《玄門報孝追薦儀》

This scripture is a ritual text from Daoism for the salvation of deceased souls, describing how the ritual master (Fashi) conducts liturgical ceremonies (Keyi) to help souls escape the sufferings of hell and attain liberation.

At the beginning of the ritual, the master leads the congregation in formation for the "Natural Audience" (Ziran Chao), a type of Daoist purification ritual (Zhaijiao). The master first reverently praises the ancestral masters of Daoism—the Mystic Central Teaching Masters and great patriarchs—who connect the Three Realms of heaven, earth, and humanity. With compassion for all beings, they established teachings according to circumstances, becoming bridges between life and death and sovereigns of the netherworld.

The master humbly identifies as a minor cultivator ("insignificant disciple of Fuli" or "tiny life of Lingbao") fortunate to have received the authentic Dao transmission. Now preparing to liberate countless suffering souls ("boundless bitter shades") who, due to myriad sins across lifetimes ("ten thousand offenses and a thousand transgressions"), are recorded in the underworld's black registers (Heishu) and imprisoned in the frozen hells (Hanting Youyu). Without appealing to the Jade Court (Yubi), these souls cannot be summoned to the imperial altar (Huangtan).

The master implores celestial mercy, beseeching benevolent light to dispel darkness. Through the red talismanic decrees (Chishu) and divine power of Daoism, they seek to transform hell's mountains of knives and forests of swords into jeweled groves. They pray the ancestral masters will illuminate the eternal night of the underworld with wisdom's radiance, enabling all souls to attain Dao-fruits, escape karmic retribution, and ascend to carefree immortal realms.

Finally, the master leads the assembly in ascending the altar (Shengtan) to commence formal rites. Reciting incantations like "Seven Numinous and Nine Qi of Mystic Yin," they mobilize the essences of sun and moon ("two luminaries cycling round") to shine upon the netherworld ("brilliantly illuminating eternal spring"), while summoning various divine kings (Mowang) to assist in audience at the Imperial Capital (Dijing).

Note: The "Eastern Extremity" refers to the Great Emperor of Eastern Florescence (Dongji Qinghua Dadi), while "Northern Chief" denotes the Big Dipper Lords (Beidou Xingjun)—both Daoist deities overseeing soul salvation. "Azure Ordinances" (Qinglü) signify celestial laws; "black registers" record underworld transgressions; and "Bian" refers to the mythical beast guarding hell's gates.

This scripture is a Daoist ritual text for the salvation of deceased souls, primarily describing the process of the ritual master initiating the altar ceremony and communicating with divine beings. Here is a simplified interpretation:

At the ceremony's commencement, the master silently recites the incantation: "May all sentient beings receive universal grace, may vast beneficence reach the netherworld, may this jade scripture spread its message, may the ten thousand Qi energies ascend." This signifies invoking spiritual power to universally aid beings in the underworld and cause the primordial energies of heaven and earth to rise. The master then strikes the ritual drum twenty-four times (a key Daoist liturgical act symbolizing the summoning of divine beings).

The master calls forth the guardian deities cultivated within his own body: the Three-Five Merit Officials (Daoist protector deities), Left and Right Messenger Officials, the Golden Boy who tends incense, the Jade Maiden who conveys messages, and thirty-six other divine beings of each category, all properly attired and prepared to transmit messages. Simultaneously, local earth deities and other altar-protecting spirits are invited to witness the ceremony.

The master declares his intention to ascend the altar and perform the ritual, burning faithful incense to report to heaven his wish to deliver the deceased. He prays for the primordial Dao-Qi (the highest level of cultivated energy) from the Jade Pure Realm to flow into himself, enabling his sincere intentions to swiftly reach the supreme deities.

Subsequently, he respectfully invites various honored deities in sequence:

• The Three Pure Ones (Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun)
• The Jade Emperor and the Four Heavenly Sovereigns (such as Ziwei Dadi and Qinghua Dadi)
• The underworld water officials, and the deities of the Five Sacred Mountains and Four Great Rivers
• All divine beings of the Three Realms

The text specifically mentions the "Pure Brightness method" (core doctrine of the Daoist Jingming school), emphasizing loyalty to rulers and filial piety as fundamental to spiritual practice. This salvation ritual originates from ancient filial traditions, exemplified by figures like Lan Gong who attained the Dao through the Dipper Deities, and Mother Chen who transmitted methods to Grand Historian (legendary Daoist adepts), using the "Covenant of Truth fast" (a zhaijiao purification ritual involving oaths with deities) to repay ancestral kindness.

The entire ceremony embodies the Daoist concept of "heaven-human resonance," employing specific liturgical forms to communicate with deities across the Three Realms. Through divine power, it delivers deceased souls while manifesting the spirit of filial piety.

This scripture is a ritual text from Daoist salvation ceremonies, primarily addressing the Daoist understanding and practice of filial piety. I will explain it section by section:

The opening section refutes Confucian criticisms of Daoist practitioners. It states that the claim that those who study immortality lack filial piety reflects Confucian prejudice, when in fact Daoist scriptures equally emphasize filial devotion. The author humbly describes himself as ordinary in aptitude yet devoted to cultivating the Dao, following scriptural teachings and maintaining disciplined practice. While pursuing the Daoist ideal of "transcending form and abandoning intellect" (the state beyond physical and mental limitations), he also upholds Yan Yuan's (Confucius' disciple) teaching about "carefully performing funeral rites and remembering ancestors."

The text then describes how the ritual officiant (Jijiu, libationer) should conduct ceremonies to save deceased relatives. It depicts deities descending upon the altar, affirming that sincere filial devotion can move the divine. The formal prayer text follows, noting how life's three most important matters—serving parents, serving rulers, and cultivating the Dao—share the same essence. Serving rulers with filial devotion constitutes loyalty, while governing through self-cultivation principles achieves the ideal of Wuwei (non-action) governance. Practitioners particularly must prioritize repaying their ruler's kindness. References to the "Nine Authentic Precepts" (key Daoist ethical codes) and "Three Registers" (the Daoist talismanic system) demonstrate these practices' ancient origins.

The ritual procedure details the priest leading participants in incense offerings, with smoke ascending to the celestial court as offerings to the supreme "Treasure of the Dao" (embodiment of the Dao). Participants bow to the "Three Supreme Venerables" (highest Daoist deities) and all sacred beings, dedicating these merits to bless the emperor and pray for national prosperity and universal peace.

The conclusion emphasizes filial piety's foundational nature: humans originate from ancestors, and filial devotion begins with family. While Confucian rites only venerate recent ancestors, Daoism advocates salvation for all forebears—especially those unliberated souls needing ritual deliverance. This embodies the Daoist compassion of "universal salvation for all beings."

This scripture passage discusses Daoist rituals for the salvation of ancestors. The core teachings can be understood as follows:

Some practitioners fail to attain immortality in their cultivation, often because they incurred ancestral karma by neglecting proper veneration in past lives. Thus, the Nüqing Guilü (Demon Statutes of the Lady of Blue) contains repentance scriptures, while the Lingbao Benzhang Jing (Central Scripture of Numinous Treasure) prioritizes ancestral salvation. For Daoist practitioners, redeeming ancestors stands as the foremost duty.

The Celestial Worthy (Tianzun, supreme Daoist deity) explicitly instructs: We now conduct rituals at the altar, making incense offerings to the supreme and authentic scripture treasures (Daoist classics). With devout prostration, we invoke the power of the Supreme Three Pure Ones (Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun) and all sages of the ten directions, transferring these merits to our ancestors that they may transcend samsara and ascend to immortal realms.

The scripture cites two examples: Master Wang successfully redeemed his kin through the Yuhuang Benxing Jing (Scripture of the Jade Emperor's Deeds), while the son of the Mo family liberated his mother by reciting the Qingxiao Yinshu (Hidden Text of Azure Empyrean). These demonstrate the vital importance of ancestral salvation.

During the ritual, we again offer incense to the supreme and authentic teacher treasures (Daoist patriarchs), praying these merits may help the deceased escape hell realms and ascend to immortal domains. May the departed, through the merits of triple transformation and five refinements (Daoist alchemical practices), be freed from the sufferings of the Nine Dark Hells, partake of immortal elixirs for longevity, and swiftly reach the grotto-heavens where perfected beings dwell.

The passage particularly emphasizes: Though the Dao of heaven and earth runs profound, no obligation outweighs filial devotion to parents. Even ordinary people understand parental gratitude—how much more should cultivators remember their roots. We must serve them dutifully in life, and diligently perform salvation rites after their passing.

This scripture outlines a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased souls, comprising several key components:

The text begins by describing the ceremonial framework left by Daoist patriarchs after their ascension to immortality. These rites serve not only to liberate wandering spirits but also to exemplify filial piety. It explains how the deceased became entangled in worldly desires during their lifetime, accumulating karmic burdens that now condemn them to the underworld. The filial descendant (named) prepares incense, candles, and offerings in accordance with Daoist liturgy to beseech the Supreme Ultimate Dao (the highest Daoist divinity), the Ten Directions' Numinous Treasure Celestial Worthies, and the Savior from Suffering Celestial Worthy, praying for ancestral spirits to escape underworld torment and swiftly ascend to the immortal realms.

The ritual then details specific ceremonial procedures: confession of transgressions, demon-subduing (exorcising malevolent forces), pacing the void (the priest's star-stepping dance), triple hymn recitation (chanting scriptures in three cycles), and triple obeisance (three ritual prostrations). The officiating priest humbly acknowledges his limited understanding of Daoist scriptures (Jing) despite diligent study, yet performs the ceremony with sincere devotion to benefit both the living and the dead.

Throughout the ritual, repeated invocations praise the sacred realms of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing: Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure) and the Four States of Sublimity (four levels of spiritual purity). These prayers implore divine compassion to deliver souls from cyclical rebirth, allowing both the deceased and the living to bask equally in the radiance of the Dao's teachings.

This scripture is a Daoist ritual text for the salvation of deceased souls, with its main content divided into three parts:

The first section explains the rationale for salvation. The scripture states that the fundamental human relationships (Three Bonds and Five Constants) form the foundation of human existence, yet the souls in the Nine Dark Hells (Daoist conception of the underworld) have all strayed from the proper path. The text now seeks repentance for a specific deceased individual and their ancestors - though they were once human, they violated heavenly principles, committing offenses like filial impiety and fraternal discord, indulging in vices without self-awareness. Now that their lives have ended, they still suffer amidst the Mountain of Knives and Forest of Swords (hellish tortures).

The second part invokes divine assistance. The disciple sincerely petitions the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity (an important Daoist deity), following the Jade Casket Liturgy (ritual protocols from Daoist scriptures), to transmit messages through divine officials like the Officers of the Celestial Tiger and Dragon Talisman Couriers, beseeching the Celestial Worthy (supreme Daoist deity) for compassionate salvation. The prayer seeks to liberate souls from hell, enabling them to participate in the Celestial Worthy's dharma assembly, ultimately attaining the "supreme ultimate truth." It also requests merit for the divine officials performing the salvation work.

The third section presents twelve vows:

1. Praying for salvation by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (supreme Daoist deity)

2. Illuminating the dark underworld realms

3. Using the Golden Register (Daoist salvific documents) for deliverance

4. Erasing sins recorded in the Black Registers of the underworld

5-6. Alleviating sufferings in the hell realms

7-8. Granting joy to deceased souls and resolving grievances

9-10. Enabling souls to hear the scriptures and attain the Dao

11. Halting underworld judgments

12. Assisting cultivators in achieving immortality

The ritual concludes with spirit visualization and incense burning, invoking protectors like the Incense Official Messengers and Dragon-Tiger Lords to safeguard the ceremony, allowing the altar to spontaneously manifest auspicious signs like golden fluids and cinnabar jade, resonating with all spiritual beings. The entire ceremony aims to employ sacred power to help souls escape suffering and ascend to immortality.

All assembled immortals (those who have attained mastery in Daoist cultivation) gather before this incense burner, praying for the deliverance of departed souls and the bestowal of grace upon disciples. The celestial youths and jade maidens (attendants of the immortals) from the ten directions (all realms of heaven and earth) guide the curling incense smoke, swiftly conveying our sincere prayers to the supreme source of the Dao—before the throne of the Most Compassionate Father, the Celestial Worthy of Salvation from Suffering (a Daoist deity specializing in soul salvation) of the Eastern Azure Mysterious World.

(The ritual sequence proceeds as follows:)

1. Chanting the departure hymn

2. Leaving the altar space

3. Offering gratitude to the masters

4. Opening the ninefold celestial gates to demonstrate rites of worship; relieving the five sufferings of hell that all may share in the merit of life's salvation. We bow reverently before our patriarchs, expressing particular heartfelt gratitude.

(The presiding priest declares:) Just now, on behalf of filial disciple [name], we conducted this worship ceremony according to Daoist scriptures. Fearing possible ritual transgressions that may incur censure, we humbly beg the Celestial Worthy's compassionate forgiveness. May the golden talismans (Daoist ritual implements) deliver departed souls, bringing warmth even to the Ninefold Netherworld; may the cinnabar documents (Daoist sacred texts) transmit grace, liberating all trapped spirits to cross beyond the sea of suffering and attain eternal liberation. May the Daoist tradition flourish, enlightening all beings.

(The priest bows again:) Daring to disturb the Celestial Worthy's majesty, our hearts overflow with boundless gratitude.

(Subsequent ritual steps:)

1. Transferring merit

2. Offering thanksgiving through zhaijiao (purification ritual)

3. Performing the buxu (ritual pacing)

4. Conducting purification sprinkling

5. Reciting the protective incantation

6. Inviting divine presence

7. The priest declaring office and making solemn petition

We pray all sacred beings manifest great compassion, discerning our sincerity. The Dao is heard as the fundamental principle governing all existence—not to be transgressed; filial piety stands foremost among virtues, which all should diligently practice. Parental kindness rivals heaven and earth in magnitude, hence the Daoist scripture Yellow Court Classic first elucidates filial duty, while the scriptures transmitted by the Mysterious Heavenly Sovereign (Zhenwu) detail the principles of gratitude. This is not merely human sentiment regarding birth and death, but a vital path for accumulating merit and spiritual realization. Consider Su Xian (Su Dan) accumulating virtue by curing his mother at the Tangerine Well, or the True Martial Sovereign attaining fruition through parental devotion at Wudang Mountain—both demonstrating that human relationships and filial piety form the primary cultivation for Daoist practitioners.

Now this filial disciple [name], though dwelling within the Daoist gate, remains far from parental knees. Unable to serve with fine food and silks as laypeople do, nor to obtain the elixirs described in the Scripture of Great Peace to prolong parental lifespan. Remembering parents departed too soon...

This scripture passage describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased souls, expressing children's profound grief and gratitude toward their departed parents.

The general meaning conveys that children are willing to sacrifice themselves to follow their deceased parents, seeing frost and dew and recalling their loved ones, gazing at the pines in the graveyard with tears streaming down. As time passes, they do not know where the wandering souls may be, yet in dreams, their voices and faces seem vividly present. Thus, through Daoist rituals, they seek to guide these lost souls: lighting incense and lamps, following the ceremonial procedures of the Jade Covenant of True Union (Yugui Mengzhen), performing the "Forging the Soul and Molding the Spirit" (Tao Hun Zhu Po) technique, and adhering to the "Purple Pivot Soaring in Celestial Chants" (Zishu Feifan) liturgy. They hope these rites will bring salvation to the departed, granting them illumination.

The scripture particularly emphasizes that even a filial exemplar like Zeng Shen (a disciple of Confucius known for his piety) would regret not having fulfilled his filial duties completely, illustrating that filial devotion transcends the boundaries between monastic and lay life. Daoism, through its unique salvation rituals—such as submitting green memorials (Lüzhang) to the celestial court or employing white slips (Bai Jian) and flying talismans to rescue wandering souls—can compensate for the limitations of worldly rites.

Finally, the presiding ritual master petitions on behalf of the filial disciples: May the Celestial Honored One (Tianzun) take pity on the disciples' sincere devotion, consider the accumulated virtue of their ancestors that went unrewarded, and allow the departed souls to ascend to the heavenly realms. This is both the highest form of repayment for the deceased and the fulfillment of the original intent behind leaving home to cultivate the Dao.

(Note: The "green memorials" [Lüzhang] mentioned refer to Daoist petitions submitted to the celestial court; "white slips" [Bai Jian] are ritual implements used to save wandering souls; "Forging the Soul and Molding the Spirit" [Tao Hun Zhu Po] and "Purple Pivot Soaring in Celestial Chants" [Zishu Feifan] are specialized Daoist salvation techniques.)

This scripture is a ritual document for Daoist salvation rites, expressing the wish to help departed souls transcend suffering through Daoist ceremonies. Here's a modern interpretation in sections:

The first part speaks of invoking the compassionate grace of the Celestial Venerable (Tianzun) to cleanse the suffering souls in the underworld. May the deceased's spirit swiftly escape the darkness of the netherworld, transform their form through cultivation practices (using terms like "jade-eyed refinement" and "yellow flower purification"), have their name registered in the immortal records ("green script rebirth" and "golden chamber life-passage"), ultimately ascending to the highest pure realms (Shangqing) to escape reincarnation and attain the Dao.

The second section explains the concept of repaying kindness: Heaven (Qianyuan) and Earth (Kunyuan) are the source of life, while parents are the root of our physical form. Ordinary people remain bound by afflictions like greed and delusion, but true Dao practitioners see through these illusions. Through cultivation, they eliminate attachments ("destroy greed and anger, remove dangers"), returning from form to formlessness ("the formed returns to the unformed") - this being the true way to repay kindness.

The third portion specifically addresses the salvation of a particular deceased (referred to as "so-and-so" in the text): This person was bound by worldly desires ("sea of lust and river of attachment") during life, and now has entered the yellow springs (euphemism for death). Through Daoist salvation rites, may all their karmic obstacles ("180 afflictions, 84,000 worldly toils") be eradicated, forever escaping the bitter sea of reincarnation ("three paths and five sufferings"), directly ascending the immortal path.

The concluding section offers prayers: Not only for the deceased's salvation, but also that disciples and ancestral masters may ascend together ("co-ascension"), that descendants and fellow practitioners may receive blessings ("attain auspiciousness"), that the spiritual path remain free of demonic obstacles ("advance without demons"). May all cultivators realize the true Dao ("enter the gate of perfect unity"), ultimately transcending attachment to form ("all notions of self return to non-attachment").

References to "Immortal Elder Tao" and "Lord Han the Marshal" denote Daoist deities responsible for managing immortal registers and soul salvation. "Yellow Register" (Huanglu) refers to Daoist salvation documents, while "three paths and five sufferings" indicates the three lower realms (hell, hungry ghosts, animals) and their torments. The entire ceremony - involving incense offerings, wine libations, and recitation of petitions - embodies the Daoist compassionate spirit of "aiding the obscure and relieving suffering."

I understand that the Dao is formless and without appearance—when dispersed, it transforms into Qi (primordial energy); when condensed, it takes physical form. The divine spirits inherently have no fixed positions—they cannot be heard with ears nor seen with eyes, and can only be perceived through silent spiritual resonance. Now we perform this ceremonial worship to bid farewell to these deities.

In our contemplation, the Three Pure Ones (the highest Daoist deities: Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Great Pure) roam freely in the boundless celestial realms, while the underworld officials of the Nine Earths return to their respective posts in the netherworld. They come and go without trace—we gaze blankly, unaware of their destinations, filled with melancholy yet unable to follow.

We mortals are like walking corpses, lowly as dust, yet fortunate to have encountered the teachings of Daoism and participate in this sacred ceremony. However, in performing the rituals, our bows may lack sufficient reverence; in our movements, our steps may deviate from proper form; in inscribing the Fulu (Daoist talismanic writings), we may have breached prescribed norms. We beseech the deities to forgive these transgressions, to record our merits, and pray we incur no punishment for any inadequacies in our Zhaijiao (Daoist rituals).

How then shall we repay this divine grace? Only through more diligent practice of incense offerings and worship. May the deities not disdain us, but grant us constant spiritual communion. With boundless devotion, we gaze upon the celestial path and sincerely bow in farewell.

(Final section of the ritual)

Chant for the Return Journey

Burn paper offerings to send off the deities

(This passage forms the "sending off the deities" segment in the Daoist "Memorial and Requital Ceremony," expressing reverence and gratitude toward the divine while repenting for any ritual shortcomings and seeking divine forgiveness and protection.)