summon cloud dragons to prevent floods. The total of 136 characters above are all dragon-script formed naturally by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. They are also known as the “Subtle Writ of the Grotto of Golden Truth and Precious Radiance,” the “Divine Incantation of the Western Mountain,” or the “Edict for Summoning Dragons with the Eight Powers.” They are held in the charge of the August Old Lord of Bright Spirit at the Seven-Treasure Golden Gate in the West.

“Next comes the ‘True Writ of the Red Book of Numinous Treasure of the Northern Black Emperor,’ a true writ of the Red Book of Numinous Treasure associated with the Northern Black Emperor.

“‘In the Northern Mysterious Heaven, the Five Qi circle and course. Within them is the Black Emperor and his twin sovereigns, who oversee all talismanic commands in the Great Tenuity. Immortals refine the Eight Powers; in blue skirts and feathered robes, in dragon-script and phoenix garments, they are appointed by the Supreme Emperor and brought before the Jade Steps.’ These forty characters come from above the northern gallery of the Purple Tenuity Terrace of Dark Origin, where they govern the registers of perfected beings and immortals throughout the heavens.

“‘The Northern Dipper assists the kidneys; the Dipper’s Ox guards the doors, while the Maiden, Void, Danger, and Chamber guard the gates. The four openings of the Wall are laid bare. The seven stars in all seize the wicked and correct wrongdoing, drive back calamity and sweep away defilement, making the Dao bright and its radiance shine forth.’ These thirty-two characters are writings within the Northern Celestial Dipper of Dark Origin. They govern the northern star officials and uphold the orthodox Qi of Heaven.

“‘The divine incantation of the Northern Mountain stirs Yang and raises thunder; the flowing bells flash and fall, shaking the heavens and displaying their might. The hosts of the Northern Feng are destroyed and crushed.’ These twenty-four characters are inscribed on the northern platform of Shuo-dan Yu-jue. They govern the command of the celestial demons, the Northern Emperor, and the myriad ghosts.

“‘The nine rivers surge to their end; flocks of Mother Birds take flight. Flood dragons clear a passage, and the Water Lords open the way. Red script and jade writings are carried swiftly by relay dragons and wind.’ This passage describes the nine rivers rushing onward and flocks of Mother Birds flying together. Flood dragons open a passage, the Water Lords clear the waterways, and red script and jade writings are conveyed rapidly by relay dragons.”

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Interpretation

Plain Language Interpretation

The Twenty-Four-Character Red Writing (the Terrace of Shuodan Yujue in the North)

This Red Writing consists of twenty-four characters and belongs to the tradition of the Terrace of Shuodan Yujue in the North. Its presiding deity is the Water Emperor of the Northern Sea, who governs all manner of aquatic spirits and monsters and can summon jiaolong dragons to carry a person on their backs.

Overview of the One Hundred and Twenty-Character Red Writing

The one hundred and twenty characters above are all Red Writings—vermilion sacred talismans—spontaneously manifested by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. They are also called the “Numinous Writings of the Original Spirit Giving Birth to the True Treasure,” the “Divine Incantation of the Northern Mountain,” and the “Register of the Eight Powers for Controlling Heaven.” They are under the charge of the Northern Emperor Lord, the Mysterious Elder of the Five Spirits of Shuodan Yujue in the Cavern Yin.

The Five True Writings of the Primordial Beginning are numinous texts of the Shangqing tradition, primordial registers born in the Nine Heavens, and sacred chapters of the empty grotto. They can establish Heaven and Earth, set all perfected beings in motion, calm spirits and subdue numinous forces, bring forth and nurture the myriad people, regulate and direct the cycles of change, and preserve Heaven for eternity. Above, they govern the workings of Heaven; in the middle, they inspect the Five Spirits; below, they command the deities of the earth. They summon the source of the rivers, set Yin-Yang in motion, and call forth deities and dispatch immortals. These supremely true writings respond wondrously in accordance with the natural order, bringing clarity and height to Heaven and stability to Earth. They protect and secure the Five Sacred Peaks, so that all things may endure.

Ritual Practice and Depositing the Petition Tablets

Before performing a rite with the Red Writings, one must first make a formal announcement and petition to the revered deity. Without this prior announcement, the rite will have no real effect. In ancient times, practitioners of the Dao used the Five Red Writings to protect, avert misfortune, and exert ritual control. They might also deposit a petition tablet at a sacred mountain, grotto, or abyss to have their names removed from the registers of offenses and entered in the rolls of the Nine Heavens. These are examples of such practices.

Petitioning the Water Emperor and Removing Names from the Register of Offenses: Write the text in vermilion on a silverwood tablet, wrap it in blue paper, and bind it with blue cord. Attach one golden dragon and nine golden fasteners. Place the tablet in a case, then cast it into the abyss of the Three Rivers.

Petitioning the Numinous Mountains of the Five Sacred Peaks: Prepare a silverwood tablet written in vermilion, with a golden dragon and golden fasteners as above. Bury it at the Sacred Peak corresponding to one’s birth destiny, or at a blessed land or famous mountain.

Petitioning the Earth Emperors of the Nine Lands: Use the same format and bury the tablet in the central chamber of the place where one lives.

The tablet must state the ritual master’s title, surname, and year, month, day, and hour of birth, along with the wish to become a deity or immortal and live forever. For a petition to the Water Court, add the following: “To the Water Emperors of the Nine Courts, the sources of the Twelve Rivers, and the great deities of the rivers, seas, Huai River, lakes, and dark waters: I beseech you to remove my name from the register of offenses and report it to the Nine Heavens. I respectfully make this petition to the Water Court; may the golden dragon carry it by relay.”

Use the format described above at the beginning of the tablet. At the end, add a separate line: “Presented at [place], in the year, month, day, and hour of [cyclical year designation].” Write the True Writing on the back of the tablet and the petition on its front. Stamp it with the seal used in this method, then deposit the tablet.

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Interpretation

Plain-Language Interpretation

Submitting Petitions and the Five Peaks Ritual

After opening the incense burner, making the invocation, reciting the incantation, and submitting the petition, restore the burner according to the ritual procedure. Alternatively, place the document at the five directions, and the immortal officials of the Five Sacred Peaks will arrive. If you observe a strict fast for one hundred days and remain unwavering in focused contemplation, the Celestial Perfected will descend. Even if you only devote yourself to wearing this document, you can achieve corpse liberation—that is, the release of body and spirit after death and ascent to immortality.

Write with cinnabar ink on a five-colored stone, and calamities will vanish of themselves, while violence and misfortune will dissipate. If there is no time to visit the sacred mountains of the Five Peaks, you may use the mountains in the four directions around your residence to represent them. The direction corresponding to your birth year is called the “Peak of Destiny.” Use this representation to summon numinous Qi (vital energy): spirit is nowhere, yet there is nowhere it is not. Primordial breath opens and manifests the chart. To save the world, no text is without radiance, illumination, accomplishment, deliverance, and life. Thus the hundred demons conceal their hidden tones; the texts may be joined or separated as circumstances naturally require. Deal with matters according to the time, and use texts as each matter calls for them. The five red-text books and the secret talismans of the middle section may all be joined or separated in use.

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Incantation of the Water Offices (Face north and click the teeth three times. After reading the petition or document, the ritual master holds it and recites the incantation.)

The Five Elder Emperors of the Primordial Beginning, the supremely honored Perfected Ones of the ten directions, and the numinous immortals of Taihua: the red text conveys its command, and nothing hidden or obscure fails to hear it. Above, it addresses the Nine Heavens and requests that the jade text descend; it addresses the sun, moon, and five stars, and the Seven Origins of the Northern Dipper; in the middle, it addresses the Five Sacred Peaks and the numinous mountains of the four directions; below, it addresses the twelve sources of rivers and seas, the water emperors of the Nine Palaces, and the great spirits of the dark waters. Today I make this appeal above, laying out all my wishes. I respectfully submit this jade petition and beg that my name be erased from the register of sins. A thousand generations of ancestors and ten thousand forebears, my nine branches of kin, are bound up in guilt, and their burden has reached me. May all receive the grace of having their sins erased, their lines of descent freed from extinction, and their names entered in the Water Offices and presented above before the Emperor. May my seven generations of ancestors and parents leave the Eight Hardships, ascend to the Nine Heavens, and find clothing and food naturally provided. May my sins be released and dispersed, and may all the spirits hear this. I respectfully bind the pledge with a golden clasp. May the Water Official grant what I have laid out, and may the golden dragon carry the message by relay.

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Incantation of the Offices of the Sacred Peaks (Face east and click the teeth nine times. After reading the petition or document, the ritual master holds it in both hands and recites the incantation.)

The Mysterious Highest One who opens and illuminates, the Primordial Beginning who oversees the Perfected, and the Five Elder Emperors above: the red writing and cinnabar text are the source of Heaven and Earth. They command the Three Origins, gather Qi and summon assemblies, and urge the immortals to rise. The exalted command of the Highest One is proclaimed throughout the ten heavens; it addresses the sun, moon, and constellations, the numinous mountains of the Five Sacred Peaks, the spirits of Heaven and Earth, the great spirits throughout the realm, those who oversee birth and keep the registers, and the three gates to the Southern Heights…

(The remainder continues with the names of officials of the Sacred Peaks, including those who oversee birth and keep the registers, followed by the petition and its requests. Its format resembles the Incantation of the Water Offices: it appeals to the heavens and the Five Sacred Peaks, requests the removal of sins from the registers, and asks the golden dragon to transmit the memorial.)

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Interpretation

Presenting the Jade Tablet, Engraving the Name in the Cinnabar Register, Erasing the Record of Sin, and Reporting to the Imperial Officials

By cultivating the Dao, performing a purification rite, and accruing merit, one redeems and delivers the souls of the nine generations of ancestors and all those who suffer. When the rites of the Dao are complete, one carefully follows the liturgy of the numinous mountain and presents the Jade Tablet, requesting that the names be erased from the register of sins. All attain deliverance, no longer bound by resentments among foes and kin; they leave the Three Evil Paths behind, and their souls ascend to the Nine Heavens. They are delivered from the cycle of death and rebirth and endure through countless kalpas. Today this is reported above, and all the spirits hear it. With a golden seal, I solemnly pledge this covenant. May the Earth Official act as requested, and may the golden dragon carry this report by relay.

Incantation of the Earth Palace

(In the central courtyard, face the Ren direction and click the teeth twelve times. After reading the tablet, the ritual master holds it and recites the incantation.)

Heaven and Earth unfold; the nine Qi divide and manifest their numinous powers. The Three Origins share one seal, and the ten directions shine clear. The Five Elders and the High Emperor open the true register of life; cinnabar writing and red characters are the highest essence of the Primordial Beginning. I hereby proclaim this to Heaven and Earth, and to the sovereign spirits of the nine lands: today this is reported above, and the myriad immortals determine the fate of the living. I perform purification rites and practice the Dao for all, living and dead. I pray that I and my fellow immortals may present our names on the Jade Tablet. May the Great Sovereign of the Earth Palace erase the forms of sin, submit the tablet to the Upper Palace, and remove the names from the registers of the Pure Radiance. May the body attain flight and share the numinous power of Heaven and Earth; may the nine generations of ancestors and kin flourish anew, even if their bones have decayed. May their souls ascend to the Southern Palace and receive transformation in the immortal court. Today this command is proclaimed, and all the spirits hear it. With a golden seal, I solemnly pledge my utmost sincerity. May this be done as requested, and may the golden dragon carry this report by relay.

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Incantation for Presenting Tablets at the Numinous Mountains of the Five Peaks

On one’s birth-year day, a Jiazi day, or the day Beginning of Spring, write the Eastern red text, from “Beginning in the East” through “Raising the Immortal”—twenty-four characters in all. On the day Beginning of Summer, write the Southern red text, from “Beginning in the South” through “Great Yang”—thirty-two characters. On the equinoxes and solstices, write the Central red text, from “Beginning in the Center” through “Myriad Spirits”—forty characters. On the day Beginning of Autumn, write the Western red text, from “Beginning in the West” through “Supreme Immortal”—forty-eight characters. On the day Beginning of Winter, write the Northern red text, from “Beginning in the North” through “Jade Steps”—forty characters. Write each text in the color corresponding to its direction on a white wooden tablet, and record the person’s name and the month and day, following the rite for presenting the tablet. After nine years, the immortal officials of the five directions will arrive: Qingyao, Chigui, Huangsu, Taisu, and the Jade Maiden Taixuan will all manifest. Click the teeth twelve times and recite:

Numinous sovereigns of the high mystery, revered deities of the Primordial Beginning, the Great Sage circles above, and the myriad sages approach the throne. The Three Luminaries spread their radiance, and auspicious clouds gather on every side. I report above, requesting the charts be examined and the Nine Heavens’ calculations made…

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Interpretation

The following is a plain-language explanation of a rite from the Shangqing Lingbao Dafa for presenting a petition and warding off disaster by pacifying the stars, arranged in the order of the original text.

Presenting a Petition

On the appointed day, bring forth your heart’s wish. Treat the red characters written in cinnabar—the talismanic document written in vermilion—as sacred characters formed naturally before Heaven. Present the petition to the sacred mountain. Report your name to the Five Emperors, the emperors of the five directions, so that it may be entered in the Jade Register, the celestial register of names. Let the myriad spirits witness it, with the sun and moon as proof. Pray for deliverance, rebirth, transformation into a spirit, and attainment of immortality; let Heaven, Earth, and the stars shine in correspondence with your own person. Let the Three Officials and Nine Offices—the officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water and the judges of the Nine Offices—and the Great Spirits of the Five Emperors spread the proclamation without end, and erase the roots of sin. Let Yuanshi, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, open the Dharma gate wide and accept all who come; may the departed souls of nine generations of ancestors naturally receive blessings. Escape the Three Paths and Five Sufferings—the three realms of punishment, such as hell, and the five forms of suffering—as well as the Eight Difficulties. Shine together with the Three Luminaries, the sun, moon, and stars, in the Purple Court, the celestial court; pass through the cycles of existence without perishing, and attain the state of a flying immortal.

After completing the incantation, finish reciting the petition and cast it onto the summit of a sheer cliff. Then scatter flowers upon the sacred mountain. Next, click the teeth together three times, face the direction corresponding to your birth year, and recite:

Yuanshi surveys and illuminates; the immortal name is already inscribed.

The Three Officials and Nine Offices remove sins and deeds.

Scatter flowers before the Five Emperors; make a covenant with the Great Void.

Grant what has been set forth; abide forever through ten thousand kalpas.

Pacifying the Stars and Warding Off Celestial Disasters

This method centers on the red writings of the five directions. It summons the star officials and celestial divisions of each direction to quiet disasters from Heaven and bring peace to every quarter.

• East: Begin with Jupiter and continue through the group of disasters, for a total of thirty-two characters. Write in vermilion on blue paper, and leave it exposed in the courtyard for nine days and nine nights. Burn it according to the prescribed method and scatter the ashes into blue smoke. Also engrave the text on stone and bury it in blue stone.
• South: Begin with Mars and continue through Mingling, for a total of thirty-six characters. Write in vermilion on blue paper, and leave it exposed in the courtyard for three days and three nights. Burn it, then engrave it on red stone and bury it.
• Center: Begin with Saturn and continue through Yichuan, for a total of forty characters. Write in vermilion on blue paper, and leave it exposed in the courtyard for twelve days and twelve nights. Burn it, then engrave it on yellow stone and bury it.
• West: Begin with Venus and continue through Beiyuan, for a total of twenty-four characters. Write in vermilion on blue paper, and leave it exposed in the courtyard for seven days and seven nights. Burn it, then engrave it on white stone and bury it.
• North: Begin with Beichen and continue through Lunhui, for a total of thirty-two characters. Write in vermilion on blue paper, and leave it exposed in the courtyard for five days and five nights. Burn it, then engrave it on black stone and bury it.

For each directional rite, face east, let your hair down, click the teeth together twelve times, and recite:

Yuanshi in the High Heaven, the Three Luminaries shine on high.

Turn back their radiance; let the four quarters grow bright and clear.

Where the courses of fate collide, stir and set the shooting stars in motion.

The five divisions have strayed from their paths; the three calendrical systems have lost their harmony.

This is a plea for the Celestial Worthy to harmonize the movements of Heaven and correct the disorder of the stars and calendar that brings about celestial disasters.

Note: The character counts, the starting and ending names of the stars, and special terms such as “group of disasters” and “Mingling” in the original often correspond to specific talismanic characters and stellar positions. A plain-language account can convey only their general meaning. To perform the liturgy, consult the original book’s talisman designs and directional instructions.

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Interpretation

The Five Dippers, the True Lord of the Seven Lodges of Luminous Spirit, and the Great Kui—his taboo name is Suijing. His consort, Imperial Consort, is styled Nurturer of Infants. Together they govern the Mysterious Pass and turn back the regular courses of Heaven.

Today, calamities have befallen visitors, and a mysterious warning has revealed ill omens. We respectfully submit the true text, written in vermilion, scatter our hair to atone for transgressions, and bare our sincere hearts. May you extend your profound scrutiny and restore the heavenly order. Qi must not cross its bounds, and calamity must not arise without cause. Burn the numinous text and scatter its smoke through the Jade Court. May the higher radiance watch over and illuminate all, and proclaim this to the myriad spirits. May Qi be dispelled at the Three Passes and calamity eradicated throughout the Nine Regions. May Yin and Yang be harmonized and the realm brought to peace.

We respectfully dispatch a golden dragon by the courier routes of wind and fire. When the incantation is complete, expose the true text in the central courtyard and place each one in its proper direction. Use a golden dragon to guard it, then burn it according to the day. Also, following the colors and counts assigned to each direction, carve the text into stone and bury it as a protective charm; illuminate it with a lamp, and set patterned silk in place as a token of the rite.

Incantation for Subduing and Summoning

When receiving the higher teachings, one should first subdue demons and ghosts. Once demonic essences have been brought under control, the spirits will come of their own accord.

• East: From “Eastern Mountain” to “Prolonging Delay,” thirty characters in all; write them in vermilion on a green wooden spike.
• South: From “Summon from the North” to “Destroy and Annihilate,” thirty-two characters in all; write them in yellow on a red wooden spike.
• Center: From “Command and Summon” to “Before Us,” sixteen characters in all; write them in white on a yellow wooden spike.
• West: From “Vermilion Text” to “Emperor Lord,” sixteen characters in all; write them in black on a white wooden spike.
• North: From “Northern Mountain” to “Extinguish and Destroy,” twenty-four characters in all; write them in green on a black wooden spike.

For every recitation, face northeast. Recite the eastern text nine times, the southern three times, the central twelve times, the western seven times, and the northern five times. In each case, click the teeth thirty-six times, hold the breath, and draw in Qi nine times. Then look upward and recite:

The Three Primordials conceal the light; the heavenly order turns back. The cycles run their course, and the hundred-and-six calamities grow fierce. Great tribulations converge, and myriad demons contend in their workings. The Northern Feng (the underworld office of the north) imposes no restraint; the ghostly hosts run wild, the demons give free rein to their violence, and baleful forces obscure Heaven’s light. The High Emperor has issued a command, proclaimed throughout the ten directions. He makes clear the measures of Heaven, opens wide the teachings of the Law, governs the people by the righteous Way, and sweeps away ill omens. What petty demons are these, gathering in groups to bring calamity? The vermilion-written Jade Text commands and subdues the realm of ghosts. The Three Officials of the Northern Feng must swiftly make the command clear and put it into effect. Bind the thousand demons; send off the myriad ghosts in their forms. The flowing bells flash and gleam, arousing the Qi of the Sun. Golden tigers summon from the four quarters, while heavenly soldiers capture and hunt down the dead. Great and small alike must arrive; none may hide. What the Primordial Beginning has proclaimed is to be presented in a list to the heavens above.

Brief explanation: The passage belongs to the ritual tradition of the Highest Clarity and Numinous Treasure. It first uses a vermilion-written true text to atone for offenses, dispel calamity, and harmonize Yin and Yang. It then pairs wooden spikes for the five directions, inscribed in the colors green, red, yellow, white, and black, with tooth-clicking and breath-holding as the practitioner recites the incantation for subduing and summoning. The aim is to subdue demons and ghosts and summon the spirits. The passage also mentions exposing the text in the central courtyard, using a golden dragon to guard it before burning, and carving it into stone for burial as a protective charm. “Great Kui,” “Five Dippers,” and “Seven Lodges” are names associated with the Dipper constellation and stellar lords. The “Three Officials of the Northern Feng” are offices of the northern underworld. The incantation emphasizes the cycles of tribulation, demons and baleful forces, and a proclamation by the Primordial Beginning to Heaven.

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Interpretation

The Great Dharma of Highest Clarity and Numinous Treasure (Part Two): A Plain-Language Interpretation

Incantations for Summoning Dragons and Celestial Water Spirits, Stilling the Waters, and Crossing Them

When disasters of a great cosmic calamity strike and floodwaters spread everywhere, this talisman can avert and stop them.

Alternatively, one may command a jiao-dragon to open a passage, clearing a waterway so one can cross. For the East, write the characters from “beginning below” to “without interval”: thirty-two characters in all. Write them in cinnabar on yellow paper, then cast the paper into the water. For the South, write from “Southern River” to “not following”: forty-eight characters. For the Center, from “Central Mountain” to “widely heard”: forty-eight characters. For the West, from “Western Mountain” to “relay station”: forty-eight characters. For the North, from “Nine Rivers” to “wind-borne haste”: twenty-four characters. In every case, follow the Eastern method: click the teeth five times, hold the breath for twenty-five breaths, and visualize fire arising within the heart. The fire bursts from the crown of the head, burning up the mountains, forests, and plants in all four directions, as well as one’s own body, until everything becomes dust and ash. In an instant, one rises above the green smoke, leaving nothing behind. Then visualize the great flood raging and washing away everything under Heaven, while one’s own body transforms into a jiao-dragon and moves with the current. Next, click the teeth twenty-five times and recite:

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Incantation:

The upper Qi returns to the numinous and illumines the Nine Origins. Heaven turns and Earth revolves; the Three Qi flow and circulate. The Five Phases urge one another, setting the mechanisms of transformation in motion. Yin and Yang clash and surge, forming calamity and upheaval. The great calamity comes to its end, sweeping away malign influences. The Nine Rivers receive their due, and torrents surge through the waterways. Waters, do not linger; birds, gather in flocks. Sun and Moon grow dark, and the Three Luminaries halt at their gates. Above, the chosen servants are selected, and the jade texts are examined and arranged. Cast off evil and honor goodness; let the clear and turbid remain divided forever. I am bound to the Emperor’s register, my name inscribed among the Nine Heavens. At the convergence of great disasters, the Red Writ can dispel them. On this day the command is proclaimed, and all the spirits hear it. Sun, Moon, and Five Planets, shine upon my soul. Sacred mountains of the Five Marchmounts, bear my body across. Spirits of the water palaces of the Nine Rivers, profound and radiant, open a deep-water passage and clear the river crossing. Let the jiao-dragons answer the talisman, draw in the mountains, and send forth clouds. Carry me and ferry me, racing in alarm to all four quarters. Cinnabar writ and red characters, the true text of the Primordial Beginning. Golden dragons speed along the relay route, without delay for a single moment. At once, present the petition to the imperial court and report above to the Emperor-Lord.

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When the incantation is finished, draw in and swallow the Qi twenty-five times. In a moment, a water spirit will open the way: if one is in the mountains, the mountains themselves will rise and float; if one is in the water, the waters will part. This is a way to save oneself when facing danger and cross to safety in an instant. When floods afflict the various states, a purification ritual may also be established and carried out with focused devotion.

The Celestial Worthy, at the beginning of countless kalpas…

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Brief explanation:

This passage describes a secret method in the Lingbao tradition—the Great Dharma of Highest Clarity and Numinous Treasure—for responding to floods and the dangers of crossing water. Its main elements are:

1. Directional talismans and incantations: Each of the five directions—East, South, Center, West, and North—has a talisman with a specified number of characters, ranging from twenty-four to forty-eight. Write it on yellow paper and cast it into the water.

2. Visualization: By clicking the teeth, holding the breath, and regulating the breath, one visualizes transforming into a flame that burns away all things, then into a jiao-dragon that travels with the current.

3. Principal incantation: One petitions the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning and the great spirits of the Nine Rivers’ water palaces to have the water spirits open a way and the jiao-dragons carry one across.

4. Claimed effects: The text states that after reciting the incantation and guiding the Qi, mountains can float and waters can part, allowing one to rescue oneself and escape danger. When floods strike a state, a purification ritual may also be performed to avert and dispel them.

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Interpretation

Classic: The Great Method of the Highest Clarity and Numinous Treasure (Part Two)

The numinous script is formed from Original Qi and True Jing, and is used to govern calamities and destinies, protect the state, and keep the people safe. Only those blessed with good fortune in past lives and affinities with goodness can encounter this text. People of high antiquity were gentle and simple, embracing the uncarved block and merging with the Dao. They did not need to establish purification and abstinence rites beforehand; when they practiced, the response came at once. In these latter times, customs have grown shallow and people’s hearts have grown scattered. Few remain faithful to the ancestral way, while many turn from the truth. Those who wish to practice this method must follow the concise writings of the Three Origins to establish purification rites and perform the Dao. They must focus their minds and thoughts, and inwardly accord with the profound sages; only then can they elicit a response. Otherwise, demons will interfere with the undertaking, and it will be an empty gesture. One may select practitioners of refined and pure character and, in a place far from worldly dust—among famous mountains and sacred sites—seek a response that accords with the Dao. In this way, they may reveal the compassion with which the Great Dao saves and liberates, and the Supreme One’s grace in rescuing all beings. Those who spread this teaching should strive to fulfill their task.

Master Guangcheng on the True Writings

Long ago, when the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning had brought the undivided Primordial Unity to its division and the Three Qi opened the cosmic design, the Original Essence of the Great Dao and the Qi of True Unity transformed into the Numinous Treasure Red Writings. They coalesced into script and descended upon the Five Directions, to stabilize Heaven and Earth and summon the perfected numinous beings. Thus it is said: “Heaven and Earth gain stability and protection from them; the sun and moon gain their radiance; ghosts and spirits gain liberation; and people gain long life.” Transmitted in the world, the True Writings can dispel heavenly calamities and protect emperors. Below, they can avert poisons and harm and deliver the myriad people; subdue spirits and ghosts; rescue those sunk in suffering; and accomplish anything. The scripture says: “Without the Writings, nothing is illumined; without the Writings, nothing shines; without the Writings, nothing is established; without the Writings, nothing is completed; without the Writings, nothing is delivered; without the Writings, nothing is born.” It also says: “The Red Writings, Jade Characters, and Dragon Writings of the Eight Powers protect and govern the cycles of calamity, ensuring that Heaven endures.” Such is the wondrous efficacy of the five scrolls of the Numinous Treasure True Writings. They can stabilize Heaven’s divisions and measures, harmonize Yin-Yang, liberate soaring souls—the spirits of the dead ascending to Heaven—and protect emperors. They rescue those who have sunk and aid those who are drowning, open communication with the hidden and reach the manifest, harmonize Qi and dispel blame, turn aside death and prolong life. No one suffering the pains of life and death is beyond their aid.

When establishing a purification rite, the Jade Characters of the True Writings are used to stabilize the Five Directions and consecrate the ritual altar. When the rite is complete, they are collected and burned, and their ashes scattered amid the blue smoke, following the procedures set out in the Jade Instructions. Or, if a practitioner seeks self-cultivation and prays for deliverance from the world, for their name to be recorded among the ranks of the immortals, and for eternal release from the offices of the ghosts, they should write the text on a jade tablet on the Three Origins, the Eight Seasonal Nodes, or the day of their own birth under the sexagenary cycle, and cast it into a famous mountain. In this way, their record of sins from past lives will be erased, and their name reported to Heaven.

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Interpretation

Merit and Protection

Every matter is examined and verified three times by the Three Officials of the Heavens and the Nine Offices, and meritorious deeds are recorded in Heaven. The myriad spirits become one’s companions, offering reverent protection; the Five Emperors stand guard, and officials of the Three Realms come forth to welcome one. A thousand demons and ten thousand spirits dare not transgress. The scripture says: “When one’s resolve and vows are firm, all that one seeks will be accomplished. Ancestors of seven generations ascend to Heaven, and blessings and celebrations in life and death follow one another like shadows, each repaying the other.”

Master Guangcheng’s Further Account: Middle Section

The purpose of the Yellow Register Retreat is to save departed souls, raise and deliver flying spirits, open a path through the long night, and lift the dead from the depths below. This is its general aim. Yet it also dispels calamities, brings blessings, repents of transgressions, and seeks grace. Practiced by people and heavenly beings alike, it benefits both households and the state; its merit extends everywhere. The Five Elders’ Red Script of the Numinous Treasure, used to subdue and protect, describes its functions in detail. These broadly fall into four uses:

First, seeking immortality and receiving the Dao—from the twenty-four characters beginning “The Nine Qi descend from the East.”

Second, warding off and restraining the stars—from the thirty-two characters beginning “Jupiter assists the Liver.”

Third, subduing ghosts and demons—from the thirty-two characters beginning “The Divine Incantation of the Eastern Mountain.”

Fourth, removing the Nine Harms—from the thirty-two characters beginning “Subdue the Eastern River below.”

The purposes of the five scrolls are now complete.

The liturgy of Celestial Master Zhang Wanfu of Qingdu Abbey in the Western Capital says: “The jade script of the Eightfold Assembly, the hidden words of the heavens, was spoken by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning to the Wise Child in the Garden of Fragrant Woods. It delivers those below from the Five Sufferings and saves all beings in the Ninefold Darkness. It was engraved on stone and used in rites for transferring spirits.” Today, this text should be used in Yellow Register rites for transferring and delivering souls. May it be applied in keeping with the rites, in both auspicious and inauspicious circumstances, and assessed and assigned as appropriate, so that it may circulate through all eternity. The invocations and blessings are to be recited and burned along with the true script. Since these established methods are available, may they be widely practiced together.

The Great Brahma Hidden Words of the Numinous Text, Middle Section

(Also called the Hidden Words of the Thirty-Two Heavens)

• Eight Heavens of the East
• Eight Heavens of the South
• Eight Heavens of the West
• Eight Heavens of the North
• The Center (the original method has no talisman for the Center; other editions include one here)

The natural jade characters of the Yellow Emperor’s celestial script, the One Qi of the Great Luo Heaven of the Numinous Treasure.

Night Rite for Closing the Altar

After reading the text in each direction, the disciple presents it to the ritual master with incense smoke rising. The ritual master clicks his teeth twelve times and chants:

“Daytime nine, thirty…”

(The incantation is recited in full according to the liturgy.)

Note: “Three Officials and Nine Offices” refers to Daoist agencies that assess merit and conduct. The “Five Emperors” and the “Three Realms” refer to offices of the celestial bureaucracy. The “Five Elders’ Red Script” is a true text of the Numinous Treasure school used to protect and subdue the altar. The “Jade Script of the Eightfold Assembly” and the “Hidden Words of the Thirty-Two Heavens” belong to the system of the heavens’ hidden words. “Daytime nine, thirty” marks a section of the incantation; the precise wording and method of recitation follow the liturgy transmitted by one’s teacher.

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Interpretation

The Eight Convergences and Nine Lights naturally form these writings. They are used to pacify and stabilize Heaven and Earth, and to protect them from the calamities of the age.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning issues a talismanic command, proclaiming it throughout the Three Origins. Below, it reaches the Nine Earths; above, it is communicated to the various heavens.

In between, it is proclaimed to the seas, mountains, famous peaks, and great rivers. Today it is announced above, and all the spirits hear it.

Through purification rites and the practice of the Dao, secluded souls are rescued and delivered. The Three Offices and Nine Departments erase the roots of sin.

They are forever delivered beyond the Three Paths and the source of the Five Sufferings. In every life they receive blessings, and their names are entered in the Cinnabar Register.

Their spirits are born in Heaven, refined and transformed through the natural process. They are delivered through life and death, and endure for countless kalpas.

The Nine Heavens proclaim the command; wind and fire carry it by relay.

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Yunzhong respectfully reflects: The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning set the true mechanism in motion before the cycles of the kalpas, and opened the numinous charts at the beginning of Heaven and Earth. The five chapters of red script and jade characters descended and spread forth, giving rise to Heaven and Earth, directing creation and transformation, and descending into the world at the appointed time, in accord with the unfolding of destiny. Thus, above, they can bring the celestial scriptures into proper alignment and harmonize the seasons and climate; in the middle, they can bring peace to states and protect and stabilize emperors; below, for students seeking immortality and entering the Dao, they can drive away demonic trials and bring virtuous accomplishments to fruition. Used to pacify and stabilize the four directions, they purify and solemnize the ritual ground. Cast into mountains, rivers, and seas, they erase sins and record the names of immortals.

This is the original rule in the Jade Instructions and the fundamental meaning of the higher scriptures. Once purification rites had been established, the five writings were used to stabilize the altar. After a purification rite was undertaken, its work completed, and its merit fulfilled, slips were cast into the mountains, rivers, and Earth’s offices, in the hope that diligence in the rite would be recorded and the register of transgressions erased. The three slips cast in the Yellow Register rite are based on this practice.

In recent times, ignorant people have failed to investigate its origins. Many have invented talismanic texts to write on the backs of the slips, or altered the talismans according to the season. This is a grave departure from the tradition. How can they fail to understand the subtlety of the five chapters and the efficacy of the numinous writings? They may be used together or separately, and can ward off every calamity and deliver all beings. Moreover, the red script and jade characters properly belong at the head of the chapters of the Great Lingbao Rite. Their inclusion in the compendium of purification rites is intended to let those who perform the rites understand the procedures for stabilizing the altar and casting the slips. Since these practices truly originate here, one should not follow popular custom by inventing talismans and using them recklessly.

As for casting slips during dispersed purification, that belongs entirely to the purification-rite tradition and is explained in detail in the section “Casting Dragons and Sending Slips.” The three incantations for announcing the slips at the altar and casting the dragon should be studied carefully. How could some other talisman be used on the back of the slip?

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