《道法會元》Vol. 26

This scripture documents the sacred liturgy of the "Mysterious Salvation from Calamity" ritual performed by the Qingwei school (an important Daoist lineage). The main deity enshrined on the altar is the Qingwei school's revered "Celestial Emperor of Marvelous Transformation from True Origin," assisted by various divine generals from the Northern Dipper Palace: Envoy Yang Ruming oversees virtuous connections, while Envoy Geng Miaozhen monitors wicked deeds. These deities manifest in diverse forms—some stand on cloud-walking boots wielding swords, others hold willow branches, and there are merit-officer envoys wearing official hats dressed in yellow or red robes.

The ritual employs multiple talismanic charms (fulu): the "Altar Purification Talisman" cleanses the sacred space, the "Master Communication Talisman" connects with ancestral masters, the "General Summoning Talisman" calls forth divine generals, the "General Command Talisman" dispatches celestial beings, the "Truth Penetration Talisman" links with the immortal realm, the "Descent Invitation Talisman" respectfully requests divine presence, and the "Incense Offering Talisman" facilitates prayer through sacred smoke. When performing rituals, Daoist priests humbly refer to themselves as "your servant [name]" to show reverence toward the deities.

The cultivation essentials reveal core Neidan (internal alchemy) methods: Practitioners must sit in stillness, concentrate their Shen (spirit), and silently recite a three-word esoteric mantra (specific incantation omitted). Through breath regulation, they enter a meditative state of "forgetting both self and objects." When the initial luminous response appears within, this golden light ascends from the Dantian (energy center), illuminating the body's seven orifices before ultimately reaching the Niwan Palace (upper Dantian) at the crown. At this stage, cultivators experience complete unity with the Great Void, where inner immortals spontaneously manifest.

A crucial emphasis lies in maintaining natural awareness during practice: neither clinging to luminous visions nor becoming attached to divine revelations. By preserving mental clarity, all spiritual responses follow their natural course. The practice concludes with the "Light-Returning" technique, merging inner and outer radiance to complete the cultivation process. This method embodies Daoism's core philosophy of "the Dao follows naturalness" (Dao fa ziran).

This passage describes a Daoist ritual for dispelling misfortune and illness through the burning of fulu (talismanic inscriptions containing incantations). The process involves several key components:

First, when burning the "Misfortune-Dispelling Talisman," one must recite the names of the Seven Primordial Lords of the Northern Dipper (the deified stars of the Big Dipper in Daoism). After burning, the direction in which the ashes fall is observed for divination. A mnemonic verse follows, explaining the auspicious or inauspicious meanings associated with different directions: for instance, the "Imperial Throne" direction signifies great fortune, the "Celestial Gate" direction is suitable for fulfilling vows to deities, the Dui (West) position may indicate bloodshed, the "Human Gate" suggests safety within three days, the "Yellow Springs" direction is the most ominous foretelling death, while the Xun (Southeast) or "Earth Portal" direction indicates prolonged illness requiring a change of treatment.

Next, various talismanic documents are listed with their specific formats: the "Misfortune-Dispelling Talisman" must include the priest's self-reference as "your subject [name]" accepting the imperial decree; the "Misfortune-Dispelling Petition" requires submission of three talismans; the "Gratitude Talisman" expresses thanks to deities; the "Deity-Sending Talisman" ceremoniously escorts divine beings; the "Lower Siming Talisman" and "Siming Pacification Talisman" appease the Siming (Director of Destinies, the deity governing lifespan); while the "True Misfortune-Dispelling Talisman of Natal Destiny" must include the petitioner's birth details.

The text concludes with detailed instructions for inscribing the talismans: they should be written in small regular script on white paper, beginning with the priest's official designation to demonstrate compliance with the petitioner's request according to ritual law. The content primarily petitions the "Great Lord of Primordial Destiny" (the deity overseeing one's natal fate) to absolve karmic transgressions from past and present lives, resolve conflicts with karmic creditors, eliminate astrological afflictions, and restore blessings and peace. A four-finger width must be left blank for drawing the talismanic figures, accompanied by reverent prostrations when presenting the petition to the deities.

This ritual exemplifies Daoist religious practice of communicating with deities through fulu to resolve misfortunes, requiring strict adherence to prescribed formats for inscription while incorporating directional divination to determine auspicious outcomes.

Here is a complete record of a Daoist ritual for dispelling misfortunes, detailing the talismanic document formats and ceremonial procedures. The ritual aims to petition celestial beings to cure illnesses, avert disasters, and prolong life through divine intervention.

When preparing the petition documents, specific phrasing must be followed: "We humbly beseech the Celestial Deities to open the auspicious Palace of Destiny, extend lifespan, and request the descent of orthodox Daoist Qi (primordial energy) to eradicate disease, fulfill petitions, and bring swift recovery." The documents conclude with the date and the officiating priest's clerical title and name.

Two specialized documents are prepared: the "Qingwei Talisman for Dispelling Calamities," enclosed in a square case to be presented to the Original Destiny Star Palace in Shangqing Heaven (the celestial abode governing fate), and the "Official Edict for Calamity Resolution," resembling a formal administrative decree for misfortune removal.

Upon entering the ritual space, the priest silently recites the Purifying Mouth Incantation and Purifying Body Incantation to maintain purity. Lighting incense, they silently pray: "With sincere heart I offer this incense, reverently inviting the True Official of Nine Phoenixes Who Destroys Impurities, the Eight Directional Awesome Deities, and the Five Directional Dragon Gods to descend, infusing this ritual water with pure energy." Performing the Nine Phoenixes Gang Steps (a sacred footwork pattern), the priest visualizes the Purity Official riding nine crimson phoenixes breathing fire into the water while five directional dragons spit water into the basin, concluding by sprinkling the purified water around the altar while chanting incantations to cleanse heaven and earth.

After purification, the priest silently intones: "May the heavens be free of turbid Qi, the earth severed from evil specters, and the underworld realms become lucid and unobstructed," concentrating on visualizing the entire ritual space transforming into a realm of radiant light. With focused reverence, the priest offers incense in three prostrations, communicating with ancestral masters through "heart-incense": "Your disciple [name], with devout heart-incense, respectfully addresses the Three Treasures of Dao (Scripture, Tradition, and Master), the Ten Thousand Spirits of Primordial Beginning, ancestral masters of the Qingwei lineage, and the Celestial Lords of Great Primordiality."

Through meticulous document preparation, sacred Gang Steps, visualization practices, and esoteric incantations, the ritual constructs sacred space to bridge human and divine realms for calamity resolution. The term "humble servant" used by priests reflects proper reverence toward celestial beings.

This passage is a ritual text for deity invocation from the Daofa Huiyuan (Compendium of Daoist Rituals), primarily describing the process where a ritual master petitions various celestial beings to assist in performing sacred rites.

The opening enumerates the titles of numerous Daoist deities, including high-ranking immortals such as the High Origin Pure and True Purple Void Primordial Lord (Gao Yuan Qingzhen Zixu Yuanjun) and the True Lord of the Grand Historian of All Immortals in the Nine Provinces (Jiuzhou Duxian Taishi Zhenjun). These figures are key patriarchs in the lineage of Thunder Magic (Leifa), a Daoist ritual system characterized by the command of thunder and lightning. The master declares that, having received the grace of these patriarchs, they have cultivated the Daoist arts and vowed to save sentient beings and propagate the teachings. Now, on behalf of devotees seeking resolution of grievances and relief from calamities, the master humbly petitions the patriarchs for guidance, imploring their compassion for the ignorant masses.

The text then details the ritual procedure: the master must first still the mind and enter a meditative state of self-forgetfulness. When concentration is achieved, they visualize a golden radiance forming before them, imagining the majestic assembly of divine generals. Next, they inscribe specific jade-seal talismanic scripts (Yuzhuan Fuwen) while reciting esoteric incantations to summon the divine generals. The phrase "the thunderous decree is as swift as sparks from flint" emphasizes the instantaneous responsiveness of Thunder Magic, capable of resonating throughout the ten directions and three realms (the entire cosmic space).

Finally, the specific deities invoked include the Herald of Light (Kaiyang Shizhe), who promotes virtue; the Stern Enforcer (Geng Shizhe), who oversees wrongdoing; the Celestial Lord of the Great Unity (Taiyi Tianjun); and the Great Divine Agent of the Pivot (Shuling Liu Dashen). Each deity has distinct responsibilities—some govern longevity and life-preservation, others specialize in dispelling misfortunes, and some are dedicated to resolving twenty-four categories of calamities. The entire ritual embodies the Daoist principle of "resonance between Heaven and humanity" (Tianren Ganying), where the master communicates with the divine to harness celestial power in alleviating worldly suffering.

This scripture documents a Daoist ritual for dispelling misfortunes and resolving calamities. The ritual master first summons various deities to provide protection, including officials from the Mysterious Netherworld (the underworld bureaucracy), local earth gods, household guardian spirits, directional dragons governing taboos, and celestial messengers from the Three Realms—each invited to fulfill their specific roles in assisting the ceremony.

The text then details the ritual procedure: The master begins by offering incense to the assembled deities, then prepares a written petition for the supplicant. Through silent incantations (esoteric mantras) combined with visualization (contemplating divine forms) and mental prayer (silent recitation), the practitioner establishes communication with the Seven Star Lords of the Northern Dipper. The central act involves burning the petition talisman in a bowl while reciting the prayer: "Great Sage Northern Dipper Seven Primal Lords, please resolve [name]'s calamity"—repeating the full ceremony three times.

The ritual concludes with the farewell to the deities: The master kneels in prolonged supplication, humbly asking forgiveness for any ritual shortcomings while respectfully escorting the spirits back to their celestial abodes. The ceremony ends with the ritual of "knocking teeth" (a characteristic Daoist liturgical gesture).

The phrase "one Qi repeated seven times" refers to chanting the mantra seven repetitions, while "visualizing the star deities majestically manifesting above" describes contemplating the Seven Dipper Lords solemnly appearing over the altar. Integrating multiple Daoist techniques—including fulu (talismans), incantations, visualization, and document-burning—this complete ritual aims to resolve karmic entanglements and deliver devotees from misfortune.