Spoken by the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning
The teaching proceeds from the Celestial Worthy;
its practice penetrates to the Great Clarity.
In purity and stillness, an auspicious radiance appears,
revealing the Great Celestial Worthy.
The Celestial Worthy, Manifestation of the Golden Tower
Hymn of Invocation
The Perfected Warrior, Sovereign of the Dark Heaven of the North,
in former times cultivated the Way and awakened to the true source.
Within the Palace of Pure Joy he bade farewell to his parents,
and upon Mount Wudang he devoted himself to practice.
Enduring discipline as iron ground to a needle,
his traces of transcendence remain among the immortals.
After forty-two years his merit was fulfilled,
and five dragons bore the Sage aloft to the celestial palace.
Incense is offered to the Celestial Worthy, Manifestation of the Golden Tower.
Incantation of the Mysterious Depth
In utter stillness, reaching the formless origin,
beyond measure of time and kalpic span;
subtle writings of the cavern of mystery—
who can fathom such hidden vastness?
Once entering the Great Way,
who counts the years that pass?
Neither arising nor perishing,
yet arising through the lotus of origin.
Transcending the three realms,
with a compassionate heart loosening worldly bonds;
the Perfected One, of supreme virtue,
abides through ages among the immortals.
(Main Scripture)
We raise our voices to the Great Sage of the Dark Heaven,
the most numinous spirit of the northern regions.
True Sovereign of the Golden Tower, manifest in responsive form,
the Supreme General known as the Perfected Warrior.
Majestic in bearing, radiant as the lunar lord,
governing the constellations and dividing the refined breaths.
With lightning in both eyes he subdues the hosts of demons;
with myriad riders like clouds, his power shakes the nine regions.
Clad in purple robe and golden girdle, bearing a divine blade,
a dark tortoise and great serpent uphold his sacred feet.
Jade maidens attend him at left and right;
generals stand guard before and behind.
He dispels calamity and bestows blessings beyond measure.
With single-hearted devotion, we now offer reverence.
At that time, the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning,
on the fifteenth day of the seventh month
in the first year of the Dragon-Han era,
was seated in serene composure upon a throne of five clouds
within the Hall of Upper Origin in the Eightfold Heaven,
together with the rulers of the thirty-six heavens,
Perfected Ones of the ten directions,
and innumerable great spirits, jade youths and maidens,
all in attendance.
Celestial music resounded of itself;
the gathered assembly listened with joy
as the Celestial Worthy expounded the supreme and wondrous Way.
Suddenly, from the northeast of the celestial palace,
seven great tremors resounded and the heavenly gate opened.
Looking down upon the world below,
there appeared a black and tainted current—
a mingling of noxious vapors and blood-light—
rising from the northeast of the human realm,
coiling upward without dispersing.
All present were astonished and dared not speak.
Among them, a Perfected One named Miaoxing stepped forward,
endowed with full virtue and revered by the heavens.
Kneeling, he addressed the Celestial Worthy:
“In this realm of pure clarity and radiant order,
whence comes this dark and noxious force rising upward?
What is its cause?
We beseech you, Supreme One, to dispel our doubt.”
The Celestial Worthy replied:
“All beings of the lower realm are endowed
with the pure and unified vital essence,
guarded by countless spiritual forces.
Yet now the cycles of yin and yang approach exhaustion,
and the age nears its turning.
Demonic influences spread;
people follow deviant ways,
forgetting their origin,
seeking empty blessings,
falling into confusion and disorder.
They abandon loyalty and filial devotion,
righteousness and benevolence;
they delight in false spirits
and perform corrupt rites.
Thus they are harmed by perverse forces;
their lives are cut short before their natural span.
Their souls find no resting place;
resentment gathers and rises,
forming these baleful vapors.”
The Summoning of the Perfected Warrior
The Celestial Worthy declared:
“There is no need for my direct intervention.
In the North there is a great divine general,
named the Perfected Warrior,
whose forces are mighty and able to subdue all evil.”
He then summoned him.
The Perfected Warrior arrived,
leading vast hosts of divine forces.
Barefoot, with loosened hair,
he stood upon the tortoise and serpent,
commanding countless spirit-generals and thunder troops.
Within seven days,
all demonic forces under Heaven were subdued.
The living and the dead were set apart;
resentful souls were released;
the world returned to peace.
The Proclamation of the Perfected Warrior
He then proclaimed:
Born of the lunar essence,
embodying the power of water,
aligned with the celestial signs,
united in tortoise and serpent form—
I traverse the six directions,
commanding all spirits.
Nothing hidden escapes my sight;
no vow remains unfulfilled.
From the end of one age to the beginning of another,
I cut down demonic forces,
protect all beings,
and bring peace to households and realms.
By command of the High Sovereign,
I descend to manifest power,
upholding the righteous Way,
dispersing deviance and disorder.
Whoever dares appear in defiance—
with a single gaze, I overturn the mountains.
Further Decree
From this time forth,
on appointed cyclical days,
you shall descend among humankind,
receive offerings,
and discern good and evil.
Those who uphold the teachings,
make offerings, and recite this scripture
shall be protected;
calamities will be dispelled,
the departed brought to rest,
and the living granted peace.
At that time, all present—
the Perfected Ones, celestial rulers, and assembled spirits—
rejoiced and offered praise:
“Today we have received the benefit of the Great Way.
May it be extended among the human world,
to rescue all beings from suffering and disaster.”
All vowed to uphold and practice it.
The Perfected Warrior then received the command
to eternally guard the North
and withdrew.
Precious Proclamation of the Dark Heaven
With utmost sincerity, we return our lives and offer reverence.
Primordial Unity of the Six Heavens, Lord who transmits the teaching;
cultivating the Real and awakening to the Way,
delivering and guiding the multitude of the deluded.
Universally for all beings, removing calamities and obstructions;
in eighty-two transformations manifesting,
the ancestral master of the Three Teachings.
Of great compassion and great mercy, rescuing from suffering and distress;
Supreme Overseer of the Three Origins,
roving emissary of the Nine Heavens.
Assistant to the Northern Pole of the Heavenly Pivot,
Great General of the Right Enclosure;
stabilizing Heaven and aiding its order,
the numinously responsive Perfected Warrior.
Extending blessings and virtue in abundance,
benevolent, compassionate, upright and ardent;
Perfected Lord who harmonizes the cycles,
auspicious spirit who governs the world.
Preceptor-Minister of the Jade Void,
Sovereign of the Dark Heaven,
manifested form of the Golden Tower,
Celestial Worthy who sweeps away demons.
Incantation to the Earth Deity
Earth Deity of the altar of the scripture, most numinous among spirits;
ascending to Heaven and reaching the Earth,
emerging from the hidden and entering the depths.
For us, carry petitions through the passes—do not delay or linger;
on the day merit is achieved, let the name be recorded in the Highest Clarity.
Closing Verse of the Scripture
The merit from reciting this scripture
is offered above to the Exalted Perfected,
and below preserves peace and safety.
Bestowing blessings and dispelling calamity,
all rely upon these virtuous merits.
To realize the unsurpassed Way—
all who trust and revere it,
with single-hearted sincerity recite and invoke:
The Celestial Worthy of Constant Clarity and Constant Stillness.
Merits beyond all reckoning.
Translated and edited by Daoist Liu Cheng Yong, German Daoist Association