《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 90

This passage documents the altar-dispersing ceremony from the Daoist scripture Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu. At the commencement of the ritual, the ritual master and devotees reverently bow to the patriarchs while silently reciting sacred incantations. The "Guardian Spirits Chant" is then recited: five celestial guardians (Wuling) preside over the five directions, the Big Dipper deity protects the hun and po souls, while the Southern Pole Immortal safeguards the physical form. The Radiant Youth attends to the soul, the Black Emperor (northern deity) governs life, and the Yellow Emperor of the center commands the myriad spirits.

A proclamation follows: The sacred decree of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning illuminates the underworld, eradicates sins, and liberates departed souls from the northern netherworld (Beifu), enrolling them among the celestial registers (Nanchang). Through the Golden Register (Daoist salvation documents), their names are recorded; the Jade Script's true words dispel calamities, while purification in the Vermilion Palace Fire Court (where souls are refined) transforms their forms, enabling spiritual ascent. All souls under the jurisdiction of the Three Officials (Heavenly, Earthly, and Water Officials) and Nine Offices (netherworld bureaus) receive deliverance, ascending to paradise. The assembly responds in unison: "In harmony with the Dao."

The master strikes the ritual drum twenty-four times to summon the Three Pure Ones (Yuqing, Shangqing, and Taiqing) — the Celestial Worthies of Primordial Beginning, Numinous Treasure, and Dao-Virtue — along with the Most High Lord Lao. Simultaneously, the master visualizes inner deities (like the Three-Five Merit Officers and Left-Right Envoy Officials) performing their duties, assisted by thirty-two divine attendants including the Golden Lad of Incense and Jade Maiden of Flower Scattering.

The master then petitions local earth gods and city deities, announcing the altar-dispersing ceremony. He invokes the Mysterious Azure Qi of the Eastern Pole (the numinous energy of the Celestial Worthy of Salvation from Suffering) and the radiance of hundred treasures to descend, empowering his body and mind so prayers may swiftly reach the celestial court, directly presented before the Celestial Worthy of Salvation and all heavenly sovereigns.

Finally, the master declares his identity: as a practitioner of the Azure Mystery Yellow Register purification rites, he joins the assembly in incense offering. He dedicates the merit to seven generations of ancestors, living relatives, rulers and ministers, local officials, teachers and fellow practitioners, recluses, disciples, the nine generations of kin, all under heaven, and ultimately every living being. He beseeches the Ten Directions' Saviors from Suffering for compassion, seeking absolution for all beings' karmic transgressions across past and present lives.

This passage from the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Book of Lingbao Salvation Rituals) describes a repentance ceremony in Daoist practice, where cultivators seek to eradicate karmic obstacles and attain liberation through sincere contrition.

The practitioners direct their repentant hearts toward the Ten Directions Savior Lords (Tianzun), venerable deities who deliver beings from suffering, praying to be freed from the Three Wretched Paths (hell, hungry ghosts, and animal realms), the Five Courses of Rebirth (heavenly, human, hell, hungry ghost, and animal existences), and all forms of suffering including the Ten Afflictions, Eight Calamities, and Nine Disasters. They aspire to attain the Dao and achieve perfection, ascending to the celestial realms to dwell eternally in harmony with the Dao at the Eastern Extremity's Palace of Eternal Joy (Changlegong), a paradisiacal realm in Daoist cosmology.

During the ritual, practitioners perform reverent prostrations while kneeling in prolonged repentance. They acknowledge their shallow spiritual roots and immature cultivation, admitting that though they have encountered precious scriptures (referred to poetically as "golden blossoms and jade bamboo shoots"), their minds remain tainted by worldly defilements. Through this earnest repentance ceremony, they hope to receive the Tianzun's forgiveness and guidance to ultimately realize the True Dao.

The text mentions several major Daoist deities: Yuanshi Tianzun (the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning), Taishang Daojun (the Lord of the Dao), Taishang Laojun (Lord Lao, i.e., Laozi), and Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (the Savior Lord of Supreme Unity). The practitioners sincerely entreat these divine beings for deliverance.

The concluding section expresses the cultivators' humility, acknowledging that despite studying numerous scriptures (referred to metaphorically as the "Seven Classics and Eight Canons" and the "Nine Chambers and Three Palaces" representing various Daoist texts and cultivation methods), their comprehension of the profound Dao remains limited, requiring continued diligent practice. The references to the "Divine Infant in the Cinnabar Valley" and the "Celestial Elder at the Mysterious Pass" allude to advanced stages of Neidan (internal alchemy) practice.

This passage outlines the ritual procedures from the Daoist scripture Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Book of Salvation According to the Numinous Treasure Tradition), describing a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) for the salvation of deceased souls. The officiating priest, with utmost devotion, presents Qingci (Daoist memorial documents) to the deities, beseeching forgiveness for the sins of the departed and their liberation from the sufferings of the underworld.

At the ceremony's commencement, the priest solemnly recites the memorial text, declaring the ritual's purpose—to guide a specific deceased soul beyond the torments of the underworld courts, resolve karmic grievances, and ultimately attain ascension through the Dao. The altar is arranged with sacred dignity, featuring temporary ritual structures (Pengfang) and celestial garden arrangements (Zhipu) symbolizing the immortal realms.

During the ritual, the priest invokes the presence of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing—Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Great Pure, the highest Daoist deities), the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, Dongshen—the tripartite classification of Daoist scriptures), and Qingxuan (an epithet of the Salvationist Celestial Worthy Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun) for divine protection. Local guardian deities like Chenghuang (City God) and Tudi (Earth God) are also invited to safeguard the ritual space. Mindful of potential impropriety, the priest performs repeated prostrations with exceptional reverence when presenting memorials.

The text concludes with ten grand vows:

1. May the Great Dao spread universally, filling all hearts with Virtue (De)

2. May all living beings awaken to the Dao

3. May souls trapped in the Nine Nether Hells find liberation

4. May wandering ghosts and orphaned spirits attain rebirth

5. May the world know peace with abundant harvests

6. May ministers be loyal, rulers benevolent, and parents compassionate

7. May harmony prevail, resolving karmic debts between adversaries

(The final three vows are missing in the original text)

Through burning memorials and devout supplications, the ritual seeks divine power to redeem the deceased while praying for peace and blessings for the living. The officiant maintains profound reverence throughout, demonstrating piety through repeated prostrations.

This passage describes the concluding supplication in a Daoist Zhaijiao (grand sacrificial ritual), comprising three main sections:

The first section presents ten vows made to the deities. The eighth vow prays for the safe delivery of all nascent life (where "hidden embryos and sheltered eggs" refers to both unborn children and oviparous creatures); the ninth seeks swift recovery for chronic and acute illnesses; the tenth wishes abundant clothing and nourishment for all orphaned and destitute souls.

Following this comes the "Returning to the Censer" ritual phase. The Daoist priest summons divine attendants including the Incense Official Messengers and the Left-Right Dragon-Tiger Guardians (protective deities), praying that the ritual space may spontaneously generate sacred substances: golden elixirs (xian medicine), cinnabar-green herbs (xian vegetation), and luminous ganoderma (magic mushrooms). This summons celestial beings to gather before the incense burner. Further petitions include adepts attaining immortality through cultivation, the ritual sponsor receiving blessings, and both the realms of Yin and Yang obtaining divine grace. The text also requests immortal youths and jade maidens to safeguard the sacred flames, ensuring the vows swiftly ascend to the celestial court.

The conclusion addresses specific high deities: the Eastern Extremity Azure Mysterious Elder Lord (namely Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the savior of departed souls) and the Sovereign Emperor Who Maintains Primordial Fortune (a supreme Daoist divinity). A colophon identifies this passage as originating from Scroll 90 of the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Numinous Treasure Salvation Through Ritual), categorized as the "Hall-Leaving Hymn" marking ritual conclusion.