《靈寶無量度人上經大法》Vol. 59

The Great Method of the Upper Scripture on the Limitless Salvation of Humanity through the Numinous Treasure, Scroll Fifty-Nine

Section on Refining and Delivering through the Three Lights

The Venerable Emperor said: “To deliver the souls of the dead from the netherworld, if one does not follow the Nanchang Refining and Deliverance liturgy, but instead uses only the talismanic Qi of the Three Lights—the powers of the sun, moon, and other celestial lights—to refine the souls, this is also called ‘the Numinous Treasure’s natural, limitless deliverance of humanity.’”

First, face the sacred image, burn incense, and bow three times. Then pray:

“Your disciple, of the surname [name], respectfully reports: I have heard that the Primordial Beginning Heavenly Worthy revealed the scriptures and teachings, whose source is the one Qi that arises from nature. The method of delivering life at Vermilion Mound comes entirely from the Three Heavens, appearing in response to changing things and circumstances. It brings forth the Red Script and circulates it in the world; it also reveals the Jade Register to transform and deliver living beings.

“Thus the Numinous Treasure tradition established purification rites, while the Cavern of Mystery expounded the teachings. Though the rites require careful, intricate arrangements, they call upon immortal conveyances that turn like wind-driven wheels, bringing auspiciousness everywhere. Now we should extend grace to the netherworld, so that all kinds of beings may receive deliverance equally.

“Respectfully, we invite the Sun Lord of the Left Palace of the Mysterious Capital of the Most High; the Perfected One of the Great Beginning, the Radiant Emperor Flower of the Sun, who illuminates the Cavern and the Numinous; and the Youth Who Scatters the Radiance of Great Light. We invite the Moon Lord of the Right Palace of the Mysterious Capital of the Most High; the Mother of Waters of the Stone Mirror, the Radiant Emperor Flower of the Moon; the Lady of Flowing Light; and the Youth Who Scatters the Radiance of the Full Moon. We also invite the Perfected One of the True Path, Correct and Upright, who refines light with the Crimson Bell in the Vermilion Palace of Nanchang; the Ninefold Flower of Deliverance; the Opener of Light from the Southern Heights, who delivers life; and all the other True Ones and Sages.

“We earnestly ask all the True Ones and Sages to unite the Three Lights of the sun, moon, and stars, illuminating sentient beings in the darkness, delivering and refining beings of every kind, and making manifest a universal salvation that reaches everywhere.”

Recite: “Heavenly Worthy of the Sun and Moon’s Universal Illumination.”

Next, take up the bright candle and water, and recite the incantation:

“The radiance of the red elixir furnace, the perfect light of the ninefold brightness. The sun’s radiance opens the dawn, illuminating the vermilion essence. The Five Emperors reveal rosy clouds, shining upon the Cavern Heaven, and all things suddenly become clear. The Supreme Perfected follows the laws of the Mysterious Heaven, circulating Qi and refining radiance, sending it flowing through the Five Forms. Refine my spirit and Qi, transforming them and filling the six viscera with life. May I stand alongside the Emperor, the Great One, and the Unmanifest Hero; ride the crimson clouds and drive the chariot of yang fire; ascend into the sun and unite with the Emperor. May my lifespan endure as long as Heaven and Earth, complement the sun and moon in their celestial courses, and unite with the Dao in perfection.”

Then burn the talisman over the candle and place it in the water.

Recite: “Heavenly Worthy of the Nine Lights’ Refining and Deliverance.”

Next, take up the bright candle and water, and recite the incantation:

“Yellow essence sets into motion; primordial Yin shines within. It illuminates the Great Mystery and penetrates everywhere. Cold winds scatter the clouds; the seven stars hang high like jade. Yin Qi turns back and joins with Heaven and Earth, giving forth light. Purple radiance travels and disperses; floating brilliance fills the nine heavens. Perfect, radiant light bestows color, bringing the Six Qi into harmonious flow…”

The original text breaks off here.

The Ladies of the Five Emperors, goddesses of the Celestial Emperors of the Five Directions, ride the clouds and wind. Their scarves are wrapped in swirling spiritual energy, and they wear fine jade and jade ornaments. Their feathered robes and long skirts sweep across the heavens, and they hold fans that send forth clouds. In the East, they plant a divine tree and spread out the canopy of dawn. Its branches and leaves flourish, reaching straight into the lofty clouds. A curtain of clouds, smooth as silk, supports and nourishes the King of Wood, allowing its roots to grow deep and reach through the caverns, while its shade extends for ten thousand miles. My body and mind unite with the spirit and Qi (vital energy), transforming into the numinous essence of the Six Mysteries. Full and abundant, I return to my origin, pure as an infant. Jade light shines upon me, and I return to childlike innocence. The Sovereign Lord joins and transforms with the perfected immortals, riding a chariot of auspicious clouds to arrive in the realm of Taokang. Again and again, he rides the flowing bell, commands ten dragons, and ascends swiftly to the Moon Palace, enduring as long as Heaven and Earth.

Next, burn the talisman over the candle and cast it into the fire. Hold the two candles together. Silently recite, “Heavenly Worthy of Fire Refining the Elixir Realm,” then read the “Great Refining and Demon-Dispelling Incantation”:

The Three Qi (primal energies of Heaven and Earth) gather at the numinous gate; bright spiritual light shines upon the Jade Elixir. At Zhu Ling abides the True Sovereign; a splendid cloud chariot speeds forth. He governs the myriad realms, oversees the cycles of time, and surpasses the number of millions upon millions. Holding the registers and consulting the tablets, he records the Cavern Chapters and proclaims the divine writings. He loosens entanglements and dispels the roots of calamity; flowing golden light destroys evil and treachery. Those who resolve to cultivate this Way will not be assailed by demonic trials. He protects the dead as they pass through the trials of the underworld and arrive at a realm of boundless peace and joy.

Next, hold the talisman over the two candles and burn it, then cast it into the water. Hold the candles over the fire basin and burn them, then pour the water into the water basin. Silently recite, “Heavenly Worthy of the Great Crossing on the Dharma Bridge.”

If using the Nanchang method of refining and crossing over, proceed here to the related liturgy. If using the Three Luminaries method, omit this step. Next, lead the departed souls before the sacred image and offer incense.

Then read the “Liturgy for Refining and Crossing Over with the Youth of the Fire Court”:

I have heard that departed souls are confined in the Cold Court and urgently need to be drawn out and delivered through wondrous grace. Defiling energy spreads everywhere, and must indeed be cleansed by the Dharma water. Therefore, the Heavenly Worthy, moved by compassion, pities all beings. With boundless benevolence, he saves them and delivers them from suffering. He opens the essential canon of Dongxuan and transmits the clear rites of refinement, so that the departed may bathe in numinous waters and rise beyond the Realm of Desire. In this way, both body and spirit become refined, and blessings and good fortune arise of themselves. You departed souls, receive this refinement with focused reverence.

Next, recite the “Incantation for Refining the True”:

Supreme High Perfected One, essence of the Nine Numinous Ones, let the souls ascend to immortality and reach the Purple Court. Let them bathe in the Flowery Pool, so that body and spirit become clear and pure. Let essence and Qi reach through the Great Void, and let the myriad primal energies arise of themselves.

Next, recite the “Incantation of the Eastern Well”:

Waters of the Celestial River pour into the Eastern Well; the Stone Mirror and the essence of the Water Mother appear. Perfect radiance brushes the numinous luminaries, and mysterious light shines clear and bright. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning parts the layers of the long night, so that the heavenly beings and the Moon may grow together. The departed souls bathe in the Orchid Pool; a dragon bears the Vase of Venus upon its back, while a Golden Youth scatters fragrant blossoms.

The Jade Maiden, a female immortal who serves the gods, circulates the crowns and sashes of the Five Stars. She washes them with Jade Fluids, the bodily fluids spoken of in cultivation, and refines the forms of the Five Immortals. Fragrance rises from her body, the myriad spirits descend, and she rides the light upward to a realm of supreme clarity.

Then comes the prayer:

Souls and all others, may you join with primordial Qi. May the Three Lights—the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars—shine through the darkness, illuminating every place. Where there is the Dao, a corresponding talismanic mandate appears. We hear only the waves surging in the sea of suffering, the winds of karma fanning the flames of sin, and the weight of accumulated ignorance. Unless you receive the grace of a glorious power to cleanse away the dust of defilement, the day will be far off when you can attain transcendent wisdom and liberation.

Today, by the command of the Mysterious Origin, an honored title for the Dao, I receive a gracious mandate made complete in every detail. I invoke the true fire amid the Three Lights and transform the accumulated Yin Qi, freeing you from the Nine Layers of the underworld. You should make great vows: to cast off the greed, anger, and evil karma accumulated since the beginningless past; to purify body and mind from this day onward; to sever the bonds of the seven emotions through every age and eon; and, life after life, to take refuge in the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the teachers—so that together you may walk the path to liberation and enter a realm of freedom and ease. All of us in this ritual assembly share this aspiration; we should sincerely turn toward the Dao together with all the souls.

Then comes the hymn to the Treasure of the Dao:

The Dao has no form or name, yet appears through the forms of the myriad things. It sets the sun and moon in motion and covers and supports Heaven and Earth. At ease in Wuwei, it takes on forms in accordance with the myriad things. It is the profound root of all things and the treasure of the good. May all turn in refuge to the revered Treasure of the Dao.

Then comes the hymn to the Treasure of the Scriptures:

The scriptures appear in sacred writings such as Jade Tablets, Cloud Seal Script, Gold Tablets, and Jade Writings, radiating light from their eight corners and extending without limit. The Daoist scriptures are divided into thirty-six sections and four grades, and the Dao they transmit encompasses the Three Vehicles. May all honor and revere the Treasure of the Scriptures.

Then comes the hymn to the Treasure of the Teachers:

Living beings are deluded and ignorant, and must rely on guidance and deliverance. Those in the sea of suffering throughout the ten directions need a boat or raft to cross over. May a teacher-disciple lineage be established, with its members supporting one another and leading each other toward the true fruit. We respectfully bow to the Dharma Body, the true form of the Dharma embodied by the teacher. May all honor and revere the Treasure of the Teachers.

Then come three ritual bows and hymns:

Today, souls and all others take refuge in the Three Treasures. May the responsive manifestations appearing throughout the ten directions, the heavenly beings of the three ages, the immortals of blessed Brahma realms, the demon kings of the utmost reaches in the ten directions, and the countless holy beings hear the call and come to relieve suffering. May they descend with light in response to the appeal, open a passage across the ford of delusion, and guide all the souls toward the teachings of the righteous path.

May all the souls regain their state of complete unity with primordial Qi and return to the root of primordial authenticity. Their wondrous transformations have no fixed place; they interpenetrate and encompass one another, each fully realizing wondrous wisdom. Their mind and realm have no limits: bright as the sun and moon, radiant with the splendor of stars. All are brought forth by divine light, each attaining its own kind and measure.

Now that the gate of refining and deliverance has been opened, the wondrous principles that reach into the Mystery should be explained. Quiet your minds, attend with focus, and receive this Jade Chapter.

Then recite the Nine Chapters, followed by the Jade Chapter on Refining and Transforming through the Three Lights and the Precious Chapter.

The vast flourishing radiance shines on high; awareness opens into emptiness, responding to the mystery. The Nine Zhen transform and bring forth life together, unfolding the primordial image.

The pattern of the sacred text moves with numinous power, forming the precepts and rites of the religion. The Mysterious Capital—the celestial city of immortals in Daoist teaching—lies west of the Turtle and at the Dragon’s Head, where wind and lake flow freely through palaces and halls.

The transformations of the myriad things are gathered up here; numinous power shines forth, each thing appearing in its own way. The Sun’s essence is full, and the Moon’s soul follows the same path.

The essences of the stars are refined and cultivated, continually supporting the hun and po souls. The Celestial Grove shines with light, its authority reaching everywhere; the formed and the formless are joined without obstruction.

The Demon Kings receive the mandate to inspect and recommend, while the Three Luminaries—the Sun, Moon, and stars—are likewise unbound.

Then the proclamation is made:

Living beings are confused and benighted because of the Four Births—womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born—and sink into darkness among the Six Destinies of rebirth. With the power of the Three Luminaries, the three Qi—the original energies that constitute life and Heaven and Earth—are refined and transformed, illuminating the Nine Suns among the Nine Paths. The hun and po souls, palaces, ears and eyes, and spirit and vitality must all be reborn through this process, so that the spirits may ascend and receive deliverance.

Then the Incantation for the Five Heavens’ Birth of the Spirit, Dispelling of Demons, and Refining Deliverance is recited:

The Luminous Cavern Heaven nurtures the original essence; the Azure Florescence Heaven opens great radiance; the Crimson Luminance Heaven bestows the three Qi. Jade Elixir brings life into being. The Western Spirit turns through seven degrees; within the Vast and Wondrous Heaven, splendid beams of light arise in profusion. The Three Blossoms of the Northern Mystery spread far and wide. The True Spirit of the Great High Purple Emperor transforms all things together, returning them to the subtlety of the undivided. The Primordial Emperor governs all spirits in the center and records their allotted years. The blood-eating corpse demons fall away; the dead are erased from the register of the dead, and the living are entered in the register of the living. The Qi of the Five Directions converges as one and joins the center. The Lord of the Great Dipper rides the wind in his chariot, charged with inspection and recommendation; all the spirits receive the Azure Qi together and rise.

Then the proclamation is made:

The departed souls and all the deceased, as well as the men and women gathered at the altar—farmers, artisans, merchants, relatives by marriage, and friends—whether parents, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, or children; whether distant or close, wise or foolish, are distinguished according to rank, position, direction, and capacity. Each has a place in the hierarchy, so their differences may number a thousand kinds.

Yet wealth and nobility or poverty and low status, hardship or success, last only for a time. How could intelligence or folly, virtue or lack of virtue, remain unchanged forever? The human mind, however, binds itself to these distinctions. Though the spirit has not perished, it still clings to rank and status, and remains burdened by thoughts of hunger and suffering. Even those who are ignorant and unenlightened, who have never heard the true teaching, should follow these instructions and wash away their delusion.

Now the great Lingbao fast and purification ritual is being performed. Through the Supreme Worthy’s highest teaching, people return to their origin and are restored to unity. One should cast off views that cling to outward appearances and enter a realm free of obstruction; still the mind and turn inward, looking with clear understanding. Cut off worldly thoughts and let awareness become pure, still, and serene. May the Divine Infant—the Daoist term for the perfected spirits—listen attentively to these hidden verses. May all the perfected spirits witness the work of deliverance and attest to it.

Then the Hidden Words of the Great Brahmā are recited, followed by another prayer:

The ten classes of departed souls have sunk into darkness and linger there for a long time. Now they are refined and transformed by the righteous Qi of the Sun, Moon, and stars. Once the departed souls have been transformed and delivered, their forms enter the bright Yang Qi, and their spirits dwell in the realm of Vermilion Brahmā.

If, in a former life, you were fortunate enough to form a wholesome bond, do not now sink into delusion and lose your way. Wash the dust from the mirror of the heart, and you will gain a precious ritual treasure forever. We humbly pray that all the Perfected Immortals oversee the deliverance of the dead, and that all the sages extend their compassion, making the virtuous nature firm and strong so that the departed may ascend to the realm of immortals without undergoing trials by demons, entering the Gate of Heaven directly. We earnestly beseech the compassionate Spirit Consort to open the way to salvation and examine the register of the deceased. Command the attendant who oversees the register of lives to convey the document by means of a Golden Dragon.

When the prayer is complete, read aloud the left covenant, the ritual document, and recite the hidden names of the emperors of the Thirty-Two Heavens. Then read aloud the right covenant and recite the Three Chapters of the Demon Kings. Next, read aloud the Fulu (talismans and registers) and confer precepts upon those receiving salvation.

Jade Characters of the Sun Lord’s True Form

While writing the talisman, recite:

“Crimson rays of the Great Rosy Cloud shine forth; the true essence of Yuyi, the sun deity, cleanses away defilement with Yang Qi and moistens the Pool of Florescence.”

Jade Characters of the Great Yin’s True Form

While writing the talisman, recite:

“Pure and lustrous, rounded jade light soars aloft; mysterious Qi gathers into a radiant gleam. Its light is whole and undivided; Yin essence nourishes the hun-soul and po-soul, washing the body clean.”

Jade Characters of the Celestial Dipper’s True Form

While writing the talisman, recite:

“The Celestial Dipper’s upright Qi winds around the sinews and bones, rising to pierce the Muddy Pellet, the upper Dantian in the head, and opening bright, lofty Yang Qi.”

Eight Characters of the Sun Talisman

“Crimson Great Rosy Cloud; Yang essence delivers the hun-soul.”

Eight Characters of the Great Yin Talisman

“Jade light, mysterious radiance; true essence nurtures the po-soul.”

Six Characters of the Celestial Dipper Talisman

“Upright Qi of the Dipper stars refines the hun-soul.”

These three Jade Talismans of the Three Luminaries were written by the Heavenly Emperor Dahe on the Jade Terrace in the Upper Palace of Zhu Ling, for refining and delivering the souls of the dead.