《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 116

This scripture records the specific procedures of the Daoist "Blood Lake Ritual" (Xuehu Daochang), a salvation ceremony. In Daoism, the "Blood Lake" refers to a hell realm where women may fall due to the pollution of childbirth blood. This ritual is specifically performed to deliver the souls of women who died in childbirth.

The ceremony begins with the presiding priest (referred to as "Your Servant, So-and-So") reverently offering incense and reporting to the deities: The cosmic creation operates within the Three Pure Heavens (Sanqing), where the dual forces of Yin and Yang act like a bellows, driving all things into motion. The grace of the Celestial Emperor extends to all living beings, governing the cycles of life and death. Those who have fallen into the Blood Lake Hell are like prisoners in the Avīci Hell (the iron-walled realm of endless suffering), enduring torment with little hope of liberation.

Now, a patron (the ritual sponsor) has requested salvation for a female relative who died in childbirth. The deceased, born as a woman (possessing a female constitution), may have sunk into hell due to the pollution of childbirth blood (her body and spirit defiled by filth). The priest petitions, in accordance with the Golden Register (Jinlu, an important Daoist scripture), for the decree of pardon from the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanhuang), using the secret scriptures of the Lingbao tradition (Bilu Lingshu) to guide the soul from the underworld to the altar in the mortal realm.

The priest declares: Due to karmic merit from past lives, he has been granted the role of ritual master (ordained in the true ranks) and is honored to serve as a bridge between heaven and earth (with the divine winds and feathered banners reaching the eight directions) in this ceremony. He hopes to spread the teachings widely and assist the soul’s liberation. The deceased was troubled by worldly afflictions (the dust of transient existence) and accumulated karma through the six senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind), cycling through the Nine Dark Hells (Jiuye). Now that she has shown repentance, she should be granted talismans (Jinfu) according to Daoist liturgy (Yuge), purified by the Qi of the Three Pure Ones, and absolved of her sins. He prays that the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper (Huan Qixing) illuminate the Ninefold Hells (Kai Jiulei) and guide the soul upward.

Finally, he beseeches: May the Celestial Worthy show compassion and command the deities of Mount Luo (Luofeng, the Daoist underworld), the Cold Springs of the Yellow Springs (a poetic name for the afterlife), as well as the City Gods (Chenghuang) and Earth Gods (Tudi), to release the soul at the appointed time. May the Jade Dragon (symbolizing auspiciousness) ascend the heavenly path, and the Golden Tiger (symbolizing awe-inspiring power) subdue the underworld, fulfilling the patron’s sincere wishes and achieving the goal of salvation.

The ceremony concludes with the priest kneeling and reciting the Great Pervasive Brahma Qi Chapter (Daxing Fanqi Zhang, a Daoist salvation scripture) three times. The entire ritual embodies the Daoist concept of "deliverance" (Jidu, saving lost souls), where the priest serves as a mediator between heaven and humanity, issuing talismanic decrees to help the deceased escape the suffering of hell.

This is a Daoist ritual text for the salvation of deceased souls, describing the process where a priest absolves the sins of the departed through the issuance of talismanic decrees. The ceremony primarily employs three significant talismans: the Three Qi (Sanqi) Radiant Light True Talisman emits spiritual light to purify the souls, the Jade Origin Cleansing Blood Lake True Talisman specifically redeems female souls who died in childbirth, while the Northern Dipper Mysterious Darkness Taiyi Primordial Jade Document opens the path to the underworld.

The ritual begins with the priest reverently proclaiming the absolution decree of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), instructing all deities—including local gods like City Gods (Chenghuang) and Earth Gods (Tudi)—to prepare respectfully to receive the decree. The three talismans are then recited in sequence: first, the Radiant Light Talisman for purification, followed by the Blood Lake Salvation Talisman, and finally the document of pardon.

The text vividly illustrates the effects of absolution through metaphor: the pool of blood transforms into a lotus pond, and the gloomy Fengdu (the Daoist underworld) becomes a garden of seven treasures. Special emphasis is placed on redeeming "birth souls" (women who died in childbirth), a category of spirits requiring particular salvation in Daoist tradition.

The priest leads the assembly in offering incense to the divine messengers (Yili) tasked with delivering the talismans, summoning deities such as the Three Qi Radiant Light Talisman Official and the Cleansing Blood Lake Talisman Official to carry out the salvation. The ceremony includes a threefold offering of tea and wine, accompanied by incense burning and scripture recitation, beseeching these divine enforcers to convey the heavenly grace of pardon to the underworld and liberate the souls.

The ritual concludes with the sacred invocation of "Yuanshi Kaidu Tianzun" (Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning Who Opens Salvation), signifying that the entire absolution process is accomplished under the supreme authority of Yuanshi Tianzun. The ceremony embodies the Daoist ideal of "universal salvation for all beings," bridging heaven and earth through sacred rites to deliver lost souls from suffering.

This passage describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased souls, detailing the zhaijiao (purification ritual) performed to seek absolution for the sins of the departed and guide their ascension to heaven.

The ritual master explains to the patron sponsoring the ceremony: The deceased carried karmic burdens in life and now suffers in the Blood Lake Hell (a Daoist purgatory where women who died in childbirth may be trapped), surrounded by foul winds and bloody waters where sunlight cannot penetrate and celestial officials refuse to descend due to its impurity. Only through special rites of absolution can these souls be liberated from their torment.

The ceremony employs various Daoist documents and talismans: Vermilion Petitions (red official documents) are submitted to the Heavenly Emperor to plead for universal salvation, while White Tablets (pale bamboo slips) bear the grace of the Primordial Heavenly Worthy (Yuanshi Tianzun). The master summons celestial chariots drawn by wind-steeds and cloud-carriages (vehicles of the gods), along with armored divine generals, hoping they will swiftly open the gates of hell. The ritual uses the Five Primordial Energies (Wuxing qi) to cleanse sins and the Three Pure Breaths (Sanqing qi) to illuminate the path through the underworld.

Specific ritual procedures include: Reciting memorials addressed to celestial soldiers (Tianbing) and talisman-bearing officials (Fuli), burning absolution documents inscribed on talismanic slips, and chanting passages from the Scripture of Salvation (Duren Jing). The altar is fully prepared with ritual implements to summon underworld officials who respectfully receive commands, guiding souls from darkness to reveal their original luminous nature.

Special attention is given to invoking salvation-specific deities: Soul-retrieving emissaries from the Northern Mysterious Model Bureau, jade maidens (female divinities), three great deities who oversee jade documents (Yuzha), along with Perfected Lord Huan, General Jin, and other commanders from the Universal Salvation Court of the Nine Heavens. These divinities act by the Heavenly Emperor's decree, possessing authority to break through the underworld and grant absolution.

The text concludes by emphasizing the ritual's sacred power: Golden Scriptures (precious texts) manifest the authentic writings of the Three Caverns (Sanqing tradition), while jade documents can dissolve underworld bondage. Like Dharma rain nourishing the dark hells and benevolent winds sweeping through pure spiritual realms, with assistance from the Universal Salvation Generals of the Nine Heavens and countless responsive deities, souls are lifted from the Blood Lake of Fengdu (hell capital) to attain rebirth.

This scripture describes a Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual) for redeeming the deceased, consisting of several key stages:

First, the ritual master respectfully invokes the deities of the Northern Mysterious Model Bureau (the Daoist administrative office overseeing redemption), including the officials of Lingbao's Wishing Wand who pursue wandering souls, the Three Great Jade Document Gods (deities in charge of sacred texts), and the marshals responsible for retrieving spirits. These deities collectively command the Eastern Pole Flying Dragon Messengers (celestial couriers) and Northern Tiger Bureau (spirit retrieval agencies), working in unison to accomplish the redemption.

The master explains the petitioner's case: a woman who died in childbirth, her suffering in the Blood Lake deserving compassion. Divine intervention is required to rescue her soul from the Iron Net Hell. The master employs the Bilu Golden Talisman (Daoist fu incantations) and Jade Seal Script (sacred documents), summoning deities from the Ten Palaces and Six Caverns (hell realms) to guide the soul beyond the Five Sufferings and Three Torments (types of hellish retribution).

The text then depicts the deities' majestic procession: iron cavalry swift as wind, golden halberds gleaming like meteors, their awe-inspiring presence subduing demonic forces. The master reads official petitions (documents for deities), burns jade documents (heavenly communications), recites chapters from the Scripture of Salvation (Duren Jing), strictly commanding the Northern Feng Hell to release the soul and expunge its criminal records in the Southern Palace (celestial realm).

The latter section contains the master's supplication, expressing the Daoist principle that "Heaven favors life-giving virtue": though mortals often fall into death through ignorance, the Celestial Worthy constantly manifests compassionate salvation. The master emphasizes that all souls originate from the Primordial Ancestral Qi (cosmic source), making their suffering unbearable. Thus the ritual space is established, with swift memorials sent to the Jade Emperor, jade documents issued to retrieve the soul, beseeching celestial grace for its ascension.

Final procedures include: erecting six administrative altars (for different deity offices), summoning and healing the soul, ritual bathing and clothing changes, and paying homage to deities. The master performs the Pacing the Void (ritual footsteps) around the altar, offering incense in deep prostration, completing the full redemption liturgy.

This scripture describes the ritual of invoking deities in the Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) tradition of Daoism for the salvation of deceased souls. The ceremony unfolds in several key stages:

First, the ritual master petitions Yuankai Kudu Tianzun (Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Salvation), reporting the plight of the lost souls: these spirits have long been trapped in the dark underworld realms, far from celestial light, burdened by unresolved karmic debts from their lifetimes. Their physical and spiritual forms remain polluted, with their Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) in disarray and their corporeal forms fragmented. Without the miraculous transformative power of the deities, their deliverance and rebirth would be impossible.

The master then beseeches the Heavenly Worthy to manifest compassion by dispatching divine officials to assist. Several specialized salvation deities are invoked: the "Lingbao Resolution of Grievances Spirit Official" dissolves karmic enmities; the "Five Classics Doctor Spirit Official" provides doctrinal guidance; the "Soul-Gathering Spirit Official" reassembles scattered hun and po souls. Other powerful beings include the "Thunderbolt Dispeller of Darkness Great Spirit" who clears obscurity with lightning, and the "Loyal Virtue Summoner of Righteousness Great Spirit" who guides souls through Confucian virtues.

The ritual specifically addresses two categories of souls: ordinary deceased persons and women who died in childbirth (known as "birth souls"). These spirits drown in the Sea of Desire and Lake of Blood—symbolic representations of karmic suffering—with their forms contaminated by bloody defilements. Only through the deities' merciful intervention can they attain liberation.

The formal invocation follows: the master prepares a green ritual mat and devoutly summons the spirit officials from the "Lingbao Karmic Resolution Bureau." Through the Three Offerings (incense, flowers, and lamps) and the ritual Pacing the Void (a sacred Daoist dance-step), the deities are ceremonially welcomed. The lost souls are compared to travelers adrift in the bitter sea of samsara, needing the "compassionate raft" of divine salvation, or wayfarers lost in the labyrinth of human grudges, requiring the "lamp of wisdom" for illumination.

The ceremony concludes by entreating the deities to temporarily reside at the altar, showering the souls with nurturing grace like life-giving dew, and wrapping them in protective care as with warm garments. This ritual embodies the Lingbao tradition's soteriological philosophy—using sacred power to resolve karmic entanglements and elevate lost souls.

This passage describes a salvation ritual from the Daoist Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Book of Lingbao Salvation Teachings), specifically addressing the redemption of women who died in childbirth (known as "birth souls"). Here's a modern interpretation:

The ritual begins with the Daoist priest offering incense to the Jianshengsi (the divine bureau overseeing childbirth), paying homage to deities such as the Great Spirit of Jiutian Jiansheng and the Holy Mother of the Birth Chamber (protective deity of parturient women). These include the Great Spirit of Fixed Birth, the Great Spirit of Transformative Influence, the sixty Jiazi spirit officials (celestial generals corresponding to the sexagenary cycle), as well as birth-attending deities like the Delivery Youth and Lord of Smooth Birth.

The text particularly emphasizes redeeming deceased mothers and other souls who perished in difficult labor. These souls, tainted by the pollution of birth blood, are believed to be trapped in the Blood Lake Hell (a Daoist purgatory formed from the defilement of childbirth). The priest petitions the deities to issue golden talismans and vermilion edicts (Daoist ritual documents), dispatching spirit generals to rescue these souls from the Blood Lake.

The ritual then proceeds to the deity-invocation ceremony. Through buxu (the rhythmic chanting used in Daoist purification rituals), the priest petitions the celestial officials of the Lingbao Jianshengsi: "These lost souls have sunk into suffering through difficult childbirth, their birth-blood defilement remaining uncleansed through countless kalpas." The prayer beseeches the deities to employ their compassion through shizhuan huiling (tenfold methods of soul redemption) and jiuhua jiuku (ninefold paths of salvation), that both deceased and unborn souls may attain deliverance.

The ceremony then shifts focus to the Tianyisi (Celestial Medical Bureau), where offerings are made to healing deities like the Celestial Medical Master of Medicinal Spirits. This pantheon includes: the Spirit Official of Symptom Diagnosis, the Spirit Official of Disease-Specific Remedies, the Spirit Official of Elixir Refinement, along with specialized medical deities like the Doctor of Physical Restoration and the Master of Tissue Regeneration. Also invoked are deities handling specific medical processes - General Toxin Collector and Spirit Official of Medicinal Application.

The entire ritual demonstrates Daoism's particular concern for maternal souls, constructing a complete salvation system through layered liturgical progression - from soul retrieval to medical healing.

This passage from the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Scripture of Salvation According to the Numinous Treasure Teachings) details a Daoist salvation ritual (Keyi) that invokes the divine power of the Celestial Medical Bureau (Tianyi Si) to heal departed souls.

The ceremony begins by summoning medical deities including Bian Que's officials, the Immortal Medicine Youths, and the Mysterious Altar's Celestial Medical Bureau. The scripture states that Heaven's justice is impartial, and the divine merits are vast enough to sustain the Three Realms of heaven, earth, and humanity. The current ritual is performed to save the deceased [Name] and all souls who perished in childbirth (chanwang). These spirits suffer from internal disturbances of the Three Corpses (Sanpeng, the three pathogenic forces in Daoist physiology), their vitality as fragile as autumn wind scattering fairy pears (jiaoli). Afflicted by the Two Demons (ershu) of illness, their lives vanished like morning dew. Only by taking refuge in the Nine-Cycle Golden Elixir (jiuzhuan jindan, the supreme achievement of Daoist cultivation) can their primordial Qi be restored.

The ritual then petitions the Celestial Medical Bureau's divine officials: human ailments stem from imbalances in the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind), while medical arts can harmonize the Three Powers (sancai, heaven-earth-humanity). The deceased suffered bodily harm from emotional attachments or died in childbirth, leaving their organ systems (zangfu) unrecovered and their Three Hun and Eight Po (soul components; "eight luminaries" here refers to the魂魄) incomplete. Through this spirit-summoning ceremony, the deities are implored to administer impartial healing—using celestial medicines to repair deficiencies, activating superior talismans (shangpin lingfu) to resurrect the departed, enabling them to witness the Dao.

The final segment offers incense to the Primordial Chaos Bureau (Hunyuan Si), beseeching the Twelve Qi-Transforming Generals from the Jade Pure Realm (Yuqing jing, highest Daoist heaven) to manifest. Though the souls have escaped the sea of suffering, their Nine Qi (jiuqi, vital energies) remain unsettled; only by returning to their origin can they attain true bliss. Through sincere prayer, the deities are invited to descend to this ritual assembly and guide the souls to transcendence.

The liturgy incorporates fixed sequences like the "Threefold Invocation Offering" (qingshen sanxian) and "Pacing the Void" (buxu, the priest's star-stepping movements), ultimately entreating the Salvation-Initiating Celestial Worthy (Yuanhuang Kaidu Tianzun) to deliver the departed.

This passage describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased souls, divided into three main phases:

First, the Daoist priest petitions deities such as the Great General of Primordial Chaos from the Jade Purity realm, reporting the identities of the deceased souls requiring salvation (including those who died in childbirth). Due to karmic transgressions in their lifetimes, these souls suffer from dispersed spiritual energies and imbalances in the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). The priest implores the deities' descent to liberate these souls from the sufferings of hell realms (the Three Paths and Eight Calamities), restoring harmony to their Five Phase energies and reintegrating their spiritual components (Shen, Hun, Po, and Yi consciousness) for their ultimate deliverance.

The second phase involves purification through ritual bathing. The priest summons a specialized pantheon of cleansing deities, including the Lord of Heavenly River's Eastern Well and the Lady of Ritual Ablutions, along with twenty other divine officials overseeing purification. Each deity performs specific functions: some shower down sacred rain for cleansing, others employ mystical waters to dissolve karmic obstructions, while specialized divine generals eradicate spiritual impurities. The ritual particularly addresses the Daoist concept of the "Blood Lake" - the spiritual pollution resulting from childbirth bleeding that requires special purification.

The final phase constitutes the formal deity-invocation ceremony. The priest prepares a yellow altar, employing incense offerings, triple libations (sanxian), and the sacred "Pacing the Void" (buxu) ritual steps to welcome the deities. Special emphasis is placed on using "Water of Stability" (purifying sacred water) and "Mystic Springs" (celestial waters from the heavenly realms) to cleanse the deceased, particularly women who died in childbirth. Their blood-stained impurities require these extraordinary ritual waters for complete purification. The entire ceremony aims to utilize divine power to grant the deceased souls complete physical and spiritual purification, ultimately elevating them to the immortal realms.

This scripture describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased souls, specifically focusing on women who died during childbirth (referred to as "birth souls"). The ceremony involves a series of steps where the priest invokes divine powers to purify these souls, bestow upon them new garments, and assist their liberation from suffering.

The ritual begins by preparing a sacred ceremonial space. The priest calls upon the Nine Phoenixes (auspicious divine birds) to draw essence from the Eastern Well (one of the twenty-eight lunar mansions) and Fangzhu (a Daoist celestial realm), while the Five Dragons (representing the Five Phases) circulate Qi to infuse it into the Southern Palace (a dwelling place of Daoist immortals). With utmost devotion, the priest prays for the descent of the Most High Lord of Salvation, the deity presiding over soul redemption.

Incense is then offered to the Lingbao Department of Robes and Regalia (the celestial office governing sacred garments), presenting ritual items including immortal robes, jade belts, and divine carriages. The priest beseeches these celestial officials to manifest their power, invoking the combined might of the Heaven of Clarity and Subtlety (one of the Three Pure Heavens) and the Lingbao Heavenly Worthy to redeem the souls. Special mention is made of those souls submerged in the Lake of Blood (where female souls suffer) and the Sea of Karmic Retribution, praying for heavenly light to shine upon them and divine grace to clothe them anew, thus freeing them from their torment.

The ceremony incorporates standard ritual sequences: deity invocation, the Three Offerings, and Pacing the Void (the priest's circumambulation with chant). The priest petitions the celestial officials of the Robes Department, explaining how these souls trapped in the Ninefold Darkness (the coldest, darkest underworld realm) have lost their dignity, and requests that they be granted immortal garments conforming to cosmic principles. These sacred vestments—with upper and lower robes symbolizing Heaven and Earth, and variegated patterns representing the harmonious interplay of Yin-Yang through the Kan-Li trigrams—will restore the souls' dignified appearance.

The ritual culminates by guiding the Heavenly Worthy to descend upon the altar space, with a final summoning chant directed beyond the temple gates to hasten the deities' arrival. This completes the preparatory phase of the salvation rite. The scripture exemplifies Daoism's particular compassion for deceased women, using sacred vestments as symbols of their spiritual rebirth.