《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 117

This is a record of a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased souls, documented in the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Book of Lingbao Salvation). Compiled by Master Shuinan Lin Lingzhen, the ritual was designed to deliver souls trapped in the Blood Lake Hell—a realm of impurity in Daoist belief where female spirits were particularly prone to falling.

The ceremony begins with the priests erecting a spirit-summoning banner before the altar gate, burning incense to announce their intentions to the divine. They invoke the hierarchical deities of the Lingbao tradition’s "Central Bureau of Pursuit and Retrieval," including celestial officials and spirit-soldiers who oversee underworld affairs. These deities are described as wielding iron tallies and golden talismans (Fulu), symbols of their authority, capable of riding dragons and tigers to traverse the realms of Yin and Yang. Their sacred duty is to pursue lost souls and guide them toward salvation.

The priests declare that the ritual is being performed for a specific deceased individual who, due to karmic transgressions in life, now suffers in the Blood Lake Hell. Having previously submitted a memorial to the celestial court and received approval, they now formally issue a jade decree (Yuzha) summoning the celestial officials to carry out the salvation. The altar (Lanchang) has been solemnly prepared, and the ritual is timed for the depth of night when Yin energy is strongest—the optimal moment for delivering wandering spirits.

Next, the priests reverently invite a series of specialized salvation deities, including:

• The Divine Tiger Officers of the Northern Mysterious Exemplar Bureau, tasked with reviving the deceased;
• The Jade Maiden Xu of the Tortoise Truth and White Grasp, who wields the Ruyi scepter to facilitate salvation;
• The Great Perfected Lord Wang, dedicated to resolving grievances and karmic debts;
• The Great Deity Lu, whose thunderous might subdues malevolent forces;
• The Great Deity Xu, purifier of souls;
• The Great Deity Zhou, cleanser of karmic stains;
• The Great Deity Li, restorer of physical form;
• The Great Deity Feng, universal savior of the deceased;
• And General Jin, among others.

Each deity fulfills a distinct role, collectively accomplishing the sacred mission of gathering scattered souls, absolving grievances, and elevating the departed through salvation.

This passage describes a soul salvation ritual from the Taoist scripture Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Precious Book of Salvation According to the Numinous Treasure Tradition), where priests invoke various deities to assist in liberating trapped souls.

The ceremony begins by summoning local deities like the City God (Chenghuang) and Earth Gods (Tushen), along with the Six Destiny Officers (Siming Liushen) who govern fate, inviting them to descend with compassionate hearts. The "Three Offerings" (Sanxian) ritual follows, reciting powerful verses of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) to open the pathways to the underworld. This aims to deliver souls trapped in various hell realms—the Blood Lake Hell, the Eastern Peak (Dongyue) and Mount Tai Hells, or the Fengdu Hell. Some souls suffer in the Ninefold Netherworld, others endure the wheel of rebirth, while some remain confined by the Iron Encircling Mountains or the Avici Hell.

The ritual master reads official Taoist documents (Fulu) to mobilize celestial soldiers and generals. These golden-armored divine troops traverse the Three Realms like wind and clouds, their radiance illuminating all directions without obstruction. The Duren Jing (Scripture of Salvation) is then recited, its imperial commands compelling underworld officials to obey promptly and execute the salvation procedures.

Special attention is given to a woman who died in childbirth—her soul stained with pollution, her body withered, unable to approach celestial deities. Through purification rituals (Zhaijiao), the priests request immortals to employ their divine power, cleansing the soul of karmic obstructions and enabling it to receive merits. Finally, the soul is guided to the "Department of Karmic Resolution" (Jiejie Si), a specialized underworld bureau for disentangling karmic bonds, where prayers are offered to dissolve her karmic entanglements across lifetimes.

The entire ceremony embodies Taoist religious practice through liturgical rituals (Keyi) to liberate souls and resolve karmic knots, demonstrating the tradition's understanding of life-death cycles and its compassionate commitment to universal salvation.

This scripture is a Daoist ritual text for the salvation of deceased souls, primarily describing how talismanic incantations (fulu) can absolve the karmic transgressions of the departed and help them escape the sea of suffering. The term "souls of childbirth" specifically refers to female spirits who died during difficult labor—in Daoist belief, such souls often fall into the "Blood Lake" to suffer.

The text first recounts the deceased's karmic offenses during life: deluded by worldly desires (the "five thieves" representing sensory cravings of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body), driven by emotions and passions to commit evil deeds—whether harming others for wealth or disrupting families for personal gain. These karmic shadows followed them relentlessly, ultimately leading to the calamity of childbirth death.

It then beseeches the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the supreme Daoist deity) to grant amnesty, enabling the soul to escape the Blood Lake Hell (a Daoist purgatory where women fall due to childbirth blood defilement) and receive salvation in the mortal realm. Through the "Talisman for Resolving Grievances and Releasing Karmic Knots," accumulated karmic debts across lifetimes are dissolved, reconciling resentments between the deceased and the living.

Three subsequent talismans serve distinct purposes: the first "Talisman for Resolving Grievances" illuminates the underworld to dissolve enmities; the second "Talisman for Extracting Sins and Severing Karma" cuts the roots of hellish suffering, elevating souls to blessed realms; the third is a direct salvific decree from Yuanshi Tianzun that nullifies punishments in Fengdu Hell (the Daoist netherworld), granting liberation according to the soul's spiritual attainment.

During the ritual, Daoist priests raise banners at the Office of Birth Supervision (a divine bureau overseeing childbirth) to offer incense, petitioning the immortal officials of the Lingbao Birth Registry. They invoke the power of Yin-Yang energies (the Azure and Mysterious Qi) and the essence of the Five Phases (Yellow and Crimson Five Numinosities) to protect the soul. Through talismans, scripture recitation, and liturgy (keyi), the ritual helps the deceased achieve "dust-cleared mirror-brightness"—ultimately reaching the carefree state of primordial emptiness.

This scripture describes Daoist rituals for liberating the souls of mothers and children who perished during childbirth. The text explains that some women meet tragic fates during pregnancy—some experience stillbirths, some die together with their infants during delivery, some fall victim to incompetent physicians or poisonous medicines, while others are deceived by witchcraft. These trapped souls are confined in the Blood Lake Hell (a Daoist concept where the blood pollution from childbirth forms a special purgatory) due to the sin of blood defilement, requiring liberation through the power of Daoist talismanic incantations (fulu).

The scripture contains four specialized talismans:

The first is the "Supervising Birth Talisman," used to protect expectant mothers before delivery. This talisman summons the yang qi of the Nine Heavens to ensure the safety of both mother and child, resolving obstructions in the womb.

The second is the "Breaking the Womb Talisman," specifically designed for cases of stillbirth. It commands deities from the sacred mountains of Penglai and Fangzhang to assist in separating the deceased fetus from the mother's body.

The third is the "Emerging from the Womb Talisman," employed when both mother and child perish during childbirth. This talisman mobilizes the yin-yang energies of heaven and earth to bring peace to the departed souls and facilitate the liberation of the infant's spirit.

The fourth is the "Universal Liberation Talisman," applicable to all cases of miscarriage or difficult labor. Drawing power from the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the supreme deity in Daoism), this talisman purifies blood pollution and grants the deceased souls rebirth.

All these talismans conclude with the phrase "Urgently, urgently, in accordance with the Primordial Liberating Ordinances," indicating immediate execution under Yuanshi Tianzun's command. The entire ritual aims to deliver these unfortunate maternal and infant souls from the suffering of Blood Lake Hell, granting them the opportunity for liberation and rebirth.

This scripture passage primarily addresses Daoist rituals for liberating departed souls and healing illnesses, containing multiple talismanic incantations (Fulu) and petitions to divine beings.

The opening phrase "the five viscera harmonized and all joints at peace" expresses the prayer for the deceased to achieve internal balance and physical tranquility. The "Decree of Salvation from Primordial Beginning" refers to the cosmic laws established by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the supreme deity in Daoism) for redeeming lost souls. Several talismans follow:

The "Talisman of True Liberation for the Living" aids souls in severing the roots of rebirth (the fundamental cause of reincarnation) and returning to their original purity. The "Mandate of Primordial Beginning" represents Yuanshi Tianzun's divine command, capable of purging souls of corrupt influences and transforming their form and spirit (Shen), elevating them through cultivation into immortals.

The "Talisman of Eternal Deliverance from the Three Paths" references the three wretched realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and beasts. This talisman assists souls in escaping the underworld's darkness. "Purple patterns radiating brilliance" describes the talisman's luminous aura, while "primal Qi (Qi)"—the primordial vital energy—summons divine beings to descend to celestial palaces.

Next comes a sacred text recited to the "Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Sovereign's Salvation" (the deity overseeing soul liberation), beseeching deliverance for "so-and-so" (the specific deceased's name) and all souls lost in childbirth. The prayer seeks their release from underworld bondage and ascension to heaven. Here, the "three fields (Dantian)" denote the key energy centers: the upper Dantian (between the eyebrows), middle Dantian (heart region), and lower Dantian (below the navel).

The petition vividly depicts the suffering of women who died in childbirth: entangled in desire and karmic burdens, or victims of misdiagnosis and harmful medications. Though their physical forms perished, their anguish persists. Thus, it implores the "Divine Physicians of the Numinous Treasure's Celestial Healing Bureau" to employ their supernatural arts—acupuncture, medicinal ointments, and other treatments—to restore flesh to bleached bones.

Finally, the "Talisman of the Celestial Healing Envoys" summons heavenly physicians. These divine healers master the secrets of "sovereign-minister-adjuvant-courier" (the principles of herbal formulation) and can refine the "Tenfold Cyclic Elixir of Revival," applying the dynamics of Yin-Yang Qi to treat departed souls.

Collectively, this passage illustrates Daoist rites—through talismans, prayers, and medical arts—for redeeming the dead, particularly women lost to childbirth, showcasing the tradition's integration of spiritual and therapeutic practices.

This scripture primarily discusses Daoist rituals for healing illnesses and delivering departed souls, employing distinctive Daoist concepts such as celestial physicians, immortal medicines, talismans, and incantations.

The first section describes celestial physicians (divine beings in charge of medicine and healing in Daoism) using miraculous remedies like "golden mushrooms and jade dew" (immortal elixirs) to cure various ailments and restore bodily harmony. The phrase "five passes flowing smoothly" refers to the unobstructed circulation of Qi through the five organ systems, while "sunken corpses and birth ghosts" denote lingering malevolent spirits of the deceased. Through divine healing, these tormented souls can be freed from eternal suffering, and the body’s meridians can regain balance.

The second part introduces the "Talisman of the Healing Officers," summoning celestial physicians from the Nine Heavens (including divine healers like Bian Que) and medicine-bearing immortal youths to aid the sick. Remedies such as the "Life-Preserving Elixir" and "Golden Liquid Jade Elixir" swiftly dispel diseases and misfortunes, particularly effective for the souls of mothers and infants who died in childbirth.

The third section specifically addresses the souls of women who perished during childbirth, known as "birth corpses." By harmonizing their condition with immortal medicines like "jade mushrooms and golden liquid," the unborn can find peace, and the deceased can be liberated. "Southern Palace" refers to the Daoist administrative realm governing departed souls, while "ten thousand Qi converging as one" signifies the harmonious unification of all vital energies.

The final segment details the salvation ritual, beseeching the "Celestial Worthy of Primordial Salvation" (a high deity overseeing deliverance) to help souls recognize the illusions of their past lives and return to their innate radiance. The ceremony includes scripture recitation, incense offerings, and prayers to the "Great General of Chaos-Born Transformation" (a deity overseeing spiritual transmutation) to ensure the souls’ deliverance.

As a whole, the scripture illustrates Daoist religious practices—employing talismans, immortal elixirs, and divine power—to heal the living and redeem the dead, with special emphasis on the salvation of those who suffered unnatural deaths like childbirth fatalities. The recurring phrase "By the urgent decree of the Primordial, as commanded for the deliverance of humanity" is a standard closing formula in Daoist incantations, signifying the immediate execution of the highest divine mandate for salvation.

This scripture is a liturgical document from Daoist ritual practice for the salvation of departed souls, detailing the process of using talismanic incantations to restore the five viscera functions and facilitate the soul's return to the yang world.

The opening section describes the cosmological principle of the primordial Qi (Xiantian energy) giving birth to all things, explaining that the departed soul remains trapped due to karmic obstacles from past lives. By the grace of the celestial court, the soul is now permitted to escape the Blood Lake Hell (where female souls are believed to suffer in Daoist cosmology) and return to the living world, though its physical form is not yet fully restored.

The text then proceeds to invoke five talismanic incantations, each corresponding to one of the five viscera:

1. "Kidney-Generating Talisman" (生肾符) – The kidneys belong to the Water phase. By gathering the primordial Yuan Qi, this incantation helps restore the kidney functions of the departed soul. The chant emphasizes "the Dao generates clarity," enabling the soul to return to its original state.

2. "Heart-Generating Talisman" (生心符) – The heart belongs to the Fire phase, symbolizing the palace of the Red Emperor (the deity of southern fire virtue). The incantation stabilizes the heart-spirit (Shen), summoning the reverence of all deities, bringing peace to the soul’s body and mind.

3. "Liver-Generating Talisman" (生肝符) – The liver belongs to the Wood phase, where the green Qi (Wood-phase energy) flourishes vigorously. As the "chief of all bones," the restoration of the liver allows the soul to attain immortality.

4. "Lung-Generating Talisman" (生肺符) – The lungs belong to the Metal phase, with "the white Qi" referring to the western Metal energy. The incantation revives lung function, enabling the soul to ascend to the heavenly realms.

5. "Spleen-Generating Talisman" (生脾符) – The spleen belongs to the Earth phase, with "central yellow" representing the virtue of the central Earth. The decree of the Imperial Lord (the Yellow Emperor) stabilizes the spleen, restoring radiance to the limbs.

Each incantation concludes with the urgent command: "Swiftly, as decreed by the Primordial Salvation Law of Yuanshi Tianzun (the highest deity in Daoism)." This affirms that the ritual follows the salvific principles established by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. Through the restoration of the five viscera, the departed soul achieves "complete form and restored substance," ultimately attaining salvation and ascension to purity.

This passage describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of departed souls, employing fulu (道教符箓, Daoist talismanic scripts) to assist in their purification and rebirth.

The text begins with the concept of "pacifying the soul," meaning to settle the wandering spirit. "Attendant guardian deities" refers to specialized divine beings responsible for ensuring the soul does not roam restlessly. "Rebirth in blessed realms" indicates the soul's favorable reincarnation. The concluding phrase "urgently, as commanded by the Primordial Celestial Worthy (元始天尊, Yuanshi Tianzun)" follows standard incantation formula, invoking the supreme Daoist deity's salvific power for swift execution.

The passage then details seven talismans and their functions:

1. Bladder Talisman: Creates protection at the bladder region using qing-hei qi (青黑之气, blue-black energy), enabling soul purification in the spiritual realm.

2. Small Intestine Talisman: Channels chi-bai qi (赤白之气, red-white energy) through the small intestine, connecting with the stomach to facilitate physical transformation.

3. Gallbladder Talisman: Gathers spiritual energy in the gallbladder, emitting radiance to bring joy to the soul's jing-po (精魄, essential spirits).

4. Large Intestine Talisman: Circulates hei-bai qi (黑白之气, black-white energy) through the large intestine, renewing the soul's form.

5. Stomach Talisman: Generates huang-dan qi (黄淡之气, pale yellow energy) to produce nourishing fluids in the stomach, stabilizing shen-hun (神魂, spirit-soul) and enabling Dao-realization.

6. Triple Burner Talisman: Flows dan-bai qi (淡白之气, faint white energy) through the sanjiao (三焦, three energy centers), preparing the soul for human rebirth.

7. Wrapping Net Talisman: Channels huang-bai qi (黄白之气, yellow-white energy) through the bodily networks, purifying the soul's spiritual energy for union with the Dao.

The culminating "Complete Form Talisman" holds paramount importance, restoring the soul's meridians to wholeness—internally and externally perfected—for ascension through the Celestial Gate (天门, Tianmen). "Primordial Sovereign Salvation Celestial Worthy" (元皇开度天尊) presides over this ritual, while "reciting the middle section" refers to chanting the relevant scripture passage to complete the ceremony.

Through activating qi mechanisms in specific bodily regions with corresponding talismans, this comprehensive ritual facilitates the soul's transformation and transcendence.

This scripture is a Daoist ritual text for the salvation of deceased souls, primarily describing the process of cleansing the sins of the departed through the divine power of the "Celestial Worthy of Primordial Sovereign's Deliverance." The term "souls of childbirth" specifically refers to female spirits who died during labor—in Daoist belief, such souls suffer in the "Lake of Blood" hell realm.

At the start of the ritual, the priest offers incense and prays to the "Lingbao Cleansing Bureau" (a celestial office dedicated to purifying souls). The text describes how these souls, defiled by the blood of childbirth and their primordial spirits (Yuan Shen) contaminated, remain trapped in the darkness of the Nine Springs, enduring suffering for countless kalpas. Now, through the compassionate decree of the Celestial Worthy, they are temporarily released from the Lake of Blood hell to receive purification in the mortal realm.

The priest then recites three purifying talismans (Fulu):

1) The "Primordial Sovereign's Talisman for Cleansing Blood-Stained Corpses with Purifying Bath" employs the sacred waters of the Great Supreme and the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars to wash away blood defilement.

2) The "Talisman for Purifying Blood-Stained Corpses and Clarifying the Spirit" invokes the Seven Origin Flowing Essences from Fusang (the place of sunrise) and the waters of the Heavenly River for purification.

3) The "Talisman for Resolving Defilement in Blood-Stained Corpses" utilizes the Yellow Flower Jade Nectar from the Eastern Well (one of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions) to refine the soul. Each talisman concludes with the urgent command: "Swiftly, in accordance with the Primordial Beginning's Decree for the Salvation of Humanity," emphasizing immediate execution of the salvific laws decreed by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun).

The entire ritual aims to cleanse karmic obstructions through the proclamation of jade talismans and the generative power of ancestral Qi (primordial energy), supported by the hidden blessings of the Celestial Worthy. This process replenishes the Three Passes (upper, middle, and lower Dantian), harmonizes the Six Qi, and ultimately enables the souls to ascend beyond the cycle of kalpas and attain true realization. Finally, the souls pay homage and take refuge in the Limitless Great Dao (the source of the Dao), completing their deliverance.

This scripture describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased spirits, specifically focusing on the deliverance ceremony for women who died during childbirth.

The purification process begins with the "Primordial Decree" (Yuanshi Fuming, the command of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning), using the waters of the Heavenly River to cleanse the accumulated worldly impurities from the deceased's lifetime. The phrase "dark waters descending" symbolizes the purifying waters from the heavens that can wash away the bloodstains and defilements from the spirit, enabling it to appear before the Heavenly Emperor in a purified state.

Next, sacred liquids such as the "essence of sun and moon" (Rijing Yuehua) and "nectar of golden springs" (Ganlu Jinquan) are used to bathe the spirit, purifying both its form and Shen (spirit). Special emphasis is placed on cleansing the "filth of childbirth" (baotai xinghui), the bloodstains associated with labor, allowing the spirit to shed its karmic obstacles from the previous life and stand complete before the Heavenly Emperor.

During the scripture recitation, prayers are offered for the spirit to see through the illusions of human existence and recognize the true meaning of life, ultimately transcending the cycle of rebirth. The phrase "five aggregates are empty" (wuyun jiekong) is a Buddhist term referring to overcoming attachment to the five phenomena of form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness.

Subsequently, supplications are made to the "Department of Celestial Attire" (Lingbao Jinsi Si), the heavenly office in charge of garments, to prepare celestial robes for the spirit. Since the deceased was a woman who died in childbirth yet retained her feminine nature, the ritual provides her with heavenly garments befitting celestial dignity. The "six-ounce robe" (liuzhu yi) refers to the extremely light and thin celestial garments worn by immortals, while "eight rays" (bamang) describes the radiant light emanating from these robes.

Finally, through the power of the "Nine Luminaries" (Jiuyao, the nine stellar deities) and the "Five Planets" (Wuwei), the spirit's celestial robes are transformed, granting it rebirth. The entire ritual exemplifies the Daoist process of purifying and delivering deceased spirits through sacred power, with particular attention to the misfortunes women may encounter during childbirth.

This scripture passage depicts a grand Daoist ritual for the salvation of departed souls, comprising several key elements:

The sacred scene at the ritual altar is first described: auspicious clouds swirl as celestial maidens dance gracefully, their ornate cloud-patterned vestments radiating solemn dignity, manifesting the mysterious atmosphere of the celestial realm. The compassionate radiance of the Celestial Worthy of Original Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the supreme Daoist deity) shines universally, golden light glimmers in the alchemical pool, and the fragrant Qi of truth permeates the space. Ritual masters clad in magnificent ceremonial robes adorned with jade pendants and golden ornaments purify defiled energies within the sacred Purple Chamber.

The passage then details the sacred ceremony employing the "Celestial Emperor's Elephant Talisman" (Tianhuang Xiangfu). The Imperial Lord and Jade Maidens (high-ranking celestial beings) mobilize primordial Qi through spiritual talismans to help departed souls reconstruct bodies of pure essence. The scripture describes how these souls will become as pure as ten-thousand-year-old infants, ascending to the celestial realm as immortals, clad in vermilion immortal garments and crowned with purple-gold headdresses, sharing talismanic covenants with the deities.

The salvation process follows: through scripture recitation, talisman bestowal, and robing ceremonies, the ritual harnesses the majestic virtue-power (De) of the Celestial Emperor to liberate the deceased from suffering. The departed souls will wander freely in the Palace of Stamen Pearls (Ruizhu Gong, a celestial abode), paying homage to the Supreme Deity while enjoying boundless freedom in the paradisiacal gardens and immortal pools.

The concluding section offers hymns of praise: devotees piously worship the Celestial Worthy of Original Beginning and the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure (Lingbao Tianzun, one of the Three Pure Ones/Sanqing), extolling the Dao's mighty power that created order from chaos, praying that pure spiritual force may guide souls to rebirth in the immortal realms. Special mention is made of scriptures written in sacred scripts like Golden Phoenix Seal and Jade Dragon Script, which possess extraordinary spiritual efficacy.

The entire passage demonstrates the complete Daoist salvation liturgy (Keyi), showcasing how talismans (Fulu), scripture recitation, and hymns of praise combine with divine power to liberate souls from the underworld and facilitate their ascension to the immortal realms.

This passage describes the Lingbao School's ritual for delivering deceased souls in Daoism. It begins by venerating Lingbao Tianzun (one of the Three Pure Ones), praising him as the master who transmits the Dao (the Way) and guides the lost, beseeching him to use his pure power to liberate souls and guide them to the celestial realms.

Next, it honors Daode Tianzun (also known as Taishang Laojun), stating that merely hearing his sacred name purifies worldly defilements. The text mentions divine beings from all directions: the radiant Nine Blossoms Paradise of the East, the Western deities inscribing names on jade tablets, the Northern Mysterious Heaven gathering the brilliance of the Three Refinements (Jing, Qi, and Shen), and the Southern celestial realm recording merits on golden registers. Through these rituals, the souls of the departed can return to their original purity and transcend into sainthood.

The ceremony demands solemnity and dignity, with bows performed before sacred curtains, allowing the deceased to hear the scriptures, receive offerings, accept precepts, and elevate their spiritual nature. The ritual masters, moved by compassion, guide the souls with harmonious chanting, beseeching the Celestial Worthy to open the gates of deliverance.

Finally, it explains that this Keyi (liturgical ritual) is specifically designed for souls trapped in the Blood Lake Hell (a Daoist purgatory believed to hold women who died from childbirth due to blood pollution). It must be performed three days before the grand Mingzhen Huanglu Zhai (a major purification and deliverance ceremony) as preparatory rites, after which the full-scale ritual can commence.