《太上大道玉清經》Vol. 3

At that time, numerous spiritual practitioners (referring to cultivators) attained liberation and ascended to the realm of Dao cultivation, yet their hearts were filled with remorse. They reflected: "Never did we imagine we would encounter the Celestial Worthy (the highest deity in Daoism) and gain rebirth, eternally freed from afflictions while receiving the grace of the Great Dao. Such salvation is profoundly profound—from the depths of our hearts, we pray to borrow the divine power of the Celestial Worthy to extensively deliver all beings across the realms of Yin and Yang. We vow to liberate all from peril and propagate the teachings of the Great Dao."

They lamented to one another: "Looking back, we lacked favorable conditions in the past—sunk in filth, trapped in the cycle of life and death, fallen into heterodox paths, deaf to the true Dharma. When we recall these sufferings, what could we have relied upon? Though now liberated, the wounds in our hearts remain fresh, our sorrow not yet fully dispelled. Moreover, we fear that supreme sages like the Celestial Worthy, whose Qi connects with Heaven, may not long remain in this dusty world where human blessings are meager and sins abundant, for true immortals (those who have attained the Dao) abide in purity and wuwei (non-action). Though this Dharma assembly has already delivered many, the Nine Nether Hells (the deepest hell realms in Daoism) still hold countless tormented souls who will never see the light, enduring endless kalpas in perpetual darkness without liberation."

At this moment, spiritual practitioners under the Eastern Green Emperor (one of the Five Directional Celestial Emperors) stepped forward, bowed, and inquired of the Celestial Worthy: "We wonder if today's salvation extends universally without obstruction? Can those suffering in the Nine Nether Hells also attain liberation? We are ignorant disciples, unable to fully comprehend, and humbly beseech the Celestial Worthy to compassionately expound in detail so we may understand."

The Celestial Worthy replied: "Excellent, excellent! Your question embodies a compassionate heart. I manifest responsive incarnations to deliver tormented souls in hell—except for those guilty of the Ten Unpardonable Evils, who have already received chances for rebirth. Those with deeply rooted karmic obstructions naturally face retributive limitations, for even the Great Dao cannot deliver them. Why? The Ten Evil Ones bring calamity upon themselves—it is not inflicted by others. In life, they disregarded their teachers' guidance, neglected the scriptures, or dwelled in remote lands without virtuous companions, knowing only theft, killing, and other evils, thus falling into hell after death. Such persons' sins are still relatively light. Worse are those from the Central Plains who, though foolish, once heard the true Dharma yet willfully violated it, descending to hell after death. These individuals, cycling through life and death, persistently disbelieve the Great Dao, indulging their nature in creating evil karma—like those in the mundane world so stubborn that even the threat of death cannot sway them."

(Note: This scripture passage primarily expounds the Daoist concept of "inherited burden" (chengfu), emphasizing how personal actions determine one's destiny, while reflecting early Daoist thought on hell's deliverance. Though the Celestial Worthy's salvation is vast, it has limits when confronting inveterate evildoers, illustrating the fundamental doctrine of karmic retribution in Daoism.)

This scripture employs vivid analogies to reveal the intractable nature of those who commit the Ten Evils (referring to grave offenses such as killing and stealing). Like mischievous children who remain unruly despite parental discipline, or flies drawn to decay and moths hurling themselves into flames, these evildoers are bound by their ingrained tendencies. They often surround themselves with wicked companions, not only perpetuating their own misdeeds but also teaching their families to follow suit, thus passing down transgressions through generations.

The text observes how these individuals indulge in sensual pleasures, stopping at nothing to satisfy their desires: merchants risk dangerous paths for profit, slaughter living beings without remorse, and remain insatiable in their greed. Having cultivated no virtue in life, they inevitably descend into hell after death to endure torment. Though the Dao (the supreme truth of Daoism) in its compassion seeks to deliver them, they remain like withered trees that cannot sprout even in spring—ultimately incapable of awakening the heart that turns toward the Way.

The final dialogue between the Perfected (enlightened adepts) and the Celestial Worthy (the highest Daoist deity) underscores how the deeply rooted wickedness of such people makes them as difficult to reform as inherently rebellious creatures. Using everyday phenomena as metaphors, this scripture warns all to shun evil deeds and harmful associations, lest they become trapped in an inescapable cycle of corruption.

Good and evil actions both fundamentally originate from the Dao (the cosmic source-truth), much like travelers choosing between two directions: one moving toward the Dao, the other turning away from it. Those who deviate from the Dao are like wanderers lost in dark mountain ranges, stumbling into shadowed ravines filled with vicious beasts, thorns, and poisonous brambles. When their provisions and clothing are exhausted, pressed by suffering and entangled by countless afflictions, they meet sudden death—their hunpo (ethereal soul) then cycles through rebirth according to their karmic deeds.

Those who align with the Dao, however, find their path unobstructed. All their aspirations are fulfilled: they encounter virtuous companions (daoyou) at every turn, always find shelter when needed, and even gain effortless access to imperial audiences if desired. Because their hearts incline toward the Dao, no beneficial outcome lies beyond reach. These diametrically opposed fates stem from habitual actions, not from any partiality in the Dao itself—the Way is inherently barrierless; practitioners alone choose whether to follow or oppose it.

Evildoers forsake the Dao of their own volition; the Dao does not abandon them. The virtuous harmonize with the Dao through their own efforts; the Dao does not favor them. Understand this: we, the sacred host (referring to high-ranking Daoist divinities), have spent kalpas delivering beings. Even the most wicked, who temporarily disbelieve in the Dao, are never forsaken by it.

Here, a spiritually attuned seeker (a cultivated adept) voiced concern: "Those burdened by heavy evil karma are like shattered pottery—can they truly be restored?" The Celestial Worthy (the supreme Daoist deity) replied: "The Dao’s power resembles a furnace refining gold—no impurity lies beyond its purifying flames. For now, let the wicked suffer until they loathe their misdeeds; then, through supreme divine power, they too shall be guided back."

When pressed for specifics, the Celestial Worthy manifested miraculous displays: first materializing 100,000 towering, silver-tongued evildoers who brazenly mocked fear of hellish retribution. In an instant, celestial immortals bearing ritual banners (fulu) summoned damned souls from the Nine Nether Hells (the deepest Daoist purgatory). As these sinners stood among the manifestations, the Celestial Worthy then conjured a million divine warriors, poised in solemn array. This entire revelation showcased the Dao’s unimpeded compassion and awe-inspiring transformative might.

This scripture depicts a scene imbued with Daoist concepts of karmic retribution. The Iron-Clad Guardian (a protector deity) is interrogating those who committed numerous evil deeds, who initially remain defiant. The guardian then pulverizes them with his massive iron rod. When questioning the damned souls (spirits who fell into ghostly realms due to wicked deeds in life), even before the rod descends, these ghosts immediately beg for mercy, pledging to take refuge in the Great Dao (the Way).

At this moment, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (the supreme deity in Daoism) dispatches a million divine officials (celestial administrators) holding left-hand tallies (covenant credentials in Daoism) to scour the four directions, capturing the descendants of these damned souls. In an instant, countless ghosts tremble before the majesty of Daoist law and gather at the ritual assembly. These ghosts, originally unrepentant, suddenly find themselves forcibly summoned and remain resentful.

When the damned souls see their descendants, they wail in grief and rage, cursing: "You vile, unfilial wretches—I've long wanted to destroy you!" Hearing this, the descendants are terrified, their hair standing on end, immediately suffering headaches, fevers, and full-body agony. By now, the damned souls' forms are utterly mutilated: some missing limbs, some flayed, some with bellies split open, some boiled or burned, some with flesh carved or eyes gouged, some tongues torn out, some dismembered by saws, some bodies pierced by awls, some intestines hooked out, some gnawed by beasts—indescribable horrors.

The living descendants suffer these retributions because they inherited their ancestors' ten evil karmas (the grave offenses including killing and theft). Thus in life they endure punishments: blindness, deafness, muteness, lameness, festering sores, baldness, rotting bones, twisted faces, or abject poverty and sickness. As humans and ghosts behold each other's mirrored suffering, grief overwhelms them, and they weep in each other's arms.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning gently asks: "How have you humans and ghosts fallen to this state? Such misery in life and death alike. Moved by compassion, I cannot abandon you—thus I summoned you through divine power." Overcome with shame, both groups gaze up at the Worthy radiating violet-gold light, and at the divine officials pure as ice and snow.

From the crowd of wrongdoers, one named Qiuli steps forward, bows, and inquires: "Venerable Celestial Worthy, what virtuous deeds did you cultivate to attain such majestic form, boundless divine power, and unimpeded wisdom? Pray reveal to us the causes and conditions." Through vivid portrayals of karmic retribution, this scripture illustrates the Daoist doctrine of "inherited burden" (ancestral karma affecting descendants), urging all to abandon evil and embrace virtue.

A Celestial Venerable (the highest deity in Daoism) responded to a question, saying: "The cultivation method we sacred beings practice is quite simple—it consists of upholding compassion, enduring hardship with forbearance, diligent practice, strict adherence to precepts, charitable giving to aid the poor, and causing no harm to living beings. It is precisely by maintaining these virtuous practices that we attained our current state of realization."

Hearing the Celestial Venerable's teachings, the ten types of evildoers present began turning toward goodness in their hearts, silently repenting their past misdeeds as they knelt prostrate, not daring to rise. Among these ten evil spirits, one named "Returning to Truth," seeing his descendants beginning to repent, also bowed and inquired: "Do we beings in the ghost realm also qualify to hear the true Dharma? Having committed many evil deeds in life, we now suffer retribution in the spirit paths—I fear liberation may be beyond our reach."

The Celestial Venerable revealed: "You need only concentrate your minds on the Dao (the Way), avoid deviant paths, and maintain the Daoist teachings in your hearts wherever you are—I will naturally deliver you." Hearing this, the spirits' minds gradually turned toward the righteous path, their festering wounds began to heal, and the living people afflicted by their hauntings also started to recover.

Suddenly, the "Controller of Faults" spirit in charge of punishment arrived through the air with prison officials, reporting to the Celestial Venerable: "We've just received strict orders to release these spirits, but we truly don't understand—why suddenly pardon these ten grave evils? Their criminal records remain, and their karmic retribution isn't yet complete."

Knowing the underlying causes, the Celestial Venerable skillfully questioned the Controller: "For what offenses did these spirits fall into hell? How many kalpas of suffering remain for them?" The Controller detailed their crimes: The first type committed incest and murdered parents or relatives; the second rebelled against rulers and caused civilian deaths; the third robbed and killed merchants for wealth; the fourth blasphemed the Dao, leaked scriptures, and destroyed virtuous deeds; the fifth trafficked family members for profit; the sixth delighted in plundering households and nations; the seventh robbed graves and desecrated corpses; the eighth withheld food from starving parents while feasting alone; the ninth betrayed teachers without remorse; the tenth oppressed orphans and the poor while sowing discord. For these offenses, they were condemned to suffer in hell for ten thousand kalpas.

The Compassionate Heavenly Worthy of Suffering (a Daoist deity who delivers departed souls), moved by mercy, once again inquired of the Officer of Transgressions (the divine official overseeing karmic offenses) regarding those who committed the Ten Heinous Crimes: "What constitutes the sins of sexual defilement and the murder of parents, uncles, aunts, siblings, and other kin?" The Officer of Transgressions replied: "A man guilty of the Ten Heinous Crimes may defile his mother and murder his father, while a woman may defile her father and murder her mother. The same applies to those who commit such atrocities against uncles, aunts, brothers, or sisters."

Upon hearing these words, the perpetrators of the Ten Heinous Crimes examined their own misdeeds and found them identical to the sins of their ancestors. Terrified at the thought of descending into hell after death, their hair stood on end, and their hearts trembled with dread. In bitter remorse, they beat themselves until they bled. The collective wailing of these sinful ghosts shook heaven and earth like a collapsing mountain.

The Officer of Transgressions continued: "The records of life and death for these Ten Heinous offenders are under my jurisdiction, documenting only their evil deeds, not a single good act. Neither in life nor in death have they shown repentance—why should the Heavenly Worthy still seek to deliver them? If they are spared punishment and granted salvation outright, foolish people in later generations will only grow more reckless in their wickedness. When they finally seek escape, there will be nowhere to flee."

The Compassionate Heavenly Worthy responded: "The Supreme Dao treats enemies and kin alike, embracing all with equal compassion and universal deliverance. Know this, Officer of Transgressions—I have already dispatched one hundred thousand mid-level immortals bearing banners of summons deep into the Ninefold Darkness of hell to retrieve the departed souls. Another fifty thousand spirit messengers soar across the four directions carrying left-hand contracts to trace the descendants of these sinners. By the law of karmic cause and effect, they must be given a chance at redemption: those who sincerely repent shall be granted deliverance, but those who relapse will receive no further salvation." Hearing this, the Officer of Transgressions dared not speak another word.

At this moment, the representative of the sinners, Profit-Seeker, and the host of sinful ghosts—their karmic afflictions and sufferings intensified by fear—pleaded with the Heavenly Worthy for salvation. Perceiving their hearts, the Heavenly Worthy admonished them: "You have inherited the Ten Heinous karma of your ancestors, and the underworld’s records mirror their crimes exactly. Why behave like beasts—defiling your closest kin, slaughtering your own flesh and blood, scheming against the virtuous without shame? Your sins are too grave now to qualify for esoteric practices. Only by abandoning the Ten Evils and cultivating virtue day and night can you attain liberation. But the Supreme Secret Dao (the profound methods of inner alchemy) cannot yet be transmitted to you."

At that time, the assembly each recorded ten precepts to discipline body and mind, vowing never to transgress again. Then a man named Qiuli petitioned the Celestial Master (Tianshi, the highest Daoist deity): "The ancestral spirits of these people bear heavy karmic burdens—how may they be delivered from suffering?"

The Celestial Master replied: "Return to your homes and establish quiet cultivation spaces. Devoutly venerate the Daoist teachings, performing morning and evening prostrations with repentant hearts. Strictly uphold the precepts while practicing material generosity. Prepare complete offerings of incense, candles, and ritual items to conduct the Jiuyou Grand Purification (Zhaijiao, major rite for soul salvation) for three days and nights. Burn incense, chant scriptures, and with utmost sincerity perform the triple repentance. Additionally, during the Zhongyuan Festival (15th day of the 7th lunar month), hold a grand ritual to feed hungry ghosts. At these times, invite ordained masters to recite this scripture, enlightening the ignorant so their internal and external devotion may bear karmic fruit. Through these merits, your ancestors' spirits shall be delivered to the Southern Palace (Daoist abode of immortality) and reborn in lands where the Dao flourishes. Without such practice, salvation cannot occur."

The assembly kowtowed in gratitude, pledging to follow these instructions. Then the Celestial Master addressed the spirit-medium: "Through great compassion, I deliver these souls—both to relieve their suffering and to establish salvation methods for future generations. When later beings seek to save deceased kin, they must repent ancestral transgressions by this method, resolving underworld punishments. Through ritual repentance, eradicate karmic obstructions, discipline wandering thoughts, sever evil roots, and nurture virtuous deeds. This is the true method of soul salvation."

The Celestial Master then commanded the immortal officials of the Southern Chang Palace (hall of rebirth) who govern life and death to expedite these spirits' reincarnation. The delivered souls wept and rejoiced as they bowed in farewell. The spirit-medium further inquired: "While humans and ghosts find deliverance, countless beings in the animal realm still beg for salvation. Their karmic burdens also stem from the Ten Evils (killing, theft, etc.), and through rebirth as beasts they lose their original nature. Though dull-witted, they possess Dao-nature (potential for enlightenment), knowing maternal care yet spending lives consumed by hunger—preying upon one another in pitiful cycles."

The Celestial Master responded: "Well spoken. Beasts indeed multiply through ignorance, devouring each other, yet all share the Dao-nature." Thereupon, he expounded detailed methods for animal salvation (scriptural details omitted here).

(These scriptures describe the scene when the Five Directional Disease-Spreading Ghost Kings came to voice their grievances as the Supreme Dao Ancestor preached the Dharma to sentient beings.)

Listen well, awakened beings! You should now understand that our Great Dao has always taught sentient beings with compassion, saving suffering souls in hell realms. To sever the cycle of animal rebirth, one must first purify the source - then the tributaries will naturally become clear. Why is this? Because the karmic retribution of the animal realm all originates from the human world. Therefore, we must first teach and transform humanity. When the human path becomes purified, all evil karma ceases to arise. Without evil karma, the animal rebirth path is naturally severed.

Long ago, I expounded this principle to the Dragon Kings and Water Palace Emperors for this very reason. You have forgotten these teachings until now, when you finally regain understanding. At this moment, the Five Directional Disease-Spreading Ghost Kings (spirits governing human illnesses) heard of the Celestial Worthy's descent to universally liberate humans and ghosts. They led five hundred million troops to the Dharma assembly.

The Ghost Kings petitioned the Celestial Worthy: "Due to our karmic retribution, we became Ghost Kings overseeing the human world's registers of life and death. We execute the cycle of life and death by spreading diseases, never neglecting our duties. The offerings humans sacrifice to us often leave surplus, and the life energy we distribute to our subordinates has never ceased. But in recent millennia, the cultivation of Dao has flourished among humans. Our spiritual powers have weakened, our blessings diminished, and our troops starve in weakness - all due to the Celestial Worthy's Daoist teachings. We implore the Celestial Worthy not to dwell long in the human world, allowing all beings to maintain their original order without mutual interference."

Understanding the Ghost Kings' thoughts, the Celestial Worthy immediately manifested as the Demon-Slaying General (a divine warrior specialized in subduing evil spirits): A hundred zhang tall, surrounded by countless attendants, wearing a Vajra Bell (exorcism ritual implement) on his left and holding a Jade Halberd with the Kunwu Divine Sword (Daoist ritual implements) on his right, radiating golden light with thunderous roars. Riding a chariot of mysterious clouds from the northwest, he came before the Celestial Worthy to pay respects.

At this moment, all manifested Dharma Protector Deities emitted earth-shaking thunderous voices, chanting exorcism mantras in unison. The Demon-Slaying General declared himself as the Celestial Worthy's attendant, his eyes shooting meteor-like beams. Seeing such awesome divine power, the Five Directional Ghost Kings and their troops trembled in terror, prostrating on the ground, not daring to raise their heads.

The General immediately rebuked these demonic spirits, saying...

This scripture depicts a celestial venerable (the highest Daoist deity) interrogating various demon kings. With a single thunderous shout from the venerable, all the demon kings prostrated themselves in terror.

The celestial venerable demanded: "Are you responsible for the diseases and untimely deaths plaguing the common people?" The demon kings admitted their mischief. The venerable pressed further: "How many poisonous ailments can you demons spread? Confess truthfully and you'll be spared, but concealment means annihilation!"

Five demon kings confessed their crimes:

• The Green Emperor Demon King (ruler of spring) causes headaches, fevers, and malignant sores
• The Red Emperor Demon King (ruler of summer) brings sunstroke and wasting diseases
• The White Emperor Demon King (ruler of autumn) inflicts cramps, diarrhea, thirst, and melancholy
• The Black Emperor Demon King (ruler of winter) causes joint pain, yin-cold swellings
• The Yellow Emperor Demon King (ruler of all seasons) brings abdominal cramps and colic

The celestial venerable then commanded heavenly generals to make these demon kings experience their own afflictions firsthand, using demon-subduing incantations to weaken their demonic qi. The demon kings writhed in agony, shrieking as if burned by fire. Temporarily relieving their suffering, the venerable rebuked: "This retribution matches your wicked deeds. By harming innocent people, you only deepen your karmic burden, forever forfeiting celestial blessings."

As the heavenly generals glared fiercely, the demon kings suffered renewed torment—blood streaming from their seven orifices. Trembling uncontrollably yet unable to flee, they thrashed like wing-clipped birds. The venerable challenged them again: "Do you truly control human lifespans?" The terrified demons hastily denied this. "Then how do you make people sick?" The demons explained they couldn't directly cause illness, but exploited human vulnerability during sickness.

Finally, the demon kings revealed the crucial truth: people fall ill and attract evil influences precisely because they disregard natural cycles and violate cosmic order (failing to understand shunni,顺应逆顺). This passage unveils a fundamental Daoist health principle—disease originates when humans deviate from the Dao of nature, creating openings for pathogenic qi.

This scripture explores the root causes of human ailments and misfortunes in relation to spirits and deities. The essential teaching is this:

When people lose control of their emotions (experiencing unregulated joy or anger), engage in disputes, indulge excessively in food or sensual pleasures, overwork or idle improperly, or expose themselves to wind, cold, summer heat, or dampness, they invite illness upon themselves. If they remain heedless of these behaviors while also failing in filial piety toward parents, disrespecting teachers, disregarding cosmic laws, or breaking precepts, celestial punishment manifests as physical afflictions. At this point, malevolent spirits seize the opportunity to cause disturbances, often demanding sacrificial offerings in exchange for sparing lives.

However, the scripture emphasizes that evil spirits cannot truly harm virtuous individuals. Those who stray from the Dao, being aligned with corrupt Qi (vital energy) and neglecting spiritual discipline, lose the protection of benevolent deities. But those who cultivate patience, diligence, and compassion—aligning body and mind with the Dao—remain unharmed by malicious spirits.

The text then recounts an encounter with a group of minor demons: initially intending mischief, they trembled in terror upon witnessing the majestic spiritual power of the Heavenly Worthy (Tianzun, the supreme Daoist deity) and desperately begged for mercy. The demons confessed that the radiant majesty of the "Demon-Slaying General" (a divine warrior specialized in subduing evil spirits) caused them unbearable agony—tormented between the inability to live or die. Only after vowing repentance and pledging eternal service to the Heavenly Worthy as protectors of Daoist practitioners did their suffering gradually cease.

The Heavenly Worthy reveals the deeper truth: these spirits' torment actually originates from humanity's unrepentant hearts, not from intentional punishment by the Demon-Slaying General. Though bearing the title "Demon-Slayer," this divine general has in fact attained the compassionate fruits of enlightenment, possessing the six supernatural powers (including divine vision and hearing) while maintaining boundless magnanimity and constant benevolence.

In Daoist scriptures, this passage recounts how a divine general known as the "Demon-Slaying Marshal" subdues malevolent spirits. Contrary to literal interpretation, this marshal does not actually take lives but employs wisdom to eradicate afflictions (termed "affliction-thieves" in Daoism). Commanding six armies representing the perfections of salvation (the Six Paramita Forces), he vanquishes all demonic obstructions to guide beings toward the state of patient endurance.

The Celestial Honored One (the highest divinity in Daoism) admonishes the spirits: Do not mistakenly perceive this marshal as an actual slayer. Those who cling to such heterodox views will remain eternally mired in wicked paths, their negative karma compounding endlessly, their ailments never healing. The Honored One then reveals this teaching through verse:

"Right and wrong share one source,

Like clear and turbid waters from the same spring.

The upright path brings blessings,

The crooked way invites calamity—

Yet evil never conquers good,

All must return to the Origin."

The Honored One continues reproaching the spirits: You must examine yourselves to understand why you fell into the ghost realm. As specters, you reek of foulness, preying on human weakness to demand sacrifices, slaughter living creatures without remorse. Forming wicked alliances, you envy spiritual practitioners, sabotage virtuous deeds, and terrorize beings with disasters. How could such malignant spirits become fields of merit for sentient beings? Knowing only destruction, your sins condemn you to hell—where flames, boiling cauldrons, and sawblades await to exact karmic retribution.

Seeing the spirits remain unconvinced, the Honored One manifests divine power, making them experience hell's terrors firsthand: the Blazing Furnace, Scalding Soup, Sawblade, Mountain of Knives, Frozen Abyss, and Endless Night realms. When wrathful jailers spew fire from their seven orifices, the spirits flee in terror yet find no refuge. Only then do they genuinely repent, begging the Honored One for deliverance. Moments later, the deity appears as a benevolent sage, attendants in tow, flinging open hell's gates to grant them redemption.

Through vivid depictions of infernal realms, this scripture elucidates karma's immutable law, emphasizing the urgency of moral transformation while demonstrating Daoism's core tenets of "punishing evil and exalting good," all suffused with the Celestial Honored One's boundless salvific compassion.

This passage from the Taishang Da Dao Yuqing Jing (Jade Purity Scripture of the Supreme Great Dao) depicts a Celestial Worthy (one of the highest deities in Daoism) delivering damned souls from hell. The ghosts, detained by infernal officials, are brought to the assembly. From afar, they weep bitterly upon seeing the Celestial Worthy, recounting their torments in hell—fully confirming the karmic retribution the Worthy had previously described. Oppressed by their misdeeds and unbearable suffering, they begin yearning for the Great Dao (the supreme truth of Daoism) in their anguish. Some compassionate individuals open the gates of hell, allowing them to emerge and behold the Celestial Worthy again.

Upon seeing the Worthy, the ghosts are overjoyed yet fearful—delighted to witness his presence but terrified of falling back into hell due to their sins. They beg for deliverance, hoping to escape the ghostly realm and the torments of hell. The Celestial Worthy admonishes them: "Your suffering stems from your past lives—tyranny, harming living beings, persecuting the innocent, and spreading calamities to terrify the people. Such retribution is the fruit of your own actions."

The ghosts plead to serve the Great Dao, but the Worthy points out their heavy sins and the lingering filth of the underworld upon them, which would disturb the assembly. The damned souls then implore the Worthy to bestow fa shui (sacred water with purifying power) to cleanse their bodies and minds. Grieving, they kowtow until their eyes bleed, fainting and reviving in despair.

At this moment, a ling ren (an enlightened practitioner), moved by compassion, weeps and faces north, saying: "This disciple was fortunate to receive deliverance, entering the Dao to serve the Celestial Worthy—a blessing earned over countless eons." Grateful for the Worthy’s grace, he begs for mercy toward these ghosts, just as the Worthy once showed him before his awakening. These souls, like his former self, are trapped by delusion, plagued by doubt, wandering long in darkness until meeting the Celestial Worthy—like seeing the sun at last, their confusion instantly dispelled.

The passage concludes with metaphors for enlightenment: like sunlight melting snow, a torch illuminating eternal night, or the Dharma rain (symbolizing Daoist truth) showering nourishment, dissolving layers of darkness. The profound truth flows like a river, washing away worldly attachments, revealing the Dao-nature (the innate capacity for awakening) in clarity.

This scripture recounts a story of redeeming lost souls. The Celestial Venerable (Tianshi, the supreme deity in Daoism) manifests his supreme divine power to deliver a group of suffering ghosts.

These spirits had previously suffered due to straying from the true path, but now finally gained the opportunity to return to the Great Dao (Daode). Originally ignorant and deluded, they were truly pitiable. The Celestial Venerable resolved to assist them through a special method: instructing the Lord of the Southern Chang Palace (a Daoist institution governing departed spirits) to arrange their rebirth as humans who would serve as the Celestial Venerable's attendants.

The Celestial Venerable commanded his immortal attendants to perform the redemption ritual: the attendant on the left lit the "Soul-Returning Incense" capable of recalling wandering spirits, while the attendant on the right held the "Lingyi Talisman" (fulu possessing special spiritual power). They further invoked the "Dao Lord of Beginning Azure Who Governs Spring in the Central Heaven," the deity presiding over spring's vital energies, to secretly circulate life-force (qi) and restore these ghosts to vitality.

The redeemed spirits rejoiced and circled the Celestial Venerable in grateful homage. They made solemn vows: to lick clean every speck of dust in the Celestial Venerable's assembly hall without needing others to sweep; to correct improper conduct among new Dao practitioners; to protect and support all male and female cultivators worldwide in their practice; and to provide for all needs so none would lack. Transformed through this redemption, they resolved to repay the Celestial Venerable's grace through dedicated cultivation.

The Celestial Venerable asked whether they wished to reincarnate as humans or enter directly into Daoist practice. The King of Ghosts responded on their behalf: "Previously, due to ignorance of the Great Dao, we cycled endlessly through birth and death—rarely living a century before dying, with our souls wandering through the Five Paths (heaven, human, animal, hungry ghost, and hell realms), suffering according to karma without respite. Now having encountered the Celestial Venerable, it would be like vomiting out what we've eaten never to taste it again—we can no longer bear to remain ordinary beings. For us, rebirth as humans would be like walking on burning coals, hoping not to be scorched. Our greatest aspiration is to remain as the Celestial Venerable's attendants."

The Celestial Venerable expounded: "The Great Dao is boundless—so long as one avoids the Ten Evils (killing, stealing, etc.), any virtuous deed can harmonize with the Dao." This reveals the Celestial Venerable's boundless compassion for all sentient beings.

This scripture depicts a supernatural scene where numerous spirits, upon hearing the Great Dao (Da Dao), turn toward goodness and attain liberation, entering the realm of Shan Shuang (a state of pure and virtuous souls). They begin to protect the Daoist sanctuary, assist new practitioners, and take charge of tending incense burners and replenishing offerings. A spiritual adept (one who has attained the Dao), witnessing these spirits' salvation, feels profound joy and spontaneously composes two hymns.

The first hymn conveys: The divine wind stirs the mysterious waters, raising waves of compassion that cleanse sentient beings of ignorance and affliction, liberating them from emotional bondage. It marvels at how these spirits, once objects of concern before their deliverance, now bask in compassion as vast as clouds, reviving what was withered and decayed. Who could have imagined that beings from the Nine Darknesses (the underworld) would ultimately return to the immortal realm?

The second hymn admonishes the mortal world: Why chase endless turmoil amid the rise and fall of desire, instead of cultivating the Great Dao of Wuwei (non-action)? Why treat life and death as enemies? People cling to the pursuit of worldly dross, yet fail to look up to those lofty adepts—riding clouds and mists, holding their talismans as they roam freely.

The spiritual adept then instructs the spirits: Having been fortunate to hear the Great Dao and attain liberation, you must diligently progress day and night, protect the virtuous, nurture constant compassion, and harmonize with the Dao. Thus, you may forever serve as attendants to the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun), never departing from his presence. A spirit named Qingdi Shanshuang responds on behalf of all: We, the slow to awaken, were like blind men unaware of the sun and moon. Today, our deliverance brings both sorrow and joy. The majestic power of the Great Dao is inconceivable—it nourishes all goodness, universally liberates beings, and becomes the supreme field of merit linking the netherworld and the living. They bow repeatedly in gratitude, begging the adept for further guidance.

Observing the sincere repentance of these Shan Shuang spirits and recognizing their firm faith, the Celestial Worthy elevates them by one spiritual rank, witnessed by two immortal sages. At that moment, the Cloud and Mist Deities, the Four Heavenly Kings, and eighty celestial deities from the four directions of Mount Kunlun, hearing of the Celestial Worthy’s grand Dharma assembly, arrive with their retinues—140,000 in total—riding the winds to attend. These divine beings manifest thirty-two marks, eighty minor characteristics (Buddhist terms describing the sublime physical attributes of a Buddha), and eighteen supernatural powers, displaying their magnificent forms.

(The scripture describes a Celestial Venerable, the highest deity in Daoism, subduing heretical demonic forces through divine powers, including dialogues and magical contests)

The earth trembled violently as if water and fire were colliding. This Celestial Venerable manifested in his most primordial form - barefoot with disheveled hair, a radiant light emanating from between his brows. He knelt humbly on one knee, palms joined in reverence toward the distant Cloud Gate (a sacred Daoist site).

Perceiving heretical disturbances, the Celestial Venerable commanded his attendant immortal who holds the ceremonial canopy to display divine power. The immortal immediately sat cross-legged midair, directly confronting the demonic horde. After perfunctory bows, the demons revealed their doubts through scrutinizing gazes, suddenly reciting a provocative verse:

"We rulers of Mount Youren (legendary demon realm) whom all three realms revere, have long heard of the Supreme Dao. Today we ride mist to Cloud Gate, expecting the Heaven of Heavens - yet find a formless immortal with mortal attachments, your spirit still bound by rebirth. Though dwelling in cloud palaces, you remain trapped in samsara."

Channeling the Celestial Venerable's power, the immortal responded with miraculous displays. His body manifested infinite majestic forms, each pore radiating light that shook heaven and earth, making the demons stagger uncontrollably.

Trembling demons prostrated themselves, sweat pouring as their demonic auras vanished, leaving them ink-black and shapeless with terror.

"State your purpose here!" the immortal demanded thrice. After long silence, the demons kowtowed: "We've long revered the eternal Supreme Dao's peerless power, yet dared not approach. Today we risked paying homage, begging forgiveness." They pressed their faces to the ground.

The immortal admonished: "Though worshipped below with ten grand titles, you crave worldly gains. Having reaped your karma, why come here? This sacred realm isn't for demons. Your sins include: deluding mortals with false titles like 'World-Tamer', 'Brahma' or 'Merciful One'; posing as divine teachers to mislead the virtuous into rebirth; binding beings with heresies that deny the Dao; preaching impermanence yet claiming bodily immortality; advocating suicide as swift liberation; teaching body-mortification brings sanctification; fabricating false pure lands..."

This passage describes a heterodox cultivation method and its dangers. Practitioners delude themselves into believing they can attain supernatural powers through special practices, yet in truth they deviate from the true Dao. Sitting upon lotus thrones, they claim to transcend life and death while receiving nature's sustenance, yet in reality they deceive people with false claims of the six supernormal powers (liutong).

These practitioners of deviant paths exhibit several telltale signs: they teach disciples to disregard filial piety toward parents while maintaining improper relationships between masters and students; they boast of seeing through all phenomenal forms yet engage in empty talk about unobstructed wisdom, showing no genuine understanding of supreme truth; they obsess over external appearances, clinging to superficial displays like the thirty-two auspicious marks (Buddhist physical perfections) or eighteen divine powers; they attract followers through bizarre behaviors—walking barefoot on the ground, making offerings to fire and water, and similar antics.

Their transgressions grow more severe: they justify gluttony as cultivation merit while indulging in meat and strong flavors; they gather ignorant crowds and disfigure normal appearances; they construct empty tombs and burn living people; they assemble to flatter one another, only to plummet into hell realms. The scripture employs vivid analogies: such cultivation resembles carrying kindling to extinguish a fire, or like a child trying to outrun his own shadow—sheer folly.

Ultimately, when true immortals (those who have realized the Dao) expose these demonic multitudes, the practitioners suddenly awaken, weeping bitterly in repentance, even mutilating their own bodies to show remorse. Through contrasting authentic and deviant cultivation methods, this passage warns spiritual seekers not to be beguiled by superficial powers, but to pursue genuine liberation through the Dao.

This scripture depicts the repentance and conversion process of a group of heterodox practitioners before the Celestial Venerable (Tianshi).

A disheveled man, tears streaming down his face and trembling all over, kneels bare-shouldered, pleading in agony. Gaunt and tormented, he confesses his wrongdoings to the Celestial Venerable of the Cloud Palace. Moved by compassion, the Celestial Venerable shines a purple radiance upon him. A celestial immortal (Xianren), understanding the Celestial Venerable’s mercy, addresses the heterodox practitioners: "Those who seek the Dharma need not grieve or suffer so bitterly. True repentance lies in inner transformation—there is no need for extreme acts like shaving one’s head or self-mutilation to atone." Hearing this, the demonic hordes cease their disturbances.

At this moment, a self-proclaimed "Demon King," leader of the heterodox group, kneels naked, palms pressed together, and declares: "The Celestial Venerable’s salvation extends to all beings, his grace reaching every creature. We implore your compassion for us lowly ones, that we may abandon evil and return to the right path." He begs to serve the Celestial Venerable in humble tasks—sweeping, attending, and other menial duties. Overcome with emotion, he kowtows, weeping. The immortal replies: "I am not the Celestial Venerable, but merely a newly ascended immortal serving the Great Compassionate Celestial Venerable here."

The heterodox practitioners, drenched in sweat, reflect inwardly: "Though we cultivated in the Realm of Desire and attained the four fruits of practice, we now tremble in fear—proof that our path was not the true Dharma. The divine power of the upper-realm immortals and the majesty of the Celestial Venerable are so vast that we, defiled as we are, may be unworthy even to behold him. We are at a loss, trapped between advance and retreat."

Then, six hundred thousand heterodox practitioners remove the precious pearl necklaces and jeweled ornaments from their necks, piling them before the Cloud Gate as offerings. The immortal tells them: "The gold, silver, lapis lazuli, conch-shell, agate, coral, and amber you treasure in the lower realms—here in the celestial realm, we have even more precious treasures: the sun, moon, and stars. The Dharma-eye of the Great Compassionate Celestial Venerable does not value such worldly things." The heterodox practitioners reply: "Beings in the Realm of Desire know only to cherish these adornments—they truly do not understand the wondrous treasures of the celestial realms."

The immortal beneath the Great Compassion Celestial Venerable (a revered Daoist deity) addressed the heterodox practitioners: "True treasure lies not in ornate adornments, but within one's original heart-mind." The heterodox followers replied: "We mere mortals dwelling in the realm of desires—what treasure could possibly reside in our hearts?"

The immortal countered: "If your hearts contain no treasure, why not offer them up?" Misunderstanding the teaching, the heterodox practitioners actually drew knives to cut open their chests. Though aware of their misconception, the immortal still handed them the blade. Then a Brahmin practitioner spontaneously opened his abdomen to reveal his internal organs, prompting others to follow suit. The immortal immediately intervened: "True 'heart-offering' means dispelling your heretical views to focus on Dao cultivation—not the sacrifice of flesh and blood." Only then did the heterodox followers experience sudden awakening.

With compassionate power, the immortal restored their bodies. Gazing at each other in astonishment at their renewed physical and mental ease—an unprecedented marvel—they beseeched the immortal for longevity techniques after witnessing both profound teachings and divine power. The immortal revealed: "Worldly practice may extend life for eighty thousand kalpas (an immense cosmic time unit), yet ultimately cannot escape rebirth. You heterodox practitioners, deeply entrenched in habitual tendencies, aging and feeble while deceiving others, have accumulated grave karmic burdens. Even if the Celestial Venerable permits your deliverance, a thousand days of purification rituals would be required for repentance."

Hearing this, the heterodox practitioners collectively prostrated toward the Celestial Venerable beyond the Cloud Gate, burning incense and making vows. This scripture passage, through dramatic dialogue, unveils the core teaching that "cultivating the heart-mind surpasses cultivating the body": genuine devotion means relinquishing attachments rather than physical mutilation, and the path to longevity lies in spiritual awakening rather than mere lifespan extension.

This scripture describes a group of heterodox practitioners (non-orthodox Daoist cultivators) who attained spiritual resonance through devout worship. During seven days and nights of continuous bowing in reverence, they suddenly perceived a miraculous fragrance flowing from their nostrils into their hearts. Instantly, joy arose within them, afflictions dissolved, and they no longer felt hunger or thirst, while their hearing and vision became sharper than before. When these heterodox practitioners looked at one another, they noticed their skin had gained a radiant luster, realizing this was a manifestation of the Heavenly Venerable's (the supreme deity in Daoism) compassionate grace.

At this moment, a Cloud Gate Immortal (an accomplished adept) addressed them: "The Great Compassionate True Emperor (i.e., the Heavenly Venerable) always liberates sentient beings through compassion, just as a loving mother discerns her infant's needs through its cries." The immortal pointed out they had already attained Dao-power (spiritual attainment), to which the heterodox practitioners admitted experiencing the fragrant infusion into their hearts and sudden awakening. The immortal explained that although they had gained Dao-power, their physical bodies remained too contaminated by worldly dust to behold the Heavenly Venerable directly. They needed to return first to the Realm of Desire (one of the Three Realms, the mundane world filled with cravings) to purify body and mind through three kalpas (an immense timespan) of fasting and cultivation.

The heterodox practitioners worried their limited lifespans might not endure until after three kalpas. The immortal clarified that heterodox immortals in the Desire Realm lived at most eighty thousand great kalpas, with average lifespans of one or half a kalpa, while the shortest equaled ordinary mortals. Pleading for minor longevity methods, the immortal emphasized that supreme Dao contains no petty techniques—any practice can lead to true Dao when cultivated with single-minded devotion. Finally, the heterodox practitioners offered jeweled pearls from their topknots to the immortal. Touched by their sincerity, the immortal accepted the gifts before returning them to the Cloud Gate (likely referring to a sacred cultivation site or celestial gate).

Within the celestial palace, faint immortal music arose in an instant, like the harmonious resonance of golden stone instruments playing in the void. The melody flowed gracefully, pure and luminous. Suddenly, auspicious light in seven colors swirled around the Cloud Gate (heavenly portal), within which appeared two immortal youths seated cross-legged in midair, facing each other east and west. Together they played the celestial yun'ao (heavenly instrument), proclaiming to the demonic hordes:

"The true Qi (vital energy) circulates throughout the ten directions, dispelling layers of darkness to bring forth radiance. Suffering beings in the netherworld simultaneously glimpse the dawn, while wandering souls catch whiffs of divine fragrance. The hand of mercy grasps the vajra sword, using the gentle armor of patience to sever demonic Qi. The celestial armies, manifestations of the Six Perfections (generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, meditation, wisdom), array themselves in formation, riding the power of meditative wisdom like galloping dragons. From their lofty perch at Cloud Gate, they eliminate the Five Sufferings (birth, aging, sickness, death, separation), eternally holding aloft the crimson banners to pacify the eight directions. They sweep away the stench of corpses from battlefields, bathing withered bones in sweet dew to restore their fragrance."

After completing their celestial music, the youths murmured to themselves: "The Realm of Desire (one of the Three Realms, referring to the mundane world filled with cravings) is too filthy, reeking so foully that even heavenly nectar cannot moisten it. The turbid energy rises straight to the heavens, the stench of corpses unbearably thick—how astonishing that immortals can endure this for so long." An immortal replied: "It is not that we endure, but that we follow the Celestial Worthy's decree to deliver beings here."

The youths then addressed the heterodox practitioners (non-orthodox cultivators): "The foul energy from the human realms of form and desire surges upward—why do you still linger here? You must withdraw to observe purification rituals. After three kalpas (immeasurably long eons), when the fragrance of precepts has cleansed away impurities, corrected deviations and expelled evils, when you've ingested the harmonizing elixir to dispel demonic Qi—only when your bodies and minds are purified, fragrant inside and out, may you ascend again to the celestial realms. The Great Compassionate Celestial Worthy has already bestowed profound protection, using fragrant light to purify the roots of your karmic obstructions, extending your lifespans to prevent untimely death."

Hearing this, the demonic hosts rejoiced. The two youths admonished: "When you return to the lower realms, abandon heretical views. Do not arrogate noble titles to yourselves or demand offerings that feed evil karma; do not pose as teachers to lead children astray; do not harm mortals with poisonous flames. Those who teach others to glorify slaughter and injure living beings commit grave evils. The Supreme Dao embodies compassion and abhors such acts most deeply." The heterodox practitioners reverently accepted these instructions before withdrawing from the Realm of Desire.