《無上祕要》Vol. 42

The Supreme Secret Essentials, Scroll 51: The Chapter on the Mengzhen Zhai (Vernacular Interpretation)

The Great Dao Lord of the Most High (Taishang Dadao Jun) stepped forward, bowed, and addressed the Heavenly Venerable (Tianzun):

"Today, seated at the side of the Heavenly Venerable, I have seen the children of the heavens receive the radiant majesty, their light shining across the Hall of Blessings of all the heavens, the boundless worlds, and the hells below. Retribution for good and evil differs, and so do suffering and joy. The good rejoice in boundless ease, while the wicked are plunged into mire and drift through the Eight Difficulties (bani), their bodies gone, which is deeply lamentable. Those of this kind, bearing the fruit of evil causes, remain bound for countless kalpas and do not recognize the root of their life. May there be merit that can redeem and ransom them and open salvation for the dead souls? If those who dwell in the long night of the Nine Gloomy Depths (Jiuyou) could enter the light and be reborn through the gates of blessing; if, by your compassion, the living and the dead alike received the grace of life and death, and the departed rejoiced, the world flourished, wealth and honor abounded, and lives were long, then the shade of blessing would spread to the eight remote regions, and the wind would stir the orchids of the forest, so that future sons and daughters might hear the sound of the Dharma. We beg the Heavenly Venerable to explain these matters distinctly and bestow the sacred formulas, so that all may see clearly."

The Heavenly Venerable said to the Great Dao Lord of the Most High:

"Listen closely to my words, think well, and understand well. Seal them in your heart, hold them in mind morning and night, and take care never to forget. I will now explain to you the wondrous sounds, by which you may rely on this method to redeem the souls burdened by sin, open the long night of the Nine Gloomy Depths and the Eight Difficulties, loosen the scattered karmic bonds, and turn them toward the root of faith, so that life and death are joyful and the karmic connections of generations are restored. This method is lofty and profound. It is transmitted once in four myriad kalpas, and only to the wise and virtuous who swear an oath to keep it. If it is kept secret, blessings descend; if it is divulged, the Precept of the Wind-Blade (fengdao zhi jie), which comes from the Mengzhen, will strike. Those who violate the regulations and transgress the law must not blame the heavens."

Thereupon the Heavenly Venerable ordered the Flying Celestial Immortals (Feitian Shenren) to speak of the causes of sin and blessing, and of the Upper Rank of salvation.

As the scripture was recited, the sun, moon, and stars of all the heavens shone brightly and illuminated everything. In the nine earths, the boundless worlds, the palace of the long night, and the Nine Gloomy Depths, the long-suffering hungry ghosts and the souls condemned to servitude all received the light and clearly saw the root of their life. They awakened to themselves, turned their hearts at once, and all began to think of goodness and to return to the gates of blessing. The Five Sufferings were released, the Three Paths (santu) received deliverance, the past karmic bonds were untied, and the hells grew quiet. At that time, men and women everywhere heard the sound of the Dharma, and those whose hearts were ready all attained the status of immortals.

The Flying Celestial Immortals said:

"The Upper Rank of the Jiuyou Jade Coffer on the Redemption of Dead Souls from Sin and Karmic Debt."

Glossary of Terms

Throughout the six fasting months of the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh lunar months, and on the first, eighth, fourteenth, fifteenth, eighteenth, twenty-third, twenty-fourth, twenty-eighth, twenty-ninth, and thirtieth days of each month (ten days in all), together with the Eight Solar Festivals (bajie), the Jiazi days, and the Gengshen days, one sets up a long lamp (chang deng) in the courtyard of the household, nine chi tall, and lights nine more flames atop it. Their light rises to illuminate the blessed halls of the Nine Profound Heavens (jiuxuan zhutian) and reaches down into the long night of the Nine Earths and their boundless worlds.

Following the ancient rules of ceremonial decorum (weiyi jiufa), one opens the altar and respectfully invites the Celestial Immortals (tianxian), Earth Immortals (dixian), Perfected (zhenren), and Flying Immortals (feixian), together with the armies of the sun, moon, and stars, the Nine Palaces and Five Emperors, the Five Marchmounts, and the Three Rivers and Four Seas, each numbering nine yi and ten thousand mounted soldiers. Also descending together to the fasting hall are thirty-two Jade Maidens who Scatter Flowers (sanshier'er san hua yunü), thirty-two attendants each of the Five Emperors' Duty Talismans (wudi zhifu), and the Flying Dragon mounted officers (feilong qili). One lights incense and makes vows, and the spirits respond at once and ascend. When the ritual of practice is complete, all are sent off to return to their heavenly palaces.

By day one burns incense, and by night one lights lamps, keeping the smoke unbroken. The scriptures are laid out in the courtyard, and beneath the nine lamps one circumambulates the lights while performing the Dao (raodeng xingdao), offering incense and making vows. When the rite is finished, one faces east and performs nine prostrations, saying:

"Now I, (name), take refuge in the Celestial Worthy of the Limitless Numinous Treasure of the East (Dongfang Wuji Lingbao Tianzun), the Great Sages of the assembly who have attained the Dao, the Perfected Lords and Venerable Elders, the Lords of the Nine Qi (jiuqi tianjun), and the numinous officials of the Eastern Township. Today I establish this fast, burn incense, and light lamps, and I wish that the merit of this act illuminate the heavens and benefit universally: emperors and rulers, ministers and subjects, officials and the common people, Daoist masters who have received the teachings, parents and honored elders, fellow disciples, recluses in the mountains who study the true Dao, the worthy and wise, and all living beings, including those that fly, wriggle, crawl, or breathe. May they all be freed from the Ten Sufferings and Eight Calamities (shiku bannan), dwell long in non-action (Wuwei), and receive naturalness (ziran) in full. May my family's countless generations of ancestors and the imprisoned and restless dead all be illumined and liberated, turn toward the root of faith, depart from the Five Paths (wudao), and open the causes of salvation. May the dead enjoy lasting peace, the living receive grace, the world be at peace, and De (Virtue) and Dao flourish. Today I burn incense and return myself to the virtue of my teachers and the Great Sages and Perfected Masters, so that after attaining the Dao, I may ascend into formlessness and unite with the Dao to become Perfected."

When the words are finished, one removes the headcloth, kowtows, and strikes one's cheeks eighty-one times before stopping.

Next, facing south, perform three bows while reciting: "Now, your disciple Mou Jia takes refuge in the Lingbao Heavenly Venerable of Wuji (Limitless) in the south, the Great Sages who have attained the Dao, the Lords of Perfect Truth and Elder Lords, the Three Qi Heavenly Lords, and all the Numinous Officers of the south. We earnestly beseech you to take notice." Complete the method described earlier, kowtowing and slapping each cheek twenty-seven times during the rite, and then stop.

Next, facing west, perform seven bows while reciting: "Now, your disciple Mou Jia takes refuge in the Lingbao Heavenly Venerable of Wuji in the west, the Great Sages who have attained the Dao, the Lords of Perfect Truth and Elder Lords, the Seven Qi Heavenly Lords, and all the Numinous Officers of the west. We earnestly beseech you to take notice." Complete the method described earlier, kowtowing and slapping each cheek sixty-three times, and then stop.

Next, facing north, perform five bows while reciting: "Now, your disciple Mou Jia takes refuge in the Lingbao Heavenly Venerable of Wuji in the north, the Great Sages who have attained the Dao, the Lords of Perfect Truth and Elder Lords, the Five Qi Heavenly Lords, and all the Numinous Officers of the north. We earnestly beseech you to take notice." Complete the method described earlier, kowtowing and slapping each cheek forty-five times, and then stop.

Next, facing the northeast, perform one bow while reciting: "Now, your disciple Mou Jia takes refuge in the Lingbao Heavenly Venerable of Wuji in the northeast, the Great Sages who have attained the Dao, the Lords of Perfect Truth and Elder Lords, the Fan (Brahma) Qi Heavenly Lords, and all the Numinous Officers of the northeast. We earnestly beseech you to take notice." Following the method described earlier, complete the rite, kowtowing and slapping each cheek nine times, and then stop.

Next, in turn, perform the rites facing the southeast, southwest, and northwest. Each of the four corner directions receives one bow, with nine kowtows and nine cheek slaps. The content of the petitions follows the northeast rite. With this, the rites for the four corners are complete.

Next, facing upward in the northwest, perform thirty-two bows while reciting: "Now, your disciple Mou Jia takes refuge in the Lingbao Heavenly Venerable of Wuji of the thirty-two upper heavens, the Great Sages who have attained the Dao, the Lords of Perfect Truth and Elder Lords, the Thirty-Two Heavenly Sovereigns, the Perfected of the Purple Tenuity Upper Palace of the Jade Capital Mysterious Capital, the Jade Maidens, the Immortals, and all the Numinous Officers. We earnestly beseech you to take notice." For the remainder, follow the eastern rite, completing the bows with two hundred and eighty-eight kowtows and cheek slaps.

Next, facing downward in the southeast, perform twelve bows while reciting: "Now, your disciple Mou Jia takes refuge in the Lingbao Heavenly Venerable of Wuji of the lower realms, the Great Sages who have attained the Dao, the Lords of Perfect Truth and Elder Lords, the Nine Supreme High Sovereigns, the Four Offices, the Five Emperors, the Twelve Immortal Ministers, the Five Sacred Peaks, the Four Great Rivers, the Perfected of the Nine Palaces, the Immortals, the Jade Maidens, and the Numinous Officers of the nine lands of the Wuji world. We now specially establish the zhai (purification altar), burn incense, and light lamps, and wish that the merit of these acts shine upon..." Here, zhai refers to the Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual) of setting up altars, performing liturgy, and cleansing body and mind. The scripture then prays that this merit illuminate the spirits behind, that is, the divinities of the rear.

Vernacular Interpretation

In the Underworld of No Ultimate, the Palace of the Long Night, and the Nine Gloomy Depths, we universally address the emperors, sovereigns, ministers and officials, and common people; the Daoist masters who have received the Dao (Dao) and its methods; parents and honored elders; fellow students and disciples; the Daoist adepts who have withdrawn to mountain forests to study the true Dao; the various worthy ones; and the long-night dead souls of my household's myriad ancestors across a hundred million generations. Through their conduct in past lives, they transgressed heavenly prohibitions and violated earthly taboos. Their sins clung to them persistently, and after death they received the judgments their deeds warranted. They were cast back and forth in torment and misery, their karmic conditions never ended, and they drifted through the Five Sufferings with no escape from the long night.

We now beg to burn incense and light lamps, and to offer repentance and thanks so that they may redeem and ransom themselves. May the light shine universally upon the Palace of the Long Night and the hells of the Nine Gloomy Depths, releasing the souls from the underworld and dispersing the roots of their sins. May they no longer be detained or confined by the Three Officials (Sanguan) and the Nine Offices, and may they be granted deliverance and advancement, entering the Hall of Blessings and leaving the evil paths to dwell forever at the gates of goodness. May they be born into the households of marquises and kings, enjoy happiness in life, and may peace prevail throughout all under heaven.

Today we burn incense and take refuge in the virtue of our teacher, the Great Sage and the assembled Perfected. May the departed, once they have attained the Dao, ascend into formlessness and unite with the Dao to become Perfected.

When the rite is complete, kowtow and strike the cheeks one hundred and twenty times each, then stop.

Source note: The passage is drawn from the Dongxuan Mingzhen Jiuyou Yuigui Zuifu Yuanfu Badu Shangpin Jing (Upper-Grade Scripture of the Jade Coffer of the Nine Gloomy Depths on Sins, Merits, Karmic Connections, and Liberation).

Background:

This passage belongs to the Daoist ritual of badu (liberation or salvation of the dead), in which Daoist priests pray on behalf of the deceased for blessings and the remission of sins. Several key concepts are involved:

• Nine Gloomy Depths (Jiuyou): The Daoist system of hells, consisting of nine layers of abyss, each corresponding to different transgressions and punishments.
• Three Officials and Nine Offices (Sanguan Jiusi): The Heavenly, Earthly, and Water Officials (together, the "Three Officials") and their nine subordinate offices, the Daoist bureaucratic bodies that govern judgment over life and death.
• Five Sufferings: Five kinds of torment in the hells, such as mountains of knives, trees of swords, and pits of fire.
• Kowtowing and striking the cheeks one hundred and twenty times each: Performed at the conclusion of the rite as a sign of sincere repentance. This is a standard closing gesture in the liturgical procedures of zhaijiao (purification rituals).