Treatise on the Arcane of the Left 洞玄灵宝左玄论

The author is unknown.

Judging from its content and wording, it was probably compiled by Taoist Priest during the Sui and Tang dynasties, with ideological roots connected to the Taoist development of that era.

This work has been quoted in the Dunhuang Taoist manuscript P2390 and Volume 7 of *Sandong Zhunang (Pearl Satchel of the Three Caverns)* by Wang Xuanhe of the The Tang Dynasty.

Treatise on the Arcane of the Left

Based on the quotations in Sandong Zhunang, the original text should have contained at least thirteen chapters. The existing version in The Daozang only preserves the fourth and fifth chapters, divided into four volumes and included in the Taiping Section.

The first two volumes constitute the fourth chapter, Zhengzhen Wushang Shangxian Dadao Jingang Jian Pin (Chapter of the Adamantine Insight into the True, Supreme, and Highest Immortal Great Dao), which describes the method of cultivating the "True, Supreme, and Highest Immortal Great Dao". It states that this great Dao is divided into two vehicles: the Mahayana (Great Vehicle) first cultivates compassion before entering the contemplation of emptiness, while the Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle) first practices the contemplation of emptiness before cultivating compassion. The Mahayana, with great causes leading to great fruits, is the path of the highest immortals. The Hinayana practice includes various contemplative methods related to  Internal Alchemy, such as contemplation of existence, contemplation of birth, contemplation of death, contemplation of old age, dual contemplation, external contemplation, philosophical contemplation, and practical contemplation.

The latter two volumes form the fifth chapter, Wushang Shang Sanshiliu Bu Jing Wang Pin (Chapter of the King of the Supreme and Highest Thirty-Six Scriptures), which explains the purport and meaning of the thirty-six Taoist scriptures of the Three Caverns. Its discussions also involve cultivating compassion and the contemplation of emptiness.