9 Secrets Book

 The Exalted One Speaks Speaks on the Nine Secrets for Eradicating  Trransgres  T ansgressions sions Scripture

太上元始天尊說九幽拔罪心印妙經 Tai Shang Yuan Shi Tian Zun Shuo Jiu You Ba Zui Xin Yin Miao Jing

 The Heavenly Worthy, the Exalted One of the Primordial Cause, Speaks the Profound Mind-Seal of the Nine Secrets for Eradicating Transgressions Scripture 太上元始天尊說九幽拔罪心印妙經 Tai Shang Yuan Shi Tian Zun Shuo Jiu You Ba Zui Xin Yin Miao Jing

Translation by Stuart Alve Olson Copyright © 2012

Valley Spirit Arts Phoenix, Arizona 

Please do not lay this scripture upon the floor where it may be damaged, do not carry it inside a bathroom, and do not treat it lightly or with disregard.

Copyright © 2012 Sanctuary of Dao Translations by Stuart Alve Olson.  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from Valley  Spirit Arts. Printed in the United States. ISBN 978-1-889633-09-1 Valley Spirit Arts Phoenix, Arizona  valleyspiritarts.com Distributed by the Sanctuary of Dao (sanctuaryofdao.org)

Heavenly Worthy  Deified title and image of Lao Zi

Preface This short scripture is attributed to the Exalted One (Tai Shang), an honorific and deified title of Lao Zi. Within the scripture, the True Man Jiu Ku poses the question of  how can living beings eliminate retributions produced by  their transgressions? The Heavenly Worthy responds by explaining nine distinct causes of suffering and reasons  why a living being does not experience liberation. The nine reasons a living being brings about transgressions are found in the erroneous functions and actions of the mind: 1. A mind giving rise to nefarious influences. 2. A mind giving rise to false thinking. 3. A mind giving rise to greed and anger. 4. A mind giving rise to confusion and retribution. 5. A mind that holds onto thoughts that are not of the True. 6. A mind that harbors thoughts of killing. 7. A mind that favors the wrong. 8. A mind attached to emptiness. 9. A mind of affection towards the Dao.

1

These nine transgressions are, in essence, all caused by a  mind that arises; meaning, the false and rational mind caught in the duality of everything and so perpetually keeps creating transgressions. The Heavenly Worthy then goes onto explain the Great Dao and how living beings can enter into it through the attainment of Clarity and Tranquility, and so join with the Dao of the “naturally-just-so.” This scripture should be read, recited, and held onto daily, then eventually the teachings within it will become clear and create the conditions for liberation and immortality.

2

[Full Title]

 The Heavenly Worthy, the Exalted One of the Primordial Cause, Speaks the Profound Mind-Seal of the Nine Secrets for Eradicating Transgressions Scripture 太上元始天尊說九幽拔罪心印妙經 Tai Shang Yuan Shi Tian Zun Shuo Jiu You Ba Zui Xin Yin Miao Jing

 At the time when the Heavenly Worthy of the Primordial Causation was seated within the Hall of the Seven Treasuries, a great illuminating light was cast everywhere over the three-thousand great thousand worlds, and he could see and observe all living beings and all their sufferings and  distress, sinking deep into life and death, and suffering  endless retributions. 爾 時, 元 始 天 尊, 坐 七 寶 殿 中. 放 大 光 明, 徧 照 三 千 大 千 世 界. 觀 見 眾 生. 受 諸 苦 惱. 沉 淪 生 死 受 報 無 窮. Er Shi, Yuan Shi Tian Zun, Zuo Qi Bao Dian Zhong. Fang Da Guang Ming. Bian Zhao San Qian Da Qian Shi Jie. Guan Jian Zhong Sheng. Shou Zhu Ku Nao. Chen Lun Sheng Si. Shou Bao Wu Qiong.

3

Thereupon, the True Person Who Rescues the Suffering  [the elder Jiu Ku], arose from his seat and addressed [the Heavenly Worthy]. With a countenance of reverence and  honor, he knelt before him and said, “In regard to all these livings beings, what is the chain of cause and effect for  them to drift about and be swept away in a sea of bitterness, and to sink into never-ending darkness?”

於 是, 救 苦 真 人. 即 從 座 起. 瞻 仰 尊 顏. 長 跪 曰. 是 諸 眾 生. 以 何 因 緣. 飄 蕩 苦 海. 沉默無邊. Yu Shi. Jiu Ku Zhen Ren. Ji Cong Zuo Qi. Zhan Yang Zun Yan. Chang Gui Yue. Shi Zhu Zhong Sheng. Yi He Yin Yuan. Piao Dang Ku Hai. Chen Mo Wu Bian.

The Heavenly Worthy responded, “Thus are living beings suffering all kinds of bad retributions, and in all cases it is because of their own hearts. False thoughts turn them upside down and they have not realized wu-wei (nonaction). Everything is rooted in their transgressions and, in each case, it is because they adopted some mode of action that arose in their minds.

天 尊 告 曰. 如 是 眾 生. 受 諸 惡 業. 皆 由 自 心. 妄 想 顛 倒. 不 悟 無 為. 一切 罪 根. 皆 從 心 起.

4

Tian Zun Gao Yue. Ru Shi Zhong Sheng. Shou Zhu E Ye. Jie You Zi Xin. Wang Xiang Dian Dao. Bu Wu Wu Wei Yi Qie Zui Gen. Jie Cong Xin Qi.

“The Heavenly Halls are joyous, free of a mind that arises and where the Three Realms have been extinguished. But   with a mind that arises it follows there will be nefarious influences appearing that are produced by the mind. Greed  and anger arise from false thinking; confusion and retribution are then produced by the mind. To repeatedly hold  onto these [false thoughts produced by the mind] is  without the True. Harboring thoughts of killing, various rebirths must be suffered. The mind gives rise to favoring  the wrong, and so the Dao is then without reason. The mind gives rise to silent emptiness, and so an affection is developed for the Dao.”

天 堂 快 樂. 自 由 心 生. 三 界 沉 淪. 亦 從 心 起. 心 生 邪 見. 妄 起 貪 嗔. 心生 惑 亂. 存 念 非 真. 心 懷 殺 害. 受 諸 類 生. 心 生 諂 曲. 與 道 無 因. 心 生 虛 寂. 與 道 相 親. Tian Tang Kuai Le. Zi You Xin Sheng. San Jie Chen Lun. Yi Cong Xin Qi. Xin Sheng Xie Jian. Wang Qi Tan Chen. Xin Sheng Huo Luan. Cun Nian Fei Zhen. Xin Huai Sha Hai. Shou Zhu Lei Sheng. Xin Sheng Qia Qu. Yu Dao Wu Yin. Xin Sheng Xu Ji. Yu Dao Xiang Qin.

5

Speaking to the elder, he explained the serious meaning of this statement: “The Great Dao is clear and empty, its primordial principle is so abstruse and secret. It gave birth to the Before Heaven and changes the fates of past and  present.

重 宣 此 義. 而 說 偈 曰. 大 道 澄 廓. 元 理 幽 深. 先 天 而 生. 運 化 古 今. Zhong Yu Ci Yi. Er Shuo Jie Yue. Da Dao Deng Kuo. Yuan Li You Shen. Xian Tian Er Sheng. Yun Hua Gu Jin.

“The Dao is without form or body, it clarifies and purifies the body and mind. It is uncorrupt and has no desire, no anger and no excessiveness, searching or rationalizing both internally and externally it cannot be seen.

道 無 形 體. 澄 濾 身 心. 不 貪 不 慾. 不 嗔 不 淫. 是 非 莫 視. 表 裡 思 尋. Dao Wu Xing Ti. Cheng Lu Shen Xin. Bu Tan Bu Yu. Bu Chen Bu Yin. Shi Fei Mo Shi. Biao Li Si Xun.

“When the body and mind have clarity and tranquility, anxieties no longer encroach. No arising; no extinguishing. It is dark and difficult to discern. Deep and thus, like silent  emptiness, like mind without mind. The Dao is joined   with the ‘naturally-just-so.’” 6

身 心 清 靜. 煩 惱 不 侵. 無 起 無 滅. 冥 漠 難 斟. 湛 然 空 寂. 了心 無 心. 自然 合 道. Shen Xin Qing Jing. Fan Nao Bu Qin. Wu Qi Wu Mie. Ming Mo Nan Zhen. Zhan Ran Kong Ji. Liao Xin Wu Xin. Zi Ran He Dao.

 A multitude of sages then respectfully arrived, ascending  and facing the Golden Tower, after having wandered about  the primordial origin and raising forests in which to practice. Seven Patriarchs then experienced liberation, eternally  departing from the Hidden Yin, and each carving out their  own mind-seal. Thus, they realized the Dao and united   with the True. Together they recited [this scripture] in succession, and without giving any rise in their minds to  worldly thoughts.

眾 聖 來 欽. 昇 朝 金 闕. 遊 習 元 騫 林. 七 祖 解 脫. 永 離 幽 陰. 皆 契 心 印. 悟 道 合 真. 念 念 相 繼. 勿 起 塵 心. Zhong Sheng Lai Qin. Sheng Chao Jin Que. You Xi Yuan Qian Lin. Qi Zu Jie Tuo. Yong Li You Yin. Jie Qi Xin Yin. Wu Dao He Zhen. Nian Nian Xiang Ji. Wu Qi Chen Xin.

 At this time all the suffering living beings who heard this profound scripture being spoken were freed and they all paid reverence, and all of them experienced great joy, 7

showing their exaltation in high praise, and vowed to follow and pursue the teachings.

是 時, 受 苦 眾 生. 聞 說 妙 經. 咸 皆 解 脫. 眾 真 作 禮. 悉 大 歡 喜. 稱 揚 讚 歎. 依 教 奉 行. Shi Shi. Shou Ku Zhong Sheng. Wen Shuo Miao Jing. Xian Jie Jie Tuo. Zhong Zhen Zuo Li. Xi Da Huan Xi. Cheng Yang Zan Tan. Yi Jiao Feng Xing.

End of The Heavenly Worthy, the Exalted One of the Primordial Cause, Speaks the Profound Mind-Seal of the Nine Secrets   for Eradicating Transgressions Scripture.

太上元始天尊說九幽拔罪心印妙經終 Tai Shang Yuan Shi Tian Zun Shuo Jiu You Ba Zui Xin Yin Miao Jing Zhong.

8