《靈寶玉鑑》Vol. 32

The essence of Dao is like the vast emptiness—all-encompassing and all-transforming—how could it be confined to any particular corner? Just as the moon hangs high in the sky, its reflection appears wherever there is water; as thunder shakes the earth, its echoes resound wherever it can be heard. The Dharma-nature of Dao operates in the same way: maintaining emptiness and stillness allows one to resonate with all things. With a heart of constant compassion to save others, all beings can be transformed.

All living beings originally possess a pure and luminous nature, but due to attachment to external things, they generate all kinds of greed and defilements, creating various karmic bonds. In life, they are plagued by illness, even suffering premature death or physical mutilation—all because they fail to follow the natural mandate of heaven. Though the physical body perishes, deluded thoughts remain. Thus, the Lingbao Great Rites established the method of "spreading transformation," using the profound teachings of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (the highest deity in Daoism) to help beings restore their original nature. Once karmic consciousness is severed and virtuous roots are nurtured, how could there be any suffering from illness? As the scripture says: "My greatest suffering comes from having this body. If there were no body, what suffering would remain?" Realizing that the body is ultimately illusory—like clouds dispersing to reveal the bright moon—one no longer clings to form and worldly attachments. Such a state transcends all words and descriptions.

Next is the "True Text of the Nine Heavens for Overseeing Life," consisting of sixteen characters. Its meaning is: the soaring, mysterious Qi condenses into sacred script capable of liberating lost souls and restoring vitality to all things. When this text is erected in the Office of Life Oversight (the celestial bureau governing birth), ghosts and spirits will naturally radiate light upon seeing it, dispelling corpse miasma and calamities of bloodshed.

Then, we reverently invite the deities of the Nine Heavens' Office of Life Oversight: the Great God Sima, the Holy Mother of the Birth Chamber (the goddess governing childbirth), and the celestial physicians. They are now to guide the souls of those who fell into the Blood Lake Hell due to difficult childbirth, enabling them to be reborn as humans.

Following this are two talismans:

The first, the "Summoning Celestial Physicians Talisman," requires facing east while forming hand seals and reciting an incantation. Its general meaning is: The nine-colored divine light of the Great Supreme Lao Jun descends, illuminating the Ninefold Darkness of hell. By the decree of the Heavenly Emperor, all lost souls are universally saved from suffering, swiftly departing the frigid underworld.

The second, the "Celestial Physicians' Supreme Medicine Talisman," is directed toward the Big Dipper while forming hand seals. Its incantation conveys a similar intent, invoking celestial healers to aid the souls of the deceased.

This scripture records the ritual incantations used by the Lingbao School (one of Daoism's major lineages) for aiding difficult childbirth and liberating departed souls. The main content is divided into several sections:

First, it summons the Celestial Physicians (Daoist deities overseeing medicine) to descend and pray for healing the ailments of sentient beings. The text mentions acting under the command of the Great Emperor of the South Pole (a revered Daoist deity governing lifespan), demanding the Celestial Physicians swiftly descend through the Heavenly Gate to save lives, emphasizing this is by decree of the Celestial Emperor and must be executed immediately.

Next comes the soul liberation ritual. The Daoist priest must visualize the departed soul entering the ritual canopy while reciting a specific incantation thirty-two times. The chant invokes the "Primordial Beginning" (referring to the supreme Daoist deity Yuanshi Tianzun) and the authentic Qi (primordial energy) of Lingbao, which aids in separating mother and child souls. This incantation describes the profound states of Daoist cultivation: the pacification of hundreds of spirits, the transformation of hun and po souls, and the harmonization of Yin-Yang energies.

Following this are instructions for using the Birth-Assisting Talisman (a protective charm for childbirth). The incantation beseeches the Celestial Emperor to bestow genuine Qi, resolve karmic entanglements from the underworld, and have the Celestial Physicians assist in safe delivery. The phrase "Om Wu Lun Ni Duo Cha" represents commonly used Daoist mantra syllables.

The final sections contain incantations for the "Whole Body Talisman" (preserving physical form), "Birth Talisman" (assisting delivery), and "Purification Talisman" (cleansing fetal essence). These chants all emphasize harnessing the power of Yuanshi Tianzun to help departed souls sever evil impurities, transform their forms, and ultimately achieve immortal ascension. The "Jade Chamber" mentioned refers to the upper Dantian (a head-related cultivation center), while "Muddy Pellet" indicates another crucial head acupoint for spiritual practice.

The entire ritual embodies Daoism's philosophy of aiding the world and delivering beings, employing talismans, visualization, and recitation to both assist living mothers in safe childbirth and guide departed souls toward celestial transcendence.

This scripture primarily documents several Daoist purification talismans (Fulu) and ritual procedures for redeeming departed souls, involving the Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and the summoning of deities—key elements of Daoist cultivation.

The opening section explains the application of the generative and controlling cycles of the Five Phases (with the celestial stems Jia and Yi representing Wood Qi), invoking the Eight Luminous Realms (a meditative framework in Daoist practice) and Jade Sounds (sacred incantations) to safeguard the practitioner’s true form. This is followed by invocations summoning various deities to bestow spirit-connecting talismans, emphasizing immediate execution without delay.

The "Talisman for Reviving the Dead and Restoring Bones" requires participants to recite the sacred text three times while visualizing a golden light piercing through the ten directions of the cosmos. The "Talisman for Eternal Liberation from the Three Paths" (referring to the three wretched realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and beasts) employs the Mao hand seal (a specific mudra) and the Qi of the East.

The purification rituals call upon multiple specialized deities—such as the Divine Lords of Cleansing Filth and Gathering Impurities—along with the guardians of the four directions, to assist departed souls in shedding defilement and attaining rebirth. Special attention is given to women who died in childbirth and souls still tainted by corruption.

Several subsequent talismans focus on purifying blood defilement (considered a major obstacle in Daoist practice):

• The "True Talisman of Primordial Sovereign’s Cleansing Blood-Corpses and Ritual Bath" uses celestial river water to wash the body and dissolve karmic transgressions.
• The "True Talisman of Primordial Sovereign’s Purifying Blood-Corpses and Clarifying Spirit" purifies the corporeal form through refined Qi.
• The "Incantation of Primordial Sovereign’s Dispelling Blood-Corpses and Illuminating the Ethereal Soul" employs the Qi of the Five Phases and the Three Radiances (sun, moon, stars) to cleanse the soul.

The final incantations emphasize using divine water to purge impurities, restoring luminosity to the soul. The rituals require precise hand seals (Zi and Mao mudras) and directional Qi (North and East), with talismans burned into a water basin while visualizing inner and outer radiance. All procedures must strictly follow the command "as decreed by the law" (Rulu ling), a standard Daoist liturgical formula.

This scripture primarily contains Daoist talismanic incantations (Fulu) and ritual procedures for exorcising malevolent forces, healing illnesses, and delivering departed souls.

The first section presents the incantation for the "Purification Talisman Connecting to the True": The vital energy (Qi) of heaven and earth fills the cosmos, its radiance illuminating the Three Dantian (upper, middle, and lower energy centers). This stabilizes the Three Hun (ethereal souls) and pacifies the Seven Po (corporeal souls). By expelling defilements and evil influences, the primordial Dao-Qi flows unimpeded, allowing the souls to commune with this energy and ascend to luminous realms. The passage concludes by affirming this practice is performed under the Celestial Emperor's decree.

The second part describes how the transformation of water and fire energies can refine the turbid Yin energies of corpse-qi through ninefold purification, ultimately elevating ordinary beings through the three transformations and nine refinements of Neidan (internal alchemy) practice to become perfected beings (Zhenren). This too is executed by divine mandate.

The "Blood-Corpse Refinement Through Water Talisman" incantation states: By the authority of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), we deliver the souls of the departed, cleansing the blood-corpse's defilements and malevolence, ensuring the free flow of the seven bodily humors (essential fluids in Daoist physiology) and making the Five Viscera radiate with vitality.

Following this is a petition to establish the "Celestial Medical Bureau," invoking numerous healing deities including: Emperor Shennong (legendary founder of herbal medicine), the True Lord of Celestial Healing, Masters of Pulse Diagnosis, Medicine Attendants, and the Acupuncture Youth Lu Bian (referencing the ancient physician Bian Que). The text explains that human illnesses stem from depleted primordial Qi and worldly attachments, with souls carrying these ailments after death. The ritual summons the celestial medical officials to retrieve the Five-Colored Divine Medicine from the Phoenix Palace (a Daoist celestial realm) to cure all diseases the deceased suffered in life.

This scripture exemplifies the Daoist tradition of combining talismanic arts, ritual practice, and belief in healing deities for therapeutic purposes. It integrates spiritual cultivation with practical medical concepts, reflecting the tradition's holistic approach to healing.

This passage describes the divine bureaucratic system for healing in the Taoist scripture Lingbao Jade Mirror. Different deities oversee specific medical conditions:

The healing officials are divided into five categories: the Scattering Medicine Fire Official specializes in moxibustion, the Metal Official handles acupuncture, the Water Official governs herbal decoctions, and the Earth Official blends medicinal compounds. These divine physicians work in concert to restore both physical health and innate nature.

Specific ailments correspond to distinct healing deities: contorted limbs or lameness fall under the Acupuncture Divine General's care; ulcerations and pus are treated by the External Medicine Envoy; mute patients or those struck by sudden fatal illnesses receive aid from the Life-Preserving Celestial Physician. Unexplained deaths are handled by the Rescue Herald Merit Officer, while women dying in childbirth are guided to transcendence by the Jade Immortal Holy Mother. Those who perish from fright are soothed by the Soul-Settling Youth, poisoning victims are saved by the Life-Extending Liberation Adept, and epidemic-related deaths are treated by the Sweat-Inducing Divine General.

For deceased with physical mutilations, specialized deities intervene: the Head-Mending Herald reconstructs skulls, the Form-Gathering Herald reassembles bodies, the Soul-Returning Herald restores limbs, and the Complete Form Qi-Gathering Herald regulates vital energy. All other conditions not specified are treated by various immortals according to symptoms.

These divine beings perform miraculous healings: reattaching severed heads, reconnecting tendons, mending bone fractures, reassembling shattered bodies, draining abdominal edema, removing ropes and shackles, extracting internal sediment, eliminating gu poison and pus, facilitating childbirth, and resolving grudges. They restore sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the mute, mobility to the lame, and flexibility to the contorted. They alleviate sorrow, quench thirst, regulate qi and blood circulation, and safeguard physical-spiritual harmony.

The passage concludes with instructions for using the Green Emperor Soul-Protection Talisman from the "Five Emperors' Complete Form Talismans": it must be inscribed with cinnabar during the mao hour (5-7 AM) accompanied by nine strikes of apricot wood. The incantation invokes wood spirits from Mount Taihua to seal primordial qi, suffusing the body with green energy that coalesces into form through a thousand breath cycles. The concluding phrase "urgently as the Heavenly Emperor commands" signifies immediate execution of divine decree.

This text exemplifies Taoism's sacralization of medical practice, constructing a comprehensive religious healthcare worldview through the invocation of specialized divine functionaries.

This scripture describes the Lingbao School's (an important Daoist lineage) method of cultivating talismans of the Five Directional Thearchs, correlating the Five Phases (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth) with the five human organs.

The practitioner first visualizes the White Thearch of the West (the Metal-phase deity), coordinating with the "si" breath technique. The incantation essentially invokes seven ancient lords born from Western Metal Qi to transform this energy into the lung spirit (lungs corresponding to Metal in the Five Phase system). Through circulating Qi in the Dantian (lower abdominal energy center), it safeguards one's vital nature and life force. During practice, envision seven white Qi streams entering the lungs, exhaling through the nostrils while forming hand seals (mudras), symbolizing the Metal officials using acupuncture to heal the ethereal and corporeal souls.

Next, visualize the Red Thearch of the South (Fire-phase deity), using the "he" breath technique. The incantation summons three primordial ladies of the Fire officials to withdraw yin spirits and invoke yang spirits. Imagine three red Qi streams entering the heart (heart corresponding to Fire), exhaling with hand seals, symbolizing Fire officials administering moxibustion therapy to heal the souls.

For the Black Thearch of the North (Water-phase deity), practice the "chui" breath technique. The incantation mentions five primordial lords of Water Qi harmonizing yin-yang, circulating the celestial orbit (Neidan term for Qi circulation) through Mount Kunlun (a sacred Daoist mountain). Five black Qi streams enter the kidneys (kidneys corresponding to Water), symbolizing Water officials using medicinal decoctions to heal departed souls.

The Yellow Thearch of the Center (Earth-phase deity) employs the "hu" breath technique. The incantation states that central Earth Qi fortifies the limbs, envisioning twelve yellow Qi streams entering the spleen (spleen corresponding to Earth), with Earth officials compounding medicines to heal wandering souls. Finally, golden boys and jade maidens (guardian spirits) assist the Five Directional Thearchs, reciting the incantation seven times with specific hand seals.

The closing incantation, "Golden walls nurture excellence, jade caverns condense the spirit," refers to cultivating essence within golden citadels (metaphor for the body) and concentrating the primordial spirit in jade caverns (symbolizing the body's inner chambers), achieving the state of a perfected being through internal Qi cultivation. This complete method integrates breathwork, visualization, hand seals, and incantations, embodying the Daoist ideal of "simultaneous refinement of form and spirit."

This scripture primarily documents the talismanic incantations and cultivation methods from the Lingbao School's (an important Daoist lineage) Refinement and Salvation Liturgy (rituals for liberating departed souls). The text outlines the complete process of assisting souls to reconstitute their physical forms and ascend to the immortal realms through specific mantras and fulu (Daoist ritual documents).

The opening phrase "Today receiving refinement, ascending to the Scarlet Mound" refers to departed souls undergoing the refinement ritual (Daoist salvation ceremony) before ascending to the Scarlet Mound Palace (the Daoist southern fire realm governing soul refinement). "Refined souls shining bright as the sun" indicates that after this process, the souls' hun and po (ethereal and corporeal spirits) become radiantly pure like sunlight.

Subsequent references to the "Five Emperors' Complete Form Ascension Talisman" and "Soul-Gathering Body-Restoration Incantation" are all ritual tools for helping souls reconstitute physical forms. Terms like "Xingsheng," "Duli," and "Kehan" represent specific directional and temporal codes in Daoist refinement rituals, marking precise spatiotemporal nodes for ritual operations.

The "Supreme Unity Return-to-Truth Talisman" section emphasizes the cosmic principle of "one giving birth to ten thousand transformations," using the "Primordial Origin Qi" (the Daoist concept of fundamental cosmic energy) to reconstruct physical forms. The incantations detail how this energy repairs various bodily damages—including regenerating limbs and restoring sight to the blind or hearing to the deaf—demonstrating miraculous effects.

The "Numinous Treasure Form-Gathering Return-to-Truth Talisman" section mentions coordinating with the energetic movements of the sun, moon, and Five Planets (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), using specific mantras like "Red Apricot Presents" to coalesce physical forms. The concluding phrase "benefiting all six directions" signifies this power's capacity to benefit the entire cosmic space.

Collectively, this scripture demonstrates the Daoist ritual system employing talismans, incantations, and visualization (meditative cultivation) to harness primordial cosmic energy for soul salvation and physical reconstitution. It embodies the Daoist cultivation ideal of "simultaneous perfection of form and spirit."

This scripture documents healing and exorcism rituals from the Lingbao tradition (one of Daoism's major schools), incorporating hand mudras, incantations, and talismanic practices. The core method involves mobilizing the Qi of the Five Directions and Five Phases (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth) to cure illnesses while simultaneously performing salvation rites for departed souls.

When performing these rituals, the practitioner must coordinate specific hand gestures (mudras) with cardinal directions: blowing Qi toward the east (Zhen position) treats left-side paralysis; northern (Kan position) rituals enhance hearing and vision; western (Dui position) practices heal right-limb numbness; southern (Li position) cures lameness. The central position strengthens the physical body, corresponding to the five organs—the Azure Emperor of the East (Wood) nourishes the liver, the Red Emperor of the South (Fire) regulates heart Qi, the White Emperor of the West (Metal) fortifies the lungs, the Black Emperor of the North (Water) purifies kidney-blood, while the Yellow Emperor of the Center (Earth) stabilizes spleen and stomach functions.

The incantation section mentions how "the all-encompassing Brahma Qi (cosmic primordial energy)" can restore one's original purity, even reviving dried bones (resurrecting the dead) and reviving the dying (saving those at death's door). It concludes by emphasizing urgent execution, demanding immediate efficacy like an imperial decree.

The latter portion details soul salvation rites: first summoning the Celestial Physician Officials (Daoist deities overseeing healing) to reconstruct the deceased's form, then reciting the Jade Clarity Divine Empyrean School's Great Unity incantation to purify the soul. Through sprinkling purification rituals, worldly impurities are cleansed, guiding the purified spirit toward sacred realms.

The text concludes with usage instructions: ordinary Zhaijiao (Daoist purification rituals) require only the first three talismanic sections for healing, while grand Universal Salvation ceremonies (rites for mass soul deliverance) necessitate the subsequent "Dissemination Gate" talismanic system. This reflects Daoist ritual's hierarchical nature—selecting appropriate liturgical (Keyi) levels according to need.