《太上洞玄灵宝四方大愿经》

The Supreme Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daozun) says: Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way), whether they withdraw deep into the mountains and forests or dwell in temples and abbeys, or in quiet places where ritual altars have been set up, should continually accumulate good deeds and cultivate merit, assisting the primordial Qi (vital energy) of Heaven and Earth and supporting the transformation and nurturing of the myriad things, so as to seek the way of immortality. They should make the “Great Vows of the Four Directions” and uphold them morning and evening; then they will naturally come into accord with the Dao and receive the protection and aid of the host of deities. Whether drinking or eating, they should keep these wishes in mind, never forgetting them—for the sake of the country, and also for themselves and all living beings. If one can cultivate in this way, there is hope of attaining the Dao and becoming an immortal, and one draws all the nearer to the Dao.

One first makes the Great Vows of the Four Directions, entrusting body, Shen (spirit), and life to the great sages of the East who have already attained the Dao, to the lords of supreme perfection, and to the Elders (zhangren, honored deities of Daoism), praying that they bestow upon us fourteen kinds of blessing.

The first is that the body be free of illness and meet with no calamity, forever removed from suffering, affliction, and the ten sufferings and eight hardships—a general term for all manner of misery and distress. The second is that the earth deities stand in awe and the celestial deities show respect, that demons and baleful beings perish of themselves, and that mind and spirit be upright and at peace. The third is that one be recognized and accepted by the celestial deities and be able to enter blessed lands, places suited to cultivating the Dao and to enjoying the fruits of merit. The fourth is that one be able to subdue ghosts and evils and to heal illness, and that whatever one undertakes turn out as one wishes. The fifth is that, whether walking, coming or going, sitting or lying down, one be guarded by celestial deities. The sixth is that, wherever one goes and whatever one does, calamity disperse, blessings and merit gather, and the Dao and De (Virtue/Power) increase day by day. The seventh is that, even in danger, peril be turned into blessing and suffering be brought to peace. The eighth is that one be praised by the Three Realms—the differing domains of Heaven, Earth, humanity, and the like—and be ranked among the Perfected (zhenren). The ninth is that all evil and defilement be removed, the body pure and fragrant, clear as gold and jade, one’s virtuous conduct unsullied, and one’s inner and outer being pure, refined, and firm. The tenth is that all one wishes be realized and every resolve one has made be fulfilled. The eleventh is that one become an object of shared reverence and veneration among the sacred beings of all the heavens. The twelfth is that one’s work in the Dao be accomplished and one’s De brought to fullness, so that one ascends to Heaven in broad daylight. The thirteenth is that signs of blessing and celebration extend upward to one’s ancestors and that this bounty of blessing be passed on to one’s descendants. The fourteenth is that all the family and dependents enjoy lengthened years and increased longevity and come into accord with the Dao.

I entrust my body, my Shen (spirit), and my life to the great assembly of saints in the south who have already attained the Dao (the Way), and to the lords and elders of supreme perfection, earnestly beseeching them to fulfill the following eleven vows.

The first is a prayer for emperors, rulers of states, officials, and their subordinate officers, that their blessed fortune may flourish and auspicious joy continue without cease.

The second is the wish that I myself may naturally bring the cultivation of De (Virtue/Power) to completion, without violating the precepts of the Jing (scriptures), so that Dao and De grow ever more exalted and I become a model to which all people aspire.

The third is the wish to repent of my faults and confess my guilt, not daring to conceal any transgression; to knock my head upon the ground with a sincere heart, reproach myself, and worship with all my heart.

The fourth is the wish to obtain the way of the divine immortals, to have the opportunity of an audience with the Perfected Lords, to be spared the calamities of the world, and to become a guide for all later beings who cultivate the Dao.

The fifth is the wish to leave suffering forever, and that whatever is sought may be fulfilled as desired.

The sixth is the wish to be raised and delivered, riding the clouds and driving a crane.

The seventh is the wish, on behalf of myriads of ancestors, the parents of successive generations, and myself, to be released from the trials of residual karma within the cycle of birth and death, and from grave sinful karma.

The eighth is the wish that the relatives of the whole household may constantly receive auspicious blessings and good fortune.

The ninth is the wish that descendants of later generations may receive grace and obtain benefit.

The tenth is the wish that all living beings, including flying insects and every kind of minute creature, may universally receive grace.

The eleventh is the wish to remain far from empty display of glory, from treachery, heterodox delusion, and flattery; to subdue evil ghosts and check wickedness; to be spared disaster, suffering, and every kind of hardship; and at last to complete cultivation as a superior immortal and ascend to heaven in broad daylight. Once immortality is attained, one is then united with the Dao.

Here, “riding the clouds and driving a crane” and “ascending to heaven in broad daylight” are traditional Daoist expressions for attaining the Dao and rising as an immortal. “Sukao” refers, in the context of cultivating the Dao, to trials connected with karmic retribution and offenses from former lives. In the original text a repeated passage of the sixth and seventh vows stands before the eighth vow; the above has been arranged according to the intended sense of the vows.

I return my body, my Shen (spirit), and my life to the great sages of the West who have already attained the Dao (the Way), and to the lords and elders of supreme perfection, and I ask them to bestow upon me nine blessings. First, that this present life be peaceful and secure, free from every kind of unexpected calamity. Second, that my appearance be upright and clear, and that I never fall into delusion. Third, that the wishes of my heart be lucid and plain, so that I do not sink into the dark nether realms. Fourth, that my reputation be illustrious, causing the treacherous and the wicked to retreat and submit. Fifth, that my meritorious work be accomplished and my De (Virtue/Power) brought to fullness, so that I am honored by the great sages. Sixth, that illness be healed and that I not fall into the evil paths. Seventh, that signs of blessing and felicity appear, sheltering my ancestors above and passing on to my descendants below. Eighth, that I enjoy my allotted good fortune and receive auspicious joy, and that calamity disperse. Ninth, that I may at last become a superior immortal and ascend to heaven in broad daylight, and that, once immortal, I unite with the Dao.

I return my body, my spirit, and my life to the great sages of the North who have already attained the Dao, and to the lords and elders of supreme perfection, and I ask them to bestow upon me seven blessings. First, that I no longer meet with toil, vexation, or disgrace. Second, that my De be pure and unblemished, my appearance upright, and my radiance bright and clear, lovely as pearl and jade, so that all are glad to draw near. Third, that I not be defiled by treachery and flattery, by hypocrisy and deceit, or by demonic anomalies and corrupt customs. Fourth, that every great sage and every ghost and spirit throughout the Three Realms—the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm, as Daoism names them—show reverence without exception. Fifth, that good merit increase day by day and the evil paths be eliminated. Sixth, that I be able to seize and restrain ghostly beings, to cure disease, and to command ghosts and spirits. Seventh, that my body be pure and fragrant and my very marrow fragrant as well, that I be courageous and wise, of outstanding ability and surpassing intelligence, and that I may at last rise to become a superior immortal and ascend to heaven in broad daylight, and, once immortal, unite with the Dao.

The rite of blessing the midday meal.

The Great Primordial Sage, the supreme deity revered in Daoism, fully penetrates the profound and mysterious principles. Radiant as the sun and moon, he shines together with the Three Treasures—the Dao (the Way), the Jing (scripture), and the Master. Through pure cultivation he has taught the multitude and has never wearied of saving living beings, so that they may forever leave the Three Paths—the three evil destinies of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—and be released from the Five Sufferings, every kind of hardship. This is what is called the “Flying Celestial Dharma Wheel.”

Today the sponsor of the zhai, the one who establishes the purification feast and practices goodness, is of deep virtue. Respectfully inviting the worthy sages, he burns incense and performs the rites, presenting offerings according to the etiquette of each quarter. He turns his heart to the gate of the Dao, upholds the precepts and cultivates virtue, and sets forth the meal. May the four seas be peaceful and tranquil, the ancestors of seven generations joyful and at ease, beings of the three paths all receive salvation, and the emperor’s blessed fortune endure long.

May the zhai sponsor, So-and-so, after this petition, by the power of this merit cause blessings to spread through the ten directions and reach upward to the heavens. May calamity be extinguished in the Nine Yin, fortune arise at the ten extremities, and auspicious joy continue in abundance. May the parents of seven generations leave the long night of the Nine Yin and the Three Paths; after rites of deliverance and repentance, may they ascend directly into the heavenly halls, dwell forever in the light, refine their forms to completion in the Vermilion Palace—the celestial palace of which Daoism speaks—and thereafter be reborn according to conditions.

May everyone in the household, high and low, be wise and clear-minded, recovered from every illness, and strong in the four limbs; may they pass safely through a difficult age, roam freely among the Three Realms, refine their forms to completion in the Vermilion Palace, and thereafter be reborn according to conditions. May virtue gather throughout the world. May all living beings together receive this blessing, so that their conduct accords with the spirits and they naturally attain the Dao.

The Method of Bestowing the Midday Meal, the Kitchen Liberation, and the Zhai Feast on Behalf of Others

Now a purification feast is being set and food offered for So-and-so. May all living beings eat their fill and, in this life, partake of the celestial kitchen—the rare and exquisite fare of the heavens. May the patron’s virtue (De) spread far and wide, like a hundred streams returning to the sea; may the lineage endure through the generations and ever enjoy honor and prosperity. May the four classes of the present age—a Buddhist term for the four kinds of renunciant and lay practitioners—all live in peace and ease; may the parents of seven generations, the ancestors of successive ages, be released from the suffering of the long night of the Ninefold Darkness, the dim underworld; may their souls and spirits (Shen) be free and at ease, calamities disperse, blessings descend, and they at last transcend birth and death and ascend as immortals.

May the patron, in life after life, possess a good heart, establish virtuous conduct, revere the Great Dao (the Way), uphold the methods of the Dao, and widely plant good causes. Wherever they go, may they receive the reward of blessing: cultivating the Dao, may they attain the Dao; seeking immortality, may they become immortals. May body and mind be at peace, the countenance radiant, and in traveling the four directions may good spirits lead the way. If the patron has already received the precepts and been entered in the registers of the Dao, may officers and spirit-troops guard and attend them, and may every living member of the household remain safe and unharmed. If anyone is ill, may the illness be healed, each enjoy their allotted years, and all that is sought be smoothly fulfilled; may office and salary arrive of themselves, without meeting hardship or obstruction; may evil demons disperse and ghosts and specters submit. May the sun, moon, and stars, together with the deities of heaven and earth, ever come to protect and bless, guarding the gates so that no calamity can intrude and every peril can be escaped; may they enjoy the reward of blessing in this life and in the end attain the Way of immortality.

The formula of blessing when making offerings

Diligently cultivate the method of the Great Dao, and by utmost sincerity communicate with and move the Great Darkness—the deep, dark, and remote netherworld. May true numinous spirits descend, drive off demons and bewitchments, and cause every goblin to vanish without a trace.

May the seven ancestors—the forebears of seven generations—ascend into the Southern Palace, the palaces and offices of the heavenly realm; may those who receive the blessing themselves ascend to the Pure, the pure immortal realm spoken of in Daoism. May blessings be bestowed widely, with none left out; and may the food remaining from the feast also be given to all living beings.

The formula of blessing when receiving offerings

We entrust our bodies, our spirit-souls, and our nature and life entirely to the Three Venerables of the Most High (the three supreme deities revered in Daoism).

We now perform this act of giving. May the blessings and good fortune of the sponsor of the Zhai (the person who establishes the purification feast and practices good deeds) extend to all living beings: may the calamities of the Ninefold Darkness of the underworld be removed, and may grace pervade the ten directions; may virtue be as profound as the mountains and seas, and may all affairs flourish and prosper. May the ancestors of seven generations ascend to Heaven; may sons and grandsons be worthy, good, loyal, and sincere; may the family estate be abundant and distinguished; may all that is sought be fulfilled as wished; and may those who study the Dao attain immortality, riding the clouds and mounting dragons.

The sponsor of the Zhai, So-and-so, turns with a single heart toward the methods of the Dao, and is able to reduce his own wealth and give it away in order to accumulate merit. May this offering bring measureless blessed reward: the greater the merit, the richer the blessing, and may he ever meet with good conditions. Generation after generation, may karmic conditions be abundant, and ease and joy never cease. May the old and the young now living suffer few illnesses and no disasters, and enjoy long life and well-being. May later generations, age after age, produce worthy talents, intelligent and penetrating in understanding, honored by the Three Realms, and guarded and attended by true deities.

May the orthodox deities of the five directions (the spirits who guard the east, south, west, north, and center) protect the gates, so that the household ever remains peaceful and secure. May evil demons be subdued, and ghosts, monsters, and sprites disperse; may the dwelling be stable, giving rise to no calamity or anomaly, and may blessings be inexhaustible. In the end, may they attain deliverance and ascent, and the transformations of dividing the body. All these sentient beings are guided by this liturgical text, and thereby come into accord with the Dao.

Blessing Method for Giving the Leftover Food to Living Beings at the Conclusion of the Zhai (the invocation recited when, after the purification ritual has ended, the remaining food is distributed to living beings)

What day is today? We observe the Zhai in reverence toward the Most High, partake of the celestial kitchen (the feast food bestowed by the heavenly realm), and command the divine generals of this month. May you all ascend into the immortal realm of the south, and may the blessings of the sponsor of the Zhai be measureless. We burn incense to express utmost sincerity, so that merit may spread universally. I now proclaim this great method of the vows and blessings of the four directions. If one can cultivate it with a concentrated mind, one will obtain measureless blessings, and one ought to observe the precepts with care.