《北极真武佑圣真君礼文》

The ritual service is held and carried out according to the rite.

It is heard that the celestial realm lies remote and profound, beyond the reach of words, while the signs of Heaven shine bright and clear, and only pure sincerity can call forth a response. The divine power of the Divine Lord Zhenwu has ever been vast, and the light of auspicious blessing shines over all the world. None who receive his protection dare forget to revere him.

With reverence we praise Zhenwu, who guards the celestial realm (a venerated deity of Daoism, also known as the Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Heaven, Xuantian Shangdi). He is the god who orders the world and bestows blessings on all beings, the Master-Minister of Jade Vacuity and the Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Heaven. His divine majesty is glorious and his De (Virtue/Power) is exalted. In Heaven he is honored as a great general; among humankind he is a deity who grants blessings. His numinous power is immense: every wish he meets and fulfills, and every prayer offered by living beings under Heaven receives a response.

Now the zhai official, so-and-so, reverently sets the thatched chamber in solemn order and sincerely offers homage, taking refuge in the Mysterious Heaven of the Northern Pole, gazing up at the deity’s majestic bearing, and presenting praise and ritual bows. Smoke curls from the incense burner, and we pray that this utmost sincerity may quietly ascend. The clear tone of the chime rises aloft, as though the deity’s great voice reached straight to the celestial realm. We respectfully pray that the deity, as if present before our eyes, descend to this place, behold the devotion of this hour, and wipe away the karmic offenses of lifetime after lifetime. The ritual arena is solemn and pure. With reverence and gravity we perform the rites before the Exalted Perfected (an honorific in Daoism for venerable immortals), offering praise and worship with a single mind.

Chant: “Celestial Worthy of the Transformation-Body of the Golden Portal.”

With utmost mind we take refuge and pay homage. Supremely honored and supremely holy, without beginning and without end, he commands five billion celestial lords and amasses hundreds of thousands of myriads of layers of Fanqi (Qi, vital energy—the pure primordial energy of which Daoism speaks). He established the root of the teaching of undifferentiated completion and is the ancestral master of the Great Dao (the Way). His majestic sacred form manifests compassion, and brilliant, perfect radiance illumines the sun and moon. In stillness he expounds the teachings of the Dao; within the Palace of the Five Brilliances the perfected immortals stand arrayed. In the void he discourses on the Jing (scripture/classic); within a single luminous pearl the whole world is contained.

All chant together in one voice:

In the Palace of the Golden Portal in the Daluo Heaven, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, of empty non-being and natural spontaneity.

I sincerely take refuge and pay reverent homage. The Dao (the Way) originally has no fixed name and is only provisionally called “Dao.” Honored as sovereign, it dwells upon the Seven-Treasure Terrace of Upper Clarity and presides over the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen) and the Nine Perfected, a collective designation for Daoist scriptures and cultivators of perfection. It widely proclaims the teachings of the Three Vehicles and opens forth the many profound and mysterious methods. With a floral crown it makes known the names of the myriad transformations; with robes of rosy clouds it reflects a radiance like five-colored auspicious clouds. It guides cultivators of perfection toward immortality and delivers the sages, establishing the ranked order of the upper and lower realms. It protects the peace of the nation and the safety of the household, enabling all beings to transcend the calamities that run from beginning to end. Recite in unison:

In the Daluo Heaven above—the highest heaven spoken of in Daoism—within the Palace of the Golden Portal: the Yuchen Lord of the Dao, Celestial Worthy of the Numinous Treasure.

I sincerely take refuge and pay reverent homage. He originates in emptiness and non-being, and his transformations are without end. Profound and still, mysterious and all-penetrating, he is the ancestor of teaching and transformation. He dwells at ease in the realm of Great Clarity and transcends the calamities that cycle from beginning to end. Recite in unison:

In the Daluo Heaven above, within the Palace of the Golden Portal: the Yuchen Lord of the Dao, Celestial Worthy of the Numinous Treasure.

I sincerely take refuge and pay reverent homage. He originates in emptiness and non-being, and his transformations are without end. Profound and still, mysterious and all-penetrating, he serves in the realm of Great Clarity as the ancestor of teaching and transformation, and among the Three Realms—the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm—as the King of Medicine. He generates and transforms the myriad things and presides over all the perfected immortals. He restores the dead to life and bestows grace upon dry bones. Wielding talismanic script—the Fulu (talismans and registers) written in Daoism—together with flying talismans, he destroys deviant demons. He once manifested as a green sheep and descended upon the land of Shu, and at Hangu Pass he appeared as purple Qi (vital energy). He leads people back to simplicity and purity, and he expounds the five thousand words of the Jing (scripture/classic) of the Dao and the De (Virtue/Power). He examines offenses and assesses merit, and he carries out his teaching according to the Twelve Divisions of the Dongshen, a category of Daoist scriptures. Recite in unison:

In the Daluo Heaven above, within the Palace of the Golden Portal: the Most High Lord Lao, Celestial Worthy of the Dao and the De.

I sincerely take refuge and pay reverent homage. The Dao is rooted in the Mysterious Origin and is the earliest foundation of the myriad things; its name and station precede the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate). At the beginning of the Chiming kalpa—an early kalpa-age in Daoist chronology—he attended the Celestial Worthy, and in the Kingdom of Quiet Joy he duly assumed the station of sovereign. Responding to the light of the sun, he manifested auspicious signs, showing that he himself has an origin and a source. From this the holy heir was born; divine spirits appeared, and his station is supremely exalted. Recite in unison:

Holy Father, Perfected Lord of the Grand Beginning; Holy Mother, Primordial Lady of the Taiji; the Exalted Jade Emperor, Celestial Worthy.

With wholehearted reverence, one takes refuge and bows in worship. Xuanyuan (the Daoist honorific for the Dao, the Way) responds by transformation and manifests its power; the stellar deity Wuqu displays his awesome might, bringing forth eighty-one forms over the course of six million years. Auspicious light opens like a brilliant sun, and within the Heaven of Tranquil Joy (Jingle Tian) he brings the divine spirit to birth. His Qi (vital energy) is received from the Three Nothings (Sanwu), and his bodily form is lodged within the Palace of Vast Cold (Guanghan Gong). The Dao is matched with the firm, generative power symbolized by the Qian trigram, and De (Virtue/Power) is one with the weighty, sustaining power symbolized by the Kun trigram. Dao and De take their root in spontaneity; his majestic power overawes the myriad things. He roams the four quarters of heaven and earth, inspecting and verifying the Three Primordials (Sanyuan: the Upper Prime, the Middle Prime, and the Lower Prime).

Auspicious light opens like a brilliant sun, and within the Heaven of Tranquil Joy he brings the divine spirit to birth. His Qi is received from the Three Nothings, and his bodily form is lodged within the Palace of Vast Cold. The Dao is matched with the firm, generative power symbolized by the Qian trigram, and De is one with the weighty, sustaining power symbolized by the Kun trigram. Dao and De take their root in spontaneity; his majestic power overawes the myriad things. He roams the four quarters of heaven and earth, inspecting and verifying the Three Primordials. The power of his vows is vast without limit, and his spiritual attainments and meritorious works stand foremost of all.

The response says:

Heaven-Stabilizing Zhenwu (the Perfected Warrior), the god of blessings who governs the world, Master and Minister of Jade Vacuity (Yuxu Shixiang), Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Heaven (Xuantian Shangdi).

Within the Palace of Vast Cold he condenses the three primordial Qi; within the Heaven of Tranquil Joy he receives the light of the sun. Empty and transforming, he accords with the Dao of spontaneity; Dao and De are exalted and lofty beyond compare. Above, he matches the vigor of the Qian trigram and brings the myriad things to birth; below, he is one with the weightiness of the Kun trigram and bears up the people. His majestic bearing shines in glory, mysterious and beyond all reckoning; he vows to cut down demons and deliver all living beings.

Respectfully following what is said in the First Precept for Cultivating Perfection (Xiuzhen Diyi Jie): “One must not steal in secret or plot in concealment, harming other things in order to seek benefit for oneself.” Humbly calling this to mind, I have violated this precept across many lifetimes. Now, bowing in worship before the Exalted Perfected (Gaozhen, the venerable divine perfected), I repent with a sincere heart. I pray that, by the grace of the Dao, my offenses may be pardoned in full.

Secret calculation and concealed plotting, the insidious harming of other things—the boundless karmic offenses thus created are truly hard to escape.

I now take refuge and bow in worship before the Exalted Perfected, repenting and praying that every karmic offense be removed.

With wholehearted reverence, one takes refuge and bows in worship. Above the realm of the Great Veil Heaven (Daluo Tian), within the Palace of Desirelessness (Wuyu Gong), he changes his titles and names, delivering the people of the world and saving the myriad things. Passing through forty-two years, he accumulates meritorious conduct reaching three thousand. His renown ascends to the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang), and the title Xuanwu (the Dark Warrior) is specially conferred upon him.

The response says:

Heaven-Stabilizing Zhenwu, the god of blessings who governs the world, Master and Minister of Jade Vacuity, Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Heaven.

He is a descendant of the divine immortals within the realm of the Great Veil Heaven, a bodily form transformed and made manifest within the Palace of Desirelessness.

Zhenwu liberates and transforms all living beings and brings relief to the myriad things, manifesting supernatural powers. He employs Fulu (talismans and registers), transmits talismanic mandates, and spreads the methods of the Dao (the Way).

Even creatures as small as insects and fish receive the grace of Heaven and Earth’s nurturing transformation; even things as frail as grasses and trees partake of this vast beneficence.

When Zhenwu’s merits and practice were complete, he was ranked above the host of immortals, and the Jade Emperor further enfeoffed him as Xuanwu.

In careful accordance with the second precept of the Xiuzhen (Cultivating Perfection), which says, “One must not kill living beings in order to satisfy the desires of the mouth and belly,” I reflect that, over many lifetimes, I have violated this precept. I now bow to the Exalted Perfected (honored deities of Daoism), repent with a sincere heart, and pray that, relying on the grace of the Dao, pardon may be broadly granted.

Killing living beings to satisfy the desires of the mouth and belly is a karmic offense without bounds, truly difficult to escape.

I now take refuge and bow in worship before the Exalted Perfected, repenting and praying that all karmic offenses be removed.

With a sincere heart I take refuge and bow in worship. The Exalted Perfected sits enthroned upon five-colored auspicious clouds, within the Palace of the Eight Effulgences. I listen to the grand teaching proclaimed by his golden mouth and gaze upon his majestic precious form, light shining from between his brows. Because Miaoxing (the one who here makes the respectful invitation) earnestly entreated him, the Exalted Perfected learned that the people of the lower realm were suffering undeserved calamity. Within seven days he swept away deviant demons, so that the trapped souls of the dead beneath the Nine Springs might be liberated.

In joint praise:

Zhenwu who stabilizes Heaven, blessed deity who orders the world, Prime Minister of the Jade Void, Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven!

His supernatural powers are vast, and his renown reaches the celestial palaces; the radiance of his talismanic mandate descends from the Jade Empyrean.

For a time his honored carriage is prevailed upon to descend into the Three Realms, and within seven days the Qi (vital energy) of demons and deviance is swept entirely away.

He then rides the azure dragon back to the sacred realm, receives the command of the Celestial Emperor, and guards the Dark Heaven.

Revered as the Unsurpassed Great General, he forever destroys deviant demons, returning the world to the Qi of the Dao (the primordial vital energy of the Dao).

In careful accordance with the third precept of the Xiuzhen, which says, “One must not engage in illicit sexual conduct and thereby ruin true nature, nor defile or treat the numinous Qi with contempt,” I reflect that, over many lifetimes, I have violated this precept. I now bow to the Exalted Perfected, repent with a sincere heart, and pray that, relying on the grace of the Dao, pardon may be broadly granted.

Defilement and illicit sexual conduct injure the upright Qi; the karmic offense is without bounds and truly difficult to escape.

I now take refuge and bow in worship before the Exalted Perfected, repenting and praying that all karmic offenses be removed.

With a sincere heart I take refuge and bow in worship. Zhenwu (the Perfected Warrior) ranks among the Four Saints, and his honored station stands higher than that of the drought immortals. He carries out the numinous talisman of the Great Emperor and wears the precious seal of Xuanyuan (the Mysterious Origin). Wherever demons and evil appear, he is certain to subdue them; wherever calamity and harm arise, there is none he does not eradicate. He moves like roaring thunder and rising wind, scattering clouds and mist and sweeping away demons as swiftly as lightning. And:

Zhenwu Who Stabilizes Heaven, Blessing God Who Orders the World, Master-Minister of the Jade Void, Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Heaven.

Zhenwu ranks among the Four Saints and wears the precious seal. Wherever demons and evil appear, he is certain to subdue them; wherever calamity and harm arise, there is none he does not eradicate. He moves like roaring thunder and rising wind, scattering clouds and mist and sweeping away demons as swiftly as lightning. And:

Zhenwu Who Stabilizes Heaven, Blessing God Who Orders the World, Master-Minister of the Jade Void, Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Heaven.

Zhenwu ranks among the Four Saints, peerless in courage and might; among the host of immortals his station is exalted, supreme and unsurpassed.

Dark azure hair is draped over his head, revealing an awe-inspiring divine countenance; in his hand he holds a divine sword and puts incantatory rites into effect.

Divine generals such as Tiangang and Taiyi (the Great Unity) obey his dispatch, and the altar gods and the City Gods likewise await his command.

Should demonic monsters and evil spirits dare to stand in his way, they are driven off and swept away as if by thunder and lightning, until every trace of them is destroyed.

In careful accordance with the fourth precept of the Xiuzhen (Cultivating the True), which says, “Do not destroy the undertakings that others have already accomplished, and do not sow discord among friends and kin,” I reflect that, through many previous lives, I have violated this precept. Now I bow before the Exalted Perfected (noble deities) and repent with a sincere heart. I pray to rely upon the grace of the Dao (the Way), that my offenses may be pardoned universally.

Destroying the achievements of others, and further stirring up strife and wrecking their plans—such karmic offenses are boundless and truly hard to escape.

I now take refuge and bow before the Exalted Perfected, repenting and praying that every karmic offense be removed.

With a sincere heart I take refuge and bow in worship. Zhenwu stands a thousand zhang in height, with the Three Terraces (Santai, names of stellar officials) above his head. He corresponds to the stellar Qi (vital energy) of the two lodges Xu and Wei (names of the lunar lodges), and is endowed with the Jing (essence) and Qi of both Water and Fire. He rides an azure horned dragon and a black steed, manifesting transformations without end … and vanishing without a trace.

I now take refuge and bow before the Exalted Perfected, repenting and praying that every karmic offense be removed.

With a sincere heart I take refuge and bow in worship. Zhenwu stands a thousand zhang in height, with the Three Terraces above his head. He corresponds to the stellar Qi of the two lodges Xu and Wei, and is endowed with the Jing and Qi of both Water and Fire. He rides an azure horned dragon and a black steed, manifesting transformations without end; he attends court at the Golden Portal (the celestial palace), shelters Kunlun, and his coming and going cannot be fathomed. And:

Zhenwu Who Stabilizes Heaven, Blessing God Who Orders the World, Master-Minister of the Jade Void, Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Heaven.

The starlight of the Three Terraces shines without bound, and Zhenwu’s divine countenance, a thousand zhang in stature, is without peer.

The lodges Xu and Wei gather his heroic numen, and the Jing and Qi of Water and Fire condense into his refined and beautiful numinous Qi.

Between the Golden Portal and Kunlun, Zhenwu passes up and down; the azure horned dragon and the black steed augment his divine majesty.

Light shines in all directions, and every living being in heaven and on earth reveres Him.

According to the fifth precept of the Xiuzhen, one must not slander worthy and virtuous people, nor display one’s talents or boast of oneself. I recall that, through many lifetimes, I have violated this precept. Now I pay reverence to the Exalted Perfected (honored deities of the Daoist tradition), sincerely repent, and, relying on the grace of the Dao (the Way), earnestly beg that my offenses be pardoned in full.

Slandering the worthy and boasting of one’s own De (Virtue/Power): the karmic offenses thus accumulated are boundless and truly hard to escape.

I now take refuge in and pay reverence to the Exalted Perfected, repenting and praying that every karmic offense be extinguished.

With sincere heart I take refuge and pay homage. His spiritual powers are vast and his transformations unfathomable. With hair unbound and both feet bare, he is stern and majestic. He treads and lays out the steps of the Dipper and sets in place the position of the Qian trigram of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), proclaiming incantations. With his fingers he arouses Kuigang (divine stellar agents among the asterisms of the Northern Dipper), protecting living beings from the beginning of the kalpa to its end. Moving in circuit between heaven and earth, he causes Dao-Qi (the primordial Qi, vital energy, of the Dao) to pervade heaven above and the world below.

Zhenwu, Stabilizer of Heaven; Fortune God Who Orders the Age; Master-Minister of Jade Vacuity; Supreme Emperor of Dark Heaven:

His spiritual powers are free and immense, and his millions upon millions of transformations can scarcely be told in full.

Clad in robe and armor, his bearing is stern and majestic; barefoot he treads the Gang and paces the Dipper, advancing with steps like jade.

Dao-Qi reaches throughout heaven above and the world below; from the kalpa’s beginning to its end, he cuts away demons and evil spirits.

Setting out the Qian trigram and treading the steps of the Dipper, he proclaims incantations, and every fierce demon and evil being shrinks back in fear.

According to the sixth precept of the Xiuzhen, one must not drink wine to excess, nor eat meat in violation of the prohibition. I recall that, through many lifetimes, I have violated this precept. Now I pay reverence to the Exalted Perfected, sincerely repent, and, relying on the grace of the Dao, earnestly beg that my offenses be pardoned in full.

Craving wine and eating meat against the precept: the karmic offenses thus accumulated are boundless and truly hard to escape.

I now take refuge in and pay reverence to the Exalted Perfected, repenting and praying that every karmic offense be extinguished.

With sincere heart I take refuge and pay homage. … At this point the original reads, “occupying the positions of Ren and Gui, charged with Jia and Geng, there is the eating of meat…” The wording is suspected of omission or corruption. In particular, “there is the eating of meat” does not connect coherently with what precedes and follows it, and its complete meaning cannot be determined from the text as it now stands.

I now take refuge in and pay reverence to the Exalted Perfected, repenting and praying that every karmic offense be extinguished.

With wholehearted devotion I take refuge and pay homage: the deity Zhenwu dwells in the ren and gui quarters, while the two generals of jia and geng obey his command and stand guard. The Lord of Thunder and the Mother of Lightning open the way before him, and the Earl of Wind and the Master of Rain see to his escort. The Eight Sha crowd about him before and behind, and the Six Ding divine generals—divine generals of the Daoist tradition—attend at his left and right. Wherever his divine blade points, a chill descends like frost and snow; when the great black banner, the zaodao, is unfurled, clouds and mist roll and billow with it. Chanted in response:

Zhenwu Who Guards Heaven, the blessed deity who protects the world; Master-Minister of Jade Vacuity, Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven.

The ren and gui quarters are the abode of the holy perfected, and the two generals of jia and geng magnify his divine might.

The Lord of Thunder and the Mother of Lightning shake the mountains and rivers; the Earl of Wind and the Master of Rain sweep clear the road.

The black banner unfurls and the clouds and mist roll; where the divine blade points, a chill falls like frost and snow.

Rainbow-hued pennants and precious standards descend from on high, and the spirits of the Three Realms all bow their heads and pay him homage.

In accordance with the seventh precept of the Xiuzhen, which says, “One must not crave without measure, hoarding wealth and refusing to give it away,” I consider that through many lifetimes I have violated this precept. Now I pay homage to the gaoshen—the Daoist title for exalted deities, perfected ones, and immortals—and repent with a sincere heart. Relying on the gracious favor of the Dao (the Way), I earnestly beg a general pardon for my offenses.

Through greed I have amassed possessions and refused to distribute them; the karmic offenses thus created are boundless and truly hard to escape.

Now I take refuge and pay homage to the exalted perfected, repenting and praying that every karmic offense may be extinguished.

With wholehearted devotion I take refuge and pay homage: the deity Zhenwu can divide his body and manifest in many forms, securing the state and protecting the household; in a moment he drives out pestilence, and in the blink of an eye he seizes demons and specters. All who have long been tormented by illness can recover health and peace; all souls sunk and stranded in the dark underworld can receive deliverance. Chanted in response:

Zhenwu Who Guards Heaven can divide his body and manifest, securing the state and protecting the household, driving out pestilence in a moment and seizing demons in the blink of an eye. All who have long been tormented by illness can recover their health; all underworld souls sunk and stranded can receive deliverance. Chanted in response:

Zhenwu Who Guards Heaven, the blessed deity who protects the world; Master-Minister of Jade Vacuity, Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven.

He drives out pestilence until no trace of it remains; he pursues evil spirits until they vanish altogether.

The sufferings of living beings are relieved, and the souls sunk in hell likewise receive rescue and raising up.

In securing household and state his merit is exceedingly great; both the living and the dead may rely upon this inexhaustible blessing.

Zhenwu accepts the people’s jiao offerings—the Daoist rite of erecting an altar to pray to the deities—descends into the human world, universally delivers sentient beings, and enables them to reach the other shore of the Dao.

In reverent accordance with the Eighth Precept of Cultivating Perfection: one must not associate with people of improper conduct, nor dwell in filthy and disorderly places. I reflect that, through many lifetimes, I have violated this precept. Now I bow to the Exalted Perfected (the high-ranking divine perfected beings venerated in Daoism), sincerely repent, and, relying on the grace of the Great Dao (the Way), pray for the universal pardon of my offenses.

Associating with people of improper conduct and dwelling in filthy and disorderly places creates karmic offenses without bound, which are truly hard to escape.

Now I take refuge in and bow to the Exalted Perfected, repenting and praying that all karmic offenses may be eliminated.

With single-minded devotion I take refuge and bow in worship. The deity Zhenwu patrols the grotto-heavens of the ten directions and surveys the various heavens; he punishes the rebellious and extinguishes demonic and deviant Qi (vital energy); he bestows blessings upon good deeds and chastises evil karma. He roots out wickedness and upholds the orthodox Dao, assisting the Supreme Deity in fashioning and nurturing the myriad beings; he relieves calamities and prolongs life, cultivating fortune and longevity for the people. And:

The deity Zhenwu who guards the celestial realms is the god who governs the world and bestows blessings upon living beings; he is also the Mysterious Heaven Supreme Deity, Prime Minister of the Jade Void.

He surveys the various heavens and executes the rebellious; he patrols the grotto-heavens of the ten directions and examines the host of immortals.

He punishes licentiousness and deviance, blesses good deeds, and displays majestic authority; he pardons offenses and records merits, widely bestowing grace.

Commissioned to root out evil, his kindness is inexhaustible; cultivating fortune and longevity for the people, his benefits are endless.

When his meritorious work is accomplished and affairs are settled, auspicious light returns; the multitude and the host of immortals all sigh in praise without cease.

In reverent accordance with the Ninth Precept of Cultivating Perfection: one must not be disloyal, unfilial, untrustworthy, or lacking in benevolence. I reflect that, through many lifetimes, I have violated this precept. Now I bow to the Exalted Perfected, sincerely repent, and, relying on the grace of the Great Dao, pray for the universal pardon of my offenses.

Where loyalty, filial piety, trustworthiness, and benevolence fall short, the karmic offenses created are without bound and truly hard to escape.

Now I take refuge in and bow to the Exalted Perfected, repenting and praying that all karmic offenses may be eliminated.

With single-minded devotion I take refuge and bow in worship. The Sweet Spring (a sweet and fine spring, traditionally regarded as an auspicious omen) appears as a propitious sign; spirits convey dreams that manifest numinous efficacy, guiding living beings so that they may universally obtain pardon.

Where loyalty, filial piety, trustworthiness, and benevolence fall short, the karmic offenses created are without bound and truly hard to escape.

Now I take refuge in and bow to the Exalted Perfected, repenting and praying that all karmic offenses may be eliminated.

I sincerely take refuge and offer reverent homage. The Sweet Spring (Liquan, sweet and fragrant spring water) appears and becomes an auspicious omen; the deity sends dreams and manifests an efficacious response. When the deity travels forth, sturdy dragons and beasts attend in retinue; when the deity appears, the form of the turtle and the serpent is displayed. Whether in every region under heaven or across the Chinese realm and foreign lands, people widely pray and offer sacrifice. From ancient times to the present, accounts of the deity’s manifest responses have spread among all. What follows is recited together:

Zhenwu, who guards the celestial realm, governs the world, and bestows blessings upon all living beings—the Master-Minister of the Jade Void (Yuxu Shixiang), the Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven (Xuantian Shangdi).

The Sweet Spring wells forth and becomes an auspicious treasure; divine grace is bestowed on all, dispelling the illnesses of the people.

People widely build shrines and temples to repay this vast kindness; honorific titles are repeatedly conferred, so that sacred virtue may be made manifest.

In the unseen realm the deity assists the orthodox Dao (the Way), so that the orthodox teaching may be propagated, and also directly manifests wondrous efficacy to relieve all beings.

The divine images stand in majesty throughout the Chinese realm and beyond; from antiquity to the present, people have continued to sacrifice with reverence.

Respectfully, the Tenth Precept of Cultivating Perfection (Xiuzhen) states: “One must not laugh lightly and rashly, nor let one’s conduct violate the true Dao.” I reflect that, across many lifetimes, I have violated this precept. Now, paying homage to the Exalted Perfected (Gaozhen, the Daoist honorific for noble divine perfected beings), I sincerely repent. Relying on the grace of the Dao, I earnestly beg that pardon be broadly granted.

Frivolous words and light laughter, and conduct that goes against the orthodox Dao—the karmic offenses thus created are boundless and truly hard to escape.

I now entrust my life and pay homage to the Exalted Perfected, sincerely repenting, and wish that every karmic offense be eliminated.

I sincerely take refuge and offer reverent homage: Donghua of the East, the Southern Dipper (Nandou) of the South, the Northern Pole (Beiji) of the North, and Xiling of the West, together with the Six Luminaries (Liuyao, six stellar deities), the Five Stars, and myriads of perfected sages. Their radiance illuminates every region under heaven, and their awesome numinous power is resplendent in the lofty heavens. Some preside over reward and punishment for good and evil; some hold authority over the length of life. There are the true sovereigns of the various heavens, the deities of the dark bureaus and the dragon palaces, and the countless holy hosts of the blessed lands and famous mountains.

Together we intone the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Worthies of the Ten Directions (Shifang Lingbao Tianzun).

With wholehearted devotion I take refuge in Zhenwu, the Perfected Lord Who Protects the Sage of the North Pole, and in the hosts of deities who guard him. The two stars, the lodges Xu and Wei, gather and condense the Jing (essence) of water and fire. The divine lords of the Heavenly Pass and the Earthly Axis, together with jade maidens, golden lads, and the other immortal companies, are all among them. The divine general who bears the great black banner holds authority and power. The stars Kui and Gang each keep the stations that arouse the majesty of thunder. The deities of the Six Ding and the Six Jia, the perfected hosts of the eight directions and the Eight Killers, the sages of the Five Thunders, immortal officials, stalwart warriors, valiant commanders and divine troops, and every numinous assembly endowed with awesome spiritual power—all these are the boundless holy multitude.

Whenever someone recites the liturgical text, the deities follow the Supreme Sage and together guard and protect the divine work. May all the deities give rise to hearts of joy and jointly bestow the power of support and protection, so that majestic De (Virtue/Power) may increase on every side, so that all may realize “Xiyi,” the dim and subtle realm of the Dao (the Way), and so that every sentient being may be delivered and brought to accomplishment of the unsurpassed Great Dao.

In a loud voice we chant “Leisheng Puhua Tianzun,” the honorific title of the exalted deity of the Thunder Department.

After bowing in worship to the Supreme Thearchs of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) and to the Perfected Lord Who Protects the Sage of the North Pole, we sincerely repent:

Gazing upward, we respectfully invite the Great Sage of the Primordial Heaven, the supremely numinous divine lord of Ren and Gui of the North. Ren and Gui are heavenly stems; in the traditional Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) they belong to Water and represent the North.

May you widely bestow compassionate creative transformation, open the boundless and supreme Dao, and bring all living beings of the dharma realm under your protection.

May you manifest your awesome numinous power, descend into the human world, and sweep away the demons and evil influences of the lower realm.

May you send down your gracious favor, relieve living beings without end, and liberate the souls of the dead who have fallen into evil paths and sunk into suffering.

From measureless kalpas past until this very day, we have passed through the round of birth and death.

We have wallowed in sound and sight, sometimes clinging to being and sometimes clinging to non-being. We have acted falsely, lost our original truth, and often deceived others by cunning artifice.

The seven emotions are in disorder and hard to cut off. The deeds of the ten evils follow one upon another, and our sinful karma grows daily more grave.

Our faith is not firm, and we give free rein to foolishness. Our sincerity is wanting, and we are often slack and lazy.

We eat meat and fish and forget to keep the prohibitions. We are sunk in fame and profit and have accumulated many faults.

In secret we scheme and resort to tricks, boasting of our abilities. We gloss over our errors and cover up right and wrong, damaging good faith and moral integrity.

We blame Heaven and reproach others, curse the wind and scold the rain, and give rise to resentment. We slander the Jing (scriptures/classics) and the true Dharma, so that ignorance—foolishness and delusion—grows without cease.

In buying and selling we use scales and measures that run high or low and are not true, cheating others. Beneath the sun, moon, and stars we bare our bodies, heedless of violating taboos and of drawing down impure Qi (vital energy).

We are mired in desire and attachment and cannot easily break free. Even when there is a bridge for cultivating the Way and a farther shore, we cannot transcend and advance.

This life has already gone astray, and we have entered heterodox teachings. In the life to come we fear we shall fall into a state of suffering.

Some will have their span of life and their store of blessings reduced by the celestial offices that govern longevity and fortune. Others, entangled by the karma of their sins, will suffer in the hells and form new bonds of enmity.

Life is as brief as the dew of early morning, filling the heart with dread; yet karmic offenses are as numerous as grains of sand in a river. This life has already strayed onto a heterodox path, and the next life may well fall into a state of suffering.

Some offenses cause the celestial officials to reduce one’s lifespan and store of blessings; others summon enemies and aggrieved foes in the hells.

Life, fleeting as morning dew, inspires dread; karmic offenses, many as grains of sand, are hard to redeem. Relying on the compassionate regard of the exalted Perfected Ones (Zhenren), we earnestly beg them to pity the people of the world, who have lost themselves. May they open wide the gate of compassionate skillful means, and look down upon our words of repentance and our rites of refuge and worship.

The ten evils, the six faculties—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—and every kind of karmic obstruction we wish removed by the power of the One Vehicle of the Great Dao (the Way). For enmities bound over lifetime after lifetime, we also wish that both sides lay aside their malice and repent together.

After repentance, we take refuge in the supreme, orthodox, and true Three Treasures: the Dao, the Jing (scripture), and the Master.

With sincere hearts we set our resolve and make these vows: first, may Heaven and Earth ever remain clear, bright, and at peace; second, may the sovereign enjoy a longevity of ten thousand years; third, may the ancestors of the nine degrees of kinship all ascend to Heaven; fourth, may Fengdu (the underworld) no longer pursue guilt; fifth, may the twofold Qi (vital energy) of Yin-Yang circulate without fail; sixth, may the five grains yield abundant harvests; seventh, may warfare cease forever; eighth, may the four seasons be free of pestilence; ninth, may all living beings be released from the bondage of karma; and tenth, may all who cultivate the Dao ultimately become immortals.

Through these ten vows we together form wholesome karmic connections, repenting the many karmic obstructions of living beings. We vow to accomplish the supreme Great Dao, and we pray that the Heart of Heaven examine and illumine the wishes of ordinary mortals. May the power of compassion become a ferry, universally delivering all beings to the farther shore of the Dao.

All the merit accumulated through the ritual praises offered up to this point is applied to the repentance of measureless offenses. May the Heart of Heaven extend through the four quarters beyond the heavens, and we pray universally that every living being may accomplish the wondrous Dao.

After the vows are made, we take refuge and bow in worship before the supreme and utterly true Three Treasures.

The recitation of the scripture is complete, and the merit is transferred.

Humbly we consider that merely to call once upon the sacred title of Zhenwu Dadi (the Perfected Warrior Great Emperor) can dispel the calamities accumulated over lifetimes, and that when many recite his true name together, blessings increase from generation to generation. Such grace is hard to tell in full, and no abundance of praise can exhaust it.

We reverently follow the Zhaijiao Keyi (the liturgical norms of the purification ritual by which Daoism conducts prayer, repentance, and related rites), look up to the venerable countenance of Zhenwu Dadi, solemnly set forth words of praise, and fully express the sincerity of our repentance. May Heaven’s hearing not be far off, and may human sincerity be able to move the will of Heaven.

We earnestly beseech Zhenwu Dadi, in boundless compassion, to pity all living beings, so that we may wash clean our former faults and be wholly released from the enmities contracted in the past. May good deeds be recorded in the cinnabar writings, life be prolonged, and our names entered upon the azure slips (the documents in Daoist scriptures that record merit, fault, and span of life). May our families be safe and long dwell in blessed circumstances; may the Nine Mysteries (ancestors and kin through successive generations) be delivered, all departing the dark obscurity of the underworld.

If the various blessings can be gained, what blessing is there that cannot be obtained? If the various calamities can be removed, what calamity is there that cannot be dispelled? May the host of divinities protect and aid us, so that all affairs proceed smoothly. Should these prayers be answered, how could I dare forget the grace and numinous efficacy received?

I reverently bow my head, take refuge in Zhenwu Dadi, and sincerely intone: “Fusheng Wuliang Tianzun” (the Heavenly Worthy of Boundless Blessings). This merit is inconceivable.

Note: A passage of prayer is repeated in the latter part of the original; the above renders it once according to its meaning.