《上清靈寶大法(一)》Vol. 9

Incantation for Combing the Hair

“The wondrous radiance within the Niwan Palace (the Daoist dwelling place of the deities of the head) protects and sustains Jing and Qi, allowing them to endure. To the left is the Hidden Sun; to the right, the Root of the Moon. The four quarters of Heaven and Earth are pure and bright, and the hundred spirits receive my visualization.”

After reciting the incantation, swallow the saliva in your mouth three times, then arrange your hair. Comb while facing an auspicious direction, and do this regularly so that your hair will not fall out. Comb several times, but not so hard that it hurts; you may also have an attendant comb your hair for you. This practice helps Qi and blood circulate freely and keeps the hair roots firm.

Incantation for Bathing

“Heaven and Earth are clear and bright; the four great constituents of body and mind (the four elements that Daoism says make up the human body) are at peace. With wondrous water, wash away filth and drive off ill fortune. The twin youths guard the gates, and the Seven Perfected (Daoist revered perfected beings) dwell in peace within. Numinous fluids cleanse and refine; the myriad Qi are harmonized. Within and without, all is secure, preserving this body of yellow robes (a reference to the body of a Daoist practitioner).”

Incantation for Putting on Cap and Sash

“Today is an auspicious day, in accord with the grace of the Celestial Emperor. The dust and defilement have been washed away; the impurities of the body, the stains of sin, and the burdens of karma have all been dispelled. I breathe in the essence of the Sun and Moon, tread the Nine Mornings (the Daoist heavenly realms), circle the Three Terraces (a star name that also refers to celestial officials), and journey among the Five Planets. I wear talismanic insignia and a phoenix robe with a tiger skirt; I hold the mysterious script and recite the texts of the Cavern of Numinous Mystery, my voice reaching the Highest Empyrean. The Five Emperors turn back their chariots and grant me a feathered writ, enabling me to ascend to the heavenly realm of Highest Clarity.”

Incantation for Taking Decoctions and Elixirs

“Reverently I beseech the Old Lords of the Five Directions and Five Spirits. Summon the celestial physician Bian Que and fifty of his officials, so that after I take this medicine my body may be freed from illness, and illness may depart from my body. I ride the Dipper constellation and mount the power of the celestial roads, ascending through the Ten Heavens. My destiny comes from the Nine Earths; may my lifespan, fortune, and blessings flourish. May I live long without dying and unite with the Dao.”

After reciting the incantation, face east and take the medicine.

Anyone practicing this method should recite the mysterious texts, comport themselves with dignity and grace, and act in accordance with proper ritual conduct. If one behaves carelessly and roughly, ghosts and spirits will mock one; the Three Officials (the Daoist officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water) will also investigate one’s faults and give warning through omens. The rules for fasting and purification have already been explained, so Daoist priests should follow the standards for priests, and those cultivating perfection should meet the standards for perfected beings. Those who study the Way and perform these rites with their own hands should be all the more careful.

Incantation Before Eating

“The essence of the five grains and Five Phases enters the stomach and intestines, bringing peace to the five viscera, driving away corpse demons, bringing peace to the Seven Ancestors, and granting me long life and lasting vision.”

After reciting the incantation, click the teeth thirty-two times and swallow saliva nine times; only then should you eat. This rite is generally performed at midday.

Meals should be scheduled before the hour of the Rooster. Food eaten before the hour of the Horse is regarded as nourishment for humans and heavenly beings; food eaten after the hour of the Rooster is like a sacrificial offering enjoyed by ghosts and demons. Do not speak of death while eating, lest you fall ill. Nor should food be left exposed for a long time, for fear that it will attract baleful influences. Thus, perfected people seeking the path to transcendence in the mountains abstain from grain.

Incantation for Removing One’s Clothes Before Sleep:

“By the command of the Great Emperor, I ascend into the Nine Palaces. May the hundred spirits each rest in their proper place, arrayed in attendance upon the Divine Lord. May my hun and po souls be harmonized, and my jade organs refined and nourished. May radiant light fill my entire body, mysterious Qi flow through me, and the numinous fluids of the seven apertures be abundant. May the fire bells shine upon one another, destroying ghosts and dispelling calamity. May the path of the immortals endure, and may life be without end.”

After reciting the incantation, remove your clothes and get into bed.

Incantation for Lying Down at Night:

“Heaven has nine stars, Earth has nine palaces; within every joint of my body, myriad spirits follow at my side. The Three Corpses (spirits said in Daoism to dwell in the human body and obstruct cultivation) lie hidden; the breaths of the Five Organs circulate. As the Three Fields (the upper, middle, and lower Dantian within the body) and the four limbs move, preserve the body’s centered and upright Qi. Dragons, tigers, and the Eight Trigrams guard my jade countenance. May ghosts, monsters, and spirits not intrude upon my inner palace.”

Click the teeth together twenty-four times. After reciting, click them again as described earlier. Whenever you sleep, do not leave your mouth open, and do not lie on your back like a corpse. Those who cultivate the Dao must especially avoid these taboos concerning their clothing and headdresses, ritual vestments and implements, as well as borrowing another person’s method of circulating Qi, guarding the Three Ones, or reciting mysterious texts.

Incantation for Knocking Before Entering the Latrine:

“On my left is the Virtue Spirit; on my right, the Pure Spirit. On my left is the Lady who Governs the Earth; on my right are the Six Ding. Drive away impurity, erase my name from the register of the dead, and add it to the register of the living.”

Whenever you go to the latrine, knock on the door three times first. After reciting the incantation, click your teeth together three times. Do not spit, face north, look up at the sun, moon, or stars, or use the latrine together with someone of the opposite sex, for all these things bring misfortune.

Incantation for Leaving the House:

“Leaving Yin and entering Yang, may the roads in all four directions open before me. May the Eight Spirits and Six Ding accompany me, bringing me safe and proper passage. May the sun and moon protect me, and may the Seven Stars crown my head.”

Click your teeth together seven times. Visualize the Seven Stars above your head, with the Dipper’s handle pointing forward.

How to Burn Incense:

When entering a quiet chamber (a place where Daoist priests calm their minds, cultivate, and perform rites) to burn incense, keep your thoughts upright and focus your visualization on the incense smoke. Do not turn around to look, and do not look back when leaving. While preparing to perform a rite, do not speak with others. Keep your feet together as you step over the threshold, and do not bite the incense with your mouth.

Do not use a stove fire to burn incense, or stove ash for its ash, because the stove may contain “the hidden dragon’s dung,” a grave taboo in Daoist ritual practice. Instead, burn pine and cypress branches and leaves to make ash, and collect it in the incense burner. Do not place spicy vegetables, strongly scented or gamey plants, or unclean things such as insect-eaten material, hair, or fingernails near the incense. Such things would profane the Supreme Perfected. The Immortal Elder of the Supreme Ultimate and others often used willow, bamboo, pine, cypress…

Once the incense has burned to ash, take sunflower leaves and hibiscus leaves, pound them, and mix them with the ash into a paste. A little spikenard may also be added. Incense made this way is less likely to become damp and spoil; even after a long time, it will not burn up all at once. Using more incense makes the flame stronger; using less makes it burn longer.

The Immortal Elder often took the roots of old vines, washed them clean in a stream of running water, then dried them in the sun. He pounded them together with aucklandia root and Scrophularia root and burned the mixture. This clears away foul influences, allows sincere intent to rise to the heavens, and summons true spirits, bringing one into communion with the Dao of the immortals. Other incense materials with pungent, harsh scents should not be used. When burning incense, the flame should be strong, so that the smoke rises in a single upward stream and carries one’s sincerity aloft. Do not let the smoke grow faint or stagnate. When burning incense while reciting scriptures, however, the smoke may be allowed to rise in an unbroken stream.

During ritual practice, hold the breath and offer prayers silently. When breathing returns to normal, perform the bows and prostrations. As you bow, visualize yourself making the obeisance. Since the body may lean and lose its composure during the movements, bow reverently in keeping with the visualization in your mind.

Whenever reciting and receiving divine texts, confessing transgressions, or praying for blessings, one should pay homage to the Highest Mystery three times during the day. Incense may also be offered at six times. The “three morning offerings” are at sunrise, midday, and sunset. The “six times” are midnight, dawn, mealtime, midday, afternoon, and dusk; all are considered times of Yang. On Wuchen or Wuxu days, or during strong winds, torrential rain, and thunder and lightning, ritual practice should be suspended until the weather calms and the breath of Heaven settles. Then one may resume paying homage and cultivation.

Facing the Origin and Entering the Retreat

The Master said: A retreat chamber is a place for cultivation where dust and defilement are kept out and worldly affairs are not allowed to intrude. The altar should be arranged according to ritual norms and modeled on Heaven and Earth. Set out the sacred images according to the household’s means and the size of the dwelling, and arrange them in orderly rows. Face the distant palaces in homage to the true sages, making both the outer and inner self dignified and the body and mind pure. In a state of subtle, indistinct awareness, commune with the true spirits; in the vast and profound realm, apprehend the ultimate Dao. This is not simply a matter of setting up a name or pretense to deceive the world.

When practicing in a temple, establish the sacred images of the Three Realms of the Perfected and the Lords of the Heavens. When living in a lay household, enshrine the Three Treasures at the center, with the images of the various true spirits arranged around them. During worship, face the distant palaces and visualize them in the mind.

At dawn, first still the spirit and settle the thoughts, then arrange the headwear, clothing, and Daoist robe. Stand outside the door, draw in the gaze, and visualize the deities within yourself taking their places in order. Click the teeth nine times and recite the prayer:

Prayer:

Great Radiant Spirit, ninefold and deep green; dawn clouds conceal their radiance, cleansing and refining the palaces of the Five Spirits. You command the Six Directions and harmonize the Seven Spirits; knots bind, radiance disperses, and the root of the embryo is purified.

Click the teeth nine more times, enter the room, and face the Earth Gate—the directional position of the room’s entrance. Click the teeth three times to the left of the Earth Gate and silently recite the secret incantation.

Incantation for Entering the Door at Dawn:

Four Radiant Functionaries, Envoys Who Reach the True, Jade Youths Who Convey Words, Pure Maidens Who Attend the Retreat, for …

I address the true gods in the altar hall: may the original Qi born in the Upper Origin descend into my body.

After reciting the invocation, form the Jade Clarity mudra, visualize the Qi of the East, and picture one Merit Officer, who delivers documents, one Messenger, two Jade Maidens, and one Attendant of the Altar, a divine official who serves at the Daoist altar.

Nighttime Invocation for Entering the Home

Four Radiant Merit Officers, Dragon-and-Tiger Messengers, Orthodox Unity life-giving Qi, Attendant of the Altar, and Plain Maidens who serve the Dao: when I make a request at night, may the Enlightened Youth and the Maiden of the Upper Origin enter the altar hall together with you, so that my petition may be conveyed clearly to the heavens above.

After reciting the invocation, visualize one Merit Officer, two Dragon-and-Tiger Messengers, one Attendant of the Altar, one Plain Maiden, one Enlightened Youth, and one Maiden of the Upper Mystery: six in all.

Once inside the doorway, visualize the Incense Officer and Messenger, the two Dragon-and-Tiger Lords, the Golden Youth who Tends the Incense, and the Jade Maiden who Transmits Words, standing on either side of the incense table. The sun and moon hang before you, each nine inches away. The Northern Dipper is like a canopy over your head, with the Piao Star, the Dipper’s seventh star, facing forward. The three Qi blend densely together, and you are within them. Then hold your breath and quiet your mind. Facing the seat, bow inwardly, or hold the tablet upright and bow three times. Click your teeth nine times, then silently recite the secret invocation:

Seven Stars, Dark Truth, Sovereign of Soul and Spirit: your radiance flows forth and shines, protecting the Dipper’s soul in every direction. The stars of the Three Terraces shine with splendor; the Seven Fluids entwine with the body’s saliva. The golden talisman is like a tiger, guarding the Gate of Life. Divine transformation opens the way to the numinous realm and gathers and turns the Purple Court.

After reciting the invocation, state your request as you wish. But you must recite it with wholehearted concentration, so that the Nine Gods descend and respond at the Imperial Seat. Then your request is sure to receive a response.

Silent Memorial

I, your servant, [name], holding the rank of [rank], respectfully present this memorial to the gods:

From my early years I entered the mysterious gate and was fortunate to study the wondrous Dao. Yet I am ashamed that I have not accumulated enough of the Ten Good Deeds to bring about the Six Spiritual Powers. I have failed to move the gods, and my conduct has often carelessly broken the precepts. I was diligent at first, then became lax. What I say does not match what I think; my actions have fallen short, and in burning incense and cultivating the Way I have failed to observe the proper times. I fear that the Six Offices, which record people’s offenses, have already entered my crimes in their registers, and that the Three Corpses, spirits who watch over people, have secretly reported my faults. Therefore, I have chosen an auspicious day to repent and confess my offenses with reverence. May the gods take pity on my ignorance, grant me special pardon, and release me from my sins.

May I accumulate the mysterious merits for many years and soon refine the elixir. May the registers of the immortals record my good deeds, and the records of the spirits erase my calamities. May I be able to cultivate the art of refining Qi and perfecting the self described in the Golden Book of the Eight Radiances, and, through the Jade Script of the Five Characters, attain long life and enduring vision. May the Daoist teachings be at peace, and may disasters and misfortunes be cleansed and swept away. May the myriad spirits be roused and the assembled demons subdued, so that nothing hinders the establishment of the teaching and the earning of merit, the guidance of the people, or the support of the world. May I repay the kindness of the ruler, my teacher, and my parents above, and aid the deceased who are sunk and trapped in the underworld below. May the true Dao endure forever.

Both form and spirit have reached a wondrous state. I am filled with apprehension and respectfully submit this account.

Morning Departure Incantation

Go out through Yin and enter into Yang; may all the gods open the road. Once the petition has been presented, please close the Yellow Chamber, the dwelling place of the spirits, and attend the Pure Jade Maiden, a Daoist goddess, so that the spirit palace may be bright, pure, and complete.

Night Departure Incantation

On high, the Mysterious One and Supreme Yin; the eight windows open in radiance. Please let the maiden who comes to assist, a goddess who serves the spirits, communicate with numinous clarity. When the business is done, return to your place; may all the gods become still and withdraw into concealment.

After reciting the incantation, go out. If you are in a Pure Chamber, a quiet room for Daoist practice, you should sit down and cultivate visualization. Secretly practice according to the methods you have cultivated in the past; this is especially appropriate. If you combine this with another method that has its own specific ritual, follow the relevant instructions.

Repenting and Acknowledging Transgressions

The first principle of cultivating the Dao is to commit as few transgressions as possible. If you commit a transgression and refuse to correct it, you move far from the Dao. Even if your practice has not yet reached a high level, how can you subdue ghosts and spirits if your conduct is undisciplined? How much more so when you must present petitions and save beings in the realms of the dead and the living?

The divine offices that keep records of merit and transgression record good and evil without the slightest error. Xu Yuanyou, a practitioner of the Dao in Jin-dynasty lore, withdrew to the mountains and devoted himself to realizing the Great Dao, gradually entering the ranks of the perfected. Yet the Three Offices, the divine authorities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, sent Zhou Fang and others with a red register of transgressions to inform him:

“If you wish to study the Dao, seek long life, and have your name entered among the perfected; if your heart turns toward the mysterious Dao, you dwell in seclusion, and you revere the High Perfected, then you should accumulate worldly merit so that calamity does not arise, let hidden virtue pass from generation to generation, and extend benevolence to those who come after you. Only then may you ascend to the realm of immortals, seek the immortal Dao, and have your name entered in the Azure Register, the roster of immortals.”

If even Xu Yuanyou was subject to this, how could we fail to understand the need to commit fewer transgressions and cultivate ourselves through self-examination? Those who uphold Daoist teachings, practice and carry out their duties, or seek immortality and study the Dao should repent of past transgressions and continually build merit for the future.

Thus the Treatise on the Mysterious Principle says: “When you have committed a transgression, correct it and do not commit it again. When you have established merit, keep building upon it and do not slacken halfway. This is called renewing virtue day by day. In this way, you will naturally receive Heaven’s protection.”

If you merely pray and repent with your lips while failing to examine your heart—committing the same transgressions again after having committed them before, presenting a polished exterior while continuing to decay within—then even exhausting yourself, paying homage while gazing at the stars and moon, observing purification and precepts, and burning incense as you recite scriptures will all be in vain.

Some people speak glibly and mislead others, saying, “If we do not accumulate guilt or commit evil, what need is there for repentance?” They then advocate abolishing the religious rules. This goes too far in correcting an excess. For transgressions that people can readily repent of, apply the proper measure: neither too much nor too little. But when you know that you yourself have done wrong, you must examine yourself, follow the teachings of the scriptures and act according to the rules, and report the matter to the Three Offices and Five Emperors, the deities who govern the affairs of Heaven, so that the transgressions may be removed from the register…

Those who have achieved great merit and remain steadfast may attain rank and recognition in the utmost realms of the ten directions and the celestial heavens of the nine firmaments, the lofty heavens described in Daoist teachings. Even ascending bodily to become an immortal depends on each person’s circumstances; do not let this become a reason to hold yourself back. Most people with resolve can accomplish what they set out to do.

Ritual of Acknowledging Faults (a rite of repentance)

On any day of the year except the autumn equinox, one may enter the Jing chamber, a quiet room for Daoist practice, at the appointed time during the Three Yuan festivals—the Upper, Middle, and Lower Yuan—or on one of the Eight Festivals, one’s birth date, a Jiazi day, a Gengshen day, or another auspicious day. One may also go to a temple, monastery, mountain, forest, waterside, or other quiet place. Burn incense with focused attention, reflect on one’s faults, and recall one’s transgressions.

First sit quietly beside the altar and ponder what you have done and where you have gone wrong in the past. Hold yourself in awe, stay alert, and exercise self-restraint. Then rise, straighten your clothing, compose your bearing, and ascend the altar to make your petition. After entering, recite the incantation, offer incense, and follow the ritual. Each step follows the usual rules for paying homage: at dawn, begin in the east; at noon, begin in the south; at night, begin in the north. Face the five directions in turn to repent and acknowledge your faults. The relevant liturgy has its own established procedures: after lighting the incense burner, follow the ritual sequence, and only after the third incense offering should you bow to each direction in turn, as in the customary act of paying homage.

This rite, however, is best performed privately, and is also suited to solitary practice and paying homage. It should not be made overly elaborate. For this reason, only the words for acknowledging faults toward the four directions are set out here; they may be adapted as circumstances require.

Offering Incense

I pray that the Nine Pure Ones above, the sages, and all the spirits of the Three Realms will show their grace together and permit me to offer this petition as prescribed.

Today, having chosen an auspicious time, I have quieted my mind and repented of my faults. I bow in repentance and pray for grace. First, I respectfully offer this prayer:

May the altars of the imperial house and the spirits of the ancestral temples ascend to the nine firmaments, and may their blessings endure for ten thousand generations. May the reign of the present emperor be lasting and the fortunes of the state flourish. May the emperor’s sacred longevity equal that of Heaven and Earth, and may his Virtue and transforming influence extend throughout Heaven, Earth, and all things. May the people in every direction turn toward goodness and the five grains yield abundant harvests. May all beings with awareness and perception realize the utterly true Dao and enter together into a realm of boundless, endless peace and joy.

May the grand teachings flourish and be put into practice; may the Correct Dharma endure without decline. I presume to state these common wishes and respectfully present them before the heavenly presence. My heart is filled with utmost trepidation; I respectfully submit this petition.

I, your servant, so-and-so, sincerely devote myself to the Azure Emperor of the East, the White Emperor of the West, the Vermilion Emperor of the South, the Dark Emperor of the North, and the Lingbao Heavenly Venerables of the four intermediate directions, above and below, and the ten directions; to the Emperors of the thirty-two heavens, the Star Lords of the twenty-eight lunar mansions that encircle the heavens, the Heavenly Perfected and exalted sages, the Perfected Lords of the Five Sacred Peaks, and all the immortals and numinous officials of the mountains, rivers, seas, grotto-heavens, and blessed lands.

Begin the rite facing north, then pay homage to the other directions in turn. Bow three times toward the north, then kneel upright.

Holding the ritual rank of: I, your servant, so-and-so, sincerely return my body, my Shen, and my life…

I, your humble servant, respectfully report to the Boundless Most High Heavenly Worthy of Numinous Treasure (a revered Daoist deity) of the north and northeast; the Eight Heavenly Emperors of the north; the high perfected ones and holy sages, perfected persons, and true immortals of the north; the stellar lords of the seven northern lodges—Dipper, Ox, Girl, Emptiness, Rooftop, Encampment, and Wall; the True Lord, the Black Emperor, of Mount Heng, the Northern Peak; and all the numinous beings in the northern Grotto-Heavens and blessed lands, mountains, rivers, seas, together with all northern gods, immortals, and numinous officers:

I have heard that the Great Dao is compassionate and points out the path of repentance and reform; that the high perfected ones established teachings and especially revealed the method for praying for pardon. I reflect that my understanding is dull and I am only an ordinary person. Yet, through good connections accumulated in the past, I have been fortunate to encounter the flourishing of Daoism and find the orthodox path. I have presumptuously taken my place among the registers of the Daoist tradition—lists of names conferred on those who cultivate the Dao—and have also been fortunate to inherit the tradition of the Mysterious Origin, an honored title for Laozi, the Ancestor of the Dao. Yet I have not established merit or helped the world, and I fear that my words and deeds have already been at fault. I also worry that the sins accumulated by my ancestors through the generations, my deceased relatives, and myself in past lives and this life are as weighty as rivers and seas. These sins are recorded in the registers of the Celestial and Terrestrial Offices and are also manifest in the palaces of the sun, moon, and stars. They have long gone unforgiven and remain undispelled. I fear that I will therefore suffer censure and punishment, and that my efforts to do good and establish merit will be obstructed.

Now I sincerely confess my faults and pray for compassion and pardon, so that the grave sins committed from past lives until this day by my Nine Profound and Seven Ancestors—a Daoist term for many generations of forebears—my relatives through many past lives, and myself may all melt away like ice in the sun. May I forever cut off evil thoughts and deeds, and strengthen and nurture the roots of goodness. May I also soon fulfill my cultivation vows and encounter the high perfected ones. Further, may my living kin, my deceased friends and relatives, and all those within and outside the Daoist community transform their spirits, receive blessings, and unite with the Dao in perfection. May blessings extend to all beings, so that they may all receive the Dao’s transforming influence.

With sincere and reverent heart, and in utmost trepidation, I respectfully make this report.

For repentance in the east, south, west, and center, follow the same format as above, changing only the sacred names listed in the middle.

I, your humble servant, sincerely return my person, my spirit, and my life.

I respectfully report to the Boundless Most High Heavenly Worthy of Numinous Treasure of the east and southeast; the Eight Heavenly Emperors of the east; the high perfected ones and holy sages, perfected persons, and true immortals of the east; the stellar lords of the seven eastern lodges—Horn, Neck, Root, Room, Heart, Tail, and Winnowing Basket; the True Lord, the Green Emperor, of Mount Tai, the Eastern Peak; and all the numinous beings in the eastern Grotto-Heavens and blessed lands, mountains, rivers, seas, together with all eastern gods, immortals, and numinous officers.

I respectfully report to the Boundless Most High Heavenly Worthy of Numinous Treasure of the south and southwest; the Eight Heavenly Emperors of the south; the high perfected ones and holy sages, perfected persons, and true immortals of the south; the stellar lords of the seven southern lodges—Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Extended Net, Wings, and Chariot; the True Lord, the Red Emperor, of Mount Heng, the Southern Peak; and all beings in the southern Grotto…

All true spirits in the celestial realm, the earthly realm, the mountains and rivers, and the seas; the immortals of the south and all the spirit officials.

In the west and northwest, the Limitless Most High Heavenly Worthy of the Numinous Treasure (the supreme Heavenly Worthy of the Numinous Treasure); the sovereigns of the eight heavens in the west; the exalted perfected ones, holy sages, perfected beings, and immortals of the west; the star lords of the seven lunar mansions Kui, Lou, Wei, Mao, Bi, Zui, and Shen; the White Emperor True Lord of Mount Hua, the Western Peak; and all true spirits in the blessed caverns, sacred lands, mountains, rivers, and seas of the west, together with the immortals and spirit officials of the west.

Above and below, the Limitless Most High Heavenly Worthy of the Numinous Treasure; the sovereigns of the Three Luminaries and Nine Heavens of the Great Luo Heaven; the sovereigns of the Thirty-Six Heavens, the Five Elder Emperors, the rulers of the Celestial Court, and countless exalted perfected ones; the true spirits of the Ten Lands in the shadowy realm of Luofeng (the netherworld), and the Thirty-Six Earth Sovereigns; the Yellow Emperor True Lord of Mount Song, the Central Peak; and all immortals and spirit officials in the blessed caverns, sacred lands, mountains, rivers, and seas of the center, as well as those above and below.

Bow three times:

The Most High Limitless Great Dao, the revered scriptures of the Thirty-Six Divisions, and the lineage masters who attained the Dao throughout the ages.

Make this further prayer:

I, your servant, with profound sincerity, respectfully submit this petition to the Limitless Great Dao, the Supreme Emperor, the exalted perfected ones, the awe-inspiring powers of the Three Realms, and all the holy beings of the Ten Directions. Now I enter the quiet chamber to pay homage to the true sages (calming my mind, setting up the altar, and bowing in prayer to the divine perfected ones). First, I confess my own faults and humbly ask to receive the great kindness of Heaven and Earth and be granted forgiveness.

I pray that my offenses in the netherworld may be reduced and my rank among the immortals increased; that I may encounter no demonic obstacles in my studies, and that the merits of my practice may reach their full completion. How could I fail to awaken deeply to my past errors and strengthen my longstanding resolve? I vow to spread the teachings of the Great Dao and save beings far and wide, extending its grace throughout the Ten Directions and to the Nine Generations of Ancestors. My heart is filled with utmost reverence and trepidation; I respectfully submit this petition.

Then go outside as usual. This is the general outline of the “Natural Audience of the Numinous Treasure” (the natural audience ritual in Numinous Treasure fasting rites).

If this ritual is performed each month, use the procedure given below and make only one general confession.

Daily Natural Audience Ritual: First enter the house and collect the spirit in quiet contemplation, bringing both the mind within and the world without into clear awareness. Then visualize the holy beings arriving at the altar, and complete the invitation and presentation of one’s intentions.

The prayer says:

I have heard that the primordial Qi brings forth radiance and holds the hidden, unfathomable pivot of creation and transformation. The Three Heavens set transformation in motion, arranging wondrous celestial patterns amid the world that emerged from chaos. The five thousand four hundred liturgical texts of Daoism were bestowed upon the dusty world; the pure Brahma Qi of the Thirty-Six Heavens governs the subtle ordinances above. It administers fortune and misfortune impartially, determines increase and decrease according to their allotted measure, and transmits Fulu (talismans and registers) to deliver beings in the human and celestial realms. The Great Dao arose in the region of Heming Mountain, and the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity)…

The merit of teaching the Way of self-cultivation reaches back to the primordial era of Longhan. It has shown the path that leads beyond the world.

The Great Dao is beyond words; only purity and sincerity can make one receptive to it. On this auspicious day, I confess my faults before the divine and pay reverence to the perfected sages. With humility, I pray: may the Golden Boy convey my petition, and the Jade Maiden preside over the incense offering, so that my prayer may ascend to the court of wondrous being and enter directly the realm of emptiness. May the holy beings ride in seven carriages and command eight reins, traveling aloft on the vast, unbounded Qi. May their numinous radiance shine across the Three Realms and the ten directions, sweeping away impurity.

I reflect that I am only a beginner in the Way, still beneath the Mysterious Pass. I have yet to grasp its subtle and profound principles, and I have also violated the precepts of the ritual codes. Now, in accordance with the liturgical texts, I specially offer this plea to confess and acknowledge my faults. I beseech the Most High of the Golden Palace and the Supreme Sages of Jade Capital to bestow their grace, cleanse my grave transgressions, allow me to reform, and pardon me as I continue to advance. I earnestly ask that they secretly grant me the Qi of Great Mystery, so that I may refine a numinous body of Lingbao, enter the realm of eternal truth, and dwell for a long time beneath the shelter of tranquility.

May my merit extend to the netherworld and the human world, and bring grace to my adversaries and kin, so that they encounter no demonic obstacles as they enter the Way. May I, in seeking longevity, gain lasting insight into the Great Dao. My heart is filled with utmost trepidation; I respectfully make this petition.

I kneel for a long time in repentance:

With utmost sincerity, I offer my body, spirit, and life to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the Lingbao Celestial Worthies of the ten directions, and the assembled holy perfected beings in the Scripture of Universal Salvation (Wuliang Duren Jing).

I reflect that, from remote kalpas to this present life, the offenses I have committed through the three activities of body, speech, and mind; the six faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; and the five emotions and seven desires have all been entered in the registers of darkness and the mysterious codes. Now, before the exalted and luminous divinities, I specially lay out my case and confess my remorse. I beseech them to bestow their grace and save my mortal body, withered as rotten wood; may the true officials grant me a new life, remove my name from the register of evil, and enter my good deeds in the records.

May the inborn roots of my nature be released; may my mind be free of worldly defilement, my wisdom complete and penetrating, and my obstacles and demonic disturbances dispelled. May I thereby contribute, even in a small way, to the wondrous teachings and spread the true Dao. Once I attain the Dao, may I ascend to the formless realm.

I make these ten vows:

I beseech the Jade Emperors of the Three Pure Ones, the Three Su Yuanjun, the High Numinous One, and the great deities of the immortal capital to witness the vows I make on this auspicious day:

First, may I ascend through the skies and attain immortal life.

Second, may Heaven and Earth be in harmony with me, and may the light of the sun and moon correspond with mine.

Third, may the Five Sacred Peaks endure forever, as may I.

Fourth, may the Seven Ancestors be released from separation and karmic grievances.

Fifth, may the Thearch Lord sever the knots of kinship that obstruct cultivation.

Sixth, may wisdom open in every life, bringing clarity and understanding.

Seventh, may the harm of ghosts and spirits be dispelled, and the demons of the Six Heavens be cut down.

Eighth, may the aperture of my heart open, allowing me to reach the netherworld and commune with the divine.

Ninth, may every vow I make be fulfilled as I wish.

Tenth, may I ascend to immortality and attend the Three Primordials.

I bow once more and dedicate the merit:

I bow before the Lord of Lingbao’s empty mystery, the true teacher of the Dao who has saved beings through all eternity. His true Qi encompasses Heaven and Earth…

The earth has no fixed name for its De; its principles run through Yin and Yang. It does not cling to thought or understanding, but responds to circumstances and transforms accordingly, saving all beings. Its character transcends the Three Realms—the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm—and the Ten Directions, standing majestically at the summit of supreme merit. With single-minded devotion, I turn toward it, my thoughts never ceasing.

I, your servant, have presumed beyond my abilities. Though ordinary and unenlightened, I have been fortunate to receive and bear the Great Dharma. I hope to dispel heavenly calamities and cycles of disaster above, and save the people of the world below; to restore the dead to life and preserve the living; to heal illness, avert misfortune, and support the righteous Way. May my merit be fulfilled and my cultivation complete, so that I may soon refine the elixir of liquid gold, understand the affairs of the spirits, and swiftly receive the Jade Emperor’s decree. My feelings are utterly sincere; I respectfully submit this report.

Then proceed outside as usual.

Ritual Petition for Reverently Serving the Northern Dipper

I have heard that before Taiji divided, it already contained the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, while the unified primordial Qi flowed throughout. After the Two Principles of Yin and Yang separated, the sun, moon, and five planets each followed their proper courses, bringing harmony to the movement of the seasons. The Northern Dipper turns at the center of Heaven, while the stars are arrayed across the celestial patterns. Each carries out its appointed duties, implements instruction, establishes standards, and receives the Mandate of Heaven.

The Eight Kings are the root of all things, and the Seven Sages are the ancestral teachers of all beings. They oversee the Qi of the seventy-two seasonal periods and the movements of the twenty-eight lunar lodges, while the Dipper enclosure shines everywhere upon the earth’s courses. They take the Northern Dipper as their chariot and regulate the celestial order; circling the North Star, they govern Heaven and Earth. The Dipper’s handle issues commands like a throat and tongue, and holds authority over the pivotal mechanism. Wherever the seventh star of the Dipper points, the Four Seas know the season. By observing changes in the Qi of the Dipper stars, the eight directions receive blessings. The Three Terraces shine together, and the nine kinds of primordial Qi radiate as one.

They oversee the celestial armillary sphere and determine fortune and misfortune in the human realm. Emperor Ming of Han was once granted a vision of the stars, and Celestial Master Zhang received the true scriptures. In the human world, he established the mysterious teaching, freeing people from the bonds of worldly connections. All plants and animals in the world, moreover, hope to be brought forth and nurtured. Now I, your servant, respectfully practice the Great Dharma and vow to save beings in the netherworld and the human realm. Without drawing on the turning of the two Dipper wheels and the creative power of Heaven and Earth’s Kan and Li—the trigrams representing water and fire in the Book of Changes—it would be difficult to realize the Great Way and enter the mysterious gateway.

Therefore, at this time when the stars descend, I offer my sincere prayer. I respectfully invite the Seven Stars to look down upon us and briefly leave the Jade Firmament in their cloud chariot. I respectfully invite the two emperors to make their grand descent, arriving at the ritual altar with all their majesty. Please enter the register of renewed life for the living and erase their names from the register of the dead. May the true Qi of the Seven Primordial Lords, the spirits of the Northern Dipper’s seven stars, fill the Five Viscera, so that the spirit lords of every organ may guard their own domains. May all beings soon comprehend the principle of the true and constant, and be able to proclaim the compassion of the Supreme Way. My feelings are utterly sincere; I respectfully submit this report.

Summoning the Xuanwu Talisman

The celestial gods of the Brahma heavens travel throughout the Ten Directions; the immeasurable great gods all emerge from my body. Wherever the talisman of salvation reaches, it joins with the subtle, hidden Qi. Let it be carried out urgently in accordance with the statutes.

The Big Dipper’s “rotating jade mechanism and measuring rod”—the stars among its seven that govern the movements of the heavens—temporarily cease their turning. Bearing talismans and holding registers, they come together before the Celestial Emperor. When a thousand things harmonize and all matters converge, one can naturally attain realization as a perfected person. Act swiftly in accordance with the ordinances of the Great Lingbao Method.