The Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Heavens, Responding to Prayers, Whose Thunder Sounds Transform All, Jade Pivot Precious Sutra

At that time, the Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Heavens, Responding to Prayers, Whose Thunder Sounds Transform All, was in the Jade Pure Heaven. Together with the Heavenly Sovereigns of the Ten Directions, they gathered in the Hall of Jade Void and Nine Lights, the Pavilion of Xiao Miluo, and the Purple Extreme Secret Chamber. They reviewed the scrolls of Taiyou Biyao and examined the books of Dongwei Mingchen, whispering to each other and carefully discussing the profound mysteries. Many attending ministers stood on both sides, looking uneasy. The Heavenly Venerable sat calmly, reciting the profound chapters. The Heavenly Sovereigns often chanted the Bu Xu verses. The colorful maidens and immortal sisters scattered flowers, circling around. They then led each other to play in the Emerald Palace. A group of immortals led the way, following the rituals. Dragon banners and phoenix-drawn carriages floated in the vast sky, all gathering at the Jade梵 Seven-Jewel Tiered Terrace. At that time, the Thunder Deity Haoweng, among the assembly of immortals, stepped out of his rank, facing the Heavenly Venerable. He bowed deeply, made a formal salute, abruptly changed to a long kneel, and spoke to the Heavenly Venerable, saying: "Great Compassion of the Heavenly Venerable, Great Sage of the Heavenly Venerable, you are the father of all living beings and the teacher of all spirits. Now all the heavens have gathered for this good sight. I have just seen the Heavenly Venerable reviewing the precious scrolls and examining the jade books. The secrets within cannot be counted in detail. Only the Yuxiao Mansion, which commands the Thirty-Six Heavens, the Inner Court Central Offices, the East and West Hua Terraces, the Xuan Guan Miao She, the Four Mansions and Six Courts, and various departments, each divided into bureaus, are responsible for commanding the Five Thunders and overseeing the Three Realms. The Heavenly Venerable is supreme, personally attending to civil affairs. By what cause and condition have these small mortals been able to approach and serve? I wish to hear and learn." The Heavenly Venerable said: "Thunder Master Haoweng, you immortals have stored merits in past lives and accumulated practices in previous births, thus gaining promotion in the Jade Mansion and recording in the Jade Palace. Now your current merits and practices exceed those of the past and previous lives. You must devote your strength to the Thunder Department and entrust your heart to the Fire Division. Day after day, year after year, as your merits and practices become lofty, your nature will clear and your spirit will harmonize, enabling you to verify the High Truths, which are nothing but the Wondrous Dao. However, the ghosts and spirits of the Thunder Department toil by day and serve by night. They are often beaten and punished. Major offenses lead to execution. Cloud carvings and snow sculptures have no end. Summoning dragons and ordering crows, one rests while the other works. This is the reason; you should listen." Thunder Master Haoweng and all the heavenly and immortal beings listened attentively and remained silent. The Heavenly Venerable sat on a Nine-Phoenix Red Cloud Seat, holding a Golden Light Ruyi. The wind was clear and subtle, the clouds dense and beautiful.

The Heavenly Venerable remained silent for a long time, then said: "In the past, before a thousand five hundred kalpas, I deeply cultivated this Dao, thus attaining the position of the Upper True. I brewed this merit, thus assuming authority over great transformation. I often stood before the Great Luo Yuanshi Heavenly Venerable with a pure heart and made vast vows. I vowed that in future ages, for all sentient beings, dragons, heavenly beings, ghosts, and spirits, if they merely call my name, I will ensure they transcend their suffering as if they were not. I will embody this for them. You should cleanse your hearts, and I will proclaim this to you." The Heavenly Venerable said: "You heavenly and human beings, wishing to hear the Ultimate Dao, the Ultimate Dao is deep and profound, not found elsewhere. Since you wish to hear the Unheard, this Unheard and Unseen is the True Dao. Hearing and seeing are also extinguished. It is only you. You are not even existent, let alone this. Hearing without hearing, what Dao can be discussed?" The Heavenly Venerable said: "The Dao is entered through sincerity, guarded through silence, and used through softness. Using sincerity seems like foolishness, using silence seems like inarticulateness, using softness seems like clumsiness. In this way, one can forget form, forget self, and forget forgetting. Those who enter the Dao know when to stop; those who guard the Dao know to be cautious; those who use the Dao know the subtle. Knowing the subtle generates wisdom light; knowing caution completes sage wisdom; knowing when to stop brings peace and stability. Peace and stability complete sage wisdom; sage wisdom generates wisdom light; wisdom light unites with the Dao. This is called True Forgetting. Only through forgetting is one not forgotten; forgetting what cannot be forgotten; that which cannot be forgotten is the Ultimate Dao. The Dao is in heaven and earth, but heaven and earth do not know it. Sentient and non-sentient, there is only one, no second."

The Heavenly Venerable said: "How do I benefit living beings in this age? I expound this Wondrous Treasure for the heavenly and human beings. Those who awaken through it will ascend to the immortal throne. Scholars of the Dao believe in qi and numbers. Different wind and soil lead to different endowments, thus called Qi. Different wisdom and foolishness lead to different clarity and turbidity, thus called Numbers. Numbers are tied to fate, Qi is tied to heaven. Trapped by qi and numbers, fate acts as shackles. Not attaining the True Dao, the foolish can become wise, the turbid can become clear, only fate allows this. The foolish are dim, the turbid are dark, also due to the shifting of wind and soil endowments. Heaven and earth mystify the mechanism, making people not know, thus called Natural. Making them know they do not know, is also called Natural. The wonder of the Natural, though wondrous in knowing, its wonder itself comes from not knowing. However, in the Dao, it has never treated the foolish or turbid as such. All the heavens heard this, and the four assemblies rejoiced." The Heavenly Venerable said: "What I speak now is the Jade Pivot Precious Sutra. If in future ages, there are sentient beings who hear my name, they should just calm their minds and silently contemplate, thinking: 'Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Heavens, Responding to Prayers, Whose Thunder Sounds Transform All.' Whether one sound, five to seven sounds, or hundreds of thousands of sounds, I will transform forms in the Ten Directions, move my heart in the Three Realms, making those who call my name all obtain their wishes. The Ten Directions and Three Realms, all heavens and earths, sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, grass, trees, flying, walking, crawling, and moving, whether sentient or non-sentient, dragons, heavenly beings, ghosts, and spirits, hearing that sentient beings call my name once, if there are any who do not obey, their heads will be cut off and hearts excavated, turning into dust." The Heavenly Venerable said: "I am the Great Sage of Nine Heavens Zhenming. On the sixth day of every month and on the Xin days of the ten-day cycle, I oversee all heavens, roaming the Three Realms. If anyone wishes to learn the Dao, wishes to hope for immortality, wishes to escape the Nine Ancestors, wishes to release the Three Disasters, they should often command orthodox Daoist priests, or themselves with relatives and friends, in towers, in homes, or in local shrines, to pour water and offer flowers, recite this sutra. Whether once, three to five times, or even dozens or hundreds of times, they will obtain clear spirit and refreshing mind, broad heart and healthy body. Whatever they seek will be answered by their感应."

The Heavenly Venerable said: "Why not summon the Nine Spirits in the body? One is Tiansheng, two is Wuying, three is Xuanzhu, four is Zhengzhong, five is Zidan, six is Huihui, seven is Danyuan, eight is Taiyuan, nine is Lingtong. Summoning them brings auspiciousness. Why not call the Three Essences in the body? One is Taiguang, two is Shuangling, three is Youjing. Calling them brings celebration. If the five centers are vexed, the six limbs are restless, the four limbs are uneasy, and all joints are in emergency, one should recite this sutra." The Heavenly Venerable said: "If anyone has strange obstacles in the Five Elements, uneven Nine Luminaries, years meeting clash and punishment, fortune encountering defeat and battle, solitary stars and widowed lodgings, sheep blade and sword peak, robbery sha and mangshen, ghost door and knotting, fortune suffering destruction, horse falling into emptiness, movements and uses are dangerous, actions and retreats are difficult, and recites this sutra, they should ask the Heavenly Official to resolve heavenly disasters, the Earth Official to resolve earthly disasters, the Water Official to resolve water disasters, the Five Emperors to resolve five-directional disasters, the Four Sages to resolve four-seasonal disasters, the Southern Luminaries to resolve destiny disasters, and the Big Dipper to resolve all disasters."

The Heavenly Venerable said: "Deep illnesses lie on the pillow, chronic diseases press on the body. For a long time without recovery, seeking doctors with no effect. The five spirits have no master, the four elements are not contained. Perhaps before the Five Emperors and Three Officials, before Mount Tai and Five Paths, before the sun, moon, and stars, before mountains, forests, and grass and trees, before spiritual altars and ancient sites, before city gods and local shrines, before alleys and wells, before temples and towers, or in the Thirty-Six Mountains of the Netherworld, the Seventy-Two Offices of the Nether Officials, there are various grievances causing such entanglement. Or caused by oaths and curses, or by debts and repayments. Grievances from three lives, enmities from different kalpas, bearing their faults, storing their disputes, all should first repent and thank. Then recite this sutra." The Heavenly Venerable said: "Heavenly Official Talisman, Earthly Official Talisman, year, month, day, and hour, each has its official talisman. Directions and orientations, each has its official talisman. Major ones are official talismans, minor ones are verbal disputes. There are gods of red mouths and white tongues who preside over them. For all actions and undertakings, entering and exiting, living and resting, if one does not know to avoid taboos, when encountering official talismans and verbal disputes, it causes people to be noisy and clamorous, burning karma, attracting many lip disputes, face is right but back is wrong, often leading to oral and dental issues. Swearing to gods and cursing Buddhas, starting with slander and reading, ending with abuse and insult. Thus lawsuits arise, and penal codes exist. If one wishes to escape them, recite this sutra, and verbal disputes will quietly disappear, and official talismans will cease forever."

The Heavenly Venerable said: "Earth Sovereign Nine Earths, their departments have 1,200 gods. Earth Marquis and Earth Count, Earth Duke and Earth Mother, Earth Son and Earth Grandson, Earth family members. If Tai Sui, if General, if Crane Spirit, if Baishui, if Nine Liang, if Sword Peak, if Male and Female, if Metal Spirit, if Fire and Blood, if Body Yellow, if Collision Destiny, if Three Sha, if Seven Sha, if Yellow Banner and Leopard Tail, if Feilian Knife and Anvil, and such Earth family spirits and evil influences, if people undertake construction and digging, if one offends them, it will lead to illness and even death. Just reciting this sutra, all gods rise. Heaven has no taboos, earth has no taboos, yin and yang have no taboos, a hundred no taboos." The Heavenly Venerable said: "Worldly couples, in their marriage and union, may offend Xianchi, may offend Tiangou. Three punishments and six harms, Gejiao intersecting. Fox yin and widow yang, Heavenly Net and Earthly Web. Regarding offspring, mostly lonely. If wishing to seek a son, recite this sutra. There will be the Great God of Jiu Tian Jian Sheng, summoning spirits and capturing wind, thus giving birth to virtuous sons. At the time of birth, Tai Yi is at the door, Siming is in the courtyard. If there are grievances or ghosts and demons, or taboos or凶厄 causing difficult childbirth, please recite this sutra. Then the Holy Mother of Jiu Tian Weifang will silently hold and send them. Thus, there is celebration at the time of delivery, and no worry while sitting on the grass. For any infant in the swaddling clothes, under the seat of the Sandalwood Divine King, fifteen kinds of ghosts add to their distress and harm, often causing fright and epilepsy. One should recite this sutra."

The Heavenly Venerable said: "If people's residence, birds and rats send demons, snakes and insects propagate evil, throwing bricks and tiles, startling chickens and playing with dogs, demanding sacrifices, leading to shadow coercion and dream compulsion, and even to adultery and theft, and dare to occupy their dwellings as nests and caves, thus confusing the living people, clearing not the doors and gates, howling on beams by night, eating in rooms by day. Cattle, horses, dogs, and pigs also suffer plagues. Disasters connect to flesh and bones, calamities reach to breeding and life. Illegitimate shrines and evil societies, protecting evil spirits, guests of mourning frequently, funeral carts stacked out. If reciting this sutra, even ghost spirits lose their brightness, people and things are safe and peaceful." The Heavenly Venerable said: "Nine Heavens Thunder Duke Generals, Five Directions Thunder Duke Generals, Eight Directions Cloud and Thunder Generals, Five Directions Barbarian Thunder Messengers, Thunder Department General Commander Messengers, Mo Zhuan Judges issuing orders, swift as wind and fire. If there are temples to destroy, altars to strike, demons to remove, and curses to dispel. In the late age and dharma ending, there are many shamans and mediums. Evil methods are prevalent, secretly practicing curses and prayers. Therefore, Shangqing has Heavenly Yan Ghost-Excluding, Recording Evil Courts, and Imperial Plans Binding Demons and Examining Evil Rooms. Those who can recite this sutra, their response will be like an echo." The Heavenly Venerable said: "Heavenly Plague and Earthly Plague, twenty-five plagues. Heaven Gu and Earth Gu, twenty-four gu. Heaven Zhai and Earth Zhai, thirty-six zhai. Those who can recite this sutra, even if the Plague Emperors become pure and clear, gu poison is eliminated, consumption recovers, there is also a reason. Perhaps previous deaths reconnect, or hidden corpses and old qi, or grave lawsuits and tomb notes, or dead souls infecting, or corpse qi daring to attract. All these ghosts and spirits, whether grieving or resentful, entangling and holding evidence, all connecting and injecting, taking advantage of gaps and waiting for opportunities, thus getting their chance. Therefore, this sutra, reaching up to the Three Heavens, penetrating down to the Nine Springs, can be used to recommend souls and spirits, and save ancestors and forefathers. Taishang sends White Carriage and White Horse Generals to supervise it."

The Heavenly Venerable said: "If anyone prepares for a long journey, thieves and robbers commit evil, five weapons cause harm. On land, tigers, wolves, xiaoyu sharpen their teeth. On water, dragons, jiaos, yuan, and tuo spread their [mouths]. Or there are幽枉 souls in shoals and rapids, or there are meetings of kalpa numbers in wind and waves. The dead ahead and the transformed behind, capturing the living to replace the dead. Those who can take refuge and devote sincerity to this sutra, thus obtaining peace and health on land and water, and auspiciousness in actions and retreats." The Heavenly Venerable said: "Excessive yang causes disaster, rain and dew are delayed. Reciting this sutra, timely sweet showers should occur. Accumulated yin causes harm, rain and water soak [the land]. Reciting this sutra, timely clear skies should appear. Zhurong fans disaster, flying fire burns dwellings. Red rats roam the city, startling the heat of the common people. This sutra can appease it. Hairuo loses the classic, fish and turtles act wildly. Flood waters reach the sky, people sink and drown. This sutra can stop it." The Heavenly Venerable said: "Worldly people wishing to avoid the Three Disasters and the Nine Crosses' disasters, should on a quiet night, bow their heads to the North Star. Above the North Star, there are Three Platforms. The stars are intertwined, shaped like two eyes, stacked in three levels, covering the Dipper's handle. This is called the Heavenly Ladder. If people see it, they will not have the worry of imprisonment in form in this life, nor the suffering of sinking in the afterlife. In the Dipper, there are also two stars of Zun Di, as large as wheels. If people see them, they will flow and reside in the world, living long as immortals. Taking refuge in this sutra, directing the heart to the North Pole, there will be dark感应. The Dipper is the Heavenly Pivot, containing Tiangang within. Inside it is Lianzhen, outside it is Pojun. The Twelve Gates of the Thunder City all follow the direction pointed by Tiangang. If the Gang star points to Chou, the star is in Wei. The pointed direction is auspicious, the located direction is inauspicious. The same for other positions. If people see it, their lifespan can be a thousand years."

The Heavenly Venerable said: "The world declines, the Dao is weak. People lack virtue and morality. Not loyal to the king, not filial to parents, not respectful to teachers, not friendly to brothers, not sincere to spouses, not righteous to friends, not fearing heaven and earth, not fearing spirits and gods, not worshipping the Three Lights, not valuing the five grains. Three mouths and four teeth, large scales and small bushels. Killing life and harming命. A hundred for others, a thousand for oneself. Evil and邪,妖诬 and rebellion. From subtle to manifest, the Three Officials beat the pen, Taiyi moves the document, then hands it over to the Five Thunder Execution and Investigation Department. First execute their spirits, then investigate their forms. Executing spirits and punishing souls, making them upside down. Despised by people, hated by people, resented by people, thus investigating forms and shaking corpses, making them crumble. Driving them to roll water, serving them to drive carts. Monthly checks and weekly reviews, again with torture and beating. Hearing this sutra once, their sins are immediately extinguished. If anyone is angered by thunder, their corpse cannot be moved, water and fire are not accepted, then they should call 'Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Heavens, Responding to Prayers, Whose Thunder Sounds Transform All.' Thinking thus: 'All spirits bow their heads, all listen to my orders.'" The Heavenly Venerable said: "The merit and virtue of this sutra is inconceivable. In past kalpas, the Divine Sovereign of Shenxiao Jade Pure, the Great Emperor of Long Life, had once proclaimed it. When scholars receive the sutra, they should cut gold and place money, swear to heaven to transmit it. Thunder Master Haoweng knelt long, bowed and rose, and repeated: " The Heavenly Venerable said: "Where this sutra is, let the Land Deities and Siming guard it according to their location. The Thunder Department will arrive and review it in time. If a family has this sutra, and reverently installs it with sincerity, auspicious smoke will fill the courtyard, and auspicious clouds will shade the veranda. Disasters and chaos will not sprout, and auspiciousness will gather. At their death, they will not undergo hell. Why is this? Death leads to rebirth, life returns to the good path. Bearing the power of the Heavenly Venerable, having this spiritual connection. Entering and exiting, resting and living, wearing this sutra, respected by people, feared by ghosts and spirits. Encountering various dangers, with one heart calling the name 'Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Heavens, Responding to Prayers, Whose Thunder Sounds Transform All,' all can be liberated." Thus, Thunder Master Haoweng said to the Heavenly Venerable the verse:

The Supreme Jade Pure Sovereign, commands the Thirty-Six Heavens. The Nine Heavens Transforming Lord, transforms forms in the Ten Directions. With flowing hair, riding a qilin. Barefoot, treading on layered ice. Holding the Nine Heavens' qi in hand, whistling wind and whipping thunder. Using wisdom and ability, subduing all demonic spirits. Saving the long-night souls, benefiting all sentient beings. Like the water of the Silver River, a thousand eyes, a thousand moon wheels. Vowing in future ages, to forever propagate the Heavenly Venerable's teachings. At that time, Thunder Master Haoweng said this verse. The Heavenly Venerable said: "This sutra is transmitted in the world, but people do not know it. What I now govern is the Nine Heavens Yingyuan Mansion. The mansion has Nine Heavens Thunder Gate Messengers, to correct and record the clerks. The Lianfang clerks assist them. There are also four departments: one is the Lue Sheng Department, two is the Ji Dai Department, three is the You Wang Department, four is the Bao Ying Department." The Heavenly Venerable finished speaking this sutra. The Jade梵 Seven-Jewel Tiered Terrace, heavenly flowers fell profusely, jade incense swirled. The Heavenly Sovereigns of the Ten Directions all praised: "Excellent!" Dragons, heavenly beings, ghosts, and spirits, the Thunder Department officials and crowds, the Three Realms and all spirits, were all greatly joyful, believing, accepting, and practicing.