《上清靈寶大法(二)》Vol. 28

Shangqing Lingbao Great Rites, Scroll Twenty-Nine, “Immortals, Part Two”

(Compiled by Jin Yunzhong, a ritual officer of the Southern Bureau and acting assistant administrator of the Right Wing in the Tongchu Prefecture, serving under the Dongxuan Lingbao ritual master)

Protocols for Memorials and Official Notices

Notice Concerning the Blue Petition

The Lingbao Great Rites Bureau:

On the night of a certain day this month, our bureau established a ritual altar to pray for the repose of a certain person and to recommend a certain person. The blue petition used by the ritual officiant at the altar—an official document presented to the celestial realm during a Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual)—is to be copied and submitted. After it has been read aloud and reported before the palace gates, each document is to be placed in a square case and sealed. This notice must now be sent to inform the relevant personnel.

Be advised: the Merit Officer messenger on duty at a certain hour on a certain day, a divine official responsible for conveying memorials, is to carry the document to the gate of the Three Heavens and present it there. Let the messenger command the stars, ride in a spirit vehicle, and set out swiftly, ascending to the boundless celestial palace and proceeding to the appropriate palace bureau. Deliver the document urgently and report it on time. Only then will sincere intent reach above, the wishes expressed be conveyed swiftly, and no delay occur, so that a response from the spirits may come soon. This notice is hereby issued.

Notice for Sending a Memorial to the Five Prefectures

Notice from the Lingbao Great Rites Bureau to the messenger on duty at the Tongchu Prefecture:

Our bureau is under the Gate of the Three Heavens, its name registered at the Upper Palace of Double Brightness. We receive documents from the Tongchu Prefecture and are charged with assisting in the administration of its affairs. In accordance with the canon and the relevant ritual regulations, matters that must be reported may, under the rules, be communicated by official notice and delivered directly to the appropriate True Bureau by the presiding officer on duty.

A memorial requiring urgent submission must now be sent by official notice:

One memorial, placed in a square case and sealed, is to be sent to the Shangqing Tongchu Prefecture for submission.

Be advised: the presiding officer on duty at a certain hour on a certain day is to hasten through the clouds and speed along the celestial roads, delivering this sincere petition in the shortest possible time. Once its contents have been presented, it must immediately be forwarded to the palace prefecture so that they may be informed. Should malign Qi intrude and allow ghosts or demons to obstruct the process, they must be seized at once and sent to the Celestial Prison, then swiftly escorted to the Bureau of the Underworld, where their offenses are to be investigated and dealt with according to celestial law. At the same time, ensure that this document reaches above without hindrance, so that a response and an efficacious manifestation from the spirits may come soon. We now await a response and communion; may there be no delay. This notice is hereby issued.

Notice for Sending a Petition to the Northern Dipper

Notice from the Lingbao Great Rites Bureau to the two Merit Officer messengers on duty at a certain hour on a certain day:

Our bureau serves in the Office of the Dark Realm, inherits the ritual lineage, and carries out assignments from the Celestial Directorate. We are charged with providing relief, manifesting and guiding departed souls, and eliminating evil while upholding what is right. Under the rules, memorials may be submitted and documents copied. A notice must now be issued to inform …

An urgent document must now be submitted to the Northern Dipper Palace in the Central Heaven. The relevant instructions are as follows:

Whenever an official notice is required, place one petition in an envelope, seal it, affix the seal, and submit it intact to the Palace of the Nine Sovereigns of the Northern Dipper in the Central Heaven.

By this notice: Let the Merit Officer and two messengers on duty at the appointed date and hour harness their carriages and horses, travel along the cloud roads, ascend into the heavens, pass through the astral winds, and rise straight into the pure Qi, until they reach the star palace. They are to carry and deliver the sealed document and convey the sincere petition so that it reaches the Northern Dipper. If any ghost or demon dares to offend, or any evil spirit recklessly causes disturbance, capture it and escort it to the appropriate Bureau of the Realms, where it shall be held in the nearest Celestial Prison. In this way, the matter presented may reach its destination smoothly, and its response may be swiftly made manifest. This document must be transmitted at once. Do not delay. So notified.

Citation for Dispatch to the Court of Mount Tai

Office of the Great Lingbao Rites:

Our office inherits the ritual authority of Lingbao and is subordinate to the Southern Bureau. It administers the affairs of the Five Elements Courts and is charged with rescuing and delivering beings. Matters in both the visible and hidden realms must be reported, in accordance with regulations, to the spirits of the netherworld, and the rules of the Mysterious Rites must be observed. An urgent official document must now be sent to the Palace of Mount Tai for presentation. We therefore order its delivery and forwarding; it must be handled as a special dispatch.

Place one petition in an envelope, seal it repeatedly, affix the seal, and submit it intact and with due care to the Palace of the Eastern Peak Emperor. (If it is being submitted to the administrative court, write “Submitted to the Court of Mount Tai, Eastern Peak.”)

By this citation: Let the local land spirit of the appointed place, together with the land spirits and boundary deities along the route and all relevant gods, receive this document and forward it in stages according to the matters listed. At each place of delivery, explain its contents clearly. Do not miss the appointed times; ensure that it is conveyed without delay. If stagnant Qi—a lingering, abnormal energy—causes disturbance and evil spirits waylay the document en route, capture them and consign them to the Bureau of Mount Tai for detention. Summon the City God in charge to investigate the matter thoroughly and pursue punishment in accordance with the law. This document must still be submitted together with the others. Do not delay it on your own authority; respond at once.

Citation for the Grand Year Spirit, the year, month, day, and hour.

Notice for Dispatch to the City God

Office of the Great Lingbao Rites:

Our office, commissioned by Heaven above, holds responsibility for Mysterious offices and records all irregular matters in the visible and hidden realms. It supervises demons and anomalies that disrupt the proper order. In accordance with the ritual regulations, an official notice must be sent. One section of an official notice has now been sealed and stamped, and must be delivered to the City God’s office in the appointed place. We therefore order that it be handled as a special dispatch.

By this notice: Order the principal local land spirit of the appointed place to receive this citation and carry the document to…

The official document must be delivered immediately before the presiding City God. Its contents must be clearly presented and promptly conveyed, and notice must be given as soon as possible. Should evil ghosts intrude or strange spirits obstruct the process, they must be seized and detained at once, their offenses investigated and brought to account, and punishment carried out according to the laws of Heaven. The document must be delivered on time, without the slightest delay.

Issued on a certain day of a certain month in a certain year under the Grand Marshal Tai Sui.

Dispatch Warrant for the Talisman of Deliverance from Suffering

The Great Lingbao Ritual Office:

This office is now establishing a certain Zhai (Daoist purification ritual) for a certain person, to deliver and commend the soul of a certain deceased person, along with all the solitary souls among the Five Destinies, Three Paths of Woe, Four Kinds of Birth, and myriad beings. The talismanic commands are now in hand and are hereby issued:

The Primordial Beginning Talismanic Command: Golden Register, White Slip, True Talisman;

The Most High True Talisman for Breaking Open the Hells;

The Most High True Talisman for Delivering Souls from the Hidden Realms;

The Eastern Pole Blue Palace Nine-Dragon Talismanic Command for Deliverance from Suffering. (If this talisman is issued as a separate warrant, delete the words “flying celestial beings” from the dispatch.)

This warrant is now issued to the flying celestial beings of the ten directions, the dispatch officials of Xuandu’s Jiaolong post station, and the functionaries of the Six Paths. They are commanded to carry these talismanic commands throughout the Three Realms and ten directions, to the gates of the hidden realms, roads of the underworld, celestial prisons and hells, and all relevant places under the jurisdiction of the sacred offices of the mountains and waters, including famous mountains, City God shrines, and village altars. They are to deliver the souls of the deceased person or persons named above, together with all solitary souls and lingering spirits among the Five Destinies, Three Paths of Woe, Four Kinds of Birth, and myriad beings. Let them swiftly erase their records of guilt, extinguish the roots of evil, and free them from the gates of the hidden realms. Let them all proceed to the place where the Zhai is being held, receive Heaven’s grace, and, by this proof of authorization, be delivered and reborn. There must be no delay or disobedience, lest the rite of deliverance be obstructed. This warrant is hereby issued.

Issued on a certain day of a certain month in a certain year under the Grand Marshal Tai Sui.

Dispatch Warrant for the Longevity Talisman

The Great Lingbao Ritual Office:

This office is now establishing a certain Zhai for a certain person, to commend and deliver a certain person. The longevity spirit talisman is now in hand and is hereby issued.

This warrant is now issued to the Golden Dragon post-station officials, who are commanded to carry the talismanic command throughout the Southern Cinnabar-Heaven world and deliver the souls of the deceased person or persons named above, together with all hidden souls and lingering spirits among the Five Destinies, Three Paths of Woe, Four Kinds of Birth, and myriad beings. Let them refine their Shen (spirit), undergo the trial of flowing fire, and swiftly free their souls through the fire of Zhuling. They must carry out this command without delay. This warrant is hereby issued.

Issued on a certain day of a certain month in a certain year under the Grand Marshal Tai Sui.

Special Dispatch Warrant for the Nine-Dragon Talismanic Command

The Great Lingbao Ritual Office:

This office is now establishing a certain Zhai for a certain person, to deliver the soul of the deceased person or persons named above. The Eastern Pole Blue Palace Nine-Dragon Talismanic Command is now in hand and is hereby issued.

This document (a Daoist ritual notice used to submit reports and convey commands) first orders the flying celestial beings of the ten directions and the messengers who bear the Nine-Dragon Talisman Mandate to go to the gates of the underworld and shadowy roads throughout the Three Realms and ten directions, the Yellow Springs and nighttime courts, and the numinous offices of the mountains and waterways, the City Gods of famous mountains, and the local earth gods. They are to notify those in charge of the heavenly prisons and terrestrial hells to receive the talismanic mandate and rescue the souls of the deceased person and others named here. They are also to deliver the spirits of the dead who remain in the Five Paths, the Three Ways, and the various forms of life; pardon and cleanse their transgressions; release them from the guilt incurred through investigation and interrogation; and free them from the underworld so that they may cross beyond the realm of darkness and proceed directly to the ritual sanctuary to receive deliverance through a Zhaijiao purification ritual. Let this be carried out at once in accordance with the command. This notice is hereby issued. The document specifies the cyclical year, month, day, and hour.

Merit Notice for Formal Deliverance

The Lingbao Great Ritual Office (the institution that conducts Lingbao purification rituals) states: On the basis of a petition previously submitted from a certain township and other places, this office learned that the petitioners requested a Yellow Register Great Retreat to deliver a certain person and enable them to be reborn in a blessed realm. The purification ritual has now been conducted in accordance with the liturgy, and the rites have been completed. This notice is therefore issued as proof.

The proceedings carried out during the ritual were as follows:

• On a certain day of a certain month, a memorial was formally presented.
• A report was submitted to the Imperial Court, and the Three Realms’ True Offices—the divine offices governing affairs of the Three Realms—were notified in advance of the retreat.
• On a certain day of a certain month, a second memorial was formally presented.
• A report was submitted to the Celestial Gate and the True Offices of the upper realm; the various places under the jurisdiction of Earth and Water were also notified and informed of the retreat.
• Prayers were presented.
• The following memorials and petitions were used: the Memorial of the Plain Chariot and White Horse, the Memorial for Opening the Road, the Memorial for Bathing and Refining, the Memorial for Removing Sins in Fengdu, the Memorial for Delivering the Dead, the Petition for Relief from Suffering, the Petition for Refining by the Duke of Wood and the Queen Mother of Metal, and the Petition to the Lords of the Nine Heavens. Six copies each of the petitions to invite and thank the masters were also prepared, along with several blue petitions and red memorials recording merit.
• Various Fulu talismans and registers were proclaimed and used at the retreat altar, including the True Talisman for Relief from Suffering, the Numinous Talisman of Longevity, the Nine-Dragon Talisman Mandate, the True Talisman for Breaking Open the Hells, the True Talisman for Delivering Hidden Souls, the Jade Writ of the Divine Tiger, the Talismanic Mandate of the Primordial Beginning, the Talisman for Proclaiming Throughout the Three Realms, the Talisman for Passing Through the Celestial Barriers, the Talisman Commanding the Earth Spirits, the Talisman for Leaving Life and Death, and the Precious Register of the Most High’s Decree of Pardon and Ascent to Heaven.
• Divine light was invoked to dispel the darkness.
• The retreat altar was opened at night.
• Jade texts were read aloud and proclaimed.
• The formal retreat lasted three days, with scriptures recited at the altar at the appointed times.
• Each barrier was notified and each name called in turn.
• Nine Prison lamps were set up to break open the prisons and gates; nine chalice lamps were also established.
• Rites were performed to summon the souls of the dead, bathe them, and present them before the True Gods.
• Mantras were recited and food offered, with a feast of wondrous dishes prepared in the cloud kitchen.

Universally summon the wandering souls of the Five Paths and Three Destinies, so that they may bathe and be cleansed, pay homage to the True Immortals, and appear before the Heavenly Emperor.

Reverently perform the Refinement and Transcendence by Water and Fire, a rite that uses water and fire to refine and deliver the souls of the dead.

Establish the Pure Offering Rite for the High Perfected of the Three Realms, an immaculate sacrificial rite held for the High Perfected of the Three Realms. With designated portions, offer thanks above for Heaven’s grace.

Submit three registers recording and registering the merits of the purification rite.

Transmit the first rank of the Yellow Register of the Heavenly Heavens of Lingbao, a ritual rank conferred within the Lingbao purification rites.

Provide the Great Warrant for Ascending to Heaven, the Left and Right Warrants for Ascending to Heaven, one joint talisman of the Four Wards, and one true-form diagram of Mount Fengdu.

Set up the precious banner for the spirit’s ascent and the precious yellow banner of return.

Print the Supreme High One’s Scripture of [title omitted].

Burn the Scripture of [title omitted] and offerings of spirit money.

The merits listed above are all dedicated to aid the deliverance of the deceased [name omitted]. May he receive these good fruits, at once understand the causes and conditions of his former lives, cleanse away defilements and karmic obstacles, and completely dispel delusion. May he cease clinging to the myriad things, clearly perceive the truth of his original nature, leave the realm of darkness forever, and soon enter the realm of carefree freedom. Let this document serve as proof in both the human and heavenly realms; it is hereby formally proclaimed.

Proclaimed on the [day] of the [month] of the [year] of the current sexagenary cycle.

After the purification rite is complete, an offering rite of gratitude is performed. This is called the Summoning Rite. Since the ceremony has called upon the deities and summoned the divine officers and generals to serve, they must be thanked in return. Accordingly, after the altar is dismantled, the Three Offerings rite is performed. This differs from the arrangements used in other offering rites. The formal petitions have already asked the deities throughout to descend to the purification altar, so no separate petition for an offering rite is used now. Wherever the documents concern a particular place, the offering altar is specified, and a separate petition of thanks is then submitted there. The petitions of offering are listed below. Other matters that require a special offering proclamation to petition for a descent are handled according to the usual rites.

Petition of Offering

The officiant of the offering rite, your servant, [surname omitted]:

One dragon carriage.

With this petition, I respectfully present and offer these items above.

On the [day] of the [month] of the [year] of the current sexagenary cycle, the officiant of the offering rite, your servant, [surname omitted], presents this offering.

The Chief Ritual Master, your servant, [surname omitted], transcribes and presents it.

Petition of Offering to the Perfected of the Upper Realm

The officiant of the offering rite, your servant, [surname omitted]:

One cloud horse, one portion of gold money.

I respectfully contribute these items and report them above; this petition is respectfully submitted.

On the [day] of the [month] of the [year] of the current sexagenary cycle, the officiant of the offering rite, your servant, [surname omitted], submits this petition.

The Chief Ritual Master, your servant, [surname omitted], transcribes and presents it.

Petition of Offering to the Middle and Lower Realms

The officiant of the offering rite, your servant, [surname omitted]:

One cloud horse, one portion of gold money.

I respectfully dedicate this offering and humbly ask the Holy Sovereign to examine it with compassion and accept it. I submit this petition.

In the year, month, and day of the Tai Sui cycle, the ritual officer in charge of the Zhaijiao, your servant So-and-so, submits this petition.

The senior ritual master in charge of the Keyi, your servant So-and-so.

Petition for Dispatching the Dragon Chariot

Office of the Great Lingbao Rites:

On a certain day this month, we held a Zhai for a certain person. The rites are now complete, and we have performed a Jiao to give thanks for the blessings received. The Dragon Chariot offered by the ritual officiant to the Lord on High is submitted with this petition. Please issue the necessary documents and arrange its dispatch.

This official notice informs the Merit Officer on duty at the appointed time and the emissary bearing the talisman of the upper realm: please convey this document to the Celestial Court for presentation without delay. This notice is issued accordingly.

Issued on the day, month, and year of the Tai Sui cycle.

Official Notice for the Jiao Rite of the Three Realms

Office of the Great Lingbao Rites:

On a certain day this month, our office held a Zhai for a certain person. Upon its completion, we performed a pure Jiao for the exalted perfected beings of the Three Realms, establishing several offering places to make our gratitude for Heaven’s grace known. The paper money and paper horses offered for the Jiao must be processed by official notice and listed item by item.

This notice informs the talisman bearers of the Three Realms, the Four Merit Officers on duty for the specified year, month, day, and hour, and the local territorial deities. Let each office forward the items in turn, so that this document may ascend to the supreme Three Heavens and reach all within the Six Directions. The perfected spirits invited in advance to attend the Jiao, together with the officials of the ritual altar, have all expressed their sincere devotion and presented modest offerings. We pray that the gods will arrive swiftly, so that nothing obstructs the sincerity of this rite. In accordance with the true teachings, we assist and uphold the sacred rites. This notice is issued accordingly.

Petition to the Heavenly Office Seeking Forgiveness for Transgressions

Your servant So-and-so, holding the ritual rank of So-and-so:

Though I fear severe punishment, I once again set forth my humble intentions and look up in hope of compassion and mercy. May my faults from beginning to end be forgiven. Previously, in connection with a certain matter, I submitted documents and initiated a certain Zhai, conducting Jiao rites over several days and nights to give thanks for the blessings received. Although I have respectfully followed the lineage’s rules in issuing documents and carrying out the rites, I remain concerned that my companions and I are of limited ability and clouded understanding, unfamiliar with the ritual procedures of the tradition and unable to grasp their subtle principles. I also fear that we may have violated prohibitions, misapplied ritual precedents, performed the acts of reverence improperly, submitted petitions inaccurately, used excessive or irreverent language, or made errors in writing talismans and registers—thereby bringing our guilt before the offices of Heaven and causing our names to be entered in the Black Register, which records transgressions. All those at the altar, from top to bottom, are filled with fear and shame, with nowhere to hide. We therefore must report this matter.

We respectfully submit this petition to the authorities beneath the gates of the Three Heavens and to the exalted perfected beings who govern the Supreme Mystery’s Capital Office. We humbly ask the truly compassionate ones to look down upon us, and especially to present this matter before the Celestial Court on our behalf. We look up in hope that they will forgive us for what we have done since undertaking the construction of…

After the entire Zhaijiao ritual has concluded, all offenses must be completely eradicated, entered in the register and struck from the rolls, and all faults washed away.

May the merits and blessings accumulated through the Zhaijiao suffer no diminution, and may all beings receive protection. I, your subject, have violated the true might and am filled with trepidation; I respectfully submit this petition.

In the year, month, and day of a certain Tai Sui year, the holder of the listed ritual office, I, so-and-so, submit this petition.

Petition of the Tongchu Bureau for Atonement

The holder of the listed ritual office, I, so-and-so,

I dare not evade severe punishment… (The format is the same as above; repeated sections have been omitted.)

I respectfully report:

The Perfected Lord of Still Response, Great Master of the Orthodox Unity, Who Supports the Teaching and Assists the Origin in the Three Heavens (a revered Daoist deity, ranked among the Four Saints).

I respectfully beseech the Perfected Lord to look upon this with compassion… (The format is the same as above; repeated sections have been omitted.)

Dispatch Warrant

Office of the Great Lingbao Rite:

Two copies of the urgent petition are now being sent to the Tai Xuan Capital Province beneath the Three Heavens Gate and to the Upper Clarity Tongchu Bureau. This warrant is issued for their dispatch.

This warrant hereby gives notice: On a certain year, month, day, and hour, may the Duty Merit Officer and the emissary holding the direct talisman in the Upper Realm swiftly mount cloud chariots and travel at speed, so that our sincere intentions may reach the Upper Realm without delay and the documents arrive promptly at the proper divine office. We look forward to the deities swiftly manifesting their efficacy and revealing the response of the mysterious Dao. This warrant is hereby issued.

Dispatched under warrant in the year, month, day, and hour of a certain Tai Sui year.

As for petitions of atonement: the Perfected Ones of the Six Courts each have a dedicated letter of thanks. Only the Celestial Province and the Five Bureaus should be addressed together, with the offenses committed first examined and acknowledged. The Celestial Master is already included among the Six Courts; when reporting to the Five Bureaus as well, this should not be taken as a reason to omit the Celestial Master. However, if the officiant does not perform this part of the rite, the person presiding over the ritual may decide to omit this petition of atonement and report specifically to the Celestial Province alone.

Another Notice Board

The traditional format for notices at the Zhaijiao altar is not complicated. Adding material at will to suit popular tastes may only waste paper and serve no practical purpose. In recent times, notices have included oaths alongside messages addressed to officers and generals, as well as notices imposing restrictions on them. These contents are plainly repetitive, and there are many similar cases. The essential parts are now selected and rewritten below according to the old format.

For example, the notice for the Divine Tiger altar should be placed in “The Section on the Divine Tiger’s Summoning and Apprehension”; the notice proclaiming instructions to the solitary spirits should be placed in “The Section on Feeding the Dead and Universal Deliverance.” This arrangement takes into account the needs of the document clerks, who wish to keep each type of form together for ease of reference. Accordingly, all notices are included in the section on official dispatches, while petitions and memorials are compiled separately as their own section.

Notice on the Zhaijiao Altar Procedure

Altar of the Lingbao Yellow Register Great Zhaijiao Ritual

This altar plans to hold a supreme Lingbao Yellow Register Great Retreat for a certain person on a certain day this month. This Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) is performed to pray for blessings and recommend the dead, and will last for several days and nights. The retreat will pray for blessings for the state and all living beings, save the departed in the Five Paths and Three Ways of Suffering, guide and transform the myriad kinds of beings among the Four Births, and accumulate meritorious deeds. It is dedicated to recommending the deceased so that their spirit and soul may ascend to a blessed realm.

With reverence, I now lead the retreat participants of this altar in jointly observing the supreme Keyi (liturgy). The ritual procedures must be established so that the religious services do not depart from the standards of the mysterious tradition. The sequence of each service must be listed in detail, and the rites must be conducted in accordance with the order prescribed for the Yellow Register liturgy.

This notice applies to the altar precincts and should be posted publicly so that everyone is informed. All participants must put their robes and appearance in order, maintain proper bearing, observe the rules, and meet the ritual requirements. Documents presented to the authorities must be submitted in the prescribed order; no one may act improperly when making petitions. Everyone should offer their utmost sincerity and pray for a response from the celestial realm. This notice is hereby posted.

Posted on a certain day and month in a certain Tai Sui year.

Signed and sealed by the qualified senior ritual master, a Daoist of the surname X.

Scripture Notice

Yellow Register Retreat Altar

This altar plans to hold a supreme Yellow Register Great Retreat for a certain person on a certain day this month, praying for blessings for the state and for peace and well-being in the world; rescuing departed souls in the netherworld and aiding living beings in the visible world; benefiting all kinds of beings and universally delivering those in the Three Ways of Suffering. The various meritorious deeds will be accumulated and dedicated to recommending the deceased so that they may ascend soon. The relevant matters have been registered and reported by petition, and the rites will be held as scheduled.

It has first been decided that on a certain day the immortal scriptures will be recited, their mysterious teachings proclaimed, and scriptures respectfully offered to the High Perfected of the Ten Directions (the honored deities of the upper realms in every direction), praying that they enlighten and transform all beings, including departed souls in the netherworld. The scriptures to be recited are listed below:

• The Supreme Scripture of Limitless Deliverance, Highest Grade, of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery
• The Jade Chapters on the Natural Birth of the Spirits in the Nine Heavens, of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery, Spoken by the Supreme
• The Hidden Words of the Great Brahmā, Middle Volume, from the Writ of the Numinous Origin
• The Scripture of Constant Clarity and Stillness, Spoken by the Supreme Lord Lao

These scriptures are respectfully offered to the holy ones and High Perfected of the Ten Directions and Three Realms, as well as all the sacred beings present at the altar and ritual banquet.

The following scriptures are used to guide, transform, and recommend and deliver departed souls:

• The Supreme Scripture of Limitless Deliverance, Highest Grade, of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery
• The Scripture on the Natural Birth of the Spirits, of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery, Spoken by the Supreme
• The Scripture of the Way and Its Virtue
• The Hidden Words of the Great Brahmā, Middle Volume, from the Writ of the Numinous Origin
• The Jade Scripture of the Inner Radiance of the Yellow Court

The following scriptures are used to deliver those in the Five Paths and Three Ways of Suffering, the myriad beings among the Four Births, and all departed souls in the netherworld:

• The Supreme Scripture of Limitless Deliverance, Highest Grade, of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery
• The Scripture on the Natural Birth of the Spirits, of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery, Spoken by the Supreme
• The Scripture of the Way and Its Virtue
• The Hidden Words of the Great Brahmā, Middle Volume, from the Writ of the Numinous Origin
• The Jade Scripture of the Inner Radiance of the Yellow Court

Here, “the Five Paths and Three Ways of Suffering” refers to the different netherworld destinations of the departed, while “the Four Births” refers to categories of beings such as those born from wombs, eggs, moisture, or transformation.

The scriptures stored in jade caskets and jewel-encrusted cases hold the wondrous principles transmitted from the Upper Realm. Books written in gold and tablets of jade spread their divine teachings among humankind. They can support the course of destiny and make blessings endure without end. They also reveal the principles of the unseen world and save all beings far and wide.

The period of fasting is now approaching, and the ritual altar has been set up. Through this virtuous act, we pray for Heaven to bestow its blessings. May the Daoist priests and ritual officers observing the fast and practicing the rites together be sincere and focused, without letting their thoughts wander. May their bearing be solemn and their conduct proper, never violating ritual propriety. May their sincerity reach the pure realm of the Nine Heavens and bring peace to all things. May the state enjoy lasting peace, the altars of the soil and grain flourish, and China be at peace. May the living and the beings of the underworld alike receive deliverance. If this Zhaijiao (purification ritual) is also being held to make offerings for the dead, may all sunken and wandering souls be saved, bathed in the breeze of purity, and together awaken to the subtle and mysterious Dao. May all sentient beings alike realize the realm of Wuwei (non-action). This notice is therefore posted.

Posted on the [day] of the [month] of [year].

Six ritual officers: [surname].

Presiding ritual master, duly named: [surname].

This scripture register is posted so that people can consult it, and so that those who read and recite the scriptures can record the number of recitations. Each evening, after completing the recitations, they should write beneath the title of each scripture how many times each person has recited it. The entries should be kept by date. Once the required number of recitations has been reached, the totals should be combined and entered in the memorial petition. This makes confusion and omissions less likely. There is no need to set the number of recitations in advance: if the required number is too high, people may become less sincere and lax in their practice.

The scriptures listed in this register differ greatly from the practices now common. According to ancient Lingbao methods, thirty-six days before holding a Yellow Register Retreat—a Daoist ritual for such purposes as praying for blessings and delivering the dead—a scripture hall was to be prepared in advance. The Daoist priests observing the fast together would be led into a quiet chamber, where they would devote themselves to the fast, avoid contact with worldly affairs, and sincerely recite the Wondrous Scripture of the Highest Chapter on Deliverance, the Scripture of the Nine Heavens’ Chapters on Generating the Spirits, the two chapters of the Dao De Jing, and the Jade Scripture of the Yellow Court. As the retreat drew near, they would then rehearse the rites and practice the liturgy. This is the ancient method.

“Entering the Quiet Chamber” means cutting off disturbances from the mundane world, so that one’s inner and outer being are unified and there is no coming and going of people or clamor of speech. Only then is one prepared to visualize the deities, recite the scriptures, contemplate the perfected beings, and realize the Great Dao. This differs from the practice of people in the Tiantai Lingbao tradition who arbitrarily coined the term “quiet chamber” to deceive the world and mislead others.

For this reason, the scripture register names only four scriptures and does not list every scripture with its many titles. Among those texts, genuine and spurious works are intermingled, and orthodox and heterodox teachings are mixed together. Unless one has great learning, they are difficult to distinguish. Only the single scroll of the Scripture of Deliverance and the nine chapters of the Chapters on Generating the Spirits are most ancient and profoundly mysterious, and these should therefore be recited. Reciting the scriptures can move the High Perfected Spirits, who descend to witness the rite, while the gathered deities come to pay homage. This is because the scriptures give voice to the sounds of Heaven and can reach the high-ranking spirits.

This scripture can also be used to summon the souls of the dead, so they may hear the scripture and receive its teaching. The five thousand words of the Daode Jing contain the mysteries of Hundun, the primal state before the universe was divided; the Neijing and the Qin Xin Jue hold the hidden workings of creation. If those who recite them can deeply understand their mysteries, how could the souls of the dead hear them and gain no insight? Many other scriptures also contain passages of wondrous meaning, but how could words and writing ever fully express the profound intent of the Daode Jing and the Huangting Jing? Those of deep learning and lofty attainment will naturally understand; the shallow and ignorant, by contrast, will be moved to slander. Otherwise, this would not be called an extraordinary Dao.

Proclamation to Instruct the Officials and Attendants

Altar of the Supreme Yellow Register Great Retreat

In accordance with the regulations for the Yellow Register Retreat, this altar states: the Yellow Register Retreat concerns the Lower Origin. From the Central Palace, it directs and commands the myriad spirits, weighs the registers of the Nine Offices, gathers the Three Realms under its charge, and governs the Six Heavens. Its blessings extend everywhere, saving all without exception; its numinous light shines forth, reaching all who respond. From the emperor down to the common people, all may cultivate and practice it. The underworld and the human realm alike receive its nourishing and transforming grace.

Now, the retreat’s sponsor, a certain person, sincerely seeks blessings and, with reverence and wholehearted devotion, requests that a retreat be established to aid both the living and the dead. We have therefore prepared the documents in accordance with the regulations and completed the various tasks according to the liturgy: arranging the retreat altar, establishing the ritual platform for Zhaijiao, preparing the implements and setting out the ceremonial furnishings, and appointing ritual officers to observe the retreat, recite and circulate the scriptures, and perform the Way. We swear before Heaven and report to Earth, present memorials and submit petitions, summon and deliver the dead to salvation, and invite all sentient beings and souls of the underworld. We broadly deliver beings in the Three Paths and Five Destinies—the conditions of beings in the underworld according to Daoist teaching—and extend our reach to the myriad kinds of life and the four modes of birth: womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born.

May they wash away their faults and blemishes, escape the suffering of sinking and lingering, leave the offices of the underworld without delay, and all come to the retreat altar to hear the teaching and the scriptures, partake of the ritual offerings, and receive deliverance. Above, we pray that the dynasty may endure in stability and that the sovereign may enjoy long life and blessings; that the six Qi of Heaven and Earth may be in harmony, the people at peace, alarms of war extinguished, and the harvest abundant.

We gather these good conditions especially to offer deliverance for the souls of the deceased, including a certain person and others, and for the Nine Ancestors and Seven Forebears—the ancestors of past generations. We also pray for the spirits of deceased forebears among the Five Clans and Six Kin, meaning all kinds of relatives, and for those who have died recently. May they pass beyond the layered underworld, be released from the stains of sins committed in former lives, proceed to the Vermilion Palace, and refine their bodily forms. May they undergo the circulation of Qi throughout the heavens, gather true Qi, return to the root and be reborn, and clarify their original nature. We further pray that the household may be secure and that relatives by marriage and kin may all enjoy peace.

Yet we remain concerned that the altar may not have been arranged with sufficient care, or that the prohibitions may not have been observed with sufficient solemnity. The Qi of subordinate officials and spirits may carry defilement or demonic dust and pollute the retreat altar; those who ascend the altar to observe the retreat may violate prohibitions and disrupt the order; spirits of the local territory may neglect their duties; and officials conveying memorials may delay in reporting…

If the listed gods fail in their duties and do not fulfill their charge to guard the ritual, or if the presiding spirit of the local altar community is not diligent and attentive, causing the Zhaijiao rites to fall short, this is in fact a violation of the Jade Laws, the laws of Heaven. The matter is grave; according to the canons, it is no trivial offense. The ritual date has now arrived, leaving no time to notify each party in turn. This notice is therefore posted before the altar.

We respectfully call upon the officials of the Numinous Treasure tradition, the myriad gods entrusted with duties, the offices of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), the celestial generals and officers, the rulers of the various Thunder offices, and all gods connected with the ritual altar: faithfully observe the Yellow Register liturgical regulations and join in completing the Lower Origin rite. Let each department command its generals and assistants and dispatch its officers and troops; together with the local City God, let them direct the relevant local altar spirits to guard the altar’s boundaries, defend the four quarters, drive away baleful influences, and sweep away pollution and evil.

Should any spirits defy these orders or intrude on their own initiative, report them at once to the relevant offices and bureaus, swiftly escort them to the Heavenly Prison, and investigate and punish them according to the law. Assist in conveying all memorials, documents, and official communications. Be responsible as well for proclaiming and transmitting all talismanic orders, so that the grace of the Nine Heavens of Clarity and the Ten Extremities may spread everywhere, rescuing beings sunk in distress throughout the Three Realms and the ten directions. We pray that the Imperial Perfected Ones will look upon us and grant their protection, so that the ritual proceeds smoothly and suffers no demonic disturbance. May all the gods exert themselves, bringing light to the darkness and offering aid to all beings under Heaven.

After the altar is dismantled and the assembly dispersed, a memorial must be presented reporting the merits achieved. All procedures are to follow the rites of the Great Perfected, in gratitude for the blessings of the Highest Spirit. This notice is hereby posted.

Posted on the [day, month, and year].

Signed and sealed by the Senior Ritual Master, [name].

Notice for Summoning Spirits with the Divine Tiger at the Altar

Yellow Register Great Retreat Altar:

On a certain day this month, this altar will solemnly conduct a Yellow Register Great Retreat for [name]. In accordance with the liturgy, all souls summoned to receive offerings and deliverance must be called here, including the ancestors and relatives of every family, as well as the spirits of the Five Destinies, the Three Paths of Suffering, the Four Kinds of Birth (womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born), and all sentient beings. All wandering spirits unable to depart, and all souls sunk in the netherworld, must manifest in bodily form by attaching themselves to the soul-summoning banner and come to receive offerings and deliverance.

We consult the secret canons of the immortals and widely apply the rites for saving beings. Following the celestial writings and talismanic commands, we perform the rite for summoning the departed. This method can open the darkness of the Nine Springs and rescue beings sunk in the netherworld. Orders bearing the Nine Dragon-Tiger talismans are issued to bestow grace, and commands are proclaimed through the Jade Maidens of the Seven Offices. The male talisman is on the left and the female talisman on the right; above, they reach the Three Realms, and below, they pass through the Six Heavens. The Yang spirits and Yin deities together summon the souls and gather the myriad ghosts. The summons must not be delayed for even a moment; its response will soon arrive.

Now the divine work of the Great Dao must be completed, fulfilling the people’s earnest prayers. Gather all the souls at once, so that they may manifest. The numinous altar has been established; this notice is posted to inform all.

This notice is addressed to the officials of the Northern Dipper’s Mysterious Pattern Bureau, the Jade Maidens of the Seven Perfected, and the officers of this bureau who pursue and…

Gather and bring together the officials, so that they may obey the true talismanic commands, issue jade tablets, and carry them throughout the ten directions.

The Three Realms, the Five Sacred Peaks, the Nine Netherworlds, the Ten Grottoes, the Six Heavens, the Nine Provinces, and the myriad kingdoms—as well as famous mountains and blessed lands, the sources of seas, oceans, and rivers, the divine courts of the canonical sacrifices, the City Gods and Earth Gods, the Yellow Springs and Artemisia Village, and the hidden roads and gates of the underworld—all are places where souls are governed and their offenses and blessings examined. They must be rigorously pursued and apprehended: swiftly seek out and summon the spirits of the dead. Assign officials and their retinues according to their duties to escort the deceased’s spiritual and bodily forms from the nocturnal realm to the altar, where they may attach themselves to the spirit banner—the flag used to summon the dead—and appear and respond. Once the work is complete, submit a memorial reporting the matter, record the merits, and then post this notice.

Posted on the [day] of the [month] in the [year].

[Signature and seal of the person holding the rank of Senior Ritual Master.]

Notice to Encourage and Guide the Altar Officials

When a Zhaijiao purification ritual is established and a Jiao offering ritual is performed, the Senior Ritual Master, the Daoist who presides over the rites, is the chief officer and leads the entire altar assembly. By ritual protocol, all the officials should honor him; this is prescribed by the rules of the Zhaijiao. Yet the Daoists serving at the same altar are fellow practitioners who study and cultivate together. Since the officials have collectively chosen and honored the Senior Ritual Master, he too should show humility and yield. Recently, however, notices have been used to admonish and strictly control those at the altar, imposing rules on the officials. This is truly inappropriate. Therefore, from now on, only the Senior Ritual Master and the others will sign the notice together, to encourage the altar officials. This may be a more suitable approach.

I have respectfully heard that the Great Dao was established at the beginning, and the High Perfected, the revered Daoist deities, took pity on living beings. They established the teachings before Heaven and Earth were divided, and saved humanity through the passing ages. They formulated twenty-seven grades of Zhaijiao rites and arranged forty-two ranks of Jiao rituals to harmonize Heaven and Earth, bring peace to the state, and protect the family. Thus they established grades of Fulu, talismans and registers, and appointed offices to transmit documents and proclaim their teachings. Accordingly, Daoist priests who follow the teachings and perform the liturgies bear the duty of rescuing the dead from the netherworld and aiding the living in this world.

If one can give one’s whole heart to each task, one can naturally accumulate merit and save others. To maintain sincerity without slackening, one must act according to the prescribed rules and regulations, leaving nothing undone. If one’s conduct departs from ritual propriety and one makes arbitrary decisions, yet seeks blessings and deliverance for the dead, then even though the Way of Heaven is vast, it will not readily respond. What is more, the profound laws are clearly set above; one may invite scrutiny and punishment. Sins are recorded in the offices of the Three Officials, and transgressions marked in the palaces of the Five Emperors. I fear this may shorten one’s lifespan and diminish one’s blessings; in severe cases, the soul may sink into ruin and the body fall into degradation.

A person such as myself is merely a lowly cultivator in the mountains and forests, leaving traces as insignificant as dust across rivers and seas. Though I have studied diligently for many years, I have not encountered a true master to transmit the essentials of the teachings. I have practiced these rites for a long time, and have been fortunate to receive the Emperor’s forbearance. Yet whether the undertaking is great or small, and whether the Zhaijiao rite is major or minor, all depend on the altar officials, fellow practitioners, and ritual assembly working together: supporting the rites, making up for what is lacking, and assisting one another from either side, so that things do not fall into…

In performing meritorious deeds, one must remain reverent and diligent from beginning to end, doing everything possible to arrange every part of the purification rite with care. One’s movements—advancing and withdrawing, rising and descending—should be calm and measured. Words spoken or recited, and all conduct and actions, should be harmonious and appropriate, without violating the proper standards of the liturgy. The mind should never stray from the Great Dao. Set the heart aright and make one’s intentions sincere; honor the purification rite and observe its rules. If the heart is negligent while one merely acts reverent on the outside, one will surely incur Heaven’s punishment for deceit. If one’s intentions are sincere but the ritual is disorderly, one will likewise be found guilty of disrespect. Therefore, devote oneself wholly and sincerely both inwardly and outwardly, and keep body and mind pure and steadfast.

Those who are close and affectionate in ordinary life should not jest and laugh at the altar. And those who usually harbor sorrow or resentment—how can they hold on to anger during a purification rite? Proclaiming and spreading the great teaching is no matter to be treated lightly. In the presence of the High Perfected, the exalted deities of the upper realms, one must keep oneself in check. May you heed these words and join me in bearing witness to this wholehearted sincerity. I have received the instruction and now respectfully make it known.

Register of the Solitary Souls

Bureau of the Great Lingbao Rites

On a certain day this month, this Bureau solemnly established, on behalf of a certain person, the supreme Yellow Register Great Purification Rite, a grand Daoist purification ceremony for the dead. It provided food offerings for the spirits and universally delivered all solitary souls and others.

Among these dead are those punished for crimes, whose heads were severed from their bodies; those who drowned themselves or died by hanging; those with broken bones and torn sinews; those who fell in battle; those who suffered long and grave illnesses; those afflicted by swelling, pain, and sores, with limbs rotting away; those who fell from cliffs or trees; and those whose bodies were destroyed and lives lost. While alive, their bodies were injured and they did not reach the end of their natural lifespans. After death, they remain trapped by deluded attachments, often lingering and sinking, becoming souls with nowhere to turn and no release for a long time.

Yet the human body is only a temporary gathering, sustained by the nourishment of grains and the five flavors. The hands can grasp, the feet can walk, the ears can hear, and the eyes can see. Hunger and cold, fullness and warmth, and all manner of actions and deeds—can flesh and skin accomplish these things on their own? In truth, they come about because a spark of numinous awareness is received and gathers to form Shen and Qi. When Shen gathers, Qi moves, and the five flavors are thereby transformed into life. When Qi disperses and Shen departs, the hundred bones can no longer hold together.

Thus, injuries to the limbs and the loss of flesh are only the damage that eventually befalls the body, a heavy and tangible thing. The function of that spark of numinous awareness is not thereby harmed. Yet among the dead in the netherworld—the solitary souls and lingering spirits—some seem to have blades in their mouths and chains on their bodies, confined at dark passes; some have severed heads and broken bodies, lost in the realm of ghosts; some, having died of illness, seem still bound by their old afflictions; and some, having died in childbirth, seem still to bear the stench of blood. At times they appear indistinctly in bodily form; at other times their shadows emerge in dreams.

These dead truly suffered injuries to their corpses while in the human world. Does that mean their souls and Shen were also scattered and lost?

While alive, the deceased bore bloodstains and various impurities, which remained attached to the corpse after death. By then, the deceased’s consciousness (the soul’s awareness) had departed, and the body was about to turn to dust. Things without feeling or awareness, such as knives and ropes, can only harm the body temporarily; in time, they too will decay. How could the deceased’s soul-consciousness still accompany a ghostly body and be harmed by physical objects? This is plain to see.

People often cling to their own bodies and feel reluctant to leave their corpses behind. The deceased remember only the circumstances of their final moments. Thus, those who met a violent end may, because of old memories and attachments, still feel after death that they are inside their bodies, appearing as they did when they died. Ghosts, deluded by attachment, take on such forms; the living, troubled by fear and suspicion, then see those forms.

Where there is a body, it may be whole or impaired; where there is a physical form, there may be sickness or health. The body cannot last forever. What is the point of worrying after death about the pain one suffered in life? For a soul-consciousness that no longer has a body to remain preoccupied with the illnesses and suffering of its former life is a profound delusion. Though the deceased may meet with different fortunes, rising or falling, many of these are brought about by their own attachments. It is only by reporting to the officials of Lingbao (the deities and teachings revered in Daoism) and the myriad gods in charge of their duties, so that they may enlighten solitary spirits and awaken their innate nature, that this can be set right. Those gathered at the altar, too, should understand this principle clearly.

For those whose bodies were impure in life, who died violently, or who did not meet a peaceful end, one should understand that the corpse has already decayed and need not be clung to. The soul, endowed with spirit, can rise of its own accord; it should not be trapped by confused emotions or cling to the corpse. Once it awakens, it is like emerging from a dark and winding path. Those who died from injuries are now no longer injured; those who died amid impurity are now free of it. Those who suffered from disability are now without impairment; those who were deaf or mute in life can now hear and speak again. When the mind and nature become clear and open, all manner of delusion dissolves at once.

Affection may be hard to sever all at once, and resentment may not be easy to forget immediately. But if one still thinks of repaying kindness or settling scores, how can one attain release? After meeting at the altar, grievances and debts of affection can both dissolve. Besides, wealth, rank, and fame cannot last, and gold, silver, and jewels cannot remain with one forever. Once the body is gone, possessions are hardly worth clinging to. At this point, poverty and low status are no longer a burden, and wealth and rank are no longer an honor. Only by forgetting worldly attachments and changing one’s mind can one summon the spirits…

Rigorously purify the ritual space and gather the deities. After bathing, pay homage to the true gods, partake of the offerings, and receive the sacrifices. Let the numinous grace of Great Harmony nurture and transform; let the divine radiance of cinnabar fire refine and transmute. In this way, one’s original nature may be restored and the body renewed, transcending life and death, attaining deliverance, and entering the land of blessings. Hell, too, may thereby be transformed into emptiness. This is an unsurpassed condition for salvation, and a fitting opportunity to deliver the souls of the dead. The people must be informed.

The notice above informs the lonely souls and others gathered at the altar: each should take heed. [Dated] year, month, and day. Sealed by the Senior Ritual Master of rank, of the [surname] family.

I have carefully examined the rites for establishing an altar, and the relevant rules are already recorded in ancient texts. Official communications, petitions, and reports use written documents to express the forms of ritual and convey the matters being undertaken. Yet ritual actions have their own rules, and documents should be used appropriately; what matters is not their complexity. If one’s virtue is insufficient to move the unseen realms, and one’s learning too limited to understand the scriptures, then writing thousands of words and composing hundreds of documents will be of no avail.

When concluding the altar rites and performing the Jiao offering ritual, one need only prepare an offering petition, a document presenting the offerings to the deities. Since the Zhai purification rite has already included a report and a rite inviting the deities to descend, there is no need to use a separate invitation petition. If no large-scale Zhai rite is being held, and a Jiao offering is performed on its own as an ordinary rite, then the deities should be invited separately, offerings presented, and documents prepared for each deity. The Jiao rite held at the conclusion of a Zhai rite does not use an invitation petition. This is the ritual rule for the Jiao offering established by Master Guangcheng when summoning the deities; it was not devised on one’s own.

As for the divine offices involved in a Jiao rite, one should check the offices named in the reports, petitions, and official communications, as well as the generals and officials involved in the Zhai rite, and give thanks to them all. In recent times, reports and petitions have named a broad range of offices, but the Jiao rite sometimes lists only sixty divine positions, without checking them against those originally included in the petitions and invitations to the deities. This is truly inappropriate.

In addition to reporting to the Supreme Emperor, one should also submit official notices to the authorities of the Three Realms, asking them to order the remission of the dead souls’ offenses. Not every prison in the netherworld, every dark infernal jail, or every underworld prison receives documents issued by the judges. At present, in the terrestrial realm, official notices are sent only to the ruler of Fengdu Palace and the officials of the underworld administration. If this can save and deliver the souls of the dead, the ruler may issue orders to all the prisons under his jurisdiction; there is nothing improper in that. However, if the sincerity of the Zhai rite cannot be conveyed and the heavenly decree has not yet been issued, then even repeated dispatches of documents may not be obeyed by the prisons of the underworld.

Moreover, the number of hells in the lower and middle realms is beyond counting, and the various scriptures give differing accounts. For example, the Scripture of the Immortal Precepts, the Scripture of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity), and the Scripture on Karmic Retribution and Causation say that there are eighteen hells, thirty-six hells, or twenty-four hells for each of the Three Officials. These are only general descriptions. In the dark and shadowy realms…

Every realm of the netherworld has officials whose specific duties are to record transgressions, investigate cases, and assign souls their retribution according to their guilt. Their numbers are vast beyond measure, but the authority and order that govern them ultimately fall under the jurisdiction of the Northern Emperor of Fengdu, the supreme deity who rules the netherworld.

Deities such as the Six Heavenly Lords and the True Lords of the Ten Palaces hold senior supervisory positions in their respective offices. The True Lords of the Four Brightnesses, ghost officials, and the Northern Dipper, among others, are important bureaucrats. For this reason, the text reports matters to these deities one by one.

The various hells cannot all be listed, so official documents need not be sent separately to each one. Once a talismanic command—a talisman with the force of an official decree—has been issued and the report delivered, the relevant presiding authorities will naturally pass the order down to the netherworld prisons under their jurisdiction for execution.

Those who practice and propagate the teachings may use other methods if they wish to make the consequences of sin and virtue clear and to shake their audience into attention. They need not follow the documentary procedures described here.

The terms “reporting upward,” “talismanic command,” and “formal report” refer to the Daoist netherworld bureaucracy’s system of documents, through which orders are passed down and business handled at different levels.