《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 21

This passage records the Keyi (liturgy) of "Almsgiving Ritual" from the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu, detailing Daoist ceremonies and philosophies for aiding the impoverished.

First, it introduces the scripture's lineage: transmitted by Dongwei Gaoshi Kaiguang Jiuku Zhenren (a Daoist adept of high attainment) and compiled by Master Shuinan, Lin Lingzhen. It then meticulously outlines the complete procedure of the "Almsgiving Ritual," a versatile ceremony applicable for both blessing prayers and salvation of the deceased.

At the ritual's commencement, the Daoist priest steps in Yubu (a sacred Daoist gait), sprinkles purified water, offers incense, and recites invocations. The text expounds on Daoism's core principle of equality: humans are inherently equal, all born from the Qi (vital energy) of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Yet in reality, some revel in luxury while others suffer destitution—disparities stemming from the cyclical retribution of past karma (a Buddhist concept denoting the causal force of actions).

The scripture emphasizes that charity stands foremost among the Six Perfections (Buddhist practices) and that compassion, joy, and selflessness are paramount in cultivation. The Zhai Master (ritual sponsor) should offer material aid to the needy with gratitude, using their "abundance" to relieve "want." This not only accumulates merit but also spreads benevolence. The ritual invokes the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest Daoist deities) and celestial immortals to bear witness to this act of compassion.

Following this is a hymn conveying that while fate is preordained, virtuous or wicked deeds alter its course. The benevolent ultimately receive blessings, while the malevolent face adversity. Recipients should receive alms with gratitude, and donors should give sincerely—only then will their deeds be recorded in the merit ledgers of the Southern Palace (a Daoist celestial realm governing longevity).

The passage concludes by reaffirming that all life originates from the ancestral Qi (the primordial energy of the cosmos), cycling between purity and turbidity. Present suffering stems from insufficient virtuous deeds in past lives. Now, having the fortune to participate in the Zhaijiao (purification ritual), one should maintain clarity of mind, seize the opportunity to contemplate the Dao's truth, and break free from the delusions of predestined fate.

This scripture elucidates the importance of charitable giving and aiding the needy in Daoist cultivation, which can be understood through several key aspects:

First, it emphasizes humanity's innate compassionate nature. As the most spiritually endowed beings among all creatures, humans are born with luminous awareness (referring to our intrinsic spiritual clarity). When encountering the destitute and hungry, one should naturally feel compassion. Among the five forms of charity, food relief is most critical since hunger and thirst represent life's most immediate suffering. The phrase "resplendent precepts shining like jade" describes the solemnity of religious discipline, indicating that practitioners must diligently cultivate themselves while accumulating hidden virtue (referring to merit gained through unnoticed good deeds).

Through poetic verses, the text then illustrates the karmic rewards of charity. "Holding the pivot of creation's myriad transformations" refers to the principles governing heaven and earth's operations, among which accumulating hidden virtue is most precious. True charity extends beyond material gifts - it requires genuine compassionate intent. Present good deeds plant the seeds for future blessings, much like the classic tale of "never forgetting a single meal" (alluding to Han Xin's repayment to the washerwoman who once fed him). The Donghua Emperor (a revered Daoist deity) bestows heavenly blessings commensurate with such virtue.

The scripture specifically equates material charity (wealth giving) with spiritual charity (Dharma teaching). Those hosting purification rituals (Zhaijiao) both donate resources to relieve poverty and awaken others through profound Daoist teachings. By relinquishing attachment to both material wealth and mental grasping, one attains "auspicious signs from the ninth and fifth positions" (a favorable omen from the Book of Changes) and "five centuries of good fortune." The solemn ritual setting with incense, flowers, lamps, and candles symbolizes the universal vow to relieve hunger and cold.

Finally, through divine incantations, the text warns against the consequences of greed and stinginess. Cultivating the immortal path must prioritize charity - those harboring miserly desires risk rebirth in the three wretched realms (hell, hungry ghosts, or animal existence). Seeing the hungry and thirsty, one should empathize deeply, as clothing and food offerings bring profound blessings. The wise understand cause and effect, performing good deeds with altruistic hearts. Heaven inevitably bestows prosperity upon such individuals, enabling ultimate transcendence to the Nine Heavens (Daoism's highest celestial realm) and attainment of immortal realization.

Throughout the text flows the philosophy that "supreme virtue (De) is not conscious of itself as virtue," emphasizing how true cultivation transcends form through benefiting all beings while realizing the Dao.

This scripture describes the scene and significance of the Daoist life-releasing ritual (Fangsheng), an important merit-based practice that embodies the compassionate heart of universal equality.

The ceremony begins with preparatory steps: the priest performs Pacing the Void (Bugang, cosmic dance steps), sprinkles purified water to cleanse the space, and offers incense. The scripture first explains that all beings in the universe originate from the "Primordial Unity" (Yiyuan, the source of the Dao). Though forms may differ, all life shares the instinct to cherish existence and fear death, longing for freedom. Animals, like humans, are transformations of the Primordial Qi (Zuqi, original vital force), manifesting in different forms due to karmic retribution from past lives.

The ritual sponsor (Zhaizhu) acts from a heart of benevolence, purchasing animals destined for slaughter and releasing them into forests or waters, restoring their freedom. This act embodies the Daoist core principle of "valuing life" (Guisheng), accumulating immeasurable merit. During the ceremony, prayers are offered to the Three Treasures (Dao, scriptures, and masters) and the Nine Pure Celestial Saints (high-ranking immortals) to bear witness to this virtuous intent, so all beings may enjoy the blessings of sunlight and rain.

The concluding verses clarify: all life forms arise from the same Primordial Qi, and today's entrapment in nets stems from past karma. Through the compassionate act of life-releasing, both grievances are resolved and blessings increased. Just as afflictions transform into wisdom and decay into wonder, though karmic retribution differs among beings, all face the same cycle of life and death. The released creatures, spared from death, should remember the sponsor's kindness with gratitude.

The entire ritual emphasizes the Daoist value of "universal compassion" (Qitong Ci'ai), teaching that saving life is the most fundamental practice—one that brings auspicious signs and blessings.

Cultivation should begin with conscious practice, gradually reaching a state of thoughtless non-seeking—only then can one transcend the profound mystery of the Great Dao (the supreme truth of Daoism). Realize that past lives pursued misguided paths; now discern the true way and experience the joy of returning to one's origin. By following the flow of karma, one reaches enlightenment peacefully; by yielding to nature with carefree ease, one ultimately attains the blissful realm of immortal paradises.

Eternal liberation from the suffering of the animal realm (scaled creatures for fish, feathered ones for birds) leads to rebirth in pure and peaceful lands. Such profound grace must not be forsaken—repay it as a pearl returns to its oyster shell. Merit must accumulate drop by drop, maintaining sincerity as steadfast as metal and stone. Now, with devout prostration, we take refuge in the Limitless Great Dao (the cosmic origin).

Chanting verse: Sentient beings have wandered the six realms of rebirth for too long, bound by karmic retribution, their true nature obscured. Fortunately, the radiant grace of the Great Dao shines upon them, guiding their return to the other shore; let the light of awakening dispel their delusions. All evil karma will dissolve, sins absolved; taking refuge in the virtuous path grants benevolent protection. This boundless virtue inspires deep gratitude—may blessings endure like eternal spring.

Gathered here to pray for peace and blessings, all is the fruit of diligent cultivation over lifetimes. Compassion for all sentient beings arises from accumulated virtuous deeds of past lives. Revolving endlessly through the six dusts (form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and phenomena), beings cycle through countless kalpas—some suffer in hells, others enjoy heavenly bliss, each destiny clearly manifest. Whether winged, hoofed, or human, all equally receive the teachings of the Great Dao.

Now, Dao Qi (primordial energy) pervades, and divine light illuminates all. Golden bells and jade chimes (ritual instruments) resonate purely upon the altar, while talismans (fulu), scriptures, lamps, and candles shine before the sacred seat. The Heavenly Sovereign bestows grace like sweet dew, granting beings the life-restoring virtue of benevolence. Where auspicious clouds drift, mountains and forests grow deep; where rivers flow, seas and skies stretch vast—all because the ritual host (zhai zhu) holds steadfast devotion to the Dao and sincere vows to protect life. Today’s hidden virtue will surely bear future blessings.

Through this merit of life liberation and sin redemption, karmic debts in the underworld (Northern Office) are erased; by this compassionate power, names are recorded in immortal palaces (Southern Palace). Let the nine regions bask in spring sunlight, the eight wastelands transform into lands of longevity. Now, the Lingbao school’s precept against killing is proclaimed—let all pure-hearted fellow practitioners join in praise:

The wise abstain from killing, not even harboring the thought. Though beings may be small, all cling to life. How can harming them sustain oneself? For fleeting taste, one reaps bitter consequences. Long trapped in the three wretched paths (hells, hungry ghosts, animals), suffering knows no end. Retribution for good and evil follows like shadows, as echoes follow sound. Why not practice compassion to uplift oneself? Walk hand-in-hand with realized adepts, roaming freely through immeasurable Dharma realms.

This scripture expounds on the merits and prayers of Daoist life liberation rituals. Through the witness of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the supreme triad of deities: Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Grand Pure), it invokes the celestial immortals to bear testimony. The prayer expresses that compassionate hearts may extend even to plants, insects, and fish, allowing the wind of benevolence to fill heaven, earth, and the four directions.

Several core ideas emerge: First, the immeasurable merit of life liberation requires the Three Pure Ones as witnesses and the celestial immortals as observers. Second, the prayer aspires for compassion to embrace all beings—from flora and fauna to every creature in the cosmos—so that the breeze of kindness may circulate through all directions, and the light of wisdom may illuminate both the inner and outer realms of existence. Furthermore, it hopes all living beings may receive divine grace, leaving no creature abandoned or displaced.

The text concludes by emphasizing the need to repay heaven and earth for their generative kindness, to widely disseminate the nurturing heart of education, and to guide all sentient beings back to the true path. This represents the fundamental purpose of life liberation rituals recorded in the Lingbao school's (an important Daoist lineage) "Scripture of Golden Salvation," embodying the Daoist belief in the spirituality of all things and the equality of all beings.