佛祖統紀 35.136

35.136

On the ninth day of the ninth month in the second year of the Yongshou reign period, Celestial Master Zhang Daoling was at Mount Yuntai in Langzhou. Laozi sent an envoy holding a jade mandate to bestow upon Daoling the title of Zhengyi Zhenren (True Man of Orthodox Unity). Together with his wife, Lady Yong, he mounted a jewelled chariot; his disciples Wang Chang and Zhao Sheng both ascended to heaven with him. Daoling originally lived on Mount Tianmu in Yuhang. He was born on the full moon of the first month in the tenth year of the Jianwu reign period of Emperor Guangwu of the Han dynasty. At seven years of age, he could recite the Daodejing. In the second year of the Yuanhe reign period of Emperor Zhang, he was summoned to serve as an Erudite (boshi) but did not take up the post. He then departed to study longevity, dwelling in seclusion at Mount Yunjin (now Mount Longhu in Xinzhou). In the fourth year of the Yongyuan reign period of Emperor He, he was appointed Grand Master of Remonstrance (jianyi dafu) at his home, but declined citing illness. He was summoned again to serve as Grand Tutor and enfeoffed as Marquis of Ji. He said to the envoy: 'Convey my thanks to the Son of Heaven. The golden gate tower of the Nine Heavens has already made me its subject.' He then moved to Mount Song. Moved by Laozi's instruction in a dream: 'In the stone chamber there is the Yellow Emperor's Great Elixir Scripture of the Nine Cauldrons; you may go and receive it,' he later indeed obtained it. His family was poor and lacked the wealth to refine it, so he entered Shu and secluded himself on Mount Heming. Refining the elixir according to the method, it was completed in three years. He said to his disciples: 'I must promote benefits and eliminate harm for the state to aid the common people. Only thereafter shall I ingest the elixir and take flight. Serving as a minister in the Three Heavens, I may thus be without shame.' He then subdued demons and ghosts, taking possession of the twenty-four dioceses (zhi) and transforming them into realms of blessing. Laozi again commanded Daoling to join the retinue to attend the Great Lord of the Dao of the Jade Dawn, bestowing on him the seal and sash of Celestial Master, the male and female paired swords, the secret register of the Zhengyi Mengwei (Orthodox Unity Alliance with the Powers), the scriptures of the Three Purities, talismans, and diagrams. Whenever people suffered from illnesses or official misfortunes, they contributed rice according to the circumstances to redeem their transgressions, report their errors, and repent. His disciples grew to tens of thousands of households. In the second year of the Jianhe reign period of Emperor Huan, twelve divine maidens were subdued and shut up in a well; he transformed brine springs into salt wells (this is the present-day Lingjing Directorate). In the first year of the Yongshou reign period, Laozi commanded Daoling to tour Chengdu together. The earth deity caused a jade dais to well up over a chang in height to serve as a jewelled seat. Laozi ascended the seat and expounded the Scriptures of the Northern and Southern Dippers. After Laozi departed, the jade dais sank back down to become a well (the present-day Yuju Monastery is the historic site). The following year, Laozi sent an envoy to summon Daoling to ascend to heaven (Account of the Celestial Master).