The Secret Art of Escape Armor Talisman Writing

(1) Key Principles of Drawing Talismans: Whenever writing a talisman, one must first purify the mind and stabilize thoughts, circulate spirit and distribute qi, visualize thunder and fire burning the body, transform the deity into the Heavenly Master. The Vermilion Bird crowns the head, the Eight-Trigram Spirit Turtle treads the feet, the Azure Dragon is on the left, the White Tiger on the right, holding-seal童子 (boys) flank both sides, dressed in green clothes and rice-colored skirts. The Direct Command stands before with a sword pressed down, and the Tiger Guard troops stand behind, each holding battle-axes as guards. After visualization, visualize the Master of Liberation in front and the Patriarch behind, leading thirty-six great generals under Tianpeng to guard the talisman writing. Silently petition the Supreme Deity to reveal the generals and officers within the talisman. After completing the prayers and talisman writing rituals, use the seal mantra to summon the Six Ding and Six Jia, Gongcao generals and officers to guard front and back, chanting the mantra: ◎ Six Jia Yang Spirits, come to serve on my left, guard the talisman writing; Six Ding Yin Spirits, come to serve on my right, guard the talisman writing; Four Direct Gongcao, come to serve before me, guard the talisman writing; Hurry, as if by law! (After visualizing all deities gathered, glare angrily at the cinnabar cup and chant:) ◎ Yang essence shines brightly, Yin ghosts shall decay; Divine cinnabar is majestic, primordial dew shines in Taiwei; Seven energies turn to ash, five energies form terraces; Hundred evils are extinguished, ten thousand ghosts are destroyed; Hurry, as if by law! (Inhale Gang qi and blow into the cinnabar cup, then pass the cinnabar over incense, chanting the following mantra or holding the brush and tapping three times on the stand, passing over incense, visualizing as a divine sword with sharp, radiant锋芒 (edges), then chant the Brush Consecration Mantra:) ◎ The Great Sun shines brightly, Yin ghosts shall decay; Divine cinnabar dazzles the eyes, Nine Clouds shine in Taiwei; What is now commanded, ten thousand ghosts are destroyed; Seven energies become fire, three energies form terraces; Two stars shine together, the talisman arrives to pursue swiftly; The brush becomes a divine sword, ink becomes halberds (jǐ); The brush method cures diseases, ten thousand ghosts hide and submit; Hurry, as if by law! (Inhale Gang qi and blow into the cinnabar, then pass the ink over incense) Chant: Divine ink is spiritual, true essence of the moon; Writing talismans to禁 (bind) ghosts, evil demons lose their form; The patient wears and swallows it, forever safe and peaceful; Hurry, as if by law! (Take Gang qi and blow on the ink, then hold the brush and tap three times, passing over incense) Chant: The brush is a sharp knife, ink is a hundred medicines; Evil spirits are severed, hundred demons are crushed; Divine brush is spiritual, writing talismans to dispatch spirits; Summon officials, officials arrive; Summon officers, officers act; Point at people, people live; Point at ghosts, ghosts perish; Submit under my Kuigang, descend ten thousand zhang into the earth, no movement, no action; Hurry, as if by law! Divine ink is spiritual, changing death to life; The divine brush once opened, ten thousand ghosts lose their form; Hurry, as if by the Supreme Deity's law! (After chanting for cinnabar, ink, and brush, use the left hand's Dipper hand seal, hold the inkstone water over incense) Chant: Four illuminations open clearly, heaven and earth are constant; Three Lights divine water, removes misfortune; Two stars guard and station, seven spirits transmit light; Writing talismans to kill ghosts, submit to my Kuigang; Evil ghosts submit, ten thousand energies mix in peace; Supreme Laozi, taught me to kill ghosts; Gave me divine formulas; Call up Jade Maidens above, gather misfortune; Ascend to immortality, agree with the Dao, wear and carry the seal; Hurry, as if by the Supreme Deity's decree! (Next, left hand grips the Ziwei Seal, right hand holds ink, transform self into Heavenly Master, grind ink with right hand forty-nine turns, left hand forty-two turns, twelve Earthly Branches, twenty-eight Mansions, sun and moon two luminaries, right hand seven turns, Ku to Piao, twice each inhale Yin and Yang Dipper qi and blow into the inkstone, then pass the brush over incense, again chant the Heavenly Emperor Release Chapter Mantra, take Gang qi into the brush and talisman)

 (2) The Orthodox Method of Drawing Talismans: Whenever writing seal talismans of various types, one must enter the quiet room according to the law, preparing incense, lamps, paper,扎 (bundles), brushes, and inkstones one by one. First, practice the internal cultivation of ten turns returning to the spirit. The法师 (master) sits quietly, regulates breath, spirit and qi become clear and empty, visualizing the Lower Dantian Yuanquan Palace. The Lingbao Primordial Ancestral Qi travels from the center through twenty-four solar terms, directly penetrating the Niwan top of the head. Then it descends to the Yuan Palace, rises again, circling ten times. Next, visualize three尊 (revered ones) in the Three Cisterns, riding three-colored cloud qi, ascending to sit upright in the Niwan. Then, three revered ones descend from the Niwan amidst three-colored heavenly cloud qi, merging into one. Thus clearly, one's own Dan Yuan Jun ascends to court, heart petitions the matters stated. In an instant, the compassionate face approves the petition and issues the decree. Attendant true ones, golden boys and jade girls hold the Lang Box and Jade Register amidst hundred-treasure light, descending to entrust to the minister to execute. After secretly thanking, one's own true person's head emits precious light, mixing with it, spirit and qi are clear inside and out. Phoenix seals and dragon chapters hover over the desk. Tap teeth twelve times. Hold the brush and chant: Mingxing Great Fan, vast and lightless; Chiming opens the diagram, movement follows nature; Yuan Shi establishes peace, spreads the five chapters; Red Book Jade Characters, Eight Powers Dragon Texts; Preserve the kalpa's duration, make heaven long exist. (Jade Decree: Distribute Heaven's Qi, chant combining the Heavenly Emperor's Sun three times) Consecrate Cinnabar and Ink Mantra: Jade voice captures qi, spiritual wind gathers smoke; Purple Void is lush and beautiful, assisting ten thousand immortals; Thousand harmonies and ten thousand unions, naturally become true. (Pinch Zi Chou sequentially to Hai returning to center, inhale Xun Qi and vigorous qi to distribute above it) Primordial Internal Practice Internal Decree: First burn incense in silence, quietly face the transcendent, gather qi and concentrate spirit, heart thinks of the Three-Five categories, then write seals. Detail the weight: one talisman, two chapters, three scriptures, four books, five Dao. Whenever writing talismans and seals, first concentrate spirit and stabilize thoughts, forget both object and self. Suddenly, one sees the True Innocence. Immediately raise the brush to write the talisman, clearly distinguishing pure and turbid. Seeing dots and strokes, all are brilliant golden light. Once the thought arises, the spirit departs! Why wait for prayers to act? The method of wiping the brush must distinguish water and fire. For praying for rain/snow, clouds/fog, striking pools, driving dragon water, refining and treating various Yang illnesses, use water brushes. For praying for clear weather, dispelling plague, sweeping locusts, raising lightning, moving thunder, fire refining, suppressing and pasting, wearing and carrying, treating various Yin illnesses, use fire brushes. Whenever writing talismans, one must hold breath and sweep it in one stroke. Next, use the Three-Character Imperial Decree to wipe the brush until the character 'Ming' (Clear), then emit the Primordial Ancestor Qi, following the talisman. This is called the Primordial One Qi. For the Purifying Altar Talisman, burn it in the air or in water, sprinkle water on the five directions, heart chant the Purifying Heaven and Earth Mantra, or the Five Emperors' hidden names, purifying the five directions' five elements' filth. See four energies bright and clear, the divine seal is quiet and silent. For the Faith Incense Talisman, it is to announce to the Master True Ones. 'Faith' means sincerity; 'Incense' takes its fragrance to circulate, nothing is unheard. Adding 'Qiao' (opening apertures) indicates urgency. Whenever the Faith Incense Talisman is issued, one writes 'Minister So-and-So petitions and announces'. For the Emperor, use 'Bow and Announce'; for the Master, use 'Announce'; generally use Zhenxiang (sincere incense) slices, yellow paper, or cypress wood slices. The master places the faith incense in fierce fire, then speaks three bows in the heart, still praying: 'Minister respectfully uses faith incense, bows a hundred times to petition So-and-So Emperor, So-and-So Master, So-and-So Deity. I am now for So-and-So matter, humbly hope for compassion, approve my incense petition, then request how to execute. I bow twice and respectfully speak.' When incense smoke rises, one sees the connection and response. Other talisman annotations all have fixed formats. Brush Methods for Writing Talismans: The Master said: 'Talismans are union and faith. With my spirit, I unite with their spirit; with my qi, I unite with their qi. Spirit and qi are formless, but take form in the talisman. This acts and that responds; this moves and that becomes spiritual. Is it not due to the talisman?' Heaven, with the Longhan opening of the diagram, knotted qi to form talismans. Humans, with spirit and spirit, wherever they go, put down the brush to form talismans. Heaven and humans are united in this principle. The method of writing talismans is nothing but emitting the wonderful use of the primordial, moving one qi to form the talisman. The Patriarch said: 'Eyes write Heavenly Seals, heart comprehends Thunder Mysteries. Initially, there is no visualization, nor action. The spiritual naturally becomes spiritual, no need to ask why it is spiritual; the responsive naturally responds, no need to ask why it responds. People only know the spirit of the divine, but do not know the reason why the non-spiritual becomes spiritual.' In recent times, those learning the method do not know that non-action is true merit, and naturalness is the highest Dao. Lacking self-knowledge and self-confidence, they desire to exhaustively investigate what is the talisman aperture, what is the brush method. Reluctantly, I briefly state the essentials, truly as a reminder, not as a true selection. The secret says: First, clear and deep, cut off thoughts and concentrate spirit, making one's mind and consciousness, clearly illuminate the eight directions, all within my gate (tà). Then spirit returns and qi recovers, the primordial spirit appears before one. Only then can one hold the brush. With eyes staring at the brush tip, think of my body's divine light, emerging from the two apertures, meeting at the brow as a grain of millet pearl in front of the face, then forming a golden thread, light shining to the brush tip. Then write the seal according to the law. Visualize like a golden snake flying and walking on paper. Definitely, the brush follows the eye's turn. Eyes write Heavenly Seals, heart comprehends Thunder Chapters. Think of golden light gradually expanding, filling heaven and earth. Heart chants the Three-Five Hidden Names. For summoning generals to write talismans, use this method's summoning mantra, or stack various titles, all applied as desired. Although such a point of spiritual light shines heaven and clears earth, before even putting down the brush, it is already clear. Those excellent in practice should especially work on the external aspects of cinnabar and ink. Yuan Wuji asked about the secret art of writing talismans, wishing to hear its wonder. Shichen said: 'One qi is complete, then above it can reach the True Innocence, below it can subdue demons and spirits, in the middle it can move wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. When writing talismans, one must first stabilize breath and hold the pen, drawing clear qi long through the nose for one inhalation, not turbid, most importantly clear qi. Then hold breath completely, no breathing, write the talisman with the pen. With the Heavenly Eye, shine into the summoned generals and officers into the talisman, mouth loudly exhale (hē) qi onto the talisman, golden light covers the talisman. Visualize seeing the summoned generals and officers within the written talisman. Quickly use the three characters [Hong Cheng Ming] to press on the talisman. If during writing talismans, leaking qi from the mouth, or not holding breath while writing, the talisman will not be spiritual. Even if there is verification, it is merely accidental for a moment, not the power of the talisman.' Yufeng's Note: 'Talismans have no fixed form, they are spiritual because of qi. The spiritual is the ancestral qi. If ancestral qi is not clear, how can it be spiritual! Once spiritual, one knows the ancestral qi's descent and ascent, firmly guarding the Dantian to nourish the foundation. All people's hands, feet, eyes, ears, nose, and tongue, movements cause this aperture to move. This aperture is where primordial qi gathers, the bag of collecting spirit, where souls and hun reside in the Purple Door. The Purple Door is where the Mingmen and womb are tied. The three cannot be separated. Mencius said: 'Nourish my vast and righteous qi.' Whenever one must write a talisman, purify the heart and quiet thoughts, concentrate spirit and stabilize breath, hold the pen, draw clear qi through the nose for one inhalation returning to the center, tightly close. With clear yang qi entering the middle palace, squeeze out the middle palace's primordial qi, exhale into the brush tip, golden light flickering on the talisman paper, like a dragon's movement, full paper with fierce qi blocking the sky. Still, nose inhales clear qi directly penetrating the Xuan Guan, up and down nine apertures all closed, do not let one qi leak. One qi forms the talisman. After the talisman is formed, release qi and blow onto the talisman, covering it with the three characters [Hong Cheng Ming]. During writing talismans, do not leak primordial qi, then the talisman will have no verification! If leaking mouth qi during writing talismans, one must close the qi again and write this talisman. If leaking qi three times while writing talismans inconsistently, then the Heavenly Generals will not respond, and the executed matters will also not be verified! The key to writing talismans lies entirely in closing this one breath. Closing this qi means my heart has no deluded thoughts! My intent is single, the true source is firm. Blowing it onto the talisman, borrowing this one qi's spiritual power. If leaking its qi, what use is it? Now, those practicing the method all do not know this aperture and write talismans, greatly laughable.' Yufeng's Note: 'Writing talismans relies entirely on holding breath. It is necessary to first receive clear qi through the nose and deliver it to the Huang Ting, close the nine apertures to obtain sufficient primordial qi. Put down the brush to write the talisman, sweep it in one stroke, golden light brilliant. Using it yields immediate response. If leaking primordial qi, and not using the nose to draw clear qi to surge, how can primordial qi come out? Moreover, holding breath means the heart does not move, no mixed thoughts arise, intent returns to the center, qi and brush turn together, intent completes the talisman. Those practicing the method, without the transmission of the Xuan Guan, not understanding ancestral qi, writing talismans arbitrarily, is greatly laughable.'