《無上祕要》Vol. 29

[An Explanation in Plain Language]

Ritual Procedures for Bestowing the Three Sovereigns of the Cavern of the Spirits

How to Set Up the Altar

Next, set up the altar. It may be built outdoors, measuring three zhang and two chi in length, or two zhang and four chi. Its height and width should be adjusted according to the number of people. Open three gates: the Gate of the Celestial Sovereign at the Zi position, the Gate of the Terrestrial Sovereign at the Shen position, and the Gate of the Human Sovereign at the Yin position. Hang a plaque bearing each gate’s name. Arrange the surrounding railings and lamps as needed. Enter and leave through the Gate of the Human Sovereign.

(From the Lingbao Fasting Scripture.)

How to Seat and Establish the Three Sovereigns

For the Celestial Sovereign: eighteen pieces of black silk.

For the Terrestrial Sovereign: sixteen pieces of white silk.

For the Human Sovereign: sixteen pieces of blue-green silk.

(From the Lingbao Fasting Scripture.)

Votive Offerings for the Three Sovereigns’ Birth Signs

The amount of the birth-sign offering depends on the person’s rank: the Son of Heaven uses a number of bolts of cloth, nobles use a number of zhang, and commoners use a number of chi. The same rule applies to the three seats for the Three Sovereigns. The Son of Heaven uses purple damask; everyone else uses silk, in a color corresponding to the direction. Place all the offerings on the Human Sovereign’s table. Also prepare three golden dragons; commoners may substitute golden rings.

(From the Lingbao Fasting Scripture.)

Ritual Offering to the Three Sovereigns

The ritual offering should consist of four hundred chi of white silk, or forty chi for those who are poor. If those who have cultivated merit and practice are poor and unable to provide all three kinds of offerings—the seats, the birth-sign offerings, and the ritual offering—they may prepare what they can afford. There is no need to insist on the full amount.

(From the Lingbao Fasting Scripture.)

Entering the Altar and Invoking the Incense Burner

When burning incense, recite: “May the fragrant smoke ascend to the August Sovereign. I, the humble adept, the Perfected One So-and-so, have purified myself through fasting and cast off worldly dust. I pray for the numinous power of the Five Penetrations, and above all, for attainment of the True, the elimination of calamity and the bringing forth of good fortune, and ascent to the Three Heavens.”

(From the Lingbao Fasting Scripture.)

Next, bow twice to the True Lord of the Celestial Sovereign in the north; then bow twice to the True Lord of the Terrestrial Sovereign in the southwest; then bow twice to the True Lord of the Human Sovereign in the northeast.

Then unfold the first two chi of the received scripture and place it on the table. Everyone bows twice. The disciple kneels prostrate facing east on the west side, while the master kneels upright on the west side. The master states the disciple’s title and says:

“Disciple of the Three Caverns and humble adept, the Perfected One So-and-so, respectfully petitions the Supreme Lord, the Great Divinities of the Immortal Capital, and the True Lords of the Three Sovereigns. I now wish to bestow the Precious Writ of the Three Sovereigns upon So-and-so of such-and-such county, district, township, and village. I do not know whether this is permitted. I kneel prostrate and await your instruction. When the command is given, I shall rise and bow twice.”

The disciple then kneels prostrate again.

(Ritual sequence: set up the altar → seat and establish the Three Sovereigns → prepare the birth-sign and ritual offerings → enter the altar and invoke the incense burner → bow to the Three Sovereigns according to direction → unfold the scripture and make the petition.)

The Earth Master kneels for a long time and reads the covenant text

The Earth Master, the teacher presiding over the rite of transmitting the Dao, kneels for a long time and proclaims the covenant text, the written oath sworn by master and disciple before Heaven and Earth:

“In the year of a certain Tai Sui, on the first day of a certain month, the new-moon day, on a certain day, in a certain district, county, township, and village.

The pure and faithful disciple So-and-so, aged however many years, now comes to the presence of Master So-and-so of a certain mountain, personal name So-and-so, to receive the Inner Writings of the Three Sovereigns, the secret celestial script transmitted by the Three Sovereigns, the great celestial script, and the various talismans. The disciple also presents a token of faith, establishes the covenant according to the rite, swears by the Long-Life Elixir Water used for the oath, and draws a single line as a sign of faith.

After receiving the Dao, So-and-so must not conceal the true teachings or pass off false teachings as genuine. In accepting the Dao, So-and-so must uphold the covenant sworn with the master and must not be unfilial, unjust, disloyal, or insincere, nor greedy, lustful, violent, or arrogant, nor recklessly transmit the teachings to someone unworthy. Otherwise, the master will incur resentment and blame. If words and intentions do not agree, it will be difficult to attain the Dao. After attaining the Dao, should the disciple betray the original master or slander the true teachings, great calamity will befall the disciple and extend to their descendants.”

Next, everyone together takes the Elixir Water into their mouths, rinses or drinks it, and uses a vermilion brush to draw a single line beneath the covenant text.

Next, the disciple bows low before the token of faith, while the master holds the scripture and kneels for a long time.

Visualizing the Three Palaces: They imagine that each of the upper, middle, and lower Three Palaces within the body—either the three Dantian or the abodes of three spirits—contains a Perfected One, shaped like a baby and unclothed, breathing out purple Qi that wafts over the scripture. The master, the disciples, and everyone present share this visualization.

Next, they chant the verse for transmitting the scripture:

“The Supreme One’s celestial script was transmitted at the beginning of Heaven and Earth. The Sovereign Person proclaimed its dark and subtle teaching; this is the book of perfect truth. Today the worthy receive and uphold it, aspiring to ascend into the Great Void.”

(From the Scripture of Hidden Notes on the Supreme Ultimate)

Next, when the disciple has finished kneeling and receiving the scripture, they bow twice to the master; master and disciple then each bow twice.

The rite of the Three Sovereigns is complete.

Next, they chant three Yang Songs, each three times.

The Brahma Song of the Green-Horned Yang: “Drifting and soaring, it stirs the ten directions. Green and bright, it illuminates the world. It carries me up to the ninth heaven. The western strings sound in proud melody, moving the Eastern Sovereign Lord. The primordial cavern opens at the beginning of the cosmic cycle; the first Yang energy sprouts ten thousand buds. The gentle wind stirs the jade branches; lofty forests shine amid cloudlike nets. Goumang urges the people to farm; the sun’s feathers glow in the eastern clouds. Immortal sages wander in the Dark Garden, while flying Brahma songs rise with the sound of reed pipes.

“Guiding the celestial radiance to the chamber of great rosy clouds, they wheel together through the courts of the nine heavens. The assembled immortals raise their flying Brahma songs, and the Yang Song rings out again and again. Unless one has the countless blessings of a numinous being, how could one take part in the rites of transformation?”

(From the Scripture of the Cavern Spirit)

Next, the method for reporting to the Immortal Officials:

“Disciples of the Three Caverns of the Supreme One’s Numinous Treasure, without peer, Master So-and-so of a certain mountain, So-and-so, and others respectfully report…”

Explanatory note for following the rite; not part of the scripture text:

This passage records the sequence of the covenant oath and signature, visualization of the Three Palaces, verse for transmitting the scripture, Yang Song, and report to the Immortal Officials when entering the Dao and receiving the Inner Writings of the Three Sovereigns. The covenant emphasizes faithfulness in transmitting the teachings, observance of filial piety, humanity, loyalty, and trustworthiness, avoiding reckless transmission to the unworthy, and not betraying one’s master or slandering the Dao. The Elixir Water and the drawn line serve as tokens of faith. Specialized terms have been retained and briefly explained in parentheses where helpful.

Inviting the Holy Ones at the Opening (Invoking Their Presence at the Zhai Altar)

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, born of emptiness and natural spontaneity; the Supreme Lord of the Dao, the Great Dao without limit; the High Jade Sovereign; the multitude of perfected lords and venerable ones, the great sages who have attained the Dao; the emperors of the thirty-two heavens; the Sovereign Emperor of Jade Void; the Great Jade Emperor; the Eastern Florescence, the Southern Pole, the Western Spirit, and the Northern Perfected; the Mysterious Capital and Jade Capital; the Seven Treasures of the Golden Tower and Mysterious Terrace; the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity; the Perfected and Luminous Emperor, Lord of the Dao of Numinous Treasure; and all others—

Through karmic ties from former lives, we were born in an age when the Dao’s teachings were being spread. The Mysterious and Perfected opened the way for us, lifted us from distress, and enabled us to establish the roots of faith. Our former masters swore an oath and bestowed the Three Treasures and sacred scriptures upon us. We have made offerings and paid reverent honor, taking the accumulation of merit as our foremost aim.

On the [day] of the [month], we respectfully join [name] and others in transmitting scriptures and practicing the Dao, establishing the day for the Zhai and its liturgy, burning incense, and confessing our faults with gratitude. The transmission is now complete. We respectfully invite the Celestial Immortals, Terrestrial Immortals, Flying Immortals, Perfected Ones, Spirit Beings, and Sages, as well as the officials who oversee the Zhai and its liturgy, the golden boys who attend the incense, the jade maidens who scatter flowers, the Five Emperors’ talisman officials on duty, the messengers who convey words and present petitions, the dragon-riding attendants, and all others. May you oversee and guard the place where the Zhai is being conducted. May each, according to the merit of your diligent service, receive a reward, advance to a higher rank, and return to your station in the heavens. We respectfully make this petition known.

(The above is from the Scripture of Luminous Truth.)

Next: The Returning-to-the-Censer Rite (Offering Incense Again)

The maiden of the incense smoke reports to the August Lord: “I, the junior Perfected One [name], have purified myself through fasting and abstinence from the dust of the world. I await the spiritual power of the Five Penetrations, and aspire above all to become Perfected, dispel calamity, bring forth blessings, and ascend to the Three Heavens.”

Next: One Passage of Recitation While Exiting

“Those who study the ways of the Immortals must act with urgency; they honor the precepts and discipline their hearts to purity. Empty, calm, and upright, the true Qi dwells within; Immortals and Sages naturally seek one another. If you do not believe the words of the teaching, why make your home in the mountain forest?”

(The above is from the Scripture for Dispelling Demons.)

Notes for Reading the Scripture

• Day for the Zhai and its liturgy: A day on which rites such as the Zhai, the practice of the Dao, or the transmission of scriptures are performed.
• Three Treasures: Usually the Dao, the scriptures, and the teacher, or the Three Treasures as defined within the system of this scripture.
• Returning-to-the-censer rite: A section of the liturgy in which incense is offered to the censer again and a prayer is recited.
• Junior Perfected One: One of the titles of rank used by Daoist priests when referring to themselves or signing ritual documents.
• Recitation while exiting: A way of reciting a passage during the liturgy before leaving or moving on to the next section.

The passages above follow the order of the original without adding or omitting doctrinal meaning. The bracketed details, such as the month, day, and name, are formulaic blanks in the original and should be filled in with the actual details when the rite is performed.