Cultivators of the Tao must know the grades of immortals
paulpeng
Since ancient times, tales of immortals have been constantly heard. However, ordinary people may only focus on prolonging life and longevity, or only on supernatural powers and spells, or only on carefree and unrestrained living. Regarding immortals, among the common people, they are often simply classified as one category and collectively referred to as "immortals". However, due to different levels of cultivation, immortals are also divided into different grades. Due to different classification standards, the grades of immortals recorded in different Taoist scriptures are also not exactly the same. In "Baopuzi - On Immortals", Daoist Priest Ge Hong said that according to the records in the scriptures of immortals, "Superior cultivators ascend to the void with their physical forms and are called celestial immortals. Intermediate cultivators roam famous mountains and are called terrestrial immortals. Inferior cultivators die first and then shed their mortal forms and are called corpse-released immortals." According to Daoist Priest Ge Hong, immortals can be divided into celestial immortals, terrestrial immortals, and corpse-released immortals.
Regarding the classification of immortals, Daoist Priest Zhongli Quan gave a different division. As recorded in "The Transmission of the Tao between Zhongli and Lü Dongbin", "There are five grades of immortals: ghost immortals, human immortals, terrestrial immortals, celestial immortals, and celestial immortals of different grades. All are immortals. Ghost immortals are inseparable from ghosts. Human immortals are inseparable from humans. Terrestrial immortals are inseparable from the earth. Celestial immortals are inseparable from the divine. Celestial immortals are inseparable from heaven." Although ghost immortals and human immortals are also called "immortals", in fact, the two are not immortals in the true sense. For example, Zhongli Quan believes that ghost immortals "are pure and spiritual ghosts, not pure yang immortals". Just because they are determined to pursue the Tao and "the yin spirit does not disperse", they are called ghost immortals. But "although they are called immortals, in fact they are ghosts." Human immortals are only those who cultivate truth and obtain a certain method or technique and diligently practice and achieve it. However, they "cannot be completely in accordance with the Great Dao and only stop at one method or one technique of the Great Dao. They achieve success in comfort and prolong life." Therefore, human immortals are still humans. Terrestrial immortals, celestial immortals, and celestial immortals are immortals in the true sense. When one cultivates to become a terrestrial immortal, one can "refine one's form and live in the world and obtain eternal life without death." Terrestrial immortals live among mortals. If terrestrial immortals are tired of living in the mortal world and diligently practice and reach a certain realm, they can "completely purify the yin and become pure yang. There will be a body outside the body. Shed the mortal form and ascend to immortality and transcend the ordinary and enter the sage realm." They leave the mortal world and go to the three immortal islands of Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou. This kind of immortal is called a "celestial immortal." Although they are called celestial immortals, in essence, they are still "terrestrial immortals." Therefore, when Daoist Priest Zhongli Quan spoke of celestial immortals, he said: "Terrestrial immortals are tired of living on the three islands and preach the Tao among mortals. They have merits on the path of the Tao and have good deeds among mortals. When their merits and deeds are fulfilled, they receive the heavenly book and return to the cave heaven. This is called a celestial immortal." That is to say, "celestial immortals" are only the elite group among terrestrial immortals. Celestial immortals, if they "have great merits for heaven and earth and great deeds in ancient and modern times", can continue to be promoted and finally can enter the "realm of emptiness and nothingness of the Three Pure Ones."
The group of celestial immortals is divided into nine grades. As recorded in "The Records of Gathering Immortals in Yongcheng - The Primordial Lady of Gold", "There are nine grades of immortals who ascend to heaven: The first is the supreme celestial immortal, known as the Nine Heavenly True Kings. The second is the secondary celestial immortal, known as the Three Heavenly True Emperors. The third is called the Supreme True Person. The fourth is called the Flying True Person. The fifth is called the Spiritual Immortal. The sixth is called the True Person. The seventh is called the Spiritual Person. The eighth is called the Flying Immortal. The ninth is called the Immortal. These grades and ranks must not be exceeded in sequence." Immortals in the Three Pure Realms are also divided into different grades. As recorded in "The Order of Succession of Taoist Scriptures and Dharma", "There are nine immortals in the Grand Pure Realm. There are nine true ones in the Upper Pure Realm. There are nine saints in the Jade Pure Realm. There are twenty-seven in total in the three nines. The nine immortals are: The first is the supreme celestial immortal. The second is the lofty celestial immortal. The third is the great celestial immortal. The fourth is the profound celestial immortal. The fifth is the heavenly celestial immortal. The sixth is the true celestial immortal. The seventh is the divine celestial immortal. The eighth is the spiritual celestial immortal. The ninth is the ultimate celestial immortal. In the two realms of true ones and saints, their ranks and designations are also in sequence of supreme, lofty, great, profound, heavenly, true, divine, spiritual, and ultimate. But for true ones, it is called immortal true ones and primordial true ones. For true saints, it is called immortal saints and saints without heaven." In short, what ordinary people call becoming immortals is only the crucial first step on the long journey of cultivation for cultivators of the Tao. After ordinary people become immortals, there is still a long way to go. Therefore, after cultivators of the Tao achieve certain achievements, they must not be arrogant and conceited!
Regarding the classification of immortals, Daoist Priest Zhongli Quan gave a different division. As recorded in "The Transmission of the Tao between Zhongli and Lü Dongbin", "There are five grades of immortals: ghost immortals, human immortals, terrestrial immortals, celestial immortals, and celestial immortals of different grades. All are immortals. Ghost immortals are inseparable from ghosts. Human immortals are inseparable from humans. Terrestrial immortals are inseparable from the earth. Celestial immortals are inseparable from the divine. Celestial immortals are inseparable from heaven." Although ghost immortals and human immortals are also called "immortals", in fact, the two are not immortals in the true sense. For example, Zhongli Quan believes that ghost immortals "are pure and spiritual ghosts, not pure yang immortals". Just because they are determined to pursue the Tao and "the yin spirit does not disperse", they are called ghost immortals. But "although they are called immortals, in fact they are ghosts." Human immortals are only those who cultivate truth and obtain a certain method or technique and diligently practice and achieve it. However, they "cannot be completely in accordance with the Great Dao and only stop at one method or one technique of the Great Dao. They achieve success in comfort and prolong life." Therefore, human immortals are still humans. Terrestrial immortals, celestial immortals, and celestial immortals are immortals in the true sense. When one cultivates to become a terrestrial immortal, one can "refine one's form and live in the world and obtain eternal life without death." Terrestrial immortals live among mortals. If terrestrial immortals are tired of living in the mortal world and diligently practice and reach a certain realm, they can "completely purify the yin and become pure yang. There will be a body outside the body. Shed the mortal form and ascend to immortality and transcend the ordinary and enter the sage realm." They leave the mortal world and go to the three immortal islands of Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou. This kind of immortal is called a "celestial immortal." Although they are called celestial immortals, in essence, they are still "terrestrial immortals." Therefore, when Daoist Priest Zhongli Quan spoke of celestial immortals, he said: "Terrestrial immortals are tired of living on the three islands and preach the Tao among mortals. They have merits on the path of the Tao and have good deeds among mortals. When their merits and deeds are fulfilled, they receive the heavenly book and return to the cave heaven. This is called a celestial immortal." That is to say, "celestial immortals" are only the elite group among terrestrial immortals. Celestial immortals, if they "have great merits for heaven and earth and great deeds in ancient and modern times", can continue to be promoted and finally can enter the "realm of emptiness and nothingness of the Three Pure Ones."
The group of celestial immortals is divided into nine grades. As recorded in "The Records of Gathering Immortals in Yongcheng - The Primordial Lady of Gold", "There are nine grades of immortals who ascend to heaven: The first is the supreme celestial immortal, known as the Nine Heavenly True Kings. The second is the secondary celestial immortal, known as the Three Heavenly True Emperors. The third is called the Supreme True Person. The fourth is called the Flying True Person. The fifth is called the Spiritual Immortal. The sixth is called the True Person. The seventh is called the Spiritual Person. The eighth is called the Flying Immortal. The ninth is called the Immortal. These grades and ranks must not be exceeded in sequence." Immortals in the Three Pure Realms are also divided into different grades. As recorded in "The Order of Succession of Taoist Scriptures and Dharma", "There are nine immortals in the Grand Pure Realm. There are nine true ones in the Upper Pure Realm. There are nine saints in the Jade Pure Realm. There are twenty-seven in total in the three nines. The nine immortals are: The first is the supreme celestial immortal. The second is the lofty celestial immortal. The third is the great celestial immortal. The fourth is the profound celestial immortal. The fifth is the heavenly celestial immortal. The sixth is the true celestial immortal. The seventh is the divine celestial immortal. The eighth is the spiritual celestial immortal. The ninth is the ultimate celestial immortal. In the two realms of true ones and saints, their ranks and designations are also in sequence of supreme, lofty, great, profound, heavenly, true, divine, spiritual, and ultimate. But for true ones, it is called immortal true ones and primordial true ones. For true saints, it is called immortal saints and saints without heaven." In short, what ordinary people call becoming immortals is only the crucial first step on the long journey of cultivation for cultivators of the Tao. After ordinary people become immortals, there is still a long way to go. Therefore, after cultivators of the Tao achieve certain achievements, they must not be arrogant and conceited!
