This scripture reveals the supreme truth and the path of spiritual cultivation. The Supreme (TaiShang) signifies the highest divine authority; Profound Mystery (DongXuan) embodies the deep wisdom and wondrous actions of the celestial teachers. Through penetrating insight, mystical methods, the lineage of Lingbao (Numinous Treasure), the ascension through the Mysterious, and the practices of dispelling calamities and safeguarding life, this scripture charts a path toward liberation and enlightenment.
I. The Revelation of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning
The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (YuanShiTianZun), seated within the Palace of Fivefold Illumination amid the Forest of Seven Treasures, radiated Limitless Light alongside the Sacred Assembly of the Non-Ultimate. In the primordial chaos before Heaven and Earth divided, before all things took form, the Celestial Worthy divided the One Breath (YiQi) into its true essence, manifesting the celestial realms. This act embodied the Dao’s cultivation path, revealing the mysteries of the cosmos’s dark and yellow energies (XuanHuang), primordial chaos, and boundless universe. The Seven Treasures symbolize the seven foundational energies: spirit (Ling), essence (Jing), breath (Qi), divinity (Shen), intent (Yi), hun-soul (Hun), and po-soul (Po). The Dao’s origin and evolution arise from the Non-Ultimate (WuJi), guided by divine intent to differentiate hun and po, forming the Forest of Seven Treasures—the abode of the Celestial Worthy.
II. Perceiving the Limitless Realm
Within the Limitless Realm (WuJiShiJie), the Celestial Worthy perceives all beings. The boundless worlds of the Ten Directions, whether vast or minute, originate from the wondrous transformation of the Primordial Beginning (MiaoYou). The Limitless Realm is the foundation of all existence, its light and virtue permeating all things without exception. This Limitless Light illuminates both the external cosmos and the internal heart-mind, allowing all beings to transcend inner and outer divides, as radiant as the sun and moon.
III. Suffering and Liberation
Sentient beings endure endless suffering—separation, death, attachment, hatred, sorrow, fear, and resentment. These afflictions stem from the Seven Emotions (QiQing) and Six Desires (LiuYu). Those who fail to pierce through delusion remain trapped in perpetual cycles of pain. Practitioners must discern the roots of these attachments, dissolving confusion to attain purity, serenity, and liberation, freeing themselves from emotional bondage.
