《太上黃籙齋儀》Vol. 5

This passage describes the midday ritual procedure for the second day of the Supreme Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhaiyi) as recorded in the Tang dynasty compilation by Du Guangting.

The ceremony begins with Daoist priests paying homage to their patriarchs according to established protocols while maintaining a focused state of visualization (cunxiang). They then recite the "Guardian Spirits Incantation" (Weiling Zhou) to protect the ritual space. The incantation essentially invokes the mobilization of inner Qi (referred to as "Yellow Central Strategic Qi") to sever demonic influences at their roots, while summoning divine assistance from Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun). Phrases like "all spirits descend in response" (wanling sige) signify the arrival of deities, while "royal Qi in three cycles" (wangqi sanlun) refers to the harmonious operation of the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity). "Purple chambers with jade gates" (zihu sheqiong) symbolize celestial palaces.

Next, the ritual drum is struck twenty-four times—a standard practice in Daoist liturgy—to summon the body spirits (shen, the various deities residing within the practitioner's body) and the local earth gods. These body spirits include the Three-Five Merit Officials (sanwu gongcao, protector deities responsible for delivering messages), left and right emissaries, incense-bearing dragons, golden boys holding incense, jade maidens transmitting messages, and others—thirty-six of each manifestation appearing together.

The presiding priest, identifying as a "disciple of the Supreme Clarity and Mysterious Capital" (Shangqing Xuandu dizi), addresses the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing: Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning [Yuanshi Tianzun], Supreme Lord of the Dao [Taishang Dadao Jun], and Lord Lao [Taishang Laojun]) as well as the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi). He announces that the grand Yellow Register Retreat—conducted for the benefit of the nation and families to deliver deceased souls—has reached its second midday session. He prays for the ten directions' immortal truths to descend with vital energy (shengqi, the pure energy essential for cultivation), ensuring that the memorials reach the celestial court.

The assembly of honored deities in attendance includes the Thirty-Six Heavenly Sovereigns, the Jade Void Emperor (Yuxu Shangdi), the imperial lords of the four directions (east, west, south, north), the immortals of the Mysterious Capital and Jade Capital (Xuandu Yujing, the highest Daoist heaven), the protector deities of the Thirty-Six Divisions of Scriptures, and the mountain gods of the Five Sacred Peaks (Wuyue). These divine witnesses collectively oversee the retreat to guarantee its proper execution.

This passage describes the deity-invocation segment of the Yellow Register Zhai (Huanglu zhai), a major Daoist ritual for redeeming the deceased and dispelling misfortunes. The Daoist priests first express their devotion and humility: "We ordinary beings, fortunate to encounter the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) who widely open the gates of salvation, have been permitted to study the mysterious Daoist methods. Though aware of our mediocre capacities, we aspire through fasting and practice to accumulate merit—assisting the state and redeeming all beings—before daring to present our petitions to the divine."

The specific petitions follow: "Disciple [Name], deeply aware of being mired in desires and burdened with karmic offenses, has heard that the Yellow Register Zhai is the supreme ritual secretly transmitted from the Mystic Metropolis (abode of immortals). It can absolve ancestral sins across generations and rescue souls from hell. Thus, with complete offerings of incense, flowers, gold silks, and lamps, we establish this ritual, imploring the celestial immortals to descend—dispelling calamities for the living and redeeming the departed."

The ritual involves three incense offerings: The first smoke ascends to the celestial court to venerate the "Supreme Truth of the Dao" (ultimate Daoist truth), dedicating merits to the nation and praying for the emperor’s longevity to rival the sun and moon, his governance to pacify the realm, and his ministers to stabilize the royal house. The second offering surrenders to the Great Dao, wishing that imperial kin and officials might attain immortality. The third entreats the masters and perfected sages to merge with the formless Dao.

Key terms include: "Three Tortures" (santu, three hellish realms of suffering), "Nine Nights" (jiuye, symbolizing underworld darkness), "Three Realms" (san jing, the Jade, Upper, and Great Pure celestial abodes), "Two Luminaries" (liangyao, sun and moon), and "Three Primes" (sanyuan, the Heaven-Earth-Water triad of officials). The entire ceremony embodies the Daoist ideal of "repaying four kindnesses above while relieving three sufferings below."

This scripture records the blessing segment of the Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai), a Daoist ritual for the salvation of the deceased. Through incense offerings, prostrations, and ceremonial acts, the ritual master prays for blessings on behalf of the bereaved family.

The ritual begins with invocations to the Three Supreme Venerables (Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun), dedicating the merit of this zhaijiao (purification ritual) to nine generations of the deceased's ancestors. May the divine radiance illuminate the underworld, cleansing ancestral sins in the netherworld, enabling the Three Officials (Heavenly Official, Earthly Official, and Water Official) to pardon their transgressions, so that souls traversing the Five Paths of rebirth may hear the true Dharma.

Subsequently, gratitude is expressed toward spiritual teachers, with prayers for liberation from physical constraints upon attaining the Dao, merging completely with the Great Way. The ritual master leads participants in making prostrations of repentance to the Ten Directions (cardinal and intercardinal directions, plus above and below), performing the "Pacing the Void" (Buxu) dance that symbolizes celestial ascent by mimicking immortals treading the empyrean. Poetic verses describe transcendents riding cloud-chariots through the Ten Directions, resting in mysterious paradises—gazing up at cloud-piercing immortal terraces and looking down upon vistas wreathed in purple mists, seated upon lotus thrones alongside Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun).

The congregation then reverently pays homage to the Three Treasures of Daoism: the Supreme Dao, the Thirty-Six Sacred Scriptures (the canonical corpus of Daoist texts), and the Great Master of Mysterious Center (referring to Celestial Master Zhang Daoling). Disciples of the Shangqing tradition solemnly petition celestial deities including the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the Ten Directional Heavenly Venerables, the Celestial Emperor, and the Twenty-Four Perfected Ones, beseeching their descent to the ritual assembly for the salvation of departed souls.

Through sequential elements of incense offering, prostrations, scripture recitation, and Pacing the Void, the ceremony serves both to guide the deceased and bless the living, embodying the Daoist religious ideal of "delivering the netherworld while benefiting both the departed and the surviving."

This passage is a prayer text from the Daoist Yellow Register Purification Ritual (Huanglu Zhaijiao), expressing devout wishes for delivering deceased souls and seeking blessings through ritual practice.

The text begins by invoking the sacred presence of the Five Sacred Mountains' divine palaces, renowned grotto-heavens, and all authentic spirits from the Three Realms (heaven, earth, and underworld). It recounts how the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) established the teachings, transmitting the true scriptures of the Dao through jade-green alchemical texts. These teachings can both save lost souls trapped in the six rebirth paths and bestow blessings upon the Nine Netherworlds, benefiting both the living and deceased across the yin-yang divide. The ritual patron, mindful of nine generations of ancestors, karmic connections across lifetimes, and the nation's welfare, establishes this altar according to liturgical standards (Keyi), arranging celestial star positions mirroring the cosmic order, opening the gates of sun and moon, and preparing ritual offerings including incense, flowers, lamps, dragon-jade silks, hoping to invoke divine response through sincere devotion.

The prayer beseeches the Supreme Dharma King (Yuanshi Tianzun) to descend compassionate light, and the Great Sage of Mysterious Metropolis (Xuandu Dasheng) to bestow grace. It requests the Flying Celestial Kings to proclaim throughout the Three Realms, opening the frozen courts of the underworld to deliver departed souls across generations. May the deceased bathe in immortal elixirs, ascend to the Southern Palace (divine abode), and attain celestial rebirth upon hearing the Dharma's sound. Concurrently, it prays for the eternal reign of sagely rulers and enduring imperial prosperity, that the four seas' waves may become imperial grace and all lands under heaven submit to virtuous rule. May standardized measures and calendars unify the realm, with harmonious winds ensuring abundant harvests, free from war and plague, where people live in peace. The patron's entire lineage is wished boundless blessings, while beings trapped in the Three Wretched Paths (hell, hungry ghosts, animal realms) and Nine Netherworlds may all receive the Dao's compassion, jointly realizing the natural fruit of enlightenment - demonstrating both the Celestial Worthy's mercy and fulfilling the patron's sincerity.

Finally, two great vows are proclaimed: first, that the Dao's pure emptiness may widely open its gates to teach all beings, enabling cultivators to ascend to celestial realms in eternal freedom; second, that heavenly qi may remain luminous, seasons harmonious, the nation prosperous, and all beings universally saved, that heaven and earth may endure through infinite kalpas. The entire text embodies Daoism's religious ethos of universal salvation and ritual intercession for blessings.

This passage from the Taishang Huanglu Zhaiyi (Supreme Yellow Register Purification Ritual) presents the Twelve Great Vows in Daoist zhaijiao (purification rituals), expressing the practitioner's aspirations to pray for cosmic harmony and universal peace through ritual merit. Here is a detailed interpretation:

The third vow prays for the earth to remain eternally stable, supporting all beings without collapse, with seas that never flood. It seeks national stability, peaceful livelihoods for the people, care for both the living and deceased, and blessings extending throughout the ten directions. Crops flourish, commerce thrives, and all things receive the earth's nurturing sustenance.

The fourth vow asks for the perpetual radiance of the sun and moon, free from eclipses or anomalies. May their pure light illuminate all celestial realms, dispelling darkness. It prays for the world to transcend kalpic calamities, enjoy generational peace, and be nourished by sunlight and rain.

The fifth vow desires stars shining in unison with the sun and moon, their brilliance reaching all directions. With constellations moving in proper order, it seeks national prosperity free from disasters, peace across the four seas, and flourishing under heaven.

The sixth vow wishes for the seasons to alternate harmoniously, with balanced climates and no plagues or calamities. May the world know tranquility, abundant harvests, national wealth, and joyful citizens.

The seventh vow envisions condensed clouds forming auspicious formations, where immortals dwell among mortals and perfected beings befriend all creatures. With widespread blessings, nations prosper, people live contentedly, and all enjoy longevity.

The eighth vow prays for timely winds and rains to nourish all growth. May state reserves overflow and people's lives be bountiful.

The ninth vow asks the Five Sacred Mountains to stand majestically in their rightful places as abodes of immortals, safeguarding the nation's enduring fortune, protecting beings, and receiving universal reverence.

The tenth vow desires boundless rivers and seas embracing all existence, with gentle depths nurturing even microscopic life. May celestial and earthly beings share jubilation, their lifespans enduring like bedrock.

The eleventh vow seeks ever-increasing prosperity for imperial realms, stability across all regions without warfare. Celestial and human voices join in auspicious hymns as teachings spread widely and virtuous influence extends far. People celebrate eternally in joy.

The twelfth vow encompasses all living beings—born or unborn—receiving protection for peaceful growth. May vegetation and orchards remain verdant through winter, all things receiving deliverance, vibrant with vitality, and united with the Dao.

The "Returning to the Furnace" section concludes the ritual, inviting incense officials, dragon-tiger lords, and other divine witnesses to manifest golden elixirs and jade vapors as signs of auspiciousness, with perfected beings descending. May participating disciples achieve cultivation fulfillment and realized aspirations.

This scripture embodies the Daoist cultivation ideals of "universal compassion and salvation," using solemn zhaijiao rituals to pray for cosmic harmony, national prosperity, people's wellbeing, and the flourishing of all existence.

This passage describes a segment of the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai), a ritual for the salvation of deceased souls and universal deliverance. During the ceremony, the ritual master petitions the deities, praying that both the living and the departed may receive blessings, with divine grace extending across the realms of Yin and Yang. Immortal youths and jade maidens (celestial attendants in Daoism) from the Ten Directions (representing all cosmic dimensions) will gather to protect and support this sacred ritual.

The master employs incense burning as a medium, allowing the sacred smoke to carry the petition directly to the exalted presence of the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi), one of Daoism's supreme deities. The term "your servant" (chen) used here is the master's humble self-reference, demonstrating reverence toward the divine.

The phrase "exit the altar" marks the conclusion of this ritual segment, indicating the master's departure from the ceremonial platform. This text originates from the fifth volume of the Supreme Huanglu Retreat Liturgy (Taishang Huanglu Zhai Yi), forming an integral part of the complete ritual procedure. The Yellow Register Retreat primarily serves to liberate deceased souls, wherein the master, through specific liturgical sequences, communicates with celestial and earthly deities to beseech ascension for the departed and invoke blessings and protection for the living.