《上清靈寶大法(一)》Vol. 54

“Numinous” (ling) belongs to Yang. It has form but no substance, joins in truth with the Dao (the Way), and manifests above. In the human body, it secretly accords with the person’s spirit, giving rise to thoughts and changes in the heart; hence it is called “Numinous.”

“Treasure” (bao) belongs to Yin. It has both form and substance, can turn emptiness into reality, gather into a body, and manifest below. In the human body, it nourishes the blood, forms the body, and concentrates Jing and Qi in the kidneys; hence it is called “Treasure.”

All things grow because, responding to the Numinous, they take form. When their form is complete, substance follows; once substance has formed, spirit arises. This is the passage from nonbeing into being. All things come to an end when their Treasure disperses and their substance is depleted. When substance is depleted, spirit departs; when spirit departs, form dissolves. This is the passage from being into nonbeing.

The Classic of Perfect Virtue says that from birth to old age, people pass through four stages: infancy, youth, old age, and death. In infancy, Qi is unified and the heart-mind is pure. Body and mind are in perfect harmony, so external things cannot harm the child. No other stage surpasses this one in De. In youth, blood and Qi are vigorous and unsettled; desires and thoughts arise in profusion, making a person vulnerable to disturbance by external things, and De consequently wanes. In old age, desires and thoughts diminish, and the body is nearing rest; one no longer strives to get ahead. Though people cannot preserve the wholeness of infancy, they can still come as close to it as possible, without dissipating themselves as they do in youth. At death, they come to rest and return to life’s ultimate state.

Thus, at the beginning of life, the Numinous gives rise to the Treasure; at life’s end, the Treasure disperses and the Numinous is lost. This is the constant pattern by which Heaven and Earth operate. The Numinous and the Treasure also reside in the human body. As the commentary to this classic says: “When the hundred spirits do not disperse, this is called the Numinous; when the single Qi remains, this is called the Treasure.” If one can guard the spirit, nourish the breath, preserve one’s own Treasure, and refine and cultivate one’s own Numinous, then when the body dissolves, the spirit can transcend it. Thus, the Daoist path of the immortals enables people to fly through the highest heavens and become ministers of the Jade Emperor.

The Secret Method for Harmonizing Heaven and Pacifying Earth, Preserving the State and Bringing Peace to the Family

The central teaching says: The Great Rites of the Lingbao can, above, preserve Heaven and Earth so that they endure, and dispel calamities such as disturbances of the sun and moon and irregular movements of the stars. Below, it can avert the cycles of calamity, warfare, floods and fires, and the “Yang Nine and Hundred Six” disasters—the calamities described in Daoist teaching—and put an end to strange phenomena in the mountains and rivers, such as mischief caused by yuan snakes and giant beasts.

The Great Dao is profound and lofty. Through the inner cultivation of the Dao (cultivating the body and mind, and nurturing Jing and Qi), one can reach a state in which body and spirit are wondrously perfected and flesh and bones ascend together. There are also methods for attaining longevity, transcending the world, and becoming an immortal through corpse liberation. More accessible practices can save the living and deliver the dead, and can even bring a corpse back to life. In its manifest aspect, the Dao can summon wind and thunder and bring about natural transformations; in its hidden aspect, it can command the myriad spirits and discern documents from the celestial realms in all ten directions. Thus, the sages understood and often applied these principles, while ordinary people encountered them every day without knowing it.

Lineage of Transmission

The teaching says: The Great Master of the Numinous Treasure transmitted the essential teachings and brought together the lineages of its various branches. After the opening and transformation of the Five Kalpas, the highest sages had already become perfected immortals. At that time, these teachings were passed down only by word of mouth and were not written down, for fear of revealing the secrets of Heaven and incurring punishment. As the saying goes, “Documents are easy to find, but the essential teachings are hard to encounter.” Those who can encounter this text today have accumulated good merit in past lives and thus have this opportunity. They should therefore cherish, protect, and honor it.

Lineage of Transmission from Master to Disciple

The Jade Coffer of the Covenant with the Perfected

The teaching says: On the day the ritual words are transmitted, one must be within a Jing, a place for Daoist purification rituals and practice, and pay homage in turn to the Thirty-Two Heavens, one heaven each day. After completing the homage to all thirty-two, one performs the rite of the “Jade Coffer of the Covenant with the Perfected.” Having paid respects to the Thirty-Two Heavens in the four directions, one swears an oath sealed with gold and jade. Here, “Jade Coffer” refers to the case used in the Yellow Register liturgy to solemnly seal and safeguard ritual registers or oaths. A grave violation is dealt with according to the ritual regulations and receives no pardon. It is therefore called the “Jade Coffer” to express the need to cherish and protect it as one would a treasure.

The Thirty-Six Heavens Above

The teaching says: When primordial chaos first divided, the mysterious Qi gave rise to the Qi of the Origin. From One came Two, and from Two came the Initial Qi, which formed three kinds of primordial Qi: the Qi of the Clear Tenuity Heaven was called “Mysterious,” that of the Yu-Yu Heaven “Origin,” and that of the Great Red Heaven “Beginning.”

Each heaven then gave rise to three more, making nine heavens at first. The Clear Tenuity Heaven gave rise to Yudan, Chanshan, and Xuyan; the Yu-Yu Heaven gave rise to Doushu, Bujiao Le, and Yingsheng; and the Great Red Heaven gave rise to Fanfu, Qingming, and Wuxiang. Each of these nine heavens in turn gave rise to three more, making twenty-seven. With the addition of the Great Sovereign Heaven of Huangzeng and the four heavens of the Formless Realm—Taixu, Taishi, Longbian, and Taiji—the total became thirty-two. Adding the three heavens of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) above the Nine Heavens made thirty-six, collectively called “the Thirty-Six Heavens Above.”

The Thirty-Six Layers Below

The teaching says: Heaven has nine heavens and their celestial emperors; Earth likewise has nine layers, each with its own Earth Sovereign. Each layer is further divided into three Qi: earth, water, and wind, each occupying one level and arranged in sequence from top to bottom. The first layer of Earth is called “Color Moistening,” the second “Color Luster,” and the third “Stone Grease Color.”

The fourth layer is called the “Lush Earth,” the fifth the “Golden Grain Marsh Earth,” the sixth the “Vajra Iron Marsh Earth,” the seventh the “Water-Controlled Marsh Earth,” the eighth the “Great Wind Marsh Earth,” and the ninth the “Cavernous Abyss, Colorless Framework Earth.” Each of the nine layers of earth gives rise to three kinds of Qi, corresponding to the thirty-six layers beneath the earth and the thirty-six layers of heaven. The Yang Qi of heaven transforms into the Thirty-Six Heavenly Lords, while the Yin Qi of the earth transforms into the Thirty-Six Earthly Sovereigns.

The three kinds of Qi arising beneath the nine layers of earth are wind, marsh, and cavern Qi. They fill the vast, empty expanse. “Wind and marsh” refers to the Qi of the primordial Brahma wind: strong and firm like true gold, it is also called “unyielding wind.” It supports the nine layers of earth and holds the various heavens aloft. These heavenly layers hang downward without falling and extend upward to connect with the Great Luo Heaven, the highest celestial realm in Daoist teaching. This is made possible by the Great Dao.

Clarifying the Three Treasures

The teaching says: The “Three Treasures” revered in the Lingbao Great Ritual are “the Supreme, Limitless Great Dao; the Thirty-Six Sections of Venerable Scriptures; and the Great Master of the Mystery.” Together these are called the “Three Treasures.” They appear in the various ritual procedures of the Guangcheng Purification Ritual and comprise seventeen characters in all. Their wording must not vary when put into practice. Recently, some people have taken it upon themselves to add or delete words and included the altered version in the Jianji Purification Ritual. This is incorrect.

The Supreme, Limitless Great Dao

The teaching says: The Limitless Great Dao—the boundless and formless Dao without a name—appeared when the primordial Qi first divided. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning transmitted the Great Teaching to the Lord of the Dao, who in turn transmitted it to the Later Sage, Lord Lao. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning was the Lord of the Dao’s teacher, and the Lord of the Dao was Lord Lao’s teacher. When Lord Lao came into the world to teach and transform living beings, this was the “Limitless Great Dao.”

The Thirty-Six Sections of Venerable Scriptures

The teaching says: The Lingbao Great Ritual is the ancestral teaching from which the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), the three major divisions of Daoist scriptures, derive. Since the opening and transformation of the Five Kalpas—the gradual formation and instruction of the cosmos through successive cosmic ages—the Dongzhen of Jade Clarity, the Dongxuan of Supreme Clarity, the Dongshen of Great Clarity, and the talismans and registers among the Three Caverns and Four Supplements have all been compiled from the scriptures and incantations recorded in red books and jade characters.

The Thirty-Nine Chapters of the Great Cavern explains the opening and transformation of the Five Kalpas and the original substance of chaos. It describes how to harmonize the three kinds of Qi and return them to unity, and transmits this method to the Lord of the Dao, Jade Morning. Thereafter, the thirty-six sections of the Venerable Lingbao Scriptures were proclaimed throughout the heavens, and only then did scriptures come into being in the human world. In the celestial palaces of the lands in the ten directions, there are true texts and precious registers of the thirty-six sections of Venerable Scriptures: sacred writings and talismans.

People in the secular world speak only of the twelve sections of Dongzhen, the twelve sections of Dongxuan, and the twelve sections of Dongshen. They assume that the three Caverns together make up thirty-six sections, but do not know that each of the thirty-six sections has its own name.

The Twelve Sections of Dongzhen

The Shangqing Jing consists of one work in eight thousand scrolls; the Miaozhen Jing consists of one work in five hundred scrolls.

The Taiyi Xian Jing consists of one work in eight hundred scrolls; the Miaolin Xian Jing consists of one work in eighty scrolls; the Kaihua Jing consists of one work in eight thousand scrolls; the Xianren Xian Jing consists of one work in seven thousand scrolls; the Huanglin Xiansheng Jing consists of one work in eighteen thousand scrolls; the Taishang Zhen Jing consists of one work in fifteen thousand scrolls; the Daojiao Jing consists of one work in fifteen thousand scrolls; the Lianjing Jing consists of one work in eighty-eight thousand scrolls; the Gongde Jing consists of one work in eighty-four thousand scrolls; the Daode Jing consists of one work in five thousand scrolls.

The Twelve Sections of the Dongxuan Cavern (one category in the classification of Daoist scriptures):

The Lingbao Jing consists of one work in eight thousand scrolls; the Yuanyang Jing consists of one work in one hundred and twelve scrolls; the Yuanchen Jing consists of one work in one hundred thousand scrolls; the Dajie Jing consists of one work in ten thousand scrolls; the Kaishan Jing consists of one work in one hundred thousand scrolls; the Zhutian Neiyin Jing consists of one work in one hundred thousand scrolls; the Balian Shengshi Jing consists of one work in one hundred thousand scrolls; the Linghe Xinyin Jing consists of one work in eighty thousand scrolls; the Xiaomo Jing consists of one work in eighty thousand scrolls; the Wuliangshou Jing consists of one work in eighty thousand scrolls; the Anmo Jing consists of one work in one hundred thousand scrolls; the Daoshen Jing consists of one work in one hundred thousand scrolls.

The Twelve Sections of the Dongshen Cavern (another category of Daoist scriptures):

The Taiqing Jing consists of one work in eight thousand scrolls; the Cheshi Jing consists of one work in ninety thousand scrolls; the Jixianpin Jing consists of one work in eighty thousand scrolls; the Dongyuan Shenzhou Jing consists of one work in one hundred thousand scrolls; the Neimi Jing, the Zhenyi Jing, the Jiling Jing, and the Zhongjing Jing; the Wuliangpin Jing consists of one work in eighty thousand scrolls; the Huanglao Jigong Jing consists of one work in eighty thousand scrolls; the Huangting Jing consists of one work in one hundred thousand scrolls; the Xiaojiepin Jing consists of one work in eighty thousand scrolls.

The Great Master of the Mysterious Center

The central teaching says: After the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, a revered Daoist deity, established the teachings, the five kalpas opened together in the first year of the August Sovereign. The Five Phases took complete form, and the five Qi, the five fundamental primal energies, were all present, giving rise to the many perfected beings and immortals. Within the Five Phases arose wondrous essence, and within that essence was further mystery. All of this belonged to the August Sovereign. This kalpa was therefore called the “Five Kalpas.”

Within the Five Kalpas, the Great Master of the Mysterious Center came into being. Endowed with the refined essence of the five Qi, he gathered clouds with the Celestial Perfected Sovereign, the Heavenly Perfected One, and formed them into chapters. The Dragon Embryo, Stone Radiance, and countless talismanic writings were organized into three divisions and ten sections, all of them serving as scriptures. Thus the Great Master of the Mysterious Center first established the teachings.

Clarifying the Qi and Numbers of the Five Directions: An explanation of the numbers associated with the Qi of the five directions.

The East belongs to Wood and governs growth and emergence. Counting from Jiazi to Gengshen gives nine Qi. This is where the nine Yang spirits gather.

The South belongs to Fire and governs blazing abundance. Counting from Wuzi to Gengyin gives three Qi. This is where the three Yang spirits gather.

The West belongs to Metal and governs contraction and killing. Counting from Jiazi to Gengwu gives seven Qi. This is where the seven Yang spirits gather.

The North belongs to Water and is the storehouse of mysterious Jing. Counting from Bingzi to Gengchen gives five Qi. This is where the five Yang spirits gather.

The Center belongs to Earth and is the storehouse of weighty disgrace. Counting from Gengzi gives one. One Qi Yang spirit gathers here.

An explanation of the Great Expansion numbers of the ten directions: the East has nine Qi, the South three, the West seven, the North five, and the Center twelve (subtracting the notional number “Earth,” that is, the lower direction); the southeast has six Qi, the southwest two, the northeast four, and the northwest eight; above is one Qi, and below is one Qi. The total is eighty-five Qi, from which are subtracted the one Qi of the Celestial Origin, the two Qi of the sun and moon, and the one Qi of the Earthly Origin. According to the Huaxia account, eighty-one, nine times nine, is the Yang number.

An explanation of the distribution of the nine Qi. The central teaching says that various methods record only the five Qi. Yet the kalpas traversed by the Five Emperors of the five directions have circular forms in nine colors. Unless these are explained separately, and the patterns of their coming forth, entering, and transformation are made clear, one cannot reach the true realm or summon the spirits. They are now classified and explained in a diagram.

Diagram of the transformation of the five Qi into the nine Qi.

I believe that the teaching of the Void Sovereign—the teaching transmitted by the Void Sovereign revered in Daoism—originated in remote antiquity. When the wondrous Dao first shone forth, divine writings descended into the world. At times they appeared in response to changes in the age; at other times they were transmitted in response to particular circumstances. From the medieval period onward, Daoist canons and institutions grew extensive. It was only between the Jin and Song dynasties that Master Jianji, Lu Jun, began to clarify the lineages of doctrinal transmission and the origins of teachings’ descent into the world. He distinguished the Three Caverns and Four Supplements, examined numerous texts, and compiled purification rituals. From then on, the methods of purification spread far and wide, their components became clearly defined, and the order of scriptures and liturgies was organized and completed.

In the Tang dynasty, Zhang Qingbu Wanfu edited them again, gradually bringing the ritual forms into fuller order. Later, Master Guangcheng, Du Guangting, examined the thirty-six divisions of scripture and also consulted texts from ancient and contemporary times, doing his utmost to collate them and greatly complete the purification rites. Yet every word and every method, from beginning to end, was based on scripture. As for the ancient twenty-four classes of purification rites, Master Guangcheng states in his discussion that Huang…

Fulu (talismans and registers), credentials used in Daoism to record rank, declare official duties, and carry out ritual techniques, link the realms of life and death and the human world and heaven. They can bring blessings to those above and below alike: everyone, from the state to ordinary people, may cultivate and practice them. These matters fall under the authority of the Central Palace of the Lower Origin and concern the myriad spirits and the Nine Offices. Their merit is profound, benefiting and protecting both the living and the dead.

The compilers therefore gathered the rules and liturgies for purification rituals into a forty-volume work called the Huanglu Zhaike (Yellow Register Purification Rituals). Its instructions on arranging ritual altars, conducting ceremonies, and performing acts of reverence and cultivation follow principles that have remained broadly consistent through the ages, whether bowing down or offering homage. The liturgical texts are precise and orderly, the ceremonies clearly structured; they explain ancient precedents and illuminate the way for later generations. At this stage, the methods of purification ritual may be said to have reached a high degree of completeness.

The first volume of the Huanglu Zhaike, in its account of ritual offices at the altar, says that a ritual master should wear registers from the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen). Someone wearing a Dongxuan register may also preside over the ceremony. This is because purification rituals originated in the Lingbao tradition and belong to the Dongxuan division. The Guangcheng Ke sets out the full procedure, from announcing the purification and beginning the ceremony through offering thanks in the Jiao ritual and closing the altar.

Later, as the world fell into disorder, various ritual manuals drew on many scriptures from the Three Caverns, but most of their material came from the twelve divisions of scriptures in the Dongxuan tradition. The manuals did not record every detail of the talismanic texts and incantations used in purification rituals, or of submitting petitions and transmitting documents. After the Tang dynasty, these materials were brought together in the Lingbao Dafa (Great Lingbao Rites). Its foundational text is chiefly the first volume of the highest section of the Duren Jing (Scripture of Salvation), so it is called the Shangqing Lingbao Dafa (Great Shangqing Lingbao Rites). Though concise and direct, it contains scriptural teachings of such depth and breadth that they are difficult to exhaust.

The scripture says that when the stars move out of order and the sun and moon depart from their proper courses, one should establish a purification ritual, offer incense, and recite scriptures. When the state suffers calamity and warfare breaks out repeatedly, one should do the same. One should also do so when epidemics spread and the people die or suffer injury. When a teacher, elder, or friend dies, one should regularly establish a purification ritual, offer incense, and recite scriptures.

Today, the purification rituals in the Guangcheng Ke include dispelling calamities for the state, praying for blessings for the people, rescuing teachers and friends and universally delivering wandering souls, as well as praying for blessings during the Three Origins and seeking the ascent of the Nine Generations of ancestors. All are called Yellow Register purification rituals, and each has its corresponding liturgy. Since these rituals originated in the Lingbao tradition, their history involves many scriptures; the talismanic methods used in conducting them should therefore be included in this book.

The ancient Lingbao method requires practitioners first to uphold the precepts and gain a deep understanding of the principal scripture, then to cultivate inner practices such as regulating the breath, visualizing the spirits, and gathering light. Only after this should they aid the people, uphold the right path, drive out malign forces, accumulate virtue and merit, and deliver the dead in the netherworld. It is at this stage that they should perform purification rituals. This order makes full use of what they have cultivated and gained, while forming bonds with people throughout the world; it is also the proper sequence for carrying out purification rituals. In establishing its liturgies, the Guangcheng Ke takes the Yellow Register as...

These matters all belong to the ritual regulations of the Yellow Register liturgy, which places special emphasis on the old Lingbao methods.

The Venerable Master said: “The Yellow Register Great Retreat is the most important ritual for performing rites of deliverance for seven generations of ancestors, freeing them from the torments of the Three Paths. To hold a rite of deliverance, the retreat sponsor—the person who oversees the ritual and makes the vow to pray for deliverance—must first submit a petition. The sponsor’s character must then be examined: Are they filial and compassionate, loyal and upright, honest and sincere? Have they taken refuge in and embraced Daoism? Are they suitable to perform the rites in accordance with the liturgy? Only if these conditions are met may the petition be accepted and the sponsor be permitted to undertake the ritual.

The sponsor must also be told what ritual offerings and implements the retreat requires, so that everything can be prepared in advance and nothing is missing when the time comes. Next, a propitious site must be chosen for the altar. It should be a pure place such as a grotto-heaven or blessed land, a famous mountain, a quiet retreat or hermitage where Daoists practice, a Daoist altar, or a temple. A private residence may also be used, provided it has not been tainted by the impurities associated with military disasters or battles, slaughter, prisons and executions, the blood of childbirth, graves, or pigsties.

A propitious day must then be chosen to announce the retreat. The date should fall on a Daoist festival, such as one of the Three Primordials, the Eight Seasonal Nodes, the Five La Days, the Ten Straight Days, or the Three Assemblies. If the rite of deliverance is held specifically for an ancestor, the date should also take account of the deceased’s forty-ninth day, hundredth day, major or minor memorial, a distant anniversary, or birthday. For a universal deliverance rite, one should choose an especially auspicious day, such as a Gengshen or Jiazi day, one of the Four Beginnings, a Ten Straight Day, a Day of Heavenly Grace, or a Day of Heavenly Pardon, and have it coincide with a festival, a La day, a Three Primordials day, or a Three Assemblies day. The mere chance occurrence of one of these dates is not enough to open the altar and perform the rites.

Announcing the retreat marks the beginning of establishing the ritual’s purpose. A memorial is submitted and a petition presented to the Three Primordials—the Daoist deities governing Heaven, Earth, and Water. The announcement begins on the chosen auspicious day. The retreat sponsor submits the petition together with the ritual offerings and invites the ritual masters. After receiving the petition, the masters lead the sponsor before the Dao, where they respectfully burn incense and present a memorial to the deities.

Once commissioned, the ritual masters should summon fellow disciples and those who share their aims to take part. Fellow disciples are Daoist friends from the same tradition, altar, and master. Those who share their aims are people with a common purpose, willing to deliver all beings in the netherworld. If the participants are unsuitable, it will be difficult to establish harmony, and the ritual’s merit may also be harmed. From the day the retreat is announced, the ritual masters, retreat officials, disciples, fellow disciples, and companions should enter a quiet retreat for purification and practice, abstaining from worldly affairs. The retreat may last one hundred, ninety, or seventy days, or forty-nine or thirty-two days. Throughout this period, they should devote themselves wholeheartedly to the deliverance of the departed, and arrange the petitions and rites on a scale suited to the number of souls to be delivered. Every preparation should be complete, so that nothing is lacking when the appointed date arrives.

After choosing an auspicious date and constructing the Daoist altar, a place for the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters—is set at its center, with a canopy and jeweled covering suspended above. Images of the deities and scriptures are placed in the middle. In the inner altar, incense is arranged in the ten directions…”

In accordance with ritual prescriptions, inspect the arrangement of the banners, flowers, and lamps (illustrated). Place six screens on either side before the altar (as shown), and set the Ninefold Darkness Divine Lamp at the center; it may also be placed above the Gate of Heaven. Arrange lamps around the outside of the altar according to the prescribed pattern (illustrated). To the southeast of the altar, lay out the Radiant Wheel Lamps (illustrated); to the northeast, lay out the Nine Prisons Lamps (illustrated).

Behind the altar, facing forward, arrange the ritual space where Daoist liturgies are performed. Place the imperial seat of the Supreme Emperor at the center, with the ranks of attendants on either side and the sacred seats set out in order. Arrange the incense, flowers, tables, and other furnishings according to the rules. On the left at the front of the ritual space, set up a separate place for the Three Masters of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity). To the southeast of the altar, establish a Hall of Initiation, facing the altar, with seats for the nine generations of forebears and seven generations of ancestors of the vegetarian donor—the person sponsoring the Zhaijiao (purification ritual). In addition, set up twelve halls on either side before the altar, each responsible for its own duties.

Before the purification altar is opened, any memorial documents to be presented to the gods must first be accompanied by the appropriate rites within the ritual space. Outside the altar, facing outward, set up sacred seats for the local earth deity, the territorial deity, local officials responsible for official dispatches, and the principal gods who oversee the altar.

The rites should be performed thirty-two, twenty-four, or fourteen days in advance, depending on the number of souls to be delivered from suffering. First submit a memorial to Heaven, presenting the Red Memorial for Deliverance from Suffering, a red petition to Heaven asking for relief. Establish a Hall of Deliverance through Qinghua, proclaim the command of the Nine Dragons talisman, and erect the Azure and Mysterious Precious Banner (as shown). Then perform rites of homage and covenant, submitting petitions to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the Four Emperors, the Five Masters of the Eastern Pole, the Three Officials, the Pivot Court, and the gods of the Three Realms, Ten Heavens, Five Sacred Peaks, Nine Provinces, Nine Earths, Ten Directions, Northern Capital Underworld Court, City Gods, Grand Year, local community, and other divine offices. Next, summon the Merit Officers, Talisman Officers on Duty, and officials of the Upper Earth, and issue dispatches according to ritual procedure.

Then present the memorial of the plain carriage and white horse, and erect the Notification Banner to inform Heaven and Earth (as shown). Set aside another place as a scripture-recitation hall, and gather fellow practitioners to fast, bathe, and purify body and mind. Each day, devote yourselves to practicing and reciting the various Lingbao scriptures, such as the Supreme Scripture for Delivering Humanity, the Precious Writings on the Birth of the Spirits, the Golden Register for Delivering Lives, and the Scripture of Attaining the Dao and Relieving Suffering. Pay homage through recitation of the various penitential rites for worshipping Heaven and the Ninefold Darkness, and recite the Divine Incantation of Sweet Dew, along with the sacred names of the Jade Emperor and the revered beings of Qingxuan in the Ten Directions. The more recitation, the better; the merit from printing scriptures and burning them is limited. The rites may also begin ten, seven, or three days in advance, depending on the circumstances.

The formal memorials are then submitted to the Nine Pure Ones, the Two Poles of the Southeast, the Ninefold Darkness, the True King of the Zhu Ling Grotto Abyss, the Five Elders of the Ten Directions, and the other revered beings…

We respectfully invite the Celestial Worthies, the Heavenly Emperors, the gods of the thirty-two heavens of the Nine Heavens, the Duke of Wood (Duke of Metal), the Golden Mother (Queen Mother of the West), the Nine Luminaries, the five Dippers of the south, north, east, west, and center, the Three Officials, the Four Saints, the Five Masters, the Purification Supervisor, the three Zhengyi masters, the Three Departments and Five Offices, the Northern and Southern Courts, the Upper Palace of Nanchang, the perfected beings of the Heavenly Bureau of the Nine Heavens, the Heavenly Perfected Sovereign, the Flying Heavenly Spirit Kings, the Perfected Beings of the Ten Directions, the perfected immortals of talismans, methods, scriptures, and registers, the deities of the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Great Rivers, the Water Palaces, the underworld of Fengdu, the immortal officials of the Nine Rivers, Nine Layers, and Grotto-Heavens, and the revered deity of the Year Star, among others, to come and protect this ritual.

We then send formal notices, summons, or dispatches one by one to the City Gods of the relevant prefecture, province, and county, and to the local orthodox deities; the temples, prisons, and community gods of the Nine Provinces; Lord Haoli; the land and water checkpoints and ferries; the territories of the Five Directions; the gates of the netherworld and hidden paths; the Great Gods of the Five Roads; the officials of Fengdu, the Sacred Peaks and Rivers, and the various departments of the underworld; as well as the orthodox deity presiding over the altar, the officers and generals of the ritual bureau, the Director of Destinies, the local land deity, and others. Every deity connected to the place where the ritual is being held must be fully notified.

Next, we submit a memorial to the Waterworks Bureau and the True Lord of Thunder, and send documents to the Spirit King of the Year Star, the Dragon Gods of Wind and Rain, the City God and local community shrine, the mountain, forest, river, and stream deities of the region and their affiliated mountain deities, the local Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands, and the immortal offices of the heavens. We ask each place to dispatch spirit soldiers to guard the purification altar and drive away inauspicious influences. If dry weather has lasted a long time, we ask that the wind and rain be stopped; if it has rained for many days, we ask for clear weather at the appointed time. We then appoint local orthodox deities to keep watch over the altar, prevent mistakes and wrongdoing, oversee the vows governing the purification rites, and rebuke anyone who violates the rules.

Afterward, we go to the Hall of the Divine Tiger and issue a dispatch summoning the Divine Tiger officers and generals, along with the clerks and soldiers of the ritual bureau. We establish the Yin and Yang altars and the altar gates of the Eight Directions, and issue jade tallies. At the same time, we send the documents for recommending and delivering the souls of the dead to the Jade Maidens of the Two Saints, the emissaries of the Three Departments, and the emissaries of the Two Prisons. We ask them to send officials bearing jade tallies first to the relevant authorities in the underworld, the Water Palace, and elsewhere, to locate the souls being recommended, summon them to the altar to make their presence known and report their circumstances, and have them await the rites of purification and deliverance. This ritual has its own set of specialized liturgical documents.

Next, in accordance with the ritual, we ceremonially erect banners such as “Summoning the Spirits and Returning the Radiance.” These banners are used to welcome the deities and guide the souls of the dead. Once the dispatches and memorials have been prepared, we write the talismanic scripts in sequence and activate the talismans and registers for delivering the dead.

Seven, five, four, or three days before the ritual begins, we worship at the ritual site, present a memorial to Heaven, and perform the “Precious Scripture for Dispelling Defilement,” a rite for purifying the ritual site, the body of the officiant, and the ritual setting. Thereafter, on successive days, we proceed with worship of the Fengdu Chapter for Remission of Sins and proclaim the edict granting remission of sins in Fengdu. We then read aloud the talismanic commands of the Primordial Beginning and the edicts of pardon, or talismans for relieving suffering and rescuing secluded souls, and offer prayers to the Dragon Gods in accordance with the ritual. We continue the sequence of worship and open the way for passage.

According to the sequence set out in the ritual text, one or two days before the purification retreat begins, all the ritual officers are summoned to the altar to rehearse the ceremonial formalities. On the day the retreat is formally established, a bell is struck as noon approaches. The altar officers, retreat officers, and attendants respectfully invite the ritual master to the Hall of Silence. Together, they agree on the order of everyone’s duties, sign the documents recording their appointments, and stand in their assigned ranks.

After the ritual master takes his seat, the retreat sponsor makes nine prostrations, recites the words of blessing three times, kneels to present a statement three times, and respectfully invites the ritual master to ascend the altar three times. In response, the ritual master is guided by the ceremonial attendants to the high seat. They offer incense and arrange the seat, then read aloud the covenant document. The ritual master descends and writes the covenant and the list of officeholders. The ceremonial procession then leads everyone out of the hall to the Earth Gate outside the altar enclosure, a portal through which the netherworld may be reached.

The ritual master consecrates water and purifies the altar grounds by sprinkling them with ritual water. Leading the officers, each of whom carries a branch and pure water, he recites the “Heaven and Earth Incantation” as they circle the altar and sprinkle it in turn. Once this is complete, they ritually seal the altar grounds. Next, they use a Light-Inviting Talisman to summon the fire of the sun and light the candle before the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. From that moment until the end of the ritual, the flame must be kept alight by passing it to other candles; it must never be allowed to go out.

Six canopied stations are then set up before the altar: the station of the Mysterious Master, the Five Emperors, the Celestial Master, the Three Masters, the Three Officials, and the Retreat Supervisor. At each station in turn, the sacred beings are invited, wine is offered, memorials and petitions are read aloud, and the covenant is recited. Offerings of spirit money and paper horses are then presented and burned together. The halls and steps for the various offices are set up according to the ritual. Afterward, everyone returns to the Hall of Silence for a brief rest, then proceeds in turn to the Hall of Netherworld Officials to make offerings to the Ten Kings and perform the rite praising them.

At sunset, the ritual master ascends the altar to distribute the ritual lamps. The lamp attendants light them according to the rules, illuminating the altar and its surroundings on every side, then withdraw to the Hall of Silence. The preparations proceed as before, and the ritual master is invited to ascend the altar for the Night-Opening rite, the invocation that begins the formal purification ceremony. The ceremonial attendants lead everyone out of the hall to pay respects in turn at the six stations: first the Five Emperors, then the Three Masters, the Retreat Supervisor, the Three Officials, the Celestial Master, and finally the Mysterious Master.

The officers stand in their assigned ranks. The retreat sponsor offers incense and, holding a letter of petition, explains the purpose of establishing the retreat, then hands the letter to the ritual master. The ritual master receives it, announces the purpose of the retreat, and chants a hymn of praise. The ceremonial attendants then lead everyone to the outer gate of the central precinct. The two groups of officers take their places in order beneath the altar. The ritual master offers incense and makes his invocation; the scripture attendants read aloud the petition for opening the altar and burn it outside the altar enclosure, while striking the bronze bell and jade chime.

The ritual master kneels to present the memorial and performs the curtain-raising ceremony, then bows and reads the memorial for communicating with the True Ones before saluting according to the prescribed ritual procedures.

After ascending the altar, the master silently recites the esoteric incantation outside the Earth Gate, then enters it. The assembled officials follow into the central altar and take their places in order. The master ascends the inner altar alone and burns incense. Following the liturgical procedures, the master performs the preliminary vigil, sets forth the offerings, and proclaims the sacred text, followed by the memorial to the numinous officials. The master may also bow and read the text for establishing the altar. Next come the pronouncement of precepts, the granting or confirmation of offices, and the reading of prohibitions and covenants. The master returns behind the curtains to offer thanks and report, examine and expose transgressions, and conduct the lamp rite according to ritual.

The master proclaims the rite for children who rescue the suffering, offers prayers before the Nine Suns talisman, and performs the Nine Libations (nine successive offerings of wine) and the rite of the divine lamps of the Nine Earths. Souls are summoned, bathed, and led in homage; the rite of offering spell food is then performed. The master proclaims the rite of repentance through the Ten Invocations.

On the first day of the principal fast, the liturgy is performed and homage is paid to the Six Curtains according to the prescribed procedures. The liturgy is conducted three times daily, the Six Incenses are offered, and the scripture is recited ten times. Each morning, the spirit is led to the foot of the altar to pay homage to the Three Treasures and repent of its offenses. After the incense burner is activated and the officials are dispatched, the soul is led to the altar. When the Great Thanksgiving rite is complete, the spirit is led back to its place. At night, the master requests the staff talisman and patent before the Supreme Lord. Before the lamps of the Nine Prisons, the master proclaims the True Talisman for Breaking Open Hell and performs the lamp repentance according to the liturgy. The talisman is activated and the staff wielded to break open the prisons; this may also be done during the first watch of the night, when its effects are especially powerful. Homage is paid to the divine lamps of the Nine Depths. Before the Returning Radiance Lamp, the master proclaims the True Talisman for Delivering Souls from the Netherworld, then performs lamp repentance and breaks open the prisons according to the ritual. If rites such as summoning souls have not yet been performed during the first watch, they should be added on the night of the principal fast.

On the second day of the principal fast, the liturgy is conducted three times daily according to the prescribed procedures, following the same rites as on the first day. That night, before the Fengdu Lamp, the master proclaims the Azure Mystery Talisman for Breaking Open Fengdu and performs the lamp repentance according to the liturgy. All solitary souls in the Nine Springs and Six Paths are summoned, restored to bodily form, and given the chance to be reborn. They receive bathing and fresh clothes, then pay homage. They are next led to the Jiaoguo, the ritual site established for their sacrificial refinement, where the Unhindered Night Fast is performed. The grudges and entanglements binding the dead are then undone, and they are given talismans and registers and instructed in the precepts. The Refinement and Deliverance rite may follow; alternatively, the souls may be led back to the Hall of Gathered Souls to await their joint treatment during the refinement of the dead. The Jiaoguo may also be burned.

On the third day of the principal fast, the liturgy is performed and homage is paid three times according to the prescribed procedures, following the same rites as on the second day. Alternatively, the master may perform the evening audience, conduct the liturgy, and submit a memorial to seek grace. After the audience, the master ascends the altar and offers formal homage, then performs the precious rite for relocating and elevating the spirits of the dead.

Proclaim the ritual petition before the many heavens, deliver documents to the Thirty-Two Heavens, and light the heavenly lamps (each with its corresponding rite). Then quiet the mind and carry out the ritual methods.

At night, perform the Refining and Deliverance rite to refine the souls of the dead (each has its own liturgy). Confer the wondrous Nine Truths precepts, explain the methods of cultivating longevity, and bestow numinous talismans to enable people to ascend to Truehood and extend their lives. Proclaim the Daoist declarations and confer the Nanchang Register, the Yellow Register of Longevity, certificates of investiture, and other documents. Then offer prayers, break the certificates, and read the petitions and documents of merit. Carry out rites to cut off the Three Corpses and guide the Five Households across to deliverance (each has its corresponding rite). Offer prayers at the Pavilion of Flowing Fire (with its own rite), lead the souls of the dead across the Upper Dharma Bridge (with its documents), and deliver the petitions to the Gate of Heaven. Ask the guardian gods to recommend and protect the souls so they may ascend to the Vermilion Office. Afterward, escort the spirits, burn the written slips and offerings, attend to the ritual money, the woven-grass enclosure, the grass dragon, the attendants, and other matters, and perform the rite of releasing living creatures (with its own rite).

At dawn on the fourth day, deliver documents, establish an altar for a Zhaijiao (purification ritual), and submit petitions. According to the ancient liturgy, this rite need not always be performed. Present reports to the Three Treasures and the Supreme Emperor, and submit memorials to the Three Officials. On the prescribed dates, send the Dragon Slips to their destinations separately (with the corresponding rite). Ascend the altar in sequence, raise the true writings of the Five Directions, and bow as petitions of merit are presented and transgressions confessed. Submit the memorial to conclude the altar rite and dismiss the assembly; take down the notices and bury the earth slips, then send the Dragon Slips. At night, establish an altar for Zhaijiao at the ritual site and proceed according to the liturgy: bow in gratitude for the blessings received and present the blue-green petition. Offer the carriages, chariots, money, and horses, along with the petitions and memorials of merit; escort the holy beings from the altar and remove the six canopies. After reading the memorial of thanks, go before the Celestial Master (Tianshi) to pay respects and express gratitude, then read the memorial of thanks to the Celestial Master for dismissing the altar. Return the precepts and registers, submit the documents of office, escort the master away, and remove the canopies. Then deliver documents requesting the recall of troops and generals from Mount Dongyue and other places. The City God and the altar-guarding gods return to their shrines; issue credentials to the Merit Officers, Earth Gods, and other deities. Verify the merits according to the rules and notify the officials of the various offices and halls. Finally, burn the carriages, horses, and other offerings. The ritual master and assembled officials return to the quiet chamber; escort the master, pay respects, and express thanks. The disciples bow in gratitude and offer one another congratulations.

After the ritual is complete, choose an auspicious date to go to a sacred grotto and numinous spring, where the Dragon Slips and written petitions are sent (with the corresponding rite). When the merit is fulfilled, the Three Officials recommend the participants, the Five Emperors report their names, and the many heavens celebrate. Their merit reaches both the underworld and the human world, and they receive ranks and grades among the immortals. According to the ancient liturgy, the Zhaijiao is held only after bowing to present the memorial, reporting the merit, and proclaiming the Dragon Slips. The holy beings are then summoned and escorted from the altar; the notices are taken down, the master is escorted away, the canopies are removed, the precepts are returned and the office documents submitted, and finally the altar rite is concluded and the assembly dismissed.

These rites cannot be omitted or performed out of order. They may last five, seven, nine, fourteen, or even forty-nine days and nights; even a smaller ceremony must last three days and nights. The original text ends here without concluding.

Rituals should be carefully arranged in order and carried out step by step. Yet the regulations of ancient and modern times differ in many ways, so they are often impossible to verify. Here, we examine the purpose of the methods of purification, seek out their underlying principles, and explain each ritual procedure and its sequence in turn. This neither violates ancient practice nor prevents one from applying the rites according to their meaning; following them in accordance with reason is therefore appropriate. To violate the order of ritual procedures not only breaches established rules and regulations but also invites the secret mockery of the officials of the underworld. The Three Officials, divine beings who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, beat drums to record events, while the Four Offices, divine bureaus responsible for related affairs, investigate and correct them. If one merely sets up rituals without substance, one will ultimately labor in vain.

Moreover, the record of the Five Elders’ own practice says that even committing the transgressions listed in the Yellow Register liturgy three times is not enough to cause one to fall into hell. How much more so for those who personally uphold the teachings of the Great Dao and broadly save the realms of the dead and the living? If your merit exceeds ten counts, then immortals, deities, and ghosts in the celestial realm and the three worlds below, as well as birds, beasts, and armored creatures, will all receive your kindness. The demon kings will honor you and vouch for you, and the Supreme Emperor will rejoice and celebrate. The Three Officials will report your merits, and the Five Emperors will enumerate your virtues. The ancestral masters will bestow the Imperial Flying Talisman; the Golden Tower, the abode of the Celestial Emperor, will send down a cinnabar cloud chariot. Your seven generations of ancestors will be rescued from the sufferings of the Northern Palace, and your nine generations of ancestors will be delivered from the registers of the dead. Your own remains and those of your kin will be transformed into immortals, with body and spirit ascending together to the wondrous Dao. Swallow the Golden Elixir and wear the credentials of the immortal realm, and you may ride in a thousand chariots with ten thousand attendants and ascend to Heaven in broad daylight. Heaven will grant you the rank of an immortal perfected being according to your deeds: some become Perfected Beings of the Highest Clarity, while others receive the title of Immortal Elder of Jade Clarity. Some first take their place among the Left Ministers of the Supreme Ultimate before they can fully comprehend the Great Dao. These are the merits accomplished through universal deliverance, leaving no one unsaved. You should strive with all your heart to uphold this way.

Explaining the Two Rites of the Ten Kings and the Youths

The Scripture of Karmic Retribution says: When a person is first conceived, the first month is called “the womb sac.” A yang spirit descends and forms the first soul. The second month is called “the embryo”; a second yang spirit descends and forms the second soul. In the third month, a third yang spirit descends and forms the third soul. Only then are the three souls complete. In the seventh month, the seven po souls take shape. In the ninth month, spirit and Qi fill the body. Though the fetus has not yet made a sound, its spirit is complete; it then descends into the world and is born as a person.

While people are alive, the yang count proceeds in cycles of nine; after death, the yin count proceeds in cycles of seven. When the seven cycles are complete, all seven po souls leave the body and ascend to the celestial court, where they report the person’s offenses and good deeds. On the hundredth day, the yin and yang counts reach the culmination of a stage, and one soul departs. This day is called “the end of mourning wails.” At the anniversary, after three hundred and sixty days, spirit and Qi turn again, and the second soul departs. At the second anniversary, after seven hundred and twenty days, spirit and Qi alternate and revolve, and the third soul departs. This day is called “great auspiciousness.” Thus, after seven hundred and twenty days, the yin and yang spirits leave the corpse. This is…

According to the number seventy-two, Yin and Yang each have thirty-six. People today sing it simply as a pleasing melody, without knowing which scriptures it comes from or what merit it holds. The “Rite of the Youth” and the “Rite of the Ten Sections and Ten Kings” both have ten palaces—that is, ten halls—and their meaning is profound.

The teaching says that after seven periods of seven hundred days, and at observances such as the Lesser and Greater Xiang sacrifices, one should pray for compassion, repent, and atone on behalf of the deceased. This does not erase the sins they committed in life. Rather, it means widely performing meritorious deeds to deliver all beings across the six paths and four forms of life—that is, beings in the six realms and all kinds of living creatures. Through this merit, the records of sin in the black register are burned away, allowing the deceased to be reborn among humankind.

Cultivating the Body: Practice

Anyone preparing to enter a quiet chamber for practice, pay homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, conduct rites at an altar, send the spirit forth to pay audience on high, present memorials and petitions, or refine and deliver departed souls must first understand this: the ordinary body is weighed down by impurity, and the spirits within it are dim and unclear. If these obstacles are not removed first, how can one connect with the realms above or aid the world below? Without that, one cannot accumulate merit and extend benefit to living beings. One should understand that before performing rites, one must first refine and transform oneself. Only then should ritual methods be carried out. In this way, one may hope to gain access to paying audience, summoning and directing spiritual forces, opening the road through the underworld, and rescuing departed souls.

This method may be practiced during the Three Primes—the Upper, Middle, and Lower Primes—the Eight Seasonal Nodes, Gengshen days in each season, Jiazi days, one’s birth-cycle day, the last day of the lunar month, and the first day of the lunar month. It may also be practiced before conducting rites at an altar or entering an impure place.

The instructions say: To refine the body, enter a quiet chamber, burn incense, and sit upright. Gather the spirit, tap the teeth thirty-six times, and regulate the breath. Imagine your body as a piece of dry wood, still containing the five organs, the other internal organs, and the small and large intestines. Then form the Jade Pattern mudra with both hands and make the gesture at the Horse position, due south. Call forth mountain fire from the four directions, and visualize its light surging from the heart like red threads, burning up the dry wood and every object in the place where you are.

Next, visualize breath issuing from the nose like wind, scattering the dust. Then imagine a great flood surging in and sweeping everything away, until all things have vanished. After that, visualize the five-colored true Qi of the east, south, west, north, and center gradually descending into the Mysterious Valley, the place within the body where Qi gathers. It grows from small to large and coalesces into an infant. The infant possesses the five organs and the other internal organs; its interior is clear and bright. It gradually grows into a perfected person. He wears dignified garments, with the sun as his left eye and the moon as his right. Light shines around the corners of his eyes, making his vision bright.

Then visualize the Azure Dragon in the liver emerging from the left ear, the White Tiger in the lungs emerging from the right ear, the Vermilion Bird in the heart emerging from the mouth, and the Black Tortoise in the forehead emerging from both feet. They stand clearly visible on the left and right. The mouth of the Dipper covers the head, and its handle points toward the ground. Then turn the tongue to the left nine times and swallow a mouthful of saliva. Visualize it as a red Golden Elixir entering the abdomen and reaching the great vertebra…

Emit nine-colored light from the crown of the head, enveloping it. Then form the hand seal—that is, make the prescribed gesture to create the ritual mudra—and circulate it through the Twelve Palaces. Open the eyes, rise, and proceed to the altar to perform the rite.

Burning Incense

The incense in question is not fragrant wood, but the incense of the Great Primordial Heaven. There are eight kinds: incense of the Dao, incense of De, incense of Wuwei, incense of Nature, incense of Purity, incense of the Wondrous Cavern of Truth, incense of Lingbao Wisdom, and incense that Transcends the Three Realms.

Incense of the Dao is the incense within the heart, clear and pure. Incense of De refers to the spirit; incense of Wuwei, to the intention; incense of Purity, to the body. The ritual master should keep the heart, spirit, intention, and body focused and undistracted. Whether bowing or looking upward, one should visualize the Upper Realm; in this way, one can reach the Upper Clarity Heaven. Wash the body so that it is free of dust and defilement, and dispel distracting thoughts so that the heart and spirit become clear. This is called Nature. Keep the spirit from wandering, guide it with intention, and focus the heart on serving the vault of Heaven, as though appearing before a sovereign. When the mortal body is free of impurity, the four kinds of incense unite and reach fulfillment. How could prayers for blessings then go unanswered?

“Wondrous Cavern” means directing the spirit to pay court and present a memorial to the Golden Gates of the Three Heavens, the palaces of the celestial realm. “Lingbao Wisdom” means settling the thoughts and bringing the spirit and Qi to fullness, then visualizing the myriad numinous beings of the Three Realms responding to the summons and coming to the altar. “Transcending the Three Realms” means visualizing oneself beyond the Three Realms, within the Jade Capital, and directing the spirit to meet with the Dao. None of these ritual steps may be omitted; otherwise, the vital energies of the True Ones from the eight directions cannot be summoned. The light of Lingbao Wisdom is the way to accomplish this. The four blessings described above are realized within the human body.

Lighting the incense with fire symbolizes the pure sincerity of the Dao, De, and Wuwei. Using fire to kindle the incense symbolizes sincerity arising from within the heart. May one’s intention rise with the ascending smoke, so that the True Spirits descend and respond.

At the beginning of any incense-burning rite, fifteen incense talismans must be used. Select them according to the matter at hand; each has its corresponding incantation.

Invoking the Descent of the Various Perfected Ones and Their Talismanic Proclamations

The guiding principle states: Whenever talismanic proclamations are to be issued and put into effect, they must first be bestowed by the descent of the gods, since they have been written and drawn by mortals. Only then may they be proclaimed and enacted.

To invoke their descent, first place the talismanic command before the altar of the Supreme Emperor, burn incense, bow three times, and kneel to present a memorial. Form the “Ten Heavens Mudra” with both hands before the forehead, then form the “Jade Clarity Mudra,” and lightly click the teeth seven times. Next, visualize the eyes shining like the sun and moon, their light rising high to the Celestial Court and illuminating oneself. Then visualize the Primordial Void Emperor within the radiance of the sun and moon, resembling a circular halo. Let the fine rays emitted from the eyes mingle with the light of the sun and moon. Then state one’s name and rank, present a memorial to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, and sincerely explain the intention of the purification rite. Request that the Purple Yang Jade Casket—the celestial chest that holds talismans and registers—be opened, and that a particular talisman be bestowed for one to put into effect; or request that it be opened to dispel darkness...

Whether the souls of the dead need to undergo refinement and deliverance, be summoned back and gathered, or be cremated and transformed, one may proceed according to the needs of the ritual and recite the incantations.

With reverence, silently recite the secret incantation three times. Do not speak it aloud.

Secret Incantation for Inviting the Descent from the Void:

In the supreme realm of Great Being and Jade Clarity, the cloud-bright treasure registers of the myriad gods descend throughout the imperial court. By command, act swiftly, as though carrying out the decree of the Primordial Sovereign.

Visualize the Sovereign releasing a ray of five-colored light that shines upon the treasure register. The register appears, running through all things like clouds, rosy light, and flowing golden radiance, shining brightly above. Then form the Hand Seal of the Ten Heavens and gather and direct the breath above. Next, form the Jade Clarity Hand Seal. With your gaze, contemplate the One Qi, the primal vital energy; draw in the most precious essence from the radiance of the sun and moon before you, guiding it straight into yourself until it merges with you. Then click your teeth three times, swallow a mouthful of saliva, and entrust the attendants on your left and right to announce that the rite is underway.

Incantation for Sending the Dead Onward:

Let this be proclaimed throughout the Three Realms, the boundless realm of the gods, the Court of Winding Springs, the Northern Capital of Luofeng in the underworld, the Three Offices and Nine Bureaus, and the sources of the Twelve Rivers. May the sins of the ancestors and of relatives through all kalpas be absolved. May the registers of sin be swiftly erased and the roots of evil karma destroyed. Let the souls of the dead no longer be detained or tormented, nor forced to join the ranks of ghosts. By decree of the Primordial Sovereign’s talisman, may they be promoted in due course.

May the Department of the Cold Pool here protect the bodies and souls of the dead, subdue evil spirits, and secure the souls’ deliverance, sending them to the Southern Palace. After refinement and deliverance, may the dead attain immortality and be transformed into perfected beings. May the living, too, receive deliverance, endure through all kalpas, and share the lifespan of Heaven as the kalpas pass. May they forever escape the Three Destinies of suffering—hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—as well as the Five Sufferings and Eight Difficulties; may they transcend the Three Realms and roam freely in the realm of Highest Clarity.

Advance Proclamation:

Ritual regulations stipulate that whenever a Great Purification rite is performed, the patron must make a vow, a practice called “taking vows and pledging allegiance.” The patron gives money to redeem the sins of the dead and pleads for their rescue and deliverance. After accepting the vow, the ritual master enters the chamber of stillness where rites are performed and, following the prescribed procedure, writes a petition to Heaven for deliverance from suffering. The master sends the spirit upward to pay homage and prays in advance for grace to descend, so that the dead may be freed from distress and their suffering brought to an end.

Next, a Hall of Salvation through Suffering is established in the Azure Florescence Palace. The precious banner of the Covenant of the Dark Green Heaven is unfurled, and the talismanic decree of the Nine Dragons is proclaimed, granting amnesty across the regions of the Nine Provinces. The memorial announcing the opening of the altar is burned; a large notice is hung before the gate to welcome those attending the rite; a proclamation is issued; and the flying dragon’s mounted officials are summoned. The spirits who observe from the Void and respond to petitions are also invited to attend.

This is the “Advance Proclamation for Salvation through Suffering and Appeal to Heaven” ritual. It proclaims throughout the ten directions that detention and interrogation are to cease, just as a judgment would be suspended in the world of the living. The petition to Heaven for deliverance from suffering is then worshipped, and the talismanic decree of the Nine Dragons is read aloud.

Incantation for Sending the Dead Onward:

Let this be proclaimed throughout the Three Realms, the boundless realm of the gods, the Court of Winding Springs, the Northern Capital of Luofeng, the Three Offices and Nine Bureaus, and the sources of the Twelve Rivers. May the sins of the ancestors and of relatives through all kalpas be absolved. May they be swiftly erased…

The register of sins is erased, and the roots of evil are pulled out. The souls of the dead are no longer detained or forced to mingle with ghosts. These are the effects of the Primordial Talisman, issued under the authority of the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning.

In accordance with the talisman’s command, the souls of the dead are promoted at the appointed time. Divine troops from the Cold Pool of the Northern Capital guard their bodies and souls, subdue demonic obstacles, and recommend them for salvation and advancement in rank, enabling them to proceed to the Southern Palace. There, the souls of the dead undergo refinement and salvation, becoming immortals and attaining human form; the living receive deliverance and may endure forever. Through however many kalpas they pass, they endure as the cycles of tribulation turn, sharing the lifespan of Heaven. They are forever freed from the Three Paths of suffering—the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—as well as the Five Sufferings and Eight Difficulties. They transcend the Three Realms and roam at ease in the realm of Shangqing.

Write the jade instruction—the ritual formula—on paper in the east, burn it, and pray that the Messengers of the Nine Dragons carry the talisman and transmit its command. Read aloud, present the memorial, and submit it in advance.

Prepare and copy the documents that faithfully set out the ritual observances, present them to the Three Heavens, report them to the boundless sky and the deep earth, make an oath with the Three Realms, and announce them throughout the Ten Directions. Pray in advance for an edict to be issued and put into effect, so that the Nine Depths may be at peace, the gates of the underworld may open, and detention and interrogation may cease.

When presenting the memorial, the incantations, visualization methods, and dispatch rites used to summon divine attendants are the same as those used for a formal memorial.

Bowing to the Memorial of the Plain Carriage and White Horse

Read aloud the proclamation to the Three Realms, the prayer, and the dispatch incantation.

Proclaim to the boundless divine ministers of the Three Realms, the Office of the Winding Springs, the Northern Capital of Luofeng, the Three Officials, the Nine Offices, and the Twelve River Sources: May the sins of ancestors and parents be absolved, and the sufferings of relatives through the generations be released. May the register of sins be swiftly erased and the roots of evil destroyed, so that the souls of the dead are no longer detained or forced to mingle with ghosts. This is the edict of the Primordial Talisman.

In accordance with the talisman’s command, the souls of the dead are promoted at the appointed time. Divine troops from the Cold Pool of the Northern Capital guard their bodies and souls, subdue demonic obstacles, and recommend them for salvation and advancement in rank, enabling them to proceed to the Southern Palace. There, the souls of the dead undergo refinement and salvation, becoming immortals and attaining human form; the living receive deliverance and may endure forever. Through however many kalpas they pass, they endure as the cycles of tribulation turn, sharing the lifespan of Heaven. They are forever freed from the Three Paths, the Five Sufferings, and the Eight Difficulties. They transcend the Three Realms and roam at ease in the realm of Shangqing.

Setting Up the Oath-Banner

The ritual prescribes that the Azure Profound Treasure Banner be made of blue silk and inscribed with the Great Nine Dragons Talisman. Its lower edge is divided into nine strips, with eight around the perimeter and one in the center; each strip bears a command of the Nine Dragons, together forming a single treasure standard. Set it up according to the divisions of the Nine Provinces, and establish it with the prescribed ritual praises and bows. Wrap money and fruit offerings inside the banner, then scatter them toward the Ten Directions. Since mortal eyes might see the true spirits of Heaven, causing them to be exposed or treated irreverently, this prohibition is especially important.

The central teaching says: Once the proclamation has been made in advance, the ritual master faces the Gate of Heaven, offers incense, and visualizes the gate opening. He imagines a thousand plain carriages, white horses, and a procession of ten thousand mounted attendants before the Gate of Heaven. In each of the Ten Directions, great celestial beings and generals descend through the air to inspect how the ritual has been performed. The master then faces the Gate of Heaven, presents the memorial as prescribed, and scatters the banner silk according to the ritual rules.

Where the ritual altar is set up and the banners and standards raised, arrange the space to resemble the palace of the Great Deep’s Water Bureau: pure, bright, and unobstructed. Above, form a precious canopy shaped like lingzhi mushrooms; let the light of the sun and moon flow through and illuminate the waters…

Visualize a huge ceremonial banner appearing within the ritual space. It symbolizes guidance and the summoning of spirits. Sacred winds billow around it, surging straight into the clouds. Then visualize a lotus in the water, fragrant without end. Golden light, auspicious clouds, and sacred Qi (vital energy) surround it. The banner’s ends flutter and stream in the wind, scattering mist like a fine rain in every direction.

The Supreme Emperor of Azure Mystery (a revered Daoist deity) dwells beneath a canopy, holding a sacred branch. Water sprinkled from it drifts with the banner and becomes ritual rain. Auspicious clouds rise, guiding departed souls to gather beneath the banner. There they await the opening of the altar and pay homage to the Emperor, receiving instruction and the chance for new life.

Paying Court and Presenting a Petition

The purpose is this: after first making an announcement, the ritual master—the “sign” mentioned in the scripture, meaning the person conducting the rite—continues with the court audience and petition. He seeks favor from the Golden Gate of the Three Heavens and asks for an amnesty decree, humbly awaiting the command of the celestial court.

First, summon the True Spirit and visualize it appearing in the four directions. As the ritual master looks around, he seems to see two Jade Youth Lords holding a banner and tally, and presenting a radiant pearl that shines from afar toward him. The precious light emanating from the brow, mouth, and nose of the Supreme Jade Dawn (a revered Daoist deity) merges with the pearl’s radiance. The ritual master gently guides this light toward himself with his gaze and breath.

The Jade Youth Lords hold the pearl in their hands. It shines like the sun, bright and clear, with nothing to obstruct it. A stream of primordial Qi from the pearl forms ranks and, in an instant, enters the ritual master’s body like flowing molten gold. He gazes up at the Supreme Jade Dawn and bows in homage. After bowing again, he withdraws from the celestial court. Then the Jade Maidens and Jade Youth Lords mount the solar orb and rise together with him. The pearl releases a circular golden radiance that turns and illuminates the four directions. Everything above and below becomes clear and transparent; the light reaches the distant, obscure realm of the underworld, making it bright as day.

The prison wardens bow low, touch their hands to their foreheads in salute, and turn in reverence to worship the Supreme One, their faces filled with joy. The light opens the dark depths of hell. All condemned souls are given a reprieve from imprisonment and spared interrogation; they, too, escape the suffering of confinement. Next, a Jade Maiden holds the banner and tally, rides the sacred pearl, and fills the inner and outer realms with light. The banner turns upon the wheel of radiance. Ritual rain and compassionate clouds spread through the prisons, their light penetrating inside and out, transforming the whole place into a pure lotus realm where all beings are delivered. At last, a faint light reaches the ritual master’s whole body. Following the ritual method, he receives the True Qi, then leaves the room.

When he goes to sleep that night, he visualizes his bed as a jade carriage and his body lying amid clouds, mist, the sun, the moon, and the stars, their brilliant radiance reflecting upon him. Then he visualizes himself transformed into the Supreme Emperor of Azure Mystery, seated upright upon a nine-headed lion. In his left hand he holds a crystal purification bell; in his right, an azure-stone sacred branch, which he sprinkles toward the ten directions…

As if a strange fragrance issues from the ears, eyes, nose, and mouth, it spreads throughout the boundless world. When one thinks of how the departed spirits in the netherworld rejoice because of it, the fragrance descends and rises again. This gives the spirits advance notice: by concentrating their thoughts, they can open a path to passage and release from suffering.

Bow before Fengdu and proclaim the Dao chapter that opens a path to life for the departed spirits.

Proclaim the decree of pardon:

Once the talismanic mandate of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning has been issued, the departed spirits may ascend at the appointed time. Divine generals from the Northern Capital’s Cold Pool Division guard their bodies and souls, subdue demonic obstacles, and secure their recommendation and deliverance. The spirits are then guided to the Southern Palace to undergo refinement and deliverance, becoming immortals; they may also be reborn as human beings. After receiving deliverance, they endure through successive kalpas and remain forever; as the cycles of the kalpas turn, they live as long as Heaven. They are freed forever from the Three Paths, Five Sufferings, and Eight Difficulties, transcend the Three Realms, and roam at ease in the realm of Highest Clarity.

Decree of extraction and redemption at Fengdu:

The Supreme One, the Enlightened Primordial Beginning, the Verifier of the True, and the Five Elders, Sovereign Emperors, issue the red-scripted jade writ. It removes and redeems all grievances between adversaries from past lives and the roots of karmic offenses, releasing them all. Punishment, examination, and torture cease. The departed spirits ascend to the Nine Heavens, while their souls are delivered to Zhu Ling for refinement. Today is an auspicious day, and all the spirits have come to hear the command. Dragon spirits bear the white tablets on their backs and open the covenant in the netherworld. May every prayer be fulfilled, and may the decree be conveyed by the wind-and-fire courier.

Offer prayers to the dragon spirits.

Bow and proclaim the Dao chapter that opens the roads of passage.

Proclaim the Precious Decree of the Jade Emperor:

The Supreme Heaven of Mysterious Vastness, the wondrously existent realm of profound truth; the lofty, remote Purple-Gold Palace and the Jade-Clear Palace of Taiwei. This is the sacred realm without limit or equal, vast and boundless, where the radiance of the Law shines clear in serene immensity, beyond comparison with anything. Its subtle principles encompass the ten directions; deep, still, and truly constant, the Dao’s body is vast and its divine powers boundless. We respectfully praise the Great Celestial Worthy, the Jade Emperor, the High Sovereign of the Mysterious Vault.

Proclaim the decree appointing the Earth Deities:

Command the Earth Deities—the spirits of the earthly realm—to guard the departed spirits, escort them, and welcome them. Deliver the spirits from the gates of hell and from the Five Sufferings and Eight Difficulties, so that their seven generations of ancestors may ascend and be freed forever from the jurisdiction of the ghost officials. Let their souls go to Zhu Ling for refinement and deliverance, and obtain rebirth. This is boundless universal deliverance, saving living beings without end.

Open the roads in the five directions:

For the ritual, make five clay bases, set up five white banners, and insert bamboo branches into the clay bases. Write “Celestial Worthy Who Opens the Roads of Passage” on the banners, and place lamps within the altar according to the five directions. (The rites for ascending the altar are recorded elsewhere.)

The essential procedure is as follows: the ritual master faces the Gate of Heaven and performs three bows, then lights the “Roads of Passage” lamp. Next, facing each of the five directions in turn, the master holds a banner and recites a verse, while using a staff or sword to cut open the roads in those directions. Begin in the east: stand facing east and visualize the Envoy of Great Unity and the Five Emperors’ Directives—divine generals and talismanic officials who govern the five directions—laying down life-giving Qi and entering through the Eastern Gate. Then use the staff to cut open the road to the east. Carry out the same procedure for the south, west, north, and center. This is the rite for opening the roads and releasing the departed spirits.

The Supreme Clarity Great Method of Numinous Treasure, Volume 54