Scripture of Divine Incantations of the Cavernous Abyss太上洞渊神咒经

Also known as

Dongyuan Shenzhou jing (Scripture of Divine Incantations of the Cavernous Abyss), Shenzhou jing (Scripture of Divine Incantations)

Author / transmission

Anonymous

Period

Late Eastern Jin – Northern and Southern Dynasties · The first ten scrolls were probably composed between the end of the Eastern Jin and the Liu Song (early fifth century); the latter ten scrolls were added during the Tang. Du Guangting supplied a preface at the end of the Tang.

Canon division

Dongxuan Section, Benwen Category

Collected in

Zhengtong Daozang, Original Texts category of the Dongxuan (Cavern of Mystery) section.

Category

Early Daoist Scriptures

Fascicles

Twenty scrolls

Synopsis

The Taishang Dongyuan Shenzhou Jing (Scripture of Divine Incantations of the Cavernous Abyss) is the scripture of the popular Daoist ‘Dongyuan (Cavernous Abyss)’ tradition dating from the end of the Eastern Jin, and is thoroughly imbued with apocalyptic themes. The scripture declares that the kalpa of the world is coming to an end and a hundred million plague demons run rampant, and that only the ‘True Lord’ Li Hong will appear to save humanity; those who revere the Dao, recite the scripture, and receive the ‘methods of the Three Caverns’ may escape the calamities of plague and warfare. The text lists a great number of demon-king names and divine incantations, instructing Daoist priests to use incantations and interdictions to expel demons and cure illness, giving it strong overtones of magical technique and salvationist belief. This scripture reflects the religious psychology of the populace amid the social upheaval and epidemics of the Jin-Song transition period; ‘Li Hong’ was a generic name for the Daoist savior figure current from the end of the Han onward, and was repeatedly invoked by rebel leaders. The first ten scrolls of the work are written in an archaic style, while the latter ten scrolls (added during the Tang) are interspersed with the ritual methods of the Three Caverns and retreat liturgies. Du Guangting explained its transmission in a preface and edited the text. It is an important source for the study of early Daoist apocalypticism, conceptions of ghosts and spirits, and popular Daoist traditions.

Key Ideas

• The apocalyptic kalpa and the appearance of the True Lord Li Hong
• Plague demons run rampant and are expelled by divine incantations
• Those who revere the Dao and receive the scripture escape calamity
• The salvationist belief of popular Daoist traditions

Structure

Twenty scrolls: the first ten are the ancient scripture, the latter ten are Tang-dynasty additions; most scrolls open with the formula ‘the Dao speaks.’

Editions

• Zhengtong Daozang edition
• Fragmentary manuscripts from Dunhuang
• Zhonghua Daozang, volume 30

Translations

• Christine Mollier, Une apocalypse taoïste du Ve siècle (1990) — study and French translation

Full Text & Online Resources

• Wikipedia: Taishang Dongyuan Shenzhou Jing
• CTEXT search

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