《黄箓九阳梵炁灯仪》

Proceed according to the prescribed rite and recite the opening declaration.

Burn incense and make offerings to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (the venerable deity who saves and delivers the souls of the dead), the Jiutian Shengshen Shangdi (the Supreme Thearchs of the Nine Heavens Who Engender Spirits), the Jiuyang Fanqi Tianjun (the celestial lords who preside over the Brahma-Qi of the Nine Yangs), the Divine Lords of the Community Ordinances of the Nine Provinces, the underworld officials of the Nine Dark Hells, and all the holy hosts in the underworld charged with investigation and governance.

Reverently it is said: At the original beginning of the undifferentiated primordial, the Three Qi (vital energy—the three primordial vital energies that constitute heaven, earth, and the myriad things) lay stored in the Great Beginning; the radiance of the divinities was held within, and at the celestial pole it spread forth as nine lights. After heaven and earth were distinguished, the Yuanshi Tianzun (Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning) opened and revealed the method; by gracious numinous power, the divinities caused the primordial Qi to be distributed and interwoven. Grace flowed out into the human world, and from this the method of delivering people was transmitted.

Therefore the Jinlu (Golden Registers, the canonical texts of Daoist Zhaijiao [purification ritual] and Keyi [liturgy]) promulgated the rules, and the Yunbian (cloud compilations, Daoist Jing [scripture/classic]) set forth the teaching. Within the Jade Chamber of Purple Tenuity and the luminous cavernous void, above the emerald aurora of the Eastern Pole and the Initial Azure, the divinities manifested in visible form, their splendor illuminating the eight directions; patterned brilliance let down its radiance, vast and extending a full zhang. Secretly stored in the ninefold golden lattices, it shines upon the Qian Forest of the Seven Treasures; wondrous Qi condenses into form, and the numinous wind stirs and resounds.

The divine officers of the altar were able to present their petition and were granted leave to welcome the descent of the divinities, proclaiming and carrying out the rite; the souls of the dead in the dark underworld received grace, and were able to awaken, to understand, and to be delivered. Today the patron of the retreat, so-and-so, with a sincere heart turns toward the Great Brahma and bows before the Great Mystery. May nine-colored sunlight be bestowed, to shine through and break the layered darkness of the gloomy prisons. It is prayed that the myriad immortals stand guard, and that the Liuding (the six guardian deities spoken of in Daoism) lead the way in front, distinguishing the name-registers of good and evil and guiding the beings of the human world and the celestial realms toward the correct Dao (the Way). Revolving without cease, they universally deliver the endless multitude of living beings. Bowing in refuge, one praises the merit of the divinities.

Intone: “Suifang Jiuku Tianzun” (the Celestial Worthy Who Saves from Suffering in Every Direction).

Carefully light the divine lamp of the east, and bestow the Dizhen Baoming Yuanyuan-yi Huangyan zhi Qi (a primordial Qi spoken of in Daoism: the Yellow Evolving Qi of Primordial Unity of the Embryonic Destiny of the Imperial Perfected), shining downward upon the Hell of Wind and Thunder, to dispel the calamity caused by flying spears and drifting halberds.

Intone: “Suifang Jiuku Tianzun.”

The scripture opens by evoking the eastern position of Zhen, which represents the birth of spring and the sprouting of the myriad things: there the Qi (vital energy) of the year’s De (Virtue/Power) arises, and the myriad things grow in the east. That place is Yuyi, the eastern land as it was called in antiquity, where one awaits the rising of the sun. Jupiter governs the nine Qi, nine kinds of primordial vital energy, and the Ji lunar mansion has charge of the seven celestial markers, the stars bound up with the movements of the heavens.

Amid the splendid forest of kingfisher plumage stands a Youth of Opening Brightness; above the jade towers of azure auroral cloud stands an elder who faces the First Emperor. Now a certain officer of the purification rite, in order to deliver the form and soul of a certain deceased person—bodily form together with hun and po—and raise them to the celestial realms, lights the sacred lamps and performs the ritual of the Precious Stanzas of the Birth of Spirit in the Boundless Heaven of Yudan.

The assembly recites the precious stanzas in unison, intoning the “Qi of the One Yellow Unfolding”:

The Qi of the empty void mingles together, and soaring souls drift through a realm of deep and silent emptiness. The endless kalpa of Yankang, that long and inexhaustible cosmic age, has long since passed, so remote that it seems to have departed from the origin. Suffering souls lie sunk within the nine nights; riding the morning light, they look for the Qi of Yang to rise. The Heaven of Dayou, one of the celestial realms spoken of in Daoism, opens a gateway through to the mysterious, and the Heaven of Yudan, one of the Daoist heavens, sends down the glow of dawn. Yellow clouds gather in the numinous storehouse, where numinous Qi is kept, and the two Qi of Yin-Yang meet. The embryonic origin, the fundamental vital energy of life, condenses, so that life may continue, and the roots of evil are thereby transformed and dispersed. Taokang, a Daoist deity, unites with Jing (essence) and Qi, lengthening the span of life; the refined essence of the Two Emperors drifts down like jade light. These pour into the gate of embryonic destiny, refining and nurturing Jing and Qi so that Shen (spirit) does not decline.

The Nine Heavens issue the Lingbao precious stanzas that command life, enabling the Shen of life to transcend and ascend of itself. The Yuanjun, an honorific title for Daoist goddesses, bars the gate of death, and the Sima intones the Cavern Songs, the song-stanzas of Daoist ritual. One person begins the chant, and the myriad Perfected answer in harmony; when it has been sung nine times, the deities of the various heavens come to pay court. The assembly bows reverently to the deities who have passed through the kalpas, rejoicing that this seedling of a former life may flourish in splendor.

We humbly pray that the image-wheel, the sacred wheel of the teaching, may spread its transformative teaching far and wide, that light may descend from the dragon’s jaw, and that divine power may course through the Three Realms, pardoning the offenses of all beings, so that all may awaken to the great Dao (the Way) and together enter the Great Vehicle, the realm of cultivation that universally delivers beings. Once the Dao is attained, they ascend into the formless realm.

Reverently, in the southeast, a single sacred lamp is lit, spreading the Qi of the Imperial Perfected’s Origin of Embryonic Destiny and the Purple Portal of Cavernous Darkness—the sacred vital energy used in Daoist ritual to protect life and open the unseen—shining downward upon the Copper Pillar Hell and breaking the suffering of bodies scorched and rotting.

The assembly raises its voice to invoke the Heavenly Worthy Who Saves from Suffering According to the Direction.

Here it is said that the sun rises from the southeast, its light vast and resplendent. The Xun position, one of the directions of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and situated in the southeast, occupies the place of centrality and correctness, rendering the myriad things pure and orderly. Set between rivers and seas, it does not contend, yet it stirs wind and thunder into mutual agitation. In the realm of Yuanfu Yongxian there is an honored deity who delights in living beings and delivers lives. Now the zhai officer, so-and-so, performs the deliverance of the body and of the hun and po souls of the deceased, so-and-so, so that they may pass into the yang world, and lights the divine lamp. May this lamp confer the Precious Chapter of the Life-Generating Spirits of the supreme Shangshang Chanshan Heaven of Measureless Longevity.

The assembly recites the precious chapter together, proclaiming the Qi (vital energy) of the Purple Portal—the Purple Portal being the mysterious gateway associated with the generation and transformation of spirits, and Qi the primordial energy of which Daoism speaks.

Measureless Qi condenses in the Purple Portal, and this exalted Qi is the King amid Heaven. It opens the gate of deliverance, so that the mysterious souls ascending in flight become fresh, clear, and pure; gathering and transforming, it sets them turning through the empty and mysterious realm. Thus the roots of former attachment are cut away, and one turns in remembrance to the origin and the ancestral kindred of old. The hun and po once sank into the dark, endless night and passed through kalpas long remote; now the kalpas are exhausted, and they may reach a flourishing destiny. The Imperial Perfected begin to manifest clear and luminous Jing (essence) and Qi, under the name Yuanyang, Primordial Yang. The infant Shi Boyuan forms the embryo in the Yellow Chamber—in Daoist cultivation, the place that symbolizes the inner elixir chamber—and keeps guard within it. The root is severed, the portal of death is closed, and the infant is warmly nurtured. Chanshan, meditative goodness, guides the numinous Qi, and mysterious breath nourishes the fragrant souls that fly to heaven. Splendid scenes set the jade-like body shining; once refined, a new form is naturally accomplished. Intent upon the mysterious Dao (the Way), one nurtures life in the upper realms and is ranked in the Bright Hall. The Great Void responds, the numinous and the marvelous meet, and the Precious Chapter of the Life-Generating Spirits is thereupon bestowed upon me. Chanted once, it shakes the Nine Mysteries; recited a second time, heaven and earth communicate. Yin-Yang Qi mingles and harmonizes of itself; when the recitation reaches nine times, merit and practice are fulfilled. The Great Saints celebrate the auspicious sign, scattering flowers in homage to Vast Space. All the heavens rejoice together, and every spirit bows in reverent worship.

In reverent prayer: may the divine carriage turn back, universally bestowing light and transforming according to conditions. May the Five Sufferings—the various kinds of affliction—be swept away, so that the deceased may proceed to Changle Qingdu, the pure immortal realm of which Daoism speaks; may the Three Paths—the evil destinies of the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, and the like—be abolished, so that they may enjoy the wondrous realm of the True and Constant. May all beings under heaven enter the Dao of the Great Vehicle and, having attained the Dao, ascend into the formless realm.

Respectfully, the zhi divine lamp of the south—a divine lamp used in the ritual—is made to shine, bestowing the Qi of the Imperial Perfected, the Changling Mingxian, origin of the soul’s life-mandate, shining down upon the Huoyi Hell, the hell of the fire-veil, and breaking the suffering there of swallowing fire and eating charcoal.

All raise the chant: “Heavenly Worthy Who Saves from Suffering According to Direction.”

Among the three kinds of primordial Qi (yuanqi, vital energy) between heaven and earth, the venerable spirit (shen) of the Red Emperor is styled the “Elder of Cinnabar Numinosity”; within the Palace of Double Yang (Chongyang Gong), the venerable spirit Jade Pupils presides over the palace court that refines and transforms flowing fire. At this very time, when the myriad things communicate with one another and display the vitality of life, may the deceased retain blessings that endure through countless millions of kalpas and are never exhausted. When the spirits hear the prayer, they come in response, and in accord with the intention of the mind they send down light.

Now the officiant of the Zhai (zhai, the purification rite), So-and-so, in order to deliver the late So-and-so, so that the hun (cloud-soul) of his bodily form may ascend into the heavenly realms, specially lights the divine lamps and performs the ritual of the “Precious Chapter of the Heaven-Born Spirits of Fanjian Xuyan” (Fanjian Xuyan Tiansheng Shen Baozhang).

The assembly together chants and proclaims the precious chapter, summoning the “Qi of the Immortals of the Three Luminosities” (Sanming xian zhi qi)—the numinous Qi associated with the Immortals of the Three Luminosities.

Xuyan, who presides over the Three Clouds, in order to deliver the late So-and-so, so that the hun of his bodily form may ascend into the heavenly realms, specially lights the divine lamps and performs the ritual of the “Precious Chapter of the Heaven-Born Spirits of Fanjian Xuyan.”

The assembly together chants and proclaims the precious chapter, summoning the Qi of the Immortals of the Three Luminosities.

Xuyan, who presides over the Three Clouds, says: The Qi of Mystery, Origin, and Commencement (Xuanyuanshi) differentiates and issues forth, and the boundless Qi of the Great Brahma spreads far and wide; splendid radiance appears, and venerable spirits like azure jade descend. The pure Qi of the Great Brahma soars amid the mysterious radiance, opening the road of deliverance, so that the souls of the dead in the Long Night are set free. Wandering hun and po (the cloud-soul and the white-soul) return at the proper time; the various kinds of primordial Qi gather once more and restore the root of life. The venerable spirit of the Great Emperor is called Yangtang, with the style-name Lord of the Eight Numinosities; the ninefold passes lead toward the path of Huilu, and from this the primordial Qi within the embryo is generated and rises to the Upper Prime (Shangyuan). Lingfan enters the deceased in the registers of deliverance and naming; the spirit Taiyi (Great Unity) assists his Jing (essence) and Qi, so that his lifespan may continue. In the Niwan Palace the seat of the Imperial Lord is laid out, and the Three Sections and Eight Effulgences (sanbu bajing) are each distinct. Hun and po once more draw in the Qi that had wandered and scattered; after nine transformations, one may of oneself become an immortal. The tones of the Nine Heavens are clear and lingering; the precious chapters wrought of jade cause the myriad spirits to appear. When the chapter is recited three times, each spirit returns to its proper station, and primordial Qi joins the gates of the Eight Chronograms. The Mysterious Pass (Xuanguan) closes the portal that leads to death, and numinous power stands guard over the source of the vital fluids. The spirits assemble according to the norms of response, causing the Bright Path, unseen, to turn the wheel of rebirth. We rejoice that the deceased sheds the old and is born anew like an infant, and we perform rites of praise for the scriptures of Dongxuan (Cavern of Mystery).

We pray that the forebears of the deceased through successive generations have all received deliverance and, through refining and transformation, have obtained the Jade Ointment; that kin of the nine clans rise together and are granted the Golden Liquor. May the Northern Bureau remove the ordeals of the great demons, and the Southern River still the disasters of flood. After attaining the Dao (the Way), may they ascend into the realm without form or image.

Carefully light the lamp of the spirit Zhi in the southwest, and diffuse the Qi designated Dizhen pohmingyuan dangshi mingyanyou, shining downward upon the Hell of Slaughter and Dismemberment, to break the calamities in which the deceased suffer hanging upside down, the cutting of the body, and other such pains.

All raise their voices in praise, inviting the Celestial Worthy Who Saves from Suffering According to the Direction (Suifang Jiuku Tianzun).

The great earth bears the myriad things; the place where the branches Wei and Shen lie occupies the center of the terrain. Brahma-Qi circulates as Tiangang moves, and in the quarter of the two lunar lodges Shen and Jing there appears the aspect of stars arrayed in ranks. May the light of the divine lamps shine downward upon the Hell of Slaughter and Dismemberment, breaking the calamities in which the deceased suffer hanging upside down, the cutting of the body, and other such pains.

All raise their voices in praise, inviting the Celestial Worthy Who Saves from Suffering According to the Direction.

The great earth bears the myriad things, and the two positions Wei and Shen occupy the center of the terrain. Fanqi, the sacred primordial Qi (vital energy), courses along the Celestial Gang, while the lunar mansions Shen and the Well are arrayed on the western side of the starry sky. The De (Virtue/Power) of the Great Numinous circulates far and wide, presiding on high over the realm of humane stillness. Myriad treasures are displayed in solemn splendor, and the hundred spirits all come to submit.

Now the Retreat Officer so-and-so delivers the form-soul of the deceased so-and-so, raising it toward the yang world of the living, and lights the divine lamp, observing the Divine Precious Stanzas of the Birth of the Gods in the Silent Tusita Heaven.

The assembly proclaims and recites the precious stanzas in unison, so that they are transformed and spread abroad by the Qi of the five directions.

Silent and without color, it is that to which the myriad lineages return; the Tusita Heaven stands high, matching the Daluo Heaven. Numinous and wondrous transformations divide into four kinds of vision; myriad streams of emerald hue and vermilion light stretch into the distance. Wandering souls do not return; once they depart, they enter the realm where hosts of demons dwell. The Divine Lord gathers the drifting, scattered Qi; his form moves with airy grace, and he refines it into pure white radiance. Life flourishes in glory and beauty, passing through spans of longevity like those of the chun tree; it follows Heaven’s motion and accords with the numinous celestial chart. From the void divine stanzas arise, and wondrous voices soar among the nine auroral clouds. At a single chanting, the myriad Perfected assemble; the immortals, light and at ease, gather into one household. The numinous visions of the nine revolutions stand complete, rich and blazing, like jade blossoms opening. The Tusita Heaven opens the realm of Dayou; all rejoice, and blessings endure long. The Supreme Sage turns the imperial carriage, and the infant suddenly sings with joy. Moved by this rare and splendid assembly, all together bow their heads and answer in chorus.

They pray that the radiance of the divine lamp divide into hundreds of millions of rays, with responses reaching hundreds and thousands of places; that the registers of life and death in the Nine Bureaus (the divine offices governing birth and death) be examined and corrected, and that the gates of transgression and blessing in the eight directions be opened. However humble one’s station, all may alike ascend to the realm of attaining the Dao (the Way); however inexhaustible their number, all may set the wheel of the Law in motion. Once the Dao is attained, they rise into the formless realm.

With care they light the Zhi divine lamp of the west (the divine lamp set out in the rite), dispersing the Qi of the viscera of the Imperial Perfected, of the life-origin, and of the central numen among the Five Immortals, so that it shines down through the Vajra Hell and breaks the torment of punishments such as the golden hammer and the iron staff.

They raise the chant, “Heavenly Worthy Who Saves from Suffering According to Direction.”

In the realm of the Golden Numen and the Yellow Elder, the forest of purple characters resounds in the land of empty azure; in the realm of Xina in the Jade Kingdom, Yucha towers above the prison of Fuluo. The eight kinds of majestic spirits shine in brilliant splendor, and the seven kinds of numinous Qi billow and flow. The stars distribute the Jing (essence) and Qi of Taibai, and the seat of governance lies in the realm of Lesser Yin. Now the Retreat Officer so-and-so delivers the form-soul of the deceased so-and-so, raising it to the heavenly realms, and lights the divine lamp, observing the Divine Precious Stanzas of the Birth of the Gods in the Pāramitā Heaven of Joy without Pride.

The assembly proclaims and recites the precious stanzas in unison, so that they are transformed and spread abroad by the numinous Qi within the five viscera.

The chariots of the Five Emperors come surging forth, and the mysterious gates of Heaven drift open. The host of deities tours the wilds of Huanghua (Yellow Blossom), wheels their numinous carriages about, and arrives in the realm of Jiaole (Lofty Joy). They take in the sights of ascent into the sky, yet find that the clear brightness of former times has for the most part passed away. The Palace of Taiwei (a palace in the heavens) turns its yellow banners, and the Perfected Lord Wuying (a Daoist deity) is commanded to raise the numinous pennant. The departed souls in the Bureau of the Long Night are then summoned, the gate of deliverance is opened, and the souls who are to receive birth obtain salvation and release. The Young Lord assists Huangning in governing bodily form and the spirit-soul (Shen); the Jade Writ (a sacred talismanic document) shines through the dark underworld. Through five transformations, Heaven and Earth are distinguished; with Qi (vital energy, the life-energy spoken of in Daoism) the primordial viscera are refined and nourished, the purple portal appears of itself, and from this the realm of the immortals comes into being. When the count of cycles has run its full round, the host of the Perfected assembles; Yang Qi is opened and, answering the summons, brings the many departed souls forth into life.

The Young Lord assists Huangning in governing bodily form and the spirit-soul; the Jade Writ shines through the dark underworld. Through five transformations, Heaven and Earth are distinguished; with Qi the primordial viscera are refined and nourished, the purple portal appears of itself, and from this the realm of the immortals comes into being. When the count of cycles has run its full round, the host of the Perfected assembles; Yang Qi is opened and, answering the summons, brings the departed souls forth into life. The Jade Maidens pour forth the five fragrances, and the Holy Mother celebrates a longevity of ten thousand years. The Three Realms (Heaven, Earth, and humanity, together with all the realms they contain) rejoice together, and all beings bow their heads in worship of the Celestial Worthy.

With reverence we pray that the host of sages descend into the hall and that the deities of the various heavens arrive. May the Ninefold Darkness (the depths of the underworld) open the Yeqian Forest, so that every departed soul may return to its original register of names; may the Blessed Abode of the Tenfold Return of the Numinous (the place, in rites for the deliverance of the dead, where one prays that departed souls be reborn into blessing) be opened, so that they may receive life anew in a future existence. All beings within the realm of the Dao (the Way) may enter the gate of the Dao; once they have attained the Dao, they ascend into the realm without form.

With reverence we light the lamp of the spirit Zhi in the northwest quarter and bestow the harmoniously infused Qi of the Exalted Perfected of Mandate-Origin in the Numinous Bureau of the Imperial Perfected, shining downward upon the hell of fiery chariots and breaking the calamities of blades, wheels of fire, and crushing beneath chariot wheels.

In unison they raise the chant: “Celestial Worthy Who Saves from Suffering in Accordance with Direction.”

With reverence it is declared: The wheel of the Law turns ten times, and the imperial gates are ninefold. The vault of Heaven is high and remote, gathering essential purity within three transformations; Qianyuan, the Creative Origin, is firm and vigorous, and is embodied in the six lines of the sovereign’s De (Virtue/Power). The Celestial Worthy occupies the honored station symbolized by the “four nines,” dwelling where the numbers of Yang reach their fullest extreme. Even without speech, there is a response that can dispel calamity.

In unison they raise the chant: “Celestial Worthy Who Saves from Suffering in Accordance with Direction.”

With reverence it is declared: The wheel of the Law turns ten times, and the imperial gates are ninefold. The vault of Heaven is high and remote, gathering essential purity within three transformations; Qianyuan, the Creative Origin, is firm and vigorous, and is embodied in the six lines of the sovereign’s De. The Celestial Worthy occupies the honored station symbolized by the “four nines,” dwelling where the numbers of Yang reach their fullest extreme. The prayer need not be spoken; if only there is a response, communion is surely achieved. Now the patron of the purification rite, so-and-so, delivers the bodily form and soul of the deceased so-and-so, that they may ascend to the celestial realm; for this reason the spirit lamps are lit, and the ritual service of the Precious Stanzas of Heaven-Born Spirits, of the Dongyuan Transformation Responding in Sound, is performed.

Together the assembly responds and intones the Precious Stanzas, proclaiming six times the harmoniously infused Qi.

Responding to the call, the Formless Realm—the celestial realm beyond material form and appearance—sheds a radiance that illuminates the ten directions. Divine spirits turn and transform, their movements leaving no trace, and the souls of the dead in the dark unseen likewise draw toward the ritual arena. The chariots of the spirits need not be driven; when the light appears, wondrous memorial texts arise along with it. The void is vast, as if without limit, and what is mysterious and lucid may also become a realm. Refining and transforming the substance of the embryo, one returns to the first beginning of life and long receives the welcoming guidance of the Dao (the Way) of Flying Mystery. If one covets accumulation, innate authenticity is lost; one should disperse deluded thoughts and await the constant Dao. Sever the obstructions wrought by the tree of womb and embryo, so that mind and Shen (spirit) may roam freely and pass beyond the dusty world. May one attain the assembly of the hidden mystery, awaken clearly to the principle, and forget even the discriminating mind along with it. May the Nine Heavens bestow their blessing and the earthly chronograms be in harmony; melting and transforming, may one return to Primordial Unity and ascend to the realm of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. Bowing the head before the numinous perfected, one takes lasting leave of the entanglements of the dusty world.

May all beings each rest secure in their proper place, and may pure practice—pure cultivation—open forth the light. Together they burn incense and scatter flowers and come to the place where the honored deities dwell; Fulu (talismans and registers) in hand, they together have audience with the Celestial Emperor. They cut off the root of evil karma within the cycle of the six paths and give rise to five kinds of good thoughts. Once the Dao is attained, they ascend into the formless realm.

Carefully light the Zhi Spirit Lamp of the North, and bestow the Qi (vital energy) of the Cavern Register of the High Immortals of the Mandate-Origin of the Primordial Palace of the Imperial Perfected, so that the lamplight shines down into the deep, cold hells and dispels the calamity of suffering and punishment in the cold pools.

Intone the sacred title “Celestial Worthy Who Saves from Suffering According to the Direction.”

Within the five Qi of Yuanming, the station of Kan is the Jing (essence) of Celestial One; the Black Emperor, assisted by twin stars, presides over the realm of Taiwei. The four seasons revolve and thereby complete the year; the myriad things each have a place to which they return. The divine mound of Yulong reflects the light of True Constancy. Clad in an azure skirt and feathered robe, he solemnly concentrates Shen upon the pure, still, and mysterious realm. Now the purification officiant, So-and-so, in order to deliver the deceased So-and-so so that form and soul may pass into rebirth in the heavenly realm, specially lights the spirit lamp.

Perform the Heaven-Born Divine Treasure Memorial of Numinous Transformation and Pure Assistance, the memorial text used in Daoist purification rites to summon beings and to present petitions.

The assembly reads the memorial text aloud in unison and reverently carries out the Qi of the Seven Cavern Registers.

The mysterious workings hold sway over the boundless heaven and earth, and the blended Qi (vital energy) returns to Fanfu (the place in the Daoist heavens where divine perfected beings serve as assistants). Wondrous designs set numinous transformations in motion; they operate unseen, untouched by the alternation of cold and heat. Following proper measure, they form a firm and well-ordered pattern, and with a sweep of the sleeve the soft feathered ornaments are brushed away. From immortal chambers like fine jade comes beautiful music; people drift upward and ascend to the lofty abodes of gods and immortals. A wheel of light like the full moon shines without cease, and the many perfected immortals stand arrayed in orderly ranks. The paths of the highest heavens lie remote and beyond reach, and Dongyuan (the profound and subtle origin) is deep and without measure. Graceful branches and leaves show through the emerald clouds and mists, and on the cool banks the shade of trees comes to rest. The gods roam at ease and take their delight; the Five Spirits (the deities corresponding to the five viscera) are glad at heart. When thoughts grow many and tangled, one gives a long whistle toward the luminous immortal companions. The five kinds of difficult barriers are removed in accordance with principle, and the pure, still mind finds ease of itself. The clear, refreshed hun and po souls return to their root and stand quietly in the void. Recited seven times, the layered passes open, what was blocked becomes suddenly free, and the divine spirits ascend. The unobstructed flow of transformative circulation arises from within; thereupon one chants aloud, raises the hands, and bows in reverence.

We pray that the causes and conditions of compassion endure through endless kalpas, and that this grace extend to all living beings. May the cool water of concentration (water symbolizing pure, settled meditative power) grow limpid, so that the myriad spirits are released from Yujue (the dark and obstructed realm); may the heavenly realms open suddenly and brightly, and the Six Ghosts (six classes of ghosts and spirits) be bound in Luofeng (the seat of the Daoist underworld). May the Dao (the Way) and De (Virtue/Power) flourish, and the beings of heaven and the human world rejoice together; once the Dao is attained, one ascends into the formless realm.

With care, light the Zhi divine lamp (the divine lamp offered in a zhi-shaped vessel) of the northeast, and send downward the condensed Qi of the life-source perfected spirits of Dizhen Huafu (the splendid immortal mansion where the imperial perfected ones of the heavens dwell), shining it into the Hell of the Boiling Cauldron, to break the suffering of being pierced by iron forks and boiled and steeped in scalding broth.

The assembly raises the chant of “Suifang Jiuku Tianzun” (the Celestial Worthy Who Saves from Suffering According to Direction, the venerable deity who rescues the suffering and delivers the dead).

Looking up, we receive the course of the stars and the Dipper and the turning of the year’s seasons; a whirlwind like a ram’s horn brings forth the breath that soars whirling aloft. Yin-Yang comes into harmonious union, and emerald clouds and mists spread out as a net-like canopy of heaven. Above lies the Hall of Lasting Joy and Blessing; below lies the dark, yin-cold underworld hell of the north. The sequence of the year proceeds from its beginning, and the myriad things likewise move from this toward their end. Now the retreat officer, so-and-so, delivers the form and soul of the deceased so-and-so, causing it to ascend into the yang world, and lights the divine lamps, performing the ritual of the Precious Chapter of the Birth of Spirits in the Heaven of High Void and Clear Brightness (Gaoxu Qingming Tiansheng Shen Baozhang). The assembly together proclaims and recites the precious chapter, and the transforming Qi of the eight directions gathers and condenses.

Above the clear, bright heights of heaven, auspicious clouds meet and gather, just at the time of celebration. The Jade Chapters (Yuzhang, the sacred documents of Daoism) give off a Qi (vital energy) of gentle harmony, and the solitary brightness of the scene is about to meet the spirits (Shen). Rosy radiance spreads forth; the spirits appear in solemn majesty, and not one fails to arrive with swiftness. The jade slips (Yujian, jade tablets inscribed with scripture or edicts) send out lingering, melodious sounds, calmly proclaiming the mysterious principles. The numinous voice shakes the void, causing the Nine Mysteries (Jiuxuan, the nine generations of ancestors, or the host of spirits of the dark netherworld, as spoken of in Daoism) to leave the obscure and gloomy realm. The response is clear, refreshing, and unobstructed, without stagnation or hindrance; coming and going are as easy as untying a sash. One who understands and receives the Shengshen Zhang (the Chapter on Generating the Spirits) may roam on high in the realm that knows no defeat. Mysterious light illumines the paths among the clouds, passing beyond even the realm of the immortals. Resonance has no fixed direction or boundary; for the moment one may by this means set in motion the Four Greats of heaven and earth (the four basic elements that constitute the myriad things). When one studies with single-minded devotion, bows the head, and recites, the host of sages together offer praise and rejoice.

We pray that the Heavenly Treasure Golden Scriptures and the Primordial Ancestral Qi of Undifferentiated Origin (Hunyuan Zuqi, the source Qi before heaven and earth were divided) may, in the Dragon-Han age (Longhan, a remote kalpic era spoken of in Daoism), open forth light and illumine the deep and hidden darkness. May the souls of the dead attain the state of flying immortals, and may even withered bones be restored to life in the human world. After attaining the Dao (the Way), they ascend into the formless realm.

We respectfully install at the center the Goblet Divine Lamp (Zhishen Deng, a sacred lamp set in a goblet-shaped lamp vessel), and bestow the Qi of the Imperial Perfected of the Marchmount Bureaus, Mandate-Origin, Natural Mysterious Illumination (the primordial Qi received by the divine perfected of Daoism, able to shine down in watchful protection), shining downward upon the hells everywhere and breaking the sufferings of the Knife Mountains and Sword Trees.

We invite the Celestial Worthy Who Saves from Suffering According to Direction (Suifang Jiuku Tianzun) to descend.

The most holy and most true honored deity dwells above the Three Realms (Sanjing, the threefold domains of the Daoist heavens), beyond the Daluo Heaven; formless and shadowless, the gods of the eight directions pay court at the Palace of the Seven Treasures. He holds in his grasp the primordial Qi of the heavenly realms and guards the guiding order of the central great earth. The awesome radiance of the Celestial Worthy Who Saves from Suffering According to Direction is stern and abundant, and his divine De (Virtue/Power) is lofty and exalted.

Now the purification officiant, a certain person, performs a rite of deliverance for a certain deceased person, hoping that his bodily form and soul may ascend to the yang realm; therefore he kindles the divine lamps and carries out the Precious Chapter of the Heaven-Born Spirits of No Thought, No Knot, and No Attachment (Wuxiang Wujie Wu’ai Tiansheng Shen Baozhang, a sacred scriptural chapter of Daoism). All together chant and recite the scriptural chapter (Jing), wishing that the Nine Mysteries may receive the Qi that shines upon and watches over them.

In the original text, the passage beginning with “They are spread forth; the spirits, in solemn dignity, none fail to advance,” together with the later hymn of praise to the honored deity, is repeated; the rendering above follows those repeated passages of the scripture and translates them according to their sense.

Unbound by any fetter, there is likewise no clinging of feeling; mysterious and more mysterious still, clarity shines forth within emptiness and stillness. Sinking and transformation follow no fixed course; even if one reckons their number, they are hard to measure. Who says that place is colorless, level, and empty of things? Hills rise high, ranged in layers without end. Quiet the mind and spirit (Shen) and let them move forward, and one may look for the clear spiritual consciousness to respond. Meeting a favorable opportunity does not depend on years of age; how, then, can the length of a kalpa’s course be weighed in numbers? Spiritual consciousness that drifts and scatters follows its former channels, and return to the fetal origin has its constant principle. Wondrous resonance reaches through to the Great Void; with flying steps one mounts the cloudy heights, as if treading cold ice. Fords and bridges, together with the direction of one’s aim, gather the myriad streams; within what is secluded, deep, and firmly settled, the true spirit is raised. Without craving there is naturally no sorrow; gazing up to the heights, one bows with the forehead to the ground in worship and ascends.

In reverence we pray to the Great Dao (the Way) of Wuwei (non-action) and to the Supreme Sovereign and Exalted Perfected (the honored deities of the celestial realm), who abide in the Dharma gate of compassion and skillful means and manifest forms of subtle, wondrous light. May one person receive blessing and become a minister of the Golden Portal (the celestial palace); may the nine grades of kin together attain immortality and jointly attend the assembly of the Jade Void (the celestial realm where immortals and perfected beings dwell). After attaining the Dao, may they ascend into the formless realm.

The Supreme Sovereign and Exalted Perfected abide in the Dharma gate of compassion and skillful means and manifest forms of subtle, wondrous light. May one person receive blessing and become a minister of the Golden Portal; may the nine grades of kin together attain immortality and jointly attend the assembly of the Jade Void. After attaining the Dao, may they ascend into the formless realm.

The recitation of the scripture (Jing) is complete, and the merit is dedicated in transfer.

With this, the ritual of the Yellow Register Nine-Yang Brahma-Qi (vital energy) Lamp Liturgy comes to an end.

Note: In the first line of the original text, “无结固无情,” the character “结” is unclear in the base edition and is suspected to be the character “上.”