Tractate of the Most High One
on Actions and Consequences
Chapter I

The Workings of Good and Evil

1. The most high one says:

2. “Disasters and blessings have no entry gates of their own; they are summoned by people.

3. The effects of good and evil are like shadows following their forms.”

4. And so heaven and earth have spirits who record crimes,

5. and in proportion to the severity of their crimes, they shorten human lives appropriately.

6. Because of this not only may a person’s life be cut short, but he also becomes poor or destitute, his calamities are many;

7. People all hate him; punishments and disasters follow him

8. Good fortune avoids him while evil stars persecute him.

9. And when his span of years is complete, he dies.

10. And then there are also the gods of the three towers and the north star, residing above the heads of ordinary people.,

11. They too record people’s crimes and evil actions, and shorten the years of life in the sentence.

12. And there are the three corpse spirits, residing in the human body.

13. On each Kēngshēn day in the cycle of 60 days, they ascend to heaven to report people’s crimes and failings.

14. On the last day of the month the Stove God also does this.

15. For ordinary people offenses cut off a jì (12 years) if great, while small offenses cut off a suàn (100 days).

16. Offenses great and small arise from countless matters,

17. and those seeking immortality must avoid them.