Lü Dongbin's Scripture on Cause and Effect Across Three Lifetimes: An Annotated Translation of the Luzu Shou Sanshi Yingguo Jing

In the Scripture of Cause and Effect Across Three Lifetimes (Lǚzǔ Shuō Sānshì Yīnguǒ Jīng)《吕祖说三世因果经》the Immortal Lǚ Dòngbīn 吕洞宾 (honorific title Lǚzǔ 吕祖), one of the Daoist tradition’s most venerated sages, descends to reveal the moral, and spiritual laws of cause and effect that shape human life. Through a profound dialogue with his disciples, he explains clearly and compassionately how the fortunes and hardships of this life grow from past actions, and how present conduct, plants the seeds of future destiny.This text addresses various themes from family harmony and ethical livelihood, to ritual sincerity and spiritual cultivation. This scripture also offers practical guidance for both everyday living and the path of inner cultivation. In luminous verse and vivid parables of cause and effect, it explores:The hidden roots of wealth, poverty, health, and calamity.Heaven’s unseen workings and the certainty of spiritual retribution.Why sincere virtue outweighs lavish offerings.The moral dangers of greed, lust, cruelty, and careless speech.The Eight Medicines which nourish the Spirit, and the Eight Poisons which destroy it.How one may gain immeasurable merit through words, deeds, and intention.This scripture serves as a mirror of one’s conscience and as a lantern on the path of virtue. It calls the reader to self-reflection, personal responsibility, and allows the transformation of fate through the steady cultivation of goodness.This text presents the original simplified Chinese characters with an accessible English translation along with annotated footnotes, bringing its timeless wisdom to life for the modern reader. Read more