佛說却溫黃神咒經: The Sutra spoken by the Buddha on the Divine Incantation to Dispel Epidemics: A bililngual edition.

 0a/ I shall now tweet the translation of this sutra, found on this site eaa.fas.harvard.edu/sutra-epidemic. The english version below was "translated by XX", a PHD candidate in Chinese buddhism. The translation is fairly accurate, save in one part, in No. 10, where the translator [and I] have doubts

I have taken the Chinese text from  tripitaka.cbeta.org/X02n0193_001

*** *** *** 

1.聞如是
[Thus I have heard]
一時佛遊王舍城竹林精舍與四部弟子大眾俱會為說經法
At one time, the Buddha travelled to Bamboo Grove Monastery in Rājagṛha in order to preach the Dharma before a great number of disciples of the four assemblies who had gathered. 

2.爾時維耶離國屬疫氣猛盛赫赫猶如熾火死亡無數無所歸趣無方救療
At that time, in the country of Vaiśālī, there just happened to be plague running rampant & spreading like wildfire. Those who had perished were countless in number and there was no end in sight, and no means for treating and saving those who had been infected. 

3.於是阿難長跪合掌白佛言彼阿耶離國遭溫氣疫毒唯願世尊說諸聖術却彼毒氣令得安穩離眾苦患
Thereupon, Ānanda knelt before the Buddha with his palms together and spoke to the Buddha saying, “Vaiśālī has encountered a deadly epidemic... 

3b. I only pray that the World-Honored One preach various sacred techniques to dispel their contagion and allow them to obtain peace and be free from suffering and illness." 

4.佛告賢者阿難汝當聽受之有七鬼神常吐毒氣以害萬姓
The Buddha spoke to the wise one, Ānanda, “You must listen to this. There are seven demons and they incessantly spew forth contagions and by means of this infect the myriad people. 

5.若人得毒頭痛寒熱百節欲解苦痛難言人有知其名字者毒不害人If a person contracts this contagion, he or she will have headaches and bouts of cold and fever, his or her body will long for cessation and his or her pain is difficult to express but, if a person has knowledge of that name, then the contagion will not harm him or her. 

6.是故吾今為汝說之。阿難言願欲聞之
For this reason, I will now preach this for your sake. Ānanda said, “Please, I desire to hear this.” 

7.佛言若四輩弟子欲稱鬼神名安之時當言:
The Buddha said, “When the four assemblies of disciples desire to recite the name of these demons and pacify them, then they should say: 

8.南無佛陀耶。南無達磨耶。南無僧伽耶。南無十方諸佛。南無諸菩薩摩訶薩。南無諸聖僧南。無呪師(某甲)
Na mo fo tuo ye, namo damoye, namo sengqieye, namo shifang zhufo, namo zhu pusa mohesa, namo zhushengseng, namo zhoushi, [mou jia] 

8b. [translated:] ‘I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha, I take refuge in the Buddhas from ten directions, I take refuge in all the Bodhisattvas, I take refuge in all the Arhats, I take refuge in (name of the practitioner).’ 

9.今我弟子所說神呪即從其願. 如是神名
Now, my disciples, this incantation that I preach is in accordance with your prayers. The name of such demons 

10.我今當說沙羅佉三說沙羅佉已便說呪曰。
I will now preach to you the [Saluo Expulsion]‘沙羅佉.’” After having [thrice said the saluo explusions] “三説沙羅佉,” the Buddha, moreover, preached the incantation saying,
[this is the doubtful bit] 

11/ 

夢多難鬼、
Meng duo nan gui*:
阿佉尼鬼、
A qu ni gui
尼佉尸鬼、
Ni qu shi gui
阿佉那鬼、
A qu na gui
波羅尼鬼、
Po luo ni gui
阿毗羅鬼、
A bi luo gui
波提棃鬼.”
Pi ti li gui.

* Gui is the Chinese for demon. 

12.佛言是七鬼神呪名字如是若人熱病時當呼七鬼神名字言

The Buddha said, “This is the incantation of the seven demons. Their names are as such. When one has a fever or sickness, he should call the names of these seven demons and say, 

13/ “疾去疾去莫得久住“
‘leave immediately, leave immediately, do not stay for long’ 

14.我弟子身令毒消滅病速除愈我弟子今歸依三寶燒香禮敬行是諸佛所說神呪
As for the bodies of my disciples, the contagion will be banished & the illness will quickly leave and they will be healed. My disciples, now devote yourself to the three treasures, burn incense and prostrate and practice this incantation of the various Buddhas. 

15.若有呪神不隨諸佛教者頭破作七分如阿棃樹枝
If there is a demon that does not obey the teachings of the various Buddhas, its head will split into seven parts like the branches of the arjaka tree. 

16.若人得病一日二日三日乃至七日熱病煩悶先呪神水以與病者飲之當三七遍誦此呪經病毒五溫之病並皆消滅
If a person acquires a disease, for one day, two days, three days, up to seven days, and experiences fever and anguish, first use this incantation make holy water and then give to the sick and have them drink it,* one should recite this text twenty-one times. Diseases, contagion, and epidemics will be eradicated

* I suggest adding a full stop here, i.e. "... drink it. One should recite [this text] 21 times. Diseases [etc] will be eradicated" 

17.若亦立門書著氣病者當額書七鬼神名字復取五色縷線各各結其名字繫著門上大吉祥也

Also, if one sets up a gate and writes [the name of] the disease, one should write on his forehead the names of the seven demons. 

17b/ Again, if one takes cords of the five-colored (blue, red, white, black, yellow) threads, ties one to each of the names and connects them to the top of the gate, this will be extremely auspicious. 

18.若能勤誦此經專心受持齋戒不喫熏辛誦此七鬼神名字溫鬼永斷不過門戶
If one diligently recites this sutra, exclusively devotes one’s heart and memorizes it, holds the lay precepts and does not imbibe vegetables with pungent smells, and recites the names of these seven demons, these demons of disease will be forever cutoff and unable to pass through the doors of the gate. 

19.自進至患家鬼見皆走一身永不染天行
If one proceeds to & enters a house that of one who is suffering from illness,the demons will encounter him or her & each & every one of them will flee leaving the body [of the inflicted] eternally free of contamination from contagious disease 

20.若能專心勸人書寫受持讀誦此經消殃却害
If one exclusively devotes oneself to recommending this sutra to people, copies it, memorizes it and recites it, then he or she will dissipate misfortune and dispel harm. 

21.若人不能誦得竹筒盛安門戶上溫鬼不敢過門亦得延年養壽大吉祥也
Even if there is a person who cannot recite the incantation, if they are able to place put this sutra in a tube and enshrine it above the doorway, then demons of disease will not dare to pass and, ... 

21b/ moreover, they will extend the years of their life and have great fortune.” 

22.阿難叉手白佛言當何名此經云何奉持
Ānanda put his palms together spoke to the Buddha saying, “What should I call this sutra? How should I uphold it?” 

23.佛言此經名為却溫神呪佛說如是天龍鬼神一切大眾聞呪歡喜作禮奉行
The Buddha said, “This sutra’s name shall be 却温神呪.” [the divine mantra to expel diseases]The Buddha’s teaching was as such. The devas, nagas, demons, divinities and the entire assembly heard of this incantation and rejoiced. They prostrated, received the teaching, and put it into practice. 

A panopoly of Chinese amulets

This post has been derived from a tweetstorm I published on my twitter, @edwardW2, 

1/ A set of amulets for many purposes from the 2018 ed of the 繼成堂 (Hall of Continuing accomplishments)  almanac, published in China

Preface (Text marked A) in bottom left

符咒是我国几千年的民族传统文化之一，但并非每个人画符都能，应验，有绿者必须心清意静，意念高度集中才能达到画符的目的
Amulets are part one of the ancient culture of our country. But not every person is capable of drawing an effective amulet. Those who are fated to have this property, should with clear heart and still intent. Only through a high concentration of the will, may the amulet have the desired effect. 

There are 15 amulets on the page. Each of them resolves a particular evil. The work describes the various materials on which the amulets are to be written on: 

1. Makes business prosper; carry about the person. Write in black ink on red paper

2. Increases money luck; carry about the person. Write in Cinnabar ink 硃 on red paper. 

3. Use this this if children are hard to rear 難養. The central inscription has space for which to write the child's Year, Mth, day and Hour of birth on. 

4. For harmony between man & wife. Write this with Cinnabar ink on Yellow paper. Burn to ash and stir into the partie's drink, but do not let the two parties know of this.

5. Protects the foetus and the Mother. This amulet is especially valuable if mother has offended the foetal god;胎神, in which case, burn to ash, dissolve it in water and give it to the pregnant woman to drink. Mother and child will be safe.

6. for a rather distressing condition called 收惊 Shoujing,  baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%94%B6…, where the child grows ill after a fright (said to be of supernatural origin)

7. Amulet to dissolve bones; said bones are ones accidentally swallowed and stuck in the throat. It is to be written using black ink on a piece of flowered writing paper; 花笺. A spell is written besides it, namely" 

赫赫陽陽，奉請三山九候，此碗化為江洋大海咽喉化萬丈深潭，全力吞入變化無出
"Brightly, Brightly, Yang, Yang, I humbly ask the Nine Dukes of the Three Mountains, to transform the water into this dish into that of rivers in seas; to transform it into a sea, to transform the gullet into a lake a thousand fathoms deep, to swallow [the bone] with all effort, and transform it so it disappears"

( I presume you burn the paper, recite the spell , stir ashes into water, & swallow the water.) 

8. To dispel evil forces that one has offended 退煞冲丧犯. Write using Cinnabar ink on yellow paper; burn and drink the ashes in water 

9. To resolve quarrels between father & son (make 2 copies of the amulet, one to be carried by each party)

10. To suppress bad dreams. Write with red ink on yellow paper, and carry on body

11. To stop bleeding and cure small wounds. The text adds the following instructions. 

注：轻微皮肤擦伤或刀伤、在条件不便时可用绿色树叶（无毒）一片，用指箭画一直，边念；一二三四五，金木水火土、余仿此，正面朝外贴于伤处。 
Note: For a gentle cut or scratch, when nothing else can be had, take a green, leaf of a tree (so long as the leaf is not toxic) and trace out the amulet [shown above] with the fingers; whilst doing so say one, two, three, four five, Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth,  Then paste it, with the writing side towards the wound.

12. To avoid quarrels and contentions. Write using red ink on red paper; carry on body. 

13. Amulet to repay debts. Write it in black ink on yellow paper; write the reason for the debt on the back. 

You are to write your name in the place of the crosses on the right and the date and time of birth on the dots below. The line on the left is for you to write your address; the Chinese  words there translate to "Address: People's republic of China, ____ Province, ___ " I presume if you are not in the PRC, you replace this line with your own address and country.

14. For “protecting the body" 保身. To be written in Cinnabar red ink on yellow paper, and carried about the person

15. For  protecting the body whilst travelling.To be written in red ink on yellow paper, and carried about the person.