《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 103

The Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu documents the ritual procedures for the Daoist evening liturgy. Before the ceremony begins, the officiating priest (Fashi) performs a series of preparatory steps:

First, incense is lit while reciting "Each pays reverence to the master, maintaining contemplation as prescribed," signifying respectful homage to the patriarchs and focused visualization. This is followed by chanting the Weiling incantation, which roughly translates as: "May the radiance of the Five Planets (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) illuminate us, auspicious Qi flow freely, and the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the highest Daoist deity) gather all divinities, harmonizing celestial and earthly energies. Through the power of jade talismans and precious registers (Daoist ritual implements), may all malevolent forces be dispersed, ten thousand demons subdued, and calamities dissolved. Divine light illuminates the night, dispelling all shadows, as myriad immortals descend amid auspicious clouds, ensuring all beings receive the blessings of the Dao’s grace."

Next, the priest strikes the ritual drum twenty-four times, a signal in Daoist liturgy to summon divine beings. The "Kindling the Incense Burner" (Falu) ritual then follows, wherein the priest invokes the internally cultivated "Three-Five Merit Officers" (inner guardian spirits), along with attendant Golden Boys of Incense and Jade Maidens of Flower Scattering, as well as thirty-two divine officials dispatched by the Five Directional Thearchs to assist in conveying petitions.

The priest declares the performance of the "Jade Casket of the Nine Darknesses Bright Truth Grand Rite" (Jiuyou Yugui Mingzhen Dazhai, a salvation ritual for the deceased), reverently addressing the pantheon of Daoist deities. These include the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Supreme Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun), the Supreme Elder Lord (Taishang Laojun), the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi), and other supreme divinities, along with the Thirty-Two Celestial Thearchs, directional deities of the four quarters, and guardian spirits of the Thirty-Six Sacred Scriptures (key Daoist texts). Through this meticulous liturgical framework (Keyi), the ceremony harnesses sacred power to deliver salvation to all beings.

This scripture passage describes the spirit-invocation segment of Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual), containing three core elements:

First, it extols the world-creating merits of Daoism's supreme deities. The text mentions how "Primordial Qi" (the cosmic source energy) coalesced from chaos, traversing the "Five Greats" (the five cosmogonic stages of Taiyi, Taichu, Taishi, Taisu, and Taiji) to establish the world and order the "Three Luminaries" (heaven, earth, and humanity). The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), Daoism's supreme deity, transmitted the Dao in the Grotto of Radiance, while the August Void Sovereign (Xuhuang) instructed living beings, demonstrating the deities' constant awareness of human suffering.

Next, it recounts the ritual master's personal cultivation journey. Claiming the privilege of receiving the "Jade Registers of Nine Purities" (high-level immortal credentials) and "Jade Texts of Three Caverns" (essential Daoist scriptures), the master acknowledges incomplete attainment while still in worldly practice, yet gratefully acknowledges divine guidance through teacher's grace and celestial compassion, qualifying him to conduct salvation rituals. Special emphasis is placed on following the "Golden Rules and Jade Statutes" (Daoist precepts) to universally deliver sentient beings.

Finally, it transitions to specific salvation rites. Performing repentance for the deceased relatives of the ritual sponsor, the text explains how the departed were constrained by their "Four Elements composite" (Buddhist concept of the temporary aggregation of earth, water, fire, and wind) physical forms, violating the "Three Primes Prohibitions" (commandments of the Heaven, Earth, and Water Officials). Through establishing the Mystic Altar (ritual platform) with offerings of jade tokens and golden flowers, the ceremony reverently invites deities from the "Ten Splendors and Five Realms" (representing all sacred realms). Supplications request earth deities to escort souls beyond the "Northern Fengdu" (Daoist hell) registers, enabling enrollment in "Southern Immortal Rolls" (celestial registers), ultimately achieving "transcendence to blessed abodes" (ascension to blessed realms).

This passage describes the incense-offering segment in a Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual), detailing the threefold process of presenting incense.

During the first incense offering, the assembly prays for the fragrant smoke to ascend to the celestial realms, making offerings to the supreme Dao Treasure (one of the Three Treasures of Daoism). Kneeling reverently before the Supreme Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, namely the Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Great Pure Celestial Worthies), they dedicate the merit: may it benefit the ancestral sages of the imperial lineage, enabling them to roam freely in the Purple Ultimate Paradise (Daoism's highest heaven), riding immortal mushroom-canopied chariots while cultivating the true Dao, secretly safeguarding the imperial foundation. They pray for the emperor's wise governance—as majestic as riding the Eight Steeds to inquire about the Dao or touring the heavens with Six Dragons—bringing court affairs as luminous as shining pearls, achievements recorded in the Qilin Pavilion, imperial grace spreading throughout the land, and enduring national stability.

The second incense offering venerates the supreme Scripture Treasure (another of the Three Treasures). The assembly dedicates this merit to bless the ritual patron's ancestors across nine generations (Jiuxuan) and seven past lives (Qizu), that departed kin may be liberated from the sufferings of hell's water and fire, cleansed of karmic transgressions, bestowed with celestial blessings, and freed forever from the cycle of rebirth. May ancestors wander joyfully in Jasper Terraces and Jade Gardens (celestial realms), free from material needs, with perfected form and spirit (Xing-Shen). Simultaneously, they pray for the patron's accumulation of virtuous deeds in harmony with the Dao, family flourishing like moon laurels and evergreen trees, descendants as cultivated as orchid-stream algae, gathering a hundred blessings while dispersing all misfortunes.

The third incense offering honors the supreme Master Treasure (the final Three Treasure). With renewed devotion, the assembly prays that the immeasurable merit of enlightened masters may unite with the Great Dao (Da), ultimately transcending physical form to ascend into the formless realm.

Through these three incense offerings—dedicated respectively to the Treasures of Dao, Scriptures, and Masters—the ritual embodies the central position of Daoism's "Three Treasures" doctrine. Each offering encompasses multilayered blessings for the imperial house, ancestors, and ritual patron, demonstrating Daoism's religious compassion for universal salvation.

This scripture forms a crucial part of Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals), expressing devout prayers to the deities and practitioners' self-cultivation. Here is the modern interpretation:

The supreme Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, referring to Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun) vow to dedicate their merits to practitioners, their teachers, companions, and deceased ancestors. Both monastic cultivators and laypeople may attain luminous wisdom, their minds becoming as clear as vast oceans—purifying their souls in sacred flames to ascend to cloud-veiled celestial realms. Living relatives may also receive blessings, bathed in divine light for longevity, nourished by jade nectar to preserve their forms.

May all beings in the Five Paths (heaven, human, animal, hungry ghost, hell) and Three Miserable Realms (fiery, bladed, bloody) receive harmonizing Yang Qi (vital energy), achieving liberation through the refinement of jade talismans and golden registers (Fulu). Let all creatures—flying, swimming, moving, or growing—escape the suffering of samsara and attain rebirth. May all sentient beings enter the Great Vehicle (Mahayana) realm.

Now with sincere incense offerings, we take refuge in our masters and all realized saints. May practitioners, upon attaining the Dao, eternally enjoy the joy of spontaneity, merging completely with the Great Way. Through bowing and repentance, we open the Threefold Dharma Gates:

The first stage treats cultivation as one's companion, treasuring scriptures like jewels. Upholding precepts to restrain the six senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind), using right mindfulness to eliminate desires, maintaining a serene and detached heart. Even celestial demons will then revere and protect such practitioners, granting them great blessings across lifetimes.

The second stage brings flourishing to family and nation, with scriptures widely propagated, creating unity between heaven and humanity. By sincere aspiration, we establish fields of merit (accumulating virtuous deeds), keeping the Dharma Wheel (truth) ever-turning. Thus, seven generations of ancestors may ascend to paradise, while practitioners themselves achieve daylight ascension.

The third stage embodies the profound mystery of the Dao, where every virtuous thought resonates with the Way. Through cultivation transcending the ordinary to attain sagehood, one achieves a Vajra-indestructible body, surpassing the sufferings of the Three Realms (desire, form, and formlessness) and liberating from the Five Torments of hell (birth, aging, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, encountering the hated, unfulfilled desires, and the aggregates' turmoil). Ultimately, we return to the Supreme Great Dao in devout worship.

Then perform the Threefold Bowing: first to the Supreme Dao, next to the Thirty-Six Revered Scriptures, and finally to the Great Master of Mysterious Center (Laozi). At the ritual's conclusion, the presiding priest and assisting ritual officers reaffirm their roles, sincerely inviting all celestial venerables—including Yuanshi Tianzun, Supreme Lord Dao, Supreme Lord Lao, the Jade Emperor, and other deities—to descend upon the sacred altar.

This scripture describes the scene and prayer content of the Lingbao School (an important Daoist tradition) performing salvation rituals for departed souls.

The Supreme Dao Lord of Lingbao from the Upper Palace of Ziwei (one of Daoism's highest celestial realms) descends accompanied by the Great Master of Mysterious Center from the Thirty-Six Sacred Scriptures, four high-ranking celestial officials (Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Grand Protector, and Grand Tutor), twenty-four Perfected Ones, the Sovereign Lord of Western Citadel, the Great Unity Perfected One, the Three Mao Perfected Lords of Maoshan (Mao Ying, Mao Gu, and Mao Zhong), and numerous other divine beings. The ritual involves deities from the Three Realms (heaven, earth, and the underworld) gathering to participate.

The scripture begins by expounding the profundity of the Dao: The Great Dao encompasses all things, with its mysterious Qi circulating in the Qingwei Heaven (one of the Three Pure Realms). The teachings are divided into Three Vehicles (superior, middle, and inferior methods of cultivation), with wisdom illuminating the Lingbao teachings like moonlight. Celestial palaces and treasured halls house precious scriptures, and through ritual invocation, their radiance is unveiled to transmit the true essence of the Dao. These golden precepts (Daoist commandments) and jade talismans (sacred scripts) serve as bridges to liberate souls and foundations connecting Yin and Yang.

Next comes the confession for the deceased: Since acquiring human form at the dawn of creation, the departed indulged in worldly desires, losing their innate purity. Blinded by earthly splendor, their eyes craved beauty, ears reveled in music, noses chased fragrances, tongues pursued flavors, bodies wallowed in pleasure, and minds abandoned themselves to extravagance. The Six Dusts (sensory desires—form, sound, scent, taste, touch, and thought) tainted their original clarity, plunging them into endless suffering. Now their body returns to earth, sins recorded in the underworld ledgers of the Five Thearchs (e.g., the Green Thearch of the East); their soul remains trapped in darkness, transgressions inscribed in the Three Origin Palaces (celestial counterparts to the upper, middle, and lower Dantian). Only through this ritual can they be delivered.

The scene unfolds: A mystical altar is erected, adorned with pure offerings. Ritual instruments like jade bells and chimes resonate with sacred chants, while jade pendants and pearl ornaments gleam with divine light. The Ziwei Heavenly Palace (abode of celestial rulers) seems palpably near, as auspicious clouds part along the Yellow Path (the sun and moon’s celestial course). May the Celestial Worthy witness the merit of this purification rite (Zhaijiao) and illuminate the dark path for the departed.

Specific prayers follow: Grant the Nine Dragon Mandate from the Thearch of Eastern Florescence (a potent celestial decree) to bestow heavenly radiance. Erase sins recorded in the Six Caverns of Northern Luo’s Fengdu (the Daoist underworld), lifting souls from infernal darkness. May the deceased’s form and spirit ascend to the void, their consciousness reaching immortal realms, with all grievances and calamities dissolved. Bless descendants with this grace, pacify the ritual sponsor’s misfortunes, and gather auspiciousness. May the sponsor’s household know peace and joy, ancestors transcend, and progeny flourish. Further prayers extend to cosmic harmony: sun, moon, and stars shining bright; heaven and earth in unison; the Five Sacred Peaks (symbolizing earthly stability) steadying the land; the Eight Seas (four seas and beyond) upholding the sky; the nation’s destiny enduring as the cosmos.

Note: The "Three Vehicles" denote Daoist cultivation stages—superior (ascension), middle (longevity), and inferior (corpse liberation). "Six Dusts," originally Buddhist, were adapted by Daoism to represent sensory attachments. The "Five Thearchs" govern cosmic directions and correspond to the five organ spirits within the body.

This scripture is a prayer text used in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals), comprising two main sections: devotional petitions and the invocation of deities through incense offering.

The opening section depicts an idealized era of Great Peace: a sagely emperor reigns, all lands submit in harmony, the realm is unified, crops flourish abundantly, people dwell in contentment, and warfare ceases. Yin and Yang are perfectly balanced, divine radiance illuminates all existence—even souls in the underworld ascend to immortal realms. All beings receive celestial blessings, manifesting both the transformative teachings of the Heavenly Venerables (supreme Daoist deities) and the sincerity of the ritual patron (Zhaizhu).

Ten specific petitions follow: May the Great Dao spread universally; may all beings awaken to its truth; may souls trapped in the Nine Netherworlds attain liberation; may wandering orphaned spirits find transcendence; may the world know peace with abundant harvests; may rulers and subjects, parents and children fulfill their proper roles; may conflicts dissolve into harmony across the seas; may all creatures—whether womb-born, egg-born, or otherwise—thrive; may chronic and acute illnesses be swiftly healed; may the destitute gain clothing and sustenance.

During the incense offering, divine envoys including the Incense Official Messengers and Dragon-Tiger Lords are invoked to descend upon the ritual altar. The text affirms that when incense burns with perfect devotion, auspicious signs like golden nectar and cinnabar-hued mushroom blossoms manifest before the censer, attracting hundreds of deities. Petitions include the practitioner's spiritual realization, the patron's blessings, and grace extending to both the living and deceased realms. Jade Maidens and Immortal Youths are entreated to convey these prayers to the Jade Emperor (Yu Huang Shangdi), the supreme celestial sovereign.

The concluding section describes ritual closure: chanting the Exit Hymn, withdrawing from the altar, and returning to silent meditation in the purification chamber. This passage originates from Volume 103 of the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Writings on Lingbao Salvation Rituals), a major liturgical text of the Song Dynasty Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) tradition.