The Ling Bao Tian Zun Shuo Lu Ku Shou Sheng Jing 灵宝天尊说禄库受生经

Author: Unknown

Judging from its textual content, this scripture is believed to have been written by Taoist priests during the Sui and Tang dynasties.

It consists of one scroll and is included in the Original Text Category of the Cavern Mysterious Section in the Taoist Canon.

The scripture is framed as a discourse delivered by the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable to the Perfected Being of Radiant Wonderful Sound.

It claims that all living beings are under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Ministry in terms of their destiny and bound to the Underworld in terms of their physical form. On the day they obtain a human body, they borrowed money from the Underworld’s offices for their mortal birth and the treasury of blessings. Those who repay the loan during their lifetime will be wealthy and noble; those who default on the Underworld’s debt will live in poverty and want.

The distinction between wealth and nobility, poverty and lowliness among mortals is all caused by the Underworld officials deducting one’s yang blessings to settle yin debts. Therefore, the Heavenly Venerable exhorts all people to reverently honor the Three Jewels, perform charitable acts with ease, hold fasts and recite scriptures, and burn offerings to repay the money borrowed from the treasury of blessings for mortal birth during their lifetime.

Those who do so will obtain karmic rewards: they will be reborn as males for three lifetimes, enjoy wealth and nobility in the present life, and be free from disasters forever in future lives. If one is miserly, greedy, and foolish in the mortal world, does not believe in the scripture and Dharma, and fails to repay the money borrowed from the Underworld for mortal birth, the Heavenly Ministry will reduce their lifespan, and after death they will fall into hell, only to be reborn as beasts after thousands of kalpas.