《上清靈寶大法(二)》Vol. 31

The “Petition for Salvation and Transcendence”: A Brief Talisman for Deliverance from Suffering

(This section records the talismans and proclamations used to deliver the souls of the dead. A “brief talisman” is a talismanic command written on a bamboo or wooden slip, or on talisman paper; a “proclamation” is a document announcing that command.)

This talismanic command is issued by the Primordial Heavenly Lord. It addresses the Three Officials and Nine Offices, the one hundred and twenty bureaus, the examining officials of the Five Emperors, and the punishing spirit troops, record keepers, life keepers, merit keepers, and executioners of the Ninefold Darkness. It also addresses the ox-headed prison guards and the great demons of the Three Realms. They are to draw the soul of the deceased person out of hell, release it from the long, dark night, and let it behold the light. May all their many offenses be erased and their enmities reconciled. Through the merit of the Nine Dragons’ deliverance of life, may they ascend to heaven.

The command also prays that the departed soul be settled in the Cold Springs, the shadowy realm of the dead, and find peace through the long ages; that its soul and spirit be raised aloft; and that it no longer be held in bondage above the Nine Heavens. In accordance with the Primordial Heavenly Lord’s decrees, the command is to gather the departed soul’s form, while messengers traveling by wind and fire swiftly convey the proclamation. On the day it is issued, the cyclical year, month, and date should be written down, and the proclamation made before the Three Treasures: the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters.

Phrases such as “the Ninefold Darkness ends its interrogation” and “yellow and white slips, naturally radiant with golden light” express the wish that the underworld cease its examinations, that yellow and white talismanic slips deliver the departed soul, and that it be bathed in golden light.

(The passage beginning “Format for the Brief Talisman for Deliverance from Suffering” gives the form to be filled in: “Reverently presenting the Golden Register’s white slip, the true talisman for deliverance from suffering, and issuing it to the boundless worlds in the ten directions: the appointed official, your servant [surname], is entrusted with the brief talisman of long life.”)

By the talismanic command of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, let this be proclaimed throughout the Three Realms: to the divine land of Limitless, the offices of the Springs and Bends, and Beidu Luofeng, the underworld in the north.

May the Three Offices and Nine Courts, together with the Twelve Sources of the Rivers—the divine bureaus that govern the underworld and the waters—release the ancestors, parents, and relatives of all generations from sins accumulated over lifetimes. Let the registers of sin be swiftly erased and the roots of evil destroyed.

Heaven universally saves living beings and strictly governs Beifeng. Today, we joyfully accept deliverance.

Passing through every checkpoint, we pray that Heaven pardon transgressions, cut away the Three Evils, and sever the roots of the underworld. Let the departed fly across the Five Gates, the barriers of the netherworld, and have their names entered in the registers of the immortals.

May the Great Mysterious Demon King oversee and recommend them, so that the souls may pass freely through Heaven’s gate. Let their hun and po souls fly across Zhuling, the place of refinement in the southern Fire Court, receive refinement, and be transformed into living beings. May all beings without end be universally delivered, ascend to the Real, attain release, and continue their lives.

Refine their bodies and cleanse their substance; enter their names in the Purple Register of the immortals. Assign rebirth according to their rank, and return them to a hall of blessings. This is the command issued by the Celestial Worthy.

How could we fail to listen with reverence? Let it be done swiftly, in accordance with the statutes.

Gathering the Form

Proclamation

By the talismanic command of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, we hold the Golden Register’s white tablet and the Long-Life Spirit Talisman, and proclaim to the Great Lord of Long Life, Lord Han, in the Southern Palace of Nanchang, within the Fire Court of Zhuling in the southern Cinnabar Heaven, and to the honored gods Sima, Siming, Silu, Yanshou, Yisuan, and Due, as well as the Great God Who Restores the Skeleton, Raises the Dead, and Oversees Birth:

We request the deliverance of the soul of the deceased, [name], so that it may ascend to the Vermilion Palace and enter the Court of Flowing Fire. Let its form be refined with jade eyes and its bodily substance washed clean with Yellow Splendor. Enter its name in the Purple Register, so that it may be transformed and reborn. May it receive the merit of deliverance and prolonging life recorded in this Golden Register, and be promoted in due course. Let everything be carried out according to Heaven’s command.

On an auspicious day and at an auspicious hour, in the year, month, and day of [specified cyclical designation], this proclamation is issued before the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters.

Format for Completing the Long-Life Talisman

The Golden Register’s white tablet and Long-Life Spirit Talisman proclaim:

Respectfully offered to the true office in the southern Cinnabar Heaven: I, your servant, [surname], seal.

Talisman for the Grass-Dragon Courier

According to the commands recorded in the documents, the Grass-Dragon Courier is responsible for conveying them. Ordinarily, there is no need to write a separate official warrant or credential; the talisman alone is sufficient. If practitioners today have not yet attained communion with the Mysterious Void, they may draw the checkpoint-summoning talisman and seal at the end of the document, so that the command reaches the Mysterious Bureau, the divine offices of the underworld.

One may also take fresh grass and bind it into the shape of a dragon courier, place the talisman inside the grass figure, and have it carry the written tablet on its back. Even so, a separate petition must still be written to report the Zhaijiao and Fengdu rites; one must not fail to report them to the Highest True Ones, the honored gods of the upper realm. The courier must be summoned; one cannot simply rely on one’s own judgment and issue this talisman at will. This is like issuing an amnesty in the human world: it is not something a minister may decide on their own. Therefore, a Great Offering, a large-scale Zhaijiao ritual, must be held.

This talismanic mandate may be formally transmitted only during a grand Heaven-and-Earth jiao purification ritual.

The twelve thousand post officials of the Coiled Dragon Station in Xuandu are responsible for delivering commands, opening the light of the Spring Palace, and rescuing those in the Netherworld. Whenever the True Talisman for Deliverance from Suffering is formally transmitted, one must petition the Primordial Venerable Jade Emperor to summon the gate official. One of these post officials is assigned specifically to this duty.

When writing the talisman, form the Jade Emperor mudra and draw down the light of the North Pole Star. Write with black ink on yellow paper. Since the post official will descend with the talisman, use locust-yellow paper and black ink, and write the official’s title at the top.

The “light of the North Pole Star” mentioned here does not refer to Wuqu, the sixth star of the Northern Dipper. It is the North Pole Star to the right of the Celestial Emperor, also known as Tianshu. The True Talisman for Deliverance from Suffering may be formally transmitted only during a grand Heaven-and-Earth jiao purification ritual. If someone submits a memorial petition seeking salvation for the dead, one should only recite and pay homage to the dark writings, distribute the lamplight, and chant Daoist scriptures, so that reflected light may spread through the Nine Earths and pierce the Eight Obscure Realms. In this way, the souls of the deceased for whom salvation is sought can also be elevated.

At the start of the ritual, first light a lamp before the Celestial Worthy. Kneel, bow, burn incense, and pray for the descent of dawn light to illuminate the Nine Netherworlds. Then take a torch and use it to light the other lamps, spreading the radiance. Arrange the lamps in circular formations, each about the size of a cartwheel, in three tiers, with a total of forty-nine lamps. Next, establish the sacred titles of the Celestial Worthies of the Ten Directions and open the gates of karmic retribution formed by the “Five Burdens” of living beings, using the reflected light to dispel the Five Burdens.

Talisman of the Golden Dragon Post Official

In the world, some people aid the poor, offer deliverance, uphold precepts, observe purification and fasting, or make offerings to the Three Treasures. Others refine the Real and nourish the spirit. Yet some have not completed the merit of their cultivation before their allotted lifespans end, and after death they enter the realm of Great Yin. For such people, one may separately transmit an amnesty mandate and the True Talisman for Deliverance from Suffering. In addition, make a Long Life Spirit Talisman from a cypress tablet and formally transmit it to the Southern Cinnabar Heaven, petitioning that the soul be raised to the Hall of the Emperor and its spirit refined and nourished in the Palace of Divine Fire.

If a soul did not accumulate merit for the people and the celestial realm during its lifetime, it cannot be casually granted the rank of an ascended immortal. Being allowed to see the radiance of the divine and to be reborn in the world of the living is already cause for gratitude. Therefore, at the beginning of a grand jiao purification ritual, the Long Life Spirit Talisman is not formally transmitted. The wooden tablet used for this talisman is the same size as the tablet for the Talisman for Deliverance from Suffering.

The 250,000 Golden Dragon post officials of Xuandu receive talismanic mandates, open the passes leading to the demonic realms, and rapidly deliver documents. Before formally transmitting a Long Life Spirit Talisman, one must summon one of these post officials through a written petition.

Write this talisman with cinnabar on blue paper. While writing, form the Jade Emperor mudra and draw down the light of the Taizun Star, guiding it around the brush. When finished, wipe the wooden tablet clean. Then cast the talismanic mandate into blue smoke and burn it. The Taizun Star is in the south. When facing the Northern Dipper, it lies below the Middle and Lower Platforms, in the central subtle position.

Face north; this is the direction meant here. North of the Supreme Venerable Star are four stars arranged like a military well. South of the Military Well is the Lesser Star of Subtlety. It lies in the Horn Lodge, and its light is yellow and bright. Directly south of the stars Tianxuan and Tianji, draw its radiance in through the nose and guide it around the strokes of the talisman.

Qi and radiance come in different kinds. They vary in purity and turbidity, and each flows toward a different destination.

When gathering the Qi of the sun, moon, and stars, inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. When gathering the Qi of flourishing clouds and mists, inhale through the mouth and then exhale. While drawing in or gathering Qi, do not let your ears hear it; if they do, the radiance of the Qi will not descend. Nor should you draw it in for too long, as this will disrupt your breathing. The key is to focus your attention and gather your spirit, directing your mind and regulating your inner state amid a deep, indistinct stillness. Then the Qi will naturally respond to your intention and descend. These methods do not apply when ingesting or gathering bright radiance and Qi, or when practicing the art of inhaling and exhaling.

The talisman on the right faces due east. Visualize, far away in the eastern heavens, the Golden Towers and Jade Palaces, where the Celestial Worthy Taiyi, Savior from Suffering, is present. He wears a feathered robe of nine-colored clouds, rides a nine-headed lion, and sits serenely on a jeweled jade lotus throne. In his left hand he holds a green jade vessel filled with sweet dew; in his right, a branch of kongqing stone. The two Perfected Ones, Great Beneficence and Savior from Suffering, the Azure Dark Lad, and eighty-one spirit officers all stand beside him. A beam of white-hair radiance shines from the crown of the Celestial Worthy’s head, like a sword, reflected within a round halo like the red sun. Every detail is clear.

Then silently state the reason for the ritual. Form the Three Paths and Five Peaks Seal, a hand seal used to communicate with the underworld and the Five Sacred Peaks. Draw in the wisdom light and swallow it, silently reciting the sacred title forty-nine times in your heart. Then blow on the brush and write the talisman; there is no need to write it repeatedly. Next, visualize gathering Qi and blow onto the talisman to transform it. It is said that by using this talisman, the countless suffering spirits of the dead throughout the nine provinces can all be delivered, ascend to immortality, and be reborn. The talisman may also be used to deliver just one or two spirits of the dead; its efficacy is unparalleled.

Proclamation for the Nine-Dragon Talisman

Talisman Decree of the Nine Dragons of the Eastern Pole Azure Palace, Savior from Suffering

Blank Talisman

The decree of the talisman above is issued to:

The Three Offices and Nine Bureaus; the Five Sacred Peaks and the nine provinces; the Six Caverns of Fengdu; the Ten Palaces and Nine Netherworlds; the sources of rivers and winding springs; the offices of the Five Paths; the City Gods and Earth Gods; and all officials in charge of the gates and hidden passages of the underworld. All are to receive this talisman decree and deliver the deceased person named [Name], the souls recommended on their behalf, and the lonely souls and stranded spirits among beings of the six paths and four forms of birth. Let them depart directly from darkness and forever leave behind the underworld prisons; remove their suffering and grant them peace. Let the gates of the springs, the portals of the underworld, close; let fires, smoke, and obscuring mists disperse; let weapons and poisons be destroyed…

Below, this petition is submitted to the dark realms; above, it is reported to Zhuling, the Daoist paradise of the south. It seeks to deliver the dead beyond the Three Paths—the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—to resolve grievances accumulated in past lives and end the suffering of rebirth.

In every case, act in accordance with the command and send it swiftly by the wind-and-fire relay service.

Issue this command at an auspicious hour on the appropriate day, month, and year, under the Tai Sui.

The undersigned, of the surname ___ and holding the following ritual rank, hereby issues this command.

Format for the Outer Envelope

(Eastern Pole Blue Palace Nine-Dragon Command for Deliverance from Suffering, issued to the wardens of the heavenly prisons and hells throughout the Ten Directions and Three Realms) The undersigned, of the surname ___ and holding the following ritual rank, respectfully seals this.

Jade Clarity Precious Register True Talisman for Breaking Open the Hells

Talisman Proclamation

Let this proclamation be made throughout the boundless divine regions of the Three Realms, the Office of the Winding Springs, and the Three Offices and Nine Bureaus of the Northern Capital Luofeng, the Daoist underworld, as well as the twelve sources of the rivers: release the bonds of grievance binding the ancestors and kin from all past kalpas; dispel illness, destroy the registers of sin, and uproot evil. Do not detain the souls of the dead or force them to join the ranks of ghosts.

By command of the Primordial Beginning, let the souls of the dead ascend and advance at the appointed time. The Northern Capital’s Cold Pool Bureau shall protect their bodies and souls, subdue demonic obstacles, and recommend them for deliverance and promotion in rank. The souls of the dead shall receive refinement and deliverance in the Southern Palace and be transformed into immortals; their bodies from life shall also receive deliverance. Through kalpas they shall endure for a long time, turning with the cycles of the kalpas and sharing Heaven’s lifespan. May they forever be delivered beyond the Three Paths, the Five Sufferings, and the Eight Difficulties, transcend the Three Realms, and roam freely in Shangqing, the Daoist celestial realm.

In every case, act in accordance with the command and send it swiftly by the wind-and-fire relay service.

Issue this command at an auspicious hour on the appropriate day, month, and year.

The undersigned, of the surname ___ and holding the following ritual rank, hereby issues this command.

Format for the Inner Cover

Jade Clarity Precious Register True Talisman for Breaking Open the Hells. The undersigned, of the surname ___ and holding the following ritual rank, respectfully seals this.

Format for the Outer Envelope

(Jade Clarity Precious Register True Talisman for Breaking Open the Hells, issued to the underworld officials of the Three Realms and Ten Directions) The undersigned, of the surname ___ and holding the following ritual rank, respectfully seals this.

Jade Clarity Precious Register True Talisman for Delivering Souls from the Hidden Realms

Talisman Proclamation

By command of the Primordial Beginning, let the souls of the dead ascend and advance at the appointed time (the following text is the same as above, through “roam freely”), and roam freely in Shangqing.

Issue this command at an auspicious hour on the appropriate day, month, and year.

The undersigned, of the surname ___ and holding the following ritual rank, hereby issues this command.

Both talismans above are to be drawn in cinnabar and the proclamations written in ink on yellow silk, then enclosed in an inner cover. The outer covers are all to be written in ink on yellow silk. Make twenty in total: ten to be issued to the Ten Directions, and nine to the nine regional divisions of the Nine Provinces, one for each place. They are used specifically to deliver the souls of the dead whose names are known.

Lower Origin Register Spirit Talisman for Ascending to Truehood, Renewing Life, and Leaving the Cycle of Birth and Death

Talisman Proclamation

In red script of Jade Clarity, reaching upward to the Purple Court. Heaven’s grace is compassionate; may it pardon the deceased, ___, and their ancestors through the generations…

All suffering spirits—the departed souls of successive generations of ancestors, from the great-grandfather onward, and wandering vital essences—must have their registers of sin erased and their roots of evil destroyed, and swiftly proceed to the realm of rebirth. Let both Qi and consciousness find peace; let them ascend to Heaven, purify the spirit, refine and nourish the bodily form, and let the true mind become wholly clear and bright. Sweep away all darkness, enter the Dao, and ascend to perfected status. All the foregoing shall, in accordance with this proclamation, be dispatched by the wind-and-fire relay, with the year, month, day, and hour recorded, and the order issued for implementation.

The official bearing the ritual rank (ritual office), So-and-so, issues this order in obedience to the command.

Format for the Ke Lou

Respectfully request that the “numinous talisman for ascending to perfection, receiving deliverance, and leaving the cycle of life and death” be issued to the rulers of the Ninefold Abyss, the Ten Directions, and the Three Realms. Sealed by the official bearing the ritual rank, So-and-so.

This talisman is made of cypress wood, nine inches and nine tenths long, three inches wide, and five tenths of an inch thick. The talismanic design is written on the front, and the Five Phases on the back. The year and month each occupy one line, for a total of six lines. This is the format used when delivering the souls of the deceased among the people.

Format for the Most High’s Treasure Register of Pardon and Ascension to Heaven

The supreme, mysterious, primordial Most High’s Treasure Register of Ascension to Heaven.

The place of origin has been verified: So-and-so submitted a petition requesting posthumous deliverance for the deceased So-and-so. This person was born in such-and-such year, month, day, and hour, and died in such-and-such year, month, day, and hour. A Zhaijiao (purification ritual) of such-and-such kind is now being held to offer posthumous deliverance for the deceased. In addition to recording and reporting this matter to the Heavenly Court and requesting a ruling for its implementation, a talismanic register must also be issued and delivered to the relevant divine offices.

Write the form of the treasure-register talisman.

The deity who delivers people from death, the Lord of Longevity at the South Pole, the Great Divine Marshal in Charge of Deliverance from the World, and Lord Han, the Elder who Fosters Life:

By authority of the Most High’s Treasure Register of Pardon and Ascension to Heaven, this order is issued to the Celestial Bureaucracy and the underworld of the Three Realms; the mountains, rivers, and peaks; the springs, winding waterways, and gates of the netherworld; the Northern Capital of Fengdu; the Six Caverns, Ten Palaces, Three Offices, Nine Prefectures, and one hundred and twenty bureaus; the land of utter desolation and the regions of darkness; all the great hells; the divisions of the Nine Provinces; blessed lands and famous mountains; the City Gods, local shrine officials, and places under the jurisdiction of divine beings; and the offices where the registers of the immortals are kept.

All divine offices responsible for weighing sin and merit, examining deeds and transgressions, and overseeing every heavenly prison and hell must receive this talismanic command. All the evil deeds, many offenses, and every grievance incurred by the departed soul through kalpas and successive lives, up to the present life, shall, through the Most High’s compassionate grace, be swiftly erased from the registers of sin and have their roots of evil destroyed. The soul must not be detained. It shall leave the underworld directly, be forever freed from the netherworld, and attain the wondrous fruit.

Those who, like people carrying sand and stones or repeatedly drawing water from the sea, and those made to summon thunder and command lightning, clear mountains and bore through the earth, pierce through Heaven and Earth, or divert water—all such laborers must cease their service over the departed soul, allowing it to roam freely forever. Immediately thereafter, cause…

From this point onward, the departed soul’s seven Qi become perfected, and the six ritual measures form its body. The Five Spirits reconnect what had been severed, while the two luminaries—the sun and moon—support the weakened body. It turns the Heavenly Dipper and walks through the air, stepping swiftly through the spirit palaces. Though its embryo has begun to form, its worldly tribulations have not yet ended. It refines and nourishes its physical form in the Golden City, gathers its spirit in the Jade Cavern, and nourishes itself within with true Qi, until at last it becomes a perfected person. It ascends to the Jade Void and descends to the Dark Springs. Within the cloud palaces and jeweled halls, its true soul comes and goes in blessed realms, traveling between the gates of life. It chews the sacred fungus and rinses its mouth with golden spring water. Sweet dew flows like a river, and mysterious rain and dew pour over the Dantian. Purple clouds shine at dawn and dusk; the Three Qi congeal into mist, and within the jeweled chamber it transforms into an immortal. Seated at ease upon a golden lotus, its true countenance shines so brightly it obscures the sun. It passes through worldly tribulations as though they were many years.

As shown above, the proclamation accompanying the talismanic command is formatted as follows:

“On this year, month, day, and hour, this command is issued.”

For a grand Zhaijiao, the offices of the six ritual attendants may be listed here.

“Your servant, of the surname ___, holding the ritual rank of a high merit master, issues this command.”

First, the officiant secretly presents the memorial facing the Gate of Heaven. Then, using an ink brush, write out the text of the pardon. Once it is written, face the Gate of Heaven and silently recite the incantation:

“Supreme Mysterious Origin, Most High Lord of the Dao, command your servant to wield the talisman and illuminate the Five Peaks—or, alternatively, the netherworld prisons—so that the souls of the dead may depart. With urgent haste, in accordance with the Most High’s laws and command!”

Recite the incantation seven times. Then use a cinnabar brush to draw the form of the Southern Dipper and write beneath it the true taboo name—the deity’s secret name. Visualize a Jade Lad descending from the direction of the Gate of Heaven, riding golden light and holding a yellow document.

Recite the syllable “Om,” and use Qi to write the four characters. Once they are written, recite each character four times. Join the talisman forms together and use them as prescribed. Write the talismanic registers and charms, along with the inner and outer texts of the yellow silk seal, in black ink on yellow paper. Twenty copies may be made: ten commands issued to the ten directions and worlds, for transmission by those who have attained the Dao; another command issued to the nine provinces, specifically to deliver named souls of the dead. After reciting the text, cast the talismans into a blazing fire and burn them. The souls of the dead will then receive pardon and be freed from ten thousand sins and a thousand faults; through internal refinement, their souls and spirits will be renewed and ascend directly to the realm of immortals.

The inner seal follows the same format:

“Supreme Mysterious Origin, Most High Command: the Precious Register of Pardon and Ascent to Heaven. Issued. Your servant, of the surname _, holding the ritual rank of _, respectfully seals this.”

“Commanded to the wardens of the heavenly prisons and earthly hells throughout the ten directions and three realms. Your servant, of the surname _, holding the ritual rank of _, respectfully seals this again.”

The scripture goes on to explain that the talismanic texts used to issue commands and deliver the spirits of the netherworld are drawn from ritual manuals. When officiating at the altar, one must first present a memorial and make a request to the Mysterious Vault—that is, Heaven—then promulgate the command throughout the nine earths. This was the ancient procedure. In recent times, however, certain vulgar and reckless people have devoted themselves to fraud and deception… The original text ends here, unfinished.

In the secular world, people make talismanic decrees without considering whether the matter is serious or minor, or investigating what is right and wrong. They simply claim that they have descended from Heaven. As for seals, they often imitate seals such as the “Jade Seal of the Supreme Lord of the Two Heavens” to stamp talismans and proclamations. Yet they do not realize that the cinnabar and yellow paper used in this world are made by human hands. To use them to deceive people by falsely claiming that the talismanic decrees came down from Heaven is a very clumsy practice.

The “Precious Register for Birth in Heaven,” a Daoist register used to deliver the souls of the dead, is much the same. When a ritual altar is set up in the human world for a Zhaijiao purification ritual, the talismanic texts and incantations should come from the Supreme One, and should be presented through a purification covenant and formal petition before being carried out according to the rules. The end of the register should therefore state the title of the ritual master presiding over the rite and include the words “petitioned and put into effect,” meaning that the rite is carried out only after a petition has been presented to Heaven. Some have changed this to “received the proclamation and carried it out,” which is far removed from the original meaning.

Worse still, some explicitly list crimes such as “personally murdering one’s ruler or father” and “failing to honor one’s parents.” How could such conduct be forgiven? People should understand the principles of proper and improper conduct. How could anyone bear to write patricide or regicide into a talismanic text and then hope to escape punishment through it? Heaven, Earth, and the spirits will not allow it. Although some Keyi ritual manuals occasionally record such content, those who practice the rituals today should not write it out explicitly.

Besides, worldly offenses are countless. How could every one of them be listed? It is enough to refer broadly to all kinds of evil deeds and transgressions, so that the talismanic text can be used to grant pardon. If the text can truly pardon offenses, it can deliver the dead even without listing each crime individually. If it cannot be put into effect, then filling the whole page with a detailed list of every offense is nothing but empty words.

Some people have also taken it upon themselves to invent celestial offices after a certain year and month, imitating the form of imperial amnesty edicts. This in itself violates the rules. The celestial realm is remote and profound, beyond conjecture or speculation, yet they arbitrarily invent official titles and ranks, arranging the perfected immortals (shangzhen) in the order of the human imperial court. They do this to deceive people and make a profit. They will likely gain too little to support themselves, yet incur guilt and lose their lives, never enjoying the profits they sought.

Recently, some have copied the full text of an imperial amnesty edict and used it as a proclamation, even including phrases such as “already discovered” and “not yet discovered.” This conduct is even more unforgivable. Those who study the Dao should examine their own hearts and think carefully. In all things, one should act with kindness, preserve a measure of what is right, and follow standards that are plain and practicable. This will not only protect oneself from worldly calamities, but also free nine generations of one’s ancestors from guilt in the netherworld. It will also prevent misleading others and causing them to lose blessings in the long term.

Model for a Register to Deliver Beings in the Six Paths and Four Births

The Supreme One’s Precious Register for Birth in Heaven is used to deliver lonely souls and lingering spirits in the Six Paths, freeing them from the netherworld…

At night, the officiant accompanying the deceased on the journey to rebirth should perform the rites according to the talismanic command.

Issued on [year, month, day, and hour]: Issued on a certain year, month, day, and hour.

With the rank of [title], your servant, [surname], issues this command: Your servant [surname], holding the rank of [title], issues this command in obedience.

Primordial Beginning Talismanic Command

Text of the talismanic proclamation:

Talismanic command of Primordial Beginning: Command the deceased [name] to ascend at the appointed time and proceed to the Cold Pool precinct of the Northern Capital, the netherworld domain that governs departed souls, escorted by guards. Let body and soul remain free from demonic disturbance, and grant permission to proceed to carefree Shangqing, the pure and lofty realm of the immortals. Let all be carried out according to this proclamation.

Issued on [year, month, day, and hour].

With the rank of [title], your servant, [surname], issues this command.

Talisman for a General Proclamation to the Three Realms

Text of the talismanic proclamation:

Proclaim throughout the boundless divine realms of the Three Realms: Send the deceased [name] to the place where the ghosts gather. Let all be carried out according to this proclamation, and transmit it by the Wind-and-Fire courier service.

Issued on [year, month, day, and hour].

With the rank of [title], your servant, [surname], issues this command.

Talisman for Passing Through the Gates of the Heavens

Text of the talismanic proclamation:

Command the deceased [name] to pass through the gates of the various heavens, requesting the removal of the three evils—their evil karma or unfortunate destinies—and the severing of their roots in the underworld, so that they may enter the gates of Heaven unimpeded. Let all be carried out according to this proclamation, and transmit it by the Wind-and-Fire courier service.

Issued on [year, month, day, and hour].

With the rank of [title], your servant, [surname], issues this command.

Talisman for Commanding the Earth Deities

Text of the talismanic proclamation:

Command the earth deities to guard the deceased, escort and receive them, and enable them to undergo refinement and attain rebirth. Let all be carried out according to this proclamation.

Issued on [year, month, day, and hour].

With the rank of [title], your servant, [surname], issues this command.

When using these four talismans to deliver a departed soul, it is necessary to write only one of them, specifically, on a slip, following the format of the “Slip for Deliverance from Suffering.” For a large Zhaijiao purification ritual, the talismans may be used more broadly: write them in cinnabar on yellow paper, place them in a square case, and use them according to the prescribed format.

Yunzhong once examined these four talismans—the Primordial Beginning Command, Passing Through the Gates of the Heavens, and Commanding the Earth Deities—and found that they all come from the Lingbao Duren Jingfa and have existed since ancient times. Daoist rites are founded on the scriptures, so talismanic texts should not go beyond the scriptures’ original meaning. The relevant teaching says that disciples who receive the Lingbao teachings must arrange passage through the gates and ascension for their nine generations of ancestors, and must also secure their own deliverance. Thus, during the rite for transmitting the teachings, these proclamatory talismans are bestowed upon them. There are also specific methods for using them. When they are used to deliver departed souls, the proclamations should adopt the wording of the scriptures and never depart from their original intent.

Since this method is not practiced among the forty-nine grades of the Tiantai tradition, members of the Tiantai school nonetheless use these talismanic rites when circumstances arise. Some add phrases such as “Jade Purity” to the original text; some call a single talisman a “Lingbao proclamation”; and some use one talisman and…

Many people do not understand what is meant by the term “Lingbao talisman mandate.” It is improper to change the name merely to suit popular tastes, or to use it carelessly without regard for its source. Names must not be invented or extended at will.

Four-direction Covenant Talisman (a talisman used to attest to the merit of a Zhaijiao purification ritual and communicate with the Three Realms; it is already recorded in the Shengxuan Register, whose original text has been well preserved).

(This talisman is also called the “Golden Script and Jade Warrant.” The eastern copy is written in cinnabar on yellow silk and burned, then delivered to the officials at the Gate of Heaven. The southern copy is written in cinnabar on a white jade disk and placed in a rocky cavern within a famous mountain or blessed realm. The western copy is written in cinnabar on blue silk and handed to the departed soul to keep. The northern copy is engraved on the back of a golden fish and released into the water to drift away. The purpose of the Zhaijiao purification ritual must be written or engraved on all four copies. In this way, Heaven and the human realm jointly attest to the ritual’s merit, enabling the departed soul to ascend.)

Yunzhong respectfully observes: According to the ancient liturgy, the Four-direction Covenant Talisman is divided into four copies to bear witness before the Three Realms, and is then still delivered to the departed soul. This carries the merit of the Zhaijiao purification ritual forward and helps the soul escape the netherworld. With the aid of meritorious deeds, beings in Heaven, the human realm, and the world of the dead can all benefit and ultimately attain freedom and ease. This practice is described in considerable detail, and its regulations are very ancient.

In recent times, however, people have taken one corner of the Four-direction Covenant Talisman and called it the “Lingbao talisman mandate,” using it as a proclamation to the Three Realms. Another corner is called the “Yuanshi talisman mandate” and used as a proclamation during an ascension rite. A third is called the “Jade Purity treasure register” and used as a document presented to the heavens. The remaining corner is called the “Lingbao imperial mandate” and used as an edict to the earthly deities. During the rite of refining and delivering souls, these pieces of talisman are thrown into the fire pit and burned.

Yet during the rite of refining and delivering souls, the departed soul is present before the officiants to receive the ritual. Since the soul is neither being summoned back nor being delivered onward, and since both water and fire are set up within the altar precinct, why burn the four pieces of the covenant talisman together? What is the reasoning behind this? And if so, what meaning remains in the word “covenant”?

The effects of this deceptive practice have not yet disappeared. At Taishan, some even offer a defense, saying that the souls being delivered have already ascended to Heaven and there is no need to submit the covenant talisman to the Three Realms. This is merely a claim intended to mislead ordinary people. Since ancient times, the Yellow Register retreat—a major Daoist Zhaijiao purification ritual for commemorating and delivering the souls of the dead—has required burying the written documents and making a proclamation to the Three Realms, so that the ritual’s merit may reach all beings. How much more fortunate are the deceased souls burdened by sin, who, after being delivered through ritual and cleansed of dark obstructions, escape the depths of the Yellow Springs, or are transformed according to their rank. How could they simply be allowed to ascend straight to the Ninth Heaven? The Four-direction…

After handing the departed soul one piece of the “contract”—the matching proof made from two halves of a talismanic token—the senior ritual master, who presides over the rites, may assume that his merit is complete. Yet if his virtue and cultivation are not sufficient to reach the netherworld, then even if the High Perfected take pity and permit a memorial to be submitted, he may still be unable to determine where the departed soul is going. Four talismans of direction must therefore be used to reach the Three Realms separately, so that the departed soul’s destination matches the talismanic token. This enables the soul to advance and receive instruction according to its rank, no longer remaining a sinful soul. This is the purpose of issuing separate talismanic tokens. How can one suppose that, once the departed soul has ascended to Heaven, there is no need to distinguish among the Three Realms? If that were so, there would be no need to burn the talismanic tokens or perform the rite of refining and delivering souls. In sum, these practices are rooted entirely in deception; their absurdity and falsehood should come as no surprise.

Great Talismanic Token for Ascending to Heaven

This talismanic token is made of yellow silk, one chi and six cun long and wide. It is folded in half so that the two sides meet. The front bears the words “Profound Writ of the Three Realms”; the back bears the proclamation. Place the token in a scroll case, wrap it in yellow silk, and give it to the departed soul to wear. Once it is worn, the soul’s Jing, Qi, hun, po, Shen, and consciousness can leave the earthly bureau—the divine office governing the netherworld—intact, receive instruction, and be reborn as a celestial being.

Proclamation

Today we joyfully celebrate that the departed soul has passed through every checkpoint and arrived at the Unfettered Gate of Heaven.

Issued on the day and hour of the first day of the month in the year of the current sexagenary cycle.

Issued by the undersigned, a Daoist of the ritual rank of [surname].

Lingbao Left Talismanic Token for Ascending to Heaven

Write on the face of the talisman:

“Danlou ahui, wuhe Guanyin, xuyan mingshou, falan Putan.”

Write four lines per row, for a total of sixteen rows of numinous script. At the end, write the proclamation:

“The middle section of the numinous Lingbao scripture raises and delivers the deceased [name], enabling them to ascend to the realm of the Dao. Their soul and spirit receive deliverance and, following their nature, attain new life. All is carried out in accordance with the command, transmitted by wind-and-fire courier.”

The year, month, and day of the current sexagenary cycle are the same as above.

Issued by the undersigned, a Daoist of the ritual rank of [surname].

On the back of the left token, write the Inner Text of the Three Sovereigns, sixty-eight characters in all. It is not reproduced here; another version exists. In addition to the Inner Text of the Three Sovereigns, also write on the back the number of departed souls.

Lingbao Right Talismanic Token for Ascending to Heaven

On the front, write the names of the emperors of the thirty-two heavens; on the back, write the Inner Text of the Three Sovereigns, and use red ink to specify the number of departed souls.

Emperor Yulan Yuming of the Great Sovereign Yellow Zeng Heaven,

Emperor Xu’ana Tian of the Great Bright Jade Completion Heaven.

Write two lines for each heaven, making sixteen lines for eight heavens. Write the eight heavens of each direction in four rows; the four directions together make thirty-two heavens, arranged in sixteen rows. Write even-numbered entries on the left token and odd-numbered entries on the right, following the format above. Write the proclamation at the end.

The text says:

Within the realm without form or color are hidden names such as the Jade Perfected, taboo name of the Celestial Emperor; the Luminous Emperor; and the names of the heavens of the Three Realms. There are also the Empty and Natural numinous writings of the Heaven of Hidden Resonance—sacred talismans formed naturally—as well as the Most High in Heaven, the Great Demon in Heaven, and the spirits of Heaven. When nine and ten unite, they can transform into the boundless mysteries of Shangqing. These matters are profound and cannot be explained in full. Proclaim and enact the divine truth, delivering all people in Heaven and on earth, as well as departed souls. Through this merit, a certain person may ascend to the realm of the Dao. All of the above shall be carried out in accordance with the authorization, conveyed by the wind-and-fire courier, and issued as a proclamation bearing the year, month, day, and hour.

The ritual official (your servant), of the surname [name omitted], carries this out.

The Three Sovereigns’ Inner Writ, inscribed on the reverse, is not copied here.

The left and right certificates are both written in cinnabar on plain blue silk, then cut crosswise down the middle. One half is placed in a cypress box, sealed tightly, and delivered to the officials of the Heavenly Gate. The other half is given to the leader of the male or female departed souls, sealed tightly, and presented to the Heavenly Gate for inspection as proof of authorization.

Without this certificate, the Earth Bureau and its terrestrial offices, which oversee the affairs of the underworld, will not allow a departed soul to preserve its consciousness and depart; the offices of the Five Sacred Peaks will not remove the soul from their registers; and the Fire Officials will not let it depart with its spiritual radiance intact. The Heavenly Gate will bar its way and prevent it from approaching. With this certificate, it may enter the Heavenly Gate directly and ascend to the Hall of Blessed Rebirth.

Outer and inner envelopes:

Right Certificate for Ascending to Heaven, of the Lingbao: the ritual official (your servant), of the surname [name omitted], respectfully seals this.

[This certificate for ascending to Heaven, of the Lingbao, is issued to the guardian gods of the Heavenly Gate.] The ritual official (your servant), of the surname [name omitted], respectfully seals this again.

Yunzhong, upon careful examination, concludes that the left and right Lingbao certificates are written in cinnabar on plain blue silk and cut crosswise down the middle. One half is sealed and delivered to the officials of the Heavenly Gate; the other is given to the leader of the departed souls, the soul of [name omitted]. Once the departed soul receives this certificate, it is no longer detained by the Three Realms and can avoid lingering there. The certificate does more than help the departed soul ascend through the Heavenly Gate. If the soul’s merit and practice are not yet sufficient for an audience with the Emperor on High, the certificate can also serve as a safeguard in the Middle Realm—the region between Heaven and the lower world—enabling the soul to be delivered and reborn.

Those who practice and teach the Dao should use this method with care.