The Jade Emperor Heart Seal Sutra

Translated by Akrishi, 19/8/2000, rev. B - 20/1/2007

Introduction	Click here for Chinese text in gif if your browser is not displaying Chinese BIG-5
上藥三品　神與氣精	The three articles of supreme drugs for the elixir, are spirit, prana and essence.
恍恍惚惚　杳杳冥冥	In a trance [i.e. in an flash and in an instant], (and) in deep obscurity,
存無守有　頃刻而成	(by) keeping nothingness and holding to Being, instantaneously that is succeeded.
回風混合　百日功靈	(Then by) reverting wind (of breathing air) to blend, spiritual achievement (be gained) in a hundred days.
默朝上帝　一紀飛昇	(And) tacitly attend towards the Supreme Lord, ascension in one epoch [i.e. 12 years].
知者易悟　昧者難行	For the knower, (it is) easy to realize, (but) difficult for the ignorant to do so.
履踐天光　呼吸育清	Tread the morning twilight, nourish and refreshed by exhaling and inhaling (the morning fresh air).
出玄入牝　若亡若存	(Breathe) out Hsuan [i.e. collapse from nothingness to Being] and (breathe) in the (divine) feminine, (which) seems to decease (and yet) seems to exist,
綿綿不絕　固蒂根深	(and) continuing like a cotton thread, never ending, with firm stem (and) deep roots.
人各有精　精合其神	Every man has essence. Essence (is) together with his spirit.
神合其氣　氣合體真	Spirit (is) together with his prana. (With) prana together, (then) body (is) real.
不得其真　皆是強名	Not gaining this reality, (then) all are (just) imposed names.
神能入石　神能飛形	The spirit can penetrate stone. The spirit can fly beyond forms (of existence).
入水不溺　入火不焚	Not getting drown in water, (and) not being burnt in fire.
神依形生　精依氣盈	With spirit attached, forms (of existence) grow. With essence attached, prana (is) filled full.
不凋不殘　松柏青青	(Then forms of existence will) not wither (and) not be destroyed, like an evergreen pine or cypress tree.
三品一理　妙不可聽	(This) one theory (for the) three articles, (is) too wondrous to be heard.
其聚則有　其散則零	(With) their gathering, then being (come to existence). (With) their scattering, then (existence is) nil.
七竅相通　竅竅光明	(When accomplished, the) seven apertures (will be) mutually connected, with each aperture enlightened.
聖日聖月　照耀金庭	The holy sun and the holy moon, Note A (will) shine brightly (on) the golden [i.e. celestial] court.
一得永得　自然身輕	Once gained, (it is) forever gained, (and) naturally (the) body (will be) lightened.
太和充溢　骨散寒瓊	Supreme harmony (will) circumfuse, (and) the bones (will) disperse cold divine wine.
得丹則靈　不得則傾	Gaining the elixir, then spirituality (will be gained). Not gaining (it), then (life will) decline.
丹在身中　非白非青	The elixir inside the body, is neither white nor blue.
誦之萬遍　妙理自明	Recite it for ten thousand times, (then this) wondrous theory (will be) understood automatically.

Translator's Note: The Jade Emperor Heart Seal Sutra is for daily recitation. This is a word by word translation. The words in parentheses ( ) are words added to explicate the meaning which may be omitted during recitation.