《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 127

The Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Precious Scripture of Numinous Treasure Salvation Rituals) describes a Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual) for salvation and deliverance of the deceased. In this ritual, the master priest, through incense offerings, summons various deities to dispel calamities for the ritual patron and liberate wandering souls.

The priest first declares his ritual rank and reverently lights incense to invoke the divine generals of the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) Purple Court: Generals Zhu Chen, Ge of Corpse-Severing, the Nine Heavens Nectar General, the Qi-Restoring General, the Life-Guarding General, and thirty-two other mighty commanders. Also summoned are the bronze ox and iron tablet officers, the primary and secondary guardian deities of the local temple (benjing), the overseers of the ritual platform, the duty gods of the day (rizhi gongcao), the local earth god (tudi), the six household deities of fate (siliu siming), and all other numinous powers. These deities form a celestial net of protection around the ritual space.

The scripture explains the purpose of establishing the Purple Court ritual framework: Since the dawn of chaos, humans have accumulated sins through desire. Out of compassion, the Celestial Worthy established this ritual method like merciful clouds and dharma rain to save beings—serving as a ferry across the sea of suffering and a guiding light for the lost. Now, the ritual patron seeks to sever the "fu lian" (the karmic entanglement between the living and the dead). Through swift celestial messengers (the golden horse and jade dragon), prayers are delivered, solemnly proclaiming the might of the divine and extolling the grace of the Celestial Worthy.

Next comes the invocation: The priest praises the boundless virtue of the Purple Ultimate (the highest Daoist heaven) and the awe-inspiring majesty of the Dark Tribunal (the underworld). The deities, with swords that shake heaven and earth and banners that move mountains, sweep away yin evils like thunder and nurture life like spring sunlight. The patron’s ritual is established precisely to dissolve these hidden omens of calamity.

The ceremony follows the threefold offering (sanxian) procedure, incorporating purification rites (sajing) and the declaration of the priest’s ritual rank—reflecting the Daoist tradition of connecting heaven and humanity through sacred liturgy. This passage exemplifies the Lingbao school’s religious function in delivering souls and averting disasters through ritual power.

This scripture describes the ritual process of Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals) where priests beseech the celestial powers to dispel misfortunes and liberate departed souls. Through specific ceremonial procedures, the officiant conveys sincere supplications to the heavens.

The text first depicts worldly calamities as an interwoven net of afflictions, where the Three Corpses (Sanshi, the three malevolent spirits residing in the human body) lie in wait, and the Twin Demons (ershu, representing illness) exploit vulnerabilities, bringing familial disasters that entangle kin and friends. Following the exalted liturgy (Qiongke) protocols, the priest rides the golden steed (symbolizing swift celestial communication) to present the jade-lettered petition (Langhan), reverently receiving the Jade Emperor's decree, hoping to sever the chains of misfortune through divine power.

Before formal ritual execution, there must first be a ceremony to summon the deities. The priest offers humble tributes of millet and silk, praying for blessings as vast as the Eastern Sea and Mount Tai. May the gods accept the ceremonial wine and food, discerning this devotion, allowing perfect resonance between the celestial and human realms.

The "Secondary Offering" (Yaxian) segment follows. The scripture explains how the Great Dao differentiates into three (Hansan), with the most refined primordial Qi (ningcui) embodying supreme numinosity. Those who attain the Dao can traverse celestial realms (emerging from azure into mystery), harmonize yin-yang energies (returning to yellow while embracing purple), open the celestial gates to ride the light (yujing), and transcend worldly fetters. But ordinary people, with their six thieves (sense faculties) disturbing the Shen (spirit) and five senses drowning in desire, become enslaved by greed. Without awakening, they'll plunge into the Nine Springs (underworld) after death, finding no liberation.

Thus, the Azure Void (Biluo) and Purple Empyrean (Zixu) descend with compassion, promulgating the Jade Canon of Soul Liberation and the Exalted Liturgy of Sin Extinction, enabling departed souls to ascend in freedom while granting peace to the living. The ritual sponsor (Zhaizhu) kneels in supplication to Heaven while distributing divine grace below, beseeching the gods' invisible assistance.

The priest performs the highest ceremonial bow (Qishou) to the Primal Lord of Clarity and Subtlety (one of the Three Pure Ones), wholeheartedly submitting to the majestic authority of the Radiant Emperor of the Purple Forbidden Enclosure (the Big Dipper's stellar deity). Through ritual implements like ornate lanterns and colored threads, their spiritual light merges as righteous energy circulates. Imperial talismans (Wangfu) harmonize yin-yang, while golden tablets (Jinjian) nourish the spirit, attaining the six concealments and seven transformations (various supernatural abilities), with ten thousand deities harmonizing in the Muddy Pellet Palace (upper Dantian).

The ceremony concludes by expelling pestilential Qi (zhuji) and ushering in auspicious radiance, bringing health to young and old, noble and humble alike. Through these rituals, the boundaries between human and ghostly realms are demarcated, calamitous entanglements severed. The entire ceremony, through its refined liturgical procedures, distinguishes purity from corruption, ultimately achieving the dual purpose of dispelling misfortune and invoking blessings.

This scripture passage describes a zhaijiao (purification ritual) from the Daoist Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Book of Salvation Through the Lingbao Teachings). In this ritual, Daoist priests invoke divine blessings from various deities through specific ceremonial protocols.

At the commencement of the ritual, the priests light precious incense as offerings to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) — the supreme Daoist deities Yuqing, Shangqing, and Taiqing — along with the stellar deities of the four directions. The eastern quadrant features the Azure Dragon's seven mansions (Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, Ji), the southern quadrant the Vermilion Bird's seven mansions (Jing, Gui, Liu, Xing, Zhang, Yi, Zhen), the western quadrant the White Tiger's seven mansions (Kui, Lou, Mao, Bi, Zi, Shen), and the northern quadrant the Dark Warrior's seven mansions (Dou, Niu, Nü, Xu, Wei, Shi, Bi), with the central region governed by the seven mansions of the Middle Dipper (Gouchen, Kui, and others).

The scripture explains how the cosmos brims with Dao-Qi (the vital energy of the Dao), these sacred forces permeating all directions. Humanity, having strayed from its original nature through worldly desires, has abandoned the proper path of cultivating Qi (vital energy) and refining Shen (spirit). Therefore, Daoist sages established the Purple Court Canon (celestial scriptures) and Jade Repository Precepts (divine commandments), descending the Tianyuan Zhengqi (primal celestial energy) to deliver sentient beings and dispel baleful energies from the underworld.

In the ritual's conclusion, the zhaizhu (ritual sponsor or participating devotee) offers sincere prayers, beseeching the deities to heed their petitions, bestow blessings, and avert calamities. Through ritual practices like buxu (cosmic pacing steps), sajing (sprinkling purified water to consecrate the space), and scripture recitation, the ceremony facilitates communion with the divine to seek protection and grace.

This scripture describes a Daoist purification ritual (Zhaijiao) focused on venerating the twenty-eight lunar mansions, particularly the seven constellations of the Azure Dragon in the East and the Vermilion Bird in the South, to dispel misfortunes and liberate departed souls.

The ritual master devoutly petitions the deities, seeking the removal of calamities and the bestowal of blessings, praying for the safety and prosperity of all family members. As precious candles are lit and scripture recitations soar, celestial music seems to resonate from the heavenly realms. The ceremony implores the ascension of ancestors and the flourishing of future generations.

Special emphasis is placed on worshiping the seven stellar lords of the Eastern constellations (Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, and Ji), believed to expel pathogenic Qi from the body and restore health. Similarly, the seven stellar lords of the Southern constellations (Jing, Gui, Liu, Xing, Zhang, Yi, and Zhen) are venerated for their power to purify the heart-mind and return practitioners to their original authenticity.

During the ritual, talismans (Fulu) are burned to summon the stellar lords, who arrive leading celestial troops to eradicate lurking misfortunes and corpse toxins. The text repeatedly emphasizes "severing recurrent attachments" (cutting the cycle of ill fortune) while praising the "Boundless Blessings of the Heavenly Worthy."

Through this astral veneration that harmonizes Yin-Yang, the ceremony simultaneously seeks blessings for the living and liberation for the deceased, embodying the Daoist ideal of universal salvation.

This scripture is a liturgical prayer from Daoist purification rituals (zhaijiao) addressed to the stellar deities of the four directions—specifically the seven constellations of the southern, western, and northern celestial palaces (from the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions). It includes the burning of talismans (fulu), declarations of devotion, and hymns of praise.

First, supplications are made to the seven southern constellations (Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Extended Net, Wings, and Chariot): May their radiant light illuminate all, harmonizing the Qi of heaven and earth, safeguarding households, ensuring the orderly movement of the sun and moon, dispelling familial sorrows, vanquishing malevolent forces, and showering blessings like gathering clouds. The burning of talismans accompanies praises, acknowledging these constellations as embodiments of solar essence, commanding thirty thousand celestial soldiers, capable of severing karmic misfortunes (referred to as "duan fulian" or "cutting recurring afflictions") and protecting devotees in peace.

Next, prayers turn to the seven western constellations (Legs, Bond, Stomach, Hairy Head, Net, Turtle Beak, and Three Stars): May they eradicate the roots of illness and calamity, ensuring perpetual joy within families, harmonious kinship, and eternal escape from peril. The talismanic rite describes these constellations as luminaries ruling the west, commanding seventy thousand celestial soldiers, suppressing corpse-tainted Qi (fushi guqi) and disease-causing specters—wherever their starlight shines, misfortune retreats.

Finally, invocations are directed to the seven northern constellations (Dipper, Ox, Girl, Emptiness, Rooftop, House, and Wall), associated with the Black Tortoise (Xuanwu). The text alludes to their power in nourishing kidney essence (Jing, as per Chinese medicine, where the kidneys govern water and store vitality), with dark mists condensing the essence of heaven and earth. Though incomplete, the passage clearly seeks to sever karmic entanglements, liberate wandering souls, and ensure worldly well-being.

The recurring phrase "duan fulian" is a Daoist technical term denoting the severing of cyclical misfortunes. "Yuqing" refers to the highest Daoist celestial realm, one of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). "Fushi guqi" describes latent pathogenic energies like corpse-tainted Qi. Through burning talismans and extolling the constellations' virtues, the ritual aims to dissolve disasters, transcend suffering, and liberate the deceased. Each section concludes with the sacred invocation "Fusheng Wuliang Tianzun" (Infinite Blessings of the Celestial Worthy), a common Daoist honorific expressing gratitude for divine grace.

This scripture records the prayer content of a Daoist zhaijiao (ritual purification ceremony), primarily involving the worship of the Big Dipper and exorcism rites to dispel misfortunes.

The human spirit is often disturbed by eight types of delusions (scattered thoughts arising from the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind), allowing six pathogenic qi (wind, cold, summer heat, dampness, dryness, and fire) to invade the body, disrupting its original purity. Now the patron of the ceremony (zhai zhu) has established an altar, following Daoist liturgical procedures to set up a lantern array, offering devout prayers to the Seven Northern Constellation Lords (the stars of Dipper, Ox, Maiden, Emptiness, Rooftop, House, and Wall). May the deceased transcend the cycle of rebirth, may the living be free from calamities, may original purity manifest, may households be bathed in auspicious light, and may all false perceptions and pathogenic qi dissipate like the autumn moon, bringing shared celebration of peace to family and friends.

Subsequently, fulu (Daoist exorcism documents) are burned while praising how the Seven Northern Constellation Lords govern the Kan position (north), commanding celestial troops to eliminate disasters. The prayer seeks starlight's universal illumination to permanently dispel all inauspicious qi, granting health and safety to ritual participants.

The second part shifts focus to the Seven Central Constellation Lords (Kui, [untranslatable characters], etc.), similarly establishing a lantern array for prayers. May all chains of misfortune be severed, daily life become as stable as a magnificent house, comings and goings as pleasant as ascending a spring terrace, with households harmonious and joyful. During talisman burning, these seven constellation lords are extolled for commanding 120,000 celestial soldiers to completely eradicate pathogenic qi flowing through homes.

The recurring term "fulian" refers to the chain reaction of misfortunes, while "duan fulian" means severing this transmission of ill fate. Each ritual segment concludes with "Fusheng Wuliang Tianzun" (Infinite Blessings from the Celestial Worthy), a common Daoist benediction. The entire ceremony, through constellation worship and talismanic magic, achieves the dual purpose of dispelling misfortunes and liberating deceased souls.

This passage describes a ritual practice from the Daoist Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Book of Lingbao Salvation Teachings) for resolving the "Fulian Calamity" - misfortunes caused by lingering spirits attaching to the living. The ceremony comprises several key components:

First comes the recitation of the sacred names of the Seven Luminaries of the Northern Dipper (Beidou Qiyuan Jun) nine times to dispel misfortune. The ritual master invokes the Northern Dipper stars to descend their true Qi (vital energy), while the Five Directional Star Lords (guardians of the cardinal directions) support weakened fortunes, using the radiant brilliance of starlight to disperse malignant influences.

The text then details the ceremonial procedures: The master lights sacred lamps according to prescribed liturgy (Keyi), inviting the star deities to sever the attachments of lingering spirits. The majestic starlight from the Purple Tenuity Enclosure (Ziwei Yuan, a celestial region) shines downward, while constellations manifest their exorcistic power. Prayers are offered for the patron (Zhaizhu) to receive domestic harmony, balanced Yin-Yang forces, and ancestral peace.

Following this is the Eastern segment of the Five Directions Repentance ritual: The master offers incense while bowing to the Nine Qi Celestial Lords of the East and the Azure Dragon constellation (Qinglong Qixiu). Repentance is made for the deceased's worldly transgressions - sins accumulated through indulgence and moral violations that trapped their spirit in the underworld. Through incense offerings, purification rites (Zhaijiao), and scripture recitation, the ritual seeks pardon from the Azure Thearch (Qingdi, Eastern Celestial Emperor) and various deities, petitioning for the spirit's release from the Eastern Wind-Thunder Hell and Mount Tai's underworld prisons, delivering it from darkness back to light.

The passage concludes with the sacred invocation "Fusheng Wuliang Tianzun" (Limitless Blessings, Celestial Worthy) - a common Daoist benediction meaning "The Supreme Celestial Worthy who bestows blessings upon all beings." This ceremony exemplifies Daoist religious practice that employs stellar veneration and repentance rituals to deliver deceased spirits and resolve misfortunes.

This passage is from the funeral liturgy in the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Precious Book of Salvation According to the Numinous Treasure Tradition), describing the ritual process for delivering deceased souls through Daoist purification ceremonies (Zhaijiao).

In the southern segment of the ritual, priests burn incense and pay homage to the southern pantheon: first to the Three Qi Lords of the South (high-ranking deities governing southern energies) and the Vermilion Bird's Seven Southern Dipper Star Lords (the stellar deities of Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Extended Wings, and Chariot constellations). They confess how the deceased failed to nourish their spirit (Shen) with innate primordial Qi during life, instead drowning in oceans of desire and rivers of passion, deluded by the six sensory faculties and three karmic forces, resulting in sins recorded in the Black Registers of the underworld. Through incense offerings, fasting, and scripture recitation, they beseech the Red Emperor (supreme southern deity) and saints to petition the Thirty-Six Bureaus of the celestial administration (Daoism's underworld departments) to liberate the soul from the Fiery Prison of the South and Mount Heng's judgment halls according to the Nüqing Edict (a foundational underworld legal text).

The western ceremony follows a parallel structure, substituting worship of the Seven Qi Lords of the West and White Tiger's Seven Western Dipper Star Lords (Legs, Bond, Stomach, Hairy Head, Net, Turtle Beak, and Three Stars constellations). Similar confessions are made, imploring the White Emperor (western sovereign) to extract the soul from the Metallic Prison of the West and Mount Hua's courts of judgment.

The entire ritual aims to cleanse the soul's transgressions, freeing it from dark hells into radiance. The deceased severs worldly attachments while the living receive blessings. Ultimately, upon attaining the Dao, the soul merges with the supreme Way (Dao), reaching the formless highest realm. The text's "five numinous energies descending" refers to the spiritual energies corresponding to the five organs, while "three karmas and six passions" denotes bodily, verbal, and mental karmas interacting with the six sensory desires of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

This scripture is a ritual text from Daoism for the salvation of departed souls, describing the practice of burning incense, offering prayers, and repenting sins to beseech deities such as the Northern Dipper Star Lords to absolve the deceased of their transgressions and assist them in escaping the underworld to ascend to heaven.

The prayer in the northern section conveys the following: With sincere hearts, we burn incense and devote our body, mind, and life to the Five Qi Celestial Lords of the North (deities governing the Five Phases' energy in the north) and the Seven Star Lords of the Black Tortoise (the divine spirits of the Northern Dipper). We repent on behalf of the deceased, who, though nourished by the vital energy of the Five Phases and the essence of the Seven Stars during their lifetime, failed to cherish their primordial Qi (vital energy) and cultivate their Shen (spirit). Instead, they drowned in the sea of desires and the river of passions, deluded by the Three Poisons (greed, hatred, and ignorance—the three karmic afflictions) and the Six Emotions (joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, love, and hate). As a result, their sins were recorded in the Black Registers of the underworld (documents of transgressions), and they descended into the earth prisons before fulfilling their natural lifespan. Now, through burning incense, fasting, chanting scriptures, and practicing the Dao, we earnestly implore the Black Emperor’s Five Qi Celestial Lords and the Northern Dipper deities to report to the celestial court. May they, in accordance with the Nüqing Edict (Daoist underworld law), absolve the deceased of their punishments in the northern frozen hell, cleanse their souls, liberate them from darkness into light, and ultimately unite them with the Dao.

The central section follows a similar structure, but the supplications are directed toward the Yellow Emperor’s Twelve Qi Celestial Lords and the Seven Star Lords of the Central Dipper. Here, repentance is also made for the deceased squandering the nourishment of heaven and earth’s vital energy, indulging in worldly desires, and thus meeting an untimely death. The prayer seeks the central deities’ mercy in pardoning sins according to divine law, enabling the departed soul to escape the Nine Dark Prisons (multi-layered hells of the central direction).

The recurring phrases "form and spirit perfected" (xingshen ju miao) and "united in truth with the Dao" (yu dao he zhen) represent the highest state of Daoist cultivation—where both body and spirit attain perfection, ultimately returning to the source of the Dao. The ritual emphasizes the use of liturgical practices (Keyi) such as "burning incense," "fasting," and "chanting scriptures" to bridge the realms of Yin and Yang through the divine power of the star deities, embodying Daoism’s religious function of "delivering the souls of the departed."

This passage describes the soul salvation rituals of the Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) school in Daoism. At Mount Song (one of the Five Sacred Peaks and an important Daoist holy site), there exists a netherworld institution specifically examining deceased souls, where certain ceremonies help purify the spirit of a particular departed individual.

The ritual's primary effects include: absolving the deceased's worldly transgressions, preventing their descent into dark underworld realms; illuminating the soul with radiant light and ensuring natural provisions of clothing and nourishment; elevating both the physical form and spiritual essence of the departed while severing karmic ties to past misdeeds; erasing the underworld's judicial records of the deceased while simultaneously bringing blessings to surviving relatives.

The scripture mentions that through this jidu (salvation) ritual, the departed can ultimately achieve the state of "xingshen ju miao" - where both form and spirit attain sublime perfection. When the deceased truly attains the Dao, they ascend to the formless realm, merging completely with the Great Dao. The concluding phrase "performing the ritual" indicates this is an actual liturgical text used during ceremonies.

(Note: The Lingbao school is a major Daoist tradition emphasizing zhaijiao (purification rituals) and keyi (liturgy), with its Jidu Jinshu [Golden Book of Salvation] being a crucial classic documenting salvation rites.)