Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Sanyuan Wuliangshou Jing (The Scripture of the Three Primes and Immeasurable Life of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavernous Mystery of the Supreme Oneness), the author of which is unknown.
Judging from its content and wording, it is likely to have been composed by Taoist priests during the Southern and Northern Dynasties or the Sui and Tang dynasties.
It consists of one scroll and is included in the Text category of the Cavernous Mystery section of the Daozang (Taoist Canon). The scripture states that the Supreme Lord of the Dao expounded all dharmas of the Three Realms in the Three Primes Palace, "with dozens of practices that are beyond measure".
These include ten practices of keeping the body away from defilement that are beyond measure, ten practices of ridding the mouth of transgressions that are beyond measure, ten practices of eliminating evil thoughts that are beyond measure, ten practices of uprooting karmic obstacles that are beyond measure, ten practices of abstaining from sounds and colors that are beyond measure, ten practices of restraining desires and attachments that are beyond measure, ten practices of abandoning indulgences and habits that are beyond measure, ten practices of purifying defilements that are beyond measure, ten practices of avoiding delusion that are beyond measure, ten practices of refraining from lustful thoughts that are beyond measure, and so on. In total, it enumerates twenty-seven methods for cultivating "contemplative wisdom". Each method comprises ten types of contemplation, namely wisdom, compassion, forbearance, conduct, mind cultivation, meritorious deeds, diligence, bodily purity, emotional detachment, and universal-mindedness. At the end of the scripture, it is stated that if anyone can receive, uphold, read, and recite this scripture without slackening in their resolve, "they will attain immeasurable wisdom, accumulate immeasurable karmic causes of goodness, eradicate immeasurable karmic obstacles, dispel immeasurable afflictions, prolong immeasurable lifespan, and augment immeasurable fields of merit".
The title Wuliangshou Jing (Scripture of Immeasurable Life) is presumably derived from this text.
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