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Scripture of the Divine Incantations of the Supreme Pole and Northern Emperor

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Scripture Title: Scripture of the Divine Incantations of the Supreme Pole and Northern Emperor. Author unknown. Two scriptures in the same scroll. Source text origin: Zhengtong Taoist Canon, Dongzhen (Cavern of Truth) category, Original Texts section.

Section on Divine Soldiers Guarding the Nation, Protecting Homes, Expelling Ghosts, Dispelling Disasters, and Upholding the Sacred Decree

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Beings of the lower kalpa (the era of decline) often commit rebellious and evil acts. They gather in great nations yet do not follow the true path. They boast of their own strength and capability, not knowing human life is fleeting. From now on, the great demons' influence spreads. In this world of the Five Turbidities, people often commit transgressions. They scheme against living beings, bringing harm to all under heaven. The myriad people endure hardship and toil; all beings suffer under transgressions. People in nations do not abide by the law; punishments and calamities are meted out. Bandits arise from below, disturbing and corrupting the world. Ghostly soldiers enter nations, bringing great disasters and epidemics. Blades kill people, and people's hearts turn malevolent, creating rebellion. Laws and punishments become tools of conspiracy; ghostly plots multiply, making the path arduous. The Five Great Thieves act at night, killing people. They plunder, abduct, flee, and rebel; demonic bandits and ghosts cause trouble. You five types of great demons disturb the world. The myriad people find no peace; the commoners bear heavy burdens. Prefectures and counties toil; nations are not righteous. The powerful lack virtue; a thousand demons and ten thousand evils can all harm people. They cause households to be depleted, affairs to fail. Death, banditry, long illnesses at home; official troubles and ghosts reside within homes; strange demons compete to arise. Households are exhausted and empty; all endeavors are inauspicious. If even one person turns toward the essentials of the Dao and upholds my sacred decree, myriad disasters can be resolved, hundreds of epidemics will disperse on their own. Official troubles and great armies will naturally vanish without rising. Winds and rains will be harmonious; the nation will be peaceful and upright; all affairs will be good. I speak no empty words. Those who receive my true incantations will also naturally overcome disasters, dangers, and difficulties; such matters will naturally dissipate. You must not fail to understand my intent. All you beings, men and women, if you receive the wondrous arts of this scripture, to slay all diseases, ghostly calamities will naturally be destroyed. If any ghost disobeys my true decree, demon kings will come to capture them; the ghostly bandits will be sliced apart, their heads shattered and brains split. I command your ghostly kinsmen to be dismembered and cast into pits below. Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Beings of the lower kalpa commit crimes and evil, the Five Rebellions and impiety, unjust killings, bringing suffering upon themselves and enslaving their bodies. Their minds do not reflect; they merely rely on chance gains. Though they may long enjoy glory and splendor in the world, they ultimately meet the path of death, their malevolent minds unceasing. They prefer to commit sins, bringing calamity upon their descendants, who suffer bitterness and hardship, their offenses difficult to clarify. When ghosts enter the Central Lands, good and evil become clearly distinguished. These ghosts call themselves "Ghosts of Heaven," claiming that Heaven sent them, leading tens of thousands of followers down to the ten directions, to various nations, provinces, and counties, to kill evil people. Heavenly soldiers and ghostly emissaries drive these living beings, causing them to fall into the midst of disasters of blades, soldiers, water, and fire, and die. Why do you people of the world not believe in the Great Dao, causing these ghosts to roam the world, disturbing living beings? The nation's dependents perish between heaven and earth; great illnesses harm each other until the year of Jiayin. Water and fire compete to arise; ghostly epidemics are numerous. Beings suffer great illnesses; heavenly calamities spread. The world is an era of blades and soldiers; many do not honor parents. Brothers rebel against each other; prefectures and counties lie in ruins. Nations are empty; many people die and decline. Since the nation suffers disaster, people also lack filial piety, leading to this calamitous turmoil. People of the world, foolish and stagnant in heresy, do not know the true words of the Great Dao. From now on, those with a sincere mind who come to receive my Samadhi Wondrous Scripture, I will dispatch the Five-Demon Celestial Maidens and Immortal Maidens, Nine-Flower Jade Youths, Purple-Pure Wondrous Maidens, Ten-Chamber Realized Ones, Five Heavens' Great Soldiers, Emissaries, and Powerful Warriors numbering ten thousand to descend. Wherever a Northern Emperor Samadhi Master practices the Dao, recites the scripture, and rescues people, to all ghost lords: I decree to the Three Realms to uphold my true words. You demon kings must swiftly release them, not detain them; swiftly resolve grievances. I will send various celestial immortals, jade maidens, wondrous youths, holding talismans and scepters, chanting celestial songs, to descend and rescue beings from hardship. Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Beings of the lower kalpa, now encountering the era of heavenly cycles, the disaster of the Five Demons. A world of madness, ghost-like people, foolish and ignorant, not knowing good from evil, creating their own suffering. In the lower kalpa's great cycle, the era of great armies, soldiers of the Six Caverns of ghosts travel the world, capturing the nation's people, seizing those without righteousness, unbelievers, those who do not follow the true Dharma; great armies drive them into the three evil paths, handing them over to epidemic ghosts to be beaten to death. These people, lacking righteousness and not believing in the Great Dao, are thus killed. By the year of Yimao, those who do not respect Dharma Masters, who do not believe in the Great Dao, the Three Heavens' Demon King Warriors will swiftly deliver them to the Red Sand Hell. Act swiftly according to the law of the Three Heavens! I dispatch the Great-Eyed Warriors, the Central Heaven Emissaries, to follow wherever the Dharma Master practices the Dao and rescues people, so that the sick swiftly recover, official matters quickly resolve. All you beings, uphold my divine incantations, record and transmit the innumerable Northern Emperor Samadhi Masters. Serve your masters as heaven has its four seasons, sun and moon, with the eight seasonal nodes coming and going, bowing and inquiring after the Dharma Master's well-being. You beings will also attain ascension to immortality in future lives, revered by myriad spirits. From now on, I will dispatch the Forest-Companion Warriors, the Five Elders and Venerable Men, the Great Immortals of the Ten Directions, the Five Ding Emissaries, the Great Deities of the Ten Heavens, to descend simultaneously to protect the people. The good and evil of the people, I also know. The winds and waters, much or little, will ultimately not wrongfully kill. You beings should know that the Great Dao possesses heavenly grace, knows the seasons' destruction of good, the amount of cold and heat. This year, there are ghosts in the world; epidemic diseases spread. People of the world contract this illness; many die and perish; these ghosts are extremely rampant. If there are those who come to uphold the teachings of the Northern Emperor Samadhi Dharma Master, all affairs will be good, epidemics will depart of themselves, all epidemic ghosts will swiftly flee a thousand miles; the Three Heavens' Demon Kings will descend to execute them. Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Beings of the lower kalpa, the era of Earth Dukes, the year of myriad diseases. In the world, there are ten million Earth Duke ghosts, white-headed ghosts, Five Wood ghosts, Five Earth ghosts. Red-eyed, black-faced, wide-mouthed, they enter the provinces, counties, villages, and wards of the Central Lands. They spread plague and poison, all killing people. Those who do not make offerings to the Three Treasures, the Great Dao, the True Lords, who do not believe in the Daoist Dharma, cause thirty thousand pestilences to spread. By the year of Bingchen, red plague illnesses sweep the world. Within this year, Red Ding ghosts spread fire-burning epidemics, blade-soldier epidemics, killing the myriad people, men and women. Enemies from past lives, grudges and foes, purposely come to pursue. Curse-speaking great demons come seeking beings, feeding on blood and essence, depleting and disturbing living people. Diseases press urgently; illness and misfortune afflict the body. Wraiths entangle; ghosts and spirits blame; official matters pile on; the sick worsen, life hanging by a thread, death imminent. Epidemic diseases invade people; great armies disturb the world. The nation's people are unsettled; the five grains do not ripen. Great armies kill people; dwellings are uninhabited. Laws are forcibly enacted; beings lack the Dao. The powerful do not act virtuously; do not offer incense to Dharma Masters; do not believe in the Great Dao. They violate vows made, slighting the great Dharma. The Supreme High dispatches Red-Companion Mounted Officers, brandishing iron staves, roaming the world. They seize those without righteousness, the Five Rebellious, those who speak evil and slander; Heaven's Officers descend to behead them. If any person or ghost does not submit, their offense extends for ten thousand kalpas. Without being a ghost lord, how can they be saved? Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Beings of the lower kalpa, who encounter the era of heavenly signs, where malevolent spirits are many, nations are not peaceful. Ghost kings roam the world, spewing fire disasters and illnesses. These ghosts travel a thousand miles at night, harming mules, horses, grains, wheat, fields, and silkworms; diseases startle and disturb. Demonic devils spread great pestilence; floods are coming soon; heavenly epidemics spread; the myriad people lack the Dao. By the year of Dingsi, the Wuwán ghost lords spread ten thousand kinds of epidemic diseases. They flow and fill the ten directions of the world; the people are greatly terrified. Ghost lords gather daily; the common people cannot dwell in peace. Blades and soldiers kill and harm, injuring and disturbing the nation. Ghostly bandits devour people; official affairs are unsettled, frequently arising in mountain forests. Earth ghosts spread red and black diarrheal illnesses, harming celestial and human beings. The measure of good and evil is not one-sided; each nation has its own perils; many people turn to evil. They surmise people's intentions, harboring the Five Rebellious thoughts. They vainly entrust themselves to heaven and earth, not knowing human affairs are not eternal. They create their own destruction; families break and perish; large and small scatter, fragmented, resentment reaching the six relatives. Such matters, evil must not be done. Leading to death, downfall, ruin; disaster reaching the family and nation; soldiers flowing south and north, disturbing the world. Blades and soldiers assault each other; fathers south, sons north. The world is not harmonious; the people bear heavy corvée labor; the myriad people lose their livelihoods. Such matters, sinners receive them. Heavenly soldiers drive them away, into the Wheel of Fire Hell, for ten thousand kalpas and more. If there is even one person who with sincere mind embraces the Dao, delights in reciting the Great Scripture of Northern Emperor Samadhi, I shall dispatch the Orthodox Unity Merit Officers, the Great Deities of the Ten Directions, Warrior Maidens, to come assist the myriad people. All beings who are sick will quickly gain liberation; official matters will dissolve. All misfortune-causing ghosts will swiftly go beyond ten thousand miles away. If any do not submit, they shall be delivered to the Wenchang Office; their heads shattered, brains crushed; the Dharma Master cannot save them; soldiers will execute their kind. Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Beings of the lower kalpa, encountering the cycle of the Three Officials, the disaster of the Five Epidemics. From now on, many have epidemic illnesses; the nation's people die; illness and hardship flow and spread. All affairs in the Three Realms have official laws pursuing them; punishments and laws harm each other. A hundred affairs are unfavorable; disputes arise arbitrarily. The powerful lack the Dao, bringing chaos to the world. In great nations, ghostly soldiers follow; the myriad people suffer transgressions. Ghostly epidemics spread; the Three Officials investigate and bind. A hundred ghosts descend, bringing illness and hardship to living people. Men and women suffer dysentery; sons and grandsons sicken and die. By the year of Wuwu, a great epidemic afflicts the world's people. Heavenly soldiers descend; the people suffer; beings experience great disaster. If even one person turns toward the Three Venerables, receives the scriptures and upholds the Dharma, respects and practices the Northern Emperor Samadhi Dharma Master's path, from now on, if there are people with epidemic illnesses, official troubles, the calamity of great armies, homes collapsing and endangered, descendants unsettled, the myriad people have disasters, I shall dispatch the Great Halberd General, Red Cavalry troops, Red Soldier Messengers, Hundred-Tongue Emissaries, holding red staves, to kill all ghostly bandits among humanity. The minor ghosts that spread illness, who call themselves the gods of the Three Dukes and Five Emperors, I also know you. The names of all epidemic ghosts are in my hand. If even one ghost does not leave, the great soldiers of the Three Officials will descend, execute and behead all. Ghostly epidemics that disturb living beings, and those with official affairs, swiftly drive them beyond ten thousand miles. Do not let any escape; slice them into ten thousand pieces. If any demon king is not attentive, first slice them into a hundred pieces. Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Beings of the lower kalpa, if you encounter the era of ghostly soldiers, where the people of the Central Lands suffer many diseases and painful epidemics, the Three Caverns' Demon Kings descend. The Six Palaces' Great Demons who hold the world bring ghostly soldiers to the Central Lands, epidemics, water, fire, blades, and soldiers disturb their world. They sicken the myriad people; living beings face peril; internal and external ghosts all come to spread great epidemics. The common people flee and wander; great demons disturb the world; ghostly soldiers converge upon people. By the year of Jiwei, in the heavens there are Peck-Head Demon Kings, Black-Prolongation Great Kings, Long-Nose Great Kings, Internal and External Strong Misfortune Great Kings, Small-Eye Great Kings, White-Faced Great Kings, Red-Faced Great Kings. You kings shall each be examined and held accountable. Your descendants, I command you ghost kings. If even one person upholds the Dharma and receives the scriptures, makes offerings to a Northern Emperor Samadhi Dharma Master, the sick shall immediately recover, all affairs shall be auspicious. You ghost kings, swiftly command your ghosts to make the sick quickly well, official matters quickly resolved, all affairs harmonious and good. If even one ghost does not submit, and the demon king is not attentive, swiftly behead it. Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Beings of the lower kalpa, from now on, ten thousand ghosts come to the Central Lands; the myriad people suffer. The common people are diseased; official corvée is heavy. Great floods are about to come; the powerful lack the Dao. Official matters punish each other; unjust criminals arise. Peril and hardship entangle; misfortune lies with the Three Officials, between heaven and earth. Confusion disturbs petty people; they cannot manage themselves. If there are people who embrace the Dao, revere the True Words of the Three Heavens, illnesses shall naturally heal, official matters shall naturally be resolved. From now until the year of Gengshen, among the myriad people, those who uphold the True Scripture of Northern Emperor Samadhi, the Supreme High decrees: You ghost kings shall yourselves issue commands: from now on, you must not violate my myriad people. Swiftly command your ghostly soldiers and others to quickly release living beings; illnesses shall immediately heal; official matters shall not arise; epidemic poisons shall disperse. Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Living beings of the lower kalpa, from now on, illnesses are very many. In the Central Lands, there are ghost lords: Long-Head Ghost Lords, Red-Face Ghost Lords, Mourning-Chart Ghost Lords, Admiring-River Ghost Lords, who come into the Central Lands. They cause kings to be tyrannical and rebellious; rulers and ministers harm each other; fathers and sons injure one another. The myriad people suffer hardship; the common people experience great disaster. Living beings die; many people fall ill. Ghostly servitude injures each other; blades and soldiers kill each other. Ghostly soldiers spread poison, harming and sickening living beings. By the year of Xinyou, the nation's people are unsettled; floods ten thousand zhang high; fish and dragons kill each other. High officials are transferred; rulers and ministers rebel against each other; the common people injure each other. Diseases spread and people flee; the people of the world die out; wailing and weeping assail each other. All of this is because ghost lords create chaos in the world, consuming and harming the people. They cause the common people to flee and wander; the multitude falls ill; all miasmic diseases, evil vapors, and pestilences. Yellow-Slave Seven Sons frequently come, harming population, fields, silkworms, and sickening the myriad people. I know your ghostly names. From now on, be expelled a thousand miles away. Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Beings of the lower kalpa, the kalpa of ghostly soldiers, from now on, many people flee and wander; national armies rise greatly; the masses are unsettled. The Three Heavens' Demon Kings enter nations to spread disaster; epidemics fill the world; households, nations, the myriad people are unsettled. Thieves and bandits spread; ghostly vapors kill people. Beings suffer their great disasters, the hardships of water and fire. By the year of Renxu, kings are defeated and perish; the myriad people are scattered and lost; those who flee suffer. Ten kinds of demon kings roam the world. They disturb the sage rulers; rulers and ministers rebel; fathers and sons doubt each other. Chaos arises from below; nations become violent and people perish. If even one person in the nation receives and upholds the Samadhi Scripture, disasters vanish, the people become peaceful and upright. Now there are demon kings, lords of the various heavens' caverns; armies are pacified; kings, people of the world, embrace the Dao and receive the scriptures. You divine kings must swiftly descend to gather and control, not recklessly spread disease, injuring the myriad people. Rulers, great ministers, all shall uphold my true path. I decree to the demon kings, ordering them to gather and control all ghosts in the world, not to disturb the households of the common people. You must obey the Supreme High's decree; hereafter you dare not again come to disturb rulers, great ministers, and the myriad people. If thereafter there are still people sick, official matters unresolved, the ghost lords' heads shall be split into seven pieces. Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Living beings of the lower kalpa, muddling through their days, unaware that in the era of the Great Jin, thirty thousand ghostly soldiers descend to roam the kingdom, spreading great epidemic red vapors, heavenly floods and waves. Demon kings of the Six Caverns fill the world, pursuing and driving the myriad people; great armies kill each other; officials scatter and are lost. Ghostly armies in the world hunger and devour beings. The common people flee and wander; fathers south, sons north. Great bandits flow rebelliously through the world; nations and lands disperse. The Five Paths are not peaceful; prefectures and counties harm each other. High officials kill each other; minor officials transfer. The myriad people lose their livelihoods; fleeing in chaos throughout the world; living beings suffer disaster. By the year of Guihai, violent ghosts, tens of millions, roam around the world. They kill and injure living beings, disturbing the world. They damage and plunder property recklessly; mules and horses are injured without number. Not just one region; barbarians are everywhere. If even one person upholds the Divine Incantation Scripture of Northern Emperor Samadhi, the myriad people will all be safe, illnesses will immediately heal, myriad wishes will be fulfilled. Great armies will disperse of themselves; ghostly bandits will perish of themselves; official disputes will be resolved. The myriad people revere my true words and the Dharma Master. I shall dispatch Great Divine Warriors, the Nine Heavens' Emissaries, the Ghost Lords of the Eight Heavens, demon kings, all to come protect the nation's people. If there are those who enter the Dao, uphold my great Dharma, make offerings to a Northern Emperor Samadhi Dharma Master, all evil ghosts, upon hearing, will swiftly flee a thousand miles. If they do not obey my command, you ghost lords, being inattentive, the great Dharma will swiftly behead you. Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Beings of the lower kalpa, encountering epidemics of great armies, hardships of water and fire, all ghostly disasters. I now specifically reveal the Scripture of the Orthodox Teaching of Northern Emperor Samadhi's Divine Incantations, with thirty-six divine decrees, to propagate and teach in the kingdom, instructing beings, letting them know the great Dharma. Therefore, Northern Emperor Samadhi Masters descend to proclaim the teaching. Emperors, kings, great ministers, magistrates, regional governors, commanders of two thousand piculs—I command them to turn toward the Great Dao; all affairs will align.

When the Great Sage Northern Emperor simultaneously spoke these divine incantations, the demon kings and great deities of the various heavens, jade maidens and Brahma mothers, the Mysterious Maiden, the Six Jia Generals, the Six Ding Emissaries, the various heavens' jade youths, the various heavens' divine generals, all descended, bowed, and wished to hear the divine arts of this scripture. The demon king's celestial maidens said: From this day forward, if in the Central Lands there are those critically ill who cannot survive, we demon kings and ghost lords shall first suffer our heads split into seven pieces. Act swiftly according to the decree!

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning proclaimed: Beings of the lower kalpa, heavenly epidemics are many; the great kalpa approaches. Waters will flow ten thousand zhang high; the three calamities compete to arise. The Five Demons' great epidemics, red vapors gather. Great armies kill each other; disaster fires spread. Evil ghosts in the world, holding fire, burn people's nations and lands. The common people flee and wander; the myriad people suffer hardship; illnesses and epidemics are extremely severe. Ghostly bandits are wildly rampant, disturbing the world. Great ministers are unsettled; the multitude dies out; disasters flow for ten thousand generations. Those who do evil die and are injured; the three calamities compete to arise. People scatter; ghostly soldiers drive away people of the world. The world is in great chaos; blades and soldiers gather. Rulers and ministers are dissolute and perish; kings are tyrannical and rebellious. The myriad people create epidemics; the common people give rise to disasters; a hundred kinds of illnesses kill. They themselves request the great Dharma to spread; the Central Lands will practice it; the myriad surnames will turn their hearts. Those who make offerings to the Three Treasures' great divine incantation arts, and who are Samadhi Dharma Masters, I myself, together with the great deities of the ten directions, wondrous maidens and jade youths, Azure Dragon generals, warrior demon kings, Heaven's Officers and great clerks, the Five Heaven Emissaries, will each in their place intercept and stop epidemic ghosts. Now I decree to the demon kings, all dragon-ghosts, water-riding great armies, to come of themselves into the world. The Three Realms and ten directions transform and liberate beings. Command the nations' myriad people, men and women, to receive this great scripture, distinguishing the foolish from the wise. Not only all beings, but also immortals will inscribe the registers, enabling them to be within the Jade Calendar, escaping flood disasters, water calamities, the Nine Palaces, and Eight Difficulties. All you beings, from now on, if you can hear of this great divine incantation art and receive, uphold, and make offerings to the great Dharma, I shall dispatch heavenly soldiers, transformed human warriors, hundreds of millions, to constantly follow you wherever you go. Where there are those who recite the scriptures and practice the Dao, ten villages' numinous officers, tens of millions, will come guard the sick; the myriad people will revere and uphold the great Dharma. Act swiftly according to the decree!

End of the Scripture of the Divine Incantations of the Supreme Pole and Northern Emperor