辯偽錄 2.6

2.6

The eighth transformation states: The Shengji jing says: 'Formerly, in the year of Longhan, the Supreme Venerable Laozi followed the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning to the Central Country of the Great Hall of Blessings, where he expounded the ten divisions of the wondrous Lingbao scriptures to produce methods for delivering beings. He also delivered people through methods in the Great Fuli Country at the eastern extreme, writing them in the forest of azurite with a purple brush. He also delivered people through methods in the Shanli Realm at the southern extreme, firing and refining the true texts to illuminate the shapes of the characters. Again, at the Weiluo World at the western extreme, and in the Yudan Country at the northern extreme, he in each case produced methods to deliver beings. Laozi took the essence of the true pneumas of the five directions and coagulated them into precious characters, one zhang square and eight-angled, casting rays in the form of cloud seals and the shapes of flying birds, to establish written compositions.' It also states: 'The ancient canons emerged from me, and the classics and books were born from me.'