《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 140

This scripture documents the complete ritual procedure of the "Purple Mansion Star-Sending Ceremony" (Zifu Songxing Jiao) conducted by the Lingbao school (one of Daoism's major lineages). Before commencing, the Daoist priests first perform "Pacing the Void" (Buxu, a slow rotating step pattern) and incense burning while silently reciting their master's name to maintain focus.

Next, they chant the "Guardian Spirit Incantation" (Weiling Zhou), which roughly translates as: beseeching the Five Planets (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth) to bestow auspicious Qi, invoking the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, Daoism's supreme deity) to gather all divine beings, and harmonizing the energies of heaven and earth. Through the power of jade talismans and precious registers (Daoist ritual implements), malevolent forces are subdued, demons dispersed, and righteous energy replenished. Divine radiance illuminates and dispels darkness as myriad deities descend to assist, ensuring all beings benefit from the true essence of the Dao.

The ritual master then strikes the ceremonial drum twenty-four times (symbolizing the twenty-four solar terms) to summon the divine officials under the Nine Emperor Stars (the Big Dipper's seven stars plus two auxiliary stars). The presiding priest declares the establishment of the altar for the purification ceremony (Zhaijiao, a Daoist blessing ritual), praying for the infusion of primordial imperial Qi so that his petitions may reach the exalted presence of the Great Emperor of the Central Heaven Purple Subtlety (Ziwei Dadi, the Pole Star deity) and the Jade Sovereign Dao Lord of the Nine Luminaries (Jiuchen Yuhuang Daojun, the nine stars of the Northern Dipper).

The ceremony then proceeds to the solemn invocation of deities, sequentially paying homage to:

• The Three Pure Ones (Sanqing: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun);
• The Four Imperial Lords of the North Pole (Ziwei Dadi, Gouchen Dadi, Changsheng Dadi, and Zhusheng Dadi);
• The Solar and Lunar Deities (Taiyang Xingjun and Taiyin Yuanjun);
• The Five Elders of the Five Directions (the planetary lords of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water);
• Rahu and Ketu (the lunar nodes deities);
• The Southern and Northern Dipper Star Lords (the six stars of the Southern Dipper and nine stars of the Northern Dipper);
• The Three Terraces and Canopy constellations (star officials near the Northern Dipper);
• The Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions;

And finally, a special invocation of the presiding patron's (Jiaozhu) Natal Destiny Star Lord (Benming Yuanchen Xingjun, the guardian star corresponding to one's astrological fate palace).

This passage vividly illustrates Daoism's cosmology of "heaven-human resonance" (Tianren Ganying), where celestial worship serves as a bridge between heaven and earth.

This is a Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) liturgy text for averting calamities and seeking blessings, primarily entreating various deities to dispel misfortunes.

During the ritual, the chief officiant (known as the fasting master) reverently petitions the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest Daoist deities: Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure), the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity (the North Star deity), and celestial constellations throughout the heavens: The movement of heaven and earth follows its inherent patterns, with Yin and Yang energies circulating ceaselessly, while the revolutions of stars govern human fortunes and misfortunes. Currently, the fasting master faces inauspicious astrological configurations (referring to maleficent directions in fate calculation), including disturbances in their natal chart (destiny patterns determined by birth hour) and unfavorable shifts in the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams (feng shui orientations), thus specially establishing this altar to seek resolution.

The officiant acknowledges dwelling in the mundane world while aspiring toward the Dao, yet with limited wisdom to comprehend heaven and earth's profound mysteries. Now with sunflower-like devotion turning toward the sun, they bow before this humble altar, hoping the immortal dignitaries might descend on auspicious clouds (with emerald canopies and pearl banners marking divine processions), not disdaining this modest space, to hear the supplicant's prayers.

The ceremony comprises stages like "Inviting the Saints" (welcoming deities) and "Initial Offerings." The officiant self-refers as "your servant," adopting a humble posture to declare: Though mortals live between heaven and earth, nourished by Yin and Yang energies, they often remain deluded by worldly dust, blind to omens of fate. Now through the proper methods recorded in the Dragon Han Golden Code (a Daoist scripture) for establishing this altar, they hope to eliminate misfortunes and usher in auspiciousness.

This scripture depicts a grand Daoist purification ritual (Zhaijiao), where the presiding priest (the officiant) devoutly petitions the celestial deities—primarily the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing: Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure), the Purple Tenuity Emperor (the North Star deity), and the constellations of the celestial sphere—to dispel calamities and bestow blessings.

The ritual space is arranged with solemn reverence: the thatched roof remains untrimmed in its natural state, while the resonant tones of bells and chimes fill the air. Though the offerings consist only of simple grains, the divine presence is palpable as the phoenix chariots and dragon carriages of the gods majestically descend. The officiant aspires, through utmost sincerity, to dissolve karmic speech and inner demons like melting ice, and to scatter all human misfortunes like dissipating wind, praying for the threefold blessings of prosperity, longevity, and purity of Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit).

The text highlights the influence of celestial phenomena on human fate: the Purple Tenuity Star (North Star) governs the host of stars, and all living beings are subject to their movements. The constellations operate with distinctions of strength and gentleness, brightness and obscurity. When malefic stars like the "Sheep Blade" (a baleful astral influence) appear, disaster follows; when auspicious stars like the "Emolument-Horse Noble Star" arrive, fortune is granted. Thus, the ritual beseeches the sun to disperse wickedness, the celestial river to cleanse calamitous stars, the "Propitious Star" (a sign of divine favor) to descend with blessings, the "Nocturnal Radiance" (the moon) to harmonize excessive Yang energy, and the "Great Yin Star" to quell fire-related misfortunes.

Finally, the ceremony specifically invokes auspicious stars like Lesser Yang and Lesser Yin to suppress malevolent forces, the "Celestial Virtue" and "Lunar Virtue" deities to nullify punitive afflictions, and the "Three Marvels" (the three auspicious stars Yi, Bing, and Ding) to resolve conflicts. The aim is to eradicate the names of inauspicious astrological configurations—such as "Hidden Repetition and Counter-Repetition" (an astrological term denoting recurring disasters) and "Official Misfortune and Ailment Misfortune" (omens of legal strife and sickness)—through celestial intercession, achieving a profound resonance between heaven and humanity.

This passage is a liturgical document from the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Precious Scripture of Numinous Treasure Salvation Through Ritual Instruction), describing the ceremonial setting and divine hierarchy of a Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual). The content can be divided into three main sections:

First, it depicts an idealized vision of blessings: one's destiny shines as clearly as the bright moon, with continuous fortune flowing like crystalline waters, free from calamities. Longevity stretches as enduring as the sun and moon within a cosmic gourd, the Golden Elixir (Jindan, referring to Neidan/internal alchemy) remains steadfast, and jade-like fluids (cultivated through practice) nourish vitality. The household's prestige gleams like jeweled hairpins, its scholarly heritage as vast as the legendary Ye Library collections. Spring's vitality fills the halls, the family flourishes like towering chun and cassia trees, granaries overflow, and fields stretch endlessly.

Next, it explains the ritual's purpose: through construction work (likely temple-building), directional taboos are avoided, allowing deities to reside harmoniously. The Grand Duke of the Year (Taisui) and Lunar Deities (Taiyin) command the spirit realm to bestow blessings, while malevolent forces like the Nine Inauspicious and Nine Baleful spirits are subdued by talismanic authority. Devotees pray earnestly, relying on the Profound Gate's grace, bowing in unison with the presiding priest.

The conclusion presents the complete divine invocation list: from the highest Sanqing (Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure) and the Five Directional Heavenly Emperors (including the Great Emperor of the Northern Dipper), to astral deities (Solar Lord, Lunar Primordial Sovereign, Five Phases Star Lords, Rahu and Ketu), the Southern and Northern Dippers, Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, Twelve Zodiacal Palaces, down to the Sixty Jiazi Year Spirits and the petitioner's natal guardian deity (benming yuanchen). The text implores celestial beings to descend with golden talismans and jade candles (ritual implements), ensuring seasonal harmony and widespread blessings in gratitude for divine benevolence. The ceremony concludes with lotus lanterns and fragrant offerings.

Note: Zhaijiao refers to Daoist sacrificial rites; yuanchen denotes one's natal protector deity; Taisui is the annually rotating baleful deity requiring avoidance; Jiuliang Jiusha represents nine categories of inauspicious forces in Daoist cosmology.

This passage depicts the sacred moment of bidding farewell to the deities at the conclusion of a Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual). Under the hazy moonlight, the celestial procession from the Purple Palace (immortal court) gradually withdraws, while sparse stars along the Milky Way mark the vanishing splendor of the divine entourage returning to the heavenly capital (Qingdu). The mortal realm cannot detain them; one can only gaze wistfully at the azure skies. With profound reverence and lingering devotion, the presiding Daoist priests and ritual officers kneel in solemn prostration, respectfully escorting the deities back to the heavens.

The text then describes the visualization (meditative) segment: The Incense Officer, Divine Messengers, the Dragon-Tiger Guardians (protective deities), and all attendant incense spirits gather at the Star-Sending Altar. This sacred space spontaneously manifests golden elixir (alchemical essence), cinnabar-hued immortal flora, and numinous lingzhi essences, as a hundred divine beings and perfected immortals converge before the incense burner. The ritual invokes blessings—may practitioners attain the Dao, seekers achieve immortality, the ritual sponsor receive divine favor, and both yin and yang realms share in this grace. Celestial youths and jade maidens from the ten directions guard the curling incense smoke, swiftly conveying the priests’ prayers to the presence of the Two Supreme Celestial Emperors (the Jade Emperor and Purple Tenuity Emperor) and the Nine Radiances’ Jade Sovereign Dao-Lord (a high-ranking immortal).

Excerpted from Scroll 140 of the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Text of Numinous Treasure Salvation Rituals), this passage exemplifies the numinous communion between heaven and humanity in Daoist liturgy. Through visualization and incense offerings, the ritual bridges realms, seeking spiritual realization and universal blessings.