《洞玄灵宝斋说光烛戒罚灯祝愿仪》

The “Jueguang” (faint lamplight) method of the fast means that, before the formal purification ritual begins, one first expounds the essentials of the method in one’s own quiet chamber. Lu Xiujing says that this exposition should be carried out with the sash properly tied, incense burned, and in accordance with the rite.

The method of the fast is by nature exceedingly subtle, yet those who practice it often perform it in a coarse and careless way. They are frequently clouded by afflictions and worldly dust and find it hard to grasp. It is like dwelling in a dark, winding cavern where the sun cannot reach, so that lamps and candles must be used to bring in light. The “Jueguang” spoken of here means precisely illuminating the darkness with a faint light. These expositions summarize the essentials of the scriptures of the fast, point out what is immediate and important in the ritual of practice, and serve to restrain careless conduct and guide practitioners toward understanding profound principles. It is like a carpenter selecting timber: when he meets wood that is bent and crooked, he cannot at once true it with the ink-line; he must first pare away the warped parts and only then work it according to the rule. The author modestly says that his learning is shallow, and so his explanation is lengthy and involved; it may also be that the principles themselves are circuitous and hard to understand, and not easy to make clear.

When a Zhaijiao (purification ritual)—the Daoist rites of fasting together with sacrifice and prayer—is held, one should first give such an exposition in the quiet chamber, and tie the sash and burn incense according to the proper form.

During the fast, one should sit in solemn stillness in a secluded room, restrain the emotions, and gather in the mind and Shen (spirit), not allowing external entanglements to enter within. One observes the Ten Precepts so that worldly stray thoughts do not arise; one establishes a courageous and steadfast mind and cultivates the ten kinds of good conduct; one firms one’s resolve and does not easily waver; one concentrates on the mysterious and subtle principle and realizes the true Dao (the Way), so that every thought is pure. Only when this has been achieved may it be called a fast.

Bathe in fragrant water and regulate the spirit and the breath, so that the body is cleansed and the nine orifices—the two eyes, the two ears, the two nostrils, the mouth, and the two excretory openings—are clear and unobstructed. Clothing should likewise be washed, so that one is clean and fragrant both within and without. This is done in order to invite the descent of the exalted perfected, the high-ranking divine perfected venerated in Daoism, and to receive the ethereal spirits with a purified body and mind.

Set aside worldly affairs, cut off everyday concerns, and shut out disturbances from within and without, so that body and mind are clear, still, and settled in Wuwei (non-action), at ease and tranquil, concentrating with a single mind in contemplative mindfulness.

During the fast, keep the diet plain, moderate flavors, and restrain cravings and desires, so that eating and drinking remain measured and the viscera are harmonized. In this way Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) stay clear and harmonious, nourishing the primal spring within—the vital energy of the source of life, as Daoism understands it.

Be careful to compose one’s bearing, dress neatly, and maintain solemn dignity; cast aside pride and slackness, and do not grow careless or indolent. In worship and prostration, every gesture should be performed with wholehearted reverence and full ritual propriety.

Guard one’s speech and do not open the mouth at random; regulate voice and breath evenly while reciting the scriptures. Recitation of the Jing (scripture/classic) can bring realization to human beings as well as to ghosts and spirits, and can also move immortals and sages to respond.

Clear the thoughts of the mind and do not give rise to deviant or deluded ideas; restrain the six faculties—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—and eliminate the three poisons of greed, anger, and delusion. Preserve and nurture the primal Shen, long for the true Dao (the Way), and thereby penetrate principles that are hidden, profound, and subtle.

Burn incense so that its smoke ascends, and strike the drum to summon the deities, causing prayers and announcements to rise to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the highest celestial realm venerated in Daoism, and to spread throughout the ten directions.

Confess and acknowledge one’s offenses, and pray for what is sought. The heart must be sincere and steadfast, the manner humble, and the plea earnest and imploring.

Arouse a vast heart of compassion, taking pity on all living beings who suffer calamity, hardship, and affliction, and wish that every one of them may obtain deliverance and liberation, that life and death may be peaceful and secure, and that they may no longer grieve or suffer.

In movement and at rest, in bowing down and in looking up, one’s manner should be unhurried and refined. Remind and instruct one another; speech must accord with the Dao and must not violate the rules of the fast. If one becomes aware of a fault of one’s own, one should at once acknowledge it, knock the head in prostration, and repent.

The so-called “Lingbao Ziran Wushang Zhai” refers to a kind of Lingbao purification rite (Zhai).

“Ling” means divine subtlety. Its efficacy is subtle and wondrous, beyond human deliberation and discussion, and its transformations are endless, so it is called “Ling.” “Bao” refers to “the One,” the root jointly endowed upon the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and humanity, pure, still, stable, and unchanging. Because it must not be lost, it is called “Bao.” If one can guard and hold it from beginning to end, the myriad blessings arrive of themselves; if one turns against it even for a moment, calamities may follow one after another. As for the sources of good and ill fortune, benefit and harm, gain and loss, no one can force them to occur, and no one can forcibly prevent them from occurring; therefore it is called “Ziran.” It can bring relief to the Five Paths (the different destinations of living beings in the cycle of rebirth), save and deliver all living beings, free people from birth and death, and raise them beyond the Three Realms, and so it is called “Wushang” (the unsurpassed).

The human body is not the body of a sage or of a Perfected Person, and it dwells amid the Five Turbidities (the defiled world). Within it the Three Corpses (spirits which, in Daoist teaching, cause desires to arise and harm cultivation) are powerful and constantly make mischief from within. The nine orifices and the four gates each have their own desires. Once a person acts in accordance with these desires, they easily move toward danger, damage their heaven-allotted years, and cannot live out their full span of life. If they do evil and commit wrongs, they also leave a record of guilt with the offices of the netherworld. Thus, while in the world, people often meet with hardship; desire and affliction are hard to bring to rest; they undergo hunger and cold, poverty, illness, punishment, and every kind of calamity; and after death they must still endure suffering.

For this reason, the Most High Heavenly Worthy opened the Purple Tenuity Jade Casket of the Upper Palace of the Mysterious Capital—the precious case in which Jing (scriptures) and methods are treasured in the heavens—and transmitted the wondrous Lingbao purification. Because the three gates of body, speech, and mind are restless and hard to make pure and still, the body commits killing, theft, sexual misconduct, and the like, and so one is made to restrain the body through ritual prostration; the mouth utters evil words, boastful falsehoods, and speech that sows discord, and so one is required to recite the Jing; the mind gives rise to thoughts of greed, anger, and the like, and so one is made to visualize the Shen (spirits). By means of these three methods one cleanses the inner heart and sets conduct aright. When both thought and action reach pure sincerity and undivided singleness, that is the meaning of the purification.

One should widely form good vows and constantly maintain good thoughts, so as to increase merit and De (Virtue/Power). The mind that keeps the precepts should be like one who has fallen into a well and clutches the rope tightly, never letting go for a moment. The resolve to practice the methods of the Dao (the Way) should be like rushing to block a dike as it bursts, without any slackening. The attitude in cultivating visualization should be like tilling good fields, applying effort continuously without ever feeling that one has done enough. If, through a whole day and a whole night, one reverently keeps the precepts and practices the methods of the Dao, diligent and untiring, one can enter into resonant communion with Taixuan (the profound and mysterious realm of the Dao), cause the true spirits to descend, make the Three Corpses flee, scatter, and perish, and subdue the host of demons. No such wish fails to be realized, and no resolve once established fails to be attained.

A good age is hard to come by, the scriptures are hard to hear, a favorable moment is hard to meet, and a teacher who understands the methods of the Dao (the Way) is likewise hard to encounter. All of you worthies accumulated great blessings in former lives, and only thus have you been fortunate in this life to gather together, to meet the Three Treasures—the Dao, the Jing (scripture/classic), and the Master—to hear the methods of the Dao, to delight in the Dao of clarity, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action), and to receive its subtle principles. Your immortal names were long ago entered in the imperial charts and registers and in the golden books and jade registers, and you have become blessed guests of the heavenly realm and immortal guests of the Most High.

Now you have once again ascended the seat of the teaching and abide by the norms of cultivating the Dao. A good beginning has already been made; why not carry it through to the end? You should make your resolve firm, overcome indolence, follow the instructions of the teaching, set your minds upon good deeds, and cultivate with earnest sincerity, without begrudging fatigue. Even a single day of vigorous effort can bring blessings through successive lives.

Human life is full of uncertainty, and the four great elements that constitute the body—earth, water, fire, and wind—are hard to sustain for long. A hundred years vanish in an instant and cannot be reckoned long. When old age suddenly descends, the eyes grow dim and the ears fail, and illnesses of every kind entangle the body in unbearable pain; lying down and rising, breathing and moving, all depend upon the strength of others. At that point, will one still be able to cultivate the work of the Dao with diligence and attend ritual assemblies? Once this good affinity is lost, when hereafter will such a gathering be possible again? If one sinks into a path of distress and delusion, of what use is regret after the fact? Please consider these words, take thought for yourselves, encourage one another, and together make your way through this difficulty.

If a person accumulated grave sins and evil karma in a former life, he will be veiled by dark shadow; the six obscurations—the various delusions that conceal mind and nature—cannot be removed. His heart will be narrow and warped, his disposition contrary, and he will be immersed in the five desires—wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep—unable to see any principle beyond these desires. He clings to fine food and to the pleasures of sound and sight, seeking only the enjoyment of the moment; he loathes good people and envies the worthy, to the point even of…

If a person has committed grave karmic offenses in a former life and formed evil affinities, that person will be shrouded in dark shadow. The obscuration of the six senses and the mind cannot be cleared away: the heart is narrow, the temperament perverse, and one is sunk in the five desires—sound, sensual form, and the rest—unable to see any truth beyond desire. Such a person craves fine food and the pleasures of sound and form, seeking only the ease of the moment, while hating the good and envying the worthy, treating them all but as personal enemies.

Wherever people of this kind are reborn, they form ties with evil deeds and find it ever difficult to encounter the teaching of the Jing (scriptures/classics). Even should they encounter it, they will not believe. When they see others honor and practice the methods of the Dao (the Way), they call these the wild talk of demons, and the rest join them in ridicule. The deaf do not hear music such as the Shao and the Wu; the blind do not see black and white—can one say that they are without disease? Even if a person who understands the truth labors to exhort them and draw them back, should their nature refuse to change, they will still give rise to a heart of bitter regret, turn their back on the correct Dao, incline toward the false and the deviant, and run after sprites and baleful spirits.

Joy vanishes in an instant, while sorrow and suffering stretch on for a long time. These people take the “Three Paths” (the three evil destinies of which Daoism speaks) as their final refuge and hell as their home, forever sunk in darkness, never seeing the sun, the moon, or the stars. They must embrace the copper pillar, tread the mountain of knives, pass through the trees of swords, and enter the boiling cauldron, swallowing fire and eating charcoal, and they cannot break free until the kalpa itself comes to an end. Even if they are born again thereafter, they fall among the six domestic animals and suffer the pain of being slaughtered and cut open; their souls remain trapped in the three evil paths, passing back and forth in torment. How can a fate such as this fail to move one to grief?

Fazhu Xu (Account of the Dharma Candle)

This text was written by Lu Xiujing. When the rite of establishing a Zhai (purification ritual) begins in the evening, one first burns incense and offers invocations through the night; before one has formally set forth one’s case before the deities, this passage should be read aloud facing east.

“Fa” is the general name for laws and rules. A compass draws the circle and a carpenter’s square the square; only when the myriad things follow definite laws can each attain its proper order.

“Zhu” is that which gives forth light. It assists the moon and the sun, dispels darkness, and lets people see things clearly. If one’s conduct is deviant and fails to accord with the rules, one cannot set oneself right; if one follows the laws yet lacks the brightness of clear discernment, one likewise cannot see gain and loss. To set oneself right, one cannot do without laws; and in following the laws, one also cannot lack clear discernment.

To settle the inner mind, one must practice ritual fasting (cultivation whose aim is to purify body and mind); nor, in performing such fasting, can one do without this Jing (scripture). This scripture is like a bright lamp that guides the laws. By relying on it to cultivate and study within the Daozang (the comprehensive collection of Daoist scriptures), one can obtain the true treasure.

Among all things, the human being is the most precious; and for a human being, life is the most precious of all. What life depends on is Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) alone. Shen and Qi dwell within the body and sustain the life of the four limbs and of the whole body. A person cannot be without Qi for even a moment, nor can one lose Shen between the raising of a hand and the taking of a step. When Shen scatters, the five viscera decline; when Qi is cut off, a person grows confused, collapses, and dies. Qi and Shen always go together, depending upon and supporting one another. When Shen departs, Qi perishes; when Qi is severed, the body loses its life.

Everyone knows to fear death and to love being alive, yet does not know that the key to sustaining life lies in Shen and Qi. People often let their thoughts tend toward danger, and they injure their own Qi; again and again they dissipate their spirit and so shorten their lives. They do not cherish clarity and stillness, nor do they guard their original authenticity, and thus they needlessly maim themselves. How can one fail to treasure Jing (essence) and Qi, and to preserve primordial Qi, so as to lengthen one’s years? One ought also to keep the mind calm and the Qi harmonious, to care for all things, and to let blessings spread like branches and leaves.

The sages saw that the common people rushed after the five desires—wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep—and could not settle body and mind, and therefore established the methods of the Zhai (purification rite). These methods use concrete ritual to bring disturbance to rest: precepts and prohibitions guard against intrusion from within, and solemn deportment wards off interference from without; prostration and the recitation of Jing (scripture) give the body and the tongue something to follow, and through activity lead a person back to quiet; the contemplation of deities—holding the divinities in the mind—restrains thought, so that one returns from the clutter of tangible things to emptiness and stillness. One who can be clear and still, and empty the mind, can come into harmony and accord with the Dao (the Way). It is like reining in a horse at full gallop and turning it so that it draws the carriage back toward original authenticity.

Yan Zun said, “Only when the mind is made empty and still can one inquire into the Dao and De (Virtue/Power); only when Qi is settled can one come into communion with the spirits.” This is precisely the principle. In later ages, however, some practitioners have valued outward form and slighted the root. Blessings lie originally in clarity and stillness, yet they seek them through restless bustle; the span of life rests in one’s own person, yet they abandon themselves and chase external things. Such people may be glad to take part in the Zhai rites and still not understand the methods of the Zhai; or they understand the methods but do not know the root of the rites; or they know the root but do not grasp the meaning of the rites; or they grasp the meaning but have not taken in the essential purport of the rites. Their practice is confused and jumbled; they do a bit of everything, gradually stray from the root, and never become aware of it. This is like traveling with a fierce wind at one’s back and drifting off on a swift current, not knowing to turn back and seek the source against the stream, until at last one sinks for a long time in the sea of suffering. How can this fail to move one to grief?

With care I have drawn widely on the various scriptures and arranged them in ten chapters, to be expounded during the Zhai rites, under the title Fazhu (Candle of the Law). Of these, the Suqi—the rite of invocation before the Zhai begins—is set out in one chapter; the practice of the Dao at the six periods—prostration, scripture recitation, and related rites performed in six divisions of the day—in six chapters; and the contemplation of deities at the three periods—visualizing the divinities in three divisions of time—in three chapters. If a ritual master can understand these teachings and carry them out according to the methods of the Zhai, and if the Daoist officials and hosts who take part can all receive them with an empty mind, then their sight and hearing will become clear and penetrating, and they may perhaps behold the gateway that leads to the Great Dao.

The chapter known as “Those of the Dao” is expounded when the purification rite is held over six periods of the day; the chapter “Contemplating the Spirits” is expounded over three periods. The ritual master should make these teachings clear through the purification rite. If the assembled officials and the host who are present can all receive them with an open mind, there is hope that their sight and hearing will grow clear, and that they may then glimpse the gate of the Great Dao (the Way).

“Dao” is the name of the highest principle; “De” (Virtue/Power) is to act in accord with that principle; “Jing” (scripture/classic) is the path that leads toward the principle. The Dao may be likened to a road, De to good conduct, the Jing to a route and a standard, and cultivation to stepping forward. In learning the Dao, a person must follow the proper regulations, study the classics, do good, and accumulate virtue; only then can one reach the Dao. If one does not accumulate merit and virtue, but merely guards the One and remains unmoving, one will never attain the Dao. This is like a person sitting at home and refusing to take a step—how could such a person ever arrive at the destination?

Only when Dao, De, and Ren (humaneness) come together can the Dao be brought to completion; if any one of the three is lacking, the matter cannot be accomplished. The three spoken of here are Dao, De, and Ren: humaneness is one part, the performance of merit and the accumulation of virtue is another, and the sufficiency of virtuous conduct by which the Dao is achieved is yet a third. Only when the three are joined can one attain the Dao. If one merely performs works of merit but does not understand the principle, one cannot attain the Dao; if one merely understands the principle but has no merit or virtue, one likewise cannot attain the Dao; if one has Dao and De but lacks humaneness, the highest principle will be obscured and will in the end return to emptiness. This is like sowing grain without water to moisten it—how can the seed grow? It is also like having a ruler and ministers but no people—whom, then, would one govern? Or like having heaven and earth but no myriad beings—how, then, would living creatures be nourished? Therefore the Five Thousand Characters (the Daodejing) says: “The three give birth to the myriad things.”

Conferring the Superior Ten Precepts, and Selecting Offices and Applying Prohibitions and Penalties

The liturgical text of this rite follows entirely the text written and established by Ritual Master Lu. One first completes the Suqi, the rite of invocation offered before the purification ritual begins, and then transmits the Superior Ten Precepts. When the rites are performed, everyone faces east together and stands upright.

Chanting of the Hymn of Wisdom:

The root of wisdom arises from nothingness; hidden, profound, and far-reaching, it surpasses the ten directions. Empty stillness congeals and stands aloft at the mysterious edge of heaven, while the many heavens embrace the fragrance that spreads abroad. Its mystery is difficult to conceive or discuss, yet its numinous efficacy and sympathetic response are genuine and not illusory. What has being ultimately returns to nothingness, and nothingness, in turn, contains all without exclusion.

Wisdom must constantly reflect upon itself; this is the foremost practice in cultivating the methods of the Dao. Quietly entering profound and mysterious contemplation, one naturally gathers and steadies mind and Shen (spirit). The Celestial Worthy constantly protects and blesses those who cultivate the Dao, and the demon kings are held in check so that they cannot do harm; high in the distant sky, the deities of the various heavens spread a fragrant excellence. The subtlety of the Dao is hard to conceive, yet its numinous responses can truly be felt. Whatever has form and image ultimately returns to the formless; even when spoken of as “nothing,” there is nothing it cannot contain.

Wisdom must constantly reflect upon itself; this is the foremost practice in cultivating the methods of the Dao. Quietly entering profound and mysterious contemplation, one naturally gathers and steadies mind and spirit. The Celestial Worthy constantly protects and blesses those who cultivate the Dao, and the demon kings likewise uphold their vows. A body firm as vajra shines with brilliant light and turns from afar toward the Supreme Ancestor of the Dao.

Wisdom can give rise to the root of the precepts, and the true Dao takes the precepts as its foundation. From this arise the Three Treasures—the Dao, the Jing (scripture), and the master, which Daoism venerates—and they are also what the lofty perfected and the holy assembly revere and observe. Boarding this boat of deathlessness, in the blink of an eye one may cross to Dayou, the immortal realm named in Daoist scriptures. When the precepts are proclaimed, the deities of the various heavens all come to bow.

When the recitation is finished, the assembly together faces north, bows, and knocks the head; they then turn to worship the ten directions, and again face east and prostrate. The ritual master returns to the east and, facing west, proclaims the rite of the precepts.

The Celestial Worthy tells the Supreme Lord of the Dao: “Now the sound of the teaching should be widely proclaimed, to awaken living beings. For male and female devotees, calamities and illnesses are to be removed, blessings sought and life prolonged, and the roots of every suffering pulled out, so that the living may behold the Great Dao and be freed from the eight difficulties—the eight obstacles to cultivating the Dao and hearing the teaching—and so that the dead may rejoice, partake of sustenance in the heavenly realms, and soon be reborn in the human world as wheel-turning sacred kings, ideal sovereigns who govern the world by the true law. All who practice Zhai (purification) and seek the Dao ought single-mindedly and reverently to receive and uphold the ten precepts, to accept them carefully and not forget them. Concentrate in silent recollection and enter deeply into the Dao of natural spontaneity; do not let stray thoughts disturb body and mind. Those who can do this should quietly listen to the precepts.”

The first precept: Do not give rise in the heart to wickedness and jealousy, and do not secretly harbor the intention to harm others. Be careful in speech and avoid fault; let the mind rest upon the precepts.

The second precept: Maintain benevolence and do not kill; pity living beings and come to their aid. With a compassionate heart, extend rescue widely and bestow grace upon all life.

The third precept: Hold to chastity and uprightness, yield in accordance with what is right, and neither engage in sexual misconduct nor steal. Always keep the thought of doing good; even at cost to oneself, help others.

The fourth precept: Do not cling to beautiful forms and desire, and do not let the mind run loose and scattered. Preserve purity and caution, and let conduct remain unstained by defilement.

The fifth precept is this: do not speak with malice, and do not deliberately use ornate, showy language. In dealing with others and handling affairs, let both the inner heart and one’s words and deeds be upright, and commit no faults of speech.

The sixth precept is this: abstain from alcohol and restrain one’s conduct, harmonize one’s Qi (vital energy) and temperament, do not allow the spirit to be injured, and do not commit any kind of evil deed.

The seventh precept is this: do not envy others for surpassing oneself, and do not contend for merit and fame. When matters arise, be modest and yielding; rather take a step back, so as to leave room for others.

The eighth precept is this: do not casually criticize or slander the scriptural teachings and the Jing (scriptures) transmitted by the sages. Receive the teachings with reverence of body and mind, and remain at all times as cautious as if facing the deities.

The ninth precept is this: do not stir up quarrels or peddle gossip, and do not pass judgment on people of different stations. Otherwise one will incur the resentment and censure of Heaven and humankind, and injure one’s own Shen (spirit) and Qi.

The tenth precept is this: in all bearing and action, treat everyone alike and always uphold a mind of equality. Live in harmony with others, show reverence toward the deities, and let this attitude become a daily habit.

The Celestial Worthy said: If one cultivates and observes the pure precepts, one accords with the heart of Heaven. Always cherish a heart of great compassion, willing to deliver all living beings of the world universally from suffering; honor the teachings with humility and reverence, and never grow slack halfway. Rather die while keeping to goodness than seek to live by doing evil. Persisting in this way without retreat, one can leave the cycle of the Five Paths (the five destinations of life), no longer fall into the Three Evil Paths (hell, hungry ghosts, and animals), and receive the protection of the various heavens and the respect of the myriad spirits. By long maintaining purification and upholding the precepts, one will in the end be delivered from the mundane world.

The Celestial Worthy said: The Dao (the Way) is venerable, the gates of the teaching are subtle, and the human body is exceedingly precious. Therefore the Dao reveals the gates of the teaching and leaves behind precepts and scriptures (Jing), so as to deliver the body and mind of human beings. When the human body has been delivered, one can ascend and unite with the Dao. A person should cultivate with diligent effort, observe the fast and keep the precepts, making the mind peaceful and quiet and the thoughts clear and lucid, turning with a single heart toward the Great Dao and contemplating the Dao with concentrated attention, without distraction; one should cleanse body and mind so that the six viscera are pure. After midday one takes no further food, allowing body and mind, within and without, to be pure, empty, and still, and thus naturally in accord with the Great Dao.

On days of the fast, when one holds incense in the fingers and prays with a sincere heart, one’s intention can rise and reach the celestial realm. The patrol officers of the Four Heavens and the mighty spirits of the Ten Divisions (celestial deities charged with inspection and protection) then descend at once to observe, to listen to the sounds of the teaching, and to examine and mirror the thoughts of the mind. If one cultivates the Dao in accordance with the precepts, merit will be recorded under the names of the various heavens, and fortune and misfortune will soon become manifest. The Great Dao does not fail those who cultivate. One must practice diligently, receive the teachings and admonitions in earnest, and not give credence to the words of demons and the deviant.

The Celestial Worthy said further: When purification rites are held and the methods of the Dao are cultivated, the sovereigns of the Four Heavens all come riding on flying-cloud green carriages (blue-green vehicles of the celestial realm) and eight-effulgence jade chariots (celestial jade carriages), attended by Perfected and jade maidens. They hold flowered banners; phoenixes lead the way in front, singing, while celestial music accompanies them behind; white cranes and lions give forth harmonious cries. Burning incense and scattering flowers, they come through the void to watch the rites of cultivation and listen to the sounds of the teaching. When the celestial kings descend, the myriad spirits come to pay homage. How could those who cultivate the Dao fail to follow the ritual forms with all their hearts?

The Ten Precepts (the precepts of Daoist cultivation) should first be transmitted, and only then should the rite be performed. One’s steps should be dignified and orderly, one’s bearing refined; the mind should be quiet, and one’s thoughts easy and harmonious. Whether sitting, rising, lying down, or resting, one must observe the ritual norms. In this way the celestial kings are gladdened, and one’s name is entered in the Shangqing (the higher celestial realms of which Daoism speaks). This may be called seeking the Dao within the square inch of the heart.

The scripture says: For communing with Heaven and Earth and summoning the host of deities, for penetrating the way of the immortals and entering the realm of ultimate truth, for eliminating the transgressions of successive lifetimes, for pacifying baleful calamities and disasters, for resolving enmities and grudges, for accumulating and cultivating magnificent De (Virtue/Power), and for healing illness and saving living beings, nothing is more effective than fasting and purification (zhai) together with the recitation and revolving of the Jing (scriptures/classics). Fasting and purification are precisely the root of seeking the Dao (the Way), and every attainment in cultivating the Dao arises from them. This merit is vast and exalted, and nothing can compare with it.

When the rites of zhai are performed, at the highest level one may ascend as an immortal and attain the Dao; at the middle level one may stabilize the state and bring peace to the household, prolong one’s years and preserve blessings and emoluments, and come to understand the way of Wuwei (non-action); at the lower level one may erase the faults of the past, pardon the offenses of the present life, rescue people from peril and ease their hardships, dispel disasters and disease, relieve the sorrows of the dead, and save all living beings. Thus the rites of zhai apply to every kind of circumstance.

The scripture further says: Among all the rites of zhai, none is more important than the Taishang Lingbao Zhai (Supreme Numinous Treasure Purification). “Lingbao” refers to the Lingbao scriptural methods revered in Daoism. The Lingbao scriptures are the root of Heaven and Earth, the gateway through which the deities come and go, and the source of all the Jing. They can broadly eliminate disasters and illness, relieve the sorrows of the dead, and save all living beings, and there is no circumstance to which they do not apply.

Among the rites of purification, the most important is the Taishang Lingbao Zhai, a form of Daoist purification ritual. The Lingbao scriptures are called the root of heaven, earth, and all things, the gateway through which deities and spirits come and go, the ancestral source of the scriptures, and the bridge leading to the boundless Great Dao (Dao). When even a single line is recited, the sound penetrates the nine heavens; the deities of the various heavens pay homage, and ghosts and spirits stand in solemn awe. This realm is profound and mysterious, and cannot be fully expressed in words.

Unless one is the most virtuous person in the world, one cannot commune with it; without the firmest conviction in the world, one cannot reverently invite it; without the most concentrated and sincere heart in the world, one cannot observe it; and unless one is the most gifted and worthy person in the world, one cannot put it into practice. The Most High treasures this scripture, and the Perfected likewise revere it: its characters are cast in gold and engraved on jade tablets, sealed in the Seven-Treasure Mysterious Terrace of the Purple Tenuity Upper Palace on Jade Capital Mountain of the Mysterious Metropolis, in the Unsurpassed Great Veil Heaven. That is where the Most High governs the celestial realm. The Five Elders, the exalted deities of the five directional heavens, stand guard beside it, while the myriad emperors come to pay court to the Perfected of the Dao. Jade maidens hold cloths, and golden lads raise clouds of incense, burning the hundred-blend compounded incense, whose fragrance drifts through the Purple Court. There the essential radiance of sunlight is breathed in and out to expel defilement, and the clear glow of moonlight is spread to brush away dust; divine lamps shine brightly, and candle flames reflect one another. Golden winds scatter on every side, and auspicious clouds ring the four quarters; flying dragons and divine beasts guard the jade gate-towers.

The Supreme Perfected of the Ten Directions, the highest divine Perfected from the ten directions, the great sages of the three-thousand great-thousand worlds who have already attained the Dao, and the Perfected who cultivate the wondrous Dao of spontaneity circumambulate the Upper Palace three times each day and bow in homage. They soar through the void, scatter flowers, and burn incense; holding the Ten Insignia, the talismans or ritual implements used in Daoist ceremony, they chant the Cavern Chapters, Daoist scriptural hymns, praise the numinous profundity of the Nine Heavens, and honor the precious mystery of the mysterious writings.

When Daoist priests circumambulate the high seat in the purification ritual and chant the Buxu, the rite that imitates walking through the void and praising the divine Perfected, they are precisely emulating the ceremony in which the host of sages and Perfected of the mysterious root pay court at the Jade Capital. In walking the Dao and performing worship, the pace should be steady and unhurried, and the bearing upright and orderly; bowing and raising the head should be uniform and coordinated, never uneven. When circumambulating and singing the Buxu, one should hold the hand tablet, the ritual tablet borne in ceremony, before the chest. In winter one should not fold the hands against the chest, and in summer one should not carry a fan. One need only hold the body upright, face forward, slightly close the eyes, and visualize inwardly, contemplating the Most High upon the high seat and concentrating on the mysterious Perfected, so that body and mind become one like the elixir and accord with the statutes of the celestial realm. In this way one can become a model praised by the flying immortals, emulated by the Three Realms, and looked up to by ghosts and spirits.

During the ritual one must not glance left or right, race ahead of or fall behind one another, nor chat, laugh, or call out at will. Otherwise one offends the majestic dignity of the spirits and will be investigated by the Four Offices, the celestial bureaus charged with inspecting faults, and punished by the Five Emperors. This is forbidden by clearly established precepts; how could one fail to be cautious?

The scripture (jing) says: During the period of fasting and abstinence, there are three periods each morning and each evening in which one must burn incense, repent of one’s faults, and listen with undivided attention, so as to receive the subtle and profound principles of the scriptural teachings. Reciting the classics and expounding the scriptural teachings is therefore to follow the example of the ancient Zhenren (Perfected Persons) in instructing the people of the world. The sages transmit the scriptures and their teachings in order to instruct the world, so that those who have never heard them may hear them, and those who do not understand may come to understand. By means of this Bridge of the Law, the sages wish to save all living beings universally.

When the rite is performed (xingdao—the observance carried out according to ritual propriety within the purification ceremony), one must not speak at random or discuss secular affairs; one should only consult the ritual master (fashi) about the meaning of the scriptures and the precepts. The ritual master ought to explain to everyone the principles that are truly essential. If one can keep the mind settled and one’s manner calm, and reverently receive even a single sentence of the scripture, the Director of Destinies (Siming, the deity who governs a person’s lifespan and allotted fate) will add ten counts (ten units of reckoning, referring to lifespan or allotted fate), and thereafter one will be intelligent and wise. If one is agitated and contentious both within and without, and slanders or goes against even a single sentence of the scripture, the Director of Destinies will deduct ten counts, and thereafter one will be foolish and dull. At this point the scripture contains repetition and damaged, incomplete wording. The original text then continues: “One sentence of the scripture, and the Director of Destinies extends and adds ten counts; thereafter all are intelligent and wise. If there is restless contention within and without, and one slanders or offends a single sentence of the scripture, then the Director of Destinies seizes ten counts, and thereafter one follows a way of foolishness, dullness, and blindness.”

For this reason the Zhenren do not speak lightly in ordinary times. Once they open their mouths, their words are sure to strike what is essential, and what they say accords with the teachings. The saying, “It is human beings who can broaden the Dao (the Way); it is not the Dao that broadens human beings,” expresses precisely this principle.

After the exposition of the precepts has concluded, the ritual master, as before, selects and registers the various officiants.

The officiants kneel upright and receive slips on which their offices are written. When the rite is performed on the following day, each person carries out his duties according to the office that has been registered.

Ritual Master (Fashi)

The scripture says: One should recommend as ritual master a person of lofty virtue and conduct who can comprehend the meaning of the scriptures in depth. Such a person is inwardly filled with the Dao and with De (Virtue/Power), and outwardly possessed of solemn dignity. Whether bowing or raising the head, in every gesture he conforms to the proper rule. He is a model for the Three Realms (Sanjie—the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm, as these are spoken of in Daoism), and one whom ghosts and spirits revere. He is able to preside over prayers and invocations of blessing, to communicate with the perfected and the numinous, to resolve doubts and clear away what is blocked, and to guide the assembled worthies.

Chief Cantor (Dujiang)

The scripture says: The Chief Cantor should be clear-minded and intelligent, and thoroughly familiar with the ritual regulations. During the performance of the rite, from the arrangement of ritual times to rising and retiring, meals, and rest, he must first follow the ritual master’s arrangements and then guide the other officiants. Ritual acts such as prostration, the bow with joined hands, and courteous yielding should all be led by the Chief Cantor’s intoned directions.

Inspector of the Fast (Jianzhai)

The duty of the Inspector of the Fast is to inspect the faults of the assembly, correct violations, and enforce the statutes and precepts. When a matter arises, he should report and present it according to the facts. His handling must be fair and appropriate; he must neither conceal offenses nor impose penalties without due cause.

Attendant of the Scriptures (Shijing)

The duty of the Attendant of the Scriptures is to serve and safeguard the revered classics, to set the scripture scrolls in order, and to take part in the intoned directions of the rite.

Inspector of the Fast (Jianzhai)

“His office is to examine the faults of the assembly, to censure and correct errors and failings, to uphold the ritual statutes, and to report each matter as it arises, ensuring that all is fair and proper, with neither concealment nor abuse.”

The Attendant of the Scriptures (Shijing), the officer charged with caring for the classics, should serve the scriptures, arrange the cloths and wrappings used for the scriptural texts, set in order the high seat, the tables, and the mats round about, and wipe them clean and neat, without any negligence.

The Attendant of Incense (Shixiang), the officer in charge of incense, should tend the incense burners and related vessels, keeping the fire lit and the ashes clean at all times. Everything required for the six periods of ritual practice and the three periods of lecture and recitation must be prepared in advance; nothing should be found lacking only when the moment arrives.

The Attendant of Lamps (Shideng), the officer responsible for lamps and candles, should ready the lamps as daylight draws toward the west, set them according to the ritual rules, light them, and keep their light bright throughout. If wind or rain makes the lamps hard to kindle, he should report to the Ritual Master, who decides whether to suspend the service; he must not on his own authority neglect or discontinue the lamp rites.

Once the offices have been chosen and assigned, the assembly turns to the left to offer incense, faces east to pray, and offers incense once more. Led by a guide, the officers leave the purification hall and take their seats in order; they must not loosen their sashes. The Ritual Master then proclaims the liturgy (Keyi) and the prohibitions, explaining the rules of ritual courtesy, and the officers should listen in silence.

Daoist priests taking part in the purification rite should each bring a complete set of their own headcloth and cap, brown robe, hand tablet, and footwear; they must not borrow from one another at the last moment. If something of one’s own is lacking, one may not make up the set with another person’s clothing. When incense is offered on a purification day, the Senior Lecturer and the Chief Lecturer, who are responsible for the exposition, should first lead the officers down from the couch and have them stand facing west. The Ritual Master then descends from his seat and, in order of rank, leads the assembly at a slow pace to the Dao door, the entrance where the rite is performed. No one may overtake another or fall out of line, nor may the pace suddenly quicken or slacken; those who violate this are to be corrected and penalized according to the rules. When the incense offering or the exposition has ended, the Senior Lecturer and the Chief Lecturer should lead the officers out through the Dao door first, return to their former place, and again stand facing west. The Ritual Master then ascends the couch; the officers make one obeisance together and then each take their seats.

Whenever a Daoist priest rises or moves during the purification rite, he should first report to the Supervisor of the Purification (Jianzhai), the officer who oversees the order of the rite. On leaving, he first makes one obeisance to the Ritual Master and then three obeisances toward the incense; on returning, he does the same. Those who violate these rules are to be punished according to the articles set out below.

After entering the Zhaitang (the hall in which the Zhaijiao, or purification ritual, is held), one should set one’s shoes in order, compose one’s appearance, perform one formal salute and one bow, and then take one’s seat.

In all their movements and conduct during the purification ritual, Daoist priests must first report to the Jianzhai (the person charged with supervising the ritual), make one bow to the ritual master, and then make three bows toward the incense before taking their leave; the same procedure is followed when they return. Those who violate the regulations are punished as follows.

If, after entering the Zhaitang, one is still arranging one’s shoes and one’s appearance is untidy, the penalty is two sheng of oil. If sitting down or rising lacks calm and proper order, the penalty is half a liang of cinnabar. If one’s sitting posture is incorrect, the penalty is two jin of incense. If one shifts or disorders the incense fire, the penalty is half a jin of incense. If one converses with outsiders when the ritual is about to begin, the penalty is one jin of incense. If one’s appearance is untidy while attending the scrolls of the Jing (scripture), or if one knocks against objects upon the high seat, the penalty is half a jin of incense.

If one discusses secular affairs, the penalty is two sheng of oil. If one jokes, laughs, or engages in horseplay, the penalty is one liang of cinnabar. If one speaks while leaning, or lowers the head and dozes, the penalty is half a liang of cinnabar. If one disturbs the lamp or spills the lamp oil, the penalty is five sheng of oil. If the headcloth, cap, or ritual robes are worn in disarray, the penalty is half a jin of incense. If those inside and outside the Zhaitang fail to remind and correct one another, and their voices are loud and urgent, the penalty is five sheng of oil.

If, while listening to the Jing, one sits leaning and does not hold in hand the jingjian (the slips used for recitation), the penalty is one sheng of oil. If one cannot devote oneself to maintaining purity and stillness, so that mind and spirit grow weary and this is noticed by the assembly, the penalty is two sheng of oil. If one leaves the Zhaitang without reporting to the persons concerned, the penalty is two sheng of oil. If one goes about with hair loose and disheveled, hurrying at a rapid pace, the penalty is one jin of incense. If, while reciting the Jing, one suddenly falls into confusion, or asks another to correct a sentence that has been misread, the penalty is five sheng of oil.

If the voices are not in unison during chanting, the penalty is two sheng of oil. If one does not wash the hands and rinse the mouth before xingxiang (the ritual passing or offering of incense), the penalty is two sheng of oil. If one’s bearing lapses from proper form when rising, sitting, bowing with joined hands, or yielding precedence, the penalty is half a jin of incense. If one does not keep to the proper order while making the circuit, the penalty is half a jin of incense. If the incense smoke is interrupted while one attends the incense, the penalty is four sheng of oil. If the Dujiang (the one who presides over the exposition and recitation of the scripture and leads the chanting) is not careful in chanting the hymns of praise, the penalty is one jin of incense. If, when rising to proceed or returning to take one’s seat, one simply departs without making three bows toward the Jing, the penalty is one jin of incense. If the lamp goes out while one attends the lamp, the penalty is one jin of incense.

When incense is being offered, if anyone leaves without authorization on the spur of the moment, the penalty is one sheng of oil.

If the zhaizhu (the person who presides over the purification ritual) has not prepared the offerings in full, so that items required for the rite are lacking, the penalty is one jin of incense.

If the zhijiu (the person charged with inspecting and correcting faults) sees a fault yet conceals it and does not expose it, the penalty is six sheng of oil.

If, after receiving a guanwen (a document circulated during the purification ritual), one fails to report it, the penalty is three sheng of oil.

While the purification ritual is in progress, if someone leaves the seat on a pretext, flees, and does not return, and is reported by the assembly, the penalty is one dou of oil and one jin of incense.

If speech is lacking in solemnity, the wording is florid and frivolous, or private or vulgar matters are discussed, the penalty is one jin of incense, five sheng of oil, and three liang of cinnabar.

The Jinlu (the articles of precept governing the purification ritual) states that if those taking part in the purification ritual commit a fault during the rite, they are to be dealt with according to its gravity. For a comparatively light fault, the jianzhai (the person responsible for supervising the purification ritual) impeaches and penalizes the offender according to the particular circumstances. When a fault reaches a more serious degree, the offender’s merit rewards are to be suspended, the name struck from the register, and the matter announced openly to fellow practitioners; the offender is not permitted to remain on the ritual seat. If the jianzhai shelters or indulges the offender and fails to investigate and correct the matter, the jianzhai is penalized for the same fault.

If the senior seated ritual master commits a fault during the rite, it too is to be recorded and submitted to the jianzhai. Under the regulations, the penalty begins with suspension of merit rewards for three hundred days, and the master may no longer hold office on the ritual seat.

The Weiyi (the articles concerning ritual decorum) states that the goods exacted as penalties are handed over to the zhaizhu, who announces them to the assembly; thereafter they are used for communal affairs.

These prohibitions all come from the old codes of the Upper Officers’ Luminous Statutes of the Mysterious Capital. Their purpose is to guard against slackness and disrespect, and to examine and correct faults. The Celestial Worthy, compassionate and benevolent, takes pity on those who incur guilt through the “walking-corpse zhai”—that is, through improper conduct while performing the purification rites—and therefore established rules of punishment allowing them to redeem their offenses by offering incense oil, so that calamity may disperse and guilt not accumulate in the underworld. At the same time, those who have violated the precepts are led to feel shame and remorse, mend their faults, and return to the proper path.

Incense oil is not expensive, yet it is often difficult to arrange at short notice. The zhai assemblies that a Daoist priest holds within a single day are attended mostly by people who are not the fixed members of long standing. Once the ritual seat—the altar ground or ceremony at which the zhai is performed—comes to an end, everyone disperses, and the incense oil can no longer be collected. To contravene the provisions of the scriptures (Jing) on this account would only add to the guilt. Even those who have committed the gravest offenses may still seek redemption through abstinence and worship and thereby dissolve their transgressions; how much more should this be true of cultivators who take the precepts seriously? If the fault is merely a lapse in the ritual, it is also acceptable to use prostrations as the penalty. The number of prostrations should be set according to the gravity of the fault, carefully decided on the spot by the officiating officers, and solemnly announced to the patron of the zhai.

The methods of the zhai are exceedingly exacting, and the prohibitions are most severe. This is because the great gods of celestial perfection, the host of sages of the ten directions, and the multitude of spirits of the Three Realms all descend in person upon the zhai altar to observe and listen to the rite of practicing the Dao (the Way); the Demon Kings likewise clasp their hands in salute, and the deities of every quarter come to guard the gates. The patron of the zhai should sweep and cleanse the residence and keep it pure, and sternly admonish every member of the household, old and young, so that quiet prevails both within and without. A marker should also be set at the entrance to decline visitors, lest outsiders and laypeople come and go at will and offend the zhai altar.

Men and women of sincere faith who revere and cherish the methods of the Dao (Dao) should fasten their sashes, preserve purity and stillness, and come to hear the teaching and observe the Zhaijiao (purification ritual). On arriving, they should take their seats in separate places and must not sit mixed together in disorder. The zhai host—the person who presides over the purification ritual—whether old or young, must fasten the sash and wear proper shoes, and must not dress in a disheveled manner or behave casually. If matters need to be arranged, one should speak in a soft and gentle voice and must not call loudly to one another. A voice that is too high or too hurried will startle the celestial perfected, the true spirits of the heavenly realm, and offend the prohibitions of the spirits.

If a guest or the zhai host has a sorrowful matter at home, even if the two have not yet met, they should treat each other in the ordinary way. They should not offer mutual condolences, nor face one another with voices of grief. If the guest is of low station and the zhai host of high station, the difference between them is like that between tile and jade. Worldly sentiment and social custom often leave people unable to reach a full understanding; even when they rely on the methods of the Dao, they may still fail to revere the Daoist priest. The methods of the Dao are exalted, and the Dao and De (Virtue/Power) are precious; nothing under heaven stands higher than this. Even if a Daoist priest is of humble status, the aspiration he establishes is lofty and far-reaching. Since the zhai host hopes to apprehend the profound and subtle principle and looks to pray with a sincere heart for grace and protection, he should be humble and yielding, lower himself, and show respect. When one receives others with an empty heart, good virtue gathers, and blessings and happy occasions arrive one after another. One must not cling in stubborn resistance, nor act with arrogance and discourtesy. To slight a Daoist priest is to cut off communion with the hidden and unseen realm and to fail to receive its mysterious grace.

When heaven sends down rain, it moistens the myriad things everywhere and does not favor any one place; yet streams are often full, while the mountain peaks receive no moisture, because the mountains stand high and steep and have nowhere to hold the flowing water. The Eastern Sea becomes the place where the hundred rivers converge not by relying on might to force them into submission, but because it is exceedingly vast and lies low, able to contain all things. Therefore all waters gather there. If there are young children not yet able to observe the fast, they must not be allowed to approach the zhi hall, the place where the purification ritual is held, nor to take part in the order of the ritual.

The purification ritual takes purity, stillness, emptiness, and clarity as its root; peaceful calm and quietude as its accomplishment; humility and dwelling in a low place as its foundation; and reverent treatment of others as its essential concern. The many streams converge here. If there are young children not yet able to observe the fast, they must not be allowed to approach the zhi hall, nor to take part in the order of the ritual.

Ritual fasting and abstinence take purity, clarity, emptiness, and stillness as their foundation, peace and tranquil simplicity as their cultivation, humility and lowliness as their root, and reverence and caution as the standard of conduct. While observing the fast, one must remain constantly vigilant, as if treading on thin ice or along the brink of a deep ravine; one’s bearing should be solemn and trembling, as if standing before an august sovereign. When a sentence of the scripture (Jing) is recited, one should rise and bow in worship, and at the same time concentrate on praising the good Dao (the Way), offering vows and prayers according to the intent of the heart. So long as the heart is sincere and earnest, a response is sure to come. The Dao-eye of the Most High—the divine eye by which the Most High surveys all things—constantly illuminates the good and evil of all living beings under heaven, without the slightest omission.