《太上黃籙齋儀》Vol. 17

This passage records the seventeenth volume of the Supreme Yellow Register Purification Liturgy compiled by Du Guangting during the Tang Dynasty, describing the Daoist ritual procedures for saving deceased souls of officials.

At the beginning of the ritual, the Daoist priests must first pay homage to the founding masters according to tradition while maintaining focused concentration. They then recite the "Guardian Spirit Incantation," which depicts the celestial realm of Daoist immortals: crimson flames interweave with rosy clouds, heavenly radiance illuminates all directions, golden talismans (Fulu) can summon divine dragons, and all demonic forces are dispersed. The entire cosmos rests in harmonious tranquility, with deities reverently attending the Jade Emperor's celestial court.

Next, the ritual drum is struck twenty-four times, symbolizing the summoning of divine beings. The priests invoke both the internal deities cultivated within their bodies (such as the Merit Officials, Golden Boys, and Jade Maidens) and the righteous spirits of heaven and earth (like the local earth gods), requesting their assistance in purifying the ritual altar. This allows the pure Qi (vital energy) of Daoism to permeate both the practitioners' bodies and the sacred space, dispelling all impurities and malevolent influences.

Finally, the priests, identifying themselves as "Disciples of the Supreme Purity Mystic Capital," reverently petition the highest deities of Daoism: the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) including the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Supreme Lord Lao (Laozi), and the Jade Emperor, along with the Thirty-Six Celestial Emperors, the Savior from Suffering Celestial Worthy, and other exalted divinities. These deities respond to human suffering with spontaneous compassion, descending to deliver sentient beings.

Note: The Yellow Register Purification (Huanglu Zhai) is a major Daoist ritual for soul salvation, believed to connect with the divine realm through solemn liturgy (Keyi) to liberate the deceased from suffering. The various deities and incantations mentioned here are common elements in Daoist purification rituals (Zhaijiao), reflecting the tradition's rich cosmological beliefs.

This passage describes a scene from the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai), a grand purification ritual for redeeming the deceased and praying for blessings, where the high priest invokes the deities to intercede on behalf of the emperor. Here's the modern interpretation:

The presiding high priest (Mysterious Great Master of the Profound Center), representing all participating Daoist clergy, addresses all sacred immortals throughout the Three Realms (heaven, earth, and the underworld): We have heard how the supreme Dao gives birth to all things, and how after the separation of heaven and earth, the deities established laws to reward good and punish evil. All spirits perform their duties meticulously, recording every deed great and small, ensuring all beings in the Three Realms may cultivate virtue and abandon wickedness. These principles are preserved in the scriptures, revered faithfully through the ages.

Now, having received the teachings of the Dao, we undertake the sacred duty of mediating between heaven and humanity, committed to assisting the state and delivering all beings. Having received the emperor's devout petition, how dare we not convey it to the heavens? The emperor reverently honors the Dao's compassion, follows the Daoist scriptures, and deeply cares for beings in the underworld. Through the confessional rites of the Yellow Register Retreat (a ritual to redeem deceased souls), he seeks peace for the departed. Precious offerings have been prepared (silk scriptures and ritual tokens), adorning the altar with flowers and incense candles.

Strictly adhering to the Mysterious Gate's teachings, we arrange the imperial altar in accordance with cosmic patterns, sincerely petitioning the Three Pure Realms (Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Great Pure) and expressing repentance and gratitude to all celestial deities. With utmost sincerity, we pray for boundless blessings. Now begins the central altar procession, where priests offer incense for the first time: May this incense rise directly to the Nine Heavens, making offerings to the supreme treasures of perfect truth (referring to highest deities like the Celestial Worthy of Original Beginning). We devote our entire being to the Dao, prostrating before the Three Supreme Venerables (typically the Three Pure Ones), dedicating this merit to the nation's guardian spirits, praying the empire endures like heaven and earth, and that ancestral sages abide with the Dao.

The second incense offering venerates the supreme treasures of scripture (representing the essential teachings embodied by the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure), praying the emperor's wisdom grows like the sun and his longevity rivals the North Star. Finally, we pray all cultivators may realize true enlightenment and merge completely with the Dao. Recurring phrases like "devoting body and life" and "harmonizing with the Dao to unite with truth" reflect the ultimate Daoist cultivation goal of "merging with the Dao in perfect truth."

This passage describes the sacred setting and blessing rituals of the Huanglu Zhai (Yellow Register Purification Ceremony), an important Daoist rite for redeeming deceased souls and praying for the elimination of misfortunes.

It first extols the virtues of sages whose moral character surpasses ancient wise rulers and whose benevolence exceeds that of illustrious sovereigns throughout history. The imperial consorts and court ladies emulate the compassion of Emperor Yao, while crown princes and nobles inherit the grace of Emperor Shun. Civil and military officials all demonstrate unwavering loyalty, collectively safeguarding the nation's prosperity. Through the incense-burning ceremony, participants devote themselves to their masters and various perfected saints who have attained the Dao, hoping to merge with the Great Dao.

During the ritual, Daoist priests perform the Zhongdao (Middle Way) ceremony, holding incense in the specific San Nian Xiang (Three-Pinch Incense) manner. They pray for the incense smoke to ascend directly to the celestial court as an offering to the supreme and most genuine masters. The congregation devoutly kneels and prostrates, surrendering themselves to the Supreme Three Venerables (referring to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure, and the Celestial Worthy of the Dao and Its Virtue). They pray for the merit to be dedicated to specific recipients, hoping that the multitude of sages from the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) will open the heavenly gates to bestow auspicious light, while the Eight Radiances High Deities (high-ranking Daoist divinities) will open their cloud chariots to dispense grace. Through bathing in divine radiance and cleansing sins, deceased souls receive salvation while the living obtain blessings.

The ceremony then proceeds with rituals including Libai Fang (paying respects to the four directions), repentance, and Sanqi (threefold supplication to deities). The scripture mentions "seven ancestral generations ascending to heaven, my body soaring in broad daylight," expressing how the merit from zhaijiao (purification rituals) can elevate seven generations of ancestors to paradise while enabling practitioners themselves to achieve ascension.

Finally, the congregation bows with utmost sincerity, paying homage to the Three Treasures of Daoism: the Limitless Great Dao.

This scripture describes the merits and prayers of the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai), a ritual for the salvation of deceased souls. Practitioners conduct this purification ceremony (Zhaijiao) to liberate the departed while also praying for blessings for the living.

First, it speaks of how souls languish in the dark abyss of the underworld, struggling to break free. The Celestial Worthy (Tianzun, the supreme deity of Daoism) opens the gateway to salvation, while the Dao Lord (Taishang Laojun) proclaims the liturgy (Keyi) for redeeming lost souls, hoping all beings may ascend to blessed realms and escape the sea of suffering caused by desires. The emperor, too, mindful of the departed, establishes a grand altar with ninefold offerings in accordance with the standards of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing—Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure, the highest triad of deities). Incense, candles, and flowers are reverently presented, and sincere devotion is offered to the sages, with ritual offerings (Faxin) conveyed to the heavens.

Through burning incense, lighting lamps, chanting scriptures, ritual processions, purifying the heart, and prostrations, the ceremony invokes the Eight Luminosities (Bajing Shenguang, the radiance of sun, moon, stars, and the Qi of the Five Phases) to illuminate the underworld, while the Nine Dragons’ Decree (Jiulong Fuming, talismanic commands with spiritual power) reaches the realm of the dead. The purpose is to liberate souls from the Yellow Springs (the underworld) and absolve their sins—whether committed in this life or accumulated in past existences, including transgressions against heaven and earth, blasphemy against the divine, harm to others, destruction of property, and all other misdeeds.

By the power of this great retreat’s merit, it is prayed that all sins be eradicated, allowing the departed to attain purity, escape suffering, and ascend to the Dao. The blessings also extend to seven generations of ancestors and nine lineages of deceased kin, that they may share in the merit and together reach the blessed lands.

Finally, prayers are offered for the living: may the sun, moon, and stars shine clearly, winds and rains come in season, and calamities dissolve; may the emperor enjoy longevity and abundant harvests; may the empress and consorts embody virtue, and the crown prince and princes assist in governance; may civil and military officials serve with loyalty and diligence, bringing peace to the realm; may all beings on land and in water find happiness. All these acts of merit serve to manifest the compassion of the Celestial Worthy and express sincere repentance for transgressions.

This vow text embodies the Daoist teaching of "repaying the four great kindnesses above and relieving the three paths of suffering below." Through the Zhaijiao ritual, the realms of yin and yang are connected, redeeming the deceased while protecting the living.

These Twelve Great Vows from the Taoist Supreme Yellow Register Purification Ritual (Taishang Huanglu Zhaiyi) express the devout aspirations of practitioners during the Yellow Register ceremony (a Taoist rite for salvation of souls and dispelling misfortunes), offering benevolent wishes for all existence between heaven and earth. Let me interpret these vows in contemporary terms:

First, may all cultivators receive celestial grace through diligent practice, ultimately ascending to the immortal realms to share the longevity of heaven and earth, forever free from worldly afflictions.

Second, may the pure qi of the celestial realms remain unclouded, encompassing all directions to nurture the qi of true spirituality. May the seasons harmonize, nations prosper in peace, all beings flourish, and every living creature transcend calamities to endure eternally.

Third, may the earth eternally sustain all creation without exhaustion—steadfast without subsidence, oceans without flooding—protecting nations and people with tranquility in both life and death, abundant harvests, and thriving ecosystems.

Fourth, may the sun and moon shine perpetually without eclipse, their pure radiance illuminating heaven and earth to dispel darkness, safeguard worldly peace, and nourish all living beings.

Fifth, may the stars shine in concert with the sun and moon, each maintaining their ordained courses to protect nations from disaster, bringing tranquility to the four seas.

Sixth, may the seasons alternate in timely fashion with temperate climates, epidemics eradicated, universal peace prevailing, granaries overflowing, and people dwelling in contentment.

Seventh, may clouds gather and disperse naturally as immortals and realized beings (zhenren) dwell together, spreading boundless grace to protect nations, benefit people, and grant all beings longevity.

Eighth, may winds and rains arrive seasonally to nourish all things, fostering growth so nations prosper and people enjoy abundance.

Ninth, may the Five Sacred Peaks (including Mount Tai of the east and Mount Hua of the west) stand steadfast as abodes of immortals, eternally safeguarding the fortunes of nations.

Tenth, may rivers and seas remain vast and inclusive, nurturing even the smallest lifeforms, so celestial and earthly beings alike receive blessings with endurance firm as bedrock.

Eleventh, may sovereigns govern thriving nations with四方 (four quarters) at peace—free from warfare, people rejoicing, teachings widely disseminated—enjoying perpetual harmony.

Twelfth, may all living beings, whether born or unborn, grow in safety to realize their complete destiny.

These vows embody the Taoist philosophy of "universal compassion and salvation of all beings," encompassing the cosmological vision of Three Powers (heaven-earth-humanity) in harmony and the symbiotic flourishing of all creation. Through such aspirations in the Yellow Register ritual, Taoism seeks both to liberate departed souls and bless the living, ultimately pursuing cosmic equilibrium and universal balance.

This passage describes two segments from the Daoist Yellow Register Purification Ritual (Zhaijiao) — a ceremony for liberating departed souls and delivering all beings — known as "Returning to the Censer" and "Exiting the Sanctuary."

In the "Returning to the Censer" section, the scripture depicts the vibrant vitality of heaven and earth: All life originates from the Primordial Qi (the cosmic source energy), flourishing through the nourishment of Yang energy. Fruit-bearing trees and forests remain evergreen even through winter's harshness, while every delivered being radiates splendor, harmoniously united with the spontaneous Dao.

Following this is the invocation to the divine: The Incense Officer Emissaries (celestial administrators of ritual offerings), the Left and Right Dragon-Tiger Guardians (protector deities), and all attendant spirit-officials now gather at the sacred site where the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) is venerated. Here, Golden Nectar (alchemical elixir), Cinnabar-Jade (immortal medicine), and Lingzhi Essence spontaneously manifest as countless perfected immortals and divine beings convene before the incense burner. The ritual master prays that practitioners may learn the Dao and attain realization, that seekers may achieve immortality, that the sponsoring patron receives blessings, and that both the realms of Yin and Yang be graced with beneficence. Jade Maidens and Immortal Youths from the Ten Directions guard the curling incense smoke, ensuring the master's petitions swiftly ascend to the supreme Jade Emperor's celestial court.

The concluding "Exiting the Sanctuary" marks the end of this scroll, identified as originating from the 17th volume of the Supreme Yellow Register Purification Liturgy. This text exemplifies the Daoist ritual framework where incense serves as a medium for divine communication, embodying the tradition's aspirations for universal salvation and transcendent attainment.