《洞玄灵宝八节斋宿启仪》

The ritual master—the Daoist priest who presides over the ceremony—puts on ritual vestments and holds the slips and registers. He leads the assembly of Daoists to form ranks in the prescribed positions and, following the regular rite, they carry banners, offer flowers, and hold pennants, standards, and other ritual implements.

When entering the gate of the hall by day, one first offers an invocation, clicks the teeth three times, and recites:

“Officers of the Four Brilliances, Envoys Who Communicate with the Perfected, Jade Lads Who Transmit Words, Pure Maidens Who Attend in Stillness: please convey my message to the orthodox deities within the chamber of the Dao (the Way). May the generative Qi (vital energy) of the Upper Prime enter my body.”

When the incantation is finished, one steps first with the left foot, then with the right, and enters.

When entering the gate of the hall at night, one first offers an invocation, clicks the teeth three times, and recites:

“Officers of the Four Superiors, Envoys of Dragon and Tiger, Living Qi of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity), Pure Maidens Who Attend in Stillness: tonight I have a prayer to present. May the Lad Who Opens to Brightness and the Maiden of the Upper Mystery enter the imperial palace together with me, so that what I pray for may be conveyed and all of it may reach the hearing of Heaven.”

When the incantation is finished, one steps first with the right foot, then with the left, and enters.

They then process in a circuit, one turn removed from the high seat, turn toward the west, and stand facing east. Next the dujiang—the Daoist priest who assists in presiding over the rite and intones the Keyi (liturgy)—chants, and everyone in turn pays respects to the masters.

They then practice visualization as the ritual requires, contemplating deities or the ritual scene within the mind.

In the mind one visualizes the direction in which the Scripture Master dwells and offers him three bows of the heart, praying that the master may attain the way of immortality and that one oneself may also be raised and delivered.

In the mind one visualizes the direction in which the Register Master dwells and offers him three bows of the heart, praying that the master may become a flying immortal and open the path of elevation and deliverance for oneself; that the ancestors of seven generations, together with one’s father and mother, may soon ascend to the heavenly realm; and that one oneself may attain the Dao, become a Perfected, and ascend into the realm of the formless.

In the mind one visualizes the direction in which the Master of Deliverance dwells and offers him three bows of the heart, praying that the master may be raised and delivered and ascend to the realm of the high immortals, and that he may open the path of elevation and deliverance for oneself, freeing one from the five paths and the eight difficulties, so that one’s name may be entered in the register of the immortals and one may at last become a Perfected Person.

Whenever the Dao is practiced six times in a single day, one must first pay respects to the masters; as for transmitting the scriptures and methods according to the ritual, this must be carried out with a sincere heart.

At dawn, when the rite of practicing the Dao (the Way) is performed, one visualizes azure clouds of Qi (vital energy) filling the hall of purification. The Azure Dragon and lions guard the hall, while immortal lads, jade maidens, celestial immortals, the sun and moon, the stars and constellations, the Five Emperors, and nine hundred million cavalry, together with the officers on duty who oversee the purification and the officials of the Three Realms, stand solemnly arrayed to left and right, their ritual bearing grave and majestic, without the slightest slackness.

At noon, when the rite of practicing the Dao is performed, one should visualize crimson clouds of Qi. The Vermilion Bird and the phoenix stand guard before and behind, and crimson clouds of Qi fill the place of purification; the nine hundred million cavalry, the officers overseeing the purification, and the officials of the Three Realms likewise stand solemnly arrayed to left and right, their ritual bearing grave and majestic, without the slightest slackness.

At noon, when the rite of practicing the Dao is performed, one should visualize crimson clouds of Qi. The Vermilion Bird and the phoenix stand guard before and behind, and crimson clouds of Qi fill the place of purification.

At sunset, when the rite of practicing the Dao is performed, one should visualize white clouds of Qi filling the hall of purification. The qilin, lions, and the White Tiger guard the four directions. The immortal lads and jade maidens are arrayed just as at dawn. Then, closing the eyes, one visualizes in the heart: the Five Marchmounts, the Five Immortals, and the Five Emperors stand guard within one’s own body; golden radiance shines over the whole person, and the entire body turns to gold. Light issues from behind the lungs, and upon the neck appears a round halo like the sun, illuminating the ten directions, so that body and mind, within and without, are all clearly visible. The practice of the Dao at all six periods follows this same method of visualization.

The ritual drum is struck twenty-four times.

The Most High Lord Lao of the Unsurpassed Three Heavens and of the Three Qi—the Mysterious, the Primordial, and the Inaugural—summons from within our bodies the Merit Officers of the Three and the Five, the messengers of the officers of the left and right, the dragon-mounted couriers of the left and right who bear incense, the Golden Lads who attend the incense, the Jade Maidens who transmit words, the directive talismans of the Five Emperors, and the incense officers on duty for the day, thirty-six of each. He further commands the earth gods of this place and the perfected officials of its jurisdiction to come forth at once and make themselves ready. I now burn incense, in the name of a disciple of the Great Dao, to establish the wondrous Lingbao Suqi (overnight invocation) purification for a given festival: the retreat lasts one day and one night, divided into three sessions of practicing the Dao and three recitations of the scriptures (Jing). May the pure and orthodox vital Qi of the Most High and the ten directions descend and flow into our bodies, so that the prayers I submit may be swiftly conveyed and reach directly before the throne of the Utmost Perfect Sovereign Emperor of the Most High Limitless Great Dao.

Note: “Practicing the Dao” means purification activities carried out according to the liturgy, including worship and visualization; “turning the scriptures” means reciting or proclaiming the scriptural texts. The “three periods” are the three times scheduled in the rite. In the original, the passage on the noon practice of the Dao appears twice; the above follows that repetition in sense.

Whenever a particular festival arrives, the Lingbao Suqi Miaozhai—the Marvelous Retreat of the Nocturnal Announcement of the Numinous Treasure, a rite of establishing a retreat at night, reciting scriptures, and offering prayers—is held for one day and one night. It is divided into three periods of processional worship and three periods of scripture recitation. One prays that the orthodox and true life-Qi (vital energy) of the Most High from the ten directions, the orthodox and true energy of life that comes from the ten directions, may descend and flow into our bodies, and that the matters we petition may swiftly ascend and be presented before the throne of the Supremely True Sovereign of the Most High Limitless Great Dao (the Way).

Each person announces his or her name, title, and status.

As disciples of the Three Luminaries of the Great Cavern of the Mysterious Capital of Supreme Clarity, carrying out the ritual of the Lingbao Suqi Miaozhai, I, your servant So-and-so, together with my companions in the Dao, sincerely present this memorial. We respectfully invite the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, of emptiness and spontaneity; the Most High Lord of the Dao of the Limitless Great Dao; the Most High Lord Lao; the Exalted Jade Emperor; the great sages of the ten directions who have already attained the Dao; the lords and elders of supreme truth; the emperors of the thirty-two heavens; the Supreme Emperor of Jade Vacuity; the Great Jade Emperor; the Luminous Sovereign Lord of the Dao, supremely true in the Numinous Treasure, of the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity upon the Mysterious Terrace of the Seven Treasures at the Golden Portal of the Jade Capital in the Mysterious Metropolis, embracing the Eastern Flower, the Southern Pole, the Western Numen, and the Northern Perfected; the Great Ritual Master within the Mystery; the officials of the Three Realms; and all divinities.

In all sincerity we lead one another, as disciples of the Great Dao, in performing the Lingbao Suqi Miaozhai of a given festival. On that night, in the ritual hall, we hold the nocturnal announcement, pay court to the true sages, send memorials upward, and pray that the divinities will graciously deliver the officers of the retreat and all the spirits. We also, as disciples of the Great Dao, perform this retreat rite: on that night, in the ritual hall, we establish the retreat and present our petition, praying that the true sages will show mercy and deliver the Nine Mysterious and Seven Ancestors of the retreat patron’s household—forebears and kin through the generations—together with deceased relatives.

Our prayer reaches upward to the emperor, the ministers who assist the court, and local officials, and downward to the masters of scripture, registers, and ordination, those who live in seclusion cultivating the Dao, and companions in cultivation. It also includes the nine degrees of kin and the household clan, the common people of the world, flying insects, crawling creatures, beings that walk and draw breath, and all living beings.

Now we burn incense and offer our bodies, our minds and Shen (spirit), and our lives, taking refuge in the Most High Limitless, the Numinous Treasure of the ten directions, the spontaneous supreme truth, and the unsurpassed Great Dao.

We earnestly beg that the sins accumulated by the patron of the retreat through former lives, past existences, and the present life, in the round of birth and death, be pardoned, so that he may leave the three evil paths—the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals—the ten sufferings, the eight difficulties, and the nine calamities, transcend the cycle of rebirth, and soon ascend to the heavens. We further pray that every member of the patron’s household, old or young, male or female, may receive blessings and joy and have all offenses removed, leave the three evil paths, the ten sufferings, the eight difficulties, and the nine calamities, transcend rebirth, and soon ascend to the heavens, so that the whole family may be complete in good fortune and their lives long and without end.

May we realize the Great Dao and become Perfected, able to fly through the void and ascend to heaven in broad daylight, to serve and guard the Lord of the Dao, roaming freely in the spontaneous palaces of the unsurpassed Golden Portal and the Mysterious Terrace of the Seven Treasures, forever united with the Dao.

May the matters we memorialize stir a mysterious response and be fulfilled, and may they ascend with the sound of our voices before the supremely true Limitless Great Dao.

We, your servants, with a single heart pay homage and take refuge in the boundless Great Dao (the Way) of the ten directions and in the Most High Heavenly Worthy of Lingbao (Numinous Treasure). We pray for the disciple who sponsors the retreat, and for the living and the dead of two generations together with the kindred of the nine clans. We fear that their inborn nature is dim and benighted, that their conduct has strayed from the true path, or that they have harmed living beings and gone against the principles of Heaven; that in everyday words and deeds they have not known what to avoid, and that the hidden sins and open faults they have committed are measureless and without bound. We now pray that, through the burning of incense and the practice of the Dao, these may be washed away and removed, so that peril may turn to good fortune and every wish may be fulfilled. May the rite proceed smoothly, free from censure or obstruction; through repentance and the acknowledgment of fault, may we move the gods to respond. We knock our heads and take refuge in the true and orthodox Three Treasures: the Dao, the Jing (scripture/classic), and the Master.

Veneration of the Scripture

Three Prostrations

Once More Announcing Name, Title, and Standing

We, disciples of the Three Luminaries of the Great Cavern of the Mysterious Capital of Highest Clarity, charged with performing the wondrous Lingbao retreat of the nocturnal announcement—your servants, so-and-so—respectfully announce once again to the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning, of empty non-being and spontaneity; the Most High Lord of the Dao; the Most High Lord Lao; the Unsurpassed Mysterious Elder; the Lingbao Heavenly Worthies of the ten directions; the great sages who have already attained the Dao; the lords and elders of ultimate perfection; the Great Ritual Master, the Celestial Master (Tianshi), lord within the mystery; the Supreme Chancellor and the Supreme Steward; the officials of the Three Realms; and all divine spirits.

Only through countless kalpas have we accumulated these karmic conditions, turning life after life within the ordinary world. Now we have been able to hear the mysterious teachings of Daoism and to grasp the source of the transforming instruction of Heaven and Earth. The golden books of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen), the Daoist scriptures, set forth in full what is deep and wondrous; we have also read with reverence the profound intent of the Five Thousand Words and understood the subtle meaning, mysterious and far-reaching, that lies within them. Yet our foundation remains unsteady, like loose soil, and our wisdom is shallow. We cannot leave the body and travel far alone, nor dwell long in seclusion among cliffs and cavern chambers. We can only take slight good deeds as merit, hoping thereby first to obtain deliverance. Wherever there is a heart that entreats, it is right that the matter be set before the gods.

Reading Aloud the Written Text

As the written text declares, the feelings set forth are sincere and earnest. Relying on the Great Dao, we pray for the deliverance of the living and the dead. We respectfully lead the whole assembly to clear away distracting thoughts and to cleanse body and mind, and we hold the wondrous Lingbao retreat for the occasion in question. The retreat lasts one day and one night and is carried out in three sessions according to the rite; it is proper that this be reported as it truly is.

Reading Aloud the Written Text

Having heard what was set forth above, each person cherishes a sincere intention in the heart. We rely upon the Great Dao (Dao, the Way) and ask that deliverance be opened for the living and the dead. Now, carefully supporting one another, we clear away distracting thoughts and cleanse body and mind, so as to hold, for a certain festival, the Lingbao Zhai (a Daoist purification rite). The fast lasts one day and one night: in the daytime there are three sessions of ritual procession and worship, and three recitations of the Jing (scripture/classic). The rite is performed according to the principles of Heaven and Earth; we hold candles and burn incense to make our prayer known. In the night dew we earnestly petition, hoping that our sincerity may ascend and come into resonance with the divinities.

We earnestly entreat the Three Supreme Worthies of the Most High (the three supreme deities revered in Daoism), the host of sages of the ten directions, and the Great Master Who Oversees the Fast (the master who presides over and inspects the purification rite) to descend in divine inspection and review the petitions we have presented. We ask that an edict command the officers attendant on the Lingbao and the true officials of the soil to work as one, guard the altar of the fast, sweep clean within and without, and dispel the distracting thoughts that disturb the human mind. May our hearts and spirits be settled, so that the true numina may be moved and summoned; may the purification rite be brought to completion without obstruction. Reverently following the method of the fast, we proclaim the precepts and the norms of the rite, so that all who take part together may abide by the teachings and admonitions.

After the ritual procession at dawn tomorrow, the presentation of memorials and reports will continue.

Stand upright facing east and recite the Hymn of Wisdom. Then face north, prostrate with the five limbs upon the ground, and turn the heart to worship the ten directions. The Daoist officers face east; the ritual master faces west and proclaims the precepts. Every aspect of ritual decorum must conform to the regulations.

The Celestial Worthy said to the Most High Lord of the Dao: “Now the sound of the Dharma should be proclaimed to all, to save and deliver living beings. For men and women of the faithful, dissolve calamities and drive away afflictions, seek the protection of blessings and the lengthening of life, and uproot the sources of every suffering. Let the living behold the Great Dao and escape the Eight Difficulties (the eight obstacles encountered in cultivating the Dao and hearing the teaching); let the dead rejoice in peace and ease, partake of the food of the heavenly realms, and soon be reborn in the human world as a Wheel-Turning Sacred King (the ideal monarch who rules all under Heaven by the true Dharma).

“All who cultivate the fast and practice the Dao should be single-minded, request and receive the Ten Precepts, and hold them carefully in memory. Concentrate and advance with vigor, silently hold them in mind, and enter deeply into realization of the Dao of spontaneity. Do not mix in delusive thoughts, lest body and mind be disturbed. Those able to do this may listen to the precepts with a quiet heart.

“The first precept: Harbor neither malice nor jealousy in the heart, and do not secretly give rise to thoughts of harming others. Restrain speech, be careful in action, and set the mind upon the true Dharma.

“The second precept: Hold firmly to benevolence; do not kill; show pity to all living beings. Practice loving-kindness widely, do all you can to save and aid, and let the benefit reach every living being.”

The first precept is that one must not harbor malice or jealousy in the heart, nor secretly harm others. Speech should be cautious, conduct should keep to proper norms, and the mind should rest constantly on the methods of the Dao (the Way).

The second precept is to maintain a heart of benevolence and love, not to take life, and to pity all sentient beings. Kindness should be bestowed widely and every effort made to rescue and aid others, so that all beings may receive benefit.

The third precept is to uphold chastity and rectitude, to yield with humility and keep to righteousness, and neither to commit sexual misconduct nor to steal. Wholesome thoughts should always be preserved; even when one suffers loss oneself, one should still help others.

The fourth precept is not to indulge in beauty and desire, and not to give free rein within. Purity and caution should be maintained, so that conduct remains clean and without stain.

The fifth precept is not to speak evil words, nor to utter extravagant, ornate, falsely embellished and untrue speech. One should be loyal and upright both inwardly and outwardly, and should not commit the faults of the tongue.

The sixth precept is to abstain from alcohol and to restrain one’s conduct, harmonizing one’s own Qi (vital energy) and temperament, so that the spirit is not injured and one does not on this account fall into various faults.

The seventh precept is not to envy others for surpassing oneself, and not to contend for merit and reputation. In all matters one should yield humbly, willing to step back and show consideration for others.

The eighth precept is not to comment casually on the scriptural teachings, nor to slander the Jing (scriptures/classics) of the sages. One should personally practice the methods of the Dao, keeping the heart clear and upright, always as cautious as if standing before divine beings.

The ninth precept is not to quarrel and dispute or to stir up talk, nor to pass judgment on the Four Classes (in the Daoist context, a collective term for practitioners or devotees of differing status). Otherwise one will incur the censure of Heaven and human beings, and will also damage one’s own Shen (spirit) and Qi.

The tenth precept is that in bearing and action one should hold to a mind of equality, bringing harmony and peace between human beings and spirits, while everyday conduct remains always steady and even.

The Celestial Worthy (Tianzun) said: If one cultivates and upholds these ten precepts, one can accord with the heart of Heaven. One should constantly practice the Way of great compassion, willing to benefit all sentient beings and to deliver universally the people of the world who are in hardship; one should humbly revere the Daoist teaching and must not grow slack halfway. It is better to hold fast to the good Way and die than to do evil in order to cling to life. Persisting in this way without retreat, one can leave the transmigration of the Five Paths (the five realms of life through which sentient beings cycle), no longer fall into the Three Evil Paths (hell, hungry ghosts, and animals), and receive the protection of the many heavens and the reverence of the myriad spirits. By long observing purification fasts and upholding the precepts, one will naturally be able to transcend the mundane world.

The Celestial Worthy (Tianzun) said: The Dao (the Way) is noble, the methods are subtle and wondrous, and the human body is likewise precious. Therefore the Dao has transmitted methods of practice and scriptures of precepts, in order to save and deliver body and mind. When the human body is delivered, one can ascend and unite with the Dao. Cultivation should be diligent and earnest. One should observe the zhai (purificatory fast) and keep the precepts; let the mind be peaceful and quiet, and make the will clear and lucid; turn single-mindedly toward the Great Dao, and give rise to no second thought. Cleanse body and mind, so that words and deeds do not go beyond the rules of the zhai and the precepts; be pure, empty, and still within and without, and at every moment accord with the natural.

On days of the zhai, one should offer incense and pray, so that the wishes of the heart reach upward to the celestial realms. The Patrol Officers of the Four Heavens (divine offices that patrol and protect the four directions) and the Awesome Spirits of the Ten Departments (guardian deities of the various departments) will then descend. They observe the conduct of those who cultivate the Dao, hear the sounds of the teaching that are recited, and examine the inner heart. If one cultivates the Dao according to the precepts, merit will be recorded under the names of the various heavens; fortune and misfortune will likewise be made plain, and the Dao will not fail a person. One should cultivate with diligence, receive the instructions and admonitions in earnest, and not listen to demonic words.

The Celestial Worthy said further: When the rites of the zhai are performed and the methods of the Dao are cultivated, the emperors of the Four Heavens all come, riding green carriages of flying cloud (green cloud chariots) and jade carriages of the Eight Effulgences (jade carriages of the celestial realm). Perfected Ones (Zhenren) and Jade Maidens follow in attendance, holding flowered banners. In front, phoenixes sing in response and lead the way; behind, celestial music accompanies them. White cranes and lions give forth harmonious and graceful cries. The host of spirits burn incense and scatter flowers, arriving through the void. They observe the ritual conduct of those who cultivate the Dao and hear the sounds of the teaching. When the Celestial Kings descend, the myriad spirits all come to audience. Since one can practice in this manner, how could one fail to follow the methods of the zhai with a whole heart?

Before cultivating the Dao, one should first receive and uphold the Ten Precepts, and only then practice the Way. One’s steps should be in order and one’s gait upright and graceful; mind and spirit should be calm, and stray thoughts drawn in. Whether sitting, rising, sleeping, or resting, one must not violate the ritual regulations. In this way one can gladden the various heavens and have one’s name entered in the Shangqing (the higher celestial realms of which Daoism speaks). This may be called attaining the Dao within the square inch of the heart.

Return the incense burner.

Envoys of Fragrant Sound, Dragon and Tiger Lords of the left and right (guardian deities), and the various Numinous Officers who attend the incense (divine officials charged with serving the incense fire), we ask you to cause the place where the purification rite is established and cultivation is practiced to bring forth of itself auspicious signs such as golden liquor, cinnabar and blue-green essences, and lingzhi, and to gather the hundred numinous spirits and all the Perfected before the incense altar.

May those who perform the purification rite, together with their families, enjoy peace, health, and long life, and may their deceased kin be elevated and delivered. May all living beings together obtain good fortune, receive protection through the seasons and the years, and may the people of the world all partake of this grace. We also wish that families everywhere in the ten directions enjoy peace and longevity, that the dead be elevated, that living beings share in blessing, that the four seasons receive protection, and that all under heaven receive favor.

We ask the immortal youths and jade maidens of the ten directions to guard and uphold the incense smoke, to convey upward what has previously been prayed and announced, and to deliver it directly before the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Sovereign.

Hymn on Upholding the Precepts: Praise of the Immortals of Elementary Learning (this is the title of a hymn of praise within the ritual):

Before the Mysterious Master (the profound teacher revered in Daoism), recite the hymn of merit-dedication, and afterward dismiss the altar according to the customary ritual.