Scripture of Mystical Ascent and Protection 太上升玄消灾护命妙经

The author is unknown. It was presumably compiled during the Sui and Tang dynasties.

Originally one volume, it is included in the Ben Wen (Original Text) category of The Dongzhen Section in The Daozang.

Scripture of Mystical Ascent and Protection

In addition, there are two Tang Dynasty Dunhuang manuscripts (P2471, S3747) titled The Scripture of Ascending to Mystery and Protecting Life by the Supreme One. Its full text is also recorded in Volume 119 of Yunji Qiqian (Seven Bamboo Tablets of the Cloudy Satchel), titled The Wonderful Scripture of Ascending to Mystery, Eliminating Disasters and Protecting Life from the Supreme Lingbao. With only over 300 characters, the scripture is falsely attributed to Yuanshi Tianzun (Primeval Heavenly Lord) preaching to all sentient beings boundless in infinity, mainly propagating the principles of being and non-being, form and emptiness.

Drawing on the theories of the Mahayana Madhyamaka School of Buddhism, the scripture takes as its tenet the dual negation of being and non-being, non-attachment to the view of emptiness, and embracing the middle way while transcending extremes. As it states: "If one can understand that emptiness is not mere emptiness, and that form is not mere form, this is called clear illumination, and only then can one attain the wonderful sound"; "Seeing yet not perceiving me, hearing yet not catching my voice, transcending all kinds of extremes—this is called the wonderful Dao."

Taoist priests of the Chongxuan (Double Mystery) School in the Sui and Tang dynasties upheld this theory, marking the philosophical integration of Buddhism and Taoism.