《青玄救苦宝忏》

The presiding ritualist carefully keeps to the ritual station, reverently burns incense, and with a sincere heart memorializes on high, offering worship to the supremely true and peerless Treasure of the Dao (the Way), the Three Venerables of the Most High; the supremely true and peerless Treasure of the Scriptures (Jing), the venerable scriptures in thirty-six divisions; and the supremely true and peerless Treasure of the Masters, the Great Ritual Master of the Mysterious Center; together with the masters who transmit and confer the liturgy (Keyi) of the Yellow Register retreat, the Great Unity Heavenly Worthy Who Seeks the Sound of Cries and Saves from Suffering, the Perfected of Great Mercy and Great Compassion Who Saves from Suffering, the Perfected of Great Mercy, Great Compassion, and Great Grace, and the attendant true immortals and holy assembly of the Palace of the Eastern Pole and the Realm of Lasting Joy. May this stick of true incense be offered universally in worship.

The Azure-Florescence Realm of Lasting Joy is a celestial realm beyond sound, form, and color. In the Wondrously Majestic Palace of the Eastern Pole dwells the venerable deity of great mercy and great compassion. Throughout the ten directions this deity relieves suffering, and across countless kalpas delivers living beings, broadly opening the gate of repentance and clearing the path of salvation and ascent. Both the underworld and the human world rely on this aid; ordinary people and sages alike turn toward this deity. Whenever one prays with a sincere heart, the deity comes at the sound of the cry and brings rescue.

Now, in order to commend and deliver the deceased, the patron of the retreat establishes a Zhaijiao (purification ritual). Ninety-nine bows are performed to express reverence; sincerity is set forth item by item, and faults are confessed. We earnestly beg the venerable deity of supreme benevolence and virtue to discern the human heart and cherish life: to strike the deceased’s record of offenses from the registers of the underworld offices and forever erase their transgressions; and to bestow the Azure Slips of Eastern Florescence, symbolizing enrollment among the immortals, so that the deceased may soon be liberated and ascend. All bow their heads and take refuge in the Limitless Great Dao.

All should be reverent.

With utmost sincerity we take refuge and pay homage. Within the Holy Realm of Jade Clarity, in the Palace of the Clear and Subtle Heaven, inside the Yuluo Xiao Terrace, and above the pure, boundless array of all phenomena, this deity manifests a majestic sacred form and possesses boundless spiritual power. He proclaims the true and mysterious principle, breaking through the obstructions of such notions as being and non-being, form and emptiness. He rescues living beings of every kind, making no distinction between the clever and the dull or between high and low station. His wondrous functioning is hard to glimpse, and his numinous workings cannot be fathomed. He is the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning, of great compassion and great vows, great holiness and great mercy, who saves beings without measure.

I sincerely take refuge in and pay homage to the Boundless Savior of Beings, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, who dwells in the Yuyu Celestial Palace of the Shangqing Immortal Realm (the pure, subtle, and exalted immortal realm spoken of in Daoism). The Celestial Worthy resides amid purple immortal towers; his wondrous functioning is profound, and the subtle workings of his numinous power are hard to fathom. Of great compassion and great vows, of great holiness and great mercy, he broadly saves innumerable living beings.

I sincerely take refuge in and pay homage to the Boundless Savior of Beings, the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure, who, in the Yuyu Celestial Palace of the Shangqing Immortal Realm, abides within the Purple Tenuity Jade Terrace (the jade terrace in the Purple Tenuity celestial palace) and above the Jade Capital of the Mysterious Metropolis. He carries on the transmission of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, and his origin transcends the Xina Jade Kingdom (an immortal realm spoken of in the Daoist scriptures). He can enter a precious pearl as tiny as a grain of millet and draw forth the essence of what is truly mysterious and exquisitely subtle; and in the Garden of the Fragrant Grove he has many times expounded the secret essentials, using words to guide people toward the deeper meaning. His De (Virtue/Power) is inconceivable, and his spiritual powers cannot be measured; of great compassion and great vows, of great holiness and great mercy, he broadly saves innumerable living beings.

I sincerely take refuge in and pay homage to the Boundless Savior of Beings, the Celestial Worthy of the Dao (the Way) and De, who dwells in the Taichi Celestial Palace of the Taiqing Immortal Realm (the pure, tranquil, and exalted immortal realm spoken of in Daoism). He resides atop lofty golden towers, set amid distant layers of heaven; after passing through innumerable kalpas he was born into the world, and across twelve thousand heavens he proclaimed the teaching. The secret classic of five thousand words brings together the wondrous Dao of the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and Humanity; through more than eighty transformations he saved the world, receiving and guiding living beings of the six paths. His holy De is exalted, and his mysterious merits and practices are vast; of great compassion and great vows, of great holiness and great mercy, he broadly saves innumerable living beings.

I sincerely take refuge in and pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Great Unity Who Seeks Out Cries and Saves from Suffering, in the Upper Palace of the Eastern Pole within the Azure-Blossom Holy Realm. Under all manner of names he teaches and liberates living beings throughout the ten directions, and hundreds of millions of auspicious rays manifest his wondrous form. When living beings are moved to call, he responds and transforms according to conditions—this springs from his vast and profound vows. He takes the nine-colored lotus as the compassionate raft that ferries people across and, holding a willow branch, opens the dharma-gate of sprinkling sweet dew and saving living beings. He broadly saves innumerable living beings; he is the Great Benevolent and Compassionate One, of great compassion and great vows, of great holiness and great mercy.

We of the assembly, with utmost sincerity, take refuge in the compassionate honored deity, entrusting body, Shen (spirit), and nature and life entirely to that deity, and we offer our sincere hearts to the Supreme Sage. We think once more of a certain soul now departed: from birth until leaving the world, many unfilial faults were heaped up, and there was never time to repent. Some defied their parents and turned against the principle of Heaven—this is a most grave offense; some offended their parents-in-law and corrupted human ethical bonds—this too is fault. They were wanting in propriety toward their elders and forgot kinship and moral duty; after attaining wealth and rank, they betrayed the kindness of their teachers. They fell short in courtesy and yielding toward others, and were incomplete in providing clothing and food for their parents. Offenses such as these are without end. Now, before the Venerable of the Dao, we sincerely confess our faults and seek pardon. We respectfully pray that the Heavenly Worthy (Tianzun) issue a talismanic mandate to rescue and raise up the departed soul: may the hells no longer hold pain and wailing, and may wind and thunder cease their wrath; may the departed soul enjoy great blessing in the heavenly halls and ascend into the lofty celestial realms. The ritual assembly (the Daoist clergy taking part in the liturgy of repentance) takes refuge in the Heavenly Worthy and bows in worship with utmost sincerity.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, true body of the wondrous Dao (a Daoist honored deity who presides over relieving suffering and delivering the dead).

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who manifests the auspicious form of purple and gold.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who appears according to the capacities of living beings and, moved by their plight, hastens to their rescue.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun whose vows are vast and without bound.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Heavenly Worthy possessed of great holy De (Virtue/Power) and the great power to relieve suffering.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who manifests the auspicious form of purple and gold.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who appears according to the capacities of living beings and, moved by their plight, hastens to their rescue.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun whose vows are vast and without bound.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the greatly holy and greatly compassionate Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun of great mercy and great vows.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who manifests under differing names throughout the worlds of the ten directions.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who universally saves and delivers all living beings.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who, upon hearing the cries of living beings, responds and comes to their aid.

We, the assembly, with utmost sincerity entrust our bodies, our minds and spirits, and our lives to the compassionate honored deities, and with true hearts we submit ourselves to the noble sages. Once more we pray for a certain soul who has already passed away: from birth until death, this person committed many faults of disloyalty and unrighteousness, yet never found the occasion to repent.

Perhaps he once enjoyed a generous salary, yet gave no thought to repaying the kindness he had received, and when charged with duties found it hard to serve with full loyalty; or perhaps he held only a humble post, yet failed to fulfill it with diligence, seeking nothing but ease. In times of hardship he could not hold fast to his integrity even unto death; when he watched to see which side would prevail, his heart often harbored divided intentions. He kept silent and spoke in vague terms only to avoid suspicion, and he went against his true heart and feigned his manner in order to win a reputation. These transgressions are without end. Now, before the honored ones of the Dao (the Way), we sincerely confess and repent.

With reverence we pray that the honored deities may issue a talismanic mandate—Fulu (talismans and registers) together with commands endowed with sacred efficacy—to rescue and deliver the departed soul. May the hells no longer resound with cries of suffering, and may the soul be spared the torment of scorching on the bronze pillar and the agony of a body burned and ruined. May he enjoy great blessings in the heavens, ascend the Yaotai (the fabled terraces of the immortal realm), and wander there in freedom and ease. The ritual assembly, the Daoist clergy taking part in the rite, with one heart take refuge and worship with utmost sincerity.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (the Heavenly Worthy of the Great One Who Saves from Suffering), the true body of the Wondrous Dao.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who manifests an auspicious form of purple-gold radiance.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who comes in response according to the conditions of living beings.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, whose vows are vast and boundless.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to the Greatly Holy and Greatly Compassionate Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to the Greatly Merciful and Great-Vowed Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who appears in transformation throughout the ten directions and widely bestows salvation.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who universally delivers all living beings.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who, upon hearing a cry for help, comes at once in response.

We, the assembly, with utmost sincerity entrust our bodies, our minds and spirits, and our lives to the compassionate honored deities.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who appears in transformation throughout the ten directions and widely bestows salvation.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who universally delivers all living beings.

With utmost sincerity we bow in worship, paying homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who, upon hearing a cry for help, comes at once in response.

With utmost sincerity, we take refuge in the compassionate Venerable Deity, entrusting body, spirit (Shen), and both nature and life to Him, and offering our sincere hearts to the supreme and holy One. Once more we pray for the departed soul of a certain person, who from birth until death accumulated many offenses of taking life and causing harm, and who did not have the chance to repent.

At times, seeing others about to die and yet offering no help is akin to killing with one's own hands; at times, harboring the intent to kill goes against the principles of Heaven. Some have let go of their resentment only to seize the chance to do harm; some have accepted bribes, so that others were wrongly condemned. Some have pushed people into water to drown them, or driven others to hang themselves through coercion and extortion, acting with cruelty and without feeling; some have eaten the flesh of animals and stripped off their hides, remaining untroubled and unmoved, feeling no sorrow. Such offenses are endless. Now, before the Venerable of the Dao, the departed soul sincerely repents and acknowledges these faults. We respectfully pray that the Venerable Deity will issue a talismanic decree (Fulu) to rescue the departed souls: that they may leave the hells and no longer suffer the scorching of flames or the bitter, exhausting toil; that they may ascend to the heavens, enjoy blessing and joy, and dwell in a place of drifting mist and rosy clouds, pure and tranquil. The whole assembly of the ritual gathers together in refuge and pays homage with utmost sincerity.

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the True Embodiment of the Wondrous Dao (Dao), the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi (a deity of Daoism who relieves suffering and delivers the dead).

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi, who manifests the solemn and auspicious appearance of purple-gold.

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi, who goes in good time to give aid according to the capacities and responses of living beings.

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi, whose vows are vast and without limit.

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi, who is holy and compassionate.

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi, who goes in good time to give aid according to the capacities and responses of living beings.

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi, whose vows are vast and without limit.

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi, who is holy and compassionate.

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi, of great compassion and great vows.

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi, whose name is made manifest throughout the ten directions of the world.

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi, who universally delivers all living beings.

With utmost sincerity, we pay homage to the Celestial Venerable Who Relieves Suffering, Taiyi, who, hearing the cries of living beings, goes to respond and give aid.

All of us, with utmost sincerity, take refuge in the compassionate honored deity with body, Shen (spirit), and nature and life, and we offer our sincere intent to the supreme holy Perfected. We think once again of the soul of the deceased, So-and-so: from birth until departure from the world, faults were accumulated through indulgence in lust, and repentance was not made in time.

He may, on seeing a person of lovely appearance, have rashly aroused impure thoughts and lost his original nature; he may also have violated the ethical relations among kin of flesh and blood, failing to keep himself upright and destroying moral teaching. He sang sensual songs and spoke licentious words, disturbing people’s minds; with seductive dress and frivolous speech he stirred the desires of others. His conduct was reckless, even bringing ruin to the state and destruction to the family; indulging his passions, he further caused abortion and harm to children. Sins such as these are without end. Now, before the Venerable of the Dao (the Way), we repent with sincere hearts, and we respectfully pray that the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun) issue a talismanic mandate to save and deliver the soul of the deceased, so that the hells no longer echo with the wailing of suffering, and so that he be spared the pain of punishments such as slaughter and dismemberment. May he enjoy blessed merit in the heavenly realm, peaceful and at ease, feasting in joy. We bow our heads in refuge and worship with utmost sincerity.

With utmost sincerity we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (the Celestial Worthy of Great Unity Who Relieves Suffering) of the true body of the Wondrous Dao (the true body of the Dao, the honored deity who relieves suffering and delivers the dead).

With utmost sincerity we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun of the auspicious purple-gold appearance (the honored deity who manifests an auspicious countenance of purple and gold).

With utmost sincerity we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who comes in response according to the conditions and affinities of living beings.

With utmost sincerity we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun of vast and boundless vows.

With utmost sincerity we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, holy and compassionate.

With utmost sincerity we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun of great compassion and great vows.

With utmost sincerity we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who, throughout the worlds of the ten directions, teaches and transforms living beings under different names.

With utmost sincerity we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who universally saves and delivers living beings.

With utmost sincerity we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who, on hearing the cries of living beings, comes forth in response.

All of us, with utmost sincerity, beseech the Tianzun Who Relieves Suffering.

With utmost sincerity we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who universally saves and delivers living beings.

With utmost sincerity we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who, on hearing the cries of living beings, comes forth in response.

We, the assembled congregation, sincerely take refuge with body, spirit, and life in the compassionate Venerable Deity, and offer our heartfelt devotion to the Supreme Sage. We now think again of the soul of one who has passed away. From birth until death, this person accumulated the guilt of theft and never had the chance to repent. At times, seeing profit, they lost sight of righteousness and conceived the intent to steal; at times, they deceived the authorities, indulged themselves in improper deeds, and in the end left behind a record of corruption. Openly, they relied on power to seize what was not theirs; secretly, they used schemes to take possessions. Though they hid it from the eyes and ears of others, when they questioned their own heart they felt shame. Such offenses are without end. Now, before the Venerable of the Dao (Daozun), we sincerely repent and beg forgiveness on their behalf, and respectfully pray that the Venerable of the Dao will issue a talisman-decree (fuming) to deliver this departed soul. May they no longer hear the cries of suffering in the underworld, and be spared beatings with iron rods and golden mallets; may they enjoy the great blessings of Heaven and wander freely through Penghu and Langyuan (the legendary realms of the immortals). We bow our heads in refuge and offer our most sincere worship.

We sincerely worship the Heavenly Venerable Who Saves from Suffering, the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the venerable deity in Daoism who rescues beings from suffering and delivers the souls of the dead), true embodiment of the wondrous Dao.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, whose auspicious form is of purple gold.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who descends in timely response according to the needs of living beings.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, whose vows are vast and boundless.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, of great sagehood and great compassion.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, whose auspicious form is of purple gold.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who descends in timely response according to the needs of living beings.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, whose vows are vast and boundless.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, of great sagehood and great compassion.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, of great pity and great vows.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who manifests under many names throughout the worlds of the ten directions.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who universally delivers all living beings.

We sincerely worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who, upon hearing the cry for help, goes forth to respond and rescue.

We, this company of ministers, wholeheartedly and sincerely take refuge in the compassionate exalted deity to whom body, heart and spirit, and life all return, and we offer our devotion to the Supreme Saint. We think again of a certain departed soul who, from birth until death, accumulated transgressions through anger, yet had no time to repent. At times, without cause, this soul gave way to rage and a show of power, so that others could not rest in peace; at times, on some pretext, it erupted in violence and thereby brought upon itself the punishment of Heaven. It defied those in higher station, or wounded others with malicious words and sowed resentment; it also shouted and reviled without kindness, and with excessive cruelty whipped and tormented people. Such offenses are endless. Now, before the Venerable of the Dao (the Way), we repent in all sincerity. We respectfully ask that a Fuming (talismanic mandate)—in Daoism, a talismanic script representing the command of the deities—be issued to rescue this departed soul. May the hells no longer echo with the wailing of suffering, and may the fiery chariots cease their turning; may the departed soul enjoy great blessing in the heavens and roam freely along the cloud-paths. We knock our heads, take refuge, and worship with a single heart.

With a single heart we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Relieves Suffering), of Wondrous Dao and True Body—a venerated Daoist deity who presides over salvation from suffering and the guidance of departed souls.

With a single heart we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun of Purple-Gold Auspicious Appearance, taking refuge and offering sincere worship.

With a single heart we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun of Wondrous Dao and True Body.

With a single heart we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun of Purple-Gold Auspicious Appearance.

With a single heart we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who comes in response according to what all living beings seek.

With a single heart we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun of boundless vows.

With a single heart we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, most holy and most compassionate.

With a single heart we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun of great compassion and great vows.

With a single heart we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who manifests in the worlds of the ten directions and makes his sacred name known.

With a single heart we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who universally delivers all living beings.

With a single heart we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun who, upon hearing a cry for help, comes forth in response.

With utmost sincerity we all take refuge in the compassionate Venerable Deity with body, Shen (spirit), and nature and life, and earnestly pray to the Supreme Holy One. We further call to mind a certain departed soul who, from birth until leaving this world, accumulated faults through deceit and flattery and has not yet obtained release through repentance. Perhaps artful words were used to curry favor with ruler and father, and deeds contrary to right principle were done; or the good were secretly harmed and one’s own conscience was deceived, the guilt being especially grave. In dealings with friends, good faith was not kept; oaths were sworn to the gods with Heaven invoked, yet falsehoods were often spoken. Embellished words were used to cover improper conduct, so that trust could hardly be placed in them—one thing on the surface and another behind the back—truly detestable. Offenses of this kind are without end. Now, before the Venerable of the Dao (the Way), we repent with sincere hearts. We reverently pray that the Venerable Deity issue a talismanic mandate to relieve the departed soul, so that it may no longer suffer the cries of pain in the hells or the torment of freezing ice, but may enjoy great blessings in the heavenly halls, looking up to the radiance of the sunlight of grace. We reverently take refuge and worship with utmost sincerity.

With utmost sincerity we worship the true body of the mysterious and wondrous Great Dao—Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Saves from Suffering.

With utmost sincerity we worship Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who manifests the auspicious form of purple and gold.

With utmost sincerity we worship Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who comes in response according to the conditions of all beings.

With utmost sincerity we worship Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, whose vows are vast and boundless.

With utmost sincerity we worship the Greatly Holy and Greatly Benevolent Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun.

With utmost sincerity we worship Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, of great compassion and great vows.

With utmost sincerity we worship Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who manifests in the worlds of the ten directions and makes the sacred name known.

With utmost sincerity we worship Taiyi Tianzun, who universally delivers all beings.

With utmost sincerity we worship Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, of great compassion and great vows.

With utmost sincerity we worship Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who manifests in the worlds of the ten directions and makes the sacred name known.

With utmost sincerity we worship Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who universally delivers all beings.

With utmost sincerity we worship Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who, upon hearing a cry for help, comes in response.

We all, with wholehearted sincerity, take refuge in the compassionate honored deities, entrusting body, Shen (spirit), and life to the Compassionate Worthy, and offering our sincere hearts to the supreme holy Perfected. We call to mind once more a certain departed soul: from birth until death, he was proud and self-conceited, accumulated faults, and yet failed to repent in time.

At times he rode in carriages and on horseback, treating his peers with arrogance and harboring resentment; at times he slighted temples built of earth and timber, neglecting the true deities enshrined within them, and so incurred guilt. He looked down on high ministers and nobles, regarding them as ordinary commoners, while treating his own flesh and blood as if they were strangers on the road. Toward worthy and virtuous elders, a single bow with clasped hands seemed to him enough; toward the ordinary, mediocre people of the world, his heart instead drew close in fondness. Offenses such as these were without end.

Now, before the Honored One of the Dao (the Way), we repent with sincere hearts and respectfully pray that the Heavenly Worthy issue a talismanic mandate to rescue the departed soul. May the hells no longer echo with cries of suffering; may the departed soul be freed from the torment of the boiling cauldron; may he enjoy great blessings in the heavens and drink a cooling draught like sweet dew. We bow our heads in refuge and worship with sincere hearts.

With sincere hearts we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Great Unity Heavenly Worthy Who Saves from Suffering—the honored deity in Daoism who delivers the souls of the dead and relieves suffering: his true body embodies the mysterious Great Dao.

With sincere hearts we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun: he manifests an auspicious bodily form of purple-gold.

With sincere hearts we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun: he comes to the rescue in accord with the capacities of living beings and their resonant response.

With sincere hearts we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun: his vows are vast and boundless.

With sincere hearts we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun: his bodily form is supremely excellent.

With sincere hearts we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun: he comes to the rescue in accord with the capacities of living beings and their resonant response.

With sincere hearts we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun: his vows are vast and boundless.

With sincere hearts we worship the Greatly Holy and Greatly Compassionate Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun.

With sincere hearts we worship the Greatly Merciful Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun of vast vows.

With sincere hearts we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who teaches and transforms living beings under differing names throughout the worlds of the ten directions.

With sincere hearts we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who universally saves and delivers living beings.

With sincere hearts we worship the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, who, upon hearing the cries of living beings, comes to their aid.

We, this assembly of servants, sincerely take refuge in the compassionate Honored Deity, entrusting our bodies, our spirit-consciousness (Shen), and our nature and life entirely to the deity, and we offer our sincere devotion to the Supreme Sage. Once more we pray for the soul of the deceased, So-and-so: from birth until death, many faults were accumulated, yet there was never time to repent.

Sometimes the teachings were practiced without concentration and without a single mind, and the regulations were thereby offended; sometimes the true Dao (the Way) was sought in half belief and half doubt, and calamity was invited instead. Trust was broken and covenants betrayed; others were blamed, and ghosts and spirits were resented. The purification fast was broken and the precepts violated; the holy spirits were deceived and Heaven was betrayed. Assent was spoken with the mouth while the heart went against it; undertakings began in diligence and later fell into slackness. Offenses such as these are without end. Now, before the Venerable of the Dao, we repent with devout hearts. Reverently we pray that the Venerable of the Dao issue a talismanic mandate to deliver the departed soul: may the soul leave the hells and suffer no longer, and depart as well from the places of punishment, the sword-trees and the knife-mountains; may it enjoy blessings in the heavenly realms and attend in service beside the lotus throne of the Qianlin Grove. We bow our heads in refuge and pay homage with utmost sincerity.

With utmost heart we pay homage to the true body of the mysterious and wondrous Great Dao—Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Saves from Suffering.

With utmost heart we pay homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Saves from Suffering, who manifests the auspicious form of purple and gold.

With utmost heart we pay homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Saves from Suffering, who appears in answer to the prayers of all beings and comes in response.

With utmost heart we pay homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Saves from Suffering, whose vows are vast and boundless.

With utmost heart we pay homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Saves from Suffering, most holy and most compassionate.

With utmost heart we pay homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Saves from Suffering, of great compassion and great vows.

With utmost heart we pay homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Saves from Suffering, who teaches all beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions under different names.

With utmost heart we pay homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Saves from Suffering, who universally saves and delivers all beings.

With utmost heart we pay homage to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Great Unity Who Saves from Suffering, who follows the cries of all beings and comes in response.

Three times the invocation is made, and three times homage is paid.

When people suffer and cry out to Heaven for help, this is only natural human feeling; to cherish life and come to the aid of all beings is the innate nature of our Daoist tradition in according with the natural order. So long as the heart is sincere, one will surely move the gods and spirits to descend and grant their protection.

Now the scriptural scrolls (Jing) have all been recited and proclaimed. Praying with earnest and pure hearts, we have fortunately attained communion. We rejoice that both the living and the dead receive grace, and we trust that both the netherworld and the human world may partake of this blessing.

We respectfully pray that the Venerable Deity of Benevolent Vision who saves from suffering may ever manifest and transform throughout the vast dusty world to rescue all beings, and may ever, by the power of majestic divinity, help the beings in hell leave their suffering and ascend. We bow our heads in worship, take refuge in the Venerable Deity, and praise his merits.

Fengjing means the chanting and recitation of scriptural texts. Huixiang means dedicating the merit accumulated through the recitation of scripture, praying that it be transferred to all beings, and especially to the deceased.