《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 265

The Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Precious Scripture of Lingbao Salvation Through Teaching) is a pivotal Daoist scripture for salvation rituals, transmitted by the Southern Song dynasty master Ning Quanzhen and compiled by Lin Lingzhen. It documents specialized talismans (fulu) and ritual documents used specifically for redeeming deceased souls.

The main content is divided into several sections: First comes the "Supreme Mixed Origin Divine Tiger Jade Documents," two types of soul-summoning documents respectively used on yang days and yin days. The text emphasizes acting upon the Heavenly Emperor's decree, commanding the Divine Tiger officers and generals to execute promptly without delay. Among these, the "Universal Salvation Document" is specifically designed to redeem souls burdened with various sins, requiring all underworld departments to comply with the Heavenly Emperor's mandate.

Next are seven "Northern Dipper Dark Profundity Secret Pardon True Talismans," along with soul-summoning talismans like the "Azure Mystery Nine Dragons Soul-Summoning Talisman." These talismans are governed by specialized divine generals such as the "Great Spirit Who Presides Over Jade Documents" and the "Great Spirit Who Extracts Souls," possessing the power to summon deceased souls and manifest spirits.

Particularly noteworthy are the "Male Left Jade Department and Female Right Martial Phoenix Twin Talismans"—a pair of yin-yang talismans used in conjunction. The scripture explains these talismans originate from Longhu Mountain (a sacred Daoist site), embodying the mysterious power to connect yin and yang realms while governing life and death.

The final section details the incantations for the "Three Departments of Soul-Summoning Emissaries": the upper department emissary bears the surname Hou, the middle Wei, and the lower Zhang. Each emissary has corresponding mantras such as "Heaven and earth unite in virtue, sun and moon unite in brightness," emphasizing the harmonization of yin and yang qi (vital energies). All these incantations conclude with "By decree we implement," signifying action under the Heavenly Emperor's command.

These talismanic documents embody the complete liturgical framework of Daoist soul redemption. Through the divine bureaucracy of Tiger Officers and Soul-Summoning Emissaries, they fulfill the religious function of bridging yin-yang realms and liberating deceased souls.

This scripture documents the talismans (Fulu, ritual documents used in Daoism for summoning deities and exorcising ghosts) and incantations of the "Divine Tiger Soul Retrieval" ritual. The content is divided into several key sections:

First are the specifications for writing the talismans with cinnabar on either blue or yellow paper. The talismans must clearly state the name of the deceased whose soul is being summoned, invoking the "Divine Tiger Messengers" (divine generals specialized in soul retrieval) to swiftly bring the spirit with their jade credentials (imperial jade documents).

Next are listed the names of seven Jade Maidens (female deities): the Upper Primordial Jade Maiden, Middle Primordial Jade Maiden, Lower Primordial Jade Maiden, etc., who assist in the soul retrieval. The incantation essentially commands: "Open the Netherworld, pardon the deceased's sins regardless of severity, and immediately release the soul to come forth."

This is followed by talismans for seven Generals and seven minor divine officers (Gongcao), each governing different domains such as the Heavenly Way, Earthly Way, and Divine Way. The chant demands these spirits hasten to the ritual altar to receive their divine orders.

The text further records various functionally distinct talismans: the "Flying Celestial Messenger Talisman" for message delivery, the "Prison-Breaking Artisan Talisman" specifically for opening hell realms, and the "Divine Tiger Manifestation Talisman" enabling spirits to materialize and communicate with ritual masters. Notably mentioned are the envoys from the "Vermilion Mound" (the Daoist southern fire palace), who must obey the Jade Emperor's decree to help souls escape the Ninefold Netherworld and attain deliverance into human rebirth.

Text in parentheses contains secret incantations used during the ritual, conveying: "By the Supreme Emperor's decree, the flying iron brush pierces the darkness, elevating the souls; all spirits must obey to facilitate their liberation." These talismans and chants are primarily used at the ritual altar (Fatan), with some affixed beneath the altar surface.

This passage describes several types of talismans (fulu) and ritual procedures used in Daoist rites for liberating deceased souls. It primarily involves three talismans: the Soul-Summoning Talisman, the Form-Aggregating Talisman, and the Soul-Liberation Talisman, each accompanied by specific incantations and mudras (ritual hand gestures).

For the Soul-Summoning Talisman, the ritual master must recite prescribed mantras (such as "By the decree of the Jade Pure, Supreme Pure, and Grand Pure Celestial Lords") while forming specific mudras and visualizing cyan-black Qi (a type of vital energy in Daoist practice) to summon the deceased soul. The text mentions Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (Celestial Worthy of Universal Salvation), a specific deity dedicated to soul salvation. The incantations emphasize manifesting the soul through the primordial Qi of heaven and earth.

The Form-Aggregating Talisman section requires the master to chant the names of the three hun (ethereal souls) while forming mudras corresponding to the earthly branches of yin, mao, and chen (representing specific time periods). This guides the aggregation of the soul's spiritual components. Terms like "Tai Guang" and "Shuang Ling" refer to names of the three hun, while "Shi Gou" and "Que Yin" denote the seven po (corporeal souls).

The final section explains how to liberate the soul from the underworld. The master forms mudras for the three hun and seven po, drawing Qi through the "Celestial Gate" (Baihui point at the crown of the head), visualizing the soul ascending with this energy flow. The "Eight Trigrams Form-Aggregation Talisman" employs the power of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) to reconstruct the soul's form.

Throughout the ritual, the master coordinates specific mudras, visualizations, and breath techniques—essential methods in Daoist ritual for harmonizing internal energy with cosmic forces. The talismanic texts frequently invoke the primordial Qi of heaven and earth, the power of the Three Pure Ones (Yuqing, Shangqing, and Taiqing), and Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun to facilitate the soul's liberation.

This scripture primarily describes Daoist rituals for summoning souls and reconstituting physical forms, incorporating multiple incantations and procedures. Let me explain section by section:

The sevenfold incantation beginning with "First Transformation: Three Hun-Souls Return" outlines the process of gradually restoring a deceased person's physical form through seven transformations: First the three hun-souls and seven po-souls return to their positions, then the five viscera, muscles, and bones gradually regenerate, until finally jade nectar (the saliva produced during Daoist cultivation) forms in the throat, and withered bones regrow flesh and blood.

The "Form-Gathering" chant summons the pure Qi (energy) of heaven and earth. It specifically mentions rapidly gathering the twenty-four Qi (cosmic energies corresponding to the solar terms), allowing this true Qi to merge with the practitioner's body. The method involves blowing Primordial Chaos Qi (the most primordial prenatal energy) into the deceased's nostrils to assist in form reconstitution.

The "Universal Manifestation Illumination Talisman" section lists numerous divine names, including Solar Essence Youth and Great Yin Golden Light - all deities who assist in materialization. The incantation "Golden Essence Spirits swiftly possess this form" invites radiant spirits to quickly inhabit the body, enabling the departed soul to manifest through luminous energy.

The "Soul-Retaining Po-Sustaining Talisman" fixes the hun and po souls in place. It invokes the Great Mystery Envoy (a deity specializing in soul matters) to nourish the souls with jade nectar (celestial ambrosia), while the Three Hun-Souls and Seven Po-Souls are respectively guarded by the Yin and Yang Sovereigns from the Lunar Palace (immortal abode in the moon) and Solar Palace (sun's celestial court).

The final series of talismans including the "Three Realms Soul-Guiding Talisman" serve distinct functions: some guide souls back to their earthly homes, others enable dream encounters between departed souls and living relatives, while some permit materialized appearances or message delivery. These talismans must be used with specific hand seals (mudras) and Qi circulation techniques.

These practices belong to Daoist salvation liturgy (rituals for delivering departed souls), requiring priests with profound internal cultivation. Through talismans, visualization (of deities), hand seals, and other methods, they mobilize cosmic energies to help souls reconstitute forms and bridge the yin-yang divide.

This records the usage of soul-summoning talismans (fulu) from the Daoist scripture Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu. These talismans are primarily employed in two key rituals: the "Summoning by the Three Officials" (referring to the Celestial Official, Earthly Official, and Water Official who govern human life, death, and fortune) and "Receiving the Yang Kin" (welcoming the deceased soul back to its living relatives).

The text details 62 types of talismans and their precise placement locations, including:

• Facial areas: left/right eyes, forehead, nostrils, temples (both sides of the head), ears
• Body parts: left/right arms, breasts, wrists, palms, neck, throat, oral cavity
• Head: crown, hair knot
• Torso: back, below ribs, heart area, below navel
• Hips: left/right hips and lower regions
• Internal organs: first to fifth viscera (Daoism classifies internal organs into five systems)
• Fingers and toes: specifies each digit on left/right hands and feet

These talismans must be affixed to exact bodily positions to ensure comprehensive soul retrieval. The ritual reflects Daoism's meticulous approach to spirit restoration—believing only complete coverage of every physical detail guarantees ceremonial efficacy. This practice demonstrates how Daoist rites attend to the subtlest corporeal dimensions when facilitating transitions between realms.