Title: The Classic of the Primordial Beginning on Salvation from Fengdu

(Translation to American English)

Scripture Name: The Classic of the Primordial Beginning on Salvation from Fengdu. Author unknown. This scripture is in the same scroll as another. Source Text: The Orthodox Taoist Canon, Zhengyi section.

At that time, the Celestial Venerable of the Primordial Beginning addressed the Five Ancient Sovereigns, the various sacred mountains, the Eight Trillion Myriads of Earthly Sovereign Primal Kings, the Great One True Lord, the Twenty-Four Administrative Infernal Officials, the Three Officials of the Northern Administration, and the functionaries of the Three Palaces and Nine Bureaus. They are in charge of the registers recording life, death, suffering, and happiness. Retribution is as precise as an echo responding to a sound, and karma operates in this way. Now, for the sake of all living beings, he expounded The True Classic of the Seven Primes. He promulgated the method to save people, established the celestial pivot, and made it circulate through the Three Realms, totaling 365 degrees, corresponding below to the mechanisms of the earth, manifesting in the colors of azure, yellow, red, white, purple, and crimson. Having already established the subtle stellar phenomena of the Seven Primes for Heaven and Earth, he set the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions. The sun and moon serve as yin and yang, and the Twenty-Four Bureaus were established, all overseeing the gravity of sins and blessings among humanity, as well as prohibitions and precepts. Now, for the late-learning Daoist priests, he proclaims this so that all living beings may attain peace and happiness, eternally escape Fengdu, and be free from the suffering of imprisonment by the lower ghost officials.

Then, the Celestial Venerable addressed the Great Emperor of the Northern Yin and the Seven Perfected Ones, saying: "People in the present age are born on the Jambudvīpa earth. All receive nourishment from the light of the sun and moon and the royal qi of yin and yang. Their lives are connected to the Seven Primes, their qi is governed by the Thirty-Six Bureaus, their five viscera belong to the Five Thearchs, and their six bowels (original text '六𦛒' is likely '六腑' or six viscera) belong to the Six Officials. However, all possess evil impurities. Therefore, they are disturbed by lower ghosts, preventing the descent of primordial essence and pure qi, causing the people to become rebellious, disloyal, unfilial, unrighteous, unmerciful, unloving, and irreverent. After their lives end, with the Three Luminaries and stars, they all enter Fengdu and become sinful ghosts. Their souls do not disperse after death; they accumulate evil qi, which rushes up and assaults the celestial palaces. The Supreme Venerable One, taking pity on this, commanded me to declare a sincere heart and, for the sake of all living beings, expound and propagate The True Classic of the Seven Primes, promulgate the methods, establish talismans, to deliver ordinary deluded beings, and teach them to perform and establish merit. If there are Daoist priests who, within the Three Realms, during the final kalpa when heaven and earth are about to be destroyed, when people cry out, when wind and rain are untimely, when the world is in turmoil, and when epidemics kill people, can encounter a master of the Three Caverns, hold this classic, travel through the central land, establish purgation rituals for all people, set up a Seven Primes ceremonial arena, light lamps and practice the Dao, submit memorial petitions, wear talismans, and through libation ceremonies, pay homage to the Supreme Sovereigns, the Ninefold Pure Dao-Lords, the Lords of the Three and Five, the Five Thearchs, the Jade Sovereign, the Primal Venerable, and the officials of the Three Realms, all will be verified and recorded, pass through the Eight Difficulties, have their names engraved on the golden register, and become immortals who have attained the Dao."

The Seven Perfected Ones said: "If in the future there are Daoist priests who aspire to the immortal ranks, whether dwelling in mountain valleys or in the court and marketplace, and encounter disasters such as warfare, flood, fire, or plague—whenever multitudes of people suffer injury and death—if they can resolve to burn incense, light lamps, and practice the Dao for one period of seven days, two sevens, three sevens, or forty-nine days, lighting lamps day and night, summoning us Seven Perfected Ones and the Great Guardian Spirits, and establish the Precious Purgation of the Northern Emperor and Seven Primes for Dispelling Calamities, reporting and giving thanks to the Northern Yin, erasing the register of death, delivering from Fengdu, and eternally escaping the ghost officials. They may use a white silk cloth, seven feet in length, to inscribe this one divine talisman. After the purgation, place it in a green sack, put it inside a dragon casket, and cast it into a famous mountain in the north. This will allow passage through the twenty-four prisons of Fengdu without being investigated by the earth officials. Any Daoist priest who seeks various methods but does not receive this talisman will not be feared by ghosts and spirits, deities will not descend, they will incur offenses for it, their name will be registered in the Fengdu bureaus, and they will be imprisoned by the lower ghosts."

The Seven Perfected Ones said: "If there are Daoist priests determined to uphold my methods, they can transcend the world, and their names will be entered into the register of immortals. A Perfected One can become a good teacher in the world. Encountering times of worldly decline or prosperity, they can propagate the methods in the world, saving and transforming all living beings, causing them to unite with our Dao. In the past, the Great Emperor of the Supreme Tenuity in the northern heavens commanded us to save the myriad people of the world. On days of calamity, set up our positions, erect the great Seven Primes lamps, practice the Dao and recite the scriptures three times a day, chant the Northern Pole Ghost-Slaying Heavenly Canopy Divine Incantation. Beat drums to initiate the establishment; then the officer-soldiers will descend, the numinous officials will summon the Ten Heavenly Demon Kings to capture ghosts and cure illnesses, assist the righteous qi of heaven, and support the nation and its people. Wear the divine talisman, guard the five directions, and sever and cut off spirits and ghosts. Strike bells and chimes, and practice the Dao for forty-nine circuits. I shall then lead the northern elite cavalry, the Mysterious Dipper Great Spirit, the Guardian Spirits, the Five Ding Great Spirits, the Black Killer Great Spirit, the Great Spirit King of the Ten-Thousand-Zhang Majestic Sword, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Canopy Generals, the Great Spirits of the Five Lakes, the Messengers within the Dipper, the Three Heavens True Lords, the Great Spirit King of Primal Essence, the Black-Robed Divine Lord, and the Straight Talisman of the Celestial Net, each with three hundred thousand troops, to simultaneously encircle and descend to the ceremonial arena, sweep away and expel a thousand ghosts and myriad spirits, drive them out and cut them down. Above, spread the celestial net; below, lay the stellar net, to protect and assist the Daoist priest in practicing in the world, saving and treating the myriad people. Fully comprehend all methods, achieve the unsurpassable Dao; the merit will naturally be sensed by me."

The Seven Perfected Ones said: "The registers of the Great Emperor record the ghost officials under Fengdu's jurisdiction. Any Daoist priest who wears the Supreme Divine Incantation and Huoluo scriptures and registers, but does not obtain the wondrous source, and does not wear the true scripture and the Great Fengdu Talisman, will not succeed in cultivating the Dao, and the deities will not assist. If a Daoist priest wishes to receive the divine incantation scripture, they should prepare forty feet of white silk, one bolt of purple patterned cloth, fragrant oil, grain, flour, cinnabar, paper, and ink. The various masters, when conferring, must report and declare their sincere heart, write the scriptures and registers, and transmit them within a quiet chamber, not allowing the method to be divulged. Perform a libation ceremony paying homage to the Supreme Sovereigns, the Nine Ultimate True Lords, the Three Pure Dao-Lords, the spirits of the Five Thearchs, and the Messengers of Fengdu, arranging thirty-six plates of offerings, paper money and horses for prolonging life, and transmit it secretly." Then they pronounced the Incantation for Salvation from Fengdu, saying:

Mysterious purple smoke, three essentials coil and spin.

Nine primes open the path, the true words of manifesting demons.

Whoever wears my incantation, their name enters the golden gate.

Passing my Fengdu, forever free from ghost-official bonds.

The three ethereal souls traverse the Dao, the seven material souls become yin spirits.

Flowing essence, jade radiance, bathes my form and soul.

Opening the Dharma Gate above, the flying sky Dharma wheel.

Urging the Three Realms, I attain the utmost truth.

Listed in the Mysterious, demon kings recommend and lift.

The true Dipper rotates, swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.

The Seven Perfected Ones said: "In later ages, those who encounter this scripture and incantation are people with roots of destiny from past lives, those recorded in the mysterious charts. They should receive and wear it. Do not let them disrespect the teacher, slight the scripture, or be arrogant. Do not transmit it to those of low ability, foolish, walking corpses, licentious, coarse, evil, violent, or rebellious. The hidden prohibitions are not trivial. Be cautious, be cautious."

The Seven Perfected Ones, having finished speaking, then commanded the Five Thearchs Great Demons and the deities of the Three Realms, that from now on, if there are Daoist priests who receive and are taught the divine incantation, who traverse and practice within the Three Realms, who for the sake of all living beings recite scriptures, practice the Dao, and wear talismans, and who, for the sake of all living beings, in days of calamity, practice my Dao methods to relieve and save the myriad people—hanging silk banners and flowers, reciting the true texts, breathing in the spirit-qi, assisting and helping Daoist priests to cure illnesses, causing them to be without other harm—after they are without other harm, the Ten Heavenly Demon Kings and all divine beings of the Ten Directions and Three Realms, I shall promote your positions."

The Seven Perfected Ones said: "Late-learning Daoist priests, if you wear this talisman, you should serve the teacher with one heart, revere him like the sun and moon, respect and look up to him. Do not recklessly transmit it to those of low intelligence, fools, walking corpses, licentious, coarse, evil, violent, or rebellious people. This talisman is guarded by thirty thousand powerful warriors and two hundred thousand great spirits. It kills ghosts and saves the people; it must not be treated lightly or divulged. Doing so will bring calamity and annihilation for seven kalpas, forever losing the true Dao." At that time, the Five Ancients received the command, bowed their heads, and respectfully upheld it.

End of The Classic of the Primordial Beginning on Salvation from Fengdu.