The Supreme Mysterious Grotto Lingbao Scripture of Wisdom for Stabilizing Aspirations and Penetrating Subtleties (Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Zhihui Dingzhi Tongwei Jing), also known as The Scripture of Contemplating Subtleties and Stabilizing Aspirations (Siwei Dingzhi Jing).
One of the ancient Taoist Lingbao Scriptures, it was probably compiled in the late Eastern Jin Dynasty to the early Southern Dynasties (c. 4th–5th centuries CE) and was already recorded in Lu Xiujing’s Catalogue of Lingbao Scriptures (Lingbao Jingmu). In one scroll, it is included in the Dongxuan Bu (Section of the Mysterious Grotto) and Benwen Lei (Category of Original Texts) of the Daozang (Taoist Canon).
Additionally, there is one fragmentary Dunhuang manuscript (No. P5563) copied in the early Tang Dynasty. The scripture states that the Lingbao Heavenly Lord (Lingbao Tianzun) transmitted The Essential Secrets of Contemplating Subtleties and Stabilizing Aspirations to the Two True Persons, Zuo Xuan and You Xuan.
The secret essentials read: "One must understand that within the Three Realms, the three lifetimes are all empty. Knowing that the three lifetimes are empty, even though one possesses a physical body, it shall ultimately return to emptiness. Understanding the principle of returning to emptiness enables one to forget the self.
He who can forget the self—how can he cherish the self? When the self is no longer cherished, one can let go of attachment to all things, loving only the Dao. He who loves the Dao shall be loved by the Dao in return. To be beloved by the Dao is to return to one’s true nature. Contemplating subtleties and stabilizing aspirations—this embodies the fullness of the Dao."
The core tenet of this essential teaching is "understanding emptiness and loving the Dao." The Heavenly Lord further explained "understanding emptiness and loving the Dao" as "two halves uniting into one," depicted it as The Diagram of Two Halves (also known as The True Token of Contemplating Subtleties and Stabilizing Aspirations), and bestowed it upon the Two True Persons.
Subsequently, he transmitted the Ten Precepts to them, which are: not killing, not committing sexual misconduct, not stealing, not deceiving, not drinking to intoxication, maintaining harmony among relatives, assisting others in doing good, helping others accumulate merits, not retaliating when humiliated, and universally delivering all beings to attain the Dao.
It is claimed that those who receive these Ten Precepts and practice in accordance with the Dharma shall surely attain the Dao. The latter half of the scripture recounts stories of karmic retribution for good and evil, exhorting believers to venerate the scripture, uphold the precepts, support Taoist priests, donate wealth, and perform good deeds to seek blessed rewards.
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