廣弘明集 9.59

9.59

Your servant laughs and says: The Shenxian zhuan states that Shen Yi of Wu commandery ascended as an immortal in broad daylight. Four hundred years later, he returned home and recounted: 'When I first ascended to heaven, I wished to see the Heavenly Emperor, but he was so venerable and noble that he could not be seen. Thereupon I first met the Supreme, who was seated in the main hall with several hundred male and female attendants.' Given this clear account, one knows that the Supreme is inferior to the Heavenly Emperor. To say that the Supreme is venerable and noble and reigns above all heavens is absurd. Now, according to the Jiutian shengshen zhang, the Supreme dwells in the Palace of the Mysterious Metropolis (Xuandu). The Palace of Jade Purity is above Xuandu; what palace is again above Jade Purity? It is already two levels higher than Xuandu. Yet Laozi says that the Supreme reigns above all heavens—how could there be such an error?