辯偽錄 1.21

1.21

The ninth transformation says: On the first day of the third month in the first year of the Zhonghuang era, the Grand Supreme Laojun compiled and gathered numinous texts in the Upper Palace of the Golden Gate in the Jade Clarity Heaven, making the precious scriptures in three hundred fascicles, talismans and diagrams in seven thousand sections, and jade instructions in nine thousand pieces. Laojun appeared during the era of the Upper Three Sovereigns as the Dharma Master of the Ten Thousand Heavens, also styled Master of the Mysterious Middle. In the first year of the Longhan era, he transmitted the twelve divisions of the *Dongzhen* scriptures to the Upper Three Sovereigns, teaching humanity with the Way of the Limitless; at that time, human lifespan was ninety thousand years. In the era of the Middle Three Sovereigns, he was styled Master Yougu; in the first year of the Chiming era, he transmitted the twelve divisions of the *Dongxuan* scriptures to the Middle Three Sovereigns, practicing the unsurpassed, correct, and true Way to convert humans; at that time, human lifespan was sixty thousand years. In the era of the Lower Three Sovereigns, he appeared as a teacher styled Lord of the Golden Gate; in the first year of the Kaihuang era, he transmitted the twelve divisions of the *Dongshen* scriptures to the Lower Three Sovereigns, converting humans with the Way of Great Peace; at that time, human lifespan was eighteen thousand years. The *Dongzhen*, *Dongxuan*, and *Dongshen*, each having twelve divisions, together constitute the thirty-six divisions of venerable scriptures.