《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 35

This passage from the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu documents a Daoist lamp ritual (Keyi) for the salvation of departed souls. The presiding priest, referring to himself as "your subject [name]," begins by offering incense to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the supreme deities of Jade Clarity, Upper Clarity, and Great Clarity), the Ten Directions' exalted perfected beings, and the Celestial Worthy of Universal Salvation (Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun), beseeching their compassionate witness.

The scripture contrasts the realms of Yin and Yang: the celestial world is clear and luminous, while the underworld is dark and gloomy. The departed souls suffer in the netherworld from the "Three Paths and Five Sufferings" (Daoist terms for the three evil realms and five torments of hell), trapped by the tortures of water and fire, and the punishments of Yin and Yang. These sufferings stem from karmic retribution for the "Three Karmas" (evil deeds of body, speech, and mind) and "Five Aggregates" (the afflictions of form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness) accumulated during their lifetimes.

Through the ritual of "illuminating lamps to dispel darkness," the priest employs resplendent dragon-phoenix talismans (Fulu) to connect with the divine radiance, lighting up the underworld. The ritual sponsor (the one hosting the ceremony) lights the "Divine Lamps of the Three Paths and Five Sufferings" to beseech the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning and other deities for mercy, bestowing the light of wisdom so that the departed souls may be cleansed of their evil karma, freed from darkness, and reborn in the Pure Land.

The ritual specifically mentions the first barrier of the "Three Paths," called the "Gate of Carnal Desires Governed by the Upper Corpse Worm" (in Daoist physiology, the three corpse worms reside in the body, with the upper worm governing lust). Souls fall into this path due to their attachment to sensual desires. Only through the illumination of the divine lamps and the absolution of incantations can the departed souls break through these barriers and attain liberation.

This passage presents a complete Daoist salvific ritual framework, encompassing deity invocation, repentance, lamp lighting, and incantation recitation, embodying the compassionate Daoist ideal of "delivering beings from the netherworld."

The divine spirits inherently embody purity and transcendence, yet worldly beings often drown in lust and indulgence, incurring posthumous punishment from the Celestial Thunder Department (the system of thunder deities). Now, a devotee, following Daoist liturgical rites, lights sacred lamps to repent for transgressions, beseeching the descent of the Numinous Officials to eradicate the root of carnal desires for the deceased and their karmic ties in the underworld, sparing them celestial thunder retribution. May the heavens bestow grace, enabling the departed souls to comprehend the eternal Dao (the Way), return to their original pure spirituality, align with the profound celestial mysteries, and attain supreme wisdom—ultimately roaming freely in the immortal realms.

(Burning talismanic scriptures) The grace of the Celestial Venerable illuminates all beings; the solemn liturgy (Keyi) shines like the sun and moon. Sacred Qi (vital energy) fills the underworld, and numinous light dispels the gloom of the shadowy realms. The fog of mountainous sins dissipates, and the turbulent waves of desire subside. Today, the sacred lamps radiate universally, utterly eliminating the "Upper Corpse" (one of the three malevolent spirits in Daoist belief, governing lust), aiding the departed souls in transcending suffering. The Celestial Venerable of the Turning Wheel guides the souls through the trials of the celestial realm.

Next, we enter the Earth Realm (the second layer of the Three Paths), governed by the "Middle Corpse" (mastering attachment). Sentient beings, due to their greed for material possessions and disregard for life, endure posthumous punishment by carrying burdens of sand and stone. The devotee again lights lamps in repentance according to ritual, imploring the Numinous Officials to eradicate the root of attachment in the deceased. May the radiance of the Purple Tenuity Star (symbolizing nobility) pierce the Yellow Springs, purifying the six senses of the departed, freeing them from the thorns of affliction, and guiding them onto the path of Wuwei (non-action), ultimately arriving at the immortal realms.

(Burning talismanic scriptures) The sacred virtue of the Celestial Venerable spreads like spring breeze through the underworld. The Vermilion Phoenix (an auspicious bird) bears celestial edicts, while the Golden Rooster (a divine herald) delivers pardons. When the six senses are purified, harmony manifests; when worldly entanglements dissolve, attachment diminishes. Today, the sacred lamps shine, the Middle Corpse is eradicated, and the departed souls ascend. The Celestial Venerable of the Turning Wheel continues to guide them.

Finally, we reach the Water Realm (the deepest layer of the Three Paths), ruled by the "Lower Corpse" (mastering greed). Sentient beings, chasing empty fame and fleeting profit, suffer the torment of drowning after death.

This scripture describes a Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) for the salvation of deceased souls. The ritual master performs repentance and deliverance rites on behalf of the ritual sponsor and their departed loved ones, employing sacred lamps and burning Fulu (talismans and registers) to beseech the Celestial Worthy (highest Daoist deity) to liberate souls from the sufferings of hell.

The ceremony first addresses repentance for the "Lower Corpse" (one of three malevolent spirits in Daoist physiology governing greed). Through invocations to dissolve the deceased's roots of desire, the ritual seeks to alleviate punishments in the Watery Hell. The master chants scriptures praising the "Golden-Visaged Jade-Featured Celestial Worthy" while burning talismans, hoping the sacred lamplight will free souls from Lower Corpse afflictions.

The ritual then progresses to the first suffering of the "Five Bitter Wheels" - the torment of sensual desire. The master confesses the deceased's carnal sins, imploring the "Transcendent Official Who Ferries Across Lust's Hindrance" to help souls pass this trial and avoid Mount Tai's hellish torments. While burning talismans, praises are offered to the "Wisdom-Light Universally Illuminating Celestial Worthy" to eradicate karmic obstructions.

Next comes the second suffering - attachment to love. The master explains how beings drown in the sea of emotional attachment, facing the Wind-Blade Hell after death. Continuing with sacred lamps and talismans, the ritual seeks the Celestial Worthy's aid in freeing souls from love's fetters.

Throughout the ceremony, the master repeatedly emphasizes "universal salvation" - extending deliverance not only to specific relatives but to all souls in the underworld. Through scripture recitation, talisman burning, and praises to the Celestial Worthy, the ritual seeks to eliminate karmic obstacles, liberate souls from hell, and elevate them to the immortal realms.

This scripture describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased souls. The Lingbao tradition employs the method of lantern lighting and repentance to help spirits transcend the five cycles of suffering.

The first stage addresses the "Gate of Suffering from Attachment," where sentient beings endure spiritual torment due to clinging to worldly affections, facing posthumous mental anguish. The ritual master lights the divine lantern, invoking the assistance of spirit officials to help both the deceased and their karmic creditors cross this threshold. They pray for the protection of the Purple Empyrean Celestial Sovereign (Zixiao Tianzun), beseeching that departed souls may relinquish delusions and return to their original purity. Through this process, the spirit blossoms with clarity like a flower, transcends mortal limitations, and ultimately attains carefree existence in the immortal realms.

Next comes the "Gate of Suffering from Greed," where beings exhaust their vital Qi (energy) through material pursuits, facing the postmortem punishment of carrying mountain stones. The master again lights repentance lanterns, petitioning spirit officials to relieve the deceased from bodily suffering. They seek celestial grace to bestow upon the departed a purified form, free from the pollution of the six sensory dusts, enabling realization of the Great Dao of emptiness.

The third stage concerns the "Gate of Suffering from Vanity," where beings deplete their true Qi (vital energy) chasing worldly glory, facing the posthumous penalty of filling rivers. Continuing the lantern ceremony, the master requests spirit officials to guide souls across this barrier, praying for the illumination of the Golden Radiance Seven Essence Celestial Sovereign (Jinguang Qisu Tianzun). This facilitates the severing of worldly ties and liberation from cyclic existence.

Each ritual phase concludes with hymns praising the virtue and majesty of the Celestial Sovereigns, accompanied by the burning of fulu (talismans and registers - Daoist ritual documents for divine communication). The ceremony consistently concludes with homage to the Wheel-Turning Sage King Celestial Sovereign (Zhuanlun Shengwang Tianzun), signifying the soul's deliverance from samsaric suffering. The entire ritual embodies the Lingbao salvational philosophy of assisting souls through repentance and lantern ceremonies to transcend suffering and ascend to celestial realms.

This passage describes the Daoist ritual process for liberating departed souls, which consists of several key components:

First, it mentions the "Flying Liberation through Extinction" ceremony recorded in the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Scripture of Lingbao Salvation). This is a ritual where Daoist priests light sacred lamps and burn talismans (fulu) to help souls escape the suffering of hell. The "Gate of Floral Competition" and "Gate of Bodily Affliction for Tormented Souls" refer to different levels of hell realms - the fifth level specifically punishes those who were obsessed with carnal desires and exhausted their spiritual essence (shen) during their lifetime.

During the ritual, priests chant the sacred names of celestial deities like "Celestial Worthy of Virtuous Light Synthesis," invoking their boundless radiance to dispel hell's darkness. Specific procedures include: lighting sacred lamps symbolizing guiding light, burning talismans to convey prayers, and reciting scriptures for salvation. Special emphasis is placed on the "Wheel of Five Sufferings" representing cyclical torments in hell, with this ritual focusing particularly on liberation from bodily afflictions.

The text repeatedly emphasizes how this ceremony enables departed souls to "see through transient dust" (recognize worldly illusions), "sever karmic defilements" (eliminate sinful karma), ultimately achieving "a mind clear as dawn" and "a nature pure as autumn sky" - thus escaping the dark hell realms and ascending to luminous realms.

The ritual concludes with "Celestial Worthy of the Turning Wheel returning to his position," while participants chant the Sheng Tian Jing (Scripture of Ascension to Heaven), praying for all sentient beings to cross over from suffering. The entire process embodies the Daoist salvational ideal of using sacred rituals to liberate souls and facilitate their celestial ascent.

This scripture describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of departed souls and the accompanying prayer text. The Celestial Worthy (Tianzun, the supreme deity in Daoism) possesses boundless compassion and inconceivable merit, capable of delivering souls trapped in the underworld.

The ritual master stands reverently in the Hall of Silent Contemplation, then proceeds to the altar accompanied by the solemn Hymn of Huaxia, walking with the specific ritual steps known as "Pacing the Void" (Buxu). After offering incense, the master kneels in deep prostration, presenting the memorial with the humble demeanor of a subject petitioning the sovereign. The text describes how the Primordial Qi (Zuqi) of heaven and earth circulates endlessly, while the mysterious operations of Yin-Yang shape creation. The Celestial Worthy's divine power is limitless, illuminating the dark realms of the underworld and bringing vitality to all beings.

Those souls submerged in the underworld are trapped in terrifying places like Quanqu (Twisting Springs) and Luofeng (names of Daoist hell realms), bound by layers of karmic obstructions, unable to attain liberation even after countless kalpas. Though they may repent, they find no path of escape. Therefore, the patron sponsoring the ritual beseeches the Celestial Worthy to issue a decree of pardon, hoping to cleanse their sins, relieve their suffering, and grant them deliverance.

The ritual master humbly describes himself as unworthy, having cultivated the Two Luminances (Erjing, referring to solar and lunar essences) yet still failing to fully comprehend the methods for universal salvation. He implores the Celestial Worthy's compassion to pardon souls throughout the Three Realms and Ten Directions, including those under the jurisdiction of the Three Officials and Nine Bureaus (Sanguan Jiufu, the Daoist pantheon's administrative deities), the Palace of Fengdu, the River Sources of Quanqu, the sacred mountains and rivers, and the local City Gods and Earth Deities. May all be delivered from the bitter sea of the underworld and attain rebirth. Regardless of the gravity of their transgressions, may they receive pardon in the Ninefold Darkness (Jiuyou), manifesting the Celestial Worthy's impartial and boundless mercy.

This scripture describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased souls. The ritual master leads the assembled officials through prescribed ceremonial procedures, beseeching the deities to pardon the sins of the departed. The ceremony begins by solemnly inviting the "Celestial Worthy of Absolution Through Sacred Talismans" to descend. This is followed by the recitation of a pardon document, absolving the transgressions of souls under the jurisdiction of various underworld administrators - including the Three Palaces and Nine Bureaus (Daoist bureaucratic divisions of the netherworld), water deities governing terrestrial waters, and mountain, river, and earth gods (local tutelary deities).

During the ritual, participants chant the "Hymn of Soaring Through Emptiness in Pacing the Void," with verses like "The Sacred Grace of the Empty Sovereign pervades the boundless origin" extolling the vast power of the Dao that universally delivers all beings. Through burning the pardon documents and reciting sacred verses, the ceremony assists souls in "discerning truth and abandoning illusion," liberating them from the sufferings of the underworld to ascend upon clouds of blissful freedom.

Returning to the altar, the master again petitions the highest Daoist deities - the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), the Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun), and the Most High Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun) - to report the successful completion of the ritual and express gratitude for their merciful approval of the soul's absolution. Special mention is made that this ceremony is performed at the request of the patron to deliver a specific deceased relative, while simultaneously benefiting all karmic creditors and afflicted souls in the underworld. The ritual implores that the wind of divine compassion may blow through both yin and yang realms, enabling departed souls to transcend the sufferings of samsara and cross the Bridge of Dharma (symbolizing salvation) to liberation.

The ceremony concludes as the master leads the assembly back to the Hall of Silent Meditation. The recurrent invocation of the "Celestial Worthy of Blissful Freedom" throughout the text refers to a specific deity venerated in salvation rituals, embodying the liberated state of souls who have attained deliverance.

The thirty-fifth volume of the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu documents essential liturgical procedures from the Lingbao tradition (one of Daoism's major schools) for delivering deceased souls from suffering. This section primarily explains how to liberate spirits from purgatory through Keyi (Daoist rituals), detailing the required Fulu (talismanic scriptures), incantations, altar arrangements, and specific ceremonial practices like "Bugang Tadou" (a ritualized star-stepping dance).

Particular emphasis is placed on the ritual master's need to purify body and mind, uphold precepts, and recite scriptures to commune with divine forces. During the ceremony, lamps and candles must be lit according to precise orientations, symbolizing the illumination of the underworld path, while sacred implements like spirit banners and ritual swords guide the departed. The scripture also specifies distinct salvation incantations for varying circumstances, such as specialized rites for souls who died violently or prematurely.