《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 208

This is a record of the evening Zhaijiao (purification ritual) liturgy performed by the Lingbao school of Daoism. At the beginning of the ceremony, the ritual master first lights incense and recites the "Incense Offering Hymn," while all participants bow to the patriarchs and focus their minds to prepare for the ritual.

Next comes the recitation of the "Guardian Spirit Incantation," whose content describes: the Five Directional Stars (in Daoist cosmology, the five planets correspond to the Five Phases) suspended high in the heavens, auspicious Qi (vital energy) flowing freely, and the convergence of celestial and terrestrial energies. The master holds a jade talisman and precious scepter (ritual implements), using Xiaofa (a vocal cultivation technique) to mobilize subtle energies and employing fire rituals to expel malevolent forces. All demonic entities are awed into retreat, negative influences are purified, and divine light illuminates the night. At this moment, celestial beings descend amid auspicious clouds, bestowing blessings upon all living beings.

The master then strikes the ritual drum twenty-four times (symbolizing the twenty-four solar terms) to open the incense burner. This segment involves an incantation to summon the deities: the master humbly identifies as a subject, reverently inviting the supreme Daoist deity "The Most High Lord of the Dao, Primal Origin of the Three Qi of the Three Heavens Beyond Compare," while also invoking the body's guardian spirits (such as the Three-Five Merit Officers, Golden Lad and Jade Maiden) to assist in the ritual. These divine beings must be properly attired to help communicate between heaven and earth.

The master declares the purpose of tonight's altar ceremony, praying for the Qi of the Yuqing Heaven (the highest Daoist celestial realm) to descend, ensuring purity within and around the ritual space, free from demonic intrusion. He expresses the hope that this sincere devotion may reach directly before the Jade Emperor (the supreme administrative deity of Daoism).

Finally, the master states his ritual rank (indicating his hierarchical status as a Daoist priest) and successively invites the highest pantheon of Daoism: the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Lord of the Dao, and the Most High Lord Lao (the Three Pure Ones of Daoism), along with the Jade Emperor, Marshal Tianpeng (chief of the Four Saints of the North Pole), and other guardian deities to descend upon the altar. Through these meticulous steps, the entire ceremony constructs a sacred space, facilitating communication between humans and the divine.

This scripture enumerates the names and divine powers of numerous guardian deities in Daoism, primarily describing their sacred abilities to subdue demons and protect the orthodox teachings. Most of these divine generals originate from the Northern Pole Exorcism Bureau (a specialized Daoist pantheon responsible for vanquishing evil spirits), each possessing unique iconography and functions.

For instance, the "Perfected Lord of Wandering Through the Nine Heavens, Dark Warrior Who Assists Sageliness and Brings Prosperity" refers to Zhenwu the Great (also known as the Dark Warrior Emperor), one of the Four Saints of the Northern Pole. The "Great General of the Nine Primal Executioners" specializes in eradicating malignant influences, while the "Great Commander of the Five Ding" leads the celestial troops of five directions. Others include the "Great General Gao Diao of the Northern Elder" who wields the imperial bell ritual implement, the "Three Great Generals of the White Owl" who ride the mythical Kui dragon, and the "Great General Who Beheads Evil and Eradicates Traces" capable of annihilating demons both physically and spiritually. Each deity possesses distinct supernatural powers—some devour malevolent ghosts, others command wind and thunder, and some specialize in destroying demonic bones and remnants.

The text particularly emphasizes that "with one stroke of the divine blade, ten thousand ghosts disperse by themselves," illustrating the supreme authority of this Northern Pole exorcism system. The mention of "three hundred thousand divine troops and sacred officials" reveals this to be an immense celestial army, commanded by the "Righteousless Divine King" and supported by auxiliary forces like the "Flying Eagle and Running Dog Messengers."

The latter section transitions into a practitioner's invocation, expressing reverence for these deities' majestic virtue: "We mortals dwell in the dusty world; though cultivating within the Daoist gate, we have yet to comprehend the profound mysteries. We sincerely repent our transgressions and resolve to accumulate merit and virtue. Having now received these sacred teachings, how dare we not reverently declare our devotion?" The phrase "bearing the jade tally in cloud-patterned pouches" refers to the fulu (ritual registers recording divine names) carried by Daoist priests, while "facing the golden spring in the moon cauldron" alludes to neidan (internal alchemy) practices—Daoist methods for refining one's essence, qi, and spirit. The entire passage not only showcases Daoism's vast pantheon but also exemplifies religious practices where cultivators employ divine power to eliminate karmic obstacles.

This patron (the presiding Daoist ritual officiant) was experiencing profound life difficulties, with ominous energies also plaguing his household. The Three Corpse Worms (three harmful spiritual entities believed to reside in the human body according to Daoist tradition) were wreaking havoc within him, causing severe illness, while external malevolent forces and baleful qi (vital energy) enveloped his life like a noxious mist. His daily rhythms had become disordered, his eating habits abnormal, with inauspicious signs manifesting daily, leaving him no peace day or night.

Lying in bed with long sighs, propped on his pillow in deep contemplation, he feared the appearance of calamitous stars in the heavens might portend his impending fate, or that the underworld registrars had recorded his transgressions, bringing sudden misfortune. Without appealing to heaven's mercy, how could such human suffering be alleviated? Therefore, he reverently purified the altar, unrolled precious Daoist scriptures, and with utmost devotion performed the Northern Emperor Purification Ritual (an important zhaijiao ritual in Daoism), earnestly petitioning the Big Dipper Deities and the Ten Direction Celestial Worthies.

During the ritual: Starlight shimmered upon orchid-shaped lamps, while moonlike jade discs illuminated lotus pedestals. Ritual music, roaring like tigers and howling like dragons, prepared to welcome the descent of immortals; the harmonious tones of phoenix songs guided the celestial procession. Countless heavenly soldiers followed like clouds, with divine winds from the nine heavens stirring the air—sacred majesty filling heaven and earth, sweeping away all malevolent forces to restore harmony between yin and yang realms.

Tonight's Morning Liturgy (Daoist daily ceremonial practice) saw the ritual masters ascend the altar platform. At the first incense offering, they prayed the smoke would rise straight to the celestial spheres as an offering to the Supreme Dao Treasure Celestial Worthy. With body and mind surrendered in devotion, all knelt in supplication: "May these meritorious deeds protect His Imperial Majesty—may his reign stand firm as heaven and earth, his majesty quell all warfare, his benevolence dispel disasters. May loyal ministers fill the court and valiant generals guard the borders, granting the sovereign endless longevity and eternal stability to the realm."

During the second incense offering, participants again surrendered to their masters and the assembled immortals, praying that upon attaining the Dao they might unite with the Great Way and achieve enduring vision. Through incense, sacred music, and sincere prayer, the entire ceremony facilitated communion between heaven and humanity, beseeching disaster relief and national prosperity.

This passage is from the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Precious Scripture for Salvation through the Numinous Treasure Teachings), detailing the morning liturgy (Keyi) of Daoist ritual practice. It describes the prayers and cultivation essentials performed by Daoist priests during purification rituals (Zhaijiao).

First, the priests reverently pay homage to the Most High Supreme Treasure Celestial Worthy (one of the highest Daoist deities) and the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, referring to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure, and the Celestial Worthy of Dao and its Virtue). They prostrate with utmost sincerity, touching their heads to the ground, praying that the merits of this ritual may bring the patron (the sponsor of the ceremony) the Five Blessings, dispel calamities, fill their household with auspicious Qi, and ensure their descendants uphold the traditions of learning and propriety for generations.

Next, the incense-offering ritual is described. The priests light three sticks of incense (a specific Daoist ceremonial practice), praying that its fragrance ascends to the celestial realms as an offering to the Celestial Worthies. Simultaneously, they offer blessings for all people under heaven, wishing for heavenly dew and earthly springs to flow, abundant harvests, peaceful livelihoods, and spiritual progress in all walks of life.

The passage then outlines essential cultivation principles, emphasizing that practitioners should:

• Regard the Dharma as their companion,
• Treasure the scriptures like precious gems,
• Uphold precepts to restrain the Six Desires (sensory and mental attachments),
• Cultivate righteous Qi through simplicity and desirelessness.

By doing so, they will receive the protection of celestial guardians and enjoy great blessings across lifetimes.

Three concluding verses further elucidate the stages of cultivation:

1. The first states that through practice, families prosper, the teachings flourish, and one attains the Great Vehicle (Mahayana) realization.

2. The second declares that deceased ancestors ascend to paradise, while the practitioner may achieve ascension in broad daylight.

3. The third reveals the profound mystery of the Dao—sincere cultivation enables transformation beyond the body, liberation from the Three Realms, and deliverance from the sufferings of hell.

The ceremony concludes with the priests performing three prostrations to the Supreme Limitless Great Dao (the highest truth in Daoism), expressing their absolute devotion. The entire ritual integrates blessings, cultivation guidance, and salvation, embodying the multifaceted functions of Daoist religious practice.

With utmost sincerity, we prostrate ourselves in reverence before the thirty-six supreme scriptures. Once more we bow devoutly to honor the ancestral masters of the Profound Central Dharma (the fundamental supreme law of Daoism).

Hereby we solemnly declare: The disciple [name], with complete devotion, petitions the Three Pure Ones (the highest triad of deities: Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure), the exalted perfected saints of the ten directions, as well as the True Lord Marshal Tianpeng of the Nine Heavens, the Vice-Marshal True Lord of the Nine Heavens, the True Lord of Preservation and Virtue from the Nine Heavens, the True Lord of Northern Protection Xuanwu of the Nine Heavens, and all the spirit soldiers under the Northern Emperor who subdue ghosts.

We have heard that before Heaven and Earth divided, the profound Dao existed in formless mystery; after primordial chaos first separated, its essence dispersed throughout all formed things. Attaining the "One" of the Dao makes the Five Phases (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth) each radiate spiritual brilliance, while embracing the "Three Powers" (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity) endows all creation with numinous nature. The warp and weft of Yin-Yang intertwine, containing the Five Supreme States (stages of Taiji's evolution). With reverent piety we accord with celestial law, aligning with the ninefold heavenly realms. In jade towers and golden chambers immortals are born; behind purple doors and azure rooms sacred realms manifest. Divine light shines with crystalline clarity; holy radiance blazes in magnificent splendor.

Should one cultivate this Dao within oneself, one may command ten thousand spirits; applying it within the household brings perfect harmony to all ancestral sacrifices. How then dare demons run rampant or ghosts work their mischief in darkness? Only because the wellspring of spiritual nature is disturbed by the five senses, and the ground of awakening is agitated by the six roots (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind). The heart's fertile field becomes clogged with worldly dust—like jade trees meeting spring yet withering and falling; the spiritual platform (abode of the heart-mind) is obscured by grime—as golden flowers facing the sun yet shriveling in decay. In stillness one suffers ghostly accusations; in action one meets human censure, allowing earthly specters to exploit vulnerabilities and celestial demons to seize opportunities for chaos.

Were it not for the Supreme Emperor's boundless grace, how could mortals below receive divine blessings? Now the fasting practitioner [name], having purified body and examined conscience, reflects on karmic retribution across past and present lives—deeply entangled in worldly attachments, topsy-turvy in the web of karma. Indulging the three poisons (greed, anger, delusion), recklessly committing killing, theft, and lust; weaving sweet words yet dealing bitter speech—failing to uphold the three precepts (against killing, stealing, sexual misconduct) in personal conduct, violating the four moral pillars (propriety, righteousness, integrity, shame) in dealing with others. At home lacking filial piety and fraternal duty; in society devoid of loyalty and virtuous principle—thus the spirits withhold protection, Heaven and Earth grant no sanctuary, allowing spectral creatures to breed in shadows and calamities to approach unseen.

Now the fasting practitioner exhausts all sincerity in diligent purification, hoping to rely on celestial majesty to sweep away earthly demons. May the vermilion steps (of the celestial court) extend their grace widely, bestowing the mercy of rebirth; may the yellow soil (of the earthly realm) receive imperial decrees, pardoning nameless transgressions. May courier steeds (divine messengers) lead the way with flying dragons in train, bearing demon-subduing banners, commanding wind, fire, thunder, and lightning to protect the practitioner and clear all obstacles of misfortune.

This scripture depicts a grand Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual), primarily consisting of two major components: exorcism for blessings and the making of vows.

The opening passage vividly portrays the majestic descent of thunder deities: the Thunder God arrives with lightning clearing the path, while eight fierce divine generals shake the heavens with their drumbeats, and the Five Mighty Warriors stand in formation with their long spears. They swiftly vanquish malevolent spirits in all directions—from the emerald celestial realms above to the vast earth below—their jade axes and golden spears gleaming as they thoroughly eradicate evil influences, dispelling misfortunes for the ritual patron (the host of the ceremony).

The text then describes the blessings bestowed by the ritual: the patron will receive the righteous Qi of the Northern Dipper (Yuandou), celestial physicians will deliver divine elixirs, ensuring smooth circulation through all meridians and robust health in body and limbs. Calamities in daily life will dissolve, replaced by enduring auspiciousness. All seasons will be harmonious as if in an immortal realm, with parents (symbolized by "chunxuan") enjoying longevity, descendants (symbolized by "langui") virtuous and capable, freely savoring the peace and prosperity of a golden age.

The latter section centers on the "Ten Vows," a series of profound aspirations:

1. May the Dao spread widely, guiding all under heaven to virtue (De).

2. May all beings attain enlightenment of the Dao.

3. May souls in the Nine Darknesses (hell) find liberation.

4. May wandering spirits be reborn into new lives.

5. May the world know peace and bountiful harvests.

6. May rulers and subjects, parents and children, each fulfill their proper roles.

7. May harmony prevail across the seas, dissolving enmity.

8. May unborn children and fragile eggs be preserved.

9. May illnesses swiftly heal.

10. May the impoverished be clothed and fed in abundance.

The ritual concludes with the practice of "cunshen" (visualizing deities) and incense-burning, invoking protective spirits such as the Incense Official Envoys and the Dragon-Tiger Lords to descend. Before the incense burner, golden elixirs and rare celestial fragrances manifest spontaneously, aiding practitioners in attaining the Dao and achieving perfection.

Note: In the text, "Yuandou" refers to the Northern Dipper (Big Dipper), "chunxuan" symbolizes parents, "langui" represents descendants, the "Five Mighty Warriors" are legendary figures of immense strength, the "Nine Darknesses" denote the underworld, and the "Five Paths" signify the five possible rebirths in Daoist reincarnation. These specialized terms preserve distinctive Daoist concepts.

In Daoist zhaijiao (large-scale ritual ceremonies), those who attain the Dao and achieve immortality receive blessings through purification practices, benefiting beings in both the yang realm (manifest world) and yin realm (hidden underworld). Immortal attendants from the ten directions—jade maidens and celestial youths—stand guard holding incense burners, their fragrant smoke carrying the sincere prayers of the ritual officiants upward to the celestial court with swift efficacy.

During this segment of the ritual, the chief officiant makes a special address to the supreme deity, the Jade Emperor of the Most High Limitless Dao (one of the highest divinities in Daoism). This is followed by the chanting of the "Exit Hall Hymn," where the guide leads the assembly to the ceremonial curtain, concluding with formal thanks to the presiding ritual master.

This passage comes from Volume 208 of the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Book of Numinous Treasure Salvation Through Ritual Instruction), documenting a complete procedural fragment from large-scale Daoist zhaijiao liturgy. It exemplifies the Daoist religious practice of mediating between heaven and humanity through ritual performance.