《中天紫微星真宝忏》

We reverently consider that Heaven and Earth possess vast and generous De (Virtue), covering and bearing all living beings; the sun and moon emit radiant light, illuminating all things alike. To all who pray with sincerity, we beseech Heaven to look down and take note. Your servant, with pure incense, offers this sincere memorial and makes offerings to the Most Honored of the Three Realms, the Void Sovereign of the Great Dao (Dao, the Way); to the Great Emperor Ziwei of the Northern Pole, Lord of the Stars of the Central Heaven (the revered deity who governs the stars of the celestial realm); to the Celestial Venerable of the Longhan Primordial Kalpa, Sovereign of the Realm of Zhouyu, Father of the Dipper; to the Great Sage Marici, Mother of the Dipper (mother of the Dipper constellations); to the Most High Jade Sovereign Star Lord; to the Great Emperor Xuanqing of the Northern Pole; to the Sun Sovereign of the Solar Palace; to the Lunar Star Lord of the Moon Court; as well as to the Star Lords of the Five Directions and Five Virtues, the Star Lords of the Four Qi (Qi, vital energy) and Four Luminaries, the Great Sage Star Lords of the Heavenly Gang, the Star Lords of the Three Terraces and the Canopy, the Star Lords of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, the Star Lords of the Twelve Zodiacal Palaces, the Star Lord of one's Natal Destiny (the star deity who governs a person's year of birth and fate), the Three Elder Star Lords of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity of Shangqing, the Star Lords of the Annual Fortunes and Limits, the Star Lords inside and outside the Three Enclosures, the Star Lords of all the celestial bodies and the Milky Way across the heavens, and the thousand true ones and ten thousand sages of the Three Realms and Ten Directions. We respectfully invite all the Venerable Deities to extend their compassion widely and to take note of today's repentance.

We have heard: the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) gives rise to the two modes of Yin-Yang (Yin-Yang) and manifests the signs of the movements of Heaven and Earth, driving creation and transformation in silence and stillness. The lofty heavens array the constellations and display their brilliance, spreading radiance across the earth. The celestial circuit measures three hundred sixty-five and one-quarter degrees, and the stars bear eleven thousand five hundred and twenty hidden names. The stars move slowly or swiftly, lie hidden or turn retrograde, each following its own orbit and circling its corresponding region of the sky.

We reverently consider that the Star Sovereign, the Great Emperor Ziwei, dwells upon solemn jade steps and in the lofty jade heavens, governing creation and transformation and holding the pivot of the celestial realm. Residing peacefully in the heavenly palace, he oversees the affairs of the Three Heavens and directs the movements of the Nine Paths. The Seven Governors and Four Qi (the sun, moon, and the five planets, along with four kinds of stellar qi) carry out the celestial ordinances according to spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The multitude of stars of the Five Dippers guard the positions of Qian, Kun, Li, Kan, and the rest. The star of one's natal destiny shines bright and clear, and the stars of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity also give forth their radiance. The Gang stars circle in the vast void as guides, and the constellations look down upon the earth. The Way of Heaven does not speak, yet it answers; where there is resonance, petitions receive a reply. Heaven has no favorites among those it holds close, yet it constantly protects the virtuous; a person's endowment and destiny ultimately belong to Heaven.

We, your servants, take refuge in the star deities and reverently practice this precious repentance liturgy. We bow our heads to the Celestial Emperor, gaze up toward the Northern Dipper and its pole, and prostrate ourselves with all our hearts. Now we make petition on behalf of a certain person: from beginningless time until this present life, they have allowed a single thought of delusion to lead to reckless action, bound by the six sense faculties (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind); and they have indulged the three karmas of body, speech, and mind without awareness, accumulating the ten evil deeds. If these are not declared and repented, how could pardon be received? Therefore we state each fault in turn, take refuge, and prostrate ourselves, looking up to the Great Emperor Ziwei and the Most Holy Star Deities to bestow blessings. May all the true deities protect and watch over us, so that blessings descend universally and compassionate light shines everywhere, washing away the defilements of the three karmas of body, speech, and mind, purifying the six sense faculties, and allowing the Five Blessings to flourish and a thousand auspicious things to arrive together. We, your servants, gazing up at the holy assembly of the celestial court, filled with earnest devotion and reverence, prostrate ourselves in utmost sincerity.

Let all, with reverence and single-minded devotion, pay homage:

Pay homage to the Most High Jade Emperor, the Venerable Star Great Emperor; to the Great Emperor of the Northern Pole, lord of the stars in the Central Palace of Ziwei; and to the Celestial Sovereign Supreme Emperor of the Southern Pole in the Upper Palace of Ziwei. Pay homage to the Father of the Dipper, the Celestial Venerable Longhan Zujie Zhouyu Guowang, and to the Mother of the Dipper, Ziguang Jinzun Shengde Juguang, Empress of Heaven.

Pay homage to Yanguang Taiyang, Sovereign of the Sun Palace, and to Suyao Taiyin, Sovereign of the Moon Mansion. Pay homage to the Star Lord of Jupiter, of Wood virtue, in the east; the Star Lord Yinghuo (Mars), of Fire virtue, in the south; the Star Lord Mubai, of Metal virtue, in the west; the Star Lord Sichen, of Water virtue, in the north; and the Star Lord Zhenxing (Saturn), of Earth virtue, in the center. Pay homage to the Star Lord Luohou, chief of the Jiaoxian spirits; to the Star Lord Jidu, tail of the Jiaozhong spirits; and to the Star Lord Ziqi (Purple Qi) of Tianyi Huayang and the Star Lord Yuebei of Taiyi Huayin.

Pay homage to the seven stars of the Northern Dipper and their two attendant stars: the Star Lord Tanlang of Tianshu Yangming; the Star Lord Jumen of Tianxuan Yinjing; the Star Lord Lucun of Tianji Zhenren; the Star Lord Wenqu of Tianquan Xuanming; the Star Lord Lianzhen of Tianheng Danyuan; the Star Lord Wuqu of Kaiyang Beiji; and the Star Lord Pojun of Yaoguang Tianguan; together with the Star Lord Zuofu of Dongming and the Star Lord Youbi of Yinguang.

Pay homage to the six Star Lords of the Southern Dipper: the Star Lord of Tianfu, Overseer of Destiny; the Star Lord of Tianxiang, Overseer of Records; the Star Lord of Tianliang, Prolonger of Life; the Star Lord of Tiantong, Increaser of Years; the Star Lord of Tianshu, Deliverer from Calamity; and the Star Lord of Tianji, Bestower of Rebirth.

Pay homage to the five Star Lords of the Eastern Dipper: the Star Lord Canglin, Prolonger of Life; the Star Lord Lingguang, Protector of Destiny; the Star Lord Kaitian Dawei, Gatherer of Blessings; the Star Lord Daming Heyang, Preserver of Harmony; and the Star Lord Weiji, General Supervisor.

I reverently bow to the Star Lords of the Western Dipper: Baibiao Star Lord and Gaoyuan Star Lord. I also bow to those of the Eastern Dipper: Lingguang Huming Star Lord, Kaitian Dawei Jifu Star Lord, Daming Heyang Baohe Star Lord, and Weiji Zongjian Star Lord.

I again reverently bow to the Western Dipper's Baibiao Star Lord, Gaoyuan Star Lord, Huangling Star Lord, and Juwei Star Lord.

I reverently bow to the Star Lords of the Central Dipper: Heling Dushi Star Lord, Wohua Shangsheng Star Lord, and Chonghe Zhide Star Lord, together with Tiangang Jiedu Ziting Star Lord.

I reverently bow to Xujing Kaide Star Lord of the Upper Terrace, Luchun Sikong Star Lord of the Middle Terrace, and Qusheng Silu Star Lord of the Lower Terrace. The "Three Terraces" here refer to the celestial star officials of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Terraces in the heavens.

I reverently bow to the Star Lords of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions: Tianmen Star Lord of the Horn Mansion (Jiao), Tianting Star Lord of the Neck Mansion (Kang), Tianfu Star Lord of the Root Mansion (Di), Tiansi Star Lord of the Room Mansion (Fang), Tianwang Star Lord of the Heart Mansion (Xin), Tianji Star Lord of the Tail Mansion (Wei), and Tianjin Star Lord of the Winnowing Basket Mansion (Ji); Tianmiao Star Lord of the Dipper Mansion (Dou), Tianji Star Lord of the Ox Mansion (Niu), Tiannü Star Lord of the Girl Mansion (Nü), Tianqing Star Lord of the Void Mansion (Xu), Tianqian Star Lord of the Rooftop Mansion (Wei), Tianlin Star Lord of the Encampment Mansion (Shi), and Tianshi Star Lord of the Wall Mansion (Bi); Tianjiang Star Lord of the Legs Mansion (Kui), Tianyu Star Lord of the Bond Mansion (Lou), Tiancang Star Lord of the Stomach Mansion (Wei), Tianmu Star Lord of the Hairy Head Mansion (Mao), Tianer Star Lord of the Net Mansion (Bi), Tianping Star Lord of the Turtle Beak Mansion (Zi), and Tianshui Star Lord of the Three Stars Mansion (Shen); Tianjing Star Lord of the Well Mansion (Jing), Tiankui Star Lord of the Ghost Mansion (Gui), Tianchu Star Lord of the Willow Mansion (Liu), Tianku Star Lord of the Star Mansion (Xing), Tianchen Star Lord of the Extended Net Mansion (Zhang), Tiandu Star Lord of the Wings Mansion (Yi), and Tianjie Star Lord of the Chariot Mansion (Zhen).

I reverently bow to the Star Lords of the twelve palaces of the ecliptic: the palaces of Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo. The "twelve palaces of the ecliptic" here are the twelve divisions of the sky laid out along the Sun's apparent annual path.

The Star Lord of one's Original Destiny (the star deity governing the year of a person's birth), the Star Lord of Fortune (Tiande), the Star Lord of Emolument (Tianyou), the Star Lord of Longevity (Laoren), and the Star Lords who watch over one's annual fortunes; the Star Lords of the Three Enclosures, namely the Ziwei, Taiwei, and Tianshi Enclosures; and the Star Lords who preside over the sixty-year cycle of stems and branches and over the Yangtze, Huai, Yellow, and Han rivers.

After paying homage to the Star Lords, all kneel upright, take refuge, and repent.

We pay homage to the Star Lords of the Taiwei and Tianshi Enclosures, and to those who preside over the sixty-year cycle and the four rivers, the Yangtze, Huai, Yellow, and Han.

After paying homage to the Star Lords, all kneel upright, take refuge, and repent.

With single-minded devotion, we take refuge in our own selves, in the spirits, and in our nature and life (xingming). We reverently serve the Supreme Sages of the Mysterious Vault (the highest sages of the celestial realm), the Star Lords of the constellations, the Original Destiny stars, and the sovereigns who shine down upon the human world. We respectfully pray that you show great compassion, bestow your favor widely, and send down your vast grace upon all.

We have heard that the radiant star sages guard the Venerable Pole Star, and that the brilliant Northern Dipole, the seven stars of the Dipper, silently turns the transformations of the central heavens. Whatever is sought is answered, and no prayer goes ungranted.

Now we repent on behalf of a certain person. From beginningless time until this present life, there have been deeds of body, speech, and mind that were at odds with one another and created all kinds of karmic action. Greed, anger, and delusion were never stilled, and the six desires were given free rein. There have been killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct, as well as ornate and untrue words and deceitful lies. There have also been improprieties committed beneath the sun, moon, and stars, and offenses against the holy ones. Living beings have been harmed and the five grains wasted. These evil deeds are grave, the three poisons of greed, anger, and delusion have accumulated, and we have acted willfully without shame. Whether these sins were committed after being seen or heard, or were schemed in the heart or urged upon others, we now repent of each and every one.

We earnestly beseech the true Star Lords to look on us with clear insight and compassionate regard, to send down grace as vast as rain, to pity the foolish, and to forgive transgressions. May the stars turn so that destiny is at peace, each star remaining in its place and moving in due measure. Relying on the power of this repentance, we receive the merit of the mysterious Dao, and we vow to return to the right Way together with all living beings.

With single-minded devotion, we bow our heads and offer homage and thanks to the Three Treasures of the supreme and perfect truth (the Dao, the Scriptures (Jing), and the Master). We beg forgiveness of our faults, that destiny may be at peace and the stars move in due measure. May we receive the power of repentance and the merit of the mysterious Dao, and return to the right Way together with all living beings.

I have heard that when the heavens complete one Yuanhui (a great cycle in the Daoist calendar), a multitude of stars and luminaries appear; the Dao (the Way), supremely profound and mysterious, bestows the five blessings and extends its grace to all beings. Our worship of the Baochan (the Precious Repentance, a penitential scripture chanted in Daoist repentance rites) is now fully complete. We humbly pray that the many heavens observe with clarity and spread their grace universally, and that the stars shine down from on high and grant compassionate blessings.

We earnestly implore that all faults and transgressions be swept away, and that the offenses committed through the three karmas of body, speech, and mind, and through the six faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, be forgiven. May blessings reach all living beings, and may kindness and favor spread throughout the ten directions. We bow our heads in refuge to the Great Dao of Wuji (the Limitless), and sincerely invoke the name of the Celestial Worthy Who Dispels Transgressions and Extinguishes Sins.