《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 118

This scripture records the morning liturgy (Keyi) of the "Five Refinements for Revitalizing the Corpse" purification ritual (Zhaijiao), a ceremony for liberating departed souls, as practiced by the Lingbao lineage (one of Daoism's major schools).

The ceremony begins with priests burning incense and chanting hymns. Following protocol, all participants pay respects to the founding masters while silently reciting incantations. Next comes the recitation of the "Guardian Spirit Incantation" - a protective chant for purifying the altar space. It invokes numerous divine names including Qingyang (Eastern Deity), Divine Tiger (exorcism beast), and Flying Sky Tinkling Bells (demon-subduing ritual bells) - all capable of dispersing evil influences and capturing malevolent spirits.

Twenty-four strikes of the ritual drum then resound, symbolizing the summoning of deities. The priests petition the "Supreme Three Heavens' Dao Lords of Primordial Origin" (highest Daoist pantheon) to mobilize their body's guardian generals, including:

• Three-Five Merit Officials (duty deities)
• Golden Boys and Jade Maidens (divine attendants)
• Five Emperors' Direct Emissaries (duty officers from the Five Directions)

...and thirty-two other deities to help convey their sincerity.

The presiding priest declares his role in conducting this salvation ritual for the patron (ritual sponsor), beseeching the qi-energy from the Jade Pure Realm (highest heaven) to descend upon the altar, that his devotion may reach the "Supreme Ultimate Jade Emperor of the Great Dao" (Daoism's highest deity).

Concluding the liturgy, the priest formally announces his ritual rank (sacred office) and joins all altar officials in sincerely invoking the Daoist pantheon, including:

• The Three Pure Ones: Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (highest deity), Lord Dao, and Lord Lao
• Ten Directions' Perfected Saints
• Twenty-two Celestial Emperors
• Four Directional Sovereigns (Eastern Florescence, Southern Pole, etc.)
• Sacred realms like the Jade Capital of Mystic Metropolis and Purple Tenuity Palace
• Thirty-six Supreme Scriptures (core Daoist classics)
• And the lineage's transmission masters.

This passage is a Qingci (memorial to deities) used in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals), expressing the practitioner's sincere plea for divine assistance in liberating departed souls. Let me explain its meaning layer by layer:

The opening enumerates the titles of important Daoist Zhenren (Perfected Immortals), including Chief Perfected Lord Wang of Xicheng, Great Prime Zhenren, and Mao Jun the High Minister of the Eastern Peak who oversees fates, indicating the invitation of various celestial beings to witness this ritual. Phrases like "jade repositories radiating light" and "golden truth disseminating teachings" depict the sacred realm where deities emanate divine radiance while spreading their teachings.

The middle section contains the practitioner's self-reflection: We mortals possess decaying forms as fragile as phoenix trees in the wind. Though we aspire to cultivate in famous mountains, worldly affairs still entangle us. Lamenting how time fleets like a white steed's shadow, we feel fortunate to still receive celestial grace, thus must treasure our time for diligent practice.

It then explains the ritual's purpose: A certain practitioner, though having mastered the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen) scriptures, cultivated Neidan (internal alchemy) for longevity, and propagated salvation texts, departed before achieving immortality. His devoted disciples, cherishing their master's memory while trusting in divine guidance, still wish through this Zhaijiao to beseech the Celestial Worthy to deliver their departed teacher from underworld suffering.

The concluding lines like "may those submerged in nine deaths obtain a thousand rebirths" implore the deities to liberate souls from the Ninefold Darkness, granting them renewed existence. The entire Qingci embodies the Daoist doctrine of "salvation for departed souls," using ritual to bridge human and divine realms for the ascension of spirits.

This passage records a Daoist purification ritual (Zhaijiao), depicting the scene of priests ascending the altar at dawn to perform sacred rites. The Daoist priests devoutly offer incense and pay homage, seeking divine blessings.

At daybreak, the priests don their ritual vestments and ascend the altar platform following strict liturgical procedures. Holding incense burners, they perform the triple incense offering ceremony. During the first offering, the curling incense smoke ascends as an offering to the supreme "Treasure of the Dao" (one of the Three Treasures of Daoism). All participants bow deeply in veneration, making supplications to the Three Pure Ones (Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun). They dedicate these meritorious deeds to benefit their ancestral lineage and the deities protecting the nation.

The second incense offering is presented to the "Treasure of Scriptures" (Daoist sacred texts), with prayers for the salvation of the ritual patron's ancestors through nine generations and all departed relatives across lifetimes. The priests seek to erase karmic transgressions recorded in the underworld registers, purify the six senses, and empty the five aggregates, thereby blessing descendants with literary brilliance and virtuous character.

During the third incense offering, the priests express their ultimate aspiration to transcend physical form and unite with the Dao after attaining enlightenment. The entire ceremony maintains solemn dignity as the priests move through each ritual gesture with heartfelt devotion. Through these sacred actions, they seek to bridge heaven and humanity, liberate wandering souls, and pray for national prosperity and peace.

The ritual mentions specialized incense-handling techniques ("twisting incense"), while "nine generations of ancestors and seven forebears" refers to the complete ancestral lineage. The "black registers and green bamboo slips" symbolize the underworld's records of good and evil deeds. These ritual elements embody Daoism's religious ideals of universal salvation and liberation from the cycle of rebirth.

This passage is a liturgical repentance text from the Daoist scripture Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu, depicting devotees' reverent devotion and prayers for salvation.

With full-body prostration, practitioners devoutly worship the Supreme Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) — Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun. Through these meritorious acts, they seek blessings for their teachers, family, and friends. They pray for divine protection to purify their minds, transcend worldly afflictions, and attain the carefree existence of immortals — ascending the mountain of liberation and registering their names in the Violet Palace (the Daoist celestial realm).

The text describes how the deceased may have their sins absolved for salvation, while the living may perfect virtuous karma to achieve immortality. Through incense offerings and ritual bows, practitioners aspire to follow the footsteps of ancient sages toward ultimate union with the Dao (the Way). By maintaining precepts and restraining the six sensory desires (from eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind), they cultivate serenity — a state so noble that even celestial demons would offer reverence and protection.

Later verses extol the boundless power of Daoist practice. Sincere cultivation enables transcendence beyond the Three Realms (of desire, form, and formlessness) and liberation from the Five Torments of hell (knife-mountains, sword-trees, bronze-pillars, iron-beds, and frozen abyss). Through meditative practice, one may forge an indestructible diamond-like body and attain immortality.

The liturgy culminates in three solemn bows: first to the Supreme Dao itself, then to the Thirty-Six Daoist Scriptures (Jing), and finally to the Great Master of Mysterious Centrality (referring to Laozi). All present jointly invoke numerous celestial beings — including Yuanshi Tianzun, Supreme Dao Lord, the Jade Emperor, the Thirty-Two Heavenly Sovereigns, and directional deities — seeking their empowerment and protection.

This scripture exemplifies the Daoist path of ritual repentance and disciplined cultivation toward transcendence, embodying the tradition's ultimate ideal of "harmonious union with the Dao" (Yu Dao He Zhen).

This scripture passage depicts a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased souls. It begins by enumerating the celestial hierarchy participating in the ceremony: the Great Master of Mysterious Midst (a high-ranking Daoist deity), the Twenty-Four Perfected Ones, the Sovereign Lord of Western Citadel, the Perfected of Great Origin, the Three Mao Perfected Lords of Maoshan (Mao Ying, Mao Gu, Mao Zhong), along with various immortal sages from sacred grotto-heavens and divine officials from the Three Realms.

The text describes how the deceased, though a Daoist practitioner during life, had not attained advanced spiritual states like "sitting in oblivion or standing in disappearance." After death, the wandering soul suffers due to unbridled indulgence in the six sensory desires (of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) and unresolved three poisons (greed, hatred, and delusion). Chasing empty fame and petty gains, the deceased neglected spiritual practice—being lax in scripture transmission and careless in purification fasts, leading to gradual depletion of Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit). Within the body, the twenty-seven spiritual officials warred against each other while thirty-nine bodily gateways bred dark energies, ultimately resulting in demise.

Through rituals like establishing purification ceremonies and offering incense with scattered flowers, the living now beseech the Three Officials (Celestial, Earthly, and Water Officials) to pardon these transgressions, seeking forgiveness from immortal beings like the goddess Luofu and the Dragon Lord. May the departed soul escape the bitter sea of the underworld, ascend to the luminous celestial realm, receive immortal appointment at Danling (the Cinnabar Mound), assume duties at Qingzhu (abode of immortals), and ultimately dwell eternally in the Purple Mansion (highest paradise), freed from the cycle of rebirth. The entire passage embodies the Daoist religious concept of using Zhaijiao (purification rituals) and Keyi (liturgical ceremonies) to guide souls toward transcendence.

This scripture is a Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) liturgical text for delivering deceased souls, comprising two main sections: first, prayers beseeching peace for the deceased, and second, recitations of ten cultivation vows.

The first half petitions the deities, wishing tranquility for the departed in the underworld: it implores underworld gods to protect the deceased's grave, restore radiance to their bones and flesh, and reunite their form and spirit (Shen). Simultaneously, it prays for earthly blessings—seasonal winds and rains, luminous sun and moon, serene mountains and forests, abundant harvests, universal peace, cessation of warfare, even grass growing over prison hoes (symbolizing empty jails)—so all beings may find their proper place and ultimately transcend the cycle of reincarnation.

The latter section's "Ten Vows" express the practitioner's aspirations:

First vow: ancestors liberated from suffering and ascended to heaven

Second vow: the nation's ruler governing through Daoist teachings, flourishing education, and universal allegiance

Third vow: transmitting masters attaining complete merit and achieving immortality

Fourth vow: fellow cultivators attaining the Dao (the Way) swiftly while supporting one another

Fifth vow: kin and friends living harmoniously, valuing righteousness over wealth as societal exemplars

Sixth vow: personal capacity to provide for Daoist practitioners and the impoverished, fulfilling all beings' needs

Seventh vow: deliverance granted even to the humblest creatures

Eighth vow: absolution for past and present transgressions, redeeming faults through merit

Ninth vow: familial prosperity with successive generations of virtuous talent

Tenth vow: sincere devotion to scriptures (Jing), universal salvation, and ultimately ascending as an immortal riding clouds and cranes

The text concludes by inviting incense deities to witness these vows, that the practice space may spontaneously manifest auspicious signs like golden elixirs (Golden Elixir) and numinous herbs. This passage embodies core Daoist ideals: delivering souls, accumulating virtue (De) through practice, and universal salvation.

All immortals and divine spirits now gather before this incense burner, that the disciples cultivating the Dao may learn the true Way, and those seeking immortality may attain their celestial destiny. The master of ceremonies (the one presiding over the Zhaijiao purification ritual) receives blessings, while both the visible and invisible realms partake of this divine grace. The jade maidens and immortal youths from the ten directions stand guard over the curling incense smoke, swiftly conveying our most devout supplications directly to the sacred throne of the supreme Jade Emperor (one of the highest deities in Daoism).

This hymn is chanted when departing from the ritual altar, ultimately returning to a state of sacred silence. The passage originates from Volume 118 of the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Book of Salvation Through Lingbao Teachings), a crucial liturgical text of the Lingbao tradition, which records the invocations used for divine communication during Zhaijiao ceremonies. The phrase "both visible and invisible realms partake of grace" refers to blessings bestowed upon both the yang world of the living and the yin realm of spirits, while "directly conveyed" signifies immediate transmission to the divine presence. The entire passage exemplifies the Daoist religious practice of communicating between heaven and humanity through incense offerings and ritual invocations.