《金籙十迴度人早朝轉經儀》

This scripture records the liturgical procedure for the Taoist "Golden Register Tenfold Salvation Rite" (Jinlu Shihui Duren) used in morning and evening scripture recitations. The main content is divided into three parts:

The first part specifies the names of the three daily recitation rituals (morning, noon, and evening), indicating this constitutes a complete daily practice system.

The second part details the preparatory stages of the formal ceremony:

1. The ritual master (Gaogong) leads the assembly in orderly formation before the altar

2. The master kneels to invoke various patriarchs and divine beings, including Lingbao lineage patriarchs (such as the Great Master of Mysterious Centrality and Scripture Masters) and Zhengyi Celestial Masters (like Zhang Daoling)

3. States the recitation's purpose is to pray for the emperor's longevity and national prosperity

4. Prepares to chant the first four volumes of the Salvation Scripture (Duren Jing)

The third part describes the deity-invocation ritual:

1. Invites protective deities from the ten directions, including Flying Celestial Kings and Salvation True Lords, to descend to the altar

2. Explains the sacred significance of scripture recitation for salvation, seeking divine protection

3. Employs ritual elements like "purification fast" (Zhaijiao), "cloud chariots" (visualizing deities descending on clouds), and "flower scattering" (offering petals to welcome spirits) to invite the deities

(Note: "Golden Register" refers to the highest level of Taoist purification rituals, "Tenfold" indicates the complete liturgy involving ten recitation cycles, and "Salvation" denotes the merit of liberating souls and benefiting humanity.)

This passage describes the morning scripture recitation ritual in the Daoist Golden Register (Jinlu) purification ceremony (Zhaijiao), depicting the descent of high deities and celestial kings who act as heaven's emissaries. Here's a simplified interpretation:

The infinite flying celestial kings of the ten directions (representing the entire cosmos in Daoism), the great sages of longevity, the holy lords who save countless beings, along with celestial messengers, jade maidens, and all immortal officials reverently attend: During the Red Brilliance kalpa when heaven and earth first separated, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, Daoism's supreme deity) bestowed scriptures. The divine kings received heaven's mandate, chanting ethereal hymns in the Azure Void celestial realm. Together they ascended jeweled thrones, personally hearing the jade-toned dharma decrees and receiving talismanic orders (Fulu) to oversee and evaluate the merits of scripture recitation.

These sacred teachings convey profound mysteries through subtle and indirect means. The deities perceive distant realms with clarity, discerning practitioners' virtues and faults without deception. Since ancient times, great achievements have been manifest, and these sublime benefits should be transmitted to future generations.

Now we respectfully implement the Celestial Worthy's decree, solemnly conducting the Golden Register grand purification (Daoism's highest liturgical ceremony) to pray for the emperor's boundless longevity. May the Vermilion Phoenix and Mystic Dragon descend from cloud-filled skies, returning their immortal chariots to the ritual arena. May the golden-jade dharma sounds eternally maintain cosmic order in the ten directions, with the sacred teachings spreading to all beings.

Above, we propagate heaven's vast principles; below, we fulfill our sincere cinnabar-hearted prayers. Humbly presenting this memorial document (a formal petition to deities), we earnestly request divine inspection. May the merits pervade all directions, harmonizing with creation's mysteries; may all beings across the three realms be liberated, achieving the merit of ascension. Now we lead the assembly onto the ritual platform to begin scripture practice.

(Ritual sequence:)

1. Guide participants in ascending the altar and offering incense

2. Pay respects to the master while maintaining proper mindfulness

3. Recite the Nine Heavens Luminous Incantation: "The Nine Heavens' supreme radiance generates brilliance, illuminating the Purple Tenuity Palace. The Central Emperor's hundred deities descend, resolving eight kinds of suffering, liberating seven generations of ancestors. Majestic blessings assist my flight to immortal realms."

4. Strike the ritual drum twenty-four times (specific rhythmic pattern in Daoist liturgy)

5. Reverently invite the Supreme Dao Lord to summon protective deities from one's body (including the Three-Five merit officers, golden boys and jade maidens), opening the path to divine communication

6. Pray for the ten directions' righteous Qi to infuse body and mind, ensuring swift delivery of petitions to the Primordial Beginning Celestial Worthy

7. The ritual master declares his ceremonial position, sincerely petitioning the formless, spontaneous Primordial Beginning Celestial Worthy

Note: This ritual exemplifies the core Daoist concept of "divine-human resonance," establishing communication between earthly and celestial realms through incense offering, scripture recitation, and ritual music.

This passage is the liturgical praise section from the Daoist scripture Golden Register Ten-Cycle Salvation Morning Scripture Recitation Ceremony, which enumerates the pantheon of Daoist deities while expressing devout devotion. A modern interpretation reads as follows:

First, it lists the highest-ranking Daoist deities by their honorific titles:

• The Supreme Sovereign of Mysterious Radiance, Most Exalted Great Dao Lord of Jade Dawn (a manifestation of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning)
• The Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure (one of the Three Pure Ones)
• The Celestial Worthy of Dao and De (i.e., Lord Lao)
• The Jade Emperor of the Vast Heaven (supreme deity of the celestial court)
• The Great Emperor of the South Pole and the Purple Tenuity Emperor of the North Pole (stellar deities governing the celestial poles)
• The Empress of Earth (deity of the terrestrial realm), among others.

It then praises the perfected saints across the ten directions, including:

• The Thirty-Two Celestial Emperors
• The rulers of the four immortal realms such as Eastern Florescence and South Pole
• The Seven-Jeweled Jasper Terrace in the Jade Capital of Mysterious Metropolis (the highest Daoist paradise)
• The guardian deities of the Thirty-Six Sacred Scriptures
• Celestial bodies including the Southern Dipper, Northern Ladle, and Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions.

The text subsequently expresses the practitioner's sincere aspirations:

We mundane beings devoutly recite scriptures at dawn. Though the profound Dao transcends verbal expression, through purifying body and mind while diligently studying the classics, we hope celestial and terrestrial spirits may perceive this devotion, allowing the subtle Dao's resonance to be heard throughout the ten directions.

Finally, it outlines the ritual procedures:

• Wholeheartedly taking refuge in the Three Treasures of Dao (complete faith in Daoist trinity)
• Praying all sentient beings may awaken to the Dao
• Praising the scripture's power for universal salvation
• Preparatory rituals before scripture recitation (mind-calming, tooth-tapping, etc.)

Note: The phrase "tapping teeth thirty-two times" refers to a preparatory Daoist practice focusing the spirit through dental percussion; "five-colored cloud qi" denotes the visualized Five Phases energy during cultivation.

This scripture describes the ritual procedure of the Daoist "Golden Register Tenfold Salvation Morning Scripture Recitation Ceremony". The main elements include:

First, establishing divine protection: Visualize the Four Sacred Beasts (Qinglong/Blue Dragon, Baihu/White Tiger, Zhuque/Vermilion Bird, Xuanwu/Black Tortoise) along with other mythical creatures like lions, white cranes, and phoenixes guarding the altar perimeter. Additionally, imagine Golden Boys and Jade Maidens, along with celestial troops of the Five Directional Emperors - nine hundred million cavalry each - protecting the scripture recitation space.

Before chanting begins, recite the "Scripture-Opening Mystic Charm": This incantation recounts how at the cosmic dawn, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, Daoism's supreme deity) bestowed sacred texts that can heal illnesses, liberate souls, and assist practitioners in ascending to immortality.

The "Turning the Dharma Wheel" ritual follows: The priest recalls first hearing these scriptures in the Azure Heaven (Shiqing Tian, a Daoist celestial realm). Practitioners should visualize the Thirty-Two Heavens (Daoist cosmological layers), performing teeth-knocking (a cultivation technique) and mental prostration at each level. Then with closed eyes, imagine three-colored clouds of Qi rising from the Three Dantians (upper, middle, and lower energy centers), gradually enveloping both body and altar.

Further visualizations include manifesting internal sacred animals:

• Blue Dragon emerges from the liver to stand at the left
• White Tiger emerges from the lungs to stand at the right
• Vermilion Bird emerges from the heart to stand in front
• Black Tortoise emerges from the kidneys to stand behind
• Twelve lions emerge from the spleen and lower Dantian
• Nine white cranes emerge from the crown's Niwan Palace
• Sun and moon radiance appears between the eyebrows

Next comes drawing directional Qi into the body:

• Eastern blue Qi enters the liver
• Southern red Qi enters the heart
• Western white Qi enters the lungs
• Northern black Qi enters the kidneys

The scripture should be recited ten times in full, with the preface omitted from the second through ninth recitations. The ceremony concludes with the "Seat-Dissolving" incantation (ritual closing formula).

Through visualization (cunsi), contemplation, and scripture recitation, this entire ritual mobilizes celestial and terrestrial spiritual forces to achieve both cultivation and salvation purposes.

This passage describes the ritual sequence from the Daoist Golden Register Tenfold Salvation Morning Audience Scripture Recitation Liturgy, primarily consisting of worship ceremonies oriented toward the east, south, and west. Let me explain section by section:

[Eastern Ritual Section]

The ritual master leads the fasting devotees (participants) in offering incense and prostrating toward the east. The text venerates the Eastern Limitless Supreme Numinous Treasure Celestial Worthy (a revered Daoist deity) and flying celestial kings, describing their governance over spring and nurturing of all beings. Prayers are made for these deities to witness the sincerity of the fasting practitioners and record their virtuous merits. Subsequently, a memorial petition (written communication to the deities) is recited before being burned to convey it to the celestial realm. This is followed by the second round of scripture recitation, including steps like "turning the Dharma wheel" (initiating the scripture's power) and chanting the sacred texts.

[Southern Ritual Section]

The ceremony shifts southward with similar rites. Here, the Southern Limitless Supreme Numinous Treasure Celestial Worthy and other deities are praised for their pure and luminous virtue (De), with prayers for them to witness the practitioners' sincerity and bless the nation's stability and imperial legacy. Again, a memorial is recited and burned, followed by the third round of scripture chanting.

[Western Ritual Section]

When turning westward, the text emphasizes how repeated scripture recitation leads to comprehension of the Dao's essence (the fundamental truth of Daoism) and how sincere devotion can move heaven. The Western Limitless Supreme Numinous Treasure Celestial Worthy and other deities are extolled for merits as abundant as autumn harvests, with petitions for them to descend like gentle rain and mist upon the ritual altar, reporting these merits to the Mystic Metropolis (a Daoist celestial realm).

The entire ceremony unfolds through four key phases:

1. Sequential directional worship

2. Praising each direction's deities and their virtues

3. Reciting and burning memorial petitions

4. Cyclical scripture recitation

This structure embodies the Daoist cosmological view of "circulating through the ten directions" and the cultivation principle of "delivering salvation through scriptures."

This passage describes the ritual procedure for the fourth recitation in the Taoist "Golden Register Tenfold Salvation Morning Liturgy" (a type of Zhaijiao ritual):

The ceremony begins with recording virtuous deeds at the Palace of Pure Numen (abode of Taoist immortals), praising the sacred virtue that endures as long as heaven and earth, and the imperial foundation standing as tall as Mount Song and Mount Hua. This is followed by reading and burning the memorial document (a written petition to the deities).

When the ritual reaches the northern direction, incense is offered with prostrations to honor the Northern Limitless Supreme Numinous Treasure Celestial Worthy (the highest northern deity) and the Flying Celestial Kings. These compassionate deities govern the Kan position (northern direction), transmit the heart teachings of Taoism, and bestow boundless grace. The prayer seeks to have merits recorded in the Golden Tablets and Jade Books (celestial records of merits and demerits) while receiving protection from the Purple Tenuity Star (symbolizing nobility) for longevity.

After another reading and burning of memorials, the ceremony proceeds through scripture recitation and vow-making. Various immortals (Xianzhen), deities of the Five Sacred Mountains, and the Three Qi (heaven-earth-human energies) are invited to descend before the incense burner, with prayers conveyed by jade maidens and immortal youths.

The ritual concludes with visualization (meditation) of the Four Numinous Beings (directional deities) returning to their positions and the Ten Directions' Celestial Truth-bearers departing on clouds. Through swallowing the Three-Colored Cloud Qi (a cultivation method) into the Three Dantian (upper, middle and lower energy centers), the practice is completed with teeth-tapping and saliva-swallowing.

The presiding Taoist priest (designated as "Your Servant So-and-so") offers reverent gratitude to successive patriarchs of the Lingbao tradition - including the Great Master of Mysterious Center, Scripture Masters, and Ordination Masters - acknowledging their transmission of Taoist methods (the "millet-pearl" transmission refers to esoteric teachings), and reports the successful completion of the ceremony.

This scripture passage describes the ritual procedure of the Daoist "Golden Register Ten-Circuit Salvation Morning Scripture Recitation Ceremony." During the ceremony, Daoist priests ascend the ritual platform and begin chanting the Supreme Mystery Scripture of Infinite Salvation from the Cavernous Profundity (Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Wuliang Duren Shangpin Miaojing), completing four full recitations from the first to the fourth cycle. Through this ritual, they pray for the emperor's longevity and the enduring peace of the nation.

With reverent hearts, the priests express gratitude to the Patriarchs (venerated Daoist predecessors) for their unseen protection, offering sincere thanks. They anticipate that when the scripture scrolls are finally rolled and stored, and when the divine beings return to the celestial realms in their jade chariots (referring to the vehicles of immortals), they may repay these blessings. From the depths of their hearts, they vow to propagate the teachings of the Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) tradition, spreading its compassionate doctrines.

In closing, the priests humbly acknowledge their presumption in disturbing the Patriarchs' majestic presence, their hearts filled with awe. As the ceremony concludes, all participants recite traditional closing phrases like "heretofore" and "mindful of goodness," affirming their commitment to virtuous thoughts.