《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 122

This scripture documents the specific liturgical procedures of the Daoist "Ritual for the Earth Deities of Yin Dwellings" (a ceremony for liberating departed souls). Originally compiled during the Southern Song dynasty by Master Shuinan Lin Lingzhen, it belongs to the important Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) tradition.

At the beginning of the ritual, the officiating priest first performs the "Purification by Sprinkling" (a rite to cleanse the altar), reciting the Guardian Spirit Incantation:

"May the stars of the Five Directions shine upon us—Mercury dispels calamity, Jupiter brings auspicious fortune, Mars removes misfortune, Venus averts warfare, and Saturn stabilizes the four quarters, safeguarding the peace of home and nation. These divine names are recorded in the Jade Registers of the Celestial Court. The spirits ride upon the clear wind, soaring through the void, traversing the realms of light and darkness, patrolling the ten directions. The five-colored auspicious clouds form a canopy, summoning the deities, commanding the myriad spirits, and protecting those who cultivate the Dao."

Next, the priest "Invokes the Divine Rank" (respectfully inviting the deities to descend), announcing his position and offering incense in supplication:

"Your servant [name] humbly addresses the Supreme Sovereign of the Earth Mansion (the highest deity governing the land), the Great Emperors of the Five Directions’ Earth Mansions, the Grand Duke of the Year (Taisui), the Lady of the Grand Yin (Taiyin), the Nine Flying Palaces’ Star Lords, the various deities of the underworld, the Earth Father and Earth Mother, the deities of the Eight Trigrams (Bagua), the spirits of the Celestial Stems and Earthly Branches, the mountain deities and earthly sha-spirits, the Thirty-Six Celestial Generals, the Twenty-Four Mountain Deities, and all divinities presiding over the auspicious and inauspicious feng shui of yin dwellings (graves)."

Scriptural explanation: The earth mirrors the heavens, with mountain ranges corresponding to celestial constellations, the Eight Trigrams dividing its territories, and the Nine Palaces aligning with astral fields. These deities collectively govern the feng shui of yin dwellings (burial sites), which influence the fortunes of the living. Now, a devotee holds this ritual for a deceased relative—their soul has fallen into the dark underworld and requires liberation through the prescribed method of "Fivefold Refinement of the Corpse" (a ritual technique for salvation). In the boundless silence of the long night, within the vast expanse of the Grand Yin realm, the assistance of these divine beings is essential to complete this rite of deliverance.

This scripture describes a Daoist Zhaijiao ritual (purification ceremony) for the salvation of departed souls, primarily consisting of two parts: the Invocation of Deities and the Offering of Sacrifices.

In the Invocation section, the ritual master devoutly summons various deities to descend. The text mentions how heaven and earth are divided according to the directional terms Ren-Bing-Zi-Wu, with the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) symbols Qian-Kan-Li forming the boundaries of Yin-Yang. The Four Directional Deities - White Tiger, Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise (guardian deities of the four quarters) - each maintain their positions, collectively upholding cosmic order. These deities manifest in diverse forms, capable of bestowing blessings or foretelling calamities, governing over sacred mountains, forests, and burial grounds.

The master offers prayers for the deceased, noting their incomplete Daoist cultivation and insufficient virtuous deeds during life, now trapped in the underworld. Through this ritual, following methods prescribed in Daoist scriptures, the master employs the Five Directions Pacification Texts (incantations to stabilize the cardinal directions) and Celestial Illumination Characters (sacred talismanic writings) to help the departed soul reintegrate its ethereal and corporeal aspects, ultimately enabling ascension to the immortal realms.

The Offering section comprises Preliminary and Secondary Sacrificial Stages. The master humbly acknowledges the simplicity of the offerings while earnestly praying for divine response. Special mention is made of the deceased's vanished voice and countenance, though their essential spiritual consciousness remains. Through today's ritual, the master seeks the soul's deliverance. The ceremony repeatedly emphasizes both sincere devotion to the deities and profound grief for the departed.

This scripture describes a Daoist salvation ritual performed for the deceased. The ritual master, through zhaijiao (purification rituals), assists the wandering soul to break free from underworld suffering and prays for its rebirth.

The text first mentions that the deceased has passed away long ago, with their soul drifting in the underworld. Following the "Five Refinements" (five Daoist cultivation methods), the master conducts fasting rituals, hoping to reconnect the departed soul with the yang realm. However, there are concerns that underworld demons might disturb the remains, disrupt the grave's feng shui, and prevent the soul from resting in peace.

The master invokes divine power to expel underground spirits and flying demons, protecting the integrity of the remains. Through ritual power, the soul may be reborn when conditions ripen, restoring its former appearance and voice, with the five viscera regaining vitality. Thus liberated, the soul may soar freely among clouds, traverse grotto-heavens (Daoist paradises), and ultimately bless its descendants.

The latter section details a repentance ritual where the master confesses to the Ten Directions deities (directional lords of Daoism) on behalf of the deceased. The confession includes lifetime transgressions: indulging in the Three Karmas (actions of body, speech, and mind), violating the Six Passions (human desires), breaking fasting vows, disregarding Daoist precepts, disrespecting sages' teachings, betraying teachers and friends, showing arrogance toward immortals, moral misconduct, and insatiable greed. These offenses are recorded in the "Register of Transgressions."

The complete ritual involves incense offering, repentance, and buxu (a ritual pacing technique). With utmost devotion, the master beseeches the Infinite Supreme Numinous Treasure Celestial Lord of the East (a major Daoist deity) to absolve the deceased's sins and grant deliverance.

This scripture describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of departed souls. Following the liturgical procedures of the Lingbao school's (an important Daoist lineage) Scripture of Golden Salvation, the priest conducting the zhaijiao (purification ritual) for the deceased makes supplications to the divine beings of the Eastern Limitless Realm, seeking forgiveness for the sins of the departed.

Through ritual actions such as incense burning and flower scattering, the priest devoutly takes refuge in the Supreme Lingbao Heavenly Worthy of the Eastern Limitless (a revered Daoist deity) and the Nine Qi Heavenly Lords (divine officials governing the nine primordial energies), hoping these celestial administrators will convey compassion. The priest specifically petitions for the erasure of the deceased's name from the criminal registers of the underworld (Xuan Cao) and the removal of their name from the blacklist, while recording their virtuous deeds in the red registers. This allows the soul to ascend in rank and receive an official position in the celestial realm.

The ritual follows the methods outlined in the Lingbao Scripture of Salvation Through Five Refinements for the Revivification of the Corpse, stabilizing the deceased's burial site (zhai zhao) and securing their resting place. At the same time, it commands the underworld officials to protect the deceased's physical form, anticipating the eventual reunion of body and soul when conditions align. The ultimate aspiration is for the departed soul to dwell peacefully in the realm of emptiness, wandering freely in the celestial heavens (xiao han), liberated from the suffering of samsara. Upon attaining the Dao, the soul ascends to the formless realm, merging with the ultimate truth of the Great Dao.

The text concludes by noting that this repentance and salvation ritual can be performed in all ten directions (shi fang, the cardinal and intermediate directions), requiring only the adjustment of directional names while maintaining the same fundamental liturgy. This reflects the universal applicability of Daoist salvation rituals, using the same procedures to deliver souls from different directions.