Taishang Shengxuan Xiaozai Huming Miaojing Zhu — by Li Daochun and Wang Jie

The base scripture here, the Taishang Shengxuan Xiaozai Huming Miaojing ("The Wondrous Scripture of the Most High on Ascending to the Mystery, Dispelling Calamity, and Protecting Life," often abbreviated the Huming jing*, "Scripture of Protecting Life"), is a short text of unclear age, preserved in the Daoist Canon (Zhengtong Daozang) in the Cavern of Perfection, Jade Instructions section (洞真部玉訣類). It is spoken by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, and its short lines circle repeatedly through the vocabulary of being, non-being, form, and emptiness — vocabulary the scripture shares openly with Buddhist Prajñāpāramitā literature.*

This file gives two independent Yuan-dynasty (13th–14th century) commentaries on that scripture, each preserved in the Canon as its own one-fascicle work. The first is by Li Daochun (李道純), styled Qing'an Yingchanzi (清庵瑩蟾子), a noted master of inner alchemy associated with the Quanzhen milieu. The second is by Wang Jie (王玠), styled Daoyuan (道淵) and sobriqueted Hunran Zi (混然子, "Master of Chaotic Suchness"), likewise a Yuan-dynasty alchemical writer. Both take the scripture's own short clauses as a base text — quoted first, then glossed — and both close their major sections with a summarizing verse (頌). Li Daochun reads the scripture chiefly in doctrinal terms, unfolding its logic of form and emptiness; Wang Jie does the same and further reads "ascending to the mystery" as an inner, physiological event — breath, spirit, and the alchemical furnace within the body.

One word is worth flagging: 空 (kōng), "emptiness," is the scripture's central term, paired throughout with 色 (sè), "form." Both commentators insist repeatedly that neither word names a fixed thing — an emptiness that is really empty, they say, is only a "dead" or "inert" emptiness (頑空), not the true one.

Translated for the Good Works Library directly from the classical Chinese of the Daoist Canon, printed in full below. To our knowledge, this is the first complete published English translation of these two commentaries; a modern academic study exists of a different, later commentary on the same base scripture (see the colophon below).

Translation

Commentary by Li Daochun (Qing'an Yingchanzi)

At that time the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning,

"Primordial Beginning" means the ancestral breath of primordial beginning. The ancestral breath of primordial beginning transforms and generates all the heavens — this is what the Buddhist teaching calls the Supreme Way, the Immovable Honored One; hence he is called "Celestial Worthy."

was in the Grove of Seven Treasures,

In a person's single body, the Three Origins and Four Images are all complete; hence it is called the Grove of Seven Treasures.

within the Palace of Five Lights.

This is the inner realm of the Yellow Court at the central palace, empty and bright, universally illuminating; hence it is called the Palace of Five Lights.

together with the sagely multitudes without limit,

This means the manifold transformations.

emitting light without limit,

This means the manifold forms of knowing and seeing.

illuminating worlds without limit.

This means the manifold realms.

He beheld living beings without limit,

This means the manifold illusions and delusions.

undergoing suffering without limit,

This means the manifold entanglements and bonds.

turning and turning through the world,

Changing bodies and exchanging shells, with no end in sight.

revolving through birth and death,

Emerging into life and returning into death, without self-awareness.

drifting on the waves of the river of love,

The waves of the river of love are broad; those who drift and toss do so because of the bonds of feeling and karmic affinity.

blown along on the sea of desire,

The waves of the sea of desire run deep; all the more do those who drown in it do so because of craving and attachment.

mired in sound and form,

Being dazzled by form and sound is called karmic consciousness.

and confused between being and non-being.

Being carried along by being and non-being is called the sense-roots and their dust.

What is not empty is taken as empty;

What is not empty is not truly empty; what is taken as empty is an illusory emptiness.

what is without form is taken as having form;

What is without form is not truly formed; what is taken as having form is illusory form.

what is without non-being is taken as having non-being;

What is without non-being is not truly non-being; what is taken as having non-being is illusory non-being.

what has being is taken as without being —

What truly has being is not merely being; what is taken as without being is illusory being.

From beginning to end, benighted and obscure,

As soon as one clings to either side, one is already benighted.

unable to enlighten themselves,

Not clinging to either side — yet in the end still not understanding.

they remain, in the end, confounded. These four kinds of confusion disorder a person, unsettled for life.

Above, one chapter. It opens and reveals the meaning of the scripture's preaching. All sentient beings dwell within the differentiated realms of being, non-being, form, and emptiness. For this reason the Celestial Worthy, in his compassion, expounded this scripture, setting forth manifold skillful means, wishing to let people borrow this illusory body in order to cultivate true awakening — hence the images of the Seven Treasures and the Five Lights. If one wishes to use the jade talisman to preserve the spirit and the golden liquid to refine the form, one must first abide in the ancestral breath of primordial beginning, and only afterward gather in the manifold causes and conditions; only then can one break through every differentiation, leave every realm, cut off every illusion and delusion, and untie every entanglement. In this way one is no longer troubled by love and desire and suffering, and never again revolves in the wheel. Whoever attains this vision has attained the way of long life and lasting sight.

The Celestial Worthy proclaimed:

This restates the same meaning.

You multitudes of living beings —

All living beings are born from illusion.

from what is not being there is being,

All marks of being are originally without being.

from what is not non-being there is non-being,

All marks of non-being are originally not non-being.

from what is not form there is form,

All marks of form are originally without form.

from what is not emptiness there is emptiness.

All marks of emptiness are originally not empty.

What is not being is taken for being,

To cling to being and take it for being — that is not true being.

what is not non-being is taken for non-being,

To cling to non-being and take it for non-being — that is not true non-being.

what is not form is taken for form,

To see form and take it for form — that is not true form.

what is not emptiness is taken for emptiness.

To be deluded about emptiness and take it for emptiness — that is not true emptiness.

Emptiness is emptiness —

"Emptiness is emptiness" is a dead, inert emptiness.

emptiness has no fixed emptiness.

How could emptiness have a fixed substance?

Form is form —

"Form is form" is illusory form.

form has no fixed form.

How could form have a fixed substance?

Form itself is emptiness,

Form is not different from emptiness.

emptiness itself is form.

Emptiness is not different from form.

If one can know that emptiness is not merely empty,

An emptiness that is not merely empty — this is called true emptiness.

and know that form is not merely form,

A form that is not merely form — this is called true form.

this is called illumined understanding,

To illumine and understand form and emptiness as one, to comprehend that being and non-being are not two.

and only then does one arrive at the wondrous sound.

To hear what has nothing heard — this is called the wondrous sound.

To know the dharma of no-emptiness,

Emptiness with nothing to be emptied — this is called the dharma of emptiness.

and to behold thoroughly, without obstruction.

Being and non-being not two — this is the gate of no obstruction.

Entering the gate of the manifold wonders,

Form and emptiness as one — this is the gate of the manifold wonders.

one naturally comes to release and awakening.

Not clinging to being or non-being, the heart-nature becomes open and free.

Leaving behind every net of doubt,

No longer seeing form or emptiness as separate, the mass of doubt shatters.

and no longer clinging to any view of emptiness.

There is no realm of the eye, and on up to no realm of consciousness.

The six roots are purified,

There is no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharma.

and deviant obstructions are cut off and removed.

There is no form, no sensation, no perception, no volition, no consciousness.

Above, the second chapter. This chapter brings to light the mind-method of Ascending to the Mystery. Out of compassion, the Celestial Worthy points directly at the true purport of being, non-being, form, and emptiness, admonishing and instructing again and again, repeating it four times over. His wish is to let people leave every differentiated realm, and dwell in no view of being, non-being, or emptiness. The essential of Ascending to the Mystery and penetrating to the subtle is here brought to completion. If a cultivator of the real, a lofty gentleman, can open a single eye toward this, his study and inquiry are finished. If not yet, let him listen closely to the final words.

"For this reason I speak to you this wondrous scripture,"

The meaning is explained as before.

"named the Scripture of Protecting Life,"

This is the way of long life and lasting sight.

"It ferries and delivers living beings,"

Those who believe it will not meet with defilement and disgrace.

"carried on the body and reverently kept,"

Preserved within, the form is preserved and life prolonged.

"transmitted and taught throughout the world,"

Bestowed without, it benefits humans and gods.

"circulated, read, and chanted."

Those who chant it ward off calamity and sustain what is failing.

"Then there are the Flying Heaven Divine Kings, the Vajra Who Breaks Evil, the Numinous Youths Who Protect the Dharma, the Perfected Who Rescue from Suffering, and the Fierce Beasts of Metal Essence, each in their hundred myriads of myriads, all attending and guarding this scripture, protecting it wherever it goes —"

Wherever this scripture is present, it obtains the protection of the ten heavens' good spirits. This is the same meaning as what the Buddhist scriptures say: "wherever this sutra is present is like a Buddha's stupa or temple."

"warding off calamity and sustaining what is failing,"

This is called the medicine and stone that prolong life.

"delivering all living beings,"

This is called the ferry and bridge of salvation.

"and departing from every defilement and attachment."

This is called the dharma-rain that washes away the dust.

At that time the Celestial Worthy then spoke a verse, saying:

This restates the wondrous meaning.

"Looked at, I am not seen;"

Be watchful and cautious over what is not seen.

"listened for, I am not heard;"

Be fearful and apprehensive over what is not heard.

"far from every extreme —"

Hence the noble person is ever watchful over himself when alone.

"this is called the wondrous Way."

The Way of Ascending to the Mystery is here brought to its completion.

Above, the third chapter. It guides and illustrates the merit of upholding the scripture. Having earlier spoken of being, non-being, form, and emptiness as the four approaches to the true approach, forming the successive steps of Ascending to the Mystery and the ferry and bridge of salvation, and fearing that some may lack the strength for this, he in this chapter further sets up manifold dharma-forms, to draw in and lead those of middling capacity and below, that they may reverently believe, uphold, and recite its words in search of its meaning, gradually entering into a fine realm. He further composed a four-line verse, pointing directly at the mysterious essential, wishing thereby to let both humans and non-humans alike ascend together into the realm of the mystery. In this one sees that the Most High's virtue of loving life may be called complete. Were one not utterly sincere and diligent in practice, one would be unable to repay this mysterious grace. Those who dwell among hermitages studying the scripture should all the more exert themselves in this.

Commentary by Wang Jie (Hunran Zi)

"Most" (太) means without limit. "High" (上) means the utmost. "Ascending" (昇) means rising high. "Mystery" (玄) means the wondrous. "Speaking" (說) means opening and transforming. "Dispelling" (消) means extinguishing. "Calamity" (灾) means harm. "Protecting" (護) means preserving. "Life" (命) means the person. "Wondrous" (妙) means the mystery beyond mystery. "Scripture" (經) means the mind, and it means the path — the road that every person alike walks.

The Celestial Worthy says: the great Way without limit transforms and generates heaven and earth. Among the multitude of the ten thousand things, there is not one thing without its wonder, yet only the human being receives their finest essence and is the most numinous. Yet numinous as they are, people are born into different climates and lands, and their endowments therefore differ, so there is unequal worth and folly among them. For this reason the Celestial Worthy, through the power of compassion, opens the gate of skillful means, universally transforming the people of the world, to make clear their original true nature and to fully realize the bodily life-force they already possess. By refining thought with the mind and returning feeling to nature, then silently circulating the heavenly workings, flowing essence into transformed breath, and gathering it at the Palace of Qian, filling and pervading the four limbs — this is called Ascending to the Mystery. Circulating the talismanic fire to refine the spirit, and swallowing the golden liquid to refine the form, so that the form is made strong and the spirit clear, so that no deviance can enter and no hundred ailments arise, attaining long life and lasting sight, transcending the dust and escaping the kalpas — this is called Dispelling Calamity and Protecting Life. If there is one able to receive and uphold this way, circulating it through the whole body, he may run abreast with the sages and immortals and share one body with heaven and earth — this is why it is a wondrous scripture. The Scripture of the Way and Its Power says: the good person is the teacher of the person not good, and the person not good is the resource of the good person; hence there is no person to be discarded. So although living beings have hearts given to food and desire, within them all there is a nature of goodness and wisdom. The Celestial Worthy, in speaking this scripture, opens and transforms its wondrous principle, to instruct those who come after. Circulated, read, and chanted, it brings understanding of the origin of the great Way to completion: whoever awakens to it, the foolish may become wise, the turbid may become clear, transcending the ordinary to enter sagehood, naturally dispelling calamity, extinguishing offense, and preserving life, thereby gaining lengthened years — is this not indeed a wondrous scripture?

A verse says:
Boundless, the mysterious primordial beginning,
towering, the numinous treasure honored one;
ascending the mystery, broadly teaching and transforming,
manifesting the Way, expounding the scripture's text.

"At that time the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning was within the Palace of Five Lights in the Grove of Seven Treasures,"

"At that time" means the age of long-ago chaos. "Primordial Beginning" means the ancestral breath. "Celestial Worthy" means the one spirit of utmost worth, above heaven and below on earth honored uniquely and alone. "Grove of Seven Treasures" means the mind, the spirit. "Palace of Five Lights" means the Yellow Court. Explained by the way of the world: at the very start of the Longhan kalpa, eight-cornered rays hung down, and a single point of ancestral kalpa-breath transformed into ten thousand paths of upright breath, floating and filling empty space, knotting together into a sagely body; one spirit holding the wonder of the ten thousand things — this was forcibly given the name Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. At the time of the preaching, he was within the Palace of Five Lights in the Grove of Seven Treasures of the primal blue heaven. Explained by the working of the Way: in the birth of every single person there is a Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. This refers to a single point of true yang breath, dwelling at the gate of birth and the secret door, with an empty-hanging aperture in between, called the Heavenly Heart, where nature also lodges — the ancestor to whose court all spirits pay homage: this is what is meant by "Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning." Whenever the single yang first stirs, at the time of turning the scripture, the spirit descends into the mysterious pass, fans the wind of Xun to blow up the samadhi-fire of the Li palace, pursues the two breaths along the yellow track, gathers the three natures in the primal palace, and fuses them together into the elixir. Thus in refining the nature — as hard as gold — one relies entirely on the power of fire to forge and refine it. Fire is spoken of as seven, earth is spoken of as five; hence it is "within the Palace of Five Lights in the Grove of Seven Treasures." This is what the Scripture on Salvation means when it says: the Primordial Beginning suspends a precious pearl, as large as a grain of millet, in the empty mystery, five zhang above the ground, drawing one up into the way of heavenly truth.

A verse says:
Primordial Beginning, before heaven and earth,
uncontrived, ancestor of the vast kalpas;
one mind embracing the myriad bodies,
the true one below, savoring true emptiness.

"together with the sagely multitudes without limit, emitting light without limit, illuminating worlds without limit."

This continues the above, meaning: the one spirit rightly enthroned, the ten thousand spirits paying court to their ancestor. Explained by the way of the world: at the time the Celestial Worthy preached the scripture, all the heavens and all the earths, the three realms and ten directions, and the sagely multitudes without limit, all at once assembled together within the Palace of Five Lights in the Grove of Seven Treasures, all to hear the wonder of the preaching; at that time was emitted light without limit, illuminating worlds without limit. Explained by the working of the Way: whenever compounding the elixir, by turning the handle of the Heavenly Ladle and reversing the mechanism of the Dipper's stem, the ten thousand spirits and ten thousand breaths of the whole body all assemble together in the mind; steeped and steamed for a short while, one attains a clear spirit and a fresh breath, an expansive mind and an ample body, the numinous holding the wonder of emptiness, the ten thousand apertures full of light — this is "illuminating worlds without limit." This is what the Scripture on Salvation means when it says: the high sages and lofty honored ones, the perfected of wondrous conduct, in numbers beyond count, come floating through the air, all entering into the precious pearl. Once entered into the pearl's mouth, their whereabouts are unknown. The ritual affair roughly complete, all the heavens return to their places; in an instant, all is still, with no echo left behind.

A verse says:
A grain of millet holds heaven and earth,
all the perfected gather their sagely forms;
wisdom-light arises in a trance,
pervading the realms, illuminating the void.

"He beheld living beings without limit, undergoing suffering without limit, turning and turning through the world, revolving through birth and death, drifting on the waves of the river of love, blown along on the sea of desire, mired in sound and form, confused between being and non-being."

"Beheld" means to behold thoroughly. "Without limit" means the multitude of people and things under heaven, born and born without end. "Living beings" means the lowly, foolish people given over to craving and love, together with every sentient creature — all these are living beings. From this passage on: the Celestial Worthy, dwelling in utmost stillness, with the eye of wisdom beholds thoroughly within the great [...] amid the turbidity of the kalpa, where there are such greedy, vulgar, and foolish people who fear no heavenly mandate and do not cherish the life given them, indulging in craving and love without restraint — though their form is human, their heart is like that of birds and beasts. What can be done for such living beings, who do not know human relations, do not fear the laws of the state, whose minds are enslaved by their bodies, who chase profit and are confused by feeling, who court death in their craving and seeking, and who never know satisfaction, thereby committing manifold offenses and creating unpardonable karmic sin? Once they bring calamity and blame upon themselves — heaven's disaster is their own fault — in small measure they alone are trapped, in great measure disaster reaches even their own flesh and blood; hence they undergo suffering without limit, turning and turning through the world, revolving through birth and death within the six paths, forever without an exit. They drift on the river of love, wander over the land of the sea of desire, sinking and drowning, without any rest. The Celestial Worthy, pitying the suffering of living beings — how deeply lamentable it is — therefore, for this reason, opens and transforms the people of the world, that they may early awaken and turn back. Little do they know that whoever commits evil will surely receive evil retribution, following as a shadow follows the form; yet in the end they do not reflect, and to this day give themselves only to following their impulses, all the more mired in sound and form — hearing with the ear, seeing with the eye, chasing wildly after what is outside, until their own essence and spirit are dissipated, transformed into another kind of creature, never to return; and still they do not awaken, remaining confused between being and non-being to the very end, never changing.

A verse says:
Living beings' minds are self-benighted,
creating karma, sinking in the wheel;
mired in love of sound and form,
how are they different from beasts and birds?

"What is not empty is taken as empty; what is without form is taken as having form; what is without non-being is taken as having non-being; what has being is taken as without being — from beginning to end, benighted and obscure, unable to enlighten themselves, they remain, in the end, confounded."

This passage continues the above, meaning: living beings are confused between being and non-being and do not awaken of themselves; hence here it is said that the great Way at its origin was originally without form, without feeling, without name; because breath transformed and generated things, the one divided into two, and so there came to be form, feeling, and name. The reason living beings do not attain the true Way is that they cling to the illusory form as being, and are benighted about their original nature. The Way is originally not empty, yet they cling to it as empty. The Way is originally without form, yet they cling to it as having form. The Way is originally formless, yet they cling to it as having a form. The Way is empty yet truly existent, yet they cling to it as without existence, taking this for being. The deluded mind does not believe in the true Way, does not know whence it comes, does not know whither it goes; hence from beginning to end it is benighted and obscure, unable to enlighten itself, and remains, in the end, confounded — thereby committing evil and doing wrong, meeting with defilement and disgrace, receiving retribution without rest, forever losing the true Way.

A verse says:
The great Way is originally without form,
true emptiness is not mere emptiness;
if a person understands this through and through,
the old family manner shines forth.

"The Celestial Worthy proclaimed: You multitudes of living beings, from what is not being there is being, from what is not non-being there is non-being, from what is not form there is form, from what is not emptiness there is emptiness. What is not being is taken for being, what is not non-being is taken for non-being, what is not form is taken for form, what is not emptiness is taken for emptiness. Emptiness is emptiness — emptiness has no fixed emptiness; form is form — form has no fixed form. Form itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is form."

"Emptiness" means the Way's void, substanceless. "Form" means all things that have shape. From this passage on, the Celestial Worthy, in compassion for the people of the world who fail to awaken to the true Way, here earnestly and repeatedly admonishes them, describing the substance and function of the Way, teaching people thereby to awaken and see that the great Way is utterly void, without substance; and because it does not stand as mere emptiness, it produces form in order to establish the Way. Form is the chamber of the Way; the Way is the function of form; hence wherever there is form there must be spirit, and there must be the Way. A person's original spirit is originally void and numinous, but is fettered by form and thereby obstructed and made unnuminous. It is like the sun in the empty sky: a thousand rivers share its color, and where the water is clear the moon is bright, where the water is turbid the moon is dim. The moon does not leave the water, the water does not leave the moon; form does not leave spirit, spirit does not leave form. Form has decay and ruin; spirit has neither birth nor extinction. Human life is nothing but the borrowing of this illusory form in order to accomplish the Way. Why then are living beings so foolish, clinging to this illusory form, made servant to it, abandoning the root and chasing the branch, never in the end awakening to the principle of nature and life? Hence the Celestial Worthy says: You multitudes of living beings, listen closely to what I say. "From what is not being there is being" means that form is not a lasting being, and one must not take form to be true being. "From what is not non-being there is non-being" means that human nature is void and numinous, from age to age neither born nor extinguished, and one must not take nature to be non-being. "From what is not form there is form" means that the great Way is clear and empty, originally without form, and one must not be greedy for or deluded by form. "From what is not emptiness there is emptiness" means that the human spirit holds wonder and governs the myriad workings, originally without emptiness, and one must not stubbornly cling to it as emptiness. "What is not being is taken for being" means that when a person is first born as an infant, they are originally plain and frugal, without excess being; today one must not be greedy for life and heavy profit, taking this as one's own being. "What is not non-being is taken for non-being" means that in the birth of people and things, each body has its aperture, each thing has its supreme ultimate; the wondrous principle of creation and transformation is present in every single human body without exception, and one must not abandon what one has and take it for non-being. "What is not form is taken for form" means that the great Way, empty and pervading, penetrates every thing; heaven, earth, and the spirits are present everywhere, originally without any form or color that can be seen, and one must not cling to what is not form and take it for form. "What is not emptiness is taken for emptiness" means that the person who has completed the Way transforms freely, enduring through kalpa upon kalpa, originally not empty but truly existent, and one must not cling to it as void nothingness and mock it as emptiness. "Emptiness is emptiness — emptiness has no fixed emptiness" means that the great Way is formless, its transformations beyond measure, generating heaven, generating earth, generating people and things — how could there be a fixed principle of emptiness? It is like the blue sky and bright sun: in a moment wind, cloud, thunder, and rain transform, and in an instant fill the whole of the great thousand worlds. So too when a person's nature is still, it is the great void; the moment joy or anger arises, the workings of spirit are beyond measure, and it is likewise so. Is this not "emptiness has no fixed emptiness"? "Form is form — form has no fixed form" means: a person sees form with the eye, and the eye is itself form; if one can awaken to this, taking form to view form, turning the light around and illuminating within, one comprehends thoroughly that the mind is empty, and form is entirely without existence. Moreover, between heaven and earth, yin and yang transform and generate the ten thousand things; following their breath they form substance, following their substance they change form. What has feeling changes into what has no feeling — as when a chaste maiden turns to stone, or the earthworm transforms into the lily — and what has no feeling changes into what has feeling — as when the crimson maple transforms into a feathered immortal, or rotten grass transforms into fireflies. All things transform; the wheel of rebirth has no fixed term. Is this not "form has no fixed form"? Hence "form itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is form." Have you not heard the Diamond Sutra say: "no mark of self, no mark of person, no mark of living being, no mark of a life span; wherever there is any mark, it is illusory. If all marks are seen as no marks, then one sees the Tathagata"? These words are the utmost. Let students savor this, and they will be close to it!

A verse says:
The wonder of the Way is not the dharma of emptiness,
people are deluded by the mind of illusory form;
let go of being and non-being both,
and the dry land sinks entirely level.
Ho! Do you understand?
Walking to where the water ends and the mountains run out —
the birds sing, the flowers smile, one same spring.

"If one can know that emptiness is not merely empty, and know that form is not merely form, this is called illumined understanding, and only then does one arrive at the wondrous sound. To know the dharma of no-emptiness, to behold thoroughly, without obstruction. Entering the gate of the manifold wonders, one naturally comes to release and awakening. Leaving behind every net of doubt, and no longer clinging to any view of emptiness."

This passage continues the above, speaking of the transformation of living beings. Whoever is able to awaken to it does not fall into dead, inert emptiness, does not cling to deviant views, but preserves only the single mind, limpid and ever still, clearly comprehending true emptiness, knowing all, penetrating all — the Way is in oneself, not in another. If one's realization reaches this ground, only then does one truly know that emptiness is not merely empty and form is not merely form; hence it is called illumined understanding, and only then does one arrive at the wondrous sound. Knowing the dharma of no-emptiness, one beholds thoroughly and is free and at ease; this mind communicates with other minds, and there is no thing whose nature is not fully known. Passing through mountains and penetrating stone, there is no separation or obstruction; the light of wisdom-nature arises within, illuminating far and wide without limit. Hence, entering the gate of the manifold wonders, one naturally comes to release and awakening; every single thing is the Way, every single thing shares the same truth. Every net of doubt is entirely overturned, the original self alone stands revealed, and one no longer clings to any view of emptiness.

A verse says:
Emptiness upon emptiness is originally not empty,
form upon form is in fact not form;
awaken directly to the mysterious mechanism,
know the white, and hold to the black.

"The six roots are made clear and still, and deviant obstructions are cut off and removed."

"Clear and still" means to empty the mind and fill the belly. The "six roots" are the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. "Cut off" means to sever; "remove" means to take away. "Deviant obstructions" means all worldly toil, form, and desire. This continues the above meaning of not clinging to any view of emptiness; here it teaches people to make their six roots clear and still, to sever and remove their deviant obstructions, so that within nothing goes out and without nothing comes in; naturally the spirit becomes clear and the breath still, the six roots are at peace, and deviant obstructions are cut off and removed.

A verse says:
Comprehend thoroughly the single mind,
penetrating heaven, reaching through earth;
yang flourishes, yin dissolves,
deviant demons retreat and yield their place.

"I now speak to you this wondrous scripture, named the Scripture of Protecting Life, to ferry and deliver living beings, to be transmitted and taught throughout the world, to be circulated, read, and chanted."

"I" is the Celestial Worthy's self-reference. "You" refers to the person who has awakened to the Way. "Speak" means to open and transform. "Wondrous" means mysterious. "Scripture" means the mind, and also means the road — the road that every person alike walks. "Ferry" carries the meaning of receiving and leading; "deliver" means to cross to the other shore. In this passage the Celestial Worthy says that if the people of the world can awaken to the Way with clear penetration, not bound by form, not fettered by deviant obstructions, and can pierce through to the mechanism above, only when they reach this ground can he then speak with them of the source of the great Way and the wonder of turning the scripture. Whoever chants the scripture can thereby communicate with the spirits. Whoever awakens to it can thereby nourish life. Whoever attains it can thereby lengthen their years. Hence it is named the Scripture of Protecting Life. It ferries and delivers living beings, is transmitted and taught throughout the world, causing every person to circulate, read, and chant it, wishing that each and every one might early awaken and reach fulfillment — is this not indeed what fulfills the heart of the Celestial Worthy?

A verse says:
Each and every body is one with the Way,
every single mind is the scripture;
essence congealed, spirit and breath made firm,
life protected, long life preserved.

"Then there are the Flying Heaven Divine Kings, the Vajra Who Breaks Evil, the Numinous Youths Who Protect the Dharma, the Perfected Who Rescue from Suffering, and the Fierce Beasts of Metal Essence, each in their hundred myriads of myriads, all attending and guarding this scripture."

This chapter, explained by the way of the world, means that whoever loves the Way and upholds and chants this scripture will, as the scripture says, have such spirit-youths and fierce beasts attending and guarding their body. Explained by the working of the Way: the "Flying Heaven Divine Kings" means the intent turning on the way of Numinous Treasure and Ascending the Mystery. The "Vajra Who Breaks Evil" means martial refining. The "Numinous Youths Who Protect the Dharma" means gentle decocting. The "Perfected Who Rescue from Suffering" means driving back demons and restoring the Heavenly Heart. The "Fierce Beasts of Metal Essence" means the five-colored lion. In sum: whenever practicing the Numinous Treasure rite, one should turn the Scripture of Protecting Life. Commanding one's yellow intent to enter the eastern sea, whipping up the hidden dragon to drive the fire-chariot, ascending up to the palace of the mysterious valley — this is called the "Flying Heaven Divine King." Reversing the flow of the Yellow River's waters to become the rain that clears the vapors of Mount Kunlun — this is called the "Vajra Who Breaks Evil." Coming home from the western mountain astride the white tiger — this is called the "Numinous Youth Who Protects the Dharma." Battling back the mighty demon and restoring the original spirit to its seat — this is called the "Perfected Who Rescues from Suffering." The body seated atop the five-colored lion of empty mystery, dignified and solemn in its awesome bearing — this is called the "Fierce Beast of Metal Essence." All the ten thousand spirits and ten thousand breaths of the whole body returning entirely to the single mind — this is called "each in their hundred myriads of myriads, all attending and guarding this scripture." If the student can awaken to this wonder, within there is the ceaseless, unbroken work of silent circulation as described, and without there is naturally the lasting protection of the ten heavens' good spirits for that person. This scripture's mysterious wonder is a merit beyond conception!

A verse says:
A single point, nothing more to it,
the foundation for transcending the ordinary and entering sagehood;
when the Way is high, demons submit of themselves,
the spirit's wonder manifests its awesome bearing.

"Wherever it is reverently kept, it wards off calamity and sustains what is failing, delivers all living beings, and departs from every defilement and attachment."

This means that for a person of the Way who chants the scripture, wherever the body goes, there is naturally a divine luminary protecting and reverently attending it; without, it subdues the host of demons; within, it communicates with the perfected and manifests sagehood. Every sentient creature is bathed in the shelter of the Way; those with feeling and those without alike ascend to the other shore. Hence it wards off calamity and sustains what is failing, delivers all living beings, and departs from every defilement and attachment.

A verse says:
The wonder of the Way is boundless,
its spirit-transformation beyond measure;
rescuing and delivering living beings,
sustaining what fails, warding off calamity.

"At that time the Celestial Worthy then spoke a verse, saying: Looked at, I am not seen; listened for, I am not heard; far from every extreme — this is called the wondrous Way."

Here the Celestial Worthy, having finished preaching the scripture, does not dare to praise himself, and so is honorifically called "at that time the Celestial Worthy," and then speaks the verse, describing the wonder of the great Way and summing up the mystery of this scripture in one closing statement. These four lines of verse are the crucial point for the student. This is what Laozi means: looked at and not seen, it is called even; listened for and not heard, it is called rarefied; grasped for and not caught, it is called subtle. Hence the Way is present in heaven and earth, yet heaven and earth do not know it; the Way is present in the ten thousand things, yet the ten thousand things do not know it. Made clear, it does not become clearer; stirred, it does not become murky. In motion it does not move; in stillness it is not still. Its wondrous substance is utterly void, its numinous response reaches the ten thousand existences — it cannot be captured in description. One may leave form behind and cast off knowledge, and this is precisely its function: within not-seeing, personally seeing; within seeing, not seeing; within not-hearing, personally hearing; within hearing, not hearing. Silently recognized, the mind communicates; spirit apprehends, intent comprehends. Arriving at this point, one naturally leaves behind every manifold mark, and only then is it truly called the wondrous Way. Is this not indeed a rare achievement for the student?

A verse says:
The great image has no form,
the great sound is rarely heard;
the empty void shatters to pieces,
the spirit ascends to Great Clarity.

Commentary on the Wondrous Scripture of the Most High Spoken on Ascending to the Mystery, Dispelling Calamity, and Protecting Life — completed.

Colophon

This Good Works Translation was prepared for the Daoist shelf of the Good Works Library. Both commentaries were translated independently from the classical Chinese text printed below. Each commentary alternates short clauses of the base scripture (quoted here in quotation marks, or run in as the opening line of a paragraph where the base scripture's own wording is largely repeated by the commentator) with the commentator's prose gloss. Li Daochun closes each of his three major divisions with a prose summary (marked 右一章, 右二章, 右三章 in the source) rather than a verse; Wang Jie closes each of his shorter divisions with a four-line verse (頌), which is kept as such throughout. This structure is kept exactly as the source presents it, with headings added only to mark where one commentary ends and the other begins.

Before the claim below was written, a bounded translation-status check was performed: the two local reference bibliographies of Daoist texts in Western-language translation (Komjathy's Daoist Texts in Translation and the 2023 Purple Cloud update) were searched by Chinese title, romanization, and keyword, and returned no listing for either commentary or for this base scripture under any of its titles. A web search for the Chinese title and for the romanized title likewise turned up no published English translation of either commentary. One relevant item did surface: an academic paper translating and studying a different, later commentary on the same base scripture — the Ming-dynasty commentator Li Xiyue's — as an adaptation of the Buddhist Heart Sutra; this is a different work from the two Yuan commentaries translated here, was not consulted, and does not affect the claim below. To our knowledge, this is the first complete published English translation of the commentaries on the Xiaozai Huming jing by Li Daochun and by Wang Jie. We state this as the limit of our knowledge, not as a certainty.

A note on the source text. Within Wang Jie's commentary, one passage carries a Wikisource collation note marking a probable missing character after 大 ("great"); the note suggests the missing character is likely 千 ("thousand"), which together would give the common Buddhist phrase "the great thousand worlds." The translation keeps the gap and reports the note rather than silently supplying the character. A note on terms: 空 (kōng, "emptiness") and 色 (sè, "form") are the scripture's central pair and are rendered consistently throughout both commentaries; 天尊 ("Celestial Worthy") follows the house glossary's practice of translating divine titles meaningfully rather than transliterating them.

Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation and editorial work.

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Source Text: 太上昇玄消灾護命妙經註

Classical Chinese text of the Daoist Canon, in the Chinese Wikisource transcription. Presented complete for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

太上昇玄消灾護命妙經註(清庵瑩蟾子李道純註)

元道士李道純撰。一卷。底本出處：《正統道藏》洞真部玉訣類。

太上昇玄消灾護命妙經註

爾時元始天尊 ，

元始，謂元始祖氣也。元始祖氣化生諸天，即釋教所謂無上道，不動尊，故曰天尊。

在七寶林中，

人之一身，三元四象具足，故謂之七寶林。

五明宮內，

即中宮黃庭內境，虛明普照，故曰五明宮。

與無極聖眾俱，

謂種種變化也。

放無極光明 ，

謂種種知見也。

照無極世界。

謂種種境界也。

觀無極眾生 ，

謂種種幻妄也。

受無極苦惱，

謂種種纏縛也。

宛轉世間，

翻軀換殼，無有了期 。

輪迴生死，

出生入死，不自知覺。

漂浪愛河，

愛河浪闊，漂蕩者情緣之故。

流吹慾海，

慾海波深，況溺者貪著之故也。

沉滯聲色，

色聲所眩，謂之業識。

迷惑有無。

有無所遷，謂之根塵。

無空有空，

無空不是空，有空即幻空。

無色有色，

無色不是色，有色是幻色。

無無有無 ，

無無不是無，有無即幻無。

有有無有 ，

有有不是有，無有即幻有。

終始暗昧，

纔著一邊，便是昧了也。

不能自明，

不著一邊，到底不明。

畢竟迷惑。 四者惑亂，終身不定。

右一章。開示說經之義。一切有情，皆住有無色空差別境界。是故天尊垂慈演說是經，設種種方便，蓋欲使人假此幻身而修正覺，故有七寶五明之喻。若欲玉符保神，金液鍊形，叉先存乎元始祖氣，而後檢攝種種因緣，始能破一切差別，離一切境界，斷一切幻妄，解一切纏縛。是以不為愛慾苦惱，而永無輪轉也。作是見者，長生久視之道得矣。

天尊告曰：

重宣此義。

爾等眾生，

一切眾生皆由幻生。

從不有中有 ，

一切有相本不有。

不無中無，

一切無相本不無。

不色中色，

一切色相本不色。

不空中空。

一切空相本不空。

非有為有，

著有為有，非有也。

非無為無，

著無為無，非無也。

非色為色，

見色為色，非色也。

非空為空。

迷空為空，非空也。

空即是空，

空即空，頑空也。

空無定空。

空豈有定體。

色即是色，

色即色，幻色也。

色無定色。

色豈有定體。

即色是空，

色不異於空。

即空是色。

空不異於色。

若能知空不空，

不空之空，是謂真空。

知色不色，

不色之色，是謂真色。

名為照了，

照了色空則一，了達有無不二。

始達妙音。

聞無所聞，謂之妙音。

識無空法，

空無所空，謂之空法。

洞觀無礙。

有無不二，無礙之門。

入眾妙門，

色空如一，眾妙之門。

自然解悟。

不著有無，心性豁達。

離諸疑網，

不見色空，疑團粉碎。

不著空見 。

無眼界乃至無意識界。

清淨六根，

無色聲香味觸法。

斷除邪障。

無色無受想行識。

右二章。此章發明昇玄之心法也。天尊慈憫之故，直指有無色空的的旨趣，叮嚀告戒，返復再四。蓋欲使人離諸差別境界，不住有無空見。昇玄造微之要，至是盡矣。修真高士，若向這裏具隻眼，叅學事畢。其或未然，諦聽末後句。

我故為汝說是妙經，

解義如前。

名曰《護命》，

長生久視之道。

濟度眾生，

信之者不遭濁辱。

隨身供養，

存於內，形存壽永。

傳教世間

施於外利益人天。

| 流通讀誦。

誦之者捍厄扶衰。

即有飛天神王、破邪金剛、護法靈童、救苦真人、金精猛獸，各百億萬眾，俱侍衛是經，隨所擁護，

是經所在之處，即得十天善神擁護。即佛經所謂：是經所在之處，如佛塔廟之義也。

捍厄扶衰，

是謂延生之藥石。

度一切眾生，

是謂濟度之津梁。

離諸染著。

是謂洗塵之法雨。

爾時天尊即說偈曰：

重宣妙義。

視不見我，

戒慎乎其所不賭

聽不得聞，

恐懼乎其所不聞。

離種種邊，

故君子常慎其獨。

名為妙道。

昇玄之道，至是盡矣。右三章。誘喻持經之功德也。前說有無色空四趣真趣，作昇玄之階級，濟度之津梁，惟恐力不及者，又於是章假立種種法相，接引中人以下，敬信奉持，俾之誦言求意，漸入佳境。又作四句偈言，直指玄要，直欲使其人與非人，俱昇玄境之意也。以此見太上好生之德，可謂至矣。若非篤志力行者，不足以報玄恩。經間庵者，更宜勉之。

太上昇玄說消灾護命妙經註(脩江混然子註)

元道士混然子王玠（字道淵）撰。一卷。底本出處：《正統道藏》洞真部玉訣類。

太上昇玄說消灾護命妙經註
　　太者，無也。上者，極也。昇，高也。玄，妙也。說，開化也。消，滅也。灾，害也。護，保也。命，身也。妙，玄之又玄也。經，心也，徑也，人人共行之徑路也。天尊言：無極大道，化生天地。萬物之多，無物不有其妙，唯人得其秀而最靈。然雖靈也，人生風土不同，稟受則有殊異，是有賢愚不等。故天尊以慈憫力，開方便門，普化世人，明本來之真性，全見有之身命。以心鍊念，以情歸性，然默運天機，流精化氣，會於乾宮，充周四體，乃謂之昇玄。運符火以鍊神，嚥金液以鍊形，形強神清，諸邪不入，百病不生，長生久視，超塵出劫，乃謂之消灾護命。若有能受持此道，運行一身，與聖仙並駕，與天地同軀，是為妙經也。《道德經》謂：善人，不善人之師，不善人，善人之資，故無棄人。所以眾生雖是有食愛之心，其中皆有善智之性。天尊說此經，開化妙理，以喻後之來者。流通讀誦，究竟大道之由，悟之者，愚可以智，濁可以清，超凡入聖，自然消灾、滅罪、保命，乃得延年，豈不是妙經也哉。頌曰：無極玄元始，巍巍靈寶尊，昇玄弘教化，顯道說經文。

爾時元始天尊在七寶林中五明宮內，

　　爾時者，昔混沌之時也。元始者，祖氣也。天尊者，一靈至貴，天上地下，唯此獨尊也。七寶林者，心也，神也。五明官者，黃庭也。以世法釋，當龍漢之初，八角垂芒，一點祖劫之氣，化正氣萬道，浮滿空中，結成聖體，一神含妙萬有，乃強名曰元始天尊也。當說之時，在始青天七寶林中五明宮內也。以道用言，人人之生，皆有元始天尊。此言一點真陽之氣，居於生門密戶，中間空懸一竅，乃曰天心，性亦寓焉，為萬神朝會之祖，是謂元始天尊者也。凡遇一陽初動，當轉經之時，則神下墜玄關，鼓巽風吹發離宮三昧之火，追二氣於黃道，會三性於元宮，混融成丹。所以鍊性，如金之堅，全藉火力以鍛鍊。火以七言，土以五言，是以在七寶林中五明宮內者也。此即《度人經》所謂：元始懸一寶珠，大如黍米，在空玄之中，去地五丈，登引天真之道也。頌曰：元始先天地，無為浩劫宗，一心抱眾體，真下翫真空。

與無極聖眾俱，放無極光明，照無極世界。

　　此承上言，一神正位，萬神朝宗。以世法言，當天尊說經之時，則諸天諸地、三界十方、無極聖眾，一時同會於七寶林中五明宮內，咸聽說經之妙，是時放無極光明，照無極世界也。以道用言，凡作丹之時，以天罡之斡運，逆回斗柄之機，則通身萬神萬氣同會於心，薰蒸片餉，即得神清氣爽，心廣體胖，靈含空妙，萬竅光明，是照無極世界也。此即與《度人經》所言：上聖高尊、妙行真人、無鞅數眾，浮空而來，俱入寶珠之內。既入珠口，不知所在。法事粗悉，諸天復位。倏欻之間，寂無遺響是也。頌曰：一黍藏天地，諸真集聖軀，慧光生恍惚，遍界照虛無。

觀無極眾生，受無極苦惱，宛轉世間，輪迴生死，漂浪愛河，流吹慾海，沉滯聲色，迷惑有無。

　　觀者，洞觀也。無極者，言天下人物之多，生生不盡之意也。眾生者，下愚貪愛之人也，及其一切含靈之物，皆是眾生。此一節以下，天尊居靜極之中，以智慧目，洞觀大 ● 之內，劫濁之間，有等貪夫俗子下愚之人，不畏天命，不惜生身，紛紛貪愛，形雖人身，心如禽獸也。奈何此等眾生，不識人倫，不懼國法，心為形役，逐利迷情，舍死貪求，了無厭足，造成種種之愆，作下無遮罪業。一旦自招殃咎，天灾罪己，小則自陷一身，大則禍連骨肉，是以受無極苦惱，宛轉世間，輪迴生死於六道之中，永無出期。漂浪於愛河，流浪於慾海之地，汨沒沉淪，無有休息。天尊憐憫眾生之苦，深可痛哉，故以此等由，開化世人，早悟回頭。殊不知造惡者必有惡報，如影隨形，竟不尋思，至此唯務縱念所為，況滯於聲色，耳中聽，眼中見，紛紜馳逐於外，自身精神耗散，化為異類而不復，猶自不醒，迷惑有無而終不改也。頌曰：眾生心自昧，造業受輪沉，愛滯於聲色，何如獸與禽。

無空有空，無色有色，無無有無，有有無有，終始暗昧，不能自明，畢竟迷惑。

　　此一節承上言，眾生迷惑有無，不自醒悟，於此故言大道之始，本無形、無情、無名，因氣化生物，一分為二，遂有形、有情、有名。眾生所以不得真道者，執著幻形為有，昧了本來之性。道本不空，執著為空。道本無色，執著有色。道本無形，執著有形。道虛真有，執著無有，以此為有。妄心不信真道，不知其來，不知其去，是以終始暗昧，不能自明，畢竟迷惑，故造惡作非，遭於濁辱，受報無休，永失真道也。頌曰：大道本無色，真空非是空。若人明得透，顯出舊家風。

天尊告曰：爾等眾生，從不有中有，不無中無，不色中色，不空中空。非有為有，非無為無，非色為色，非空為空。空即是空，空無定空；色即是色，色無定色。即色是空，即空是色。

　　空者，道虛無體也。色者，一切有形之物也。此一節以下，天尊慈憫世人不悟真道，於此丁寧反覆告戒，形容道之體用，教人如此悟見大道至虛無體，因不虛立，故生形以立道。形為道之室，道為形之用，是以有其形必有其神，必有其道。人之元神本是虛靈，因形所梏，障礙不靈。譬如空中有日，千江同色，水清月明，水濁月昏。月不離水，水不離月，形不離神，神不離形。形有敗壞，神無生滅。人生不過假此幻形以成於道。何故眾生如此之愚，執此幻形，被他所使，棄其本，逐其末，終不悟性命之理。天尊故言：爾等眾生，可以諦聽吾說，從不有中有者，此言形非長有，不可認形為有。不無中無，此言人性虛靈，亘古亘今，不生不滅，不可以性為無也。不色中色者，此言大道清虛，本無其色，不貪迷其色也。不空中空者，此言人神含妙，主宰萬機，本無其空，不可固執為空也。非有為有者，此言人初生為赤子之時，本來素儉非有，今日不可貪生厚利，為我之有也。非無為無者，此言人物之生，一身一竅，一物一太極，造化妙理，無不在人一身，不可棄我之有而為無者也。非色為色者，此言大道沖虛，無物不貫，天地神明，無處不存，本無形色之可睹，不可執其非色而為色者也。非空為空者，此言成道之人，變化自在，劫劫長存，本來非空而實有，不可執著為虛無而笑之為空也。空即是空，空無定空者，此言大道無形，變化莫測，生天生地生人物，豈有定空之理。至如青天白日，一時風雲雷雨變化，頃刻遍滿大千世界是也。如人性靜之時，乃太空也，一時發其喜怒，神機不測，亦復如是。豈不是空無定空者也？色即是色，色無定色者，人以眼觀色，眼即色也，若能覺之，得色觀色，迴光返照，了徹心空，色皆無也。且夫天地之間，陰陽化生萬物，隨氣成質，隨質變色。有情而變無情，貞女化為石山，蚯化百合之類；無情而變有情，丹楓化羽人，腐草化為螢之類。萬物皆化，輪迴無期，豈不是色無定色者也？是以即色是空，即空是色。豈不聞《金剛經》云：無我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相。凡有所相，即是虛妄。若是諸相非相，即見如來。斯言至矣。學人於此玩味，其庶幾乎！頌曰：道妙非空法，人迷幻色心，有無都放下，陸地盡平沉。喝！會得麼？行到水窮山盡處，鳥啼花笑一般春。

若能知空不空，知色不色，名為照了，始達妙音。識無空法，洞觀無礙。入眾妙門，自然解悟。離諸疑網，不著空見。

　　此一節承上文而言，為化眾生。其有能悟之者，不墮頑空，不著邪見，唯存一心，湛然常寂，了了真空，無所不知，無所不透，道在我而不在於彼。若領悟至此地位，方信知空不空，知色不色，是以名為照了，始達妙音。識無空法，洞觀自在，此心通於他心，無物不盡其性。穿山透石，無有隔礙，於我慧性生明，廣照無際。所以入眾妙門，自然解悟，頭頭是道，物物同真。一切疑網，盡行掀翻，獨露本來，不著空見也。頌曰：空空本不空，色色即非色。直下悟玄機，知白守其黑。

清靜六根，斷除邪障。

　　清靜者，虛心實腹也。六根者，眼耳鼻舌身意也。斷，絕也。除，去也。邪障，一切塵勞色慾也。此承上言不著空見之意，於此教人清靜其六根，絕去其邪障，內不出，外不入，自然神清氣靜，六根安寧，邪障斷除矣。頌曰：了徹一心，通天徹地。陽盛陰消，邪魔退位。

我即為爾說是妙經，名曰《護命》，濟度眾生，傳教世間，流通讀誦。

　　我者，天尊自稱也。爾者，言悟道之人也。說，開化也。妙，玄也。經，心也，猶路也，人人共行之路也。濟者，接引之意也。度者，超彼岸也。此一節，天尊故言世人若能悟道明徹，不被形縛，不著邪障所缚，透得向上機關，至此田地，方纔可與爾言說大道之宗，轉經之妙。這誦經之者，可以通神。悟之者，可以養命。得之者，可以長年。是名曰《護命》。濟度眾生，傳教世間，使人人流通讀誦，願得箇箇早悟圓成，豈不稱天尊之心哉。頌曰：箇箇身同道，人人心是經，精凝神氣固，護命保長生。

即有飛天神王、破邪金剛、護法靈童，救苦真人、金精猛獸，各百億萬眾，俱侍衛是經。

　　此章以世法言，凡好道持謂是經之人，當依經說，有如是神童猛獸侍衛誦經者身。以道用言，飛天神王者，意轉靈寶昇玄之道也。破邪金剛者，武鍊也。護法靈童者，文烹也救苦真人者，退魔也，復其天心也。金精猛獸者，五色獅子也。總而言之，凡行靈寶之時，則當轉護命之經。命吾黃意入東海，鞭起濳龍駕火輿，上昇玄谷之宮，乃曰飛天神王。倒流黃河之水，作他崑崙蕩氛之霖，乃曰破邪金剛。從西山跨白虎以歸家，乃曰護法靈童。戰退強魔，元神復位，乃曰救苦真人。身坐空玄五色獅子之上，凜然肅正其威儀，乃曰金精猛獸。通身萬神萬氣悉歸一心，乃曰各百億萬眾俱侍衛是經也。學人能悟此妙，內有默運綿綿如是之功，外則自有十天善神長擁護其人。斯經玄妙，不可思議功德也哉。頌曰：一點無多子，超凡入聖基，道高魔自伏，神妙顯威儀。

隨所供養，捍厄扶衰，度一切眾生，離諸染著。

　　此言有道誦經之人，隨身所至，自有一神明擁護供養，外則攝伏羣魔，內則通真顯聖。一切含靈，皆沾道廕，有情無情，咸登彼岸。所以捍其厄而扶其衰，度一切眾生，離諸染著也。頌曰：道妙無窮，神化莫測，救度眾生，扶衰捍厄。

爾時天尊即說偈曰：視不見我，聽不得聞，離種種邊，名為妙道。

　　此天尊說經已畢，不敢自讚，故尊稱爾時天尊，即說偈言，形容大道之妙，總結此經一篇之玄。此四句偈，為學人喫緊處。老子所謂視之不見名曰夷，聽之不聞名曰希，搏之不得名曰微。所以道在天地，天地不知，道在萬物，萬物不知。澄之不清，撓之不濁。動中不動，靜中不靜。妙體至虛，靈應萬有，不可得而形容也。可以離形棄智，即此用。不見中親見，見中不見，不聞中親聞，聞中不聞。默識心通，神領意會，到此之間，自離種種諸相，方名為妙道也。豈不為學人希有之功者乎？頌曰：大象無形，大音希聲，虛空粉碎，神昇太清。

太上昇玄說消灾護命妙經註竟

● 『大』字下疑脫一『千』字。

Source Colophon

The Chinese text follows the Chinese Wikisource transcription of the Daoist Canon edition of this text (article 太上昇玄消灾護命妙經註, revision of 21 July 2018), inspected from a witness copy captured on 8 August 2026. Chinese Wikisource transcriptions are published under CC BY-SA 4.0 and the GFDL; the text itself is ancient and in the public domain. The wiki header and license templates have been removed; the text is otherwise complete and unaltered.

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