《先天斗母奏告玄科》

(Buxu: verses of praise chanted while the rite is performed.) The ritual master treads the Nine Phoenix gang steps, casts a flying mudra toward the water basin (working the rite by hand seals), and burns the Nine Phoenix talisman.

I have heard that the whale-wave (a figure for majestic and powerful ritual force) can enter the sacred realm and wash away the grime of the Five Turbidities, and that phoenix script (Daoist talismanic writing) can pass beyond the ordinary world and draw in the Qi (vital energy) of the Nine Clarities (the pure numinous breath of the higher heavens). When the fire of Li first kindles, heaven and earth grow solemn and still. Incense is now burned to invite with reverence the Great General of the Nine Phoenixes Who Breaks Impurity, the Five Dragon Lords of the Five Directions and the Five Emperors, the Lords of Celestial Virtue and Lunar Virtue, the Great and Mighty Awesome Spirits of the quarters of living Qi and flourishing Qi, the officers and soldiers of the Cavern Gang and the Grand Mystery, Lady Wenyu of the Flower Pool, the Embroidered-Robe Envoy of the Azure Waters, and all the officers, generals, clerks, and soldiers of the Court for Sweeping Away Malevolence and the Bureau for Removing Impurity.

We respectfully ask each divine general to take up talisman and sword and send true Qi down into this basin of water, and by this means to sweep away defilement, so that a thousand kinds of deviant Qi withdraw and ten thousand sorts of specters vanish without a trace. May this power move heaven and earth and stir a response among ghosts and spirits; by the force of cleansing and purification, rouse thunder, moisten wind and rain, and establish this pure altar. The ritual master concentrates in visualization; divine majesty is efficacious, and its transformations are without end. We now carefully proclaim and carry out this scriptural chapter and secret spell.

The assembly recites the Spell for Purifying Heaven and Earth; the ritual master intones the talisman-spell for purifying the altar and silently recites the spell in order to purify the ritual space.

Reverently arrange the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) within the altar space, the eight basic trigram images that symbolize the workings of Heaven and Earth. Inside the altar, set in place the xuanji, the pivot symbolizing the movement of the celestial bodies, and array the twenty-eight lunar mansions—the twenty-eight groups of constellations by which ancient China divided the heavens—according to the four directions, so that they are distributed through the four quarters. First seal the paths by which ghosts and spirits come and go, and then leave open the passage of the human world; above, open the Gate of Heaven, and below, close the Earth Door, the portal of the ground. In this way the baleful and the deviant may disappear, and the Qi (vital energy) of the Dao (the Way)—the breath and power of the Dao—may rise and spread abroad, everything being carried out in accordance with the decrees sent down by Yuanshi, the Primordial Beginning.

When the incense of sincerity and the Fulu (talismans and registers) are burned, one earnestly asks that the numinous wind within the jade censer gather the incense smoke. This serves to express a reverent heart. The precious characters on the talisman ride the clouds and soar aloft, condensing into seal script, and can thereby convey the sincerity of the memorial. This includes the work of cultivating the mind, and it also concerns the depths of nature and life and the transformations of creation. Now one reverently offers the true talisman and casts it into the censer of incense fire, thereby making manifest the principle of Wuwei (non-action) proper to the Dao and to De (Virtue/Power), and according with the profound laws of Yin-Yang transformation. Preserve and nourish the mind of the Dao, and the wondrous will appear; where there is a passing-through, transformation can be brought about. No sooner is a wisp of incense smoke seen to rise than its imposing force and numinous response are already displayed; after the talisman is burned, one is graced by the gathering of the myriad spirits. The wind of Heaven scatters shadows and traces, and the stellar fire can be heard from afar. Carefully following the true teaching, one recites the Yang Secret Incantation.

The ritual master performs the three salutations and offers incense, and the assembly recites the Incense Incantation:

Jade blossoms scatter their radiance, and the nine Qi condense into smoke. Clouds of incense spread densely and rise straight into the Nine Heavens. Golden Lads who attend the incense and Jade Maidens who bear messages, please transmit this servant’s memorial on his behalf, so that it may reach the presence of the Imperial Lord. All that is prayed for and all that is wished, please grant a response in fulfillment of those wishes.

The ritual master performs the three salutations, kneels at length to report to the revered master, and then burns the Fulu:

With reverence it is said: the Northern Dipper—the stellar lords who govern the patterns of Heaven and the fortunes and misfortunes of the human world—is majestic and mighty, and it is fitting that this be carried out with solemn care. The memorial rests upon sincerity of heart, and takes as its teacher the upholding of the good Dao; all depends upon the revered master’s instruction and support. Without the master’s guidance toward deliverance, one cannot attain salvation, and therefore one can only follow the methods of the Dao. This disciple of the master’s gate respectfully receives the command to present the memorial and to accept the ritual teaching.

The humble successor-disciple So-and-so, now in service, respectfully burns incense of sincere faith and devoutly announces to the honored deities and ancestral masters: the Treasures of the Dao (the Way), the Jing (scripture/classic), and the Master—the Three Treasures revered in Daoism—the myriad spirits of the Primordial Beginning, the Unsurpassed Supreme Perfected, the Primordial Worthies of the Three Realms, the Jade Emperor of the Golden Portal of Vast Heaven, together with the presiding Dharma Lord, Celestial Emperor and Heavenly Father, Master of the Methods of Brahma Qi (vital energy); the Heavenly Mother, Celestial Empress of Brahma Qi; the Dipper Father of the Celestial Thearch; the Heavenly Lord of Longhan; the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity, of the Center of Heaven and the Northern Culmen; the Great Celestial Emperor of the Gouchen stellar palace; the Sovereign Earth Goddess who receives Heaven and models its law; and all the other honored deities of the heavens.

The disciple further respectfully invites the True King of the Divine Empyrean, the Great Emperor of Everlasting Life; the Great Emperor of Azure Efflorescence at the Eastern Pole; the Heavenly Worthy of the Nine Heavens Who Responds to the Primordial, Whose Voice Is Thunder, and Who Universally Transforms; the Great Emperor, Thunder Ancestor of the Nine Heavens; the Dipper Mother, Celestial Empress of Purple Radiance; Marici, the Heavenly Worthy Dao-Mother of Perfect Brightness; the Great Celestial Thearch Taiyi of the Purple Tenuity Jasper Palace of Highest Clarity; the Great Emperor of the Cavern Abyss of the Six Heavens; the Imperial Lord, Heavenly Sovereign of the Six Waves; the True Lord, Elder of the Kehan Bureau of the Nine Heavens; the True Lord, Investigation Commissioner of the Nine Heavens; together with the celestial thearchs of all the heavens, the exalted perfected ones who preside over the methods, the true sovereigns of the Ten Extremes and the Ten Flowerings, and the divine immortals of the precious treasury of jade writs, scriptures, and registers.

The disciple further respectfully invites the Star Lords of the Eleven Great Luminaries of Highest Clarity; the Star Lords of the Six Bureaus of the Southern Dipper Who Prolong Life; the Star Lords of the Nine Sovereigns of the Northern Dipper Who Relieve Adversity; the Star Lords of the Eastern, Western, and Central Dippers; the host of perfected ones of every stellar image throughout the heavens; the Great Sage of Tiangang, Star Lord of the Radiance of Kui; and the star lord who shines upon the year of this disciple So-and-so’s birth and governs that disciple’s natal destiny. The disciple also respectfully invites the divine immortals and spirit officers within the Dipper, the Great Emperors of the Three Officials, of the Three Primordials and Three Ranks, and the Star Lord of the Northern Culmen.

The disciple further respectfully invites the True Lords Tianpeng, Tianyou, and Yisheng of the Northern Culmen, and the True Lord Yousheng of the Northern Culmen, the Great Emperor of Mysterious Heaven; together with the Supreme Minister of Grand Mystery, the True Lord of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity); the Immortal Elder of the Left Palace of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate); the True Lord, Master of the Truly Pure and Bright Dao; the Three Immortal True Lords, ancestral masters of the Floral Canopy; the Three Mao True Lords, Directors of Destiny, of Highest Clarity; True Lord Wang, Master of Fire; the True Lord, Prince of Numinous Grace, invested by proclamation; True Lord Zhang Xujing; the Perfected One who teaches and transforms the Western Regions; Perfected One Ajali; the Holy One, the Iron Ox; Chan Master Yixing; the Perfected One of Universal Radiance; Perfected One Bai of Purple Clarity and the Bright Dao; Master Lazy Ox; the Female Immortal Master Who Subdues Demons; Great Ritual Master Qingyuan, who originally received the charge to proclaim the teaching; Great Ritual Master Yingguang; Great Ritual Master Huiguang; Perfected One Shangguan of Western Shu; Perfected One Wan, Supreme Minister of Taiji Who Surpasses Thunder; Perfected One Zhong of Awesome Grace from Guozhou; Great Ritual Master Liu Huiguang, Metropolitan Registrar of Resonant Response, of Penetrating Tranquility and Utmost Virtue; Perfected One Shi of Ruizhu and Iron Mountain; Perfected One Mo Yueding, unattached clerk of the Divine Empyrean; and the ancestral masters and lineage patriarchs of every generation.

The disciple also respectfully invites the Three Perfected Masters of Scripture, Registers, and Ordination, together with the immortal hosts of successive ages who have transmitted the ritual lineages and ordained disciples in the schools of Qingwei, Lingbao, Daode, and Zhengyi.

The disciple respectfully envisions all these honored deities riding in luan carriages and upon immortal cranes, arriving with airy grace at the altar, and reverently arranges teas such as Phoenix Cakes and Dragon Rounds upon the offering table. All the revered masters are respectfully welcomed as they descend, and pure tea is offered to them.

Raising and scattering the flowers, the ritual master performs the three salutations, offers incense, and kneels once more.

I, your servant So-and-so, who holds office and succeeds to the lineage of such-and-such school, a disciple of the Mysterious Gate (Xuanmen), kowtow and bow twice in making this report above: I respectfully invite you, robes and sleeves streaming, to come from afar from the Central Heaven (the center of the celestial realm) and to sojourn here for a time. This disciple presents tea, to express an undivided sincerity and to fulfill the reverence proper to serving a teacher. Please take the teacher’s seat for a time, and silently uphold and assist this ritual service.

Your servant So-and-so considers that my capacities are but ordinary, though I come from the gate of the Dao (the Way). Of the raising of lead and the lowering of mercury—a technical term in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy)—I do not know the methods of cultivation; nor have I fully understood the essential aim of ascending to the celestial realm and presenting memorials and prayers. Only because I have received my teacher’s hidden support and guidance have I been able to proclaim and practice the ritual codes. Since I have already received my teacher’s command, your servant dares not delay, and I respectfully make my intention plain.

Your servant respectfully memorializes: as to the wish and the actual circumstances previously described, I now set them forth with reverence. Your servant swears, with a firm heart, to bring aid to all living beings; this matter concerns the treasuring of life. My heart is sincere, and I truly cannot bear to decline. I have therefore carefully prepared a Heart Memorial to Doumu (the document presented to Doumu, Mother of the Dipper), to be conveyed upward to the Great Brahma Celestial Palace, and I submit a dispatch to the Bureau of the Dipper (Doufu), memorializing all of this together in accordance with the ritual statutes. Now that my true feelings have been laid open, I trust that the exalted and luminous deities already know them.

I earnestly beg you to bestow compassion widely and to guide me with patient, step-by-step instruction, so that what is sought and what is answered may accord, and so that, by following the guidance of those who possess the Dao, correction may be obtained. May the matters prayed for be brought to pass through the sympathetic response of a heart of utmost sincerity. I specifically ask my teacher to grant and reveal the ritual command, and to transmit instruction to the teacher’s lineage, so that this disciple may receive and proclaim the talismanic mandate, and so that these sincere words of prayer may arrive in clarity and meet with sympathetic response. This disciple respectfully awaits the gift of grace and dares not forget to render thanks. I respectfully invite you to sojourn for a time at the altar ground and to preside over this memorial; when the ritual service is complete, this disciple will, with a heart of sincere reverence, respectfully see you off. Your servant kowtows and bows twice, and respectfully submits these words.

The chant is raised: “Heavenly Worthy Who Opens and Illumines the Essential Purport” (Kaiming Zhiyao Tianzun).

“So that these sincere words of prayer may arrive in clarity and meet with sympathetic response, this disciple respectfully awaits the gift of grace and dares not forget to render thanks. I respectfully invite you to sojourn for a time at the altar ground and to preside over this memorial; when the ritual service is complete, this disciple will, with a heart of sincere reverence, respectfully see you off. Your servant kowtows and bows twice, and respectfully submits these words.”

The chant is raised: “Heavenly Worthy Who Opens and Illumines the Essential Purport.”

The three salutations are performed, and the Golden Light Spell (Jinguang Zhou, a protective and invocatory incantation commonly used in Daoism) is recited. The ritual master transforms into the deity (bianshen: entering the ritual state of the deity who is served), treads the celestial guideline and paces forward to present the documents (tagang bucheng: advancing by the ritual steps and submitting the writings), and summons the divine generals.

Heaven and Earth are vast and boundless, and so they bestow grace universally upon all things, leaving nothing out. The sun and moon hang high and bright; wherever their light can reach, they illuminate. Though the paths among the clouds are distant, the ears and eyes of Heaven can still hear and see. Now, through the Thunder Bureau (Leiting Dusi, the celestial office that commands the divine officers of the Thunder Department), incense is burned to transmit the order, summoning the talisman envoys of the Three Realms, the Four Duty Merit Officers (Sizhi Gongcao, the divine officers who transmit documents and keep watch over the four directions), the Earth God on duty at the altar, and all the deities who answer the call. Upon hearing the summons, they are to come at once to the altar and await orders. Carry this out with all speed!

The practitioner silently recites the incantation and visualizes the spirits as dwelling in a realm dark, profound, and mysteriously remote: born together with Heaven and Earth, they become Qi (vital energy, the primordial breath of Daoism) when they disperse, and manifest form when they gather. Hearing a call, they come; meeting a summons, they descend. To defy my command is to defy Shangqing (Highest Clarity, the celestial realm venerated in Daoism). Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances!

The summons has just been issued; the deities have surely already arrived at the altar. I respectfully ask the deities to convey the incense and offerings on my behalf up to the Nine Heavens, to transmit the statutes and commands, and to summon the Yang spirits. When the Yang spirits gather, they manifest form; hearing a call, they come; meeting a summons, they descend. To defy my command is to defy Shangqing. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances!

The summons has just been issued; the deities have surely already arrived at the altar. I respectfully ask the deities to convey the incense and offerings on my behalf up to the Nine Heavens, to transmit the statutes and commands, and to summon Celestial Lord Deng of the Swift-Fire Statutes, Celestial Lord Xin, the fierce commander who governs the Yin thunder, Divine Lord Zhang, the Dipper spirit and swift-flying emissary of retribution who carries out Heaven’s commands, the Jade-Sound Great Brahma Thunder King, together with the myriads of thunder gods who sound the orders and proclaim transformation, and also the officers, generals, clerks, and soldiers belonging to this altar. Upon hearing the summons, may the deities come swiftly to the altar.

I respectfully ask the deities to compose their majestic bearing and array their ceremonial retinue, to carry out the talismanic mandate for purifying the altar, and to guard the ritual space; to manifest their awesome radiance and sweep away all filth and deviant influences; and reverently to welcome the Dipper Perfected (Douzhen, the star lords of the Northern Dipper and related exalted deities) to descend and inspect, so that sincere prayers may be secretly conveyed; to make good and ill fortune plain and to manifest the transformative teaching of the Dao. Each deity is to keep a solemn demeanor, not neglect duty, fully display spiritual response and retribution, and act in accordance with the statutes.

When the talisman that establishes the altar boundary is formed, all recite the incantation together:

The jade altar stands tall and majestic, rising straight toward Taiwei (the Supreme Subtlety, a celestial stellar region). Divine generals in golden armor and divine troops on iron steeds surround and guard it layer upon layer, numberless and without end. They sweep away demonic and deviant qi and annihilate the false and perverse; they clear the road that leads to the celestial realm and reverently welcome the descent of the heavenly gods. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances!

When the “Two Brahma Talismans” are announced and presented:

I reverently wish that heart and spirit may speed toward the celestial realm beyond the dusty world, and respectfully welcome the exalted deities of the Nine Heavens to descend. I look up to the holy worthies among the stars of the Northern Dipper and rely upon the emissaries who drive their carriages to lead the way. Now the true talisman is proclaimed, inviting upward King Luoluo of the Jade Brahma Honored Heaven within the Dipper, the Wondrous Brahma Honored Heaven…

May our hearts and spirits (Shen) pass beyond the dusty world as we reverently welcome the honored deities of the Nine Heavens to descend; we then look up to the holy perfected ones within the Northern Dipper, relying on the envoys who drive their chariots to lead the way. We now issue the true talisman (Fulu) and invite upward Louluo Wang of the Jade-Brahma Honored Heaven, Jialuo Wang of the Wondrous-Brahma Honored Heaven, Envoy Lin, bearer of the direct talisman of the Great Brahma Heavenly Palace, Qingyang Envoy Yang, Tuoluo Envoy Geng, and the communicating secretaries within the Dipper, together with the divine generals of the Seven Primordials within the Dipper, who preside over prolonging life and protecting destiny, supporting the weak and failing, releasing hardships and perils, dispelling disasters, and increasing the span of years. We further invite Divine Lord Zhang, Flying Swift Envoy of Retribution of the Nine Heavens; Prime Marshal Yin, Envoy of the Earth Bureau beneath the Dipper who oversees the Grand Year; the numinous officers within the Dipper who release the twenty-four kinds of calamity; the divine clerks of the True Lamps of the Seven Primordials who keep the registers of allotted fate; the great deities of the Eight Gates who keep watch and preside over retribution; officials of every rank in the mysterious bureaus of the Dipper Office; the immortals and perfected ones, numinous officers, and divine clerks named in the ritual registers; the generals, aides, and divine troops of this altar; the City God and the gods of the local soil shrines; the Director of Fate, the Earth God, and the other deities honored by the household incense; the talisman envoys of the Three Realms; the Merit Officers of the Four Watches; and all the deities who come to the ritual altar to assist in the rite.

We respectfully ask these deities, by the power of the true talisman, to manifest their numinous transformations, to carry out the command and open the way for spiritual response, to descend upon the ritual altar, and to convey our sincere prayers.

The proclamation is chanted: Heavenly Worthy Who Responds as the Occasion Arises. (“Responds as the occasion arises” means descending in response to the sincere devotion of living beings.) The ritual master silently recites the incantation:

“Om li dong zha li hum om lang □ nie □.”

The true talisman of the descent of the Primordial Beginning having just been issued, we again invite upward Louluo Wang of the Jade-Brahma Honored Heaven, Jialuo Wang of the Wondrous-Brahma Honored Heaven, and the Great Brahma, to descend upon the ritual altar and convey our sincere prayers.

The proclamation is chanted: Heavenly Worthy Who Responds as the Occasion Arises. The ritual master silently recites the incantation:

“Om li dong zha li hum om lang □ nie □.”

Note: The original phrase “斗下辖庠┙Y颛使者” is damaged by textual corruption, and its full meaning cannot be determined; the boxes in the incantation likewise mark characters missing from the source text. The incantation belongs to the recited portion of the liturgy (Keyi) and is ordinarily not translated literally.

Thereupon the true talisman bestowed by Yuanshi is issued, and those above are invited to descend: the Louluo King of Jade-Brahma Honored Heaven, the Jialuo King of Wondrous-Brahma Honored Heaven, Envoy Lin, bearer of the direct talisman of the Great Brahma Heavenly Palace, Envoy Yang of Qiyang within the Dipper, Envoy Geng of Tuoluo, the Communicating-Affairs Attendant within the Dipper, Divine Lord Zhang, Flying-Swift Envoy of Responsive Return of the Nine Heavens, together with the host of officers in the Mysterious Bureau of the Dipper Office, each in his proper charge. Since all of you have received divine majesty and come down, I earnestly beg you to hear the sincere wish I now set forth.

Today, in order to pray for blessings and dispel calamity, disciple So-and-so takes refuge beneath the altar and memorializes the True Ones of the Dipper (the deities of the Northern Dipper). Looking up to the vast compassion of the gods, I ask that relief be granted, that the obstacles upon the road to the celestial realm be swept away, and that the true immortal realm be made manifest; and that my earnest intent be conveyed so that it may reach upward to the Palace of the Dipper. I earnestly request that gracious light be bestowed and that this matter be looked down upon and examined.

Incense smoke rises from the precious tripod, like a canopy of cloud joining high to the edge of heaven; upon the silver lamps the lamp-blossoms form, their radiance shining in concert with the stars. May darkness turn to light, and may turbid Qi (vital energy) be cleared away and return to purity. The disciple respectfully announces that the true talisman for lighting the lamps is now put into use, and that the ritual images are arranged according to the positions of the stars and the Dipper, so that good and ill fortune may appear with clarity.

With reverence I pray: dense and abundant Brahma-Qi (sacred, pure vital energy) gathers layer upon layer; five-colored auspicious clouds come flying; several points of auspicious light shine bright, causing the stars and the Dipper of heaven to shift and draw near before the altar. The Qi of the Dao (the Way) descends together with the incantation; true light unites with the Fulu (talismans and registers) and spreads throughout. May a luminous response appear at once when the rite is performed. I earnestly ask the immortal True Ones to pause and remain for a time, and in particular to bestow auspicious light and draw near to the stars and Dipper of heaven; may the Qi of the Dao descend with the spell, and true light join with the Fulu and circulate all around, so that the ritual now performed receives a clear response. I earnestly ask that the sound of the immortals’ pendants briefly cease, and that this altar be looked down upon and inspected. With a devout heart, the disciple announces this according to the rite.

Talisman for Announcing the Star Altar. All recite the incantation:

The Stellar Lords of the Seven Primordials descend and permit what I announce to be conveyed upward. By the brightness or dimness of the lamps, fortune and misfortune may be discerned. Relying on the power of divine majesty, may every wish be accomplished according to the heart, become one with the Great Dao, and return to the Real.

All raise their voices and chant: “Celestial Worthy Who Expounds and Spreads Marvelous Transformation.” The content of the visualization is given in the explanation found in the secret instructions of the ritual.

The ritual assembly recites the Incantation for Transforming the Lamps:

The Supreme Sovereign issues a command: light the lamps of the Northern Dipper. The Seven Stars descend to shine upon and protect all living beings. Zuofu and Youbi manifest their awesome numinous power. Marshal Tianpeng leads the heavenly troops; the envoys of Heavenly Thunder, together with the Six Jia and Six Ding (Daoist guardian spirit-generals), arrive together at the altar. The Great Sage Xuanwu and the honored stars of the Three Terraces descend. They drive out illness, eliminate calamity, and turn those near death from peril to safety. Heaven sends down its mighty power,

Slay and utterly destroy demonic evils and uncanny spirits; gather in the hun and po souls so that they return and adhere to the original body, and settle the seven po (in traditional teaching, the seven kinds of soul that constitute the human person).

Once the Dipper lamps (in the Keyi (liturgy), the lamps that symbolize the Northern Dipper) cast their light, body, mind, and dwelling become bright and pure. Swiftly, swiftly, carry this out in accordance with the statutes and ordinances!

Raise the chant: Celestial Worthy of Lamp-Light Shining Universally (in praise of the Celestial Worthy whose lamp-light illuminates everywhere).

We pray that lamp-light and starlight shine upon one another, bright as pearl and jade. Qingyang and Tuoluo (names of stellar deities of the Northern Dipper) are specially permitted to ascend the immortal ranks; the Tongshi Sheren (the divine office charged with conveying messages and leading the way) goes ahead to guide, driving the carriage toward the Brahma Prefecture (an immortal mansion of the heavenly realm). Your servant reverently proclaims and enacts the secretly descended, spirit-communicating secret seal-script (the talismanic seal-script that petitions the deities to descend and conveys numinous response), causing it to arrive swiftly at the mouth of the Dipper (the place where the Northern Dipper is located). Your servant’s wholehearted sincerity connects through to the Primordial Sovereign, the Celestial Worthy of Universal Illumination.

We pray that lamp-light and starlight shine upon one another, bright as pearl and jade. Qingyang and Tuoluo are specially permitted to ascend the immortal ranks; the Tongshi Sheren goes ahead to guide, driving the carriage toward the Brahma Prefecture. Your servant reverently proclaims and enacts the secretly descended, spirit-communicating secret seal-script, causing it to arrive swiftly at the mouth of the Dipper. Your servant’s wholehearted sincerity connects through to the Primordial Sovereign and reaches upward into the presence of the Celestial Emperor. May upright Qi (vital energy) circulate within the natal destiny of the one for whom prayer is offered, secretly answering that person’s prayer of refuge and coming to heal urgent hardships and calamities. May the road leading to the cloudy heavens be cleared, and the immortals’ ceremonial retinue pass back and forth through the sky; may the great way of heaven lie level and broad, and the immortals, clad in rainbow robes, descend to the human world. How dare your servant fail to burn the precious seal-script with reverence and, at the jasper altar (the place where the altar is set and the Keyi is performed), concentrate the spirit in visualization, praying that gracious light be bestowed and that they deign to descend.

The ritual master performs the three bows and offers incense.

I, your servant so-and-so, respectfully kowtow in obeisance, burn incense three times, and with a heart of utmost sincerity submit this memorial to the Great Emperor, Thunder Ancestor of the Nine Heavens; to the Great Brahma of the Primordial Heaven, Qianyuan of Vast Radiance, Doumu, Purple-Radiance Golden Worthy, Empress of Heaven of Sagely Virtue (Doumu, the mother goddess of the stars of the Northern Dipper); to the Heavenly Worthy, Perfectly Luminous Mother of the Dao (the Way); to the Star Lord of the Central Heaven in the Palace of Great Void atop the Tailuo Heaven, the ancestral master who illumines and presides over all methods, the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity of the North Pole, the Grand Sovereign; to the Heavenly Sovereign Great Emperor of the Gouchen Star Palace; to the Most Exalted Jade August Revered-Star Great Emperor of the Left Palace of the Jade Dipper; to the Star Lord of the Central Heaven in the Palace of Great Numinous Void, the ancestral master who illumines and presides over all methods, the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity of the North Pole, the Grand Sovereign; to the Heavenly Sovereign Great Emperor of the Gouchen Star Palace; to the Most Exalted Jade August Revered-Star Great Emperor of the Left Palace of the Jade Dipper; to the Primal Lady of the Eight Effulgences of Great Numinosity; and to the Great Emperor, Primordial Minister of the North Pole, of the Right Palace of the Jade Dipper; together with the Primal Ladies of the Higher Dao of the Seven Origins; the Purple Pole Star Lord Tianying, Tanlang (Greedy Wolf), the Grand; the Purple Pole Star Lord Tianren, Jumen (Great Gate), the Origin; the Purple Pole Star Lord Tianzhu, Lucun (Preserved Emolument), the Steadfast; the Purple Pole Star Lord Tianxin, Wenchang (Literary Glory), the Knot; the Purple Pole Star Lord Tianqin, Lianzhen (Pure and Upright), the Guideline; the Purple Pole Star Lord Tianfu, Wuqu (Martial Melody), the Regulator; the Purple Pole Star Lord Tianchong, Pojun (Army Breaker), the Pass; the Purple Pole Star Lord of Inner Cavern Brilliance, the Outer Assistant; the Purple Pole Star Lord Tianpeng of Hidden Origin, the Right Aide; the ladies of the Nine Sovereigns, their consorts and concubines, and the immortal kindred of mothers and daughters; the Great Sage of the Celestial Gang; the Star Lord who directs and regulates the myriad perfected; the Eleven Great Luminary Star Lords of Shangqing (Supreme Clarity); the star lord charged with watching over so-and-so’s natal destiny; the star lords who govern the greater and lesser cycles of fortune, the two allotted limits, emolument and horse, and the two treasuries; the eight divine generals of womb-birth; every stellar official who assists from the side and shines in direct illumination; and the thousand perfected and ten thousand sages, together with the hosts of perfected of the arrayed lodges, within the Bureau of the Dipper. We respectfully beg you all to put forth great compassion and to descend to examine and bear witness.

I have heard that Ancestral Qi (the primordial vital energy from which the myriad things are generated) mysteriously divides and differentiates, conceiving and nurturing the people so that the order of Heaven and Earth is thereby established; the great earth bears living beings, and the Mother of the multitude of sages thereby brings the myriad things to birth. The gods move through the realm of radiance, sheltering and embracing every kind of being. Now I earnestly set forth this plea, relying entirely upon your descent to inspect it and upon your sympathetic response and aid.

There is now a certain person who requests the averting of calamity and the removal of adversity. I, as a member of the Daoist clergy, have the duty of propagating the teachings and the resolve of bringing relief to the people of the world; having received this request, I ought properly to submit a memorial on that person’s behalf. When I consider that my endowments are ordinary and dull, and that I have not yet fully awakened to the Great Dao, and when I examine myself, I am often wanting because my cultivation is insufficient; I have not been able to glimpse the subtlety of the ultimate truth, and can only rely wholly on the power of the methods of the Dao to guide those who are ignorant.

Reverently I look up to the Great Emperor, Thunder Ancestor of the Nine Heavens, to the Great Brahma of the Primordial Heaven, Qianyuan of Vast Radiance, Doumu, Purple-Radiance Golden Worthy, Empress of Heaven of Sagely Virtue, and to the Heavenly Worthy, Perfectly Luminous Mother of the Dao: you have passed through vast cosmic calamities while your dharma-body ever endures; you manifest the auspicious form of the golden lotus, and your transformation-bodies extend throughout the Three Realms; you hold sway over the stellar enclosures of the Two Emperors, nurture all living beings, and preside over the stellar positions of the Seven Origins of the Northern Dipper. Your brilliance surpasses the sun and the moon, and your majestic power can subdue the thunder. All living beings who are born by receiving the Qi of Yin-Yang partake of your transforming care.

Now so-and-so is stricken with illness, cherishes the orthodox Dao in the heart, and prays that blessings be sent down and disasters removed, and has specially established an altar to perform the Keyi (liturgy). I rely upon the deities’ fashioning and nurturing so that this entreaty may be conveyed. Having received so sincere a prayer, I truly cannot bear to refuse it; I wish to work diligently for the relief of others, and I respectfully submit this memorial to offer prayers for the averting of harm on that person’s behalf.

I earnestly beg the immortal maidens who attend you to burn incense and present this memorial, so that it may reach directly the realm of Wuwei (non-action) and pure emptiness. I pray that all you perfected spirits lower your gaze in compassionate regard, briefly leave the celestial palaces and immortal mansions, and descend to the altar. In fearful reverence I kowtow and bow again, respectfully welcoming the arrival of your sacred carriage. This memorial is respectfully submitted.

The assembled ritual masters recite the Golden Light Spell and burn Fulu (talismans and registers) inscribed with purple-light cloud seal script, while the ritual master inwardly performs visualization according to the secret method.

With both hands they form the Dipper mudra, first sealing toward the left and reciting a mantra in Brahman syllables: “Namo luojuna, duoluo □□, moli zhili tuo □, ningying tiwei yingna dongweituo, boluo yeli, botuoli, boluo a muqi sa botu seshi, pantuo pantuo svāhā.”

They then form the mudra toward the right and recite: “Om li hūṃ, om li hūṃ li hūṃ, om om li, om li, om li, hūṃ hūṃ svāhā.”

Again they form the mudra toward the left and recite: “Om hūṃ zha dadoutuo, aluojia mo L, moluojia mo L, sutu mo L, zhiboluo mo L, mohe te-pa_ mo L, moli a-qiang-Δ L, om dayena □ mo L, nangmo cuidudi, urgently offered.” They thereupon respectfully invite the decree of the “Primordial Supreme Lord, the Great Holy Sovereign Vairocana.”

They form the mudra once more toward the right and recite: “Om hūṃ hūṃ zha lili, zha lili, □ yeli svāhā.”

They form the mudra again toward the left and recite: “Om hūṃ zhali, nan □ li, □□ li lüling svāhā, mo L, nangmo cuidudi, urgently offered.” They then once more respectfully invite the decree of the “Primordial Supreme Lord, the Great Holy Sovereign Vairocana.”

Next they form the mudras in succession toward the right and toward the left, reciting respectively: “Om hūṃ hūṃ zha lili, zha lili, □ yeli svāhā.” “Om hūṃ zhali, nan □ li, □□ li lüling svāhā.”

They form the mudra again toward the right and recite: “Om na □□□ lulu svāhā.”

The two hands are then joined, and they recite the mantra of the Eight Buddha Mothers: “Nilama dumo L, bada hela dumo L, maga □ bala dumo L, □ bala dumo L, da □ da □□ dumo L, wuda □ dumo L, wuba □ na dumo L, da □ da □ dumo L, om mali jie □ svāhā.”

With the left hand they next form the Dipper seal and turn it clockwise, silently reciting in one breath of Qi (vital energy), repeated seven times: “Hesuo □ jieli ma om.” With the right hand they then form the Dipper seal and turn it counterclockwise, silently reciting in one breath of Qi, again repeated seven times.

When the ritual master has completed the visualization within the mind, he offers salutation and invitation according to the liturgy and recites the ritual laud.

This disciple and subject, So-and-so, who reverently upholds the teachings of the Dao (the Way), with a sincere heart takes refuge and offers worship:

When asuras battle in the heavens and calamities in the human world blaze up like fierce fire, the Dipper Mother manifests a four-headed transformation body and displays her divine powers; her eight arms hang down in martial majesty, putting into effect the numinous power of the Great Dao. She constantly tours before the two palaces of the sun and the moon, and stands alone amid the clash of arms of the Three Realms. Her awesome light is full and radiant, her wondrous form perfectly complete and harmonious; she receives and guides living beings, freeing them from every kind of suffering. Even if the Great Void should at last come to an end, her great vow is without exhaustion. The Great Emperor, Thunder Ancestor of the Nine Heavens, of great compassion and great vow, of vast divine powers and eight arms of martial majesty; the Imperial Lord of the Sun of the Solar Palace; the August Lord of the Moon of the Lunar Residence; the Primordial Dipper Mother of Holy Grace, Golden Worthy of Purple Radiance; the Heavenly Empress of Holy Virtue and Vast Light; the Heavenly Worthy, Perfectly Luminous Dao-Mother Marici.

We, subjects So-and-so, with sincere hearts take refuge and offer worship:

In the Western Kingdom of Tianzhu (an ancient name for the region of India), within the radiance of great wisdom, teacher of the Dharma King of the wondrous form of True Emptiness and supreme Heavenly Mother and Sovereign of the Mysterious Origin: where her golden light blazes, even the sun and moon grow dim; when her precious pestle whirls, ghosts and spirits alike blanch with terror. She manifests numinous traces in the dusty world and guards the sacred carriage in Weifu (a place-name or realm-name in the scripture). When living beings meet with disaster, they need only call upon the name of this Great Being, and she hears their cry and comes to relieve their suffering. The Heavenly Empress of Vast Light, of great compassion and great vow, of vast divine powers and boundless holy virtue; the Heavenly Worthy, Perfectly Luminous Dao-Mother Marici, who delivers beings from every calamity.

The worship and praise are concluded.

Your servant respectfully looks up to all the divine perfected ones of great mercy and great compassion. May you guide all living beings beyond birth and death, so that they are no longer bound by the burden of life and death. You are supremely numinous and supremely holy; even ghosts and spirits cannot glimpse your subtle and unfathomable mysteries. I earnestly beg you to extend your divine powers to protect me, so that a thousand calamities and ten thousand misfortunes may all be removed. I venture to speak and thereby offend the majesty of the gods; my heart is fearful and uneasy. Looking up to the holy perfected ones of the heavenly realm, I pray with utmost sincerity and await the coming of your gracious command. I bow once more and respectfully make this declaration.

The rite of invitation has just been performed, and the holy perfected ones have surely already graciously descended in radiance. The starlight of Douji, the celestial region where the Northern Dipper resides, shines out in every direction, and the earth deities uphold the precious throne. The stars, linked like pearls and joined like fine jade, illuminate the Nine Provinces, vast as mist and cloud. Seeing this with my own eyes, I know that the great Dao (the Way) ever abides, and I offer the new tea produced in early spring at Yangxian, the area of present-day Yixing in Jiangsu. With reverence I perform this rite of invitation, and the holy perfected ones have surely already graciously descended in radiance. The starlight of Douji shines out in every direction, and the earth deities uphold the precious throne. The stars, linked like pearls and joined like fine jade, illuminate the Nine Provinces, vast as mist and cloud. Seeing this with my own eyes, I know that the great Dao ever abides, and I offer the new tea of early spring from Yangxian. I bow respectfully and present incense and tea.

Scattering of flowers, the ritual act of scattering petals

Your servant So-and-so, heir to the teaching and remote descendant of the mysterious line, bows once more and submits this memorial to the Exalted Perfected of the Ten Extremes of the Wondrous Dao of Emptiness; the Celestial Lord of Brahma Qi (vital energy) of the Longhan era; the Celestial Empress of Purple Radiance, Golden Dignity, and Holy Virtue; Mali—the original text is garbled at this point; the stellar deities within the bounds of the Dipper Bureau; the True Arbiter of Natal Destiny and Primordial Chronogram who shines upon us, the deity who governs the year and time of an individual’s personal destiny; King Louluo of the Venerable Heaven of Jade Brahma; King Jialuo of the Venerable Heaven of Wondrous Brahma; Envoy Lin, the direct talisman officer of the Great Brahma Celestial Palace; and the Ancestral Master, the Lineage Master, the Scripture Master, the Register Master, the Master of Transmission, and all the perfected ones, together with the thunder gods, the celestial generals, and every majestic numinous power. We respectfully invite you all to descend to the feast of lamps, to inspect the ritual assembly and the perfected ones gathered here, and we pray that, in heavenly compassion, you will clearly examine us and cast down your light.

Your servant has heard that when the Primordial Unitary Qi—the original vital energy that constitutes heaven, earth, and all things—first opened, the myriad spirits were arrayed in its wake. Heaven is high and earth is thick, and Yin and Yang (Yin-Yang) together create and transform the myriad things. The sun and moon shine down, forming the wondrous principle by which day and night alternate in their course. Looking up to Douji, one finds that it is truly the pivot governing the movements of the heavens. It corresponds to the Seven Governors—the sun, the moon, and the luminaries of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—and it also commands the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). It holds the hinge of creation and transformation, leads the myriad spirits, awesomely presides over the Three Realms, and sets the order of heaven and earth. Your servant knocks his head and bows beneath the jade steps, and presents the first offering of wine.

Scattering of flowers

Your servant So-and-so, heir to the teaching and remote descendant of the mysterious line, memorializes the Exalted Perfected of the Ten Extremes of the Wondrous Dao of Emptiness; the Celestial Lord of Brahma Qi of the Longhan era; the Celestial Empress of Purple Radiance, Golden Dignity, and Holy Virtue; Mali—the original text is garbled at this point; the Celestial Worthy, Mother of the Dao of Perfect Brightness, the Dipper Mother venerated in Daoism; and the stars of the Dipper Bureau. I respectfully present the first offering of wine.

Scattering of flowers

I, the servant So-and-so, a remote descendant who inherits the transmission lineage of the Dao (the Way), respectfully announce to the lofty perfected ones of the Ten Extremes within the wondrous Dao of emptiness and non-being; the Heavenly Lord of Longhan of Brahma Qi (vital energy); the Celestial Empress of Sagely Virtue, the Golden Worthy of Purple Radiance; the Heavenly Worthy, the Perfectly Luminous Mother of the Dao of Marici Heaven; the stellar deities and perfected ones throughout the Dipper Bureau and the stellar enclosures; the guardian deities corresponding to the natal destiny and the primordial chronogram; King Luoluo of the Jade Brahma Worthy Heaven; King Lou of the Wondrous Brahma Worthy Heaven; Envoy Lin, bearer of the direct talisman of the Great Brahma Heavenly Palace; the ancestral master, the lineage master, and the three perfected master-worthies who transmitted the Jing (scriptures/classics) and conferred the precepts; the thunder gods, the celestial generals, and all mighty numina. I also respectfully invite the divine perfected ones who descend to the lamp feast to inspect and witness, and I earnestly beg that all of you look down and examine us with compassionate hearts.

Your servant has heard that the profound mystery evolved by the Dao is rooted in the wondrous functioning of the Primordial One Qi; the stars shine upon the Purple Pole and thereby manifest the palace of the Seven Primordials of the Northern Dipper. Numinous brightness in the spirit chamber is clearly visible, while the realm of the Spring Extremity lies deep and remote. Silver lamps cast their colored light, and incense smoke rises from talismanic seal-script wrought in jade. We present offerings of water plants, pour wine, and offer it up; our wish is nothing more than to revere the deities with a sincere heart. May our bodies be wrapped in auspicious clouds and the sun and moon rest above our heads, so that we may ever behold the honored deities’ countenances. Thereupon we present fine wine and perform the second rite of offering wine.

Scatter flowers.][.

Inheriting the orthodox lineage of the teaching of the Dao (the Way), I, your servant So-and-so, a descendant of the remotest line, with utmost sincerity respectfully submit a memorial and prayer to the Exalted Perfected of the Ten Extremes of the Wondrous Dao of emptiness and non-being; the Dipper Father, Heavenly Lord of Longhan; the Dipper Mother, Heavenly Worthy and Great Bright Mother of the Dao of Molizhi Heaven (the venerated Dipper Mother in the faith of the Northern Dipper); the Great Lords of the Dao, the Nine Emperors of the Northern Dipper; the stellar lodges of all the heavens and the natal yuanchen (the stellar deities bound up with a person’s allotted fate); the two Brahma Heavenly Kings of Jade and Wonder; the tongshi and hanren within the Dipper; Envoy Lin of the Great Brahma Heavenly Palace; the ancestral masters and perfected teachers; the thunder deities, officers, and generals; and all the true spirits invited by the lamp feast and the opening of the register (the rite of setting out lamps, raising the altar, and offering prayers). I respectfully ask that you, in compassion, look down and examine.

Your servant has heard that the Great Dao is without form, yet can gather the wondrous within emptiness and non-being and respond according to what the myriad things require. Whenever a person has a wish in the heart, that person straightens the lapels of the robe and sets forth the feelings within; gazing afar at the light of the ecliptic (the path traveled by the heavenly bodies), one secretly relies on the power of the Great Dao to transform and nourish all things. I earnestly pray that the Supreme Perfected show pity and that the Lord on High broadly bestow favor: what calamity need one fear that cannot be removed? What blessing need one fear that will not descend? May we from first to last receive the protection of the Great Dao, so that all that is sought may be accomplished and all that is done may proceed smoothly; whether in acting or in withdrawing, we depend on the spirits to grant their blessing. Thus, with sincerity fully offered, we respectfully present three rounds of the wine rite.

Scatter flowers.

Your servant [name], with utmost sincerity, respectfully memorializes the Thunder Ancestor of the Nine Heavens, Doumu (the exalted deity who governs the stars of the Northern Dipper), the Purple-Radiance Golden Venerable, Holy-Virtue Empress of Heaven, and the Perfectly Luminous Mother of the Dao (the Way), Heavenly Worthy, and with this true incense offers them joint worship.

I have heard that Doumu is supremely numinous and supremely holy, so that even ghosts and spirits cannot fathom her profound mysteries. Great in compassion and mercy, she can lead all beings onto the path that transcends birth and death. Her awesome power is manifest, and her wondrous form is perfectly complete. Tradition holds that she once made a vast vow in the kingdom of Zhouyu; bathing in a gentle jade pool, she brought forth a golden lotus and from it gave birth to nine sons who command the host of deities. Seated on high in the central heaven, she governs the vital force of all beings. She can dissolve grievances and remove opposition, melting calamities away as nine suns shine upon mountains of ice; she can also sustain what is weak and cause the Seven Primordials (the stellar deities represented by the seven stars of the Northern Dipper) to turn within the pole of heaven. She stands transcendent in an age of armed catastrophe, ever roaming before the heavens of sun and moon, receiving beings and delivering them from every kind of suffering.

I have also heard that the Venerable Star of Purple Tenuity, encircled by the host of stars, is the pivot of the heavenly bodies’ revolution and an essential seat for conveying Heaven’s mandate. Since it shines upon the world at every moment, how dare I fail to revere and uphold it? I reflect that I was born by receiving the one Qi (vital energy)—the primal breath of Heaven and Earth—and became one among humankind; my present form, too, was wholly shaped by the creative work of Heaven and Earth. Yet the years pass without cease. I have often neglected the offering of incense and worship; my deeds have been full of fault, and in ordinary life I have done little good. Therefore I reverently perform prostrations, looking up and begging the Heavenly Worthies to extend their protection widely. I respectfully set forth words of repentance, hoping to receive the blessing of reform and renewal.

I burn precious aromatic wood and kindle lamps like blossoms of jade, make three prostrations to pray for grace, and bow to the Northern Chronogram (the North Star and the celestial sovereign it symbolizes). I respectfully declare the sincerity of my heart and look up to the clear radiance of the Heavenly Worthies. I earnestly beg the Heavenly Worthies to look down in mindfulness and issue a sacred decree: remove my register of offenses and extinguish the causes of evil; inform the Palace of the Sun and the Bureau of the Moon to strike my name from the register of death and enter it in the register of life; and let the immortal offices of the Dipper Pole (the divine bureaus that administer the affairs of the Northern Dipper and the celestial realm) examine and protect me, so that the foundation of blessing may be made firm, the roots of calamity removed, the root-channels of life secured, and my lifespan prolonged.

I pray that emolument and fortune suffer no clash or rupture, and that travel and destiny not fall into emptiness and loss; that auspicious Qi, like the sun and moon joined as one disc and star-pearls linked in a chain, shine upon my person. May my hun and po souls be refined and consolidated, no longer bound by the cage of the dusty world. As the four seasons turn, may joy often descend. May the Seven Governors (the sun, the moon, and the five great planets) revolve in harmony, and Yin-Yang not lose their balance. May the Qi of Wood flourish and the Qi of Metal diminish calamity; may the force of Fire be calmed and the flow of Water bestow grace; may the Qi of Earth be substantial, nurturing the roots of goodness, and may harmonious Qi arise. May the baleful influences of heaven no longer inflict the harm of punishment and clash; may the gods withdraw the might of fierce wrath, so that I may enjoy blessing, long life, health, and peace, and inauspicious omens appear no more. May the myriad things be transformed and brought to growth, and may I ever receive the true numinous protection sent down by the Stellar Lord of my natal destiny.

Your servant is of shallow endowment, yet has been charged with performing the Keyi (liturgy). On this day of praying to receive registers and have talismans transmitted—the Fulu (talismans and registers)—it is precisely the ritual moment of dividing the ring and breaking the tally (symbolizing the release of former bonds and a vow of renewal). I swear to be diligent in aiding the world and benefiting others, and therefore pledge to convey this memorial upward to the hearing of Heaven. Whenever the people have a prayer, the intent of Heaven will surely respond. The heart-memorial previously set forth (the prayer document presented to the celestial realm) shall now be respectfully read aloud.

Bow low and proclaim the memorial text.

Bow and perform the rite of salutation.

In accordance with what the memorial sets forth, the matter has already been reported in full detail. The great Dao (the Way) is impartial and will surely look down and examine it; yet this subject still does not understand whether the affair is auspicious or inauspicious, and so it is proper to divine and to dispatch the Fulu (talismans and registers). We pray that the gracious command be swiftly issued, in answer to the people’s hearts turning toward the Dao, so that fortune and misfortune, hardship, blessing and calamity, and anxious doubt may all be indicated with clear distinction, and so that the four quarters may know the recompense.

Rise, tread the Gang steps, present the documents, and summon the divine generals.

Put into use the talisman of five-colored auspicious clouds.

Dispatch the Fulu that conveys the memorial text.

Humbly we consider the ninefold golden pylons (the palace gates of Heaven), set amid the lofty and vast Brahma Heavens. With a heart of single-minded sincerity, this subject carefully and reverently declares faith. Now, strictly following the canonical writings of doctrine and liturgy (Keyi), we offer up the talismanic memorial; the memorial text has already been presented at the jade steps, and next it should be burned and sent on to the relay station amid the clouds.

At this moment we respectfully invite the Louluo King of the Jade Brahma Honored Heaven, the Jialuo King of the Wondrous Brahma Honored Heaven, Envoy Zhang, Stellar Spirit of the Nine Heavens and Swift-Flying Messenger of Retribution, the two envoys Qingyang and Tuoluo within the Dipper, the Communications Attendant within the Dipper, the clerical officers and talisman envoys of the Three Realms, together with the deities charged with incense offerings, the Controller of Fate, the Earth God, and related offices, as well as the officers, generals, and divine hosts on duty at this altar. Upon hearing this respectful invitation, swiftly manifest your awesome numinous power. Documents are already at the altar and should be proclaimed according to the Keyi.

Proclaim and present the memorial petition of inquiry and request for a ruling.

Open the celestial talisman.

The talismanic dispatch—the document inscribed with the prayers—is now read aloud and has already been declared before the assembly; it may be presumed that it has received the gracious attention of the awesome spirits of thunder. Yet the Gang winds and the vast Qi (vital energy)—the mighty breath of the celestial realm—cannot be reached by an ordinary human body. The Dipper Bureau and the Thunder Office—the divine offices that govern the stars of the Dipper and the thunder—possess majestic deities through whom communication may be achieved. We respectfully ask the deities to ride swiftly upon clouds and mists and to travel aloft through the void: to cast forth the fire-bells, their radiance illuminating the eight directions, and to let the light of thunder race upward through the Three Realms. Let them go straight to the palaces of the Cinnabar Heaven, arrive directly at the walls of the Purple Culmen, present the statutes within the immortal realm, and convey them up to the imperial throne of the Golden Worthy. If the sincere hearts of all present can reach above, the imperial command will be clearly issued and talismanic insignia will descend; we ask that they be taken up and presented at once.

The divine officers of this office reverently receive the Emperor’s mandate. They hold charge of seals and of Fulu (talismans and registers), specially administer the commands of thunder, and are responsible for petitions to the Dipper Bureau and for the aversion of calamity. Commands descend as swiftly as star-fire, and statutes are carried out as rapidly as wind and smoke. Within the Three Realms no delay is permitted, so that the due response may be made manifest at once.

The sending-off is complete.

The merit of the petition set forth above is offered upward in prayer for the protection of the Stellar Perfected—the divine spirits of the stars. May the stars and the Dipper revolve in harmony, and may all together accumulate good merit. All the faithful reverently bow in worship, praying that Heaven be clear and Earth at peace, that every kind of ritual service be harmonized and brought to a favorable conclusion, that the world be settled and the state at peace, and that all living beings receive protection.

How much more, then, do we who stand in humble insignificance receive the great grace of Heaven and Earth. Though unforeseen calamities are hard to predict, may they be dissolved early, like dew vanishing after the sun has risen; may blessings and felicity descend in every fitting measure, surging on without cease like the waters of the rivers. Should a crisis of overturning arise, we rely entirely upon the support of the divinities. May the merit of the petition set forth above assist on high the Dipper Perfected—the stellar gods of the Northern Dipper—and bear witness to the unsurpassed Great Dao (the Way). All the faithful reverently bow in worship.

Here ends the Mysterious Keyi (liturgy) of the Petition to the Primordial Dipper Mother.